Identification of Lipomatous Metaplasia in a Cortisol-secreting Adrenocortical Adenoma Treated With Mifepristone.

Adrenal adenomas are benign tumors of the adrenal cortex that may secrete excess hormones, such as cortisol. They are most commonly discovered during imaging studies for unrelated problems. Lipomatous metaplasia is a rare degenerative change in adrenal adenomas, characterized by the presence of adipose tissue and hematopoietic elements within the tumor. In this report, we present a case of an adrenal adenoma with lipomatous metaplasia in a patient with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and type II diabetes mellitus. The discovery of this adrenal mass was prompted by an evaluation of the patient's progressive hirsutism. The tumor was found to be secreting cortisol, leading to Cushing syndrome. The patient subsequently underwent surgical resection of the mass after being treated with mifepristone. The histopathological examination confirmed it to be an adrenal cortical neoplasm with lipomatous metaplasia, characterized by uncertain malignant potential. The patient did well postoperatively. Three months after left adrenalectomy, the patient's hirsutism, A1c, and hypertension improved, allowing a reduction in antihypertensives. Her body mass index stabilized, her triglyceride decreased, and her dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate level normalized. She continued to do well at follow-up visits. Overall, this was a rare case of a functioning adrenal adenoma with lipomatous metaplasia, presenting both diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.

Fabrication of a Low-Cost Microfluidic Device for High-Throughput Drug Testing on Static and Dynamic Cancer Spheroid Culture Models.

Drug development is a complex and expensive process from new drug discovery to product approval. Most drug screening and testing rely on in vitro 2D cell culture models; however, they generally lack in vivo tissue microarchitecture and physiological functionality. Therefore, many researchers have used engineering methods, such as microfluidic devices, to culture 3D cells in dynamic conditions. In this study, a simple and low-cost microfluidic device was fabricated using Poly Methyl Methacrylate (PMMA), a widely available material, and the total cost of the completed device was USD 17.75. Dynamic and static cell culture examinations were applied to monitor the growth of 3D cells. α-MG-loaded GA liposomes were used as the drug to test cell viability in 3D cancer spheroids. Two cell culture conditions (i.e., static and dynamic) were also used in drug testing to simulate the effect of flow on drug cytotoxicity. Results from all assays showed that with the velocity of 0.005 mL/min, cell viability was significantly impaired to nearly 30% after 72 h in a dynamic culture. This device is expected to improve in vitro testing models, reduce and eliminate unsuitable compounds, and select more accurate combinations for in vivo testing.