Squamous cell carcinoma associated with endometriosis in the uterus and ovaries: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is a common benign gynecological disease that causes dysmenorrhea in women of childbearing age. Malignant tumors derived from endometriosis are rarely reported and are found in only 1% of all patients with endometriosis. Here, we report a well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) caused by squamous metaplasia of endometriosis that co-occurred in the uterus and ovaries. CASE SUMMARY: A 57-year-old postmenopausal woman had a 6-month history of irregular uterine bleeding. The uterus and adnexa were examined by computed tomography, and there were two solid cystic masses in the pelvis and right adnexa. Histological findings of surgical specimens showed well-differentiated SCC arising from squamous metaplasia of ectopic endometrial glands in the uterus and ovaries. The patient received chemotherapy after surgery and was followed up for 3 mo without metastasis. CONCLUSION: The continuity between ectopic endometrial glands and SCC supports that SCC originates from ectopic endometrial glands with metaplasia towards squamous epithelium.

Effects of tachyplesin on the regulation of cell cycle in human hepatocarcinoma SMMC-7721 cells.

AIM: To investigate the effects of tachyplesin on the cell cycle regulation in human hepatcarcinoma cells. METHODS: Effects of tachyplesin on the cell cycle in human hepatocarcinoma SMMC-7721 cells were assayed with flow cytometry. The protein levels of p53, p16, cyclin D1 and CDK4 were assayed by immunocytochemistry. The mRNA levels of p21(WAF1/CIP1) and c-myc genes were examined with in situ hybridization assay. RESULTS: After tachyplesin treatment, the cell cycle arrested at G0/G1 phase, the protein levels of mutant p53, cyclin D1 and CDK4 and the mRNA level of c-myc gene were decreased, whereas the levels of p16 protein and p21(WAF1/CIP1) mRNA increased. CONCLUSION: Tachyplesin might arrest the cell at G0/G1 phase by upregulating the levels of p16 protein and p21(WAF1/CIP1) mRNA and downregulating the levels of mutant p53, cyclin D1 and CDK4 proteins and c-myc mRNA, and induce the differentiation of human hepatocacinoma cells.

Effects of tachyplesin on the morphology and ultrastructure of human gastric carcinoma cell line BGC-823.

AIM:To investigate the morphological and ultrastructural changes in the human gastric carcinoma cell line BGC-823 after being treated with tachyplesin.METHODS:Tachyplesin was isolated from acid extracts of Chinese horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus) hemocytes. BGC-823 cells and the cells treated with 2.0mg/L tachyplesin were examined respectively under light microscope, scanning and transmission electron microscope.RESULTS: BGC-823 cells had undergone the restorational alteration in morphology and ultrastructure after tachyplesin treatment. The changes were as follows: the shape of cells was unanimous, the volume enlarged and cells turned to be flat and spread, the nucleo-cytoplasmic ratio lessened and nuclear shape became rather regular, the number of nucleolus reduced and its volume lessened,heter-chromatin decreased while euchromatin increased in nucleus. In the cytoplasm, mitochondria grew in number with consistent structure relatively, Golgi complex turned to be typical and well-developed,rough endoplasmic reticulum increased and polyribosome decreased. The microvilli at cellular surface were rare and the filopodia reduced while lamellipodia increased at the cell edge.CONCLUSION:Tachyplesin could alter the malignant morphological and ultrastructural charact-eristics of human gastric carcinoma cells effectively and have a certain inducing differen-tiation effect on human gastric carcinoma cells.