Expansion of ventral foregut is linked to changes in the enhancer landscape for organ-specific differentiation

Cell proliferation is fundamental for almost all stages of development and differentiation that require an increase in cell number. Although cell cycle phase has been associated with differentiation, the actual process of proliferation has not been considered as having a specific role. Here we exploit human embryonic stem cell-derived endodermal progenitors that we find are an in vitro model for the ventral foregut. These cells exhibit expansion-dependent increases in differentiation efficiency to pancreatic progenitors that are linked to organ-specific enhancer priming at the level of chromatin accessibility and the decommissioning of lineage-inappropriate enhancers. Our findings suggest that cell proliferation in embryonic development is about more than tissue expansion; it is required to ensure equilibration of gene regulatory networks allowing cells to become primed for future differentiation. Expansion of lineage-specific intermediates may therefore be an important step in achieving high-fidelity in vitro differentiation.

Long-term feeder-free culture of human pancreatic progenitors on fibronectin or matrix-free polymer potentiates β cell differentiation

With the aim of producing β cells for replacement therapies to treat diabetes, several protocols have been developed to differentiate human pluripotent stem cells to β cells via pancreatic progenitors. While in vivo pancreatic progenitors expand throughout development, the in vitro protocols have been designed to make these cells progress as fast as possible to β cells. Here, we report on a protocol enabling a long-term expansion of human pancreatic progenitors in a defined medium on fibronectin, in the absence of feeder layers. Moreover, through a screening of a polymer library we identify a polymer that can replace fibronectin. Our experiments, comparing expanded progenitors to directly differentiated progenitors, show that the expanded progenitors differentiate more efficiently into glucose-responsive β cells and produce fewer glucagon-expressing cells. The ability to expand progenitors under defined conditions and cryopreserve them will provide flexibility in research and therapeutic production.

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hPSC-derived pancreatic progenitors can be expanded long term without feeders

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Expansion can be achieved on fibronectin or on a polymer identified by screening

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Expansion enables increased NKX6-1 expression, which is crucial for β cell generation

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Expansion potentiates glucose-responsive β-like cells and decreases α cells

Naïve human pluripotent stem cells respond to Wnt, Nodal and LIF signalling to produce expandable naïve extra-embryonic endoderm

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) exist in at least two states that transcriptionally resemble different stages of embryonic development. Naïve ESCs resemble peri-implantation stages and primed ESCs the pre-gastrulation epiblast. In mouse, primed ESCs give rise to definitive endoderm in response to the pathways downstream of Nodal and Wnt signalling. However, when these pathways are activated in naïve ESCs, they differentiate to a cell type resembling early primitive endoderm (PrE), the blastocyst-stage progenitor of the extra-embryonic endoderm. Here, we apply this context dependency to human ESCs, showing that activation of Nodal and Wnt signalling drives the differentiation of naïve pluripotent cells toward extra-embryonic PrE, or hypoblast, and these can be expanded as an in vitro model for naïve extra-embryonic endoderm (nEnd). Consistent with observations made in mouse, human PrE differentiation is dependent on FGF signalling in vitro, and we show that, by inhibiting FGF receptor signalling, we can simplify naïve pluripotent culture conditions, such that the inhibitor requirements closer resemble those used in mouse. The expandable nEnd cultures reported here represent stable extra-embryonic endoderm, or human hypoblast, cell lines.This article has an associated 'The people behind the papers' interview.

CHD5 Downregulation Associated with Poor Prognosis in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

BACKGROUND

The CHD5 gene located on 1p36 encodes a protein-chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 5. CHD5 has been shown to be a tumor suppressor gene candidate. This study investigated the involvement of CHD5 in ovarian cancer and its clinicopathological significance.

METHODS

CHD5 expression in ovarian cancer and its counterpart were determined by quantitative RT-PCR. The correlation of CHD5 expression to clinicopathological features of the tumor was analyzed.

RESULTS

CHD5 expression was downregulated by at least twofold in 32 of 72 (41%) invasive epithelial ovarian carcinomas when compared to 12 controls in Hong Kong Chinese women. CHD5 downregulation was correlated to clinical status (p < 0.05), but not to patient age, tumor type and grade, recurrence and clinical stage (p > 0.05). Survival analysis showed that patients with CHD5 downregulation in their tumors were associated with shorter disease-free and total survival times compared to those without CHD5 downregulation (p < 0.05). Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis indicated that downregulation of CHD5 is an independent adverse prognostic factor in ovarian cancer.

CONCLUSION

This study shows that CHD5 is downregulated in a certain number of ovarian cancers and appears to be an adverse predictor candidate of ovarian cancer disease-free and total survival.

Dysregulation of microRNA-204 mediates migration and invasion of endometrial cancer by regulating FOXC1

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate mRNA stability and protein expression, and certain miRNAs have been demonstrated to act either as oncogenes or tumor suppressors. Differential miRNA expression signatures have been documented in many human cancers but the role of miRNAs in endometrioid endometrial cancer (EEC) remains poorly understood. This study identifies significantly dysregulated miRNAs of EEC cells, and characterizes their impact on the malignant phenotype. We studied the expression of 365 human miRNAs using Taqman low density arrays in EECs and normal endometriums. Candidate differentially expressed miRNAs were validated by quantitative real-time PCR. Expression of highly dysregulated miRNAs was examined in vitro through the effect of anti-/pre-miRNA transfection on the malignant phenotype. We identified 16 significantly dysregulated miRNAs in EEC and 7 of these are novel findings with respect to EEC. Antagonizing the function of miR-7, miR-194 and miR-449b, or overexpressing miR-204, repressed migration, invasion and extracellular matrix-adhesion in HEC1A endometrial cancer cells. FOXC1 was determined as a target gene of miR-204, and two binding sites in the 3'-untranslated region were validated by dual luciferase reporter assay. FOXC1 expression was inversely related to miR-204 expression in EEC. Functional analysis revealed the involvement of FOXC1 in migration and invasion of HEC1A cells. Our results present dysfunctional miRNAs in endometrial cancer and identify a crucial role for miR-204-FOXC1 interaction in endometrial cancer progression. This miRNA signature offers a potential biomarker for predicting EEC outcomes, and targeting of these cancer progression- and metastasis-related miRNAs offers a novel potential therapeutic strategy for the disease.

