Association between the neutrophil myeloperoxidase index and subsets of bacterial infections

The mean myeloperoxidase index (MPXI) is calculated during the routine complete blood count performed using the autoanalyzer ADVIA120/2120. The pattern of changes in the neutrophil myeloperoxidase levels in patients with specific infectious diseases was analyzed by assessing the MPXI levels. In patients with bacterial sepsis, identified by positive blood-culture tests, with (n = 29) and without (n = 51) systemic inflammatory response syndrome, the mean MPXI significantly reduced to -3.18 and -2.06, respectively. In contrast, among patients with nontuberculous nonseptic bacterial infections (n = 40), the mean MPXI significantly elevated to 5.51, while tuberculosis patients (n = 37) and patients with viral infection (n = 60) showed an unchanged MPXI (mean values, -0.46 and -1.06, respectively). Among the parameters of inflammation, only the C-reactive protein values showed a weak correlation with the MPXI levels. [Conclusion] These results indicate that MPXI is correlated with some specific infectious states, i.e. MPXI is low in bacterial sepsis and high in nontuberculous nonseptic bacterial infections. MPXI appears to be an independent and useful biomarker for the diagnosis and follow-up of infectious diseases, especially when the MPXI values are obtained at regular intervals during the disease courses of the patients.

Relations between cyclin D1 and chromosome 11 in thyroid carcinoma: analysis by dual stain using FISH and immunostaining method

Cyclin D1 is an important cell-cycle regulator that drives the cell cycle from the G1 phase to the S phase. Elevated nuclear cyclin D1 expression has been found in human tumors, including thyroid carcinoma. Protein production is known to require DNA amplification in each cell, but reports of such amplification have not been published. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between cyclin D1 protein production and chromosome 11 in cultured cells by means of dual staining with fluorescence in situ hybridaization (FISH) and immunostaining. In addition, we immunostained anaplastic thyroid carcinoma tissue. The results indicate that cyclin D1 is not related to chromosome 11 in cultured cells. Furthermore, tissue study showed that cyclin D1 is produced in the cytoplasm and in nuclei in various ratios.

Evaluation of cell viability by double-staining fluorescence assay

Various methods are available for the assessment of cell viability. Recently, interest has centered on methods using fluorescent dyes. In this work, we used a double-staining assay, involving the use of rhodamin 123, which stains the mitochondria of viable cells, and propidium iodide, which stains the nuclei of dead cells, to investigate their use in assessing the viability of cells. We added adriamycin to NIH 3T3 cells and double-stained the cells that adhered to the dish and those that were suspended in the culture solution, and observed the results over time. We found that nearly all the adherent cells were stained with rhodamin 123 alone. However, the suspended cells in the control group accounted for most of the double-stained cells, and when adriamycin was added, most were stained with PI alone.

Comparative genomic hybridization study of genetic changes associated with vindesine resistance in esophageal carcinoma

The acquisition of drug-resistance is a major problem for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. To clarify genetic alterations in cancer cells that develop drug-resistance, comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) was applied to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell lines (SH-1V1, SH-1V2, SH-1V4 and SH-1V8) and chemoresistance-related genes in altered chromosomal regions were evaluated. These cell lines were derived from the parental SH-1 cell line, after multiple steps of selection by an increasing exposure to vindesine. SH-1V8 cells were strongly resistant to vindesine. DNA copy number at 16p which includes the MRP (multidrug resistance related protein) gene was markedly increased in all cell lines examined. Increased DNA copy numbers were found at the regions of 5q31-32, 10q11.1-23, and 14q32-qter in SH-1V8 cells that acquired resistance to other drugs as well. Both SH-1V4 and SH-1V8 showed increased DNA copy numbers at 7q11.1-22, 16q12.1-qter, 19p13.2-13.3, 19q11-13.2 and 20q13.1-qter. The chromosomal region of 7q11.1-22 including MDR-1 (multidrug resistance-1) gene was highly amplified in SH-1V4 and SH-1V8. Amplification of the MRP region suggests the prerequisite of developing resistance to vindesine, and further amplification of MDR-1 may play a critical role in acquiring drug-resistance. Several unknown genes related to the induction of chemoresistance might be concealed in other altered chromosomal regions.

Reliability of chromosome aberration by one-color fluorescence in situ hybridization

The fluorescence in situ hybridization method allows the observation of chromosomal aberrations under a microscope at the cellular level. However, the extent to which the FISH method reflects actual chromosomal aberrations is unknown. To estimate the accuracy of detecting aberrations by FISH, we performed dual color-FISH with two different DNA probes for the principal target DNA and assessed their concordance. The two DNA probes used were a whole chromosome painting probe and an alpha satellite probe. A high concordance rate of 82%-98% was found between the probes, indicating that the accuracy of determining chromosomal aberrations by FISH is high.

