autoimmune stats: ANOTHER RETICULIN PATTERN

Since November 1996 to October 2005, a total of 69815 sera were sent to our laboratory for non-organ specific autoantibodies testing. Antibodies were assayed by an indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) method on rat stomach, renal cortex and liver tissue slides as described before. Throughout the period of study, slides were evaluated on the fluorescence microscopes by the same reader together with a number of training residents.

We were able to recognize a number of reticulin and other unusual patterns of antibodies for which the clinical significance has been only poorly studied. Reticulin patterns R1, R2 and Rs were already well known. Instead of the so-called “adherent cells” pattern we defined a new “variant reticulin” (RV) describing its special features in all three rat tissues (see previous articles). Similarly, we noted that the reticulin pattern of hepatic sinusoid kuppfer cells came together with intravascular clump and other endothelial stainings in different rat tissues. Finally, a new pattern of hepatic sinusoid PMN cells has already been described in another accompanying article as well.

Hereby we present a novel endothelial pattern similar but distinct from RV, which we used to call “portal area reticulin” or “granular endomysial reticulin”. The endomisium at the gastric circular muscle layer is positive, but less lineal and more granular or discontinuous than R1 or Rs-associated patterns. The myenteric plexus ganglia are positive, also characteristically coarsely granular with maybe a few “ghost” (less intense) spaces. A granular positivity at renal endothelia between the tubules may occur. The staining of portal areas connective tissue is a very specific feature. Sometimes, gastric mucosal granular staining may associate.