Changes in the Morphological and Immunological Characteristics of Mel Ibr Melanoma Cells in Response to Chicken Embryo Extract.

Exposure of Mel Ibr human melanoma cells to chicken embryo extract resulted in the appearance of a subclone with morphological and growth characteristics similar to those of embryonic stem cells. The subclone differed from the parental line cells by a sharply reduced percentage of HLA-DR(+) and CD54(+) cells, a significantly elevated percentage of CD63(+) cells, and appearance of CD133(+) and Oct-4A(+) cells. Hence, the subclone cells were characterized by the same features as stem tumor cells and could be responsible for further progress of tumor growth.

[Melanoma cell lines as the basis for antitumor vaccine preparation].

The aim of the study was to obtain cell lines from tumor samples, and to determine phenotypic cell characteristics in order to choose the optimal line for vaccine preparation. 15 cell lines with stable growth, varying in cultural growth character and cytomorphology, were obtained from samples taken from patients with metastatic skin melanoma. Immunofluorescense method was used to determine the expression of T- and B-lymphocyte markers, antigens of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II, and CD86 co-stimulating molecule in the cell lines. The expression of melanocyte differentiation antigens and cancer/testicular antigens was evaluated using immunocytochemical assay. The results allowed the authors to distinguish three types of melanoma cell lines according to the expression of MHC molecules: MHC-negative; MHC class I positive; MHC classes I and II positive.

[A toxicological study of the preparation Phytomix-40]. / Toksikologicheskoe izuchenie preparata Fitomiks-40.

The results of toxicological evaluation of the new plant preparation Phitomix-40 (PM-40) used in the treatment of cancer are presented. To prevent a patient's individual immunological responsiveness to some phytoadaptogens, the preparation comprises 40 plant extracts (Rhodiola r. L.; Juniperus C. L.; Helichrysum a. L; Viburnum o. L., etc.). Animal experiments demonstrated that PM-40 had a low toxicity; LD50 was more than 20 and 15 ml/kg for rats and mice, respectively.

[Changes in the mechanical integration of transitional epithelial cells and in the immune status of patients with bladder tumors]. / Izmenenie mekhanicheskoi integratsii kletok perekhodnogo épiteliia i immunnogo statusa bol'nykh s opukholiami mochevogo puzyria.

Mutual adhesiveness of urothelial tissue cells have been studied in healthy donors and patients with benign and malignant bladder tumors. The decreased mutual adhesiveness has been shown not only for tumors, but for surrounding urothelial tissue as well. Urothelial tissue integration, T-cell immunity and parameters of leukocyte integrins were affected most of all in bladder tumor stage T2 and T3. Basing on these findings, the authors recommend conservative therapy only in superficial bladder cancer.

[Steroid hormone receptors in spontaneous testicular tumors in dogs]. / Retseptory steroidnykh gormonov v spontannykh opukholiakh iaichka u sobak.

Cytoplasmic receptors to androgens (AR), estrogens (ER), progesterone (PR) and glucocorticoids (GR) were studied in tumors and normal tissue of the testis in dogs. Peculiarities of distribution of receptors were assessed versus age and tumor histology. Benign Leydig cell tumors failed to reveal AR and ER. ER were more often detected in benign Sertoli cell tumors. Malignant seminomas and Sertoli cell tumors were characterized by higher occurrence and levels of AR, GR and PR than their benign counterparts. The results obtained can be used in studies of the activity of newly developed hormonal antitumor drugs against testicular tumors in dogs.

[The morphological characteristics of lymphoid hemoblastoses in dogs]. / Morfologicheskaia kharakteristika limfoidnykh gemoblastozov sobak.

125 autopsy cases of hemoblastoses in dogs are studied, their morphology was adequate to that in humans. Lymph proliferative diseases are more frequent in dogs. New morphological variants of lymphoid hemoblastosis are distinguished, which have not been yet included into the WHO International Histologic Classification of tumours in domestic animals.

[Electron microscopic detection of the proteoglycan component of the extracellular matrix in osteogenic sarcomas]. / Elektronno-mikroskopicheskoe vyiavlenie proteoglikanovogo komponenta vnekletochnogo matriksa osteogennykh sarkom.

Electron-microscopic studies in which Alcian blue was used to demonstrate proteoglycans (PG) revealed a predominance of largely undifferentiated tumor cells in two of the osteosarcomas examined; the extracellular matrix of these tumors had few PG-containing structures. Other osteosarcomas, where cells of the osteoblastic type prevailed, were found to possess PG granules on the cell surface and a rough PG network in the pericellular space. In a parosteal osteosarcoma, which contained strongly elongated fibroblast-like cells, PG formed a fine mesh both in the pericellular space and throughout the extracellular matrix. A correlation therefore exists between the ultrastructure of the PG component in the extracellular matrix of osteogenic sarcomas and the degree and direction of tumor cell differentiation.

