Clinical Profiles, Laboratory Biomarkers, and Mortality in Cancer Patients with Lower Respiratory Tract Infections: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) pose a substantial health burden worldwide, especially among immunocompromised groups like cancer patients. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to explore lower respiratory tract infections in cancer patients. We followed 107 cases with clinically or radiologically suspected lower respiratory tract infections until discharge or death, comprising 65 males and 42 females across diverse age groups. Clinical evaluations, including patient history, examination, and malignancy diagnosis, were conducted. Nasopharyngeal swabs (NPSs), sputum samples, and blood samples were collected within 24 h of symptom onset. Multiplex Real-Time PCR allowed for the simultaneous detection of viral, bacterial, and fungal infections, while conventional microbiological culture methods were used for bacterial and fungal analysis. SARS-CoV-2 infection was excluded in all of the enrolled patients using real-time RT-PCR. Hematological and biochemical analyses included hemoglobin, lymphocyte, neutrophil, and platelet counts, along with ALT, AST, creatinine, and CRP levels. Significant differences were noted in clinical presentations, management outcomes, and prognostic markers among patients with different hematological malignancies. Distinct clinical profiles were identified for leukemia, lymphoma, and solid tumors, with variations in age distribution and symptom prevalence. ICU admission rates varied significantly, with solid tumor patients exhibiting higher rates. The hematological and biochemical biomarkers differed across malignancies, with notable associations between lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, and mortality following respiratory episodes. This study highlights the critical role of rapid pathogen detection and infection control measures in safeguarding vulnerable cancer patients from nosocomial transmission.

Associations Between Serum Soluble Toll-like Receptors 4 and 9 and Breast Cancer in Egyptian Patients.

BACKGROUND: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in regulation of immune cells and are vital in tumorigenesis due to its crucial role in inflammatory microenvironment regulation, as they promote the synthesis and release of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Toll-like receptors 4 and TLRs 9 were found to be highly expressed in breast cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate the soluble toll-like receptors 4 and 9 (sTLR4 and sTLR9) as potential biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer and their association with the clinicopathological parameters of breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHOD: In this retrospective case-control study, 186 female subjects were recruited and divided into three groups, Group I: 62 healthy control, Group II: 62 subjects diagnosed with non-metastatic breast cancer, and Group III: 62 subjects diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique was used to quantify the levels of sTLR4 and sTLR9 in serum. RESULTS: Both non-metastatic and metastatic groups showed significant higher levels of both serum sTLR4 and sTLR9 expression compared to healthy controls. Only sTLR9 was significantly increased among metastatic patients compared to non-metastatic group. Serum levels of sTLR9 and sTLR4 were still significantly associated with breast cancer in a multiple logistic regression model (P = <.001). ROC curves showed that both sTLR4 and sTLR9 can be a significant parameter to discriminate between normal females and breast cancer patients. CONCLUSION: Soluble toll-like receptors 4 and sTLR9 are over-expressed in patients with metastatic and non-metastatic BC than in benign cases. The expression levels of sTLR4 and TLR9 have clinical interest as indicators of tumor aggressiveness suggested to be prognostic biomarkers. Toll-like receptors may represent therapeutic targets in breast cancer.

Assessment of apheresis platelets during 5 days of storage: A National Cancer Institute, Cairo University experience.

BACKGROUND: Platelet transfusion therapy is widely used to prevent hemorrhage in patients with thrombocytopenia and platelet disorders. The platelet concentrate (PC) quality is affected by increased storage time, as reflected in the decreased number of platelets, morphological changes, and impaired functions. This study aimed to analyze the impact of 5 days storage on platelets count and the expression of CD63, and Annexin V as activation markers during PC storage. METHODS: Fifty PCs collected from single donors were tested for platelet count on days 0, 3, and 5 using a Sysmex blood counter. CD61, CD63, and Annexin V expression was analyzed by a multicolor Navios flow cytometer. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in platelet count during 5 days of storage. There was a direct relationship between storage time and degree of platelet activation. CD63 had almost double increased expression on day 5 than day 3. Annexin V showed significantly increased expression on day 3 with minor differences between days 3 and 5. CONCLUSION: According to standard blood bank conditions, PC stored for 5 days showed a degree of in vitro activation as evidenced by CD63 and Annexin V expression, may lead to reduced therapeutic efficacy. Flow cytometry monitoring platelet activation in PC offers a better understanding of the changes during PC storage and may help improve platelet products.

