The 3H-AM binding reflects the structural changes involved in the cellular differentiation. This parameter was studied during blastic transformation of human lymphocytes, in relation to the age of the donor. Although they are individual variations, the 3H-AM binding is higher in the young group than in the aged subjects, as well as the blast transformation score. These results indicate that the weak lymphocyte response to the mitogen lectine (PHA) stimulation could be related to some age-induced structural alterations of the chromatin, resulting in an irreversible blockage in G1, at least in some of the T lymphocytes.

(Schindler, 1965; Siurala etal., 1966;Walker et al., 1971). Numerous authors have investigated cell proliferation kinetics in normal and atrophic stomach mucosa. An increased proliferation of the epithelial cells in the latter has been described (Deschner and Lipkin, 1976), while in cases of intestinalisation of the gastric mucosa, which is found in over 90% of gastric cancers (Morson, 1959), the same authors have described an impairment of epithelial cell maturation.Earlier work has reported an increased nuclear fixation of tritiated actinomycin (3H-AM) in cancer cells as compared to the corresponding normal cells Pileri et al., 1972;Heenen et al., 1973). This technique has been shown to be a valid method for the rough evaluation of the number of free DNA sites: the fixation of labelled actinomycin by the nuclei is closely linked to the degree of repression in chromatin (Brachet and Ficq, 1965;Brachet, 1971).'Address for correspondence: Dr G. Stoffels, H6pital Universitaire Brugmann, 4, Place Van Gehuchten, 1020 Bruxelles.Received for publication 4 May 1978 In this study, we have compared the binding of 3H-AM to chromatin in epithelial cells in normal stomachs and in atrophic gastritis by autoradiographs. Significant increases of 3H-AM binding would suggest that these cells are in a depressed state. MethodsTwenty-five patients were studied; eight had a normal gastric mucosa and 17 had a atrophic gastritis as defined by the histological criteria described by Whitehead et al. (1972).The grades of gastritis were (1) superficial, and (2) atrophic with three grades: mild, moderate, and severe. Superficial gastritis is characterised by mononuclear and polymorphonuclear cell infiltration located in the surface epithelium and gastric pit region. In mild atrophic gastritis the infiltration occurs into all layers of lamina propria with a slight reduction of parietal and chief cells. Moderate and severe atrophic gastritis includes all the above signs, in addition to a greater reduction in parietal and chief cells, and the presence of intestinal metaplasia and regenerative nodules.It must be remembered that in this classification 'active atrophic gastritis' signifies the presence of 870 on 25 March 2019 by guest. Protected by copyright.

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