[Ultrastructure of the proteoglycan component of the extracellular matrix in the intact mammary gland and in benign and malignant mammary gland tumors]. / Ul'trastruktura proteoglikanovogo komponenta vnekletochnogo matriksa v intaktnoi molochnoi zheleze, a takzhe v ee dobrokachestvennykh i rakovykh opukholiakh.

Proteoglycans (PG) were revealed by electron microscopy using cation dyes, Alcian blue and safranin O. In intact mammary gland of dogs, each histogenetic type of cells had its specific features in the ultrastructure of pericellular matrix proteoglycan component. A thin-stitched net, consisting of small PG granules and thin filaments has been observed in the pericellular space of secretory epithelium. A well-proportioned PG net is absent near fibroblasts and macrophages. Net-like PG structure is found in the endothelium, pericytes and adventitial cells of blood capillaries. Visual changes in PG-containing extracellular matrix are observed in the epithelium of mammary gland tumors.

[Clinico-morphological analysis of spontaneous testicular tumors in dogs]. / Kliniko-morfologicheskii analiz spontannykh opukholei iaichka u sobak.

The study of 83 cases of testicular tumours in dogs based on the International Histological Classification of tumours in domestic animals (WHO) has shown that these tumours can be divided into three groups: sex cord-stromal tumours (43.3%), germ cell tumours (36.3%) and multiple primary tumours (20.4%). The latter consisted of germ cell and sex cord-stromal components. Choriocarcinomas and teratomas were not found. By morphological criteria and histogenesis testicular tumours in dogs have shown to be very similar to analogous tumours in humans.

[Steroid hormone receptors in malignant mammary gland tumors in dogs]. / Retseptory steroidnykh gormonov v zlokachestvennykh opukholiakh molochnykh zhelez sobak.

The content of estrogen (ER) and progesteron receptors (PR) were studied as related to histological type, the degree of malignancy and growth rate of spontaneous canine mammary carcinomas. No correlation was found between the ER and PR amount, histological type and degree of malignancy. Inverse correlation was detected between ER and PR and the growth rate. These results correspond to those obtained for human mammary tumours. Therefore canine mammary carcinomas can be considered as an adequate model for experimental therapy of this type of tumours.

[Immunomorphological identification of myoepithelial cells in mixed tumors of the mammary gland in dogs]. / Immunomorfologicheskaia identifikatsiia mioépitelial'nykh kletok v smeshannykh opukholiakh molochnoi zhelezy u sobak.

Myoepithelial cells (MC) in mixed tumors of the mammary gland in dogs were identified with the Coons indirect method with the aid of monospecific antiserum to smooth muscle myosin. In 2 of 5 observations, anaplastic carcinoma and adenocarcinomas were detected in the presence of a mixed tumor. Immunochemical study of the myoepithelium demonstrated varying fluorescence intensity and ununiform pattern of MC distribution in tumor tissue of the mammary gland. MC were detected in lobular structures in the form of islet accumulations or diffuse vegetations from cells with a poorly fluorescent rim of the cytoplasm. In the ducts with papillary epimyoepithelial proliferations, MC occupied the peripheral position, showing bright fluorescence of the cytoplasm and hypertrophied processes. The fluorescence intensity decreased as MC displaced towards the stroma or lumen of the ducts. The changeability of specific staining of the myoepithelium may attest to different levels of cell differentiation. The presence of immature forms of MC in mixed tumors is likely to be due to the modulatory character of cell differentiation and is determined by the totality of factors that apparently play the triggerring part in derepression of the genes of specific synthesis of smooth muscle proteins in undifferentiated cells of the epithelium of the terminal ducts and alveoli.

[Types of myoepithelial cell proliferation in dyshormonal breast dysplasias and benign breast tumors]. / Tipy proliferatsii mioépitelial'nykh kletok pri disgormonal'nykh displaziiakh i dobrokachestvennykh opukholiakh molochnoi zhelezy.

Myoepithelial cells (MC) were identified and types and forms of their hyperplasia in dysplasias and bening mammary gland tumors in dog and man were studied by indirect Coons' method using highly purified monospecific antiserum to smooth muscle myosin and by performing alkaline phosphatase test. Operation material from 75 patients and 12 dogs was studied by immunohistochemical method and from 26 persons and 12 dogs by histochemical method. Comparative analysis of immunohistochemical and histochemical identification of MC revealed differences in the results of staining in 7 out of 38 observations due to negative test for alkaline phosphatase in the presence of fluorescence. A high degree of coincidence of positive tests in immunohistochemical and histochemical methods of the study suggests that the test for alkaline phosphatase is a sufficiently reliable marker of MC. The principal similarity of types and forms of MC hyperplasia in canine and human mammary gland tissue indicates that dogs may be used as an adequate model for the study of various diseases of this organ. In addition to the known centripetal and centrifugal types, a uniformly concentric and smooth-muscle proliferations of MC were distinguished in parallel immunohistochemical and histochemical studies on variants of MC proliferation.