Bronchoalveolar neutrophils, interferon gamma-inducible protein 10 and interleukin-7 in AIDS-associated tuberculosis.

During advanced AIDS tuberculosis (TB) often presents atypically with smear-negative and non-cavitary disease, yet immune features associated with this change are poorly characterized. We examined the local immune response in a cohort of Tanzanian AIDS-associated TB patients who underwent bronchoalveolar lavage. TB infection was confirmed in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid by culture, probe and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Among TB patients CD4 count correlated positively with the extent of cavitary disease as well as BAL TB load (qPCR C(T)). TB patients had significantly higher granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) than non-TB patients, and those with non-cavitary TB had significantly higher BAL interferon gamma-inducible protein (IP-10) and interleukin (IL)-7 than those with cavities. BAL neutrophils were as prevalent as monocytes/macrophages or epithelial cells, and immunohistochemistry revealed that neutrophils, monocytes/macrophages, and epithelial cells were major sources of the IP-10 and IL-7. These data suggest a dysregulated cytokine profile may contribute to the TB of advanced AIDS.

CD8(+) T cell-mediated injury in vivo progresses in the absence of effector T cells.

Tissue injury is a common sequela of acute virus infection localized to a specific organ such as the lung. Tissue injury is an immediate consequence of infection with lytic viruses. It can also result from the direct destruction of infected cells by effector CD8(+) T lymphocytes and indirectly through the action of the T cell-derived proinflammatory cytokines and recruited inflammatory cells on infected and uninfected tissue. We have examined CD8(+) T cell-mediated pulmonary injury in a transgenic model in which adoptively transferred, virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) produce lethal, progressive pulmonary injury in recipient mice expressing the viral target transgene exclusively in the lungs. We have found that over the 4-5 day course of the development of lethal pulmonary injury, the effector CTLs, while necessary for the induction of injury, are present only transiently (24-48 h) in the lung. We provide evidence that the target of the antiviral CD8(+) T cells, the transgene expressing type II alveolar cells, are not immediately destroyed by the effector T cells. Rather, after T cell-target interaction, the type II alveolar cells are stimulated to produce the chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein 1. These results reinforce the concept that, in vivo, the cellular targets of specific CTLs may participate directly in the development of progressive tissue injury by activating in response to interaction with the T cells and producing proinflammatory mediators without sustained in vivo activation of CD8(+) T cell effectors.

Vulvar melanoma: a retrospective analysis and literature review.

OBJECTIVE: This review focuses on current directions in the staging and treatment of melanoma of the vulva. METHODS: All women treated for invasive melanoma of the vulva at the University of Virginia Health Sciences Center from 1980 through 2000 were identified through a retrospective review of the records of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology. Their treatments and outcomes were then analyzed and presented. RESULTS: Over the 20-year study period, 14 cases of melanoma of the vulva were identified. Of the 14 patients treated with curative intent, 6 developed recurrences following the completion of primary therapy, and all are dead from their disease. The mean duration from completion of therapy to recurrence was 7.5 months; the mean survival following recurrence was 17 months. CONCLUSION: One-centimeter skin margins appear adequate for vulvar melanomas <1 mm thick, and 2-cm margins appear adequate for intermediate-thickness melanomas (1-4 mm). In all cases it is necessary to include at least a 1-cm-deep margin extending through the subcutaneous fat to the muscular fascia below. Elective node dissection seems to offer no additional advantage in superficial lesions <0.76 mm thick, and its role in deeper lesions is still uncertain.

The role of vascular endothelial growth factor in the tissue specific in vivo growth of prostate cancer cells.

