Classic and New Markers in Diagnostics and Classification of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer remains the most frequently diagnosed form of female’s cancer, and in recent years it has become the most common cause of cancer death in women worldwide. Like many other tumours, breast cancer is a histologically and biologically heterogeneous disease. In recent years, considerable progress has been made in diagnosis, subtyping, and complex treatment of breast cancer with the aim of providing best suited tumour-specific personalized therapy. Traditional methods for breast cancer diagnosis include mammography, MRI, biopsy and histological analysis of tumour tissue in order to determine classical markers such as estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER, PR), cytokeratins (CK5/6, CK14, C19), proliferation index (Ki67) and human epidermal growth factor type 2 receptor (HER2). In recent years, these methods have been supplemented by modern molecular methodologies such as next-generation sequencing, microRNA, in situ hybridization, and RT-qPCR to identify novel molecular biomarkers. MicroRNAs (miR-10b, miR-125b, miR145, miR-21, miR-155, mir-30, let-7, miR-25-3p), altered DNA methylation and mutations of specific genes (p16, BRCA1, RASSF1A, APC, GSTP1), circular RNA (hsa_circ_0072309, hsa_circRNA_0001785), circulating DNA and tumour cells, altered levels of specific proteins (apolipoprotein C-I), lipids, gene polymorphisms or nanoparticle enhanced imaging, all these are promising diagnostic and prognostic tools to disclose any specific features from the multifaceted nature of breast cancer to prepare best suited individualized therapy

Different Lengths of Diet Supplementation with 10% Flaxseed Alter the Hormonal Profile and the Follicular Fluid Fatty Acid Content of Fattening Gilts

The effect of 10% dietary flaxseed fed for 3 and 6 weeks on serum hormone levels of fattening gilts, the fatty acid (FA) follicular fluid (FF) composition of small and large antral follicles, and the steroidogenesis and IGF-I secretion by isolated small antral follicles and their response to regulatory hormones (LH, FSH, IGF-I) was studied using immunoassay and gas chromatography analyses. Both supplemental periods increased levels of P4 and IGF-I in blood serum. A shorter period inhibited steroidogenesis (P4, T, E2) and IGF-I secretion by small antral follicles, which was associated with decreased levels of monounsaturated FAs (MUFA) and preferred n-6 polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) metabolism. A longer period stimulated hormone secretion at elevated levels of saturated FAs (SFA) at the expense of MUFAs and PUFAs preferring the n-3 PUFA metabolism. Out of ovarian regulators, only LH and IGF-I were able to alter the secretion of steroids and IGF-I by small follicles of fattening pigs fed a basal diet. The effect of flaxseed on the secretion of follicular hormones after both supplemental periods was altered by all regulatory hormones in a dose-dependent manner. The level of SFAs and PUFAs in FF of large follicles increased with the length of flaxseed feeding, suggesting the suppression of ovulation

The Effects of Two Lactobacillus plantarum

The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of the different probiotic strains, Lactobacillus plantarum LS/07 and Lactobacillus plantarum Biocenol LP96, on lipid metabolism and body weight in rats fed a high fat diet. Compared with the high fat diet group, the results showed that Lactobacillus plantarum LS/07 reduced serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, but Lactobacillus plantarum Biocenol LP96 decreased triglycerides and VLDL, while there was no change in the serum HDL level and liver lipids. Both probiotic strains lowered total bile acids in serum. Our strains have no significant change in body weight, gain weight, and body fat. These findings indicate that the effect of lactobacilli on lipid metabolism may differ among strains and that the Lactobacillus plantarum LS/07 and Lactobacillus plantarum Biocenol LP96 can be used to improve lipid profile and can contribute to a healthier bowel microbial balance

Metabolites of Tryptophane and Phenylalanine as Markers of Small Bowel Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Ischemic-reperfusion injury of the small intestine is an acute clinical condition with high mortality rate. This study describes the changes in levels of phenylalanine and tryptophan metabolites in intestinal homogenates and urine samples of Wistar male rats after 60 minutes of mesenteric ischemia and different reperfusion periods (1, 24, 30 hours) in comparison with a control group without the ischemia. The ischemic-reperfusion injury was quantified by the histopathological injury index. The levels of serotonin, epinephrine, and norepinephrine were determined in the intestinal homogenate and epinephrine, vanillylmandelic acid, and the 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid was analyzed in urine using the HPLC method. The statistically significant increased level of serotonin, epinephrine and norepinephrine were detected in the intestinal samples after 24 hours of reperfusion (p<0.01); even the most elevated serotonin level was observed after one hour of reperfusion (p<0.001). A statistically significant decreased level of vanillylmandelic acid was observed after one hour of reperfusion, but it significantly increased after 24 hours (p<0.05) in urine. The elevated level of the 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid after one hour and 24 hours after reperfusion (p<0.05) were determined in the urine. The most significant elevated epinephrine level was observed after 24 hours of reperfusion (p<0.001) in urine. Results showed a potential role of serotonin as an early biomarker (after one hour of reperfusion) of small intestinal damaged homogenate, while the best predictor of intestinal injury in urine was epinephrine, which was elevated after 24 hours