Plasma Levels and Diagnostic Utility of Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor, Matrix Metalloproteinase-9, and Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases-1 as New Biomarkers of Breast Cancer

Utility of Matrix Metalloproteinases in the Diagnosis, Monitoring and Prognosis of Ovarian Cancer Patients

Ovarian cancer is one of the most common gynecologic malignancies. It is characterized by a high mortality rate, which is mainly due to the asymptomatic course of the disease. In light of the high mortality rate and increasing morbidity, new diagnostic methods are being explored to enable earlier detection, better monitoring, and improved prognosis. Such diagnostic methods include the assessment of tumor markers in various biological samples. Among the markers currently being investigated, extracellular matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are of particular interest. The objective of this article was to compile the existing knowledge of MMPs in ovarian cancer patients and to describe their potential diagnostic utility. Additionally, this article provides an overview of the symptoms, complications, and risk factors associated with ovarian cancer and the role of MMPs in physiology and pathology. Preliminary results indicate that tissue expression and blood and body fluid levels of MMPs may be different in ovarian cancer patients than in healthy women. The expression and concentration of individual MMPs have been shown to be correlated with cancer stage and disease severity. In addition, the preliminary value of some of these enzymes in predicting prognosis is discussed. However, as the amount of data is limited, more studies are needed to fully evaluate the potential function of individual MMPs in ovarian cancer patients. Based on the knowledge gathered for this article, it seems that MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-7, MMP-8, MMP-9, MMP-13, are tentatively the most useful. A thorough evaluation of their utility as modern biomarkers in ovarian cancer requires further investigation.

Systemic Immune Dysregulation in Early Breast Cancer Is Associated With Decreased Plasma Levels of Both Soluble Co-Inhibitory and Co-Stimulatory Immune Checkpoint Molecules

Breast cancer cells exploit the up-regulation or down-regulation of immune checkpoint proteins to evade anti-tumor immune responses. To explore the possible involvement of this mechanism in promoting systemic immunosuppression, the pre-treatment levels of soluble co-inhibitory and co-stimulatory immune checkpoint molecules, as well as those of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors were measured in 98 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients and compared with those of 45 healthy controls using multiplex bead array and ELISA technologies. Plasma concentrations of the co-stimulatory immune checkpoints, GITR, GITRL, CD27, CD28, CD40, CD80, CD86 and ICOS, as well as the co-inhibitory molecules, PD-L1, CTLA-4 and TIM-3, were all significantly lower in early breast cancer patients compared to healthy controls, as were those of HVEM and sTLR-2, whereas the plasma concentrations of CX3CL1 (fractalkine), CCL5 (RANTES) and those of the growth factors, M-CSF, FGF-21 and GDF-15 were significantly increased. However, when analyzed according to the patients’ breast cancer characteristics, these being triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) vs. non-TNBC, tumor size, stage, nodal status and age, no significant differences were detected between the plasma levels of the various immune checkpoint molecules, cytokines, chemokines and growth factors. Additionally, none of these biomarkers correlated with pathological complete response. This study has identified low plasma levels of soluble co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory immune checkpoint molecules in newly diagnosed, non-metastatic breast cancer patients compared to healthy controls, which is a novel finding seemingly consistent with a state of systemic immune dysregulation. Plausible mechanisms include an association with elevated levels of M-CSF and CCL5, implicating the involvement of immune suppressor cells of the M2-macrophage/monocyte phenotype as possible drivers of this state of systemic immune quiescence/dysregulation.

A Pan-cancer Analysis Reveals the Abnormal Expression and Drug Sensitivity of CSF1

BACKGROUND

Colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF1) is a cytokine that is closely related to normal organ growth and development as well as tumor progression.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to summarize and clarify the reasons for the abnormal expression of CSF1 in tumors and explore the role of CSF1 in tumor progression. Furthermore, drug response analysis may provide a reference for clinical medication.

METHODS

The expression of CSF1 was analyzed by TCGA and CCLE. Besides, cBioPortal and MethSurv databases were used to conduct mutation and DNA methylation analyses. Further, correlations between CSF1 expression and tumor stage, survival, immune infiltration, drug sensitivity and enrichment analyses were validated via UALCAN, Kaplan-Meier plotter, TIMER, CTRP and Coexperia databases.

