[Pleomorphic fibrosarcoma].

263 tumors diagnosed as malignant fibrous histiocytomas and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas have been reassessed morphologically, immunohistochemically and ultrastructurally. The diagnosis of pleomorphic fibrosarcoma was made in 19 patients (5%). The tumors occur in the lower and upper extremities and trunk. The patients have a long history of painless intramuscular mass (for a median of 6 months). Follow up showed disease recurrence in 24% of patients and metastases in 32% of patients. All tumors consisted of spindle-shaped fibroblasts and myofibroblasts with a prominent rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus, extracellular collagen fibrils. Variable number of histiocite-like fibroblasts and undifferentiated cells were found. No other signs of tumor cell line differentiation were noted. A pleomorphic fibrosarcoma and malignant fibrous histiocytoma have similar clinical and radiographic manifestation and survival rates.

[Inflammatory fibrosarcoma: a clinical morphological study of six cases].

The report describes the clinical and morphological characteristics of inflammatory fibrosarcoma (6). Tumor occurred in the mediastinum, small pelvis and liver in patients aged 12-64 yrs. It featured infiltrative growth. Primary tumor relapsed in 2 cases, distant metastases - 4. Four patients died from tumor progression within 7-14 months after diagnosis. Tumors consisted of neoplastic fibroblasts and lymphofibroblasts with polymorphous nuclei and high mitotic activity.

[Infantile myofibroma and myofibromatosis: clinical and morphologic assessment of eighteen cases].

Infantile myofibroma (myofibromatosis) (IM) is a mesenchymal tumor of soft tissues of the head, extremities and trunk. It is characterized by relapse-free infiltrative growth. It consists of neoplastic myofibroblasts at varying stage of cell differentiation which form multi-structured tumor zones. IM's morphological differentiated diagnosis is established vis-a-vis other varieties of tumor and reactive nodular structures of fibroblasts, primarily, infantile hemangiopericytomas and desmoid fibromatosis. Immunohistological and ultrastructural examination of tumor is required for making correct diagnosis of IM.

[Sclerosing epithelial fibrosarcoma: a clinico-morphological evaluation of 10 cases].

Sclerosing epithelial fibrosarcoma is a malignant mesenchymal tumor (fibroblastic class). It involved tissues of the legs and trunk in patients aged 31-59 and grew slowly as an infiltrative neoplasm during 6-18 months. Relapse occurred in 20% although no metastases were reported. Tumor consisted of epithelial fibroblasts with light cytoplasm and mononuclei. The latter showed low mitotic activity. Fibroblasts came in clusters, bands and alveolar formations sitting in the fibrous stroma. There were small areas consisting of bundles of spindle-shaped fibroblasts with oval hyperchromatic nuclei. Differentiated analysis of epithelioid fibrosarcoma may also be done by computed microscopy and immunomorphology using other tumor models consisting of light-cytoplasm epitheloid cells, mostly osteosarcoma, clear-cell renal carcinoma, melanoma, synovial sarcoma and clear-cell sarcoma of the tendon sheath and aponeurosis.

[Histogenesis of infantile fibrosarcoma].

Eight cases of infantile deep soft tissue fibrosarcoma were examined. The tumor consists of neoplastic fibroblasts and myofibroblasts which differ from each other ultrastructurally. Well-differentiated collagen-forming neoplastic fibroblasts form one-half of infantile fibrosarcoma. Immunohistochemically and ultrastructurally immature embryonic-like fibroblasts were also identified. The latter closely resemble an embryonic perichondrial fibroblast of the embryonic limb during 6 weeks of development.

[Infantile hemangiopericytoma: a clinico-morphological study of 10 cases].

Infantile hemangiopericytoma (IH) is a rare mesenchymal tumor of the extremity and trunk soft tissues with medium potential grade. Its clinical course and prognosis on the basis of morphological evidence are unpredictable. IH consists of CD34-positive fibroblasts forming around fissural vessels. Some tumors feature non-hemangiopericytic structures. IH is morphologically identifiable by comparing with other infantile fibroblastic tumors, such as myofibroma and solitary fibrous tumor. Immunomorphological examination is essential to assure proper diagnosis of IH.

