[Disseminated infestation of Enterocytozooon bieneusi a an HIV-infected patient]. / Infestation disséminée à Enterocytozoon bieneusi chez un patient infecté par le VIH.

An HIV-positive patient developed disseminated Enterocytozoon bieneusi infection. The parasite was identified in stool, duodenal biopsy, nasal discharge, and sputum specimens using transmission electron microscopy. Albendazole therapy failed to improve the symptoms or eradicate the parasite. The patient survived for nine months after the diagnosis of E. bieneusi infection.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi multiorgan microsporidiosis in a HIV-infected patient.

Multiorgan microsporidiosis due to Enterocytozoon bieneusi was diagnosed in an HIV-infected patient. The parasite was found and identified as E. bieneusi by transmission electron microscopy in stools, duodenal biopsy, nasal discharge and sputum. No clinical improvement or parasite eradication was obtained after albendazole therapy, but the patient remained alive 9 months after diagnosis.

Ultrastructural changes in the duodenal mucosa induced by ingested histamine in patients with chronic urticaria.

Histamine in food may be responsible for some cases of food intolerance. We previously demonstrated disturbances in the metabolism of ingested histamine in patients with chronic urticaria (CU) and proposed that this could be related to increased intestinal permeability to histamine. The present study was undertaken to look for ultrastructural changes in the intestinal tract that might explain this abnormality. We examined duodenal biopsies from seven patients with CU before and after intraduodenal administration of histamine (120 mg). Five subjects had clinical symptoms (diarrhea, urticaria, headache, accelerated heart rate, and drop in blood pressure) within 1 h of duodenal histamine challenge (DHC). Ultrastructural changes, including edema of the interstitial tissue, enlargement of the basal intercellular spaces, slight congestion of the endothelial cells, and pericapillary edema, were observed in six subjects 45 min after DHC. In all the biopsies, the epithelium was normal, and the tight junctions were not modified by DHC. This morphologic study demonstrates that histamine can induce edema in the basal intercellular spaces of the duodenal mucosa and in the submucosa without evident change in the integrity of intercellular junctions. The most plausible route for histamine to have taken would appear to be an intracellular one.

[Scanning electron microscopic study of Campylobacter pylori and associated gastroduodenal lesions]. / Etude en microscopie électronique à balayage de Campylobacter pylori et des lésions gastroduodénales associées.

The detection of Campylobacter pylori was carried out with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) on 4,590 biopsies taken from 1,714 adult patients (1,348 duodenal biopsies, 1,690 antral biopsies and 1,552 fundic biopsies). The mucus was removed and the fragments of mucosa were then fixed with glutaraldehyde, dehydrated, critical point-dried with CO2 or hexamethyldisilazane, mounted, coated with gold, and observed with SEM. Under SEM, C. pylori was characterized by its spiral-shape (long form 2.5 to 6 microns) or by its curved-shape (short form 1.5 microns) and by its relatively constant diameter (0.5 micron). C. pylori was present in 671 patients (40 p. 100) and was found mainly in the fundus and antrum, near the neck of the gastric glands and at the level of the intracellular spaces. It was never present on the surface of enterocytes but was found in the 26 duodenal biopsies in the gastric metaplasia areas and on the surface of adjacent muciparous cells. The main epithelial lesions associated with C. pylori were of an erosive or desquamative type. The high definition observed using SEM allowed C. pylori to be distinguished from other microorganisms observed on the surface of the gastroduodenal mucosa: bacilli and cocci contaminants, Candida albicans, Giardia lamblia, spirochetes and other Campylobacters. SEM is a specific and rapid technique (less than 2 hours) which determines the morphology, localisation of bacteria as well as the associated lesions of the mucous cells.

[Evaluation of the histopathologic effects following subconjunctival injection of corticoids in immediate- and retard-action forms]. / Evaluation des effets histopathologiques secondaires aux injections sous-conjonctivales de corticoïdes en formes immédiates et retard.

