Guidelines for the use of cell lines in biomedical research.

Cell-line misidentification and contamination with microorganisms, such as mycoplasma, together with instability, both genetic and phenotypic, are among the problems that continue to affect cell culture. Many of these problems are avoidable with the necessary foresight, and these Guidelines have been prepared to provide those new to the field and others engaged in teaching and instruction with the information necessary to increase their awareness of the problems and to enable them to deal with them effectively. The Guidelines cover areas such as development, acquisition, authentication, cryopreservation, transfer of cell lines between laboratories, microbial contamination, characterisation, instability and misidentification. Advice is also given on complying with current legal and ethical requirements when deriving cell lines from human and animal tissues, the selection and maintenance of equipment and how to deal with problems that may arise.

Using array-comparative genomic hybridization to define molecular portraits of primary breast cancers.

We analysed 148 primary breast cancers using BAC-arrays containing 287 clones representing cancer-related gene/loci to obtain genomic molecular portraits. Gains were detected in 136 tumors (91.9%) and losses in 123 tumors (83.1%). Eight tumors (5.4%) did not have any genomic aberrations in the 281 clones analysed. Common (more than 15% of the samples) gains were observed at 8q11-qtel, 1q21-qtel, 17q11-q12 and 11q13, whereas common losses were observed at 16q12-qtel, 11ptel-p15.5, 1p36-ptel, 17p11.2-p12 and 8ptel-p22. Patients with tumors registering either less than 5% (median value) or less than 11% (third quartile) total copy number changes had a better overall survival (log-rank test: P=0.0417 and P=0.0375, respectively). Unsupervised hierarchical clustering based on copy number changes identified four clusters. Women with tumors from the cluster with amplification of three regions containing known breast oncogenes (11q13, 17q12 and 20q13) had a worse prognosis. The good prognosis group (Nottingham Prognostic Index (NPI)

Absence of p300 induces cellular phenotypic changes characteristic of epithelial to mesenchyme transition.

p300 is a transcriptional cofactor and prototype histone acetyltransferase involved in regulating multiple cellular processes. We generated p300 deficient (p300-) cells from the colon carcinoma cell line HCT116 by gene targeting. Comparison of epithelial and mesenchymal proteins in p300- with parental HCT116 cells showed that a number of genes involved in cell and extracellular matrix interactions, typical of 'epithelial to mesenchyme transition' were differentially regulated at both the RNA and protein level. p300- cells were found to have aggressive 'cancer' phenotypes, with loss of cell-cell adhesion, defects in cell-matrix adhesion and increased migration through collagen and matrigel. Although migration was shown to be metalloproteinase mediated, these cells actually showed a downregulation or no change in the level of key metalloproteinases, indicating that changes in cellular adhesion properties can be critical for cellular mobility.

[Investment of the associations: Aide aux Jeunes Diabétiques as a model]. / Investissement des associations: le modèle de l'Aide aux Jeunes Diabétiques.

This paper describes the action of an association known as l'Aide aux Jeunes Diabétiques, in terms of education, by the organization of summer camps and of regional and national meetings, of information, through these meetings and the diffusion of a quarterly journal, and or research.

HbA1c in children attending summer camps organized by l'Aide aux Jeunes Diabétiques. Evidence for a harmful effect of lipohypertrophies in the early years of diabetes.

Glycated haemoglobin was determined by using the spot test method for blood sampling in all the children and teenagers attending the summer camps organized by l'Aide aux Jeunes Diabétiques in July 1989. A questionnaire was completed for each subject, relating age, the duration of the disease, the insulin regimen, the level of knowledge, the intensivity of urine and blood glucose self monitoring, and the presence of lipohypertrophies. The statistical analysis of the data suggests that the two only parameters which were found to have an influence on the level of glycated haemoglobin were the duration of the disease and the presence of lipohypertrophies: in the early years of diabetes (up to 4 years), HbA1c was significantly lower in patients without lipohypertrophies (7.90 +/- 0.18%, n = 78), than in those with lipohypertrophies (8.60 +/- 0.22%, n = 46, m +/- SEM, p < 0.02). This study should focus the attention of clinicians on the deleterious effect of lipohypertrophies, which can be observed very early on in the course of the disease.

[The Aide to Juvenile Diabetes Association: its role in the management and education of patients with insulin-dependent diabetes]. / L'Aide aux Jeunes Diabétiques: son rôle dans la prise en charge et l'éducation des patients diabétiques insulinodépendants.

"L'Aide aux Jeunes diabétiques" (AJD) is an association which strives to help insulin-dependent patients assume responsibility for the management of their disease and lead normal lives. As in all chronic diseases, self-care concerning management is essential in diabetes mellitus and requires patient education which is an integral part of the therapeutic program. AJD organizes three types of interventions. 1) Stays in special summer camps provide children, teenagers and young adults with the opportunity for receiving education in a recreational setting conducive to acquisition of knowledge and behaviors required for the management of their disease. Each year, over 1,000 children stay in these camps. Furthermore, vacation camps provide physicians and nurses with unique opportunities for gaining proficiency in the monitoring and treatment of diabetes mellitus. 2) Continuing education through a news bulletin and information meetings improves compliance to treatment. 3) Social and scientific interventions directly involve AJD members and provide them with regular information. In conclusion, AJD plays a central role in the management of type I diabetes mellitus in France.