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Chen H, Zhai C, Xu X, Wang H, Han W, Shen J. Multilevel Heterogeneity of Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastasis. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 16:59. [PMID: 38201487 PMCID: PMC10778489 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16010059] [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: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRLM) is a highly heterogeneous disease. Therapies that target both primary foci and liver metastasis are severely lacking. Therefore, understanding the features of metastatic tumor cells in the liver is valuable for the overall control of CRLM patients. In this review, we summarize the heterogeneity exhibited in CRLM from five aspects (gene, transcriptome, protein, metabolism, and immunity). In addition to genetic heterogeneity, the other four aspects exhibit significant heterogeneity. Compared to primary CRC, the dysregulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins, the enhanced metabolic activity, and the increased infiltration of immunosuppressive cells are detected in CRLM. Preclinical evidence shows that targeting the EMT process or enhancing cellular metabolism may represent a novel approach to increasing the therapeutic efficacy of CRLM.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Weidong Han
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China; (H.C.); (C.Z.); (X.X.); (H.W.)
| | - Jiaying Shen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China; (H.C.); (C.Z.); (X.X.); (H.W.)
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2
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Merckens A, Sieler M, Keil S, Dittmar T. Altered Phenotypes of Breast Epithelial × Breast Cancer Hybrids after ZEB1 Knock-Out. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17310. [PMID: 38139138 PMCID: PMC10744253 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417310] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
ZEB1 plays a pivotal role in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), (cancer) cell stemness and cancer therapy resistance. The M13HS tumor hybrids, which were derived from spontaneous fusion events between the M13SV1-EGFP-Neo breast epithelial cells and HS578T-Hyg breast cancer cells, express ZEB1 and exhibit prospective cancer stem cell properties. To explore a possible correlation between the ZEB1 and stemness/ EMT-related properties in M13HS tumor hybrids, ZEB1 was knocked-out by CRISPR/Cas9. Colony formation, mammosphere formation, cell migration, invasion assays, flow cytometry and Western blot analyses were performed for the characterization of ZEB1 knock-out cells. The ZEB1 knock-out in M13HS tumor cells was not correlated with the down-regulation of the EMT-related markers N-CADHERIN (CDH2) and VIMENTIN and up-regulation of miR-200c-3p. Nonetheless, both the colony formation and mammosphere formation capacities of the M13HS ZEB1 knock-out cells were markedly reduced. Interestingly, the M13HS-2 ZEB1-KO cells harbored a markedly higher fraction of ALDH1-positive cells. The Transwell/ Boyden chamber migration assay data indicated a reduced migratory activity of the M13HS ZEB1-knock-out tumor hybrids, whereas in scratch/ wound-healing assays only the M13SH-8 ZEB1-knock-out cells possessed a reduced locomotory activity. Similarly, only the M13HS-8 ZEB1-knock-out tumor hybrids showed a reduced invasion capacity. Although the ZEB1 knock-out resulted in only moderate phenotypic changes, our data support the role of ZEB1 in EMT and stemness.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Thomas Dittmar
- Institute of Immunology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Str. 10, 58448 Witten, Germany; (A.M.); (M.S.); (S.K.)
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Pergaris A, Genaris I, Stergiou IE, Klijanienko J, Papadakos SP, Theocharis S. The Clinical Impact of Death Domain-Associated Protein and Holliday Junction Recognition Protein Expression in Cancer: Unmasking the Driving Forces of Neoplasia. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5165. [PMID: 37958340 PMCID: PMC10650673 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15215165] [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: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Death domain-associated protein (DAXX) and Holliday junction recognition protein (HJURP) act as chaperones of H3 histone variants H3.3 and centromere protein A (CENPA), respectively, and are implicated in many physiological processes, including aging and epigenetic regulation, by controlling various genes' transcription and subsequently protein expression. Research has highlighted both these biomolecules as participants in key procedures of tumorigenesis, including cell proliferation, chromosome instability, and oncogene expression. As cancer continues to exert a heavy impact on patients' well-being and bears substantial socioeconomic ramifications, the discovery of novel biomarkers for timely disease detection, estimation of prognosis, and therapy monitoring remains of utmost importance. In the present review, we present data reported from studies investigating DAXX and HJURP expression, either on mRNA or protein level, in human tissue samples from various types of neoplasia. Of note, the expression of DAXX and HJURP has been associated with a multitude of clinicopathological parameters, including disease stage, tumor grade, patients' overall and disease-free survival, as well as lymphovascular invasion. The data reveal the tumor-promoting properties of DAXX and HJURP in a number of organs as well as their potential use as diagnostic biomarkers and underline the important association between aberrations in their expression and patients' prognosis, rendering them as possible targets of future, personalized and precise therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandros Pergaris
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, Bld 10, Goudi, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.P.); (I.G.); (S.P.P.)
