The effect of losartan and captopril on glomerular basement membrane anionic charge in a diabetic rat model.

OBJECTIVE: Although angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are known to reduce albuminuria by preserving glomerular basement membrane anionic content, the effects of angiotensin II receptor blockage are currently not known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of captopril and losartan on glomerular basement membrane anionic charges in a diabetic rat model. DESIGN: After diabetes induction with streptozotocin, female Wistar rats were divided into three groups: group A, losartan 10 mg/kg by gavage (n = 8); group B, captopril 50 mg/l in drinking water (n = 6); group C, diabetic control rats (n = 8) given only tap water. Group D (eight rats) served as non-diabetic controls. At the end of 8 weeks, erythrocyte membrane charge, serum sialic acid, urinary glycosaminoglycan and albumin were measured and kidney specimens stained with Alcian blue in order to assess basement membrane glycosaminoglycans. RESULTS: Red blood cell anionic charges (ng Alcian blue/ 10(6) red blood cells) were 371.5+/-9.9 for group A, 443.5+/-7.1 for group B, 400.1+/-14.7 for group C, 468.7+/-4 for group D (AD, P<0.01; A>B P<0.01). Albuminuria (microg/day) was 778+/-221 for group A, 719+/-314 for group B, 1724+/-945 for group C, 393+/-263 for group D (A, B

Expression of NM23 and tenascin in invasive ductal carcinomas of the breast.

OBJECTIVE: In this series of ductal carcinoma of the breast, immunoexpression of antimetastasis gene nm23 and tenascin was examined and the role in prognosis was investigated by correlation with the tumour grade and stage, and ER/PR immunoexpression. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this study 27 ductal carcinomas of the breast were analysed for expression of tenascin and nm23 antimetastasis genes by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The results of our study revealed a statistically significant correlation between nm23-H1 immunoexpression and lymph node metastasis. We also found a statistically significant correlation between tenascin and nm23-H1 immunoexpression. Our results suggest that tenascin limits tumour spread. CONCLUSION(S): Antimetastasis gene expression can be used in predicting lymph node metastasis in ductal carcinomas of the breast.

Antimetastasis gene expression and numerical chromosomal abnormalities of chromosomes 1 & 17 in serous tumours of the ovary.

OBJECTIVE(S): The aim of this study was to examine the expression of the antimetastasis gene nm23 and numerical changes on chromosome 1 and 17 in ovarian tumours. METHODS: In this study 20 serous cystadenocarcinomas, ten borderline and five benign tumours were analysed for expression of the nm23 antimetastasis gene by immunohistochemistry and for numerical chromosomal abnormalities of chromosomes 1 and 17 by interphase cytogenetics. RESULTS: Strong intracytoplasmic immunoreactivity with the antimetastasis gene was observed in late stage carcinomas but not in benign or borderline tumours or in lymph node metastases. Numerical abnormalities were only observed in carcinomas. CONCLUSION(S): These sets of data are consistent with the majority of benign and borderline tumours lacking invasive potential. Odds Ratio (OR) assessment indicates that the presence of numerical aberrations correlates with immunopositivity.

Evaluation of three different AgNOR counting methods in advanced carcinoma of the prostate.

We applied the silver staining of nucleolar organizer regions (AgNOR) technique to the pretreatment biopsies of 50 cases of advanced prostate cancer. Three different counting methods were utilized in the enumeration of AgNORs. All methods yielded statistically significant differences of mean AgNOR counts of groups defined by high and low WHO, and by Gleason grades. However, there was overlap among groups, and further analysis of counts by grouping of patients according to their stage, response to treatment, and prognosis was not conclusive. Replicate counts were performed in 10 cases. While intraobserver reproducibility was high by all methods, only the second counting method yielded nonsignificant interobserver variability. There was a significant intratumoral heterogeneity of AgNOR scores. Lack of technical standardization, low reproducibility, and lack of correlation with prognosis limit the use of AgNOR counts in advanced carcinoma of the prostate.

Prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in larynx and lung carcinomas.

In this retrospective study, we investigated the HPV DNA occurrence in 21 laryngeal and 26 primary lung squamous cell carcinomas. Nonisotopic in situ hybridization (NISH) technique was performed with commercially available digoxigenin-labelled DNA probes for HPV screening. Subtyping for HPV subtypes 6/11, 16/18 and 31/33 was also performed. We observed HPV DNA signals in 10 (47.6%) cases of laryngeal SCC and in only 3 (11.5%) cases of lung SCC. Typing showed signals of HPV 6/11, 16/18 and 31/33 infection in 80%, 40%, 30% of the laryngeal carcinomas, respectively. In the lung, we demonstrated type 16/18 positivity in two and type 6/11 in one of the HPV-positive cases. We found a statistically significant correlation between HPV infection and tumour recurrence (p < 0.035) in laryngeal carcinomas, but not between HPV presence and tumour stage or grade in neither larynx nor lung.