ABSTRACT
Background/Aims: Although craniopharyngioma (CP) is histologically benign, it is a pituitary tumour that grows rapidly and often recurs. Adamantinomatous CP (ACP) was associated with an activating mutation in ß-catenin, and it has been postulated that pituitary stem cells might play a role in oncogenesis in human ACP. Stem cells have also been identified in pituitary adenoma. Our aim was to characterize the expression pattern of ABCG2, CD44, DLL4, NANOG, NOTCH2, POU5F1/OCT4, SOX2, and SOX9 stem cell markers in human ACP and pituitary adenoma. Methods and Results: We studied 33 patients (9 ACP and 24 adenoma) using real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemistry. SOX9 was up-regulated in ACP, exhibiting positive immunostaining in the epithelium and stroma, with the highest expression in patients with recurrence. CD44 was overexpressed in ACP as confirmed by immunohistochemistry. SOX2 did not significantly differ among the tumour types. The RT-qPCR array showed an increased expression of MKI67,OCT4/POU5F1, and DLL4 in all tumours. NANOG was decreased in ACP. ABCG2 was down-regulated in most of the tumours. NOTCH2 was significantly decreased in the adenomas. Conclusion: Our results confirm the presence of stem cell markers in human pituitary tumours as well as the different expression patterns of ACP and adenoma. These findings suggest that ACP may originate from a more undifferentiated cell cluster. Additionally, SOX9 immunodetection in the stroma and the highest expression levels related to the relapse of patients suggest a contribution to the aggressive behaviour and high recurrence of this tumour type.
Subject(s)
Pituitary Neoplasms/metabolism , Aged , Humans , Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism , Adenoma/metabolism , Adenoma/pathology , Gene Expression , Child , Child, Preschool , Adolescent , Hyaluronan Receptors/metabolism , Craniopharyngioma/metabolism , Craniopharyngioma/pathology , Neural Stem Cells/metabolismABSTRACT
We investigated the effect of thalidomide on cachexia and TNF-α serum levels during experimental skin carcinogenesis in mice. Female mice were divided into four groups: 1) DMBA (dissolved in acetone) induced tumorigenesis; 2) DMBA and Thalidomide (dissolved in DMSO); 3) DMBA and DMSO; and 4) Acetone. Body weight was measured once a week. Euthanasia was performed 14 weeks later, when blood was collected for the dosage of TNF-α serum levels. Mice with DMBA induced tumorigenesis had a significant loss of body weight when compared to acetone treated animals, starting at the third week and lasting the whole experiment. But there was no difference among Thalidomide treated and the others DMBA control animals, regarding body weight. High TNF-α serum levels were associated with the development of cachexia in mice during the process of experimental skin tumorigenesis. However, there was not a significant difference in the TNF-α serum levels when compared control mice and thalidomide treated mice. These results suggest that thalidomide does not interfere with skin tumorigenesis, cachexia and serum TNF-α levels in Balb/C mice. In addition, high TNF-α serum levels are associated to weight loss during experimental carcinogenesis.
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Mice , Thalidomide/pharmacology , Cachexia/etiology , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/pharmacology , Carcinogenesis/chemically inducedABSTRACT
Craniopharyngiomas and germ cell tumors (GCT) may affect the pituitary-hypothalamic region during childhood. Although different in origin, their clinical and radiological features may be similar. In this article we present a 5-year-old girl with clinical and radiological findings (computer tomography calcification) that were initially considered as craniopharyngioma. However clinical outcome, blood and cerebral spinal fluid tumoral markers, and results from anatomopathology and immunohistochemistry disclosed a mixed GCT. This case report highlights that some clinical features and radiological findings of pituitary-hypothalamic tumors may be misdiagnosed as craniopharyngioma mainly when there is a mature teratoma with cartilaginous tissue differentiation.
Craniofaringiomas e tumores mistos de células germinativas (TCG) podem acometer a região hipotálamo-hipofisária durante a infância. Embora tenham diferentes origens, as manifestações clínicas e achados radiológicos podem ser semelhantes. Nosso objetivo é relatar o caso de uma paciente de 5 anos de idade, cujas manifestações clínicas e achados radiológicos (presença de calcificações à tomografia computadorizada [TC]) foram inicialmente considerados como provável craniofaringioma. No entanto, a piora clínica progressiva, marcadores tumorais séricos e liquóricos elevados, assim como os resultados do estudo anatomopatológico e imunoistoquímico revelaram tratar-se de TCG. Este caso enfatiza que alguns achados clínicos e radiológicos de tumores da região hipotálamo-hipofisária podem ser erroneamente diagnosticados como craniofaringiomas, principalmente se houver presença de teratoma maduro com diferenciação em tecido cartilaginoso.
