Routine use of commercially available antisera against hepatitis B core antigen(HBcAg) has permitted a reevaluation of the histochemical distribution of the antigen in liver tissue. HBcAg, classically described almost exclusively in the nucleus, was found with a very high frequency in the cytoplasm of liver cells as well. To elucidate the biologic significance of HBcAg expression and its relation to the natural course of hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection, the patterns of activity in 33 needle liver biopsies of HBsAg carriers were analysed. A good correlation of liver HBcAg with disease activity was demonstrated. HBcAg was present in the hepatocyte nuclei(nHBcAg) or cytoplasm(cHBcAg), or in both(mixed). Pure nHBcAg was seen mainly in non-aggressive reactive liver tissue and cHBcAg was predominantly associated with chronic active hepatitis(95%). The results suggest that expression of HBcAg correlates with the liver pathology and the possibility of HBcAg to be an immunological target for T cell mediated hepatocyte damage.
Biopsy

Elastofibroma is a rare entity of slowly-growing, solid, ill-defined fibroblastic mass occurring almost exclusively in elderly persons and arising mainly from the connective tissue between the lower portion of the scapula and the chest wall. This entity has been considered to be a degenerative pseudo-neoplastic process caused by mechanical friction. We report an additional case of elastofibroma removed from the subscapular region of a 58-year-old woman. Microscopically the tumor was made up of a mixture of swollen eosinophilic collagen and elastic fibers occasionally associated with fibroblasts and mature fat cells. The elastic fibers showed a degenerated beaded appearance or were fragmented into small globules or droplets in a linear pattern.
Female ; Humans

Gastric bezoars are large masses or concretions, composed with plant fiber, hair and miscellaneous foreign bodies, found in the stomach and occur usually as sequele of gastric surgery. We experienced 2 cases of fat bezoars which developed after drinking of melted beef fst. They had postprandial epigastric fullness and pain, those were relieved on supine and left recumbent position. Upper gastrointestinal series showed a large movable mass in the stomach in hoth cases. On gastrofibercopic examination, a large egg sized white bezoar was cordirmed in both cases and a gastrie ulcer at antrum associated in one case. In attempt to removal of the bezoars, we tried to break them, but failed because of its character. The patients were treated with pancreatic lipase containg digestives, Pancreon-F and Azintal. From one day after this treatment, symptoms were completely relieved. Five days later, we confirmed disappearance of bezoars by gastrofiberscopy. and upper gastrointestinal barium
Barium ; Bezoars* ; Drinking ; Foreign Bodies ; Hair ; Humans ; Lipase* ; Ovum ; Plants ; Stomach ; Ulcer

No abstract available.
Follow-Up Studies* ; Pneumonectomy*

BACKGROUND: IGF-I is an important mitogen in many types of malignancies. Tumors also express many IGF binding proteins, which modulate IGF action. The purpose of this study was to evaluaste the effect of IGF-I and IGFBP on cell proliferation in mouse lung cancer cells (3LL). METHODS: The cellular proliferation of 3LL with the treatment of growth factors was evaluated using MTT assay. Western ligand blot was performed in order to determine whether 3LL cells secrete IGFBPs and we evaluated the effect of IGFBP on cellular proliferation. RESULTS: The treatment of 3LL cells with IGF-I increased cellular proliferation in a serum free media. Western ligand blot of conditioned medium of 3LL with 125I-IGF-I demonstrated one single major band with an estimated molecular mass of 24 kDa. This band was identified as IGFBP-4 with immunoblot analysis using antisera. The addition of anti-IGFBP-4 antibody to abrogate the effect of IGFBP-4 resulted in increased cellular prolife ration suggesting that IGFBP-4 inhibits cell growth. CONCLUSION: IGF-I increases cellular proliferation, however the secreted IGFBP- 4 has an ingibitory function on cell growth in 3LL. These findings suggest that IGF-I and IGFBP are involved in the cell proliferation.
Animals ; Carrier Proteins* ; Cell Proliferation ; Culture Media, Conditioned ; Culture Media, Serum-Free ; Immune Sera ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 4 ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Mice*

