Effect of colorectal cancer on the number of normal stem cells circulating in peripheral blood.

Bone marrow (BM) residing stem cells are mobilized from their BM niches into peripheral blood (PB) in several pathological situations including tissue organ injury and systemic inflammation. We recently reported that the number of BM-derived stem cells (SCs) increases in patients with pancreatic and stomach cancer. Accordingly, we observed higher numbers of circulating very small embryonic/epiblast­like stem cells (VSELs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that were associated with the activation of pro-mobilizing complement cascade and an elevated level of sphingosine-1 phosphate (S1P) in PB plasma. We wondered if a similar correlation occurs in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). A total of 46 patients were enrolled in this study: 17 with CRC, 18 with benign colonic adenomas (BCA) and 11 healthy individuals. By employing fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) we evaluated the number of BM-derived SCs circulating in PB: i) CD34+/Lin-/CD45- and CD133-/Lin-/CD45- VSELs; ii) CD45-/CD105+/CD90+/CD29+ MSCs; iii) CD45-/CD34+/CD133+/KDR+ endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs); and iv) CD133+/Lin-/CD45+ or CD34+/Lin-/CD45+ cells enriched for hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs). In parallel, we measured in the PB parameters regulating the egress of SCs from BM into PB. In contrast to pancreatic and gastric cancer patients, CRC subjects presented neither an increase in the number of circulating SCs nor the activation of pro-mobilizing factors such as complement, coagulation and fibrinolytic cascade, circulating stromal derived factor 1 (SDF­1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and intestinal permeability marker (zonulin). In conclusion, mobilization of SCs in cancer patients depends on the type of malignancy and its ability to activate pro-mobilization cascades.

[Pancreatic solid pseudopapillary tumor--report of three cases]. / Guz iity pseudobrodawkowaty trzustki--opis 3 przypadków.

Three cases of young females with pancreatic solid pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) were reported. They were referred to Department of Gastroenterology, because of the ultrasonographical finding of the pancreatic tale tumor. In all presented cases, proper diagnosis was made preoperatively. The patients underwent surgical treatment, and remain symptoms-free with no features of recurrence of the disease (follow-up from 6 to 36 months).

Reed-Sternberg cells in classical Hodgkin lymphoma in children seem to be predominantly oestrogen receptor α negative and oestrogen receptor ß positive.

Oestrogen receptor α (ERα) is responsible for activation of gene transcription, while oestrogen receptor ß (ERß) serves as a negative regulator of ERα function. Since ER status is a prognostic and predictive factor in some cancers, we analysed the immunohistochemical expression of ERα and ERß in Reed-Sternberg (RS) cells in paraffin-embedded lymph node specimens from 27 children with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) in relation to histological type, clinical stage, age, and gender. Percentage of RS cells with positive nuclear reaction for the presence of ERα and/or ERß was assessed. ERα positive RS cells were present in 11% (3/27) of lymph nodes (range 1-8%, mean 0.4%) whereas ERß positive RS cells were detected in 96% (26/27) of lymph nodes (range 1-97.5%, mean 61.8%). The highest percentage of ERß positive RS cells was observed in patients with the most advanced (IVB) disease as compared to patients with lower stages (90.3% vs. 56.9% respectively, p = 0.004). To the best of our knowledge this is the first report on the expression of ERß in RS cells in children. We conclude that RS cells in classical HL in children seem to be mainly ERß positive and ERα negative.