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The tick feeding process in humans and its effects on the host skin have been studied histologically on specimens of tick bites, some of which included the attached parasite, and on ticks extracted from lesions or caught in the wild. The specimens, included in paraffin, were stained with hematoxylin-eosin, orcein–Giemsa for elastic fibers, periodic acid-Schiff for polysaccharides, Weigert method for fibrin, Warthin-Starry stain for spirochetes, and Bodian’s method for nerve fibers. The mouthparts of the attached ticks were embedded in a cement cone, with the chelicerae and the hypostome lining the oral canal, while the basis capituli contained the pharynx with its anti-reflux valves, the hypopharynx with its dilating musculature, and the muscles serving the chelicerae. The structure of the motor muscles, of the inner organs, of the central nervous system, and the cuticle with its nerve endings were also visible. The superficial and the mid dermis underlying the cone was replaced by a lose network of fibrin, endothelial linings, and residual collagen bundles, soaked with edema and blood. The dilated small vessels showed gaps of the walls with blood extravasation, and endothelial proliferation, sometimes associated to neutrophilic and eosinophilic vasculitis. A dense neutrophilic infiltrate was present beneath the apex of the cone. The lesions observed after the tick removal included: Erythema Chronicum Migrans – like changes, foreign body granuloma, cutaneous T- and the B-cell lymphoid hyperplasia, and alopecia with involvement of the permanent portion of the hair follicles and hyperplasia of their fibrous sheaths. The acute changes, similarly to the “cavity” described in the animal hosts, result from a “vacuum pump” action performed by the mouthparts, together with the effect of proteinases, vaso-dilators, anticoagulants, immunosuppressants and antiinflammatory molecules contained in the regurgitated saliva. A persistent reaction of the host to these chemicals and/or to possible infectious agents accounts for the subacute and chronic lesions.

BACKGROUND: Although Ki-ras and TP53 mutations have probably been the genetic abnormalities most exhaustively implicated and studied in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression, their significance in terms of disease relapse and overall survival has not yet clearly been established. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective study was carried out on paired tumor and normal colon tissue samples from a consecutive series of 160 previously-untreated patients, undergoing resective surgery for primary operable sporadic CRC. Mutations within the TP53 (exons 5-8) and Ki-ras (exon 2) genes were detected by PCR-SSCP analyses following sequencing. RESULTS: Mutation analyses of exons 5 to 8 of the TP53 gene showed mutations in 43% (68/160) of the cases, while mutation analyses of exon 2 of the Ki-ras gene showed mutations in 46% (74/160) of the cases. Multivariate analyses showed that clinical outcome were strongly associated with the presence of specific TP53 mutations in L3 domain alone (only in DFS) or in combination with specific Ki-ras mutations at codon 13. CONCLUSION: Specific TP53 mutations in L3 domain alone (only in DFS) or in combination with specific Ki-ras mutations at codon 13 are associated with a worse prognosis in sporadic CRC.

Soft tissue sarcomas are aggressive tumors representing

Mucosal neuromas are nerve hamartomas of the digestive tract and larynx, usually observed in the setting of Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 2B (MEN2B), i.e. in the presence of typical mutations and in association with medullary thyroid carcinoma, pheochromocytoma and marfanoid habitus. Exceptionally, they arise without the accompanying mutations and endocrine tumors, and in this paper we are reporting a histologic study on a case lacking the specific mutations. The patient was an adolescent girl with marfanoid habitus, with a left-sided epidermal nevus of the neck, and a bulging left upper lip and cheek. The left side of her tongue was considerably enlarged and studded with multiple protrusions. The histologic examination of the tongue showed a proliferation of tortuous gigantic nerve trunks, composed of multiple small bundles of argyrophylic and fully mylinated axons, invested by extremely hyperplasic perineurium and epineurium. These architectural distortions and disproportions, in the absence of disorders of polarity, imparted to the picture a dysmorphic, rather than neoplastic imprint. Although the required follow-up procedures were hindered by the patient’s unavailability, DNA sequencing, performed on the paraffin specimen, demonstrated that none of the RET mutations reported to date in MEN2B were present in our case. Therefore, this syndrome could be reasonably excluded and a final diagnosis of Multiple Neuroma Syndrome was assessed. Awareness of mucosal neuroma can be critical for the patient’s survival, since this rare and often underrated neoplasm is likely to be an early marker of MEN2B, a life-threatening syndrome which requires early prophylactic surgery.

