CELL-PROLIFERATION KINETICS OF HUMAN GASTRIC-CARCINOMA - AN IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY WITH A MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY AGAINST DNA POLYMERASE-ALPHA

Cell proliferation kinetics of human gastric carcinoma were studied immunohistochemically using a monoclonal antibody against DNA polymerase-alpha (Pol-alpha). The distribution patterns and percentages of proliferative cells were examined in cases with various histological types of gastric carcinoma and compared with those of normal epithelium of the gastric foveolae. Pol-alpha-positive epithelial cells were localised at the isthmus of the normal foveola, while Pol-alpha-positive cancer cells were distributed irregularly in the cancer nests. The percentage of Pol-alpha-positive cells (%PPC) was significantly higher in the carcinoma [mean (S.D.) 41.6 (12.9)%] than in the normal foveola [24.8 (6.4)%] (P < 0.01). Also, the intestinal-type carcinoma showed a relatively higher %PPC [44.9 (12.0)%] than the diffuse type [36.2 (15.1)%] (P < 0.05), and the %PPC of signet ring cell carcinoma was extremely low [7.3 (2.2)%] (P < 0.01). Pol-alpha-positive cancer cells were observed most abundantly in the lamina propria of the mucosa. They decreased in number with the depth of cancer infiltration down to the subserosa.