Sample records for gallate sensitizes breast

  1. Octyl gallate and gallic acid isolated from Terminalia bellarica regulates normal cell cycle in human breast cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Sales, Mary Selesty; Roy, Anita; Antony, Ludas; Banu, Sakhila K; Jeyaraman, Selvaraj; Manikkam, Rajalakshmi

    2018-07-01

    Herbal medicines stand unique and effective in treating human diseases. Terminalia bellarica (T. bellarica) is a potent medicinal herb, with a wide range of pharmacological activities. The present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of octyl gallate (OG) and gallic acid (GA) isolated from methanolic fruit extract of T. bellirica to inhibit the survival of breast cancer cells (MCF-7 & MDA-MB-231). Both OG & GA exhibited decreased MCF-7 & MDA-MB-231 survival and induced apoptosis, with IC 50 value of OG and GA as 40 μM and 80 μM respectively. No toxic effect was observed on normal breast cells (MCF-10A). The compounds inhibited cell cycle progression by altering the expression of the cell cycle regulators (Cyclin D1, D3, CDK-4, CDK-6, p18 INK4, p21Waf-1 and p27 KIP). Octyl gallate was more effective at low concentrations than GA. In-silico results provided stable interactions between the compounds and target proteins. The present investigation proved the downregulation of positive cell cycle regulators and upregulation of negative cell cycle regulators inducing apoptosis in compound-treated breast cancer cells. Hence, both the compounds may serve as potential anticancer agents and could be developed as breast cancer drugs, with further explorations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  2. Potentiation of Catechin Gallate-Mediated Sensitization of Staphylococcus aureus to Oxacillin by Nongalloylated Catechins†

    PubMed Central

    Stapleton, Paul D.; Shah, Saroj; Hara, Yukihiko; Taylor, Peter W.

    2006-01-01

    (−)−Epicatechin gallate (ECg) and (−)−epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) reduce oxacillin resistance in mecA-containing strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Their binding to staphylococcal cells is enhanced by the nongalloyl analogues (−)−epicatechin (EC) and (−)−epigallocatechin (EGC). EC and EGC significantly increased the capacity of ECg and EGCg to reduce levels of staphylococcal oxacillin resistance. PMID:16436737

  3. Alkyl gallates, intensifiers of beta-lactam susceptibility in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

    PubMed

    Shibata, Hirofumi; Kondo, Kyoko; Katsuyama, Ryo; Kawazoe, Kazuyoshi; Sato, Yoichi; Murakami, Kotaro; Takaishi, Yoshihisa; Arakaki, Naokatu; Higuti, Tomihiko

    2005-02-01

    We found that ethyl gallate purified from a dried pod of tara (Caesalpinia spinosa) intensified beta-lactam susceptibility in methicillin-resistant and methicillin-sensitive strains of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA and MSSA strains, respectively). This compound and several known alkyl gallates were tested with MRSA and MSSA strains to gain new insights into their structural functions in relation to antimicrobial and beta-lactam susceptibility-intensifying activities. The maximum activity of alkyl gallates against MRSA and MSSA strains occurred at 1-nonyl and 1-decyl gallate, with an MIC at which 90% of the isolates tested were inhibited of 15.6 microg/ml. At concentrations lower than the MIC, alkyl gallates synergistically elevated the susceptibility of MRSA and MSSA strains to beta-lactam antibiotics. Such a synergistic activity of the alkyl gallates appears to be specific for beta-lactam antibiotics, because no significant changes were observed in the MICs of other classes of antibiotics examined in this study. The length of the alkyl chain was also associated with the modifying activity of the alkyl gallates, and the optimum length was C5 to C6. The present work clearly demonstrates that the length of the alkyl chain has a key role in the elevation of susceptibility to beta-lactam antibiotics.

  4. Synthesis and Biological Testing of Novel Glucosylated Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) Derivatives.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xin; Wang, Jing; Hu, Jiang-Miao; Huang, Ye-Wei; Wu, Xiao-Yun; Zi, Cheng-Ting; Wang, Xuan-Jun; Sheng, Jun

    2016-05-11

    Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the most abundant component of green tea catechins and has strong physiological activities. In this study, two novel EGCG glycosides (EGCG-G1 and EGCG-G2) were chemoselectively synthesized by a chemical modification strategy. Each of these EGCG glycosides underwent structure identification, and the structures were assigned as follows: epigallocatechin gallate-4''-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (EGCG-G1, 2) and epigallocatechin gallate-4',4''-O-β-d-gluco-pyranoside (EGCG-G2, 3). The EGCG glycosides were evaluated for their anticancer activity in vitro against two human breast cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) using MTT assays. The inhibition rate of EGCG glycosides (EGCG-G1 and EGCG-G2) is not obvious. The EGCG glycosides are more stable than EGCG in aqueous solutions, but exhibited decreasing antioxidant activity in the DPPH radical-scavenging assay (EGCG > EGCG-G2 > EGCG-G1). Additionally, the EGCG glycosides exhibited increased water solubility: EGCG-G2 and EGCG-G1 were 15 and 31 times as soluble EGCG, respectively. The EGCG glycosides appear to be useful, and further studies regarding their biological activity are in progress.

  5. Gallate Contact Dermatitis: Product Update and Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Holcomb, Zachary E; Van Noord, Megan G; Atwater, Amber Reck

    Allergic contact dermatitis related to cosmetic use can result from allergens not routinely evaluated by standard patch test protocols. Propyl, octyl, and dodecyl gallates are commonly used antioxidant preservatives with reports of associated allergic contact dermatitis in the literature. The objectives of this review were to investigate the role of gallates in allergic contact dermatitis and to explore products containing these preservatives. A systematic review of the literature through April 2016 was performed to explore cases of reported gallate allergy. Food and cosmetic product databases were searched for products containing gallates. Seventy-four cases of gallate contact allergy have been reported. In addition, a variety of commercially available cosmetic products and foods contain gallate chemicals. Propyl gallate is the most commonly reported gallate contact allergen and often causes facial and/or hand dermatitis.

  6. (-)-Epigallocatechin 3-Gallate Synthetic Analogues Inhibit Fatty Acid Synthase and Show Anticancer Activity in Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Crous-Masó, Joan; Palomeras, Sònia; Relat, Joana; Camó, Cristina; Martínez-Garza, Úrsula; Planas, Marta; Feliu, Lidia; Puig, Teresa

    2018-05-11

    (-)-Epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG) is a natural polyphenol from green tea with reported anticancer activity and capacity to inhibit the lipogenic enzyme fatty acid synthase (FASN), which is overexpressed in several human carcinomas. To improve the pharmacological profile of EGCG, we previously developed a family of EGCG derivatives and the lead compounds G28, G37 and G56 were characterized in HER2-positive breast cancer cells overexpressing FASN. Here, diesters G28, G37 and G56 and two G28 derivatives, monoesters M1 and M2, were synthesized and assessed in vitro for their cytotoxic, FASN inhibition and apoptotic activities in MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. All compounds displayed moderate to high cytotoxicity and significantly blocked FASN activity, monoesters M1 and M2 being more potent inhibitors than diesters. Interestingly, G28, M1, and M2 also diminished FASN protein expression levels, but only monoesters M1 and M2 induced apoptosis. Our results indicate that FASN inhibition by such polyphenolic compounds could be a new strategy in TNBC treatment, and highlight the potential anticancer activities of monoesters. Thus, G28, G37, G56, and most importantly M1 and M2, are anticancer candidates (alone or in combination) to be further characterized in vitro and in vivo.

  7. Fluorescence investigation of Ho3+ in Yb3+ sensitized mixed-alkali bismuth gallate glasses.

    PubMed

    Lin, H; Zhang, Y Y; Pun, E Y B

    2008-12-15

    Efficient 2.0 microm infrared and visible upconversion emissions have been observed in Ho3+/Yb3+ co-doped mixed-alkali bismuth gallate (LKBBG) glasses having a maximum-phonon energy of 673 cm(-1). The Judd-Ofelt parameters Omega2, Omega4 and Omega6 of Ho3+ indicate that there is a high asymmetry and strong covalent environment in LKBBG glasses. The large absorption and emission cross-sections of Yb3+ confirm that it is a suitable sensitizer for capturing and transferring pump energy to Ho3+. The emission cross-section profile for the 5I7-->5I8 transition is derived using the reciprocity method and the peak value is 5.54 x 10(-21)cm2, which is much larger than the value in fluorozircoaluminate glasses. LKBBG glasses exhibit low maximum-phonon energy and large refractive index, and it is possible to achieve an effective 1.66 microm U-band emission of Ho3+ under 900 nm laser radiation.

  8. Tea component, epigallocatechin gallate, potentiates anticataleptic and locomotor-sensitizing effects of caffeine in mice.

    PubMed

    Kasture, Sanjay B; Gaikar, Mayur; Kasture, Veena; Arote, Sanjay; Salve, Balu; Rosas, Michela; Cotti, Elisabetta; Acquas, Elio

    2015-02-01

    Tea is the most popular beverage worldwide. Caffeine, the psychoactive principle of tea, pharmacologically interacts with several drugs and bioactive molecules. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a major component of tea and its known interactions with caffeine make it worthwhile to further study them by investigating the influence of EGCG on the anticataleptic and locomotor-sensitizing effects of caffeine. In the present investigation, we observed that (a) administration of caffeine or EGCG alone inhibited haloperidol-induced catalepsy, a widely used animal model to study parkinsonism, and (b) a combination of caffeine and EGCG produced greater inhibition of haloperidol-induced catalepsy. Furthermore, after repeated administration of caffeine and EGCG, either alone or in combination, we observed that (c) caffeine and EGCG contrasted the sensitization of catalepsy observed after repeated haloperidol administration by significantly reducing the duration of catalepsy. Furthermore, as haloperidol-induced catalepsy was also associated with increased lipid peroxidation, we observed that (d) EGCG administration reduced striatal lipid peroxide levels in a dose-dependent manner and that (e) the combination of caffeine with EGCG was most effective in reducing haloperidol-increased striatal lipid peroxide. Finally, we observed that (f) chronic caffeine and EGCG significantly elicited locomotor sensitization and that (g) their combination resulted in significantly greater effects. In conclusion, EGCG potentiated the effects of caffeine on haloperidol-induced catalepsy and of caffeine-elicited locomotor sensitization. Overall, these observations indicate critical interactions between caffeine and EGCG in an animal model of parkinsonism and locomotor activity and suggest that tea consumption might reduce antipsychotic-induced side effects.

  9. n-Octyl gallate as inhibitor of pyruvate carboxylation and lactate gluconeogenesis.

    PubMed

    Eler, Gabrielle Jacklin; Santos, Israel Souza; de Moraes, Amarilis Giaretta; Comar, Jurandir Fernando; Peralta, Rosane Marina; Bracht, Adelar

    2015-04-01

    The alkyl gallates are found in several natural and industrial products. In the latter products, these compounds are added mainly for preventing oxidation. In the present work, the potencies of methyl gallate, n-propyl gallate, n-pentyl gallate, and n-octyl gallate as inhibitors of pyruvate carboxylation and lactate gluconeogenesis were evaluated. Experiments were done with isolated mitochondria and the isolated perfused rat liver. The potency of the gallic acid esters as inhibitors of pyruvate carboxylation in isolated mitochondria obeyed the following decreasing sequence: n-octyl gallate > n-pentyl gallate > n-propyl gallate > methyl gallate. A similar sequence of decreasing potency for lactate gluconeogenesis inhibition in the perfused liver was found in terms of the portal venous concentration. Both actions correlate with the lipophilicity of the compounds. The effects are harmful at high concentrations. At appropriate concentrations, however, octyl gallate should act therapeutically because its inhibitory action on gluconeogenesis will contribute further to its proposed antihyperglycemic effects. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. "Sign-on/off" sensing interface design and fabrication for propyl gallate recognition and sensitive detection.

    PubMed

    Dai, Yunlong; Li, Xueyan; Fan, Limei; Lu, Xiaojing; Kan, Xianwen

    2016-12-15

    A new strategy based on sign-on and sign-off was proposed for propyl gallate (PG) determination by an electrochemical sensor. The successively modified poly(thionine) (PTH) and molecular imprinted polymer (MIP) showed an obvious electrocatalysis and a good recognition toward PG, respectively. Furthermore, the rebound PG molecules in imprinted cavities not only were oxidized but also blocked the electron transmission channels for PTH redox. Thus, a sign-on from PG current and a sign-off from PTH current were combined as a dual-sign for PG detection. Meanwhile, the modified MIP endowed the sensor with recognition capacity. The electrochemical experimental results demonstrated that the prepared sensor possessed good selectivity and high sensitivity. A linear ranging from 5.0×10(-8) to 1.0×10(-4)mol/L for PG detection was obtained with a limit of detection of 2.4×10(-8)mol/L. And the sensor has been applied to analyze PG in real samples with satisfactory results. The simple, low cost, and effective strategy reported here can be further used to prepare electrochemical sensors for other compounds selective recognition and sensitive detection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Targeting Breast Cancer Recurrence via Hedgehog-mediated Sensitization of Breast Cancer Stem Cells

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-07-01

    Hedgehog -mediated Sensitization of Breast Cancer Stem Cells PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: David J. Robbins, Ph.D...June 2010 – 14 June 2011 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Targeting Breast Cancer Recurrence via Hedgehog -mediated Sensitization of...this award. Introduction The purpose of the research supported by this award is to determine if targeting the hedgehog signaling pathway in

  12. Antioxidant activity of alkyl gallates and glycosyl alkyl gallates in fish oil in water emulsions: relevance of their surface active properties and of the type of emulsifier.

    PubMed

    González, María J; Medina, Isabel; Maldonado, Olivia S; Lucas, Ricardo; Morales, Juan C

    2015-09-15

    The antioxidant activity of gallic acid and a series of alkyl gallates (C4-C18) and glycosylated alkyl gallates (C4-C18) on fish oil-in-water emulsions was studied. Three types of emulsifiers, lecithin, Tween-20 and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) were tested. A nonlinear behavior of the antioxidant activity of alkyl gallates when increasing alkyl chain length was observed for emulsions prepared with lecithin. Medium-size alkyl gallates (C6-C12) were the best antioxidants. In contrast, for emulsions prepared with Tween-20, the antioxidants seem to follow the polar paradox. Glucosyl alkyl gallates were shown previously to be better surfactants than alkyl gallates. Nevertheless, they exhibited a worse antioxidant capacity than their corresponding alkyl gallates, in emulsions prepared with lecithin or Tween-20, indicating the greater relevance of having three OH groups at the polar head in comparison with having improved surfactant properties but just a di-ortho phenolic structure in the antioxidant. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Phase I study of topical epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) in patients with breast cancer receiving adjuvant radiotherapy.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Hanxi; Zhu, Wanqi; Jia, Li; Sun, Xiaorong; Chen, Guanxuan; Zhao, Xianguang; Li, Xiaolin; Meng, Xiangjiao; Kong, Lingling; Xing, Ligang; Yu, Jinming

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the safety, tolerability and preliminary effectiveness of topical epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) for radiation dermatitis in patients with breast cancer receiving adjuvant radiotherapy. Patients with breast cancer who received radiotherapy to the chest wall after mastectomy were enrolled. EGCG solution was sprayed to the radiation field from the initiation of Grade 1 radiation dermatitis until 2 weeks after completion of radiotherapy. EGCG concentration escalated from 40 to 660 μmol l(-1) in 7 levels with 3-6 patients in each level. EGCG toxicity was graded using the NCI (National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events) v. 3.0. Any adverse event >Grade 1 attributed to EGCG was considered dose-limiting toxicity. The maximum tolerated dose was defined as the dose level that induced dose-limiting toxicity in more than one-third of patients at a given cohort. Radiation dermatitis was recorded weekly by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group scoring and patient-reported symptoms. From March 2012 to August 2013, 24 patients were enrolled. Acute skin redness was observed in 1 patient and considered to be associated with the EGCG treatment at 140 μmol l(-1) level. Three more patients were enrolled at this level and did not experience toxicity to EGCG. The dose escalation stopped at 660 μmol l(-1). No other reported acute toxicity was associated with EGCG. Grade 2 radiation dermatitis was observed in eight patients during or after radiotherapy, but all decreased to Grade 1 after EGCG treatments. Patient-reported symptom scores were significantly decreased at 2 weeks after the end of radiotherapy in pain, burning, itching and tenderness, p < 0.05. The topical administration of EGCG was well tolerated and the maximum tolerated dose was not found. EGCG may be effective in treating radiation dermatitis with preliminary investigation. EGCG solution seemed to be feasible for treating

  14. "Stealth and Fully-Laden" Drug Carriers: Self-Assembled Nanogels Encapsulated with Epigallocatechin Gallate and siRNA for Drug-Resistant Breast Cancer Therapy.

    PubMed

    Ding, Jie; Liang, Tingxizi; Min, Qianhao; Jiang, Liping; Zhu, Jun-Jie

    2018-03-28

    For codelivery of therapeutic genes and chemical agents in combined therapy, the ideal drug delivery system entails high-capacity and low-body toxicity carriers, allowing adequate drug dose for tumor regions while yielding low residues in normal tissues. To augment the gene/drug load capacity and circumvent the potential toxicity brought by traditional inorganic and polymeric nanocarriers, a "stealth" carrier was herein designed in a simple self-assembly of (-)-epigallocatechin-3- O-gallate (EGCG) and small interfering RNA (siRNA) by recruiting protamine as a biodegradable medium for the treatment of drug-resistant triple-negative breast cancer. In the self-assembled nanogel, entrapped siRNA played a central role in sensitizing the tumor response to EGCG-involved chemotherapy, and the positively charged protamine served as the assembly skeleton to fully accommodate gene and drug molecules and minimize the factors causing side effects. As compared to stand-alone chemotherapy with EGCG, the multicomponent nanogel revealed a 15-fold increase in the cytotoxicity to drug-resistant MDA-MB-231 cell line. Moreover, equipped with hyaluronic acid and tumor-homing cell-penetrating peptide as the outmost targeting ligands, the siRNA- and EGCG-loaded nanogel demonstrates superior selectivity and tumor growth inhibition to free EGCG in xenograft MDA-MB-231 tumor-bearing mice. Meanwhile, thanks to the acknowledged biosafety of protamine, little toxicity was found to normal tissues and organs in the animal model. This gene/drug self-assembly caged in a biodegradable carrier opens up an effective and secure route for drug-resistant cancer therapy and provides a versatile approach for codelivery of other genes and drugs for different medical purposes.

  15. Antiviral activity of lauryl gallate against animal viruses.

    PubMed

    Hurtado, Carolina; Bustos, Maria Jose; Sabina, Prado; Nogal, Maria Luisa; Granja, Aitor G; González, Maria Eugenia; Gónzalez-Porqué, Pedro; Revilla, Yolanda; Carrascosa, Angel L

    2008-01-01

    Antiviral compounds are needed in the control of many animal and human diseases. We analysed the effect of the antitumoural drug lauryl gallate on the infectivity of the African swine fever virus among other DNA (herpes simplex and vaccinia) and RNA (influenza, porcine transmissible gastroenteritis and Sindbis) viruses, paying attention to its effect on the viability of the corresponding host cells. Viral production was strongly inhibited in different cell lines at non-toxic concentrations of the drug (1-10 microM), reducing the titres 3->5 log units depending on the multiplicity of infection. In our model system (African swine fever virus in Vero cells), the addition of the drug 1 h before virus adsorption completely abolished virus productivity in a one-step growth virus cycle. Interestingly, no inhibitory effect was observed when lauryl gallate was added after 5-8 h post-infection. Both cellular and viral DNA synthesis and late viral transcription were inhibited by the drug; however, the early viral protein synthesis and the virus-mediated increase of p53 remained unaffected. Activation of the apoptotic effector caspase-3 was not detected after lauryl gallate treatment of Vero cells. Furthermore, the presence of the drug abrogated the activation of this protease induced by the virus infection. Lauryl gallate is a powerful antiviral agent against several pathogens of clinical and veterinary importance. The overall results indicate that a cellular factor or function might be the target of the antiviral action of alkyl gallates.

  16. Antiviral properties of prodelphinidin B-2 3'-O-gallate from green tea leaf.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Hua-Yew; Lin, Chun-Ching; Lin, Ta-Chen

    2002-07-01

    Prodelphinidin B-2 3-O-gallate, a proanthocyanidin gallate isolated from green tea leaf, was investigated for its anti-herpes simplex virus type 2 properties in vitro. Prodelphinidin B-2 3'-O-gallate exhibited antiviral activity with IC50 of 5.0 +/-1.0 microM and 1.6 +/-0.3 pM for XTT and plaque reduction (PRA) assays, respectively. Cytotoxicity assay had shown that prodelphinidin B-2 3'-O-gallate possessed cytotoxic effect toward Vero cell at concentration higher than its IC50. The 50% cytotoxic concentration for cell growth (CC50) was 33.3 +/- 3.7 microM. Thus, the selectivity index (SI) (ratio of IC50 to CC50) for XTT assay and PRA was 6.7 and 20.8, respectively. Prodelphinidin B-2 3'-O-gallate significantly reduced viral infectivity at concentrations 10 microM or more. Result of time-of-addition studies suggested that prodelphinidin B-2 3'-O-gallate affected the late stage of HSV-2 infection. In addition, it was also shown to inhibit the virus from attaching and penetrating into the cell. Thus, prodelphinidin B-2 3'-O-gallate was concluded to possess antiviral activity with mechanism of inhibiting viral attachment and penetration, and disturbing the late stage of viral infection.

  17. Methyl gallate is a natural constituent of maple (Genus Acer) leaves.

    PubMed

    Abou-Zaid, Mamdouh M; Lombardo, Domenic A; Nozzolillo, Constance

    2009-01-01

    Methyl gallate was found in ethanolic extracts of red maple (Acer rubrum L.), silver maple (A. saccharinum L.) and sugar maple (A. saccharum Marsh) leaves, but more was present in methanolic extracts. The increased amount of methyl gallate in methanolic extracts was accompanied by a disappearance of m-digallate. It is concluded that only some of the methyl gallate detected in methanolic extracts is an artefact as a result of methanolysis of m-digallate. Its presence in ethanolic extracts is evidence that it is also a natural constituent of maple leaves.

  18. A hybrid cost-sensitive ensemble for imbalanced breast thermogram classification.

    PubMed

    Krawczyk, Bartosz; Schaefer, Gerald; Woźniak, Michał

    2015-11-01

    Early recognition of breast cancer, the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer in women, is of crucial importance, given that it leads to significantly improved chances of survival. Medical thermography, which uses an infrared camera for thermal imaging, has been demonstrated as a particularly useful technique for early diagnosis, because it detects smaller tumors than the standard modality of mammography. In this paper, we analyse breast thermograms by extracting features describing bilateral symmetries between the two breast areas, and present a classification system for decision making. Clearly, the costs associated with missing a cancer case are much higher than those for mislabelling a benign case. At the same time, datasets contain significantly fewer malignant cases than benign ones. Standard classification approaches fail to consider either of these aspects. In this paper, we introduce a hybrid cost-sensitive classifier ensemble to address this challenging problem. Our approach entails a pool of cost-sensitive decision trees which assign a higher misclassification cost to the malignant class, thereby boosting its recognition rate. A genetic algorithm is employed for simultaneous feature selection and classifier fusion. As an optimisation criterion, we use a combination of misclassification cost and diversity to achieve both a high sensitivity and a heterogeneous ensemble. Furthermore, we prune our ensemble by discarding classifiers that contribute minimally to the decision making. For a challenging dataset of about 150 thermograms, our approach achieves an excellent sensitivity of 83.10%, while maintaining a high specificity of 89.44%. This not only signifies improved recognition of malignant cases, it also statistically outperforms other state-of-the-art algorithms designed for imbalanced classification, and hence provides an effective approach for analysing breast thermograms. Our proposed hybrid cost-sensitive ensemble can facilitate a highly accurate

  19. PPARα activation sensitizes cancer cells to epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) treatment via suppressing heme oxygenase-1.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Shuyu; Yang, Xiaodong; Luo, Judong; Ge, Xin; Sun, Wanping; Zhu, Hong; Zhang, Weiping; Cao, Jianping; Hou, Yinglong

    2014-01-01

    Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major polyphenolic constituent of green tea, is a potent antioxidant that may have potential therapeutic applications for the treatment of many disorders, including cancer. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPARα) has been shown to play a key role in diverse metabolic and cellular functions. PPARα modulates target gene expression by binding to specific regions on the DNA of target genes. The effects and mechanisms of PPARα activation on EGCG efficacy have not yet been analyzed in cancer cells. We found that when cancer cells were exposed to EGCG, the expression of PPARα was increased at the protein level in a dose-dependent manner. The PPARα agonist clofibrate blocked cytoprotective heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) induction and sensitized multiple types of cancer cells to EGCG-induced cell death. Conversely, the PPARα inhibitor G6471 and PPARα siRNA increased HO-1 expression. Electro-mobility shift assays (EMSA) and in vivo chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) confirmed that PPARα interacts with the peroxisome proliferator-responsive element of the HO-1 promoter. Moreover, cell death induced by EGCG plus clofibrate was partially reversed by HO-1 overexpression in PANC1 cells. These results indicate that PPARα is a direct and negative regulator of HO-1 induced by EGCG and confers cell susceptibility to EGCG.

  20. Sensitivity of Breast Cancer Stem Cells to TRA-8 Anti-DR5 Monoclonal Antibody

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-02-01

    1 AD_________________ Award Number: W81XWH-11-1-0151 TITLE: Sensitivity of Breast Cancer Stem Cells to TRA-8 Anti-DR5...Annual Summary 3. DATES COVERED 15-January-2012 – 14-January-2013 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Sensitivity of Breast Cancer Stem Cells to TRA-8 Anti-DR5...release; distribution unlimited 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT Basal-like breast cancers (BLBCs) generally become resistant to

  1. Method of microbially producing metal gallate spinel nano-objects, and compositions produced thereby

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Duty, Chad E.; Jellison, Jr., Gerald E.; Love, Lonnie J.

    A method of forming a metal gallate spinel structure that includes mixing a divalent metal-containing salt and a gallium-containing salt in solution with fermentative or thermophilic bacteria. In the process, the bacteria nucleate metal gallate spinel nano-objects from the divalent metal-containing salt and the gallium-containing salt without requiring reduction of a metal in the solution. The metal gallate spinel structures, as well as light-emitting structures in which they are incorporated, are also described.

  2. The Immunomodulatory Potential of Selected Bioactive Plant-Based Compounds in Breast Cancer: A Review.

    PubMed

    Baraya, Yushau Shuaibu; Wong, Kah Keng; Yaacob, Nik Soriani

    2017-01-01

    Breast cancer has continued to cause high cancer death rates among women worldwide. The use of plants' natural products in breast cancer treatment has received more attention in recent years due to their potentially wider safety margin and the potential to complement conventional chemotherapeutic drugs. Plantbased products have demonstrated anticancer potential through different biological pathways including modulation of the immune system. Immunomodulatory properties of medicinal plants have been shown to mitigate breast cancer cell growth. Different immune cell types participate in this process especially cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells, and cytokines including chemokines and tumor necrosis factor-α. Medicinal plants such as Glycyrrhiza glabra, Uncaria tomentosa, Camellia sinensis, Panax ginseng, Prunus armenaica (apricot), Allium sativum, Arctium lappa and Curcuma longa were reported to hold strong potential in breast cancer treatment in various parts of the world. Interestingly, research findings have shown that these plants possess bioactive immunomodulators as their main constituents producing the anticancer effects. These immunomodulatory compounds include ajoene, arctigenin, β-carotene, curcumin, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, ginsan, glabridin and quinic acid. In this review, we discussed the ability of these eight immunomodulators in regulating the immune system potentially applicable in breast cancer treatment via anti-inflammatory (curcumin, arctigenin, glabridin and ajoene) and lymphocytes activation (β-carotene, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, quinic acid and ginsan) properties, as well as future research direction in their use for breast cancer treatment. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  3. Proanthocyanidin trimer gallate modulates lipid deposition and fatty acid desaturation in Caenorhabditis elegans.

    PubMed

    Nie, Yu; Littleton, Brad; Kavanagh, Thomas; Abbate, Vincenzo; Bansal, Sukhvinder S; Richards, David; Hylands, Peter; Stürzenbaum, Stephen R

    2017-11-01

    The incidence of obesity is rising at an alarming rate. Despite its recognition as an urgent healthcare concern, obesity remains largely an unsolved medical problem. A comprehensive screen for functional dietary phytochemicals identified proanthocyanidins as putative targets to ameliorate obesity. A full-scale purification of oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) derived from grape seed extract yielded pure OPC dimer, trimer, tetramer, and their gallates (pOPCs). Forward chemical screening conducted in Caenorhabditis elegans suggested that pOPCs reduced the activity of lipase in vitro and triglyceride storage capacity in vivo Proanthocyanidin trimer gallate in particular modified lipid desaturation in C. elegans , revealed by hyperspectral coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy. Exposure to trimer gallate resulted in the transcriptional down-regulation of nhr-49 (an ortholog of the human peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α), and a key regulator of fat metabolism, and 2 downstream genes: fat-5 and acs-2 A combination exposure of 2 or 3 pOPCs (dimer gallate, trimer and/or trimer gallate) suggested the absence of synergistic potential. By using the whole-organism C. elegans coupled with versatile biochemical, biophysical, and genetic tools, we provide an account of the composition and bioactivity of individual OPCs and more generally highlight the potential of traditional Chinese medicine-derived drug leads.-Nie, Y., Littleton, B., Kavanagh, T., Abbate, V., Bansal, S. S., Richards, D., Hylands, P., Sturzenbaum, S. R. Proanthocyanidin trimer gallate modulates lipid deposition and fatty acid desaturation in Caenorhabditis elegans . © FASEB.

  4. Targeting of EGFR, VEGFR2, and Akt by Engineered Dual Drug Encapsulated Mesoporous Silica-Gold Nanoclusters Sensitizes Tamoxifen-Resistant Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Kumar, B N Prashanth; Puvvada, Nagaprasad; Rajput, Shashi; Sarkar, Siddik; Mahto, Madhusudan Kr; Yallapu, Murali M; Pathak, Amita; Emdad, Luni; Das, Swadesh K; Reis, Rui L; Kundu, S C; Fisher, Paul B; Mandal, Mahitosh

    2018-05-30

    Tamoxifen administration enhanced overall disease-free survival and diminished mortality rates in cancer patients. However, patients with breast cancer often fail to respond for tamoxifen therapy due to the development of a drug-resistant phenotype. Functional analysis and molecular studies suggest that protein mutation and dysregulation of survival signaling molecules such as epidermal growth factor receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2, and Akt contribute to tamoxifen resistance. Various strategies, including combinatorial therapies, show chemosensitize tamoxifen-resistant cancers. Based on chemotoxicity issues, researchers are actively investigating alternative therapeutic strategies. In the current study, we fabricate a mesoporous silica gold cluster nanodrug delivery system that displays exceptional tumor-targeting capability, thus promoting accretion of drug indices at the tumor site. We employ dual drugs, ZD6474, and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) that inhibit EGFR2, VEGFR2, and Akt signaling pathways since changes in these signaling pathways confer tamoxifen resistance in MCF 7 and T-47D cells. Mesoporous silica gold cluster nanodrug delivery of ZD6474 and EGCG sensitize tamoxifen-resistant cells to apoptosis. Western and immune-histochemical analyses confirmed the apoptotic inducing properties of the nanoformulation. Overall, results with these silica gold nanoclusters suggest that they may be a potent nanoformulation against chemoresistant cancers.

  5. Reduced risk of peanut sensitization following exposure through breast-feeding and early peanut introduction.

    PubMed

    Pitt, Tracy J; Becker, Allan B; Chan-Yeung, Moira; Chan, Edmond S; Watson, Wade T A; Chooniedass, Rishma; Azad, Meghan B

    2018-02-01

    Recent trials have shown that avoiding peanuts during infancy increases the risk of peanut allergy; however, these studies did not address maternal peanut consumption. We sought to investigate the relationship between maternal peanut consumption while breast-feeding, timing of direct peanut introduction, and peanut sensitization at age 7 years. Secondary analysis of a nested cohort within the 1995 Canadian Asthma Primary Prevention Study intervention study was performed. Breast-feeding and maternal and infant peanut consumption were captured by repeated questionnaires during infancy. Skin prick testing for peanut sensitization was performed at age 7 years. Overall, 58.2% of mothers consumed peanuts while breast-feeding and 22.5% directly introduced peanuts to their infant by 12 months. At 7 years, 9.4% of children were sensitized to peanuts. The lowest incidence (1.7%) was observed among children whose mothers consumed peanuts while breast-feeding and directly introduced peanuts before 12 months. Incidence was significantly higher (P < .05) if mothers consumed peanuts while breast-feeding but delayed introducing peanuts to their infant beyond 12 months (15.1%), or if mothers avoided peanuts themselves but directly introduced peanuts by 12 months (17.6%). Interaction analyses controlling for study group and maternal atopy confirmed that maternal peanut consumption while breast-feeding and infant peanut consumption by 12 months were protective in combination, whereas either exposure in isolation was associated with an increased risk of sensitization (P interaction = .003). In this secondary analysis, maternal peanut consumption while breast-feeding paired with direct introduction of peanuts in the first year of life was associated with the lowest risk of peanut sensitization, compared with all other combinations of maternal and infant peanut consumption. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All

  6. Uncovering the Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1 Gallate Decarboxylase Involved in Tannin Degradation

    PubMed Central

    Jiménez, Natalia; Curiel, José Antonio; Reverón, Inés; de las Rivas, Blanca

    2013-01-01

    Lactobacillus plantarum is a lactic acid bacterium able to degrade tannins by the subsequent action of tannase and gallate decarboxylase enzymes. The gene encoding tannase had previously been identified, whereas the gene encoding gallate decarboxylase is unknown. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of gallic-acid induced L. plantarum extracts showed a 54-kDa protein which was absent in the uninduced cells. This protein was identified as Lp_2945, putatively annotated UbiD. Homology searches identified ubiD-like genes located within three-gene operons which encoded the three subunits of nonoxidative aromatic acid decarboxylases. L. plantarum is the only bacterium in which the lpdC (lp_2945) gene and the lpdB and lpdD (lp_0271 and lp_0272) genes are separated in the chromosome. Combination of extracts from recombinant Escherichia coli cells expressing the lpdB, lpdC, and lpdC genes demonstrated that LpdC is the only protein required to yield gallate decarboxylase activity. However, the disruption of these genes in L. plantarum revealed that the lpdB and lpdC gene products are essential for gallate decarboxylase activity. Similar to L. plantarum tannase, which exhibited activity only in esters derived from gallic and protocatechuic acids, purified His6-LpdC protein from E. coli showed decarboxylase activity against gallic and protocatechuic acids. In contrast to the tannase activity, gallate decarboxylase activity is widely present among lactic acid bacteria. This study constitutes the first genetic characterization of a gallate decarboxylase enzyme and provides new insights into the role of the different subunits of bacterial nonoxidative aromatic acid decarboxylases. PMID:23645198

  7. Understanding drugs in breast cancer through drug sensitivity screening.

    PubMed

    Uhr, Katharina; Prager-van der Smissen, Wendy J C; Heine, Anouk A J; Ozturk, Bahar; Smid, Marcel; Göhlmann, Hinrich W H; Jager, Agnes; Foekens, John A; Martens, John W M

    2015-01-01

    With substantial numbers of breast tumors showing or acquiring treatment resistance, it is of utmost importance to develop new agents for the treatment of the disease, to know their effectiveness against breast cancer and to understand their relationships with other drugs to best assign the right drug to the right patient. To achieve this goal drug screenings on breast cancer cell lines are a promising approach. In this study a large-scale drug screening of 37 compounds was performed on a panel of 42 breast cancer cell lines representing the main breast cancer subtypes. Clustering, correlation and pathway analyses were used for data analysis. We found that compounds with a related mechanism of action had correlated IC50 values and thus grouped together when the cell lines were hierarchically clustered based on IC50 values. In total we found six clusters of drugs of which five consisted of drugs with related mode of action and one cluster with two drugs not previously connected. In total, 25 correlated and four anti-correlated drug sensitivities were revealed of which only one drug, Sirolimus, showed significantly lower IC50 values in the luminal/ERBB2 breast cancer subtype. We found expected interactions but also discovered new relationships between drugs which might have implications for cancer treatment regimens.

  8. Isolation, characterization and mode of antimicrobial action against Vibrio cholerae of methyl gallate isolated from Acacia farnesiana.

    PubMed

    Sánchez, E; Heredia, N; Camacho-Corona, M Del R; García, S

    2013-12-01

    The antimicrobial activity of Acacia farnesiana against Vibrio cholerae has been demonstrated; however, no information regarding its active compound or its mechanism of action has been documented. The active compound was isolated from A. farnesiana by bioassay-guided fractionation and identified as methyl gallate by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques ((1) H NMR and (13) C NMR). The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of methyl gallate and its effect on membrane integrity, cytoplasmic pH, membrane potential, ATP synthesis and gene expression of cholera toxin (ctx) from V. cholerae were determined. The MBC of methyl gallate ranged from 30 ± 1 to 50 ± 1 μg ml(-1) . Methyl gallate affected cell membrane integrity, causing a decrease in cytoplasmic pH (pHin , from 7·3 to <3·0), and membrane hyperpolarization, and ATP was no longer produced by the treated cells. However, methyl gallate did not affect ctx gene expression. Methyl gallate is a major antimicrobial compound from A. farnesiana that disturbs the membrane activity of V. cholerae. The effects of methyl gallate validate several traditional antimicrobial uses of A. farnesiana, and it is an attractive alternative to control V. cholerae. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  9. 21 CFR 184.1660 - Propyl gallate.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Propyl gallate. 184.1660 Section 184.1660 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION (CONTINUED) DIRECT FOOD SUBSTANCES AFFIRMED AS GENERALLY RECOGNIZED AS SAFE Listing of Specific...

  10. Applying under-sampling techniques and cost-sensitive learning methods on risk assessment of breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Hsu, Jia-Lien; Hung, Ping-Cheng; Lin, Hung-Yen; Hsieh, Chung-Ho

    2015-04-01

    Breast cancer is one of the most common cause of cancer mortality. Early detection through mammography screening could significantly reduce mortality from breast cancer. However, most of screening methods may consume large amount of resources. We propose a computational model, which is solely based on personal health information, for breast cancer risk assessment. Our model can be served as a pre-screening program in the low-cost setting. In our study, the data set, consisting of 3976 records, is collected from Taipei City Hospital starting from 2008.1.1 to 2008.12.31. Based on the dataset, we first apply the sampling techniques and dimension reduction method to preprocess the testing data. Then, we construct various kinds of classifiers (including basic classifiers, ensemble methods, and cost-sensitive methods) to predict the risk. The cost-sensitive method with random forest classifier is able to achieve recall (or sensitivity) as 100 %. At the recall of 100 %, the precision (positive predictive value, PPV), and specificity of cost-sensitive method with random forest classifier was 2.9 % and 14.87 %, respectively. In our study, we build a breast cancer risk assessment model by using the data mining techniques. Our model has the potential to be served as an assisting tool in the breast cancer screening.

  11. Growth Suppression and Therapy Sensitization of Breast Cancer.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1997-07-01

    mutant jun. As shown in Figure 8, T47D breast cancer cells grown in the presence of 9- cis retinoic acid do become more sensitive to suppression by p53...SRI 1220. We have used the plasmid reactivation assay to demonstrate that repair of a cisplatin damaged plasmid is inhibited by 9- cis retinoic acid in...3 hr in vitro Sensitivity of T47D cells to 9- cis RA with 25 pM cisplatin) 120 --- 25- T47D 1220 M 100 - 11-gal O ,p53 "o 8.0 o. m 5 wR 80 T47D

  12. Enhancement of propyl gallate yield in nonaqueous medium using novel cell-associated tannase of Bacillus massiliensis.

    PubMed

    Aithal, Mahesh; Belur, Prasanna D

    2013-01-01

    Enzymatic synthesis of propyl gallate in organic solvent was studied using cell-associated tannase (EC 3.1.1.20) of Bacillus massiliensis. Lyophilized biomass showing tannase activity was used as the biocatalyst. The effects of solvent, surfactant treatment, and bioimprinting on the propyl gallate synthesis were studied and subsequently optimized. Among various solvents, benzene followed by hexane was found to be the most favorable. Treatment of the biocatalyst with Triton X-100 at a lower concentration (0.2% w/v), before lyophilization, increased the propyl gallate yield by 24.5% compared to the untreated biocatalyst. The biocatalyst was imprinted with various concentrations of gallic acid and tannic acid. Biocatalyst imprinted with tannic acid showed 50% enhancement in the propyl gallate yield compared to the non-imprinted biocatalyst.

  13. Epigallocatechin gallate incorporation into lignin enhances the alkaline delignification and enzymatic saccharification of cell walls

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) was evaluated as a potential lignin bioengineering target for rendering biomass more amenable to processing for biofuel production. In vitro peroxidase-catalyzed polymerization experiments revealed that both gallate and pyrogalloyl (B-ring) moieties in EGCG underwent ...

  14. Sensitivity of BRCA1/2 testing in high-risk breast/ovarian/male breast cancer families: little contribution of comprehensive RNA/NGS panel testing.

    PubMed

    Byers, Helen; Wallis, Yvonne; van Veen, Elke M; Lalloo, Fiona; Reay, Kim; Smith, Philip; Wallace, Andrew J; Bowers, Naomi; Newman, William G; Evans, D Gareth

    2016-11-01

    The sensitivity of testing BRCA1 and BRCA2 remains unresolved as the frequency of deep intronic splicing variants has not been defined in high-risk familial breast/ovarian cancer families. This variant category is reported at significant frequency in other tumour predisposition genes, including NF1 and MSH2. We carried out comprehensive whole gene RNA analysis on 45 high-risk breast/ovary and male breast cancer families with no identified pathogenic variant on exonic sequencing and copy number analysis of BRCA1/2. In addition, we undertook variant screening of a 10-gene high/moderate risk breast/ovarian cancer panel by next-generation sequencing. DNA testing identified the causative variant in 50/56 (89%) breast/ovarian/male breast cancer families with Manchester scores of ≥50 with two variants being confirmed to affect splicing on RNA analysis. RNA sequencing of BRCA1/BRCA2 on 45 individuals from high-risk families identified no deep intronic variants and did not suggest loss of RNA expression as a cause of lost sensitivity. Panel testing in 42 samples identified a known RAD51D variant, a high-risk ATM variant in another breast ovary family and a truncating CHEK2 mutation. Current exonic sequencing and copy number analysis variant detection methods of BRCA1/2 have high sensitivity in high-risk breast/ovarian cancer families. Sequence analysis of RNA does not identify any variants undetected by current analysis of BRCA1/2. However, RNA analysis clarified the pathogenicity of variants of unknown significance detected by current methods. The low diagnostic uplift achieved through sequence analysis of the other known breast/ovarian cancer susceptibility genes indicates that further high-risk genes remain to be identified.

  15. High-sensitivity detection of breast tumors in vivo by use of a pH-sensitive near-infrared fluorescence probe

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mathejczyk, Julia Eva; Pauli, Jutta; Dullin, Christian; Resch-Genger, Ute; Alves, Frauke; Napp, Joanna

    2012-07-01

    We investigated the potential of the pH-sensitive dye, CypHer5E, conjugated to Herceptin (pH-Her) for the sensitive detection of breast tumors in mice using noninvasive time-domain near-infrared fluorescence imaging and different methods of data analysis. First, the fluorescence properties of pH-Her were analyzed as function of pH and/or dye-to-protein ratio, and binding specificity was confirmed in cell-based assays. Subsequently, the performance of pH-Her in nude mice bearing orthotopic HER2-positive (KPL-4) and HER2-negative (MDA-MB-231) breast carcinoma xenografts was compared to that of an always-on fluorescent conjugate Alexa Fluor 647-Herceptin (Alexa-Her). Subtraction of autofluorescence and lifetime (LT)-gated image analyses were performed for background fluorescence suppression. In mice bearing HER2-positive tumors, autofluorescence subtraction together with the selective fluorescence enhancement of pH-Her solely in the tumor's acidic environment provided high contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs). This led to an improved sensitivity of tumor detection compared to Alexa-Her. In contrast, LT-gated imaging using LTs determined in model systems did not improve tumor-detection sensitivity in vivo for either probe. In conclusion, pH-Her is suitable for sensitive in vivo monitoring of HER2-expressing breast tumors with imaging in the intensity domain and represents a promising tool for detection of weak fluorescent signals deriving from small tumors or metastases.

  16. Preventive effects of a major component of green tea, epigallocathechin-3-gallate, on hepatitis-B virus DNA replication.

    PubMed

    Karamese, Murat; Aydogdu, Sabiha; Karamese, Selina Aksak; Altoparlak, Ulku; Gundogdu, Cemal

    2015-01-01

    Hepatitis B virus infection is one of the major world health problems. Epigallocatechin-3 gallate is the major component of the polyphenolic fraction of green tea and it has an anti-viral, anti-mutagenic, anti- tumorigenic, anti-angiogenic, anti-proliferative, and/or pro-apoptotic effects on mammalian cells. In this study, our aim was to investigate the inhibition of HBV replication by epigallocatechin-3 gallate in the Hep3B2.1-7 hepatocellular carcinoma cell line. HBV-replicating Hep3B2.1-7 cells were used to investigate the preventive effects of epigallocatechin-3 gallate on HBV DNA replication. The expression levels of HBsAg and HBeAg were determined using ELISA. Quantitative real-time-PCR was applied for the determination of the expression level of HBV DNA. Cytotoxicity of epigallocathechin-3-gallate was not observed in the hepatic carcinoma cell line when the dose was lower than 100 μM. The ELISA method demonstrated that epigallocatechin-3 gallate have strong effects on HBsAg and HBeAg levels. Also it was detected by real-time PCR that epigallocatechin-3 gallate could prevent HBV DNA replication. The obtained data pointed out that although the exact mechanism of HBV DNA replication and related diseases remains unclear, epigallocatechin-3 gallate has a potential as an effective anti-HBV agent with low toxicity.

  17. Differences in exosome populations in human breast milk in relation to allergic sensitization and lifestyle.

    PubMed

    Torregrosa Paredes, P; Gutzeit, C; Johansson, S; Admyre, C; Stenius, F; Alm, J; Scheynius, A; Gabrielsson, S

    2014-04-01

    Breast-feeding has many beneficial effects on the developing immune system of the newborn. Breast milk contains immunoregulatory factors, such as nano-sized vesicles named exosomes. This study aimed at characterizing breast milk exosomes from human early milk and mature milk and to investigate whether allergic sensitization and an anthroposophic lifestyle could influence the exosome profile. Breast milk was collected from 22 mothers at day 3-8 and from 61 mothers at 2 months postpartum, all part of the ALADDIN birth cohort. Isolated exosomes were captured on anti-MHC-class II- or anti-CD63 beads and analyzed by flow cytometry. Exosomal phenotype was related to lifestyle and allergic sensitization of the mothers, and sensitization of the child at 2 years of age. We found a higher content of exosomes in early milk compared with mature milk. Early milk exosomes were enriched in HLA-DR molecules and displayed significantly lower levels of HLA-ABC compared with those in mature milk. Phenotypically different subpopulations of exosomes were found in mature milk. Significantly lower levels of MUC1 were detected on CD63-enriched exosomes from sensitized mothers compared with nonsensitized. Furthermore, women with an anthroposophic lifestyle had significantly lower MUC1 expression on their HLA-DR-enriched milk exosomes and up-regulated levels of CD63 on CD63-enriched exosomes compared with nonanthroposophic mothers. Notably, mothers whose children developed sensitization had an increased amount of HLA-ABC on their milk exosomes enriched for CD63. The phenotype of exosomes in breast milk varies with maternal sensitization and lifestyle, which might influence allergy development in the child. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Needle-based polarization-sensitive OCT of breast tumor (Conference Presentation)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Villiger, Martin; Lorenser, Dirk; McLaughlin, Robert A.; Quirk, Bryden C.; Kirk, Rodney W.; Bouma, Brett E.; Sampson, David D.

    2016-03-01

    OCT imaging through miniature needle probes has extended the range of OCT and enabled structural imaging deep inside breast tissue, with the potential to assist in the intraoperative assessment of tumor margins. However, in many situations, scattering contrast alone is insufficient to clearly identify and delineate malignant areas. Here, we present a portable, depth-encoded polarization-sensitive OCT system, connected to a miniature needle probe. From the measured polarization states we constructed the tissue Mueller matrix at each sample location and improved the accuracy of the measured polarization states through incoherent averaging before retrieving the depth-resolved tissue birefringence. With the Mueller matrix at hand, additional polarization properties such as depolarization are readily available. We then imaged freshly excised breast tissue from a patient undergoing lumpectomy. The reconstructed local retardation highlighted regions of connective tissue, which exhibited birefringence due to the abundance of collagen fibers, and offered excellent contrast to areas of malignant tissue, which exhibited less birefringence due to their different tissue composition. Results were validated against co-located histology sections. The combination of needle-based imaging with the complementary contrast provided by polarization-sensitive analysis offers a powerful instrument for advanced tissue imaging and has potential to aid in the assessment of tumor margins during the resection of breast cancer.

  19. Metformin sensitizes triple-negative breast cancer to proapoptotic TRAIL receptor agonists by suppressing XIAP expression.

    PubMed

    Strekalova, Elena; Malin, Dmitry; Rajanala, Harisha; Cryns, Vincent L

    2017-06-01

    Despite robust antitumor activity in diverse preclinical models, TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) receptor agonists have not demonstrated efficacy in clinical trials, underscoring the need to identify agents that enhance their activity. We postulated that the metabolic stress induced by the diabetes drug metformin would sensitize breast cancer cells to TRAIL receptor agonists. Human triple (estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER2)-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines were treated with TRAIL receptor agonists (monoclonal antibodies or TRAIL peptide), metformin, or the combination. The effects on cell survival, caspase activation, and expression of TRAIL receptors and the antiapoptotic protein XIAP were determined. In addition, XIAP was silenced by RNAi in TNBC cells and the effects on sensitivity to TRAIL were determined. The antitumor effects of metformin, TRAIL, or the combination were evaluated in an orthotopic model of metastatic TNBC. Metformin sensitized diverse TNBC cells to TRAIL receptor agonists. Metformin selectively enhanced the sensitivity of transformed breast epithelial cells to TRAIL receptor agonist-induced caspase activation and apoptosis with little effect on untransformed breast epithelial cells. These effects of metformin were accompanied by robust reductions in the protein levels of XIAP, a negative regulator of TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Silencing XIAP in TNBC cells mimicked the TRAIL-sensitizing effects of metformin. Metformin also enhanced the antitumor effects of TRAIL in a metastatic murine TNBC model. Our findings indicate that metformin enhances the activity of TRAIL receptor agonists, thereby supporting the rationale for additional translational studies combining these agents.

  20. Peanut allergens are rapidly transferred in human breast milk and can prevent sensitization in mice.

    PubMed

    Bernard, H; Ah-Leung, S; Drumare, M-F; Feraudet-Tarisse, C; Verhasselt, V; Wal, J-M; Créminon, C; Adel-Patient, K

    2014-07-01

    Food allergens have been evidenced in breast milk under physiological conditions, but the kinetic and the role of this passage in food allergies are still unclear. We then aimed to analyze the passage of peanut allergens in human breast milk and their allergenicity/immunomodulatory properties. Human breast milk was collected from two non-atopic peanut-tolerant mothers before and at different time points after ingestion of 30 g of commercial roasted peanut. Ara h 6, Ara h 6 immune complexes, and the IgE binding capacity of breast milk samples were measured using specific immunoassays. Their allergenic functionality was then assessed using cell-based assay. Finally, human breast milk obtained before or after peanut ingestion was administered intragastrically to BALB/c mice at different ages, and mice were further experimentally sensitized to peanut using cholera toxin. Ara h 6 is detected as soon as 10 min after peanut ingestion, with peak values observed within the first hour after ingestion. The transfer is long-lasting, small quantities of peanut allergens being detected over a 24-h period. IgG-Ara h 6 and IgA-Ara h 6 immune complexes are evidenced, following a different kinetic of excretion than free allergens. Peanut allergens transferred in milk are IgE reactive and can induce an allergic reaction in vitro. However, administration of human breast milk to young mice, notably before weaning, does not lead to sensitization, but instead to partial oral tolerance. The low quantities of immunologically active allergens transferred through breast milk may prevent instead of priming allergic sensitization to peanut. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Extraction of Epigallocatechin Gallate and Epicatechin Gallate from Tea Leaves Using β-Cyclodextrin.

    PubMed

    Cui, Lu; Liu, Yuxuan; Liu, Ting; Yuan, Yahong; Yue, Tianli; Cai, Rui; Wang, Zhouli

    2017-02-01

    Use of organic solvents to extract phenolic compounds from plants may result in environmental pollution and cause health problems in persons. Replacing organic extraction solvents by green extracting agents without affecting the extraction yield is one of the most pressing problems to be solved. The aim of this study is to evaluate the capacity of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) to recover phenolic compounds from tea leaves. The extract obtained using the ethanol/water mixture presented the highest total phenolic content, followed by those obtained using β-CD solution and water. HPLC analysis of the extracts showed that the addition of β-CD to the extracting agent had a selective effect on the extraction of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and epicatechin gallate (ECG). The extraction yield of EGCG and ECG using 15 g/L β-CD were higher than that obtained using water and 50% ethanol. Molecular docking results indicated that the molecules of EGCG and ECG were more inclined to interact with β-CD than epigallocatechin, epicatechin, and gallocatechin. The impact of β-CD concentration, temperature, and time on EGCG and ECG extraction from tea leaves was investigated and the maximum amount of EGCG (118.7 mg/g) and ECG (54.6 mg/g) were achieved when extracted with 25 g/L aqueous β-CD solution at 60 °C for 60 min. The present study indicates that aqueous β-CD can be used as an alternative to organic solvents to recover EGCG and ECG from tea leaves. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

  2. ATM inhibition induces synthetic lethality and enhances sensitivity of PTEN-deficient breast cancer cells to cisplatin.

