Quantitative profiling of genes associated with cancer pathways in brain tumors.

Background: Brain tumors are a heterogeneous group of malignancies characterized by inter- and intratumoral heterogeneity. Among them, the most aggressive and, despite advances in medicine, still incurable remains glioblastoma. One of the reasons is the high recurrence rate of the disease and resistance to temozolomide, a golden standard in chemotherapy of brain tumors.

Different Approaches for the Profiling of Cancer Pathway-Related Genes in Glioblastoma Cells.

Deregulation of signalling pathways that regulate cell growth, survival, metabolism, and migration can frequently lead to the progression of cancer. Brain tumours are a large group of malignancies characterised by inter- and intratumoral heterogeneity, with glioblastoma (GBM) being the most aggressive and fatal. The present study aimed to characterise the expression of cancer pathway-related genes ( = 84) in glial tumour cell lines (A172, SW1088, and T98G).

The effect of temozolomide on apoptosis-related gene expression changes in glioblastoma cells.

Background: Glioblastoma (GB) is the most common and biologically the most aggressive primary brain tumor of the central nervous system (CNS) in adults. Standard treatment for newly diagnosed GB consists of surgical resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy with temozolomide (TMZ). Despite numbers of studies, a resistance to chemotherapy is the major obstacle to successful GB treatment.

Associations between matrix metalloproteinase, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase and collagen expression levels in the adjacent rectal tissue of colorectal carcinoma patients.

As the commonest type of cancer in Europe and the third most common type of cancer worldwide, colorectal carcinoma (CRC) poses a challenge for numerous scientific studies. At present, the cause of this disease is remains to be elucidated, but early diagnosis is only one solution to prevent serious health complications. As a structural scaffold, the extracellular matrix (ECM) is in direct contact with tumour cells and significantly interferes with tumour progression.

Expression of pyruvate carboxylase in cultured human astrocytoma, glioblastoma and neuroblastoma cells.

Pyruvate carboxylase (PC) is an enzyme catalyzing the conversion of pyruvate to oxaloacetate, which possesses anaplerotic role in cellular metabolism. The expression of PC was confirmed in cells of several cancer types, in which it ensures several cellular functions, such as growth and division. To investigate the expression of PC in human astrocytoma, glioblastoma and neuroblastoma cells we applied the immunodetection methods.

Pathogenic microorganisms in ticks removed from Slovakian residents over the years 2008-2018.

A total of 750 ticks feeding on humans were collected during the years 2008-2018. The majority of ticks (94.8 %) came from Slovakia, with 3.

Noninvasive study of brain tumours metabolism using phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P MRS) is currently not accepted as a diagnostic tool in the neuro-oncological practice, although it provides useful non-invasive information about biochemical processes ongoing in the intracranial tumours. This pilot study was aimed to present the diagnostic capability of the 31P MRS in brain tumour examination, even its application on clinical 1.5T MR scanner.

Clozapine impact on c-Fos expression in mild stress preconditioned male rats exposed to a novelty stressor.

Clozapine (CLZ) stimulates several brain areas some of them being sensitive to stress. Aim of the present study was to reveal whether 7-day CLZ administration may: (1) activate the selected forebrain areas; (2) modulate response of these structures to a single forced swimming episode (FSW); (3) modulate response of these structures to FSW after 13-day preconditioning with mild unpredictable stress complex (CMS). Used groups of male Wistar rats: (a) vehicle or CLZ treated for 7 days; (b) vehicle or CLZ treated for 7 days and on the 7th day exposed to FSW; (c) CMS exposed for 13 days, from the 8th day injected with vehicle or CLZ and on the 14th day exposed to FSW.

Prolactin-releasing peptide improved leptin hypothalamic signaling in obese mice.

The situation following anti-obesity drug termination is rarely investigated, eventhough a decrease in body weight needs to be sustained. Therefore, this study examined the impact of twice-daily peripheral administration of 5 mg/kg [N-palm-γGlu-Lys] prolactin-releasing peptide 31 (palm-PrRP31) in mice with diet-induced obesity (DIO from consuming a high-fat diet) after 28 days of treatment (palm-PrRP31 group) and after 14 days of peptide treatment followed by 14 days of discontinuation (palm-PrRP31 + saline group). At the end of the treatment, cumulative food intake, body weight and subcutaneous fat weight/body weight ratio and leptin plasma level were reduced significantly in both the palm-PrRP31 group and the palm-PrRP31 + saline group compared to the saline control group.

Eff ect of a single asenapine treatment on Fos expression in the brain catecholamine-synthesizing neurons: impact of a chronic mild stress preconditioning.

Objective: Fos protein expression in catecholamine-synthesizing neurons of the substantia nigra (SN) pars compacta (SNC, A8), pars reticulata (SNR, A9), and pars lateralis (SNL), the ventral tegmental area (VTA, A10), the locus coeruleus (LC, A6) and subcoeruleus (sLC), the ventrolateral pons (PON-A5), the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS-A2), the area postrema (AP), and the ventrolateral medulla (VLM-A1) was quantitatively evaluated aft er a single administration of asenapine (ASE) (designated for schizophrenia treatment) in male Wistar rats preconditioned with a chronic unpredictable variable mild stress (CMS) for 21 days. Th e aim of the present study was to reveal whether a single ASE treatment may 1) activate Fos expression in the brain areas selected; 2) activate tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-synthesizing cells displaying Fos presence; and 3) be modulated by CMS preconditioning.

Methods: Control (CON), ASE, CMS, and CMS+ASE groups were used.

