Chromogenic in situ hybridization compared with other approaches to evaluate HER2/neu status in breast carcinomas

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) has been evaluated in breast cancer patients to identify those most likely to benefit from herceptin-targeted therapy. HER2 amplification, detected in 20-30% of invasive breast tumors, is associated with reduced survival and metastasis. The most frequently used technique for evaluating HER2 protein status as a routine procedure is immunohistochemistry (IHC). HER2 copy number alterations have also been evaluated by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in moderate immunoexpression (IHC 2+) cases. An alternative procedure to evaluate gene amplification is chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH), which has some advantages over FISH, including the correlation between HER2 status and morphological features. Other methodologies have also been used, such as silver-enhanced in situ hybridization (SISH) and quantitative real-time RT-PCR, to determine the number of HER2 gene copies and expression, respectively. Here we will present a short and comprehensive review of the current advances concerning HER2 evaluation in human breast cancer.

Bioactive Glass for Alveolar Ridge Augmentation

The restoration and recovery of the alveolar healing process are a challenge to dental surgeons to achieve satisfactory results at the osseointegration of implants and implant rehabilitation. Different operative technique and biomaterials are being used to reconstruct the framework of the alveolar process. One of the biomaterials used for this purpose is the bioactive glass. The aim of this study was to report clinical and histologic final results of 7 clinical reports of alveolar ridge augmentation using bioactive glass. Clinically, bioglass was able to maintain bone architecture of the alveolar bone and repaired satisfactory. Biopsy was performed on the histologic samples and showed bone formation in intimate contact to the particles of the biomaterial.

A longitudinal study of the association between breast-feeding and harmful oral habits

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Histomorphometric evaluation of human sinus floor augmentation healing responses to placement of calcium phosphate or Ricinus communis polymer associated with autogenous bone

Background: Prosthetic rehabilitation of the posterior maxilla with dental implants is often difficult because of proximity to the maxillary sinus and insufficient bone height. Maxillary sinus floor augmentation procedures aim to obtain enough bone with an association between biomaterials and autogenous bone.Purpose: the purpose of this study was to evaluate histomorphometrically two grafting materials (calcium phosphate and Ricinus communis polymer) used in maxillary sinus floor augmentation associated with autogenous bone.Materials and Methods: Biopsies were taken from 10 consecutive subjects (mean age 45 years) 10 months after maxillary sinus floor augmentation. The sinus lift was performed with a mixture of autogenous bone and R. communis polymer or calcium phosphate in a 1:2 proportion. Routine histologic processing and staining with hernatoxylin and eosin were performed.Results: the histomorphometric analysis indicated satisfactory regenerative results in both groups for a mean of bone tissue in the grafted area (44.24 +/- 13.79% for the calcium phosphate group and 38.77 +/- 12.85% for the polymer group). Histologic evaluation revealed the presence of an inflammatory infiltrate of mononuclear prevalence that, on average, was nonsignificant. The histologic sections depicted mature bone with compact and cancellous areas in both groups.Conclusion: the results indicated that both graft materials associated with the autogenous bone were biocompatible, although both were still present after 10 months.

VEGF and MVD expression in sinus augmentation with autologous bone and several graft materials

The aim of this study was to assess vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and microvessel density (MVD) in maxillary sinus augmentation with autogenous bone and different graft materials for evaluating their angiogenic potential.Biopsies were harvested 10 months after sinus augmentation with a combination of autogenous bone and different graft materials: hydroxyapatite (HA, n = 6 patients), demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft (DFDBA, n = 5 patients), calcium phosphate (CP, n = 5 patients), Ricinus communis polymer (n = 5 patients) and control group - autogenous bone only (n = 13 patients).In all the samples, higher intensities of VEGF expression were prevalent in the newly formed bone, while lower intensities of VEGF expression were predominant in the areas of mature bone. The highest intensity of VEGF expression in the newly formed bone was expressed by HA (P < 0.001) and CP in relation to control (P < 0.01) groups. The lowest intensities of VEGF expression in newly formed bone were shown by DFDBA and polymer groups (P < 0.05). When comparing the different grafting materials, higher MVD were found in the newly formed bone around control, HA and CP (P < 0.001).Various graft materials could be successfully used for sinus floor augmentation; however, the interactions between bone formation and angiogenesis remain to be fully characterized.

Influence of estradiol and triiodothyronine on breast cancer cell lines proliferation and expression of estrogen and thyroid hormone receptors

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Comparative genomic hybridization detects novel amplifications in fibroadenomas of the breast

Comparative genomic hybridization analysis was performed for identification of chromosomal imbalances in 23 samples of fibroadenomas of the breast. Chromosomal gains rather than losses were a feature of these lesions. Only two cases with a familial and/or previous history of breast lesions had gain of 1q or 16q as the sole abnormality. The most frequently overrepresented segments were 5p14 (10/23 cases), 5q34-qter (6/23 cases), 13q32-qter (6/23 cases), 10q25-qter (5/23 cases), and 18q22 (4/23 cases). Some of these regions have previously been associated with breast carcinoma, but this study indicates that gain of these regions can also occur in benign breast lesions. Our findings may provide a basis for conducting further investigations to locate and identify genes associated with proliferation that may be involved in the early steps of tumorigenesis of the breast. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Clonal chromosomal alterations in fibroadenomas of the breast

A cytogenetic study on short-term cell cultures from 10 fibroadenomas of the breast is reported, Clonal chromosomal alterations were observed in all cases analyzed, involving preferentially chromosomes X, 12, 14, 20, and 22. Normal karyotypes were found in 34.9% of the cells. The present findings are discussed together with the reports on fibroadenomas and other benign lesions of the breast described in the literature. Although no specific chromosome abnormality to date can be attributed to a particular type of benign breast pathology, some recurrent alterations are starting to emerge and may characterize these benign breast lesions, differentiating them from their malignant counterparts. (C) 2001 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evidence of epigenetic regulation of the tumor suppressor gene cluster flanking RASSF1 in breast cancer cell lines

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Cell death evaluation in benzo[a]pyrene-transformed human breast epithelial cells after microcell-mediated transfer of chromosomes 11 and 17

The incidence of apoptosis and nuclear instability, including the incidence of catastrophic death, were investigated in benzo[a]pyrene (BP)-transformed human breast epithelial cells (BP1-E cell line) after microcell-mediated transfer of chromosomes 11 and 17. Since the introduction of normal chromosomes 11 and 17 into tumorigenic human breast BP1-E cells reverts some of these cells' characteristics (especially those affected by microsatellite instabilities and loss of heterozygosity) those of parental non-transformed MCF-10F cells, it was expected that the cell death rates would also be affected by this treatment. The transfer of the mentioned chromosomes, especially chromosome 17, to tumorigenic BP1-E cells increased the apoptotic ratios and decreased the nuclear instability ratios, thus showing that the microsatellite instability and loss of heterozygosity induced by BP in these chromosomes of MCF-10F cells affect the control of cell death mechanisms. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Estimating genomic instability mediated by Alu retroelements in breast cancer

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)