The role of piRNAs in predicting and prognosing in cancer: a focus on piRNA-823 (a systematic review and meta-analysis)

INTRODUCTION

This article examines the potential of using liquid biopsy with piRNAs to study cancer survival outcomes. While previous studies have explored the relationship between piRNA expression and cancer patient outcomes, a comprehensive investigation is still lacking. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing literature.

METHODS

We searched major online databases up to February 2024 to identify articles reporting on the role of piRNA in cancer patient survival outcomes. Our meta-analysis used a random-effects model to pool hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and assess the prognostic value of deregulated piRNA-823. For survival analysis, the Kaplan-Meier method and COX analysis were used.

RESULTS

Out of 6104 articles screened, 20 met our inclusion criteria. Our analysis revealed that dysregulated piRNA expression is associated with cancer patient survival outcomes. Specifically, our meta-analysis found that overexpression of piR-823 is significantly linked with poorer overall survival in patients with colorectal cancer and renal cell cancer (HR: 3.82, 95% CI = [1.81, 8.04], I2 = 70%).

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that various piRNAs may play a role in cancer survival outcomes and that piRNA-823 in particular holds promise as a prognostic biomarker for multiple human cancers.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

Our systematic review and meta-analysis of piRNA-823 has important implications for cancer survivors. Our findings suggest that piRNA-823 can be used as a prognostic biomarker for predicting cancer recurrence and survival rates. This information can help clinicians develop personalized treatment plans for cancer survivors, which can improve their quality of life and reduce the risk of recurrence.

Global trend in exosome isolation and application: an update concept in management of diseases

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by various cells offer great potential for use in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. EVs are heterogeneous membranous vesicles. Exosomes are a subtype of EVs, 40-150 nm spherical vesicles with a lipid layer derived from endosomes. Exosomes, which are involved in signal transduction and maintain homeostasis, are released from almost all cells, tissues, and body fluids. Although several methods exist to isolate and characterize EVs and exosomes, each technique has significant drawbacks and limitations that prevent progress in the field. New approaches in the biology of EVs show great potential for isolating and characterizing EVs, which will help us better understand their biological function. The strengths and limitations of conventional strategies and novel methods (microfluidic) for EV isolation are outlined in this review. We also present various exosome isolation techniques and kits that are commercially available and assess the global market demand for exosome assays.

Comparison of global decolonization efficacy with mupirocin nasal drop and chlorhexidine mouthwash in acute leukemia patients: randomized clinical trial

PURPOSE

Neutropenic fever remains a major complication in acute leukemia. Decolonization is assumed as a promising intervention for eradicating causative agents of infection.

METHODS

In this randomized clinical trial, 96 patients with acute leukemia were assigned randomly to mupirocin nasal drop 2% (n = 32), chlorhexidine mouthwash 0.2% (n = 33), and control group (n = 31). In control group, patients did not receive any medication for decolonization. All patients received treatment for 5 days (2 days prior to chemotherapy until 3 days after chemotherapy). Pharynx and nasal swabs were taken prior to the intervention and at the end of decolonization period in all groups. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed by the disc diffusion method in order to identify bacterial isolates.

RESULTS

Bacterial recovery of both nasal and pharynx swabs was observed after global decolonization with mupirocin nasal drop. Decolonization with mupirocin significantly eradicated Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CONS) in both nasal and pharynx swabs (p-value = 0.000). Moreover, mupirocin decreased Pseudomonas aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) species. Chlorhexidine mouthwash significantly eradicated CONS in pharynx swabs (p-value = 0.000). In addition, both decolonization strategies decreased both antibiotic use and frequency of fever in leukemic patients.

CONCLUSION

Global decolonization with mupirocin nasal drop not only eradicates both nasal and pharynx microorganisms, but also reduces antibiotic requirement and frequency of fever in patients with acute leukemia. The protocol of the present study was approved on December 2016 (registry number: IRCT20160310026998N6).

Molecular diagnosis, phylogenetic analysis, and antifungal susceptibility profiles of Candida species isolated from neutropenic oncological patients

BACKGROUND

Neutropenia is the most important cause of life-threatening invasive fungal infections (IFIs). Here, we studied the frequency and antifungal susceptibility profiles of Candida species that colonized or caused infections among neutropenic patients with solid or hematological malignancies.

METHODS

A total of 362 clinical samples were collected from 138 patients. After initial isolation using a mix of mycological methods, isolates were screened using chromogenic culture media. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was applied for molecular identification. Positive or suspected cases were confirmed using the reference method of sequencing. Antifungal susceptibility testing for voriconazole and caspofungin was carried out using the microbroth dilution method. An in-silico assay was applied for phylogenetic analysis.

RESULTS

Thirty-four Candida strains were isolated. C. albicans (47.06%) and C. glabrata (29.41%) were the most frequent strains. Antifungal treatment reduced the chance of Candida colonization by almost 76% in neutropenic patients (OR: 1.759; 95% CI: 1.349 to 2.390; p value: 0.000). An unusual and non-resistant strain, C. lambica, was reported from the bloodstream of a 56-year-old man with hematologic malignancy (HM). Eight isolates were non-susceptible, and one isolate was resistant to voriconazole. Also, four isolates were non-susceptible to caspofungin.

CONCLUSION

We can conclude that there is a cause-and-effect relationship between neutropenia, HM background, and Candida species separated from neutropenic patients, which can lead to possible infections. Further and repetitive studies are recommended using different molecular methods for better prediction and management of fungal infections in neutropenic patients.

Implantable smart hyperthermia nanofibers for cancer therapy: Challenges and opportunities

Nanofibers (NFs) with practical drug-loading capacities, high stability, and controllable release have caught the attention of investigators due to their potential applications in on-demand drug delivery devices. Developing novel and efficient multidisciplinary management of locoregional cancer treatment through the design of smart NF-based systems integrated with combined chemotherapy and hyperthermia could provide stronger therapeutic advantages. On the other hand, implanting directly at the tumor area is a remarkable benefit of hyperthermia NF-based drug delivery approaches. Hence, implantable smart hyperthermia NFs might be very hopeful for tumor treatment in the future and provide new avenues for developing highly efficient localized drug delivery systems. Indeed, features of the smart NFs lead to the construction of a reversibly flexible nanostructure that enables hyperthermia and facile switchable release of antitumor agents to eradicate cancer cells. Accordingly, this study covers recent updates on applications of implantable smart hyperthermia NFs regarding their current scope and future outlook. This article is categorized under: Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanomaterials and Implants.

The role of exosomes in cancer biology by shedding light on their lipid contents

Exosomes are extracellular bilayer membrane nanovesicles released by cells after the fusion of multivesicular bodies (MVBs) with the plasma membrane. One of the interesting features of exosomes is their ability to carry and transfer various molecules, including lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and therapeutic cargoes among cells. As intercellular signaling organelles, exosomes participate in various signaling processes such as tumor growth, metastasis, angiogenesis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and cell physiology such as cell-to-cell communication. Moreover, these particles are considered good vehicles to shuttle vaccines and drugs for therapeutic applications regarding cancers and tumor cells. These bioactive vesicles are also rich in various lipid molecules such as cholesterol, sphingomyelin (SM), glycosphingolipids, and phosphatidylserine (PS). These lipids play an important role in the formation, release, and function of the exosomes and interestingly, some lipids are used as biomarkers in cancer diagnosis. This review aimed to focus on exosomes lipid content and their role in cancer biology.

Association of Promoter Methylation Patterns with Expression of MAPK14 in Tissue of Papillary Thyroid Cancer Patients

BACKGROUND

Thyroid cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide. Genetic and epigenetic alterations are one of the main causes of thyroid tumor that is responsible to the activation of oncogenes as well as the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes. This research aimed to investigate the relationship of promoter methylation patterns with the expression of P38α in Iranian patients with thyroid cancer.

