Histology and histopathology Vol.27, nº 4 (2012)

Permanent URI for this collection

http://hdl.handle.net/10201/177697

Browse

Now showing 1 - 12 of 12

Open Access
Expression of the carbohydrate tumour marker Sialyl Lewis A, Sialyl Lewis X, Lewis Y and Thomsen-Friedenreich Antigen in normal squamous epithelium of the uterine cervix, cervical dysplasia and cervical cancer
(F. Hernández y Juan F. Madrid. Universidad de Murcia: Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, 2012) Engelstaedter, V.; Fluegel, B.; Kunze, S.; Mayr, D.; Friese, K.; Jeschke, U.; Bergauer, F.
The carbohydrate molecules Sialyl Lewis X (SLeX), Sialyl Lewis A (SLeA), Lewis Y (LeY) and Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen (TF) are known to mediate the adhesion between tumor cells and endothelium. They are used as serum markers in diagnosis and treatment in a broad spectrum of human carcinomas, but their expression profile and role in the development of cervical cancer remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of SLeX, SLeA, LeY and TF in normal cervical squamous epithelium, cervical dysplasia and cervical cancer. Slides of paraffin-embedded tissue were fixed and incubated with monoclonal antibodies against SLeX, SLeA, LeY and TF. Immunohistochemical staining was evaluated by using a semi-quantitative score (IRS Score). We found a significant difference of SLeA expression in invasive cervical cancer compared to normal epithelium (p=0.006) and all grades of dysplasia (p=0.002). The expression of SLeX in normal epithelium was less intense than in carcinoma in situ (p=0.036). Staining for LeY showed the weakest results of the investigated markers. Significant differences were found when normal epithelium was compared to CIN I (p=0.011), to CIN II (p=0.013) and to invasive cervical cancer (p=0.005). For TF, significant differences were found in normal epithelium compared to CIN I (p=0.011), CIN II (p=0.013) and compared to invasive cervical cancer (p=0.005). This is the first study on the expression of SLeA, SLeX, LeY and TF in normal cervical endothelium, cervical dysplasia, carcinoma in situ and invasive cervical cancer. Further studies and higher numbers are desirable
Open Access
Histological and immunohistochemical assessment of liver biopsies in morbidly obese patients
(F. Hernández y Juan F. Madrid. Universidad de Murcia: Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, 2012) Caballero, T.; Gila, A.; Sánchez Salgado, G.; Muñoz de Rueda, P.; León, J.; Delgado, S.; Muñoz, J.A.; Caba Molina, M.; Carazo, A.; Ruiz Extremera, A.; Salmerón, J.
Aims: To study liver lesions in morbidly obese patients who underwent liver biopsy at the time of bariatric surgery to define histological lesions, especially inflammatory infiltrate, diagnostic categories and the possible influence of gender in this respect. Methods and results: 110 biopsies (36 males-M- and 76 females -F-) were evaluated and categorised, according to the NAS (NAFLD -non alcoholic fatty liver disease- Activity Score) system and other criteria, as non-NAFLD (15.5%, F predominance), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) (16.5%, M predominance), non-alcoholic hepatosteatosis (NAHS) (21%, F predominance) and, the most numerous group, NASH-borderline (NASH-BORD) (47%), with three subgroups, characterised by centrozonal lesions, portal area preferential involvement or affecting both areas. The predominant form of hepatocytesteatosis was mixed with a multivesicular component that was present in most cases with fibroinflammatory portal involvement. Nuclear glycogenosomes were found in greater number of biopsies in patients in the third and sixth decades. Portal inflammation was present in a large number of cases (M predominance); the application of immunohistochemical techniques (myeloperoxidase and CD68 antibodies) to evaluate lobular inflammation revealed “surgical hepatitis” in one third of the cases, and the presence of microgranulomas (CD68+) (M predominance), which were more abundant with increasing lesion severity. Conclusions: Portal inflammation and multivesicular hepatocytesteatosis are highly prevalent in morbidly obese patients. This study identifies a new subtype of NASH-BORD characterized by centrizonal and porto-periportal area involvement and the existence of liver biopsies without steatosis. CD68+ microgranulomas constitute an unequivocal marker of lobular inflammation in surgical biopsies and of lesion severity, which is gender-related
Open Access
