Membrane testosterone binding sites in prostate carcinoma as a potential new marker and therapeutic target: Study in paraffin tissue sections

BACKGROUND: Steroid action is mediated, in addition to classical intracellular receptors, by recently identified membrane sites, that generate rapid non-genomic effects. We have recently identified a membrane androgen receptor site on prostate carcinoma cells, mediating testosterone rapid effects on the cytoskeleton and secretion within minutes. METHODS: The aim of this study was to investigate whether membrane androgen receptors are differentially expressed in prostate carcinomas, and their relationship to the tumor grade. We examined the expression of membrane androgen receptors in archival material of 109 prostate carcinomas and 103 benign prostate hyperplasias, using fluorescein-labeled BSA-coupled testosterone. RESULTS: We report that membrane androgen receptors are preferentially expressed in prostate carcinomas, and they correlate to their grade using the Gleason's microscopic grading score system. CONCLUSION: We conclude that membrane androgen receptors may represent an index of tumor aggressiveness and possibly specific targets for new therapeutic regimens

Analysis of 20 year data for the assessment of dietary exposure to chemical contaminants in the region of Thessaly, Greece

Food safety is a key issue for the modern consumer who is often exposed through diet to a variety of hazardous agents. The presence of chemical contaminants in food is an important risk factor with potential serious consequences in consumer's health. Therefore, assessing the extend of consumer's exposure to chemical contaminants is an important parameter in the context of food hazard analysis. Dietary exposure is determined by correlating the eating habits of a population group with the levels of contaminants in food. The purpose of this study was to assess the dietary exposure of the general population to a variety of chemical contaminants by combining questionnaire-based food consumption data with concentration of certain chemicals in foodstuffs. In a sample of 403 people living in Thessaly, their nutritional habits were recorded using the Nutrition Frequency Questionnaire, through a telephone interview. Regarding the data collection on the residues of various chemical pollutants (toxic metals, mycotoxins, biotoxins, dioxins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides, veterinary drugs) in foodstuffs of the Greek market, studies and reports from 2000 to 2020 were used. The combination of the daily consumption of food and beverages, with their contamination concentrations in chemical pollutants, led to the assessment of the dietary intake of chemical pollutants. The analysis of the results showed that the examined sample maintains several elements of the Mediterranean diet, such as the daily consumption of fruits, vegetables, milk and dairy products. Chemical contaminants in food produced/marketed in Greece were generally below the acceptable limits, while cereals, fish, fruit, vegetables and alcohol seem to contribute mostly to the human chemical exposure. Gender and age affected the overall dietary intake of pollutants, with women presenting the highest overall nutritional exposure compared to men in all categories of pollutants. Elderly individuals (ages +65) showed a higher, in general, intake of the contaminants evaluated. This study reveals the necessity for monitoring the levels of various chemical contaminants in all food groups, in order to have a valid base of assessing the risk of human exposure. © 2022 Elsevier Lt

Computer-assisted evaluation of Mandibular Cortical Width (MCW) index as an indicator of osteoporosis

Background: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of mandibular cortical width (MCW) as an indicator of the presence of osteoporosis. Materials and methods: The study included 343 women between 45-75 years of age. After informed consent, all subjects underwent dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) of the hip and the lumbar spine (L1 to L4) in order to establish a gold standard diagnosis of osteoporosis and an orthopantomogram (OPG). From the initial subjects, 28 (8.2%) did not meet the inclusion criteria. In the final sample 315 patients were included, of whom 293 were postmenopausal (93.3%) and 22 perimenopausal (6.7%). Based on the DXA examination the sample was divided into three groups: a) normal controls (n=106), b) osteopenics (n=103) and c) osteoporotics (n=106). The MCW index was calculated by three different observers using the Emago image processing software. Inter-rater agreement was considered important since MCW was being tested as a possible screening tool for osteoporosis. Results: Comparisons of MCW values between normal controls, osteopenic and osteoporotic women in our sample showed that these values clearly differentiate between the three groups, especially between normal and osteoporotic subjects. Furthermore, the receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) analysis showed this to hold true in real diagnostic terms, giving a threshold value of 3.24 for differentiating between normal and osteoporotic women. Conclusions: With ROC values ranging between 0.80 and 0.87 we can reasonably assume that the MCW index is a reliable indication of the presence of osteoporosis in a patient

Excessive Leukocytosis Leading to a Diagnosis of Aggressive Thyroid Anaplastic Carcinoma: A Case Report and Relevant Review

Introduction: Leukocytosis and particularly neutrophilia are usually caused by acute infection, inflammation, and myeloproliferative neoplasms. However, leukocytosis can also occur in patients with malignancy either due to bone marrow metastases or in the context of a paraneoplastic syndrome. Case Presentation: An 86-year-old female was admitted to our hospital due to marked leukocytosis (white blood cells [WBC] >40,000/μL), neutrophilia, and monocytosis. She was afebrile and reported hoarseness and mild difficulty swallowing. Upon physical examination, lung auscultation revealed inspiratory wheezing and a non-tender mass was observed in the anterior midline of the neck. Blasts and immature WBC were not found, and polymerase chain reaction for the detection of BCR/ABL gene was negative. A mass (5.4 cm in diameter) of abnormal parenchymal composition with calcifications occupying the right lobe, was seen on thyroid ultrasound. Cytology, after fine-needle aspiration, showed an anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC). The cervical and chest computed tomography scan revealed a low-density lesion with calcifications that shifts and presses the trachea and multiple lung nodular lesions bilaterally. Since the case was inoperable and the airway was severely obstructed, a DUMON stent was placed. Biopsy of specimens from the trachea lesion revealed a tumor with significant atypical cells and focal squamoid features. The patient's WBC increased to 72,470/μL. Additionally, interleukin-6 (IL-6) was markedly elevated (20.2 pg/mL). The patient passed away due to respiratory arrest 55 days after her initial admission. Discussion: Excessive leukocytosis in a patient, having excluded infectious disease and myelodysplastic syndrome, could represent a manifestation of a paraneoplastic syndrome due to various cytokines secretion from the tumor. In our case, ATC synthesized and secreted IL-6, which seems to be the cause of severe leukocytosis. © 2020 European Thyroid Association Published by S. Karger AG, Basel