Regional differences in the compaction of chromatin in human G0/G1 interphase nuclei

The large-scale structure of chromatin corresponding to G- and R-bands in human G₀/G₁ interphase nuclei was compared. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to measure the interphase distance between 42 pairs of probes separated by 0.1–1.5Mbp. The probe pairs were derived from 21q22.2 and Xp21.3, G-band positive regions, and from 4p16.3, 6p21.3, and Xq28, R-band positive regions. Distributions of measured interphase distances in all regions approximated a Rayleigh distribution, suggesting that the chromatin follows a random-walk path over this range. A linear correlation of mean-square interphase distance and genomic separation, also indicative of random-walk folding, was observed in all regions. The slope of the correlation observed using probes from G-band regions was systematically lower than that from R-band regions. The difference in the slope between Xp21.3 and Xq28 was particularly striking and was observed in normal fibroblast cells, fixed alternatively with methanol and acetic acid or paraformaldehyde, and HeLa cells. These results demonstrate regional differences in large-scale chromosome structure during interphase, with the more openly configured chromatin corresponding to R-bands.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Detection of numerical chromosomal abnormalities in malignant cells on body fluids by fluorescence in situ hybridization of interphase cell nuclei with chromosome-specific probes.

To detect numerical chromosomal abnormalities (NCA) in malignant cells on body fluids, Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique was tested in clinical specimens from patients with metastatic disease. Directly labeled DNA probes specific for chromosomes 8, 12, X, and Y (Imagenetics, Naperville, IL) were used for in situ hybridization to interphase cell nuclei. Fifteen body fluids (BF) from various sites were studied. Based initially on the Papanicolaou-stained slides, there were seven malignant and eight benign samples. Blind analysis (200 cells/sample) showed that all benign samples had a normal number of chromosomes, whereas six of seven malignant samples showed different NCA comprising 5-60% of the cell population ranging from three to 10 chromosome signals per cell. We conclude that interphase cytogenetic cell analysis of BF by FISH is: (1) feasible and gives superior signals for detection of NCA, (2) helpful in detecting malignant cells, (3) relatively simple with a turnaround time of less than 24 hr. This method may have diagnostic and prognostic application in the study of the biologic behavior of malignant neoplasms.     

Assessment of HBV persistent infection in an adult population in Taiwan

In order to study the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the adult population of Taiwan, we screened for the presence of HBV DNA in 205 blood samples from adult (20-59-year-old) volunteers. According to the serological markers of HBV, samples were divided into three groups: group I (173 subjects) was negative for both HBsAg and HBeAg; group II (14 subjects) was positive for both HBsAg and HBeAg; and group III consisted of 18 subjects who were HBsAg-positive but HBeAg-negative. Plasma HBV DNA was not detected in group I, but it was found in 85.7% and 11.8% of samples in group II and group III, respectively. A free-form HBV DNA was found in 14.3% of the leukocyte samples in group II. Furthermore, an integrated form of HBV DNA was detected in the leukocytes of two cases of group I who remained healthy based on clinical data. HBV DNA was also detected in the spermatozoa and liver cells of one of the cases.     

Galectin-3与CDC25B在胃癌中的表达及意义

目的 探讨半乳糖凝集素3 mRNA(Galectin-3)和细胞分裂周期蛋白25B mRNA(cell division cycle 25B,CDC25B)在胃癌中的表达及其与临床病理参数及预后的关系.方法 应用组织微阵列技术和原位杂交法检测220例胃癌组织和31份正常胃黏膜组织中Galectin-3 mRNA和CDC25B mRNA 的表达情况.结果 220例胃癌中Galectin-3 mRNA和CDC25B mRNA的阳性表达率分别为58.6%、54.1%;Galectin-3 mRNA表达与肿瘤大小、TNM(tumor,lymph node,metastasis)分期、浸润深度、脉管侵犯、淋巴结转移及远处转移呈正相关;CDC25B mRNA表达也与肿瘤大小、TNM分期、脉管侵犯、淋巴结转移及远处转移呈正相关;Galectin-3 mRNA表达与CDC25B mRNA表达呈正相关;Galectim3 mRNA和CDC25B mRNA阳性表达病例的平均生存时间和5年生存率均明显低于阴性表达的病例.结论 Galectin-3 和CDC25B基因的表达促进了胃癌的发生和发展,是指导临床治疗及评估预后的有效指标.     