Desmosomes in verrucous carcinoma of the head and neck
(F. Hernández y Juan F. Madrid. Universidad de Murcia: Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, 2012) Odar, Katarina; Zidar, Nina; Bonin, Serena; Gale, Nina; Cardesa, Antonio; Stanta, Giorgio
Verrucous carcinoma (VC) is a variant of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), characterised by its inability to metastasize. In contrast, hybrid carcinomas, composed of VC and foci of conventional SCC, harbour a metastatic potential. Correct pathohistological diagnosis is therefore crucial for the choice of treatment. There is mounting evidence that desmosomes are involved in several aspects of carcinogenesis. Previous studies have shown an altered expression of desmosomal components in conventional SCC, which was associated with tumour behaviour, but no data have been found on desmosomes in VC. We therefore analysed the expression of desmosomal components in biopsy samples of 21 cases of VC and 5 cases of hybrid carcinoma of the head and neck in comparison to 23 cases of conventional SCC and 47 samples of normal squamous epithelium of similar localisation, using immunohistochemistry and real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. We found that the expression patterns of desmosomal components in VC were fairly similar to those in normal epithelium but differed significantly from those in conventional SCC. Immunohistochemical reactions against desmosomal components disclosed the foci of SCC in hybrid carcinomas. In conclusion, we believe that expression patterns of desmosomal components in VC are consistent with its less aggressive behaviour. Differential expression of desmosomal components between VC and SCC makes some desmosomal components potentially useful in the diagnostics of VC, especially for the detection of hybrid carcinoma
Open Access
Topotecan hydrochloride effects on retinal vessels in newborn rats
(F. Hernández y Juan F. Madrid. Universidad de Murcia: Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, 2012) Pescosolido, Nicola; Pascarella, Antonia; Scarsella, Gianfranco; Tafani, Marco; Stefanini, Stefania; Nebbioso, Marcella
A physiological system, i.e. rodent retina during vessel formation and hierarchical organization, was utilised for assaying antiangiogenic properties of Topotecan, a topoisomerase I inhibitor, capable of inhibiting tumoral growth in animal models of retinoblastoma. In particular we analysed possible differences in effectiveness and side effects among different drug dosages and ways of administration. In the present research only qualitative analyses were undertaken. After preliminary experiments, in which suckling animals subcutaneously treated with Topotecan dosages comprised between 9 and 3 mg/kg underwent high lethality and extremely severe systemic damages, 7 day-old rats were subcutaneously, intravenously or peribulbary injected with a single dose of 1 mg/kg; retinal vessels were visualized in retinal fluorangio-graphies taken 1 and 2 weeks after treatment. The most important and frequent alterations were found to affect radial vessels, which showed non-perfused and/or regionally mislocated segments, together with abnormal branching and enlargements in retinal periphery; persistence of capillary-free periarteriolar regions, non-vascularised regions and spots of extravascular FITC were also detected. Despite the high individual variability the alterations were substantially similar among the different ways of drug administration, while they appeared milder in 21 day-old rats, with respect to younger ones. The extensive vascular remodelling found after Topotecan administration, besides demonstrating the antiangiogenic properties of this chemioterapic drug, confirms the rodent retina as a highly valuable model system for studying angiogenesis modulation
Open Access
Nuclear localization of GLI1 and elevated expression of FOXC2 in breast cancer is associated with the basal-like phenotype
(F. Hernández y Juan F. Madrid. Universidad de Murcia: Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, 2012) Li, Yuan; Yang, Wentao; Yang, Qin; Zhou, Sheng
