D N A
C o a t i n g
in
o f
B l o o d
Vessels
R e t i n o b l a s t o m a s
B. N. D A T T A ,
M.D.
Department of Pathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical
Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
ABSTRACT
Datta, B. N.: DNA coating of blood vessels in retinoblastomas. Am. J. Clin.
Pathol. 62: 9 4 - 9 6 , 1974. Hematoxylin staining of vascular walls has so far
been considered to be a feature of oat-cell carcinomas exclusively. T h e
occurrence of similar blue staining of not only vascular but other membrane
structures of the eye in retinoblastomas is reported here. The blue-staining
material in retinoblastoma and the oat-cell tumor is DNA, presumably
released from the necrotic tumor nuclei. (Key words: Retinoblastoma; DNA;
Blood vessels.)
HEMATOXYLINOPHILIC staining of blood
vessels in oat-cell carcinoma is well known,
and in early descriptions it was interpreted as calcification of hyalinized vessel
walls.2,3 Later, it was demonstrated 1 that
the hematoxylinophilia is due not to calcium but to deposition of DNA on the
walls of blood vessels in and near necrotic
and degenerating areas of the tumors.
The DNA was presumed to be released
from the nuclei of necrotic cells.1 So far
this feature in tumors other than oat-cell
carcinoma has not been described. Reported here is the occurrence of DNA
coating of vessels and other membrane
structures of the eye in retinoblastomas.
Material and Methods
This report is based on histologic examination of six specimens of retinoblastoma
of the eye in the Department of Pathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical
Education and Research, Chandigarh,
Received November 26, 1973; received revised
manuscript January 25, 1974; accepted for publication February 25, 1974.
Address reprint requests to: Dr. B. N. Datta,
Department of Pathology, Postgraduate Institute of
Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh,
India.
94
India. Five of the specimens consisted of
enucleated eye balls subjected to whole
sectioning while one was tumor material
from intracranial spread obtained at autopsy. All specimens were formalin-fixed.
Paraffin sections 6 ¡J, thick were stained by
routine hematoxylin-eosin method and
special stains, including von Kossa and
alizarin red (for calcium), periodic
acid-Schiff (for mucopolysaccharides),
Perls' stain (for iron), and the Feulgen
stain (for DNA).
Results
Hematoxylin staining of vessel walls in
scattered areas of the tumors was detected
in three of the six specimens. This feature
was seen in necrotic and degenerating
areas of the tumors (Fig. 1). It was not
restricted to blood vessel walls; the lens
capsule and the internal membrane of the
retina were also stained a deep blue color
where these structures came in contact
with the necrotic portions of the tumor.
Only the posterior surface of the lens
capsule was stained (Fig. 2), and the retina
was seen lying free as a corrugated and
fragmented basophilic membrane in the
tumor. T h e hematoxylinophilia of these
July 1974
BLOOD VESSELS IN RETINOBLASTOMA
95
'.'•• >~i .••
-vi-:- •• '
v- •!/.•• v. • : •• • ••iî^^S^v?'
:
:/
®
FIG. 1 (left). Veins and capillaries in necrotic portion of retinoblastoma, showing hematoxylinophilia. The
dark color develops as the vessel enters the necrotic area of the tumor. Hematoxylin and eosin. x80.
FIG. 2 (right). Posterior surface of the lens capsule, showing hematoxylinophilia.
Hematoxylin and eosin.' x240.
FIG. 3. Part of the fragmented necrotic retina,
showing the deep blue coloration. Hematoxylin and
eosin. X240.
membranes was seen in only one specimen.
The blue material was identified to be
DNA by the Feulgen stain. It was negative
for calcium and iron, and did not show an
increase of acid mucopolysaccharides on
PAS stain. T h e morphology of the tumors
conformed to usual textbook descriptions
of retinoblastomas. No difference between
the features of tumors with and without
hematoxylinophilia of vessels was noticeable.
Comment
T h e mechanism of the DNA coating of
vessel walls in oat-cell carcinomas has so
far not been explained, nor is there any
96
DATTA
explanation for the absence of this feature
from tumors that are equally, if not more,
hyperchromatic than the oat-cell carcinoma, namely, lymphomas and anaplas :
tic carcinomas. In the cases of retinoblastoma reported here it is interesting that
the DNA was deposited not only on blood
vessel walls but also on other membranes
such as the lens capsule and the retina. As
already mentioned, even in oat-cell carcinoma the deep blue staining of vessel
walls has been presumed to be, due to
calcium, 3 although staining reactions for
calcium appear not to have been carried
out. Azzopardi 1 conducted a fairly detailed histochemical examination of this
A.J.C.P.—Vol.
62
material in oat-cell carcinoma, including
stains for calcium, iron, mucopolysaccharides, and DNA. T h e present report is
concerned primarily with recording the
occurrence of this "membrane hematoxylinophilia" caused by DNA deposition in
a tumor other than oat-cell carcinoma,
namely retinoblastoma.
References
1. Azzopardi JG: Oat cell carcinoma of the bronchus. J Pathol Bacterio! 78:513-519, 1959
2. McKeown F: Oat cell carcinoma of the
oesophagus. J Pathol Bacteriol 64:889-891,
1952
3. Ogilvie RE: In Pathologic Histology. Fourth edition. Edinburgh, E. and S. Livingstone Ltd.,
pp 15 and 142.