Abstract
Recent improvements both in the staining quality and computer-aided quantitation of silver-stained nucleolar organizer region (AgNOR)-associated proteins offer the possibility to reliably investigate these proteins on routinely processed archival material. This article deals with the historical background, the recent introduction of a standardized quantitation, the clinical relevance, and future perspective for AgNOR evaluation. It is specifically emphasized that AgNOR analysis after both standardized staining and computer-aided quantitation (as recommended by the Committee on AgNOR Quantitation of the European Society of Pathology) is now regarded as the gold standard whenever routinely formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded material is investigated.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aubele M, Biesterfeld S, Derenzini M, Hufnagl P, Martin H, Öfner D, Ploton D, Rüschoff J (1994) Guidelines of AgNOR quantitation. Zentralbl Pathol 140:107–108
Bankfalvi A, Navabi H, Bier B, Böcker W, Jasani B, Schmid KW (1994a) Wet autoclave pretreatment for antigen retrieval in diagnostic immunohistochemistry. J Pathol 174:223–228
Bankfalvi A, Riehemann K, Öfner D, Cecchi R, Morgan JM, Piffko J, Böcker W, Jasani B, Schmid KW (1994b) Wet autoclave technique. The simpler method for antigen retrieval. Pathologe 15:345–349
Bier B, Bánkfalvi A, Grote L, Blasius S, Öfner D, Böcker W, Jasani B, Schmid KW (1995) Wet autoclave pretreatment for immunohistochemical demonstration of oestrogen receptors in routinely processed breast carcinoma tissue. Histochem J 27:148–154
Crocker J, Boldy DA, Egan MJ (1989) How should we count AgNORS? Proposals for a standardized approach. J Pathol 158: 185–188
Derenzini M, Ploton D (1991) Interphase nucleolar organizer regions in cancer cells. Int Rev Exp Pathol 32:149–192
Derenzini M, Trerè D (1991) Importance of interphase nucleolar organizer regions in tumor pathology. Virchows Arch 61:1–8
Derenzini M, Trerè D (1992) The coefficient of variation of AgNOR protein values: a standardized parameter for cell kinetics evaluation. Proc Histochem Soc 40:600
Derenzini M, Pession A, Trerè D (1990) Quantity of nucleolar silver-stained proteins is related to proliferating activity in cancer cells. Lab Invest 63:137–140
Hittmair A, Öfner D, Offner F, Feichtinger H, Ensinger C, Rogatsch H, Mikuz G (1994) In vitro investigations of interphase and metaphase argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions and cellular proliferation in the human urothelial cancer cell line HOK-1. Virchows Arch 424:149–154
Hozák P, Roussel P, Hernandez-Verdun D (1992) Procedures for specific detection of silver-stained nucleolar proteins on western blots. J Histochem Cytochem 40:1089–1096
Li Q, Hacker GW, Danscher G, Sonnleitner U, Grimelius L (1995) Argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions. A revised version of the Ag-NOR staining technique. Histochem Cell Biol 104: 145–150
Öfner D, Schmid KW (1995) Clinical significance of nucleolar organizer region associated proteins in tumour pathology. Virchows Arch 427:340
Öfner D, Tötsch M, Sandbichler P, Hallbrucker C, Margreiter R, Mikuz G, Schmid KW (1990) Silver stained nucleolar organizer region proteins (Ag-NORs) as a predictor of prognosis in colonic cancer. J Pathol 162:43–49
Öfner D, Hittmair A, Marth C, Öfner C, Tötsch M, Daxenbichler G, Mikuz G, Margreiter R, Schmid KW (1992) Relationship between quantity of silver stained nucleolar organizer regions associated proteins (Ag-NORs) and population doubling time in ten breast cancer cell lines. Pathol Res Pract 188:742–746
Öfner D, Bankfalvi A, Riehemann K, Bier B, Böcker W, Schmid KW (1994a) Wet autoclave pretreatment improves the visualisation of silver stained nucleolar organizer regions associated proteins (AgNORs) in routinely formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues. Mod Pathol 7:946–950
