[Times and conditions of storage of samples in anatomic pathology. Recommendations of the Spanish Society of Anatomic Pathology (SEAP) part 1: samples for diagnosis]. / Tiempos y condiciones de almacenamiento de las muestras en anatomía patológica. Recomendaciones de la Sociedad Española de Anatomía Patológica parte 1: muestras destinadas al diagnóstico.

INTRODUCTION: The correct storage of specimens in the Pathology service is of vital importance for patient safety. However, there are no clear recommendations as regarding how long samples should be stored for a minimum period. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A working group of the Spanish Society of Anatomic Pathology has reviewed a series of recommendations established in the literature and after two rounds of consultations and a discussion and voting phase has established a series of storage time proposals. RESULTS: Each of the proposals is presented with the data found in the literature and sometimes offers definitions and exceptions to the proposal. CONCLUSION: These recommendations, which are minimums, establish a period of at least 10 years for paraffin embedded blocks (including cell blocks), histological preparations, general cytology, pathologic cervico-vaginal cytology and electron microscopy blocks; at least 3 years for cervico-vaginal cytology, 5 years for extracted nucleic acids, at least 4 weeks for tissue in formalin and from the time of diagnosis for liquid cytology material and fluids.

[SEAP-IAP recommendations for the collection, storage and use of biological materials of human origin and related data intended for research. Generic biobank consideration and ethical-legal review (Part II)]. / Recomendaciones de la SEAP-IAP para la recolección, el almacenamiento y el uso de materiales biológicos de origen humano y los datos relacionados, destinados a la investigación. Consideración genérica de biobanco y revisión ético-legal (Parte II).

The working group set up by the SEAP-IAP addresses in this Part II some general considerations and five particular considerations to be taken into account when a biological sample of human origin, coming from our archives, acquires a different destination from the usual one, in this case for research. From this moment on, we must follow mandatory legal and ethical rules, and the different recitals provide us with guidelines to ensure good practice, both for biological material and its associated data. The traditional task of custody given to the Pathological Anatomy is approached, as always, from the point of view of responsibility and, in this article, adjusted to its time.

Each Cellular Compartment Has a Characteristic Protein Reactive Cysteine Ratio Determining Its Sensitivity to Oxidation.

Signaling and detoxification of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are important patho-physiologcal processes. Despite this, we lack comprehensive information on individual cells and cellular structures and functions affected by ROS, which is essential to build quantitative models of the effects of ROS. The thiol groups from cysteines (Cys) in proteins play a major role in redox defense, signaling, and protein function. In this study, we show that the proteins in each subcellular compartment contain a characteristic Cys amount. Using a fluorescent assay for -SH in thiolate form and amino groups in proteins, we show that the thiolate content correlates with ROS sensitivity and signaling properties of each compartment. The highest absolute thiolate concentration was found in the nucleolus, followed by the nucleoplasm and cytoplasm whereas protein thiolate groups per protein showed an inverse pattern. In the nucleoplasm, protein reactive thiols concentrated in SC35 speckles, SMN, and the IBODY that accumulated oxidized RNA. Our findings have important functional consequences, and explain differential sensitivity to ROS.

Synthesis and DNA interaction of ethylenediamine platinum(II) complexes linked to DNA intercalants.

A series of ethylenediamine platinum(II) complexes connected through semi-rigid chains of 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane to DNA intercalating subunits (naphthalene, anthracene or phenazine) has been synthesized, and their interactions with calf thymus (CT) DNA have been evaluated by viscometric titrations and equilibrium dialysis experiments. The parent ligands that contain anthracene or phenazine chromophores showed a monointercalative mode of DNA interaction (especially the anthracene derivative), with apparent association constants in the order of 10(4) M(-1). The corresponding platinum(II) complexes bind CT DNA through bisintercalation, as established by the significant increase of DNA contour length inferred from viscosity measurements, and the association constants are in the order of 10(5) M(-1). The naphthalene derivatives, however, exhibit a mixed mode of interaction, which suggests a partial contribution of both intercalation and groove binding for the ligand, and monointercalation in the case of the platinum(II) complex. Competition dialysis experiments carried out on the intercalative compounds have revealed a moderate selectivity towards GC DNA sequences for the derivatives containing the anthracene chromophore.

