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Case Reports 2011; 32(3): 238-241 PubMed PMID: 21712786 Citation  Keywords:  Atrophy, Brain:diagnostic imaging, Fatal Outcome, Female, Humans, Hydrocortisone:blood, Hypokalemia:etiology, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Middle Aged, Pituitary ACTH Hypersecretion:pathology, Tomography, X-Ray Computed,.   

: We present a 56-year-old patient with cyclic Cushing's disease (CCD) observed for 28 months, who presented clinically and biochemically with alternating episodes of hyper-, normo- and hypocortisolemia. The course of the disease was fatal, the patient died due to severe hypokalemia....

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Case Reports 2011; 32(3): 234-237 PubMed PMID: 21712785 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Antineoplastic Agents:therapeutic use, Bone Marrow:pathology, Decompression, Surgical, Female, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive:complications, Leukocyte Count, Low Back Pain:etiology, Magnetic Resonance.   

: Granulocytic sarcoma (GS) may be a presenting sign of myelogenous leukemia. Occasionally, an extramedullary neoplasm composed from myelocytic precursor cells occurs in patients without evidence of leukemia. Rarely, undiagnosed leukemia occurs initially manifesting with paralysis to spinal cord GS. We present a case report of 20-year-old girl with an undiagnosed leukemia, initially manifesting as paralysis. En bloc spondylectomy with chemotherapy postoperatively constituted the treatment of choice for this tumor. After two courses of chemotherapy, the patient made a good postoperative recovery with notable bilateral lower extremity improvement....

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Journal Article 2011; 32(3): 259-263 PubMed PMID: 21712782 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Brain Chemistry:drug effects, Cholinesterase Inhibitors:pharmacology, Cholinesterase Reactivators:pharmacology, Electron Transport:drug effects, Electron Transport Chain Complex Proteins:antagonists & inhibitors, Electron Transport Complex I:meta.   

OBJECTIVES: Inhibition of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is the main mechanism both of therapeutic action of drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and toxic action of organophosphorus compounds. Various types of oximes reactivate AChE and are commonly used as antidotes against organophosphates (pesticides, nerve agents).

METHODS: Effects both of AChE inhibitors (tacrine, 7-methoxytacrine) and oximes (pralidoxime, trimedoxime, obidoxime, methoxime, HI-6) on Complex I of electron transport chain (ETC) were examined. The enzyme activity was measured spectrophotometrically in crude mitochondrial fraction isolated from pig brain.

RESULTS: Our results showed statistically significant Complex I inhibition by tacrine, other drugs did not affect the enzyme activity significantly.

CONCLUSIONS: These observations suggest the possibility of tacrine-induced side effects related to disturbance in ETC. On the contrary, it seems that oximes do not affect cellular energetic metabolism....

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Journal Article 2011; 32(3): 292-300 PubMed PMID: 21712781 Citation  Keywords:  Actin Cytoskeleton:metabolism, Actins:chemistry, Animals, Antioxidants:metabolism, Biomarkers:analysis, Cytochalasin B:pharmacology, Erythrocyte Deformability:drug effects, Erythrocyte Membrane:drug effects, Erythrocytes:drug effects, Hemolysis:drug effec.   

BACKGROUND: Some researches have shown that melatonin (MLT) has effects on the erythrocyte deformability and on the osmotic fragility which, currently, seem to be heterogeneous and fragmentary.

OBJECTIVE: This work wished to evaluate in vitro the possible modifying action of MLT at pharmaceutical doses on the osmotic fragility of rat blood samples treated with cytochalasin B (CB). The variation of the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels have been measured because LDH is an enzyme which is considered an important marker of hemolysis. Working in a strongly reducing environment has been necessary in order to avoid possible antioxidant actions of MLT, measuring the plasma levels of malondialdehyde and total phospholipids in order to highlight possible MLT actions which are not related to its recognized antioxidant properties.

RESULTS: The data show a possible MLT action which strengthens the CB action on the osmotic fragility and on the membrane deformability of the erythrocytes.

CONCLUSIONS: Under the adopted working conditions, a direct relation of MLT with the biochemical dynamics of the cytoskeleton-mediated processes can be suggested. Further studies will be needed to clarify the mechanisms and the extent of the observed phenomena....

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Case Reports 2011; 32(3): 226-233 PubMed PMID: 21712779 Citation  Keywords:  Administration, Cutaneous, Adult, Capsaicin:administration & dosage, Electric Stimulation Therapy, Electrodes, Implanted, Female, Humans, Neuralgia:psychology, Neurologic Examination, Neurosurgery, Peripheral Nerves:physiology, Ulnar Nerve:physiology, Uln.   

: Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) is a neurostimulation analgesic technique. PNS is utilized to treat peripheral neuropathic pain. It is highly sophisticated and a specialized technique used where other forms of treatment have failed. This paper describes the PNS procedure, its therapeutic principles, indications, and the comprehensive care for patients after the PNS implant. First, we summarize our experience using this type of invasive treatment. In the second part, a case of intractable neuropathic pain following repeated surgery to the ulnar nerve is reported. Prior to PNS, the patient underwent multiple types of antineuralgic treatment with no significant result. Only after the PNS application, was a significant analgesic effect achieved....

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Journal Article 2011; 32(3): 253-258 PubMed PMID: 21712771 Citation  Keywords:  Adrenal Glands:metabolism, Animals, Blotting, Western, Brain Chemistry:genetics, COS Cells, Cell Line, Cell Membrane:metabolism, Cercopithecus aethiops, Cloning, Molecular, DNA, Complementary:genetics, Immunohistochemistry, Mice, Mice, Inbred CBA, Mice, I.   

