Propagation of pure fetal and maternal mesenchymal stromal cells from terminal chorionic villi of human term placenta.

Long term propagation of human fetal mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) in vitro has proven elusive due to limited availability of fetal tissue sources and lack of appropriate methodologies. Here, we have demonstrated the presence of fetal and maternal cells within the tips of terminal chorionic villi (TCV) of normal human term placenta, and we have exploited inherent differences in the adhesive and migratory properties of maternal vs. fetal cells, to establish pure MSC cultures of both cell types. The origin and purity of each culture was confirmed by X-Y chromosome-specific fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and short tandem repeat (STR) genotyping. This is the first demonstration of fetal and maternal cells in the TCV of human term placenta and also of deriving pure fetal MSC cultures from them. The concomitant availability of pure cultures of adult and fetal MSC from one tissue provides a good system to compare genetic and epigenetic differences between adult and fetal MSCs; and also to generate new models of cell based therapies in regenerative medicine.

Investigation of the nutraceutical potential of monofloral Indian mustard bee pollen / 中西医结合学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This study was designed to investigate the nutraceutical potential of monofloral Indian mustard bee pollen (MIMBP).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The nutritional value of MIMBP was examined in terms of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and energy value. Its chemical composition in terms of total polyphenol and flavonoid content was determined. MIMBP was screened for free flavonoid aglycones by developing and validating a high-performance liquid chromatography-photo diode array (HPLC-PDA) method. MIMBP was analyzed for in vitro antioxidant effect in terms of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>MIMBP was found to be comprised of proteins ((182.2±5.9) g/kg), fats ((137.7±6.8) g/kg) and carbohydrates ((560.6±17.4) g/kg), which result in its high energy value ((17 616.7±78.6) kJ/kg). MIMBP was found to contain polyphenols ((18 286.1±374.0) mg gallic acid equivalent/kg) and flavonoids ((1 223.5±53.1) mg quercetin equivalent/kg). The HPLC-PDA analysis revealed the presence of kaempferol ((65.4±0.5) mg/kg) and quercetin ((51.4±0.4) mg/kg) in MIMBP, which can be used as markers for determining the quality of bee pollen. The MIMBP extract showed DPPH free radical-scavenging activity with a half maximal inhibitory concentration of 54.79 μg/mL.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The MIMBP was found to be a rich source of nutrients providing high caloric value, which makes it a candidate for a potential nutraceutical agent. The study also illustrated the high antioxidant content of MIMBP, especially in the principle polyphenols and flavonoids, which suggests its potential role in the prevention of free radical-implicated diseases. The DPPH-scavenging effect of MIMBP further confirmed its antioxidant potential. Additionally, we developed a simple, specific and accurate HPLC-PDA method for the identification and quantification of free flavonoid aglycones. This can be applied in future screenings of the quality of pollen collected by honeybees.</p>

Mitochondrial genome variations in advanced stage breast cancer: a case-control study.

Entire mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing was carried out in 101 primary breast cancer patients and 90 controls of south Indian origin. We identified 69 novel mutations in breast cancer patients and 637 reported polymorphisms in patients and/or controls. PolyPhen-2 analysis predicted 5 out of 14 novel missense mutations as 'probably damaging variants'. Haplogrouping analysis identified a significant association between haplogroup M5 and breast cancer risk. Microsatellite instability and tumor specific large scale mtDNA deletions were not observed in tumor tissues from the patients. In conclusion, mtDNA mutations and haplogroups may constitute an inheritable risk factor for pathogenesis of breast cancer.

Association of E-cadherin single-nucleotide polymorphisms with the increased risk of breast cancer: a study in South Indian women.

