title: Ultrastructural and immunohistochemical analysis of fibrous long-spacing collagen fibrils in malignant mesothelioma.
abstract: Three cases of biphasic mesothelioma and 2 cases of sarcomatoid mesothelioma were investigated using light and electron microscopy. In 2 of the 3 cases of biphasic mesotheliomas, fibrous long-spacing (FLS) collagen fibrils were discovered with a symmetrical cross-striation of 130 nm in periodicity. However, no connection between the FLS fibrils and usual collagen fibrils were observed. Periodic acid silver methenamine stain revealed unstained bands with periods of 130 nm in FLS fibrils, whereas the usual collagen fibrils showed continuous positive staining. All 3 cases of biphasic mesotheliomas showed deposits of hyaluronic acid, whereas both cases of sarcomatoid mesotheliomas showed little hyaluronic acid. As a high concentration of hyaluronic acid induces the formation of FLS collagen fibrils in vitro, the authors propose that FLS fibrils from mesothelioma may be special structures that occur as the tropocollagens are assembled into new collagen fibrils in the presence of hyaluronic acid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytic Human Pathology, Nippon Medical School, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Dedong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Shinobu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kunugi
authors.forename: Yukinari
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: Masamichi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishizaki
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koizumi
authors.forename: Yuh
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukuda
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D024022:Fibrillar Collagens / Q000032:analysis / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D012155:Reticulin / Q000032:analysis / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014332:Tropocollagen / Q000032:analysis / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D024022:Fibrillar Collagens; D012155:Reticulin; D014332:Tropocollagen; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid