Relapsing polychondritis studied by computed tomography

Computed tomographic findings in a patient with relapsing polychondritis are described. Collapse of the cartilage of the nose and calcification in cartilages of the ears were clearly demonstrated. CT scanning was also helpful in evaluating the tracheobronchial tree for airway compromise, which could prove fatal in this condition.     

Lung cancer audit in an Irish teaching hospital

Background Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death in Ireland. There are few complete data sets available as to the stage and cell type of lung cancers at time of presentation in Ireland. Aim To audit the lung cancers presenting to a large Dublin teaching hospital over a 12-month period. Method Prospective evaluation of all lung tumours presenting to our institution over a consecutive 12-month period. Results One hundred and ninety-eight lung cancers presented over the study period. There were 34 cases of small cell carcinoma and 150 cases of non-small cell carcinoma (NSCC). Fourteen patients were too ill or compromised at time of presentation for tissue confirmation. The most common cell type was squamous carcinoma. Eighty-four per cent of the NSCCs were either stage 3 or 4 at presentation. Conclusion Most lung cancers present late in the time course of the disease. Distribution of cell type and location are similar in Ireland and other developed countries.     

Protective effects of vitamin A and vitamin E succinate against 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-induced body wasting, hepatomegaly, thymic atrophy, production of reactive oxygen species and DNA damage in C57BL/6J mice

The protective effect of vitamin A and vitamin E succinate against 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-induced acute toxicity and measures of oxidative stress was studied. Ten mice were treated with either vitamin A (50 mg/kg every other day for eight days) or vitamin E succiante (150 mg/kg/day followed by a dose of 40 mg/kg/day for five additional days). Half of each of the above groups of animals received TCDD on day 4. Five mice received corn oil or TCDD alone. After five days of TCDD treatment, antioxidant combination treatment with vitamin A and TCDD or vitamin E succinate and TCDD resulted in a significant reduction in indicators of acute toxicity including the decrease in total body and thymus weight as compared to TCDD alone (P<0.05). The combination treatment produced also a significant reduction in the increase in liver weight as compared to TCDD only (P<0.05). Following one day of treatment with 50 microg TCDD/kg, vitamin A and vitamin E succinate produced a significant decrease in the production of superoxide anion by peritoneal lavage cells (P<0.05) and in DNA-single strand breaks in the same cells (P<0.05) as assessed by the reduction of cytochrome c and the alkaline elution technique, respectively. A significant decrease in DNA-single strand breaks in peritoneal lavage cells was observed following 5 days treatment with 50 microg TCDD/kg (P<0.05). The results indicate a potential role for oxidative stress in the acute toxicity of TCDD and a protective effect for vitamin A and vitamin E succinate in the overall toxicity of TCDD including measures of oxidative stress.     

Regional hypothermia reduces mucosal NF-kappaB and PMN priming via gut lymph during canine mesenteric ischemia/reperfusion

BACKGROUND: Mesenteric ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) activates pro-inflammatory mediators that exacerbate gut reperfusion injury and prime circulating neutrophils that cause remote organ injury. We have shown that regional intraischemic hypothermia protects the intestinal mucosa during I/R in rats. In this study, we examined the effects of regional hypothermia on I/R-induced transvascular protein clearance, NF-kappaB DNA binding activity, and polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) priming via gut lymph in a canine mesenteric lymphatic fistula model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Conditioned dogs underwent 60 min of mesenteric ischemia, with or without regional intraischemic hypothermia, and 3 h reperfusion. A mesenteric lymphatic fistula model was used to measure transvascular protein clearance and harvest lymph. Biopsies of distal ileum were obtained at baseline and 0, 180 min of reperfusion for NF-kappaB DNA binding activity using electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). A kinetic spectrophotometric assay was used to determine fMLP stimulated PMN superoxide production after priming by gut lymph obtained at baseline and 180 min reperfusion. RESULTS: Transvascular protein clearance increased during reperfusion compared to baseline, and hypothermia had no significant effect on this I/R-induced protein clearance. NF-kappaB activity increased three-fold at the end of ischemia and hypothermia prevented this early activation. PMN superoxide production increased 19-fold during I/R (0.06 +/- 0.04 versus 1.14 +/- 0.50 nmol O(2), P < 0.05), but only 2.5-fold during I/R + hypothermia (0.28 +/- 0.09 versus 0.70 +/- 0.32 nmol O(2), P = 0.2). CONCLUSIONS: Regional intraischemic hypothermia prevented early intestinal NF-kappaB activation, partially abrogated PMN priming via gut lymph, but had no significant effect on increased transvascular protein clearance during mesenteric I/R in dogs.     

Characterization of Hodgkin's lymphoma-like undifferentiated carcinoma of the nasopharyngeal type as a particular UCNT subtype mimicking Hodgkin's lymphoma

Undifferentiated carcinoma of the nasopharyngeal type (UCNT) that histologically mimics Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) ("Hodgkin's lymphoma-like UCNT"--HL-like UCNT) is known as a diagnostic pitfall. Using immunohistochemistry, Western blot and cDNA array technology, we wanted to document its phenotypical and molecular characteristics. We report herein 5 cases of UCNT that morphologically mimic HL and 3 classical UCNT cases. We compared the expression profiles of a thousand selected genes in HL-like UCNT and in classical UCNT cases. No difference in the profile of EBV infection was noted between the HL-like UCNT and control cases. Significant differences were detected in the expression of genes involved in the matrix modelling, angiogenesis, apoptosis and regulation of the Th-2 interleukins. The eosinophil chemoattractant eotaxin was expressed in the stroma of HL-like UCNT, but not in the control cases. The eotaxin receptor CCR3 was expressed in both stromal and carcinoma cell populations of HL-like UCNT, this pattern being similar to the one observed in HL. These results show that UCNT morphologically resembling HL share also some specific phenotypical and molecular features with HL, and might deserve to be isolated as a particular UCNT subtype.     

What surgeons should know about viral hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma

Most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have viral hepatitis, either hepatitis C (HCV) or hepatitis B (HBV). HCV is an RNA virus that does not integrate into the host genome but likely induces HCC through viral protein: for example, host protein interactions or via the inflammatory response to the virus. Eradication of HCV with interferon plus riboviron therapy may help prevent cancer recurrence in selected patients. In contrast to HCV, HBV is an DNA virus that integrates into the host genome, and this integration is believed, in part, to be carcinogenic. HBV is usually classified as replicative (DNA-positive in the serum) or nonreplicative (DNA-negative in the serum). Treatment with nucleoside analogs is indicated in most patients with cirrhotic-stage replicating HBV. Nonreplicative stages of this virus do not merit therapy with these agents.     

Expression of a model gene in prostate cancer cells lentivirally transduced in vitro and in vivo

In a preclinical model for prostate cancer gene therapy, we have tested lentiviral vectors as a practical possibility for the transfer and long-term expression of the EGFP gene both in vitro and in vivo. The human prostate cancer cell lines DU145 and PC3 were transduced using experimental conditions which permitted analysis of the expression from a single proviral vector per cell. The transduced cells stably expressed the EGFP transgene for 4 months. After injection of the transduced cell populations into Nod-SCID mice a decrease in EGFP was only observed in a minority of cases, while the majority of tumors maintained transgene expression at in vitro levels. In vivo injection of viral vector preparations directly into pre-established subcutaneous or orthotopic tumor masses, obtained by implantation of untransduced PC3 and DU145 cells led to a high transduction efficiency. While the efficiency of direct intratumoral transduction was proportional to the dose of virus injected, the results indicated some technical limitations inherent in these approaches to prostate cancer gene therapy.