Circadian variability of pharmacokinetics of 5-fluorouracil and CLOCK T3111C genetic polymorphism in patients with esophageal carcinoma.

The variations of plasma concentrations of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) were investigated in 30 esophageal cancer patients treated with repetitive protracted venous infusion (PVI) of 5-FU-based chemoradiotherapy, and in an attempt to find a new possible candidate that explains their variations, CLOCK T3111C genetic polymorphism was examined. The patients have received 2 courses of chemoradiotherapy consisting of 2 cycles of 5-day PVI of 5-FU (400 mg/m/d) with cisplatin and concurrent radiation. The plasma concentrations of 5-FU were determined at 5 PM on day 3 and 5 AM on day 4 after the beginning of each 5-FU infusion.

A novel family of bromodomain genes.

The bromodomain is a structural motif characteristic of proteins involved in chromatin-dependent regulation of transcription. Bromodomain proteins have been identified as integral components of chromatin remodeling complexes and frequently possess histone acetyltransferase activity. Their encoding genes have been identified at translocation breakpoints, and at least one, CBP, is a tumor suppressor gene.

Identification and characterization of BPTF, a novel bromodomain transcription factor.

The bromodomain is a 110-amino-acid conserved structural region associated with proteins that regulate signal-dependent, nonbasal transcription. The bromodomain can regulate histone acetyl transferase activity and interacts specifically with acetylated lysine residues. A key role for bromodomain proteins in maintaining normal proliferation is indicated by the implication of several bromodomain proteins in cancer, with four of these identified at translocation breakpoints.

[Herpetic esophagitis].

Herpetic esophagitis is an infrequent ulcerative infection of the esophagus caused by Herpes Virus type I. It is usually seen in immunocompromised patients though it may present in immunocompetent ones. Odynophagia and/or dysphagia associated with chest pain are the most frequent clinical symptoms.

[Alcoholic liver disease in Venezuela. Clinical hepato-functional and histopathologic course].

24 patients with alcoholic intake were classified according to the amount of alcohol ingestion; clinical symptoms and signs, liver function tests (bilirubin, aminotransferases and prothrombin time) were analyzed. In all patients a percutaneous liver biopsy was performed and tissue stained by hematoxylin-eosin, wilder reticulin and Mallory trichromic. 9 Histologic criteria were analyzed.