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J R Turner

Publications and source records attributed to J R Turner.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Transepithelial resistance can be regulated by the intestinal brush-border Na(+)/H(+) exchanger NHE3.

Initiation of intestinal Na(+)-glucose cotransport results in transient cell swelling and sustained increases in tight junction permeability. Since Na(+)/H(+) exchange has been implicated in volume regulation after physiological cell swelling, we hypothesized that Na(+)/H(+) exchange might also be required for Na(+)-glucose cotransport-dependent tight junction regulation. In Caco-2 monolayers with active Na(+)-glucose cotransport, inhibition of Na(+)/H(+) exchange with 200 microM 5-(N,N-dimethyl)- amiloride induced 36 +/- 2% increases in transepithelial resistance (TER). Evaluation using multiple Na(+)/H(+) exchange inhibitors showed that inhibition of the Na(+)/H(+) exchanger 3 (NHE3) isoform was most closely related to TER increases. TER increases due to NHE3 inhibition were related to cytoplasmic acidification because cytoplasmic alkalinization with 5 mM NH(4)Cl prevented both cytoplasmic acidification and TER increases. However, NHE3 inhibition did not affect TER when Na(+)-glucose cotransport was inhibited. Myosin II regulatory light chain (MLC) phosphorylation decreased up to 43 +/- 5% after inhibition of Na(+)/H(+) exchange, similar to previous studies that associate decreased MLC phosphorylation with increased TER after inhibition of Na(+)-glucose cotransport. However, NHE3 inhibitors did not diminish Na(+)-glucose cotransport. These data demonstrate that inhibition of NHE3 results in decreased MLC phosphorylation and increased TER and suggest that NHE3 may participate in the signaling pathway of Na(+)-glucose cotransport-dependent tight junction regulation.

Acids↗

Aging alters gastric mucosal responses to epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor-alpha.

Administration of pharmacological doses of epidermal growth factor (EGF) or transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) in young rats stimulates gastric mucosal proliferation, but, in aged rats, the same treatment inhibits proliferation. This may be due to enhanced ligand-induced internalization of EGF receptor (EGFR). In support of this, we demonstrated that although a single injection of EGF (10 microg/kg) or TGF-alpha (5 microg/kg) in young (4-6 mo old) rats greatly increased membrane-associated EGFR tyrosine kinase activity, the same treatment slightly inhibited the enzyme activity in aged (24 mo old) rats. This treatment also produced a greater abundance of punctate cytoplasmic EGFR staining in gastric epithelium of aged rats, consistent with EGFR internalization. In vitro analyses demonstrated that exposure of isolated gastric mucosal cells from aged but not young rats to 100 pM TGF-alpha resulted in marked increases in intracellular EGFR tyrosine kinase activity and that induction of EGFR tyrosine kinase activity in mucosal membranes from aged rats occurred at doses 1,000-fold less than those required in young rats. Our data suggest that aging enhances sensitivity of the gastric mucosa to EGFR ligands. This may partly explain EGFR-mediated inhibition of gastric mucosal proliferation in aged rats.

Aging↗

Molecular physiology and pathophysiology of tight junctions. IV. Regulation of tight junctions by extracellular stimuli: nutrients, cytokines, and immune cells.

The epithelial lining of the gastrointestinal tract forms a regulated, selectively permeable barrier between luminal contents and the underlying tissue compartments. Permeability across the epithelium is, in part, determined by the rate-limiting barrier of the paracellular pathway-the most apical intercellular junction referred to as the tight junction (TJ). The TJ is composed of a multiprotein complex that affiliates with the underlying apical actomyosin ring. TJ structure and function, and therefore epithelial permeability, are influenced by diverse physiological and pathological stimuli; here we review examples of such stimuli that are detected at the cell surface. For example, luminal glucose induces an increase in paracellular permeability to small molecules. Similarly, but by other means, cytokines and leukocytes in the vicinity of the epithelium also regulate TJ structure and paracellular permeability by influencing the TJ protein complex and/or its association with the underlying actin cytoskeleton.

Cytokines↗

Ethnicity and socioeconomic status: impact on cardiovascular activity at rest and during stress in youth with a family history of hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to examine the potential interaction of ethnicity and SES on hemodynamic functioning at rest and during acute stress in normotensive adolescents with a family history of essential hypertension (EH). DESIGN: The influences of ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES) on cardiovascular function were evaluated at rest and in response to five different laboratory stressors. METHODS: 110 (50 female) Caucasian and 162 (85 female) African-American normotensive youth (initial age 11.2+/-2.4 years) with a family history of essential hypertension (EH) were tested on two occasions, an average of 2.5 years apart. Based on previous findings, it was predicted that African Americans, particularly those of low SES, would exhibit higher resting blood pressure (BP) and greater cardiovascular reactivity to acute laboratory stressors than would Caucasians. RESULTS: As predicted, African-American youth exhibited higher resting diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and total peripheral resistance (TPR) than Caucasians on both visits (both Ps<.04). African Americans exhibited greater systolic blood pressure (SBP) reactivity than did Caucasians to the video game stressor during both lab visits (both Ps<.02) and greater heart rate reactivity during the first lab visit (P<.01). African Americans exhibited greater SBP and/or DBP, and TPR reactivity to the cold pressor during the first lab visit and the parent-child discussion during the second visit (all Ps<.03). CONCLUSION: As predicted, African Americans exhibited higher resting BP and TPR, and greater cardiovascular reactivity than Caucasians. Although not in the predicted direction, a pattern of interactions began to emerge on the second evaluation. For example, upper SES youth exhibited greater heart rate reactivity compared to all other groups on the social competence interview and parent-child discussion stressors. Further study is needed to clarify the role cardiovascular reactivity may play in the link between ethnicity, SES, and cardiovascular disease risk.

Adolescent↗

The prognostic significance of lymph node micrometastasis in patients with esophageal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Lymph node metastasis is a well known feature of poor prognosis in patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. However, a significant proportion of apparently lymph node negative patients die early of metastatic disease. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and prognostic significance of occult lymph node metastasis in patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS: Lymph node sections from esophagectomy specimens of 78 patients with lymph node negative esophageal carcinoma (49 patients with adenocarcinoma and 29 with squamous cell carcinoma) were cut serially, it toto, and immunostained with the cytokeratin antibody AE1/AE3 and evaluated for occult lymph node metastasis. The results were correlated with the clinical and pathologic features and with patient survival. RESULTS: Fifteen of 49 patients (31%) with adenocarcinoma and 5 of 29 patients (17%) with squamous cell carcinoma had occult lymph node metastasis detected by cytokeratin staining. In the adenocarcinoma patients, the presence of occult lymph node metastasis showed a significant correlation with increasing depth of invasion, but was not associated significantly with any other clinical or pathologic feature. In the squamous cell carcinoma patients, the presence of occult lymph node metastasis did not correlate significantly with any clinical or pathologic parameter, except that patients with occult lymph node metastasis were more likely to have received preoperative chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Occult lymph node metastasis did not correlate with poorer survival rates in patients with either adenocarcinoma (Cox proportional hazards ratio: 1.42; P - 0.46) or squamous cell carcinoma (Cox proportional hazards ratio: 0.86; P = 0.90). CONCLUSIONS: Occult lymph node metastasis is not an independent poor prognostic feature in esophageal adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma. Therefore, the authors do not recommend extensive lymph node sectioning with keratin immunostaining for prognostication of patients with these malignancies.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Pathologic prognostic factors in Barrett's associated adenocarcinoma: a follow-up study of 96 patients.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate a variety of histologic features, some of which to our knowledge have never been evaluated in Barrett's-associated adenocarcinoma (BAd) (such as Crohn's-like lymphoid reaction and peritumoral lymphoid response) in patients with and without preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy (chemrad) to determine their prognostic significance in these two groups of patients. METHODS: Tumor sections from 96 patients (83 males and 13 females; mean age, 62 years) with resected BAd (61 with chemrad and 35 without chemrad) were evaluated for numerous histologic features such as pathologic stage according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM staging system, peritumoral lymphoid infiltrate, Crohn's-like lymphoid reaction, and degree of post chemrad residual tumor and correlated with the preoperative chemrad status and with survival (mean follow-up, 23 months). RESULTS: By univariate analysis, older patient age (P = 0.02), higher pathologic stage (P = 0.02) (including depth of invasion and lymph node status), infiltrative growth pattern (P = 0.05), perineural invasion (P = 0.05), vascular invasion (P = 0.04), and the absence of a peritumoral lymphoid infiltrate (P = 0.04) were associated with shortened survival in the entire cohort and in patients without chemrad, with the exception of infiltrative growth pattern (P = 0.1 in the nonchemrad group only). Higher stage was the only feature associated with decreased survival in the chemrad group. Subcategorization of lymph nodes according to the number involved with metastases (fewer than four, four to seven, and greater than seven) had no further effect on prognosis. However, subcategorization of T1 tumors into Tla and T1b did influence prognosis in a negative manner. Using multivariate analysis, only older patient age (P = 0.005) and the absence of a peritumoral lymphoid infiltrate (P = 0.05) were statistically associated with poor survival independent of stage. In addition, perineural invasion (P = 0.07) showed a trend toward shortened survival in patients with this feature. Preoperative chemrad had no effect on survival in this retrospective nonrandomized cohort of patients. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the strong prognostic usefulness of the TNM staging system in patients with resected BAd, even in those patients who received preoperative chemrad. In addition, older patient age, the absence of a peritumoral lymphoid infiltrate, and possibly perineural invasion correlate with poor survival independent of pathologic stage in patients with these tumors.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Effects of race, sex, and socioeconomic status upon cardiovascular stress responsivity and recovery in youth.