Subject(s)
Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Craniopharyngioma/pathology , Hypothalamic Neoplasms/pathology , Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal/pathology , Pituitary Neoplasms/pathology , Craniopharyngioma , Craniopharyngioma/surgery , Diagnosis, Differential , Hypothalamic Neoplasms , Hypothalamic Neoplasms/surgery , Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal , Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal/surgery , Pituitary Neoplasms , Pituitary Neoplasms/surgery , Teratoma/pathology , Teratoma , Teratoma/surgeryABSTRACT
Os linfomas primários de vesícula biliar são extremamente raros. Relatamos caso de linfoma não-Hodgkin de grandes células B, primário da vesícula biliar, em paciente de 50 anos, do sexo masculino. Os sinais e sintomas foram náuseas, vômitos e emagrecimento de cerca de 8 Kg nos últimos meses, sudorese noturna e dor em cólica no quadrante superior direito do abdome. Na ultra-sonografia, observou-se vesícula biliar com presença de "barro" em seu interior. A colangiografia percutânea evidénciou imagem sugestiva de colecistite alitiásica, sendo realizadas laparotomia e colecistectomia. Os exames anatomopatológico e imunohistoquímico definiram o diagnóstico. Além da colecistectomia, realizou-se quimioterapia: ciclofostamida, hidroxorrubicina, vincristina e prednisona (protocolo CHOP). O paciente faleceu meses após o tratamento. Fez-se revisão da literatura referente ao tema.
Primary lymphomas of the gallbladder are extremely rare. One case of primary large B cells lymphoma of the gallbladder in a 50-year-old mak patient is described. Nausea, vomiting, weight loss (8 kg in the last few months), nocturnal sweating and pain in the right upper quadram of the abdomen were reported. Ultrasonographic examination showed "biliary sludge". Percutaneous cholangiographv revealed asuggestive image of acalculous cholecystitis. Laparatomy and cholecystectomy were performed. Histopathological examination and immunohistochemistry defined the diagnosis. Beyond cholecystectomy, chemotherapy was instituted: cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (CHOP protocol). lo spite of the treatment, the patient died a few months later.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin , Gallbladder/pathology , Cholecystitis/complicationsABSTRACT
A Giardia lamblia é um parasita intestinal cuja detecçäo pelo exame de fezes repetido pode falhar de 30 a 50 por cento dos casos. Nessa situaçäo, aspirado, citologia e biópsia duodenais säo considerados os melhores métodos para sua identificaçäo. Neste estudo, pesquisou-se a presença de G. lamblia em aspirado, citologia e biópsia duodenais de 90 pacientes näo selecionados que fizeram endoscopia digestiva alta de rotina, que foi encontrada em 5,9 por cento dos casos, no aspirado duodenal. A citologia e a histopatologia näo detectaram cistos ou trofozitos deste parasita. Em quatro pacientes com exame parasitológico de fezes negativo (EPF), o aspirado foi positivo, ratificando sua importância quando há suspeita clínica de giardíase e o EPF é negativo.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Child , Adolescent , Adult , Middle Aged , Giardia lamblia , Giardiasis/parasitology , Giardia lamblia , Feces , Biopsy, Needle , Endoscopy, Digestive SystemABSTRACT
Sabe-se que a administraçäo de álcool a gestantes tem efeito tóxico sobre o feto, entretanto a diluiçäo de fármacos e outras substâncias em soluçäo hidroalcoólica é frequente em experimentaçäo animal e pode ser causa de erros na avaliaçäo de resultados. Neste trabalho mostram-se os resultados da administraçäo se soluçäo hidroalcoólica a ratas, no período de fetogênese...
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Pregnancy , Adult , Rats , Abnormalities, Drug-Induced , Ethanol , Fetus , Rats, WistarABSTRACT
Os linfomas näo-Hodgkin primários da cérvix uterina säo extremamente raros. No presente artigo, os autores relatam um novo caso de linfoma primário deste sítio. O sintoma inicial da paciente foi menometrorragia. A biópsia da lesäo em colo uterino revelou linfoma de célula grande difusa, estadiado como Ie. Procedeu-se histerectomia e quimioterapia, mas a paciente apresentou metástase peritoneal, indo ao óbito meses depois.