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Haptides are a family of 19–21-mer cell-binding and permeating peptides homologous to sequences in the C termini on both fibrinogen β- and γ-chain (Cβ and preCγ, respectively). The effect of the Haptides on the cardiovascular system was studied by different assays, including the activity of isolated perfused rat heart and blood vessels in the organ bath. Haptides (50–80 µg/ml) decreased the hemodynamic functions of perfused rat hearts by up to 60% (p < 0.05) in a dose-dependent manner. Whole fibrinogen or a control nonrelated peptide (Cα) did not show such an effect. The NO donor, sodium nitroprusside, reversed the inhibitory effects of Haptides. L-NAME, an endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) inhibitor, did not further augment the effect of the Haptides. Perfused FITCHaptides were attached to the coronary endothelium. In myocardial homogenates and HUVEC, Haptides significantly decreased eNOS activity, but had no effect on the contraction of isolated cultured adult cardiomyocytes. Haptides also significantly enhanced the contraction of rings of rat aorta and human mammary artery vessels ex vivo only when the endothelium was intact. Haptides seem to affect the coronary endothelium, but not the cardiomyocytes, by inhibiting eNOS activity, causing vasoconstriction, temporary ischemia and impaired myocardial function that seem to be related to the amino acid composition of the Haptides.

Objective: Heparanase, an endoglycosidase that cleaves heparan sulphate, is frequently expressed in carcinomas and was suggested to play a role in cell invasion and metastasis. We investigated whether heparanase expression may serve as a reliable marker to discriminate benign mesothelial cells from malignant cells shed into body cavities. Methods and results: Cytological smears of effusions from 51 hospitalized patients were immunostained for heparanase. Strong immunoreactivity was noted in 35 of 40 (88%) carcinoma samples and in all three malignant mesothelioma cases. Only rare (

Concanavalin A (ConA) induces natural killer T (NKT) cell-mediated liver damage. Glucocerebroside (GC) is a naturally occurring glycolipid. Our aims were to determine the effect of GC in a murine model of ConA-induced hepatitis. Mice in groups A and B were treated with GC 2 h before and 2 h following administration of ConA, respectively; group C mice were treated with ConA; group D mice was treated with GC; group E mice did not receive any treatment. Liver damage was evaluated by serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and liver histology. The immune effect of GC was determined by fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis of intrahepatic and intrasplenic NKT lymphocytes, measurement of cytokine levels, and Western blot analysis for STAT 1, 4, 6, and NF-κB expression. The effect of GC on NKT cell proliferation was assessed in vitro. Serum AST and ALT levels were markedly reduced in GC-treated group A mice compared with nontreated group C animals, and histological damage was markedly attenuated in group A. The beneficial effect of GC was associated with a 20% decrease of intrahepatic NKT lymphocytes, significant lowering of serum IFN-γ levels, and decreased STAT1 and STAT6 expression. In vitro administration of GC led to a 42% decrease of NKT cell proliferation in the presence of dendritic cells but not in their absence. Intraperitoneally administered radioactive GC was detected in the liver and bowel. Administration of GC led to amelioration of ConA hepatitis associated with an inhibitory effect on NKT lymphocytes. GC holds promise as a new immune-modulatory agent.

Salivary glands are an accessible organ for gene therapy, enabling expression of recombinant proteins for both exocrine and endocrine secretion. Lentivirus-based vectors have many advantages for gene therapy, including their ability to infect nondividing cells and to stably integrate into the host genome, enabling long-term transgene expression without eliciting an inflammatory immune response. In the present study, murine salivary glands were inoculated with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-based lentiviral vectors expressing various reporter genes. Luciferase expression was observed as early as 24 h posttransduction, peaked at 17–21 days, and remained stable for more than 80 days. Staining with X-gal suggested that mucous acinar cells were effectively transduced. FIV vector transduction with the secreted alkaline phosphatase gene increased serum levels in treated animals for up to 45 days, and the FIV vector harboring the interferon- γ (IFN- γ ) expression cassette induced an increase in IFN- γ serum levels as well as in the supernatant of salivary gland explant cultures. These results demonstrate that the transduction of salivary glands with nonprimate lentiviral vectors may provide a novel and highly effective vehicle for long-term endocrine transgene expression.

