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Panagiota Kitsanta

Publications and source records attributed to Panagiota Kitsanta.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Cytomegalovirus colitis--an unusual cause for diarrhoea in an elderly woman.

BACKGROUND: Clinically apparent cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease is uncommon in the immunocompetent host, despite the high seroprevalence rate of CMV in the general population. CASE REPORT: Here, we report the case of CMV colitis in an immunocompetent elderly woman who developed a large pulmonary embolism during her illness. DISCUSSION: The diagnosis of CMV colitis is made on histological examination of biopsy specimens obtained at sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy. Extensive CMV disease can be accompanied by vascular thrombosis.

Biopsy↗
PubMed2006

Aggressive digital papillary adenoma-adenocarcinoma.

Aggressive digital papillary adenocarcinoma and aggressive digital papillary adenoma are rare tumours of the sweat glands. They are most common in the most distal part of the fingers and are locally aggressive with a 50% local recurrence rate; 14% of tumours metastasize. We present two cases.

Adenocarcinoma, Papillary↗
PubMed2005

CD8+ T lymphocytes in lung tissue from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have implicated a role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of lung damage in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Parenchymal lung damage leads to defects in mechanics and gas exchange and clinically manifests with exertional dyspnea. Investigations of inflammatory cells in IPF have shown that eosinophils, neutrophils and CD8+ TLs may be associated with worse prognosis. We wished to investigate by quantitative immunohistochemistry infiltrating macrophages, neutrophils and T lymphocytes (TLs) subpopulations (CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+) in lung tissue of patients with IPF and their correlation with lung function indices and grade of dyspnoea. METHODS: Surgical biopsies of 12 patients with IPF were immunohistochemically stained with mouse monoclonal antibodies (anti-CD68 for macrophages, anti-elastase for neutrophils, and anti-CD3, anti-CD4, anti-CD8 for CD3+TLs, CD4+TLs, and CD8+TLs respectively). The number of positively stained cells was determined by observer-interactive computerized image analysis (SAMBA microscopic image processor). Cell numbers were expressed in percentage of immunopositive nuclear surface in relation to the total nuclear surface of infiltrative cells within the tissue (labeling Index). Correlations were performed between cell numbers and physiological indices [FEV1, FVC, TLC, DLCO, PaO2, PaCO2 and P(A-a)O2)] as well as dyspnoea scores assessed by the Medical Research Council (MRC) scale. RESULTS: Elastase positive cells accounted for the 7.04% +/- 1.1 of total cells, CD68+ cells for the 16.6% +/- 2, CD3+ TLs for the 28.8% +/- 7, CD4+ TLs for the 14.5 +/- 4 and CD8+ TLs for the 13.8 +/- 4. CD8+TLs correlated inversely with FVC % predicted (rs = -0.67, p = 0.01), TLC % predicted (rs = -0.68, p = 0.01), DLCO % predicted (rs = -0.61, p = 0.04), and PaO2 (rs = -0.60, p = 0.04). Positive correlations were found between CD8+TLs and P(A-a)O2 (rs = 0.65, p = 0.02) and CD8+TLs and MRC score (rs = 0.63, p = 0.02). Additionally, CD68+ cells presented negative correlations with both FVC % predicted (rs = -0.80, p = 0.002) and FEV1 % predicted (rs = -0.68, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: In UIP/IPF tissue infiltrating mononuclear cells and especially CD8+ TLs are associated with the grade of dyspnoea and functional parameters of disease severity implicating that they might play a role in its pathogenesis.

CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes↗
PubMed2005

Cell turnover of serrated adenomas.

