PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

T Jorgensen

Publications and source records attributed to T Jorgensen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Variations of the interleukin-6 promoter are associated with features of the metabolic syndrome in Caucasian Danes.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: The cytokine interleukin 6 (IL-6) is an essential regulator of the acute phase response associated with insulin-resistant states including type 2 diabetes and obesity. Three polymorphisms at positions -597, -572, and -174 of the IL6 promoter have been reported to influence IL6 transcription. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the IL6 promoter polymorphisms were associated with features of the WHO-defined metabolic syndrome and related quantitative traits in 7,553 Caucasian Danes. METHODS: Using analysis of PCR-generated primer extension products by mass spectrometry we examined -597 G/A, -572 G/C, and -174 G/C IL6 variants in the population-based Inter99 study cohort of middle-aged people (n=6,164) and in a group of type 2 diabetic patients (n=1,389). RESULTS: The -174 G/C and -597 G/A polymorphisms were in strong linkage disequilibrium (R(2)=0.95). In the Inter99 cohort the -174 G-allele was associated with insulin resistance (p<0.02) and dyslipidaemia (p<0.007) whereas the C-allele of the -572 polymorphism was associated with increased serum insulin release during an OGTT (p<0.0005). Composite genotype or haplotype analyses of all 3 IL6 promoter variants showed associations with type 2 diabetes (p<0.002), obesity (p<0.02), and the metabolic syndrome (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The present studies suggest that single-nucleotide polymorphisms and composite genotypes or haplotypes of the IL6 promoter may be associated with several features of the metabolic syndrome in Caucasians.

Base Sequence↗

Hazard potential ranking of hazardous waste landfill sites and risk of congenital anomalies.

BACKGROUND: A 33% increase in the risk of congenital anomalies has been found among residents near hazardous waste landfill sites in a European collaborative study (EUROHAZCON). AIMS: To develop and evaluate an expert panel scoring method of the hazard potential of EUROHAZCON landfill sites, and to investigate whether sites classified as posing a greater potential hazard are those with a greater risk of congenital anomaly among nearby residents relative to more distant residents. METHODS: A total of 1270 cases of congenital anomaly and 2308 non-malformed control births were selected in 14 study areas around 20 landfill sites. An expert panel of four landfill specialists scored each site in three categories-overall, water, and air hazard-based on readily available, documented data on site characteristics. Tertiles of the average ranking scores defined low, medium, and high hazard sites. Calculation of odds ratios was based on distance of residence from the sites, comparing a 0-3 km "proximate" with a 3-7 km "distant" zone. RESULTS: Agreement between experts measured by intraclass correlation coefficients was 0.50, 0.44, and 0.20 for overall, water, and air hazard before a consensus meeting and 0.60, 0.56, and 0.53 respectively after this meeting. There was no evidence for a trend of increasing odds ratios with increasing overall hazard or air hazard. For non-chromosomal anomalies, odds ratios by water hazard category showed an increasing trend of borderline statistical significance (p = 0.06) from 0.79 in the low hazard category, 1.43 in the medium, to 1.60 in the high water hazard category. CONCLUSIONS: There is little evidence for a relation between risk of congenital anomaly in proximate relative to distant zones and hazard potential of landfill sites as classified by the expert panel, but without external validation of the hazard potential scoring method interpretation is difficult. Potential misclassification of sites may have reduced our ability to detect any true dose-response effect.

Congenital Abnormalities↗

Goitre prevalence and thyroid abnormalities at ultrasonography: a comparative epidemiological study in two regions with slightly different iodine status.

