Number Of Multinucleated Giant Cells Research Articles

Cavitary Pulmonary Sarcoidosis

A 25-year-old woman was initially seen with hilar adenopathy and bilateral cavitary lesions. No cause for these roentgenographic abnormalities other than sarcoidosis could be determined. In contrast to what is usually found in acute sarcoidosis, the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from this patient contained a normal number of lymphocytes and an increased number of multinucleated giant cells. These findings raise the possibility that patients with acute sarcoidosis and cavitation have an atypical form of this disease. Even though cavitation in acute sarcoidosis is rare, this disorder must be considered in making the differential diagnosis of cavitary lung disease.

Effect of methotrexate on the growth and human chorionic gonadotropin secretion of human choriocarcinoma cell lines in vitro

The effect of methotrexate (MTX) on the growth and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) secretion of five gestational and two nongestational human choriocarcinoma cell lines was studied in vitro. A striking heterogeneity in hCG secretion was noted among the cell lines. The growth of cells which secreted large quantities of hCG, such as HCCM-5, BeWo, and IMa, was inhibited by continuous exposure to 2 × 10−8M MTX. In contrast, cells which secreted little hCG, such as SCH, ENAMI-1, and GCH-1, showed no response to the growth inhibitory action of 2 × 10−8M MTX and the3H-thymidine uptake was not reduced by treatment with MTX at doses of up to 10−4M for 48 hours. The common morphologic alterations observed in the cells which responded to MTX were an increase in the number of multinucleated giant cells, the appearance of vacuoles and granules in the cytoplasm, and enlargement of the nuclei. Increased hCG secretion was observed in accordance with the appearance of such morphologically altered cells. Part of the mechanisms of resistance to MTX appeared to involve both impairment of MTX uptake by the cells and an increase in the level of intracellular dihydrofolate reductase.

Experimental model for dermal granulomatous hypersensitivity in Q fever.

Q fever has been associated with granulomatous changes in clinical biopsy material obtained from liver and bone marrow. Local reactions to skin testing have been described in previously sensitized humans, but histological studies of such reactions have not been reported. We note that delayed hypersensitivity reactions to whole-cell phase I Q fever vaccine in immunized guinea pigs have a time course of development of induration characteristic of granulomatous hypersensitivity. Histological examination of such skin reactions on day 9 after testing revealed epithelioid cell infiltration and the presence of large numbers of multinucleated giant cells. Prominent in the sections were fragments of disintegrating polymorphonuclear leukocytes having the appearance of leukocytoclasis. Electron microscopic studies confirmed the presence of epithelioid changes in cells of the mononuclear phagocyte series, as well as extensive collagen deposition. This animal system affords a readily reproducible model of dermal granulomatous hypersensitivity and an opportunity to analyze the immunological basis of this reaction.

Effects of cadmium and copper on the ultrastructure ofAnkistrodesmus braunii andAnabaena 7120

The effects of brief exposure to, or growth in the presence of, lethal and sublethal concentrations of Cu(NO)2 and Cd(NO3) on the ultrastructure of the blue-green algaAnabaena 7120 and the green algaAnkistrodesmus braunii were studied. Exposure to increasing amount of both metal ions led to the appearance of larger proportions of electron-dense cells whose organelles were less well defined than those of untreated cells. Metal-treated cells ofAnabaena 7120 became distorted. Some had a corrugated appearance. Others lysed, leaving a much larger proportion of heterocysts. Such heterocysts were often empty or had a curious collapsed appearance. Growth ofA. braunii in the presence of 10(-4) M Cu(NO2)2 produced substantial numbers of multinucleate giant cells with thick walls; such cells result from repeated mitotic division without subsequent cytokinesis. The giant cells contained centrioles, structures not as yet found in normal cells of the genusAnkistrodesmus. Some nuclei of giant, but not of normal, cells contained deep indentations that appeared as "holes" in cross section. Some giant cells also contained triple parallel strands of endoplasmic reticulum which extended across much of the cell, connecting to the nuclear envelope. Some ultrastructural changes were also noted in algal cells grown over sediment containing Cu or Cd, but these were generally less severe than those occurring when metal ions were added directly to the algal cultures.

