Correlation of ultrastructural aberrations with dysplasia and flow cytometric abnormalities in Barrett's epithelium
- PMID: 2910757
- DOI: 10.1016/s0016-5085(89)91559-x
Correlation of ultrastructural aberrations with dysplasia and flow cytometric abnormalities in Barrett's epithelium
Abstract
Barrett's esophagus develops as a complication of chronic gastroesophageal reflux and predisposes patients to the development of dysplasia and adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. Because light microscopy of dysplasia in Barrett's esophagus shows diminished or absent mucus, we used transmission electron microscopy to compare cytoplasmic organelles required for mucus production in dysplastic and nondysplastic esophageal columnar epithelium. These observations of the rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, and secretory granules were correlated with histologic interpretations and flow cytometric measurements of abnormalities of DNA content. Ultrastructural abnormalities included depletion and alteration of organelles required for mucus biosynthesis. These abnormalities often were accompanied by cells with markedly distended rough endoplasmic reticulum and massive accumulation of cytoplasmic glycogen aggregates. All 9 patients who had Barrett's dysplasia with or without early adenocarcinoma had ultrastructural abnormalities, as did 3 of 8 patients whose biopsy histology was indefinite for dysplasia. Abnormalities measured by flow cytometry correlated well with the presence of these ultrastructural aberrations. All 9 patients with Barrett's dysplasia with or without early adenocarcinoma had abnormalities observed by electron microscopy and aneuploidy or increased G2/tetraploid fractions measured by flow cytometry. Two of the 3 patients whose biopsies were indefinite for dysplasia and who had ultrastructural abnormalities also had aneuploidy or increased G2/tetraploid fractions. Neither ultrastructural nor flow cytometric abnormalities were found in the remaining 5 patients whose biopsies were indefinite for dysplasia, in 19 of 22 patients with Barrett's specialized metaplasia, or in any of the 7 patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease without Barrett's specialized metaplasia. Two of the 22 patients with Barrett's specialized metaplasia had distended rough endoplasmic reticulum in rare cells, and one other had an aneuploid cell population. We conclude that neoplastic progression in Barrett's esophagus is associated with abnormalities of cytoplasmic organelles required for mucus production. With few exceptions, these ultrastructural aberrations correspond to the presence of dysplasia or of aneuploidy or increased G2/tetraploid fractions. Electron microscopy and flow cytometery detect abnormalities associated with the development of dysplasia and cancer in Barrett's esophagus that may be biologically significant.
Similar articles
-
Specialized metaplastic columnar epithelium in Barrett's esophagus. A comparative transmission electron microscopic study.Lab Invest. 1989 Mar;60(3):418-32. Lab Invest. 1989. PMID: 2927081
-
Barrett's esophagus. Correlation between flow cytometry and histology in detection of patients at risk for adenocarcinoma.Gastroenterology. 1987 Jul;93(1):1-11. Gastroenterology. 1987. PMID: 3582897
-
Flow-cytometric and histological progression to malignancy in Barrett's esophagus: prospective endoscopic surveillance of a cohort.Gastroenterology. 1992 Apr;102(4 Pt 1):1212-9. Gastroenterology. 1992. PMID: 1551528
-
Barrett's esophagus, dysplasia, and adenocarcinoma.Hum Pathol. 1994 Oct;25(10):982-93. doi: 10.1016/0046-8177(94)90057-4. Hum Pathol. 1994. PMID: 7927321 Review.
-
Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma.Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 1991 Dec;20(4):817-34. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 1991. PMID: 1787015 Review.
Cited by
-
Only patients with dysplasia progress to adenocarcinoma in Barrett's oesophagus.Gut. 1991 Dec;32(12):1441-6. doi: 10.1136/gut.32.12.1441. Gut. 1991. PMID: 1773946 Free PMC article.
-
Mechanisms of Barrett's oesophagus: intestinal differentiation, stem cells, and tissue models.Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol. 2015 Feb;29(1):3-16. doi: 10.1016/j.bpg.2014.11.001. Epub 2014 Nov 12. Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol. 2015. PMID: 25743452 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Transcriptional analyses of Barrett's metaplasia and normal upper GI mucosae.Neoplasia. 2002 Mar-Apr;4(2):121-8. doi: 10.1038/sj.neo.7900221. Neoplasia. 2002. PMID: 11896567 Free PMC article.
-
Golgi phosphoprotein 2 (GOLPH2) is a novel bile acid-responsive modulator of oesophageal cell migration and invasion.Br J Cancer. 2015 Nov 3;113(9):1332-42. doi: 10.1038/bjc.2015.350. Epub 2015 Oct 13. Br J Cancer. 2015. PMID: 26461057 Free PMC article.
-
New strategies in Barrett's esophagus: integrating clonal evolutionary theory with clinical management.Clin Cancer Res. 2011 Jun 1;17(11):3512-9. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-09-2358. Epub 2011 Apr 15. Clin Cancer Res. 2011. PMID: 21498395 Free PMC article.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources