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ABSTRACT: An outbreak of duck astrovirus (DAstV) has occurred in duck farming regions of China, causing substantial economic setbacks in the duck industry. This investigation aimed to examine the variations in DAstV pathogenicity among ducks at different age intervals. Infections were induced in ducks at distinct age groups (1, 7, 14, 21, and 28 d) utilizing the DAstv-1-GDB-2022 strain. The results indicate increased pathogenicity of the DAstv-1-GDB-2022 strain in ducklings aged 21 to 28 d, manifesting as liver and kidney enlargement, severe bleeding, and potential fatalities. Conversely, ducklings aged 1 and 14 d displayed milder symptoms postinfection. Notably, viral shedding continued in ducks of diverse age groups even 21 d postinfection (Dpi). Moreover, DAstV replicates in various tissues, predominantly affecting the liver. Immunohistochemical tests using rabbit anti-DAstV antibodies revealed robust positive signals in both the liver and kidneys, which correlated with the clinical symptom severity observed through macroscopic and microscopic examinations. Serum biochemical assays and indirect ELISA demonstrated a consistent response to DAstV infection across different age groups, with older ducklings exhibiting increased sensitivity. In conclusion, this study successfully replicated clinical symptoms similar to those of natural DAstV infection using the DAstv-1-GDB-2022 strain. Importantly, we systematically delineated the differences in susceptibility to DAstV among ducks at various ages, laying the foundation for further research into the pathogenic mechanisms of DAstV and potential vaccine development.

Introduction: One of the primary target organs of mercury toxicity is the kidney. Inorganic mercury such as mercuric chloride (HgCl2) significantly damages the kidney. Phoenix dactylifera has been documented to possess several pharmacological activities. In traditional Chinese medicine, Phoenix dactylifera has been used to replenish energy during weakness, temper the harshness of other herbs, and treat a lot of ailments. This study evaluated the protective effects of the n-butanol fraction of Phoenix dactylifera L. (BFPD) on mercury-triggered kidney toxicity in Wistar rats. Method: 25 male Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups containing 5 rats each. Group I was the control and was administered 2 ml/kg of distilled water; group II was administered 5 mg/kg of HgCl2; group III was pretreated with 500 mg/kg of BFPD + 5 mg/kg of HgCl2; group IV was pretreated with 1000 mg/kg of BFPD + 5 mg/kg of HgCl2, while group V was pretreated with 100 mg/kg of silymarin + 5 mg/kg of HgCl2. orally for 2 weeks. The rats were euthanized and blood samples were collected for biochemical studies (kidney serum proteins (urea and creatinine), and oxidative stress biomarker, Glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Kidney samples were collected for immunohistochemical, stereological and molecular studies. Results: The results revealed that oxidative stress was induced in the rats exposed to HgCl2 evident by the altered levels of Urea, Creatinine, and GPx in comparison to the control. However, BFPD treatment restored these changes. GPx activity decreased (p

Atypical fibroxanthoma (AFX) is a rare dermal spindle-cell sarcoma, considered a relatively benign type of skin cancer. Clinically, it presents as localized red nodules or plaques, and most commonly affects the head and neck of elderly individuals with sun-damaged skin. In this report, we present the case of a 92-year-old woman diagnosed with AFX on the left dorsum. Initially, she underwent surgical excision and was followed up in the clinic. However, after a 10-month follow-up period, the tumor recurred, and a second surgical excision was performed. Pathological examination revealed a malignant fibrous histiocytoma transformation of the AFX, a rare occurrence in the prognosis of AFX.

Fibrous Solitary Tumors are infrequent neoplasms originating from mesenchymal tissues, most commonly arising from the visceral pleura and frequently exhibiting a benign behavior. Extra-pleural localization is unusual and the site of origin of these tumors from the parenchyma of the parotid gland is considered extremely rare. We report the case of a 66-years old woman with non-painful slow-growing left latero-cervical mass, who underwent a gadolinium-enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging showing a mass originating from the deep lobe of the parotid gland extending into the retro-pharyngeal space. After a total parotidectomy with tumor excision, a diagnosis of histologically proven fibrous solitary tumor of the parotid gland was made. Two years later, CT scan showed post-operative recurrence and further satellite localization in the neck, distant from the initial mass. We performed a literature review of the published similar cases, in order to clinicopathological and imaging features of this rare entity.

