Interaction of Gut Microbiome and Host microRNAs with the Occurrence of Colorectal and Breast Cancer and Their Impact on Patient Immunity.

Breast and colorectal cancers are two primary malignancies on which most of the research done worldwide investigates the potential genetic and environmental risk factors and thereby tries to develop therapeutic methods to improve prognosis. Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer type in women, while colorectal cancer is diagnosed in males as the third most and females as the second most cancer type. Though these two cancer types are predominantly seen in adult patients worldwide, in the current context, these malignancies are diagnosed at a younger age with a significant rate of incidents than previous.

Pattern of nucleotide variants of TP53 and their correlation with the expression of p53 and its downstream proteins in a Sri Lankan cohort of breast and colorectal cancer patients.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is known to be the most common malignancy in females whereas colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence also higher in both genders in Sri Lanka. TP53 is an important tumour suppressor gene and its somatic mutations are reported in approximately 27% of BC and 43% of CRC cases. Analysis of TP53 gene variants not only provides clues for the aetiology of the tumour formation, but also has an impact on treatment efficacy.

Nucleotide variants and protein expression of TP53 in a Sri Lankan cohort of patients with head and neck cancer.

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the leading cancer in Sri Lankan males and second most common cancer among Sri Lankan females. This is the first study, to the best of our knowledge, that has focused on investigating the association between TP53 somatic DNA variants, with p53 protein expression and risk factors in a cohort of Sri Lankan patients with HNC. A total of 44 patients with cancer and 20 healthy controls were studied.

Overview of the genetic basis toward early detection of breast cancer.

Cancer is a socioeconomical burden in any nation. Out of that, breast cancer is identified as the most common malignancy worldwide among women irrespective of age. As women are an important segment in a community, the weakening of their strength toward the development of a nation is a critical problem in each nation.

Circulating leptin, soluble leptin receptor, free leptin index, visfatin and selected leptin and leptin receptor gene polymorphisms in sporadic breast cancer.

Leptin and visfatin are implicated in breast cancer risk but studies accounting for bioavailability of leptin are sparse. Reports on the association of leptin gene (LEP) and leptin receptor gene (LEPR) polymorphisms with breast cancer are also inconsistent. Only a very few studies have examined biochemical and genetic variables concomitantly in the same cohort.

In silico characterization of a RNA binding protein of cattle filarial parasite Setaria digitata.

Human lymphatic filariasis (HLF) is a neglected tropical disease which threatens nearly 1.4 billion people in 73 countries worldwide. Wuchereria bancrofti is the major causative agent of HLF and it closely resembles cattle filarial parasite Setaria digitata.

Analysis of BRCA1and BRCA2 large genomic rearrangements in Sri Lankan familial breast cancer patients and at risk individuals.

Background: Majority of mutations found to date in the BRCA1/BRCA2 genes in breast and/or ovarian cancer families are point mutations or small insertions and deletions scattered over the coding sequence and splice junctions. Such mutations and sequence variants of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes were previously identified in a group of Sri Lankan breast cancer patients. Large genomic rearrangements have been characterized in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes in several populations but these have not been characterized in Sri Lankan breast cancer patients.

LEPR c.668A>G polymorphism in a cohort of Sri Lankan women with pre-eclampsia / pregnancy induced hypertension: a case control study.

Background: Leptin is known to be elevated in pre-eclampsia/ pregnancy induced hypertension (PE/PIH). However the reports on the association of leptin receptor (LEPR) c.668A>G polymorphism with PE/PIH are inconsistent.

A putative nuclear growth factor-like globular nematode specific protein.

Expressed sequence tags (ESTs) are an effective approach for discovery of novel genes. In the current study, approximately 250 ESTs of the cattle parasitic nematode Setaria digitata were examined and a cDNA clone identified whose coding sequence could not be functionally annotated by searching over publicly available genome, protein, EST and STS databases. Here, we report the extensive characterization of this ORF (UP) and its homologues using a bioinformatic approach.