Specific in situ labeling of apoptosis shows different rates of programmed cell death in non-Hodgkin lymphomas
Funk, A.; Rudel, J.; Fellbaum, C.; Höfler, H.
Verhandlungen der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Pathologie 78: 318-320
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0070-4113 PMID: 7887032 Document Number: 426794
Two new techniques were used to quantify cell death (i.e. DNA fragmentation) in situ: (1) 3' overhangs of the fragmented DNA were end labelled with biotin-7-dATP and TdT (peroxidase/DAB). (2) In situ nick translation (ISNT) was performed with DNA polymerase 1 and biotin-7-dATP, to label single strand segments of DNA (peroxidase/DAB). Both methods were tested to be negative in ischemic and tumor necrosis, and negative for mitotic figures. In 26 centroblastic Non Hodgkin lymphomas (CB) (monomorphous subtype [n = 9], polymorphous subtype [n = 7], secondary [n = 10]), 14 chronic lymphocytic leukemias and two immunocytomas these methods were employed to quantify the rate of cell death. ISNT proved to be more sensitive than end labelling. By ISNT, CB had a mean cell death rate of 250/10HPF (monomorphous type: 429/10HPF, polymorphous type: 222/10HPF, secondary: 111/10HPF). CLL showed a significantly lower rate (28/10HPF). These data suggest, that the low rate of cell turnover in CLL is indicated by a low rate of cell proliferation and a low rate of programmed cell death. In CB the high proliferation rate was accompanied by a high level of cell death. In CB/monomorphous a high turnover state with a very high proliferation and cell death rate was found, whereas CB/polymorphous represents an expansive state as indicated by a lower rate of cell death. CB/secondary showed almost no programmed cell death and therefore was interpreted as a high expansive state neoplasia.