ABSTRACT
Apoptosis is a well-known specific process of cell death that normally occurs in physiological situations such as tissue or organ development and involution. During tumor growth there is a balance between proliferation and cell death which involves apoptotic mechanisms. In the present study genomic DNAs from 120 breast tumor biopsies were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis and none of them presented the fragmentation pattern characteristic of the apoptosis process. However, 33 per cent of the 105 breast cancer patients clearly showed the apoptotic pattern when DNA from blood cells was analyzed. None of the DNAs from healthy volunteer blood cells showed any trace of apoptosis. Since the breast cancer patients were not receiving chemo- or hormone therapy, the possible relationship between blood cortisol levels and the apoptotic pattern found in patient blood cells was investigated. Using a chemoluminescence immunodetection assay, similar cortisol levels were observed in breast cancer patient sera presenting or not apoptotic blood cells and in healthy volunteer sera. Analysis of the clinical data obtained from 60 of these patients showed that patients bearing tumors of smaller size (under 20 mm) were more susceptible to the apoptotic effect in blood cells. According to the Elston grade, it was observed that 7 of 12 patients with grade III tumors (58 per cent) presented apoptotic peripheral blood cells, in contrast to 10 of 48 patients with grade I and grade II tumors. These observations may reflect the immunosuppression characteristic of some breast cancer patients, which may contribute to tumor growth. Therefore, further studies are necessary to elucidate the factor(s) involved in such massive blood cell death.
Subject(s)
Humans , Apoptosis , Blood Cells/physiology , Breast Neoplasms/physiopathology , DNA , Electrophoresis, Agar Gel , Hydrocortisone/bloodABSTRACT
Some Brazilian regions are considered to be endemic for human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus type I (HTLV-I) infection. Several studies have shown a high prevalence of HTLV-I infection among different groups such as blood donors, hemophiliacs and patients suffering from hematological and neurological diseases. Cases of adult T -cell leukemia/lymphoma as well as tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-i-infected T -cell line (ROB) expressing viral antigens was established and reverse transcriptase activity could be detected in the culture supernatant. Ultrastructural analysis showed immature and mature HTLV retrovirus particles. Finally, HTLV-I provirus type I was demonstrated by the plymerase chain reaction. This is the first isolation completely carried out in Latin America. The molecular analysis of viral strains, now in progress, should clarify the molecular epidemiology of HTLV-I in Brazil
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Adult , Human T-lymphotropic virus 1/isolation & purification , Lymphocytes/virology , Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic/epidemiology , Brazil/epidemiology , Genome, Viral , Human T-lymphotropic virus 1/genetics , Human T-lymphotropic virus 1/ultrastructure , Molecular Structure , Polymerase Chain ReactionABSTRACT
O reflexo de imersao, utilizado para o tratamento de taquicardia atrial paroxistica, constitui-se em procedimento seguro, eficaz e com varias vantagens em relacao a outras manobras vagais, especialmente em criancas. Este trabalho relata um caso de taquicardia atrial paroxistica em lactante revertida com o reflexo de imersao e apresenta uma revisao da literatura sobre o seu uso terapeutico