Human melanocytes and melanoma cells constitutively express the Bcl-2 proto-oncogene in situ and in cell culture.

The Bcl-2 proto-oncogene regulates cell survival by antagonizing events that lead to apoptotic cell death and has been reported to be expressed in situ in lymphoid tissues, glandular epithelium, neurons, and basal epidermal cells. When we performed immunostaining on cryostat sections of normal skin, anti-Bcl-2 reactivity was confined to scattered dendritic cells in the basal epidermal layer. Double-staining experiments showed that the Bcl-2+ cells were positive for vimentin but negative for cytokeratins, CD1a, and CD45 antigens, excluding keratinocytes and Langerhans cells as possible candidates for constitutive Bcl-2 expression. Bcl-2+ epidermal cells also reacted with the monoclonal anti-melanocyte antibody NKI/beteb, and were absent from lesional skin in vitiligo, confirming that they represented epidermal melanocytes. Western blot analysis of cultured melanocytes and melanoma cell lines revealed a 26-kd protein specifically reacting with the anti-Bcl-2 monoclonal antibody. Immunostaining of pigmented lesions revealed strong expression of Bcl-2 by five of five nevocellular nevi and seven of seven melanomas. Our observations demonstrate that, within normal human epidermis, melanocytes are the only cells that express Bcl-2 constitutively and that Bcl-2 is expressed in benign and malignant pigmented tumors of the skin in situ.     

Problematic Methods in the Assessment of Scholarly Productivity in Clinical PhD Programs

We review the methods in the ranking of clinical psychology doctoral programs provided by Stewart, Roberts, and Roy (2007). Using our own program as an example, we identify several areas of concern (e.g., authorship credits, criteria applied, faculty attrition). The inaccuracies identified for our program ranking, in combination with methodological concerns highlighted by previous commentaries, suggest that the validity of the rankings can be called into question.     

Dibenzo[a,l]pyrene-induced DNA adduction, tumorigenicity, and Ki-ras oncogene mutations in strain A/J mouse lung

Dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DB[a,l]P), an environmental polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, is the most potent carcinogen ever tested in mouse skin and rat mammary gland. In this study, DB[a,l]P was examined for DNA adduction, tumorigenicity, and induction of Ki-ras oncogene mutations in tumor DNA in strain A/J mouse lung. Groups of mice received a single i.p. injection of 0.3, 1.5, 3.0, or 6.0 mg/kg DB[a,l]P in tricaprylin. Following treatment, DNA adducts were measured at times between 1 and 28 days, while tumors were counted at 250 days and analyzed for the occurrence of point mutations in codons 12 and 61 of the Ki-ras oncogene. DB[a,l]P in strain A/J mouse lung induced six major and four minor DNA adducts. Maximal levels of adduction occurred between 5 and 10 days after injection followed by a gradual decrease. DB[a,l]P-DNA adducts in lung tissue were derived from both anti- and syn-11,12- dihydroxy-13,14-epoxy- 11,12,13,14-tetrahydrodibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DB[a,l]PDE) and both deoxyadenosine (dAdo) and deoxyguanosine (dGuo) residues in DNA as revealed by cochromatography. The major adduct was identified as a product of the reaction of an anti-DB[a,l]PDE with dAdo in DNA. DB[a,l]P induced significant numbers of lung adenomas in a dose- dependent manner, with the highest dose (6.0 mg/kg) yielding 16.1 adenomas/mouse. In tricaprylin-treated control animals, there were 0.67 adenomas/mouse. Based on the administered dose, DB[a,l]P was more active than other environmental carcinogens including benzo[a]pyrene. As a function of time-integrated DNA adduct levels, DB[a,l]P induced lung adenomas with about the same potency as other PAHs, suggesting that the adducts formed by DB[a,l]P are similar in carcinogenic potency to other PAHs in the strain A/J mouse lung model. Analysis of the Ki- ras mutation spectrum in DB[a,l]P-induced lung tumors revealed the predominant mutations to be G-->T transversions in the first base of codon 12, A-->G transitions in the second base of codon 12, and A-->T transversions in the second or third base of codon 61, concordant with the DNA adduct profile.      