Frequency and specificity of Red blood cell alloantibodies in multitransfused Egyptian patients with hematological and nonhematological malignancies.

BACKGROUND: Repeated blood transfusions can result in the production of alloantibodies against one or more red blood cell (RBC) antigens, which can complicate future transfusions. AIM: This study aims to determine the frequency and specificities of RBC alloantibodies in multitransfused adult cancer patients admitted at the National Cancer Institute, Cairo University. METHODS: This cohort study enrolled 2000 multitransfused cancer patients diagnosed with different types of malignancies; they were screened for RBC alloantibodies using Serascan Diana 3 and Identisera Diana 11-cell identification panels (Diagnostic Grifols, Spain). RESULTS: Of the 2000 patients tested, 25 had autoantibodies and were excluded from the study. Of the remaining 1975 patients, 181 patients had a total of 267 different alloantibodies (9.16%), with some having more than 1 antibody detected. Our study showed that more female patients (63%) than male patients (37%) had acquired RBC alloantibodies, and a higher prevalence of alloantibodies in patients with nonhematological malignancies (14%) compared with those with hematological malignancies (6.5%). The highest percentage of alloantibodies belongs to the Rh blood group system, followed by the Kell system, then Duffy, MNS, Kidd, and Lewis. Patients who received combined chemotherapy and immunotherapy exhibited a lesser antibody response compared to other patients. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of alloimmunization in our study is comparable to previous reports on oncology patients. Repeated blood transfusions, which can lead to alloimmunization, often complicate future transfusions. Therefore, we recommend extending phenotype matching for patients who are presumed to depend on blood transfusions in the long term.

Green synthesis of spongy Nano-ZnO productive of hydroxyl radicals for unconventional solar-driven photocatalytic remediation of antibiotic enriched wastewater.

Herein, novel green/facile approach to synthesize spongy defective zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) is presented using for the first time pomegranate seeds molasses as a green capping fuel/reducing mediator during an aqueous solution combustion process. The developed ZnONPs is characterized by UV-Vis. Spectrophotometry and fluorimetry, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, SEM, TEM and BET. Interestingly, pomegranate seeds molasses within a viable content of bio-capping molecules reveal a defective nanoporous ZnO NPs of smaller particle size, greater pore size/volume, and higher surface area compared to the bulky non-biogenic ZnONPs. Moreover, the biosynthesized defective ZnONPs showed narrowed band gap and higher absorption of visible photons that breed higher density of hydroxyl radicals (•OH) under Solar-illumination. Even further, the bulk ZnO and the biosynthesized ZnO photocatalysts were examined in photodegrading flumequine (FL) antibiotic. The bulk ZnO gives 41.46% photodegradation efficiency compared to 97.6% for the biosynthesized ZnO. In highly acidic or highly alkaline media, FL photodegradability is greatly retarded. Scavenging experiment infers considerable contribution of holes over electrons in photodegradation reaction. The biosynthesized ZnO shows high durability in FL photodegradation after four reusing cycles. These promising findings highlight new insights for biogenic synthesis of tuned size/controlled morphology semiconductor NPs relevant to environmental remediation applications.

Prognostic Impact of WT-1 and Survivin Gene Expression in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients.

BACKGROUND: Wilms Tumor 1 (WT1) and Survivin genes are important leukemia-associated antigens (LAAs) in AML with potential prognostic impact. METHODS: We investigated WT1 and Survivin expression levels by RT-PCR in 61 AML patients in correlation with clinical characteristics and outcomes. RESULTS: WT1 was overexpressed in 45 patients (73.8%), associated with higher BM blasts (p = 0.017), lower incidence of favorable-prognosis cytogenetics (p = 0.035), and higher incidence of Flt3-ITD mutations (p = 0.026). Survivin was overexpressed in 17 patients (27.9%) with higher mean WBC count (p = 0.049). Patients with overexpression of either gene showed inferior complete remission (CR) rates and survival rates, patients with overexpression of both genes showed higher mean WBCs (p = 0.035) and higher BM blasts (p = 0.029) while the double negative group showed higher incidence of favorable cytogenetic events (p = 0.021), better CR rates and survival rates. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the introduced prognostic impact of WT1 and Survivin genes in AML patients and its potential use in MRD monitoring and immunotherapy.