METHODS

We collected 40 thyroid tumor samples and 40 adjacent normal thyroid samples from 40 Iranian patients with papillary thyroid cancer. The promoter methylation pattern of P38α gene was investigated by methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting (MS-HRM) method. Moreover, mRNA expression of P38α was investigated by Real-Time PCR method. Further validation of the obtained results was performed by the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset.

RESULTS

The obtained results indicated that the expression of the P38α (MAPK-14) gene in the thyroid cancer sample was considerably higher than tumor margin sample. Also, P38α gene promoter methylation was higher in thyroid margin tissue as compared to tumor tissue. These results were additionally confirmed by TCGA analysis. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed a high accuracy of P38α gene expression as a diagnostic biomarker for thyroid malignancy.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrated that the P38α expression level gene was associated with thyroid cancer pathogenesis among the Iranian population. We suggested that this gene expression might be used as a biomarker for diagnosis of thyroid tumor.

Evaluation of Expression Levels of NFATc2 and PPARG Genes Two Effector Elements of WNT Pathway in Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma

Background

There is an emergency need in discovering an efficient profile of molecular biomarkers for early diagnosis of Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Transcription factors as important groups of regulators that are able to adjust the cell cycles have attracted the attention of most researchers recently. NFATc2 and PPARG are two important factors that have been selected for this project to assess their potential for being a biomarker for NSCLC.

Materials and Methods

Here in this study, 50 NSCLC patients were included. During bronchoscopy, which was their routine diagnostic approach, we collected tumoral and marginal normal tissues. After the extraction of the total RNA from the tissues, cDNA was synthesized, and the transcriptional level of NFATc2 and PPARG was examined by quantitative real-time PCR. Subsequently, the data were analyzed by proper statistical analyses.

Results

The mRNA expression of NFATc2 and PPARG were down-regulated in biopsy tissues of NSCLC patients compared with their pair marginal tissues (Pvalues were 0.0011 and <0.0001 respectively). Moreover, both of them had significant AUC (area under the curve) in the ROC curve analysis (0.65 for NFATc2 and 0.81 for PPARG, Pvalue <0.05).

Conclusion

It appears that mRNA expression of NFATc2 and PPARG possesses the potential to be regarded as a diagnostic or prognostic biomarker for NSCLC.

Down-Regulation and Clinic-Pathological Correlation of SIK-1 and SIL-1-LNC in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients

BACKGROUND

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is currently the leading cause of mortality cancer. Introducing noninvasive approaches to diagnose NSCLC, especially at an early phase, might improve the disease's prognosis. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are important regulators of the expression genes inside the cells, have been linked to a range of biological processes, such as cancer progression and metastasis, including NSCLC. The present work aims to determine the potential involvement of SIK-1-LNC and SIK-1 in NSCLC pathogenesis and the possible use of these molecules as novel biomarkers or therapeutic targets.

METHODS

In this work, the expression levels of SIK-1-LNC and SIK-1 in 50 pairs of NSCLC tumor and tumor marginal tissues were evaluated. So, after total RNA extraction and complementary DNA synthesis, the SIK-1-LNC and SIK-1 expression levels were evaluated by real-time PCR. In the study groups, clinical and pathological characteristics of the NSCLC patients were also examined.

RESULTS

Our findings showed that tumor samples had much lower levels of SIK-1 and SIK-1-LNC expression than tumor margin samples. SIK-1-LNC expression was correlated with SIK-1 levels in NSCLC samples. Interestingly, both stage and lymph node metastasis features of the tumor were associated significantly with SIK-1 and SIK-1-LNC expression levels. A ROC curve analysis indicated a biomarker index of 0.69 and 0.74 for SIK-1 and SIK-1-LNC, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, our study emphasized the role of SIK-1-LNC and SIK-1 downregulation in NSCLC oncogenesis. Additionally, SIK-1 and SIK-1-LNC, particularly the latter, have shown remarkable potential to be utilized as new NSCLC biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Comparative evaluation of ZMYND-8 and RARβ2 genes promoters’ methylation changes in tumor and tumor margin tissues of patients with lung cancer

Background

Lung cancer remains one of the most lethal carcinomas worldwide because of its late diagnosis. One of the DNA modifications is methylation, one of the primary alterations of tumor development, consisting of fascinating indicators for cancer diagnosis. This study investigated ZMYND-8 and RARβ2 gene methylation in NSCLC as a new epigenetic tool.

