Alteration of p53 Clonality Accompanying Colorectal Cancer Progression

The aim of this study was to clarify whether or not the status of gene alteration is heterogeneous in intramucosal carcinoma and homogeneous within invasive carcinoma. We selected 10 colorectal carcinoma cases (1 mucosal, 5 submucosal and 4 advanced carcinomas including 2 cases with lymph node metastasis) and analyzed the p53 gene sequence. Six colorectal cancers in this study showed heterogeneity in p53 mutations in cells from the intramucosal part. In the invasive part of a carcinoma, p53 mutation status was homogeneous intratumorally in all cases. These data indicate that, in regard to p53 gene alterations, colorectal cancers can be composed of various subclones when limited to the mucosa, but clonal selection occurs when one of these subclones commences invasion to the submucosa, generating a monoclonal invasive carcinoma.     

Targeted Gene Transfer for Adenocarcinoma Using a Combination of Tumor-specific Antibody and Tissue-specific Promoter

We have developed a highly specific gene transfer method for adenocarcinoma using a monoclonal antibody against tumor-specific antigen coupled with a plasmid containing the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-specific promoter. The chimeric CEA promoter (CC promoter), which contained an enhancer from the immediate early gene of cytomegalovirus and the CEA promoter, achieved 4- to 5-fold higher transgene expression in CEA-producing cells than the original CEA promoter while maintaining CEA specificity. Furthermore, a complex of a monoclonal antibody against Lewis Y antigen (LYA), the CC promoter-containing plasmid and cationic liposomes (DOTAP) achieved specific gene expression in CEA-producing and LYA-positive adenocarcinoma cell lines that was 200-fold more efficient than in CEA-non-producing and LYA-negative cell lines during a short in vitro incubation. This strategy may be applicable for clinical gene therapy.     

Genetic Alterations of Mixed Hyperplastic Adenomatous Polyps in the Colon and Rectum

Some mixed hyperplastic adenomatous polyps (MHAPs) contain dysplastic lesions or even carcinomas. These polyps are considered to be different from ordinary hyperplastic polyps and may have a preneoplastic potential. We investigated APC and K- ras mutations in MHAPs of the colon and rectum, and also in colorectal adenomas and hyperplastic polyps to identify molecular differences between MHAPs, adenomas and hyperplastic polyps, using direct sequencing of mutation cluster regions (MCR) in APC and K- ras . No APC mutations were identified in 12 MHAPs and 8 hyperplastic polyps, whereas 10 of 27 (37.0%) adenomas showed somatic mutations. K- ras mutations were identified in one of 12 (8.3%) MHAPs, one of 8 (12.5%) hyperplastic polyps, and 10 of 27 (37.0%) adenomas. p53 mutation was found in a carcinoma arising in an MHAP. Mutations other than APC mutations may play a role in the development of MHAPs.     

p16基因产物表达与胆囊癌生物学行为和预后的关系

目的与方法:为了解p16基因与胆囊癌发生、生物学行为和预后的关系,采用免疫组化ABC法对36例胆囊癌和20例胆囊腺瘤中的p16蛋白进行了检测.结果:胆囊癌中p16蛋白的阳性率低于胆囊腺瘤(P<0.05);不同组织类型和分化程度不同的胆囊癌之间p16蛋白的阳性率无明显差别(P>0.05);p16蛋白的表达与胆囊癌有无浸润和淋巴结转移及病人的生存期密切相关(P<0.05).结论:p16基因失活与胆囊癌的发生有关,p16蛋白表达缺失与胆囊癌进展和预后不良有关.     

腺病毒介导的肿瘤血管靶向的体外自杀基因治疗研究

本工作在血管内皮细胞中分别建立了HSV-tk/GCV和EC-cd/5-FC自杀基因系统,用于抑制实体肿瘤中血管生成的研究.构建含自杀基因的重组腺病毒AdCMVtk和AdCMVcd,滴度均1×10~(12)pfu/ml.病毒感染小鼠血管内皮细胞lGll(MOI=100),并鉴定自杀基因的表达,测定原药对它们的杀伤.生长抑制试验表明,GCV对lGll/Ad-tk细胞杀伤的IG_(50)为0.2μmol/ L,5-FC对lGll/Ad-cd细胞杀伤的IC_(50)为20μmol/L.电镜下显示被原药杀伤的血管内皮细胞有明显的细胞凋亡现象.同时混合细胞实验证明两系统均存在明显的旁杀伤效应.从而在体外水平证明了HSV-tk/GCV和EC-cd/5-FC自杀基因系统杀伤增生血管内皮细胞的有效性.     

