Kaposi's sarcoma of the tongue associated with median rhomboid glossitis in a non-AIDS patient. A case report.

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) of the tongue is extremely rare in immunocompetent patients. We report a case of KS of the tongue associated with a median rhomboid glossitis. The main clinical, pathological and immunohistochemical features allowed the differential diagnosis.

New established melanoma cell lines: genetic and biochemical characterization of cell division cycle.

BACKGROUND: Cancer might be envisaged as the result of a genetic process causing the unregulated proliferation of a given cell as well as its inability to undergo differentiation and/or apoptosis. Alterations of genes regulating cell division cycle appear to play a key role in the development of human cancer. OBJECTIVE: On the bases of the above considerations, we decided to establish new cell lines from human melanoma specimens, in order to analyse the molecular alterations in primary preparations of malignant cells. RESULTS: The present paper describes two new established cell lines and their genetic and biochemical features. Both the melanoma cell lines show inactivation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor gene, CDKN2A/p16INK4A, thus demostrating that this alteration occurs in primary human melanomas. No other alterations were observable when we investigated several different cell cycle genes including those encoding cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors. Analyses at protein level by means of immunoblotting confirmed the results obtained at the genetic level. Moreover, the inducibility of a pivotal cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor gene, namely p21CIP1 gene, was obtained by treating the cells with histone deacetylase inhibitors, namely butyrate and phenylbutyrate. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest a primary role of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor genes inactivation in the origin of human melanoma and allow the proposal of new therapeutic strategies based on the transcriptional activation of p21CIP1 gene.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans: experience with 14 cases.

Dermatofibrosarcoma is a rare, low-grade malignant skin tumour that can be considered the equivalent of malignant non-cutaneous soft tissue fibrohistiocytoma. The high rate of recurrence of this tumour is correlated with poor surgical management because lesions, often smaller than 2 cm in diameter, may be confused with dermatofibroma or keloid. Our findings confirm the importance of accurate diagnosis of primary lesions and the need for aggressive surgical treatment (excision of 5 cm of surrounding tissue) to lower the incidence of local relapse.

Yeast mitochondria lacking the phosphate carrier/p32 are blocked in phosphate transport but can import preproteins after regeneration of a membrane potential.

Two different functions have been proposed for the phosphate carrier protein/p32 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondria: transport of phosphate and requirement for import of precursor proteins into mitochondria. We characterized a yeast mutant lacking the gene for the phosphate carrier/p32 and found both a block in the import of phosphate and a strong reduction in the import of preproteins transported to the mitochondrial inner membrane and matrix. Binding of preproteins to the surface of mutant mitochondria and import of outer membrane proteins were not inhibited, indicating that the inhibition of protein import occurred after the recognition step at the outer membrane. The membrane potential across the inner membrane of the mutant mitochondria was strongly reduced. Restoration of the membrane potential restored preprotein import but did not affect the block of phosphate transport of the mutant mitochondria. We conclude that the inhibition of protein import into mitochondria lacking the phosphate carrier/p32 is indirectly caused by a reduction of the mitochondrial membrane potential (delta(gamma)), and we propose a model that the reduction of delta(psi) is due to the defective phosphate import, suggesting that phosphate transport is the primary function of the phosphate carrier/p32.

[Argon laser in dermatology: indications suggested by a 4-year experience]. / Il laser ad argon in dermatologia. Indicazioni suggerite da quattro anni di esperienza.

The Argon laser has been used in the treatment of port wine stains, telangiectasias, spider ectasias, ruby spots, venous lakes, pyogenic granulomas, tattoos, keloids, verrucous naevus, angiokeratomas, verrucous hemangiomas. The outcome results have been compared with those achievable using other treatments in order to give right indications to the use of the Argon laser. The comparison point out that Argon laser is the treatment of choice only in port wine stains, while in all the other diseases it doesn't give any advantage with regard to conventional therapies, less sophisticated, easier and sometime more effective.

[Proteiform syndrome (Proteus syndrome). Skin manifestations in a recently observed case]. / Sindrome proteiforme (Proteus syndrome). Manifestazioni cutanee in un caso di recente osservazione.

The case of a 4-year-old female affected by partial gigantism of the feet, syndactyly and polydactyly, partial right hemihypertrophy of buttock and lower limb, warty hyperpigmented nevus and vulvar lipoma is described. The Authors discuss about the Proteus syndrome, pointing out its rarity, the polymorphism and the problems of differential diagnosis with the Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome and with other congenital hamartomatous disorders.