Nutrigenomics and microbiome shaping the future of personalized medicine: a review article.

The relationship between nutrition and genes has long been hinted at and sometimes plainly associated with certain diseases. Now, after many years of research and coincidental findings, it is believed that this relationship, termed "Nutrigenomics," is certainly a factor of major importance in various conditions. In this review article, we discuss nutrigenomics, starting with basics definitions and enzymatic functions and ending with its palpable association with cancer.

Detection of activating mutations in liquid biopsy of Egyptian breast cancer patients using targeted next-generation sequencing: a pilot study.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the 2 most prevalent malignancy worldwide and is the most prevalent cancer among Egyptian women. The number of newly described cancer-associated genes has grown exponentially since the emergence of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. We aim to identify activating mutations in liquid biopsy of Egyptian breast cancer patients using targeted NGS technology.

The clinical impact of hepatitis C virus infection in Egyptian multiple myeloma patients.

Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) is a human B cell neoplasia characterized by the clonal proliferation of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow. Worldwide, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a public health problem. For MM patients, the clinical impact of preexisting HCV infection is still unclear.

The Clinicopathological Impact of Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor Gene Expression and Different Molecular Prognostic Biomarkers in Egyptian Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients.

Background: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is characterized by clonal expansion of myeloid precursors with diminished capacity for differentiation. It develops as the consequence of a series of genetic changes in a hematopoietic precursor cell. Purpose This study aimed to investigate the correlation between GM-CSF gene expression and different molecular prognostic markers such as FLT3-ITD, NPM1 mutation A and CEBPA gene expression in 100 Egyptian AML patients.

Circulating miR-34a and miR-125b as Promising non Invasive Biomarkers in Egyptian Locally Advanced Breast Cancer Patients.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the second most common cancer worldwide. MicroRNAs are a group of non-coding, single stranded RNAs of ~ 22 nucleotides, which regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Circulating miRNAs have been found as potential blood based predictive biomarkers.

Chemotherapeutic Resistance in Egyptian Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients.

Background: Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous disorder with variable genetic abnormalities and cytogenetic alterations which provide a significant disease prognosis and determine response to therapy. Purpose: We aim to investigate the expression of the MDR1 gene in 100 Egyptian AML patients, to identify their role on both the progression and chemotherapeutic refractoriness together with assessment of known prognostic molecular markers; FLT3-ITD and NPM1 mutations. Methodology: Quantitative assessment of MDR1 gene expression was performed by quantitative RT-PCR.

Correction to: Chemotherapy and targeted therapy for breast cancer patients with hepatitis C virus infection.

The online version of the original article can be found.

Role of Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor in Acute Myeloid Leukemia/Myelodysplastic Syndromes.

Purpose: Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) cytokine stimulates growth, differentiation, and function of myeloid progenitors. We aimed to study the role of GM-CSF gene expression, its protein, and antibodies in patients with acute myeloid leukemia/myelodysplastic syndromes (AML/MDS) and their correlation to disease behavior and treatment outcome. The study included 50 Egyptian patients with AML/MDS in addition to 20 healthy volunteers as control subjects.

Chemotherapy and targeted therapy for breast cancer patients with hepatitis C virus infection.

Background: Hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) is a major health problem in Egypt. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Egyptian women. Considering that both diseases are frequent in the Egyptian population, it is likely that many women are affected by both.

Lymphocyte Activation Markers in Pediatric Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Background And Objectives: The role of CD4+CD25+ T regulatory cells (Tregs) in immune tolerance in experimental transplantation is very important but the clinical significance of circulating Tregs in the peripheral blood is undetermined. We evaluated the association between the frequency of T cell activation markers CD25 and CD71 and clinical parameters that may affect the level of these T cell markers.

Methods: In 47peditric kidney transplant (KT) recipients and 20 healthy controls, the frequency of T cell activation markers, CD25 and CD71 was measured with flow cytometry after transplantation.

New genetic variants of LATS1 detected in urinary bladder and colon cancer.

LATS1, the large tumor suppressor 1 gene, encodes for a serine/threonine kinase protein and is implicated in cell cycle progression. LATS1 is down-regulated in various human cancers, such as breast cancer, and astrocytoma. Point mutations in LATS1 were reported in human sarcomas.

Isolation and characterisation of human gingival margin-derived STRO-1/MACS(+) and MACS(-) cell populations.

Recently, gingival margin-derived stem/progenitor cells isolated via STRO-1/magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS) showed remarkable periodontal regenerative potential in vivo. As a second-stage investigation, the present study's aim was to perform in vitro characterisation and comparison of the stem/progenitor cell characteristics of sorted STRO-1-positive (MACS⁺) and STRO-1-negative (MACS⁻) cell populations from the human free gingival margin. Cells were isolated from the free gingiva using a minimally invasive technique and were magnetically sorted using anti-STRO-1 antibodies.

Effect of 13q deletion on IL-6 production in patients with multiple myeloma: a hypothesis may hold true.

Background: Numerous studies have shown a correlation between 13q deletion and poor prognosis in multiple myeloma (MM), but the mechanisms are not fully understood. Earlier studies suggest that this lesion involves large segments or the entire long arm involving the retinoblastoma (Rb) gene. In myeloma, Rb gene is believed to down regulate interleukin-6 (IL-6) which plays a central role in the pathogenesis of MM.