RESULTS

CSF1 is expressed in a variety of tissues, meaningfully, it can be detected in blood. Compared with normal tissues, CSF1 expression was significantly decreased in most tumors. The missense mutation and DNA methylation of CSF1 may cause the downregulated expression. Moreover, decreased CSF1 expression was related with higher tumor stage and worse survival. Further, the promoter DNA methylation level of CSF1 was prognostically significant in most tumors. Besides, CSF1 was closely related to immune infiltration, especially macrophages. Importantly, CSF1 expression was associated with a good response to VEGFRs inhibitors, which may be due to the possible involvement of CSF1 in tumor angiogenesis and metastasis processes.

CONCLUSION

The abnormal expression of CSF1 could serve as a promising biomarker of tumor progression and prognosis in pan-cancer. Significantly, angiogenesis and metastasis inhibitors may show a good response to CSF1-related tumors.

The assessment of circulating cell-free DNA as a diagnostic tool for breast cancer: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of quantitative and qualitative ssays

OBJECTIVES

This updated meta-analysis aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in breast cancer (BC).

CONTENT

An extensive systematic search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Science Direct databases to retrieve all related literature. Various diagnostic estimates, including sensitivity (SE), specificity (SP), likelihood ratios (LRs), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under the curve (AUC) of summary receiver operating characteristic (sROC) curve, were also calculated using bivariate linear mixed models.

SUMMARY

In this meta-analysis, 57 unique articles (130 assays) on 4246 BC patients and 2,952 controls, were enrolled. For quantitative approaches, pooled SE, SP, PLR, NLR, DOR, and AUC were obtained as 0.80, 0.88, 6.7, 0.23, 29, and 0.91, respectively. Moreover, for qualitative approaches, pooled SE and SP for diagnostic performance were obtained as 0.36 and 0.98, respectively. In addition, PLR was 14.9 and NLR was 0.66. As well, the combined DOR was 23, and the AUC was 0.79.

OUTLOOK

Regardless of promising SE and SP, analysis of LRs suggested that quantitative assays are not robust enough neither for BC confirmation nor for its exclusion. On the other hand, qualitative assays showed satisfying performance only for confirming the diagnosis of BC, but not for its exclusion. Furthermore, qualitative cfDNA assays showed a better diagnostic performance in patients at the advanced stage of cancer, which represented no remarkable clinical significance as a biomarker for early detection.

Plasma Concentrations of Matrilysins MMP-7 and MMP-26 as Diagnostic Biomarkers in Breast Cancer

Metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a group of proteolytic enzymes involved in the maintenance of a proper structure of extracellular matrix (ECM). Matrilysins (MMP-7 and MMP-26) are members of the MMPs group that show promise as potential breast cancer (BC) markers. The aim of the study was to evaluate plasma levels of MMP-7, MMP-26 and CA 15-3 individually and in combination and assess the diagnostic utility of studied matrilysins in patients with BC. The study group consisted of 120 patients with BC, and the control group consisted of 40 subjects with benign breast cancer and 40 healthy women. Concentrations of MMP-7 and MMP-26 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and CA 15-3 by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. Plasma levels of MMP-7 were significantly higher in the BC group than in the control group. Concentrations of MMP-26 and CA 15-3 were highest in stages II and IV of the disease. The highest diagnostic sensitivity was observed in stages III and IV BC for the combination of all tested markers (92.5%). The highest diagnostic specificity was noted for all tested parameters combined in the BC group (95.0%). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) for the combination of markers (MMP-7+MMP-26+CA 15-3) was the largest (0.9138) in stages III and IV. Individual marker analysis showed that MMP-7 had the highest AUC (0.8894) in advanced stages of the disease. Study results indicate that MMP-7 could be used as an additional marker that would improve the diagnostic utility of CA 15-3 in early stages of BC. Therefore, the combined assessment of MMP-7 and MMP-26 with CA 15-3 might be useful in determining disease progression. Further studies are needed to evaluate whether matrilysins show promise as potential markers for improving the diagnosis of BC.

Tumor-Associated Macrophages in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Origin, Polarization, Function, and Reprogramming

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal malignancy. PDAC is only cured by surgical resection in its early stage, but there remains a relatively high possibility of recurrence. The development of PDAC is closely associated with the tumor microenvironment. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are one of the most abundant immune cell populations in the pancreatic tumor stroma. TAMs are inclined to M2 deviation in the tumor microenvironment, which promotes and supports tumor behaviors, including tumorigenesis, immune escape, metastasis, and chemotherapeutic resistance. Herein, we comprehensively reviewed the latest researches on the origin, polarization, functions, and reprogramming of TAMs in PDAC.

