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Biopsy Tissue (biopsy + tissue)
Selected AbstractsHPV-positive/p16-positive/EBV-negative nasopharyngeal carcinoma in white North Americans,HEAD & NECK: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES & SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Issue 5 2010Jessica H. Maxwell MD Abstract Background Human papillomavirus (HPV) has been detected in keratinizing nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPCs); however, the relationship between HPV and Epstein,Barr virus (EBV) among whites with nonkeratinizing NPCs remains unclear. The HPV, p16, and EBV status was examined in current University of Michigan patients with NPC. Methods From 2003 to 2007, 89 patients, 84 with oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) and 5 with NPC, were enrolled in an organ-sparing trial. Biopsy tissues from all 89 patients were evaluated for HPV and p16 expression. A separate HPV analysis of the 84 OPC patients is in progress. Among the patients with NPC, tumor tissue was also analyzed for EBV-encoded RNA (EBER). Results Five of 89 patients (5.6%) had NPC, all with nonkeratinizing histology. The 4 white patients with NPC were HPV(+) (subtype-16, subtype-18 [2 patients], and subtype-59)/p16(+)/EBER(-). One Asian patient with NPC had an HPV(-)/p16(-)/EBER(+) NPC tumor that developed distant metastases. Conclusion We postulate that HPV may be the etiologic factor in some EBV-negative, nonkeratinizing NPCs among whites. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2010 [source] Strain persistence of invasive Candida albicans in chronic hyperplastic candidosis that underwent malignant changeGERODONTOLOGY, Issue 2 2001DW Williams Abstract Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess persistence and tissue invasion of Candida albicans strains isolated from a 65 year-old patient with chronic hyperplastic candidosis (CHC), that subsequently developed into squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Materials and Methods: C. albicans (n=7) were recovered from the oral cavity of the patient over seven years. Confirmation of CHC and SCC in this patient was achieved by histopathological examination of incisional biopsy tissue. DNA fingerprinting was performed on the seven isolates from the CHC patient together with a further eight isolates from patients with normal oral mucosa (n=2), chronic atrophic candidosis (n=1), SCC (n=1) and CHC (n=4). Genotyping involved the use of inter-repeat PCR using the eukaryotic repeat primer 1251. Characterisation of the tissue invasive abilities of the isolates was achieved by infecting a commercially available reconstituted human oral epithelium (RHE; SkinEthic, Nice, France). After 24 h. C. albicans tissue invasion was assessed by histopathological examination. Results: DNA fingerprinting demonstrated strain persistence of C. albicans in the CHC patient over a seven year period despite provision of systemic antifungal therapy. The strain of C. albicans isolated from this patient was categorised as a high invader within the RHE compared to other isolates. Conclusions: Candidal strain persistence was evident in a patient with CHC over seven years. This persistence may be due to incomplete eradication from the oral cavity following antifungal therapy or subsequent recolonisation from other body sites or separate exogenous sources. The demonstration of enhanced in vitro tissue invasion by this particular strain may, in part, explain the progression to carcinoma. [source] CYP2E1 activity before and after weight loss in morbidly obese subjects with nonalcoholic fatty liver diseaseHEPATOLOGY, Issue 2 2003Maurice G. Emery Previous studies suggest that hepatic cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) activity is increased in individuals with chronic alcoholism, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and morbid obesity, and may contribute to liver disease. We studied 16 morbidly obese subjects with varying degrees of hepatic steatosis and 16 normal-weight controls. Obese subjects were evaluated at baseline, 6 weeks, and 1 year after gastroplasty, a procedure that leads to weight loss. Hepatic CYP2E1 activity was assessed by determination of the clearance of chlorzoxazone (CLZ), an in vivo CYP2E1-selective probe. Liver biopsy tissue was obtained during surgery for histopathology. Both the total and unbound oral CLZ clearance (Clu/F) was elevated approximately threefold in morbidly obese subjects compared with controls (P < .001). The Clu/F was significantly higher among subjects with steatosis involving >50% of hepatocytes, compared with those with steatosis in ,50% of hepatocytes (P = .02). At postoperative week 6 and year 1, the median body mass index (BMI) of subjects who underwent gastroplasty decreased by 11% and 33%, total oral CLZ clearance declined by 16% (P < .01) and 46% (P < .05), and Clu/F decreased by 18% (P < .05) and 35% (P = .16), respectively. Moreover, those subjects with a year 1 BMI <30 kg/m2 exhibited a median Clu/F that was 63% lower (P = .02) than the respective clearance for all other subjects. In conclusion, hepatic CYP2E1 activity is up-regulated in morbidly obese subjects. A positive association between the degree of steatosis and CYP2E1 activity preoperatively and between the extent of obesity and CYP2E1 activity postoperatively, suggests that CYP2E1 induction is related to or caused by hepatic pathology that results from morbid obesity. [source] Elevation of interleukin-18 in chronic hepatitis C: implications for hepatitis C virus pathogenesisIMMUNOLOGY, Issue 1pt2 2009Arpita Sharma Summary The outcome of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is determined by the interplay between the virus and the host immune response. Interleukin (IL)-18, an interferon-,-inducing factor, plays a critical role in the T helper type 1 (Th1) response required for host defence against viruses, and antibodies to IL-18 have been found to prevent liver damage in a murine model. The present study was conducted to investigate the possible role of IL-18 in the