miR-21 and its target gene CCL20 are both highly overexpressed in the microenvironment of colorectal tumors: significance of their regulation

Recently, we reported a functional interaction between miR-21 and its identified chemokine target CCL20 in colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines. Here, we investigated whether such functional interactions are permitted at the cellular level which would require an inverse correlation of expression and also co-expression of miR-21 and CCL20 in the same cell. Expression profiling was performed using qPCR, and ELISA, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry were applied for the presentation of their cellular localization. We demonstrated that miR-21 as well as CCL20 were both significantly upregulated in CRC tissues; thus, showing no antidromic expression pattern. This provided an initial clue that miR-21 and CCL20 may not be expressed in the same cell. In addition, we located miR-21 expression at the cellular level predominantly in stromal cells such as tumor-associated fibroblasts and to a minor degree in immune cells such as macrophages and lymphocytes. Likewise, CCL20 expression was primarily detected in tumor-infiltrating immune cells. Thus, investigating the cellular localization of miR-21 and its target CCL20 revealed that both molecules are expressed predominantly in the microenvironment of CRC tumors

Weder ein „modern gender gap“ noch „same gender voting“ in Deutschland? Zum Einfluss des Geschlechts auf das individuelle Wahlverhalten bei den Bundestagswahlen zwischen 1998 und 2013

Der Beitrag geht der Frage nach, ob ein Einfluss des Geschlechts auf die Wahlabsicht bei Wahlen zum Deutschen Bundestag zwischen 1998 und 2013 vorliegt. Auf der Grundlage der Literatur zum „modern gender gap“ einerseits sowie zum „same gender voting“ anderseits werden Hypothesen dahingehend abgeleitet, dass Frauen einen geringeren Anreiz haben sollten, christdemokratische Parteien zu wählen, und dass – als gegenläufige Erwartung – mit der Kanzlerkandidatur Angela Merkels seit 2005 Frauen verstärkt CDU oder CSU wählen sollten. Es zeigt sich weder ein durchgängiger Effekt für ein interessegeleitetes Wählen von Frauen, das sich in einer signifikant niedrigeren Wahrscheinlichkeit der Wahl der Unionsparteien hätte äußern sollen, noch Evidenz dafür, dass Frauen ab 2005 aufgrund der Kanzlerkandidatur Angela Merkels verstärkt CDU und CSU unterstützt haben. Lediglich 2013 zeigt sich in Westdeutschland eine Tendenz für den letztgenannten Zusammenhang. Demnach spielt das Geschlecht eines Wählers für die Wahlabsicht bei Bundestagswahlen kaum eine ausschlaggebende Rolle

Association analysis identifies 65 new breast cancer risk loci

NATURE551767892-

Identification of ten variants associated with risk of estrogen-receptor-negative breast cancer

Most common breast cancer susceptibility variants have been identified through genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of predominantly estrogen receptor (ER)-positive disease(1). We conducted a GWAS using 21,468 ER-negative cases and 100,594 controls combined with 18,908 BRCA1 mutation carriers (9,414 with breast cancer), all of European origin. We identified independent associations at P < 5 x 10(-8) with ten variants at nine new loci. At P < 0.05, we replicated associations with 10 of 11 variants previously reported in ER-negative disease or BRCA1 mutation carrier GWAS and observed consistent associations with ER-negative disease for 105 susceptibility variants identified by other studies. These 125 variants explain approximately 16% of the familial risk of this breast cancer subtype. There was high genetic correlation (0.72) between risk of ER-negative breast cancer and breast cancer risk for BRCA1 mutation carriers. These findings may lead to improved risk prediction and inform further fine-mapping and functional work to better understand the biological basis of ER-negative breast cancer

Chernobyl Accident : Assessing the Data

Most common breast cancer susceptibility variants have been identified through genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of predominantly estrogen receptor (ER)-positive disease. We conducted a GWAS using 21,468 ER-negative cases and 100,594 controls combined with 18,908 BRCA1 mutation carriers (9,414 with breast cancer), all of European origin. We identified independent associations at P < 5 × 10(-8) with ten variants at nine new loci. At P < 0.05, we replicated associations with 10 of 11 variants previously reported in ER-negative disease or BRCA1 mutation carrier GWAS and observed consistent associations with ER-negative disease for 105 susceptibility variants identified by other studies. These 125 variants explain approximately 16% of the familial risk of this breast cancer subtype. There was high genetic correlation (0.72) between risk of ER-negative breast cancer and breast cancer risk for BRCA1 mutation carriers. These findings may lead to improved risk prediction and inform further fine-mapping and functional work to better understand the biological basis of ER-negative breast cancer