Hydroxytyrosol Supplementation Modifies Plasma Levels of Tissue Inhibitor of Metallopeptidase 1 in Women with Breast Cancer

The etiology of breast cancer can be very different. Most antineoplastic drugs are not selective against tumor cells and also affect normal cells, leading to a wide variety of adverse reactions such as the production of free radicals by altering the redox state of the organisms. Therefore, the objective of this study was to elucidate if hydroxytyrosol (HT) (an antioxidant present in extra virgin olive oil) has a chemomodulatory effect when combined with the chemotherapeutic drugs epirubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by taxanes in breast cancer patients. Changes in plasma levels of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1) throughout the chemotherapy treatment were studied. Both molecules are involved in cell proliferation, apoptosis, neoangiogenesis, and metastasis in breast cancer patients. Women with breast cancer were divided into two groups: a group of patients receiving a dietary supplement of HT and a control group of patients receiving placebo. The results showed that the plasma levels of TIMP-1 in the group of patients receiving HT were significantly lower than those levels found in the control group after the epirubicin-cyclophosphamide chemotherapy.

Is there any potential anticancer effect of raloxifene and fluoxetine on DMBA-induced rat breast cancer?

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the world and the incidence is increasing alarmingly. It was aimed to determine the effect of raloxifene (RAL) and fluoxetine (FLX) on selected parameters in 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary carcinoma. Thirty-two female Wistar albino rats were assorted into four groups: DMBA (group I), DMBA+RAL (group II), DMBA+FLX (group III), and DMBA+RAL+FLX (group IV). Mammary tissue vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) levels were determined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. The tissue VEGF levels were lower in group IV compared with DMBA group. Decreased M-CSF levels were observed in all therapeutic groups rather than the DMBA group, but the most effective decrease was found in group IV. Compared with the DMBA group, MMP-9 levels were statistically significantly decreased in group II and group IV. However, TIMP-1 levels were higher in the whole therapeutic groups rather than the DMBA group and the most effective increase was observed in group IV. Results of the present study suggest that combined therapy of RAL with FLX might lead to a better outcome targeting breast tumor.

Diagnostic power of VEGF, MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in patients with breast cancer. A multivariate statistical analysis with ROC curve

PURPOSE

Vascular endothelial growth factor is an important factor in promoting angiogenesis in malignant processes, matrix metalloproteinase-9 in the degradation of extracellular matrix, which enhances metastasis, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 is its inhibitor. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic power of these parameters in comparison to CA15-3 in breast cancer patients and in relation to the control group.

MATERIALS/METHODS

The study included 120 breast cancer patients, 60 patients with benign breast tumors and 60 healthy women. Plasma levels of tested parameters were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, CA15-3 by chemiluminescent microparticle immuno assay.

RESULTS

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 showed the highest value of sensitivity in breast cancer group (86.25%) and, more importantly, highest value in breast cancer stage I (85%). Vascular endothelial growth factor also showed high sensitivity (stage I and II-75%, III-85%, IV-70% and 76.25% in total breast cancer group) and the highest specificity (85%) from all tested parameters. It was also the only parameter which had statistically significant area under curve in all stages. In the total breast cancer group all tested parameters showed statistically significant area under curve, but the maximum range was obtained for combination: 'vascular endothelial growth factor + CA15-3'. Vascular endothelial growth factor seems to be the best candidate for diagnosing breast cancer stage I and for differentiating between breast cancer and non-carcinoma cases.

CONCLUSIONS

The combined analysis of tested parameters and CA15-3 resulted in an increase in sensitivity and area under curve values, which provides hope for developing new panel of biomarkers that may be used in diagnosing breast cancer in the future.

Diagnostic Value of Concentration of Circulating Cell-Free DNA in Breast Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

The diagnostic value of the concentration of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) for breast cancer has generated inconsistent results. The aim of this study was to evaluate the first diagnostic value of the concentration of cfDNA for breast cancer by meta-analysis. Studies were retrieved by searching PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science before June 2018. Sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve, and the area under curve (AUC) were used to summarize overall diagnostic performance. The random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled statistics. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression analysis were carried out to detect the source of heterogeneity. A total of 13 studies were identified with 1,087 breast cancer patients and 720 healthy controls. Overall, the pooled sensitivity and specificity of concentration of cfDNA for breast cancer were 87% (95% CI, 73–94%) and 87% (95% CI, 79–93%), respectively. The pooled DOR was 32.93 (95% CI, 13.52–80.19) and the SROC curve revealed an AUC of 0.93 (95% CI, 0.91–0.95). Meta-regression analysis showed that no covariate had a significant correlation with relative DOR (RDOR). Publication bias was not detected in this meta-analysis. This meta-analysis indicates that the concentration of cfDNA has potential first diagnostic value for breast cancer and plasma may be a better source of cfDNA for detection of breast cancer.

