Strategies, models and biomarkers in experimental non-alcoholic fatty liver disease research.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease encompasses a spectrum of liver diseases, including simple steatosis, steatohepatitis, liver fibrosis and cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is currently the most dominant chronic liver disease in Western countries due to the fact that hepatic steatosis is associated with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, metabolic syndrome and drug-induced injury. A variety of chemicals, mainly drugs, and diets is known to cause hepatic steatosis in humans and rodents.

Transforming growth factor α immunoreactivity. A study in hepatocellular carcinoma and in non-neoplastic liver tissue.

Background: Transforming growth factor alpha (TGFα) is an important mitogen that binds to epidermal growth factor receptor and is associated with the development of several tumors.

Aims: Assessment of the immunoexpression of TGFα in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and in non-neoplastic liver tissue and its relationship to morphological patterns of HCC.

Material And Methods: The immunohistochemical expression of TGFα was studied in 47 cases of HCC (27 multinodular, 20 nodular lesions).

Evaluation of breast cancer metastases in pleural effusions by molecular biology techniques.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of allelic loss in chromosomal regions previously described as exhibiting loss of heterozygosity (LOH) during breast carcinogenesis, in pleural effusions of breast cancer patients. LOH was analyzed in three loci (1p32, 7q31, and 17q21). We studied 41 samples of pleural effusions from breast cancer patients (24 positive for neoplastic cells, 14 suspected, and 3 negative cases) and breast tissues from the patients (primary tumors and nonneoplastic adjacent tissue).