    PubMed

    Li, Ke; Yan, Huaying; Guo, Wenhao; Tang, Mei; Zhao, Xinyu; Tong, Aiping; Peng, Yong; Li, Qintong; Yuan, Zhu

    2018-05-01

    PTEN deficiency often causes defects in DNA damage repair. Currently, effective therapies for breast cancer are lacking. ATM is an attractive target for cancer treatment. Previous studies suggested a synthetic lethality between PTEN and PARP. However, the synthetically lethal interaction between PTEN and ATM in breast cancer has not been reported. Moreover, the mechanism remains elusive. Here, using KU-60019, an ATM kinase inhibitor, we investigated ATM inhibition as a synthetically lethal strategy to target breast cancer cells with PTEN defects. We found that KU-60019 preferentially sensitizes PTEN-deficient MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells to cisplatin, though it also slightly enhances sensitivity of PTEN wild-type breast cancer cells. The increased cytotoxic sensitivity is associated with apoptosis, as evidenced by flow cytometry and PARP cleavage. Additionally, the increase of DNA damage accumulation due to the decreased capability of DNA repair, as indicated by γ-H2AX and Rad51 foci, also contributed to this selective cytotoxicity. Mechanistically, compared with PTEN wild-type MDA-MB-231 cells, PTEN-deficient MDA-MB-468 cells have lower level of Rad51, higher ATM kinase activity, and display the elevated level of DNA damage. Moreover, these differences could be further enlarged by cisplatin. Our findings suggest that ATM is a promising target for PTEN-defective breast cancer. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Investigation of atmospheric oxidation of propyl gallate in an anionic surfactant system in the absence and presence of ascorbic acid.

    PubMed

    Szymula, M

    2004-01-01

    The antioxidant efficiency of two hydrophilic species, ascorbic acid (AA) and propyl gallate (PG), in an anionic surfactant system are studied. Ascorbic acid and propyl gallate are dissolved/solubilized in a microemulsion formed by water, pentanol, and sodium dodecyl sulfate. The determination of propyl gallate decomposition/oxidation kinetics shows enhanced oxidation of PG with increasing pentanol concentration in the system. When ascorbic acid and propyl gallate are both present in water, in surfactant aqueous solution, and in the studied microemulsion systems, the molecular complex AAPG is formed. After some time the complex decomposes.

  4. Estradiol impairs the antiproliferative and proapoptotic effect of Zoledronic acid in hormone sensitive breast cancer cells in vitro.

    PubMed

    Gschwantler-Kaulich, Daphne; Weingartshofer, Sigrid; Grunt, Thomas W; Mairhofer, Mario; Tan, Yen; Gamper, Jutta; Singer, Christian F

    2017-01-01

    Zoledronic acid (ZA) has antiresorptive effects and protects from bone metastasis in women with early breast cancer. In addition, in postmenopausal women with endocrine responsive breast cancer ZA prolongs DFS. The exact mechanism is still unclear. We have therefore investigated the effect of increasing concentrations of ZA in breast cancer cell lines in the absence or presence of estradiol to mimic the hormonal environment in vitro. Using assays for cell proliferation (EZ4U, BrdU) and cell death (Annexin/PI), we have analyzed the dose-dependent antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of ZA in two hormone sensitive cell lines (MCF-7 and T47D) and a hormone insensitive, triple negative cell line (MDA-MB-231) in the presence of 0, 1 and 10 nM estradiol. In the absence of estradiol, ZA exerts dose-dependent antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic antitumor effects in both, hormone sensitive (MCF-7, T47D) and -insensitive (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cell lines (p<0.0001). In the presence of estradiol, the antitumoral effect of ZA was significantly decreased only in the hormone sensitive MCF-7 and T47D cell lines (p = 0.0008 and p = 0.0008, respectively). We have demonstrated that estradiol impairs the antiproliferative and proapoptotic effect of ZA in hormone sensitive, but not in hormone insensitive breast cancer cell lines. Our findings provide a possible explanation for the differential effect of ZA on DFS in pre- and postmenopausal patients with hormone sensitive early breast cancer, which has been demonstrated clinically. We further hypothesize that endocrine insensitive tumors such as triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) should benefit from ZA irrespective of their menopausal status.

  5. Molecular Interactions between (−)-Epigallocatechin Gallate Analogs and Pancreatic Lipase

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Shihui; Sun, Zeya; Dong, Shengzhao; Liu, Yang; Liu, Yun

    2014-01-01

    The molecular interactions between pancreatic lipase (PL) and four tea polyphenols (EGCG analogs), like (−)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), (−)-gallocatechin gallate (GCG), (−)-epicatechin gallate (ECG), and (−)-epigallocatechin (EC), were studied from PL activity, conformation, kinetics and thermodynamics. It was observed that EGCG analogs inhibited PL activity, and their inhibitory rates decreased by the order of EGCG>GCG>ECG>EC. PL activity at first decreased rapidly and then slowly with the increase of EGCG analogs concentrations. α-Helix content of PL secondary structure decreased dependent on EGCG analogs concentration by the order of EGCG>GCG>ECG>EC. EGCG, ECG, and EC could quench PL fluorescence both dynamically and statically, while GCG only quenched statically. EGCG analogs would induce PL self-assembly into complexes and the hydrodynamic radii of the complexes possessed a close relationship with the inhibitory rates. Kinetics analysis showed that EGCG analogs non-competitively inhibited PL activity and did not bind to PL catalytic site. DSC measurement revealed that EGCG analogs decreased the transition midpoint temperature of PL enzyme, suggesting that these compounds reduced PL enzyme thermostability. In vitro renaturation through urea solution indicated that interactions between PL and EGCG analogs were weak and non-covalent. PMID:25365042

  6. SASH1 mediates sensitivity of breast cancer cells to chloropyramine and is associated with prognosis in breast cancer

    PubMed Central

    Burgess, Joshua T.; Bolderson, Emma; Saunus, Jodi M.; Zhang, Shu-Dong; Reid, Lynne E.; McNicol, Anne Marie; Lakhani, Sunil R.; Cuff, Katharine; Richard, Kerry; Richard, Derek J.; O'Byrne, Kenneth J.

    2016-01-01

    Expression of the SASH1 protein is reduced in a range of human cancers and has been implicated in apoptotic cancer cell death. This study investigated whether increasing SASH1 expression could be a useful therapeutic strategy in breast cancer. Ectopic SASH1 expression increased apoptosis in 7/8 breast cancer cell lines. Subsequent in silico connectivity screening demonstrated that the clinically approved antihistamine drug, chloropyramine, increased SASH1 mRNA levels. Chloropyramine has previously been shown to have anti-tumour activity in breast cancer in part through modulation of FAK signalling, a pathway also regulated by SASH1. This study demonstrated that chloropyramine increased SASH1 protein levels in breast cancer cells. Consistent with this the agent reduced cell confluency in 7/8 cell lines treated irrespective of their ER status but not apoptosis incompetent MCF7 cells. In contrast SASH1 siRNA-transfected breast cancer cells exhibited reduced chloropyramine sensitivity. The prognostic significance of SASH1 expression was also investigated in two breast cancer cohorts. Expression was associated with favourable outcome in ER-positive cases, but only those of low histological grade/proliferative status. Conversely, we found a very strong inverse association in HER2+ disease irrespective of ER status, and in triple-negative, basal-like cases. Overall, the data suggest that SASH1 is prognostic in breast cancer and could have subtype-dependent effects on breast cancer progression. Pharmacologic induction of SASH1 by chloropyramine treatment of breast cancer warrants further preclinical and clinical investigation. PMID:27637080

  7. SASH1 mediates sensitivity of breast cancer cells to chloropyramine and is associated with prognosis in breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Burgess, Joshua T; Bolderson, Emma; Saunus, Jodi M; Zhang, Shu-Dong; Reid, Lynne E; McNicol, Anne Marie; Lakhani, Sunil R; Cuff, Katharine; Richard, Kerry; Richard, Derek J; O'Byrne, Kenneth J

    2016-11-08

    Expression of the SASH1 protein is reduced in a range of human cancers and has been implicated in apoptotic cancer cell death. This study investigated whether increasing SASH1 expression could be a useful therapeutic strategy in breast cancer. Ectopic SASH1 expression increased apoptosis in 7/8 breast cancer cell lines. Subsequent in silico connectivity screening demonstrated that the clinically approved antihistamine drug, chloropyramine, increased SASH1 mRNA levels. Chloropyramine has previously been shown to have anti-tumour activity in breast cancer in part through modulation of FAK signalling, a pathway also regulated by SASH1. This study demonstrated that chloropyramine increased SASH1 protein levels in breast cancer cells. Consistent with this the agent reduced cell confluency in 7/8 cell lines treated irrespective of their ER status but not apoptosis incompetent MCF7 cells. In contrast SASH1 siRNA-transfected breast cancer cells exhibited reduced chloropyramine sensitivity. The prognostic significance of SASH1 expression was also investigated in two breast cancer cohorts. Expression was associated with favourable outcome in ER-positive cases, but only those of low histological grade/proliferative status. Conversely, we found a very strong inverse association in HER2+ disease irrespective of ER status, and in triple-negative, basal-like cases. Overall, the data suggest that SASH1 is prognostic in breast cancer and could have subtype-dependent effects on breast cancer progression. Pharmacologic induction of SASH1 by chloropyramine treatment of breast cancer warrants further preclinical and clinical investigation.

  8. Highly-sensitive and large-dynamic diffuse optical tomography system for breast tumor detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Du, Wenwen; Zhang, Limin; Yin, Guoyan; Zhang, Yanqi; Zhao, Huijuan; Gao, Feng

    2018-02-01

    Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) as a new functional imaging has important clinical applications in many aspects such as benign and malignant breast tumor detection, tumor staging and so on. For quantitative detection of breast tumor, a three-wavelength continuous-wave DOT prototype system combined the ultra-high sensitivity of the photon-counting detection and the measurement parallelism of the lock-in technique was developed to provide high temporal resolution, high sensitivity, large dynamic detection range and signal-to-noise ratio. Additionally, a CT-analogous scanning mode was proposed to cost-effectively increase the detection data. To evaluate the feasibility of the system, a series of assessments were conducted. The results demonstrate that the system can obtain high linearity, stability and negligible inter-wavelength crosstalk. The preliminary phantom experiments show the absorption coefficient is able to be successfully reconstructed, indicating that the system is one of the ideal platforms for optical breast tumor detection.

  9. GPCR6A Is a Molecular Target for the Natural Products Gallate and EGCG in Green Tea.

    PubMed

    Pi, Min; Kapoor, Karan; Ye, Ruisong; Smith, Jeremy C; Baudry, Jerome; Quarles, Leigh D

    2018-04-01

    The molecular mechanisms whereby gallates in green tea exert metabolic effects are poorly understood. We found that GPRC6A, a multi-ligand-sensing G-protein-coupled receptor that regulates energy metabolism, sex hormone production, and prostate cancer progression, is a target for gallates. Sodium gallate (SG), gallic acid (GA) > ethyl gallate (EG) > octyl gallate (OG) dose dependently activated ERK in HEK-293 cells transfected with GPRC6A but not in non-transfected controls. SG also stimulated insulin secretion in β-cells isolated from wild-type mice similar to the endogenous GPRC6A ligands, osteocalcin (Ocn) and testosterone (T). Side-chain additions to create OG resulted in loss of GPRC6A agonist activity. Another component of green tea, epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG), dose-dependently inhibited Ocn activation of GPRC6A in HEK-293 cells transfected with GPRC6A and blocked the effect of Ocn in stimulating glucose production in CH10T1/2 cells. Using structural models of the venus fly trap (VFT) and 7-transmembrane (7-TM) domains of GPRC6A, calculations suggest that l-amino acids and GA bind to the VFT, whereas EGCG is calculated to bind to sites in both the VFT and 7-TM. GA and EGCG have offsetting agonist and antagonist effects on GPRC6A that may account for the variable metabolic effect of green tea consumption. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Stabilization of antioxidant gallate in layered double hydroxide by exfoliation and reassembling reaction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ansy, Kanakappan Mickel; Lee, Ji-Hee; Piao, Huiyan; Choi, Goeun; Choy, Jin-Ho

    2018-06-01

    As for the stabilization of chemically sensitive bioactive molecule in this study, gallic acid (GA) with antioxidant property was intercalated into interlayer space of layered double hydroxide (LDH), which was realized by exfoliation and reassembling reaction. At first, the pristine nitrate-type Zn2Al-LDH in solid state was synthesized via co-precipitation followed by the hydrothermal treatment at 80 °C for 6 h, and then exfoliated in formamide to form a colloidal solution of exfoliated LDH nanosheets, and finally reassembled in the presence of GA to prepare GA intercalated LDH (GA-LDH) desired, where the pH was adjusted to 8.0 in order to deprotonate GA to form gallate anion. According to the XRD analysis, GA-LDH showed well-developed (00l) diffraction peaks with a basal spacing of 1.15 nm, which was estimated to be larger than that of the pristine LDH (0.88 nm), indicating that gallate molecules were incorporated into LDH layers with perpendicular orientation. From the FT-IR spectra it was found that gallic acid was completely deprotonated into gallate, and stabilized in between LDH lattices via electrostatic interaction. The content of GA in GA-LDH was determined to be around 23 wt% by UV-vis spectroscopic study, which was also confirmed by HPLC analysis. According to the in-vitro release of GA out of GA-LDH in PBS solution (pH 7.4) at 4 °C, GA was sustainably released from GA-LDH nanohybrid up to 86% within 72 h. The antioxidant property of GA-LDH was almost the same with that of intact GA which was examined by DPPH. The photostability of GA-LDH under UV light irradiation was immensely enhanced compared to intact GA. It is, therefore, concluded that the present GA-LDH nanohybrid can be considered as an excellent antioxidant material with high chemical- and photo-stabilities, and controlled release property.

  11. Order parameters in lanthanum gallate lightly doped with manganese and paramagnetic resonance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vazhenin, V. A.; Potapov, A. P.; Artyomov, M. Yu.; Guseva, V. B.

    2010-09-01

    The Cr3+ centers have been revealed, transitions at room temperature have been identified, and spin Hamiltonian parameters have been determined for the Cr3+ and Fe3+ triclinic centers in lanthanum gallate lightly doped with manganese. The principal axes of the fourth-rank fine-structure tensor for the Fe3+ triclinic centers have been established and used to determine the order parameters, i.e., the angles of rotation of oxygen octahedra of lanthanum gallate with respect to the perovskite structure. The order parameter in the rhombohedral phase has been estimated.

  12. Novel targets for sensitizing breast cancer cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis with siRNA delivery.

    PubMed

    Thapa, Bindu; Bahadur Kc, Remant; Uludağ, Hasan

    2018-02-01

    Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) induces apoptosis in variety of cancer cells without affecting most normal cells, which makes it a promising agent for cancer therapy. However, TRAIL therapy is clinically not effective due to resistance induction. To identify novel regulators of TRAIL that can aid in therapy, protein targets whose silencing sensitized breast cancer cells against TRAIL were screened with an siRNA library against 446 human apoptosis-related proteins in MDA-231 cells. Using a cationic lipopolymer (PEI-αLA) for delivery of library members, 16 siRNAs were identified that sensitized the TRAIL-induced death in MDA-231 cells. The siRNAs targeting BCL2L12 and SOD1 were further evaluated based on the novelty and their ability to sensitize TRAIL induced cell death. Silencing both targets sensitized TRAIL-mediated cell death in MDA-231 cells as well as TRAIL resistant breast cancer cells, MCF-7. Combination of TRAIL and siRNA silencing BCL2L12 had no effect in normal human umbilical vein cells and human bone marrow stromal cell. The silencing of BCL2L12 and SOD1 enhanced TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in MDA-231 cells via synergistically activating capsase-3 activity. Hence, here we report siRNAs targeting BCL2L12 and SOD1 as a novel regulator of TRAIL-induced cell death in breast cancer cells, providing a new approach for enhancing TRAIL therapy for breast cancer. The combination of siRNA targeting BCL2L12 and TRAIL can be a highly effective synergistic pair in breast cancer cells with minimal effect on the non-transformed cells. © 2017 UICC.

  13. Estradiol impairs the antiproliferative and proapoptotic effect of Zoledronic acid in hormone sensitive breast cancer cells in vitro

    PubMed Central

    Weingartshofer, Sigrid; Grunt, Thomas W.; Mairhofer, Mario; Tan, Yen; Gamper, Jutta; Singer, Christian F.

    2017-01-01

    Background Zoledronic acid (ZA) has antiresorptive effects and protects from bone metastasis in women with early breast cancer. In addition, in postmenopausal women with endocrine responsive breast cancer ZA prolongs DFS. The exact mechanism is still unclear. We have therefore investigated the effect of increasing concentrations of ZA in breast cancer cell lines in the absence or presence of estradiol to mimic the hormonal environment in vitro. Materials and methods Using assays for cell proliferation (EZ4U, BrdU) and cell death (Annexin/PI), we have analyzed the dose-dependent antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of ZA in two hormone sensitive cell lines (MCF-7 and T47D) and a hormone insensitive, triple negative cell line (MDA-MB-231) in the presence of 0, 1 and 10 nM estradiol. Results In the absence of estradiol, ZA exerts dose-dependent antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic antitumor effects in both, hormone sensitive (MCF-7, T47D) and -insensitive (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cell lines (p<0.0001). In the presence of estradiol, the antitumoral effect of ZA was significantly decreased only in the hormone sensitive MCF-7 and T47D cell lines (p = 0.0008 and p = 0.0008, respectively). Conclusion We have demonstrated that estradiol impairs the antiproliferative and proapoptotic effect of ZA in hormone sensitive, but not in hormone insensitive breast cancer cell lines. Our findings provide a possible explanation for the differential effect of ZA on DFS in pre- and postmenopausal patients with hormone sensitive early breast cancer, which has been demonstrated clinically. We further hypothesize that endocrine insensitive tumors such as triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) should benefit from ZA irrespective of their menopausal status. PMID:28945801

  14. TNF-α sensitizes chemotherapy and radiotherapy against breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Wu, Xiao; Wu, Meng-Yao; Jiang, Min; Zhi, Qiaoming; Bian, Xiaojie; Xu, Meng-Dan; Gong, Fei-Ran; Hou, Juan; Tao, Min; Shou, Liu-Mei; Duan, Weiming; Chen, Kai; Shen, Meng; Li, Wei

    2017-01-01

    Despite new developments in cancer therapy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy remain the cornerstone of breast cancer treatment. Therefore, finding ways to reduce the toxicity and increase sensitivity is particularly important. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) exerts multiple functions in cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. In the present study, we investigated whether TNF-α could enhance the effect of chemotherapy and radiotherapy against breast cancer cells. Cell growth was determined by MTT assay in vitro, and by using nude mouse tumor xenograft model in vivo. Cell cycle and apoptosis/necrosis were evaluated by flow cytometry. DNA damage was visualized by phospho-Histone H2A.X staining. mRNA expression was assessed by using real-time PCR. Protein expression was tested by Western blot assay. TNF-α strengthened the cytotoxicity of docetaxel, 5-FU and cisplatin against breast cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. TNF-α activated NF-κB pathway and dependently up-regulated expressions of CyclinD1, CyclinD2, CyclinE, CDK2, CDK4 and CDK6, the key regulators participating in G1→S phase transition. As a result, TNF-α drove cells out of quiescent G0/G1 phase, entering vulnerable proliferating phases. Treatment of TNF-α brought more DNA damage after Cs 137 -irradiation and strengthened G2/M and S phase cell cycle arrest induced by docetaxel and cisplatin respectively. Moreover, the up-regulation of RIP3 (a necroptosis marker) by 5-FU, and the activation of RIP3 by TNF-α, synergistically triggered necroptosis (programmed necrosis). Knockdown of RIP3 attenuated the synergetic effect of TNF-α and 5-FU. TNF-α presented radiotherapy- and chemotherapy-sensitizing effects against breast cancer cells.

  15. Plasma tea polyphenol levels and subsequent risk of breast cancer among Japanese women: a nested case-control study.

    PubMed

    Iwasaki, Motoki; Inoue, Manami; Sasazuki, Shizuka; Miura, Tsutomu; Sawada, Norie; Yamaji, Taiki; Shimazu, Taichi; Willett, Walter C; Tsugane, Shoichiro

    2010-12-01

    Although many in vitro and animal studies have suggested a protective effect of green tea against breast cancer, findings from epidemiological studies have been inconsistent. No study has used prediagnostic biomarkers of tea polyphenols, which might play a protective role. A total of 24,226 women aged 40 to 69 years in the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study who responded to the baseline questionnaire and provided blood in 1990-1995 were followed to December 2002. During a mean 10.6 years of follow-up, 144 newly diagnosed breast cancers were identified. Two matched controls for each case were selected from the cohort. Plasma levels of (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (-)-epicatechin (EC), (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), and (-)-epicatechin-3-gallate (ECG) were measured, and the odds ratio (OR) of breast cancer according to plasma level was estimated using a conditional logistic regression model. We found no statistically significant association between plasma tea polyphenol levels and breast cancer risk. Adjusted ORs for the highest versus lowest group were 0.90 (95% CI 0.42-1.96; P for trend = 0.98) for EGC, 0.95 (95% CI 0.43-2.08; P for trend = 0.86) for EC, 1.21 (95% CI 0.52-2.80; P for trend = 0.53) for EGCG, and 1.75 (95% CI 0.81-3.78; P for trend = 0.15) for ECG. Stratified analyses according to baseline menopausal status showed no remarkable difference between two strata. This nested case-control study found no overall association between plasma tea polyphenols and the risk of breast cancer in Japan.

  16. Cultural sensitivity and health promotion: assessing breast cancer education pamphlets designed for African American women.

    PubMed

    Kline, Kimberly N

    2007-01-01

    This study discusses the implications for cultural sensitivity of the rhetorical choices in breast cancer education materials developed specifically for African American audiences by national organizations. Using the PEN-3 model of cultural sensitivity as an analytic framework for a generative rhetorical criticism, this study revealed that adaptations have been made in some pamphlets to acknowledge African American cultural values related to community, self-reliance, spirituality, and distrust of the Western medical establishment, but many messages could be revised to achieve a more comprehensive, balanced, accurate, and audience-specific discussion of the breast cancer issue. Achieving cultural sensitivity in health promotion materials necessitates attention to nuanced meanings in messages, revision of questionable arguments and evidence, and avoidance of ambiguity.

  17. Y-27632 Increases Sensitivity of PANC-1 Cells to Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) in Regulating Cell Proliferation and Migration

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Xing; Bi, Yongyi

    2016-01-01

    Background The study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of (1R,4r)-4-((R)-1-aminoethyl)-N-(pyridin-4-yl) cyclohexanecarboxamide (Y-27632) and (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on the proliferation and migration of PANC-1 cells. EGCG, found in green tea, has been previously shown to be one of the most abundant and powerful catechins in cancer prevention and treatment. Y-27632, a selective inhibitor of rho-associated protein kinase 1, is widely used in treating cardiovascular disease, inflammation, and cancer. Material/Methods PANC-1 cells, maintained in Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s Medium, were treated with dimethyl sulfoxide (control) as well as different concentrations (20, 40, 60, and 80 μg/mL) of EGCG for 48 h. In addition, PANC-1 cells were treated separately with 60 μg/mL EGCG, 20 μM Y-27632, and EGCG combined with Y-27632 (60 μg/mL EGCG + 20 μM Y-27632) for 48 h. The effect of EGCG and Y-27632 on the proliferation and migration of PANC-1 cells was evaluated using Cell Counting Kit-8 and transwell migration assays. The expression of peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor alpha (PPARα) and Caspase-3 mRNA was determined by Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Results EGCG (20–80 μg/mL) inhibited cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. Y-27632 enhanced the sensitivity of PANC-1 cells to EGCG (by increasing the expression of PPARα and Caspase-3 mRNA) and suppressed cell proliferation. PANC-1 cell migration was inhibited by treatment with a combination of EGCG and Y-27632. Conclusions Y-27632 increases the sensitivity of PANC-1 cells to EGCG in regulating cell proliferation and migration, which is likely to be related to the expression of PPARα mRNA and Caspase-3 mRNA. PMID:27694793

  18. In vitro protection of biological macromolecules against oxidative stress and in vivo toxicity evaluation of Acacia nilotica (L.) and ethyl gallate in rats

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Recently, enormous research has been focused on natural bioactive compounds possessing potential antioxidant and anticancer properties using cell lines and animal models. Acacia nilotica (L.) is widely distributed in Asia, Africa, Australia and Kenya. The plant is traditionally used to treat mouth, ear and bone cancer. However, reports on Acacia nilotica (L.) Wild. Ex. Delile subsp. indica (Benth.) Brenan regarding its toxicity profile is limited. Hence in this study, we investigated the antioxidant capacity and acute toxicity of ethyl gallate, a phenolic antioxidant present in the A. nilotica (L.) leaf extract. Methods The antioxidant activity of ethyl gallate against Fenton’s system (Fe3+/H2O2/ascorbic acid) generated oxidative damage to pBR322 DNA and BSA was investigated. We also studied the interaction of ethyl gallate to CT-DNA by wave scan and FTIR analysis. The amount of ethyl gallate present in the A. nilotica (L.) leaf extract was calculated using HPLC and represented in gram equivalence of ethyl gallate. The acute toxicity profile of ethyl gallate in the A. nilotica (L.) leaf extract was analyzed in albino Wistar rats. Measurement of liver and kidney function markers, total proteins and glucose were determined in the serum. Statistical analysis was done using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) tool version 16.0. Results Ethyl gallate was found to be effective at 100 μg/mL concentration by inhibiting the free radical mediated damage to BSA and pBR322 DNA. We also found that the interaction of ethyl gallate and A. nilotica (L.) leaf extract to CT-DNA occurs through intercalation. One gram of A. nilotica (L.) leaf extract was found to be equivalent to 20 mg of ethyl gallate through HPLC analysis. Based on the acute toxicity results, A. nilotica (L.) leaf extract and ethyl gallate as well was found to be non-toxic and safe. Conclusions Results revealed no mortality or abnormal biochemical changes in vivo and the protective effect

  19. The association of allergic sensitization in mother and child in breast-fed and formula-fed infants.

    PubMed

    Wright, A L; Stern, D A; Halonen, M

    2001-01-01

    Human milk contains immunologically active substances potentially capable of altering infant immune response. As part of the prospective Children's Respiratory Study, we assessed whether the association between maternal allergic status and allergic status of the child was altered by breast-feeding. Skin-prick tests for 7 common allergens were administered to 702 6-year-old children and their mothers. The percentage of children sensitized to specific allergens, maternal skin test response to that allergen, and whether or not the child was ever breast-fed was determined. Findings indicated that specific sensitization in the mother was associated with specific sensitization in the child only if the child was breast-fed. This indirectly supports the hypothesis that contents of milk differ with maternal allergic status, and appear to affect allergic status in the child. These results suggest that milk from allergic mothers either promotes a Th2 type immune response or suppresses Th1 immune response in the child.

  20. HRD1 sensitizes breast cancer cells to Tamoxifen by promoting S100A8 degradation

    PubMed Central

    Liang, XiuBin; Li, Min; Shi, Ming; Li, Yan; Jenkins, Gareth; Lin, XiaWen; Wei, XueFei; Jia, ZhiJun; Feng, XueFeng; Su, DongMing; Guo, WanHua

    2017-01-01

    Estrogen receptor alpha positive (ER+) of breast cancer could develop resistance to antiestrogens including Tamoxifen. Our previous study showed that the E3 ubiquitin ligase HRD1 played an important role in anti-breast cancer. However, its role in chemotherapy resistance hasn't been reported. In this study, we found that HRD1 expression was downregulated in Tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer cell line MCF7/Tam compared to the Tamoxifen sensitive cell line MCF7. Moreover, S100A8 is the direct target of HRD1 by proteome analysis. Our data showed that HRD1 decreased the protein level of S100A8 through ubiquitination while HRD1 was regulated by acetylation of histone. More importantly, HRD1 knockdown significantly increased the cell survival of MCF7 cells to the Tamoxifen treatment. HRD1 overexpression sensitized MCF7/Tam cells to the Tamoxifen treatment in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, the decrease of HRD1 expression contributed to Tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer. PMID:28423597

  1. Yo antibodies in ovarian and breast cancer patients detected by a sensitive immunoprecipitation technique.

    PubMed

    Monstad, S E; Storstein, A; Dørum, A; Knudsen, A; Lønning, P E; Salvesen, H B; Aarseth, J H; Vedeler, C A

    2006-04-01

    Onconeural antibodies are found in patients with cancer and are associated with paraneoplastic neurological syndromes (PNS). The objective of the present study was to assess the frequency of Yo antibodies in ovarian and breast cancer using a sensitive immunoprecipitation technique, and to look for any association of Yo antibodies with neurological symptoms and prognostic factors. A multiwell adapted fluid-phase immunoassay using radiolabelled recombinant cerebellar degeneration related protein (cdr2), produced by coupled in vitro transcription/translation was used for the detection of Yo antibodies. This technique combines high specificity and sensitivity with high sample analysing capacity for the antibody in question. Sera or EDTA-blood from 810 ovarian (n = 557) and breast cancer (n = 253) patients were analysed for Yo antibodies by immunoprecipitation, as well as immunofluorescence and immune blots. Two hundred healthy blood donors and sera from 17 patients with paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration and Yo antibodies served as controls. Immunoprecipitation was more sensitive in detecting Yo antibodies than immunofluorescence and immune blots. The prevalence of Yo antibodies was 13/557 (2.3%) in ovarian cancer and 4/253 (1.6%) in breast cancer using immunoprecipitation. Yo antibodies were not correlated with specific histological subgroups. The Yo index of ovarian cancer patients in FIGO stage IV was higher compared to FIGO stage I-III. The prevalence of Yo antibodies was 3 times higher in patients with stage III breast cancer than in stage I and II. Only 2/17 (11.8%) patients with Yo antibodies detected during the screen of 810 cancer patients had PNS. The results show that the prevalence of Yo antibodies is low in ovarian and breast cancer. Yo antibodies may be associated with advanced cancer, but less often with PNS.

  2. Estrogen-anchored pH-sensitive liposomes as nanomodule designed for site-specific delivery of doxorubicin in breast cancer therapy.

    PubMed

    Paliwal, Shivani R; Paliwal, Rishi; Pal, Harish C; Saxena, Ajeet K; Sharma, Pradyumana R; Gupta, Prem N; Agrawal, Govind P; Vyas, Suresh P

    2012-01-01

    The present investigation reports the development of nanoengineered estrogen receptor (ER) targeted pH-sensitive liposome for the site-specific intracellular delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) for breast cancer therapy. Estrone, a bioligand, was anchored on the surface of pH-sensitive liposome for drug targeting to ERs. The estrone-anchored pH-sensitive liposomes (ES-pH-sensitive-SL) showed fusogenic potential at acidic pH (5.5). In vitro cytotoxicity studies carried out on ER-positive MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells revealed that ES-pH-sensitive-SL formulation was more cytotoxic than non-pH-sensitive targeted liposomes (ES-SL). The flow cytometry analysis confirmed significant enhanced uptake (p < 0.05) of ES-pH-sensitive-SL by MCF-7 cells. Intracellular delivery and nuclear localization of the DOX was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy. The mechanism for higher cytotoxicity shown by estrone-anchored pH-sensitive liposomal-DOX was elucidated using reactive oxygen species (ROS) determination. The in vivo biodistribution studies and antitumor activities of formulations were evaluated on tumor bearing female Balb/c mice followed by intravenous administration. The ES-pH-sensitive-SL efficiently suppressed the breast tumor growth in comparison to both ES-SL and free DOX. Serum enzyme activities such as LDH and CPK levels were assayed for the evaluation of DOX induced cardiotoxicity. The ES-pH-sensitive-SL accelerated the intracellular trafficking of encapsulated DOX, thus increasing the therapeutic efficacy. The findings support that estrone-anchored pH-sensitive liposomes could be one of the promising nanocarriers for the targeted intracellular delivery of anticancer agents to breast cancer with reduced systemic side effects.

  3. Transdermal solid delivery of epigallocatechin-3-gallate using self-double-emulsifying drug delivery system as vehicle: Formulation, evaluation and vesicle-skin interaction.

    PubMed

    Hu, Caibiao; Gu, Chengyu; Fang, Qiao; Wang, Qiang; Xia, Qiang

    2016-02-01

    The present study investigated a self-double-emulsifying drug delivery system loaded with epigallocatechin-3-gallate to improve epigallocatechin-3-gallate skin retention. The long chain solid lipids (cetostearyl alcohol) and macadamia oil were utilized as a carrier to deliver the bioactive ingredient. Response surface methodology was used to optimize the formulation, and the solid lipid to total lipid weight ratio, concentration of epigallocatechin-3-gallate and hydrophilic surfactant on skin retention were found to be the principal factors. The optimum formulation with high encapsulation efficiency (95.75%), self-double-emulsification performance (99.58%) and skin retention (87.24%) were derived from the fitted models and experimentally examined, demonstrating a reasonable agreement between experimental and predicted values. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate-self-double-emulsifying drug delivery system was found to be stable for 3 months. Transdermal studies could explain a higher skin diffusion of epigallocatechin-3-gallate from the self-double-emulsifying drug delivery system compared with EGCG aqueous solution. In vitro cytotoxicity showed that epigallocatechin-3-gallate-self-double-emulsifying drug delivery system did not exert hazardous effect on L929 cells up to 1:10. © The Author(s) 2015.

  4. Integrated Bioenvironmental Hazards Research Program

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2004-01-01

    Elliott S, ZhaoW, Curiel TJ, Beckman BS, Burow ME. Epigallocatechin gallate ( EGCG ) induces growth inhibition and apoptosis in human breast cancer...Zhao DY, Elliott S, ZhaoW, Curiel TJ, Beckman BS, Burow ME. " Epigallocatechin gallate ( EGCG ) induces growth inhibition and apoptosis in human breast

  5. Sensitivity of Breast Tumors to Oncolytic Viruses

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-08-01

    reproductions will be in black and white. 14. ABSTRACT The goal of this project is to develop novel therapies for breast cancer based on the oncolytic...effect than breast cancer cells. However, in syngeneic breast cancer system in vivo, rM51R-M virus is only partially effective at killing breast tumors...aggressive tumors that are resistant to more conventional therapies. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Vesicular stomatitis virus, interleukin 12, breast cancer

  6. Sensitive detection of major food allergens in breast milk: first gateway for allergenic contact during breastfeeding.

    PubMed

    Pastor-Vargas, C; Maroto, A S; Díaz-Perales, A; Villaba, M; Casillas Diaz, N; Vivanco, F; Cuesta-Herranz, J

    2015-08-01

    Food allergy is recognized as a major public health issue, especially in early childhood. It has been hypothesized that early sensitization to food allergens maybe due to their ingestion as components dissolved in the milk during the breastfeeding, explaining reaction to a food, which has never been taken before. Thus, the aim of this work has been to detect the presence of the food allergens in breast milk by microarray technology. We produced a homemade microarray with antibodies produced against major food allergens. The antibody microarray was incubated with breast milk from 14 women collected from Fundación Jiménez Díaz Hospital. In this way, we demonstrated the presence of major foods allergens in breast milk. The analysis of allergens presented in breast milk could be a useful tool in allergy prevention and could provide us a key data on the role of this feeding in tolerance induction or sensitization in children. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Increased cellular uptake of lauryl gallate loaded in superparamagnetic poly(methyl methacrylate) nanoparticles due to surface modification with folic acid.

    PubMed

    Feuser, Paulo Emilio; Arévalo, Juan Marcelo Carpio; Junior, Enio Lima; Rossi, Gustavo Rodrigues; da Silva Trindade, Edvaldo; Rocha, Maria Eliane Merlin; Jacques, Amanda Virtuoso; Ricci-Júnior, Eduardo; Santos-Silva, Maria Claudia; Sayer, Claudia; de Araújo, Pedro H Hermes

    2016-12-01

    Lauryl gallate loaded in superparamagnetic poly(methyl methacrylate) nanoparticles surface modified with folic acid were synthesized by miniemulsion polymerization in just one step. In vitro biocompatibility and cytotoxicity assays on L929 (murine fibroblast), human red blood, and HeLa (uterine colon cancer) cells were performed. The effect of folic acid at the nanoparticles surface was evaluated through cellular uptake assays in HeLa cells. Results showed that the presence of folic acid did not affect substantially the polymer particle size (~120 nm), the superparamagnetic behavior, the encapsulation efficiency of lauryl gallate (~87 %), the Zeta potential (~38 mV) of the polymeric nanoparticles or the release profile of lauryl gallate. The release profile of lauryl gallate from superparamagnetic poly(methyl methacrylate) nanoparticles presented an initial burst effect (0-1 h) followed by a slow and sustained release, indicating a biphasic release system. Lauryl gallate loaded in superparamagnetic poly(methyl methacrylate) nanoparticles with folic acid did not present cytotoxicity effects on L929 and human red blood cells. However, free lauryl gallate presented significant cytotoxic effects on L929 and human red blood cells at all tested concentrations. The presence of folic acid increased the cytotoxicity of lauryl gallate loaded in nanoparticles on HeLa cells due to a higher cellular uptake when HeLa cells were incubated at 37 °C. On the other hand, when the nanoparticles were incubated at low temperature (4 °C) cellular uptake was not observed, suggesting that the uptake occurred by folate receptor mediated energy-dependent endocytosis. Based on presented results our work suggests that this carrier system can be an excellent alternative in targeted drug delivery by folate receptor.

  8. Gene polymorphisms, breast-feeding, and development of food sensitization in early childhood.

    PubMed

    Hong, Xiumei; Wang, Guoying; Liu, Xin; Kumar, Rajesh; Tsai, Hui-Ju; Arguelles, Lester; Hao, Ke; Pearson, Colleen; Ortiz, Kathryn; Bonzagni, Anthony; Apollon, Stephanie; Fu, Lingling; Caruso, Deanna; Pongracic, Jacqueline A; Schleimer, Robert; Holt, Patrick G; Bauchner, Howard; Wang, Xiaobin

    2011-08-01

    The effect of breast-feeding on the development of allergic disease is uncertain. There are no data that show whether this relationship varies by individual genotypes. We sought to evaluate the effect of breast-feeding and gene-breast-feeding interactions on food sensitization (FS) in a prospective US birth cohort. This study included 970 children who were prospectively followed since birth. Breast-feeding history was obtained from a standardized questionnaire interview. FS was defined as a specific IgE level of 0.35 kU(A)/L or greater to any of 8 common food allergens. Eighty-eight potentially functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped from 18 genes involved in innate immunity or T(H)1/T(H)2 balance. Logistic regression models were used to test the effects of breast-feeding and gene-breast-feeding interactions on FS, with adjustment for pertinent covariates. Children who were ever breast-fed (n = 739), including exclusively breast-fed children, were at a 1.5 (95% CI, 1.1-2.1; P = .019) times higher risk of FS than never breast-fed children (n = 231). This association was significantly modified by rs425648 in the IL-12 receptor β1 gene (IL12RB1; P for interaction = .0007): breast-feeding increased the risk of FS (odds ratio, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.4-3.1; P = .0005) in children carrying the GG genotype but decreased the risk (odds ratio, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.3-1.4; P = .252) in children carrying the GT/TT genotype. Similar interactions were observed for SNPs in the Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9; rs352140) and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP; rs3806933) genes. The interaction between the combined genotypes of the 3 SNPs and breast-feeding on FS was even stronger (P for interaction < 10⁻⁵). Our data suggest that the effect of breast-feeding on FS was modified by SNPs in the IL12RB1, TLR9, and TSLP genes both individually and jointly. Our findings underscore the importance of considering individual genetic variations in assessing this relationship

  9. Multifunctional effect of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) in downregulation of gelatinase-A (MMP-2) in human breast cancer cell line MCF-7.

    PubMed

    Sen, Triparna; Moulik, Shuvojit; Dutta, Anindita; Choudhury, Paromita Roy; Banerji, Aniruddha; Das, Shamik; Roy, Madhumita; Chatterjee, Amitava

    2009-02-13

    The tumor inhibiting property of green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is well documented. Studies reveal that matrix-metalloproteinases (MMPs) play pivotal roles in tumor invasion through degradation of basement membranes and extracellular matrix (ECM). We studied the effect of EGCG on matrixmetalloproteinases-2 (MMP-2), the factors involved in activation, secretion and signaling molecules that might be involved in the regulation of MMP-2 in human breast cancer cell line, MCF-7. MCF-7 was treated with EGCG (20 muM, 24 h), the effect of EGCG on MMP-2 expression, activity and its regulatory molecules were studied by gelatin zymography, Western blot, quantitative and semi-quantitative real time RT-PCR, immunoflourescence and cell adhesion assay. EGCG treatment reduced the activity, protein expression and mRNA expression level of MMP-2. EGCG treatment reduced the expression of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), membrane type-1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and reduced the adhesion of MCF-7 cells to ECM, fibronectin and vitronectin. Real time RT-PCR revealed a reduced expression of integrin receptors alpha5, beta1, alphav and beta3 due to EGCG treatment. Down regulation of expression of MT1-MMP, NF-kB, VEGF and disruption of functional status of integrin receptors may indicate decreased MMP-2 activation; low levels of FAK expression might indicate disruption in FAK-induced MMP-2 secretion and decrease in activation of phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase (PI-3K), extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) indicates probable hindrance in MMP-2 regulation and induction. We propose EGCG as potential inhibitor of expression and activity of pro-MMP-2 by a process involving multiple regulatory molecules in MCF-7.

  10. Prediction of oxidation parameters of purified Kilka fish oil including gallic acid and methyl gallate by adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and artificial neural network.

    PubMed

    Asnaashari, Maryam; Farhoosh, Reza; Farahmandfar, Reza

    2016-10-01

    As a result of concerns regarding possible health hazards of synthetic antioxidants, gallic acid and methyl gallate may be introduced as natural antioxidants to improve oxidative stability of marine oil. Since conventional modelling could not predict the oxidative parameters precisely, artificial neural network (ANN) and neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) modelling with three inputs, including type of antioxidant (gallic acid and methyl gallate), temperature (35, 45 and 55 °C) and concentration (0, 200, 400, 800 and 1600 mg L(-1) ) and four outputs containing induction period (IP), slope of initial stage of oxidation curve (k1 ) and slope of propagation stage of oxidation curve (k2 ) and peroxide value at the IP (PVIP ) were performed to predict the oxidation parameters of Kilka oil triacylglycerols and were compared to multiple linear regression (MLR). The results showed ANFIS was the best model with high coefficient of determination (R(2)  = 0.99, 0.99, 0.92 and 0.77 for IP, k1 , k2 and PVIP , respectively). So, the RMSE and MAE values for IP were 7.49 and 4.92 in ANFIS model. However, they were to be 15.95 and 10.88 and 34.14 and 3.60 for the best MLP structure and MLR, respectively. So, MLR showed the minimum accuracy among the constructed models. Sensitivity analysis based on the ANFIS model suggested a high sensitivity of oxidation parameters, particularly the induction period on concentrations of gallic acid and methyl gallate due to their high antioxidant activity to retard oil oxidation and enhanced Kilka oil shelf life. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  11. Antifibrotic properties of epigallocatechin-3-gallate in endometriosis.

    PubMed

    Matsuzaki, Sachiko; Darcha, Claude

    2014-08-01

    Is epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) treatment effective in the treatment of fibrosis in endometriosis? EGCG appears to have antifibrotic properties in endometriosis. Histologically, endometriosis is characterized by dense fibrous tissue surrounding the endometrial glands and stroma. However, only a few studies to date have evaluated candidate new therapies for endometriosis-associated fibrosis. For this laboratory study, samples from 55 patients (45 with and 10 without endometriosis) of reproductive age with normal menstrual cycles were analyzed. A total of 40 nude mice received single injection proliferative endometrial fragments from a total of 10 samples. The in vitro effects of EGCG and N-acetyl-l-cysteine on fibrotic markers (alpha-smooth muscle actin, type I collagen, connective tissue growth factor and fibronectin) with and without transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 stimulation, as well as on cell proliferation, migration and invasion and collagen gel contraction of endometrial and endometriotic stromal cells were evaluated by real-time PCR, immunocytochemistry, cell proliferation assays, in vitro migration and invasion assays and/or collagen gel contraction assays. The in vitro effects of EGCG on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and Smad signaling pathways in endometrial and endometriotic stromal cells were evaluated by western blotting. Additionally, the effects of EGCG treatment on endometriotic implants were evaluated in a xenograft model of endometriosis in immunodeficient nude mice. Treatment with EGCG significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion of endometrial and endometriotic stromal cells from patients with endometriosis. In addition, EGCG treatment significantly decreased the TGF-β1-dependent increase in the mRNA expression of fibrotic markers in both endometriotic and endometrial stromal cells. Both endometriotic and endometrial stromal cell-mediated contraction of collagen gels were significantly attenuated at 8

  12. Evaluating the diagnostic sensitivity of computed diffusion-weighted MR imaging in the detection of breast cancer.

    PubMed

    O'Flynn, Elizabeth A M; Blackledge, Matthew; Collins, David; Downey, Katherine; Doran, Simon; Patel, Hardik; Dumonteil, Sam; Mok, Wing; Leach, Martin O; Koh, Dow-Mu

    2016-07-01

    To evaluate the diagnostic sensitivity of computed diffusion-weighted (DW)-MR imaging for the detection of breast cancer. Local research ethics approval was obtained. A total of 61 women (median 48 years) underwent dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE)- and DW-MR between January 2011 and March 2012, including 27 with breast cancer on core biopsy and 34 normal cases. Standard ADC maps using all four b values (0, 350, 700, 1150) were used to generate computed DW-MR images at b = 1500 s/mm(2) and b = 2000 s/mm(2) . Four image sets were read sequentially by two readers: acquired b = 1150 s/mm(2) , computed b = 1500 s/mm(2) and b = 2000 s/mm(2) , and DCE-MR at an early time point. Cancer detection was rated using a five-point scale; image quality and background suppression were rated using a four-point scale. The diagnostic sensitivity for breast cancer detection was compared using the McNemar test and inter-reader agreement with a Kappa value. Computed DW-MR resulted in higher overall diagnostic sensitivity with b = 2000 s/mm(2) having a mean diagnostic sensitivity of 76% (range 49.8-93.7%) and b = 1500 s/mm(2) having a mean diagnostic sensitivity of 70.3% (range 32-97.7%) compared with 44.4% (range 25.5-64.7%) for acquired b = 1150 s/mm(2) (both p = 0.0001). Computed DW-MR images produced better image quality and background suppression (mean scores for both readers: 2.55 and 2.9 for b 1500 s/mm(2) ; 2.55 and 3.15 for b 2000 s/mm(2) , respectively) than the acquired b value 1150 s/mm(2) images (mean scores for both readers: 2.4 and 2.45, respectively). Computed DW-MR imaging has the potential to improve the diagnostic sensitivity of breast cancer detection compared to acquired DW-MR. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;44:130-137. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Down-Regulation of Myeloid Cell Leukemia 1 by Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Sensitizes Rheumatoid Arthritis Synovial Fibroblasts to Tumor Necrosis Factor α–Induced Apoptosis

    PubMed Central

    Ahmed, Salahuddin; Silverman, Matthew D.; Marotte, Hubert; Kwan, Kevin; Matuszczak, Natalie; Koch, Alisa E.

    2010-01-01

    Objective Overexpression of the antiapoptotic protein myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl-1) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovial fibroblasts is a major cause of their resistance to tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)–induced apoptosis. This study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) in down-regulating Mcl-1 expression and its mechanism of RA synovial fibroblast sensitization to TNFα-induced apoptosis. Methods EGCG effects on cultured RA synovial fibroblast cell morphology, proliferation, and viability over 72 hours were determined by microscopy and a fluorescent cell enumeration assay. Caspase 3 activity was determined by a colorimetric assay. Western blotting was used to evaluate the apoptosis mediators poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), Mcl-1, Bcl-2, Akt, and nuclear translocation of NF-κB. Results In RA synovial fibroblasts, EGCG (5–50 μM) inhibited constitutive and TNFα-induced Mcl-1 protein expression in a concentration- and time-dependent manner (P < 0.05). Importantly, EGCG specifically abrogated Mcl-1 expression in RA synovial fibroblasts and affected Mcl-1 expression to a lesser extent in osteoarthritis and normal synovial fibroblasts or endothelial cells. Inhibition of Mcl-1 by EGCG triggered caspase 3 activity in RA synovial fibroblasts, which was mediated via down-regulation of the TNFα-induced Akt and NF-κB pathways. Caspase 3 activation by EGCG also suppressed RA synovial fibroblast growth, and this effect was mimicked by Akt and NF-κB inhibitors. Interestingly, Mcl-1 degradation by EGCG sensitized RA synovial fibroblasts to TNFα-induced PARP cleavage and apoptotic cell death. Conclusion Our findings indicate that EGCG itself induces apoptosis and further sensitizes RA synovial fibroblasts to TNFα-induced apoptosis by specifically blocking Mcl-1 expression and, hence, may be of promising adjunct therapeutic value in regulating the invasive growth of synovial fibroblasts in RA. PMID:19404960

  14. Sensitivity of Breast Tumors to Oncolytic Viruses

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-08-01

    therapies for breast cancer based on the oncolytic virus, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). Studies have shown that matrix (M) protein mutants of VSV, such...more resistant to VSV-induced cytopathic effect than breast cancer cells. However, in syngeneic breast cancer system in vivo, rM51R-M virus is only...interleukin 12, breast cancer , interferon 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT 18. NUMBER OF PAGES 19a. NAME OF RESPONSIBLE

  15. Low breast milk TGF-beta2 is induced by Lactobacillus reuteri supplementation and associates with reduced risk of sensitization during infancy.

    PubMed

    Böttcher, Malin Fagerås; Abrahamsson, Thomas Robert; Fredriksson, Mats; Jakobsson, Ted; Björkstén, Bengt

    2008-09-01

    The immunological composition of breast milk differs between mothers. The reasons for these differences and the consequences for the breast-fed infants are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri supplementation on the immunological composition of breast milk in relation to sensitization and eczema in the babies. Total IgA, secretory IgA (SIgA), TGF-beta1, TGF-beta2, IL-10, TNF, soluble CD14 (sCD14), and Na/K ratios were analyzed in colostrum and mature milk obtained from women treated with L. reuteri (n = 54) or placebo (n = 55) from gestational week 36 until delivery. Bacteriological analyses of L. reuteri were performed in faecal samples of the mothers. The infants were followed prospectively for 2 yr regarding development of eczema and sensitization as defined by a positive skin prick test and/or circulating allergen-specific IgE antibodies at 6, 12, and 24 months of age. Supplementation of L. reuteri during pregnancy was associated with low levels of TGF-beta2 and slightly increased levels of IL-10 in colostrum. For TGF-beta2, this association was most pronounced in mothers with detectable L. reuteri in faeces. Infants receiving breast milk with low levels of TGF-beta2 were less likely to become sensitized during their first 2 yr of life. A similar trend was observed for development of IgE-associated eczema. The levels of total IgA, SIgA, TGF-beta1, TNF, sCD14, and Na/K ratios in breast milk were not affected by the intake of L. reuteri. None of these parameters correlated with sensitization or development of eczema in the infant, except for high Na/K ratios that associated with increased risk of sensitization. Supplementation with L. reuteri during late pregnancy reduces breast milk levels of TGF-beta2, and low levels of this cytokine are associated with less sensitization and possibly less IgE-associated eczema in breast-fed infants.

  16. Patient Satisfaction and Nipple-Areola Sensitivity After Bilateral Prophylactic Mastectomy and Immediate Implant Breast Reconstruction in a High Breast Cancer Risk Population: Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy Versus Skin-Sparing Mastectomy.

    PubMed

    van Verschuer, Victorien M T; Mureau, Marc A M; Gopie, Jessica P; Vos, Elvira L; Verhoef, Cornelis; Menke-Pluijmers, Marian B E; Koppert, Linetta B

    2016-08-01

    Prophylactic skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM) and nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) both are associated with major risk reduction in women with high breast cancer risk. Skin-sparing mastectomy followed by nipple-areola complex (NAC) reconstruction is standard of care, but NSM is increasingly being performed. Preservation of the NAC in NSM may increase patient satisfaction. Therefore, we measured NAC sensitivity after NSM and compared patient satisfaction as well as body image after SSM with NSM. Women who underwent prophylactic bilateral SSM or NSM and immediate implant breast reconstruction between 2002 and 2012 were eligible. Patient satisfaction was assessed using the Breast-Q reconstruction questionnaire, body image using Hopwood's body image scale (BIS), and satisfaction with the (reconstructed) NAC using a study-specific questionnaire. In the NSM group, NAC sensitivity was assessed using Semmes Weinstein monofilaments with a 5-point scale and compared with NAC sensitivity in a nonoperated control group. The SSM group comprised 25 women (50 SSMs) and the NSM group 20 women (39 NSMs). Median follow-up was 65 months in the SSM group compared with 27 months in the NSM group (P < 0.01). In univariable analyses, Breast-Q scores were favorable in the SSM group compared with the NSM group with trends for higher "satisfaction with breasts" (66.2 vs 56.6; P = 0.06) and "satisfaction with outcome" (76.1 vs 61.5; P = 0.09). Mean BIS score of 7.1/30 in the SSM group and 9.3/30 in the NSM group (P = 0.35). Adjusted for follow-up, there were no significant differences in Breast-Q scores, nor in BIS scores. Interestingly, satisfaction with the (reconstructed) NAC was similar after SSM and NSM. Nipple-areola complex sensitivity was lower in the NSM group (mean score, 1.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.5-2.3) compared with the control group (mean score, 4.7; 95% confidence interval, 4.6-4.9; P < 0.01). Breast-Q scores regarding satisfaction with breasts and overall outcome were in

  17. Unique proteomic signature for radiation sensitive patients; a comparative study between normo-sensitive and radiation sensitive breast cancer patients.

