A complex case of disseminated histoplasmosis triggering hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in a patient with lupus.

Disseminated histoplasmosis is a rare yet serious fungal infection that primarily affects individuals with compromised immune systems. While it is widely known for its endemicity in the Midwest region of the USA, recent studies have indicated a noteworthy increase in sporadic cases, suggesting a widening of the endemic region for the pathology. This report describes a case of disseminated histoplasmosis in a 39-year-old female with a history of lupus, hypertension, anxiety, asthma, idiopathic edema, and fibromyalgia from a nonendemic region, who presented with cyclic fevers of unknown origin, peripheral edema, and oral sores.

Inhibition of basic fibroblast growth factor and vasculotropin biological activities on cultured cells by almitrine.

Autonomous cell growth may result from interactions of cellular growth factors with their receptors leading to the establishment of external or internal autocrine loops which can induce tumor formation. Tumor progression above a small volume also requires an increase in blood supply. This is achieved by the release from the tumor of angiogenic growth factors which diffuse toward preexisting capillaries.

Endothelin 1 is a growth factor for corneal endothelium.

Endothelin 1 (ET1) is a newly discovered peptide found in various tissues, which exerts its biological effects through autocrine or paracrine pathways. Its presence and binding sites in the anterior chamber of the eye have recently been reported. Using a binding assay, we found the presence of a single class of receptors for ET1 on bovine corneal endothelial cells, whereas no ET1 could be detected in their conditioned medium.