Cardiovascular (CV) responsivity to and recovery from acute laboratory stressors, as derived from aggregate scores of CV functioning during and after postural change, video game challenge, social competence interview, and parent-child conflict discussion, were evaluated in 272 youths [mean age 13.5 +/- 2.6 years; 162 Blacks (77 males, 85 females), 110 Whites (60 males, 50 females)], all with a positive family history of essential hypertension. Blacks demonstrated greater systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP) and lower heart rate responsivity compared to Whites (all P values < 0.05). A race by neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) interaction for SBP responsivity was also observed where low SES Whites and high SES Blacks had the greatest responsivity compared to their same race cohorts. Additionally, upper SES Whites had the lowest total peripheral resistance responsivity. For recovery, Blacks and males exhibited higher SBP during recovery compared to Whites and females, respectively. These findings extend previous studies and provide further support for the hypothesis that recovery from stress is a potentially informative component of the contribution of stress responsivity to cardiovascular disease.

Adolescent↗

PKC-dependent regulation of transepithelial resistance: roles of MLC and MLC kinase.

The mechanisms by which protein kinase C (PKC) activation results in increased transepithelial resistance (TER) are unknown [G. Hecht, B. Robinson, and A. Koutsouris. Am. J. Physiol. 266 (Gastrointest. Liver Physiol. 29): G214-G221, 1994]. We have previously shown that phosphorylation of the regulatory light chain of myosin II (MLC) is associated with decreases in TER and have suggested that contraction of the perijunctional actomyosin ring (PAMR) increases tight junction (TJ) permeability [J. R. Turner, B. K. Rill, S. L. Carlson, D. Carnes, R. Kerner, R. J. Mrsny, and J. L. Madara. Am. J. Physiol. 273 (Cell Physiol. 42): C1378-C1385, 1997]. We therefore hypothesized that PKC activation alters TER via relaxation of the PAMR. Activation of PKC by the phorbol ester phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) resulted in a progressive dose-dependent increase in TER that was apparent within 15 min (111% of controls) and maximal within 2 h (142% of controls). Similar increases were induced by a diacylglycerol analog, and the effects of both PMA and the diacylglycerol analog were prevented by the PKC inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide I. PMA treatment caused progressive decreases in MLC phosphorylation, by 12% at 15 min and 41% at 2 h. Phosphorylation of MLC kinase (MLCK) increased by 64% within 15 min of PMA treatment and was stable over 2 h (51% greater than that of controls). Thus increases in MLCK phosphorylation preceded decreases in MLC phosphorylation. These data suggest that PKC regulates TER via decreased phosphorylation of MLC, possibly due to inhibitory phosphorylation of MLCK. The decreased phosphorylation of MLC likely reduces PAMR tension, leading to decreased TJ permeability.

