Tissue Expression of HSP27 in Prostate Cancer Is Correlated with the Aggressivity of Cancer in the Algerien Population

Background: Prostate Cancer (CaP) is the second most common cancer in men and a major public health problem. Clinical outcomes at diagnosis are heterogeneous and difficult to predict, so predictive and diagnostic markers are needed. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) such as HSP27 are highly regulated in several malignant tumors. Basal HSP27 levels in most human tissues are low compared to high levels in tumors. Methods: In this work, we evaluated, in subjects with CaP, the levels of expression of the HSP27 antigen in tumor tissues and its association with tumor aggressiveness. The Immunohistochemical (IHC) method was used to determine the expression of HSP27 in 58 prostate cancer tissues and 4 prostate hyperplasia (BPH). Results: Tissue levels of HSP27 were significantly higher in patients with CaP than in BPH (QSM = 153.43±0; P<0.0001). In the case of aggressive cancer (Gleason score > 7), we found a very significant increase in HSP27 protein (QSM = 169.73±84.26; P<0.0001) compared to non-aggressive cancer (Gleason score ≤ 7) (QSM = 123.92± 91.36; P<0.001). Conclusion: Overexpression of HSP27 in the tissues of patients with CaP compared to patients with BPH may be of diagnostic and/or prognostic interest and maybe a therapeutic target in patients with prostate cancer

Contribution of IgG avidity and PCR for the early diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women from the North-Eastern region of Algeria

Background: Acute toxoplasmosis in pregnant women presents a high risk of Toxoplasma transmission to the fetus. Early diagnosis is difficult, especially when serological testing for IgG/IgM antibodies fail to differentiate between a recent and a past infection. In this case, we rely on IgG avidity or PCR assays.Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare conventional ELISA and IgG avidity, with PCR using B1 and P30 primers for the early diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women.Methods: Sera were collected from 143 pregnant women and measured by ELISA for anti-Toxoplasma IgG, IgM, IgA and IgG avidity. DNA was extracted from 57 peripheral blood and 14 amniotic fluid samples for PCR amplification.Results: A total of 57 out 143 women were seropositive: 30 (52.6%) were IgG+/IgM- and 27 (43.8%) were IgG+/IgM+; IgA antibodies were positive in 7 (12.2%) cases. IgG avidity was low in 9 women suggesting an acute infection; 3 women presented an intermediate avidity. PCR detected Toxoplasma DNA in 9 women presenting low avidity and was negative for the intermediate avidity cases.Conclusion: PCR combined to avidity IgG performed better than ELISA IgG, IgM and/or IgA assays alone. PCR was useful in the case of intermediate avidity.Keywords: Toxoplasmosis, pregnant women, serology, IgG avidity, PC

Contribution of IgG avidity and PCR for the early diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women from the North-Eastern region of Algeria

Background: Acute toxoplasmosis in pregnant women presents a high risk of Toxoplasma transmission to the fetus. Early diagnosis is difficult, especially when serological testing for IgG/IgM antibodies fail to differentiate between a recent and a past infection. In this case, we rely on IgG avidity or PCR assays. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare conventional ELISA and IgG avidity, with PCR using B1 and P30 primers for the early diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women. Methods: Sera were collected from 143 pregnant women and measured by ELISA for anti-Toxoplasma IgG, IgM, IgA and IgG avidity. DNA was extracted from 57 peripheral blood and 14 amniotic fluid samples for PCR amplification. Results: A total of 57 out 143 women were seropositive: 30 (52.6%) were IgG+/IgM- and 27 (43.8%) were IgG+/IgM+; IgA antibodies were positive in 7 (12.2%) cases. IgG avidity was low in 9 women suggesting an acute infection; 3 women presented an intermediate avidity. PCR detected Toxoplasma DNA in 9 women presenting low avidity and was negative for the intermediate avidity cases. Conclusion: PCR combined to avidity IgG performed better than ELISA IgG, IgM and/or IgA assays alone. PCR was useful in the case of intermediate avidity

Clinicopathological Characteristics of Breast Cancer in a Population of Eastern Algeria

Background: One of the most common cancers in female is the breast cancer. It is the most important cause of neoplasie deaths among women in both developed countries and developing countries. The incidence of breast cancer has increased more than 10000 new cases per year. The aim of our study is to determine the clinical characteristics of breast cancer in the Eastern Algeria. Methods: This is a retrospective study made in public hospital EHS Abdallah Nouaouria El Bouni, Annaba gynecology and anatomy pathology services, which included 40 patients over a period of three months from July to September 2019. Results: The mean age was 49.87 (SD = 9.2) years. The age group of 40–76 years represented the majority of the study population (85%). A total of 30 patients (75%) had invasive ductal carcinoma, while 3 (7,5%) had ductal carcinoma in situ, 3 (7,5%) had inflammatory breast cancer, 2 (5%) had mucinous carcinoma and 2 (5%) had phyllodes tumors . The average size tumor was 3,7 cm. The rate of tumor grade with large size T2, T3 and T4b was 70%.  45% of patients had positive lymph nodes and 2,5 % had bilateral breast cancer. No metastatic cases were reported. Results also show that the most affected women are between 35 and 55 years; 92,5% have an  invasive breast cancer, and more than 80% are in advanced stage . Conclusion: Histological diagnosis is important since it state the specific type of carcinoma. One of the best approaches to prevent this disease is early diagnosis

