DNA ploidy analysis and expression of MMP-9, TIMP-2, and E-cadherin in gastric carcinoma

AIM： To investigate DNA ploidy and expression of MMP-9, TIMP-2, and E-cadherin in gastric carcinoma and to explore the mechanism of invasion and metastasis of gastric carcinoma. METHODS： Immunohistochemical methods were used to detect the expressions of MMP-9, TIMP-2, and E-cadherin in 156 cases, including 99 cases of gastric carcinoma, 16 cases of adjacent noncancerous mucosa, 16 cases of distant metastases and 25 cases of metastatic lymph node （LN） from gastric carcinoma. Flow cytometry DNA ploidy and S-phase fraction （SPF） analysis were performed on 57 cases, including 47 cases of gastric cancer, 6 cases of adjacent noncancerous mucosa, and 4 cases of distant metastatic cancer. RESULTS： The expression of MMP-9 was significantly correlated with Lauren＇s classification, Borrmann＇s classification, LN metastasis, tumor metastasis, and TNM stage, as well as depth of invasion （all P〈0.05）. The positive rate was lower in noncarcinoma than in carcinoma （31.3% vs 66.7%, P〈0.01）. The expression of TIMP-2 was significantly correlated with Borrmann＇s classification, LN metastasis, and the depth of invasion （all P〈0.05）. The expression of E-cadherin was significantly correlated with differentiation, Lauren＇s classification, Borrmann＇s classification, and LN metastasis, as well as the depth of invasion （P〈0.01 or P〈0.05）. E-cadherin was less expressed in carcinoma than in noncarcinoma （42.4% vs 87.5%, P〈0.01）. There was a positive correlation between MMP-9and TIMP-2 and a negative correlation between MMP-9 and E-cadherin, but no correlation between TIMP-2 and E-cadherin. Also there was a positive correlation between DNA aneuploid rate and differentiation and LN metastasis. SPF that was higher than 15% was positively correlated with tumor size, differentiation and LN metastasis. And there was a significant difference between carcinoma and noncarcinoma in DNA aneuploid rate and SPF. CONCLUSION： With tumor progression and development of heterogeneity, the abnormal expressions of MMP-9, TIMP-2, and E-cadherin or DNA aneuploid rate or high SPF gradually increases, suggesting that they play a crucial role in gastric carcinoma progression. 2005 The WJG Press and Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Analysis of DNA Ploidy, Cell Cycle and Ki67 Antigen in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma by Flow Cytometry

Summary: The expression of DNA ploidy, the cell cycle and Ki67 antigen in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) were studied and their relationship with the clinical biological behaviors and prognosis of NPC was evaluated. Biopsied specimens of NPC were made into cell suspension. By using cytometric double labeling Ki67 and DNA method, the expression of DNA ploidy, the cell cycle and Ki67 antigen were analyzed. The patients were followed-up for about 3 years and the relationship between the above-mentioned parameters and the clinical biological behavior and prognosis of NPC were evaluated. Of the 62 cases of NPC, the DNA aneuploid accounted for 29.03 %. The S phase cells accounted for 0 to 54 % in the cell cycle and the positive expression of Ki67 ranged from 0 to 52 %. There were 40 cases of LPI (64.5 %) including 15 negative cases and 22 cases of HPI (35 5 %) respectively. The DNA anueploid content was positively related to the S phase cells. The patients having a low expression of Ki67 or DNA aneuploid in tumor cells were not sensitive to chemotherapy, liable to metastasis to distant organs and had a poor prognosis, while Ki67 showed no correlation with DNA ploidy and the cell cycle. It was suggested that DNA ploidy and Ki67 could be used as an independent and objective marker to evaluate the radiosensitivity and prognosis of NPC.

