Apoptosis and fibrosis are early features of heart failure in an animal model of metabolic cardiomyopathy.

In previous experiments, we observed signs of cardiac failure in mice overexpressing lipoprotein lipase (LPL) under the control of a muscle specific promotor and in peroxisome proliferators activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) knockout mice overexpressing LPL under the control of the same promotor. In our current investigations, we focussed on morphological consequences and changes in mRNA and protein expression in hearts from these animals. mRNA expression was analysed by differential display analysis and Northern blot as well as by cDNA microarray analysis followed by pathway analysis. Protein expression was examined using immunoblot and immunohistochemistry. Fibrosis was determined by chromotrope aniline blue staining for collagen. A distinct increase in the expression of alpha-tubulin mRNA was noted in hearts of all mutant mouse strains compared with the control. This result was paralleled by increased alpha-tubulin protein expression. Using cDNA microarray analysis, we detected an activation of apoptosis, in particular an increase of caspase-3 expression in hearts of mice overexpressing LPL but not in PPARalpha knockout mice overexpressing LPL. This finding was confirmed immunohistochemically. In addition, we identified a distinct interstitial increase in collagen and an increase around blood vessels. In our mouse model, we detect mRNA and protein changes typical for cardiomyopathy even before overt clinical signs of heart failure. In addition, a small but distinct increase in the rate of apoptosis of cardiomyocytes and fibrotic changes contributes to cardiac failure in mice overexpressing LPL, whereas additional deficiency in PPARalpha seems to protect hearts from these effects.

Comparative genomic hybridization analysis of hepatoblastoma reveals high frequency of X-chromosome gains and similarities between epithelial and stromal components.

Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the most common liver tumor in childhood and differs in its environmental risk factors and genetic background from hepatocellular carcinoma. HB is associated with inherited conditions such as familial adenomatous polyposis and Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, suggesting the importance of genetic abnormalities in the pathogenesis and progression of this disease. It has a very polymorphous morphology. A diverse range of cytogenetic alterations has been reported to date, the most frequent being trisomy 2 and trisomy 20. Thirty-five HB specimens from 31 patients (22 purely epithelial, 4 purely mesenchymal, 9 mixed) were examined by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), a technique that enables us to screen the entire tumor genome for genetic losses and gains. Our aims were as follows: (1) to characterize chromosome abnormalities that appear in this tumor and (2) to identify possible differences between different histologic subtypes of HB. We found significant gains of genetic material, with very little difference in the number and type of alterations between the different histologic components of HB. The most frequent alterations were gains of Xp (15 cases, 43%) and Xq (21 cases, 60%). This finding was also confirmed by fluorescent in situ hybridization performed on nuclei extracted from 6 specimens. Other common alterations were 1p-, 2q+, 2q-, 4q-, and 4q+. We found no difference between different histologic subtypes, a finding that may be in agreement with the hypothesis of a common clonal origin for the different components. An hitherto-unreported high frequency of X chromosome gains may support the assumption that X-linked genes are involved in the development of this neoplasm.