Glycodelin expression in correlation to grading, nodal involvement and steroid receptor expression in human breast cancer patients.

Background: Glycodelin (Gd) is an endometrially secreted glycoprotein, found in high quantities during early pregnancy. It shapes local immune responses in order to allow implantation and invasion of the semiallogeneic blastocyst into the maternal endometrium. It exists in various glycosylation isoforms, that influence their staining behaviour.

Immunohistochemical expression of glycodelin in breast cancer correlates with estrogen-receptor alpha and progesterone-receptor A positivity.

Glycodelin (Gd), previously known as placental protein 14 (PP 14), acts as an immuno-suppressive glycoprotein by suppressing the cytolytic capacity of human natural killer (NK) cells and T-cells in vitro. Glycodelin is expressed in normal glandular epithelium of the endometrium as well as in normal and malignant glandular cells in and outside of the reproductive tract. Recently, Gd expression was demonstrated in normal and cancerous human breast tissue.

Baseline characteristics and prevalence of HPV 6, 11, 16, 18 in young German women participating in phase III clinical trials of a quadrivalent HPV (6/11/16/18) vaccine.

Introduction: As limited data among German women exist about HPV, Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, we report the prevalence of these genital infections and general baseline demographics of the young German women enrolled in the phase III trials of the quadrivalent HPV vaccine.

Materials And Methods: German females (n = 437; 9-23 years) were recruited among 3 international phase 3 studies of an HPV-6/11/16/18 vaccine. We present baseline characteristics, prevalence of HPV-6/11/16/18 and, for women aged 16-23, abnormal cervical cytology and sexually transmitted diseases.

Immunohistochemical visualisation of cathepsin-D expression in breast cancer.

Background: Cathepsin D (Cath-D), a lysosomal protease, is considered to be involved in the breakdown of the extracellular matrix during the process of tumour metastasis. Its expression in breast cancer in association with known factors of prognosis was investigated in this study.

Material And Methods: 120 breast cancer tumours were analysed immunohistochemically and evaluated with the immunoreactive score (IRS).

Epidemiology of Streptococcus agalactiae colonization in Germany.

Streptococcus agalactiae can cause severe pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis in neonates and remains one of the most prevalent causes of invasive neonatal infections. Maternal transmission of S. agalactiae during delivery can be prevented by prenatal screening and peripartal antibiotic prophylaxis.