Pituispheres Contain Genetic Variants Characteristic to Pituitary Adenoma Tumor Tissue
The most common type of pituitary neoplasms is benign pituitary adenoma (PA). Clinically significant PAs affect around 0.1% of the population. Currently, there is no established human PA cell culture available and when PA tumor cells are cultured they form two distinct types depending on culturing conditions either free-floating aggregates also known as pituispheres or cells adhering to the surface of cell plates and displaying mesenchymal stem-like properties. The aim of this study was to trace the origin of sphere-forming and adherent pituitary cell cultures and characterize the potential use of these surgery derived cell lines as PA model. We carried out a paired-end exome sequencing of …
BRCA1 gene-related hereditary susceptibility to breast and ovarian cancer in Latvia
Abstract Purpose In this report, we summarise data on BRCA1 gene analysis in Latvia to characterise criteria of genetic testing for breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility. Material/methods Analysis by SSCP/HD, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry or DNA sequencing was used for mutation detection. Mutations identified were confirmed by direct DNA sequencing. Results Out of 1068 breast and 231 ovarian cancer patients from different families: 58 carried the c.5266dupC and 43 carried the c.4035delA mutations. Every 4th patient in our study did not report cancer in the family. The breast cancer was diagnosed earlier in carriers of the c.5266dupC than in carriers of the c.4035delA ( p = 0.003). The inc…
Medication for Acromegaly Reduces Expression of MUC16, MACC1 and GRHL2 in Pituitary Neuroendocrine Tumour Tissue
Acromegaly is a disease mainly caused by pituitary neuroendocrine tumor (PitNET) overproducing growth hormone. First-line medication for this condition is the use of somatostatin analogs (SSAs), that decrease tumor mass and induce antiproliferative effects on PitNET cells. Dopamine agonists (DAs) can also be used if SSA treatment is not effective. This study aimed to determine differences in transcriptome signatures induced by SSA/DA therapy in PitNET tissue. We selected tumor tissue from twelve patients with somatotropinomas, with half of the patients receiving SSA/DA treatment before surgery and the other half treatment naive. Transcriptome sequencing was then carried out to identify diff…
Mildronate enhances learning/memory and changes hippocampal protein expression in trained rats.
Previously we demonstrated that mildronate [3-(2,2,2-trimethylhydrazinium) propionate dihydrate], a representative of the aza-butyrobetaine class of compounds, protects mitochondrial metabolism under conditions such as ischemia. Mildronate also acted as a neuroprotective agent in an azidothymidine-induced mouse model of neurotoxicity, as well as in a rat model of Parkinson's disease. These observations suggest that mildronate may stimulate processes involved in cell survival and change expression of proteins involved in neurogenic processes. The present study investigated the influence of mildronate on learning and memory in the passive avoidance response (PAR) test and the active condition…
Synthesis of recombinant atrial natriuretic peptide (rANP) using hybrid fusion protein-phage fr coat/ANP (CP/ANP).
Abstract Baumanis, V., I. Jansone, A. Skangals, I. Mandrika and V. Berzins. Synthesis of recombinant atrial natriuretic peptide (rANP) using hybrid fusion protein-phage fr coat/ANP (CP/ANP). Peptides 18(8) 1229–1235, 1997.—Recombinant atrial natriuretic peptide (rANP) was expressed in and isolated from E. coli. rANP was purified using HPLC. Amino acid analysis, partial sequencing, and molecular mass were determined. Fused protein was used to rise polyclonal antibodies and to develop of immunoenzymatic assays of rANP and CP/ANP. Experiments were designed to study rANP effects on isolated rabbit aortic strips and to examine hypotensive, diuretic, and natriuretic activity, as well as renal cre…