Multinucleated giant cells in submucosal layer of human urinary bladder: An Immunohistochemical and Electron Microscopic Study

• Published in: Pathology, research and practice Vol. 196; no. 5; pp. 293 - 298
• Main Authors: Ohtsuki, Yuji, Furihata, Mutsuo, Iwata, Jun, Takeuchi, Tamotsu, Sonobe, Hiroshi, Chen, Bing-Kun, Liang, Sheng-Ben, Kuwahara, Morimasa, Ochi, Kenji, Terao, Naotami
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Elsevier GmbH 2000
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biomarkers, Tumor - analysis; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell - chemistry; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell - ultrastructure; Cell Nucleus - ultrastructure; Electron microscope; Female; Giant Cells - chemistry; Giant Cells - ultrastructure; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Immunohistochemistry; Male; Microscopy, Electron; Middle Aged; Mucous Membrane - ultrastructure; Multinucleated giant cell; Neoplasm Proteins - analysis; Organelles - ultrastructure; Urinary bladder; Urinary Bladder - ultrastructure; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms - chemistry; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms - ultrastructure; Immunohistochemistry; Electron microscope; Urinary bladder; Multinucleated giant cell
• ISSN: 0344-0338; 1618-0631
• DOI: 10.1016/S0344-0338(00)80058-8

Multinucleated giant cells (MGC) detected in the submucosal layer of human urinary bladder mainly associated with transitional cell carcinoma were examined immunohistochemically and ultrastructurally. The cases examined totaled 29, namely 14 cases with transitional cell carcinoma and another 15 cases mostly with malignancy in other organs. Histologically, MGC were smooth, irregular or dendritic in shape, and tended to increase in number in the vicinity of cancer or marked inflammation. They were consistently positive for not only vimentin, but also MB-2, and CD34, and were mostly positive for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), but not MIB-1 (Ki-67) and HLA-DRα antigens. On occasion, antibodies to α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), muscle actin (M-actin), CD68 (KP-1) and α subunit of S-100 protein also yielded positive reactions. Interestingly, aggregated short bulbous processes were ultrastructurally observed on their surface in parts. These findings suggested that MGC in the submucosal layer of human urinary bladder were MB-2 and CD34-positive multipotential mesenchymal cells with no mitotic activity expressing fibroblastic (vimentin), myofibroblastic (α-SMA), or histiocytic (CD68) markers mostly in the vicinity of malignancy, and that these MGC were formed by fusion of mononuclear cells expressing identical markers with those of MGC. Further investigations are needed to clarify the exact function of MGC in human urinary bladder.