[Gap junction intercellular communication in carcinogenesis of endometrial cancer]. / Komunikacja miedzykomórkowa z udzialem polaczen typu gap w karcinogenezie blony sluzowej trzonu macicy.

One of the mechanisms for direct cell to cell signaling is mediated by gap junctions. These junctions are formed by connexins, transmembrane proteins. Gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) plays a critical role in tissue development, differentiation of cells, and regulation of tissue homeostasis. Cancer cells are characterized by growth and/or differentiation disorders. Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological malignancy in developed countries. In this study we discuss the putative role of GJIC and adhesion molecules in the development of endometrial cancer The relationships of GJIC to the process of apoptosis and function of some adhesion proteins have also been underlined.

Laryngologist Leon Zamenhof--brother of Dr. Esperanto.

PURPOSE: To reconstruct the biography of the Polish otorhinolaryngologist Leon Zamenhof (1875-1934), a brother of Ludwik Zamenhof, who is famous for invention of the international language Esperanto. METHOD: Biographical information was collected from pre-World War II resources. RESULTS: Zamenhof developed several important new forms of treatment to help the hearing impaired. Zamenhof was especially interested in the education of deaf children and the therapy necessary to facilitate their integration into society. His significant achievements were a phonetic method of therapy for the hearing impaired and an automatic device for ear insufflation that was considered indispensable in the management of pyorrhea. In addition, Zamenhof initiated various forms of social support among physicians within the medical community of Warsaw, Poland; made health care available to children with hearing impairments; and organized a Jewish school for deaf children. Zamenhof tried to change public attitudes toward deafness, working to promote the integration of the deaf into wider society. He also translated Polish literature into Esperanto. CONCLUSIONS: With similar aims to his brother Ludwik, Leon Zamenhof strived to enhance and broaden communication among people who could not hear and to persuade people to change their attitudes about deafness.

Expression of Bcl-xL, Bax, and p53 in primary tumors and lymph node metastases in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Disturbances in expression of apoptosis-associated proteins take part in the development and progression of many human malignancies. The aim of this study was the assessment of correlations among proteins involved in apoptosis-Bcl-xL, Bax, and p53-as well as relationships of these proteins with selected clinicopathological features in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Consequently, we examined by immunohistochemistry, using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase method, Bcl-xL, Bax, and p53 expression in 56 samples of primary oral squamous cell carcinoma and in 22 matched pairs of primary and metastatic tumors. The evaluation of immunostaining of Bcl-xL, Bax, and p53 was analyzed in 10 different tumor fields, and the mean percentage of tumor cells with positive staining was evaluated. The significance of the associations was determined using Spearman correlation analysis and the chi-square test. We found positive Bcl-xL, Bax, and p53 immunostaining in 44.6%, 28.6%, and 58.9% of the studied primary tumors and in 63.6%, 45.5%, and 72.7% of lymph node metastases, respectively. Analysis of associations among studied proteins revealed positive correlation between Bcl-xL and Bax in primary tumors (P<0.03, r=0.307). Statistically significant relationship between p53 expression in primary oral cancers and its expression in lymph node metastases (P<0.02) as well as increased expression of Bcl-xL, Bax, and p53 in metastatic sites compared with primary tumors could indicate an association of these proteins with oral cancer progression and development of metastases. Moreover, we suppose that knowledge about heterogeneity between primary and metastatic tumor might help to understand mechanisms of oral cancer progression.

[Evaluation of adenoid mast cells in children with secretory otitis media]. / Ocena komórek tucznych w tkance migdalka gardlowego u dzieci z wysiekowym zapaleniem ucha srodkowego.

Mast cells may play a role in pathogenesis of the otitis media with effusion (OME) in children. The study involved 72 children with no history of allergic diseases. The analysed material were adenoids removed on the grounds of hypertrophy. Immunohistochemical analyses were carried out using antibodies (Dako, M 7052) directed against mast cell tryptase. The slides evaluation was performed by means of optic microscope. The presence of mast cells within adenoidal tissue were scored. There were no statistically significant difference between the numbers of mast cells in each examined adenoid as well as age groups. Our results correspond with those obtained by other authors according to mast cells distribution in adenoid tissue and do not indicate any particular role of mast cells in pathogenesis of OME in children.

Naive and memory T cells in hypertrophied adenoids in children according to age.

The anatomic location of the adenoid implies that this organ is the first site of contact with inhaled antigens. Depending on the expression of different isoforms of the CD45 molecules, T cells can be divided into naive (CD45RA(+)) and memory (CD45R0(+)) cells, the latter representing T cells that have already been exposed to antigens. The purpose of this study was to analyse the lymphoid cells' subsets in adenoids and relate the findings to the age. The analysed material was adenoid tissue removed on the grounds of hypertrophy from 22 children. The patients were divided into two groups: up to 5 and above 5 years of age. The analyses of the lymphocytes subpopulations in the adenoid were performed in an EPICX XL (Coulter) flow cytometry. The results are expressed as the percentage of positively labeled cells (CD4(+), CD8(+), CD4(+)/CDB(+), CD4(+)CD45RA(+), CD8(+)CD45RA(+), CD4(+)CD45R0(+), CD8(+)CD45R0(+)). The percentage of CD4(+)/CD45R0(+) in children up to 5 years of age was significantly lower than in older children. We found the positive regression between age and the percentage of CD4(+) cells was CD45R0(+) (r=0.64). There were no statistically significant differences between study subgroups for the other parameters. The positive regression for CD4(+)/CD45R0(+) cells and age may result from increased stimulation by bacterial, viral and other antigens. Our results indicate that the adenoid have an important role in the development of an immunological memory among younger children.

[Bacterial flora of hypertrophied tonsils in children with secretory otitis media]. / Flora bakteryjna przeroslych migdalków gardlowych u dzieci chorych na wysiekowe zapalenie ucha.

The potentially pathogenic bacteria: Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Streptococcus pneumoniae are the major bacterial flora of hypertrophied tonsils. In children suffering from otitis media with inflammatory effusion an unfortunate decreased physiological flora of Streptococcus viridans and Neisseria is observed.

Lymphocyte subpopulations in hypertrophied adenoid in children with otitis media with effusion.

Otitis media with effusion (OME) usually coexist with the adenoid hypertrophy. The aim of this study was a quantitative evaluation of the lymphocyte subpopulations in hypertrophied adenoid in children with persistent (ove three months) otitis media with effusion. We used flow cytometry for study the subpopulations of the lymphocytes in the pharyngeal adenoid during otitis media in the children, alternative group consist of children with simple adenoid hypertrophy. The monoclonal antibodies selected were specific markers for T lymphocytes (CD3), T-helper cells (CD4), T-suppressor cells (CD8), B cells (CD19) and NK cells (CD56). There were also analyzed T activation markers: HLA-DR and CD25. The percentage of NK cells was significantly decreased in the group of younger children with otitis media with effusion (0.81 +/- 0.51) in comparison to older ones (1.40 +/- 0.59%). Also, in the group of younger children with adenoid hypertrophy, the NK cells percentage was significantly lower (0.85 +/- 0.37%) than in the group of older children--(1.46 +/- 0.83). In both subgroups of younger children the percentage of lymphocytes T with HLA-DR activation marker was close, but it was significantly lower in the group of older children with otitis media with effusion (4.28 +/- 3.40%) in comparison to the group of older children with adenoid hypertrophy (5.03 +/- 3.00%).