Gland Type Research Articles

Sinonasal teratocarcinosarcoma: a case report

<p class="abstract">Sinonasal teratocarcinosarcoma (TCS) is a very rare malignant neoplasm of sinonasal tract with intermixed teratomatous, carcinomatous and sarcomatous elements. While the diagnosis is largely based on tissue analysis and immunohistochemistry, the mode of management demands further study. Surgical resection with or without chemotherapy and radiation therapy is currently the most accepted treatment regimen. Locally aggressive, while also associated with metastatic lesions, SNTCS is not easily resectable owing to its location and possible intracranial extension. Due to its aggressive nature over one-third of TCS tend to recur leading to treatment failure with a mean survival time of 1.9 years. Possible differentials include squamous cell carcinoma, olfactory neuroblastoma, adenocarcinoma, malignant mixed tumor of salivary gland type, undifferentiated carcinoma, malignant craniopharyngioma, mucoepidermoid carcinoma, transitional carcinoma of Schneiderian type and adenosquamous carcinoma. In this report, we present a case of TCS in a 55 years old male patient who presented to us with complaints of hyposmia, blurring of vision, diplopia and epiphora.</p>

Updates and Diagnostic Challenges in Surgical Pathology and Cytopathology.

Updates and Diagnostic Challenges in Surgical Pathology and Cytopathology.

S3082 A Rare Case of Gastric Adenocarcinoma of Fundic Gland Type in a White American Male

S3082 A Rare Case of Gastric Adenocarcinoma of Fundic Gland Type in a White American Male

PAQR6 Upregulation Is Associated with AR Signaling and Unfavorite Prognosis in Prostate Cancers.

Progesterone-induced rapid non-genomic signaling events have been confirmed through several membrane progesterone receptors (mPR). Some mPRs were reported to correlate with cancer progression and patient prognosis. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of all progesterone receptor (PGR)-related genes in prostate cancer tissues and examined the correlations of their expression levels with disease progression and patient survival outcomes. We utilized multiple RNA-seq and cDNA microarray datasets to analyze gene expression profiles and performed logistics aggression and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis after stratifying patients based on tumor stages and Gleason scores. We also used NCBI GEO datasets to examine gene expression patterns in individual cell types of the prostate gland and to determine the androgen-induced alteration of gene expression. Spearman coefficient analysis was conducted to access the correlation of target gene expression with treatment responses and disease progression status. The classic PGR was mainly expressed in stromal cells and progestin and adipoQ receptor (PAQR) genes were the predominant genes in prostate epithelial cells. Progesterone receptor membrane component-1 (PGRMC1) was significantly higher than PGRMC2 in all prostate cell types. In prostate cancer tissues, PAQR6 expression was significantly upregulated, while all other genes were largely downregulated compared to normal prostate tissues. Although both PAQR6 upregulation and PAQR5 downregulation were significantly correlated with tumor pathological stages, only PAQR6 upregulation was associated with Gleason score, free-prostate-specific antigen (fPSA)/total-PSA (tPSA) ratio, and patient overall survival outcomes. In addition, PAQR6 upregulation and PGR/PGRMC1 downregulation were significantly associated with a quick relapse. Conversely, in neuroendocrinal prostate cancer (NEPC) tissues, PAQR6 expression was significantly lower, but PAQR7/8 expression was higher than castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) tissues. PAQR8 expression was positively correlated with androgen receptor (AR) score and AR-V7 expression levels but inversely correlated with NEPC score in metastatic CRPC tumors. This study provides detailed expression profiles of membrane progesterone receptor genes in primary cancer, CRPC, and NEPC tissues. PAQR6 upregulation in primary cancer tissues is a novel prognostic biomarker for disease progression, overall, and progression-free survival in prostate cancers. PAQR8 expression in CRPC tissues is a biomarker for AR activation.

Gastric adenocarcinoma of fundic gland type with two closely located lesions endoscopically resected en masse.

Gastric adenocarcinoma of fundic gland type with two closely located lesions endoscopically resected en masse.

Feasibility of DW-MRI analysis of salivary glands during head and neck radiotherapy.

