Biomedical subjects

Barbara Petit

Publications and source records attributed to Barbara Petit.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Indolent lymphoplasmacytic and marginal zone B-cell lymphomas: absence of both IRF4 and Ki67 expression identifies a better prognosis subgroup.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Small B-cell indolent lymphomas postulated to be of a post-germinal center origin include marginal zone lymphomas of the spleen (S-MZL) or lymph nodes (N-MZL) and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas and lymphoplasmacytic lymphomas (LPL). The existence of rather aggressive cases stresses the need for new biological prognostic markers. DESIGN AND METHODS: We analyzed 90 tumors (20 LPL, 41 MALT lymphomas, 12 N-MZL, 17 S-MZL), investigating the expression of CD5, CD10, CD20, CD23, CD27, CD38, CD79a, CD138, Bcl6, cyclin D1, IRF4 and Ki67 antigens by immunohistochemistry. Results were compared to the histology, the standard clinical and biological parameters, and the global survival. RESULTS: Tumors were all positive for CD20 and CD79a, occasionally positive for CD5, CD23, CD138 and cyclin D1, and all negative for Bcl-6 and CD10. CD38, CD27 and IRF4 expression was heterogeneous. IRF4 expression was correlated with plasma-cell differentiation (p=0.0017). Ki67 expression was increased mainly in N-MZL (66%) and LPL (45%). In terms of overall survival, Ki67, IRF4 and C-reactive protein levels were found to be the 3 independent parameters associated with a worse outcome. Lack of both Ki67 and IRF4 expression was associated with a longer survival (median overall survival 9.8+/-1.1 years versus 3.6+/-1.3 years in the other group) (p=0.0011). INTERPRETATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS: Absence of expression of both Ki67 and IRF4 is likely to define a group of memory B-cell lymphomas with a better prognosis. This may have an important impact in the staging of patients since expression of these markers is easily assessed in routine diagnosis.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Aggressive systemic mastocytosis.

Systemic mastocytosis is a rare and occasionally aggressive condition that raises major diagnostic challenges. We report a case in a 72-year-old patient in whom the diagnosis of malignant mastocytosis required two bone marrow smears and three bone marrow biopsies examined using specific staining techniques. Despite interferon therapy, a mast-cell sarcoma of the sternum developed 1 year after symptom onset, followed 1 year later by acute myeloblastic leukemia, which was rapidly fatal.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

Brefeldin A induces apoptosis and cell cycle blockade in glioblastoma cell lines.

Brefeldin A (BFA), a fungal metabolite known to affect the structure and function of the Golgi apparatus, has recently been shown to induce apoptosis and cell growth inhibition in various human cell lines. Glioblastomas (GB) are cerebral tumors with poor prognosis, which display resistance to current therapies including radio- and chemotherapy. The objective of this study was to investigate BFA effects in three human GB cell lines (SA4, SA146 and U87MG cells). Compared with control cells, about 60% of cell growth inhibition was observed in BFA (100 ng/ml for 24 h)-exposed cells in the three cell lines. Furthermore, in SA4 and SA146 cells, BFA was able to induce a time- and dose-dependent apoptosis detected by DAPI staining, TUNEL assay and flow-cytometric analysis. Since p53 expression was not modified after BFA exposure, BFA-induced apoptosis may follow a p53-independent pathway, as already reported. In the same way, BFA did not alter Bcl-2, Bax and Mcl-1 expression. Cell cycle analysis revealed a cell cycle arrest in early G0/G1 phase with an increase in G0/G1 cell population (70% in control cells vs. 83% in exposed cells) associated with a decrease in the S cell population (14% in control cells vs. 5.5% in exposed cells). The Ki67 labeling index also confirmed the cell cycle blockade. Our results suggest that BFA may be a potent cell cycle modulator and inducer of apoptosis in GB cell lines, and therefore may become a promising candidate for the chemotherapeutic treatment of gliomas.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMed2002

Influence of host-recipient origin on clinical aspects of posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorders in kidney transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a well-known complication of immunosuppression associated with solid organ transplantation. The donor or host origin of PTLD may influence the outcome of the disease as it has been reported that a donor origin may be associated with a better prognosis. The aim of the study was to determine the origin (recipient or donor) of 12 PTLD occurring in kidney transplant recipients and to correlate the results with clinical findings. METHODS: Origin of PTLD was determined using HLA DRB1 molecular typing, analysis of multiple short-tandem repeat microsatellite loci, and HLA class I antigen expression by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Combining the three techniques, we found that eight cases originated from the recipient and four cases originated from the donor. The results of the three techniques were concordant and altogether assigned the origin of the tumors. All the donor-origin PTLD were strictly localized to the kidney graft, developed after a mean time of 5 months after transplantation, and regressed after reduction of immunosuppression. In contrast, seven of the eight recipient-origin PTLD presented as multisystemic disease, occurred a mean time of 75.7 months after the transplantation, and had a worse outcome (mortality, five deaths of eight patients, 62.5%). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that PTLD originating from the donor arise in the first year after transplantation into the graft, and that recipient-origin PTLD develop later as an invasive disease. Because it permits simultaneously the analysis of cell morphology and tumor origin, immunohistochemistry is a more reliable technique in the case of graft tumors associated with allograft rejection. The determination of the origin of the tumors seems to be of value in the management of PTLD to predict the outcome and to adapt therapy.

Adult↗