Fas Ligand (FasL) in Association with Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) in Early Stage Cervical Cancer

Evaluation of the Effect of Menopausal Status and BMI on Polymorphisms in Fas/Fas L and the Risk of Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND

FAS and FAS ligand play an essential role in cell apoptosis. An identifying feature of malignant cells is the loss of FAS and increased FASL expression. A study analyzing the effects of menopausal status and body mass index (BMI) on functional polymorphisms of FAS-(1377G/A; rs2234767 & 670 A/G; rs1800682) and FASL (-844T/C; rs763110 & Ivs-2nt; rs5030772) in breast cancer evaluated these effects.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

316 blood samples were collected from breast cancer patients and healthy controls in this case/control study. RFLP-PCR was used after DNA extraction to determine genotypes. Age, BMI, menopausal status, smoking, and family history were also analyzed with genotypes. It was analyzed using SPSS software, X2 statistical tests, logistic regression, and Pearson's correlation. The study evaluated the role of indices and polymorphisms in breast cancer risk.

RESULTS

While BMI and family history were significantly different, age, menopause status, and smoking were not. Examining the average BMI between menopausal and nonmenopausal people in the 2 groups showed a statistically significant difference between menopausal people (P <0.0001). As a result of 1377AA, 670GG, 844TT, and IVS-2ntGG, the risk of breast cancer increased by 1.83 times, 2.35 times, and 2.38 times respectively. In addition, mutant alleles increased disease risk significantly. The risk of disease increased considerably for postmenopausal females with certain genotypes (except 1377GA and 844CT genotypes) and high BMI.

CONCLUSION

Having a high BMI during postmenopause increases your risk of breast cancer. In addition to menopause, BMI also influences disease progression. Different genotypes are needed to clarify this issue.

A novel triad for the diagnosis of endometriosis, the short anogenital distance combines with high endometrial BCL2 and low endometrial FASL

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the anogenital distance from the upper verge of the anus to the posterior fourchette (AGDAF), FASL, and BCL2 combination as a reliable and non-invasive tool for the diagnosis of endometriosis.

METHODS

This study included 100 women with endometriosis and 50 women without endometriosis as the control group. All cases underwent history taking, body mass index (BMI) measurement, AGD measurement, and FASL and BCL2 immunohistochemical staining of the eutopic endometrial tissue.

RESULTS

This study included 150 women divided into endometriosis and control groups. Endometriosis cases significantly had shorter AGDAF, 22.9 ± 2.6 mm, compared with the control group, 27.3 ± 3.5 mm (P < 0.001). Lower FASL and higher BCL2 expression were associated with endometriosis (P < 0.001). The combined measurement of AGDAF (cut-off point 24.55 mm) with FASL and BCL2 was associated with endometriosis (P < 0.001). The combined diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of AGDAF, FASL, and BCL2 were 83%, 78%, 87.3%, and 69.6%, respectively. The area under the curve was greater for AGDAF, FASL, and BCL2 in combination than for individual measurements.

CONCLUSION

Combining short AGDAF with high BCL2 and low FASL is a highly sensitive, non-invasive diagnostic tool for endometriosis.

Expression and Localization of Fas-Associated Factor 1 in Testicular Tissues of Different Ages and Ovaries at Different Reproductive Cycle Phases of Bos grunniens

Fas-associated factor 1 (FAF1), a member of the Fas family, is involved in biological processes such as apoptosis, inflammation, cell proliferation and proteostasis. This study aimed to explore the biological role of FAF1 in testicular tissue at different ages (juveniles (1 and 2 years old), adults (3, 4, 6, and 7 years old) and old-aged animals (11 years old)) and ovaries during different reproductive cycle phases (follicular, luteal, and pregnancy phases). FAF1 mRNA, relative protein expression and protein expression localization were determined in testes and ovaries using real-time quantification, WB and immunohistochemistry (IHC), respectively. Real-time quantification of testis tissues showed that the relative expression of FAF1 mRNA in testis tissues at 3, 4 and 7 years of age was significantly higher than of those in other ages, and in ovarian tissues was significantly higher in luteal phase ovaries than those in follicular and pregnancy phase ovaries; follicular phase ovaries were the lowest. WB of testis tissues showed that the relative protein expression of FAF1 protein was significantly higher at 11 and 7 years of age; in ovarian tissue, the relative protein expression of FAF1 protein was significantly higher in follicular phase ovaries than in luteal and pregnancy phase ovaries, and lowest in luteal phase ovaries. The relative protein expression of FAF1 at 3, 4 and 7 years of age was the lowest. IHC showed that FAF1 was mainly expressed in spermatozoa, spermatocytes, spermatogonia and supporting cells; in ovarian tissue, FAF1 was expressed in ovarian germ epithelial cells, granulosa cells, cumulus cells and luteal cells. The IHC results showed that FAF1 mRNA and protein were significantly differentially expressed in testes of different ages and ovarian tissues of different reproductive cycle phases, revealing the significance of FAF1 in the regulation of male and female B. grunniens reproductive physiology. Furthermore, our results provide a basis for the further exploration of FAF1 in the reproductive physiology of B. grunniens.

