Orientador: Sara Teresinha Olalla Saad / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-18T22:22:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Baratti_MarianaOzello_D.pdf: 9890862 bytes, checksum: f7eb8503519cc264f616a79dc48baf4f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: As síndromes mielodisplásicas (SMDs) constituem um grupo heterogêneo de desordens hematopoéticas, caracterizadas por exibirem hematopoese ineficaz com evidências de displasia da medula óssea resultando em citopenias no sangue periférico. Tecnologia de microarranjo tem permitido o refinado mapeamento da atividade transcricional do genoma humano. RNAs não codificadores (ncRNAs) transcritos de regiões intrônicas de genes conhecidos estão envolvidos em vários processos relacionados com controle transcricional e pós-transcricional da expressão gênica, interações com cromatinas, modificação de histonas e também estão se tornando evidentes em vários tipos de cânceres. Caracterização de ncRNAs em células progenitoras e células estromais de pacientes com SMD representa uma estratégia aparentemente importante para o entendimento da regulação gênica nesta doença. Neste estudo, o perfil de expressão gênica de células CD34+ e estromais de pacientes com SMD do subgrupo anemia refratária com sideroblastos em anel (ARSA) foi comparado com o de indivíduos saudáveis, usando oligoarranjos de 44 kilobases contendo íntrons e éxons, o qual incluiu sequências para genes codificadores, RNAs sense e antisense totalmente e parcialmente intrônicos. Em células CD34+ de pacientes com SMD-ARSA, 216 genes foram diferencialmente expressos (q-value ? 0,01) em comparação com indivíduos saudáveis, dos quais 65 (30%) eram transcritos não codificadores. O gene DMT1, um transportador de ferro, foi encontrado hiperexpresso em células CD34+ de SMD-ARSA. Em medula óssea total de 34 pacientes, a expressão foi mais evidente no subgrupo de pacientes com SMD de baixo risco/INT-1. Ensaios de imuno-histoquímica corroboram os dados encontrados na análise de expressão gênica e demonstram que DMT1 se encontra mais expresso nas células eritroblásticas. A hiperexpressão de DMT1 pode estar relacionada com o homeostase do ferro anormal nas SMDs. Em células estromais de SMD-ARSA, 12 genes foram diferencialmente expressos (q-value ? 0,05) em comparação com indivíduos saudáveis, dos quais 3 (25%) eram transcritos não codificadores. O gene SEMA3A, um membro secretado da família das semaforinas, foi encontrado hiperexpresso em células estromais de SMD-ARSA e na medula óssea total de 34 pacientes; sua hiperexpressão foi mais evidente em pacientes com SMD de alto risco/INT-2 e em pacientes com leucemia mieloide aguda (n=19). Ensaios funcionais demonstraram que SEMA3A está envolvido com aumento da adesão, diminuição da diferenciação e apoptose de células leucêmicas cocultivadas com células estromais HS27 hiperexpressando SEMA3A e age de maneira parácrina sobre as células precursoras. Pela primeira vez, o perfil diferencial de ncRNA em células CD34+ e células estromais entre SMD-ARSA e indivíduos saudáveis foi demonstrado, sugerindo que ncRNA pode ter um importante papel durante o desenvolvimento das síndromes mielodisplásicas / Abstract: Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group heterogeneous of hematological disorders characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis with morphological evidence of marrow cell dysplasia resulting in peripheral blood cytopenia. Microarray technology has permitted a refined high-throughput mapping of the transcriptional activity in the human genome. Noncoding-RNAs (ncRNAs) transcribed from intronic regions of genes are involved in a number of processes related to post-transcriptional control of gene expression, and chromatins interaction, and histone modification and they are becoming evident in several cancers. Characterization of ncRNAs in progenitor cells and stromal cells of MDS patients could be strategic for understanding gene expression regulation in this disease. In this study, gene expression profiles of CD34+ and stromal cells of MDS patients with refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts (RARS) subgroup were compared those of healthy individuals, using 44 kilobases combined introns and exons oligoarrays, which included probes for protein-coding genes, for sense and antisense strands of totally and partially intronic noncoding RNAs. In CD34+ cells of MDS-RARS patients, 216 genes were significantly differentially expressed (q-value ? 