Despite the fact that cancer cells can be found in many vascular beds, continued growth of the metastatic tumor focus exhibits a significant degree of 'organ tropism', with only certain organs exhibiting the ravages of metastatic disease. Since a limiting factor to the growth of metastases beyond 2 mm in diameter, may be a lack of angiogenesis, we sought to determine whether tumor overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a potent angiogenic factor related to prostate cancer metastasis, is causally related to organ specific tumor growth in a prostate cancer xenograft model. LnCaP-C4-2 is a subline of the human prostate cancer cell line LnCaP which unlike its parent, has a predilection for growth in bone, a common site for human prostate cancer metastasis. LnCaP-C4-2, is tumorigenic when injected intrafemorally in mice but requires co-injection of stromal components (Matrigel) to be tumorigenic in the subcutaneous site. Because of this site-specific tumorigenicity profile and relatively low VEGF mRNA and protein expression, this line was transfected with a full length cDNA encoding the 165 isoform of VEGF. Cells either overexpressing or not expressing the transfected gene were selected for study in vivo and in vitro. Overexpression of VEGF did not seem to affect in vitro cell growth. Such overexpression did affect tumorigenicity and in vivo tumor growth rates when cells were inoculated in the subcutaneus site. Interestingly, the dependency of subcutaneous tumorigenicity on Matrigel co-inoculation was still observed in cells overexpressing VEGF. In contrast to the impact that VEGF overexpression has on subcutaneous tumorigenicity, no such effect was observed when cells were inoculated in orthotopic/prostate (primary) or intrafemoral (metastatic) sites. In view of the importance of tumor-stromal interactions in growth of xenografts, we sought to determine if the host strain is important to the observed tumorigenicity effects of VEGF overexpression. No differences in subcutaneous tumorigenicity as a function of either Matrigel use or VEGF expression levels were observed when SCID/bg and RAG/pfp mouse strains were compared. In conclusion, our data indicate that the biological impact of prostate tumor VEGF overexpression is organ/site specific, leading to the speculation that it may play a part in the observed organ tropism of metastatic spread. In addition, these results highlight the importance of the tumor microenvironment in determining the biological impact of transfected and overexpressed genes in the study of tumor biology.

HPV for cervical cancer screening: is the era of the molecular pap smear upon us?

Based on the best estimates of the prevalence of human Papillomavirus infection in the United States, the overall HPV prevalence in the target population is approximately 20%. The prevalence varies greatly with age, being as high as approximately 50% in the third decade to less than 5% in the sixth. These data have implications for a discussion about the utility of human Papillomavirus testing as a screening procedure.(J Histochem Cytochem 49:1197-1198, 2001)

Discrepancies in clinical laboratory testing of eligibility for trastuzumab therapy: apparent immunohistochemical false-positives do not get the message.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have reported what seem to be false-positive results using the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved HercepTest (Dako Corp, Carpinteria, CA) to profile Her-2/neu amplification and overproduction in breast carcinoma. False-positive status has been based on comparisons with gene copy enumeration by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and with comparisons to immunohistochemistry (IMH) results using a monoclonal antibody. However, simple overexpression by tumor cells that have normal gene copy has not been evaluated by profiling mRNA expression, ie, such cases could simply represent true-positive, transcriptionally upregulated overexpression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four hundred infiltrating ductal carcinomas of breast were evaluated by IMH using monoclonal (CB11; Ventana Medical Systems, Inc, Tucson, AZ) and polyclonal (HercepTest; Dako) antibodies after antigen retrieval (AR). A polyclonal antibody sans AR (PCA/SAR) was also used. All IMH stains were evaluated and scored according to the guidelines for the FDA-approved HercepTest. A total of 145 of 400 carcinomas were subsequently evaluated by direct and digoxigenin-labeled (Dig) FISH, and 144 of 400 were evaluated by detection of mRNA overexpression via autoradiographic RNA:RNA in situ hybridization. RESULTS: Overall HercepTest/CB11 IMH discordance was 12%. Expression of mRNA was highly concordant with FISH and DigFISH amplification and with CB11 and PCA/SAR immunohistology. IMH false-positive cases (no Her-2/neu gene amplification) occurred with both HercepTest (23%) and CB11 (17%), and the majority of false-positive results (34 of 44) were scored as 2+. All 2+ false-positive cases were mRNA-negative. Combined results of HercepTest and CB11 showed that 79% (38 of 48) of 3+ cases were Her-2/neu gene amplified, but only 17% (seven of 41) of 2+ cases had increased gene copy. CONCLUSION: Discordant HercepTest/FISH results, and to a lesser extent discordance with CB11 IMH, are most commonly false-positive results with a score of 2+. The 2+ score as defined in the guidelines for the FDA-approved HercepTest should not be used as a criterion for trastuzumab therapy unless confirmed by FISH. Determination of Her-2 gene copy number by FISH may be a more accurate and reliable method for selecting patients eligible for trastuzumab therapy.

