抑癌基因KLF-6和APC在结直肠癌组织中的表达及临床意义

目的 研究抑癌基因KLF-6和APC在结直肠癌中的表达规律及其临床意义。方法 应用RT-PCR和免疫组织化学法对32例结直肠癌组织和正常黏膜组织中KLF-6和APC基因mRNA及蛋白的表达进行检测和分析。结果 KLF-6与APC的mRNA阳性表达率在结直肠癌组织中分别为37、5％和34，3％，明显低于正常结直肠黏膜组织的96．9％和93．8％（P〈0．05）。KLF-6与APC的免疫组化染色阳性表达率在结直肠癌组织中分别为28．1％和25．0％，明显低于正常结直肠黏膜组织的81．3％和84．4％（P〈0．05）。KLF-6与APC在结直肠癌中的表达存在相关性（P〈0．05），并与肿瘤组织的分化程度、浸润深度、淋巴结转移及临床分期均有明显相关性（P〈0．05）。结论 抑癌基因KLF-6和APC的低表达可能与结直肠癌的发生、发展、转移及预后有关，且两者存在相关性。     

Characterization of an immunologic polymorphism (D79H) in the heavy chain of factor V.

BACKGROUND: During the study of a family with hereditary factor (F)V deficiency (FV Amersfoort, 1102 A > T in exon 7) we identified an individual with 5% FV heavy chain antigen (FV(HC)) and 50% FV light chain antigen (FV(LC)). Further testing revealed that apart from the FV Amersfoort allele a second variant FV allele was segregating in this family, which encodes for a FV molecule with a reduced affinity for mAb V-23 used in the FV heavy chain ELISA (ELISA(HC)). OBJECTIVE: Identification and characterization of the molecular basis responsible for the reduced affinity of the variant FV for mAb V-23. METHODS: Family members of the proband were screened for mutations in the exons coding for the heavy chain of FV, after which the recombinant variant FV could be generated and characterized. Next, the cases and controls of the Leiden Thrombophilia Study (LETS) were genotyped for carriership of the variant FV. RESULTS: In the variant FV allele a polymorphism in exon 3 (409G > C) was identified, which predicts the replacement of aspartic acid 79 by histidin (D79H). Introduction of this mutation in recombinant FV confirmed that it reduces the affinity for binding to mAb V-23. The substitution has no effect on FV(a) stability and Xa-cofactor activity. In Caucasians the frequency of the FV-79H allele is approximately 5%. Analysis of the LETS revealed that the FV-79H allele is not associated with FV levels (FV(LC)), activated protein C sensitivity (using an activated partial thromboplastin time-based test) or risk of venous thrombosis (OR 1.07, CI 95: 0.7-1.7). CONCLUSION: The D79H substitution in FV should be considered as a neutral polymorphism. The monoclonal antibody V-23, which has a strongly reduced affinity for FV-79H, is not suitable for application in diagnostic tests.     

Epitope Context and Reshaping of Activated T Helper Cell Repertoire

In recent years, a growing interest in the study of peptide antigenicity in relation to the role of flanking sequences and protein topology in processing, presentation, and recognition has been observed. However, the information available on the antigenicity of recombinant fusion proteins and their effect on the selection of antigen receptor repertoires is limited. To analyze the role of molecular topology of T epitopes in a system relevant to human pathology, we have used the bacterially expressed Schistosoma japonicum glutathione S transferase (GST) to construct recombinant antigens containing HIV-1 derived T cell determinants, and human T cell clones specific for these determinants. We found that antigenicity of a given GST—peptide combination was not the same when T cells and antigen presenting cells from different individuals were tested. Our results show that differences in processing and presentation of chimeric proteins are not dictated by the use of diverse restriction elements. We also found that the context in which an antigenic peptide is delivered affects the recruited repertoire as defined according to T cell receptor Vβ usage and fine specificities of selected T cells.     

Increased stem cell somatic mutation in the non-neoplastic colorectal mucosa of patients with familial adenomatous polyposis

Colorectal tumorigenesis in familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) results from somatic mutation of either the normal APC allele or another growth control gene in epithelial cells bearing a germline APC defect. The rate at which tumors develop is therefore dependent on the somatic mutation frequency; it is not known whether this is normal or elevated in FAP. We aimed to quantify stem cell somatic mutation in FAP, comparing it with hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) and Crohn's disease (CD). Stem cell somatic mutation frequency was studied in 47 FAP patients, 5 HNPCC patients, and 13 CD patients, all younger than 49 years, by quantifying crypt-restricted loss of O-acetyltransferase activity in sections of morphologically normal colonic mucosa from individuals heterozygous for this monogenically inherited polymorphism. Median stem cell somatic mutation frequency was significantly higher in FAP than HNPCC (4.2 × 10⁻⁴v 1.4 × 10⁻⁴, Mann-Whitney U, P < .02). The level in CD (4.0 × 10⁻⁴) was similar to FAR Mutated crypts occurred in groups more frequently in FAP (22%) than HNPCC (12%) or CD (10%), suggesting an increase in stem cell division associated with crypt fission in FAP. We conclude that stem cell somatic mutation frequency is raised in non-neoplastic colorectal mucosa in FAR This is probably related to increased stem cell proliferation and contributes to the high rate of tumor formation in this condition.     