Summary: Natural killer T (NKT) lymphocyte cells are a subset of regulatory lymphocytes with important immunemodulatory effects. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of transplantation of NKT lymphocytes on graft versus host disease (GVHD) in a murine model of semiallogeneic BMT. GVHD was generated by infusion of 2 × 107 splenocytes from C57BL/6 donor mice into irradiated (C57BL/6 × Balb/c)F1 recipient mice. Adoptive transfer of increasing numbers of DX5+ cells was performed. Recipient mice were followed for histological parameters of GVHD-associated liver, bowel, and cutaneous injury. Intrahepatic and intrasplenic lymphocytes were isolated and analyzed by FACS for CD4+ and CD8+ subpopulations. It was seen that adoptive transfer of 4.5 × 106 DX5+ cells significantly alleviated GVHD-related hepatic, bowel, and cutaneous injury, and improved survival (85% survival on day 28). In contrast, depletion of DX5+ cells led to severe GVHD-associated multiorgan injury and 100% mortality. A direct correlation with the number of transplanted DX5+ cells was noted (maximal effect with transplantation of 4.5 × 106 DX5+ cells). Tolerance induction was associated with an increased peripheral CD4/CD8 ratio, intrahepatic trapping of CD8 lymphocytes and a shift towards a Th2-type cytokine profile, manifested by decreased IL-12/IL10, IL-12/IL-4, IFNγ/IL-10, and IFNγ/IL-4 ratios. Transplantation of DX5+ cells holds promise as a novel therapeutic measure for GVHD.

BACKGROUND: Intraparotid schwannoma of the salivary gland is a rare entity. Review of the literature revealed one previous report describing its cytologic features. CASE: A 22-year-old man had a slowly growing, painless mass in the left parotid gland. Fine needle aspiration biopsy, performed prior to surgical excision, showed several tissue fragments consisting of uniform, spindle-shaped neoplastic cells with cigar-shaped nuclei and scant, ill-defined cytoplasm. Some of the neoplastic cells were clustered in typical arrangements of Verocay bodies. In addition, lymphocytes and foamy histiocytes were found. A diagnosis of schwannoma was made. Pathologic evaluation of the resected parotid mass supported the diagnosis. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of intraparotid schwannoma can be made by examining cytologic material containing the characteristic Verocay bodies. The correct cytologic diagnosis of this entity helps to rule out morphologically similar primary salivary gland neoplasms and thereby permits the appropriate surgical procedure to ensue.

The diagnosis of recurrent aspiration in young children is problematic because there is no specific gold standard test to be used. In the present work, normal saline or a suspension of white polystyrene microspheres in normal saline was instilled into hamsters' trachea (n = 42), and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cytology, microsphere index (total microspheres/100 macrophages), and lung histology were followed for 90 d. Naive animals (n = 6) had no tracheal instillation. On Days 1, 3, 10, 32, 60, and 90 after tracheal instillation, animals were killed (saline-instilled animals, n = 3; and microsphere-instilled animals, n = 4), and BAL was performed. There was a marked inflammatory response in BAL on Day 1 after tracheal instillation of saline or microsphere suspension. White microspheres were clearly identified within alveolar macrophages in all studied days. Microsphere numbers showed a 50% disappearance rate of 10 d. A mild peribronchial inflammation was noted in lung histology only on Day 1 after instillation. Microspheres were not detected in extrapulmonary organs. We conclude that polystyrene microspheres instilled in hamsters' trachea can be easily identified in BAL macrophages for as long as 3 mo and could potentially be used as a sensitive, specific, and stable marker for the diagnosis of aspiration.