OBJECTIVE: The association between severe iodine deficiency and endemic goitre is well established, but little information is available on the relation between milder degrees of iodine deficiency and goitre prevalence. SUBJECTS: In a comparative epidemiological study performed in two regions in Denmark, we examined 4649 subjects from the general population, women aged 18-65 years and men aged 60-65 years. METHODS: Ultrasonography and palpation of the thyroid was performed in all participants. Iodine excretion was measured in casual urine samples. Previous thyroid disease was detected by questionnaires, personal interviews and tracing of records. RESULTS: The median iodine excretion was 61 microg/l (mild iodine deficiency (ID)) and 45 microg/l (moderate ID) in the two regions. Median thyroid volume at ultrasonography was 11. 9 ml (mild ID) and 13.6 ml (moderate ID), P <0.001, and thyroid enlargement was found in 15.0% (mild ID) and 22.6% (moderate ID), P<0.001. Goitre prevalence increased in both regions with age to the age group 40-45 years, but not after that age. Subjects who had moved from the moderate ID to the mild ID area had the same prevalence of thyroid enlargement as the subjects staying permanently in the mild ID area. Thyroid nodules at ultrasonography were found in 30% in both regions, but nodules were larger and more often palpable in the moderate ID area. Palpable goitre was found in 9.8% (mild ID) and 14.6% (moderate ID), P<0.001. The greatest regional difference in thyroid abnormalities was found among men. CONCLUSION: Marked differences in the prevalence of thyroid abnormalities were found in these regions with modest differences in iodine excretion.

Adult↗

Laboratory evaluation of the effect of prophylaxis for thromboembolism with fractionated heparin in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

OBJECTIVE: We studied the effect of prophylaxis for thromboembolism with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) during hospitalization on the biological hemostasis system in patients who had undergone laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: This was a prospective paired cohort study without a control group (i.e., a before-after study). The subjects were 20 patients operated on laparoscopically for uncomplicated cholelithiasis. All patients received LMWH 2 h before the operation and 24 h after the first dose. Mean duration of surgery was 70 min. Pneumoperitoneum was accomplished at 14 mmHg, and all patients were operated on in the inverted Trendelenberg position (30 degrees). Patients were mobilized within 24 h, and were discharged within 48 h after surgery. As parameters of hemostasis we studied anti-Xa factor activity (anti-Xa), antithrombin III (AT III), partial active thromboplastin time (PTT) and fibrinogen. Samples were taken for laboratory analyses under basal conditions the day before the operation (first determination), 1 h after the first preoperative dose of LMWH was given (second), at the end of the operation (third), 24 h after surgery (fourth), and on postoperative day 7 (fifth). RESULTS: Mean basal values of all parameters were within the normal range. Mean anti-Xa activity was significantly higher in the second and third determinations than in the first and fifth measurements (p < 0.05). Mean PTT was significantly elevated on the second determination and decreased thereafter; however, none of the results differed significantly from the normal value. Mean AT III was significantly lower in the third determination in comparison with the first and fifth measurements. Fibrinogen was significantly higher in the fourth and fifth determinations than in the second and third measurements. Among all parameters and sampling times, the only values outside the normal range were anti-Xa activity on the second, third and fourth determinations. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma anti-Xa factor activity was increased preoperatively, and remained elevated for 24 h after surgery, returning to basal values on postoperative day 7. Partial thromboplastin time was slightly prolonged after the first dose of LMWH, indicating good antithrombotic action.

Adult↗

Changes in hemostasis after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this work was to study hemostasis in laparoscopic cholecystectomy in order to determine if there are any changes that indicate a greater risk of thrombosis. METHODS: The study was carried out in 20 patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery for noncomplicated cholelithiasis. The average age was 59.4 years (range, 34-77). A total of 75% were female. Mean operation time was 70 min (ranges 35-120). Pneumoperitoneum at 14 mmHg was performed on all patients, who were positioned in the 30 degrees reverse Trendelenburg position. Postoperative mobilization was acheived in 24 hs and patients were discharged 48 hs after the operation. The control group was composed of 12 patients, who were evenly distributed by age, sex, and length of surgery. These patients underwent Bassini herniorraphy for inguinal hernia without any complications or relapse. The following hemostatic parameters were studied: prothrombin activity (PA), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (Fg), anti-thrombin III (ATIII), plasma fibrinolytic activity (PFA), euglobulin fibrinolytic activity (EFA), and D-dimer (D-D). Samples were obtained at the following times: (a) under basal conditions the day before surgery, (b) preoperatively, (c) at the end of the operation, (d) 24 hs after the operation, and (e) On the 7th day following the operation. RESULTS: No patient showed any clinical manifestations of thromboembolic disease immediately after surgery or during a medium follow-up period of 16 months (range, 15-18 months). All hemostatic parameters values were within normal range in the basal samples of both groups. In both groups, the mean value of PA showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the second, third, and fourth basal samples, returning to normal levels by the fifth determination. The mean value of fibrinogen decreased slightly in the second and third samples, increasing significantly with respect to the fourth and fifth determinations in both groups (p < 0.05). The mean value of APTT in both groups was slightly enhanced in the second and third determinations in relation to the first and fifth. The global activity of fibrinolysis (PFA and EFA) increased significantly in the third sample with respect to the other determinations in the group who had laparoscopic surgery (p < 0.005). Only EFA increased in the control group (p < 0.05). D-D decreased in the preoperative second determination followed by a significant enhancement immediate postoperatively (third), and 24 hs (fourth) (p < 0.05); it returned to normal basal values on the seventh day. No significant differences were found between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that laparoscopic cholecystectomy leads to no greater activation of plasma coagulation than low-risk surgery. On the contrary, the increase of fibrinolytic activity in plasma would extend a certain degree of hypocoagulability during surgery, maintaining it for 24 hs and thus possibly reducing thromboembolic risk in patients undergoing this type of surgery.

