Composition of fat in different types of liposarcomas in comparison with lipomas

Different types of liposarcomas, and for comparison, lipomas were investigated for their lipid composition. Triglycerides were the main components of lipomas and lipoma-like liposarcomas. Myxoid liposarcomas had a high water content and contained considerable amounts of free cholesterol and phospholipids. One pleomorphic liposarcoma resembled a myxoid liposarcoma in its lipid composition and water content. In 4 liposarcomas of mixed type the lipid composition resembled the main subtype. A glycerol ether-like fraction was found in all lipoma-like (well differentiated) liposarcomas, in one myxoid type but not in the other types.

Immunohistochemical staining for apolipoprotein B in human sarcomas

A study of immunocytochemical staining for apolipoprotein B (apo B) in 52 human sarcomas and eight benign soft-tissue tumors is described. A peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique was employed using a rabbit anti-apo B antiserum. All 27 liposarcomas examined were positive for apo B, and 23 of these tumors showed at least 2-plus staining on a scale of 0 to 3 plus. Of the ten myxoid liposarcomas within this group, seven showed 2-plus or 3-plus staining, while the other three stained 1 plus. By contrast, 11 of 13 malignant fibrous histiocytomas were negative for apo B; the remainder showed 1-plus staining. Myxoid areas present in three of these cases were negative for apo B. Five of seven rhabdomyosarcomas stained at least 2 plus for apo B. Both benign and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors showed no consistent pattern of staining. We conclude that apo B immunocytochemical staining tends to be high in tumors whose normal tissue counterparts exhibit relatively large numbers of low-density lipoprotein receptors. Furthermore, immunoperoxidase staining for apo B should be a useful adjunct in the evaluation of soft-tissue sarcomas, particularly in cases with myxoid differentiation.

Enhanced levels of insulin-like growth factor messenger RNA in human colon carcinomas and liposarcomas

The insulin-like growth factors I and II (IGF-I and -II) are proteins which stimulate cell proliferation and are important in normal human growth and development. They are coded for by separate genes and bind to specific cell surface receptors, eliciting a mitogenic response. IGFs are secreted by several cell lines derived from adult tumors. We have examined a number of human adult tumors for IGF messenger RNA (mRNA) expression and found IGF-II mRNA levels were consistently elevated in two types, colon carcinoma and liposarcoma. Adult colonic mucosa contains low levels of IGF-I and -II mRNA while several colon tumors, particularly of rectal and rectosigmoid origin, contained significantly elevated levels of IGF-II message. Over 90% of liposarcomas examined contained greatly elevated levels of IGF-II mRNA while control tissue (adipose) contained very low or undetectable IGF mRNA levels. Many of these tumors also contained elevated IGF-I mRNA levels. Northern analysis of these RNAs revealed differences in the abundance and sizes of IGF transcripts compared to other normal and malignant tissues known to express IGF.

Immunohistological study in chordomas

An immunohistological study of 15 chordomas, six chondrosarcomas, four liposarcomas and seven carcinomas on paraffin embedded samples using anti-cytokeratin, anti-epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), anti-S100 protein, anti-vimentin and anti-neurofilaments showed that chordomas has a characteristic immuno-staining, i.e. positive for cytokeratin, EMA, S100 protein and vimentin; and negative for neurofilaments. This immuno-staining allows a clear distinction of chordomas from other tumours.

S-100 antigen labels neoplastic cells in liposarcoma and cartilaginous tumours

S-100 antigen, originally believed to be unique to the nervous system, has recently been found in cell types of non-neuroectodermal origin such as chondrocytes and adipocytes. These findings suggested the possibility of detecting the antigen in tumours derived from such cells. Using the PAP method and an anti-ox brain S-100, the antigen was found in the cells of human chondrosarcomas, chondroblastomas and liposarcomas. In contrast, fibrous histiocytomas and fibrosarcomas, tested to verify the cellular specificity of the S-100 immunoreaction, did not exhibit S-100-containing cell types. The present data indicate the usefulness of the S-100 antigen as a diagnostic and investigative tool in defined neoplasms of non-neuroectodermal origin, such as chondroid tumours and liposarcoma.

Distribution of steroid hormone receptors in human soft tissue sarcomas

Sixty-six human soft-tissue sarcoma specimens were assayed for incidence and distribution of steroid hormone receptors. Liposarcomas (43%) and leiomyosarcomas (60%) had a high incidence of estrogen receptor. In contrast, sarcomas of fibrous and synovial tissue origin lacked any detectable receptor for estrogen. Malignant fibrous histiocytoma had the highest incidence of glucocorticoid (66%) and androgen (66%) receptors. The incidence of receptors for estrogen and glucocorticoid was higher in female than in male patients (62% and 38%, respectively). Sucrose density gradients demonstrated 8s-type receptors for both estrogen and glucocorticoid. Data from this study suggest that specific high-affinity cytosolic receptors for steroid hormones are present in human soft tissue sarcoma and that their distribution may depend on the histogenetic origin and the sex of patients.

