APMIS : acta pathologica, microbiologica, et immunologica Scandinavica
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We have developed three unique mouse models to image angiogenesis with fluorescent proteins, which are described in this review. First, we have adapted the surgical orthotopic implantation (SOI) model to image angiogenesis of human tumors labeled with green fluorescent protein (GFP) transplanted in nude mice. The nonluminous induced capillaries are clearly visible by contrast against the very bright tumor fluorescence examined either intravitally or by whole-body imaging in real time. ⋯ The nestin-GFP mouse expresses GFP in areas of the brain, hair follicle stem cells, and in a network of blood vessels in the skin interconnecting hair follicles. RFP-expressing tumors transplanted to nestin-GFP mice enable specific visualization of nascent vessels in skin-growing tumors such as melanoma. Thus, fluorescent proteins expressed in vivo offer very high resolution and sensitivity for real-time imaging of angiogenesis.
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The present study explored in adults suffering from recurrent tonsillitis the association between macroscopic oropharyngeal signs of recurrent inflammation, immunomorphology of palatine tonsils (counts of neutrophils by CD4 and macrophages by CD68 monoclonal antibodies in tonsillar microcompartments) and the occurrence of post-tonsillectomy bacteremia. The study involved 50 adults (31 females and 19 males) with recurrent tonsillitis. According to predominance of either inflammatory changes or evidence of sclerotic process in palatine tonsils and surrounding tissue macroscopic at oropharyngeal examination, the patients were divided into groups with 'inflammatory-type' and 'sclerotic-type' tonsils. ⋯ A noteworthy finding was the higher recovery of anaerobes from blood cultures than in previous studies. A logistic regression analysis revealed that the post-tonsillectomy bacteremia was strongly associated with 'sclerotic-type' tonsils (p=0.0015) and with low counts of neutrophils in tonsillar tissue (p=0.047). We conclude that macroscopic oropharyngeal signs of sclerotic process in palatine tonsils indicate impaired tonsillar defense, in terms of lowered counts of neutrophils, increasing the risk of post-tonsillectomy bacteremia.
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Comparative Study
A comparative study of the allergenic potency of wild-type and glyphosate-tolerant gene-modified soybean cultivars.
A large proportion of soybean cultivars grown in the USA are now genetically modified varieties and concern has been raised about the safety of these products for consumers. A study of the impact on allergenic potency in soybeans, comparable except for the newly introduced gene (CP4 EPSPS), was performed using soybean-sensitized patients. ⋯ All three methods showed variations in the allergenic potency between the individual extracts but allergenic potential was not affected by presence of the transgene. By using standard in vitro methods and SPT for determination of allergenicity we were not able to detect any significant difference in the allergenic potency between GM and WT soybeans.
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Comparative Study
The clinical relevance of cytokeratin phenotyping in needle biopsy of liver metastasis.
Although cytokeratin (CK) phenotyping of metastatic tumors is now routine in many laboratories, the clinical relevance of the procedure has seldom been addressed. We carried out a prospective clinical study of 134 consecutive cases of metastatic adenocarcinoma of the liver diagnosed by needle biopsies stained routinely for CK20 and CK7. The most probable localization of the primary tumor, deduced from this staining pattern, was stated in the original pathology report. ⋯ Thus, the CK20+/CK7- phenotype indicates a colorectal origin of the liver metastasis with considerable accuracy and independently of the available clinical information. The same is true for CK20+/CK7+ metastases, which indicate primary tumor localization in the pancreas or in the biliary tree. The results in the CK20- subgroups of the liver metastases are disappointing and cannot substantially help the clinical investigation.
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The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether NK cells from resistant C3H/HeN mice and susceptible BALB/c mice showed different release of cytokines and expression of surface molecules during chronic P. aeruginosa lung infection using alginate-embedded P. aeruginosa mimicking the infection in cystic fibrosis. Lung cell suspensions were depleted of lymphocytes by magnetic cell sorting. The concentrations of IFN-gamma, IL-1beta and GM-CSF were estimated by ELISA at day 1 and 2 after infection. ⋯ Surface expression of LFA-1 on the NK cells was higher in C3H/HeN mice at day 1 and 2. In contrast, the expression of Fc receptors was significantly lower on NK cells in C3H/HeN mice at day 1 and 2. In conclusion, the present results show phenotypic differences in NK cells in the two mice strains in chronic P. aeruginosa lung infection, indicating different modulating effects in the Th1/Th2 balance.