Follicular bisection in hair transplantation surgery: an in vitro model.

The aim of this study was to evaluate, in an in vitro model, the survival and growth rates of transversely sectioned human hair follicles to assess experimentally the soundness of this approach as a future possible method for "duplicating" available donor hair grafts in hair transplantation procedures. A total of 300 human anagen hair follicles was obtained from 10 healthy male patients. Follicles were thus randomly assigned to one of the following groups: group A (control; n = 100 follicles), cultured intact as dissected, and group B (experimental; n = 200 follicles), transversely transected, parallel to the epidermal surface and immediately below the bulge area, to obtain 200 lower-half follicles and 200 upper-half follicles.

Induction of apoptosis in MCF-7 breast carcinoma cell line by RAR and RXR selective retinoids.

Induction of apoptosis in MCF-7 breast carcinoma cell line by various retinoids was measured by cytofluorimetry and DNA fragmentation assay. Retinoids with marked or high selectivity for RAR alpha, RAR beta, RAR gamma or RXR alpha were tested. All these retinoids were capable of inducing apoptosis, in a dose- and time-dependent way.

Correlation between 1p deletions and aneusomy in human colorectal adenomas.

Human sporadic colorectal adenomas are characterized by a relatively high occurrence of aneuploidy. Similarly, 1p deletions have been reported to be an early event in colorectal tumorigenesis, while chromosome 7, 17 and 18 gain/losses were also found. The present study investigated 1p deletions, the numerical aberrations of chromosomes 1, 7, 17 and 18, and the nuclear DNA content as obtained by flow cytometry in a series of 34 human sporadic colorectal adenomas.

Heterogeneous p53 mutations in a Burkitt lymphoma from an AIDS patient with monoclonal c-myc and VDJ rearrangements.

This study investigates the timing of p53 mutations detected in the malignant cells of a Burkitt's lymphoma cell line (BRG-P) with respect to other maturation or transforming events. The BRG-P cell line, derived from an AIDS patient, was of special value since it displayed subclones that had undergone an isotype switch from IgM to IgA1 (BRG-M and BRG-A cells). BRG-M and BRG-A cells were characterized by the same monoclonal c-myc and VDJ rearrangements and by the expression of Ig receptors with specificity for a 45 kDa protein of human breast cells.

Synergistic effect between doxorubicin and a low dose of all-trans-retinoic acid in MCF-7 breast cancer cell line.

The effect of doxorubicin (DOX) used in combination with a low dose (10(-7) M) of all-trans-retinoic acid (tRA) was tested on MCF-7 breast carcinoma cell line. Both drugs are able to inhibit cell proliferation in these cells in a dose-dependent way. The combined treatment with DOX and tRA was more effective in inhibiting cell growth than each of the two compounds alone.

Lack of mutations in K-ras codons 12 and 13 in human atherosclerotic lesions.

In the framework of a project investigating the possible involvement of cancer biomarkers in human atherogenesis, we evaluated the occurrence of K-ras mutations in the DNA extracted from smooth muscle cells of abdominal aorta atherosclerotic lesions. The molecular analysis of the DNA from 32 surgical specimens, using PCR-based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), did not reveal any variant in K-ras codons 12 and 13, which are the most frequently involved codons among the ras genes mutated in various types of human tumors. Analysis of the DNA extracted from four cell lines carrying known K-ras mutational alleles showed typically positive DGGE patterns.

Intratumor heterogeneity of K-ras2 mutations in colorectal adenocarcinomas: association with degree of DNA aneuploidy.

Detailed information about intratumor K-ras2 mutations in colorectal adenocarcinomas and a possible association with DNA content heterogeneity is still lacking. DNA diploid and aneuploid subclones, detected among multiple histologically selected primary sectors (57 superficial and 40 deep) and 9 lymph node metastases, were flow cytometrically sorted and separately submitted to codons 12-13 K-ras2 mutation spectrum analysis. DNA aneuploidy was absent among 20 near and 20 distant mucosa sites and present in 7/9 lymph node metastases and in 17/19 primary tumors (90%).

Intracellular transducing mechanisms coupled to brain somatostatin receptors.

This review systematically analyses recent knowledge of the biology of somatostatin receptors. Indeed, since the molecular cloning of five somatostatin receptors in 1992, a growing bulk of scientific data has been produced regarding the cell type localization, the physiological role and the biochemical intracellular pathways activated by the single somatostatin receptors. The aim of this review is to present all these data, also discussing the conflicting evidence that has been reported, to further simulate research efforts in the field.

Study on aneuploidy and p53 mutations in astrocytomas.

To determine whether a correlation exists between aneuploidy and p53 status in astrocytic tumors we analyzed 48 astrocytomas with different grades of malignancy for the presence of p53 mutations and aneuploidy of chromosomes 10 and 17 (Ch10, Ch17), known to be particularly involved with this type of tumor. We used polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis on exons 5-8 of the p53 gene, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis on interphase nuclei using chromosome specific pericentromeric probes, respectively. Our results showed that Ch10/Ch17 aneuploidy is a common early event in astrocytomas (90% of low grade tumors are aneuploid).

Efficacy of the association of 13-cis-retinoic acid (13cRA) and alpha-interferon 2a (alpha-IFN 2a) in moderate-severe cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN II-III): a pilot study.

