Gene expression profiling identifies tumour markers potentially playing a role in uveal melanoma development.

Microarray is a powerful tool to compare the gene expression of different tumour specimens and cell lines simultaneously and quantitatively. To get a better insight into genes that are involved in uveal melanoma tumorigenesis, we compared the gene expression profiles of 12 different uveal melanoma cell lines with three melanocyte cell cultures obtained from healthy donor eyes. Gene expression profiles were obtained by nylon filter arrays, containing 1176 gene spots related to cancer development. The expression levels of selected genes were validated on cell lines and primary uveal melanomas by real time RT-PCR, and were subsequently included in cluster analysis. Four candidate tumour markers, Laminin Receptor 1, Endothelin 2, Von Hippel Lindau Binding protein 1 and Cullin 2, have been selected from genes that were differentially expressed in the uveal melanoma cell lines compared to the normal uveal melanocytes. In primary uveal melanomas, these four markers could discriminate between two classes of uveal melanoma, which may be indicative of a differential disease process.

Effects of in vitro exposure to ultraviolet radiation on the functional activity of lymphocytes, with emphasis on susceptibility of different species.

In this study lymphocytes from blood and/or spleen of different species (rat, mouse, human) were exposed to different doses of ultraviolet radiation (UVR). The functional activity of these lymphocytes was determined using assays for mitogen proliferation and the mixed lymphocyte response (MLR). These experiments demonstrated that in vitro exposure to UVR causes a dose-dependent decrease of the MLR activity of the irradiated lymphocytes. Viability of lymphocytes and mitogen proliferation responses were also decreased by UVR exposure but less severe in comparison to the MLR. Lymphocytes of rats seem to be more sensitive to UVR as compared to lymphocytes of mice and humans.