MET receptor is a potential therapeutic target in high grade cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of death among women suffering from tumors. Current treatment options are insufficient. Here, we investigated the MET receptor as a potential molecular target in advanced cervical cancer. Downregulation of MET receptor expression via RNA interference in different cervical carcinoma cell lines dramatically decreased tumor growth and forced tumor differentiation in vivo. MET receptor silencing also led to a dramatic decrease in cell size and a decrease in proliferation rate under normal and stress conditions. MET receptor downregulation also resulted in decreased cyclin D1 and c-myc levels but did not increase apoptosis. Subsequent experiments showed that downregulation of the MET receptor decreased the expression of a key regulator of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, SLUG. and increased the expression of E-cadherin, a hallmark of the epithelial phenotype. Moreover, MET downregulation impairs expression and signaling of CXCR4 receptor, responsible for invasive phenotype. Taken together, our results strongly suggest that the MET receptor influences the oncogenic properties of cervical carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo. These findings highlight a unique role of the MET receptor in cervical carcinoma cells and indicate the MET receptor as a potential therapeutic target for advanced cervical carcinoma

STUDY ON COMPANY EXECUTIVES’ WILLINGNESS-TO-PAY FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (OSH) IN POLISH ENTERPRISES

Provedena studija pokušala je utvrditi da li i koliko menadžeri tvrtki vrednuju zdravlje i sigurnost svojih radnika. Studija je provedena kao dio istraživačkog programa “Zdravlje na radu” Sedmog okvirnog programa Europske komisije (FP7). Spremnost tvrtki da financiraju zdravlje i sigurnost na radu ispitana je na uzorku od 147 predstavnika srednjih i velikih tvrtki pomoću upitnika. Rezultati upućuju da je 70-80% intervjuiranih menadžera spremno povećati iznose za razne aktivnosti koje vode ka poboljšanju sigurnosti i zdravlja u njihovim tvrtkama.A study on willingness-to-pay of company executives for occupational safety and health (OSH) has been undertaken as an attempt to specify whether and how much, company executives value the health and safety of company workers. The study was performed as part of "Health at Work" research programme under 7th Framework Programme of the European Commission (FP7). The willingness to pay data has been collected among 147 representatives of managers from 25 medium- and big-sized enterprises in Poland with use of a questionnaire. Findings obtained show that 70-80% of the managers interviewed are willing to increase expenditures on different activities aimed at improving occupational safety and health performance in their companies

Variability of the Transferrin Receptor 2 Gene in AMD

Oxidative stress is a major factor in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Iron may catalyze the Fenton reaction resulting in overproduction of reactive oxygen species. Transferrin receptor 2 plays a critical role in iron homeostasis and variability in its gene may influence oxidative stress and AMD occurrence. To verify this hypothesis we assessed the association between polymorphisms of the TFR2 gene and AMD. A total of 493 AMD patients and 171 matched controls were genotyped for the two polymorphisms of the TFR2 gene: c.1892C>T (rs2075674) and c.−258+123T>C (rs4434553). We also assessed the modulation of some AMD risk factors by these polymorphisms. The CC and TT genotypes of the c.1892C>T were associated with AMD occurrence but the latter only in obese patients. The other polymorphism was not associated with AMD occurrence, but the CC genotype was correlated with an increasing AMD frequency in subjects with BMI<26. The TT genotype and the T allele of this polymorphism decreased AMD occurrence in subjects above 72 years, whereas the TC genotype and the C allele increased occurrence of AMD in this group. The c.1892C>T and c.−258+123T>C polymorphisms of the TRF2 gene may be associated with AMD occurrence, either directly or by modulation of risk factors

