Utility of parathyroid hormone immunocytochemistry in fine needle aspiration diagnosis of parathyroid tissue

OBJECTIVE

The cytomorphological features of parathyroid tissue (PTT) may overlap with those of thyroid lesions, thus posing a diagnostic challenge. In this retrospective study, we reviewed our institutional experience in using parathyroid hormone (PTH) immunocytochemistry (ICC) to substantiate the diagnosis of PTT on fine needle aspiration (FNA).

METHODS

Our pathology database was searched for FNA cases in which PTH ICC was performed between 1 January 2015 and 31 March 2022. PTH ICC was performed on a ThinPrep slide in cases with a clinical suspicion of PTT or with cytomorphological features raising the possibility of PTT. Patients' clinicopathological characteristics, PTH ICC results, cytological diagnoses, and surgical follow-ups, if available, were reviewed and analysed.

RESULTS

The study cohort included 103 cases clinically designated as thyroid (n = 85, 82.5%), parathyroid (n = 11, 10.7%) and neck soft tissue (n = 7, 6.8%). PTH immunostaining was negative, positive, and indeterminate in 53 (51.5%), 27 (26.2%), and 23 (22.3%) cases, respectively. Surgical follow-up was available in 27 (26.2%) cases, including 17 thyroid lesions and 10 PTT cases. All positive PTH cases were confirmed to be PTT, while all but one of the negative PTH cases were non-PTT on follow-up. The calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 85.7%, 100%, 100% and 93.3%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrates that PTH ICC performed on additional ThinPrep slides is a valuable adjunct test in FNA samples with a differential diagnosis of PTT vs non-PTT. Low cellularity may be a limiting factor in the accurate assessment of PTH by ICC.

SS18-SSX Expression in a Contemporary Cohort of Primary Renal Synovial Sarcoma: A Multi-Institutional Experience of Fourteen Patients

Primary renal synovial sarcoma is a rare aggressive mesenchymal neoplasm of the kidney that accounts for less than 1% of renal sarcomas. Herein, we describe the clinicopathologic and molecular findings of 14 renal synovial sarcoma patients in one of the largest case series to date and to our knowledge, the only renal synovial sarcoma series to use novel SS18-SSX IHC. Clinicopathologic, IHC, molecular, management, and follow-up data were reviewed and analyzed. Macroscopically, the tumors had either homogeneous, tan-white, and solid (n = 10), variegated and solid (n = 3), or variegated and solid-cystic (n = 1) cut surfaces. Spindle cell (n = 10), round cell (n = 3), and round to epithelioid morphologies (n = 1) were observed. SS18-SSX IHC was positive in all 14 tumors (diffuse, n = 10; multifocal, n = 2; focal, n = 2). All the tumors harbored SS18::SSX1/2 gene rearrangement. Metastases to the liver, brain, and lung (n = 1); liver and bone (n = 1); liver and diaphragm (n = 1) were identified. Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered in 11/12 patients. Follow-up was available for 10 patients (time period range: 5 to 24 months). Four patients died of disease, and six patients are alive with no recurrence or metastasis. As SS18-SSX IHC showed an excellent concordance with the FISH results, this may reliably be used in the IHC panel of spindle/round cell sarcomas of the kidney and as a molecular surrogate for renal synovial sarcoma, particularly in a resource-limited setting. Also, the tumors with focal SS18-SSX expression had lower break apart signals in the FISH assay (19% and 23% in two tumors with focal SS18-SSX IHC positivity).

Accuracy of whole slide image based image analysis is adversely affected by preanalytical factors such as stained tissue slide and paraffin block age

Background

Personalized medicine and accurate quantification of tumor and biomarker expression have become the cornerstone of cancer diagnostics. This requires Quality Control (QC) of research tissue samples to confirm adequate targeted tumor tissue sampling. Digitalization of stained tissue slides offer a precious way to archive, preserve, and retrieve necessary information when needed. This study is aimed to assess the most significant pre-analytic and analytic factors that might contribute to the efficacy of obtaining accurate whole slide images (WSIs) interpretation. Various studies are needed to identifysuch factors to allow for appropriate AI application and adequate tumor area/percentage quantification.