Aberrant sonic hedgehog (SHH)/glioma-associated oncogene (GLI) signaling has been shown in the development of many tumors. The aims of the present study are to determine the expression of two SHH signaling molecules, the glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 (GLI1) and forkhead box C2 (FOXC2), in invasive breast cancers (IBC), to evaluate their association with clinicopathological parameters, and to determine their prognostic significance in breast cancer patients. Expression of GLI1 and FOXC2 were assessed by immunohistochemical analysis of a tissue microarray containing 262 unselected IBC cases. A statistical analysis was performed to assess the correlation of GLI1 and FOXC2 expression with the patients’ clinicopathological parameters, postoperative survival rate, and molecular subtypes. Immunoreactivity of GLI1 and FOXC2 was observed in 84% and 75% of all breast cancer tissues, respectively. There was a significant correlation between nuclear FOXC2 and GLI1 expressions in these breast cancers, which was associated with estrogen receptor (ER) negativity. Furthermore, there was a significant association between nuclear expression of GLI1 and FOXC2 and a basal-like breast cancer phenotype. Patients with nuclear GLI1 or FOXC2-expressing tumors had a significantly shorter survival time than those without nuclear FOXC2 or GLI1 expression. Multivariate analysis showed that nuclear GLI1 or FOXC2 expression was an independent factor for predicting the prognosis of basal-like breast cancer. In conclusion, there was a significant correlation between expression of nuclear GLI1 or FOXC2 and human breast cancer. More specifically, elevated levels of these proteins were associated with the basal-like breast cancer phenotype and with a poor rate of disease-free survival. These data suggest that GLI1 and FOXC2 are involved in tumorigenesis and that they may be useful as diagnostic and therapeutic targets for human basal-like breast cancers. Additional studies are warranted to better understand the biological significance of GLI1 and FOXC2, to further refine statistics related to patient prognosis, and to optimize treatment of patients with basal-like breast cancer
Open Access
Application of poly-L-lactide screws in flat foot surgery: histological and radiological aspects of bio-absorption of degradable devices
(F. Hernández y Juan F. Madrid. Universidad de Murcia: Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, 2012) Sena, P.; Manfredini, G.; Barbieri, C.; Mariani, F.; Tosi, G.; Ruozi, B.; Ferretti, M.; Marzona, L.; Palumbo, C.
The flat foot in childhood is a condition frequently observed in orthopedic practice but it is still debated when and in which patients surgical corrective treatment is appropriate; recently, the application of poly-L-lactic-acid (PLLA) screws was proposed. The present study investigates a group of 33 patients treated with PLLA expansion endorthesis in order to evaluate the deformity correction. Clinical and radiological outcomes in patients were correlated with: a) morphological characterization of screws both before and after being removed from patients, when necessary; b) histological and bio-molecular evaluation of degradation processes of the implants, focusing attention on the correlation between the cellular cohort involved in inflammatory reaction and the bio-absorption degree of PLLA screws. Deformity correction was mostly achieved, with minimal need of screw removal; the results obtained clearly show the occurrence of chronic rather than acute inflammation in removed screw specimens. At the histological level, after biomaterial implantation, the sequence of events occurring in the surrounding tissues ultimately ends in the formation of foreign body giant cells (FBGCs) at the tissue/material interface; but the mechanisms which influence the fate of screw implants, i.e. the resolution of acute inflammation rather than the progression towards chronic inflammation, are of crucial importance for biodegradable materials like “polylactic acid”. In fact, the FBGC response ensures a long-term mechanism which eliminates the foreign material from the body, but at the same time the implications of prolonged FBGC responses, which generate negative side effects, could significantly impede the healing progress
Open Access
Post-translational modifications of p53 tumor suppressor: determinants of its functional targets
(F. Hernández y Juan F. Madrid. Universidad de Murcia: Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, 2012) Taira, Naoe; Yoshida, Kiyotsugu
