An electrochemiluminescence immunosensor based on signal magnification of luminol using OER-activated NiFe2O4@C@CeO2/Au as effective co-reaction accelerator

In this work, a novel, label-free electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunosensor was constructed for the ultrasensitive detection of carbohydrate antigen 15-3 (CA15-3) by the combined use of NiFe₂O₄@C@CeO₂/Au hexahedral microbox and luminol luminophore. The synthesis of the co-reaction accelerator (NiFe₂O₄@C@CeO₂/Au) was related to the calcination of FeNi-based metal-organic framework (MOF), as well as the ingrowth of CeO₂ nanoparticles and modification of Au nanoparticles. To be specific, the electrical conductivity will be boosted due to the Au nanoparticles, the synergetic effect generated between CeO₂ and calcination FeNi-MOF could offer better activity of oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, the NiFe₂O₄@C@CeO₂/Au hexahedral microbox as a co-reaction accelerator has excellent OER activity and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), thus increasing the ECL intensity of luminol in a neutral medium without other co-reactants such as H₂O₂. Because of these benefits, the constructed ECL immunosensor was applied to detect CA15-3 as an example under optimum conditions, the designed ECL immunosensor exhibited high-level selectivity and sensitivity for CA15-3 biomarker within a linear response range of 0.01-100 U mL^-1 and an ultralow detection limit of 0.545 mU mL^-1 (S/N = 3), demonstrating its potentially valuable application in the area of clinical analysis.

Oral administration of tartrazine (E102) accelerates the incidence and the development of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a) anthracene (DMBA)-induced breast cancer in rats

BACKGROUND

Despite the considerable advances made in the treatment of cancer, it remains a global threat. Tartrazine (E102) is a synthetic dye widely used in food industries; it has recently been shown to induce oxidative stress (a well known risk factor of cancer) in rat tissues. The present work therefore aimed to assess the impact of a regular consumption of tartrazine on the incidence of breast cancer in rats.

METHODS

Forty (40) Wistar rats aged 55 to 60 days were randomly assigned into 5 groups (n = 8) including two groups serving as normal controls and receiving distilled water (NOR) or tartrazine (NOR + TARZ). The three remaining groups were exposed to the carcinogen DMBA (50 mg/kg) and treated for 20 weeks with either distilled water (DMBA), tartrazine 50 mg/kg (DMBA + TARZ) or a natural dye (DMBA + COL). The parameters evaluated were the incidence, morphology and some biomarkers (CA 15-3, estradiol and α-fetoprotein) of breast cancer. The oxidative status and histomorphology of the tumors were also assessed.

RESULTS

A regular intake of tartrazine led to an early incidence of tumors (100% in rats that received TARZ only vs 80% in rats that received DMBA only), with significantly larger tumors (p < 0.001) (mass = 3500 mg/kg and volume = 4 cm3). The invasive breast carcinoma observed on the histological sections of the animals of the DMBA + TARZ group was more developed than those of the DMBA group. The increase in serum α-fetoprotein (p < 0.05) and CA 15-3 (p < 0.01) levels corroborate the changes observed in tumors. The presence of oxidative activity in animals of the DMBA + TARZ group was confirmed by a significant decrease (p < 0.001) in the activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and catalase) as well as the level of GSH and increase in the level of MDA compared to the rats of the DMBA and NOR groups.

CONCLUSION

Tartrazine therefore appears to be a promoter of DMBA-induced breast tumorigenesis in rats through its oxidative potential. This work encourages further studies on the mechanisms of action of tartrazine (E102) and its limits of use.

The utility of serum tumor markers CEA and CA 15-3 for breast cancer prognosis and their association with clinicopathological parameters

BACKGROUND

We aimed to evaluate the association of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3) levels with clinicopathological parameters in patients with breast cancer (BC) and their efficiency for the prediction of recurrence.

