Breast Cancer in Art Painting

Breast cancer is an emotive cancer. It is a disease that affects a visible sexual organ and it is the commonest single cause of death of women between 40 and 60 years of age. Nevertheless, this type of cancer was infrequently depicted in art paintings. In this article the themes from the breast cancer in famous art paintings are discussed

The basic biology of erbB-2 and its participation in colorectal cancers

ErbB-2 is one of Tour cell surface growth factor receptors involved in transmission of signals controlling normal cell growth and differentiation. A range of growth factors serve as ligands, but none is specific for the ErbB-2 receptor. Ligand binding to ErbB-1, ErbB-3 and ErbB-4 induces rapid receptor dimerization, with a marked preference for ErbB-2 as a dimer partner. When ErbB-2 is overexpressed multiple ErbB-2 heterodimers are formed and cell signalling is stronger, resulting in enhanced responsiveness to growth factors and malignant growth. This explains why ErbB-2 overexpression is an indicator of poor prognosis in colorectal cancers and may be predictive of response to treatment. ErbB-2 is a highly specific and promising target for new colon cancer treatments.Zadanie pt. „Digitalizacja i udostępnienie w Cyfrowym Repozytorium Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego kolekcji czasopism naukowych wydawanych przez Uniwersytet Łódzki” nr 885/P-DUN/2014 dofinansowane zostało ze środków MNiSW w ramach działalności upowszechniającej naukę

RT-PCR Analysis of TOPBP1 Gene Expression in Hereditary Breast Cancer

Hereditary predisposition to breast cancer determined in large part by loss of function mutations in one of two genes BRCA1 and BRCA2. Besides BRCA1 and BRCA2 other genes are also likely to be involved in hereditary predisposition to breast cancer. TopBP1 protein is involved in DNA replication, DNA damage checkpoint response and transcriptional regulation. Expression of TopBP1 gene at the mRNA level was analyzed by semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 94 samples of hereditary breast cancer. Analysis of TopBP1 mRNA level showed that expression of TopBP1 is significantly downregulated in poorly differentiated breast cancer (grade III according Bloom-Richardson system (P<0.05)

Use of GC and PDSC methods to characterize human milk fat substitutes obtained from lard and milk thistle oil mixtures

The aim of this study was the analytical evaluations of human milk fat substitutes (HMFS) synthesized via enzymatic interesterification of lard and milk thistle oil mixtures by a immobilized commercial sn-1,3-specific lipase, using calorimetric and chromatographic methods. The mixtures of lard and milk thistle oil at mass ratio 6: 4 and 8: 2 were interesterified for 2, 4 and 6 h at the temperature of 60 degrees C. The determination of fatty acid composition was carried out by gas chromatographic analysis of fatty acid methyl esters. The positional distribution of fatty acids in the sn-2 and sn-1,3 positions of triacylglycerols was based on the ability of the pancreatic lipase to selectively hydrolyze ester bonds in the sn-1,3 positions. Pressure differential scanning calorimetry (PDSC) method was used for the determination of the oxidative stability of HMFS. The oxidative induction time was obtained from the PDSC curves. Due to enzymatic interesterification of mixtures of lard and milk thistle oil, new HMFS that have a similar regiospecific structure of triacylglycerols to human milk fat can be produced. The induction time obtained from PDSC measurements can be used as a parameter for the assessment of the resistance of tested fats to their thermal-oxidative decomposition.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND MELISSOPALYNOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF COMMERCIAL BUCKWHEAT HONEYS FROM POLAND

Buckwheat honey is widely consumed by consumers due to its numerous health-promoting properties. Characteristically it is dark, tea-like in colour, sharp, tickly, and sweet in flavour, and has smelled of buckwheat flowers. In the current study, various commercial honey samples were examined to test the quality of buckwheat honey samples available in the market. The research materials were comprised of 15 samples of honeys from 4 voivodships, among these, 5 samples were collected from the Świętokrzyskie Voivodship, 4 from the Lesser Poland Voivodeship, 4 from the Lubelskie Voivodship, and reset 2 samples from the Podkarpackie Voivodship. Melissopalynological analyses of investigated honeys’ samples revealed that all samples had at least 45% of Fagopyrym pollen content, which means that researched honeys complied with the standards of the International Commission for Bee Botany (ICBB) for buckwheat honey. Honeys’ samples had an average water content of 15.3% (σ= 1.24), and electrical conductivity at 0.37 mS*cm-1. Therefore, all beekeepers correctly marked their honey type as buckwheat honey simply using the organoleptic properties of their honeys and observing their bees collecting pollen and honeydew