Impact of repeated asenapine treatment on FosB/ΔFosB expression in the forebrain structures under normal conditions and mild stress preconditioning in the rat.

Long-term effect of asenapine (ASE), an atypical antipsychotic drug, on FosB/ΔFosB quantitative variations in the striatum, septum, nucleus accumbens, and prefrontal cortex, was light microscopically evaluated in normal rats and rats preconditioned with chronic unpredictable mild stress (CMS). CMS included restraint, social isolation, crowding, swimming, and cold. The rats were exposed to CMS for 21 days.

Repeated asenapine treatment does not participate in the mild stress induced FosB/ΔFosB expression in the rat hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus neurons.

Effect of repeated asenapine (ASE) treatment on FosB/ΔFosB expression was studied in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of male rats exposed to chronic mild stress (CMS) for 21days. Our intention was to find out whether repeated ASE treatment for 14days may: 1) induce FosB/ΔFosB expression in the PVN; 2) activate selected PVN neuronal phenotypes, synthesizing oxytocin (OXY), vasopressin (AVP), corticoliberin (CRH) or tyrosine hydroxylase (TH); and 3) interfere with the impact of CMS. Control, ASE, CMS, and CMS+ASE treated groups were used.

Stress alters asenapine-induced Fos expression in the Meynert's nucleus: response of adjacent hypocretin and melanin-concentrating hormone neurons in rat.

Objective: Asenapine (ASE), an atypical antipsychotic drug used in the treatment of schizophrenia, induces Fos expression in forebrain. Effect of ASE on activity of basal nucleus of Meynert (NBM) cells, a part of the striatal-cortical circuits, was studied. We were also interested to reveal whether a chronic unpredictable variable mild stress (CMS) preconditioning might affect the ASE impact.

Effect of Asenapine on the Activity of Hypocretin Neurons in Normal and Unpredictable Mild Stress Preconditioned Rats.

Asenapine (ASE) is a novel atypical antipsychotic used in schizophrenia treatment. Here, the effect of ASE on Fos expression in hypocretin (Hcrt) neurons in medial and lateral portions of the lateral hypothalamus (LH) and the effect of chronic unpredictable variable mild stress (CMS) preconditioning were studied. CMS consisted of restraint, social isolation, crowding, swimming, and cold and lasted 21 days.

Impact of repeated asenapine treatment on FosB/ΔFosB expression in neurons of the rat central nucleus of the amygdala: colocalization with corticoliberine (CRH) and effect of an unpredictable mild stress preconditioning.

Objectives: FosB/ΔFosB expression in the central amygdalar nucleus (CeA) in response to repeated asenapine (ASE) treatment (an atypical antipsychotic used for the treatment of schizophrenia) was studied in normal rats and rats preconditioned with chronic unpredictable variable mild stress (CMS). The goal of this study was to reveal whether repeated ASE treatment for 14 days may: 1) induce FosB/ΔFosB expression in the amygdala, 2) activate CRH-synthesizing neurons in the CeA, and 3) interfere with 21 days lasting concomitant CMS preconditioning.

Methods: Four groups of animals were studied: controls and ASE-, CMS-, and CMS+ASE-treated ones.

Effect of ghrelin receptor agonist and antagonist on the activity of arcuate nucleus tyrosine hydroxylase containing neurons in C57BL/6 male mice exposed to normal or high fat diet.

Catecholamines participate in the food intake regulation, however, there are no literature data available, dealing with the activity of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) neurons in response to stimulation or inhibition of GHS-R (growth hormone secretagogue receptor) in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC). The present study was focused to reveal whether [Dpr(N-octanoyl) 3ghrelin], a stable GHS-R agonist, itself in doses of 5 or 10 mg/kg (s.c.

Effect of acute asenapine treatment on Fos expression in the forebrain structures under normal conditions and mild stress preconditioning in the rat.

Asenapine (ASE) is a novel atypical antipsychotic drug approved for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Stress is an inseparable part of the human life, which may interfere with the therapeutic effect of different drugs. The aim of the present study was: (1) to delineate the quantitative and qualitative profiles of the ASE effect on Fos expression in the striatum, septum, nucleus accumbens, and the prefrontal cortex and (2) to find out whether a chronic unpredictable variable mild stress (CMS) preconditioning may modify the effect of acute ASE treatment.

Subcutaneous adipose tissue zinc-α2-glycoprotein is associated with adipose tissue and whole-body insulin sensitivity.

Objective: To examine the regulatory aspects of zinc-α2-glycoprotein (ZAG) association with obesity-related insulin resistance.

Methods: ZAG mRNA and protein were analyzed in subcutaneous adipose tissue (AT) and circulation of lean, obese, prediabetic, and type 2 diabetic men; both subcutaneous and visceral AT were explored in lean and extremely obese. Clinical and ex vivo findings were corroborated by results of in vitro ZAG silencing experiment.

A new approach of light microscopic immunohistochemical triple-staining: combination of Fos labeling with diaminobenzidine-nickel and neuropeptides labeled with Alexa488 and Alexa555 fluorescent dyes.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to introduce a new approach of the light microscopic immunohistochemical triple-staining enabling to study the differences in the activity of at least two different phenotypes of neurons on the same histological section. For this purpose combination of Fos (a product of the immediate early gene) labeling with nickel intensified diaminobenzidine (DAB-Ni) and two neuropeptides labeled with Alexa488 and Alexa555 fluorescent dyes on cryo-processed 35-40 µm thick free-floating brain sections was selected.

Methods: The parallel occurrence of three antibodies studied, i.