Sphingosine kinase 1 regulates lysyl oxidase through STAT3 in hyperoxia-mediated neonatal lung injury.

INTRODUCTION: Neonatal lung injury as a consequence of hyperoxia (HO) therapy and ventilator care contribute to the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Increased expression and activity of lysyl oxidase (LOX), a key enzyme that cross-links collagen, was associated with increased sphingosine kinase 1 (SPHK1) in human BPD. We, therefore, examined closely the link between LOX and SPHK1 in BPD. METHOD: The enzyme expression of SPHK1 and LOX were assessed in lung tissues of human BPD using immunohistochemistry and quantified (Halo). In vivo studies were based on Sphk1-/- and matched wild type (WT) neonatal mice exposed to HO while treated with PF543, an inhibitor of SPHK1. In vitro mechanistic studies used human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HLMVECs). RESULTS: Both SPHK1 and LOX expressions were increased in lungs of patients with BPD. Tracheal aspirates from patients with BPD had increased LOX, correlating with sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) levels. HO-induced increase of LOX in lungs were attenuated in both Sphk1-/- and PF543-treated WT mice, accompanied by reduced collagen staining (sirius red). PF543 reduced LOX activity in both bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and supernatant of HLMVECs following HO. In silico analysis revealed STAT3 as a potential transcriptional regulator of LOX. In HLMVECs, following HO, ChIP assay confirmed increased STAT3 binding to LOX promoter. SPHK1 inhibition reduced phosphorylation of STAT3. Antibody to S1P and siRNA against SPNS2, S1P receptor 1 (S1P1) and STAT3 reduced LOX expression. CONCLUSION: HO-induced SPHK1/S1P signalling axis plays a critical role in transcriptional regulation of LOX expression via SPNS2, S1P1 and STAT3 in lung endothelium.

Intraplacental Hepatic Heterotopia.

Background: Placental hepatic heterotopia is a benign lesion with unclear histogenesis hypothesized to be of hepatocytic differentiation of yolk sac elements. Of the 14 hepatic heterotopia cases previously reported, 12 cases occurred in preterm labor.Case report: A case of intraplacental hepatic heterotopia in a 27-year-old female with pre-term delivery at 31 + 5 weeks gestational age is described. Histopathological examination revealed a well-demarcated lesion with cohesive, monotonous cells and pale to clear cytoplasm. The differential diagnoses of this lesion included benign, primary and metastatic malignant entities. The lesional cells expressed HepPar-1, CAM 5.2, Glypican-3, and AFP, consistent with cells of hepatic origin.Conclusion: Intraplacental hepatic heterotopia is associated with premature labor. Distinguishing this lesion from maternal and fetal malignancies with similar histopathological presentation has important clinical implications in patient care.

A Case of Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type II With Additional Balanced Translocation t(1;20)(p13;p11.2).

BACKGROUND: Osteogenesis imperfect (OI) type II is a genetic disorder of bone characterized by bone fragility, multiple fractures, severe bowing and shortening of long bones, and perinatal death due to respiratory insufficiency. It is mainly caused by mutations in the COL1A1 or COL1A2 genes, inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. CASE REPORT: A fetal form of this disorder that included brachydactyly, macrocephaly, frontal bossing, soft calvarium, saddle nose, micrognathia, low set ears, and narrow thoracic cavity is described. A postmortem skeletal survey revealed multiple fractures, unossified skull, and long crumpled bones. The fetal karyotype revealed a balanced translocation t(1;20)(p13;p11.2). DNA sequencing detected a c.3065G > T transversion in exon 42 of the COL1A1 gene, a mutation associated with OI type II. CONCLUSION: Although the balanced translocation t(1:20)(p13;p11.2) appears to be incidental in our case, identification of the specific mutation and translocation is important for estimation of genetic risk for another afflicted child.

Smad7 interrupts TGF-ß signaling in intestinal macrophages and promotes inflammatory activation of these cells during necrotizing enterocolitis.

