Abstract 5354: Nuclear spheres in developmental biology and diagnosis

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: The nuclear content of individual spheres with identical luminal diameters in buccal mucosa cells of patients with a malignant neoplasm at a distant site was first described by the author in 1962. Their biologic etiology remains unknown however. Recent studies revealed data on their correlation with nuclear spheres of cancer stem cells in asymmetric division. Materials and Methods: Observation of nuclear micro spheres was made by means of the highest magnification of the light microscope using a 100x objective and 10x ocular with a microscopic tube length of 1.25. The hematoxylin-eosin stain was applied for histological sections and cytological specimens. Buccal mucosa spreads of 145 cases were examined in correlation with cancer stem cells. Nuclear spheres in buccal mucosa cells were compared to those in self-renewal daughter cells of cancer stem cells in asymmetric division. Results: In asymmetric division of cancer stem cells the self-renewal daughter cell nucleus consisted entirely of spheres with identical luminal diameters of 0.33 to 0.5 µm. The other daughter cell was well differentiated with a nucleus devoid of spheres. In the buccal mucosa specimens with a distant malignant neoplasm, the nuclear content of spheres with luminal diameters of < 0.5 µm were noted in 112 of 145 cases with a sensitivity of 77% and specificity of 86%. The primary tumors were diverse in type and location. Discussion: The scientific literature is silent as to the rationale for nuclear spheres that appear with their identical luminal diameters in the buccal mucosa cells distant from a primary malignant neoplasm and identical to those of self-renewal daughter cells in asymmetric stem cell division. Nuclear spheres in cells distant from the primary tumor may occur as a result of circulating blood DNA or through blood cell migration to the buccal mucosa. The systemic manifestation of nuclear spheres at distant sites from a primary tumor is in keeping with the systemic involvement of cancer described by numerous investigators including the teams led by M. Us-Krasovic and B. Palcic (2005) and D.S. Alberts and P.H. Bartels (2007). The identification of nuclear spheres as a result of an overt or occult cancer offers the potential of a non-invasive cancer test. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5354. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-5354