The antitumoral effect of the esculetin in HeLa cells through endoplasmic reticulum stress

OBJECTIVE

Despite the multiple available treatment modalities, cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity among female gynecological cancers. Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) is an effective organelle in ensuring cell homeostasis and is closely related to the development of cancer. Esculetin is a coumarin derivative that has anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects. Esculetin may have an anticancer effect by inducting apoptosis and ER stress. In this study, we evaluate that esculetin has an anti-tumor effect on human cervical cancer-derived (HeLa) cells via ER stress.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Esculetin was applied to the HeLa cells, and a viability test was performed using the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium proliferation (MTT) assay. Expression levels of apoptotic genes and anti-apoptotic genes were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The results were statistically evaluated.

RESULTS

Analysis of the MTT assay detected that esculetin inhibited HeLa cell viability development. Based on Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analyses, esculetin destroyed cervical cancer cells via the ER stress pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

The results showed that esculetin may have a potent antitumoral effect. It can potentially be utilized in the pharmacological therapy of cervical cancer.

Are Vascular Endothelium and Angiogenesis Effective MicroRNA Biomarkers Associated with the Prediction of Early-Onset Preeclampsia (EOPE) and Adverse Perinatal Outcomes?

MicroRNA is associated with angiogenesis, invasion, proliferation, and vascular endothelial remodeling of various diseases. We aimed to investigate serum MicroRNA (miRNA) levels in preeclampsia (PE) and to determine whether any changes in miRNA levels are useful in predicting early onset preeclampsia (EOPE) and adverse perinatal outcomes. A total of 89 pregnant patients were enrolled in this prospective case-control study (55 PE and 34 healthy controls). miR-17, miR-20a, miR-20b, miR126, miR155, miR-200, miR-222, and miR-210 levels were studied in maternal serum in preeclamptic pregnant women. Multiple logistic regression analyses analyzed the risk factors which are associated with EOPE and adverse maternal outcomes. The Real-time RT-PCR method was used to determine maternal serum miRNA levels. Serum miR-17, miR-20a, miR-20b, miR126, and miR-210 levels were significantly higher in PE than the control group (p < .001, p < .001, p < .001, p < .001 and p = .047 respectively). Increased miR-17, miR-20a, and miR-20b levels were independently associated with PE (OR: 0.642, 95%Cl: 0.486-0.846, p = .002; OR: 0.899, 95%Cl: 0.811-0.996, p = .042 and OR: 0.817, 95%Cl: 0.689-0.970, p = .021). Increased miR-17 and miR-126 levels were negatively correlated with serum EOPE in PE (r = -.313, p = .020), and increased miR-210 levels were significantly positively correlated with EOPE in PE (r = .285, p = .005). Increased expression of serum miR-17, miR-20a, miR-20b, miR126, and miR-210 were found to be associated with PE, also increased expression of miR-17, miR-20a, and miR-20b were to be predicted with PE, also increased maternal serum miR-17 and miR-126 expressions were negatively correlated and increased miR-210 expression was positively correlated with EOPE in PE women.

The role of thyroid-stimulating hormone and thyroglobulin antibody in abnormally invasive placenta

PURPOSE

Thyroid hormones and antibodies are known to participate in angiogenesis and invasion and also thyroid hormone receptors are expressed in the placenta. We aimed to evaluate the relationship of serum levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroid hormones (TH), and anti-thyroid antibodies with abnormally invasive placenta (AIP). We also aimed to investigate whether they are related with cesarean hysterectomy and massive blood transfusion need in AIP cases.

METHODS

A total of 88 pregnant patients were enrolled in this prospective case-control study (30 with AIP, 28 with non-adherent placenta previa totalis (PPT) and 30 controls). Serum TSH, thyroid hormone [T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine)] and thyroid antibodies against thyroglobulin (TgAb) and thyroid peroxidase (TPOAb) levels were studied in maternal serum at initial admission to our Perinatology Unit (at early third trimester). The factors associated with increased risk of AIP, cesarean hysterectomy, massive blood transfusion, and adverse perinatal outcomes were evaluated with multiple logistic regression analysis. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were also calculated.

