Aurora-A kinase is differentially expressed in the nucleus and cytoplasm in normal Müllerian epithelium and benign, borderline and malignant serous ovarian neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Aurora-A kinase is important for cellular proliferation and is implicated in the tumorigenesis of several malignancies, including of the ovary. Information regarding the expression patterns of Aurora-A in normal Müllerian epithelium as well as benign, borderline and malignant epithelial ovarian neoplasms is limited. METHODS: We investigated Aurora-A expression by immunohistochemistry in 15 benign, 19 borderline and 17 malignant ovarian serous tumors, and 16 benign, 8 borderline, and 2 malignant ovarian mucinous tumors. Twelve fimbriae from seven patients served as normal Müllerian epithelium controls. We also examined Aurora-A protein expression by western blot in normal fimbriae and tumor specimens. RESULTS: All normal fimbriae (n = 12) showed nuclear but not cytoplasmic Aurora-A immunoreactivity by immunohistochemistry. Benign ovarian tumors also showed strong nuclear Aurora-A immunoreactivity. Forty-eight percent (13/27) of borderline tumors demonstrated nuclear Aurora-A immunoreactivity, while the remainder (52%, 14/27) lacked Aurora-A staining. Nuclear Aurora-A immunoreactivity was absent in all malignant serous tumors, however, 47% (8/17) demonstrated perinuclear cytoplasmic staining. These results were statistically significant when tumor class (benign/borderline/malignant) was compared to immunoreactivity localization or intensity (Fisher Exact Test, p \u3c 0.01). Western blot analysis confirmed the greater nuclear Aurora-A expression in control Müllerian epithelium compared to borderline and malignant tumors. CONCLUSION: Aurora-A kinase is differentially expressed across normal Müllerian epithelium, benign and borderline serous and mucinous ovarian epithelial neoplasms and malignant serous ovarian tumors., with nuclear expression of unphosphorylated Aurora-A being present in normal and benign neoplastic epithelium, and lost in malignant serous neoplasms. Further studies of the possible biological and clinical implications of the loss of nuclear Aurora-A expression in ovarian tumors, and its role in ovarian carcinogenesis are warranted

Alpha Particle Emission from6He + 209Bi

In a recent experiment, we have for the first time studied near-barrier and sub-barrier fusion of the exotic Borromean nucleus 6He with 209Bi and found that the sub-barrier fusion of this system is exceptionally enhanced, implying a 20% reduction in the nominal fusion barrier. It was suggested that this striking effect might he due to coupling to positive Q-value neutron transfer channels, leading to neutron flow and consequent neck formation between the projectile and target. The results of a new experiment using the radioactive nuclear beam facility at the University of Notre Dame to measure fast ⍺-particle emission from 6He + 209Bi are discussed. A exceptional1y strong transfer/breakup group was observed at near-barrier and sub-barrier energies; this is very likely to be the doorway state that explains the enhanced sub-barrier fusion. In a recent experiment, we have for the first time studied near-barrier and sub-barrier fusion of the exotic Borromean nucleus 6He with 209Bi and found that the sub-barrier fusion of this system is exceptionally enhanced, implying a 20% reduction in the nominal fusion barrier. It was suggested that this striking effect might he due to coupling to positive Q-value neutron transfer channels, leading to neutron flow and consequent neck formation between the projectile and target. The results of a new experiment using the radioactive nuclear beam facility at the University of Notre Dame to measure fast ⍺-particle emission from 6He + 209Bi are discussed. A exceptional1y strong transfer/breakup group was observed at near-barrier and sub-barrier energies; this is very likely to be the doorway state that explains the enhanced sub-barrier fusion

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Leukemogenesis by gross passage a murine leukemia virus: expression of viruses with recombinant env genes in transformed cells.

Gross passage A murine leukemia virus (MuLV) derived from extracts of C3Hf/Bi mouse leukemias has been shown to be a virus complex consisting of ecotropic, xenotropic, and recombinant, dualtropic MuLV components. The three virus components were distinguished biochemically by differences in the molecular weights and peptide maps of their primary env gene products synthesized in infected cells in vivo and in vitro. Virus expression was studied in primary leukemias induced in C3Hf/Bi mice by Gross passage A virus extracts and by the individual ecotropic and recombinant MuLV components that were isolated in vitro. Our findings suggest that expression of the recombinant MuLV component of the Gross passage A virus complex is necessary and sufficient for the induction of leukemias in C3Hf/Bi mice. In contrast, induction of leukemias by the ecotropic virus component appears to involve generation of a second virus with characteristics of recombinant, dualtropic MuLV

Glycopeptides of murine leukemia viruses. II. Comparison of xenotropic and dual-tropic viruses.

The glycosylation patterns of the gp70 glycoproteins of xenotropic and dualtropic murine leukemia virus (MuLV) were compared with those of ecotropic viruses. Ecotropic viruses contain a large glycopeptide size class designated G1 (molecular weight, approximately 5100), and such glycopeptides were not detected in xenotropic viruses grown in mink cells nor in dual-tropic viruses grown in mouse or mink lung cells. Both xenotropic and dual-tropic MuLV had glycopeptide size classes designated G2, G3, and G4 (molecular weights, approximately 2900, 2,200, and 1,500, respectively). G2 glycopeptides of xenotropic and dual-tropic MuLV were shown to be resistant to endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H, whereas G3 and G4 glycopeptides were susceptible. The relative abudance of glycopeptide G3 was increased in xenotropic and dual-tropic viruses as compared with ecotropic viruses, whereas the relative amount of G4 was decreased in xenotropic viruses. The similarity in the glycosylation patterns of a number of xenotropic and dual-tropic viruses suggests that glycosylation sites are highly conserved within the env gene products of each of these classes of viruses