0.01) in comparison to healthy individuals, of which 65 (30%) were noncoding transcripts. The DMT1 gene, an iron-transporter, was found up-regulated in CD34+ cells of MDS-RARS. In the total bone marrow of 34 patients, the expression of DMT1 was more evident in the subgroup of low risk/INT-1 MDS patients. The immunohistochemistry assay confirms the data obtained in the gene expression assay and show that DMT1 is more expressed in erythroid cells. The higher expression of DMT1 can be related with abnormal iron homeostasis in MDS. In stromal cells of MDS-RARS, 12 genes were significantly differentially expressed (q-value ? 0.05) in comparison to healthy individuals, of which 3 (25%) were noncoding transcripts. The SEMA3A gene, a secreted member of the semaphorins family, was found up-regulated in stromal cells of MDS-RARS and in the total bone marrow of 34 patients; further, the higher expression was more evident in high risk/ INT-2 subgroup of MDS patients and acute myeloid leukemia patients (n = 19). Functional assays demonstrated that SEMA3A is related to adhesion increase, differentiation decrease, and apoptosis of leukemia cells cocultivated with HS27 stromal cells higher expressing SEMA3A, also acting in a paracrine fashion in the precursors cells. These results demonstrated, for the first time, in CD34+ cells and stromal cells the differential ncRNA expression profile between MDSRARS and healthy individuals, suggesting that ncRNAs may play an important role during the development of myelodysplastic syndromes / Doutorado / Medicina Experimental / Doutor em Fisiopatologia Medica

Orientador: Pablo Agustin Vargas / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-20T06:52:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Fonseca_FelipePaiva_M.pdf: 2031852 bytes, checksum: 891d082818e43f0fa54efa8553fba38c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: Tumores de glândulas salivares correspondem à cerca de 3 a 6% de todos os tumores de cabeça e pescoço, apresentando uma ampla variação quanto à freqüência dos diferentes tipos histológicos e seus respectivos cursos clínicos. Desta forma, a determinação de novos marcadores moleculares que estejam relacionados com o comportamento biológico destas neoplasias se faz necessário e o uso da técnica de tissue microarray (TMA) ou micro-arranjo tecidual representa uma ferramenta altamente eficaz para a identificação destes marcadores. Sendo assim, o objetivo do presente estudo é avaliar as características clinicopatológicas de 493 neoplasias de glândulas salivares e descrever os princípios técnicos de construção de blocos de micro-arranjo tecidual, assim como suas vantagens e desvantagens para o estudo destes tumores. Para isto, os prontuários de um centro de patologia médica e de um centro de patologia oral compreendidos entre os anos de 2001 e 2011 foram revisados e os dados clinico patológicos coletados, enquanto que a construção dos blocos de TMA foi realizada por meio de equipamento manual de arranjo tecidual em matriz, onde três áreas tumorais representativas foram selecionadas e incluídas no bloco receptor. Após a obtenção dos resultados, foi observado que o adenoma pleomórfico e o carcinoma mucoepidermóide representaram as neoplasias benigna e maligna de glândulas salivares mais freqüentes e após a construção de 12 blocos de TMA foi possível obter boa representatividade utilizando-se cilindros de 1,0, 2,0 ou 3,0 mm, especialmente em neoplasias sólidas. Portanto, a distribuição dos tumores de glândulas salivares na amostra estudada está de acordo com os achados relatados anteriormente na literatura e a técnica de TMA apresenta-se como uma metodologia de alto rendimento e baixo custo no estudo de tumores de glândulas salivares / Abstract: Salivary gland tumors account for 3 to 6% of the head and neck tumors, with a broad variation in the incidence of their different histological subtypes and their respective clinical courses. For this reason, the determination of new molecular markers truly associated to the biological behavior of these neoplasias becomes necessary and the use of tissue microarray (TMA) technique represents a high-throughput laboratory tool for identifying such markers. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the clinic-pathological features of 493 salivary gland neoplasias and to describe the technical principles for construction of TMA blocks, as well as their advantages and disadvantages regarding the study of salivary gland tumors. For this, medical charts of a general pathology service and of an oral pathology service from 2001 to 2011 were reviewed and the clinic-pathological data acquired, whereas TMA blocks were constructed using a manual tissue arrayer by selecting three representative neoplastic areas to be included in the recipient block. Following the acquisition of the results, it was observed that pleomorphic adenoma and mucoepidermoid carcinoma represented the most frequent benign and malignant neoplasias, respectively, and that after the building of 12 TMA blocks it was possible to obtain high representative cores by using 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 mm cylinders, especially in solid neoplasias. Hence, the distribution of salivary gland tumors in the sample studied is in agreement with the findings reported previously in the literature and the TMA technique presents as a high-throughput and low-cost methodology in salivary gland tumors study / Mestrado / Patologia / Mestre em Estomatopatologia

No description available.

Master of Science / Department of Anatomy and Physiology / Masaaki Tamura / Previous studies have shown that both human and rat umbilical cord matrix mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSC) possess the ability to control the growth of breast carcinoma cells. Comparative analysis of two types of UCMSC suggest that rat UCMSC-dependent growth regulation is significantly stronger than that of human UCMSC. Accordingly, the present study was designed to clarify their different tumoricidal abilities by analyzing gene expression profiles in two types of UCMSC. Gene expression profiles were studied by microarray analysis using Illumina HumanRef-8-V2 and RatRef-12 BeadChip for the respective UCMSC. The gene expression profiles were compared to untreated naïve UCMSC and those co-cultured with species-matched breast carcinoma cells; human UCMSC vs. MDA-231 human carcinoma cells and rat UCMSC vs. Mat B III rat carcinoma cells. The following selection criteria were used for the screening of candidate genes associated with UCMSC-dependent tumoricidal ability; 1) gene expression difference should be at least 1.5 fold between naive UCMSC and those co-cultured with breast carcinoma cells; 2) they must encode secretory proteins and 3) cell growth regulation-related proteins. These analyses screened 17 common genes from human and rat UCMSC. The comparison between the two sets of gene expression profiles identified that two tumor suppressor genes, adipose-differentiation related protein (ADRP) and follistatin (FST), were specifically up-regulated in rat UCMSC, but down-regulated in human UCMSC when they were co-cultured with the corresponding species’ breast carcinoma cells. The suppression of either protein by the addition of a specific neutralizing antibody in co-culture of rat UCMSC with Mat B III cells significantly abrogated UCMSC ability to attenuate the growth of carcinoma cells. Over-expression of both genes by adenovirus vector in human UCMSC enhanced their 4 ability to suppress the growth of MDA-231 cells. In the breast carcinoma lung metastasis model generated with MDA-231 cells, systemic treatment with FST-over-expressing human UCMSC significantly attenuated the tumor burden. These results suggest that both ADRP and FST may play important roles in exhibiting stronger tumoricidal ability in rat UCMSC than human UCMSC and imply that human UCMSC can be transformed into stronger tumoricidal cells by enhancing tumor suppressor gene expression.