Methods

Hematoxylene and Eosine (H&E) satined WSIs collected from tissue specimens provided by the Cooperative Human Tissue Network (CHTN) Midwestern Division (CHTNMWD) were analyzed. Tissue specimens were processed, fixed, stained, and scanned contemporaneously (within 1 month). Two cohorts of malignant, colorectal cancer, 20X WSI (ScanscopeXT, Leica Biosystems, Illinois), were assembled. The study identified a "recent cohort" that included 76 WSIs created on 2018 or later. "Aged cohort" included 73 WSIs from specimens procured in the period of (2012-2014). Twenty recent WSIs of adenocarcinoma cases were used to construct WSIs analysis algorithms (VIS, Visiopharm A/S, Denmark) using machine learning to produce morphometric maps and calculate tissue and tumor areas.

Results

Algorithmic analysis of 69 WSIs from rescanned aged slides vs. that of contemporaneous WSIs concluded 18 (28%) similar finding in tumor areas (within 10%), 56 (82%) had identicaltissue areas, and 54 (79%) had similar tumor percentages.

Conclusion

WSIs of aged H&E slides and stained paraffin block re-cuts produce different tumor quantification compared to those of original scanned sslides most likely due to pre-analytical factors. The difference in tumor area detected between original and rescanned WSIs trended upward in the period between 2012 and 2014. Less tumor area was detected as the slides age. Recut and H&E-stained tissues from stored paraffin blocks may detect more tumor due to excess eosinophilia. These results highlights the value of documenting archives of H&E WSIs collected at the procurement time. Such images provide a superior archive over glass slides and Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) blocks and contribute betterg to WSIs analysis application.

Light chain deposition disease presenting as an atrial mass: a case report and review of literature

Light chain deposition disease (LCDD) also known as nonamyloidotic immunoglobulin deposition disease is a rare systemic disorder due to the abnormal deposition of immunoglobulin in multiple organs caused by the clonal proliferation of B lymphocytes and plasma cells. Renal involvement is the most common with cardiac manifestations being the most common extra renal presentation of the disease. Renal involvement is not always associated with LCDD. Isolated cardiac involvement can manifest in a wide variety of ways: heart failure, cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias, angina, myocardial infarction, etc. We hereby present an unusual case of 59-year-old female who presented to clinic for routine follow up. A murmur on physical exam was evaluated with echocardiogram which led to the discovery of an incidental right atrial mass. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was completed 6 months later for follow up which showed increasing size of the mass. The mass was excised and found to be consistent with LCDD. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of LCDD manifesting as an atrial mass. Through this case report and review of literature we would like to generate awareness among our fellow pathologists and clinicians to maintain a high level of suspicion for LCDD as it can manifest in many unusual ways, with or without kidney involvement.

p53 and p16ink4a As Predictive and Prognostic Biomarkers for Nodal metastasis and Survival in A Contemporary Cohort of Penile Squamous Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Human papilloma virus (HPV) infection is implicated in a proportion of invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the penis (PC). A subset of PC involves dysregulation of the p53 pathway. HPV in situ hybridization (ISH) and p16^ink4a positivity are surrogate markers for HPV infection, and p53 immunohistochemistry (IHC) denotes abnormality in the p53 pathway. There remains an ambiguity with regard to the contribution of both the pathways in the prognosis of PC. We sought to analyze the clinicopathologic characteristics of a cohort of Indian PC patients with respect to p16 ^ink4a and p53 expression.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A cohort of 123 PC patients was studied for p16^ink4aand p53IHC and HPVISH. The results of these biomarkers were correlated with various clinicopathologic parameters.