pathogenesis and persistence of HCV. IL-18 levels were measured in sera of 50 patients at various stages of HCV infection (resolved, chronic and cirrhosis) and compared with those of normal controls. IL-18 gene expression was studied in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from each group, and in liver biopsy tissue from patients with chronic hepatitis C. The mean levels of IL-18 in sera were markedly elevated in patients with chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis, and were reduced in patients with resolved HCV infection. The serum IL-18 concentrations were related to the Child,Pugh severity of liver disease in cirrhotic patients. There also existed a strong positive correlation of IL-18 levels with histological activity score and necrosis. IL-18 mRNA expression was significantly up-regulated in the PBMC of cirrhotic patients when compared with other groups, while in the liver, higher levels of IL-18 transcripts were expressed in patients with chronic hepatitis C. The results of our study indicate that IL-18 levels reflect the severity and activity of HCV infection, and may contribute to the pathogenesis and progression of liver disease associated with HCV. [source] Examination of normal intestine using confocal endomicroscopyJOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 5 2007Isao Odagi Abstract Background and Aim:, Endoscopy is an important clinical tool for the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. However, biopsy tissue is still required in many cases to obtain a definitive histopathological diagnosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate confocal endomicroscopy (CEM) as a tool for conducting virtual biopsies of the colon by comparing CEM images with biopsy samples from normal colon. Methods:, The study cohort comprised 45 patients who underwent investigative colonoscopy between April 2004 and January 2006, 25 of whom also had biopsy due to suspected diseases such as inflammation and neoplasm. The small and large intestine were examined with CEM using an intravenous injection of fluorescein, and CEM images were compared with conventional histopathological results from biopsied samples. In addition, the injected fluorescein was localized immunohistochemically to further analyze the CEM images taken in vivo. Results:, A total of 46 biopsies were taken, of which 24 demonstrated no histopathological abnormality and were regarded as normal. All of the CEM images observed from the surface to the deeper layers were concordant histopathologically with the biopsy results. Furthermore, CEM allowed observation of physiological functions such as blood flow in the capillaries of the surrounding crypts and mucus release from crypts. The immunohistochemical localization of fluorescein was consistent with the CEM images. Conclusions:, CEM provides endoscopists with a valuable new diagnostic tool, not only for observing tissue in situ at the histopathological level, but also for the coincident evaluation of physiological function during endoscopic examination. [source] Clinical and Subclinical Endometritis in the Mare: Both Threats to FertilityREPRODUCTION IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS, Issue 2009MM LeBlanc Contents Endometritis, a major cause of mare infertility arising from failure to remove bacteria, spermatozoa and inflammatory exudate post-breeding, is often undiagnosed. Defects in genital anatomy, myometrial contractions, lymphatic drainage, mucociliary clearance, cervical function, plus vascular degeneration and inflamm-ageing underlie susceptibility to endometritis. Diagnosis is made through detecting uterine fluid, vaginitis, vaginal discharge, short inter-oestrous intervals, inflammatory uterine cytology and positive uterine culture. However, these signs may be absent in subclinical cases. Hypersecretion of an irritating, watery, neutrophilic exudate underlies classic, easy-to-detect streptococcal endometritis. In contrast, biofilm production, tenacious exudate and focal infection may characterize subclinical endometritis, commonly caused by Gram-negative organisms, fungi and staphylococci. Signs of subclinical endometritis include excessive oedema post-mating and a white line between endometrial folds on ultrasound. In addition, cultures of uterine biopsy tissue or of small volume uterine lavage are twice as sensitive as guarded swabs in detecting Gram-negative organisms, while uterine cytology is twice as sensitive as culture in detecting endometritis. Uterine biopsy may detect deep inflammatory and degenerative changes, such as disruption of the elastic fibres of uterine vessels (elastosis), while endoscopy reveals focal lesions invisible on ultrasound. Mares with subclinical endometritis require careful monitoring by ultrasound post-breeding. Treatments that may be added to traditional therapies, such as post-breeding uterine lavage, oxytocin and intrauterine antibiotics, include lavage 1-h before mating, carbetocin, cloprostenol, cervical dilators, systemic antibiotics, intrauterine chelators (EDTA,Tris), mucolytics (DMSO, kerosene, N -acetylcysteine), corticosteroids (prednisolone, dexamethasone) and immunomodulators (cell wall extracts of Mycobacterium phlei and Propionibacterium acnes). [source] An Analysis of the Microsporidian Genus Brachiola, with Comparisons of Human and Insect Isolates of Brachiola algeraeTHE JOURNAL OF EUKARYOTIC MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 6 2004ANN CALI ABSTRACT The genus Brachiola is the newest microsporidian genus established for a human infection with the type species being B. vesicularum in skeletal muscle. Subsequently, the microsporidium, Nosema algerae, identified from mosquitoes, was added to this genus because of morphological and physiological similarities. The present report illustrates a confirmed case of Brachiola algerae infecting skeletal muscle in a 56-year-old woman who was being treated for rheumatoid arthritis with immunosuppressive drugs. In the following study, these two human-infecting microsporidian species are ultrastructurally compared from