Histological Observation of the Development of Follicles and Follicular Atresia in Immature Rat Ovaries

To clarify the development of follicular growth and atresia in the immature ovary, rats. ovaries and blood were removed at fixed points during the period from 0 to 35 days after birth (Day 0 to Day 35). The ovaries were immunohistochemically examined, and blood concentrations of serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estrogen (E) were measured. We investigated how time-course changes in follicular cell proliferation, estrogen receptor β (ERβ), apoptosis, and FSH and E concentrations are connected with follicular growth and atresia. Apoptosis was found in the ova from Day 0 to Day 3. On Day 15, apoptosis occurred in some granulosa cell nuclei in some follicles, but BrdU uptake and the presence of cyclin D2 and ER β could be observed in other granulosa cells. From Day 17, apoptosis increased in the follicular granulosa cells, and BrdU uptake and the presence of cyclin D2 and ERβ were decreased. Follicular atresia continued, reaching a peak on Day 30. Serum FSH and E concentrations increased until Day 15, then markedly decreased after Day 17. The mechanism of apoptosis in the ova from Day 0 to 3 has not been clarified. However, the onset of follicular atresia was caused by apoptotic degeneration from Days 15 to 17. These results showed that the oocytes were selected by apoptosis at 2 points in the time-course of the maturation of the ovary

Differential, histochemical and immunohistochemical changes in rat hepatocytes after isoflurane or sevoflurane exposure.

Differential, histochemical and immunohistochemical changes were observed in hepatocytes from immediately to 7 days after isoflurane or sevoflurane exposure (at H 0 to on Day 7) to study the process of development and recovery in anesthetic-induced hepatic injury. A total of 570 7-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats with or without phenobarbital treatment were exposed to isoflurane or sevoflurane in 100%, 21%, or 10% oxygen, or to 10% oxygen alone for 2h. In phenobarbital-treated rats, hepatocytes both with and without anesthetic exposure markedly changed in 10% oxygen at H 0. Glycogen and ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) disappeared at H 0 and at H 6, respectively, and at H 6, AST levels in the blood rose. From H 6 to Day 1, necrosis developed more markedly and widely in zone 3 hepatocytes exposed to anesthetics in 10% oxygen than in those exposed to oxygen alone. All degenerated tissues had returned to normal levels by day 7. Recovery of the hepatolobular structure may be attributed to rearrangement of remaining hepatocytes in the portal vein area. Both the disappearance of glycogen and rRNA and the increase in blood AST levels after exposure to isoflurane or sevoflurane are considered to be factors contributing to the induction of necrosis around the central vein. The grade of isoflurane-induced hepatic injury was found to be significantly higher than that of sevoflurane.</p

テンイソウ デ ホルモン ジュヨウタイ ノ ヘンイ オ ミトメタ ニュウガン ノ 1レイ

A 44 year old woman visited the hospital with complaint of the right breast tumor which she left for two years. She presented with a large mass of８．５cm in diameter with skin invasion, right axillar lymph nodes, multiple liver, and bone metastases. Core needle biopsy of the main tumor revealed an invasive ductal carcinoma（scirrhous carcinoma）with nuclear grade 2 with ER（＋）,PgR（＋）, HER2（－）. The patient was treated with hormone therapy for three and a half year.The extensive mediastinum lymph nodes metastasis and multiple lung metastasis and a new tumor in the right thyroid lobe were appeared. The liver metastasis also increased in size and number.The therapy switched to chemotherapy with paclitaxel. Although the reductive effect was appeared in the breast mass, lung metastasis and liver metastasis, the thyroid and mediastinal lymph node metastases increased in size aggressively. The cytology of needle biopsy specimen from the thyroid tumor was consistent with breast cancer metastasis. Histopathology of the biopsy specimens from the mediastinal lymph node and the liver metastases also consist with breast cancer metastases, but ER and PgR receptor status converted to negative in mediastinal lymph nodes

A case report of secretory carcinoma of the breast in elderly

A 67-year-old woman was seen at the hospital because of a tumor in the area of the right breast. On physical examination, the tumor was elastic hard and movable. A core needlebiopsy revealed malignant findings' invasive ductal carcinoma. Mastectomy for right breast was performed. Pathological diagnosis was secretory carcinoma. The immunoprofile data were negative for ER, PR, and HER2, and were positive for the S-100, EMA, Adipophilin. She has been free from recurrence and metastasis so far. Secretory breast carcinomas are rare tumors, low-grade triple-negative carcinomas. Distant metastases from secretory breast carcinomas and local recurrence are extremely rare. Standard treatment has not been deciderd yet. We report a case of secretory carcinoma of the breast together with some bibliographical comments