The aim of this thesis was to investigate morphogenesis in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster using three in vitro tissue culture systems. Primary embryonic cultures derived from Drosophila melanogaster were used to study the effect of the moulting hormone ecdysone on cells in culture. The hypothesis was that the effect of ecdysone on these primary embryonic cells would parallel events which occur during metamorphosis in vivo and therefore the primary embryonic cultures could be used as an ‘in vitro’ model system. Transgenic fly lines expressing GFP were used to visualise and identify specific cell types and it was shown that cells in primary embryonic cultures respond to ecdysone morphologically. However due to the variability of cultures it was concluded that this culture system was not suitable for use as a model system. As defined cell types were observed the development of a protocol suitable for use with the primary embryonic culture system using dsRNA in order to demonstrate RNA interference was undertaken. Although this was unsuccessful, as cells in the primary embryonic cultures appeared to be resistant to dsRNA, some technical avenues remain to be explored. The Drosophila melanogaster cell line, Clone 8+, was used to investigate cell adhesion in tissue culture. Statistical analyses were carried out and it was established that derivatives of the parent cell line, Clone 8+, showed differential adhesion and proliferation characteristics. Analysis of microarray data was carried out in order to identify genes which may be responsible for the loss of cell adhesion in Clone 8+ cell lines and the potential roles of these genes in adhesion were discussed. A gene of interest, glutactin, was identified which may be responsible for loss of cell adhesion. Antibody staining was used to establish the expression of the protein glutactin in the Clone 8+ cell lines. The expression of glutactin suggested that the Clone 8+ cell line had maintained properties of the wing disc epithelial cell-type and disruption of cell polarity was considered as a possible mechanism. It was shown that f-actin colocalised with glutactin and the role of the cytoskeleton in glutactin secretion was discussed. It was concluded that glutactin was not responsible for loss of cell adhesion in the Clone 8+ cell lines. Further analysis of the microarray data revealed potential genes that could be responsible for the loss of cell polarity in the Clone 8+ cell lines and the possibility of cellular senescence was considered. It was hypothesised that the properties of adhesion and proliferation related to their ‘in vitro’ age. In the final investigation the movement of epithelial cells in Drosophila melanogaster third instar larval imaginal discs during morphogenesis was investigated. Firstly a lumen was identified in fixed imaginal disc tissue in association with cells expressing f-actin. This result was discussed in relation to the process of dorsal closure and wound healing. Further investigations involved live imaging of the dynamic process of evagination in the imaginal wing disc using transgenic flies expressing moesin-GFP. It was concluded that the lumen was not associated with the process of wound healing and it was concluded that the lumen appeared to be the mechanism directing peripodial epithelium contraction during morphogenesis of the imaginal wing disc. Dorsal closure and the process of invagination in relation to morphogenesis of the imaginal wing disc were discussed.

This data article contains data related to the research article entitled, "in vitro characterization of bone marrow stromal cells from osteoarthritic donors" [1]. Osteoarthritis (OA) represents the main indication for total joint arthroplasty and is one of the most frequent degenerative joint disorders. However, the exact etiology of OA remains unknown. Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) can be easily isolated from bone marrow aspirates and provide an excellent source of progenitor cells. The data shows the identification of pivotal genes and pathways involved in osteoarthritis by comparing gene expression patterns of BMSCs from osteoarthritic versus healthy donors using an array-based approach.

