Altered expression of the retinoblastoma gene product in human sarcomas

Article Abstract:

The first connections to be discovered between genetics and cancer were oncogenes, the cancer-causing genes of some viruses, and their normal cousins (in animal cells), the proto-oncogenes. Evidence is accumulating for another relationship between genes and cancer. Unlike the proto-oncogenes, which under the right circumstances can promote cancer, recent research indicates there are genes that suppress cancer. The prototypical tumor-suppressor gene is associated with retinoblastoma, an inherited tumor. When both copies of the retinoblastoma-susceptibility gene are inactivated, the tumor develops. (The retinoblastoma-susceptibility gene, or Rb, is located on the long arm of chromosome 13, specifically 13q14.) Researchers have now obtained evidence that the protein coded by this gene may play an important role in human sarcomas, or cancers that arise from mesodermal tissues. The Rb protein may be detected in the nuclei of normal cells with immunocytochemical techniques using antibodies specific for Rb. When 44 primary sarcomas were stained in this manner, 13 were found to have uniform expression of Rb in all cells, an essentially normal pattern; 18 had heterogeneous expression with Rb being found in only some of the cells; and 13 tumor specimens contained no cells in which Rb could be detected. Twelve metastatic sarcomas were also evaluated in the same manner; none of these tumors had the uniform appearance associated with normal Rb expression. The prognosis of the patients seemed to correlate with the expression of Rb, and patients with heterogeneous Rb or no detectable Rb had significantly reduced survival than the patients with uniform Rb distribution. The authors suggest that if patients with abnormal Rb distribution are considered to have a poor prognosis, they might be candidates for more aggressive therapeutic intervention. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Patient outcomes, Mortality, Physiological aspects, Cancer, Cancer genetics, Tumors, Tumor suppressor genes, Retinoblastoma, Sarcoma

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Association of the Lewis blood-group phenotype with recurrent urinary tract infections in women

Article Abstract:

Urinary tract infections may be produced by bacteria growing in the bladder and potentially infecting the kidney. Treatment with appropriate antibiotics usually cures the urinary tract infection, however some women are more susceptible to repeated urinary tract infections which are not the result of treatment failure. It has been found that receptors located on cells lining the urinary tract are influenced by the carbohydrate composition of the cell membrane. This in turn can influence the affinity these receptors have for bacteria, particularly the most common urinary tact bacteria, Escherichia coli. Certain blood types, which compose the Lewis blood-group, were used as a predictor of carbohydrate membrane composition. The effect this has on bacterial adherence and ultimately on recurrent bacterial infections was studied in 49 women with chronic infections and 49 healthy women. The results revealed that women with chronic urinary tract infections tend to have an increase of certain Lewis blood-group antigens. It is possible that those specific Lewis blood antigens can be used to identify women at risk for repeated urinary tract infections and to eventually determine the cause of this condition.

Analysis, Causes of, Urinary tract infections, Blood groups, ABO blood-group system, Disease susceptibility, Blood group antigens

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Chronic prostatitis and the chronic pelvic pain syndrome

Article Abstract:

The case study of a 38-year-old man having chronic prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome is illustrated. Some guidelines for evaluating and treating chronic pelvic pain syndrome are presented.

United States, Case studies, Prostatitis, Case study

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