The human desmin gene: A specific regulatory programme in skeletal muscle both in vitro and in transgenic mice

Desmin synthesis is restricted to cardiac, skeletal and smooth muscles. In several familial myopathies involving fibre disorganization, filamentous aggregation of desmin has been characterized. During the development of the mouse embryo, desmin is one of the first muscle proteins detected in both the heart and the somites. To identify the DNA sequences involved in the regulation of desmin gene expression a 4.5 kb 5′-flanking region of the human desmin gene has been isolated. Different mutants were used to characterize specific enhancers in vitro and in vivo. The results obtained with transgenic mice provide evidence that the 1 kb cis-regulatory sequences, functional in skeletal muscle cells in vitro, confer specific developmental control for skeletal muscles. Furthermore, distinct programmes for cardiac and skeletal muscle-specific expression of the desmin gene are revealed.     

Intermediate filament expression in human vascular smooth muscle and in arteriosclerotic plaques

Summary Different regions of human aorta and of other human arteries obtained at autopsy were analyzed with regard to their topography and to the different stages of arteriosclerosis. Material was studied by immunocytochemical techniques with antibodies specific for either desmin (D) or for vimentin (V), the two types of intermediate filament proteins present in vascular smooth muscle cells. In normal arteries endothelial cells as well as the adjacent intimal cells were D–V+. In the media D+V+ as well as D–V+ cells were present, with the relative numbers of each cell type dependent on the particular blood vessel. When cells in arteriosclerotic plaques at different stages of development were examined an occasional plaque showed cells of the D+V+ type. In the majority of plaques however the cells were V– D+. In plaques where severe ulceration and necrotic material was present D–V+ cells were found at the border of the lesion: foam cells when they could be identified appeared to be D–V+.     

Contractile and cytoskeletal proteins in urinary bladder smooth muscle from rats treated with epidermal growth factor

Systemic treatment with epidermal growth factor (EGF) induces growth of all wall layers in the urinary tract of pigs and rats. The present study was initiated to describe morphological and biochemical changes in the bladder smooth muscle from rats treated with EGF for 4 weeks. Eight-week-old female Wistar rats were treated with subcutaneous injections of vehicle (n=16) or EGF (n=8, 150 g/kg per day) for 4 weeks. After EGF treatment the bladders were increased in weight [74.4±0.4 vs 122.1±0.5 mg, P<0.001 (mean ± SEM)]. Sodium dedecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analyses of six bladders from each group revealed that the total amounts of actin, myosin and desmin were statistically significantly increased by 62%, 61% and 154%, respectively. The relative amounts of actin and myosin were unchanged whereas the desmin to actin ratio was significantly increased — as previously described in rat bladder smooth muscle hypertrophy. Light and electron microscopy of two bladders from each group revealed increased wall thickness involving all wall layers. The smooth muscle fibres at a midventral bladder location seemed only slightly hypertrophic — some degree of hyperplasia was therefore suspected. In conclusion, EGF treatment for 4 weeks induced a net synthesis of contractile and cytoskeletal proteins in the urinary bladder smooth muscle.     

Primary Sinonasal Mucosal Melanoma with Aberrant Diffuse and Strong Desmin Reactivity: A Potential Diagnostic Pitfall!

The broad morphologic spectrum, inherent immunophenotypic heterogeneity of malignant melanoma and its rarity in the sinonasal tract are major challenges in eliciting the correct diagnosis, which may lead to misclassification and inadequate medical management. Herein, we describe a single case of a 70 year-old male with sinonasal mucosal melanoma, exhibiting varying histologic phenotypes including small round blue cell morphology, epithelioid and focal rhabdoid morphology and strong, diffuse desmin immunoreactivity. These constellation of features initially prompted the diagnosis of rhabdomyosarcoma. The differential diagnosis in this anatomic area includes other malignant small round blue cell tumors of the sinonasal mucosa such as rhabdomyosarcoma, olfactory neuroblastoma, sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma, and lymphoma. We reviewed precedent literature and further discuss the potential pitfalls to which pathologists may be prone.     