RESULTS

p16^ink4a and HPV ISH were positive in 47% and 53% of the tumors, respectively. The proportion of warty, basaloid, or mixed warty-basaloid tumor subtypes showed significant p16^ink4apositivity (P < .0001) compared to other subtypes. Twenty-eight patients were dual negative (p53- /p16^ink4a-), 32 were dual positive (p53+/p16^ink4a+), 38 were p53+/p16^ink4a-, and 25 were p53-/p16^ink4a +. In patients where p16^ink4a was negative, a p53-positive phenotype had a higher propensity for lymph node metastases (OR, 5.42; 95% CI, 1.75-16.80; P = .003). Similarly, p53 positivity dictates nodal involvement in the p16^ink4a-positive subset of tumors (OR, 5.00; 95% CI, 1.23-20.17; P = .024). On multivariate analyses, pathologic subtypes (warty, warty-basaloid, and basaloid) (P < .0001), p16^ink4aexpression (P < .0001), and absence of nodal metastasis (P < .0001) were significant predictors of improved overall (OS) and cancer specific survival (CSS). In Kaplan-Meier analysis, the OS was significantly longer in patients with p16^ink4a + tumors (P < .0001), as was the CSS (P < .0001). Patients with dual positive tumors had a significantly higher OS (P < .001) and CSS (P = .012), in the entire cohort. In the node positive patients, dual positivity was associated with significantly higher OS (P < .0001); however, the median CSS for p53+/p16^ink4a+tumors were not significantly different compared to p53- /p16^ink4a- tumors (P = .064), although there was a trend towards improved CSS.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a strong concordance between p16^ink4aIHC and HPV ISH results. p16^ink4a status is an independent predictor of survival (OS and CSS) in our cohort of PCs. p53 is a predictor of nodal metastasis irrespective of p16 status. Dual positive tumors have a significantly better outcome in comparison to dual negative tumors.

Unusual cerebrospinal fluid finding of intracytoplasmic granules in metaplastic carcinoma of the breast with acinar differentiation

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) evaluation for total and differential cell count is a common practice in pathology for evaluation of various disease conditions. Although rare, these CSF samples yield interesting and unusual morphological findings, which are not only of academic interest, but also may play key roles in diagnosis. For diagnosing metastatic carcinoma in brain and meninges, CSF examination is one of the important tools along with imaging studies. Metaplastic breast carcinoma (MBC) encompasses a rare (<1% of all breast cancers), aggressive and highly heterogeneous group of tumors. MBC is almost always estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and Her2 negative (triple negative) and shows frequent early distant metastases as well as sub-optimal response to systemic therapies. The involvement of leptomeninges is most commonly associated with these triple- negative subtypes. In this report, we present an unusual case of malignant cells with prominent intracytoplasmic granules in CSF smears of a 46-year-old female with metastatic MBC with acinar differentiation. An extensive review of literature in English language did not return any other reports of a similar finding.

Epithelium Involving Bilateral Axillary Lymph Nodes: Metastasis, Misplaced, or Mullerian!

During breast cancer staging, histological evaluation of axillary sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) is usually straightforward. However, the exact characterization of a small epithelial deposit in an SLN can be challenging, especially during the frozen section examination. We report the first case of endosalpingiosis involving bilateral axillary lymph nodes. We review published literature on axillary endosalpingiosis and discuss the differential diagnosis of small epithelial deposits in an axillary SLN. Pathologists should consider benign epithelial rests and displaced epithelium as differential diagnoses for the microscopic epithelial nodal deposit, especially during the frozen section examination.

A multicentre observational study on the epidemiology, risk factors, management and outcomes of mucormycosis in India

OBJECTIVES

To describe the epidemiology, management and outcome of individuals with mucormycosis; and to evaluate the risk factors associated with mortality.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective observational study involving consecutive individuals with proven mucormycosis across 12 centres from India. The demographic profile, microbiology, predisposing factors, management and 90-day mortality were recorded; risk factors for mortality were analysed.

