Overaction of the inferior oblique(IO) muscle is manifested by elevation of the adducted eye and from the clinical point of view there are two types of overaction. The primary type is of unknown cause, whereas the secondary type is usually related to the palsy of the ipsilateral superior oblique or contralateral superior rectus. An ultrastructural study on the overacting IO muscles was performed compared to normal IO muscles by electron microscopy. Of 16 biopsies of overacting IO muscles, four had primary overacting inferior obliques and twelve had secondary overacting inferior obliques due to paralysis of superior oblique muscle. Additional four IO muscle, obtained from patients with intraocular diseases served as control specimens. The most striking abnormalities were aggregations of mitochondria and degenerating mitochondrial profiles and increased vacuolization in primary and secondary overacting muscles. Many muscle fibers were in different stages of atrophy, and hypertrophy and regeneration of muscle fibers were sometimes visible. The results suggest that the primary overacting IO muscle might be the result of a paresis of the superior oblique muscle.
Biopsy ; Humans ; Mitochondria/ultrastructure ; Ocular Motility Disorders/*pathology ; Oculomotor Muscles/*ultrastructure ; Ophthalmoplegia/pathology ; Vacuoles/ultrastructure

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Although interstitial cells of Cajal has been suggested as origin of this tumor, the cytological and ultrastructural features of GISTs are heterogeneous and unclear. A total 10 cases of normal gastrointestinal tissue (control), 13 GISTs of the stomach (8), small intestine (3), mesocolon (1) and liver (1), and 2 gastrointestinal autonomic nervous tumor (GANT) of small intestine were ultrastructurally studied. Normal interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) were abundantly present around the myenteric plexuses or individually scattered through the wall of GIT. ICC was characterized by slender cytoplasmic processes, well-developed endoplasmic reticulum (ER), mitochondria, Golgi apparatus, caveolae and intermediate filaments. The GISTs and GANTs had overlapping ultrastructures. The most common and important ultrastructural features of GISTs were rich villous cytoplasmic processes, dispersed intermediate filaments and abundant SER, and those of GANTs were neurosecretory granules and skenoid fibers. Compared with ICC, the GISTs and GANTs had remarkably reduced caveolae and gap junctions. Our study suggested that ultrastructural analysis gives much information to investigate lineage differentiation of neoplastic cells and make a differential diagnosis of these tumors from other mesenchymal tumors and between GISTs and GANTs.
Adult ; Aged ; Autonomic Nervous System/*pathology/ultrastructure ; Comparative Study ; Cytoplasm/pathology/ultrastructure ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/*pathology/ultrastructure ; Human ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Middle Aged ; Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms/*pathology/ultrastructure ; Stromal Cells/*pathology/ultrastructure ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Tumor Markers, Biological ; Vacuoles/pathology/ultrastructure

In this study, the effects of mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), one of metabolites of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, on immature Shiba goat testes in vitro were examined. The testes of 2-month-old Shiba goats were cut into smaller pieces, and seeded in medium. At 1, 3, 6 and 9 hr after administration of MEHP at various concentrations (0, 100 nmol ml-1, 1 nmol ml-1, and 1 x 10-3 nmol ml-1, respectively), the specimens were obtained for light and transmission electron microscopic observations. As a result, at 1 hr after exposure to MEHP, the vacuolization and nuclear membrane rupture appeared in Sertoli cells. Such alterations tended to gradually increase in number in timeand dose-dependent manners. Moreover, by MEHP treatment, apoptotic spermatogenic cells (characterized with chromatin condensation, cytoplasm shrinkage without membrane rupture, still functioning cell organelles, and packed cell contents in membrane-bounded bodies), apoptotic Sertoli cells (characterized with nuclear membrane lysis, nuclear condensation), necrotic spermatogenic cells (characterized with swollen and ruptured mitochondria, plasma membrane lysis, spilt cell contents, and chromatin clumps), and necrotic Sertoli cells (characterized with marginated chromatins along the nuclear membrane, ruptured vesicles within the MNB, some swollen and ruptured cell organelles, e.g. mitochondria) could be identified. Conclusively, ultrastructurally the treatment with MEHP at low concentration tends to lead spermatogenic and Sertoli cells to apoptosis, whereas that at high concentration tends to lead spermatogenic and Sertoli cells to necrosis. Thus, the testicular tissue culture is advantageous for screening testicular toxicity of chemicals.
Animals ; Apoptosis/drug effects/physiology ; Diethylhexyl Phthalate/*analogs&derivatives/*toxicity ; Goat Diseases/*chemically induced/pathology ; Goats ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission/veterinary ; Necrosis ; Sertoli Cells/ultrastructure ; Spermatozoa/drug effects/pathology/ultrastructure ; Testicular Diseases/*chemically induced/pathology ; Testis/*drug effects/metabolism/pathology/ultrastructure ; Vacuoles/physiology/ultrastructure

OBJECTIVETo investigate the change of autophagy level of bone marrow mononuclear cells（BMMNCs）in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes（MDS）.

METHODSThirty- eight patients with MDS and 26 megaloblastic anemia patients were enrolled in this study. The autophagic vacuoles were observed by transmission electron microscopy （TEM） and the quantity of autophagic vacuoles was detected by monodansylcadaverine （MDC） staining. The LC3 protein positive cells were counted by immunofluorescence assays. The expression of Beclin 1, LC3A, mTOR mRNA were measured by real time PCR. The expression of Beclin 1 proteins were detected by Western blotting.

