Local radiotherapy of exposed murine small bowel: apoptosis and inflammation.

Background: Preoperative radiotherapy of the pelvic abdomen presents with complications mostly affecting the small bowel. The aim of this study was to define the features of early radiation-induced injury on small bowel.

Methods: 54 mice were divided into two groups (36 irradiated and 18 sham irradiated).

Increased expression of tumor-associated trypsin inhibitor, TATI, in prostate cancer and in androgen-independent 22Rv1 cells.

Objectives: Tumor-associated-trypsin inhibitor (TATI) is frequently coexpressed with trypsinogen in tumors. Recently, we found expression of trypsinogens in prostate cancer. We have now studied whether TATI is also expressed in prostate cancer and if TATI expression is associated with Gleason grade, proliferation, and neuroendocrine differentiation.

Aberrant expression of cystatin C in prostate cancer is associated with neuroendocrine differentiation.

Objective: To investigate the expression of cystatin C and the relationship with neuroendocrine differentiation and proliferation in benign and malignant prostatic tissues, as cystatin C, the most important inhibitor of human lysosomal cysteine proteases, is considered to be a major regulator of pathological protein degradation in inflammatory and neoplastic diseases.

Materials And Methods: Immunoreactivity for cystatin C, prostate-specific antigen, Ki-67 and the neuroendocrine marker chromogranin A was examined in whole-mount radical prostatectomy specimens and using tissue microarrays. Cystatin C in tissue homogenates was analysed by Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Immunohistochemical detection of cysteine-rich secretory protein 3 in tissue and in serum from men with cancer or benign enlargement of the prostate gland.

Background: Recently, the gene for cysteine-rich secretory protein 3 (CRISP-3) was reported to be highly upregulated in prostate cancer (PCa) compared to benign prostatic tissue. The current aims were to investigate diagnostic use of tissue expression and immunodetection in serum of CRISP-3 for detection or monitoring of PCa.

Methods: Radical prostatectomy specimens and tissue microarrays from transurethral resections and metastases were analyzed for CRISP-3 and PSA by immunohistochemistry.

The 5alpha-reductase type II A49T and V89L high-activity allelic variants are more common in men with prostate cancer compared with the general population.

Objectives: To compare men with prostate disease with those from the general population regarding polymorphisms in the androgen receptor gene and in the 5alpha-reductase II (SRD5A2) gene.

Materials And Methods: The SRD5A2 polymorphisms A49T, V89L and R227Q, the androgen receptor CAG and GGN repeats and sex hormone status was investigated in men with prostate cancer (CaP) (n=89), benign prostate hyperplasia (n=45) and healthy military conscripts (n=223).

Results: The SRD5A2 high-activity allele variants A49T AT and V89L LL were more frequent in CaP-patients compared to general population, p=0.

A role for cyclin A1 in mediating the autocrine expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in prostate cancer.

Elevated levels of cyclin A1 expression have been implicated in acute myeloid leukemia and in male germ cell tumors. However, a role of cyclin A1 in tumorigenesis of prostate cancer has not been reported. In the present study, expression of cyclin A1 in patients with prostate cancer and a role of cyclin A1 in mediating expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were investigated.

Expression of serotonin receptors 2B and 4 in human prostate cancer tissue and effects of their antagonists on prostate cancer cell lines.

Objectives: Overexpression of receptors to neuroendocrine (NE) cell products has been suggested to contribute to development of hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC). In this study, we evaluated the expression of 5-HTR2B and 5-HTR4 in HRPC, and the effects of their antagonist on PC cell line growth.

Methods: Proteins and mRNA expression was determined by immunohistochemistry, western blot and RT-PCR.

Expression of tumor-associated trypsinogens (TAT-1 and TAT-2) in prostate cancer.

Background: Trypsinogens are pancreatic serine proteinases and expressed in several cancers as tumor-associated trypsinogens (TAT). Trypsin mediates activation of pro-uPA and pro-MMPs, thus promoting angiogenesis and tumor invasion. Recently, we described expression of TAT in the human male genital tract and now we studied TAT in relation to PSA in PCa.

Radiation enteropathy and leucocyte-endothelial cell reactions in a refined small bowel model.

Background: Leucocyte recruitment and inflammation are key features of high dose radiation-induced tissue injury. The inflammatory response in the gut may be more pronounced following radiotherapy due to its high bacterial load in comparison to the response in other organs. We designed a model to enable us to study the effects of radiation on leucocyte-endothelium interactions and on intestinal microflora in the murine ileum.

Cystatin C is highly expressed in the human male reproductive system.

Cystatin C displays the strongest inhibitory activity of all cystatins toward lysosomal cysteine proteases in general and has a widespread distribution in human tissues and body fluids, including seminal plasma. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of cystatin C in the male reproductive system. Immunohistochemistry revealed a widespread distribution of cystatin C in normal tissues from the testis, epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicle, and prostate gland.

Expression of serotonin receptors and role of serotonin in human prostate cancer tissue and cell lines.

Background: Increase in the number of serotonin (5-HT) releasing neuroendocrine (NE) cells has been shown to be correlated with tumor progression, loss of androgen dependence, and poor prognosis. Serotonin is a well-known mitogen which mediates a wide variety of physiological effects via multiple receptors, of which receptor subtype 1 (5-HTR1) has been identified in prostate cancer (PC) cell lines. Recently, 5-HT has been found to show growth-promoting activity and to be functionally related to oncogenes.

Expression of protein C inhibitor (PCI) in benign and malignant prostatic tissues.

