P-cadherin expression in glandular lesions of the uterine cervix detected by liquid-based cytology

OBJECTIVE: To study P-cadherin aberrant expression as a possible marker for cervical adenocarcinomas in cytological samples. METHODS: We studied P-cadherin immunoexpression in liquid-based cervical cytology samples of biopsy-proven cervical lesions. RESULTS: We found a statistically significant correlation between P-cadherin expression and a cytological diagnosis of malignancy, either glandular or squamous (P < 0.0001). Twenty-two of 33 malignant cases showed P-cadherin membrane staining. None of the 30 benign cases tested showed membrane staining, but three of them displayed an aberrant nuclear P-cadherin expression. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that P-cadherin can be used to discriminate between malignant and benign cervical cytological specimens, but not to discriminate glandular from squamous lesions.     

Investigating the mechanical function of the cervix during pregnancy using finite element models derived from high-resolution 3D MRI

Preterm birth is a strong contributor to perinatal mortality, and preterm infants that survive are at risk for long-term morbidities. During most of pregnancy, appropriate mechanical function of the cervix is required to maintain the developing fetus in utero. Premature cervical softening and subsequent cervical shortening are hypothesized to cause preterm birth. Presently, there is a lack of understanding of the structural and material factors that influence the mechanical function of the cervix during pregnancy. In this study we build finite element models of the pregnant uterus, cervix, and fetal membrane based on magnetic resonance imagining data in order to examine the mechanical function of the cervix under the physiologic loading conditions of pregnancy. We calculate the mechanical loading state of the cervix for two pregnant patients: 22 weeks gestational age with a normal cervical length and 28 weeks with a short cervix. We investigate the influence of (1) anatomical geometry, (2) cervical material properties, and (3) fetal membrane material properties, including its adhesion properties, on the mechanical loading state of the cervix under physiologically relevant intrauterine pressures. Our study demonstrates that membrane–uterus interaction, cervical material modeling, and membrane mechanical properties are factors that must be deliberately and carefully handled in order to construct a high quality mechanical simulation of pregnancy.     

mir-26a对子宫肌瘤细胞周期和增殖的影响

目的:近年来许多报道表明,miRNA与一些肿瘤的发病息息相关,其其表达失调直接或间接的影响肿瘤的进展。检测mir-26a在子宫肌瘤组织和肌层组织中的表达,并进一步探究其对子宫肌瘤细胞周期和增殖的影响。方法:收集第二军医大学长海医院妇产科2009年12月至2011年10月手术治疗并经病理检查确诊为子宫肌瘤的患者肌瘤组织和成对肌层组织标本13例,Realtime PCR检测这13例成对组织中mir-26a的表达情况。建立可稳定传代的子宫肌瘤平滑肌细胞系后,将mir-26a转入肌瘤细胞中使其高表达,流式细胞仪检测高表达mir-26a后子宫肌瘤细胞周期的变化,同时用cck-8方法验证细胞增殖活性。结果:Realtime PCR结果显示,与相应肌层组织相比,肌瘤组织mir-26a的表达均显著降低(P0.05)。流式检测结果显示,24 h时,与对照组相比,mir-26a高表达的肌瘤细胞G1期比例增高。增殖实验显示种植细胞第二天开始,mir-26a高表达的子宫肌瘤细胞增殖速度显著降低。结论:与正常子宫肌层组织相比,mir-26a在子宫肌瘤组织中表达下调,这种表达失调直接影响肌瘤细胞的增殖速度和周期比例,提示mir-26a在子宫肌瘤的发生发展过程中发挥了重要的调控作用。     

Hormonal effect on glycoproteins and glycosaminoglycans in rabbit uteri

The effect of the female hormones on glycoproteins and glycosaminoglycans in uteri has been studied.The uteri taken from the ovariectomized rabbits treated with estrogen, estrogen plus progesterone, and sham administration (control) were incubated in vitro with [U-¹⁴C]glucose. Subsequently, the tissues were digested extensively with pronase, yielding crude glycan fractions. The amount and radioactivity of the crude glycan fraction increased by the treatment with estrogen, but reduced to certain level with progesterone.Separation of glycoproteins and glycosaminoglycans was achieved by stepwise elution from Dowex 1 (X2, chloride form) with increasing concentration of NaCl. The yield and radioactivity, together with the results of chemical, enzymatic, and electrophoretic studies on the resulting fractions indicated that the metabolism of a slightly acidic glycoprotein, hyaluronic acid, sulfated glycoproteins, low-sulf ated chondroitin sulfate, heparan sulfate, chondroitin 4-sulfate, and dermatan sulf ate were stimulated remarkably with estrogen, but the stimulation was restored to certain level with progesterone. The degree of the change with these hormones was, however, found to be different from each other. It was noticed that sulfated glycoproteins were the most sensitive to the hormones. On the other hand, the estrogenic stimulation of the metabolism of a neutral glycoprotein and oversulfated chondroitin sulfates was not restored with progesterone.     