La dysautonomie familiale (FD) est une neuropathie héréditaire provoquée par des mutations au sein du gène IKBKAP, la plus commune d'entre elles induisant un épissage alternatif de l'exon 20 au sein de du pré-ARNm de façon tissu-spécifique. L'épissage aberrant est particulièrement prononcé dans les tissus nerveux, conduisant à la dégénerescence progressive des neurones sensoriels et autonomes. La spécificité de la perte des cellules nerveuses dans la FD est mal comprise, par manque d'un modèle approprié. Afin de mieux comprendre les mécanismes moléculaires de l'épissage des ARNm d'IKBKAP, nous avons utilisé un modèle original : les cellules souches olfactives ecto-mesenchymateuses (hOE-MSC) de patients FD. Les hOE-MSC sont pluripotentes et ont la capacité de se différencier en diverses lignées cellulaires, y compris les neurones et les cellules gliales.Nous avons confirmé la présence du transcrit exempt de l'exon 20 d'IKBKAP dans les hOE-MSC de FD et nous avons observé une expression significativement inférieure de la somme des transcrits IKBKAP chez ces patients, du fait de la dégradation d'une partie des isoforme aberrants. Cette réduction est correlée avec une réduction d'expression de la protéine traduite à partir du transcrit d’IKBKAP possèdant l’exon 20, IKAP/hELP1. Nous avons localisé IKAP/hELP1 dans différents compartiments cellulaires, y compris le noyau, ce qui soutient des rôles multiples de cette protéine. Nous avons confirmé que la kinétine, une cytokinine, améliorait le taux de transcrit incluant l'exon 20 et rétablissait des niveaux normaux d'IKAP/hELP1 dans les hOE-MSC de FD. Par ailleurs, nous avons pu modifier le rapport d'épissage d'IKBKAP en augmentant ou en réduisant le ratio WT (inclusion de l'exon 20) : MU (saut de l'exon 20) respectivement, en produisant des sphères flottantes, ou en engageant les cellules vers une différentiation neurale. Les sphères et les cellules différenciées ont été étudiées au niveau pan-génomique, ce qui a permis d'identifier le développement du système nerveux comme étant le processus le plus affecté chez les FD. De plus, nous soulignons le rôle de la kinétine comme un probable régulateur de facteurs d'épissage contribuant à la restauration d'un épissage correct d'IKBKAP.Les hOE-MSC isolées de patients FD représentent une nouvelle approche pour modéliser la pathologie et mieux comprendre l'expression génétique et les approches thérapeutiques possibles de la FD. En outre, elles offrent une application originale à la compréhension d'autres maladies génétiques neurologiques. / Familial dysautonomia (FD) is a hereditary neuropathy caused by mutations in the IKBKAP gene, the most common of which results in variable tissue-specific mRNA splicing with skipping of exon 20. Defective splicing is especially severe in nervous tissue, leading to incomplete development and progressive degeneration of sensory and autonomic neurons. The specificity of neuron loss in FD is poorly understood due to the lack of an appropriate model system. To better understand and modelize the molecular mechanisms of IKBKAP mRNA splicing, we collected human olfactory ecto-mesenchymal stem cells (hOE-MSCs) from FD patients. hOE-MSCs have a pluripotent ability to differentiate into various cell lineages, including neurons and glial cells.We confirmed IKBKAP mRNA alternative splicing in FD hOE-MSCs and observed a significant lower expression of both IKBKAP transcripts and IKAP/hELP1 protein in FD cells resulting from the degradation of the transcript isoform skipping exon 20. We localized IKAP/hELP1 in different cell compartments, including the nucleus, which supports multiple roles for that protein. Moreover, we showed that kinetin improved exon 20 inclusion and restores a normal level of IKAP/hELP1 in FD hOE-MSCs. Furthermore, we were able to modify the IKBKAP splicing ratio in FD hOE-MSCs, increasing or reducing the WT (exon 20 inclusion):MU (exon 20 skipping) ratio respectively, either by producing free-floating spheres, or by inducing cells into neural differentiation. Spheres forming cells and lineage neuroglial progenitors were investigated at the genome-wide level, and we confirmed that nervous system development was the most altered process in FD. More, we highlight kinetin role as a putative regulator of splicing factors which contribute to restore a correct splicing of IKBKAP.hOE-MSCs isolated from FD patients represent a new approach for modeling FD to better understand genetic expression and possible therapeutic approaches. This model could also be applied to other neurological genetic diseases.

