ABSTRACT
The expression, amplification and rearrangement of c-myc and c-erbB-2 genes in thyroid tumor were studied. 32P-dATP-labelled probes of c-myc, c-erbB-2 and v-sis DNA fragments were used to hybridise with the cellular total RNA. We found that c-myc and c-erbB-2 oncogenes were expressed in all samples. The levels of c-myc RNA were three-to eleven-fold higher in 9 out of 15 cancer samples when compared with that in normal tissues. In 7 of 15 cancer samples, c-erbB-2 gene was overexpressed 10~50 times higher than normal. No v-sis RNA was detected in all the samples. Southern blot hybridisation showed that rearrangement of c-myc oncogene were observed in 4 cancer samples, of which one showed a 150-fold amplification of c-myc gene. No amplification or rearrangement of c-erbB-2 gene was detected. These data indicate that the activat.:on of c-myc and c-erbB-2 oncogenes may contribute to the development and/or maintenance of the malignant phenotype of the thyroid carcinomas.
ABSTRACT
The change in pancreatic A- and B-cells in Chinese hamsters with spontaneous hereditary diabetes mellitus were investigated with specific immunohistochemical and image analyzing methods. A variety of pathological changes of the islets and change in number and distribution of the pancreatic A- and B-cells were found in diabetic Chinese hamsters. Microscopic examination revealed that the intensity of staining reaction of pancreatic B-cells varied greatly and the number of A-cells increased in this model. The results of image analysis showed that the range of the average optical density of B-cell staining was 54.4% wider than that in the control and the percentage of the glucagon positive immunoreactive area in the islet was significantly higher in diabetic Chinese hamsters(31.6?13.2%)than in the controls(21. 8?7.5%). These findings suggest that the islet cytology of this diabetic model changes significantly.
ABSTRACT
The changes in left ventricular function and hemorrheology were investigated serially before and after treatment with thyroid tablets in 32 cases of primary hypothyroidism. It was found that cardiac function was impaired and hemorrheology was disturbed in all of these patients before treatment, but they recovered to normal range when hypothyroid state was corrected. It was found that there was a good correlation between cardiac function and blood level of thyroid hormone, presence of thyroid auto-antibodies, as well as disturbance of hemorrheology. These facts suggested that blood level of thyroid hormone and hemorrheology might act as two indirect indicators in the prediction of left ventricular function in patients with primary hypothyroidism.