Allelic variants in xenobiotic metabolism genes predict susceptibility and worse prognosis of urothelial bladder cancer.

Biomarkers that identify tumors with better/worse prognosis can help reduce treatment costs and contribute to patient survival. In urothelial bladder cancer (UBC), accurate prediction of recurrence and progression is essential to inform therapeutic management. Herein, we explore the role of genetic variants of xenobiotic metabolic pathways in UBC susceptibility and prognosis.

Genetic polymorphisms, methylation, and expression levels in the GSTP1 and MGMT genes in urothelial bladder tumors.

Background: Alteration in DNA repair and metabolism genes can affect the maintenance of DNA integrity or xenobiotics metabolism, potentially leading to DNA damage accumulation. The present study investigated the association between polymorphisms in Glutathione S-Transferase Pi 1 (GSTP1, rs1695) and O-6-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase (MGMT, rs2308321) genes with urothelial bladder cancer (UBC) susceptibility and prognosis. Furthermore, the methylation patterns of the promoter region of these genes were analyzed in tumor and non-tumor bladder tissues, besides MGMT gene expression in tumor samples.

BCL-2 and γ-H2AX immunostaining profile in urothelial bladder cancer prognosis.

Urothelial bladder carcinoma (UBC) is a malignant neoplasm of the urinary tract that is highly prevalent worldwide and has a high rate of tumor recurrence. It is known that the BCL2 apoptosis regulator (BCL-2) gene encodes a mitochondrial protein that regulates programmed death cells by apoptosis. In contrast, the H2A.

Production and characterization of rhamnolipids by Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated in the Amazon region, and potential antiviral, antitumor, and antimicrobial activity.

Biosurfactants encompass structurally and chemically diverse molecules with surface active properties, and a broad industrial deployment, including pharmaceuticals. The interest is growing mainly for the low toxicity, biodegradability, and production from renewable sources. In this work, the optimized biosurfactant production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa BM02, isolated from the soil of a mining area in the Brazilian Amazon region was assessed, in addition to its antiviral, antitumor, and antimicrobial activities.

Polymorphisms in drug-metabolizing genes and urinary bladder cancer susceptibility and prognosis: Possible impacts and future management.

Epidemiological studies have shown the association of genetic variants with risks of occupational and environmentally induced cancers, including bladder (BC). The current review summarizes the effects of variants in genes encoding phase I and II enzymes in well-designed studies to highlight their contribution to BC susceptibility and prognosis. Polymorphisms in genes codifying drug-metabolizing proteins are of particular interest because of their involvement in the metabolism of exogenous genotoxic compounds, such as tobacco and agrochemicals.

Metalloproteinase 9 immunostaining profile is positively correlated with tumor grade, extraprostatic extension and biochemical recurrence in prostate cancer.

Metastasis is the main problem in the treatment of prostate cancer (PCa), and for it to occur, proteolytic enzymes must remodel the extracellular matrix (ECM) surrounding the tumor. The most important group of enzymes with this action include the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which act on various substrates cleaving ECM components. The present study aimed to evaluate the protein immunostaining profiles of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and 9 (MMP-9) in PCa Brazilian patients using the indirect immunohistochemical methodology.

Effects of docetaxel on metastatic prostate (DU-145) carcinoma cells cultured as 2D monolayers and 3D multicellular tumor spheroids.

Docetaxel (DTX) is one of the chemotherapeutic drugs indicated as a first-line treatment against metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa). This study aimed to compare the impact of DTX on mPCa (DU-145) tumor cells cultured as 2D monolayers and 3D multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTS) . The cells were treated with DTX (1-96 µM) at 24, 48, or 72 hr in cell viability assays (resazurin, phosphatase acid, and lactate dehydrogenase).

