Detection of caudal type homeobox 1 () gene methylated DNA,as a stool-based diagnostic biomarker in colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is known to develop due to the accumulation of both genetic and epigenetic alterations, resulting in the conversion of intestinal epithelial cells to malignant adenocarcinoma cells. Caudal type homeobox 1 () gene is a homeobox transcription factor and a selective tumour suppressor gene that is an important factor for the development of intestinal cells. This gene plays a role in the differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells, and its expression decreases in a number of cell lines derived from CRC, which suggests that a lack of expression is a risk factor for the development of colorectal carcinoma.

The influence of Nrf2 gene promoter methylation on gene expression and oxidative stress parameters in preeclampsia.

Background And Aims: Preeclampsia (PE) is a serious medical condition that usually causes high blood pressure and affects multiple organs. Considering the adverse effect of oxidative stress on the process of PE in pregnant women and regarding the role of the Nrf2 gene in placental oxidative pathways, this study was conducted to investigate the DNA methylation status of Nrf2 in PE and healthy pregnant women.

Materials And Methods: The present case-control study consisted of 70 PE and 70 healthy pregnant women.

The study of DNA methylation and gene expression and the diagnostic potential of in preeclampsia.

The objective was to elucidate the potential epigenetic regulatory mechanism in  expression in preeclampsia. promoter DNA methylation was evaluated in the placental tissue and blood of preeclamptic and normotensive pregnant women. and gene expression were assessed in placental tissue and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

The diagnostic potential of miR-196a-1 in colorectal cancer.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignancy worldwide. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important epigenetic alterations that notably impact various physiological and pathological processes by acting as negative regulators of gene expression. Furthermore, they have a vital function in different types of cancers, including CRC.

Diagnostic value of gene promoter-methylated DNA in the plasma samples of patients with colorectal cancer.

Background: Epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation in the CpG islands of genes occur at a high rate. In this study, we measured the methylation level of the promoter region of the gene as a new blood biomarker for the detection of colorectal cancer in the early stages.

Methods: The methylation level of the promoter region of the gene was measured in the plasma samples of 50 colorectal cancer patients and 50 normal individuals.

Theobromine supplementation in combination with a low-calorie diet improves cardiovascular risk factors in overweight and obese subjects with metabolic syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.

: The beneficial effects of theobromine (TB) on obesity and features of metabolic syndrome (MetS) have been reported in several studies. However, the findings are equivocal. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of 12 week pure TB supplementation (450 mg day) combined with a low-calorie diet on the anthropometric and metabolic syndrome indices in overweight and obese adults with MetS.

A novel epigenetic biomarker, plasma miR-138-5p gene promoter-methylated DNA, for colorectal cancer diagnosis.

The miR-138-5p promoter-methylated DNA level, miR-138-5p and PDL1 expression were investigated in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. miR-138-5p promoter methylation status and miR-138-5p expression were investigated using the MethyLight and qPCR method, respectively. For measuring PDL-1, we applied the Bioassay Technology Elisa kit.

Quantitative detection of SRY-Box 21 () gene promoter methylation as a stool-based noninvasive biomarker for early diagnosis of colorectal cancer by MethyLight method.

Background: In recent years, the study of potential epigenetic biomarkers in feces has been an attractive research approach for the noninvasive diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the stool-based DNA methylation potential of SRY-Box 21 (SOX21) gene promoter as an appropriate candidate biomarker for differentiating CRC patients and healthy individuals for the first time.

Methods: The MethyLight method was performed to analyze the methylation status of SOX21 gene promoter in fecal samples from 40 patients with CRC and 40 healthy controls.

Activities and polymorphisms of MMP-2 and MMP-9, smoking, diabetes and risk of prostate cancer.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a group of zinc dependent enzymes that are involved in tumor cell invasion and metastasis. The role of MMP-2 and -9 genetic polymorphism in different malignancies has been the subject of numerous studies. The present research has attempted to discover any positive correlation between MMP-2 and MMP-9 SNPs and prostate cancer (PCa) in patients with a history of either diabetes or smoking habits.

High potential of gene promoter methylation as an epigenetic biomarker for early detection of colorectal cancer.

Background: Despite the advances in screening during the past decades, colorectal cancer (CRC) still is a leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Therefore, the development of new diagnostic methods is necessary.

Aim: The aim of this study was to compare methylation changes of SRY-Box 21 (SOX21) gene promoter in tumor tissues and their normal adjacent mucosa in patients with CRC and to examine the relationship between the methylation levels and demographic/clinicopathological factors.

Poly(I:C) adjuvant strongly enhances parasite-inhibitory antibodies and Th1 response against Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein-1 (42-kDa fragment) in BALB/c mice.

Malaria vaccine development has been confronted with various challenges such as poor immunogenicity of malaria vaccine candidate antigens, which is considered as the main challenge. However, this problem can be managed using appropriate formulations of antigens and adjuvants. Poly(I:C) is a potent Th1 inducer and a human compatible adjuvant capable of stimulating both B- and T-cell immunity.

Detection of SPG20 gene promoter-methylated DNA, as a novel epigenetic biomarker, in plasma for colorectal cancer diagnosis using the MethyLight method.

