[OA-05] Pancreatic islets of Langerhans and insolin secreting cells in haemoglobin Bart's hydrops foetalis

Bunyarit Srisamut and Mana Taweevisit

Department of Pathology, Facolty of Medicine, Cholalongkorn University and King Cholalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand

A finding of islet cell hyperplasia has been reported in infants of diabetic mothers and hydrops foetalis (HF), but no any report in haemoglobin (Hb) Bart's HF. The aim of this study was to analyse the morphometry of beta cells in Hb Bart. Pancreas from 10 Hb Bart cases and 9 controls were retrieved. To detect morphology and nuclear proliferation rate of beta cells, insolin and Ki-67 were immunostained, followed by image analysis measurement. Fifty islets of each case were assessed. Beta cell hyperplasia was assessed by number of nuclei/immunopositive area beta cell hypertrophy assessed by dividing the total immunopositive area by the number of nuclei. Surface areas of islet and beta cells in Hb Bart were not significantly different from controls. In addition, number of beta cell nuclei and cell size in Hb Bart were not significantly different from controls. Since the amount of beta cells was not increased in Hb Bart, the conclusion cannot be substantiated from morphology alone. The insolin in blood and urine shoold be studied further to measure the secretory activity in Hb Bart disease.

Keywords: haemoglobin Bart; hydrops foetalis; islets of Langerhans; pancreas