Recent in vitro studies have suggested a possible therapeutic synergism between alpha-IFN 2a and 13cRA in certain neoplasias, while encouraging in vivo findings strongly support the enhanced effectiveness of the two agents when used in combination. The specific aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and the toxicity of the association of 13cRA and alpha-IFN 2a in patients with CIN II and CIN III who refused surgical treatment. Twenty-one patients (aged between 25 and 58 years), of which 14 were CIN II and 7 CIN III, entered the study.

Effectiveness of beta-carotene in cancer chemoprevention.

This article reviews the current knowledge on the cancer-preventive potential of beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, and plentiful in fruits and vegetables, which has been studied widely as a promising chemopreventive agent in reducing the risk of cancer in humans. Several retrospective and prospective epidemiological investigations have demonstrated that a diet rich in micronutrients such as vitamins, carotenoids and selenium, could prevent the arising, in 'high-risk' patients, of precancerous and neoplastic lesions of specific sites, particularly of the upper aerodigestive tract. Numerous in vitro expressions have been performed in order to verify the true role played by this agent on cell proliferation and differentiation; until now, findings have been very encouraging, uniformly showing the beta-carotene can affect carcinogenesis, particularly in early stages, through an antigenotoxic action.

Ambulatory 4-day continuous-infusion schedule of high-dose ifosfamide with mesna uroprotection and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in advanced solid tumours: a phase I study.

Background: There is evidence that continuous infusion allows the delivery of higher doses of a drug while reducing the incidence of neurologic and renal toxicity. To verify prior to phase II testing the feasibility of ambulatory treatment with high-dose ifosfamide/mesna by continuous infusion in adult solid tumours, the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and the non-haematological dose-limiting toxicities for the achievement of 2 courses of therapy were determined.

Patients And Methods: Thirty-two patients with advanced solid tumours were given continuous-infusion ifosfamide, from 9 to 16 g/m2, over 4 consecutive days, with equidose mesna uroprotection and granulocyte colony-stimulating-factor support; courses were repeated every 3 weeks.

Serodiagnosis of Helicobacter pylori: evaluation of a rapid, miniaturized immunochromatographic test.

Diagnosis and successful eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection has been shown to be significantly related to symptom improvement in patients affected by chronic gastritis, duodenal and gastric ulcer. There is, therefore, an increasing need for the development of new, easy to use, reliable and non-invasive techniques to detect this organism. One such test is Flex-Sure (SmithKline Diagnostics Inc.

Breast cancer early diagnosis experience in Florence: can a self referral policy achieve the results of service screening?

Study Objective: To assess the impact of a breast clinic on a specific target population and evaluate early diagnosis performance indicators for breast cancer in the presence of a self referral policy.

Design: Women living in Florence between 1980 and 1989 who had undergone mammography at a self referral breast clinic were studied. Main outcome measures were the use of mammography in relation to age, symptoms, and the interval between two subsequent tests, and early diagnosis performance indicators were the detection rate (DR), the prevalence/incidence ratio, and the proportion of early detected cancers.

Antiproliferative and synergistic effect of interferon alpha-2a, retinoids and their association in established human cancer cell lines.

The effect of 13-cis-retinoic acid (cRA) and all-trans-retinoic acid (tRA) used alone or in combination with interferon alpha-2a (alpha-IFN 2a) was tested on three established human cell lines: KB (epidermoid carcinoma of the oral cavity), SCC-25 (tongue squamous cell carcinoma) and MCF-7 (mammary carcinoma). Both retinoids significantly decreased cell proliferation (growth curves) and colony forming efficiency (CFE) in all cell lines, in a dose-dependent way (at a concentration ranging from 10(-5) to 10(-9) M) and differing from line to line, following the pattern: MCF-7 > SCC-25 > KB. Retinoids at any concentration (already at 10(-7) M) combined with alpha-IFN 2a (ranging from 100 to 500 IU/ml) were more effective in inhibiting cell proliferation than each of the two compounds alone.

Efficacy of recombinant alpha-interferon 2a and 13-cis-retinoic acid in the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Recent in vitro and in vivo studies hypothesize a synergistic effect of 13-cis-Retinoic Acid (13cRA) and recombinant alpha-IFN 2a (alpha-IFN) in the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC).

Patients And Methods: 35 patients with SqCC in several sites were treated with 13cRA (0.6-1 mg/kg/day) combined with alpha-IFN (6 x 10(6) I.

Quantitative analysis of mitotic and early-G1 cells using monoclonal antibodies against the AF-2 protein.

We have recently described a novel protein (AF-2), conserved between fission yeast and man, and we have shown by flow cytometry (FCM) that AF-2 is highly accessible to specific monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) in mitotic and postmitotic early-G1 phase cells. The aim of the present study was to optimize the FCM methodology using MoAbs against AF-2 and to show that the evaluation of the mitotic cells, using different cell lines, was quantitative and reproducible. We found that a method based on fixation with ethanol, instead of formalin, resulted in improved DNA histogram coefficients of variation and implemented separation of early-G1 cells from late-G1 cells.

Analysis at the clonal level of T-cell phenotype and functions in severe aplastic anemia patients.

The aim of this study was to analyze at the clonal level the phenotype and functions of T cells from patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA). For this purpose we studied 175 T-cell clones obtained from peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) of four SAA patients and 97 clones from two healthy controls. The percentage of CD8+ T-cell clones obtained from the patients' PB and BM was higher, but not significantly (P = .