RESULTS

We included 465 patients. Rhino-orbital mucormycosis was the most common (315/465, 67.7%) presentation followed by pulmonary (62/465, 13.3%), cutaneous (49/465, 10.5%), and others. The predisposing factors included diabetes mellitus (342/465, 73.5%), malignancy (42/465, 9.0%), transplant (36/465, 7.7%), and others. Rhizopus species (231/290, 79.7%) were the most common followed by Apophysomyces variabilis (23/290, 7.9%), and several rare Mucorales. Surgical treatment was performed in 62.2% (289/465) of the participants. Amphotericin B was the primary therapy in 81.9% (381/465), and posaconazole was used as combination therapy in 53 (11.4%) individuals. Antifungal therapy was inappropriate in 7.6% (30/394) of the individuals. The 90-day mortality rate was 52% (242/465). On multivariate analysis, disseminated and rhino-orbital (with cerebral extension) mucormycosis, shorter duration of symptoms, shorter duration of antifungal therapy, and treatment with amphotericin B deoxycholate (versus liposomal) were independent risk factors of mortality. A combined medical and surgical management was associated with a better survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Diabetes mellitus was the dominant predisposing factor in all forms of mucormycosis. Combined surgical and medical management was associated with better outcomes. Several gaps surfaced in the management of mucormycosis. The rarer Mucorales identified in the study warrant further evaluation.

Actinobacillus ureae: an unusual cause of tree-in-bud pattern in a case of pneumonia on lung computed tomographic scan-first clinical case report and review of the literature from India

A 62-year-old man with asthma sought care for intermittent fever, cough with expectoration, breathlessness and orthopnoea with grunting. Computed tomography revealed clusters of centrilobular nodules on both sides with a tree-in-bud appearance and mild diffuse bronchial wall thickening. Sputum sample grew pure colonies of Actinobacillus ureae which was confirmed by MALDI-TOF and 16SrRNA gene sequencing. A. ureae may be an additional bacteriologic causative agent of the tree-in-bud pattern on computed tomographic scan.

Escherichia vulneris: an unusual cause of complicated diarrhoea and sepsis in an infant. A case report and review of literature

Escherichia vulneris is an opportunistic human pathogen. It has been primarily reported in adult patients and invasive infections have been observed in immune-suppressed individuals. This is the first report of E. vulneris causing complicated diarrhoea and sepsis in an infant.

Two month old sick infant, born full-term, was admitted to the paediatrics department with loose motions and refusal to feed for four days. E. vulneris was isolated from blood in pure culture. The isolate was characterized for diarrhoeal virulence markers: heat labile and heat stable toxins (LT, ST) and hemolysin (hlyA) by PCR. The presence of LT enterotoxin and hemolysin provides strong evidence of the diarrhoeagenic potential of E. vulneris, further leading to the invasive infection triggering sepsis.

As E. vulneris can lead to serious complications, an attempt should be made in clinical laboratories to identify and further characterize this new Escherichia species.

Linezolid-resistant mucoid Staphylococcus haemolyticus from a tertiary-care centre in Delhi

We report an unusual morphological mucoid variant of Staphylococcus haemolyticus associated with linezolid resistance from a patient with sepsis. Linezolid resistance and mucoid character together made this pathogen difficult to treat. To our knowledge this is the first such report.

Catheter ablation of left free wall accessory pathway in a patient with inferior vena cava interruption

Access to the right side of the heart for diagnostic and interventional procedures is usually obtained via the femoral vein and inferior vena cava. Anatomic variations or obstruction of the inferior vena cava can make this access difficult. In such cases, alternative routes to the right side of the heart such as the azygos vein and the superior vena cava can be used.

Inheritance and expression of the cry1Ab gene in Bt ( Bacillus thuringiensis) transgenic rice

The inheritance and expression patterns of the cry1Ab gene were studied in the progenies derived from different Bt ( Bacillus thuringiensis) transgenic japonica rice lines under field conditions. Both Mendelian and distorted segregation ratios were observed in some selfed and crossed F(2) populations. Crosses between japonica intra-subspecies had no significant effect on the segregation ratios of the cry1Ab gene, but crossing between japonica and indicainter-subspecies led to distorted segregation of the cry1Ab gene in the F(2)population. Field-release experiments indicated that the cry1Ab gene was stably transmitted in an intact manner via successive sexual generations, and the concentration of the Cry1Ab protein was kept quantitatively stable up to the R(6)generation. The cry1Ab gene, driven by the maize ubiquitinpromoter, displayed certain kinds of spatial and temporal expression patterns under field conditions. The content of the Cry1Ab protein varied in different tissues of the main stems, the primary tillers and the secondary tillers. Higher levels of the Cry1Ab protein were found in the stems, leaves and leaf sheaths than in the roots, while the lowest level was detected in grains at the maturation stage. The content of the Cry1Ab protein in the leaves peaked at the booting stage and was lowest at the heading stage. Furthermore, the Cry1Ab content of cry1Ab expression in different tissues of transgenic rice varied individually with temperature.

