Evidence of successful recruitment of non-native pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha in Iceland.

In mid-May 2022, pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha smolts were caught in the rivers Botnsá, Grímsá, and Langá in Iceland. This observation provides the first evidence of successful spawning and the completion of the freshwater phase of the life cycle in Icelandic rivers. It is the most western record of O. gorbuscha smolts in Europe, further west than Russia, Norway, and the UK. Smolts originating from Iceland potentially support the recruitment of this species in the North Atlantic and may lead to the establishment of a self-sustaining population in Iceland.

Evidence of potential establishment of pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha in Scotland.

In spring 2022, pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha smolts were recorded in the UK. Fish were caught in the Rivers Thurso and Oykel in Scotland between 13 and 17 March. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first observation of O. gorbuscha smolts in Europe outside the Scandinavian and Kola peninsulas, including other tributaries of the White and Barents Seas. It also provides evidence of successful spawning in 2021 and completion of the freshwater phase of the life cycle, and indicates the possibility for potential establishment of an O. gorbuscha population in Great Britain.

Identifying potentially invasive non-native marine and brackish water species for the Arabian Gulf and Sea of Oman.

Invasive non-native species (NNS) are internationally recognized as posing a serious threat to global biodiversity, economies and human health. The identification of invasive NNS is already established, those that may arrive in the future, their vectors and pathways of introduction and spread, and hotspots of invasion are important for a targeted approach to managing introductions and impacts at local, regional and global scales. The aim of this study was to identify which marine and brackish NNS are already present in marine systems of the northeastern Arabia area (Arabian Gulf and Sea of Oman) and of these which ones are potentially invasive, and which species have a high likelihood of being introduced in the future and negatively affect biodiversity. Overall, 136 NNS were identified, of which 56 are already present in the region and a further 80 were identified as likely to arrive in the future, including fish, tunicates, invertebrates, plants and protists. The Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit (AS-ISK) was used to identify the risk of NNS being (or becoming) invasive within the region. Based on the AS-ISK basic risk assessment (BRA) thresholds, 36 extant and 37 horizon species (53.7% of all species) were identified as high risk. When the impact of climate change on the overall assessment was considered, the combined risk score (BRA+CCA) increased for 38.2% of all species, suggesting higher risk under warmer conditions, including the highest-risk horizon NNS the green crab Carcinus maenas, and the extant macro-alga Hypnea musciformis. This is the first horizon-scanning exercise for NNS in the region, thus providing a vital baseline for future management. The outcome of this study is the prioritization of NNS to inform decision-making for the targeted monitoring and management in the region to prevent new bio-invasions and to control existing species, including their potential for spread.

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 and 3 expression is associated with regulatory PI3K/AKT kinase activity, as well as invasion and prognosis, in human laryngeal cancer.

PURPOSE: Aberrant fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) expression is thought to contribute to the development of many types of cancer. As yet, however, their impact on the course and prognosis of head and neck cancer remains to be determined. Here, we aimed to investigate the effects of expression of the FGFR family members FGFR1 and FGFR3, as well as their downstream PI3K/AKT signal-regulated kinases, on the aggressiveness and prognosis of laryngeal cancer. METHODS: In total 137 surgically removed squamous cell laryngeal cancer (SCLC) and 100 matched non-cancerous laryngeal mucosa (NCLM) samples were assessed for mRNA expression using quantitative real-time PCR. The corresponding proteins were analyzed by Western blotting. SLUG expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry. The expression data were subsequently related to tumor front grading (TFG), local/nodal recurrences, prognosis and overall survival. RESULTS: The FGFR1, FGFR3 and PI3K/AKT kinase mRNA and protein levels were found to be significantly higher in the SCLC than the NCLM samples (p < 0.05). A high FGFR1 mRNA/protein expression level was found to be associated with an increased invasion rate, according to TFG scale and SLUG level, a high local/nodal recurrence rate and a poor prognosis (p < 0.05). Similarly, we found that a high FGFR3 mRNA/protein expression level was associated with a shorter survival time (p < 0.05). In addition, we found that high PI3K/AKT kinase mRNA/protein levels were associated with a high TFG (p < 0.05). We also found that FGFR1/3 mRNA and FGFR1 protein levels were inversely associated with overall survival (log-rank test: FGFR1 mRNA p = 0.03, FGFR3 mRNA p = 0.04, FGFR1 protein p = 0.03). Subsequent multivariate analyses revealed that high FGFR3 mRNA expression may serve as an independent poor prognostic factor (HR 2.32, 95% CI 1.03-6.59; p = 0.04). We also found that the p-PI3K regulatory kinase protein level was significantly associated with survival in the cohort studied (HR 1.78, 95% CI 0.64-8.53; p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: From our data we conclude that FGFR1 and FGFR3, as well as its downstream regulatory PI3K/AKT kinases, may serve as potential biomarkers for the invasiveness and prognosis of laryngeal cancer. The expression of FGFR1/3-PI3K/AKT regulatory pathway members may be instrumental for the identification of patients at risk for an unfavorable clinical outcome.

Gene/protein expression of CAPN1/2-CAST system members is associated with ERK1/2 kinases activity as well as progression and clinical outcome in human laryngeal cancer.

Recent evidence indicates the involvement of calpains (CAPNs), a family of cysteine proteases, in cancer development and progression, as well as the insufficient response to cancer therapies. The contribution of CAPNs and regulatory calpastatin (CAST) and ERK1/2 kinases to aggressiveness, disease course, and outcome in laryngeal cancer remains elusive. This study was aimed to evaluate the CAPN1/2-CAST-ERK1/2 enzyme system mRNA/protein level and to investigate whether they can promote the dynamic of tumor growth and prognosis. The mRNA expression of marker genes was determined in 106 laryngeal cancer (SCLC) cases and 73 non-cancerous adjacent mucosa (NCLM) controls using quantitative real-time PCR. The level of corresponding proteins was analyzed by Western Blot. SLUG expression, as indicator of pathological advancement was determined using IHC staining. Significant increases of CAPN1/2-CAST-ERK1/2 levels of mRNA/protein were noted in SCLC compared to NCLM (p < 0.05). As a result, a higher level of CAPN1 and ERK1 genes was related to larger tumor size, more aggressive and deeper growth according to TFG scale and SLUG level (p < 0.05). There were also relationships of CAPN1/2 and ERK1 with incidences of local/nodal recurrences (p < 0.05). An inverse association for CAPN1/2, CAST, and ERK1/2 transcripts was determined with regard to overall survival (p < 0.05). In addition, a higher CAPN1 and phospho-ERK1 protein level was related to higher grade and stage (p < 0.05) and was found to promote worse prognosis. This is the first study to show that activity of CAPN1/2- CAST-ERK1/2 axis may be an indicator of tumor phenotype and unfavorable outcome in SCLC.

The c.*229C > T gene polymorphism in 3'UTR region of the topoisomerase IIß binding protein 1 gene and LOH in BRCA1/2 regions and their effect on the risk and progression of human laryngeal carcinoma.

Topoisomerase IIß binding protein 1 (TopBP1), a multiple-BRCT-domain, protein plays crucial roles in chromosome replication, DNA damage repair, apoptosis, and cell cycle checkpoint signalling. The aim of this study was to identify five SNPs at loci potentially located in the 3'UTR region of the TopBP1 gene (rs185903567, rs116645643, rs115160714, rs116195487, rs112843513), their relationship with the risk of squamous cell laryngeal cancer (SCLC), tumor invasiveness, and prognosis. Genotyping was performed in 323 genetically unrelated individuals with SCLC and 418 randomly selected healthy volunteers. Allele-specific TopBP1 mRNA and protein expressions were determined by using real-time PCR and Western blotting techniques, respectively. LOH in BRCA1/BRCA2 was determined by using microsatellite markers. Compared to homozygous common allele carriers, heterozygosity for the T variant was associated with increased risk of SCLC (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 9.83, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 3.12-22.16, p dominant < 0.0001). The presence of risk allele at rs115160714 TopBP1 determined a higher incidence of nodal metastases (OR = 7.98, 95 % CI: 3.94-16.00, p = 0.001) and higher tumor grade (OR = 6.48, 95 % CI: 0.86-48.01, p = 0.03). The heterozygotes displayed diffuse tumor growth with no distinct borderline (OR = 3.10, 95 % Cl: 0.92-10.62, p = 0.049) and higher depth of invasion (OR = 2.66, 95 % Cl: 0.78-9.03, p = 0.04). Relationships were also identified between TopBP1 mRNA/protein expression and overall survival (p < 0.0001). The incidence of LOH in BRCA1/BRCA2 was significantly related to higher tumor grade and TFG (p < 0.05). The results of this study suggest that rs115160714 TopBP1 may be a genetic marker of etiology and progression in laryngeal cancer.