Subcutaneous porocarcinoma clinically presenting as a soft tissue tumor

Porocarcinoma is a rare malignancy with glandular adnexal differentiation. A 38‐year‐old Japanese man noticed a subcutaneous mass in right inguinal region about 20 years prior to being examined. Radiological examinations demonstrated the mass, 11 × 10 cm in size, was in the subcutaneous fat tissue. Recently, the mass grew rapidly, and it was biopsied by an orthopedist based on clinical diagnosis of primary soft tissue tumor. Histopathological examination of the resected specimens also revealed that the tumor lacked involvement to the skin. Microscopically, the tumor was mainly composed of poroid cells with partially obvious squamous differentiation, accompanied by focal ductal structures immunoreactive for CEA and EMA. The tumor contained a low‐grade area consisting of poroid cells and high‐grade area with squamous differentiation. This histopathological heterogeneity suggested malignant transformation from poroma. The patient had the tumor in almost same size over the period of 20 years, which is the longest in the previous reports. This unique case of subcutaneous porocarcinoma is reported.     

Leukotriene C4 contents,synthase and catabolic activity in human meningiomas

Abstract

Leukotriene has been proposed as a factor of tumour induced brain oedema. Independently of its size, meningioma occasionally shows various extents of peritumoural oedema. We investigated LTC₄ tissue contentsLTC₄ catabolic and synthetic activity in 12 human meningiomas and their correlation with peritumoural oedema was studied. LTC₄ contents were varied from 0.01 to 8.21 pg/mg tissue. When LTA4/ an unstable expoxide intermediate was incubated with tumour homogenate, LTC₄ was rapidly synthesized. However; LTC₄ levels generated by incubating LTA4 with each homogenate were much different in each case. Degradation of LTC₄ to LTD4, LTE4, and other polar materials was also rapid by incubation with tumour homogenates. Approximately 70% of added UC₄ was transformed to LTD4/ LTE4 nor 6-trans LTB4 diastereoisomers during 30 min incubation at 37 °C. The results suggested that there were significant LTC₄ tissue contents and LTC₄ synthetic and catabolic activity in meningiomas. Oedema index ranged from 1.0 (no peritumoural oedema) to 67.5. No significant correlationi, however', was observed not only between the LTC₄ tissue contents and LTC₄ synthetic or catabolic activities but also between each of these three parameters and peritumoural oedema. Thus, these results do not support a significant correlation of sulfidopeptide LTs with oedema formation in meningioma patients. Since leukotrienes are extremely unstable compounds, LTC₄ tissue contents should be carefully discussed along with a consideration of rapid LTC₄ synthesis and catabolism. Further role of leukotrienes in meningioma tissue should be studied.     

Improvement of embryonic development and production of offspring by transferring meiosis-II chromosomes of senescent mouse oocytes into cytoplasts of young mouse oocytes

Purpose  The effects of reciprocal transplantation of meiosis-II chromosomes between senescent and young mouse oocytes were evaluated based on pre- and post-implantation development ability of resultant embryos. Methods  Karyoplasts including meiosis-II chromosomes of oocytes from senescent Rockefeller mouse/Ms-Rb(6, 15) females (10 to 12 months, age-related infertile mice) were transferred into cytoplasts of oocytes from young F₁ females (3 to 5 months). Reconstructed oocytes were fertilized in vitro, and then the resultant embryos were cultured in vitro and transferred to recipient mice. Results  The reconstructed oocytes that consisted of aged-karyoplasts and young-cytoplasts showed significantly improved embryonic development (from 23.2% to 30.0%) and development to term (from 6.3% to 27.1%, P < 0.05) as compared with the oocytes reconstructed from young-karyoplasts and aged-cytoplasts. Conclusions  The present study showed successful rejuvenation for age-related infertility using transplantation of meiosis-II chromosomes in animal experimental models. Capsule Transplantation of meiosis-II chromosomes of senescent mouse oocytes into cytoplasts of young mouse oocytes improves subsequent embryonic and fetal development until birth.     

Effects of sublingual nitroglycerin in patients receiving transdermal nitroglycerin for coronary artery disease: Prevention of cross-tolerance

The systemic hemodynamic and coronary dilative responses to sublingual nitroglycerin were studied in patients receiving transdermal nitroglycerin. A total of 48 patients with coronary artery disease were divided into 4 groups: 12 patients receiving 1 tablet of sublingual nitroglycerin without transdermal nitroglycerin (Group 1), 12 patients receiving 1 tablet of sublingual nitroglycerin with 12-hour-daily intermittent therapy of transdermal nitroglycerin (Group 2), 12 patients receiving 1 tablet of sublingual nitroglycerin with continuous therapy of transdermal nitroglycerin (Group 3), and 12 patients receiving 2 tablets of sublingual nitroglycerin with continuous therapy of transdermal nitroglycerin (Group 4). Before and during administration of sublingual nitroglycerin, aortic pressure, left ventricular pressure, and coronary artery diameter were examined at diagnostic cardiac catheterization in all patients. During sublingual nitroglycerin, the decreases of aortic systolic pressure and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure were greater in Group 1, 2, and 4 than in Group 3. Dilation of coronary arteries by sublingual nitroglyerin tended to be greater in Group 1, 2, and 4 than in Group 3. Thus, the effects of sublingual nitroglycerin for the relief of ischemia might be more prominent in patients with intermittent therapy of transdermal nitroglycerin than in those with continuous therapy. The increased dose of sublingual nitroglycerin for the relief of ischemia might be more effective in patients with continuous therapy of transdermal nitroglycerin.     

