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Abstract
Hyaline globules (HGs) or thanatosomes belong to a well-defined microscopic phenomenon common to any cell type, representing eosinophilic and round-shaped intracytoplasmic inclusions as a result of altered cellular metabolism. We experienced a case of undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) of the left thigh, immunoreactive diffusely for CD99 and p16INK4a and focally for alpha-smooth muscle actin. HGs were multifocally clustered in the cytoplasm of the tumor cells. An ultrastructural study using a formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded block was performed to visualize HGs in the UPS cells. Light microscopically, multifocally clustered HGs were PAS-positive with diastase-resistance and fuchsinophilic in Masson's trichrome staining. HGs were immunoreactive for cleaved caspase-3, but negative for ubiquitin. Ultrastructurally, apoptotic tumor cells contained clusters of small-sized electron-dense globules. Granular material was often deposited in the globule matrix. The formation of the HGs is supposedly related to an apoptotic process of the tumor cells. Though a nonspecific and minor microscopic finding, HGs in soft tissue sarcomas may represent a useful histologic marker of enhanced cell turnover and/or ischemic injury. This is the third report describing HGs in UPS.
Highlights
Hyaline globules (HGs), termed as thanatosomes, have been identified in various types of cells and tissues in the normal, subnormal, nonneoplastic and neoplastic conditions [1]
We report a case of Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) of the left thigh, rich in HGs
In combination with positive cleaved caspase-3 immunoreactivity, the HGs are supposedly related to an apoptotic process of the tumor cells, representing as genuine thanatosomes
Summary
Hyaline globules (HGs), termed as thanatosomes, have been identified in various types of cells and tissues in the normal, subnormal, nonneoplastic and neoplastic conditions [1]. Some tumor cells possessed HGs of varying sizes in the cytoplasm (Figure 1E). Their sizes ranged from 1.0 to 18.6 micrometers, with the mean value at 5.4 and median at 3.2. The area with tumor cells containing clustered HGs was dug out of the paraffin block as 1 mm-sized cubes. The spindled or polygonal tumor cells ultrastructurally possessed round or oval nuclei with increased euchromatin and prominent nucleoli (Figure 2A). Electron-dense, round-shaped globules (HGs) were formed in the tumor cells (Figure 2B, 2C). In combination with positive cleaved caspase-3 immunoreactivity, the HGs are supposedly related to an apoptotic process of the tumor cells, representing as genuine thanatosomes (death bodies). Some apoptotic tumor cells contain clusters of smaller-sized electron-dense globules, ranging from 1.0 to 18.6 micrometers.
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