Role of ion channels in regulating Ca²âº homeostasis during the interplay between immune and cancer cells.

Ion channels are abundantly expressed in both excitable and non-excitable cells, thereby regulating the Ca(2+) influx and downstream signaling pathways of physiological processes. The immune system is specialized in the process of cancer cell recognition and elimination, and is regulated by different ion channels. In comparison with the immune cells, ion channels behave differently in cancer cells by making the tumor cells more hyperpolarized and influence cancer cell proliferation and metastasis. Therefore, ion channels comprise an important therapeutic target in anti-cancer treatment. In this review, we discuss the implication of ion channels in regulation of Ca(2+) homeostasis during the crosstalk between immune and cancer cell as well as their role in cancer progression.

Macrophage-mediated angiogenic activation of outgrowth endothelial cells in co-culture with primary osteoblasts.

The successful vascularisation of complex tissue engineered constructs for bone regeneration is still a major challenge in the field of tissue engineering. In this context, co-culture systems of endothelial cells and osteoblasts represent a promising approach to advance the formation of a stable vasculature as well as an excellent in vitro model to identify factors that positively influence bone healing processes, including angiogenesis. Under physiological conditions, the activation phase of angiogenesis is mainly induced by hypoxia or inflammation. Inflammatory cells such as macrophages secrete proinflammatory cytokines and proangiogenic growth factors, finally leading to the formation of new blood vessels. The aim of this study was to investigate if macrophages might positively influence the formation of microvessel-like structures via inflammatory mechanisms in a co-culture system consisting of human outgrowth endothelial cells (OECs) and primary osteoblasts. Treatment of co-cultures with macrophages (induced from THP-1) resulted in a higher number of microvessel-like structures formed by OECs compared to the co-culture. This change correlated with a significantly higher concentration of the proangiogenic VEGF in cell culture supernatants of triple-cultures and was accompanied by an increase in the expression of different proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-8 and TNFα. In addition, the expression of E-selectin and ICAM-1, adhesion molecules which are strongly involved in the interaction between leukocytes and endothelial cells during the process of inflammation was also found to be higher in triple-cultures compared to the double co-cultures, documenting an ongoing proinflammatory stimulus. These results raise the possibility of actively using pro-inflammatory stimuli in a tissue engineering context to accelerate healing mechanisms.

Fibrous dysplasia--a 13-year retrospective radiographic analysis in a south Indian population.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the clinical and radiographic presentation of fibrous dysplasia through a 13-year retrospective study in patients who reported to the outpatient unit of Government Dental College, Trivandrum. METHODS: The clinical file records and radiographs of the patients who reported to the outpatient clinic in the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology were retrospectively reviewed for histopathologically diagnosed fibrous dysplasia. A detailed analysis of the clinical and radiographic features of the 24 cases retrieved was carried out. RESULTS: The male-to-female ratio of incidence was approximately 1:1. Most of the patients were in the second or third decade of life. Almost all the patients presented with a complaint of swelling on the side of the face. The mandible was more frequently involved than the maxilla. The most common radiographic pattern observed was the "ground-glass" appearance. Most of the patients exhibited expansion of the involved bone and loss of lamina dura of associated teeth. CONCLUSION: The awareness of protean features of fibrous dysplasia evident through this study is essential in the accurate diagnosis and proper treatment planning of such lesions.

Homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia. Report of three cases.

Homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia is a rare disorder encountered in one in a million in the general population. Case reports of three patients from two families are presented. A 25 year male presented with extensive myocardial infarction and had a fatal outcome. His younger brother (14 years), as also a 12 year girl from another family with multiple planar xanthomata and tuberose xanthomata, are presented.

Hepatic morphology in reactional states of leprosy.

Liver function tests and liver biopsies were studied in 23 leprosy patients in reaction and 10 without reaction. The liver biopsies in leprosy patients with reaction showed exudative lesions, epithelioid and tuberculoid granulomas, and foam-cell granulomas. Portal vasculitis was encountered in a few cases. Neutrophilic infiltration into the foam-cell granulomas was seen in a few cases of lepromatous (LL) leprosy with reaction. In six cases of borderline (BL, BB and BT) leprosy with reaction, a spectrum of lesions bearing footprints of exudative lesions were seen evolving into epithelioid-cell granulomas. Foam-cell granulomas and tuberculoid and epithelioid granulomas along with exudative lesions were encountered in two cases on individual biopsy strips. An altered albumin-to-globulin ratio was the chief functional derangement observed in these cases. The spectrum of changes observed in borderline leprosy with reaction could be discrete steps in the evolution of upgrading reaction.

Metabolism of 3H-testosterone in epididymis & accessory glands of reproduction in the castrate hamster Mesocricetus auratus.

PIP: The metabolism of tritiated-testosterone in epididymis and accessory glands of reproduction was studied in the castrate hamster, Mesocricetus auratus. The amount of tritium accumulating in the epididymis was similar to that in the accessory glands 60 minutes postinjection but was significantly higher (p .02-p .001) at 150 minutes. In all accessory organs the rate of tritiated testosterone was slow; marked quantities of testosterone and androstanediol were present but the accumulation of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) was relatively minimal at both time intervals studied. These results may indicate a simultaneous requirement of testosterone and androstanediol to mediate the action of androgens in the hamster while DHT may be of secondary importance.^ieng