Screening of human bocavirus in surgically excised cancer specimens.

Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a prevalent virus worldwide and is mainly associated with respiratory disorders. Recently, it was detected in several disease conditions, including cancers. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third main cause of cancers worldwide. Risk factors that initiate cell transformation include nutritional, hereditary and infectious causes. The aim of the current study was to screen for the presence of HBoV in solid tumors of colorectal cancer and to determine the genotypes of the detected strains. Surgically excised and paraffin-embedded colorectal cancer tissue specimens from 101 male and female patients with and without metastasis were collected over the last four years. Pathological analysis and tumor stages were determined. The presence of HBoV was screened by polymerase chain reaction, and the genotype of the detected HBoV was determined by direct gene sequencing. Most of the examined specimens were adenocarcinoma with mucinous activity in many of them. Twenty-four out of 101 (23.8 %) CRC tissue specimens were found to contain HBoV-1. Low sequence diversity was recorded in the detected strains. The virus was detected in both male and female patients with an age range of 30-75 years. It is proposed that HBoV-1 could play a potential role in the induction of CRC.

Evaluation of serum PIVKA-II and MIF as diagnostic markers for HCV/HBV induced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Viral hepatitis is the most significant predisposing factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Liver cancer grows silently with mild or no symptoms until the disease is advanced and with little hope of cure. Early recognition of the onset of HCC would help to select more effective therapies for patients leading to a better prognosis and life span. The current study aims to evaluate two diagnostic and prognostic markers - Prothrombin induced by vitamin K absence-II (PIVKA-II) and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in the serum of patients with HCC and those with a high risk of developing hepatic cancers. Serum samples from hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatitis C and normal subjects were subjected to quantitative determinations of different parameters including alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), PIVKA-II and MIF. Significant differences between the various groups were recorded. PIVKA-II and AFP showed a higher specificity and sensitivity compared to MIF, and there was considerable correlation between AFP and both PIVKA and MIF. It is concluded that analysis of PIVKA-II and AFP can serve as useful non-invasive markers for the early detection of HCC with good sensitivity and specificity.

P selectin and T cell profiles provide verification to understand the pathogenesis of liver cirrhosis in HCV and Schistosoma mansoni infections.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and Schistosoma mansoni are two major causes of chronic liver disease (CLD). Both immune alteration and thrombocytopenia are common complications in the majority of cirrhotic patients. The current study aimed to monitor the effect of T cell profile and platelets activation on the pathogenesis of liver cirrhosis in patients suffered from single or concomitant schistosomiasis and HCV infections. The subjects were divided into 4 groups: Group I, patients infected with schistosomiasis; Group II, patients infected with HCV; Group III, patients with combined liver diseases and Group IV: healthy individuals. All groups were subjected to full clinical evaluation as well as laboratory examination including ELISA anti-HCV antibodies screening, parasitological examination, and complete blood picture as well as flow cytometry for CD41, CD42, CD62P (P selectin), CD63, CD4 and CD8. The platelets count was significantly decreased in HCV and/or schistosoma infected patients compared to controls. The percentage of the total T-lymphocytes and T-helper was significantly reduced in all infected groups, while the percentage of T-cytotoxic was increased. The patients possessed a significantly higher percentage of the platelets activation markers than control group. There were considerable correlations between the platelets counts and P selectin and MFI. Thrombocytopenia was a common finding in patients with CLD. Patients with CLD showed increased platelets activation which may contribute to the occurrence of thrombocytopenia and play a role in the pathogenesis of CLD. Infected patient showed reduction in the cell-mediated-immunity as evidenced by low T -helper cells.

