Sister chromatid exchanges in peripheral lymphocytes from women with carcinoma of the uterine cervix

Sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) are reciprocal exchanges between sister chromatids. It has been reported that in patients with cervical cancer, the frequency of SCE in peripheral lymphocytes is significantly higher than that in normal individuals; however, other studies have shown no significant difference. The aim of this unmatched case-control study was to compare the mean number of SCE per metaphase in lymphocytes from women with and without carcinoma of the cervix uteri. The SCE specimens were prepared by the fluorescence plus giemsa technique in peripheral lymphocytes from 28 women with carcinoma of cervix uteri and 28 controls. The mean number of SCE per metaphase in women with carcinoma of cervix uteri (7.80 +/- 1.05) was higher than the control group (6.98 +/- 1.13) (P < 0.05; t-test). This study had a statistical power of 0.80 and an alpha value of 0.05. This finding suggests that an increased number of SCE in peripheral lymphocytes is associated with cervical cancer. We consider that the lack of reported association of SCE and cervical cancer might be attributed to the none determination of the statistical power and sample size.     

Effects of temperature on the frequency of sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in peripheral blood lymphocytes of man and muntjac

The incidence of sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and cell proliferation kinetics have been studied in peripheral blood lymphocytes of man and muntjac grown at 33 to 44 degrees C to gain insight into SCE formation. The frequency of SCEs increased as a function of growth temperature. At a given temperature, however, the frequency of SCEs varied with the sampling times; the early sampled cells showed fewer SCEs than did those harvested late. At 33 degrees C the frequency of SCEs was lowest and there was a marked delay in cell-cycle progression. The number of SCEs was maximum at 40 degrees C in human and 42 degrees C in muntjac. Cell proliferation was markedly affected at higher temperature and 44 degrees C was found to be intolerable for lymphocytes of both the species. It is proposed that certain temperature-dependent enzyme(s) associated with DNA replication kinetics may be involved in the formation of SCEs.     

Studies on the incidence of Trichomonas vaginalis amongst pregnant women in Jos area of Plateau State, Nigeria.

An investigation was carried out on the incidence of Trichomonas vaginalis amongst pregnant women in Jos area of Plateau State, Nigeria. The pregnant women were made up of 250 women from Jos metropolis and 250 women from Jos rural area. Jos Metropolis women were found to have 37.6% rate of infection while Jos rural women were found to have 24.8% rate of infection. The pH range of the infected women was found to lie between 6-8. Their vaginal discharges were found to be frothy and greenish-yellow with a typical odour. Some had vulval irritations. Some reported that they had slight temperature rises above 37 degrees C in the nights. The infected women either belonged to the working class or were self employed. There was more infection amongst the working class women in the metropolis while the opposite was the case in Jos rural area. Some of the infected women had trichomoniasis alone while some were found to have mixed infection like trichomoniasis and candidosis, trichomoniasis and gonorrhoea or trichomoniasis, candidosis and gonorrhoea. The implications of these results are discussed.     

OK-432-induced cytokines production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells]

Cytokines production by OK-432-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were measured to investigate the in vitro function of macrophages (M phi) and lymphocytes. PBMC (1 x 10(6) cells/ml) were cultured with OK-432 (0.05 KE/ml) for 72 hr at 37 degrees C under 5% CO2, then interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta), interleukin 2 (IL-2) and soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels in the culture supernatants were measured by ELISA. While there was no significant differences of IL-1 beta production between patients with chronic active hepatitis type B (CAH-B) and controls, sIL-2R production (335 +/- 219 U/ml, mean +/- SD) was significantly decreased (p < 0.001) in patients with CAH-B. On the other hand, in pregnant women, production of both IL-1 beta (6.3 +/- 3.9 ng/ml, p < 0.01) and sIL-2R (300 +/- 169 U/ml, p < 0.001) were significantly lower than those in controls (13.5 +/- 3.8 ng/ml, 969 +/- 154 U/ml). These results suggest that the expression of IL-2R alpha on lymphocytes membrane is suppressed in patients with CAH-B, and that decreased M phi function is present in pregnant women.     

