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Biomedical subjects

C Wolf

Publications and source records attributed to C Wolf.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Stromelysin-3 in stromal tissue as a control factor in breast cancer behavior.

BACKGROUND: It has long been proposed that secreted proteinases, including the matrix metalloproteinases, play an important part in tumor progression in mediating extracellular matrix remodeling. More recently, it has been suggested that extracellular proteinases also regulate growth factors and cytokines that may contribute to tumor progression. METHODS: RNA in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry were used to study the expression, in breast and other types of human carcinomas, of the stromelysin-3 (ST3) gene, which encodes a putative new member of the matrix metalloproteinase family. RESULTS: The ST3 gene is overexpressed in most types of human carcinomas, including breast carcinoma where ST3 RNA was detected in 95% (99 of 104) of invasive primary tumors. Both ST3 protein and RNA are detected in fibroblastic cells immediately surrounding the cancer cells, but not in the malignant cells or in stromal cells at a distance from them. The ST3 gene also is expressed in some in situ breast carcinomas, where ST3 expression correlates with the known risk of these tumors to become invasive. CONCLUSIONS: ST3 is the paradigm of tumor proteinases that are not expressed in the malignant cells of human carcinomas but in fibroblastic cells of tumor stroma. ST3 represents a potential new prognostic parameter to identify subpopulations of aggressive tumors, particularly to evaluate the likelihood of in situ breast carcinoma progression to invasive cancer. Furthermore, the specific expression of the ST3 gene in fibroblastic cells immediately surrounding cancer cells suggests that ST3 may be involved in tumor progression and that it represents a potential target for cancer treatment.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1994

[Promoting research in Swiss psychiatry].

There is a lack of junior scientists in the psychiatry of Switzerland since several years. The paper reports about an investigation of 135 residents and fellows of psychiatric university hospitals of the German speaking part of Switzerland. Results indicate that there is no continuous exchange of informations about projected, ongoing and finished research projects between researchers and clinicians. Residents and fellows are interested in being trained in research methodology and in discussions of actual studies carried out by experienced scientists. They appreciate participating in research projects. Finally some recommendations for the improvement of research promotion in the swiss psychiatry are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Adhesion molecules, extracellular matrix, and proteases in prostate carcinoma.

Immunohistochemical studies of prostate carcinoma reveal that most primary carcinomas, including high-grade tumors, are surrounded by a basal lamina composed of laminin, type IV collagen, and entactin. In addition to the expected laminin subchains A, B1, B2, subchains M and S are also found. Tenascin, found around normal glands, is seen in 60% of carcinomas. The basal cells of the normal gland express several integrin alpha units including alpha 2,3,4,5,6, and v. Both beta 1 and beta 4 subunits are observed. These integrin units are polarized at the base of the cells where they codistribute with the surrounding extracellular matrix. The integrin alpha 6 beta 4 is associated with hemidesmosomal-like structures, as detected by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In carcinoma, the beta 4 is not observed and the alpha 6 and beta 1 subunits are variably expressed. The integrin expression in carcinoma is diffuse in the cytoplasmic membrane and not restricted to the basal aspects of the cell. In addition, type VII collagen and the BP 180 protein which are associated with hemidesmosomes are lost, although the BP 230, plectin, and HD1 proteins are variably expressed. Using immunohistochemistry and northern analysis we observed three metalloproteinases in prostate carcinoma--matrilysin, gelatinase A, and gelatinase B. Western blotting and zymogram analysis reveal that of these three, only matrilysin appears to be present in its active form. Recent in situ hybridization studies reveal focal expression of the matrilysin mRNA in 25/33 primary carcinomas. Matrilysin also appears to be highly expressed in prostatic ducts and atrophic glands. Expression of the three metalloproteinases is also seen in prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia lesions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Autopsy↗
PubMed1994

[Menkes' kinky hair disease: a clinical and pathological case report with special reference to glial changes in the brain damage].

Menkes' kinky hair disease (Kinky hair disease, trichopoliodystrophy) is a rare hereditary disease of copper metabolism. In this study we report about the case of a boy with a long course of disease who died at the age of 6. The last phase of the disease was characterized by an almost uncontrollable excitation stage and later by an apallic syndrome. Clinical course and autopsy result are presented here. The protracted course obviously led to unusual neuropathological changes. In addition to the known neuronal damages an excessive reactive gliosis could be found. The unusual neuropathological course of this gliosis perhaps allows the conclusion that apart from neuronal damages disturbances of copper metabolism have an influence on the glia.

