No abstract available.
CA-19-9 Antigen ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; Carcinoma ; Prognosis ; Immunohistochemistry ; Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate

BACKGROUND: Fascin-1 is a globular cross-linking and actin bundling protein that provides mechanical support to cellular protrusions and cell motility. The expression of fascin in epithelial neoplasms has been recently reported, but its exact mechanism in cancer is unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess the expression of fascin and its relationship with the clinicopathologic parameters and the other tumor markers in gastric carcinoma. METHODS: Immunohistochemical stainings for fascin, c-erbB-2, p53 and Ki-67 labeling index were performed in 62 gastric carcinoma specimens. RESULTS: Fascin-1 protein was not expressed in the normal gastric glandular epithelial cells. It had an expression in 35.5% of the gastric adenocarcinomas. The fascin-1 expression in carcinoma was slightly increased in the well to moderately differentiated tumors compared with the poorly differentiated tumors. The fascin-1 expression was correlated with the c-erbB-2 protein expression. There was no significant correlation with the clinicopathologic factors such as tumor size, nodal metastasis, pathologic stage, p53 protein expression and Ki-67 labeling index. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals the possibility that the fascin-1 protein expression in gastric carcinoma may be closely linked with the c-erbB-2 protein expression. However, further study on fascin-1 and c-erbB-2 protein at the cellular level and their clinical relevance is needed.
Actins ; Adenocarcinoma ; Cell Movement ; Epithelial Cells ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial ; Receptor, erbB-2 ; Biomarkers, Tumor

The study aimed to verify the prognostic utility, therapeutic application and clinical benefits of tumor substaging and HER2 status in papillary non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Select NMIBC transurethral resection specimens from 141 patients were used to construct tissue microarrays for assessing the substaging, HER2 protein expression by immunohistochemistry (HER2-IHC) and gene amplification by dual-color silver in situ hybridization (HER2-SISH). Substages were identified by the differing depth of tumor invasion (pTa / pT1a / pT1b / pT1c). HER2 protein expression was semiquantitatively analyzed and grouped into negative (score 0, 1+) and positive (score 2+, 3+). Other clinicopathological variables were also investigated. For NMIBC, HER2-IHC and HER2-SISH showed positive results in 6/141 (4.3%) and 4/141 (2.8%) respectively, which correlated well with tumor substaging. In multivariate analysis, substaging, HER2-IHC, and HER2-SISH were found to be independent predictors of progression-free survival (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P = 0.031). HER2-IHC was the sole independent predictor of recurrent free survival in NMIBC (P = 0.017). It is suggested that tumor substaging and HER2 status are independent predictive markers for tumor progression or recurrence, and thus could be included in diagnostic and therapeutic management for NMIBC.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biomarkers, Tumor/*metabolism ; Carcinoma, Papillary/*metabolism/*pathology ; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell/metabolism/pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Receptor, ErbB-2/*metabolism ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/*metabolism/*pathology ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Although clinicopathologic characteristics of acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) is well established, immunohistochemical study on ALM has rarely been reported. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose is to evaluate the usefulness of several immune markers in the diagnosis of ALM. METHODS: An immunohistochemical study was performed on paraffin sections of 20 ALMs using S-100 protein, HMB-45, vimentin, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), and CAM 5.2. RESULTS: 1. Nineteen (95%) and 16 (80%) out of 20 ALM showed reactivity with S-100 protein and HMB-45, respectively. 2. Melanin bleaching was useful for diagnosing heavily pigmented ALM using both S-100 protein and HMB-45. 3. The immunoreactivity of S-100 protein and HMB-45 did not correlate with tumor thickness or level of invasion of ALM. The intensity of HMB-45 correlated well with the melanin content. 4. One and 2 out of 20 cases stained focally with EMA and CAM5.2 respectively, but these cases stained also with HMB-45 and/or S-100 protein. CONCLUSION: S-100 protein and HMB-45 were relatively sensitive markers for diagnosing ALM. Despite the occasional positivity for the epithelial markers in ALM, all epithelial marker-positive cases stained also with HMB-45 and/or S-100 protein. Therefore, S-100 protein and HMB-45 are very useful markers for diagnosing ALM.
Biomarkers ; Diagnosis ; Melanins ; Melanoma* ; Mucin-1 ; Paraffin ; S100 Proteins ; Vimentin

