The early detection of breast cancer (BC) is receiving global attention, creating an urgent need for more sensitive and comprehensive strategies for preventive intervention, therapy assessment, and ...prognosis prediction. Aberrant expression of miRNAs has been observed in various malignancies and may be potential targets for therapy. Our study aims to examine the expression profiles of miR-375, miR-574-3p, and miR-122 in the sera of Egyptian women with BC, benign breast lesions, and a control group. We hope to determine if these miRNAs can serve as minimally invasive biomarkers for BC.
This is a case-control study in which 77 patients with newly diagnosed BC, 20 patients with benign breast tumors, and 30 normal healthy subjects as controls were recruited from the outpatient clinic of the National Cancer Institute. The assessment of miRNAs was conducted using RT-PCR (Applied Biosystems).
The expression level of miRNA-122 was significantly upregulated in the BC group, while the expression levels of miRNA-574 and miRNA-375 showed significant downregulation in BC patients. Serum miR-122 and miRNA-375 were able to distinguish breast cancer from the benign and control groups in ROC curve analysis, with AUCs of 0.786 and 0.796, respectively. Our results also showed that serum miR-122 and miR-574 are significant predictor variables in the multivariate analysis, after adjusting for age.
Our findings suggest that miR-122 may act as an onco-microRNA, while miR-574 and miR-375 may have a main tumour suppressor role. The studied miRNAs may serve as minimally invasive biomarkers for cases of breast cancer and as promising potential therapeutic targets for breast cancer.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Several studies have shown association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of hepcidin regulatory pathways genes with impaired iron status. The most common is in the TMPRSS6 gene. In Africa, ...very few studies have been reported. We aimed to investigate the correlation between the common SNPs in the transmembrane protease, serine 6 (TMPRSS6) gene and iron indicators in a sample of Egyptian children for identifying the suitable candidate for iron supplementation.Patients and methods One hundred and sixty children aged 5-13 years were included & classified into iron deficient, iron deficient anemia and normal healthy controls. All were subjected to assessment of serum iron, serum ferritin, total iron binding capacity, complete blood count, reticulocyte count, serum soluble transferrin receptor and serum hepcidin. Molecular study of TMPRSS6 genotyping polymorphisms (rs4820268, rs855791 and rs11704654) were also evaluated.Results There was an association of iron deficiency with AG of rs855791 SNP, (P = 0.01). The minor allele frequency for included children were 0.43, 0.45 & 0.17 for rs4820268, rs855791 & rs11704654 respectively. Genotype GG of rs4820268 expressed the highest hepcidin gene expression fold, the lowest serum ferroportin & iron store compared to AA and AG genotypes (p = 0.05, p = 0.05, p = 0.03 respectively). GG of rs855791 had lower serum ferritin than AA (p = 0.04), lowest iron store & highest serum hepcidin compared to AA and AG genotypes (p = 0.04, p = 0.01 respectively). Children having CC of rs11704654 had lower level of hemoglobin, serum ferritin and serum hepcidin compared with CT genotype (p = 0.01, p = 0.01, p = 0.02) respectively.Conclusion Possible contribution of SNPs (rs855791, rs4820268 and rs11704654) to low iron status.
Cancer breast is a challenging health care problem. We studied the circulating levels of miRNA-21 and miRNA let-7 in 3 different groups. miRNA-21 was highly expressed in patients with breast cancer ...whereas miRNA let-7 expression was markedly reduced and correlated with risk development of metastases in breast cancer cases. miRNA let-7 arises as a prognostic marker for cancer breast.
Breast cancer remains one of the top threats to women’s health. The current lack of tumor markers with desirable sensitivity and specificity is a major obstacle toward the future management of breast cancer. Many studies are directed to reveal the diagnostic and prognostic potentials of circulating miRNAs in breast cancer. In this study, we attempt to evaluate the feasibility and clinical utility of circulating miRNA-21 and let-7 as prognostic biomarkers for breast cancer.
Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction technique was used. Levels of miRNA-21 and let-7 expression were determined in sera from 125 participants representing 3 different groups. With fold-change analysis, the expression of miRNA-21 and let-7 in the decided groups were assessed.
Patients with breast cancer showed significantly higher expression of miRNA-21 compared with controls and other participants with benign breast lesions (P < .001). The mean expression levels of serum miRNA-21 was 3.27 ± 2.10-fold in patients with breast cancer. The expression of miRNA let-7 was significantly decreased in patients with breast cancer (2.45 ± 2.20-fold) than the control group and the benign breast lesions group (5.27 ± 3.30-fold and 6.22 ± 4.90-fold, respectively; P < .001). Levels of miRNA let-7 expression negatively correlated with development of metastases in patients with breast cancer (P < .001).
