An immunoperoxidase staining technique was used for detecting alpha one-antichymotrypsin (alpha 1-ACT), alpha one-antitrypsin (alpha 1-AT),
lactoferrin and
transferrin in routine histological
paraffin sections of 30
adenolymphomas, as well as in normal salivary gland tissue. Microscopically, the epithelial, component of
adenolymphomas consisted of tall columnar
luminal cells and irregularly shaped basal cells. alpha 1-ACT was detected in the
luminal layer of epithelium in 27 (90%) of 30
adenolymphomas, while the basal layer was positive in 4 cases (13%).
Lactoferrin could be observed in the columnar cells of 21 cases (70%) and was positive in the basal cells of 2 cases (7%). In normal salivary gland tissue, alpha 1-ACT and
lactoferrin were observed in the intercalated duct and serous acinar cells. The staining pattern of alpha 1-AT in
adenolymphoma was similar to those of alpha 1-ACT and
lactoferrin, however, the number of positive cases for alpha 1-AT was fewer than in the alpha 1-ACT and
lactoferrin. alpha 1-AT was not found in the normal salivary gland. On the contrary, the localization of
transferrin in the epithelial component of
adenolymphomas was exclusively different from those of alpha 1-ACT, alpha 1-AT and
lactoferrin.
Transferrin was found more often in the basal cells than in the tall columnar apical cells. The staining pattern of
transferrin in the normal salivary gland was different from alpha 1-ACT and
lactoferrin, and
transferrin was positive in the cytoplasm of intercalated ducts, serous acinar and myoepithelial cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)