Interobserver reproducibility of cervical cytologic and histologic interpretations: realistic estimates from the ASCUS-LSIL Triage Study.

CONTEXT: Despite a critical presumption of reliability, standards of interpathologist agreement have not been well defined for interpretation of cervical pathology specimens. OBJECTIVE: To determine the reproducibility of cytologic, colposcopic histologic, and loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) histologic cervical specimen interpretations among multiple well-trained observers. DESIGN AND SETTING: The Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance-Low-grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion (ASCUS-LSIL) Triage Study (ALTS), an ongoing US multicenter clinical trial. SUBJECTS: From women enrolled in ALTS during 1996-1998, 4948 monolayer cytologic slides, 2237 colposcopic biopsies, and 535 LEEP specimens were interpreted by 7 clinical center and 4 Pathology Quality Control Group (QC) pathologists. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: kappa Values calculated for comparison of the original clinical center interpretation and the first QC reviewer's masked interpretation of specimens. RESULTS: For all 3 specimen types, the clinical center pathologists rendered significantly more severe interpretations than did reviewing QC pathologists. The reproducibility of monolayer cytologic interpretations was moderate (kappa = 0.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.44-0.48) and equivalent to the reproducibility of punch biopsy histopathologic interpretations (kappa = 0.46; 95% CI, 0.43-0.49) and LEEP histopathologic interpretations (kappa = 0.49; 95% CI, 0.44-0.55). The lack of reproducibility of histopathology was most evident for less severe interpretations. CONCLUSIONS: Interpretive variability is substantial for all types of cervical specimens. Histopathology of cervical biopsies is not more reproducible than monolayer cytology, and even the interpretation of LEEP results is variable. Given the degree of irreproducibility that exists among well-trained pathologists, realistic performance expectations should guide use of their interpretations.

Chairpersons of pathology in the United States. Benchmarks for academic publications and professional credentials.

Chairpersons of pathology often are viewed as departmental role models in academic medical centers. To objectify this view, we undertook a systematic survey of publication records and professional certification among 126 chairpersons in the United States. The median of the total number of scientific publications by the cohort was 105 since graduation from medical school, and the median yearly number of peer-reviewed papers was 3.34 per person (mean, 4.25). A random 10% of the study population was analyzed further with reference to the percentage of publications that reflected basic science research; 41% of the total literature contributions of this subgroup fit that description, and only 38% of the chairpersons in the subgroup had 80% or more non-service-related publications. Of all chairpersons, 85% had obtained primary board certification in anatomic pathology, clinical pathology, or both, and 25% of the group had earned at least 1 subspecialty board certificate in addition. These numbers reflect an evolution in the professional backgrounds of chairpersons of pathology such that demands for academic scholarship and proficiency in hospital practice and management seem to pertain to that group.

Sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma: immunohistochemical profile and lack of EBV association.

The role of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the development of sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC) remains unresolved. Reports of EBV-positivity in SNUC may reflect inclusion of lymphoepithelioma-like carcinomas within this group. In addition, SNUC have been incompletely characterized immunohistochemically, and their undifferentiated appearance often requires such ancillary studies to aid in their distinction from other high-grade neoplasms. To address these two issues, 25 cases of SNUC diagnosed between the years 1983 and 1999 were selected from our files. EBER in situ hybridization (ISH) was performed on the paraffin-embedded tissue by using 3H-labeled EBER-1 RNA probes. Neoplasms with sufficient tissue (22 of 25) were evaluated immunohistochemically for Ki-67, p53, chromogranin, synaptophysin, placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP), CD99, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and latent membrane protein-1 (LMP-1). The median patient age was 58 years (range, 20-81 years), with a male-to-female ratio of approximately 3:1. The most common tumor location was the nasal cavity (18 cases), followed by the ethmoid and maxillary sinuses. Median survival was 18 months. All 25 tumors were negative for EBER-I by ISH. Ki-67 was negative in one case, 1+ in nine, 2+ in six, 3+ in five, and 4+ in one. P53 was negative in nine, 1+ in five, 2+ in two, 3+ in none, and 4+ in six. CD99 expression was strongly positive in 3 of 22 (14%) and completely negative in the remainder. Variably intense focal staining for EMA was present in 4 of 22 (18%). NSE faintly stained 4 of 22 (18%). Chromogranin, synaptophysin, PLAP, CEA, and LMP-1 were negative (0 of 22). Our results suggest that EBV does not play a role in the development of SNUC. Strict histologic criteria are necessary to avoid confusion with lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma or other high-grade malignancies in this region. The finding of occasional CD99-positive cases adds SNUC to the growing list of CD99-positive neoplasms.

