Comparative study of trans* healthcare models in Catalonia.

Stigma and discrimination against the trans* community have been shown to exacerbate mental health issues among its members. In Catalonia, the Gender Identity Unit at the Clinic's Hospital traditionally adhered to a biomedical model (BMM) of health for trans* individuals. However, a few years ago, the Transit Service introduced a biopsychosocial model (BPSM).

Reproductive Outcomes in Lesbian Couples Undergoing Reception of Oocytes from Partner Versus Autologous Fertilization/Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection.

This study aimed to compare reproductive outcomes after Reception of Oocytes from Partner (ROPA; also called reciprocal fertilization) with those after fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) with autologous oocytes, in lesbian couples. This was a retrospective matched cohort study of couples performing a first cycle of either ROPA ( = 60) or autologous IVF/ICSI ( = 120) between February 2012 and May 2018. Couples were matched 1:2 by age of the oocyte provider, day of embryo transfer (ET), and number of embryos transferred.

Preservation of fertility in patients with cancer (Review).

Survival rates in oncological patients have been steadily increasing in recent years due to the greater effectiveness of novel oncological treatments, such as radio‑ and chemotherapy. However, these treatments impair the reproductive ability of patients, and may cause premature ovarian failure in females and azoospermia in males. Fertility preservation in both female and male oncological patients is nowadays possible and should be integrated as part of the oncological healthcare.

Full-term pregnancy in breast cancer survivor with fertility preservation: A case report and review of literature.

A 43-year-old woman with an associated history of gynecological pathology and breast cancer with only one cryopreserved embryo wished to be a mother. Several factors that influenced the success of the pregnancy in this case were analyzed. Favorable factors included: triple positive breast cancer [positive hormone receptors and positive human epidermal growth factor receptor 2], which is more hormosensitive and chemosensitive; absence of metastasis; correct endometrium preparation; and the patient's optimistic attitude and strict health habits.

Radioresistance of mesenchymal glioblastoma initiating cells correlates with patient outcome and is associated with activation of inflammatory program.

Glioblastoma (GBM) still remains an incurable disease being radiotherapy (RT) the mainstay treatment. Glioblastoma intra-tumoral heterogeneity and Glioblastoma-Initiating Cells (GICs) challenge the design of effective therapies. We investigated GICs and non-GICs response to RT in a paired model and addressed molecular programs activated in GICs after RT.

Helicase Lymphoid-Specific Enzyme Contributes to the Maintenance of Methylation of SST1 Pericentromeric Repeats That Are Frequently Demethylated in Colon Cancer and Associate with Genomic Damage.

DNA hypomethylation at repetitive elements accounts for the genome-wide DNA hypomethylation common in cancer, including colorectal cancer (CRC). We identified a pericentromeric repeat element called SST1 frequently hypomethylated (>5% demethylation compared with matched normal tissue) in several cancers, including 28 of 128 (22%) CRCs. SST1 somatic demethylation associated with genome damage, especially in tumors with wild-type Seven percent of the 128 CRCs exhibited a higher ("severe") level of demethylation (≥10%) that co-occurred with mutations.

Epigenetic inactivation of the extracellular matrix metallopeptidase ADAMTS19 gene and the metastatic spread in colorectal cancer.

Background: ADAMTS19 encodes a member of the ADAMTS (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain with thrombospondin motifs) protein family with emerging roles in carcinogenesis and metastasis. ADAMTS shares several distinct protein modules including a propeptide region, a metalloproteinase domain, a disintegrin-like domain, and a thrombospondin type 1 (TS) motif. In a previous work, we found ADAMTS19 frequently hypermethylated in colorectal cancer (CRC).

Multidrug resistance protein 1 localization in lipid raft domains and prostasomes in prostate cancer cell lines.

Background: One of the problems in prostate cancer (CaP) treatment is the appearance of the multidrug resistance phenotype, in which ATP-binding cassette transporters such as multidrug resistance protein 1 (MRP1) play a role. Different localizations of the transporter have been reported, some of them related to the chemoresistant phenotype.