Diabetes Mellitus and the associated hyperglycemia trigger oxidative damage to tissues and organs. DM is obviously related to the salivary glands’ dysfunction. Ascorbic acid is a powerful dietary antioxidant. In this study, we investigated the ascorbic acid’s putative potential to conserve the structure and function of the major salivary glands in diabetic patients. Adult male albino rats (n = 24) were equally divided into four groups: Group I (control, only distilled water), Group II (ascorbic acid 200 mg/Kg/day), Group III (experimentally-induced diabetes by single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin 60 mg/kg), and Group IV (ascorbic acid after one week of diabetes induction). Blood glucose level was assessed. After eight weeks, samples from the salivary glands were processed for histopathological and immunohistochemical examination. Group III showed degenerative changes in the salivary glands and increased collagen deposition, whereas the glycoprotein content and antiapoptotic activity decreased. Group IV showed marked histologic and functional improvement. Although further research is required to fully understand its mode of action, ascorbic acid is advised as an adjuvant medication for diabetes to keep the integrity of major salivary glands.

ABSTRACT: The esophagus is a tubular organ which act as a passage for food from oral cavity to stomach. Telocytes (TCs) are a unique type of interstitial cell whose existence in many organs of various species still remains unknown. In the present study, we used transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and immunohistochemistry (CD34, Vimentin, PDGFR-α) to identify subepithelial TCs in the esophageal wall of chickens. TEM micrographs confirmed the presence of TCs in the lamina propria, tunica submucosa, and tunica muscularis muscular layer of the esophageal wall. A large population of TCs were observed just beneath the epithelial layer of the esophageal wall, and the TCs demonstrated structural heterogenicity, featuring various cell body shapes of cell bodies and telopodes (Tps) with podoms, podomeres, and dichotomous branching. Furthermore, a large number of extracellular vesicles were found to be associated with TCs/Tps. Cellular extensions from TCs were observed in close proximity to blood vessels, immune cells, and mucosal glands. In the submucosa, Tps and immune cells were in very close contact. Immunohistochemical results showed that there were CD34+ cells, vimentin+ cells, and PDGFR-α+ cells in the subepithelium, lamina propria, and mucosal glands of the chicken esophageal wall, which was consistent with the TEM results. Overall, our data confirmed the existence of TCs in the chicken esophagus and suggested that TCs might contribute to epithelial regeneration and tissue homeostasis.

Resumen: Antecedentes: Los nevos de localizaciones especiales («nevi of special sites» [NOSS]) son lesiones melanocíticas benignas que se presentan en ubicaciones particulares. Aunque las características histológicas de los NOSS ya han sido descritas, sus especificaciones inmuno-fenotípicas no han sido del todo definidas. Objetivos: Describir las características clínico-patológicas de una serie de casos de NOSS y determinar su perfil inmunohistoquímico. Materiales y métodos: Se evaluaron 35 NOSS, utilizando técnicas de tinción con inmunoperoxidasa como marcador melanocítico (S100, Melan-A y HMB45) y de proliferación (Ki-67). Resultados: Todos los casos de NOSS mostraron cambios arquitectónicos alarmantes (proliferación melanocítica lentiginosa llamativa, irregularidades, conglomerado y cohesión de los nidos) y atipia citológica (melanocitos grandes con núcleos vesiculares, citoplasma claro y presencia de pigmento melánico fino), características que podrían llevar al diagnóstico equivocado de nevo atípico o, incluso, de melanoma. Todos los casos de NOSS mostraron una expresión difusa de las proteínas S100 y Melan-A. El Ki-67 de los melanocitos névicos fue extremadamente bajo. La expresión de la proteína HMB45 se limitó a los melanocitos junturales y a los dérmicos superficiales. Conclusiones: Los NOSS pueden presentar características histológicas que simulan nevos atípicos o melanomas, por lo que es importante tomar en cuenta esto para evitar errores diagnósticos. La expresión de la proteína HMB45 en los NOSS indica que sus melanocitos tienen un fenotipo activado. La disminución de la expresión de la proteína HMB45 en los NOSS, siguiendo un gradiente descendiente desde la zona de la unión hacia la zona dérmica más profunda indica una maduración inmunohistoquímica. Abstract: Background: Nevi of special sites (NOSS) are benign melanocytic lesions that occur at particular sites. Although the histological features of NOSS have been described, their immunophenotypic features have not been fully characterized. Aims: To present the clinicopathological characteristics of a case series of NOSS and to characterize their immunohistochemical profile. Materials and methods: Thirty-five NOSS were assessed using immunoperoxidase staining techniques for the melanocytic (S100, Melan-A, and HMB45) and proliferation (Ki-67) markers Results: All of the cases of NOSS showed concerning architectural changes (prominent lentiginous melanocytic proliferation, irregularities, crowdedness, and dyhesiveness of the nests), and cytological atypia (large nevomelanocytes with vesicular nuclei, clear cytoplasm, and dusty melanin pigment) that can lead to a misdiagnosis of atypical nevi or even melanomas. All of the cases of NOSS showed diffuse expression of S100 and Melan-A proteins. Ki-67 labeling index of the nevomelanocytes was extremely low. HMB45 protein expression was limited to the junctional and superficial dermal nevomelanocytes. Conclusions: NOSS can show histological features that can easily mimic atypical nevi or melanomas and this diagnostic consideration should be kept in mind to avoid their misdiagnosis. The expression of HMB45 protein in NOSS indicates that their nevomelanocytic cells have an activated phenotype. The decreased HMB45 protein expression following a gradient from junctional to deeper dermal localization in NOSS is indicative of their immunohistochemical maturation.

