Thymoma and myotonic dystrophy: successful treatment with chemotherapy and radiation: case report and review of the literature

We present the case of a 42-year-old woman with myotonic dystrophy and thymoma. She was treated with combination chemotherapy followed by external beam radiation, and remains in remission 19 months after thymoma was diagnosed. The myotonic dystrophy is unchanged. Only six cases of this nature have been reported in the literature, and this patient is the first to be successfully treated with combined modality therapy.     

Expression of Eya1 and Six1 is decreased in distal airways of rats with experimental pulmonary hypoplasia

Background/Purpose

Pulmonary hypoplasia (PH) associated with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) represents one of the major challenges in neonatal intensive care. Eyes absent 1 (Eya1) and sine oculis homebox 1 (Six1) have been identified as essential components of the gene network that regulates foetal lung development. Eya1 and Six1 are expressed in distal epithelial tips of branching airways as well as in surrounding mesenchymal cells, highlighting their important role during branching morphogenesis. Lungs of Eya1^−/− and Six1^−/− knockouts display PH with reduced epithelial branching, appearing to be arrested in the pseudoglandular stage. We hypothesized that Eya1 and Six1 expression is decreased in branching airways of nitrofen-induced PH.

Methods

Time-mated rats received either nitrofen or vehicle on E9.5. Foetal lungs were dissected on E15.5 and divided into control and nitrofen groups, whereas lungs harvested on E18.5 were divided into controls, PH without CDH [PH(−)], and PH with CDH [PH(+)]. Pulmonary gene expression levels of Eya1 and Six1 were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to investigate Eya1 and Six1 protein expression and localization by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM).

Results

Relative mRNA expression of Eya1 and Six1 was significantly decreased in PH(−) and PH(+) on E18.5 compared to controls. CLSM confirmed markedly diminished immunofluorescence of Eya1 and Six1 in distal airway epithelium as well as in surrounding mesenchymal cells of nitrofen-induced PH on E18.5 compared to controls.

Conclusions

Downregulation of Eya1 and Six1 gene expression in nitrofen-induced PH suggests that decreased Eya1 and Six1 expression during the late pseudoglandular stage may interfere with epithelial branching and distal airway maturation, thus resulting in PH.     

Prenatal retinoic acid increases lipofibroblast expression in hypoplastic rat lungs with experimental congenital diaphragmatic hernia

Background/purpose

Prenatal administration of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has been shown to stimulate alveolarization in nitrofen-induced pulmonary hypoplasia (PH) associated with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Lipid-containing interstitial lipofibroblasts (LIFs), characterized by adipocyte differentiation-related protein (ADRP), play a critical role in alveolar development by coordinating lipid homeostasis. Previous studies have demonstrated that ATRA positively affects LIF expression in developing lungs. We hypothesized that pulmonary LIF expression is increased after prenatal ATRA treatment in the nitrofen model of CDH-associated PH.

Methods

Timed-pregnant rats were treated with nitrofen or vehicle on E9.5, followed by injection of ATRA or placebo on E18.5, E19.5, and E20.5. Fetal lungs were dissected on E21.5 and divided into Control + Placebo, Control + ATRA, Nitrofen + Placebo, and Nitrofen + ATRA. Pulmonary gene expression levels of ADRP were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and LIF expression was investigated by ADRP immunohistochemistry, oil-red-O-, and immunofluorescence-double-staining.

Results

Relative mRNA expression of pulmonary ADRP was significantly increased in Nitrofen + ATRA compared to Nitrofen + Placebo (0.31 ± 0.02 vs. 0.08 ± 0.01; P < 0.0001). ADRP immunoreactivity and oil-red-O-staining were markedly increased in alveolar interstitium of Nitrofen + ATRA compared to Nitrofen + Placebo. Immunofluorescence-double-staining confirmed markedly increased LIF expression in alveolar walls of Nitrofen + ATRA compared to Nitrofen + Placebo.

Conclusions

Increased LIF expression after prenatal treatment with ATRA in nitrofen-induced PH suggests that ATRA may have a therapeutic potential in attenuating CDH-associated PH by stimulating alveolar development.     