P selectins and immunological profiles in HCV and Schistosoma mansoni induced chronic liver disease.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and Schistosoma mansoni are major causes of chronic liver disease (CLD) in which immune alteration is common. Recent studies suggested that certain platelets and lymphocytes activation markers may have an impact on progression of CLD. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of platelets and lymphocytes activation molecules expression on the pathogenesis of CLD in distinct or concomitant chronic HCV and schistosomiasis mansoni infections. METHODS: The study populations were divided into group-I: patients with chronic schistosomiasis mansoni, group-II: HCV patients without cirrhosis, group-III: patients with combined liver diseases without cirrhosis, group-IV: patients with chronic HCV and liver cirrhosis and group-V: Age and sex matched healthy individuals as normal controls. All groups were subjected to full clinical evaluation, ELISA anti-HCV antibodies screening, parasitological examination for diagnosing S. mansoni and flow cytometry for lymphocyte (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19, CD22, & CD56) and platelets activation (CD41, CD42 & CD62P (P- selectins)) markers. RESULTS: The platelet count was significantly decreased in HCV and/or S. mansoni patients. The total T-lymphocytes and T-helper cells were significantly reduced, while T-cytotoxics were increased. The patients possessed a significantly higher platelets activation marker; CD62P (P-selectins) and higher mean fluorescent intensity (MFI) positivity. There were considerable correlations between platelets count and both of CD62P and MFI. CONCLUSION: Our Findings suggest an increased expression of certain platelets and lymphocytes activation markers in chronic HCV and S. mansoni induced CLD that may have a role in disease progression.

Evaluation of Interleukin-17 A Levels in Patients with Breast Carcinoma.

Breast cancer is a highly common form of cancer that impacts a considerable proportion of women on a global scale. Interleukin 17A (IL-17A) is a cytokine that has both anti-tumor and pro-tumor effects, which can vary depending on the specific tumor microenvironment. The aim of this study was to determine whether IL-17A can be used as a biomarker for diagnosis of breast cancer. Therefore, we compared concentrations of serum IL-17A in patients suffering from breast carcinoma and normal control women by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). This study included 86 women, 44 patients that were diagnosed with breast carcinoma, and 42 normal control women. Serum IL-17A levels in both case and control groups were measured by sandwich ELISA kits. The IL-17A serum level was significantly higher among patients with breast carcinoma than in the control group (p <0.001). The serum IL-17A concentration was significantly higher in estrogen receptor-positive cases than in estrogen receptor-negative cases (p=0.033). The highest levels of IL-17A were detected in patients with stage 2 breast carcinoma rather than stage 3 with no significant correlation. There was no correlation between IL-17A level and tumor size, lymph node invasion, or metastasis in patients with breast cancer. In conclusion, a high level of IL-17A in breast carcinoma patients compared to the control group was detected in our study. It indicates that IL-17A could be a promising biomarker for diagnosis of breast cancer and may play a role in tumor development. High levels of IL-17A were not a predictor of poor prognosis in breast cancer patients as it was not related to tumor size, lymph node invasion, or metastasis.

Bone marrow microRNA-34a is a good indicator for response to treatment in acute myeloid leukemia.

Background: microRNA-34a (miR-34a) had been reported to have a diagnostic role in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, its value in the bone marrow (BM) of AML patients, in addition to its role in response to therapy is still unclear. The current study was designed to assess the diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive significance of miR-34a in the BM of AML patients. Methods: The miR-34a was assessed in BM aspirate of 82 AML patients in relation to 12 normal control subjects using qRT-PCR. The data were assessed for correlation with the relevant clinical criteria, response to therapy, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) rates. Results: miR-34a was significantly downregulated in AML patients [0.005 (3.3 × 10-6-1.32)], compared to the control subjects [0.108 (3.2 × 10-4-1.64), p = 0.021]. The median relative quantification (RQ) of miR-34a was 0.106 (range; 0-32.12). The specificity, sensitivity, and area under the curve (AUC) for the diagnosis of AML were (58.3%, 69.5%, 0.707, respectively, p = 0.021). patients with upregulated miR-34a showed decreased platelets count <34.5 × 109/L, and achieved early complete remission (CR, p = 0.031, p = 0.044, respectively). Similarly, patients who were refractory to therapy showed decreased miR-34a levels in comparison to those who achieved CR [0.002 (0-0.01) and 0.12 (0-32.12), respectively, p = 0.002]. Therefore, miR-34a could significantly identify patients with CR with a specificity of 75% and sensitivity of 100% at a cut-off of 0.014 (AUC = 0.927, p = 0.005). There was no considerable association between miR-34a expression and survival rates of the included AML patients. Conclusion: miR-34a could be a beneficial diagnostic biomarker for AML patients. In addition, it serves as a good indicator for response to therapy, which could possibly identify patients who are refractory to treatment with 100% sensitivity and 75% specificity.

