The invasion of kidney tumors into the veins

Comprehensive angiographic examinations of 101 patients operated on for parenchymatous cancer recorded intravenous invasion of the tumour in 29 per cent of the examinees. Roentgenological, macro and microscopic investigations of intraorganic vascular architectonics were studied on 52 removed tumour-affected kidneys. The findings evidenced the outflow of the major blood amount from the tumorous tissue through the collateral collector and subcapsular veins to paranephric ones with a subsequent dilatation of the latters. Arteriographically evidenced tumorous lacunae turned to be muscle-free arterial vessels different from arteriovenous shunts. So the concept of shunt frequency is doubtful and embolism of giant hypervascular tumours of the kidney without embolism of pulmonary arteries is possible. More common passage of tumorous thrombi into vena cava inferior in case of right-sided tumours can be explained by a shorter length of the right renal vein. Besides, the left free growth of the thrombus is hindered by pulsing "aortomesenteric forceps" that enclosed the left renal vein.     

肿瘤相关基因Cap43在胰腺癌中的表达及意义

目的研究肿瘤相关基因Cap43在胰腺癌组织中的表达情况,探讨其对胰腺癌的诊断价值。方法收集1999年4月～2002年8月长海医院外科手术切除胰腺癌标本和癌旁正常组织33例,诊断均由病理证实。男性22例,女性11例,年龄30～73岁,平均58．1岁。所有组织标本按肿瘤、癌旁(正常)配对。采用RT-PCR和Northern杂交方法研究Cap43 mRNA表达情况。结果 RT-PCR结果显示,Cap43在肿瘤组织中表达显著上调,其在肿瘤组织和癌旁正常组织的扫描值分别为4 033±1 986和2 244±1 145,有显著差异(P<0．001)。Northern杂交亦显示Cap43在肿瘤组织中表达显著上调,相同病例的RT-PCR结果与Northern杂交的结果有较好的一致性,经回归分析,没有显著性差异(P>0．1)。结论 Cap43在胰腺癌组织中呈显著高表达,其有可能成为胰腺癌早期诊断的重要标志物。     

IL-6 Deficiency Causes Enhanced Pathology in Twitcher (Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy) Mice

The expression of IL-6 is greatly enhanced in the twitcher mouse (S. M. LeVine and D. C. Brown, 1997, J. Neuroimmunol. 73, 47-56), which is an authentic animal model of globoid cell leukodystrophy (Krabbe's disease). In order to investigate the role of IL-6 in this disease, twitcher/IL-6-deficient mice were generated and the pathology was compared between them and regular twitcher mice. Twitcher/IL-6-deficient mice had a more severe disease than regular twitcher mice: they had an earlier onset day of twitching, a greater number of PAS-positive cells, a greater susceptibility to LPS, an exaggerated gliotic response around some vessels, an elevated level of TNF-alpha, and a compromised blood-brain barrier, which was evaluated by three independent measures. This latter finding indicates that IL-6 plays a role in maintaining the integrity of the BBB, and it raises the possibility that IL-6 functions in a similar manner in other diseases of the CNS. LPS was found to greatly shorten the life of twitcher and twitcher/IL-6-deficient mice compared to genotyped-matched saline-injected mice. This result indicates that a proinflammatory condition can exacerbate an underlying CNS pathology, which could help explain why some leukodystrophy patients display their initial symptoms following a fever or blow to the head.     

Laparoscopic Right Hemicolectomy for Ileocolic Intussusception Secondary to Caecal Neoplasm

Intussusception in adults is a rare cause of abdominal pain. Unlike its paediatric counterpart, intussusception in adults is associated with obvious pathology. We describe a case of ileocolic intussusception extending to the splenic flexure. We were able to reduce the intussusception partially and pedicle was stapled carefully. The specimen was delivered through a small incision and right hemicolectomy was performed adhering to oncological principles. We recommend laparoscopic-assisted surgery is considered for adult intussusceptions.     

Neurotrimin is an estrogen-regulated determinant of peripheral sympathetic innervation

Mechanisms underlying axon degeneration in peripheral neuropathies and during normal remodeling are poorly understood. Because estrogen induces widespread sympathetic axon degeneration in female reproductive tract smooth muscle, we surveyed estrogen-regulated genes in rat myometrium. Microarray analysis revealed that the neural cell adhesion protein neurotrimin (Ntm) was markedly up-regulated 6 hr and down-regulated 24 hr after injection of 17beta-estradiol, and real time RT-PCR confirmed this pattern of expression. Protein analysis by Western blotting showed that uterine Ntm protein is also up-regulated in vivo 6-24 hr following estrogen injection and that Ntm protein is increased selectively in the myometrium during the high-estrogen phase of the estrous cycle. Cultured myometrial smooth muscle cells display perinuclear accumulations of Ntm protein, and 17beta-estradiol also increases intracellular levels of Ntm and its secretion into the culture medium. To determine if neurotrimin is required for estrogen-induced sympathetic pruning, sympathetic neurons were cocultured with uterine smooth muscle cells transfected with siRNA directed against Ntm. Although estrogen inhibited neurite outgrowth in nontransfected cocultures, estrogen's ability to reduce sympathetic outgrowth was impaired substantially following Ntm down-regulation. This supports a role for neurotrimin in mediating estrogen-induced sympathetic pruning in some peripheral targets. Together with earlier studies, these findings support the idea that physiological sympathetic axon degeneration is a multifactorial process requiring dynamic regulation of multiple repellant proteins.     

Long-term experience with implanted intrathecal drug administration systems for failed back syndrome and chronic mechanical low back pain

Background  

Continuous intrathecal drug delivery has been shown in open studies to improve pain and quality of life in those with intractable back pain who have had spinal surgery. There is limited data on long term effects and and even less for patients with mechanical back pain without prior spinal surgery.     

PAQR3: a novel tumor suppressor gene

PAQR3, also known as RKTG (Raf kinase trapping to Golgi), is a member of the progestin and adipoQ receptor (PAQR) family. The role of PAQR3 as a tumor suppressor has recently been established in different types of human cancer in which PAQR3 exerts its biological function through negative regulation of the oncogenic Raf/MEK/ERK signaling. Multiple studies have found that PAQR3 downregulation frequently occurs in human cancers and is very often associated with tumor progression and shortened patients’ survival. Moreover, restoring the expression of PAQR3 could induce apoptosis and inhibit proliferation and invasiveness of cancer cells. Downregulation of PAQR3 by oncogenic microRNAs has also been reported. In this review, we summarized current knowledge concerning the role of PAQR3 in tumor development. To our knowledge, this is the first review on the role of this novel tumor suppressor.