Sister chromatid exchanges, chromosome aberrations and micronuclei in female lymphocytes: correlations with biological rhythms, miscarriages and contraceptive pill use

Our study looked at the variation in peripheral blood lymphocytes, during the menstrual cycle, of frequencies of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) and micronuclei (MN) in 819 women and cells with aberrant chromosomes (CA) in a selected sample of 136 volunteers. We observed significant fluctuations in SCE and CA frequencies: SCEs reached a maximum value at the end of menstruation and a low at the time of ovulation, whereas CAs showed a continuous increase from the beginning of the menstrual cycle up to the time of ovulation and a progressive decrease thereafter. MN frequency did not fluctuate in a statistically significant way. No statistically significant differences in SCE, CA and MN frequencies were observed when fertile women were compared with women taking the contraceptive pill or those in menopause and no difference was found between women who had undergone physiological or surgically induced menopause. Moreover, no difference was found between women with a history of miscarriages and matched controls. These data together suggest that the natural variations in sexual hormone levels, but not those due to the contraceptive pill or their reduction at menopause, can contribute in modulating the baseline frequencies of SCEs and CAs. Moreover, these data suggest that the increased risks either of producing a chromosome imbalance in the progeny (eliciting miscarriages) or of occurrence of gynaecological diseases is not predictable by evaluating cytogenetic end-points in peripheral blood lymphocytes.     

Sister chromatid exchanges in the lymphocytes of patients with oral leukoplakia

The incidence of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) was investigated in lymphocyte chromosomes of 59 patients with oral leukoplakia and 65 age- and sex-matched nonsmoking controls. The frequency of SCE was found to be 8.61 +/- 1.89 in patients with oral leukoplakia, which was significantly higher than the mean SCE value of 5.58 +/- 1.26 observed in normal controls. The frequency of SCE in patients with oral leukoplakia addicted to the single habit of betel with tobacco chewing, bidi/cigarette smoking, and combined habits of chewing and smoking of tobacco were found to be 7.95 +/- 1.63, 8.17 +/- 1.66, and 9.23 +/- 2.14, respectively. These values were also significantly higher as compared to the SCE values observed in normal controls.     

Sister chromatid exchange in malignant lymphomas

Sister chromatid exchange (SCE) was evaluated in peripheral lymphocytes from 20 untreated patients with malignant lymphomas: 6 with Hodgkin's disease (HD), 14 with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and 5 with lymphadenitis. The mean SCE frequency (+/- SE) was: 11.2 +/- 0.6, 11.0 +/- 0.6, and 7.2 +/- 0.3 for HD, NHL, and lymphadenitis patients, respectively, and 8.7 +/- 0.2 for the control group. No differences in SCE score were observed in HD and NHL. These results allowed us to consider both groups (HD and NHL) as a single neoplastic population (mean +/- SE, 11.0 +/- 0.4). No significant differences were found between the lymphadenitis and control groups. On the other hand, significantly higher SCE scores were seen in neoplastic populations than in the control and lymphadenitis groups (p less than 0.001 and p less than 0.01, respectively). When SCE was compared by chromosome number and group between neoplastic patients and controls, a higher SCE frequency was observed in chromosomes #1, #2, #3, and B, C + X, E, F chromosome groups than in controls. SCE levels were significantly higher in lymphoma patients in all chromosome numbers and groups mentioned than in patients with lymphadenitis. It is suggested that the high SCE rate in the malignant lymphoma population is possibly related to an increased chromosomal instability.     

低剂量医用电离辐射作业的习惯性流产妇女淋巴细胞遗传损伤研究

目的分析医用电离辐射作业女性外周血淋巴细胞姐妹染色单体互换(SCE)对习惯性流产的影响。方法随机选择医用电离辐射作业的习惯性流产女性34人和正常的育龄女性20人,检测其外周血淋巴细胞姐妹染色单体互换,记数SCE发生率。结果观察组的外周血淋巴细胞SCE发生率为7.22±0.88,明显高于对照组(P<0.05)。结论 SCE的发生可作为长期小剂量接触电离辐射作业习惯性流产女性染色体结构稳定性的检测指标。这种辐射作业环境中的某些有害物质对女性DNA损伤有一定的影响,可使机体产生一定的辐射损伤。     

