The results of our study suggest that the anti-fibrotic effect of thalidomide on lung fibrosis may be related to suppression of the TGF-beta1-induced ERK1/2 signaling pathway.

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disorder in which lymphocytes infiltrate the exocrine glands, resulting in the development of sicca symptoms. Lymphocytes may also invade various other organs and cause diverse symptoms. Interstitial pneumonia has been observed frequently in SS patients. Typically, the pneumonia responds well to systemic steroids, and fatal cases are rare. We experienced a case of lymphocytic pneumonia accompanied by SS and treated with cyclophosphamide pulse therapy, and we present details of the case herein.

Primary retroperitoneal mucinous cystadenocarcinoma is a rare tumor. Only about 30 such cases have been reported in the worldwide literature, and a few Korean cases have been reported. The pathogenesis is not clear, and coelomic metaplasia of the retroperitoneal mesothelium has gained wide support. There is no consensus on the appropriate treatment, but surgical exploration is needed for the diagnosis and treatment, and adjuvant chemotherapy may be recommended following complete surgical excision. The long-term prognosis has not been established.We report here on a 32-year-old woman who was diagnosed as having a retroperitoneal mucinous cystadenocarcinoma with mural nodules of sarcomatoid change. Tumor excision and adjuvant chemotherapy were done and the patient is doing well without any evidence of recurrence at 42 months postoperatively.

An intraneural reticular perineurioma of the hypoglossal nerve should be included in the differential diagnosis of submandibular swelling.

Purpose: Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is a novel tumor suppressor gene located at chromosome 10q23. Ki-67 antigen is a human nuclear protein that is expressed in all active parts of the cell cycle. We evaluated the significance of PTEN and Ki-67 expression in prostate cancer and investigated the relation of this expression with clinico-pathological factors in prostate cancer. Materials and Methods: Initially, we did two kinds of immunohistochemical staining for PTEN and Ki-67. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on 75 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded cancer specimens. Staining on paraffin blocks from prostate carcinomas was compared with that for adjacent normal prostate. Stainings were considered positive if nuclear staining was seen. Positive stainings were analyzed with the patient's clinico-pathological findings. Statistical analysis was performed by using chi-square test with p＜0.05 considered significant. Results: PTEN was expressed in 65 (86.6%) of 75 specimens. Ki-67 was expressed in 63 (84.0%) of 75 specimens. The staining scores of the tumor cells for PTEN and Ki-67 were higher than those of the adjacent normal cells (p＜0.05). The staining scores for PTEN were negatively correlated with the serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level and Gleason score, but this was not statistically significant (p＞0.05). PTEN expression was negatively correlated with lymph node or distant metastases (p＜0.05). Ki-67 was positively correlated with the serum PSA level, the Gleason score, and metastases (p＜0.05). Conclusions: PTEN and Ki-67 staining correlated well with Gleason score and PSA level in prostate cancer. These could be a possible predictor of prostatic neoplasms. (Korean J Urol 2009;50:560-566) 서 론 전립선암은 서구에서 가장 빈발하며, 악성종양 중 세 번 째 높은 사망률을 보이고 있다. 1-3 전립선암의 형질변환과 진행에는 여러 생물학적 인자가 작용할 것으로 추정된다. 아직까지 이에 대한 정확한 기전은 알려지지 않았지만, 여 러 종양유전자 및 종양억제유전자 등이 세포증식과 세포고 사에 관여한다는 보고가 있다. 이 중에서 phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)는 대표적인 종양억제 유전자로 잘 알려져 있고, 염색체 10q23.3에 위치해 있다. 4 PTEN 유전자 는 방광암, 유방암, 폐암 등의 암에서 돌연변이 혹은 결손이 밝혀졌고, 세포주기 정지 및 세포사멸을 유도할 뿐만 아니 라 세포이동과 분화를 조절하는 것으로 알려졌다. 5-7 PTEN 의 결손은 PIP3의 축적을 유발하고, PI3-kinase/Akt pathway 를 활성화시켜서, 이를 통해 세포주기의 진행과 세포의 생 존과 이동을 자극시킨다. 8 최근의 연구는 PTEN이 저산소 상태에서 전립선암의 angiogenesis에 관여한다는 것을 밝혀