Effect of candesartan on the expression of sclera-choroidal intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in hypercholesterolemic models

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of blocking the angiotensin II AT-1 receptor by the systemic administration of candesartan on the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in the sclera and choroid of hypercholesterolemic rabbits. METHODS: New Zealand rabbits were divided into 3 groups, as follows: GI, which was fed a rabbit standard diet; GII, which was fed a hypercholesterolemic diet; and GIII, which received hypercholesterolemic diet plus candesartan. Samples of the rabbits' sclera and choroid were then studied by hematoxylin-eosin staining and histomorphometric and immunohistochemical analyses for intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression. RESULTS: Histological analysis of hematoxylin- and eosin-stained sclera and choroid revealed that macrophages were rarely present in GI, and GII had significantly increased macrophage numbers compared to GIII. Moreover, in GII, the sclera and choroid morphometry showed a significant increase in thickness in comparison to GI and GIII. GIII presented a significant increase in thickness in relation to GI. Sclera and choroid immunohistochemical analysis for intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression revealed a significant increase in immunoreactivity in GII in relation to GI and GIII. GIII showed a significant increase in immunoreactivity in relation to GI. CONCLUSION: Candesartan reduced the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and consequently macrophage accumulation in the sclera and choroid of hypercholesterolemic rabbits

Placental Morphologic Similarities Between ZIKV-Positive and HIV-Positive Pregnant Women

Zika virus (ZIKV) caused global concern due to Brazil's unexpected epidemic, and it was associated with congenital microcephaly and other gestational intercurrences. The study aimed to analyze the placenta morphometric changes of ZIKV-infected pregnant women (ZIKV group; n = 23) compared to placentas of HIV-infected (HIV group; n = 24) and healthy pregnant women (N-control group; n = 22). It also analyzed the relationship between the morphometric results and pathological alterations on conventional microscopy, gestational trimester of infection, and presence of the congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). There was a significant increase in area (p = 0.0172), as well as a higher number of knots (p = 0.0027), sprouts (p < 0.0001), and CD163 +Hofbauer cells (HCs) (p < 0.0001) in the ZIKV group compared to the N-control group, suggesting that villous dysmaturity and HCs hyperplasia could be associated with ZIKV infections. The HIV group had a higher area (p < 0.0001), perimeter (p = 0.0001), sprouts (p < 0.0001), and CD163 + HCs (p < 0.0001) compared to the N-control group, demonstrating that the morphometric abnormalities found in the ZIKV and HIV group are probably similar. However, when ZIKV and HIV groups are compared, it was observed a higher number of sprouts (p = 0.0066) and CD163+ HCs (p < 0.0001) in the first one, suggesting that placental ZIKV congenital changes could be more pronounced

A novel biomarker TERTmRNA is applicable for early detection of hepatoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Backgrounds</p> <p>We previously reported a highly sensitive method for serum human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) mRNA for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). α-fetoprotein (AFP) and des-γ-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) are good markers for HCC. In this study, we verified the significance of hTERTmRNA in a large scale multi-centered trial, collating quantified values with clinical course.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In 638 subjects including 303 patients with HCC, 89 with chronic hepatitis (CH), 45 with liver cirrhosis (LC) and 201 healthy individuals, we quantified serum hTERTmRNA using the real-time RT-PCR. We examined its sensitivity and specificity in HCC diagnosis, clinical significance, ROC curve analysis in comparison with other tumor markers, and its correlations with the clinical parameters using Pearson relative test and multivariate analyses. Furthermore, we performed a prospective and comparative study to observe the change of biomarkers, including hTERTmRNA in HCC patients receiving anti-cancer therapies.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>hTERTmRNA was demonstrated to be independently correlated with clinical parameters; tumor size and tumor differentiation (P < 0.001, each). The sensitivity/specificity of hTERTmRNA in HCC diagnosis showed 90.2%/85.4% for hTERT. hTERTmRNA proved to be superior to AFP, AFP-L3, and DCP in the diagnosis and underwent an indisputable change in response to therapy. The detection rate of small HCC by hTERTmRNA was superior to the other markers.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>hTERTmRNA is superior to conventional tumor markers in the diagnosis and recurrence of HCC at an early stage.</p

“Spike” in acute asthma exacerbations during enterovirus D68 epidemic in Japan: A nation-wide survey

Background: In September 2015, Japan experienced an unusual increase in acute asthma hospitalizations of children that coincided with an enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) epidemic. The objective of this study is to investigate whether EV-D68 had a causal relationship with the spike in asthma hospitalizations. Methods: A nation-wide retrospective survey of asthma hospitalizations of children was performed for the period from January 2010 through October 2015. The Japanese Society of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology asked its affiliated hospitals to report monthly numbers of hospitalizations, ICU admissions and mechanical ventilations due to acute asthma exacerbation. The data were retrieved from medical databases using predefined search criteria: diagnosis of asthma or asthmatic bronchitis, admission, and age <20 years. Monthly numbers of EV-D68 detection were also obtained from the Infectious Disease Surveillance Center of Japan. A Granger causality test was used to analyze the association of EV-D68 detections for asthma exacerbation. Results: A total of 157 hospitals reported 87,189 asthma hospitalizations, including 477 ICU admissions and 1193 mechanical ventilations, during the survey period of 5 years and 10 months. The numbers of these events increased drastically in September 2015. The Granger causality test verified the association between EV-D68 and asthma hospitalizations/mechanical ventilations. The most-affected age group was 3–6 years old. Conclusions: The spike in pediatric asthma hospitalizations in Japan in September 2015 was found to be associated with the EV-D68 epidemic. Respiratory pathogens can cause “epidemics” of asthma exacerbation. Coordinated surveillance of infectious diseases and asthma may be beneficial for prevention and better control of both illnesses

