Search results for "biomarker."

miRNAs in the metaplastic transformation of the esophagus: something in the way toward carcinogenesis.

Background: Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a precancerous lesion that predisposes to development of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and it is associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease. Genetic changes involved in the metaplastic progression from squamous esophageal mucosa toward Barrett’s metaplasia and adenocarcinoma are almost unknown and there is an increasing interest in the developing of more objective biomarkers that can improve risk prediction. Several evidences suggest that some miRNAs are differentially expressed in the BE and EAC. Among them, miR-143, miR-145, miR-194, miR-203, miR-205, miR-215 appear to have a key role in the metaplasia and in neoplastic progression. Aim: The …

Light on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of bicuspid aortic valve to unveil phenotypic heterogeneity

2019

Research on bicuspid aortic valve disease (BAV) and related complications has grown in an exponential manner in the last decades. However, the current knowledge of the mechanisms underlying the development of this disease is still limited, since all clinical and surgical studies on BAV mainly focused their objects on its major vascular complications, such as ascending aortic aneurysms and dissection. It is now clear that a better understanding of the pivotal molecular and cellular pathophysiological aspects of bicuspid valve aortopathy, including natural history, phenotypic expression, histology, cellular mechanisms and pathways, is critical for improving its clinical management. This chang…

Sediment quality of the ecoregion Engure, Gulf of Riga, assessed by using ecotoxicity tests and biomarker responses

2014

Pētījuma mērķis bija novērtēt Engures ekoreģiona (Rīgas līča rietumu piekrastes) sedimentu kvalitāti, izmantojot sedimentu ekotoksicitātes testus. Lai noteiktu bioloģiskās atbildes reakcijas uz dažāda veida stresoriem, kā testorganismi pielietotas sānpeldes Monoporeia affinis and Pontogammarus robustoides, un izvēlēti biomarķieri (AChE, GST, GR, CAT, MT), kas noteikti gliemenēs Macoma balthica. Engures ekoreģionu varētu uzskatīt par nepiesārņotu rajonu, jo tā sedimentus raksturo salīdzinoši zemas smago metālu koncentrācijas. Engures ekoreģiona sedimentu ekotoksicitātes testu rezultāti neuzrādīja statistiski būtisku (>20% mirstība) toksisko efektu. Testorganismu izdzīvotība bija robežās no 8…

Concentrations of metallothionein in the bivalve molluscsAnodonta spp.andUnio spp.from Latvian lakes with different anthropogenic pressure

2013

Concentrations of metallothioneins (MT) were analysed in bivalve molluscs Anodonta spp. and Unio spp. from 6 lakes and watercourses of Latvia with different anthropogenic pressure. The aim of the study was to find the relationship between MT in molluscs and concentrations of heavy metals in sediments. Unio spp. and Anodonta spp. showed no significant differences in the concentrations of MT. High concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Hg, Cu, Zn) were detected in the deepest parts of polluted water bodies, however their concentrations significantly decreased in near shore sediments inhabited by molluscs. Only Zn tends to accumulate in the molluscs, reaching 2-7 times higher concentrations i…

Extracellular vesicles isolated by cerebrospinal fluid as biomarkers of inflammation in multiple sclerosis and inflammatory neurological diseases.

2014

The utility of SATB2 immunohistochemical expression in distinguishing between osteosarcomas and their malignant bone tumor mimickers, such as Ewing s…

2016

SATB2 is commonly expressed in osteosarcomas. Although apparently being a valuable diagnostic marker for differentiating between small cell osteosarcoma (SCO) and other small round cell tumors of bone, for instance Ewing sarcoma family of tumors (ESFT), it has not been tested in a large series of ESFT and chondrosarcomas so far. We studied the immunohistochemical expression of SATB2 in 42 osteosarcomas, 31 chondrosarcomas, and 371 genetically confirmed ESFT. SATB2 positivity was detected in 90.4% of osteosarcomas, 87.5% of SCO, 91.3% of osteoblastic osteosarcomas, and in all chondroblastic and parosteal osteosarcomas. The osteoblastic and SCO subtypes expressed SATB2 more intensely than oth…

Osteoprotegerin: a new biomarker for impaired bone metabolism in complex regional pain syndrome?

2014

Abstract Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is important for bone remodeling and may contribute to complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) pathophysiology. We aimed to assess the value of OPG as a biomarker for CRPS and a possible correlation with radiotracer uptake in 3-phase bone scintigraphy (TPBS). OPG levels were analyzed in 23 CRPS patients (17 women; mean age 50 ± 9.0 years; disease duration: 12 weeks [IQR 8–24]), 10 controls (6 women; mean age 58 ± 9.6 years) and 21 patients after uncomplicated fractures (12 women; mean age: 43 ± 15 years; time after fracture: 15 weeks [IQR: 6–22]). The CRPS and control patients also underwent TPBS. OPG in CRPS patients was significantly increased by comparison wi…

COL1A1 Sp1 polymorphism associates with bone density in early puberty.

2006

Optimal acquisition of bone mass in puberty is a key determinant of the lifetime risk of osteoporosis and has a strong genetic basis. We investigated the relationship between the COL1A1 Sp1 polymorphism and BMD in early puberty, and how the genotypes relate to bone size and geometry as well as bone turnover and material properties in 247 10- to 13-year-old girls. Bone properties were measured using DXA, pQCT, and ultrasound. Also, serum P1NP, OC, B-ALP, and TRACP 5b were assessed. Our results showed that girls with the TT genotype had significantly lower BMC and BMD of the total body, lumbar spine, and proximal femur, as well as BUA at the calcaneus, than those with the GT and GG genotype. …

Viewpoint: On the hysteresis in the human Achilles tendon.

2012

This viewpoint was stimulated by two observations: 1) the statistical skewness whereby numerous articles have reported tendon stiffness and Young9s modulus, but far fewer have reported tendon hysteresis; 2) in vivo human studies seem very often to report hysteresis values greater than 10%, suggesting either that there are methodological differences between human and animal studies, or that human tendons have a much poorer capacity to store and reutilize elastic energy. In this article we focus on the healthy human Achilles/gastrocnemius tendon (AT) since it has an important locomotor function and clearly a low AT hysteresis would allow elastic recoil for efficient locomotion. We discuss tha…

Pathogenesis of polymyalgia rheumatica

2018

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is a chronic, inflammatory disorder of unknown cause, almost exclusively occurring in people aged over 50 and often associated with giant cell arteritis. The evidence that PMR occurs almost exclusively in individuals aged over 50 may indicate that age-related immune alterations in genetically predisposed subjects contribute to development of the disease. Several infectious agents have been investigated as possible triggers of PMR even though the results are inconclusive. Activation of the innate and adaptive immune systems has been proved in PMR patients as demonstrated by the activation of dendritic cells and monocytes/macrophages and the altered balance betwee…