Brain↗
PubMed1994

Inhibition by nilutamide of the mitochondrial respiratory chain and ATP formation. Possible contribution to the adverse effects of this antiandrogen.

The effects of nilutamide on the mitochondrial respiratory chain were investigated in rats. In isolated mitochondria, nilutamide (100 microM) inhibited respiration that was supported by substrates feeding electrons into complex I of the respiratory chain but did not inhibit respiration that was supported by substrates donating electrons to complexes II, III or IV. Inhibition of complex I occurred without any lag time. In submitochondrial particles, nilutamide (100 microM) decreased both oxygen consumption mediated by NADH and the oxidation of NADH; addition of superoxide dismutase and catalase did not alleviate inhibition. There was no electron spin resonance evidence for detectable mitochondrial formation of the nilutamide nitro anion free radical by submitochondrial particles or for the formation of iron-nitrosyl complexes with mitochondrial Fe-S clusters in isolated hepatocytes. Severe inhibition of complex I by nilutamide (500 microM) led to upstream inhibition of fatty acid beta-oxidation. Nilutamide (100 microM) decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP formation in mitochondria energized by malate plus glutamate. In hepatocytes incubated without glucose, nilutamide (500 microM) led to an early (2 hr) drop in cellular ATP and early (4 hr) toxicity. With 5 mM glucose, however, ATP was not decreased and toxicity was mild at these early times. It was concluded that nilutamide itself inhibited the mitochondrial respiratory chain at the level of complex I and decreased ATP in hepatocytes incubated without glucose, which resulted in early toxicity. In the presence of glucose, ATP was not depleted at early times and delayed toxicity was probably the result of an oxidative stress (as previously reported).

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1993

[Effect of inpatient treatment on pulmonary findings and subjective well-being of patients with chronic bronchitis].

In a prospective study, inpatient therapy results (mean duration of hospitalization 27.3 days) has been assessed in 70 patients with COPD (mean age 62.4 years). Therapeutic success was observed in the objective pulmonary parameters (an increase of FEV1 from 50.5% to 57.6%, p < 0.001) and an increase in PaO2 from 7.7 kPa to 8.5 kPa (p < 0.001) as well as an improvement in life quality established by questionnaire. The best pulmonary results were achieved by patients with least pulmonary obstruction and by those with subjective well-being on entry. Women and younger patients experienced the biggest improvement in life quality. Furthermore, there was a correlation between coping with chronic bronchitis and subjective well-being. Importantly, no correlation between changes in the objective pulmonary parameters and changes in well-being was observed; a finding which puts in question the previous rating of inpatient therapy success in COPD.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1993

A two-year trial of oleic and erucic acids ("Lorenzo's oil") as treatment for adrenomyeloneuropathy.

BACKGROUND: Adrenomyeloneuropathy is an X-linked recessive disorder characterized by myelopathy, peripheral neuropathy, and cerebral demyelination, which develop in association with the accumulation of very-long-chain fatty acids. The administration of oleic and erucic acids inhibits the synthesis of very-long-chain fatty acids. Recently such dietary treatment has been widely publicized as a possible cure for this disease. METHODS: We conducted an open trial in 14 men with adrenomyeloneuropathy, 5 symptomatic heterozygous women, and 5 boys (mean age, 13 years) with preclinical adrenomyeloneuropathy. The patients ate a low-fat diet and received daily doses of glycerol trioleate oil (1.7 g per kilogram of body weight) and glycerol trierucate oil (0.3 g per kilogram). Clinical manifestations, cerebral and spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, nerve conduction, and brain-stem auditory and somatosensory evoked potentials were studied prospectively over 18 to 48 months. Plasma levels of very-long-chain fatty acids and the side effects of erucic acid were monitored monthly. RESULTS: By week 10, plasma very-long-chain fatty acid levels declined nearly to normal. Nonetheless, over a mean follow-up of 33 months none of the 14 men with adrenomyeloneuropathy improved. In nine men there was functional deterioration, coincident in four with new cerebral lesions on MRI. In a single patient there was a reduction in cerebellar demyelination, but without clinical improvement. In one of the five asymptomatic boys signs of myelopathy developed. There were no changes in the symptomatic heterozygous women. There was some improvement in peroneal-nerve conduction, but no detectable clinical improvement. Conduction to the parietal cortex (T12-P37 interpeak latency) worsened in both the symptomatic men and the boys with preclinical adrenomyeloneuropathy. There was no change in other somatosensory evoked potentials or in brain-stem auditory evoked potentials. Asymptomatic thrombocytopenia (< 100,000 cells per cubic millimeter) was noted in six patients. CONCLUSIONS: In this open trial we found no evidence of a clinically relevant benefit from dietary treatment with oleic and erucic acids ("Lorenzo's oil") in patients with adrenomyeloneuropathy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Identification of a new interferon-alpha-inducible gene (p27) on human chromosome 14q32 and its expression in breast carcinoma.