Immunohistochemical analysis of apoptosis and cell proliferation in lungs of premature infants with chronic lung disease (bronchopulmonary dysplasia)

ABSTRACT Introduction: The pathophisiology of chronic lung disease (CLD), clinically known as bronchopulmonary dysplasia is not clear. It is believed that protective mechanisms, such as the release of inflammatory mediators and the activation of apoptotic and/or proliferative processes are activated in the lung tissue of premature infants in an attempt to repair tissue injury caused by exposure to oxygen and mechanical ventilation. Objective: Assess the presence of apoptosis and cell proliferation in the lungs of premature infants with CLD, exposed to oxygen and/or mechanical ventilation, by analyzing the proteins expression: proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), tumor necrosis factor receptor family member (Fas), fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD), tumor necrosis factor receptor type 1-associated death domain protein (TRADD), Caspase 3 and Caspase 8. Material and methods: We analyzed 32 infants autopsies at gestational age of less than 34 weeks exposed to oxygen therapy. The study was divided into three groups: "classic" CLD, "new" CLD and "without" CLD. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed. Results and discussion: A higher proliferation rate was observed in infants with CLD suggesting that longer exposure to mechanical ventilation may stimulates cell proliferation. The PTEN and Caspase 8 expressions were higher in the "new" CLD group, compared to the "without" CLD group, indicating that the "new" CLD form is more susceptible to apoptosis. Conclusion: Apoptosis and cell proliferation are involved in the pathophisiology of CLD. The "new" CLD form is more susceptible to apoptosis, while cell proliferation is more evident in the groups with CLD

Tissue immunostaining of growth, pro- and anti-apoptotic biomarkers in myocardial samples from newborns with hypoxic injury

ABSTRACT Introduction: Despite the importance of cardiovascular diseases to population health, there is limited knowledge about how neonatal hypoxia, related or not with prematurity, may cause cell injury to cardiomyocytes in the neonatal period and what the consequences to adult life are. Objective: To analyze the tissue immunostaining of biomarkers involved in the process of cell death and growth in the myocardium of hypoxic newborns. Method: Human myocardium samples (left ventricle) from necropsies of hypoxic newborns were organized in multi-sample blocks and submitted to immunohistochemical reactions by the immunoperoxidase technique. The primary antibodies used were anti-B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2)-associated X protein (BAX), anti-mitofusin-2 (Mfn2), anti-tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1 (TRAP1), anti-Bcl2, anti-angiotensin II, anti-serine/threonine (Akt) 1, anti-Akt2 and anti-Akt3. Tissue immunostaining data were correlated with clinical data (gender, weight, gestational age, first-minute and fifth-minute Apgar score, arterial blood pH and survival time) and pathological data (death cause and primary disease). Results: The average tissue immunostaining of BAX was 25.61%; TRAP1 was 7.86%, angiotensin II was 1.24%, Akt2 was 16.35% and Akt3 was 20.61%. The biomarkers Akt1, Mfn2 and Bcl2 presented very low or absent tissue immunostaining in most cases of this study. There was no correlation between the average biomarker tissue immunostaining and the survival time or any other clinical or pathological factor studied. Conclusion: These data seem to strengthen the coordinated action of the pro-apoptotic, anti-apoptotic and cell growth biomarkers in the myocardium of hypoxic newborns in order to determine the degree of lesion or cell death and the tissue recovery capacity

Congestive Hepatopathy Secondary to Right Ventricular Hypertrophy Related to Monocrotaline-Induced Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Heart dysfunction and liver disease often coexist. Among the types of cardiohepatic syndrome, Type 2 is characterized by the chronic impairment of cardiac function, leading to chronic liver injury, referred to as congestive hepatopathy (CH). In this study, we aimed to establish a rat model of CH secondary to right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) related to monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Fifty male Wistar rats were divided into four groups and randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. Three experimental groups were submitted to intraperitoneal MCT inoculation (60 mg/kg) and were under its effect for 15, 30 and 37 days. The animals were then sacrificed, obtaining cardiac and hepatic tissues for anatomopathological and morphometric analysis. At macroscopic examination, the livers in the MCT groups presented a nutmeg-like appearance. PAH produced marked RVH and dilatation in the MCT groups, characterized by a significant increase in right ventricular free wall thickness (RVFWT) and chamber area. At histological evaluation, centrilobular congestion was the earliest manifestation, with preservation of the hepatocytes. Centrilobular hemorrhagic necrosis was observed in the groups exposed to prolonged MCT. Sinusoidal dilatation was markedly increased in the MCT groups, quantified by the Sinusoidal Lumen Ratio (SLR). The Congestive Hepatic Fibrosis Score and the Centrilobular Fibrosis Ratio (CFR) were also significantly increased in the MCT30 group. Hepatic atrophy, steatosis, apoptotic bodies and, rarely, hydropic swelling were also observed. SLR correlated strongly with CFR and RVFWT, and CFR correlated moderately with RVFWT. Our rat model was able to cause CH, related to monocrotaline-induced PAH and RVH; it was feasible, reproducible, and safe

Additional file 1: Figure S1. of Tissue expression of retinoic acid receptor alpha and CRABP2 in metastatic nephroblastomas

Immunohistochemical evaluation of RARA and CRABP2 in nephroblastoma and renal parenchyma. RARA immunoexpression: A, renal parenchyma; B, nephroblastoma. CRABP2 immunoexpression: C, renal parenchyma; D, nephroblastoma (40×). (JPEG 3337 kb