Toll-like receptors and the tendency of normal mucous membrane to transform to polyp or colorectal cancer.

The aim of this study was to identify differences in Toll-like receptor (TLR) expression patterns in normal and diseased tissues of patients with polyps and colorectal cancer. Eight patients were included in the study group (aged 38 to 72 years). Sixteen HG-U133A oligonucleotide microarrays were analysed including four of colonic polyps, four of adenocarcinoma with different degree of histological differentiation (2 poorly and 2 highly differentiated), and eight of macroscopically normal tissue. The levels of selected TLR mRNA transcripts were analysed. An analysis of all per cent variability values with regard to malignancy stage increasing from polyp to stages I to III adenocarcinoma, and normal colon mucosa shows a statistically significant relationship for TLR2 (increasing) and TLR3 (decreasing). In polyps, copy numbers of TLR3, TLR4 and TLR5 mRNA were the highest and TLR7 mRNA the lowest. In normal colon mucosa of polyposis patients the highest mRNA copy numbers were observed for TLR3, and the lowest for TLR7. TLR3 may serve as a marker of colon tissue metaplasia and may indicate the tendency of normal tissue to form polyps transforming to colorectal cancer.

Differential diagnosis of gingival hyperplasia based on IFN-gamma-stimulated gene expression using RT-PCR.

Epulus is a benign gingival tumour of unknown aetiopathogenesis. Classification is inconsistent, and standard management strategies are lacking. Epuli are generally believed to be inflammatory rather than neoplastic lesions. The literature does not present any molecular analysis of the tumour characteristics. The purpose of the present study was to compare benign (epulus) and malignant (cancer) gingival hyperplasias with regard to the activity of the genes of apoptosis, proliferation, and inflammation using RT-PCR. The investigation involved 70 patients with epuli and 15 patients with gingival squamous cell carcinoma. Each subject had specimens collected from the tumour, tissue margin (incision line), and healthy tissue. Molecular investigations by RT-PCR were used to evaluate expression levels of the genes associated with apoptosis (Bcl-2, Bax, Bcl-2/Bax), proliferation (H3 histone), and inflammatory processes (IFN-gamma, IFNgamma-R1, IFN-gammaR2, IFN-gammaR1/IFN-gammaR2). Correlations have been disclosed between apoptosis and proliferation genes expression in giant cell epuli and high-differentiated gingival squamous cell carcinoma. In RT-PCR molecular analysis, giant cell epulus shows characteristics of a neoplastic lesion, while other epulus types seem to be inflammatory tumours.

Preliminary report of expression of bax in oral cavity pathologies.

Bax is considered one of major effectors of apoptosis--programmed cell death. Immunohistochemical analysis of in vitro patterns of bax expression was mostly investigated in mammalian cell lines and tissues. The present study is the first in vivo molecular analysis of bax expression in oral cavity pathologies. The study population consisted of 45 patients with hyperplasia, neoplasm in situ malignancy, and carcinoma. Biopsies were taken from incision line, tumour section, and healthy tissue. bax expression was investigated depending on the site of biopsy material sampling and final histopathology result. No statistically significant difference was demonstrated in bax expression between four hyperplasia subgroups. However, statistically significant differences in bax expression were found between the three basic study groups (P = 0.001). Statistically significant differences in bax expression were demonstrated depending on tissue collection site (P = 0.0002). We conclude that differences in bax expression may play a role in the pathogenesis of neoplastic disease.