With no effective treatment for xerostomia, there remains an unmet need to reduce radiation induced toxicity. Measuring physiological changes during RT in salivary glands using DW-MRI may predict which patients are most at risk of severe toxicity. This study evaluated the feasibility of measuring apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in the major salivary glands and describes the observed changes in volume and ADC during RT. Scans were acquired at baseline (MR_base) and after 10 fractions (MR_rpt). Sequences included T1 post contrast fat saturated (T1PCFS) and DW-MRI (5b values, 0-1000s/mm2). Ipsilateral and contralateral parotid (iPG/cPG), submandibular (iSMG/cSMG) and sublingual glands (iSLG/cSLG) were delineated on T1PCFS, modified on b0 and copied to the ADC map. 31 patients with intermediate/high risk squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oropharynx were evaluated. On 124 scans, SMG and SLG delineations were successful on all; parotids were fully contoured in 90.7%. Baseline mean ADC were significantly different between each gland type (p<0.0001). IPG and cPG volume decreased during treatment by 6.7% and 11.2%. ISMG, cSMG, iSLG and cSLG volume increased by 6.9, 0.9, 60.8 and 60.3% respectively. All structures showed an increase in mean_ADC values. For each gland the increase in ADC was statistically significant p<0.0001. A smaller mean percentage increase in ADC was observed in the group experiencing a higher grade (2 or>) of toxicity. It is feasible to measure volume and ADC of the salivary glands prior to and during RT for HNC. Early data suggests a lower rise in ADC during treatment is associated with more severe late xerostomia.

Laser Ablation of Blandin and Nuhn Mucocele: A Rare Case Report

Blandin and Nuhn glands are the mixed type of minor salivary glands located on the anterior ventral surface of the tongue. Mucoceles are rarely associated with Blandin and Nuhn gland. Out of 400 mucoceles reviewed by Harrison, only 9 arose on the tongue. Its differential diagnosis ranges from soft-tissue abscess to pyogenic granuloma, oral hemangioma, lymphangioma, lipoma, and squamous papilloma. This is a rare case report emphasizing the laser ablation of Blandin and Nuhn mucocele. The diagnosis of Blandin and Nuhn mucocele was made based on its anatomical site, size, flaccid nature, and frequent change in size characteristically increasing after consumption of food. Laser ablation was opted for the excision because it enables minimal bleeding, scarring, postoperative discomfort, and low recurrence compared to the conventional surgical excision. Histopathological examination revealed extravasation type of mucocele, suggesting that trauma may be the initiating factor.

Immunohistochemical Reactivity of Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen in Salivary Gland Tumors

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that is overexpressed in the prostate gland and prostate cancer. PSMA has been recently used in positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging and targeted alpha-radiation therapy (TAT) for prostate cancer. Recently, the tubarial gland, a type of minor salivary gland that is described as a new organ situated in the pharynx, is reported to express PMSA. Here, we studied the expression of PSMA in common benign and malignant salivary gland tumors. We performed immunohistochemistry for PSMA in 55 salivary gland tumors comprising 10 pleomorphic adenomas, 10 Warthin tumors, 9 basal cell adenomas, 9 adenoid cystic carcinomas, 9 mucoepidermoid carcinomas, and 8 salivary duct carcinomas. PSMA was expressed in 97% of benign tumors and 77% of malignant tumors. Moreover, PSMA was expressed in 59% of normal salivary glands adjacent to the tumor. PSMA is relatively expressed in salivary gland tumors and salivary glands. Therefore, salivary gland neoplasm, and normal salivary gland, possibly demonstrate the accumulation of PSMA in PET/CT. Thus, we need to monitor the side effects in the salivary glands during TAT for prostate cancer.

