title: Morphometric and quantitative immunohistochemical analysis of disease-related changes in the upper (suburothelial) lamina propria of the human bladder dome.
abstract: The upper (suburothelial) lamina propria (ULP) is a distinct region in the human bladder with dense populations of interstitial cells (IC), fine vascular networks and variable development of muscularis mucosae (MM). It is more and more obvious that the ULP plays an important role in bladder physiology and bladder disease, and in the present study we have quantified changes in the cellular key players of the ULP in bladders from patients with carcinoma in situ (CIS), multiple sclerosis (MS) and bladder pain syndrome (BPS). Tissue samples for the different patient groups were obtained from radical cystectomy-specimens. Standardized immunohistochemistry with a panel of specific cell markers was used to characterise the ULP cellular structures, followed by digitalised morphometry and quantitative staining analysis. Alterations in the ULP area were most pronounced in MS bladders, but also present in BPS and CIS bladders. We observed an increased thickness and increased variability in thickness of the ULP IC area in MS and BPS bladders; a significantly increased development of MM in MS bladders; a changed organization of vascular plexuses in the lamina propria in most pathologic bladders and a changed phenotype of ULP IC: a significantly decreased expression of progesterone receptor in MS bladders and a trend towards decreased expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin in BPS bladders. We show here for the first time the presence of disease-specific changes in organisation and/or phenotype of the different key players of the ULP area in human bladder. The present findings further support the hypothesis that the ULP area is involved and altered in different bladder diseases.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of experimental urology, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Translational Cell and Tissue Research, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Pathology, AZ Klina, Brasschaat, Belgium.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gevaert
authors.affiliation: DIAPath-Center for Microscopy and Molecular Imaging, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Gosselies, Belgium; Department of Pathology, Erasme Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Moles Lopez
authors.affiliation: Translational Cell and Tissue Research, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sagaert
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Ghent University and Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Libbrecht
authors.affiliation: Translational Cell and Tissue Research, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Roskams
authors.affiliation: DIAPath-Center for Microscopy and Molecular Imaging, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Gosselies, Belgium; Department of Pathology, Erasme Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rorive
authors.affiliation: DIAPath-Center for Microscopy and Molecular Imaging, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Gosselies, Belgium; Laboratories of Image, Signal processing and Acoustics, Brussels School of Engineering, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Decaestecker
authors.affiliation: DIAPath-Center for Microscopy and Molecular Imaging, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Gosselies, Belgium; Department of Pathology, Erasme Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Salmon
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of experimental urology, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Ridder
mesh_terms: D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000473:pathology*; D018856:Cystitis, Interstitial / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000473:pathology*; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*