Primary pure squamous cell carcinoma of the gallbladder.

SummarySquamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is an uncommon and frequently aggressive subtype of gallbladder cancer known for its poor outcomes compared with other gallbladder tumours. Gallbladder SCC typically presents as higher grade and more advanced than adenocarcinoma, resulting in lower estimated survival. Early recognition of these tumours is ideal, but infrequently achieved.

Role of Cardiolipin in Mitochondrial Function and Dynamics in Health and Disease: Molecular and Pharmacological Aspects.

In eukaryotic cells, mitochondria are involved in a large array of metabolic and bioenergetic processes that are vital for cell survival. Phospholipids are the main building blocks of mitochondrial membranes. Cardiolipin (CL) is a unique phospholipid which is localized and synthesized in the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM).

Mitochondrial bioenergetics and cardiolipin alterations in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury: implications for pharmacological cardioprotection.

Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a central role in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Increased reactive oxygen species production, impaired electron transport chain activity, aberrant mitochondrial dynamics, Ca overload, and opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore have been proposed as major contributory factors to mitochondrial dysfunction during myocardial I/R injury. Cardiolipin (CL), a mitochondria-specific phospholipid, plays a pivotal role in multiple mitochondrial bioenergetic processes, including respiration and energy conversion, in mitochondrial morphology and dynamics as well as in several steps of the apoptotic process.

Mitochondrial bioenergetics decay in aging: beneficial effect of melatonin.

Aging is a biological process characterized by progressive decline in physiological functions, increased oxidative stress, reduced capacity to respond to stresses, and increased risk of contracting age-associated disorders. Mitochondria are referred to as the powerhouse of the cell through their role in the oxidative phosphorylation to generate ATP. These organelles contribute to the aging process, mainly through impairment of electron transport chain activity, opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore and increased oxidative stress.

Identification of a rare LAMB4 variant associated with familial diverticulitis through exome sequencing.

Diverticulitis is a chronic disease of the colon in which diverticuli, or outpouching through the colonic wall, become inflamed. Although recent observations suggest that genetic factors may play a significant role in diverticulitis, few genes have yet been implicated in disease pathogenesis and familial cases are uncommon. Here, we report results of whole exome sequencing performed on members from a single multi-generational family with early onset diverticulitis in order to identify a genetic component of the disease.

Protective role of melatonin in mitochondrial dysfunction and related disorders.

Mitochondria are the powerhouse of the eukaryotic cell through their use of oxidative phosphorylation to generate ATP. Mitochondrial dysfunction is considered an important contributing factor in a variety of physiopathological situations such as aging, heart ischemia/reperfusion injury, diabetes and several neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases, as well as in cell death. Increased formation of reactive oxygen species, altered respiratory chain complexes activity and opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore have been suggested as possible factors responsible for impaired mitochondrial function.

Oxidative stress, cardiolipin and mitochondrial dysfunction in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is today considered the most common form of chronic liver disease, affecting a high proportion of the population worldwide. NAFLD encompasses a large spectrum of liver damage, ranging from simple steatosis to steatohepatitis, advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis. Obesity, hyperglycemia, type 2 diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia are the most important risk factors.

T-cell activation Rho GTPase-activating protein expression varies with inflammation location and severity in Crohn's disease.

Background: The T-cell activation Rho GTPase-activating protein (TAGAP) gene has a regulatory role in T cell activation. We have previously suggested a correlation between the TAGAP-associated single nucleotide polymorphism rs212388 and protection from anal sepsis in Crohn's disease (CD) patients. The present study sought to evaluate TAGAP's expression in colonic tissue of CD patients with varying disease severity and location.

Functional role of cardiolipin in mitochondrial bioenergetics.

Cardiolipin is a unique phospholipid which is almost exclusively located in the inner mitochondrial membrane where it is biosynthesized. Considerable progress has recently been made in understanding the role of cardiolipin in mitochondrial function and bioenergetics. This phospholipid is associated with membranes designed to generate an electrochemical gradient that is used to produce ATP, such as bacterial plasma membranes and inner mitochondrial membrane.

Cardiolipin and mitochondrial function in health and disease.

Cardiolipin (CL) is a unique phospholipid that is almost exclusively localized at the level of the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM), where it is biosynthesized. This phospholipid is associated with membranes which are designed to generate an electrochemical gradient that is used to produce ATP. Such membranes include the bacterial plasma membrane and IMM.

Liver transplantation with a strongly positive crossmatch: case study and literature review.

A positive crossmatch has been associated with increased risk in liver transplantation. To study the clinical significance of preformed donor-specific human leukocyte antigen antibodies (DSAs) in liver transplantation, we reviewed patients who underwent liver transplantation with a strongly positive flow cytometry crossmatch. DSAs were evaluated with a Luminex solid phase assay.

Decline in cytochrome c oxidase activity in rat-brain mitochondria with aging. Role of peroxidized cardiolipin and beneficial effect of melatonin.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are considered a key factor in mitochondrial dysfunction associated with brain aging process. Mitochondrial respiration is an important source of ROS and hence a potential contributor to brain functional changes with aging. In this study, we examined the effect of aging on cytochrome c oxidase activity and other bioenergetic processes such as oxygen consumption, membrane potential and ROS production in rat brain mitochondria.

Changes in the mitochondrial permeability transition pore in aging and age-associated diseases.

Aging is a biological process associated with impairment of mitochondrial bioenergetic function, increased oxidative stress, attenuated ability to respond to stresses and increased risk in contracting age-associated diseases. When mitochondria are subjected to oxidative stress, accompanied by calcium overload and ATP depletion, they undergo "a permeability transition", characterized by sudden induced change of the inner mitochondrial membrane permeability for water as well as for low-molecular weight solutes (≤1.5kDa), resulting in membrane depolarization and uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation.