METHODS

The records of 482 female patients with breast cancer diagnosis followed in Medical Oncology and Radiation Oncology clinics of Kartal Dr. Lutfu Kirdar Education and Research Hospital were evaluated retrospectively.

RESULTS

The median age of the patients was 49. CEA levels were significantly higher in postmenopausal patients (p = 0.022). There was no association between CEA and CA 15-3 levels and nodal involvement (p = 0.689, 0.379; respectively). CEA levels were significantly higher in hormone receptor-positive patients (p = 0.007). HER2 negative patients had significantly higher levels of CEA and CA 15-3 (p = 0.017 and 0.011, respectively). The evaluation of metastatic patients showed that CEA and CA 15-3 levels before metastasis were significantly elevated (p = 0.016 ve 0.008, respectively). There was no relation between the metastasis site and CEA, CA 15-3 levels (p = 0.936, 0.201, respectively). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to determine the role of CEA and CA 15-3 levels in the prediction of metastasis, and cut-off values were 1.39 ng/ml and 14.54 U/ml, respectively. Sensitivities of CA 15-3 and CEA levels were 82.1% and 88.3%; specificities were 47.3% and 46.2%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

CEA and CA 15-3 are useful as tumor markers for early diagnosis of metastases, and their elevations were associated with unfavorable clinicopathological parameters of breast cancer patients. Since these markers are considered a cheap and accessible way of predicting breast cancer prognosis, there is an increasing interest in the prognostic value of serum levels of tumor markers in recent years. More sensitive cut-off values for each marker are needed to be validated with further studies.

Comparing the performance of CA 15-3 CSF to cytology in a cohort of patients with breast cancer leptomeningeal metastasis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) can occur as a late manifestation of breast cancer and has traditionally been diagnosed by CSF cytology; however, cytology suffers from low sensitivity and it is believed that many cases of LM go undiagnosed. Some studies have suggested the use of CA 15-3 in CSF (CA 15-3 CSF) to aid in the detection of LM. The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of CA 15-3 CSF to cytology for the detection and treatment monitoring of breast cancer LM.

METHODS

CA 15-3 CSF requests between 2014 and 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Fifty-two measurements from nine patients were from our health system and had corresponding CSF cytology measurements. Concordance between CA 15-3 CSF and CSF cytology was calculated. For patients with quantifiable CA 15-3 CSF, sequential determinations of CA 15-3 and cytology were compared over time to assess correlation of CA 15-3 CSF concentration and cytology with disease status.

RESULTS

At the time of initial testing, seven of the nine patients (78%) had positive cytology. Two samples (22%) had quantifiable CA 15-3, both of which were also positive by cytology. The positive concordance between all cytology and CA 15-3 measurements was 9% (2/22), while negative concordance was 100% (30/30). Sequential CA 15-3 and cytology measurements showed a decrease in CA 15-3 that paralleled changes observed with cytology.

CONCLUSIONS

In this cohort of patients, CA 15-3 CSF performance was neither superior nor complementary to cytology for the detection of LM, nor did the combination of CA 15-3 CSF and cytology improve performance over cytology alone.

Paradox CA 15-3 increase in metastatic breast cancer patients treated with everolimus: a change of paradigm in a case series

Everolimus and exemestane represent a standard treatment for metastatic hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative advanced breast cancer resistant to aromatase inhibitors. CA 15-3 serum levels detect soluble forms of MUC-1, a transmembrane oncoprotein aberrantly overexpressed in breast cancers. In clinical practice, CA 15-3 may be used to indicate treatment failure in the absence of readily measurable disease during cytotoxic therapy. In the targeted therapy era, it is important to note that the C-terminal subunit of MUC-1 interacts with PI3K/AKT pathway, inducting cell growth. Vice versa, the block of this pathway may influence MUC-1 expression and CA 15-3 serum levels. In this report, we emphasize the equivocal role of CA 15-3 serum levels in monitoring treatment with everolimus, suggesting a potential and intriguing role of a CA 15-3 increase as paradox predictive biomarker of response to everolimus.