Imbalance in the antioxidant pool in melanoma cells and normal melanocytes from patients with melanoma.

In order to evaluate the free radical defense systems of melanocytes and their possible correlation with melanoma, we have studied in cultured normal human melanocytes (20), normal melanocytes from melanoma patients (15), and melanoma cells (40) the fatty acid pattern of membrane phospholipids as a target of peroxidative damage and the superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, vitamin E, and ubiquinone levels as intracellular antioxidants. Cells were cultured in the same medium and analyzed at III or IV passage. Compared to the values obtained in normal human melanocytes, melanoma cells showed on average: a) higher levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, b) increased superoxide dismutase and decreased catalase activities, higher vitamin E, and lower ubiquinone levels. Among the normal melanocytes from melanoma patients studied, two groups were differentiated: a) cultures (7) with enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants level similar to those of normal human melanocytes; b) cultures (8) with antioxidant patterns similar to those observed in melanoma cells. Polyunsaturated fatty acids were also increased in the latter group. The results indicate that in melanoma cells and in a percentage of normal melanocytes from melanoma patients, an imbalance in the antioxidant system can be detected that can lead to endogenous generation of reactive oxygen species and to cellular incapability of coping with exogenous peroxidative attacks. These alterations could be correlated with the malignant transformation of cells and with the progression of the disease.

Increased sensitivity to peroxidative agents as a possible pathogenic factor of melanocyte damage in vitiligo.

To examine the sensitivity of vitiligo melanocytes to external oxidative stress, we studied enzymatic and non-enzymatic anti-oxidants in cultured melanocytes of normal subjects (n = 20) and melanocytes from apparently normal skin of vitiligo patients (n = 10). The activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase and the intracellular concentrations of vitamin E and ubiquinone were evaluated in cultures at the fourth or fifth passage. In addition, cells were exposed to various concentrations of a peroxidizing agent, cumene hydroperoxide (CUH, 0.66-20 microM), for 1 and 24 h. Compared to normal melanocytes, vitiligo melanocytes showed normal superoxide dismutase and significantly lower catalase activities and higher vitamin E and lower ubiquinone levels. At the concentration used, CUH did not significantly affect cell number or viability of melanocytes after either period of culture. On the contrary, vitiligo melanocytes were susceptible to the toxic effect of CUH after 24 h of continuous treatment at concentrations greater than 6.6 microM. The degree of CUH toxicity correlated strictly with the anti-oxidant pattern, defined as the ratio between vitamin E concentration and catalase activity, suggesting that the alteration in the antioxidants was the basis for sensitivity to the external oxidative stress. Our results demonstrate the presence of an imbalance in the anti-oxidant system in vitiligo melanocytes and provide further support for a free radical-mediated damage as an initial pathogenic event in melanocyte degeneration in vitiligo.

6p23 deletion mosaicism in a woman with recurrent abortions and idiopathic hypoprolactinemia.

A woman with a history of recurrent abortions, idiopathic hypoprolactinemia, and an apparent 6p partial deletion mosaicism is described. The breakpoint in the short arm of chromosome 6 was in the p23 region. This deletion could have been caused by a fragile site in 6p23.

Xeroderma pigmentosum: clonal chromosomal rearrangements in a pre-cancerous skin lesion.

In cells from a papulonodular formation of a patient with the clinical and cellular phenotype of the variant form of xeroderma pigmentosum (XP-V), clonal rearrangements involving different chromosomes were observed. This finding confirms the literature data suggesting that multiple non-specific chromosome anomalies are typical of pre-malignant and malignant skin lesions.

Lentigo maligna. Cytogenetic, ultrastructural, and phenotypic characterization of a primary cell culture.

Lentigo maligna is an early cutaneous neoplastic lesion. This article presents the cytogenetic, ultrastructural, and phenotypic characterization of a primary cell culture obtained from a patient affected with lentigo maligna. Two cellular clones were identified, both characterized by chromosomal markers involving chromosome 10 with a breakpoint at 10q26.

Granulomatous slack skin: cytogenetic and molecular analyses.

Granulomatous slack skin (GSS) is a rare disorder which is considered a slowly evolving T-cell lymphoma associated with granulomatous inflammation that mediates clastolysis. A combined cytogenetic, molecular, and cellular analysis was conducted on a clinically and histologically defined case of GSS. Cell cultures obtained from the skin biopsy showed trisomy of chromosome 8, and the DNA sample extracted from the skin biopsy showed a T-cell receptor beta-chain rearrangement.

Trisomy 20 in a papillary urothelial carcinoma of the ureter.

To contribute to the knowledge on tumorigenesis and the evolution of urothelial carcinoma of the ureter, we analyzed the clinical, histological, and cytogenetic aspects of a case. Primary cell cultures obtained from tumor specimens showed a trisomy of chromosome 20 where the c-src proto-oncogene, already described in literature as having an important role in the etiology and progression of some tumors, is located. In our case trisomy 20 is the only present marker and for this reason we think that it could play a role in the tumorigenesis of the urothelial carcinoma of the ureter.