    PubMed

    Skiöld, Sara; Azimzadeh, Omid; Merl-Pham, Juliane; Naslund, Ingemar; Wersall, Peter; Lidbrink, Elisabet; Tapio, Soile; Harms-Ringdahl, Mats; Haghdoost, Siamak

    2015-06-01

    Radiation therapy is a cornerstone of modern cancer treatment. Understanding the mechanisms behind normal tissue sensitivity is essential in order to minimize adverse side effects and yet to prevent local cancer reoccurrence. The aim of this study was to identify biomarkers of radiation sensitivity to enable personalized cancer treatment. To investigate the mechanisms behind radiation sensitivity a pilot study was made where eight radiation-sensitive and nine normo-sensitive patients were selected from a cohort of 2914 breast cancer patients, based on acute tissue reactions after radiation therapy. Whole blood was sampled and irradiated in vitro with 0, 1, or 150 mGy followed by 3 h incubation at 37°C. The leukocytes of the two groups were isolated, pooled and protein expression profiles were investigated using isotope-coded protein labeling method (ICPL). First, leukocytes from the in vitro irradiated whole blood from normo-sensitive and extremely sensitive patients were compared to the non-irradiated controls. To validate this first study a second ICPL analysis comparing only the non-irradiated samples was conducted. Both approaches showed unique proteomic signatures separating the two groups at the basal level and after doses of 1 and 150 mGy. Pathway analyses of both proteomic approaches suggest that oxidative stress response, coagulation properties and acute phase response are hallmarks of radiation sensitivity supporting our previous study on oxidative stress response. This investigation provides unique characteristics of radiation sensitivity essential for individualized radiation therapy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. The role of cone-beam breast-CT for breast cancer detection relative to breast density.

    PubMed

    Wienbeck, Susanne; Uhlig, Johannes; Luftner-Nagel, Susanne; Zapf, Antonia; Surov, Alexey; von Fintel, Eva; Stahnke, Vera; Lotz, Joachim; Fischer, Uwe

    2017-12-01

    To evaluate the impact of breast density on the diagnostic accuracy of non-contrast cone-beam breast computed tomography (CBBCT) in comparison to mammography for the detection of breast masses. A retrospective study was conducted from August 2015 to July 2016. Fifty-nine patients (65 breasts, 112 lesions) with BI-RADS, 5th edition 4 or 5 assessment in mammography and/or ultrasound of the breast received an additional non-contrast CBBCT. Independent double blind reading by two radiologists was performed for mammography and CBBCT imaging. Sensitivity, specificity and AUC were compared between the modalities. Breast lesions were histologically examined in 85 of 112 lesions (76%). The overall sensitivity for CBBCT (reader 1: 91%, reader 2: 88%) was higher than in mammography (both: 68%, p<0.001), and also for the high-density group (p<0.05). The specificity and AUC was higher for mammography in comparison to CBBCT (p<0.05 and p<0.001). The interobserver agreement (ICC) between the readers was 90% (95% CI: 86-93%) for mammography and 87% (95% CI: 82-91%) for CBBCT. Compared with two-view mammography, non-contrast CBBCT has higher sensitivity, lower specificity, and lower AUC for breast mass detection in both high and low density breasts. • Overall sensitivity for non-contrast CBBCT ranged between 88%-91%. • Sensitivity was higher for CBBCT than mammography in both density types (p<0.001). • Specificity was higher for mammography than CBBCT in both density types (p<0.05). • AUC was larger for mammography than CBBCT in both density types (p<0.001).

  19. MiR-33a Decreases High-Density Lipoprotein-Induced Radiation Sensitivity in Breast Cancer

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wolfe, Adam R.; Bambhroliya, Arvind; Morgan Welch Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Program and Clinic, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas

    Purpose: We previously showed that high-density lipoprotein (HDL) radiosensitizes inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) cells in vitro and is associated with better local control after radiation therapy in IBC patients. The microRNA miR-33 family negatively regulates the adenosine triphosphate binding cassette transporter subfamily A member 1. We hypothesized that variations in miR-33a expression in IBC cancer cells versus non-IBC cells would correlate with radiation sensitivity following exposure to HDL in vitro. Methods and Materials: MiR-33a expression was analyzed by reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction in 4 cell lines representing common clinical breast cancer subtypes. Overexpression and knockdown of miR-33a was demonstrated via transfection of anmore » miR-33a mimic or an anti-miR-33a construct in high- and low-expressing miR-33a cell lines. Clonogenic survival in vitro in these cells was quantified at baseline and following HDL treatment. MiR-33a expression on distant relapse-free survival (DRFS) of 210 cases downloaded from the Oxford breast cancer dataset was determined. Results: Expression levels of miR-33a were lower in IBC cell lines and IBC tumor samples than in non-IBC cell lines and normal breast tissue. Cholesterol concentrations in the cell membranes were higher in IBC cells than in non-IBC cells. Clonogenic survival following 24 hours of HDL treatment was decreased in response to irradiation in the low-miR-33a–expressing cell lines SUM149 and KPL4, but survival following HDL treatment decreased in the high-miR-33a–expressing cell lines MDA-MB-231 and SUM159. In the high-miR-33a–expressing cell lines, anti-miR-33a transfection decreased radiation resistance in clonogenic assays. Conversely, in the low-miR-33a–expressing cell lines, the miR-33a mimic reversed the HDL-induced radiation sensitization. Breast cancer patients in the top quartile based on miR-33a expression had markedly lower rates of DRFS than the bottom

  20. Breast-feeding does not protect against allergic sensitization in early childhood and allergy-associated disease at age 7 years.

    PubMed

    Jelding-Dannemand, Ea; Malby Schoos, Ann-Marie; Bisgaard, Hans

    2015-11-01

    Extended breast-feeding is recommended for newborn children at risk of allergy-associated diseases, but the evidence of a protective effect on sensitization and these diseases remains elusive. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the duration of exclusive breast-feeding on the development of sensitization in preschool children. Information on breast-feeding was gathered by interviews involving 335 children aged 1, 6, and 12 months from the Copenhagen Prospective Study on Asthma in Childhood2000 birth cohort born to mothers with a history of asthma. Skin prick test responses and specific IgE levels against 12 common inhalant and 10 food allergens were assessed longitudinally at ages ½ year, 1½ years, 4 years, and 6 years. Eczema, wheeze/asthma, and allergic rhinitis were diagnosed at the Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood clinic at 7 years of age, strictly adhering to predefined algorithms. Associations between duration of exclusive breast-feeding and outcomes were analyzed by logistic regression. We found no significant association between duration of exclusive breast-feeding and development of sensitization in the first 6 years of life (odds ratio [OR]: ½ year, 1.10 [95% CI, 0.90-1.36]; 1½ years, 1.15 [95% CI, 0.97-1.36]; 4 years, 1.08 [95% CI, 0.93-1.25]; and 6 years, 0.96 [95% CI, 0.84-1.10]) or with current eczema, wheeze/asthma, and allergic rhinitis at age 7 years (OR, 1.07 [95% CI, 0.92-1.24]; OR, 0.97 [95% CI, 0.82-1.14]; and OR, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.84-1.23], respectively). Adjusting for reverse causation by excluding children with eczema, wheeze, or a positive skin prick test response before ending exclusive breast-feeding did not alter the results. Exclusive breast-feeding does not affect sensitization in early childhood or associated diseases at 7 years of age in at-risk children. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. The value of FATS expression in predicting sensitivity to radiotherapy in breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jun; Wu, Nan; Zhang, Tiemei; Sun, Tao; Su, Yi; Zhao, Jing; Mu, Kun; Jin, Zhao; Gao, Ming; Liu, Juntian; Gu, Lin

    2017-06-13

    The fragile-site associated tumor suppressor (FATS) is a newly identified tumor suppressor involved in radiation-induced tumorigenesis. The purpose of this study was to characterize FATS expression in breast cancers about radiotherapy benefit, patient characteristics, and prognosis. The expression of FATS mRNA was silent or downregulated in 95.2% of breast cancer samples compared with paired normal controls (P < .0001). Negative status of FATS was correlated with higher nuclear grade (P = .01) and shorter disease-free survival (DFS) of breast cancer (P = .036). In a multivariate analysis, FATS expression showed favorable prognostic value for DFS (odds ratio, 0.532; 95% confidence interval, 0.299 to 0.947; (P = .032). Furthermore, improved survival time was seen in FATS-positive patients receiving radiotherapy (P = .006). The results of multivariate analysis revealed independent prognostic value of FATS expression in predicting longer DFS (odds ratio, 0.377; 95% confidence interval, 0.176 to 0.809; P = 0.012) for patients receiving adjuvant radiotherapy. In support of this, reduction of FATS expression in breast cancer cell lines, FATS positive group significantly sensitized than Knock-down of FATS group. Tissue samples from 156 breast cancer patients and 42 controls in tumor bank were studied. FATS gene expression was evaluated using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). FATS function was examined in breast cancer cell lines using siRNA knock-downs and colony forming assays after irradiation. FATS status is a biomarker in breast cancer to identify individuals likely to benefit from radiotherapy.

  2. The value of FATS expression in predicting sensitivity to radiotherapy in breast cancer

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Tiemei; Sun, Tao; Su, Yi; Zhao, Jing; Mu, Kun; Jin, Zhao; Gao, Ming; Liu, Juntian; Gu, Lin

    2017-01-01

    Purpose The fragile-site associated tumor suppressor (FATS) is a newly identified tumor suppressor involved in radiation-induced tumorigenesis. The purpose of this study was to characterize FATS expression in breast cancers about radiotherapy benefit, patient characteristics, and prognosis. Results The expression of FATS mRNA was silent or downregulated in 95.2% of breast cancer samples compared with paired normal controls (P < .0001). Negative status of FATS was correlated with higher nuclear grade (P = .01) and shorter disease-free survival (DFS) of breast cancer (P = .036). In a multivariate analysis, FATS expression showed favorable prognostic value for DFS (odds ratio, 0.532; 95% confidence interval, 0.299 to 0.947; (P = .032). Furthermore, improved survival time was seen in FATS-positive patients receiving radiotherapy (P = .006). The results of multivariate analysis revealed independent prognostic value of FATS expression in predicting longer DFS (odds ratio, 0.377; 95% confidence interval, 0.176 to 0.809; P = 0.012) for patients receiving adjuvant radiotherapy. In support of this, reduction of FATS expression in breast cancer cell lines, FATS positive group significantly sensitized than Knock-down of FATS group. Materials and Methods Tissue samples from 156 breast cancer patients and 42 controls in tumor bank were studied. FATS gene expression was evaluated using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). FATS function was examined in breast cancer cell lines using siRNA knock-downs and colony forming assays after irradiation. Conclusions FATS status is a biomarker in breast cancer to identify individuals likely to benefit from radiotherapy. PMID:28402275

  3. Modelling the effect of GRP78 on anti-oestrogen sensitivity and resistance in breast cancer

    PubMed Central

    Parmar, Jignesh H.; Cook, Katherine L.; Shajahan-Haq, Ayesha N.; Clarke, Pamela A. G.; Tavassoly, Iman; Clarke, Robert; Tyson, John J.; Baumann, William T.

    2013-01-01

    Understanding the origins of resistance to anti-oestrogen drugs is of critical importance to many breast cancer patients. Recent experiments show that knockdown of GRP78, a key gene in the unfolded protein response (UPR), can re-sensitize resistant cells to anti-oestrogens, and overexpression of GRP78 in sensitive cells can cause them to become resistant. These results appear to arise from the operation and interaction of three cellular systems: the UPR, autophagy and apoptosis. To determine whether our current mechanistic understanding of these systems is sufficient to explain the experimental results, we built a mathematical model of the three systems and their interactions. We show that the model is capable of reproducing previously published experimental results and some new data gathered specifically for this paper. The model provides us with a tool to better understand the interactions that bring about anti-oestrogen resistance and the effects of GRP78 on both sensitive and resistant breast cancer cells. PMID:24511377

  4. Selenium Nanoparticles Induce the Chemo-Sensitivity of Fluorouracil Nanoparticles in Breast and Colon Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Abd-Rabou, Ahmed A; Shalby, Aziza B; Ahmed, Hanaa H

    2018-05-11

    Drug resistance is a major challenge of breast and colon cancer therapies leading to treatment failure. The main objective of the current study is to investigate whether selenium nanoparticles (nano-Se) can induce the chemo-sensitivity of 5-fluorouracil (FU)-encapsulated poly (D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles (nano-FU) in breast and colon cancer cell lines. Nano-Se and nano-FU were synthesized and characterized, then applied individually or in combination upon MCF7, MDA-MB-231, HCT 116, and Caco-2 cancerous cell lines. Cytotoxicity, cellular glucose uptake, and apoptosis, as well as malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and zinc (Zn) levels, were investigated upon the different treatments. We have resulted that nano-FU induced cell death in MCF7 and Caco-2 more effectively than MDA-MB-231 and HCT 116 cell lines. Moreover, nano-FU plus nano-Se potentiate MCF7 and Caco-2 chemo-sensitivity were higher than MDA-MB-231 and HCT 116 cancerous cell lines. It is relevant to note that Se and FU nano-formulations inhibited cancer cell bioenergetics via glucose uptake slight blockage. Furthermore, nano-FU increased the levels of NO and MDA in media over cancer cells, while their combinations with nano-Se rebalance the redox status with Zn increment. We noticed that MCF7 cell line is sensitive, while MDA-MB-231 cell line is resistant to Se and nano-Se. This novel approach could be of great potential to enhance the chemo-sensitivity in breast and colon cancer cells.

  5. The Breast International Group 1-98 trial: big results for women with hormone-sensitive early breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Monnier, Alain M

    2007-05-01

    As there is a risk for relapse in early breast cancer, especially at 1-3 years post surgery, the need for adjuvant therapy is clear. In terms of disease-free survival, aromatase inhibitors have emerged as superior to tamoxifen for the adjuvant treatment of hormone-sensitive breast cancer in several Phase III clinical trials. Of these trials, the Breast International Group (BIG) 1-98 trial stands out as unique in design, as it is the only trial to address whether an aromatase inhibitor is more effective as initial adjuvant therapy or as sequential therapy with an aromatase inhibitor and tamoxifen in either order and in rigor of end points and safety evaluations. When compared with tamoxifen, letrozole has been shown to significantly reduce recurrence risk in the overall population by 19% and also significantly reduced recurrence risk in the patient subgroups at increased risk: node-positive and previously chemotherapy-treated patients. Letrozole is the only aromatase inhibitor to demonstrate a significant 27% reduction in the risk of distant metastases (p = 0.001) in the clinically relevant, hormone receptor-positive population in the initial adjuvant setting. Recent results also suggest that letrozole in particular reduces the risk of distant metastases early on after initial surgery for breast cancer. This is important, as early distant metastatic events compose the majority of early recurrences and are a well-recognized predictor of breast cancer death. Letrozole has been found to be well tolerated in the initial adjuvant treatment setting, and these data have been confirmed by long-term safety data from the monotherapy analysis in the BIG 1-98 study. Thus far, the results from the BIG 1-98 trial provide clear support for the use of letrozole in the initial adjuvant treatment of breast cancer. Future studies will provide the definitive answer to questions of which initial adjuvant therapy is superior (i.e., anastrozole or letrozole) and information as to the

  6. Identification of breast cancer cell subtypes sensitive to ATG4B inhibition.

    PubMed

    Bortnik, Svetlana; Choutka, Courtney; Horlings, Hugo M; Leung, Samuel; Baker, Jennifer H; Lebovitz, Chandra; Dragowska, Wieslawa H; Go, Nancy E; Bally, Marcel B; Minchinton, Andrew I; Gelmon, Karen A; Gorski, Sharon M

    2016-10-11

    Autophagy, a lysosome-mediated degradation and recycling process, functions in advanced malignancies to promote cancer cell survival and contribute to cancer progression and drug resistance. While various autophagy inhibition strategies are under investigation for cancer treatment, corresponding patient selection criteria for these autophagy inhibitors need to be developed. Due to its central roles in the autophagy process, the cysteine protease ATG4B is one of the autophagy proteins being pursued as a potential therapeutic target. In this study, we investigated the expression of ATG4B in breast cancer, a heterogeneous disease comprised of several molecular subtypes. We examined a panel of breast cancer cell lines, xenograft tumors, and breast cancer patient specimens for the protein expression of ATG4B, and found a positive association between HER2 and ATG4B protein expression. We showed that HER2-positive cells, but not HER2-negative breast cancer cells, require ATG4B to survive under stress. In HER2-positive cells, cytoprotective autophagy was dependent on ATG4B under both starvation and HER2 inhibition conditions. Combined knockdown of ATG4B and HER2 by siRNA resulted in a significant decrease in cell viability, and the combination of ATG4B knockdown with trastuzumab resulted in a greater reduction in cell viability compared to trastuzumab treatment alone, in both trastuzumab-sensitive and -resistant HER2 overexpressing breast cancer cells. Together these results demonstrate a novel association of ATG4B positive expression with HER2 positive breast cancers and indicate that this subtype is suitable for emerging ATG4B inhibition strategies.

  7. Assessment of extraction parameters on antioxidant capacity, polyphenol content, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epicatechin gallate (ECG) and iriflophenone 3-C-β-glucoside of agarwood (Aquilaria crassna) young leaves.

    PubMed

    Tay, Pei Yin; Tan, Chin Ping; Abas, Faridah; Yim, Hip Seng; Ho, Chun Wai

    2014-08-14

    The effects of ethanol concentration (0%-100%, v/v), solid-to-solvent ratio (1:10-1:60, w/v) and extraction time (30-180 min) on the extraction of polyphenols from agarwood (Aquilaria crassna) were examined. Total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and total flavanol (TF) assays and HPLC-DAD were used for the determination and quantification of polyphenols, flavanol gallates (epigallocatechin gallate--EGCG and epicatechin gallate--ECG) and a benzophenone (iriflophenone 3-C-β-glucoside) from the crude polyphenol extract (CPE) of A. crassna. 2,2'-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity was used to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of the CPE. Experimental results concluded that ethanol concentration and solid-to-solvent ratio had significant effects (p<0.05) on the yields of polyphenol and antioxidant capacity. Extraction time had an insignificant influence on the recovery of EGCG, ECG and iriflophenone 3-C-β-glucoside, as well as radical scavenging capacity from the CPE. The extraction parameters that exhibited maximum yields were 40% (v/v) ethanol, 1:60 (w/v) for 30 min where the TPC, TFC, TF, DPPH, EGCG, ECG and iriflophenone 3-C-β-glucoside levels achieved were 183.5 mg GAE/g DW, 249.0 mg QE/g DW, 4.9 mg CE/g DW, 93.7%, 29.1 mg EGCG/g DW, 44.3 mg ECG/g DW and 39.9 mg iriflophenone 3-C-β-glucoside/g DW respectively. The IC50 of the CPE was 24.6 mg/L.

  8. MiR-129-5p Sensitizes the Response of Her-2 Positive Breast Cancer to Trastuzumab by Reducing Rps6.

    PubMed

    Lu, Xiangdong; Ma, Jingjing; Chu, Jiahui; Shao, Qing; Zhang, Yao; Lu, Guangping; Li, Jun; Huang, Xiang; Li, Wei; Li, Yongfei; Ling, Yang; Zhao, Tao

    2017-01-01

    Trastuzumab is an important treatment used for patients with Her-2-positive breast cancer, but an increasing incidence of trastuzumab resistance has been observed clinically during the past decade. Aberrant microRNA (miR) expression levels are correlated with prognosis and response to trastuzumab in breast cancer. MiR-129-5p is downregulated in trastuzumab-resistant human breast cancer cells (JIMT-1), but its potential function and underlying mechanism remain unclear. Quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to determine the expression levels of miR-129-5p and its potential target genes. The effects of miR-129-5p on cell responses to trastuzumab were analyzed by CCK-8 and flow cytometry assays in Her-2-positive breast cancer cells (SKBR-3 and JIMT-1). Bio-informatics analyses were performed to predict target genes of miR-129-5p, and luciferase assays were carried out to confirm the binding of miR-129-5p and rpS6. MiR-129-5p, which was downregulated and predicted to target rpS6 in trastuzumab-resistant breast cancer cells, enhanced the sensitivity of breast cancer cells to trastuzumab by reducing the expression of rpS6. Moreover, the overexpression of rpS6 reversed the sensitivity of cells to trastuzumab induced by miR-129-5p. MiR-129-5p sensitized Her-2-positive breast cancer to trastuzumab by downregulating rpS6. These findings provide novel insights into the common role of rpS6 and its related molecular mechanisms in mediating trastuzumab-resistance in Her-2-positive breast cancers. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

  9. Breast milk fatty acid composition has a long-term effect on the risk of asthma, eczema, and sensitization.

    PubMed

    van Elten, T M; van Rossem, L; Wijga, A H; Brunekreef, B; de Jongste, J C; Koppelman, G H; Smit, H A

    2015-11-01

    Levels of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and n-6 PUFAs in breast milk are associated with the development of allergic diseases up to school age. However, it is unknown whether this relationship persists when the child becomes older. We therefore studied the association between levels of n-3 PUFAs and n-6 PUFAs in breast milk of allergic- and nonallergic mothers and asthma, eczema and sensitization up to the age of 14 years. The study was nested in the ongoing PIAMA birth cohort. At the child's age of 3 months, 276 mothers provided a breast milk sample. Asthma (N total = 269) and eczema (N total = 274) were self-reported up to the child's age of 14 years. Specific serum IgE levels were measured at the ages of 4, 8 and 12 years (N total = 216). Generalized estimating equations analyses were used to take account of repeated observations. Asthma up to the age of 14 years is less prevalent in children of allergic mothers receiving breast milk with higher levels of n-3 long chain polyunsaturated (LCP) fatty acids (OR 0.50; 95% CI 0.31-0.79), and more prevalent in children of nonallergic mothers receiving breast milk with higher levels of n-6LCP (OR 1.86; 95% CI 1.14-3.03). Weaker associations in similar direction were observed for eczema and sensitization. Direction of associations were consistent and of similar magnitude throughout childhood. The association between breast milk fatty acid composition and asthma, eczema and sensitization persists up to the age of 14 years in children of both allergic and nonallergic mothers. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Antioxidant activity of gallic acid and methyl gallate in triacylglycerols of Kilka fish oil and its oil-in-water emulsion.

    PubMed

    Asnaashari, Maryam; Farhoosh, Reza; Sharif, Ali

    2014-09-15

    The anti-DPPH radical effect as well as anti-peroxide activity of gallic acid, methyl gallate, and α-tocopherol in a bulk Kilka fish oil and its oil-in-water emulsion stabilized by soy protein isolate at 55°C were investigated. Gallic acid with the lowest hydrophobicity (log P=-0.28) was found to be the most active antiradical agent (IC50=29.5 μM), followed by methyl gallate (IC50=38.0 μM, log P=-0.23) and α-tocopherol (IC50=105.3 μM, log P=0.70). The anti-peroxide activity in the bulk oil system decreased in the order of methyl gallate>gallic acid>α-tocopherol. In the emulsion system, methyl gallate still behaved better than gallic acid, but the highest activity belonged to α-tocopherol. Based on the calculation of a number of kinetic parameters, the antioxidants, in general, showed better performances in the bulk oil system than in the emulsion system. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Mechanism for the antibacterial action of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) on Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Nakayama, Motokazu; Shimatani, Kanami; Ozawa, Tadahiro; Shigemune, Naofumi; Tomiyama, Daisuke; Yui, Koji; Katsuki, Mao; Ikeda, Keisuke; Nonaka, Ai; Miyamoto, Takahisa

    2015-01-01

    Catechins are a class of polyphenols and have high anti-bacterial activity against various microorganisms. Here, we report the mechanism for antibacterial activity of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) against Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis, which is highly sensitive to EGCg. Transmission electron microscope analysis revealed that deposits containing EGCg were found throughout the cell envelope from the outermost surface to the outer surface of cytoplasmic membrane. Aggregating forms of proteins and EGCg were identified as spots that disappeared or showed markedly decreased intensity after the treatment with EGCg compared to the control by two-dimensional electrophoresis. Among the identified proteins included 4 cell surface proteins, such as oligopeptide ABC transporter binding lipoprotein, glucose phosphotransferase system transporter protein, phosphate ABC transporter substrate-binding protein, and penicillin-binding protein 5. Observations of glucose uptake of cells and cell shape B. subtilis after the treatment with EGCg suggested that EGCg inhibits the major functions of these proteins, leading to growth inhibition of B. subtilis.

  12. Immunomodulating effect of epigallocatechin-3-gallate from green tea: mechanisms and applications

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Consuming green tea or its active ingredient, epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG), has been shown consistently to benefit the healthy functioning of several body systems. In the immune system specifically, accumulating evidence has revealed an immunomodulating effect of green tea/EGCG. Several types ...

  13. Paramagnetic resonance of Mn4+ and Mn2+ centers in lanthanum gallate single crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vazhenin, V. A.; Potapov, A. P.; Guseva, V. B.; Artyomov, M. Yu.

    2010-03-01

    An increase in the manganese concentration in lanthanum gallate in the range 0.5-5.0% has been found to result in a complete replacement of individual Mn4+ ions by Mn2+ ions. The relative concentrations and binding energies of individual Mn4+, Mn3+, and Mn2+ ions have been determined. The spin Hamiltonians of the Mn2+ and Mn4+ centers in the rhombohedral and orthorhombic phases, respectively, have been constructed and the orientation of the principal axes of the fine-structure tensor of Mn4+ at room temperature has been found. The possibility of using electron paramagnetic resonance for determining the rotation angles of oxygen octahedra of lanthanum gallate with respect to the perovskite structure has been discussed.

  14. Breast tumor oxygenation in response to carbogen intervention assessed simultaneously by three oxygen-sensitive parameters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gu, Yueqing; Bourke, Vincent; Kim, Jae Gwan; Xia, Mengna; Constantinescu, Anca; Mason, Ralph P.; Liu, Hanli

    2003-07-01

    Three oxygen-sensitive parameters (arterial hemoglobin oxygen saturation SaO2, tumor vascular oxygenated hemoglobin concentration [HbO2], and tumor oxygen tension pO2) were measured simultaneously by three different optical techniques (pulse oximeter, near infrared spectroscopy, and FOXY) to evaluate dynamic responses of breast tumors to carbogen (5% CO2 and 95% O2) intervention. All three parameters displayed similar trends in dynamic response to carbogen challenge, but with different response times. These response times were quantified by the time constants of the exponential fitting curves, revealing the immediate and the fastest response from the arterial SaO2, followed by changes in global tumor vascular [HbO2], and delayed responses for pO2. The consistency of the three oxygen-sensitive parameters demonstrated the ability of NIRS to monitor therapeutic interventions for rat breast tumors in-vivo in real time.

  15. Pit-1 inhibits BRCA1 and sensitizes human breast tumors to cisplatin and vitamin D treatment

    PubMed Central

    Seoane, Samuel; Arias, Efigenia; Sigueiro, Rita; Sendon-Lago, Juan; Martinez-Ordoñez, Anxo; Castelao, Esteban; Eiró, Noemí; Garcia-Caballero, Tomás; Macia, Manuel; Lopez-Lopez, Rafael; Maestro, Miguel; Vizoso, Francisco; Mouriño, Antonio; Perez-Fernandez, Roman

    2015-01-01

    The POU class 1 homeobox 1 (POU1F1, also known as Pit-1), pertaining to the Pit-Oct-Unc (POU) family of transcription factors, has been related to tumor growth and metastasis in breast. However, its role in response to breast cancer therapy is unknown. We found that Pit-1 down-regulated DNA-damage and repair genes, and specifically inhibited BRCA1 gene expression, sensitizing breast cancer cells to DNA-damage agents. Administration of 1α, 25-dihydroxy-3-epi-vitamin D3 (3-Epi, an endogenous low calcemic vitamin D metabolite) reduced Pit-1 expression, and synergized with cisplatin, thus, decreasing cell proliferation and apoptosis in vitro, and reducing tumor growth in vivo. In addition, fifteen primary cultures of human breast tumors showed significantly decreased proliferation when treated with 3-Epi+cisplatin, compared to cisplatin alone. This response positively correlated with Pit-1 levels. Our findings demonstrate that high levels of Pit-1 and reduced BRCA1 levels increase breast cancer cell susceptibility to 3-Epi+cisplatin therapy. PMID:25992773

  16. Effect of Dietary Treatment with n-Propyl Gallate or Vitamin E on the Survival of Mice Exposed to Phosgene

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2001-01-01

    2000 Accepted 16 September 2000 34 A. M. SCIUTO AND T. S. MORAN and glutathione reductase.10 n-Propyl gallate protects against CCl4 -induced liver ...Ugazio G. Biochemical aspects of the protec- tive action of propyl gallate on liver injury in rats poisoned Published in 2001 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd...Phosgene, widely used in industrial processes, can cause life-threatening pulmonary edema and acute lung injury . One mechanism of protection against

  17. n-Propyl gallate suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase activation through protein kinase Cδ-mediated up-regulation of heme oxygenase-1 in RAW264.7 macrophages.

    PubMed

    Jeon, Wookwang; Park, Seong Ji; Kim, Byung-Chul

    2017-04-15

    n-Propyl gallate is a synthetic phenolic antioxidant with potential anti-inflammatory effects. However, the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. In the present study, we showed that n-propyl gallate increases the expression and activity of the heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), a stress-inducible protein with potent anti-inflammatory activity, in RAW264.7 macrophages. The inhibition of the HO-1 activity by treatment with zinc (II) protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP) or by knockdown of the HO-1 expression with small interference RNA significantly reversed the inhibitory effect of n-Propyl gallate on activations of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). An additional mechanism study using inhibitors of signaling kinases revealed the involvement of protein kinase Cδ (PKCδ) in the expression of HO-1 induced by n-Propyl gallate. Consistent with these results, n-Propyl gallate increased the intracellular levels of phosphorylated PKCδ in concentration- and time-dependent manners. The inhibitory effects of n-Propyl gallate on LPS-induced iNOS expression and nitric oxide production were also significantly attenuated by pretreatment with the PKCδ inhibitor, rottlerin, or by transfection with PKCδ (K376R), a kinase-inactive form of PKCδ. Taken together, these findings provide the first evidence that n-Propyl gallate exerts its anti-inflammatory effect through PKCδ-mediated up-regulation of HO-1 in macrophages. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Metformin Sensitizes Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Cells to an Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate (EGCG) Treatment by Suppressing the Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling Pathway.

    PubMed

    Yu, Chenxiao; Jiao, Yang; Xue, Jiao; Zhang, Qi; Yang, Hongying; Xing, Ligang; Chen, Guangxia; Wu, Jinchang; Zhang, Shuyu; Zhu, Wei; Cao, Jianping

    2017-01-01

    Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer. (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major polyphenol in green tea, is widely studied as a cancer chemopreventive agent with potential anti-cancer effects. The NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling pathway is considered to mediate cellular resistance to EGCG. Metformin, a classical antidiabetic drug, has been shown to prevent cancer progression. Researchers have not reported whether metformin potentiates the anti-cancer efficacy of EGCG. In this study, metformin inhibited HO-1 expression and augmented the anti-tumor effect of EGCG. Metformin also enhanced ROS (reactive oxygen species) generation induced by EGCG (100 μM), subsequently resulting in apoptosis. Based on the results of the in vivo study, size of xenografts treated with the combination of metformin and EGCG was smaller than other groups. Mechanistically, metformin modulated the EGCG-activated Nrf2/HO-1 pathway through Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1)-dependent deacetylation of Nrf2. Moreover, metformin upregulated SIRT1 expression partially through the NF-kB pathway. Comparatively, the combination of EGCG and metformin showed little impact on normal lung epithelial BEAS-2B cells. Based on our findings, metformin sensitized NSCLC cells to the EGCG treatment by suppressing the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

  19. Nuclear p21-activated kinase 1 in breast cancer packs off tamoxifen sensitivity.

    PubMed

    Rayala, Suresh K; Molli, Poonam R; Kumar, Rakesh

    2006-06-15

    There is significant clinical interest in the factors that influence the development of tamoxifen resistance in estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-alpha)-positive breast cancers. Recent studies suggest that in ER-positive breast tumor cells, elevated protein levels, and in particular, nuclear localization of p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1), is associated with the progressive limitation of tamoxifen sensitivity. These phenotypic effects of PAK1 in model systems are mechanistically linked with the ability of PAK1 to phosphorylate ER-alpha on serine 305 and subsequent secondary activation of serine 118. These findings prompt further investigation of how nuclear signaling by PAK1 may affect estrogen's action and whether tamoxifen resistance might be prevented or reversed by PAK1 inhibition.

  20. Silibinin sensitizes chemo-resistant breast cancer cells to chemotherapy.

    PubMed

    Molavi, Ommoleila; Narimani, Farzaneh; Asiaee, Farshid; Sharifi, Simin; Tarhriz, Vahideh; Shayanfar, Ali; Hejazi, Mohammadsaied; Lai, Raymond

    2017-12-01

    Multiple drug resistance is the major obstacle to conventional chemotherapy. Silibinin, a nontoxic naturally occurring compound, has anticancer activity and can increase the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy in various cancer models. To evaluate the effects of silibinin on enhancing the sensitivity of chemo-resistant human breast cell lines to doxorubicin (DOX) and paclitaxel (PAC). The cells were treated with silibinin (at 50 to 600 μM concentrations) and/or chemo drugs for 24 and 48 h, then cell viability and changes in oncogenic proteins were determined by MTT assay and Western blotting/RT-PCR, respectively. Flow cytometry was used to study apoptosis in the cells receiving different treatments. The antitumorigenic effects of silibinin (at 200 to 400 μM concentration) were evaluated by mammosphere assay. Silibinin exerted significant growth inhibitory effects with IC 50 ranging from 200 to 570 μM in different cell lines. Treatment of DOX-resistant MDA-MB-435 cells with silibinin at 200 μM reduced DOX IC 50 from 71 to 10 μg/mL and significantly suppressed the key oncogenic pathways including STAT3, AKT, and ERK in these cells. Interestingly treatment of DOX-resistant MDA-MB-435 cells with silibinin at 400 μM concentration for 48 h induced a 50% decrease in the numbers of colonies as compared with DMSO-treated cells. Treatment of PAC-resistant MCF-7 cells with silibinin at 400 μM concentration generated synergistic effects when it was used in combination with PAC at 250 nM concentration (CI = 0.81). Silibinin sensitizes chemo-resistant cells to chemotherapeutic agents and can be useful in treating breast cancers.

  1. In vitro antioxidant activity of phenolic-enriched extracts from Zhangping Narcissus tea cake and their inhibition on growth and metastatic capacity of 4T1 murine breast cancer cells* #

    PubMed Central

    Ying, Le; Kong, De-dong; Gao, Yuan-yuan; Yan, Feng; Wang, Yue-fei; Xu, Ping

    2018-01-01

    Phenolics, as the main bioactive compounds in tea, have been suggested to have potential in the prevention of various human diseases. However, little is known about phenolics and their bioactivity in Zhangping Narcissue tea cake which is considered the most special kind of oolong tea. To unveil its bioactivity, three phenolic-enriched extracts were obtained from Zhangping Narcissue tea cake using ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water. Their main chemical compositions and in vitro bioactivity were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS). The ethyl acetate fraction (ZEF) consisted of higher content of phenolics, flavonoids, procyanidins, and catechin monomers (including epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epicatechin gallate (ECG), and gallocatechin gallate (GCG)) than n-butanol fraction (ZBF) and water fraction (ZWF). ZEF exhibited the strongest antioxidant capacity in vitro due to its abundant bioactive compounds. This was validated by Pearson correlation and hierarchical clustering analyses. ZEF also showed a remarkable inhibition on the growth, migration, and invasion of 4T1 murine breast cancer cells. PMID:29504313

  2. Cytoskeleton and paclitaxel sensitivity in breast cancer: the role of beta-tubulins.

    PubMed

    Tommasi, Stefania; Mangia, Anita; Lacalamita, Rosanna; Bellizzi, Antonia; Fedele, Vita; Chiriatti, Annalisa; Thomssen, Christopher; Kendzierski, Nancy; Latorre, Agnese; Lorusso, Vito; Schittulli, Francesco; Zito, Francesco; Kavallaris, Maria; Paradiso, Angelo

    2007-05-15

    The antineoplastic effect of paclitaxel is mainly related to its ability to bind the beta subunit of tubulin, thus preventing tubulin chain depolarization and inducing apoptosis. The relevance of the Class I beta-tubulin characteristics have also been confirmed in the clinical setting where mutations of paclitaxel-binding site of beta-tubulin Class I have been related to paclitaxel resistance in non small cell lung and ovarian cancers. In the present study, we verified the hypothesis of a relationship between molecular alterations of beta-tubulin Class I and paclitaxel sensitivity in a panel of breast cell lines with different drug IC(50). The Class I beta-tubulin gene cDNA has been sequenced detecting heterozygous missense mutations (exon 1 and 4) only in MCF-7 and SK-BR-3 lines. Furthermore, the expression (at both mRNA and protein level) of the different isotypes have been analyzed demonstrating an association between low cell sensitivity to paclitaxel and Class III beta-tubulin expression increasing. Antisense oligonucleotide (ODN) experiments confirmed that the inhibition of Class III beta-tubulin could at least partially increase paclitaxel-chemosensitivity. The hypothesis of a relationship between beta-tubulin tumor expression and paclitaxel clinical response has been finally verified in a series of 92 advanced breast cancer patients treated with a first line paclitaxel-based chemotherapy. Thirty-five percent (95% CI: 45-31) of patients with high Class III beta-tubulin expression showed a disease progression vs. only 7% of patients with low expression (35% vs. 7%, p < 0.002). Our study suggests that Class III beta-tubulin tumor expression could be considered a predictive biomarker of paclitaxel-clinical resistance for breast cancer patients. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  3. New Drugs for Prevention of Breast Cancer Metastases

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1999-07-01

    the principal anticancer catechin, epigallocatechin gallate ( EGCg ). A 3-way mixture of epicatechin (EC), EGCg and glaucarubolone was more effective...DAPI, 4’,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole; DMSO, dimethyl sulfoxide; EGF, epidermal growth factor; EGCg , epigallocatechin gallate . ABSTRACT A drug...preferentially in HeLa and human and mouse mammary adenocarcinoma by the naturally-occurring catechin of green tea, epigallocatechin gallate ( EGCg ). With

  4. Epigallocatechin Gallate: A Review of Its Beneficial Properties to Prevent Metabolic Syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Legeay, Samuel; Rodier, Marion; Fillon, Laetitia; Faure, Sébastien; Clere, Nicolas

    2015-01-01

    Obesity and being overweight are linked with a cluster of metabolic and vascular disorders that have been termed the metabolic syndrome. This syndrome promotes the incidence of cardiovascular diseases that are an important public health problem because they represent a major cause of death worldwide. Whereas there is not a universally-accepted set of diagnostic criteria, most expert groups agree that this syndrome is defined by an endothelial dysfunction, an impaired insulin sensitivity and hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, abdominal obesity and hypertension. Epidemiological studies suggest that the beneficial cardiovascular health effects of diets rich in green tea are, in part, mediated by their flavonoid content, with particular benefits provided by members of this family such as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Although their bioavailability is discussed, various studies suggest that EGCG modulates cellular and molecular mechanisms of various symptoms leading to metabolic syndrome. Therefore, according to in vitro and in vivo model data, this review attempts to increase our understanding about the beneficial properties of EGCG to prevent metabolic syndrome. PMID:26198245

  5. Grape seed and tea extracts and catechin 3-gallates are potent inhibitors of α-amylase and α-glucosidase activity.

    PubMed

    Yilmazer-Musa, Meltem; Griffith, Anneke M; Michels, Alexander J; Schneider, Erik; Frei, Balz

    2012-09-12

    This study evaluated the inhibitory effects of plant-based extracts (grape seed, green tea, and white tea) and their constituent flavan-3-ol monomers (catechins) on α-amylase and α-glucosidase activity, two key glucosidases required for starch digestion in humans. To evaluate the relative potency of extracts and catechins, their concentrations required for 50 and 90% inhibition of enzyme activity were determined and compared to the widely used pharmacological glucosidase inhibitor, acarbose. Maximum enzyme inhibition was used to assess relative inhibitory efficacy. Results showed that grape seed extract strongly inhibited both α-amylase and α-glucosidase activity, with equal and much higher potency, respectively, than acarbose. Whereas tea extracts and catechin 3-gallates were less effective inhibitors of α-amylase, they were potent inhibitors of α-glucosidase. Nongallated catechins were ineffective. The data show that plant extracts containing catechin 3-gallates, in particular epigallocatechin gallate, are potent inhibitors of α-glucosidase activity and suggest that procyanidins in grape seed extract strongly inhibit α-amylase activity.

  6. Antioxidant capacity of flavanols and gallate esters: pulse radiolysis studies.

    PubMed

    Bors, W; Michel, C

    1999-12-01

    Reactivities of several proanthocyanidins (monomers of condensed tannins) and gallate esters (representing hydrolyzable tannins) with hydroxyl radicals, azide radicals, and superoxide anions were investigated using pulse radiolysis combined with kinetic spectroscopy. We determined the scavenging rate constants and the decay kinetics of the aroxyl radicals both at the wavelength of the semiquinone absorption (275 nm) and the absorption band of the gallate ester ketyl radical (400-420 nm). For most compounds second-order decay kinetics were observed, which reflect disproportionation of the semiquinones. In the case of the oligomeric hydrolysable tannins, pentagalloyl glucose and tannic acid, the decay kinetics were more complex involving sequential first-order and second-order reactions, which could only be resolved by kinetic modeling. A correlation of the reaction rates with hydroxyl radicals (k*OH) with the number of adjacent aromatic hydroxyl groups (i.e., representing catechol and/or pyrogallol structures) was obtained for both condensed and hydrolyzable tannins. Similar correlation for the reactions with azide radicals and superoxide anions are less obvious, but exist as well. We consider proanthocyanidins superior radical scavenging agents as compared with the monomeric flavonols and flavones and propose that these substances rather than the flavonoids proper represent the antioxidative principle in red wine and green tea.

  7. Computerized detection of breast cancer on automated breast ultrasound imaging of women with dense breasts

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Drukker, Karen, E-mail: kdrukker@uchicago.edu; Sennett, Charlene A.; Giger, Maryellen L.

    2014-01-15

    Purpose: Develop a computer-aided detection method and investigate its feasibility for detection of breast cancer in automated 3D ultrasound images of women with dense breasts. Methods: The HIPAA compliant study involved a dataset of volumetric ultrasound image data, “views,” acquired with an automated U-Systems Somo•V{sup ®} ABUS system for 185 asymptomatic women with dense breasts (BI-RADS Composition/Density 3 or 4). For each patient, three whole-breast views (3D image volumes) per breast were acquired. A total of 52 patients had breast cancer (61 cancers), diagnosed through any follow-up at most 365 days after the original screening mammogram. Thirty-one of these patientsmore » (32 cancers) had a screening-mammogram with a clinically assigned BI-RADS Assessment Category 1 or 2, i.e., were mammographically negative. All software used for analysis was developed in-house and involved 3 steps: (1) detection of initial tumor candidates, (2) characterization of candidates, and (3) elimination of false-positive candidates. Performance was assessed by calculating the cancer detection sensitivity as a function of the number of “marks” (detections) per view. Results: At a single mark per view, i.e., six marks per patient, the median detection sensitivity by cancer was 50.0% (16/32) ± 6% for patients with a screening mammogram-assigned BI-RADS category 1 or 2—similar to radiologists’ performance sensitivity (49.9%) for this dataset from a prior reader study—and 45.9% (28/61) ± 4% for all patients. Conclusions: Promising detection sensitivity was obtained for the computer on a 3D ultrasound dataset of women with dense breasts at a rate of false-positive detections that may be acceptable for clinical implementation.« less

  8. A systematic review and quality appraisal of international guidelines for early breast cancer systemic therapy: Are recommendations sensitive to different global resources?

    PubMed

    Gandhi, S; Verma, S; Ethier, J-L; Simmons, C; Burnett, H; Alibhai, S M H

    2015-08-01

    The breast cancer incidence in low and middle income countries (LMCs) is increasing globally, and patient outcomes are generally worse in these nations compared to high income countries (HICs). This is partly due to resource constraints associated with implementing recommended breast cancer therapies. Clinical practice guideline (CPG) adherence can improve breast cancer outcomes, however, many CPGs are created in HICs, and include costly recommendations that may not be feasible in LMCs. In addition, the quality of CPGs can be variable. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review of CPGs on early breast cancer systemic therapy with potential international impact, to evaluate their content, quality, and resource sensitivity. A MEDLINE and gray literature search was completed for English language CPGs published between 2005 and 2010, and then updated to July 2014. Extracted guidelines were evaluated using the AGREE 2 instrument. Guidelines were specifically analyzed for resource sensitivity. Most of the extracted CPGs had similar recommendations with regards to systemic therapy. However, only one, the Breast Health Global Initiative, made recommendations with consideration of different global resources. Overall, the CPGs were of variable quality, and most scored poorly in the quality domain evaluating implementation barriers such as resources. Published CPGs for early breast cancer are created in HICs, have similar recommendations, and are generally resource-insensitive. Given the visibility and influence of these CPGs on LMCs, efforts to create higher quality, resource-sensitive guidelines with less redundancy are needed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Local structure of gallate proton conductors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Giannici, F.; Messana, D.; Longo, A.; Sciortino, L.; Martorana, A.

    2009-11-01

    Lanthanum barium gallate proton conductors are based on disconnected GaO4 groups. The insertion of hydroxyls in the LaBaGaO4 network proceeds through self-doping with Ba2+, consequent O2- vacancy formation to fulfill charge neutrality. With a structural investigation on self-doped LaBaGaO4 oxides using synchrotron XRD and EXAFS on the Ga K-edge, we find that: (a) the GaO4 tetrahedra retain their size throughout the whole series; (b) the GaO4 tetrahedra rotate as rigid bodies on hydration, leading to the formation of a network of shorter O-O configurations that are stabilized by hydrogen bonds; (c) contraction of the lattice occurs along the a unit cell axis, as a consequence of an overall structural rearrangement of the hydrated solid.

  10. The Green Tea Component (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Sensitizes Primary Endothelial Cells to Arsenite-Induced Apoptosis by Decreasing c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase-Mediated Catalase Activity

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Hyeon-Ju; Byun, Catherine Jeonghae; Park, Jung-Hyun; Park, Jae Hoon; Cho, Ho-Seong; Cho, Sung-Jin; Jo, Sangmee Ahn; Jo, Inho

    2015-01-01

    The green tea component (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has been shown to sensitize many different types of cancer cells to anticancer drug-induced apoptosis, although it protects against non-cancerous primary cells against toxicity from certain conditions such as exposure to arsenic (As) or ultraviolet irradiation. Here, we found that EGCG promotes As-induced toxicity of primary-cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) at doses in which treatment with each chemical alone had no such effect. Increased cell toxicity was accompanied by an increased condensed chromatin pattern and fragmented nuclei, cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), activity of the pro-apoptotic enzymes caspases 3, 8 and 9, and Bax translocation into mitochondria, suggesting the involvement of an apoptotic signaling pathway. Fluorescence activated cell sorting analysis revealed that compared with EGCG or As alone, combined EGCG and As (EGCG/As) treatment significantly induced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which was accompanied by decreased catalase activity and increased lipid peroxidation. Pretreatment with N-acetyl-L-cysteine or catalase reversed EGCG/As-induced caspase activation and EC toxicity. EGCG/As also increased the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), which was not reversed by catalase. However, pretreatment with the JNK inhibitor SP600125 reversed all of the observed effects of EGCG/As, suggesting that JNK may be the most upstream protein examined in this study. Finally, we also found that all the observed effects by EGCG/As are true for other types of EC tested. In conclusion, this is firstly to show that EGCG sensitizes non-cancerous EC to As-induced toxicity through ROS-mediated apoptosis, which was attributed at least in part to a JNK-activated decrease in catalase activity. PMID:26375285

  11. The Green Tea Component (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Sensitizes Primary Endothelial Cells to Arsenite-Induced Apoptosis by Decreasing c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase-Mediated Catalase Activity.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jee-Youn; Choi, Ji-Young; Lee, Hyeon-Ju; Byun, Catherine Jeonghae; Park, Jung-Hyun; Park, Jae Hoon; Cho, Ho-Seong; Cho, Sung-Jin; Jo, Sangmee Ahn; Jo, Inho

    2015-01-01

    The green tea component (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has been shown to sensitize many different types of cancer cells to anticancer drug-induced apoptosis, although it protects against non-cancerous primary cells against toxicity from certain conditions such as exposure to arsenic (As) or ultraviolet irradiation. Here, we found that EGCG promotes As-induced toxicity of primary-cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) at doses in which treatment with each chemical alone had no such effect. Increased cell toxicity was accompanied by an increased condensed chromatin pattern and fragmented nuclei, cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), activity of the pro-apoptotic enzymes caspases 3, 8 and 9, and Bax translocation into mitochondria, suggesting the involvement of an apoptotic signaling pathway. Fluorescence activated cell sorting analysis revealed that compared with EGCG or As alone, combined EGCG and As (EGCG/As) treatment significantly induced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which was accompanied by decreased catalase activity and increased lipid peroxidation. Pretreatment with N-acetyl-L-cysteine or catalase reversed EGCG/As-induced caspase activation and EC toxicity. EGCG/As also increased the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), which was not reversed by catalase. However, pretreatment with the JNK inhibitor SP600125 reversed all of the observed effects of EGCG/As, suggesting that JNK may be the most upstream protein examined in this study. Finally, we also found that all the observed effects by EGCG/As are true for other types of EC tested. In conclusion, this is firstly to show that EGCG sensitizes non-cancerous EC to As-induced toxicity through ROS-mediated apoptosis, which was attributed at least in part to a JNK-activated decrease in catalase activity.

  12. Technical Note: Robust measurement of the slice-sensitivity profile in breast tomosynthesis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Maki, Aili K., E-mail: aili.maki@sri.utoronto.ca

    2016-08-15

    Purpose: The purpose of this work is to improve the repeatability of the measurement of the slice-sensitivity profile (SSP) in reconstructed breast tomosynthesis volumes. Methods: A grid of aluminum ball-bearings (BBs) within a PMMA phantom was imaged on breast tomosynthesis systems from three different manufacturers. The full-width half-maximum (FWHM) values were measured for the SSPs of the BBs in the reconstructed volumes. The effect of transforming the volumes from a Cartesian coordinate system (CCS) to a cone-beam coordinate system (CBCS) on the variability in the FWHM values was assessed. Results: Transforming the volumes from a CCS to a CBCS beforemore » measuring the SSPs reduced the coefficient of variation (COV) in the measurements of FWHM in repeated measurements by 56% and reduced the dependence of the FWHM values on the location of the BBs within the reconstructed volume by 76%. Conclusions: Measuring the SSP in the volumes in a CBCS improves the robustness of the measurement.« less

  13. Fuel cells with doped lanthanum gallate electrolyte

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Feng, Man; Goodenough, John B.; Huang, Keqin; Milliken, Christopher

    Single cells with doped lanthanum gallate electrolyte material were constructed and tested from 600 to 800°C. Both ceria and the electrolyte material were mixed with NiO powder respectively to form composite anodes. Doped lanthanum cobaltite was used exclusively as the cathode material. While high power density from the solid oxide fuel cells at 800°C was achieved. our results clearly indicate that anode overpotential is the dominant factor in the power loss of the cells. Better anode materials and anode processing methods need to be found to fully utilize the high ionic conductivity of the doped lanthanum galiate and achieve higher power density at 800°C from solid oxide fuel cells.

  14. Determination of exogenous epigallocatechin gallate peracetate in mouse plasma using liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Chu, Kai On; Man, Gene Chi Wai; Chan, Kwok Ping; Chu, Ching Yan; Chan, Tak Hang; Pang, Chi Pui; Wang, Chi Chiu

    2014-12-01

    A robust method for the quantitation of epigallocatechin gallate peracetate in plasma for pharmacokinetic studies is lacking. We have developed a validated method to quantify this compound using liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry with isopropanol and tert-butyl methyl ether (3:10) extraction and thin-layer chromatography purification. The epigallocatechin gallate peracetate-1-(13) C8 isotope was used as an internal standard. The linear range (r(2) > 0.9950) was from 0.05 to 100.00 μg/mL. The lower limit of quantification of the method was 0.05 μg/mL. Reproducibility, coefficient of variation, was between 0.7 and 12.6% (n = 6), accuracy between 83.7 and 104.6% (n = 5), and recovery ranged from 82.4 to 109.0% (n = 4). Ion suppression was approximately 40%. No mass spectral peaks were found to interfere between the standard and internal standard or the blank plasma extracts. Epigallocatechin gallate peracetate in plasma was stably stored at -80°C over three months even after three freeze-thaw cycles. Extracts were stable in the sampler at 4°C for over 48 h. Plasma levels were maintained at 1.36 μg/mL for 360 min after intraorbital intravenous injection at 50 mg/kg in mice. This method can be used to reliably measure epigallocatechin gallate peracetate in plasma for pharmacokinetic studies. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Downregulation of hPMC2 imparts chemotherapeutic sensitivity to alkylating agents in breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Krishnamurthy, Nirmala; Liu, Lili; Xiong, Xiahui; Zhang, Junran; Montano, Monica M

    2015-01-01

    Triple negative breast cancer cell lines have been reported to be resistant to the cyotoxic effects of temozolomide (TMZ). We have shown previously that a novel protein, human homolog of Xenopus gene which Prevents Mitotic Catastrophe (hPMC2) has a role in the repair of estrogen-induced abasic sites. Our present study provides evidence that downregulation of hPMC2 in MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells treated with temozolomide (TMZ) decreases cell survival. This increased sensitivity to TMZ is associated with an increase in number of apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites in the DNA. We also show that treatment with another alkylating agent, BCNU, results in an increase in AP sites and decrease in cell survival. Quantification of western blot analyses and immunofluorescence experiments reveal that treatment of hPMC2 downregulated cells with TMZ results in an increase in γ-H2AX levels, suggesting an increase in double strand DNA breaks. The enhancement of DNA double strand breaks in TMZ treated cells upon downregulation of hPCM2 is also revealed by the comet assay. Overall, we provide evidence that downregulation of hPMC2 in breast cancer cells increases cytotoxicity of alkylating agents, representing a novel mechanism of treatment for breast cancer. Our data thus has important clinical implications in the management of breast cancer and brings forth potentially new therapeutic strategies.

