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Biomedical subjects

A W Goode

Publications and source records attributed to A W Goode.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Transcription of the prorenin gene in normal and diseased breast.

The angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor is present in a wide variety of human and animal tissues, and is particularly abundant in epithelial cells. Because of this, and because it is known that tissue renin angiotensin systems (RASs) exist that have specific local functions, we investigated the expression and localisation of components of the RAS in normal and diseased breast tissue. Using a monoclonal antibody to the AT1 receptor, immunocytochemistry confirmed that the AT1 receptor was characteristically distributed in ductal epithelial cells in both normal and malignant tissue, and in most, although not all, cells in invasive tumours. Transcription of prorenin mRNA was studied by in situ hybridisation, using a DIG-ddUTP tail-labelled probe specific for the human prorenin gene. In normal tissue, and in cases of ductal carcinoma in situ, prorenin mRNA was distributed in myoepithelial cells and in a band of connective tissue cells completely surrounding the AT1-containing ductal epithelial cells. This prorenin transcribing tissue was disrupted and attenuated in invasive tumours, and in some of these, prorenin mRNA transcription could not be detected at all. Functions ascribed to the tissue RASs include regulation of mitosis and tissue modelling, as well as fluid and electrolyte transport. The results presented here strongly suggest the possibility that a tissue RAS may also be present in the breast, closely coupled to the provision of angiotensin II to the AT1 receptors in ductal epithelial cells. This mechanism is disrupted in cancer.

Breast Diseases

A potential diagnostic application of magnetization transfer contrast: an in vitro NMR study of excised human thyroid tissues.

A series of freshly excised thyroid tissues was analysed using a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer and then subjected to routine histo-pathology examination. Whilst simple T1 values for normal tissue and goitre are not significantly different, the degree of intra-subject T1 and T1s variability is shown to be an indicator of benign thyroid disease. Using data collected from an inversion-recovery sequence performed with and without magnetization transfer, a magnetization transfer rate constant was calculated for each tissue sample. These data suggest that this parameter may provide in vivo discrimination between follicular cancer and follicular adenoma.

Adenoma

Analysis of apoptosis in relation to tissue destruction associated with Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroiditis.

The level of apoptosis has been investigated in thyroid tissue from eight patients with Graves's disease, one with Hashitoxicosis, three with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and five patients with multinodular goitre, using flow cytometry and an in situ immunofluorescence technique. Cryostat sections have also been studied for Bcl-2 and APO-1/Fas expression in the thyrocytes and infiltrating lymphocytes, to determine their susceptibility to apoptosis. An increased level of apoptosis was detected in Hashimoto's glands. This was associated with decreased Bcl-2 staining and a patchy APO-1/Fas reactivity on thyrocytes. In addition, APO-1/Fas expression was noted within the germinal centres of lymphoid follicles. It is suggested that the dysregulation of apoptosis-related genes could be an important factor in the progression of destructive thyroid autoimmune disease.

Apoptosis

Base deficit after major trauma directly relates to neutrophil CD11b expression: a proposed mechanism of shock-induced organ injury.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether expression of neutrophil integrin receptors is related to the degree of post-traumatic shock. DESIGN: Data were collected prospectively on patients with major trauma admitted to the surgical intensive care unit. SETTING: Denver General Hospital, Colorado. PATIENTS AND PARTICIPANTS: 17 severely injured adults. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: The mean fluorescence intensity and per cent positive of neutrophil integrin receptors CD11 b, CD18 and CD11 a, and systolic blood pressure, blood transfusion, lactate and base deficit as indices of shock. CD11 b expression on circulating neutrophils was increased 6 and 12 h after trauma. After correcting for the other shock indices, base deficit predicted CD11 b expression at 12 h. CD11 b expression was negatively correlated with the circulating neutrophil count. CONCLUSIONS: The degree of metabolic acidosis after trauma correlates directly with CD11 b receptor expression on circulating neutrophils. This relation may be the mechanism whereby post-traumatic shock results in neutrophil sequestration and neutrophil-mediated organ injury and failure.

Acidosis

Angiotensin II type 1 receptor expression in human breast tissues.