human biopsy tissue. Additionally, Brachiola algerae from mosquitoes as reference B. algerae, was grown in athymic mice and compared to the human isolate in vivo, and in culture. B. algerae is morphologically identical in the host situations presented and different from B. vesicularum in human skeletal muscle. B. algerae has a consistently, slightly longer spore that typically contains one row of polar filament coils, while B. vesicularum typically contains two rows of polar filament coils and occasionally, one or three rows. In proliferative development, B. vesicularum forms protoplasmic extensions which do not occur on B. algerae, nor have they been reported on any other microsporidium. This report demonstrates that B. vesicularum and B. algerae are two different species of Brachiola that infect human skeletal muscle. [source] Immunohistochemistry and Reverse Transcriptase,Polymerase Chain Reaction as Methods for Diagnostic Determination of Usher Syndrome Type IIa,THE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 7 2004Edward Cohn Abstract Objectives/Hypothesis: Patients having null mutations in the USH2A gene do not produce usherin and therefore are not positive for immunohistochemical staining of the usherin protein. Thus, immunostaining for usherin can serve as a reliable diagnostic tool for Usher syndrome type IIa. Study Design: Prospective. Methods: Immunohistochemical staining for usherin was carried out in basement membrane of minor salivary gland tissue from subjects with confirmed Usher syndrome type IIa and from archival minor salivary gland tissue from patients without Usher syndrome as control samples. Quantitative usherin messenger RNA analysis was performed using minor salivary gland biopsy tissue. Results: Five subjects with Usher syndrome type IIa had no immunostaining in minor salivary gland tissue, whereas control minor salivary gland tissue did stain with usherin antibody. No usherin RNA was detected in biopsy specimens from patients with confirmed Usher syndrome IIa. Conclusion: The feasibility was confirmed of diagnosing Usher syndrome type IIa using purified usherin antibody in subjects having two null USH2A mutations. [source] Expression of the dermatomyositis autoantigen Mi-2 in regenerating muscleARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 12 2009Andrew L. Mammen Objective Autoantibodies against the chromatin remodeler Mi-2 are found in a distinct subset of patients with dermatomyositis (DM). Previous quantitative immunoblotting experiments demonstrated that Mi-2 protein levels are up-regulated in DM muscle. This study was undertaken to define the population of cells expressing high levels of Mi-2 in DM muscle and to explore the regulation and functional role of Mi-2 during muscle regeneration. Methods The expression of Mi-2 was analyzed by immunofluorescence microscopy in human muscle biopsy specimens. In an experimental mouse model, cardiotoxin was used to induce muscle injury and repair, and expression of Mi-2 during muscle regeneration was studied in this model by immunofluorescence and immunoblotting analyses. In addition, a cell culture system of muscle differentiation was utilized to artificially modulate Mi-2 levels during proliferation and differentiation of myoblasts. Results In human DM muscle tissue, increased Mi-2 expression was found preferentially in the myofibers within fascicles affected by perifascicular atrophy, particularly in the centralized nuclei of small perifascicular muscle fibers expressing markers of regeneration. In injured mouse muscle tissue, Mi-2 levels were dramatically and persistently up-regulated during muscle regeneration in vivo. Premature silencing of Mi-2 with RNA interference in vitro resulted in accelerated myoblast differentiation. Conclusion Expression of Mi-2 is markedly up-regulated during muscle regeneration in a mouse model of muscle injury and repair. It is also up-regulated in human DM myofibers expressing markers of regeneration. Results of the in vitro studies indicate that this protein may play a role in modulating the kinetics of myoblast differentiation. Our findings thus suggest that high levels of Mi-2 expression in muscle biopsy tissue from patients with DM reflect the presence of incompletely differentiated muscle cells. [source] Identification of distinct gene expression profiles in the synovium of patients with systemic lupus erythematosusARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 5 2007A. Nzeusseu Toukap Objective Synovitis is a common feature of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but the pattern of joint involvement differs in each disease. This study was undertaken to investigate the global gene expression profiles in synovial biopsy tissue from the swollen knees of untreated SLE patients (n = 6), RA patients (n = 7), and osteoarthritis (OA) patients (n = 6). Methods Synovial biopsy samples were obtained from the affected knees of patients in the 3 groups by needle arthroscopy. Half of the material was used for extraction of total RNA, amplification of complementary RNA, and high-density oligonucleotide spotted hybridization arrays. On the remaining tissue samples, real-time reverse transcription,polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemical experiments were performed to confirm the microarray data. Results SLE synovial biopsy tissue displayed a significant down-regulation of genes involved in extracellular matrix (ECM) homeostasis and a significant up-regulation of interferon-inducible (IFI) genes. Real-time RT-PCR experiments confirmed the up-regulation of selected IFI genes (IFI27, IFI44, and IFI44L) in the SLE synovial tissue. Immunohistochemical analyses showed that 3 molecules involved in ECM regulation, chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 2, latent transforming growth factor , binding protein 2, and fibroblast activation protein ,, were significantly down-regulated in SLE synovium. In contrast, immunostaining for IFI27, Toll-like receptor 4, and STAT-1 resulted in higher quantitative scores in SLE synovial tissue, which could be attributed