Erratum to: "Monoallelic germline methylation and sequence variant in the promoter of the RB1 gene: a possible constitutive epimutation in hereditary retinoblastoma".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13148-015-0167-0.].

Impact of Oxidative Stress in Premature Aging and Iron Overload in Hemodialysis Patients.

Increased oxidative stress is a well described feature of patients in hemodialysis. Their need for multiple blood transfusions and supplemental iron causes a significant iron overload that has recently been associated with increased oxidation of polyunsaturated lipids and accelerated aging due to DNA damage caused by telomere shortening. A total of 70 patients were evaluated concomitantly, 35 volunteers with ferritin levels below 500 ng/mL (Group A) and 35 volunteers with ferritin levels higher than 500 ng/mL (Group B).

Shorter telomeres and high telomerase activity correlate with a highly aggressive phenotype in breast cancer cell lines.

Maintenance of telomere length is one function of human telomerase that is crucial for the survival of cancer cells and cancer progression. Both telomeres and telomerase have been proposed as possible biomarkers of cancer risk and cancer invasiveness; however, their clinical relevance is still under discussion. In order to improve our understanding of the relationship between telomere length and telomerase activity with cancer invasiveness, we studied telomere length as well as telomerase levels, activity, and intracellular localization in breast cancer cell lines with diverse invasive phenotypes.

Clinical study of contrast-enhanced digital mammography and the evaluation of blood and lymphatic microvessel density.

Objective: To correlate image parameters in contrast-enhanced digital mammography (CEDM) with blood and lymphatic microvessel density (MVD).

Methods: 18 Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS)-4 to BI-RADS-5 patients were subjected to CEDM. Craniocaudal views were acquired, two views (low and high energy) before iodine contrast medium (CM) injection and four views (high energy) 1-5 min afterwards.

"Monoallelic germline methylation and sequence variant in the promoter of the RB1 gene: a possible constitutive epimutation in hereditary retinoblastoma".

Background: Retinoblastoma is a malignant tumor of the retina in children <5 years of age and occurs after two mutations in the RB1 gene. The first mutation (M1) is germinal and confers predisposition to the hereditary type, which is transmitted as an autosomal dominant highly penetrant trait, so 90 % of carriers develop retinoblastoma; however, 10 % of carriers either do not develop the tumor or develop it unilaterally. Most mutations are point mutations.

Increased telomere length and proliferative potential in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of adults of different ages stimulated with concanavalin A.

Background: Recently, a direct correlation with telomere length, proliferative potential and telomerase activity has been found in the process of aging in peripheral blood cells. The objective of the study was to evaluate telomere length and proliferative potential in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) after stimulation with Concanavalin A (ConA) of young adults compared with older adults.

Methods: Blood samples were obtained from 20 healthy young males (20-25 years old) (group Y) and 20 males (60-65 years old) (group O).

Regulation of p14ARF expression by HPV-18 E6 variants.

A common causative agent for uterine cervical cancer is the human papillomavirus type 18 (HPV-18) which has three phylogenic variants: Asian-Amerindian, European, and African. Each variant shows significant molecular differences in the E6 gene. E6 oncoprotein is a negative regulator of tumor suppressor protein p53, hence, this oncoprotein indirectly regulates the expression of tumor-suppressor p14(ARF) .

Normal and cancer stem cells of the human female reproductive system.

The female reproductive system (FRS) has a great capacity for regeneration. The existence of somatic stem cells (SSC) that are likely to reside in distinct tissue compartments of the FRS is anticipated. Normal SSC are capable of regenerating themselves, produce a progeny of cells that differentiate and maintain tissue architecture and functional characteristics, and respond to homeostatic controls.

MMP1, MMP9, and COX2 expressions in promonocytes are induced by breast cancer cells and correlate with collagen degradation, transformation-like morphological changes in MCF-10A acini, and tumor aggressiveness.

Tumor-associated immune cells often lack immune effector activities, and instead they present protumoral functions. To understand how tumors promote this immunological switch, invasive and noninvasive breast cancer cell (BRC) lines were cocultured with a promonocytic cell line in a Matrigel-based 3D system. We hypothesized that if communication exists between tumor and immune cells, coculturing would result in augmented expression of genes associated with tumor malignancy.

Telomere length and type 2 diabetes in males, a premature aging syndrome.

Background: Increased telomere shortening has been demonstrated in several diseases including type 2 diabetes. However, it is not known whether telomere length changes during the course of type 2 diabetes.

Objective: To determine telomere length at different stages of type 2 diabetes, including early and late stages.

Actin cytoskeleton participation in the onset of IL-1beta induction of an invasive mesenchymal-like phenotype in epithelial MCF-7 cells.

Background: Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1beta) and other inflammatory cytokines are reported to induce phenotypic changes in epithelial breast cancer tumor cells related to increased invasiveness. Mechanisms involved in the process are not well understood.

Methods: The noninvasive breast cancer epithelial cell line MCF-7 was used to investigate the IL-1beta-induced phenotype.

The role of macrophages and mast cells in lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis in cervical carcinogenesis.