We demonstrate the expression of angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptors in normal and diseased human breast tissues. Using monoclonal antibody 6313/G2, directed against a specific sequence in the extracellular domain of the AT1 receptor, immunocytochemical analysis revealed positive immunoreactivity in membrane and cytoplasm of specific cell types. Immunoblotting of solubilized proteins separated by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) from benign and malignant tumours identified a single immunoreactive species with a molecular mass of approximately 60 kDa, consistent with that of the mature glycosylated receptor. In studies of [125I]angiotensin II binding using breast membrane preparations, concentrations of specific angiotensin II binding sites were found to range from 1.8 to 100 fmol mg(-1) protein, with a K(d) of approximately 60 nM. Most of the specifically bound [125I]angiotensin II was displaced by losartan, a specific angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist, while less was displaced by the AT2 receptor type antagonist, CGP42112A, thus confirming the prevalence of AT1 receptors in this tissue type. These data suggest that the renin-angiotensin system may be involved in normal and abnormal breast tissue function.

Angiotensin II

Sequential systemic platelet-activating factor and interleukin 8 primes neutrophils in patients with trauma at risk of multiple organ failure.

Plasma from 33 patients at risk of multiple organ failure (MOF) after major trauma was tested for a priming effect on neutrophils, and for the presence of platelet-activating factor (PAF) activity and interleukin (IL) 8. Plasma sampled at 3, 6, 12 and 24 h after injury significantly primed normal neutrophils to release mean(s.e.m.) 1.26(0.19), 1.33(0.26), 1.04(0.14) and 0.86(0.13) nmol superoxide per min per 1.3 x 10(6) neutrophils respectively (P < 0.05). Priming at 3 h after injury was inhibited by mean(s.e.m.) 63.8(7.0) per cent by the PAF antagonist, WEB 2170 (P < 0.01). Mean(s.e.m.) plasma IL-8 was raised at 6 and 12 h after injury to 785(183) and 836(175) pg/ml (P < 0.01). At 12 h after injury the plasma IL-8 level correlated directly with the number of units of red blood cells transfused (r = 0.64, P < 0.01), and was significantly higher in the group of six patients who developed MOF (P < 0.05). These data suggest that after trauma the mediators PAF and IL-8 appear sequentially in the circulation, are potential mechanisms of circulating neutrophil priming, and that IL-8 may also be an early biochemical marker predicting the onset of MOF.

Adolescent

The accuracy of conventional and three-dimensional thallium-technetium scans in patients with hyperparathyroidism resulting from multiglandular hyperplasia.

25 patients with hyperparathyroidism resulting from multiglandular hyperplasia were studied prior to cervical exploration. 43% of abnormal glands were correctly localized by preoperative thallium-technetium scintigraphy. In the 11 patients who underwent three-dimensional scanning, all glands already identified by scintigraphy were also localized in a third plane. In one patient an additional gland, not detected by the conventional scan, was visible.

Adult

Micronutrients in gastrointestinal cancer.

The monitoring of micronutrients and the relationship between dietary intake and micronutrient status prior to and after surgery in patients with histologically proven gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma, both weight-stable and weight-losing (> 7.5% of their pre-illness weight) has been studied and the results compared to controls. Plasma vitamin C and red blood cell thiamine levels were significantly lower in weight-losing cancer patients when compared to their weight-stable counterparts (P < 0.05 and P < 0.02 respectively). Weight-losing patients had a lower vitamin C (P < 0.05) and thiamine (P < 0.002) intake, and a higher elevation in plasma C-reactive protein and a lower prealbumin level (P < 0.02), when compared to both weight-stable cancer patients and controls. Plasma vitamin C, prealbumin and C-reactive protein levels remained unchanged after curative resections of the tumours compared to a preoperative value, and there was a highly significant correlation between plasma vitamin C and dietary intake of vitamin C. This study suggests that the lower vitamin C and thiamine status in weight-losing gastrointestinal cancer patients prior to surgery is due to a lower micronutrient intake and an acute phase response to their illness. Dietary intake of vitamin C appears to be the major factor in determining plasma vitamin C concentration following curative surgical resection.

Adenocarcinoma

The nature and significance of multiple isoforms of the oestrogen receptor in breast tumours.

