Identification of cytotoxic principles from Fusarium avenaceum using bioassay-guided fractionation

The cytotoxicity of extracts from rice cultures of five Fusarium avenaceum strains against the porcine epithelial kidney cell-line PK-15 was investigated using the Alamar Blue™ assay. After the identification of known fungal metabolites, cytotoxic extracts were fractionated using semi-preparative reversed-phase HPLC and normal phase LC, and the fractions were tested for cytotoxicity. In this way, two different groups of metabolites were identified as the major cytotoxic principles of the extracts. High concentrations of enniatins, especially enniatins B and B1, inhibited the metabolic activity of PK-15 cells. Furthermore, an unidentified metabolite, produced in high amounts by a strain that produced relatively small amounts of enniatins, was also found to be cytotoxic to PK-15 cells. This study shows that enniatins, a group of cyclic depsipeptides, which have been ignored as significant contributors to the toxicity of fungal extracts, may account for most of the observed effect for F. avenaceum.     

Deregulation of cell proliferation by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells reflects both genotoxic and nongenotoxic events.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), such as benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), are carcinogens suggested to be involved in development of human cancer. Several recent studies have reported that PAHs can activate estrogen receptors (ER), either directly or indirectly by producing estrogenic metabolites. We hypothesized that the activation of ER by PAHs or their metabolites could induce cell proliferation in estrogen-sensitive cells. In the present study, we found that two PAHs, benz[a]anthracene (BaA) and BaP, can stimulate proliferation of human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells at concentrations 100 nM and higher. This effect was ER-dependent, because it was blocked by the pure antiestrogen ICI 182,780. Although both PAHs partially inhibited S-phase entry and DNA synthesis induced by 17beta-estradiol, they stimulated S-phase entry when applied to MCF-7 cells synchronized by serum deprivation. This was in contrast with model antiestrogenic aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligand, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, which fully suppressed S-phase entry. BaP, which is a strong mutagen, was found to induce p53 tumor suppressor expression, a partial S-phase arrest and at higher concentrations also cell death. Pifithrin-alpha, a synthetic inhibitor of p53 activity, abolished both S-phase arrest and apoptosis induced by genotoxic PAHs, and it potentiated the proliferative effect of BaP. Thus, both genotoxic and nongenotoxic events seem to interact in the effects of BaP on cell proliferation. Taken together, our data indicate that both BaA and BaP can stimulate cell proliferation through activation of ER. The proliferative effects of these carcinogenic compounds might contribute to tumor promotion in estrogen-sensitive tissues.     

与恶性血液病相关的11p15染色体异常

近年来恶性血液病中有关11p15染色体异常的报道不断增多,目前已有12种,其中8种易位所产生的融合基因已被确定.该类异常大多涉及11p15的NUP98基因并有相似特点,成为一组新的细胞遗传学亚型.     

CD117阳性小肠间质瘤中Ki67和p53蛋白的表达及在预后中的意义

目的 :研究小肠间质瘤 (smallbowelstromaltumors,SBST)Ki6 7和p5 3免疫组织化学的表达 ,探讨两者在肿瘤良恶性划分和预后中的作用。方法 :选用CD117阳性的SBST 33例进行光镜观察 ,用EnVisionTM+二步法免疫组化方法检测Ki6 7和 p5 3蛋白在肿瘤中的表达情况并与形态学进行比较。 结果 :33例SBST患者 ,男 2 0例 ,女13例 ,年龄 2 1～ 71岁 ,发生于十二指肠 5例 ,空肠 2 2例 ,回肠 6例。肿瘤最大径的范围在 1.5～ 2 0cm之间。在光镜下出现肿瘤内坏死的有 11例。肿瘤核分裂象计数每 5 0个高倍镜视野 0个有 6例 ,1～ 2个 5例 ,≥ 3个的有 2 2例。 33例中良性 4例 ,交界性 4例 ,恶性 2 5例。随访时间为 3～ 180个月 (平均 73.3个月 ) ,结果为良性组 4例均无瘤生存 ;交界性组 2例无瘤生存 ,1例失访 ,1例在无瘤生存 18个月后失访 ;恶性组无瘤生存有 7例 ,带瘤生存者及死亡有 16例 ,2例失访。Ki6 7染色阴性 2例 ,均为良性 ;其余 31例阳性中 ,增殖指数 (阳性细胞数 )大于 5 %的有恶性 16例 (94 .1% ) ,交界性 1例。在免疫组化p5 3染色中 ,恶性组 2 5例均呈阳性表达 (平均阳性细胞数 4 2 .9% ) ,其中 12例阳性细胞数大于 5 0 %。当Ki6 7和 p5 3均为阴性或两者阳性细胞数分别是 <1%和 <10 %时 ,肿瘤呈良性经过 ,预后     

Terminal deletion of chromosome 4p (4p16.3) shows a breakpoint between loci linked to Huntington disease