Methods

First, to find out the potential diagnostic capability of ZMYND-8 and RARβ2 genes methylation, we entirely surfed DNA methylation microarrays from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data of NSCLC samples. Additionally, we took advantage of using q-MSP in several pieces comprising NSCLC tumors and neighboring normal tissues; ZMYND-8 and RARβ2 genes methylation grades were acquired.

Results

Our finding displayed significant hypomethylation of ZMYND-8 and hypermethylation of RARβ2 in NSCLC samples compared to neighboring standard specimens, which significantly correlated with the clinical stage of malignancy. In addition, the incredible precision of ZMYND-8 and RARβ2 methylations as reliable cancer diagnosis indicators in NSCLC was confirmed, drawing the ROC curve analysis with an AUC value of 0.751 and 0.8676, respectively, for ZMYND-8 and RARβ2. Additional studies of other dominant cancer entities in TCGA displayed that RARβ2’s higher methylation degree and ZMYND-8 lower methylation degree are prevalent changes in tumor evolution which could be possibly considered as a potential diagnostic biomarkers for lung cancer.

Conclusion

Based on this study, ZMYND-8 and RARβ2 methylation are reliable biomarkers for lung cancer.

Promoter methylation levels of RASSF1 and ATIC genes are associated with lung cancer in Iranian patients

OBJECTIVES

Epigenetic alterations like methylation of tumor suppressor genes or oncogenes, in respiratory epithelium have been associated with lung cancer. Hypermethylation of genes promoter is an epigenetic event, and is responsible to tumor suppressor genes inactivation as well as oncogenes activation. This study aimed to assess the role of methylation status in promoter of RASSF1 and ATIC genes their potential implication in the pathogenesis of lung tumor in Iranian patients.

METHODS

In this study, we collected 100 tissue samples (50 lung cancer tissues and 50 adjacent non-cancerous lung tissues) from Iranian lung cancer patients. The genomic DNA was extracted, and methylation status of both RASSF1 and ATIC genes was investigated by methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting (MS-HRM) assay technique and Real-Time PCR. Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset was also analyzed for further validation of the gene's methylation.

RESULTS

Methylation of RASSF1 gene promoter was significantly higher in lung tumor tissues. However, promoter methylation levels of ATIC gene was significantly lower in lung tumor tissues. These results were additionally confirmed by TCGA analysis. Promoter methylation of both RASSF1 and ATIC genes was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis, and clinical stage of lung cancer. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis indicated a high accuracy of promoter methylation in these genes as a diagnostic biomarker for lung cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Methylation levels of both RASSF1 and ATIC genes promoters were associated with lung cancer pathogenesis in Iranian population, and may be a suitable biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of lung cancer in early stage of tumorigenesis.

An Investigation of Insulin Resistance and Cachexia Relation in Patients with Metastatic Gastrointestinal Malignancies