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects and molecular mechanisms of JCICM-6, a purified extract derived from an anti-arthritic Chinese herbal formula

The anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects and the molecular mechanisms of JCICM-6, a purified extract derived from an anti-arthritic Chinese herbal formula composed of Caulis Sinomenii, Aconiti laterralis Preparata, Rhizoma Curcumae longae, Radix Paeoniae albae, and Cortex Moutan, were examined for the first time. JCICM-6 was prepared using pharmaceutical extraction technology, purified by Amberlite XAD-7HP polymeric resin. Pharmacologically, in carrageenan-induced edema and carrageenan-evoked thermal hyperalgesia in paws of rats, the oral administration of JCICM-6 at dosages of 0.4, 0.8, and 1.6g/kg demonstrated significant inhibition with a dose-dependent manner. Mechanistic studies showed that JCICM-6 effectively decreased the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines of IL-6 and IL-1beta and expression of COX-2 and iNOS proteins, and simultaneously elevated the level of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4 in the carrageenan-injected rat paw tissues and exudates. The positive reference drug, indomethacin at a dosage of 10mg/kg, demonstrated inhibitory potency in both rat models, but it could not augment the production of IL-4, indicating JCICM-6 and indomethacin might possess different pharmacological properties and molecular mechanisms although both have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects in rats. These results suggest that JCICM-6 would be a valuable candidate for further investigation as a new anti-arthritic drug.

HLA-DQB1 polymorphisms and risk for cervical cancer: A case-control study in a southern Chinese population

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS

HLA II DQB1 polymorphisms have been shown to associate with cervical cancer risk, but results varied among different populations. In this study, the HLA DQB1 alleles among 221 southern Chinese women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade III (CIN III)/invasive cervical carcinoma (ICC) were compared to 191 controls.

RESULTS

The frequency of DQB1*03 was significantly lower among ICC overall as compared to controls (65.4% vs. 79.1%, odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 0.50 [0.28-0.88], corrected p-value: 0.04). The protective association of DQB1*03 remained significant for human papillomavirus (HPV) 16-positive ICC, but not for HPV16-negative cases. This is in contrast to studies on European populations where DQB1*03 was associated with an increased risk for ICC. In the current study, 70.1% of the HPV16 isolates were Asian variants, and 28.0% were European variants. However, no significant association between HPV16 variant and DQB1*03 distribution was observed. HPV52 and HPV58 were found respectively in 16.3% and 10.0% of CIN III/ICC, which were higher compared to that of Europe and North America. Further analyses revealed a positive risk association between DQB1*06 and HPV58-positive CIN III/ICC (3.68 [1.37-9.92], corrected p-value: 0.012).

CONCLUSION

The host genetics and the distribution of HPV types/variants may account for the observed differences among southern Chinese and other populations.

Manipulation of the induction of adjuvant arthritis in Sprague-Dawley rats

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the roles of various variables in the induction of adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) in the outbred Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, and further characterize its arthritic features by comprehensive examinations.

METHODS

The roles of different preparative techniques, inoculation routes and doses of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MT) suspension as well as the sex preference in the induction of AIA were comparatively studied using clinical assessment. The hind paws of animals were analyzed by radiological and histological examinations. The serum levels of cytokines interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha were determined by ELISA.

RESULTS

The particle size and dose of MT played a dominant role in the induction and severity of AIA. Male rats manifested markedly more severe arthritic signs than female rats. After subcutaneously inoculated with 500 microg MT, male rats developed pronounced arthritis with 100% incidence and low variable clinical signs. Even using only 62.5 microg MT, AIA was efficiently induced in male rats and characterized by upregulated expression profiles of IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha.

CONCLUSIONS

Since outbred SD rats are much cheaper and more readily available than Lewis rats, this well-developed SD rat AIA model is an efficient and cost-effective arthritis model available for screening novel anti-arthritic agents.

Gene expression pattern associated with radiotherapy sensitivity in cervical cancer

The objective of the present preliminary study was to determine if a difference in the pattern of gene expression exists between tumors that were subsequently found to be sensitive to radiotherapy and tumors found to be resistant to radiotherapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 16 patients with invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix were included in this study. All patients were treated with standardized radiotherapy alone. Ten of the tumors were clinically radiosensitive and six were radioresistant. Total RNA, extracted from tumor specimens obtained prior to treatment, was hybridized onto an oligonucleotide microarray with probe sets complementary to over 20,000 transcripts. The genes were first subjected to a statistical filter to identify genes with statistically significant differential expression levels between those that were radiosensitive and those that were radioresistant. A back-propagation neural network was then constructed to model the differences so that patterns could be easily identified.

RESULTS

Although a number of genes were found to express differentially between radiosensitive and radioresistant tumors; the 10 most discriminating genes were used to construct the model. Using the expressions from these 10 genes, we found that neural networks constructed from random subsets of the whole data were capable of predicting radiotherapy responses in the remaining subset, which appears stable within the dataset.

DISCUSSION

This study shows that such an approach has the potential to differentiate tumor radiosensitivity, although confirmation of such a pattern using other larger independent datasets is necessary before firm conclusions can be drawn.

Identification of molecular markers and signaling pathway in endometrial cancer in Hong Kong Chinese women by genome-wide gene expression profiling

Endometrial cancer is the third most common gynecologic malignancy and the ninth most common malignancy for females overall in Hong Kong. Approximately 80% or more of these cancers are endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinomas. The aim of this study was to reveal genes contributing to the development of endometrioid endometrial cancer, which may impact diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of the disease. Whole-genome gene expression analysis was completed for a set of 55 microdissected sporadic endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinomas and 29 microdissected normal endometrium specimens using the Affymetrix Human U133 Plus 2.0 oligonucleotide microarray. Selected genes of interest were validated by quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Pathway analysis was performed to reveal gene interactions involved in endometrial tumorigenesis. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering displayed a distinct separation between the endometrioid adenocarcinomas and normal endometrium samples. Supervised analysis identified 117 highly differentially regulated genes (>or=4.0-fold change), which distinguished the endometrial cancer specimens from normal endometrium. Twelve novel genes including DKK4, ZIC1, KIF1A, SAA2, LOC16378, ALPP2, CCL20, CXCL5, BST2, OLFM1, KLRC1 and MBC45780 were deregulated in the endometrial cancer, and further validated in an independent set of 56 cancer and 29 normal samples using qRT-PCR. In addition, 10 genes were differentially regulated in late-stage cancer, as compared to early-stage disease, and may be involved in tumor progression. Pathway analysis of the expression data from this tumor revealed an interconnected network consisting of 21 aberrantly regulated genes involved in angiogenesis, cell proliferation and chromosomal instability. The results of this study highlight the molecular features of endometrioid endometrial cancer and provide insight into the events underlying the development and progression of endometrioid endometrial cancer.