We examined the use of immunostaining of the Lewis X antigen in exfoliated cells from voided urine samples, cytopathology and bladder ultrasound for noninvasive detection of bladder tumors as a potential substitute for cystoscopy.A total of 260 patients were included, of whom 80 were evaluated because of irritative symptoms or hematuria and 180 were examined during followup visits after resection of bladder tumors. Voided urine samples were obtained from each patient for immunocytology and cytopathology. Bladder ultrasound and cystoscopy were performed. Biopsies were obtained whenever a bladder tumor was seen or if carcinoma in situ was suspected. Indirect immunoperoxidase staining was done on cytocentrifuge slides, using the P12 monoclonal antibody against the Lewis X antigen.Cystoscopy and biopsies revealed bladder tumors in 84 patients. Immunocytology of 1 urine sample resulted in a sensitivity of 79.8% and a specificity of 86.4%. The diagnosis of primary carcinoma in situ by immunocytology was correct in 100% of the cases. The examination of 2 consecutive urine samples detected 95.1% of the tumors. False-negative results occurred in a few cases with small, superficial, low grade tumors. Cytopathology and bladder ultrasound resulted in a sensitivity of 47.6 and 66.7%, and a specificity of 97.7 and 97.2%, respectively. The results of immunocytology of 2 urine samples were equivalent to the combination of immunocytology of a single urine sample, cytology and ultrasound.Immunostaining of the Lewis X antigen is significantly more sensitive than cytopathology for the detection of low grade as well as high grade tumor cells in voided urine. Immunocytological evaluation of 2 consecutive voided urine specimens for the Lewis X antigen is the most sensitive method currently available for noninvasive detection of transitional cell tumors. This assay may replace cystoscopy for detection of bladder cancer.

Objectives A study was made to determine the sensitivity and specificity of immunostaining of the Lewis X antigen in exfoliated urothelial cells from voided urine, for the detection and surveillance of bladder tumors. Methods Three consecutive voided urine specimens were obtained from 101 patients, 78 of whom were under surveillance because of a history of bladder tumors, and 23 were being evaluated because of hematuria or irritative urinary symptoms. Indirect immunoperoxidase staining of two urine samples was done on cytocentrifuge slides, using the P12 monoclonal antibody against the Lewis X antigen. The diagnosis of the presence of a urothelial tumor was made if more than 5% of the cells showed a typical red-brown staining. Cytopathologic examination of the third urine specimen was done according to Papanicolaou. Each patient underwent cystoscopy, and biopsies were obtained whenever there was endoscopic evidence of bladder tumors or carcinoma in situ. Results Cystoscopy and biopsies revealed transitional cell carcinoma in 32 patients, whereas 69 patients had no evidence of bladder tumors. Immunocytology of one urine sample showed true-positive results in 26 of the 32 patients with bladder tumors, corresponding to a sensitivity of 81.25%. When two samples were examined, a sensitivity of 97% and a specificity of 85.5% were obtained. When the results of cytology and immunocytology were combined, sensitivity reached 100%. High-grade and low-grade transitional cell tumors were detected with equal efficiency. Conclusions The use of P12 monoclonal antibody for evaluation of Lewis X reactivity in cytologic preparations from multiple voided urine specimens can improve the sensitivity of noninvasive detection of bladder cancer. The technique may ultimately replace cystoscopy in monitoring therapeutic response and tumor recurrence.

Nanoparticle (NP) based drug delivery systems provide promising opportunities in the treatment of lung diseases. Here we examined the safety and tolerability of pulmonary delivered NPs consisting of PEG-PLA as a function of particle surface charge. The rationale for such a comparison should be attributed to the differential pulmonary toxicity of positively and negatively charged PEG-PLA NP. Thus, the local and systemic effects of pulmonary administered NPs were investigated following 5 days of daily endotracheal instillation to BALB/c mice that were euthanized on the eighth or nineteenth day of the experiment. We collected bronchoalveolar lavages and studied hematological as well as histochemistry parameters. Notably, the cationic stearylamine based PEG-PLA NPs elicited increased local and systemic toxic effects both on the eighth and nineteenth day. In contrast, anionic NPs of similar size were much better tolerated with local inflammatory effects observed only on the eighth experimental day after pulmonary instillation. No systemic toxicity effect was observed although a moderate change was noted in the platelet count that was not considered to be of clinical significance. No pathological observations were detected in the internal organs following instillation of anionic NPs. Overall these observations suggest that anionic PEG-PLA NPs are useful pulmonary drug carriers that should be considered as a promising therapeutic drug delivery system.