Cenani–Lenz syndrome and other related syndactyly disorders due to variants in LRP4, GREM1/FMN1, and APC: Insight into the pathogenesis and the relationship to polyposis through the WNT and BMP antagonistic pathways

Cenani–Lenz (C–L) syndrome is characterized by oligosyndactyly, metacarpal synostosis, phalangeal disorganization, and other variable facial and systemic features. Most cases are caused by homozygous and compound heterozygous missense and splice mutations of the LRP4 gene. Currently, the syndrome carries one OMIM number (212780). However, C–L syndrome‐like phenotypes as well as other syndactyly disorders with or without metacarpal synostosis/phalangeal disorganization are also known to be associated with specific LRP4 mutations, adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) truncating mutations, genomic rearrangements of the GREM1‐FMN1 locus, as well as FMN1 mutations. Surprisingly, patients with C–L syndrome‐like phenotype caused by APC truncating mutations have no polyposis despite the increased levels of β catenin. The LRP4 and APC proteins act on the WNT (wingless‐type integration site family) canonical pathway, whereas the GREM‐1 and FMN1 proteins act on the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) pathway. In this review, we discuss the different mutations associated with C–L syndrome, classify its clinical features, review familial adenomatous polyposis caused by truncating APC mutations and compare these mutations to the splicing APC mutation associated with syndactyly, and finally, explore the pathophysiology through a review of the cross talks between the WNT canonical and the BMP antagonistic pathways.     

Simple,rapid, and accurate determination of deletion mutations by automated dna sequencing of heteroduplex fragments of the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene generated by PCR amplification

Germline mutations in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the adenomatous polyposis coli gene. PCR products from heterozygous patients for deletions of this gene formed four distinct bands on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The four fragments were subsequently purified and both strands of each fragment were directly sequenced, using an automated DNA sequencer and the same primers as those for PCR amplification. It was found that the two slower migrating fragments were “bulge” heteroduplexes, while the other two were homoduplexes made up of two wild-type strands and two deletion-mutant strands, respectively. The sites of deletions in the adenomatous polyposis coli gene could be exactly determined in four of the five patients. In an attempt to identify deletion-carriers of familial adenomatous polyposis at the presymptomatic stage, a family study was also carried out, and two children were found to have the same mutations as those of their affected parents. The direct sequencing of heteroduplex fragments generated during PCR amplification is a potentially useful method for detecting mutations of not only the adenomatous polyposis coli gene but also many other genes of genetic diseases. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Activated protein C resistance shows an association with pregnancy-induced hypertension

A common mutation in the factor V gene, the Leiden mutation, is the most frequent genetic cause of resistance to activated protein C (APC). Recent studies have shown that the prevalence of APC resistance is associated with severe pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). Our objective was to determine whether the factor V Leiden mutation is more prevalent in patients who developed severe PIH than in normotensive pregnant women. In 70 women with a history of severe PIH, of whom 15 had pre-eclampsia, we investigated common coagulation factors as well as APC resistance (factor V related). We found that seven of these 70 women showed low values for APC. Out of these, five were heterozygous and none was homozygous for factor V Leiden mutation. In a control group of normotensive pregnant women we found a 3.0% rate of APC resistance and a 3.0% rate of carriers of the Leiden mutation. These results indicate a significantly higher prevalence of both APC resistance and factor V Leiden mutation in women with severe PIH. Placental infarctions and micro-embolisms are considered to be one of the principle pathophysiological changes in severe PIH. Our results suggest that APC resistance is a risk factor for severe PIH, in addition to its well-known role in macrothrombo-embolism.     

Antigen presentation by naive macrophages, dendritic cells and B cells to primed T lymphocytes and their cytokine production following exposure to immunostimulating complexes.

Influenza virus envelope proteins incorporated into immunostimulating complexes (iscoms) are taken up and processed by various kinds of antigen-presenting cells (APC), encompassing peritoneal cells (PEC), unfractionated splenocytes, splenic dendritic cells (DC) or B cells. The iscom-pulsed naive APC stimulated primed T cells to proliferate and produce cytokine in vitro. In contrast, only DC and B cells pulsed with the same antigen (Ag) in the micelle form functioned as accessory cells stimulating the primed T cells to proliferate and produce cytokine. In general, iscoms were better inducers of cell proliferation than micelles. Iscoms stimulated more secretion of IL-2 and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) than the micelles, but both antigenic forms stimulated secretion of IL-4. DC and B cells pulsed with iscoms stimulated most efficiently the secretion of IL-2 and IFN-gamma. DC were superior to the other APC in stimulating primed T cells to secrete IFN-gamma. On the other hand, micelles stimulated more efficiently than iscoms splenic T cells from micelle-primed as well as iscom-primed mice to secrete IL-10. These data indicate that influenza virus envelope proteins incorporated in iscoms stimulate a broad T cell response, possibly emphasizing a Th1 type of response. The same Ag in a micelle form induce a more prominent Th2 type of T cell response. The results indicate that the administration of an Ag in an adjuvant formulation can superimpose a different cytokine profile on the immune response than that induced by the protein Ag alone.