HA PEGylated Filler in Association with an Infrared Energy Device for the Treatment of Facial Skin Aging: 150 Day Follow-Up Data Report

Background: The face is the area most exposed to the normal course of skin aging, both intrinsically and extrinsically. The aim of the study was to evaluate the cellular and clinical response of a therapeutic protocol aimed at countering facial skin aging. Materials and methods: Twenty female patients with facial skin laxity and photodamage underwent combined therapy including mesotherapy using non-cross-linked hyaluronic acid with calcium hydroxyapatite and an infrared energy-based device treatment with subsequent implementation of PEG-cross-linked hyaluronic acid soft tissue fillers. To evaluate the benefits, patients underwent histological, immunological, and biomechanical evaluations before the treatment and at 21 and 150 days after the treatment. Results: The histological results at 21 days and 150 days after the procedure showed an increase in the number of fibroblasts and angiogenesis. As for the immunological aspect, it was shown that the treatment has an immunomodulating action, avoiding the activation of CD4 and CD8 cells. Biomechanical data showed that, at 150 days after treatment, the average changes in skin elasticity increased by 72% and the skin hydration increased by 49%. Conclusions: A combination of an infrared energy-based device treatment with both non-cross-linked hyaluronic acid and novel PEG-cross-linked hyaluronic acid leads to numerous positive cutaneous changes after histological, immunological, and biomechanical evaluations

UV-crosslinkable photoreactive self-adhesive hydrogels based on acrylics

Hydrogels are a unique class of macromolecular networks that can hold a large fraction of an aqueous solvent within their structure. They are suitable for biomedical area including controlled drug delivery and for technical applications as self-adhesive materials for bonding of wet surfaces. This paper describes photoreactive self-adhesive hydrogels based on acrylics crosslinked using UV radiation. They are prepared in ethyl acetate through radical polymerization of monomers mixture containing 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (2-EHA), butyl acrylate (BA), acrylic acid (AA) and copolymerizable photoinitiator 4-acryloyloxy benzophenone (ABP) at presence of radical starter 2.2’-azobis-diisobutyronitrile AIBN. The synthesized acrylic copolymers were determined by viscosity and GPC analysis and later modified using ethoxylated amines. 4-acryloyloxy benzophenone (ABP) was used as crosslinking monomer. After UV crosslinking the properties of these novel synthesized hydrogels, such as tack, peel adhesion, shears strength, elongation and water adsorption were also studied

Low Expression of MATR3 Is Associated with Poor Survival in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

Matrin 3 (MATR3) is one of the most abundant inner nuclear matrix proteins involved in multiple nuclear processes. However, to date, the biological role and prognostic relevance of MATR3 in human cancers still need to be explored. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the expression levels and prognostic significance of MATR3 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) patients. We assessed MATR3 immunohistochemical staining and RNA-seq data from publicly available data sets, and the results were analyzed with reference to clinicopathological characteristics and the overall survival of patients. Furthermore, the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network for MATR3 and its neighbors was constructed, functionally annotated, and screened for survival-related genes. MATR3 protein and mRNA levels were lower in tumor tissues compared to control tissues. Lower MATR3 protein (HR 2.36, 95%CI 1.41–3.97; p = 0.001) and mRNA (HR 2.01, 95%CI 1.46–2.75; p < 0.0001) expression levels were found to be a significant independent adverse prognostic factor for the patient’s overall survival (OS). Moreover, of the candidate genes, the MRPL23 gene was identified as being the most predictive of OS, and combined MRPL23/MATR3 expression status predicted patient survival better than looking at each marker individually (HR 3.15, 95%CI 2.05–4.83; p < 0.0001). In conclusion, the results from the present investigation warrant further research into the biological and prognostic value of MATR3 and MRPL23 in ccRCC patients

Expression of Selected Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Transcription Factors in Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynecologic malignancy in developed countries. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression of SNAIL, SLUG, TWIST1, TWIST2, ZEB1, and ZEB 2 in primary tumor and the correlation with morphological and clinical characteristics of EC. The study included 158 patients with EC after surgical treatments: total hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy. The percentages of EC specimens testing positively for the EMT transcription factors were 84.5% for SNAIL, 92.2% for SLUG, 10.9% for TWIST1, 100% for TWIST2, 89% for ZEB1, and 98% for ZEB2. The expression of SLUG in patients with FIGO stage III or IV, type II EC, myometrial invasion≥50% of the uterine wall thickness, and adnexal involvement and in patients with distant metastases was significantly higher. SLUG and ZEB2 expressions were identified as significant predictors of higher FIGO stages (III or IV) on univariate analysis. The overexpression of SLUG was a significant predictor of more aggressive type II EC, myometrial invasion≥50% of the uterine wall thickness, and distant metastases on both univariate and multivariate analysis. Moreover, the overexpression of SLUG and ZEB2 was shown to be significant predictors of adnexal involvement on univariate analysis. ZEB 2 overexpression was identified in multivariate analysis as another independent predictor associated with a lesser likelihood of type II EC. Both univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated that SLUG expression was the only predictor of 5-year survival in the study group. The overexpression of SLUG was associated with a significant increase in mortality hazard on univariate analysis and was shown to be a highly significant predictor of death on multivariate analysis. Conclusions. Selected proteins of the EMT pathway play a role in endometrial carcinogenesis; SLUG and ZEB2 expressions in the primary tumor might predict clinical outcomes in EC and drive therapeutic decisions regarding adjuvant treatment in patients with this malignancy

