Correlation between BRAF mutation and the clinicopathological parameters in papillary thyroid carcinoma with particular reference to follicular variant

Mutation of the BRAF gene is common in thyroid cancer. Follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma is a variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma that has created continuous diagnostic controversies among pathologists. The aims of this study are to (1) investigate whether follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma has a different pattern of BRAF mutation than conventional papillary thyroid carcinoma in a large cohort of patients with typical features of follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma and (2) to study the relationship of clinicopathological features of papillary thyroid carcinomas with BRAF mutation. Tissue blocks from 76 patients with diagnostic features of papillary thyroid carcinomas (40 with conventional type and 36 with follicular variant) were included in the study. From these, DNA was extracted and BRAF V600E mutations were detected by polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction enzyme digestion and sequencing of exon 15. Analysis of the data indicated that BRAF V600E mutation is significantly more common in conventional papillary thyroid carcinoma (58% versus 31%, P = .022). Furthermore, the mutation was often noted in female patients (P = .017), in high-stage cancers (P = .034), and in tumors with mild lymphocytic thyroiditis (P = .006). We concluded that follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma differs from conventional papillary thyroid carcinoma in the rate of BRAF mutation. The results of this study add further information indicating that mutations in BRAF play a role in thyroid cancer development and progression.     

Impaired cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in type 1 diabetic patients

AIMS: The objective of the present investigation was to study the production of IL-1, IL-6, IL-10, IFNgamma and TNFalpha in cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) taken from type 1 diabetic patients with inadequate metabolic control. METHODS: Seventeen type 1 diabetic patients and a gender- and age-matched group of 17 healthy individuals were studied. PBMC cultures were stimulated with phytohemagglutinin (PHA; 20 microg/ml) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 10 microg/ml), and enzyme immunoassay (Elisa) was used to measure IL-1, IL-6, IL-10, IFNgamma and TNFalpha in the cell-culture supernatants. RESULTS: IFNgamma levels in PHA-stimulated cultures were lower in the type 1 diabetics than in the non-diabetic controls (P<0.0001) while, in contrast, IL-10 levels were increased in the PHA-stimulated culture supernatants of the diabetics compared with the controls (P<0.0001). In addition, supernatant levels of the cytokines IL-1, IL-6 and TNFalpha released in the presence of LPS in the cell cultures from the diabetic patients were significantly lower than in the non-diabetic subjects (P<0.0001, P<0.0001 and P<0.03, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The impaired production of IL-1, IL-6, TNFalpha and IFNgamma, and the increased production of IL-10, in PBMC cultures from type 1 diabetics with inadequate metabolic control compared with healthy subjects may be an indication of a deficiency in mononuclear cell activation and, consequently, a deficient immune cellular adaptive response that, in turn, may be the cause of the increased incidence of infections in people with type 1 diabetes.     

Lymphocytic myocarditis presenting as acute myocardial infarction: a case report and review of the literature

We report a case that presented as acute myocardial infarction (AMI) caused by lymphocytic myocarditis (LM), and explore the relationship between AMI and LM. We also performed a literature search to identify publications that previously reported LM-associated myocardial infarction. Coronary angiography of our patient revealed normal coronary arteries. However, a perfusion–metabolism mismatch in the apex and mid-inferior walls supported the diagnosis of AMI, and right ventricular septal endomyocardial biopsy showed LM. Extensive viral serological tests were negative for an infectious etiology. Immunosuppressive therapy may be beneficial in patients with high-risk myocarditis who are pathologically confirmed to be virus-negative.     

Combined IFN-γ and JAK inhibition to treat hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in mice

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