0000000000002295

AUTHOR

Anna Paola Carreca

0000-0002-7389-7555

The role of polymorphisms occurring in BRCA1/2 genes in determining ovarian cancer risk.

e17551 Background: Ovarian cancer (OC) is the 10th tumor occurring in women, it accounts for 30% of all malignant tumor affecting female genital tract in Italy. There are several factors that contribute to OC development; in 15-25% of cases family history of breast and ovarian cancer represent the main risk factor. It is well known that pathogenic variants (PVs) occurring in BRCA1/2 genes strongly increase the risk of developing OC, ranging from 50% in BRCA1 PVs carriers to 30% in BRCA2 PVs carriers. Recently genetic polymorphism has been shown to increase cancer risk, consequently polymorphisms in BRCA1/2 genes could represent low penetrance susceptibility alleles and contribute to determ…

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Advanced breast cancer at presentation (ABC-p) in octogenarian women (OW): Specific elderly-devoted risk tests(SEDRT) (CARG+CRASH) as new tools to prevent serious/irreversible adverse reactions (AR) in frail patients.

e12510 Background: Due to current lengthening of average lifespan and progressive increase of malignant tumors in mankind, more new strategies must be constantly sought especially for thirdage neoplasms. Nevertheless because severe toxicity developed in the majority of frail patients, administration of therapy may cause high risk of life-threatening AIM: We have considered in this paper ABC in frail patients like OW. Purpose of the study is preliminary detection of the overall toxicity (OTox) through the possible use of specifics tests adopted specially in frail patients such as OW, to ensure greater control in drugs administration with good effectiveness. AIM: We have considered in this p…

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Exosomes isolation and characterization in non small cell lung carcinoma patients: Proof of concept study.

11101 Background: The liquid biopsy is a noninvasive tool that could change the vision of diagnostic, prognostic and predictive analysis in oncology. In the liquid biopsy potential blood-based biom...

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Comparison of Immunosuppressive and Angiogenic Properties of Human Amnion-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells between 2D and 3D Culture Systems

The secretion of potential therapeutic factors by mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has aroused much interest given the benefits that it can bring in the field of regenerative medicine. Indeed, the in vitro multipotency of these cells and the secretive capacity of both angiogenic and immunomodulatory factors suggest a role in tissue repair and regeneration. However, during culture, MSCs rapidly lose the expression of key transcription factors associated with multipotency and self-renewal, as well as the ability to produce functional paracrine factors. In our study, we show that a three-dimensional (3D) culture method is effective to induce MSC spheroid formation, to maintain the multipotency an…

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Corrigendum to “Liquid biopsies in lung cancer: The new ambrosia of researchers” [Biochem. Biophys. Act. 1846(2014) 539–546]

a Phase I — Early Clinical Trials Unit, Oncology Department, Antwerp University Hospital, Wilrijkstraat 10, Edegem 2650, Belgium b Molecular Pathology Unit, Pathology Department, Antwerp University Hospital, Wilrijkstraat 10, Edegem 2650, Belgium c Department of Surgical, Oncological and Oral Sciences, Section of Medical Oncology, University of Palermo, Via Liborio Giuffre 5, Palermo 90127, Italy d Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics (Phase I Program), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Holcombe Blvd 1400, Unit 455, Houston 77030, USA e Department of Biopathology and Medical and Forensic Biotechnologies, Section of Biology and Genetics, University of Palermo, V…

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The ISWI chromatin remodeler organizes the hsrω ncRNA-containing omega speckle nuclear compartments.

The complexity in composition and function of the eukaryotic nucleus is achieved through its organization in specialized nuclear compartments. The Drosophila chromatin remodeling ATPase ISWI plays evolutionarily conserved roles in chromatin organization. Interestingly, ISWI genetically interacts with the hsrω gene, encoding multiple non-coding RNAs (ncRNA) essential, among other functions, for the assembly and organization of the omega speckles. The nucleoplasmic omega speckles play important functions in RNA metabolism, in normal and stressed cells, by regulating availability of hnRNPs and some other RNA processing proteins. Chromatin remodelers, as well as nuclear speckles and their assoc…

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Quantitative Proteomics Reveals Changes Induced by TIMP-3 on Cell Membrane Composition and Novel Metalloprotease Substrates

Ectodomain shedding is a key mechanism of several biological processes, including cell-communication. Disintegrin and metalloproteinases (ADAMs), together with the membrane-type matrix metalloproteinases, play a pivotal role in shedding transmembrane proteins. Aberrant shedding is associated to several pathological conditions, including arthritis. Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteases 3 (TIMP-3), an endogenous inhibitor of ADAMs and matrix metalloproteases (MMPs), has been proven to be beneficial in such diseases. Thus, strategies to increase TIMP-3 bioavailability in the tissue have been sought for development of therapeutics. Nevertheless, high levels of TIMP-3 may lead to mechanism-based …

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Combination of eribulin (E) and capecitabine (C) in elderly metastatic breast cancer (MBC): Update of a new option suitable in older elderly.

