Therapeutic Effect of Dimethyl Dimethoxy Biphenyl Dicarboxylate on Collagen-Induced Arthritis in Rats

Objective:To study the effect of oral administration of dimethyl dimethoxy biphenyl dicarboxylate(DDB) on adjusting angiogeneic/inflammatory mediators and ameliorating the pathology of bones in rats with collagen-induced arthritis(CIA).Methods:Wistar rat model of CIA was set up using bovine collagen type Ⅱ.Fifty rats were divided into five groups randomly:normal,CIA model,DDB treatment,methotrexate(MTX) treatment,and combined DDB+MTX treatment.Ankle joints of rats were imaged with digital X-ray machine to show the destruction of joints.Fore and hind paw and knee joints were removed above the ankle joint then processed for haematoxylin and eosin staining.Plasma levels of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF),platelet derived growth factor,interleukin-8(IL-8),IL-4,tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α),and cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2) were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Nitric oxide levels were detected by Griess reagent.Results:Compared with the CIA model group,a remarkable reduction in various angiogenic(VEGF and IL-8) and inflammatory mediators(TNF-α,IL-4 and COX-2) after treatment with DDB either alone or combined with MTX(P0.05 or P0.01).Histopathological and X-ray findings were confirmatory to the observed DDB anti-arthritic effect.The DDB-treated group showed amelioration in signs of arthritis which appeared essentially similar to normal.Conclusion:Our data shed light on the therapeutic efficacy of DDB in experimental rheumatoid arthritis(RA) compared with a choice drug(MTX) and it may be offered as a second-line drug in the treatment of RA.     

Diagnostic value of 4 biological markers: lactate dehydrogenase, phosphoglucoisomerase, carcinoembryonic antigen and gammaglutamyl transpeptidase, systematically determined in patients in a hematology-oncology department

This article is concerned with a prospective study about the systematical, simultaneous and comparative assay of four biological markers (carcino-embryonic antigen, lactate dehydrogenase, gammaglutamyl transferase and phosphohexose isomerase). This study was conducted in a department of Hematology and oncology on 258 patients. The dosage of each marker separately does not appear to be of diagnostical interest because of a lack of sensibility and specificity. But when there is a positive statistical correlation between several makers, their simultaneous dosage may allow the diagnostic of cancer and sometimes the determination of its origin.     

Pseudo-angiomatous hyperplasia of mammary stroma: a case with gigantomastia

Pseudo-angiomatous hyperplasia of mammary stroma (PASH) is a histopathological entity which is a microscopic fortuitous finding in mammary biopsies performed for different reasons. It may be symptomatic and appears then as a palpable lump. The term pseudo-angiomatous emphasizes the characteristic aspect of the stroma simulating a vascular tumor. We report a case of PASH in a 71 year-old woman who presented a recurring breast mass with rapid swelling of the mammary gland (70 x 60 x 20 cm) treated by mastectomy. PASH must be distinguished from a well-differentiated angiosarcoma. It is ruled out by immunohistochemistry.     

Analysis of the p21 gene in gliomas

The p21 gene encodes a cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor protein (p21) which has a tumor suppressive activity in a variety of tumor cell lines. Since, the p21 gene is up-regulated by the p53 tumor suppressor gene, which is frequently mutated in gliomas, acting therefore in the same control pathway, it constitutes a good candidate gene to be also inactivated in these tumors. To test this hypothesis, DNAs from 81 gliomas (48 glioblastomas, 11 anaplastic astrocytomas, 10 low-grade astrocytomas, 12 oligodendrogliomas and mixed gliomas), were investigated for mutations in the p21 coding sequence by denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis followed by sequencing. All these tumors have been previously screened for p53 mutations. Three different DNA variants were identified on codon 31 (17 cases), 27 (1 case) and 117 (1 case) and shown to be also present in matching constitutional DNA, suggesting they were polymorphisms. None of the tumors demonstrated a somatic mutation. No significant correlation between the presence of a p21 variant and the p53 mutation tumor status was observed. In conclusion, mutation in the p21 gene unlikely contributes to the development of gliomas.     

Primary mitochondrial arteriopathy

AimWhether arteries are affected in mitochondrial disorders (MIDs) was under debate for years but meanwhile there are strong indications that large and small arteries are primarily or secondarily affected in MIDs.Data synthesisWhen reviewing the literature for appropriate studies it turned out that vascular involvement in MIDs includes primary or secondary micro- or macroangiopathy of the cerebral, cervical, and retinal arteries, the aorta, the iliac arteries, the brachial arteries, or the muscular arteries. Arteriopathy in MIDs manifests as atherosclerosis, stenosis, occlusion, dissection, ectasia, aneurysm formation, or arteriovenous malformation. Direct evidence for primary cerebral microangiopathy comes from histological studies and indirect evidence from imaging and perfusion studies of the brain. Microangiopathy of the retina is highly prevalent in Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy. Macroangiopathy of the carotid arteries may be complicated by stroke. Arteriopathy of the aorta may result in ectasia, aneurysm formation, or even rupture. Further evidence for arteriopathy in MIDs comes from the frequent association of migraine with MIDs and the occurrence of premature atherosclerosis in MID patients without classical risk factors.ConclusionsMitochondrial arteriopathy most frequently concerns the cerebral arteries and may result from the underlying metabolic defect or secondary from associated vascular risk factors. Vascular involvement in MIDs has a strong impact on the prognosis and outcome of these patients.     

Recurrent Kikuchi's disease in a patient with discoid lupus

INTRODUCTION: Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis, also called Kikuchi-Fujimoto's disease (KD), usually occurs in young women and is characterized by localized lymphadenitis (mostly cervical) usually associated with fever. Diagnosis relies on histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis of involved lymph node. KD is considered to be the clinical expression of an inadequate immunological reaction, resulting in a self-limited hyperstimulation of the lymphoid tissue, trigerred by an antigenic infectious stimulation. The clinical course is usually benign with a spontaneous remission of symptoms. Recurrence is very rarely observed. KD may be associated with systemic lupus erythematosus, whereas the association with chronic discoid lupus has only been rarely reported. EXEGESIS: We report a case of KD recurrence, 9 years after the initial diagnosis, in a young eurasian woman, with a chronic discoid lupus erythematosus. CONCLUSION: KD is a benign disease with a spontaneously good outcome. Recurrence may rarely occur many years after the initial diagnosis but needs a new histopathological confirmation. Systemic or even cutaneous lupus erythematosus may be associated with KD. Although unfrequent, this association suggests that both diseases could share a common pathogenesis.