No abstract available.
Breast Neoplasms ; Breast ; Humans ; Receptor, erbB-2

BACKGROUND: 1-8D gene is a member of human 1-8 interferon inducible gene family and was shown to be overexpressed in fresh colon cancer tissues. Three peptides 1-6, 3-5 and 3-7 derived from human 1-8D gene were shown to have immunogenicity against colon cancer. METHODS: To study tumor immunotherapy of three peptides we established an active immunization model using HHD mice. D(b-/-) x beta2 microglobulin (beta2 m) null mice transgenic for a chimeric HLA-A2.1/D(b-)beta2 m single chain (HHD mice) were challenged with B16/HHD/1-8D tumor cells and were immunized with irradiated peptide-loaded RMA- S/HHD/B7.1 transfectants. In therapy model tumor growth was retarded in HHD mice that were injected with 3-5 peptide-loaded RMA-S/HHD/B7.1. In survival test vaccination with 1-8D-derived peptide protects HHD mice from tumor progression after tumor challenge. RESULTS: These studies show that peptide 3-5 derived from 1-8D gene can be the most effective candidate for the vaccine of immunotherapy against colon cancer and highlight 1-8D gene as putative colon carcinoma associated antigens. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that RMA-S/HHD/ B7.1 loaded with 1-8D peptides, especially 3-5, immunization generates potent antitumor immunity against tumor cells in HHD mice and designed active immunization as proper immunotherapeutic protocols.
Animals ; Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; Humans ; Immunization ; Immunotherapy ; Interferons ; Mice* ; Peptides ; Vaccination*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study aimed to detect the expression of natural killer (NK) cell receptor natural killer group 2D (NKG2D) in the peripheral blood of patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma and to discuss the correlation between NK cell cytotoxicity and liver function. METHODS: The number of NK cells and the expression of NK cell receptor NKG2D in peripheral blood were determined by flow cytometry in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatitis B cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis B, and healthy controls. RESULTS: When compared with patients in the healthy and the chronic hepatitis B groups, the primary hepatocellular carcinoma group showed significant decreases in all parameters, including the cytotoxicity of NK cells on K562 cells, expression rate of NKG2D in NK cells, number of NKG2D+ NK cells, expression level of NKG2D, and number of NK cells (p<0.05). The activity of NK cells showed a positive correlation, whereas the Child-Pugh scores in the primary hepatocellular carcinoma and the hepatitis B cirrhosis groups showed a negative correlation with all parameters detected above. CONCLUSIONS: The decrease of NK cell activity in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma is closely related to their lower expression of NKG2D. Liver function affects the expression of NKG2D and the activity of NK cells.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*physiopathology ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Killer Cells, Natural/*physiology ; Liver Neoplasms/*physiopathology ; Lymphocyte Subsets/physiology ; Lymphopenia/physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K/metabolism ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/physiology

PURPOSE: Silver-enhanced in situ hybridization (SISH) is a newly developed method to evaluate HER2 gene amplification in invasive breast carcinomas. Most laboratories widely use fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to evaluate the HER2 gene amplification status because FISH is a very sensitive and accurate technique. However, this technique is not the best because it requires specialized equipment and interpretation skills. We compared a new technique of SISH with FISH for assessing HER2 gene amplification in invasive breast carcinomas. METHODS: HER2 gene amplification was assessed in 165 cases of invasive breast carcinoma by FISH and SISH with constructing a tissue microarray. The tumors were assessed by the guidelines of the American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists (ASCO/CAP). Positivity was defined as a HER2/Chromosome 17 ratio greater than 2.2. Negativity was defined if the ratio was less than 1.8. The tumor was considered as equivocal for HER2 gene amplification if the ratio was between 1.8 and 2.2. The HER2 protein status was assessed. Immunostaining for HER2 protein was performed in a Benchmark automatic immunostaining device with using whole tissue sections. RESULTS: There was agreement of the HER2 gene amplification status by SISH and FISH in 162 of 165 cases, which is a concordance rate of 98.2% (kappa=0.94). There were three discrepant cases, with two of them being FISH positive and SISH negative (one case was IHC negative and one case was IHC positive) and one case was FISH negative and SISH equivocal. CONCLUSION: The 98.2% concordance between FISH and SISH meets the ASCO/CAP requirements for test validation of >95% concordance. These results indicate that SISH can be used as an alternative to FISH for assessing the HER2 gene amplification status in breast carcinomas.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Fluorescence ; Genes, erbB-2 ; In Situ Hybridization ; Receptor, erbB-2

