Aplicação da citopatologia em meio líquido no diagnóstico diferencial das leveduras cervico/vaginais / Citopathology application in liquid medium in differential diagnosis of cervical/vaginal yeast

Objetivos: Analisar em preparados em base líquida a percentagem de diagnósticos de Candida sp., diferenciar e analisar a prevalência das espécies em relação à faixa etária das pacientes e verificar se há relação entre elas. Método: Foi realizado um estudo longitudinal retrospectivo de 174 amostras com diagnóstico de Candida sp. em material de citologia cérvico-vaginal colhidas em base líquida. Foi analisada a eficácia na detecção de Candida sp. através do método de citologia, dentre 5543 amostras realizadas. Resultados: Houve na amostra 176 (3,2%) diagnósticos de Candida sp., das 174 amostras 159 (91,4%) corresponderam a Candida albicans, 8 (4,6%) o Geotrichum candidum e 7 (4%) a Candida glabrata. Conclusão: A citologia detectou 3,2% de Candida sp, foi possível diagnosticar as espécies de Cândida em todos os casos estudados observando-se predomínio da Candida albicans (91,4%). Não houve relação entre a espécie de Candida sp. e a faixa etária das pacientes

Objectives: Annalise how prevalent each Candida sp. species is in different age groups and if there is any relation between age group and Candida sp. species. Methods: Retrospective longitudinal analysis of 174 liquid base exams with diagnosis of Candida sp. At the same time, the efficiency of liquid base method was evaluated, considering 5543 exams. Results: 176 (3,2%) cases of the total were diagnosed as Candida sp. It was possible to recognize Candida sp. species in Papanicolaou. In this study, a total of 174 liquid based smears were evaluated, 159 (91,4%) of this total were Candida albicans, 8 (4,6%) were diagnosed as Geotrichum candidum and 7 (4%) were Candida glabrata. Conclusion: The cytology detected 3,2% of Candida sp., it was also possible to differ Candida sp. species in all cases, observing a prevalence of Candida albicans (91,4%). It was not possible to relate Candida sp. species to patients' age group

Aplicação da citopatologia em meio líquido no diagnóstico diferencial das leveduras cervico/vaginais / Citopathology application in liquid medium in differential diagnosis of cervical/vaginal yeast

Objetivos: Analisar em preparados em base líquida a percentagem de diagnósticos de Candida sp., diferenciar e analisar a prevalência das espécies em relação à faixa etária das pacientes e verificar se há relação entre elas. Método: Foi realizado um estudo longitudinal retrospectivo de 174 amostras com diagnóstico de Candida sp. em material de citologia cérvico-vaginal colhidas em base líquida. Foi analisada a eficácia na detecção de Candida sp. através do método de citologia, dentre 5543 amostras realizadas. Resultados: Houve na amostra 176 (3,2%) diagnósticos de Candida sp., das 174 amostras 159 (91,4%) corresponderam a Candida albicans, 8 (4,6%) o Geotrichum candidum e 7 (4%) a Candida glabrata. Conclusão: A citologia detectou 3,2% de Candida sp, foi possível diagnosticar as espécies de Cândida em todos os casos estudados observando-se predomínio da Candida albicans (91,4%). Não houve relação entre a espécie de Candida sp. e a faixa etária das pacientes

Objectives: Annalise how prevalent each Candida sp. species is in different age groups and if there is any relation between age group and Candida sp. species. Methods: Retrospective longitudinal analysis of 174 liquid base exams with diagnosis of Candida sp. At the same time, the efficiency of liquid base method was evaluated, considering 5543 exams. Results: 176 (3,2%) cases of the total were diagnosed as Candida sp. It was possible to recognize Candida sp. species in Papanicolaou. In this study, a total of 174 liquid based smears were evaluated, 159 (91,4%) of this total were Candida albicans, 8 (4,6%) were diagnosed as Geotrichum candidum and 7 (4%) were Candida glabrata. Conclusion: The cytology detected 3,2% of Candida sp., it was also possible to differ Candida sp. species in all cases, observing a prevalence of Candida albicans (91,4%). It was not possible to relate Candida sp. species to patients' age group

Assessment of the association between micronuclei and the degree of uterine lesions and viral load in women with human papillomavirus.