BACKGROUND: E-cadherin (CDH1) plays an important role in intercellular adhesion, cell signaling, and cellular differentiation. Association of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of CDH1 has been identified in a number of epithelial malignancies; however, studies related to breast cancer are very few. AIM: To investigate the association between CDH1 SNPs and breast cancer risk in south Indian women. METHODS: Genotyping of CDH1 functional SNPs (-347G/GA, -160C/A, and +54C/T) was carried out on genomic DNA of blood from breast cancer patients (n=202) and controls (n=250) of south Indian origin by PCR-sequencing and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism techniques. Haplotype frequencies for multiple loci and the standardized disequilibrium coefficient (D') for pairwise linkage disequilibrium (LD) were assessed by Haploview Software. RESULTS: The frequencies of -160A/A genotypes (p=0.038) and -160A alleles (p=0.046) were significantly higher in patients compared to controls. In addition, the frequency of the -347GA/-160A/+54C haplotype was also significantly elevated in patients (p=0.0238). Strong LD was observed between -347G/GA and +54C/T loci (D'=0.44) in patients compared to controls. CONCLUSION: The CDH1 -160C/A polymorphism may constitute an inheritable risk factor for breast cancer in south Indian women.

Widely Infiltrating Epithelioid Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumour of Skull Base

The epithelioid variant of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours is a rare histological entity, and the occurrence of a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour in the skull base is even more unusual. We report a case of a 52-year-old man who presented with reduced hearing in the left ear, giddiness and left-sided facial weakness of short duration. He was a known hypertensive. On examination, left-sided 7th to 12th cranial nerve palsies were noted. Computed tomography (CT) and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were reported as an ill-defined heterogeneously enhancing mass left skull base suggestive of chondrosarcoma. Left tympanotomy and biopsy of the lesion were carried out. On light microscopy and immunohistochemical examination of the biopsy, a diagnosis of epithelioid malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour was established. The patient underwent left extended modified radical mastoidectomy and selective neck dissection. Histopathological study of the resected surgical specimen confirmed left-sided extensive tumour involvement of skull base structures, as well as neck nodal metastases.

Ewing's Sarcoma of the Lesser Sac Masquerading as a Pancreatic Tumor

Extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (ES/PNET) is an uncommon, aggressive, and malignant tumor with a poor patient outcome. Its occurrence in the lesser sac is a rare event and to the best of our knowledge, has not been previously described. The present case was clinically and radiologically misdiagnosed as a pancreatic tumor/gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Histopathology revealed a tumor with "small round cells" that were positive for CD99, confirming the diagnosis of ES/PNET. This report highlights the importance of considering Ewing's sarcoma in the differential diagnosis of intraabdominal, extraintestinal masses.

The genetic bases of uterine fibroids; a review.

Uterine leiomyomas/fibroids are the most common pelvic tumors of the female genital tract. The initiators remaining unknown, estrogens and progesterone are considered as promoters of fibroid growth. Fibroids are monoclonal tumors showing 40-50% karyo-typically detectable chromosomal abnormalities. Cytogenetic aberrations involving chromosomes 6, 7, 12 and 14 constitute the major chromosome abnormalities seen in leiomyomata. This has led to the discovery that disruptions or dysregulations of HMGIC and HMGIY genes contribute to the development of these tumors. Genes such as RAD51L1 act as translocation partners to HMGIC and lead to disruption of gene structure leading to the pathogenesis of uterine fibroids. The mechanism underlying this disease is yet to be identified. The occurrence of PCOLCE amid a cluster of at least eight Alu sequences is potentially relevant to the possible involvement of PCOLCE in the 7q22 rearrangements that occur in many leiomyomata. PCOLCE is implicated in cell growth processes. Involvement of Alu sequences in rearrangements can lead to the disruption of this gene and, hence, loss of control for gene expression leading to uncontrolled cell growth. This can also lead to the formation of fibroids. Though, cytogenetics provides a broad perspective on uterine fibroid formation, further molecular analysis is required to understand the etiopathogenesis of uterine fibroids.

