Microsatellite instability and HPV genotype in Polish women with cervical cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are associated with anogenital cancer. Little is known about the prevalence of microsatellite instability (MSI) in cervical cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of microsatellite instability in cervical cancer and to see whether there is a relation between MSI, HPV and clinicopathological characteristics in the study population. RESULTS: Using three assays (pU1M/2R, GP5+/6+ and E6-nested multiplex PCR) HPV was detected in 110 out of 113 patients with histologically confirmed cervical cancer. The presence of MSI was investigated in 95 of the 113 cases using seven microsatellite loci. In total, 12 out of the 95 patients (12.6%) showed MSI. None of clinicopathological parameters showed a significant difference between microsatellite stable and MSI cases. CONCLUSION: In this population of Polish cervical cancer patients, 12.6% showed microsatellite instability. There was no correlation between MSI positivity and clinicopathological parameters and/or survival.

Short-term effects of dimethoate on metabolic responses in Chrysolina pardalina (Chrysomelidae) feeding on Berkheya coddii (Asteraceae), a hyper-accumulator of nickel.

Berkheya coddii Roessler (Asteraceae) is a hyper-accumulator of nickel, which can be used in phytomining and phytoremediation. Chrysolina pardalina Fabricius (Chrysomelidae) is a phytophagous leaf beetle, which may be useful in controlling population levels of B. coddii after it has been introduced into a new habitat. The aim of this study was to investigate the response of C. pardalina to topical application of dimethoate. Data recorded included the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), the concentration of glutathione (GSH), and the activity of selected enzymes connected with GSH metabolism. Assays were carried out several times during the first 24h after exposure to dimethoate. At the dosages used in this study, dimethoate was not as toxic as expected. AChE activity was significantly decreased 14 and 24h after application. GST activity was significantly decreased 24h after application. GSTPx activity was significantly decreased 2, 14 and 24h after application. GR activity was significantly increased 4h after application. GSH concentration was significantly increased 24h after application. Long-term exposure to high levels of nickel may have caused adaptive changes in the enzymes that enable C. pardalina to deal with other stressors, including organophosphate pesticides.

Survival of 231 cervical cancer patients, treated by radical hysterectomy, according to clinical and histopathological features.

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: The purpose of the study was to estimate the five-year survival of cervical cancer patients after radical hysterectomy, taking into account clinical data and histopathological parameters. METHODS: 231 patients with invasive cervical carcinoma were diagnosed, surgically treated--Piver III--and followed-up. Histological examination of specimens was performed according to the British NHS-CSP guidelines. RESULTS: We discovered no statistical significance as regards age at diagnosis, age at menarche and menopause, and number of pregnancies, deliveries and abortions, in relation to survival. We concluded that the clinical stage according to FIGO classification influenced survival. Statistical significances were: Ia2 vs Ib, Ib vs IIa and IIa vs more advanced than IIa. The following histopathological parameters correlated with survival: depth of cervical invasion, primary lesion volume, and parametrial, uterine, vaginal and lymph node involvement. Using Cox's proportional hazards model we found that only lymph node status and FIGO staging were independent parameters correlating with survival and mortality risk in our study. CONCLUSION: Prognostic indexes classifying patients at specific disease stages into different categories of risk should be based on histopathological features listed above. Such indexes are yet to be validated in larger, prospective studies conducted in different patient populations.

Cadmium-selenium antagonism and detoxifying enzymes in insects.

Activities of non-specific carboxylesterases (CarE) have been studied in adult males of hissing cockroach Gromphadorhina portentosa subjected to prolonged intoxication (7 weeks) with Cd and/or Se to investigate whether sublethal dose of cadmium (0.4 micromol. g(-1) dry weight feed) would influence the detoxifying capabilities of the omnivorous insect, and whether selenium (0.01 micromol. g(-1) dry weight feed) given concomitantly would act as Cd antagonist. Activities of CarE have been measured in crude homogenate, postmitochondrial supernatant and the pellet obtained from midgut, Malpighian tubules and fat body, using alpha-naphthyl acetate (alphaNA) and rho-nitrophenyl acetate (rhoNPA) as substrates. The highest rate of alphaNA hydrolysis occurred in midgut, whereas that of rhoNPA in both the gut and Malpighian tubules. CarE activities in the Cd-group have been the highest in all tissues examined and for both substrates. A simultaneous administration of Cd and Se decreased the effects of Cd alone, probably as a result of partial elimination of the biologically active Cd pool. Selenium alone caused only minor effects when compared with cadmium. These results suggest, that disturbances of CarE activities depend on the Cd concentration in feed, and hence in tissues, as well as on possible interactions of the elements.