Tumor suppressor p53 functions as a “guardian of the genome” to prevent cells from transformation. p53 is constitutively ubiquitinated and degradated in unstressed conditions, thereby suppressing the expression. However, cellular stimuli enable p53 to escape from the negative regulation, and then stably expressed p53 transactivates its target genes to induce cell cycle arrest, DNA repair, or apoptosis. Promoter preference of target genes is determined by modification status of p53. Because p53 has two critical roles in the decision of cell fate, stopping cell cycle to repair damaged DNA or induction of apoptotic cell death in response to DNA damage, elucidation of switching mechanisms on p53 functions is of particular importance. Here we review recent evidence how several post-translational modifications of p53 including methylation, phosphorylation, acetylation, and ubiquitination, affect the functions of p53 in response to cellular stress
Open Access
A toolbox of lectins for translating the sugar code: the galectin network in phylogenesis and tumors
(F. Hernández y Juan F. Madrid. Universidad de Murcia: Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, 2012) Kaltner, Herbert; Gabius, Hans-Joachim
Lectin histochemistry has revealed cell-type-selective glycosylation. It is under dynamic and spatially controlled regulation. Since their chemical properties allow carbohydrates to reach unsurpassed structural diversity in oligomers, they are ideal for high density information coding. Consequently, the concept of the sugar code assigns a functional dimension to the glycans of cellular glycoconjugates. Indeed, multifarious cell processes depend on specific recognition of glycans by their receptors (lectins), which translate the sugar-encoded information into effects. Duplication of ancestral genes and the following divergence of sequences account for the evolutionary dynamics in lectin families. Differences in gene number can even appear among closely related species. The adhesion/growth-regulatory galectins are selected as an instructive example to trace the phylogenetic diversification in several animals, most of them popular models in developmental and tumor biology. Chicken galectins are identified as a low-level-complexity set, thus singled out for further detailed analysis. The various operative means for establishing protein diversity among the chicken galectins are delineated, and individual characteristics in expression profiles discerned. To apply this galectin-fingerprinting approach in histopathology has potential for refining differential diagnosis and for obtaining prognostic assessments. On the grounds of in vitro work with tumor cells a strategically orchestrated co-regulation of galectin expression with presentation of cognate glycans is detected. This coordination epitomizes the far-reaching physiological significance of sugar coding
Open Access
C-reactive protein levels are associated with the progression of atherosclerotic lesions in rabbits
(F. Hernández y Juan F. Madrid. Universidad de Murcia: Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, 2012) Yu, Qi; Li, Yafeng; Wang, Yanli; Zhao, Sihai; Yang, Peigang; Chen, Yulong; Fan, Jianglin; Liu, Enqi
Elevated plasma levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. CRP immunoreactive protein is also detected in the lesions of atherosclerosis. However, it is not known whether the CRP contents of atherosclerotic lesions are associated with the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. To examine this hypothesis, we investigated different types of atherosclerotic lesions of rabbits fed with a cholesterol-rich diet for 6, 12, 16, and 28 weeks and examined their relationship with CRP. We measured the aortic atherosclerotic area, macrophages, and smooth muscle cells along with CRP contents in the lesions. Atherosclerotic lesions of aortas began to form at 6 weeks and were characterized by accumulation of macrophages in the intima, and lesions became more fibrotic in the advanced stage. Both plasma CRP levels and the lesional CRP contents were associated with the lesion size. Our results suggest that plasma CRP, as well as lesional CRP, associated with the formation and progression of atherosclerotic lesions.
Open Access
Toxicity of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: a review of melatonin and diclofenac sodium association
(F. Hernández y Juan F. Madrid. Universidad de Murcia: Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, 2012) Aygün, Dursun; Kaplan, Süleyman; Odaci, Ersan; Onger, Mehmet E.; Altunkaynak, M. Eyüp
