Is littoral cell angioma of the spleen as rare as previously believed in the pediatric population?

Littoral cell angioma (LCA) is a rare primary splenic vascular tumor, originating from the littoral cellslining the red pulp sinuses of the spleen. There are only a handful of case reports of LCA in children to be foundin the literature. We performed a retrospective analysis of the medical charts of pediatric patients with spleniclesions who were treated between 2005 and 2010 in the Pediatric Surgery Department of the Medical Universityof Bialystok. Surprisingly, LCA accounted for 37.5% of the splenic lesions found in our series. The majority ofLCA tumors are benign, but given their malignant potential, splenectomy and long-term follow-up should bethe gold standard for their management. We strongly support the use of further cross-sectional studies to properlyelucidate the prevalence of littoral cell angioma of the spleen in the pediatric population.Littoral cell angioma (LCA) is a rare primary splenic vascular tumor, originating from the littoral cellslining the red pulp sinuses of the spleen. There are only a handful of case reports of LCA in children to be foundin the literature. We performed a retrospective analysis of the medical charts of pediatric patients with spleniclesions who were treated between 2005 and 2010 in the Pediatric Surgery Department of the Medical Universityof Bialystok. Surprisingly, LCA accounted for 37.5% of the splenic lesions found in our series. The majority ofLCA tumors are benign, but given their malignant potential, splenectomy and long-term follow-up should bethe gold standard for their management. We strongly support the use of further cross-sectional studies to properlyelucidate the prevalence of littoral cell angioma of the spleen in the pediatric population

The evaluation of human papillomavirus and p53 gene mutation in benign and malignant conjunctiva and eyelid lesions.

Papillomas and squamous cell carcinomas are the most common conjunctival and eyelid lesions. The etiology is still unclear and recently human papillomavirus infection and p53 gene mutation have been taken into consideration. The aim of our study was the evaluation of HPV DNApresence and p53 gene mutation in 45 benign and 38 malignant squamous lesions of the conjunctiva and eyelid. For HPV detection PCR-RFLP and immunohistochemical reaction were used; for p53 gene mutation PCR-SSCP was used. Only 8.8% papillomas, 9.1% squamous cell cancers and 3.7% basal cell cancers (using PCR-RFLP method) and 26.6% papillomas, 7.4% squamous cell cancers and 9.1% basal cell cancers (using immunohisto-chemical reaction) were HPV positive. p53 gene mutation was evaluated in 24.4% papillomas, 54.5% squamous cell cancers and 22.2% basal cell cancers; most commonly in 6 and 7 exon. Human papillomavirus infection, opposite to p53 gene mutation, is not a significant etiological factor of the benign and malignant conjunctival and eyelid lesions development

Expression of the apoptotic markers in normal breast epithelium, benign mammary dysplasia and in breast cancer

Apoptosis and proliferation are processes associated with the development and progression of breast cancer. The sensitivity of tumour cells to the induction of apoptosis depends on the balance between pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins. The expression of Bak and Bcl-2 was examined using an immunohistochemical method in 71 primary breast cancers. Furthermore, Bcl-2 and Bak were assessed in the normal mammary gland as well as in benign mammary dysplasia adjacent to breast cancer. Positive immunostaining for Bcl-2 was observed in 77.8% of cases of normal breast epithelium (NBE), 93% of benign dysplasia without intraductal proliferation (BBD) as well as in 94% of intraductal proliferative lesions of the breast (BIPL). Expression of Bak was detected in 39% of cases of NBE, 45% of BBD and in 67% of BIPL. In breast cancer Bcl-2 and Bak expression was found in 83% and 70% of the cases studied, respectively. Increased Bcl-2 expression in primary tumours significantly correlated with favourable prognostic factors, namely pT1, G2 and lack of metastases to the regional lymph nodes (p < 0.01, p < 0.03, p < 0.02, respectively). There were no relationships between Bak and the clinicopathological features studied, but our results indicate changes in the expression of Bak during breast cancer development and progression. It would appear to be important to assess and compare pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins between normal mammary gland, benign mammary dysplasia and the primary tumours of breast cancer. This knowledge should be helpful in understanding breast cancer development and progression

The evaluation of human papillomavirus and p53 gene mutation in benign and malignant conjunctiva and eyelid lesions.

