Psoriasin (S100A7) expression and invasive breast cancer

Alteration of psoriasin (S100A7) expression has previously been identified in association with the transition from preinvasive to invasive breast cancer. In this study we have examined persistence of psoriasin mRNA and protein expression in relation to prognostic factors in a cohort of 57 invasive breast tumors, comprising 34 invasive ductal carcinomas and 23 other invasive tumor types (lobular, mucinous, medullary, tubular). We first developed an IgY polyclonal chicken antibody and confirmed specificity for psoriasin by Western blot in transfected cells and tumors. The protein was localized by immunohistochemistry predominantly to epithelial cells, with both nuclear and cytoplasmic staining, as well as occasional stromal cells in psoriatic skin and breast tumors; however, in situ hybridization showed that psoriasin mRNA expression was restricted to epithelial cells. In breast tumors, higher levels of psoriasin measured by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot (93% concordance) were significantly associated with estrogen and progesterone receptor-negative status (P < 0.0001, P = 0.0003), and with nodal metastasis in invasive ductal tumors (P = 0. 035), but not with tumor type or grade. Psoriasin expression also correlated with inflammatory infiltrates (all tumors excluding medullary, P = 0.0022). These results suggest that psoriasin may be a marker of aggressive behavior in invasive tumors and are consistent with a function as a chemotactic factor.

[A study of p53 gene mutations in squamous cell carcinoma in eyes]

OBJECTIVE

To inquire into the molecular biological mechanisms of the occurrence of squamous cell carcinoma in eyes.

METHODS

Using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method, we detected 63 samples taken from 63 cases (including 36 invasive squamous carcinoma, 7 carcinoma in situ, 20 papillomas) for 248 point mutations in p53 gene.

RESULTS

22.2% (8/36) squamous cell carcinomas, 14.3% (1/7) carcinomas in situ were shown to contain the point mutation in codon 248 of p53 gene exon 7 and no point mutation was found in papillomas, the difference being significant (P = 0.021). No point mutation was in patients over 70, while in patients younger than 70, the mutation rate was 33.3%, the difference being significant (P = 0.24). No significant correlation was found between p53 gene mutations and clinical pathological manifestations (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

p53 gene mutations play roles in the early stage of the development of squamous cell carcinomas, and there is no correlation between p53 gene mutations and clinical manifestations. The mutation in p53 gene is not the main cause of neoplasms in the elder persons after the seventh decade of life.

Neuron-specific and developmental regulation of the synapsin II gene expression in transgenic mice

Synapsin II, a major phosphoprotein of synaptic vesicles, is believed to function in neurotransmitter release as well as in synapse formation. The expression of the synapsin II gene is neuron-specific, and correlates temporally with synaptogenesis. To understand the mechanisms by which the expression of the synapsin II gene is regulated in vivo, we generated transgenic mice carrying a 5.1-kb 5'-flanking sequence of the murine synapsin II gene fused to the firefly luciferase reporter gene. The synapsin II-luciferase transgene is specifically expressed in neural tissues, such as brain and spinal cord, but not in non-neural tissues. Throughout the brain, the expression of the transgene is widely distributed, and restricted only to neuronal cells. Moreover, the expression of the transgene is developmentally regulated, with a temporal profile similar to that of endogenous synapsin II expression. These results indicate that the 5.1-kb flanking sequence of the murine synapsin II gene contains cis-regulatory elements that are required for directing neuron-specific and synaptogenesis-regulated expression in vivo.

[Effect of dimethoate on the expression of c-fos gene in skeletal muscle]

To elucidate the effect of organophosphate pesticides on the expression of immediate early gene in skeletal muscle, the concentrations of c-fos mRNA and protein were measured by RT-PCR and western dot blot techniques. The result showed that c-fos mRNA and protein were significantly increased in skeletal muscle of rat after dosing with dimethoate. These results indicated that c-fos might act as transcription factor and regulate other gene expression during the early period of organophosphate intoxication.

[Potentiated effects of total saponins of Panax Ginseng on inhibition of leukemic cells by cytotoxic drugs]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the potentiated effects of total saponins of Panax Ginseng (TSPG) on inhibition of leukemic progenitor cells by cytotoxic drugs in acute myelocytic leukemia.

