Complex cytological and immunocytochemical study of cerebrospinal fluid in the intracranial breast carcinoma metastases diagnosis

Introduction. Metastases of breast cancer are detected in 5 to 48% cases, depending on the biological tumor subtype, which is the second most common after lung cancer in men. Cytological liquor analysis is one of the “gold standards” for the metastatic brain lesion identification, and, among other modern approaches, it can increase the CNS metastasis detection. Breast cancer cell identification in cerebrospinal fluid is a poor prognostic factor. A cytological examination has a predictive significance for these patients: the absence of tumor cells in the cerebrospinal fluid can be considered the sign of the intrathecal therapy effectiveness. The accuracy of the cytological diagnosis directly depends on the detailed patient’s history. Immunocytochemical assays increase the sensitivity of the cytological diagnostics. The aim of the study was to evaluate the ca-pabilities of comprehensive cytological and immunocytochemical studies in the secondary cerebral lesions diagnosis in breast cancer patients. Materials and methods. We conducted 169 cytological studies in 55 breast cancer patients with brain metas-tases. Liquor samples were obtained using lumbar punctures. 36 patients underwent 44 immunocytochemical studies and 117 immunocytochemical reactions to clarify the cytological diagnosis. Results. The sensitivity of the cytological method was 69.8%. Immunocytochemistry increased the sensitiv-ity to 72.3%. In 29 patients, the tumor histogenesis was determined using an immunocytochemical assay. Conclusion. The liquor cytological analysis is frequently the only primary morphologic diagnostic method to detect breast cancer metastasis within the central nervous system. Immunocytochemical assay significantly expands the possibilities of cytological study, allowing health care specialists to detect single tumor cells in samples and determine the metastatic neoplasm histogenesis in most cases, which also increases sensitivity. Keywords: breast cancer, cytological and immunocytochemical study of cerebrospinal fluid

CYTOLOGICAL AND IMMUNOCYTOCHEMICAL DIAGNOSIS OF TUMOR PLEURITIS

Cytological examination of smears from the sediment after centrifugation of pleural fluids was performed in 479 patients who underwent examination and treatment at our institution in 2014-2016. In 249 (52%) patients tumor cells were not detected in smears, in 230 (48%) observations a suspicion (28 observations) or a confident conclusion (202 observations) on the presence of malignant tumor cells in the exudates was cytologically expressed. In 38 cases immunocytochemical studies was additionally performed. In two observations a false-negative conclusion about the absence of tumor cells in smears was expressed. The sensitivity of the cytological study in the diagnosis of malignant pleuritis was 99.0%. Affirmative cytological conclusions on the presence of malignant pleuritis were given in 87.0% of observations, suspicious cytological responses - in 12.0% of cases. Immunocytochemical studies significantly expanded the possibilities of cytological research and were of great importance in the diagnosis of metastases of tumors of unknown primary localization.

Differential Effect of Isooctane Doses on HaCaT and HeLa: A Multimodal Analysis

A multimodal approach is effective in analyzing biological problems critically and thus also useful in assessing cytotoxicity under chemicals assaults. In this study effects of isooctane, an organic solvent and component of gasoline produced in petroleum industries, have been explored on normal (HaCaT) and cancerous (HeLa) epithelial cells. Besides morphological alterations, impacts on viability, prime molecular expressions, and bioelectrical properties on exposure to different doses of isooctane were noted. Scanning electron microscopy and viability assay demonstrated remarkable structural alterations and cell death, respectively, in HaCaT but not in HeLa. Transcriptomic and immunocytochemical studies on E-cadherin expression also elucidated pronounced toxic effects on HaCaT. Remarkable changes on the bioelectrical properties (e.g., impedance and phase angle) of the HaCaT, in contrast to HeLa, at different temporal points on isooctane exposure also indicated cytotoxic effects in the former. Hence this study illustrated cytotoxicity of isooctane on HaCaT multidimensionally which was evaded by HeLa.

Chemical and ultrastructural changes in compound middle lamella (CML) regions of softwoods thermally modified by the Termovuoto process

Silver fir and Norway spruce wood have been thermally modified (TMW) for 3–4 h at 160°C, 180°C, 200°C, and 220°C by means of the thermovacuum process (Termovuoto), and the ultrastructural and chemical changes in the compound middle lamella (CML), including the middle lamella cell corner (MLcc) regions (CMLcc), were investigated. Severe anatomical and histochemical changes were prominent above treatment temperatures of 200°C; thus, woods treated at 220°C for 4 h were in focus. Immunocytochemical studies showed that noncellulosic polysaccharides, such as pectin, xyloglucan, xylan, and mannan, were significantly degraded in CMLcc regions of TMWs. After treatment, the CMLcc regions were composed almost entirely of modified lignin with increased amounts of acidic groups. With cytochemical staining for lignin, many electron dense particulates were detected in the CMLcc regions of TMWs, indicating early degradation/alteration by the Termovuoto treatment.