Biomedical subjects

Carmen Ardeleanu

Publications and source records attributed to Carmen Ardeleanu.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Vascular convolutes in the brain: a peculiar entity.

The present study intends to systematically assess a lesion with potential clinical expression - the vascular convolutes of the brain parenchyma. Those, firstly described by Gertz and Frydl in 1987, are frequently reported in various studies as being associated to aging. Their mechanism seems to be an arteriolar tortuosity. The association with pathologically important manifestations, as brain infarct or hemorrhage could be of clinical importance. The study was done on 70 consequently autopsied cases, on paraffin-embedded material, using the classical histological staining methods: Hematoxylin-Eosin and Masson's Trichrome, as well as the Gömöri silver method for reticulum. In our series, only two cases had specific features suggesting vascular convolutes. More frequently were encountered vascular tortuosities, which seems unrelated to the former. We conclude that vascular convolutes and vascular tortuosities are dissimilar lesions. Both are less represented in reality than reported in the literature. Possible mechanisms of the two changes and their pathogenic significance are discussed.

Age Distribution↗

PubMed2005

Primary left heart malignant fibrous histiocytoma.

We present the case of a 53 years-old woman presenting with congestive heart failure and pleural and pericardial effusions, in whom transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography revealed multilocular cardiac tumor involving the left atrium wall, extending into the pericardium. Tumor was excised surgically and proved to be a malignant fibrous histiocytoma, primarily confined to the heart. Despite surgery followed by chemotherapy, the patient died a few months later. This is the 47th case of primary cardiac fibrous malignant histiocytoma reported in the literature. The pericardial involvement has been only rarely reported. Echocardiography was the method of diagnosis before rapid referral to surgery.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

PubMed2005

Cryptic fibromuscular dysplasia in the meningeal vessels. An autopsy study.

We retrospectively evaluate the presence of cryptic fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) (i.e. not macroscopically visible and not associated to FMD in larger arteries) in the small meningeal vessels in a comprehensive series of patients. Such a study has not been performed before to our knowledge. The meningeal tissue has been systematically examined in a series of 100 consecutive autopsies. The immunohistochemical study was performed in one case with leptomeningeal FMD. In the whole series only one case had FMD in the small leptomeningeal arteries. The histological variant was intimal fibroplasia, a rare variant of FMD. Immunohistochemistry was necessary to confirm this peculiar change of the vascular wall. Cryptic fibromuscular dysplasia in the meninges is a very rare finding in our series of autopsied patients--1% of cases, in concordance with the literature data. The clinical associations of this lesion are difficult to be related to this lesion. A cryptic presence of FMD must be suspected in some cases with stroke.

Autopsy↗

PubMed2005

Paraganglioma of the cerebellopontine angle. Case presentation and pathological considerations.

Paragangliomas (glomus tumors) arise from the extra-adrenal neuroendocrine system. They are benign but locally aggressive tumors, causing bone destruction and compression related symptoms. We present a case of paraganglioma of the cerebellopontine angle. Emphasis on possible difficulties in clinical, imaging or pathological identification, and surgical removal is done. To the best of our knowledge, only one more case was reported arising in the cerebellopontine angle.

Cerebellar Neoplasms↗

PubMed2005

Uncommon pattern in soft tissues epithelioid sarcoma.

UNLABELLED: Epithelioid sarcoma (ES) is a rare tumor, but extremely versatile, simulating easily both clinically and morphologically multiple benign lesions as granulomas and malignant tumors as achromic melanomas or carcinomas. Especially the histological aspects are suggesting for an epithelial tumor. The atypical biological behavior of tumor is conferred by: a propensity for lymph nodes metastases, large dimensions of tumor, unusual localizations. AIM: To report some peculiar histological and immunophenotypic aspects in soft parts epithelioid sarcoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed retrospectively three cases of epithelioid sarcomas with unusual clinico-morphological (large dimensions), histopathological (absence of necrosis) and immunohistochemical (IHC) patterns selected from 200 consecutive soft parts malignant tumors of "Victor Babeş" National Institute Bucharest files. For the immunohistochemical (IHC) staining, the following antibodies were used: vimentin, EMA, cytokeratins (KL1, CK19), S-100 protein, CD68, p53 protein, vascular markers (CD31, CD34, FVIII-related antigen), HMB45, MELAN A. RESULTS: The tumors had unusually large dimensions, the absence of necrosis, a vaguely alveolar pattern; the IHC staining showed a strong positivity of S-100 protein, a variable expression of cytokeratins KL1 and CK19, in association to a scarce positivity for EMA, zonal positivity for CD34 and diffuse reaction for vimentin. CONCLUSION: The immunophenotype of ES may have a large variability and the correlation to clinico-morphological aspects is necessary for a good diagnostic assessment.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

p53 protein and bcl-2 expression in glioblastomas. Pathological correlations in a comprehensive series.

