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Alghadier M, Alasraj M, Elnaggar R, Alazmi M, Aldawsari A, Alnadah S, Alqahtani F, Zaghamir D. A cross-sectional analysis of preterm birth incidence and survival in Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Med J 2024; 45:710-718. [PMID: 38955439 PMCID: PMC11237268 DOI: 10.15537/smj.2024.45.7.20240194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To understand the prevalence and survival rates of preterm birth (PTB) is of utmost importance in informing healthcare planning, improving neonatal care, enhancing maternal and infant health, monitoring long-term outcomes, and guiding policy and advocacy efforts. METHODS The medical records of preterm infants admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with a diagnosis of prematurity at the Maternity and Children's Hospital (MCH), Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia, were reviewed between January 2018 and December 2022. Data were collected on birth weight (BW), gender, number of live births, gestational age, mortality, nationality, APGAR score, length of stay in the NICU, and maternal details. RESULTS A total of 9809 live births were identified between 2018 and 2022, of which 139 (3.9%) were born preterm. The overall mortality rate of the included sample was 7.19%, whereas the mortality rate according to BW was 38.4% of those born with extremely low birth weight (ELBW). The most common intrapartum complications were malpresentation (15.1%), placental complications (4.3%), and cord complications (3.6%). CONCLUSION This study provides valuable insights into the prevalence of PTB in the country, particularly focusing on the vulnerability of extremely preterm babies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mshari Alghadier
- From the Department of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences (Alghadier, Alasraj, Elnaggar), Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University; from the Department of Maternal & Child Health Nursing (Zaghamir), College of Nursing, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University; from the Department of Physical Therapy (Alazmi), from the Department of Quality (Aldawsari), from the Department of Hospital Administration (Alnadah), and from the Department of Pediatrics (Alqahtani), Maternity and Children's Hospital, Al Kharj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Department of Physical Therapy for Pediatrics (Elnaggar), Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Giza; and from the Department of Pediatric Nursing (Zaghamir), Faculty of Nursing, Port Said University, Egypt
| | - Muneera Alasraj
- From the Department of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences (Alghadier, Alasraj, Elnaggar), Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University; from the Department of Maternal & Child Health Nursing (Zaghamir), College of Nursing, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University; from the Department of Physical Therapy (Alazmi), from the Department of Quality (Aldawsari), from the Department of Hospital Administration (Alnadah), and from the Department of Pediatrics (Alqahtani), Maternity and Children's Hospital, Al Kharj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Department of Physical Therapy for Pediatrics (Elnaggar), Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Giza; and from the Department of Pediatric Nursing (Zaghamir), Faculty of Nursing, Port Said University, Egypt
| | - Ragab Elnaggar
- From the Department of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences (Alghadier, Alasraj, Elnaggar), Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University; from the Department of Maternal & Child Health Nursing (Zaghamir), College of Nursing, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University; from the Department of Physical Therapy (Alazmi), from the Department of Quality (Aldawsari), from the Department of Hospital Administration (Alnadah), and from the Department of Pediatrics (Alqahtani), Maternity and Children's Hospital, Al Kharj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Department of Physical Therapy for Pediatrics (Elnaggar), Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Giza; and from the Department of Pediatric Nursing (Zaghamir), Faculty of Nursing, Port Said University, Egypt
| | - Mashael Alazmi
- From the Department of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences (Alghadier, Alasraj, Elnaggar), Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University; from the Department of Maternal & Child Health Nursing (Zaghamir), College of Nursing, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University; from the Department of Physical Therapy (Alazmi), from the Department of Quality (Aldawsari), from the Department of Hospital Administration (Alnadah), and from the Department of Pediatrics (Alqahtani), Maternity and Children's Hospital, Al Kharj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Department of Physical Therapy for Pediatrics (Elnaggar), Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Giza; and from the Department of Pediatric Nursing (Zaghamir), Faculty of Nursing, Port Said University, Egypt
| | - Asma Aldawsari
- From the Department of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences (Alghadier, Alasraj, Elnaggar), Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University; from the Department of Maternal & Child Health Nursing (Zaghamir), College of Nursing, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University; from the Department of Physical Therapy (Alazmi), from the Department of Quality (Aldawsari), from the Department of Hospital Administration (Alnadah), and from the Department of Pediatrics (Alqahtani), Maternity and Children's Hospital, Al Kharj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Department of Physical Therapy for Pediatrics (Elnaggar), Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Giza; and from the Department of Pediatric Nursing (Zaghamir), Faculty of Nursing, Port Said University, Egypt
| | - Saud Alnadah
- From the Department of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences (Alghadier, Alasraj, Elnaggar), Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University; from the Department of Maternal & Child Health Nursing (Zaghamir), College of Nursing, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University; from the Department of Physical Therapy (Alazmi), from the Department of Quality (Aldawsari), from the Department of Hospital Administration (Alnadah), and from the Department of Pediatrics (Alqahtani), Maternity and Children's Hospital, Al Kharj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Department of Physical Therapy for Pediatrics (Elnaggar), Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Giza; and from the Department of Pediatric Nursing (Zaghamir), Faculty of Nursing, Port Said University, Egypt
| | - Faisal Alqahtani
- From the Department of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences (Alghadier, Alasraj, Elnaggar), Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University; from the Department of Maternal & Child Health Nursing (Zaghamir), College of Nursing, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University; from the Department of Physical Therapy (Alazmi), from the Department of Quality (Aldawsari), from the Department of Hospital Administration (Alnadah), and from the Department of Pediatrics (Alqahtani), Maternity and Children's Hospital, Al Kharj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Department of Physical Therapy for Pediatrics (Elnaggar), Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Giza; and from the Department of Pediatric Nursing (Zaghamir), Faculty of Nursing, Port Said University, Egypt
| | - Donia Zaghamir
- From the Department of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences (Alghadier, Alasraj, Elnaggar), Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University; from the Department of Maternal & Child Health Nursing (Zaghamir), College of Nursing, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University; from the Department of Physical Therapy (Alazmi), from the Department of Quality (Aldawsari), from the Department of Hospital Administration (Alnadah), and from the Department of Pediatrics (Alqahtani), Maternity and Children's Hospital, Al Kharj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Department of Physical Therapy for Pediatrics (Elnaggar), Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Giza; and from the Department of Pediatric Nursing (Zaghamir), Faculty of Nursing, Port Said University, Egypt
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Zheng L, Zheng L, Chen S, Liu W, Qi J, Li K. Human papillomavirus prevalence and genotype distribution in Liaocheng men between 2016 and 2022. J Med Virol 2024; 96:e29360. [PMID: 38178597 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection can lead to HPV-related cancer in men, including the anus, penile, and oropharyngeal cancers and precancerous lesions. This study retrospectively investigated HPV prevalence and genotype distribution in Liaocheng men between 2016 and 2022. The total HPV positive rate was 64.87% (2388/3681, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 63.32%-66.40%), where high risk (HR)-HPV and low risk (LR)-HPV accounted for 42.49% (1564/3681, 95% CI: 40.90%-44.09%) and 69.71% (2566/3681, 95% CI: 68.20%-71.17%), respectively. The mixed HPV infection rate of two and more genotypes was 35.72%. The infection rate of HR-HPV increased with the number of positive cases annually from 2016 (16.91%) to 2022 (46.59%). The most common HR-HPV genotypes were HPV16 (11.60%), HPV52 (6.95%), and HPV59 (6.28%), whereas the least common HR-HPV was HPV26. The most common LR-HPV genotypes were HPV6 (56.99%), HPV11 (23.79%), and HPV43 (6.37%). The 9 v HPV vaccine preventable for LR-HPV and HR-HPV accounted for 80.78% and 30.40%, respectively, in this study. Most HPV-positive patients aged 1-86 were in the 30-39 age group. This study confirmed that HPV prevalence in Liaocheng men was common and diverse. HPV16, HPV52, and HPV59 are widely distributed in Liaocheng men, and the male HR-HPV infection rate remained high in this region. Regarding public health and cancer prevention, it is recommended and effective to include the HPV vaccination in the national vaccination program for men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Zheng
- Central Laboratory of Liaocheng Peoples' Hospital, Liaocheng, Shandong, China
| | - Liyuan Zheng
- School of Rehabilitation Sciences and Engineering, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Shandong, China
| | - Shuangfeng Chen
- Central Laboratory of Liaocheng Peoples' Hospital, Liaocheng, Shandong, China
| | - Wenhui Liu
- Department of Dermatology Liaocheng Peoples' Hospital, Liaocheng, Shandong, China
| | - Jieyu Qi
- Clinical Laboratory of Liaocheng Peoples' Hospital, Liaocheng, Shandong, China
| | - Ke Li
- Central Laboratory of Liaocheng Peoples' Hospital, Liaocheng, Shandong, China
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3
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Mazziotta C, Iaquinta MR, Tramarin ML, Badiale G, Cervellera CF, Tonnini G, Patergnani S, Pinton P, Lanza G, Gafà R, Tognon M, Martini F, De Mattei M, Rotondo JC. Hsa-microRNA-1249-3p/Homeobox A13 axis modulates the expression of β-catenin gene in human epithelial cells. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22872. [PMID: 38129477 PMCID: PMC10739948 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49837-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Intercellular adhesion is a key function for epithelial cells. The fundamental mechanisms relying on epithelial cell adhesion have been partially uncovered. Hsa-microRNA-1249-3p (hsa-miR-1249-3p) plays a role in the epithelial mesenchymal transition in carcinoma cells, but its physiological function in epithelial cells is unknown. We aimed to investigate the role and molecular mechanisms of hsa-miR-1249-3p on epithelial cell functions. Hsa-miR-1249-3p was overexpressed in human epithelial cells and uterine cervical tissues, compared to cervical carcinoma cells and precancerous tissues, respectively. Hsa-miR-1249-3p was analyzed to verify its regulatory function on Homeobox A13 (HOXA13) target gene and its downstream cell adhesion gene β-catenin. Functional experiments indicated that hsa-miR-1249-3p inhibition prompted the mRNA and protein overexpression of HOXA13 which, in turn, led to the β-catenin protein expression. Moreover, hsa-miR-1249-3p inhibition induced a strong colony forming ability in epithelial cells, suggesting the miR involvement in cell adhesion machinery. These data indicate that hsa-miR-1249-3p regulates the expression of HOXA13 and its downstream cell adhesion gene β-catenin, possible resulting in cell adhesion modification in epithelial cells. This study will allow the set-up of further investigations aimed at exploring the relationship between the hsa-miR-1249-3p/HOXA13 axis and downstream cell adhesion genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Mazziotta
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Maria Rosa Iaquinta
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Maria Letizia Tramarin
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Giada Badiale
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Christian Felice Cervellera
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Giulia Tonnini
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Simone Patergnani
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
- Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Paolo Pinton
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
- Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Giovanni Lanza
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Roberta Gafà
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Mauro Tognon
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Fernanda Martini
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
- Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Monica De Mattei
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
| | - John Charles Rotondo
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
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Yao X, Xu Z, Duan C, Zhang Y, Wu X, Wu H, Liu K, Mao X, Li B, Gao Y, Xu H, Wang X. Role of human papillomavirus and associated viruses in bladder cancer: An updated review. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e29088. [PMID: 37706751 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Bladder cancer (BC) is a complex disease affecting the urinary system and is regulated by several carcinogenic factors. Viral infection is one such factor that has attracted extensive attention in BC. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection, and although multiple researchers have explored the role of HPV in BC, a consensus has not yet been reached. In addition, HPV-associated viruses (e.g., human immunodeficiency virus, herpes simplex virus, BK virus, and JC virus) appear to be responsible for the occurrence and progression of BC. This study systematically reviews the relationship between HPV-associated viruses and BC to elucidate the role of these viruses in the onset and progression of BC. In addition, the study aims to provide a greater insight into the biology of HPV-associated viruses, and assess potential strategies for treating virus-induced BC. The study additionally focuses on the rapid development of oncolytic viruses that provide a potentially novel option for the treatment of BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyang Yao
- Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhenzhen Xu
- Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Chen Duan
- Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yangjun Zhang
- Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoliang Wu
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Huahui Wu
- Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Kai Liu
- Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiongmin Mao
- Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Bo Li
- Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yang Gao
- Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hua Xu
- Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Cancer Precision Diagnosis and Treatment and Translational Medicine Hubei Engineering Research Center, Wuhan, China
- Department of Biological Repositories, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xinghuan Wang
- Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Cancer Precision Diagnosis and Treatment and Translational Medicine Hubei Engineering Research Center, Wuhan, China
- Department of Biological Repositories, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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5
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Amor H, Alkhaled Y, Bibi R, Hammadeh ME, Jankowski PM. The Impact of Heavy Smoking on Male Infertility and Its Correlation with the Expression Levels of the PTPRN2 and PGAM5 Genes. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1617. [PMID: 37628668 PMCID: PMC10454138 DOI: 10.3390/genes14081617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Smoking has been linked to male infertility by affecting the sperm epigenome and genome. In this study, we aimed to determine possible changes in the transcript levels of PGAM5 (the phosphoglycerate mutase family member 5), PTPRN2 (protein tyrosine phosphatase, N2-type receptor), and TYRO3 (tyrosine protein kinase receptor) in heavy smokers compared to non-smokers, and to investigate their association with the fundamental sperm parameters. In total, 118 sperm samples (63 heavy-smokers (G1) and 55 non-smokers (G2)) were included in this study. A semen analysis was performed according to the WHO guidelines. After a total RNA extraction, RT-PCR was used to quantify the transcript levels of the studied genes. In G1, a significant decrease in the standard semen parameters in comparison to the non-smokers was shown (p < 0.05). Moreover, PGAM5 and PTPRN2 were differentially expressed (p ≤ 0.03 and p ≤ 0.01, respectively) and downregulated in the spermatozoa of G1 compared to G2. In contrast, no difference was observed for TYRO3 (p ≤ 0.3). In G1, the mRNA expression level of the studied genes was correlated negatively with motility, sperm count, normal form, vitality, and sperm membrane integrity (p < 0.05). Therefore, smoking may affect gene expression and male fertility by altering the DNA methylation patterns in the genes associated with fertility and sperm quality, including PGAM5, PTPRN2, and TYRO3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houda Amor
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Saarland University Clinic, 66424 Homburg, Germany
| | - Yaser Alkhaled
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Saarland University Clinic, 66424 Homburg, Germany
| | - Riffat Bibi
- Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan;
| | - Mohamad Eid Hammadeh
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Saarland University Clinic, 66424 Homburg, Germany
| | - Peter Michael Jankowski
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Saarland University Clinic, 66424 Homburg, Germany
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Cervellera CF, Mazziotta C, Di Mauro G, Iaquinta MR, Mazzoni E, Torreggiani E, Tognon M, Martini F, Rotondo JC. Immortalized erythroid cells as a novel frontier for in vitro blood production: current approaches and potential clinical application. Stem Cell Res Ther 2023; 14:139. [PMID: 37226267 PMCID: PMC10210309 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-023-03367-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Blood transfusions represent common medical procedures, which provide essential supportive therapy. However, these procedures are notoriously expensive for healthcare services and not without risk. The potential threat of transfusion-related complications, such as the development of pathogenic infections and the occurring of alloimmunization events, alongside the donor's dependence, strongly limits the availability of transfusion units and represents significant concerns in transfusion medicine. Moreover, a further increase in the demand for donated blood and blood transfusion, combined with a reduction in blood donors, is expected as a consequence of the decrease in birth rates and increase in life expectancy in industrialized countries. MAIN BODY An emerging and alternative strategy preferred over blood transfusion is the in vitro production of blood cells from immortalized erythroid cells. The high survival capacity alongside the stable and longest proliferation time of immortalized erythroid cells could allow the generation of a large number of cells over time, which are able to differentiate into blood cells. However, a large-scale, cost-effective production of blood cells is not yet a routine clinical procedure, as being dependent on the optimization of culture conditions of immortalized erythroid cells. CONCLUSION In our review, we provide an overview of the most recent erythroid cell immortalization approaches, while also describing and discussing related advancements of establishing immortalized erythroid cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Felice Cervellera
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Chiara Mazziotta
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
- Department of Medical Sciences, Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Giulia Di Mauro
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Maria Rosa Iaquinta
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
- Department of Medical Sciences, Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Elisa Mazzoni
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences-DOCPAS, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Elena Torreggiani
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences-DOCPAS, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Mauro Tognon
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Fernanda Martini
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
- Department of Medical Sciences, Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
- Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
| | - John Charles Rotondo
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
- Department of Medical Sciences, Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
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Bruno MT, Caruso S, Scalia G, Costanzo M, Di Pasqua S, Boemi S, Panella MM, Palumbo M. Papillomavirus Infection as Potential Cause of Miscarriage in the Early Gestational Age: A Prospective Study. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:diagnostics13091659. [PMID: 37175050 PMCID: PMC10178196 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13091659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The possible association between human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and negative pregnancy outcomes has been debated in the literature, with conflicting results from clinical trials. While some authors support a link between HPV and miscarriage, others argue that the mere detection of the virus does not necessarily indicate a causal relationship with negative pregnancy outcomes. In this study, we conducted a prospective, controlled investigation of the potential association between HPV infection and miscarriage. Our study included 59 women who had experienced a miscarriage and 57 women who had undergone voluntary termination of pregnancy (TOP) within the 12th week of gestation. We assessed HPV prevalence, maternal age, and HPV genotype in both groups and evaluated the relationship between these factors and pregnancy outcome. Unlike previous studies that only identified HPV in cases of abortion, we also correlated the positivity of chorionic villi with gestational age in both groups. We found a close correlation between positive chorionic villi and very early gestational age, with all 13 cases of virus-positive chorionic villi in the miscarriage group occurring in gestational periods of less than 8 + 5 weeks (<60 days) (RR = 28.6). Our analysis showed no correlation between HPV infection and maternal age or viral genotypes. The results suggest that the presence of HPV alone is not enough to cause spontaneous abortion, but a high viral load in early pregnancy may increase the risk of negative outcomes. These findings have important implications for the management of HPV infection during pregnancy and may provide a rationale for the use of HPV vaccines to reduce the incidence of spontaneous abortion and infertility due to preclinical spontaneous abortions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Teresa Bruno
- Department of General Surgery and Medical Surgery Specialties, Gynecological Clinic, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
- Multidisciplinary Research Center in Papillomavirus Pathology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Salvatore Caruso
- Department of General Surgery and Medical Surgery Specialties, Gynecological Clinic, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
- Multidisciplinary Research Center in Papillomavirus Pathology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Guido Scalia
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Clinical Virology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Costanzo
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Clinical Virology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Salvatore Di Pasqua
- Department of General Surgery and Medical Surgery Specialties, Gynecological Clinic, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Sara Boemi
- Multidisciplinary Research Center in Papillomavirus Pathology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Marco Marzio Panella
- Department of General Surgery and Medical Surgery Specialties, Gynecological Clinic, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
- Multidisciplinary Research Center in Papillomavirus Pathology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Marco Palumbo
- Department of General Surgery and Medical Surgery Specialties, Gynecological Clinic, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
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Mazziotta C, Lanzillotti C, Govoni M, Falzoni S, Tramarin ML, Mazzoni E, Tognon M, Martini F, Rotondo JC. Immunological evidence of an early seroconversion to oncogenic Merkel cell polyomavirus in healthy children and young adults. Immunology 2023; 168:671-683. [PMID: 36321356 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Oncogenic Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) provokes a widespread and asymptomatic infection in humans. Herein, sera from healthy children and young adults (HC, n = 344) aged 0-20 years old were evaluated for anti-MCPyV immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies employing a recently developed immunoassay. Serum MCPyV IgG data from healthy subjects (HS, n = 510) and elderlies (ES, n = 226), aged 21-65/66-100 years old, from our previous studies, were included. The anti-MCPyV IgG and IgM rates in HC sera were 40.7% and 29.7%, respectively. A lower prevalence of anti-MCPyV IgGs was found in HC aged 0-5 years old (13%) compared to 6-10 (52.3%), 11-15 (60.5%) and 16-20 years old (61.6%) cohorts. Age-stratified HCs exhibited similar anti-MCPyV IgM rates (27.9%-32.9%). Serological profiles indicated that anti-MCPyV IgGs and IgMs had low optical densities (ODs) during the first years of life, while IgM ODs appeared to decrease throughout young adulthood. A lower anti-MCPyV IgGs rate was found in HC (40.7%) than HS (61.8%) and ES (63.7%). Upon the 5-years range age-stratification, a lower anti-MCPyV IgGs rate was found in the younger HC cohort aged 0-5 years old compared to the remaining older HC/HS/ES cohorts (52.3%-72%). The younger HC cohort exhibited the lowest anti-MCPyV IgG ODs than the older cohorts. Low anti-MCPyV IgMs rates and ODs were found in the 21-25 (17.5%) and 26-30 (7.7%) years old cohorts. Our data indicate that, upon an early-in-life seroconversion, the seropositivity for oncogenic MCPyV peaks in late childhood/young adulthood and remains at high prevalence and relatively stable throughout life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Mazziotta
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine - Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Carmen Lanzillotti
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine - Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Marcello Govoni
- Department of Medical Sciences, Rheumatology Unit, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Simonetta Falzoni
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | | | - Elisa Mazzoni
- Department of Chemistry, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Mauro Tognon
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Fernanda Martini
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine - Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
- Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - John Charles Rotondo
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine - Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
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9
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Tramontano L, Sciorio R, Bellaminutti S, Esteves SC, Petignat P. Exploring the potential impact of human papillomavirus on infertility and assisted reproductive technology outcomes. Reprod Biol 2023; 23:100753. [PMID: 36889139 DOI: 10.1016/j.repbio.2023.100753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted disease that has been linked to both cancer and reproductive health issues. While its impact on fertility and pregnancy success has been studied, there is still too little evidence about the influence of HPV on assisted reproductive technology (ART). Therefore, there exists a need for HPV testing in couples undergoing infertility treatments. Infertile men have been found to have a higher prevalence of seminal HPV infection, which can compromise sperm quality and reproductive function. As such, it could be important to investigate the correlation between HPV and ART outcomes in order to improve the quality of evidence. Understanding the potentially detrimental effects of HPV on ART outcomes may have promising important implications for the management of infertility. This minireview summarizes the so far limited developments in this area and highlights the major need for further well-designed studies to address this issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Tramontano