A retrospective histological and immunohistochemical study has been carried out in 25 cases of tick bites recorded in our Departments. The samples that included an attached tick showed a cement cone anchoring the mouthparts to the skin and a blood-soaked, spongiform appearance of the superficial dermis, with a mild neutrophilic and eosinophilic infiltration. The vessels displayed a loose multilayered endothelial proliferation, with plump endothelia, permeated with erythrocytes. A few of them were severed, allowing copious blood extravasation. The established lesions included the following: erythema chronicum migrans-like cases, foreign body granulomas-sometimes containing remnants of the mouthparts-cutaneous lymphoid hyperplasia, either of the T-cell or the B-cell type, and tick-bite alopecia. In both the T-cell and B-cell pseudolymphomas, several vessels showed concentric endothelial and perithelial proliferation similar to that seen in the acute lesions. In the tick-bite alopecia, a lymphocytic infiltrate attacked the permanent portion of the hair follicles, whose reaction was a noticeable hyperplasia of the fibrous sheaths, although only a minority of the hairs was destroyed. The observed alterations are specific in the acute lesions and in the alopecia, where they directly arise as a result of the interactions between the host's tissues and the antihemostatic, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory chemicals contained in the tick saliva. In the other lesions, the changes seem less characteristic, although the fragments of mouthparts and the special vascular changes provide a clue to their etiology.

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) development is a multistep process, during which numerous alterations accumulate in nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. A deficiency of repair machinery brings about an accumulation of errors introduced within simple repetitive microsatellite sequences during replication of DNA. Aberrant methylation is related to microsatellite instability (MSI) by the silencing of the hMLH1 gene. The aim of this study is to investigate a possible relationship between the RUNX3 promoter methylation, nuclear microsatellite instability (nMSI) and mitochondrial microsatellite instability (mtMSI), in order to clarify its biological role in GC. Patients and methods: nMSI and mtMSI were evaluated in a consecutive series of 100 GC patients. For the analysis of the nMSI, we followed the National Cancer Institute guidelines. mtMSI was assessed by analyzing a portion of the displacement-loop region. The aberrant methylation of RUNX3 was analyzed in 40 GC patients by methylation-specific PCR. Results: Overall, 55% of GC demonstrated methylation of the RUNX3 promoter; 82% of GC was classified as stable microsatellite instability, 5% as low-level microsatellite instability and 13% as high-level microsatellite instability (MSI-H); mtMSI was detected in 11 % of GC. A significant association was found between mtMSI and tumor-node-metastasis staging, furthermore an interesting association between MSI-H status, mtMSI and RUNX3 methylation. Conclusion: These data suggest that RUNX3 is an important target of methylation in the evolution of mtMSI and nMSI-H GC.

Reelin is a glycoprotein that plays a critical role in the regulation of neuronal migration during brain development and, since reelin has a role in the control of cell migration, it might represents an important factor in cancer pathology. In this study, 66 surgical specimens of prostate cancer were analyzed for reelin expression by immunohistochemical method. The reelin expression was correlated with Gleason score and individual Gleason patterns. Reelin expression was found in 39% prostate cancers. Stromal tissues, normal epithelial cells and prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) of any grade around and distant from cancer were always negative for reelin. Reelin was found in malignant prostatic epithelial glands of 50% cases Gleason score 10, 52% Gleason score 9, 56% Gleason score 8, 18% Gleason score 7, while no sample of prostate cancers with Gleason score 6 showed reelin expression (P=0,005). As reelin staining is frequently found in high Gleason score prostate cancers, we explored whether reelin expression is influenced by single Gleason patterns. While Gleason 3 pattern did not show reelin immunoreactivity, reelin expression was found in 35% Gleason 4 patterns and 45% Gleason 5 patterns (P