to the fact that the RA samples had a large population of inflammatory cell infiltrates that were negative for these markers. Conclusion Arthritis in SLE has a very distinct molecular signature as compared with that in OA and RA, characterized by up-regulation of IFI genes and down-regulation of genes involved in ECM homeostasis. [source] Association of interleukin-18 expression with enhanced levels of both interleukin-1, and tumor necrosis factor , in knee synovial tissue of patients with rheumatoid arthritisARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 2 2003Leo A. B. Joosten Objective To examine the expression patterns of interkeukin-18 (IL-18) in synovial biopsy tissue of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to determine whether expression of this primary cytokine is related to the expression of other cytokines and adhesion molecules and related to the degree of joint inflammation. Methods Biopsy specimens of knee synovial tissue either without synovitis (n = 6) or with moderate or severe synovitis (n = 11 and n = 12, respectively) were obtained from 29 patients with active RA. Paraffin-embedded, snap-frozen sections were used for immunohistochemical detection of IL-18, tumor necrosis factor , (TNF,), IL-1,, IL-12, and IL-17. Furthermore, adhesion molecules, such as intercellular adhesion molecule 1, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, and E-selectin, and cell markers CD3, CD14, and CD68 were stained. Results IL-18 staining was detectable in 80% of the RA patients, in both the lining and sublining of the knee synovial tissue. IL-18 expression in the synovial tissue was strongly correlated with the expression of IL-1, (in the sublining r = 0.72, in the lining r = 0.71; both P < 0.0001) and TNF, (in the sublining r = 0.59, P < 0.0007, and in the lining r = 0.68, P < 0.0001). In addition, IL-18 expression in the sublining correlated with macrophage infiltration (r = 0.64, P < 0.0007) and microscopic inflammation scores (r = 0.78, P < 0.0001), and with the acute-phase reaction as measured by the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r = 0.61, P < 0.0004). Interestingly, RA synovial tissue that coexpressed IL-18 and IL-12 demonstrated enhanced levels of the Th1-associated cytokine IL-17. Conclusion Our results show that expression of IL-18 is associated with that of IL-1, and TNF, and with local inflammation in the synovial tissue of patients with RA. In addition, synovial IL-18 expression correlates with the acute-phase response. These data indicate that IL-18 is a primary proinflammatory cytokine in RA that drives the local production of IL-1, and TNF,. [source] Molecular markers and mortality in prostate cancerBJU INTERNATIONAL, Issue 6 2007John Concato OBJECTIVE To evaluate prognosis in prostate cancer by assessing the independent effect of selected molecular factors (e.g. markers of cell-cycle regulation), in addition to the effect of traditional clinical factors (e.g. anatomical stage, histological grade), in predicting long-term mortality among men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS In a community-based population of 64 545 USA veterans aged ,,50 years and receiving ambulatory care during 1989,90 at nine Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centres in New England, 1274 had incident prostate cancer during 1991,95. We obtained the medical records and diagnostic tissue for these men, and then extracted demographic data and clinical information, and conducted immunohistochemical assays of molecular markers in biopsy tissue, as potential prognostic factors. In this interim analysis, data on 250 patients were analysed; the main outcome was overall mortality to 31 December 2003, providing 8,13 years of follow-up. RESULTS In 228 (91%) patients with available medical record and laboratory data, the median age was 72 years and the median prostate-specific antigen level was 10.4 ng/mL. In adjusted (multivariate) analyses that included traditional prognostic factors, bcl-2 staining (hazard ratio 2.14, 95% confidence interval 1.27,3.58, P = 0.004) and high microvessel density (1.76, 1.19,2.60; P = 0.005) had an independent effect on the outcome. CONCLUSIONS Bcl-2 and microvessel density are independent predictors of subsequent death among men with prostate cancer and might have a clinical role in assisting in deciding on treatment. [source] The total percentage of biopsy cores with cancer improves the prediction of pathological stage after radical prostatectomyBJU INTERNATIONAL, Issue 6 2004Mathias H. Winkler OBJECTIVE To examine whether the simple variable ,percentage of cancer-positive biopsy cores' is a significant predictor of true pathological stage after radical prostatectomy and can be used to improve pathological stage prediction by simple means. PATIENTS AND METHODS In all, 375 patients had a radical prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer in two UK centres; 260 had complete preoperative staging information. Logistic regression was used and predicted probability graphs constructed to assess predictors of pathological stage. RESULTS In this study, only PSA (P = 0.004) and percentage cancer-positive biopsy cores (P < 0.001) were significant predictors of pathological stage. The final model was an acceptable classifier for pathological stage (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.76, specificity 85%, sensitivity 47%). A patient with a PSA of 10 ng/mL and one of six cores positive for cancer would have a predicted probability of extraprostatic disease of 20%, whereas the same patient with all six biopsy cores positive would have a predicted probability of extraprostatic disease of 80%. CONCLUSIONS The percentage of cancer-positive biopsy cores significantly predicts the disease stage after radical prostatectomy. This variable is easy to obtain by the clinician and avoids the need to estimate the percentage of biopsy tissue infiltrated by cancer. This readily available information can easily be computed and may help to counsel patients about realistic expectations of organ-confined disease in relation