Realidades de la práctica de la automedicación en estudiantes de la Universidad del Magdalena

Self-medication is part f self-care and is considered as a primary public health resource in the health care system. Objective: To determine the prevalence and consumption patterns that influence the automation of the students of the Universidad del Magdalena. Methods: The study corresponds to a descriptive cross-sectional and quantitative approach investigation; the sample was determined by conglomerates, made up of 312 active students enrolled in undergraduate studies at the Universidad del Magdalena the city of the Santa Marta. Results: The practice of self-medication was reflected in 97%; the reasons for which the students self-medicate are related to the appearance of symptoms stories, such as pain and flu-like symptoms, which are treated from the consumption at analgesic, anti-inflammatory drugs with prevalence of 84,26%.The main reason for self-medication is related to the mildness of the symptoms; the council of relatives in 46,87% reflects their source of information; there is influence by advertising especially television and internet; finally 71% are aware of the consequences of self -medication. Conclusions: The practice of self-medication in the University population is high; influencing factors are related to the appearance of symptoms the advice of relatives, the influence of advertising the mildness of symptoms and lack of the time to visit the doctor.La automedicación forma parte del autocuidado y es considerada como un recurso de salud pública primaria en el sistema de atención de la salud. Objetivo: Determinar la prevalencia y patrones de consumo que influyen en la automedicación de los estudiantes de la Universidad del Magdalena Métodos: El estudio corresponde a una investigación de carácter descriptivo, de corte transversal, y enfoque cuantitativo; la muestra se determinó por conglomerados, conformada por 312 estudiantes activos matriculados en pregrado de la Universidad del Magdalena de la ciudad de Santa Marta. Resultados: La práctica de la automedicación se vio reflejado en un 97%; los motivos por los cuales se automedican los estudiantes tienen relación con la aparición de síntomas tales como el dolor y síntomas gripales, los cuales son tratados a partir del consumo de medicamentos tipo analgésicos, antiinflamatorios, con una prevalencia del 84,26%. El principal motivo para automedicarse se relaciona con la levedad de los sintomas; el consejo de familiares en un 46,87% refleja su fuente de información; existe influencia por la publicidad especialmente televisión e internet; finalmente el 71% tiene conocimiento de las consecuencias que acarrea el automedicarse.Conclusiones: La práctica de la automedicación en la población universitaria es alta; los factores influyentes se relacionan con aparición de sintomas, el consejo de familiares, la influencia de la publicidad, la levedad de los sintomas y la falta de tiempo para visitar al médico

Identification and Pathway Analysis of microRNAs with No Previous Involvement in Breast Cancer

microRNA expression signatures can differentiate normal and breast cancer tissues and can define specific clinico-pathological phenotypes in breast tumors. In order to further evaluate the microRNA expression profile in breast cancer, we analyzed the expression of 667 microRNAs in 29 tumors and 21 adjacent normal tissues using TaqMan Low-density arrays. 130 miRNAs showed significant differential expression (adjusted P value = 0.05, Fold Change = 2) in breast tumors compared to the normal adjacent tissue. Importantly, the role of 43 of these microRNAs has not been previously reported in breast cancer, including several evolutionary conserved microRNA*, showing similar expression rates to that of their corresponding leading strand. The expression of 14 microRNAs was replicated in an independent set of 55 tumors. Bioinformatic analysis of mRNA targets of the altered miRNAs, identified oncogenes like ERBB2, YY1, several MAP kinases, and known tumor-suppressors like FOXA1 and SMAD4. Pathway analysis identified that some biological process which are important in breast carcinogenesis are affected by the altered microRNA expression, including signaling through MAP kinases and TP53 pathways, as well as biological processes like cell death and communication, focal adhesion and ERBB2-ERBB3 signaling. Our data identified the altered expression of several microRNAs whose aberrant expression might have an important impact on cancer-related cellular pathways and whose role in breast cancer has not been previously described

miR-9-Mediated Inhibition of EFEMP1 Contributes to the Acquisition of Pro-Tumoral Properties in Normal Fibroblasts

