Glycomics expression analysis of sulfated glycosaminoglycans of human colorectal cancer tissues and non-neoplastic mucosa by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry / Análise da expressão de glicosaminoglicanos sulfatados no tecido humano neoplásico colorretal e na mucosa não neoplásica por espectrometria de massa por ionização por electrospray

ABSTRACT Objective To determine the presence of glycosaminoglycans in the extracellular matrix of connective tissue from neoplastic and non-neoplastic colorectal tissues, since it has a central role in tumor development and progression. Methods Tissue samples from neoplastic and non-neoplastic colorectal tissues were obtained from 64 operated patients who had colorectal carcinoma with no distant metastases. Expressions of heparan sulphate, chondroitin sulphate, dermatan sulphate and their fragments were analyzed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, with the technique for extraction and quantification of glycosaminoglycans after proteolysis and electrophoresis. The statistical analysis included mean, standard deviation, and Student’st test. Results The glycosaminoglycans extracted from colorectal tissue showed three electrophoretic bands in agarose gel. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry showed characteristic disaccharide fragments from glycosaminoglycans, indicating their structural characterization in the tissues analyzed. Some peaks in the electrospray ionization mass spectrometry were not characterized as fragments of sugars, indicating the presence of fragments of the protein structure of proteoglycans generated during the glycosaminoglycan purification. The average amount of chondroitin and dermatan increased in the neoplastic tissue compared to normal tissue (p=0.01). On the other hand, the average amount of heparan decreased in the neoplastic tissue compared to normal tissue (p= 0.03). Conclusion The method allowed the determination of the glycosaminoglycans structural profile in colorectal tissue from neoplastic and non-neoplastic colorectal tissue. Neoplastic tissues showed greater amounts of chondroitin sulphate and dermatan sulphate compared to non-neoplastic tissues, while heparan sulphate was decreased in neoplastic tissues.

RESUMO Objetivo Determinar a presença de glicosaminoglicanos na matriz extracelular do tecido conjuntivo colorretal neoplásico e não neoplásico, tendo em vista seu papel central no desenvolvimento e na progressão dos tumores. Métodos Amostras de tecidos colorretais neoplásicos e não neoplásicos foram obtidas de 64 pacientes operados com carcinoma colorretal sem metástases a distância. As expressões de heparan sulfato, sulfato de condroitina e sulfato de dermatan e seus fragmentos foram analisadas por espectrometria de massa por ionização por electrospray, com técnica de extração e quantificação de glicosaminoglicanos após proteólise e eletroforese. Para análise estatística, utilizaram-se média, desvio padrão e teste t de Student. Resultados Em gel de agarose, os glicosaminoglicanos extraídos de tecido colorretal mostraram três bandas eletroforéticas. A espectrometria de massa por ionização por electrospray mostrou fragmentos de dissacarídeos característicos de glicosaminoglicanos e indicou sua característica estrutural. Alguns picos na espectrometria de massa por ionização por electrospray não foram caracterizados como fragmentos de açúcares, sugerindo a presença de fragmentos de proteínas estruturais dos proteoglicanos, formadas durante a purificação dos glicosaminoglicanos. A quantidade média de condroitina e dermatan aumentou no tecido neoplástico em relação ao tecido normal (p=0,01). Por outro lado, a quantidade média de heparan foi menor no tecido neoplásico em relação ao tecido normal (p=0,03). Conclusão O método empregado permitiu determinar o perfil estrutural dos glicosaminoglicanos nas amostras. Tecidos neoplásicos apresentaram maiores quantidades de sulfato de condroitina e sulfato de dermatan em comparação com os não neoplásicos, enquanto o sulfato de heparan foi encontrado em menores quantidades nos tecidos neoplásicos.

Neutron KERMA factors of human tissues

A program to calculate the neutron KERMA in human tissues has been developed. The program was developed in Mathcad and contains the neutron kerma factors of those elements that are present in different human tissues. Having the elemental composition of any human tissue the neutron kerma can be easily calculated. The program was tested using the elemental composition of tumor tissues such as sarcoma, melanoma, carcinoma and adenoid cystic. Neutron kerma for adipose and muscle tissue for normal adult was calculated. The results are in agreement with those published in literature. The neutron kerma for water was also calculated because in some dosimetric calculations water is used to describe normal and tumor tissues. From this comparison was found that at larger energies kerma factors are approximately the same, but energies less than 100 eV the differences are large.

Skin morphology of the mutant hairless USP mouse

The morphology of the skin of the mutant hairless USP mouse was studied by histological, histochemical and immunohistochemical methods and compared to the skin of BALB/c mice. Representative sections of the dorsal skin from mice of both strains aged 18 days, and 1, 3, 6, and 8 months were studied. Sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin showed cystic formations called utricles and dermal cysts in the dermis that increased in size and number during growth. Skin thickness increased significantly at 8 months. Sections stained with picrosirius and examined with polarized light, displayed different colors, suggesting different thicknesses of dermal collagen fibers (probably types I and III). Weigert, Verhoeff and resorcin-fuchsin stains revealed fibers of the elastic system. The PAS and Alcian blue methods revealed neutral and acid glycosaminoglycans in the skin ground substance of both mouse strains. Immunohistochemical staining for fibronectin and laminin did not show differences between the mutant and BALB/c mice. Mast cells stained by the Gomori method and macrophages positive for HAM 56 antibodies were observed in both mouse strains. Except for the presence of enlarged cysts in the hairless strain, no qualitative differences were found during development of the skin of BALB/c and the mutant hairless mice.