Morphological diversity in the parotoid macroglands of neotropical true toads (Anura: Bufonidae) and its association with the release of glandular secretion

The parotoid macrogland in toads of the family Bufonidae is a complex structure mainly related to a defensive function. It presents considerable variability among species regarding their morphology, chemical nature of the glandular content, and secretion release mechanisms. This macrogland is formed by a group of large syncytial glands (LSGs) that like any other dermal gland, comprise a pore, a secretory duct, a neck, and adenomere. Previous works have shown that the neck is a region with a high morphological variability among species. Here, we study the secretory duct and neck of LSGs from parotoids in nine bufonids using light and electron microscopy, linking the morphological variation to what is currently known about secretion discharge mechanisms in this family. Our results show that differences in the LSGs are mainly associated with pore shape, duct-neck length, the presence of epithelial plug, and the presence/absence of two accessory glands, namely intraepithelial and duct glands. Besides, two types of duct glands were identified according to whether their secretion is released to the epidermal surface or into the most external portion of the LSGs neck. Summarizing this information, we defined four morphological patterns for LSGs necks, two of them lacking associated duct glands, and the others differing on the presence of one or two types of duct glands. We found a possible relationship between gland morphology and the secretion release mechanisms in different toad species, where the length of the duct and neck, and the presence or absence of a conical plug, could be relevant to the release mechanism in form of droplets or spray.

Pheromone Gene Diversification and the Evolution of Courtship Glands in Plethodontid Salamanders.

Proteinaceous pheromones that diversify through gene duplication can result in shifts in courtship cocktails that may serve as a mechanism for reproductive isolation. The molecular evolution of pheromones has been extensively studied in salamanders, but how these genes and associated novel courtship glands have codiversified has not been evaluated. In this study we used transcriptional analyses to examine the relationship between pheromone diversification and gland type in three divergent lineages of plethodontid salamanders. Our results revealed that plethodontid salamanders express up to eight divergent Sodefrin Precursor-like Factor genes (spf, representing both alpha and beta subfamilies) along with Plethodontid Modulating Factor (pmf) and Plethodontid Receptivity Factor (prf). Expression of pheromone genes is tissue specific with pmf, prf, and some spf genes restricted to the mental gland. In contrast, the caudal gland shows strong expression of the other spf genes. We found evidence for punctuated changes in pheromone cocktail composition related to the loss of metamorphosis, and subsequent extreme reduction of the mental gland, in a paedomorphic lineage. Our study provides insight into how pheromone diversification can be partitioned into unique glands, which may lead to cocktail specificity in behavioral modules during courtship.

Obstructing Trachea Tumor: Myoepithelial Carcinoma about a Case

Myoepithelial carcinoma, also called malignant myoepithelioma, is an extremely rare tumor of the salivary gland type. It is defined as a malignant neoplasm in which the tumor cells exhibit exclusively myoepithelial differentiation. Our case is a 48-year-old patient with no specific history who was presented to the hospital emergency room for respiratory difficulty and dysphagia progressively evolving for 08 weeks. A cervical CT was done which revealed a hypodense tumor process in T1 of 4 cm long axis obstructing the trachea well limited and richly vascularized. The diagnosis of tracheal myoepithelial carcinoma was made after histological and immunohistochemical analysis on a biopsy pending analysis of the operative specimen. Treatment remains initially surgical with appropriate postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Clinical anatomy of the inferior labial gland: a narrative review.

In this article we review the literature on the inferior labial gland from a clinical and anatomical perspective. Regardless of its importance in clinical practice, there are no medical literature that comprehensively reviewed the inferior labial gland. A database search using PubMed and Google Scholar was conducted. The following keywords were used in the search: "lower labial salivary gland", "lower labial gland", "inferior labial salivary gland", AND "inferior labial gland". The human labial glands are types of minor salivary gland that continuously secrete small amounts of mucous and serous substances to maintain oral health. The inferior labial glands are innervated by the inferior labial branch of the mental nerve, and the inferior labial branch of the facial artery is the main arterial supply to the lower lip. Although they only have an auxiliary role in saliva production compared to the major salivary glands, minor salivary glands provide a certain amount of lubrication in the oral cavity by the continuous outflow of saliva. The inferior labial gland not only promotes moisturization in the oral cavity but also secretes substances with antibacterial effects, which is important for the function of the oral cavity. A recent study showed that the rate of salivary secretion from the inferior labial glands does not change with age, and in some cases the inferior labial glands are used for diagnosing intractable diseases such as Sjogren's syndrome and cystic fibrosis. In addition, since the inferior labial glands themselves can be the site of cyst and/or neoplasia development, we should be careful to distinguish them from other diseases. Elucidation of the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the inferior labial glands, is important for understanding human health and diseases.