Low Expression of MATR3 Is Associated with Poor Survival in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

Matrin 3 (MATR3) is one of the most abundant inner nuclear matrix proteins involved in multiple nuclear processes. However, to date, the biological role and prognostic relevance of MATR3 in human cancers still need to be explored. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the expression levels and prognostic significance of MATR3 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) patients. We assessed MATR3 immunohistochemical staining and RNA-seq data from publicly available data sets, and the results were analyzed with reference to clinicopathological characteristics and the overall survival of patients. Furthermore, the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network for MATR3 and its neighbors was constructed, functionally annotated, and screened for survival-related genes. MATR3 protein and mRNA levels were lower in tumor tissues compared to control tissues. Lower MATR3 protein (HR 2.36, 95%CI 1.41–3.97; p = 0.001) and mRNA (HR 2.01, 95%CI 1.46–2.75; p MRPL23 gene was identified as being the most predictive of OS, and combined MRPL23/MATR3 expression status predicted patient survival better than looking at each marker individually (HR 3.15, 95%CI 2.05–4.83; p < 0.0001). In conclusion, the results from the present investigation warrant further research into the biological and prognostic value of MATR3 and MRPL23 in ccRCC patients

Next-Generation Sequencing in the Diagnosis of Patients with Bardet–Biedl Syndrome—New Variants and Relationship with Hyperglycemia and Insulin Resistance

Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is a rare autosomal recessively inherited disease with major clinical symptoms such as: obesity, retinal degeneration, polydactyly and renal abnormalities. The aim of the study was to assess the spectrum of gene variants among patients with BBS, identified on the basis of nationwide genetic studies of monogenic diabetes in Polish population. Out of 575 patients enrolled for genetic testing from February 2017 to July 2019, 25 patients with a clinical suspicion of BBS were selected. The identification of pathogenic variants was performed by using targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) on Illumina NextSeq 550 platform involving the SureSelect assay (Agilent, Santa Clara, CA, USA). BBS was genetically confirmed in 10 of 25 suspected patients. In patients, 14 different variants were found in six genes, mainly in BBS9 and BBS10 gene, including two novel variants. A strong association between hyperglycemia and insulin resistance in patients and the presence of variants in BBS9 gene was observed. Identification of 14 variants, including two new mutations using the NGS method, is the first molecular characteristic of Polish patients with Bardet&ndash;Biedl syndrome. It gives hope for earlier proper diagnosis of BBS in future patients selected from children with early childhood obesity and their medical multidisciplinary care

Expression of zinc finger transcription factors (ZNF143 and ZNF281) in serous borderline ovarian tumors and low-grade ovarian cancers

Abstract Low-grade ovarian cancers represent up to 8% of all epithelial ovarian carcinomas (EOCs). Recent studies demonstrated that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is crucial for the progression of EOCs. EMT plays a key role in cancer invasion, metastasis formation and chemotherapy resistance. An array of novel EMT transcription factors from the zinc finger protein family have been described recently, among them zinc finger protein 143 (ZNF143) and zinc finger protein 281 (ZNF281). The study included tissue specimens from 42 patients. Based on histopathological examination of surgical specimens, eight lesions were classified as serous borderline ovarian tumors (sBOTs) and 34 as low-grade EOCs. The proportions of the ovarian tumors that tested positively for ZNF143 and ZNF281 were 90 and 57%, respectively. No statistically significant differences were found in the expressions of ZNF143 and ZNF281 transcription factors in SBOTs and low-grade EOCs. Considering the expression patterns for ZNF143 and ZNF281 identified in this study, both sBOTs and low-grade EOCs might undergo a dynamic epithelial-mesenchymal interconversion. The lack of statistically significant differences in the expressions of the zinc finger proteins in sBOTs and low-grade serous EOCs might constitute an evidence for common origin of these two tumor types

Tissue remodelling in chronic rhinosinusitis – review of literature

CRS is a process involving a number of adverse changes in the mucosa of the paranasal sinuses and nasal polyps, e.g. increased fibroblast proliferation, angiogenesis, increased formation of fibrous tissue (subepithelial fibrosis) and tissue destruction. There are biomarkers whose levels can be increased in chronic inflammation of the paranasal sinuses: peripheral blood eosinophilia, IgE immunoglobulin, cytokines – IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-25, IL-33, periostin, P-glycoprotein, CXCL-12, CXCL-13, INF-Υ, TNFα, TGFβ1, albumins, eotaxin. These biomarkers are not pathognomonic for CRS. The concentration of biomarkers is also increased in bronchial asthma and atopic dermatitis. The TGFβ, in particular the β1 subunit, was identified as the main factor involved in the remodelling of tissue stroma. In conjunction with continuous improvement of tissue testing methods, it is advisable to search for new factors that will more accurately allow the assessment of tissue remodelling in the chronic processes of paranasal sinuses

SUPPLEMENT – Supplemental material for Expression of selected epithelial–mesenchymal transition transcription factors in serous borderline ovarian tumors and type I ovarian cancers

<p>Supplemental material, SUPPLEMENT for Expression of selected epithelial–mesenchymal transition transcription factors in serous borderline ovarian tumors and type I ovarian cancers by Pawel Sadlecki, Jakub Jóźwicki, Paulina Antosik and Marek Grabiec in Tumor Biology</p