Browsing by Author "Zoroquiain, Pablo"

Now showing 1 - 9 of 9
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    Evidence of autophagic vesicles in a patient with Lisch corneal dystrophy
    (2020) Grau, Arturo E.; Gonzalez, Sergio; Zoroquiain, Pablo; Gonzalez, Pablo A.; Khaliliyeh, Daniela; Morselli, Eugenia; Cortes, Dennis
    Lisch corneal dystrophy is a rare corneal disease characterized by the distinctive feature of highly vacuolated cells. Although this feature is important, the nature of these vacuoles within corneal cells remains unknown. Here, we sought to analyze corneal cells from a patient diagnosed with Lisch dystrophy to characterize the vacuoles within these cells. Analyses using histopathology examination, confocal microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were all consistent with previous descriptions of Lisch cells. Importantly, the vacuoles within these cells appeared to be autophagosomes and autolysosomes, and could be stained with an anti-microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3) antibody. Taken together, these findings indicate that the vacuoles we observed within superficial corneal cells of a patient with Lisch corneal dystrophy constituted autophagosomes and autolysosomes; this finding has not been previously reported and suggests a need for further analyses to define the role of autophagy in this ocular disease.
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    Female offspring gestated in hypothyroxinemia and infected with human Metapneumovirus (hMPV) suffer a more severe infection and have a higher number of activated CD8+ T lymphocytes
    (2022) Funes, Samanta C.; Rios, Mariana; Fernandez-Fierro, Ayleen; Rivera-Perez, Daniela; Soto, Jorge A.; Valbuena, Jose R.; Altamirano-Lagos, Maria J.; Gomez-Santander, Felipe; Jara, Evelyn L.; Zoroquiain, Pablo; Roa, Juan C.; Kalergis, Alexis M.; Riedel, Claudia A.
    Maternal thyroid hormones (THs) are essential for the appropriate development of the fetus and especially for the brain. Recently, some studies have shown that THs deficiency can also alter the immune system development of the progeny and their ability to mount an appropriate response against infectious agents. In this study, we evaluated whether adult mice gestated under hypothyroxinemia (Hpx) showed an altered immune response against infection with human metapneumovirus (hMPV). We observed that female mice gestated under Hpx showed higher clinical scores after seven days of hMPV infection. Besides, males gestated under Hpx have higher lung viral loads at day seven post-infection. Furthermore, the female offspring gestated in Hpx have already reduced the viral load at day seven and accordingly showed an increased proportion of activated (CD71(+) and FasL(+)) CD8(+) T cells in the lungs, which correlated with a trend for a higher histopathological clinical score. These results support that T-4 deficiency during gestation might condition the offspring differently in males and females, enhancing their ability to respond to hMPV.
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    Florid reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (lymphoma-like lesion) of the uterine cervix
    (ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC, 2012) Ramalingam, Preetha; Zoroquiain, Pablo; Valbuena, Jose R.; Kemp, Bonnie L.; Medeiros, L. Jeffrey
    Lymphoma-like lesion (LLL) of the female genital tract is an older term in the literature that describes a florid reactive lymphoid proliferation that can be misinterpreted as lymphoma. Multiple causes of LLL have been suggested but most cases remain unexplained. We describe the clinicopathologic features of 6 patients with LLL involving the uterine cervix. Five patients presented with abnormal Papanicolaou test (Pap smear), and 3 patients had a biopsy procedure performed prior to detection of LLL in a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). In each specimen, surface epithelial erosion was associated with a superficial, polymorphous lymphoid infiltrate with numerous scattered large cells, without cellular necrosis or sclerosis. Squamous dysplasia was present in 4 patients. Immunohistochemical studies revealed a mixed population of Band T-lymphoid cells. T-cells were more numerous but B-cells and formed aggregates or sheets in areas. The large cells were predominantly B-cells positive for CD20 and negative for CD3 in all cases. CD30 was positive 3 cases, and Epstein-Barr virus-encoded RNA was positive in 3 cases. Assessment for clonality in 1 patient using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods revealed monoclonal immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) gene rearrangements. At last clinical follow-up there was no evidence of progressive or systemic disease. We conclude that LLL of the cervix has a number of etiologies and that a prior surgical procedure, present in 3 patients in this study, is another possible etiology. As has been reported by others, monoclonal IgH gene rearrangements can be detected in this entity which has a benign clinical course. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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    Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis as Early Manifestation of Epstein-Barr Virus-Positive Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma of the Elderly
    (LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS, 2012) Zoroquiain, Pablo; Gonzalez, Sergio; Molgo, Montserrat; Rodriguez, Alejandra; Valbuena, Jose R.
