Aggressive melanoma in an infant with congenital melanocytic nevus syndrome and multiple, NRAS and BRAF mutation-negative nodules.

We report the case of a newborn boy with multinodular NRAS and BRAF mutation-negative congenital melanocytic nevi and cerebral lesions compatible with congenital intraparenchymal melanosis. Histopathology from skin lesions showed atypical nodular melanocytic proliferation with marked melanocytic atypia and a large number of mitoses and apoptosis, indicating aggressive proliferation. The child developed several new subcutaneous tumors and multiple internal lesions, which were confirmed to be metastases, and died at 5 months of age.

Upregulation of stem cell genes in multidrug resistant K562 leukemia cells.

The transmembrane transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) encoded by ABCB1, is one major cause for multidrug resistance (MDR). We compared the genomic profile and gene expression pattern of the P-gp positive K562VCR cells with parental P-gp negative K562wt cells. In K562VCR array CGH revealed amplification of ABCB1, ABCB4, ABCB5 and SEMA3D, whereas expression microarrays demonstrated upregulation of stem cell genes (e.

A study of phosphorylated ERK1/2 and COX-2 in early stage (T1-T2) oral squamous cell carcinomas.

Background: Histomorphological grading at the invasive front of oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) may provide useful prognostic information. In the present study, we investigated the presence and prognostic value of activated phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (p-ERK1/2) and cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) both at the invasive front and in central/superficial parts of OSCCs.

Methods: Using immunohistochemistry, we assessed the presence of p-ERK1/2 and COX-2 in 53 early stage OSCCs.