- Department of Women, Infants and Adolescents, Division of Obstetrics, Geneva University Hospitals, Boulevard de la Cluse 30, 1211 Genève 14, Switzerland
| | - Romualdo Sciorio
- Edinburgh Assisted Conception Programme, EFREC, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Serena Bellaminutti
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Ospedale Regionale di Lugano, Lugano, Switzerland; Gynecology and Fertility Unit, Procrea Institute, Lugano, Switzerland; Gynecology Unit, Centro Medico, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Sandro C Esteves
- ANDROFERT, Andrology and Human Reproduction Clinic, Campinas, Brazil; Department of Surgery (Division of Urology), University of Campinas, Brazil; Faculty of Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Patrick Petignat
- Department of Women, Infants and Adolescents, Division of Obstetrics, Geneva University Hospitals, Boulevard de la Cluse 30, 1211 Genève 14, Switzerland
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10
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Gholizadeh O, Yekanipour Z, Kivi S, Farahbod F, Aqayinejad M, Tasoujizade Y, Yasamineh S, Amini P, Akbarzadeh S, Hajiesmaeili M, Poortahmasebi V. Review of the evidence of the effects of human papillomavirus infection and Gardnerella vaginalis, and their co-infection on infertility. Microb Pathog 2023; 175:105980. [PMID: 36642287 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2023.105980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
A prevalent sexually transmitted infection, the human papillomavirus (HPV) is typically obtained just after the first sexual activity. The majority of HPV infections are asymptomatic and temporary. Cervical, anal, penile, vaginal, vulvar, and oropharyngeal cancers can occur due to recurrent infections with high-risk (hr)-HPV strains, generally decades later. Infections with HPV are significantly associated with reproductive function abnormalities. Per recent research, HPV infections may result in male infertility by reducing sperm motility. The hr-HPV infection was a risk factor for miscarriage, and the indiscriminate HPV genotype increased the probability of premature labor unexpectedly. Women's endometrial trophoblastic cell implantation is decreased by HPV. Gardnerella vaginalis (GV), an anaerobic bacterium that is a component of the natural vaginal flora, can be associated with bacterial vaginosis (BV) when it starts to overgrow and emerge as the dominant species. Reduced Lactobacillus species abundance and GV are linked to female infertility. Data from in vitro studies suggests that sialidase produced by GV may facilitate the entry and growth of papilloma and other sexually transmitted viruses. Also, based on some studies conducted in the past, it can be said that GV and BV are associated with the development of uterine cancer. However, there is still not enough information about the exact mechanism of GV and HPV in causing infertility, which requires more research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omid Gholizadeh
- Department of Bacteriology and Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Zahra Yekanipour
- Department of Microbiology, Marand Branch, Islamic Azad University, Marand, Iran
| | - Setareh Kivi
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran
| | - Farnoosh Farahbod
- Obstetric & Gynecologist Specialist, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mohadeseh Aqayinejad
- Reproductive Health Research Center, Al-Zahra Hospital, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Yalda Tasoujizade
- Health System Research (HSR), Khoy University of Medical Sciences, Khoy, Iran
| | - Saman Yasamineh
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Parya Amini
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center and Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
| | - Sama Akbarzadeh
- Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Natural Science, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mehrnaz Hajiesmaeili
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Vahdat Poortahmasebi
- Department of Bacteriology and Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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11
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Sun JX, Xu JZ, Liu CQ, An Y, Xu MY, Zhong XY, Zeng N, Ma SY, He HD, Hu J, Liu Z, Wang SG, Xia QD. The association between human papillomavirus and bladder cancer: Evidence from meta-analysis and two-sample mendelian randomization. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e28208. [PMID: 36226344 PMCID: PMC10092419 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Bladder cancer (BCa) is the 10th most common type of cancer worldwide, and human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection. However, the relationship between HPV infection and the risk of BCa is still controversial and inconclusive. METHODS This systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following the PRISMA 2020 reporting guideline. This study searched four bibliographic databases with no language limitation. The databases included PubMed (Medline), EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Studies evaluating the interaction between HPV infection and the risk of BCa from inception through May 21, 2022, were identified and used in this study. This study estimated the overall and type-specific HPV prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) using Random Effects models and Fixed Effects models. In addition, this study also calculated the pooled odds ratio and pooled risk ratio with 95% CI to assess the effect of HPV infection on the risk and prognosis of bladder cancer. Two-sample mendelian randomization (MR) study using genetic variants associated with HPV E7 protein as instrumental variables were also conducted. RESULTS This study retrieved 80 articles from the four bibliographic databases. Of the total, 27 were case-control studies, and 53 were cross-sectional studies. The results showed that the prevalence of HPV was 16% (95% CI: 11%-21%) among the BCa patients, most of which were HPV-16 (5.99% [95% CI: 3.03%-9.69%]) and HPV-18 (3.68% [95% CI: 1.72%-6.16%]) subtypes. However, the study found that the prevalence varied by region, detection method, BCa histological type, and sample source. A significantly increased risk of BCa was shown for the positivity of overall HPV (odds ratio [OR], 3.35 [95% CI: 1.75-6.43]), which was also influenced by study region, detection method, histological type, and sample source. In addition, the study found that HPV infection was significantly associated with the progression of BCa (RR, 1.73 [95% CI: 1.39-2.15]). The two-sample MR analysis found that both HPV 16 and 18 E7 protein exposure increased the risk of BCa (HPV 16 E7 protein: IVW OR per unit increase in protein level = 1.0004 [95% CI: 1.0002-1.0006]; p = 0.0011; HPV 18 E7 protein: IVW OR per unit increase in protein level = 1.0003 [95% CI: 1.0001-1.0005]; p = 0.0089). CONCLUSION In conclusion, HPV may play a role in bladder carcinogenesis and contribute to a worse prognosis for patients with BCa. Therefore, it is necessary for people, especially men, to get vaccinated for HPV vaccination to prevent bladder cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Xuan Sun
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jin-Zhou Xu
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chen-Qian Liu
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ye An
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Meng-Yao Xu
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xing-Yu Zhong
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Na Zeng
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Si-Yang Ma
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Hao-Dong He
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jia Hu
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zheng Liu
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shao-Gang Wang
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Qi-Dong Xia
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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12
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Nakagawa T, Shigehara K, Kato Y, Kawaguchi S, Nakata H, Nakano T, Izumi K, Kadono Y, Mizokami A. Are bladder washing samples suitable for investigation of HPV infection in urinary bladder? Comparison in HPV prevalence between urine and washing samples. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e28110. [PMID: 36042577 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Although urine and bladder washing samples are commonly used for the cytological evaluation of the bladder mucosa, it has been unknown whether these samples are likely suitable to investigate human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence in the urinary bladder. The present study aimed to elucidate the appropriateness of spontaneously voided urine or bladder washing in screening HPV infection in the urinary bladder. Urine and bladder washing samples were obtained from 201 patients who underwent transurethral bladder tumor resection. After extracting DNA from both samples, HPV-DNA was examined using a nested polymerase chain reaction with GP5+/6+ and MY09/11 primers. HPV genotyping was performed in the HPV-positive samples. In situ hybridization (ISH) was performed to observe the HPV-DNA localization in urothelial cells among cytological samples and paraffin-embedded tumor tissues in HPV-positive washing samples. HPV prevalence in urine and washing samples were 9.5% and 7.0%, respectively. High-risk HPV prevalence in urine and washing samples was 7.5% and 4.0%, respectively. The most common HPV type was HPV 16, followed by HPV 52 and HPV 18 in both samples. HPV type distribution in both samples was not in agreement (κ = -0.431). The ISH analysis revealed that HPV-DNA signal was observed in urothelial cells of five (55.7%) of nine detectable HPV-positive cytological samples. Six (66.7%) of nine HPV-positive cases had HPV-DNA signals in tumor tissue. The use of washing samples was likely applicable for investigating HPV prevalence in the urinary bladder. HPV-DNA detected in washing samples might be frequently derived from the urinary bladder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomomi Nakagawa
- Department of Integrative Cancer Therapy and Urology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Kazuyoshi Shigehara
- Department of Integrative Cancer Therapy and Urology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Yuki Kato
- Department of Integrative Cancer Therapy and Urology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Shohei Kawaguchi
- Department of Integrative Cancer Therapy and Urology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Hiroki Nakata
- Department of Integrative Cancer Therapy and Urology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Taito Nakano
- Department of Integrative Cancer Therapy and Urology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Kouji Izumi
- Department of Integrative Cancer Therapy and Urology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Yoshifumi Kadono
- Department of Integrative Cancer Therapy and Urology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Atsushi Mizokami
- Department of Integrative Cancer Therapy and Urology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa, Japan
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13
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Soumia M, Hajji H, El Mzibri M, Younes FZ, Mohammed B, Mohamed B, Benaissa M. In-Silico Molecular Modeling Studies to Identify Novel Potential Inhibitors of HPV E6 Protein. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10091452. [PMID: 36146532 PMCID: PMC9505724 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10091452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The etiological agent of some anogenital tract cancers is infection with the high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV). Currently, prophylactic vaccines against HPV have been validated, but the presence of drug treatment directed against the infection and its oncogenic effects remain essential. Among the best drug targets, viral oncoprotein E6 has been identified as a key factor in cell immortalization and tumor progression in HPV-positive cells. E6, through interaction with the cellular ubiquitin ligase E6AP, can promote the degradation of p53, a tumor suppressor protein. Therefore, suppression of the creation of the E6-E6AP complex is one of the essential strategies to inhibit the survival and proliferation of infected cells. In the present study, we proposed an in-silico approach for the discovery of small molecules with inhibitory activity on the E6-E6AP interaction. The first three compounds (F0679-0355, F33774-0275, and F3345-0326) were selected on the basis of virtual screening and prediction of the molecules' ADMET properties and docking with E6 protein, these molecules were selected for further study by investigating their stability in the E6 complex and their inhibitory effect on the E6-E6AP interaction by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The identified molecules thus represent a good starting point for the development of anti-HPV drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moujane Soumia
- Biochemistry of Natural Substances, Faculty of Science and Techniques, Moulay Ismail University, Errachdia 50003, Morocco
| | - Halima Hajji
- Molecular Chemistry and Natural Substances Laboratory, Faculty of Science, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes 52202, Morocco
- EST Khenifra, Sultan Moulay Sliman University, Khenifra 23000, Morocco
| | - Mohamed El Mzibri
- Biology and Medical Research Unit, National Centre for Energy, Nuclear Sciences and Techniques (CNESTEN), Rabat 10001, Morocco
| | - Filali Zegzouti Younes
- LABASE Laboratory, Faculty of Science of Meknes, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes 52202, Morocco
| | - Bouachrine Mohammed
- Molecular Chemistry and Natural Substances Laboratory, Faculty of Science, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes 52202, Morocco
- EST Khenifra, Sultan Moulay Sliman University, Khenifra 23000, Morocco
| | - Benlyas Mohamed
- Biochemistry of Natural Substances, Faculty of Science and Techniques, Moulay Ismail University, Errachdia 50003, Morocco
| | - Moualij Benaissa
- Biochemistry of Natural Substances, Faculty of Science and Techniques, Moulay Ismail University, Errachdia 50003, Morocco
- Correspondence:
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14
