IFN-alpha1,8 inhibits tumor-induced angiogenesis in murine angiosarcomas.

Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) has proved effective in the treatment of hemangiomas, hemangioblastomas, and Kaposi's sarcoma. To investigate the ability of IFNs to inhibit angiosarcoma, we used two transformed murine endothelial cell lines that form angiosarcomas in vivo. SVR and MS1-VEGF cell lines express oncogenic H-ras or vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), respectively. IFN-alpha1,8, which is active against murine and human cells, inhibited SVR and MS1-VEGF proliferation in vitro by 40% at 10(3) U/mL (p = 0.028). In vivo, IFN-alpha1,8 inhibited SVR tumor volume by 71% (p = 0.047) and MS1-VEGF volume by 79% (p = 0.003). Tumor-induced angiogenesis was decreased in SVR tumors by 52% (p = 0.005) and in MS1-VEGF tumors by 58% (p = 0.001). Sera from IFN-alpha1,8-treated mice bearing either SVR or MS1-VEGF tumors demonstrated a 5-fold increase in IP-10/CXCL10 (p = 0.001), an IFN-induced antiangiogenic protein. Both recombinant IP-10 and IFN-alpha1,8 inhibited human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) vessel formation in the fibrin gel assay, a three-dimensional culture model of angiogenesis, by 56% at 25 ng/mL and 50% at 1.2 ng/mL, respectively (p < 0.001). An IP-10 blocking antibody restored vessel formation to 80% of untreated controls (p = 0.001). Given the magnitude of the in vivo response, these data suggested that the antitumor effects of IFN-alpha1,8 were likely mediated through angiogenesis inhibition rather than solely by direct inhibition of tumor cell proliferation.     

Salivary disease in childhood

Salivary disease in childhood is uncommon. Clinical features are much the same as in adult disease, however, congenital, inflammation, and functional disease is more common. Management is governed by the same general principles in all age groups. Congenital abnormalities are rare. Inflammation, either bacterial or viral, is the most common disease. Chronic sialadenitis usually resolves at puberty. Neoplasia is rare, and the majority of tumors are benign and occur in the parotid gland. Malignancy is suggested by rapid growth, pain, skin fixation, and lymphadenopathy. Surgical treatment of sialorrhea should only be considered after careful assessment. Relocation of the submandibular ducts is the treatment of choice.     

Sexual abuse of children: an area with room for professional reforms

The cases of 46 children who had been abused sexually an average of 2.6 years previously, were reviewed and the non-offending parents were interviewed with emphasis on how they viewed the professional persons who had seen their children, and their opinions of the legal processes that were instituted. The parents found most professional groups helpful, with officers from the Department of Youth and Community Services being seen as the least helpful. Twenty-one of the cases went to court; in 12 cases this resulted in a conviction, and prison sentences were imposed on six of the offenders. Children found the court experience distressing and most parents expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome of the court hearing. Children were more likely to be required to give evidence in court if the offender had legal representation. Persisting behavioural problems and poor school performance were more likely to occur in those cases in which there had been court hearings. A review of Police Department records of children who had attended the hospital for the management of sexual assault, showed that 10 of the 107 children who are now aged over 14 years, have themselves been convicted of violent crimes since their episode of sexual assault. Long-term intervention is required to help many of these children, some legal reforms are necessary to reduce the stress that they experience when there is a court hearing, and all the professional groups that are likely to become involved with the problem of the sexual abuse of children need to be better informed about its seriousness and consequences.     

Teaching children about skin cancer prevention: why wait for adolescence?

Abstract: The baseline knowledge about skin cancer prevention of 983 children aged 8 to 12 years was assessed by a pretest questionnaire. After the pretest, half were given a formal presentation about skin cancer prevention. The other half participated in an informal, question–and–answer session, which covered all material from the formal presentation. Two weeks later, all students completed an identical post–test. The students had a high baseline level of knowledge about skin cancer prevention. Knowledge increased for most items in the post–test questionnaire. In all age groups there was no difference in results between the formal and interactive teaching sessions, except among eight–year–olds, for whom the formal presentation was more effective. As much solar skin damage occurs before adolescence, the younger age group is the important target for skin cancer prevention programs. (Aust N Z J Public Health 1997; 21: 602–5)     

Professional knowledge of infant feeding techniques (or if you want to know how to feed a baby, ask a nurse)

Three hundred and forty-two health professionals who deal with children, including general practitioners, paediatric residents and paediatric nurses were asked questions about their knowledge of infant feeding, particularly how they would recommend mothers to reconstitute milk formulae. A proportion of errors was noted in all groups, with errors occurring more frequently in the medical groups. Mothers seeking feeding advice are most likely to obtain the correct answers from paediatrically trained nurses.     

VX2 carcinoma, pulmonary metastases, and neutrophilic leukocytosis. Possible animal model of tumor-associated granulocytosis.

In New Zealand white rabbits bearing the transplantable VX2 carcinoma intramuscularly in the hind limbs uniformly a granulocytosis syndrome developed, characterized by peripheral blood neutrophilia and marked granulocytic bone marrow hyperplasia, whereas the syndrome did not always develop in animals bearing the tumor intraabdominally. The relationship between the extent of pulmonary metastases and granulocytosis/bone marrow hyperplasia was significant (P less than 0.005). This positive correlation (correlation coefficient = 0.85) existed for both animals bearing intraabdominal tumors and animals bearing intramuscular tumors. The granulocytic syndrome occasionally occurred in rabbits with mild degrees of pulmonary metastatic involvement, but never with total absence of pulmonary metastases. Hypercalcemia occurred prior to the appearance of pulmonary metastases and was not essential to the development of granulocytosis. These data suggest that granulocytosis in VX2 carcinoma-bearing rabbits is dependent on the presence of tumor in the lungs and is not directly related to implantation site. This tumor-bearing animal model may be suitable for studies of tumor-associated granulocytosis in vivo.     

HBME-1, MOC-31, WT1 and calretinin: an assessment of recently described markers for mesothelioma and adenocarcinoma

AIMS: To evaluate HBME-1, WT1, calretinin and MOC-31 in the differential diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma and adenocarcinoma of the lung. METHODS AND RESULTS: Paraffin-embedded formalin-fixed blocks from six reactive pleuras, 42 mesotheliomas and 40 adenocarcinomas were used. Sections were stained for Leu-M1, HBME-1, calretinin, WT1 and MOC-31. Leu-M1 was positive or equivocal in 34% of mesotheliomas and in 78% of adenocarcinomas; reactive pleuras were all negative. HBME-1 was positive or equivocal in 76% of mesotheliomas and in 73% of adenocarcinomas; five reactive pleuras were positive. Calretinin was positive or equivocal in 92% of mesotheliomas and in 73% of adenocarcinomas; two reactive pleura were equivocal and four were positive. WT1 was positive or equivocal in 72% of mesotheliomas (excluding autopsy cases) and in 20% of adenocarcinomas; all reactive pleuras were positive. MOC-31 was positive or equivocal in 5% of mesotheliomas and in 90% of adenocarcinomas; all reactive pleuras were negative. The reaction with Leu-M1 was graded as equivocal in 25% of the adenocarcinomas. All 24 of the autopsy cases of mesothelioma were negative for WT1 and in many operative specimens only the periphery was stained. CONCLUSIONS: Neither calretinin nor HBME-1 are sufficiently discriminatory to be of use, even as members of a panel of antibodies. WT1 shows some promise, but it cannot be used on autopsy material. The utility of MOC-31 is confirmed, and outperforms Leu-M1.