Mourad W A, Lavallee-Grey M, Pappenhausen P, Essig Y P, Rowlands D T
Department of Pathology, University of South Florida, Tampa.
Mod Pathol. 1991 Mar;4(2):247-52.
The argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) have been extensively investigated in different neoplasms, and their increased number has been frequently linked to aggressive tumor behavior. To evaluate this association, 22 specimens from 21 patients with Wilms' tumors and related lesions were stained by the AgNOR silver-staining technique in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue. The aim of the study was to assess the significance of AgNOR count independently or in relation to histology in predicting the behavior of these neoplasms. Eleven nonneoplastic pediatric kidneys were used as controls. The controls had a range of 1.55 to 2.26 AgNOR/nucleus with a mean +/- SD of 1.91 +/- 0.22. The tumors showed a range of 1.25 to 2.86 AgNOR/nucleus with a mean +/- SD of 2.10 +/- 0.38 with obvious overlap between tumors and controls. The two unfavorable histology Wilms' tumors and the malignant rhabdoid tumor showed no increase in the number of AgNOR (1.66, 2.04, and 2.05, respectively). We further quantitated the nucleolar organizer regions (NOR) in metaphase spreads of three of the neoplasms, compared those with the patients' peripheral blood, and showed no difference in NOR numbers except for an occasional decrease in G-group NORs in the tumor cells. Tumors that had metaphase NOR counts of 6 to 9/nucleus had a mean interphase AgNOR count of less than 2.5. These results suggest that quantitative analysis of AgNORs in Wilms' tumors and related lesions is not a reliable predictor of aggressive tumor behavior. The discrepancy between metaphase and interphase NOR counts indicates that AgNOR counts are merely the reflection of the spatial arrangement of NOR-bearing chromosomes.
嗜银核仁组成区（AgNORs）已在不同肿瘤中得到广泛研究，其数量增加常与侵袭性肿瘤行为相关。为评估这种关联，对21例患有肾母细胞瘤及相关病变患者的22个标本，采用AgNOR银染技术对福尔马林固定、石蜡包埋组织进行染色。本研究的目的是评估AgNOR计数单独或与组织学相关在预测这些肿瘤行为方面的意义。选取11个非肿瘤性小儿肾脏作为对照。对照组AgNOR/核的范围为1.55至2.26，平均±标准差为1.91±0.22。肿瘤组AgNOR/核的范围为1.25至2.86，平均±标准差为2.10±0.38，肿瘤组与对照组之间有明显重叠。两种组织学表现不良的肾母细胞瘤和恶性横纹肌样瘤的AgNOR数量未增加（分别为1.66、2.04和2.05）。我们进一步对其中3个肿瘤中期分裂相中的核仁组成区（NOR）进行定量分析，与患者外周血进行比较，结果显示除肿瘤细胞中G组NOR偶尔减少外，NOR数量无差异。中期NOR计数为6至9/核的肿瘤，其平均间期AgNOR计数小于2.5。这些结果表明，对肾母细胞瘤及相关病变中AgNORs进行定量分析并非侵袭性肿瘤行为的可靠预测指标。中期与间期NOR计数之间的差异表明，AgNOR计数仅仅是含NOR染色体空间排列的反映。
