Distinct angiogenic patterns are associated with high-grade in situ ductal carcinomas of the breast.

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from the existing vascular network, has been demonstrated to be an important prognostic factor in invasive breast carcinoma. The switch to an angiogenic phenotype represents a growth-limiting step during carcinogenesis and might, in pre-invasive lesions, indicate the risk for developing an invasive phenotype. The discrepancy between modern therapy options for invasive breast carcinomas and the relatively aggressive treatment of in situ lesions underlines the need for such prognostic factors for ductal in situ breast carcinomas (DCIS).

Platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (thymidine phosphorylase) expression in lung cancer.

Platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor/thymidine phosphorylase (PD-ECGF/TP) is an enzyme with angiogenic and cell motility properties. Moreover, it is involved in the transformation of fluoropyrimidines into active cytotoxic metabolites. In the present study, the expression of PD-ECGF in normal lung and lung cancer was immunohistochemically evaluated using the P-GF.

The distribution and expression of the two isoforms of DNA topoisomerase II in normal and neoplastic human tissues.

In mammalian cells, there are two isoforms of DNA topoisomerase II, designated alpha (170-kDa form) and beta (180-kDa form). Previous studies using cell lines have shown that the topoisomerase IIalpha and beta isoforms are differentially regulated during the cell cycle and in response to changes in growth state. Moreover, both isoforms can act as targets for a range of anti-tumour drugs.

p21WAF1/CIP1 and MDM2 expression in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and their relationship to p53 status: a p53+, MDM2-, p21-immunophenotype associated with missense p53 mutations.

p53 is a tumour suppressor gene which is often found to be inactivated in most types of human cancer. p53 is a transcription factor, the inactivation of which may lead to significant variations in the levels of p53 downstream proteins, such as p21WAF1/CIP1 and MDM2. In view of the significance of p21WAF1/CIP1 and MDM2 as wild-type (wt) p53 targets, this study was undertaken to monitor the varying expression of these proteins in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs) in relation to p53 gene status.

Platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor expression correlates with tumour angiogenesis and prognosis in non-small-cell lung cancer.

Angiogenesis is a recently described prognostic factor in non-small-cell lung cancer. Platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF), shown to be the enzyme thymidine phosphorylase (TP), induces angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. High intracellular levels of the enzyme are associated with increased chemosensitivity to pyrimidine antimetabolites.

Non-small cell lung cancer: c-erbB-2 overexpression correlates with low angiogenesis and poor prognosis.

Tumour angiogenesis is an important prognostic factor in non-small cell lung cancer. Recently, EGFR and c-erbB-2 protein was found to regulate cell adhesion and the invasive growth of cancer through its association with the cadherin-catenin complex. The role of c-erbB-2 protein in cell migration has been also reported.

bcl-2 protein is strongly expressed in post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders.

The aim of this study was to examine a series of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-driven post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLDs), in order to ascertain the level of bcl-2 immunostaining; to explore the relationship between bcl-2 and p53 protein expression and to see if any correlation exists between bcl-2 and EBV-latent membrane protein 1 (LMP-1). Seventeen renal and 11 heart/heart-lung PTLD cases were stained with antibodies to EBV-LMP-1, bcl-2 and p53, using paraffin-embedded tissue. All cases of PTLD strong co-expressed bcl-2 and EBV-LMP.

Loss of interleukin 4 receptor-associated molecule gp200-MR6 in human breast cancer: prognostic significance.

Several in vitro studies stress a potentially important role of interleukin 4 (IL-4) and the related gp200-MR6 molecule in the immunological response to cancer and in tumour proliferation. In the present study, we assessed the expression of gp200-MR6 in primary breast cacrinomas using the MR6 monoclonal antibody. Results were correlated with tumour parameters (T-,N-stage, histology, grade, oestrogen and epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptors), and the impact on survival was assessed.

Expression of the angiogenic factor thymidine phosphorylase/platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor in primary bladder cancers.

Thymidine phosphorylase (TP), also known as platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor, has been implicated in bladder cancer angiogenesis. To examine its role more clearly, we have quantified and localized its expression using Western analysis and immunohistochemistry in a series of 105 bladder cancers. We have also assessed the relationship between TP expression and other tumor parameters including quantitative angiogenesis, p53 status, ploidy, and survival.

Anomalous retinoblastoma protein expression in Sternberg-Reed cells in Hodgkin's disease: a comparative study with p53 and Ki67 expression.

Retinoblastoma (Rb) tumour-suppressor protein plays a critical role in cell cycle control. Rb inactivation is a frequent phenomenon in tumours of different cell lineages, in which the absence of Rb protein has been considered to be a marker of Rb disregulation. We used modern immunohistochemical techniques to study the expression of Rb protein in a large series of 130 patients with Hodgkin's disease.

The immunoexpression of bcl-2 and p53 in Kaposi's sarcoma.

The aim of this study was to examine the immunohistochemical expression of p53 and bcl-2 in Kaposi's sarcoma and relate this with proliferation index (as measured by MIB-1 staining) and clinicopathological subtypes. Twenty formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded cases of Kaposi's sarcoma were stained with commercially available antibodies to p53, bcl-2 and MIB-1, after pressure cooking antigen retrieval. All cases were strongly positive for bcl-2 with the majority containing more than 75% positive cells.

