Screening Wetland and Forage Plants for Phytoremediation of Salt-Affected Soils in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta.

This study evaluated the salt tolerance and sodium (Na) bioaccumulation of Typha orientalis, Lepironia articulata, Eleocharis dulcis, Scirpus littoralis, Brachiaria mutica, Paspalum atratum and Setaria sphacelata at five salinity levels of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20‰ (corresponding to 0, 2.4, 6.9, 12.6 and 18 g NaCl L-1). S. littoralis showed zero-reduction in total dry biomass and was classified as a salt tolerant plant based on the membership function value. The highest Na+ accumulation was observed in S. sphacelata (307.9 mg plant-1) in spite of its salt sensitivity, followed by S. littoralis and T. orientalis at concentration of 155 mg plant-1. Consequently, the Na+ phytoextraction potential of these species can be estimated as 46.2, 23.3 and 23.3 kg ha-1 over 49 days, respectively. Taken together, they show high potential as Na+ hyperaccumulators, and can be selected in the national reclamation program for salt-affected soils in the context adaptation to climate change.

Impact of the menstrual cycle on commercial prognostic gene signatures in oestrogen receptor-positive primary breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Changes occur in the expression of oestrogen-regulated and proliferation-associated genes in oestrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast tumours during the menstrual cycle. We investigated if Oncotype® DX recurrence score (RS), Prosigna® (ROR) and EndoPredict® (EP/EPclin) prognostic tests, which include some of these genes, vary according to the time in the menstrual cycle when they are measured. METHODS: Pairs of test scores were derived from 30 ER-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-negative tumours sampled at two different points of the menstrual cycle. Menstrual cycle windows were prospectively defined as either W1 (days 1-6 and 27-35; low oestrogen and low progesterone) or W2 (days 7-26; high oestrogen and high or low progesterone). RESULTS: The invasion module score of RS was lower (- 10.9%; p = 0.098), whereas the ER (+ 16.6%; p = 0.046) and proliferation (+ 7.3%; p = 0.13) module scores were higher in W2. PGR expression was significantly increased in W2 (+ 81.4%; p = 0.0029). Despite this, mean scores were not significantly different between W1 and W2 for any of the tests and the two measurements showed high correlation (r = 0.72-0.93). However, variability between the two measurements led to tumours being assigned to different risk categories in the following proportion of cases: RS 22.7%, ROR 27.3%, EP 13.6% and EPclin 13.6%. CONCLUSION: There are significant changes during the menstrual cycle in the expression of some of the genes and gene module scores comprising the RS, ROR and EP/EPclin scores. These did not affect any of the prognostic scores in a systematic fashion, but there was substantial variability in paired measurements.

A Novel BRCA1 Gene Mutation Detected With Breast Cancer in a Vietnamese Family by Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing: A Case Report.

Hereditary breast cancer is an inherited genetic condition, mainly caused by BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations. These genetic changes can increase the risks of breast and ovarian cancers in women, while prostate and breast cancers in men. Especially, mutations in either BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes take important roles in early-onset breast cancer. The present study focused on a 47-year-old Vietnamese woman with breast cancer by applying targeted next-generation sequencing technique. A novel BRCA1 gene mutation, namely NM_007294.3 (BRCA1): c.4998insA (p. Tyr1666Terfs), was identified both in this patient and in some of the members in her family proved the fact that the mutated genes passed down through generations. This change may exponentially initiate breast cancer risks and become a valuable marker for exact clinical prognosis and treatment.

Molecular changes in premenopausal oestrogen receptor-positive primary breast cancer in Vietnamese women after oophorectomy.

For premenopausal women with primary ER + breast cancer, oophorectomy (OvX) is an evidence-based cost-effective option and is standard treatment in many countries. However, there is virtually no data describing the effects of OvX on breast tumour biology. We therefore, characterised the endocrine and genome-wide transcriptional impact of OvX in 56 premenopausal women with ER + breast cancer for 2 weeks prior to mastectomy. Plasma estradiol concentrations decreased from 406 ± 41 to 20.7 ± 2.6 pmol/l (mean ± sem) 24 h after OvX, and to 8.1 ± 0.8 pmol/l 2 weeks later at mastectomy. Ki67 decreased in 33/36 (91.7%) tumours. The expression of 655 genes changed significantly (FDR < 1%) with an absolute mean fold-change (FC) ≥ 1.25 (257 up, 398 down). Archetypal oestrogen-regulated genes (TFF1, GREB1, PGR and PDZK1) showed large decreases in expression (FC = 0.20-0.69; p < 1e-6-1e-7). Proliferation-associated genes (e.g. TOP2A, AURKA and UBE2C) were also strongly downregulated (FC = 0.38-0.56; p < 1e-7) along with putative progesterone-regulated genes (e.g. FKBP4, MYB; FC = 0.64-0.68; p < 1e-4-1e-7). The gene expression changes did not differ according to HER2 status and correlated strongly with the changes reported previously after aromatase inhibitor (AI) treatment in postmenopausal women (rho = 0.55, p < 1e-04). However, after OvX the mean FC was significantly higher compared to AI (p < 1e-04). In conclusion, changes in tumoural gene expression after OvX were largely similar, but of a greater magnitude to those observed after AI in postmenopausal patients; however, OvX appeared to have a greater effect on progesterone-regulated genes than AI.