Diagnostic Power of Cytokine M-CSF, Metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and Tissue Inhibitor-2 (TIMP-2) in Cervical Cancer Patients Based on ROC Analysis

Macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and its specific tissue inhibitor (TIMP-2) may play an important role in the pathogenesis of cancer disease. We investigated the plasma levels and diagnostic power (ROC curve analysis) of M-CSF, MMP-2, TIMP-2 and tumor markers CA 125 and SCC-Ag in cervical cancer (CC) patients as compared to control group. The study included 89 patients with cervical cancer. The control group consisted of 50 healthy, untreated women. The plasma levels of M-CSF, MMP-2 and TIMP-2 were determined using ELISA, CA 125 and SCC-Ag – by CMIA method. The median levels of M-CSF, TIMP-2, SCC-Ag and CA 125 in the entire group of CC were significantly different than compared to the healthy women group. MMP-2 showed the highest value of sensitivity from all examined parameters (in stage I of CC – 93.10%, II – 82.76%, III and IV – 96.88%, total group – 92.05%). The highest specificity was obtained by M-CSF (86%). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of M-CSF (0.8051) was the largest of all the tested parameters (even higher than commonly used tumor markers) in the group of cervical cancer. The combination of M-CSF, MMP-2 or TIMP-2 with SCC antigen resulted in an increase AUCs in all cases (0.8760;0.7880;0.8081;respectively). The findings of this study suggest the usefulness of all examined parameters in the diagnostics of CC patients. Out of the tested substances, M-CSF also appears to be the best candidate for cancer diagnostics in all stages of the disease, based on ROC analysis.

Plasma levels and diagnostic utility of macrophage-colony stimulating factor, matrix metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 as tumor markers in cervical cancer patients

Macrophage-colony stimulating factor, matrix metalloproteinase-9, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 may play an important role in malignant processes. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic power of those parameters (serological biomarkers) in comparison to cancer antigen 125 and squamous cell carcinoma antigen in cervical cancer patients and in relation to the control groups. The study included 100 cervical cancer patients, 50 patients with cervical ectropion and 50 healthy women. Plasma levels of tested parameters were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, cancer antigen 125, and squamous cell carcinoma antigen by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. Plasma levels of all parameters in the total cancer group showed statistical significance (in all cases p < 0.05). In stage I of cancer only medial supraclavicular fossa and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1, in stage II all the tested parameters and cancer antigen 125, and in stage III + IV macrophage-colony stimulating factor, matrix metalloproteinase-9, and cancer antigen 125 showed statistical significance when compared to the healthy volunteers group. Macrophage-colony stimulating factor showed the highest value of sensitivity from all tested parameters (I: 56.25%, II: 72.73%, III + IV: 77.14% and 69% in total cervical cancer group). The highest specificity was obtained by matrix metalloproteinase-9 (94%). Positive predictive values were highest also for matrix metalloproteinase-9 (I: 82.35%, II: 84.21%, III + IV: 88% and 94.55% in total cervical cancer group), negative predictive values for macrophage-colony stimulating factor (I: 75.44%, II: 82.69%, III + IV: 87.5% and 58.11% in total cervical cancer group) and tumor markers. In the total cervical cancer group, all tested parameters showed statistically significant areas under receiver operating characteristic curve, but maximum range was obtained for the combination macrophage-colony stimulating factor + squamous cell carcinoma antigen (0.8723). The combined analysis of tested parameters and tumor markers resulted in an increase in sensitivity and areas under receiver operating characteristic curve values, which provides hope for developing new panel of biomarkers that may be used in the diagnosis of cervical cancer in the future.

ROC analysis of selected matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in psoriatic patients

Introduction

Inherited ichthyoses are caused by mutations in various genes important for keratinocyte differentiation and epidermal barrier function. Although ichthyoses are rare disorders, they require costly long-term medical management, and thus there is a need for efficient preventive and therapeutic strategies.

Aim

We performed a retrospective study to determine the frequency, types, clinical presentation and associated genomic errors of primary hereditary ichthyoses in Egyptian patients and their relatives consulting the Genetics Clinic, Pediatric Hospital, Ain Shams University.

