| Budget Amount *help |
¥2,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,400,000)
Fiscal Year 1988: ¥700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000)
Fiscal Year 1987: ¥700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000)
Fiscal Year 1986: ¥1,000,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000)
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| Research Abstract |
Thymomas were electron microscopically classified into cortical, medullary, mixed, and corpuscular types, based on the tumor epithelial cells. The lymphocytic component, examined immunohistochemically, was predominantly CD1-positive cortical thymocytes (lymphocytes) in the cortical type tumors, while CD3-positive mature lymphocytes were relatively increased in the medullary and corpuscular types. The s-100 protein-positive interdigitating reticulum cells (IDC), which are mostly confined to the medulla in normal thymus, were scanty in the cortical type, but abundant in the medullary and corpuscular types. The results suggest the existence of functional difference in thymomas as in the cortex and medulla of normal thymus, which is reflected in the infiltration of lymphocytes and IDC.
Hyperplastic thymuses of myasthenia gravis (MG) were immunohistochemically compared with nonhyperplastic MG thymuses and with normal adult thymuses, with regard to the epithelial cells, myoid cells, T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, plasma cells, and IDC. The MG thymuses with or without follicular hyperplasia showed essentially similar changes except for the presence of lymph follicles, although the degree of changes was generally less in the nonhyperplastic than hyperplastic thymuses. The changes, compared with the normal thymus, included dilatation of the perivascular spaces (PVS); compression and elongation of the medullary epithelium; splitting of the basement membrane; decreased myoid cells; diffuse infiltration in the medulla and PVS of B lymphocytes, plasma cells, and IDC; and increased T lymphocytes in the PVS. the results suggest the existence of thymitis in the MG thymuses irrespective of the follicular hyperplasia.
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