The comparative study of Sprague-Dawley and Lewis rats in adjuvant-induced arthritis

The outbred Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, similar to the inbred Lewis (LEW) rats, have been recently demonstrated to be highly susceptible to adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA). We herein compared AIA in SD and LEW rats in terms of clinical, histological, radiological, and immuno-inflammatory features. The results showed that, following inoculation with a ground Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MT) suspension, SD and LEW rats manifested closely similar disease progression, with 100% incidence and similar severity. The development of arthritis was accompanied by significantly higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels than in control rats. Radiographic examination of the hind paws showed that both SD and LEW AIA rats manifested conspicuous soft tissue swelling, bone matrix resorption, periosteal new bone formation and bone erosion, while histopathological analysis of the synovial joints revealed marked cellular infiltration, angiogenesis, synovial hyperplasia, pannus formation, narrowing of joint space, and cartilage and bone destruction. Moreover, in relation to disease progression, serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), and IL-6 levels were markedly overexpressed in both SD and LEW AIA versus control rats, and SD and LEW AIA rats exhibited divergent profiles for the expression of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta. Taken together, these results demonstrated that the SD rat AIA model shares several arthritic features with the comparable model in LEW rats. Hence, given the more favorable characteristics of SD rats than LEW rats (i.e., lower cost, wider availability, and heterogenic background), this SD rat AIA model is more cost effective and advantageous for screening and testing novel anti-arthritic agents.

17β-Estradiol suppresses proliferation of fibroblasts derived from cardinal ligaments in patients with or without pelvic organ prolapse

BACKGROUND

Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) has been used in the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) but clinical results are inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) on the proliferation of fibroblasts derived from cardinal ligaments in women with or without POP.

METHODS

Fibroblasts were derived from seven patients with POP and seven age-matched controls. The growth rate of POP fibroblasts was compared with that of control by 3-(4,5,-dimethyl thiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Four cell strains from each patient and control group were treated with different concentrations of E2 (10(-4), 10(-8), 10(-9) and 10(-10) mol/l). The effect of E2 on cell proliferation was then measured by MTT assay.

RESULTS

The overall growth rate of POP fibroblasts was significantly slower than that of controls under normal culture conditions. Addition of E2 suppressed cell proliferation of all the fibroblasts, especially in POP fibroblasts. POP fibroblasts showed a significantly lower proliferative rate than that of controls at all E2 concentrations, with the most prominent inhibitory effect at physiological concentration (10.83 34.41% versus 81.56 48.10% at 10(-8) mol/l).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that decreased fibroblast turnover may contribute to the development of POP; and ERT may not be an effective POP treatment.

Expression of placental leptin and leptin receptors in preeclampsia

This study investigated the expression profile of placental leptin and leptin receptor isoforms in preeclampsia, using placental tissue from normal pregnancies that were matched in gestational age and birth weight as controls. A total of 29 cases of preeclampsia were studied by immunohistochemistry, including 16 severe and 13 mild preeclampsia cases. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was further performed using RNA extracted from frozen tissue (10 severe preeclampsia, 10 mild preeclampsia, and 20 normal third trimester placentas). In all tissue sections, immunostaining signal was shown in the cytoplasmic compartment of the trophoblastic cells. Both the severe and mild preeclampsia groups showed significantly higher immunostaining for leptin compared with normal controls (p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between the severe and mild preeclampsia groups (p > 0.05). There was no significant difference in immunostaining for leptin receptor between both severe and mild preeclampsia compared with controls (p > 0.05). RT-PCR showed significantly higher levels of mRNA transcripts of leptin in severe preeclampsia (p < 0.05), but not mild preeclampsia (p > 0.05), compared with normal controls. No significant difference in expression of all the receptor isoforms was demonstrated between both severe and mild preeclampsia groups compared with controls (p > 0.05). In conclusion, we confirmed an up-regulated expression of leptin in placental tissue in preeclampsia. However, there was no difference in the expression of all leptin receptor isoforms in placental tissue between preeclamptic and normal pregnancies. The leptin signal probably does not play a major primary role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

Protein profiling of cervical cancer by protein-biochips: proteomic scoring to discriminate cervical cancer from normal cervix

Analysis of multiple proteins is thought to be essential for establishment of signature proteomic patterns that may distinguish cancer from non-cancer. Surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization (SELDI) is an affinity-based mass spectrometric method in which proteins of interest are selectively absorbed to a chemically modified surface on a biochip. This technology may provide protein profiling of a variety of biological specimens. In this study, we explored whether the protein biochip SELDI approach could differentiate cervical cancer from non-cancer cohorts. We screened protein profiles generated by SELDI in 62 cervical epithelial cell samples microdissected from 35 invasive cervical cancer and 27 age-matched normal cervix tissue specimens, respectively. The cell lysates of pure populations of cervical cells were applied onto Ciphergen ProteinChip WCX2 Arrays. Proteins bound to the chips were analyzed on a ProteinChip Reader Model PBS II. Derived proteomic patterns were converted to a simple proteomic scoring for distinguishing cancer from non-cancer cohorts. SELDI protein profiles of cell lysates from 20 cervical cancer and 15 normal cervix tissue specimens were used to train and develop a classification scoring system that used a seven-protein mass pattern. The training samples could be correctly discriminated. When a test set of 27 samples was used for evaluation of this scoring system to distinguish cervical cancer from non-cancer, a sensitivity of 87%, a specificity of 100%, a positive predictive value of 100%, and a negative predictive value of 86% for the test population were obtained. All seven proteins appeared to be down regulated in cervical cancer. The results from this study indicate that the proteomics approach of SELDI mass spectrometry, in combination with a simple scoring system, may distinguish cervical cancer from its normal counterpart. If this approach is also workable in the analysis of cervical exfoliated cell lysate, it might potentially be used in the early diagnosis of invasive cervical cancer. In addition, the identification of these specific proteins in cervical cancer may also facilitate the discovery of new cervical tumor marker(s).

Integrations of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human papillomavirus (HPV) into the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene in liver and cervical cancers

Chronic infections with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are important risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cervical cancer (CC), respectively. HBV and HPV are DNA viruses that almost invariably integrate into the host genome in invasive tumors. The viral integration sites occur throughout the genome, leading to the presumption that there are no preferred sites of integration. A number of viral integrations have been shown to occur within the vicinity of important cancer-related genes. In studies of HBV-induced HCC and HPV-induced CC, we have identified two HBV and three HPV integrations into the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene. Detailed characterization of the integrations revealed that four integrations occurred within the hTERT promoter and upstream region and the fifth integration occurred in intron 3 of the hTERT gene. None of the integrations altered the hTERT coding sequence and all resulted in juxtaposition of viral enhancers near hTERT, with potential activation of hTERT expression. Our work supports the hypothesis that the sites of oncogenic viral integration are nonrandom and that genes at the sites of viral integration may play important roles in carcinogenesis.

