Lipoblastoma and lipoblastomatosis in infancy and childhood: histopathologic, ultrastructural, and cytogenetic features

Lipoblastoma is a relatively rare tumor that occurs in infancy and early childhood and arises from embryonic white fat. Although a benign tumor, lipoblastomas tend to recur and may resemble myxoid liposarcoma. The authors report 26 cases over a 15-year period at Texas Children's Hospital. There was a slight female predilection (14F:12M). The most common symptom was a painless mass with or without increasing size. The trunk, extremities, head and neck, retroperitoneum, inguinal canal, peritoneal cavity, and lung were the tumor sites. Most tumors were circumscribed lipoblastomas and the minority were diffuse infiltrative lipoblastomatosis. Reexcision for residual or recurrent tumor was necessary more frequently in patients with lipoblastomatosis. Histopathologic examination and ultrastructural examination revealed cellular neoplasms composed of immature adipocytes with relatively well-defined septa, frequent lipoblasts, a fine vascular network, and often a myxoid appearance resembling myxoid liposarcoma. Cytogenetics was performed in 4 cases with chromosome 8q abnormality being most common. The major concern with lipoblastoma in children is to completely excise the tumor to avoid leaving residual tumor and to prevent recurrences. Confusion with myxoid liposarcoma, well-differentiated liposarcoma, and typical lipomas may occur. Although asymptomatic, lipoblastomas may cause dysfunction of other organ systems due to mass effect. Complete surgical excision with at least 2 years of follow-up is the preferred therapy.     

Disrupting Il13 impairs production of IL-4 specified by the linked allele

Interleukin 13-deficient (IL-13-/-) mice express a defect in priming for IL-4 production that is not corrected by adding IL-13 to the priming culture. This is partly accounted for by the consumption of IL-4 without endogenous replacement during culture of IL-13-/- CD4+ T cells. We examined cells from mice in which disrupted Il13 was linked to wild-type Il4 on one chromosome and wild-type Il13 was linked to a "knocked-in" green fluorescent protein (Gfp) gene in the Il4 locus. Our results show that the deficit in IL-4 production was due, at least in part, to a cis effect, in which disrupted Il13 diminished IL-4 production from the linked Il4 gene.     

Angiotensin II increases neuronal delayed rectifier K(+) current: role of 12-lipoxygenase metabolites of arachidonic acid

Angiotensin II (Ang II) elicits an Ang II type 2 (AT(2)) receptor-mediated increase in voltage-dependent delayed rectifier K(+) current (I(KV)) in neurons cultured from newborn rat hypothalamus and brain stem. In previous studies, we have determined that this effect of Ang II is mediated via a Gi protein, activation of phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)), and generation of arachidonic acid (AA). AA is rapidly metabolized within cells via lipoxygenases (LO), cyclooxygenase (COX) or p450 monooxygenase enzymes, and the metabolic products are known regulators of K(+) currents and channels. Thus in the present study, we have investigated whether the AT(2) receptor-mediated effects of Ang II on neuronal I(KV) require AA metabolism and if so, which metabolic pathways are involved. The data presented here indicate that the stimulatory actions of Ang II and AA on neuronal I(KV) are attenuated by selective blockade of 12-LO enzymes. However, the effects of Ang II are not altered by blockade of 5-LO or p450 monooxygenase enzymes. Furthermore, the actions of Ang II are mimicked by a 12-LO metabolite of AA, but 5-LO metabolites such as leukotriene B(4) and C(4) do not alter neuronal I(KV). These data indicate that the AT(2) receptor-mediated stimulation of neuronal I(KV) is partially mediated through 12-LO metabolites of AA.     

Differentiation of endometrial stromal cells in vitro: down-regulation of suppression of the cell cycle inhibitor p57 by HOXA10?

Decidualization is a critical step during embryo implantation that is characterized by the differentiation of endometrial stromal cells (ESC) into decidua cells. However, the mechanism of differentiation remains largely unknown. Previously, it has been shown that the null function of homeo box A10 (HOXA10) causes defects in both implantation and decidualization, suggesting that the HOXA10 signalling pathway is likely to be involved in uterine decidualization. In the present study, we determined the expression and subcellular distribution of HOXA10 and its downstream molecule, p57, in ESC during in vitro decidualization induced by a combination of 8-bromo-cAMP and medroxyprogesterone acetate. We demonstrated that the HOXA10 was down-regulated while in contrast, p57 was up-regulated in the process of decidualization. Immunocytochemistry and transient expression of the HOXA10 tagged with green fluorescence protein revealed that there were no differences in the HOXA10 subcellular localization between the induced and non-induced ESC. Our results suggest that the down-regulation of HOXA10 may contribute to increased p57 and that up-regulation of p57 likely plays an important role in ESC differentiation in the process of decidualization. The progesterone receptor pathway may participate in promoting ESC to exit the cell cycle and enter differentiation.     