DIGESTIVE DISORDERS IN THE ORAL CAVITY

The progress made in fundamental medical research over the past decades, the scientific acquisitions in the field of genetics, molecular biology and biochemistry in relation to the explosive development of investigative technologies have revolutionized the clinical approach to many pathological entities, practically opening a new era in the evolution of clinical medicine. Dental medicine, as a science, feels the massive impact of the needs for knowledge and relaunches the interest of research in all its subspecialties. From this perspective, these are legitimized not only through the crisis in managing the immense volume of information, but also through the openings offered to the framework of conceptualizing and defining the identity of this branch of medicine, related to the need to particularize the specific problems in this discipline. Digestion is a fundamental process in the survival of an organism. It begins in the oral cavity, where the bolus is formed, and continues in the stomach, forming the chyme, which then reaches the small intestine and transforms into the chyle. Through mastication, the surface of food increases, thus the enzymes are able to act more easily on the substrate. The first enzymes to act on food are the salivary ones - salivary amylase, lingual lipase. Mastication is regulated through the contact of food with receptors in the oral cavity. These will send impulses by way of the trigeminal nerve towards the centre of mastication - located in the bolus. From the bolus, they will start the signals on the efferent pathway (trigeminal, hypoglossal and facial nerves) that will reach the masticatory muscles. Mechanical digestion (mastication) can thus begin. Mechanical digestion in the oral cavity results from mastication. During mastication, the food is manipulated by the tongue, crushed by the teeth and mixed with saliva. Concomitant with mechanical digestion, the chemical digestion takes place through the action of saliva. There are two types of salivary glands in the oral cavity: large glands - parotid, sublingual, submandibular and small glands - disseminated throughout the oral cavity. Within 24 hours, up to 1.5 liters of saliva are secreted, 99% of which is represented by water. The remaining 1% consists of enzymes, mucus, nitrogen content. After finalizing mastication, deglutition begins. This mechanical process consists of thrusting the bolus from the mouth towards the stomach, using the esophagus.

Characterization of nucleic acids from extracellular vesicle-enriched human sweat

BackgroundThe human sweat is a mixture of secretions from three types of glands: eccrine, apocrine, and sebaceous. Eccrine glands open directly on the skin surface and produce high amounts of water-based fluid in response to heat, emotion, and physical activity, whereas the other glands produce oily fluids and waxy sebum. While most body fluids have been shown to contain nucleic acids, both as ribonucleoprotein complexes and associated with extracellular vesicles (EVs), these have not been investigated in sweat. In this study we aimed to explore and characterize the nucleic acids associated with sweat particles.ResultsWe used next generation sequencing (NGS) to characterize DNA and RNA in pooled and individual samples of EV-enriched sweat collected from volunteers performing rigorous exercise. In all sequenced samples, we identified DNA originating from all human chromosomes, but only the mitochondrial chromosome was highly represented with 100% coverage. Most of the DNA mapped to unannotated regions of the human genome with some regions highly represented in all samples. Approximately 5 % of the reads were found to map to other genomes: including bacteria (83%), archaea (3%), and virus (13%), identified bacteria species were consistent with those commonly colonizing the human upper body and arm skin. Small RNA-seq from EV-enriched pooled sweat RNA resulted in 74% of the trimmed reads mapped to the human genome, with 29% corresponding to unannotated regions. Over 70% of the RNA reads mapping to an annotated region were tRNA, while misc. RNA (18,5%), protein coding RNA (5%) and miRNA (1,85%) were much less represented. RNA-seq from individually processed EV-enriched sweat collection generally resulted in fewer percentage of reads mapping to the human genome (7–45%), with 50–60% of those reads mapping to unannotated region of the genome and 30–55% being tRNAs, and lower percentage of reads being rRNA, LincRNA, misc. RNA, and protein coding RNA.ConclusionsOur data demonstrates that sweat, as all other body fluids, contains a wealth of nucleic acids, including DNA and RNA of human and microbial origin, opening a possibility to investigate sweat as a source for biomarkers for specific health parameters.