Vulvar keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma in a 26-year-old woman.

A 26-year-old Hispanic woman complaining of "itching" and "herpetic lesions" on the vulva for 9 months was seen at a university hospital. On physical examination, multiple vulvar masses were noted. Biopsies taken from these lesions showed invasive keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma. The vulvectomy specimen revealed 4 tumor masses, the largest located on the mons pubis. Although the incidence of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia has increased in recent years, only very few cases of invasive carcinoma have been reported in young women. The tumors that occur at a younger age characteristically have basaloid or warty histology, in contrast to those occurring in older women, which usually are well-differentiated keratinizing carcinomas. We believe this is an unusual case of vulvar squamous cell carcinoma. In addition to our patient's young age, her tumor had a histologic profile usually found in lesions of an elderly woman. The tumor was negative for human papillomavirus by polymerase chain reaction analysis and was positive for p53 by immunohistochemistry.

Pediatric angiosarcoma of the heart: a unique presentation and metastatic pattern.

We report the seventh case of angiosarcoma of the heart in a child. The patient was a 23-month-old female who presented for lower extremity limping and underwent open surgical biopsy of the femur. Immediately postoperatively, she developed pericardial tamponade, and a bulky intracardiac mass was discovered as the underlying cause. The mass was composed of highly pleomorphic tumor cells reactive for the endothelial markers CD31, CD34, and factor VIII-related antigen (FVIII-RA). Staging evaluation revealed widespread metastases involving the brain, ovaries, and bone marrow. She died of complications of metastatic disease 8 months following initial presentation. Unusual features of this case include the young age of the patient, left-sided nature of the cardiac tumor, presentation secondary to metastatic disease, and the pattern of metastases. The literature on cardiac angiosarcoma, which is limited to six case reports in the pediatric population, is also reviewed.

Alveolar epithelial cell chemokine expression triggered by antigen-specific cytolytic CD8(+) T cell recognition.

CD8(+) T lymphocyte responses are a critical arm of the immune response to respiratory virus infection and may play a role in the pathogenesis of interstitial lung disease. We have shown that CD8(+) T cells induce significant lung injury in the absence of virus infection by adoptive transfer into mice with alveolar expression of a viral transgene. The injury is characterized by the parenchymal infiltration of host cells, primarily macrophages, which correlates with physiologic deficits in transgenic animals. CD8(+) T cell-mediated lung injury can occur in the absence of perforin and Fas expression as long as TNF-alpha is available. Here, we show that the effect of TNF-alpha expressed by CD8(+) T cells is mediated not exclusively by cytotoxicity, but also through the activation of alveolar target cells and their expression of inflammatory mediators. CD8(+) T cell recognition of alveolar cells in vitro triggered monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) expression in the targets, which was mediated by TNF-alpha. Antigen-dependent alveolar MCP-1 expression was observed in vivo as early as 3 hours after CD8(+) T cell transfer and depended upon TNF-R1 expression in transgenic recipients. MCP-1 neutralization significantly reduced parenchymal infiltration after T cell transfer. We conclude that alveolar epithelial cells actively participate in the inflammation and lung injury associated with CD8(+) T cell recognition of alveolar antigens.

Spermatid-specific expression of the novel X-linked gene product SPAN-X localized to the nucleus of human spermatozoa.