  16. Determination of catechins and catechin gallates in tissues by liquid chromatography with coulometric array detection and selective solid phase extraction.

    PubMed

    Chu, Kai On; Wang, Chi Chiu; Chu, Ching Yan; Rogers, Michael Scott; Choy, Kwong Wai; Pang, Chi Pui

    2004-10-25

    Catechins levels in organ tissues, particularly liver, determined by published methods are unexpectedly low, probably due to the release of oxidative enzymes, metal ions and reactive metabolites from tissue cells during homogenization and to the pro-oxidant effects of ascorbic acid during sample processing in the presence of metal ions. We describe a new method for simultaneous analysis of eight catechins in tissue: (+)-catechin (C), (-)-epicatechin (EC), (-)-gallocatechin (GC), (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (-)-catechin gallate (CG), (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECG), (-)-gallocatechin gallate (GCG) and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) (Fig. 1). The new extraction procedure utilized a methanol/ethylacetate/dithionite (2:1:3) mixture during homogenization for simultaneous enzyme precipitation and antioxidant protection. Selective solid phase extraction was used to remove most interfering bio-matrices. Reversed phase HPLC with CoulArray detection was used to determine the eight catechins simultaneously within 25 min. Good linearity (>0.9922) was obtained in the range 20-4000 ng/g. The coefficients of variance (CV) were less than 5%. Absolute recovery ranged from 62 to 96%, accuracy 92.5 +/- 4.5 to 104.9 +/- 6%. The detection limit was 5 ng/g. This method is capable for determining catechins in rat tissues of liver, brain, spleen, and kidney. The method is robust, reproducible, with high recovery, and has been validated for both in vitro and in vivo sample analysis.

  17. Green-Tea and Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate are Bactericidal against Bacillus anthracis

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-06-13

    EGCG, catechins such 245 as epigallocatechin and epicatechin gallate are also antibacterial agents. Moreover, the 246 bactericidal activity of green...Sharma A, Gupta S, Sarethy IP, Dang S, Gabrani R. 2012. Green tea extract: possible mechanism 285 and antibacterial activity on skin pathogens. Food...was shown to be responsible for this activity , against 30 both the attenuated B. anthracis ANR and the virulent, encapsulated strain B. anthracis

  18. WE-FG-BRA-11: Theranostic Platinum Nanoparticle for Radiation Sensitization in Breast Cancer Radiotherapy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yue, Y; Wagner, S; Medina-Kauwe, L

    Purpose: We have developed a novel receptor-targeted theranostic platinum nanoparticle (HER-PtNP) for enhanced radiation sensitization in HER2-positive breast cancer radiation treatment. This study aims to evaluate receptor-targeting specificity, and radiation sensitization of the nanoparticle. Methods: The platinum nanoparticle (PtNP) was synthesized with the diameter of 2nm, and capped with cysteine. The nanoparticle was tagged with a fluorescent dye (cy5) for the fluoresence detection, and conjuated with HER2/3 targeted protein (HerPBK10) for HER2-targeting specificity. We evaluated the theranostic features using in vitro breast cancer cell models: HER2-positive BT-474, and HER2-negative MDA-MB-231. The HER2-targeting specificity was evaluated using immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy.more » For each cell line, three sets of samples, including non-stained control, fluorescence stained PtNP-cy5 treated, and HER-PtNP treated, were imaged by confocal microscopy. Two breast cancer cell lineages were incubated with PtNP and HER-PtNP at 10 µg/mL, and then irradiated with X-rays for 2 Gy dose at 50 kVp. A colonogenic assay was used to determine cellular survival fractions by immediately reseeding 300 cells after irradiation in growth media and allowing colonies to grow for 2 weeks. Results: The results of confocal images show that no apparent nanoparticle cellular uptake was observed in the HER2-(MDA-MB-231) cells with 1% for PtNP-cy5 and 0.5% for HER-PtNP. Similarly no apparent PtNP-cy5 uptake (<1%) for BT474 cells was observed. However, there was significant HER-PtNP uptake (73%) for the HER2+(BT474) cells. The clonogenic assay showed that BT474 cells treated with HER-PtNP had significantly lower survival compared to those treated with PtNP (32% vs 81%, p=0.01). However, no significant radiosensitivity enhancement was observed for MDA-MB-231 cell treated with PtNP and HER-PtNP (89% vs 92%, p=0.78). Conclusion: Our studies suggest that the HER2-targeted

  19. Inhibition of PKM2 sensitizes triple-negative breast cancer cells to doxorubicin

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wang, Feng; Department of Nanomedicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030; Yang, Yong, E-mail: yyang@houstonmethodist.org

    2014-11-21

    Highlights: • Suppression of PKM2 sensitizes triple-negative breast cancer cells to doxorubicin. • Repression of PKM2 affects the glycolysis and decreases ATP production. • Downregulation of PKM2 increases the intracellular accumulation of doxorubicin. • Inhibition of PKM2 enhances the antitumor efficacy of doxorubicin in vivo. - Abstract: Cancer cells alter regular metabolic pathways in order to sustain rapid proliferation. One example of metabolic remodeling in cancerous tissue is the upregulation of pyruvate kinase isoenzyme M2 (PKM2), which is involved in aerobic glycolysis. Indeed, PKM2 has previously been identified as a tumor biomarker and as a potential target for cancer therapy.more » Here, we examined the effects of combined treatment with doxorubicin and anti-PKM2 small interfering RNA (siRNA) on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The suppression of PKM2 resulted in changes in glucose metabolism, leading to decreased synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Reduced levels of ATP resulted in the intracellular accumulation of doxorubicin, consequently enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of this drug in several triple-negative breast cancer cell lines. Furthermore, the combined effect of PKM2 siRNA and doxorubicin was evaluated in an in vivo MDA-MB-231 orthotopic breast cancer model. The siRNA was systemically administered through a polyethylenimine (PEI)-based delivery system that has been extensively used. We demonstrate that the combination treatment showed superior anticancer efficacy as compared to doxorubicin alone. These findings suggest that targeting PKM2 can increase the efficacy of chemotherapy, potentially providing a new approach for improving the outcome of chemotherapy in patients with TNBC.« less

  20. Detection of the Peanut Allergens Ara h 2 and Ara h 6 in Human Breast Milk: Development of 2 Sensitive and Specific Sandwich ELISA Assays.

    PubMed

    Schocker, Frauke; Scharf, Alexandra; Kull, Skadi; Jappe, Uta

    2017-01-01

    Little is known about breast milk as a vehicle for tolerance development or sensitization to peanuts very early in life. Thus, well-characterized and highly sensitive detection systems for the reliable determination of peanut allergens in breast milk are mandatory. For the quantification of the marker allergens Ara h 2 and Ara h 6 in the low nanogram per milliliter range in breast milk samples of a German cohort, sensitive and highly specific sandwich ELISAs were optimized and validated. The Ara h 2 ELISA revealed a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.3 ng Ara h 2/mL and a quantification range of 2.3-250 ng/mL, the Ara h 6 ELISA showed an LOD of 0.7 ng/mL and a working range of 1.1-14.4 ng/mL. The assays showed no relevant cross-reactivity against other potentially cross-reactive legume, seed, and tree nut extracts (<0.01%, except for Ara h 1 in the Ara h 2 ELISA <0.1%). Ara h 2 was detectable in breast milk samples from 14/40 (35%) of the participants in concentrations from 2.3 to 184 ng/mL, Ara h 6 appeared in 9/40 (22.5%) of the lactating mothers between 1.1 and 9.7 ng/mL, and 1 highly positive sample with 79 ng/mL. Both allergens appeared at the same time points, but Ara h 6 in lower concentrations than Ara h 2. Sensitive and specific diagnostic tools for the determination of Ara h 2 and Ara h 6 in human breast milk were established. The kinetics of secreted Ara h 2 and Ara h 6 seem to be similar but with a difference in concentration. Follow-up investigations on their tolerogenic or sensitizing properties in breast milk become now accessible. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  1. Can-CSC-GBE: Developing Cost-sensitive Classifier with Gentleboost Ensemble for breast cancer classification using protein amino acids and imbalanced data.

    PubMed

    Ali, Safdar; Majid, Abdul; Javed, Syed Gibran; Sattar, Mohsin

    2016-06-01

    Early prediction of breast cancer is important for effective treatment and survival. We developed an effective Cost-Sensitive Classifier with GentleBoost Ensemble (Can-CSC-GBE) for the classification of breast cancer using protein amino acid features. In this work, first, discriminant information of the protein sequences related to breast tissue is extracted. Then, the physicochemical properties hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity of amino acids are employed to generate molecule descriptors in different feature spaces. For comparison, we obtained results by combining Cost-Sensitive learning with conventional ensemble of AdaBoostM1 and Bagging. The proposed Can-CSC-GBE system has effectively reduced the misclassification costs and thereby improved the overall classification performance. Our novel approach has highlighted promising results as compared to the state-of-the-art ensemble approaches. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. A comprehensive sensitivity analysis of microarray breast cancer classification under feature variability

    PubMed Central

    2009-01-01

    Background Large discrepancies in signature composition and outcome concordance have been observed between different microarray breast cancer expression profiling studies. This is often ascribed to differences in array platform as well as biological variability. We conjecture that other reasons for the observed discrepancies are the measurement error associated with each feature and the choice of preprocessing method. Microarray data are known to be subject to technical variation and the confidence intervals around individual point estimates of expression levels can be wide. Furthermore, the estimated expression values also vary depending on the selected preprocessing scheme. In microarray breast cancer classification studies, however, these two forms of feature variability are almost always ignored and hence their exact role is unclear. Results We have performed a comprehensive sensitivity analysis of microarray breast cancer classification under the two types of feature variability mentioned above. We used data from six state of the art preprocessing methods, using a compendium consisting of eight diferent datasets, involving 1131 hybridizations, containing data from both one and two-color array technology. For a wide range of classifiers, we performed a joint study on performance, concordance and stability. In the stability analysis we explicitly tested classifiers for their noise tolerance by using perturbed expression profiles that are based on uncertainty information directly related to the preprocessing methods. Our results indicate that signature composition is strongly influenced by feature variability, even if the array platform and the stratification of patient samples are identical. In addition, we show that there is often a high level of discordance between individual class assignments for signatures constructed on data coming from different preprocessing schemes, even if the actual signature composition is identical. Conclusion Feature variability can

  3. Nano-biosensor for highly sensitive detection of HER2 positive breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Salahandish, Razieh; Ghaffarinejad, Ali; Naghib, Seyed Morteza; Majidzadeh-A, Keivan; Zargartalebi, Hossein; Sanati-Nezhad, Amir

    2018-05-25

    Nanocomposite materials have provided a wide range of conductivity, sensitivity, selectivity and linear response for electrochemical biosensors. However, the detection of rare cells at single cell level requires a new class of nanocomposite-coated electrodes with exceptional sensitivity and specificity. We recently developed a construct of gold nanoparticle-grafted functionalized graphene and nanostructured polyaniline (PANI) for high-performance biosensing within a very wide linear response and selective performance. Further, replacing the expensive gold nanoparticles with low-cost silver nanoparticles as well as optimizing the nanocomposite synthesis and functionalization protocols on the electrode surface in this work enabled us to develop ultrasensitive nanocomposites for label-free detection of breast cancer cells. The sensor presented a fast response time of 30 min within a dynamic range of 10 - 5 × 10 6 cells mL -1 and with a detection limit of 2 cells mL -1 for the detection of SK-BR3 breast cancer cell. The nano-biosensor, for the first time, demonstrated a high efficiency of > 90% for the label-free detection of cancer cells in whole blood sample without any need for sample preparation and cell staining. The results demonstrated that the optimized nanocomposite developed in this work is a promising nanomaterial for electrochemical biosensing and with the potential applications in electro-catalysis and super-capacitances. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Role of TGR-B1-Mediated Down Regulation of NF-kB/Rel Activity During Growth Arrest of Breast Cancer Cells

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2001-05-01

    gallate ( EGCG ), which has been shown to inhibit the induction of NF-KB and growth of breast cancer cell lines in vitro. EGCG reduced NF-KB levels in the...demonstrated activation of NF-KB is induced upon over-expression of Her-2/neu. Thus, studies were initiated with green tea pholyphenol, epigallocatechin -3...NF639 cell line derived from an MMTV-Her-2/neu mouse tumor. NF639 clonal isolates resistant to EGCG appear to display elevated levels of NF-KB. Overall

  5. Increased sensitivity of African American triple negative breast cancer cells to nitric oxide-induced mitochondria-mediated apoptosis.

    PubMed

    Martinez, Luis; Thames, Easter; Kim, Jinna; Chaudhuri, Gautam; Singh, Rajan; Pervin, Shehla

    2016-07-29

    Breast cancer is a complex heterogeneous disease where many distinct subtypes are found. Younger African American (AA) women often present themselves with aggressive form of breast cancer with unique biology which is very difficult to treat. Better understanding the biology of AA breast tumors could lead to development of effective treatment strategies. Our previous studies indicate that AA but not Caucasian (CA) triple negative (TN) breast cancer cells were sensitive to nitrosative stress-induced cell death. In this study, we elucidate possible mechanisms that contribute to nitric oxide (NO)-induced apoptosis in AA TN breast cancer cells. Breast cancer cells were treated with various concentrations of long-acting NO donor, DETA-NONOate and cell viability was determined by trypan blue exclusion assay. Apoptosis was determined by TUNEL and caspase 3 activity as well as changes in mitochondrial membrane potential. Caspase 3 and Bax cleavage, levels of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Mn SOD was assessed by immunoblot analysis. Inhibition of Bax cleavage by Calpain inhibitor, and levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as well as SOD activity was measured in NO-induced apoptosis. In vitro and in vivo effect of NO treatment on mammary cancer stem cells (MCSCs) was assessed. NO induced mitocondria-mediated apoptosis in all AA but not in CA TN breast cancer cells. We found significant TUNEL-positive cells, cleavage of Bax and caspase-3 activation as well as depolarization mitochondrial membrane potential only in AA TN breast cancer cells exposed to NO. Inhibition of Bax cleavage and quenching of ROS partially inhibited NO-induced apoptosis in AA TN cells. Increase in ROS coincided with reduction in SOD activity in AA TN breast cancer cells. Furthermore, NO treatment of AA TN breast cancer cells dramatically reduced aldehyde dehydrogenase1 (ALDH1) expressing MCSCs and xenograft formation but not in breast cancer cells from CA origin. Ethnic differences in breast

  6. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate reduces DNA damage induced by benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide and cigarette smoke condensate in human mucosa tissue cultures.

    PubMed

    Baumeister, Philipp; Reiter, Maximilian; Kleinsasser, Norbert; Matthias, Christoph; Harréus, Ulrich

    2009-06-01

    Although epidemiological studies indicate cancer preventive effects of diets rich in fruit and vegetables, large clinical intervention studies conducted to evaluate dietary supplementation with micronutrients, mostly vitamins, showed disappointing results in large parts. In contrast, there is encouraging epidemiologic data indicating great chemopreventive potential of a large group of phytochemicals, namely polyphenols. This study shows the DNA protective effect epigallocatechin-3-gallate, a tea catechin, and one of the best-studied substances within this group, on carcinogen-induced DNA fragmentation in upper aerodigestive tract cells. Cell cultures from fresh oropharyngeal mucosa biopsies were preincubated with epigallocatechin-3-gallate in different concentrations before DNA damage was introduced with the metabolically activated carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide or cigarette smoke condensate. Effects on resulting DNA fragmentation were measured using the alkaline single-cell microgel electrophoresis (comet assay). Epigallocatechin-3-gallate significantly reduced benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide-induced DNA damage by up to 51% (P<0.001). Fragmentation induced by cigarette smoke condensate could be lowered by 47% (P<0.001). Data suggest a cancer preventive potential of epigallocatechin-3-gallate as demonstrated on a subcellular level. An additional mechanism of tea catechin action is revealed by using a primary mucosa culture model.

  7. Targeting cancer stem cells and signaling pathways by phytochemicals: Novel approach for breast cancer therapy

    PubMed Central

    Dandawate, Prasad R.; Subramaniam, Dharmalingam; Jensen, Roy A.; Anant, Shrikant

    2017-01-01

    Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer diagnosed in women worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the USA. Despite the development of newer diagnostic methods, selective as well as targeted chemotherapies and their combinations, surgery, hormonal therapy, radiotherapy, breast cancer recurrence, metastasis and drug resistance are still the major problems for breast cancer. Emerging evidence suggest the existence of cancer stem cells (CSCs), a population of cells with the capacity to self-renew, differentiate and be capable of initiating and sustaining tumor growth. In addition, CSCs are believed to be responsible for cancer recurrence, anticancer drug resistance, and metastasis. Hence, compounds targeting breast CSCs may be better therapeutic agents for treating breast cancer and control recurrence and metastasis. Naturally occurring compounds, mainly phytochemicals have gained immense attention in recent times because of their wide safety profile, ability to target heterogeneous populations of cancer cells as well as CSCs, and their key signaling pathways. Therefore, in the present review article, we summarize our current understanding of breast CSCs and their signaling pathways, and the phytochemicals that affect these cells including curcumin, resveratrol, tea polyphenols (epigallocatechin-3-gallate, epigallocatechin), sulforaphane, genistein, indole-3-carbinol, 3, 3′-di-indolylmethane, vitamin E, retinoic acid, quercetin, parthenolide, triptolide, 6-shogaol, pterostilbene, isoliquiritigenin, celastrol, and koenimbin. These phytochemicals may serve as novel therapeutic agents for breast cancer treatment and future leads for drug development. PMID:27609747

  8. Targeting cancer stem cells and signaling pathways by phytochemicals: Novel approach for breast cancer therapy.

    PubMed

    Dandawate, Prasad R; Subramaniam, Dharmalingam; Jensen, Roy A; Anant, Shrikant

    2016-10-01

    Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer diagnosed in women worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the USA. Despite the development of newer diagnostic methods, selective as well as targeted chemotherapies and their combinations, surgery, hormonal therapy, radiotherapy, breast cancer recurrence, metastasis and drug resistance are still the major problems for breast cancer. Emerging evidence suggest the existence of cancer stem cells (CSCs), a population of cells with the capacity to self-renew, differentiate and be capable of initiating and sustaining tumor growth. In addition, CSCs are believed to be responsible for cancer recurrence, anticancer drug resistance, and metastasis. Hence, compounds targeting breast CSCs may be better therapeutic agents for treating breast cancer and control recurrence and metastasis. Naturally occurring compounds, mainly phytochemicals have gained immense attention in recent times because of their wide safety profile, ability to target heterogeneous populations of cancer cells as well as CSCs, and their key signaling pathways. Therefore, in the present review article, we summarize our current understanding of breast CSCs and their signaling pathways, and the phytochemicals that affect these cells including curcumin, resveratrol, tea polyphenols (epigallocatechin-3-gallate, epigallocatechin), sulforaphane, genistein, indole-3-carbinol, 3, 3'-di-indolylmethane, vitamin E, retinoic acid, quercetin, parthenolide, triptolide, 6-shogaol, pterostilbene, isoliquiritigenin, celastrol, and koenimbin. These phytochemicals may serve as novel therapeutic agents for breast cancer treatment and future leads for drug development. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  9. Highly Sensitive and High-Throughput Method for the Analysis of Bisphenol Analogues and Their Halogenated Derivatives in Breast Milk.

    PubMed

    Niu, Yumin; Wang, Bin; Zhao, Yunfeng; Zhang, Jing; Shao, Bing

    2017-12-06

    The structural analogs of bisphenol A (BPA) and their halogenated derivatives (together termed BPs) have been found in the environment, food, and even the human body. Limited research showed that some of them exhibited toxicities that were similar to or even greater than that of BPA. Therefore, adverse health effects for BPs were expected for humans with low-dose exposure in early life. Breast milk is an excellent matrix and could reflect fetuses' and babies' exposure to contaminants. Some of the emerging BPs may present with trace or ultratrace levels in humans. However, existing analytical methods for breast milk cannot quantify these BPs simultaneously with high sensitivity using a small sampling weight, which is important for human biomonitoring studies. In this paper, a method based on Bond Elut Enhanced Matrix Removal-Lipid purification, pyridine-3-sulfonyl chloride derivatization, and liquid chromatography electrospray tandem mass spectrometry was developed. The method requires only a small quantity of sample (200 μL) and allowed for the simultaneous determination of 24 BPs in breast milk with ultrahigh sensitivity. The limits of quantitation of the proposed method were 0.001-0.200 μg L -1 , which were 1-6.7 times lower than the only study for the simultaneous analysis of bisphenol analogs in breast milk based on a 3 g sample weight. The mean recoveries ranged from 86.11% to 119.05% with relative standard deviation (RSD) ≤ 19.5% (n = 6). Matrix effects were within 20% with RSD < 10% for six different lots of samples. The proposed method was successfully applied to 20 breast milk samples. BPA, bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol S (BPS), and bisphenol AF (BPAF) were detected. BPA was still the dominant BP, followed by BPF. This is the first report describing the occurrence of BPF and BPAF in breast milk.

  10. ABCG2 transporter inhibitor restores the sensitivity of triple negative breast cancer cells to aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy.

    PubMed

    Palasuberniam, Pratheeba; Yang, Xue; Kraus, Daniel; Jones, Patrick; Myers, Kenneth A; Chen, Bin

    2015-08-18

    Photosensitizer protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) fluorescence, intracellular localization and cell response to photodynamic therapy (PDT) were analyzed in MCF10A normal breast epithelial cells and a panel of human breast cancer cells including estrogen receptor (ER) positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive and triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells after treatment with PpIX precursor aminolevulinic acid (ALA). Although PpIX fluorescence was heterogeneous in different cells, TNBC cells showed significantly lower PpIX level than MCF10A and ER- or HER2-positive cells. PpIX fluorescence in TNBC cells also had much less mitochondrial localization than other cells. There was an inverse correlation between PpIX fluorescence and cell viability after PDT. Breast cancer cells with the highest PpIX fluorescence were the most sensitive to ALA-PDT and TNBC cells with the lowest PpIX level were resistant to PDT. Treatment of TNBC cells with ABCG2 transporter inhibitor Ko143 significantly increased ALA-PpIX fluorescence, enhanced PpIX mitochondrial accumulation and sensitized cancer cells to ALA-PDT. Ko143 treatment had little effect on PpIX production and ALA-PDT in normal and ER- or HER2-positive cells. These results demonstrate that enhanced ABCG2 activity renders TNBC cell resistance to ALA-PDT and inhibiting ABCG2 transporter is a promising approach for targeting TNBC with ALA-based modality.

  11. Pharmacokinetic study of gallocatechin-7-gallate from Pithecellobium clypearia Benth. in rats.

    PubMed

    Li, Chao; Song, Xiaowei; Song, Junke; Pang, Xiaocong; Wang, Zhe; Zhao, Ying; Lian, Wenwen; Liu, Ailin; Du, Guanhua

    2016-01-01

    The pharmacokinetic profile of gallocatechin-7-gallate (J10688) was studied in rats after intravenous administration. Male and female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats received 1, 3, and 10 mg/kg (i.v.) of J10688 and plasma drug concentrations were determined by a high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method. The pharmacokinetic software Data Analysis System (Version 3.0) was used to calculate the pharmacokinetic parameters. For different i.v. doses of J10688, the mean peak plasma concentration (C 0) values ranged from 11.26 to 50.82 mg/L, and mean area under the concentration-time curve (AUC0-t ) values ranged from 1.75 to 11.80 (mg·h/L). J10688 lacked dose-dependent pharmacokinetic properties within doses between 1 and 10 mg/kg, based on the power model. The method developed in this study was sensitive, precise, and stable. The pharmacokinetic properties of J10688 in SD rats were shown to have rapid distribution and clearance values. These pharmacokinetic results may contribute to an improved understanding of the pharmacological actions of J10688.

  12. Impact of the green tea ingredient epigallocatechin gallate and a short pentapeptide (Ile-Ile-ala-Glu-Lys) on the structural organization of mixed micelles and the related uptake of cholesterol.

    PubMed

    Giangreco, Francesco; Höfinger, Siegfried; Bakalis, Evangelos; Zerbetto, Francesco

    2018-06-07

    High levels of blood cholesterol are conventionally linked to an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (Grundy, 1986). Here we examine the molecular mode of action of natural products with known cholesterol-lowering activity, such as for example the green tea ingredient epigallocatechin gallate and a short pentapeptide, Ile-Ile-Ala-Glu-Lys. Molecular Dynamics simulations are used to gain insight into the formation process of mixed micelles and, correspondingly, how active agents epigallocatechin gallate and Ile-Ile-Ala-Glu-Lys could possibly interfere with it. Self-assembly of physiological micelles occurs on the order of 35-50 ns; most of the structural properties of mixed micelles are unaffected by epigallocatechin gallate or Ile-Ile-Ala-Glu-Lys which integrate into the micellar surface; the diffusive motion of constituting lipids palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol is significantly down-regulated by both epigallocatechin gallate and Ile-Ile-Ala-Glu-Lys; CONCLUSIONS: The molecular mode of action of natural compounds epigallocatechin gallate and Ile-Ile-Ala-Glu-Lys is a significant down-regulation of the diffusive motion of micellar lipids. Natural compounds like the green tea ingredient epigallocatechin gallate and a short pentapeptide, Ile-Ile-Ala-Glu-Lys, lead to a significant down-regulation of the diffusive motion of micellar lipids thereby modulating cholesterol absorption into physiological micelles. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  13. Green Tea Extracts Epigallocatechin-3-gallate for Different Treatments

    PubMed Central

    Chu, Chenyu; Deng, Jia

    2017-01-01

    Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a component extracted from green tea, has been proved to have multiple effects on human pathological and physiological processes, and its mechanisms are discrepant in cancer, vascularity, bone regeneration, and nervous system. Although there are multiple benefits associated with EGCG, more and more challenges are still needed to get through. For example, EGCG shows low bioactivity via oral administration. This review focuses on effects of EGCG, including anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticollagenase, and antifibrosis effects, to express the potential of EGCG and necessity of further studies in this field. PMID:28884125

  14. Radio-sensitization by Piper longumine of human breast adenoma MDA-MB-231 cells in vitro.

    PubMed

    Yao, Jian-Xin; Yao, Zhi-Feng; Li, Zhan-Feng; Liu, Yong-Biao

    2014-01-01

    The current study investigated the effects of Piper longumine on radio-sensitization of human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells and underlying mechanisms. Human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells were cultured in vitro and those in logarithmic growth phase were selected for experiments divided into four groups: control, X-ray exposed, Piper longumine, and Piper longumine combined with X-rays. Conogenic assays were performed to determine the radio-sensitizing effects. Cell survival curves were fitted by single-hit multi-target model and then the survival fraction (SF), average lethal dose (D0), quasi-threshold dose (Dq) and sensitive enhancement ratio (SER) were calculated. Cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM).Western blot assays were employed for expression of apoptosis-related proteins (Bc1-2 and Bax) after treatment with Piper longumine and/or X-ray radiation. The intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was detected by FCM with a DCFH-DA probe. The cloning formation capacity was decreased in the group of piperlongumine plus radiation, which displayed the values of SF2, D0, Dq significantly lower than those of radiation alone group and the sensitive enhancement ratio (SER) of D0 was1.22 and 1.29, respectively. The cell apoptosis rate was increased by the combination treatment of Piper longumine and radiation. Piper longumine increased the radiation-induced intracellular levels of ROS. Compared with the control group and individual group, the combination group demonstrated significantly decreased expression of Bcl-2 with increased Bax. Piper longumine at a non-cytotoxic concentration can enhance the radio-sensitivity of MDA- MB-231cells, which may be related to its regulation of apoptosis-related protein expression and the increase of intracellular ROS level, thus increasing radiation-induced apoptosis.

  15. Comparison of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) and O-methyl EGCG bioavailability in rats.

    PubMed

    Oritani, Yukihiro; Setoguchi, Yuko; Ito, Ryouichi; Maruki-Uchida, Hiroko; Ichiyanagi, Takashi; Ito, Tatsuhiko

    2013-01-01

    (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-O-(3-O-methyl)gallate (EGCG3″Me) and (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-(4-O-methyl)gallate (EGCG4″Me) are O-methyl derivatives of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) present in tea cultivars such as Benifuuki. Although O-methyl EGCGs have various bioactivities, their bioavailabilities have not been determined. In this study, we compared the bioavailability of EGCG and O-methyl EGCGs in rats, and clarified the pharmacokinetics of O-methyl EGCGs. Following oral administration (100 mg/kg), the areas under the concentration-time curves (AUCs) for EGCG, EGCG3″Me, and EGCG4″Me were 39.6 ± 14.2 µg·h/L, 317.2 ± 43.7 µg·h/L, and 51.9 ± 11.0 µg·h/L, respectively. The AUC after intravenous administration (10 mg/kg) was 2772 ± 480 µg·h/L for EGCG, 8209 ± 549 µg·h/L for EGCG3″Me, and 2465 ± 262 µg·h/L for EGCG4″Me. The bioavailability of EGCG3″Me (0.38%) was the highest (EGCG: 0.14% and EGCG4″Me: 0.21%). The distribution volume of EGCG3″Me (0.26 ± 0.02 L/kg) was the lowest (EGCG: 0.94 ± 0.16 L/kg and EGCG4″Me: 0.93 ± 0.14 L/kg). These results suggested that the higher AUC of EGCG3″Me after oral administration was related to its high bioavailability and low distribution volume. These findings supported the stronger bioactivity of EGCG3″Me in vivo.

  16. Punicalagin and catechins contain polyphenolic substructures that influence cell viability and can be monitored by radical chemosensors sensitive to electron transfer.

    PubMed

    Carreras, Anna; Mateos-Martín, María Luisa; Velázquez-Palenzuela, Amado; Brillas, Enric; Sánchez-Tena, Susana; Cascante, Marta; Juliá, Luis; Torres, Josep Lluís

    2012-02-22

    Plant polyphenols may be free radical scavengers or generators, depending on their nature and concentration. This dual effect, mediated by electron transfer reactions, may contribute to their influence on cell viability. This study used two stable radicals (tris(2,3,5,6-tetrachloro-4-nitrophenyl)methyl (TNPTM) and tris(2,4,6-trichloro-3,5-dinitrophenyl)methyl (HNTTM)) sensitive only to electron transfer reduction reactions to monitor the redox properties of polyphenols (punicalagin and catechins) that contain phenolic hydroxyls with different reducing capacities. The use of the two radicals reveals that punicalagin's substructures consisting of gallate esters linked together by carbon-carbon (C-C) bonds are more reactive than simple gallates and less reactive than the pyrogallol moiety of green tea catechins. The most reactive hydroxyls, detected by TNPTM, are present in the compounds that affect HT-29 cell viability the most. TNPTM reacts with C-C-linked gallates and pyrogallol and provides a convenient way to detect potentially beneficial polyphenols from natural sources.

  17. New treatment option for women with hormone-sensitive breast cancer

    Cancer.gov

    A drug used for treating breast cancer, known as exemestane, is more effective than a common breast cancer prevention drug, tamoxifen, in preventing breast cancer recurrence in young women who also receive post-surgical treatment to suppress ovarian funct

  18. Therapeutic Potential of Epigallocatechin Gallate Nanodelivery Systems

    PubMed Central

    Granja, Andreia; Frias, Iúri; Neves, Ana Rute; Reis, Salette

    2017-01-01

    Nowadays, the society is facing a large health problem with the rising of new diseases, including cancer, heart diseases, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, and obesity. Thus, it is important to invest in substances that enhance the health of the population. In this context, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a flavonoid found in many plants, especially in tea. Several studies support the notion that EGCG has several benefits in fighting cancer, heart diseases, diabetes, and obesity, among others. Nevertheless, the poor intestinal absorbance and instability of EGCG constitute the main drawback to use this molecule in prevention and therapy. The encapsulation of EGCG in nanocarriers leads to its enhanced stability and higher therapeutic effects. A comprehensive review of studies currently available on the encapsulation of EGCG by means of nanocarriers will be addressed. PMID:28791306

  19. Breast cancer screening effect across breast density strata: A case-control study.

    PubMed

    van der Waal, Daniëlle; Ripping, Theodora M; Verbeek, André L M; Broeders, Mireille J M

    2017-01-01

    Breast cancer screening is known to reduce breast cancer mortality. A high breast density may affect this reduction. We assessed the effect of screening on breast cancer mortality in women with dense and fatty breasts separately. Analyses were performed within the Nijmegen (Dutch) screening programme (1975-2008), which invites women (aged 50-74 years) biennially. Performance measures were determined. Furthermore, a case-control study was performed for women having dense and women having fatty breasts. Breast density was assessed visually with a dichotomized Wolfe scale. Breast density data were available for cases. The prevalence of dense breasts among controls was estimated with age-specific rates from the general population. Sensitivity analyses were performed on these estimates. Screening performance was better in the fatty than in the dense group (sensitivity 75.7% vs 57.8%). The mortality reduction appeared to be smaller for women with dense breasts, with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.87 (95% CI 0.52-1.45) in the dense and 0.59 (95% CI 0.44-0.79) in the fatty group. We can conclude that high density results in lower screening performance and appears to be associated with a smaller mortality reduction. Breast density is thus a likely candidate for risk-stratified screening. More research is needed on the association between density and screening harms. © 2016 UICC.

  20. Paramagnetic centers in two phases of manganese-doped lanthanum gallate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vazhenin, V. A.; Potapov, A. P.; Guseva, V. B.; Artyomov, M. Yu.

    2009-05-01

    An EPR study of two phases of manganese-doped lanthanum gallate (with a first-order structural transition occurring at 430 K) has revealed Gd3+, Fe3+, and Mn4+ centers at room temperature and 438 K. The parameters of spin Hamiltonians are determined for the Gd3+, Fe3+, and Mn4+ rhombohedral centers in the high-temperature phase (with no other centers found here) and for the monoclinic center Gd3+ in the low-temperature phase. Both in the orthorhombic and in the rhombohedral phase, crystallographic twins (or ferroelastic domains) are observed.

  1. Lanthanum gallate substrates for epitaxial high-temperature superconducting thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sandstrom, R. L.; Giess, E. A.; Gallagher, W. J.; Segmuller, A.; Cooper, E. I.

    1988-11-01

    It is demonstrated that lanthanum gallate (LaGaO3) has considerable potential as an electronic substrate material for high-temperature superconducting films. It provides a good lattice and thermal expansion match to YBa2Cu3O(7-x), can be grown in large crystal sizes, is compatible with high-temperature film processing, and has a reasonably low dielectric constant and low dielectric losses. Epitaxial YBa2Cu3O(7-x) films grown on LaGaO3 single-crystal substrates by three techniques have zero resistance between 87 and 91 K.

  2. Sensitized chemiluminescence of 2-phenyl-4,5-di(2-furyl)-1H-imidazole/K₃Fe(CN)₆/propyl gallate system combining with solid-phase extraction for the determination of propyl gallate in edible oil.

    PubMed

    Kang, Jing; Han, Lu; Chen, Zhonglin; Shen, Jimin; Nan, Jun; Zhang, Yihua

    2014-09-15

    In this paper, a novel chemiluminescence (CL) method has been developed for the determination of propyl gallate (PG). The proposed method was based on the enhancing effect of PG on the CL signal of 2-phenyl-4,5-di(2-furyl)-1H-imidazole (PDFI) and K3Fe(CN)6 reaction in an alkaline solution. Under the optimum conditions, the enhanced CL intensity was linearly related to the concentration of PG. The linear range of the calibration curve was 0.05-8 μg/mL, and the corresponding detection limit (3σ) was 0.036 μg/mL. The relative standard deviation for determining 1.0 μg/mL PG was 2.8% (n=11). The proposed method has been successfully applied to the determination of PG in edible oil. The edible oil samples were prepared by the solid-phase extraction (SPE) with a C18 column served as the stationary phase. Furthermore, the possible CL mechanism was also discussed briefly based on the photoluminescence (PL) and CL spectra. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Quercetin-3-methyl ether inhibits lapatinib-sensitive and -resistant breast cancer cell growth by inducing G2/M arrest and apoptosis

    PubMed Central

    Li, Jixia; Zhu, Feng; Lubet, Ronald A.; De Luca, Antonella; Grubbs, Clinton; Ericson, Marna E.; D’Alessio, Amelia; Normano, Nicola; Dong, Zigang; Bode, Ann M.

    2012-01-01

    Lapatinib, an oral, small-molecule, reversible inhibitor of both EGFR and HER2, is highly active in HER2 positive breast cancer as a single agent and in combination with other therapeutics. However, resistance against lapatinib is an unresolved problem in clinical oncology. Recently, interest in the use of natural compounds to prevent or treat cancers has gained increasing interest because of presumed low toxicity. Quercetin-3-methyl ether, a naturally occurring compound present in various plants, has potent anticancer activity. Here, we found that quercetin-3-methyl ether caused in a significant growth inhibition of lapatinib-sensitive and -resistant breast cancer cells. Western blot data showed that quercetin-3-methyl ether had no effect on Akt or ERKs signaling in resistant cells. However, quercetin-3-methyl ether caused a pronounced G2/M block mainly through the Chk1-Cdc25c-cyclin B1/Cdk1 pathway in lapatinib-sensitive and -resistant cells. In contrast, lapatinib produced an accumulation of cells in the G1 phase mediated through cyclin D1, but only in lapatinib-sensitive cells. Moreover, quercetin-3-methyl ether induced significant apoptosis, accompanied with increased levels of cleaved caspase 3, caspase 7 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in both cell lines. Overall, these results suggested that quercetin-3-methyl ether might be a novel and promising therapeutic agent in lapatinib-sensitive or -resistant breast cancer patients. PMID:22086611

  4. The use of breast ultrasound color Doppler vascular pattern morphology improves diagnostic sensitivity with minimal change in specificity.

    PubMed

    Svensson, W E; Pandian, A J; Hashimoto, H

    2010-10-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of vascular morphology, around and within the B-mode region of abnormality, for improving the diagnostic accuracy of two of the most common solid breast pathologies. The B-mode and Doppler images of 117 breast cancers and 366 fibroadenomas and lesions with a fibroadenoma-like appearance were reviewed retrospectively and the morphology of the vascular pattern was evaluated. The ratio of external to internal color Doppler, the external vascular pattern and the connecting vessels to internal vessels were assessed and differentiated into benign and malignant vascular patterns. These patterns were correlated with the histological diagnosis. Vascularity was demonstrated in 95 % of cancers and in 46 % of benign lesions with a trend to increasing vascularity in cancers. This provided poor specificity for excluding cancer in fibroadenomas. Variations in vascular pattern were recorded. The observed benign vascular patterns were avascularity, vascularity in the periphery and peripheral marginal vessels connecting with internal vascularity. The observed malignant vascular patterns were radially aligned external vessels with internal vessels being more numerous than external vessels which connected to radial vessels. (Fisher exact test p < 0.0001). Analysis of the vascular morphology improved the sensitivity for identifying cancers from 97 % (B-mode) to 99 % (B-mode and color Doppler) with a minimal reduction in specificity (93.7 to 92.6 %) or accuracy (94.6 to 94.2 %). The presence of vascularity within a lesion, by itself, is no longer a good predictor of malignancy because of the increase in Doppler sensitivity associated with improvements in ultrasound technology. The color Doppler ultrasound vascular pattern morphology improves the accuracy and sensitivity of B-mode image diagnosis, breast cancers and fibroadenomas with a minimal loss of specificity. Any breast lesion with radial rather than marginal connecting vessels should

  5. Volumetric breast density measurement: sensitivity analysis of a relative physics approach

    PubMed Central

    Lau, Susie; Abdul Aziz, Yang Faridah

    2016-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the sensitivity and robustness of a volumetric breast density (VBD) measurement system to errors in the imaging physics parameters including compressed breast thickness (CBT), tube voltage (kVp), filter thickness, tube current-exposure time product (mAs), detector gain, detector offset and image noise. Methods: 3317 raw digital mammograms were processed with Volpara® (Matakina Technology Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand) to obtain fibroglandular tissue volume (FGV), breast volume (BV) and VBD. Errors in parameters including CBT, kVp, filter thickness and mAs were simulated by varying them in the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) tags of the images up to ±10% of the original values. Errors in detector gain and offset were simulated by varying them in the Volpara configuration file up to ±10% from their default values. For image noise, Gaussian noise was generated and introduced into the original images. Results: Errors in filter thickness, mAs, detector gain and offset had limited effects on FGV, BV and VBD. Significant effects in VBD were observed when CBT, kVp, detector offset and image noise were varied (p < 0.0001). Maximum shifts in the mean (1.2%) and median (1.1%) VBD of the study population occurred when CBT was varied. Conclusion: Volpara was robust to expected clinical variations, with errors in most investigated parameters giving limited changes in results, although extreme variations in CBT and kVp could lead to greater errors. Advances in knowledge: Despite Volpara's robustness, rigorous quality control is essential to keep the parameter errors within reasonable bounds. Volpara appears robust within those bounds, albeit for more advanced applications such as tracking density change over time, it remains to be seen how accurate the measures need to be. PMID:27452264

  6. Volumetric breast density measurement: sensitivity analysis of a relative physics approach.

    PubMed

    Lau, Susie; Ng, Kwan Hoong; Abdul Aziz, Yang Faridah

    2016-10-01

    To investigate the sensitivity and robustness of a volumetric breast density (VBD) measurement system to errors in the imaging physics parameters including compressed breast thickness (CBT), tube voltage (kVp), filter thickness, tube current-exposure time product (mAs), detector gain, detector offset and image noise. 3317 raw digital mammograms were processed with Volpara(®) (Matakina Technology Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand) to obtain fibroglandular tissue volume (FGV), breast volume (BV) and VBD. Errors in parameters including CBT, kVp, filter thickness and mAs were simulated by varying them in the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) tags of the images up to ±10% of the original values. Errors in detector gain and offset were simulated by varying them in the Volpara configuration file up to ±10% from their default values. For image noise, Gaussian noise was generated and introduced into the original images. Errors in filter thickness, mAs, detector gain and offset had limited effects on FGV, BV and VBD. Significant effects in VBD were observed when CBT, kVp, detector offset and image noise were varied (p < 0.0001). Maximum shifts in the mean (1.2%) and median (1.1%) VBD of the study population occurred when CBT was varied. Volpara was robust to expected clinical variations, with errors in most investigated parameters giving limited changes in results, although extreme variations in CBT and kVp could lead to greater errors. Despite Volpara's robustness, rigorous quality control is essential to keep the parameter errors within reasonable bounds. Volpara appears robust within those bounds, albeit for more advanced applications such as tracking density change over time, it remains to be seen how accurate the measures need to be.

  7. Theranostic pH-sensitive nanoparticles for highly efficient targeted delivery of doxorubicin for breast tumor treatment.

    PubMed

    Pan, Changqie; Liu, Yuqing; Zhou, Minyu; Wang, Wensheng; Shi, Min; Xing, Malcolm; Liao, Wangjun

    2018-01-01

    A multifunctional theranostic nanoplatform integrated with environmental responses has been developed rapidly over the past few years as a novel treatment strategy for several solid tumors. We synthesized pH-sensitive poly(β-thiopropionate) nanoparticles with a supermagnetic core and folic acid (FA) conjugation (FA-doxorubicin-iron oxide nanoparticles [FA-DOX@ IONPs]) to deliver an antineoplastic drug, DOX, for the treatment of folate receptor (FR)-overexpressed breast cancer. In addition to an imaging function, the nanoparticles can release their payloads in response to an environment of pH 5, such as the acidic environment found in tumors. After chemical ( 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance) and physical (morphology and super-magnetic) characterization, FA-DOX@IONPs were shown to demonstrate pH-dependent drug release profiles. Western blotting analysis revealed the expression of FRs in three breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7, BT549, and MD-MBA-231. The cell counting kit-8 assay and transmission electron microscopy showed that FA-DOX@IONPs had the strongest cytotoxicity against breast cancer cells, compared with free DOX and non-FR targeted nanoparticles (DOX@IONPs), and caused cellular apoptosis. The FA-DOX@IONP-mediated cellular uptake and intracellular internalization were clarified by fluorescence microscopy. FA-DOX@IONPs plus magnetic field treatment suppressed in vivo tumor growth in mice to a greater extent than either treatment alone; furthermore, the nanoparticles exerted no toxicity against healthy organs. Magnetic resonance imaging was successfully applied to monitor the nanoparticle accumulation. Our results suggest that theranostic pH-sensitive nanoparticles with dual targeting could enhance the available therapies for cancer.

  8. Digital breast tomosynthesis for breast cancer screening and diagnosis in women with dense breasts - a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Phi, Xuan-Anh; Tagliafico, Alberto; Houssami, Nehmat; Greuter, Marcel J W; de Bock, Geertruida H

    2018-04-03

    This study aimed to systematically review and to meta-analyse the accuracy of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) versus digital mammography (DM) in women with mammographically dense breasts in screening and diagnosis. Two independent reviewers identified screening or diagnostic studies reporting at least one of four outcomes (cancer detection rate-CDR, recall rate, sensitivity and specificity) for DBT and DM in women with mammographically dense breasts. Study quality was assessed using QUADAS-2. Meta-analysis of CDR and recall rate used a random effects model. Summary ROC curve summarized sensitivity and specificity. Sixteen studies were included (five diagnostic; eleven screening). In diagnosis, DBT increased sensitivity (84%-90%) versus DM alone (69%-86%) but not specificity. DBT improved CDR versus DM alone (RR: 1.16, 95% CI 1.02-1.31). In screening, DBT + DM increased CDR versus DM alone (RR: 1.33, 95% CI 1.20-1.47 for retrospective studies; RR: 1.52, 95% CI 1.08-2.11 for prospective studies). Recall rate was significantly reduced by DBT + DM in retrospective studies (RR: 0.72, 95% CI 0.64-0.80) but not in two prospective studies (RR: 1.12, 95% CI 0.76-1.63). In women with mammographically dense breasts, DBT+/-DM increased CDR significantly (versus DM) in screening and diagnosis. In diagnosis, DBT+/-DM increased sensitivity but not specificity. The effect of DBT + DM on recall rate in screening dense breasts varied between studies.

  9. Spectrophotometric studies on the interaction between (-)-epigallocatechin gallate and lysozyme

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghosh, Kalyan Sundar; Sahoo, Bijaya Ketan; Dasgupta, Swagata

    2008-02-01

    Various reported antibacterial activities of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major polyphenol of green tea prompted us to study its binding with lysozyme. This has been investigated by fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD) and protein-ligand docking. The binding parameters were determined using a modified Stern-Volmer equation. The thermodynamic parameters are indicative of an initial hydrophobic association. The complex is, however, held together predominantly by van der Waals interactions and hydrogen bonding. CD studies do not indicate any significant changes in the secondary structure of lysozyme. Docking studies revealed that specific interactions are observed with residues Trp 62 and Trp 63.

  10. GDC-0941 sensitizes breast cancer to ABT-737 in vitro and in vivo through promoting the degradation of Mcl-1.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Lin; Yang, Wei; Zhang, Chong; Ding, Wan-jing; Zhu, Hong; Lin, Neng-ming; Wu, Hong-hai; He, Qiao-jun; Yang, Bo

    2011-10-01

    The present study showed that GDC-0941 potently sensitized breast cancer to ABT-737 in vitro and in vivo. ABT-737 exhibited limited lethality in breast cancer cells; however, when combined with GDC-0941, it displayed strong synergistic cytotoxicity and enhanced caspase-mediated apoptosis. GDC-0941 promoted proteasomal degradation of Mcl-1, of which the overexpression has been validated to confer ABT-737 resistance, thereby enhanced the anticancer efficacy of ABT-737. Furthermore, the combination of GDC-0941 and ABT-737 exerted increased anti-tumor efficacy on MDA-MB-231 xenograft models. Overall, our data described unprecedentedly the promising therapeutic potential and underlying mechanisms of combining GDC-0941 with ABT-737 in treating breast cancer. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Evaluation of non-genomic, clinical risk and survival results in endocrine-sensitive, HER-2 negative, node negative breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Baena Cañada, José M; Gámez Casado, Salvador; Rodríguez Pérez, Lourdes; Quílez Cutillas, Alicia; Cortés Carmona, Cristina; Rosado Varela, Petra; Estalella Mendoza, Sara; Ramírez Daffós, Patricia; Benítez Rodríguez, Encarnación

    2018-02-28

    In endocrine-sensitive, HER-2 negative, node negative breast cancer, the presence of a low genomic risk allows treatment with adjuvant endocrine therapy alone, obtaining excellent survival rates. The justification for this study is to show that excellent survival rates are also obtained by treating with adjuvant hormone therapy alone, based on clinical risk assessment. A descriptive, observational and retrospective study was performed between 2006 and 2016 with endocrine-sensitive, HER-2 negative, node negative breast cancer, greater than 1cm or between 0.6 and 1cm with unfavourable features. Retrospective review of health records. Mortality data of the National Registry of Deaths. A total of 203 patients were evaluable for survival. One hundred and twenty-three (60.50%) were treated with adjuvant endocrine therapy alone, 77 (37.90%) with chemotherapy and endocrine therapy, one (0.50%) with chemotherapy alone and 2 (1%) were not treated. The overall survival rate at 5 years was 97% (95% confidence interval [CI] 94-100). Distant recurrence-free interval was 94% (95% CI 90-98). In the subgroup of patients treated with endocrine therapy alone, overall survival and distant recurrence-free interval rates at 5 years were 98% (95% CI 95-100) and 97% (95% CI 93-100), respectively. Patients with endocrine-sensitive, HER-2-negative, node negative breast cancer treated with endocrine therapy alone according to their clinical risk have similar survival outcomes as those treated with endocrine therapy according to their genomic risk. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  12. Imprinted propyl gallate electrochemical sensor based on graphene/single walled carbon nanotubes/sol-gel film.

    PubMed

    Xu, Guilin; Chi, Yu; Li, Lu; Liu, Shouhua; Kan, Xianwen

    2015-06-15

    A novel imprinted sol-gel electrochemical sensor for the determination of propyl gallate (PG) was developed based on a composite of graphene and single walled carbon nanotubes (GR-SWCNTs). It was fabricated by stepwise modifying GR-SWCNTs and molecularly imprinted polymers and stored in 0.10 mol L(-1) phosphate buffer solution pH 6.0, which endowed the sensor good sensitivity and selective recognition towards template molecules. The morphology and specific adsorption capacity of the sensor was characterized by scanning electron microscope and electrochemical methods, respectively. Under the optimized conditions, a linear range of the sensor to PG was 8.0 × 10(-8)-2.6 × 10(-3)mo lL(-1) with a limit of detection of 5.0 × 10(-8)mol L(-1) (S/N=3). The sensor exhibited specificity and selectivity towards template molecules as well as excellent reproducibility, regeneration and stability. Furthermore, the sensor could be applied to determine PG in edible oils, instant noodles and cookies with satisfactory results. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. [Monocarboxylate transporter 1 enhances the sensitivity of breast cancer cells to 3-bromopyruvate in vitro].

    PubMed

    Li, Qi-Xiang; Zhang, Pei; Liu, Fang; Wang, Xian-Zhi; Li, Lu; Wang, Zhong-Kun; Jiang, Chen-Chen; Zheng, Hai-Lun; Liu, Hao

    2017-05-20

    To investigate the role of monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) in enhancing the sensitivity of breast cancer cells to 3-bromopyruvate (3-BrPA). The inhibitory effect of 3-BrPA on the proliferation of breast cancer cells was assessed with MTT assay, and brominated propidium bromide single staining flow cytometry was used for detecting the cell apoptosis. An ELISA kit was used to detect the intracellular levels of hexokinase II, lactate dehydrogenase, lactate, and adenosine triphosphate, and Western blotting was performed to detect the expression of MCT1. MDA-MB-231 cells were transiently transfected with MCT1 cDNA for over-expressing MCT1, and the effect of 3-BrPA on the cell proliferation and adenosine triphosphate level was deteced. 3-BrPA did not produce significant effects on the proliferation and apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 cells, and the cells treated with 200 µmol/L 3-BrPA for 24 h showed an inhibition rate and an apoptosis rate of only 8.72% and 7.8%, respectively. The same treatment, however, produced an inhibition rate and an apoptosis rate of 84.6% and 82.3% in MCF-7 cells, respectively. In MDA-MB-231 cells with MCT1 overexpression, 200 µmol/L 3-BrPA resulted in an inhibition rate of 72.44%, significantly higher than that in the control cells (P<0.05); treatment of the cells with 25, 50, 100, and 200 µmol/L 3-BrPA for 6 h resulted in intracellular adenosine triphosphate levels of 96.98%, 88.44%, 43.3% and 27.56% relative to the control level respectively. MCT1 can enhance the sensitivity of breast cancer cells to 3-BrPA possibly by transporting 3-BrPA into cells to inhibit cell glycolysis.

  14. Sensitizing Triple-Negative Breast Cancer to PI3K Inhibition by Cotargeting IGF1R.

    PubMed

    de Lint, Klaas; Poell, Jos B; Soueidan, Hayssam; Jastrzebski, Katarzyna; Vidal Rodriguez, Jordi; Lieftink, Cor; Wessels, Lodewyk F A; Beijersbergen, Roderick L

    2016-07-01

    Targeted therapies have proven invaluable in the treatment of breast cancer, as exemplified by tamoxifen treatment for hormone receptor-positive tumors and trastuzumab treatment for HER2-positive tumors. In contrast, a subset of breast cancer negative for these markers, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), has met limited success with pathway-targeted therapies. A large fraction of TNBCs depend on the PI3K pathway for proliferation and survival, but inhibition of PI3K alone generally has limited clinical benefit. We performed an RNAi-based genetic screen in a human TNBC cell line to identify kinases whose knockdown synergizes with the PI3K inhibitor GDC-0941 (pictilisib). We discovered that knockdown of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF1R) expression potently increased sensitivity of these cells to GDC-0941. Pharmacologic inhibition of IGF1R using OSI-906 (linsitinib) showed a strong synergy with PI3K inhibition. Furthermore, we found that the combination of GDC-0941 and OSI-906 is synergistic in 8 lines from a panel of 18 TNBC cell lines. In these cell lines, inhibition of IGF1R further decreases the activity of downstream PI3K pathway components when PI3K is inhibited. Expression analysis of the panel of TNBC cell lines indicates that the expression levels of IGF2BP3 can be used as a potential predictor for sensitivity to the PI3K/IGF1R inhibitor combination. Our data show that combination therapy consisting of PI3K and IGF1R inhibitors could be beneficial in a subset of TNBCs. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(7); 1545-56. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

  15. Highly sensitive detection of ESR1 mutations in cell-free DNA from patients with metastatic breast cancer using molecular barcode sequencing.

