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Pinuccia Faviana

Publications and source records attributed to Pinuccia Faviana.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2003

Galectin-3 and oncofetal-fibronectin expression in thyroid neoplasia as assessed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunochemistry in cytologic and pathologic specimens.

Oncofetal fibronectin (onfFN) and galectin-3 (Gale-3) have been proposed as possible tools for the preoperative diagnosis of thyroid carcinomas, based on the finding that the expression of both onfFN and Gale-3 are significantly increased in papillary and anaplastic carcinomas, compared to normal thyroid tissues and follicular adenomas. In this study we analyzed the expression of these markers by immunochemical and molecular analysis of benign and malignant thyroid tumors. Sixty-five thyroid nodules, consisting of 20 follicular adenomas (FAs) and 45 papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs) at final histology were examined. At the molecular level, among the 45 PTCs, 44 (97.8%) showed a variable level of onfFN mRNA, while 8 of the 20 (40%) adenomas expressed the same marker. Similar results have been found analyzing Gale-3 expression: 97.8% of PTC and 55% of FAs were positive for this marker. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for Gale-3 was positive in 42 of 45 (93.3%) PTC tissues. Staining was invariably confined to the cytoplasm, with a homogeneous distribution in the large majority of the neoplastic cells. The 3 negative cases (6.7%) were represented by 2 classic variants of PTC and 1 follicular variant of PTC. Eighteen of the 20 (90.0%) adenomas stained negative for Gale-3. A significant association was found between positive staining and malignant phenotype (p < 0.0001). Gale-3 protein expression was also performed on samples obtained by ex vivo fine-needle aspiration (FNA) in 35 PTCs by immunocytochemistry (ICC). Immunoreactivity was present in 32 (91.0%) and negative in 3 (8.8%) cases. With the exception of 1 case (negative by ICC and positive by IHC), ICC and IHC were fully concordant. In conclusion, our results indicate that a search for Gale-3 protein overexpression by IIC or ICC, but not by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), may yield an additional marker of malignant potential of thyroid nodular lesions, and may be a useful adjunct to the currently available diagnostic tools for the preoperative diagnosis of malignant thyroid tumors.

Adenoma↗
PubMed2003

Simian virus 40-like sequences from early and late regions in human thyroid tumors of different histotypes.

Simian virus 40 (SV40) sequences were investigated in human thyroid tumors of different histotypes, Graves' disease thyroid specimens, normal thyroid tissues, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of healthy donors. Specific SV40 large T antigen (Tag) sequences were detected, by PCR and filter hybridization, in human thyroid tumors with a frequency ranging from 66% in papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC) to 100% in anaplastic thyroid carcinomas (ATC). SV40 was revealed in 60% and 100% of normal thyroid tissues adjacent to PTC and ATC, respectively, but in only 10% of control normal thyroid tissues (NTT) from patients affected by multinodular goiter. Thyroid tissues from patients affected by the Graves' disease were found to be SV40 positive with a frequency of 20%. In agreement with previous investigations, the presence of SV40 sequences was detected in 25% of PBMC of healthy individuals. SV40 Tag mRNA was detected by RT-PCR, whereas the viral oncoprotein was revealed by immunohistochemistry with a specific monoclonal antibody. The high prevalence of SV40 footprints in human thyroid tumors indicates that the oncogenic virus may participate as a cofactor in the onset/progression of specific human thyroid cancers. Detection of SV40 sequences in NTT adjacent to thyroid cancers suggests that the viral infection may spread from transformed cells to normal cells surrounding the tumor. The presence of the SV40 footprint in PBMC implies that blood cells are vectors of the virus in other tissues of the host.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Establishment of a non-tumorigenic papillary thyroid cell line (FB-2) carrying the RET/PTC1 rearrangement.

A novel human thyroid papillary carcinoma cell line (FB-2) has been established and characterized. FB-2 cells harbor the RET/PTC1 chimeric oncogene in which the RET kinase domain is fused to the H4 gene. FB-2 cells neither formed colonies in semisolid media nor induced tumors after heterotransplant into severe combined immunodeficient mice. However, HMGI(Y), HMGI-C and c-myc genes, which are associated to thyroid cell transformation, were abundantly expressed in FB-2 cells but not in normal thyroid cells. FB-2 cells only partially retained the differentiated thyroid phenotype. In fact, the PAX-8 gene, which codes for a transcriptional factor required for thyroid cell differentiation, was expressed, while thyroglobulin, TSH-receptor and thyroperoxidase genes were not. Moreover, FB-2 cells produced high levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC): the angiogenic phenomenon.

OBJECTIVES: Tumor angiogenesis, expressed by the microvessel count (MVC), and its mediators (i.e. vascular endothelial growth factor) significantly correlate with metastases in surgically treated non-small cell lung carcinoma/cancer (NSCLC). SCLC is rarely treated by surgery, as a consequence, few specimens are available to perform a biological characterization. We reviewed our experience in the surgical treatment of SCLC with particular reference to the angiogenetic expression and its correlation to the stage of disease and prognosis. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated a homogenous cohort of 87 patients with SCLC, who were primarily operated on and then underwent adjuvant chemotherapy between 1980 and 1998. Their median age was 62 years (range 34-73). All the patients were completely staged. The surgical procedures included: 32 pneumonectomies and 55 lobectomies. There were 46 N0, 17 N1 and 24 N2-disease. The adjuvant chemotherapy consisted of four to six courses of cyclophosphamide, epidoxorubicine and etoposide. The MVC was determined highlighting the microvessels with anti-CD34 monoclonal antibodies. Immunostaining for VEGF was performed using the ABC method with anti-VEGF monoclonal antibodies. The p53 protein expression was assessed by NCL-DO7 anti-p53 monoclonal antibody. RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 109.6 months (range 25-238), 37 patients are alive and well, two are alive with systemic metastases. Forty-four patients died of local (n=5) or systemic (n=39) relapse, while four patients died from other causes. The median MVC was 59 (range 18-145). Among the clinico-pathological parameters, metastatic nodal-involvement (P=0.002) and advanced stage of disease (P=0.005) were associated with a worse overall survival (OS). MVC and VEGF protein expression significantly affected the survival (P<0.001 and P=0.0008, respectively). No statistical association was found between p53 alterations and OS as well as no association was found among p53 alterations, MVC and VEGF expression. On multivariate analysis only the VEGF expression (P=0.003) was an independent prognostic factor. CONCLUSIONS: Angiogenesis plays a role in the metastatic process of the SCLC as well as NSCLC. SCLC has a higher vascularization than NSCLC as results from the higher number of microvessels; however, tumor angiogenesis tested by the MVC and the VEGF protein expression correlates with the prognosis also in SCLC. SCLC may be an ideal field to test new antiangiogenic drugs associated to chemotherapy.

Adult↗