A new complementary DNA, p27, has been cloned and sequenced from estradiol-treated MCF7 human breast carcinoma cells. It encodes a putative highly hydrophobic protein of 122 amino acids which has a 33% overall sequence similarity to the product of the 6-16 gene (R. L. Friedman, S. P. Manly, M. McMahon, I. M. Kerr, and G. R. Stark, Cell, 38: 745-755, 1984), which is transcriptionally induced by interferons of the alpha/beta type. We demonstrate here that the p27 gene, which is located in band q32 of human chromosome 14, is also induced by interferon-alpha in human cell lines of different origin and that expression is independent of the presence of estradiol receptor in the cells. High levels of p27 RNA were found in vivo in approximately 50% of primary human breast carcinomas (21 were tested by Northern blotting). In situ hybridization to some of the p27-overexpressing tumors showed that the p27 RNA is localized in cancer cells and sometimes also in fibroblastic cells of tumor stroma. p27 RNA levels in the tumors did not correlate with the presence of estrogen receptor or with the expression of the estrogen-induced pS2 gene. Further studies are now necessary to elucidate the cause of p27 gene overexpression in breast carcinoma and in particular to determine whether it corresponds to chromosomal rearrangements in the 14q32 region and/or to induction by interferons of the alpha/beta type.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

The activation of rat platelets increases the exposure of polyunsaturated fatty acid enriched phospholipids on the external leaflet of the plasma membrane.

Rat platelets have been hydrogenated in the presence of colloidal palladium adsorbed on the surface of the non water-soluble polymer polyvinylpolypyrrolidone. This non-permeating catalyst restricts hydrogenation of the fatty acyl double bonds of phospholipids only in the outer half of the plasma membrane. The pattern of hydrogenation of the molecular species present on the external side of the membrane is determined using desorption-chemical soft ionization-mass spectrometry (DCI-MS) before and after cell activation by the calcium ionophore A23187. The accessibility to the catalyst of the polyunsatured molecular species within each phospholipid class is compared for resting and activated cells. The abundance of polyunsaturated species of phosphatidyl-ethanolamine and -serine in the inner half of the resting biomembrane is confirmed in rat platelets. Phosphatidylcholine is especially rich in disaturated species in this membrane. The induced exposure of the polyunsaturated species of diacyl- and ether-phosphatidylethanolamine, and of phosphatidylserine on the external side of the membrane appears after activation by the calcium ionophore. A detailed quantitative analysis within a phospholipid class shows an unequal scrambling for diacyl-, alkyl-, alkenyl-phosphatidylethanolamine, and a variable involvement in the transmembrane redistribution following cell activation of the various molecular species as a function of the acyl moities.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Stromelysin 3 belongs to a subgroup of proteinases expressed in breast carcinoma fibroblastic cells and possibly implicated in tumor progression.

The expression of the stromelysin 3 (ST3) gene, which encodes a putative matrix metalloproteinase, was studied during breast cancer progression. The ST3 gene is expressed in all invasive breast carcinomas, in a number of their metastases, and in some in situ carcinomas where the probability of detecting ST3 transcripts correlates with the known risk of these carcinomas to become invasive. ST3 RNA and protein were specifically detected in fibroblastic cells immediately surrounding the neoplastic cells in both primary and metastatic tumors. This expression pattern distinguishes the ST3 gene from other matrix metalloproteinase genes, most notably from the 72-kDa type IV collagenase gene, which can be expressed in fibroblastic cells distributed throughout the stroma of primary breast carcinomas. Furthermore, high levels of 72-kDa type IV collagenase, but not of ST3 transcripts, are detected in benign breast fibroadenomas. Interestingly, the urokinase and ST3 genes exhibit very similar patterns of expression in breast carcinomas, which suggests that their products may cooperate during cancer progression.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1993