The putative role of TP53 and p16INK4A tumor suppressor genes and Ras oncogenes in the development and progression of salivary gland neoplasias was studied in 28 cases of pleomorphic adenomas (PA), 4 cases of cystic adenocarcinomas, and 1 case of carcinoma ex-PA. Genetic and epigenetic alterations in the above genes were analyzed by Polymerase Chain Reaction/Single Strand Conformational Polymorphism (PCR/SSCP) and sequencing and by Methylation Specific-PCR (MS-PCR). Mutations in TP53 were found in 14% (4/28) of PAs and in 60% (3/5) of carcinomas. Mutations in H-Ras and K-Ras were identified in4%(1/28) and7% (2/28) of PAs, respectively. Only 20% (1/5) of carcinomas screened displayed mutations in K-Ras. p16INK4A promoter hypermethylation was found in 14% (4/28) of PAs and 100% (5/5) carcinomas. All genetic and epigenetic alterations were detected exclusively in the epithelial and transitional tumor components, and were absent in the mesenchymal parts. Our analysis suggests that TP53 mutations and p16INK4A promoter methylation, but not alterations in the H-Ras and K-Ras genes, might be involved in the malignant progression of PA into carcinoma. J. Cell. Physiol. 207: 654–659, 2006. 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

BACKGROUND: Mammaglobin is expressed mainly in mammary tissue, overexpressed in breast cancer (BC) and rarely in other tissue. The aim of this study was to assess the sensitivity and specificity of transcript MGB1 detection and to evaluate the role of MGB1 as potential clinical marker for the detection of disseminated cancer cells in the blood of BC patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A consecutive series of 23 BC tissues, 36 peripheral blood BC samples and 35 healthy peripheral blood samples was prospectively recruited to investigate MGB1 expression by means of a quantitative Real Time RT-PCR assay. RESULTS: MGB1 overexpression in tissue samples of BC patients is significantly associated only with high level of Ki67 (P

To prospectively evaluate the prognostic significance of TP53, H-, K-, and N-Ras mutations, DNA-ploidy and S-phase fraction (SPF) in patients affected by locally advanced laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Eight-one patients (median follow-up was 71 months) who underwent resective surgery for primary operable locally advanced LSCC were analyzed. Tumor DNA was screened for mutational analysis by PCR/SSCP and sequencing. DNA-ploidy and SPF were performed by flow cytometric analyses. Thirty-six patients (44%) had, at least, a mutation in the TP53 gene. Of them, 22% (8/36) had double mutations and 3% (1/36) had triple mutations. In total, 46 TP53 mutations were observed. The majority (41%) of these occur in exon 5 (19/46), while the mutations in exons 6, 7, and 8 were represented in 14, 7, and 6 patients, respectively (31% 15%, and 16%). Five LSCC patients (6%) showed a mutation in H-Ras gene. Sixty-three percent of the cases (51/81) were DNA aneuploidy, 14% of these (7/51) were multiclonal. Thirty-nine patients (48%) had an high SPF value. At Univariate analysis, the DNA aneuploidy, high SPF (> 15.1%), TP53 mutations and, in particular, the mutations that occur in exons 5 and 8 were significantly related to quicker disease relapse and short OS. At Multivariate analysis, the major significant predictors for both disease relapse and death were high SPF and any TP53 mutations. While histological grade G3 was an independent factor only for relapse. In conclusions, any TP53 mutations and high SPF are important biological indicators to predict the outcome of LSCC patients.

Background Methylation of the p16 promoter is one of the most frequent mechanisms of gene inactivation; its incidence is extremely variable according to the type of tumor involved. Our purpose was to analyze the hypermethylation of the p16 promoter in laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas (LSCC), salivary gland (SG) tumors and in colorectal cancer (CRC), to detect any possible association with the clinicopathological features and to determine the prognostic significance of the p16 gene in the tumors analyzed. Patients and methods The hypermethylation of the p16 promoter was prospectively analyzed, by MSP, in a consecutive series of 64 locally advanced LSCC patients, in a consecutive series of 33 SG tumor patients and in a consecutive series of 66 sporadic CRC patients. Results Hypermethylation was observed in 9% of the LSCC cases, in all cases of SG cancer and in 21% of the CRC cases. No significant association was observed between p16 hypermethylation and clinicopathological variables in all the tissue samples analyzed. Moreover at univariate analysis p16 mutations were not independently related at disease relapse and death in LSCC and CRC. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that the lack of p16 function could happen in advanced stage of SG tumors.

