Analysis of natural resistance-associated macrophage protein-1 (NRAMP-1) level based on death, comorbidities and severity of COVID-19 patients: a cross-sectional study.

An accurate diagnosis of COVID-19 is essential for pandemic control and for establishing adequate therapeutic strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality. COVID-19 infection replicates in macrophage cells and affects the immune system. Natural resistance-associated macrophage protein-1 (NRAMP-1) carries cation ions, such as Fe2+, Zn2+ and Mn2+, and plays an essential role in the immune system to infection with micro-organisms. In addition, the function of NRAMP-1 is to limit the replication of pathogens by changing the phagosomal environment. Levels of NRAMP-1 protein are based on death, comorbidities and clinical symptoms of COVID-19 patients and it is possible for the soluble protein NRAMP-1 level to be used as an additional biomarker for forensic and medicolegal related COVID-19 cases and prosecutions from patients and families. Methods: Determination of NRAMP-1 protein levels using the enzyme link-immunosorbent assay technique in death, had comorbidities and severity of clinical symptoms of COVID-19 patients. Results: Of the 62 patients who received treatment, 10 patients died with an average NRAMP-1 level of 650 ng/ml and 52 patients who survive with an average NRAMP-1 level of 1065.26 ng/ml. The results of the study also found that 34 patients had comorbidities with an average NRAMP-1 level of 838.82 ng/ml and 28 patients without comorbidities with an average NRAMP-1 level of 1191.92 ng/ml. Based on the severity of clinical symptoms in survive patients, 10 patients with mild were found with an average NRAMP-1 level of 984.31 ng/ml, with moderate in 31 patients with an average NRAMP-1 level of 1104.71 ng/ml and severe in 11 patients with an average NRAMP-1 level of 1027.71 ng/ml. Conclusions: NRAMP-1 protein levels were significantly lower in COVID-19 patients who died and had comorbidities.

The Relationship Between Expression of EpCAM Cancer Stem Cell Marker with Histopathological Grading, Lymphovascular Invasion, and Metastases in Colorectal Adenocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the expression of EpCAM in the colorectal adenocarcinoma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study used a cross-sectional design. One hundred and thirteen paraffin embedded block of Colorectal Adenocarcinoma were assessed using anti-EpCAM/Epithelial Specific Antigen (Ber-EP4) mouse monoclonal antibody and their expression were performed using Olympus CX-43 light microscope. The relationship between EpCAM expression with histopathological grade of colorectal adenocarcinoma, lymphovascular invasion and metastases ability were statistically analyzed by Chi-Square tests and presented in tables using SPSS 18. RESULTS: From 113 samples, in samples with lymphovascular invasion there were 37 samples (32.7%) with strong expression, while those with weak expression were 19 samples (16.8%). There were 39 samples with metastases and strong expression of EpCAM (34.5%), while 21 samples with weak expression (18.6%). There was a significant relationship between the expression of cancer stem cell marker EpCAM with lymphovascular invasion and colorectal adenocarcinoma metastases (p = 0.002), but there was no significant relationship with histopathological grade (p = 0.574). CONCLUSION: The EpCAM expression can be used as a prognostic factor, and can be considered as a predictive or an option for target therapy in colorectal adenocarcinoma.

CD8+ TILS Expression in Invasive Breast Carcinoma (No Special Type).

Invasive breast carcinoma (IBC) is the most cancer in women (24%) and the cause of cancer death in women worldwide. Based on data from globocan 2018 shows the incidence of breast cancer is around 2.08 million (11.6%) which is the second rank of all cancers after lung cancer with a mortality rate of 626.6 thousand (6.6%) which is also the most common cause of death in women. The basic role of the immune system in maintaining homeostasis by immunosurveillance and initiation of the inflammatory reactions that include coordination of innate and adaptive immune cells activation against tumor cells is one of the most important in the mechanism of tumor cell elimination. Prognosis of IBC were influenced by several factors, including tumor histology grade and Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs). Infiltration of lymphocytes in the tumor microenvironment/TILs through CD8+ T lymphocytes is known to be an important component of adaptive immunity that eliminates tumor cells. CD8+ T cells present tumor antigens on the surface of the major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC class I). Based on its importance in clinical application and it's role in biological concepts, this study was conducted to determine the expression of CD8+ in Invasive Breast Carcinoma of No Special Type (IBC-NST) grades 1,2 and 3. Analytical study with a cross-sectional design on IBC-NST samples from 2017 until 2020 at the Laboratory of Anatomic Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Hasanuddin University Makassar from May to August 2021. Immunoexpression data were analyzed to determine its relationship with grade. Eighty samples met the inclusion and exclusion criteria, there were 17 samples (21.3%) with grade 1, 32 samples (40%) with grade 2, and 31 samples (38.8%) with grade 3. In the high CD8+ TILs group, from a total of 27 samples, 10 samples with grade 1, 6 samples with grade 2, and as many as 11 samples with grade 3. In the low CD8+ TILs group, from a total of 53 samples, there were 7 samples with grade 1, 26 samples with grade 2, and 20 samples with grade 3. Based on the Chi-square test, p value = 0.017 (p <0.05). There is a significant difference in CD8+ TILS in Invasive Breast Carcinoma of No Special Type grade 1, grade 2 and grade 3.

Progesterone Receptor Expression and Score Differences in Determining Grade and Subtype of Meningioma.

Background Meningioma is the most common brain tumor in which therapy and monitoring depend on the histopathological grade (World Health Organization [WHO] Grade). Progesterone receptor (PR) expression was reported positive in meningothelial cells and meningiomas with various degrees of positivity. We evaluated PR expression to determine its correlation with WHO Grade and each subtype of meningioma. Materials and Methods This study used 70 samples of paraffin block that were diagnosed as meningioma and classified into WHO Grade I, II, and III. The paraffin blocks were sectioned in 5 µm thickness and immunohistochemically stained with the anti-PR antibody. Results PR expression was found positive in WHO Grade I and II groups, but negative in WHO Grade III group with the score of +2 found in clear cell and atypical subtype. These results were statistically significant with p -value < 0.05. Conclusion PR can be used as an additional marker to determine WHO Grade and subtype of meningioma.