Ekspresja genów kodujących enzymy związane z O-GlcNAcylacją w rakach błony śluzowej trzonu macicy: korelacja z parametrami kliniczno-patologicznymi

Objectives: O-GlcNAcylation is an abundant modification of cellular proteins which consist of single N-acetylglucosamine residues attached by O-linkage to serine or threonine residues. Abnormal O-GlcNAcylation seems to be a feature of malignant cancer cells. The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between the expression of genes encoding O-GlcNAc cycling enzymes (OGT and MGEA5) and clinicopathological parameters of endometrial carcinomas. Materials and methods: The mRNA expression levels of O-GlcNAc cycling enzymes in series of 76 samples of endometrial carcinoma were studied by real time RT-PCR method. Results: The OGT and MGEA5 mRNA expression was significantly higher in tumors of higher histological grade than in well-differentiated tumors. Statistically significant association was found between OGT and MGEA5 mRNA expression and depth of myometrial invasion. Both OGT and MGEA5 expression profiles showed no significant association with the clinical stage of endometrial cancer. Conclusion: O-GlcNAcylation may be an important regulatory modification involved in endometrial cancer pathogenesis but the actual significance of this modification for endometrial cancer progression needs to be investigated further.Cel pracy: O-GlcNAcylacja jest powszechną modyfikacją białek komórkowych polegającą na przyłączeniu wiązaniem O-glikozydowym pojedynczych reszt N-acetyloglukozoaminy do reszt seryny i treoniny. Zaburzenia O-GlcNAcylacji wydają się być istotną cechą związaną z agresywnością komórek nowotworowych. Celem prezentowanej pracy było określenie zależności pomiędzy ekspresją genów kodujących enzymy związane z O-GlcNAcylacją białek a kliniczno-patologicznymi parametrami raka błony śluzowej trzonu macicy. Materiał i metody: Poziom ekspresji mRNA enzymów analizowano techniką real time RT-PCR w 76 preparatach raków błony śluzowej trzonu macicy. Wyniki: Nowotwory o wyższym stopniu złośliwości histologicznej wykazywały wyższą ekspresję mRNA dla OGT i MGEA5 w porównaniu z rakami dobrze zróżnicowanymi. Stwierdzono również istotną statystycznie zależność pomiędzy ekspresją badanych genów a głębokością naciekania mięśniówki macicy. Nie stwierdzono natomiast zależności pomiędzy ekspresją mRNA OGT i MGEA5 a stopniem klinicznego zaawansowania nowotworu. Wniosek: Wydaje się, że O-GlcNAcylacja może być ważną regulatorową modyfikacją włączoną w patogenezę raka błony śluzowej trzonu macicy ale dokładne określenie jej roli w progresji tego nowotworu wymaga dalszych badań

The role of tumor cells in the modification of T lymphocytes activity &#8212; the expression of the early CD69+, CD71+ and the late CD25+, CD26+, HLA/DR+ activation markers on T CD4+ and CD8+ cells in squamous cell laryngeal carcinoma. Part I

