Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is a non-invasive bronchoscopic technique used to aspirate cells from the pulmonary interstitium, initially applied to detect neoplastic cells but later expanded for microbiological studies, leukocyte counts, molecular analyses, and immunophenotyping. This broader approach has linked BAL to the study of interstitial lung diseases (ILD). Despite its use since the 1970s, standardization of BAL cytopathological analysis is lacking, hindering its routine clinical application. The limited number of studies, particularly in Southern Hemisphere countries, reflects challenges in refining laboratory procedures and cytological findings. This article discusses the diagnostic potential of BAL when combined with clinical and radiological data. Integrating cytomorphologic findings with molecular techniques enhances its accuracy, particularly for cases with undefined etiopathogenesis, offering improved diagnostic and follow-up capabilities. The results make it clear that BALF cytology helps tell the difference between different types of ILDs. They also show that it is a useful tool for monitoring and diagnosing lung diseases.

Moringa oleifera Lam. seeds contain lectins that exhibit interesting bioactive properties, but their effects on metabolic syndrome (MetS) remain poorly understood. This work evaluated the effects of the water-soluble lectin from M. oleifera seeds (WSMoL) on metabolic, inflammatory, and histopathological alterations in a mouse model of MetS-like features. Male Swiss mice were fed a high-fat diet plus condensed milk solution for 11 weeks. Animals then received phosphate-buffered saline (negative control), orlistat (40 mg/kg), or WSMoL (1, 2, or 4 mg/kg, i.p.) for 14 days. A healthy group (Sham) received standard chow. The MetS-like protocol induced obesity, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, visceral adiposity, and systemic inflammation. WSMoL improved metabolic parameters at all doses, reducing visceral fat, attenuating hyperglycemia, and improving the lipid profile. It also decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-6) while increasing IL-10 levels. WSMoL prevented hepatic steatosis and renal lipid accumulation, although inflammatory and degenerative tissue changes persisted. The 4 mg/kg dose showed efficacy but was associated with elevated AST and more frequent inflammatory alterations. In conclusion, WSMoL mitigated key features of MetS-like condition, although incomplete tissue recovery and signs of organ stress at the highest dose warrant caution regarding its potential therapeutic use.

Thyroid cancer (TC) is the seventh most common cancer and the twenty-fourth most deadly, according to GLOBOCAN estimates for 2022. The diagnosis of TC is confirmed by histopathological analysis after surgical biopsy, in addition to previous ultrasound and cytopathological evaluations. Despite this, TC still lacks a definitive molecular classification, capable of not only identifying tumors in terms of their cellular origin, but also distinguishing them in terms of aggressiveness, benign or malignant nature and prognosis. This study investigated the potential of matrix metalloproteinase 26 (MMP-26) as a complementary biomarker for the diagnosis of nodular thyroid lesions. Fifty histological blocks, including healthy thyroid tissue, nodular goiter and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), were analyzed using immunohistochemistry. The results showed significant differences in MMP-26 immunoreactivity between healthy thyroid tissue, nodular goiter and PTC, as shown by Spearman's analysis (p<0,001), Chi-square (p<0,001) and logistic regression (p<0,001). However, there were no significant differences between MMP-26 immunoreactivity and clinical-pathological data. MMP-26 showed good sensitivity (93,3% and 100%) and negative predictive values (90,91% and 100%) but low specificity (28,57% and 40%) for identifying nodular goiter and PTC, respectively. It is concluded that MMP-26 is a promising complementary biomarker for the diagnosis of thyroid tumors, highlighting its participation in the pathogenesis of lesions. However, more research is needed to determine its real impact as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker.

The presence of thyroid nodules is a frequent finding in the adult population, most of which are benign lesions, while malignant tumors generally have a good prognosis. However, undetermined lesions generally lead to possibly unnecessary surgical procedures, reinforcing the need for complementary diagnostic methods capable of ensuring more assertive clinical approaches. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are endopeptidases associated with the remodeling of the tissue matrix, and are regulated by tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), both of which are involved in tumorigenic processes and neoplastic progression. This study analyzed cytological samples from 90 patients treated at the Hospital das Clínicas of the Federal University of Pernambuco (HC/UFPE) between 2015 and 2017. Clinical-pathological and immunocytochemical (ICQ) evaluations for MMP-9 and TIMP-2 were carried out, with statistical analysis including Spearman's correlation and logistic regression. Statistically significant differences in MMP-9 and TIMP-2 immunoreactivity between benign, atypical and malignant lesions were observed, with MMP-9 and TIMP-2 assisting in the probable exclusion or confirmation of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), respectively. It was therefore concluded that MMP-9 and TIMP-2 are promising diagnostic biomarkers, able to complement pre-surgical cytological analysis of nodular thyroid lesions.

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is a non-invasive tool that allows direct sampling of the lung interstitium, facilitating cytological, microbiological, and molecular analyses. The Human Papillomavirus (HPV), known for its oncogenic role mainly in the genital regions, also can be found in the lungs, but its pathological implications remain poorly elucidated. This study aims to identify the presence of HPV-DNA in patients with suspected lung diseases through BAL. A cross-sectional and analytical study was carried out involving 146 patients admitted to hospitals in the Metropolitan Region of Recife. To detect HPV DNA, 46 samples were processed using PCR technique with MY09/11 consensus primers, followed by Nested-PCR with GP5/6 primers. The presence of HPV-DNA was confirmed in 4 (8.69%) samples, all benign and suspected of interstitial diseases. These findings indicate the feasibility of detecting HPV in the lung interstitium by BAL using Nested-PCR and suggest a new perspective in understanding the presence of HPV in lung tissue. In addition, to corroborating the statement that HPV is not limited to tissue and malignant samples, offering a new methodological dimension to the HPV investigation on lung.