Adult↗

The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in a population with borderline iodine deficiency.

OBJECTIVE: We lack information on the influence of borderline iodine deficiency on the occurrence of thyroid dysfunction. Iodine deficiency has been reported to facilitate the development of toxic nodular goitre, whereas a high iodine intake may increase the prevalence of autoimmune hypothyroidism. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In a cross-sectional study of a random sample of the general population in our region with borderline iodine deficiency 2656 (65%) of 4073 men and women aged 41 to 71 years participated. Records were made of previous thyroidal illness. Blood samples were drawn for thyroid parameters and TPO Ab values. Iodine and creatinine was assessed in casual urine samples. RESULTS: Previous or present hyperthyroidism was reported by 1.4% of the participants whereas 0.6% had unknown biochemical hyperthyroidism. All cases of undiagnosed hyperthyroidism were among women. Previously diagnosed and treated hypothyroidism was reported by 1.0% and undiagnosed hypothyroidism was found in 0.4%. Subclinical hyperthyroidism was found in 1.3% and subclinical hypothyroidism in 0.7%. TPO Ab titres >200 kU/l were found in 16.9% of the women and 6.6% of the men, and 83% of participants with TSH >5 mU/l had TPO Ab titres >200 kU/l. Participants with TPO Ab titres between 100 and 200 kU/l had no increased frequency of thyroid dysfunction. The median iodine excretion rate was estimated as 103 microg/day. Serum TSH values were higher in women than in men and showed higher dispersion in women as well as in old age. Serum free T3 was found to be higher in women than in men and increased with age. Serum free T4 showed no sex difference but values increased with increasing age. CONCLUSION: In our region with borderline iodine deficiency more than 5% of the general population has clinical or subclinical thyroid dysfunction. We found a relatively high prevalence of hyperthyroidism, especially previously undiagnosed disease, but a low prevalence of hypothyroidism as would be expected in an area of iodine deficiency. Hypothyroidism was related to TPO Ab titres of >200 kU/l. Thyroid hormone levels varied with age and sex.

Adult↗

[Bacterial translocation in intestinal transplant].

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the influence of ceftriaxone on bacterial translocation and survival after small bowel transplantation in an experimental model with large animals. DESIGN: We performed 21 small bowel transplantation in pigs. Group 1 (n = 5): small bowel transplantation (SBT). Group 2 (n = 5): SBT and immunosuppression with cyclosporine, azathioprine and prednisolone. Group 3 (n = 5): SBT and ceftriaxone. Group 4 (n = 6): SBT, ceftriaxone and immunosuppression. SUBJECTS: Minipig of 25-45 Kg body weight. MEASURES: Blood, spleen, liver, and mesenteric lymph nodes for bacterial culture and biopsy of ileum on postoperative days POD 0.3 and 7. RESULTS: Cultures were positive for bacteria in 22% (10/41) before perfusion, and 43% (28/67) post-reperfusion. Groups 1 and 2: cultures were positive for bacteria in 93% (28/30) on POD 3 degrees, and in 100% (30/30) on POD 7 degrees. Cultures were positive for enterobacteria in 80% (24/30) on POD 3 degrees. Groups 3 and 4: cultures were positive for bacteria in 79.5% (33/41) on POD 3 degrees and in 100% (31/31) on POD 7 degrees. Cultures were positive for enterobacteria in 36.5% (15/41) on POD 3 degrees. Early mortality (before POD 7 degrees), not related with technical complications was 50% (5/10) in groups 1 and 2 and 0% (0/11) in groups 3 and 4. There were no differences with the use of immunosuppression. CONCLUSIONS: Ceftriaxone could decrease bacterial translocation (especially enterobacteria), and early mortality post-small bowel transplantation in pigs.