Human malignant melanoma. Significance of chromosomal abnormalities.

Although many reports on chromosome changes in human malignant melanoma (HMM) have been published, it is still impossible to define the significance of the different markers reported. In fact, we think that the difficulties in interpreting the chromosomal abnormalities could be due to poorly defined clinical conditions and a lack of correlation with cytological and histological analyses. To verify this hypothesis, we studied 10 cell lines obtained from 8 patients affected by cutaneous malignant melanoma that were well defined for their clinical, histologic, and cytogenetic aspects. No significant correlation was found among these parameters, and, hence, the cytogenetics findings cannot be used to determine a more detailed diagnosis or a more definite prognosis.

Cytogenetic findings in terminal large cell transformation in a case of Sézary syndrome.

A long-lasting case of Sézary syndrome, whose chromosomal pattern had been repeatedly investigated during a follow-up period of several years, was studied in the terminal transforming phase, which took place more than 5 years after the initial diagnosis. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this appears to be the first instance of cytogenetic studies carried out in a large cell transformation of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. The results clearly indicate that the atypical large cells seen in the transforming phase were clonally derived from the pre-existing cerebriform cells. Newly detected relevant cytogenetic findings were: a) drop of tumor cell ploidy from hypotetraploid to hypotriploid, with striking chromosomal imbalance; b) additional structural aberrations of chromosomes 2 and 7, which had been already preferentially involved in the earlier phases, and involvement of the previously unaffected chromosomes 1, 3, and X; and c) presence in 100% of the abnormal metaphases of a large HSR on the long arm of chromosome 17.

Cytogenetic follow-up in a case of Sézary syndrome.

A cytogenetic follow-up study was performed for a 3-year period on a 70-year-old patient with Sézary syndrome (SS). The results showed formation of hypotetraploid cell clones with 60 to 89 chromosomes and 19 markers, some of which appeared during the period of study and stabilized thereafter. The incidence of these clonal cells increased from 29% to 85% during the follow-up study. The results confirm the presence of hypotetraploid cell clones, especially in the more advanced stages of SS. Moreover, some marker chromosomes in our patient (M2 and M3), derived from chromosome 2, were similar to those observed in SS by other investigators. According to our data and to those in the literature, SS appears to involve preferentially chromosomal regions 2p12-13, 2p21-22, 2q37, 17p13, 13q1, 9q11, 10p13, 14q11, 14q32, 7p1 and, to a lesser extent, 5q and 6q.

3p13 region: a possible location of a tumor suppressor gene involved in uveal melanoma.

To contribute to a better understanding of the role of chromosomal rearrangements in the tumorigenesis of uveal melanoma, we present a case in which a structural aberration of chromosome 3 could indicate the specific region in which an uveal melanoma tumor suppressor gene could be located. We obtained a primary cell culture, characterized by cytogenetic study, through GTG- and CBG-banding techniques by using a mechanical dissection of a tumor sample obtained from an uveal melanoma. Cytogenetic analysis performed in the primary cell culture highlighted the presence of a structural rearrangement involving chromosomes 3 and 22. A t(3;22)(p13;p11) was observed as the only present clonal aberration. The 3p13 breakpoint involved in the aberration observed in our case could be essential in restricting the candidate region for the locus of an uveal melanoma tumor suppressor gene located on chromosome 3.

Bacterial effect on sperm motility.

Human semen containing normal number of sperm was exposed to concentrations of Escherichia coli varying from 500 to 10-8 colonies per cubic centimeter. A significant decrease in motility was abserved at 10-6 colonies per cubic centimeter.

The ocular phenotype of the Bardet-Biedl syndrome. Comparison to non-syndromic retinitis pigmentosa.

PURPOSE: To investigate 20 patients affected with Bardet-Biedl (BB) syndrome and compare them to an age-matched group of 70 non-syndromic patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) to identify hallmarks peculiar to the BB phenotype. METHODS: Patients were examined clinically and with functional tests (color vision, kinetic perimetry, electroretinography, ocular motility tests). Fundus findings were numerically graded for statistical purposes. RESULTS: Recurrent ocular features in BB patients were early and severe reduction of visual acuity, constantly altered color vision, high incidence of strabismus and nystagmus, mild-to-severe atrophic changes of the optic disc, and frequently absent or minimal pigmentary retinal changes. Visual acuity was more closely correlated to optic disc than to macular conditions. These findings were remarkably different from non-syndromic RP. CONCLUSIONS: This investigation further suggests that retinopathy in BB syndrome has features distinctive from those in non-syndromic RP. The early occurrence of optic disc atrophy in the BB syndrome, even in those patients with healthy maculas, suggests that optic atrophy could often be primary in nature and might play a major role in decreasing central vision in BB patients. Variability of some findings is in line with the documented heterogeneity of the BB syndrome.