A 15-year-old boy with a terminal deletion of the short arm of chromosome 4 is described. The patient has a mild clinical phenotype that is incompatible with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. Careful neurological examination including CT scan did not show any signs of Huntington disease. The chromosomal breakpoint was analyzed by means of polymorphic DNA probes localized close to the tentative Huntington (HD) locus. The breakage has occurred between D4S43 and D4S90 loci and thus deletes part of the chromosomal candidate regions for the HD locus. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Nuclear p53 Overexpression in Bladder, Prostate, and Renal Carcinomas

Background :
The aim of this study was to examine nuclear p53 overexpression in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, adenocarcinoma of the prostate, and renal cell carcinoma.
Methods :
Forty-four pathologic specimens from 39 bladder cancer patients, 41 prostatic adenocarcinoma, and 39 renal cell carcinoma specimens were analyzed immunohistochemically with D07 monoclonal antibody to detect the expression of the mutant p53 gene. Overexpression was said to occur when the number of positively-stained tumor nuclei were≥ 10% in each specimen. p53 overexpression was correlated with the clinical and histopathological features of these cancers.
Results :
Nuclear p53 overexpression occurred in 18.2% of transitional cell bladder cancer specimens, 12.2% of prostate cancer specimens, and 17.9% of renal cell cancer specimens. Statistical analyses showed that grade, vascular invasion, and necrosis in bladder cancer, a high Gleason score in prostate cancer, and the 1-year mortality rate in renal cancer were significantly related with p53 nuclear overexpression (P<0.05).
Conclusion :
Using the D07 monoclonal antibody, nuclear p53 overexpression is relatively uncommon in urologic malignancies, and moderately correlates with several histopathological and clinical features of urologic malignancies.     

Comparison of p53 expression in proximal and distal gastric cancer: Histopathologic correlation and prognostic significance

Background: The overexpression of p53 has been found to be correlated with prognosis of some carcinomas, including gastric cancer, but no studies have reported on its relationship to the location of gastric cancer. In the present study, we compared the p53 expression of proximal and distal gastric cancer concerning histopathology and prognosis. Methods: A total of 170 tumors in the patients with proximal (80 cases) and distal (90 cases) gastric cancer were studied by immunohistochemical methods. Results: p53 immunopositivity was detected in 28.8% of all tumors. The p53-positive expression in proximal gastric cancer was higher than in distal gastric cancer (38.8% vs. 20.0%, p<0.05). A 5-year survival analysis showed that there is no significant difference between tumors that are p53 positive and p53 negative. No correlation was found between p53 expression and histopathology of gastric cancer. Conclusion: p53 nuclear staining is not useful as a prognostic indicator or as a parameter in gastric cancer.     

大肠癌组织p53基因突变及其与临床病理关系的探讨

应用非同位素标记ＰＣＲ－ＳＳＣＰ技术对３４例大肠癌组织ｐ５３基因第五外显子突变进行了检测。结果：５０％（１１／２２）结肠癌，８．３％（１／１２）直肠癌存在ｐ５３基因突变，低分化腺癌高于高、中分化腺癌（Ｐ＜０．０５），ＤｕｋｅｓＢ、Ｃ期高于ＤｕｋｅｓＡ期（Ｐ＜０．０５），ｐ５３基因第五外显子突变在已发生淋巴转移的大肠癌组织中呈现较强的趋势。提示：检测结肠癌原发灶ｐ５３基因第五外显子突变，对指导结肠癌的诊断、治疗及预后判断具有一定意义     

The effect of corona discharge on Der p 1

BACKGROUND: Reduction of house dust mite allergens in the domestic environment can play an important part in reducing sensitization and in the amelioration of symptoms in atopic individuals. Chemical and physical methods have been tried with varied levels of success. The present paper presents a novel electrostatic way of destroying Der p 1, the major mite allergen. OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of negative Trichel, negative continuous glow, positive pulse and positive continuous glow corona in destroying Der p 1. To determine whether ozone has any effect on the integrity of Der p 1 in the experimental conditions present. METHODS: A simple point-to-plane apparatus was used to irradiate samples of Der p 1 for periods of 1, 15, 30, 45, 60, 120, 180, 240 and 300 min. Controls were exposed to the atmosphere with no corona products present for the equivalent time. The effect of the corona by-product ozone was investigated alone by exposing samples of Der p 1 to molecular ozone for 60 min. Der p 1 concentration was quantified by two-site monoclonal antibody ELISA. RESULTS: High current negative glow resulted in a 67.37% reduction in Der p 1 concentration after 300 min compared with a 50.5% reduction from a low current Trichel regime. High current positive glow corona gave a reduction of 25.22% while a low current positive pulse corona caused a 13.72% reduction after 300 min. All these reductions were statistically significant (P < 0.05) compared with unexposed controls. Negative corona always gave greater percentage reductions in Der p 1 concentration for each time exposure investigated. The pattern of percentage reduction follows an exponential rise to maximum relationship in respect to time. Samples of Der p 1 were not affected by exposure to molecular ozone. CONCLUSION: These data indicate corona products to be a powerful new method of destroying Der p 1 allergen that is not dependent on the presence of the oxidizing corona product ozone.