Exocytosis by multinucleate giant cells

Multinucleate giant cells which are often found in inflammatory reactions are polykarya formed by the fusion of exuded monocytes. Such syncytia, however, display a reduced phagocytic performance in comparison to mononuclear phagocytes but cell populations containing large numbers of multinucleate giant cells have been shown to selectively secrete lysosomal hydrolases. In this communication the possibility of exocytosis by these polykarya has been investigated by ultrastructural and electron cytochemical techniques.Multinucleate giant cells were produced by the implantation of small sheets of melenex plastic film into the subcutaneous tissues of mice. The macrophage polykarya which formed on the surface of the plastic sheet were then subjected to ultrastructural examination, either untreated or after exposure to cytochalasin B or zymosan or both. In some experiments the cells were exposed to thorotrast or ferritin before the various treatments were performed. Some specimens were stained with tannic acid while in others the electron cytochemical demonstration of acid phosphatase or surface ATPase was performed.

A biochemical profile of glass-adherent cell populations containing multinucleated foreign body giant cells.

Some biochemical characteristics of peritoneal macrophages, subcutaneous macrophages and subcutaneous cell populations containing multinucleate giant cells were compared. Subcutaneous macrophages possessed higher concentrations of succinate dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase, aryl hydroxylase, free RNase II, lecithin and free fatty acids than peritoneal macrophages, while the latter had higher concentrations of 5' -nucleotidase esterified cholesterol. These differences may be due to environmental variations depending on their anatomical position or more likely to their degree of activation. As significant numbers of multinucleate giant cells appear in the subcutaneous population the concentration aryl hydroxylase, 5' -nucleotidase lactate dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase, free ribonuclease II and esterified cholesterol falls. The concentration of succinate dehydrogenase decreases but then rises while the concentration of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase increases. These highlight the differences between cell populations containing multinucleated giant cells and those composed from their precursor mononuclear phagocytes only.

Formation of Multinucleated Giant Cells (MGC) in Vitro by Sensitized Macrophages Exposed to Mycobacterium Bovis

Adult rabbits were injected intravenously with heat killed Mycobacterium bovis strain Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) suspended in oil. As reported previously (1) the rabbits develop a strong infiltration of mononuclear cells which can easily be demonstrated in the lungs 40-50 days post-sensitization. Cells lavaged from these lungs consists of about 82% macrophages, 14% lymphocytes, 3% polymorphonuclear leukocytes and 1% giant cells. Within five to six hours after in vitro cultivation with heat-killed BCG, the macrophages which have already attached to the plastic substrate form clusters apparently by migration. When the mixed population of lavaged cells is cultured for 24 hours many macrophages seem to fuse to form multinucleated giant cells (MGC), whereas cells collected from unsensitized rabbits do not form significant numbers of MGC. A typical MGC containing at least 35 nuclei in the central area of the syncytium is shown in Fig. 1. The mechanism involved in this cell fusion process is not understood.

Neonatal hepatitis and its relation to viral hepatitis of mother. A review of the problem.

Giant cell hepatitis of infancy (for some of the other terms used for this condition see Fienberg1), one of the causes of jaundice in early life, is a disorder of unknown etiology which has attracted much attention in recent years. It is characterized by the presence, in the liver chiefly of young infants, of varying numbers of multinucleated giant cells of hepatocellular origin and by the absence of any other demonstrable pathological condition which could be held responsible for either the jaundice, when present, or for the development of the characteristic giant cells. This definition, however, probably covers only one, perhaps the most obvious, group of cases, as will be shown later in this paper, since it excludes, on the one hand, those undoubted cases of viral hepatitis in young infants where no giant cells have been seen2-19and, on the other, certain pathological conditions of the infant's

Effect of x-rays on cultured monkey kidneys cells infected with a myxovirus.

Rhesus monkey kidney cells were found to be capable of forming a uniform monolayer even though they were highly infected with DA, a myxovirus. Irradiation did not result in readily observable CPE in virus infected cultures, although examination of stained preparations revealed definite changes as compared with control cultures. Increased numbers of multinucleated giant cells were observed in infected cultures exposed to x rays, whereas considerably fewer and only mononucleated giant cells were obtained in irradiated cells without virus infection. (auth)

Metaphyseal Fibrous Defects

Metaphyseal fibrous defects are cystic lesions filled with fibrous tissue and are usually eccentrically located in the metaphyses of the long bones of the extremities of children and young adults. The lower extremities are most often involved. Histologically these defects are filled with whorls and sheets of fibrous tissue, varying numbers of multinucleated giant cells, and a few foam cells. The absence of new-bone formation is a constant finding. These lesions apparently arise as a result of some unknown process in which a small area of the epiphyseal plate intermittently produces fibrous tissue instead of bone. It would appear that many of these lesions may be extruded from the bone in the process of remodeling of the metaphysis during bone growth.