Hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (HPH) is characterized by sustained pulmonary vasoconstriction and vascular remodeling, both of which are mediated by pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC) contraction and proliferation, respectively. An increase in cytosolic Ca 2ϩ concentration ([Ca 2ϩ ]cyt) is a major trigger for pulmonary vasoconstriction and an important stimulus for cell proliferation in PASMCs. Ca 2ϩ influx through voltage-dependent Ca 2ϩ channels (VDCC) is an important pathway for the regulation of [Ca 2ϩ ]cyt. The potential role for L-and T-type VDCC in the development of HPH is still unclear. Using a hypoxic-induced pulmonary hypertension mouse model, we undertook this study to identify if VDCC in pulmonary artery (PA) are functionally upregulated and determine which type of VDCC are altered in HPH. Mice subjected to chronic hypoxia developed pulmonary hypertension within 4 wk, and high-K ϩ -and U-46619-induced contraction of PA was greater in chronic hypoxic mice than that in normoxic control mice. Additionally, we demonstrate that high-K ϩ -and U-46619-induced Ca 2ϩ influx in PASMC is significantly increased in the hypoxic group. The VDCC activator, Bay K8864, induced greater contraction of the PA of hypoxic mice than in that of normoxic mice in isometric force measurements. L-type and T-type VDCC blockers significantly attenuated absolute contraction of the PA in hypoxic mice. Chronic hypoxia did not increase high-K ϩ -and U-46619-induced contraction of mesenteric artery (MA). Compared with MA, PA displayed higher expression of calcium channel voltagedependent L-type ␣ 1C-subunit (Cav1.2) and T-type ␣1H-subunit (Ca v3.2) upon exposure to chronic hypoxia. In conclusion, both L-type and T-type VDCC were functionally upregulated in PA, but not MA, in HPH mice, which could result from selectively increased expression of Ca v1.2 and Cav3.2.hypoxia; voltage-dependent calcium ion channel; pulmonary artery; mouse; calcium channel voltage-dependent L-type ␣ 1C-subunit; calcium channel voltage-dependent T-type ␣ 1H-subunit PERSISTENT HYPOXIA INDUCES vasoconstriction of small pulmonary arteries (PA) and vascular remodeling, including smooth muscle cell hypertrophy and hyperplasia, eventually resulting in hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH). Pulmonary hypertension associated with hypoxia belongs to the third group in the classification of pulmonary hypertension according to the proceedings of the Fourth World Symposium on Pulmonary Hypertension at Dana Point 2008 (17). Over time, HPH causes right ventricle hypertrophy, right ventricular failure, and death (1, 37). Pulmonary hypertension related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common forms of HPH and is significantly associated with increased mortality (8, 36). Currently, there is no specific therapy for pulmonary hypertension associated with COPD, which provides motivation for researchers to understand the pathogenic mechanisms of HPH.Sustained pulmonary vasoconstriction and vascular remodeling are the predomina...

For every 100,000 women in the United States, eight new cervical cancer cases and two deaths are reported as per the most recent (2017) Center of Disease Control and Prevention statistics. Of all the gynecologic cancers (ovary, uterus, cervix, vagina, and vulva), only cervical cancer has a screening test. Cervical Pap test (or Pap smear) is the best screening method for cervical precancerous lesions and is best reported using a unified and a well-established reporting system like The Bethesda System. In this system, “Epithelial cell abnormality: Squamous” includes squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL) category which encompasses a spectrum of squamous cell lesions starting from the precancerous lesions of low-grade SIL (LSIL) to high-grade SIL (HSIL), and ultimately invasive squamous cell carcinoma. However, depending on the qualitative and quantitative limitations with the specimen, some equivocal morphological features suggestive of squamous cell abnormality may fall under equivocal category: “Atypical Squamous Cells” (ASCs), which are subdivided into two categories; “Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance” (ASC-US) or “Atypical Squamous Cells, HSIL cannot be excluded” (ASC-H), based on the suspected underlying lesion LSIL versus HSIL, respectively. This review provides the key cytologic features that distinguish Bethesda squamous categories from other important entities, using algorithmic approach and illustrations of common cytomorphologic patterns for clear identification of those entities in practice. The important mimickers which may be considered during the differential interpretation of SIL are discussed and presented here in a brief cytomorphologic review.

Pulmonary vascular remodeling and increased arterial wall stiffness are two major causes for the elevated pulmonary vascular resistance and pulmonary arterial pressure in patients and animals with pulmonary hypertension. Cellular copper (Cu) plays an important role in angiogenesis and extracellular matrix remodeling; increased Cu in vascular smooth muscle cells has been demonstrated to be associated with atherosclerosis and hypertension in animal experiments. In this study, we show that the Cu-uptake transporter 1, CTR1, and the Cu-efflux pump, ATP7A, were both upregulated in the lung tissues and pulmonary arteries of mice with hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension. Hypoxia also significantly increased expression and activity of lysyl oxidase (LOX), a Cu-dependent enzyme that causes crosslinks of collagen and elastin in the extracellular matrix. In vitro experiments show that exposure to hypoxia or treatment with cobalt (CoCl2) also increased protein expression of CTR1, ATP7A, and LOX in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMC). In PASMC exposed to hypoxia or treated with CoCl2, we also confirmed that the Cu transport is increased using 64Cu uptake assays. Furthermore, hypoxia increased both cell migration and proliferation in a Cu-dependent manner. Downregulation of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) with siRNA significantly attenuated hypoxia-mediated upregulation of CTR1 mRNA. In summary, the data from this study indicate that increased Cu transportation due to upregulated CTR1 and ATP7A in pulmonary arteries and PASMC contributes to the development of hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension. The increased Cu uptake and elevated ATP7A also facilitate the increase in LOX activity and thus the increase in crosslink of extracellular matrix, and eventually leading to the increase in pulmonary arterial stiffness.