Cerebral Cortex Apoptosis in Early Aged Hypertension: Effects of Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate.

This study aimed to investigate cerebral cortex apoptosis on the early aged hypertension and the effects of green tea flavonoid epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Twenty-four rats were divided into three groups: a control Wistar-Kyoto group (WKY, n = 8), a spontaneously early aged hypertensive group (SHR, n = 8), and an early aged hypertension with EGCG treatment group (SHR-EGCG, n = 8; daily oral EGCG 200 mg/kg-94%, 12 weeks). At 48 weeks old, blood pressures (BPs) were evaluated and cerebral cortexes were isolated for TUNEL assay and Western blotting. Systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure levels in the SHR-EGCG were reduced compared to the SHR. The percentage of neural cell deaths, the levels of cytosolic Endonuclease G, cytosolic AIF (Caspase-independent apoptotic pathway), Fas, Fas Ligand, FADD, Caspase-8 (Fas-mediated apoptotic pathway), t-Bid, Bax/Bcl-2, Bak/Bcl-xL, cytosolic Cytochrome C, Apaf-1, Caspase-9 (Mitochondrial-mediated apoptotic pathway), and Caspase-3 (Fas-mediated and Mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathways) were increased in the SHR relative to WKY and reduced in SHR-EGCG relative to SHR. In contrast, the levels of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, p-Bad, 14-3-3, Bcl-2/Bax, Bcl-xL/Bak, and p-Bad/Bad (Bcl-2 family-related pro-survival pathway), as well as Sirt1, p-PI3K/PI3K and p-AKT/AKT (Sirt1/PI3K/AKT-related pro-survival pathway), were reduced in SHR relative WKY and enhanced in SHR-EGCG relative to SHR. In conclusion, green tea flavonoid epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) might prevent neural apoptotic pathways and activate neural survival pathways, providing therapeutic effects on early aged hypertension-induced neural apoptosis.

Chylous ascites as a manifestation of thyrotoxic cardiomyopathy in a patient with untreated Graves' disease.

BACKGROUND: Thyrotoxicosis is an uncommon cause of heart failure, and patients with heart failure rarely present with chylous ascites. In this report, we describe a patient with uncontrolled Graves' disease with thyrotoxicosis, heart failure, and chylous ascites. SUMMARY: A 39-year-old woman with no previous cardiac disease presented with dyspnea, orthopnea, palpitations, exophthalmos, goiter, distended abdomen, and pedal edema. The thyroid function tests demonstrated hyperthyroid Graves' disease (serum-free triiodothyronine level, 7.12 pg/mL [reference range, 2.0-4.0]; free thyroxine level, 4.33 ng/dL [reference range, 0.54-1.40]; thyroid-stimulating hormone level, <0.015 microU/mL [reference range, 0.34-5.60]; and thyrotropin receptor antibodies, 84.5% [reference value, <15%]). The chest radiograph showed moderate cardiomegaly and bilateral pleural effusions, electrocardiogram revealed atrial fibrillation, and the abdominal sonography found ascites. Chylous ascites was diagnosed by paracentesis and analysis of the ascitic fluid (triglyceride level, 347 mg/dL). Laboratory and imaging studies demonstrated no apparent hepatic dysfunction, abnormal tumor, lymphadenopathy, or lymphatic drainage deficit. With aggressive treatment of the heart failure and hyperthyroid state, her dyspnea, pleural effusion, chylous ascites, and edema resolved completely within a few days. CONCLUSIONS: Chylous ascites may develop as a result of heart failure secondary to thyrotoxic cardiomyopathy and resolve promptly if treated appropriately.

Fine needle aspiration cytology of mixed medullary-follicular thyroid carcinoma: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Mixed medullary-follicular thyroid carcinoma (MMFTC) is a rare tumor that has been regarded as a clinicopathologic variant of medullary thyroid carcinoma. MMFTC represents a diagnostic challenge by fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). CASE: A 77-year-old woman had a palpable mass on the left side of the neck. It was diagnosed as follicular neoplasm by FNAC; she underwent total thyroidectomy. Pathology revealed follicular carcinoma. Radioactive iodine was administered. An enlarging mass was present in the left mandible later. FNAC showed suspicious follicular neoplasm with predominance of oncocytic cells. Pathology revealed follicular carcinoma with parafollicular cell differentiation. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated positive status for thyroglobulin and calcitonin. Simultaneous expression of thyroglobulin and calcitonin within the same neoplastic cell was considered. She underwent several courses of radioactive iodine therapy without significant effect. Interestingly, her serum calcitonin level was not elevated. CONCLUSION: Coexpression of thyroglobulin and calcitonin in the same cell is very rare. The component of medullary carcinoma should be considered when encountering an atypical thyroid carcinoma with predominance of cells showing oncocytic changes on FNAC and with clinically poor response to conventional treatment. Immunohistochemistry and pathologic analyses are helpful to confirm the diagnosis, especially in the absence of elevated serum calcitonin level.

Fine needle aspiration cytology stained with Rius method in quicker diagnosis of medullary thyroid carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The cytologic features of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) have been described and documented in the literature. Most of the studies were related to the Papanicolaou stain or the May-Grnwald-Giemsa stain. The aim of the present study was to analyze detailed cytologic characteristics of MTC diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) stained with a quick method, Rius stain. METHODS: We collected the FNAC slides of 38 cases with MTC that were proven by surgical pathology. The cytologic findings were reviewed under a light microscope. The median age at diagnosis was 46.5 years, ranging from 13 to 83 years; 20 were women and 18 were men. Among them, seven cases were familial forms and the others were sporadic. RESULTS: The majority of these cases showed moderate to abundant cellularity. Small round cells, spindle-shaped cells and large oval to polygonal cells formed the usual components. Twenty-seven cases were categorized as pleomorphic cell type and 11 cases as monomorphic type. Except in one case, cohesive and clustered small round cells predominated in all cases, alone or coupled with cohesive spindle cells and/or scattered large oval to polygonal cells. The diagnosis of mixed medullary-follicular thyroid carcinoma was made in the case composed solely of grouped polygonal cells. Cytoplasmic granularities were noted in 14 cases and vacuolations were seen in eight. Binucleated and multinucleated cells were not uncommon, while intranuclear cytoplasmic inclusions were less frequent. The diagnostic sensitivity for MTC by FNAC was 89%. CONCLUSION: The distinctive cytopathologic characteristics of MTC by Rius stain allowed us to make the diagnosis in aspiration biopsies accurately and quickly.