Characterization of cell lines originating from an invasive transitional cell carcinoma.

A reporter gene (lacZ) was introduced into a human transitional cell cancer cell line (Hu1703He) by means of liposomal transfection. The lacZ-transfected cell line induced subcutaneous tumours in nude rats and cells from one rat tumour were then established as a monolayer culture. The two lacZ-transfected cell lines both stained positive for CK7 and negative for CK14 and additionally formed spheroids in three-dimensional cultures. Insignificant genomic changes occurred in the tumour cells after incubation in nude rats, while the lacZ transfection caused alterations that probably correspond to increased invasiveness and tumourigenicity in vitro and in vivo. Most important is the observation that lacZ transfection of this human TCC cell line does not reduce its invasion potential in vitro or in vivo. The lacZ reporter gene may thus be exploited to facilitate the identification and quantification of migrating tumour cells and subsequently for studies of invasion in in vitro coculture systems. The observation that the spheroidal growth is reduced after transfection of the cell line, in contrast to increased invasion and cellular growth in monolayer, is an observation indicating that a three-dimensional arrangement mimicking the in vivo conditions offers important regulating factors to cellular growth.

Nonadheshive stationary organ culture of normal human urinary bladder mucosa.

Cold cup biopsies from normal human bladder mucosa were taken at cystoscopy. They were cut into fragments of 300-450 microns and grown in suspension in microwells base coated with agar. Within the first 24 hours of culture the fragments were totally covered by epithelium. After 7 days of culture the fragments had a morphology mimicking normal urothelial mucosa with an epithelium resting on a basement membraned for six weeks in culture. The purpose of this study was to provide a model representative of normal human urothelial mucosa for further studies of various diseases affecting the urinary bladder.

A human in vitro model of bladder tumour cell invasion.

To study invasion of transitional cell cancer three-dimensional coculture assay consisting of living human tissues has been developed. Multicellular spheroids initiated from an invasive human bladder tumour cell line (Hu-1703He) were confronted with precultured fragments derived from normal human bladder mucosa. The fragments consisted of a surface epithelium and a central stroma. An intact epithelium prevented adhesion of the tumour cells to the fragments. By removing the surface epithelium prior to confrontation, tumour cells rapidly adhered to, migrated on and invaded the bladder fragments. This process was demonstrated by an inverted confocal laser scanning microscope on live tissue pre-incubated with fluorescent dyes. The coculture model enables the study of factors regulating different steps of tumour invasion in human bladder.

Functional results after operations of penile deviations: an institutional experience.

From 1989 till 1994, a total of 87 patients were operated on because of acquired or congenital curvature of the penis. Review of findings pre- and peroperatively together with postoperative questionnaires were the basis of our study. Seventy-six per cent of the patients answered the questionnaires, and we evaluated the results of these 66 patients. The purpose was to study the functional outcome of our methods related to etiology and selection of patients. The success rate for patients suffering from Peyronie's disease was 61%, while in congenital deviation 74%. The incidence of recurrence, erectile dysfunction and suture related complications were high Methodological problems as well as failing selection and standardisation of routines are weak points.

The prognostic value of p53 in superficially infiltrating transitional cell carcinoma.

Approximately 1/3 of T1 bladder cancers treated by endoscopic resection alone will progress. Prognostic factors are needed to help selecting appropriate treatment for these tumors. The purpose of the present investigation was to study the relation between p53 nuclear overexpression and disease progression. Tumors from 59 patients were studied by means of immunohistochemical nuclear staining. Forty tumors showed p53 nuclear overexpression while 19 tumors scored negative for mutations. We could not demonstrate any correlation between mutations of the p53 protein and tumor grading. p53 nuclear overexpression was not related to disease progression.

Flow cytometric DNA and p53 analysis in superficially infiltrating bladder carcinoma.

Mutations in the p53 gene occur frequently in bladder cancers. Better prognostic factors are needed to help select appropriate treatment for patients with TCC stage T1. Paraffin-embedded tumors from 73 patients with TCC stage T1 were processed for two-parameter flow cytometry, measuring both p53 protein and DNA. There were no statistically significant differences between the WHO grades with respect to p53 protein staining. Furthermore, there were no statistically significant differences between diploid, tetraploid and aneuploid tumors regarding content of mutant p53 protein. Neither were any statistically significant differences observed when ploidy and WHO grade were grouped together. Progression of disease was not correlated with positive p53 protein staining. These results indicate that mutant p53 protein cannot be used as a prognostic factor in TCC stage T1.