Search

Duplication cysts are rare benign congenital malformations typically identified in children by the age of 2 years. We report a rare case of colonic duplication cyst with dysplasia in an adult. A 32-year-old male was diagnosed with non-specific abdominal symptoms. Abdominopelvic computed tomography scan demonstrated a submucosal cystic lesion in the right colon. He underwent laparoscopic right hemicolectomy. Histopathology showed colonic duplication cyst with low grade dysplasia. He is due for a surveillance colonoscopy in 3 years. Duplication cyst in an adult colon with dysplasia is extremely rare. They are usually present in the terminal ileum. They have non-specific abdominal symptoms or can be asymptomatic. They are often identified incidentally or intraoperatively. Imaging may demonstrate a cystic lesion. Histopathology is required for definitive diagnosis. There are no guidelines or consensus on managing duplication cysts in adults. We recommend an oncological resection of the involved colon. Surveillance with routine colonoscopy is advisable.

β-Catenin is an important co-factor which binds multiple transcriptional molecules and mediates fibrogenic signaling pathways. Its role in kidney transplantation is unknown. We quantified binding of β-catenin within renal tubular epithelial cells to transcription factors, TCF1 and FoxO1, using a proximity ligation assay in 240 transplanted kidneys, and evaluated their pathological and clinical outcomes. β-Catenin/FoxO1 binding in 1-month protocol biopsies inversely correlated with contemporaneous chronic fibrosis, subsequent inflammation. and inflammatory fibrosis (P < .001). The relative binding of β-catenin/TCF1 versus β-catenin/FoxO1 (TF ratio) was the optimal biomarker, and abnormal in diverse fibrotic transplant diseases. A high 1-month TF ratio was followed by greater tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis scores, cortical inflammation, renal impairment, and proteinuria at 1 year (n = 131, all P < .001). The TF ratio was associated with reduced eGFR (AUC 0.817), mild fibrosis (AUC 0.717), and moderate fibrosis (AUC 0.769) using receiver operating characteristic analysis. An independent validation cohort (n = 76) confirmed 1-month TF was associated with 12-month moderate fibrosis (15.8% vs. 2.6%, P = .047), however, not with other outcomes or 10-year graft survival, which limits generalizabilty of these findings. In summary, differential binding of β-catenin to TCF1 rather than FoxO1 in renal tubular cells was associated with the fibrogenic response in transplanted kidneys.

Granular cell tumours (GCTs) are generally benign neoplasms, which are believed to be of neural origin. They are uncommon in the gastrointestinal tract. They are rarely found in the colon and even more rarely found to be multiple. We present a case of a man who underwent a right hemicolectomy for a submucosal lesion and polyps and was found to have multiple nodules diagnosed as caecal GCTs with cellular atypia. While uncommon, this case shows it remains an important differential due to implications for patient management, given the often benign nature of disease.

Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) is the key cytokine involved in causing fibrosis through cross-talk with major profibrotic pathways. However, inhibition of TGF-β to prevent fibrosis would also abrogate its anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effects. β-catenin is a common co-factor in most TGF-β signaling pathways. β-catenin binds to T-cell factor (TCF) to activate profibrotic genes and binds to Forkhead box O (Foxo) to promote cell survival under oxidative stress. Using a proximity ligation assay in human kidney biopsies, we found that β-catenin/Foxo interactions were higher in kidney with little fibrosis, whereas β-catenin/TCF interactions were upregulated in the kidney of patients with fibrosis. We hypothesised that β-catenin/Foxo is protective against kidney fibrosis. We found that Foxo1 protected against rhTGF-β1-induced profibrotic protein expression using a CRISPR/cas9 knockout of Foxo1 or TCF1 in murine kidney tubular epithelial C1.1 cells. Co-administration of TGF-β with a small molecule inhibitor of β-catenin/TCF (ICG-001), protected against kidney fibrosis in unilateral ureteral obstruction. Collectively, our human, animal and in vitro findings suggest β-catenin/Foxo as a therapeutic target in kidney fibrosis.

We present 6 cases with multifocal appendiceal neuroendocrine tumors, including their clinical and histopathological findings. To our knowledge, this is the first description of a multifocal pattern of a neuroendocrine neoplasm arising in the appendix. All patients presented in a setting requiring an acute appendectomy. The number of tumors ranged from 2 to 5. Histopathological examination revealed WHO (World Health Organization) grade 1 tumor in 3 patients and WHO grade 2 in the other 3 patients. The median duration of follow-up in these patients was 70 months (range = 6-192 months). No metastatic disease was observed. According to these findings, a multifocal pattern of neuroendocrine neoplasms along the appendix seems not to be a predictor for local advanced or metastatic disease.

We present a unique case of cryoglobulinemic glomerulonephritis associated with nodal and renal infiltration by T-cell lymphoma of T-follicular helper phenotype. The patient presented with transient neurologic symptoms, severe nephritic syndrome with nephrotic-range proteinuria, and acute kidney injury. He had elevated double-stranded DNA levels, low complement levels, detectable cryoglobulin, and detectable immunoglobulin M (IgM) paraprotein. The kidney biopsy showed cryoglobulinemic glomerulonephritis with a membranoproliferative pattern and diffuse interstitial infiltrates on light microscopy; IgM, C3 but weak IgG, C1q, and negative C4d staining on immunofluorescence; and deposits with organized substructures on electron microscopy. Positron emission tomography showed diffuse uptake in bilaterally enlarged kidneys and a localized group of lymph nodes. Subsequent lymph node biopsy revealed Epstein-Barr virus-negative nodal T-cell lymphoma, which was also proven in renal tissue. The association between T-cell lymphoma, autoantibodies, and cryoglobulinemia may represent a paraneoplastic phenomenon. His renal prognosis has been excellent, but overall prognosis and survival is dictated by the clinical course of T-cell lymphoma.

Sir,Tricalcium phosphate (whitlockite) is a rare phosphate mineral, a calcium orthophosphate crystal (Ca,Mg)3(PO4)2, in which magnesium is partly substituted for calcium.1 Whereas the formation of ...