Aim: This study aimed to compare the localization of MRP1 in three prostate cell lines (normal, androgen-sensitive, and androgen-independent) in order to understand its possible role in CaP chemoresistance.

YM155 sensitizes ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin inducing apoptosis and tumor regression.

Objective: The objective of this study is to chemosensitize ovarian cancer (OVCa) cells to cisplatin (CDDP) using an inhibitor of Survivin, YM155. The efficacy of YM155 in combination with CDDP was determined in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo.

Methods: Human OVCa cell lines A2780p and their cisplatin-resistant derivative A2780cis, were treated with CDDP, YM155, and the combined treatment (YM155+CDDP), and cell viability, mRNA and protein expression levels, cell-cycle distribution, and DNA damage were then evaluated.

Do drug transporter (ABCB1) SNPs and P-glycoprotein function influence cyclosporine and macrolides exposure in renal transplant patients? Results of the pharmacogenomic substudy within the symphony study.

The function of the efflux pump P-glycoprotein (Pgp) and ABCB1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) should be considered as important tools to deepen knowledge of drug nephrotoxicity and disposition mechanisms. The aim of this study is to investigate the association of C3435T, G2677T, C1236T, and T129C ABCB1 SNPs with Pgp activity and exposure to different immunosuppressive drugs in renal transplant patients. Patients included in the Symphony Pharmacogenomic substudy were genotyped for ABCB1 SNPs.

Mdm2 antagonists induce apoptosis and synergize with cisplatin overcoming chemoresistance in TP53 wild-type ovarian cancer cells.

Ovarian cancer (OVCa) is the leading cause of death from gynecological malignancies. Although treatment for advanced OVCa has improved with the introduction of taxane-platinum chemotherapy, the majority of patients will develop resistance to the treatment, leading to poor prognosis. One of the causes of chemoresistance is the reduced ability to undergo apoptosis.

Delayed mTOR inhibition with low dose of everolimus reduces TGFβ expression, attenuates proteinuria and renal damage in the renal mass reduction model.

Background: The immunosuppressive mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors are widely used in solid organ transplantation, but their effect on kidney disease progression is controversial. mTOR has emerged as one of the main pathways regulating cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, migration, and survival. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of delayed inhibition of mTOR pathway with low dose of everolimus on progression of renal disease and TGFβ expression in the 5/6 nephrectomy model in Wistar rats.

TP53 induced glycolysis and apoptosis regulator (TIGAR) knockdown results in radiosensitization of glioma cells.

Background And Purpose: The TP53 induced glycolysis and apoptosis regulator (TIGAR) functions to lower fructose-2,6-bisphosphate (Fru-2,6-P(2)) levels in cells, consequently decreasing glycolysis and leading to the scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which correlate with a higher resistance to cell death. The decrease in intracellular ROS levels in response to TIGAR may also play a role in the ability of p53 to protect from the accumulation of genomic lesions. Given these good prospects of TIGAR for metabolic regulation and p53-response modulation, we analyzed the effects of TIGAR knockdown in U87MG and T98G glioblastoma-derived cell lines.

Activation of p53 by nutlin-3a induces apoptosis and cellular senescence in human glioblastoma multiforme.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor in adults. Despite concerted efforts to improve current therapies and develop novel clinical approaches, patient survival remains poor. As such, increasing attention has focused on developing new therapeutic strategies that specifically target the apoptotic pathway in order to improve treatment responses.

Different storing and processing conditions of human lymphocytes do not alter P-glycoprotein rhodamine 123 efflux.

P-glycoprotein (Pgp), a protein codified by Multi Drug Resistance (MDR1) gene, has a detoxifying function and might influence the toxicity and pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs. Sampling strategies to improve Pgp studies could be useful to optimize the sensitivity and the reproducibility of efflux assays. This study aimed to compare Pgp expression and efflux activity by measuring Rhodamine123 (Rh123) retention in lymphocytes stored under different conditions, in order to evaluate the potential utility of any of the storing conditions in Pgp functionality.