THE CLINICAL PATHOLOGY AND DNA PLOIDY OF GASTRICMUCOSA ASSOCIATED LYMPHOID TISSUE (MALT)LYMPHOMA INFILTRATING THE LEIOMYOMASOF THE UTERUS

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathology and DNA ploidy of gastric mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma infiltraving the leiomyomas of the uterus of a patient. Methods: The routine paraffin slides were cut, stained with HE, immunochemically by ABC methodusing the and stained by Feulgen method. Then the DNA ploidy of tumor cells was measured with an image cytometer. Results: In the mucosa, submucosa and the smooth muscle layer of the stomach and in the leiomyomas of the uterus there was diffusive and dense infiltration of centrocyte-like cells. The DNA measurement results were that the distribution of DNA mass of lymphoma cells in stomach and in lymph nodes had a single main aneuploidy peak each, and the distribution of DNA mass of lymphoma cells in leiomyomas of uterus had two peaks; one of them was the diploid, the other aneuploid. Conclusion: The MALT lymphoma cell invasion in uterus must be differentiated with a primary lymphoma in the uterus, the chronic lymphocyte leukemia in uterus and an endometrial stromal sarcoma. The present prognosis of the patient under discussion was poor. The follow-up results indicated the DNA index seemed to be important for predicting the malignancy degree and prognosis.

PROGNOSTIC SIGNIFICANCE OF DNA PLOIDY IN PATIENTS WITH STAGE II COLORECTAL CANCER

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between flow cytometric DNA ploidy, biological features and prognosis in patients with Stage II colorectal cancer. Methods: Nuclear DNA content, proliferation index and S-phase fraction were measured in a prospective series of 45 patients with curatively resected Stage II colorectal adenocarcinomas by means of flow cytometry using frozen tumor samples. Results: Of the 45 samples examined, 17 tumors (38%) were diploid and 28 (62%) aneuploid. The diploid tumors were significantly more common in the proximal colon than in the distal colon (67% vs. 23%; P<0.01). There was no correlation between DNA ploidy and the other clinicopathological variables (P>0.05). The proliferation index and S-phase fraction in the distal tumors were higher than those in the proximal tumors, but the difference was not significant (P>0.05). When the 5-year survival rate of patients with Stage II colorectal cancer was compared by the log rank test, a significant relationship between DNA ploidy status and disease free survival was observed in the group of all patients. Patients with DNA diploid tumors had a better disease free survival than those with DNA aneuploid tumors (P<0.05). Conclusion: These findings support that DNA ploidy status, proliferation index and S-phase fraction may differ in the proximal and distal colorectal cancer. Flow cytometric DNA ploidy status might be a useful prognostic factor in patients with Stage II colorectal cancer.

DNA PLOIDY AND p53 EXPRESSION ASSOCIATED WITH TUMOR SITE AND LYMPH NODE METASTASIS IN COLORECTAL CANCER

Objective: To study the association of DNA ploidy abnormality and p53 overexpression with the carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer. Methods: DNA ploidy and p53 expression were measured in a series of 42 colorectal adenocarcinomas by means of flow cytometry and immunohistochemical test. Results: 17 tumors (40%) were diploid and 25 (60%) aneuploid. The aneuploid tumors were significantly more common in the distal colon than in the proximal colon (P<0.01). Aneuploidy was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). There was no correlation between DNA ploidy and the other clinicopathological variables. Of the 22 samples examined, the positive rate of p53 expression was 59% (13/22). p53 expression was more frequently observed in the distal tumors (11/13) than in the proximal tumors (2/9) (P<0.05). Conclusion: Our data support the hypothesis that the carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer might differ in proximal and distal tumors. DNA ploidy abnormality and p53 overexpression may play an important role in the development of distal colorectal cancer.