Animals↗

Hysterectomy in a Danish cohort. Prevalence, incidence and socio-demographic characteristics.

BACKGROUND: The aim has been to assess the frequency of hysterectomy in relation to sociodemographic characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 2,403 women selected at random from the population in the western part of Copenhagen County. One thousand seven hundred and sixty-five Danish women (77%) filled in the questionnaire and took part in the interview. The cohort was followed for eight years through central registers to assess the incidence of hysterectomy. Logistic and Cox regression were used as main statistics. RESULTS: Life time prevalence of hysterectomy was 10.4%. In the prevalence study, hysterectomy on benign diagnoses (85%) was related to short schooling, lack of vocational education, and low social status personally as well as regards the family. In the multivariate analyses school education, vocational education, and ascending social status by marriage were independent explanatory variables. In the incidence study, the crude rate of hysterectomy on benign diagnoses was 3.4 pr. 1000 years, with the 40-year-old women having the highest rate (7.8 pr. 1000 years). Risk factors as regards hysterectomy due to bleeding disorders and uterine fibroids at ages <50 (premenopausal) were unemployment and lack of vocational education, only the latter reached significant level in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: There are social inequalities regarding premenopausal hysterectomy on benign diagnoses, but the social-demographic indicators of interest have changed through the last decades. Short schooling and lack of social mobility by marriage were only associated with the hysterectomies performed before 1982, whereas lack of vocational education was related to hysterectomy independent of the calendar period involved. A woman without education has a relative risk of 2.2 (1.1-4.4) for hysterectomy compared to an educated woman.

Adult↗

CD5-expressing B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas with bcl-1 gene rearrangement have a relatively homogeneous immunophenotype and are associated with an overall poor prognosis.

Mantle cell lymphomas (MCLs) are typically CD5-expressing B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs) that frequently harbor the chromosomal translocation t(11;14) or bcl-1 gene rearrangements. Insufficient data are available on the biologic features and clinical behavior of rigorously characterized MCL. As these NHLs have been reported to exhibit various histologic and cytologic expressions, and in order to avoid using somewhat arbitrary and subjective morphologic definitions, we chose to study cases of MCL selected on more objective grounds. Specifically, 15 samples (from 14 patients) of CD5-expressing B-cell NHLs with detectable bcl-1 gene rearrangement were included. Overall, these patients had relatively uniform clinical manifestations. Most were older men (mean age, 67 years) who presented with lymphadenopathy, high-stage disease, and bone marrow involvement. All but two patients relapsed, demonstrated residual tumor, or had disease progression after an initial response to various therapies. Nine patients have died; these patients had a median survival of only 19 months. All cases could be classified within the broad morphologic spectrum previously described for MCL, and no predominant histologic subtype was observed. However, cases could be segregated into two major groups according to tissue architecture: one with a purely diffuse pattern and the other with at least a focal nodular component. Patients with purely diffuse tumors had a lower survival rate (0%) than those with tumors having a nodular component (62% survival rate). In contrast to the morphologic variability, these NHL exhibited a rather homogeneous immunophenotypic pattern. All cases demonstrated intense CD20 expression, with typically intense IgM and light chain expression, and relatively weak IgD expression. In no case was CD10 detected on the neoplastic cells. DNA content analysis showed aneuploidy only in three instances, and two groups of cases could be arbitrarily defined on the basis of their S-phase fraction. A relationship between a purely diffuse growth pattern and a high S-phase fraction (greater than 5%) was observed. As expected from this association, patients with tumors having high S-phase fractions fared worse (14% survival rate) than those patients with tumors showing lower S-phase fractions (57% survival rate). Thirteen NHLs from 12 patients had amplifiable bcl-1 gene rearrangements at the major translocation cluster (MTC). The bcl-1 breakpoints aggregated within a 63-bp region of the MTC, and the amplified tumor DNA from each patient had unique N-nucleotide junctional sequences and Ig joining region breakpoint sites.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Aged↗

Optimal primer selection for clonality assessment by polymerase chain reaction analysis: I. Low grade B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders of nonfollicular center cell type.