Differential expression of the topoisomerase II alpha and beta genes in human breast cancers.

Topoisomerase II is a key target for several anti-cancer drugs used for breast cancer therapy, including doxorubicin, epirubicin and mitoxantrone. Two isoforms of topoisomerase II (alpha and beta) have been described in human cells which differ in their subcellular localisation, biochemical properties and susceptibility to inhibition by anti-cancer drugs. The relative level of expression of the alpha and beta isoforms may contribute to the degree of tumour responsiveness to different chemotherapeutic agents.

Thymidine phosphorylase expression in Kaposi sarcoma.

Aims: To examine the immunohistochemical distribution of thymidine phosphorylase (TP) in all clinicopathological subtypes of Kaposi sarcoma.

Methods: Thirty two biopsy specimens of Kaposi sarcoma (29 patients) were studied. Six of these patients represented classic, six endemic, eight HIV associated, seven post-immunosuppression/transplant related, and two unclassified variants of Kaposi sarcoma.

Prognostic value of angiogenesis in operable non-small cell lung cancer.

Tumour angiogenesis is an important factor for tumour growth and metastasis. Although some recent reports suggest that microvessel counts in non-small cell lung cancer are related to a poor disease outcome, the results were not conclusive and were not compared with other molecular prognostic markers. In the present study, the vascular grade was assessed in 107 (T1,2-N0,1) operable non-small cell lung carcinomas, using the JC70 monoclonal antibody to CD31.

Early expression of bcl-2 protein in the adenoma-carcinoma sequence of colorectal neoplasia.

bcl-2 was originally identified as an oncogene involved in follicular lymphomas as a result of chromosomal translocation (14;18). It is now believed that bcl-2 is implicated in the regulation of cell death by inhibiting apoptosis and that its expression is not restricted to haematopoietic cells, but is also present in many epithelial and mesenchymal tissues. Recent studies have analysed the expression of this molecule in a variety of non-lymphoid malignancies including lung, breast, prostate, and nasopharyngeal carcinomas and neuroblastoma.

An immunohistochemical study of TAL-1 protein expression in leukaemias and lymphomas with a novel monoclonal antibody, 2TL 242.

Fifty formalin fixed, paraffin-embedded cases of T-acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL) from 12 bone marrow trephines and 38 lymph nodes were stained with a new monoclonal antibody, 2TL 242, raised against recombinant TAL1 protein. The antibody recognizes TAL-1 polypeptides of molecular weight 39 and 41 kD (full length). In addition, a variety of other leukaemias and lymphomas were also stained with 2TL 242.

EBV latent membrane protein (LMP-1) and bcl-2 protein expression in Reed-Sternberg-like cells in post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders.

An inconsistent association exists between EBV-LMP-1 and bcl-2 protein expression in Reed-Sternberg cells seen in Hodgkin's disease. In fact, many studies have concluded that there is no correlation between EBV-LMP and bcl-2 expression in Hodgkin's disease. We undertook an analysis of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders to explore the relationship between EBV-LMP and bcl-2 in Reed-Sternberg-like cells found in this condition, given the strong association between this disorder and EBV.

C-erbB-2 oncoprotein expression in operable non-small cell lung cancer.

Although c-erbB-2 oncoprotein immunohistochemical expression has been thoroughly studied in a variety of human tumors, its prognostic significance remains unclear. Moreover, differences in assessment criteria further complicate the evaluation of c-erbB-2 as a prognostic marker. In the present study we examined the expression of c-erbB-2 protein in 107 patients suffering from operable (T 1,2-N0, 1 staged) non-small cell lung cancer (30 adenocarcinomas and 69 squamous cell carcinomas) treated with surgery alone.

Detection of p53 in Hodgkin's disease using the monoclonal antibody PAb248.

The recent demonstration that the murine anti-p53 monoclonal antibody PAb248 can identify human p53 in a variety of normal tissues proves that immunohistochemical detection does not necessarily indicate the presence of mutations. PAb248 can detect p53 protein in a cytoplasmic-perinuclear localization, not previously described. The present study presents the expression of this antibody in a series of 34 cases of Hodgkin's disease, comparing it with the antibodies CM1, PAb1801, and PAb240.

Bladder carcinomas and normal urothelium universally express gp200-MR6, a molecule functionally associated with the interleukin 4 receptor (CD 124).

Monoclonal antibody MR6 detects gp200-MR6, a molecule functionally associated with the interleukin 4 (IL- 4) receptor. Positive immunolabeling with MAb MR6 was obtained in 28/28 transitional cell carcinomas of the bladder, representing a range of different grades and stages of disease, as well as in all control non-neoplastic urothelia. The expression of mutant p53 protein and epidermal growth factor receptor was detected in 14/28 and 20/28 cases respectively.

The angiogenic factor platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor/thymidine phosphorylase is up-regulated in breast cancer epithelium and endothelium.

Tumour angiogenesis is a complex multistep process regulated by a number of angiogenic factors. One such factor, platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor has recently been shown to be thymidine phosphorylase (TP). TP catalyses the reversible phosphorylation of thymidine to deoxyribose-1-phosphate and thymine.