DNA PLOIDY，EXPRESSION OF p53 PROTEIN AND METASTATIC BEHAVIOUR OF GASTRIC CARCINOMA

DNA ploidy of 57 gastric carcinomas with metastases(12 liver,1 adrenal,4 ovary and 48 lymph node) were measured by flow cytometry.DNA anueploidy was significantly related to liver metastases:9 out of 12 gastric carcinomas with liver metastases were anueploid(75%) as compared to 13 out of 45(28.8%) of cases without liver metastases(P<0.01);the one gastric carcinoma with adrenal metastasis was also anueploid.DNA ploidy was not related to ovarian or lymph node metastases.Another interesting finding was that all of 3 gastric carcinomas with liver metastases which showed a diploid DNA pattern,expressed p53 protein, while all of 3 carcinomas with liver metastases but no p53 protein expression were anueploid.The expression of p53 protein was not related to ovarian metastases.The results suggested that an anueploid DNA pattern and the expression of p53 protein are both objective markers valuable in predicting high risk potential of metastases to the liver,and that the combined detection of these markers can be a most useful method in the follow-up of Patients with gastric carcinoma in detecting those at high risk of developing metastases following surgical resection.Also the poorer prognosis of Patients with gastric carcinoma showing an anueploid DNA pattern may be related to the development of distant organ metastases through the blood vascular system.Furthermore,the clone of gastric carcinoma cells which accumulate p53protein or show an anueploid DNA pattern may have a causative role in the development of liver(&.adrenal) metastases.

Correlative Study on the Expression of p53 and DNA Ploidy in Acute Nonlymphocytic Leukemia

We used the flow cytometric immunoassay to study the correlation between the tumor-suppressor gene product p53- and the DNA ploidy in 30 de novo cases of acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL).The results showed that 15 cases were negative and the other 15 cases were positive expression for p53. As compared with p53 negative (p53) cases, the patients with positive p53 (p53+) had higher percentage of bone marrow blasts and lower peripheral leukocyte and platelet counts,which had no influence on the complete remission rate. Before treatment, DNA diploidy was seen in 18 cases including 12 p53- cases, and DNA aneuploidy in 12 cases including 9 p53+. After therapy, aneuploidy could be transformed into diploidy.Patients with P53+ or having aneuploidy in complete remission were at risk for early relapse. We believe that p53 may be involved in the process of leukemogenesis and progression of ANLL.

Correlated Flow Cytometric Analysis of H－ras p21 and DNA Ploidy in Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

The flow cytometric immunoassay was used to study the correlation between the H-ras oncogene product p21 and the DNA ploidy in 30 de novo cases of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). The results showed that 17 cases were negative for p21 expression and 13 positive for p21. The patients with positive p21 had higher percentage of bone marrow and peripheral blasts and lower peripheral leukocyte count. The expression of p21 had no influence on the therapeutic effect. Before treatment,DNA diploidy occurred in 18 cases including 13 p21 negative ones,and DNA aneuploidy was revealed in 12 cases including 8 p21 positive ones. Patients with positive p21 or having aneuploidy in complete remission were at risk for early relapse. Our results suggest that p21 may be involved in the process of leukemogenesis and progression in AML.

Study on the Association Between Helicobacter Pylori Infection and the Pathogenesis of Gastric Cancer by Using Molecuar Biological Techniques

Recent epidemiological observations have indicated that the role of Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection in the pathogenesis of gastric cancer is an important but unresolved issue. We used the polymerase chain reaction, a sensitive and specific assay, to detect the HP infection in gastric biopsy specimens and examined the corrclations between HP infection and point mutation at 12 codon of H-ras oncogeneHras oncogene is higher in the group with HP infection than in those without HP infection. Furthermore, there is strong evidence that HP infection is associated with the increased expression of ras p21 protein , which suggested that HP infection increased the risk of ras oncogene activation. It is also noted that a significant relationship between infection with HP and the increase of DNA content and s% phase cells, indicated that rapid turnover of cells resulting from infection injury increases the risk of DNA damage.

Fat-forming variant of solitary fibrous tumor of the mediastinum

Fat-forming variant of solitary fibrous tumor （fat-forming variant of SFT）, previously called lipomatous hemangiopericytoma （L-HPC）, is a recently recognized rare variant of solitary fibrous tumor （SFT） with unpredictable biologic behavior. Fat-forming variant of SFT occurs predominately in the deep soft tissues of the lower extremities. Histologically, it is composed of an admixture of benign hemangiopericytomatous and lipomatous components. Up to now,