Stromal matrix in gastrointestinal stromal tumors: Morphometric analysis with quick-freezing and deep-etching method

我们先前用快速冷冻和深蚀刻法对胃肠道自主神经肿瘤的研究表明，肿瘤细胞周围预先存在的网络结构中的一个根基和一个相邻根基之间的距离与SFS的周期性是一致的。因此，对网状结构中DRNRs的测定可以阐明细胞周围基质对SF发育的意义。在本研究中，我们分析了三例胃肠道间质瘤(GIST)的网状结构，这三例GIST免疫组织化学染色不同，但经免疫组织化学和/或电子显微镜证实有平滑肌分化(SMD)。3例GIST的DRNRs呈相似的直方图(峰值为20~30 nm，平均值为28.02、25.74和26.45 nm)，明显短于SFS的周期(峰值为40~45 nm，平均值为42.14)。虽然我们需要进一步研究更多的GIST病例，但我们推测伴有SMD的GIST的细胞周围基质不适合于SFS的发生。

Our previous study of a gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumor with skeinoid fibers (SFs) using the quick-freezing and deep-etching method, suggested that the distance between one radix and a neighboring radix (DRNR) in pre-existing meshwork structures around the tumor cells is consistent with the periodicity of the SFs. Therefore, measurement of the DRNRs in the meshwork could clarify the significance of the pericellular matrix for SF development. In the present study, we analyzed the meshworks in three cases of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), which showed different immunohistochemical stainings, but confirmed to have smooth muscle differentiation (SMD) by immunohistochemistry and/or electron microscopy. The DRNRs from the three cases of GIST showed similar histogram patter (a peak of 20 to 30 nm, mean value of 28.02, 25.74 and 26.45 nm), which were significantly shorter than the periodicity of SFs (a peak of 40 to 45 nm, mean value of 42.14). Although we need further studies with additional GIST cases, we speculate that the pericellular matrix of GISTs with SMD is not suitable for SFs development.