Prevalence of human papillomavirus in cervical cancer: a multicenter study in China

A large-scale epidemiologic survey on the prevalence of different types of human papillomavirus (HPV) in cervical cancer in China is indicated because of the implications for the development of diagnostic probes and vaccines against cervical cancer. A total of 809 cervical cancer specimens were collected from 5 regions in China including Shanghai, Guangzhou, Sichuan, Beijing and Hong Kong. HPV DNA was detected in 83.7% of the specimens. HPV-16 was present in 79.6%, HPV-18 in 7.5%, HPV-52 in 2.6% and HPV-58 in 3.8% of all HPV-positive specimens. The prevalences of HPV-16 and HPV-18 in Hong Kong were 61.7 and 14.8%, respectively, representing a lower HPV-16 and a higher HPV-18 proportion compared with the other regions. HPV-16 remained the most common HPV infection in both squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (AC). The proportion of HPV-18 infection was significantly higher in AC than in SCC.

Expression of apoptotic regulators and their significance in cervical cancer

Insufficient apoptosis is implicated in many human cancers, including cervical carcinoma. The objectives of this study were to explore changes of apoptosis-regulating gene expression and their clinical significance in cervical cancer. The expression of apoptosis-regulating genes, including five Bcl-2 family and two caspase family members, was evaluated in 43 cervical invasive squamous cell carcinomas, using immunohistochemistry. Specimens in which >or=10% of the neoplastic cells showed cytosolic immunoreactivity were considered to be immunopositive. Results were correlated with clinico-pathologic characteristics of the subjects. All seven apoptotic regulators examined were positive in a proportion of the tumors. The percentage of cases expressing Bax was higher in the patients without evidence of disease after treatment than in the patients alive with disease or who died of disease (P<0.05). A significant difference in disease-free survival was detected between Bax-positive and -negative groups (P<0.05), and in overall survival between Mcl-1-positive and -negative groups (P<0.05). Significant association between the seven markers tested was only found for caspase 3 and Bak immunoreactivity in cervical carcinoma (P<0.05). The results demonstrate expression of multiple apoptosis-modulating proteins in cervical cancer. There appears to be complex regulation of apoptosis protein levels in association with clinical behavior of cervical squamous cell carcinoma.

Microsatellite instability, expression of hMSH2 and hMLH1 and HPV infection in cervical cancer and their clinico-pathological association

Infection with specific genotypes of human papillomavirus (HPV) has been strongly implicated in cervical carcinogenesis. However, HPV infection alone is insufficient for malignant transformation of the cervical epithelium. An alteration of microsatellite repeats is the result of slippage owing to strand misalignment during DNA replication and is referred to as microsatellite instability (MSI). These defects in DNA repair pathways have been related to human carcinogenesis; however, the role of MSI in the tumorigenesis of cervical cancer remains unclear. The clinical and pathological features of cervical cancers which are MSI-positive have also not been fully characterized. This study investigated the prevalence of MSI in cervical cancer and its relationship to clinico-pathological characteristics and HPV infection. Polymerase chain reaction-based microsatellite assay combined with tissue microdissection was used to examine for MSI in 50 cervical squamous cell carcinomas in Hong Kong women. In addition, the immunohistochemical staining was performed to determine the expression of major DNA mismatch repair genes, hMSH2 and hMLH1. Six cases (12%) displayed a low frequency of MSI (MSL-L) showing MSI at one locus only in 5 loci examined. Seven cases (14%) showed a high frequency of MSI (MSI-H) having MSI at 2 or more loci. Grouping MSI-L and MSI-H cases together as MSI-positive, statistical analysis of HPV infection, tumor grade, clinical stage and clinical status failed to disclose differences between MSI-positive and MSI-negative cases (p > 0.05). However, MSI-H correlated with advanced stage of disease (p < 0.05). Individuals with MSI-H tumors appeared to have reduced overall survival compared to individuals with MSI-L and MSI-negative tumors, but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.059). An absence of either MSH2 or MLH1 expression was observed in 2 MSI-L and 4 MSI-H cases, respectively. The results suggest that MSI is present in a subgroup of cervical squamous cell carcinomas, and defects resulting in MSI may be related to tumor progression and possibly poor prognosis in cervical cancer.

Aberrant expression of p21(WAF1/CIP1) and p27(KIP1) in cervical carcinoma

An immuno-histochemical study of p21 and p27 expression in cervical carcinoma was performed in 73 patients. Positive p21 and p27 staining was detected in 35.6 and 11% of tumour tissues, respectively. p21 expression was significantly correlated with advanced disease stage and negative human papilloma virus infection whilst positive p27 staining was not correlated with any clinical and pathological parameters studied. Kaplan-Meier estimation indicated that survival might be related to disease stage, tumour grade and p21 expression. Cox regression analysis confirmed that advanced stage disease and poorly differentiated tumour are independent prognostic factors for cervical carcinoma.

Clinical and prognostic significance of human papillomavirus in a Chinese population of cervical cancers

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical and prognostic significance of human papillomavirus (HPV) in a Chinese population of cervical cancers.

METHODS

We studied 121 cervical cancer tissue samples from patients treated at our hospital. Identification and typing of HPV were done by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using consensus primers MY11 and MY09 followed by direct DNA sequencing. The results were correlated with various clinical and prognostic parameters.

RESULTS

We found HPV DNA in 95 (78.5%) cases, including HPV-16 in 59 (48.8%) and HPV-18 in 14 (11.6%) cases. chi(2) analysis revealed no significant correlation between the presence of HPV DNA and age at diagnosis, clinical stage, histologic type, tumor grading, 2-year and 5-year survival rate. Of the factors evaluated, age at diagnosis and histologic type were found to have a statistically significant relationship with HPV type. The mean age of the HPV-18 group was 48.6 years compared to 57.1 years for the HPV-16 group (p = 0.045) and 58.2 years for the HPV-negative group (p = 0.04). HPV-18 was detected more often in adenocarcinomas (AC) than in squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). Conversely HPV-16 was detected significantly more often in SCC (p < 0.0001). The HPV-negative group also had a higher incidence of SCC (p = 0.007). HPV-18-positive patients seemed to have more nodal involvement than both HPV-16-positive patients (45.5 vs. 20.8%) and HPV-negative patients (45.5 vs. 18.2%); however, it did not reach statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

These observations suggest that the presence of HPV DNA does not bear any clinical or prognostic significance in a Chinese population of cervical cancers. HPV-18 is found more often in younger patients and is associated with AC.

