Volume 42 (1996) No. 6

Volume 42 No. 6
Obituary
  • J. Svoboda. In Commemoration of Philippe Vigier (1921 -- 1996)
  • Opening Lectures of the "Tissue Culture Society Congress", Sponsored by the European Tissue Culture Society, Held in Brno, April 21-24, 1996.
  • G. Klein. Foulds' Dangerous Idea Revisited: The Multistep Development of Tumors 40 Years Later
  • J. Svoboda. Retroviruses and Retroelements in Diseases and in Gene Therapy
  • J. Bubeník. Genetically Modified Tumour Vaccines Carrying Inserted Genes for Immunoregulatory Molecules
  • G. Parmiani, F. Arieti, J. Sulé-Suso, C. Melani, M. P. Colombo, V. Ramakrishna, F. Belli, L. Mascheroni, L. Rivoltini, N. Cascinelli. Cytokine-Based Gene Therapy of Human Tumors. An Overview
  • K. Michalová. Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization (FISH) in Cytogenetics of Leukemia
Review
  • J. BUBENÍK
    Genetically Modified Tumour Vaccines Carrying Inserted Genes for Immunoregulatory Molecules ( gene therapy / CD80 / IL-2 )
    Institute of Molecular Genetics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic Corresponding
    author: Jan Bubeník, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Flemingovo nám. 2, 166 37 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
  • G. KLEIN
    Foulds' Dangerous Idea Revisited: The Multistep Development of Tumors 40 Years Later
    Microbiology and Tumor Biology Center (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden Corresponding
    author: George Klein, Karolinska Institutet, MTC, P.O.Box 280, S-17177 Stockholm, Sweden.
  • J. SVOBODA
    Retroviruses and retroelements in diseases and in gene therapy ( retroviruses / retroelements / recombination / virus rescue / reverse transcription )
    Institute of Molecular Genetics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic Corresponding
    author: Jan Svoboda, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Flemingovo nám. 2, 166 37 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
  • K. MICHALOVÁ
    Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (FISH) in Cytogenetics of Leukemia
    3rd Medical Department, General Faculty Hospital and 1st Medical Faculty of Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
    Corresponding author: K. Michalová, 3rd Medical Department, General Faculty Hospital and 1st Medical Faculty of Charles University, U nemocnice 1, 128 08 Prague 2, Czech Republic.
    Abstract.
  • G. PARMIANI, F. ARIENTI, J. SULÉ-SUSO*, C. MELANI, M. P. COLOMBO, V. RAMAKRISHNA, F. BELLI, L. MASCHERONI, L. RIVOLTINI, N. CASCINELLI
    Cytokine-Based Gene Therapy of Human Tumors. An Overview ( gene therapy / tumors / cytokines )
    Divisions of Experimental Oncology D and of Surgery B, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy
    Corresponding author: Giorgio Parmiani, Director, Division of Experimental Oncology D, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Via Venezian, 1 - 20133 Milan (I), Italy.
    Abstract.
Abstracts

 

K. MICHALOVÁ
Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (FISH) in Cytogenetics of Leukemia
The principle of the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method is in the base pairing of the DNA probe to complementary sequences in the studied specimen. The hybridization of specific DNA or RNA probes to the cellular targets attached to the microscopic slides is widely used for the identification of chromosomal translocations, deletions, amplifications of specific genes, and chromosome number changes in mitotic and/or interphase cells. The use of FISH with the modifications of the basic method meant a breakthrough in detection and diagnosis of human malignancies. During the last two years FISH was used in our laboratory for: (a) identification of constitutive and acquired numerical and structural chromosomal abnormalities; (b) detection of minimal residual disease or early relapse in patients treated for leukemia by bone marrow transplantation (BMT) and/or chemotherapy; (c) determination of the cytogenetic pattern of non-dividing or terminally differentiated cells.
To confirm the structural rearrangements found by the classical G-banding technique, the whole chromosome painting probes which hybridize to multiple chromosomal sequences were used. The -satellite DNA probes which detect centromeric repetitive sequences were utilized for determining the numerical and sex chromosome changes .Specific unique chromosomal sequences which can confirm all chromosomal rearrangements i.e. deletions, translocations or inversions with the corresponding breakpoints were introduced for specific cases. Recently, every chromosomal translocation, deletion and any other structural or numerical change found by conventional cytogenetic analysis in the bone marrow cells of the patients with leukemia has been verified in our laboratory by FISH. The results of this study showed that FISH is more efficient than conventional cytogenetics in detecting residual malignant cells. For chromosomal rearrangements FISH is an extremely sensitive method which not only verifies but also interprets with more precision the findings of classical cytogenetics.
(Folia Biologica Praha, Vol. 42, No. 6, pp. 311-314, 1996).
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G. PARMIANI, F. ARIENTI, J. SULÉ-SUSO*, C. MELANI, M. P. COLOMBO, V. RAMAKRISHNA, F. BELLI, L. MASCHERONI, L. RIVOLTINI, N. CASCINELLI
Cytokine-Based Gene Therapy of Human Tumors. An Overview
This review first summarizes the different strategies of gene therapy of cancer and then focuses on the immunological approach. Several studies in animal models with cytokine gene-transduced tumor cells indicate that local cytokine release usually results in tumor growth inhibition. Moreover, in a number of cases vaccination with such cells can reduce growth of established tumors or even cure the tumor-bearing animals. Translation of such a principle in human clinical setting is reported. We have transduced human melanoma cells with genes coding for interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4 or B7-1 and characterized such lines. The phenotype did not change after gene insertion but the functional, immunostimulatory activity of IL-2 or B7-1 gene-transduced melanoma cells was significantly increased compared to that of parental lines. These lines were then used to vaccinate melanoma patients. Preliminary results of trials with IL-2 gene-transduced cells are presented which indicate a weak clinical response and the activation of a melanoma-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte response in a low percentage of patients.
(Folia Biologica Praha, Vol. 42, No. 6, pp. 305-309, 1996).
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