Faecal pyruvate kinase isoenzyme type M2 for colorectal cancer screening: a meta-analysis.

Aim: To present a critical discussion of the efficacy of the faecal pyruvate kinase isoenzyme type M2 (faecal M2-PK) test for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening based on the currently available studies.

Methods: A literature search in PubMed and Embase was conducted using the following search terms: fecal Tumor M2-PK, faecal Tumour M2-PK, fecal M2-PK, faecal M2-PK, fecal pyruvate kinase, faecal pyruvate kinase, pyruvate kinase stool and M2-PK stool.

Results: Stool samples from 704 patients with CRC and from 11 412 healthy subjects have been investigated for faecal M2-PK concentrations in seventeen independent studies.

[Double balloon enteroscopy. First surgical experience].

Introduction: In Germany double balloon enteroscopy (DBE) has been used for about 4 years in diagnostics of the small intestine. Testing for the first time its value in daily surgical practice, we analyzed retrospectively the results of all DBE examinations from December 2004 to September 2006.

Material And Methods: During the study period 106 enteroscopies were performed on 75 patients (42 males, 33 females, age 16-84 years).

Colorectal cancer screening by non-invasive metabolic biomarker fecal tumor M2-PK.

Aim: To evaluate the utility of the innovative fecal tumor M2-Pyruvate kinase (M2-PK) test in our daily clinical routine, as a marker for the pre-selection of patients who should subsequently undergo colonoscopy for the diagnosis or exclusion of colorectal cancer.

Methods: Fecal tumor M2-PK was measured in stool samples of 96 study participants (33 patients with colorectal cancer, 21 patients with rectal carcinoma and 42 controls) who all underwent total colonoscopy.

Results: In 39 of 42 individuals in the control group, fecal tumor M2-PK was below 4.

[Heterotopic pancreas in the gallbladder. Diagnosis, therapy, and course of a rare developmental anomaly of the pancreas].

Ectopic pancreas is a rare entity but the second most prevalent pancreatic anomaly. Heterotopic pancreas is defined as the presence of pancreatic tissue without any anatomic or vascular continuity with the main body of the pancreas. Its aetiology is not clearly established.

Ultrastructural changes in hepatocytes of precision-cut rat liver slices after incubation for 24 and 48 hours.

Hepatocytes of precision-cut rat liver slices were studied by means of transmission electron microscopy after long-term incubation (24-48 h) in comparison with freshly prepared slices, indicating reversible and irreversible intracellular alterations of the cells. After 24 h incubation the morphological image in transversal sections of slices is characterised by a central zone of damaged and necrotic cells flanked by two to several superficial layers of viable cells. This is typical of a diffusion gradient of oxygen tension and nutrient content from the surface to the centre of the slices.

PAR 1-type thrombin receptors are involved in thrombin-induced calcium signaling in human meningioma cells.

Thrombin is known to play a role as regulator in tumor spreading and tumor growth. Proteinase-activated receptor 1 (PAR 1)-type thrombin receptors were identified in different cancer cells including human glioblastoma cells. Thus a function of PAR 1 in brain tumors may be suggested.

Immunohistochemical localization of cytochrome P450 1A1 in precision-cut rat liver slices after in vitro exposure to beta-naphthoflavone.

Mono- and polyclonal antibodies have been used to study the localization and distribution of cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) in cultured precision-cut liver slices with various immunohistochemical methods. Neither in non-incubated slices nor in slices incubated in the absence of beta-naphthoflavone (BNF) for 24 hrs was CYP1A1 immunohistochemically detectable. After incubation in the presence of BNF (25 microM), however, CYP1A1 was well visible in parenchymal and biliary epithelial cells.

Functional thrombin receptor PAR1 in primary cultures of human glioblastoma cells.

In this study we investigated primary cultures obtained from two glioblastomas surgically removed from a 64-year-old man and a 50-year-old woman, respectively. The presence of the tethered ligand thrombin receptor PAR1 (protease-activated receptor 1) in these cells was demonstrated at the level of receptor binding by using immunofluorescence studies with the monoclonal anti-PAR1 antibody Mab 31-2. Stimulation of human glioblastoma cells both with alpha-thrombin and the thrombin receptor activating peptide TRAP-6 resulted in a series of [Ca+]i spikes as shown by confocal laser fluorescence microscopy with fluo-3 as calcium sensitive fluorescence indicator.

Metastasis induction by incomplete tumor resection. A new metastasis model using inoculation sarcomas in adult nude mice after long-term cultivation of sarcoma cells.

In searching an animal model to study metastasis formation we used cultured cells of experimental rhabdomyosarcomas and their inoculation tumors in adult nude mice. Supplementing earlier observations (Katenkamp et al. 1987) we found that long-term cultured sarcoma cells induce tumors in adult nude mice which do not metastasize spontaneously but produce lung metastases after repeated incomplete tumor removal.

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) influences cell proliferation and glycosaminoglycans of chondrocyte cultures.

There are only few reports on the correlation between bacterial products and the GAG pattern of cartilage. Mycobacteria bovis (BCG) were applied to chondrocyte monolayer cultures for one week. The following parameters did change: cell proliferation increased, glycosaminoglycan synthesis and secretion decreased, hyaluronic acid in secreted and cell-associated glycosaminoglycans increased, a correlation between the degree of these changes and the degree of cell differentiation seems to exist.

