title: Determination of the cellular retinoic-acid-binding protein in dysplastic epithelia of the cervix uteri, differentiated into apo and holo forms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The appearance of the cervical mucosa is regulated by different factors including retinoic acid. Hormone-dependent alteration of the cervix uteri mucosa is accompanied by a decrease or increase of cytoplasmatic retinoic-acid-binding protein (CRABP). To elucidate whether this hormone-dependent alteration of CRABP is preserved in the case of neoplasms of the cervix uteri, we measured the level of total and apo-CRABP in normal and neoplastically transformed cervical cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective pilot study, standardised biopsies of normal epithelium and cervical intra-epithelial neoplasm grade 3 (CIN III) were taken from 24 patients. A newly developed method was used to determine the intra-epithelial level of apo- and total CRABP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The concentration of total CRABP in normal squamous epithelium compared with that in intra-epithelial neoplasm grade 3 is very significantly lower in the CIN III areas (normal: 3.66 +/- 1.46 pmol/ mg wet weight +/- SD; CIN III 1.43 +/- 0.59 pmol/mg P < 0.01). In addition CRABP in the apo form is lower in normal than in neoplastic epithelium (Wilcoxon test for paired non-parametric values: P < 0.05; mean for all patients: normal: 1.65 + 0.82 pmol/mg; CIN III: 1.14 +/- 0.23 pmol/mg).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From our results we conclude that, in neoplastically transformed cells, the hormone-dependent CRABP cycle is interrupted. Whether this has consequences for the further development of the neoplastic cells has to be elucidated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Klinikum Mannheim, Faculty of Clinical Medicine of the University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany. Joachim.Volz@gyn.ma.uni-heidelberg.de
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Volz-Köster
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Volz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kiefer
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Biesalski
mesh_terms: D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000737:chemistry*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000737:chemistry*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid; C082927:retinoic acid binding protein I, cellular; C082928:retinoic acid binding protein II, cellular