Physiologically relevant concentrations of NaCl and KCl increase DNA photocleavage by an N-substituted 9-aminomethylanthracene dye.

This paper describes the synthesis of a new 9-aminomethylanthracene dye N-substituted with a pyridinylpolyamine side chain (4). The effects of NaCl and KCl on anthracene/DNA interactions were then studied, with the goal of simulating the conditions of high ionic strength that a DNA photosensitizer might encounter in the cell nucleus (~150 mM of NaCl and 260 mM of KCl). As exemplified by methylene blue (5), the expected effect of increasing ionic strength is to decrease DNA binding and photocleavage yields. In contrast, the addition of 150 mM of NaCl in combination with 260 mM of KCl to photocleavage reactions containing micromolar concentrations of 4 triggers the conversion of supercoiled, nicked, and linear forms of pUC19 plasmid into a highly degraded band of DNA fragments (350 nm hν, pH 7.0). Circular dichroism spectra point to a correlation between salt-induced unwinding of the DNA helix and the increase in DNA photocleavage yields. The results of circular dichroism, UV-vis absorption, fluorescence emission, thermal denaturation, and photocleavage inhibition experiments suggest that the combination of salts causes a change in the DNA binding mode of 4 from intercalation to an external interaction. This in turn leads to an increase in the anthracene-sensitized production of DNA-damaging reactive oxygen species.

Synthesis and DNA photocleavage by a pyridine-linked bis-acridine chromophore in the presence of copper(II): ionic strength effects.

We report the synthesis of photonuclease 3 consisting of two acridine rings joined by a 2,6-bis(aminomethyl)pyridine copper-binding linker. In reactions containing micromolar concentrations of 3, irradiation at 419 nm produces efficient, copper(II)-dependent cleavage of plasmid DNA in the presence of the high concentrations of salt that exist in the cell nucleus (150 mM NaCl and 260 mM KCl). The DNA interactions of 3 are compared to an analogous bis-acridine (4) containing a more flexible 2,6-bis{[(methoxycarbonylamino)-ethyl]methylaminomethyl}pyridine unit.

Copper-mediated DNA photocleavage by a tetrapyridoacridine (tpac) ligand.

We have focused our interest on the tetrapyridoacridine ligand tetrapyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c:3'',2''-h: 2''',3'''-j]acridine (tpac), as a model system for the preparation of novel copper-based artificial nucleases. The complex of copper(II)-tpac cleaves supercoiled pUC18 plasmid DNA in an oxidative manner by photoactivation with visible light, exhibiting maximum cleaving efficiency at 1:2 metal-ligand stoichiometric ratio. We propose an interaction of the copper-tpac complex with DNA through both major and minor grooves and a photocleavage mechanism via the formation of hydroxyl radicals and singlet oxygen or singlet oxygen-like species.

Synthesis and DNA interactions of a bis-phenothiazinium photosensitizer.

We report the synthesis and characterization of N,N-bis[(7-dimethylamino)phenothiazin-5-ium-3-yl]-4,4-ethylenedipiperidine diiodide (3), consisting of two photosensitizing phenothiazinium rings attached to a central ethylenedipiperidine linker. At all time points (10, 30, 60 min) and all wavelengths (676, 700, 710 nm) tested, photocleavage of pUC19 plasmid DNA (22 degrees C and pH 7.0) was markedly enhanced by 1 microM of 3 in comparison to 1 microM of the parent phenothiazine methylene blue (MB). At concentrations of phenothiazine ranging from 5 to 0.5 microM, the photocleavage levels produced by compound 3 were consistently higher than the cleavage produced using approximately twice the amount of MB (e.g., 710 nm irradiation of 5 microM of 3 and 10 microM of MB cleaved the plasmid DNA in 93% and 71% yields, respectively). Scavenger assays provided evidence for the involvement of singlet oxygen and, to a lesser extent, hydroxyl radicals in DNA damage. Analysis of photocleavage products at nucleotide resolution revealed that direct strand breaks and alkaline-labile lesions occurred predominantly at guanine bases. While compound 3 and MB were both shown to stabilize duplex DNA, the DeltaTm values of calf thymus (CT) and C. perfringens DNAs were approximately three fold higher in the presence of compound 3. Finally, viscometric data indicated that CT DNA interacts with compound 3 and MB by a combination of groove binding and monofunctional intercalation, and with compound 3 by a third, bisintercalative binding mode.