Alteration of cyclin D1 and CDK4 gene in carcinoma of uterine cervix

Amplification and overexpression of cyclin D1 and CDK4 genes in cervical carcinoma were studied by semi-quantitative differential polymerase chain reaction assay and an immunostaining technique, respectively. Amplifications of cyclin D1 and CDK4 genes were found in 24% (27/113) and 26% (29/112) of tumors, respectively. Overexpression of cyclin D1 and CDK4 was demonstrated in 32% (21/66) and 73% (45/62) of tumors, respectively. No tumor showed CDK4 gene mutation on single strand conformational polymorphism. Sixteen percent (8/49) of the tumor specimens showed neither amplification nor overexpression. Disease stage, tumor grade and overexpression of cyclin D1 were found to be independent poor prognostic factors in cervical carcinoma.

Microsatellite instability in cervical carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the incidence of microsatellite instability (MI) in cervical carcinoma and its relationship with clinicopathological characteristics.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective study of 100 cases of cervical carcinoma.

RESULTS

MI, defined as tumor-associated alterations in at least one of five dinucleotide microsatellite markers examined, was detected in 25% of the cervical carcinomas which were observed. There was a nonsignificant trend towards MI occurrence in higher grade tumors, more advanced stage and cases with poor clinical outcome.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that microsatellite instability is present in a subset of cervical carcinoma and may be an independent prognostic factor. Further research with more samples is required.

MTAP gene deletion in endometrial cancer

A gene (MTAP) that encodes the enzyme 5'-deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine (MTA) phosphorylase has been identified on chromosome 9p21 and cloned. The substrate of this enzyme, MTA, inhibits aminopropyltransferases that synthesize polyamines from putrescine and decarboxylated S-adenosylmethionine. This enzyme normally cleaves MTA to adenine and 5'-methylthioribose-1-phosphate, which are recycled to adenine nucleotides and methionine, respectively. Cancers with deletions of the MTAP gene may be especially susceptible to chemotherapeutic regimes which interfere with purine or methionine utilization. The purpose of this study was to determine deletion of the MTAP gene in endometrial cancer using a polymerase chain reaction-based method. Therefore, 50 endometrial adenocarcinomas were studied. Partial or total deletions of the MTAP gene were detected in 7 (14%) of these cancers. There were no significant relationships between gene deletion and patient age, pathological grade or clinical stage (p > 0.05). The findings indicate that deletion of the MTAP gene does occur in a subgroup of endometrial cancer. The present work may be extended to the development of molecular diagnosis of MTAP gene deletion in other cancers and assist in selecting appropriate chemotherapy.

A study of fetal sex determination in coelomic fluid

Coelomic fluid and fetal parts were obtained in 35 patients undergoing surgical termination of pregnancy. Fetal gender was determined by Y-sequence-specific polymerase chain reactions (PCR). Fourteen male pregnancies out of 35 cases were identified by examination of fetal parts. The overall concordance rate of gender determination between coelomic fluid and fetal parts was 91.4%. There were 2 cases of male pregnancies not being identified and 1 case of false positive result by coelocentesis. The gestation of pregnancy and the volume of coelomic fluid obtained appeared not to be related to the discrepancy in the paired results. We conclude that sex determination using coelocentesis and PCR remains unreliable to be used as a definitive prenatal diagnostic test for sex-linked disorders.

p53 polymorphism and human papillomavirus infection in Hong Kong women with cervical cancer

In this study we investigated the involvement of p53 polymorphism at codon 72, the infection and typing of human papillomavirus (HPV) and the correlation of p53 polymorphism with HPV type and other clinicopathologic characteristics in 72 Hong Kong women with cervical cancer. We developed a simple and nonradioactive method for determining polymorphism at codon 72 of the p53 gene. The homozygous p53 arginine allele (Arg/Arg) was detected in 22 (31%), the homozygous p53 proline allele (Pro/Pro) in 14 (19%) and the heterozygous allele (Arg/Pro) in 36 (50%) cases, respectively. Using the consensus primers MY11 and MY09, HPV infection was detected in 55 of 72 (76%) cases. The prevalent types were HPV-16 (55%), HPV-18 (16%) and HPV-58 (9%). The number of HPV-positive cases with Arg/Arg, Pro/Pro and Arg/Pro were 17 (31%), 12 (22%) and 26 (47%), respectively. The p53 polymorphism at codon 72 was not significantly correlated with any of the HPV types (p > 0.05). No striking overrepresentation of homozygous arginine-72 p53 was observed in HPV-associated cervical cancer. The results in this study did not show that any p53 polymorphic form has a prognostic significance for cervical cancer.

Loss of heterozygosity at the short arm of chromosome 3 in microdissected cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) is a common genetic finding in many human neoplasms, including cervical cancer. The detection of LOH at specific loci in the precursor of cervical cancer, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) may help in elucidating the evolution of this cancer, which has a clearly defined histological premalignant phase. However, molecular genetic investigation of CIN is difficult because many of the lesions are very small and sometimes ill defined topographically. In this study we analyzed eighteen polymorphic microsatellite repeats on chromosome 3p in CINs using a method of primer extension pre-amplification (PEP) for whole genome amplification combined with microdissection. These markers encompass chromosome region 3pter-3p12. LOH at one or more loci was detected in five (33%) out of the 15 informative cases with low grade CIN (CIN 1), while 22 (92%) out of 24 cases with high grade CIN (CIN 2 and 3) (P<0.01). The highest incidence (41%) of LOH was detected at locus D3S1038 (3p26.1-3p25.2). Frequent LOH (more than 20%) was also found at other loci including D3S1110 (3p25.3-3p25.1) (31%), D3S656 (3p25.1) (24%), D3S1076 (3p21.2-3p21.1) (29%), D3S1300 (3p21.1-3p14.2) (24%), D3S1600 (3p14.2-3p14.1) (24%), and D3S1079 (3p13) (25%). The results from this study taken together with others indicate that the genetic alterations on chromosome 3p are common in high grade of CIN and are probably early events in cervical carcinogenesis. Tumor suppressor gene(s) that play a role in cervical neoplasm may be located on the short arm of chromosome 3, likely at or near 3p26.1-25.1, 3p21.2-21.1, and 3p14.2-13.

