The role of vitamin C in the gene expression of oxidative stress markers in fibroblasts from burn patients

Abstract Purpose: To assess the action of vitamin C on the expression of 84 oxidative stress related-genes in cultured skin fibroblasts from burn patients. Methods: Skin samples were obtained from ten burn patients. Human primary fibroblasts were isolated and cultured to be distributed into 2 groups: TF (n = 10, fibroblasts treated with vitamin C) and UF (n = 10, untreated fibroblasts). Gene expression analysis using quantitative polymerase chain reaction array was performed for comparisons between groups. Results: The comparison revealed 10 upregulated genes as follows: arachidonate 12-lipoxygenase (ALOX12), 24-dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR24), dual oxidase 1 (DUOX1), glutathione peroxidase 2 (GPX2), glutathione peroxidase 5 (GPX5), microsomal glutathione S-transferase 3 (MGST3), peroxiredoxin 4 (PRDX4), phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate dependent Rac exchange factor 1 (P-REX1), prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 1 (PTGS1), and ring finger protein 7 (RNF7). Conclusion: Cultured fibroblasts obtained from burn patients and treated with vitamin C resulted in 10 differentially expressed genes, all overexpressed, with DUOX1, GPX5, GPX2 and PTGS1 being of most interest.

Effects of exercise training on atrophy gene expression in skeletal muscle of mice with chronic allergic lung inflammation

We evaluated the effects of chronic allergic airway inflammation and of treadmill training (12 weeks) of low and moderate intensity on muscle fiber cross-sectional area and mRNA levels of atrogin-1 and MuRF1 in the mouse tibialis anterior muscle. Six 4-month-old male BALB/c mice (28.5 ± 0.8 g) per group were examined: 1) control, non-sensitized and non-trained (C); 2) ovalbumin sensitized (OA, 20 µg per mouse); 3) non-sensitized and trained at 50 percent maximum speed _ low intensity (PT50 percent); 4) non-sensitized and trained at 75 percent maximum speed _ moderate intensity (PT75 percent); 5) OA-sensitized and trained at 50 percent (OA+PT50 percent), 6) OA-sensitized and trained at 75 percent (OA+PT75 percent). There was no difference in muscle fiber cross-sectional area among groups and no difference in atrogin-1 and MuRF1 expression between C and OA groups. All exercised groups showed significantly decreased expression of atrogin-1 compared to C (1.01 ± 0.2-fold): PT50 percent = 0.71 ± 0.12-fold; OA+PT50 percent = 0.74 ± 0.03-fold; PT75 percent = 0.71 ± 0.09-fold; OA+PT75 percent = 0.74 ± 0.09-fold. Similarly significant results were obtained regarding MuRF1 gene expression compared to C (1.01 ± 0.23-fold): PT50 percent = 0.53 ± 0.20-fold; OA+PT50 percent = 0.55 ± 0.11-fold; PT75 percent = 0.35 ± 0.15-fold; OA+PT75 percent = 0.37 ± 0.08-fold. A short period of OA did not induce skeletal muscle atrophy in the mouse tibialis anterior muscle and aerobic training at low and moderate intensity negatively regulates the atrophy pathway in skeletal muscle of healthy mice or mice with allergic lung inflammation.

Proliferative index in astrocytic tumours.

The accurate grading of astrocytic tumours is of prime importance because it is critical to the patient management and survival/outcome. Although internationally accepted WHO grading system of CNS tumours is based on histological features of H&E stained sections, yet there are cases where differentiation between grade II and grade III is difficult particularly when the biopsy is small. Proliferative index derived from MIB-1 immunostaining has been found to be useful in the distinction between various grades of malignancy. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded surgical specimens from 90 cases of astrocytic tumours, 30 each of low-grade astrocytoma (grade II), anaplastic astrocytoma (grade III), and glioblastoma multiforme (grade IV), were immunostained by standard indirect immunoperoxidase technique using MIB-1 monoclonal antibody. MIB-1 labeling index (MIB-1 LI) was calculated. The mean MIB-1 LI values of astrocytomas, anaplastic astrocytomas and glioblastomas were 1.75 +/- 1.5%, 8.74 +/- 6.2%, and 20.54 +/- 12.2% respectively and there was statistically significant difference between grade II and III (Unpaired "t" test, T value 5.907, p value < 0.001) and grade III and grade IV (T value 4.734, p value < 0.001). The statistical analysis also revealed that the mean MIB-1 LI increased with histological grade of malignancy (One way ANOVA test, p value < 0.001). This investigation further reinforces and corroborates the findings that MIB-1 LI is useful tool in assigning grading to the astrocytic tumours and hence in treatment modalities and should be used routinely.

Myoepithelial carcinoma of soft tissue: a case report.

Myoepithelioma of soft tissue is a recently categorized entity and myoepithelial carcinoma is extremely rare. We describe a case of myoepithelial carcinoma of soft tissue in a 30-year-old male patient, who presented with a painless mass located at the back of left leg involving popliteal fossa that was present since childhood. A wide local excision was performed. The distinct histopathological features included infiltrative margins, cytologically moderate to severely atypical epithelioid/spindled cells with prominent nucleoli, 3-4 mitoses/10HPF, tumor necrosis and lymphovascular invasion. No heterologous elements were identified. The myoepithelial origin was confirmed by positive immunohistochemical staining for S100 protein, epithelial membrane antigen and smooth muscle actin. Mib-1 (Ki-67) proliferation index was 20-25%. These carcinomas have variable clinical presentation and can have an indolent course for several years. Recognition of myoepithelial carcinoma is clinically significant because compared to its benign counterpart, this has increased frequency of local recurrences and metastases that warrants a close clinical follow-up.