BACKGROUND: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is an inflammatory bowel necrosis of premature infants. Based on our recent findings of increased Smad7 expression in surgically resected bowel affected by NEC, we hypothesized that NEC macrophages undergo inflammatory activation because increased Smad7 expression renders these cells resistant to normal, gut-specific, transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß-mediated suppression of inflammatory pathways. METHODS: We used surgically resected human NEC tissue, murine models of NEC-like injury, bone marrow-derived and intestinal macrophages, and RAW264.7 cells. Smad7 and IκB kinase-beta (IKK-ß) were measured by quantitative PCR, western blots, and immunohistochemistry. Promoter activation was confirmed in luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. RESULTS: NEC macrophages showed increased Smad7 expression, particularly in areas with severe tissue damage and high bacterial load. Lipopolysaccharide-induced Smad7 expression suppressed TGF-ß signaling and augmented nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation and cytokine production in macrophages. Smad7-mediated NF-κB activation was likely mediated via increased expression of IKK-ß, which, further increased Smad7 expression in a feed-forward loop. We show that Smad7 induced IKK-ß expression through direct binding to the IKK-ß promoter and its transcriptional activation. CONCLUSION: Smad7 expression in NEC macrophages interrupts TGF-ß signaling and promotes NF-κB-mediated inflammatory signaling in these cells through increased expression of IKK-ß.

Transforming growth factor-ß2 is sequestered in preterm human milk by chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans.

Human milk contains biologically important amounts of transforming growth factor-ß2 isoform (TGF-ß2), which is presumed to protect against inflammatory gut mucosal injury in the neonate. In preclinical models, enterally administered TGF-ß2 can protect against experimental necrotizing enterocolitis, an inflammatory bowel necrosis of premature infants. In this study, we investigated whether TGF-ß bioactivity in human preterm milk could be enhanced for therapeutic purposes by adding recombinant TGF-ß2 (rTGF-ß2) to milk prior to feeding. Milk-borne TGF-ß bioactivity was measured by established luciferase reporter assays. Molecular interactions of TGF-ß2 were investigated by nondenaturing gel electrophoresis and immunoblots, computational molecular modeling, and affinity capillary electrophoresis. Addition of rTGF-ß2 (20-40 nM) to human preterm milk samples failed to increase TGF-ß bioactivity in milk. Milk-borne TGF-ß2 was bound to chondroitin sulfate (CS) containing proteoglycan(s) such as biglycan, which are expressed in high concentrations in milk. Chondroitinase treatment of milk increased the bioactivity of both endogenous and rTGF-ß2, and consequently, enhanced the ability of preterm milk to suppress LPS-induced NF-κB activation in macrophages. These findings provide a mechanism for the normally low bioavailability of milk-borne TGF-ß2 and identify chondroitinase digestion of milk as a potential therapeutic strategy to enhance the anti-inflammatory effects of preterm milk.

Intestinal epithelial apoptosis initiates gut mucosal injury during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in the newborn piglet.

Neonates and young infants exposed to extracorporeal circulation during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and cardiopulmonary bypass are at risk of developing a systemic inflammatory response syndrome with multi-organ dysfunction. We used a piglet model of ECMO to investigate the hypothesis that epithelial apoptosis is an early event that precedes villous damage during ECMO-related bowel injury. Healthy 3-week-old piglets were subjected to ECMO for up to 8 h. Epithelial apoptosis was measured in histopathological analysis, nuclear imaging, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling. Plasma intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) levels were measured by enzyme immunoassay. Intestinal mast cells were isolated by fluorescence-assisted cell sorting. Cleaved caspase-8, caspase-9, phospho-p38 MAPK, and fas ligand expression were investigated by immunohistochemistry, western blots, and reverse transcriptase-quantitative PCR. Piglet ECMO was associated with increased gut epithelial apoptosis. Extensive apoptotic changes were noted on villus tips and in scattered crypt cells after 2 h of ECMO. After 8 h, the villi were denuded and apoptotic changes were evident in a majority of crypt cells. Increased circulating I-FABP levels, a marker of gut epithelial injury, showed that epithelial injury occurred during ECMO. We detected increased cleaved caspase-8, but not cleaved caspase-9, in epithelial cells indicating that the extrinsic apoptotic pathway was active. ECMO was associated with increased fas ligand expression in intestinal mast cells, which was induced through activation of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. We conclude that epithelial apoptosis is an early event that initiates gut mucosal injury in a piglet model of ECMO.

