Perspective in optimization of stem cell therapies for heart regeneration.

There is a variety of mechanisms(s) factor(s) that may influence stem cell therapies for heart regeneration. Among the best candidates for stem cell source are: mesenchymal stem cells (also those isolated from adipose tissue), cardiac cell progenitors (CPC) and descendants of iPSC cells. iPSC/s can be potentially beneficial although their pluripotent induction has been still in question due to: low propagation efficacy, danger of genomic integration/instability, biological risk of current vector system teratoma formation etc.

Serum 25(OH)D concentration, common variants of the VDR gene and lung cancer occurrence.

The first aim of our study was to examine the association between common variants in VDR [rs2228570 (FokI), rs1544410 (BsmI), rs7975232 (ApaI), rs731236 (TaqI) and rs11568820 (Cdx2)] and lung cancer risk in the Polish population. Genotyping and statistical analysis which included Chi-square test with Yates correction and haplotype frequency analysis were performed on a series of 840 consecutively collected lung cancer patients and 920 healthy controls. The second aim was to evaluate the link between serum 25(OH)D concentration and the number of lung cancers in a subgroup of 200 patients.

Polymorphisms in nucleotide excision repair genes and susceptibility to colorectal cancer in the Polish population.

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a rare autosomal recessive disease that is associated with a severe deficiency in nucleotide excision repair. Genetic polymorphisms in XP genes may be associated with a change in DNA repair capacity, which could be associated with colorectal cancer development. We assessed the association between 94 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within seven XP genes (XPA-XPG) and the colorectal cancer risk in the Polish population.