Infection by human papillomavirus (HPV) is among the main etiologies of cervical cancer. The expression of oncogenic viral proteins enables the onset of the virus, which can trigger the carcinogenic process. One of the main characteristics of this process is the loss of genome stability, including chromosome stability. The micronucleus test is a cytogenetic method for the detection of genetic alterations that change chromosome behavior during cell division resulting in the formation of micronuclei. This method has been applied for the early detection of DNA damage in individuals with a greater likelihood of developing cancer. The aim of the present study was to assess the association between micronucleus expression and the degree of cytological lesions and viral load in patients with HPV. The micronucleus analysis revealed differences in the number micronuclei found in the groups, which ranged from 0.00067 to 0.00133 in the control group and 0.00267 to 0.02433 among patients with HPV. Statistically significant differences (p<0.05) were found in the number of micronucleated cervical cells between the patients and healthy women. Moreover, significant associations were found between micronucleus expression and both the degree of uterine lesions (r2=0.7237; r=0.8507; p=0.000002) and viral load (r2=0.7012; r=0.8374; p=0.000004). The findings demonstrate the efficacy of micronucleus analysis in monitoring risks to human health.

MASP2 gene polymorphism is associated with susceptibility to hepatitis C virus infection.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has become a major public health issue and is prevalent in most countries. We examined several MASP2 functional polymorphisms in 104 Brazilian patients with moderate and severe chronic hepatitis C using the primers set to amplify the region encoding the first domain (CUB1), a critical region for the formation of functional mannan-binding lectin (MBL)/MBL-associated serine proteases (MASP)-2 complexes, and the fifth domain (CCP2), which is essential for C4 cleavage of the MASP2 gene. We identified five single nucleotide polymorphisms in patients and controls: p. R99Q, p. D120G, p.P126L, p.D371Y, and p.V377A. Our results show that the p.D371Y variant (c.1111 G > T) is associated with susceptibility to HCV infection (p = 0.003, odds ratio = 6.33, 95% confidence interval = 1.85-21.70). Considered as a dominant function for the T allele, this variant is associated with high plasma levels of the MASP-2 in hepatitis C patients (p < 0.001). However, further functional investigations are necessary to understand the degree of involvement between MASP2 and the HCV susceptibility.

Repeating cytological preparations on liquid-based cytology samples: A methodological advantage?

This study investigates the rule that repeating cytological preparations on liquid-based cytology improves sample adequacy, diagnosis, microbiological, and hormonal evaluations. We reviewed 156 cases of pap-stained preparations of exfoliated cervical cells in two slides processed by DNA-Cytoliq System. After sample repeat/dilution, limiting factors affecting sample adequacy were removed in nine cases and three unsatisfactory cases were reclassified as satisfactory. Diagnosis was altered in 24 cases. Of these, the original diagnosis in 15 was atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance; after the second slide examination, diagnosis in 5 of the 15 cases changed to low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, 3 to high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, and 7 to absence of lesion. Microbiological evaluation was altered, with Candida sp. detected in two repeated slides. Repeat slide preparation or dilution of residual samples enhances cytological diagnosis and decreases effects of limiting factors in manually processed DIGENE DCS LBC.

Relação entre a carga viral de HPV oncogênico determinada pelo método de captura híbrida e o diagnóstico citológico de lesões de alto grau / Association between high-risk human papillomavirus DNA load detected by hybrid capture II and high-grade precursor lesions of cervical cancer in women

INTRODUÇÃO: O papilomavírus humano (HPV) é o principal fator de risco para as neoplasias intra-epiteliais cervicais (NIC) e o câncer cervical. OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar se há associação entre a carga viral de HPV oncogênico (alto risco), determinada por meio do teste molecular captura híbrida II (CH II), e o diagnóstico de lesões de alto grau (NIC II/III). MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: Foram analisadas 982 amostras cervicovaginais de exames ginecológicos de rotina, obtidas pelos métodos Papanicolaou convencional e/ou citologia em base líquida (DNA-Citoliq-Digene). Os resultados foram confirmados utilizando-se o método de captura híbrida (CH [Digene]) para detecção de DNA/HPV de alto grau. Os resultados com valor > 1 pg/ml foram considerados positivos, e esses foram divididos em dois grupos: 1. carga viral < 100 pg/ml, e 2. carga viral > 100 pg/ml. RESULTADOS: Dos 210 (21,4 por cento) casos diagnosticados como NIC I, 152 (72,4 por cento) foram positivos para HPV de alto risco por CH II. Desses, 101 (66,4 por cento) apresentaram carga viral > 100 pg/ml. O diagnóstico de NIC II ou III foi confirmado por CH II de alto risco em 86 (43,6 por cento) casos, contudo, entre esses, em 53 (61,6 por cento) a carga viral detectada foi > 100 pg/ml. DISCUSSÃO E CONCLUSÃO: Nossos resultados demonstram que há uma clara associação entre o valor da carga viral determinada pelo método CH II (versão 1) e o grau das lesões precursoras de câncer. Pacientes com carga viral superior a 100 'g/ml devem ser monitoradas periodicamente.

