Probiotic bacteria in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Background: Probiotics are live microorganisms, which as drugs or food supplements help to maintain health beneficial microbial balance in the digestive tract of a human or other host. Probiotics by their properties may help strengthen homeostasis and thus reduce side effects associated with cancer treatment. Experimental evidence suggests that probiotics might have beneficial effect on the toxicity of anticancer therapy.

Analysis of bacteria from intestinal tract of FAP patients for the presence of APC-like sequences.

Background: Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a hereditary disease induced by germ-line mutations in the tumor suppressor APC gene. These initiate the early stages of the adenoma-carcinoma sequence in familial, but also in sporadic (in 80% to 90%), colon tumorigenesis. We found the presence of APC-like sequences in bacteria of FAP patients.

Study of the APC gene function in the mouse APC+/APC1638N model.

Objectives: Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by the presence of hundreds to thousands of benign polyps in the colon. If not removed prophylactically they represent a risk of developing malignant cancer with an almost 100% penentrance. FAP is induced by germline mutation in the APC gene.

Confirmation of HIV-like sequences in respiratory tract bacteria of Cambodian and Kenyan HIV-positive pediatric patients.

Background: Bacteria and yeasts isolated from respiratory tracts of 39 Cambodian and 28 Kenyan HIV-positive children were tested for the presence of HIV-1 sequences.

Material/methods: Bacteria and yeasts from the respiratory tract (nose, pharyngeal swabs) were isolated from 39 Cambodian and 28 Kenyan HIV-positive children. Bacterial chromosomal DNA was prepared by standard protocol and by Qiagen kit.

Polymorphisms in the adenomatous polyposis coli gene in Slovak families suspected of FAP.

Objectives: Polymorphism in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene was analyzed in 33 families suspected of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) without identified APC gene mutation. Screening of 104 members of mentioned families for polymorphism in the APC gene, was performed using single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and DNA sequencing.

Results: Twelve different types of polymorphism were found in the cohort of the families analyzed.