Oestrogen receptors (ERs) in breast tumours are highly heterogeneous. In previous studies we have shown that at least four isoforms may exist. These migrate in isoelectric focusing (IEF) gels to isoelectric points (pI values) 6.1, 6.3, 6.6 and 6.8. Of these the first (pI 6.1) corresponds to the 8S isoform as detected by sucrose gradient fractionation, while the others all sediment at 4S. In a series of 66 breast tumours it was found that those at pI 6.3 and pI 6.8 were significantly correlated with the presence of progesterone receptors. To characterize the isoforms more fully, ER isoforms labelled by [3H]oestradiol binding were fractionated by IEF. The results were compared with those obtained after sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotting using the H222 anti-ER monoclonal antibody. In other experiments, tumour ER isoforms were covalently labelled with [ring-3H] tamoxifen aziridine and separated by IEF. The individual isoforms were electroeluted from the IEF gel and further analysed by SDS-PAGE and non-denaturing PAGE. In summary, the evidence shows that the isoforms of pI values 6.3, 6.8 and 6.6 have molecular masses of 50, 65 and 70 kDa respectively. In addition, all three of these isoforms, i.e. the pI 6.3, 6.8 and 6.6 isoforms, could form dimers. We conclude that the three isoforms sedimenting at 4S have the capacity to form dimers and thus may have the potential for binding to oestrogen response elements in the genome.

Blotting, Western

Progesterone receptor induction by danazol in cultured cancer cells and the rat uterus.

We have previously reported that clinical trials relating to the use of danazol in the management of benign breast disease show a positive correlation between favourable clinical response and an induction of progesterone receptors in the affected tissue which is maintained for a period of at least 6 months subsequent to the cessation of treatment. Further studies designed at elucidating more clearly the actions of danazol at the cellular and molecular levels have confirmed that progesterone receptors are down-regulated by short-term progestin action at the level of the mRNA transcript, but that danazol is subsequently able to produce an enhanced cellular response, inducing progesterone receptors in the presence of oestrogenic agents. Uteri from danazol-treated rats showed a doubling of progesterone receptor concentrations compared with the control uteri. In the mammary cancer cell line T-47D, cells treated with danazol had increased progesterone receptor concentrations of 558.4 +/- 32.0 compared with 152.6 +/- 7.0 fmol/mg protein in the control cells. In both cases, these inductions were observed following a period of progesterone receptor suppression. Short-term molecular studies on T-47D cells indicated that progesterone and danazol initially inhibit mRNA transcription, but that 24 h after treatment an induction is observed. This is especially marked in the danazol-treated cells.

Animals

Oestrogen receptor isoforms, their distribution and relation to progesterone receptor levels in breast cancer samples.

Oestrogen receptors (ER) in breast cancer tumours are highly heterogeneous. In this study, the variability in the profile of ER isoforms and its relation to progesterone receptor (PgR) levels in breast tumours has been studied. Using high resolution isoelectric focusing (IEF) 4 ER isoforms can be detected with pI values of 6.1 (corresponding to the 8S ER), and 6.3, 6.6 and 6.8 (all of which have a sedimentation pI values of 6.1 (corresponding to the 8S ER), and 6.3, 6.6 and 6.8 (all of which have a sedimentation coefficient of approximately 4S in sucrose density gradients). Data were obtained on the soluble receptors from supernatants of 66 ER-positive primary breast tumour homogenates using high resolution IEF. In 43 of these samples PgR levels were also measured. The isoform at pI 6.6 was present in 97.0% of tumours, the isoform at pI 6.1 in 83.3%, the pI 6.3 isoform 39.4% of tumours and the pI 6.8 isoform in only 33.3% of tumours. Only 12.1% of tumours studied contained the full complement of ER isoforms (pI 6.1, 6.3, 6.6 & 6.8). The ER isoforms at pI 6.1 & 6.8 were only found in PgR-positive (> 10 fmol PgR/mg protein) tumours. Some tumours contained only a single ER isoform at pI 6.6 or 6.1, but those at pI 6.3 and 6.8 were never found singly. Tumours containing 3 or 4 ER isoforms had significantly higher levels of PgR (> 90 fmol/mg protein) than those with only 1 or 2 (P < 0.001). The presence of ER isoforms at pI 6.3 and pI 6.8 also significantly correlated with high levels of PgR (P < 0.001). This variability in the ER isoform profile of breast tumours and their correlation with PgR levels may have a bearing on prognosis and tumour response to endocrine therapy.