Relations of the c-myc gene and chromosome 8 in non-small cell lung cancer: analysis by fluorescence in situ hybridization

BACKGROUND

Amplification of the c-myc gene has been reported in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We investigated the c-myc gene amplification and the numerical aberration of chromosome 8 by dual color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to evaluate the relation between possible genetic abnormalities, pathological factors and prognosis.

METHODS

Tumor tissue samples were obtained from 31 patients with NSCLC who underwent lobectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection. Samples were analyzed by FISH using 8 alpha satellite DNA probe and c-myc gene cosmid probe. The relation between genetic abnormalities, pathological factors (T factor, tumor size, and N factor), and prognostic factors was evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis, and by the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank analysis.

RESULTS

Chromosome 8 aberrations were T1 (n=3), 44.0%; T2 (n=18), 35.7%; T3 (n=7), 40.0%; T4 (n=3), 39.7% (p=NS). The c-myc gene amplifications were T1, 54.3%; T2, 51.1%; T3, 51.0%; T4, 66.3% (p=NS). There was no difference between patients whose tumor was more than 5 cm (n=16), and 5 cm or less (n=15) in the rate of chromosome 8 aberration (39.3%: 36.3%), or the rate of the c-myc gene amplification (52.1%: 53.7%). N factors for chromosome 8 aberrations were N0 (n=18), 35.9%; and N2 (n=11), 44.9% (p=NS). In the c-myc gene amplification, there was a significant difference between N0 and N2 (48.6%, 61.3%, p=0.040). In univariate and multivariate analysis, chromosome 8 aberrations correlated with a poor prognosis (p=0.037 and p=0.041). The 5-year survival rate was 15.4% in patients whose rate of chromosome 8 aberrations was 40% or more (n=13), which was significantly less than that in patients with an aberration rate of less than 40% (n=19, 57.9%, p=0.014).

CONCLUSION

The c-myc gene amplification correlates with lymph node metastasis. Although there was no significant link between the amplification of the c-myc gene and clinical outcome, the numerical chromosome 8 aberrations was considered to be a factor for survival.

Low level c-myc gene amplification in gastric cancer detected by dual color fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

By using the dual color fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis, the amplification of c-myc gene can be detected in the tumor tissue samples obtained from patients with gastric cancer, and the relationship between the molecular cytogenetic change and the clinical stage or histological type may be clarified.

METHOD

The tumor tissue samples were obtained from 21 patients with gastric cancer. Simultaneous detection of signals from the chromosome 8 centromere and c-myc gene in each cell after hybridization with appropriate probes was carried out on 50-200 tumor cells in each case.

RESULTS

Chromosome 8 polysomy was found in 10 patients. The average centromere 8 copy number was significantly higher in differentiated (2.7) than in undifferentiated (2.3) types of gastric cancer. However, there was no significant difference in occurrence of polysomy 8 between early and advanced cancer. The relative gain (1.1-1.9) of c-myc copy number was found in all 21 cases. There was no significant difference in the fraction of cells with c-myc gene amplification between early (pT1) and advanced (pT2-4) carcinomas.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that the present dual color fluorescence in situ hybridization of gastric cancer may be useful in the evaluation of low level c-myc gene amplification, which is difficult to detect by Southern blotting, and may be applicable to the diagnosis of early gastric cancer.

Primary aortoduodenal fistula caused by duodenal tuberculosis without an abdominal aortic aneurysm: report of a case

A 66-year-old man died of massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage caused by a fistula between the third portion of the duodenum and the abdominal aorta. An autopsy revealed that duodenal tuberculosis had resulted in the development of a fistula into the aorta with no pathological changes, and no active pulmonary tuberculosis was found. Duodenal tuberculosis and primary aortoduodenal fistula (ADF) without an aneurysm are both extremely rare. Thus, we report herein a unique case of primary aortoduodenal fistula without an abdominal aortic aneurysm, but associated with duodenal tuberculosis, and review the current literature.