Biological Transport↗

Evidence of T cell receptor beta-chain patterns in inflammatory and noninflammatory bowel disease states.

T cell activation, as defined by expression of relevant cell surface molecules, such as the interleukin-2 receptor (CD25), is increased in many chronic relapsing diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). These T cells are generally activated through contact of their clonotypic T cell receptor (TCR) with a peptide antigen presented by a major histocompatibility complex molecule. One of the putative antigenic contact sites for the TCR is the third complementarity determining region (CDR3) of the TCR beta-chain variable region (TCRBV). Therefore, analysis of the TCRBV CDR3 provides insight into the diversity of antigens encountered by a given T cell population. This study evaluated the TCRBV CDR3 usage of the activated intestinal lymphocytes from human subjects with IBD, diverticulitis (inflammatory control), and a normal tissue control. Public patterns, as demonstrated by shared TCRBV CDR3 amino acid sequences of activated intestinal T cell subpopulations, were observed. In particular, a public pattern of TCRBV22, a conserved valine in the fifth position, and use of TCRBJ2S1 or TCRBJ2S5 was present in three of four Crohn's disease subjects while not present in the ulcerative colitis subjects. However, the private patterns of TCRBV CDR3 region amino acid sequences were far more striking and easily demonstrated in all individuals studied, including a normal noninflammatory control. Thus we conclude that selective antigenic pressures are prevalent among an individual's activated intestinal lymphocytes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Pathologic prognostic factors in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a follow-up study of 74 patients with or without preoperative chemoradiation therapy.

One of the primary goals of pathologic examination of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma resection specimens is to provide information regarding morphologic features which can help prognosticate and guide management of affected patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the prognostic utility of a variety of histopathologic prognostic factors in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with and without preoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy (chemrad). Multiple clinical and histologic features such as peri-tumoral lymphocytic infiltrate, Crohn's-like lymphoid reaction, degree of residual tumor, mitosis per 1000 cells, tumor differentiation, lymphatic/vascular invasion, perineural invasion, desmoplastic reaction, and tumor growth pattern were evaluated in patients with (53) and without (21) preoperative chemrad and correlated with survival (mean follow-up, 25 mo). Data were analyzed for the entire cohort and for each separate treatment group by univariate and multivariate analysis. Patients who received chemrad showed no significant survival benefit (hazard ratio = 2.5, P = .10). In the whole cohort of patients, higher pathologic stage (P = .04), poor tumor differentiation (P = .003), increased mitotic count (P = .005), perineural invasion (P = .01), lymphatic/vascular invasion (P = .002), tumor size (P = .05), and absence of a Crohn's-like lymphoid reaction (P = .05) were significantly associated with poor survival by univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, poor tumor differentiation (P = .005), high mitotic count (P = .01), and vascular invasion (P = .03) were important prognostic features, independent of pathologic stage, for the entire cohort. In the chemrad group only, tumor size (in patients with macroscopic residual tumor) (P = .05), lymph node metastasis (P = .03), mitotic count (P = .01), and lymphatic/vascular invasion (P = .02) were significant prognostic indicators by univariate analysis. Upon multivariate analysis, only lymphatic/vascular invasion (P = .02) and mitotic rate (P = .01) were independent predictors of survival. In the nonchemrad group, only tumor differentiation was significant by both univariate (P = .008) and multivariate analysis (P = .03). The differences in pathologic prognostic factors between chemrad and nonchemrad treated cases suggests that chemrad has a significant effect on the biologic properties of these tumors.