Evaluation of MMP-13 and Micro RNA-138 as prognostic biomarkers for breast cancer in Egyptian women patients.

BACKGROUND: Elevated serum levels of MMP-13 are linked to tumor growth and metastasis, while miR-138 dysregulation is observed in breast cancer cases. The aim of this study is to investigate the expression of miR-138 and MMP-13 levels as potential biomarkers for the prognosis of breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHOD: In this retrospective case-control study, 119 female subjects were recruited and divided into three groups. MMP-13 level was measured using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), while real-time PCR technique was employed to quantify miR-138 expression. RESULTS: Both non-metastatic and metastatic groups showed significantly higher levels of serum MMP-13 compared to other groups. MMP-13 levels are significantly increased among patients with advanced tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and triple-negative breast cancer cases. An inverse significant association between MMP-13 levels and response to treatment was observed. Expression of miR-138 underwent a significant down-regulation in breast cancer patients, and a statistically significant association was established between miR-138 expression and triple-negative breast cancer cases. A positive association was detected between the increase in miR-138 expression and the good response to treatment. The expression of miR-138 was inversely correlated with the MMP-13 levels. CONCLUSION: MMP-13 levels were significantly higher in breast cancer, especially in advanced cases, suggesting its role in promoting tumor invasion and metastasis. MiR-138 was down-regulated in breast cancer, especially in triple-negative breast cancer patients, rendering it a promising biomarker for triple-negative breast cancer. Modulation of miR-138 expression and MMP-13 levels may represent therapeutic targets for breast cancer.

Identification of Lower Respiratory Tract Pathogens in Cancer Patients: Insights into Fatal Outcomes.

This study aimed to investigate LRTIs in cancer patients, focusing on pathogen distribution, and outcomes based on tumor types and antimicrobial treatments. The study included 110 cancer patients exhibiting symptoms of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs), consisting of 67 males and 43 females across a wide age range from under 1 year to over 60 years old. Exclusion of SARS-CoV-2 infection was conducted before admission. In addition to classical microbiological methods, fast-track detection using Multiplex Real-Time PCR was employed, utilizing the FTD-33 test kit. The findings revealed a diverse landscape of infections, notably Klebsiella pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Staphylococcus aureus. Parainfluenza 3 and 4 viruses, rhinovirus, influenza A subtype H1N1pdm09, influenza B and C viruses, HCoV-229, HCoV-OC43, and HCoV-HKU1 were infrequently detected. Furthermore, the existence of mixed infection highlighted the complexity of disease conditions in cancer patients. An analysis of antimicrobial treatment highlighted significant variations in fatal outcomes for carbapenem and colistimethate sodium. It was concluded that mixed infections were commonly identified as potential causes of LRTIs among cancer patients, while viral infections were less frequently detected. It underscores the complexity of antimicrobial treatment outcomes.