INTRODUCTION: Infection with oncogenic human papilloma virus (HPV) has been established as the main etiologic agent for cervical cancer and of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between viral loads of the high risk HPV using the hybrid capture II (HC II) system and CIN lesion stage. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A total of 982 women with diagnosis of negative or of CIN I-III with Pap or liquid-based cytology (DNA-Citoliq-Digene) were included. HC II testing was used to detected HPV DNA. Viral load was measured expressed as relative lights unit (RLU) ratio. RLU ratios were categorized for analysis into three groups: negative (< 1 pg/ml); positive with low viral load (< 100 pg/ml); positive with high viral load (> 100 pg/ml). RESULTS: A total of 152 (72.4 percent) of 210 (21.4 percent) patients with CIN II, 53 (61.6 percent) of 86 (43.6 percent) with CIN II-III were positive for HPV DNA, the higher the viral load (> 100 pg/ml) were observed in 101 (66.4 percent) and 53 (61.6 percent) patients with CIN I or CIN II-III, respectively. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest a clear association between viral load HPV DNA determined by HC II (version 1) assay and CIN stage. We concluded that the high viral load has a clinical importance for the management of patients with CIN.

[Hpv cofactors in cervical carcinogenesis]. / Co-fatores do HPV na oncogênese cervical.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) plays a central rule in uterine cervix carcinogenesis. Other factors direct or indirectly influence the installation of this mechanism in cervical squamous epithelium. Investigations regarding mechanisms of interaction of these factors with viral elements are found in the literature of the last 20 years. The present review article discusses possible co-factors of HPV in the genesis of the squamous carcinoma of uterine cervix, taking into account only the factors whose association with the virus or cervical cancer has been documented by experimental studies, and not based just on clinical or epidemiological data. Among the approached parameters are immunological factors (local and humoral immune response), the association with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, genetic factors as protein p53 polymorphism, tabagism and the use of oral contraceptives. All these factors interact in variable intensity with oncoproteins and other HPV elements, increasing and facilitating the virus action in host cells, leading to the development of immortalization and carcinogenesis.

The structure of a galactan sulfate from the red seaweed Bostrychia montagnei.

The sulfated, methylated galactan isolated from the red seaweed Bostrychia montagnei, showed an unusually narrow structural dispersion. This agaran has the defining linear backbone of alternating 3-linked beta-D-galactopyranosyl units and 4-linked alpha-L-galactopyranosyl and 3,6-anhydrogalactopyranosyl residues. The D-units have C-6 methylation, C-6 single stubs of xylopyranosyl and minor to trace amounts of (possible) C-6 linked single stubs of galactopyranosyl. These units are mainly sulfated on C-4 with lesser sulfation at C-6 and minor at C-2. The L-residues are mainly methylated on C-2 of the 3,6-anhydrogalactopyranosyl and sulfated on C-3 of the L-galactopyranosyl; minor amounts of 2,3- and 3,6-disulfated and 2-O-methyl or 2-O-glycosyl 3-sulfated L-galactopyranosyl were also found.

Co-fatores do HPV na oncogênese cervical / HPV Cofactors in cervical carcinogenesis

O papilomavírus humano (HPV) exerce um papel central na carcinogênese do colo uterino. Em torno a ele orbitam outros fatores que influenciam direta ou indiretamente a instalaçäo deste mecanismo no epitélio escamoso cervical. Investigaçöes a respeito dos mecanismos de atuaçäo e interaçäo desses co-fatores com os elementos virais encontram-se na literatura dos últimos 20 anos. O presente artigo de revisäo explora os possíveis co-fatores do HPV na gênese do carcinoma escamoso do colo uterino, levando em conta apenas os fatores cuja associaçäo com o vírus ou câncer cervical tenha sido documentada experimentalmente, e näo apenas clínica ou epidemiologicamente. Dentre os parâmetros abordados estäo os fatores imunológicos (resposta imune local e humoral), a associaçäo com a Síndrome da Imunodeficiência Adquirida Humana, fatores genéticos como o polimorfismo da proteína p53, o tabagismo e o uso de contraceptivos orais. Todos estes fatores interagem em menor ou maior intensidade com oncoproteínas e outros elementos do HPV, potencializando a açäo do vírus na célula hospedeira e facilitando o desenvolvimento dos processos de imortalizaçäo e carcinogênese