Establishment of a hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer registry

INTRODUCTION: Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is an autosomal dominant condition characterized by early age of onset colorectal cancer, right-sided predominance, excess of synchronous and metachronous colonic neoplasms, and extracolonic cancers. The purpose of this study is to report clinical characteristics of HNPCC families in our registry. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of medical records of patients with a significant history of colorectal cancer and interviews with their families. RESULTS: Three hundred one people with cancer in 40 HNPCC families were identified. In 284 of 301 (94 percent) people, 363 cancers were identified. Colorectal cancer only was identified in 182 people (64 percent) and, in conjunction with extracolonic tumors, in another 31 people (11 percent). Extracolonic cancer alone was noted in 71 people (25 percent). Median age at diagnosis of colorectal cancer was 48 (range, 17-92) years. In patients with documented pathology, right-sided tumors predominated (55 percent), synchronous and metachronous tumors were noted in 53 percent, and synchronous of metachronous adenomas were documented in 51 percent of people. Generational anticipation was also noted. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates and confirms characteristics that have been described in HNPCC. Namely, early age of onset of colorectal cancer, right-sided predominance, multiple synchronous and metachronous neoplasms, increased extracolonic cancers, and generational anticipation.     

The effect of egg yolk sampling on performance parameters and reproductive indices of northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) eggs

The sampling of 50 microliters of the yolk (average 1.7% of the total volume) from northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) eggs on day 0, 6, 12, and 18 of incubation resulted in significantly (P < 0.05) increased embryo mortality in the day 12 and day 18 egg groups. Performance parameters and reproductive indices of the non-sampled eggs and the eggs sampled on day 0, and 6 of incubation did not differ from other reports on C. virginianus. No differences was found in postnatal responsiveness among hatchlings originating from controls and from all the groups of sampled eggs. As demonstrated in this representative galliform species, the technique can be applied for the screening of unembryonated eggs or early-embryogenesis-eggs of wild birds. If female birds are not accessible but their eggs are, information on the reproductive flock can be accessed without stressing adult birds.     

Thermodynamic dissection of the substrate-ribozyme interaction in the hammerhead ribozyme

The free energy of substrate binding to the hammerhead ribozyme was compared for 10 different hammerheads that differed in the length and sequence of their substrate recognition helices. These hammerheads were selected because neither ribozyme nor substrate oligonucleotide formed detectable alternate secondary structures. The observed free energies of binding varied from -8 to -24 kcal/mol and agreed very well with binding energies calculated from the nearest-neighbor free energies if a constant energetic penalty of DeltaG degreescore = +3.3 +/- 1 kcal/mol is used for the catalytic core. A set of substrates that contained a competing hairpin secondary structure showed weaker binding to the ribozyme by an amount consistent with the predicted free energy for hairpin formation. These thermodynamic conclusions permit the prediction of substrate binding affinities for ribozyme-substrate pairs of any helix length and sequence, and thus, should be very valuable for the rational design of ribozymes directed toward gene inactivation.     

Direct in vivo gene transfer to canine myocardium using a replication-deficient adenovirus vector

Inter-alpha-inhibitor (I alpha I) is a serine protease inhibitor present in human plasma. It has a molecular weight of about 220 kDa which encompasses 3 chains including two heavy chains and one light chain. The light chain, known as bikunin, is responsible for the antitryptic activity of I alpha I in the inhibition of various enzymes, such as trypsin and chymotrypsin. Under physiologic or certain pathologic circumstances, several macromolecules related to I alpha I appear in plasma and urine. However, the physiologic role of I alpha I remains unclear. As far as urolithiasis is concerned, two urinary macromolecules related to I alpha I have been isolated and shown to be potent inhibitors of calcium oxalate formation. One of these inhibitors, uronic-acid-rich protein (UAP), has been identified and well characterized. The sequence of the first 18 amino acid residues of UAP is identical with that of bikunin. Furthermore, the immunoreaction between UAP and I alpha I antibody using immunoblot analysis was positive. UAP isolated from the urine of stone formers exhibited less inhibitory activity towards calcium oxalate crystallization than that derived from the urine of healthy subjects. This suggests a structural abnormality of the inhibitor obtained from stone patients. The organic matrix extracted from kidney stones contained a protein antigenically related to I alpha I. We conclude that UAP is a member of I alpha I family taking part in inhibiting calcium oxalate crystallization, and modulating the formation of stones in the urinary tract.     

Mutant p53 expression: a marker of diminished survival in well-differentiated soft tissue sarcoma

The aim of this study was to assess the translational value of the quantitative assay of mutant p53 protein expression as both a prognostic indicator and a tool to determine appropriate therapy in a group of relatively innocuous and morphologically similar soft tissue sarcomas (STSs). Using a quantitative ELISA, we analyzed mutant p53 protein expression in 47 well-differentiated (grade I) STSs from patients treated in our Department of Surgical Oncology. Sixteen of 47 tumors expressed up to 42.6 ng mutant p53 protein/mg total protein. After a mean follow-up of 112 months, 63% of the patients with mutant p53+ tumors but only 16% of the patients with mutant p53- tumors had died (P < 0.01). Mutant p53 expression of >/=4.5 ng predicted even greater reduction in survival. These data show that mutant p53 expression identifies biologically aggressive grade I STSs. This molecular marker should have translational value as a tool to select those patients likely to benefit from aggressive multimodal therapy and intense surveillance.     

Experimental haemorrhage and blood component transfusion in humans: no change in plasma concentration of thrombin-antithrombin complex and plasmin-antiplasmin complex

1. To examine whether insulin resistance in vivo is manifest equally in both muscle and adipose tissues, we measured arteriovenous glucose and lactate fluxes across forearm (muscle) and abdominal subcutaneous (adipose) tissue in nine obese, glucose-intolerant subjects and 13 non-obese subjects of similar age and sex. 2. Compared with non-obese subjects, the forearm of the obese subjects was resistant to insulin stimulation of glucose uptake after a mixed meal. In contrast, adipose tissue showed little evidence of insulin stimulation of glucose uptake, and adipose tissue in subjects in both normal and obese groups behaved very similarly (assessed per 100 g of tissue). 3. For lactate flux, adipose tissue behaved very similarly (per 100 g of tissue) in obese and non-obese subjects, and was a consistent lactate exporter. 4. We conclude that insulin resistance of glucose uptake observed in the forearm of obese subjects is not evident in adipose tissue. Adipose tissue glucose uptake in obese, insulin-resistant subjects is similar to that in lean control subjects, although it occurs at elevated circulating insulin and glucose concentrations.