Background: Insulin resistance has been suggested as one of the known metabolic disorders during cachexia. This study hypothesized that cachexia in cancer patients might be related to insulin resistance as early as cachexia development. Methods: This study was performed on 46 patients with metastatic gastrointestinal cancer. Anthropometric characteristics and biochemical markers were assessed at baseline, second and third month. Insulin resistance was assessed using the homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA IR) method. SFQ-36 questions were used to assess the patients' quality of life at baseline, second and third months. Results: Anthropometric characteristic was significantly associated between pre-cachectic and non-pre-cachectic patients in third month. Cholesterol (P-value = 0.93), albumin (P-value: 0.82), and serum creatinine (P-value = 0.88) in pre-cachectic patients decreased over three months. There was an increasing trend of insulin resistance between pre-cachectic and non-pre-cachectic patients in third month. Cholesterol had an upward trend with a significant relation in cachectic patients [(P-value = 0.00), (P-value = 0.03), (P-value = 0.01)]. We detected a decreasing trend of insulin resistance between cachectic and non-cachectic patients from second to third month (P-value = 0.04). SFQ evaluation had no significant relation with cachectic status. Conclusion: Previous studies showed that the use of NSAIDs, progesterone’s, corticosteroids, COX-2 inhibitors, anabolic agents and drugs targeting inflammatory cytokines may be beneficial for improving of symptoms of cachexia. Significant relation between anthropometric variables with pre-cachexia and cachectic conditions was concluded. Patients' outcome and its relation with insulin resistance demonstrated a significant relation between the cachectic and non-cachectic patients in the third month. We also detected the increased serum cholesterol level in cachectic patients, moreover, higher cholesterol levels in expired cachectic patients than in the living.

Expression and promoter methylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 in tumor and marginal cells of breast cancer

AIM

In the present study, we sought to explore potential differences in the expression and promoter methylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1) between tumor and marginal cells of breast cancer lesions.

METHODS

A total of 50 randomly selected patients with breast cancer (BCa) undergoing needle biopsy were enrolled. Clinical specimens containing both tumor and marginal cells were collected and preserved. After DNA extraction using specific primers, MAPK1 mRNA and promoter methylation were measured with spectrophotometry at 260/280 nm absorption wavelengths. To deliver a comparative analysis, data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) program regarding breast cancer (BRCA), were downloaded from Xena Functional Genomics Explorer and separately analyzed. The suitability of MAPK1 expression and promoter methylation as biomarkers for BCa was analyzed with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.

RESULTS

We found a positive correlation between tumor stage and MAPK1 expression (P-value: 0.029) in BCa. Likewise, MAPK1 expression was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis (P-value: 0.018). There was a significant difference in the expression of MAPK1 mRNA between tumor and marginal cells of BCa and BRCA (P-value < 0.001). However, we did not find any statistically significant difference in MAPK1 promoter methylation between tumor and marginal cells of both BCa and BRCA. With an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.71, the diagnostic accuracy of MAPK1 expression in BCa and BRCA was validated. However, MAPK1 promoter methylation was not found to be a suitable biomarker.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that while MAPK1 expression, might be a promising biomarker for evaluating oncogenic activity in patients suspected of BCa. We were not able to detect a prognostic/diagnostic role for MAPK1 promoter methylation.

Porcn as a novel therapeutic target in cancer therapy: A review

Wingless-related integration site (Wnt) signaling is one of the main oncogenic pathways in different malignancies. Therefore, targeting this pathway has been considered an exciting strategy in cancer treatment. Porcn is among the central enzymes in this pathway that has recently been considered for cancer-targeted therapy. As a membrane-bound O-acyltransferase, Porcn plays a critical role in wnt ligand palmitoylation and its subsequent secretion. In addition to Porcn's role in stem cell signaling and differentiation, recent findings have shown its role in developing and progressing colorectal, pancreatic, liver, head, and neck cancers. Developed small molecule inhibitors have also opened a promising window toward cancer treatment strategies. In this review, the structure and biological role of Porcn in different cancer-related signaling pathways and inhibitors used for inhibiting this enzyme are discussed.

