No abstract

Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to evaluate gene expression of adenosine kinase, a key enzyme in adenosine metabolism, in human intestinal biopsy specimens of 10 colorectal cancer patients. Quantitative mRNA expression levels were normalized against the reference gene beta-actin. The results showed that adenosine kinase gene expression was significantly higher in cancer than in normal-appearing tissue, in line with our previous measurements of adenosine kinase enzyme activities in colorectal tumor samples.

This study represents a preliminary step towards a more accurate two dimensional electrophoresis (2DE) pattern, which will be combined with mass spectrometry analysis to clarify the potential role of specific proteins in tumour development and progression; although these results suggest that aqueous humour protein pattern in retinoblastoma is characteristic, several aspects of the study are still under investigation.

This study investigated the effects of electromagnetic fields on enzymes involved in purine metabolism in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro. Cells were obtained from 20 volunteers. We tested both low-energy, extremely low frequency (ELF; 100-Hz) electromagnetic fields and the Therapeutic Application of Musically Modulated Electromagnetic Fields (TAMMEFs); the latter is characterized by variable frequencies, intensities, and wave shapes. Adenylate kinase activity was increased after ELF field exposure but decreased slightly after TAMMEF exposure. Neither of the two electromagnetic field affected the activities of the purine metabolism enzymes ecto-5′-nucleotidase, adenosine deaminase, and adenosine kinase. We concluded that ELF fields may influence cellular electrical charge stability; stimulation of adenylate kinase activity could restore the cell to a state of equilibrium. In contrast, TAMMEF fields may be useful for maintaining and regulating the cellular electrical charge.

Purpose Compare the basic protein composition of the aqueous humor from retinoblastoma (RTB) patients with aqueous humor from patients with cataract who served as controls. Methods The study was carried out on 18 hospitalized RTB patients, who had undergone ocular enucleation (Reese-Ellsworth stage V or ABC classification group E RB), and 10 cataract patients. Five out of 18 RTB patients presented with associated secondary glaucoma and 5 out of 13 with no secondary glaucoma received chemotherapeutical treatment with Melphalan. The total protein concentration and electrophoresis pattern (SDS PAGE) of the aqueous humor was analysed. Results The aqueous humor from RTB patients had significantly higher total protein concentrations than controls (p<0.01); patients with secondary glaucoma presented with the highest total protein concentrations, and they were significantly different from controls (p<0.05), while those treated with Melphalan presented a 70% decreasing in protein concentration and, in respect to all non-treated patients, were significantly different (p<0.01). Besides, the protein content of controls was not significantly different from treated patients. The SDS PAGE pattern of RTB patients was very different from controls; yet, after chemotherapeutical treatment, patterns were similar. Conclusion This study represents a preliminary step towards a more accurate 2DE pattern, which will be combined with mass spectrometry analysis to clarify the potential role of specific proteins in tumor development and progression; although this results suggest that aqueous humor protein pattern in RTB is characteristic, several aspects of the study are still under investigation