Dysregulation of miR-122, miR-574 and miR-375 in Egyptian patients with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: The early detection of breast cancer (BC) is receiving global attention, creating an urgent need for more sensitive and comprehensive strategies for preventive intervention, therapy assessment, and prognosis prediction. Aberrant expression of miRNAs has been observed in various malignancies and may be potential targets for therapy. Our study aims to examine the expression profiles of miR-375, miR-574-3p, and miR-122 in the sera of Egyptian women with BC, benign breast lesions, and a control group. We hope to determine if these miRNAs can serve as minimally invasive biomarkers for BC. METHODS: This is a case-control study in which 77 patients with newly diagnosed BC, 20 patients with benign breast tumors, and 30 normal healthy subjects as controls were recruited from the outpatient clinic of the National Cancer Institute. The assessment of miRNAs was conducted using RT-PCR (Applied Biosystems). RESULTS: The expression level of miRNA-122 was significantly upregulated in the BC group, while the expression levels of miRNA-574 and miRNA-375 showed significant downregulation in BC patients. Serum miR-122 and miRNA-375 were able to distinguish breast cancer from the benign and control groups in ROC curve analysis, with AUCs of 0.786 and 0.796, respectively. Our results also showed that serum miR-122 and miR-574 are significant predictor variables in the multivariate analysis, after adjusting for age. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that miR-122 may act as an onco-microRNA, while miR-574 and miR-375 may have a main tumour suppressor role. The studied miRNAs may serve as minimally invasive biomarkers for cases of breast cancer and as promising potential therapeutic targets for breast cancer.

CYP2C8 rs11572080 and CYP3A4 rs2740574 risk genotypes in paclitaxel-treated premenopausal breast cancer patients.

Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent malignancy in women globally. At time of diagnosis, premenopausal BC is considered more aggressive and harder to treat than postmenopausal cases. Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes are responsible for phase I of estrogen metabolism and thus, they are prominently involved in the pathogenesis of BC. Moreover, CYP subfamily 2C and 3A play a pivotal role in the metabolism of taxane anticancer agents. To understand genetic risk factors that may have a role in pre-menopausal BC we studied the genotypic variants of CYP2C8, rs11572080 and CYP3A4, rs2740574 in female BC patients on taxane-based therapy and their association with menopausal status. Our study comprised 105 female patients with histologically proven BC on paclitaxel-therapy. They were stratified into pre-menopausal (n = 52, 49.5%) and post-menopausal (n = 53, 50.5%) groups. Genotyping was done using TaqMan assays and employed on Quantstudio 12 K flex real-time platform. Significant increased frequencies of rs11572080 heterozygous CT genotype and variant T allele were established in pre-menopausal group compared to post-menopausal group (p = 0.023, 0.01, respectively). Moreover, logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between rs11572080 CT genotype and premenopausal BC. However, regarding rs2740574, no significant differences in genotypes and allele frequencies between both groups were detected. We reported a significant association between CYP2C8 genotypic variants and premenopausal BC risk in Egyptian females. Further studies on larger sample sizes are still needed to evaluate its importance in early prediction of BC in young women and its effect on treatment outcome.

Mesoscopic Analysis of Rounded and Hybrid Aggregates in Recycled Rubber Concrete.

Recycled rubber concrete (RRC), a sustainable building material, provides a solution to the environmental issues posed by rubber waste. This research introduces a sophisticated hybrid random aggregate model for RRC. The model is established by combining convex polygon aggregates and rounded rubber co-casting schemes with supplemental tools developed in MATLAB and Fortran for processing. Numerical analyses, based on the base force element method (BFEM) of the complementary energy principle, are performed on RRC's uniaxial tensile and compressive behaviors using the proposed aggregate models. This study identified the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) around the rubber as RRC's weakest area. Here, cracks originate and progress to the aggregate, leading to widespread cracking. Primary cracks form perpendicular to the load under tension, whereas bifurcated cracks result from compression, echoing conventional concrete's failure mechanisms. Additionally, the hybrid aggregate model outperformed the rounded aggregate model, exhibiting closer peak strengths and more accurate aggregate shapes. The method's validity is supported by experimental findings, resulting In detailed stress-strain curves and damage contour diagrams.