Gamma-irradiated rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) dips treatment effect on quality of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fillets during refrigerated storage

The effect of the gamma-irradiated extract of rosemary and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) antioxidant on sensory, chemical and microbiological changes of rainbow trout fillets stored at 4 ± 1°C was investigated for 16 days. The fillets were divided into: control (C), 750 and 1500 rosemary extract (RE) (immersed in 750 and 1500 ppm rosemary extract); 250 and 500 gamma-irradiated rosemary (GIR), (immersed in 250 and 500 ppm gamma-irradiated rosemary) and 250 and 500 BHA (immersed in 250 and 500 ppm BHA). The shelf life of fillets was reported to be 8 days for C, and 12 days for 500 GIR group according sensory, microbiological and chemical parameters. The pH, peroxide value (PV), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), free fatty acid (FFA), thiobarbituric acid (TBA), psychrotrophic counts (PTC), and total viable aerobic bacterial counts (TVC) values were 7.62 ± 0.21, 17.17 ± 1.6, 51.07 ± 1.1, 6.05 ± 0.13, 3.42 ± 0.18, 12.03 ± 0.19, and 13.16 ± 0.16 respectively for C group and also, 7.42 ± 0.16, 15.2 ± 1.7, 42.5 ± 1.5, 4.48 ± 0.39, 2.59 ± 0.15, 9.98 ± 0.15, and 10.5 ± 0.15 respectively for 500 GIR group. Finally, the following trend in effectiveness was reported: gamma-irradiated rosemary PBS extract > BHA > rosemary PBS extract.

Upregulation of miR-142 in papillary thyroid carcinoma tissues: a report based on in silico and in vitro analysis

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) accounts for approximately 80% of all human thyroid malignancies. Recently, there has been a dramatic rise in the prevalence of thyroid cancer all over the globe. Through analysis of the GEO database, GSE104005, the authors of the current research were able to determine the differential expression of microRNAs (DEMs) as well as their target genes. Real-time PCR was used on a total of 40 samples, 40 of which were from PTC samples and 40 from normal tissues, in order to validate the discovered DEMs and the genes. Gene Ontology (GO) categories were identified, and KEGG was used to conduct pathway enrichment analysis. The multiMiR R package was used to predict target genes of DEMs. Mir-142 was found to be overexpressed in PTC samples, as compared to normal tissues, and this was validated by the identification and validation. In addition, metal ion binding and the cellular response to metal ions were identified as essential pathways in the carcinogenesis of PTC. This demonstrates their significance in the development of this malignancy. The results of our research will serve as the foundation for further research in the area of miRNA-based cancer treatment.

Investigation and confirmation of differentially expressed miRNAs, as well as target gene prediction in papillary thyroid cancer, with a special emphasis on the autophagy signaling pathway

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common endocrine cancer. However, the role of biomechanics in the development and progression of PTC is obscure. The microarray dataset GSE104005 was examined to identify important microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) and their probable roles in the carcinogenesis of PTC. The gene expression omnibus (GEO) database was used to obtain the data. R was used to access the differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) and genes (DEGs). The multiMiR software was used to predict DEM targets. To validate the top DEMs and DEGs, thirty tissue samples were obtained from PTC patients who had their thyroids removed and compared with 30 normal samples. The total RNA content of the tumor and corresponding non-tumoral adjacent samples were purified and converted to cDNA. Expression levels of top dysregulated miRNAs and their target and predicted DEG were evaluated using the RT-qPCR method. miR-182 and miR-183 were top upregulated miRs and miR-30d was the most downregulated miR among DEMs. Furthermore, FOXO1 which was shown to be targeted by aforementioned miRNAs, was the most downregulated genes among other DEGs. 10 hub nodes were detected by PPI construction. PTEN was the hub node with highest score. The in vitro gene expression analysis was also showed the same expression pattern in tissues. Significant increase in miR-182-5p and miR-183-5p expressions, as well as a significant decrease in FOXO1 and miR-30d-5p expressions, suggest that PTC cells may tend to preserve their autophagy capability.

Hypermethylation of MIR129-2 Regulates SOX4 Transcription and Associates with Metastasis in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

BACKGROUND

MicroRNA-129-2 (miR-129-2), targeting SOX4, has been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of different cancers. Here in this study, we examined the methylation levels of the promoter region of MIR19-2 gene as well as transcription of miR-129-2 and mRNA expression of SOX4 in the tumoral tissues from colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and compared those in the normal marginal tissues.