Targeting sphingosine kinase 1 attenuates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and progressive interstitial lung disease, wherein transforming growth factor ß (TGF-ß) and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) contribute to the pathogenesis of fibrosis. However, the in vivo contribution of sphingosine kinase (SphK) in fibrotic processes has not been documented. Microarray analysis of blood mononuclear cells from patients with IPF and SphK1- or SphK2-knockdown mice and SphK inhibitor were used to assess the role of SphKs in fibrogenesis. The expression of SphK1/2 negatively correlated with lung function and survival in patients with IPF. Also, the expression of SphK1 was increased in lung tissues from patients with IPF and bleomycin-challenged mice. Knockdown of SphK1, but not SphK2, increased survival and resistance to pulmonary fibrosis in bleomycin-challenged mice. Administration of SphK inhibitor reduced bleomycin-induced mortality and pulmonary fibrosis in mice. Knockdown of SphK1 or treatment with SphK inhibitor attenuated S1P generation and TGF-ß secretion in a bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis mouse model that was accompanied by reduced phosphorylation of Smad2 and MAPKs in lung tissue. In vitro, bleomycin-induced expression of SphK1 in lung fibroblast was found to be TGF-ß dependent. Taken together, these data indicate that SphK1 plays a critical role in the pathology of lung fibrosis and is a novel therapeutic target.

Preterm human milk contains a large pool of latent TGF-ß, which can be activated by exogenous neuraminidase.

Human milk contains substantial amounts of transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß, particularly the isoform TGF-ß2. We previously showed in preclinical models that enterally administered TGF-ß2 can protect against necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), an inflammatory bowel necrosis of premature infants. In this study we hypothesized that premature infants remain at higher risk of NEC than full-term infants, even when they receive their own mother's milk, because preterm human milk contains less bioactive TGF-ß than full-term milk. Our objective was to compare TGF-ß bioactivity in preterm vs. full-term milk and identify factors that activate milk-borne TGF-ß. Mothers who delivered between 23 0/7 and 31 6/7 wk or at ≥37 wk of gestation provided milk samples at serial time points. TGF-ß bioactivity and NF-κB signaling were measured using specific reporter cells and in murine intestinal tissue explants. TGF-ß1, TGF-ß2, TGF-ß3, and various TGF-ß activators were measured by real-time PCR, enzyme immunoassays, or established enzymatic activity assays. Preterm human milk showed minimal TGF-ß bioactivity in the native state but contained a large pool of latent TGF-ß. TGF-ß2 was the predominant isoform of TGF-ß in preterm milk. Using a combination of several in vitro and ex vivo models, we show that neuraminidase is a key regulator of TGF-ß bioactivity in human milk. Finally, we show that addition of bacterial neuraminidase to preterm human milk increased TGF-ß bioactivity. Preterm milk contains large quantities of TGF-ß, but most of it is in an inactive state. Addition of neuraminidase can increase TGF-ß bioactivity in preterm milk and enhance its anti-inflammatory effects.

Smad7 inhibits autocrine expression of TGF-ß2 in intestinal epithelial cells in baboon necrotizing enterocolitis.

Preterm infants may be at risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) due to deficiency of transforming growth factor-ß 2 (TGF-ß(2)) in the developing intestine. We hypothesized that low epithelial TGF-ß(2) expression in preterm intestine and during NEC results from diminished autocrine induction of TGF-ß(2) in these cells. Premature baboons delivered at 67% gestation were treated per current norms for human preterm infants. NEC was diagnosed by clinical and radiological findings. Inflammatory cytokines, TGF-ß(2), Smad7, Ski, and strawberry notch N (SnoN)/Ski-like oncoprotein (SKIL) was measured using quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, immunoblots, and immunohistochemistry. Smad7 effects were examined in transfected IEC6 intestinal epithelial cells in vitro. Findings were validated in archived human tissue samples of NEC. NEC was recorded in seven premature baboons. Consistent with existing human data, premature baboon intestine expressed less TGF-ß(2) than term intestine. TGF-ß(2) expression was regulated in epithelial cells in an autocrine fashion, which was interrupted in the premature intestine and during NEC due to increased expression of Smad7. LPS increased Smad7 binding to the TGF-ß(2) promoter and was associated with dimethylation of the lysine H3K9, a marker of transcriptional silencing, on the nucleosome of TGF-ß(2). Increased Smad7 expression in preterm intestine was correlated with the deficiency of SnoN/SKIL, a repressor of the Smad7 promoter. Smad7 inhibits autocrine expression of TGF-ß(2) in intestinal epithelial cells in the normal premature intestine and during NEC. Increased Smad7 expression in the developing intestine may be due to a developmental deficiency of the SnoN/SKIL oncoprotein.

Gut mucosal injury in neonates is marked by macrophage infiltration in contrast to pleomorphic infiltrates in adult: evidence from an animal model.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is an inflammatory bowel necrosis of premature infants. In tissue samples of NEC, we identified numerous macrophages and a few neutrophils but not many lymphocytes. We hypothesized that these pathoanatomic characteristics of NEC represent a common tissue injury response of the gastrointestinal tract to a variety of insults at a specific stage of gut development. To evaluate developmental changes in mucosal inflammatory response, we used trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced inflammation as a nonspecific insult and compared mucosal injury in newborn vs. adult mice. Enterocolitis was induced in 10-day-old pups and adult mice (n = 25 animals per group) by administering TNBS by gavage and enema. Leukocyte populations were enumerated in human NEC and in murine TNBS-enterocolitis using quantitative immunofluorescence. Chemokine expression was measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunoblots, and immunohistochemistry. Macrophage recruitment was investigated ex vivo using intestinal tissue-conditioned media and bone marrow-derived macrophages in a microchemotaxis assay. Similar to human NEC, TNBS enterocolitis in pups was marked by a macrophage-rich leukocyte infiltrate in affected tissue. In contrast, TNBS-enterocolitis in adult mice was associated with pleomorphic leukocyte infiltrates. Macrophage precursors were recruited to murine neonatal gastrointestinal tract by the chemokine CXCL5, a known chemoattractant for myeloid cells. We also demonstrated increased expression of CXCL5 in surgically resected tissue samples of human NEC, indicating that a similar pathway was active in NEC. We concluded that gut mucosal injury in the murine neonate is marked by a macrophage-rich leukocyte infiltrate, which contrasts with the pleomorphic leukocyte infiltrates in adult mice. In murine neonatal enterocolitis, macrophages were recruited to the inflamed gut mucosa by the chemokine CXCL5, indicating that CXCL5 and its cognate receptor CXCR2 merit further investigation as potential therapeutic targets in NEC.

Adolescent and Young Adult Oral Maxillofacial Tumors: A Single-Institution Case Series and Literature Review.

Adolescent and young adult (AYA) oral maxillofacial tumors are rare and account for ∼12% of all AYA cancers. Due to the low incidence of these malignancies, diagnostic considerations, therapeutic approaches, and factors affecting prognosis have been difficult to characterize. Given the anatomic structures located within the head and neck, patients are at risk for treatment-related morbidity that may adversely impact their quality of life. We present a single-institution case series of AYA patients with oral maxillofacial tumors treated at the University of Illinois at Chicago. A multidisciplinary treatment approach, including collaboration with the Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, Dentistry, and the Ear, Nose, and Throat teams along with the utilization of Children's Oncology Group treatment protocols, can serve as a model to address the challenges in the management of these complex cases.

Parotid oncocytoma: CT and pathologic correlation of a rare benign parotid tumor.

Oncocytoma, also known as oxyphilic adenoma or mitochondrioma of the parotid gland is a rare benign tumor constituting less than 1.5% of all parotid lesions. As there are no characteristic imaging findings, this lesion often poses a diagnostic and clinical challenge. We present a rare case of a parotid oncocytoma posing a diagnostic challenge in a 55-year-old woman presenting with a facial mass. We hope to bring awareness of this benign entity affecting the parotid gland.

Adrenal angiosarcoma with metastasis: Imaging and histopathology of a rare adrenal cancer.

Adrenal angiosarcoma is an extremely rare malignancy with few reported cases in the literature. Patients may be asymptomatic or have nonspecific complaints at presentation. There are no pathognomonic imaging findings, while histopathology can be confounding due to overlap with other disease processes. We present a case of a 38-year-old woman with a long history of cocaine abuse who had metastatic adrenal angiosarcoma at the time of presentation. The adrenal tumor was an incidental finding on imaging. CT demonstrated a heterogeneous mass in the right adrenal gland with central calcification, and MRI identified central necrosis in the mass. Histopathology demonstrated sheets of epithelioid cells, dilated anastomotic vascular spaces, and abundant necrosis, and immunohistochemistry was positive for various vascular markers. The findings were consistent with adrenal angiosarcoma. The patient underwent adrenalectomy and is now receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. Due to the aggressive nature of adrenal angiosarcoma, timely diagnosis and treatment is critical. This case adds to the sparse literature surrounding this disease by highlighting crucial imaging and histopathologic findings that will aid in more efficient diagnosis. Although rare, the disease should be considered in the context of suspicious adrenal lesions. In the future, structured review of all reported cases of adrenal angiosarcoma can help inform diagnosis and therapy for this rare disease.

Adult-onset ganglioneuroblastoma of the posterior mediastinum with osseous metastasis.

Ganglioneuroblastomas are a member of the neuroblastic family of tumors most commonly seen in children but they may also occur in adults. Ganglioneuroblastomas have metastatic potential and, like other neuroblastic tumors, osseous metastasis is possible. Imaging features of ganglioneuroblastomas tend to be variable. We describe a case of an adult female who developed a ganglioneuroblastoma of the posterior mediastinum that metastasized to the thoracolumbar spine, highlighting rarely documented osseous metastasis.

A novel TSC1 variant associated with tuberous sclerosis and sacrococcygeal teratoma.

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant disease associated with tumors and malformed tissues in the brain and other vital organs. We report a novel de novo frameshift variant of the TSC1 gene (c.434dup;p. Ser146Valfs*8) in a child with TSC who initially presented with a sacral teratoma. This previously unreported association between TSC and teratoma has broad implications for the pathophysiology of embryonic tumors and mechanisms underlying cellular differentiation.

Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma of the lung: a case report and review of the literature.

Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma is a rare carcinoma, most frequently seen in the salivary gland. There are no case reports in the pediatric population of isolated lung lesions. In this case report, we describe a 7-year-old patient with isolated lung epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma and the management of such a lesion.

Unusual Case of Malignant Struma Ovarii and Cervical Thyroid Cancer Preceded by Ovarian Teratoma: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

OBJECTIVE: To present a rare case of malignant struma ovarii (MSO) and synchronous thyroid cancer, review the medical literature, and present the latest trends in management. METHODS: The case of a woman with MSO and concomitant thyroid cancer is presented, including clinical presentation, treatment, and follow-up care. A search of the English-language literature was conducted using MEDLINE and Google Scholar data bases. RESULTS: We found 10 publications (one abstract) describing 10 patients with MSO and concomitant thyroid cancer. Six additional patients were reported by a study that analyzed the SEER (cancer registry) database. The median age of women was 42 years, with the majority of them presenting with abdominal symptoms. Histologically, most tumors were papillary carcinomas in both organs. In 5 patients, there was extrathyroidal tumor extension at time of surgery. CONCLUSION: MSO can occasionally coexist with highly aggressive eutopic thyroid cancer. Although this concurrence is even rarer than MSO, clinicians should routinely investigate for possible synchronous thyroid cancer in all cases of MSO and also consider aggressive postoperative treatment including thyroidectomy and radioiodine ablation therapy in cases of MSO.

A Rare Case of Thoracoschisis.

A term male baby, after delivery, was found to have a 3-centimeter beefy-red mass protruding from the left chest wall, adjacent to the left nipple. Radiological imaging suggested it's origin from the left lateral liver segment. A diagnostic laparoscopy confirmed the isolated connection to the liver, elevated left hemidiaphragm, and protrusion between the ribs. The mass was excised using electrocautery, and pathologic examination showed normal liver tissue.

Microvascular injury in persistent gastric ulcers after yttrium-90 microsphere radioembolization for liver malignancies.

Yttrium-90 microsphere radioembolization ((90)Y MRE) is a therapy for liver malignancies by permanently implanting (90)Y-containing microspheres into tumors via hepatic artery. The etiology of persistent gastric ulcerations in patients presenting months after treatment remains unclear. Three patients who presented with gastric ulceration 4 to 13 months after (90)Y MRE were examined by esophagogastroduodenoscopy and biopsies. Pathological examinations showed multiple (90)Y microspheres scattered within the lamina propria and submucosa. Most of the microspheres were distributed in a linear fashion, consistent with an intravascular location; however, the vascular lumen and endothelial cells were not present. The microspheres were surrounded by fibrotic tissue infiltrated by chronic inflammatory cells and rare neutrophils. Epithelial granulation without pititis and miniaturized glands with intervening fibrosis were noted, compatible with chronic ischemic changes. These findings suggest that the persistent gastric ulceration is a result of localized ischemic injury in response to (90)Y MRE-induced vascular damage.