Tumor growth and invasion occurs through a dynamic interaction between cancer and stromal cells, which support an aggressive niche. MicroRNAs are thought to act as tumor messengers to “corrupt” stromal cells. We previously demonstrated that miR-9, a known metastamiR, is released by triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells to enhance the transition of normal fibroblasts (NFs) into cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF)-like cells. EGF containing fibulin extracellular matrix protein 1 (EFEMP1), which encodes for the ECM glycoprotein fibulin-3, emerged as a miR-9 putative target upon miRNA’s exogenous upmodulation in NFs. Here we explored the impact of EFEMP1 downmodulation on fibroblast’s acquisition of CAF-like features, and how this phenotype influences neoplastic cells to gain chemoresistance. Indeed, upon miR-9 overexpression in NFs, EFEMP1 resulted downmodulated, both at RNA and protein levels. The luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-9 directly targets EFEMP1 and its silencing recapitulates miR-9-induced pro-tumoral phenotype in fibroblasts. In particular, EFEMP1 siRNA-transfected (si-EFEMP1) fibroblasts have an increased ability to migrate and invade. Moreover, TNBC cells conditioned with the supernatant of NFs transfected with miR-9 or si-EFEMP1 became more resistant to cisplatin. Overall, our results demonstrate that miR-9/EFEMP1 axis is crucial for the conversion of NFs to CAF-like cells under TNBC signaling

Insights in the regulatory role of non-coding RNAs in cancer metabolism

Cancer represents a complex disease originated from alterations in several genes leading to the disturbances of important signaling pathways in tumor biology favoring heterogeneity that promotes adaptability and pharmacological resistance of tumor cells. Metabolic reprogramming has emerged as an important hallmark of cancer characterized by the presence of aerobic glycolysis, increased glutaminolysis and fatty acid biosynthesis, as well as an altered mitochondrial energy production. The metabolic switches that support energetic requirements of cancer cells are closely related to either activation of oncogenes or down-modulation of tumor-suppressor genes, finally leading to dysregulation of cell proliferation, metastasis and drug resistance signals. Non coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have emerged as one important kind of regulatory molecules of the altered genes contributing to the establishment of metabolic reprogramming. Moreover, diverse metabolic signals can regulate ncRNAs expression and activity at genetic, transcriptional or epigenetic level. The regulatory landscape of ncRNAs may provide a new approach for understanding and treatment of different kind of malignancies. In this review we discuss the regulatory role exerted by ncRNAs on metabolic enzymes and pathways involved in glucose, lipid and amino acid metabolism. We also review how the metabolic stress conditions and tumoral microenvironment influence ncRNA expression and activity. Furthermore, we comment the therapeutic potential of metabolism-related ncRNAs in cancer

Decoding Immune Heterogeneity of Triple Negative Breast Cancer and Its Association with Systemic Inflammation

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype with limited therapeutic options. New opportunities are emerging from current comprehensive characterization of tumor immune infiltration and fitness. Therefore, effectiveness of current chemotherapies and novel immunotherapies are partially dictated by host inflammatory and immune profiles. However, further progress in breast cancer immuno-oncology is required to reach a detailed awareness of the immune infiltrate landscape and to determine additional reliable and easily detectable biomarkers. In this study, by analyzing gene expression profiles of 54 TNBC cases we identified three TNBC clusters displaying unique immune features. Deep molecular characterization of immune cells cytolytic-activity and tumor-inflammation status reveled variability in the local composition of the immune infiltrate in the TNBC clusters, reconciled by tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes counts. Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), a blood systemic parameter of inflammation evaluated using pre-surgical blood test data, resulted negatively correlated with local tumoral cytolytic activity and T cell–inflamed microenvironment, whereas tumor aggressiveness score signature positively correlated with PLR values. These data highlighted that systemic inflammation parameters may represent reliable and informative markers of the local immune tumor microenvironment in TNBC patients and could be exploited to decipher tumor infiltrate properties and consequently to select the most appropriate therapies

Expression and prognostic significance of the autoimmune regulator gene in breast cancer cells

<p>The autoimmune regulator gene (AIRE) plays a fundamental role in tolerance by promoting the expression of tissue-specific antigens in medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs). Recently, AIRE expression was detected also in human keratinocytes and in tumors originating in stratified epithelia. Here, we tested whether AIRE is expressed in cancer cells. We analyzed AIRE expression in cancer cases from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) RNA-seq dataset and we found association with better outcome. AIRE protein expression was verified by immunohistochemistry in a cohort of 39 human breast cancer specimens and its prognostic relevance was confirmed in microarray-based gene expression data set NKI-295 and KM-Plotter. Both in the RNA-seq and gene expression datasets analyzed, AIRE expression was an independent strong prognostic factor for relapse-free survival (RFS), particularly in estrogen receptor-positive tumors. Enrichment of translation-related pathways was observed in AIRE-expressing tumors by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis and a significant increase of cells in G1 phase and activation of caspase cascades was induced by AIRE transfection in breast cancer luminal cell lines, suggesting that AIRE-induced over-translation of proteins lead to cycle arrest and apoptosis. These data are the first to identify AIRE expression in breast cancer and an association with prognosis.</p