Programmed cell death (PCD) plays a key role in developmental biology and in maintenance of the steady state in continuously renewing tissues. Currently, its existence is inferred mainly from gel electrophoresis of a pooled DNA extract as PCD was shown to be associated with DNA fragmentation. Based on this observation, we describe here the development of a method for the in situ visualization of PCD at the single-cell level, while preserving tissue architecture. Conventional histological sections, pretreated with protease, were nick end labeled with biotinylated poly dU, introduced by terminal deoxy-transferase, and then stained using avidin-conjugated peroxidase. The reaction is specific, only nuclei located at positions where PCD is expected are stained. The initial screening includes: small and large intestine, epidermis, lymphoid tissues, ovary, and other organs. A detailed analysis revealed that the process is initiated at the nuclear periphery, it is relatively short (1-3 h from initiation to cell elimination) and that PCD appears in tissues in clusters. The extent of tissue-PCD revealed by this method is considerably greater than apoptosis detected by nuclear morphology, and thus opens the way for a variety of studies.

Heparanase, galectin-3, and tissue factor (TF) are overexpressed in solid malignant thyroid tumors. We studied their expression in multinodular goiters (MNGs).Thyroid tissue specimens from 15 MNGs were obtained during surgery. mRNA expression for galectin-3, heparanase, and TF was assessed by RT-PCR.Isolated expressions of heparanase and galectin- 3 mRNA were expressed in 2 and 4 of the 15 MNGs, respectively; 8/15 MNGs were positive for both heparanase and galectin-3. TF mRNA was found in all MNG specimens.Galectin-3, heparanase, and TF RNA expression is prevalent in MNGs. Further studies will be needed to determine the prognostic significance of these findings.

Five patients with pulmonary mucormycosis diagnosed during life are described. All had underlying predisposing conditions: either posttransplant or hematologic malignancies. In all cases, the diagnosis was made using fiberoptic bronchoscopy. In three patients, BAL was diagnostic. In two of these patients, the diagnosis was made by identifying the typical hyphae of mucormycosis in the BAL fluid alone. Transbronchial biopsy was diagnostic in three patients. Treatment was based on IV antifungal chemotherapy together with surgical removal of involved lung tissue whenever feasible. The clinical outcome of these patients was dismal and was determined primarily by the underlying condition.

Objective To evaluate the spermatogenic process through cellular ploidy by image analysis. Design Twenty-six testicular aspirates from 24 infertile men were examined by fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytologic smears. These results were compared with the ploidy content of the cells using Feulgen stain, determined by image analysis. Results The results of both methods were divided into three categories: full spermatogenesis, spermatogenic arrest, and only Sertoli cell. There was a good correlation in 25 of 26 smears (96%). Ten patients who had a histogram of diploid showed only Sertoli cell cytologically. From nine patients who had a histogram of diploid and tetraploid, eight cytologically showed spermatogenic arrest and one showed full spermatogenesis. The seven patients who had full spermatogenesis (haploid, diploid, tetraploid) all had normal cytologic smears. Conclusions Deoxyribonucleic acid image analysis is an objective qualitative and quantitative method for the evaluation of the spermatogenic process of the infertile male. It has several advantages over the flow cytometry method.

A 47-year-old-man lapsed into coma 12 h after liver transplantation, and remained comatose until death 38 days later. Prior to transplantation he had repeated episodes of hepatic encephalopathy, but no fixed neurological signs. Autopsy revealed typical features of acquired hepatocerebral degeneration with diffuse but patchy pseudolaminar cortical necrosis, variable amount of neuronal loss in the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia and other areas, and proliferation of Alzheimer type II glia. In addition, there was central pontine and extensive extrapontine myelinolysis involving the lateral and medical geniculate bodies, the thalamus, internal capsule, fornix, mamillothalamic tract, white matter bundles in the caudate and pallidum, the oculomotor nuclei and the foliar white matter of the cerebellum. The distinction between myelinolytic lesions and lesions due to hepatocerebral degeneration was not always clear. Although neurological complications and brain lesions are rather common after liver transplantation, there have been no reports of acquired hepatocerebral degeneration in liver transplant recipients. Our data lend support to the idea that a single prolonged comatose episode, due to hepatic dysfunction, may induce permanent parenchymal brain damage.