Peroxisomes in the mouse parotid glands: An in-depth morphological and molecular analysis

BackgroundThe parotid gland is a major salivary gland that has important roles in the digestive and immune system. Peroxisomes are ubiquitous, single-membrane-bound organelles that are present in all eukaryotic cells. Peroxisomes help mediate lipid and reactive oxygen species metabolism, as well as polyunsaturated fatty acid, cholesterol and plasmalogen synthesis. Much of the knowledge on peroxisomes has derived from metabolic organs, however no detailed knowledge is available on peroxisomes in the parotid glands. We thus aimed to comprehensively delineate the localization and characterization of peroxisomal proteins in the murine parotid gland. MethodsWe characterized peroxisomes in the acinar and striated duct cells of the murine parotid gland by fluorescence and electron microscopy, as well as protein and mRNA expression analyses for important peroxisomal genes and proteins. ResultsWe found that peroxisomes are present in all cell types of the mouse parotid gland, however, exhibit notable cell-specific differences in their abundance and enzyme content. We also observed that mouse parotid glands contain high levels of peroxisomal β-oxidation enzymes (including Acox1, Mfp2 and Acaa1), catalase and other peroxisomal anti-oxidative enzymes. ConclusionsThis data suggests that peroxisomes are highly abundant in the murine parotid gland and might help to protect against oxidative stress. This comprehensive description of peroxisomes in the parotid gland lays the groundwork for further research concerning their role in the pathogenesis of parotid gland diseases and tumors.

Molybdenum Target X-Ray Features and Estrogen Receptor, Progesterone Receptor, and Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 in Invasive Breast Cancer.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate the correlations between molybdenum target X-ray mammography features and the expressions of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) in invasive breast cancer (IBC) and their clinical significance.MethodsThe correlations between the mammographic features and expressions of ER, PR, and HER2 in 378 cases of IBC confirmed by pathology were analyzed retrospectively.ResultsThe differences in the ER, PR, and HER2 positive expression between gland types were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The expression of ER was positively correlated with the presence of nipple depression (P < 0.05). Moreover, ER and PR expressions were positively correlated with the absence of axillary lymph node enlargement (P < 0.05) and negatively correlated with the maximum tumor diameter (P < 0.05).ConclusionThe mammographic features of IBC are correlated with the expression of immunity indices ER, PR, and HER2 and reflect several pathological features.

Gene expression profiling reveals candidate genes for defining spider silk gland types

Molecular studies of the secretory glands involved in spider silk production have revealed candidate genes for silk synthesis and a complicated history of spider silk gene evolution. However, differential gene expression profiles of the multiple silk gland types within an individual orb-web weaving spider are lacking. Each of these gland types produces a functionally distinct silk type. Comparison of gene expression among spider silk gland types would provide insight into the genes that define silk glands generally from non-silk gland tissues, and the genes that define silk glands from each other. Here, we perform 3’ tag digital gene expression profiling of the seven silk gland types of the silver garden orb weaver Argiope argentata. Five of these gland types produce silks that are non-adhesive fibers, one silk includes both fibers and glue-like adhesives, and one silk is exclusively glue-like. We identify 1275 highly expressed, significantly upregulated, and tissue specific silk gland specific transcripts (SSTs). These SSTs include seven types of spider silk protein encoding genes known as spidroin genes. We find that the fiber-producing major ampullate and minor ampullate silk glands have more similar expression profiles than any other pair of glands. We also find that a subset of the SSTs is enriched for transmembrane transport and oxidoreductases, and that these transcripts highlight differences and similarities among the major ampullate, minor ampullate, and aggregate silk glands. Furthermore, we show that the wet glue-producing aggregate glands have the most unique SSTs, but still share some SSTs with fiber producing glands. Aciniform glands were the only gland type to share a majority of SSTs with other silk gland types, supporting previous hypotheses that duplication of aciniform glands and subsequent divergence of the duplicates gave rise to the multiple silk gland types within an individual spider.

The use of 33 MHz ultra-high-frequency ultrasonography for the evaluation of sweat glands in the axilla with osmidrosis.