Background: Protein C inhibitor (PCI) occurs at high concentration in seminal plasma, and inhibits human glandular kallikrein-2 and, less readily, prostate-specific antigen. Previous studies have localized PCI in the male genital tract. Here we have performed a detailed investigation of PCI expression in the prostatic tissues, metastases, and cell lines.

The nested variant of urothelial carcinoma: a rare but important bladder neoplasm with aggressive behavior. Three case reports and a review of the literature.

Objective: To describe our experience with the nested variant of urothelial carcinoma (UC-NV) of the bladder, by characterization of the clinical picture and the prognostic implications of this rare form of bladder neoplasm.

Materials And Methods: Three cases of UC-NV of the bladder treated in our institutions were revised and data compared with previously published case-reports.

Results: Three patients presented with advanced muscle-invasive UC-NV, of which two had lymph node metastasis at cystoprostatectomy.

Localization and mRNA expression of somatostatin receptor subtypes in human prostatic tissue and prostate cancer cell lines.

Somatostatin (SST) plays an important regulatory role in the physiological control of various organs including the prostate. Somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) and SST analogs are potential targets for prostate cancer treatment, especially since it has been shown that SST analogues are clinically effective in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. The presence of SST containing neuroendocrine (NE) cells in the epithelium of the human prostate and their suggested role in the paracrine regulation of this gland prompted us to study the potential expression of somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) in human prostatic tissue and prostate cancer cell lines.

Anti-thrombin is expressed in the benign prostatic epithelium and in prostate cancer and is capable of forming complexes with prostate-specific antigen and human glandular kallikrein 2.

Anti-thrombin, a member of the serpin family and an inhibitor of thrombin and blood coagulation factor Xa, was recently shown to inhibit angiogenesis and tumor growth. In the present study, we examined the expression of anti-thrombin in benign and malignant prostate gland. Using immunohistochemistry, anti-thrombin was found in prostate epithelium and stroma cells.

Expression of somatostatin receptor subtypes 2 and 4 in human benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatic cancer.

Background: The presence of receptor subtypes for the inhibitory peptide somatostatin in prostatic tissue has been a controversial issue with conflicting reports. To elucidate whether prostatic epithelial cells express mRNA for somatostatin receptor (SSTR) subtype 2 and 4, we have investigated the localization of SSTR2 and SSTR4 transcripts in prostatic tissues by in situ hybridization.

Methods: Nonradioactive in situ hybridization was performed with specific fluorescein-labeled SSTR2 and SSTR4 riboprobes on consecutive sections of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer tissues.

DNA ploidy and S-phase fraction in carcinoma of the gallbladder related to histopathology, number of gallstones and survival.

Gallstones are a risk factor for the development of gallbladder cancer. We studied DNA ploidy and cell cycle composition by flow cytometry in archival specimens from 52 gall bladder carcinomas in relation to histopathological grade, tumour stage, gallstone number and survival. 69% of the gallbladder carcinomas showed aneuploidy.

Inflammatory pseudotumor and sarcoma of urinary bladder: differential diagnosis and outcome in thirty-eight spindle cell neoplasms.

We assessed diagnostic criteria among 38 spindle cell tumors of the urinary bladder and obtained follow-up in 36 patients. Patients comprised 28 males and 10 females aged 2.5 months to 87 years.

Evaluation of DNA ploidy combined with a cytometric proliferation index of imprints from core needle biopsies in prostate cancer.

Objective: To evaluate if DNA ploidy analysis with a proliferation index (PI) derived from DNA cytometry of imprints from core needle biopsies predicts disease progression in patients with prostate cancer.

Methods: Touch imprints were done on a consecutive series of core needle biopsies taken by the same urologist from 240 patients with suspected prostate cancer, 137 (46%) of whom were found to have prostate cancer and included in the study. Scattered cells to the right of the image cytometry (ICM) ploidy-establishing peak, the S-phase fraction, and those in the G2M area of the ICM DNA histograms, were counted in percent of the total number of tumor cells, this value being designated the ICM PI.

Life threatening diarrhoea ultimately cured by surgery.

A 30-year-old previously healthy woman was diagnosed as having a vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-producing tumour of the pancreas. Her medical history was typical for neuroendocrine gastrointestinal tumours, presenting initially with non-specific symptoms but eventually she developed life-threatening manifestations requiring intensive care due to severe dehydration. She immediately recovered following surgical resection.

The reliability of autopsy diagnostics: inter-observer variation between pathologists, a preliminary report.

The aim of the study was to analyse the agreement between pathologists regarding macroscopic autopsy diagnostics. Four pathologists examined 35 autopsies and determined the principal disease and its complications, the immediate cause of death, other major diseases and their complications, and minor diseases. The participants were paired and their diagnoses were analysed by using kappa statistics for interobserver variation.

Angiomyoma and vascular ectasia of the small bowel as a cause of intestinal bleeding.

A case is reported of a 31-year-old woman complaining of recurrent intestinal bleeding caused by an angiomyoma of the wall of the duodenojejunal flexure with diverticular features, accompanied by vascular ectasia of the overlying submucosa.

Angiosarcoma of the breast. A report of three cases.

The histopathologic and clinical features of 3 breast angiosarcomas were presented. The microscopic patterns were heterogeneous, comprising vascular structures in various degrees of differentiation and solid cellular proliferations, the proportion of which varied from tumor to tumor. All 3 tumors were classified in the third group of angiosarcomas.

Malignant oncocytoma of the breast.

The histopathological pattern of a malignant oncocytoma of the breast in a 46 year-old woman is described. The electron microscopy of paraffin-embedded tissue revealed an abundance of swollen, vesicular mitochondria and loosely arranged intracytoplasmic microfilaments.