Two acyl-coenzyme A oxidases in peroxisomes of the yeast Candida tropicalis: primary structures deduced from genomic DNA sequence.

We report the complete nucleotide sequence of two genes encoding major peroxisomal polypeptides (PXPs) of Candida tropicalis. One, POX4, encodes PXP-4, which is the most abundant polypeptide in cells grown on oleic acid, and the other, POX5, is the gene for PXP-5. Each of the two polypeptides was found to be the subunit of a distinct long-chain acyl-coenzyme A oxidase: acyl-CoA oxidase II (PXP-4) or acyl-CoA oxidase I (PXP-5). Both the genes had no intron and gave a single open reading frame. The NH2-terminal sequences, except the initiator methionine, and the calculated molecular weights of the deduced polypeptides were consistent with those of the respective PXPs. Well-conserved sequences of 12 and 16 hydrophobic amino acids were present in the middle of the polypeptide, instead of at the NH2 terminus, and may be internal signal sequences for the peroxisomal location of PXPs. Although the two polypeptides were significantly homologous throughout their sequences, the local homologies in two regions out of five were markedly diverged from the average (63%); the homology in the second region was 93%, whereas that in the fourth one was only 24%. The implications of this finding are discussed in respect to the multiplicity of peroxisomal enzymes and the presence of multifunctional proteins in peroxisomes.     

Concentrations of carcinoembryonic antigen in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of asthmatic patients with mucoid impaction]

BACKGROUND: Concentration of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is known as a marker of malignant transformation and chronic inflammation. We recently observed increased levels of serum CEA in a patient with asthma accompanied by mucoid impactions, which dramatically decreased after a sequence of bronchial washings. The present study evaluated relationships between levels of CEA, bronchial asthma and mucoid impactions. METHODS: Serum CEA concentrations were determined by chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) or enzyme immunoassay in 44 subjects, comprising 9 asthmatic patients with mucoid impactions, 13 asthmatic patients without mucoid impactions, 12 patients with bronchiectasis, and 10 healthy volunteers. CEA concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were determined in 5 asthmatic patients with mucoid impactions and 10 healthy volunteers. RESULTS: Serum concentrations of CEA were significantly increased in asthmatic patients with mucoid impactions compared with patients without mucoid impactions, patients with bronchiectasis, or healthy volunteers (median [range], 17.3 ng/ml [2.8-28.8 ng/ml]; 3.0 ng/ml [1.5-7.1 ng/ml], 2.2 ng/ml [0.9-17.9 ng/ml], and 1.9 ng/ml [0.6-2.9 ng/ml], respectively). Concentrations of CEA in BALF were also significantly increased in asthmatic patients with mucoid impactions compared to healthy volunteers (3.2 ng/ml albumin [1.2-12.4 ng/ml albumin] vs. 0.4 ng/ml albumin [0.2-1.9 ng/ml albumin]). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that bronchial asthma with mucoid impactions is among several pathogeneses that cause increased levels of CEA in serum and BALF.     

Sustained Viral Response Is Rarely Achieved in Patients with High Viral Load of HCV RNA by Excessive Interferon Therapy

Adequate dosing of interferon (IFN) and its cost-effectiveness for sustained virological response were evaluated in relation to viral load and subtype. Prospective analysis of IFN therapy on 326 patients with chronic hepatitis C free from cirrhosis was performed using 9 or 6 million unit (MU) of IFN for six months daily and/or three times a week. Sustained virological response was achieved in 50–94% of patients with 2 × 10⁴ copies/ml (competitive RT-PCR) or <100 × 10³ copies/ml (Amplicor monitor) of HCV RNA by 468–1206 MU of IFN, but response was only 0–25% of the patients with 2 × 10^5.5 copies/ml (competitive RT-PCR) or >200 × 10³ copies/ml (Amplicor monitor), even with 468–1206 MU of IFN. A high sustained rate was demonstrated in patients with 100–200 × 10³ copies/ml of HCV RNA by 901–1206 MU of IFN, in comparison to that with 900 MU of IFN. Multivariate analysis showed that IFN dose had a significant value for the efficacy of IFN therapy in patients presenting 100–200 × 10³ copies/ml of HCV RNA. Cost efficacy analysis indicated that it cost approximately $10,000, $26,000, and $50,000–227,000 for one person-viral eradication in the patients with <100, 100–200, and >200 × 10³ copies/ml, respectively. High-dose IFN is only cost effective in patients with intermediate viral loads, and IFN therapy could be recommended in patients with <200 × 10³ copies/ml of HCV RNA.