Int J Med Sci
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Protein deglycase DJ-1 (Parkinson disease protein 7) is a 20 kDa protein encoded by PARK7 gene. It is also known as a redox-sensitive chaperone and sensor that protect cells against oxidative stress-induced cell death in many human diseases. Though increasing evidence implicates that DJ-1 may also participate in ocular diseases, the overview of DJ-1 in ocular diseases remains elusive. In this review, we discuss the role as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms of DJ-1 in ocular diseases, including Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD), age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts, and ocular neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting that DJ-1 may serve as a very striking therapeutic target for ocular diseases.
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Background: Keratinocytes are the predominant cell type in a cholesteatoma, and microRNA (miR)-203a has been shown to be essential for the growth and differentiation of keratinocytes. The regulatory mechanisms of miR-203a and Bmi1-the predicted target of miR-203a that is associated with cholesteatoma-have not been clarified. Methods: Real-time PCR and western blot were carried out for the detection of miRNAs, mRNAs, and proteins, including miR-203a, Bmi1, and phosphorylated (p-)Akt. ⋯ Suppression of Bmi1 reduced p-Akt expression in HaCaT cells; subsequent inhibition of miR-203a reversed this phenomenon. Conclusions: Our results reveal that miR-203a may regulate cholesteatoma growth and proliferation by targeting Bmi1. These findings provide insight for the development of novel nonsurgical options for cholesteatoma.
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Background: Diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) remains a challenge, especially when resources in pathology are limited. The study aimed to evaluate cost-effective tumor markers to predict the probability of MPM in plasma samples in order to accelerate the diagnostic workup of the tissue of potential cases. Methods: We conducted a case-control study stratified by gender, which included 75 incident cases with MPM from three Mexican hospitals and 240 controls frequency-matched by age and year of blood drawing. ⋯ The corresponding figures for calretinin were 0.81 and 0.18, and for both markers combined 0.84 and 0.11, respectively. Conclusions: We developed prediction models based on plasma concentrations of mesothelin and calretinin to estimate the probability of an MPM diagnosis. Both markers showed a good performance and could be used to accelerate the diagnostic workup of tissue samples in Mexico.
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This study aimed to explore the involvement of carbonic anhydrase 9 (CA9) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the development of invasive cancer of uterine cervix for Taiwanese women. Ninety-seven patients with cervical invasive squamous cell carcinoma and 88 with preinvasive squamous cell lesions as well as 324 control women were recruited. Two CA9 SNPs in exons, including rs2071676 (+201, G/A) in exon 1 and rs3829078 (+1081, A/G) in exon 7, rs1048638 (+1584, C/A) in 3'-untranslated region of exon 11, as well as an 18-base pair deletion/insertion (376deltion393) in exon 1 were selected and their genotypic distributions were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. ⋯ AA in SNP rs2071676 tended to increase the risk of developing cervical invasive cancer, using GG/GA as a reference. When women had the diplotypes, carrying at least one haplotype A1AA (one mutant allele A in rs2071676, no deletion in 376del393, no mutant allele A in rs3829078 and one mutant allele A in rs1048638), they were significantly susceptible to cervical invasive cancer. In conclusion, CA9 SNP rs1048638 and haplotype A1AA are associated with the susceptibility of cervical invasive squamous cell carcinoma for Taiwanese women.
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Aim: The study investigated the extent to which tobacco smoke exposure causes changes in lipids biochemistry through measurement blood concentrations of: paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activities as lipid-bound enzyme into cell membrane, concentration of malonyldialdehyde (MDA), protein adducts of 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE-adducts), oxidized low density lipoproteins (oxLDL), total cholesterol (CH) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL). Additionally, the activity of P isoform of glutathione S-transferase (GST-π) was measured. Methods: Investigations were performed in the blood of patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) on the 1st, 3rd and 7th day of hospitalization and in healthy volunteers. ⋯ Conclusions: GST-π and PON-1 phosphotriesterase activities seem to be a sensitive marker of pro/antioxidative imbalance in smokers. Lipids peroxidation products generated during AP can intensify preexisting inflammation. Increasing stay in the hospital was associated with worsening of lipids peroxidation markers and the parameters of lipid profile, in both non-smoking and smoking AP patients, what can indicate that the oxidative-inflammatory process are not extinguished.