Sister chromatid exchange analysis in the Prader-Labhart-Willi syndrome

The number of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) and cell kinetics in lymphocytes were investigated from 16 Prader-Labhart-Willi syndrome (PLWS) patients [8 with 15q12 deletion (4 females, 4 males; mean age = 12.9y with age range of 0.3 to 24y), and 8 non-deletion (2 females, 6 males; means age = 16.8y with age range of 5 to 26y)], 18 parents of PLWS patients and age-matched control individuals. The average SCE frequency and standard deviation in PLWS patients with and without the chromosome 15 deletion was 6.6 +/- 1.3 and 6.2 +/- 0.8, respectively. Therefore no significant difference in SCE frequency or replicative index was found between the two PLWS subgroups. There was also no significant difference in SCE frequency or replicative index between the 16 PLWS patients and age-matched control subjects. The average SCE frequency and standard deviation in 8 fathers who were previously identified to have donated the chromosome 15 with the deletion in the child was 7.5 +/- 1.2, which was not significantly different from 8.5 +/- 2.0 seen in age-matched control subjects. There was also no significant difference in the SCE frequency or replicative index of 18 parents of PLWS patients with and without the chromosome 15 deletion when compared with age-matched control subjects.     

The effect of normal and rheumatic pregnancy sera on intracellular cathepsin B activity in human monocytes.

In a prospective study of pregnant patients with rheumatic disease and healthy pregnant women, the effect of pregnancy serum on human blood monocytes was investigated. Intracellular activity of the collagen degrading enzyme cathepsin B was found to be significantly depressed in monocyte cultures exposed to pregnancy and cord sera, independent of the presence or absence of an inflammatory state in the pregnant woman. Enzyme inhibition developed in a dose-dependent fashion over 3 days in culture. In contrast to cord and pregnancy sera, non-pregnant serum and serum from oral contraceptive users displayed enzyme stimulating activity. The response of monocytes to the stimulating agent carrageenan was unaffected by inhibitory sera. The nature of possible inhibitory factors in pregnancy and cord serum is discussed.     

Increased sister chromatid exchange frequency in young women with breast cancer and in their first-degree relatives

The well-known increased risk of breast cancer (BC) in first-degree relatives of patients with BC has been related to shared genetic factors including defective DNA repair, with loss of genomic integrity. On the other hand, it can be hypothesized that early-onset breast cancer is also associated with overburden of heritable factors leading to increased DNA injury. In this respect, we analyzed sister chromatid exchange frequency (SCE) in 20 women with breast cancer (all < or =40 years old), in their first-degree female relatives, and in 20 age-matched healthy females without a personal or family history of cancer. SCE was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in patients (7.17 +/- 1.81 per metaphase) and in their first-degree relatives (6.44 +/- 0.98), compared with controls (5.85 +/- 0.72). There was no difference in SCE frequency between patients and their first-degree relatives. We suggest that the increased SCE in patients reflects a genomic instability that may be operative in carcinogenesis. Further, genomic instability is shared also by first-degree relatives, although none of them had a history of breast cancer at the time of the study.     

Sister chromatid exchanges in leukemic patients

Sister chromatid exchange (SCE) was studied in PHA-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes from 36 newly diagnosed and untreated leukemic patients: 16 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), 10 with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL), and 10 with chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML). The metaphases analyzed show no chromosomal abnormalities. The mean SCE frequency (mean +/- SE) for each group of patients was: 6.8 +/- 0.4, 6.6 +/- 0.3, and 7.0 +/- 0.6 per mitosis, respectively, which was significantly lower than the mean SCE score for 30 controls (8.7 +/- 0.2). No differences in SCE score among ALL, ANLL, and CML and a similar SCE frequency by chromosome number and group allowed consolidation of all the cases into a single group of 36 leukemic patients (6.8 +/- 0.3). When the frequency of SCE was compared by chromosome number and group between the leukemic patients with the control group, a significant decrease in SCE frequency was observed due to a low SCE score in almost all the complements, except chromosome #1. It is suggested that the low SCE rate is related to the leukemic process itself.     