Papillomas and squamous cell carcinomas are the most common conjunctival and eyelid lesions. The etiology is still unclear and recently human papillomavirus infection and p53 gene mutation have been taken into consideration. The aim of our study was the evaluation of HPV DNApresence and p53 gene mutation in 45 benign and 38 malignant squamous lesions of the conjunctiva and eyelid. For HPV detection PCR-RFLP and immunohistochemical reaction were used; for p53 gene mutation PCR-SSCP was used. Only 8.8% papillomas, 9.1% squamous cell cancers and 3.7% basal cell cancers (using PCR-RFLP method) and 26.6% papillomas, 7.4% squamous cell cancers and 9.1% basal cell cancers (using immunohisto-chemical reaction) were HPV positive. p53 gene mutation was evaluated in 24.4% papillomas, 54.5% squamous cell cancers and 22.2% basal cell cancers; most commonly in 6 and 7 exon. Human papillomavirus infection, opposite to p53 gene mutation, is not a significant etiological factor of the benign and malignant conjunctival and eyelid lesions development

The short-term and long-term effects of intranasal mesenchymal stem cell administration to noninflamed mice lung

Mesenchymal stem cells (mesenchymal stromal cells; MSC)-based therapies remain a promising approach to treat degenerative and inflammatory diseases. Their beneficial effects were confirmed in numerous experimental models and clinical trials. However, safety issues concerning MSCs’ stability and their long-term effects limit their implementation in clinical practice, including treatment of respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and COVID-19. Here, we aimed to investigate the safety of intranasal application of human adipose tissue-derived MSCs in a preclinical experimental mice model and elucidate their effects on the lungs. We assessed short-term (two days) and long-term (nine days) effects of MSCs administration on lung morphology, immune responses, epithelial barrier function, and transcriptomic profiles. We observed an increased frequency of IFNγ- producing T cells and a decrease in occludin and claudin 3 as a long-term effect of MSCs administration. We also found changes in the lung transcriptomic profiles, reflecting redox imbalance and hypoxia signaling pathway. Additionally, we found dysregulation in genes clustered in pattern recognition receptors, macrophage activation, oxidative stress, and phagocytosis. Our results suggest that i.n. MSCs administration to noninflamed healthy lungs induces, in the late stages, low-grade inflammatory responses aiming at the clearance of MSCs graft

Circulating serum miR-362-3p and miR-6721-5p as potential biomarkers for classification patients with adult-type diffuse glioma

According to the fifth edition of the WHO Classification of Tumours of the Central Nervous System (CNS) published in 2021, grade 4 gliomas classification includes IDH-mutant astrocytomas and wild-type IDH glioblastomas. Unfortunately, despite precision oncology development, the prognosis for patients with grade 4 glioma remains poor, indicating an urgent need for better diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Circulating miRNAs besides being important regulators of cancer development could serve as promising diagnostic biomarkers for patients with grade 4 glioma. Here, we propose a two-miRNA miR-362-3p and miR-6721-5p screening signature for serum for non-invasive classification of identified glioma cases into the highest-grade 4 and lower-grade gliomas. A total of 102 samples were included in this study, comprising 78 grade 4 glioma cases and 24 grade 2–3 glioma subjects. Using the NanoString platform, seven miRNAs were identified as differentially expressed (DE), which was subsequently confirmed via RT-qPCR analysis. Next, numerous combinations of DE miRNAs were employed to develop classification models. The dual panel of miR-362-3p and miR-6721-5p displayed the highest diagnostic value to differentiate grade 4 patients and lower grade cases with an AUC of 0.867. Additionally, this signature also had a high AUC = 0.854 in the verification cohorts by RT-qPCR and an AUC = 0.842 using external data from the GEO public database. The functional annotation analyses of predicted DE miRNA target genes showed their primary involvement in the STAT3 and HIF-1 signalling pathways and the signalling pathway of pluripotency of stem cells and glioblastoma-related pathways. For additional exploration of miRNA expression patterns correlated with glioma, we performed the Weighted Gene-Co Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA). We showed that the modules most associated with glioma grade contained as many as six DE miRNAs. In conclusion, this study presents the first evidence of serum miRNA expression profiling in adult-type diffuse glioma using a classification based on the WHO 2021 guidelines. We expect that the discovered dual miR-362-3p and miR-6721-5p signatures have the potential to be utilised for grading gliomas in clinical applications

Assessment of inflammatory infiltration and angiogenesis in the thrombus and the wall of abdominal aortic aneurysms on the basis of histological parameters and computed tomography angiography study

The proliferation of vessels within the aneurysm’s wall and the intraluminal thrombus of abdominalaortic aneurysm (AAA) may be the main factor responsible for progression and rupture of AAA. The aim of thisstudy was to compare the parameters of the thrombus (size, density, contrast enhancement) measured by computedtomography (CT) with histological assessment of thrombi removed during surgery. 29 patients with AAAwere examined with angio-CT. Post-surgery histopathological evaluation of AAA was performed. Slides werestained with markers of B- (CD20) and T-lymphocytes (CD3), and markers of endothelial cells (CD34). Thrombiwere enhanced after contrast media administration in angio-CT (p = 0.002). There was a statistically significantcorrelation between contrast enhancement and the presence of B lymphocytes. Intensity of endothelial cellmarker expression significantly correlated with the presence of inflammatory T- and B-cells. No statistical significantcorrelation was found between contrast enhancement of the thrombus and markers of endothelial cells.The accumulation of inflammatory cells in the wall of AAA thrombus results in the formation of new vesselswhich participates to the instability of the thrombus and AAA wall. Assessment of the inflammation and neovascularizationin the wall and thrombus of the AAA might be an important factor in monitoring the progressionand the risk of aneurysm’s rupture