Serum Levels of Alanine Aminopeptidase and Aggrecan in Women with Breast Cancer: A Comparative Study

Abstract Objectives Breast cancer is a common malignant tumor in women with limited treatment options and multiple side effects. Today, the anti-cancer properties of natural compounds have attracted widespread attention from researchers worldwide. Methods In this study, we treated 4T1 tumor-bearing Balb/c mice with intraperitoneal injection of Auraptene, paraffin oil, and saline as two control groups. Body weight and tumor volume were measured before and after treatment. Hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) staining and immunohistochemistry of Ki-67 were used as markers of proliferation. In addition, ELISA assays were performed to assess serum IFN-γ and IL-4 levels. Results There was no significant change in body weight in all animal groups before and after treatment. 10 days after the last treatment, Auraptene showed its anti-cancer effect, which was confirmed by the smaller tumor volume and H & E staining. In addition, Ki-67 expression levels were significantly reduced in tumor samples from the Auraptene-treated group compared to the paraffin oil and saline-treated groups. In addition, in tumor-bearing and normal mice receiving Auraptene treatment, IL-4 serum production levels were reduced, while serum levels of IFN-γ were significantly up-regulated in tumor-bearing mice after Auraptene treatment. Conclusions In the case of inhibition of tumor volume and Ki-67 proliferation markers, Auraptene can effectively inhibit tumor growth in breast cancer animal models. In addition, it might increases Th1 and CD8 + T cell responses after reducing IL-4 serum levels and IFN-γ upregulation, respectively. However, further research is needed to clarify its mechanism of action.

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Serum Long Non-Coding RNAs PVT1, HOTAIR, and NEAT1 as Potential Biomarkers in Egyptian Women with Breast Cancer

Biomolecules ◽

10.3390/biom11020301 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 301

Author(s):

Amal Ahmed Abd El-Fattah ◽

Nermin Abdel Hamid Sadik ◽

Olfat Gamil Shaker ◽

Amal Mohamed Kamal ◽

Nancy Nabil Shahin

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Logistic Regression ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Breast Cancer Diagnosis ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Breast Cancer Patients ◽

Multivariate Logistic Regression ◽

Expression Levels ◽

Non Coding Rnas ◽

Pai 1

Long non-coding RNAs play an important role in tumor growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis in several types of cancer. However, the clinical significance of using lncRNAs as biomarkers for breast cancer diagnosis and prognosis is still poorly investigated. In this study, we analyzed the serum expression levels of lncRNAs PVT1, HOTAIR, NEAT1, and MALAT1, and their associated proteins, PAI-1, and OPN, in breast cancer patients compared to fibroadenoma patients and healthy subjects. Using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), we compared the serum expression levels of the four circulating lncRNAs in patients with breast cancer (n = 50), fibroadenoma (n = 25), and healthy controls (n = 25). The serum levels of PAI-1 and OPN were measured using ELISA. Receiveroperating-characteristic (ROC) analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used to evaluate the diagnostic value of the selected parameters. The serum levels of HOTAIR, PAI-1, and OPN were significantly higher in breast cancer patients compared to controls and fibroadenoma patients. The serum level of PVT1 was significantly higher in breast cancer patients than in the controls, while that of NEAT1 was significantly lower in breast cancer patients compared to controls and fibroadenoma patients. Both ROC and multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that PAI-1 has the greatest power in discriminating breast cancer from the control, whereas HOTAIR, PAI-1, and OPN have the greatest power in discriminating breast cancer from fibroadenoma patients. In conclusion, our data suggest that the serum levels of PVT1, HOTAIR, NEAT1, PAI-1, and OPN could serve as promising diagnostic biomarkers for breast cancer.

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PD-L1 expression in tumor lesions and soluble PD-L1 serum levels in patients with breast cancer: TNBC versus TPBC

Breast Disease ◽

10.3233/bd-201049 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Parvaneh Yazdanpanah ◽

Ali Alavianmehr ◽

Abbas Ghaderi ◽

Ahmad Monabati ◽

Mehdi Montazer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Tumor Cells ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Tumor Stage ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Healthy Women ◽

Grade 3 ◽

Anti Tumor Activity ◽

Tnbc Subtype ◽

Cell Death Protein

BACKGROUND: Block of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) interaction with its ligand, PD-L1, enhances anti-tumor activity. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the association between PD-L1 expression in tumor cells and CD8+ tumor infiltrating T cells (TILs) as well as soluble (s)PD-L1 serum levels in patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) compared to triple positive (TPBC). METHODS: A total of 113 tumor sections and 133 serum samples were available from 144 patients with breast cancer (72 TNBC and 72 TPBC). Dual immunohistochemistry staining was applied to determine differential PD-L1 expression in tumor cells and CD8+ TILs. Soluble PD-L1 serum levels were also evaluated in patients compared to 40 healthy women by ELISA method. RESULTS: Despite TPBC patients which were mostly grades 1/2, TNBC patients were grade 3 (72% versus 66.7%, P < 0.001). Most of the TNBC patients were stages I/II, whereas most of the TPBC patients were stages III/IV (57.3% versus 68.3%,P = 0.005). There was no difference in tumor size and metastasis between TNBC and TPBC patients, although the number of involved lymph nodes was significantly more in TPBC patients (P = 0.0012). PD-L1 expression was detected in 11.5% of samples mostly in TNBC subtype and was associated with advanced grades (P = 0.039). There was no relationship between PD-L1 expression and tumor stage. PD-L1 expression in CD8+ TILs was nonsignificantly higher than tumor cells. Serum levels of sPD-L1 showed no difference between patients and healthy women. We found no correlation between PD-L1 expression in tumor lesions and serum levels of sPD-L1 in patients. CONCLUSION: PD-L1 expression was more detected in our patients with TNBC. It seems that, these patients who are resistant to standard chemotherapy regimens may get benefit from PD-L1 inhibition therapy and because of its low serum levels, sPD-L1 cannot interfere with this therapy.

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