Chromosome 17 copy numbers and incidence of p 53 gene deletion in gastric cancer cells. Dual color fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis

Tumor tissue samples were obtained from each of ten patients with stomach cancer who had undergone surgery. The simultaneous detection of signals from 17 alpha pericentromeric and 17 p 13.1 loci after hybridization with the appropriate probes was carried out on 100-200 tumor cells in each case. The copy number category (i.e., monosomy, disomy, trisomy, and so on) was defined as described by Waldman et al., and the deletion of a gene of interest was defined as described by Matsumura et al. The copy number category was monosomic in seven and disomic in three out of ten cases. The frequency of the copy number 2 (two centromeric signals per nucleus) was lower in tumor cells than in control cells that comprise normal gastric epithelium cells and cells from a normal fibroblast cell line. The copy numbers 3, 4, 5, and above (polysomy) were more frequent in tumor cells, whereas no normal cells having three or more centromeric signals per nucleus was present in the control. Incidence of p 53 gene deletion in ten patients ranged from 55.4% to 90.0%, and from 1.5% to 30.7% if nuclei having three or more copy numbers were taken into consideration. The mean incidence of the p 53 deletion was significantly higher in the differentiated type than in the undifferentiated type of carcinoma (p < 0.02). Various types in the combination pattern of 17 alpha centromere/17 p 13.1 signals were observed, and the most frequent pattern in the ten cases was a combination of 1/1. The deletion of chromosome 17 p may play an important role in carcinogenesis of the stomach.

[Effect of adriamycin on cell cycle by bromodeoxyuridine-labeling method]

We studied the effect of adriamycin on DNA synthesizing cells from the view point of cell cycle. DNA synthesizing cells were marked by bromodeoxyuridine, which is a known marker for such cells, before administration of adriamycin. Then, the level of this marker was sequentially measured by flow cytometry. At the low concentration (0.01 micrograms/ml), adriamycin caused delay of the shifting time to the S phase 16 hours after administration. The marked cells were accumulated at the G2M phase at a moderate concentration (0.1 micrograms/ml), and blocked at the S phase at the higher concentration (1.0 micrograms/ml).

Rapid human chromosome aberration analysis using fluorescence in situ hybridization

We have used in situ hybridization of repeat-sequence DNA probes, specific to the paracentromric locus 1q12 and the telomeric locus 1p36, to fluorescently stain regions that flank human chromosome 1p. This procedure was used for fast detection of structural aberrations involving human chromosome 1p in two separate experiments. In one, human lymphocytes were irradiated with 0, 0.8, 1.6, 2.4 and 3.2 Gy of 137Cs gamma-rays. In the other, human lymphocytes were irradiated with 0, 0.09, 0.18, 2.0, 3.1 and 4.1 Gy of 60Co gamma-rays. The frequencies (per cell) of translocations and dicentrics with one breakpoint in 1p and one elsewhere in the genome were determined for cells irradiated at each dose point. These frequencies both increased with dose, D, in a linear-quadratic manner. The delta, alpha, and beta coefficients resulting from a fit of the equation f(D)=delta + alphaD + betaD2 to the translocation frequency dose-response data were 0.0025, 0.0027 and 0.0037 for 137Cs gamma-rays, and 0.0010, 0.0041, and 0.0057 for 60Co gamma-rays. The delta, alpha, and beta coefficients resulting from a fit to the dicentric frequency dose-response data were 0.0005, 0.0010 and 0.0028 for 137Cs gamma-rays and 0.0001, 0.0002 and 0.0035, for 60Co gamma-rays. Approximately 32,000 metaphase spreads were scored in this study. The average analysis rate was over two metaphase spreads per minute. However, an experienced analyst was able to find and score one metaphase spread every 10s. The importance of this new cytogenetic analysis technique for biological dosimetry and in vivo risk assessment is discussed.

[Estimation of cell viability by FCM using rhodamin 123 and propidum iodide--its application in evaluating the effect of anticancer drugs to tumor cells]

Dual parameter analysis of FCM using rhodamine 123 (R 123) and propidium iodide (PI) has made it easy to estimate cell viability. PI stains only dead cells, whereas R 123 accumulates in the mitochondria of living cells which remain unstained by PI. Therefore the combination of R 123 and PI provides a more accurate estimation of cell viability than the conventional methods of dye exclusion. Cell viability has been estimated by this method in HeLa cells treated with adriamycin in vitro. The usefulness of this analysis is suggested for the evaluation of the effect of anticancer drugs on tumor cells.

[Limits of detection of nuclear DNA aneuploidy by FCM]

The limits of FCM detection of nuclear DNA aneuploidy were determined by simulation of the relationship between the coefficient of variation (CV) and DNA difference of two populations using a microcomputer. Under ideal conditions, the minimal DNA difference necessary for a bimodal peak is almost twice the CV. When the DNA difference is below the value, a single peak with a large CV and/or a shoulder is formed. Cases with a larger CV than expected in a single population should be practically treated as a population mixed with the near-diploid line.