Alteration of cholinergic and peptidergic neurotransmitters in rat ileum induced by acute stress following transient intestinal infection is mast cell dependent / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Mast cells are implicated in the development of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which is associated with the activation of the "neural-immune" system. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of mast cells in the remodeling of cholinergic and peptidergic neurotransmitters induced by acute cold restriction stress (ACRS) post infection (PI) using mast cell deficient rats (Ws/Ws) and their wild-type controls (+/+).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Transient intestinal infection was initiated by giving 1500 Trichinella spiralis (T.S.) larvae by gavage. ACRS was induced for 2 hours at day 100 PI. Samples of terminal ilea were prepared for H&E staining, mast cell counting and activation and assessment of IL-1beta and IL-10.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>When infected, both strains of rats experienced an acute infectious stage followed by a recovery. Histological scores were significantly higher in infected rats compared with those of the non-infected controls at day 10 PI (10 day-PI vs. control: +/+: 2.75+/-0.17 vs. 0.42+/-0.09; Ws/Ws: 2.67+/-0.67 vs. 0.50+/-0.34; P<0.01). In +/+ rats, post-infection ACRS induced the formation of low-grade inflammation, represented by the imbalance of IL-1beta and IL-10 (IL-1beta: PI+ACRS vs. control: (1812.24+/-561.61) vs. (1275.97+/-410.21) pg/g, P<0.05; IL-10: PI+ACRS vs. control: (251.9+/-39.8) vs. (255.3+/-24.7) pg/g, P>0.05), accompanied by hyperplasia and activation of mast cells (PI+ACRS vs. control: 58.8+/-19.2 vs. 28.0+/-7.6; P<0.01). The balance between acetylcholine (ACh) and substance P (SP) was also disturbed (ACh: PI+ACRS vs. control: (743.94+/-238.72) vs. (1065.68+/-256.46) pg/g, P<0.05; SP: PI+ACRS vs. control: (892.60+/-231.12) vs. (696.61+/-148.61) pg/g, P<0.05). Nevertheless, similar changes of IL-1beta/IL-10 and ACh/SP were not detected in Ws/Ws rats.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The imbalance of ACh/SP, together with the activation of mucosal immunity induced by post-infection ACRS were lacking in mast cell deficient rats, which supports the premise that mast cells play an important role in cholinergic and peptidergic remodeling in the ileum of rats.</p>

Mixed epithelial and stromal tumor of kidney / 中华病理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the clinicopathological features and differential diagnoses of mixed epithelial and stromal tumor of the kidney.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Clinical and pathological characteristics of 4 cases of mixed epithelial and stromal tumor of the kidney were studied.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Three patients were female and one was male. All patients presented with flank pain and hematuria. Radiologic studies revealed cystic and solid masses involving the kidney. Grossly the tumors had a solid and cyst appearance. Microscopically, the tumors were composed of a mixture of stromal and epithelial elements. The epithelial elements were variable in cell types including cuboidal, hobnail and columnar cells. One case showed Müllerian and intestinal epithelial differentiations. Stromal elements essentially consisted of spindle cells, with thick-walled blood vessels and bands of smooth muscle cells as distinctive features of the tumor. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that the epithelial components were positive for AE1/AE3, whereas the stromal components were positive for ER, PR, and SMA. All patients underwent nephrectomy and were well without evidence of recurrence.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Mixed epithelial and stromal tumor of the kidney is a benign neoplasm with distinct histopathological features. It should be distinguished from many other renal neoplasms. Surgical intervention is a preferred therapy.</p>

Application of fluorescence in-situ hybridization and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in molecular diagnosis of Ewing's sarcoma and primitive neuroectodermal tumor / 中华病理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To detect tumor specific chromosome translocations and associated fusion transcripts in paraffin-embedded tissue by interphase fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively, and to evaluate their diagnostic values for Ewing's sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (ES/PNET).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Nuclei of the tumor cells and total RNA were extracted from 10 cases of ES/PNET. Interphase FISH was utilized to analyze the EWS gene translocation with a dual color, break apart probe (Vysis company). RT-PCR was used to detect t (11; 22) (q24; q12) and t (21; 22) (q22; q12) fusion transcripts.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among 10 cases of ES/PNET, the EWS-FLI1 fusion transcript was detected in 8 by RT-PCR. EWS-ERG fusion transcript was not detected in any of the cases. EWS gene translocation was found in 9 of 10 cases by FISH.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Interphase FISH and RT-PCR can be reliably applied to paraffin-embedded tissues for molecular diagnosis of ES/PNET. Between the two approaches, interphase FISH provides a more sensitive and stable result.</p>