RESULTSThe autophgic vacuoles of double membrane that surrounds lysosomes appeared in MDS patients. The percentage of MDC positive cells was significantly higher in MDS patients［（9.75±2.63）%］than that of controls［（2.90± 0.89）%, P＜0.05）. The percentage of LC3 protein cells was also increased in MDS patients（6.13±1.03）% vs（1.5±0.58）%, P＜0.05）. The expression of Beclin 1 and LC3A mRNA in low-risk and intermediate-1 MDS were higher compared with controls （3.61 ± 3.02 vs 1.55 ± 1.03 and 6.56 ± 3.97 vs 1.21 ± 0.95 respectively, both P＜0.05）. The expression of mTOR mRNA was down- regulated in low- risk and intermediate-1 MDS compared with controls（0.39±0.37 vs 1.50±1.03, P＜0.05）. There were no significant difference in expression of Beclin 1, LC3 and mTOR mRNA among intermediate-2 and high-risk MDS and controls. Beclin 1 protein expression was higher in low- risk and intermediate- 1 MDS patients（1.257 ± 0.197）than that of controls（0.528±0.086）and inermediate-2 and high-risk MDS patients（0.622±0.118）.

CONCLUSIONThe autophagy levels were increased in low- risk and intermediate- 1 MDS, while not enhanced in intermediate-2 MDS. Autophagy might be considered as a cell protective mechanism in MDS. The relatively defective autophagy in intermediate- 2 and high- risk MDS might contribute to disease's progression.

Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; metabolism ; Autophagy ; Beclin-1 ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins ; metabolism ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; metabolism ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; pathology ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases ; metabolism ; Vacuoles ; ultrastructure

AIM: To investigate the histological and ultrastructural changes observed in pan masala intoxicated mammalian testes under the effect of cardamom. METHODS: Male Swiss mice were given pan masala orally at a dose of 2% of the feed and cardamom at a dose of 0.2% of the feed. They were divided into three groups, control (Group I), pan masala-treated (Group II), and a combination of pan masala and cardamom-treated group (Group III). Histologically, the testes of Group II mice displayed degeneration of tubular epithelium, disruption of spermatogenesis, and a marked reduction in germ cells. RESULTS: When cardamom was given, damage was less with fewer distorted cells and also improvement with normal tubules and spermatid differentiation in Group III. Ultrastructurally, pan masala-treated testes showed cytoplasmic vacuolation, shrinkage and pyknotic nuclei of spermatogonia, and abnormal acrosomal granules. CONCLUSION When cardamom was given, the amelioration process was more evident showing a comparable morphology with control.
Animals ; Areca ; adverse effects ; Elettaria ; Male ; Mice ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; Testicular Diseases ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Testis ; drug effects ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Tobacco ; adverse effects ; Tobacco, Smokeless ; adverse effects ; Vacuoles ; drug effects

BACKGROUNDThe loss of cardiac myocytes is one of the mechanisms involved in acute myocardial infarction (AMI)-related heart failure. Autophagy is a common biological process in eukaryote cells. The relationship between cardiac myocyte loss and autophagy after AMI is still unclear. Carvedilol, a non-selective alpha1- and beta-receptor blocker, also suppresses cardiac myocyte necrosis and apoptosis induced by ischemia. However, the association between the therapeutic effects of carvedilol and autophagy is still not well understood. The aim of the present study was to establish a rat model of AMI and observe changes in autophagy in different zones of the myocardium and the effects of carvedilol on autophagy in AMI rats.

METHODSThe animals were randomly assigned to a sham group, an AMI group, a chloroquine intervention group and a carvedilol group. The AMI rat model was established by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery. The hearts were harvested at 40 minutes, 2 hours, 24 hours and 2 weeks after ligation in the AMI group, at 40 minutes in the chloroquine intervention group and at 2 weeks in other groups. Presence of autophagic vacuoles (AV) in the myocytes was observed by electron microscopy. The expression of autophagy-, anti-apoptotic- and apoptotic-related proteins, MAPLC-3, Beclin-1, Bcl-xl and Bax, were detected by immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting.

RESULTSAVs were not observed in necrotic regions of the myocardium 40 minutes after ligation of the coronary artery. A large number of AVs were found in the region bordering the infarction. Compared with the infarction region and the normal region, the formation of AV was significantly increased in the region bordering the infarction (P < 0.05). The expression of autophagy- and anti-apoptotic-related proteins was significantly increased in the region bordering the infarction. Meanwhile, the expression of apoptotic-related proteins was significantly increased in the infarction region. In the chloroquine intervention group, a large number of initiated AVs (AVis) were found in the necrotic myocardial region. At 2 weeks after AMI, AVs were frequently observed in myocardial cells in the AMI group, the carvedilol group and the sham group, and the number of AVs was significantly increased in the carvedilol group compared with both the AMI group and the sham group (P < 0.05). The expression of autophagy- and anti-apoptotic-related proteins was significantly increased in the carvedilol group compared with that in the AMI group, and the positive expression located in the infarction region and the region bordering the infarction.

CONCLUSIONSAMI induces the formation of AV in the myocardium. The expression of anti-apoptosis-related proteins increases in response to upregulation of autophagy. Carvedilol increases the formation of AVs and upregulates autophagy and anti-apoptosis of the cardiac myocytes after AMI.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; analysis ; Autophagy ; drug effects ; Beclin-1 ; Carbazoles ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Myocardial Infarction ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Myocardium ; ultrastructure ; Propanolamines ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Vacuoles ; drug effects