Paragangliomas are uncommon neuroendocrine neoplasms that occur in characteristic locations. While parasympathetic paragangliomas are mainly located at the head and neck, sympathetic paragangliomas are mostly located below the neck. Among parasympathetic paragangliomas, pheochromocytomas are the most common. Ninety percent of cases of pheochromocytomas arise within the adrenal gland. We report a case of a 63-year-old woman with an extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma of the organ of Zuckerkandl detected by CT and MRI and subsequently confirmed by postoperative histology and immunohistochemistry.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignancy of the adult liver and morbidity are increasing in recent years, however, there is still no effective strategy to prevent and diagnose HCC. Therefore, it is urgent to research the effective biomarker to predict clinical outcomes of HCC tumorigenesis. In the current study, differentially expressed genes in HCC and normal tissues were investigated using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset GSE144269 and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Gene differential expression analysis and weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) methods were used to identify nine and 16 key gene modules from the GEO dataset and TCGA dataset, respectively, in which the green module in the GEO dataset and magenta module in TCGA were significantly correlated with HCC occurrence. Third, the enrichment score of gene function annotation results showed that these two key modules focus on the positive regulation of inflammatory response and cell differentiation, etc. Besides, PPI network analysis, mutation analysis, and survival analysis found that SLITRK6 had high connectivity, and its mutation significantly impacted overall survival. In addition, SLITRK6 was found to be low expressed in tumor cells. To summarize, SLITRK6 mutation was found to significantly affect the occurrence and prognosis of HCC. SLITRK6 was confirmed as a new potential gene target for HCC, which may provide a new theoretical basis for personalized diagnosis and chemotherapy of HCC in the future.

An outbreak of duck astrovirus (DAstV) has occurred in duck farming regions of China, causing substantial economic setbacks in the duck industry. This investigation aimed to examine the variations in DAstV pathogenicity among ducks at different age intervals. Infections were induced in ducks at distinct age groups (1, 7, 14, 21, and 28 d) utilizing the DAstv-1-GDB-2022 strain. The results indicate increased pathogenicity of the DAstv-1-GDB-2022 strain in ducklings aged 21 to 28 d, manifesting as liver and kidney enlargement, severe bleeding, and potential fatalities. Conversely, ducklings aged 1 and 14 d displayed milder symptoms postinfection. Notably, viral shedding continued in ducks of diverse age groups even 21 d postinfection (Dpi). Moreover, DAstV replicates in various tissues, predominantly affecting the liver. Immunohistochemical tests using rabbit anti-DAstV antibodies revealed robust positive signals in both the liver and kidneys, which correlated with the clinical symptom severity observed through macroscopic and microscopic examinations. Serum biochemical assays and indirect ELISA demonstrated a consistent response to DAstV infection across different age groups, with older ducklings exhibiting increased sensitivity. In conclusion, this study successfully replicated clinical symptoms similar to those of natural DAstV infection using the DAstv-1-GDB-2022 strain. Importantly, we systematically delineated the differences in susceptibility to DAstV among ducks at various ages, laying the foundation for further research into the pathogenic mechanisms of DAstV and potential vaccine development., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background. Transforming growth factor alpha (TGFα) is an important mitogen that binds to epidermal growth factor receptor and is associated with the development of several tumors.Aims. Assessment of the immunoexpression of TGFα in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and in non-neoplastic liver tissue and its relationship to morphological patterns of HCC.Material and methods. The immunohistochemical expression of TGFα was studied in 47 cases of HCC (27 multinodular, 20 nodular lesions). Five lesions measured up to 5 cm and 15 lesions above 5 cm. Thirty-two cases were graded as I or II and 15 as III or IV. The non-neoplastic tissue was examined in 40 cases, of which 22 had cirrhosis. HBsAg and anti-HCV were positive in 5/38 and 15/37 patients, respectively. The statistical analysis for possible association of immunostaining of TGFα and pathological features was performed through chi-square test.Results. TGFα was detected in 31.9% of the HCC and in 42.5% of the non-neoplastic. There was a statistically significant association between the expression of TGFα and cirrhosis (OR = 8.75, 95% CI = [1.93, 39.75]). The TGFα was detected more frequently in patients anti-HCV(+) than in those HBsAg(+). The immunoexpression of TGFα was not found related to tumor size or differentiation. In conclusion the TGFα is present in hepatocarcinogenesis in HBV negative patients. Further analysis is needed to examine the involvement of TGFα in the carcinogenesis associated with HCV and other possible agents. In addition, TGFα has an higher expression in hepatocyte regeneration and proliferation in cirrhotic livers than in HCC.