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Kines RC, Schiller JT. Harnessing Human Papillomavirus’ Natural Tropism to Target Tumors. Viruses 2022; 14:v14081656. [PMID: 36016277 PMCID: PMC9413966 DOI: 10.3390/v14081656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are small non-enveloped DNA tumor viruses established as the primary etiological agent for the development of cervical cancer. Decades of research have elucidated HPV’s primary attachment factor to be heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG). Importantly, wounding and exposure of the epithelial basement membrane was found to be pivotal for efficient attachment and infection of HPV in vivo. Sulfation patterns on HSPG’s become modified at the site of wounds as they serve an important role promoting tissue healing, cell proliferation and neovascularization and it is these modifications recognized by HPV. Analogous HSPG modification patterns can be found on tumor cells as they too require the aforementioned processes to grow and metastasize. Although targeting tumor associated HSPG is not a novel concept, the use of HPV to target and treat tumors has only been realized in recent years. The work herein describes how decades of basic HPV research has culminated in the rational design of an HPV-based virus-like infrared light activated dye conjugate for the treatment of choroidal melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John T. Schiller
- Laboratory of Cellular Oncology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
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15
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COVID-19 Vaccination Status among Pregnant and Postpartum Women-A Cross-Sectional Study on More Than 1000 Individuals. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10081179. [PMID: 35893827 PMCID: PMC9330718 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10081179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy is a well-known factor for vaccine hesitancy and immunization remains the most effective form of prevention against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) related complications. The objective was to estimate vaccine uptake and hesitancy rate, characteristics, and factors contributing to a decision-making process among pregnant and postpartum individuals. This was a prospective cross-sectional study on 1033 pregnant (54.1%) and postpartum (45.9%) women conducted between December 2021 and March 2022 in a tertiary center for maternal−fetal medicine. Logistic regression was used to assess characteristics related to the vaccination decision process. Among responders, 74% were vaccinated and 26% were hesitant (9% planning to vaccinate and 17% totally opposed). Only 59.8% were offered a vaccine by healthcare professionals. Women with higher levels of education (OR 2.26, p < 0.0001), who received positive feedback about vaccination (OR 2.74, p = 0.0172), or were informed about COVID-19 complications in pregnancy (OR 2.6, p < 0.0001) were most likely to accept the vaccination. Hesitancy was associated with multiparity (≥3, OR 4.76, p = 0.006), worse educational status (OR 2.29, p < 0.0001), and lack of previous COVID-19 infection (OR 1.89, p < 0.0001). The most common reason for rejection was insufficient safety data (57%). Understanding factors behind vaccination status is crucial in lowering complications in mothers and newborns and targeted action may facilitate the uptake.
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16
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Popescu SD, Boiangiu AG, Sima RM, Bilteanu L, Vladareanu S, Vladareanu R. Maternal HPV Infection and the Estimated Risks for Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes—A Systematic Review. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12061471. [PMID: 35741280 PMCID: PMC9221727 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12061471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) represents the most prevalent genital infection in young women of reproductive age. Objective: This systematic review aims to estimate the effect of HPV infection during pregnancy and assess the correlation between HPV and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Materials and methods: The search strategy has been developed based on the PICOS framework: Population (pregnant women infected with HPV), Intervention (HPV infection confirmed by molecular tests), Comparator (pregnant women without HPV infection), Outcomes (adverse pregnancy outcomes) and Study design (observational studies). We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases on 8 January 2022 by using the following keywords: “HPV”, “prematurity”, “preterm birth”, “miscarriage”, “premature rupture of membranes”, “adverse pregnancy outcome”, “low birth weight”, “fetal growth restriction”, “pregnancy-induced hypertensive disorders”, “preeclampsia”. Selection criteria were HPV infection confirmed within maximum 2 years before pregnancy with a molecular test and adverse pregnancy outcomes. (Results: Although numerous studies are conducted on this topic, data are still controversial regarding identifying maternal HPV infection as a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes. More prospective large cohort studies are needed to prove a causative relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Daniela Popescu
- Neonatology Clinic, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of General Medicine, Elias University Hospital, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 011461 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Andreea Gratiana Boiangiu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of General Medicine, Elias University Hospital, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 011461 Bucharest, Romania;
- Correspondence: (A.G.B.); (S.V.)
| | - Romina-Marina Sima
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic “Bucur” Maternity, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of General Medicine, Saint John Hospital, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 011461 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Liviu Bilteanu
- Department of Preclinic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, 050097 Bucharest, Romania;
- Laboratory of Molecular Nanotechnologies, National Institute for Research and Development in Microtechnologies, 077190 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Simona Vladareanu
- Neonatology Clinic, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of General Medicine, Elias University Hospital, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 011461 Bucharest, Romania;
- Correspondence: (A.G.B.); (S.V.)
| | - Radu Vladareanu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of General Medicine, Elias University Hospital, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 011461 Bucharest, Romania;
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17
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Rotondo JC, Martini F, Maritati M, Caselli E, Gallenga CE, Guarino M, De Giorgio R, Mazziotta C, Tramarin ML, Badiale G, Tognon M, Contini C. Advanced Molecular and Immunological Diagnostic Methods to Detect SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Microorganisms 2022; 10:1193. [PMID: 35744711 PMCID: PMC9231257 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10061193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 emerged in late 2019 in China and quickly spread across the globe, causing over 521 million cases of infection and 6.26 million deaths to date. After 2 years, numerous advances have been made. First of all, the preventive vaccine, which has been implemented in record time, is effective in more than 95% of cases. Additionally, in the diagnostic field, there are numerous molecular and antigenic diagnostic kits that are equipped with high sensitivity and specificity. Real Time-PCR-based assays for the detection of viral RNA are currently considered the gold-standard method for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis and can be used efficiently on pooled nasopharyngeal, or oropharyngeal samples for widespread screening. Moreover, additional, and more advanced molecular methods such as droplet-digital PCR (ddPCR), clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and next-generation sequencing (NGS), are currently under development to detect the SARS-CoV-2 RNA. However, as the number of subjects infected with SARS-CoV-2 continuously increases globally, health care systems are being placed under increased stress. Thus, the clinical laboratory plays an important role, helping to select especially asymptomatic individuals who are actively carrying the live replicating virus, with fast and non-invasive molecular technologies. Recent diagnostic strategies, other than molecular methods, have been adopted to either detect viral antigens, i.e., antigen-based immunoassays, or human anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, i.e., antibody-based immunoassays, in nasal or oropharyngeal swabs, as well as in blood or saliva samples. However, the role of mucosal sIgAs, which are essential in the control of viruses entering the body through mucosal surfaces, remains to be elucidated, and in particular the role of the immune response in counteracting SARS-CoV-2 infection, primarily at the site(s) of virus entry that appears to be promising.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Charles Rotondo
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (F.M.); (M.M.); (C.E.G.); (C.M.); (M.L.T.); (G.B.); (M.T.)
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Fernanda Martini
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (F.M.); (M.M.); (C.E.G.); (C.M.); (M.L.T.); (G.B.); (M.T.)
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Martina Maritati
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (F.M.); (M.M.); (C.E.G.); (C.M.); (M.L.T.); (G.B.); (M.T.)
- Orthopaedic Ward, Casa di Cura Santa Maria Maddalena, 45030 Occhiobello, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Caselli
- Section of Microbiology, CIAS Research Center and LTTA, Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy;
| | - Carla Enrica Gallenga
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (F.M.); (M.M.); (C.E.G.); (C.M.); (M.L.T.); (G.B.); (M.T.)
| | - Matteo Guarino
- Department of Translational Medicine, St. Anna University Hospital of Ferrara, University of Ferrara, 44124 Ferrara, Italy; (M.G.); (R.D.G.)
| | - Roberto De Giorgio
- Department of Translational Medicine, St. Anna University Hospital of Ferrara, University of Ferrara, 44124 Ferrara, Italy; (M.G.); (R.D.G.)
| | - Chiara Mazziotta
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (F.M.); (M.M.); (C.E.G.); (C.M.); (M.L.T.); (G.B.); (M.T.)
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Maria Letizia Tramarin
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (F.M.); (M.M.); (C.E.G.); (C.M.); (M.L.T.); (G.B.); (M.T.)
| | - Giada Badiale
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (F.M.); (M.M.); (C.E.G.); (C.M.); (M.L.T.); (G.B.); (M.T.)
| | - Mauro Tognon
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (F.M.); (M.M.); (C.E.G.); (C.M.); (M.L.T.); (G.B.); (M.T.)
| | - Carlo Contini
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (F.M.); (M.M.); (C.E.G.); (C.M.); (M.L.T.); (G.B.); (M.T.)
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Altay-Kocak A, Kazanci F, Dogu-Tok C, Onan A, Erdem O, Ozkan S, Bozdayi G. The prevalence and distribution of human papillomavirus in 4267 Turkish women with or without cervical lesions: A hospital-based study. J Med Virol 2022; 94:5026-5032. [PMID: 35676203 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.27921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
In the present study, it was aimed to screen the genotypes of human papillomavirus (HPV) retrospectively in women with gynecological symptoms who were admitted to a tertiary care university hospital in Ankara, Turkey. A total of 4267 cervical swab samples of women aged 18-79 years were sent to Medical Virology Laboratory from January 2017 to November 2020. Nucleic acid extraction and amplification of samples were done by an automated system. The test can detect 14 high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) types in a single analysis that performs a real-time polymerase chain reaction, by providing individual results on the highest-risk genotypes HPV 16 and HPV 18 and pooled results on other high-risk genotypes (OHR-HPV) (31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66, 68). HPV DNA positivity was detected in 14.2% (605/4267) of the samples. HPV type 16 and type 18 were detected in 2.4% and 0.7% of the samples, respectively. OHR-HPV types were found in 8.8% of the samples. Of the 1.9% and 0.4% samples had mixed types with type 16+ OHR-HPV and type 18+ OHR-HPV, respectively. The results of this study presented the rates of HR-HPV genotypes of a university hospital in Ankara, over a 4-year period. It was observed that the positivity rate of type 18 is decreasing and some OHR-HPV types are increasing. HPV vaccination is not in the national immunization program in Turkey yet, however, HPV vaccines are available and the vaccination rates for women are increasing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aylin Altay-Kocak
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ferah Kazanci
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Canan Dogu-Tok
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Division of Medical Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Anil Onan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ozlem Erdem
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Secil Ozkan
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Gulendam Bozdayi
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Division of Medical Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
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19
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Uptake of COVID-19 Vaccines among Pregnant Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10050766. [PMID: 35632521 PMCID: PMC9145279 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10050766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Mass vaccination against COVID-19 is essential to control the pandemic. COVID-19 vaccines are now recommended during pregnancy to prevent adverse outcomes. With this review, we aimed to evaluate the evidence in the literature regarding the uptake of COVID-19 vaccinations among pregnant women. A comprehensive search was performed in PubMed, Medline, Scopus, ProQuest, Web of Science, CINAHL, and medRxiv from inception to 23 March 2022. We performed a meta-analysis to estimate the overall proportion of pregnant women vaccinated against COVID-19. We found 11 studies including 703,004 pregnant women. The overall proportion of pregnant women vaccinated against COVID-19 was 27.5% (95% CI: 18.8–37.0%). Predictors of COVID-19 vaccination uptake were older age, ethnicity, race, trust in COVID-19 vaccines, and fear of COVID-19 during pregnancy. Mistrust in the government, diagnosis of COVID-19 during pregnancy, and fears about the safety and side effects of COVID-19 vaccines were reasons for declining vaccination. The global COVID-19 vaccination prevalence in pregnant women is low. A large gap exists in the literature on the factors influencing the decision of pregnant women to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Targeted information campaigns are essential to increase vaccine literacy among pregnant women.
