镉相关翻译启动因子TIF3致Ras癌基因蛋白的异常表达

目的 研究镉相关翻译启动因子TIF3对多种细胞肿瘤相关基因表达的影响,探索镉的分子致癌机制。方法应用TIF3基因真核细胞稳定表达系统和Western blot检测技术,用各种单克隆抗体检测细胞肿瘤相关基因蛋白的表达情况。结果 相对于载体转染中国仓鼠卵巢(CHO)对照细胞,在4株具有高效稳定表达TIF3编码蛋白质的CHO细胞系中均有pan—ras癌基因蛋白异常表达,其编码蛋白(21kDa)含量均明显高于对照组;其余肿瘤相关基因蛋白如c—myc．c-jun,MDM2,ODC,P16,p53,Cyclin D1的表达蛋白在TIF3转基因细胞与对照细胞之间未见明显差别。结论 镉相关翻译启动因子TIF3是一种镉应答原癌基因,TIF3的超额表达可导致Ras癌基因蛋白异常表达,这可能是镉应答原癌基因TIF3的分子致癌机制。     

Independent prognostic significance of a nuclear proliferation antigen in diffuse large cell lymphomas as determined by the monoclonal antibody Ki-67

To assess the prognostic significance of the growth fraction in diffuse large cell lymphoma (DLCL), we studied 105 DLCL patients with the monoclonal antibody Ki-67 applied to frozen tissue sections. Ki-67 detects a nuclear antigen associated with cell proliferation not found in resting cells. Ki-67 findings and other clinical prognostic factors were correlated with outcome using univariate and multivariate analyses in the proportional hazards model. High proliferative activity, defined as nuclear Ki-67 expression in greater than 60% of malignant cells (Ki- 67 greater than 60), was found to be a strong predictor of poor survival among these patients (P = .003, log-rank). The 19 patients with Ki-67 greater than 60% had a median survival of 8 months compared with a median survival of 39 months for the 86 patients with Ki-67 less than or equal to 60%. Examination of pretreatment clinical variables indicated the patient groups were similar with regard to age, sex, stage, B symptoms, tumor bulk, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Both patient groups received comparable curative intent therapy and showed comparable complete response rate precluding treatment differences as modifying outcome. Multivariate analysis indicated Ki-67 is an independent predictor of survival (multivariate P = .006). Further statistical analysis using only B-cell DLCL patients treated with CHOP (63 patients) indicated that Ki-67 greater than 60 retained strong prediction of poor outcome (P = .002, log-rank) among this homogeneous group. We conclude that high proliferative activity (Ki-67 greater than 60) is an independent factor allowing laboratory prediction of probable poor outcome of DLCL.     

Changes on radiographs of wives of workers exposed to asbestos

Between January and March 1986, 117 wives of insulation workers exposed to asbestos were screened by means of chest radiography, pulmonary function testing, and a detailed questionnaire. The final study group included 93 women over 40 years of age. Eighteen of these (19.4%) demonstrated pleural changes consistent with asbestos exposure, including pleural plaque (88.9%), diaphragm plaque (27.8%), pleural calcification (16.6%), and diffuse pleural thickening (5.5%). In statistical correlation between the groups with normal and abnormal radiographs, the only factor that proved significant was the year of first exposure (the duration of the latent period). Finally, radiographs of the husbands were compared for 17 of the 18 wives with radiographic abnormalities. Fourteen of the husbands (82%) demonstrated more severe radiographic changes than their wives.     

The entorhinal cortex: an examination of cyto- and myeloarchitectonic organization in humans

The entorhinal cortex (ERC) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia and other disorders affecting cognitive functions. While powerful anatomical and histochemical methods (immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, etc.) may be applied (although with limitations) to postmortem human brain, each analysis should utilize a cytoarchitectonic approach to provide appropriate comparisons within the subdivisions of the ERC. Accordingly, we describe here the normal cyto- and myeloarchitecture of the human ERC as a prerequisite for the accompanying study of this region in schizophrenia. Our parcellation of this cortex differs from previous treatments in three ways. First, we adopted specific criteria of inclusion to define each subdivision of the region. Although distinctive ERC features are most prominent in the intermediate portion of this region, at least one of these features was considered the minimum necessary criterion to include adjacent tissue in the entorhinal area. Second, we used morphometric measurements (neuronal size and density as well as subdivisional volume and laminar thickness) to support our qualitative evaluation. Third, we have applied to the human ERC the conventional cytoarchitectonic nomenclature of the entorhinal cortex used previously in studies of non-human primates. This allows a more accurate extrapolation of the available numerous experimental anatomical, physiological and psychological data on this region to the human. As in the monkey, the five main subareas were recognized in the human (prorhinal, lateral, intermediate, sulcal and medial) but three required further subdivision (intermediate, sulcal and medial). The morphometric results obtained suggested a progression of the human entorhinal cortex from the peripheral to the central subareas, with the intermediate subarea (281) as the most complete entorhinal subdivision. Compared with non-human primates, the human ERC not only retains the basic periallocortical organization but also demonstrates further evolution. Taken together with available experimental data on the connectivity of this brain region, these results provide an anatomical basis for evaluating the ERC in human behavior.      

Inhibition of the intrinsic factor X activating complex by protein S: evidence for a specific binding of protein S to factor VIII

Protein S is a vitamin K-dependent nonenzymatic anticoagulant protein that acts as a cofactor to activated protein C. Recently it was shown that protein S inhibits the prothrombinase reaction independent of activated protein C. In this study, we show that protein S can also inhibit the intrinsic factor X activation via a specific interaction with factor VIII. In the presence of endothelial cells, the intrinsic activation of factor X was inhibited by protein S with an IC50 value of 0.28 +/- 0.04 mumol/L corresponding to the plasma concentration of protein S. This inhibitory effect was even more pronounced when the intrinsic factor X activation was studied in the presence of activated platelets (IC50 = 0.15 +/- 0.02 mumol/L). When a nonlimiting concentration of phospholipid vesicles was used, the plasma concentration of protein S (300 nmol/L) inhibited the intrinsic factor X activation by 40%. Thrombin-cleaved protein S inhibited the endothelial cell-mediated factor X activation with an IC50 similar to that of native protein S (0.26 +/- 0.02 mumol/L). Protein S in complex with C4b-binding protein inhibited the endothelial cell-mediated factor X activation more potently than protein S alone (IC50 = 0.19 +/- 0.03 mumol/L). Using thrombin activated factor VIII, IC50 values of 0.53 +/- 0.09 mumol/L and 0.46 +/- 0.10 mumol/L were found for native protein S and thrombin-cleaved protein S, respectively. The possible interactions of protein S with factor IXa, phospholipids, and factor VIII were investigated. The enzymatic activity of factor IXa was not affected by protein S, and interaction of protein S with the phospholipid surface could not fully explain the inhibitory effect of protein S on the factor X activation. Using a solid-phase binding assay, we showed a specific, saturable, and reversible binding of protein S to factor VIII with a high affinity. The concentration of protein S where half-maximal binding was reached (B1/2max) was 0.41 +/- 0.06 mumol/L. A similar affinity was found for the interaction of thrombin-cleaved protein S with factor VIII (B1/2max = 0.40 +/- 0.04 mumol/L). The affinity of the complex protein S with C4B-binding protein appeared to be five times higher (B1/2max = 0.07 +/- 0.03 mumol/L). Because the affinities of the interaction of the different forms of protein S with factor VIII correspond to the IC50 values observed for the intrinsic factor X activating complex, the interaction of protein S with factor VIII may explain the inhibitory effect of protein S on the intrinsic factor X activating complex.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)