The role of the pathologist in tissue banking: European Consensus Expert Group Report.

Human tissue biobanking encompasses a wide range of activities and study designs and is critical for application of a wide range of new technologies (-"omics") to the discovery of molecular patterns of disease and for implementation of novel biomarkers into clinical trials. Pathology is the cornerstone of hospital-based tissue biobanking. Pathologists not only provide essential information identifying the specimen but also make decisions on what should be biobanked, making sure that the timing of all operations is consistent with both the requirements of clinical diagnosis and the optimal preservation of biological products.

Pathology as the cornerstone of human tissue banking: European consensus expert group report.

Aside from ethical considerations, the primary requirement for usage of human tissues in basic or translational research is the thorough characterization of tissues. The second, but equally essential, requirement is that tissues be collected, processed, annotated, and preserved in optimal conditions. These requirements put the pathologist at the center of tissue banking activities and of research aimed at discovering new biomarkers.

Evaluation of original dual thromboxane A2 modulators as antiangiogenic agents.

Angiogenesis is a promising target for the therapy of several diseases including cancer. This study was undertaken to characterize the antiangiogenic properties of a series of original dual thromboxane A(2) (TXA(2)) inhibitors derived from torasemide, a marketed loop diuretic with TXA(2) antagonistic properties, by evaluating their effects on human endothelial cell migration, adhesion, and viability in vitro, as well as in the ex vivo rat aortic ring assay. All drugs tested exhibited a marked affinity toward human platelet TXA(2) receptor, significantly prevented platelet aggregation induced by U-46,619, a stable TXA(2) receptor agonist, and inhibited platelet TXA(2) synthase without affecting cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 or COX-2 enzymatic activities.

Activation of the thromboxane A2 pathway in human prostate cancer correlates with tumor Gleason score and pathologic stage.

Objective: We investigated the potential involvement of the thromboxane A(2) (TXA(2)) pathway in human prostate cancer (PCa).

Methods: Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), TXA(2) synthase (TXS), and TXA(2) receptors (TPRs), the main actors of the TXA(2) pathway, was analyzed on serial tissue sections from 46 human PCa specimens.

Results: The expression levels of COX-2, TXS, and TPRs were significantly higher in malignant than in corresponding nontumoral prostatic epithelial cells.