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PubMed2002

Characterization and comparison of three passive air samplers for persistent organic pollutants.

The accumulation of persistent organic pollutants by three passive sampling media--semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs), polyurethane foam (PUF) disks, and an organic-rich soil--was investigated. The media were exposed to contaminated indoor air over a period of 450 days, and concentrations in the air and in the media were monitored for individual polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners and polychlorinated naphthalene homologue groups. Uptake was initially linear and governed by the surface area of the sampler and the boundary layer airside mass transfer coefficient (MTC). Mean values of the MTC were 0.13, 0.11, and 0.26 cm s-1 for SPMD, PUF, and soil, respectively. As the study progressed, equilibrium was established between ambient air and the passive sampling media for the lower molecular weight PCB congeners. This information was used to calculate passive sampler-air partition coefficients, KPSM-A. These were correlated to the octanol-air partition coefficient, and the resulting regressions were used to predict KPSM-A for the full suite of PCBs. Information on MTC, KPSM-A, surface area, and effective thickness of each sampler was used to estimate times to equilibrium for each medium. These ranged from tens of days for the lower molecular weight congeners to tens of years for the higher molecular weight PCBs. Expressions were also developed to relate the amount of chemical accumulated by the passive sampling media to average ambient air concentrations over the integration period of the sample.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2000

PTP LAR expression compared to prognostic indices in metastatic and non-metastatic breast cancer.

Several prognostic indices in breast cancer, including c-erbB2, epithelial growth factor receptors (EGFR), estrogen and progesterone receptors are signal transduction molecules. Recently, expression of another signal transduction molecule, the protein tyrosine phosphatase LAR, has been suggested to be increased in breast cancer. The objective of the current investigation was to examine the relationship between LAR expression and prognostic parameters in breast cancer. LAR expression was associated with metastatic potential in the well-characterized 13762NF rat mammary adenocarcinoma clones. The metastatic MTLn3 and MTLn2 clones expressed sizable amounts of LAR. The essentially non-metastatic MTC clone had little LAR expression. C-erbB2 had highest expression in the highly metastatic MTLn3 clone, but c-erbB2 levels were sizeable in the weakly metastatic MTLn2 and non-metastatic MTC clone. EGFR expression had the strongest association with a clone's metastatic potential, being very high in MTLn3, weak in MTLn2, and undetectable in MTC. In human breast cancer specimens, LAR expression was strongly positive in 50% of metastatic cases but in only 21% of 'non-metastatic' cases. As with the 13762NF-derived clones, c-erbB2 expression was strongly positive independent of metastatic phenotype. However, 46% (6/13) of cases that were strongly positive for c-erbB2 were strongly positive for LAR. Only 17% (2/11) of negative or weakly c-erbB2 positive samples were strongly positive for LAR. All ER+ positive tumors (n = 15) were positive for LAR and 53% of these tumors were strongly positive for LAR. In ER negative cases, only 1 of 11 was strongly positive for LAR. While the current data indicate a strong association between ER and LAR expression in breast cancer tissue (p = 0.003), additional studies are warranted to further explore the relationship between LAR and prognostic indices of breast cancer progression.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2005

Sibling relationships as contexts for delinquency training in low-income families.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the link between sibling relationships and antisocial behavior in 208 boys from low-income families. Sibling relational attributes and mother-target child (MTC) relationship quality were assessed when the target child (TC) was 10 years old. At ages 11 and 12, TC antisocial behavior and TC reports of peer antisocial behavior were evaluated. Results indicated that MTC negative relationship quality was significantly related to sibling conflict. In turn, sibling conflict was a significant predictor of antisocial behavior; sibling warmth/closeness was related to TC reports of peer antisocial behavior. Findings also indicated that sibling relationship quality was related to antisocial behavior after controlling for MTC negativity. Implications for interventions are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Isolation and characterization of human calcitonin gene-related peptide.

The rat calcitonin gene has recently been shown to encode a novel peptide (rat calcitonin gene-related peptide, rCGRP) thought to be produced in nervous tissue after tissue-specific RNA processing. This peptide has so far been identified only in rat tissue, by immunocytochemistry and immunoassay. We now report the isolation of a related (89% homology) peptide from human tissue (hCGRP) which we have sequenced using a novel mass spectrometric approach, fast atom bombardment (FAB) mapping. The human peptide differs significantly from the predicted rCGRP structure in four positions in the amino acid sequence (three effecting charge changes), and the presence of a disulphide bridge and an amide, surmised in the rat work, is proven in the hCGRP molecule. hCGRP was present in plasma from 10 patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and in 6 MTC tumours removed at surgery, suggesting the tissue distribution may differ from that in the rat where the peptide is reported to be absent from thyroid tissue. hCGRP is shown to have biological activity and it is possible that its presence in MTC plasma may be responsible for some of the symptoms in this disease.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

A mutation in the RET proto-oncogene associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B and sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma.

