Clear cell basal cell carcinoma

We describe a case of clear cell basal cell carcinoma of the superficial type, presenting as a crusted eruption on the abdomen. Histological examination showed a solid proliferation of clear cells attached to the under-surface of an atrophied epidermis. In addition, distinct pagetoid infiltration was seen within the overlying epidermis. A focal connection between the clear cell portion and a deeper lying nodular basal cell carcinoma was demonstrated, elucidating the true nature of the lesion. Immunohistochemical studies and electronmicroscopy confirmed the epithelial derivation of the tumour. The clear cell appearance was due to multiple cytoplasmic electronlucent vacuoles which were not surrounded by membranes.     

睾丸大细胞钙化性支持细胞瘤一例

患者男,12岁。左侧睾丸无痛性肿大1年余,于2005年月18日入院,右侧睾丸未见异常,亦无第二性征的异常。病理检查:送检组织为带一段精索和附睾组织的睾丸及其肿物。精索长5.0cm,直径1.2cm;附睾大小3.0cm×1.5cm×0.8cm,表面未见异常;睾丸及肿物大小3.0cm×2.5cm×2.5cm,表面光滑,包膜完整。切面实性,灰黄色,质硬,有钙化,无出血和坏死。肿物几乎占据整个睾丸实质,肿瘤周围边界尚清楚。镜下检查:肿瘤组织与周围边界清图1睾丸大细胞钙化性支持细胞瘤,肿瘤细胞圆形、卵圆形,含有丰富的润,间质黏液样变性HE中倍放大图2肿瘤组织间质中可见大量呈棕褐…     

Chondrocytic cell differentiation in clear cell chondrosarcoma

Clear cell chondrosarcoma is a rare mesenchymal neoplasm of unclear differentiation. Besides having a chondrogenic nature, an osteogenic differentiation was also proposed. In this study, expression analysis of extracellular matrix genes, which are specific for different mesenchymal cell differentiation pathways, were used to get a better understanding of origin and differentiation pattern of the clear cell chondrosarcoma tumor cells. Our in situ analysis of two cases shows that (1) chondrocytic cell differentiation as marked by the expression of cartilage collagen type II and proteoglycans is a characteristic feature within the development of the neoplasm, (2) multifocal chondrocyte hypertrophy as shown by the expression of type X collagen does occur, and (3) no significant expression cf collagen type I, the main gene product of osteoblastic cells, is found by the neoplastic cells. Thus, our study indicates that clear cell chondrosarcoma shows a chondrogenic, but not osteogenic, differentiation and represents a true chondrosarcoma. The unusual scarcity of its extracellular and the multifocal expression of type X collagen marks clear cell chondrosarcoma as a chondrosarcoma tumor entity of a particular cell differentiation pattern. The expression of cartilage type collagens represents a distinct marker from bone metastases of clear cell neoplasms of other origins.     

Mutagensis and cell transformation in cell culture

The current lack of continuous prawn cell lines suitable for the isolation and growth of prawn viruses is a major setback for diagnosis of viral diseases of prawns; isolation and identification of the causative agents are severely hindered and the development of other diagnostic procedures is slowed. To date, there are few, if any, examples of continuous prawn cell lines suitable for virus isolation and growth. Recent studies indicate that clastogenic agents such as ionising radiation are more effective than powerful point mutagens as immortalising agents for mammalian cells. Such studies with mammalian cell cultures indicate that certain mutagenic agents and/or prolonged treatment with a combination of mutagens may prove more useful in the production of immortal prawn cell lines in vitro rather than other, more limited and specific procedures. This report provides a brief review of the use of mutagens to induce immortalisation -- the acquisition of unlimited growth potential -- in mammalian cells in culture, i.e. the production of continuous cell lines from primary cultures. Aspects of cell transformation vs. immortalisation, the control of cell growth in vitro, and the application of mutagenic agents to induce immortalisation in primary cultures of prawn tissues will be discussed.     