RESULTS

Serum TSH and TgAb levels were significantly lower in the AIP group than both PPT and control groups (p = .01, p < .001 and p < .001, p < .001 respectively). Decreased serum levels of TSH (<2.16 mIU/L) and TgAb (<2.70 mIU/L) levels and high previous cesarean section rates were found to be independently associated with AIP in pregnant women with PPT (OR: 0.4, 95% CI: 0.1-0.9; p = .04, OR: 0.7, 95%CI: 0.4-1.3, p = .02 and OR: 0.1, 95% CI: 0.1-0.5, p = .01). Decreased serum TSH and TgAb levels were found to be independently associated with an increased rate of cesarean hysterectomy and massive blood transfusion in AIP cases (OR: 3.7, 95% CI: 1.4-9.8; p = .01, OR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1-3.1; p = .03 and OR: 2.6, 95% CI: 1.0-6.5; p = .05, OR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.1-4.1 p = .02). Decreased TSH and TgAb serum levels were also found to be independently associated with adverse perinatal outcomes in AIP cases (OR: 3.4, 95% CI: 1.3-11.0; p = .01 and OR: 1.978, 95% CI: 2-3.6; p = .03).

CONCLUSION

Decreased serum TSH and TgAb levels, and previous history of cesarean section were all found to be significantly associated with AIP in cases with PPT. We suggest that maternal serum TSH and TgAb levels can provide additional contribution to obstetric Doppler ultrasound in the diagnosis of AIP and thus can reduce the risks of unplanned cesarean hysterectomy in cases with PPT.

A rare cause of subclinical hypothyroidism: macro-thyroid-stimulating hormone

Background Subclinical hypothyroidism is a situation in which the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) value exceeds the upper limit of normal, but the free triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) values are within the normal range. The etiology is similar to overt hypothyroidism. Case presentation An 18-year-old female patient was referred to our endocrinology clinic due to elevated TSH levels detected during a routine examination. She was clinically euthyroid and had a normal thyroid ultrasound pattern. The TSH concentration was measured twice independently, giving values of 5.65 μIU/mL and 5.47 μIU/mL. The polyethylene glycol (PEG) method for TSH measurement was used to determine the concentration of macro-TSH (m-TSH), a macromolecule formed between TSH and immunoglobulin (Ig). Using the same blood samples for which the TSH levels were found to be high, the PEG method found TSH levels to be within a normal range, with values of 1.50 μIU/mL (5.65-1.50 μIU/mL measured; a decrease of 75%) and 1.26 μIU/mL (5.47-1.26 μIU/mL measured; a decrease of 77%), respectively. The TSH values determined by the PEG precipitation test were markedly low, with PEG-precipitable TSH ratios greater than 75%. Conclusions The cause of 55% of subclinical hypothyroidism is chronic autoimmune thyroiditis. However, it is necessary to exclude other TSH-elevated conditions for diagnosis. One of these conditions is m-TSH, which should be kept in mind even though it is rarely seen. m-TSH should be considered especially in patients who have a TSH value above 10 μIU/mL without hypothyroidism symptoms or who require a higher levothyroxine replacement dose than expected to make them euthyroid.

Prorenin and secreted frizzled-related protein 4 levels in women with gestational diabetes mellitus

OBJECTIVE

This study was designed to investigate prorenin and secreted frizzled-related protein 4 (SFRP4) levels in pregnancies with or without gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

METHODS

A total of 76 pregnant women were included in the study. Thirty-five of the pregnant women were included in GDM group according to the results of oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) and 41 of them were included in the control group.

RESULTS

In the group with GDM, SFRP4 value was found to be significantly higher than that of the control group (5.59 ± 3.32 ng/mL vs 4.05 ± 2.15 ng/mL; p = 0.017). Women with GDM had significantly higher serum prorenin levels compared with control group [737 (427-1339) pg/mL vs. 535 (376-725) pg/mL; p = 0.009]. There was a significant positive association between prorenin and SFRP4 levels in GDM (r = 0.91; p < 0.001) and control groups (r = 0.42; p = 0.002) and whole pregnancies (r = 0.75; p = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

We have shown that prorenin and SFRP4 were significantly elevated in GDM patients when compared to healthy control group. Furthermore, we found that there was a positive correlation between prorenin and SFRP4 (Tab. 1, Fig. 2, Ref. 38).