METHODS

Using bone marrow culture of colony forming unite-acute myeloid leukemia (CFU-AML) method, the sensitivity of leukemic cells obtained from 18 patients to homoharringtonin (HHr), cytarabine (Ara), adriamycin (Adr) and etoposide (VP-16) were detected separately.

RESULTS

TSPG alone (20 micrograms/ml) could stimulate proliferation of CFU-AML obviously, and increase the colony numbers by 37.98% over the non-TSPG control (P < 0.01). In the presence of TSPG, the inhibition rates of CFU-AML of HHr, Ara, Adr and VP-16 were 51.2%-62.0% respectively, which were significantly higher than 30.4%-47.4% of non-TSPG control (all P < 0.01). In the combination of TSPG with cytotoxic drugs, the leukemic progenitor cells became more sensitive to cytotoxic drugs, CFU-AML colony numbers at 1.84-2.23 fold as more as those of non-TSPG control were inhibited by HHr, Ara, Adr and VP-16. Sensitivity test of 17 among 72 drugs reversed from resistant (suppression rate less than 30%) to sensitive (suppression rate more than 30%) by TSPG.

CONCLUSIONS

TSPG could drive non-cycling leukemic progenitors to enter cell cycle, and thereby enhance their susceptibility to cytotoxic drugs.

[A study on expressions of P53 protein and proliferating cell nuclear antigen in malignant eyelid tumors]

OBJECTIVE

To observe the relationship between P53 gene mutation and malignant eyelid tumor.

METHODS

The expressions of P53 protein and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in 102 cases with malignant eyelid tumors were examined by labelled streptravidin biotin (LSAB) immunohistochemical technique.

RESULTS

Although overexpression of P53 protein was not detected in normal eyelid cutaneous epithelium, meibomian gland and mild epithelial dysplasia, the positive rate of P53 increased in degree in moderate and severe dysplasia, carcinoma in situ and invasive tumors, and PCNA labeling index (PI) progressively increased too. Overexpression of P53 protein was detected in 30/53 cases of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), 16/32 cases of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 10/17 cases of meibomian gland carcinoma, and the intensity of P53 protein immunostaining increased with the lowering in the degree of histological differentiation. The mean PCNA labeling index was 38.1 +/- 31.1, 38.3 +/- 30.1, 42.6 +/- 32.0 respectively in BCC, SCC and meibomian gland carcinoma. The PI value in tumor tissue with positive P53 protein expression was higher than that in tissues with its negative expression (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The gene mutation of P53 protein might play an important role in the pathogenesis of malignant eyelid tumors, it may be one of the factors that can lead to abnormal hyperactivity of cell proliferation and it possibly can be a malignant sign in the progression of a tumor.

Spreading of Hua Shou's medical books in Japan

The paper inquired into the situation of spread and influence of a distinguished physician of the Yuan dynasty, Hua Shou's medical books in Japan. Nippon editions of Hua Shou's medical books had been investigated. The conditions that Hua Shou's medical books were translated, annotated, studied by Japanese medical workers before Meiji, and the role of Hua Shou's medical books played on the medical education in Japan was also discussed.

[Relationship between changes of phospholipid and lipid peroxide of erythrocyte membrane and diabetic retinopathy]

OBJECTIVE

To study the relation between the changes of phospholipid and lipid peroxide (LPD) in erythrocyte membrane in diabetes mellitus with the occurrence of diabetic retinopathy (DR).

METHODS

The levels of triglyceride (TG), cholesterol (TC), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA(1)c), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylinostiol (PI), phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylcholine (PC), sphingomyelin (SM), lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), lipid peroxide (LPO) and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) were investigated in 44 diabetic patients with DR, 20 diabetic patients with no DR (NDR) and 30 sex and age matched normal control subjects.

RESULTS

A significant decrease in PE, PI, PS, PC, SM, SOD and GSH-PX and a significant increase in LPC, LPO, TG, TC and HbA(1)c were detected in DR and NDR group when compared with the normal controls. These changes were more obvious in DR group.

