RESUMO
Non-viral gene transfer was investigated as a potential modality for the treatment of growth hormone deficiency (GHD) using hypophysectomized (Hx) mice as a model. Hx mice were injected with a control plasmid or a plasmid containing the human (h) GH gene driven by a ubiquitin promoter, or left untreated. Treatment with the hGH gene has previously been shown to normalize longitudinal growth and serum insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I). The present study was conducted to examine the renal/hepatic changes and gene/peptide expression of the GH/IGF-I axis in animals chronically expressing hGH. Following a single hydrodynamic administration of a plasmid DNA containing the hGH gene, a sustained elevation of the circulating hGH level was observed throughout the entire observation period, with a concomitant normalization of circulating IGF-I and IGF-binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3). In addition, longitudinal growth was corrected by normalizing tibia length, tail length, and body weight gain. Interestingly, kidney weights were only partly normalized, whereas kidney glomerular volume and liver weights were fully normalized. Kidney and liver IGF-I protein content was reduced in the Hx mice, but was normalized by hGH treatment. Kidney and liver GH receptor (GHR) mRNA levels were unchanged in the Hx mice, whereas the liver IGF-I mRNA level was reduced in the Hx mice, but was normalized by hGH treatment. We conclude that non-viral hGH gene transfer in Hx mice, which normalizes longitudinal growth and serum IGF-I levels, has differential effects on renal growth and glomerular volume. The potential effects of such excess glomerular growth induced by this intervention require further investigation.
Assuntos
Regulação da Expressão Gênica no Desenvolvimento , Vetores Genéticos/farmacologia , Hormônio do Crescimento Humano/genética , Hipofisectomia , Rim/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Fígado/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Animais , Animais não Endogâmicos , Peso Corporal/genética , Proteínas de Transporte/genética , Proteínas de Transporte/metabolismo , Vetores Genéticos/administração & dosagem , Taxa de Filtração Glomerular/genética , Proteína 3 de Ligação a Fator de Crescimento Semelhante à Insulina/sangue , Fator de Crescimento Insulin-Like I/análise , Fator de Crescimento Insulin-Like I/genética , Masculino , Camundongos , Tamanho do Órgão , Aumento de Peso/genéticaRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Cerebral amyloidoma is an infrequently recognized condition that can be confused with a more malignant etiology. Few cases have been reported. We present a case report and a review of the literature. CASE PRESENTATION: Our patient was a 64-year-old Caucasian man who was incidentally discovered to have a brain mass. He was found to have a cerebral amyloidoma. CONCLUSION: After discovery of the true etiology of his brain abnormality, it was determined that our patient had a more benign disease than was initially feared. Cases such as this demonstrate why consideration of this disorder is important.
RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Phendimetrazine is a medication currently being used to help patients with weight loss. It shares a chemical structure with amphetamines. As such, it shares some of the same toxicities, which can include cardiac toxicity. This case highlights this principle. CASE PRESENTATION: a 54 year old Caucasian female presented to our urgent care facility with complaints of chest pains and other symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome. Ultimately, she was transferred to the emergency room. After evaluation there, it appeared she was having demand ischemia from prescription diet pills CONCLUSION: This case report demonstrates the potential dangers of amphetamine based diet pills. There have been other cases of cardiomyopathies related to phendimetrazine, but it is something that is rarely recognized in an outpatient setting. A case such as this demonstrates the importance of obtaining a careful medication history in all patients and in recognizing diet pills with an amphetamine base can cause cardiac toxicity.
RESUMO
Carcinomas of the colon are a common cancer seen in both inpatient and outpatient settings with approximately 145,000 new cases being diagnosed every year in the USA. Despite the frequency of these cancers being seen, it continues to be a rarity to see a primary squamous cell cancer of the colon. In this article, such a case is presented. While the exact aetiology of this rare tumour is currently still not completely understood, various aetiologies include chronic irritation leading to squamous differentiation, embryonic migration of ectodermal cells to the colon, or adenomas undergoing squamous transformation.