CORPORA-AMYLACEA IN THE LUNG, PROSTATE AND UTERUS - A COMPARATIVE ANDIMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY

Previous studies have shown that corpora amylacea (CA) in certain orga ns, including the prostate, lung and uterus, are composed of amyloid. This observation raises the question of whether these amyloid deposits share a common origin or demonstrate the diversity which characterize s other amyloid syndromes. Sections of the lung, prostate and uterus f rom 110 consecutive autopsies oi individuals over 84 years of age were studied initially using H&E and Congo red staining. CA were present i n 54 cases (49%) with the prostate affected in 23 cases, the lung in 1 9 cases and the uterus in 15 cases. Immununohistochemistry with a pane l of antibodies directed against the major amyloid fibril proteins, i. e. AA, A beta(2)M, A lambda, A kappa and ATTR, yielded strong immunore activity of prostatic and pulmonary CA with anti-A beta(2)M. Immunosta ining with an antibody against cytokeratin (KL(1)) gave a weak reactio n in a single case of prostatic CA, indicating that it is unlikely tha t these CA derive front cytoskeletal remnants of shedded epithelial ce lls. The uterine CA were not stained by any of the antibodies, suggest ing that they have a different origin than prostatic and pulmonary CA. The influence of the local calcium concentration and niduses on the p athogenesis of CA is discussed.