Molecular Biology Research Communications最新文献

The expression level of exosomal long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can be relevant for clinical diagnostic approaches. The object of our study was to evaluate the differential expression of lncRNAs colon cancer associated transcript 1 (CCAT1) and X-inactive specific transcript (XIST) in plasma exosomes of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and investigate their potential as clinical biomarkers. In a case-control study, 62 CRC patients and 62 healthy persons were studied. Plasma exosomes were isolated by a centrifugation approach and were characterized by microscopy and western blotting. After RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis, using real-time PCR technique, the relative expression of lncRNAs was evaluated. The expression levels of lncRNA CCAT1, but not XIST, were meaningfully increased in the plasma-derived exosomes of CRC patients compared to non-cancer individuals (p= 0.001, 0.083 respectively). Further analyses revealed that the expression levels of exosomal lncRNA CCAT1 were associated with the lymphovascular invasion and tumor differentiation (p<0.05). ROC curve analysis documented a diagnostic power for lncRNA CCAT1 in CRC with a sensitivity of 79% and a specificity of 80% with an optimal cutoff point 6.5, with an area under curve (AUC)=86% and p<0.0001. Also, lncRNA XIST revealed a sensitivity of 62% and a specificity of 61% with a cutoff point 2.4, with an AUC=65%. Our findings indicated the potential of plasma-derived exosomal lncRNA CCAT1 as a non-invasive clinical indicator for the diagnosis of CRC patients.

Cervical cancer is one of the common types of cancer in women. Treatment regimens include use of chemotherapy but it leads to certain side effects thereby creating a need for safer therapeutic options. Ayurveda has a great potential to provide better treatment strategies. In this study, computational approaches have been employed to investigate the molecular mechanism of anti-cervical cancer Ayurvedic herbs. Initially, Ayurvedic plants possessing anti-cervical cancer activities were obtained from literature. Bioactive compounds present in such plants were evaluated for drug-likeliness, biological functions and associations with cancer-related pathways. This resulted in the most promising drug-like bioactive compounds which were found to target cancer pathways like microRNA and proteoglycans, Human papillomavirus infection. Anti-cervical cancer activity possessing herbs derived from the study include Camellia sinensis, Equisetum arvense, Rosmarinus officinalis. Major bioactive compounds extracted from the enlisted herbs that contribute in promoting anti-cervical cancer effects include allicin, apigenin, and mataresinol. Overall, our study has provided insights into the scientific mechanism behind anti-cervical cancer activities of the indigenous herbs of Ayurveda. In addition, this study has also highlighted key bioactive compounds which have a potential in targeting cancer related pathways and thus can further be utilized to devise better therapeutics to cure cervical cancer.

Diabetes mellitus has been linked to an increased risk of oral cancer, with hyperglycemia and chronic inflammation contributing to malignant transformation. Accumulating evidence has highlighted the role of specific genes and biomarkers associated with the process. While hyperglycemia accelerates cancer progression, Metformin, an anti-diabetic medication, is found to reduce the recurrence. Future research should focus on understanding molecular mechanisms, developing early diagnostic tools, and assessing the impact of glycemic control in managing potentially oral malignant lesions in diabetic patients.

The present study aims to identify the differentially expressed genes in HIGK treated with Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) and their possible role in establishing head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The study design follows a computational approach wherein multiple databases and tools are used to derive the possible association between Fn exposure and the development of HNSCC. The GEOmnibus dataset GSE6927 provided data on the differentially expressed genes in the HIGK treated with Fn. The GEO2R analysis revealed 22 differentially expressed genes in HIGK cells treated with Fn. The expression profile of these genes was then analyzed in the HNSCC (TCGA, Firehose Legacy) dataset employing the UALCAN database. The present study revealed 5 genes viz., GSDMD, NUP214, ZNF426, FUT2, and SERPINB2 exhibiting similar expression patterns in Fn-treated HIGK and HNSCC datasets. The GSDMD and NUP214 were found to be upregulated, and the genes ZNF426, FUT2, and SERPINB2 were downregulated. Among the five genes, the ZNF426 demonstrated a significant association with the survival of HNSCC patients. The low expression of ZNF426 presented a poor prognosis compared to the high expression. The study's results identified ZNF426 as a candidate gene involved in Fusobacterium nucleatum infection and HNSCC. Validating this result is necessary to gain insights into the role of the ZNF426 gene in developing HNSCC. Furthermore, probing the epigenetic factors targeting ZNF426 can be a potential therapeutic lead.