Stem cell evolutionary paradigm and cell engineering

Studying hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells for almost three decades revealed some similarities between the stem cell entity and the single-celled eukaryotes exhibiting the anaerobic/facultative aerobic metabolic features. A careful analysis of nowadays knowledge concerning the early eukaryotic evolution allowed us to reveal some analogies between stem cells in the metazoan tissues and the single-celled eukaryotes which existed during the first phase of eukaryotes evolution in mid-Proterozoic era. In fact, it is possible to trace the principle of the self-renewal back to the first eukaryotic common ancestor, the first undifferentiated nucleated cell possessing the primitive, mostly anaerobically-respiring mitochondria and a capacity to reproduction by a simple cell division “à l’identique”. Similarly, the diversification of these single-cell eukaryotes and acquiring of complex life cycle allowed/conditioned by the increase of O₂ in atmosphere (and consequently in the water environment) represents a prototype for the phenomenon of commitment/differentiation. This point of view allowed to predict the ex-vivo behavior of stem cells with respect to the O₂ availability and metabolic profile which enabled to conceive the successful protocols of stem cell expansion and ex vivo conditioning based on “respecting” this relationship between the anaerobiosis and stemness. In this review, the basic elements of this paradigm and a possible application in cell engineering were discussed.     

伴有浆细胞分化的套细胞淋巴瘤

B淋巴细胞分化成浆细胞是一个抗原介导的过程，主要依赖于B细胞和调控因子在它们的微环境中的相互作用。寿命长的浆细胞来自于生发中心活化的B细胞，而浆细胞分化自滤泡外区的幼稚B细胞，其寿命短。因此，来自于后生发中心的淋巴瘤常呈浆细胞分化，而来自于幼稚B细胞的淋巴瘤则很少发生浆细胞分化。在滤泡性淋巴瘤和边缘区淋巴瘤常可见到浆细胞分化，少数慢性淋巴细胞性白血病／小淋巴细胞性淋巴瘤中亦可见到肿瘤细胞发生浆细胞分化。然而，套细胞淋巴瘤发生克隆性浆细胞分化到目前为止还没有报道。作者报道了2例伴有克隆性浆细胞分化的套细胞淋巴瘤。     

Gonadal cell apoptosis: hormone-regulated cell demise

It has become evident that apoptosis, an active form of cell'suicide', plays an important role in the normal function ofall tissues. A balance of cell proliferation and apoptosis ismaintained in a healthy individual and any imbalance of thetwo processes could lead to pathological changes. In both sexes,massive apoptosis accounts for the demise of a majority of gonadalcells (ovarian granulosa cells and male germ cells) during reproductivelife. Recent studies have indicated the important role of gonadotrophinsas survival factors in both the ovary and the testis. Furthermore,intragonadal survival factors in the ovary (oestrogens, insulin-likegrowth factor I, epidermal growth factor, basic fibroblast growthfactor, interleukin-1ß, nitric oxide, etc.) and testis(androgens) have been shown to act in concert with the gonadotrophins.In contrast, several apoptotic factors (androgens, gonadotrophin-releasinghormone-like peptide and interleukin-6) may be important ininducing the demise of ovarian follicles. Understanding of thehormonal and cellular mechanisms responsible for gonadal cellapoptosis will provide new approaches for the treatment of gonadaldegenerative conditions such as premature ovarian failure andcryptorchidism, as well as for the design of new contraceptiveapproaches.     

Balloon cell melanoma mimicking clear cell carcinoma

Balloon cells may occur in both benign nevi and malignant melanomas. Sometimes they dominate the histological appearance and cause difficulties in biopsy interpretation. There are no specific clinical characteristics. We report a metastatic balloon cell melanoma where the primary tumour was not identified and the histological appearance mimicked that of a clear cell renal carcinoma.     

具有透明细胞乳头状肾细胞癌形态特征的透明细胞性肾细胞癌的临床病理特征

目的探讨具有透明细胞乳头状肾细胞癌形态特征的透明细胞性肾细胞癌(clear cell papillary renal cell carcinoma-like clear cell renal carcinoma, CCPRCC-like CCRCC)的临床和病理特征, 旨在提高对该类肿瘤的认识。方法回顾性分析浙江大学医学院附属第一医院诊断的3例CCPRCC-like CCRCC的临床资料、组织学形态及免疫表型, 随访患者预后并复习相关文献。结果男性2例, 女性1例, 平均年龄43岁。肿块最大径9 cm。镜下观察3例病例均包含透明细胞乳头状肾细胞癌样(CCPRCC-like)及透明细胞性肾细胞癌样(CCRCC-like)两种区域, 前者在整个瘤体所占比例为20%～90%。CCPRCC-like区域含有囊、乳头、腺管状结构。细胞核远离基底膜, 细胞核WHO/国际泌尿病理协会(ISUP)分级1级。在CCPRCC-like区域, 细胞角蛋白(CK)7表达范围10%～80%, 中等及以上强度表达。CD10表达均为100%, 主要为顶端胞膜表达。在CCRCC-like区域, 1例CK7阴性, 其余...     

