[Significant correlation of telomerase activity in lung adenocarcinomas with cell differentiation and chromosome aberration].

Of a total of 21 surgically resected lung adenocarcinomas (15 men and 6 women with an average age of 59.6 yr) well, moderately and poorly differentiated types were 6, 7 and 8 cases, respectively. Telomerase activity determined by the TRAP assay was classified into four types as follows; negative = Score 0, weakly positive = 1, moderately positive = 2, strongly positive = 3.

Up-regulation of CD44 variant exon expression in endometrial carcinomas: analysis of mRNA and protein isoforms, and relation to clinicopathological factors.

In order to clarify the relation between expression of individual CD44 variant exons and tumor progression, 34 endometrial carcinomas (endometrioid type) were investigated, as well as 27 samples of normal endometrium, using a combination of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Southern blot hybridization (SBH). Western blotting was also performed for comparison of protein levels with the results of the RT-PCR/SBH methods. Analysis of gross CD44 splicing patterns demonstrated high-level expression of variant isoforms in endometrial carcinomas as compared with normal endometrium.

A prospective randomized study of amoxycillin and omeprazole with and without metronidazole in the eradication treatment of Helicobacter pylori.

A combination of amoxycillin and omeprazole is often used to treat Helicobacter pylori infection. A three-drug regimen comprising metronidazole, amoxycillin and omeprazole has been proposed as an alternative therapy. In a prospective, randomized, comparative study, we evaluated these two regimens with respect to safety and efficacy in patients with H.

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis: diagnosis using routinely processed smears of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.

Aims: For the diagnosis of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis from bronchoalveolar lavage specimens it is normally necessary to make an ultrastructural examination. However, this is thought to be impractical for bronchoalveolar lavage specimens that have been routinely fixed in ethanol. In the present study, bronchoalveolar lavage cytology smears on slide glasses were examined directly ultrastructurally to make a diagnosis of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

Development of pyothorax-associated pleural lymphoma in relation to focal cytokinemic condition and Epstein-Barr virus infection.

We report an initial case of pyothorax-associated pleural lymphoma (PAPL) in which the level of interleukin 6 (IL-6) was remarkably high in the pleural fluid contaminated with tumor cells; at the same time Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded small RNAs (EBERs) were detected in the lymphoma cells by in situ hybridization. These findings suggest the possibility that EBV-transformed B cells proliferated in the focal cytokinemic condition caused by long-standing chronic inflammation of the pleura and give us a clue to the lymphoma genesis of PAPL.

Relationship between fecal bile acids and the occurrence of colorectal neoplasia in experimental murine ulcerative colitis.

Objective: The possible role of fecal bile acids in colorectal carcinogenesis in ulcerative colitis has been reported. In this study, we investigated the relationship between fecal bile acids and the occurrence of colorectal neoplasia in experimental murine colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium.

Methods: Colorectal neoplasia in experimental colitis was induced by dextran sulfate sodium subsequent to a single azoxymethane pretreatment.

The gastric hypercellular microleiomyoma as a precursor lesion for clinical gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

Differentiation features and proliferation activity of 67 gastric microleiomyomas (microLMs) and 53 clinical gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) of the stomach were compared. The 67 microLMs were divided into two categories on the basis of cellularity: 53 hypocellular and 14 hypercellular types, and the 39 GISTs were divided into 13 low-grade and 40 high-grade lesions. Immunohistochemically, 49 hypocellular microLMs (92%) were positive for alpha-smooth muscle actin and desmin, whereas only 16 (30%) were stained for vimentin.

Significant correlation of telomerase activity in thyroid papillary carcinomas with cell differentiation, proliferation and extrathyroidal extension.

Telomerase activity was examined by telomeric repeat amplification protocol assay in thyroid disease states, including adenomas and carcinomas, and correlated with clinicopathological features. Of a total of 26 papillary carcinomas, 16 cases (61.5%) were positive, with the poorly differentiated subtype being predominant (P < 0.

Down-regulation of bcl-2 expression is closely related to squamous differentiation and progesterone therapy in endometrial carcinomas.

To clarify whether changes in bcl-2 protein (bcl-2) expression are directly linked to differentiation, an immunohistochemical investigation was carried out on areas of squamous differentiation within 38 endometrial carcinomas (25 grade 1 and 13 grade 2 cases) as well as eight grade 1 carcinomas after progesterone therapy. Such areas of altered differentiation were subdivided into foci of squamous metaplasia (Sq-M) and morules. Expression of oestrogen and progesterone receptors (ER and PR) and cell proliferation were also examined.