Overexpression of p53 and HER-2/neu and c-myc in primary fallopian tube carcinoma

Primary fallopian tube carcinoma is a rare form of female cancer and the genetic basis of its carcinogenesis remains unclear. Eighteen cases of primary fallopian tube adenocarcinoma were studied. Immunohistochemical staining for p53, HER-2/neu and c-myc genes were performed. Overexpression of p53 was detected in 12 cases (67%), HER-2/neu in 16 cases (89%), and c-myc in 11 cases (61%). The potential relevance of overexpression of the three genes with clinicopathological features was examined, but no significant correlation was found. The high incidence of p53, HER-2/neu and c-myc overexpression in fallopian tube adenocarcinoma suggests these genes may play a role in its tumorigenesis.

Allelic loss on chromosome 1 is associated with tumor progression of cervical carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Alterations in chromosome 1 are common in human malignancies. The frequency of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosome 1 in cervical carcinoma and its clinical significance are not clearly understood.

METHODS

LOH on chromosome 1 was studied in 100 cervical carcinomas by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using 29 highly polymorphic microsatellite markers spaced approximately 10 centimorgans apart. Loci with high frequencies of LOH were identified and the findings were correlated with clinicopathologic characteristics.

RESULTS

LOH on chromosome 1 at 1 or more loci was detected in 93% of tumors. The frequencies of LOH at locus D1S2829 (1p31), D1S2663 (1p36.3), and D1S2725 (1q25) exceeded 30%, and 12 other loci exhibited frequencies of LOH of 20-30%. Advanced stage tumors had a significantly higher percentage of informative microsatellite markers with LOH than early stage tumors. Of the 29 microsatellite markers studied, 4 loci had a significantly higher frequency of LOH in Stage III and IV tumors than in earlier stage tumors.

CONCLUSIONS

Frequent aberrations on chromosome 1 in cervical carcinoma suggest that inactivation of tumor suppressor genes is important in cervical tumorigenesis. Higher frequencies of LOH in Stage III and IV tumors suggest that chromosome 1 changes are late events in cervical carcinoma. The findings of this study are consistent with earlier reports that suggest that tumor suppressor genes are present at 1p36.3 and 1p31. To the authors' knowledge, the high frequency of LOH mapped to 1q25 has not been reported previously. Its significance awaits further clarification.

Clinical use of serum c-erbB-2 in patients with ovarian masses

The c-erbB-2 (Her-2/neu) gene product has a large extracellular domain (ECD) and part of which could be identified in the serum. We measured the serum level of c-erbB-2 ECD in 93 patients, who presented with ovarian masses, with an enzyme immunoassay test and an elevated level was found in 5.5, 16.7 and 38% of patients with benign, borderline and malignant ovarian neoplasms, respectively. This serum marker may reflect the overexpression of c-erbB-2 gene in tumor tissues, which is associated with poor prognosis. However, measurement of c-erbB-2 ECD when used alone or in combination with CA 125 is not useful in differentiating benign from malignant ovarian tumors.

Methylation of p16INK4A in primary gynecologic malignancy

The p16INK4A gene mapped on band p21 of chromosome 9 can be inactivated via multiple mechanisms including homozygous deletion, point mutation and promoter hypermethylation in various human tumors. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based analysis was performed to examine methylation of the p16INK4A gene promoter in 196 primary gynecologic malignancies including 98 cervical, 49 endometrial and 49 ovarian carcinomas. Methylation of p16INK4A was detected in 31% of cervical, 20% of endometrial, and 4% of ovarian carcinomas, respectively. The incidence of p16INK4A methylation in patients with cervical and endometrial carcinomas at advanced stages (stages III-IV) was statistically higher than those at early stages (stages I-II). There were also significant differences in the incidence of p16INK4A methylation in both cancers between the patients who had died of their disease or were alive with evidence of disease, and those without evidence of disease. The results indicate that methylation of the p16INK4A gene is present in a proportion of primary gynecologic malignancies and this alteration may be associated with poor outcome in cervical and endometrial carcinomas.

Expression of p16INK4 and retinoblastoma protein Rb in vulvar lesions of Chinese women

The protein products of the two tumor suppressor genes located on 9p and 13p, p16INK4 and Rb, respectively, play an important role in regulation of the cell cycle and are implicated in tumorigenesis. We examined 49 cases of benign vulvar lesions, vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN), and squamous cell carcinoma with immunohistochemical staining to determine expression of p16INK4 and Rb. All and 86% of benign lesions expressed Rb and p16INK4, respectively; 40% each of VIN I and VIN III expressed p16INK4 and Rb, respectively; and 37 and 68% of squamous cell carcinomas expressed p16INK4 and Rb, respectively. The combination of the lack of p16INK4 and/or Rb expression increased from benign lesions (14.3%), through VIN I (60%) and VIN III (60%), to invasive squamous cell carcinoma (72%), thus supporting the postulation that alterations in p16INK4 or Rb could be significant events in progression of disease. The loss of Rb expression also increased from stage I carcinoma (16.7%) through stage II (26.7%) and III (44.4%), to IV (50%), suggesting that Rb may play an important role in tumor progression. A larger study on VIN lesions and genetic coding is suggested to further investigate the role of p16INK4, Rb, and other factors in tumorigenesis and progression of vulvar cancers.

Frequent loss of heterozygosity of chromosome 3 short arm detected by PCR-based microsatellite polymorphisms in cervical squamous cell carcinoma

Karyotypic studies have shown that genetic aberrations of the short arm of chromosome 3 (3p) may be involved in the pathogenesis of cervical carcinoma. In this study we analyzed nine polymorphic microsatellite repeats on 3p using a PCR-based assay for loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in 64 invasive squamous cell carcinomas of the cervix. These markers encompass chromosome region 3p13-25. LOH at one or more loci was detected in 46 (79%) out of the 58 informative cases. The incidence of LOH at locus D3S643 (3p13) was the highest among nine markers examined. The difference between the frequency of LOH at D3S643 in early stage (I-II) disease (43%) and those with advanced stage (stage III-IV) (79%) was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The results indicate that tumor suppressor gene(s) that play a role in cervical cancer may be located on the short arm of chromosome 3, likely near or at 3p13. The LOH at 3p13 appears to be a late event in tumor progression and may serve as an indicator for a less favorable clinical outcome.