Genotype analysis is becoming more and more useful in clinical practice, since specific mutations in tumors often correlate with prognosis and/or therapeutic response. Unfortunately, current molecular analytical techniques often require time-consuming and costly steps of analysis, thus making their routine clinical use difficult. Moreover, one of the most difficult problems arising during tumor research is that of their cell heterogeneity, which depends on their clear molecular heterogeneity. SSCP analysis discriminates by means of aberrant electrophoresis migration bands, mutated alleles which may represent as little as 15-20% of their total number. Nevertheless, in order to identify by sequencing the type of alteration revealed by this technique, only the mutated allele must be isolated. The advent of laser microdissection is a procedure which easily solves these problems of accuracy, costs, and time. The aims of this study were to perfect the system of laser pressure catapulting (LPC) laser microdissection for the assessment of the mutational status of p53 and k-ras genes in a consecutive series of 67 patients with colorectal carcinomas (CRC), in order to compare this technique with that involving hand-dissection and to demonstrate that since the LPC system guarantees more accurate biomolecular analyses, it should become part of clinical routine in this field. The LPC-system was perfected with the use of mineral oil and the LPC-membrane. To compare the techniques of hand- and LPC-microdissection, alcohol-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue from 67 cases of CRC were both hand- and laser-microdissected. In either case, dissected samples were analyzed by SSCP/sequencing and direct sequencing for k-ras and p53 gene mutations. LPC-microdissection made it possible to pick up mutations by direct sequencing or SSCP/sequencing, whereas hand-microdissection mutations were identified only by means of SSCP followed by sequencing; direct sequencing did not reveal any mutation. In the 67 patients examined by either method, 36% (24/67) showed p53 mutations, 32 of which identified. Seventy-eight percent (25/32) were found in the conserved areas of the gene, while 12% (4/32) were in the L2 loop, 50% (16/32) were in the L3 loop, and 12% (4/32) in the LSH motif of the protein. Moreover, of the 67 cases examined, 40% (27/67) showed mutations in k-ras, with a total of 29 mutations identified. Of these, 14 (48%) were found in codon 12 and 15 (52%) in codon 13. The modifications which we brought to the LPC system led to a vast improvement of the technique, making it an ideal substitution for hand-microdissection and guaranteeing a considerable number of advantages regarding facility, accuracy, time, and cost. Furthermore, the data obtained from the mutational analyses performed confirm that the LPC system is more efficient and rapid than hand-microdissection for acquiring useful information regarding molecular profile and can therefore be used with success in clinical routine.

The aim of this study was to clarify whether specific p53 mutations may have biological relevance in terms of disease relapse or death in gastric carcinomas (GC). Resected specimens from a consecutive series of 62 patients with GC undergoing potentially curative surgery were prospectively studied. The mutational status of exons 5-8 of the p53 gene was investigated in 62 cases using the PCR-SSCP and sequencing. Presence of microsatellite instability (MSI) was evaluated in 56 cases by analyzing loci highly sensitive of MSI. Twenty mutations of p53 were detected in 17 of the 62 cases analyzed (27%). Ten mutations (50%) occurred in highly conserved domains. According to the p53 specific functional domains: 4/20 mutations (20%) were in the L3 loop and 3/20 (15%) in LSH motif. Eight of the 56 GC resulted MSI-H, 5 (9%) MSI-L, and 43 (77%) MSI stable (MSS). None of the 8 (14%) MSI-H GC showed p53 mutations. p53 mutations were associated with intestinal histotype. Moreover, specific mutations in functional domain (L3 and LSH), together with advanced TNM stage, node involvement, depth of invasion, diffuse histotype, proved to be significantly related to quicker relapse and to shorter overall survival. Specific mutations in p53 functional domains, rather than any mutations in this gene, may be biologically more significant in terms of patients outcome, indicating that these mutations might have biological relevance to identify subgroups of patients at higher risk of relapse or death who might benefit from a more aggressive therapeutic approach.