    PubMed

    Masunaga, Nanae; Kagara, Naofumi; Motooka, Daisuke; Nakamura, Shota; Miyake, Tomohiro; Tanei, Tomonori; Naoi, Yasuto; Shimoda, Masafumi; Shimazu, Kenzo; Kim, Seung Jin; Noguchi, Shinzaburo

    2018-01-01

    We aimed to develop a highly sensitive method to detect ESR1 mutations in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) using next-generation sequencing with molecular barcode (MB-NGS) targeting the hotspot segment (c.1600-1713). The sensitivity of MB-NGS was tested using serially diluted ESR1 mutant DNA and then cfDNA samples from 34 patients with metastatic breast cancer were analyzed with MB-NGS. The results of MB-NGS were validated in comparison with conventional NGS and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). MB-NGS showed a higher sensitivity (0.1%) than NGS without barcode (1%) by reducing background errors. Of the cfDNA samples from 34 patients with metastatic breast cancer, NGS without barcode revealed seven mutations in six patients (17.6%) and MB-NGS revealed six additional mutations including three mutations not reported in the COSMIC database of breast cancer, resulting in total 13 ESR1 mutations in ten patients (29.4%). Regarding the three hotspot mutations, all the patients with mutations detected by MB-NGS had identical mutations detected by droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), and mutant allele frequency correlated very well between both (r = 0.850, p < 0.01). Moreover, all the patients without these mutations by MB-NGS were found to have no mutations by ddPCR. In conclusion, MB-NGS could successfully detect ESR1 mutations in cfDNA with a higher sensitivity of 0.1% than conventional NGS and was considered as clinically useful as ddPCR.

  16. Characteristics of the group of radiologists that benefits the most using Breast Screen Reader Assessment Strategy (BREAST)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ganesan, A.; Alakhras, M.; Brennan, P. C.; Lee, W.; Tapia, K.; Mello-Thoms, C.

    2018-03-01

    Purpose: To determine the impact of Breast Screen Reader Assessment Strategy (BREAST) over time in improving radiologists' breast cancer detection performance, and to identify the group of radiologists that benefit the most by using BREAST as a training tool. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six radiologists who completed three case-sets offered by BREAST were included in this study. The case-sets were arranged in radiologists' chronological order of completion and five performance measures (sensitivity, specificity, location sensitivity, receiver operating characteristics area under the curve (ROC AUC) and jackknife alternative free-response receiver operating characteristic (JAFROC) figure-of-merit (FOM)), available from BREAST, were compared between case-sets to determine the level of improvement achieved. The radiologists were then grouped based on their characteristics and the above performance measures between the case-sets were compared. Paired t-tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests with statistical significance set at p < 0.05 were used to compare the performance measures. Results: Significant improvement was demonstrated in radiologists' case-set performance in terms of location sensitivity and JAFROC FOM over the years, and radiologists' location sensitivity and JAFROC FOM showed significant improvement irrespective of their characteristics. In terms of ROC AUC, significant improvement was shown for radiologists who were reading screen mammograms for more than 7 years and spent more than 9 hours per week reading mammograms. Conclusion: Engaging with case-sets appears to enhance radiologists' performance suggesting the important value of initiatives such as BREAST. However, such performance enhancement was not shown for everyone, highlighting the need to tailor the BREAST platform to benefit all radiologists.

  17. H2Mab-77 is a Sensitive and Specific Anti-HER2 Monoclonal Antibody Against Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Itai, Shunsuke; Fujii, Yuki; Kaneko, Mika K; Yamada, Shinji; Nakamura, Takuro; Yanaka, Miyuki; Saidoh, Noriko; Chang, Yao-Wen; Handa, Saori; Takahashi, Maki; Suzuki, Hiroyoshi; Harada, Hiroyuki; Kato, Yukinari

    2017-08-01

    Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) plays a critical role in the progression of breast cancers, and HER2 overexpression is associated with poor clinical outcomes. Trastuzumab is an anti-HER2 humanized antibody that leads to significant survival benefits in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancers. In this study, we developed novel anti-HER2 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and characterized their efficacy in flow cytometry, Western blot, and immunohistochemical analyses. Initially, we expressed the full length or ectodomain of HER2 in LN229 glioblastoma cells and then immunized mice with ectodomain of HER2 or LN229/HER2, and performed the first screening by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays using ectodomain of HER2. Subsequently, we selected mAbs according to their efficacy in flow cytometry (second screening), Western blot (third screening), and immunohistochemical analyses (fourth screening). Among 100 mAb clones, only three mAbs reacted with HER2 in Western blot, and clone H 2 Mab-77 (IgG 1 , kappa) was selected. Finally, immunohistochemical analyses with H 2 Mab-77 showed sensitive and specific reactions against breast cancer cells, warranting the use of H 2 Mab-77 to detect HER2 in pathological analyses of breast cancers.

  18. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate and Epigallocatechin-3-O-(3-O-methyl)-gallate Enhance the Bonding Stability of an Etch-and-Rinse Adhesive to Dentin

    PubMed Central

    Yu, Hao-Han; Zhang, Ling; Yu, Fan; Li, Fang; Liu, Zheng-Ya; Chen, Ji-Hua

    2017-01-01

    This study evaluated epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and epigallocatechin-3-O-(3-O-methyl)-gallate (EGCG-3Me) modified etch-and-rinse adhesives (Single Bond 2, SB 2) for their antibacterial effect and bonding stability to dentin. EGCG-3Me was isolated and purified with column chromatography and preparative high performance liquid chromatography. EGCG and EGCG-3Me were incorporated separately into the adhesive SB 2 at concentrations of 200, 400, and 600 µg/mL. The effect of cured adhesives on the growth of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) was determined with scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy; the biofilm of bacteria was further quantified via optical density 600 values. The inhibition of EGCG and EGCG-3Me on dentin-originated collagen proteases activities was evaluated with a proteases fluorometric assay kit. The degree of conversion (DC) of the adhesives was tested with micro-Raman spectrum. The immediate and post-thermocycling (5000 cycles) bond strength was assessed through Microtensile Bond Strength (MTBS) test. Cured EGCG/EGCG-3Me modified adhesives inhibit the growth of S. mutans in a concentration-dependent manner. The immediate MTBS of SB 2 was not compromised by EGCG/EGCG-3Me modification. EGCG/EGCG-3Me modified adhesive had higher MTBS than SB 2 after thermocycling, showing no correlation with concentration. The DC of the adhesive system was affected depending on the concentration of EGCG/EGCG-3Me and the depth of the hybrid layer. EGCG/EGCG-3Me modified adhesives could inhibit S. mutans adhesion to dentin–resin interface, and maintain the bonding stability. The adhesive modified with 400 µg/mL EGCG-3Me showed antibacterial effect and enhanced bonding stability without affect the DC of adhesive. PMID:28772546

  19. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate and Epigallocatechin-3-O-(3-O-methyl)-gallate Enhance the Bonding Stability of an Etch-and-Rinse Adhesive to Dentin.

    PubMed

    Yu, Hao-Han; Zhang, Ling; Yu, Fan; Li, Fang; Liu, Zheng-Ya; Chen, Ji-Hua

    2017-02-15

    This study evaluated epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and epigallocatechin-3- O -(3- O -methyl)-gallate (EGCG-3Me) modified etch-and-rinse adhesives (Single Bond 2, SB 2) for their antibacterial effect and bonding stability to dentin. EGCG-3Me was isolated and purified with column chromatography and preparative high performance liquid chromatography. EGCG and EGCG-3Me were incorporated separately into the adhesive SB 2 at concentrations of 200, 400, and 600 µg/mL. The effect of cured adhesives on the growth of Streptococcus mutans ( S. mutans ) was determined with scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy; the biofilm of bacteria was further quantified via optical density 600 values. The inhibition of EGCG and EGCG-3Me on dentin-originated collagen proteases activities was evaluated with a proteases fluorometric assay kit. The degree of conversion (DC) of the adhesives was tested with micro-Raman spectrum. The immediate and post-thermocycling (5000 cycles) bond strength was assessed through Microtensile Bond Strength (MTBS) test. Cured EGCG/EGCG-3Me modified adhesives inhibit the growth of S. mutans in a concentration-dependent manner. The immediate MTBS of SB 2 was not compromised by EGCG/EGCG-3Me modification. EGCG/EGCG-3Me modified adhesive had higher MTBS than SB 2 after thermocycling, showing no correlation with concentration. The DC of the adhesive system was affected depending on the concentration of EGCG/EGCG-3Me and the depth of the hybrid layer. EGCG/EGCG-3Me modified adhesives could inhibit S. mutans adhesion to dentin-resin interface, and maintain the bonding stability. The adhesive modified with 400 µg/mL EGCG-3Me showed antibacterial effect and enhanced bonding stability without affect the DC of adhesive.

  20. Antifungal Activity of Decyl Gallate against Several Species of Pathogenic Fungi

    PubMed Central

    de Paula e Silva, Ana Carolina Alves; Costa-Orlandi, Caroline Barcelos; Gullo, Fernanda Patrícia; Sangalli-Leite, Fernanda; de Oliveira, Haroldo Cesar; da Silva, Julhiany de Fátima; Rossi, Suélen Andrea; Benaducci, Tatiane; Wolf, Vanessa Gonçalves; Regasini, Luis Octávio; Petrônio, Maicon Segalla; Silva, Dulce Helena Siqueira; Bolzani, Vanderlan S.; Mendes-Giannini, Maria José Soares

    2014-01-01

    This work aims to demonstrate that the gallic acid structure modification to the decyl gallate (G14) compound contributed to increase the antifungal activity against several species of pathogenic fungi, mainly, Candida spp., Cryptococcus spp., Paracoccidioides spp., and Histoplasma capsulatum, according to standardized microdilution method described by Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) documents. Moreover this compound has a particularly good selectivity index value, which makes it an excellent candidate for broad-spectrum antifungal prototype and encourages the continuation of subsequent studies for the discovery of its mechanism of action. PMID:25505923

  1. Studies on the Food Additive Propyl Gallate: Synthesis, Structural Characterization, and Evaluation of the Antioxidant Activity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garrido, Jorge; Garrido, E. Manuela; Borges, Fernanda

    2012-01-01

    Antioxidants are additives largely used in industry for delaying, retarding, or preventing the development of oxidative deterioration. Propyl gallate (E310) is a phenolic antioxidant extensively used in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. A series of lab experiments have been developed to teach students about the importance and…

  2. Molecular breast imaging using a dedicated high-performance instrument

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    O'Connor, Michael K.; Wagenaar, Douglas; Hruska, Carrie B.; Phillips, Stephen; Caravaglia, Gina; Rhodes, Deborah

    2006-08-01

    In women with radiographically dense breasts, the sensitivity of mammography is less than 50%. With the increase in the percent of women with dense breasts, it is important to look at alternative screening techniques for this population. This article reviews the strengths and weaknesses of current imaging techniques and focuses on recent developments in semiconductor-based gamma camera systems that offer significant improvements in image quality over that achievable with single-crystal sodium iodide systems. We have developed a technique known as Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI) using small field of view Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) gamma cameras that permits the breast to be imaged in a similar manner to mammography, using light pain-free compression. Computer simulations and experimental studies have shown that use of low-energy high sensitivity collimation coupled with the excellent energy resolution and intrinsic spatial resolution of CZT detectors provides optimum image quality for the detection of small breast lesions. Preliminary clinical studies with a prototype dual-detector system have demonstrated that Molecular Breast Imaging has a sensitivity of ~90% for the detection of breast tumors less than 10 mm in diameter. By comparison, conventional scintimammography only achieves a sensitivity of 50% in the detection of lesions < 10 mm. Because Molecular Breast Imaging is not affected by breast density, this technique may offer an important adjunct to mammography in the evaluation of women with dense breast parenchyma.

  3. The origin of current blocking in interfacial conduction in Sr-doped lanthanum gallates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Park, Hee Jung

    2018-02-01

    The grain boundary transport of lanthanum gallate has been studied with various doping concentrations, and the origins of blocking on the grain boundary are compared. La1-xSrxGaO3 samples (x = 0.005, 0.01, 0.05 and 0.1) have been prepared and their bulk (grain) and grain boundary resistances been experimentally measured as a function of temperature (T: 200-550 °C) and oxygen partial pressure (Po2) using ac-impedance measurements. In addition, Hebb-Wagner polarization measurements have been conducted to investigate the electrical conductivity of minor charge carriers in the lanthanum gallates. The grain boundary resistance in the low-doped materials (x = 0.005 and 0.01) increases with increasing Po2 while in the highly-doped materials (x = 0.05, 0.1) it hardly depended on Po2. At lower concentrations conduction is mixed and at higher concentrations is found to be predominantly ionic conductivity. The space charge model successfully describes the mixed conduction at the grain boundary at low-doping, but does not explain the predominant ionic conductivity at high-doping. The origin of blocking at high-doping is explained by the crystallographic asymmetry of the grain boundary with respect to the bulk and/or Sr-segregation.

  4. Novel Breast Imaging and Machine Learning: Predicting Breast Lesion Malignancy at Cone-Beam CT Using Machine Learning Techniques.

    PubMed

    Uhlig, Johannes; Uhlig, Annemarie; Kunze, Meike; Beissbarth, Tim; Fischer, Uwe; Lotz, Joachim; Wienbeck, Susanne

    2018-05-24

    The purpose of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic performance of machine learning techniques for malignancy prediction at breast cone-beam CT (CBCT) and to compare them to human readers. Five machine learning techniques, including random forests, back propagation neural networks (BPN), extreme learning machines, support vector machines, and K-nearest neighbors, were used to train diagnostic models on a clinical breast CBCT dataset with internal validation by repeated 10-fold cross-validation. Two independent blinded human readers with profound experience in breast imaging and breast CBCT analyzed the same CBCT dataset. Diagnostic performance was compared using AUC, sensitivity, and specificity. The clinical dataset comprised 35 patients (American College of Radiology density type C and D breasts) with 81 suspicious breast lesions examined with contrast-enhanced breast CBCT. Forty-five lesions were histopathologically proven to be malignant. Among the machine learning techniques, BPNs provided the best diagnostic performance, with AUC of 0.91, sensitivity of 0.85, and specificity of 0.82. The diagnostic performance of the human readers was AUC of 0.84, sensitivity of 0.89, and specificity of 0.72 for reader 1 and AUC of 0.72, sensitivity of 0.71, and specificity of 0.67 for reader 2. AUC was significantly higher for BPN when compared with both reader 1 (p = 0.01) and reader 2 (p < 0.001). Machine learning techniques provide a high and robust diagnostic performance in the prediction of malignancy in breast lesions identified at CBCT. BPNs showed the best diagnostic performance, surpassing human readers in terms of AUC and specificity.

  5. Postnatally-transmitted HIV-1 Envelope variants have similar neutralization-sensitivity and function to that of nontransmitted breast milk variants

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Breastfeeding is a leading cause of infant HIV-1 infection in the developing world, yet only a minority of infants exposed to HIV-1 via breastfeeding become infected. As a genetic bottleneck severely restricts the number of postnatally-transmitted variants, genetic or phenotypic properties of the virus Envelope (Env) could be important for the establishment of infant infection. We examined the efficiency of virologic functions required for initiation of infection in the gastrointestinal tract and the neutralization sensitivity of HIV-1 Env variants isolated from milk of three postnatally-transmitting mothers (n=13 viruses), five clinically-matched nontransmitting mothers (n=16 viruses), and seven postnatally-infected infants (n = 7 postnatally-transmitted/founder (T/F) viruses). Results There was no difference in the efficiency of epithelial cell interactions between Env virus variants from the breast milk of transmitting and nontransmitting mothers. Moreover, there was similar efficiency of DC-mediated trans-infection, CCR5-usage, target cell fusion, and infectivity between HIV-1 Env-pseudoviruses from nontransmitting mothers and postnatal T/F viruses. Milk Env-pseudoviruses were generally sensitive to neutralization by autologous maternal plasma and resistant to breast milk neutralization. Infant T/F Env-pseudoviruses were equally sensitive to neutralization by broadly-neutralizing monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies as compared to nontransmitted breast milk Env variants. Conclusion Postnatally-T/F Env variants do not appear to possess a superior ability to interact with and cross a mucosal barrier or an exceptional resistance to neutralization that define their capability to initiate infection across the infant gastrointestinal tract in the setting of preexisting maternal antibodies. PMID:23305422

  6. Detection of breast cancer in automated 3D breast ultrasound

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tan, Tao; Platel, Bram; Mus, Roel; Karssemeijer, Nico

    2012-03-01

    Automated 3D breast ultrasound (ABUS) is a novel imaging modality, in which motorized scans of the breasts are made with a wide transducer through a membrane under modest compression. The technology has gained high interest and may become widely used in screening of dense breasts, where sensitivity of mammography is poor. ABUS has a high sensitivity for detecting solid breast lesions. However, reading ABUS images is time consuming, and subtle abnormalities may be missed. Therefore, we are developing a computer aided detection (CAD) system to help reduce reading time and errors. In the multi-stage system we propose, segmentations of the breast and nipple are performed, providing landmarks for the detection algorithm. Subsequently, voxel features characterizing coronal spiculation patterns, blobness, contrast, and locations with respect to landmarks are extracted. Using an ensemble of classifiers, a likelihood map indicating potential malignancies is computed. Local maxima in the likelihood map are determined using a local maxima detector and form a set of candidate lesions in each view. These candidates are further processed in a second detection stage, which includes region segmentation, feature extraction and a final classification. Region segmentation is performed using a 3D spiral-scanning dynamic programming method. Region features include descriptors of shape, acoustic behavior and texture. Performance was determined using a 78-patient dataset with 93 images, including 50 malignant lesions. We used 10-fold cross-validation. Using FROC analysis we found that the system obtains a lesion sensitivity of 60% and 70% at 2 and 4 false positives per image respectively.

  7. FOXC2 regulates the G2/M transition of stem cell-rich breast cancer cells and sensitizes them to PLK1 inhibition

    PubMed Central

    Pietilä, Mika; Vijay, Geraldine V.; Soundararajan, Rama; Yu, Xian; Symmans, William F.; Sphyris, Nathalie; Mani, Sendurai A.

    2016-01-01

    Cancer cells with stem cell properties (CSCs) underpin the chemotherapy resistance and high therapeutic failure of triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs). Even though CSCs are known to proliferate more slowly, they are sensitive to inhibitors of G2/M kinases such as polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1). Understanding the cell cycle regulatory mechanisms of CSCs will help target these cells more efficiently. Herein, we identify a novel role for the transcription factor FOXC2, which is mostly expressed in CSCs, in the regulation of cell cycle of CSC-enriched breast cancer cells. We demonstrate that FOXC2 expression is regulated in a cell cycle-dependent manner, with FOXC2 protein levels accumulating in G2, and rapidly decreasing during mitosis. Knockdown of FOXC2 in CSC-enriched TNBC cells delays mitotic entry without significantly affecting the overall proliferation rate of these cells. Moreover, PLK1 activity is important for FOXC2 protein stability, since PLK1 inhibition reduces FOXC2 protein levels. Indeed, FOXC2 expressing CSC-enriched TNBC cells are sensitive to PLK1 inhibition. Collectively, our findings demonstrate a novel role for FOXC2 as a regulator of the G2/M transition and elucidate the reason for the observed sensitivity of CSC-enriched breast cancer cells to PLK1 inhibitor. PMID:27064522

  8. Metabolomics analysis reveals the metabolic and functional roles of flavonoids in light-sensitive tea leaves.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Qunfeng; Liu, Meiya; Ruan, Jianyun

    2017-03-20

    As the predominant secondary metabolic pathway in tea plants, flavonoid biosynthesis increases with increasing temperature and illumination. However, the concentration of most flavonoids decreases greatly in light-sensitive tea leaves when they are exposed to light, which further improves tea quality. To reveal the metabolism and potential functions of flavonoids in tea leaves, a natural light-sensitive tea mutant (Huangjinya) cultivated under different light conditions was subjected to metabolomics analysis. The results showed that chlorotic tea leaves accumulated large amounts of flavonoids with ortho-dihydroxylated B-rings (e.g., catechin gallate, quercetin and its glycosides etc.), whereas total flavonoids (e.g., myricetrin glycoside, epigallocatechin gallate etc.) were considerably reduced, suggesting that the flavonoid components generated from different metabolic branches played different roles in tea leaves. Furthermore, the intracellular localization of flavonoids and the expression pattern of genes involved in secondary metabolic pathways indicate a potential photoprotective function of dihydroxylated flavonoids in light-sensitive tea leaves. Our results suggest that reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging and the antioxidation effects of flavonoids help chlorotic tea plants survive under high light stress, providing new evidence to clarify the functional roles of flavonoids, which accumulate to high levels in tea plants. Moreover, flavonoids with ortho-dihydroxylated B-rings played a greater role in photo-protection to improve the acclimatization of tea plants.

  9. Metabolic interactions between cysteamine and epigallocatechin gallate.

    PubMed

    Izzo, Valentina; Pietrocola, Federico; Sica, Valentina; Durand, Sylvère; Lachkar, Sylvie; Enot, David; Bravo-San Pedro, José Manuel; Chery, Alexis; Esposito, Speranza; Raia, Valeria; Maiuri, Luigi; Maiuri, Maria Chiara; Kroemer, Guido

    2017-02-01

    Phase II clinical trials indicate that the combination of cysteamine plus epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is effective against cystic fibrosis in patients bearing the most frequent etiological mutation (CFTRΔF508). Here, we investigated the interaction between both agents on cultured respiratory epithelia cells from normal and CFTRΔF508-mutated donors. We observed that the combination of both agents affected metabolic circuits (and in particular the tricarboxylic acid cycle) in a unique way and that cysteamine plus EGCG reduced cytoplasmic protein acetylation more than each of the 2 components alone. In a cell-free system, protein cross-linking activity of EGCG was suppressed by cysteamine. Finally, EGCG was able to enhance the conversion of cysteamine into taurine in metabolic flux experiments. Altogether, these results indicate that multiple pharmacological interactions occur between cysteamine and EGCG, suggesting that they contribute to the unique synergy of both agents in restoring the function of mutated CFTRΔF508.

  10. Metabolic interactions between cysteamine and epigallocatechin gallate

    PubMed Central

    Izzo, Valentina; Pietrocola, Federico; Sica, Valentina; Durand, Sylvère; Lachkar, Sylvie; Enot, David; Bravo-San Pedro, José Manuel; Chery, Alexis; Esposito, Speranza; Raia, Valeria; Maiuri, Luigi; Maiuri, Maria Chiara; Kroemer, Guido

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Phase II clinical trials indicate that the combination of cysteamine plus epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is effective against cystic fibrosis in patients bearing the most frequent etiological mutation (CFTRΔF508). Here, we investigated the interaction between both agents on cultured respiratory epithelia cells from normal and CFTRΔF508-mutated donors. We observed that the combination of both agents affected metabolic circuits (and in particular the tricarboxylic acid cycle) in a unique way and that cysteamine plus EGCG reduced cytoplasmic protein acetylation more than each of the 2 components alone. In a cell-free system, protein cross-linking activity of EGCG was suppressed by cysteamine. Finally, EGCG was able to enhance the conversion of cysteamine into taurine in metabolic flux experiments. Altogether, these results indicate that multiple pharmacological interactions occur between cysteamine and EGCG, suggesting that they contribute to the unique synergy of both agents in restoring the function of mutated CFTRΔF508. PMID:28059601

  11. Anti-Fatigue Effect of Green Tea Polyphenols (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate (EGCG).

    PubMed

    Teng, Yu-Song; Wu, Di

    2017-01-01

    (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the most abundant of the green tea polyphenols that exhibit a variety of bioactivities. The objective of this study was to evaluate the anti-fatigue effect of EGCG by forced swimming exercise. The mice were divided into one control group and three EGCG-treated groups. The control group was administered with distilled water and EGCG-treated groups were administered with different dose of EGCG (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) by oral gavage for 28 days. On the last day of experiment, the forced swimming exercise was performed and corresponding biochemical parameters were measured. The data showed that EGCG prolonged exhaustive swimming time, decreasing the levels of blood lactic acid, serum urea nitrogen, serum creatine kinase and malondialdehyde, which were accompanied by corresponding increase in liver and muscle glycogen contents, and superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities. This study indicated that EGCG had an anti-fatigue effect. EGCG significantly prolonged exhaustive swimming time and decreased the levels of BLA, SUN, SCK and MDA, which were accompanied by corresponding increases in liver and muscle glycogen contents, and SOD, CAT, and GPx activities.EGCG can be used to design nutraceutical supplements aimed to facilitate recovery from fatigue and attenuate exhaustive exercise-induced oxidative damage. Abbreviations used: EGCG: (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate, ROS: reactive oxygen species, BLA: blood lactic acid, SUN: serum urea nitrogen, SOD: superoxide dismutase, GPx: glutathione peroxidase, CAT: catalase, SCK: serum creatine kinase, MDA: malondialdehyde, C: control, LET: Low-dose EGCG-treated, MET: Middle-dose EGCG-treated, HET: High-dose EGCG-treated, GTE: green tea extract.

  12. [Exploring a non-inflammatory clinical breast mass: Clinical practice guidelines].

    PubMed

    Legendre, G; Guilhen, N; Nadeau, C; Brossard, A; Fauvet, R

    2015-12-01

    The aim of the study was to assess the diagnostic value of physical examination, radiologic explorations and percutaneous procedures of the breast in the exploration of a non-inflammatory palpable mass, in order to propose guidelines. A systematic literature review was conducted in the Medline and Cochrane library databases. International guidelines in French and English language were also consulted until April 30th 2015. Physical examination of a non-inflammatory palpable breast mass is not sufficient to eliminate a breast cancer (LE2). Mammography alone has a sensitivity between 70 and 95% for the diagnosis of breast cancer (LE3). Echography alone has a sensitivity of 98 to 100% for the diagnosis of breast cancer (LE2). The core needle biopsy has a better sensitivity and specificity than the fine-needle aspiration for breast cancer diagnosis (LE2). The association of mammography and 2D echography presents excellent sensitivity and negative predictive value (close to 100 %) to exclude a breast cancer (LE3). A double evaluation using mammography and echography is recommended in the exploration of a non-inflammatory palpable breast mass (grade B). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  13. MYB Labeling by Immunohistochemistry Is More Sensitive and Specific for Breast Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma than MYB Labeling by FISH.

    PubMed

    Poling, Justin S; Yonescu, Raluca; Subhawong, Andrea P; Sharma, Rajni; Argani, Pedram; Ning, Yi; Cimino-Mathews, Ashley

    2017-07-01

    Breast adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a primary breast carcinoma that, like salivary gland ACC, displays the t(6;9) translocation resulting in the MYB-NFIB gene fusion and immunopositivity for MYB by immunohistochemistry (IHC). However, it is not well established whether MYB immunoreactivity or rearrangement can be used to support a diagnosis of ACC in a malignant basaloid or benign cribriform breast lesion. Whole sections of primary breast ACC (n=11), collagenous spherulosis (CS; n=7), and microglandular adenosis (MGA; n=5) and tissue microarrays containing 16 basal-like, triple-negative breast carcinomas (TNBC) were labeled for MYB by IHC and underwent MYB fluorescence in situ hybridization using a break-apart probe. Strong, diffuse nuclear MYB labeling was seen in 100% ACC compared with no cases of basal-like TNBC, CS, or MGA (P=0.0001). Any degree of nuclear MYB labeling was seen in 100% ACC compared with 54% of all other cases (P=0.007), with any labeling seen in 71% CS, 63% basal-like TNBC, and 0% MGA. MYB rearrangement was detected in 89% (8/9) of evaluable ACC compared with 4% (1/26) of all other evaluable cases (P=0.0001), with a rearrangement detected in 1 (7%; n=1/15) evaluable basal-like TNBC. Strong, diffuse nuclear labeling for MYB is more sensitive than MYB fluorescence in situ hybridization for breast ACC and can be used to support a diagnosis of ACC in a cribriform or basaloid lesion in the breast. However, weak and focal labeling should be interpreted with caution as it can be seen in other benign cribriform and malignant basaloid lesions.

  14. Nearest Neighbor Classification Using a Density Sensitive Distance Measurement

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-09-01

    both the proposed density sensitive distance measurement and Euclidean distance are compared on the Wisconsin Diagnostic Breast Cancer dataset and...proposed density sensitive distance measurement and Euclidean distance are compared on the Wisconsin Diagnostic Breast Cancer dataset and the MNIST...35 1. The Wisconsin Diagnostic Breast Cancer (WDBC) Dataset..........35 2. The

  15. Genetic variation in sensitivity to estrogens and breast cancer risk

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Breast cancer risk is intertwined with exposure to estrogens. While more than 160 breast cancer risk loci have been identified in humans, genetic interactions with estrogen exposure remain to be established. Strains of rodents exhibit striking differences in their responses to endogenous ovarian est...

  16. Alcohol consumption promotes mammary tumor growth and insulin sensitivity

    PubMed Central

    Hong, Jina; Holcomb, Valerie B.; Tekle, Samrawit A.; Fan, Betty; Núñez, Nomelí P.

    2010-01-01

    Epidemiological data show that in women, alcohol has a beneficial effect by increasing insulin sensitivity but also a deleterious effect by increasing breast cancer risk. These effects have not been shown concurrently in an animal model of breast cancer. Our objective is to identify a mouse model of breast cancer whereby alcohol increases insulin sensitivity and promotes mammary tumorigenesis. Our results from the glucose tolerance test and the homeostasis model assessment show that alcohol consumption improved insulin sensitivity. However, alcohol-consuming mice developed larger mammary tumors and developed them earlier than water-consuming mice. In vitro results showed that alcohol exposure increased the invasiveness of breast cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, this animal model, an in vitro model of breast cancer, may be used to elucidate the mechanism(s) by which alcohol affects breast cancer. PMID:20202743

  17. Specific telomere dysfunction induced by GRN163L increases radiation sensitivity in breast cancer cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gomez-Millan, Jaime; Goldblatt, Erin M.; Gryaznov, Sergei M.

    Purpose: Telomerase is expressed in 80-90% of tumor cells, but is absent in most somatic cells. The absence of telomerase activity results in progressive telomere shortening, leading to cellular senescence or death through deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage signals. In addition, a role for telomerase in DNA damage repair has also been suggested. A specific telomerase inhibitor, GRN163L that is complementary to the template region of the telomerase ribonucleic acid component (hTR). We hypothesized that exposure to GRN163L, either through immediate inhibition of telomerase activity or through eventual telomere shortening and dysfunction, may enhance radiation sensitivity. Our goal was to testmore » whether the treatment with GRN163L enhances sensitivity to irradiation (IR) in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Methods and Materials: The MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were treated with or without GRN163L for 2-42 days. Inhibition of telomerase activity and shortening of telomeres were confirmed. Cells were then irradiated and clonogenic assays were performed to show cell survival differences. In vivo studies using MDA-MB-231 xenografts were performed to corroborate the in vitro results. Results: We show that cells with shortened telomeres due to GRN163L enhance the effect on IR reducing survival by an additional 30% (p < 0.01). These results are confirmed in vivo, with a significant decrease in tumor growth in mice exposed to GRN163L. Conclusions: We found that GRN163L is a promising adjuvant treatment in combination with radiation therapy that may improve the therapeutic index by enhancing the radiation sensitivity. These studies prompt further investigation as to whether this combination can be applied to other cancers and the clinic.« less

  18. Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 RNA in breast-milk components.

    PubMed

    Hoffman, Irving F; Martinson, Francis E A; Stewart, Paul W; Chilongozi, David A; Leu, Szu-Yun; Kazembe, Peter N; Banda, Topia; Dzinyemba, Willard; Joshi, Priya; Cohen, Myron S; Fiscus, Susan A

    2003-10-15

    We conducted the present study to determine which of the 4 components of breast milk (whole milk, skim milk, lipid layer, and breast-milk cells) had the highest sensitivity and concentration of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 RNA burden and to determine biological correlates to these factors. The probability of detection of HIV (sensitivity) and the concentration of HIV-1 RNA were both associated with the choice of milk component, CD4(+) cell count, concentration of blood serum HIV-1 RNA, and the presence of breast inflammation. Whole milk demonstrated higher sensitivity and mean concentration than any other single component. Sensitivity was enhanced by analyzing all 4 components of breast milk.

  19. Epigallocatechin gallate as a modulator of Campylobacter resistance to macrolide antibiotics.

    PubMed

    Kurinčič, Marija; Klančnik, Anja; Smole Možina, Sonja

    2012-11-01

    Comprehensive therapeutic use of macrolides in humans and animals is important in the selection of macrolide-resistant Campylobacter isolates. This study shows high co-resistance to erythromycin, azithromycin, clarithromycin, dirithromycin and tylosin, with contributions from the 23S rRNA gene and drug efflux systems. The CmeABC efflux pump plays an important role in reduced macrolide susceptibility, accompanied by contributions from the CmeDEF efflux pump and potentially a third efflux pump. To improve clinical performance of licensed antibiotics and chemotherapeutic agents, it is important to understand the factors in Campylobacter that affect susceptibility to macrolide antibiotics. Using mutants that lack the functional genes coding for the CmeB and CmeF efflux pump proteins and the CmeR transcriptional repressor, we show that these efflux pumps are potential targets for the development of therapeutic strategies that use a combination of a macrolide with an efflux pump inhibitor (EPI) to restore macrolide efficacy. The natural phenolic compound epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has good modulatory activity over the extrusion across the outer membrane of the macrolides tested, both in sensitive and resistant Campylobacter isolates. Comparing EGCG with known chemical EPIs, correlations in the effects on the particular macrolide antibiotics were seen. EGCG modifies Campylobacter multidrug efflux systems and thus could have an impact on restoring macrolide efficacy in resistant strains. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. and the International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

  20. Concentration Study of High Sensitive C - reactive Protein and some Serum Trace Elements in Patients with Benign and Malignant Breast Tumor.

    PubMed

    Abdollahi, Alireza; Ali-Bakhshi, Abbas; Farahani, Zahra

    2015-10-01

    Background : Breast cancer is the most common invasive cancer in females worldwide. It accounts for 16% of all female cancers and 22.9% of invasive cancers in women. 18.2% of all cancer deaths worldwide including both males and females are from breast cancer. In this study we compared few serum elements in patients with benign and malignant breast tumor to find any related prognostic and predictive value. A case-control study was carried out in a hospital (Tehran - Iran) in 2012. Target population was divided in 2 groups; subjects with benign and malignant breast tumors. We did preoperative hematological test. Five milliliter fasting blood vein was collected, centrifuged in 3000 g for 15 minutes to obtain serum. We measured serum Calcium (Ca), Phosphorus (P), Magnesium (Mg), Zinc (Zn), and high sensitive-CRP, analyzed statistically and compared recorded elements in 2 groups by software package SPSS version 16. The level of significant was considered P < 0.05. Of 87 women, 49 cases with benign breast disease (group A) and 38 cases with breast cancer (group B) entered our study. Serum concentration of Ca, mg, and P in group A were higher than group B, however these differences were not significant. We found no significant correlation between serum Zn and type of tumor in our patients. On the other hand, a significant elevation in hs-CRP in patient with breast cancer was seen (P Value=.000). Conclusion : Our results have shown similar concentration of Ca, Mg, Zn, P and completely different hs-CRP concentration in patients with benign and malignant breast disease.

  1. Ribosomal protein L19 overexpression activates the unfolded protein response and sensitizes MCF7 breast cancer cells to endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced cell death.

    PubMed

    Hong, Mina; Kim, HyungRyong; Kim, Inki

    2014-07-18

    Although first identified for their roles in protein synthesis, certain ribosomal proteins exert pleiotropic physiological functions in the cell. Ribosomal protein L19 is overexpressed in breast cancer cells by amplification and copy number variation. In this study, we examined the novel pro-apoptotic role of ribosomal protein L19 in the breast cancer cell line MCF7. Overexpression of RPL19 sensitized MCF7 cells to endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced cell death. RPL19 overexpression itself was not cytotoxic; however, cell death induction was enhanced when RPL19 overexpressing cells were incubated with endoplasmic reticulum stress-inducing agents, and this sensitizing effect was specific to MCF7 cells. Examination of the cell signaling pathways that mediate the unfolded protein response (UPR) revealed that overexpression of RPL19 induced pre-activation of the UPR, including phosphorylation of pERK-like ER kinase (PERK), phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 alpha (eIF2α), and activation of p38 MAPK-associated stress signaling. Our findings suggest that upregulation of RPL19 induces ER stress, resulting in increased sensitivity to ER stress and enhanced cell death in MCF7 breast cancer cells. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Redox sensitive Pyk2 as a target for therapeutics in breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Felty, Quentin

    2011-01-01

    Breast cancer progression is dependent on the formation of new blood vessels that not only help the tumor by supplying additional nutrients, but also allow cancer cells to spread from the breast to distant sites in the body. Several studies suggest a positive correlation between new vessel formation and estrogens. Estrogenic environmental chemicals such as PCBs have been shown to increase the expression of factors known to promote vessel formation in breast tumors. These studies highlight a growing concern that women exposed to estrogenic environmental compounds may be more susceptible to either aggressive metastatic tumors or a high recurrence of breast cancer. Our concept offers a fundamental new understanding of the way the environment contributes to breast cancer progression. This review will be focused on a highly novel Pyk2 signaling complex as a target for therapy of estrogen dependent breast tumor angiogenesis. A better understanding of the role of Pyk2 signaling in estrogen dependent tumor vascularization may lead to the development of a new therapy against aggressive breast cancer using small molecule inhibitors of Pyk2.

  3. Hsp90 Inhibition Results in Glucocorticoid Receptor Degradation in Association with Increased Sensitivity to Paclitaxel in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Agyeman, Abena S; Jun, Wesley J; Proia, David A; Kim, Caroline R; Skor, Maxwell N; Kocherginsky, Masha; Conzen, Suzanne D

    2016-04-01

    Targetable molecular drivers for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) have been difficult to identify; therefore, standard treatment remains limited to conventional chemotherapy. Recently, new-generation small-molecule Hsp90 inhibitors (e.g., ganetespib and NVP-AUY922) have demonstrated improved safety and activity profiles over the first-generation ansamycin class. In breast cancer, clinical responses have been observed in a subset of TNBC patients following ganetespib monotherapy; however, the underlying biology of Hsp90 inhibitor treatment and tumor response is not well understood. Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) activity in TNBC is associated with chemotherapy resistance. Here, we find that treatment of TNBC cell lines with ganetespib resulted in GR degradation and decreased GR-mediated gene expression. Ganetespib-associated GR degradation also sensitized TNBC cells to paclitaxel-induced cell death both in vitro and in vivo. The beneficial effect of the Hsp90 inhibitor on paclitaxel-induced cytotoxicity was reduced when GR was depleted in TNBC cells but could be recovered with GR overexpression. These findings suggest that GR-regulated anti-apoptotic and pro-proliferative signaling networks in TNBC are disrupted by Hsp90 inhibitors, thereby sensitizing TNBC to paclitaxel-induced cell death. Thus, GR+ TNBC patients may be a subgroup of breast cancer patients who are most likely to benefit from adding an Hsp90 inhibitor to taxane therapy.

  4. Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) versus breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): A retrospective comparison in 66 breast lesions.

    PubMed

    Li, L; Roth, R; Germaine, P; Ren, S; Lee, M; Hunter, K; Tinney, E; Liao, L

    2017-02-01

    The purpose of this study was to retrospectively compare the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) with that of breast magnetic resonance imaging (BMRI) in breast cancer detection using parameters, including sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV), lesion size, morphology, lesion and background enhancement, and examination time. A total of 48 women (mean age, 56years±10.6 [SD]) with breast lesions detected between October 2012 and March 2014 were included. Both CESM and BMRI were performed for each patient within 30 days. The enhancement intensity of lesions and breast background parenchyma was subjectively assessed for both modalities and was quantified for comparison. Statistical significance was analyzed using paired t-test for mean size of index lesions in all malignant breasts (an index lesion defined as the largest lesion in each breast), and a mean score of enhancement intensity for index lesions and breast background. PPV, sensitivity, and accuracy were calculated for both CESM and BMRI. The average duration time of CESM and MRI examinations was also compared. A total of 66 lesions were identified, including 62 malignant and 4 benign lesions. Both CESM and BMRI demonstrated a sensitivity of 100% for detection of breast cancer. There was no statistically significant difference between the mean size of index lesions (P=0.108). The enhancement intensity of breast background was significantly lower for CESM than for BMRI (P<0.01). The mean score of enhancement intensity of index lesions on CESM was significantly less than that for BMRI (P<0.01). The smallest lesion that was detected by both modalities measured 4mm. CESM had a higher PPV than BMRI (P>0.05). The average examination time for CESM was significantly shorter than that of BMRI (P<0.01). CESM has similar sensitivity than BMRI in breast cancer detection, with higher PPV and less background enhancement. CESM is associate with significantly shorter exam time thus a

  5. Anti-Fatigue Effect of Green Tea Polyphenols (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate (EGCG)

    PubMed Central

    Teng, Yu-song; Wu, Di

    2017-01-01

    Background: (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the most abundant of the green tea polyphenols that exhibit a variety of bioactivities. The objective of this study was to evaluate the anti-fatigue effect of EGCG by forced swimming exercise. Materials and Methods: The mice were divided into one control group and three EGCG-treated groups. The control group was administered with distilled water and EGCG-treated groups were administered with different dose of EGCG (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) by oral gavage for 28 days. On the last day of experiment, the forced swimming exercise was performed and corresponding biochemical parameters were measured. Results: The data showed that EGCG prolonged exhaustive swimming time, decreasing the levels of blood lactic acid, serum urea nitrogen, serum creatine kinase and malondialdehyde, which were accompanied by corresponding increase in liver and muscle glycogen contents, and superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities. Conclusions: This study indicated that EGCG had an anti-fatigue effect. SUMMARY EGCG significantly prolonged exhaustive swimming time and decreased the levels of BLA, SUN, SCK and MDA, which were accompanied by corresponding increases in liver and muscle glycogen contents, and SOD, CAT, and GPx activities.EGCG can be used to design nutraceutical supplements aimed to facilitate recovery from fatigue and attenuate exhaustive exercise-induced oxidative damage. Abbreviations used: EGCG: (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate, ROS: reactive oxygen species, BLA: blood lactic acid, SUN: serum urea nitrogen, SOD: superoxide dismutase, GPx: glutathione peroxidase, CAT: catalase, SCK: serum creatine kinase, MDA: malondialdehyde, C: control, LET: Low-dose EGCG-treated, MET: Middle-dose EGCG-treated, HET: High-dose EGCG-treated, GTE: green tea extract. PMID:28539729

  6. Inhibitory effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate on cell proliferation and the expression of HIF-1α and P-gp in the human pancreatic carcinoma cell line PANC-1.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Zhenni; Wang, Yu; Liu, Zhiqing; Wang, Fan; Zhao, Qiu

    2012-05-01

    The aim of this study was to verify the inhibitory effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on cell proliferation and the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1α) and multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1/P-gp) in the human pancreatic carcinoma cell line PANC-1, thereby, reversing drug resistance of pancreatic carcinoma and improving its sensitivity to cancer chemotherapy. The human pancreatic carcinoma cell line PANC-1 was incubated under hypoxic conditions with different concentrations of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) for indicated hours. The effects of EGCG on the mRNA or protein expression of HIF-1α and MDR1 were determined by RT-PCR or western blotting. Cellular proliferation and viability assays were measured using Cell Counting Kit-8. Western blotting revealed that EGCG inhibits the expression of the HIF-1α protein in a dose-dependent manner, while RT-PCR showed that it does not have any effects on HIF-1α mRNA. In addition, EGCG attenuated the mRNA and protein levels of P-gp in a dose-dependent manner, reaching a peak at the highest concentration. Furthermore, EGCG inhibited the proliferation of PANC-1 cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The attenuation of HIF-1α and the consequently reduced P-gp could contribute to the inhibitory effects of EGCG on the proliferation of PANC-1 cells.

  7. Functional Properties of Novel Epigallocatechin Gallate Glucosides Synthesized by Using Dextransucrase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides B-1299CB4.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jiyoun; Nguyen, Thi Thanh Hanh; Kim, Nahyun M; Moon, Young-Hwan; Ha, Jung-Min; Park, Namhyeon; Lee, Dong-Gu; Hwang, Kyeong-Hwan; Park, Jun-Seong; Kim, Doman

    2016-12-07

    Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the most abundant catechin found in the leaves of green tea, Camellia sinensis. In this study, novel epigallocatechin gallate-glucocides (EGCG-Gs) were synthesized by using dextransucrase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides B-1299CB4. Response surface methodology was adopted to optimize the conversion of EGCG to EGCG-Gs, resulting in a 91.43% conversion rate of EGCG. Each EGCG-G was purified using a C 18 column. Of nine EGCG-Gs identified by nuclear magnetic resonance analysis, five EGCG-Gs (2 and 4-7) were novel compounds with yields of 2.2-22.6%. The water solubility of the five novel compounds ranged from 229.7 to 1878.5 mM. The 5'-OH group of EGCG-Gs expressed higher antioxidant activities than the 4'-OH group of EGCG-Gs. Furthermore, glucosylation at 7-OH group of EGCG-Gs was found to be responsible for maintaining tyrosinase inhibitory activity and increasing browning-resistant activities.

  8. A Presurgical Study of Lecithin Formulation of Green Tea Extract in Women with Early Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Lazzeroni, Matteo; Guerrieri-Gonzaga, Aliana; Gandini, Sara; Johansson, Harriet; Serrano, Davide; Cazzaniga, Massimiliano; Aristarco, Valentina; Macis, Debora; Mora, Serena; Caldarella, Pietro; Pagani, Gianmatteo; Pruneri, Giancarlo; Riva, Antonella; Petrangolini, Giovanna; Morazzoni, Paolo; DeCensi, Andrea; Bonanni, Bernardo

    2017-06-01

    Epidemiologic data support an inverse association between green tea intake and breast cancer risk. Greenselect Phytosome (GSP) is a lecithin formulation of a caffeine-free green tea catechin extract. The purpose of the study was to determine the tissue distribution of epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) and its effect on cell proliferation and circulating biomarkers in breast cancer patients. Twelve early breast cancer patients received GSP 300 mg, equivalent to 44.9 mg of EGCG, daily for 4 weeks prior to surgery. The EGCG levels were measured before (free) and after (total) enzymatic hydrolysis by HPLC-MS/MS in plasma, urine, breast cancer tissue, and surrounding normal breast tissue. Fasting blood samples were taken at baseline, before the last administration, and 2 hours later. Repeated administration of GSP achieved levels of total EGCG ranging from 17 to 121 ng/mL in plasma. Despite a high between-subject variability, total EGCG was detectable in all tumor tissue samples collected up to 8 ng/g. Median total EGCG concentration was higher in the tumor as compared with the adjacent normal tissue (3.18 ng/g vs. 0 ng/g, P = 0.02). Free EGCG concentrations ranged from 8 to 65.8 ng/mL in plasma ( P between last administration and 2 hours after <0.001). Free EGCG plasma levels showed a significant positive correlation with the Ki-67 decrease in tumor tissue ( P = 0.02). No change in any other biomarkers was noted, except for a slight increase in testosterone levels after treatment. Oral GSP increases bioavailability of EGCG, which is detectable in breast tumor tissue and is associated with antiproliferative effects on breast cancer tissue. Cancer Prev Res; 10(6); 363-9. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

  9. Retrospective observation on contribution and limitations of screening for breast cancer with mammography in Korea: detection rate of breast cancer and incidence rate of interval cancer of the breast.

    PubMed

    Lee, Kunsei; Kim, Hyeongsu; Lee, Jung Hyun; Jeong, Hyoseon; Shin, Soon Ae; Han, Taehwa; Seo, Young Lan; Yoo, Youngbum; Nam, Sang Eun; Park, Jong Heon; Park, Yoo Mi

    2016-11-18

    The purpose of this study was to determine the benefits and limitations of screening for breast cancer using mammography. Descriptive design with follow-up was used in the study. Data from breast cancer screening and health insurance claim data were used. The study population consisted of all participants in breast cancer screening from 2009 to 2014. Crude detection rate, positive predictive value and sensitivity and specificity of breast cancer screening and, incidence rate of interval cancer of the breast were calculated. The crude detection rate of breast cancer screening per 100,000 participants increased from 126.3 in 2009 to 182.1 in 2014. The positive predictive value of breast cancer screening per 100,000 positives increased from 741.2 in 2009 to 1,367.9 in 2014. The incidence rate of interval cancer of the breast per 100,000 negatives increased from 51.7 in 2009 to 76.3 in 2014. The sensitivities of screening for breast cancer were 74.6% in 2009 and 75.1% in 2014 and the specificities were 83.1% in 2009 and 85.7% in 2014. To increase the detection rate of breast cancer by breast cancer screening using mammography, the participation rate should be higher and an environment where accurate mammography and reading can be performed and reinforcement of quality control are required. To reduce the incidence rate of interval cancer of the breast, it will be necessary to educate women after their 20s to perform self-examination of the breast once a month regardless of participation in screening for breast cancer.

  10. Niosomes consisting of tween-60 and cholesterol improve the chemical stability and bioavailability of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate during gastrointestinal tract

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    (-)-Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the major polyphenol in green tea, has been shown to protect against chronic diseases. The mechanisms have been attributed to interactions with cell signaling pathways and its antioxidant properties. In vivo studies are difficult because of its limited bioavail...

  11. Electronic Conductivity of Doped-Lanthanum Gallate Electrolytes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yamaji, Katsuhiko; Xiong, Yue Ping; Kishimoto, Haruo; Horita, Teruhisa; Sakai, Natsuko; Brito, Manuel E.; Yokokawa, Harumi

    Electronic conductivity of doped lanthanum gallate electrolytes were determined by using a Hebb-Wagner type polarization cell. Electronic conductivity of cobalt-doped, La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.8Mg0.15Co0.5O3-δ (LSGMC), and non cobalt-doped, La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.8Mg0.2O2.8 (LSGM8282), were measured as a function of oxygen partial pressures. The electronic conductivity of LSGM8282 showed a linear dependence on p(O2)1/4 in the higher p(O2) region, which is attributed to the electronic hole conductivity. The electronic conductivity of LSGMC showed a linear dependence on p(O2)1/6 in the higher p(O2) region. LSGMC has higher electronic conductivity than LSGM, and the conductivity was not clearly changed with temperatures between 600 and 800 °C. In lower p(O2) region, the electronic conductivity data have poor reproducibility and did not show any dependence on p(O2) because of the degradation of the electrolytes in severe reducing atmospheres.

  12. Breast cancer literacy and health beliefs related to breast cancer screening among American Indian women.

    PubMed

    Roh, Soonhee; Burnette, Catherine E; Lee, Yeon-Shim; Jun, Jung Sim; Lee, Hee Yun; Lee, Kyoung Hag

    2018-08-01

    The purpose of this article is to examine the health beliefs and literacy about breast cancer and their relationship with breast cancer screening among American Indian (AI) women. Using the Health Belief Model (HBM) and hierarchical logistic regression with data from a sample of 286 AI female adults residing in the Northern Plains, we found that greater awareness of breast cancer screening was linked to breast cancer screening practices. However, perceived barriers, one of the HBM constructs, prevented such screening practices. This study suggested that culturally relevant HBM factors should be targeted when developing culturally sensitive breast cancer prevention efforts.

  13. Lidocaine Sensitizes the Cytotoxicity of Cisplatin in Breast Cancer Cells via Up-Regulation of RARβ2 and RASSF1A Demethylation

    PubMed Central

    Li, Kehan; Yang, Jianxue; Han, Xuechang

    2014-01-01

    It has been reported that lidocaine is toxic to various types of cells. And a recent study has confirmed that lidocaine exerts a demethylation effect and regulates the proliferation of human breast cancer cell lines. To recognize a potential anti-tumor effect of lidocaine, we evaluated the DNA demethylation by lidocaine in human breast cancer lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, and determined the influence of demethylation on the toxicity to these cells of cisplatin, which is a commonly utilized anti-tumor agent for breast cancer. Results demonstrated that lidocaine promoted a significant global genomic demethylation, and particularly in the promoters of tumor suppressive genes (TSGs), RARβ2 and RASSF1A. Further, the lidocaine treatment increased cisplatin-induced apoptosis and enhanced cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity. The combined treatment with both lidocaine and cisplatin promoted a significantly higher level of MCF-7 cell apoptosis than singular lidocaine or cisplatin treatment. Moreover, the abrogation of RARβ2 or RASSF1A expression inhibited such apoptosis. In conclusion, the present study confirms the demethylation effect of lidocaine in breast cancer cells, and found that the demethylation of RARβ2 and RASSF1A sensitized the cytotoxicity of cisplatin in breast cancer cells. PMID:25526566

  14. Application of Abbreviated Protocol of Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Breast Cancer Screening in Dense Breast Tissue.