Serrated adenomas of the colon are characterized by epithelial neoplasia combining the architectural features of hyperplastic polyps and the cytological features of adenomas. Cell turnover, which is related to the malignant potential of these polyps, has not been thoroughly investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate epithelial cell proliferation, apoptosis, and oncoprotein expression in serrated adenomas. Twenty-five hyperplastic polyps, 25 serrated adenomas, and 25 tubulovillous adenomas resected from the colons of 75 patients were studied by immunohistochemical staining using monoclonal antibodies against MIB-1, Bcl-2, Bax, p53, and the TUNEL method for the detection of apoptosis. In serrated adenomas, the proliferation rate was significantly lower than in tubulovillous adenomas in both the lower and the upper parts of the crypts, and higher than that of hyperplastic polyps. Apoptosis was also significantly lower in serrated than in tubulovillous adenomas, but higher than in hyperplastic polyps. p53 oncoprotein expression was significantly greater in both serrated and tubulovillous adenomas than in hyperplastic polyps. bcl-2 protein expression was higher only in tubulovillous adenomas. Bax index was significantly different between tubullovillous and serrated adenomas, but the lowest values were observed in hyperplastic polyps. Serrated adenomas are highly proliferative polyps. They should be considered a biologically different entity from hyperplastic polyps. The intermediate features between serrated adenomas, hyperplastic polyps, and tubulovillous adenomas using the antibodies analysed in this study could have implications for the rate or the mechanism of development of malignancy in this type of polyp.

Adenoma↗
PubMed2005

Gastric mucosa epithelial cell kinetics are differentiated by anatomic site and Helicobacter pylori infection.

Changes in epithelial cell turnover related to Helicobacter pylori infection may contribute to gastric cancer development. The response of different anatomic sites of the gastric mucosa to H. pylori is not known. We studied apoptosis and cell proliferation at the grater and lesser curvature of the antrum and corpus, the fundus, and the cardia from 9 H. pylori gastritis patients and 11 H. pylori-negative controls with normal histology. Proliferation was highest at the major curve of the antrum and lowest at the fundus, and apoptosis was highest at the cardia and lowest at the major curve of the antrum in both H. pylori gastritis and normal mucosa. Proliferation was significantly higher at all anatomic sites, while apoptosis was significantly lower only at the major and lesser curve of the corpus in H. pylori gastritis compared with normal controls. Our data suggest that gastric mucosa epithelial cell kinetics is differentiated by the anatomic site and H. pylori infection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Molecular analysis of B-cell clonality in Helicobacter pylori gastritis.

The aim of our study was to identify PCR-detectable clonal B-cell population in Helicobacter pylori gastritis and assess their relation to the Wotherspoon-Isaacson (W-I) grade for gastric lymphoid infiltrates. Amplified DNA was obtained from thirty four H. pylori positive gastritis dyspeptic patients and thirty four H. pylori negative matched controls. Clonal bands were observed in 6 (2/17 W-I Grade 1, 2/13 W-I Grade 2, and 2/4 W-I Grade 3 lesions) and polyclonal smears in 24 cases (15 W-I Grade 1, 7 W-I Grade 2, and 2 W-I Grade 3). Four additional W-I Grade 2 samples with clonal bands were associated with background polyclonal smear and were not reproducible. Clonal bands were not recorded in controls. B-cell clonality was not related to W-I grades. We conclude that certain H. pylori positive gastritis patients show PCR-detectable monoclonality, which is independent of the W-I grade of gastritis and cannot be taken as evidence of an existing neoplastic lesion.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Relationship of BAL and lung tissue CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes, and their ratio in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Surgical biopsy specimens have shown that T lymphocytes (TLs) infiltrate lung parenchyma in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and might play a pathogenetic role. BAL, a far less invasive technique, has also been used for the investigation of IPF pathogenesis. However, controversy exists whether the BAL fluid cellular profile reflects the cellular composition of the lung parenchyma. STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare infiltrating TLs subpopulations (CD4+, CD8+, and CD4+/CD8+ ratio) in lung tissue and BAL fluid. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was performed according to the streptavidin-biotin method on the surgical biopsy specimens of 12 untreated patients with IPF. The number of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ TLs was determined by observer-interactive computerized image analysis (SAMBA microscopic image processor; Meylan, France). In BAL fluid, the same TLs subpopulations were evaluated by flow cytometry. RESULTS: In lung tissue, CD3+ TLs accounted for a mean (+/- SEM) of 28.8 +/- 7% of total cells, CD4+ TLs accounted for 14.5 +/- 4% of total cells (50.1 +/- 4% of CD3+ TLs), and CD8+ TLs accounted for 13.8 +/- 4% of total cells (47.4 +/- 4% of CD3+ TLs). In BAL fluid, lymphocytes accounted for 9.8 +/- 2.5% of total cells, CD4+ TLs accounted for 51.8 +/- 4% of CD3+ TLs, and CD8+ TLs accounted for 42.2 +/- 4% of CD3+ TLs. Tissue CD4+ and CD8+ TLs (expressed as a percentage of CD3+ TLs) correlated significantly with the number of CD4+ and CD8+ TLs in BAL fluid (r = 0.846 and p = 0.001 vs r = 0.692 and p = 0.013, respectively). A significant positive correlation was also found between the mean CD4+/CD8+ ratio found in tissue and BAL fluid (1.05 +/- 0.21 and 1.5 +/- 0.27, respectively; r = 0.832; p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that in patients with IPF, the TL subpopulations in BAL fluid reflect the pattern of lymphocytic infiltration in pulmonary parenchyma.

Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid↗
PubMed2005

Changes in liver histology accompanying massive weight loss after gastroplasty for morbid obesity.

BACKGROUND: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is common in morbid obesity. Our goal was to evaluate the alterations in liver histology and biochemistry before and after weight loss in 51 morbidly obese patients following Mason's vertical banded gastroplasty. METHODS: Two biopsies were performed (on entry and after an average of 18 months), while 16 of these subjects had a third biopsy 17 months after the second. RESULTS: On entry, steatosis and steatohepatitis (mostly grade 3) were present in 98.0% and fibrosis (mostly stage 2) in 94.1% of the subjects. After an excess weight loss of 66%, steatosis and steatohepatitis improved significantly (P<0.001). Although a significant overall decrease in fibrosis occurred (P=0.002), 21 patients (41.1%) did not change and only 6 patients (11.7%) increased in fibrosis. None developed cirrhosis. The decrease in steatohepatitis was significantly correlated (P=0.011) with the reduction of BMI. Fasting serum glucose, lipids, lipoproteins, transaminases, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, alkaline phosphatase and fibrinogen were also significantly improved at the time of the second biopsy. The third biopsy performed in 16 of the subjects showed further significant improvement in liver histology. CONCLUSION: NASH improved significantly with massive weight loss in non-diabetic, non-alcoholic, morbidly obese subjects, while fibrosis improved in nearly half of the patients.

Biopsy↗
PubMed2004

Huge biatrial primary cardiac B-cell lymphoma resulting in bilateral atrioventricular valve obstruction.

We report the case of a 48-year-old man with a clinical syndrome caused by both pulmonary and systemic venous congestion. Echocardiography indicated a huge tumor occupying both dilated atria almost completely, seeming to invade from the atrial septum. A test for HIV was negative. Our primary diagnosis was a biatrial myxoma. Urgent surgery was performed disclosing large cell B-cell primary cardiac lymphoma. The patient died 8 days later. Primary cardiac lymphoma is extremely rare in immunocompetent patients. Its rarity and heterogenous clinical presentation make diagnosis difficult. As tissue characterization is still beyond the capabilities of currently available echocardiography, a combination of examinations are indicated, when the clinical condition is relatively stable, in order to reach the exact diagnosis.

Echocardiography↗
PubMed2002

Luteolin reduces lipopolysaccharide-induced lethal toxicity and expression of proinflammatory molecules in mice.

Luteolin is a flavonoid that has been shown to reduce proinflammatory molecule expression in vitro. In the present study, we have tested the ability of luteolin to inhibit lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- induced lethal toxicity and proinflammatory molecule expression in vivo. Mice receiving LPS (Salmonella enteriditis LPS, 32 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) exhibited high mortality with only 4.1% of the animals surviving seven days after the LPS challenge. On the contrary, mice that had received luteolin (0.2 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) before LPS showed an increased survival rate with 48% remaining alive on Day 7. To investigate the mechanism by which luteolin affords protection against LPS toxicity we measured intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production in response to LPS in the presence or absence of luteolin pretreatment. Treatment of animals with LPS increased serum TNF-alpha levels in a time-dependent manner. The increase in peak serum TNF-alpha levels was sensitive to luteolin pretreatment. Luteolin pretreatment also reduced LPS-stimulated ICAM-1 expression in the liver and abolished leukocyte infiltration in the liver and lung. We conclude that luteolin protects against LPS-induced lethal toxicity, possibly by inhibiting proinflammatory molecule (TNF-alpha, ICAM-1) expression in vivo and reducing leukocyte infiltration in tissues.

Analysis of Variance↗