The role of interactions between tumor cells and autologous immunocompetent cells, the impact on the modulation of the activity of T CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes, as well as the influence on the regulation and determination of antitumor cellular immune response in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) is not completely clear. The aim of this study was to analyze early and late activation antigens expression on T cells subpopulations modified under the influence of the presence of cancer cells to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of the local cellular immune response in carcinoma of the larynx. Cytofluorymetric analysis of the early (CD69+, CD71+) and late activation markers (CD25+ high, CD26+, HLA/DR+) expression on T CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ cells subpopulations in mixed cellular cultures of freshly isolated tumor cells (MLTMC) and non-cancerous normal epithelial cells (MLNCC) with immunocompetent cells was performed in 55 cases of squamous cell laryngeal carcinoma. The whole peripheral blood concentrations of IL-10 and IFN-&#947; in 21 h and 72 h of experiments were also measured by ELISA. The relationships between the activation markers expression depending on the type of cells used in co-cultures, as well as the level of secreted cytokines, were investigated. Our work has revealed a statistically significant dependence of cytofluorymetric results on the presence of TMC or NCC in mixed cellular cultures. Increased expression of CD69+, CD71+ and CD25+ high, CD26+, HLA/DR+ antigens on T CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ cells was higher in MLTMC cultures, in comparison with MLNCC. We demonstrated negative significant relationships of IFN-&#947; and IL-10 secretion with regard to CD4+CD69+, CD8+CD69+, CD4+CD71+, CD8+CD71+ antigens expression in 21 h of experiments without mitogenic stimulation. Furthermore, this study revealed negative significant relationships of IFN-g secretion with regard to CD4+HLA/DR+ and CD8+HLA/DR+ as well as between IL-10 concentration and CD4+HLA/DR+ in trials without PHA stimulation. Our findings have confirmed a key role for tumor cells in determining the function of T cells involved in the immunological processes and impact of neoplastic cells on modulating the activity of T CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes in laryngeal carcinoma. (Folia Histochemica et Cytobiologica 2011; Vol. 49, No. 4, pp. 579&#8211;592

Prognostic value of the immunological phenomena and relationship with clinicopathological characteristics of the tumor &#8212; the expression of the early CD69+, CD71+and the late CD25+, CD26+, HLA/DR + activation markers on T CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes in squamous cell laryngeal carcinoma. Part II

One of the most important challenges in contemporary oncology is to find objective biomarkers of tumor aggressiveness, which help to identify more invasive phenotypes of the carcinoma. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between the early and the late activation markers expression on T CD4+ and CD8+ cells subpopulations and certain clinicopathological characteristics of the neoplastic infiltration in order to determine their role as biomarkers for tumor behavior in squamous cell laryngeal carcinoma. Analysis of the early (CD69+, CD71+) and the late activation antigens (CD25+ high, CD26+, HLA/DR+) expression on T CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes by cytofluorymetry in 55 patients treated for squamous cell laryngeal carcinoma was performed. Clinicomorphological analysis on the basis of TNM criteria and tumor front grading, which included tumor-related features and adjacent stroma-related characteristics of the peripheral edge of infiltration was carried out. The relationships between the activation markers expression and parameters of tumor aggressiveness were investigated. Our work revealed statistically significant differences in the expression of the studied activation markers on T cells with regard to certain clinicomorphological fetaures. The expressions of CD69+ and CD71+ antigens on T CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ cells as well as CD4+HLA/DR+ markers were higher for pT3 and pT4 tumors, in comparison with pT2 carcinomas. Moreover, tumors with the smallest number of TFG points were characterized by significantly lower values of the average expression of CD3+CD69+ and CD3+CD71+ as well as CD4+HLA/DR+ markers on T lymphocytes. In addition, more aggressive and deeply infiltrating laryngeal carcinomas were most often characterized by significantly higher values of the average expression of CD69+ and CD71+ antigens on CD8+ as well as HLA/DR+ markers on CD4+. Our study confirmed the implication of the early and the late activation antigens expression on CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes in clinicomorphological parameters of the tumor, especially TFG total score and depth of invasion, and their importance as indicators of the invasive phenotype of laryngeal carcinoma. (Folia Histochemica et Cytobiologica 2011; Vol. 49, No. 4, pp. 593&#8211;603

Molecular basis of gynecological oncology – TopBP1 protein and its participation in the transcription process

Breast and ovarian cancer are among the most common malignancies of women in the world. About 5 – 10% of the cases are considered familial. Germline mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are strong predictors of breast and/or ovarian cancer development. However, currently known susceptibility genes including BRCA1, BRCA2, ATM, Chk2, PALB2, and BRIP1 explain less than 25% of familial breast and/ovarian cancers. Other genes, such as TopBP1 are also likely to be involved in hereditary predisposition to breast and/or ovarian cancer. TopBP1 protein displays structural and functional similarities with BRCA1, and these two proteins have been suggested to function partially in the same cellular processes. TopBP1 protein is involved in DNA repair and cell cycle checkpoint control. Moreover, TopBP1 interacts with transcription factors, such as E2F1, p53, Miz-1, HPV16 E2, and regulates their activity