Telomere length determined by the fluorescence in situ hybridisation distinguishes malignant and benign cells in cytological specimens.

BACKGROUND: Telomeres are tandem repeats of TTAGGG at the end of eukaryotic chromosomes that play a key role in preventing chromosomal instability. The aim of the present study is to determine telomere length using fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) on cytological specimens. METHODS: Aspiration samples (n = 41) were smeared on glass slides and used for FISH. RESULTS: Telomere signal intensity was significantly lower in positive cases (cases with malignancy, n = 25) as compared to negative cases (cases without malignancy, n = 16), and the same was observed for centromere intensity. The difference in DAPI intensity was not statistically significant. The ratio of telomere to centromere intensity did not show a significant difference between positive and negative cases. There was no statistical difference in the signal intensities of aspiration samples from ascites or pleural effusion (n = 23) and endoscopic ultrasound-guided FNA samples from the pancreas (n = 18). CONCLUSIONS: The present study revealed that telomere length can be used as an indicator to distinguish malignant and benign cells in cytological specimens. This novel approach may help improve diagnosis for cancer patients.

Development of rotation of mandibular premolar tooth germs in the dog.

The development of premolar tooth germs in dogs, particularly their rotation and crowding, was examined on radiographs, dissected specimens of tooth germs, serial sections stained by Masson-Goldner's technique and reconstructed models. The materials used were the mandibles of 32 puppies from birth to 6 months, and the species was a highly pedigreed Shiba Inu which has no crowding of the premolars in the mature stage. The results obtained are as follows. (1) Rotations and crowdings of premolars, similar to those in brachygnathus dogs and wolves raised in captivity, were observed during ontogenesis of dolichocephalic dogs, whose adult state exhibits no crowding of teeth. (2) The type of rotation was B (the mesial portion is rotated buccally) for the second and third premolars and L (the mesial portion lingually) for the fourth premolar. (3) The rotations of the premolars did not coincide with those of their deciduous predecessors. (4) These rotations appeared in the bud and cap stages of premolars, before the formation of roots of deciduous molars. The premolars developed crowding at 5 months when they increased in dimension.