No abstract available.
Pulmonary Blastoma*

OBJECTIVE: Pathogenesis of the endometriosis is very complex and the etiology is still unclear. Our hypothesis is that there may be some difference in gene expression patterns between eutopic endometriums with or without endometriosis. In this study, we analyzed the difference of gene expression profile with cDNA microarray. METHODS: Endometrial tissues were gathered from patients with endometriosis or other benign gynecologic diseases. cDNA microarray technique was applied to screen the different gene expression profiles from early and late secretory phase endometria of those two groups. Each three mRNA samples isolated from early and late secretory phase of endometrial tissues of control were pooled and used as master controls and labeled with Cy3-dUTP. Then the differences of gene expression pattern were screened by comparing eutopic endometria with endometriosis, which were labeled with Cy5-dUTP. Fluorescent labeled probes were hybridized on a microarray of 4,800 human genes. RESULTS: Twelve genes were consistently overexpressed in the endometrium of endometriosis such as ATP synthase H transporting F1 (ATP5B), eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1, isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (NADP+), mitochondrial ribosomal protein L3, ATP synthase H+ transporting (ATP5C1) and TNF alpha factor. Eleven genes were consistently down-regulated in the endometriosis samples. Many extracellular matrix protein genes (decorin, lumican, EGF-containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 1, fibulin 5, and matrix Gla protein) and protease/protease inhibitors (serine proteinase inhibitor, matrix metalloproteinase 2, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1), and insulin like growth factor II associated protein were included. Expression patterns of selected eight genes from the cDNA microarray were confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR or real time RT-PCR. CONCLUSION: The result of this analysis supports the hypothesis that the endometrium from patients with endometriosis has distinct gene expression profile from control endometrium without endometriosis.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Endometriosis* ; Endometrium* ; Extracellular Matrix ; Female ; Gene Expression* ; Genital Diseases, Female ; Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor II ; Isocitrate Dehydrogenase ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Peptide Elongation Factor 1 ; Ribosomal Proteins ; RNA, Messenger ; Transcriptome*

Angiomyofibroblastoma of the vulva is a rare mesenchymal tumor. It has been diagnostically confused with aggressive angiomyxoma which has a somewhat different clinical course and therapy. Herein we report a case of angiomyofibroblastoma of the vulva in a 46-year-old female. Microscopically, there were alternating hypercellular and hypocelluar edematous zones in which abundant capillary blood vessels were irregularly distributed. Spindle, plump spindle, and oval stromal cells were concentrated around the blood vessels, or loosely dispersed in the hypocellular area. Immunohistochemically, the stromal cells were positive for desmin, vimentin, muscle-specific actin and weakly positive for S-100 protein. Ultrastructural studies showed well developed rough endoplasmic reticulum, abundant intermediate filaments, and pinocytic vesicles in the stromal cells.
Female ; Humans

To evaluate the incidence and clinico-pathologic correlation of benign epithelial changes of endometrium, we tried to classify the changes into squamous cell change, ciliary change, eosinophilic cell change, papillary surface epithelial change, and mucinous cell change by the criteria of Hendrickson. Based on the 450 hysterectomy specimens obtained from Jan. 1994 to Dec. 1994 in PMC, the incidence of the cell changes was as follows: squamous cell change: 1.1%, eosinophilic cell change: 6.8%, mucinous cell change: 6.6%, ciliary change: 10.4%, papillary surface epithelial change: 16.4%. Squamous cell change was noted in severe endometritis or endometrial hyperplasia and papillary surface epithelial proliferation was mainly associated with plasma cell infiltration in adenomyosis or leiomyoma. Eosinophilic change and ciliary change were sometimes concomitantly found in dilated glands of the basal layer or in the invaded glands of adenomyosis. The results of this study suggested a correlation of benign epithelial changes with endometritis, adenomyosis, leiomyoma and dysfunctional uterine bleeding.
Incidence

The angiolipoma is well circumscribed, benign neoplasm, composed of mature fat cells and well developed arterioles, venules and capillaries, in which fibrin thrombi often form. We experienced 4 adult male patients who had free movable, subcutaneous nodular masses on the upper extremities, the abdomen, the back and the buttock. All of them were confirmed as angiolipoma by the clinical and histopathological findings.
Abdomen ; Adipocytes ; Adult ; Angiolipoma* ; Arterioles ; Buttocks ; Capillaries ; Fibrin ; Humans ; Male ; Upper Extremity ; Venules