9540 Background: E mesylate, a nontaxane microtubule dynamics inhibitor is widely prescribed for MBC pts pretreated with at least 1-2 lines of chemotherapy, including anthracyclines and taxanes (A&...

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Cancer and the microbiome : potential applications as new tumor biomarker

Abstract: Microbial communities that colonize in humans are collectively described as microbiome. According to conservative estimates, about 15% of all types of neoplasms are related to different infective agents. However, current knowledge is not sufficient to explain how the microbiome contributes to the growth and development of cancers. Large and thorough studies involving colonized, diverse and complex microbiome entities are required to identify microbiome as a potential cancer marker and to understand how the immune system is involved in response to pathogens. This article reviews the existing evidence supporting the enigmatic association of transformed microbiome with the developmen…

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Klebsiella pneumoniae Lipopolysaccharides Serotype O2afg Induce Poor Inflammatory Immune Responses Ex Vivo

Currently, Klebsiella pneumoniae is a pathogen of clinical relevance due to its plastic ability of acquiring resistance genes to multiple antibiotics. During K. pneumoniae infections, lipopolysaccharides (LPS) play an ambiguous role as they both activate immune responses but can also play a role in immune evasion. The LPS O2a and LPS O2afg serotypes are prevalent in most multidrug resistant K. pneumoniae strains. Thus, we sought to understand if those two particular LPS serotypes were involved in a mechanism of immune evasion. We have extracted LPS (serotypes O1, O2a and O2afg) from K. pneumoniae strains and, using human monocytes ex vivo, we assessed the ability of those LPS antigens to in…

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An In Vitro Model of Glioma Development

Gliomas are the prevalent forms of brain cancer and derive from glial cells. Among them, astrocytomas are the most frequent. Astrocytes are fundamental for most brain functions, as they contribute to neuronal metabolism and neurotransmission. When they acquire cancer properties, their functions are altered, and, in addition, they start invading the brain parenchyma. Thus, a better knowledge of transformed astrocyte molecular properties is essential. With this aim, we previously developed rat astrocyte clones with increasing cancer properties. In this study, we used proteomic analysis to compare the most transformed clone (A-FC6) with normal primary astrocytes. We found that 154 proteins are…

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Effects of erybuline/capecitabine (EC) treatment in very elderly women (VEW) with MBC.

e12508 Background: Eribuline mesylate, is widely prescribed for MBC pts alone or in combination with Capecitabine in patients pretreated with at least 1-2 lines of chemotherapy, including anthracyclines and taxanes (A&T). Elderly Patients (EP) develop rapid and sometimes fatal toxicity during treatments due to pharmacokinetic features of these drugs.A combination schedule (E+C) to evaluate its suitability for VEW with MBC patients ,was used in this study. Methods: Treatment plan: E 0.96 mg/sqm IV on d1 every 21d - C 900 mg/sqm bid d1-14 every 28d (Dose-adjustement if necessary was according to Kintzel-Dorr’s formula for elderly), schedule administration continued until progression or i…

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Exosomes isolation and characterization in serum is feasible in non-small cell lung cancer patients: critical analysis of evidence and potential role in clinical practice

// Simona Taverna 1,2,* , Marco Giallombardo 1,3,* , Ignacio Gil-Bazo 4 , Anna Paola Carreca 3 , Marta Castiglia 3 , Jorge Chacartegui 3 , Antonio Araujo 5 , Riccardo Alessandro 1,2 , Patrick Pauwels 6 , Marc Peeters 7 and Christian Rolfo 3 1 Department of Biopathology and Medical Biotechnology, Section of Biology and Genetics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy 2 Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology (IBIM), National Research Council, Palermo, Italy 3 Phase I-Early Clinical Trials Unit, Oncology Department, Antwerp University Hospital (UZA) and Center for Oncological Research (CORE) Antwerp University, Wilrijkstraat, Edegem, Antwerp, Belgium 4 Department of Oncology, Clinica…

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TIMP-3 facilitates binding of target metalloproteinases to the endocytic receptor LRP-1 and promotes scavenging of MMP-1.

AbstractMatrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and the related families of disintegrin metalloproteinases (ADAMs) and ADAMs with thrombospondin repeats (ADAMTSs) play a crucial role in extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover and shedding of cell-surface molecules. The proteolytic activity of metalloproteinases is post-translationally regulated by their endogenous inhibitors, known as tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). Several MMPs, ADAMTSs and TIMPs have been reported to be endocytosed by the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP-1). Different binding affinities of these proteins for the endocytic receptor correlate with different turnover rates which, together with di…

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