The influence of bromocriptine on the ultrastructure of the biceps femoris muscle in mice.

Bromocriptine and other dopaminergic agonists drugs are used in Parkinson's disease. In this paper we have studied the ultrastructure of striated muscle of mice after bromocriptine treatment. There was a tremendous increase in the number and size of mitochondria, as well as a very notable increase in the cristae. Some ultrastructure changes were also noted at the neuromuscular junctions. An explanation has been attempted in the light of other investigations concerning the relationship of microtubules and bromocriptine on the one hand, and microtubules and mitochondria on the other.

Ultrastructural study of the urothelial lysosomal system in patients with transitional cell carcinoma after transurethral resection and interferon therapy.

The epithelial cells of human bladder urothelium contain a prominent lysosomal system on the surface layer which involves autophagic, phagocytotic and excretory processes. The noninvolved urothelium of tumor-bearing patients, however, does not contain this well-developed lysosomal system. Interferon restores the differentiation of the urothelium. Its action on the lysosomal system, however, has not been investigated. We studied ultrastructurally the noninvolved urothelium of eight patients with transitional cell carcinoma who after transurethral resection and intravesicular interferon instillations for 2 years did not develop recurrence. We noted that the number and size of lysosomes increased, being most numerous within the cells of the surface layer. Characteristic large lysosomes with the morphology of multivesicular bodies were also evident. These multivesicular bodies were almost entirely filled with small vesicles containing a dense core. Our findings show that after 2 years of interferon administration a re-appearance of a highly developed lysosomal system of the noninvolved urothelium was evident. This restoration to the normal morphology with reappearance of the lysosomal system, which could be partly attributed to interferon therapy, may be of clinical significance for prevention of tumor recurrence.

The influence of bromocriptine on the ultrastructure of cultured T47D (human breast cancer) cells.

Following a previous ultrastructural study of untreated T47D human breast cancer cells, we studied the influence of bromocriptine on the same cell line with the electron microscope. Our results suggest that bromocriptine exerts a direct effect on the morphology of T47D cells, which after treatment were better preserved. Some morphological evidence was noted hinting that colchicine and bromocriptine may have some similar properties. It is possible that the T47D cell line is biologically responsive to bromocriptine and therefore it is a potentially useful model for studies on the mechanism of action of bromocriptine on the morphological level in human breast cancer.

Effect of bromocriptine on the ovarian cycle of two inbred strains of mice.

Mice of the C3H/Sy (high incidence of spontaneous mammary cancer) and AKR/Sy (low incidence of spontaneous mammary cancer) inbred strains, which have different hormonal profiles, were injected daily with bromocriptine for 1 month. The treatment increased the duration of the ovarian cycle of the AKR/Sy mice, whereas that of the C3H/Sy mice was not affected. It is suggested that the effect of bromocriptine on the ovarian cycle depends on the concentrations of plasma progesterone reached in each strain of mouse.

The effect of bromocriptine on the lactotroph cells in two inbred strains of mice C3H/Sy and AKR/Sy.

This paper deals with the effect of bromocriptine on the morphology and the number of lactotrophs in two inbred strains of mice, one with a high and the other with a low mammary cancer incidence. Bromocriptine decreases the number of lactotrophs in C3H mice while their number in AKR is not affected. These observations suggest that bromocriptine affects the two strains in a different way, probably due to their different prolactin levels in the pituitary. The above treatment resulted also in a shrinking of the RER and a reduction in size of prolactin granules, probably due to a decline in the secretory activity of lactotrophs. Of special interest was the appearance of a 'new' cell type with mixed characteristics of somatotrophs and lactotrophs. These findings, along with an increase in the number of chromophobes, suggest that bromocriptine can induce cell regression. Probably the 'new' cell is an intermediate form between chromophobes and lactotrophs and somatotrophs.

The influence of age of culture on the morphology of T47D cells.

The cell line T47D is extensively used as model in studying the role of hormones in human breast cancer. On the other hand the study of their morphology is largely incidental and does not take into account the age of culture. We studied therefore the morphology of T47D cell line with the electron microscope from the third day of culture to the seventh without adding new medium and serum to find out if the age of culture affects their characteristics. Our results suggest that there is a constant change of the cell morphology and architecture. Thus some cell organelles as the nucleus, tonofilaments, endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria and intercellular secretory ductules are affected by the age of culture. Also we observed signs of degeneration, necrobiosis and even necrosis on the seventh day of culture. These observations suggest that the age of culture of these cells should be taken into account in experiment planning.

Fibroadenoma-like foci in human prostatic nodular hyperplasia.

A morphologically distinctive lesion similar to fibroadenomas in female breast was found in 12 cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia out of 1356 prostatic specimens examined. All of them were from patients older than 60 years of age, and none from either normal or carcinomatous prostates. A possible pathogenetic interrelationship between the prostatic lesion and the fibroadenomas of female breast is discussed.

New aspects on the topography of the tendon of the long head of the biceps brachii muscle. One more stabilizer factor of the shoulder joint.

There are little variations in descriptions on the origin of the tendon of the long head of the biceps brachii muscle, in the classical text books of Anatomy. Most authors define as the main origin of the tendon of the long head of the biceps brachii muscle, the supraglenoid tubercle and adjoining part of the glenoid labrum of the scapula. In the present study we found that the origin of the tendon of the long head of the biceps brachii muscle extended towards almost the whole periphery of the glenoid cavity on the glenoid labrum except from a small area near to the supraglenoid tubercle.