    PubMed

    Chen, Shuang-Qing; Huang, Min; Shen, Yu-Ying; Liu, Chen-Lu; Xu, Chuan-Xiao

    2017-03-01

    The study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of an abbreviated protocol (AP) of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in comparison to a full diagnostic protocol (FDP) of MRI in the breast cancer screening with dense breast tissue. There are 478 female participants with dense breast tissue and negative mammography results, who were imaged with MRI using AP and FDP. The AP and FDP images were analyzed separately, and the sensitivity and specificity of breast cancer detection were calculated. The chi-square test and receiver operating characteristics curves were used to assess the breast cancer diagnostic capabilities of the two protocols. Sixteen cases of breast cancer from 478 patients with dense breasts were detected using the FDP method, with pathologic confirmation of nine cases of ductal carcinoma in situ, six cases of invasive ductal carcinoma, and one case of mucinous carcinoma. Fifteen cases of breast cancer were successfully screened using the AP method. The sensitivity showed no obvious significant difference between AP and FDP (χ 2  = 0.592, P = 0.623), but the specificity showed a statistically significant difference (χ 2  = 4.619, P = 0.036). The receiver operating characteristics curves showed high efficacy of both methods in the detection of breast cancer in dense breast tissue (the areas under the curve were 0.931 ± 0.025 and 0.947 ± 0.024, respectively), and the ability to diagnose breast cancer was not statistically significantly different between the two methods. The AP of MRI may improve the detection rate of breast cancer in dense breast tissue, and it may be useful in efficient breast cancer screening. Copyright © 2017 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Value of Additional Digital Breast Tomosynthesis for Preoperative Staging of Breast Cancer in Dense Breasts.

    PubMed

    Krammer, Julia; Stepniewski, Kathrin; Kaiser, Clemens G; Brade, Joachim; Riffel, Philipp; Schoenberg, Stefan O; Wasser, Klaus

    2017-09-01

    This retrospective study was initiated to determine the diagnostic value of additional preoperative breast tomosynthesis (DBT) for breast cancer staging in dense breasts. Sixty-six patients (69 breasts) with findings of American College of Radiology category 3 or 4 with Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System 5, 6 or 0 were included. All patients underwent digital mammography and additional DBT. A total of 40/69 (58%) cancers were detected on both mammography and DBT, 23 (33.3%) were only seen on DBT (p=0.0001); 6/69 (8.7%) carcinomas were not detected by either method, of which three were invasive lobular carcinomas. Sensitivity for multifocal/multicentric disease was significantly higher on DBT (12/19, 63.2%) compared to mammography (4/19, 21.1%) (p=0.02), specificity was comparable (96.0% vs. 90.0%). Multifocal/multicentric disease was not detected on mammography nor DBT in 7/19 (36.8%) patients, including three invasive lobular carcinomas. DBT may significantly improve preoperative breast cancer staging in patients with dense breasts compared to conventional mammography alone. Nevertheless, limitations have to be expected in the case of invasive lobular carcinoma. Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

  16. Performance of planar single cell lanthanum gallate based solid oxide fuel cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maffei, N.; Kuriakose, A. K.

    A novel synthesis of high purity, single phase strontium-magnesium doped lanthanum gallate through a nitrate route is described. The prepared powder is formed into planar monolithic elements by uniaxial pressing followed by isostatic pressing and sintering. XRD analysis of the sintered elements reveal no detectable secondary phases. The performance of the electrolyte in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) with three different anode/cathode combinations tested at 700°C with respect to the J- V and power density is reported. The data show that the characteristics of this SOFC are strongly dependent on the particular anode/cathode system chosen.

  17. Potential neuroprotective properties of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG).

    PubMed

    Singh, Neha Atulkumar; Mandal, Abul Kalam Azad; Khan, Zaved Ahmed

    2016-06-07

    Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) enforce an overwhelming social and economic burden on society. They are primarily characterized through the accumulation of modified proteins, which further trigger biological responses such as inflammation, oxidative stress, excitotoxicity and modulation of signalling pathways. In a hope for cure, these diseases have been studied extensively over the last decade to successfully develop symptom-oriented therapies. However, so far no definite cure has been found. Therefore, there is a need to identify a class of drug capable of reversing neural damage and preventing further neural death. This review therefore assesses the reliability of the neuroprotective benefits of epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG) by shedding light on their biological, pharmacological, antioxidant and metal chelation properties, with emphasis on their ability to invoke a range of cellular mechanisms in the brain. It also discusses the possible use of nanotechnology to enhance the neuroprotective benefits of EGCG.

  18. HPW-RX40 restores anoikis sensitivity of human breast cancer cells by inhibiting integrin/FAK signaling

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chen, I-Hua; Shih, Hsin-Chu; Hsieh, Pei-Wen

    Anoikis is defined as apoptosis, which is induced by inappropriate cell–matrix interactions. Cancer cells with anoikis resistance tend to undergo metastasis, and this phenomenon has been reported to be associated with integrin and FAK activity. HPW-RX40 is a derivative of 3,4-methylenedioxy-β-nitrostyrene, which is known to prevent platelet aggregation by inhibition of integrin. In the present study, we investigated the effect of HPW-RX40 on an anoikis-resistant human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. HPW-RX40 inhibited cell aggregation and induced cell death in suspending MDA-MB-231 cells, but had only little effect on the monolayer growth of adherent cells. Analysis of caspase activation andmore » poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage confirmed anoikis in HPW-RX40-treated suspending cancer cells. HPW-RX40 also affected the Bcl-2 family proteins in detached cancer cells. Furthermore, HPW-RX40 inhibited detachment-induced activation of FAK and the downstream phosphorylation of Src and paxillin, but did not affect this pathway in adherent cancer cells. We also found that the expression and activation of β1 integrin in MDA-MB-231 cells were reduced by HPW-RX40. The combination of HPW-RX40 with an EGFR inhibitor led to enhanced anoikis and inhibition of the FAK pathway in breast cancer cells. Taken together, our results suggest that HPW-RX40 restores the anoikis sensitivity in the metastatic breast cancer cells by inhibiting integrin and subsequent FAK activation, and reveal a potential strategy for prevention of tumor metastasis. - Highlights: • The β-nitrostyrene derivative, HPW-RX40, induces anoikis in human breast cancer cells. • HPW-RX40 inhibits the integrin/FAK signaling pathway. • The combination of HPW-RX40 with an EGFR inhibitor leads to enhanced anoikis. • HPW-RX40 may have a potential to prevent the spread of metastatic breast cancer.« less

  19. PI3K/Akt inhibition and down-regulation of BCRP re-sensitize MCF7 breast cancer cell line to mitoxantrone chemotherapy

    PubMed Central

    Komeili-Movahhed, Tahereh; Fouladdel, Shamileh; Barzegar, Elmira; Atashpour, Shekoufeh; Hossein Ghahremani, Mohammad; Nasser Ostad, Seyed; Madjd, Zahra; Azizi, Ebrahim

    2015-01-01

    Objective(s): Multidrug resistance (MDR) of cancer cells is a major obstacle to successful chemotherapy. Overexpression of breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) is one of the major causes of MDR. In addition, it has been shown that PI3K/Akt signaling pathway involves in drug resistance. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of novel approaches including siRNA directed against BCRP and targeted therapy against PI3K/Akt signaling pathway using LY294002 (LY) to re-sensitize breast cancer MCF7 cell line to mitoxantrone (MTX) chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: Anticancer effects of MTX, siRNA, and LY alone and in combination were evaluated in MCF7 cells using MTT cytotoxicity assay and flow cytometry analysis of cell cycle distribution and apoptosis induction. Results: MTT and apoptosis assays showed that both MTX and LY inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in MCF7 cells. Results indicated that inhibition of BCRP by siRNA or PI3K/Akt signaling pathway by LY significantly increased sensitivity of MCF7 cells to antiproliferation and apoptosis induction of MTX. Furthermore, MTX showed G2/M arrest, whereas LY induced G0/G1 arrest in cell cycle distribution of MCF7 cells. Combination of siRNA or LY with MTX chemotherapy significantly increased accumulation of MCF7 cells in the G2/M phase of cell cycle. Conclusion: Combination of MTX chemotherapy with BCRP siRNA and PI3K/Akt inhibition can overcome MDR in breast cancer cells. This study furthermore suggests that novel therapeutic approaches are needed to enhance anticancer effects of available drugs in breast cancer. PMID:26124933

  20. Regulation of tamoxifen sensitivity by a PAK1–EBP1 signalling pathway in breast cancer

    PubMed Central

    Ghosh, A; Awasthi, S; Peterson, J R; Hamburger, A W

    2013-01-01

    Background: EBP1, an ErbB3-binding protein, sensitises breast cancer cells to tamoxifen in part by decreasing ErbB2 protein levels. The p21-regulated serine/threonine kinase PAK1, implicated in tamoxifen resistance, phosphorylates EBP1 in vitro and in vivo at T261. Phosphorylation of EBP1 at this site induces tamoxifen resistance. We thus postulated that inhibition of PAK1 activity, by restoring EBP1 function, could ameliorate the hormone refractory phenotype of ErbB2-overexpressing breast cancer cells. Methods: Effects of EBP1 on ErbB2 levels were measured by western blotting. Effects of EBP1 and IPA-3 on tamoxifen sensitivity were measured using a tetrazolium based cell viability assay. Results: Transient transfection studies indicated that an EBP1 T261E mutant, which mimics EPB1 phosphorylated by PAK1, increased ErbB2 protein levels. An EBP1 T261A mutant, unable to be phosphorylated by PAK1, ameliorated PAK1-induced tamoxifen resistance, suggesting that phosphorylation of EBP1 by PAK1 contributes to tamoxifen resistance. We then tested if pharmacological inhibition of PAK1 activity might render hormone resistant cells, which endogenously overexpress PAK1, tamoxifen sensitive. IPA-3, a specific small MW PAK1 inhibitor, sensitised cells to tamoxifen only when EBP1 was ectopically expressed. IPA had no effect on tamoxifen resistance in T47D cells in which EBP1 protein had been ablated by shRNA. The IPA-induced increase in tamoxifen sensitivity was accompanied by a decrease in ErbB2 levels only in EBP1-overexpressing cells. Conclusion: These studies suggest that phosphorylation of EBP1 may be one mechanism of PAK1-induced hormone resistance and that PAK1 inhibitors may be useful in cells in which EBP1 is overexpressed. PMID:23361053

  1. Survival and contralateral breast cancer in CHEK2 1100delC breast cancer patients: impact of adjuvant chemotherapy.

    PubMed

    Kriege, M; Hollestelle, A; Jager, A; Huijts, P E A; Berns, E M; Sieuwerts, A M; Meijer-van Gelder, M E; Collée, J M; Devilee, P; Hooning, M J; Martens, J W M; Seynaeve, C

    2014-08-26

    We assessed the sensitivity to adjuvant chemotherapy in cell cycle checkpoint kinase 2 (CHEK2) vs non-CHEK2 breast cancer patients by comparing the contralateral breast cancer incidence and distant disease-free and breast cancer-specific survival between both groups, stratified for adjuvant chemotherapy. One Dutch hereditary non-BRCA1/2 breast cancer patient cohort (n=1220) and two Dutch cohorts unselected for family history (n=1014 and n=2488, respectively) were genotyped for CHEK2 1100delC. Hazard ratios for contralateral breast cancer, distant disease-free and breast cancer-specific death for mutation carriers vs noncarriers were calculated using the Cox proportional hazard method, stratified for adjuvant chemotherapy. The CHEK2 mutation carriers (n=193) had an increased incidence of contralateral breast cancer (multivariate hazard ratio 3.97, 95% confidence interval 2.59-6.07). Distant disease-free and breast cancer-specific survival were similar in the first 6 years in mutation carriers compared with noncarriers, but diverted as of 6 years after breast cancer diagnosis (multivariate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals 2.65 (1.79-3.93) and 2.05 (1.41-2.99), respectively). No significant interaction between CHEK2 and adjuvant chemotherapy was observed. The CHEK2 1100delC-associated breast cancer is associated with a higher contralateral breast cancer rate as well as worse survival measures beyond 6 years after diagnosis. No differential sensitivity to adjuvant chemotherapy was observed in CHEK2 patients.

  2. Antibacterial activity of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and its synergism with β-lactam antibiotics sensitizing carbapenem-associated multidrug resistant clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii.

    PubMed

    Lee, Spencer; Razqan, Ghaida Saleh Al; Kwon, Dong H

    2017-01-15

    Infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii were responsive to conventional antibiotic therapy. However, recently, carbapenem-associated multidrug resistant isolates have been reported worldwide and present a major therapeutic challenge. Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate (EGCG) extracted from green tea exhibits antibacterial activity. We evaluated the antibacterial activity of EGCG and possible synergism with antibiotics in carbapenem-associated multidrug resistant A. baumannii. A potential mechanism for synergism was also explored. Seventy clinical isolates of A. baumannii collected from geographically different areas were analyzed by minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of EGCG. Checkerboard and time-killing assays were performed to exam the synergism between EGCG and antibiotics. The effects of EGCG on a multidrug efflux pump inhibitor (1-[1-naphthylmethyl] piperazine; NMP) and β-lactamase production were also examined in A. baumannii. Sixty-three of 70 clinical isolates of A. baumannii carried carbapenemase-encoding genes with carbapenem-associated multidrug resistance. Levels of MIC and MBC of EGCG ranged from 64 to 512µg/ml and from 128 to ≥1024µg/ml, respectively among the clinical isolates. MIC 90 and MBC 86 levels were 256µg/ml and 512µg/ml of EGCG, respectively. Subinhibitory concentration of EGCG in combination with all antibiotics tested, including carbapenem, sensitized (MICs fall≤1.0µg/ml) all carbapenem-associated multidrug resistant isolates. Checkerboard and time-killing assays showed synergism between EGCG and meropenem (or carbenicillin) counted as fractional inhibitory concentration of < 0.5 and cell numbers' decrease per ml of >2log10 within 12h, respectively. EGCG significantly increased the effect of NMP but was unrelated to β-lactamase production in A. baumannii, suggesting EGCG may be associated with inhibition of efflux pumps. Overall we suggest that EGCG-antibiotic combinations might

  3. Abbreviated MRI Protocols for Detecting Breast Cancer in Women with Dense Breasts.

    PubMed

    Chen, Shuang-Qing; Huang, Min; Shen, Yu-Ying; Liu, Chen-Lu; Xu, Chuan-Xiao

    2017-01-01

    To evaluate the validity of two abbreviated protocols (AP) of MRI in breast cancer screening of dense breast tissue. This was a retrospective study in 356 participants with dense breast tissue and negative mammography results. The study was approved by the Nanjing Medical University Ethics Committee. Patients were imaged with a full diagnostic protocol (FDP) of MRI. Two APs (AP-1 consisting of the first post-contrast subtracted [FAST] and maximum-intensity projection [MIP] images, and AP-2 consisting of AP-1 combined with diffusion-weighted imaging [DWI]) and FDP images were analyzed separately, and the sensitivities and specificities of breast cancer detection were calculated. Of the 356 women, 67 lesions were detected in 67 women (18.8%) by standard MR protocol, and histological examination revealed 14 malignant lesions and 53 benign lesions. The average interpretation time of AP-1 and AP-2 were 37 seconds and 54 seconds, respectively, while the average interpretation time of the FDP was 3 minutes and 25 seconds. The sensitivities of the AP-1, AP-2, and FDP were 92.9, 100, and 100%, respectively, and the specificities of the three MR protocols were 86.5, 95.0, and 96.8%, respectively. There was no significant difference among the three MR protocols in the diagnosis of breast cancer ( p > 0.05). However, the specificity of AP-1 was significantly lower than that of AP-2 ( p = 0.031) and FDP ( p = 0.035), while there was no difference between AP-2 and FDP ( p > 0.05). The AP may be efficient in the breast cancer screening of dense breast tissue. FAST and MIP images combined with DWI of MRI are helpful to improve the specificity of breast cancer detection.

  4. Is breast compression associated with breast cancer detection and other early performance measures in a population-based breast cancer screening program?

    PubMed

    Moshina, Nataliia; Sebuødegård, Sofie; Hofvind, Solveig

    2017-06-01

    We aimed to investigate early performance measures in a population-based breast cancer screening program stratified by compression force and pressure at the time of mammographic screening examination. Early performance measures included recall rate, rates of screen-detected and interval breast cancers, positive predictive value of recall (PPV), sensitivity, specificity, and histopathologic characteristics of screen-detected and interval breast cancers. Information on 261,641 mammographic examinations from 93,444 subsequently screened women was used for analyses. The study period was 2007-2015. Compression force and pressure were categorized using tertiles as low, medium, or high. χ 2 test, t tests, and test for trend were used to examine differences between early performance measures across categories of compression force and pressure. We applied generalized estimating equations to identify the odds ratios (OR) of screen-detected or interval breast cancer associated with compression force and pressure, adjusting for fibroglandular and/or breast volume and age. The recall rate decreased, while PPV and specificity increased with increasing compression force (p for trend <0.05 for all). The recall rate increased, while rate of screen-detected cancer, PPV, sensitivity, and specificity decreased with increasing compression pressure (p for trend <0.05 for all). High compression pressure was associated with higher odds of interval breast cancer compared with low compression pressure (1.89; 95% CI 1.43-2.48). High compression force and low compression pressure were associated with more favorable early performance measures in the screening program.

  5. Effect of breast magnetic resonance imaging on the clinical management of breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Galinsky, Daliah; Kisselgoff, David; Sella, Tamar; Peretz, Tamar; Libson, Eugene; Sklair-Levy, Miri

    2005-11-01

    Mammography is the principal breast cancer imaging technique; however, sensitivity is reduced, especially in dense breast tissue. Magnetic resonance imaging is increasingly used in the detection and characterization of breast cancers. The high sensitivity (95-100%) of MRI is consistently observed, and in many situations, MRI is proving superior to classical forms of imaging. Assessment of its impact on management and outcome is vital if MRI is to become standard in the management of breast cancers. To establish the impact of breast MRI on women undergoing testing in our institution. We analyzed 82 cases that underwent MRI between January 2001 and April 2003. Analysis appraised the clinical impact of MRI testing in cases where medical summaries were available. Studies were categorized into five indications: a) screening in high risk women (n=7), b) search for primary disease in the presence of disease (n=5), c) monitoring of chemotherapy (n=2), d) postoperative assessment of tumor bed (n=9), and e) diagnostic/characterization of primary or recurrent breast cancer (n=59). Results were defined as negative, positive, or no impact on clinical management. MRI testing had a positive impact in 62 cases, affecting measurable change in 9 cases. Benefit was seen in screening, diagnosis and postoperative cases. In 15 cases, MRI stimulated investigations. MRI is a valuable tool in breast imaging and affects management. Further trials are necessary to clearly define the role of MRI and to ascertain whether in cases where beneficial impact on management is noted, there is ultimate impact on outcome.

  6. Functional genomic analysis of drug sensitivity pathways to guide adjuvant strategies in breast cancer

    PubMed Central

    Swanton, Charles; Szallasi, Zoltan; Brenton, James D; Downward, Julian

    2008-01-01

    The widespread introduction of high throughput RNA interference screening technology has revealed tumour drug sensitivity pathways to common cytotoxics such as paclitaxel, doxorubicin and 5-fluorouracil, targeted agents such as trastuzumab and inhibitors of AKT and Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) as well as endocrine therapies such as tamoxifen. Given the limited power of microarray signatures to predict therapeutic response in associative studies of small clinical trial cohorts, the use of functional genomic data combined with expression or sequence analysis of genes and microRNAs implicated in drug response in human tumours may provide a more robust method to guide adjuvant treatment strategies in breast cancer that are transferable across different expression platforms and patient cohorts. PMID:18986507

  7. Propyl gallate synthesis using acidophilic tannase and simultaneous production of tannase and gallic acid by marine Aspergillus awamori BTMFW032.

    PubMed

    Beena, P S; Basheer, Soorej M; Bhat, Sarita G; Bahkali, Ali H; Chandrasekaran, M

    2011-07-01

    Marine Aspergillus awamori BTMFW032, recently reported by us, produce acidophilic tannase as extracellular enzyme. Here, we report the application of this enzyme for synthesis of propyl gallate by direct transesterification of tannic acid and in tea cream solubilisation besides the simultaneous production of gallic acid along with tannase under submerged fermentation by this fungus. This acidophilic tannase enabled synthesis of propyl gallate by direct transesterification of tannic acid using propanol as organic reaction media under low water conditions. The identity of the product was confirmed with thin layer chromatography and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. It was noted that 699 U/ml of enzyme could give 60% solubilisation of tea cream within 1 h. Enzyme production medium was optimized adopting Box-Behnken design for simultaneous synthesis of tannase and gallic acid. Process variables including tannic acid, sodium chloride, ferrous sulphate, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, incubation period and agitation were recognized as the critical factors that influenced tannase and gallic acid production. The model obtained predicted 4,824.61 U/ml of tannase and 136.206 μg/ml gallic acid after 48 h of incubation, whereas optimized medium supported 5,085 U/ml tannase and 372.6 μg/ml of gallic acid production after 36 and 84 h of incubation, respectively, with a 15-fold increase in both enzyme and gallic acid production. Results indicated scope for utilization of this acidophilic tannase for transesterification of tannic acid into propyl gallate, tea cream solubilisation and simultaneous production of gallic acid along with tannase.

  8. Study of the Effect on Ionic Conductivity and Structral Morphology of the SR Doped Lanthanum Gallate Solid Electrolyte

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sood, Kapil; Singh, K.; Pandey, O. P.

    2013-07-01

    In the present study, lanthanum gallate and Sr-doped lanthanum gallate samples were prepared by conventional solid state reaction method. The phase conformation has been performed by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) study. The elemental composition has been confirmed using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. Ac conductivity of the samples has been measured in the frequency range 0.1-106 Hz and from 50-800 °C. The impedance plots among real and complex impedances at particular temperature have been discussed. The behavior shows the effect of bulk and grain boundary effects of the doped sample. The impedance plots with frequency have been analyzed. The plots have been well fitted to equivalent circuit model. The conductivity shows the Arrhenius type of behavior. The activation energy has been calculated from the plots and represents that the conductivity through the material is mainly ionic. The structural morphology of the samples has been investigated using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The micrograph shows that the porosity and grain size both decreases with Sr-doping.

  9. Survival and contralateral breast cancer in CHEK2 1100delC breast cancer patients: impact of adjuvant chemotherapy

    PubMed Central

    Kriege, M; Hollestelle, A; Jager, A; Huijts, P E A; Berns, E M; Sieuwerts, A M; Meijer-van Gelder, M E; Collée, J M; Devilee, P; Hooning, M J; Martens, J W M; Seynaeve, C

    2014-01-01

    Background: We assessed the sensitivity to adjuvant chemotherapy in cell cycle checkpoint kinase 2 (CHEK2) vs non-CHEK2 breast cancer patients by comparing the contralateral breast cancer incidence and distant disease-free and breast cancer-specific survival between both groups, stratified for adjuvant chemotherapy. Methods: One Dutch hereditary non-BRCA1/2 breast cancer patient cohort (n=1220) and two Dutch cohorts unselected for family history (n=1014 and n=2488, respectively) were genotyped for CHEK2 1100delC. Hazard ratios for contralateral breast cancer, distant disease-free and breast cancer-specific death for mutation carriers vs noncarriers were calculated using the Cox proportional hazard method, stratified for adjuvant chemotherapy. Results: The CHEK2 mutation carriers (n=193) had an increased incidence of contralateral breast cancer (multivariate hazard ratio 3.97, 95% confidence interval 2.59–6.07). Distant disease-free and breast cancer-specific survival were similar in the first 6 years in mutation carriers compared with noncarriers, but diverted as of 6 years after breast cancer diagnosis (multivariate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals 2.65 (1.79–3.93) and 2.05 (1.41–2.99), respectively). No significant interaction between CHEK2 and adjuvant chemotherapy was observed. Conclusions: The CHEK2 1100delC-associated breast cancer is associated with a higher contralateral breast cancer rate as well as worse survival measures beyond 6 years after diagnosis. No differential sensitivity to adjuvant chemotherapy was observed in CHEK2 patients. PMID:24918820

  10. Breast-Dedicated Radionuclide Imaging Systems.

    PubMed

    Hsu, David F C; Freese, David L; Levin, Craig S

    2016-02-01

    Breast-dedicated radionuclide imaging systems show promise for increasing clinical sensitivity for breast cancer while minimizing patient dose and cost. We present several breast-dedicated coincidence-photon and single-photon camera designs that have been described in the literature and examine their intrinsic performance, clinical relevance, and impact. Recent tracer development is mentioned, results from recent clinical tests are summarized, and potential areas for improvement are highlighted. © 2016 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

  11. Does sensitivity measured from screening test-sets predict clinical performance?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Soh, BaoLin P.; Lee, Warwick B.; Mello-Thoms, Claudia R.; Tapia, Kriscia A.; Ryan, John; Hung, Wai Tak; Thompson, Graham J.; Heard, Rob; Brennan, Patrick C.

    2014-03-01

    Aim: To examine the relationship between sensitivity measured from the BREAST test-set and clinical performance. Background: Although the UK and Australia national breast screening programs have regarded PERFORMS and BREAST test-set strategies as possible methods of estimating readers' clinical efficacy, the relationship between test-set and real life performance results has never been satisfactorily understood. Methods: Forty-one radiologists from BreastScreen New South Wales participated in this study. Each reader interpreted a BREAST test-set which comprised sixty de-identified mammographic examinations sourced from the BreastScreen Digital Imaging Library. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to compare the sensitivity measured from the BREAST test-set with screen readers' clinical audit data. Results: Results shown statistically significant positive moderate correlations between test-set sensitivity and each of the following metrics: rate of invasive cancer per 10 000 reads (r=0.495; p < 0.01); rate of small invasive cancer per 10 000 reads (r=0.546; p < 0.001); detection rate of all invasive cancers and DCIS per 10 000 reads (r=0.444; p < 0.01). Conclusion: Comparison between sensitivity measured from the BREAST test-set and real life detection rate demonstrated statistically significant positive moderate correlations which validated that such test-set strategies can reflect readers' clinical performance and be used as a quality assurance tool. The strength of correlation demonstrated in this study was higher than previously found by others.

  12. Epigallocatechin Gallate Nanodelivery Systems for Cancer Therapy

    PubMed Central

    Granja, Andreia; Pinheiro, Marina; Reis, Salette

    2016-01-01

    Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality all over the world. Conventional treatments, such as chemotherapy, are generally expensive, highly toxic and lack efficiency. Cancer chemoprevention using phytochemicals is emerging as a promising approach for the treatment of early carcinogenic processes. (−)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the major bioactive constituent in green tea with numerous health benefits including anti-cancer activity, which has been intensively studied. Besides its potential for chemoprevention, EGCG has also been shown to synergize with common anti-cancer agents, which makes it a suitable adjuvant in chemotherapy. However, limitations in terms of stability and bioavailability have hampered its application in clinical settings. Nanotechnology may have an important role in improving the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics of EGCG. Indeed, several studies have already reported the use of nanoparticles as delivery vehicles of EGCG for cancer therapy. The aim of this article is to discuss the EGCG molecule and its associated health benefits, particularly its anti-cancer activity and provide an overview of the studies that have employed nanotechnology strategies to enhance EGCG’s properties and potentiate its anti-tumoral activity. PMID:27213442

  13. Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Wang, Lulu

    2017-07-05

    Early-stage cancer detection could reduce breast cancer death rates significantly in the long-term. The most critical point for best prognosis is to identify early-stage cancer cells. Investigators have studied many breast diagnostic approaches, including mammography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, computerized tomography, positron emission tomography and biopsy. However, these techniques have some limitations such as being expensive, time consuming and not suitable for young women. Developing a high-sensitive and rapid early-stage breast cancer diagnostic method is urgent. In recent years, investigators have paid their attention in the development of biosensors to detect breast cancer using different biomarkers. Apart from biosensors and biomarkers, microwave imaging techniques have also been intensely studied as a promising diagnostic tool for rapid and cost-effective early-stage breast cancer detection. This paper aims to provide an overview on recent important achievements in breast screening methods (particularly on microwave imaging) and breast biomarkers along with biosensors for rapidly diagnosing breast cancer.

  14. Optofluidic ring resonator sensor for sensitive label-free detection of breast cancer antigen CA15-3 in human serum

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Hongying; Dale, Paul S.; Fan, Xudong

    2009-05-01

    Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy in women worldwide. Because of its great impact on society, a lot of research funding has been used to develop novel detection tools for aiding breast cancer diagnosis and prognosis. In this work, we demonstrated a simple, fast, and sensitive detection of circulating breast cancer biomarker CA15-3 with opto-fluidic ring resonator (OFRR) sensors. The OFRR sensor employs a thin-walled capillary with wall thickness less than 4 μm. The circular cross section of the capillary forms the optical ring resonator, in which the light circulates in the form of whispering gallery modes (WGMs). The capillary wall is thin enough that the evanescent field of the WGM extends into the capillary core and responds to refractive index changes in the capillary core or close to its interior surface. The WGM spectral position will change when the biomolecules bind to the surface, yielding quantitative and kinetic information about the biomolecule interaction. Here, the direct immunoassay method was employed for the detection of CA15-3 antigen without any signal amplification steps. The sensor performance in both PBS buffer and human serum were investigated, respectively. The experimental detection limit was 5 units/mL in PBS buffer and 30 units/mL for CA15-3 spiked in serum, both of which satisfied clinical diagnosis requirements. The potential use of the OFRR as the point-of-care device for breast cancer detection was tested by measuring the CA15-3 level in blood samples collected from stage IV breast cancer patients and the results were compared with standard clinical test.

  15. GREEN TEA CATECHINS ARE POTENT SENSITIZERS OF RYANODINE RECEPTOR TYPE 1 (RYR1)

    PubMed Central

    Feng, Wei; Cherednichenko, Gennady; Ward, Chris W.; Padilla, Isela T.; Cabrales, Elaine; Lopez, José R.; Eltit, José M.; Allen, Paul D.; Pessah, Isaac N.

    2010-01-01

    Catechins, polyphenols extracted from green tea leaves, have a broad range of biological activities although the specific molecular mechanisms responsible are not known. At the high experimental concentrations typically used polyphenols bind to membrane phospholipid and also are easily auto-oxidized to generate superoxide anion and semiquinones, and can adduct to protein thiols. We report that the type 1 ryanodine receptor (RyR1) is a molecular target that responds to nanomolar (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and (−)-epicatechin-3-gallate (ECG). Single channel analyses demonstrate EGCG (5-10nM) increases channel open probability (Po) 2-fold, by lengthening open dwell time. The degree of channel activation is concentration dependent and is rapidly and fully reversible. Four related catechins, EGCG, ECG, EGC ((−)-epigallocatechin) and EC ((−)-epicatechin) showed a rank order of activity toward RyR1 (EGCG>ECG>>EGC>>>EC). EGCG and ECG enhance the sensitivity of RyR1 to activation by ≤100μM cytoplasmic Ca2+ without altering inhibitory potency by >100μM Ca2+. EGCG as high as 10μM in the extracellular medium potentiated Ca2+ transient amplitudes evoked by electrical stimuli applied to intact myotubes and adult FDB fibers, without eliciting spontaneous Ca2+ release or slowing Ca2+ transient recovery. The results identify RyR1 as a sensitive target for the major tea catechins EGCG and ECG, and this interaction is likely to contribute to their observed biological activities. PMID:20471964

  16. Ammonium tetrathiomolybdate treatment targets the copper transporter ATP7A and enhances sensitivity of breast cancer to cisplatin

    PubMed Central

    Wong, Ada Hang-Heng; Vazquez-Ortiz, Guelaguetza; Chen, Weiping; Xu, Xiaoling; Deng, Chu-Xia

    2016-01-01

    Cisplatin is an effective breast cancer drug but resistance often develops over prolonged chemotherapy. Therefore, we performed a candidate approach RNAi screen in combination with cisplatin treatment to identify molecular pathways conferring survival advantages. The screen identified ATP7A as a therapeutic target. ATP7A is a copper ATPase transporter responsible for intercellular movement and sequestering of cisplatin. Pharmaceutical replacement for ATP7A by ammonium tetrathiomolybdate (TM) enhanced cisplatin treatment in breast cancer cells. Allograft and xenograft models in athymic nude mice treated with cisplatin/TM exhibited retarded tumor growth, reduced accumulation of cancer stem cells and decreased cell proliferation as compared to mono-treatment with cisplatin or TM. Cisplatin/TM treatment of cisplatin-resistant tumors reduced ATP7A protein levels, attenuated cisplatin sequestering by ATP7A, increased nuclear availability of cisplatin, and subsequently enhanced DNA damage and apoptosis. Microarray analysis of gene ontology pathways that responded uniquely to cisplatin/TM double treatment depicted changes in cell cycle regulation, specifically in the G1/S transition. These findings offer the potential to combat platinum-resistant tumors and sensitize patients to conventional breast cancer treatment by identifying and targeting the resistant tumors' unique molecular adaptations. PMID:27806319

  17. Incremental cancer detection using breast ultrasonography versus breast magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients.

    PubMed

    He, Hongying; Plaxco, Jeri S; Wei, Wei; Huo, Lei; Candelaria, Rosalind P; Kuerer, Henry M; Yang, Wei T

    2016-09-01

    To compare the incremental cancer detection rate (ICDR) using bilateral whole-breast ultrasonography (BWBUS) vs dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI in patients with primary breast cancer. A retrospective database search in a single institution identified 259 patients with breast cancer diagnosed from January 2011 to August 2014 who underwent mammography, BWBUS and MRI before surgery. Patient characteristics, tumour characteristics and lesions seen on each imaging modality were recorded. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for each modality were calculated. ICDRs according to index tumour histology and receptor status were also evaluated. The effect of additional cancer detection on surgical planning was obtained from the medical records. A total of 266 additional lesions beyond 273 index malignancies were seen on at least 1 modality, of which 121 (45%) lesions were malignant and 145 (55%) lesions were benign. MRI was significantly more sensitive than BWBUS (p = 0.01), while BWBUS was significantly more accurate and specific than MRI (p < 0.0001). Compared with mammography, the ICDRs using BWBUS and MRI were significantly higher for oestrogen receptor-positive and triple-negative cancers, but not for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive cancers. 22 additional malignant lesions in 18 patients were seen on MRI only. Surgical planning remained unchanged in 8 (44%) of those 18 patients. MRI was more sensitive than BWBUS, while BWBUS was more accurate and specific than MRI. MRI-detected additional malignant lesions did not change surgical planning in almost half of these patients. BWBUS may be a cost-effective and practical tool in breast cancer staging.

  18. Retrospective and comparative analysis of (99m)Tc-Sestamibi breast specific gamma imaging versus mammography, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging for the detection of breast cancer in Chinese women.

    PubMed

    Yu, Xiuyan; Hu, Guoming; Zhang, Zhigang; Qiu, Fuming; Shao, Xuan; Wang, Xiaochen; Zhan, Hongwei; Chen, Yiding; Deng, Yongchuan; Huang, Jian

    2016-07-11

    Diagnosing breast cancer during the early stage may be helpful for decreasing cancer-related mortality. In Western developed countries, mammographies have been the gold standard for breast cancer detection. However, Chinese women usually have denser and smaller-sized breasts compared to Caucasian women, which decreases the diagnostic accuracy of mammography. However, breast specific gamma imaging, a type of molecular functional breast imaging, has been used for the accurate diagnosis of breast cancer and is not influenced by breast density. Our objective was to analyze the breast specific gamma imaging (BSGI) diagnostic value for Chinese women. During a 2-year period, 357 women were diagnosed and treated at our oncology department and received BSGI in addition to mammography (MMG), ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for diagnostic assessment. We investigated the sensitivity and specificity of each method of detection and compared the biological profiles of the four imaging methods. A total of 357 women received a final surgical pathology diagnosis, with 168 malignant diseases (58.5 %) and 119 benign diseases (41.5 %). Of these, 166 underwent the four imaging tests preoperatively. The sensitivity of BSGI was 80.35 and 82.14 % by US, 75.6 % by MMG, and 94.06 % by MRI. Furthermore, the breast cancer diagnosis specificity of BSGI was high (83.19 % vs. 77.31 % vs. 66.39 % vs. 67.69 %, respectively). The BSGI diagnostic sensitivity for mammographic breast density in women was superior to mammography and more sensitive for non-luminal A subtypes (luminal A vs. non-luminal A, 68.63 % vs. 88.30 %). BSGI may help improve the ability to diagnose early stage breast cancer for Chinese women, particularly for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), mammographic breast density and non-luminal A breast cancer.

  19. Impact of contra-lateral breast reshaping on mammographic surveillance in women undergoing breast reconstruction following mastectomy for breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Nava, Maurizio B; Rocco, Nicola; Catanuto, Giuseppe; Falco, Giuseppe; Capalbo, Emanuela; Marano, Luigi; Bordoni, Daniele; Spano, Andrea; Scaperrotta, Gianfranco

    2015-08-01

    The ultimate goal of breast reconstruction is to achieve symmetry with the contra-lateral breast. Contra-lateral procedures with wide parenchymal rearrangements are suspected to impair mammographic surveillance. This study aims to evaluate the impact on mammographic detection of mastopexies and breast reductions for contralateral adjustment in breast reconstruction. We retrospectively evaluated 105 women affected by uni-lateral breast cancer who underwent mastectomy and immediate two-stage reconstruction between 2002 and 2007. We considered three groups according to the contra-lateral reshaping technique: mastopexy or breast reduction with inferior dermoglandular flap (group 1); mastopexy or breast reduction without inferior dermoglandular flap (group 2); no contra-lateral reshaping (group 3). We assessed qualitative mammographic variations and breast density in the three groups. Statistically significant differences have been found when comparing reshaped groups with non reshaped groups regarding parenchymal distortions, skin thickening and stromal edema, but these differences did not affect cancer surveillance. The surveillance mammography diagnostic accuracy in contra-lateral cancer detection was not significantly different between the three groups (p = 0.56), such as the need for MRI for equivocal findings at mammographic contra-lateral breast (p = 0.77) and the need for core-biopsies to confirm mammographic suspect of contra-lateral breast cancer (p = 0.90). This study confirms previous reports regarding the safety of mastopexies and breast reductions when performed in the setting of contra-lateral breast reshaping after breast reconstruction. Mammographic accuracy, sensitivity and specificity are not affected by the glandular re-arrangement. These results provide a further validation of the safety of current reconstructive paradigms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Production of propyl gallate in nonaqueous medium using cell-associated tannase of Bacillus massiliensis: effect of various parameters and statistical optimization.

    PubMed

    Aithal, Mahesh; Belur, Prasanna D

    2013-01-01

    Enzymatic synthesis of propyl gallate in an organic solvent was studied using cell-associated tannase (E.C. 3.1.1.20) of Bacillus massiliensis. Lyophilized biomass showing tannase activity was used as a biocatalyst. The influence of buffer pH and strength, water activity, temperature, biocatalyst loading, gallic acid concentration, and 1-propanol concentration was studied by the one-factor-at-a-time method. Subsequently, response surface methodology was applied based on a central composite design to determine the effects of three independent variables (biocatalyst loading, gallic acid concentration, and 1-propanol concentration) and their mutual interactions. A total of 20 experiments were conducted, and a statistical model was developed, which predicted the maximum propyl gallate yield of 20.28 μg/mL in the reaction mixture comprising 40.4 mg biocatalyst, 0.4 mM gallic acid, and 6.52 % (v/v) 1-propanol in 9.5 mL benzene at 30°C. The subsequent verification experiments established the validity of the model. Under optimal conditions, 25% conversion of gallic acid to propyl gallate was achieved on a molar basis. The absence of the need for enzyme purification and subsequent immobilization steps and good conversion efficiency makes this enzyme system an interesting one. Reports on the applications of bacterial whole cell systems for synthetic reactions in organic solvents are scarce, and perhaps this is the first report on bacterial cell-associated tannase-mediated esterification in a nonaqueous medium. © 2013 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  1. The need for supplemental breast cancer screening modalities: a perspective of population-based breast cancer screening programs in Japan.

    PubMed

    Uematsu, Takayoshi

    2017-01-01

    This article discusses possible supplemental breast cancer screening modalities for younger women with dense breasts from a perspective of population-based breast cancer screening program in Japan. Supplemental breast cancer screening modalities have been proposed to increase the sensitivity and detection rates of early stage breast cancer in women with dense breasts; however, there are no global guidelines that recommend the use of supplemental breast cancer screening modalities in such women. Also, no criterion standard exists for breast density assessment. Based on the current situation of breast imaging in Japan, the possible supplemental breast cancer screening modalities are ultrasonography, digital breast tomosynthesis, and breast magnetic resonance imaging. An appropriate population-based breast cancer screening program based on the balance between cost and benefit should be a high priority. Further research based on evidence-based medicine is encouraged. It is very important that the ethnicity, workforce, workflow, and resources for breast cancer screening in each country should be considered when considering supplemental breast cancer screening modalities for women with dense breasts.

  2. Triple Test in Carcinoma Breast

    PubMed Central

    Sameer; Mukherjee, Arindam

    2014-01-01

    Introduction: The commonest clinical presentation in majority of breast pathology is a lump. A definite diagnosis of breast lump is very important for the surgeon to decide on the final course of treatment and also saves the patient from unnecessary physical, emotional and psychological trauma if there is a definite preoperative diagnosis of benign lesion. The present study was done to evaluate the effectiveness and relevance of “TRIPLE TEST”in diagnosis of carcinoma breast in rural labour class population. Materials and Methods: The present study was a prospective study conducted on patients over 35 years of age having palpable breast lumps presenting in the out patient department of general surgery, ESI Hospital Basaidarapur New Delhi, India. The duration of study was from May 2007 to June 2009 and a total of 100 cases were studied. Each patient was subjected to a detailed history, clinical breast examination ,diagnostic mammography and FNAC. In this study, the results of each modality was divided in three groups: benign, suspicious and malignant. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy of each test was calculated individually and as combined. Result: Out of 100 patients enrolled in this study, 60 cases were benign and 40 cases were of malignant breast disease. The age of patients with carcinoma breast in the series varied from 35 years to 70 years. The highest incidence of malignancy noted was 30% in 41-50 years age group (4th decade) followed by 27.5% in 51-60 years age group (5th decade). The sensitivity of clinical examination was found to be 75%, specificity was 83.3%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 75% and diagnostic accuracy of 80%. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and diagnostic accuracy of mammography was calculated and was found to be 94.9% , 90% , 86% and 92% respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and diagnostic accuracy of

  3. Radionuclide Methods and Instrumentation for Breast Cancer Detection and Diagnosis

    PubMed Central

    Surti, Suleman

    2013-01-01

    Breast cancer mammography is a well-acknowledged technique for patient screening due to its high sensitivity. However, in addition to its low specificity the sensitivity of mammography is limited when imaging patients with dense breasts. Radionuclide imaging techniques, such as coincidence photon-based positron emission tomography and single photon emission computed tomography or scintimammography, can play a role in assisting screening of such patients. Radionuclide techniques can also be useful in assessing treatment response of patients with breast cancer to therapy, and staging of patients to diagnose the disease extent. However, the performance of these imaging modalities is generally limited because of the poor spatial resolution and sensitivity of the commercially available multipurpose imaging systems. Here, we describe some of the dedicated imaging systems (positron emission mammography [PEM] and breast-specific gamma imaging [BSGI]) that have been developed both commercially and in research laboratories for radionuclide imaging of breast cancer. Clinical studies with dedicated PEM scanners show improved sensitivity to detecting cancer in patients when using PEM in conjunction with additional imaging modalities, such as magnetic resonance imaging or mammography or both, as well as improved disease staging that can have an effect on surgical planning. High-resolution BSGI systems are more widely available commercially and several clinical studies have shown very high sensitivity and specificity in detecting cancer in high-risk patients. Further development of dedicated PEM and BSGI systems is ongoing, promising further expansion of radionuclide imaging techniques in the realm of breast cancer detection and treatment. PMID:23725989

  4. Chemosensitivity and Endocrine Sensitivity in Clinical Luminal Breast Cancer Patients in the Prospective Neoadjuvant Breast Registry Symphony Trial (NBRST) Predicted by Molecular Subtyping.

    PubMed

    Whitworth, Pat; Beitsch, Peter; Mislowsky, Angela; Pellicane, James V; Nash, Charles; Murray, Mary; Lee, Laura A; Dul, Carrie L; Rotkis, Michael; Baron, Paul; Stork-Sloots, Lisette; de Snoo, Femke A; Beatty, Jennifer

    2017-03-01

    Hormone receptor-positive (HR+) tumors have heterogeneous biology and present a challenge for determining optimal treatment. In the Neoadjuvant Breast Registry Symphony Trial (NBRST) patients were classified according to MammaPrint/BluePrint subtyping to provide insight into the response to neoadjuvant endocrine therapy (NET) or neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT). The purpose of this predefined substudy was to compare MammaPrint/BluePrint with conventional 'clinical' immunohistochemistry/fluorescence in situ hybridization (IHC/FISH) subtyping in 'clinical luminal' [HR+/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-)] breast cancer patients to predict treatment sensitivity. NBRST IHC/FISH HR+/HER2- breast cancer patients (n = 474) were classified into four molecular subgroups by MammaPrint/BluePrint subtyping: Luminal A, Luminal B, HER2, and Basal type. Pathological complete response (pCR) rates were compared with conventional IHC/FISH subtype. The overall pCR rate for 'clinical luminal' patients to NCT was 11 %; however, 87 of these 474 patients were reclassified as Basal type by BluePrint, with a high pCR rate of 32 %. The MammaPrint index was highly associated with the likelihood of pCR (p < 0.001). Fifty-three patients with BluePrint Luminal tumors received NET with an aromatase inhibitor and 36 (68 %) had a clinical response. With BluePrint subtyping, 18 % of clinical 'luminal' patients are classified in a different subgroup, compared with conventional assessment, and these patients have a significantly higher response rate to NCT compared with BluePrint Luminal patients. MammaPrint/BluePrint subtyping can help allocate effective treatment to appropriate patients. In addition, accurate identification of subtype biology is important in the interpretation of neoadjuvant treatment response since lack of pCR in luminal patients does not portend the worse prognosis associated with residual disease in Basal and HER2 subtypes.

  5. Quantification of sensitivity and resistance of breast cancer cell lines to anti-cancer drugs using GR metrics

    PubMed Central

    Hafner, Marc; Heiser, Laura M.; Williams, Elizabeth H.; Niepel, Mario; Wang, Nicholas J.; Korkola, James E.; Gray, Joe W.; Sorger, Peter K.

    2017-01-01

    Traditional means for scoring the effects of anti-cancer drugs on the growth and survival of cell lines is based on relative cell number in drug-treated and control samples and is seriously confounded by unequal division rates arising from natural biological variation and differences in culture conditions. This problem can be overcome by computing drug sensitivity on a per-division basis. The normalized growth rate inhibition (GR) approach yields per-division metrics for drug potency (GR50) and efficacy (GRmax) that are analogous to the more familiar IC50 and Emax values. In this work, we report GR-based, proliferation-corrected, drug sensitivity metrics for ~4,700 pairs of breast cancer cell lines and perturbagens. Such data are broadly useful in understanding the molecular basis of therapeutic response and resistance. Here, we use them to investigate the relationship between different measures of drug sensitivity and conclude that drug potency and efficacy exhibit high variation that is only weakly correlated. To facilitate further use of these data, computed GR curves and metrics can be browsed interactively at http://www.GRbrowser.org/. PMID:29112189

  6. Breast cancer sensitivity to neoadjuvant therapy in BRCA1 and CHEK2 mutation carriers and non-carriers.

    PubMed

    Pfeifer, Werner; Sokolenko, Anna P; Potapova, Olga N; Bessonov, Alexandr A; Ivantsov, Alexandr O; Laptiev, Sergey A; Zaitseva, Olga A; Yatsuk, Olga S; Matsko, Dmitry E; Semiglazova, Tatiana Yu; Togo, Alexandr V; Imyanitov, Evgeny N

    2014-12-01

    Breast carcinomas caused by inheritance of cancer-predisposing germ-line mutations have specific bioclinical features. This study aimed to analyze the efficacy of conventional cytotoxic treatment in BRCA1 and CHEK2 mutation carriers and non-carriers. The study included 415 Russian breast cancer patients aged 50 years or younger, who were subjected to various standard schemes of neoadjuvant therapy. The choice of therapy was done without the knowledge of the mutations status, because DNA testing was performed retrospectively using the archival tissue samples. 19 BRCA1 (4.6%) and 8 CHEK2 (1.9%) heterozygous genotypes were identified. BRCA1 mutation carriers achieved pathological complete response more frequently than non-carriers [6/19 (31.6%) vs. 46/388 (11.9%), p = 0.024]; this effect was limited to women treated by anthracycline-based therapy without taxanes [5/9 (55.6%) vs. 28/247 (11.3%), p = 0.002] and was not observed in any of 7 BRCA1 carriers receiving taxane-containing regimens. CHEK2 heterozygotes did not experience pathological complete response and showed lower frequency of objective clinical responses as compared to mutation non-carriers [4/8 (50%) vs. 333/388 (85.5%), p = 0.020]; the efficacy of neoadjuvant therapy was particularly poor in CHEK2 carriers receiving anthracyclines without taxanes. This study provides evidence for distinct sensitivity of BRCA1 and CHEK2 mutation-driven breast carcinomas to standard chemotherapeutic schemes.

  7. A BRCA1 deficient-like signature is enriched in breast cancer brain metastases and predicts DNA damage-induced poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor sensitivity.

    PubMed

    McMullin, Ryan P; Wittner, Ben S; Yang, Chuanwei; Denton-Schneider, Benjamin R; Hicks, Daniel; Singavarapu, Raj; Moulis, Sharon; Lee, Jeongeun; Akbari, Mohammad R; Narod, Steven A; Aldape, Kenneth D; Steeg, Patricia S; Ramaswamy, Sridhar; Sgroi, Dennis C

    2014-03-14

    There is an unmet clinical need for biomarkers to identify breast cancer patients at an increased risk of developing brain metastases. The objective is to identify gene signatures and biological pathways associated with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) brain metastasis. We combined laser capture microdissection and gene expression microarrays to analyze malignant epithelium from HER2+ breast cancer brain metastases with that from HER2+ nonmetastatic primary tumors. Differential gene expression was performed including gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) using publicly available breast cancer gene expression data sets. In a cohort of HER2+ breast cancer brain metastases, we identified a gene expression signature that anti-correlates with overexpression of BRCA1. Sequence analysis of the HER2+ brain metastases revealed no pathogenic mutations of BRCA1, and therefore the aforementioned signature was designated BRCA1 Deficient-Like (BD-L). Evaluation of an independent cohort of breast cancer metastases demonstrated that BD-L values are significantly higher in brain metastases as compared to other metastatic sites. Although the BD-L signature is present in all subtypes of breast cancer, it is significantly higher in BRCA1 mutant primary tumors as compared with sporadic breast tumors. Additionally, BD-L signature values are significantly higher in HER2-/ER- primary tumors as compared with HER2+/ER + and HER2-/ER + tumors. The BD-L signature correlates with breast cancer cell line pharmacologic response to a combination of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor and temozolomide, and the signature outperformed four published gene signatures of BRCA1/2 deficiency. A BD-L signature is enriched in HER2+ breast cancer brain metastases without pathogenic BRCA1 mutations. Unexpectedly, elevated BD-L values are found in a subset of primary tumors across all breast cancer subtypes. Evaluation of pharmacological sensitivity in breast cancer

  8. A BRCA1 deficient-like signature is enriched in breast cancer brain metastases and predicts DNA damage-induced poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor sensitivity

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    pharmacological sensitivity in breast cancer cell lines representing all breast cancer subtypes suggests the BD-L signature may serve as a biomarker to identify sporadic breast cancer patients who might benefit from a therapeutic combination of PARP inhibitor and temozolomide and may be indicative of a dysfunctional BRCA1-associated pathway. PMID:24625110

  9. Signal enhancement ratio (SER) quantified from breast DCE-MRI and breast cancer risk

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Shandong; Kurland, Brenda F.; Berg, Wendie A.; Zuley, Margarita L.; Jankowitz, Rachel C.; Sumkin, Jules; Gur, David

    2015-03-01

    Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is recommended as an adjunct to mammography for women who are considered at elevated risk of developing breast cancer. As a key component of breast MRI, dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) uses a contrast agent to provide high intensity contrast between breast tissues, making it sensitive to tissue composition and vascularity. Breast DCE-MRI characterizes certain physiologic properties of breast tissue that are potentially related to breast cancer risk. Studies have shown that increased background parenchymal enhancement (BPE), which is the contrast enhancement occurring in normal cancer-unaffected breast tissues in post-contrast sequences, predicts increased breast cancer risk. Signal enhancement ratio (SER) computed from pre-contrast and post-contrast sequences in DCE-MRI measures change in signal intensity due to contrast uptake over time and is a measure of contrast enhancement kinetics. SER quantified in breast tumor has been shown potential as a biomarker for characterizing tumor response to treatments. In this work we investigated the relationship between quantitative measures of SER and breast cancer risk. A pilot retrospective case-control study was performed using a cohort of 102 women, consisting of 51 women who had diagnosed with unilateral breast cancer and 51 matched controls (by age and MRI date) with a unilateral biopsy-proven benign lesion. SER was quantified using fully-automated computerized algorithms and three SER-derived quantitative volume measures were compared between the cancer cases and controls using logistic regression analysis. Our preliminary results showed that SER is associated with breast cancer risk, after adjustment for the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS)-based mammographic breast density measures. This pilot study indicated that SER has potential for use as a risk factor for breast cancer risk assessment in women at elevated risk of developing breast cancer.

  10. Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Sensitizes Breast Cancer Cells to Natural Products with Proteasome-Inhibitory Activity Leading to Apoptosis

    PubMed Central

    Lu, Li; Shi, Wenli; Deshmukh, Rahul R.; Long, Jie; Cheng, Xiaoli; Ji, Weidong; Zeng, Guohua; Chen, Xianliang; Zhang, Yajie; Dou, Q. Ping

    2014-01-01

    The inflammatory microenvironment plays an important role in the process of tumor development. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), a key pro-inflammatory cytokine, has a significant role in this process. Natural medicinal products such as Withaferin A (WA) and Celastrol (Cel) have shown anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties that can be attributed to multiple mechanisms including, but not limited to, apoptosis induction due to the inhibition of proteasomal activities. This study aimed to investigate the effects of TNF-α in combination with WA or Cel in vitro in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. TNF-α, when combined with WA or Cel, activated caspase-3 and -9 and downregulated XIAP in a dose-dependent manner, leading to induction of apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. The combination also caused accumulation of the proteasomal target protein IκBα, resulting in inhibition of the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). Taken together, these results suggest that TNF-α could sensitize breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 to WA and Cel, at least in part, through inhibiting the activation of NF-κB signaling, leading to XIAP inhibition with subsequent upregulation of caspase-3 and -9 activities. Thus, the anti-cancer activities of TNF-α are enhanced when combined with the natural proteasome inhibitors, WA or Cel. PMID:25419573

  11. [Effects of a breast feeding promotion program for working women].