Adult↗

Development of gastrointestinal beta2-microglobulin amyloidosis correlates with time on dialysis.

Dialysis-associated beta2-microglobulin (beta2m) amyloidosis affects predominantly musculoskeletal tissue, but visceral involvement also occurs. To evaluate the clinical significance and prevalence of gastrointestinal beta2m amyloidosis, we studied hemodialysis patients admitted for gastrointestinal-related complaints. Hemodialysis patients (excluding those with non-beta2m amyloidosis) who were admitted with gastrointestinal complaints from 1984 to 1994 were identified. Gastrointestinal tissues from patients with available autopsy or surgical specimens were examined using hematoxylin and eosin stain, Congo red stain, and beta2m immunostain. Each case was evaluated independently by two pathologists and scored for quantity and location of beta2m amyloid and associated pathology. Of 24 patients, eight (four men and 4 women) had beta2m amyloid deposits within the gastrointestinal tract. Acute clinical presentation ranged from abdominal pain to gastrointestinal bleeding and was not significantly different for patients with or without gastrointestinal beta2m amyloid deposits. However, the mean time on dialysis of 15.3 +/- 5.7 years (range 6-24 years) for patients with gastrointestinal beta2m amyloidosis was significantly greater than that of patients without gastrointestinal beta2m amyloidosis (10.5 +/- 7.0 years, range <1 to 22 years, p < 0.05). Vascular histopathology ranged from mild focal thickening of vessel walls to massive vascular beta2m amyloid deposition with thrombosis. Extravascular beta2m amyloid ranged from mild to severe with marked expansion of the submucosa. Mucosal pathology ranged from none to severe ulceration. The degree of beta2m amyloid and the associated pathology tended to increase in severity with time on dialysis. Gastrointestinal beta2m amyloid deposition is an underappreciated complication of chronic hemodialysis that is significantly associated with increased time on dialysis. Gastrointestinal beta2m amyloidosis should be considered in any patient on hemodialysis 10 years or more who has gastrointestinal symptoms and can be identified in resection specimens as well as some biopsy specimens. Congo red stain and beta2m immunostains may be necessary for sensitive histopathologic evaluation of gastrointestinal beta2m amyloidosis.

Adult↗

Differential expression of EGFR during early reparative phase of the gastric mucosa between young and aged rats.

Aging is associated with decreased reparative ability of the gastric mucosa. Our recent data suggest a role for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in the mucosal reparative processes. Thus we examined changes in EGFR tyrosine kinase activity as well as expression and subcellular localization of EGFR and its ligand transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) in the gastric mucosa of young (4-mo-old) and aged (24-mo-old) Fischer 344 male rats during the early reparative phase after acute injury induced by 2 M NaCl. Within 240 min of injury, significant epithelial restitution was observed in the gastric mucosa of young but not of aged rats. Expansion of the neck region and initiation of foveolar cell migration could be seen within 45 min of injury in young rats but not until 90 min in aged rats. In young rats mucosal EGFR tyrosine kinase activity increased at 45 min after injury and subsequently fell to basal levels. Mucosal EGFR mRNA increased throughout the reparative phase as did content of the EGFR ligand TGF-alpha. In contrast, although the basal tyrosine kinase activity and levels of EGFR mRNA and TGF-alpha were elevated in the gastric mucosa of aged rats, injury did not cause increases in these parameters. Immunofluorescent localization suggests that internalization and/or degradation of EGFR may be higher in aged than in young rats. We suggest that diminished induction of EGFR tyrosine kinase activity and increased EGFR internalization after injury may in part be responsible for the age-related decrease in the reparative capacity of the gastric mucosa.

