First bite syndrome caused by adenoid cystic carcinoma of the submandibular gland.

First bite syndrome is a well-described sequelae of parapharyngeal space surgery, thought to result from sympathetic denervation of the parotid gland. We describe a case of first bite syndrome caused by an adenoid cystic carcinoma of the submandibular gland. The tumor was not clinically or radiographically apparent until 18 months after initial presentation despite repeated imaging. In patients with first bite syndrome and no surgical history, there must be high suspicion for a malignancy, which may be occult on presentation. The submandibular gland should be considered as a possible site of a lesion.

In vivo characterization of cytokine profiles and viral load during murine cytomegalovirus-induced acute myocarditis.

BACKGROUND: Murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) is an etiologic agent of acute and chronic myocarditis in BALB/c mice. Immunologic host responses appear to play a key role in pathogenesis but have been incompletely defined. METHODS: BALB/c mice were infected with a sublethal dose of MCMV. Cytokine transcription and viral load (measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction) and histopathological analyses were performed at specified time points. RESULTS: Increased tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, and interferon (IFN)-gamma, as well as IL-10 mRNA transcripts, were detected in the hearts of infected mice starting at Day 1 post-infection (p.i.), with peak levels occurring at Day 8 p.i. (7-fold, 14-fold, 41-fold, and 16-fold higher than background, respectively). Peak cytokine transcription significantly correlated with a 10-fold increase in viral load (P<.001) at Day 8 p.i. Myocarditis-related pathological changes, measured by infiltration foci, were greatest at Day 8 p.i., corresponding with peak cytokine transcription and significantly correlated with IFN-gamma levels (P<.0001). Infiltration foci were predominantly composed of CD3(+) T cells. Cardiac calcification was observed in most infected mice predominantly over the right ventricle. Histological analysis of heart sections from mice infected with recombinant enhanced green fluorescence protein-MCMV revealed a localized and sporadic pattern of virus throughout all heart layers. CONCLUSIONS: MCMV-induced myocarditis in BALB/c mice is characterized by in vivo production of proinflammatory cytokines in a pattern correlating with MCMV viral load. The infection pattern and inflammatory response is highly localized, sporadic, and involves endocardium, epicardium, as well as the myocardium, with greatest amounts of virus detected in areas of pathologic calcification.

Incidental rectal mucosa obtained via transrectal ultrasound-guided prostatic core biopsies.

A retrospective review was conducted of material from 782 transrectal ultrasound-guided prostatic core biopsies to determine whether incidental pieces of rectal mucosa obtained in this manner could harbor clinically significant rectal pathology or incur artifacts that cause diagnostic difficulty. Material from 114 biopsies (14.6%) showed rectal mucosa, and material from 19 (16.7%) showed rectal pathology, including a hyper-plastic polyp in 1, changes consistent with ulcerative proctitis in 8, focal active proctitis in 7, and granulomas in 3. The original pathologist overlooked the hyperplastic polyp. In 1 specimen, rectal lymphocytes and plasma cells that were displaced over prostatic tissue closely mimicked prostatic adenocarcinoma (Gleason score 5). Conversely, in another specimen, prostatic adenocarcinoma (Gleason score 5) that was displaced near rectal mucosa closely mimicked a rectal lymphoid aggregate. Incidental rectal mucosa obtained via transrectal ultrasound-guided prostatic core biopsies occasionally harbors clinically significant rectal pathology and rarely incurs artifacts that cause diagnostic difficulty.

GLUT-1 is preferentially expressed in atypical endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial adenocarcinoma.

The facilitative transport of monosaccharides in human cells is accomplished by a family of transmembrane proteins, GLUT-1 to GLUT-7, that differ in their tissue distribution, affinities for specific monosaccharides, and physiologic regulation. GLUT-1, a high-affinity glucose transporter, is normally expressed in erythrocytes, the perineurium of peripheral nerves, and capillary endothelial cells of the blood-brain barrier. Although the aberrant expression of GLUT-1 has been reported in a wide spectrum of epithelial malignancies, its possible correlation with the malignant transformation of endometrial epithelium has not been clearly established. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent to which benign, hyperplastic, atypical, and malignant endometrial epithelia express GLUT-1. The authors examined the IHC expression of GLUT-1 in cases of proliferative endometrium (n=12), secretory endometrium (n=10), endometrial polyps (n=10), adenomyosis (n=18), simple hyperplasia (n=14), complex hyperplasia without atypia (n=17), complex hyperplasia with atypia (n=17), and adenocarcinoma (n=31). Positive staining was defined as distinct, linear membrane staining, particularly at cell-cell borders. Cells that showed only cytoplasmic staining were considered negative. The percentages of positive cells and staining intensity were assessed in a semiquantitative fashion and scored (1+ to 3+). All cases from proliferative endometrium, secretory endometrium, adenomyosis, and simple hyperplasia and 90% (9/10 cases) of the endometrial polyps were negative for GLUT-1. GLUT-1 was expressed in 24% (4/17 cases) of complex hyperplasia without atypia, 71% (12/17 cases) of complex hyperplasia with atypia, and 90% (28/31 cases) of adenocarcinomas. The extent of staining ranged from occasional positive foci to extensive multifocal staining. GLUT-1 positivity increased in intensity as the distance of tumor cells to stroma increased. The authors conclude that GLUT-1 is preferentially expressed in complex hyperplasia with atypia and in adenocarcinoma and that GLUT-1 immunostaining is useful in distinguishing benign hyperplasia from hyperplasia strongly associated with malignancy. GLUT-1-mediated glucose transport may allow hypoxic tumor cells distant from stromal blood vessels to survive through glycolysis. These data suggest that the expression of GLUT-1 transporter may be closely related to the malignant transformation of epithelial endometrial tumors by supporting their increased need for glucose metabolism.