Natural killer cell function and malignant cell phenotype in hairy cell leukaemia.

We have followed for 33 months the changes that occurred in natural killer (NK) cell numbers and activity in a patient (A) with hairy cell leukaemia (HCL), using a single cell assay and a microcytotoxicity assay. The composition of the peripheral blood mononuclear cell population and malignant cell phenotype were also analysed. During this period he received treatment with interferon and his grossly enlarged spleen was removed. Four further patients were also studied, two were splenectomized and all had received treatment with interferon. In four of the five patients studied there was an apparent link between low NK activity and presence of a tumour-infiltrated spleen, and in the fifth patient, who was aleukemic and had no splenomegaly, NK function was related to disease activity. There was no correlation between NK activity and the number of target binding (TB) cells in these five patients. IFN had little direct effect on overall NK activity, but the proportion of killing cells among TB cells was increased. Three patients showed binding of several cells to a single target. Further analysis revealed that in the patients most of the TB cells were not CD56-positive NK cells, in contrast to TB cells from normal subjects. In patient A a large proportion (84%) of TB cells were identified as malignant cells and in patient E 15% of TB cells were malignant cells. The phenotype of the malignant cells was: CD19+, HLA-DR+ and CD25(Tac)+, except for patient A. In this patient the hairy cells were positive for the NK marker CD56 as well as the monocyte marker CD14. Furthermore, a change occurred in phenotype as only later samples carried CD25. It is concluded that the level of NK function correlates closely with disease activity in HCL and that competitive target cell binding by malignant cells may be one cause of depressed NK-cell function in hairy cell leukaemia.     

T cell mediated immunotherapy for B cell lymphoma

Increasing evidence suggests that chemotherapy does not cure the majority of patients with B cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). Therefore new treatment modalities are necessary. Immunotherapy of B cell lymphomas using monoclonal antibodies has been shown to be efficacious in murine model systems and also in patients. With the identification of tumor-specific antigens as targets for autologous T cells, T cell mediated immunity has been revived as an immunotherapeutic modality in B cell lymphomas. For B cell lymphomas the lymphoma-specific idiotype can be used as a tumor-specific antigen to stimulate T cells. Alternatively, the malignant B cells can be modified to become efficient antigen-presenting cells and present peptides from their own tumor-specific antigens to the autologous T cells. Here we discuss previous and currently explored immunotherapeutic strategies for B cell lymphoma. Received: 2 February 1998 / Accepted: 9 July 1998     

Absolute dependence of T cell receptorhi cell generation and relative dependence of T cell receptorint cell generation on the thymus

Recent evidence indicates that conventional T cells are generated by the mainstream of T cell differentiation in the thymus and acquire a high density of T cell receptor expression (i.e. TCR^hi). In contrast, primordial T cells (or NK1.1⁺ T cells) are generated by the extrathymic pathways or an alternative intrathymic pathway and express an intermediate density of TCR (i.e. TCR^int). To obtain further evidence, it was examined how thymus grafting influenced the distribution of T cell populations in athymic nude mice. When BALB/c nu/nu mice were engrafted with thymocyte-depleted BALB/c+/+ fetal thymi, two changes emerged after grafting: nude mice generated TCR^hi cells de novo in the periphery as well as in the grafted thymi, and the absolute number of interleukin-2 receptor β chain⁺ TCR^int cells increased prominently in number in the periphery. Among thymic hormones tested, the administration of thymosin α induced a slight expansion of CD3^int cells in nude mice. To examine a possible interaction of TCR^int cells with TCR^hi cells in the periphery, B6 nu/nu mice (Ly5.2⁺) were injected with TCR^hi cells purified from the spleen of B6 Ly5.1 congenic mice. In this case, TCR^int (Ly5.2⁺) cells expanded well in all tested organs of nude mice. These results suggest that the generation of TCR^hi cells is absolutely dependent on the thymus and that TCR^int cells expand under the influence of the thymus (humoral) and due to interaction with thymus-derived conventional T cells.