Detection of the Epstein-Barr virus genome in cervical neoplasia is closely related to the degree of infiltrating lymphoid cells: a polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridization approach.

To cast light on the significance of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in cervical tumorigenesis, 44 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) types I/II, and 70 CIN III lesions, 60 invasive squamous cell carcinomas (ISCC), and 20 normal cervical samples were investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and RNA in situ hybridization (RISH) assays. The EBV genome was detected by PCR using primers targeting the IR region in three (6.8%) of the CIN I/II, 15 (21.

Low epithelial cell proliferation and absence of oncoprotein expression in juvenile polyposis of the stomach, with or without tumors.

Objectives: To assess cell proliferation and analyze oncogenetic abnormalities in cases of juvenile polyposis of the stomach (JPs), with or without coexisting tumors.

Methods: The Ki-67 labeling indices (KLI) were compared for juvenile polyps and coexisting tumors in three cases of JPs along with values for gastritis, foveolar epithelial hyperplastic polyps, adenomas, and carcinomas. Expression of p53, Bcl-2, and c-ErbB-2 in tumors was examined immunohistochemically, and a search for c-Ki-ras mutations was made by DNA direct sequencing.

Enhanced cellular proliferation and p53 accumulation in gastric mucosa chronically infected with Helicobacter pylori.

This study evaluated whether the increased risk of development of gastric carcinoma due to chronic Helicobacter pylori infection could be linked with elevated cell proliferative activity and expression of p53 and bcl-2. Forty-eight patients undergoing therapy for H pylori-positive gastroduodenal ulcers were separated into not eradicated (NE; n = 23) and eradicated (E; n = 25) groups 6 months after the treatment. Serum pepsinogen (PG) I:II ratios and histologic changes in the gastric corpus and the antrum, assessed according to the modified Sydney System, as well as epithelial cell proliferation (mitosis, Ki67, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen [PCNA]), and expression of oncoproteins (p53 and bcl-2) were examined before and at 3 months and 6 months after treatment for H pylori.

[Immunohistochemical expression of p53 oncoprotein in large bowel adenomas and carcinomas].

Background: Colorectal carcinoma is the sixth cause of death in Chile. Half of malignant tumors in humans have genetic alterations in protoncogenes, tumor suppressing genes or both. One of the most frequent alterations is that involving p53 tumor suppressor gene.

Absence of human papillomavirus genomic sequences detected by the polymerase chain reaction in oesophageal and gastric carcinomas in Japan.

Aims: To estimate the occurrence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in oesophageal or gastric carcinomas in patients in Japan.

Methods: 103 oesophageal and 99 gastric carcinomas were investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays using two consensus (targeting either the L1 or the E6-E7 regions) and two type specific (type 16 and 18) primer sets. A beta globin gene specific primer set was also applied to examine the quality of the extracted DNA.

Ki-67, p53, and Bcl-2 expression of serrated adenomas of the colon.

To investigate epithelial cell proliferation and oncoprotein expression of the serrated adenoma, a term that has been used synonymously with mixed hyperplastic and adenomatous polyp, immunohistochemical staining using polyclonal antibodies against Ki-67 and p53, and a Bcl-2 monoclonal antibody, was performed and the results compared with those in hyperplastic polyps and tubular adenomas. A total of 20 serrated adenomas all characterized by a serrated glandular pattern, contained immature goblet cells, upper crypt zone mitotic figures, and a few nucleoli within the epithelial cells. Twenty hyperplastic polyps and 20 tubular adenomas (all with low-grade dysplasia) were examined, and lesions that contained separate areas of hyperplastic and adenomatous glands were excluded.

Expression of bcl-2 protein in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas and its association with lymph node metastasis.

Background: Recent studies on the role of bcl-2 in malignant tumors have suggested its prognostic significance. The goals of the current study were to determine any correlation between bcl-2 expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and histopathology, lymph node metastasis, and clinical variables, and to assess its applicability as a parameter for prognosis.

Methods: Immunohistochemical staining for bcl-2 (clone 124) was performed on archival material from 105 esophageal squamous cell carcinomas.

Apoptosis and proliferative activity of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas: comparison with expression of bcl-2, p53 and c-myc proteins.