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2) comprises three clinically distinct, dominantly inherited cancer syndromes. MEN 2A patients develop medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and phaeochromocytoma. MEN 2B patients show in addition ganglioneuromas of the gastrointestinal tract and skeletal abnormalities. In familial MTC, only the thyroid is affected. Germ-line mutations of the RET proto-oncogene have recently been reported in association with MEN 2A and familial MTC. All mutations occurred within codons specifying cysteine residues in the transition point between the RET protein extracellular and transmembrane domains. We now show that MEN 2B is also associated with mutation of the RET proto-oncogene. A mutation in codon 664, causing the substitution of a threonine for a methionine in the tyrosine kinase domain of the protein, was found in all nine unrelated MEN 2B patients studied. The same mutation was found in six out of 18 sporadic tumours.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Mutation analysis of the c-mos proto-oncogene and the endothelin-B receptor gene in medullary thyroid carcinoma and phaeochromocytoma.

The characteristic tumours of MEN 2 are medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and phaeochromocytoma. Somatic RET mutations have been found in only 23-40% of sporadic MTC and 10% of sporadic phaeochromocytomas. Thus, we sought other genes which may play a role in the pathogenesis of these tumours. We carried out direct sequence analysis of human c-mos and human ENRB in a series of sporadic MTC and phaeochromocytomas to determine if somatic mutations in these two genes could account for some of the sporadic MEN 2-related tumours in which no RET mutations are detected. No somatic mutations were found.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗
PubMed2006

Mechanisms of Disease: cancer targeting and the impact of oncogenic RET for medullary thyroid carcinoma therapy.

Growing evidence supports the concept of oncogene dependence for cancer development; inhibition of the initiating oncogene can result in revertion of the neoplastic phenotype. The outstanding role of the RET proto-oncogene in the development of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is well established. With the emerging knowledge concerning the signal transduction pathways leading to subsequent neoplastic transformation, oncogenic activated RET becomes a highly attractive target for selective cancer therapy. A variety of novel approaches that target RET directly or indirectly have recently emerged and an increasing number are currently being assessed in clinical trials. In view of these findings, it becomes strikingly obvious that inhibition of RET oncogene function can be a viable option for the treatment of MTC. We summarize the current evidence for RET involvement in the etiology of MTC, and the therapeutic targeting of this process in preclinical and clinical studies.

Carcinoma, Medullary↗
PubMed2003

The Ki67 index a prognostic marker in medullary thyroid carcinoma.

Our objective was to examine the usefulness of the Ki67 proliferation index as a prognostic marker in patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). It is difficult to predict the prognosis of MTC by using conventional prognostic factors. Immunocytochemical analysis of tumour proliferation has been used as a prognostic tool in some tumours, but only rarely in MTC. In all, 71 tumours from 36 patients were investigated, by using a semiautomatic image analysis programme. On average 10,000 nuclear profiles were counted per tumour, and the percentage of tumour cells expressing the proliferation marker, Ki67, was calculated. Primary tumours that had metastasised had higher Ki67 indices than primary tumours that had not metastasised. Recurrent lymph node metastasis had higher Ki67 indices than the primary tumours. By using a Poisson model, it was possible to estimate the median survival time for individual patients if the Ki67 index for the primary tumour and the age at surgery were known. The higher the Ki67 index and the age at operation were, the shorter was the survival. Estimating the median survival of individual patients will be of help for planning the patients' life and postoperative follow-up and treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Adenovirus-mediated tumor-specific combined gene therapy using Herpes simplex virus thymidine/ganciclovir system and murine interleukin-12 induces effective antitumor activity against medullary thyroid carcinoma.

