Comparative analysis of IL6 promoter and receptor polymorphisms in myelodysplasia and multiple myeloma.

The serum levels of interleukin 6 (IL6) are known to be elevated in two diseases of the elderly age, myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and multiple myeloma (MM). Authors suppose that one of the possible causes of this elevation could be a difference between these patients and healthy subjects in the frequency of polymorphic variants of the genes regulating IL6 levels. Scarce and contradictory comparative data are available for MM and to our best knowledge this is the first study on IL6 promoter and IL6 receptor (IL6R) polymorphism in MDS. Therefore we determined the Asp358Ala polymorphism of the IL6 receptor gene and the -174 G>C promoter polymorphism of the IL6 gene in blood samples of 102 MDS and 100 MM patients and 99 age- and sex-matched hospitalized controls had been tested for this purpose as well. There was no significant difference between patients with either disease and controls regarding IL6 promoter/L-6R. Authors therefore assume other mechanisms causing high IL6 levels are not related to either of these polymorphisms. Moreover authors consider important to propose a hypothesis how elements of signal transduction in iron metabolism might be involved in the development of MM and MDS in elderly age.

Activity of the notch-signalling pathway in circulating human chronic lymphocytic leukaemia cells.

Dysregulation of the Notch-pathway has been implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL). We characterized the mRNA expression of Notch pathway elements in circulating normal B- and B-CLL cells, and compared expression profiles with clinical and prognostic data. Similar expression profiles were found in normal B-cells and B-CLL cells, however, most B-CLL samples showed lower Hairy/Enhancer of Split-1 expression than normal B-cells, which suggests that the pathway is not over-activated in B-CLL. The expression of Notch-pathway genes did not correlate with other prognostic factors of B-CLL. The importance of Notch-signalling in CLL cells in lymphatic tissue microenvironments remains to be determined.

Increased risk for cancer in multiple myeloma patients and their first-degree relatives.

Analyzing data of 125 multiple myeloma patients, the authors found a 40-fold increased tumor incidence among the patients and their first-degree relatives as compared to the average population. These tumors were the same as those usually found among Hungarians. There was no difference as to the patient's blood group antigens in the families of myeloma patients with or without other tumor. IgA-type disease was found to be relatively more frequent in the group of patients who had tumor besides myeloma. In a prospective study, authors could not find mutation of suppressor gene p53 in 14 patients and their 16 healthy first-degree relatives. This may indicate that there is no p53 suppressor gene alteration responsible for the high-risk condition for tumorgenesis in this population.

[Secondary cutaneous infiltration in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL)]. / Bórinfiltrációval járó B-sejtes krónikus lymphoid leukaemia.

Authors report here on a case presenting as B-CLL and complicated with cutaneous infiltration involving the legs and the trunk a year later. Immunohistochemic analysis and the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangement confirmed cell invasion into the skin identical with the underlying disorder. After failure of conventional chemotherapy, interferon alpha 2b therapy has been started with satisfactory result. Few cases presenting cutaneous infiltration in the course of B-CLL has already been reported in the literature. Secondary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma represents an entity of the poorest prognosis in comparison with primary cutaneous form treated with conventional therapy as well as with lymphomas lacking skin manifestations. Interferon alpha 2b therapy cleans up the skin and yields a favourable survival so it's introduction recommended in this entity. Authors summarise the characteristics of secondary cutaneous B-cell lymphomas on the basis of literature survey. According to authors investigations histidine decarboxylase activity was found to be absent from the lymphocytes infiltrating the skin in contrast to those remaining in the circulation. This seems to be a newly recognised feature of these cells. The changing character of the disease raises the possibility of an altered gene expression pattern of the cells invading the skin. Authors summarise data from the literature concerning suspected molecular mechanism of tissue invasion.

Secondary cutaneous infiltration in B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

We describe a patient presenting with B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) who subsequently developed cutaneous infiltrates. Specimens of the blood, bone marrow and cutaneous infiltrations all showed the same heavy-chain gene rearrangement. Following failure of conventional chemotherapy, and in view of the similarity of the disease to cutaneous T cell lymphoma, interferon-alpha therapy was employed with satisfactory results. Introduction of this cytokine to the therapeutic modalities for secondary cutaneous B-CLL would hopefully change the poor outcome of this entity, or at least could produce a better quality of life. Loss of histidine decarboxylase activity in the infiltrating cells - in contrast to circulating lymphocytes - may be associated with the transformation of B-CLL to a more aggressive infiltrative form, offering a possible explanation for tissue invasiveness. The changing character of the disease raises the possibility of a second mutational event in the course of B-CLL.