    PubMed

    Yoon, Ji-Won; Park, Young-Joo

    2008-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of a breast feeding promotion program for working women on breast feeding continuation, mother-infant attachment, and maternal sensitivity. The design of this study is nonequivalent control group design with repeated measures. There were significant differences in breast feeding continuation between two groups at each time point except 2 days and 1 week after delivery. The scores of mother-infant attachment and maternal sensitivity of experimental group were higher than those of the control group, but there were no significant differences between two groups. Although some modifications in contents and administration will be required to increase the effectiveness of the program, breast feeding promotion program for working women can be an effective nursing intervention which can facilitate breast feeding continuation and mother-infant relationships.

  12. The effects of gold nanoparticles in wound healing with antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate and α-lipoic acid.

    PubMed

    Leu, Jyh-Gang; Chen, Siang-An; Chen, Han-Min; Wu, Wen-Mein; Hung, Chi-Feng; Yao, Yeong-Der; Tu, Chi-Shun; Liang, Yao-Jen

    2012-07-01

    Topical applications of antioxidant agents in cutaneous wounds have attracted much attention. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and α-lipoic acid (ALA) were shown to have antioxidative effects and could be helpful in wound healing. Their effects in Hs68 and HaCaT cell proliferation and in mouse cutaneous wound healing were studied. Both the mixture of EGCG + ALA (EA) and AuNPs + EGCG + ALA (AuEA) significantly increased Hs68 and HaCaT proliferation and migration. Topical AuEA application accelerated wound healing on mouse skin. Immunoblotting of wound tissue showed significant increase of vascular endothelial cell growth factor and angiopoietin-1 protein expression, but no change of angiopoietin-2 or CD31 after 7 days. After AuEA treatment, CD68 protein expression decreased and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase increased significantly in the wound area. In conclusion, AuEA significantly accelerated mouse cutaneous wound healing through anti-inflammatory and antioxidation effects. This study may support future studies using other antioxidant agents in the treatment of cutaneous wounds. In this study, topically applied gold nanoparticles with epigallocatechin gallate and alpha-lipoic acid were studied regarding their effects in wound healing in cell cultures. Significant acceleration was demonstrated in wound healing in a murine model. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Supplemental Screening for Breast Cancer in Women with Dense Breasts: A Systematic Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

    PubMed Central

    Melnikow, Joy; Fenton, Joshua J.; Whitlock, Evelyn P.; Miglioretti, Diana L.; Weyrich, Meghan S.; Thompson, Jamie H.; Shah, Kunal

    2016-01-01

    Background Screening mammography has lower sensitivity and specificity in women with dense breasts, who experience higher breast cancer risk. Purpose Systematic review of: reproducibility of BI-RADS density categorization; test performance and clinical outcomes of supplemental screening with breast ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) in women with dense breasts and negative mammography. Data Sources MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane January 2000–July 2015. Study Selection Studies reporting BI-RADS density reproducibility or supplemental screening results for women with dense breasts. Data Extraction Quality assessment and abstraction of twenty-four studies from seven countries; six were good quality. Data Synthesis Three good-quality studies reported reproducibility of BI-RADS density; 13–19% of women were re-categorized between “dense” and “non-dense” at subsequent screening. Two good-quality studies reported ultrasound sensitivity for women with negative mammography ranging from 80–83%; specificity 86–94%; and positive predictive value (PPV) 3–8%. MRI sensitivity ranged from 75–100%, specificity 78–94%, and PPV 3–33% (3 studies). Ultrasound additional cancer detection rates were 4.4 per 1,000 exams (89–93% invasive); recall rates were 14%. MRI detected 3.5–28.6 additional cancers per 1,000 exams (34–86% invasive); recall rates were 12–24 %. DBT cancer detection rates increased by 1.4–2.5 per 1000 exams compared to mammography alone (3 studies). Recall rates ranged from 7–11%, compared to 7–17% with mammography alone. No studies examined breast cancer outcomes. Limitations Good quality evidence was sparse. Studies were small and confidence intervals were wide. Definitions of recall were absent or inconsistent. Conclusions Density ratings may be re-categorized on serial screening mammograms. Supplemental screening of women with dense breasts finds additional breast cancers

  14. Patterns of care in Dutch postmenopausal patients with hormone-sensitive early breast cancer participating in the Tamoxifen Exemestane Adjuvant Multinational (TEAM) trial.

    PubMed

    van Nes, J G H; Seynaeve, C; Maartense, E; Roumen, R M H; de Jong, R S; Beex, L V A M; Meershoek-Klein Kranenbarg, W M; Putter, H; Nortier, J W R; van de Velde, C J H

    2010-05-01

    The Tamoxifen and Exemestane Adjuvant Multinational (TEAM) trial investigates the efficacy and safety of adjuvant exemestane alone and in sequence after tamoxifen in postmenopausal women with hormone-sensitive early breast cancer. As there was a nationwide participation in The Netherlands, we studied the variations in patterns of care in the Comprehensive Cancer Centre Regions (CCCRs) and compliance with national guidelines. Clinicopathological characteristics, carried out local treatment strategies and adjuvant chemotherapy data were collected. From 2001 to January 2006, 2754 Dutch patients were randomised to the study. Mean age of patients was 65 years (standard deviation 9). Tumours were < or =2 cm in 46% (within CCCRs 39%-50%), node-negative disease varied from 25% to 45%, and PgR status was determined in 75%-100% of patients. Mastectomy was carried out in 55% (45%-70%), sentinel lymph node procedure in 68% (42%-79%) and axillary lymph node dissections in 77% (67%-83%) of patients, all different between CCCRs (P < 0.0001). Adjuvant chemotherapy was given in 15%-70% of eligible patients (P < 0.001). In spite of national guidelines, breast cancer treatment on specific issues widely varied between the various Dutch regions. These data provide valuable information for breast cancer organisations indicating (lack of) guideline adherence and areas for breast cancer care improvement.

  15. Mammographic density and breast cancer risk in breast screening assessment cases and women with a family history of breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Duffy, Stephen W; Morrish, Oliver W E; Allgood, Prue C; Black, Richard; Gillan, Maureen G C; Willsher, Paula; Cooke, Julie; Duncan, Karen A; Michell, Michael J; Dobson, Hilary M; Maroni, Roberta; Lim, Yit Y; Purushothaman, Hema N; Suaris, Tamara; Astley, Susan M; Young, Kenneth C; Tucker, Lorraine; Gilbert, Fiona J

    2018-01-01

    Mammographic density has been shown to be a strong independent predictor of breast cancer and a causative factor in reducing the sensitivity of mammography. There remain questions as to the use of mammographic density information in the context of screening and risk management, and of the association with cancer in populations known to be at increased risk of breast cancer. To assess the association of breast density with presence of cancer by measuring mammographic density visually as a percentage, and with two automated volumetric methods, Quantra™ and VolparaDensity™. The TOMosynthesis with digital MammographY (TOMMY) study of digital breast tomosynthesis in the Breast Screening Programme of the National Health Service (NHS) of the United Kingdom (UK) included 6020 breast screening assessment cases (of whom 1158 had breast cancer) and 1040 screened women with a family history of breast cancer (of whom two had breast cancer). We assessed the association of each measure with breast cancer risk in these populations at enhanced risk, using logistic regression adjusted for age and total breast volume as a surrogate for body mass index (BMI). All density measures showed a positive association with presence of cancer and all declined with age. The strongest effect was seen with Volpara absolute density, with a significant 3% (95% CI 1-5%) increase in risk per 10 cm 3 of dense tissue. The effect of Volpara volumetric density on risk was stronger for large and grade 3 tumours. Automated absolute breast density is a predictor of breast cancer risk in populations at enhanced risk due to either positive mammographic findings or family history. In the screening context, density could be a trigger for more intensive imaging. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  16. Characterization of Aspergillus fumigatus CAS-21 tannase with potential for propyl gallate synthesis and treatment of tannery effluent from leather industry.

    PubMed

    Cavalcanti, Rayza Morganna Farias; Jorge, João Atílio; Guimarães, Luis Henrique Souza

    2018-06-01

    One of the tannase isoforms produced by the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus CAS-21 under submerged fermentation (SbmF) was purified 4.9-fold with a 10.2% recovery. The glycoprotein (39.1% carbohydrate content) showed an estimated molecular mass of 60 kDa. Optimum temperature and pH for its activity were 30-40 °C and 5.0, respectively. It showed a half-life ( t 50 ) of 60 min at 45 and 50 °C, and it was stable at pH 5.0 and 6.0 for 3 h. The tannase activity was insensitive to most salts used, but it reduced in the presence of Fe 2 (SO 4 ) 3 and FeCl 3 . On contrary, in presence of SDS, Triton-X100, and urea the enzyme activity increased. The K m value indicated high affinity for propyl gallate (3.61 mmol L -1 ) when compared with tannic acid (6.38 mmol L -1 ) and methyl gallate (6.28 mmol L -1 ), but the best K cat (362.24 s -1 ) and K cat / K m (56.78 s -1 mmol -1 L) were obtained for tannic acid. The purified tannase reduced 89 and 25% of tannin content of the leather tannery effluent generated by manual and mechanical processing, respectively, after 2-h treatment. The total phenolic content was also reduced. Additionally, the enzyme produced propyl gallate, indicating its ability to do the transesterification reaction. Thus, A. fumigatus CAS-21 tannase presents interesting properties, especially the ability to degrade tannery effluent, highlighting its potential in biotechnological applications.

  17. Correlation of antimutagenic activity and suppression of CYP1A with the lipophilicity of alkyl gallates and other phenolic compounds.

    PubMed

    Feng, Qing; Kumagai, Takeshi; Nakamura, Yoshimasa; Uchida, Koji; Osawa, Toshihiko

    2003-05-09

    Alkyl gallates are widely used as food antioxidants. Methyl, ethyl, propyl, lauryl, and cetyl gallates showed antimutagenicity to activated 2-aminoanthracene (2AA)-induced SOS responses in Salmonella typhimurium TA1535/pSK1002. They also exhibited a suppressive effect on 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC)-induced cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) in human hepatoma HepG2 cells, as indexed by the 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity, and on CYP1A protein level. Both antimutagenicity and suppression of CYP1A appeared to be dependent on alkyl chain lengths, which suggested lipophilicity dependence. Based on those results, we investigated 26 other phenolic compounds for their lipophilicity, antimutagenicity and inhibition of EROD activity. The lipophilicity correlated well with the inhibition of EROD activity (r=0.78), and the inhibition of EROD activity correlated with the antimutagenicity of those compounds (r=0.71). The results suggest that the lipophilicity of the phenolic compounds may be an important factor in their ability to inhibit EROD activity.

  18. Evaluation of Antitumor Activity of Long-Circulating and pH-Sensitive Liposomes Containing Ursolic Acid in Animal Models of Breast Tumor and Gliosarcoma.

    PubMed

    Rocha, Talita Guieiro Ribeiro; Lopes, Sávia Caldeira de Araújo; Cassali, Geovani Dantas; Ferreira, Ênio; Veloso, Emerson Soares; Leite, Elaine Amaral; Braga, Fernão Castro; Ferreira, Lucas Antônio Miranda; Balvay, Daniel; Garofalakis, Anikitos; Oliveira, Mônica Cristina; Tavitian, Bertrand

    2016-12-01

    Background Ursolic acid (UA) is a triterpene found in different plant species, possessing antitumor activity, which may be a result of its antiangiogenic effect. However, UA has low water solubility, which limits its use because the bioavailability is impaired. To overcome this inconvenience, we developed long-circulating and pH-sensitive liposomes containing ursolic acid (SpHL-UA). We investigated the antiangiogenic effect of free UA and SpHL-UA in murine brain cancer and human breast tumor models by means of determination of the relative tumor volume, dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI), and histopathological analysis. Methods The animals were treated with dimethyl sulfoxide in 0.9% (w/v) NaCl, free UA, long-circulating and pH-sensitive liposomes without drug (SpHL), or SpHL-UA. The animals were submitted to each treatment by intraperitoneal injection for 5 days. The dose of free UA or SpHL-UA was equal to 23 mg/kg. Results Tumor growth inhibition was not observed in human breast tumor-bearing animals. For murine gliosarcoma-bearing animals, a slight tumor growth inhibition was observed in the groups treated with free UA or SpHL-UA (9% and 15%, respectively). No significant change in any of the parameters evaluated by DCE-MRI for both experimental models could be observed. Nevertheless, the evaluation of the mean values of magnetic resonance parameters of human breast tumor-bearing animals showed evidence of a possible antiangiogenic effect induced by SpHL-UA. Histopathological analysis did not present significant change for any treatment. Conclusion SpHL-UA did not show antiangiogenic activity in a gliosarcoma model and seemed to induce an antiangiogenic effect in the human breast tumor model. © The Author(s) 2016.

  19. Evaluation of Antitumor Activity of Long-Circulating and pH-Sensitive Liposomes Containing Ursolic Acid in Animal Models of Breast Tumor and Gliosarcoma

    PubMed Central

    Rocha, Talita Guieiro Ribeiro; Lopes, Sávia Caldeira de Araújo; Cassali, Geovani Dantas; Ferreira, Ênio; Veloso, Emerson Soares; Leite, Elaine Amaral; Braga, Fernão Castro; Ferreira, Lucas Antônio Miranda; Balvay, Daniel; Garofalakis, Anikitos; Oliveira, Mônica Cristina; Tavitian, Bertrand

    2016-01-01

    Background. Ursolic acid (UA) is a triterpene found in different plant species, possessing antitumor activity, which may be a result of its antiangiogenic effect. However, UA has low water solubility, which limits its use because the bioavailability is impaired. To overcome this inconvenience, we developed long-circulating and pH-sensitive liposomes containing ursolic acid (SpHL-UA). We investigated the antiangiogenic effect of free UA and SpHL-UA in murine brain cancer and human breast tumor models by means of determination of the relative tumor volume, dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI), and histopathological analysis. Methods. The animals were treated with dimethyl sulfoxide in 0.9% (w/v) NaCl, free UA, long-circulating and pH-sensitive liposomes without drug (SpHL), or SpHL-UA. The animals were submitted to each treatment by intraperitoneal injection for 5 days. The dose of free UA or SpHL-UA was equal to 23 mg/kg. Results. Tumor growth inhibition was not observed in human breast tumor–bearing animals. For murine gliosarcoma-bearing animals, a slight tumor growth inhibition was observed in the groups treated with free UA or SpHL-UA (9% and 15%, respectively). No significant change in any of the parameters evaluated by DCE-MRI for both experimental models could be observed. Nevertheless, the evaluation of the mean values of magnetic resonance parameters of human breast tumor–bearing animals showed evidence of a possible antiangiogenic effect induced by SpHL-UA. Histopathological analysis did not present significant change for any treatment. Conclusion. SpHL-UA did not show antiangiogenic activity in a gliosarcoma model and seemed to induce an antiangiogenic effect in the human breast tumor model. PMID:27130721

  20. Breast cancer stem-like cells are sensitized to tamoxifen induction of self-renewal inhibition with enforced Let-7c dependent on Wnt blocking

    PubMed Central

    Meng, Jinying; Wang, Jichang; Tang, Shou-Ching; Qin, Sida; Du, Ning; Li, Gang

    2018-01-01

    Let-7 microRNAs have been reported to have tumor suppressive functions; however, the effect of Let-7 when used in combination with chemotherapies is uncertain, but may have potential for use in clinical practice. In this study, we used RT-qPCR, western blot analysis, cell proliferation assay, flow cytometry analysis, immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining, luciferase assays, cell sorting analysis and xenografted tumor model to explore the role of Let-7 in the chemotherapy sensitivity of breast cancer stem cells. The findings of the current study indicated that Let-7 enhances the effects of endocrine therapy potentially by regulating the self-renewal of cancer stem cells. Let-7c increased the anticancer functions of tamoxifen and reduced the ratio of cancer stem-like cells (CSCs), sensitizing cells to therapy-induced repression in an estrogen receptor (ER)-dependent manner. Notably, Let-7 decreased the tumor formation ability of estrogen-treated breast CSCs in vivo and suppressed Wnt signaling, which further consolidated the previously hypothesis that Let-7 decreases the self-renewal ability, contributing to reduced tumor formation ability of stem cells. The suppressive effects exerted by Let-7 on stem-like cells involved Let-7c/ER/Wnt signaling, and the functions of Let-7c exerted with tamoxifen were dependent on ER. Taken together, the findings identified a biochemical and functional link between Let-7 and endocrine therapy in breast CSCs, which may facilitate clinical treatment in the future using delivery of suppressive Let-7. PMID:29336465

  1. Supplemental Screening for Breast Cancer in Women With Dense Breasts: A Systematic Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

    PubMed

    Melnikow, Joy; Fenton, Joshua J; Whitlock, Evelyn P; Miglioretti, Diana L; Weyrich, Meghan S; Thompson, Jamie H; Shah, Kunal

    2016-02-16

    Screening mammography has lower sensitivity and specificity in women with dense breasts, who experience higher breast cancer risk. To perform a systematic review of reproducibility of Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) density categorization and test performance and clinical outcomes of supplemental screening with breast ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) in women with dense breasts and negative mammography results. MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane database from January 2000 to July 2015. Studies reporting BI-RADS density reproducibility or supplemental screening results for women with dense breasts. Quality assessment and abstraction of 24 studies from 7 countries; 6 studies were good-quality. Three good-quality studies reported reproducibility of BI-RADS density; 13% to 19% of women were recategorized between "dense" and "nondense" at subsequent screening. Two good-quality studies reported that sensitivity of ultrasonography for women with negative mammography results ranged from 80% to 83%; specificity, from 86% to 94%; and positive predictive value (PPV), from 3% to 8%. The sensitivity of MRI ranged from 75% to 100%; specificity, from 78% to 94%; and PPV, from 3% to 33% (3 studies). Rates of additional cancer detection with ultrasonography were 4.4 per 1000 examinations (89% to 93% invasive); recall rates were 14%. Use of MRI detected 3.5 to 28.6 additional cancer cases per 1000 examinations (34% to 86% invasive); recall rates were 12% to 24%. Rates of cancer detection with DBT increased by 1.4 to 2.5 per 1000 examinations compared with mammography alone (3 studies). Recall rates ranged from 7% to 11%, compared with 7% to 17% with mammography alone. No studies examined breast cancer outcomes. Good-quality evidence was sparse. Studies were small and CIs were wide. Definitions of recall were absent or inconsistent. Density ratings may be recategorized on serial screening mammography

  2. Sensitivity after bilateral prophylactic mastectomy and immediate reconstruction.

    PubMed

    Gahm, Jessica; Jurell, Göran; Wickman, Marie; Hansson, Per

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the cutaneous somatosensory function and patients' subjective experience after bilateral prophylactic mastectomy and immediate reconstruction with implants. Twenty-four patients treated during an eight-year period were included. Somatosensory examination was made at least two years after the latest surgery to study perception thresholds to touch, warmth, cold, and heat pain, using quantitative techniques. Patients also completed a questionnaire about subjective sensitivity. Sixteen women who had had no previous breast surgery were used as a control group. Most patients reported decreased sensitivity in the breasts, which was confirmed by the results from the quantitative somatosensory examination. The results also showed that the ability to experience sexual feelings in the breast is usually lost after this type of operation, and as many as 14 patients reported spontaneous or stimulus-evoked discomfort in the breasts.

  3. How I report breast magnetic resonance imaging studies for breast cancer staging and screening.

    PubMed

    Vinnicombe, Sarah

    2016-07-25

    Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast is the most sensitive imaging technique for the diagnosis and local staging of primary breast cancer and yet, despite the fact that it has been in use for 20 years, there is little evidence that its widespread uncritical adoption has had a positive impact on patient-related outcomes.This has been attributed previously to the low specificity that might be expected with such a sensitive modality, but with modern techniques and protocols, the specificity and positive predictive value for malignancy can exceed that of breast ultrasound and mammography. A more likely explanation is that historically, clinicians have acted on MRI findings and altered surgical plans without prior histological confirmation. Furthermore, modern adjuvant therapy for breast cancer has improved so much that it has become a very tall order to show a an improvement in outcomes such as local recurrence rates.In order to obtain clinically useful information, it is necessary to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the technique and the physiological processes reflected in breast MRI. An appropriate indication for the scan, proper patient preparation and good scan technique, with rigorous quality assurance, are all essential prerequisites for a diagnostically relevant study.The use of recognised descriptors from a standardised lexicon is helpful, since assessment can then dictate subsequent recommendations for management, as in the American College of Radiology BI-RADS (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System) lexicon (Morris et al., ACR BI-RADS® Atlas, Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System, 2013). It also enables audit of the service. However, perhaps the most critical factor in the generation of a meaningful report is for the reporting radiologist to have a thorough understanding of the clinical question and of the findings that will influence management. This has never been more important than at present, when we are in the throes of a

  4. Pressure pain sensitivity as a marker for stress and pressure pain sensitivity-guided stress management in women with primary breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Axelsson, Christen K; Ballegaard, Søren; Karpatschof, Benny; Schousen, Peer

    2014-08-01

    To validate (1) Pressure Pain Sensitivity (PPS) as a marker for stress and (2) a PPS-guided intervention in women with primary Breast Cancer (BC). (1) A total of 58 women with BC were examined before and after 6 months of intervention. A control group of 165 women office employees was divided in a High Stress Group (HSG, n = 37) and a Low Stress Group (LSG, n = 128) to evaluate the association between PPS, questionnaire-related Quality of Life (QOL) and self-evaluated stress. (2) A PPS-guided stress management program (n = 40) was compared to a Psychosocial Group Intervention (PGI, n = 91) and no treatment (n = 86) with respect to a European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) questionnaire measured QOL. (1) Resting PPS and changes in PPS during the intervention period correlated significantly to EORTC and Short Form 36 (SF 36) main scores: (all p < 0.05). Between BC, HSG and LSG there was a significant and positive correlation with respect to PPS, SF 36 main scores, depression, and clinical stress scores (all p < 0.05). However, the BC group scored significantly lower than both HSG and LSG (both p < 0.05) with respect to self-evaluated stress. (2) The PPS-guided intervention group improved EORTC main score, pain and nausea, when compared to the control groups (all p < 0.05). PPS was positively associated with QOL, which was in contrast to self-evaluated stress. PPS-guided intervention improved QOL in women with breast cancer.

  5. Sensitivity to systemic therapy for metastatic breast cancer in CHEK2 1100delC mutation carriers.

    PubMed

    Kriege, Mieke; Jager, Agnes; Hollestelle, Antoinette; Berns, Els M J J; Blom, Jannet; Meijer-van Gelder, Marion E; Sieuwerts, Anieta M; van den Ouweland, Ans; Collée, J Margriet; Kroep, Judith R; Martens, John W M; Hooning, Maartje J; Seynaeve, Caroline

    2015-10-01

    The role of CHEK2 in DNA repair by homologous recombination suggests that CHEK2-associated breast cancer (BC) patients might be more sensitive to chemotherapy inducing double-strand DNA breaks, but results hereon are lacking. We compared the sensitivity to first-line chemotherapy and endocrine therapy between CHEK2 1100delC and non-CHEK2 metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients. Sixty-two CHEK2 1100delC MBC patients were selected from three cohorts genotyped for CHEK2 1100delC (one non-BRCA1/2 cohort and two sporadic cohorts). Controls were 62 non-CHEK2 MBC patients, matched for age at and year of primary BC diagnosis, and year of metastatic disease. Objective response rate (complete and partial response) to, and progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) after start of first-line chemotherapy and endocrine therapy were compared between CHEK2 and non-CHEK2 patients. Median age at BC diagnosis was 46 and 51 years at MBC diagnosis. First-line chemotherapy consisted of anthracycline-based chemotherapy (n = 73), taxanes (n = 16), CMF(-like) chemotherapy (n = 33) and taxane/anthracycline regimens (n = 2). CHEK2 and non-CHEK2 patients had a comparable objective response rate (44 vs. 52 %). Also, PFS and OS after start of chemotherapy were comparable between both patient groups (hazard ratio 0.91; 95 % confidence interval 0.63-1.30 and 1.03; 95 % CI 0.71-1.49, respectively). Thirty-six CHEK2 and 32 non-CHEK2 patients received first-line endocrine therapy (mainly tamoxifen) for MBC. No significant differences were observed in objective response rate to, and PFS and OS after start of endocrine therapy. No differential efficacy of chemotherapy and endocrine therapy given for MBC was observed in CHEK2 versus non-CHEK2 patients.

  6. Evaluation of clinical breast examination and breast ultrasonography among pregnant women in Abakaliki, Nigeria

    PubMed Central

    Ezeonu, Paul Olisaemeka; Ajah, Leonard Ogbonna; Onoh, Robinson Chukwudi; Lawani, Lucky Osaheni; Enemuo, Vincent Chidi; Agwu, Uzoma MaryRose

    2015-01-01

    Background Breast cancer in pregnancy accounts for 2%–3% of all breast cancers. The increased vascularity and lymphatic drainage from the breast during pregnancy potentiate the metastatic spread of the cancer to the regional lymph nodes. However, the increased breast density in pregnancy makes it difficult to detect breast lesions early. Aim To evaluate and compare the detection rate of breast lesions using clinical breast examination (CBE) and breast ultrasonography among pregnant women. Methodology A cross-sectional comparative study involving antenatal clinic attendees at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, was conducted between March 3, 2014, and December 31, 2014. CBE and breast ultrasonography were done in the participants at booking and repeated at 6 weeks postpartum. Fine-needle aspiration cytology and histology were done in women with suspicious breast lesions on CBE or breast ultrasonography or both. Data analysis was both descriptive and inferential at the 95% confidence level using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 17.0. Test of significance was done using chi-square test. A P-value of less than or equal to 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results A total of 320 pregnant women participated in the study. Of these, 267 (83.4%) were aware of breast cancer. Although more lesions were detected with breast ultrasonography than by CBE, there was no statistically significant difference between them (25 versus 17; P=0.26). The histology of the lesions revealed 21 benign lesions and 4 normal breast tissues. The sensitivity of breast ultrasonography was 95.2%, while that of CBE was 66.7%. The specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were similar between CBE and breast ultrasonography. Conclusion The detection rates of breast lesions by both CBE and breast ultrasonography were equivalent during pregnancy and 6 weeks postpartum, making CBE a convenient and very cost

  7. A two-center study of Muslim women's views of breast cancer and breast health practices in Pakistan and the UK.

    PubMed

    Banning, Maggie; Hafeez, Haroon

    2010-09-01

    Breast health awareness practices of Pakistani Muslim women in the UK and Pakistan is unknown. Focus group interviews were used to investigate the impact of culture and psychosocial issues on breast health awareness involving 44 women in Lahore and London. Women based in Lahore were more inquisitive about breast cancer and held more developed views compared with British Pakistani Muslim women. Women concurred that concise and relevant breast health education is needed irrespective of faith to improve cultural sensitivity and awareness in both Pakistani communities (both men and women).

  8. Polarization study on doped lanthanum gallate electrolyte using impedance spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gong, Wenquan; Gopalan, Srikanth; Pal, Uday B.

    2004-06-01

    Alternating current complex impedance spectroscopy studies were conducted on symmetrical cells of the type [gas, electrode/La1-x Sr x Ga1-y Mg y O3 (LSGM) electrolyte/electrode, gas]. The electrode materials were slurry-coated on both sides of the LSGM electrolyte support. The electrodes selected for this investigation are candidate materials for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) electrodes. Cathode materials include La1-x Sr x MnO3 (LSM), La1-x Sr x Co y Fe1-y O3 (LSCF), a two-phase particulate composite consisting of LSM and doped-lanthanum gallate (LSGM), and LSCF + LSGM. Pt metal electrodes were also used for the purpose of comparison. Anode material investigated was the Ni + Ce0.85Gd0.15O2 composite. The study revealed important details pertaining to the charge-transfer reactions that occur in such electrodes. The information obtained can be used to design electrodes for intermediate temperature SOFCs based on LSGM electrolytes.

  9. Detection of Methylated Circulating DNA as Noninvasive Biomarkers for Breast Cancer Diagnosis

    PubMed Central

    Cheuk, Isabella Wai Yin; Shin, Vivian Yvonne

    2017-01-01

    Internationally, breast cancer is the most common female cancer, and is induced by a combination of environmental, genetic, and epigenetic risk factors. Despite the advancement of imaging techniques, invasive sampling of breast epithelial cells is the only definitive diagnostic procedure for patients with breast cancer. To date, molecular biomarkers with high sensitivity and specificity for the screening and early detection of breast cancer are lacking. Recent evidence suggests that the detection of methylated circulating cell-free DNA in the peripheral blood of patients with cancer may be a promising quantitative and noninvasive method for cancer diagnosis. Methylation detection based on a multi-gene panel, rather than on the methylation status of a single gene, may be used to increase the sensitivity and specificity of breast cancer screening. In this review, the results of 14 relevant studies, investigating the efficacy of cell-free DNA methylation screening for breast cancer diagnosis, have been summarized. The genetic risk factors for breast cancer, the methods used for breast cancer detection, and the techniques and limitations related to the detection of cell-free DNA methylation status, have also been reviewed and discussed. From this review, we conclude that the analysis of peripheral blood or other samples to detect differentially methylated cell-free DNA is a promising technique for use in clinical settings, and may improve the sensitivity of screening for both, early detection and disease relapse, and thus improve the future prognosis of patients with breast cancer. PMID:28382090

  10. Study of lipid metabolism by estimating the fat fraction in different breast tissues and in various breast tumor sub-types by in vivo 1H MR spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Agarwal, Khushbu; Sharma, Uma; Mathur, Sandeep; Seenu, Vurthaluru; Parshad, Rajinder; Jagannathan, Naranamangalam R

    2018-06-01

    To evaluate the utility of fat fraction (FF) for the differentiation of different breast tissues and in various breast tumor subtypes using in vivo proton ( 1 H) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). 1 H MRS was performed on 68 malignant, 35 benign, and 30 healthy volunteers at 1.5 T. Malignant breast tissues of patients were characterized into different subtypes based on the differences in the expression of hormone receptors and the FF was calculated. Further, the sensitivity and specificity of FF to differentiate malignant from benign and from normal breast tissues of healthy volunteers was determined using receiver operator curve (ROC) analysis. A significantly lower FF of malignant (median 0.12; range 0.01-0.70) compared to benign lesions (median 0.28; range 0.02-0.71) and normal breast tissue of healthy volunteers (median 0.39; range 0.06-0.76) was observed. No significant difference in FF was seen between benign lesions and normal breast tissues of healthy volunteers. Sensitivity and specificity of 75% and 68.6%, respectively was obtained to differentiate malignant from benign lesions. For the differentiation of malignant from healthy breast tissues, 76% sensitivity and 74.5% specificity was achieved. Higher FF was seen in patients with ER-/PR- status as compared to ER+/PR+ patients. Similarly, FF of HER2neu+ tumors were significantly higher than in HER2neu- breast tumors. The results showed the potential of in vivo 1 H MRS in providing insight into the changes in the fat content of different types of breast tissues and in various breast tumor subtypes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. BEVACIZUMAB LEVELS IN BREAST MILK AFTER LONG-TERM INTRAVITREAL INJECTIONS.

    PubMed

    McFarland, Trevor J; Rhoads, Andrew D; Hartzell, Matthew; Emerson, Geoffrey G; Bhavsar, Abdhish R; Stout, J Timothy

    2015-08-01

    The purpose of this study is to determine whether bevacizumab is detectable in the breast milk of nursing mothers. Breast milk samples were collected from 2 patients receiving monthly intravitreal bevacizumab injections for choroidal neovascularization over the course of 16 months. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot analysis was used to determine the levels of bevacizumab in the milk samples. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed using antibodies specific to bevacizumab in which the sensitivity threshold was 3 ng/mL. All breast milk samples assayed from the two patients actively undergoing treatment did not have detectable levels of bevacizumab. Samples collected 1.5 hours and 7 hours after an injection and 2 randomly chosen samples were negative by Western blot analysis. A sensitive assay to detect bevacizumab in breast milk samples assayed suggests that intravitreal injections do not result in detectable bevacizumab in breast milk.

  12. Exploring the breast cancer patient journey: do breast cancer survivors need menopause management support?

    PubMed

    Tanna, Nuttan; Buijs, Helene; Pitkin, Joan

    2011-12-01

    Breast cancer survivors can be expected to suffer from menopause symptoms with estrogen deprivation due to cancer treatments, in addition to natural menopause-related estrogen loss. To gain an understanding of what support breast cancer patients have when they suffer from menopausal symptoms, and utilize findings to further inform National Health Service (NHS) care provision for breast cancer survivors. Qualitative study with focus group sessions targeting Caucasian and Asian women with breast cancer. Patient stories, with women describing their breast cancer journey and speaking about support received for any menopausal symptoms. Thematic data analysis of transcription. Breast cancer patients were not sure if they had menopausal symptoms or whether this was due to their breast cancer condition or treatment. Patients had an attitude of acceptance of menopausal symptoms and reported trying to cope with these by themselves. This research identifies a need for more information that is culturally sensitive on managing menopause symptoms, both as side-effects of breast cancer treatments as well as for affect on quality of life during the survivorship phase. Our work also gives insight into cultural remedies used for hot flushes by Asian patients, which they consider as 'cooling' foods. Breast cancer patients want to know whether side-effects of cancer treatment persist long term and how these can be managed. There is a need for improved patient support within any new NHS service models that are developed along breast cancer patient pathways, and inclusion of personalized advice for menopause symptoms.

  13. Unenhanced breast MRI (STIR, T2-weighted TSE, DWIBS): An accurate and alternative strategy for detecting and differentiating breast lesions.

    PubMed

    Telegrafo, Michele; Rella, Leonarda; Stabile Ianora, Amato Antonio; Angelelli, Giuseppe; Moschetta, Marco

    2015-10-01

    To assess the role of STIR, T2-weighted TSE and DWIBS sequences for detecting and characterizing breast lesions and to compare unenhanced (UE)-MRI results with contrast-enhanced (CE)-MRI and histological findings, having the latter as the reference standard. Two hundred eighty consecutive patients (age range, 27-73 years; mean age±standard deviation (SD), 48.8±9.8years) underwent MR examination with a diagnostic protocol including STIR, T2-weighted TSE, THRIVE and DWIBS sequences. Two radiologists blinded to both dynamic sequences and histological findings evaluated in consensus STIR, T2-weighted TSE and DWIBS sequences and after two weeks CE-MRI images searching for breast lesions. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and diagnostic accuracy for UE-MRI and CE-MRI were calculated. UE-MRI results were also compared with CE- MRI. UE-MRI sequences obtained sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, PPV and NPV values of 94%, 79%, 86%, 79% and 94%, respectively. CE-MRI sequences obtained sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, PPV and NPV values of 98%, 83%, 90%, 84% and 98%, respectively. No statistically significant difference between UE-MRI and CE-MRI was found. Breast UE-MRI could represent an accurate diagnostic tool and a valid alternative to CE-MRI for evaluating breast lesions. STIR and DWIBS sequences allow to detect breast lesions while T2-weighted TSE sequences and ADC values could be useful for lesion characterization. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. The Urtica dioica extract enhances sensitivity of paclitaxel drug to MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Mohammadi, Ali; Mansoori, Behzad; Aghapour, Mahyar; Shirjang, Solmaz; Nami, Sanam; Baradaran, Behzad

    2016-10-01

    Due to the chemo resistant nature of cancer cells and adverse effects of current therapies, researchers are looking for the most efficient therapeutic approach which has the lowest side effects and the highest toxicity on cancer cells. The aim of the present study was to investigate the synergic effect of Urtica dioica extract in combination with paclitaxel on cell death and invasion of human breast cancer MDA-MB-468 cell line. To determine the cytotoxic effects of Urtica dioica extract with paclitaxel, MTT assay was performed. The scratch test was exploited to assess the effects of Urtica dioica, Paclitaxel alone and combination on migration of cancer cells. The expression levels of snail-1, ZEB1, ZEB2, twist, Cdc2, cyclin B1 and Wee1 genes were quantified using qRT-PCR and western blot performed for snail-1expression. The effects of plant extract, Paclitaxel alone and combination on different phases of cell cycle was analyzed using flow cytometry. Results of MTT assay showed that Urtica dioica significantly destroyed cancer cells. Interestingly, Concurrent use of Urtica dioica extract with paclitaxel resulted in decreased IC50 dose of paclitaxel. Moreover, findings of scratch assay exhibited the inhibitory effects of Urtica dioica, Paclitaxel alone and combination on migration of MDA-MB-468 cell line. Our findings also demonstrated that the extract substantially decreased the Snail-1 and related gene expression. Ultimately, Cell cycle arrest occurred at G2/M phase post-treatment by deregulating Cdc2 and wee1. Our results demonstrated that the dichloromethane extract of Urtica dioica inhibit cell growth and migration. Also, Urtica dioica extract substantially increased sensitivity of breast cancer cells to paclitaxel. Therefore, it can be used as a potential candidate for treatment of breast cancer with paclitaxel. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  15. Oxygenation-Enhanced Radiation Therapy of Breast Tumors

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-11-01

    development of stabilized perfluorocarbon emulsions as oxygen carriers, their characterization, and response to external triggers, including...elevated temperature, reduced pressure, and dwell time. Targeted oxygenation, perfluorocarbon emulsions, breast cancer 29 The University of Utah Salt...investigation of the proposed novel strategy of radio sensitization of hypoxic breast tumors by targeted oxygen release from perfluorocarbon oxygen

  16. Multiparametric Breast MRI of Breast Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Rahbar, Habib; Partridge, Savannah C.

    2015-01-01

    Synopsis Breast MRI has increased in popularity over the past two decades due to evidence for its high sensitivity for cancer detection. Current clinical MRI approaches rely on the use of a dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE-MRI) acquisition that facilitates morphologic and semi-quantitative kinetic assessments of breast lesions. The use of more functional and quantitative parameters, such as pharmacokinetic features from high temporal resolution DCE-MRI, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) on diffusion weighted MRI, and choline concentrations on MR spectroscopy, hold promise to broaden the utility of MRI and improve its specificity. However, due to wide variations in approach among centers for measuring these parameters and the considerable technical challenges, robust multicenter data supporting their routine use is not yet available, limiting current applications of many of these tools to research purposes. PMID:26613883

  17. Intra-prosthetic breast MR virtual navigation: a preliminary study for a new evaluation of silicone breast implants.

    PubMed

    Moschetta, Marco; Telegrafo, Michele; Capuano, Giulia; Rella, Leonarda; Scardapane, Arnaldo; Angelelli, Giuseppe; Stabile Ianora, Amato Antonio

    2013-10-01

    To assess the contribute of intra-prosthetic MRI virtual navigation for evaluating breast implants and detecting implant ruptures. Forty-five breast implants were evaluated by MR examination. Only patients with a clinical indication were assessed. A 1.5-T device equipped with a 4-channel breast coil was used by performing axial TSE-T2, axial silicone-only, axial silicone suppression and sagittal STIR images. The obtained dicom files were also analyzed by using virtual navigation software. Two blinded radiologists evaluated all MR and virtual images. Eight patients for a total of 13 implants underwent surgical replacement. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated for both imaging strategies. Intra-capsular rupture was diagnosed in 13 out of 45 (29%) implants by using MRI. Basing on virtual navigation, 9 (20%) cases of intra-capsular rupture were diagnosed. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, PPV and NPV values of 100%, 86%, 89%, 62% and 100%, respectively, were found for MRI. Virtual navigation increased the previous values up to 100%, 97%, 98%, 89% and 100%. Intra-prosthetic breast MR virtual navigation can represent an additional promising tool for the evaluation of breast implants being able to reduce false positives and to provide a more accurate detection of intra-capsular implant rupture signs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Breast cancers not detected at MRI: review of false-negative lesions.

    PubMed

    Shimauchi, Akiko; Jansen, Sanaz A; Abe, Hiroyuki; Jaskowiak, Nora; Schmidt, Robert A; Newstead, Gillian M

    2010-06-01

    The objective of our study was to determine the sensitivity of cancer detection at breast MRI using current imaging techniques and to evaluate the characteristics of lesions with false-negative examinations. Two hundred seventeen patients with 222 newly diagnosed breast cancers or highly suspicious breast lesions that were subsequently shown to be malignant underwent breast MRI examinations for staging. Two breast imaging radiologists performed a consensus review of the breast MRI examinations. The absence of perceptible contrast enhancement at the expected site was considered to be a false-negative MRI. Histology of all lesions was reviewed by an experienced breast pathologist. Enhancement was observed in 213 (95.9%) of the 222 cancer lesions. Of the nine lesions without visible enhancement, two lesions were excluded because the entire tumor had been excised at percutaneous biopsy performed before the MRI examination and no residual tumor was noted on the final histology. The overall sensitivity of MRI for the known cancers was 96.8% (213/220); for invasive cancer, 98.3% (176/179); and for ductal carcinoma in situ, 90.2% (37/41). In a population of 220 sequentially diagnosed breast cancer lesions, we found seven (3.2%) MRI-occult cancers, fewer than seen in other published studies. Small tumor size and diffuse parenchymal enhancement were the principal reasons for these false-negative results. Although the overall sensitivity of cancer detection was high (96.8%), it should be emphasized that a negative MRI should not influence the management of a lesion that appears to be of concern on physical examination or on other imaging techniques.

  19. Factors affecting the palpability of breast lesion by self-examination.

    PubMed

    Lam, W W M; Chan, C P; Chan, C F; Mak, C C C; Chan, C F; Chong, K W H; Leung, M H J; Tang, M H

    2008-03-01

    This study aims to assess the accuracy of detection of breast lesion by breast self-examination and to assess different factors affecting the accuracy. All consecutive Chinese female patients, who attended our breast imaging unit in 2001, completed our questionnaire, had retrievable hard copy films, and had more than three years clinical follow-up, were recruited for this study. Different factors, such as age, menopausal status, previous experience of breastfeeding, family history of breast cancer, previous history of mastectomy or lumpectomy, hormonal therapy, oral contraceptive pills and previous history of mammography, were correlated with accuracy in self-detection of breast lesions retrospectively. The nature, size and location of the lesion, and breast size based on imaging, were also correlated with the accuracy in self-detection of breast lesions. A total of 163 questionnaires were analysed. 111 patients detected a breast lesion themselves and 24 of these lesions were false-positives. A total of 173 lesions (27 cancerous, 146 benign lesions) were documented by either ultrasonography and/or mammography, and confirmed by either histology or three-year clinical follow-up. The overall sensitivity in detecting both benign and malignant breast lesions was 71% when number of breast lesions was used as the denominator, and up to 78% sensitivity was achieved when number of patients was used as the denominator. History of mastectomy, and size and nature of the lesions were found to affect the accuracy of self-detection of breast lesions. Overall, breast self-examinations were effective in the detection of breast lesions and factors such as size of lesion, nature of the lesion and history of mastectomy affect the accuracy of the detections. Breast self-examination should be promoted for early detection of breast cancer.

  20. Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer: Comparison of Contrast-enhanced Spectral Mammography and Breast MR Imaging in the Evaluation of Extent of Disease.

    PubMed

    Lee-Felker, Stephanie A; Tekchandani, Leena; Thomas, Mariam; Gupta, Esha; Andrews-Tang, Denise; Roth, Antoinette; Sayre, James; Rahbar, Guita

    2017-11-01

    Purpose To compare the diagnostic performances of contrast material-enhanced spectral mammography and breast magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the detection of index and secondary cancers in women with newly diagnosed breast cancer by using histologic or imaging follow-up as the standard of reference. Materials and Methods This institutional review board-approved, HIPAA-compliant, retrospective study included 52 women who underwent breast MR imaging and contrast-enhanced spectral mammography for newly diagnosed unilateral breast cancer between March 2014 and October 2015. Of those 52 patients, 46 were referred for contrast-enhanced spectral mammography and targeted ultrasonography because they had additional suspicious lesions at MR imaging. In six of the 52 patients, breast cancer had been diagnosed at an outside institution. These patients were referred for contrast-enhanced spectral mammography and targeted US as part of diagnostic imaging. Images from contrast-enhanced spectral mammography were analyzed by two fellowship-trained breast imagers with 2.5 years of experience with contrast-enhanced spectral mammography. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value were calculated for both imaging modalities and compared by using the Bennett statistic. Results Fifty-two women with 120 breast lesions were included for analysis (mean age, 50 years; range, 29-73 years). Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography had similar sensitivity to MR imaging (94% [66 of 70 lesions] vs 99% [69 of 70 lesions]), a significantly higher PPV than MR imaging (93% [66 of 71 lesions] vs 60% [69 of 115 lesions]), and fewer false-positive findings than MR imaging (five vs 45) (P < .001 for all results). In addition, contrast-enhanced spectral mammography depicted 11 of the 11 secondary cancers (100%) and MR imaging depicted 10 (91%). Conclusion Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography is potentially as sensitive as MR imaging in the evaluation of

  1. Sub-mSV breast XACT scanner: concept and design

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tang, Shanshan; Ren, Liqiang; Samant, Pratik; Chen, Jian; Liu, Hong; Xiang, Liangzhong

    2016-04-01

    Excessive exposure to radiation increases the risk of cancer. We present the concept and design of a new imaging paradigm, X-ray induced acoustic computed tomography (XACT). Applying this innovative technology to breast imaging, one single X-ray exposure can generate a 3D acoustic image, which dramatically reduces the radiation dose to patients when compared to beast CT. A theoretical model is developed to analyze the sensitivity of XACT. A noise equivalent pressure model is used for calculating the minimal radiation dose in XACT imaging. Furthermore, K-Wave simulation is employed to study the acoustic wave propagation in breast tissue. Theoretical analysis shows that the X-ray induced acoustic signal has a 100% relative sensitivity to the X-ray absorption (given that the percentage change in the X-ray absorption coefficient yields the same percentage change in the acoustic signal amplitude), but not to X-ray scattering. The final detection sensitivity is primarily limited by the thermal noise. The radiation dose can be reduced by a factor of 100 compared with the newly FDA approved breast CT. Reconstruction result shows that breast calcification with diameter of 80 μm can be observed in XACT image by using ultrasound transducers with 5.5 MHz center frequency. Therefore, with the proposed innovative technology, one can potentially reduce radiation dose to patient in breast imaging as compared with current x-ray modalities.

  2. Model-based position correlation between breast images

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Georgii, J.; Zöhrer, F.; Hahn, H. K.

    2013-02-01

    Nowadays, breast diagnosis is based on images of different projections and modalities, such that sensitivity and specificity of the diagnosis can be improved. However, this emburdens radiologists to find corresponding locations in these data sets, which is a time consuming task, especially since the resolution of the images increases and thus more and more data have to be considered in the diagnosis. Therefore, we aim at support radiologist by automatically synchronizing cursor positions between different views of the breast. Specifically, we present an automatic approach to compute the spatial correlation between MLO and CC mammogram or tomosynthesis projections of the breast. It is based on pre-computed finite element simulations of generic breast models, which are adapted to the patient-specific breast using a contour mapping approach. Our approach is designed to be fully automatic and efficient, such that it can be implemented directly into existing multimodal breast workstations. Additionally, it is extendable to support other breast modalities in future, too.

  3. Development of array piezoelectric fingers towards in vivo breast tumor detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Xin; Chung, Youngsoo; Brooks, Ari D.; Shih, Wei-Heng; Shih, Wan Y.

    2016-12-01

    We have investigated the development of a handheld 4 × 1 piezoelectric finger (PEF) array breast tumor detector system towards in vivo patient testing, particularly, on how the duration of the DC applied voltage, the depression depth of the handheld unit, and breast density affect the PEF detection sensitivity on 40 patients. The tests were blinded and carried out in four phases: with DC voltage durations 5, 3, 2, to 0.8 s corresponding to scanning a quadrant, a half, a whole breast, and both breasts within 30 min, respectively. The results showed that PEF detection sensitivity was unaffected by shortening the applied voltage duration from 5 to 0.8 s nor was it affected by increasing the depression depth from 2 to 6 mm. Over the 40 patients, PEF detected 46 of the 48 lesions (46/48)—with the smallest lesion detected being 5 mm in size. Of 28 patients (some have more than one lesion) with mammography records, PEF detected 31/33 of all lesions (94%) and 14/15 of malignant lesions (93%), while mammography detected 30/33 of all lesions (91%) and 12/15 of malignant lesions (80%), indicating that PEF could detect malignant lesions not detectable by mammography without significantly increasing false positives. PEF's detection sensitivity is also shown to be independent of breast density, suggesting that PEF could be a potential tool for detecting breast cancer in young women and women with dense breasts.

  4. Added value of semi-quantitative breast-specific gamma imaging in the work-up of suspicious breast lesions compared to mammography, ultrasound and 3-T MRI

    PubMed Central

    Seymer, A; Keinrath, P; Holzmannhofer, J; Pirich, C; Hergan, K; Meissnitzer, M W

    2015-01-01

    Objective: To prospectively analyse the diagnostic value of semi-quantitative breast-specific gamma imaging (BSGI) in the work-up of suspicious breast lesions compared with that of mammography (MG), breast ultrasound and MRI of the breast. Methods: Within a 15-month period, 67 patients with 92 breast lesions rated as Category IV or V according to the breast imaging reporting and data system detected with MG and/or ultrasound were included into the study. After the injection of 740–1110 MBq of Technetium-99m (99mTc) SestaMIBI intravenously, scintigrams were obtained in two projections comparable to MG. The BSGI was analysed visually and semi-quantitatively by calculating a relative uptake factor (X). With the exception of two patients with cardiac pacemakers, all patients underwent 3-T breast MRI. Biopsy results were obtained as the reference standard in all patients. Sensitivity, specificity, positive- and negative-predictive values, accuracy and area under the curve were calculated for each modality. Results: Among the 92 lesions, 67 (72.8%) were malignant. 60 of the 67 cancers of any size were detected by BSGI with an overall sensitivity of 90%, only exceeded by ultrasound with a sensitivity of 99%. The sensitivity of BSGI for lesions <1 cm declined significantly to 60%. Overall specificity of ultrasound was only 20%. Specificity, accuracy and positive-predictive value were the highest for BSGI (56%, 80% and 85%, respectively). X was significantly higher for malignant lesions (mean, 4.27) and differed significantly between ductal types (mean, 4.53) and the other histopathological entities (mean, 3.12). Conclusion: Semi-quantitative BSGI with calculation of the relative uptake factor (X) can help to characterize breast lesions. BSGI negativity may obviate the need for biopsy of breast lesions >1 cm with low or intermediate prevalence for malignancy. Advances in knowledge: Compared with morphological imaging modalities, specificity, positive

  5. The sensitivity of pre-operative axillary staging in breast cancer: comparison of invasive lobular and ductal carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Topps, A; Clay, V; Absar, M; Howe, M; Lim, Y; Johnson, R; Bundred, N

    2014-07-01

    Axillary ultrasound (AUS) with fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy of abnormal lymph nodes is important for pre-operative staging and planning the surgical management of the axilla. Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) metastases are thought to be difficult to detect because the cells are small and on cytology resemble lymphocytes. To investigate this we directly compared the sensitivity of pre-operative axillary staging between ILC and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Consecutive patients that presented in a single breast unit with pure IDC between April 2005 and December 2006 and pure ILC between January 2008 and December 2012 were retrospectively identified from pathology records. Pre-operative axillary ultrasound and FNA biopsy results were compared with post-operative histopathology from the sentinel node biopsy (SNB) or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). A total of 275 and 142 axillae were identified in the IDC and ILC groups respectively. In the node positive patients there was no significant difference in the sensitivity of AUS (IDC vs. ILC; 58.7% vs. 52.8%). However, there was a significant difference in the sensitivity of ultrasound-guided FNA biopsy of abnormal nodes (IDC vs. ILC; 98.4% vs. 53.6%; p < 0.001). AUS has comparative sensitivities between IDC and ILC populations. In contrast, FNA biopsy of abnormal axillary nodes is clearly less sensitive in the ILC group. In these patients, who have abnormal AUS, we suggest that a core biopsy is required to improve the pre-operative staging and prevent unnecessary surgical procedures. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. American Indian Breast Cancer Project: Educational Development and Implementation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hodge, Felicia Schanche; Casken, John

    1999-01-01

    Describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of Pathways to Health, a breast cancer education program targeting American Indian women in California. Discusses initial focus group results concerning belief in breast cancer risk, barriers to cancer screening and treatment, culturally sensitive issues, and illness beliefs. Describes…

  7. Docetaxel modulates the delayed rectifier potassium current (IK) and ATP-sensitive potassium current (IKATP) in human breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Sun, Tao; Song, Zhi-Guo; Jiang, Da-Qing; Nie, Hong-Guang; Han, Dong-Yun

    2015-04-01

    Ion channel expression and activity may be affected during tumor development and cancer growth. Activation of potassium (K(+)) channels in human breast cancer cells is reported to be involved in cell cycle progression. In this study, we investigated the effects of docetaxel on the delayed rectifier potassium current (I K) and the ATP-sensitive potassium current (I KATP) in two human breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-435S, using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Our results show that docetaxel inhibited the I K and I KATP in both cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. Compared with the control at a potential of +60 mV, treatment with docetaxel at doses of 0.1, 1, 5, and 10 µM significantly decreased the I K in MCF-7 cells by 16.1 ± 3.5, 30.2 ± 5.2, 42.5 ± 4.3, and 46.4 ± 9% (n = 5, P < 0.05), respectively and also decreased the I KATP at +50 mV. Similar results were observed in MDA-MB-435S cells. The G-V curves showed no significant changes after treatment of either MCF-7 or MDA-MB-435S cells with 10 μM docetaxel. The datas indicate that the possible mechanisms of I K and I KATP inhibition by docetaxel may be responsible for its effect on the proliferation of human breast cancer cells.