An assessment of environmental quality in Amazonian estuaries utilizing histological and immunohistochemical biomarkers concomitantly with analyses of trace metals in the tissues of Sciades herzbergii, also considering physical chemical analyzes of the water. 352 animals were captured from two sites and during two periods (dry and rainy). Site 1: São Marcos Bay - heavy anthropic influence and Site 2: Caeté estuary-preserved estuary. In the laboratory, the fish were weighed (g) and measured (cm). Fragments of gills and liver were analyzed using histology and immunohistochemistry (Caspase 3). The specimens from Site 1 presented a low-value condition factor, with the highest concentrations of Al, Cd, and Hg appearing in the muscle, and most severe damages to gills and liver. In contrast, individuals from Site 2 presented a high-value condition factor and showed low metal concentrations in the muscle with only slight tissue lesions. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that seasonal changes affect metal modulation and pathologies in fish at Site 1. The sentinel species chosen in this study is considered a strong bioindicator of pollution and the combination of different biomarkers was efficient in providing a clear view of the signs of exposure to pollutants, and the risks posed to fish health by the presence of metals in the environment, especially in Site 1., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Motivation: With the sites of antigen expression different, the segmentation of immunohistochemical (IHC) histopathology images is challenging, due to the visual variances. With H&E images highlighting the tissue structure and cell distribution more broadly, transferring more salient features from H&E images can achieve considerable performance on expression site agnostic IHC images segmentation., Methods: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that focuses on domain adaptive segmentation for different expression sites. We propose an expression site agnostic domain adaptive histopathology image semantic segmentation framework (ESASeg). In ESASeg, multi-level feature alignment encodes expression site invariance by learning generic representations of global and multi-scale local features. Moreover, self-supervision enhances domain adaptation to perceive high-level semantics by predicting pseudo-labels., Results: We construct a dataset with three IHCs (Her2 with membrane stained, Ki67 with nucleus stained, GPC3 with cytoplasm stained) with different expression sites from two diseases (breast and liver cancer). Intensive experiments on tumor region segmentation illustrate that ESASeg performs best across all metrics, and the implementation of each module proves to achieve impressive improvements., Conclusion: The performance of ESASeg on the tumor region segmentation demonstrates the efficiency of the proposed framework, which provides a novel solution on expression site agnostic IHC related tasks. Moreover, the proposed domain adaption and self-supervision module can improve feature domain adaption and extraction without labels. In addition, ESASeg lays the foundation to perform joint analysis and information interaction for IHCs with different expression sites., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The esophagus is a tubular organ which act as a passage for food from oral cavity to stomach. Telocytes (TCs) are a unique type of interstitial cell whose existence in many organs of various species still remains unknown. In the present study, we used transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and immunohistochemistry (CD34, Vimentin, PDGFR-α) to identify subepithelial TCs in the esophageal wall of chickens. TEM micrographs confirmed the presence of TCs in the lamina propria, tunica submucosa, and tunica muscularis muscular layer of the esophageal wall. A large population of TCs were observed just beneath the epithelial layer of the esophageal wall, and the TCs demonstrated structural heterogenicity, featuring various cell body shapes of cell bodies and telopodes (Tps) with podoms, podomeres, and dichotomous branching. Furthermore, a large number of extracellular vesicles were found to be associated with TCs/Tps. Cellular extensions from TCs were observed in close proximity to blood vessels, immune cells, and mucosal glands. In the submucosa, Tps and immune cells were in very close contact. Immunohistochemical results showed that there were CD34+ cells, vimentin+ cells, and PDGFR-α+ cells in the subepithelium, lamina propria, and mucosal glands of the chicken esophageal wall, which was consistent with the TEM