Thyroid: Papillary carcinoma with inv(10)(p12.1q11.2) ACBD5/RET

Mini review on inv(10)(p12.1q11.2) ACBD5/RET in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC)

Recombination Activating Gene (RAG)-1 and 2 Encoding Proteins Expressed by the Baculovirus System

We have been attempting to obtain mouse recombination activating gene-1 (RAG-1) and RAG-2 protein for biochemical analyses. First of all, we obtained truncated products of these genes expressed and purified using the E. coli expression system and then established the polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies by means of E. coli expressed peptides as antigens. Subsequently, whole RAG-1 and RAG-2 gene products were expressed the baculovirus expression system. Since it has been difficult to achieve the significant gene expression of full-lenght cDNA, we employed the glutathione S-transferase (GST)-fused gene-expression system which facilitated the massive expression of gene products. This system was also advantageous in that we could detect the expressed protein molecules not only with anti-RAG antibody but also with anti-GST antibody

Prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma correlates to mutations of p53 and/or hMSH2 genes

Association of gene alterations and prognosis has not fully been elucidated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To clarify the relationship between p53 and hMSH2 mutations and prognosis, we analysed these mutations in 83 HCC cases and assessed their association with various clinicopathological factors. The 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) or overall survival (OS) rates in HCC patients with p53 mutation and p53 wild/hMSH2 mutation significantly decreased compared with those without these mutations (14.3-0x1.f824p+0nd 37.5% versus 67.5-0.000000or DFS; 35.7-0x1.f5cf80852f11p+0nd 50.0% versus 96.4-0.000000or OS, respectively). In the multivariate analysis, categories by p53 and hMSH2 mutation status, and liver cirrhosis demonstrated statistical significances for DFS and OS. Moreover, the frequency of patients with p53 and/or hMSH2 mutations in intrahepatic metastasis (75.0%) was significantly higher than that in multicentric occurrence (14.3%). Thus, p53 and hMSH2 mutations will be useful for identifying subsets of HCC patients with poor prognosis