Allelic variants and immunostaining profile in CXCL12/CXCR4 axis: An investigation of association with prognosis in prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the malignant neoplasm that most commonly affects men and is an important cause of death. It can be detected by changes in serum levels of Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) and digital rectal examination, but often symptoms do not appear until advanced stages and metastases. The C-X-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 12/C-X-C Motif Chemokine Receptor 4 (CXCL12/CXCR4) axis acts in cell migration and may be involved in the metastatic process.

Flavonoid brachydin B decreases viability, proliferation, and migration in human metastatic prostate (DU145) cells grown in 2D and 3D culture models.

Brachydin B (BrB) is a unique dimeric flavonoid extracted from (Cham.) LG Lohmann with different biological activities. However, the antitumoral potential of this flavonoid is unclear.

Chemical characterization of Brazilian savannah Byrsonima species (muricis) and their impact on genomic instability and chemopreventive effects.

The identification of new drugs with few or no adverse effects is of great interest worldwide. In cancer therapy, natural products have been used as chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents. Plants from the Brazilian savannah belonging to the Byrsonima genus are popularly known as muricis and have attracted much attention due to their various pharmacological activities.

Association between Polymorphisms of Hemochromatosis (HFE), Blood Lead (Pb) Levels, and DNA Oxidative Damage in Battery Workers.

Occupational exposure to lead (Pb) continues to be a serious public health concern and may pose an elevated risk of genetic oxidative damage. In Brazil, car battery manufacturing and recycling factories represent a great source of Pb contamination, and there are no guidelines on how to properly protect workers from exposure or to dispose the process wastes. Previous studies have shown that Pb body burden is associated with genetic polymorphisms, which consequently may influence the toxicity of the metal.

Three-dimensional cell cultures as preclinical models to assess the biological activity of phytochemicals in breast cancer.

The demand for the development of three-dimensional (3D) cell culture models in both/either drug screening and/or toxicology is gradually magnified. Natural Products derived from plants are known as phytochemicals and serve as resources for novel drugs and cancer therapy. Typical examples include taxol analogs (i.

An Overview Regarding Pharmacogenomics and Biomarkers Discovery: Focus on Breast Cancer.

Breast cancer represents a health concern worldwide for being the leading cause of cancer- related women's death. The main challenge for breast cancer treatment involves its heterogeneous nature with distinct clinical outcomes. It is clinically categorized into five subtypes: luminal A; luminal B, HER2-positive, luminal-HER, and triple-negative.

Anticancer activities of Brachydin C in human prostate tumor cells (DU145) grown in 2D and 3D models: Stimulation of cell death and downregulation of metalloproteinases in spheroids.

Brachydin C (BrC) has demonstrated in vitro cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects in prostate cancer cells. In the present study, we compare the anticancer effects of BrC in DU145 cells grown in common bidimensional cultures (2D) and multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTS), often denominated 3D in vitro models, that can better mimic the microenvironment of tissues. BrC IC values obtained in the resazurin assay after 24 h of treatment were 47.

Flavone cirsimarin impairs cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in MCF-7 cells grown in 2D and 3D models.

The present study investigates the mechanisms underlying the in vitro antitumoral activity of cirsimarin (CIR 10 to 320 μM), a flavone extracted from the aerial parts of Scoparia dulcis L., on MCF-7 cells cultured in 2D and multicellular tumor spheroids (3D). CIR (from 40 μM) decreased cell viability in the resazurin assay and colony formation in the 2D model.

The Antitumoral/Antimetastatic Action of the Flavonoid Brachydin A in Metastatic Prostate Tumor Spheroids In Vitro Is Mediated by (Parthanatos) PARP-Related Cell Death.

Metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa) is resistant to several chemotherapeutic agents. Brachydin A (BrA), a glycosylated flavonoid extracted from , displays a remarkable antitumoral effect against in vitro mPCa cells cultured as bidimensional (2D) monolayers. Considering that three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures provide a more accurate response to chemotherapeutic agents, this study investigated the antiproliferative/antimetastatic effects of BrA and the molecular mechanisms underlying its action in mPCa spheroids (DU145) in vitro.

