A Study of Arginase Expression in Chronic Non-healing Wounds.

Arginase expression has been recently shown to increase in numerous disease states like neurodegeneration, inflammation, and malignancies. Although it has been found to be functionally important in various disease pathologies, little is known about its role in wound healing. Here, we look at the expression of arginase and its isoforms in chronic non-healing wounds and also study the expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and oxidative stress enzymes in them. Wound tissues and blood samples were collected at the time of index presentation and follow-up from 61 chronic non-healing wound cases. The expression patterns of arginase isoenzymes, NOS, superoxide dismutases (SOD), lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH), and catalase were examined by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunohistochemistry, and western blot analysis at the transcript and protein level. We reported a significant decrease of serum arginase levels in chronic nonhealing wounds in the progress of wound healing. Interestingly, tissue arginase levels were found to be increased with improved wound condition at follow-up. Tissue NOS, LDH, and catalase activity were also found to be increased with the progress of healing, whereas SOD levels were downregulated. Our findings reported increased expression at the transcript level of arginase-I and arginase-II in chronic non-healing wounds for the first time. In conclusion, we observed decreased serum arginase levels in completely healed patients as compared to non-healed cases. Our study findings support the hypothesis that inhibition of the activity of arginase delays wound healing. Arginase and iNOS may also find their place in the future as possible biomarkers for wound healing.

Adult cystic nephroma masquerading urothelial carcinoma of a calyceal diverticulum.

We report a complex cystic renal lesion in a 34-year-old man who presented with haematuria. It was managed by laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy as it mimicked urothelial carcinoma.

Laparoscopic resection of a large mixed epithelial-stromal tumour of the seminal vesicle: a rare entity and review of the current literature.

Mixed epithelial-stromal tumours (MESTs) of the seminal vesicle (SV) are a rare neoplasm, with biological behaviour ranging from benign to malignant. Due to their rarity, there are no established guidelines for their treatment. We report a 37-year-old man with a large MEST of the SV which was successfully resected by laparoscopic transperitoneal approach. Amidst the controversy regarding the nomenclature and grading of MESTs in literature, we reclassified the previous reports of MESTs incorporating both the WHO and Reikie et al grading.