Sorting of glycoprotein B from human cytomegalovirus to protein storage vesicles in seeds of transgenic tobacco

As part of ongoing studies into the use of plant expression systems for making human therapeutic proteins, we have successfully expressed the major glycoprotein, gB, of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in transgenic tobacco plants. Viral glycoprotein was detectable in the protein extracts of mature tobacco seeds using neutralizing and non-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies specific for gB. Although several mammalian proteins have been expressed in tobacco, localization of these proteins in transgenic tobacco tissue has not been extensively examined. The objective of this study was to identify the site(s) of recombinant gB deposition in mature tobacco seeds. Using immunogold labelling and electron microscopy, we found specific labelling for gB in the endosperm of transgenic seeds, with gB localized almost exclusively in protein storage vesicles (PSV). This occurred in seeds that were freshly harvested and in seeds that had been stored for several months. These data indicate that gB behaves like a plant storage protein when expressed in tobacco seeds, and provide further support for the suitability of plants for producing recombinant proteins of potential clinical relevance.

Development of biopharmaceuticals in plant expression systems: cloning, expression and immunological reactivity of human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein B (UL55) in seeds of transgenic tobacco

Plant seeds offer unique opportunities for the production and delivery of oral subunit vaccines. We have used the immunodominant glycoprotein B complex of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), introduced into tobacco plants, as a model system for studying the merit of this promising approach. Given the advantages of expressing proteins in seeds, a novel expression vector was developed incorporating regulatory sequences of glutelin, the major rice seed storage protein, to direct synthesis of recombinant glycoprotein B. Analysis of genomic DNA of 28 selected tobacco transformants by PCR amplification showed that 71% harboured the gB cDNA, a finding further documented by Southern blotting. Specific immunoassays of protein extracts from seeds of positive plants showed that all were producing antigenic glycoprotein B at levels ranging from 70-146 ng/mg extracted protein. In addition, similarity with native glycoprotein B produced in HCMV-infected cells was also demonstrated by inhibition of immunofluorescence on HCMV-infected human fibroblasts. These data are the first to report the expression of an immunodominant antigen of HCMV in plant tissues, indicating the fidelity with which this very large heterologous viral glycoprotein can be synthesized in this model system.

Agrobacterium-transformed rice plants expressing synthetic cryIA(b) and cryIA(c) genes are highly toxic to striped stem borer and yellow stem borer

Over 2,600 transgenic rice plants in nine strains were regenerated from >500 independently selected hygromycin-resistant calli after Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The plants were transformed with fully modified (plant codon optimized) versions of two synthetic cryIA(b) and cryIA(c) coding sequences from Bacillus thuringiensis as well as the hph and gus genes, coding for hygromycin phosphotransferase and beta-glucuronidase, respectively. These sequences were placed under control of the maize ubiquitin promoter, the CaMV35S promoter, and the Brassica Bp10 gene promoter to achieve high and tissue-specific expression of the lepidopteran-specific delta-endotoxins. The integration, expression, and inheritance of these genes were demonstrated in R0 and R1 generations by Southern, Northern, and Western analyses and by other techniques. Accumulation of high levels (up to 3% of soluble proteins) of CryIA(b) and CryIA(c) proteins was detected in R0 plants. Bioassays with R1 transgenic plants indicated that the transgenic plants were highly toxic to two major rice insect pests, striped stem borer (Chilo suppressalis) and yellow stem borer (Scirpophaga incertulas), with mortalities of 97-100% within 5 days after infestation, thus offering a potential for effective insect resistance in transgenic rice plants.

Construction and rapid testing of synthetic and modified toxin gene sequences CryIA (b&c) by expression in maize endosperm culture

The synthesis of two modified genes, Cry IA(b) and CryIA(c), each consisting of 1845 bp, is described in detail. The genes were synthesized using an improved PCR procedure based on recursive principles. The synthetic CryIA(c) gene was put under the control of a maize ubiquitin promoter. This construct was tested in a maize endosperm-derived suspension culture system. The use of maize endosperm culture as a quick and efficient system to test the activity of synthetic genes is described.

