Can novel adipokines, asprosin and meteorin-like, be biomarkers for malignant mesothelioma?

Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is a rare tumor of serous surfaces that has a poor prognosis. Cancer is a multistage process by which cells undergo metabolic and behavioral changes that cause excessive and untimely proliferation. Asprosin (ASP) and meteorin-like (METRNL) are two peptides associated with glucose and energy metabolism. We used immunohistochemistry to investigate whether these peptides could be biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment of MM. We reviewed 30 cases of MM and 30 cases of reactive mesothelial hyperplasia (RMH); we used the cases with RMH as control group. The specimens were examined using immunohistochemical staining for ASP and METRNL. ASP and METRNL immunoreactivity was more prominent in the MM specimens than the RMH specimens. Therefore, ASP and METRNL potentially could be used as markers for differentiating MM from benign diseases.

The protective effect of thymoquinone over olanzapine-induced side effects in liver, and metabolic side effects

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the study was to investigate the possible protective qualities of thymoquinone (TQ) against the side-effects of olanzapine (OLZ) in an experimental model in rat liver with histologic and biochemical assessments.

METHODS

Experimental procedures were performed on 35 female Sprague Dawley rats. Rats were randomly divided into five groups as: group 1: control; group 2: OLZ; group 3: OLZ+TQ-1; group 4: OLZ+TQ-2; and group 5: OLZ+TQ-3.

RESULTS

The results showed that a 2‑week administration of OLZ (4 mg/kg, once a day for the first week, 8 mg/kg once a day for the second week, p.o.) and treatment with TQ (25, 50, 100 mg/kg, once daily, p.o.) significantly reduced weight gain induced by OLZ. In addition, TQ increased the total antioxidant status (TAS), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), insulin levels and decreased serum oxidative stress index (OSI), total oxidant status (TOS), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), glucose, triglycerides (TG) and total cholesterol (CH) levels significantly (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that treatment with TQ might protect liver tissue against the side-effects of OLZ. TQ could be an effective course of therapy to enhance therapeutic efficacy (Tab. 4, Fig. 4, Ref. 47).

Irisin immunostaining characteristics of breast and ovarian cancer cells

To determine expression pattern of irisin in tissues obtained from human ovarian cancer, breast cancer, and cervix cancer. Tissue samples obtained from subjects with breast cancer, ovarian cancer cervix cancer, simple endometrial hyperplasia, complex atypical endometrial hyperplasia. At least five sections from each subject were immunohistochemically stained with irisin antibody, and H-score method was used to evaluate irisin intensity. Tissues obtained from healthy breast tissues, proliferative phase endometrium adenomyosis and benign ovarian tumors were accepted as control. Irisin activity was not detected in control breast tissues significantly increased irisin staining was detected in invasive lobular, intraductal papillary, invasive ductal, invasive papillary, and mucinous carcinomas compared to control tissues. Also, significantly increased irisin immunoreactivity was detected in both ovarian endometriosis and mucinous carcinomas compared to benign tumors. However irisin staining was not observed at the papillary carcinoma of the ovary while sections obtained from simple and complex atypical endometrial hyperplasia, and cervix carcinoma demonstrated irisin immunoreactivity. Increased irisin immunoreactivity in tissues obtained from breast, ovary, cervix carcinomas, and endometrial hyperplasia suggest critical role of this peptide during carcinogenesis.

Complications of local/regional treatment of breast cancer and quality of life

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The aim of this prospective clinical study was to evaluate early and late complications of different surgical procedures, and compare conservative surgical treatments (breast conserving surgery, sentinel lymph node biopsy) to more radical ones (mastectomy, axillary lymph node dissection), and find factors that were related to these complications. 218 early stage breast cancer patients (stage I and II) were enrolled in this study. Physical complications (restrictions in shoulder motions, shoulder functional capacity, pain, lymphedema and sensory loss), psychological complications and the factors related to these complications were studied in patients after breast cancer surgery and/or radiotherapy at first week, at 9th-12th months and at mean follow up time of 34 months. Lymphedema rates after surgery were 14.7 %, 24.8% and 17.0% at first week, 9th-12th months, and long term respectively. In early postoperative period, pain and functional capacity of the effected shoulder were worse than preoperatively measured values and all axis of motion of shoulder joint were effected significantly. On the other hand, at 9th-12th months, only internal flexion was still affected. At the long term period, all axis of motion of shoulder joint, pain and functional capacity were in normal range as before treatment. The factors related to lymphedema were axillary lymph node dissection (p=0.002), radiation therapy to axillae (p<0.001). The patients who had both axillary lymph node dissection and axillary radiotherapy had more lymphedema than the patients who only had axillary lymph node dissection or sentinel lymph node biopsy (p=0.004). The factors related to postoperative depression at early period were cigarette smoking (p=0.008), axillary lymph node dissection (p=0.045) and arm lymphedema (p=0.005). At long term period they were axillary lymph node dissection (p=0.021), mastectomy (p=0.036), drain usage (p=0.028) and sensory loss (p=0.027). The patients who had sentinel lymph node biopsy, axillary dissection without axillary radiotherapy had better quality of life. The patients with cigarette smoking, axillary lymph node dissection, mastectomy, drain, lymphedema and sensory loss had increased incidence of depression than others, these results were statistically significant.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.