Paratesticular liposarcoma: the clinicopathological features of nineteen cases / 中华病理学杂志

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features and differential diagnoses of paratesticular liposarcoma. Methods: The cases were collected from 2012-2020, from the archives of the Department of Pathology, Peking University Third Hospital, with diagnosis confirmed by histology, immunostaining and FISH tests. Results: Totally 19 patients were enrolled (including 11 in-hospital patients and 8 consultant cases). The patients aged 37-84 years (mean 57 years). The preoperative clinical diagnoses were spermatic cord/inguinal masses (nine patients), scrotal masses (seven patients), and inguinal hernia (three patients). Six lesions recurred after local resection, including one case extending from pelvic liposarcoma. Histologically, there were 10 cases of well-differentiated liposarcoma (WDLPS) and nine cases of dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLPS). WDLPSs mostly showed the combined features of lipoma-like, inflammatory and sclerosing subtypes (six patients); the other four WDLPSs had pure lipoma-like subtype features. DDLPSs were low-grade (three patients) or high-grade (six patients), with the morphology resembling myxofibrosarcoma, inflammatory myofibroblastoma, spindle cell sarcoma, pleomorphic undifferentiated sarcoma and pleomorphic liposarcoma. Intense inflammatory cells infiltration was commonly observed in five WDLPSs and two DDLPSs. Ossification was observed in three tumors. Immunohistochemically, the tumors were positive for MDM2 (8/10) and CDK4 (10/10), which were expressed in lipo-differentiating cells, spindle cells in WDLPS, and in dediffferentiated components. S-100 was only expressed by lipocytes (10/10). CD34 expression was positive and diffuse in the stromal cells of WDLPSs and focal or diffuse in dedifferentiated areas (10/10). FISH tests with an MDM2 gene probe were positive (12/12). Conclusions: Paratesticular liposarcoma may be overlooked by both clinicians and pathologists. WDLPS and DDLPS predominate, showing various histologic divergences. The presence of amplification of the 12q14-q15 region (containing the MDM2 and CDK4 genes) is helpful for making the correct diagnosis.

Effect of curcumin on the learning, memory and hippocampal Ca+/CaMK II level in senescence-accelerated mice / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore effect of curcumin in different concentrations on learning and memory of senescence-accelerated mice (SAM) and their possible mechanisms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Mice were randomly divided into six groups: the SAMR1 normal control group, the SAMP8 model control group, the SAMP8 + solvent (the peanut oil) control group, SAMP8 + low, middle and high dose curcumin groups. Mice were gastrogavage for 25 successive days. On the next day of ending the experiment, changes of learning and memory in mice of each group were observed by Morris water maze. The hippocampal [Ca2+] was determined. Expressions of hippocampal calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMK II) and Calmodulin (CaM) mRNA were detected using Western blot and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The latency to find the hidden platform was remarkably prolonged, the hippocampal [Ca2+]i was markedly increased, the expression of CaMK II in the hippocampal membrane and the level of hippocampal CaM mRNA were significantly reduced in the SAMP8-model control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The latency to find the hidden platform was remarkably shortened in the SAMP8 + middle dose curcumin and the SAMP8 + high dose curcumin groups (P < 0.01). The hippocampal [Ca2+]i was markedly lowered, the expression of CaMK II in the hippocampal membrane and the level of hippocampal CaM mRNA obviously increased in the SAMP8 + low, middle and high dose curcumin groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Curcumin could improve learning and memory Ca2+/capacities of SAM by lowering hippocampal [Ca2+] overload, increase the hippocampal CaM mRNA level and CaMK II expression in the hippocampal dose-dependently.</p>

Effect of Rhizoma curcumae oil on the learning and memory in rats exposed to chronic hypoxia and the possible mechanisms / 生理学报

The effect of Rhizoma curcumae oil on the learning and memory in rats exposed to chronic hypoxia and the possible mechanisms were investigated. The rats were divided randomly into 5 groups (14 animals in each group): control, chronic hypoxia, chronic hypoxia with low (5 mg/kg body weight), middle (10 mg/kg body weight) and high (20 mg/kg body weight) concentrations of Rhizoma curcumae oil injection. The animals undergoing chronic hypoxia were exposed to hypoxia in a hypoxic chamber containing 10% O(2) and 5% CO(2) for 10 h/d, lasting 28 d. Morris water maze (MWM) test was used to obtain the scores of leaning and memory. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malonaldehyde (MDA) content were determined in the serum and hippocampus as well as [Ca(2+)](i) in the hippocampus. The expression of phosphorylated Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (p-CaMKII) in the hippocampus was evaluated by using immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Compared with the control group, the chronic hypoxia group showed the following changes: (1) The escape latency to the hidden platform was remarkably prolonged (P<0.05); (2) The content of MDA and [Ca(2+)](i) were obviously higher, but the activity of SOD and the expression of p-CaMKII were significantly lower (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the chronic hypoxia group, groups with Rhizoma curcumae oil injection had the following changes: (1) The escape latency to the hidden platform was remarkably shorter in 10, 20 mg/kg body weight groups (P<0.05); (2) The content of MDA and [Ca(2+)](i) were markedly decreased in 5, 10, 20 mg/kg body weight groups (P<0.05, P<0.01), but the activity of SOD in the serum and the expression of p-CaMKII were significantly higher in 10, 20 mg/kg body weight groups (P<0.05, P<0.01). The results showed that the capacity of learning and memory was degraded following chronic hypoxia. The decrease in MDA content and [Ca(2+)](i) and (or) the increase in SOD activity and p-CaMKII expression might participate in the enhancing effect on learning and memory induced by Rhizoma curcumae oil.

Changes of learning, memory and levels of CaMKII, CaM mRNA, CREB mRNA in the hippocampus of chronic multiple-stressed rats / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The effect of chronic stress on cognitive functions has been one of the hot topic in neuroscience. But there has been much controversy over its mechanism. Such single stressor applied in the past could not simulate complicated living circumstances that people confronted with. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of chronic multiple-stress on learning and memory as well as on the levels of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), calmodulin (CaM) mRNA, and cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) mRNA in the hippocampus of rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The rats were divided randomly into stressed and control groups. The stressed group was given chronic multiple-stress for 6 weeks to set up a chronic multiple-stressed model. The rats' performance of spatial learning and memory was tested using Morris Water Maze (MWM) and Y-maze. Meanwhile, the expressions of CaMKII, CaM mRNA and CREB mRNA of rats' hippocampus were detected by immunohistochemistry, Western blot and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively. In addition, the width of synaptic cleft and the thickness of post-synaptic densities (PSD) were observed in the hippocampal CA3 region of rats by electron microscopy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After exposure to chronic multiple-stress for 6 weeks, the ability of learning and memory of the stressed group was higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The width of synaptic cleft was smaller and the thickness of PSD was larger in the hippocampal CA3 region of the stressed group than in that of the control group (P < 0.01). The CaMK II immunostaining of the stressed group was stronger than that of the control group in the stratum radiatum and oriens of the hippocampal CA1 and CA3, especially in the stratum oriens. Quantitative analysis indicated that the expression of CaMK II, CaM mRNA, and CREB mRNA in the hippocampus of the stressed group was higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The capacity of learning and memory can be enhanced after chronic multiple-stress. The increased levels of CaMK II, CaM mRNA, and CREB mRNA may contribute to the enhancing effect of chronic multiple-stress on learning and memory.</p>