Frequent ongoing T-cell receptor rearrangements in childhood B- precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia: implications for monitoring minimal residual disease

Crosslineage T-cell receptor delta (TCR delta) rearrangements are widely used as tumor markers for the follow up of minimal residual disease in childhood B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The major drawback of this approach is the risk of false-negative results due to clonal evolution. We investigated the stability of V delta 2D delta 3 rearrangements in a group of 56 childhood B-precursor ALL patients by PCR and Southern blot analysis. At the PCR level, V delta 2D delta 3-to-J alpha rearranged subclones (one pathway for secondary TCR delta recombination) were demonstrated in 85.2% of V delta 2D delta 3-positive patients tested, which showed that small subclones are present in the large majority of patients despite apparently monoclonal TCR delta Southern blot patterns. Sequence analysis of V delta 2D delta 3J alpha rearrangements showed a biased J alpha gene usage, with HAPO5 and J alpha F in 26 of 32 and 6 of 32 clones, respectively. Comparison of V delta 2D delta 3 rearrangement status between diagnosis and first relapse showed differences in seven of eight patients studied. In contrast, from first relapse onward, no clonal changes were observed in six patients studied. To investigate the occurrence of crosslineage TCR delta rearrangements in normal B and T cells, fluorescence-activated cell sorter-sorted peripheral blood CD19+/CD3- and CD19-/CD3+ cell populations from three healthy donors were analyzed. V delta 2D delta 3 rearrangements were detected at low frequencies in both B and T cells, which suggests that V delta 2-to-D delta 3 joining also occurs during normal B-cell differentiation. A model for crosslineage TCR delta rearrangements in B-precursor ALL is deduced that explains the observed clonal changes between diagnosis and relapse and is compatible with multistep leukemogenesis of B-precursor ALL.     

Sequence comparison of human and yeast telomeres identifies structurally distinct subtelomeric domains

We have sequenced and compared DNA from the ends of three human chromosomes: 4p, 16p and 22q. In all cases the pro-terminal regions are subdivided by degenerate (TTAGGG)n repeats into distal and proximal sub- domains with entirely different patterns of homology to other chromosome ends. The distal regions contain numerous, short (<2 kb) segments of interrupted homology to many other human telomeric regions. The proximal regions show much longer (approximately 10-40 kb) uninterrupted homology to a few chromosome ends. A comparison of all yeast subtelomeric regions indicates that they too are subdivided by degenerate TTAGGG repeats into distal and proximal sub-domains with similarly different patterns of identity to other non-homologous chromosome ends. Sequence comparisons indicate that the distal and proximal sub-domains do not interact with each other and that they interact quite differently with the corresponding regions on other, non- homologous, chromosomes. These findings suggest that the degenerate TTAGGG repeats identify a previously unrecognized, evolutionarily conserved boundary between remarkably different subtelomeric domains.      

Identification and characterization of aquaporin-2 water channel mutations causing nephrogenic diabetes insipidus with partial vasopressin response

Congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI) is a rare disease caused most often by mutations in the vasopressin V2 receptor (AVPR2). We studied a family which included a female patient with NDI with symptoms dating from infancy. The patient responded to large doses of desmopressin (dDAVP) which decreased urine volume from 10 to 4 I/day. Neither the parents nor the three sisters were polyuric. The patient was found to be a compound heterozygote for two novel recessive point mutations in the aquaporin-2 (AQP2) gene: L22V in exon 1 and C181W in exon 3. Residue Cys181 in AQP2 is the site for inhibition of water permeation by mercurial compounds and is located near to the NPA motif conserved in all aquaporins. Osmotic water permeability (Pf) in Xenopus oocytes injected with cRNA encoding C181W-AQP2 was not increased over water control, while expression of L22V cRNA increased the Pf to approximately 60% of that for wild-type AQP2. Co-injection of the mutant cRNAs with the wild-type cRNA did not affect the function of the wild-type AQP2. Immunolocalization of AQP2-transfected CHO cells showed that the C181W mutant had an endoplasmic reticulum-like intracellular distribution, whereas L22V and wild-type AQP2 showed endosome and plasma membrane staining. Water permeability assays showed a high Pf in cells expressing wild-type and L22V AQP2. This study indicates that AQP2 mutations can confer partially responsive NDI.      

