Interventional Radiology Approaches for Liver Metastases from Thyroid Cancer: A Case Series and Overview of the Literature

BACKGROUND: Liver metastases (LMs) from thyroid cancer (TC) are relatively uncommon in clinical practice and their management is challenging. Interventional radiology loco-regional treatments (LRTs), including radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE), have been successfully employed to treat LMs from various types of cancer. METHODS: We analyzed the role of LRTs in the management of unresectable LMs from differentiated and medullary TCs performed at our institution from 2015 to 2020. A review of the available English literature regarding this topic was also performed. RESULTS: Six hepatic LRTs were performed in 4 TC patients with LMs, in 2 cases after the start of treatment with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). A partial response was obtained in 2 patients; the diameter of the largest targeted lesion was 18 mm in both of them. The remaining procedures were performed on larger lesions and a stable disease was achieved in all but one case. Acute LRT-related complications were transient and mild. In literature, the largest studies were focused on TACE in LMs from MTC, showing good tolerance and remarkable disease control, especially in case of limited liver tumour involvement. CONCLUSION: LRTs for LMs represent a valuable option for the treatment of metastatic TC in case of isolated hepatic progression or for symptoms relief, also after the start of TKI treatment as part of a multimodal approach. The best disease control is obtained when hepatic metastatic burden is limited. These procedures are generally well tolerated; however, a cautious multidisciplinary selection of the candidates is mandatory

Trunk anatomical features and essential oils composition of woody-shrub species of the ecotone and steppe from the Northwestern region of Chubut Province

La Provincia del Chubut tiene una superficie aproximada de 224.686 km2, donde los bosques subantárticos se extienden hacia el oeste y el noroeste. Están compuestos por árboles nativos como la lenga, el coihue, el alerce o lahuán, el ciprés, el maitén, el ñire y el radal, entre otros. En el ecotono bosque-estepa incursionan algunas de estas especies arbóreas, pero existe mayor predominancia de arbustos de muy bajo porte. El objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar, sobre la base de los caracteres anatómicos del leño secundario, aspectos xeromórficos de arbustos patagónicos y determinar la presencia y la composición de los aceites esenciales en sus follajes. Se realizó el estudio anatómico de algunas especies arbustivas, comprendidas en las siguientes familias botánicas: Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, Malvaceae, Rhamnaceae, Solanaceae y Verbenaceae. Se realizó el estudio anatómico de: Adesmia boronioides (Fabaceae), Ameghinoa patagonica (Asteraceae), B. obovata, B. salicifolia, (Asteraceae), Clinopodium darwinii (Lamiaceae), Corynabutilon bicolor (Malvaceae), Diostea juncea (Verbenaceae), Discaria chacaye (Rhamnaceae), Fabiana imbricata (Solanaceae), Mulinum spinosum (Apiaceae), Ochetophila trinervis (Rhamnaceae), Schinus johnstonii y S. patagonicus (Anacardiaceae). Los elementos observados, analizados y medidos permitieron obtener resultados y establecer analogías y diferencias entre las especies. La mayoría de los arbustos presenta: porosidad de circular a semicircular en xilema temprano, y porosidad difusa, disposición dendrítica, ulmoide, en racimos, y oblicua en zigzag, en xilema tardío. En sección transversal, los poros se distribuyen solitarios, múltiples radiales cortos, largos y en cadena; en sección tangencial se observaron radios uni a multiseriados, homocelulares y heterocelulares. El sistema de radios es heterogéneo. Los espesamientos helicoidales están presentes en las paredes de los vasos y las traqueidas vasculares de varias especies. En el leño de otras, se hallaron traqueidas vasicéntricas y fibrotraqueidas. Las perforaciones reticuladas solo fueron halladas en algunos vasos de Ochetophila trinervis; y perforaciones radiovasculares, en D. chacaye. Las demás especies tienen vasos con perforaciones simples. Los valores de índice de vulnerabilidad, mesomorfismo, índice de fibras/vasos y frecuencia promedio de poros/mm2 obtenidos, demuestran que los arbustos estudiados habitan en sitios de xerófitos a extremadamente xéricos del ecotono-estepa del Chubut. El 64% de las especies mostró contenidos importantes de aceites esenciales. Este resultado estaría en concordancia con algunas hipótesis que plantean la presencia de estos metabolitos secundarios como adaptación a las condiciones xerófitas.Chubut Province has an area of about 224.686 km², and therein the sub Antarctic forest extends to the West and Northwest. Native trees such as lenga, coihue, alerce or lahuán, cypress, maitén, ñire and radal, among others, are the most frequent species present. Meanwhile in the forest-steppe of the ecotone some of these tree species are also present but with a greater predominance of very low bearing shrubs. The objective of this study was to analyze the xeromorphic aspects of patagonian shrubs based on the anatomical characters of the secondary wood and on the presence and composition of essential oils in their foliage. The anatomical study was conducted on: Adesmia boronioides (Fabaceae), Ameghinoa patagonica (Asteraceae), Baccharis linearis, B. obovata, B. salicifolia, (Asteraceae), Clinopodium darwinii (Lamiaceae), Corynabutilon bicolor (Malvaceae), Diostea juncea (Verbenaceae), Discaria chacaye (Rhamnaceae), Fabiana imbricata (Solanaceae), Mulinum spinosum (Apiaceae), Ochetophila trinervis (Rhamnaceae), Schinus johnstonii y S. patagonicus (Anacardiaceae). The anatomical elements observed, analyzed and measured, allowed establishing analogies and differences between the species. Most of the bushes presented: circular to semicircular porosity in spring wood, and diffuse-porous, dendritic provision, ulmoid, in clusters, and oblique zigzag in autumn-winter wood. In cross section, the pores were solitare, multiple radial short, long and chain; uni multiseriate, homocellular and heterocellular rays were observed in the tangential section. The radio system was heterogeneous. The helical thickening was present in the vessel walls and vascular tracheids, of several species. Fibrotracheids and vasicentric tracheids were found in the others woods. The reticulate perforations were only found in some vessels of Ochetophila trinervis; and radiovasculars drillings in D. chacaye. Other species had vessels with simple perforations. Index values of vulnerability, mesomorphism, index of fibers/vessels and frequency average pores/mm² obtained, demonstrated that the shrubs under study live in xerophytic to extremely xeric conditions in the ecotone-steppe in Chubut. About 64% of the species showed essential oils content. These results would be consistent with some hypotheses posed that the presence of these secondary metabolites constitutes a possible adaptation to xerophytic conditions.Fil: Guerra, Pedro E.. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ingeniería - Sede Esquel; ArgentinaFil: González, Silvia Beatriz. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ciencias Naturales - Sede Esquel; ArgentinaFil: Kirner, Helga J.. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ingeniería - Sede Esquel; ArgentinaFil: Retta, Daiana Sabrina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco; ArgentinaFil: Di Leo Lira, Paola Maria del Rosario. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco; ArgentinaFil: Gómez, Mariano F.. Centro de Investigación y Extensión Forestal Andino Patagónico; Argentin

