Expression of TRPC homologs in endothelial cells and smooth muscle layers of human arteries.

TRPC channels are a group of Ca(2+)-permeable nonselective cation channels that mediate store-operated and/or agonist-stimulated Ca(2+) influx in a variety of cell types. In this study, we extensively examined the expression patterns of TRPC homologs in human vascular tissues. RT-PCR amplified cDNA fragments of TRPC1 (505 bp), TRPC3 (372 bp), TRPC4 (499 bp), TRPC5 (325 bp), TRPC6 (509 bp), and TRPC7 (187 bp) from RNA isolated from cultured human coronary artery endothelial cells.

Prognostic significance of stromal metalloproteinase-2 in ovarian adenocarcinoma and its relation to carcinoma progression.

Objectives: MMP-2 expression in ovarian cancer cells has been correlated with poor prognosis. This study attempts to assess the prognostic importance of stromal MMP-2 in patients with ovarian endometrioid and serous adenocarcinoma.

Methods: MMP-2, MMP-2 activator, MT1-MMP, and its inhibitor (TIMP-2) were immunostained in 84 primary epithelial ovarian carcinomas (EOCs) (35 endometrioid adenocarcinomas [ECs] and 49 serous adenocarcinomas [SCs]).

Expression of olfactory-type cyclic nucleotide-gated channel (CNGA2) in vascular tissues.

Cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) ion channels are Ca2+-permeable nonselective cation channels that are directly gated by the binding of cAMP or cGMP. Previous studies have identified the expression of CNGA1 channels in vascular endothelial cells. The opening of CNG channels is expected to result in a rise in endothelial cytosolic Ca2+, which may trigger multiple physiological changes.

Decreased expression of human papillomavirus E2 protein and transforming growth factor-beta1 in human cervical neoplasia as an early marker in carcinogenesis.

Background And Objectives: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is thought to be one of the possible causative factors in cervical carcinogenesis, and cervical carcinoma cells are refractory to tumor transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1. The purpose of this study is to investigate the possible cause-effect association between HPV and TGF-beta1 during cervical tumorigenesis.

Methods: We assessed the expression of HPV capsid proteins, HPV-16 E7, HPV-16 E2 (C and N terminals), TGF-beta1, and their receptors TGF-beta RI and RII by immunohistochemistry in 48 paraffin-embedded blocks of tumor tissue derived from patients of cervical neoplasia.

Gastric cancer cell detection in peritoneal washing: cytology versus RT-PCR for CEA transcripts.

This study investigates the sensitivity and specificity of cytology, qualitative, and real-time RT-PCR methods in free cancer cell detection of peritoneal washing from gastric cancer patients. Peritoneal washings were collected from 65 gastric cancer patients for routine cytology and total RNA extraction for qualitative and real-time RT-PCR for CEA. The sensitivity and false-positive rate was 51.

Expanded T cell clones and cytokines expression in human gastric carcinomas of different histological types.

Objective: To study the characteristics of host immune response against human gastric carcinoma of different histological types.

Methods: The expression of 24 families of T cell receptor beta chain variable region (TCRVbeta) and cytokine profiles in isolated CD4(+) and CD8(+) subsets, as well as the cytokine profiles in purified epithelial cells from the tumor tissue and the residual benign tissue of patients with gastric carcinoma, was detected by a highly sensitive radioactivity labeled semi-quantitative RT-PCR technique.

Results: The number of expanded T cell clones in CD8(+) subset from tumor tissue of the intestinal-type carcinoma was larger than that of diffuse-type (P = 0.

An endogenous RNA transcript antisense to CNG(alpha)1 cation channel mRNA.

CNG channels are cyclic nucleotide-gated Ca(2+)-permeable channels that are suggested to be involved in the activity-dependent alterations of synaptic strength that are thought to underlie information storage in the CNS. In this study, we isolated an endogenous RNA transcript antisense to CNG(alpha)1 mRNA. This transcript was capable of down-regulating the expression of sense CNG(alpha)1 in the Xenopus oocyte expression system.

Diagnostic and prognostic implications of circulating cell-free Epstein-Barr virus DNA in natural killer/T-cell lymphoma.

Purpose: Natural killer/T-cell (NK/T-cell) lymphoma is a highly aggressive tumor for which no serological tumor marker has yet been established to be useful clinically. We investigated the potential of circulating EBV DNA as a tumor marker for this malignancy.

Experimental Design: A real-time quantitative PCR assay was used to measure circulating EBV DNA.