Contraception use,family planning,and unprotected sex: few differences among HIV-infected and uninfected postpartum women in four US states

To describe pregnancy intentions and contraceptive use among a postpartum sample of women with and at risk for HIV infection, 258 HIV-seropositive and 228 HIV-seronegative women were recruited from prenatal clinics in 4 US states between June 1996-November 1998. Participants completed interviews at 24-40 weeks' gestation and at 6 months postpartum. At the 6-month interview, 78% of women reported vaginal sex, and 2% were pregnant. Among those not pregnant, 86% said that there was no likelihood of a pregnancy in the next 6 months. Condom use was reported by 68% of sexually active women; 65% of users reported consistent use. Those with HIV were more likely to report condom use, more likely to report condom use consistency, and less likely to report use of oral contraceptives than women without HIV (P < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, inconsistent condom use was associated with postpartum alcohol use (odds ratio [OR] 2.80; 95% CI = 1.34-5.84), with the respondent stating that a pregnancy would not be emotionally upsetting (OR 3.06; 95% CI = 1.41-6.59) and reporting an intention to terminate a pregnancy if one were to occur (OR 3.47; 95% CI = 1.58-7.60). HIV-seropositive women who had at least 1 child with HIV infection were less likely than seronegative women to report inconsistent condom use (OR 0.15; 95% CI = 0.03-0.76). Few differences were detected in reproductive behaviors as a function of HIV serostatus, although both cohorts engaged in unprotected sex. Counseling to decrease sexual risk behaviors should begin prior to or early in the postpartum period and include discussion of both reproductive and disease transmission issues.     

Oral contraceptive use and histopathology of cancerous breasts in young women. Members of the U.K. National Case-Control Study Group.

A retrospective histopathological study of 300 women under 36 years of age was carried out to determine whether breast cancers occurring in oral contraceptive users showed any differences in pathological features compared with non-users. The patients belong to an age group in which an increased risk of cancer development has been reported following oral contraceptive usage. The incidence of non-neoplastic conditions in the residual breast was also studied in the two groups. There was little difference between breast cancers arising in pill users and non-users but in the residual non-neoplastic breast a decreased incidence of cysts and blunt duct adenosis was found in current users of the contraceptive pill. In contrast, lactational foci were found only in the breasts of pill users. The incidence of intraductal hyperplasia was not significantly different in the two groups.     

Gossypol induces DNA strand breaks in human fibroblasts and sister chromatid exchanges in human lymphocytes in vitro.

The male contraceptive agent gossypol was found to induce a dose related increase of DNA strand breaks in human fibroblasts in vitro at concentrations of 5 to 40 micrograms/ml. The effect was reduced in the presence of 2% fetal calf serum. A weak but reproducible increase in the SCE frequency was found in human lymphocytes treated for 1 hour in serum-free medium with 0.04 to 4 micrograms/ml of gossypol.     

In-vitro growth of murine pre-antral follicles after isolation from cryopreserved ovarian tissue

The low temperature storage of ovarian tissue allows patients at risk of premature menopause to preserve their fecundity. One strategy for harvesting mature oocytes may be to isolate small follicles from the stroma for in-vitro culture. The aim of this study was to assess the survival and growth of murine follicles during in-vitro culture after isolation from tissue frozen-thawed in various cryoprotective agents. The effect of different seeding and thawing temperatures was also investigated. Pre-antral follicles 100--135 microm in diameter were isolated from fresh and frozen-thawed tissue and cultured in vitro for 8 days. In the fresh control group 79 +/- 3% of follicles survived in-vitro culture and grew to antral stages. Fewer follicles survived after isolation from tissue cryopreserved in dimethyl sulphoxide (43 +/- 5%) or propylene glycol (24 +/- 2%) and none survived freeze-thawing in glycerol. Lowering the seeding temperature from -5 degrees to -7 degrees or -9 degrees C reduced follicle survival rates from 49 +/- 4% to 26 +/- 1% and 28 +/- 3% respectively. If thawing was carried out at 27 degrees C follicle survival rate was higher (38 +/- 7%) than at 37 degrees C (26 +/- 2%) or 47 degrees C (20 +/- 6%). Follicles surviving 8 days of in-vitro culture were stimulated with human chorionic gonadotrophin. The number of mature oocytes released did not differ between any experimental group. The results indicate that follicles isolated from frozen-thawed tissue can be grown to antral sizes and produce mature oocytes. The in-vitro culture system also proved a sensitive method for testing variations in the freeze-thaw protocol.     

