The pivotal role of long non-coding RNAs as potential biomarkers and modulators of chemoresistance in ovarian cancer (OC).

Ovarian cancer (OC) is a fatal gynecological disease that is often diagnosed at later stages due to its asymptomatic nature and the absence of efficient early-stage biomarkers. Previous studies have identified genes with abnormal expression in OC that couldn't be explained by methylation or mutation, indicating alternative mechanisms of gene regulation. Recent advances in human transcriptome studies have led to research on non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) as regulators of cancer gene expression.

Epigenetic status of FBXW7 gene and its role in Ovarian cancer pathogenesis.

Background: Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis revealed that the FBXW7 gene and the long non-coding RNA (LINC01588) are potential candidates in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) pathogenesis. However, their exact role in EOC is not yet known. Thus, the present study sheds light on the impact of the mutations/ methylation status of the FBXW7 gene.

Exosomes as crucial emerging tools for intercellular communication with therapeutic potential in ovarian cancer.

More than two-thirds of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients are diagnosed at advanced stages due to the lack of sensitive biomarkers. Currently, exosomes are intensively investigated as non-invasive cancer diagnostic markers. Exosomes are nanovesicles released in the extracellular milieu with the potential to modulate recipient cells' behavior.

Identification and validation of a novel long non-coding RNA (LINC01465) in ovarian cancer.

Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (EOC) is a heterogeneous disease usually diagnosed at advanced stages. Therefore, early detection is crucial for better survival. Despite the advances in ovarian research, mechanisms underlying EOC carcinogenesis are not elucidated.

Addition of Gallic Acid Overcomes Resistance to Cisplatin in Ovarian Cancer Cell Lines.

Objective: Ovarian cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality in women, and is often associated with drug resistance. Therefore, finding effective drugs, including naturally derived compounds, is urgently needed. Herein, we aimed to test the anti-cancer potential of gallic acid monohydrate (GA) and its congeners on cisplatin-sensitive (A2780S), and resistant (A2780CP) ovarian cancer and normal ovarian (HOSE6-3) cell lines.

SOCS3 gene silencing does not occur through methylation and mutations in gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) is ranked the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Mutations and epigenetic alterations in several essential genes, including p53, KRAS, PIK3CA, FAT4 and ARID1A, are often reported. Furthermore, loss of SOCS3 expression was reported in GC, suggesting its tumor suppressor role.

Hymenialdisine is Cytotoxic Against Cisplatin-Sensitive but Not Against Cisplatin-Resistant Cell Lines.

Objectives: New compounds are needed to overcome the resistance to commonly used cytotoxic chemotherapy for epithelial ovarian cancer. Marine sponges are a rich source of diverse chemical compounds and hymenialdisine has been found to have antiproliferative effects. This study aimed to investigate the cytotoxic effect of hymenialdisine in cisplatin-sensitive and cisplatin resistant ovarian cancer cell lines.

Malformin-A1 (MA1) Sensitizes Chemoresistant Ovarian Cancer Cells to Cisplatin-Induced Apoptosis.

High-grade epithelial ovarian cancer is a fatal disease in women frequently associated with drug resistance and poor outcomes. We previously demonstrated that a marine-derived compound MalforminA1 (MA1) was cytotoxic for the breast cancer cell line MCF-7. In this study, we aimed to examine the effect of MA1 on human ovarian cancer cells.

Promotes the Malignancy of Ovarian Cancer Via the Regulation of Hippo and Wnt Pathways.

is a transcription factor that is overexpressed in the early stages of ovarian cancer and has been suggested as a potential biomarker for early detection. In this study, we aimed to examine the role of in invasion and proliferation of ovarian cancer cells. We performed cell viability, colony formation, and invasion assays using ovarian cancer cells treated with siRNA to knock down the gene.

FAT4 silencing promotes epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and invasion via regulation of YAP and β-catenin activity in ovarian cancer.

Background: The adhesion molecule, FAT4, has a tumor suppressor function with a critical role in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal-transition (EMT) and anti-malignant growth in several cancers. No study has investigated yet its role in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) progression. In the present study, we examined the role of FAT4 in proliferation and metastasis, and its mechanisms of interaction in these processes.

overexpression is correlated with clinical features and survival outcome of luminal breast cancer subtypes.

In Oman, breast cancer is most common, representing approximately more than 25% of all cancers in women. Relatively younger populations of patients (25-40 years) present surprisingly with an aggressive phenotype and advanced tumor stages. In this study, we investigated differential gene expressions in Luminal A, Luminal B, triple-negative and Her2+ breast cancer subtypes and compared data to benign tumor samples.

Molecular genetics complexity impeding research progress in breast and ovarian cancers.

Breast and ovarian cancer are heterogeneous diseases. While breast cancer accounts for 25% of cancers worldwide, ovarian cancer accounts for 3.5% of all cancers and it is considered to be the most lethal type of cancer among women.

A novel missense mutation in the C2C domain of otoferlin causes profound hearing impairment in an Omani family with auditory neuropathy.

Objectives: To identify genetic defects in an Omani family diagnosed with deafness. 

Methods: A cross-sectional association study was conducted at the Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Al-Khoud, Oman and the Centre of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium between August 2010 and September 2014. Microsatellites markers for nine non-syndromic genes were used to genotype the defective locus using the extracted DNA from family members.

Screening for Anti-Cancer Compounds in Marine Organisms in Oman.

Objectives: Marine organisms are a rich source of bioactive molecules with potential applications in medicine, biotechnology and industry; however, few bioactive compounds have been isolated from organisms inhabiting the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. This study aimed to isolate and screen the anti-cancer activity of compounds and extracts from 40 natural products of marine organisms collected from the Gulf of Oman.

