c-kit is a tyrosine kinase receptor whose ligand is stem cell factor (SCF). Gene alteration of the c-kit extracellular domain was analysed by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) in 25 patients with myeloproliferative disorders (MPD). In the N-terminal part of the domain, mobility shifts indicating sequence alteration were detected in three of the patients, two primary myelofibrosis (PMF) and one chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML). The subsequent sequencing revealed the same point mutations at codon 52 causing amino acid substitution (Asp-->Asn). To our knowledge this is the first report with a c-kit point mutation found in human fresh tumour cells.

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We measured levels of cytokines and type III procollagen aminopeptides (procollagen III peptides) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid obtained from 20 patients with stable pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and seven patients with progressive PF, and nine control subjects to determine the role of cytokines in the development of PF. Procollagen III peptide levels were markedly increased in progressive PF patients. Tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, transforming growth factor-beta and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) levels were elevated in both PF patients as compared with controls, with a tendency of higher levels in progressive patients, whereas interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) level was decreased in both PF patients. When the correlation between procollagen III peptide and various cytokine levels was analysed the only significant correlation was inversely between procollagen III peptide and IFN-gamma in progressive PF patients. These results indicated that although multiple cytokines may be involved in the development of PF, the negative role of IFN-gamma in active collagen synthesis could be also important.

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