OBJECTIVE: We analyzed the gene status of p16INK4A, p18INK4C, the expression of cell cycle associated proteins (p16INK4A, p18INK4C, cyclin D1, CDK4, pRb, and p53), and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection to investigate whether the inactivation of these genes participated in carcinogenesis, and to evaluated the expression of cell cycle associated proteins and HPV infections. METHODS: We examined forty-one primary cervical carcinomas (17 adenocarcinomas, 13 keratinizing squamous cell carcinomas, and 11 nonkeratinizing squamous cell carcinomas) using PCR, comparative multiplex PCR, PCR-SSCP, methylation-specific PCR, and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Ninety percent of cervical carcinomas showed HPV infection. HPV type 16 was detected in 41% and HPV type 18 was found in 44%. Homozygous deletions at p16INK4A gene were observed in 2 cases, but the mutation of p16INK4A and alterations of p18INK4C gene were not detected. The promoter hypermethylation for p16INK4A in nine cases (31%) of 29 cervical carcinomas was found. Expression of p16INK4A protein was observed in 93% and p18INK4C protein expression was noted in 78%. Positive immunostaining for cyclin D1 was only identified in 5%, whereas positive immunostaining for CDK4 was observed in 95%. Expression of pRb protein was found in 93% and p53 protein in 24% of cervical carcinomas. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that high risk HPV infections and methylation of the p16INK4A promoter region seem to play an important role in the pathogenesis of cervical carcinomas. Alterations of p18INK4C gene and cyclin D1-CDK4 pathway does not contribute significantly in the cervical carcinogenesis.
Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cell Cycle* ; Cyclin D1 ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p18 ; Cyclins ; Genes, p16 ; Humans* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Methylation ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Papillomavirus Infections* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Promoter Regions, Genetic

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most prevalent dermatology pathogens in hospitals and increasingly recognized in communities. We determined PFGE pattern of SmaI-restricted genomic DNA, coagulase type, and antimicrobial susceptibility of MRSA isolated in 2008 from dermatology inpatients and healthy hospital employees in A Hospital and from primary school children in Iksan city, Korea. Overall, the isolation rate of MRSA was 3.8% from the 788 normal persons: 4.9% from hospital employees and 1.1% from primary school children. MRSA was isolated in six of 13 (46.2%) family members of four school children with MRSA. The most prevalent coagulase serotype was II from patients and V from healthy individuals. Ten of twenty and six of twenty MRSA isolates from patients and from healthy personnel, respectively, had identical PFGE patterns, suggesting that these are originated from identical clones. Against MRSA from patients, only vancomycin was the most active (MIC range < or =2 microg/ml), whereas the resistance rates were 35% to rifampin and 65% to mupirocin. The resistance rates of patient isolates were > or =90% to amikacin, clindamycin, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, fusidic acid, gentamicin and tetracycline. In conclusion, the MRSA carriage rates of healthy hospital workers were relatively high, 2.3~7.7%, depending on groups. Family members of a few primary school children with MRSA showed a high carriage rate, suggesting that intrafamily transmission occurred. MRSAs isolated from dermatology inpatients were relatively more resistant to various antimicrobial agents, including mupirocin, but all isolates were susceptibility to vancomycin.
Amikacin ; Anti-Infective Agents ; Child ; Ciprofloxacin ; Clindamycin ; Clone Cells ; Coagulase ; Dermatology ; DNA ; Erythromycin ; Fusidic Acid ; Genotype ; Gentamicins ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Korea ; Methicillin Resistance ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Mupirocin ; Rifampin ; Tetracycline ; Vancomycin ; Natural Resources