results. Overall, our data confirmed the existence of TCs in the chicken esophagus and suggested that TCs might contribute to epithelial regeneration and tissue homeostasis., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aim: Hyperuricemia is defined by the European Rheumatology Society as a uric acid level greater than 6 mg/dl (60 mg/l or 360 μmol/l). Our goal was to evaluate the hypouricemic effect of nettle. For this reason, we have first of all try to create an hyperuricemic animal model which is very suitable because at the level of literature there is not an exact model, there are many models and our objective is to set an adequate model., Materials and Methods: An attempt has been made to test acute and chronic hyperuricemia by varying the duration and method of induction of potassium oxonate. Similarly, attempts have been made to induce chronic hyperuricemia through an animal and vegetable diet. The reversibility of hyperuricemia was tested with a maintenance protocol., Key Findings: For the creation of the hyperuricemia model, it has been shown that acute hyperuricemia cannot be induced by short administration of potassium oxonate and persistent chronic hyperuricemia can be induced only after daily administration of oxonate of potassium by intraperitoneal injection for 15 days. Indeed, hyperuricemia was reversible after stopping the administration of potassium oxonate. The high-purine diet is also capable of inducing chronic hyperuricemia but to a less extent., Significance: After creating an adequate model of hyperuricemia while setting the dose of potassium oxonate, route of administration and duration. A maintenance protocol was followed which subsequently made it possible to deduce that the daily administration of potassium oxonate must be continued to maintain the hyperuricemia., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Peptic ulcer is one of the worldwide diseases where 10% of adults are affected by peptic ulcers at least once in their lifetime. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of levan in treating peptic ulcer. The bacterial honey isolates called Bacillus sp. levan was utilized. Levan was chemically characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), 1 H and 13 C NMR analysis. Levan was used to treat gastric ulcers induced in rats by oral administration of 5 mL/kg ethanol. Microscopic examination of stomach sections indicated that treatment with 200 mg/kg levan effectively healed the ulcers. Levan had no antimicrobial activity against a common cause of ulcers such as Helicobacter pylori bacteria. Rather, we proposed that the high adhesion (manifested as a protective coating) and prebiotic activity of levan may account for the observed beneficial effects. The immunohistochemical examination showed that levan led to a noticeable Bacillus sp. levan reduction in NF-κB in the upper gastric mucosa. The results concluded that the role of levan was more protective rather than preventive and suggested that levan could play a fundamental role in solving the peptic ulcer problems., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The objective of the present study was to investigate the expression of immune checkpoints (PD-L1, PD-L2, PD-1 and CTLA-4), immune inhibitory molecule HLA-G, markers of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) and dendritic cells (DC), as well as its association with clinicopathological features of adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACC) of the salivary glands., Materials and Methods: Thirty-six samples from patients with ACC were analyzed immunohistochemically for the expression of PD-L1, PD-L2, PD-1, CTLA-4, HLA-G, CD8, GrB, CD1a and CD83. Positivity of HLA-G, PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression was defined by cut-offs values. CD8 + TIL was measured semiquantitatively and also using cut-off values obtained by the ROC curve considering recurrence of the lesion., Results: ACC showed low CD8 + , GrB +  TIL, CD1a and CD83 populations, as well as scarce positivity for CTLA-4 and PD-1. In contrast, PD-L2 and HLA-G expression was increased, while no PD-L1 expression was detected. Interestingly, cases with lower CD8 + TIL density presented greater recurrence rates., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the ACC microenvironment exhibits low immunogenicity, represented by low TIL and DC density. Moreover, there seems to be activation of the immune inhibitory proteins/PD-L2 and HLA-G, a scenario that may favor tumor escape from the immune system and partially explain the poor prognosis of ACC., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Sugarcane vinasse is a residue generated at a rate fifteen times greater than the ethanol production. Because of its high organic and micronutrient content, this residue is used as a fertilizer on sugarcane crops. However, when used in large quantities, vinasse can saturate the soil and contaminate nearby water resources by percolation and leaching. Given the proven toxic potential of in natura vinasse, the present study