OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to determine the presence and expression of the 60-kD heat shock protein (HSP60) in the dysplasia-carcinoma sequence in the uterine exocervix and to evaluate its diagnostic and prognostic significance. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses on biopsies from 40 cases, consisting of 10 normal exocervical biopsies, 10 low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (L-SIL), 10 high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (H-SIL) and 10 cancerous exocervices (G2 grade). The immunohistochemical results were quantified by computer-assisted image analysis. Western blot analysis showed that HSP60 was undetectable in normal tissues and that there was a gradual increase of protein expression from L-SIL to carcinoma. Immunostaining for HSP60 was negative in normal tissue and positive in basal and parabasal layers of L-SIL epithelium; H-SIL were markedly stained in all layers of epithelium, and carcinomas showed an even stronger positivity. The increasing expression correlated with the malignancy grade. Finally, koilocytes were mostly negative in L-SIL and positive in H-SIL. CONCLUSIONS: The increasing degree of expression of HSP60 from L-SIL to carcinoma and the different intraepithelial distribution between L-SIL and H-SIL could be used as a new diagnostic tool. Moreover, HSP60 could have a role in cervical carcinogenesis.

Blotting, Western↗

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[Choristomatous and amartomatous malformations: which is the practical advantage of distinguishing them?].

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Choristoma↗

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[Myelolipoma of the adrenal gland].

Adrenal myelolipomas are rare, nonfunctioning, benign neoplasms of the adrenal gland. The authors describe their experience of a case and they report the review of the literature. They illustrate what's etiopathogenetic theories, modern diagnostic technology "of imaging" and different surgical approaches need to be adapted to the excision of the adrenal myelolipomas.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

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Measurements of the diameter of the abdominal aorta using C.T.

The purpose of this study was to verify the difference between diameters of abdominal aorta obtained on corpses and on living bodies, using C.T. The Authors focused the attention on abdominal aorta, beneath kidney veins. Moreover, a linear relationship was found between height and diameter of abdominal aorta. A careful examination of the literature has shown discordance among the values of the abdominal aorta. The Authors conclude that improved techniques of radiological anatomy may offer an important support to obtain important data for clinical practice.

Adult↗

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The vertebral canal and the lateral recess of the lombar tract: an anatomo-radiologic study.

To address this work, we studied the vertebral canal and the lateral recess at the L1 to L5 level. The importance of this tract of vertebral column lies in the frequent pathologies involving this anatomical region. In fact, the diagnosis of any pathological condition requires the knowledge of the normal status of that anatomical district. In particular, in this study, we suggested the presence of a relation between the diameter of vertebral canal and lateral recess. In addition, the age of the subjects did not seem related to these diameters. In conclusion, we confirmed also that the living-obtained data have a practical utility for clinical and surgical applications.

Adult↗

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Age-related changes in skeletal muscle fiber composition in two swine muscles.

This study focuses the aging-related modification of skeletal fiber types in two skeletal muscles of different-age swine (6 and 18 month). Rectus abdominis and vastus medialis were employed. It was performed an immunohistochemical staining for slow fibers and it was made a quantitative evaluation, using an automatic interactive image analysis system. The percentage of slow fibers decreased in adult swine. Moreover, slow fibers in rectus abdominis were less numerous than in vastus medialis. Aging and muscle function are two important factors able to modify fiber types. Morphometric analyses can ascertain this modification for diagnostic or nourishmental purposes.

Aging↗

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Symmetry of healthy adult feet: role of orthostatic footprint at computerized baropodometry and of digital formula.

Morphological aspects of orthostatic footprints (anterior heel, isthmus, posterior heel), using computerized baropodometry and of the digital formula were studied in 97 subjects (37 males, 60 females; median age: 20.9+/-1.56) at the Medical School of Palermo, Italy. The aim of this study was to contribute to our knowledge of the bilateral symmetry and asymmetry of the human feet in ethnically similar groups. We evaluated the length of the footprints (FL) and the widths of the anterior heel (AHW), isthmus (IW), and the posterior heel (PHW). Values were compared in the left and right feet of each subjects. The general morphology of the footprints was considered to determine bilateral correspondence or divergence. We also evaluated the digital formula to verify any bilateral correspondence. The linear measurements of the footprints did not show any particular bilateral conformity. The general morphology of the footprint showed bilateral correspondence in 76 subjects (78%): in 21 subjects (22%) it did not show any. Typological results of the bilateral orthostatic footprints showed normalfootprints in 54 subjects (55.5%): the isthmus included 1/3 to 2/3 of the AHW. Hollow footprints were found in 20 subjects (20.5%): the isthmus was less than 1/3 of the AHW. At clinical examination, using the digital formula, we found that Egyptian foot (1 degree > 2 degrees) was the most frequent (68%). The standard foot (1 degree = 2 degrees) and the Greek foot (1 degree < 2 degrees) were both present in 16% of the feet examined. Seventy-nine subjects (82%) presented bilaterally correspondent digital formulas: 1 degree > 2 degrees in 59 subjects (62%), 1 degree = 2 degrees in 9 subjects (9%), and 1 degree < 2 degrees in 11 (11%). While comparison of the bilateral linear measurements studied showed that there was primarily no bilateral correspondence, the morphological aspects of the footprints and of the digital formulas showed that bilateral correspondence was prevalent.

Adult↗

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Development of software in the study of carotid artery in the neck.

The aim of this work was to develop and employ software for the study of the common carotid artery and its branches in the neck. We first constructed geometric models of anatomic components, for the building of knowledge bases to be used in automatic feature extraction techniques from images. Then, we developed a software system characterised by three-dimensional visualisation, image processing functions, knowledge base and a programming language to describe classification processing by means of fuzzy logic. The software system was used to perform automatic reconstruction of three-dimensional models of carotid arteries from contiguous CT scans of the neck. These findings suggest that such software systems represent a useful help in the study of image based diagnosis of carotid arteries.

Carotid Artery, Common↗

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HSP10 selective preference for myeloid and megakaryocytic precursors in normal human bone marrow.

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) constitute a heterogeneous family of proteins involved in cell homeostasis. During cell life they are involved in harmful insults, as well as in immune and inflammatory reactions. It is known that they regulate gene expression, and cell proliferation, differentiation and death. HSP60 is a mitochondrial chaperonin, highly preserved during evolution, responsible of protein folding. Its function is strictly dependent on HSP10 in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic elements. We investigated the presence and the expression of HSP60 and HSP10 in a series of 20 normal human bone marrow specimens (NHBM) by the means of immunohistochemistry. NHBM showed no expression of HSP60, probably due to its being below the detectable threshold, as already demonstrated in other normal human tissues. By contrast, HSP10 showed a selective positivity for myeloid and megakaryocytic lineages. The positivity was restricted to precursor cells, while mature elements were constantly negative. We postulate that HSP10 plays a role in bone marrow cell differentiation other than being a mitochondrial co-chaperonin. The present data emphasize the role of HSP10 during cellular homeostasis and encourage further investigations in this field.

Adult↗

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The value of immunohistochemical research on PCNA, p53 and heat shock proteins in prostate cancer management: a review.

This review addresses the significance of the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), p53 and some heat shock proteins (Hsps) in prostate carcinoma (PC). In fact, PCNA and p53 are two widely discussed tools in PC diagnosis, mainly because of the controversy regarding the significance of their expression during prostate cancer development and progression. At the same time, only few studies have shown the potential role of Hsps in carcinogenesis and their overexpression in pre-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions of the prostate. We briefly describe the physiological roles of Hsps in normal cells, and the significance of their immunohistochemical detection in PC as well as in pre-cancerous lesions of the prostate. We will also discuss the possible functional interactions of these molecules in both dysplastic and neoplastic cells.

Animals↗

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Cytomegalovirus and BK-Virus co-infection of a clinically non-functioning adrenal adenoma: innocent bystanders or new pathogenetic agents?

We report a case of a 64-year-old woman who underwent left adrenalectomy with removal of a 8,5 cm clinically non-functioning adrenocortical adenoma and a 4-cm myelolipoma. Molecular testing for viral infection demonstrated the presence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA sequences in the adrenal adenoma, but not in the myelolipoma (confirmed by immunohistochemistry). Moreover, the adrenal adenoma was also positive for parvovirus B19, and both adrenal tumor samples were positive for polyomavirus BK (BKV) and adenovirus DNA sequences. This is the first report of co-infection of an adrenocortical adenoma by CMV and BKV. The role of these viruses in adrenal tumorigenesis was postulated.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