A descriptive study of plasma cell dyscrasias in Egyptian population.

Background: Plasma cell dyscrasias (PCDs) refer to a spectrum of disorders characterized by the monoclonal proliferation of lymphoplasmacytic cells in the bone marrow and, sometimes, tissue deposition of monoclonal immunoglobulins or their components. These disorders include multiple myeloma (MM) and Waldenström's macroglobulinemia, as well as rare conditions such as light-chain deposition disease (LCDD) and heavy-chain diseases (HCDs). The worldwide annual incidence of MM is estimated at 86,000, which is approximately 0.

The clinical relevance and prognostic significance of adenosine triphosphate ATP-binding cassette (ABCB5) and multidrug resistance (MDR1) genes expression in acute leukemia: an Egyptian study.

Aim: Multidrug resistance (MDR1) represents a major obstacle in the chemotherapeutic treatment of acute leukemia (AL). Adenosine triphosphate ATP-binding cassette (ABCB5) and MDR1 genes are integral membrane proteins belonging to ATP-binding cassette transporters superfamily.

Purpose: The present work aimed to investigate the impact of ABCB5 and MDR1 genes expression on the response to chemotherapy in a cohort of Egyptian AL patients.

Effect of Emdogain enamel matrix derivative and BMP-2 on the gene expression and mineralized nodule formation of alveolar bone proper-derived stem/progenitor cells.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of Emdogain (Enamel Matrix Derivative, EMD) and Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 (BMP-2), either solely or in combination, on the gene expression and mineralized nodule formation of alveolar bone proper-derived stem/progenitor cells. Stem/progenitor cells were isolated from human alveolar bone proper, magnetically sorted using STRO-1 antibodies, characterized flowcytometrically for their surface markers' expression, and examined for colony formation and multilineage differentiation potential. Subsequently, cells were treated over three weeks with 100 μg/ml Emdogain (EMD-Group), or 100 ng/ml BMP-2 (BMP-Group), or a combination of 100 ng/ml BMP-2 and 100 μg/ml Emdogain (BMP/EMD-Group).

CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α gene expression in Egyptian patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

Background: Transcription factors play a crucial role in myeloid differentiation and lineage determination. Tumor suppressor protein C/EBPa is a key regulator of granulocytic differentiation whose functional inactivation has become a pathophysiological signature of myeloid leukemia. Given the role that CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBP α) plays in myelopoiesis, we anticipated that their expression might be disrupted in myeloid neoplasms.

The KRAS StripAssay for detection of KRAS mutation in Egyptian patients with colorectal cancer (CRC): a pilot study.

Background: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and its downstream factors KRAS and BRAF are mutated in several types of cancer, affecting the clinical response to EGFR inhibitors. Mutations in the EGFR kinase domain predict sensitivity to the tyrosine kinase inhibitors gefitinib and erlotinib in lung adenocarcinoma, while activating point mutations in KRAS and BRAF confer resistance to the anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody cetuximab in colorectal cancer. The development of new generation methods for systematic mutation screening of these genes will allow more appropriate therapeutic choices.

Isolation and characterization of multipotent postnatal stem/progenitor cells from human alveolar bone proper.

In the search for an ideal minimally-invasive multipotent postnatal stem cells' source, the aim of the present study was to isolate and characterize multipotent postnatal stem/progenitor cells from the human alveolar bone proper tissue of the oral cavity. Cells were isolated from human alveolar bone parts, immunomagnetically sorted using STRO-1 antibodies and characterized flow cytometrically for the expression of CD14, CD34, CD45, CD73, CD90, CD105, CD146/MUC18 and STRO-1 surface markers. Colony-formation and multilineage differentiation potential were tested.

Novel mutations of the nucleophosmin (NPM-1) gene in Egyptian patients with acute myeloid leukemia: a pilot study.

Unlabelled: Mutations of the nucleophosmin (NPM-1) gene have been reported in 50-60% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with normal karyotype. This work was designed to study the prevalence and nature of NPM1 gene mutations in a group of Egyptian patients with AML to get an idea about the profile of NPM1 gene mutations in our society. In 45 previously untreated patients with de novo AML, peripheral blood and/or bone marrow samples from all patients were subjected to microscopic morphologic examination, cytochemical analysis, immunophenotyping and karyotyping.

Periodontitis and cardiovascular disease: Floss and reduce a potential risk factor for CVD.

There is evidence supporting an association between cardiovascular disease (CVD) and periodontitis. We determined whether patients with chronic periodontitis, who are otherwise healthy individuals, have higher serum concentrations of emerging risk markers of CVD such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) and investigated the effect of subsequent periodontal treatment on the levels of these markers. A total of 40 individuals were included in the study.

Review article: cancer stem cells: from identification to eradication.

Rationale: A fundamental problem in cancer research is identification of the cells within a tumor that sustain the growth of the neoplastic clone. The concept that only a subpopulation of rare cancer stem cells (CSCs) is responsible for maintenance of the neoplasm emerged nearly 50 years ago: however, conclusive proof for the existence of a CSC was obtained only relatively recently. As definition, cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a sub-population of cancer cells (found within solid tumors or hematological malignancies) that possess characteristics normally associated with stem cells as high self-renewal potential.