Recent polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based studies focused on the detection of immunoglobulin heavy chain gene (IgH) rearrangements have suggested that clonal populations may be amplified more easily from certain categories of B-cell neoplasia than others and that primer makeup can be a critical factor in successful amplification. However, these particular reports contained relatively few low grade B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders of nonfollicular center cell type (LG-BLPD) and used only a limited panel of available primer sets for PCR amplification of monoclonal B-cell populations. To address this issue more extensively we evaluated 156 samples of LG-BLPD by the PCR to determine optimal primer selection in this setting. All cases were classified according to standard morphological and immunophenotypic criteria, with monoclonality documented by Ig light chain restriction analysis. The LG-BLPD included 33 cases of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), 57 cases of small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), 10 cases of atypical CLL, 32 cases of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), 17 plasma cell neoplasms (PCNs), and seven cases of hairy cell leukemia (HCL). All primer sets included a 3' IgH joining region consensus primer, whereas the 5' IgH variable region (VH) primer was different in each set. The first-line panel included the following: Set 1, VH-framework III consensus primer, and Set 2, seven separate VH-framework I family-specific primers. A reserve panel of alternate VH consensus primers directed at framework II or III regions was used only when Set 1 showed no evidence of B-cell monoclonality.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Base Sequence↗

Optimal primer selection for clonality assessment by polymerase chain reaction analysis: II. Follicular lymphomas.

Prior studies have shown variable success in amplification of monoclonal B-cell populations from follicular lymphomas (FLs) of germinal center cell origin using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We examined 60 FLs by the PCR to determine optimal primer selection for detection of clonal immunoglobulin heavy chain gene (IgH) rearrangements in this common group of B-cell lymphomas. Each primer set included a 3' IgH joining region consensus primer; the 5' primer was different in each reaction. The first-line panel included the following: Set 1, bcl-2 major breakpoint region (mbr) primer; Set 2, bcl-2 minor cluster region (mcr) primer; Set 3, IgH variable region framework III consensus primer; and Set 4, seven separate IgH variable region framework I family-specific primers. A reserve panel also was used. The efficiency of monoclonal B-cell population amplification differed among primer sets. The bcl-2-targeted primer pairs (Sets 1 and 2) were most efficient and amplified 42 (70%) of 60 cases. Of these, the mbr and mcr primer sets detected monoclonality in 38 and four cases, respectively. Set 3 amplified monoclonal B-cell in 38 and four cases, respectively. Set 3 amplified monoclonal B-cell populations in 31 (52%) cases and Set 4 detected similar populations in only 27 (45%) samples. When results from primer Sets 1, 2, and 3 were combined, 49 of 60 (82%) FLs showed evidence of B-cell monoclonality by the PCR. Three of the 11 negative cases were documented as monoclonal with primer Set 4, and three additional samples were amplified only with our reserve panel.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Base Sequence↗

Primers frequently used for detecting the t(14;18) major breakpoint also amplify Epstein-Barr viral DNA.

We observed a potentially misinterpretable polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification product generated with standard primers used to detect the major breakpoint region (mbr) of chromosomal translocation t(14;18). This unexpected phenomenon was initially detected during attempts to transform follicular lymphomas in vitro with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Additional studies were performed using the EBV-producing cell line MCUV5, cell lines from EBV-transformed normal B-lymphocytes, and an excised lymph node from a patient with documented EBV-associated infectious mononucleosis. These samples consistently produced a 167-base pair product, which was indistinguishable from a t(14;18) lymphoma product when viewed on ethidium bromide-stained gels. Through DNA sequencing and gene bank analysis, the product was identified as a portion of the EBV genome. A mbr-specific 20-base oligonucleotide probe was able to discriminate between true translocations and the EBV-related amplifications. These results underscore the importance of employing a specific detection system, and comprehensively screening primers when working with PCR.