Formation of mature spermatozoa involves a series of dramatic molecular and morphological changes in the male germ cell lineage. These changes result from the temporally regulated transcription and translation of several testis-specific gene products. Here, we describe a novel, testis-specific protein designated SPAN-X for sperm protein associated with the nucleus on the X chromosome. SPAN-X sequences showed no significant similarity with known cDNA or peptide sequences. The SPAN-X peptide sequences contained three overlapping consensus nuclear localization signals, a high percentage (33%-37%) of charged amino acid residues, and a relatively acidic isoelectric point (pI; 4.88-6.05). Northern analysis of mRNA from multiple human tissues identified a SPAN-X transcript exclusively in the testis. In situ hybridization of human testes sections showed SPAN-X mRNA expression in haploid, round, and elongating spermatids. The SPANX gene was mapped to chromosome Xq27. 1 by fluorescence in situ hybridization and by Southern blot analysis of human/mouse somatic cell hybrids. On Western blots of human sperm proteins, antirecombinant SPAN-X antibodies reacted with broad bands migrating between 15-20 kDa. Immunofluorescent labeling of human spermatozoa demonstrated SPAN-X localization to nuclear craters and cytoplasmic droplets. Expression of SPAN-X, an X-linked gene product, exclusively in haploid spermatids leads to interesting questions regarding the transcription of sex-linked genes during spermiogenesis.

Differential expression and regulation of estrogen receptors (ERs) in rat pituitary and cell lines: estrogen decreases ERalpha protein and estrogen responsiveness.

Estrogen (E) regulates the synthesis and secretion of several pituitary hormones during the reproductive cycle in a cell- and promoter-specific manner. One mechanism underlying cell specificity is the differential expression of estrogen receptor (ER) isoforms. We used in vivo and in vitro rodent pituitary cell models to examine the expression and regulation of ERalpha, ERbeta, and the pituitary-specific ERalpha isoform, truncated estrogen receptor product-1 (TERP-1). In cycling female rat pituitaries, ERbeta messenger RNA (mRNA) levels fell 40% on the morning of proestrus and were suppressed by E or dihydrotestosterone in ovariectomized females. In lactotrope and gonadotrope cell lines (GH3, RC4B, LbetaT2), progesterone (P) or P plus E also suppressed ERbeta. TERP-1 mRNA increased 3-fold at proestrus and in response to E treatment in vivo and in cell lines. ERalpha mRNA levels were not regulated significantly by any treatment in vivo or in cell lines. However, E suppressed ERalpha protein levels in vivo and in cell lines, and reduction of ERalpha protein levels by E or the antiestrogen ICI182,780 reduced E-stimulated transcriptional activation of the PRL promoter in GH3 cells. TERP-1 and ERbeta protein levels were low to undetectable in cell lines, but E stimulated TERP-1. Because E treatment decreases ERbeta mRNA and ERalpha protein and increases levels of TERP-1 (which can suppress ERalpha/beta activity), the dynamic steroid-induced changes in ER expression in the rat pituitary during the midcycle gondaotropin/PRL surge may provide a means for ovarian steroids to limit positive feedback.

Advances in cervical screening technology.

The Pap smear unquestionably is a successful screening test for cervical cancer. However, recent advances in technology have raised questions regarding whether the conventional Pap smear is still the standard of care. This article relates issues of screening and cost-effectiveness to the state of the art in thin layer preparations, cytology automation, human papillomavirus screening, human papillomavirus vaccines, and other cervical screening adjuncts. Perhaps nowhere in medicine is clinical decision making being more strongly influenced by market and other external forces than in cervical cytopathology.

Polymorphism at codon 72 of p53 is not associated with cervical cancer risk.

P53 allelic polymorphism at codon 72 has been studied as a possible predisposing factor for cervical carcinogenesis with inconsistent results. Storey and colleagues recently published the interesting finding of a 7-fold increased risk for cervical cancer in women homozygous for the arginine allele at codon 72. This stimulated a number of independent investigations, the majority of which found no association of cervical cancer and arginine homozygosity. With the use of a modified Storey method for determining codon 72 allelotypes, DNA was examined from 431 microdissected, formalin-fixed, archival cervical conization specimens ranging from low-grade squamous lesions to invasive cancer. An alternative independent method using restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was performed on all arginine homozygotes and all indeterminate cases for confirmation and final allelotype assignment. With the use of Storey's method alone, logistic regression suggested an association (odds ratio, 1.42) between arginine homozygosity and invasive disease. However, with the use of the combined method for accurate allelotyping, this trend disappeared (odds ratio, 1.00), the discordance was clearly resolvable as being due to methodologic variables. With the use of two separate methods for codon 72 allelotyping and accounting for a number of the issues raised in previously published reports, there is no increased risk for invasive cervical cancer associated with arginine homozygosity at codon 72 of p53.