A low NM23.H1 gene expression identifying high malignancy human melanomas.

The NM23 gene has been proposed as a metastasis-suppressor gene, and its use has been suggested as prognostic factor. NM23 was identified in a system of murine melanoma cell lines, in which an inverse relationship was found between NM23 expression and metastatic ability. In a human malignant melanoma study NM23 expression was found to be significantly lower in metastases that developed less than 24 months after diagnosis of the primary tumours. The present paper studies the expression of the NM23.H1 gene in cell lines which derive from primary or metastatic human malignant melanomas in relation to staging, infiltration degree, lymphocytic infiltration, cell morphology, cell pigmentation, karyotype, and disease-free survival. The level of mRNA expression of the NM23 gene is significantly lower in cell lines that derive from more infiltrating primary melanomas than in cell lines obtained from less infiltrating tumours. Moreover, cell lines derived from tumours of patients with a disease-free survival of more than 24 months (24-58 months) express the NM23 gene at higher levels than cell lines obtained from melanomas of patients with a disease-free survival of less than 24 months (6-15 months).

Cytogenetic findings in 20 melanomas.

We report cytogenetic studies performed on 20 patients with cutaneous malignant melanoma, characterized by clinical and histological parameters. Cytogenetic analyses were performed on peripheral blood lymphocytes, in order to exclude the presence of constitutional chromosomal aberrations, and on primary cell cultures obtained from neoplastic skin lesions. A metastasis was also cultured in order to characterize chromosome markers. Specific markers found in more than one patient were t(1;14)(q21;q32) and aberrations of the 4q21,8q24 and 10q24q26 regions. The research aims to identify possible subtypes of melanomas related to specific chromosomal markers. It is hoped that this will contribute to understanding of the aetiology and evolution of the disease in order to obtain a more exact classification. We compare our results with the data reported in the literature and discuss the possible role of the cytogenetic analyses in human malignant melanoma.

Karyotype modifications in human malignant melanoma cell cultures after treatment with azelaic acid.

Azelaic acid (AzAc) is a C9 dicarboxylic acid which has recently been shown to have some therapeutic applications in skin diseases of different aetiologies. In order to study the in vitro activity of AzAc five human malignant melanoma primary cell cultures were treated for up to 60 days with 10 mM C9 2Na; the growth characteristics were defined by growth curve and the cytogenetics by Giemsa standard technique and GTG banding technique. Our data demonstrated an inhibition in replication of all five melanomas and the disappearance of the clones with chromosomal markers in four out of five melanomas after AzAc treatment.

Unusual interstitial deletion of the 8q12 band in a case of acute monocytic leukemia.

The authors describe a case of acute monocytic leukemia with a clonal deletion of the 8q12 band as a single chromosomal aberration. On the basis of this and other reports from the literature, they suggest that the 8q1 region, hitherto considered significantly involved in solid tumors, may be important also for hematologic malignancies.

Del(4)(pter-->q33:) case report and review of the literature.

We report a case on a female newborn child with a deletion of the 4q33qter region. The patient showed facial dysmorphisms, cleft palate and congenital cardiac defect. In order to contribute to a better definition of the 4q33qter deletion syndrome we have compared the clinical findings of our patient with those in nine reported cases. The characteristic symptoms of these patients seem to be: mental retardation, upper slanting of the palpebral fissures, depressed nasal bridge, low set/dysplastic ears, cleft palate, micrognathia, dysmorphic hands and feet.

2q35qter duplication syndrome: phenotypic definition.

Two sibs with multiple congenital anomalies and severe mental retardation were found to have a 2q35qter duplication as a result of a balanced maternal translocation. The clinical features of our two cases are compared with those reported in literature as having either a 2q35qter duplication or a wider duplicated segment without the involvement of any other chromosome deletion or duplication. The typical phenotype is described considering the characteristic clinical features as: hypotonia, hypertelorism, short and beaked nose, flat nasal bridge, thin upper lip, micrognathia, low set and dysmorphic ears, clinodactyly finger V and cryptorchidism.

Detection of a 46,XX,der(3)t(3;4)(p25;p16.1) by using chromosome microdissection.

We performed chromosome microdissection in order to define the "de novo" rearrangement observed in a female patient affected by: frontal microgyria, mild psychomotor retardation, thoracic scoliosis, XIIth rib asymmetry and facial dysmorphisms. Through the use of the micro-FISH we evidenced a deletion of the 3p25pter region and a 4p16.1 duplication. We performed a karyotype-phenotype correlation in our patient and in the ones previously reported in literature which had a 3p25pter deletion or the 4p16 duplication.