Methods: This study was carried out between January 2012 and December 2014 at the Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.

Hoxb13, a potential prognostic biomarker for prostate cancer.

HOXB13, a member of the homeobox proteins family, is a key regulator of the epithelial differentiation in the prostate gland. HOXB13 is overexpressed during malignant progression of the prostatic tissue and suspected to contribute in the pathogenesis of the prostate gland. In androgen deprived conditions, HOXB13 is thought to act through inhibition of the tumour suppressor protein p21.

Understanding the functional discrepancy of Pim-1 in cancer.

The Pim-1 gene encodes for a proto-oncogenic serine/threonine protein kinase and is generally involved in cytokine signaling as well as in various signaling pathways regulating cell cycle and apoptosis. Pim-1 kinase plays a role in the development of various tumors mainly, prostate cancer, Burkitt's lymphoma, oral cancer and various other hematopoietic lymphomas. This review will focus on the importance and mechanisms of Pim-1 in prostate cancer and the potential clinical relevance of its various inhibitors.

The p53 Mutation/Deletion Profile in a Small Cohort of the Omani Population with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma.

Objectives: Mutations/deletions affecting the TP53 gene are considered an independent marker predicting a poor prognosis for patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). A cohort within a genetically isolated population was investigated for p53 mutation/deletion status.

Methods: Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) samples were extracted from 23 paraffin-embedded blocks obtained from DLBCL patients, and subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and sequencing of exons 4-9 of the p53 gene.

WNT5A is regulated by PAX2 and may be involved in blastemal predominant Wilms tumorigenesis.

The PAX2 gene encodes a transcription factor expressed during development. In humans, PAX2 mutations cause the renal-coloboma syndrome, whereas homozygous mutations are lethal, causing severe organ malformation, notably in the brain and kidney. Wilms tumor (WT) of the kidney results from a failure in the mesenchymal-epithelial transition, a crucial step partly controlled by PAX2.

Identification of a minimal region of loss on the short arm of chromosome 1 in Wilms tumor.

We have analyzed the short arm of chromosome 1 using loss of heterozygosity (LOH) analysis in Wilms tumors (WT) to identify a minimal region of loss. 1909 WT, 22 malignant rhabdoid tumors of the kidney and 90 clear cell carcinomas of the kidney (CCSK) were subjected to LOH analysis using five markers flanked by D1S243 and D1S244. 225 WT and 4 CCSK displayed LOH for this region.

FGF19 is a target for FOXC1 regulation in ciliary body-derived cells.

The forkhead C1 (FOXC1) transcription factor is involved in the development and regulation of several organs, including the eye, where FOXC1 alterations cause iris, trabecular meshwork and corneal anomalies. Using nickel agarose chromatin enrichment with human anterior segment cells, we previously identified the fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) locus as a gene potentially regulated by FOXC1. Here, we demonstrate that FGF19 is a direct target of FOXC1 in the eye.

Paired box genes, PAX-2 and PAX-8, are not frequently mutated in Wilms tumor.

To determine whether PAX-2 and PAX-8 are involved in Wilms tumor (WT) pathogenesis, we sought mutations in these two genes in 99 Wilms tumors of favorable histology. We screened the entire protein coding sequences as well as the intronic regions adjacent to exons, using denaturing HPLC followed by sequencing of samples displaying abnormal chromatograms. In PAX-2, a silent polymorphism was found within exon 2 and exon 8 in 1% and 21% of cases, respectively.

The establishment of a predictive mutational model of the forkhead domain through the analyses of FOXC2 missense mutations identified in patients with hereditary lymphedema with distichiasis.

The FOX family of transcription factor genes is an evolutionary conserved, yet functionally diverse class of transcription factors that are important for regulation of energy homeostasis, development and oncogenesis. The proteins encoded by FOX genes are characterized by a conserved DNA-binding domain known as the forkhead domain (FHD). To date, disease-causing mutations have been identified in eight human FOX genes.

Identification of target genes regulated by FOXC1 using nickel agarose-based chromatin enrichment.

Purpose: To overcome the problem of antibody availability, often encountered during chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays, nickel agarose-based chromatin enrichment (NACE) was developed. Based on the affinity of (His)-6-tagged proteins for the nickel ion, this modified form of ChIP allows the isolation of chromatin in the absence of specific antibodies.

Methods: Nonpigmented ciliary epithelium cells were transfected with (His)-6-tagged FOXC1.

Leiomyosarcoma of the bladder in a retinoblastoma patient.

We report a rare case of leiomyosarcoma in the bladder which occurred in an 18-year-old female with a prior history of retinoblastoma (RB). Molecular characterization of this tumor displayed a homozygous RB deletion and a reduced P53 expression. These results suggest that the loss of RB and P53 may have contributed to the initiation and/or progression of the leiomyosarcoma of the bladder in this patient.

Selective reovirus killing of bladder cancer in a co-culture spheroid model.

Up to 50% of the transitional cell carcinomas (TCC) express an activated EGF pathway involving MAP/MEK and RAF kinase thus providing a novel means to selectively eliminate transformed cells expressing such proteins. This EGF pathway expression phenotype was also confirmed in our MGH-U3 and room temperature-112 human TCC cell lines, which makes them a suitable model target for the reovirus oncolysis. We report here on an in vitro assay of co-culture spheroids using either human or rat TCC cells with their corresponding fibroblasts to examine the potential of viral selective lysis for TCC.