Excess of the NF-ĸB p50 subunit generated by the ubiquitin ligase KPC1 suppresses tumors via PD-L1- and chemokines-mediated mechanisms.

Nuclear factor-ĸB (NF-ĸB) transcription factor is a family of essential regulators of the immune response and cell proliferation and transformation. A typical factor is a heterodimer made of either p50 or p52, which are limited processing products of either p105 or p100, respectively, and a member of the Rel family of proteins, typically p65. The transcriptional program of NF-ĸB is tightly regulated by the composition of the dimers.

Semaphorin3A: A Potential Therapeutic Tool for Lupus Nephritis.

Background: The immune regulatory properties of semaphorin3A (sema3A) (both innate and adaptive) are well established in many studies. The injection of sema3A into a mice model of rheumatoid arthritis was proven to be highly beneficial, both in attenuating clinical symptoms and in decreasing inflammatory mechanisms.

Objectives: This study was designed in order to assess the possible therapeutic benefits of sema3A following its injection into female NZB/W mice.

Early histological findings may predict the clinical phenotype in Crohn's colitis.

Background And Aims: Predicting the clinical course of Crohn's disease (CD) is relevant for treatment selection. Currently, such diagnostic tools are lacking. In a previous pilot study, morphometric tissue image analysis showed promise in predicting the clinical phenotype and need for surgery.

Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma Mimicking Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis.

In a patient with systemic multiorgan disease with overlapping features, the differential diagnosis included infectious diseases, malignancies, and systemic autoimmune or inflammatory diseases. We present an unusual case of a young male with B cell lymphoma who presented with symptoms mimicking systemic vasculitis and review the existing literature.

Treatment of metastatic extramammary Paget's disease associated with adnexal adenocarcinoma, with anti-HER2 drugs based on genomic alteration ERBB2 S310F.

Extramammary Paget’s disease is a rare intraepithelial malignant condition affecting the apocrine gland-bearing skin. In this case, a genomic alteration, ERBB2 S310F mutation, was discovered. The ERBB2 S310F mutation seems to be a transforming mutation that should be targeted with anti-HER2 drugs.

Expression of heparanase in soft tissue sarcomas of adults.

Background: Heparanase is an endo-β-D-glucuronidase that cleaves heparan sulfate chains of proteoglycans, resulting in the disassembly of the extracellular matrix. Heparanase has a central role in the development of various tumors, and its expression has been associated with increased tumor growth, angiogenesis and metastasis, but there is insufficient information about the function of heparanase in sarcomas.

Study Aims: 1) To evaluate heparanase levels in adult soft tissue sarcomas (STS); 2) To examine the correlation between heparanase levels and pathological and clinical parameters and treatment outcome.

A lack of significantly increased incidence of regression in second primary melanomas does not support an 'immunization effect'.

Objective: To compare the incidence of regression in first and second primary melanomas as a possible indication of an 'immunization effect'.

Methods: The first and second primary melanomas of 18 patients were studied histopathologically for signs of regression. At least 1 month elapsed between the removal of the two primary lesions.

Alginate-PLL cell encapsulation system Co-entrapping PLGA-microspheres for the continuous release of anti-inflammatory drugs.

In spite of advances in cell microencapsulation technology in the past three decades, this approach still suffers from obstacles associated with its biocompatibility. We hypothesized that encapsulation system, which incorporates polymeric particles releasing anti-inflammatory drug in addition to the encapsulated cells, will result in improved biocompatibility, thus improving therapeutic efficacy. We have developed, optimized and studied a combined microencapsulation system in which Ibuprofen loaded PLGA microspheres (MS) are co-entrapped with cells.

Myofibroblasts in pulmonary and brain metastases of alveolar soft-part sarcoma: a novel target for treatment?

Alveolar soft-part sarcoma (ASPS) is a rare neoplasm with chromosomal translocation that results in ASPL-TFE3 fusion. It is a slow-growing lesion associated with a high incidence of pulmonary and brain metastases indicating poor survival. We demonstrated that the ASPS metastases include also stromal myofibroblasts.

Diagnosing acute appendicitis in adults: accuracy of color Doppler sonography and MDCT compared with surgery and clinical follow-up.

Objective: The objective of our study was to evaluate the accuracy of color Doppler sonography and contrast-enhanced MDCT in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in adults and their utility as a triage tool in lower abdominal pain.

Materials And Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 420 consecutive adult patients, 271 women and 149 men, 18 years old or older, referred from the emergency department to sonography examination for clinically suspected acute appendicitis between January 2003 and June 2006. Patients underwent sonography of the right upper abdomen and pelvis followed by graded compression and color Doppler sonography of the right lower quadrant.

Infant anaplastic lymphoma: case report and review of the literature.

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is a well-known entity, but there are no data on prognosis according to the age of the patient, especially in infants. A 2-month-old girl was admitted with a 2-week history of coughing, fever, and lymphadenopathy. Physical examination revealed mild respiratory distress, an erythematous macular rash on her trunk, massive cervical lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, and very mild ascites.

Expression of the pro-apoptotic protein ARTS in astrocytic tumors: correlation with malignancy grade and survival rate.

Background: Apoptosis (i.e., programmed cell death) plays a major role in the development of astrocytic tumors, which are the most common tumors of the central nervous system.

Growing Teratoma syndrome treated by interferon alpha-2beta: case report and literature review.

A 14-year old girl was diagnosed as suffering from an immature teratoma. As removal of the teratoma was technically unfeasible, the patient was started on interferon alpha2beta, 3 MU/day, 5 days per week. On this therapy, the growth of the teratoma was stopped and the patient has been well for the past 50 months.

Prognostic role of apoptotic, Bcl-2, c-erbB-2 and p53 tumor markers in salivary gland malignancies.

Objective: The clinical characteristics and survival probability rate of 36 patients with salivary gland malignancies and 10 patients with benign salivary tumors were summarized in relation to the immunohistological analysis of the tumor, apoptotic-related markers and apoptosis rate. The expression of the markers examined - Bcl-2, c-erbB-2, p53 - was detected in paraffin sections of the tumors by the streptavidin-biotin peroxidase method following heat-induced antigen retrieval, and the apoptosis rate was determined by the TUNEL method.

Results: The overall 5-year survival probability was 61% for patients with malignant tumors and 100% for those with benign tumors.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue: the prevalence and prognostic roles of p53, Bcl-2, c-erbB-2 and apoptotic rate as related to clinical and pathological characteristics in a retrospective study.

In the current study, we examined the clinical characteristics and survival probability rates of 116 patients treated for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tongue. In 55 randomly selected patients these data were correlated with the immunohistological analysis of the tumor and apoptosis-related markers, p53, Bcl-2, c-erbB-2 (Her-2/neu), and to the apoptosis rate assessment by the terminal dUTP nick-end-labeling (TUNEL) method. The overall 5-year survival probability was 55%, which might be the result of the low incidence of smoking and/or alcohol consumption among the patients (21%), the early diagnosis (65% at Stages I-II) and the low histological grades (91% good-moderate).