Changes in gene expression induced by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the human cell lines HepG2 and A549.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are the main components of emissions generated by coke oven factories and many of these chemicals are carcinogenic. The goal of this study was to examine changes in gene expression in two human cell lines, HepG2 and A549, induced by exposure to a soil extract containing PAH using microarry technology. Soil samples were obtained from the vicinity of a coke oven factory in northeastern Mexico. For comparison, the gene expression pattern induced by Benz[a]pyrene (BaP) was also analyzed. The number of altered genes by both treatments was 2-fold higher in hepatic than in pulmonary cells. Differentially-modulated genes in the two cell lines were identified and grouped by biological function using genomic databases. A group of nine genes up- and down-regulated by either the PAH extract or BaP were selected for validation by real-time PCR. The cellular functions of these PAH-responsive genes included: xenobiotic metabolism (CYP1A1 and CYP1B1), DNA repair (ERCC5), oxidative stress response and cell proliferation (FTH1 and PRDX1), protein degradation (PSMD7), ion transport (FXYD3), steroid biosynthesis (FDFT1), and signaling pathways (PTGER3). The real-time PCR analysis confirmed most of the microarray data with significant correlation. Additional studies are required to determine the mechanisms involved in the PAH-mediated modulation of these genes and to associate these changes with human health.     

Vulvar dystrophies in young and premenopausal women

Eighty-six cases of vulvar dystrophy in young and premenopausal women (age range, 6-53 years) were studied clinically and histopathologically. The most frequent symptom was pruritus associated with burning. Clinical examination showed the presence of white areas in 73% of the patients, red areas in 9% and other signs (such as melanosis) in 18%. Hyperplastic dystrophy was the most frequent type of dystrophy in these patients and was observed in 63% of cases. Cellular atypia was observed in 9.8% of the cases and was found almost exclusively in hyperplastic dystrophy. Epithelial changes suggestive of human papillomavirus infection were found in 4 of the 86 cases of dystrophy, and they were observed only in atypical dystrophies.     

Epithelial alterations adjacent to 111 vulvar carcinomas

Material from 111 invasive primary vulvar carcinomas was reviewed in order to study the histopathologic changes adjacent to the neoplasia. The histopathologic characteristics of the adjacent tissue were divided into categories. Dystrophic lesions were adjacent to invasive cancer in 57.6% of the cases, carcinoma in situ (CIS) in 21.6% and epithelial changes suggestive of human papillomavirus infection in 18.9%. A spectrum of epithelial changes, ranging from hyperplastic dystrophy without atypia to CIS, was found adjacent to nine cases of invasive carcinoma (8.1%). In 40.5% of the vulvar carcinomas there were no specific alterations surrounding the neoplasia. These data show that dystrophies and CIS were adjacent to invasive carcinomas in nearly 60% and 20% of cases, respectively.     

Information disclosure and smoking risk perceptions. Potential short-term impact on Spanish students of the new European Union directive on tobacco products

BACKGROUND: The Directive 1999/0244 (COD), recently approved by the European Parliament, proposed that the content and presentation of health warnings on cigarette packets be modified. The aim of the present study was to analyse the potential effect of the planned measures on the perceptions by Spanish youth of the risks associated with smoking. METHOD: A sample of 435 students attending the University of La Rioja were surveyed on their perceptions of the principal health risks attributable to the consumption of tobacco i.e. lung cancer, respiratory diseases and cardiovascular disease. A questionnaire was administered before and after they were presented with a demonstration of the health warnings on cigarette packets based on the new European Union directive. RESULTS: Perceptions changed significantly following exposure to the content and type of information of the new packaging. In general, the university students attributed a higher health risk to smoking following the presentation. CONCLUSIONS: The measures developed by the public sector to present a higher profile of anti-tobacco health warnings do influence the target population in the desired direction, at least in the short term. Hence, given that the perception of risk influences the election to smoke, it is predictable that when these types of policy decisions are applied, there will be a tendency towards a reduction in the incidence and prevalence of tobacco consumption.