title: Ultrastructural and chromosomal studies on manganese superoxide dismutase in malignant mesothelioma.
abstract: Mesothelioma represents an aggressive tumor type with high resistance to all treatment modalities. Its pathogenesis is strongly associated with exposure to asbestos fibers and probably with free radicals. One of the most important free radical scavenging enzymes, mitochondrial manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), has been shown to be elevated in mesothelioma (K. Kahlos et al., 1998, Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol. 18:570-580). In the present study, we could detect intense ultrastructural accumulation of MnSOD in the mitochondrial compartment of malignant mesothelioma cells. There was no association between the immunohistochemical reactivity and the most common and functional polymorphic variant of MnSOD, the Ala to Val amino acid change at 9 position (16th amino acid from the beginning of the signal sequence), in the 31 mesothelioma cases investigated. Comparative genomic hybridization and fluorescence in situ hybridization did not reveal any changes in chromosome 6, where the MnSOD gene is located. Sequencing of the MnSOD promoter region in four mesothelioma cell lines showed similar nucleotide variables in the malignant and nonmalignant cells. Therefore, the intense expression of MnSOD in the mitochondria of mesothelioma cells does not appear be associated with any major chromosomal alterations or the polymorphism of MnSOD gene. Association with oxidative/nitrosative stress in mesothelioma using nitrotyrosine immunostaining pointed to a tendency for more intense reactivity in those mesotheliomas with higher MnSOD expression (P = 0.069).
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Pulmonary Division, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Box 22 (Haartmanink 4), 00140 Helsinki, Finland. Vuokko.kinnula@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: Vuokko L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Kinnula
authors.forename: Tuula
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Torkkeli
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kristo
authors.forename: Raija
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sormunen
authors.forename: Ylermi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Soini
authors.forename: Paavo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pääkkö
authors.forename: Tiina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ollikainen
authors.forename: Katriina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kahlos
authors.forename: Ari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hirvonen
authors.forename: Sakari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Knuutila
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase