Overexpression of the polarity protein PAR-3 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma is associated with poor prognosis.

The partition-defective 3 (PAR-3) protein is implicated in the development and maintenance of cell polarity and is associated with proteins that mediate the changes in cytoskeleton organization required for cell polarity establishment. In this work, we used two original primary cell lines (R-180 and R-305) derived from clear cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (ccRCC) surgical specimens of a patient with unfavorable clinical course (R-180 cells) and a patient with favorable prognosis (R-305 cells) to identify genetic and molecular features that may explain the survival difference of the two patients. The cytogenetic analysis of these cell lines revealed that the PARD3 gene was amplified only in the R-180 cell line that was derived from an aggressive ccRCC. PARD3 gene amplification was associated with overexpression of the encoded protein and altered cytoskeleton organization. Consistently, PARD3 knockdown in R-180 cells restored the cytoskeleton organization and reduced cell migration in comparison to non-transfected cells. Immunohistochemical analysis of ccRCC samples from a cohort of 96 patients with a follow-up of 6 years revealed that PAR-3 overexpression was correlated with poor survival. Our results suggest that PAR-3 has a role in the clinical aggressiveness of ccRCC, possibly by promoting cell migration.

Tomography and imaging at the PSICHE beam line of the SOLEIL synchrotron.

PSICHE (Pressure, Structure and Imaging by Contrast at High Energy) is the high-energy beam line of the SOLEIL synchrotron. The beam line is designed to study samples at extreme pressures, using diffraction, and to perform imaging and tomography for materials science and other diverse applications. This paper presents the tomograph and the use of the beam line for imaging, with emphasis on developments made with respect to existing instruments. Of particular note are the high load capacity rotation stage with free central aperture for installing large or complex samples and sample environments, x-ray mirror and filter optics for pink beam imaging, and multiple options for combining imaging and diffraction measurement. We describe how x-ray imaging techniques have been integrated into high-pressure experiments. The design and the specifications of the beam line are described, and several case studies drawn from the first user experiments are presented.

Follicular carcinoma of the thyroid metastasis to the kidney nine years after resection of the primary tumor.

The authors report a case of renal metastasis from a follicular carcinoma of the thyroid in 62 years-old man, occurring nine years after isthmolobectomy for thyroid carcinoma. Clinical symptoms radiographic results and treatment are discuss after reviewing literature.

Leiomyosarcoma of the renal pelvis.

We report a case of renal leiomyosarcoma arising from the renal pelvis with immunohistochemical confirmation of the diagnosis. In this instance clinical presentation and imaging finding are not helpful in accurately establishing the diagnosis preoperatively. Wide surgical excision would appear to be the treatment of choice.

Solitary contralateral renal pelvis metastasis 9 years after removal of renal adenocarcinoma.

Extremely rarely, renal cell carcinoma metastasizes to the contralateral renal pelvis or ureter. The present report concerns a case where a metastatic tumour was successfully removed from the left renal pelvis 9 years after right nephrectomy for the primary tumour.