Our study establishes the association between altered levels of miRNA let-7 and metastases risk in patients with breast cancer, implying a role of miRNA let-7 in disease progression and prognosis.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Blood transfusion (BT) is essential in treating sickle cell disease (SCD); however, it leads to iron overload (IO) and oxidative stress. We studied the relationship between oxidative stress, iron ...status parameters, hepcidin mRNA gene expression, and IO in SCD patients.
We classified all SCD patients (n = 90) into two groups: Group I, 45 children (s.ferritin ≥ 938 ng/mL) and Group II, 45 children (s.ferritin < 938 ng/mL). A total of 55 children, age and sex matched, participated as a control group. Malondialdehyde (MDA), nitrite, s.iron, s.total iron-binding capacity (sTIBC), transferrin saturation %, s.ferritin, s.hepcidin, and hepcidin mRNA gene expression were assessed.
Among SCD BT-dependent patients (>3 times/year), 63% were from Group I and 37% from Group II, p < .01. The two patient groups had significantly lower s.hepcidin and hepcidin gene expression than controls (p < .001). TIBC, s.iron, s.ferritin, transferrin saturation %, ferritin/hepcidin ratio, and MDA levels were higher among SCD patients than controls (p < .001). Group I had higher mean level of ferritin/hepcidin ratio and MDA than Group II (p < .01). The higher level of MDA and increased frequency of BT were the significant predicting risk factors for IO (p < .05). A receiver-operating characteristic curve indicates that MDA is the outstanding significant biomarker for high level of s.ferritin with subsequent IO progression.
MDA may serve as a biomarker of oxidative stress and IO in SCD patients. This result paid attention for urgent initiation of antioxidant and chelation therapy on detecting increased MDA level.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Background
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is known to be the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. For improving the prognosis as well as reducing the rate of mortality, early ...diagnosis of HCC is a must.
Aims
This study was conducted to assess the ability of the serum expression of exosomal miR-18a and miR-222 to differentiate and diagnose patients with HCC, patients with liver cirrhosis, and healthy controls.
Methods
This study included 51 patients with liver cirrhosis, 51 patients with HCC on top of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and 50 healthy controls.
Results
miR-18a and miR-222 were assessed using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. MiR-18a and miR-222 levels were significantly higher in the liver cirrhosis and HCC groups than the control group (p ˂ 0.001). However, no statistically significant difference was found between patients with HCC and liver cirrhosis (p = 0.4 for miR-18a and p = 0.1 for miR-222). ROC curve analyses to evaluate the diagnostic performances of the two miRNAs as important noninvasive diagnostic markers revealed a best cutoff value of 2 for miR-18a to differentiate between liver cirrhosis, HCC, and healthy controls. And for mir-222, a cutoff value of 1.7 and 1.9 showed the highest specificity for discrimination between liver cirrhosis, HCC, and healthy controls, respectively. Moreover, logistic regression model revealed that miR-18a expression was independent predictive factor in HCC patients (p = 0.004), while miR-222 expression was independent predictive factor in liver cirrhosis patients (p < 0.001).
Conclusion
miR-18a and miR-222 were significantly discriminative markers between patients with liver cirrhosis and HCC and healthy individuals. Therefore, they have a prognostic rather than a diagnostic value. Moreover, miR-18a and miR-222 could be useful in identifying liver injuries, including fibrosis and cirrhosis.
Background
Klotho G-395-A gene polymorphism may impact children with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). We investigated the relevance of Klotho G-395-A on ESRD development and progression, and its ...relationship with evolution of cardiovascular complications in pediatric dialysis patients.
Methods
Fifty-five children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and seventy healthy children were genotyped for Klotho G-395A.
Results
Incidence of GA/AA genotypes and A allele were higher in ESRD patients compared with controls (54.5 vs. 7.1%,
P
< 0.001; 30.9 vs. 13.6%,
P
= 0.001, respectively). Also, children with GA/AA genotypes were 15.6 times more likely to develop ESRD than with GG genotype (95% CI 5.4–44.7,
P
< 0.001). A allele carriers have 2.8 times higher risk of developing ESRD than those with G allele (95% CI 1.5–5.35,
P
= 0.001). Also, the A allele could be considered a predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD), as carriers have 161 times higher risk of cardiovascular complications than non-carriers (95% CI 21–1233,
P
< 0.001). All ESRD patients with CVD presented with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and the frequency of A allele was significantly higher among ESRD children with LVH, whereas G allele frequency was significantly higher among ESRD children without LVH.
Conclusions
The A allele of the G-395A Klotho gene polymorphism shows a significantly higher frequency among children with CKD and those with CVD and LVH. This mutant allele could be used as a risk marker for the development of ESRD as well as a predictor of CVD in these children.
