Post-Acute Sequelae and Mitochondrial Aberration in SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

This review investigates links between post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), post-infection viral persistence, mitochondrial involvement and aberrant innate immune response and cellular metabolism during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Advancement of proteomic and metabolomic studies now allows deeper investigation of alterations to cellular metabolism, autophagic processes and mitochondrial dysfunction caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, while computational biology and machine learning have advanced methodologies of predicting virus-host gene and protein interactions. Particular focus is given to the interaction between viral genes and proteins with mitochondrial function and that of the innate immune system.

Gene Expression, DNA Methylation and Prognostic Significance of DNA Repair Genes in Human Bladder Cancer.

Background/aims: This study investigated the gene expression and DNA methylation of selected DNA repair genes (MBD4, TDG, MLH1, MLH3) and DNMT1 in human bladder cancer in the context of pathophysiological and prognostic significance.

Methods: To determine the relationship between the gene expression pattern, global methylation and promoter methylation status, we performed real-time PCR to quantify the mRNA of selected genes in 50 samples of bladder cancer and adjacent non-cancerous tissue. The methylation status was analyzed by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) or digestion of genomic DNA with a methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme and PCR with gene-specific primers (MSRE-PCR).

Genomic instability analysis of urine sediment versus tumor tissue in transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder.

Microsatellite alterations are a common feature of neoplastic cells. Our study aimed to compare the profile of microsatellite DNA alterations in tumor tissue and urine sediment at 12 selected microsatellite loci in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, and to determine which of the 12 markers or combination of markers has potential for the non-invasive diagnosis of bladder cancer. DNA alterations were examined using microsatellite markers on chromosomes 2p, 3p, 8p, 9p, 9q, 12q, 13q, 17p and 18q in 38 patients, including 12 with superficial Ta/T1 and 26 with muscle invasive T2-T4 bladder tumors.

Enhanced citrate synthase activity in human pancreatic cancer.

Objectives: Assuming that a high flux of carbohydrate is strictly connected with lipid synthesis in neoplastic cells, one can hypothesize that the activity of citrate synthase, which plays an important role in glucose to lipid conversion, is enhanced in pancreatic cancer. The aim of the present study was to verify this hypothesis.

Methods: The activity of citrate synthase (as well as lactate and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenases) was measured using tissue extract prepared from specimens (pancreatic cancer and control specimens taken from the adjacent pancreatic normal tissue) obtained from 24 patients with ductal carcinoma who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy or total pancreatomy.

Clinical implications of p53 mutation analysis in bladder cancer tissue and urine sediment by functional assay in yeast.

In the present study we correlate the p53 gene mutations in tumour tissue with urine sediment using a functional assay in yeast, and relate the p53 status to the outcome in a group of patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. The p53 mutations were found in three of 30 (10%) Ta/T1 tumour tissue samples and in two of 20 (10%) corresponding urine sediments. In the stage T2-T4 tumour p53 mutations were found in tumour tissues and urine sediments in 13 of 31 (42%) and in seven of 18 (39%) samples, respectively.

[Photodynamic diagnosis and therapy of bladder cancer].

High frequency of bladder cancer in polish population and relatively low sensitivity of cancer detection in early stages is a main reason for search for other, more sensitive diagnostic tests. Photodynamic diagnosis based on accumulation of photosensitizers, porphirin derived compounds emitting fluorescence in laser light is a promising tool for detecting of small or poorly differentiated neoplastic changes. On the other hand we can use photodynamic therapy when in laser light photosensitizers generate free oxygen radicals and destroy neoplastic tissue.