Number of Langerhans cells is decreased in premalignant keratosis and skin cancers.

Background: It was shown earlier that a number of CD207 positive Langerhans cells was lower in basal cell carcinomas than in the normal epidermis. Moreover, benign skin lesions presented a higher number of Langerhans cells when they were compared to malignant tumors.

Aim: To count Langerhans cells, assessing expression levels of CD1A and CD207 markers in actinic keratosis, basal and squamous cell carcinomas, compared with the normal skin.

Overexpression of MRPS18-2 in Cancer Cell Lines Results in Appearance of Multinucleated Cells.

Human mitochondrial ribosomal protein MRPS18-2 (S18-2) is encoded by a cellular gene that is located on the human chromosome 6p21.3. We discovered that overexpression of the S18-2 protein led to immortalization and de-differentiation of primary rat embryonic fibroblasts.