DDX43 mRNA expression and protein levels in relation to clinicopathological profile of breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) is the most often diagnosed cancer in women globally. Cancer cells appear to rely heavily on RNA helicases. DDX43 is one of DEAD- box RNA helicase family members. But, the relationship between clinicopathological, prognostic significance in different BC subtypes and DDX43 expression remains unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the clinicopathological significance of DDX43 protein and mRNA expression in different BC subtypes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 80 females newly diagnosed with BC and 20 control females that were age-matched were recruited for this study. DDX43 protein levels were measured by ELISA technique. We used a real-time polymerase chain reaction quantification (real-time PCR) to measure the levels of DDX43 mRNA expression. Levels of DDX43 protein and mRNA expression within BC patients had been compared to those of control subjects and correlated with clinicopathological data. RESULTS: The mean normalized serum levels of DDX43 protein were slightly higher in control than in both benign and malignant groups, but this result was non-significant. The mean normalized level of DDX43 mRNA expression was higher in the control than in both benign and malignant cases, although the results were not statistically significant and marginally significant, respectively. Moreover, the mean normalized level of DDX43 mRNA expression was significantly higher in benign than in malignant cases. In malignant cases, low DDX43 protein expression was linked to higher nuclear grade and invasive duct carcinoma (IDC), whereas high mRNA expression was linked to the aggressive types of breast cancer such as TNBC, higher tumor and nuclear grades. CONCLUSION: This study explored the potential of using blood DDX43 mRNA expression or protein levels, or both in clinical settings as a marker of disease progression in human breast cancer. DDX43 mRNA expression proposes a less invasive method for discriminating benign from malignant BC.

The diagnostic significance of circulating miRNAs and metabolite profiling in early prediction of breast cancer in Egyptian women.

OBJECTIVE: Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed solid malignancies in women worldwide. PURPOSE: Finding new non-invasive circulating diagnostic biomarkers will facilitate the early prediction of BC and provide valuable insight into disease progression and response to therapy using a safe and more accessible approach available every inspection time. Therefore, our present study aimed to investigate expression patterns of potentially circulating biomarkers that can differentiate well between benign, malignant, and healthy subjects. METHODS: To achieve our target, quantitative analyses were performed for some circulating biomarkers which have a role in the proliferation and tumor growth, as well as, glutamic acid, and human epidermal growth receptor 2 (HER2) in blood samples of BC patients in comparison to healthy controls using qRT-PCR, liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS), and ELISA. RESULTS: Our findings showed that the two miRNAs (miRNA-145, miRNA-382) were expressed at lower levels in BC sera than healthy control group, while miRNA-21 was expressed at higher levels in BC patients than control subjects. Area under ROC curves of BC samples revealed that AUC of miRNA-145, miRNA-382, miRNA-21, and glutamic acid was evaluated to equal 0.99, 1.00, 1.00 and 1.00, respectively. Besides, there was a significantly positive correlation between miRNA-145 and miRNA-382 (r = 0.737), and a highly significant positive correlation between miRNA-21 and glutamic acid (r = 0.385). CONCLUSION: Based on our results, we conclude that the detection of serum miRNA-145, -382 and -21 as a panel along with glutamic acid, and circulating HER2 concentrations could be useful as a non-invasive diagnostic profiling for early prediction of breast cancer in Egyptian patients. It can provide an insight into disease progression, discriminate between malignancy and healthy control, and overcome the use limitations (low sensitivity and specificity, repeated risky exposure, and high cost) of other detecting tools, including mammography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound.

The impact of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections in patients with Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of HCV and occult HBV among newly diagnosed pre-treatment Egyptian lymphoma patients and evaluate patients' outcomes based on the presence of the viral infections. METHODS: The study included 80 therapy-naïve lymphoma patients including 71 non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and 9 Hodgkin lymphoma disease (HD) in addition to 100 healthy volunteers. HBV screening using HBsAg and anti-HBc IgM and HCV using AB/Ag ELISA and real-time RT-PCR were screened in tested and control groups. The diagnosis was confirmed by histopathology. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were conducted to diseased patients. RESULTS: Healthy patients showed 4/100, (4%) active HCV infection and 1/100, (1%) active HBV infection and no occult HBV infection. Among NHL patients, 28 were positive for HBV (6 active and 22 occult HBV infection). Occult HBV was also detected in 5/9 HD patients. HCV was detected in (30/71, 42.3%) of NHL patients and in a single HD patient. Ten occult HBV NHL patients showed a mixed infection with HCV. The incidence of both HCV and HBV are higher in NHL than HL patients. After antitumor treatment, complete remission for lymphoma was achieved in 45% of patients. Both overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were correlated and significantly associated with patients' LDH levels. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings claim the suggestive role of HCV and occult HBV infections in NHL but not HL patients in comparison to healthy control, suggesting pre-screening of related factors including occult HBV in for potential better therapy response.