Pathology at IgMin Research | Medicine Group

High-grade gliomas are known for their aggressive nature and resistance to therapy. One characteristic feature of these tumors is the lack of a clear border between the tumor and normal brain tissue. Previous studies have shown that as gliomas dedifferentiate, the extracellular matrix (ECM) undergoes changes in its composition and architecture. This is due to increased production and overexpression of ECM components such as hyaluronic acid, fibulin-3, and collagen. However, it is not yet known what specific changes occur in the stroma of high-g...rade gliomas depending on the v in the IDH1 gene. In our study, we examined tumor tissue samples from 31 patients, 10 of whom had verified IDH-mutant astrocytoma (grade 4) and 21 had IDH-wildtype glioblastoma (grade 4). The presence or absence of mutations in the IDH1/2 genes was determined in all patients using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). To assess stromal changes, we used histochemical staining with Alcian blue and Mallory trichrome. Our results showed significant differences between the two groups according to Student’s t-test (p < 0.05) for all stainings. The presence of mucus formation, collagen formation, and expression of vimentin by tumor cells in the stroma of IDH-wildtype grade 4 glioblastoma indicates an active epithelial-mesenchymal transition and changes in the extracellular matrix. These findings may explain the more unfavorable prognosis in patients with glioblastomas and could potentially serve as a therapeutic target in the complex treatment of malignant gliomas.Read more

Mastocytosis, a hematological neoplasm, manifests with diverse clinical, molecular, and histomorphological features. This review explores the different subtypes of mastocytosis, focusing on the role of molecular pathology and histomorphology in diagnosing systemic mastocytosis (SM). Systemic mastocytosis is characterized by histologically confirmed extracutaneous involvement, presenting a diagnostic challenge due to its rarity and diverse subtypes, ranging from occult SM to mast cell leukemia. The complexity of accurate SM diagnosis underscores... the necessity for a comprehensive understanding of the disease spectrum. Mastocytosis emerges as a rare, multifaceted disease, predominantly affecting children in the cutaneous form and adults in the systemic variant. The review advocates a multidisciplinary diagnostic approach involving experienced hematopathologists and haematooncologists, employing conventional histomorphology, immunohistochemistry, and molecular techniques. This holistic approach is crucial for accurate diagnosis, especially in light of recent therapeutic advances, particularly the growing importance of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) in the management of mastocytosis.Read more

Incisional acute wounds of the skin are characterized by a rapid biomechanical response by stromal cell contraction that joins the wound lips through the fibrin cloth. In this work, we have performed an in vitro model using Fibroblast-Populated Collagen Lattices (FPCLs) that partially mimic that physiological process. Injured FPCLs under relaxed or stressed conditions were evaluated over time, and cross-sections of the lattices were stained with picrosirius red. Wounds filled with fibrin in relaxed FPCLs were closed earlier than controls, the f...ibrillar pattern of the collagen lattice was different between the wound and the edges of the lattice. On the other hand, stressed FPCLs did not close wounds, even those filled with fibrin, because the tension generated from the lattice borders maintained high tension towards the wound. Controls or fibrin-treated stressed FPCLs, showed high tension in the wound matrix, characterized by the high packing of collagen observed like yellow-red birefringent fibers when stained by picrosirius red. Despite wounds that remain open, fibrin-treated FPCLs exhibited less wound area than controls. With this work, we have demonstrated that FPCL models can be used to study wound closure, mainly when they are improved with other elements of the wound environment that allow us to analyze the biological process.Read more

Smooth muscle tumours are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the vulva and vagina, yet their infrequency is demonstrated by the prevalence of published reports as individual cases or small case series.This article reports a case of a 42-year-old woman who presented with apparently recurrent vulvovaginal leiomyoma and a past history of surgical excisions. Histopathology revealed Smooth Muscle Tumor of Uncertain Malignant Potential (STUMP).