    Extensive necrotizing vasculitis (ENV) is a rare paraneoplastic phenomenon, and the majority of cases reported are associated with hematolymphoid neoplasms. Histologically, most cases of ENV represent leukocytoclastic vasculitis (LCV). Here we report the clinicopahological features of a 68-year-old man with ENV associated to a Epstein Barr virus-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (EBV+DLBCL) of the elderly, a newly recognized lymphoproliferative disorder, most likely representing a paraneoplastic manifestation. The patient was treated with standard chemotherapy regimen for malignant lymphoma. Due to the extensive involvement of the extremities by ENV, surgical debridement was not feasible and a novel therapy based on CHITOSAN apposits was initiated with overall good response and subsequent re-epithelization of the skin lesions. The patient died of sepsis secondary to a Pseudomona pneumonia 17 months after diagnosis.
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    Low Expression of Vitamin D Receptor in Patients With Dry Eye Disease
    (2024) Vieira, Antonia; Meza, Javiera; Garreton, Rodolfo; Grau, Arturo E.; Zoroquiain, Pablo
    Purpose:This study aimed to compare the expression of vitamin D receptor (VDR) on the ocular surface of patients with dry eye disease (DED) and controls without ophthalmological pathologies.Methods:Patients with DED without previous treatment were studied and compared with healthy subjects. Ocular Surface Disease Index assessement and ocular surface cytology were performed in all patients. The immunohistochemical expression of VDR was evaluated using fully automated immunohistochemistry. The evaluation involved multiplying the percentage of nuclear-labeled cells (0-100) by their intensity (0-3), resulting in a score ranging from 0 to 300 (VDR H-score). Squamous metaplasia was morphologically evaluated using liquid-phase cytology with Papanicolaou/periodic acid-Schiff staining using Nelson's grade (scale 0-3, higher grade to higher metaplastic change).Results:Eighteen patients with DED without previous treatment and 10 healthy subjects were studied. Squamous metaplasia was observed in 74% of patients with DED, in contrast to 0% in the control group. In patients with DED, there was a lower expression of VDR than in the control group (VDR H-score: 11.2 +/- 13.9 vs. 80.9 +/- 56; P = 0.0001). Furthermore, an inverse correlation was observed between Nelson grade and VDR H-score (P = 0.0001, rs = -0.71). No correlation was observed between Ocular Surface Disease Index and VDR H-score.Conclusions:This is the first study to evaluate the VDR in patients with DED. These patients presented with a lower expression of VDR than healthy subjects. No correlation was found with more severe symptoms. Patients with DED also had a higher frequency of squamous metaplasia.
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    p16ink4a Expression in Benign and Malignant Melanocytic Conjunctival Lesions
    (SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC, 2012) Zoroquiain, Pablo; Fernandes, Bruno F.; Gonzalez, Sergio; Novais, Gustavo N.; Schalper, Kurt A.; Burnier, Miguel N., Jr.
    Acquired conjunctival melanocytic lesions include nevi, primary acquired melanoses (PAMs), and melanomas. Conjunctival melanoma is a malignant melanocytic neoplasm with a high metastasis and mortality rate. Usually, the diagnosis can be achieved only with routine microscopic analysis, but in some cases, the samples are small or have artifacts. In these cases, complementary studies will be helpful, but currently, there are no well-understood or studied complementary methods. Objective. To analyze the immunohistochemical expression of p16 in conjunctival melanocytic lesions and to assess its potential for differentiating between benign and malignant melanocytic lesions. Methods. Immunohistochemical study against p16ink4a (p16) was performed on paraffin-embedded sections on 45 melanocytic lesions (9 melanomas, 19 nevi, and 2 PAMs with atypia and 15 without atypia). Expression was scored according to the German immunoreactive score (IRS). Results. Expression of p16 IRS differed between nevi, PAMs, and melanomas. The mean IRS for melanomas was 3.3 +/- 1.8 and was lower than those for nevi (7.63 +/- 3.24; P < .05), PAM with atypia (12 +/- 0; P < .05), and PAM without atypia (11 +/- 1.69; P < .05). Lesions with infiltration depths lower than 2 mm showed higher levels of p16. There were no differences between favorable and unfavorable locations. Conclusion. p16 Expression in conjunctival melanocytic lesions showed an expression similar to that in skin and seems to be a good marker to differentiate nevi and PAMs from melanomas. However, additional studies of larger series and follow-up are needed to confirm these findings.