The TP53 gene encodes the tumor suppressor protein p53, which plays a critical role in genomic stability and cell cycle regulation. TP53 mutations are prevalent in approximately half of all human malignancies and are associated with poor clinical outcomes, including increased genomic instability, chemoresistance, and reduced survival rates. However, the prognostic and predictive value of TP53 status remains inconsistent across cancer types. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) stands out as a disease where TP53 alterations have a well-established clinical significance, influencing treatment decisions and patient prognosis. In CLL, TP53 mutations and 17p deletions are strongly correlated with advanced disease stages, resistance to chemo-immunotherapy, and poor overall survival. The European Research Initiative for CLL (ERIC) has recognized TP53 status as a crucial prognostic biomarker, advocating for its routine assessment in clinical practice. Given the limitations of traditional therapies in TP53-mutated CLL, novel targeted therapies, including BCL2 and BTK inhibitors, as well as CAR-T cell therapy, are being explored to improve patient outcomes. This review provides an in-depth analysis of the evolving role of TP53 status in CLL, with a particular focus on emerging therapeutic strategies, including CAR-T cell therapy, and their potential to overcome TP53-driven treatment resistance.

Breast cancer (BC) is the main cause of cancer-related death in women worldwide. We evaluated the association between the key CCND1 gene variant; rs9344 (G>A); and BC risk in Iran. In this case-control study, blood samples were obtained from 58 patients and 66 healthy controls. Genotyping was conducted by tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system PCR (T-ARMS-PCR). Statistical analysis was performed by MedCalc software. Our results showed that the polymorphism rs9344 has an association with BC risk in the Iranian population. Based on the codominant and recessive models, carriers of the AA genotype are nearly 3.5 times more susceptible to BC than other individuals, and the AA genotype of CCND1 A870G may be a significant factor for breast cancer. Further studies are needed to clarify the roles of CCND1 polymorphism, rs9344, in breast cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) emerged due to genetic mutations that fuel tumor development and influence patient outcomes. This research investigates KRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA mutations in Iraqi Kurdish patients to assess their biological relevance and impact on clinical outcomes. Clinical and pathological data were collected from 150 patients' medical profiles. DNA was extracted from FFPE samples for KRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA mutation analysis. Variations in KRAS and BRAF 600/601 were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification followed by hybridization assays. Real-time PCR was utilized to detect PIK3CA mutations. Tumors were predominantly located in the colon (80%) and classified as adenocarcinomas (88%), with stage III being the most frequent (36%). Metastases were observed in 72.67% of cases, primarily in the liver (46.67%). KRAS mutations were identified in 37.33% of cases (mainly in codons 12 and 13), while BRAF V600E mutations occurred in 10.67%, and PIK3CA mutations were detected in 18.67%, with exon 9 alterations more common than those in exon 20. KRAS mutations were strongly associated with liver metastases (p=0.006), and BRAF mutations correlated with peritoneal metastases (p=0.0001). Co-mutations of KRAS and PIK3CA appeared in 7.33% of cases, while BRAF and PIK3CA co-mutations were rarer (1.3%). Our study underscores the complexity of CRC and the pivotal role of KRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA variations in tumor progression and outcomes in Iraq's Kurdistan Region, highlighting the importance of molecular profiling in clinical care.

Genetic polymorphisms in interleukin-13 (IL13) gene have been associated with asthma susceptibility in different ethnicities. We investigated the association of two polymorphisms in the IL13 gene [rs1800925 (c.-93+487C>T), and rs20541 (p.Gln144Arg)] with asthma susceptibility among Sudanese patients. A case-control study was conducted at Al-Shaab Teaching Hospital between April and October 2022. Involving fifty asthmatic patients and fifty controls. The genotypes were determined using an allele-specific polymerase chain reaction. For rs1800925, a significant association with asthma in multivariate analysis (aOR=3.15, 95% CI: 1.13-8.76; p=0.028). The T allele was the most frequent in cases and showed a significant association with asthma (aOR=1.99, 95% CI: 1.13-3.5; p=0.016). The rs20541 did not show any association with asthma. The rs1800925 is associated with an increased risk of asthma in Sudanese patients.

Pseudomonas syringae is a gram-negative bacterium that causes a diversity of diseases in numerous plants. Strategies to inhibit P. syringae growth include protective procedures; however, controlling the disease is complicated due to its rapid spread. Several antimicrobial agents can prevent this disease, such as chemical compounds, biological agents, secondary metabolites, nanoparticles, bacteriophages, and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). The most effective way to control the disease is through chemical control. Using copper compounds and antibiotics is a conventional practice to decrease canker disease symptoms. However, due to environmental pollution caused by chemicals and bactericides and the resistance of different pathovars of P. syringae, other methods for bacterial pathogens control are needed. Biological control, using antagonistic bacteria has shown promising results against P. syringae under in vitro conditions. New studies focus on using secondary metabolites from plants to control plant diseases. Studies have shown that essential oils when preserved from degradation and evaporation by nanoparticles like mesoporous silica, can increase their antibacterial activities. Using nanoparticles, especially silver, is a suitable strategy for controlling P. syringae. However, high concentrations of silver nanoparticles are toxic. Bacteriophages and AMPs are recommended as alternatives to control bacterial infections in agriculture, including P. syringae. Combined treatments of phages and secondary metabolites have shown higher efficacy, potentially overcoming resistance. However, bacteriophages and AMPs are expensive and limited. In the end, using secondary metabolites and nanoparticles at low concentrations presents economic benefits and antibacterial activities without phytotoxic properties.