伴有22三体的t(5;17)变异易位急性早幼粒细胞白血病

目的 探讨一例核型为47,XY,t(5;17),+22的少见急性早幼粒细胞白血病(acute promyelo-cytic leukemia,APL)的临床和实验特征.方法 在常规核型分析的基础上,应用荧光原位杂交(fluorescencein situ hybridization,FISH)和多重荧光原位杂交(multiplex fluorescence in situ hybridization,M-FISH)技术进一步检测该病例的细胞遗传学异常,并结合文献分析此类少见变异易位的临床特点.结果 FISH检测PML-RARa阴性,但77%的细胞显示存在17号RARa基因的重排或复制;BCR-ABL阴性,但74%的细胞显示有22号染色体的复制或重排.M-FISH明确RARa基因重排系5号与17号染色体易位所致,并证实了22号三体的存在.结论 变异型t(5;17)易位,形成NPM-RARa融合基因的急性早幼粒细胞白血病是APL中少见的类型.骨髓形态表现为奥氏小体缺如,核型中常伴有其它附加染色体异常,全反式维甲酸(all-trans retinoicacid,ATRA)联合化疗有效,但易复发,合并弥漫性血管内凝血及高白细胞者预后凶险.     

Changes of synapsin I messenger RNA expression during rat brain development

Synapsin I is a synaptic phosphoprotein that is involved in the short-term regulation of neurotransmitter release. In this report we present the first extensive study of the developmental expression of its corresponding messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) by in situ hybridization and northern blot analysis in rat brain. Synapsin I mRNA showed pronounced differences in expression in different brain regions during postnatal development. The early expression of synapsin I mRNA in ontogenetically older regions such as the thalamus, the piriform cortex and the hippocampus coincides with the earlier maturation of these regions, in contrast to its later expression in ontogenetically younger areas such as the cerebellum and the neocortex. An intriguing expression pattern was found in the hippocampus. In all hippocampal subregions synapsin I mRNA expression increased from postnatal day (PND) 1 to 17. After PND 17, however, there was a marked dissociation between persisting high expression levels in CA3 and the dentate gyrus and a strong decline in synapsin I mRNA expression in CA1. The persistence of synapsin I in some adult rat brain regions indicates that it plays a part in synapse formation during plastic adaption in neuronal connectivities.     

Detection of HBV-DNA by in situ hybridization using a biotin-labeled probe

A biotin-labeled DNA probe specific for hepatitis B virus (HBV) nucleotide sequences was hybridized in situ to liver tissue of 20 patients; 16 were chronic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and 4 had no markers of HBV infection. HBV-DNA was also analyzed in the serum and the liver of these patients by spot and Southern blot hybridization, respectively. Liver specimens from six carriers were positive for HBV-DNA both by in situ and Southern blot hybridization; ten carriers were negative by in situ hybridization, and two of these were positive by Southern blot technique. The staining was granular, mainly cytoplasmic, limited to liver specimens containing replicative forms of HBV-DNA, and associated with detection of HBcAg in hepatocytes by immunofluorescence. The sensitivity of this technique was not sufficient to detect few copies of integrated HBV-DNA. The hybridization procedure was specific, as results were constantly negative in liver specimens of patients without markers of HBV infection, and no reaction was observed using DNA probes lacking HBV-DNA sequences. Detection of HBV-DNA by in situ hybridization, using a biotinylated probe, is a rapid, reproducible, and specific histochemical method. Currently available biotinylated probes are advantageous when absolute sensitivity is not the limiting factor, and they also facilitate studies of the cellular and subcellular distribution of HBV nucleic acids.     