Note on the ultrastructure of the Guérin T-8 transplantable tumour.

The ultrastructure of the Guérin tumour T-8 is described. Although this transplantable tumour has its ancestry in an uterine adenocarcinoma, there is no more evidence of gland formation. Desmosomes, or any other form of cell attachment organelle, were totally absent. The tumour has now a very anaplastic sarcomatous appearance.

Natural killer cell activation after interferon administration in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma: an ultrastructural and immunohistochemical study.

OBJECTIVE: We studied the intralesional number of natural killer (NK) cells and the ultrastructural evidence of their activation in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma, after preoperative interferon (IFN) administration. METHODS: Tumor sections from 10 patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma who received preoperative IFN (5 MU x 3 days) and from 10 patients with renal cell carcinoma were obtained. The number of NK cells was estimated immunohistochemically in paraffin sections with the CD57 monoclonal antibody and their activation was evaluated ultrastructurally by routine electron microscopy processing. RESULTS: The number of NK cells was increased in the tumors of the IFN-administered patients (5.3 cells vs. 1.6 in the controls, p = 0.03) while their ultrastructural features revealed activation and enhanced cytolytic activity, through facilitation of granule content release. CONCLUSIONS: IFN promotes the aggregation and activation of NK cells within the renal cell tumor, further strengthening the concept of its immunomodulatory activity.

A new approach combining interferon and bromocriptine LA to prevent spontaneous mouse mammary carcinoma.

The development of spontaneous mammary carcinoma in C3H mice is mainly attributed to an oncogenic virus (MMTV) and the high prolactin levels of this inbred strain. Interferon (IFN) reduces the incidence of mammary carcinoma in virgin C3H mice when administered during lactation. Bromocriptine LA, an antiprolactin drug, also decreases the incidence of this tumor in C3H mice. The combined action of mouse IFN-alpha + beta and bromocriptine LA had a significant anticarcinogenic effect more significant than either of the above agents administered independently. This antitumor action was effective in virgin C3H mice only.

Further observations on the vascular system of the gallbladder in man.

The authors present an experimental study of the vascularization of the gallbladder, which was conducted by means of corrosion casting technique. Casts of the vessels of all calibers of 20 gallbladders were prepared. Our observations concern the morphology of the arteries and the veins of the gallbladder, the architecture of the fine vessels of the microcirculation, the vascular communications between the gallbladder and the proximal part of the liver and, also, the vessels of the latter.

Immunohistological phenotyping of the stomach infiltrating lymphocytes in chronic gastritis.

Subsets of lymphocytes infiltrating the gastric mucosa were phenotyped by their surface antigens in biopsies of 30 patients with chronic gastritis (12 with superficial, 9 with atrophic gastritis and 9 with gastric atrophy) and 10 controls. Using direct and indirect immunofluorescent staining, monoclonal antibodies OKT3, OKT4, OKT8, OKB7, antiLeu11b and anti-IL-2 receptor were employed to detect T cell subsets, B cells, NK cells and activated cells. Most of the infiltrating lymphocytes were T cells expressing the CD4 phenotype. B cell proportions were found to increase in relation to the severity of the gastric lesion. IL-2 receptor positive cells were significantly increased in superficial gastritis. These findings indicate an involvement of T cells in the pathogenesis of chronic gastritis. Furthermore, the predominance of CD4 positive cells together with the increase of B cells parallel to the severity of the gastric lesion possibly support the concept of a T-B cooperation leading to tissue damage.

Ultrastructural study of the noninvolved urothelium of tumor-bearing patients after two years of intravesical interferon therapy.

OBJECTIVE: Seventeen patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder were studied. Twelve patients did not have a recurrence 2 years after a transurethral resection (TUR) followed by interferon (IFN)-alpha 2b treatment. This observation led us to study the ultrastructural morphology of the noninvolved urothelium in 8 of the above 12 patients. METHODS: All patients had a primary solitary grade I or II tumor. Topical therapy was started after TUR. Each patient received a total of 22 instillations of 50 MU IFN-alpha 2b in 12 months according to the standard procedure. After the first year, a repetitive dose of 50 MU IFN-alpha 2b was administered every 2 months for a period of 1 more year. RESULTS: At the end of therapy, certain ultrastructural modifications were observed indicating a partial restoration of the urothelium: the existence of asymmetric unit membrane, a well-developed Golgi apparatus and an increase of the filaments. The cells were joined to each other with well-developed tight junctions. Tubuloreticular inclusions were also observed. CONCLUSIONS: Prevention of recurrence by restoring the morphology of the noninvolved urothelium in response to IFN treatment deserves further examination.

The ultrastructure of the noninvolved urothelium of tumor-bearing patients before and after interferon treatment.

The ultrastructural morphology of the noninvolved urothelium of tumor-bearing patients before and after interferon-alpha 2b (IFN-alpha 2b) treatment was investigated. The ultrastructure of the normal bladder urothelium has been reported. The noninvolved urothelium of our patients already showed deviation from the normal. At the end of therapy, we noted a partial restoration of the urothelium to its normal morphology with the reestablishment of some of its normal features, i.e., a well-developed Golgi apparatus, the existence of parts of the asymmetric unit membrane, and the appearance of nuclear bodies. Prevention of tumor recurrence by restoring the ultrastructural morphology of the noninvolved urothelium with IFN-alpha 2b is a subject worthy of further investigation.