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20
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Tiiti TA, Bogers J, Lebelo RL. Knowledge of Human Papillomavirus and Cervical Cancer among Women Attending Gynecology Clinics in Pretoria, South Africa. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19074210. [PMID: 35409892 PMCID: PMC8998542 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19074210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Background: Cervical cancer is mainly caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). Worldwide, knowledge of HPV and cervical cancer among women is reported to be inadequate. The study aimed to assess the knowledge and awareness of HPV and cervical cancer among women attending gynecology clinics at a tertiary hospital in Pretoria, South Africa. The study also intended to identify socio-demographic factors influencing women’s knowledge about HPV and cervical cancer risk factors. Methods: This was a clinic-based analytic cross-sectional study conducted among women aged 18 years and older. Participants were enrolled in the clinic waiting rooms while waiting to be attended to by the clinician. A self-administered questionnaire to assess knowledge of HPV, cervical cancer, and risk factors for developing cervical cancer was distributed to the participants. Results: A total of 527 women aged ≥18 years and older were randomly enrolled with a 99.8% response rate. Less than half (47.1%) of the participants had been previously screened for cervical cancer using a Papanicolaou (Pap) test. Few (18.8%) women correctly mentioned cervical cancer risk factors. Unemployed women were less likely to have correct knowledge of cervical cancer causes/risk factors (OR: 0.63; 95% CI 0.40–0.97) compared to employed women. Divorced/separated/widowed women were more likely to have good HPV knowledge compared to single participants (OR: 2.74; 95% CI 1.46–5.15). Conclusion: From this study, it is evident that cervical cancer screening is very low, and women lack knowledge of HPV and cervical cancer disease symptoms and its risk factors. There is a need for policies to prioritize providing accurate information to the public to reduce cervical cancer morbidity and mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teboho Amelia Tiiti
- Department of Virological Pathology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria 0204, South Africa;
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerpen, Belgium;
| | - Johannes Bogers
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerpen, Belgium;
- Algemeen Medisch Laboratorium (AML), Sonic Healthcare, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria 0204, South Africa
| | - Ramokone Lisbeth Lebelo
- Department of Virological Pathology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria 0204, South Africa;
- National Health Laboratory Service, Department of Virological Pathology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria 0204, South Africa
- South African Vaccination and Immunization Centre, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria 0204, South Africa
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +27-1521-3038
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21
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Mazziotta C, Lanzillotti C, Gafà R, Touzé A, Durand MA, Martini F, Rotondo JC. The Role of Histone Post-Translational Modifications in Merkel Cell Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:832047. [PMID: 35350569 PMCID: PMC8957841 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.832047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC) is a rare but highly aggressive form of non–melanoma skin cancer whose 5-year survival rate is 63%. Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), a small DNA tumor virus, is the etiological agent of MCC. Although representing a small proportion of MCC cases, MCPyV-negative MCCs have also been identified. The role of epigenetic mechanisms, including histone post-translational modifications (PTMs) in MCC, have been only partially determined. This review aims to describe the most recent progress on PTMs and their regulative factors in the context of MCC onset/development, providing an overview of current findings on both MCC subtypes. An outline of current knowledge on the potential employment of PTMs and related factors as diagnostic and prognostic markers, as well as novel treatment strategies targeting the reversibility of PTMs for MCC therapy is provided. Recent research shows that PTMs are emerging as important epigenetic players involved in MCC onset/development, and therefore may show a potential clinical significance. Deeper and integrated knowledge of currently known PTM dysregulations is of paramount importance in order to understand the molecular basis of MCC and improve the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic options for this deadly tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Mazziotta
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Carmen Lanzillotti
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Roberta Gafà
- Department of Translational Medicine and for Romagna, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Antoine Touzé
- ISP "Biologie des infections à polyomavirus" Team, UMR INRA 1282, University of Tours, Tours, France
| | - Marie-Alice Durand
- ISP "Biologie des infections à polyomavirus" Team, UMR INRA 1282, University of Tours, Tours, France
| | - Fernanda Martini
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - John Charles Rotondo
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
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22
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The Risk of Spontaneous Abortion Does Not Increase Following First Trimester mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11061698. [PMID: 35330023 PMCID: PMC8955378 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11061698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines initially excluded pregnant women due to safety concerns, and when the vaccines were authorized for emergency use, they were not recommended for this population. However, observational studies discovered that pregnant women infected with COVID-19 have higher risks of negative pregnancy and delivery outcomes compared to non-pregnant women, raising the question of the risks–benefits of administering COVID-19 vaccines to pregnant women. By mid-2021, there was general consensus on the relative safety of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy; therefore, it is critical to investigate the safety issues related to these vaccines, considering the increasing acceptance among pregnant women. To address these concerns, we developed a research project to study the short-term effects and outcomes of COVID-19 vaccination during the first trimester of pregnancy. Our research followed an observational retrospective design for 12 months from the beginning of the vaccination campaign, and included 124 cases of spontaneous abortions and 927 ongoing pregnancies. The odds of spontaneous abortion were non-significant for both versions of the mRNA vaccine (Pfizer BNT162b2 AOR = 1.04, CI = 0.91–1.12; Moderna mRNA-1273 AOR = 1.02, CI = 0.89–1.08). Overall, our data indicated that the risk of spontaneous abortion after mRNA COVID-19 immunization during the first trimester of pregnancy is commensurate with the predicted risk in non-vaccinated pregnant women. These findings contribute to the growing body of information regarding the safety of mRNA COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy.
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23
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Vesce F, Battisti C, Crudo M. The Inflammatory Cytokine Imbalance for Miscarriage, Pregnancy Loss and COVID-19 Pneumonia. Front Immunol 2022; 13:861245. [PMID: 35359975 PMCID: PMC8961687 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.861245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy can be defined a vascular event upon endocrine control. In the human hemo-chorial placentation the chorionic villi penetrate the wall of the uterine spiral arteries, to provide increasing amounts of nutrients and oxygen for optimal fetal growth. In any physiological pregnancy the natural maternal response is of a Th1 inflammatory type, aimed at avoiding blood loss through the arteriolar wall openings. The control of the vascular function, during gestation as in any other condition, is achieved through the action of two main types of prostanoids: prostaglandin E2 and thromboxane on the one hand (for vasoconstriction and coagulation), prostacyclin on the other (for vasodilation and blood fluidification). The control of the maternal immune response is upon the responsibility of the fetus itself. Indeed, the chorionic villi are able to counteract the natural maternal response, thus changing the inflammatory Th1 type into the anti-inflammatory Th2. Clinical and experimental research in the past half century address to inflammation as the leading cause of abortion, pregnancy loss, premature delivery and related pulmonary, cerebral, intestinal fetal syndromes. Increased level of Interleukin 6, Interleukin 1-beta, Tumor Necrosis Factor-alfa, Interferon-gamma, are some among the well-known markers of gestational inflammation. On the other side, COVID-19 pneumonia is a result of extensive inflammation induced by viral replication within the cells of the respiratory tract. As it may happen in the uterine arteries in the absence of an effective fetal control, viral pneumonia triggers pulmonary vascular coagulation. The cytokines involved in the process are the same as those in gestational inflammation. As the fetus breathes throughout the placenta, fetal death from placental thrombosis is similar to adult death from pulmonary thrombosis. Preventing and counteracting inflammation is mandatory in both conditions. The most relevant literature dealing with the above-mentioned concepts is reviewed in the present article.
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24
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Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia Grade 3 in a HPV-Vaccinated Patient: A Case Report. Medicina (B Aires) 2022; 58:medicina58030339. [PMID: 35334516 PMCID: PMC8949814 DOI: 10.3390/medicina58030339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Persistent infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) causes almost all cervical precancerous lesions and cancers. Bivalent, quadrivalent, and nonavalent HPV vaccines effectively prevent high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN3). The effectiveness of HPV vaccination against CIN3 is 97–100% in HPV-naïve populations and 44–61% in the overall population. Although HPV vaccination has substantially reduced the incidence of cervical cancers, several cases of precancerous cervical lesions in HPV-vaccinated patients have been reported. We report the clinical case of a 19-year-old woman whose first Pap smear was diagnosed as a high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) after quadrivalent HPV vaccination. Colposcopy and cervical biopsy were performed, revealing HSIL/CIN3. Our multidisciplinary team decided to take a conservative approach with follow-up visits with cervical biopsies of this young patient. After six months, spontaneous regression of high-grade cervical dysplasia was observed. Although HPV immunization has shown to be extremely effective in preventing a high proportion of cervical precancerous lesions and cervical cancers, HPV vaccines do not protect against all oncogenic high-risk HPV genotypes. Consequently, healthcare providers must encourage HPV-vaccinated women to still regularly attend national cervical screening programs.
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25
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Rotondo JC, Mazziotta C, Lanzillotti C, Stefani C, Badiale G, Campione G, Martini F, Tognon M. The Role of Purinergic P2X7 Receptor in Inflammation and Cancer: Novel Molecular Insights and Clinical Applications. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:1116. [PMID: 35267424 PMCID: PMC8909580 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14051116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The purinergic P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) is a transmembrane protein whose expression has been related to a variety of cellular processes, while its dysregulation has been linked to inflammation and cancer. P2X7R is expressed in cancer and immune system cell surfaces. ATP plays a key role in numerous metabolic processes due to its abundance in the tumour microenvironment. P2X7R plays an important role in cancer by interacting with ATP. The unusual property of P2X7R is that stimulation with low doses of ATP causes the opening of a permeable channel for sodium, potassium, and calcium ions, whereas sustained stimulation with high doses of ATP favours the formation of a non-selective pore. The latter effect induces a change in intracellular homeostasis that leads to cell death. This evidence suggests that P2X7R has both pro- and anti-tumour proprieties. P2X7R is increasingly recognised as a regulator of inflammation. In this review, we aimed to describe the most relevant characteristics of P2X7R function, activation, and its ligands, while also summarising the role of P2X7R activation in the context of inflammation and cancer. The currently used therapeutic approaches and clinical trials of P2X7R modulators are also described.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Charles Rotondo
- Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Section of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (J.C.R.); (C.M.); (C.L.); (C.S.); (G.B.); (G.C.); (F.M.)