Increased spontaneous and mitomycin C-induced sister chromatid exchanges in patients with cancer of the cervix uteri, with special reference to stage of cancer

The frequencies of spontaneous and mitomycin C (MMC)-induced sister chromatid exchange (SCE) were examined in 35 patients with cancer of the cervix uteri (stage 0, eight cases; stage I, nine cases; stage II, nine cases, and stage III, nine cases) before they had undergone cancer treatment, as well as in seven patients with uterine myoma and 18 healthy women as controls. The frequency of SCE was analyzed in reference to the stage of cancer in the cancer group and in reference to chromosome group in the cancer and normal groups. The frequencies of spontaneous and MMC-induced SCE in the cancer group were 10.0 +/- 1.8 and 20.7 +/- 2.6, respectively, and both were significantly higher than in the myoma (8.1 +/- 0.8 and 17.6 +/- 1.8) and normal (7.6 +/- 0.8 and 17.6 +/- 2.3) groups. Furthermore, the frequency of SCE in the cancer group increased with cancer stage. All chromosome groups contributed equally to the increase in SCE in the cancer group. These results indicate that an increase in the frequency of SCE in patients with cervical cancer is related to the presence of cancer, but is not related to a predisposition to cancer.     

Cytogenetic analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes in workers occupationally exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls.

The ability of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) to induce chromosome aberrations and sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) in peripheral lymphocytes was studied in a group of workers occupationally exposed to PCBs during the production of the Czechoslovak PCB products Delor 103 and Delor 106. The effect of PCB exposure was compared between an exposed group (N = 32, 3.25 +/- 0.34% aberrant cells, AB.C.), control group 1 (N = 20, 1.30 +/- 0.29% AB.C.), and control group 2 (N = 20, 1.60 +/- 0.31% AB.C.). The length of PCB exposure over 10 yr increased the frequency of AB.C. in a group exposed for 11-15 yr to 3.40% (N = 5) and in a group exposed for 16-25 yr to 5.85% (N = 7) vs. an increase of 1.60% AB.C. in group C2 and of SCE to 12.6 +/- 0.9/cell vs. 6.9 +/- 0.7 SCE/cell in C2. The clastogenic activity observed in this group may be the result of a high PCB concentration in blood plasma (320 +/- 190 micrograms PCB/l), and it is probably related to its solubility in adipose tissue, when it may act as another mutagen and carcinogen biotransformation inducer.     

接受Norplant皮下埋植避孕剂的妇女姊妹染色单体互换（SCE）的研究

本研究对接受Ｎｏｒｐｌａｎｔ皮下埋植避孕剂妇女埋药前与埋药后３０天、１８０天、３６５天、７３０天、１０９０天、１４５５天进行了外周血淋巴细胞染色体姊妹染色单体互换（ＳＣＥ）频率分别作自身对比研究。结果表明，各组埋药前后的ＳＣＥ频率无显著性差异。可认为Ｎｏｒｐｌａｎｔ皮下埋植避孕剂在其有效剂量之内，不引起ＤＮＡ损伤的遗传效应。     

Sister chromatid exchanges in patients with oral submucous fibrosis

The incidence of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) was investigated in the lymphocyte chromosomes of 45 patients with oral submucous fibrosis and 56 age- and sex-matched nonsmoking controls. The frequency of SCE was 9.26 +/- 2.15 in patients with oral submucous fibrosis, which was significantly higher than the mean SCE value of 5.49 +/- 1.24 observed in normal controls. The frequency of SCE in patients with oral submucous fibrosis addicted to the habit of betel with tobacco chewing, "bidi"/cigarette smoking and combined habits of chewing and smoking of tobacco were 8.12 +/- 1.69, 9.43 +/- 1.87, and 10.06 +/- 2.28, respectively. These values were also significantly higher as compared with the SCE values observed in normal controls.