p16INK4 and p15INK4B alterations in primary gynecologic malignancy

Chromosome 9 abnormalities have been found in primary tumors and cell lines from human gynecologic malignancy. Alterations of p16INK4 and p15INK4B genes mapped on the band p21 of chromosome 9 have been detected in various human tumors, but the role of these genes as tumor suppressors in vivo appear to be dependent on tumor type. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based analysis was performed to search for lesions of these genes in 202 primary gynecologic malignancies. Homozygous deletions of p16INK4 were detected in 7 of 128 (5%) cervical, 1 of 41 (2%) endometrial, 2 of 27 (7%) ovarian, and 3 of 6 (50%) vulvar carcinomas, while homozygous deletions of p15INK4B were detected in 19 of 128 (15%) cervical, 1 of 41 (2%) endometrial, 9 of 27 (33%) ovarian, and 3 of 6 (50%) vulvar carcinomas, respectively. No mutations were found in exon 2 of p16INK4 from 161 cases of gynecologic malignancy without deletion of p16INK4. All 3 cases of vulvar carcinoma showing homozygous deletions of p16INK4 and p15INK4B were at advanced clinical stage (stage III-IV), while all 7 cases of cervical carcinoma and 2 cases of ovarian carcinoma showing homozygous deletion of p16INK4 were at early stage (stage I-II). The results indicate that homozygous deletions of p16INK4 and/or p15INK4B genes may play a role in a subset of primary gynecologic malignancy.

c-fos overexpression is associated with the pathoneogenesis of invasive cervical cancer

The molecular genetics of human cervical cancer remains to be defined to a significant extent. The current study examined the prevalence and significance of proto-oncogene c-fos overexpression in cervical cancer. Immunohistochemical staining of c-fos oncoprotein was performed in 27 invasive cervical carcinomas and 30 cervical intraepithelial neoplasias (CINs) managed in our department. Eight normal cervical specimens were used as controls. In the patients with invasive cervical cancer, 8 were stage I, 12 were stage II, and 7 had stage III-IV disease. Three of the cancers were well differentiated, 18 were moderately differentiated and 6 were poorly differentiated. Twenty invasive cervical carcinomas (59%) and 3 CIN (10%) showed overexpression of c-fos. The difference is statistically significant (p < 0.001). No statistically significant relationship was found between c-fos overexpression and clinical stage, histological grade, or survival in invasive cervical cancer. In this population, c-fos overexpression appears to be common in invasive cervical cancer and correlated with the ability of the tumor to become invasive, but is not associated with the progression of cervical cancer.

C-myc mutation detected by polymerase chain reaction--heteroduplex in cervical cancer

To evaluate both the incidence of c-myc gene mutation and the relationship of this finding to the clinico-pathologic characteristics of patients with cervical cancer, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based heteroduplex gel electrophoresis method was used to screen DNA extracted from 102 cervical invasive carcinomas referred to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. C-myc mutation was detected and then characterised by sequencing of PCR products in 4 cases (4%). The incidence of c-myc mutation in patients with advanced stage tumours (stage III-IV, 11% was statistically higher than in those with early stages (stage I-II, 1%, p = 0.05). There was also a significant difference in the incidence of c-myc mutation among the patients who had died of their disease (10%), were alive with evidence of disease (25%), and those without evidence of disease (0%, p = 0.0003). These findings indicate that the c-myc mutation is not common in cervical cancer, but where it exists, it may be associated with cancer progression and poorer outcome. Whether the c-myc mutation is an adjunct prognostic indicator in cervical cancer remains to be established in a larger study.

HER-2/neu gene amplification in cervical cancer in Chinese women of Hong Kong and China

OBJECTIVE

To determine the amplification of proto-oncogene HER-2/neu in invasive cervical cancer and its relationship with the stage of disease, grade of tumor and prognosis of patients.

METHODS

In this retrospective study 70 women with invasive cervical squamous cell carcinoma were included. DNA was extracted from the paraffin-embedded tumor tissue. The amplification of HER-2/neu was studied using a differential polymerase reaction (PCR) technique. Assessment of significance was performed using Peason's Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test.

RESULTS

Eleven of the 70 cases (16%) showed an amplification of HER-2/neu but there was no relation between amplification and tumor histologic grading (p = 0.408) or clinical staging (p = 0.180). Follow-up information in 67 patients was available. The incidence of amplification in the patients who were alive with disease was not statistically different from that in the patients who were alive with no evidence of disease (p = 0.315). The incidence of amplification in the patients who died of disease was higher than that in the patients who were still alive, but statistical significance did not reached (p = 0.062).

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that HER-2/neu amplification does exist in a subgroup of invasive cervical cancer and may play a role in cervical carcinogenesis. The role as independent prognostic factor has to be evaluated by further prospective studies.

Coincidental renal cell and endometrial carcinoma: a case report

A case of renal cell carcinoma and coexistent endometrial carcinoma is reported. The renal tumor in the lower pole of left kidney was detected by staging preoperative ultrasound scan and was confirmed to be a multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma. There were two separate foci of moderately differentiated endometrial cancer in the endometrial cavity. Microscopic tumor deposits were also found in the left ovary and the right obturator pelvic lymph nodes. The multicentric involvement of endometrial cavity is uncommon and even rarer is the association with renal cell carcinoma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of an association between renal cell carcinoma and endometrial cancer. This case demonstrates the importance of complete preoperative investigation before any definitive surgery for cancer. Without the abdominal ultrasound scanning, the asymptomatic renal cell carcinoma would probably have been undetected.

Frequent ras gene mutations in squamous cell cervical cancer

Eighty samples of cervical invasive squamous cell carcinoma were examined for ras gene mutations using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by restriction enzyme digestion. We found 28 (35%) cervical cancers contained ras mutations at H-ras codon 12, 49 (61%) at K-ras codon 12, and 5 (6%) at K-ras codon 13. There were no significant differences in incidence of the ras gene mutations among different histologic grades or clinical stages of the cancer (P > 0.05). This result suggests that ras mutation may be an important step involved in a substantial number of cervical carcinoma. The interaction of ras with other genes and/or events may also be involved in pathogenesis of this malignancy.

Detection of fetal Y-specific DNA from the cervix

Detection of fetal Y-specific DNA by polymerase chain reaction was performed on cervical samplings obtained from 24 patients who underwent first trimester suction termination of pregnancy. The results were compared with the fetal gender determined by Y-sequence polymerase chain reaction on the fetal parts. Fourteen male pregnancies were identified. Correct predictions were made in two (14.3%) from the cervical swabs and three (21.4%) from the trans-cervical samplings. The failure of isolation of fetal cells from the cervix was not related to the gestation of sampling.

