Deregulated WNT signaling in childhood T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

WNT signaling has been implicated in the regulation of hematopoietic stem cells and plays an important role during T-cell development in thymus. Here we investigated WNT pathway activation in childhood T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) patients. To evaluate the potential role of WNT signaling in T-cell leukomogenesis, we performed expression analysis of key components of WNT pathway. More than 85% of the childhood T-ALL patients showed upregulated β-catenin expression at the protein level compared with normal human thymocytes. The impact of this upregulation was reflected in high expression of known target genes (AXIN2, c-MYC, TCF1 and LEF). Especially AXIN2, the universal target gene of WNT pathway, was upregulated at both mRNA and protein levels in ∼40% of the patients. When β-CATENIN gene was silenced by small interfering RNA, the cancer cells showed higher rates of apoptosis. These results demonstrate that abnormal WNT signaling activation occurs in a significant fraction of human T-ALL cases independent of known T-ALL risk factors. We conclude that deregulated WNT signaling is a novel oncogenic event in childhood T-ALL.

Brucellar arthritis of knee in a child

A 15-month-old boy was admitted with fever and a swollen knee. His mother had been treated for brucellosis 11 months ago. At that time he had been asymptomatic and had both negative blood culture and serum agglutination tests and breastfeeding had been stopped. The infant had been healthy since then. On admission, blood and joint fluid were obtained for culture and he was commenced on cefuroxim. Gram-negative coccobacillary organisms were seen in the joint fluid. Both cultures remained sterile. He had a positive serum agglutination test with a titer of 1/640. Cefuroxim was then stopped and the child was commenced on a specific course of treatment: gentamicin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and rifampicin. The infant recovered with this treatment. We conclude that this was brucellar arthritis of the knee and was probably acquired by breastmilk after an exceptionally long incubation period.

Fulminant hepatic failure and autoimmune hemolytic anemia associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection

Acute hepatic failure has been reported in the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia may also occur in the course of this infection. We report a rare case of fulminant hepatic failure and autoimmune hemolytic anemia associated with Epstein-Barr virus. A seven-year-old girl was admitted with the complaints of abdominal pain, vomiting and jaundice. She was irritable, confused and had mild hepatomegaly with marked splenomegaly. Serum aminotransferase levels were moderately elevated, while direct and indirect bilirubin levels were markedly elevated. Prothrombin time was prolonged. Hemoglobin was 3.9 g/dl. Anti-HAV IgM, HbsAg, anti-HBc IgM, anti-HCV and anti-CMV IgM were negative, while IgM VCA EBV, IgG VCA EBV and anti-CMV IgG were positive. Serum copper and ceruloplasmin levels were normal. The patient received supportive therapy for hepatic failure. Meanwhile, the cause of the deep anemia was investigated and autoimmune hemolytic anemia was ascertained by means of increased reticulocyte count and positive Coombs test. Corticosteroid therapy was administered. The prognosis was good. Although not reported before, the combination of acute hepatic failure and autoimmune hemolytic anemia may complicate the course of EBV infection. Physicians need to be aware of this association.

Multiple dose IVIG treatment in neonatal immune hemolytic jaundice

Isoimmune hemolytic jaundice due to ABO and Rh blood group incompatibility is an important problem in the neonatal period. Intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) treatment in isoimmune jaundice has been shown to be effective, but the response to treatment is variable. In this study, the effect of multiple doses IVIG therapy versus single dose MG therapy was investigated in 61 babies who had ABO and Rh hemolytic disease. Patients were divided into three groups. Group I received multiple dose IVIG treatment, group II received single dose MG treatment, and group III was not given any IVIG. All three groups received phototherapy. No exchange transfusion was needed in group I. The rate of exchange transfusion was 12 per cent in group II and 33 per cent in group III. Duration of phototherapy was shorter in group I than in groups II and III. It was concluded that IVIG treatment reduces the need of exchange transfusion in neonatal isoimmune hemolytic jaundice by lowering hemolysis. Multiple doses IVIG treatment appears to be better at blocking ongoing hemolysis.

Recombinant human growth hormone treatment in children with thalassemia major

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the growth hormone reserve and the growth hormone response to recombinant human growth hormone (GH) in prepubertal thalassemic children with growth retardation.

METHODS

Twenty thalassemic patients with short stature and delayed bone age were studied. Patients were randomized into GH-treated (n = 10) and non-GH treated (control; n = 10) groups. The GH-treated group received recombinant human (rh)-GH (Genotropin) at the dose of 0.7 IU/kg per week for 12 months.

RESULTS

There was a significant discordance between GH response to pharmacologic stimuli and physiological secretion of GH/GHRH testing. Following the administration of rhGH, growth velocity increased from 2.47 +/- 0.48 cm/year to 6.27 +/- 0.76 cm/year (P = 0.005), whereas there was not a similar change in the non-GH-treated group. The height velocities of the two groups during the 1 year follow-up period were significantly different (6.27 +/- 0.76 vs 3.99 +/- 0.34 cm/year; P = 0.025). There were significant differences between the height velocity improvements and height velocity standard deviation scores of the two groups as well.

CONCLUSION

The present study has demonstrated that rhGH is a safe and efficacious mode of treatment in thalassemic children.

A case of severe thrombocytopenia due to parvovirus B19 virus

A 9-year-old girl admitted with generalized skin, mucosa, and genitourinary system bleeding had anemia and thrombocytopenia. Her bone marrow was normocellular. Parvovirus B19 IgM and IgG were positive. An absence of reticulocytopenia suggested that the virus affected only the megakaryocytic cell line and the anemia was due to generalized bleeding resulting from thrombocytopenia. Intravenous immunoglobulin treatment was instituted. On the tenth day of hospitalization the patient recovered from anemia and thrombocytopenia. IgM antibodies disappeared.