In order to clarify the role of spontaneous apoptosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in the growth regulation system, apoptotic indices (AI) assessed by DNA nick end-labeling and proliferative activity, estimated in terms of KI-67 labeling indices (KI) and mitotic indices (MI), were compared. In addition, expression of bcl-2, p53 and c-myc was also examined in relation to these indicators. For this study, 103 lymphoma cases were used, comprising 72 of B cell and 31 of T cell origin (42 nodal and 62 extranodal).

Comparison of necrosis and fibrotic repair after ethanol injection between normal and cirrhotic livers.

To study the effects of percutaneous ethanol injection therapy on livers, we investigated necrotic changes after ethanol injection and fibrotic changes during the repair process in cirrhotic livers in comparison with normal livers. Male rats were treated with oral doses of 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene and thioacetamide to produce liver cirrhosis. Both control animals and cirrhotic animals were injected with 0.

Bcl-2 is closely correlated with favorable prognostic factors and inversely associated with p53 protein accumulation in endometrial carcinomas: immunohistochemical and polymerase chain reaction/loss of heterozygosity findings.

To clarify the relation between bcl-2 protein (Bcl-2) expression and p53 alteration during progression of endometrial carcinomas (endometrioid type), 92 consecutive hysterectomy specimens were examined by immunohistochemistry. Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) for the p53 gene was also examined using the polymerase chain reaction(PCR)-LOH assay. Moderate to strong Bcl-2 immunointensity in more than 30% of cells was found in 32 (34.

Apoptosis, proliferative activity and Bcl-2 expression in Epstein-Barr-virus-positive non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

In order to clarify the effects of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection on apoptosis and proliferative activity of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, 135 Japanese lymphoma cases were investigated for the presence of viral RNA and its correlation with bcl-2 protein (Bcl-2) expression. In addition, the role of EBV in lymphoma-genesis was also studied in terms of EBV genotyping and specific deletion in the gene for the latent membrane protein 1 (LMP-1). EBER-1 RNA in situ hybridization revealed EBV in 18 cases (13.

Preventive effect of 1-(2-tetrahydrofuryl)-5-fluorouracil in combination with uracil on colonic carcinogenesis induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine in rats.

Thymidylate synthetase (TS) and thymidine kinase (TK) are key enzymes in de novo and salvage pathways for pyrimidine nucleotide synthesis, respectively. A high incidence of colorectal adenocarcinomas with varied grades of cell differentiation can be induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) in rats. The marked increases of TS and TK activities were found in the poorly and well-differentiated adenocarcinomas of the colon, respectively.

Apoptosis, cell proliferation and expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in gastric carcinomas: immunohistochemical and clinicopathological study.

To clarify the relation between bcl-2 and bax protein (Bcl-2 and Bax) expression with regard to apoptosis and cell proliferation, 82 gastric carcinomas were immunohistochemically investigated. The significance of apoptosis for biological behaviour of the tumours was also examined. The apoptotic indices (AIs) were significantly lower in early-stage than in advanced-stage lesions (P<0.

Bcl-2 expression is correlated with a low apoptotic index and associated with progesterone receptor immunoreactivity in endometrial carcinomas.

A total of 103 endometrial carcinomas (endometrioid type), as well as 15 samples of normal (atrophic or proliferative phase) and 26 of hyperplastic endometrium, were immunohistochemically investigated for expression of Bcl-2, and oestrogen and progesterone receptors (ER and PR), and the results compared with findings for apoptosis and cell proliferation. Carcinoma cases were subdivided into tubular and solid components on the basis of tumour growth patterns. Immunopositivity for Bcl-2, ER, and PR in tubular components was significantly higher than in the solid category, being negatively associated with histological grading.

Simplified rapid non-radioactive PCR-SSCP method applied to K-ras mutation analysis.

A newly modified non-RI, PCR-SSCP method is presented and applied to K-ras analysis of colorectal tumors. It comprises five steps: (1) sampling of tiny pieces of fresh solid tissue by scraping with disposable bamboo combs (thin bars made of bamboo, 3 x 3 x 120 mm in size); (2) one-step DNA extraction with lysis buffer containing proteinase K, Nonidet P-40 and Tween 20; (3) PCR with 108 bp, c-ki-ras 2 gene primers; (4) SSCP analysis with 10% formamide-added polyacrylamide gels; and (5) detection with silver staining. In comparison with conventional RI- or non-RI-PCR-SSCP, It can give reliable and clear results in a much shorter time (within a total of 6 h).