Multiple cerebral metastases: detectability with Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging

Sixteen patients with suspected cerebral metastases were studied with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging before and after the intravenous administration of 0.1 mmol/kg of gadolinium diethylenetriaminepenta-acetic acid. The images were interpreted blindly by two neuroradiologists; all clinical, radiologic (computed tomographic and MR imaging), and pathologic data were reviewed to arrive at a final "best diagnosis," which was then compared with the prior blinded interpretations. Of seven patients found to have multiple metastases, six (86%) had at least one tumor nodule depicted by postinfusion MR imaging that was missed by one or both observers on review of preinfusion images alone. Lesions missed on preinfusion studies were usually small nodules hidden by or not detected next to regions of high-signal edema thought to be related to the adjacent tumor nodule. The authors believe that contrast enhancement improves detection of metastatic foci with MR imaging and that the findings indicate broader implications for the detection of multiple lesions from other causes.     

Dietary flavonoids and cancer risk in the Zutphen Elderly Study

Flavonoids are polyphenolic antioxidants naturally present in vegetable foods. Some flavonoids, such as quercetin, inhibit carcinogenesis in rodents, but their effect in humans is unknown. We measured the flavonoids quercetin, kaempferol, myricetin, apigenin, and luteolin in foods and assessed flavonoid intake in 1985 by dietary history in 738 men aged 65-84 years without a history of cancer, who were then followed for five years. Mean flavonoid intake was 25.9 mg/day. The major sources of flavonoid intake were tea at 61% and vegetables and fruits (mainly onions, kale, endive, and apples) at 38%. Between 1985 and 1990, 75 men developed cancer (all sites) and 34 men died from cancer. Flavonoid intake in 1985 was not associated with incidence of all-cause cancer (p for trend = 0.54) or with mortality from all-cause cancer (p for trend = 0.51). Flavonoid intake was also not associated with risk of cancers of the alimentary and respiratory tract (p for trend = 0.92). Adjustment for age, body mass index, smoking, physical activity, and vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and dietary fiber intake did not change the relative risks. A high intake of flavonoids from vegetables and fruits only was inversely associated with risk of cancer of the alimentary and respiratory tract (relative risk of highest vs. lowest tertile = 0.51, 95% confidence interval 0.25-1.05); these results suggest the presence of other nonvitamin components with anticarcinogenic potential in these foods. We conclude that intake of flavonoids, mainly from tea, apples, and onions, does not predict a reduced risk of all-cause cancer or of cancer of the alimentary and respiratory tract in elderly men. The effect of flavonoids on risk of cancer at specific sites needs further investigation in prospective cohort studies.     

The burden of mortality of diabetes mellitus in The Netherlands

Our objective was to estimate the excess mortality and the reduction in life expectancy related to diabetes mellitus. We developed a life table to describe the Dutch population in two states, diabetic and non-diabetic, using age- and sex-specific prevalence of diabetes mellitus and risks of dying for diabetic subjects. We compared the calculated excess deaths with registered deaths. The cause-of-death registration practice underestimates diabetes-related mortality. The method used in this study, combining mortality data with data from epidemiologic studies, provides an assessment of the impact of diabetes on the Dutch population.     

Inhibition of growth and induction of apoptosis in human cancer cell lines by tea polyphenols

In order to study the biological activities of tea preparations and purified tea polyphenols, their growth inhibitory effects were investigated using four human cancer cell lines. Growth inhibition was measured by [3H]thymidine incorporation after 48 h of treatment. The green tea catechins (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and (-)- epigallocatechin (EGC) displayed strong growth inhibitory effects against lung tumor cell lines H661 and H1299, with estimated IC50 values of 22 microM, but were less effective against lung cancer cell line H441 and colon cancer cell line HT-29 with IC50 values 2- to 3- fold higher. (-)-Epicatechin-3-gallate, had lower activities, and (-)- epicatechin was even less effective. Preparations of green tea polyphenols and theaflavins had higher activities than extracts of green tea and decaffeinated green tea. The results suggest that the growth inhibitory activity of tea extracts is caused by the activities of different tea polyphenols. Exposure of H661 cells to 30 microM EGCG, EGC or theaflavins for 24 h led to the induction of apoptosis as determined by an annexin V apoptosis assay, showing apoptosis indices of 23, 26 and 8%, respectively; with 100 microM of these compounds, the apoptosis indices were 82, 76 and 78%, respectively. Incubation of H661 cells with EGCG also induced a dose-dependent formation of H2O2. Addition of H2O2 to H661 cells caused apoptosis in a manner similar to that caused by EGCG. The EGCG-induced apoptosis in H661 cells was completely inhibited by exogenously added catalase (50 units/ml). These results suggest that tea polyphenol-induced production of H2O2 may mediate apoptosis and that this may contribute to the growth inhibitory activities of tea polyphenols in vitro.