CONCLUSION

The lipid peroxidation and the alteration of the erythrocyte membrane phospholipid compositions may contribute to the occurrence and development of DR.

[The expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen in breast phylloides cystosarcoma and its significance]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in breast phylloides cystosarcoma and its clinicopathological signification.

METHODS

Immunohistochemistry (SP method) with monoclonal antibodies PC10 against PCNA was performed in 100 cases of phylloides cystosarcoma and 39 cases of adenofibroma.

RESULTS

The positive rate of PCNA in phylloides cystosarcoma was 86%. The average PCNA index (PI) of phylloides cystosarcoma was significantly different among every histologic grading (F = 85.33, P < 0.01). The degree of differentiation was lower, the PI was higher. The PI was closely correlated with histologic grading (r's = 0.77). The PI in grade I phylloides cystosarcoma was higher than that in the group of adenofibroma with abundant mesenchymal cells (t = 3.42, P < 0.01). There was only a low correlation between PI and mitotic figures in phylloides cystosarcoma (r = 0.39).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that the detection of PCNA has considerable practical value in reflecting the proliferation of activity of phylloides cystosarcoma, assisting the pathologists to make histologic grading; distinguishing the malignancy from benign ones (differential diagnosis) and evaluating the prognosis.

[Microscopic identification of the powder of roots of genus Adenophora: II. The roots of Sect. Remotiflorae and Sect. Adenophora]

This paper deals with the microscopic characteristics of the powder of the roots of 11 species and subspecies of Genus Adenophora. The results show that Sect. Basiphyllae, Sect. Pachydiscus, Sect. Remotiflorae and Sect. Adenophora can be identified based on the amount and thickness of the wall as well as the characteristics of the pit of sclerified cork cells, and 29 species, subspecies and varieties can be identified based on the amount, shape and thickness of the walls of the sclerified cork cells, the diameter and pit of the vessels, the number and shape of the secretion of the laticifers, and the number of inulin crystals.

[Microscopic identification of the powder of roots of genus Adenophora. I. The roots of Sect. Basiphyllae and Sect. Pachydiscus]

This paper deals with the microscopic characteristics of the powder of the roots of Genus Adenophora. Eighteen species and subspecies have been studied. The results show that Sect. Basiphyllae and Sect. Pachydiscus can be identified easily based on the amount of sclerified cork cells, and 18 species, subspecies and varieties can be identified according to the amount, shape and thickness of the walls of the sclerified cork cells, the diameter and pit of the vessels, the number and shape of the secretion of the laticifers, and the number of inulin crystals.

[An analysis of diagnostic errors of uveal melanoma]

OBJECTIVE

The causes of erroneous clinical diagnosis of uveal melanomas were studied

METHODS

18 cases with uveal melanoma diagnosed clinically were analyzed by clinical and histopathological methods.

RESULTS

The main causes of the misdiagnosis were the opaque media to prevent from a clear view of the fundus in some cases, and clinicians' insufficient experience and ignorance of the case history. The histological bases of the misdiagnosis were suprachoroidal hemorrhage, subretinal hemorrhage and hemorrhage beneath retinal pigment epithelium, organization and formation of scar tissues.

CONCLUSION

It is necessary to take the fluorescein angiography preoperatively and perform local resection of tumor on suitable cases.

[Whole organ subserial section examination of occult breast carcinoma]

In mastectomy specimens, the primary foci of occult breast carcinoma were examinated usually by routine histopathological method, but the result was not satisfactory. The detecting rates of primary foci were 50%-56% in China and 45%-75% in some other countries. In this study, whole organ subserial section was performed in 20 cases of occult breast cancer from April, 1988 to February, 1994. Primary foci were found in 16 cases (80%) by microscopic examination. Diameters of 10 foci were less than 1.0cm and the smallest one was 0.3 x 0.1 x 0.1cm. In addition, occult breast cancer with multiple foci was detected in 5 cases (31.25%), which would be very difficult to be found by routine histopathological examination. The possible causes for the failure of detection of the primary foci on whole organ section are discussed.