Variability of the Transferrin Receptor 2 Gene in AMD

Oxidative stress is a major factor in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Iron may catalyze the Fenton reaction resulting in overproduction of reactive oxygen species. Transferrin receptor 2 plays a critical role in iron homeostasis and variability in its gene may influence oxidative stress and AMD occurrence. To verify this hypothesis we assessed the association between polymorphisms of the TFR2 gene and AMD. A total of 493 AMD patients and 171 matched controls were genotyped for the two polymorphisms of the TFR2 gene: c.1892C&gt;T (rs2075674) and c.−258+123T&gt;C (rs4434553). We also assessed the modulation of some AMD risk factors by these polymorphisms. The CC and TT genotypes of the c.1892C&gt;T were associated with AMD occurrence but the latter only in obese patients. The other polymorphism was not associated with AMD occurrence, but the CC genotype was correlated with an increasing AMD frequency in subjects with BMI &lt; 26. The TT genotype and the T allele of this polymorphism decreased AMD occurrence in subjects above 72 years, whereas the TC genotype and the C allele increased occurrence of AMD in this group. The c.1892C&gt;T and c.−258+123T&gt;C polymorphisms of the TRF2 gene may be associated with AMD occurrence, either directly or by modulation of risk factors

Transferrin receptor levels and polymorphism of its gene in age-related macular degeneration

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of age related macular degeneration (AMD) risk with some aspects of iron homeostasis: iron concentration in serum, level of soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), and transferrin receptor (TFRC) genetic variability. Four hundred and ninety one AMD patients and 171 controls were enrolled in the study. Restriction fragment length polymorphism PCR was employed to genotype polymorphisms of the TFRC gene, and colorimetric assays were used to determine the level of iron and sTfR. Multiple logistic regression was applied for all genotype/allele-related analyses and the ANOVA test for iron and sTfR serum level comparison. We found that the genotypes and alleles of the c.-253G > A polymorphism of the TFRC gene were associated with AMD risk and this association was modulated by smoking status, AMD family history, living environment (rural/urban), body mass index and age. The levels of sTfR was higher in AMD patients than controls, whereas concentrations of iron did not differ in these two groups. No association was found between AMD occurrence and the p.Gly142Ser polymorphism of the TRFC gene. The results obtained suggest that transferrin receptor and variability of its gene may influence AMD risk

Effects of L-alanyl-L-glutamine dipeptide administration during 35 days of postnatal life on intestinal mucosa, bone properties, and performance of piglets in their early post-weaning period

The experiment was performed on piglets, divided into control and experimental groups The experimental group received orally, from the birth to the 35(th) d of life, 0.4 g/kg b.w./d of L-alanyl-L-glutamine dipeptide (Ala-Gln). One week after weaning the piglets were killed and the small intestine and bones were sampled for histological analyses. Measurements of bone physical and geometric properties were performed according to Ferreti method. The mineral density was analysed by the DEXA method. Ala-Gln treated piglets had a higher body weight at the 35 d of age compared to that of the control piglets. Mucosa thickness, villus length, and crypt depth in the jejunum of the piglets showed higher values compared to controls. In Ala-Gln treated piglets bone physical and geometric parameters and mineral density were significantly higher, and the bone structure revealed a shift in its organisation and mineralization process. In conclusion, oral administration of Ala-Gln protects the piglets from body weight loss and intestinal hypotrophy correlated with weaning and preserved the normal development of the femora during the post-weaning period

Benthic macrofauna and foraminifera (>500 µm) diversity, abundance and biomass on the Northeast Greenland (NEG) shelf sediments during POLARSTERN cruise PS109

The samples have been collected with R/V Polarstern during PS109 between September and October 2017. Sediment was collected with MUC cores or with benthic Landers, sliced into 0-5 cm and 5-10 cm layers and subsequently sieved over a 500 µm mesh. Afterwards, the samples were fixed with 4 % seawater-buffered formaldehyde in Kautex bottles at room temperature. In the lab, samples were stained with Rose Bengal and macrofauna and foraminifera individuals were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible, and the blotted wet formalin weight of macrofauna individuals was measured with a precision balance (DeltaRange XP56 or AX205; Mettler Toledo, Ohio, USA)