Overcoming drug resistance by enhancing apoptosis of tumor cells.

Drug resistance remains a major clinical challenge for cancer treatment. One mechanism by which tumor cells develop resistance to cytotoxic agents and radiation is related to resistance to apoptosis. Apoptosis is a well-organised process of cell death pre-programmed inside the cell.

Different renal toxicity profiles in the association of cyclosporine and tacrolimus with sirolimus in rats.

Background: The association of calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) with mTOR inhibitors (mTORi) is still a problem in clinical practice and there is substantial interest in better understanding the impact of these associations on kidney toxicity. We aimed to analyse the functional and histological profiles of damage and to define the contribution of inflammatory and pro-fibrotic mediators in the association of cyclosporine (CsA) and/or tacrolimus (Tac) with sirolimus (SRL).

Methods: A well-defined model of nephrotoxicity in salt-depleted male rats was used.

Mechanisms of prodigiosin cytotoxicity in human neuroblastoma cell lines.

Prodigiosin is a bacterial red pigment with cytotoxic properties and potential antitumor activity that has been tested against different cancerous cells. In this study we report the effect and mechanisms of action of prodigiosin against different human neuroblastoma cell lines: SH-SY5Y, LAN-1, IMR-32 (N-type) and SK-N-AS (S-type). We compare the anticancerous effect of prodigiosin with that of cisplatin at different concentrations during 24 h of exposure.

Chromatin organization during spermiogenesis in Octopus vulgaris. II: DNA-interacting proteins.

In this article we study the proteins responsible for chromatin condensation during spermiogenesis in the cephalopod Octopus vulgaris. The DNA of ripe sperm nuclei in this species is condensed by a set of five different proteins. Four of these proteins are protamines.

Chromatin organization during spermiogenesis in Octopus vulgaris. I: Morphological structures.

In the process of the chromatin remodeling that occurs during spermiogenesis in some animal species, it is possible to distinguish between two separate aspects: the chromatin condensation pattern itself (granular, fibrillar, or lamellar), and the architecture of this pattern, that is to say, its arrangement within the nucleus. In the cephalopod Octopus vulgaris these two aspects are clearly differentiated. The condensation pattern develops from 25 nm fibers to fibers with a tubular aspect and with a progressively increasing diameter (40-60 nm and then to 80 nm), to end finally in the form of very thin fibers (3-5 nm) product of the coalescence and dissolution of the major fibers.

YB-1 is upregulated during prostate cancer tumor progression and increases P-glycoprotein activity.

Background: Currently, the main obstacle to curing advanced prostate cancer is development of androgen independence (AI), where malignant cells acquire the ability to survive in the absence of androgens. Our initial experimental approach used cDNA microarrays to characterize changes in gene expression in the LNCaP human prostate tumor model during progression to AI. The transcription factor Y-box binding protein (YB-1) was shown to be one of the genes upregulated.

P-glycoprotein increases the efflux of the androgen dihydrotestosterone and reduces androgen responsive gene activity in prostate tumor cells.

Background: P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is commonly associated with multi-drug resistance (MDR) in cancer cells and the efflux of a broad spectrum of chemicals from the cell, including many chemotherapeutics and certain steroid hormones. The impact of P-gp and mechanisms involved in androgen transport and cellular accumulation within normal and malignant prostate cells remains unclear.

Methods: Following incubation of LNCaP, PC-3, HeLa, and HeLa FLAG-androgen receptor (AR) cells with (3)H-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) alone and in combination with P-gp inhibitors, PSC-833 and verapamil, we examined the cellular accumulation and efflux of androgens, as well as gene transcriptional response.

Chromatin condensation, cysteine-rich protamine, and establishment of disulphide interprotamine bonds during spermiogenesis of Eledone cirrhosa (Cephalopoda).

During spermiogenesis in Eledone cirrhosa a single protamine substitutes for histones in nuclei of developing spermatids. This protein displays a peculiar primary structure. It contains 22.