Expression of claudin, paxillin and FRA-1 in non-nodular breast lesions in association with microcalcifications / Expressão de claudina, paxilina e FRA-1 em lesões mamárias não nodulares associadas a microcalcificações

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE The possible role of adhesion molecules in early breast carcinogenesis has been shown in the literature. We aimed to analyze early adhesion imbalances in non-nodular breast lesions and their association with precursor lesions, in order to ascertain whether these alterations exist and contribute towards early carcinogenesis. DESIGN AND SETTING Retrospective cross-sectional study based on medical records at a private radiological clinic in São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all consecutive women attended between August 2006 and July 2007 who presented mammographic evidence of breast microcalcifications classified as Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System Atlas (BI-RADS) type 4. These women underwent stereotaxic biopsy. Clinical, radiological and pathological data were collected, and immunohistochemical assays searched for claudin, paxillin, FRA-1 and HER-2. RESULTS Over this period, 127 patients were evaluated. Previous BI-RADS diagnoses showed that 69 cases were in category 4A, 47 in 4B and 11 in 4C. Morphological assessment showed benign entities in 86.5%. Most of the benign lesions showed preserved claudin expression, associated with paxillin (P < 0.001). Paxillin and HER-2 expressions were correlated. FRA-1 expression was also strongly associated with HER-2 expression (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Although already present in smaller amounts, imbalance of adhesion molecules is not necessarily prevalent in non-nodular breast lesions. Since FRA-1 expression reached statistically significant correlations with radiological and morphological diagnoses and HER-2 status, it may have a predictive role in this setting. .

CONTEXTO E OBJETIVO A literatura tem mostrado a importância de moléculas de adesão na carcinogênese precoce de mama. Objetivamos analisar desequilíbrios precoces de adesão em lesões não nodulares da mama e associação com lesões precursoras, a fim de verificar se essas alterações existem e contribuem com a carcinogênese. TIPO DE ESTUDO E LOCAL Estudo retrospectivo baseado em prontuários médicos, numa clínica radiológica privada em São Paulo, Brasil. MÉTODOS Revisamos retrospectivamente prontuários de todas as mulheres consecutivamente atendidas com evidência mamográfica de microcalcificações mamárias, classificadas como tipo 4 do Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System Atlas (BI-RADS) entre agosto de 2006 e julho de 2007. Elas foram submetidas a biópsia estereotáxica. Dados clínicos, radiológicos e histopatológicos foram coletados e ensaios de imunoistoquímica procuraram por claudina, paxilina, HER-2 e FRA-1. RESULTADOS No período, 127 pacientes foram avaliadas. Diagnósticos de BI-RADS anteriores tinham 69 casos na categoria 4A, 47 em 4B, e 11 em 4C. A avaliação morfológica mostrou entidades benignas em 86,5%. A maioria das lesões benignas mostrou expressão preservada de claudina, associada a paxilina (P < 0,001). Expressões de paxilina e HER-2 foram correlacionadas. Expressão de FRA-1 associou-se à de HER-2 (P < 0,001). CONCLUSÕES Embora já presente em menor quantidade, o desequilíbrio de moléculas de adesão não é necessariamente prevalente em lesões mamárias nodulares e talvez a expressão de FRA-1 possa ter um papel preditivo neste cenário, uma vez que atingiu correlações ...

O hiperparatireoidismo secundário e a doença cardiovascular na doença renal crônica / Secondary hyperparathyroidism and cardiovascular disease in chronic kidney disease

Os pacientes portadores de doença renal crônica (DRC) apresentam elevado risco de complicações cardiovasculares (DCV). Esta associação foi primeiramente reconhecida nos pacientes em diálise, nos quais a incidência de morte por DCV é elevada. Nesses pacientes, fatores de risco nãotradicionais aliam-se aos tradicionais na promoção da DCV. Os distúrbios do metabolismo mineral são fatores de risco modificáveis, relacionados com calcificação vascular, mortalidade geral e cardiovascular. O mecanismo da calcificação vascular consiste em um processo ativo de precipitação de cálcio e fósforo e na presença de um desequilíbrio entre fatores estimuladores e inibidores da calcificação. A associação quer da remodelação óssea quer dosníveis séricos do PTH com a calcificação vascular não é clara. O efeito do PTH sobre o sistema cardiovascular não é explicado somente pela potencialização dos estados de hipercalcemia e hiperfosfatemia, ele atua na remodelação cardíaca e, portanto, sobre a morfologia e a função deste órgão.São necessários mais estudos para compreender o mecanismo fisiopatológico da DCV nos pacientes com DRC.

Adverse cardiovascular events are frequent complications of renal disease. This association was initially reported in end-stage renal disease patients inwhom cardiovascular death has a high frequency. In dialysis patients, non-traditional risk factors may act in concert with the traditional ones to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Disorders of mineral metabolism are potentially modifiable and have been linked with cardiovascular outcomes indialysis population. Mechanisms involved in vascular calcification in CKD include active precipitation of calcium and phosphorus in the presence of markedly elevated extracellular concentrations, effect of calcification inducers or deficiency of inhibitors. The relationship between bone turnover and intact PTH concentration with vascular calcification were inconclusive. The adverse cardiovascular outcome in patients with high PTH concentrations is presumably not only explained by the association between PTH and high serum calcium and phosphorus concentrations. It also reflects direct adverse effects of PTH oncardiac function and morphology. The intrinsic effects of CKD on CVD risk profile are still unknown.