Aging↗

Oncogenic forms of NOTCH1 lacking either the primary binding site for RBP-Jkappa or nuclear localization sequences retain the ability to associate with RBP-Jkappa and activate transcription.

Truncated forms of the NOTCH1 transmembrane receptor engineered to resemble mutant forms of NOTCH1 found in certain cases of human T cell leukemia/lymphoma (T-ALL) efficiently induce T-ALL when expressed in the bone marrow of mice. Unlike full-sized NOTCH1, two such truncated forms of the protein either lacking a major portion of the extracellular domain (DeltaE) or consisting only of the intracellular domain (ICN) were found to activate transcription in cultured cells, presumably through RBP-Jkappa response elements within DNA. Both truncated forms also bound to the transcription factor RBP-Jkappa in extracts prepared from human and murine T-ALL cell lines. Transcriptional activation required the presence of a weak RBP-Jkappa-binding site within the NOTCH1 ankyrin repeat region of the intracellular domain. Unexpectedly, a second, stronger RBP-Jkappa-binding site, which lies within the intracellular domain close to the transmembrane region and significantly augments association with RBP-Jkappa, was not needed for oncogenesis or for transcriptional activation. While ICN appeared primarily in the nucleus, DeltaE localized to cytoplasmic and nuclear membranes, suggesting that intranuclear localization is not essential for oncogenesis or transcriptional activation. In support of this interpretation, mutation of putative nuclear localization sequences decreased nuclear localization and increased transcriptional activation by membrane-bound DeltaE. Transcriptional activation by this mutant form of membrane-bound DeltaE was approximately equivalent to that produced by intranuclear ICN. These data are most consistent with NOTCH1 oncogenesis and transcriptional activation being independent of association with RBP-Jkappa at promoter sites.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Analysis of human common bile duct-associated T cells: evidence for oligoclonality, T cell clonal persistence, and epithelial cell recognition.

The phenotype of T cells associated with the common bile duct (CBD) is unknown. We investigated the hypothesis that they behave like other intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL). Thus, we sought to determine the phenotype, TCR repertoire, and epithelial recognition of T cells obtained during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Three subjects were studied: two with primary sclerosing cholangitis and one normal control. After establishing a short-term T cell line, cells were 1) stained with mAbs for flow cytometric analysis, 2) analyzed for TCRB chain transcript expression, and 3) used as effector cells for cytotoxicity and proliferation. Flow cytometry revealed that for all the subjects 98% of the T cells were TCR-alpha beta-positive. Immunohistology of the CBD showed that the epithelium and lamina propria contained significant numbers of CD3+ CD43+ CD45RO+ lymphocytes. Complementarity-determining region 3 length displays suggested that the CBD-derived lines were oligoclonal. This was confirmed by cloning and random sequencing of PCR amplification products using TCRBV region family-specific primers; TCRB chain sequences were reiterated in all transcripts analyzed. In one case, two expanded TCRB clones could be identified that were persistent in the bile duct over a 1-yr period. The CBD-derived lines were cytolytic in a redirected lysis assay and caused cytolysis of an intestinal epithelial cell line (Caco-2). This recognition was likely preferential for intestinal epithelial cells, since a CBD-derived line exhibited proliferation to two intestinal epithelial cell lines (HT-29 and Caco-2) but not three other lines (HepG2, human foreskin fibroblast, and KD). We conclude that the CBD contains IELs that share several characteristics with intestinal IELs.

Animals↗

Low prevalence of human papillomavirus infection in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas from North America: analysis by a highly sensitive and specific polymerase chain reaction-based approach.