to surgery as a treatment option. [source] Wallerian Degeneration: A Major Component of Early Axonal Pathology in Multiple SclerosisBRAIN PATHOLOGY, Issue 5 2010Tomasz Dziedzic Abstract Axonal loss is a major component of the pathology of multiple sclerosis (MS) and the morphological basis of permanent clinical disability. It occurs in demyelinating plaques but also in the so-called normal-appearing white matter (NAWM). However, the contribution of Wallerian degeneration to axonal pathology is not known. Here, we analyzed the extent of Wallerian degeneration and axonal pathology in periplaque white matter (PPWM) and lesions in early multiple sclerosis biopsy tissue from 63 MS patients. Wallerian degeneration was visualized using an antibody against the neuropeptide Y receptor Y1 (NPY-Y1R). The number of SMI-32-positive axons with non-phosphorylated neurofilaments was significantly higher in both PPWM and plaques compared to control white matter. APP-positive, acutely damaged axons were found in significantly higher numbers in plaques compared to PPWM. Strikingly, the number of NPY-Y1R-positive axons undergoing Wallerian degeneration was significantly higher in PPWM and plaques than in control WM. NPY-Y1R-positive axons in PPWM were strongly correlated to those in the lesions. Our results show that Wallerian degeneration is a major component of axonal pathology in the periplaque white matter in early MS. It may contribute to radiological changes observed in early MS and most likely plays a major role in the development of disability. [source] Androgen ablation therapy for prostate carcinoma suppresses the immunoreactive telomerase subunit hTERTCANCER, Issue 2 2004Kenneth A. Iczkowski M.D. Abstract BACKGROUND Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein complex that protects the ends of chromosomes from degradation. Its catalytic subunit, hTERT, controls its activity. Prior data in prostate carcinoma cases indicated that immunohistochemical hTERT reactivity increases with tumor grade and may be absent in lower grade cases. The effect of complete androgen ablation (CAA) on tumor hTERT expression was uncertain. METHODS hTERT immunostaining was performed on the cancerous pretreatment biopsy tissue of 30 men who consecutively underwent CAA with bicalutamide and goserelin acetate for 30 days prior to undergoing radical prostatectomy, and on their tumor tissue from radical prostatectomy. As controls, biopsy and prostatectomy samples from 30 untreated men were studied. Nuclear staining was evaluated by two observers, and the change in staining between biopsy and prostatectomy samples was evaluated using the Student t test in both groups. RESULTS The percent of reactive tumor nuclei in treated men declined from 36.7% to 13.2% (P = 0.0001), and declined from 19.8% to 16.1% in untreated men (P = 0.4). The greater mean hTERT reactivity in the treated men's biopsy specimens was attributed to an increased proportion of higher (Gleason score , 7) grade tumors. The decline in hTERT immunostaining remained significant after normalizing it to that of the untreated group (P = 0.002). The original Gleason scores, corresponding declines in the percentage of reactive tumor nuclei, and significance were: Gleason score , 6: 11% (P = 0.03); Gleason score of 7: 23% (P < 0.006); and Gleason score , 8: 46% (P < 0.005) (from a mean 63% to 17%). CONCLUSIONS CAA for prostate carcinoma can be considered an antitelomerase therapy. The steepest reduction in telomerase activity was noted in the highest grade tumors. Cancer 2004;100:294,9. © 2003 American Cancer Society. [source] Progression of astrocytomas and meningiomas: an evaluation in vitroCELL PROLIFERATION, Issue 1 2007L. Maes By verifying the proliferation capacity, human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) expression and in vitro invasion, in a group of highly malignant glioblastomas, benign meningiomas and astrocytomas, at the initial stage of progression, we have analysed putative progression in vitro for proliferation and telomerase expression. Materials and Methods: The relative proliferation status (visualized with Ki-67 antibodies) and presence of hTERT protein was analysed in 27 intracranial tumours (6 astrocytomas, 8 glioblastomas and 13 meningiomas) by immunohistochemistry on paraffin-embedded biopsy tissue, as well as on primary tumour-derived cell cultures. A confrontation model was used to analyse invasiveness in vitro. Results: The mean proliferation indices were 22.3 (SD = 18.1) for glioblastomas and 2.1 (SD = 1.9) for low-grade (LG) astrocytomas. The group of benign meningiomas had a labelling index of 2.2 (SD = 2.7). Mean percentages of staining for hTERT varied between 36.5 (SD = 28.4) for glioblastomas and 10.2 (SD = 8.6) for LG astrocytomas. The group of benign meningiomas had a labelling index of 12.4 (SD = 19.2) for hTERT. A significant difference was seen for Ki-67 (P < 0.05) and hTERT (P < 0.001) in vivo versus in vitro. No difference was seen between the group of invasive and non-invasive tumour-derived cell cultures for the histopathological markers Ki-67 and hTERT (P > 0.05) in vitro. Conclusions: The elevated expression of hTERT and Ki-67 in vitro provides a potential prognostic tool for early detection of the progression of brain tumours. As tumour cells require telomerase for continued proliferation, the expression of hTERT may mark immortality, leading to indefinite life span. On the other hand, hTERT expression and cell proliferation are not linked directly to invasion in vitro. [source] Induction of eotaxin production by interleukin-4, interleukin-13 and lipopolysaccharide by nasal fibroblastsCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, Issue 5 2004M. Nonaka Summary Background There is growing evidence that eotaxin is a key mediator in the development of tissue eosinophilia. Fibroblasts are a major source of eotaxin. The severity of diseases with eosinophilic inflammation like nasal polyposis, atopic dermatitis and asthma, where Th2-type cytokines (IL-4 and IL-13) and TGF-, are expressed locally, was shown to correlate with