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ADN/aislamiento & purificación , Disección/instrumentación , Disección/métodos , Rayos Láser , Adhesión en Parafina/métodos , Algoritmos , Separación Celular/instrumentación , Separación Celular/métodos , ADN/ultraestructura , Terapia por Láser/instrumentación , Terapia por Láser/métodos , Micromanipulación/instrumentación , Micromanipulación/métodosRESUMEN
Breast cancer is a complex disease that still imposes a significant healthcare burden on women worldwide. The etiology of breast cancer is not known but significant advances have been made in the area of early detection and treatment. The advent of advanced molecular biology techniques, mapping of the human genome and availability of high throughput genomic and proteomic strategies opens up new opportunities and will potentially lead to the discovery of novel biomarkers for early detection and prognostication of breast cancer. Currently, many biomarkers, particularly the hormonal and epidermal growth factor receptors, are being utilized for breast cancer prognosis. Unfortunately, none of the biomarkers in use have sufficient diagnostic, prognostic and/or predictive power across all categories and stages of breast cancer. It is recognized that more useful information can be generated if tumors are interrogated with multiple markers. But choosing the right combination of biomarkers is challenging, because 1) multiple pathways are involved, 2) up to 62 genes and their protein products are potentially involved in breast cancer-related mechanisms and 3) the more markers evaluated, the more the time and cost involved. This review summarizes the current literature on selected biomarkers for breast cancer, discusses the functional relationships, and groups the selected genes based on a Gene Ontology classification.
Asunto(s)
Biomarcadores de Tumor/clasificación , Biomarcadores de Tumor/genética , Neoplasias de la Mama Masculina/diagnóstico , Neoplasias de la Mama/diagnóstico , Neoplasias de la Mama/genética , Neoplasias de la Mama Masculina/genética , Ciclo Celular , Mapeo Cromosómico/métodos , Femenino , Hormonas , Humanos , MasculinoRESUMEN
PURPOSE: Despite documented age-related changes in retinal function and histology, little is known about the pattern of gene expression during normal aging of the vertebrate retina. This study was undertaken to definitively characterize gene expression in the primate retina during aging. METHODS: Human retina cDNA library clones were arrayed at high density on nylon membranes and screened with mixed cDNA probes generated from young (4-year-old) and old (80-year-old) human retinae. Clones showing a more than twofold difference in intensity were rescreened by dot blot analysis with the same probes and with mixed cDNA probes generated from young (2-3 years) and old (27-35 years) rhesus monkeys. One clone identified by its differential (age-putative) signal, and age-related differential expression was used for analysis of Northern blot analysis of total retinal RNA from human donors (35 weeks to 94 years of age) and two rhesus monkeys (2 and 27 years of age). The identified clone was sequenced and compared with entries in the GenBank/EMBL databases. Western blot analysis was performed on protein isolated from the retina of human donors aged 4 to 64 years and rhesus monkeys aged 18 months and 35 years. RESULTS: Approximately 1.6% of the 55,368 retina-expressed sequences examined show age-related changes between tissues from young and old donors. The mRNA level one clone, identical with heat shock cognate (HSC)70, was altered during normal retinal aging in primates. Regression analysis of Northern blot analysis signals from 23 human donors suggested that there may be a two- to threefold decrease in HSC70 mRNA levels in the human retina by the eighth decade of life. Western blot analysis also showed lower levels of the 70-kDa HSC protein in older tissues of both primates. CONCLUSIONS: HSC70 mRNA levels apparently decline during normal aging of the primate retina. Because the heat shock 70 protein family may play important roles in ocular development and protection from various biologic and environmental stresses, decreased HSC70 levels in the retina during aging may contribute to the apparent increased susceptibility of the retina to age-acquired retinal disease.
Asunto(s)
Envejecimiento/fisiología , Proteínas Portadoras/genética , Expresión Génica , Proteínas HSP70 de Choque Térmico/genética , ARN Mensajero/biosíntesis , Retina/metabolismo , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Animales , Northern Blotting , Western Blotting , Proteínas Portadoras/biosíntesis , Niño , Preescolar , Sondas de ADN/química , Proteínas del Choque Térmico HSC70 , Proteínas HSP70 de Choque Térmico/biosíntesis , Humanos , Lactante , Macaca mulatta , Persona de Mediana EdadRESUMEN
Filamentous fungi, isolated from the enriched surface of garden soil, were screened for α-galactosidase production after growing on wheat-bran/carbohydrate substrate. One isolate,Aspergillus niger, had the highest enzyme activity (5.1×10(-2) units/mg protein) at pH 5.0 and 50°C. Treatment of cowpea flour with the crude enzyme reduced the raffinose and stachyose content by 95% and 82% respectively. This technique could therefore be useful in controlling the flatulence activity of cowpeas.