A large proportion of afferent neurons innervating the uterine cervix of the cat contain VIP and other neuropeptides

Summary Axonal tracing techniques were used in combination with immunohistochemistry to examine the distribution of neuropeptides in afferent pathways from the uterine cervix of the cat. Primary afferent neurons innervating the uterine cervix were identified by axonal transport of the dye, fast blue, injected into the cervix. Fifteen to twenty-five days after the injection, dorsal root ganglia (L1–S3) were removed and incubated for 48–72 h in culture medium containing colchicine to increase the levels of peptides. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), cholecystokinin (CCK), leucine-enkephalin (LENK), somatostatin, substance P and vasoactive intenstinal polypeptide (VIP) were identified by use of indirect immunohistochemical techniques. Eighty-four percent of uterine cervix afferent neurons were identified in the sacral dorsal root ganglia (S1–S3), and 16% in the middle lumbar dorsal root ganglia (L3–L4). In sacral dorsal root ganglia, VIP was present in the highest percentage of dye-labeled cells (71%), CGRP in 42%, and substance P in 18% of the cells. CCK and LENK were present in 13% of the cells. In lumbar dorsal root ganglia, CGRP (51%) was most prominent peptide followed by VIP (34%), substance P (28%), LENK (17%) and CCK (13%). Somatostatin was present in the ganglia but did not occur in dye-labeled neurons. In conclusion, the uterine cervix of the cat receives a prominent VIP-and CGRP-containing afferent innervation. The percentage of neurons containing VIP is three to five times higher than the percentage of these neurons in afferent pathways to other pelvic organs. These observations coupled with the results of physiological studies suggest that VIP is an important transmitter in afferent pathways from the cervix.     

The Cervex: an ectocervical brush sampler

The performance of a new ectocervical brush sampler--the Cervex--was compared with the Ayre spatula in 280 paired cervical smears. The Cervex smears were superior in quality of spread, transformation zone sampling in all degrees of cervical patency and in detection of histologically proven epithelial abnormalities, with a false negative rate of 10.9% compared with 20% for the Ayre. Improvement in predictive value was noted in atrophic samples, with increased cellularity and transformation zone representation. Difficulty has been encountered in obtaining adequate samples from the older woman and from those with iatrogenic scarring of the cervix. Although two-sampler techniques may be used, submission of high quality pan-cervical material from a single sampler onto one slide is economically and organizationally attractive. The Cervex seems capable of producing such samples and deserves further evaluation for routine screening.     

The study of the process of fluid-phase endocytosis in cervical squamous cells using fluorescent microspheres

Physiological processes in cervical squamous epithelium have not been extensively studied. Perhaps understandably, most of the research has concentrated on the pathology of the cervix, in particular dysplasia and malignancy. Fluid-phase endocytosis is a physiological process which has been demonstrated to be important in understanding disease development at other squamous epithelial sites, e.g. oesophagus. In this study, we have demonstrated by a new methodology developed in our laboratory using fluorescent microspheres and flow cytometry that fluid-phase endocytosis occurs in cervical squamous cells. The process has been shown to be dose- and time-dependent. This novel approach provides a means to improve our understanding of the physiological functions of the cervix and may provide insight into the pathogenesis of cervical neoplastic and non-neoplastic disease.     

Gross anatomy of the reproductive tract of female black (Diceros bicornis michaeli) and white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum)

Reproductive tracts were collected from three black rhinoceros and two white rhinoceros at necropsy. All females were nulliparous, except for one primiparous white rhinoceros. The animals ranged in age from 7 days to 28 years. All nulliparous animals had a constriction in the vaginal canal, which appeared to be a hymen. The primiparous female had only remnants of a hymen. The total length of the tract averaged 102 cm in three adult animals (≥21 years old). The distance from the vulva to the external cervical os averaged 40 cm in these animals. The endometrium of a 28-year-old nulliparous black rhinoceros and a 27-year-old nulliparous white rhinoceros exhibited signs of hyperplasia, whereas this condition was not present in the other animals. It is not known if this condition was related to the fertility of these animals. The cervix of the rhinoceros was firm, and the lumen followed a very tortuous path through eccentric rings of tissue. Visual examination of the ovaries revealed the presence of surface follicles on the ovaries in both species. The overall size of the reproductive tract, especially the vagina and uterine horns, and the extremely tortuous cervical lumen will present obstacles that must be overcome when developing artificial insemination and embryo transfer proceduers for use in rhinoceros.     

piwi基因在宫颈癌组织中的表达

目的本研究旨在探讨piwill、piwil3和piwil4在宫颈癌组织与宫颈正常组织中的差异性表达,为进一步确定其在肿瘤发生发展中的作用奠定基础。方法根据已知的3条基因序列设计合成3对特异性引物,利用RTPCR检测9对宫颈癌组织及癌旁正常组织的piwill、piwil3和piwil4 mRNA水平,并以β-actin基因为标准进行对比。结果宫颈癌组织piwill、piwil3和piwil4的表达水平明显高于正常组织。结论piwill、piwil3和piwil4在宫颈癌中的表达提示其可能参与了宫颈癌的发生发展过程。