bacterial factors such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) rather than allergen. Objective We examined eotaxin production by nasal fibroblasts stimulated with IL-4 or IL-13 alone or in combination with LPS, and the effect of TGF-,1 on it. Moreover, we compared the magnitude of eotaxin produced by nasal fibroblasts with that produced by lung or skin fibroblasts. Methods Fibroblast lines were established from human biopsy tissue. The expression of eotaxin mRNA was evaluated by RT-PCR. The amount of eotaxin in the supernatants was measured by ELISA. Results IL-4, but not IL-13, synergized with LPS to produce eotaxin in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Sequential treatment of nasal fibroblasts with IL-4 and LPS did not have any effect. But when IL-4 and LPS were added together, synergy for eotaxin production was observed. Moreover, this synergy was observed in nasal and skin fibroblasts, but not in lung fibroblasts. The production of eotaxin by IL-4 and LPS was modulated by TGF-,1. Conclusion These results suggest that a co-stimulus like LPS is necessary for IL-4 to make a strong induction of eotaxin in eosinophilic inflammations such as nasal polyposis. Modulation by TGF-,1 may have important implications for the development of eosinophilic inflammation. [source] Microbial diversity of inflamed and noninflamed gut biopsy tissues in inflammatory bowel diseaseINFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES, Issue 6 2007Shadi Sepehri MD Abstract Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic gastrointestinal condition without any known cause or cure. An imbalance in normal gut biota has been identified as an important factor in the inflammatory process. Methods: Fifty-eight biopsies from Crohn's disease (CD, n = 10), ulcerative colitis (UC, n = 15), and healthy controls (n = 16) were taken from a population-based case-control study. Automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA) and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphisms (T-RFLP) were used as molecular tools to investigate the intestinal microbiota in these biopsies. Results: ARISA and T-RFLP data did not allow a high level of clustering based on disease designation. However, if clustering was done based on the inflammation criteria, the majority of biopsies grouped either into inflamed or noninflamed groups. We conducted statistical analyses using incidence-based species richness and diversity as well as the similarity measures. These indices suggested that the noninflamed tissues form an intermediate population between controls and inflamed tissue for both CD and UC. Of particular interest was that species richness increased from control to noninflamed tissue, and then declined in fully inflamed tissue. Conclusions: We hypothesize that there is a recruitment phase in which potentially pathogenic bacteria colonize tissue, and once the inflammation sets in, a decline in diversity occurs that may be a byproduct of the inflammatory process. Furthermore, we suspect that a better knowledge of the microbial species in the noninflamed tissue, thus before inflammation sets in, holds the clues to the microbial pathogenesis of IBD. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2007) [source] Suppressive effects of cyclosporine A on neutrophils and T cells may be related to therapeutic benefits in patients with steroid-resistant ulcerative colitisINFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES, Issue 1 2002Kenji Ina Abstract An intravenous infusion of cyclosporine A (CsA) shows clinical benefits in patients with steroid-resistant ulcerative colitis (UC). To clarify its mechanisms, we investigated the ability of CsA to inhibit the functions of neutrophils and T cells. The cytotoxic activity by mucosal T cells was analyzed by anti-CD3-triggered cytotoxicity after lamina propria mononuclear cells were cultured with recombinant interleukin (IL)-2. The chemotactic response, the generation of superoxide, and the production of chemokines, IL-8, and macrophage inflammatory protein-1, by neutrophils were examined using a multiple-well chamber assay, a chemiluminescence method, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Mucosal chemokine activity was determined by an ELISA using the organ culture supernatant of mucosal biopsy tissues. Pretreatment with CsA caused consistent inhibitions of cytotoxic activity by mucosal T cells and chemotactic migration, superoxide generation, and chemokine production by neutrophils mostly in a dose-dependent manner. In patients who received an intravenous infusion of CsA, mucosal chemokine activity decreased after therapy in parallel with decreases in the numbers of neutrophils and mononuclear cells in the biopsy tissues. These results suggest that suppressive effects of CsA on neutrophils and T cells may be related to therapeutic benefits in patients with steroid-resistant UC. [source] Nuclear HBcAg and histology activity index as independent predictors of the expression of singly spliced HBV-RNAJOURNAL OF VIRAL HEPATITIS, Issue 1 2007I.-S. Sheen Summary., Although hepatitis B virus (HBV) RNA splicing has been reported by many researchers, the clinical significance of this event remains illusive. The present study was designed to investigate the clinical roles of singly spliced HBV-RNA. Liver biopsy tissues obtained from 32 consecutive patients were subjected to reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction for the detection of singly spliced and unspliced HBV-RNA. Stepwise linear regression model was used to estimate the ratio of singly spliced to unspliced (S/US) HBV-RNA in the presence of the following variables: age, gender, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin, alpha-foetoprotein, status of HBV e antigen (HBeAg), status of antibody to HBeAg, HBV-DNA, histology activity index (HAI), fibrotic score, grade of cytoplasmic HBV core antigen (HBcAg), grade of nuclear HBcAg, genotype, status of precore-stop-mutation, basal core promoter mutation, previous lamivudine therapy and superinfection by other hepatitis