The association of mast cell density with myometrial invasion in endometrial carcinoma: a preliminary report.

It is known that cancer is not a single transformational event. It is rather a multistage process involving complex interactions with the surrounding cellular microenvironment. Mast cells accumulate at sites of tumor growth in response to numerous chemoattractants. Our aim was to investigate the relationship between mast cell density (MCD) and myometrial invasion in endometrial carcinomas. Immunohistochemistry was performed on 35 unselected consecutive hysterectomy specimens from patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma. C-kit-positive mast cell assessment was performed in the myometrium adjacent to tumor tissue. A mean number of or=16 mast cells was regarded as high mast cell density (H-MCD). A significant correlation (p=0.018, Pearson Chi-Square test) between H-MCD and the presence of myometrial invasion was demonstrated in endometrial carcinomas. H-MCD was found in 54% of all cases, and 94% of H-MCD cases had myometrial invasion, suggesting a role of mast cells or an interaction with tumor. Therapeutic modalities orientated to these cells or their microenvironment as a new target for adjuvant treatment might determine the prognosis in endometrial carcinomas.

Prognostic value of expression of p53, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, and c-erbB-2 in laryngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The molecular mechanisms in malignant transformation of laryngeal mucosa are unknown; many clinical and pathological factors affect prognosis. We investigated a possible correlation between overexpression of p53, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and c-erbB-2, and the clinicopathologic features of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and clarify their prognostic value. MATERIAL/METHODS: Thirty-three men with laryngeal SCC participated; all underwent primary surgery or surgery plus radiotherapy between 1999 and 2004 at our department. Paraffin sections of laryngeal SCC were immunohistochemically stained for p53, PCNA, and c-erbB-2. RESULTS: Overall, p53 overexpression was found in 16 patients. There was no relation between p53 immunohistochemical staining and tumor region. PCNA immunostaining was significantly stronger in supraglottic tumors compared with glottic tumors. Immunostaining of c-erbB-2 was not different in either location. There was no relation between the T stage of the tumor and p53 and c-erbB-2 immunostaining. However, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between the PCNA staining and T stage (stronger staining was present in T3 and T4 stages than in T1 and T2 stages). CONCLUSIONS: We could not find a statistically significant correlation between p53, PCNA, and c-erbB-2 and lymph node status, histologic differentiation, and survival rate. We demonstrated only a statistically significant positive correlation between PCNA staining and T stage. These data suggest that overexpression of p53, PCNA, and c-erbB-2 is not prognostic in laryngeal SCC.

Oleic acid-induced lung injury in rats and effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is a phenolic antioxidant and is an active anti-inflammatory component of honeybee propolis. The authors evaluated the effects of CAPE on oxidative stress and lung damage in an oleic acid (OA)-induced lung-injury model. Rats were divided into 5 groups as sham, OA, CAPE, pre-OA-CAPE, and post-OA-CAPE. Acute lung injury was induced by intravenous administration of 100 mg/kg of OA. Pre-OA-CAPE group received CAPE (10 micromol/kg. intravenously) 15 minutes before OA infusion and post-OA-CAPE group received CAPE 2 hours after OA administration. Malondialdehyde (MDA) level of plasma, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and lung tissue; myeloperoxidase activity of BALF and lung tissue; Na(+)-K(+) ATPase activity of lung tissue; and total protein content of BALF were measured. Light microscopic analyses of lung specimens were performed. The increased MDA levels in lung homogenates (47.98+/-13.75 nmol/mL), BALF (31.12+/-3.07 nmol/mL), and plasma (61.84+/-15.34 nmol/mL) decreased significantly to 24.33+/-3.09 nmol/mL (P = 0.000), 23.19+/-4.97 nmol/mL (P = 0.002), and 27.36+/-5.37 nmol/mL (P = 0.000), respectively, following CAPE administration in pre-OA-CAPE group. Another important finding was the restoration of the enzymatic activity of Na(+)-K(+) ATPase from a value of 203.89+/-32.18 nmol Pi/mg Protein/h in OA group, to a value of 302.17+/-51.90 nmol Pi/mg Protein/h (P = 0.012) in pre-OA-CAPE group with CAPE treatment. CAPE has been shown to have a clear attenuating effect on oxidative damage in experimental animal studies. However, further investigations are necessary to suggest CAPE as a treatment agent in critically ill patients with lung injury.

Inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase attenuates lung tissue damage after hind limb ischemia-reperfusion in rats.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of 3-aminobenzamide (3-AB) on tissue damage in lung after hind limb ischemia-reperfusion (I/R), by assessing blood biochemical assay and histopathological analysis. Thirty-five adult Wistar rats were divided into five groups. After application of anaesthesia both hind limbs were occluded with tourniquets. Following ischemia period for 60 min, the tourniquets were removed allowing reperfusion for 120 min. The IR group received 0.5 ml of saline while the IR+AB group received 3-AB (10 mgkg(-1) intraperitoneally). The IR+DMSO group was given 0.5 ml 10% DMSO 30 min before the removal of the tourniquets. The control group received 0.5 ml saline and the AB group received 0.5 ml 3-AB (10 mgkg(-1)) intraperitoneally. At the end of the reperfusion period, mid-line sternotomy was performed. Blood samples were taken with cardiac puncture. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) of the left lung was performed with saline. Right lung was preserved for histopathological evaluation and biochemical examination. Lung tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) and 3-nitrotyrosine levels, myeloperoxidase and Na+/K+ ATP-ase activities, wet to dry weight ratios, and plasma and BAL fluid MDA levels were determined. Histopathological evaluation was performed, too. Hind limb IR caused significant increase in the lung tissue 3-NT to total tyrosine ratio (p = 0.014), wet to dry weight ratio (p = 0.000), MPO activity (p = 0.000), and MDA levels (p = 0.000). The animals treated with 3-AB showed a statistically significant decrease in these values (p < 0.05). Na+/K+ ATP-ase activity which was found to be decreased significantly with IR, returned to near normal levels with 3-AB treatment. Additionally, lung tissue injury in IR group characterized with moderate interstitial congestion and neutrophil infiltration, showed remarkable amelioration following 3-AB treatment. Our results strongly support the view that poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) plays an important role in the inflammatory process in hind limb I/R-induced lung injury and as a PARP inhibitor, 3-AB seems to have a potential to treat this inflammatory injury.