p53 and bcl-2 are two well-known antiapoptotic factors associated with gliomas, and mostly astrocytic tumors. In the present study we assessed, by immunohistochemistry, the expression of these two factors in a series of 50 glioblastomas. The correlations between their expression and several tumor-related factors (age, location, recurrence, proliferating potential) were investigated. Our results suggest that a valuable correlation between these factors cannot be found. This is in discrepancy with some literature data, which emphasize strong relations of p53 and bcl-2 in oncogenesis spreading or final prognosis. Further studies are needed, with unique, standard procedures for these evaluations.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Kikuchi's disease associated with systemic lupus erythematosus and autoimmune-like hepatitis.

The authors present a case of Kikuchi's disease associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and autoimmune-like hepatitis. Kikuchi's disease, or histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis is occasionally associated with SLE and mildly elevated aminotransferases. A 17-year old woman presented with fever, arthritis and bilateral cervical adenopathy. Histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations of an excised lymph node showed evidence of Kikuchi disease. An elevation of hepatocytic enzymes (aminotransferases and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase) associated with smooth muscle antibodies in a titer of 1/320 was present. Clinical symptoms and laboratory tests improved after "pulse" corticotherapy. The association described has not been described in the literature, but is considered possible due to the immune pathogenicity of the 3 simultaneous diseases. Kikuchi-Fujimoto's disease, or histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (HNL), is a rare condition first described in 1972 independently by Kikuchi and Fujimoto. HNL is rarely associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It is a benign illness characterized by fever and cervical adenopathy and has a self-limiting course.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Novel type of interstitial cell (Cajal-like) in human fallopian tube.

We describe here--presumably for the first time--a Cajal-like type of tubal interstitial cells (t-ICC), resembling the archetypal enteric ICC. t-ICC were demonstrated in situ and in vitro on fresh preparations (tissue cryosections and primary cell cultures) using methylene-blue, crystal-violet, Janus-Green B or MitoTracker-Green FM Probe vital stainings. Also, t-ICC were identified in fixed specimens by light microscopy (methylene-blue, Giemsa, trichrome stainings, Gomori silver-impregnation) or transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The positive diagnosis of t-ICC was strengthened by immunohistochemistry (IHC; CD117/c-kit+ and other 14 antigens) and immunofluorescence (IF; CD117/c-kit+ and other 7 antigens). The spatial density of t-ICC (ampullar-segment cryosections) was 100-150 cells/mm2. Non-conventional light microscopy (NCLM) of Epon semithin-sections revealed a network-like distribution of t-ICC in lamina propria and smooth muscle meshwork. t-ICC appeared located beneath of epithelium, in a 10-15 microm thick 'belt', where 18+/-2% of cells were t-ICC. In the whole lamina propria, t-ICC were about 9%, and in muscularis approximately 7%. In toto, t-ICC represent ~8% of subepithelial cells, as counted by NCLM. In vitro, t-ICC were 9.9+/-0.9% of total cell population. TEM showed that the diagnostic 'gold standard' (Huizinga et al., 1997) is fulfilled by 'our' t-ICC. However, we suggest a 'platinum standard', adding a new defining criterion- characteristic cytoplasmic processes (number: 1-5; length: tens of microm; thickness: < or =0.5 microm; aspect: moniliform; branching: dichotomous; organization: network, labyrinthic-system). Quantitatively, the ultrastructural architecture of t-ICC is: nucleus, 23.6+/-3.2% of cell volume, with heterochromatin 49.1+/-3.8%; mitochondria, 4.8+/-1.7%; rough and smooth endoplasmic-reticulum (1.1+/-0.6%, 1.0+/-0.2%, respectively); caveolae, 3.4+/-0.5%. We found more caveolae on the surface of cell processes versus cell body, as confirmed by IF for caveolins. Occasionally, the so-called 'Ca2+-release units' (subplasmalemmal close associations of caveolae+endoplasmic reticulum+mitochondria) were detected in the dilations of cell processes. Electrophysiological single unit recordings of t-ICC in primary cultures indicated sustained spontaneous electrical activity (amplitude of membrane potentials: 57.26+/-6.56 mV). Besides the CD117/c-kit marker, t-ICC expressed variously CD34, caveolins 1&2, alpha-SMA, S-100, vimentin, nestin, desmin, NK-1. t-ICC were negative for: CD68, CD1a, CD62P, NSE, GFAP, chromogranin-A, PGP9.5, but IHC showed the possible existence of (neuro)endocrine cells in tubal interstitium. We call them 'JF cells'. In conclusion, the identification of t-ICC might open the door for understanding some tubal functions, e.g. pace-making/peristaltism, secretion (auto-, juxta- and/or paracrine), regulation of neurotransmission (nitrergic/purinergic) and intercellular signaling, via the very long processes. Furthermore, t-ICC might even be uncommitted bipotential progenitor cells.

