Differential expression of p73 splice variants and protein in benign and malignant ovarian tumours.

The p73 gene encodes a protein with substantial structural and functional similarities to the tumour-suppressor p53. Alternative splicing of p73 mRNA leads to expression of 6 known RNA species and proteins (alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon, zeta). We analysed the expression of these splice variants in ovarian adenocarcinoma by RT-PCR followed by detection of amplicons with the Southern technique and by immunoblot in 32 malignant and benign epithelial ovarian tumour specimens and 3 ovarian adenocarcinoma cell lines (A2780, 2008, OVCAR-3).

The long-term tolerability and efficacy of OESCLIM: results of a 1-year study.

Objectives: A 1-year, open-label, non-comparative study evaluated the long-term tolerability and acceptability of a new generation matrix patch in post menopausal women with estrogen deficiency.

Methods: Menopausal women (224) from 37 centres in five European countries received OESCLIM 50 microg/d (17-beta estradiol) for 3 months, titrated if necessary to either 25 or 100 microg/d for a further 9 months. Patients received either a continuous or discontinuous estradiol regimen with concomitant sequential progestogen (except hysterectomised patients).

Decrease of serum endothelin levels with postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy or tibolone.

Endothelin is the most potent vasoconstrictor peptide known to date. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with estrogen reduces plasma endothelin levels. We measured endothelin in 51 postmenopausal patients before and during HRT.

Prevention of postmenopausal bone loss using tibolone or conventional peroral or transdermal hormone replacement therapy with 17beta-estradiol and dydrogesterone.

Postmenopausal bone loss can be prevented by continuous or intermittent estradiol (E2) administration. Concomitant progestogen therapy is mandatory in nonhysterectomized women to curtail the risk of endometrial hyperplasia or cancer. However, the recurrence of vaginal bleeding induced by sequential progestogen therapy in addition to continuous estrogen administration is one of the reasons for noncompliance to hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Placental protein 14 (PP14) does not predict endometrial status under hormone replacement therapy.

Our objective was to compare serum level of placental protein 14 (PP14) with histological findings in endometrial evaluation of postmenopausal women using hormone replacement therapy (HRT). In a subset of 109 out of 140 women included in a randomized comparative study, serum levels of PP14 were determined after 12 months of use of (1) no HRT; (2) oral micronized 17 beta-estradiol/oral sequential dydrogesterone; (3) transdermal 17 beta-estradiol/oral sequential dydrogesterone; or (4) oral tibolone. Subjects underwent Pipelle biopsy after 12 months.