p53 Gene Mutation in the Bone-Marrow of a Patient with Diffuse Mixed Cell Type Lymphoma at Diagnosis Predicting Eventual Progression to Large Cell Lymphoma

Mutations of the p53 tumor suppressor gene have been used as molecular genetic markers of disease and serve as a prognostic indicator in various malignancies including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Alterations in the p53 gene were investigated in a bone marrow sample from a NHL patient admitted for autologous bone marrow transplantation. Diffuse mixed small and large cell NHL, was initially diagnosed which eventually progressed to large cell lymphoma at relapse following poly-chemotherapy. A sequential technique of polymerase chain reaction-mediated single-strand conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) of the p53 gene revealed a shift in one band of exon 6 in the bone marrow, collected at the time of initial diagnosis. No mutations were detected in exons 5, 7, 8 and 9. Direct sequencing of exon 6 detected a single base change from G to C resulting in an amino acid substitution from glycine to histidine. Results of this study and data reviewed from other publications suggest that the missense p53 mutation seen in this patient at the time of diagnosis may perhaps have been used to predict the eventual outcome of the disease. This could, therefore, serve as an important genetic disease marker particularly in bone marrow or peripheral blood samples initially collected and cryopreserved for future possible autologous transplantation.     

No evidence of significant activity of the multidrug resistance gene product in primary human breast cancer

Background: The discovery of the multidrug resistance (MDR1) gene product P-glycoprotein (P-gp) has been widely seen as an important milestone in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the clinical phenomenon of the emergence of resistant cells. MDR1 expression has been shown for numerous solid tumors and for virtually all hematologic malignancies. Nevertheless, results regarding MDR1/P-gp expression in human breast cancer have been controversial and the results of clinical trials on modulation of P-gp activity have not been encouraging.Patients and methods: MDR1/P-gp expression and the function of the P-gp pump were investigated in 61 tumor samples from patients with primary breast cancers by multiparameter analysis using MDR1-RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry with two MAbs (UIC2 and MRK 16) and the rhodamine 123 (Rh123) efflux assay. The cellular composition of the tumor cell suspension was analyzed by using specific MAbs against the P-gp expressing lymphocyte subsets CD4, CD8 and CD56, as well as against the HER-2/neu gene product, which was used to identify breast carcinoma cells.Results: UIC2 and MRK16 revealed a staining positivity in 72% and 75% of samples, respectively. A positive MDR1-RT-PCR signal was detected in 62% of the samples. Nevertheless, no correlation between immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR could be established. Furthermore, there was no correlation between HER-2/neu expression and MDR1-RT-PCR or P-gp immunohistochemical assays. A contamination by CD8+ and CD4+ lymphocytes was established in 100% and 84% of tumor cell suspensions, respectively. As assessed by the Rh123 efflux assay CD8+ and the CD4+ lymphocytes exhibited marked P-glycoprotein activity, whereas such activity was not detectable in a single instance for the breast carcinoma cells. In MDR1-RT-PCR positive samples, contamination by CD8 lymphocytes averaged 4.3%, while the contamination of CD8 cells in the MDR1 mRNA-negative samples was only 2.4% (P = 0.007). This signal vanished after elimination of the lymphocyte subpopulations by T-cell rosetting.Conclusions: In primary breast cancer detection of MDR1 gene expression by means of RT-PCR or immunohistochemical assays is not indicative for the MDR phenotype, since there is no evidence of significant activity of the P-gp pump.     

ras基因的表达与胃癌细胞生物学特性的相关研究

为研究ｒａｓ基因在胃癌中的表达，采用组织化学、免疫化学和自动图像分析方法，检测了５４例胃癌切除标本的ｒａｓ基因表达、癌细胞核形态参数和ＤＮＡ含量及倍体分布类型。发现胃癌细胞ｐ２１表达水平随着ＤＮＡ含量不断增多、倍体成倍增加而逐渐下降。表明ｒａｓ过度表达主要出现在细胞表型发生明显转化之前。此外，发现胃癌细胞ｐ２１的表达水平与癌细胞核形态参数、癌肿大小、有无淋巴结转移均无关。