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used for the purpose of anti-inflammation, antipyretic, and analgesia. For this aim, they are used for the alleviation of pain, fever, and inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis, sports injuries, and temporary pain. However, treatment with NSAIDs may be accompanied by adverse effects such as gastrointestinal damage and platelet dysfunction. As with the other NSAIDs, diclofenac sodium (sodium-(o-((2,6-dichlorophenyl)-amino)-phenyl)-acetate) (DS), an NSAID, has potent anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic effects. However, treatment with DS may cause some adverse cerebral and cerebellar effects such as convulsions, disorientation, hallucination, and loss of consciousness. Melatonin (MLT) is a free-radical scavenger and possesses antioxidant properties. It has been reported to easily cross the blood-brain barrier, and is found in high concentrations in the brain after exogenous administration. It is also a neuroprotector in a wide range of conditions affecting the central nervous system CNS due to its free-radical scavenging activities and lipophilic-hydrophilic properties. Neuroprotective actions of MLT have been discovered in both in vitro and in vivo, and are a powerful scavenger of oxygen and nitrogen free radicals. Thus, MLT can protect the cell membrane, organelles, and core against free-radical damage. Therefore, it has been postulated that exogenous MLT acts as a neuroprotector contrary to DS neurotoxicity. In this review, we aimed to discuss the possible neuroprotective effects of MLT on DS toxicity
Open Access
Immunophenotypical analyses of myofibroblasts in rat excisional wound healing: possible transdifferentiation of blood vessel pericytes and perifollicular dermal sheath cells into myofibroblasts
(F. Hernández y Juan F. Madrid. Universidad de Murcia: Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, 2012) Juniantito, Vetnizah; Izawa, Takeshi; Yuasa, Takahiro; Ichikawa, Chisa; Kuwamura, Mitsuru; Yamate, Jyoji
Cutaneous fibrosis after wound is evoked by myofibroblasts capable of producing collagen; the derivation and features remain to be investigated. Immunophenotypical characteristics of myofibroblasts were analysed in excisional rat wound healing, of which samples were obtained on post-wounding (PW) days 1 to 26. Myofibroblasts were characterized for expressions of intermediate cytoskeletons such as vimentin, desmin, and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). To pursue the progenitor, immunolabeling analyses were performed using stromal-/bone marrow-stem cell markers (Thy-1 and A3). Myofibroblasts reacting to vimentin and α-SMA were first seen on PW day 5, then peaked on PW day 9 in granulation tissues, and gradually decreased in remodeling tissues; these immunopositive cells reacted simultaneously to Thy-1. Desmin-reacting cells were limited to newly-formed blood vessels in wound bed. The single/double immunolabelings revealed that pericytes (identified by positive reaction to PDGFR-ß and negative reaction to endothelial markers) in newly-developing blood vessels reacted to vimentin, α-SMA, Thy-1 and A3, and occasionally to desmin, and that perifollicular dermal sheath cells in the wound periphery showed increased expressions for vimentin, Thy-1 and A3. There is considerable immunophenotypical similarity between myofibroblasts (expressing vimentin, α-SMA and Thy-1), pericytes (reacting to vimentin, α-SMA, Thy-1 and A3) in newly-developing blood vessels, and perifollicular dermal sheath cells (reacting to vimentin, Thy-1 and A3). Collectively, myofibroblasts in rat cutaneous fibrosis are characterized by vimentin, α-SMA and Thy-1 expressions, and the cells might be generated from the pericytes or perifollicular dermal sheath cells in the lineage of stroma-/bone marrow-stem cells
Open Access
Germ cell sex and cell cycle
(F. Hernández y Juan F. Madrid. Universidad de Murcia: Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, 2012) Miles, Denise C.; Western, Patrick S.
Germ cells are the only cells in the body capable of transferring an individual’s genetic and epigenetic information to the next generation. However, the developmental processes that provide the foundation for male and female germ line development and later gamete production are complex and poorly understood. In mice the primordial germ cells enter the bipotential gonad at E10.5 and, in response to the testicular or ovarian micro-environment, commit to spermatogenesis or oogenesis. This paper reviews progress in understanding the molecular processes underlying the early stages of male and female germ line development.

Browse

Browsing Histology and histopathology Vol.27, nº 4 (2012) by Issue Date

Results Per Page

Sort Options