RESUMEN
2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD; dioxin), a member of a class of environmental pollutants represented by polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans, is one of the most toxic artificial compounds ever developed. In this study, we identified a novel TCDD target gene, DIF-3 (dioxin inducible factor-3), by cDNA representational difference analysis. DIF-3 protein is a nuclear factor and possesses a zinc-finger motif at its N-terminus. High DIF-3 mRNA expression in the testes was demonstrated by Northern blot analysis and abundant DIF-3 protein was detected during spermatogenesis. Thus, these results suggest that DIF-3 may be a target gene mediating the reproductive toxicity induced by TCDD.
Asunto(s)
Regulación del Desarrollo de la Expresión Génica/efectos de los fármacos , Proteínas Nucleares/genética , Dibenzodioxinas Policloradas/farmacología , Espermatogénesis , Animales , Animales Recién Nacidos , Northern Blotting , Western Blotting , Línea Celular , ADN Complementario , Etiquetas de Secuencia Expresada , Técnica del Anticuerpo Fluorescente Indirecta , Perfilación de la Expresión Génica , Masculino , Ratones , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , Peso Molecular , Proteínas Nucleares/análisis , Proteínas Nucleares/química , Proteínas Nucleares/fisiología , Análisis de Secuencia por Matrices de Oligonucleótidos , ARN Mensajero/genética , ARN Mensajero/metabolismo , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa de Transcriptasa Inversa , Células Madre , Testículo/metabolismo , Dedos de ZincRESUMEN
Ultrasonographic (US) angiography enhanced with intraarterial CO2 microbubbles, a contrast material used in US imaging, was performed of 103 histologically proved hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) smaller than 3 cm in diameter in 95 patients. The detection rate for hypervascular HCC with US angiography was compared with the rate of detection with conventional angiography, digital subtraction angiography (DSA), and computed tomography (CT) after intraarterial injection of iodized oil. Sensitivity in detection of hypervascular HCCs with US angiography was 86% (89 of 103 HCCs), compared with 63% (44 of 70 HCCs) detected with conventional angiography, 70% (23 of 33 HCCs) with DSA, and 82% (75 of 91 HCCs) with CT with iodized oil. US angiography depicted small hypervascular HCCs, especially those less than 1 cm in diameter, and helped clarify vascularity as isovascular or hypovascular in angiographically undetectable HCCs. Findings at US angiography assisted the choice of a therapeutic strategy for treatment of HCC, such as transarterial therapy, percutaneous ethanol injection therapy, or resection.