The nuclear matrix is the nonchromatin scaffolding of the nucleus. This structure confers nuclear shape, organizes chromatin, and appears to contain important regulatory proteins. Tissue specific nuclear matrix proteins have been found in the rat, mouse, and human. In this study we compared high-resolution two-dimensional gel electropherograms of nuclear matrix protein patterns found in human colon tumors with those from normal colon epithelia. Tumors were obtained from 18 patients undergoing partial colectomy for adenocarcinoma of the colon and compared with tissue from 10 normal colons. We have identified at least six proteins which were present in 18 of 18 colon tumors and 0 of 10 normal tissues, as well as four proteins present in 0 of 18 tumors and in 10 of 10 normal tissues. These data, which corroborate similar findings of cancer-specific nuclear matrix proteins in prostate and breast, suggest that nuclear matrix proteins may serve as important markers for at least some types of cancer.
The T cell alloantigen Tthyd appears on a subpopulation of thymocytes in mice bearing the Igh-1d or e heavy chain haplotype. Ontogenetic studies have suggested that this antigen precedes the appearance of two other T cell alloantigens in the same linkage group, Tindd and Tsud. The purpose of this study was to determine if the Tthy-bearing cell is a precursor for cells in the periphery expressing Tind and Tsu. CAL-20 mice were treated at 48-h intervals beginning on the day of birth with a monoclonal antibody recognizing Tthy. Tthy alloantigen expression, monitored by cytotoxicity assays, was found to be significantly depressed in the thymuses of treated animals; Tind and Tsu also failed to appear in the periphery. Treatment with anti-Tthy caused no significant changes in frequency or surface intensity in the expression of surface Ig. Thy-1.2, Thy-1.2, and Lyt-2.2, as studied by cytofluorograph analysis. We conclude that the T-thyd-bearing cells in the thymus represent a subpopulation that may be a precursor for Tindd- and Tsud-bearing cells. However, Tthyd-bearing cells are more mature than the Thy-1.2 common T cell precursor, pre-T.
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