幽门螺杆菌中国菌株致病相关基因cagA、iceA、vacA及HP0519分布分析

目的分析中国不同人群及不同胃部疾病病例来源的幽门螺杆菌致病相关基因cagA、iceA、vacA及HP0519的分布.方法采用特异引物聚合酶链式反应（PCR）方法分析150株幽门螺杆菌上述基因的多态性分布特点,并对其分布作初步统计分析.结果93%（139/150）中国菌株cagA基因3′端重复序列的PCR产物具有东方菌株特征.75%（113/150）菌株iceA基因为iceA1,19%（29/150）为iceA2,不同地区间iceA基因的分布差异无统计学意义.云南菌株iceA1、iceA2的分布与菌株分离个体的种族特点及临床疾病类型无显著关系.96%中国菌株（144/150）vacA基因s区的等位基因为s1;m区等位基因m2、m1b和m1b-m2的比例分别为57%（85/150）、27%（41/150）和11%（16/150）,仅2株福建菌株为m1a.不同地区间vacA s1、m2、m1b分布的差异无统计学意义.云南菌株m1b-m2的分布高于福建和北京菌株.云南菌株vacA s区等位基因的多样性与分离个体的种族及临床疾病类型无显著关系.vacA m区等位基因的多样性与分离个体的临床疾病类型无显著关系,但不同民族间m2的分布有显著差异,白族人群m2的分布显著少于汉族和纳西族.93%（140/150）的中国菌株HP0519基因具有24 bp和15 bp DNA插入和缺失的多态性特点.不同地区间HP0519基因的多态性无显著不同.云南菌株HP0519的多态性与菌株分离个体的临床疾病类型无显著关系,但来源不同民族菌株的HP0519基因存在差异.结论幽门螺杆菌中国菌株cagA 3′端JF/TR特异引物的扩增结果具有东亚菌株特点.中国菌株vacA基因多为s1,其分布与菌株分离个体的临床疾病类型无关.中国菌株vacA基因m区的分布具有多样性.中国菌株HP0519基因具有24 bp和15 bp插入和缺失的多态性特点.     

角质形成细胞的培养及其表皮生长因子受体表达

目的:在成功分离人皮肤角质形成细胞的基础上,观察表皮生长因子受体在人皮肤角质形成细胞中的表达情况。方法:实验于2006-3/10在北京大学深圳医院中心实验室进行。采用dispase Ⅱ-trypsin两步消化法获取表皮基底层细胞,用小鼠皮肤成纤维母细胞滋养层和黄素腺嘌呤二核苷酸培养液进行培养。小鼠皮肤成纤维母细胞的预处理:向对数生长期的小鼠皮肤成纤维母细胞培养液中加入丝裂霉素C至终浓度为4mg/L,37℃下培养4h,弃去培养液,用D-Hank’s液洗3次,加入浓度为0.25g/L的胰蛋白酶消化,分离出细胞,离心(200g,5min),用黄素腺嘌呤二核苷酸培养液悬浮细胞,计数,以5.0×104/cm2的密度种于培养皿内,37℃、体积分数0.05的CO2培养箱下培养。角质形成细胞的培养:将分离的角质形成细胞悬浮在黄素腺嘌呤二核苷酸培养液中,以2.0×104/cm2的密度接种在前1天经丝裂霉素C处理的小鼠皮肤成纤维母细胞滋养层上,37℃、体积分数0.05的CO2培养箱下培养。24h换液,以后每3d换1次液。采用免疫细胞化学的方法检测表皮生长因子受体的表达,采用复合逆转录聚合酶链反应检测角质形成细胞中表皮生长因子受体mRNA的表达。结果:采用dispaseⅡ消化法分离了真皮和表皮,获得较多的角质形成细胞,可以避免真皮成纤维细胞的污染。人皮肤角质形成细胞在黄素腺嘌呤二核苷酸培养液中培养5d可见明显的集落,约10d可长满单层。免疫细胞化学显示表皮生长因子受体在细胞表面有明显的表达,复合逆转录聚合酶链反应显示表皮生长因子受体mRNA有明显的表达。结论:用小鼠皮肤成纤维母细胞滋养层和黄素腺嘌呤二核苷酸培养液可以较好地培养原代人皮肤角质形成细胞,表皮生长因子受体在细胞表面有明显的表达,这些结果为与表皮生长因子受体相关的皮肤病(如银屑病)的研究奠定了基础。