Animals↗

Standard polymerase chain reaction analysis does not detect t(14;18) in reactive lymphoid hyperplasia.

There are conflicting data regarding the detection of t(14;18) in reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (RLH) by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Although most studies have not detected t(14;18), several groups have definitively shown that a very low number of cells with this translocation (one in 10(5) to 10(6)) are present in a significant proportion of follicular hyperplasias. Review of the methods from these series reveals that modifications of the PCR assay (ie, enhanced sensitivity steps such as seminesting, lengthy autoradiographic exposure times, multiple aliquot reactions of single samples, and/or high concentrations of template DNA) are probably necessary to detect t(14;18) in RLH. We evaluated a diverse set of 111 RLH (85 lymph nodes, 22 tonsils, and four other sites) from patients of different age groups (age range, 9 months to 80 years) to determine if a standard PCR assay would amplify t(14;18). Of these, 61 (55%) specimens had a prominent follicular hyperplastic component. Fifty-seven follicular lymphomas served as a control group. Polymerase chain reaction was performed as a single-run, two-primer-based assay for major breakpoint region bcl-2 translocations (5' major breakpoint region primer and 3' immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene-joining region consensus primer). Two different types of thermocyclers were employed. A metal block thermocycler was used with 35 cycles of amplification on 500 ng to 1 micrograms of genomic DNA, and a separate air thermocycler was used with 45 cycles of amplification on 50 ng of genomic DNA. Product detection was carried out through ethidium bromide staining and UV gel illumination, along with a digoxigenin-alkaline phosphatase-based, internal major breakpoint region oligonucleotide probe system. We found no amplified t(14;18) products in any RLH. In contrast, 36 (63%) of 57 follicular lymphomas showed t(14;18) (published range for detection of major breakpoint region translocations by PCR, 31% to 74%). Moreover, the assay's sensitivity, estimated through dilution studies, was to one in 10(4) to 10(5) cells. Although theoretically possible, our data suggest that there is practically no risk of amplifying a t(14;18) from RLH when utilizing a standard PCR assay.

Adolescent↗

[Carcinoma in a long-standing Zenker's diverticulum].

The authors report a case of carcinoma arising in a longstanding Zenker's diverticulum, in a 66 years old man that refused surgical treatment for 25 years. Three months prior to his admission to our hospital, an exacerbation of his dysphagia, which became severe, was observed; and so was regurgitation, with passage to the airway during swallowing or when asleep. The esophagram showed the diverticulum without images suggestive of neoplasm, and with spilling of barium into the tracheobronchial tree. Esophagoscopy was refused by the patient. After surgical diverticulectomy, a thickened area in the inferior portion of the diverticular body was observed, which was histologically reported as a squamous cell carcinoma with pearl formation, involving only the diverticular wall. Complementary radiotherapy with TCT was administered over the esophagus, mediastinum and supraclavicular lymphatic areas, with a total dose of 5000 Cgy. Concomitant chemotherapy with Mitomycin and 5-Fluorouracil was administered. After a 2 year follow-up, the patient is completely asymptomatic. We discuss etiopathogenic factors, clinical manifestations, diagnostic procedures, and therapeutic possibilities.

Aged↗

Absence of fibronectin and presence of plasminogen activator in both normal and malignant human mammary epithelial cells in culture.

Primary monolayer cultures of normal and malignant human mammary epithelial cells were tested for fibronectin by indirect immunofluorescence using antisera specific for fibronectin. This protein was not detectable on either the normal or malignant epithelial cells. Similar results were obtained for normal and malignant mouse mammary epithelial cell cultures. Control normal and transformed fibroblasts exhibited the expected result: the normal cells were positive and the transformed cells were negative. With the use of supernatant fluids from the same cultures or an agar-overlay assay on viable cells, high levels of plasminogen-dependent fibrinolytic activity were detectable in both the normal and malignant mammary cells. Thus, two characteristics that distinguish normal from transformed fibroblasts do not serve as markers of malignancy in mammary epithelial/carcinoma systems.

Animals↗