Cette thèse expose la problématique récente concernant la résolution de problèmes de grande dimension. Nous présentons les méthodes permettant de les résoudre ainsi que leurs applications, notamment pour la sélection de variables dans le domaine de la fouille de données. Dans la première partie de cette thèse, nous exposons les enjeux de la résolution de problèmes de grande dimension. Nous nous intéressons principalement aux méthodes de recherche linéaire, que nous jugeons particulièrement adaptées pour la résolution de tels problèmes. Nous présentons ensuite les méthodes que nous avons développées, basées sur ce principe : CUS, EUS et EM323. Nous soulignons en particulier la très grande vitesse de convergence de CUS et EUS, ainsi que leur simplicité de mise en oeuvre. La méthode EM323 est issue d'une hybridation entre la méthode EUS et un algorithme d'optimisation unidimensionnel développé par F. Glover : l'algorithme 3-2-3. Nous montrons que ce dernier algorithme obtient des résultats d'une plus grande précision, notamment pour les problèmes non séparables, qui sont le point faible des méthodes issues de la recherche linéaire. Dans une deuxième partie, nous nous intéressons aux problèmes de fouille de données, et plus particulièrement l'analyse de données de puces à ADN. Le but est de classer ces données et de prédire le comportement de nouveaux exemples. Dans un premier temps, une collaboration avec l'hôpital Tenon nous permet d'analyser des données privées concernant le cancer du sein. Nous développons alors une méthode exacte, nommée delta-test, enrichie par la suite d'une méthode permettant la sélection automatique du nombre de variables. Dans un deuxième temps, nous développons une méthode heuristique de sélection de variables, nommée ABEUS, basée sur l'optimisation des performances du classifieur DLDA. Les résultats obtenus sur des données publiques montrent que nos méthodes permettent de sélectionner des sous-ensembles de variables de taille très faible,ce qui est un critère important permettant d'éviter le sur-apprentissage / This PhD thesis explains the recent issue concerning the resolution of high-dimensional problems. We present methods designed to solve them, and their applications for feature selection problems, in the data mining field. In the first part of this thesis, we introduce the stakes of solving high-dimensional problems. We mainly investigate line search methods, because we consider them to be particularly suitable for solving such problems. Then, we present the methods we developed, based on this principle : CUS, EUS and EM323. We emphasize, in particular, the very high convergence speed of CUS and EUS, and their simplicity of implementation. The EM323 method is based on an hybridization between EUS and a one-dimensional optimization algorithm developed by F. Glover : the 3-2-3 algorithm. We show that the results of EM323 are more accurate, especially for non-separable problems, which are the weakness of line search based methods. In the second part, we focus on data mining problems, and especially those concerning microarray data analysis. The objectives are to classify data and to predict the behavior of new samples. A collaboration with the Tenon Hospital in Paris allows us to analyze their private breast cancer data. To this end, we develop an exact method, called delta-test, enhanced by a method designed to automatically select the optimal number of variables. In a second time, we develop an heuristic, named ABEUS, based on the optimization of the DLDA classifier performances. The results obtained from publicly available data show that our methods manage to select very small subsets of variables, which is an important criterion to avoid overfitting

A via AKT/PI3K apresenta-se geralmente alterada nos diversos tipos de cânceres humanos e a alteração dos componentes desta via ocorre através da ativação de oncogenes ou inativação de genes supressores tumorais levando a transformações celulares que podem promover a tumorigênese. No câncer de mama a via AKT/PI3K pode ser ativada por Erb-B2, receptores dos fatores de crescimento de insulina (IGF), receptores de estrógeno e perda da expressão do gene PTEN. mTOR (proteína alvo da rapamicina em mamíferos) é uma serina treonina quinase, membro da via AKT/PI3K que se encontra envolvida em múltiplas funções biológicas como controle da tradução, transcrição, degradação protéica e biogênese ribossomal. A ativação desta proteína resulta na fosforilação e ativação de seus principais substratos 4EBP1 e S6K1, requeridos