Evaluation of expression profiles of microRNAs and two target genes, FOXO3a and RUNX2, effectively supports diagnostics and therapy predictions in breast cancer.

Breast cancer (BC) including its progression into bone metastasis is a complex process involving changes in gene expression and function of both, microRNAs (miRNAs) and their target genes. Deregulation of miRNAs has been described as a crucial factor responsible for the initiation and progression of BC, and specific miRNA expression profiles have been found to be associated with particular disease states, histological tumor types, and BRCA1/2 or HER status. BRCA1 tumor suppressor is involved in DNA damage response and repair and epigenetically controls miR-155 expression and its pre-cancerous potential. MiR-155 targets 3´UTR region of multiple components of the pro-oncogenic signaling cascades, including FOXO3a tumor suppressor and RUNX2 transcription factor regulating metastatic potential in BC. We employed qRT-PCR to determine expression level and examine possible regulatory role of selected miRNAs (miR-17, miR-18a, miR-19a, miR-20a, miR-21, miR-27a and miR-155) and their impact on expression modulation of FOXO3a and RUNX2 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in healthy individuals, in women carrying BRCA1 mutations with no disease manifestation, in women carrying BRCA1 mutations after tumor resection and therapy and in women with BC of unknown BRCA1 status in acute stage before tumor resection. Our results showed significant increase of miR-17, miR-19a, miR-21, miR-27, miR-155 and RUNX2 expression in PBMCs in BRCA1 patients and patients in acute stage, while FOXO3a expression was significantly decreased in these patients. MiR-18a and miR-20a expression was not affected. We propose that expressional changes reported in this study could provide significant additive information for early BC diagnosis, disease development prediction and therapy outcome monitoring.

The 2001 serological survey in the Czech Republic--measles.

In total, 3,013 sera from a representative population sample of the Czech Republic aged from 1 to 64 years were tested according to the requirements of the ESEN 2 project using a commercial kit Measles IgG (II) EIA manufactured by Denka Seiken, Japan. The highest seropositivity rate and GMT values were found in the population group aged over 35 years coming into natural contact with the causative agent. Among the vaccinee population, the best outcomes were achieved in 2-9-year-olds (seropositivity rate: 94-100%, GMT: 2500-4000 EIA) and 10-14-year-olds (seropositivity rate: 93-97.1%, GMT almost 2000 EIA). The lowest seropositivity rate was found in the age group 20 to 24 years, more precisely in the 20-year-olds (78.4%), vaccinated with only one dose before the end of the first year of life. The seropositivity rates and GMT values vary with the vaccination strategies adopted in different years. The morbidity trend is supportive of the appropriateness of the vaccination strategy selected.

The 2001 serological survey in the Czech Republic--rubella.

In total, 3,009 sera from a representative population sample of the Czech Republic, 1508 females and 1,501 males, were tested by EIA using a commercial kit ETI-RUBEK-G Plus manufactured by Dia Sorin, Italy. The vaccination strategy was as follows: vaccination of 12-year-old girls since 1982 and all 2-year-olds vaccinated since 1986. Currently, all women under 31 years of age and all men under 17 years of age have been vaccinated. The results of the serological survey confirmed lower seropositivity rates in young men compared to vaccinated women of the same age as expected. An epidemic outbreak of rubeola among young men is another evidence of that The seropositivity rate of 2- 9-year-old vaccinee children reaches almost 95%. The long-term morbidity trend in the Czech Republic is downward sloping, with a marked differentiation between the male and female populations.

The 2001 serological survey in the Czech Republic--mumps.

In total, 3,010 sera from a representative population sample of the Czech Republic aged from 1 to 64 years were tested according to the requirements of the ESEN 2 project using a commercial kit Mumps IgG (II) EIA manufactured by Denka Seiken, Japan. To date, the regular programme of vaccination against mumps has covered the population of children under 15 years of age. The vaccination coverage achieved (97-100%) does not correspond to the antibody prevalence rates of 70.2 to 86.4% as found. After implementation of regular vaccination in 1987, the morbidity rates have fallen dramatically. Nevertheless, the collective immunity achieved is not sufficient to prevent epidemics of mumps.