IntroductionRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease of joints that is characterized by three main manifestations, namely inflammation, abnormal cellular and humoral immunoresponse, and synovial hyperplasia. Eventually the interplay between these pathologic processes leads to complete joint destruction [1].A hallmark of RA is infiltration of leukocytes into synovial tissue, mediated by a complex network of cytokines, adhesion molecules and chemoattractants [2][3][4][5][6]. The presence of activated leukocytes contributes to persistence of destructive synovitis [6,7]. Nevertheless, leukocyte recruitment to the joint is not yet fully understood. The presence of specific functional and inflammatory T-cell subsets that CXCL = Cys-X-Cys ligand; CXCR = Cys-X-Cys receptor; G3PDH = glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; IFN = interferon; IL = interleukin; MC = mast cell; OA = osteoarthritis; PBS = phosphate buffered saline; PCR = polymerase chain reaction; RA = rheumatoid arthritis; RT = reverse transcription; TCR = T-cell receptor; Th = T-helper (cell).

A rapid and simple multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR)V-D-J joining, the use of multiple D regions and the extensive is described that is capable of identifying the six most frequent use of non-template-encoded N-and template-encoded P- TCR-␦ gene rearrangement patterns in childhood ALL consti-

Nongestational choriocarcinomas rarely occur outside the gonads or teratomas. We report a serous carcinoma of the endometrium with a choriocarcinomatous component and review of the literature. A 61-year-old woman underwent hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy for a serous carcinoma with choriocarcinomatous component. Immunohistochemistry showed a strong p53 staining of the serous component and the cytotrophoblastic cells of the choriocarcinomatous component; the syncytiotrophoblast was negative. The initial serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) was 225,000 IU/L. Postoperatively, the patient developed diffuse pulmonary metastatic disease. Despite chemotherapy, the patient died 2 months after initial diagnosis. Abstracting the data from the reported cases and from the literature, it can be assumed that 2 different tumor types exist. The first one is morphologically and clinically more related to the gestational choriocarcinoma with strongly elevated serum hCG levels, early onset of (distant) metastatic disease, and consecutively rapid and often fatal clinical course. The second type presents as an endometrial carcinoma with single syncytiotrophoblast-like cells, associated with low serum hCG, no distant metastatic disease, and, consequently, a better prognosis. The prognostically relevant component for long-time survival in the latter variant is the nontrophoblastic component.

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