| | - Ioannis Genaris
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, Bld 10, Goudi, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.P.); (I.G.); (S.P.P.)
| | - Ioanna E. Stergiou
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece;
| | | | - Stavros P. Papadakos
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, Bld 10, Goudi, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.P.); (I.G.); (S.P.P.)
| | - Stamatios Theocharis
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, Bld 10, Goudi, 11527 Athens, Greece; (A.P.); (I.G.); (S.P.P.)
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Zhao Z, Cai Z, Jiang T, Han J, Zhang B. Histone Chaperones and Digestive Cancer: A Review of the Literature. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14225584. [PMID: 36428674 PMCID: PMC9688693 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14225584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The global burden of digestive cancer is expected to increase. Therefore, crucial for the prognosis of patients with these tumors is to identify early diagnostic markers or novel therapeutic targets. There is accumulating evidence connecting histone chaperones to the pathogenesis of digestive cancer. Histone chaperones are now broadly defined as a class of proteins that bind histones and regulate nucleosome assembly. Recent studies have demonstrated that multiple histone chaperones are aberrantly expressed and have distinct roles in digestive cancers. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this review is to present the current evidence regarding the role of histone chaperones in digestive cancer, particularly their mechanism in the development and progression of esophageal, gastric, liver, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers. In addition, the prognostic significance of particular histone chaperones in patients with digestive cancer is discussed. METHODS According to PRISMA guidelines, we searched the PubMed, Embase, and MEDLINE databases to identify studies on histone chaperones and digestive cancer from inception until June 2022. RESULTS A total of 104 studies involving 21 histone chaperones were retrieved. CONCLUSIONS This review confirms the roles and mechanisms of selected histone chaperones in digestive cancer and suggests their significance as potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. However, due to their non-specificity, more research on histone chaperones should be conducted in the future to elucidate novel strategies of histone chaperones for prognosis and treatment of digestive cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhou Zhao
- Research Laboratory of Tumor Epigenetics and Genomics, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Division of Gastric Cancer Center, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Zhaolun Cai
- Division of Gastric Cancer Center, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Tianxiang Jiang
- Research Laboratory of Tumor Epigenetics and Genomics, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Division of Gastric Cancer Center, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Junhong Han
- Research Laboratory of Tumor Epigenetics and Genomics, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Research Laboratory of Tumor Epigenetics and Genomics, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Division of Gastric Cancer Center, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Correspondence: ; Fax: +86-28-854-228-72
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ZEB1: Catalyst of immune escape during tumor metastasis. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 153:113490. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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Emerging Therapeutic Agents for Colorectal Cancer. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26247463. [PMID: 34946546 PMCID: PMC8707340 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26247463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
There are promising new therapeutic agents for CRC patients, including novel small-molecule inhibitors and immune checkpoint blockers. We focused on emerging CRC’s therapeutic agents that have shown the potential for progress in clinical practice. This review provides an overview of tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting VEGF and KIT, BRAF and MEK inhibitors, TLR9 agonist, STAT3 inhibitors, and immune checkpoint blockers (PD1/PDL-1 inhibitors), for which recent advances have been reported. These new agents have the potential to provide benefits to CRC patients with unmet medical needs.
