Mentoring in laparoscopic urology.
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Clinical Competence↗
Biomedical subjects
Adam Jones
Publications and source records attributed to Adam Jones.
Ethnicity-related polymorphisms and haplotypes in the human ABCB1 gene.
INTRODUCTION: The human multidrug resistance gene ATP-binding cassette B1 (ABCB1) codes for P-glycoprotein (P-gp), an important membrane-bound efflux transporter known to confer anticancer drug resistance as well as affect the pharmacokinetics of many drugs and xenobiotics. A number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been identified throughout the ABCB1 gene that may have an effect on P-gp expression levels and function. Haplotype as well as genotype analysis of SNPs is becoming increasingly important in identifying genetic variants underlying susceptibility to human disease. Three SNPs, 1236C-->T, 2677G-->T and 3435C-->T, have been repeatedly shown to predict changes in the function of P-gp. The frequencies with which these polymorphisms exist in a population have also been shown to be ethnically related. METHODS: In this study, 95 individuals representative of the entire ethnic make-up of the USA were compared with 101 individuals from an Ashkenazi-Jewish population. These individuals were analyzed by genomic sequencing and polymerase chain reaction, using restriction fragment length polymorphisms, to calculate their genotype frequencies. RESULTS: A total of 25 SNPs were located in the exons of the ABCB1 gene. All of the polymorphisms identified were in parts of the ABCB1 gene product predicted to be intracellular, and 16 appear to be novel as compared with those listed by the National Center for Biotechnological Information. Frequencies of the 1236C-->T and 2677G-->T/A/C SNPs were similar for the US and Ashkenazi populations (64.2 and 60.4%, respectively for 1236C-->T [chi2: 0.30; p < or = 1]; 55.8 and 64.4%, respectively for 2677G-->T/A/C [chi2: 1.49; p < or = 1]), but were different for 3435C-->T (24.2% for the US population and 69.3% for the Ashkenazi population [chi2: 39.927; p < or = 0.001]). The 1236T/ 2677T/3435T haplotype occurred in 23.6% (standard error: 0.013) of the Ashkenazi population. CONCLUSION: The SNP at location 3435C-->T plays a significant role in the ABCB1 gene. The haplotype and genotype analysis from these data may be used as a basis for studies on the relationship between ABCB1 genotypes and drug efficacy, drug toxicity, disease susceptibility or other phenotypes.
ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B↗
A study of the prescription of radiographs for children by a group of general dental practitioners in the South West of England.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the familiarity of general dental practitioners (GDPs) in the South West of England with the guidelines in the first edition of the then Faculty of General Dental Practitioners (UK) "good practice guidelines" publication Selection Criteria for Dental Radiography (henceforth referred to as "the guidelines") by studying the prescription of radiographs for children in two case scenarios. METHOD: A single mailshot of questionnaires containing questions relating to the guidelines and the two case scenarios was sent to 136 GDPs in the South West of England. Their recommendations for the prescription of radiographs for the children in the two scenarios were then compared with the guidelines. RESULTS: There was a 60% response rate. Of the respondents, 48% reported that they had access to the guidelines. Of those who responded to the question, 66% said that they found the guidelines easy to use. Seventy per cent of respondents reported that they preferred the concept of guidelines to that of protocols. The results from the case scenarios revealed an under-prescription of radiographs for patients presenting with developmental problems or trauma when compared to the recommendations in the guidelines. There was good correlation for the prescription of radiographs for caries but little consensus on radiographic review times. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlighted (a) areas within the guidelines that require further clarification and research and (b) that in the group studied half did not have access to the guidelines.
Child↗
Robotic urological surgery: a perspective.
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Animals↗
Expression of hypoxia-inducible factors in human renal cancer: relationship to angiogenesis and to the von Hippel-Lindau gene mutation.
The von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor protein acts as the substrate recognition component of a ubiquitin E3 ligase that targets hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-alpha subunits for proteolysis. Stabilization of HIF-alpha subunits has been described in VHL-defective cell lines, leading to HIF activation and up-regulation of hypoxia-inducible mRNAs. Mutations of the von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor protein are found in most clear cell renal cell carcinomas (CC-RCCs) but not other renal tumors, raising a question about the importance of activation of the HIF pathway in CC-RCC development. To address this question, we have examined the expression of HIF-alpha subunits in 45 primary renal tumors and related this to tumor subtype, the presence of VHL mutations, and measures of angiogenesis. We show that HIF-alpha is up-regulated in the majority of CC-RCCs, and that the pattern of expression is biased toward the HIF-2alpha isoform. Expression of HIF-alpha proteins was associated significantly with up-regulation of VEGF mRNA and protein and increased microvessel density. Up-regulation of HIF-alpha in CC-RCC was found to involve increased mRNA as well as protein expression, suggesting that both VHL-dependent and VHL-independent mechanisms are involved. These results suggest that activation of the HIF pathway is functionally important in CC-RCC development and might provide a new therapeutic target.
Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell↗
Role of thymidine phosphorylase in an in vitro model of human bladder cancer invasion.
PURPOSE: It has been previously demonstrated that the angiogenic factor thymidine phosphorylase is elevated significantly in invasive bladder cancer. We report that it is not merely an incidental finding. Thymidine phosphorylase has a functional role in bladder cancer invasion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The superficial bladder cancer cell line RT112 was transfected by retroviral techniques to generate the RT112-TP clone that expressed significantly elevated levels of thymidine phosphorylase, comparable to those of invasive human bladder cancers. The empty vector control RT112-EV was generated for comparison. Growth of these transfectants was examined using a new in vitro model of bladder cancer invasion based on de-epithelialized rat bladder and by assessing growth as xenografts in nude mice. The effect of 5-deoxy-5-fluorouridine, a prodrug activated by TP to produce 5-fluorouracil, was also examined. RESULTS: RT112-TP high thymidine phosphorylase expressing cells invaded into the stroma of the in vitro model but wild-type RT112 and RT112-EV cells did not. This invasion was abolished by 5-deoxy-5-fluorouridine. Invasion correlated with thymidine phosphorylase expression on immunohistochemical testing. There was also a significantly greater xenograft growth rate for RT112-TP than for RT112-EV, confirming the malignant growth advantage conferred by thymidine phosphorylase. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that thymidine phosphorylase may have a functional role in bladder cancer invasion and the apparent advantage of thymidine phosphorylase expression to tumor cells can be exploited by therapies that utilize prodrugs such as 5-deoxy-5-fluorouridine, which is activated by thymidine phosphorylase and inhibited invasion in our model.
Animals↗