The present treatment of advanced and metastatic medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is unsatisfactory. Tissue-specific cancer gene therapy is a novel alternative approach. We developed a recombinant adenovirus expressing Herpes simplex type 1 thymidine kinase (HSVtk) driven by a modified CALC-I promoter TCP (AdTCPtk). Infection with this virus showed efficient cytotoxic effect on MTC cell lines (rMTC and TT cells) after treatment with ganciclovir (GCV) in vitro. In a syngenic WAG/Rij rat model, the combination of AdTCPtk/GCV treatment with administration of murine interleukin-12 (mIL-12) expressing adenovirus under control of TCP (AdTCPmIL-12) resulted in effective growth suppression of tumor at the treated site and also at a distant untreated site, in comparison to treatment with AdTCPtk/GCV or AdTCPmIL-12 alone. Moreover, intravenous injection of AdTCPtk, or AdTCPtk+AdTCPmIL-12, followed by administration of GCV, did not cause evident toxicity after administration of GCV. These results indicate that this combined system can provide an effective therapy for metastatic MTC with minimal toxicity.

Adenoviridae↗
PubMed2002

Effective gene therapy for medullary thyroid carcinoma using recombinant adenovirus inducing tumor-specific expression of interleukin-12.

No satisfactory treatment of metastatic medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is available. Cell-specific gene therapy offers a new approach. We have constructed a recombinant replication-defective adenoviral vector expressing murine interleukin-12 (mIL-12), driven by a modified CALC-I promoter (TCP). This vector (AdTCPmIL-12) includes two separate cassettes encoding mIL-12 p35 or p40 subunit controlled by TCP inserted in the E1 region of adenovirus type 5. In vitro and in vivo reporter gene expression using TCP revealed its cell-specific activity. AdTCPmIL-12-infected rat MTC (rMTC) cells produced high amounts of functional mIL-12 cells in vitro, while other cell lines infected with AdTCPmIL-12 did not. AdTCPmIL-12-transduced rMTC cells completely lost their tumorigenicity in syngenic WAG/Rij rats. Direct injection of 1 x 10(9) plaque forming units of AdTCPmIL-12 into subcutaneous rMTC tumors in WAG/Rij rats caused tumor regression in over 60% of animals within 20 days. Rats cured of tumors did not develop tumors after re-injection of naive rMTC cells, demonstrating lasting immunity. Treatment with AdTCPmIL-12 of one tumor resulted in regression of an established tumor at a distant site. Moreover, intratumoral or intravenous injection of AdTCPmIL-12 did not induce evident toxicity. These results indicate AdTCPmIL-12 can contribute to effective and less toxic gene therapy of MTC.

Adenoviridae↗
PubMed2003

Proinflammatory cytokines and their role in the development of major transplant-related complications in the early phase after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

Serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha were frequently measured during the first 30 days after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in 84 consecutive adult patients. Major transplant-related complications (MTCs) occurred in 33% of cases and included veno-occlusive liver disease, idiopathic pneumonia syndrome, severe endothelial leakage syndrome and >grade II acute graft-versus-host disease. Compared with patients having minor complications, those with MTCs developed higher levels at times of maximal clinical signs (all cytokines, P<0.001), between days 0-5 post-BMT (IL-6 and IL-8, P<0.05) and days 6-10 (L-6, P<0.001; IL-8 and TNF, P<0.01) post-BMT. We could not discriminate patterns of cytokine release that were specific for any subtype of MTC. Higher levels of IL-8 during days 0-5 were associated (P=0.044) with early (<40 days) death. Multivariate analysis including patient and transplant characteristics as well as post-BMT levels of C-reactive protein showed that high average levels of one or more of the cytokines within the first 10 days post-BMT were independently associated with MTC (Odd's ratio: 2.3 [1.2-4.5], P=0.011). This study shows that systemic release of proinflammatory cytokines contributes to the development of MTC and provides a rationale for pre-emptive anti-inflammatory treatment in selected patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

A complex nine base pair deletion in RET exon 11 common in sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma.

Genetic alteration of the RET proto-oncogene is associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A and 2B (MEN 2A and MEN 2B), familial medullary thyroid carcinoma (FMTC) and Hirschprung's disease. Oncogenically activated RET has also been demonstrated in sporadic medullary thyroid tumors, which in some cases show somatic missense mutations. We have recently described a complex 9 bp deletion in RET exon 11 in a single case of sporadic MTC. In order to determine the prevalence of this mutation among sporadic MTC tumors, we have now analysed 15 cases and five normal controls by PCR-based nonradioactive single-strand conformational polymorphism analysis (PCR-SSCP) and fragment size analysis of exon 11. DNA was extracted from microdissected tumor tissue or normal cells and subjected to nested PCR prior to analysis. A markedly divergent SSCP pattern and a PCR fragment 9 bp shorter than normal were demonstrated in 14 of the 15 MTC tumors. Sequencing revealed the deletion of nine bases encompassing a key cysteine at codon 634, often altered in MEN 2A. Four lymphocyte controls and normal thyroid tissue from one patient failed to show the deletion. Several factors in the DNA sequence environment immediately surrounding the deletions, including an extended inverted repeat, several direct repeats and a so-called symmetric element suggest that the deletional events may be non-random.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Somatic in frame deletions not involving juxtamembranous cysteine residues strongly activate the RET proto-oncogene.

Somatic RET mutations have been identified in a variable proportion (about 30-70%) of sporadic Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma (MTC) cases. They are represented by the Met918Thr substitution (exon 16) typical of Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 2B (MEN2B) and, to a lesser extent, by nucleotide changes occurring at one of five critical cysteine residues (exons 10 and 11) typical of MEN type 2A (MEN2A). An in vitro transforming activity has already been demonstrated for these mutations. A few different MTC somatic mutations have been reported so far whose biological activity has still to be tested. In this paper we report the identification, in two MTC tumor samples, of two interstitial deletions of 48 bp and 6 bp occurred in exons 10 and 11 respectively. Both were somatic heterozygous in frame mutations, not involving any cysteine residue. Moreover, the expression of a full length RET cDNA carrying one of the two deletions demonstrated a strong transforming capacity in NIH3T3 cells.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1998

Expression of v-Ha-ras driven by the calcitonin/calcitonin gene-related peptide promoter: a novel transgenic murine model for medullary thyroid carcinoma.

v-Ha-ras has been demonstrated previously to induce neuroendocrine differentiation of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC, malignant C cell tumor) cell lines. The potential role of ras mediated signaling in neuroendocrine cells in vivo has been investigated by expressing v-Ha-ras under control of the neural/neuroendocrine specific calcitonin/calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) promoter. Five independent mouse lineages were derived following germ line insertion of the transgene. Four of the five lineages consistently express the transgene; neuroendocrine expression is found in three of the five lineages as both spliced and full length messages. Phenotypically, the mice expressing rascal have shortened lifespans primarily due to the high incidence of MTCs between 6 months to a year of age. C-cell hyperplasia is demonstrated in several mice in the absence of gross evidence of tumor formation. Histopathological and ultrastructural analyses demonstrate typical features of MTCs including prominent immunohistochemical staining for calcitonin and dense-core neurosecretory-type granules. In addition, four of 22 tumors co-express thyroglobulin (a non-neuroendocrine follicular epithelial cell marker) and calcitonin (a neuroendocrine marker) in a subset of the tumor cells. The rascal transgenic mouse provides a unique model for investigating the sequential pathogenesis of MTC and possibly also for elucidating the relationship between MTC and mixed medullary-follicular carcinomas.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Self-association of the transmembrane domain of RET underlies oncogenic activation by MEN2A mutations.

In patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and type 2A multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN2A), mutations of cysteine residues in the extracellular juxtamembrane region of the RET receptor tyrosine kinase cause the formation of covalent receptor dimers linked by intermolecular disulfide bonds between unpaired cysteines, followed by oncogenic activation of the RET kinase. The close proximity to the plasma membrane of the affected cysteine residues prompted us to investigate the possible role of the transmembrane (TM) domain of RET (RET-TM) in receptor-receptor interactions underlying dimer formation. Strong self-association of the RET-TM was observed in a biological membrane. Mutagenesis studies indicated the involvement of the evolutionary conserved residues Ser-649 and Ser-653 in RET-TM oligomerization. Unexpectedly, RET-TM interactions were also abrogated in the A639G/A641R double mutant, first identified in a sporadic case of MTC. In agreement with this, no transforming activity could be detected in full-length RET carrying the A639G and A641R mutations, which remained fully responsive to glial cell-line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) stimulation. When introduced in the context of C634R - a cysteine replacement that is prevalent in MEN2A cases - the A639G/A641R mutations significantly reduced dimer formation and transforming activity in this otherwise highly oncogenic RET variant. These data suggest that a strong propensity to self-association in the RET-TM underlies - and may be required for - dimer formation and oncogenic activation of juxtamembrane cysteine mutants of RET, and explains the close proximity to the plasma membrane of cysteine residues implicated in MEN2A and MTC syndromes.

Alanine↗
PubMed1997

Mechanism of tubulin-colchicine recognition: a kinetic study of the binding of the colchicine analogues colchicide and isocolchicine.

Colchicide (IDE) is a colchicine (COL) analogue in which the C-10 methoxy group is replaced by a hydrogen atom. Its binding to tubulin is accompanied by a quenching of the protein fluorescence. The fluorescence decrease shows a monoexponential time dependence. The observed rate constant increases in a non-linear way with the total concentration of IDE, allowing the determination of a binding constant for an initial binding site (K1=5300+/-300 M-1) and the rate constant for the subsequent isomerization (k2=0.071+/-0.002 s-1) at 25 degrees C. The rate constant, k-2, for the reversed isomerization can be determined by displacement experiments. Despite the minor alteration of the C-ring substituent, the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of binding are substantially different from those of COL itself, for both steps. In isocolchicine (ISO) the carbonyl oxygen atom and the methoxy groups of the C-ring have been interchanged. Its binding to tubulin only results in small fluorescence and absorbance changes. Therefore competition experiments with MTC [2-methoxy-5-(2',3',4'-trimethoxyphenyl)-2,4, 6-cycloheptatrien-1-one] were performed. ISO competes rapidly and with low affinity with MTC. Fluorimetric titrations of tubulin with MDL (MDL 27048 or trans-1-(2,5 dimethoxyphenyl)-3-[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]-2-methyl-2-propen-1 -one) in the presence and absence of ISO give evidence for the existence of a second, slow-reacting low-affinity site for ISO that is not accessible to MTC or MDL. The relevance of these results for the recognition of COL is analysed.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

In vivo dynamics of human medial gastrocnemius muscle-tendon complex during stretch-shortening cycle exercise.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the dynamics of human muscle-tendon complex (MTC) during stretch-shortening cycle exercises through in vivo observation. A total of seven male subjects performed dorsi flexion followed by plantar flexion at two different frequencies, 0.3 Hz (slow) and 1.0 Hz (fast), in a toe-standing position. The fascicle length (LF) of the medial gastrocnemius muscle during the movements was determined using a real-time ultrasonography in vivo. The LF at the switching phase from dorsi to plantar flexion was significantly shorter in the fast exercise (54.4 +/- 5.5 mm) than in the slow one (58.2 +/- 5.4 mm), suggesting that the elongation of tendon structures at that time was significantly greater in the former than in the latter. Furthermore, at the initial stage of plantar flexion during the fast movement, the LF hardly changed with a rapid shortening of tendon structures at that time. The observed relation between MTC length and force showed that the behaviour of tendon structures contributed to 20.2 and 42.5% of the total amount of work completed during plantar flexion phase in the slow and fast movements, respectively. Thus, the present results suggest that tendon structures make the dynamics of MTC more efficient during stretch-shortening cycle exercises by changing their lengths.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Somatic mutations in the RET proto-oncogene in sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: We have determined the frequency of specific mutations in the RET proto-oncogene in sporadic medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTCs) and correlated the presence or absence of a codon 918 mutation with the clinical characteristics of these tumours. DESIGN: Thirty paraffin-embedded sporadic MTCs and two frozen MTCs were collected for analysis of specific mutations in the RET proto-oncogene in codons 609, 611, 618 and 620 (exon 10); 630 and 634 (exon 11); 768 (exon 13); 883 (exon 15) and 918 (exon 16). A novel primer was designed which introduced a restriction site for Rsal in the presence of the specific codon 918 mutation (ATG-->ACG) in these tumour samples. A 'clinical-genetic' correlation was performed comparing the presence of absence of the codon 918 mutation with the following clinical characteristics: age at diagnosis, tumour size, presence or absence of metastases, MTC related morbidity, and base line calcitonin levels at diagnosis or most recent follow-up. PATIENTS: Patients were classified as having sporadic MTC if there was no family history of C-cell hyperplasia, MTC, phaeochromocytoma or parathyroid disease. Retrospective review of patient records enabled complete clinical data to be obtained in 28 of 32 patients. MEASUREMENTS: Base line calcitonin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay or calcitonin enzyme linked immunoassay. Cysteine codons in exons 10 and 11, specifically codons 609, 611, 618, 620, 630 and 634, were screened for the presence of mutations by sequence analysis. Specific mutations occurring at codons 768, 883 and 918 were screened for by restriction endonuclease digestion of PCR products. RESULTS: The mutation at codon 918ATG-->ACG was found in 21 of 32 (66%) MTCs and the mutation at codon 883GCT-->TTT was found in one of 32 MTCs. Where possible, the presence of 'germline-type' mutations in codons 609, 611, 618, 620, 630 and 634 were excluded. Ten MTCs did not have a mutation in codons 768, 883 or 918 of the RET proto-oncogene. The presence or absence of the somatic mutation at codon 918 did not correlate with any of the above clinical characteristics. CONCLUSION: Somatic mutations in the RET protooncogene occur frequently in sporadic MTCs.

Adult↗