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Abstract: Background Glioblastoma is a highly aggressive central nervous system neoplasm characterized by extensive infiltration of malignant cells into brain parenchyma, thus preventing complete tumor eradication. Cysteine cathepsins B, S, L and K are involved in cancer progression and are overexpressed in glioblastoma. We report here for the first time that cathepsin X mRNA and protein are also abundantly present in malignant glioma. Materials and methods Gene expression of cathepsins K and X was analyzed using publically-available tran-scriptomic datasets and correlated with glioma grade and glioblastoma subtype. Kaplan-Maier survival analysis was performed to evaluate the predictive value of cathepsin K and X mRNA expression. Cathepsin protein expression was localized and semi-quantified in tumor tissues by immunohistochemistry. Results Highest gene expression of cathepsins K and X was found in glioblastoma, in particular in the mesenchymal subtype. Overall, high mRNA expression of cathepsin X, but not that of cathepsin K, correlated with poor patients’ survival. Cathepsin K and X proteins were abundantly and heterogeneously expressed in glioblastoma tissue. Immuno-labeling of cathepsins K and X was observed in areas of CD133-positive glioblastoma stem cells, localized around arterioles in their niches that also expressed SDF-1α and CD68. mRNA levels of both cathepsins K and X correlated with mRNA levels of markers of glioblastoma stem cells and their niches. Conclusions The presence of both cathepsins in glioblastoma stem cell niche regions indicates their possible role in regulation of glioblastoma stem cell homing in their niches. The clinical relevance of this data needs to be elaborated in further prospective studies.
Keywords: cathepsins, glioblastoma, immunohistochemistry, patient survival, cancer stem cell niches
Published in DiRROS: 24.07.2024; Views: 118; Downloads: 95
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Abstract: Colorado potato beetle (CPB) is an agricultural pest of solanaceous crops, notorious for its rapid resistance development to chemical pesticides. Foliar spraying of dsRNA formulations is a promising innovative technology providing highly specific and environmentally acceptable option for CPB management. We designed dsRNA to silence CPB mesh gene (dsMESH) and performed laboratory feeding trials to assess impacts on beetle survival and development. We compared the effectiveness of in vivo and in vitro produced dsRNA in a series of laboratory experiments. We additionally performed a field trial in which the efficacy of dsRNA sprayed onto potato foliage was compared to a spinosad-based insecticide. We showed that dsMESH ingestion consistently and significantly impaired larval growth and decreased larval survival in laboratory feeding experiments. In vivo produced dsRNA performed similarly as in vitro synthesized dsRNA in laboratory settings. In the field trial, dsMESH was as effective in controlling CPB larvae as a commercial spinosad insecticide, its activity was however slower. We discuss limitations and benefits of a potential dsMESH-based CPB management strategy and list some important RNAi based CPB research topics, which will have to be addressed in future.
Keywords: RNA interference, RNA interference feeding, ds RNA, gene silencing, RNAi pest control, survival analysis, field trial
Published in DiRROS: 22.07.2024; Views: 114; Downloads: 36
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Abstract: Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is one of the most aggressive tumors. The aim of the study was to determine the correlation between a higher dietary intake of iodine, frequency of ATC and the characteristics of ATC, and to find out how often patients with ATC had a history of radioiodine (RAI) therapy. Patients and methods. This retrospective study included 220 patients (152 females, 68 males; mean age 68 years) with ATC who were treated in our country from 1972 to 2017. The salt was iodinated with 10 mg of potassium iodide/ kg before 1999, and with 25 mg of potassium iodide/kg thereafter. The patients were assorted into 15-year periods: 1972%1986, 1987%2001, and 2002%2017. Results. The incidence of ATC decreased after a higher iodination of salt (p = 0.04). Patients are nowadays older (p = 0.013) and have less frequent lymph node metastases (p = 0.012). The frequency of distant metastases did not change over time. The median survival of patients in the first, second, and third periods was 3, 4, and 3 months, respectively (p < 0.05). The history of RAI therapy was present in 7.7% of patients. Conclusions. The number of patients with a history of RAI therapy did not change statistically over time. The incidence of ATC in Slovenia decreased probably because of higher salt iodination.
Keywords: anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, iodination of salt, treatment, survival
Published in DiRROS: 12.07.2024; Views: 87; Downloads: 53
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Abstract: Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) has recently emerged as a major disease of tomatoes and peppers. ToBRFV is a seed- and contact-transmitted virus. In Slovenia, ToBRFV RNA was detected in samples of wastewater, river, and water used to irrigate plants. Even though the source of detected RNA could not be clearly established, this raised the question of the significance of the detection of ToBRFV in water samples and experimental studies were performed to address this question. The data presented here confirm that the release of virus particles from the roots of infected plants is a source of infectious ToBRFV particles in water and that the virus can remain infective up to four weeks in water stored at room temperature, while its RNA can be detected for much longer. These data also indicate that irrigation with ToBRFV-contaminated water can lead to plant infection. In addition, it has been shown that ToBRFV circulated in drain water in commercial tomato greenhouses from other European countries and that an outbreak of ToBRFV can be detected by regular monitoring of drain water. A simple method for concentrating ToBRFV from water samples and a comparison of the sensitivity of different methods, including the determination of the highest ToBRFV dilution still capable of infecting test plants, were also investigated. The results of our studies fill the knowledge gaps in the epidemiology and diagnosis of ToBRFV, by studying the role of water-mediated transmission, and provide a reliable risk assessment to identify critical points for monitoring and control.
Keywords: tomato brown rugose fruit virus, tomato, hydroponics, water-linked epidemiology, survival
Published in DiRROS: 12.07.2024; Views: 117; Downloads: 130
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Keywords: dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, diffusion-weighted imaging, overall survival, squamous cell head and neck cancer, concomitant chemoradiotherapy
Published in DiRROS: 09.07.2024; Views: 126; Downloads: 43
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