Stefan Galbavy

Histopathological evidence of vitamin C protection against Cd-nephrotoxicity in Guinea pigs

The critical organ of chronic cadmium (Cd) exposure are kidneys. Long-term exposure leads to Cd accumulation in kidneys and causes renal tubular dysfunctions. Cd-induced renal changes are irreversible, so the primary prevention by different nutrients can play an important role. In this study, male guinea pigs which, like humans, do not synthetize ascorbic acid (AA) received low (2 mg/animal/day) or high (100 mg/animal/day) dosage of AA and cadmium (1 mg Cd/animal/day) in drinking water for 12 weeks. Characteristic finding in renal morphology of Cd-intoxicated guinea pigs was dilatation of interstitial veins with apparent paravenous lymphatic infiltrates. Histomorphological changes were more evident in Cd-intoxicated guinea pigs with low AA intake. High AA intake apparently reduced in Cd-intoxicated guinea pigs the extent of renal damage. Cadmium significantly increased serum creatinine and urea levels in the group of guinea pigs with low AA intake but not in guinea pigs receiving high concentration of AA. The results showed that AA can be effective in the protection of Cd-induced nephrotoxicity.

Relation between expression pattern of p53 and survivin in cutaneous basal cell carcinomas

Summary Background The tumor suppressor gene p53 is a key regulator of cell division and/or apoptosis. Survivin is a multifunctional member of the inhibitor of apoptosis family. Survivin and p53 represent diametrically opposed signals that influence the apoptotic pathway. Material/Methods To determine the role of p53 and survivin in basal cell carcinoma (BCC), we evaluated the expression pattern of both proteins with regard to the percentage of positively immunostained tumor cells, the intensity of staining, and subcellular localization among 31 subjects with BCC. Results Overexpression of p53 protein was found in 28 of 31 cases (90.3%), whereas survivin accumulation was seen in 27 (87.1%). For p53, moderate and/or strong immunoreactivity was seen in 20 of 28 cases (71.4%), and 26 of 28 cases (92.9%) showed more than 25% reactive tumor cells. Nuclear p53 staining was detected in 23 of 28 cases (82.1%), whereas combined nuclear and cytoplasmic localization was found in only 5 of 28 cases (17.9%). Survivin revealed mild intensity of immuno-reaction in 22 of 27 cases (71%), and 25 of 27 cases (92.6%) showed less than 25% labeled tumor cells. Combined nuclear and cytoplasmic survivin localization was present in 26 of 27 cases (96.3%). Statistically significant differences were detected in the assessed expression parameters between those proteins. Conclusions Our results suggest that overexpression of wild type p53 protein may suppress the expression of survivin and its antiapoptotic activity in BCC cells.

Treatment of 1-methyl-1-nitrosourea-induced mammary tumours with immunostimulatory CpG motifs and 13-cis retinoic acid in female rats: histopathological study

Histopathological evaluation of the mammary gland tumours of Sprague-Dawley rats induced with 1-methyl-1-nitrosourea (MNU), and treated with either CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG-ODN) and/or 13-cis retinoic acid has been performed in this work. Since, the treatment of animals with CpG-ODN induced a significant decrease of tumour burden and volume in comparison with MNU treated control group (Macejova et al. 2001), it was of high impact to compare histological appearance of tumours in different experimental groups (MNU, CpG-ODN, 13-cis retinoic acid, CpG-ODN plus 13-cis retinoic acid). We have found reduced number of carcinomas with necroses in the CpG motifs treated group when compared to animals treated with MNU only. From the histological point of view the treatment with the CpG-ODN may have some protective effect. Carcinoma patterns proportion in the group treated with CpG-ODN was found to be different in comparison with other experimental groups. Treatment of rats with CpG-ODN had no apparent effect on invasiveness of developed carcinomas.

Squamous cell carcinoma and piercing of the tongue – A case report

Tongue piercings can be associated with local and systemic complications. Local complications occur frequently immediately after the surgery but also long-term local effects can cause problems such as speech and swallowing difficulties. Aspiration, transmission of infectious diseases, hypersensitivity reaction belong to the systemic complications. In the presented paper an unusual case of cancer development in a 26-year-old man who had a metal piercing inserted for 5 years in the right anterior third of the tongue. Despite of intense concommitant chemoradiotherapy the patient died 18 months from the first symptoms. In prevention of various complications it would be the best solution spread information about the risks of the tongue piercing especially within teenage population.

Expression mRNA pattern of retinoic acid and retinoid X nuclear receptor subtypes in thyroid carcinomas

Retinoid receptors (RARs) upon a proper ligand binding act as all-trans retinoic acid-inducible transcription factors interacting as heterodimers with retinoid X receptors (rexinoid receptors, RXRs). The objective of this study was to evaluate all retinoid/ rexinoid nuclear receptor subtypes (RARalpha, RARbeta, RARgamma, RXRalpha, RXRbeta, RXRgamma) expression pattern in thyroid tumour tissue of patients with different types of thyroid cancer in order to compare it with that of the intact thyroid tissue of the corresponding patient. The expression of the retinoid/rexinoid nuclear receptor subtypes has been analyzed by the semiquantitative RT-PCR technique. Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients expressed RXRgamma when compared to non-neoplastic thyroid tissues of the corresponding patients that were lacking to express RXRgamma or its expression was very low. Moreover, we have found significantly increased expression of RARalpha and RARgamma in overall group of PTC patients. This increase was detected in cases with positive lymph node metastasis (LNM), but not with negative LNM. On the other hand, RARbeta was significantly reduced in the subgroup of classic variant (CV) of papillary carcinoma. Expression of RXRgamma in the patient with anaplastic carcinoma was found to be lower than that of patients with papillary carcinoma. Follicular adenoma or malignant lymphoma, and also nonmalignant follicular nodules were expressing all RAR and RXR subtypes. On the other hand, hyperplastic nodule was found to express all RAR or RXR subtypes, except RARgamma. In conclusion, the data on the differences in RAR and RXR subtype mRNA expression patterns in various thyroid carcinomas might thus enhance therapeutical potentialities, and thus they may find exploitation in clinical oncology, predominantly, in the differential diagnostics of human thyroid neoplasms.