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SOAT1 is a new prognostic factor of colorectal cancer. Ir J Med Sci 2021; 191:1549-1554. [PMID: 34460058 DOI: 10.1007/s11845-021-02746-5] [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: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant gastrointestinal cancers. Metastasis is the major leading cause of death in patients with CRC, and many patients treated with radical surgery were diagnosed with metastasis during follow-up. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms regulating CRC metastasis are still elusive. Sterol o-acyltransferase 1 (SOAT1) is a critical participant in maintaining intracellular cholesterol balance. Here, by analyzing the clinical specimens and in vitro cell line experiments, we evaluated the clinical relevance and role of SOAT1 in regulating CRC metastasis. The results revealed that SOAT1 was overexpressed in colon cancer tissues compared to peritumor tissues at mRNA and protein levels. High intratumor SOAT1 expression correlates to lymph node metastasis and indicates poor patient disease-free survival and overall survival. The silencing of SOAT1 strongly inhibited the migration and invasion ability of CRC tumor cells. These results demonstrated that SOAT1 was upregulated in colon cancer. Upregulation of SOAT1 expression may promote CRC progression by enhancing the migration and invasion ability of CRC. Our results indicate that targeting SOAT1 activity may be applied as a promising therapeutic strategy for preventing the metastasis of CRC after radical surgical treatment.
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Kim SM, Hur WH, Kang BY, Lee SW, Roh PR, Park DJ, Sung PS, Yoon SK. Death-Associated Protein 6 (Daxx) Alleviates Liver Fibrosis by Modulating Smad2 Acetylation. Cells 2021; 10:1742. [PMID: 34359912 PMCID: PMC8305094 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) has been identified as an inducer of hepatocyte epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which triggers liver fibrosis. Death-associated protein 6 (Daxx) is known to be associated with the TGF-β-induced apoptotic pathway, but the function of Daxx in liver fibrosis remains unknown. This study aimed to elucidate the role of Daxx in liver fibrosis. We used liver fibrosis tissues from humans and mice to assess Daxx expression. EMT properties and TGF-β signaling pathway activation were investigated in the Daxx-overexpressing FL83B cell line. The therapeutic effect of Daxx was investigated in a mouse model of liver fibrosis by the hydrodynamic injection of plasmids. The expression of Daxx was markedly decreased in hepatocytes from fibrotic human and mouse livers, as well as in hepatocytes treated with TGF-β in vitro. The overexpression of Daxx inhibited the EMT process by interfering with the TGF-β-induced phosphorylation of Smad2. Coimmunoprecipitation analysis confirmed that Daxx reduced the transcriptional activity of Smad2 by binding to its MH1 domain and interfering with Smad2 acetylation. In addition, the therapeutic delivery of Daxx alleviated liver fibrosis in a thioacetamide-induced fibrosis mouse model. Overall, our results indicate that Daxx could be a potential therapeutic target to modulate fibrogenesis, as well as a useful biomarker for liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung-Min Kim
- The Catholic University Liver Research Centre, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, POSTECH-Catholic Biomedical Engineering Institute, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (S.-M.K.); (W.-H.H.); (B.-Y.K.); (S.-W.L.); (P.-R.R.); (D.-J.P.); (P.-S.S.)
| | - Won-Hee Hur
- The Catholic University Liver Research Centre, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, POSTECH-Catholic Biomedical Engineering Institute, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (S.-M.K.); (W.-H.H.); (B.-Y.K.); (S.-W.L.); (P.-R.R.); (D.-J.P.); (P.-S.S.)
| | - Byung-Yoon Kang
- The Catholic University Liver Research Centre, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, POSTECH-Catholic Biomedical Engineering Institute, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (S.-M.K.); (W.-H.H.); (B.-Y.K.); (S.-W.L.); (P.-R.R.); (D.-J.P.); (P.-S.S.)
| | - Sung-Won Lee
- The Catholic University Liver Research Centre, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, POSTECH-Catholic Biomedical Engineering Institute, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (S.-M.K.); (W.-H.H.); (B.-Y.K.); (S.-W.L.); (P.-R.R.); (D.-J.P.); (P.-S.S.)