Breast Neoplasms

Significance of the 8S complex in oestrogen receptor recognition.

Previous studies from this laboratory have drawn attention to discrepancies between enzyme-linked immunoassay (EIA) and steroid binding assay (SBA) in the analysis of oestrogen receptors (ER) in breast tumours. In particular, EIA values were at least 3-fold higher than SBA values in tumours which also contained progesterone receptors (PR) when both 4 and 8S isoforms of the ER are present. To test the influence of these isoforms on the two assay systems, the relationships between the oestrogen receptor (ER) values obtained by EIA and SBA were examined in tumour cytosols prepared in the presence of molybdate and protease inhibitors to prevent degradation of the 8S form. Under these conditions, values for ER were the same by EIA and SBA (slope = 1.08, r = 0.886, n = 25) when EIA was performed using low salt phosphate buffer instead of the high salt-containing Abbott-diluent provided with the kit. However, after disruption of the 8S assembly using high K+ concentration, the slope of the regression was 6.37, r = 0.865, n = 25. Using ER from rat uterus, EIA was also performed on intact 8S oligomers, on 8S ER dissociated by high salt, and on glycerol density gradient-fractionated 4S ER. The identity of the ER oligomers and components was confirmed by glycerol density gradient fractionation, and by isoelectric focussing. For the 4S ER, EIA gave similar values whether using low or high salt phosphate buffer. However EIA values for the 8S form were 2-fold higher when the supplied diluent was used than when the assay was performed in low salt buffer. The amount of oestradiol which could be extracted was affected by the different conditions used. Addition of KCl or trypsin to disrupt the 8S ER caused an increase in the amount of extractable oestradiol compared with control values (control = 52 +/- 4.0, high KCl = 91 +/- 4.4, trypsin = 152 +/- 7.5, pg oestradiol/mg protein). We conclude that further antibody binding sites are revealed from the 8S ER form after its disaggregation by high salt. The steroid extraction data also suggests the possibility that tightly bound steroid is retained within the 8S ER structure, and released by 8S disaggregation. Both of these may contribute to the differences between EIA and SBA values.

Animals

Impact of conventional and three-dimensional thallium-technetium scans on surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism.

Twenty-nine patients with primary hyperparathyroidism underwent double-tracer subtraction scanning after injection of 201Tl as thallous chloride for thyroid and parathyroid images followed by 99mtechnetium as sodium pertechnetate for thyroid images prior to surgical exploration of the neck. The operative findings were correlated with the scans. All 23 adenomas (100%) and 13 of 18 (72%) hyperplastic glands were correctly localized. The ability of the scan to identify abnormal parathyroids was determined by the gland mass rather than whether the tissue was adenomatous or hyperplastic as all 32 (100%) abnormal glands weighing more than 180 mg were successfully localized in contrast to four of nine (44%) glands weighing less than 180 mg. An additional technique, in which emission tomography was carried out after subtraction scintigraphy, was used on 11 patients in the series. In all 11, the site of a single abnormal gland was predicted by the conventional subtraction scan: in nine of these patients, emission tomography provided additional localization of the gland in the anteroposterior plane.

Humans

Epidermal growth factor receptor and oestrogen receptors in the non-malignant part of the cancerous breast.

Fifty-one samples of non-malignant tissue from four mastectomies were analysed to assess oestrogen receptor (ER) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) status across the cancerous breast. No significant relationship was found between the presence of EGFR and ER. Eighty-four per cent of these samples were EGFR positive and 29% expressed both receptor types. EGFR and ER expression was not affected by histological sub-group. In contrast, analysis of 44 primary cancers showed, in agreement with the literature, a significant inverse relationship between the presence of ER and EGFR (Fisher's exact test P less than 0.002). The difference between malignant and non-malignant tissue appeared to result from the prevalence of co-expression of EGFR and ER in the non-malignant specimens. This suggests different regulation of receptor expression in malignant and non-malignant tissue.

Adult