- Centre for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Chiara Mazziotta
- Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Section of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (J.C.R.); (C.M.); (C.L.); (C.S.); (G.B.); (G.C.); (F.M.)
- Centre for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Carmen Lanzillotti
- Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Section of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (J.C.R.); (C.M.); (C.L.); (C.S.); (G.B.); (G.C.); (F.M.)
- Centre for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Chiara Stefani
- Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Section of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (J.C.R.); (C.M.); (C.L.); (C.S.); (G.B.); (G.C.); (F.M.)
| | - Giada Badiale
- Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Section of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (J.C.R.); (C.M.); (C.L.); (C.S.); (G.B.); (G.C.); (F.M.)
| | - Giulia Campione
- Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Section of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (J.C.R.); (C.M.); (C.L.); (C.S.); (G.B.); (G.C.); (F.M.)
| | - Fernanda Martini
- Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Section of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (J.C.R.); (C.M.); (C.L.); (C.S.); (G.B.); (G.C.); (F.M.)
- Centre for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Mauro Tognon
- Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Section of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (J.C.R.); (C.M.); (C.L.); (C.S.); (G.B.); (G.C.); (F.M.)
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26
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Kurosawa M, Sekine M, Yamaguchi M, Kudo R, Hanley SJB, Hara M, Adachi S, Ueda Y, Miyagi E, Ikeda S, Yagi A, Enomoto T. Long-Term Effects of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination in Clinical Trials and Real-World Data: A Systematic Review. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10020256. [PMID: 35214713 PMCID: PMC8877934 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10020256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The preventive effect of HPV vaccines against anogenital and oropharyngeal cancers has been proven in both clinical trials and real-world data. We reviewed the published evidence about the long-term efficacy and effectiveness of the HPV vaccine in available papers of clinical trials and real-world data. As far as we searched, the longest period of preventive effect for the bivalent, 4-valent, and 9-valent vaccine were 11 years in the Costa Rica trial, 14 years in the FUTURE II, and 8 years in the LTFU extension study of V503-002 and the Scandinavian study, respectively. The sustained clinical effect during the observation period was longest for the 4-valent vaccine. In real-world data, the longest observation period of the vaccine effectiveness was 12 years in an Australian study for the 4-valent vaccine. On the other hand, the longest period of long-term persistence of HPV vaccine-induced seropositivity was 14 years in FUTURE II for the 4-valent vaccine. For the bivalent vaccine, additional long-term follow-up studies may not have been planned due to the launch of the 4-valent and 9-valent vaccines. In some studies of the 9-valent vaccine, the results have not yet been published because of the short observation period. The additional results are expected in the future. In a national immunization program, most girls and boys are inoculated with HPV vaccine by the time puberty begins; thus, it is important to monitor the vaccine effect at least until the sexually active period in their 20s and 30s.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megumi Kurosawa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata 951-8520, Japan; (M.K.); (M.Y.); (R.K.); (S.A.); (T.E.)
| | - Masayuki Sekine
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata 951-8520, Japan; (M.K.); (M.Y.); (R.K.); (S.A.); (T.E.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Manako Yamaguchi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata 951-8520, Japan; (M.K.); (M.Y.); (R.K.); (S.A.); (T.E.)
| | - Risa Kudo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata 951-8520, Japan; (M.K.); (M.Y.); (R.K.); (S.A.); (T.E.)
| | - Sharon J. B. Hanley
- Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan;
| | - Megumi Hara
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga 849-8501, Japan;
| | - Sosuke Adachi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata 951-8520, Japan; (M.K.); (M.Y.); (R.K.); (S.A.); (T.E.)
| | - Yutaka Ueda
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; (Y.U.); (A.Y.)
| | - Etsuko Miyagi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan;
| | - Sayaka Ikeda
- Division of Surveillance and Policy Evaluation, Institute for Cancer Control, National Cancer Center, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan;
| | - Asami Yagi
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; (Y.U.); (A.Y.)
| | - Takayuki Enomoto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata 951-8520, Japan; (M.K.); (M.Y.); (R.K.); (S.A.); (T.E.)
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27
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Oton-Gonzalez L, Mazziotta C, Iaquinta MR, Mazzoni E, Nocini R, Trevisiol L, D’Agostino A, Tognon M, Rotondo JC, Martini F. Genetics and Epigenetics of Bone Remodeling and Metabolic Bone Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031500. [PMID: 35163424 PMCID: PMC8836080 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bone metabolism consists of a balance between bone formation and bone resorption, which is mediated by osteoblast and osteoclast activity, respectively. In order to ensure bone plasticity, the bone remodeling process needs to function properly. Mesenchymal stem cells differentiate into the osteoblast lineage by activating different signaling pathways, including transforming growth factor β (TGF-β)/bone morphogenic protein (BMP) and the Wingless/Int-1 (Wnt)/β-catenin pathways. Recent data indicate that bone remodeling processes are also epigenetically regulated by DNA methylation, histone post-translational modifications, and non-coding RNA expressions, such as micro-RNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs. Mutations and dysfunctions in pathways regulating the osteoblast differentiation might influence the bone remodeling process, ultimately leading to a large variety of metabolic bone diseases. In this review, we aim to summarize and describe the genetics and epigenetics of the bone remodeling process. Moreover, the current findings behind the genetics of metabolic bone diseases are also reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Oton-Gonzalez
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (L.O.-G.); (C.M.); (M.R.I.); (M.T.)
| | - Chiara Mazziotta
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (L.O.-G.); (C.M.); (M.R.I.); (M.T.)
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Maria Rosa Iaquinta
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (L.O.-G.); (C.M.); (M.R.I.); (M.T.)
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Elisa Mazzoni
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy;
| | - Riccardo Nocini
- Unit of Otolaryngology, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy;
| | - Lorenzo Trevisiol
- Unit of Maxillo-Facial Surgery and Dentistry, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (L.T.); (A.D.)
| | - Antonio D’Agostino
- Unit of Maxillo-Facial Surgery and Dentistry, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (L.T.); (A.D.)
| | - Mauro Tognon
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (L.O.-G.); (C.M.); (M.R.I.); (M.T.)
| | - John Charles Rotondo
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (L.O.-G.); (C.M.); (M.R.I.); (M.T.)
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Correspondence: (J.C.R.); (F.M.); Tel.: +39-0532-455536 (J.C.R.); +39-0532-455540 (F.M.)
| | - Fernanda Martini
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (L.O.-G.); (C.M.); (M.R.I.); (M.T.)
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Correspondence: (J.C.R.); (F.M.); Tel.: +39-0532-455536 (J.C.R.); +39-0532-455540 (F.M.)
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28
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Villani A, Fontana A, Barone S, de Stefani S, Primiterra M, Copetti M, Panebianco C, Parri C, Sciannamè N, Quitadamo PA, Tiezzi A, Santana L, Maglione A, D’Amato F, Perri F, Palini S, Pazienza V. Identifying Predictive Bacterial Markers from Cervical Swab Microbiota on Pregnancy Outcome in Woman Undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technologies. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11030680. [PMID: 35160131 PMCID: PMC8836651 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11030680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and aims: Failure of the embryo to implant causes about three-fourths of lost pregnancies. Female genital tract microbiota has been associated to Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) outcomes. The objective of this study was to analyze the microbiota of human cervical swab and to correlate these findings with the ART outcomes. Materials and Methods: In this study, 88 cervical swabs were collected from women undergoing ART cycles, with various causes of infertility, at the beginning of the ART protocols. After microbial DNA extraction, V3–V4 variable regions of the 16S rRNA gene were amplified and sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq platform. PEnalized LOgistic Regression Analysis (PELORA) was performed to identify clusters of bacterial populations with differential abundances between patients with unfavorable and favorable pregnancy outcome groups, respectively. Results: We identified a core of microorganisms at lower taxonomic levels that were predictive of women’s pregnancy outcomes. Statistically significant differences were identified at species levels with Lactobacillus salivarius, Lactobacillus rhamnosus among others. Moreover the abundance of Lactobacillus crispatus and iners, respectively increased and decreased in favorable group as compared to unfavorable group, resulted within the core of microorganisms associated to positive ART outcome. Although the predominance of lactobacilli is generally considered to be advantageous for ART outcome, we found that also the presence of Bifidobacterium (together with the other lactobacilli) was more abundant in the favorable group. Discussion: Cervix is colonized by microorganisms which can play a role in ART outcomes as seen by an overall decrease in embryo attachment rates and pregnancy rates in both fertile and infertile women. If confirmed in a larger cohort, the abundance of these bacteria can be useful not only as a marker of unfavorable pregnancy outcome but also they may open the way to new interventional strategies based on genital tract microbiota manipulation in order to increase the pregnancy rates in woman undergoing assisted reproductive technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annacandida Villani
- Gastoenterology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza” Hospital, Viale Padre Pio 4, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy; (A.V.); (C.P.); (F.P.)
| | - Andrea Fontana
- Unit of Biostatistic, Fondazione IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza” Hospital, Viale Padre Pio 4, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy; (A.F.); (M.C.)
| | - Stefano Barone
- Unità Sanitaria Locale USL Toscana Nordovest, Assisted Reproductive Center Ospedale Versilia, 55041 Lido di Camaiore, Italy; (S.B.); (C.P.)
| | - Silvia de Stefani
- PMA Unit, Clinica Nuova Ricerca, Via Settembrini 17/h, 47923 Rimini, Italy; (S.d.S.); (M.P.); (A.T.); (L.S.)
| | - Mariangela Primiterra
- PMA Unit, Clinica Nuova Ricerca, Via Settembrini 17/h, 47923 Rimini, Italy; (S.d.S.); (M.P.); (A.T.); (L.S.)
| | - Massimiliano Copetti
- Unit of Biostatistic, Fondazione IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza” Hospital, Viale Padre Pio 4, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy; (A.F.); (M.C.)
| | - Concetta Panebianco
- Gastoenterology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza” Hospital, Viale Padre Pio 4, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy; (A.V.); (C.P.); (F.P.)
| | - Cristiana Parri
- Unità Sanitaria Locale USL Toscana Nordovest, Assisted Reproductive Center Ospedale Versilia, 55041 Lido di Camaiore, Italy; (S.B.); (C.P.)
| | - Natale Sciannamè
- Gynecology and Obstetrics Department, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy; (N.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Pasqua Anna Quitadamo
- Neonatology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Alessandra Tiezzi
- PMA Unit, Clinica Nuova Ricerca, Via Settembrini 17/h, 47923 Rimini, Italy; (S.d.S.); (M.P.); (A.T.); (L.S.)
| | - Liliana Santana
- PMA Unit, Clinica Nuova Ricerca, Via Settembrini 17/h, 47923 Rimini, Italy; (S.d.S.); (M.P.); (A.T.); (L.S.)
| | - Annamaria Maglione
- Gynecology and Obstetrics Department, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy; (N.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Federica D’Amato
- PMA Unit, Villa Margherita Hospital, Viale di Villa Massimo, 48, 00161 Roma, Italy;
| | - Francesco Perri
- Gastoenterology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza” Hospital, Viale Padre Pio 4, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy; (A.V.); (C.P.); (F.P.)
| | - Simone Palini
- Pathophysiology of Reproduction Unit, Ospedale “Cervesi” di Cattolica—AUSL Romagna, Via Ludwig Van Beethoven, 1, 47841 Cattolica, Italy;
| | - Valerio Pazienza
- Gastoenterology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza” Hospital, Viale Padre Pio 4, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy; (A.V.); (C.P.); (F.P.)
