Aberrant Expression of Cell Cycle Regulator 14-3-3-σ and E-Cadherin in a Metastatic Cholangiocarcinoma in a Vervet Monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus).

We present a unique case of metastatic cholangiocarcinoma with concurrent abdominal cestodiasis in an African green monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) that presented with respiratory insufficiency and abdominal discomfort. There were multiple white-grey masses in the liver and colonic serosa alongside intra-abdominal parasitic cysts. Histopathologically, the liver masses were composed of poorly-differentiated epithelial cells that formed densely cellular solid areas and trabeculae. The neoplastic cells were strongly immunopositive for CK7 but negative for Hep-Par1 antigen, which confirmed a diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma. Interestingly, there was strong and diffuse neoexpression in the tumour of the cell cycle regulator 14-3-3σ, which is not constitutively expressed in normal liver. There was aberrantly strong expression of E-cadherin, a key cell-cell adhesion protein, in neoplastic cells with evidence of cytoplasmic internalization. This is the first immunohistochemical analysis of 14-3-3σ and E-cadherin in a liver neoplasm in an animal species and the use of these markers requires further investigation in animal liver neoplasms.

Primary Cystic Lymphangioma of the Spleen in an Adult Dog.

Proliferative disorders of lymphatic origin in animals are mostly congenital or occur within the first few months of life. Involvement of internal organs is extremely infrequent. A seven-year-old entire female mixed-breed dog was presented with apathy and poor appetite. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed a focally enlarged spleen with an anechoic round lesion. Splenectomy was performed and pathological examination demonstrated a sponge-like, compressible tumour composed of endothelium-lined vascular cystic spaces filled with eosinophilic proteinaceous material lacking erythrocytes. Immunohistochemical stains showed that cyst-lining cells were strongly positive for CD31 and factor VIII and focally positive for lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor 1 (LYVE-1). Based on these findings, the lesion was identified as splenic cystic lymphangioma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first description of solitary lymphangioma of the spleen in animals.

Primary Verocay Body-rich Epididymal Leiomyosarcoma in a Dog.

Leiomyosarcomas arising from paratesticular structures are rare. We report a case of epididymal sarcoma in an aged male Rottweiler that had histological features suggestive of neural origin but with muscular histogenesis confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Histologically, the lesion comprised a hypercellular neoplasm that had interlacing bundles of spindloid cells, prominent nuclear palisading and many Verocay bodies. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells were strongly positive for smooth muscle markers but negative for neural markers, leading to the diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma. While the presence of nuclear palisading and Verocay bodies has been regarded as strong evidence for the diagnosis of schwannomas, the present report documents the presence of true Verocay bodies in a non-neuronal tumour. It also indicates that immunophenotyping is required for an accurate diagnosis when Verocay bodies are detected in sarcomatous or spindle cell tumours and provides prognostic information on this case. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the presence of true Verocay bodies in a neoplasm other than a nerve sheath tumour in animals.

Meningeal carcinomatosis in a dog: magnetic resonance imaging features and pathological correlation.

A six-year-old cross breed dog was presented with a four-month history of seizure activity, which was unresponsive to anticonvulsive therapy and an acute deterioration in neurological status, evident as central blindness. Cyst-like structures and nodular enhancement within the subarachnoid space were shown on a magnetic resonance image (MRI) scan. Histopathological examination of brain tissue was consistent with meningeal carcinomatosis.

Suppressed prolactin but normal neurophysin levels in cigarette smoking breast-feeding women.

The hormonal responses to breast-feeding were studied during the first 3 post-partum weeks in ten women smoking more than fifteen cigarettes/day and in a control group. Basal PRL levels were significantly lower in smokers compared with non-smokers, but suckling induced acute increments in serum PRL and oxytocin-linked neurophysin, which were not influenced by smoking. The lactational pattern was normal, but smokers weaned their babies significantly earlier compared with non-smokers. Heavy cigarette smoking women have lower basal PRL levels and this may shorten the period of lactation.

PIP: Hormonal responses to breastfeeding were studied during the 1st 3 postpartum weeks in 10 women smoking more than 15 cigarettes/day and in 10 nonsmoking controls. All had had uncomplicated pregnancies resulting in term deliveries of infants weighing above 2800 gm. Mean age, parity, and infant birthweights were 26.5 years, 2, and 3390 gm in smokers and 28 years, 2, and 3615 gm in nonsmokers. The only significant clinical difference was earlier weaning in smokers. Mean serum prolactin (PRL) was consistently lower in smokers. Basal levels differed significantly on the 1st day and in repetitive samples on the 21st postpartum days, when the difference was significant prior to and 120 minutes after breastfeeding. The difference after 12 hours of abstinence from smoking was also significant. Increments in serum PRL during breastfeeding were not significantly different between smokers and nonsmokers, and not influenced by abstinence from smoking. Basal levels and sucking-induced increments of oxytocin-linked neurophysin (hNp2) were similar in smokers and nonsmokers and were not influenced by abstinence from smoking. At the 3rd week, mean basal vasopressin-linked neurophysin (hNpl) was .31 ng/ml in nonsmokers and .40 ng/ml and .37 ng/ml respectively in smokers abstaining and not abstaining. Neither smoking nor breastfeeding induced any significant alteration in serum hNpl. Serum nicotine and plasma adrenaline but not dopamine or noradrenaline increased significantly during smoking. Basal levels of catecolamines were not significantly altered after abstinence from smoking. The lower basal PRL levels of heavy smokers may shorten the period of lactation.

Experimental studies on the radiation-modifying effect of bleomycin in malignant and normal mouse tissue in vivo.

The interaction between bleomycin (BLM) and radiation was studied in a C3H mammary carcinoma and its surrounding normal skin. In the skin, single and fractionated doses of sequential treatment with BLM (25 mg/kg) 24 hours prior to radiation therapy did not influence the response to irradiation, whereas simultaneous treatment with BLM given 15 minutes before radiation therapy enhanced the reaction to irradiation by a factor of 1.2 or 1.4 following treatment with one fraction or five fractions, respectively. The tumor response to irradiation was not influenced by a single sequential treatment, but five daily fractions of radiation therapy following five daily dose fractions of BLM increased the radiation dose needed to control 50% of the tumors, probably because the tumors continued to grow during the BLM treatment. Simultaneous treatment enhanced the response to irradiation by a factor of 1.2 after both single-dose and fractionated therapy. Based on these data it was concluded that none of the combined treatment schedules were able to produce a better therapeutic effect than radiation therapy alone. Furthermore, mortality due to lung fibrosis in mice treated with BLM indicated the marked toxicity of the drug. This toxicity was most pronounced after fractionated treatment and when radiation therapy and BLM were given simultaneously.

Roentgenologic appearance of fibromuscular dysplasia.

Clinical and roentgenologic findings in 100 hypertensive patients with fibromuscular disease of the renal arteries are presented and compared with the experiences obtained from previously reported large series. Frequency of bilateral disease and abnormal findings at urography, involvement of segmental arteries and occurrence of extrarenal manifestations are reported. A striking female preponderance is noted, and there is evidence that the disease inflicts middle-aged rather than young women.