Increased stromelysin 3 gene expression is associated with increased local invasiveness in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

Matrix metalloproteinases are believed to play an important role in tumor invasion and metastasis. To examine the expression of the stromelysin 3 (ST3) gene, a new member of the matrix metalloproteinase gene family, 111 head and neck squamous cell carcinomas and 21 metastatic lymph nodes were analyzed by Northern blot. ST3 gene expression was observed in 106 carcinomas and 19 metastatic nodes, but in only 2 of 60 samples of corresponding normal tissue tested in parallel. ST3 RNA, by in situ hybridization, and ST3 protein, by immunohistochemical analysis, were specifically detected in fibroblastic cells immediately surrounding invasive cancer cells. This fibroblastic expression of the ST3 gene is characteristic among the matrix metalloproteinase genes known to be overexpressed in head and neck carcinomas, since stromelysin 2 transcripts were specifically detected in neoplastic cells, and type I collagenase transcripts in both neoplastic cells and stromal fibroblasts. Furthermore, there was a highly significant positive correlation (P < 0.0001) between ST3 RNA levels and local invasiveness by the cancer cells, suggesting that enhanced expression of the ST3 gene may contribute to the neoplastic phenotype in head and neck carcinomas.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗
PubMed1993

Expression of the stromelysin-3 gene in fibroblastic cells of invasive carcinomas of the breast and other human tissues: a review.

Stromelysin-3 (ST3) is a putative new matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) which may play a role in the progression of human carcinomas, and exhibits unique structural and functional characteristics among the MMP family. The ST3 gene, which is generally not expressed at significant levels in benign breast tumors, has been found to be expressed in all invasive breast carcinomas tested so far. The gene is also expressed in some in situ breast carcinomas, which have a higher probability to become invasive. ST3 RNA and protein are specifically found in fibroblastic cells immediately surrounding the neoplastic cells, both in invasive and in situ breast carcinomas. The same expression pattern is observed in other types of human carcinomas, and the highest ST3 RNA levels are observed in tumors that exhibit high local invasiveness. The ST3 gene is also expressed in fibroblastic cells during the inflammatory phase of wound healing, which suggests that ST3 gene expression in stromal fibroblasts may be under the control of factors produced by inflammatory cells during wound healing, and by cancer cells during carcinoma progression. ST3 may thus represent a stroma-derived factor necessary for the progression of epithelial malignancies, and its manipulation may possibly be used to develop new anti-cancer agents.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

The mouse one P-domain (pS2) and two P-domain (mSP) genes exhibit distinct patterns of expression.

We have previously shown that the human pS2 gene, which codes for a secreted peptide of 60 amino acids, is expressed in a number of human carcinomas, including carcinomas of the breast, the pancreas, and the large bowel. Strong pS2 gene expression was also observed in the normal gastric mucosa and in the regenerative tissues surrounding ulcerous lesions of the gastrointestinal tract. A number of pS2 similar peptides, designated as P-domain peptides, have been described, notably the porcine (PSP), murine (mSP), and human (hSP) spasmolytic polypeptides, which correspond to duplicated pS2 proteins. We have now cloned a mouse homolog of the human pS2 cDNA to dispose of an animal model to study the pS2 protein function, which remains unknown at the present time. We show that the mouse putative pS2 protein sequence and the physiological pattern of expression of the mouse pS2 gene are well conserved. The mouse pS2 gene is highly expressed in the stomach mucosa cells, whereas no pS2 gene expression could be detected in the mouse mammary gland, even during postnatal development processes dependent on growth factors or hormones. Using in situ hybridization, we show that although coexpressed in the fundus, the antrum and the antrum-pyloric regions of the stomach, the mouse pS2 and mSP genes exhibit distinct and complementary cellular patterns of expression.

Aging↗
PubMed1993

Metabolic activation of the nitroaromatic antiandrogen flutamide by rat and human cytochromes P-450, including forms belonging to the 3A and 1A subfamilies.

The in vitro metabolic activation of flutamide, a nitroaromatic antiandrogen which produces hepatitis in a few recipients, was first studied with male rat liver microsomes. There was no electron spin resonance evidence for the reduction of flutamide by reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-cytochrome P-450 reductase into a nitro anion free radical. In contrast, flutamide was oxidatively transformed by cytochrome P-450 into reactive metabolite(s) that covalently bound to microsomal proteins. Covalent binding required oxygen and NADPH, and was decreased by the nucleophile glutathione and by the cytochrome P-450 inhibitors SKF 525-A, piperonyl butoxide and troleandomycin (an inhibitor of the cytochrome P-450 3A subfamily). Covalent binding was increased markedly by pretreatment with dexamethasone (an inducer of the cytochrome P-450 3A subfamily) and moderately by pretreatment with beta-naphthoflavone (an inducer of the 1A family). Covalent binding was immunoinhibited markedly by anticytochrome P-450 3A immunoglobulin G and moderately by anticytochrome P-450 1A immunoglobulin G. Covalent binding was much lower with liver microsomes from female rats (not expressing P-450 3A2). Covalent binding of flutamide also occurred with human liver microsomes (where it was inhibited by troleandomycin), and with yeast microsomes expressing human liver cytochromes P-450 1A1, 1A2 or 3A4. We concluded that flutamide was oxidatively transformed into chemically reactive metabolite(s) by rat and human cytochromes P-450, including forms belonging to the 3A and 1A subfamilies.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Methylmethacrylate plasma levels during total hip arthroplasty.

Methylmethacrylate (MMA) plasma concentrations were measured in 11 patients scheduled for total hip arthroplasty. After acetabular and after femoral cement implantation, sequential blood samples were withdrawn from pulmonary and radial artery catheters. The peak concentration of MMA (mean +/- standard error of the mean) in pulmonary artery blood occurred two minutes after cement implantation and was significantly higher after acetabulum (5.0 +/- 1.3 micrograms/ml) than after femoral cement insertion (1.9 +/- 0.6 micrograms/ml). The MMA peak in plasma was above 1 micrograms/ml in 13 cases, and the decrease fit a biexponential decay (r = 0.91). The initial half-life was 0.3 +/- 0.1 minutes, and the terminal half-life was 3 +/- 0.7 minutes. The areas under the curve (AUC) were determined for pulmonary (AUCpa) and radial (AUCra) plasma samples, and the ratio (AUCpa - AUCra)/AUCpa was computed: 55.1 +/- 7.8% of MMA was cleared during the transpulmonary passage. These results demonstrate that: (1) MMA could be determined after each cement implantation, (2) MMA plasma concentrations were higher after acetabulum than after femoral cement implantation, and (3) the half-life is short and the total pulmonary clearance is high.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Heterogeneity of arachidonate and paf-acether precursor pools in mast cells.

In mammalian cells, arachidonate release and paf-acether formation are frequently associated. The alkyl-acyl-GPC has been proposed as an important source for released arachidonic acid and arachidonate-containing alkylacyl-GPC species as unique precursor for paf-acether. However, the specificity of precursor pools either concerning arachidonic acid or paf-acether is still a matter of controversy. We studied the relationship between the precursor pools for both autacoids in antigenically-stimulated cultured mast cells. We took advantage of the particular arachidonate turnover rate in each phospholipid to investigate the role of alkyl-arachidonyl-GPC in the supply of arachidonic acid by using newly and previously [14C]arachidonate-labeled cells. The specific activity of the released arachidonate was reduced 2-fold following overnight cell incubation, whereas labeling in alkyl-arachidonoyl-GPC was only slightly modified and never corresponded to that of released arachidonate when newly or previously labeled cells were triggered with the antigen. These results are not in favor of a major role for alkyl-arachidonoyl-GPC in supplying arachidonate. In contrast, by using previously labeled cells, we demonstrated that all arachidonate-containing phospholipids were involved in the release of arachidonic acid. The pattern of alkyl chains in alkyl-arachidonoyl-GPC, as well as in total alkylacyl-GPC, is unique since it consists mainly of 18:1 (more than 55%), whereas the 16:0 represents only about 30% of total alkyl chains. Therefore, we analyzed paf-acether molecular composition in order to compare it to the alkyl composition of the precursor pools. The content in 18:1 species of paf-acether, as measured by bioassay (aggregation of rabbit platelets), was always lower than that of 16:0 species and then did not correspond to the alkyl composition of the precursor. These data suggest that the enzymes involved in paf synthesis might be specific for 16:0 alkyl chains of precursor pool.

Acetyltransferases↗