Fas and Fas ligand are highly expressed in lymphocytes from cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical cancer patients: A possible role for immune escaping

Objectives

Infection with high-risk human papillomavirus is required to develop cervical cancer. Some viruses modulate the Fas/FasL signaling to evade the immune response; the role of these molecules in cervical cancer is not clear. In this study, we measured the expression levels of Fas and FasL mRNA, soluble proteins, and cell surface proteins in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with low- and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions and cervical cancer in relation to healthy women, to gain new insights into the role of Fas/FasL in cervical cancer development.

Materials and Methods

Fas/FasL mRNA expression was measured in cervical tissues and peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients and healthy subjects; serum soluble proteins Fas/FasL were measured by ELISA, and cell-surface protein expression was detected by flow cytometry.

Results

Varying expression levels were found for both molecules. Cervical Fas and FasL mRNA expression was decreased in low- and high-grade lesions, but it was increased in cervical cancer cases. While, systemic Fas mRNA expression increased as malignity progressed; systemic FasL mRNA expression was increased in low- and high-grade lesions, but it was decreased in cancer patients. Soluble FasL levels decreased as lesions progressed, while soluble Fas levels increased. Finally, overexpression of Fas/FasL on the surface of peripheral blood mononuclear cells was found in patients with low-grade lesion with respect to healthy donors.

Conclusion

Fas and FasL act as negative modulators of the immune response, probably by removing specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes against papillomavirus -infected cells and tumor cells.

Understanding Cervical Cancer through Proteomics

Cancer is one of the leading public health issues worldwide, and the number of cancer patients increases every day. Particularly, cervical cancer (CC) is still the second leading cause of cancer death in women from developing countries. Thus, it is essential to deepen our knowledge about the molecular pathogenesis of CC and propose new therapeutic targets and new methods to diagnose this disease in its early stages. Differential expression analysis using high-throughput techniques applied to biological samples allows determining the physiological state of normal cells and the changes produced by cancer development. The cluster of differential molecular profiles in the genome, the transcriptome, or the proteome is analyzed in the disease, and it is called the molecular signature of cancer. Proteomic analysis of biological samples of patients with different grades of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and CC has served to elucidate the pathways involved in the development and progression of cancer and identify cervical proteins associated with CC. However, several cervical carcinogenesis mechanisms are still unclear. Detecting pathologies in their earliest stages can significantly improve a patient's survival rate, prognosis, and recurrence. The present review is an update on the proteomic study of CC.

The Latest Findings of PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitor Application in Gynecologic Cancers

Gynecologic cancers account for approximately 11% of the newly diagnosed cancers in women in the United States and for 18% globally. The presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) influences the clinical outcome of cancer patients and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), including anti programmed cell death protein-1 (anti-PD-1), anti-programmed death-ligand 1 (anti-PD-L1), and anticytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (anti-CTLA-4), which have been approved for treating different types of malignancies. Antibodies targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint have shown dynamic and durable tumor regressions, suggesting a rebalancing of the host-tumor interaction. There are several the US food and drug administration (FDA)-approved ICIs targeting PD-1, including pembrolizumab and nivolumab, as well as those targeting PD-L1, including avelumab, atezolizumab, and durvalumab for melanoma, renal cell cancer, colorectal cancer, head and neck cancer, cervix cancer, urothelial cancer, and lung cancer. Current pre-clinical and clinical studies assessing PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in several gynecologic cancers have reported significant antitumor activity. In this review, we investigate pre-clinical and clinical studies that describe the safety and efficacy of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies, with a particular focus on ongoing clinical trials, analyzing the oncological outcome and adverse effects of ICIs in gynecologic cancers.