para a biossíntese ribossomal e tradução de RNAms importantes para controle e progressão no ciclo celular. A rapamicina é uma droga com propriedades fungicidas, imunossupressoras e anticancerígenas que atua na inibição de mTOR afetando a expressão de genes envolvidos no metabolismo e síntese protéica. No nosso estudo avaliamos os elementos da via do AKT através de análise imunoistoquímica em fatias de tumores mantidos em cultura de órgão antes e depois do tratamento com rapamicina. A cultura de órgão mantém uma interação entre o epitélio mamário e estroma podendo-se preservar o microambiente que reconstitui o comportamento da célula tumoral. Nesta análise imunoistoquímica observamos uma diminuição significativa de 4EBP1 nas fatias dos tumores tratados com rapamicina em relação aos casos controles. Além disso, fizemos uma avaliação da mudança no perfil da expressão gênica nestas fatias tumorais sub-divididas em Erb-B2 positivos e negativos através da análise por microarray e observamos que a maioria dos genes afetados estavam envolvidos com as funções de transcrição e tradução celulares. Para confirmarmos os resultados obtidos por microarray fizemos uma análise por RT-PCR dos genes WWOX, EXT1 e GTF2E2 em amostras independentes e escolhidos aleatoriamente, conseguindo validá-los em 60% dos casos. Conclusão: A cultura de órgão representa um método simples para determinação dos efeitos da rapamicina. Utilizamos uma estratégia de análise do perfil gênico e novas proteínas que poderiam servir como possíveis marcadores de resposta aos inibidores da proteína mTOR foram identificadas / The AKT/ PI3K pathway are frequently disturbed in many human cancers and the alteration of the components of this pathway occurs through activation of oncogenes or inactivation of tumor suppresors leading to cellular transformation that can promove tumorigenesis. In breast cancer the AKT/PI3K pathway can be activated by ERb-B2, the insulin like growth factor (IGF), estrogen receptors and PTEN loss. mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) is a serine threonine kinase, member of the AKT/PI3K pathway, which is involved in multiple biologic functions such as transcription, translation, protein degradation and ribosome biogenesis. The activation of this protein results in phosphorilation and activation of S6K1 and 4EBP1, two downstream signaling elements that are required for ribosomal biosynthesis and mRNAs translation, which is important for cell cycle control and progression. Rapamycin is a potent fungicide, immunossupressive and anticancer agent that inhibits mTOR affecting the expression of genes involved in metabolism and protein synthesis. In the present study we examined some elements of AKT pathway by immunohistochemistry analysis in samples of breast cancer mantained in organ culture before and after treatment with rapamycin. The organ culture maintain an interaction between the mammary epithelium and stroma preserving the micro-environment and restoring the tumor cell behavior. In this immunohistochemistry analysis we noticed a significative decrease of 4EBP1 in the samples of tumors treated with rapamycin compared with the control cases. Besides this, we determined the variation of gene expression profile through microarray analysis in these samples subdivided in positive and negative Erb-B2 and we have identified that most part of the affected genes were mainly involved in cellular transcription and translation.To confirm the results obtained through microarray technique, we have performed the RT-PCR analysis of WWOX, EXT1, GTF2E2 genes and we were able to validate them in 60% of our cases. Conclusion: The organ culture represents a simple method to determine the effects of rapamycin. Using a strategic analysis of the gene profile, news proteins that possibly could be used as markers to the mTOR inhibitors were identifyied