- Correspondence:
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29
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Mazziotta C, Pellielo G, Tognon M, Martini F, Rotondo JC. Significantly Low Levels of IgG Antibodies Against Oncogenic Merkel Cell Polyomavirus in Sera From Females Affected by Spontaneous Abortion. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:789991. [PMID: 34970247 PMCID: PMC8712937 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.789991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is a small DNA tumor virus ubiquitous in humans. MCPyV establishes a clinically asymptomatic lifelong infection in healthy immunocompetent individuals. Viral infections are considered to be risk factors for spontaneous abortion (SA), which is the most common adverse complication of pregnancy. The role of MCPyV in SA remains undetermined. Herein, the impact of MCPyV infection in females affected by SA was investigated. Specifically, an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method with two linear synthetic peptides/mimotopes mimicking MCPyV antigens was used to investigate immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against MCPyV in sera from 94 females affected by SA [mean ± standard deviation (SD) age 35 ± (6) years] and from 96 healthy females undergoing voluntary pregnancy interruption [VI, mean (±SD) age 32 ± (7) years]. MCPyV seroprevalence and serological profiles were analyzed. The overall prevalence of serum IgG antibodies against MCPyV was 35.1% (33/94) and 37.5% (36/96) in SA and VI females, respectively (p > 0.05). Notably, serological profile analyses indicated lower optical densities (ODs) in females with SA compared to those undergoing VI (p < 0.05), thus indicating a reduced IgG antibody response in SA females. Circulating IgGs were identified in sera from SA and VI females. Our immunological findings indicate that a relatively reduced fraction of pregnant females carry serum anti-MCPyV IgG antibodies, while SA females presented a more pronounced decrease in IgG antibody response to MCPyV. Although yet to be determined, this immunological decrease might prompt an increase in MCPyV multiplication events in females experiencing abortive events. The role of MCPyV in SA, if present, remains to be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Mazziotta
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Giulia Pellielo
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Mauro Tognon
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Fernanda Martini
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - John Charles Rotondo
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
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30
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Epigenetic Dysregulations in Merkel Cell Polyomavirus-Driven Merkel Cell Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222111464. [PMID: 34768895 PMCID: PMC8584046 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is a small DNA virus with oncogenic potential. MCPyV is the causative agent of Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC), a rare but aggressive tumor of the skin. The role of epigenetic mechanisms, such as histone posttranslational modifications (HPTMs), DNA methylation, and microRNA (miRNA) regulation on MCPyV-driven MCC has recently been highlighted. In this review, we aim to describe and discuss the latest insights into HPTMs, DNA methylation, and miRNA regulation, as well as their regulative factors in the context of MCPyV-driven MCC, to provide an overview of current findings on how MCPyV is involved in the dysregulation of these epigenetic processes. The current state of the art is also described as far as potentially using epigenetic dysregulations and related factors as diagnostic and prognostic tools is concerned, in addition to targets for MCPyV-driven MCC therapy. Growing evidence suggests that the dysregulation of HPTMs, DNA methylation, and miRNA pathways plays a role in MCPyV-driven MCC etiopathogenesis, which, therefore, may potentially be clinically significant for this deadly tumor. A deeper understanding of these mechanisms and related factors may improve diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy for MCPyV-driven MCC.
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31
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Rotondo JC, Martini F, Maritati M, Mazziotta C, Di Mauro G, Lanzillotti C, Barp N, Gallerani A, Tognon M, Contini C. SARS-CoV-2 Infection: New Molecular, Phylogenetic, and Pathogenetic Insights. Efficacy of Current Vaccines and the Potential Risk of Variants. Viruses 2021; 13:1687. [PMID: 34578269 PMCID: PMC8473168 DOI: 10.3390/v13091687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a newly discovered coronavirus responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. COVID-19 has rapidly become a public health emergency of international concern. Although remarkable scientific achievements have been reached since the beginning of the pandemic, the knowledge behind this novel coronavirus, in terms of molecular and pathogenic characteristics and zoonotic potential, is still relatively limited. Today, there is a vaccine, or rather several vaccines, which, for the first time in the history of highly contagious infectious diseases that have plagued mankind, has been manufactured in just one year. Currently, four vaccines are licensed by regulatory agencies, and they use RNA or viral vector technologies. The positive effects of the vaccination campaign are being felt in many parts of the world, but the disappearance of this new infection is still far from being a reality, as it is also threatened by the presence of novel SARS-CoV-2 variants that could undermine the effectiveness of the vaccine, hampering the immunization control efforts. Indeed, the current findings indicate that SARS-CoV-2 is adapting to transmission in humans more efficiently, while further divergence from the initial archetype should be considered. In this review, we aimed to provide a collection of the current knowledge regarding the molecular, phylogenetic, and pathogenetic insights into SARS-CoV-2. The most recent findings obtained with respect to the impact of novel emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants as well as the development and implementation of vaccines are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Charles Rotondo
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Fernanda Martini
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Martina Maritati
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Chiara Mazziotta
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Giulia Di Mauro
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Carmen Lanzillotti
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Nicole Barp
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Altea Gallerani
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Mauro Tognon
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Carlo Contini
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
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Human papillomavirus (HPV) in pregnancy - An update. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2021; 264:340-348. [PMID: 34385080 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2021.07.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Human papilloma viruses (HPV) are small epitheliotropic DNA viruses, of which there are 200 genotypes, 40 of which are known to cause genital infections and are also oncogenic. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection. Clinical features vary from asymptomatic (identified at routine cervical cancer screening) to large lesions on the vulva, vagina, cervix and some extragenital sites. Its prevalence in pregnancy varies from 5.5% to 65% depending on age, geography and gestational age (increasing with gestational age). Infection in pregnancy has been associated with adverse outcomes such as spontaneous miscarriage, preterm birth, placental abnormalities and fetal growth restriction. However, the evidence for these adverse outcomes is varied. Besides being oncogenic (and thus associated with cancer of the cervix in pregnancy), vertical transmission to the fetus/neonate can cause neonatal infections, especially juvenile-onset recurrent oral and respiratory papillomatosis (JORRP). Where there are very large lesions on the vulva, delivery may be obstructed. Diagnosis in pregnancy is mainly by viral PCR or from the clinical appearance of the characteristic lesions on the vulva. Treatment is local by either surgical or laser excision or application of trichloroacetic acid. Podophyllin/podophyllotoxin is contraindicated in pregnancy. HPV Infection is not an indication for caesarean delivery as this has not been shown to prevent vertical transmission. For those diagnosed at routine cervical cancer screening, management should follow guidelines for cervical cancer screening in pregnancy. Vaccination is currently not recommended for pregnant women, although studies on those inadvertently vaccinated in pregnancy have not shown any adverse effects on either the fetus or mother.
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33
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Rotondo JC, Lanzillotti C, Mazziotta C, Tognon M, Martini F. Epigenetics of Male Infertility: The Role of DNA Methylation. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:689624. [PMID: 34368137 PMCID: PMC8339558 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.689624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, a number of studies focused on the role of epigenetics, including DNA methylation, in spermatogenesis and male infertility. We aimed to provide an overview of the knowledge concerning the gene and genome methylation and its regulation during spermatogenesis, specifically in the context of male infertility etiopathogenesis. Overall, the findings support the hypothesis that sperm DNA methylation is associated with sperm alterations and infertility. Several genes have been found to be differentially methylated in relation to impaired spermatogenesis and/or reproductive dysfunction. Particularly, DNA methylation defects of MEST and H19 within imprinted genes and MTHFR within non-imprinted genes have been repeatedly linked with male infertility. A deep knowledge of sperm DNA methylation status in association with reduced reproductive potential could improve the development of novel diagnostic tools for this disease. Further studies are needed to better elucidate the mechanisms affecting methylation in sperm and their impact on male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Charles Rotondo
- Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Carmen Lanzillotti
- Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Chiara Mazziotta
- Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Mauro Tognon
- Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Fernanda Martini
- Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
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Serum HPV16 E7 Oncoprotein Is a Recurrence Marker of Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinomas. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13133370. [PMID: 34282779 PMCID: PMC8268104 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13133370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Classical markers alone, such as HPV DNA, p16 and HPV mRNA expression, are not enough to stratify HPV-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients, but when combined with serological markers, the latter are strong indicators of prognosis in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) patients. Specifically, HPV16 E7 oncoprotein in serum at the time of diagnosis, correlates with disease recurrence and patient overall survival. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate HPV E7 oncoprotein in patient serum. The E7 oncoprotein detection in serum at the time of diagnosis may be useful as a non-invasive procedure for HPV-positive OPSCC patient stratification and follow-up, helping to identify patients at risk for tumor recurrence and metastasis during follow-up, and ultimately, providing a tool for clinicians to identify patients for de-escalation treatment or those to be kept under close surveillance. Abstract Despite improved prognosis for many HPV-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs), some cases are still marked by recurrence and metastasis. Our study aimed to identify novel biomarkers for patient stratification. Classical HPV markers: HPV-DNA, p16 and HPV mRNA expression were studied in HNSCC (n = 67) and controls (n = 58) by qPCR. Subsequently, ELISA tests were used for HPV16 L1 antibody and HPV16 E7 oncoprotein detection in serum at diagnosis and follow-up. All markers were correlated to relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). HPV-DNA was found in HNSCCs (29.85%), HPV16-DNA in 95% of cases, HPV16 E7 mRNA was revealed in 93.75%. p16 was overexpressed in 75% of HPV-positive HNSCC compared to negative samples and controls (p < 0.001). Classical markers correlated with improved OS (p < 0.05). Serological studies showed similar proportions of HPV16 L1 antibodies in all HNSCCs (p > 0.05). Serum E7 oncoprotein was present in 30% HPV-positive patients at diagnosis (p > 0.05) and correlated to HNSCC HPV16 E7 mRNA (p < 0.01), whereas it was associated to worse RFS and OS, especially for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) (p < 0.01). Detection of circulating HPV16 E7 oncoprotein at diagnosis may be useful for stratifying and monitoring HPV-positive HNSCC patients for worse prognosis, providing clinicians a tool for selecting patients for treatment de-escalation.