Material and methods

The outpatient log books of patients between January 2000 and December 2014 were reviewed, and diagnosis of new patients was confirmed through examination by a dermatologist. All epidemiologic, demographic, and clinical data were extracted and recorded in especially designed data collection forms.

Results

The occurrence rate of primary hereditary ichthyoses in our study was 25.7% of genodermatosis patients attending the genetics clinics and 1 per 2359 patients attending the Pediatric Hospital. The commonest type of ichthyosis in our study was Lamellar ichthyosis (38%), followed by congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma (26.8%). Consanguineous marriage was reported among the parents of 79% of patients and positive family history was reported in 72% of patients.

Conclusions

To the best of our knowledge, this preliminary study is the first report on the clinico-epidemiological features of primary hereditary ichthyoses in Egypt. The high rate of prenatal consanguinity among parents of our patients may account for the high frequency of these genodermatoses in Egypt. This highlights the importance of genetic counselling and prenatal diagnosis in Egypt.

Comparison of Four Automated Carcinoembryonic Antigen Immunoassays: ADVIA Centaur XP, ARCHITECT I2000sr, Elecsys E170, and Unicel Dxi800

Background

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is one of the tumor markers available for evaluating disease progression status after initial therapy and monitoring subsequent treatment modalities in colorectal, gastrointestinal, lung, and breast carcinoma. We evaluated the correlations and differences between widely used, automated CEA immunoassays at four different medical laboratories.

Methods

In total, 393 serum samples with CEA ranging from 3.0 to 1,000 ng/mL were analyzed on ADVIA Centaur XP (Siemens Diagnostics, Tarrytown, NY, USA), ARCHITECT i2000sr (Abbott Diagnostics, Abbott Park, IL, USA), Elecsys E170 (Roche Diagnostics, Indianapolis, IN, USA), and Unicel DxI800 (Beckman Coulter, Fullerton, CA, USA), and the results were compared. Deming regression, Passing-Bablok regression, and Bland-Altman analyses were performed to evaluate the data correlation and % differences among these assays.

Results

Deming regression analysis of data from Elecsys E170 and UniCel DxI800 showed good correlation (y=3.1615+0.8970x). According to Bland-Altman plot, no statistically significant bias (−1.78 ng/mL [95% confidence interval: −4.02 to 0.46]) was observed between Elecsys E170 and UniCel DxI800. However, the relative differences of CEA concentrations between assays exceeded the acceptable limit of 30%. Regarding the agreement of positivity with cut-off value 5.0 ng/mL, ARCHITECT i2000sr and Elecsys E170 showed the highest agreement (95.2%), whereas ADVIA Centaur XP and ARCHITECT i2000sr showed the lowest agreement (70.7%).

Conclusions

Agreements between automated CEA immunoassays are variable, and individual CEA concentrations may differ significantly between assays. Standardization of serum CEA concentrations and further harmonization are needed.

Influence of narrowband ultraviolet-B phototherapy on plasma concentration of matrix metalloproteinase-12 in psoriatic patients

INTRODUCTION

Matrix metalloproteinase-12 (MMP-12) may play an important role in the pathogenesis and spread of psoriatic disease.

AIM

To investigate plasma levels of the selected enzyme in plaque psoriasis patients before and after the course of narrowband UVB (NBUVB) therapy with respect to disease advancement.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The cohort included 49 patients suffering from plaque psoriasis, divided into groups according to severity of the disease. The control group consisted of 40 healthy volunteers. Plasma levels of MMP-12 were determined using immunoenzyme assay (ELISA), while the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) was used to define disease advancement.

RESULTS

The results have shown a significantly decreased plasma level of MMP-12 in the total psoriasis patient group compared to healthy individuals, declining with the increase in disease advancement. The NBUVB therapy caused a decrease in the concentration of the analyzed enzyme, but this change was not statistically significant in the total group of psoriatic patients, while a significant change was detected in patients with a mild advancement of the disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Decreased synthesis of MMP-12 may lead to the stimulation of the epidermal angiogenesis process, which results in the appearance and spread of psoriatic scales. Based on the obtained results, macrophage metalloelastase seems to be a negatively reacting plasma biomarker of the studied disease.