Aberrant promoter methylation of genes is a common epigenetic alteration in colorectal cancer (CRC). In the present study, spastic paraplegia 20 (SPG20) promoter-methylated DNA, as a potential diagnostic biomarker, was investigated in plasma and tumor tissue samples from patients with CRC. To the best of our knowledge, the quantification of SPG20 promoter-methylated DNA in plasma samples remains unreported.

Supradural inflammatory soup in awake and freely moving rats induces facial allodynia that is blocked by putative immune modulators.

Facial allodynia is a migraine symptom that is generally considered to represent a pivotal point in migraine progression. Treatment before development of facial allodynia tends to be more successful than treatment afterwards. As such, understanding the underlying mechanisms of facial allodynia may lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying migraine.

Reproductive senescence blunts response of estrogen receptor-α expression to estrogen treatment in rat post-ischemic cerebral microvessels.

Background: Several studies demonstrate that estrogen treatment improves cerebral blood flow in ischemic brain regions of young ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Estrogen receptor-α (ER-α) may mediate estrogen's beneficial actions via its effects on the cerebral microvasculature. However, estrogen-derived benefit may be attenuated in aged, reproductively senescent (RS) rats.

Heterozygosity for the proteasomal Psmc1 ATPase is insufficient to cause neuropathology in mouse brain, but causes cell cycle defects in mouse embryonic fibroblasts.

The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) is a fundamental cellular pathway, degrading most unwanted intracellular soluble proteins. Dysfunction of the UPS has been associated with normal aging as well as various age-related pathological conditions, including chronic human neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, leading to a significant interest in the involvement of this degradative system in neurones. We previously reported that the 26S proteasome was essential for neuronal homeostasis and survival in mouse brains following conditional genetic homozygous knockout of a key subunit of the multi-meric 26S proteasome (19S ATPase Psmc1).

Implantation of amniotic membrane as a vascular substitute in the external jugular vein of juvenile sheep.

Objective: Amniotic membrane, as a natural biomaterial, has many advantages, such as low immunogenicity, anti-inflammation, antifibrosis, and rich extracellular matrix components, which make it a promising source for vascular tissue engineering. This study assessed the feasibility of constructing a vein conduit from the amniotic membrane and implanting it in the external jugular vein of juvenile sheep.

Methods: Human amniotic membrane was prepared using fresh human placenta.

Imaging of estrogen receptor-α in rat pial arterioles using a digital immunofluorescent microscope.

Many of estrogen's effects on vascular reactivity are mediated through interaction with estrogen receptors (1, 2, 3). Although two sub-types exist (estrogen receptor -α and β),estrogen receptor-α has been identified in both the smooth muscle and in endothelial cells of pial arterial segments using fluorescent staining combined with confocal laser scanning microscopy (4). Furthermore, ER-α is located in the nuclei and in the cytoplasm of rat basilar arteries (5).

Evidence that tricyclic small molecules may possess toll-like receptor and myeloid differentiation protein 2 activity.

Opioids have been discovered to have Toll-like receptor (TLR) activity, beyond actions at classical opioid receptors. This raises the question whether other pharmacotherapies for pain control may also possess TLR activity, contributing to or opposing their clinical effects. We document that tricyclics can alter TLR4 and TLR2 signaling.

Possible involvement of toll-like receptor 4/myeloid differentiation factor-2 activity of opioid inactive isomers causes spinal proinflammation and related behavioral consequences.

Opioid-induced glial activation and its proinflammatory consequences have been associated with both reduced acute opioid analgesia and the enhanced development of tolerance, hyperalgesia and allodynia following chronic opioid administration. Intriguingly, recent evidence demonstrates that these effects can result independently from the activation of classical, stereoselective opioid receptors. Here, a structurally disparate range of opioids cause activation of signaling by the innate immune receptor toll like receptor 4 (TLR4), resulting in proinflammatory glial activation.

A novel method for modeling facial allodynia associated with migraine in awake and freely moving rats.

Migraine is a neurovascular disorder that induces debilitating headaches associated with multiple symptoms including facial allodynia, characterized by heightened responsivity to normally innocuous mechanical stimuli. It is now well accepted that immune activation and immune-derived inflammatory mediators enhance pain responsivity, including the trigeminal system. Nociceptive ("pain" responsive) trigeminal nerves densely innervate the cranial meninges.

Evidence that intrathecal morphine-3-glucuronide may cause pain enhancement via toll-like receptor 4/MD-2 and interleukin-1beta.

Morphine-3-glucoronide (M3G) is a major morphine metabolite detected in cerebrospinal fluid of humans receiving systemic morphine. M3G has little-to-no affinity for opioid receptors and induces pain by unknown mechanisms. The pain-enhancing effects of M3G have been proposed to significantly and progressively oppose morphine analgesia as metabolism ensues.

Evidence that opioids may have toll-like receptor 4 and MD-2 effects.

Opioid-induced proinflammatory glial activation modulates wide-ranging aspects of opioid pharmacology including: opposition of acute and chronic opioid analgesia, opioid analgesic tolerance, opioid-induced hyperalgesia, development of opioid dependence, opioid reward, and opioid respiratory depression. However, the mechanism(s) contributing to opioid-induced proinflammatory actions remains unresolved. The potential involvement of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) was examined using in vitro, in vivo, and in silico techniques.