Non-Calcified Ductal Carcinoma in Situ: Ultrasound and Mammographic Findings Correlated with Histological Findings

PURPOSE: To evaluate radiological findings of non-calcified ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and to correlate those with histological features. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From July 2002 to March 2006, 22 patients with histologically-proven non-calcified DCIS were included. Mammography was obtained in 19 patients, ultrasound in 18 patients, and both examinations in 15 patients. Radiological findings were evaluated according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System by American College of Radiology. Histological tumor subtype and Van Nuys classification of DCIS were assessed. RESULTS: Histological subtypes consisted of mixed type in 11 patients (50%), comedo in 4 (18%), cribriform in 4 (18%), papillary type in 2 (9%), and solid in one (5%). According to Van Nuys classification, group 3 DCIS was observed in 13 (59%) patients. In the 19 patients who underwent mammography, 13 patients presented with abnormal findings: focal asymmetry in 7 patients (37%), masses in 4 (21%), skin thickening in one (5%), and architectural distortion in one (5%). In the 18 patients who had received breast ultrasound, a mass was present in 15 (83%) patients and ductal changes in 3 patients (17%). Sixty percent of patients with masses on ultrasound had group 3 DCIS and 100% of patients with ductal change had group 1 DCIS (p=0.017). CONCLUSION: Diagnosis of non-calcified DCIS by mammography is not an easy task due to the lack of typical malignant calcifications or masses. High resolution ultrasound can be useful for detecting non-calcified DCIS, and ultrasound findings are correlated with histological features.

Link between the early calcium deposition in placenta and nanobacterial-like infection.

The placenta is a vitally important organ in the regulation of embryonic development. That is why extensive calcium deposition [also named as pathological placental calcification (PPC)] could have serious negative consequences for the adequate growth of embryos. The nature and mechanism of PPC development has not been defined as yet. In the present investigation, we have tested the hypothesis that the molecular basis of PPC development consists of nanobacteria-induced calcification in infected female placenta. Electron microscopy findings support this hypothesis. The initial stage of micro-calcification may originate from the external surface of individual nanobacteria-like particles found mainly in placental extracellular matrix, where initial calcium deposition occurs as a needle surface deposition or as an amorphous-like surface precipitate. Further calcific propagation in placenta takes place in the newly formed macro-cavities, which are characterized by low electron density, possibly reflecting its liquid content around calcium deposition. The micro-cavities contain free nanobacterial-like particles, which may relate to atypical Gram-negative bacteria but not to apoptotic bodies by morphological characters and DNA/RNA distribution. We hypothesize that the increased placental calcification might be caused, at least in part, by nanobacterial infection.

Bone metabolism and vascular calcification

Osteoporosis and atherosclerosis are chronic degenerative diseases which have been considered to be independent and whose common characteristic is increasing incidence with age. At present, growing evidence indicates the existence of a correlation between cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis, irrespective of age. The morbidity and mortality of osteoporosis is mainly related to the occurrence of fractures. Atherosclerosis shows a high rate of morbidity and especially mortality because of its clinical repercussions such as angina pectoris, acute myocardial infarction, stroke, and peripheral vascular insufficiency. Atherosclerotic disease is characterized by the accumulation of lipid material in the arterial wall resulting from autoimmune and inflammatory mechanisms. More than 90 percent of these fatty plaques undergo calcification. The correlation between osteoporosis and atherosclerosis is being established by studies of the underlying physiopathological mechanisms, which seem to coincide in many biochemical pathways, and of the risk factors for vascular disease, which have also been associated with a higher incidence of low-bone mineral density. In addition, there is evidence indicating an action of antiresorptive drugs on the reduction of cardiovascular risks and the effect of statins, antihypertensives and insulin on bone mass increase. The mechanism of arterial calcification resembles the process of osteogenesis, involving various cells, proteins and cytokines that lead to tissue mineralization. The authors review the factors responsible for atherosclerotic disease that correlate with low-bone mineral density.

Expression of osteopontin in calcified coronary atherosclerotic plaques

Advanced atherosclerosis is often associated with dystrophic calcification and remodeling of extracellular matrix of vascular wall. Recently many studies have documented a general relationship between calcification and severity of coronary disease, and discussed the feasibility of electron beam computed tomography for detecting and quantifying the coronary artery calcification in the patients. The present study investigated the expression and the localization of osteopontin, one of noncollagenous bone matrix protein, within the calcified coronary arteries. Autopsy-derived coronary artery specimens were scanned and reconstructed to visualize the pattern of coronary calcification using a novel microscopic computed tomography technique. The localization of the osteopontin were evaluated by immunohistochemial stain with LF7. The present study showed that the pattern of coronary calcification is variable and the expression of osteopontin is localized mainly to calcified lesion. The smooth muscle cells in addition to macrophage expressed osteopontin protein in human coronary atherosclerotic plaques. Soluble osteopontin released near to the sites of vascular calcification may represent an adaptive mechanism aimed at regulating the process of vascular calcification.