Overexpression of cathepsin F, matrix metalloproteinases 11 and 12 in cervical cancer.

Background: Cervical carcinoma (CC) is one of the most common cancers among women worldwide and the first cause of death among the Mexican female population. CC progression shows a continuum of neoplastic transitions until invasion. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and cathepsins play a central role on the enhancement of tumor-induced angiogenesis, cell migration, proliferation, apoptosis and connective tissue degradation.

Chromosomal imbalances in four new uterine cervix carcinoma derived cell lines.

Background: Uterine cervix carcinoma is the second most common female malignancy worldwide and a major health problem in Mexico, representing the primary cause of death among the Mexican female population. High risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is considered to be the most important risk factor for the development of this tumor and cervical carcinoma derived cell lines are very useful models for the study of viral carcinogenesis. Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH) experiments have detected a specific pattern of chromosomal imbalances during cervical cancer progression, indicating chromosomal regions that might contain genes that are important for cervical transformation.

Changes in retinoblastoma gene expression during cervical cancer progression.

The role of tumour suppressor genes in the development of human cancers has been studied extensively. In viral carcinogenesis, the inactivation of suppressor proteins such as retinoblastoma (pRb) and p53, and cellular oncogenes overexpression, such as c-myc, has been the subject of a number of investigations. In uterine-cervix carcinomas, where high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) plays an important role, pRb and p53 are inactivated by E7 and E6 viral oncoproteins, respectively.

The retinoblastoma gene product negatively regulates cellular or viral oncogene promoters in vivo.

The protein product of the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor gene (pRb) has been demonstrated to bind transcriptional factors such as E2F and c-Myc protein in vitro. To determine whether pRb regulates both cellular (c-myc) and viral (HPV LCR) promoter activity in vivo, MYC-CAT or HPV LCR-CAT chimeric expression plasmids were generated and cotransfected with a pCMV-RB expression plasmid. pRb repressed both myc and LCR transcription but not SV40-CAT.

Constitutional translocation (8;13) in a patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

We report a case of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in a 16-year-old male, whose peripheral white blood cells have a t(8;13)(q24;q14). There are no previous reports that describe this association. Although the tumor cells were not studied, we discuss the possible link between this finding and the development of the malignant lymphoma.