O. Tiitta et al., TENASCIN IN INFLAMMATORY CONDITIONS AND NEOPLASMS OF THE URINARY-BLADDER, Virchows Archiv including cell pathology including molecular pathology, 63(5), 1993, pp. 283-287
Tenascin (Tn) is an extracellular matrix (ECM) glycoprotein strongly a
nd widely expressed during embryogenesis. Tn is decreased in normal ad
ult tissues but is reexpressed in numerous inflammatory, reparative an
d neoplastic processes. We immunostained samples of fetal and normal a
dult bladders and samples of bladder tissue from patients with chronic
cystitis, detrusor hypertrophy, malakoplakia and transitional cell ca
rcinomas (TCC) of all grades, with a monoclonal antibody (mAb) to Tn 1
43DB7. Sections of flat in situ carcinomas were also studied. In fetal
bladders, strong and ragged Tn reactions were noted at the epithelial
-stromal interface; in normal adult bladders, the reaction was delicat
e and less extensive. In chronic cystitis, Tn reactivity was enhanced
particularly around prominent capillary blood vessels. In flat in situ
carcinomas, Tn staining was stronger and more extensive than in norma
l mucosa but was often less extensive than in some examples of cystiti
s. In TCC I and II, Tn immunoreactivity was strong and predominated in
the pericapillary stroma of the papillae; in infiltrating TCC II, com
paratively limited Tn staining was noted. In deeply infiltrating grade
III TCC with abundant stroma, Tn reaction was invariably strong and e
xtensive, particularly around advancing tumor nests. The strongest Tn
reactions were noted in invasive, high-grade TCC with abundant stroma.
We conclude that in inflammatory-reactive processes, and in in situ c
arcinomas as well as in TCC, the extent and intensity of the Tn reacti
on correlates with the severity of the inflammatory infiltrate and wit
h the extent of the stromal remodelling.