Deletion of the p53 tumor suppressor gene improves neuromotor function but does not attenuate regional neuronal cell loss following experimental brain trauma in mice.

Deletion of the tumor suppressor gene p53 has been shown to improve the outcome in experimental models of focal cerebral ischemia and kainate-induced seizures. To evaluate the potential role of p53 in traumatic brain injury, genetically modified mice lacking a functional p53 gene (p53(-/-), n = 9) and their wild-type littermates (p53(+/+), n = 9) were anesthetized and subjected to controlled cortical impact (CCI) experimental brain trauma. After brain injury, neuromotor function was assessed by using composite neuroscore and rotarod tests.

Bone morphogenetic proteins are expressed by both bone-forming and non-bone-forming lesions.

Context: Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are thought to be responsible for bone formation; they cause bone to form in soft tissues and are clinically used in helping fracture union or tumor reconstructions. Skeletal metastases from epithelial tumors may be either bone-forming (blastic) or non-bone-forming (lytic).

Objective: We studied the expression of BMPs in a variety of primary and secondary lesions of bone (both bone-forming and non-bone-forming) to determine if there was a consistent relationship between bone formation and BMP expression.

Bone Morphogenetic Proteins Are Expressed by Both Bone-Forming and Non-Bone-Forming Lesions.

Context.-Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are thought to be responsible for bone formation; they cause bone to form in soft tissues and are clinically used in helping fracture union or tumor reconstructions. Skeletal metastases from epithelial tumors may be either bone-forming (blastic) or non-bone-forming (lytic).