The role of apoptosis in the pathogenesis of dermatitis herpetiformis.

Apoptosis is a form of cell death that is claimed to be involved in a number of chronic inflammatory and malignant skin diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate whether apoptosis may contribute to the pathogenesis of epidermal changes in dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) and, in particular, whether certain apoptosis-related markers such as Bax, Bcl-2, Fas and Fas ligand (FasL) take part in this process. For the detection of apoptotic nuclei, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labelling technique (TUNEL) was employed on cryostat sections. Skin lesions from six and perilesional skin from four DH patients were stained with monoclonal antibodies to Bax, Bcl-2, Fas and FasL. The same evaluation was also performed on three patients affected by bullous pemphigoid (BP) and in two healthy donors. Using TUNEL technique, a remarkable increase in the apoptotic rate within the epidermal compartment was observed in DH and BP patients in comparison with normal controls. In our immunohistochemical analysis, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was almost the same in the epidermis of perilesional/lesional DH, BP and healthy skin specimens. In DH and BP specimens both Bax and Bcl-2 proteins were increased in the dermal perivascular compartment. Fas showed a prevalently epidermal staining, both in DH and BP lesions, while FasL was distributed in perivascular and subjunctional dermis; some FasL+ cells infiltrated the DEJ and the basal layer of epidermis. This study allowed us to highlight conspicuous apoptotic phenomena in basal and suprabasal keratinocytes within lesional and perilesional skin of DH. We conclude that in DH, as well as in BP, apoptosis plays a role in the pathogenesis of cutaneous lesions in concert with other pathogenetic mechanisms

PreImplantation Factor immunohistochemical expression correlates with prostate cancer aggressiveness

Background: The PreImplantation Factor (PIF)—a peptide secreted by viable embryos—exerts autotrophic protective effects, promotes endometrial receptivity and controls trophoblast invasion. Synthetic PIF (sPIF) has both immune-protective and regenerative properties, and reduces oxidative stress and protein misfolding. PIF is detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in hyperplastic endometriotic lesions and advanced uterine cancer. sPIF reduces graft-versus-host disease while maintaining a graft-versus-leukemia effect. Methods: PIF detection in prostate cancer was assessed in 50 human prostate samples following radical prostatectomy using tumor-microarray-based IHC correlating PIF immune staining with Gleason score (GS) and cancer aggressiveness. Results: PIF was detected in moderate-to-high risk prostate cancer (GS 4+3 and beyond, prognostic groups 3 to 5). In prostate cancer (GS (WHO Grade Group (GG)5), PIF was detected in 50% of cases; in prostate cancer (GS 4+4 GG4), PIF was observed in 62.5% of cases; in prostate cancer (GS 4+3 GG3), PIF immunostaining was observed in 57.1% of cases. In prostate cancer, (GS 3+4 GG2) and (GS 3+3 GG1) cases where PIF staining was negative to weak, membranous staining was observed in 20% of cases (staining pattern considered negative). High-grade prostate intraepithelial neoplasia PIF positive stain in 28.57% of cases (6 of 21) was observed. In contrast, PIF was not detected in normal prostate glands. Importantly, sPIF added to the PC3 cell line alone or combined with prostate cancer fibroblast feeder-cells did not affect proliferation. Only when peripheral blood mononuclear cells were added to the culture, a minor increase in cell proliferation was noted, reflecting local proliferation control. Conclusions: Collectively, PIF assessment could be a valuable, simple-to-use immunohistochemical biomarker to evaluate aggressiveness/prognosis in specimens from prostate cancer patients

LH/hCG-Receptor Expression May Have a Negative Prognostic Value in Low-Risk Endometrial Cancer

