Comparison of PCR with stained slides of bone marrow and lymph nodes aspirates with suspect diagnosis for leishmaniasis

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), also known as kala-azar, is a disseminated protozoan infection caused by Leishmania donovani complex. Traditionally the definite diagnosis is made by amastigote detection in the tissue. The aim this study was to evaluate the PCR technique in stained slides of bone marrow and lymph nodes aspirates with suspect diagnosis for leishmaniasis. Slides were selected totaling 62 suspect cases (33 bone marrow samples and 29 lymph node samples) and 17 positive cases (8 bone marrow and 9 lymph node). From 62 suspect cases, 39 (62.90%) were confirmed to be positive being 17 (n = 29) lymph node aspirates and 22 (n = 33) bone marrow. This finding is in agreement with the higher sensitivity of the PCR assay compared to direct microscopic observation. In conclusion, the findings of this study supports the use of PCR on archive cytological preparation stained slides for the diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis, emphasizing the higher sensitivity of this technique when compared to direct microscopic examination and mostly the use of the suspect status for the cytology samples that presents the previously mentioned particularities with focus on detecting the oligosymptomatic or assymptomatic dogs in endemic areas functioning as potential reservoirs for this disease. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neoplasia mamária em cadelas: aspectos clínico-cirúrgicos

Oncology is presenting an important role in clinical practice as a speciality in recent years in Veterinary Medicine. Mammary gland tumors are detected mainly in old and middleaged bitches that are sexually intact or spayed and the caudal abdominal and inguinal mammary glands are the most affected and they present a percentage up to 75% of malignancy. The majority of dogs with mammary neoplasms are clinically healthy at the time of diagnosis and the tumors can be identified by the owner or a professional during a routine physical examination. Cytological examination of fine needle aspirates can be performed. This procedure is easy and low cost and some criteria that may indicate malignancy are evaluated, however to obtain a definitive diagnosis is performed histopathology of the excised tissue or from biopsy. Regional lymph nodes are the first lymph node to receive lymphatic drainage from the neoplasm. They are at the highest risk of regional metastasis, while the lung is the most common site for distant metastasis. Determining the clinical stage enables the definition of the extension of the tumor. As a consequence, this allows a prognosis to be established and treatment to be planned. The type of therapy to be chosen incites controversy since there are numerous treatment options described, but the surgery is the chosen treatment. However, surgery is not always effective for malignant tumors, and recurrences may occur and in these cases, auxiliary chemotherapy treatments are used. The prognosis for animals that have mammary tumors depends on several factors, such as: size, stage, type of tumor cells and clinical behavior of the tumor, age and medical condition of the animal, and presence of metastasis. Because of this, more detailed studies are needed based on epidemiological surveys in order to provide more informations about risk factors, prevalence and follow-up after treatment of mammary... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Prognostic value of vascular endothelial growth factor and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha in canine malignant mammary tumors

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

ANXA1Ac₂₋₂₆ peptide reduces ID1 expression in cervical carcinoma cultures

Cervical cancer is the second most frequent cancer in women worldwide and is associated with genetic alterations, infection with human papilloma virus (HPV), angiogenesis and inflammatory processes. The idea that inflammation is involved in tumorigenesis is supported by the frequent appearance of cancer in areas of chronic inflammation. On the other hand, the inflammatory response is controlled by the action of anti-inflammatory mediators, among these mediators, annexin A1 (ANXA1), a 37 kDa protein was detected as a modulator of inflammatory processes and is expressed by tumor cells. The study was carried out on the epithelial cancer cell line (SiHa) treated with the peptide of annexin A1 (ANXA1Ac2-26). We combined subtraction hybridization approach, Ingenuity Systems software and quantitative PCR, in order to evaluate gene expression influenced by ANXA1. We observed that ANXA1Ac2-26 inhibited proliferation in SiHa cells after 72h. In these cells, 55 genes exhibited changes in expression levels in response to peptide treatment. Six genes were selected and the expression results of 5 up-regulated genes (TPT1, LDHA, NCOA3, HIF1A, RAB13) and one down-regulated gene (ID1) were research by real time quantitative PCR. Four more genes (BMP4, BMPR1B, SMAD1 and SMAD4) of the ID1 pathway were investigated and only one (BMPR1B) shows the same down regulation. The data indicate the involvement of ANXA1Ac2-26 in the altered expression of genes involved in tumorigenic processes, which could potentially be applied as a therapeutic indicator of cervical cancer.

Carcinoma de células escamosas de grandes proporções

The oral and oropharyngeal cancer is aggressive and, in Brazil, the incidence is considered one of the world’s tallest, the most common of head and neck. It affects males more intensively and 70% of cases are in adults over 50 years of age. It is located usually on the floor of the mouth and tongue. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to report a case of male patient, 78 years of age, leukoderma who sought hospital care. Reported frequent smoking and alcoholism. On physical examination headgear, there was the presence of lymph node fixed, painless 1.5 to 2 cm in diameter in the submandibular region. Physical examination intraoral ulcer was found at about 5 cm at its greatest extent, localized to the left oral floor region of the oropharynx, reddish, hardened edges, surface and bottom corrugated carton. The differential diagnosis suggested was traumatic ulcer, paracoccidioidomycosis and squamous cell carcinoma. The approach employed was obtained by incisional biopsy and the piece sent to histopathological analysis, confirming the case of squamous cell carcinoma. The treatment consisted in clarifying the patient about the disease and the need to search for an oncology center. It is concluded that the oral clinical examination is accurate in all major injuries to mouth, even if the chief complaint does not focus on this. In individuals at high risk examination should be systematic and individuals with suspicious lesions should be referred to specialist consultation.

Estudo do peptídeo lítico Hecate e sua conjugação com ácido gálico: atividade contra o carcinoma cervical humano, mecanismo de ação e toxicidade

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)