[Relapsing polychondritis associated with myelodysplasia and acute eosinophilic leukemia]. / Polychondritis recidivanshoz társuló myelodysplasiás syndroma és akut eosinophilsejtes leukaemia esete.

Authors report a case in which relapsing polychondritis had been diagnosed two years before myelodysplastic syndrome developed and terminated in eosinophilic leukemia. The observation that relapsing polychondritis may precede myelodysplasia is not in concordance with some of the previous reports regarding relapsing polychondritis as a paraneoplastic phenomenon of myelodysplastic syndrome. The terminally developed eosinophilic leukemia is not supposed to be a blastic phase of the underlying myelodysplasia, much rather a second malignant process. This opinion may be confirmed by the early presence of blast cells in the myelodysplastic process without eosinophilia. It seems interesting to note that both our patient and his daughter suffered from diseases of autoimmune origin: acquired vitiligo and subacute cutan lupus erythematodes, respectively.

Cytochemical maturation index for the prognostication of adult acute nonlymphocytic leukaemia.

76 adult acute nonlymphocytic leukaemias (ANLL) were characterized by cytochemical markers and placed in a coordinate system. The position of each ANLL was determined on the basis of the peroxidase and nonspecific esterase reactivity of the blast cells. This classification numerically identifies the maturation tendency and heterogeneity of individual ANLL cases according to its position in the coordinate system. 49 ANLL patients were treated with TAD protocol and the response rate seemed to be in a conspicous correlation with the position of the individual ANLL cases in the modified arrangement. Cases exhibiting a strong peroxidase maturation, i.e. the cytochemical maturation index being 80% or more had a considerable higher complete remission rate and longer duration of remission than those with low (less than 80%) maturation index. Age profoundly influenced even this figure.

The relationship between sister chromatid exchange induction and leukemogenicity of different cytostatics.

The genotoxicity of frequently used cytostatic agents was characterized by the enumeration of the sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) induced by them in vivo in phytohemagglutinin-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes. Fifty-nine cancer patients undergoing and off chemotherapy are included in this study. The aim was to identify cytostatics according to their ability to alter the SCE frequency. Cytostatics with strong SCE-inducing ability (melphalan, cyclophosphamide, cyclophosphamide + vincristine + 5-fluorouracil, cyclophosphamide + vincristine + procarbazid + prednisolone) usually exhibited a longlasting SCE elevation. Cytosine arabinoside, hydroxyurea, vincristine, 5-fluorouracil, tamoxifen, and azathioprine did not induce SCEs. These data were compared with the leukemogenic potential of the same drugs in order to validate the relevance of SCE studies in man to signal carcinogenic hazards. It was found that over 80% of all secondary leukemias (collected from the world literature from 1930 to 1980) were preceded by the administration of cytotoxic compounds inducing long-lasting SCE elevation in lymphocytes. Only 3% of all secondary leukemias can be attributed to drugs not inducing SCEs in vivo in PHA-stimulated lymphocytes. This indicates that the lesions important for SCEs and secondary leukemias to emerge bear close biological similarities. Thus SCE studies can be used in selecting therapeutical protocols or new cytostatics with less carcinogenic potential to man.

Characteristics of secondary acute nonlymphocytic leukemias. Cytological aspects (a review).

A register of 746 cases of secondary acute leukemias has been established by reviewing the literature from 1930-1980. Out of these 680 belong to acute nonlymphocytic leukemias, FAB M1-M6. Data have been subjected to a multiparameter analysis in term of previous therapy and subtype characteristics of acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL). There are indications that secondary ANLL are characterized by the preponderance of early acute myeloblastic leukemias if compared to de novo ones. Furthermore it has been shown that alkylating agents induced decidedly more acute myelomonocytic leukemias whereas irradiation tended to induce more acute myeloblastic leukemia. Since secondary acute leukemias represent a serious late consequence of alkylating agent and irradiation therapy it is high time to find new therapeutical modalities for lymphomas and to consider the withdrawal of alkylating agents from the therapy of autoimmune disorders.

Biochemical polymorphisms in goats with special reference to the Hungarian Native breed.

Biochemical polymorphisms (haemoglobin, serum transferrin, serum albumin, serum amylase, red cell phosphohexose isomerase, red cell carbonic anhydrase, ceruloplasmin and aryl esterase) of 224 Hungarian Native female goats and 21 imported male goats (German Improved, Saanen, Nubian, Slovakian White) have been studied. On the basis of the observed gene frequency values these polymorphic traits cannot be used efficiently in parentage control work or in correlation studies. There was no apparent association between the haemoglobin and transferrin type of the females and their reproductive performance.