Safety Evaluation of Human Fibroblasts in Mice: Tumorigenicity, 13-week Toxicity and Distribution Studies / 한국실험동물학회지

Human fibroblasts were developed for cellular therapy with the aim of correcting of depressed scars, but the safety of that in vivo is unclear. In this study, we assessed the safety of human fibroblasts by investigating the tumorigenicity, 13-week toxicity and through distribution studies. In the tumorigenicity test, nude mice were divided into three dosage level treatment groups with a negative/positive control group. At 6 months after intradermal transplantation, all of the treatment groups showed no development of a nodule on the injection sites and organs. Toxicity studies were performed using ICR and BALB/c mice for 13 weeks. The mice were divided into three dosage level treatment groups with a control and a syngeneic group. There was no treatment-related effect on clinical signs, mortality, body weight, food/water consumption, hematology, serum biochemistry, urine, necropsy findings and histopathological findings in any groups. These results suggest that the no-observed-effect level (NOEL) of the human fibroblasts was greater than 7.5x10(7) cells/kg for mice. In the distribution study, groups were treated with fibroblasts labeled with a fluorescent dye (CM-DiI) at low and high doses with a control and a syngeneic group. At 24 hours, a large percentage of the labeled fibroblasts were observed at the dermal layer. At 3 months, fluorescence of the labeled fibroblasts continued to be observed. Other tissues were not detected the fluorescence at any time. These studies demonstrate that the safety of human fibroblasts is reasonable with no toxic effect, no tumorigenicity and retention in the dermis. Our studies define preclinical safety testing standards relevant to the development of cellular therapeutics.

Color Doppler Ultrasonographic Findings of Vascular Leiomyoma: Pathologic Correlation

PURPOSE: To evaluate the distribution of color flow signals on color Doppler ultrasonography of vascular leiomyomas and to correlate them with pathologic findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed color Doppler ultrasonographic images and pathologic slides of six vascular leiomyomas. We classified the patterns of distribution of color flow signals into localized compact cluster types and non-cluster types, and the pathologic findings into three subtypes: solid, venous and cavernous. RESULTS: All cases showed well-defined homogenous hypoechoic subcutaneous masses on gray-scale ultrasonography. Three cases showed localized compact cluster types on color Doppler ultrasonography, one in each subtype (solid, venous and cavernous). For the three non-cluster types, again there was on in each subtype. In addition, on pathologic analysis the zone of the localized compact cluster of color flow signals coincided with a cluster of larger, vascular caliber masses. CONCLUSIONS: Localized compact clusters of color flow signals on color Doppler ultrasonography were seen in 50% of our cases and correlated with a cluster of larger vascular caliber in the mass. But the pattern of distribution of color flows didn't show a correlation with pathologic type.

Ruptured Epidermal Inclusion Cyst in the Axilla: A Case Report

Epidermal inclusion cysts, the most common type of simple epithelial cyst, are typically well-encapsulated, subepidermal and mobile nodules. They may occur anywhere, but are mostly found on the scalp, face, neck, trunk, and back. Less than 10% of epidermal inclusion cysts occur on the extremities, and even fewer are found on the palms, soles, and breasts. If epidermal inclusion cysts rupture, foreign body reaction, granulomatous reaction or abscess formation could follow. We described here the sonographic findings of ruptured epidermal inclusion cyst of the right axilla in a 33-year-old woman who presented with a palpable axillary mass forming an inflammatory abscess. Address for reprints : Hak Hee Kim, M.D., Department of Radiology, Asan Medial Center, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine 388-1 Pungnap-2dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-736, Korea.

Bilateral Mucocele-like Tumors of the Breast Associated with Ductal Carcinoma In Situ and Mucinous Carcinoma: A Case Report

Mucocele-like tumor of the breast is a rare neoplasm and only a few cases of mucocele-like tumor have been reported on in Korea. These lesions were originally considered as being benign when they were first described, but now it is believed they can be both malignant and benign, and it is even possible that they are early lesions of mucinous carcinoma. We describe here both the mammographic and sonographic findings in a patient with bilateral mucocele-like tumors that were associated with ductal carcinoma in situ and mucinous carcinoma.