To study GP-170 in superficial bladder cancer at initial diagnosis and at recurrence and to evaluate if intravesical chemoprophylaxis modifies the expression of GP-170 in tumor recurrences. GP-170 was retrospectively assessed in 160 patients affected by primary superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and followed for up to 10 years. Eighty-four patients (52.5%) recurred after transurethral resection (TUR). Adjuvant intravesical chemotherapy after TUR was adopted in 52 patients. The correlations between GP-170 and G-grade, T-category, risk of recurrence and of progression, and adoption of adjuvant intravesical chemotherapy were investigated. The correlations between variations in grade and stage at recurrence and modifications in GP-170 expression were also studied. No significant correlation between GP-170 expression and G-grade and T-category was found. A significant correlation was detected between GP-170 expression and recurrence (P=0.0383). It showed a biphasic pattern, i.e., tumors that did not express GP-170 had a higher recurrence rate, but high GP-170 levels were also associated with an increasing risk of recurrence. Intravesical chemotherapy did not induce significative variations in GP-170 expression. No correlation was found between progression and GP-170. GP-170 seems to be an independent prognostic factor for recurrence in superficial bladder tumors. A negative GP-170 pattern and high levels of GP-170 are associated with an increasing risk of recurrence but have no impact upon progression. In our experience, GP-170 is neither induced nor modified by intravesical chemotherapy, although it might represent a factor of chemoresistance when strongly expressed.

p53 gene alterations are among the most common events observed in colorectal cancer,and are accompanied frequently by DNA aneuploidy and high proliferative activity. The prognostic significance of such mutations remains controversial. We prospectively evaluated the prognostic significance of p53 mutations, DNA-ploidy, and S phase fraction (SPF) in a consecutive series of 160 colorectal cancer patients (median follow-up 71 months). Tumor DNA was screened for p53 mutations by PCR/single-strand conformational polymorphism/sequencing. DNA-ploidy and SPF were assessed by DNA flow cytometry. p53 mutations were detected in 68 of 160 (42.5%) cases. In 56% (38 of 68) of these, p53 mutations were found in conserved areas of the gene and in 44% (30 of 68 cases) outside the conserved regions. Eighteen of the 68 cases (26%) had mutations in the L3 loop, 11 of 68 (16%) in the L1 loop-sheet-alpha helix motif, and 39 of 68 (58%) outside L3 and loop-sheet-alpha helix. Seventy-five percent of the cases (120 of 160) showed DNA aneuploidy, whereas 18% of these (22 of 120) were multiclonal. The major independent predictors for both disease relapse and death were advanced Dukes' stage, p53 mutations affecting L3 loop, DNA-aneuploid tumors, and high SPF (18.5%). Our results show that mutations in L3 functional domain, more than any mutations, are important biological indicators to predict the outcome of patients indicating that these mutations have biological relevance in terms of colorectal cancer disease course.

A consecutive series of 63 untreated patients undergoing surgical resection for stage I-IV gastric adenocarcinomas (GCs) has been prospectively studied. Our purpose was to analyze the predictive relevance of DNA ploidy, S-phase fraction (SPF), and tissue levels of lysosomal proteinases cathepsin D (CD), cathepsin B (CB), cathepsin L (CL), and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and that of the intracellular cysteine proteinase inhibitor stefin A on clinical outcome. All of the patients taking part in this study were followed up for a median of 73 months. DNA aneuploidy was present in 71% of the cases (45/63), whereas 9% of these (4/45) showed multiclonality. Both DNA ploidy and SPF were associated with tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage and node status, whereas only DNA ploidy was related to depth of invasion. CB, CL, uPA, but not CD, levels were significantly higher in GC as compared to paired normal mucosa, whereas stefin A levels were lower in tumor tissues. CB levels were significantly associated with TNM stage, nodal status, histological grade, and DNA ploidy. At univariate analysis, only node involvement, advanced TNM stage, DNA aneuploidy, and high SPF proved to be significantly related to quicker relapse and to shorter overall survival, whereas depth of invasion was related only to survival. With multivariate analysis, only high SPF (>15.2%) was related to risk of relapse (RR = 8.50), whereas high SPF and DNA aneuploidy were independently related to risk of death (RR = 1.88 and 2.09, respectively). Our preliminary prospective study has identified SPF and DNA ploidy as important biological indicators for predicting the outcome of patients with GC.