A single nucleotide polymorphism of the cholecystokinin-B receptor predicts risk for pancreatic cancer.

There currently are no tests available for early diagnosis or for the identification of patients at risk for development of pancreatic cancer. We report the discovery of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the cholecystokinin B receptor (CCKBR) gene predicts survival and risk of pancreatic cancer. Growth of human pancreatic cancer is stimulated by gastrin through the CCKBR and an alternatively spliced isoform of the CCKBR gene called CCKCR.

Mitochondrial dysfunction in brain aging: role of oxidative stress and cardiolipin.

Aging is a biological process characterized by impairment of cellular bioenergetic function, increased oxidative stress, attenuated ability to respond to stresses, increased risk of contracting age-associated disorders that affects many tissues, with a more marked effect on brain and heart function. Oxidative stress is widely thought to underpin many aging processes. The mitochondrion is considered the most important cellular organelle to contribute to the aging process, mainly through respiratory chain dysfunction and formation of reactive oxygen species, leading to damage to mitochondrial proteins, lipids and mitochondrial DNA.

Melatonin, cardiolipin and mitochondrial bioenergetics in health and disease.

Melatonin is a natural occurring compound with well-known antioxidant properties. Melatonin is ubiquitously distributed and because of its small size and amphiphilic nature, it is able to reach easily all cellular and subcellular compartments. The highest intracellular melatonin concentrations are found in mitochondria, raising the possibility of functional significance for this targeting with involvement in situ in mitochondrial activities.

Increased susceptibility to Ca(2+)-induced permeability transition and to cytochrome c release in rat heart mitochondria with aging: effect of melatonin.

Aging is associated with a decline of cardiac function. The mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) may be a factor in cardiac dysfunction associated with aging. We investigated the effect of aging and long-term treatment with melatonin (approximately 10 mg/kg b.

Oxidative stress, mitochondrial bioenergetics, and cardiolipin in aging.

Aging is a natural, complex, and multifactorial biological process associated with impairment of bioenergetic function, increased oxidative stress, attenuated ability to respond to stresses, and increased risk of contracting age-associated diseases. Oxidative stress is widely thought to underpin many aging processes. The mitochondrion, the powerhouse of the cell, is considered the most important cellular organelle to contribute to the aging process, mainly through respiratory chain dysfunction and formation of reactive oxygen species, leading to damage to mitochondrial proteins, lipids, and mitochondrial DNA.

Melatonin protects against heart ischemia-reperfusion injury by inhibiting mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening.

Melatonin, a well-known antioxidant, has been shown to protect against ischemia-reperfusion myocardial damage. Mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) opening is an important event in cardiomyocyte cell death occurring during ischemia-reperfusion and therefore a possible target for cardioprotection. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that melatonin could protect heart against ischemia-reperfusion injury by inhibiting MPTP opening.

Melatonin inhibits cardiolipin peroxidation in mitochondria and prevents the mitochondrial permeability transition and cytochrome c release.

Cardiolipin oxidation is emerging as an important factor in mitochondrial dysfunction as well as in the initial phase of the apoptotic process. We have previously shown that exogenously added peroxidized cardiolipin sensitizes mitochondria to Ca(2+)-induced mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) pore opening and promotes the release of cytochrome c. In this work, the effects of intramitochondrial cardiolipin peroxidation on Ca(2+)-induced MPT and on the cytochrome c release from mitochondria were studied.

Role of cardiolipin peroxidation and Ca2+ in mitochondrial dysfunction and disease.

Cardiolipin is a unique phospholipid which is almost exclusively located at the level of the inner mitochondrial membrane where it is biosynthesized. This phospholipid is known to be intimately involved in several mitochondrial bioenergetic processes. In addition, cardiolipin also has active roles in several of the mitochondrial-dependent steps of apoptosis and in mitochondrial membrane dynamics.

Mitochondrial complex I dysfunction in rat heart with aging: critical role of reactive oxygen species and cardiolipin.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are considered a key factor in the heart aging process. Mitochondrial respiration is an important site of ROS generation and a potential contributor to heart functional changes with aging. We have examined the effects of aging on various parameters related to mitochondrial bioenergetics in rat heart, such as complex I activity, oxygen consumption, membrane potential, ROS production, and cardiolipin content and oxidation.

Melatonin prevents age-related mitochondrial dysfunction in rat brain via cardiolipin protection.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are considered a key factor in brain aging process. Complex I of the mitochondrial respiration chain is an important site of ROS production and hence a potential contributor to brain functional changes with aging. Appropriate antioxidant strategies could be particularly useful to limit this ROS production and associated mitochondrial dysfunction.

The effect of processing on liver biopsy core size.

Objectives: Liver biopsy is a valuable clinical tool, but for the interpretation to be meaningful a certain core size should be obtained. This study examines the changes the liver biopsy core undergoes during processing steps.

Methods: A total of 61 consecutive percutaneous liver biopsies were obtained between November 2004 and April 2005.

Novel association of duodenal gastrinoma and atrophic gastritis: case report and literature review.

Objective: To describe a patient with a duodenal gastrinoma in a setting of atrophic gastritis and hypergastrinemia.

Methods: We present historical features and results of laboratory and genetic evaluation in a woman with duodenal gastrinoma and hypergastrinemia due to atrophic gastritis.

Results: In a 46-year-old woman with a history of stable pituitary microprolactinoma, multiple gastrointestinal symptoms developed and prompted the performance of an esophagogastroduodenoscopy in conjunction with small bowel biopsies.