AgNOR protein quantity of cervical smears correlates with that of histological sections in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

The quantitative distribution of AgNOR proteins has been determined by image cytometry in 52 cervical smears obtained from normal cervix (n=20), grade I CIN (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia) (n=3), grade I CIN (n=5) and grade III CIN (n=34). No significant difference was demonstrated in the mean AgNOR protein area values between normal cervix, CIN I and CIN II, while AgNOR protein scores of CIN III were significantly greater than those of normal cervix (p<0.05). AgNOR protein quantity was also determined in 17 colposcopic directed biopsies of patients with CIN lesions (3 CIN II and 14 CIN III) already studied by cytological analysis. When AgNOR protein values of histological sections and corresponding cytological smears were compared by linear regression analysis, a significant correlation was found (r=0.74, p<0.05). Our results demonstrate that AgNOR protein quantity of cervical smears actually reflects that of the cervical epithelium in situ and may therefore be useful for the cytological diagnosis of cervical lesions.