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DOBA, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, VSZLJ, ZAGLJ
BACKGROUND: Hepcidin, a small peptide hormone, is established as the main regulator of iron homeostasis.
AIM: To estimate serum hepcidin, ferritin, and hepcidin: ferritin ratio in β-thalassemia ...patients and to determine the effect of splenectomy and hydroxyurea on serum hepcidin.
METHODS: A study was conducted on 30 thalassemia major (βTM), 29 thalassemia intermedia (βTI) and 29 healthy children's controls. Data were collected by patient interviewing where detailed history-taking and thorough clinical examinations were carried out. Serum ferritin and hepcidin were measured by ELISA assay (Bioneovan Co. Ltd Beijing, China).
RESULTS: Βeta-thalassemia patients had higher serum ferritin, serum hepcidin and lower Hb and hepcidin: ferritin ratio compared to the controls (p < 0.001, 0.010, 0.001, 0.001) respectively. Β-TM patients had higher mean serum hepcidin and serum ferritin compared to β-TI, with statistically significant difference (P = 0.042, P < 0.001, respectively). Twenty-one patients out of 29 βTI was on hydroxyurea therapy; these patients had significantly lower levels of serum ferritin (P < 0.004) and significantly higher levels of Hb (P < 0.004). Serum ferritin was statistically significantly higher in splenectomized patients P < 0.009. Serum hepcidin level was insignificantly higher in splenectomized patients than non-splenectomized patients (21.6 ± 14.75, 17.76 ± 10.01 ng/mL). Hepcidin showed a significantly positive correlation with hepcidin: ferritin ratio in all studied groups.
CONCLUSION: Serum hepcidin was elevated in β-thalassemia children with more evident elevation in βTM patients. Splenectomy played no major role in hepcidin regulation. Knowing that hepcidin in serum has a dynamic and multi-factorial regulation, individual evaluation of serum hepcidin and follow up, e.g. every 6 months could be valuable, and future therapeutic hepcidin agonists could be helpful in management of iron burden in such patient.
We investigated the association between polymorphisms of the angiotensin converting enzyme-1 (ACE-1) and angiotensin II type one receptor (AT1RA1166C) genes and the causation of renal disease in 76 ...advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) pediatric patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) or conservative treatment (CT). Serum ACE activity and creatine kinase-MB fraction (CK-MB) were measured in all groups. Left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was calculated according to echocardiographic measurements. Seventy healthy controls were also genotyped.
The differences of D allele and DI genotype of ACE were found significant between MHD group and the controls (p = 0.0001). ACE-activity and LVMI were higher in MHD, while CK-MB was higher in CT patients than in all other groups. The combined genotype DD v/s ID+II comparison validated that DD genotype was a high risk genotype for hypertension .~89% of the DD CKD patients were found hypertensive in comparison to ~ 61% of patients of non DD genotype(p = 0.02). The MHD group showed an increased frequency of the C allele and CC genotype of the AT1RA1166C polymorphism (P = 0.0001). On multiple linear regression analysis, C-allele was independently associated with hypertension (P = 0.04).
ACE DD and AT1R A/C genotypes implicated possible roles in the hypertensive state and in renal damage among children with ESRD. This result might be useful in planning therapeutic strategies for individual patients.
End stage renal disease (ESRD) is a common cause of morbidity and mortality among children. Interleukin 4 is a cytokine that might influence the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) to end ...stage renal disease. There are variable number of tandem repeats (VNTRs) in IL4 gene that could play major roles in genetic predisposition to some diseases. Aim of the study: The purpose of this study is to detect the association of allelic variant in intron 3 VNTR-IL4 gene with the end stage renal disease and if these variants could be considered as risk markers for this disease.
The study was conducted on fifty-five children with CKD and fifty healthy children served as controls. All participants were genotyped for intron 3 VNTR by Polymerase Chain Reaction.
The frequency of intron 3 VNTR-IL4 P1P2+P2P2 genotypes was significantly higher in ESRD-children than those with P1P1 genotype (88.7% vs. 15.4%, OR 43; 95% CI 13–134, P value<0.001). Also, the frequency of P2 allele was significantly higher in ESRD-children compared with healthy controls (70.9% vs. 8%, OR 28; 95% CI 12–64, P value<0.001). Furthermore, a significantly higher frequencies of P1P1 genotype and P1 allele among the control group were demonstrated (84.6% vs. 11.3%, P<0.001 and 92% vs. 29.1%, P<0.001, respectively).
we concluded that the P2 allele is an allelic variant predisposing to ESRD in children with CKD and it could be considered a risk factor for the development of ESRD.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP