Xenopus laevis ribosomal protein L22: full-length cDNA sequence and expression analysis

A cDNA clone was isolated from a Xenopus laevis embryo library and sequenced. Primer extension experiments indicated the full-length nature of the insert and the encoded product was identified on a two dimensional gel as ribosomal protein (r-protein) L22. The 510-bp L22 cDNA sequence presents short untranslated regions and a 5'-end polypyrimidine tract found in all other vertebrate r-protein mRNA (rp mRNA) so far analyzed. Both the nucleotide (nt) and the deduced amino acid (aa) sequences have been compared with the homologous sequences from other species. The L22 nt sequence is about 70% similar to the mammalian L27a rp mRNA and about 60% homologous to the Drosophila, Tetrahymena and yeast corresponding mRNAs. The 148-aa sequence presents a higher conservation, being 90% similar to the mammalian sequence and more than 70% to the other species. Expression analysis showed that, both during X. laevis embryogenesis and in X. laevis cultured cells during growth-rate changes, L22 synthesis is translationally regulated. Therefore X. laevis L22 mRNA is a new example of the correlation between the polypyrimidine terminal tract and the translational regulation observed in other rp mRNAs

Minimal residual disease in melanoma: circulating melanoma cells and predictive role of MCAM/MUC18/MelCAM/CD146

Circulating tumour cells (CTCs), identified in numerous cancers including melanoma, are unquestionably considered valuable and useful as diagnostic and prognostic markers. They can be detected at all melanoma stages and may persist long after treatment. A crucial step in metastatic processes is the intravascular invasion of neoplastic cells as circulating melanoma cells (CMCs). Only a small percentage of these released cells are efficient and capable of colonizing with a strong metastatic potential. CMCs' ability to survive in circulation express a variety of genes with continuous changes of signal pathways and proteins to escape immune surveillance. This makes it difficult to detect them; therefore, specific isolation, enrichment and characterization of CMC population could be useful to monitor disease status and patient clinical outcome. Overall and disease-free survival have been correlated with the presence of CMCs. Specific melanoma antigens, in particular MCAM (MUC18/MelCAM/CD146), could be a potentially useful tool to isolate CMCs as well as be a prognostic, predictive biomarker. These are the areas reviewed in the article

Molecular expression of bone marrow angiogenic factors, cell-cell adhesion molecules and matrix-metallo-proteinases in plasmacellular disorders: A molecular panel to nvestigate disease progression

abstract not availabl

Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome: A case evolving in B-lymphoblastic lymphoma

Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is a rare disease characterized by tissue involvement and organ dysfunction due to abnormal eosinophil proliferation. Evolution of HES into myeloid or T-cell malignancies has been frequently reported. Here, we describe a case of HES that preceded the occurrence of a high-grade B-lymphoblastic lymphoma in which clonal evolution has been demonstrated at the molecular level

HLA class I in acute promyelocitic leukemia (APL): possible correlation with clinical outcome.

The majority of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) possess either a bcr1 or a bcr3 type fusion between PML and RARalpha genes. The junction sequences may possibly be a target for immune response and influence susceptibility to the disease. In this case, HLA class I allele frequencies would be different between bcr1 and bcr3 patients. To test this hypothesis, we typed 102 APL patients for HLA-A, -B and -Cw alleles. The A*1, A*30, B*51, B*41, Cw*0602, and Cw*1701 alleles showed a different distribution between bcr1 and bcr3 patients, but in no case was this statistically significant after correction for the number of comparisons or was confirmed in an independent panel. Moreover, no difference was detected between bcr1 and bcr3 when HLA alleles were grouped according to their peptide binding specificities. Comparing HLA frequencies, clinical features at diagnosis and clinical outcome of the 64 patients homogeneously treated with all-trans retinoic acid and idarubicin (AIDA protocol) we observed a statistically significant association between HLA-B*13 and risk of relapse by univariate and multivariate regression analysis. Should this finding be confirmed in larger future studies, this observation would be of outmost importance in identifying patients at high risk of relapse in which more aggressive consolidation therapies should be used