aimed to evaluate the toxic potential of leached sugarcane vinasse using Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) as a test organism. A bioassay was performed after vinasse percolation in laboratory soil columns. The bioassay included one control group containing fresh water and two treatment groups, the first exposed to a 2,5% dilution of leached of vinasse and the second to a 2,5% dilution of in natura vinasse. After exposure, histopathological analysis was performed in gills and livers, and the latter were labelled for HSP70 proteins. No significant changes were detected in the gills of the exposed fish. However, in the liver, both in natura and leached vinasse induced statistically significant histopathological changes. These changes include hydropic degeneration, cell boundary losses, pyknotic nuclei and cellular disorganization. HSP70 expression significant increase in liver of both treatment groups were observed, being higher for the in natura vinasse exposed group. Results suggested that both leached vinasse and in natura vinasse were toxic, its still able to provoke histological changes and induce the cytoprotective response in exposed fish liver, evidenced by a immunostaining of cellular stress proteins. Thus, in order to reduce its environmental impact, appropriated effluent disposal is essential., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objective: This study was undertaken primarily to research transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and Wnt inhibitory factor 1 (WIF1) for the prediction of nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma (NFPAs) invasion and recurrence of tumor samples and the relations between quantitatively determined markers and clinical characters., Methods: We studied 104 patients, including 59 patients without recurrence and 45 patients with recurrence (9 patients with one surgery and 36 patients operated twice, both tumors being studied). All tissues were immunostained for TGF-β1 and WIF1 using tissue microarrays and confirmed with real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot., Results: We found that invasion, TGF-β1, and WIF1 were significantly associated with recurrence and that age was associated with low expression of TGF-β1 and WIF1 (P < 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in the expression of the 2 proteins between the noninvasive and the invasive groups. The expression of TGF-β1 and WIF1 in primary tumors in the recurrence group was lower than in the nonrecurrence group (P < 0.001). In the 36 paired primary or recurrent tumors, the expression of TGF-β1 and WIF1 in recurrent tumors was higher than the expression of primary tumors, which was confirmed with qRT-PCR and Western blot. Therefore, TGF-β1 and WIF1 seem to be related to recurrence or progression of pituitary adenomas., Conclusions: The expression of TGF-β1 and WIF1 in NFPAs correlated with cell proliferation and recurrence potential. They may be good markers of progressive behavior in NFPAs; however, the biologic mechanism needs further study., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We have studied the ontogeny of the developing human male and female urogenital tracts from 9 weeks (indifferent stage) to 16 weeks (advanced sex differentiation) of gestation by immunohistochemistry on mid-sagittal sections. Sixteen human fetal pelvises were serial sectioned in the sagittal plane and stained with antibodies to epithelial, muscle, nerve, proliferation and hormone receptor markers. Key findings are: (1) The corpus cavernosum in males and females extends into the glans penis and clitoris, respectively, during the ambisexual stage (9 weeks) and thus appears to be an androgen-independent event. (2) The entire human male (and female) urethra is endodermal in origin based on the presence of FOXA1, KRT 7, uroplakin, and the absence of KRT10 staining. The endoderm of the urethra interfaces with ectodermal epidermis at the site of the urethral meatus. (3) The surface epithelium of the verumontanum is endodermal in origin (FOXA1-positive) with a possible contribution of Pax2-positive epithelial cells implying additional input from the Wolffian duct epithelium. (4) Prostatic ducts arise from the endodermal (FOXA1-positive) urogenital sinus epithelium near the verumontanum. (5) Immunohistochemical staining of mid-sagittal and para-sagittal sections revealed the external anal sphincter, levator ani, bulbospongiosus muscle and the anatomic relationships between these developing skeletal muscles and organs of the male and female reproductive tracts. Future studies of normal human developmental anatomy will lay the foundation for understanding congenital anomalies of the lower urogenital tract., (Copyright © 2018 International Society of Differentiation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Neurenteric cysts are rare central nervous system lesions derived from an endodermal origin. There is no consensus concerning pathogenesis because of the paucity of occurrences. We report an immunohistochemical study of 10 