The effect of Fas/FasL pathway blocking on apoptosis and stemness within breast cancer tumor microenvironment (preclinical study).

Evasion of the immune system is the tumor's key strategy for its maintenance and progression. Thus, targeting the tumor microenvironment (TME) is considered one of the most promising approaches for fighting cancer, where immune cells within the TME play a vital role in immune surveillance and cancer elimination.FasL is one of the most important death ligands expressed by tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and plays a vital role in eliminating Fas-expressing cancer cells via Fas/FasL pathway-induced apoptosis. However, tumor cells can express elevated levels of FasL inducing apoptosis to TILs. Fas/FasL expression is linked to the maintenance of cancer stem cells (CSCs) within the TME, contributing to tumor aggressiveness, metastasis, recurrence, and chemoresistance.This study is considered the first study designed to block the overexpressed FasL on the tumor cells within TME mimicking tissue culture system using rFas molecules and supplementing the Fas enriched tissue culture system with blocked Fas - peripheral blood mononuclear cells PBMCs (using anti-Fas mAb) to protect them from tumor counterattack and augment their ability to induce tumor cell apoptosis and stemness inhibition.A significantly increased level of apoptosis and decreased expression of CD 44 (CSCs marker) was observed within the east tumor tissue culture system enriched with Fas molecules and anti-Fas treated PBMCs and the one enriched with Fas molecules only compared to the breast tumor tissues cultured alone (p < 0.001). Accordingly, we can consider the current study as a promising proposed immunotherapeutic strategy for breast cancer.

NY-BR-1 Antigen Expression and anti-NY-BR-1 IgG in Egyptian Breast Cancer Patients: Clinicopathological and Prognostic Significance.

Breast cancer is the most common gynecological malignancy in the world. In Egypt, it ranks the first among female malignancies with incidence of 37.7%. Over the last decades, the integration of prognostic and predictive markers in treatment decisions has led to more individualized and optimized therapy. NY-BR-1 antigen has been shown to be frequently expressed in breast cancers. The study aimed to assess the tissue expression of NY-BR-1 antigen and serum IgG antibody to this antigen in Egyptian breast cancer females. The study was conducted on 60 females (10 healthy, 10 having benign breast lesions, 40 with malignant breast cancer). NY-BR-1 Ag expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and anti-NY-BR-1 IgG was assessed by ELISA. Results revealed a significant difference in NY-BR-1 Ag expression between benign and malignant breast cancer patients. There was a significant correlation between NY-BR-1 antigen expression and estrogen receptor's status (P = 0.019), stage of the disease (P = 0.008), menopausal status (P = 0.008), lymph node involvement (P = 0.022) and anti-NY-BR-1 IgG (P = 0.032) among the studied individuals. In addition, there was a statistically significant increase in anti-NY-BR-1 IgG O.D. results among malignant breast cancer group. It is correlated with tumor type (P < 0.001) and progesterone receptor status (P = 0.038). In conclusion, our work may represent a step towards identification of a new prognostic marker specific for breast cancer.

Stannous chloride induces alterations in enzyme activities, lipid peroxidation and histopathology in male rabbit: antioxidant role of vitamin C.

Stannous chloride (SnCl2) is widely used in daily human life to conserve soft drinks, in food manufacturing and biocidal preparations. It had genotoxicity, immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity and oxidative stress. Therefore, the present experiment was carried out to determine the effectiveness of l-ascorbic acid (AA) in alleviating the toxicity of SnCl2 on some enzyme activities and oxidative damage in male New Zealand white rabbits. Six rabbits per group were assigned to 1 of 4 treatment groups: 0 mg AA and 0 mg SnCl2/kg BW (control); 40 mg AA/kg BW; 20 mg SnCl2/kg BW (1/500 LD50); 20 mg SnCl2 plus 40 mg AA/kg BW. Rabbits were orally administered the respective doses every other day for 12 weeks. Liver and kidney specimens were processed for histopathologic studies. Results obtained showed that SnCl2 significantly (P < 0.05) induced free radicals in rabbit liver, testes, kidney, lung, brain and heart. While, the activity of glutathione S-transferase (GST) and the level of sulfhydryl groups (SH-group) were decreased (P < 0.05) in all tested organs except brain and heart. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity was increased (P < 0.05) in liver and decreased in testes, but alanine aminotransferase (ALT) did not change. The activities of alkaline phosphatase (AlP) and acid phosphatase (AcP) were decreased (P < 0.05) in liver, testes, kidney and lung. Also, the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was significantly decreased in brain and plasma of rabbits treated with SnCl2 compared to control group. Histopathologic studies showed marked changes in hepatocytes as well as proliferation of duct epithelium, dilatation and congestion of blood vessels as well as mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate. The kidney were also severely affected by SnCl2 the Bowman's space was increased, with infiltration of renal parenchyma by mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate and changes in cells lining convoluted tubule. Ascorbic acid alone significantly decreased the levels of free radicals, and increased the activity of GST and the levels of SH groups in tested organs except brain and heart. While, the rest of the tested parameters were not affected. Results showed that AA alleviated the harmful effects of SnCl2. This was proved histopathologically by the great improvement in liver and kidney histology where hepatocytes retained normal architecture with mild dilatation and congestion of blood vessels. Bowman's space of kidney was almost normal, with normal lining of proximal and distal convoluted tubules. In conclusion AA could be effective in the protection against stannous chloride toxicity.