We comparatively studied histopathologic impairments following subconjonctival injections of long and short acting corticosteroids and saline. 44 conjunctival biopsies were performed in the site of injection. The tissues were evaluated by light and electron microscopy. The histopathologic findings, following saline subconjonctival injection were very slight. On the other hand, histopathologic findings following corticoids injection, and particularly long action products, were remarkable. We noted crystalline deposits inclusions of drug particles in fibroblast and macrophages, loss of collagen definition and degenerative changes of these phagocytosing cells, with release of their cytoplasmic contents. Our findings are according with previous studies about long acting corticosteroids, supporting their relative histologic toxicity, by local way of administration.

Cellular uptake, cytotoxic and mutagenic effects of insoluble chromic oxide in V79 Chinese hamster cells.

The cellular uptake, the cytotoxicity and the induction of resistance to 6-thioguanine (6-TG) in Chinese hamster V79 cells exposed to insoluble crystalline trivalent chromium [Cr(III)], Cr2O3, were investigated. Intracytoplasmic Cr2O3 crystalline particle-containing vacuoles were observed by electron microscopy. Concentrations of 50-200 micrograms/ml did not have a marked killing effect but did show a predominantly concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on cell cycle progression with accumulation of cells in G2 phase. Exposure for 18 h to Cr2O3 induced a statistically significant (p less than 0.001) increase in the mutation frequency of up to 10-fold over the controls. Expression time was 6 days for the lowest concentration and 9 days for the highest. Culture of 6-TGr clones in selective media indicated that they were mutants at the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT) locus. Examination of growth patterns of Cr2O3-induced mutants showed that, after a delay in reinitiating cell growth, they had varying growth kinetics. The results indicate the ability of a particulate (Cr(III) compound to induce mutation in a mammalian cell system and the usefulness of such systems for detecting genotoxic insoluble metal compounds.

[Hyalinosis cutis and mucosae. Ultrastructural histochemical aspects indicating intracellular accumulation of glycosaminoglycans]. / Hyalinose cutanéo-muqueuse. Aspects histochimiques ultrastructuraux en faveur d'une surcharge intracellulaire en glycosaminoglycannes.

The exact nature of the genetic defect of hyalinosis cutis et mucosae or d'Urbach-Whiete syndrome is still matter of controversy. The present article reports on three new cases in which several different ultrastructural and biochemical investigations add more arguments to support an anomaly of the glycosaminoglycans degradation in the dermal fibroblasts. Cationic dyes as polyethyleneimine and alcian blue show an intense ultrastructural staining of the abnormal basal laminae and the intracellular lysosomal bodies in cultured fibroblasts. These are related to the accumulation of anionic charged proteoglycans. The primary defect of hyalinosis cutis et mucosae is likely due to a lysosomal defect so far not biochemically defined.

Familial hyperthyroidism without evidence of autoimmunity.

Thirty-four members of a single family were studied and 9 of them were found to be suffering from hyperthyroidism associated with diffuse goitre. Exophthalmos was absent and transmission seemed to be independent of HLA type. Four of the 9 were studied prior to treatment but in all cases serum immunoglobulin levels were normal, antithyroglobulin and antimicrosomal antibodies absent, thyroid stimulating antibodies negative and the lymphocyte transformation responses to mitogens not different from those of controls. The results of testing the euthyroid family members were similarly negative, except in the case of a woman with type I diabetes mellitus who showed a low titre of antimicrosomal antibody. Seven of the patients underwent subtotal thyroidectomy. Lymphocytic infiltration of the excised portion was rarely present. Four of the glands were subjected to immunofluorescent and electron microscopy but neither immunosecreting cells nor immune complex deposits were found. These results point to the existence of a non-autoimmune form of goitrous hyperthyroidism, different from Graves' disease.

[Familial presenile dementia: Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker's syndrome (author's transl)]. / Démence pré-sénile familiale: syndrome de Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker.