异丙肾上腺素致大鼠心肌损伤肥大时骨架蛋白的变化及意义

目的复制异丙肾上腺素(isoproteronol,Iso)致大鼠心肌损伤及肥大模型,观察细胞骨架蛋白微管蛋白(tubulin)、结蛋白(desmin)变化特点,探讨心肌支持蛋白在心肌肥厚过程中的关系和变化规律,为抑制心室肥厚的发生和发展提供实验依据。方法①将雄性Wistar大白鼠随机分成对照组和损伤肥大组(Iso组)。Iso组皮下多点注射中等剂量Iso,建立大鼠损伤、代偿性肥厚模型。②光镜观察心肌组织的病理变化。③RT-PCR法检测tubulin、desminmRAN表达。④免疫组化法检测tubulin、desmin蛋白表达。结果光镜下Iso组心肌组织有明显的损伤肥大及纤维化,tubulinmRNA(0.9252±0.3765)和desminmRNA(1.2453±0.5326)表达与对照组(0.6846±0.2372)和(0.7142±0.1416)比较明显升高,差异有统计学意义(t=2.3258,P<0.05;t=4.0972,P<0.01)。Iso组tubulin(0.75±0.32)和desmin(0.85±0.29)蛋白表达与对照组(0.56±0.25)和(0.64±0.31)比较,差异也有统计学意义(t=2.5627,P<0.05;t=2.7544,P<0.01)。结论Iso致大鼠心肌损伤肥大时,tubulin、desmin无论在蛋白水平,还是在基因水平都增加,提示异丙基肾上腺素对大鼠心肌tubulin、desmin蛋白水平和基因水平的影响是平行、一致的。     

Cardiomyocyte-specific desmin rescue of desmin null cardiomyopathy excludes vascular involvement

Mice deficient in desmin, the muscle-specific member of the intermediate filament gene family, display defects in all muscle types and particularly in the myocardium. Desmin null hearts develop cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) characterized by extensive myocyte cell death, calcific fibrosis and multiple ultrastructural defects. Several lines of evidence suggest impaired vascular function in desmin null animals. To determine whether altered capillary function or an intrinsic cardiomyocyte defect is responsible for desmin null DCM, transgenic mice were generated to rescue desmin expression specifically to cardiomyocytes. Desmin rescue mice display a wild-type cardiac phenotype with no fibrosis or calcification in the myocardium and normalization of coronary flow. Cardiomyocyte ultrastructure is also restored to normal. Markers of hypertrophy upregulated in desmin null hearts return to wild-type levels in desmin rescue mice. Working hearts were perfused to assess coronary flow and cardiac power. Restoration of a wild-type cardiac phenotype in a desmin null background by expression of desmin specifically within cardiomyocyte indicates that defects in the desmin null heart are due to an intrinsic cardiomyocytes defect rather than compromised coronary circulation.     

Pancreatic Stellate Cells Activation and Matrix Metallopeptidase 2 Expression Correlate With Lymph Node Metastasis in Pancreatic Carcinoma

Background

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between pancreatic stellate cell activation, matrix metallopeptidase 2 (MMP2) expression and lymph node metastasis in pancreatic carcinoma.

结蛋白基因S12F新突变导致的结蛋白病一家系

目的 报道1个结蛋白基因新突变导致的结蛋白病家系,介绍其临床和病理改变特点.方法 1个常染色体显性遗传家系内共有8例患者,男7例,女1例.发病年龄20～50岁.其中7例有心脏损害,3例有肢体近端无力,1例伴慢性腹泻.先证者和其兄行左肱二头肌活体组织检查,进行组织学、酶组织化学、电镜观察及抗结蛋白等免疫组织化学染色.先证者和3例患者、5名无症状家系成员及50名健康人行结蛋白基因测序.结果 先证者的骨骼肌出现肌纤维直径变异加大伴结缔组织增生,少数肌纤维出现嗜酸性改变伴镶边空泡,其兄的骨骼肌仅在许多肌纤维内出现小圆状嗜酸性包涵体.肌纤维内包涵体和肌纤维膜下结蛋白阳性.电镜显示先证者肌纤维内颗粒物质沉积.4例患者存在结蛋白基因S12F突变,无症状家系成员和健康对照无此突变.结论 结蛋白S12F新突变导致的结蛋白病多出现在男性,以心脏病多见.病理改变在家系不同患者之间存在差异.     

平滑肌肉瘤的临床病理研究─—病理组织学、免疫组化及超微结构分析

本文报道对２６例全身多个部位的平滑肌肉瘤（ＬＭｓ）附病理组织学、ＨＨＦ３５及Ｄｅｓｍｉｎ免疫组化及部分病例还进行了超微结构特征研究。结果表明ＬＭＳ具有较典型的组织学特征：瘤细胞呈杆状，平行排列，胞浆内有肌原纤维。低分化的ＬＭＳ细胞异型性大，但仍具有上述特征。Ｄｅｓｍｉｎ标记ＬＭＳ的阳性率是６５％，ＨＨＦ３５的阳性率是９６％。两者有显著性差异。其它对照的多种梭形细胞肉瘤中，除恶性纤维组织细胞瘤中可有少数、单个的细胞呈ＨＨＦ３５阳性外，其它均不表达ＨＨＦ３５和Ｄｅｓｍｉｎ。因此ＨＨＦ３５是标记ＬＭＳ的敏感性高、特异性强的抗体。透射电镜观察ＬＭＳ具有特征性的密体和密斑存在。透射电镜观察也是确诊ＬＭＳ的途径之一。