Yersinia enterocolitica exploits different pathways to accomplish adhesion and toxin injection into host cells.

The current paradigm suggests that Yersinia enterocolitica (Ye) adheres to host cells via the outer membrane proteins Yersinia adhesin A (YadA) or invasin (Inv) to facilitate injection of Yops by the type III secretion system. In this process Inv binds directly to β1 integrins of host cells while YadA may bind indirectly via extracellular matrix proteins to β1 integrins. Here we challenged this paradigm and investigated the requirements for Yop injection. We demonstrate that Inv- but not YadA-mediated adhesion depends on β1 integrin binding and activation, and that tight adhesion is a prerequisite for Yop injection. By means of novel transgenic cell lines, shRNA approaches and RGD peptides, we found that YadA, in contrast to Inv, may use a broad host cell receptor repertoire for host cell adhesion. In the absence of β1 integrins, YadA mediates Yop injection by interaction with αV integrins in cooperation with yet unknown cofactors expressed by epithelial cells, but not fibroblasts. Electron microscopic and flow chamber studies revealed that a defined intimate contact area between Ye and host cells resulting in adhesion forces resisting shear stress is required for Yop injection. Thus, the indirect binding of YadA to a broad extracellular matrix (ECM) binding host cell receptor repertoire of different cell types makes YadA a versatile tool to ensure Yop injection. In conclusion, given the differential expression of the outer membrane proteins Inv and YadA in the course of Ye infection and differential expression of integrins by various host cell populations, the data demonstrate that Ye is flexibly armed to accomplish Yop injection in different host cell types, a central event in its immune evasion strategy