COVID-19: The question of genetic diversity and therapeutic intervention approaches.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is the largest pandemic in modern history with very high infection rates and considerable mortality. The disease, which emerged in China's Wuhan province, had its first reported case on December 29, 2019, and spread rapidly worldwide. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic and global health emergency.

Anticancer effects of carboxymethylated (1→3)(1→6)-β-D-glucan (botryosphaeran) on multicellular tumor spheroids of MCF-7 cells as a model of breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer worldwide among the female population. The fungal exopolysaccharide botryosphaeran is a (1→3)(1→6)-β-D-glucan with limited solubility in water that can be promoted through carboxymethylation. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine anticancer effects of carboxymethylated-botryosphaeran (CM-BOT) on breast cancer MCF-7 cells cultivated in multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTS).

Aglycone flavonoid brachydin A shows selective cytotoxicity and antitumoral activity in human metastatic prostate (DU145) cancer cells.

In prostate cancer, flavonoids possess a wide variety of anticancer effects, focused on the antioxidant/pro-oxidant activity, inactivation of the androgen receptor, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, metastasis inhibition, among others. This current research investigated the antitumoral in vitro activity of Brachydin A (BrA), a dimeric flavonoid isolated from , in human castration-resistant prostate cancer DU145. It was compared BrA selective effects in tumor prostate DU145 cells with non-tumor prostate epithelial PNT2 cells.

Genome interaction of the virus and the host genes and non-coding RNAs in SARS-CoV-2 infection.

In this review, we highlight the interaction of SARS-CoV-2 virus and host genomes, reporting the current studies on the sequence analysis of SARS-CoV-2 isolates and host genomes from diverse world populations. The main genetic variants that are present in both the virus and host genomes were particularly focused on the ACE2 and TMPRSS2 genes, and their impact on the patients' susceptibility to the virus infection and severity of the disease. Finally, the interaction of the virus and host non-coding RNAs is described in relation to their regulatory roles in target genes and/or signaling pathways critically associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Selective anticancer effects of Serjania marginata Casar. extract in gastric cells are mediated by antioxidant response.

Gastric cancer is the fifth most common malignancy worldwide. Serjania marginata Casar. (SM) displays anti-inflammatory properties and has been used to treat gastrointestinal disorders.

Phytochemical Profile, and Antiproliferative and Proapoptotic Effects of (Mart.) Radlk. Leaf Extract, and Its Synergism with Cisplatin in HepG2 Cells.

Different species of the genus have been used in folk medicine for the treatment of inflammation, fever, ulcers, diabetes, and diarrhea. We analyzed the phytochemical profile of the hydroethanolic extract from leaves by electrospray ionization ion trap tandem mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection, and examined whether it alone and in combination with cisplatin interfered with cell proliferation and death processes in HepG2 (human hepatocellular carcinoma) and FGH (human gingival fibroblasts) cells. Five compounds were identified in the extract: gallic acid, myricetin-3---l-arabinopyranoside, quercetin-3---d-galactopyranoside, myricetin-3---l-rhamnopyranoside, and myricetin-3---d-galactopyranoside.

Characterization of the cytotoxic effects of brachydins isolated from in a prostate cancer cell line.

Unlabelled: Brachydins (Br) A, B, and C are flavonoids extracted from (Cham.) L.G.

Association of polymorphisms of PTEN, AKT1, PI3K, AR, and AMACR genes in patients with prostate cancer.

Polymorphic variants in the PTEN (rs2735343), PI3K (rs2699887), AKT1 (rs2494750), AR (rs17302090), and AMACR (rs3195676) genes were evaluated as possible molecular markers of susceptibility, prognosis, and progression of prostate cancer (PCa), in a case-control study. Samples consisted of 277 patients with PCa and 277 controls from Londrina, PR, Brazil. SNPs were analyzed by real-time PCR.