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    PRAME/MELAN-A double immunostaining as a diagnostic tool for conjunctival melanocytic lesions: A South American experience
    (2023) Carvajal, Pedro; Zoroquiain, Pablo
    Introduction: PRAME (PReferentially expressed Antigen in Melanoma) is an antigen that is predominantly expressed in human melanomas. In cutaneous melanocytic lesions, PRAME expression is associated with malignancy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the co-expression of PRAME and Melan A to evaluate their diagnostic value in different conjunctival melanocytic lesions (CML).Methods: 37 CML (23 nevi, 9 primary acquired melanosis (PAM), and 5 conjunctival melanomas) were evaluated by immunohistochemistry for PRAME and Melan-A. The percentage of melanocytic cells co-expressing PRAME and Melan-A was qualitatively evaluated as follows: negative, 0%; 1 +, 1-25%; 2 +, 26-50%; 3 +, 51-75% and 4 + , >= 76%. Results: Of the invasive melanoma cases, 80% showed a 4 + pattern of marking, whereas 20% showed a 3 + pattern. 11% of the PAMs showed a 4 + pattern and 88.9% showed a 1 + pattern. All the nevi showed a 1 + pattern. The sensitivity and specificity of PRAME 4 + for differentiating high-grade CML from the benign and low-grade grouped CML are 93% and 100%, respectively.Conclusion: PRAME/MELAN-A double immunostain is particularly useful to differentiate benign from malignant conjunctival melanocytic lesions.
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    True Mixed Medullary Papillary Carcinoma of the Thyroid: a Case Report with Low Blood Calcitonin Levels
    (2012) Zoroquiain, Pablo; Torres, Javiera; Goni, Ignacio; Fernandez, Lizzet; Solar, Antonieta
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    Two Decades of Thyroid Nodule Cytology in Children: Malignancy Risk Assessment at a Tertiary Care Center
    (2024) Pino, Consuelo; Dominguez, Jose Miguel; Solar, Antonieta; Zoroquiain, Pablo; Cruz, Francisco; Garcia, Cristian; De Barbieri, Florencia; Mosso, Lorena; Lustig, Nicole; Gonzalez, Hernan; Leon, Augusto; Goni, Ignacio; Contreras, Andy; Grob, Francisca
    Introduction: Pediatric thyroid nodules exhibit higher malignancy rates compared to adults and are associated with increased incidences of metastases and recurrences. The American Thyroid Association recommends surgery for indeterminate thyroid biopsies in children based on these higher malignancy risks, though this approach may lead to overtreatment. However, there remains a lack of comprehensive pediatric data to inform clinical decisions. This study examines the risk of malignancy (ROM) in pediatric thyroid nodules using the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (TBSRTC) and assesses the diagnostic accuracy of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy compared to histological outcomes. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was performed on patients under 19 years with thyroid nodules who underwent FNA and thyroidectomy at a tertiary care center. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and ROM of cytological biopsies were evaluated using TBSRTC criteria, with histology serving as the gold standard. Two analyses were conducted to assess diagnostic accuracy: (a) TBSRTC II as negative and TBSRTC VI as positive and (b) TBSRTC II as negative with TBSRTC V and VI as positive. For neoplasia detection, TBSRTC II was deemed negative, while TBSRTC IV, V, and VI were considered positive. TBSRTC categories III and I were excluded from the performance analysis and evaluated separately. Follicular neoplasm or lesions suspicious for follicular neoplasm (FN/SFN) were treated as positive outcomes, correlated with the presence of adenoma or carcinoma in the surgical specimen. Results: Of 75 nodules from 73 patients, 28 (37.3%) were benign and 47 (62.6%) malignant. No significant differences in gender or age were noted between groups. The ROM in each TBSRTC was Bethesda I 0/2, 0%; II 0/13, 0%; III 2/7, 29%: IV 6/14, 43%; V 10/10, 100%, and VI 29/29, 100%. A sensitivity of 78.38% and specificity of 100% for FNA in detecting malignancy was found, with an even higher sensitivity (100%) for detecting neoplasia in TBSRTC IV. Conclusions: This study reveals that indeterminate thyroid nodules in pediatric patients exhibit a higher rate of malignancy compared to adults, yet align with rates previously reported in the pediatric population. These findings highlight the critical need for guidelines tailored specifically to the management of thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer in children.