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Ahmed Mustafa GM, Yassin ME, Shami A, Rahim SA. Screening of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) among Newly Diagnosed Tuberculosis Patients in Eastern Sudan. Pol J Microbiol 2021; 70:201-206. [PMID: 34349811 PMCID: PMC8326980 DOI: 10.33073/pjm-2021-017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading cause of death in patients infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and HIV infection is the most potent risk factor for the development of active TB disease from a latent TB infection. This study aims to determine the seroprevalence of HIV among newly diagnosed TB patients in Kassala state eastern Sudan. This was a descriptive, hospital-based, cross-sectional study of 251 active and newly diagnosed TB patients, selected by simple random sampling. Blood samples and demographic data were collected from each patient. TB was diagnosed by direct ZN smear and molecular detection by Xpert MTB/RIF. The serum samples were tested for HIV using 4th generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The prevalence of HIV was 13.9% (35/251), the infection rate among pulmonary TB was 17%, whereas that in extrapulmonary TB was 4.8%, the prevalence was (18.2%) in the males, and (7.2%) in the females. In conclusion: TB/HIV co-infection in the Eastern part of Sudan was high compared with the global prevalence, all TB patients should therefore be assessed for HIV risk factors and advised to undergo HIV testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gada Mustafa Ahmed Mustafa
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Alneelain University, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Mustafa Eltigani Yassin
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Alneelain University, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Ashwag Shami
- Biology Department, College of Sciences, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11617, Saudi Arabia
| | - Samah Abdu Rahim
- Department of Microbiology. Alghad International College for Applied Medical Sciences, Saudi Arabia
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Mazziotta C, Lanzillotti C, Torreggiani E, Oton-Gonzalez L, Iaquinta MR, Mazzoni E, Gaboriaud P, Touzé A, Silvagni E, Govoni M, Martini F, Tognon M, Rotondo JC. Serum Antibodies Against the Oncogenic Merkel Cell Polyomavirus Detected by an Innovative Immunological Assay With Mimotopes in Healthy Subjects. Front Immunol 2021; 12:676627. [PMID: 34168646 PMCID: PMC8217635 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.676627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), a small DNA tumor virus, has been detected in Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) and in normal tissues. Since MCPyV infection occurs in both MCC-affected patients and healthy subjects (HS), innovative immunoassays for detecting antibodies (abs) against MCPyV are required. Herein, sera from HS were analyzed with a novel indirect ELISA using two synthetic peptides mimicking MCPyV capsid protein epitopes of VP1 and VP2. Synthetic peptides were designed to recognize IgGs against MCPyV VP mimotopes using a computer-assisted approach. The assay was set up evaluating its performance in detecting IgGs anti-MCPyV on MCPyV-positive (n=65) and -negative (n=67) control sera. Then, the ELISA was extended to sera (n=548) from HS aged 18-65 yrs old. Age-specific MCPyV-seroprevalence was investigated. Performance evaluation indicated that the assay showed 80% sensitivity, 91% specificity and 83.9% accuracy, with positive and negative predictive values of 94.3% and 71%, respectively. The ratio expected/obtained data agreement was 86%, with a Cohen's kappa of 0.72. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves analysis indicated that the areas under the curves (AUCs) for the two peptides were 0.82 and 0.74, respectively. Intra-/inter-run variations were below 9%. The overall prevalence of serum IgGs anti-MCPyV in HS was 62.9% (345/548). Age-specific MCPyV-seroprevalence was 63.1% (82/130), 56.7% (68/120), 64.5% (91/141), and 66.2% (104/157) in HS aged 18-30, 31-40, 41-50 and 51-65 yrs old, respectively (p>0.05). Performance evaluation suggests that our indirect ELISA is reliable in detecting IgGs anti-MCPyV. Our immunological data indicate that MCPyV infection occurs asymptomatically, at a relatively high prevalence, in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Mazziotta
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | | | - Elena Torreggiani
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | | | | | - Elisa Mazzoni
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Pauline Gaboriaud
- ISP “Biologie des infections à polyomavirus” Team, UMR INRA 1282, University of Tours, Tours, France
| | - Antoine Touzé
- ISP “Biologie des infections à polyomavirus” Team, UMR INRA 1282, University of Tours, Tours, France
| | - Ettore Silvagni
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Marcello Govoni
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Fernanda Martini
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Mauro Tognon
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
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Rotondo JC, Aquila G, Oton-Gonzalez L, Selvatici R, Rizzo P, De Mattei M, Pavasini R, Tognon M, Campo GC, Martini F. Methylation of SERPINA1 gene promoter may predict chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in patients affected by acute coronary syndrome. Clin Epigenetics 2021; 13:79. [PMID: 33858475 PMCID: PMC8048251 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-021-01066-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Diagnostic biomarkers for detecting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients are not available. SERPINA1, coding for the most potent circulating anti-inflammatory protein in the lung, has been found to be differentially methylated in blood cells from COPD patients. This study aimed to investigate the methylation profile of SERPINA1 in blood cells from ACS patients, with (COPD+) or without COPD (COPD−). Methods Blood samples were from 115 ACS patients, including 30 COPD+ and 85 COPD− according to lung function phenotype, obtained with spirometry. DNA treated with sodium bisulfite was PCR-amplified at SERPINA1 promoter region. Methylation analysis was carried out by sequencing the PCR products. Lymphocytes count in ACS patients was recorded at hospital admission and discharge. Results SERPINA1 was hypermethylated in 24/30 (80%) COPD+ and 48/85 (56.5%) COPD− (p < 0.05). Interestingly, at hospital discharge, lymphocytes count was higher in COPD− patients carrying SERPINA1 hypermethylated (1.98 × 103 ± 0.6 cell/µl) than in COPD− carrying SERPINA1 hypomethylated (1.7 × 103 ± 0.48 cell/µl) (p < 0.05). Conclusions SERPINA1 is hypermethylated in blood cells from COPD+ patients. COPD− carrying SERPINA1 hypermethylated and high lymphocytes count may be at risk of COPD development. Therefore, SERPINA1 hypermethylation may represent a potential biomarker for predicting COPD development in ACS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giorgio Aquila
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | | | - Rita Selvatici
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Paola Rizzo
- Department of Translational Medicine and for Romagna, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, 70 Eliporto Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Monica De Mattei
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Rita Pavasini
- Cardiology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Mauro Tognon
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | | | - Fernanda Martini
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy. .,Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, 70 Eliporto Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
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Sabeena S, Ravishankar N. Postvaccination prevalence of vaccine-Human Papillomavirus (vHPV) genotypes among the target population: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Med Virol 2021; 93:4659-4667. [PMID: 33764530 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.26968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines are safe and are highly effective in reducing the prevalence of HPV infections and subsequent HPV associated diseases in the target population. A systematic review and meta-analysis was carried out searching electronic databases for articles published between January 2007 and September 2020 reporting the prevalence estimates of vaccine HPV (vHPV) types in women who had received one or more doses of quadrivalent or bivalent vaccines. This systematic review was based on standard systematic review guidelines and the meta-analysis was performed by pooling the HPV vaccine type prevalence data with 95% confidence interval (CI) among 16,929 young women who had received the prophylactic HPV vaccines before the age of 27 years. The overall pooled prevalence of vHPV types was.0.04 (95% CI: 0.02, 0.05). The meta-analysis concludes that prophylactic HPV vaccination before the age of 27 years results in a decline of vHPV types in young women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasidharanpillai Sabeena
- Manipal Institute of Virology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Nagaraja Ravishankar
- Department of Biostatistics, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
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Oton-Gonzalez L, Rotondo JC, Cerritelli L, Malagutti N, Lanzillotti C, Bononi I, Ciorba A, Bianchini C, Mazziotta C, De Mattei M, Pelucchi S, Tognon M, Martini F. Association between oncogenic human papillomavirus type 16 and Killian polyp. Infect Agent Cancer 2021; 16:3. [PMID: 33413530 PMCID: PMC7792173 DOI: 10.1186/s13027-020-00342-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Killian polyp (KP) is a benign lesion that arises from the maxillary sinus. The etiology of KP is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential involvement of human papilloma- (HPV) and polyoma-viruses (HPyV) infections in the onset of KP. METHODS DNA from antral (n = 14) and nasal (n = 14) KP fractions were analyzed for HPV and HPyV sequences, genotypes, viral DNA load and physical status along with expression of viral proteins and p16 cellular protein. RESULTS The oncogenic HPV16 was detected in 3/14 (21.4%) antral KPs, whilst nasal KPs tested HPV-negative (0/14). The mean HPV16 DNA load was 4.65 ± 2.64 copy/104 cell. The whole HPV16 episomal genome was detected in one KP sample, whereas HPV16 DNA integration in two KPs. P16 mRNA level was lower in the KP sample carrying HPV16 episome than in KPs carrying integrated HPV16 and HPV- negative KPs (p< 0.001). None of the antral and nasal KP samples tested positive for HPyV DNA (0/28). CONCLUSIONS A fraction of KP tested positive for the oncogenic HPV16. HPV16 detection in the KP antral portion may be consistent with HPV16 infection derived from the maxillary sinus. HPV16 DNA integration represents a novel finding. Altogether, these data improve our knowledge on the association between KP and HPV infection, whereas it indicates that the KP onset is heterogeneous.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Oton-Gonzalez
- Department of Medical Sciences, Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, 64/B, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - John Charles Rotondo
- Department of Medical Sciences, Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, 64/B, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Luca Cerritelli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Specialistic Surgeries, ENT Section, University of Ferrara and University Hospital of Ferrara, 8, Aldo Moro Square, 44124, Cona, Italy
| | - Nicola Malagutti
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Specialistic Surgeries, ENT Section, University of Ferrara and University Hospital of Ferrara, 8, Aldo Moro Square, 44124, Cona, Italy
| | - Carmen Lanzillotti
- Department of Medical Sciences, Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, 64/B, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Ilaria Bononi
- Department of Medical Sciences, Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, 64/B, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Andrea Ciorba
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Specialistic Surgeries, ENT Section, University of Ferrara and University Hospital of Ferrara, 8, Aldo Moro Square, 44124, Cona, Italy
| | - Chiara Bianchini
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Specialistic Surgeries, ENT Section, University of Ferrara and University Hospital of Ferrara, 8, Aldo Moro Square, 44124, Cona, Italy
| | - Chiara Mazziotta
- Department of Medical Sciences, Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, 64/B, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Monica De Mattei
- Department of Medical Sciences, Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, 64/B, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Stefano Pelucchi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Specialistic Surgeries, ENT Section, University of Ferrara and University Hospital of Ferrara, 8, Aldo Moro Square, 44124, Cona, Italy
| | - Mauro Tognon
- Department of Medical Sciences, Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, 64/B, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
| | - Fernanda Martini
- Department of Medical Sciences, Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, 64/B, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
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