Mitochondrial levels determine variability in cell death by modulating apoptotic gene expression.

Fractional killing is the main cause of tumour resistance to chemotherapy. This phenomenon is observed even in genetically identical cancer cells in homogeneous microenvironments. To understand this variable resistance, here we investigate the individual responses to TRAIL in a clonal population of HeLa cells using live-cell microscopy and computational modelling. We show that the cellular mitochondrial content determines the apoptotic fate and modulates the time to death, cells with higher mitochondrial content are more prone to die. We find that all apoptotic protein levels are modulated by the mitochondrial content. Modelling the apoptotic network, we demonstrate that these correlations, and especially the differential control of anti- and pro-apoptotic protein pairs, confer mitochondria a powerful discriminatory capacity of apoptotic fate. We find a similar correlation between the mitochondria and apoptotic proteins in colon cancer biopsies. Our results reveal a different role of mitochondria in apoptosis as the global regulator of apoptotic protein expression.

An unlikely DNA cleaving agent: A photo-active trinuclear Cu(II) complex based on hexaazatriphenylene.

This paper describes the synthesis of a trinuclear Cu(II) complex (4) containing a central 1,4,5,8,9,12-hexaazatriphenylene-hexacarboxylate (hat) core (3). Low, micromolar concentrations of the negatively charged parent ligand 3 and the neutral trinuclear complex 4 were found to photocleave negatively charged pUC19 plasmid DNA with high efficiency at neutral pH (350nm, 50min, 22°C). The interactions of complex 4 with double-helical DNA were studied in detail. Scavenger and colorimetric assays pointed to the formation of Cu(I), superoxide anion radicals, hydrogen peroxide, and hydroxyl radicals during photocleavage reactions. UV-visible absorption, circular dichroism, DNA thermal denaturation, and fluorescence data suggested that the Cu(II) complex contacts double-stranded DNA in an external fashion. The persistent association of ligand 3 and complex 4 with Na(I) and/or other cations in aqueous solution might facilitate electrostatic DNA interactions.

Synthesis and copper-mediated nuclease activity of a tetracationic tris(2,2'-bipyridine) ligand.

We report herein the synthesis of a novel tetracationic tris(2,2'-bipyridine) ligand 4. We show that this ligand metalated with copper(II), and in the presence of ascorbate as a reducing agent, strongly damages pUC18 plasmid DNA. Copper complex formation was demonstrated by ESI-MS (electrospray ionization-mass spectrum) at a 1:3 ligand to metal ratio. Binding of both 4 and its copper(II) complex to CT-DNA (calf thymus DNA) was characterized by viscosimetry, thermal denaturation and fluorescence-based competition assays. The viscosimetric data indicated that 4 and its copper(II) complex bind DNA through partial intercalation and thermal denaturation studies revealed a significant increase of duplex DNA stability in the presence of these species (DeltaT(m)=16.4 and 18.3 degrees C, respectively). Moreover, 4 and its copper(II) complex were found to effectively compete with ethidium bromide for the intercalative binding sites of DNA. Overall, the copper(II)-4 complex constitutes a very efficient DNA cleaving agent in the presence of ascorbate. Experiments with scavengers further suggest that the generation of Cu(I), hydrogen peroxide, superoxide, hydroxyl radical and singlet oxygen-like species contributes to the DNA breakage induced by the Cu(II) complex of 4.

Copper-activated DNA photocleavage by a pyridine-linked bis-acridine intercalator.