First Polyphasic Study of Cheffia Reservoir (Algeria) Cyanobacteria Isolates Reveals Toxic Picocyanobacteria Genotype

Monitoring water supply requires, among other quality indicators, the identification of the cyanobacteria community and taking into account their potential impact in terms of water quality. In this work, cyanobacteria strains were isolated from the Cheffia Reservoir and identified based on morphological features, the 16S rRNA gene, phylogenetic analysis, and toxin production by polymerase chain reaction PCR screening of the genes involved in the biosynthesis of cyanotoxins (mcyA, mcyE, sxtA, sxtG, sxtI, cyrJ, and anaC). Thirteen strains representing six different genera: Aphanothece, Microcystis, Geitlerinema, Lyngbya, Microcoleus, and Pseudanabaena were obtained. The results demonstrated the importance of morphological features in determining the genus or the species when incongruence between the morphological and phylogenetic analysis occurs and only the utility of the 16S rRNA gene in determining higher taxonomic levels. The phylogenetic analysis confirmed the polyphyly of cyanobacteria for the Microcystis and Oscillatoriales genera. Unexpectedly, Aphanothece sp. CR 11 had the genetic potential to produce microcystins. Our study gives new insight into species with picoplanktonic (or small) cell size and potentially toxic genotypes in this ecosystem. Thus, conventional water treatment methods in this ecosystem have to be adapted, indicating the requirement for pre-treatment methods that can effectively eliminate picocyanobacteria while preserving cell integrity to prevent toxin release

HSP27/Menin Expression as New Prognostic Serum Biomarkers of Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness Independent of PSA

The screening of PCa is based on two tests, the total PSA test and the rectal examination. However, PSA is not specific for PCa stage confirmation, leading in false positive result and involving PCa over-diagnosis and over-treatment. HSP27 and Menin have been found to be overexpressed in a wide range of human cancers. Recent studies showed how HSP27 interacts with and stabilizes Menin to lead PCa progression and treatment resistance. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the correlation of HSP27 and Menin molecular expression, and their prognosis value in PCa with respect to clinicopathological features. Elisa was employed to measure serum HSP27 and Menin concentrations in 73 PCa patients and 80 healthy individuals. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to determine HSP27 and Menin tissue expression in 57 tumors and 4 Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) tissues. Serum HSP27 expression correlated with its tissue expression in all PCa patients, whereas serum Menin expression correlated only with tissue expression in aggressive PCa patients. Moreover, the results showed a positive correlation between HSP27 and Menin either in serum (r = 0.269; p = 0.021) or in tissue (r = 0.561; p < 0.0001). In aggressive PCa, serum expression of HSP27 and Menin was positively correlated (r = 0.664; R = 0.441; p = 0.001). The correlation between HSP27 and Menin expression in tissue was found only in patients with aggressive PCa (r = 0.606; R = 0.367; p = 0.004). Statistical analysis showed that the expression of both biomarkers was positively correlated with the hormone resistance or sensitivity, tumor aggressiveness, metastasis, Gleason Score, death and did not significantly correlate with age and PSA. Survival was illustrated by Kaplan–Meier curves; increased HSP27 and Menin expression correlated with shorter survival of PCa patients (p = 0.001 and p < 0.0001, respectively). Accuracy in predicting aggressiveness was quantified by the Area Under the Curve (AUC) of Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC). We demonstrated that the combination of HSP27/Menin was statistically greater than PSA; it achieved an AUC of 0.824 (95% CI, 0.730–0.918; p < 0.0001). However, HSP27/Menin/PSA combination decreased the diagnostic value with an AUC of 0.569 (95% CI, 0.428–0.710; p = 0.645). Our work suggests the potential role of HSP27/Menin as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers

Synthesis, Spectroscopic Characterization, and In Vitro Antibacterial Evaluation of Novel Functionalized Sulfamidocarbonyloxyphosphonates

International audienceSeveral new sulfamidocarbonyloxyphosphonates were prepared in two steps, namely carbamoylation and sulfamoylation, by using chlorosulfonyl isocyanate (CSI), α-hydroxyphosphonates, and various amino derivatives and related (primary or secondary amines, β-amino esters, and oxazolidin-2-ones). All structures were confirmed by 1 H, 13 C, and 31 P NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, and mass spectroscopy, as well as elemental analysis. Eight compounds were evaluated for their in vitro antibacterial activity against four reference bacteria including Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), and Gram-negative Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Klebsiella pneumonia (ATCC 700603), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), in addition to three clinical strains of each studied bacterial species. Compounds 1a–7a and 1b showed significant antibacterial activity compared to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, the reference drug used in this study