Localization of human chorionic gonadotropin beta subunit transcripts in ovarian cancer tissue.

Recent studies demonstrated that besides placenta and malignant trophoblastic tumors, hCG and especially its beta-subunit is secreted by a varieties of tumors of different origin. The aim of the present investigation was to determine the expression pattern of human chorionic gonadotropin gene in ovarian cancer tissue. The study included 8 patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma. The expression and distribution of hCGbeta mRNA was assessed by in situ RT-PCR method. The semi-quantitative assessment was performed using computer image analysis. Transformation of the images into the pseudocolour scale showed a clear difference in fluorescence intensity among individual cancer cells. The intensity of ISRT-PCR products corresponding with expression level of hCGbeta demonstrated that its production by individual cancer cells is different. In all studied specimens of the ovarian carcinoma tissue, cancer cells characterized by the presence of active hCGbeta gene were found, whereas noncancerous tissue demonstrated lack of the gene expression. Thus, the study clearly shows that the expression of hCGbeta is the feature of ovarian cancer tissue

Reduction of human chorionic gonadotropin beta subunit expression by modified U1 snRNA caused apoptosis in cervical cancer cells

BACKGROUND: Secretion of human chorionic gonadotropin, especially its beta subunit by malignant trophoblastic tumors and varieties of tumors of different origin is now well documented; however the role of hCG in tumorogenesis is still unknown. RESULTS: This study documents the molecular presence of human chorionic gonadotropin beta subunit in uterine cervix cancer tissues and investigates a novel technique to reduce hCGbeta levels based on expression of a modified U1 snRNA as a method to study the hormone's role in biology of human cervical cancer cells cultured in vitro. The property of U1 snRNA to block the accumulation of specific RNA transcript when it binds to its donor sequence within the 3' terminal exon was used. The first 10 nucleotides of the human U1 snRNA gene, which normally binds to the 5'ss in pre-mRNA were replaced by a sequence complementary to a 10-nt segment in the terminal exon of the hCGbeta mRNA. Three different 5' end-mutated U1 snRNA expression plasmids were tested, each targeting a different sequence in the hCGbeta mRNA, and we found each one blocked the expression of hCGbeta in HeLa cells, a cervix carcinoma cell line, as shown by immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR. Reduction of hCGbeta levels resulted in a significantly increased apoptosis rate with almost 90% of cells transfected with modified anti-hCGbeta U1 snRNAs showing morphological changes characteristic of the apoptotic process. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that human chorionic gonadotropin beta subunit may act as a tumor growth-stimulating factor

XbaI and PvuII polymorphisms of estrogen receptor 1 gene in females with idiopathic scoliosis: no association with occurrence or clinical form.

INTRODUCTION: XbaI single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (A/G rs934099) in estrogen receptor 1 gene (ESR1) was described to be associated with curve severity in Japanese idiopathic scoliosis (IS) patients and in Chinese patients with both curve severity and predisposition to IS. PvuII SNP (C/T rs2234693) of ESR1 was described to be associated with the occurrence of IS in the Chinese population; however, two replication studies did not confirm the findings. The ESR1 SNPs have never been studied in Caucasian IS patients. METHODS: Case-control study. 287 females with IS underwent clinical, radiological and genetic examinations. The patients were divided into three groups according to curve progression velocity: non-progressive IS, slowly progressive IS (progression <1° per month), and rapidly progressive IS (progression ≥1° per month). The radiological maximum Cobb angle was measured and surgery rate established. A control group consisted of 182 healthy females. RESULTS: All results followed Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. In the case-control study, genotype frequency in the patients did not differ for the XbaI (AA = 33.5%, AG = 49.1%, GG = 17.4%), nor for the PvuII (TT = 26.8%, TC = 50.2%, CC = 23.0%) comparing to controls (AA = 33.5%, AG = 50.5%, GG = 15.9%) and (TT = 23.1%, TC = 51.1%, CC = 25.8%), respectively, p = 0.3685, p = 0.6046. The haplotype frequency for the patients (AT = 47.1%, GC = 39.2%, AC = 8.9%, GT = 2.8%) did not differ from the controls (AT = 44.8%, GC = 37.4%, AC = 14.0%, GT = 3.8%), p = 0.0645. No difference was found either in XbaI (p = 0.8671) or PvuII (p = 0.3601) allele distribution between the patients and the controls. In the case study, there was no significant difference in genotype frequency for the non-progressive, slowly progressive, and rapidly progressive scoliosis. No difference was found in genotype or haplotype distribution for the mean maximum Cobb angle or the surgery rate. CONCLUSIONS: No association was found between ESR1 XbaI or ESR1 PvuII SNP and idiopathic scoliosis in Caucasian females. None of the previously reported associations could be confirmed, regarding curve severity, progression or operation rate

PCRs reactions thermal profiles.

<p>PCRs reactions thermal profiles.</p

Les conflits d’attribution de revenus à une personne

Co-rédigéNational audienc

Genotype according to curve level and curve pattern (N = 253).

a<p>Chi² test.</p

RFLP SNPs fragment description.

*<p>digestion site.</p

Phenotype description for case-control study.

<p>NA – non applicable.</p