- Division of Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222, Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul 06591, Korea
| | - Pu-Reun Roh
- The Catholic University Liver Research Centre, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, POSTECH-Catholic Biomedical Engineering Institute, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (S.-M.K.); (W.-H.H.); (B.-Y.K.); (S.-W.L.); (P.-R.R.); (D.-J.P.); (P.-S.S.)
| | - Dong-Jun Park
- The Catholic University Liver Research Centre, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, POSTECH-Catholic Biomedical Engineering Institute, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (S.-M.K.); (W.-H.H.); (B.-Y.K.); (S.-W.L.); (P.-R.R.); (D.-J.P.); (P.-S.S.)
| | - Pil-Soo Sung
- The Catholic University Liver Research Centre, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, POSTECH-Catholic Biomedical Engineering Institute, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (S.-M.K.); (W.-H.H.); (B.-Y.K.); (S.-W.L.); (P.-R.R.); (D.-J.P.); (P.-S.S.)
- Division of Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222, Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul 06591, Korea
| | - Seung-Kew Yoon
- The Catholic University Liver Research Centre, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, POSTECH-Catholic Biomedical Engineering Institute, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea; (S.-M.K.); (W.-H.H.); (B.-Y.K.); (S.-W.L.); (P.-R.R.); (D.-J.P.); (P.-S.S.)
- Division of Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222, Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul 06591, Korea
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Kong C, Fu T. Value of methylation markers in colorectal cancer (Review). Oncol Rep 2021; 46:177. [PMID: 34212989 DOI: 10.3892/or.2021.8128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a multifactorial and multistage process that occurs due to both genetic and epigenetic variations in normal epithelial cells. Analysis of the CRC epigenome has revealed that almost all CRC types have a large number of abnormally methylated genes. Hypermethylation of cell‑free DNA from CRC in the blood or stool is considered as a potential non‑invasive cancer biomarker, and various methylation markers have shown high sensitivity and specificity. The aim of the present review was to examine potential methylation markers in CRC that have been used or are expected to be used in the clinical setting, focusing on their screening, predictive, prognostic and therapeutic roles in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Kong
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery II, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China
| | - Tao Fu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery II, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China
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Sharma A, Kaur H, De R, Srinivasan R, Pal A, Bhattacharyya S. Knockdown of E-cadherin induces cancer stem-cell-like phenotype and drug resistance in cervical cancer cells. Biochem Cell Biol 2021; 99:587-595. [PMID: 33677985 DOI: 10.1139/bcb-2020-0592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality amongst women in developing countries, and resistance to therapy is the main reason for treatment failure. Recent advances suggest that cancer stem cells (CSCs) are critically involved in regulating the chemo-resistant behavior of cervical cancer cells. In our study, cells with the CSC phenotype were isolated, and we examined the expression levels of stem cell markers and genes associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) using different assays. However, the cells with the CSC phenotype could not be cultured for further cytotoxicity studies, so we established a model of CSC in cervical cancer cells. We performed siRNA-mediated knockdown of E-cadherin in these cells, and studied them for EMT-associated stem-cell-like properties. We also performed dose-dependent cell viability assays using clinically relevant drugs such as cisplatin, cyclopamine, and GANT58 to analyze the drug resistant behavior of these cancer cells. We found that knockdown of E-cadherin induces EMT in cervical cancer cells, imparting stem-cell like characteristics along with enhanced tumorsphere formation, cell migration, invasiveness, and drug resistance. This is the first study to establish a CSC model in cervical cancer cells by knockdown of E-cadherin, which can be used to develop anti-cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anuka Sharma
- Department of Biophysics, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
| | | | - Renaissa De
- Department of Biophysics, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
| | - Radhika Srinivasan
- Department of Cytology and Gynecologic Pathology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
| | - Arnab Pal
- Department of Biochemistry, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
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