Plasma levels of MMP-7 and TIMP-1 in laboratory diagnostics and differentiation of selected histological types of epithelial ovarian cancers

BACKGROUND

MMP-7 and TIMP-1 may play a role in the pathogenesis of cancer disease. In this study we investigated plasma levels of selected metalloproteinase and its tissue inhibitor in comparison to plasma levels of the commonly accepted tumor markers (CA 125 and HE4) in selected histological types of epithelial ovarian cancer patients as compared to control groups: patients with a benign ovarian tumor and healthy subjects. Plasma levels of MMP-7 and TIMP-1 were determined using ELISA, CA 125 and HE4 - by CMIA methods.

RESULTS

Plasma levels of all biomarkers studied were significantly higher in ovarian cancer patients as compared to both control groups. MMP-7 demonstrated comparable to HE4 or CA125 values of diagnostic sensitivity (SE: 61%; 68%; 58%, respectively), specificity (SP: 95%; 95%; 98%, respectively), positive (PPV: 93%; 96%; 98%, respectively) and negative predictive values (NPV: 61%; 66%; 60%, respectively) in the groups tested. The combined use of the aforementioned biomarkers resulted in a further increase in diagnostic criteria and AUC, especially in the early stages of the disease.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest the usefulness of combining MMP-7 with CA 125 and HE4 in the diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer as a new tumor marker panel.

Narrowband ultraviolet B light treatment changes plasma concentrations of MMP-3, MMP-9 and TIMP-3 in psoriatic patients

Background

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) are thought to be associated with the pathogenesis and spread of psoriatic disease. This study was designed to investigate the plasma levels of MMP-3, MMP-9 and TIMP-3 in plaque psoriasis patients prior to and following a course of ultraviolet B narrowband treatment with respect to disease advancement.

Methods

Plasma samples of 49 patients suffering from plaque psoriasis and 40 healthy volunteers were evaluated. Concentrations of MMP-3, MMP-9 and TIMP-3 were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, while Psoriasis Area and Severity Index was used to define disease advancement.

Results

Plasma levels of MMP-3, MMP-9 and TIMP-3 were significantly elevated in psoriasis patients compared to healthy individuals. A course of ultraviolet B narrowband treatment resulted in a significant decline in the studied metalloproteinases. Furthermore, the concentration of selected tissue inhibitors was negatively correlated with baseline Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score.

Conclusion

Our research highlights the meaningful role of MMP-3, MMP-9 and TIMP-3 in psoriasis pathogenesis and clearance of disease symptoms. Furthermore, plasma levels of the analyzed metalloproteinases seem to be a valuable psoriasis biomarker.

Upregulated Vav2 in gastric cancer tissues promotes tumor invasion and metastasis

Several studies have proved that Vav2 gene is associated with the carcinogenesis of some tumors, but the relationship between Vav2 gene and gastric cancer remains unclear. Purpose of this study is to detect the expression of Vav2 protein in gastric cancer tissues and to evaluate the clinical value of Vav2. Furthermore, both effect of Vav2 gene on invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer cells and its mechanism are investigated in vitro. Results showed that positive rate of Vav2 protein was significantly higher in gastric cancer tissues than in adjacent tissues and notably higher in metastatic lymph nodes than in gastric cancer tissues. Results of western blot were consistent with immunohistochemistry. Expression of Vav2 protein in gastric cancer tissues was related to degree of tumor differentiation, lymph node metastasis, and clinical stages. Inhibition of endogenous Vav2 in BGC823 cells led to significantly decreased cell activity, migration, and invasion ability in vitro, and expression of Rac1, MMP-2, and MMP-9 decreased, whereas expression of TIMP-1 increased. We concluded that Vav2 might promote invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer by regulating some invasion and metastasis-related genes.

Diagnostic Power of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor in Breast Cancer Patients Based on ROC Analysis

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy in women. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been described as an important regulator of angiogenesis which plays a vital role in the progression of tumor. Macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) is a cytokine whose functions include regulation of hematopoietic lineages cells growth, proliferation, and differentiation. We investigated the diagnostic significance of these parameters in comparison to CA15-3 in BC patients and in relation to the control group (benign breast tumor and healthy women). Plasma levels of the tested parameters were determined by ELISA and CA15-3 was determined by CMIA. VEGF was shown to be comparable to CA15-3 values of sensitivity in BC group and, what is more important, higher values in early stages of BC. VEGF was also the only parameter which has statistically significant AUC in all stages of cancer. M-CSF has been shown to be comparable to CA15-3 and VEGF, specificity, and AUC values only in stages III and IV of BC. These results indicate the usefulness and high diagnostic power of VEGF in the detection of BC. Also, it occurred to be the best candidate for cancer diagnostics in stages I and II of BC and in the differentiation between BC and benign cases.