Actins↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Insights into the interstitium of ventricular myocardium: interstitial Cajal-like cells (ICLC).

We have previously described interstitial Cajal-like cells (ICLC) in human atrial myocardium. Several complementary approaches were used to verify the existence of ICLC in the interstitium of rat or human ventricular myocardium: primary cell cultures, vital stainings (e.g.: methylene blue), traditional stainings (including silver impregnation), phase contrast and non-conventional light microscopy (Epon-embedded semithin sections), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) (serial ultrathin sections), stereology, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence (IF) with molecular probes. Cardiomyocytes occupy about 75% of rat ventricular myocardium volume. ICLC represent approximately 32% of the number of interstitial cells and the ratio cardiomyocytes/ICLC is about 70/1. In the interstitium, ICLC establish close contacts with nerve fibers, myocytes, blood capillaries and with immunoreactive cells (stromal synapses). ICLC show characteristic cytoplasmic processes, frequently two or three, which are very long (tens up to hundreds of microm), very thin (0.1-0.5 microm thick), with uneven caliber, having dilations, resulting in a moniliform aspect. Gap junctions between such processes can be found. Usually, the dilations are occupied by mitochondria (as revealed by Janus green B and MitoTracker Green FM) and elements of endoplasmic reticulum. Characteristically, some prolongations are flat, with a veil-like appearance, forming a labyrinthic system. ICLC display caveolae (about 1 caveola/ 1 microm cell membrane length, or 2-4% of the relative cytoplasmic volume). Mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (rough and smooth) occupy 5-10% and 1-2% of cytoplasmic volume, respectively. IHC revealed positive staining for CD34, EGFR and vimentin and, only in a few cases for CD117. IHC was negative for: desmin, CD57, tau, chymase, tryptase and CD13. IF showed that ventricular ICLC expressed connexin 43. We may speculate that possible ICLC roles might be: intercellular signaling (neurons, myocytes, capillaries etc.) and/or chemomechanical sensors. For pathology, it seems attractive to think that ICLC might participate in the process of cardiac repair/remodeling, arrhythmogenesis and, eventually, sudden death.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

MMP-9 and MMP-2 gelatinases and TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 inhibitors in breast cancer: correlations with prognostic factors.

The goal of our study was to analyse the prognostic values for some matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in breast cancer. We evaluated the activity and the expression levels of MMP-9, MMP-2, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 in malignant versus benign fresh breast tumor extracts. For this purpose, gelatinzymography, immunoblotting and ELISA were used to analyse the activity and expression of MMPs and TIMPs. We found that MMP-9 expression level and activity are increased in malignant tumors. In addition, MMP-9/TIMP-1 and MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratio values obtained by us were significantly different in malignant tumors compared to benign tumors. We suggest that the abnormal MMP-9/TIMP-1 balance plays a role in the configuration of breast invasive carcinoma of no special type and also in tumor growth, while altered MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratio value could be associated with lymph node invasion and used as a prognostic marker in correlation with Nottingham Prognostic Index. Finally, we showed that in malignant tumors high expression of estrogen receptors is associated with enhanced activity of MMP-2 and increased bcl- 2 levels, while high expression of progesterone receptors is correlated with low TIMP-1 protein levels.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Interstitial Cajal-like cells (ICLC) as steroid hormone sensors in human myometrium: immunocytochemical approach.

Expression of estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors was investigated in cultured human normal myometrial cells (non-pregnant uterus, fertile period). The ER and PR expression was studied by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence on either myocytes or interstitial Cajal-like cells (ICLC). Only those cells double immunostained for c-kit and steroid receptors were considered as ICLC. ER and/or PR immunoreactivity was localized in ICLC, primarily concentrated at the nucleus level, but it was also observed in the cell body (cytoplasm) and processes. Stronger immunopositive reaction in the ICLC nucleus for PR than for ER was noted. Under our experimental conditions, a clear positive repeatable reaction for steroid receptors could not be detected in myocytes. In conclusion, these data suggest that ICLC could be true hormonal 'sensors', possibly participating in the regulation of human myometrial contractions (via gap junctions with myocytes and/or by paracrine signaling).

Cells, Cultured↗