The glycosaminoglycan metabolism of chondrocyte monolayer cultures under normal and pathological conditions. A methodic study.

Chondrocyte cultures may serve as a model in investigating changes of the cartilage metabolism. Adherent chondrocytes in vitro maintain polygonal morphology at high cell density in the primary and secondary culture. Collagen type II is only clearly detected in multilayered or nodular areas.

Isoenzymes of pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase in epithelial cell lines of rat liver.

In cultured epithelial cells of rat liver the isoenzyme patterns of pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase were studied and compared with those of freshly isolated parenchymal and non-parenchymal liver cells. In all epithelial cell lines pyruvate kinase was not activated by fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, suggesting the absence of the L-isoenzyme. Cell lines derived from livers of newborn rats expressed LDH-4 and -5, whereas cell lines developed from fetal rat livers contained all 5 lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes.

Patterns of cytokeratins and lamins in rat liver and in rat liver cell lines as shown by immunoblotting using the monoclonal antibodies A 45-B/B3 and A 51-B/H4.

The cytokeratins and lamins of rat liver nuclei, nuclear lamina, and cytoskeleton preparations as well as of rat liver cell lines were studied by immunoblotting using the monoclonal broad-range cytokeratin antibodies A 45-B/B3 and A 51-B/H4. A 45-B/B3 is bound to 64-, 58-, 55-, 52.5-, 49-, 45-, 43-, 39-, and 35-kDa proteins, which are already known as rat liver cytokeratins, excepted the 64- and 35-kDa bands.

Experimentally induced murine rhabdomyosarcomas--correlation between cellular contacts, matrix formation and cellular differentiation.

Rhabdomyosarcomas (RMSs) consist of a mixture of primitive mesenchymal cells as well as cells showing various stages of rhabdomyomatous differentiation. The qualitative and quantitative degree of the rhabdomyomatous differentiation of the cells, evaluated by their morphology and expression of defined structural and functional proteins, is accepted as the basis of diagnosis and is considered to be related to the biological behaviour of RMSs. Therefore we investigated solid experimentally induced murine RMSs, adherent (subconfluent, confluent) cell cultures obtained therefrom, and also suspension cultures and studied the expression of muscular differentiation markers (vimentin, desmin, myoglobin) and the formation of extracellular matrix components (fibronectin, laminin).

Cytokeratin expression in experimental murine rhabdomyosarcomas. Intermediate filament pattern in original tumors, allotransplants, cell culture and re-established tumors from cell culture.

Soft tissue sarcomas were induced by 20-methylcholanthrene in NMRI-mice. The tumors were characterized as rhabdomyosarcomas by light and electron microscopy as well as immunohistochemistry (vimentin, desmin and myoglobin expression). Cytokeratins could be demonstrated by a panel of different poly- and monoclonal antibodies in original rhabdomyosarcomas, their allotransplants and the re-established tumors from cell culture in nude mice.

[Significance of scanning electron microscopy observations on cellular reactions in the biological evaluation of endoprosthetic materials].

In a scanning electron microscopic study there are described the adhesion, spreading and formation of confluent monolayers from fibroblasts and epithelioid cells on Al2O3-ceramics and cobalt-basis-alloys in relation to vitreous carbon and glass. The morphogenetic reactions of cultured cells were not significantly different in pattern, behaviour and kinetics on various biomaterials. The cells adhered, spread, migrated and proliferated on the surface of biomaterials to be tested.

Experimentally induced metastases of malignant fibrous histiocytomas xenotransplanted into nude mice from an established sarcoma cell line (RFS).

An experimental approach for inducing metastases from xenotransplanted malignant fibrous histiocytomas in nude mice is presented. Malignant fibrous histiocytomas were generated by inoculation of an established cell line (RFS) in the back of 16 nude mice. 7 nude mice were subjected to diminution operations carried out twice and three times, respectively, 6 out of these animals developed metastases, whereas no metastases were found in the inoperated control group (9 mice).

Characterization of established epithelioid cell lines derived from rat liver: expression of cytokeratin filaments.

A number of epithelioid cell lines were established from livers of fetal and neonatal rats. The clear-epithelial cells of these lines are non-neoplastically altered, clonogenic, nearly-diploid and showed no hepatocyte-like properties. The distribution and organization of intermediate filaments were analysed by indirect immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase techniques using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies against cytokeratins and vimentin.

[Intermediate filaments in cells of hyaline cartilage].

After different fixation procedures great numbers of bundles of intermediate cytofilaments, 10 nm in thickness, could be detected in electron micrographs of chondrocytes from Processus xiphoideus of the rat, from the articular cartilage of the rabbit and from chondrocyte cultures from the articular cartilage of the rabbit. By means of the indirect immunofluorescence technique with monoclonal antibodies they could be clearly defined as vimentin.

Modulation of expression of intermediate filaments during the development of established rat liver cell lines.

A number of clear epithelial-like cell lines were established from the liver of fetal and neonatal rats. The intermediate filaments of these cells were investigated using polyclonal prekeratin antisera, monoclonal antibodies against a cytokeratin subfamily and vimentin by means of the indirect immunofluorescence technique and SDS-PAGE analysis. Changes in the expression of cytokeratin filaments were found during the evolution of permanent cell lines.