METHODS

Fifty CRC patients with Iranian Azari ethnicity were recruited. Genomic DNAs were extracted from the tumoral and normal tissues and the methylation level of the promoter regions of the MIR129-2 gene was determined using methylation-specific PCR (MSP) by evaluating 100 CG sites. The RNA content of the samples was isolated and the transcript levels of miR-129-2 and SOX4 were measured using quantitative real-time PCR.

RESULTS

Methylation level of the MIR192-2 promoter was significantly higher in the tumoral tissues compared to that in the normal marginal tissues (84% vs. 28%; P = 0.0041). The expression level of miR-192-2 was significantly downregulated (fold change = 0.34, P = 0.028) but SOX4 mRNA expression was upregulated (fold change = 2.7, P = 0.019) in the tumoral tissues compared to that in the normal marginal tissues. There was a significant correlation between the methylation level of the MIR192-2 promoter and the expression levels of miR-192-2 and SOX4 in the tumoral tissues. Associations were observed between the methylation of the MIR192-2 promoter and lymph node and liver metastasis.

CONCLUSIONS

It seems that MIR192-2 promoter hypermethylation might regulate the expression of SOX4 and therefore modulate metastasis in CRC.

Rosai-Dorfman disease presenting with solitary liver mass without lymphadenopathy: A case report

Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD), as a lymphoproliferative disorder with unknown etiology, is commonly identified with systemic clinical manifestations in various organs. In this case study, RDD occurrence was reported with an exceedingly liver mass.

Concurrent chronic lymphocytic leukemia and COVID-19: A comprehensive review of epidemiological, diagnostic, and therapeutic challenges

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Diagnostic interaction between CLL and COVID-19 due to different behavior of lymphocyte count remains as a major challenge.

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CLL patients have a lower rate of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG development emphasizing notably difference in patients’ immune response to COVID-19 or potential vaccination in CLL patients.

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Summing the evidences show unacceptable therapeutic outcome in patients with concurrent CLL and COVID-19 needing revise currently and running protocols.

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The treatment protocol recommended by experts has been very diverse and therefore there is not a standard protocol acceptable to everyone.

A comprehensive review of the literature on chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients and recommendations regarding the evaluation and treatment of these patients was conducted. The overall prevalence of CLL and COVID-19 concurrence was found to be 0.6% (95%CI: 0.5% to 0.7%). Diagnostic interaction between CLL and COVID-19 remains a major challenge. Also, CLL patients have a lower rate of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG development. Evidences show the unacceptable therapeutic outcome in these patients. Although the CLL-COVID-19 occurrence is associated with adverse clinical consequences, no general and standard agreement has yet been presented for the management and treatment of this disease.

Role of CD135/CD117 on Prognosis and Overall Survival of Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Background:

The key proliferative RTKs for AML include c-KIT receptor (CD117) and FLT-3 receptor (CD135). The aim of this study was to evaluate the CD135 and CD117 expression, co-expression of CD135 and CD117 (CD135+CD117), and the association of that co-expression with Event Free Survival (DFS) and Overall Survival (OS) rates.

Material and Methods:

We analyzed CD117 and CD135 expression on AML blasts by flow cytometry and its association with Event Free Survival (DFS) and Overall Survival (OS) in 66 AML treated on Hematology-Oncology Research Center, Iran, Tabriz.

Results:

The overall OS and EFS were 50% and 80.3% respectively during our study. Cox-regression analysis revealed that a poor EFS was significantly associated a low CD135 (HR 0.34, 95% CI 0.13–0.88, P = 0.02).

Conclusion:

This is the first study from Iran to show that the expressions of CD135, CD117 is easily measurable by routine diagnostic flow-cytometry, and CD135+117 were not significantly associated with CR, EFS, or OS .