A histochemical and biochemical study of a liposarcoma with several aspects on the development of fat synthesis

The report describes a case of lipocytic and lipoblastic liposarcoma, morphologically to be classified as well-differentiated. A considerable number of liopoblastic areas with the mass of the tumour proper which contain large amounts of glycogen are interspersed. These immature lipocytes reproduce the histogenesis of normal white fat. The quantity of glycogen-storing lipoblastic cells nearly equals that of the fat-storing lipocytic cells. Acid mucopolysaccharides are seen in only small areas of tumour. Histochemical staining as well as biochemical investigations, show that the majority of tumour fat consists of triglycerides, followed by cholesterol esters. There are also small amounts of free cholesterol, phospholipids, free fatty acids and a further fraction, which seems to be a glycerol ether. There exist differences in the quantitative content of cholesterol, phospholipids and triglycerides of tumour fat compared to normal fat. No significant difference exists between the fatty acids in tumour fat and those in normal fat outside of the tumour.

A light and electron microscopic study with comments on their relation to malignant fibrous histiocytoma and angiosarcoma

Analysis of 365 cases of malignant soft tissue tumors revealed 83 cases of liposarcoma. The ages of the patients were distributed between 18 and 86 years with a mean average of 54.3 years. Approximately 50% of the cases were located in the lower extremity. Histologically, they consisted of 5 types; well differentiated (17 cases), myxoid (49 cases), round cell (3 cases), pleomorphic (11 cases), and mixed (3 cases). The appearance of lipoblasts of either the signet-ring type or mulberry (multivacuolated) type with displaced nuclei was the common characteristic feature for all types. Electron microscopically, lipid droplets were found inside of endoplasmic reticulum in lipoblasts, and abundant glycogen granules were seen in the cells containing only few lipid droplets. The lipoblasts were usually located close to the vascular wall in the interstitium, and findings suggesting an intimate relation between pericytes and lipoblasts were encountered. Although the differential diagnosis of malignant fibrous histiocytoma and liposarcoma was made possible by the appearance of lipoblasts in the latter, storiform pattern and histiocyte-like cells sometimes appeared in poorly differentiated liposarcoma. This tendency was also found in angiosarcoma. A close follow-up of recurrent cases revealed that there are actually cases of liposarcoma with malignant fibrous histiocytoma-like pattern and angiosarcoma with malignant fibrous histiocytoma-like pattern. It was considered that malignant fibrous histiocytoma-like figures can appear in various poorly differentiated sarcomas.

A myeloliposarcoma in a female Perodicticus potto: mineralogical and elemental chemical analysis

A spherical mass on the medial aspect of the thigh and caudal abdomen of a 15-year-old female Perodicticus potto was surgically removed and shown to be a myeloliposarcoma. Mineralogical examination of these tissues showed them to be amorphous to X-rays. Thirty-two elements were determined by chemical analysis of the tumor.

Histochemical characteristics of muco-substances in three soft-tissue tumours

The mucosubstances present in myxoid liposarcomas, malignant fibrous histiocytomas and intramuscular myxomas were investigated. The results suggest that such investigations are unlikely to provide a useful diagnostic aid in these three lesions.

Histochemical characterization of mucosubstances in bone and soft tissue-tumors

The present investigation endeavors to characterize the mucosubstance content of 170 myxoid and chondromatous tumors and chordomas by histochemical methods. The results obtained using the critical electrolyte concentration (CEC) method as introduced by Scott and co-workers23,24 were compared with those obtained by staining with alcian blue and toluidine blue at different pH's with and without pretreatment with bovine testicular hyaluronidase. Tissues known biochemically to contain different heteroglycans were used as controls: synovial fluid and cock's comb (hyaluronic acid) stained with alcian blue up to a MgCl2 concentration of 0.1 M; fetal cartilage (chondroitin 4- and 6-sulphate) pulposus with notochordal remnants (keratan sulphate) up 10 1.0 M. The staining reaction of intramuscular myxoma and myxoid liposarcoma corresponded to that of synovial fluid and cock's comb (containing hyaluronic acid). Benign chondromatous tumors (osteochondroma, enchondroma, extraskeletal chondroma, chondromatosis in bursae, synovia, and tendon) as well as well-differentiated chondrosarcomas had a similar staining reaction to that of adult cartilage (containing keratan sulphate). However, the intensity of the reaction was lower in these tumors than in the adult cartilage, indicating that the keratan sulphate content of the tumors is lower. Most of the moderately well-differentiated chondrosarcomas, the poorly differentiated chondrosarcomas, and pulmonary metastases of chondrosarcoma, as well as mesenchymal chondrosarcoma and extra-skeletal chondrosarcoma possessed the same staining properties as fetal cartilage, known to contain chondroitin 4- and 6-sulphate but not keratan sulphate. A few of the moderately well-differentiated chondrosarcomas stained up to a MgCl2 concentration of 1.0 M. Three cases of poorly differentiated chondrosarcomas stained with alcian blue up to 0.35-0.45 M in the lowest differentiated areas, indicating the presence of sulphated heteroglycans, as chondroitin 4- and 6-sulphate. Most chordomas possessed the same staining properties as fetal cartilage; however, a few chordomas stained in the same way as notochordal remnants of nucleus pulposus (containing keratan sulphate), which are thought to be the origin of these tumors. The results of staining of the tumors in the present series with the Scott technique corresponds well with toluidine blue and alcian blue at different pH's with and without pretreatment of the sections with testicular hyaluronidase. Since bone and soft tissue tumors may contain varying mucosubstances depending on the tissue of origin and on differentiation, histochemical investigation of the heteroglycan content of these tumors may be a valuable diagnostic aid.