结直肠癌中TGF-β1表达与肿瘤浸润转移和血管形成的关系

目的　探讨结直肠癌中转化生长因子 β1(TGF β1)的表达与肿瘤浸润转移和血管形成的关系。 方法　免疫组化S P法检测 12 6例结直肠癌中TGF β1和血管内皮生长因子 (VEGF)的表达 ,同时应用CD34标记肿瘤间质中微血管密度 (MVD)。结果　 12 6例结直肠癌中TGF β1和VEGF的阳性表达率分别为 4 2 1%和 6 3 5 %。结直肠癌中TGF β1、VEGF蛋白的表达和MVD与肿瘤的浸润深度、淋巴结转移和Dukes分期呈正相关 (P <0 0 5 ) ;VEGF在TGF β1表达阳性的结直肠癌中的阳性表达率高于TGF β1表达阴性的结直肠癌 (P <0 0 5 ) ,TGF β1表达阳性的结直肠癌MVD高于TGF β1表达阴性的结直肠癌(P <0 0 5 )。结论　TGF β1可能通过间接或直接刺激肿瘤血管形成而促进结直肠癌的浸润转移     

125I-白细胞介素-8在小鼠体内的分布研究

为了解白细胞介素 - 8的体内行为 ,用 Bolton- Hunter法对 IL- 8进行 1 2 5I标记 ,并测定它在小鼠体内的分布 ;得到了 1 2 5I- IL- 8在小鼠血、心、肝、肺、肾、骨、脾等脏器中的分布以及它在血液中的快相半排期 T1 /2α为 0 .3 2 h和慢相半排期 T1 /2β为 8.0 1h。1 2 5I- IL- 8主要通过肾排除     

抗Ig融合蛋白Fc段单克隆抗体的制备、鉴定与应用研究

目的：制备并鉴定抗Ig融合蛋白Fc段的单克隆抗体(mAb)，建立用于检测Ig融合蛋白的夹心ELISA法和纯化Fc融合蛋白的亲和层析法。方法：以hBCMA—Ig融合蛋白为抗原免疫BALB／c小鼠，通过细胞融合制备抗Fc段mAb，用ELISA等方法鉴定mAb的Ig亚类、表位以及种属特异性，建立用于检测Ig融合蛋白的夹心ELISA法;Western blot检测mAb对变性Ig融合蛋白的反应性。将mAb与Sepharose4B交联，制备亲和层析柱，对LAIR1-Ig融合蛋白进行纯化。结果：获得7株稳定分泌抗Fc段mAb的杂交瘤(FMUFcl-FMUFc7)。利用FMUFc4作为包被mAb，FMUFc5作为酶标记mAb，成功地建立了检测Ig融合蛋白的ELISA法，敏感度达到2μg／L；在7株mAb中，FMUFc6可用于Ig融合蛋白的western blot检测。用FMUFc 6mAb制备的亲和层析柱，可有效地纯化LAIRl—Ig融合蛋白。结论：成功地制备了抗Ig融合蛋白Fc段的mAb，建立了可用于Ig融合蛋白检测和纯化的方法，为Ig融合蛋白的应用提供了有力手段。     

Lithium suppresses excitotoxicity-induced striatal lesions in a rat model of Huntington's disease

Huntington's disease is a progressive, inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of subsets of neurons primarily in the striatum. In this study, we assessed the neuroprotective effect of lithium against striatal lesion formation in a rat model of Huntington's disease in which quinolinic acid was unilaterally infused into the striatum. For this purpose, we used a dopamine receptor autoradiography and glutamic acid decarboxylase mRNA in situ hybridization analysis, methods previously shown to be adequate for quantitative analysis of the excitotoxin-induced striatal lesion size.Here we demonstrated that subcutaneous injections of LiCl for 16 days prior to quinolinic acid infusion considerably reduced the size of quinolinic acid-induced striatal lesion. Furthermore, these lithium pre-treatments also decreased the number of striatal neurons labeled with the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling assay. Immunohistochemistry and western blotting demonstrated that lithium-elicited neuroprotection was associated with an increase in Bcl-2 protein levels.Our results raise the possibility that lithium may be considered as a neuroprotective agent in treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's disease.     

The involvement of glutamatergic transmission in the mechanism of movement disorders induced by reversive rotation of white mice

The ability of the selective non-competitive NMDA receptor blocker MK-801 and a series of new glutamate antagonists—the adamantane derivatives IEM-1754 and IEM-1857 and phencyclidine (IEM-1925)—to prevent movement disorders induced by reversive rotation in mice was studied. I.p. MK-801 at a dose of 0.15 ml and IEM-1754 at a dose of 5.0 mg/kg prevented the development of akinesia in response to reversive rotation, as effectively as scopolamine, a known agent which provides effective prophylaxis for movement diseases. IEM-1857, the quaternary analog of IEM-1754, was not effective. IEM-1925 significantly increased the responses of mice to reversive rotation, possibly because of its high activity in relation to other subtypes of glutamate receptors. These data provide evidence for the involvement of glutamatergic transmission in the mechanism of movement disorders of vestibular origin. Translated from Rossiiskii Fiziologicheskii Zhurnal imeni I. M. Sechenova, Vol. 85, No. 4, pp. 497–501, May, 1999.     

创新思维对肾移植模型制作教学的促进作用

大鼠肾移植模型是研究肾移植排斥反应发生机制、治疗措施以及诱导免疫耐受的重要平台,但其制作复杂,在传统教学中存在诸多问题。对此,我们在教学中充分发挥创新思维,改进了教学方式,建立了多项新技术,显著提高了以显微外科技术为基础的大鼠肾移植模型制作的教学效率与质量,现将体会报告如下。1应用现代教学手段解决传统教学中的难题1.1大鼠肾移植模型的制作特点以及传统教学存在的问题该模型制作主要依赖显微外科技术,教学中,从解剖结构、手术器械到手术操作的突出特点是“精细、微小”,也是教学的难点。传统教学主要依靠文字教材以及部分挂…