research-methodologies-in-vascular-disease

Research Methodologies In Vascular Disease

ARTICLES DISCUSSED:
Aomatsu, A. et al. A quantitative detection method for microRNAs in the kidney of an ischemic kidney injury mouse model. Journal of ...

Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna

Primary mixed liver cancers (PLCs), combined hepatocellular-cholangiocellular (cHCC-CC) and intermediate-cell carcinomas, are rare tumors characterized by different molecular mechanisms. Nestin is a marker of progenitor cells with a promising application in human tumors. The aims of the present paper are (i) to establish the Nestin expression in mixed PLCs; (ii) to correlate the PLC immunoprofile with the gene expression in each tumor component.

Immunomorphology and molecular biology of mixed primary liver cancers: is nestin a marker of intermediate-cell carcinoma?

Arterial calcification is an actively regulated process, with different morphological manifestations. Micro-RNAs emerged as potential regulators of vascular calcification; they may become novel diagnostic tools and be used for a finest staging of the carotid plaque progression. The present study aimed at characterizing the different miRNA-mRNA axes in carotid plaques according to their histological patterns of calcification. Histopathological analysis was performed on 124 retrospective carotid plaques, with clinical data and preoperatory angio-CT. miRNA analysis was carried out with microfluidic cards. Real-time PCR was performed for selected miRNAs validation and for RUNX-2 and SOX-9 mRNA levels. CD31, CD68, SMA, and SOX-9 were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. miRNA levels on HUVEC cells were analyzed for confirming results under in vitro osteogenic conditions. Histopathological analysis revealed two main calcification subtypes of plaques: calcific cores (CC) and protruding nodules (PN). miRNA array and PCR validation of miR-1275, miR-30a-5p, and miR-30d indicated a significant upregulation of miR-30a-5p and miR-30d in the PN plaques. Likewise, the miRNA targets RUNX-2 and SOX-9 resulted poorly expressed in PN plaques. The inverse correlation between miRNA and RUNX-2 levels was confirmed on osteogenic-differentiated HUVEC. miR-30a-5p and miR-30d directly correlated with calcification extension and thickness at angio-CT imaging. Our study demonstrated the presence of two distinct morphological subtypes of calcification in carotid atheromatous plaques, supported by different miRNA signatures, and by different angio-CT features. These results shed the light on the use of miRNA as novel diagnostic markers, suggestive of plaque evolution.

Different histological types of active intraplaque calcification underlie alternative miRNA-mRNA axes in carotid atherosclerotic disease.

Many advances have been made in the imaging diagnosis and in the histopathological evaluation of HCC. However, the classic imaging and histopathological features of HCC are still inadequate to define patient's prognosis. We aimed to find the link between new proposed morphovascular patterns of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features to identify pre-operatory markers of biologically aggressive HCC. Thirty-nine liver nodules in 22 patients were consecutively identified. Histopathological analysis and immunohistochemistry for CD34 and Nestin were performed to identify the four different HCC morphovascular patterns. MRI was performed using gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid. Three out of four morphovascular HCC patterns showed peculiar MRI features: in particular Pattern D (solid aggressive HCCs with CD34+/Nestin+ new-formed arteries) were isointense on T1-WI in 83% of cases and hyperintense on T2-WI in 50%. Five histologically-diagnosed HCC were diagnosed as non-malignant nodules on MRI due to their early vascularization and low aggressiveness (Pattern A). The comparison between histology and MRI confirms that a subclassification of HCC is possible in a pre-operatory setting. MRI seems to reinforce once more the identity of the different morphovascular HCC patterns and the possibility to pre-operatively identify HCCs with features of biological aggressiveness.

Article	Year
Immunomorphology and molecular biology of mixed primary liver cancers: is nestin a marker of intermediate-cell carcinoma? Histopathology\| PubMed ID: 31374137
Different histological types of active intraplaque calcification underlie alternative miRNA-mRNA axes in carotid atherosclerotic disease. Virchows Archiv : an international journal of pathology\| PubMed ID: 31506771
Pathobiological and Radiological Approach For Hepatocellular Carcinoma Subclassification. Scientific reports\| PubMed ID: 31611584

Silvia Fittipaldi

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