A similar affection has developed in eight members from four generations of a family living in the Alsace. The disease is characterized by the onset of a pyramidal, pseudobulbar syndrome and dementia during the third or fourth decade of life. The outcome is fatal after a mean period of three years. Cerebral biopsies in three cases have demonstrated multicentric amyloid plaques differing from senile plaques. Clinical and pathological findings are similar to those currently reported in the literature as being typical of Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker's syndrome. The affection appears as a separate entity: the multicentric plaques, clinical symptomatology, pyramidal or pseudobulbar, cerebellar syndromes, usually preceding dementia, age of onset, course, and familial character or the disorder distinguish it among presenile dementias. Its clinical profile and course are very similar to that of familial cases of Alzheimer's disease, some of which are probably cases of Gerstmann-Strässler-Scheinker's syndrome. Transmission to animals, though inconstant, places it within the group of transmissible dementias among kuru, Creutzfeldt-Jakob's, and familial forms of Alzheimer's disease. The familial nature of the affection and the variability of clinical and pathological features in the same family illustrate the complex relationships between hosts and pathogenic agents in the clinicopathological expression of a disease.

[Effect of diphenylhydantoin administered during gestation and lactation on the motor development and cerebellar histology of the young rat]. / Action de la diphénylhydantoïne administrée pendant la gestation et l'allaitement, sur le développement moteur et l'histologie du cervelet du jeune rat.

Rattus norvegicus females were treated by diphenylhydantoin (D.P.H.), all along pregnancy and lactation. 4 groups were constituted: a 100 mg DPH/kg/day group, a 50 mg DPH/kg/day group; a placebo group (treated with pure water), and control group. D.P.H. was given twice a day by a gastric tube. The cerebellar Purkinje cells studied through light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy in young rats (25 days old) showed no visible alteration. 2 motorcoordination tests were applied to the young rats, during their 2nd and 3rd weeks of post-natal life. Young rats of DPH 100, DPH 50 and placebo groups showed a backwardness relatively to control. This backwardness may be attributed to the maternal forced feeding stress, but not to a specific action of the DPH.

[Ultrastructural cytochemistry of human spermatozoa]. / Cytochimie ultrastructurale du spermatozoïde humain.

Enzymatic activities and repartition of glycoproteins were studied with electron microscopy in human ejaculated spermatozoa. Enzymatic activities are localised in the head of spermatozoon: arylsulfatase in the acrosome, acid phosphatase in the periacrosomal cytoplasm. Phosphotungstic acid at low pH and colloïdal iron allow detection of glycoproteins and acid groups on the sperm cell surface. Glycoproteins are present in the acrosome. These results are slightly different to those obtained in other species.

[Ultrastructural study of the follicular cells of the adenohypophysis of the chicken]. / Etude ultrastructurale des cellules folliculaires de l'adénohypophyse du poulet.

As in other species, a network of follicular cells linked together by functional complexes can be observed by electron microscopy in the adenohypophysis of the chick. No secretory granules are seen in the follicular cells. They are connected with each other by thin and long processes inserted between the glandular cells and the perivascular spaces. They limit, by their follicular pole, submicroscopic cavities of irregular size and shape. They are empty or occupied by a material of variable density. These cells exist very precociously in the embryo but their characteristic organisation to form a network is observed only on the 16th day of incubation. Our experimental study made it possible to evoke, as a number of other authors, that they play a role in the functions of support, exchange, transport of secretory material or phagocytosis.

Immunocytochemistry of pituitary corticotroph cells in terrestrial turtle (Testudo mauritanica). / Etude immunocytochimique des cellules corticotropes de l'hypophyse de la Tortue terrestre (Testudo mauritanica)

The immunocytochemical and histochemical characters of the corticotroph cells of the Turtle adenohypophysis have been studied. These cells are localised in the rostral part of the gland and are revealed by Is anti ACTH (1-24) and (17-39). They are also colored with lead hematoxyline and PAS-Orange G. The corticotroph nature of these cells is confirmed by the study of their modifications after treatment with amphenone and ACTH. The Is anti ACTH also reveal most of the cells of the pars intermedia; while the Is anti beta-MSH reveals only these cells and some scatter cells of the pars distalis.