Relations of Serum Visfatin and Resistin Levels with Endometrial Cancer and Factors Associated with its Prognosis

BACKGROUND

The aims of this study were compare the serum visfatin and resistin levels between endometrial cancer (EC) patients and controls and evaluate their power to predict prognosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This prospective study was conducted between March 2013 to June 2014 on the Gynecologic Oncology Department of the University of Selcuk, Konya, Turkey. A total of 42 EC patients and 42 controls were included and assessed for differences in serum visfatin and resistin levels, along with prognostic factors.

RESULTS

Endometrial cancer patients had significantly higher visfatin levels than control s (p: 0.011), associated with deep myometrial invasion (p: 0.019). In contrast the serum level of resistin did not significantly differ between EC patients and controls (p: 0.362). However, high resistin level in EC patients was associated with increase lymph node metastasis (p: 0.009). On logistic regression analysis, we found that serum visfatin elevation was associated with risk of myometrial invasion (OR: 1,091; 95%CI: 1.021- 1.166; p: 0.010) and serum resistin with risk of lymph node metastasis (OR: 1.018; 95%CI: 1.000- 1.035; p: 0.046). For myometrial invasion prediction, a serum visfatin level greater than 26.8 ng/mL demonstrated a sensitivity and specificity of 66.6 % and 96.4%, respectively. For lymph node metastasis prediction, the best cut-off for serum resistin level was 599ng/mL. A serum resistin level greater than this demonstrated a sensitivity and specificity of 87.5% and 77.1%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that serum visfatin is elevated in patients with EC and serum visfatin and resistin levels could be used to predict the risk of advance stage lesions.

Relationship Between Insulin Resistance and Mean Platelet Volume in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

OBJECTIVES

A few studies have investigated the relationship between mean platelet volume (MPV) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and in these studies the relationship between MPV and insulin resistance has not been analyzed. Our aim in this study was to compare MPV values of the pregnant women with or without GDM and evaluate the relationship between MPV and homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) in pregnant women.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One hundred and fourteen with GDM measurements being obtained before any dietary advice or therapy with insulin or hypoglycemic agents were given, and 76 with healthy pregnant women were included the study.

RESULTS

In the group with GDM, MPV value was found to be significantly higher than that of the control group (10.2 fl [8.0-12.2] vs. 9.9 fl [5.81-10.9], P = 0.004). HOMA-IR value was detected to be significantly higher in the group with GDM (2.46 [1.5-5.88] vs. 1.30 [0.17-2.92], P < 0.001). A positive correlation between MPV and HOMA-IR was found (r = 0.30, P = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

We have shown that MPV was significantly elevated in GDM patients when compared to healthy pregnant women. Furthermore, we found that there was a positive correlation between MPV and HOMA-IR.

Association of clinical androgen excess with radial artery intima media thickness in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

This study explores the relationship between clinical cardiovascular risk factors and clinical androgen excess, with direct comparison to radial artery intima media thickness (rIMT). rIMT of 91 patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) were compared with 72 healthy women. Patients were divided into three groups with regard to body mass index (BMI). Group1 = 56 women (31 controls and 25 PCOS) with low BMI(18-22.49 kg/m(2)), Group2 = 36 women (15 controls and 21 PCOS) with normal BMI (22.5-24.99 kg/m(2)) and Group3 = 71 women (26 controls and 45 PCOS) with high BMI (25-30 kg/m(2)). rIMT was significantly higher in patients with PCOS (p = 0.007). rIMT was significantly higher group1 and group3 in patients with PCOS compared to controls (p = 0.007 and p = 0.042, respectively). There was a significant positive association between rIMT levels and fT in women with PCOS in group1 (r = 0.24, p = 0.04). rIMT levels correlated to fT levels in women with PCOS in group3 (r = 0.32, p = 0.03). Modified Ferriman-Gallwey (mFG) scores demonstrated a positive association with free testosterone, total testosterone, free androgen index, waist circumference (WC), LH levels, insulin levels, Homeostasis Model Assessment index(HOMA-IR), rIMT and a negative correlation with sex hormone binding globulin in group1 and group2. mFG scores demonstrated a positive association with free testosterone (r = 0.33, p = 0.029) in group3, but no association was found between mFG and WC, HOMA-IR in group3. Our findings indicate that clinical androgen excess may be associated with cardiovascular disease in patients with PCOS.