Öfner D, Bankfalvi A, Riehemann K, Böcker W, Schmid KW (1994b) Standardized AgNOR staining method on formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues. Pathologe 15:226–230
Öfner D, Aubele M, Biesterfeld S Derenzini M, Giminez-Mas J, Hufnagl P, Ploton D, Trerè D, Rüschoff J (1995a) Guidelines of AgNOR quantification—first update. Virchows Arch 427:341
Öfner D, Bier B, Heinrichs S, Berghorn M, Dünser M, Hagemann H-A, Langer D, Böcker W, Schmid KW (1995b) Demonstration of silver-stained nucleolar organizer region associated proteins (AgNORs) after wet autoclave pretreatment in breast carcinoma—correlation to tumor stage and long-term survival. Breast Cancer Res Treat (in press)
Öfner D, Riedmann B, Maier H, Hittmair A, Rumer A, Tötsch M, Spechtenhauser B, Böcker W, Schmid KW (1995c) Standardized staining and analysis of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer region associated proteins (AgNORs) in radically resected colorectal adrenocarcinoma—correlation with tumour stage and long-term survival. J Pathol 175:441–448
Öfner D, Rüschoff J, Trerè D, Aubele M, Derenzini M, Schmid KW (1995d) Standardized morphometric silver stained nucleolar organizer region associated protein (AgNOR) analysis—basic concepts. Pathol Res Pract 191:236
Pession A, Farabegoli F, Trerè D, Novello F, Montanaro L, Sperti S, Rambelli F, Derenzini M (1991) The Ag-NOR proteins and transcription and duplication of ribosomal genes in mammalian cell nucleoli. Chromosoma 100:242–250
Ploton D, Bendayan M, Adnet JJ (1983) Ultrastructural localization of Ag-NOR proteins and nucleic acids in reticulated nucleoli. Biol Cell 49:29–34
Ploton D, Menager M, Jeannesson P, Himber G, Pigeon F, Adnet JJ (1986) Improvement in the staining and in the visualization of the argyrophilic proteins of the nucleolar organizer region at the optical level. Histochem J 18:5–14
Roussel P, Hernandez-Verdun D (1994) Identification of Ag-NOR proteins, markers of proliferation related to ribosomal gene activity. Exp Cell Res 214:465–472
Roussel P, Belenguer P, Amalric F, Hernandez-Verdun D (1992) Nucleolin is an Ag-NOR protein; this property is determined by its amino-terminal domain independently of its phosphorylation state. Exp Cell Res 203:259–269
Rüschoff J, Plate KH, Contractor H, Kern S, Zimmermann R, Thomas C (1990) Evaluation of nucleolus organizer regions (NORs) by automatic image analysis: a contribution to standardization. J Pathol 161:113–118
Simon R, Altman DG (1994) Statistical aspects of prognostic factor studies in oncology. Br J Cancer 69:979–985
Sirri V, Pession A, Trerè D, Montanaro L, Derenzini M (1995) Proportionally constant quantitative transmission of nucleolin and protein B23 in cycling cancer cells. J Clin Pathol 48: M264–268
Smith PJ, Skilbeck N, Harrison A, Brocker J (1988) The effect of a series of fixatives on the AgNOR technique. J Pathol 155: 109–112
Tötsch M, Öfner D, Maier H, Watzka SBC, Salzer M, Schmid KW (1995) Argyrophilic nucleolar organizer region associated proteins (AgNORs) in adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas of the lung—correlation with tumor stage and long-term survival. Pathol Res Pract 191:800
Trerè D, Pession A, Derenzini M (1989) The silver-stained proteins of interphasic nucleolar organizer regions as a parameter of cell duplication rate. Exp Cell Res 184:131–137
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Öfner, D., Schmid, K.W. Standardized AgNOR analysis: its usefulness in surgical oncology. Histochem Cell Biol 106, 193–196 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02484400
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02484400