O diagnóstico das neoplasias cutâneas do folículo piloso, particularmente do tricoepitelioma (TE), frequentemente representa dificuldade diagnóstica com o carcinoma basocelular (CBC). As semelhanças clínicas e histopatológicas somadas aos artefatos de amostragem (amostras exíguas por biopsias incisionais ou parcialmente danificadas por esmagamento ou fulguração) podem provocar situações de dificuldade na diagnose diferencial entre as duas neoplasias. O diagnóstico de certeza é importante, pois o CBC tem caráter agressivo local e, quando não totalmente excisado, infiltra os tecidos adjacentes. O TE é uma lesão benigna, sem capacidade de invasão local, não havendo recomendação de excisão com margem cirúrgica. Vários marcadores imunoistoquímicos têm sido propostos na literatura médica para auxiliar no diagnóstico diferencial entre o TE e o CBC. Esses estudos, entretanto, têm resultados conflitantes que podem estar relacionados à pequena casuística avaliada, que geralmente não excede 50 casos de TE. A técnica do arranjo em matriz de amostras teciduais, tissue microarray (TMA), permite a avaliação de um número grande de amostras teciduais, que podem ser submetidas de modo simultâneo aos procedimentos das reações imunoistoquímicas. O objetivo do presente estudo foi o de submeter uma ampla amostra de TE e CBC, obtida através da técnica de TMA, aos marcadores imunoistoquímicos descritos, com a finalidade de identificar um marcador, ou painel de marcadores, capaz de auxiliar a diferenciação do TE do CBC. Cortes histológicos de quatro blocos de TMA representando espécimes de 162 TE e 328 CBC foram submetidos às reações imunoistoquímicas com os anticorpos CD34, BCL-2, CD 10, antígeno de membrana epitelial (EMA), citoqueratinas (CK) 20 e 15, D2-40 e 34 E12. A fim de facilitar a avaliação dos resultados e padrões de expressão antigênica, os espécimes foram digitalizados para obtenção de lâminas histológicas virtuais. Estas foram analisadas por meio de um programa de computador. Fez-se inicialmente a análise dos resultados de 85 TE e 62 CBC representados no primeiro bloco de TMA. Esta verificação identificou a expressão dos marcadores CD34, CD10, EMA, CK15, CK20 e D2-40 com diferença significativa entre os TE e os CBC. Procedeu-se a seguir a avaliação da imunomarcação de toda a casuística. As análises estatísticas de regressão linear multifatorial e regressão logística multifatorial indicaram os marcadores e padrões de expressão em ordem decrescente de importância: D2 40 positivo em células tumorais periféricas, CK 15 positivo em células tumorais periféricas, CD10 positivo no estroma tumoral, CK 20 positivo em células tumorais periféricas e positividade estromal de CD 34. A regressão logística evidenciou ainda que, na amostra examinada, a presença de três ou quatro desses marcadores, com exceção do CD 34, pode identificar 35,9% dos TE. Nossos resultados, obtidos pelo estudo de casuística expressiva, são concordantes com os achados de outros trabalhos que sugerem que o TE e o CBC são neoplasias que estão em diferentes pontos da mesma linhagem de diferenciação dos tumores basalóides foliculares e que, por este motivo, podem expressar os mesmos marcadores/perfil antigênico epitelial e estromal. Embora o painel de quatro anticorpos acima relatado possa ser de grande ajuda, e até mesmo identificar 35,9% dos TE, os critérios histopatológicos clássicos e clínicos ainda devem ser os principais guias para o diagnóstico diferencial entre o TE e o CBC / Trichoepithelioma is a benign neoplasm that shares both clinical and histological features with basal cell carcinoma. It is important to distinguish these neoplasms because they have different clinical behavior and require proper therapeutic planning. Many studies have addressed the use of immunohistochemistry to improve the differential diagnosis of these tumors. These studies present conflicting results when addressing the same markers, probably due to the small number of basaloid tumors that comprised their studies, which generally did not exceed 50 cases. We built a tissue microarray with 162 trichoepithelioma and 328 basal cell carcinoma biopsies and tested a panel of immune markers composed of CD34, CD10, epithelial membrane antigen, BCL-2, cytokeratins 15 and 20 and D2-40. The results were analyzed using multiple linear and logistic regression models. This analysis revealed a model that could differentiate trichoepithelioma from basal cell carcinoma in 35,9% of the cases. The panel of immunohistochemical markers required to differentiate between these tumors was composed of CD10, cytokeratin 15, cytokeratin 20 and D2-40. The results obtained in this work were generated from a large number of biopsies and resulted in the confirmation of overlapping epithelial and stromal immunohistochemical profiles from these basaloid tumors. The results also corroborate the point of view that trichoepithelioma and basal cell carcinoma tumors represent two different points in the same line of differentiation. Despite the use of panels of immune markers, histopathological criteria associated with clinical data certainly remain the best guideline for the differential diagnosis of trichoepithelioma and basal cell carcinoma