Expression of RCAS1 protein in microglia/macrophages accompanying brain tumours : an immunofluorescence study

The expression of protein RCAS1 (receptor-binding cancer antigen expressed on SiSo cells), possibly involved in the mechanisms of evasion of immune surveillance by tumours, has been studied in brain astrocytomas grade III and IV and in metastatic carcinomas to the brain by means of double immunofluorescence with antibodies against RCAS1 and respectively anti-GFAP (astroglia) or CD68 or CD74 (macrophages/microglia). Expression of RCAS1 has been reported in many types of carcinomas and in some normal cells, including bone marrow macrophages. Nakabayashi and coworkers recently reported expression of RCAS1 in gliomas. So far no attention has been paid to expression of RCAS1 in non-neoplastic cellular elements of tumours such as macrophages and to the expression of RCAS1 in metastatic carcinomas. We found expression of RCAS1 co-localizing with GFAP+ cells of gliomas and with CD68 and CD74 in large macrophages infiltrating metastatic and primary tumours and sometimes in cells which had morphological characteristics of microglia. Moreover, sometimes strong RCAS1 positivity has been found in metastatic carcinomas. Whether expression of RCAS1 in macrophages accompanying brain tumours is of any importance it is not possible to ascertain at present. However, when elucidating the possible role of RCAS1 in tumour biology, it seems to be necessary to include its presence not only in neoplastic cells

Endolymphatic sac tumour (ELST). Case report of a rare tumour of the temporal bone, presenting as a mass in a cerebello-pontine angle

Endolymphatic sac tumour (ELST) is a primary low-grade, locally invasive adenocarcinoma of the endolymphatic sac, characterized by the proliferation of cuboidal cells forming a papillotubular pattern and colloid-filled cysts. Rare in the general population, it coincides significantly with the presence of von Hippel-Lindau disease. The natural history, mechanisms underlying the early symptoms, anatomical origin of ELST and optimal timing of their treatment are unknown. In this study, we report a Polish male patient with sporadic ELST (without a family history of VHL disease) along with a review of literature. The light microscopic and immunohistochemical features as well as clinical presentation were typical of ELST

Qualification of the most statistically "sensitive" diffusion tensor imaging parameters for detection of spinal cord injury

Qualification of the most statistically "sensitive" diffusion parameters using Magnetic Resonance (MR) Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) of the control and injured spinal cord of a rat in vivo and in vitro after the trauma is reported. Injury was induced in TH12/TH13 level by a controlled "weight-drop". In vitro experiments were performed in a home-built MR microscope, with a 6.4 T magnet, in vivo samples were measured in a 9.4 T/21 horizontal magnet The aim of this work was to find the most effective diffusion parameters which are useful in the statistically significant detection of spinal cord tissue damage. Apparent diffusion tensor (ADT) weighted data measured in vivo and in vitro on control and injured rat spinal cord (RSC) in the transverse planes and analysis of the diffusion anisotropy as a function of many parameters, which allows statisticall expose of the existence of the damage are reported