Reviewer's report
Title:Nucleophosmin/B23 expression in gastric carcinogenesis
Version: 1Date:21 March 2013
Reviewer: Maria Piazuelo
Reviewer's report:
In this study, Leal and collaborators evaluated nucleophosmin protein expression
(by Western blot) in 17 pairs and mRNA (by qRT-PCR) in 22 pairs of gastric
tumors and corresponding non-tumor gastric tissues. They conclude that
nucleophosmin may act as a tumor suppressor in gastric carcinogenesis. The
small sample size, and the results presented do not support this conclusion.
Additional comments:
Major revisions:
1. The authors mention that the presence of H. pylori and cagA (or vacuolating
cytotoxin?, please check this) was investigated, and that all studied samples
presented H. pylori infection. It is not clear if all (neoplastic and non-neoplastic)
tissues included in the study (22 pairs) were investigated, what was the positivity
for tumor and non-tumor tissues and what were the findings on H. pylori virulence
factors.
2. It would be interesting to include immunohistochemistry studies to
demonstrate cellular and subcellular expression of nucleophosmin not only in the
tumors and non-tumoral gastric mucosa of the subjects included in this study, but
also in additional samples from subjects without history of cancer, including
normal gastric mucosa and H. pylori-associated gastritis.
Minor revisions:
3. How the cases were selected and when the tissue samples collected?
4. It would be advisable to use the most recent TNM staging classification.
5. Explain what control sample was used to normalize the protein expression by
Western blot and how the densitometry units were calculated.
Level of interest: An article of limited interest
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: Yes, but I do not feel adequately qualified to assess the
statistics.
Reviewer's report
Title:Nucleophosmin/B23 expression in gastric carcinogenesis
Version: 1Date:21 March 2013
Reviewer: Maria Piazuelo
Reviewer's report:
In this study, Leal and collaborators evaluated nucleophosmin protein expression
(by Western blot) in 17 pairs and mRNA (by qRT-PCR) in 22 pairs of gastric
tumors and corresponding non-tumor gastric tissues. They conclude that
nucleophosmin may act as a tumor suppressor in gastric carcinogenesis. The
small sample size, and the results presented do not support this conclusion.
Additional comments:
Major revisions:
1. The authors mention that the presence of H. pylori and cagA (or vacuolating
cytotoxin?, please check this) was investigated, and that all studied samples
presented H. pylori infection. It is not clear if all (neoplastic and non-neoplastic)
tissues included in the study (22 pairs) were investigated, what was the positivity
for tumor and non-tumor tissues and what were the findings on H. pylori virulence
factors.
2. It would be interesting to include immunohistochemistry studies to
demonstrate cellular and subcellular expression of nucleophosmin not only in the
tumors and non-tumoral gastric mucosa of the subjects included in this study, but
also in additional samples from subjects without history of cancer, including
normal gastric mucosa and H. pylori-associated gastritis.
Minor revisions:
3. How the cases were selected and when the tissue samples collected?
4. It would be advisable to use the most recent TNM staging classification.
5. Explain what control sample was used to normalize the protein expression by
Western blot and how the densitometry units were calculated.
Level of interest: An article of limited interest
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: Yes, but I do not feel adequately qualified to assess the
statistics.
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report
Title:Nucleophosmin/B23 expression in gastric carcinogenesis
Version: 1Date:21 March 2013
Reviewer: Maria Piazuelo
Reviewer's report:
In this study, Leal and collaborators evaluated nucleophosmin protein expression
(by Western blot) in 17 pairs and mRNA (by qRT-PCR) in 22 pairs of gastric
tumors and corresponding non-tumor gastric tissues. They conclude that
nucleophosmin may act as a tumor suppressor in gastric carcinogenesis. The
small sample size, and the results presented do not support this conclusion.
Additional comments:
Major revisions:
1. The authors mention that the presence of H. pylori and cagA (or vacuolating
cytotoxin?, please check this) was investigated, and that all studied samples
presented H. pylori infection. It is not clear if all (neoplastic and non-neoplastic)
tissues included in the study (22 pairs) were investigated, what was the positivity
for tumor and non-tumor tissues and what were the findings on H. pylori virulence
factors.
2. It would be interesting to include immunohistochemistry studies to
demonstrate cellular and subcellular expression of nucleophosmin not only in the
tumors and non-tumoral gastric mucosa of the subjects included in this study, but
also in additional samples from subjects without history of cancer, including
normal gastric mucosa and H. pylori-associated gastritis.
Minor revisions:
3. How the cases were selected and when the tissue samples collected?
4. It would be advisable to use the most recent TNM staging classification.
5. Explain what control sample was used to normalize the protein expression by
Western blot and how the densitometry units were calculated.
Level of interest: An article of limited interest
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: Yes, but I do not feel adequately qualified to assess the
statistics.
assistant