Expression of estrogen receptors-α and -β in primary breast neoplasms and tumors exposed to neoadjuvant hormonal therapy

We studied the content and expression of mRNA for estrogen receptors receptors- and - in breast tumors before and after 3-month neoadjuvant hormone therapy with antiestrogen tamoxifen and/or aromatase inhibitors. Expression of estrogen receptors- and - was most often detected in ER⁺PR⁺ tumors and most significantly decreased in these neoplasms after exemestane therapy. Immunocytochemical and radioligand assays showed that tamoxifen and anastrozole have little effect on the number of estrogen receptors- The number of progesterone receptors in tumors decreased by the end of anastrozole therapy. Estrogen receptors- were immunocytochemically revealed in 50% primary breast tumors. Anastrozole slightly decreased, while tamoxifen increased the incidence of these receptors. Interruption of signaling through estrogen receptors and suppression of estrogen biosynthesis had different effects on the receptor status of neoplasms and distribution of estrogen receptors- and -.Translated from Byulleten Eksperimentalnoi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 138, No. 11, pp. 559–562, November, 2004     

Defective co-stimulation and impaired Th1 development in tumor necrosis factor/lymphotoxin-alpha double-deficient mice infected with Candida albicans

To define the immunological functions of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in Candida albicans infection, TNF/lymphotoxin (LT)-alpha double-deficient mice were assessed for susceptibility to systemic or gastrointestinal infection and parameters of innate and adaptive Th immunity. When compared to wild-type mice, TNF/LT-alpha-deficient mice were more susceptible to either type of infection caused by virulent or low- virulence C. albicans cells. Susceptibility to infection correlated with impaired development of protective Th1 responses, in spite of the production of bioactive IL-12. The occurrence of predominant Th2 responses was associated with both impaired antifungal effector functions of neutrophils and a defective expression of co-stimulatory molecules on macrophages. All functions were improved upon administration of recombinant TNF-alpha, also resulting in increased resistance to infection. These findings indicate that the protective effect of TNF-alpha in candidiasis relies on the induction of antifungal Th1 responses, possibly occurring through stimulation of antifungal effector functions and co-stimulatory activities of phagocytic cells.      

重度卵巢过度刺激综合征1 3例临床分析

目的：总结重度卵巢过度刺激综合征（ovarian hy-perstimulation syndrome,OHSS）临床表现、发病机制及相应的治疗方法。方法：回顾性分析13例重度OHSS的临床资料。结果：重度OHSS发生在超排卵治疗后，临床表现为腹胀、恶心、腹水、胸水、少尿、血液浓缩、水电解质及酸碱平衡紊乱、氮质血症。经严密观察、输白蛋白、扩容及放胸腹水等治疗后治愈。移植日已出现OHSS者将胚胎冷冻保存。结论：防治重度OHSS的关键在于预防，一旦发生OHSS，经严密观察和及时治疗可治愈；迟发OHSS与妊娠有关。     

Mosaicism in sporadic neurofibromatosis 2 patients

More than half of neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) patients represent de novo mutations which could have occurred at either pre-zygotic or post- zygotic stages. A post-zygotic mutation can result in mosaicism. In four sporadic NF2 patients, we found NF2 mutations in only a portion of corresponding leukocytes. In two other sporadic patients, no mutations were found in leukocytes but constitutional NF2 mutations were suggested by identical mutations in different tumors from each patient. We screened leukocyte DNA from a total of 16 inherited and 91 sporadic NF2 patients, and found NF2 mutations in 13 (81%) of the former and in 46 (51%) of the latter cases. The 30% difference in the rate of detection of mutations ( P = 0.051) might be partially explained by mosaicism in a portion of sporadic NF2 patients who carry the mutations in such a fashion that their leukocytes are unaffected. Among sporadic cases, we found mutations more frequently in patients with severe phenotypes (59%) than in patients with mild phenotypes (23%) (difference of 36%, P = 0.007). Mosaicism might be more common in the latter patient group since small populations of mutation-bearing cells can in some cases result in mild phenotypes and can also lead to difficulties in identifying mutations. No mutations were found in eight patients suspected of having NF2. Mosaicism with an extremely small population of affected cells may explain the incomplete phenotypes in some of these patients and the lack of mutations in their leukocytes. These findings suggest that mosaicism is relatively common in NF2 and may have important implications for diagnosis, prognosis and genetic counseling.      

Excretion of cyclic adenosine monophosphate in breast and lung cancer]

The examination of over 150 human subjects failed to reveal any differences in the basal excretion of CAMP between breast cancer and lung cancer patients and the corresponding control. But breast cancer patients show certain disorders in the diurnal rhythm of CAMP production and also in the response of CAMP to euphylline, especially insulin. Moreover, a peculiar impairment of the coordination was noted between the state of fat-carbohydrate metabolism and the character of SAMP excretion in breast and lung cancer. The authors stress the necessity to study not only CAMP basal production in oncological patients but also its synthesis against the background of different functional stimuli and in measures aimed at the correction of disorders in fat-carbohydrate metabolism.     

Cross-correlation between stress, pain, physical activity, and temporalis muscle EMG in tension-type headache

Thirty-six tension-type headache subjects and 36 non-headache matched controls recorded their temporalis muscle electromyographic (EMG) activity and their pain intensity, stress and physical activity levels in a daily diary. Measurements were performed every 30 min for 6 days (EMG 3 days only). A time-lagged cross-correlational analysis between pain, stress, physical activity, and EMG shows that the highest correlation coefficient values occurred between pain and stress at the same ( r =0.33) and at the two preceding 0.5 h time points ( r =0.21 and r =0.26) in the headache group. Virtually no correlation was found between pain, stress, or physical activity with EMG for either group. These data show that temporalis muscle activity levels were not related to the rise and fall of the subjects' pain or stress levels. Conversely, elevated stress appeared to be highly related to pain; it occurs as both an antecedent and simultaneous event with elevated headache pain.     

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in combined treatment of breast cancer]

The paper deals with results of complex treatment of 387 patients with stage III breast cancer assigned to either neoadjuvant chemotherapy and preoperative radiotherapy or radiation alone. A study of immediate and end results showed combination of the two modalities to be more effective than each method alone in terms of degree of regression of primary tumor and, particularly, lymph node metastases and duration of recurrence-free period.     

The importance of lymphoscintigraphy in breast cancer

The comparison of results of axillary lymphoscintigraphy with those of morphological examination of surgically removed lymph nodes in 78 patients with breast cancer showed overall reliability of the method to be 0.72, specificity--0.56 and sensitivity--0.92. Data of lymphoscintigraphy performed in 82 breast cancer patients to form fields of parasternal lymph node irradiation suggested enlarging standard field by 4 cm in 90.2% of cases and by 5 cm--in 54.9%.