cases with neurenteric cysts and postulate its pathogenesis., Methods: Ten patients underwent surgical treatment for neurenteric cysts from 1995 to 2015. We retrospectively reviewed clinical, radiologic, operative, and pathologic findings for these patients. Immunohistochemical stains were completed in all cases to distinguish cell type and origin., Results: Three cell types were identified: pseudostratified-ciliated, goblet-columnar, and simple cuboidal cells. All cases were positive for cytokeratin 7, and negative for cytokeratin 20, caudal-type homeobox 2, mucin 2, thyroid transcription factor 1, human chorionic gonadotropin, placental alkaline phosphatase, and cluster of differentiation 31. Four of them had positive staining for mucin 5AC, with expression only in goblet-columnar cells. According to the immunohistochemical results, the cells resembled the respiratory tract (pseudostratified-ciliated), stomach (goblet-columnar), and respiratory bronchioles (simple cuboidal). Seventy-five percent of cases with recurrence had a goblet-columnar component, emphasizing the importance of total resection of the cyst and complete pathologic examination., Conclusions: We postulate that the cystic tumor was derived from multipotent endodermal cells that migrated and traveled along the neuroectoderm, with incomplete differentiation into various cell types as a result of an unsuitable microenvironment. Because the neurenteric canal was only the channel of migration rather than a component of the cysts, the term neuroendodermal cysts is more precise in presenting the embryopathogenesis., (Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Chagas disease reactivation has been described in severely immunocompromised patients by various etiologies, including in HIV-coinfected patients., Objective: This study aimed to perform histopathological and immunohistochemical evaluation of the brain, myocardium, esophagus and large bowel of autopsied patients with CHD and/or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in comparison with control patients., Material and Methods: Autopsy reports were reviewed from 1998 to 2012 and eight adult subjects were selected and divided into four groups: RE, CH, AI and CO. Sections of brain, myocardium, esophagus and large bowel were collected from each subject and processed for histological and immunohistochemical analysis. The histological sections stained with HE, Giemsa and picrosirius were used to quantify the density of inflammatory cells, the density of mast cells, and the percentage of collagen, respectively. Immunohistochemical analysis of IL17 and CD31 was performed., Results: The density of mast cells in the myocardium was significantly higher in the CH group than in the other groups. The density of mast cells in the esophagus and in the large bowel was significantly higher when compared to the other groups. The percentage of collagen in the esophagus, myocardium and large bowel was significantly lower in the RE group than in the CO group. The CH group had a higher percentage of collagen in the myocardium and in the large bowel in relation to the other groups. The density of cells immunostained with anti-IL17 was significantly higher in the large bowel and in the myocardium in the CH group than in the CO group. There was higher density of vessels immunostained with anti-CD31 in the myocardium and esophagus of the AI group than in the other groups. There were no significant correlations between the density of mast cells and percentage of collagen in the RE, CO, CH and AI groups., Conclusion: Brain lesions observed in patients with CDR, as well as the higher density of cells immunostained with anti-IL17 at these sites, suggest that this cytokine was increasing local inflammation with subsequent tissue damage due to inflammation. Furthermore, the higher density of mast cells in the esophagus and large bowel of these subjects suggests that these cells might play a major role in esophageal and intestinal inflammation., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Nickel (Ni) can cause delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions, which are thought to be mediated by the accumulation of T cells into inflamed skin. Accumulated T cells at the developmental stages in metal allergy are poorly characterized because a suitable animal model has not been established. To investigate the accumulated T cells in allergic inflamed skin, we generated a novel murine model of Ni-induced allergy. The murine model of Ni allergy was induced by two sensitizations of Ni plus lipopolysaccharide solution into the groin followed by three challenges with Ni solution into the footpad. Here we show that a specific TCR repertoire bearing Vα14Jα18, called natural killer (NK) T cells, was expanded monoclonally in BALB/c or C57BL/6 mice. Accumulation of NKT cells was characterized as CD4(+) or CD4(-)CD8(-) T cells. These results suggested that NKT cells are major pathogenic T cells at the elicitation phase of Ni allergy., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)