Several studies have documented the frequent occurrence of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCC) in patients from geographic regions where the incidence of this type of cancer is high, such as parts of China. However, the prevalence of HPV infection in ESCC in patients from low incidence geographic regions, such as North America, remains controversial. Therefore, this study evaluates the prevalence of HPV in ESCC in patients from North America, a region where the population is considered at low risk for the development of this neoplasm. ESCCs in 51 patients from three North American cities were analyzed for the presence of HPV DNA by a highly sensitive and specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Tumor DNA was extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue specimens and assayed by PCR using an L1 HPV consensus sequence primer, as well as HPV 16 and HPV 18 E7 region primers. The use of consensus primers to the L1 region allows for detection of most known HPV types and many novel HPV types. Appropriately sized reaction products were analyzed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) to confirm the presence and type of HPV, and to exclude products produced by amplification of human DNA sequences. After complete analysis, only one case (2%) of ESCC was HPV DNA positive. This case was independently confirmed using L1 and E7 consensus primers as HPV type 16 and was the only case that tested positive with either assay. These results show that, in contrast to geographic regions where ESCC is prevalent, HPV infection occurs infrequently in association with ESCC in patients from North America.

Adult↗

MN antigen expression in normal, preneoplastic, and neoplastic esophagus: a clinicopathological study of a new cancer-associated biomarker.

Recently, a novel tumor-associated protein, termed MN, has been described in carcinomas of the uterine cervix, where its expression has been shown to be associated with malignant transformation. Because malignant transformation in the esophagus develops through a dysplasia-carcinoma sequence similar to that which occurs in the cervix, this study was performed to evaluate MN expression in normal, preneoplastic, and neoplastic tissues of the esophagus. Esophageal tumor resection specimens from 27 patients (12 squamous cell carcinomas, one multifocal squamous dysplasia, 10 Barrett's-associated adenocarcinomas, two Barrett's esophagus with dysplasia, two adenosquamous carcinomas) were immunohistochemically stained with a monoclonal antibody (clone M75) directed against the MN antigen. The localization of MN antigen, as well as the proportion of positively stained cells, were determined in sections of normal, dysplastic, and carcinomatous tissues. The staining characteristics were correlated with the pathological features of the tumors. Weak intracellular MN expression was detected only in the basal cells of normal squamous epithelium. However, inflamed and reactive squamous epithelium showed increased staining in the basal layer and in the overlying mature squamous cells. MN expression was significantly increased in dysplastic squamous epithelium (P < .001). All esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (100%) stained positively for MN antigen, where the pattern of staining was predominantly membranous. However, the degree of MN staining did not correlate with any of the pathological features of the tumors. In Barrett's epithelium, MN stained positively in all types of metaplastic cells and showed no difference in dysplastic epithelium. In contrast to squamous cell carcinomas, only 80% of esophageal adenocarcinomas were positive for MN, but the degree of MN expression was inversely correlated with histological tumor differentiation (P < .015). The results of this study suggest that (1) the tumor-associated MN antigen may play a role in proliferation and regeneration in esophageal squamous epithelium, and (2) loss of MN expression may be related to cancer progression in Barrett's-associated adenocarcinomas.

Adult↗

Relationships between children's cardiovascular stress responses and resting cardiovascular functioning 1 year later.

Resting cardiovascular parameters were predicted from anthropometric data, resting baseline cardiovascular data, and cardiovascular responses to three laboratory stressors completed 1 year earlier. Subjects were 106 male and female children (72 Whites, 34 Blacks) aged 6-7 years at the initial evaluation. During initial testing, blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, and total peripheral resistance were assessed at rest and also during a forehead cold pressor task, postural change, and treadmill exercise. The same cardiovascular parameters were then assessed at rest 1 year later. After controlling for significant anthropometric measures and the pertinent previous year's resting data, systolic and diastolic responses to the cold pressor were predictive of respective follow-up resting levels. Postural change heart rate responses were predictive of follow-up resting heart rate after controlling for initial resting levels. Exercise cardiac index reactivity predicted follow-up cardiac index after controlling for earlier resting levels and adiposity. Follow-up total peripheral resistance index was predicted by earlier resting levels.

Blood Pressure↗