Chromosomal integrity maintained in five human embryonic stem cell lines after prolonged in vitro culture

There have been recent reports of human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines developing chromosomal aberrations after long-term culture, indicating an unstable genomic status due to the in vitro milieu. This raises concern, since it would limit their use in therapeutics. In this study the chromosomal status of five well-characterized hESC lines, SA002, SA002.5, AS034.1.1, SA121 and SA461, was monitored during long-term in vitro culture. The criteria of defined hESCs were met by all of the five hESC lines (four diploid and one trisomic for chromosome 13). The genomes were screened for chromosomal aberrations and rearrangements using comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and traditional karyotyping on several occasions while in culture. The genomic integrity was shown to be maintained after repeated freeze-thaw procedures and continuous culture in vitro for up to 22 months (148 passages). We discuss the most common de novo chromosomal aberrations reported in hESCs, as well as their possible origin.     

Beta-catenin abnormalities and associated insulin-like growth factor overexpression are important in phyllodes tumours and fibroadenomas of the breast

The aim of this study was to assess the expression of IGF-I and IGF-II in phyllodes tumours and fibroadenomas and to see if there is any correlation between nuclear beta-catenin expression and IGF-I and IGF-II expression in these tumours. In a previous study, it has been shown that Wnt signalling is important in the pathogenesis of phyllodes tumours of the breast. Epithelial Wnt5a overexpression and stromal Wnt2 overexpression were associated with abnormal, nuclear localization of beta-catenin in the stromal cells of these tumours. However, not all tumours with beta-catenin accumulation showed Wnt overexpression. One other possible cause of beta-catenin accumulation is overexpression of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), as both IGF-I and IGF-II have been shown to stabilize beta-catenin. In this study, 30 fibroadenomas of the breast were assessed for beta-catenin expression using immunohistochemistry and the results were compared with previous data from 119 phyllodes tumours. In situ hybridization was used to assess IGF-I and IGF-II expression in 23 phyllodes tumours and 16 fibroadenomas. Nineteen phyllodes tumours (83%) showed widespread overexpression of IGF-II and 5/23 (22%) showed widespread overexpression of IGF-I. IGF-I expression correlated with nuclear beta-catenin staining in phyllodes tumours. Malignant phyllodes tumours showed no or little IGF-I expression. There was a degree of nuclear beta-catenin expression in the stroma (weak in 33%, moderate in 27%, and strong in 40%) in all fibroadenomas and nuclear beta-catenin staining correlated with IGF-I overexpression. Extensive IGF-II overexpression was also found in the majority of fibroadenomas (12/16). These results support the hypothesis that IGF-I and IGF-II overexpression may be important in the pathogenesis of fibroepithelial neoplasms of the breast and that IGF-I overexpression is likely to be contributing to the nuclear beta-catenin localization observed in the tumours.     

Organic anion permeation at the proximal tubule of Necturus

This study deals with the electrical responses of the peritubular membrane of the Necturus proximal tubule to 8 organic anions, in NaHCO₃-free (trismaleate-buffered) and NaHCO₃-containing solutions. The anions glutamate and gluconate brought about a small depolarization, but only in NaHCO₃-free media. Benzene sulfonate did not alter significantly membrane p.d. The 5 other test-anions produced hyperpolarization. The magnitude of membrane depolarization elicited by high-K media was proportionally larger in the presence of the test-anions propionate, lactate, pyruvate, acetate and formate than with chloride: it is inferred that these anions increasedT _K. The same 5 anions shifted in the negative direction the p.d. achieved at peak K-depolarization; according to a previous analysis (Anagnostopoulos, 1977), this observation suggests that their permeabilities (P _A) are greater thanP _Cl, at least during the substitution. The association ofP _A>P _Cl with an increase ofT _K, upon exposure of the kidney to test-anions, is at best accounted for by a decrease ofP _Cl. The pattern of voltage attenuation along the epithelial cable during anionic substitutions is also consistent with an increase ofT _K via a decrease ofP _Cl. In conclusion, the apparent sequence of relative anionic permeabilities, as obtained from the responses of the tissue to a single anion, irrespective of buffering procedures, is:P _acet,P _lact,P _pyruv,P _prop,P _form>P _ClP _gluc,P _glut. The test-anions propionate, lactate, pyruvate, acetate and formate tend to increaseT _K, mainly by reducingP _Cl. The effect of glutamate and gluconate on physiologic ion permeabilities is too small to be specified with accuracy: it depends to some extent on the buffer used in the solutions.