A distinctive translocation carcinoma of the kidney [“rosette-like forming,” t(6;11), HMB45-positive renal tumor]

Objective  Recently, a novel renal carcinoma with specific clinical and histological characteristics and translocation t(6;11)(p21.1;q12 or q13) has been identified. We have found 11 cases in the literature, and we are adding another 3 cases. Materials and methods  Three cases were found in the Plzeň pathological register with approximately 15,000 cases of kidney tumors. There were two females and 1 male, aged 22, 24, and 39 years. Results  The sizes of the tumors were 40, 136, and 10 mm. Two tumors were found incidentally; the biggest one was self-palpated by a 24-year-old pregnant patient. Patients are without any signs of disease 42, 20, and 17 months after surgery. Conclusion  This tumor is a distinctive and rare translocation carcinoma of the kidney [t(6;11), HMB45 positive]. All cases with known clinical data arose in younger people. The malignant potential is probably low. The work was supported by Czech government research project MSM 0021620819.     

BENIGN AND MALIGNANT SKIN LESIONS IN RENAL TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS

Background:

Skin lesions – benign and malignant – occur frequently in organ transplant recipients receiving long-term immunosuppressive therapy. These patients are at greater risk of skin cancers.

Aims:

To study dermatologic problems in renal transplant recipients (RTRs).

Methods:

One hundred patients (53 men and 47 women) were consecutively examined for benign and malignant skin complications since transplantation in Razi Hospital in Tehran Medical University. The main immunosuppressive therapy regimen in these patients was a combination of prednisolone, azathioprine, and cyclosporine.

Results:

The early and most common complication was cosmetic side effects that occurred in 98% patients. Skin infections occurred in 83% of the patients and most of them were viral infections (65%), especially of human papilloma viruses (HPVs) in 40% of the patients. We found six cases of malignancy in these patients in that four cases were skin cancers, including one case of SCC, one BCC, and two cases of Kaposi''s sarcoma. Dermatologic problems occur most frequently in RTRs, especially skin cancers which have higher frequency in these patients than general population, particularly, Kaposi sarcoma. Sun exposure has an important role in developing epithelial skin cancers following transplantation. The age of developing skin cancer in these patients was early than normal population.

Conclusion:

Our results emphasize the importance of dermatologic examinations and monitoring RTRs to obtain an early diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous manifestations.     

Acute morphine affects the rat circadian clock via rhythms of phosphorylated ERK1/2 and GSK3β kinases and Per1 expression in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus

Background and Purpose

Opioids affect the circadian clock and may change the timing of many physiological processes. This study was undertaken to investigate the daily changes in sensitivity of the circadian pacemaker to an analgesic dose of morphine, and to uncover a possible interplay between circadian and opioid signalling.

Experimental Approach

A time-dependent effect of morphine (1 mg·kg⁻¹, i.p.) applied either during the day or during the early night was followed, and the levels of phosphorylated ERK1/2, GSK3β, c-Fos and Per genes were assessed by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. The effect of morphine pretreatment on light-induced pERK and c-Fos was examined, and day/night difference in activity of opioid receptors was evaluated by [³⁵S]-GTPγS binding assay.

Key Results

Morphine stimulated a rise in pERK1/2 and pGSK3β levels in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) when applied during the day but significantly reduced both kinases when applied during the night. Morphine at night transiently induced Period1 but not Period2 in the SCN and did not attenuate the light-induced level of pERK1/2 and c-Fos in the SCN. The activity of all three principal opioid receptors was high during the day but decreased significantly at night, except for the δ receptor. Finally, we demonstrated daily profiles of pERK1/2 and pGSK3β levels in the rat ventrolateral and dorsomedial SCN.

Conclusions and Implications

Our data suggest that the phase-shifting effect of opioids may be mediated via post-translational modification of clock proteins by means of activated ERK1/2 and GSK3β.Tables of Links

Elevated Complement Factor H Levels in Asthmatic Sputa

Background

The alternative pathway of the complement system is known to play a role in the generation of asthmatic airway inflammation, but its regulatory complement protein, factor H has not been investigated in this disease.

Purpose

Our aim was to determine the local bronchial complement factor H (CFH) levels in asthma, and to investigate its relationship with complement activation, systemic CFH concentrations and clinical characteristics of patients.

Methods

Induced sputum and plasma were collected from 21 healthy and 26 asthmatic subjects, and complement factor H and SC5b-9 concentrations were assessed by ELISA. Total protein concentrations were determined by biuret-reaction based microassay system from induced sputa.

Results

CFH was detectable in 81 % of healthy and 100 % of asthmatic subjects, while SC5b-9 exceeded the detection limit in 62 % of healthy subjects and 85 % of asthmatic patients. Sputum CFH concentrations and CFH/protein ratios were increased in samples from asthmatic patients, and correlated with loss of lung function, asthma control, severity and medication intensity, but not with plasma CFH concentrations. Sputum CFH/protein ratios were in positive correlation also with sputum eosinophilic cell counts in asthma. SC5b-9 concentrations were not higher in the asthmatic sputa, although they correlated with sputum CFH concentrations.

Conclusions

CFH level is elevated on asthmatic airway surface, and may be associated with uncontrolled inflammation in asthma.     

Early maternal separation,nightmares, and bad dreams: Results from the Hungarostudy Epidemiological Panel

Early maternal separation is a particularly stressful experience. Current models of nightmare production emphasize negative emotionality as having a central role in determining dream affect. Our aim is to test the hypothesis that persons who experienced early maternal separation (before one year of age and lasting at least one month) report more frequent nightmare experiences and bad dreams as adults. In the frame of the Hungarostudy Epidemiological Panel, 5020 subjects were interviewed. Significant associations were found between early maternal separation and both frequent nightmare experience in adulthood and increased frequency of oppressive and bad dreams. Current depression scores fully mediated the association between early separation and nightmares, but not the association between early separation and negative dream affect. We interpret these findings as a trait-like enhancement of negative emotionality in adults who experienced early maternal separation. This enhancement influences the content of dreams and, when it takes the form of depression, also influences the frequency of nightmares.     

Tumor-Stroma-Interaktionen im Harnblasenkarzinom

Die Urologie - Der histopathologische Aufbau maligner Tumoren schließt zwei Kompartimente ein – das Tumorparenchym mit den transformierten Zellen selbst und jene Strukturen, die deren...