Expression of Slug is regulated by c-Myb and is required for invasion and bone marrow homing of cancer cells of different origin.

In metastatic cancer cells, the process of invasion is regulated by several transcription factors that induce changes required for migration and resistance to apoptosis. Slug (SNAI2, Snail2) is involved in epithelial mesenchymal transition in physiological and in pathological contexts. We show here that in embryonic kidney, colon carcinoma, chronic myeloid leukemia-blast crisis, and in neuroblastoma cells, expression of Slug is transcriptionally regulated by c-Myb via Myb binding sites in the 5'-flanking region and in the first intron of the slug gene.

Altered expression of innate immunity genes in different intestinal sites of children with ulcerative colitis.

Background: Innate immunity has been very rarely investigated in ulcerative colitis and never in paediatrics. The present study was aimed at describing expression of innate immunity genes (NOD2, RIP2, α-defensins HD5 and HD6) in inflamed colon and in ileum of children with ulcerative colitis. Expression of TNFα and IL-1β was also analyzed.

Interaction between glutathione-S-transferase polymorphisms, smoking habit, and HPV infection in cervical cancer risk.

Purpose: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is considered the major cause of cervical cancer (CC), but a number of infected women do not develop invasive lesions, suggesting the role of genetic susceptibility and environmental co-factors for cancer outbreak. The aim of this study was to investigate whether some GST polymorphisms could influence the risk to develop CC, either by themselves or in combination with smoking habit, in a cohort of high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) infected Italian women.

Methods: The study population comprises 192 Italian women including 81 HR-HPV infected women bearing cervical lesions and 111 healthy controls.

DNA repair capacity and acute radiotherapy adverse effects in Italian breast cancer patients.

Therapeutic exposure to ionising radiation can induce normal tissue side effects which consistently differ among individuals suggesting a possible genetic control. One approach to elucidate the underlying mechanisms is to analyse the relation between genetic traits, biomarkers of in vitro DNA damage and side toxicity in vivo. 43 breast cancer (BC) patients receiving radiotherapy after a breast-conserving surgery were recruited together with 34 age- and sex-matched healthy controls.

Activation of NOD2-mediated intestinal pathway in a pediatric population with Crohn's disease.

Background: NOD2 is an intracellular protein involved in host recognition of specific bacterial molecules and is genetically associated with several inflammatory diseases, including Crohn's disease (CD). NOD2 stimulation activates the transcription factor, NF-kappaB, through RIP2, a caspase-recruitment domain-containing kinase. NOD2/RIP2 signaling also mediates the activation of antimicrobial peptides such as human alpha-defensin 5 (HD-5) and human alpha-defensin 6 (HD-6), both produced by Paneth cells.

Occupational exposure to antineoplastic agents induces a high level of chromosome damage. Lack of an effect of GST polymorphisms.

The aim of our study was to investigate whether occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs (AND) resulted in genetic damage, possibly indicative of adverse health effects in the long term. We performed a chromosomal aberrations (CA) analysis in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of a group of 76 trained nurses occupationally exposed to AND. Furthermore, we analysed whether genetic polymorphisms in four metabolic genes of the glutathione S-transferase (GST) family involved in antineoplastic drugs detoxification (GSTM1, GSTT1, GSTP1, GSTA1) had any effect on the yield of chromosomal aberrations in nurses exposed to antineoplastic agents.

A multi-biomarker analysis of DNA damage in automobile painters.

The genotoxic effects associated with automobile painting were analyzed using a panel of biomarkers. Chromosomal aberrations (CAs), sister chromatid exchange (SCE), and micronuclei were evaluated in 25 car painters (12 smokers, 13 nonsmokers) working in different automobile paint-shops in Italy and in 37 control subjects. The controls were healthy blood donors (14 smokers, 23 non-smokers) that were matched with the experimental population for gender and age.

Cytogenetic biomonitoring of workers from laboratories of clinical analyses occupationally exposed to chemicals.

A cytogenetic monitoring study was carried out on a group of workers in clinical analysis laboratories to investigate the risk of occupational exposure to chronic low levels of chemicals.Thirty-four clinical laboratories have been involved in the study. In these laboratories, toxicants and analytical procedures utilized have been characterized.

Effect of age on DNA binding of the ku protein in irradiated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).

DNA binding of the ku protein was investigated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 24 subjects of different ages (20-89 years old) displaying age-related changes in DNA repair, mitotic responsiveness, and cytokine production. Ku is an heterodimeric protein composed of two subunits of 70 and 80 kDa, which is involved in the earliest steps of DNA damage recognition. DNA binding of ku 70/80 was found unchanged in normal PBMC from aging subjects but progressively declined in x-ray-irradiated PBMC from young to adult, and elderly subjects.

Flow cytometric analysis in colorectal carcinoma: prognostic significance of cellular DNA content.

The prognostic value of DNA ploidy status was evaluated prospectively in 70 patients with colorectal carcinoma. Cellular DNA content was measured by flow cytometry from fresh specimens with multiple site sampling. Seventy-five percent of cases exhibited a DNA aneuploid pattern.

Radioimmunotherapy trials in germ testicular carcinoma: a phase I study.

Two patients with germ cell testicular cancer were submitted to radioimmunotherapy (RIT) by using the monoclonal antibody 131I-radiolabelled (MoAb) H17E2, raised against placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP). Both patients had been previously treated with repeated chemotherapy regimens assisted by autologous bone marrow transplant (ABMT), that, in the end were unsuccessful, thus necessitating further experimental treatment. RIT was well tolerated and the targeting of multiple neoplastic lesions was satisfactory.

Pilot study of multiple-fraction daily radiotherapy alternating with chemotherapy in patients with stage IV non-oat cell lung cancer.

From March 1982, 31 patients with stage IV non-oat cell lung cancer have been treated. Radiotherapy was given as three 2.00-Gy fractions on Days 1 and 2, 8 and 9, 22 and 23, and 29 and 30, for a total dose of 48 Gy over a 30-32-day treatment period.