Pregnancy and the apoptotic pathway in experimental melanoma.

Pregnancy-associated melanoma is defined as melanoma diagnosed during pregnancy or within 1 year of delivery. The association of pregnancy with melanoma is well known, but its underlying molecular mechanisms of association are poorly understood. The aim was to assess the expression of apoptosis-related genes in melanoma tumors during pregnancy in an attempt to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying apoptosis-driven activation of melanoma cells in this period. Mice were allocated across two experimental groups (nonpregnant and pregnant) and implanted with the melanoma cell line BF16-F10. Tumor tissue was collected for RNA extraction and purification, and gene expression was quantified using the mouse apoptosis RT2ProfilerTM PCR array. Different intracellular apoptotic pathways were activated (positively or negatively) by pregnancy in tumor cells: intrinsic (21.5%), extrinsic (32%), caspase (14%), apoptosis (21.5%), and caspase-activated DNase (11%). The proportion of upregulated genes for each of these pathways was 100, 30, 50, 17, and 0%, respectively. MetaCore software was then used to analyze gene ontology processes and pathways by building networks. Among the gene ontology processes, the majority of differentiated genes were related to the apoptotic process. The main pathway activated by pregnancy was the intrinsic one (genes Api-5, Bcl2-L1, Birc-2, Birc-3, Bok, and Trp53bp2). Pregnancy activates the intrinsic apoptosis pathway to stimulate caspases 7 and 9, but the final balance is inhibition of apoptosis mechanisms. In mice, pregnancy cannot promote or worsen melanoma.

Comparative study of MMP-2 (matrix metalloproteinase 2) immune expression in normal uterine cervix, intraepithelial neoplasias, and squamous cells cervical carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to evaluate the levels of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) in the precursors lesions and in the invasive cervical carcinoma and to quantify the immune reactive expression of MMP-2, using MMP-2 immunohistochemistry, in intraepithelial cervical neoplasias and in the invading cervical carcinoma. STUDY DESIGN: We evaluated 60 samples of cervical tissues using immunohistochemistry for MMP-2 in 5 distinct groups. The groups were divided in control, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia I (CIN I), CIN II, CIN III, and cervical invading carcinoma. RESULTS: MMP-2 expression was found gradually increased according to the degree of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical carcinoma. (Control

Excellent cosmetic and functional result achieved by vulvar reconstruction using a V-Y myocutaneous flap after vulvectomy and lymphadenectomy in a young woman with stage II vulvar cancer.

Vulvar carcinoma is currently accounting for 4% to 5% of all female genital tract malignancies. We report a 31-year-old woman with a 4-year history of vulvar pruritus and a progressively growing painless mass. The lesion was an invasive squamous cell carcinoma and contained oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16. An excellent cosmetic and functional treatment result was achieved by radical vulvectomy with selective inguinal-femoral lymphadenectomy (using separate incisions) followed by immediate reconstructive surgery using a V-Y myocutaneous flap.