Ovarian carcinoma is a serious disease in women. Some reports revealed all-trans-retinoic acid (tRA) inhibited the proliferation of ovarian carcinoma cell lines and induced apoptosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anticancer and apoptotic effects of tRA and the expression of the retinoic acid receptor (RAR) alpha, beta, gamma, p53, bcl-2, and c-myc genes on the ovarian carcinoma cell lines, NIH OVCAR3 and SKOV3. In both cell lines, the proliferation of tumor cells was inhibited and characteristic morphologic patterns of apoptosis were shown after treatment of tRA. The number of apoptotic cells and the percentage of apoptosis were increased after treatment of tRA. The gel electrophoresis revealed the DNA ladder pattern in the NIH OVCAR3. Gene expressions were observed using northern blotting. There was no RARalpha expression in both cell lines. In NIH OVCAR3, there was no changes in the expression of RARbeta and bcl-2 gene. The RARgamma gene expression of tRA treated group was slightly increased, but p53 gene expression was decreased, and c-myc gene was not expressed. In SKOV3, the expressions of RARbeta, gamma, and p53 genes were increased and that of bcl-2 was decreased in the tRA treated group. There was no change in c-myc gene expression. These results suggest tRA has anticancer and apoptotic effect on both ovarian carcinoma cell lines. RARbeta, RARgamma, bcl-2, and p53 gene expressions were correlated with these effects of tRA on SKOV3 but not on NIH OVCAR3.
Apoptosis* ; Blotting, Northern ; Cell Line* ; DNA ; Electrophoresis ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Genes, bcl-2 ; Genes, myc ; Genes, p53 ; Humans* ; Receptors, Retinoic Acid ; Tretinoin*

We reviewed 7 cases of congenital mesoblastic nephroma (4 cases of classical mesoblastic nephroma (CMN) and 3 cases of atypical mesoblastic nephroma (AMN)) using immuno-histochemical and flow cytometric study. Results are as follows. 1) The mean tumor size was 5 (3 to 7cm)cm in CMN and 9 (7 to 10cm)cm in AMN. The AMN revealed hemorrhage and necrosis in two Of three cases. A case of AMN showed cystic change without hemorrhage and necrosis. Mitotic count ranged in 0~4/10HPF in CMN and 20-35/10HPF in AMN. 2) Immunohistochemistry for vimentin was all positive. Actin, desmin were weakly positive in CMN, but negative in AMN. The findings were consistent with myofibroblastic differentiation in CMN and AMN was considered to be the less differentiated form of CMN. 3) Flow cytometiic analysis showed diploidy in two of two CMNs and two of three AMNs. Only one AMN showed aneuploidy with DNA index of 1.41. %SG2M were 8.1 and 15.9 (mean 12.0) in CMN and 16.9, 32.9 and 19.3 (mean 22.9) in AMN, respectively. We concluded that AMN should be distinguished from CMN, clinicopathologically.

Clear cell sarcoma is a rare malignant rumor of the kidney which occurs in children and is differentiated from Wilms' tumor by its different clinicopathologic features and natural history. Previous studies indicate that this tumor may be of mesenchymal cell origin; however, this has not been proven conclusively. Further accumulation and study need to be conducted in order to clarify the histogenesis of this tumor. We report two cases of clear cell sarcoma of the kidney which occurred in a 2 and a half-year old and a 2-year old boy. This report places special emphasis on the clinicopathologic characteristics of these two cases including electron microscopic and immunohistochemical findings. Attempts were also made to differentiate the clinicopathologic aspects of clear cell sarcoma from Wilms' tumor and speculate on the histogenesis of this rumor.
Child ; Male ; Female ; Humans

To evaluate the tissue expression rate and pattenr of HBsAg and HBcAg in tumors and peritumoral livers, an immunohistochemical study was undertaken on 47 surgically resected hepatocellular carcinomas(HCCs). The results are as follows. 1. Patient's sera were positive for HBsAg in 40 cases(85.1%). In the remaining 7 cases, the tumor and peritumoral liver expressed neither HBcAg nor HbSaG, suggesting that they were caused by other etiologies than hepatitis B virus. 2. The peritumoral liver had HBsAg and HBcAg in 95.0% and 27.5% among the 40 cases, respectively. But the tumor expressed HBsAg in 50.0% and HBcAg in none. 3. The expression of HBsAg within the tumor and both HBsAg and HBcAg in the peritumoral liver tended to be more frequent in the pretreated cases before surgery. 4. Edmondson-Steiner grade IV tumors revealed a lower expression rate of HBsAg than the low grade tumors(p<0.05). Incases with cirrhosis at peritumoral tissues, HBcAg was less frequently found than in those without cirrhosis. The majority of tissue HBsAg and HBcAg was represented as groups of positive cells. These results suggest that, during the development and progression of HCCs, the HBcAg containing cells are repeatedly removed and the HBcAg negative cells are selected, because cellular expression of HBcAg is the target of host immune response.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular

Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas is a rare tumor that affects young females with low malignant potential and good prognosis with more than 90% survival at 5 years. Metastasis is very rare. We report the case of a 74-year-old female who had pancreatic solid-pseudopapillary tumor and synchronous hepatic metastasis.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pancreas ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Prognosis

Hailey-Hailey disease(benign familial chronic pemphigus) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by blisters at sites of friction such as the neck, axillae and groin which are caused by suprabasal epidermal acantholysis. We report two cases of Hailey-Hailey disease in the one family. One of the two cases has asymptomatic multiple longitudinal white bands in the fingernails associated with typical skin lesions. The nail lesions have not been described until reported by Burge in 1992 and it may be a characteristic finding in Hailey-Hailey disease.
Acantholysis ; Axilla ; Blister ; Friction ; Groin ; Humans ; Nails ; Neck ; Pemphigus, Benign Familial* ; Skin

We report two cases of recurrent extramarnmary Pagets disease after wide local excision. Both cases involved the scrotum and the penoserotal junction, respectively. On histopathological examination, we could observed many Paget cells confined to the epidermis and the hair follicle, but not invading the underlying dermis in both cases. There was no evidence of internal malignancy. Both cases were treated with wide local reexcision.
Dermis ; Epidermis ; Hair Follicle ; Paget Disease, Extramammary* ; Scrotum

Kaposis sarcoma is a multicentric neoplastic vascular tumor involving the skin or internal organs. We report a case of classic Kaposis sarcoma in a 69-year-old male who had positive serum cytomegalovirus antibodies and disseminated multiple erythematous to purplish colored confluent papules and edema on both lower legs. The histopathological finding showed abnormally proliferated and dilated vessels, vascular spaces, spindle cells, and extravasated erythrocytes. He was treated with radiotherapy, but died due to ventricular tachycardia.
Aged ; Antibodies ; Cytomegalovirus ; Edema ; Erythrocytes ; Humans ; Leg* ; Male ; Radiotherapy ; Sarcoma, Kaposi* ; Skin ; Tachycardia, Ventricular

The monoclonal antibody Ki-1(CD30) was first described in 1982 and was reported to react selectively with Reed-Sternberg cells in Hodgkins disease, highly activated B and T cells and large cell lymphomas of both T-and B-cell origin. Lymphomatoid papulosis(LyP) is characterized by recurrent erythematous papules or nodules that undergo spontaneous healing with hyperpigmentation and scarring. Histologically, two major types of LyP can be distinguished: type A is characterized by the presence of variable numbers of Ki-1+ large, atypical lymphocytes with some Reed-Sternberg like cells and type B is characterized by Ki-1- atypical cerebriform mononuclear cells similar to those in mycosis fungoides. We report a case of Ki-1+ lymphomatoid papulosis which was histopathologically recognized as a type B lesion but represented a Ki-1 positive reaction.
B-Lymphocytes ; Cicatrix ; Hodgkin Disease ; Hyperpigmentation ; Lymphocytes ; Lymphoma ; Lymphomatoid Papulosis* ; Mycosis Fungoides ; Reed-Sternberg Cells ; T-Lymphocytes

Generalized pustular psoriasis is the most servere form of psoriasis. This disorder is characterized by pustular skin lesions general symptoms such as high fever, weakness and peripheral blood leukocytosis. We have experienced a case of generalized pustular psoriasis after suffering from chickenpox which was diagnosed by clinical symptoms and pathologic features from a skin biopsy. This 4-year-old male patient was managed by local and oral corticosteroid therapy with excellent outcome. A brief review of the related literature is also included.
Biopsy ; Chickenpox* ; Child, Preschool ; Fever ; Humans ; Leukocytosis ; Male ; Psoriasis* ; Skin