Introduction: A 51 years-old woman was diagnosed with endometrial cancer and underwent surgical staging. Pathologic evaluation showed a 2x1 cm G2 endometrioid endometrial cancer with a 30% myometrial deep invasion (FIGO stage 1A). The patient was classified as low-risk of recurrence and no adjuvant treatment was offered. Six months after surgery, the patient developed an early vescico-vaginal recurrence and chemotherapy treatment was started. Few months later a subsequent involvement of vaginal wall, ileum and omentum was detected and the patient underwent second surgery. Background: LH/hCG-receptor (LH/hCG-R) expression has been previously reported to be associated with an invasive phenotype in endometrial cancer cells. Moreover, in a preclinical mouse model of EC behaves as a pro metastatic molecular device. Discussion: We analysed the expression level of LH/hCG-R in cancer specimens collected during surgeries. Molecular and immunohistochemical analysis showed a strong expression of both mRNA and protein for LH/hCG-R in all specimens. Conclusion: LH/hCG-R expression may be assessed together with other clinicopathological parameters in order to better predict the risk of recurrence in low-risk endometrial cancer patients. Further clinical trials are warranted in order to validate LH/hCG-R as biomarker in endometrial cancer

Dia Mundial da Diabetes 1ª edição / World Diabetes day 1st edition

O diabetes mellitus (DM) afeta cerca de 13 milhões de brasileiros e juntamente com outras doenças crônicas não transmissíveis é a quarta maior causa de mortes no mundo. Os objetivos deste trabalho são esclarecer a população sobre os fatores de risco para DM, esclarecer sobre o potencial deletério dessa doença e promover a saúde incentivando adoção de hábitos de vida saudáveis, aproveitando a alusão ao Dia Mundial do Diabetes. Foram conduzidas anamneses dirigidas, avaliação de medidas antropométricas, aferição de pressão arterial e glicemia capilar. Na sequência, foram realizadas palestras dirigidas à população para disseminar informações de maneira acessível sobre os fatores de risco e formas de prevenção de DM e doenças cardiovasculares (DCV), visto que a presença de DM aumenta em 3 a 4 vezes o risco de DCV devido principalmente a hiperglicemia e a resistência insulínica. As palestras abordaram temas como hábitos de vida mais saudáveis, alimentação e exercício físico. Foram atendidos 36 pacientes, dos quais 55,55% eram homens, 33,35% eram diabéticos confirmados, 35,4% apresentaram glicemia ≥100 mg/dl durante o evento, mas não possuíam diagnóstico de DM e 80% apresentavam sobrepeso ou obesidade. Os fatores de risco mais prevalentes foram a alimentação hiperglicêmica e a história familiar positiva para DM, ambas relatadas por 41,66% dos pacientes. O menos prevalente foi o tabagismo, identificado em 19,44% dos pacientes. Foram feitas orientações caso-a-caso, além de esclarecimento de dúvidas durante o evento

Dia mundial da Diabetes: 1ª Edição / World diabetes day: 1st Edition

O diabetes mellitus (DM) afeta cerca de 13 milhões de brasileiros e juntamente com outras doenças crônicas não transmissíveis é a quarta maior causa de mortes no mundo. Os objetivos deste trabalho são esclarecer a população sobre os fatores de risco para DM, esclarecer sobre o potencial deletério dessa doença e promover a saúde incentivando adoção de hábitos de vida saudáveis, aproveitando a alusão ao Dia Mundial do Diabetes. Foram conduzidas anamneses dirigidas, avaliação de medidas antropométricas, aferição de pressão arterial e glicemia capilar. Na sequência, foram realizadas palestras dirigidas à população para disseminar informações de maneira acessível sobre os fatores de risco e formas de prevenção de DM e doenças cardiovasculares (DCV), visto que a presença de DM aumenta em 3 a 4 vezes o risco de DCV devido principalmente a hiperglicemia e a resistência insulínica. As palestras abordaram temas como hábitos de vida mais saudáveis, alimentação e exercício físico. Foram atendidos 36 pacientes, dos quais 55,55% eram homens, 33,35% eram diabéticos confirmados, 35,4% apresentaram glicemia ≥100 mg/dl durante o evento, mas não possuíam diagnóstico de DM e 80% apresentavam sobrepeso ou obesidade. Os fatores de risco mais prevalentes foram a alimentação hiperglicêmica e a história familiar positiva para DM, ambas relatadas por 41,66% dos pacientes. O menos prevalente foi o tabagismo, identificado em 19,44% dos pacientes. Foram feitas orientações caso-a-caso, além de esclarecimento de dúvidas durante o evento.