viruses. The results showed that HAI (, = ,0.2616; P = 0.011) and grade of nuclear HBcAg expression (, = 0.5599; P =0.0067) were two independent predictors for the expression of singly spliced HBV-RNA. Further categorical analysis showed that patients with HAI score ,6 and grading of nuclear HBcAg ,2 have significantly higher S/US ratios. In conclusion, nuclear HBcAg and HAI are two independent predictors for the expression of singly spliced HBV-RNA. [source] Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy modulates acidity and interleukin-1, mRNA levels in un-operated stomach and in remnant stomach after gastrectomy in gastric cancer patientsALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 2006S. KATO Summary Background A number of studies have indicated that Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy helps prevent secondary cancers in the stomach. Aim To investigate the risk of secondary cancer in the residual stomach after gastrectomy by comparing molecular biomarkers from stomach mucosa biopsies and the pH of gastric juice between H. pylori patients with and without gastrectomy. Methods Conventional H. pylori eradication therapy was administered to 22 patients who had undergone gastrectomy and to 37 un-operated patients. We measured pH levels of gastric juice, and collected stomach mucosa biopsy specimens by gastrointestinal fiberscopy. The mRNA expression levels of interleukin-1,, interleukin-8 and cyclo-oxygenase 2 in the biopsy tissues were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results Interleukin-1, levels in the antrum of un-operated H. pylori -positive patients showed a reverse correlation with pH levels in the gastric lumen (correlation coefficient: ,0.50, P = 0.007). After eradication, pH levels were strongly associated with interleukin-1, mRNA levels, r = 0.83, P = 0.01, which, in the remnant stomach mucosa, decreased from 22.5 to 4.6 in the anastomosis and from 3.1 to 2.4 in the upper corpus, with a simultaneous and statistically significant decrease in pH. Conclusions Interleukin-1, mRNA levels correlated with pH levels in the remnant stomach. This indicates that eradication therapy may contribute not only to a reduction in these cancer-associated cytokines, but also to an improvement in the internal environment of the remnant stomach. [source] Evaluation of lactate and alanine as metabolic biomarkers of prostate cancer using 1H HR-MAS spectroscopy of biopsy tissuesMAGNETIC RESONANCE IN MEDICINE, Issue 3 2008May-Britt Tessem Abstract The goal of this study was to investigate the use of lactate and alanine as metabolic biomarkers of prostate cancer using 1H high-resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) spectroscopy of snap-frozen transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsy tissues. A long-echo-time rotor-synchronized Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) sequence including an electronic reference to access in vivo concentrations (ERETIC) standard was used to determine the concentrations of lactate and alanine in 82 benign and 16 malignant biopsies (mean 26.5% ± 17.2% of core). Low concentrations of lactate (0.61 ± 0.28 mmol/kg) and alanine (0.14 ± 0.06 mmol/kg) were observed in benign prostate biopsies, and there was no significant difference between benign predominantly glandular (N = 54) and stromal (N = 28) biopsies between patients with (N = 38) and without (N = 44) a positive clinical biopsy. In biopsies containing prostate cancer there was a highly significant (P < 0.0001) increase in lactate (1.59 ± 0.61 mmol/kg) and alanine (0.26 ± 0.07 mmol/kg), and minimal overlap with lactate concentrations in benign biopsies. This study demonstrates for the first time very low concentrations of lactate and alanine in benign prostate biopsy tissues. The significant increase in the concentration of both lactate and alanine in biopsy tissue containing as little as 5% cancer could be exploited in hyperpolarized 13C spectroscopic imaging (SI) studies of prostate cancer patients. Magn Reson Med 60:510,516, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Spontaneously regressed Kaposi's sarcoma and human herpesvirus 8 infection in a human immunodeficiency virus-negative patientPATHOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 4 2000Yasuko Kondo Kaposi's sarcoma occurring in a 78-year-old woman, with the absence of the human immunodeficiency virus infection, was correctly diagnosed by immunohistochemistry using anti-human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) antibody (PA1-73N) for the first time. The patient suffered from chronic respiratory failure and was treated with a low dose of steroids for 2.5 years. After her medication dosage was increased for the exacerbation of the respiratory failure, multiple skin tumors in her feet and legs suddenly developed. Histopathologically, skin tumors were suspected as Kaposi's sarcoma at the first biopsy and reactive angiomatosis at the second biopsy. Polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry, however, revealed the presence of HHV8 DNA fragment and positive staining in the majority of spindle cells in the skin tumors. Serological examination confirmed the positivity of anti-HHV8 antibodies. HHV8 infection and steroid-induced immunosuppression, as well as environmental factors played a role in the development of Kaposi's sarcoma in this patient, because she was born in Okinawa, which is a well-known endemic area of Kaposi's sarcoma in Japan. As her general condition improved, the skin lesions regressed without any specific treatment, and disappeared completely 8 months later, in which regression may be associated with evidence of numerous CD8 cell infiltration in the second biopsy tissues. No recurrence was observed during the following 6 month follow up. [source] Folate receptor , as a potential delivery route for novel folate antagonists to macrophages in the synovial tissue of rheumatoid arthritis patientsARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 1 2009Joost W. Van Der Heijden Objective To determine the expression of folate receptor , (FR,) in synovial biopsy tissues and peripheral blood lymphocytes from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and to identify novel folate antagonists that are more selective in the targeting and internalization of FR, than methotrexate (MTX). Methods Immunohistochemistry and computer-assisted digital imaging analyses were used for the detection of FR, protein expression on immunocompetent cells in synovial biopsy samples from RA patients with active disease and in noninflammatory control synovial tissues. FR, messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were determined by reverse transcription,polymerase chain reaction analysis. Binding affinities of FR, for folate antagonists were assessed by competition experiments for 3H-folic acid binding on FR,-transfected cells. Efficacy of FR,-mediated internalization of folate antagonists was evaluated by assessment of antiproliferative effects against FR,-transfected cells. Results Immunohistochemical staining of RA synovial tissue showed high expression of FR, on macrophages in the intimal lining layer and synovial sublining, whereas no staining was observed in T cell areas or in control synovial tissue. Consistently, FR, mRNA levels were highest in synovial tissue extracts and RA monocyte-derived macrophages, but low in peripheral blood T cells and monocytes. Screening of 10 new-generation folate antagonists revealed 4 compounds for which FR, had a high binding affinity (20,77-fold higher than for MTX). One of these, the thymidylate synthase inhibitor BCG 945, displayed selective targeting against FR,-transfected cells. Conclusion Abundant FR, expression on activated macrophages in synovial tissue from RA patients deserves further exploration for selective therapeutic interventions with high-affinity,binding folate antagonists, of which BCG 945 may be a prototypical representative. [source] CXCR3+CD4+ T cells are enriched in inflamed kidneys and urine and provide a new biomarker for acute nephritis flares in systemic lupus erythematosus patientsARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 1 2009P. Enghard Objective The high frequency of CD4+ T cells in interstitial infiltrates of patients with lupus nephritis suggests a contribution of these cells to local pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to examine the role of CXCR3 and the chemokine CXCL10 in recruiting these cells into the kidney and to determine whether the infiltrating T cells could be monitored in the urine to provide a reliable biomarker for acute lupus nephritis. Methods The frequencies of CD3+ T cells, CXCR3+ cells, and CXCL10+ cells were determined by immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence analyses of kidney sections from 18 patients with lupus nephritis. The frequency of CXCR3+CD4+ T cells was determined by flow cytometry of peripheral blood and urine from 38 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and the values were compared with disease activity as determined by the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index. Results In renal biopsy tissues from patients with lupus nephritis, a mean of 63% of the infiltrating cells expressed CXCR3, ,60% of them were T cells, and the CXCR3+ cells colocalized with CXCL10-producing cells. In biopsy tissues from SLE patients with acute nephritis, ,50% of the urinary CD4+ T cells were CXCR3+, as compared with 22% in the peripheral blood, and the frequency of urinary CXCR3+CD4+ T cells correlated with disease activity. Moreover, the number of urinary CD4+ T cells reflected nephritis activity, and elevation above 800 CD4+ T cells per 100 ml of urine sharply delineated active from inactive nephritis. Conclusion CXCR3+ T cells are recruited into the inflamed kidneys, are enriched in the urine, and are a valuable marker of nephritis activity in SLE. They also present a potential target for future therapies. [source] Delayed memory B cell recovery in peripheral blood and lymphoid tissue in systemic lupus erythematosus after B cell depletion therapyARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 9 2007Jennifer H. Anolik Objective Recent data suggest that the reconstituting peripheral B cell compartment after B cell depletion therapy may be functionally immature, with a preponderance of transitional B cells and a paucity of memory B cells. This study was undertaken to determine the magnitude, duration, and cause of these defects in rituximab-treated systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. Methods Fifteen patients with SLE previously treated with rituximab as part of a phase I/II dose-escalation study were evaluated during a long-term followup (mean followup period 41 months). B cells from peripheral blood and tonsils were assessed using multicolor flow cytometry, and their developmental pathway was classified based on the expression of defined surface markers. Results Reconstitution of peripheral blood CD27+ memory B cells was delayed for several years after B cell depletion therapy in a subset of patients with prolonged clinical responses and autoantibody normalization. This delay correlated with the degree of expansion of B cells of a transitional phenotype during the B cell reconstitution phase (P = 0.005) and the absence of baseline autoantibodies directed against extractable nuclear antigens (RNP, Sm, Ro antigen, La antigen). Despite the paucity of peripheral blood memory cells and the prolonged expansion of functionally immature transitional B cells, tonsil biopsy tissues revealed active germinal center (GC) reactions, but with decreased Fc receptor homolog 4,positive memory B cells. Conclusion These results suggest heterogeneity in the B cell depletion and reconstitution process that impacts clinical and immunologic outcomes in SLE. The presence of GC reactions, but with altered memory B cell subpopulations in tonsils, suggests that peripheral blood memory cell reconstitution lags behind a slow secondary lymphoid tissue recovery, with important implications for immunologic competence and tolerance. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||