We report the synthesis of new photonuclease 4 consisting of two acridine rings joined by a pyridine-based copper binding linker. We have shown that photocleavage of plasmid DNA is markedly enhanced when this ligand is irradiated in the presence of copper(II) (419 nm, 22 degrees C, pH 7.0). Viscometric data indicate that 4 binds to DNA by monofunctional intercalation, and equilibrium dialysis provides an estimated binding constant of 1.13 x 105 M-1 for its association with calf thymus DNA. In competition dialysis experiments, 4 exhibits preferential binding to GC-rich DNA sequences. When Cu(II) is added at a ligand to metal ratio of 1:1, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry demonstrates that compound 4 undergoes complex formation, while thermal melting studies show a 10 degrees C increase in the Tm of calf thymus DNA. Groove binding and intercalation are suggested by viscometric data. Finally, colorimetric and scavenger experiments indicate that the generation of Cu(I), H2O2, and superoxide contributes to the production of DNA frank strand breaks by the Cu(II) complex of 4. Whereas the strand breaks are distributed in a relatively uniform fashion over the four DNA bases, subsequent piperidine treatment of the photolysis reactions shows that alkaline labile lesions occur predominantly at guanine.

Syntheses and copper(II)-dependent DNA photocleavage by acridine and anthracene 1,10-phenanthroline conjugate systems.

We report the syntheses and characterization of a series of compounds based on 1,10-phenanthroline covalently tethered, at the 2 and 9 positions, to either two benzene, naphthalene, acridine or anthracene chromophores. The acridine and anthracene derivatives are shown to efficiently cleave pUC19 plasmid DNA upon irradiation with ultraviolet light (pH = 7.0, 22 degrees C, 350 nm). Furthermore, photocleavage levels are markedly increased by the addition of Cu2+ to the DNA photolysis reactions. Interestingly, when the concentrations of the anthracene compounds are lowered from 35 microM to 0.25 microM, the reverse trend is observed. DNA photocleavage is markedly reduced in the presence of copper(II).

Tunable DNA photocleavage by an acridine-imidazole conjugate.

We report the synthesis and characterization of photonucleases N,N'-bis[2-[bis(1H-imidazol-4-ylmethyl)amino]ethyl]-3,6-acridinediamine (7) and N-[2-[bis(1H-imidazol-4-ylmethyl)amino]ethyl]-3,6-acridinediamine (10), consisting of a central 3,6-acridinediamine chromophore attached to 4 and 2 metal-coordinating imidazole rings, respectively. In DNA reactions employing 16 metal salts, photocleavage of pUC19 plasmid is markedly enhanced when compound 7 is irradiated in the presence of either Hg(II), Fe(III), Cd(II), Zn(II), V(V), or Pb(II) (low-intensity visible light, pH 7.0, 22 degrees C, 8-50 microM 7). We also show that DNA photocleavage by 7 can be modulated by modifying buffer type and pH. Evidence of metal complex formation is provided by EDTA experiments and by NMR and electrospray ionization mass spectral data. Sodium azide, sodium benzoate, superoxide dismutase, and catalase indicate the involvement of type I and II photochemical processes in the metal-assisted DNA photocleavage reactions. Thermal melting studies show that compound 7 increases the Tm of calf thymus DNA by 10 +/- 1 degrees C at pH 7.0 and that the Tm is further increased upon the addition of either Hg(II), Cd(II), Zn(II), or Pb(II). In the case of Fe(III) and V(V), a colorimetric assay demonstrates that compound 7 sensitizes one electron photoreduction of these metals to Fe(II) and V(IV), likely accelerating the production of type I reactive oxygen species. Our data collectively indicate that buffer, pH, Hg(II), Fe(III), Cd(II), Zn(II), V(V), Pb(II), and light can be used to "tune" DNA cleavage by compound 7 under physiologically relevant conditions. The 3,6-acridinediamine acridine orange has demonstrated great promise for use as a photosensitizer in photodynamic therapy. In view of the distribution of iron in living cells, compound 7 and other metal-binding acridine-based photonucleases should be expected to demonstrate excellent photodynamic action in vivo.

DNA Interaction and photonicking properties of DNA-targeted acridine (2,2'-Bipyridine)platinum(II) complexes.

Synthesis of two (2,2'-bipyridine)platinum(II) complexes tethered to one or two acridine chromophores is reported. These acridine complexes efficiently unwind and photocleave supercoiled plasmid DNA under physiological conditions of temperature and pH.

Bisacridines with aromatic linking chains. Synthesis, DNA interaction, and antitumor activity.

Synthesis of a series of bisacridine derivatives containing rigid aromatic linking chains is described. Their DNA interaction and in vitro cytotoxicity against HT-29 human carcinoma cells are reported.