Quantification of PERF 15 mRNA in Tissue Sections from Rat Testes

We previously conducted basic research to quantify in situ hybridization (ISH) signals in rat testes. In this experimental model, we selected ribosomal RNA (rRNA) as the hybridizable RNA in paraffin sections, since it allowed us to easily analyze ISH signals expressed with digoxygenin (DIG)-labeled probes quantitatively through “posterization” of the images. We applied this method to analyze the quantification of transcript, PERF 15 mRNA. PERF 15 is expressed specifically in the testes and localized in the rigid cytoskeletal structure of the sperm head, and has been considered to be involved in the apoptotic process of spermatogenic cells. Quantification of the signals may help to clarify the detailed function of PERF 15. We further analyzed the signals concomitant with a confocal laser scanning microscope. The peak of PERF 15 mRNA expression was found in diplotene spermatocytes, and the amount of PERF 15 mRNA was greatest in late pachytene and diplotene spermatocytes and early spermatids, followed by early pachytene spermatocytes, and then late spermatids. PERF 15 may be involved in the events leading to meiotic division, in which apoptosis is also involved. The present study may help to determine the concentration of mRNA in tissue sections

C2C12筋管細胞においてモリンはデキサメタゾン誘導性の酸化ストレスと筋萎縮を抑制する

Glucocorticoids are the drugs most commonly used to manage inflammatory diseases. However, they are prone to inducing muscle atrophy by increasing muscle proteolysis and decreasing protein synthesis. Various studies have demonstrated that antioxidants can mitigate glucocorticoid-induced skeletal muscle atrophy. Here, we investigated the effect of a potent antioxidative natural flavonoid, morin, on the muscle atrophy and oxidative stress induced by dexamethasone (Dex) using mouse C2C12 skeletal myotubes. Dex (10 μM) enhanced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in C2C12 myotubes via glucocorticoid receptor. Moreover, Dex administration reduced the diameter and expression levels of the myosin heavy chain protein in C2C12 myotubes, together with the upregulation of muscle atrophy-associated ubiquitin ligases, such as muscle atrophy F-box protein 1/atrogin-1, muscle ring finger protein-1, and casitas B-lineage lymphoma proto-oncogene-b. Dex also significantly decreased phosphorylated Foxo3a and increased total Foxo3a expression. Interestingly, Dex-induced ROS accumulation and Foxo3a expression were inhibited by morin (10 μM) pretreatment. Morin also prevented the Dex-induced reduction of myotube thickness, together with muscle protein degradation and suppression of the upregulation of atrophy-associated ubiquitin ligases. In conclusion, our results suggest that morin effectively prevents glucocorticoid-induced muscle atrophy by reducing oxidative stress

A case of the gastric metastasis from invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast

A 45-year-old woman underwent total mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection for right breast cancer in 2015. Histopathological examination of the resected specimen showed triple-negative invasive lobular carcinoma and advanced lymph node metastasis. The patient underwent postoperative adjuvant therapy consisting of a dose-dense epirubicin-cyclophosphamide regimen and weekly paclitaxel and radiotherapy. However, multiple bone metastases were detected, 18 months postoperatively. The patient developed upper abdominal discomfort, 21 months postoperatively, and gastroscopy revealed multiple, irregular depressed lesions in the stomach. Histopathological examination of stomach biopsy specimens revealed tumor cells that showed diffuse invasion of the lamina propria of mucous membrane. Immunohistochemical evaluation of biopsy specimens obtained from the stomach and the excised breast tissue showed cells that were immunopositive for CK7 and GCDFP-15 and immunonegative for CK20. The gastric lesion was therefore diagnosed as metastases from invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast. Although the patient received chemotherapy, she died of meningeal carcinomatosis from breast cancer, 7 month after the diagnosis of stomach metastasis. Immunohistochemical evaluation for CK20, which is expressed in gastric cancer and GCDFP-15, which originates from breast tissue, is useful to distinguish between breast cancer metastases and signet ring cell carcinoma of the stomach

Exhaled nitric oxide levels in patients with atopic cough and cough variant asthma

金沢大学大学院医薬保健研究域医学系Background and objective: Atopic cough (AC) is an established clinical entity in Japan, in which patients present with a chronic persistent non-productive cough. Exhaled nitric oxide (NO) is a biomarker of eosinophilic airway inflammation. The present study examined whether exhaled NO levels were increased in AC in comparison with cough variant asthma (CVA) and bronchial asthma (BA). Methods: Consecutive patients presenting with an isolated cough lasting at least 8 weeks were enrolled in the study. The aetiology of the chronic cough was determined according to the Japanese Respiratory Society guidelines for management of cough. Exhaled NO, capsaicin cough sensitivity (capsaicin concentration eliciting five or more coughs (C5)) and bronchial reversibility were measured at the patients\u27 first visit. Bronchial responsiveness (PC20 to methacholine) was measured at their second visit following a 6-day course of bronchodilator therapy. Results: There were 58 patients recruited and fully investigated; of these 9 and 11 patients were diagnosed with AC and CVA, respectively, as single causes of chronic cough. Ten patients with BA who had not received corticosteroid therapy in the previous 4 weeks and who attended the same clinic in the same time period acted as controls. Exhaled NO levels in patients with AC were significantly lower than those in patients with CVA and BA. There was no significant difference in the exhaled NO levels between patients with CVA and BA. Conclusions: Exhaled NO may reflect eosinophilic inflammation of peripheral airways and its measurement may be useful in differentiating CVA from AC and other causes of chronic non-productive cough. © 2008 The Authors