Mucin core polypeptide expression in the progression of neoplasia in Barrett's esophagus.

We have previously demonstrated a specific pattern of mucin (MUC) core polypeptide expression in Barrett's esophagus (BE) characterized by MUC1 and MUC6 positivity in goblet cells in a proportion of cases. The aim of this study was to determine the pattern of MUC expression associated with the development and progression of dysplasia in BE. Endoscopic mucosal biopsies from 35 patients with BE (10 with no dysplasia, 6 with indefinite for dysplasia, 12 with low-grade dysplasia [LGD], and 7 biopsies with high-grade dysplasia [HGD]) were immunostained (ABC method) with antibodies against MUC1, MUC2, MUC3, MUC5AC, and MUC6.

Genetic clonal diversity predicts progression to esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Neoplasms are thought to progress to cancer through genetic instability generating cellular diversity and clonal expansions driven by selection for mutations in cancer genes. Despite advances in the study of molecular biology of cancer genes, relatively little is known about evolutionary mechanisms that drive neoplastic progression. It is unknown, for example, which may be more predictive of future progression of a neoplasm: genetic homogenization of the neoplasm, possibly caused by a clonal expansion, or the accumulation of clonal diversity.

Genetic mechanisms of TP53 loss of heterozygosity in Barrett's esophagus: implications for biomarker validation.

Background And Aims: 17p (TP53) loss of heterozygosity (LOH) has been reported to be predictive of progression from Barrett's esophagus to esophageal adenocarcinoma, but the mechanism by which TP53 LOH develops is unknown. It could be (a) DNA deletion, (b) LOH without copy number change, or (c) tetraploidy followed by genetic loss. If an alternative biomarker assay, such as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), provided equivalent results, then translation to the clinic might be accelerated, because LOH genotyping is presently limited to research centers.

Insulin markedly potentiates the capacity of parathyroid hormone to increase expression of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-24-hydroxylase in rat osteoblastic cells in the presence of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3.

We have previously shown that insulin alters the renal metabolism of 25-hydroxyvitamin D. To examine the effect of insulin on vitamin D metabolism in bone, we have used UMR-106 osteoblast-like cells to study the regulation of 25(OH)D3-24-hydroxylase (24-hydroxylase) expression by insulin. The 24-hydroxylase is an important enzyme in degrading 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D) in target tissues.

Benzidine glucuronidation in dog liver.

Dog is an animal model for assessing aromatic amine-induced bladder cancer, and hepatic N-glucuronidation is proposed as an important pathway leading to initiation of carcinogenesis. Therefore, benzidine N-glucuronidation was evaluated with dog liver microsomes and slices. Microsomal benzidine UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity was increased with a variety of detergents.