[Thermodynamic and hydrodynamic study of Bence-Jones proteins].

Four Bence-Jones proteins were investigated by CD, fluorescence and analytical ultracentrifugation methods at physiological conditions (10 mM phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, 100 mM NaCl). A joint analysis of optical melting curves for proteins and their fragments were demonstrated that protein VAD has reduced stability of its constant half, which correlates with the ability of both intact protein and its constant, rather than variable part to form amyloid fibrils. Data are reported which support the viewpoint that the detected decrease in the stability is caused by abnormal interaction between a pair of constant domains C(L).

[Diagnosis of micrometastases of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma].

Alveolar rhabgomyosarcoma is a highly malignant, small blue cell pediatric soft tissue tumor. Identification of micrometastases in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma is important because the poor prognosis associated with this subgroup necessitates a modified therapeutic regimen. Since the obtained lymph node specimen can be very small; rhabdomyosarcoma cells are not easily detected using conventional histological methods. To assess the value of myogenin staining in the diagnosis of micrometastases in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, the authors examined 36 lymph nodes from children bearing this tumor. Occult tumor cells were detected in 8 cases. The PAX3/7-FKHR gene fusion that resulted from chromosomal translocation in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma provided potential molecular diagnostic markers. Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to develop an assay capable of identifying RAX3/7-FKHR positive cells in the fresh lymph nodes. Thirty-six lymph nodes were examined and of them 17 lymph nodes had PAX3/7-FKHR fusion transcripts of alveolar rhadomyosarcoma cells. The study demonstrates that molecular RT-PCR detection of micrometastases is the most sensitive method for diagnosing alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma.

[Low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma: analysis of 8 cases].

The diagnosis of low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma was made in 8 patients. The lesions were 2-17 cm in the lower extremities and trunk. One patient had a long history of painless subcutaneous and intramuscular mass (median 1 year). All tumors showed predominantly the typical hypocellularity and cytologic features of typical low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma; however, the areas of hypercellularity and nuclear enlargement and hyperchromatism were identified. No necrosis and mitotic activity less than 2 mf/50 HPF were present. Ultrastructurally, the tumor composed of neoplastic fibroblasts. No other cell differentiation was identified. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells showed a positive response to vimentin and fibroblast antigen; no muscle-specific antigens were revealed. The Ki-67 labeling index with MIB-1 ranged 2-6%.

[Aggregation of C-reactive protein in solutions at acid pH]. / Agregatsiia C-reaktivnogo belka v rastvorakh pri kislom znachenii pH.

The hydrodynamic properties of the C-reactive protein (CRP) at different pH were studied using quasi-elastic light scattering, size-exclusion liquid chromatography, and nonreducing gel electrophoresis. It was shown that a CRP solution at pH 5.0-7.2 presents a polydisperse system the major component of which is the native pentameric CRP. At pH 4.0-4.5, CRP exists in two states having different hydrodynamic properties: the native pentameric form with a molecular mass of 120 kDa and with the hydrodynamic radius of 4.03 nm and high-molecular-weight aggregates with a wide range of their molecular weight distribution. The interaction of the C-reactive protein with monoclonal antibodies to it indicates that conformation-dependent surface epitopes of the protein lose the native structure at pH 5.0-5.5. The aggregation of CRP is an irreversible process, which begins in a narrow pH range of pH 5.0-4.5 and is not accompanied by the dissociation into subunits but is determined by intermolecular interactions of its quasi-native pentamers.

[Hydrodynamic parameters of native C-reactive protein molecule in a solution]. / Gidrodinamicheskie parametry molekuly nativnogo C-reaktivnogo belka v rastvore.

