Methylthioadenosine phosphorylase expression in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

The methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) gene is a tumour suppressor gene, located on chromosome 9p21, 100 kb telomeric of the p15 and p16 genes, which are often deleted in tumor cells. The role of MTAP protein expression in the genesis of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is currently not known. In a previous study we have shown the frequent occurrence of allelic imbalance/loss of heterozygosity (AI/LOH) in cutaneous SCCs using AI/LOH markers flanking the p15, p16, and MTAP genes and demonstrated reduction in p15 and p16 protein expression in comparison to normal human skin. The present study is a continuation to our previous studies, aimed at determining possible roles played by MTAP protein expression in the genesis of cutaneous SCC. The expression of MTAP protein was detected using immunohistochemical approach in 109 micro array cutaneous SCC and 20 normal human skin tissue samples. The expression of MTAP was not significantly different in the cutaneous SCC cases as compared with normal human skin. This may indicate that MTAP protein expression does not contribute to the genesis of cutaneous SCC.

hTR RNA component as a marker of cellular proliferation in oral lichen planus.

Previously, we have shown that the telomerase RNA component hTR is highly expressed in the epithelium of non-dysplastic Oral Lichen Planus (OLP) lesions (11). We concluded that it is possible that this high expression might be related to the increased cellular proliferation seen in OLP rather than being an indicator of potential malignant transformation. In the present study, and in order to confirm our finding in the previous study that hTR might be a marker for cellular proliferation in OLP, we analysed OLP biopsies known to be positive for RNA component of Telomerase (hTR) for the expression of Ki-67 as a marker for cellular proliferation. Fourteen OLP tissue biopsies known to be positive for telomerase RNA component hTR, were investigated using an immunohistochemical approach to determine the rate of cellular proliferation in OLP, looking at the expression of Ki-67 protein as a marker for cellular proliferation. A statistically significant increase was found between Ki-67 expression in OLP in comparison to normal control buccal mucosa samples. The expression of hTR component in OLP might thus be a marker for cellular proliferation.

The effect of infection of hatched blastocyst bovine embryos with border disease and bovine viral diarrhea viruses.

The effect of infection with teratogenic viruses at early stages of pregnancy is not fully understood. This study aimed to look at the effect of infection with teratogenic viruses such as bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) and border disease virus (BDV), on early stage embryos at the hatched blastocyst stage. BVDV and BDV are known to cross the placenta of infected mothers and lead to congenital defects and death of developing fetuses. This study can be a good model for better understanding the effects of other teratogenic viruses such as Rubella virus in humans.