Toxicological evaluation of metal oxide nanoparticles and mixed exposures at low doses using zebra fish and THP1 cell line

Metal and metal oxide nanoparticles are being used in different industries now‐a‐days leading to their unavoidable exposure to humans and animals. In the present study, toxicological testing was done using nanoparticles of copper oxide, cerium oxide and their mixture (1:1 ratio) on zebra fish embryos and THP‐1 cell line. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to 0.01 μg/ml to 50 μg/ml concentrations of dispersed nanoparticles using a 96 well plate and their effects were studied at different hours post fertilization (hpf) i.e. 0 hpf, 24 hpf, 48 hpf, 72 hpf and 96 hpf respectively. Results showed that copper oxide nanoparticles has drastic effects on the morphology and physiology of zebra fish whereas cerium oxide nanoparticles and mixture of these nanoparticles did not show much of the effects. Comparable results were obtained from in vitro study using human monocyte cell line (THP‐1). It is concluded that these nanoparticles may cause toxicological effects to humans and environment.     

Downregulation of p300 gene expression in airway mesenchyme of nitrofen-induced hypoplastic lungs

Purpose

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a relatively common developmental abnormality causing life-threatening respiratory distress at birth. The nitrofen model has been widely used to investigate the pathogenesis of hypoplastic lungs associated with CDH. Embryos lacking p300 and CBP genes are significantly smaller in lung formation. We hypothesized that pulmonary gene expression of p300 and CBP is downregulated during late gestation in the nitrofen-induced CDH model.

Methods

Time-pregnant rats were treated with either nitrofen or vehicle on gestational day 9 (D9). Fetal lungs were harvested on D18 and D21 (n = 8 at each time point). Pulmonary gene expression of p300 and CBP was analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR. Immunohistochemistry was performed to investigate expression and localization of pulmonary p300 and CBP proteins.

Results

Relative mRNA expression levels of p300 were significantly decreased in nitrofen-induced hypoplastic lungs on D18 compared to controls (3.00 ± 0.20 vs. 3.76 ± 0.14; p = 0.0039), while CBP levels were not altered. p300 immunoreactivity was markedly diminished in surrounding mesenchymal compartments and nuclei of proximal and distal airway cells, while CBP expression was not altered.

Conclusion

Downregulation of p300 gene expression during the early canalicular stage may disrupt epithelial–mesenchymal signaling interactions, contributing to the development of hypoplastic lungs in the nitrofen-induced CDH model.     

Disruption of THY-1 signaling in alveolar lipofibroblasts in experimentally induced congenital diaphragmatic hernia

Purpose

Pulmonary hypoplasia (PH), characterized by alveolar immaturity, remains the main cause of neonatal mortality and long-term morbidity in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Lipid-containing interstitial fibroblasts (LIFs) are critically important for normal alveolar development. Thymocyte antigen 1 (Thy-1) is a highly expressed cell-surface protein in this specific subset of lung fibroblasts, which plays a key role in fetal alveolarization by coordinating the differentiation and lipid homeostasis of alveolar LIFs. Thy-1 increases the lipid content of LIFs by upregulation of adipocyte differentiation-related protein (ADRP), a lipogenic molecular marker characterizing pulmonary LIFs. Thy-1 ^?/? mice further show impaired alveolar development with reduced proliferation of pulmonary LIFs, resulting in a PH-similar phenotype. We hypothesized that pulmonary Thy-1 signaling is disrupted in experimentally induced CDH, which may has an adverse effect on the lipid content of alveolar LIFs.

Methods

Timed-pregnant Sprague–Dawley rats were treated with either 100 mg nitrofen or vehicle on embryonic day 9.5 (E9.5). Fetuses were killed on E21.5, and lungs were divided into controls (n = 14) and CDH-associated PH (n = 14). Pulmonary gene expression levels of Thy-1 and ADRP were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR. ADRP immunohistochemistry and oil-red-O staining were used to localize alveolar LIF expression and lipid droplets. Immunofluorescence double staining for Thy-1 and oil-red-O was performed to evaluate Thy-1 expression and lipid content in alveolar LIFs.

Results

Radial alveolar count was significantly reduced in CDH-associated PH with significant downregulation of pulmonary Thy-1 and ADRP mRNA expression compared to controls. ADRP immunoreactivity and lipid droplets were markedly diminished in alveolar interstitial cells, which coincided with decreased alveolar LIF expression in CDH-associated PH compared to controls. Confocal laser scanning microscopy confirmed markedly decreased Thy-1 expression and lipid content in alveolar LIFs of CDH-associated PH compared to controls.

Conclusion

Our study provides strong evidence that disruption of pulmonary Thy-1 signaling results in reduced lipid droplets in alveolar LIFs and may thus contribute to PH in the nitrofen-induced CDH model. Treatment modalities aimed at increasing lipid content in alveolar LIFs may therefore have a therapeutic potential in attenuating CDH-associated PH.