Dendritic cells pulsed with prostate-specific membrane antigen in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Dendritic cells (DCs) are used in many malignancies as vaccines to induce immunity against specific cancer antigens. The role of DCs in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is not determined. In this study, the proportion of mCRPC patients with clinically significant response to targeted therapy by DCs pulsed with prostate-specific membrane antigen was evaluated, and the possible adverse effects of this modality were investigated.

METHODS

Major databases were searched up to Feb 2017, to identify studies in which the antitumor efficacy of DCs pulsed with the extracellular portion of PSMA was studied for the treatment of mCRPC. Data were collected by two reviewers and analyzed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software, version 2.0.

FINDINGS

Our study consisted of 6 nonrandomized prospective (cohort) trials, overall reporting on 153 mCRPC patients. The event rate that is the representative of fraction of patients showing antitumor response was 0.43 (95% confidence interval = 0.355-0.512; P = 0.097). No significant between-study heterogeneity or inconsistency was detected (I2 = 5.47; Q = 5; P = 0.382). Our study failed to demonstrate a significant therapeutic efficacy for DCs in mCRPC. However, no significant adverse effects were seen.

Adjuvant Therapy with Silibinin Improves the Efficacy of Paclitaxel and Cisplatin in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells

Herbal-derived medicines have introduced as sources of novel drugs due to minimum systemic side effects. Silibinin as a flavonoid compound has showed with effective chemotherapeutic effects on different cancers. Here, we investigated the impact of combination therapy of silibinin, with paclitaxel and cisplatin in inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. Cell proliferation was assessed by MTT assay and the percentage of apoptotic cells was measured using flowcytometric assay. Understand of molecular mechanism of this combination related to apoptotic pathway were evaluated by Real Time RT-PCR assays. The IC₅₀ values for silibinin, paclitaxel and cisplatin were 160 ± 22.2 µM, 33.7 ± 4.2 nM and 3.2 ± 0.5 µM, respectively. Paclitaxel and cisplatin induced higher percentage of apoptosis in MCF-7 (P < 0.05). Treatment of cell line with combination of silibinin and paclitaxel or cisplatin showed enhanced early apoptosis 56% and 61%, respectively (P < 0.05). Gene expression patterns demonstrated a significant decrease in anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 with increase in pro-apoptotic Bax, P53, BRCA1 and ATM mRNA levels. Taken together combination therapy of breast cancer cells by applying paclitaxel or cisplatin with silibinin synergistically increases the anti-proliferative effect of single agents.

Essential oil of tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) antibacterial activity on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in culture media and Iranian white cheese

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

In this study, the antibacterial effect of essential oil of tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was evaluated in culture media and Iranian white cheese.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The tarragon essential oil (EO) obtained by the steam distillation method and its antibacterial activity was evaluated in 96-well microtiter plates containing brain heart infusion broth. The enumeration of S. aureus and E. coli in cheese samples were carried out on the following media: Baired parker agar for S.aureus, incubated at 37°C for 24 h; and MacConkey sorbitol agar for E. coli, incubated at 37°C for 24 h. Iranian white cheese was produced from fresh and whole pasteurized cow milk (2.5%). Bacteria (10(3) cfu/mL) were inoculated to different batches. Cheese was treated with different concentrations of EO (15 and 1500 µg/mL) and separated into four parts in an equal manner. The sensory evaluation was done by a panel of four judges.

RESULTS

According to the results obtained, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) for E. coli and S. aureus were 2500 and 1250 µg/mL, respectively. Also, minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) for the mentioned microorganisms were 5000 and 2500 µg/mL, respectively. All the EO concentrations for each bacteria result in reducing bacterial count of cheese samples compared to control (P<0.05). Also, with increasing concentration of EO in cheese samples, the bacterial count was reduced further (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Based on our findings, tarragon essential oil has antibacterial effect on two important pathogen bacteria (S. aureus and E. coli) and can be applied as a preservative in foods such as cheese.