The hydrodynamic properties of the C-reactive protein in solution (pH 6.8) were studied using quasi-elastic light scattering and size-exclusion liquid chromatography. It was shown that the solution containing the C-reactive protein represents a polydisperse system. The values of the translation diffusion coefficient and the apparent molecular weight of the C-reactive protein in solution at pH 6.8 were determined. The values of the translation diffusion coefficient, molecular weight and the hydration radius obtained suggest that the native pentameric C-reactive protein is the major form of the protein in solution at pH 6.8.

[Treatment of burn surfaces by proteinases: mathematical description of an enzyme distribution]. / Obrabotka proteinazami poverkhnosti ozhogovykh ran: matematicheskoe opisanie raspredeleniia fermenta.

The process of penetration of a proteolytic enzyme applied to the surface of burn wound into the depth of necrotic tissue was considered. The model approximation describes three factors by a series of mathematical equations: inward-directed enzyme diffusion, counter-flow filtration of interstitial fluid (exudates), and irreversible inactivation of the enzyme by specific inhibitors present in exudates. According to the model, a quasi-stationary distribution of enzymatic activity through the thickness of the necrotic layer is achieved within 3 h and persists as long as the enzyme concentration on the wound surface is constant. The enzyme activity diminishes linearly from the wound surface to the mid-part of the necrotic layer. No enzyme activity is retained in the inner mid-part of the necrotic layer completely protected by the prevalent inhibitor. The ratio of enzyme concentration on the wound surface to inhibitor concentration in the interstitial fluid is the same as the ratio of the depth of active enzyme area to the depth of the inhibitor-protected area through the necrotic layer. The dynamics of accumulation of the active enzyme in the necrotic zone and the rate of enzyme inactivation in the wound by inhibitors were described by formulas applicable for practical purposes.

[Effect of Ca2+ ions on hydrodynamic properties of pentamer and decamer of C-reactive protein in solution]. / Vliianie ionov Ca2+ na gidrodinamicheskie svoistva pentamera i dekamera C-reaktivnogo belka v rastvore.

The molecular mass and sedimentation coefficient of native C-reactive protein in solution were determined by analytical ultracentrifugation in the presence and absence of calcium ions. Pentameric C-reactive protein was shown to be the major macroscopic form of this protein in solution. The removal of calcium ions from solution caused decompaction of the protein accompanied by changes in its hydrodynamic parameters. The sedimentation coefficient s20(0), w of pentameric C-reactive protein in solution containing 2 mM--Ca2+ (6.6S) exceeded that for C-reactive protein in solution containing 2 mM EDTA (6.4S). Analysis of average molecular masses Mw and Mz obtained from sedimentation data demonstrated that the solution of highly purified protein was not homogeneous. As shown by intermolecular crosslinking, the solution also contained the 241-kDa decamer of C-reactive protein (9.5S) as a separate macroscopic form, whose share hardly reached 10% in the presence of 2 mM Ca2+ and increased after removal of calcium ions. The decamers were shown to result from intermolecular association of the pentamers.

[Malignant central nervous system tumors are susceptible to specific antibodies]. / Zlokachestvennye opukholi tsentral'noi nervnoi sistemy mogut byt' dostupny dlia ataki spetsificheskimi antitelami.

The binding of circulating specific IgG to glioblastoma cells from brain tumor biopsies was shown using fluorescence conjugate Protein A-FITC and Western blotting. Blood-brain barrier permeability for antitumor antibodies in vivo in glioblastoma patients is suggested.

Combined surgical and immunotherapeutic treatment of patients with fourth stage colon cancer.

Sixty-five patients with the fourth stage colon cancer were subjected to the combined surgical and immunotherapy. The following conclusions are made: (1) surgical elimination of the bulk of tumor mass is a necessary prerequisite for effective immunotherapy; (2) vaccination with autological tumor cells accompanied with bacille bilié de Calmette-Guérin (BCG) as the adjuvant and with interleukin-2 as the immunostimulator effectively prevents metastasizing after successful surgery; (3) the vaccine must necessary contain living tumor cells adequately presenting tumor antigens; and (4) in some cases, immunotherapy causes undesirable autoimmune complications. They can be registered by corresponding inflammation control methods.