OBJECTIVE: Vesicular monoamine transporter 1 (VMAT-1) mRNA and protein were examined (1) to determine whether adult mouse brain expresses full-length VMAT-1 mRNA that can be translated to functional transporter protein and (2) to compare immunoreactive VMAT-1 proteins in brain and adrenal.

METHODS: VMAT-1 mRNA was detected in mouse brain with RT-PCR. The cDNA was sequenced, cloned into an expression vector, transfected into COS-1 cells, and cell protein was assayed for VMAT-1 activity. Immunoreactive proteins were examined on western blots probed with four different antibodies to VMAT-1.

RESULTS: Sequencing confirmed identity of the entire coding sequences of VMAT-1 cDNA from mouse medulla oblongata/pons and adrenal to a Gen-Bank reference sequence. Transfection of the brain cDNA into COS-1 cells resulted in transporter activity that was blocked by the VMAT inhibitor reserpine and a proton ionophore, but not by tetrabenazine, which has a high affinity for VMAT-2. Antibodies to either the C- or N- terminus of VMAT-1 detected two proteins (73 and 55 kD) in transfected COS-1 cells. The C-terminal antibodies detected both proteins in extracts of mouse medulla/pons, cortex, hypothalamus, and cerebellum but only the 73 kD protein and higher molecular weight immunoreactive proteins in mouse adrenal and rat PC12 cells, which are positive controls for rodent VMAT-1.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that a functional VMAT-1 mRNA coding sequence is expressed in mouse brain and suggest processing of VMAT-1 protein differs in mouse adrenal and brain....

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Journal Article 2011; 32(3): 340-344 PubMed PMID: 21670727 Citation  Keywords:  Administration, Cutaneous, Cell Adhesion Molecules:blood, Cholesterol:blood, Climacteric, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Dydrogesterone:administration & dosage, Endothelial Cells:drug effects, Estradiol:administration & dosage, Estrogen Replacement The.   

OBJECTIVE: In current literature, the immune-inflammatory theory of atherosclerosis is widely discussed. The role of how adhesion molecules contribute to the development of atheromatic plaques is especially underlined.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: 120 females in menopausal age were included in the study between 2004 and 2009. All the women were of menopausal age (51±3 years), from southern Poland, with FSH levels above 30 mIU/ml, and complaining of menopausal symptoms that disturbed normal daily activity. The study was conducted over a 6 month period. Three groups of 40 randomized patients were selected. The control group consisted of 40 volunteers, who were also from southern Poland, in good health, without menopausal symptoms, or menstrual periods in the last 6 months. Control subjects were match according to age and weight, with FSH levels above 25 mIU/ml and normal TSH and prolactin values. All patients, in the treatment and control groups were seronegative for Chlamydia pneumonia throughout the duration of the study.

RESULTS: After 6 months, hormonal therapy was found to significantly reduce levels of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 in all treated groups compared to the control group and the results were statistically significant. Alternatively, in the latter group, we observed increased levels of the investigated adhesion molecules (group I: 37.5 µg/24h transdermal estradiol + dydrogesteron; group II 50 µg/24h transdermal estradiol + medroxyprogesteron; group III 1mg of oral estradiol + noretisteron sICAM-1 and control group; using paired Wilcoxon test).

CONCLUSION: All of the investigated estrogen therapy schemas have a favorable impact on the blood levels of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 in postmenopausal women without cardiovascular risk factors, reducing their concentration....

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Journal Article 2011; 32(3): 328-333 PubMed PMID: 21670726 Citation  Keywords:  Breast Neoplasms:genetics, Female, Genes, p53:genetics, Human Growth Hormone:metabolism, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 2:metabolism, Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3:metabolism, Insulin-Like Growth Fa.   

BACKGROUND: Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in concert with insulin-like binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3), insulin-like binding protein 2 (IGFBP-2), human growth hormone (GH) and P53 protein is involved in autocrine/paracrine growth signaling pathways as an adaptive response to environmental stimuli.

OBJECTIVE: The study evaluated the local secretion of PRL, hGH, IGF-I, IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-3 by breast cancer tissue explants in relation to the overexpression of P53 protein in breast cancer tissue.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Breast cancer explants were obtained during radical mastectomies. The overexpression of P53 protein was assessed immunohistochemically using monoclonal antibody (DAKO, Anti-Human P53 protein, clone DO-7); the results of the reaction were stratified into 5 groups. The lack of P53 protein overexpression was defined as 0% of cells that overexpressed P53 protein. IGF-I, IGFBP-3, IGFBP-2, and hGH levels were measured with RIA kits, and prolactin was measured with the MEIA kit.

RESULTS: The local secretion of hGH by tumour explants - presenting a positive immunohistochemical reaction (IHCR) to the product of P53 gene - was twice as high as those with no IHCR to product of P53 gene; the opposite was noted in the case of IGF-I, IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-3 secretion. In both cases, the level of hGH, IGF-I and IGFBP-3 secretion did not correlate with the ratio of cells overexpressing P53 protein. There was a significant decrease in local, basic IGFBP-2 secretion along with an increased ratio of cells with positive IHCR to product of P53 gene. Furthermore, local PRL secretion was not correlated with the ratio of cells overexpressing P53 protein in breast cancer tissue. Prolactin also exerts no influence on IGF-I secretion.

CONCLUSION: Our results may suggest the presence of local hGH/IGF-I feedback in breast tissue as well as the possibility of P53/hGH/IGF-I/IGFBP-3 but not P53/PRL/IGF-I axis....

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