BackgroundThis study aimed to assess the use of 33 MHz ultra-high-frequency ultrasonography (33MHz-UHFUS) for evaluating axillary sweat glands with osmidrosis in comparison with histological techniques. Axillary osmidrosis is a common problem in Asian societies, and the number and size of apocrine sweat glands have a strong relationship with osmidrosis severity. Currently, there are no methods to evaluate sweat gland distribution non-invasively.MethodsIn this study, 35 skin specimens from 10 fresh human cadavers without osmidrosis and retrospective ultrasonographic images from 20 patients with osmidrosis were used. Skin specimens were embedded in paraffin, thinly sliced, and finally stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Histologically, the apocrine and eccrine glands were evaluated, and the top and bottom depths of follicles were measured from the skin surface. In 33 MHz ultrasonography images, the depths of sweat glands were measured, and the mean grey value was calculated using Image J.ResultsCompared to histological data, 33MHz-UHFUS could be used to identify sweat glands as a hyperechoic structure between the dermis and fat layer. Furthermore, it could evaluate sweat gland distribution but could not distinguish between types of sweat glands.ConclusionsThe distribution of sweat glands in the axilla can be non-invasively evaluated via 33MHz-UHFUS.

Investigation of the relationship between skin-emitted volatile fatty acids and skin surface acidity in healthy participants—a pilot study

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from human skin are of great interest in general in research fields including disease diagnostics and comprise various compound classes including acids, alcohols, ketones and aldehydes. The objective of this research is to investigate the volatile fatty acid (VFA) emission as recovered from healthy participant skin VOC samples and to characterise its association with skin surface acidity. VOC sampling was performed via headspace-solid phase microextraction with analysis via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Several VFAs were recovered from participants, grouped based on gender and site (female forehead, female forearm, male forearm). Saturated VFAs (C9, C12, C14, C15, C16) and the unsaturated VFA C16:1 (recovered only from the female forehead) were considered for this study. VFA compositions and abundances are discussed in the context of body site and corresponding gland type and distribution, and their quantitative association with skin acidity investigated. Normalised chromatographic peak areas of the recovered VFAs were found to linearly correlate with hydrogen ion concentration measured at each of the different sites considered and is the first report to our knowledge to demonstrate such an association. Our observations are explained in terms of the free fatty acid content at the skin surface which is well-established as being a major contributor to skin surface acidity. Furthermore, it is interesting to consider that these VFA emissions from skin, governed by equilibrium vapour pressures exhibited at the skin surface, will be dependent on skin pH. It is proposed that these pH-modulated equilibrium vapour pressures of the acids could be resulting in an enhanced VFA emission sensitivity with respect to skin surface pH. To translate our observations made here for future wearable biodiagnostic applications, the measurement of skin surface pH based on the volatile emission was demonstrated using a pH indicator dye in the form of a planar colorimetric sensor, which was incorporated into a wearable platform and worn above the palm surface. As acidic skin surface pH is required for optimal skin barrier function and cutaneous antimicrobial defence, it is envisaged that these colorimetric volatile acid sensors could be deployed in robust wearable formats for monitoring health and disease applications in the future.

Identification of a micropeptide and multiple secondary cell genes that modulate Drosophila male reproductive success

Even in well-characterized genomes, many transcripts are considered noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) simply due to the absence of large open reading frames (ORFs). However, it is now becoming clear that many small ORFs (smORFs) produce peptides with important biological functions. In the process of characterizing the ribosome-bound transcriptome of an important cell type of the seminal fluid-producing accessory gland of Drosophila melanogaster, we detected an RNA, previously thought to be noncoding, called male-specific abdominal (msa). Notably, msa is nested in the HOX gene cluster of the Bithorax complex and is known to contain a micro-RNA within one of its introns. We find that this RNA encodes a "micropeptide" (9 or 20 amino acids, MSAmiP) that is expressed exclusively in the secondary cells of the male accessory gland, where it seems to accumulate in nuclei. Importantly, loss of function of this micropeptide causes defects in sperm competition. In addition to bringing insights into the biology of a rare cell type, this work underlines the importance of small peptides, a class of molecules that is now emerging as important actors in complex biological processes.