Relationship between Chemotherapy and Atrial Fibrillation: Clinical Case

The aim of this article is to represent the characterization of the clinical case of chemotherapy-related atrial fibrillation (AF) development in the young woman, elaborated as a result of multiple neoadjuvant and adjuvant modes of the intake of chemotherapy (both anthracycline based and non-anthracycline ones). In this case, the noted disturbances of heart rhythm should be recognized as a manifestation of cardiotoxicity. The latter implies the degree of detrimental effect of chemotherapeutical medication on the morphophynctional parameters of the cardiovascular system. Anthracycline drugs, being highly effective chemotherapytical agents, provide well-known toxic effects on the heart and vessels. Anthracycline mediated cardiotoxicity is a well- known veracity that dates back to the 60s of the last century, but up to now this medication sustains irreplaceable components of big volume of chemotherapy modes. Moreover, it should be noted that relatively newer drugs also posses certain cardiotoxicogenic potential

Takotsubo syndrome (Stress-induced cardiomyopathy)

The article presents published and own data about Takotsubo syndrome, a relatively rare heart disease that is similar to acute coronary syndrome, but without significant damage of coronary arteries. The leading pathogenetic factor is the catecholamine-in-duced stress damage of myocardium with involvement of microvessels. There is a certain underestimation of Takotsubo syndrome by both clinicians and pathologists, so some cases of Takotsubo syndrome are misdiagnosed as acute coronary syndrome. Morphological manifestations of Takotsubo syndrome are characterized by mucoid edema of interstitial myocardial tissue, round-cell infiltration of stroma and focal damage of cardiomyocytes

Age-related differences in hypoxia-associated genes and cytokine profile in male Wistar rats

Hypoxia tolerance of the organism depends on many factors, including age. High newborn organisms tolerance and high level of oxidative stress throughout aging were demonstrated by many studies. However, there is lack of investigations reflecting the expression of key hypoxia-inducible factor HIF in different age organisms in correlation to levels of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Liver is a sensitive to hypoxia organ, and is an important organ in providing an acute reaction to infections - it synthesizes acute inflammation phase proteins, in particular, C-reactive protein. The aim of study was to determine relationship between age-related tolerance to hypoxia and HIF-1 and PHD2 (prolyl hydroxylase domain protein) expression levels in the liver and the production of cytokines in the spleen in newborn, prepubertal and adult Wistar rats. Newborn rats are characterized by high mRNA Hif-1 alpha expression level in the liver, accompanied by a low content of HIF-1 protein and high level of PHD2. The growth in HIF-1 alpha protein level throughout age is accompanied by the growth of pro-inflammatory cytokines level. Prepubertal animals are the least hypoxia resistant and their HIF-1 alpha mRNA expression level was higher than in adult animals. The PHD2 activity in prepubertal animals was significantly reduced in comparison to newborn rats, and the HIF-1 alpha protein level did not change. Further studies require the identification of additional mechanisms, determining the regulation of the HIF-1 alpha level in prepubertal animals

COMPARATIVE IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF E-CADHERIN AND Β-KATENIN EXPRESSION IN METASTATIC AND NON-METASTATIC BREAST CANCER OF NON-SPECIFIC TYPE

Objective: an immunohistochemical analysis of the features of expression, distribution and interaction of E-сadherin and β-сatenin proteins in primary mammary tumors. Materials and methods. The study group consisted of 148 relevant patients with breast cancer (BC), including patients with metastases in lymph nodes (n = 12) and liver (n = 45). E-сadherin and β-сatenin expression on BC cells was determined using immunohistochemical method with specific antibodies. Results. It was shown that the reduction and the total absence of E-сadherin expression was observed much more often in patients with BC with metastases in liver, than in patients without metastases (70 % of cases versus 30 % of cases respectively). An increase of cytoplasmic immune reactivity and a nuclear translocation of β-сatenin are found in more than 80 % cases of BC with metastases.Conclusion. The changes in the expression of E-сadherin and β-сatenin in tumor cell can be considered as factors of a non-favorable prognosis of BC. The emergence of β-сatenin expression indicates the activation of a signaling pathway which is triggered by the aberrant expression of epithelial cadherins leading to an increased mobility and invasion of tumor cells