Specific DNA sequences from human papillomavirus have recently been detected in carcinomas from epidermodysplasia verruciformis patients, and in vulvar and cervical carcinomas but the role of papilloma viruses in the aetiology of these tumours is unclear. Indeed, little is known about the mechanisms that convert benign papillomas into malignant tumours and it is not even possible in tumour induction. Here, we describe an animal system that permits an analysis of the interaction of papilloma virus genomes with carcinogenic agents at the molecular level. In our colony of Mastomys natalensis (a close relative of the rat family), we have found extrachromosomal papilloma virus genomes persisting in a variety of tissues such as skin, muscle, liver and colon. With the ageing of the animals, the average copy number of viral DNA in skin cells increases and virus-producing tumours begin to appear in Mastomys at about 1 year old. This process is drastically enhanced by chronic treatment with a tumour promoter and transcription of the viral genomes has been found to be correlated with tumour formation.

Age Factors↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Expression and clinical significance of resistance proteins in initial acute lymphatic leukemia (ALL) in childhood].

In a retrospective study the expression of the resistance proteins P-170 glycoprotein (P-170), glutathione S-transferase pi (GST-pi), thymidylate-synthase (TS), dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and metallothionein (MT) was investigated in 111 patients with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) using the streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method. The expression of the resistance proteins was found in following frequency: P-170 in 39 (35%), GST-pi in 54 (49%), TS in 46 (42%), DHFR in 21 (20%) and MT in 30 (33%) cases of the investigated patients. Patients with overexpression of P-170 or GST-pi had a significant lower probability of remaining in continuous first remission (P < 0.05 for P-170 and P < 0.01 for GST-pi). The expression of TS and DHFR had no prognostic significance on the probability of first remission. Patients with MT-overexpression showed only a tendency for a lower probability of continuous first remission. Coexpression of P-170 and GST-pi was observed in leukemias of 22 patients (21%) and 38 patients (37%) showed no evidence for the expression of both markers. Combining P-170 and GST-pi improved the prognostic value. The expression of the resistance proteins was independent of age, sex, FAB-type, immunological subtype and of the initial peripheral blast cell count. The multivariate analysis indicated that only the expression of P-170 was an independent unfavorable prognostic factor for children with initial ALL. The reason for this was an minor correlation of P-170 and GST-pi (P = 0.01).

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