Correlation between the size of the intergenic regulatory region, the status of cytosine methylation of rRNA genes and nucleolar expression in wheat

A large number of wheat rRNA genes are methylated at all the CCGG sites that are present in the intergenic regions. A smaller number of rRNA genes are not methylated at one or more CCGG sites. A subset of genes was found unmethylated at a specific CCGG site just downstream of the array of 135 bp A repeats in the intergenic region. In all the genotypes studied, the rDNA loci with larger intergenic regions between their genes also possess a greater number of rRNA genes that are unmethylated at one or more CCGG sites in the intergenic regions than do the loci with shorter intergenic regions. In four genotypes (for which data were available), rDNA loci with longer intergenic regions had larger secondary constrictions on metaphase chromosomes, a measure of relative locus activity, than the loci with shorter intergenic regions. The results have been integrated into a model for the control of rDNA expression based on correlations between cytosine methylation patterns and the number of upstream 135 bp repeats in intergenic regions. According to this model the 135 bp repeats play a part in the control of gene activity by binding a protein(s) that is in limiting supply, thereby predisposing the neighbouring gene to become active preferentially.

Nutritional management of osteoporosis. To slow the advancement of osteoporosis, nurses must encourage their clients to increase their intake of calcium. For geriatric nurses, this may be a challenge

In conclusion, no current effective therapy is available for the restoration of bone mass once osteoporosis has developed. Primary prevention is the best way to fight this problem. However, goals for the management of osteoporosis are (1) to maintain skeletal mass and integrity, (2) to slow bone resorption, and (3) to treat the symptomatic problem and its sequelae. Having a well-balanced diet containing adequate amounts of calcium, use of calcium supplements when necessary, reducing risk factors in life-style, and use of estrogen are therapeutic measures to reduce bone loss. Clients are also encouraged to exercise by walking or swimming and remain as active as possible. It is important to avoid strain on the spine, as occurs in lifting or bending, to prevent compression fractures on the vertebrae. For treating the symptoms of osteoporosis and its sequelae, it is necessary to relieve pain (by the use of analgesics), provide comfortable light mechanical support for the spine, if needed, arrange assistance in activities of daily living, coordinate a rehabilitation program, and provide emotional support and reassurance to the patient and family. This may be an area largely neglected in practice. Gerontologic nurses may be the first to take the time to thoroughly discuss osteoporosis with their elderly clients and help them to develop a comprehensive program. If through their efforts some falls and fractures can be prevented, this is nursing at its best.

A Brassica napus gene family which shows sequence similarity to ascorbate oxidase is expressed in developing pollen. Molecular characterization and analysis of promoter activity in transgenic tobacco plants

The genomic clone named Bp10 contains a member of a small pollen-specific gene family of B. napus. The expression of the Bp10 gene family is maximal in early binucleate microspores and declines considerably in mature trinucleate pollen. Homologues of the Bp10 genes are expressed in the pollen of other plant species. The pollen-specific expression of the gene contained in the genomic clone was confirmed in tobacco plants transformed with a chimeric Bp10 promoter/GUS construct. A promoter fragment of 396 bp is sufficient to direct a strong and correct spatial and temporal expression in transgenic plants. The Bp10 gene family codes for proteins of 62 kDa showing approximately 30% sequence identify to cucumber and pumpkin ascorbate oxidases (AAOs). However, the AAO active centres are not conserved in the Bp10 products, suggesting an evolutionary relationship but a different enzymatic activity for these proteins. Expression of a recombinant Bp10 protein in E. coli inhibits bacterial growth on minimal medium, suggesting the production of an enzymatically active polypeptide in bacteria. No AAO activity could be correlated with the expression of the recombinant protein. Moreover, substances affecting AAO activity do not appear to influence the inhibitory activity of the protein produced in bacteria. However, as indicated by the rescue of bacterial growth in the presence of sodium bicarbonate or gaseous CO2, the Bp10 protein activity could be modulated by CO2 levels.