Objective To evaluate the effect of premature P administration on artificially prepared endometrium in women with ovarian failure. Design To mimic premature luteinization, patients with ovarian failure were treated with continuous estrogen and episodic P during the follicular phase of artificial cycles. Setting In vitro fertilization unit at a university hospital. Patients The study group included 16 patients with ovarian failure who were randomly divided into two groups. Group A (8 patients) was treated by episodic P administration during the artificial follicular phase on days 2 and 7 (12.5mg of P in oil IM), and in group B (8 patients), P (6.25mg) was added on days 3, 4, and 5. Another 16 patients (group C), age matched to the study group, were arbitrarily allocated to serve as controls and had standard preparatory cycles without P supplementation in the follicular phase. Serum E 2 and P levels and endometrial biopsies were taken on days 14 and 26. Results Serum E 2 levels were comparable between the study group (group A+B) and controls on both days 14 and 26. Although serum P levels did not differ between the groups on day 26, it was higher in the follicular phase of the study group than in the controls (1.9±4.0 and 0.2±0.1ng/mL, respectively). In the study group, 8 of 16 patients demonstrated early secretory changes in the late follicular phase biopsies, and 9 of 16 women developed stromal-glandular discrepancy in the late luteal phase. This differed significantly from the controls in which only one late luteal biopsy was out of phase. Conclusions Episodic surges of P during the follicular phase may result in impaired endometrial development that cannot be corrected by P supplementation during the luteal phase. This unique model provides evidence for the potential detrimental effect of premature P secretion in the follicular phase on endometrial function.

Objective To examine whether luteal E 2 is obligatory for obtaining an adequately developed endometrium. Design Survey of women with premature ovarian failure (POF) in a prospective, controlled, randomized study. Setting In vitro fertilization unit in a tertiary care university medical center. Patients Fourteen amenorrheic women with POF, candidates for oocyte donation, were divided into two distinct groups with seven women in each subgroup. Interventions Endometrial priming with a fixed dose of oral micronized E 2 , 4mg/d for 14days, was similarly performed in the study and the control groups. Progesterone replacement during the luteal phase was also identical in the two groups and was accomplished by IM P in oil, 50mg/d for another 14days. Only the control group continued to have the same E 2 regimen during the luteal phase. Main Outcome Measures and Results Follicular phase mean E 2 levels as well as luteal phase mean P levels were similar in both groups. However, luteal E 2 levels differed significantly between the study and the control groups (21±5 and 692±199pg/mL, respectively; conversion factor to SI units, 3.671). Nevertheless, histologic evaluation of endometrial biopsies on days 21 and 26 were similar for both groups. Endometrial gland dating, using light microscopy in the study and the control groups, on day 21, was 19.1±0.8 and 18.4±0.5, respectively, and on day 26, 25.4±0.8 and 25.9±0.5, respectively. Dating of the stroma in the two biopsies was also similar in both groups. Moreover, transmission electron microscopy performed in two patients of the study group showed typical characteristics of a secretory endometrium. Conclusions Luteal E 2 depletion in the human does not seem to adversely affect the morphological developmental capacity of the endometrium. Our results suggest that E 2 secretion by the corpus luteum in the human does not appear to be obligatory for the development of a normal secretory endometrium. The actual receptivity of the endometrium after such preparation needs to be evaluated.

The effects of T-2 toxin on bacterial infection and leukocyte function and structure were examined in vivo and in vitro. Rats were innoculated with staphylococci after pretreatment with or without T-2 toxin. The T-2 pretreated rats failed to mount a cellular response to the bacteria. Blood and bone marrow cells were markedly suppressed by the T-2 toxin, the myeloid series being the most affected. In vitro studies with human leukocytes showed that small, nonkilling doses of T-2 toxin inhibited chemotaxis, chemiluminescence stimulated by bacteria, and phagocytosis of bacteria. It was concluded that this inhibition may contribute towards sepsis and rapid onset of death in T-2 toxin poisoning.

Three patients who presented with a clinically solitary intraparotid metastasis from breast carcinoma are reported. The entity of metastatic disease in the parotid gland is reviewed. The importance of histologic distinction between primary and metastatic neoplasms of the parotid and the treatment approach are stressed.

A 4-yr-old girl presented with recurrent attacks of abdominal pain, vomiting, fever, and jaundice, progressing to biliary cirrhosis. The diagnosis of duplication of the gallbladder was established by transhepatic cholangiography. Clinical recovery and histologic improvement followed removal of the gallbladders. In every case of obstructive biliary disease or biliary cirrhosis in childhood, no effort should be spared in searching for a malformation of the biliary system.