Ewing's sarcoma/peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (ES/PNET) differentiation in endometrial serous carcinomas.

The association of Ewing's sarcoma/peripheral neuroectodermal tumor and endometrioid type endometrial carcinoma has been reported relatively recently. We have recently identified Ewing's sarcoma/peripheral neuroectodermal tumor differentiation in uterine serous carcinomas and undertook this study to evaluate the frequency of both serous and endometrioid carcinomas expressing Ewing's sarcoma/peripheral neuroectodermal tumor differentiation. Seventy cases of uterine serous carcinoma were retrieved from the archival files and stained with antibodies to CD99.

Brain insulin-like growth factor and neurotrophin resistance in Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies: potential role of manganese neurotoxicity.

Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) frequently overlap with Alzheimer's disease, which is linked to brain impairments in insulin, insulin-like growth factor (IGF), and neurotrophin signaling. We explored whether similar abnormalities occur in PD or DLB, and examined the role of manganese toxicity in PD/DLB pathogenesis. Quantitative RT-PCR demonstrated reduced expression of insulin, IGF-II, and insulin, IGF-I, and IGF-II receptors (R) in PD and/or DLB frontal white matter and amygdala, and reduced IGF-IR and IGF-IIR mRNA in DLB frontal cortex.

Disparities in preferences for receiving support and education among patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators.

Background: The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is the established treatment for patients with a history of or at risk for sudden cardiac arrest. Patients receiving an ICD are diverse, and little is known regarding their preferences for support and education postimplantation. The purpose of this study was to examine race, gender, and age preferences for receiving support and education (e.

Generation of immune responses against hepatitis C virus by dendritic cells containing NS5 protein-coated microparticles.

Dendritic cells (DCs) internalize and process antigens as well as activate cellular immune responses. The aim of this study was to determine the capacity of DCs that contain antigen-coated magnetic beads to induce immunity against the nonstructural hepatitis C virus (HCV) antigen 5 (NS5). Splenocytes derived from Fms-like tyrosine kinase receptor 3 (Flt3) ligand-pretreated BALB/c mice were incubated with magnetic beads coated with HCV NS5, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and/or anti-CD40; purified; and used for immunization.

Invariant natural killer T cells suppress the neutrophil inflammatory response in a mouse model of cholestatic liver damage.

Background & Aims: NK1.1(+) TCRalphabeta(int) CD1-restricted T (NKT) cells are a unique subset of T lymphocytes that are believed to have an immunoregulatory role in a wide range of diseases. Most mouse NKT cells express a T-cell receptor that contains an invariant Valpha14Jalpha18 chain and recognizes antigenic glycolipids presented in association with major histocompatibility complex class Ib (CD1d) molecules.

Limited Alzheimer-type neurodegeneration in experimental obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with brain insulin resistance and insulin deficiency, whereas Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with peripheral insulin resistance. This study assesses the degree to which T2DM causes AD-type neurodegeneration. In a C57BL/6 mouse model of obesity and T2DM, we characterized the histopathology, gene expression, and insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-receptor binding in temporal lobe.

Hippocampal RAGE immunoreactivity in early and advanced Alzheimer's disease.

Microvascular accumulation and neuronal overproduction of amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta) are pathologic features of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, we examined the receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE), a multi-ligand receptor found in both neurons and cerebral microvascular endothelia that binds Abeta. RAGE expression was assessed in aged controls (n = 6), patients with early AD-like pathology (n = 6), and severe, Braak V-VI AD (n = 6).

Ethanol impaired neuronal migration is associated with reduced aspartyl-asparaginyl-beta-hydroxylase expression.

Cerebellar hypoplasia in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is associated with inhibition of insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling in the brain. Aspartyl (asparaginyl)-beta-hydroxylase (AAH) is a mediator of neuronal motility, and stimulated by insulin and IGF activation of PI3 kinase-Akt, or inhibition of GSK-3beta. Since ethanol inhibits PI3 Kinase-Akt and increases GSK-3beta activity in brain, we examined the effects of ethanol and GSK-3beta on AAH expression and directional motility in neuronal cells.

Synergistic premalignant effects of chronic ethanol exposure and insulin receptor substrate-1 overexpression in liver.

Aim: Insulin receptor substrate, type 1 (IRS-1) transmits growth and survival signals, and is overexpressed in more than 90% of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). However, experimental overexpression of IRS-1 in the liver was found not to be sufficient to cause HCC. Since chronic alcohol abuse is a risk factor for HCC, we evaluated potential interactions between IRS-1 overexpression and chronic ethanol exposure by assessing premalignant alterations in gene expression.

Functional interaction between Wnt3 and Frizzled-7 leads to activation of the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Background/aims: The canonical Wnt signaling is frequently activated in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We previously demonstrated that upregulation of Frizzled-7 receptor (FZD7) in HCC was associated with nuclear accumulation of wild-type beta-catenin. Here, we investigated Wnt ligand(s) that may activate the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway through FZD7 in HCC cells.

Enhanced calcium cycling and contractile function in transgenic hearts expressing constitutively active G alpha o* protein.

In contrast to the other heterotrimeric GTP-binding proteins (G proteins) Gs and Gi, the functional role of G o is still poorly defined. To investigate the role of G alpha o in the heart, we generated transgenic mice with cardiac-specific expression of a constitutively active form of G alpha o1* (G alpha o*), the predominant G alpha o isoform in the heart. G alpha o expression was increased 3- to 15-fold in mice from 5 independent lines, all of which had a normal life span and no gross cardiac morphological abnormalities.