During carcinogenesis it is known that growth factors and cytokines from stromal and inflammatory cells from the microenvironment promote angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. However, the participation of macrophages and mast cells in these processes is not well understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between mast cell and macrophage density with blood and lymphatic vessels in various stages of carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

[RNA interference (RNAi) and its therapeutic potential in cancer].

Small RNAs belong to a newly discovered strain of molecules. These molecules are composed of double strand RNA comprised by just about 19-31 nucleotides. They have two main characteristics that make them unique.

Nuclear co-expression of p14ARF and p16INK4A in uterine cervical cancer-derived cell lines containing HPV.

The Papanicolaou test (Pap) has been responsible for a significant reduction of cervical cancer-related morbimortality. In order to increase its sensitivity and specificity new markers have been studied and incorporated to cytological and histological methods for diagnosis for cervical cancer, such as p16INK4A that has been considered the immunocytochemical marker of choice for detection of HPV related cancers. We considered that p14ARF could be a complementary marker in order to improve the accuracy of cytological diagnosis because its genetic proximity to p16INK4A.

Ethical dilemmas and great expectations for human papilloma virus vaccination.

When the first preventive HPV vaccine became available in 2006, it drew both enthusiasm and multiple ethical problems. In the case of HPV vaccination, there is a clear conflict between the scientific data that claim a definitive advantage for preventing HPV infection in the exposed population and the ethical and moral issues resulting from a compulsory program. Despite the evident success of routine and compulsory vaccination in young women, there is increasing concern about safety, efficacy, and equity of the vaccine and to close the knowledge "gaps" about HPV infection and consequent health outcomes.

[Proteases in cancer progression].

Invasion and metastasis are the most important events in cancer progression. In these two phases, several molecules are implicated and have been long associated with several forms of cancer. Proteases play a critical role not only in tumor cell invasion, but also in the earliest stages of carcinogenesis and its associated changes: angiogenesis and metastasis.

[Cancer lymphangiogenesis and its role in metastasic dissemination].

It is well-known that there are different tumor-type-dependent metastatic patterns. For example, in carcinomas metastatic spread is preferentially via the lymphatic system by which they reach regional lymph nodes through pre-existent afferent lymph vessels and/or newly formed lymph capillaries; while in sarcomas the favored pathway is through bloodvessels. These metastatic patterns have been used for many years by clinicians and surgeons for staging and tumor resection, particularly in the case of breast cancer.

Expression of estrogen receptor alpha and beta in breast cancers of pre- and post-menopausal women.

Expression of estrogen receptors (ER) is clinically relevant in designing therapeutic strategies. The relative importance of the two types of estrogen receptors (ER-alpha and ER-beta) in human breast cancers in pre- and post-menopausal women has not been properly defined. To determine the possible association between the expression of estrogen receptor and serum estradiol levels in pre- and post-menopausal women with breast cancer.

Pancreatic islet transplantation into the bone marrow of the rat.

Background: The liver is the current site for pancreatic islet transplantation, but presents important technical complications and limitations. We asked whether pancreatic islets could be engrafted in the bone marrow, an easily accessible and widely distributed transplant site that may lack the limitations seen in the liver.

Methods: We implanted pancreatic islet isografts (Lewis islets to Lewis rats), allografts (Wistar Furth islets to Sprague Dawley rats), and xenografts (Tilapia islets to Sprague Dawley rats) into the bone marrow of nondiabetic recipients and assessed survival by histology and immunocytochemistry.

DNA damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes in patients during combined chemotherapy for breast cancer.

Combined chemotherapy is used for the treatment of a number of malignancies such as breast cancer. The target of these antineoplastic agents is nuclear DNA, although it is not restricted to malignant cells. The aim of the present study was to assess DNA damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) of breast cancer patients subjected to combined adjuvant chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil, epirubicin and cyclophosphamide, FEC), using a modified comet assay to detect DNA single-strand breaks (SSB) and double-strand breaks (DSB).

The bone marrow as a potential receptor site for pancreatic islet grafts.

Background: Pancreatic islet transplantation in the human liver is being performed with increasing success to treat diabetes. However, the liver as a receptor site has many drawbacks due to immunological and non-immunological factors as well as important technical limitations. Bone marrow offers an easily accessible extrahepatic receptor site.

Epigenetic regulation of the human retinoblastoma tumor suppressor gene promoter by CTCF.

Epigenetic misregulation is a more common feature in human cancer than previously anticipated. In the present investigation, we identified CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF), the multivalent 11-zinc-finger nuclear factor, as a regulator that favors a particular local chromatin conformation of the human retinoblastoma gene promoter. We show that its binding contributes to Rb gene promoter epigenetic stability.

Epigenetic boundaries of tumour suppressor gene promoters: the CTCF connection and its role in carcinogenesis.

Genetic and epigenetic regulations are essential mechanisms that ensure proper early and subsequent mammalian programming of diverse cellular processes. These mechanisms affect transcriptional regulation, stem cell determination and cell cycle control, including senescence and aging. It is not surprising that perturbation of the exquisite balance between genetic and epigenetic regulation can lead to diverse diseases, including cancer.