Gastric cryptococcal infection as an initial presentation of AIDS: a rare case report

Cryptococcus neoformans has been recognized as a human pathogen over centuries. This has achieved new prominence in the recent years as it is an opportunistic fungi causing fatal, deep mycotic infections in immunocompromised states. Although cryptococcus is principally a pathogen of central nervous system, wide variety of other organs may also be involved. Gastrointestinal cryptococcosis is rarely reported either as an isolated finding or in a disseminated disease. However, even with the strikingly increased incidence of the disease, occurrence of obvious gastrointestinal symptoms directly attributable to cryptococcosis is outstandingly rare. We report a case of gastric cryptococcal infection with esophageal herpes as an initial presentation in an AIDS patient.

Sudden death due to dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor.

Sudden death in adults from presumably natural causes occurs more frequently than is commonly thought. Numerically they constitute a significant fraction of the total mortality of which central nervous system causes account for 15 percent of the cases. The neoplasms of neuroepithelial origin account for 3 percent of these cases. We are presenting a case of 40 year old woman, who suddenly developed vomiting, abdominal pain and rapidly deteriorating vitals over a period of 20 h and breathing last on the way to the hospital. A cystic swelling of the right frontal lobe was present at autopsy, histopathological examination of the swelling revealed to be Dysembryoplastic Neuroepithelial Tumour (DNT). DNT is a rare neurological tumor characterized by presence of neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes presenting with complex partial seizures. It frequently affects the frontal and temporal lobes of adolescents and young adults.

The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) +405G>C 5'-untranslated region polymorphism and increased risk of endometriosis in South Indian women: a case control study.

BACKGROUND: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a major mediator of angiogenesis and vascular permeability, is known to play a key role in the pathophysiology of endometriosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: The single nucleotide polymorphisms, -460C>T and +405G>C, in the 5'-untranslated region of the VEGF gene were tested for association in a case-control study of 215 affected women and 210 women with no evidence of disease. All the women were of South Indian origin and ascertained from the same infertility clinic. The genotype and allele frequencies of the -460C>T polymorphism did not differ significantly between cases and controls. In contrast, the genotype (P = 0.002) and allele (P = 0.001) frequencies of the +405G>C polymorphism showed a significant difference between cases and controls. The +405 GG genotype was found more often in patients with an endometrioma >3 cm compared to controls. The frequency of the -460T/+405C haplotype (P = 0.016) was significantly lower in affected women compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: The -460T/+405C haplotype in the VEGF gene, which is associated with lower promoter activity, was significantly less common in women with endometriosis than in controls. These data suggest that the +405G allele may influence the likelihood of a woman developing the disease.

Upregulation of antitumor immunity by IL-12 gene-transfected AK-5 tumor cells in vivo.

We have earlier demonstrated a significant role for IL-12 in the regression of a rat histiocytic tumor, AK-5. In order to analyze further the antitumor immunity induced by interleukin (IL)-12, we have established IL-12-secreting tumor cell clones by gene transfection. Significant enhancement in the lytic potential of splenocytes by the culture supernatants containing IL-12 demonstrated retention of biological activity by the tumor-cell-derived cytokine. Athymic nude mice transplanted subcutaneously with tumor cells engineered to secret IL-12 showed a significant reduction in tumor size, with enhanced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Analysis of the serum samples from animals injected with the IL-12 gene-transfected AK-5 cells on different days revealed a significant increase in circulatory IL-12, interferon (IFN)-gamma, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and antitumor antibodies, all of which contributed to the reduction in tumor mass. The enhanced proliferative capacity of splenocytes from these animals indicated the presence of highly activated immune cells in vivo. Similarly, intraperitoneal transplantation of IL-12 gene-transfected tumor cells in syngeneic Wistar rats induced a significant increase in cellular cytotoxicity, with a concomitant reduction in circulatory IL-12 (p40) protein. Administration of antibodies to IL-12 and IFN-gamma reduced the expression of the costimulatory molecules B7.1 and B7.2 and the cytolytic effectors granzyme B and Fas-L, suggesting their involvement in IFN-gamma-dependent antitumor immune response induced by IL-12. The present study thus demonstrates that IL-12 gene therapy could be among the promising approaches for an effective cancer therapy.