Prevalence and significance of HER-2/neu amplification in epithelial ovarian cancer

Amplification of the HER-2/neu oncogene was assessed in 80 cases of epithelial ovarian tumors using differential polymerase chain reaction. HER-2/neu gene was amplified in 22 of 46 invasive cancers (48%) and in 5 of 34 borderline cancers (15%), but none of the 20 specimens of normal ovaries showed amplification. THis difference is statistically significant (p = 0.00004). The incidence of HER-2/neu amplification in late stage (III-IV, 77%) was significantly higher than that in early stage (I-II, 21%) in invasive epithelial carcinoma (p = 0.0004). There was no correlation between HER-2/neu amplification and cell type or grade of tumor. In cases of ovarian tumors of borderline malignant potential, the amplification of HER-2/neu was not correlated with clinicopathologic features. Follow-up with a mean of 22 months (6-50 months) was available for 39 cases of invasive ovarian cancers and all 34 borderline ovarian cancers. The incidence of HER-2/neu amplification in the invasive cancer and borderline cancer patients who were alive with disease was 50 and 50%, and is not statistically different from that in the patients who were alive with no evidence of disease (p = 0.662 and 0.345, respectively). The incidence of amplification in the invasive cancers of patients who died of the disease (86%) was higher than that in the patients who were still alive (44%), but the difference is not statistically significant (p = 0.175). This study supports the association of HER-2/neu amplification with progression of invasive ovarian cancer. It also suggests that HER-2/neu amplification may be an adjunctive prognostic factor of invasive epithelial ovarian cancer, shown to be associated with an unfavorable clinical course. In addition, HER-2/neu amplification occurs relatively infrequently in early invasive and borderline ovarian cancers, making it unlikely that such amplification is a general early event in ovarian carcinogenesis.

Ki67 and AgNORs staining in squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix: a comparison

Ki67 immunostaining was performed on 48 cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix and AgNOR silver staining on 29 cases. There was no correlation between the clinical stage of the tumor and the two methods of staining but both methods correlated with histological grade. There was no correlation between the two methods of staining in 17 case where they were done on adjacent blocks of tumor tissue. High Ki67 score but not high AgNOR count was significantly associated with early recurrence.

Genetic studies of water buffalo blood markers. I. Red cell acid phosphatase, albumin, catalase, red cell alpha-esterase-3, group-specific component, and protease inhibitor

We have developed the methodologies for typing and family studies to establish the modes of inheritance of water buffalo red cell acid phosphatase (Acp), protease inhibitor (Pi), and group-specific component (Gc) on isoelectric focusing and albumin (Alb), red cell alpha-esterase-3 (Est-3), and catalase (Cat) on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Family studies showed that Pi, Gc, Alb, and Cat are coded by autosomal genes with two codominant alleles, while Est-3 is autosomal with two codominant alleles and a recessive null allele and Acp exhibits three codominant alleles.

Detection of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection in paraffin-embedded tissues of endometrial carcinoma

Although human papilloma virus (HPV) associated lesions constitute a well recognized clinical entity in the female lower genital tract, namely vulva, vagina and cervix, few studies have demonstrated HPV infection in other genital sites, particularly in the ovary and uterine corpus. Recently, with the highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, HPV infections were found in an ovarian tumour and adenocarcinoma of the cervix. This prompted a retrospective analysis of HPV DNA in 22 cases of endometrial adenocarcinoma in order to investigate the possible carcinogenesis of HPV in the uterine corpus. In this study DNA extraction was performed from paraffinized cancerous tissues and the normal cervical counterpart. HPV 6, 11, 16 and 18 primers specific oligonucleotides were used in PCR to detect the presence of this oncogenic virus. HPV 16 DNA was found in 1 endometrial adenocarcinoma and 4 cervical tissues. Our result did not support the aetiological role of HPV in the carcinogenesis of endometrial carcinoma.

Establishment and characterization of a new human cell line derived from ovarian clear cell carcinoma

A new cell line, designated OCC1, was established from the ascitic fluid of a patient with a clear cell carcinoma of the ovary. The cell line grew well without interruption for over 12 months and over 80 passages. The doubling times of OCC1 were 36 and 38 hr at the 10th and 40th passages, respectively. Chromosomal analysis of the cell line showed hypertriploidy with modal number around 70-77. Several structural chromosomal abnormalities were consistently found. Electron microscopy revealed that OCC1 produced a basement membrane-like structure in vitro. Histological evaluation of xenografts from OCC1 in the 33th passage implanted and grown in nude (athymic) mice revealed a morphology identical to that of the original tumor.

Salivary oestradiol and progesterone after in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer using different luteal support regimens

Salivary oestradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) levels have been shown to reflect the biologically active fractions in the serum. The luteal-phase status of stimulated cycles was investigated after in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET). Thirty patients were randomly allocated to one of three luteal therapy groups: group A had no support, group B had intramuscular P and group C had intramuscular P and human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG). One pregnancy was achieved in group A, two in group B and three in group C. Significant correlations between salivary and serum levels of E2 and of P in matched samples during luteal phase were found. Salivary E2 levels from luteal day 8 through day 14 and P levels from day 3 through day 14 were significantly higher in the pregnant than in the nonpregnant cycles. Among the nonpregnant cycles, salivary E2 and P levels were significantly higher in group C than in group A or B. These findings suggest that, in stimulated cycles for IVF-ET, determination of salivary E2 and P levels may be used as reliable alternatives to serum concentrations for assessing the luteal phase. Also, the additional hCG has an enhanced luteotrophic effect, as reflected by the higher salivary E2 and P levels, which may lead to a better pregnancy rate.

Salivary estradiol and progesterone during the normal ovulatory menstrual cycle in Chinese women

Salivary and serum levels of estradiol and progesterone were measured by radioimmunoassay in 10 Chinese women during their normal menstrual cycles. Changes in salivary estradiol and progesterone levels followed a similar pattern to that in the serum. Significant correlation was found between salivary and serum levels of estradiol and progesterone (p less than 0.001). Measurements of these salivary steroids may be used to assess follicular dynamics. Moreover, salivary sampling is simple, convenient and stress free.

A comparison of the transabdominal and transvaginal methods of ultrasound-guided aspiration of pre-ovulatory oocytes for in vitro fertilisation

The efficiency of two methods of ultrasound-guided aspiration of pre-ovulatory oocytes was compared in 238 treatment cycles, of which 166 were by the transabdominal-transvesical (TA) route and 72 by the transvaginal (TV) route. Successful collection of at least one oocyte was achieved in 86% of TA attempts and in 97% of TV attempts. Significantly less oocytes were collected from follicles by the TA methods than by the TV methods: 374 oocytes were obtained from 797 follicles (46% recovery) and 242 oocytes from 338 follicles (72% recovery), respectively. Although fertilisation occurred more frequently in TA-recovered oocyte (70% versus 54%), the incidence of cleavage per inseminated oocytes collected by these TA and TV methods was similar (49% versus 44%, respectively). Results of this study therefore suggest that the TV method is superior to the TA approach for oocyte recovery.