Cholesterol accumulation is documented in various malignancies including breast cancer. Consequently, depleting cholesterol in cancer cells can serve as a viable treatment strategy. We identified the potency of 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD), a cholesterol-depletor in vitro against two breast cancer cell lines: MCF-7 (Oestrogen-receptor positive, ER+) and MDA-MB-231 (Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC)). The results were then compared against two non-cancerous cell lines using cytotoxic-, apoptosis-, and cholesterol-based assays. Treatment with HPβCD showed preferential and significant cytotoxic potential in cancer cells, inducing apoptosis in both cancer cell lines (p < 0.001). This was mediated due to significant depletion of cholesterol (p < 0.001). We further tested HPβCD in a MF-1 mice (n = 14) xenograft model and obtained 73.9%, 94% and 100% reduction in tumour size for late-, intermediate-, and early-stage TNBC, respectively. We also detected molecular-level perturbations in the expression patterns of several genes linked to breast cancer and cholesterol signalling pathways using RT²-PCR arrays and have identified SFRP1 as a direct binding partner to HPβCD through SPR drug interaction analysis. This work unravels mechanistic insights into HPβCD-induced cholesterol depletion, which leads to intrinsic apoptosis induction. Results from this study potentiate employing cholesterol depletion as a promising unconventional anticancer therapeutic strategy, which warrants future clinical investigations.

Background: Primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the kidney is a rare entity which tends to be associated with nephrolithiasis, chronic irritation, and infection. Due to its rarity and the non-specific clinical signs and symptoms as well as radiological findings, it is often not suspected preoperatively. Patients with SCC of the renal pelvis typically present with advanced stage disease and have a poor outcome. Most of our current knowledge of SCC of the renal pelvis has been derived from case reports or limited case series, and there are no standard treatment guidelines. The clinical, radiological, and histopathological findings of this unusual neoplasm are described herein. Case presentation: A 61-year-old female presented with left flank pain and sepsis. A computerized tomography (CT) scan showed renal calculi and hydronephrosis, and a mercapto-acetyl triglycine (MAG-3) scan showed a left-sided non-functioning kidney. She underwent a nephrectomy for an infected, non-functioning kidney. Histopathological examination revealed an invasive, moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Conclusion: The significance of this case is highlighted by the unusual location of such a tumour, and while rare, it is an important consideration in the differential diagnoses of renal tumours. The present case report may assist patient management of this rare tumour by highlighting and documenting treatment and clinical outcome of our patient.

Granuloma formation is the pathologic hallmark of tuberculosis (TB). Few studies have detailed the exact production of cytokines in human granulomatous inflammation and little is known about accessory molecule expressions in tuberculous granulomas. We aimed to identify some of the components of the immune response in granulomas in HIV-positive and -negative lymph nodes. We investigated the immunohistochemical profiles of CD4⁺, CD8⁺, CD68⁺, Th-17, Forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) cells, accessory molecule expression (human leukocyte antigen [HLA] classes I and II), and selected cytokines (interleukins 2, 4, and 6 and interferon-γ) of various cells, in granulomas within lymph nodes from 10 HIV-negative (−) and 10 HIV-positive (+) cases. CD4⁺ lymphocyte numbers were retained in HIV− granulomas, whereas CD4+:CD8 + cell were reversed in HIV+ TB granulomas. CD68 stained all histiocytes. Granulomas from the HIV+ group demonstrated a significant increase in FOXP3 cells. Interleukin-2 cytoplasmic expression was similar in both groups. Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) expression was moderately increased, IL-6 was statistically increased and IL-4 expression was marginally lower in cells from HIV− than HIV+ TB granulomas. Greater numbers of cells expressed IFN-γ and IL-6 than IL-2 and IL-4 in HIV− TB granulomas. This study highlights the varied cytokine production in HIV-positive and -negative TB granulomas and indicates the need to identify localized tissue factors that play a role in mounting an adequate immune response required to halt infection. Although TB mono-infection causes variation in cell marker expression and cytokines in granulomas, alterations in TB and HIV coinfection are greater, pointing toward evolution of microorganism synergism.

Background: Epithelial ovarian neoplasms constitute the majority of ovarian tumours and are the most common malignant ovarian neoplasm. They are the eighth leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. This study evaluated the epidemiology and histological subtypes of epithelial ovarian neoplasms at a single institution. Methods: This retrospective, quantitative analysis evaluated 123 epithelial ovarian neoplasms between 2013 and 2017 and classified them according to age, biological behaviour and histological subtype. Results: Of 123 cases, 64 (52.0%), tumours were benign, 30 (24.4%) were borderline and 29 (23.6%) tumours were malignant. Serous cystadenoma was the most common benign tumour (42.2%). Mucinous borderline tumours were the most common borderline neoplasm (50.0%). High-grade serous carcinoma was the most common carcinoma (58.6%). Patients presented at an older age with borderline tumours and malignant tumours, compared with patients with benign tumours. Conclusion: The current study demonstrated that serous tumours were the most common type of benign and malignant tumours whilst mucinous neoplasms were the commonest subtype of borderline tumours. These findings are congruent with multiple similar studies. A higher number of borderline tumours were seen in this cohort in comparison with previous studies. This suggests a need for additional sampling of borderline tumours, over and above the international standard, in our population, to definitively exclude invasive malignancy. This study also demonstrated the histological progression of benign serous and mucinous tumours to borderline tumours and low-grade serous carcinoma and mucinous carcinoma, respectively, which supports the stepwise tumour progression model of these tumours.