BACKGROUND: Astrocytes are the major glial cells involved with the chemical homeostasis and mechanical supports of central nervous system. Recently, astrocytes were found to actively synthesize and secrete many immunologically active cytokines and express receptors for these mediators, which proposed their autocrine and paracrine roles in the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative or autoimmune diseases, I.e., multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, etc. The identification of various chemical mediators secreted by astrocytes and receptors expressed on astrocytes seems to be crucial for understanding their pathogenetic roles in these diseases. Our investigation was conducted to test the expression of interleukin-2 receptor alpha Subunit (IL-2Ralpha) on primary cultured astrocytes, which has not been studied yet. METHODS: Astrocytes were obtained from the surgical specimen of a patient with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy. Neuropathological examination of the specimen revealed hippocampal sclerosis only with normal lateral temporal neocortex from which cultured astrocytes were obtained. All experiments were performed within 2 months after starting primary culture. Cultured astrocytes were incubated with IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, TGF-beta And TNF-alpha For 24 hours. RT-PCR was performed to investigate the transcription of IL-2R. RESULTS: RT-PCRs for the IL-2Ralpha Showed constitutional expression on the adult cultured astrocytes, which was increased by IL-1, IL-2, IL-6 and TNF-alpha But decreased by treatment of TGF-beta. CONCLUSIONS: Adult astrocytes expressed IL-2Ralpha Constitutively, which were upregulated by IL-1, IL-2, IL-6 and TNF-alpha. These findings suggest the immunocompetence of astrocytes, which may be important in the pathogenesis of many neurological diseases.
Adult ; Alternative Splicing ; Alzheimer Disease ; Astrocytes ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Central Nervous System ; Cytokines ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Humans ; Immunocompetence ; Interleukin-1 ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-6 ; Multiple Sclerosis ; Neocortex ; Neuroglia ; RNA, Messenger ; Sclerosis ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

BACKGROUND: Astrocytes are the major glial cells involved with the chemical homeostasis and mechanical supports of central nervous system. Recently, astrocytes were found to actively synthesize and secrete many immunologically active cytokines and express receptors for these mediators, which proposed their autocrine and paracrine roles in the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative or autoimmune diseases, I.e., multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, etc. The identification of various chemical mediators secreted by astrocytes and receptors expressed on astrocytes seems to be crucial for understanding their pathogenetic roles in these diseases. Our investigation was conducted to test the expression of interleukin-2 receptor alpha Subunit (IL-2Ralpha) on primary cultured astrocytes, which has not been studied yet. METHODS: Astrocytes were obtained from the surgical specimen of a patient with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy. Neuropathological examination of the specimen revealed hippocampal sclerosis only with normal lateral temporal neocortex from which cultured astrocytes were obtained. All experiments were performed within 2 months after starting primary culture. Cultured astrocytes were incubated with IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, TGF-beta And TNF-alpha For 24 hours. RT-PCR was performed to investigate the transcription of IL-2R. RESULTS: RT-PCRs for the IL-2Ralpha Showed constitutional expression on the adult cultured astrocytes, which was increased by IL-1, IL-2, IL-6 and TNF-alpha But decreased by treatment of TGF-beta. CONCLUSIONS: Adult astrocytes expressed IL-2Ralpha Constitutively, which were upregulated by IL-1, IL-2, IL-6 and TNF-alpha. These findings suggest the immunocompetence of astrocytes, which may be important in the pathogenesis of many neurological diseases.
Adult ; Alternative Splicing ; Alzheimer Disease ; Astrocytes ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Central Nervous System ; Cytokines ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Humans ; Immunocompetence ; Interleukin-1 ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-6 ; Multiple Sclerosis ; Neocortex ; Neuroglia ; RNA, Messenger ; Sclerosis ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha