Search

The aim of this study was to investigate whether Raman spectroscopy could be used to identify and potentially grade lung neoplasia in cell samples. Normal human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEpCs) were analyzed by Raman spectroscopy and compared with ( i) HBEpCs expressing human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 E7 or CDK4; ( ii) the immortalized bronchial epithelial cell line BEP2D and ( iii) its asbestos-transformed derivative AsbTB2A. Overall, Raman spectroscopy, in combination with a linear discriminant analysis algorithm, was able to identify abnormal cells with a sensitivity of 91% and a specificity of 75%. Subdivision of the cell types into 3 groups, representing normal cells (HBEpCs), cells with extended lifespan (HBEpCs expressing HPV 16 E7 or CDK4) and immortalized/transformed cells (BEP2D and AsbTB2A) showed that Raman spectroscopy identifies cells in these categories correctly with sensitivities of 75, 79 and 87%, and specificities of 91, 85 and 96%, respectively. In conclusion, Raman spectroscopy can, with high sensitivity, detect the presence of neoplastic development in lung cells and identify the stage of this development accurately, suggesting that this minimally invasive optical technology has potential for lung cancer diagnosis. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The developmental gene PAX 3 is expressed in the early embryo in developing muscle and elements of the nervous system, including the brain. Since no one has investigated the expression of the isoforms of PAX 3 in the neuroectodermal tumors melanoma and small cell lung cancer (SCLC), we have carried out a comprehensive screening for the expression of the isoforms PAX 3a-e using RT-PCR in human melanoma cell lines, primary human ocular and secondary cutaneous melanomas. We have identified 2 new isoforms of PAX 3, g and h, which we have isolated, cloned and sequenced. Sets of primers for each isoform were designed and their specificity was confirmed by sequence analysis of the products. The isoforms PAX 3a-e were detected in all human cutaneous melanoma cell lines (8/8), but only PAX 3c (1/2) and PAX 3d (2/2) in ocular melanoma cell lines. The same PAX 3 isoforms were detected in more than 80% of human cutaneous melanomas: PAX 3a and b (15/17), PAX 3c (14/17), PAX 3d (16/17) and PAX 3e (15/17). In contrast the results for 7 SCLC cell lines were PAX 3a (0/7), PAX 3b (1/7), PAX 3c (3/7), PAX 3d (6/7), PAX 3e (2/7); 8/8 cutaneous melanoma cell lines and 8/8 ocular melanoma tissues, together with 14/17 cutaneous melanoma tissues screened, expressed the new isoform PAX 3g. All 8 cutaneous melanoma cell lines expressed PAX 3h, but it was not detectable in any of the tumor tissues (0/20). Neither of the 2 ocular melanoma cell lines expressed the 2 new isoforms. Comparison of the different amplicon staining intensities on a gel suggests that PAX 3c and PAX 3d are the predominant transcripts expressed, with relatively low expression of PAX 3e and PAX 3h. We propose that these and the 2 new isoforms we have discovered may be important in oncogenesis and differential diagnosis of melanomas or SCLC., (Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)