Chemotherapy-induced nuclear alterations of morphologic and genomic characteristics in a human colon cancer grafted onto nude mice

p53 protein accumulation in colorectal cancer tissue has prognostic value only in left-sided colon tumours

The aim of this paper is to describe the prospective 10-year follow-up study of prognostic value of p53 protein accumulation in cancer cells in relation to the localisation of tumour in colorectum.

METHODS

The p53 protein accumulation has been assessed immunohistochemically in tumour tissue samples obtained from 80 selected sporadic colorectal cancer patients.

RESULTS

p53 protein accumulation was detected more often in rectum than in colon tumours. Lower survival rates were observed in patients with p53 protein accumulation in cancer cells independent of primary tumour site. Significantly lower cumulative survival rate was detected in the group of patients with left-sided colon cancer. The p53 protein accumulation was an independent prognostic factor in the left-sided colon tumours.

CONCLUSIONS

The right-sided colon tumours may be developed in p53-independent manner and p53 protein accumulation in cancer cells has prognostic value only in the left-sided colorectal tumours.

Chromatin texture analysis in living cells

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in applications of fluorescence measurements to studies on many physiological mechanisms in living cells. However, few studies have taken advantage of DNA quantification by fluorometry for dynamic assessment of chromatin organization. This type of approach involves both optimal conditions for DNA staining and the use of image cytometry. In this context, this report describes the application of an internal grey-level segmentation method for the assessment of real time modifications of chromatin organization in living cells. These developments are based on a specific, stoichiometric method for nuclear DNA content measurement. Preliminary data obtained from Hela cells suggests the possibility of following variations of nuclear texture (heterogeneity, granularity, condensation, radial distribution) related to the cell cycle progression of cells that are maintained alive.