  8. The ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2-EPF is overexpressed in primary breast cancer and modulates sensitivity to topoisomerase II inhibition.

    PubMed

    Tedesco, Donato; Zhang, Jianhuan; Trinh, Lan; Lalehzadeh, Guita; Meisner, Rene; Yamaguchi, Ken D; Ruderman, Daniel L; Dinter, Harald; Zajchowski, Deborah A

    2007-07-01

    We identified the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2-EPF mRNA as differentially expressed in breast tumors relative to normal tissues and performed studies to elucidate its putative role in cancer. We demonstrated that overexpression of E2-EPF protein correlated with estrogen receptor (ER) negativity in breast cancer specimens and that its expression is cell cycle-regulated, suggesting a potential function for E2-EPF in cell cycle progression. However, reduction of E2-EPF protein levels by > 80% using RNAi had no significant effects on the proliferation of HeLa cervical cancer cells or ER(-) MDA-MB-231 or MDA-MB-453 breast cancer cells. Because E2-EPF protein levels were elevated during the G(2)/M phase of the cell cycle and because E2-EPF mRNA in tumor specimens was frequently coexpressed with genes involved in cell cycle control, spindle assembly, and mitotic surveillance, the possibility that E2-EPF might have a function in the cellular response to agents that induce a G(2) checkpoint or an M checkpoint was investigated. E2-EPF knockdown sensitized HeLa cells to the topoisomerase (topo) II inhibitors etoposide and doxorubicin and also increased topo IIalpha protein levels. These data suggest that combined administration of topo II-directed drugs and E2-EPF inhibitors may enhance their clinical effectiveness.

  9. Radical-scavenging abilities and antioxidant properties of theaflavins and their gallate esters in H2O2-mediated oxidative damage system in the HPF-1 cells.

    PubMed

    Yang, Ziyin; Jie, Guoliang; Dong, Fang; Xu, Yi; Watanabe, Naoharu; Tu, Youying

    2008-08-01

    The antioxidant properties of theaflavins and their gallate esters, namely theaflavin (TF1), theaflavin-3(3')-gallate (TF2) and theaflavin-3,3'-digallate (TF3) were investigated by comparing with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). The order of hydroxyl radicals-scavenging ability was TF3>TF2>TF1>EGCG. The order of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging ability was TF3>TF2>EGCG>TF1. TF1, TF2, and TF3 showed more effective effects than EGCG in protection against H2O2-mediated damage in HPF-1 cells. TF2 was the most potent accelerant of HPF-1 cell proliferation. TF1, TF2 and TF3 suppressed the accumulation of intracellular reactive species in H2O2-mediated damage HPF-1 cells. Pre-treated for 2h and eliminated from the cells, TF1 and TF3 still showed protective effects against H2O2-mediated damage in HPF-1 cells. This suggests that the protective effects of TF1 and TF3 on oxidative damage HPF-1 cells may be responsible for other mechanisms, rather than only scavenging the already formed reactive species. It remains to be determined whether TF1 and TF3 improved the normal HPF-1 cell resistive abilities toward radical-damage in pre-treatment. Further studies of the effects of theaflavins on some enzymes or signal transduction in the normal HPF-1 cells are underway.

  10. Targeting Breast Cancer Recurrence via Hedgehog-Mediated Sensitization of Breast Cancer Stem Cells

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-07-01

    identification of Notch3 as a transcriptional target of ΔNp63α and a mediator of cellular quiescence in mammary stem cells. 2. Presentation of a poster...enhanced expression of Notch3 in HC11s and breast cancer cell lines, and ectopic expression of the Notch3 intracellular domain (N3ICD) was sufficient to...signaling or shRNA-mediated suppression of Notch3 were sufficient to bypass quiescence induced by ΔNp63α and other quiescence-inducing stimuli. these

  11. Screening and prevention of breast cancer in primary care.

    PubMed

    Tice, Jeffrey A; Kerlikowske, Karla

    2009-09-01

    Mammography remains the mainstay of breast cancer screening. There is little controversy that mammography reduces the risk of dying from breast cancer by about 23% among women between the ages of 50 and 69 years, although the harms associated with false-positive results and overdiagnosis limit the net benefit of mammography. Women in their 70s may have a small benefit from screening mammography, but overdiagnosis increases in this age group as do competing causes of death. While new data support a 16% reduction in breast cancer mortality for 40- to 49-year-old women after 10 years of screening, the net benefit is less compelling in part because of the lower incidence of breast cancer in this age group and because mammography is less sensitive and specific in women younger than 50 years. Digital mammography is more sensitive than film mammography in young women with similar specificity, but no improvements in breast cancer outcomes have been demonstrated. Magnetic resonance imaging may benefit the highest risk women. Randomized trials suggest that self-breast examination does more harm than good. Primary prevention with currently approved medications will have a negligible effect on breast cancer incidence. Public health efforts aimed at increasing mammography screening rates, promoting regular exercise in all women, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol intake, and limiting postmenopausal hormone therapy may help to continue the recent trend of lower breast cancer incidence and mortality among American women.

  12. Comparison between breast MRI and contrast-enhanced spectral mammography.

    PubMed

    Łuczyńska, Elżbieta; Heinze-Paluchowska, Sylwia; Hendrick, Edward; Dyczek, Sonia; Ryś, Janusz; Herman, Krzysztof; Blecharz, Paweł; Jakubowicz, Jerzy

    2015-05-12

    The main goal of this study was to compare contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) and breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with histopathological results and to compare the sensitivity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values for both imaging modalities. After ethics approval, CESM and MRI examinations were performed in 102 patients who had suspicious lesions described in conventional mammography. All visible lesions were evaluated independently by 2 experienced radiologists using BI-RADS classifications (scale 1-5). Dimensions of lesions measured with each modality were compared to postoperative histopathology results. There were 102 patients entered into CESM/MRI studies and 118 lesions were identified by the combination of CESM and breast MRI. Histopathology confirmed that 81 of 118 lesions were malignant and 37 were benign. Of the 81 malignant lesions, 72 were invasive cancers and 9 were in situ cancers. Sensitivity was 100% with CESM and 93% with breast MRI. Accuracy was 79% with CESM and 73% with breast MRI. ROC curve areas based on BI-RADS were 0.83 for CESM and 0.84 for breast MRI. Lesion size estimates on CESM and breast MRI were similar, both slightly larger than those from histopathology. Our results indicate that CESM has the potential to be a valuable diagnostic method that enables accurate detection of malignant breast lesions, has high negative predictive value, and a false-positive rate similar to that of breast MRI.

  13. Comparison between Breast MRI and Contrast-Enhanced Spectral Mammography

    PubMed Central

    Łuczyńska, Elżbieta; Heinze-Paluchowska, Sylwia; Hendrick, Edward; Dyczek, Sonia; Ryś, Janusz; Herman, Krzysztof; Blecharz, Paweł; Jakubowicz, Jerzy

    2015-01-01

    Background The main goal of this study was to compare contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) and breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with histopathological results and to compare the sensitivity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values for both imaging modalities. Material/Methods After ethics approval, CESM and MRI examinations were performed in 102 patients who had suspicious lesions described in conventional mammography. All visible lesions were evaluated independently by 2 experienced radiologists using BI-RADS classifications (scale 1–5). Dimensions of lesions measured with each modality were compared to postoperative histopathology results. Results There were 102 patients entered into CESM/MRI studies and 118 lesions were identified by the combination of CESM and breast MRI. Histopathology confirmed that 81 of 118 lesions were malignant and 37 were benign. Of the 81 malignant lesions, 72 were invasive cancers and 9 were in situ cancers. Sensitivity was 100% with CESM and 93% with breast MRI. Accuracy was 79% with CESM and 73% with breast MRI. ROC curve areas based on BI-RADS were 0.83 for CESM and 0.84 for breast MRI. Lesion size estimates on CESM and breast MRI were similar, both slightly larger than those from histopathology. Conclusions Our results indicate that CESM has the potential to be a valuable diagnostic method that enables accurate detection of malignant breast lesions, has high negative predictive value, and a false-positive rate similar to that of breast MRI. PMID:25963880

  14. Role of multidetector computed tomography in evaluating incidentally detected breast lesions.

    PubMed

    Moschetta, Marco; Scardapane, Arnaldo; Lorusso, Valentina; Rella, Leonarda; Telegrafo, Michele; Serio, Gabriella; Angelelli, Giuseppe; Ianora, Amato Antonio Stabile

    2015-01-01

    Computed tomography (CT) does not represent the primary method for the evaluation of breast lesions; however, it can detect breast abnormalities, even when performed for other reasons related to thoracic structures. The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential benefits of 320-row multidetector CT (MDCT) in evaluating and differentiating incidentally detected breast lesions by using vessel probe and 3D analysis software with net enhancement value. Sixty-two breast lesions in 46 patients who underwent 320-row chest CT examination were retrospectively evaluated. CT scans were assessed searching for the presence, location, number, morphological features, and density of breast nodules. Net enhancement was calculated by subtracting precontrast density from the density obtained by postcontrast values. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and diagnostic accuracy of CT were calculated for morphological features and net enhancement. Thirty of 62 lesions were found to be malignant at histological examination and 32 were found to be benign. When morphological features were considered, the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, PPV, and NPV of CT were 87%, 100%, 88%, 100%, and 50%, respectively. Based on net enhancement, CT reached a sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, PPV, and NPV of 100%, 94%, 97%, 94%, and 100%, respectively. MDCT allows to recognize and characterize breast lesions based on morphological features. Net enhancement can be proposed as an additional accurate feature of CT.

  15. GPER Function in Breast Cancer: An Overview

    PubMed Central

    Lappano, Rosamaria; Pisano, Assunta; Maggiolini, Marcello

    2014-01-01

    The G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor-1 (GPER, formerly known as GPR30) has attracted increasing interest, considering its ability to mediate estrogenic signaling in different cell types, including the hormone-sensitive tumors like breast cancer. As observed for other GPCR-mediated responses, the activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor is a fundamental integration point in the biological action triggered by GPER. A wide number of natural and synthetic compounds, including estrogens and anti-estrogens, elicit stimulatory effects in breast cancer through GPER up-regulation and activation, suggesting that GPER function is associated with breast tumor progression and tamoxifen resistance. GPER has also been proposed as a candidate biomarker in triple-negative breast cancer, opening a novel scenario for a more comprehensive assessment of breast tumor patients. PMID:24834064

  16. Inappropriate breast secretions of possible bacterial etiology in the parous nonpuerperal female.

    PubMed

    Freeman, J J; Altieri, R H; Freeman, A H; Kuo, T; Sardinha, F; Buckingham, C C; Sklar, J J; Dyroff, K; Floyd, A

    1994-03-01

    This article presents two cases of spontaneous green breast secretions of parous nonpuerperal patients. To understand the nature of these secretions, bacterial evaluations and subsequent treatment were undertaken. Case 1 culture and sensitivity studies from breast secretions were commenced within 24 hours yielding an isolate identified as Staphylococcus epidermidis, with sensitivity to cephalothin, erythromycin, and tetracycline but resistant to penicillin. Cephalothin, 500 mg four times a day for 10 days, followed by erythromycin 100 mg twice a day for 10 days and doxycycline 100 mg twice a day for 10 days, did not alter the breast secretions. Four weeks later, ciprofloxacin HCI 500 mg twice a day for 6 weeks caused a 50% decrement in breast secretion at 4 weeks but increased clinical depression. At 6 weeks, no evidence of breast secretions persisted. Mental depression decreased within 2 weeks postciprofloxacin treatment. In Case 2, a total of 35 minutes elapsed between sample collection and initiation of culture and sensitivity studies. Moraxella osloensis was identified and found sensitive to ampicillin and tetracycline but resistant to trimethoprim. Ampicillin 500 mg four times a day for 10 days and doxycycline 100 mg twice a day by mouth for 10 days were administered at 2-week intervals with no effect on breast discharge. After 4 weeks of treatment failure, ciprofloxacin HCI 500 mg twice a day for 6 weeks caused a 50% decrease in discharge at 2 weeks and total elimination at 6 weeks. Lethargy during treatment ceased with termination of therapy. These results support the importance of bacterial evaluation of breast secretions with subsequent antibiotic therapy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  17. Breast dosimetry in clinical mammography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Benevides, Luis Alberto Do Rego

    The objective of this study was show that a clinical dosimetry protocol that utilizes a dosimetric breast phantom series based on population anthropometric measurements can reliably predict the average glandular dose (AGD) imparted to the patient during a routine screening mammogram. In the study, AGD was calculated using entrance skin exposure and dose conversion factors based on fibroglandular content, compressed breast thickness, mammography unit parameters and modifying parameters for homogeneous phantom (phantom factor), compressed breast lateral dimensions (volume factor) and anatomical features (anatomical factor). The protocol proposes the use of a fiber-optic coupled (FOCD) or Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET) dosimeter to measure the entrance skin exposure at the time of the mammogram without interfering with diagnostic information of the mammogram. The study showed that FOCD had sensitivity with less than 7% energy dependence, linear in all tube current-time product stations, and was reproducible within 2%. FOCD was superior to MOSFET dosimeter in sensitivity, reusability, and reproducibility. The patient fibroglandular content was evaluated using a calibrated modified breast tissue equivalent homogeneous phantom series (BRTES-MOD) designed from anthropomorphic measurements of a screening mammography population and whose elemental composition was referenced to International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements Report 44 tissues. The patient fibroglandular content, compressed breast thickness along with unit parameters and spectrum half-value layer were used to derive the currently used dose conversion factor (DgN). The study showed that the use of a homogeneous phantom, patient compressed breast lateral dimensions and patient anatomical features can affect AGD by as much as 12%, 3% and 1%, respectively. The protocol was found to be superior to existing methodologies. In addition, the study population anthropometric

  18. Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) fractions and the importance of gallate moieties--electron transfer capacities in their antitumoral properties.

    PubMed

    Lizárraga, Daneida; Touriño, Sonia; Reyes-Zurita, Fernando J; de Kok, Theo M; van Delft, Joost H; Maas, Lou M; Briedé, Jacco J; Centelles, Josep J; Torres, Josep L; Cascante, Marta

    2008-12-24

    Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginia) extracts are used in traditional medicine. They are particularly rich in gallate esters included in proanthocyanidins, hydrolyzable tannins (galloylated sugars), and methyl gallate. This study examines the response of human colon cancer cells to treatment with fractions obtained from a witch hazel polyphenolic extract. The results are compared with those obtained previously with homologous fractions from grape (less galloylated) and pine (nongalloylated). Witch hazel fractions were the most efficient in inhibiting cell proliferation in HT29 and HCT116 human colon cancer cell lines, which clearly shows that the more galloylated the fractions, the more effective they were at inhibiting proliferation of colon cancer cells. Witch hazel fractions were, in addition, more potent in arresting the cell cycle at the S phase and inducing apoptosis; they also induced a significant percentage of necrosis. Interestingly, the apoptosis and cell cycle arrest effects induced were proportional to their galloylation. Moreover, witch hazel fractions with a high degree of galloylation were also the most effective as scavengers of both hydroxyl and superoxide radicals and in protecting against DNA damage triggered by the hydroxyl radical system. These findings provide a better understanding of the structure-bioactivity relationships of polyphenolics, which should be of assistance in choosing an appropriate source and preparing a rational design for formulations of plant polyphenols in nutritional supplements.

  19. Cavernous antioxidant effect of green tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate with/without sildenafil citrate intake in aged diabetic rats.

    PubMed

    Mostafa, T; Sabry, D; Abdelaal, A M; Mostafa, I; Taymour, M

    2013-08-01

    This study aimed to assess the cavernous antioxidant effect of green tea (GT), epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) with/without sildenafil citrate intake in aged diabetic rats. One hundred and four aged male white albino rat were divided into controls that received ordinary chow, streptozotocin (STZ)-induced aged diabetic rats, STZ-induced diabetic rats on infused green tea, induced diabetic rats on epigallocatechin-3-gallate and STZ-induced diabetic rats on sildenafil citrate added to EGCG. After 8 weeks, dissected cavernous tissues were assessed for gene expression of eNOS, cavernous malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), and serum testosterone (T). STZ-induced diabetic rats on GT demonstrated significant increase in cavernous eNOS, cGMP, GPx and significant decrease in cavernous MDA compared with diabetic rats. Diabetic rats on EGCG demonstrated significant increase in cavernous eNOS, cGMP, GPx and significant decrease in cavernous MDA compared with diabetic rats or diabetic rats on GT. Diabetic rats on EGCG added to sildenafil showed significant increase in cavernous eNOS, cGMP and significant decrease in cavernous MDA compared with other groups. Serum T demonstrated nonsignificant difference between the investigated groups. It is concluded that GT and EGCG have significant cavernous antioxidant effects that are increased if sildenafil is added. © 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  20. Detection of breast cancer with full-field digital mammography and computer-aided detection.

    PubMed

    The, Juliette S; Schilling, Kathy J; Hoffmeister, Jeffrey W; Friedmann, Euvondia; McGinnis, Ryan; Holcomb, Richard G

    2009-02-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate computer-aided detection (CAD) performance with full-field digital mammography (FFDM). CAD (Second Look, version 7.2) was used to evaluate 123 cases of breast cancer detected with FFDM (Senographe DS). Retrospectively, CAD sensitivity was assessed using breast density, mammographic presentation, histopathology results, and lesion size. To determine the case-based false-positive rate, patients with four standard views per case were included in the study group. Eighteen unilateral mammography examinations with nonstandard views were excluded, resulting in a sample of 105 bilateral cases. CAD detected 115 (94%) of 123 cancer cases: six of six (100%) in fatty breasts, 63 of 66 (95%) in breasts containing scattered fibroglandular densities, 43 of 46 (93%) in heterogeneously dense breasts, and three of five (60%) in extremely dense breasts. CAD detected 93% (41/44) of cancers manifesting as calcifications, 92% (57/62) as masses, and 100% (17/17) as mixed masses and calcifications. CAD detected 94% of the invasive ductal carcinomas (n = 63), 100% of the invasive lobular carcinomas (n = 7), 91% of the other invasive carcinomas (n = 11), and 93% of the ductal carcinomas in situ (n = 42). CAD sensitivity for cancers 1-10 mm (n = 55) was 89%; 11-20 mm (n = 37), 97%; 21-30 mm (n = 16), 100%; and larger than 30 mm (n = 15), 93%. The CAD false-positive rate was 2.3 marks per four-image case. CAD with FFDM showed a high sensitivity in identifying cancers manifesting as calcifications and masses. Sensitivity was maintained in cancers with lower mammographic sensitivity, including invasive lobular carcinomas and small neoplasms (1-20 mm). CAD with FFDM should be effective in assisting radiologists with earlier detection of breast cancer. Future studies are needed to assess CAD accuracy in larger populations.

  1. Targeting Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription-3 (Stat3) As a Novel Strategy In Sensitizing Breast Cancer To Egfr-Targeted Therapy

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-06-01

    Distribution Unlimited The views, opinions and/or findings contained in this report are those of the author( s ) and...Novel Strategy In Sensitizing Breast Cancer To Egfr-Targeted Therapy 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-07-1-0390 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR( S ...Hui-Wen Lo, Ph.D. 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER Email: huiwen.lo@duke.edu 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME( S

  2. Scavenging of long-lived radicals by (-)-epigallocatechin-3- O-gallate and simultaneous suppression of mutation in irradiated mammalian cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumagai, Jun; Nakama, Mitsuo; Miyazaki, Tetsuo; Ise, Tamaki; Kodama, Seiji; Watanabe, Masami

    2002-07-01

    Effect of (-)-epigallocatechin-3- O-gallate (EGCg) on scavenging long-lived radicals and its biological significance were investigated using electron-spin-resonance spectroscopy and mutation assay in cultured human embryo cells. EGCg scavenged long-lived radicals in irradiated golden hamster embryo cells and albumin solution, and simultaneously reduced mutation frequency in the irradiated human embryo cells. These results indicate that long-lived radials are involved in the induction of mutation by radiation.

  3. Epigallocatechin gallate incorporation into lignin enhances the alkaline delignification and enzymatic saccharification of cell walls

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Lignin is an integral component of the plant cell wall matrix but impedes the conversion of biomass into biofuels. The plasticity of lignin biosynthesis should permit the inclusion of new compatible phenolic monomers such as flavonoids into cell wall lignins that are consequently less recalcitrant to biomass processing. In the present study, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) was evaluated as a potential lignin bioengineering target for rendering biomass more amenable to processing for biofuel production. Results In vitro peroxidase-catalyzed polymerization experiments revealed that both gallate and pyrogallyl (B-ring) moieties in EGCG underwent radical cross-coupling with monolignols mainly by β–O–4-type cross-coupling, producing benzodioxane units following rearomatization reactions. Biomimetic lignification of maize cell walls with a 3:1 molar ratio of monolignols and EGCG permitted extensive alkaline delignification of cell walls (72 to 92%) that far exceeded that for lignified controls (44 to 62%). Alkali-insoluble residues from EGCG-lignified walls yielded up to 34% more glucose and total sugars following enzymatic saccharification than lignified controls. Conclusions It was found that EGCG readily copolymerized with monolignols to become integrally cross-coupled into cell wall lignins, where it greatly enhanced alkaline delignification and subsequent enzymatic saccharification. Improved delignification may be attributed to internal trapping of quinone-methide intermediates to prevent benzyl ether cross-linking of lignin to structural polysaccharides during lignification, and to the cleavage of ester intra-unit linkages within EGCG during pretreatment. Overall, our results suggest that apoplastic deposition of EGCG for incorporation into lignin would be a promising plant genetic engineering target for improving the delignification and saccharification of biomass crops. PMID:22889353

  4. Modified Ion-Conducting Ceramics Based on Lanthanum Gallate: Synthesis, Structure, and Properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaleva, G. M.; Politova, E. D.; Mosunov, A. V.; Sadovskaya, N. V.

    2018-06-01

    A review is presented of the synthesis and complex investigation of modified ion-conducting ceramics based on heterosubstituted lanthanum gallate as a promising electrolyte material for solid oxide fuel cells. The effect the composition of multicomponent complex oxides has on the structure, microstructure, and electrophysical properties of ceramics is examined. Samples of ceramics with new compositions are produced via solid-state synthesis and modified with lithium fluoride. A drop is observed in the sintering temperature of the ceramics, caused by the liquid phase mechanism of sintering as a result of the low-melting superstoichiometric quantities of the additive. The effect lithium fluoride has on the process of phase formation, microstructure, and conductivity of the ceramics is investigated. It is found that samples modified with lithium fluoride display high density, dense grain packing, and high values of electrical conductivity at high temperatures.

  5. Analysis of 30 breast implant rupture cases.

    PubMed

    Tark, Kwan Chul; Jeong, Hii Sun; Roh, Tae Suk; Choi, Jong Woo

    2005-01-01

    Breast implants used for augmentation mammoplasty or breast reconstruction could rupture from various causes such as trauma or spontaneous failure. The objectives of this study were to investigate the relationships between the causes of implant rupture and the degree of capsular contracture, and then to evaluate the relative efficacies of specific signs on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) known to be beneficial for diagnosing the rupture. A retrospective review identified patients with prosthetic implant rupture or impending rupture treated by the senior author. The 30 cases of implant rupture available for review were classified into two groups: intracapsular and extracapsular ruptures. The 30 cases of breast implant ruptures were analyzed with respect to the clinical symptoms and signs, the causes of rupture, the degree of capsular contracture, and therapeutic plans. Among the 30 cases, 14 patients who had undergone MRI during the diagnostic period were analyzed with respect to the relationships between MRI readings and operative findings. Spontaneous rupture of membranes was most common (80%), followed by failure because of trauma (7%) and valve or implant base (4%). The symptoms during implant rupture were contour deformity, palpated mass-like lesions, pain, and focal inflammation. According to the analysis of specific MRI signs, the sensitivity and specificity of the linguine sign were 87% and 100%, respectively, for intracapsular rupture. For extracapsular rupture, the sensitivity and specificity of the linguine sign were, respectively, 67% and 75%. The sensitivity and specificity of the rat-tail sign and tear drop sign were 14% and 50%, respectively. Breast implant rupture was correlated with the degree of capsular contracture in our study. Among the various specific MRI signs used in diagnosing the rupture, the linguine sign was reliable and had a high sensitivity and specificity, especially in cases of intracapsular rupture. On the other hand, the rat

  6. (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) attenuates arsenic-induced cardiotoxicity in rats.

    PubMed

    Sun, Tao-Li; Liu, Zhi; Qi, Zheng-Jun; Huang, Yong-Pan; Gao, Xiao-Qin; Zhang, Yan-Yan

    2016-07-01

    Chronic arsenic exposure in drinking water is associated with the abnormalities of cardiac tissue. Excessive generation of ROS induced by arsenic has a central role in arsenic-induced cardiotoxicity. (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the most abundant polyphenol in green tea, possesses a potent antioxidant capacity and exhibits extensive pharmacological activities. This study was aim to evaluate the effect of EGCG on arsenic-induced cardiotoxicity in vivo and in vitro. Treatment with NaAsO2 seriously affected the morphology and ultrastructure of myocardium, and induced cardiac injuries, oxidative stress, intracellular calcium accumulation and apoptosis in rats. In consistent with in vivo study, the injuries, oxidative stress and apoptosis were also observed in NaAsO2-treated H9c2 cells. All of these effects induced by NaAsO2 were attenuated by EGCG. These results suggest EGCG could attenuate NaAsO2-induced cardiotoxicity, and the mechanism may involve its potent antioxidant capacity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate preferentially induces aggregation of amyloidogenic immunoglobulin light chains

    PubMed Central

    Hora, Manuel; Carballo-Pacheco, Martin; Weber, Benedikt; Morris, Vanessa K.; Wittkopf, Antje; Buchner, Johannes; Strodel, Birgit; Reif, Bernd

    2017-01-01

    Antibody light chain amyloidosis is a rare disease caused by fibril formation of secreted immunoglobulin light chains (LCs). The huge variety of antibody sequences puts a serious challenge to drug discovery. The green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is known to interfere with fibril formation in general. Here we present solution- and solid-state NMR studies as well as MD simulations to characterise the interaction of EGCG with LC variable domains. We identified two distinct EGCG binding sites, both of which include a proline as an important recognition element. The binding sites were confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis and solid-state NMR analysis. The EGCG-induced protein complexes are unstructured. We propose a general mechanistic model for EGCG binding to a conserved site in LCs. We find that EGCG reacts selectively with amyloidogenic mutants. This makes this compound a promising lead structure, that can handle the immense sequence variability of antibody LCs. PMID:28128355

  8. Beyond Mammography: New Frontiers in Breast Cancer Screening

    PubMed Central

    Drukteinis, Jennifer S.; Mooney, Blaise P.; Flowers, Chris I.; Gatenby, Robert A

    2014-01-01

    Breast cancer screening remains a subject of intense and, at times, passionate debate. Mammography has long been the mainstay of breast cancer detection and is the only screening test proven to reduce mortality. Although it remains the gold standard of breast cancer screening, there is increasing awareness of subpopulations of women for whom mammography has reduced sensitivity. Mammography has also undergone increased scrutiny for false positives and excessive biopsies, which increase radiation dose, cost and patient anxiety. In response to these challenges, new technologies for breast cancer screening have been developed, including; low dose mammography; contrast enhanced mammography, tomosynthesis, automated whole breast ultrasound, molecular imaging and MRI. Here we examine some of the current controversies and promising new technologies that may improve detection of breast cancer both in the general population and in high-risk groups, such as women with dense breasts. We propose that optimal breast cancer screening will ultimately require a personalized approach based on metrics of cancer risk with selective application of specific screening technologies best suited to the individual’s age, risk, and breast density. PMID:23561631

  9. Study of breast implant rupture: MRI versus surgical findings.

    PubMed

    Vestito, A; Mangieri, F F; Ancona, A; Minervini, C; Perchinunno, V; Rinaldi, S

    2012-09-01

    This study evaluated the role of breast magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the selective study breast implant integrity. We retrospectively analysed the signs of breast implant rupture observed at breast MR examinations of 157 implants and determined the sensitivity and specificity of the technique in diagnosing implant rupture by comparing MR data with findings at surgical explantation. The linguine and the salad-oil signs were statistically the most significant signs for diagnosing intracapsular rupture; the presence of siliconomas/seromas outside the capsule and/or in the axillary lymph nodes calls for immediate explantation. In agreement with previous reports, we found a close correlation between imaging signs and findings at explantation. Breast MR imaging can be considered the gold standard in the study of breast implants.

  10. Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC chemo sensitize human breast cancer cells via downregulation of prolactin-mediated JAK2/STAT5A signaling.

    PubMed

    Sinha, Sonam; Sharma, Sonal; Vora, Jaykant; Shah, Heta; Srivastava, Anshu; Shrivastava, Neeta

    2018-05-10

    Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC (MP) is an ancient Indian medicinal plant traditionally used to treat Parkinson's disease. L-Dopa (LD), precursor of dopamine is abundantly found in the seeds of MP. L-dopa is a natural inhibitor of prolactin (PRL) hormone which is required to maintain lactation in women but it's over production (hyperprolactinemia) plays critical role in advancement of breast cancer. We aim to examine the pharmacological effect of LD and MP on this hyperprolactinemia associated breast cancer and related signaling for effective management of the disease. We also investigated chemo-sensitizing effect of MP on hyperprolactinemia-mediated cisplatin resistance. Methanolic seed extract of MP were prepared and analysed using HPLC. Effect of LD and MP on the cellular viability of breast cancer cells (T47D, MCF-7, MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231) were evaluated using MTT assay. Further, effect of LD and MP on colony forming potential, DNA damage, cell cycle distribution and apoptosis was determined using agar/agarose method, comet assay and annexin and PI method followed by FACS analysis. To reveal the molecular mechanism involved in the anti-cancer activity of MP, transcriptional and translational level analysis of the key proteins involved in the PRL-mediated signaling, was performed using RT-PCR and western blot analysis. The effect of MP extract on PRL-mediated signaling was validated using dopaminergic agonist bromocriptine. MP extract and cisplatin was given in different combination with appropriate controls to check their effect on chemo-resistivity of breast cancer cells. Our results demonstrated that MP seed extract has the potential to inhibit cellular proliferation of PRL expressing T47D and MCF-7 breast cancer cells via induction of DNA damage, G1 phase of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis more effectively as compare to LD. Further, MP-mediated anti-cancerous effect was associated with the downregulation of PRL expression, further suppressing the JAK2/STAT5A

  11. Understanding key performance indicators for breast support: An analysis of breast support effects on biomechanical, physiological and subjective measures during running.

    PubMed

    Risius, Debbie; Milligan, Alexandra; Berns, Jason; Brown, Nicola; Scurr, Joanna

    2017-05-01

    To assess the effectiveness of breast support previous studies monitored breast kinematics and kinetics, subjective feedback, muscle activity (EMG), ground reaction forces (GRFs) and physiological measures in isolation. Comparing these variables within one study will establish the key performance variables that distinguish between breast supports during activities such as running. This study investigates the effects of changes in breast support on biomechanical, physiological and subjective measures during running. Ten females (34D) ran for 10 min in high and low breast supports, and for 2 min bare breasted (2.8 m·s -1 ). Breast and body kinematics, EMG, expired air and heart rate were recorded. GRFs were recorded during 10 m overground runs (2.8 m·s -1 ) and subjective feedback obtained after each condition. Of the 62 variables measured, 22 kinematic and subjective variables were influenced by changes in breast support. Willingness to exercise, time lag and superio-inferior breast velocity were most affected. GRFs, EMG and physiological variables were unaffected by breast support changes during running. Breast displacement reduction, although previously advocated, was not the most sensitive variable to breast support changes during running. Instead breast support products should be assessed using a battery of performance indicators, including the key kinematic and subjective variables identified here.

  12. Aluminum concentrations in central and peripheral areas of malignant breast lesions do not differ from those in normal breast tissues.

    PubMed

    Rodrigues-Peres, Raquel Mary; Cadore, Solange; Febraio, Stefanny; Heinrich, Juliana Karina; Serra, Katia Piton; Derchain, Sophie F M; Vassallo, Jose; Sarian, Luis Otavio

    2013-03-08

    Aluminum is used in a wide range of applications and is a potential environmental hazard. The known genotoxic effects of aluminum might play a role in the development of breast cancer. However, the data currently available on the subject are not sufficient to establish a causal relationship between aluminum exposure and the augmented risk of developing breast cancer. To achieve maximum sensitivity and specificity in the determination of aluminum levels, we have developed a detection protocol using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). The objective of the present study was to compare the aluminum levels in the central and peripheral areas of breast carcinomas with those in the adjacent normal breast tissues, and to identify patient and/or tumor characteristics associated with these aluminum levels. A total of 176 patients with breast cancer were included in the study. Samples from the central and peripheral areas of their tumors were obtained, as well as from the surrounding normal breast tissue. Aluminum quantification was performed using GFAAS. The average (mean ± SD) aluminum concentrations were as follows: central area, 1.88 ± 3.60 mg/kg; peripheral area, 2.10 ± 5.67 mg/kg; and normal area, 1.68 ± 11.1 mg/kg. Overall and two-by-two comparisons of the aluminum concentrations in these areas indicated no significant differences. We detected a positive relationship between aluminum levels in the peripheral areas of the tumors, age and menopausal status of the patients (P = .02). Using a sensitive quantification technique we detected similar aluminum concentrations in the central and peripheral regions of breast tumors, and in normal tissues. In addition, we did not detect significant differences in aluminum concentrations as related to the location of the breast tumor within the breast, or to other relevant tumor features such as stage, size and steroid receptor status. The next logical step is the assessment of whether the aluminum

  13. Area-level poverty is associated with greater risk of ambulatory-care-sensitive hospitalizations in older breast cancer survivors.

    PubMed

    Schootman, Mario; Jeffe, Donna B; Lian, Min; Deshpande, Anjali D; Gillanders, William E; Aft, Rebecca; Sumner, Walton

    2008-12-01

    To estimate the frequency of ambulatory care-sensitive hospitalizations (ACSHs) and to compare the risk of ACSH in breast cancer survivors living in high-poverty with that of those in low-poverty areas. Prospective, multilevel study. National, population-based 1991 to 1999 National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program data linked with Medicare claims data throughout the United States. Breast cancer survivors aged 66 and older. ACSH was classified according to diagnosis at hospitalization. The percentage of the population living below the U.S. federal poverty line was calculated at the census-tract level. Potential confounders included demographic characteristics, comorbidity, tumor and treatment factors, and availability of medical care. Of 47,643 women, 13.3% had at least one ACSH. Women who lived in high-poverty census tracts (>or=30% poverty rate) were 1.5 times (95% confidence interval (CI)=1.34-1.72) as likely to have at least one ACSH after diagnosis as women who lived in low-poverty census tracts (<10% poverty rate). After adjusting for most confounders, results remained unchanged. After adjustment for comorbidity, the hazard ratio (HR) was reduced to 1.34 (95% CI=1.18-1.52), but adjusting for all variables did not further reduce the risk of ACSH associated with poverty rate beyond adjustment for comorbidity (HR=1.37, 95% CI=1.19-1.58). Elderly breast cancer survivors who lived in high-poverty census tracts may be at increased risk of reduced posttreatment follow-up care, preventive care, or symptom management as a result of not having adequate, timely, and high-quality ambulatory primary care as suggested by ACSH.

  14. Positron emission mammography in breast cancer presurgical planning: comparisons with magnetic resonance imaging.

    PubMed

    Schilling, Kathy; Narayanan, Deepa; Kalinyak, Judith E; The, Juliette; Velasquez, Maria Victoria; Kahn, Simone; Saady, Matthew; Mahal, Ravinder; Chrystal, Larraine

    2011-01-01

    The objective of this study was to compare the performance characteristics of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission mammography (PEM) with breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a presurgical imaging and planning option for index and ipsilateral lesions in patients with newly diagnosed, biopsy-proven breast cancer. Two hundred and eight women >25 years of age (median age = 59.7 ± 14.1 years) with biopsy-proven primary breast cancer enrolled in this prospective, single-site study. MRI, PEM, and whole-body positron emission tomography (WBPET) were conducted on each patient within 7 business days. PEM and WBPET images were acquired on the same day after intravenous administration of 370 MBq of FDG (median = 432.9 MBq). PEM and MRI images were blindly evaluated, compared with final surgical histopathology, and the sensitivity determined. Substudy analysis compared the sensitivity of PEM versus MRI in patients with different menopausal status, breast density, and use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) as well as determination of performance characteristics for additional ipsilateral lesion detection. Two hundred and eight patients enrolled in the study of which 87% (182/208) were analyzable. Of these analyzable patients, 26.4% (48/182), 7.1% (13/182), and 64.2% (120/182) were pre-, peri-, and postmenopausal, respectively, and 48.4% (88/182) had extremely or heterogeneously dense breast tissue, while 33.5% (61/182) had a history of HRT use. Ninety-two percent (167/182) underwent core biopsy for index lesion diagnosis. Invasive cancer was found in 77.5% (141/182), while ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and/or Paget's disease were found in 22.5% (41/182) of patients. Both PEM and MRI had index lesion depiction sensitivity of 92.8% and both were significantly better than WBPET (67.9%, p < 0.001, McNemar's test). For index lesions, PEM and MRI had equivalent sensitivity of various tumors, categorized by tumor stage as well as similar invasive tumor size

  15. Delineating Extramammary Findings at Breast MR Imaging.

    PubMed

    Gao, Yiming; Ibidapo, Opeyemi; Toth, Hildegard K; Moy, Linda

    2017-01-01

    Breast magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is the only breast imaging modality that consistently encompasses extramammary structures in the thorax and upper abdomen. Incidental extramammary findings on breast MR images of patients with a history of breast cancer or other malignancies are significantly more likely to be malignant and may affect staging and treatment. An understanding of the frequency, distribution, and context of extramammary findings on breast MR images and a familiarity with common and uncommon sites of breast cancer metastasis inform the differential diagnosis and prompt the appropriate diagnostic next step, to differentiate benign from malignant findings. High-yield organ systems on breast MR images, as reflected by a high positive predictive value for malignancy, are correlated with known distant sites of breast cancer metastasis in the bone, lung, liver, and lymph nodes. Staging is considered when disease involves the skin and chest wall. Unusual sites of breast cancer metastasis from invasive lobular carcinoma are discussed, including the gastrointestinal tract, peritoneum, and adrenal glands. Nonmalignant clinically important findings involving the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems are reviewed, and potential pitfalls in diagnosis and interpretation are highlighted. A consistently systematic diagnostic approach is emphasized for identifying extramammary abnormalities on breast MR images. All things considered, the radiologist should be able to improve diagnostic sensitivity and specificity while interpreting extramammary findings on breast MR images. © RSNA, 2017.

  16. Functional Characterization of Epitheaflagallin 3-O-Gallate Generated in Laccase-Treated Green Tea Extracts in the Presence of Gallic Acid.

    PubMed

    Itoh, Nobuya; Kurokawa, Junji; Isogai, Yasuhiro; Ogasawara, Masaru; Matsunaga, Takayuki; Okubo, Tsutomu; Katsube, Yuji

    2017-12-06

    Epitheaflagallin (ETFG) and epitheaflagallin 3-O-gallate (ETFGg) are minor polyphenols in black tea extract that are enzymatically synthesized from epigallocatechin (EGC) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), respectively, in green tea extract via laccase oxidation in the presence of gallic acid. The constituents of laccase-treated green tea extract in the presence of gallic acid are thus quite different from those of nonlaccase-treated green tea extract: EGC and EGCg are present in lower concentrations, and ETFG and ETFGg are present in higher concentrations. Additionally, laccase-treated green tea extract contains further polymerized catechin derivatives, comparable with naturally fermented teas such as oolong tea and black tea. We found that ETFGg and laccase-treated green tea extracts exhibit versatile physiological functions in vivo and in vitro, including antioxidative activity, pancreatic lipase inhibition, Streptococcus sorbinus glycosyltransferase inhibition, and an inhibiting effect on the activity of matrix metalloprotease-1 and -3 and their synthesis by human gingival fibroblasts. We confirmed that these inhibitory effects of ETFGg in vitro match well with the results obtained by docking simulations of the compounds with their target enzymes or noncatalytic protein. Thus, ETFGg and laccase-treated green tea extracts containing ETFGg are promising functional food materials with potential antiobesity and antiperiodontal disease activities.

  17. The Heat Shock Protein 90 Inhibitor, Epigallocatechin Gallate, has Anti-Cancer Activity in a Novel Human Prostate Cancer Progression Model

    PubMed Central

    Moses, Michael A.; Henry, Ellen C.; Ricke, William A.; Gasiewicz, Thomas A.

    2015-01-01

    (−)-Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a major tea polyphenol, elicits anti-cancer effects. However, the mechanism of action is not fully understood. Our laboratory previously showed that EGCG inhibits heat shock protein 90 (HSP90). We utilized non-tumorigenic (NT), tumorigenic, and metastatic cancer cells from a novel human prostate cancer (PRCA) progression model to test the hypotheses that certain stages are more or less sensitive to EGCG and that sensitivity is related to HSP90 inhibition. Treatment of cells with EGCG, novobiocin (NB), or 17-AAG resulted in more potent cytotoxic effects on tumorigenic and metastatic cells than NT cells. When tumorigenic or metastatic cells were grown in vivo, mice supplemented with 0.06% EGCG in drinking water developed significantly smaller tumors than untreated mice. Furthermore, EGCG prevented malignant transformation in vivo using the full PRCA model. To elucidate the mechanism of EGCG action, we performed binding assays with EGCG-Sepharose, a C-terminal HSP90 antibody, and HSP90 mutants. These experiments revealed that EGCG-Sepharose bound more HSP90 from metastatic cells compared to NT cells and binding occurred through the HSP90 C-terminus. Additionally, EGCG bound HSP90 mutants that mimic both complexed and uncomplexed HSP90. Consistent with HSP90 inhibitory activity, EGCG, NB, and 17-AAG induced changes in HSP90-client proteins in NT cells and larger differences in metastatic cells. These data suggest that EGCG may be efficacious for the treatment of PRCA because it preferentially targets cancer cells and inhibits a molecular chaperone supportive of the malignant phenotype. PMID:25604133

  18. Exosomes decrease sensitivity of breast cancer cells to adriamycin by delivering microRNAs.

    PubMed

    Mao, Ling; Li, Jian; Chen, Wei-Xian; Cai, Yan-Qin; Yu, Dan-Dan; Zhong, Shan-Liang; Zhao, Jian-Hua; Zhou, Jian-Wei; Tang, Jin-Hai

    2016-04-01

    While adriamycin (adr) offers improvement in survival for breast cancer (BCa) patients, unfortunately, drug resistance is almost inevitable. Mounting evidence suggests that exosomes act as a vehicle for genetic cargo and constantly shuttle biologically active molecules including microRNAs (miRNAs) between heterogeneous populations of tumor cells, engendering a resistance-promoting niche for cancer progression. Our recent study showed that exosomes from docetaxel-resistance BCa cells could modulate chemosensitivity by delivering miRNAs. Herein, we expand on our previous finding and explore the relevance of exosome-mediated miRNA delivery in resistance transmission of adr-resistant BCa sublines. We now demonstrated the selective packing of miRNAs within the exosomes (A/exo) derived from adr-resistant BCa cells. The highly expressed miRNAs in A/exo were significantly increased in recipient fluorescent sensitive cells (GFP-S) after A/exo incorporation. Gene ontology analysis of predicted targets showed that the top 30 most abundant miRNAs in A/exo were involved in crucial biological processes. Moreover, A/exo not only loaded miRNAs for its production and release but also carried miRNAs associated with Wnt signaling pathway. Furthermore, A/exo co-culture assays indicated that miRNA-containing A/exo was able to increase the overall resistance of GFP-S to adr exposure and regulate gene levels in GFP-S. Our results reinforce our earlier reports that adr-resistant BCa cells could manipulate a more deleterious microenvironment and transmit resistance capacity through altering gene expressions in sensitive cells by transferring specific miRNAs contained within exosomes.

  19. Evaluation of a novel collimator for molecular breast tomosynthesis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gilland, David R.; Welch, Benjamin L.; Lee, Seungjoon

    Here, this study investigated a novel gamma camera for molecular breast tomosynthesis (MBT), which is a nuclear breast imaging method that uses limited angle tomography. The camera is equipped with a variable angle, slant-hole (VASH) collimator that allows the camera to remain close to the breast throughout the acquisition. The goal of this study was to evaluate the spatial resolution and count sensitivity of this camera and to compare contrast and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) with conventional planar imaging using an experimental breast phantom. Methods The VASH collimator mounts to a commercial gamma camera for breast imaging that uses a pixelatedmore » (3.2 mm), 15 × 20 cm NaI crystal. Spatial resolution was measured in planar images over a range of distances from the collimator (30-100 mm) and a range of slant angles (–25° to 25°) using 99mTc line sources. Spatial resolution was also measured in reconstructed MBT images including in the depth dimension. The images were reconstructed from data acquired over the -25° to 25° angular range using an iterative algorithm adapted to the slant-hole geometry. Sensitivity was measured over the range of slant angles using a disk source. Measured spatial resolution and sensitivity were compared to theoretical values. Contrast and CNR were measured using a breast phantom containing spherical lesions (6.2 mm and 7.8 mm diameter) and positioned over a range of depths in the phantom. The MBT and planar methods had equal scan time, and the count density in the breast phantom data was similar to that in clinical nuclear breast imaging. The MBT method used an iterative reconstruction algorithm combined with a postreconstruction Metz filter. Results The measured spatial resolution in planar images agreed well with theoretical calculations over the range of distances and slant angles. The measured FWHM was 9.7 mm at 50 mm distance. In reconstructed MBT images, the spatial resolution in the depth dimension was approximately

  20. Evaluation of a novel collimator for molecular breast tomosynthesis.

    PubMed

    Gilland, David R; Welch, Benjamin L; Lee, Seungjoon; Kross, Brian; Weisenberger, Andrew G

    2017-11-01

    This study investigated a novel gamma camera for molecular breast tomosynthesis (MBT), which is a nuclear breast imaging method that uses limited angle tomography. The camera is equipped with a variable angle, slant-hole (VASH) collimator that allows the camera to remain close to the breast throughout the acquisition. The goal of this study was to evaluate the spatial resolution and count sensitivity of this camera and to compare contrast and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) with conventional planar imaging using an experimental breast phantom. The VASH collimator mounts to a commercial gamma camera for breast imaging that uses a pixelated (3.2 mm), 15 × 20 cm NaI crystal. Spatial resolution was measured in planar images over a range of distances from the collimator (30-100 mm) and a range of slant angles (-25° to 25°) using 99m Tc line sources. Spatial resolution was also measured in reconstructed MBT images including in the depth dimension. The images were reconstructed from data acquired over the -25° to 25° angular range using an iterative algorithm adapted to the slant-hole geometry. Sensitivity was measured over the range of slant angles using a disk source. Measured spatial resolution and sensitivity were compared to theoretical values. Contrast and CNR were measured using a breast phantom containing spherical lesions (6.2 mm and 7.8 mm diameter) and positioned over a range of depths in the phantom. The MBT and planar methods had equal scan time, and the count density in the breast phantom data was similar to that in clinical nuclear breast imaging. The MBT method used an iterative reconstruction algorithm combined with a postreconstruction Metz filter. The measured spatial resolution in planar images agreed well with theoretical calculations over the range of distances and slant angles. The measured FWHM was 9.7 mm at 50 mm distance. In reconstructed MBT images, the spatial resolution in the depth dimension was approximately 2.2 mm greater than the other

  1. Evaluation of a novel collimator for molecular breast tomosynthesis

    DOE PAGES

    Gilland, David R.; Welch, Benjamin L.; Lee, Seungjoon; ...

    2017-09-06

    Here, this study investigated a novel gamma camera for molecular breast tomosynthesis (MBT), which is a nuclear breast imaging method that uses limited angle tomography. The camera is equipped with a variable angle, slant-hole (VASH) collimator that allows the camera to remain close to the breast throughout the acquisition. The goal of this study was to evaluate the spatial resolution and count sensitivity of this camera and to compare contrast and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) with conventional planar imaging using an experimental breast phantom. Methods The VASH collimator mounts to a commercial gamma camera for breast imaging that uses a pixelatedmore » (3.2 mm), 15 × 20 cm NaI crystal. Spatial resolution was measured in planar images over a range of distances from the collimator (30-100 mm) and a range of slant angles (–25° to 25°) using 99mTc line sources. Spatial resolution was also measured in reconstructed MBT images including in the depth dimension. The images were reconstructed from data acquired over the -25° to 25° angular range using an iterative algorithm adapted to the slant-hole geometry. Sensitivity was measured over the range of slant angles using a disk source. Measured spatial resolution and sensitivity were compared to theoretical values. Contrast and CNR were measured using a breast phantom containing spherical lesions (6.2 mm and 7.8 mm diameter) and positioned over a range of depths in the phantom. The MBT and planar methods had equal scan time, and the count density in the breast phantom data was similar to that in clinical nuclear breast imaging. The MBT method used an iterative reconstruction algorithm combined with a postreconstruction Metz filter. Results The measured spatial resolution in planar images agreed well with theoretical calculations over the range of distances and slant angles. The measured FWHM was 9.7 mm at 50 mm distance. In reconstructed MBT images, the spatial resolution in the depth dimension was approximately

  2. Preparation and characterization of (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG)-loaded nanoparticles and their inhibitory effects on Human breast cancer MCF-7 cells.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Liang; Yan, Jingna; Luo, Liyong; Ma, Mengjun; Zhu, Huiqun

    2017-03-28

    We were employing nanotechnology to improve the targeting ability of (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) towards MCF-7 cells, and two kinds of EGCG nanoparticles (FA-NPS-PEG and FA-PEG-NPS) were obtained, besides, their characteristics and effects on MCF-7 cells were studied. The results indicated that (i) both FA-NPS-PEG and FA-PEG-NPS have high stabilities; (ii) their particles sizes were 185.0 ± 13.5 nm and 142.7 ± 7.2 nm, respectively; (iii) their encapsulation efficiencies of EGCG were 90.36 ± 2.20% and 39.79 ± 7.54%, respectively. (iv) there was no cytotoxicity observed in EGCG, FA-NPS-PEG and FA-PEG-NPS toward MCF-7 cells over all concentrations (0~400 μg/mL) tested; (v) EGCG, FA-NPS-PEG and FA-PEG-NPS inhibited MCF-7 cells proliferation in dose-dependent manners, with the average IC 50 of 470.5 ± 33.0, 65.9 ± 0.4 and 66.6 ± 0.6 μg/mL; (vi) EGCG, FA-NPS-PEG and FA-PEG-NPS could modulated the expressions of several key regulatory proteins in PI3K-Akt pathway such as up-regulation of PTEN, p21 and Bax, and down-regulation of p-PDK1, p-AKT, CyclinD1 and Bcl-2, which gave an illustration about the mechanism by which EGCG nanoparticles inhibited MCF-7 cells proliferation. In this study, EGCG nanoparticles can significantly enhance the targeting ability and efficacy of EGCG, which is considered to an experimental foundation for further research on its activity, targeting ability and metabolism in vivo.

  3. PEST domain mutations in Notch receptors comprise an oncogenic driver segment in triple-negative breast cancer sensitive to a γ-secretase inhibitor.

    PubMed

    Wang, Kai; Zhang, Qin; Li, Danan; Ching, Keith; Zhang, Cathy; Zheng, Xianxian; Ozeck, Mark; Shi, Stephanie; Li, Xiaorong; Wang, Hui; Rejto, Paul; Christensen, James; Olson, Peter

    2015-03-15

    To identify and characterize novel, activating mutations in Notch receptors in breast cancer and to determine response to the gamma secretase inhibitor (GSI) PF-03084014. We used several computational approaches, including novel algorithms, to analyze next-generation sequencing data and related omic datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) breast cancer cohort. Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models were sequenced, and Notch-mutant models were treated with PF-03084014. Gene-expression and functional analyses were performed to study the mechanism of activation through mutation and inhibition by PF-03084014. We identified mutations within and upstream of the PEST domains of NOTCH1, NOTCH2, and NOTCH3 in the TCGA dataset. Mutations occurred via several genetic mechanisms and compromised the function of the PEST domain, a negative regulatory domain commonly mutated in other cancers. Focal amplifications of NOTCH2 and NOTCH3 were also observed, as were heterodimerization or extracellular domain mutations at lower incidence. Mutations and amplifications often activated the Notch pathway as evidenced by increased expression of canonical Notch target genes, and functional mutations were significantly enriched in the triple-negative breast cancer subtype (TNBC). PDX models were also identified that harbored PEST domain mutations, and these models were highly sensitive to PF-03084014. This work suggests that Notch-altered breast cancer constitutes a bona fide oncogenic driver segment with the most common alteration being PEST domain mutations present in multiple Notch receptors. Importantly, functional studies suggest that this newly identified class can be targeted with Notch inhibitors, including GSIs. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

  4. The Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzyme E2-EPF Is Overexpressed in Primary Breast Cancer and Modulates Sensitivity to Topoisomerase II Inhibition1

    PubMed Central

    Tedesco, Donato; Zhang, Jianhuan; Trinh, Lan; Lalehzadeh, Guita; Meisner, Rene; Yamaguchi, Ken D; Ruderman, Daniel L; Dinter, Harald; Zajchowski, Deborah A

    2007-01-01

    We identified the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2-EPF mRNA as differentially expressed in breast tumors relative to normal tissues and performed studies to elucidate its putative role in cancer. We demonstrated that overexpression of E2-EPF protein correlated with estrogen receptor (ER) negativity in breast cancer specimens and that its expression is cell cycle-regulated, suggesting a potential function for E2-EPF in cell cycle progression. However, reduction of E2-EPF protein levels by > 80% using RNAi had no significant effects on the proliferation of HeLa cervical cancer cells or ER- MDA-MB-231 or MDA-MB-453 breast cancer cells. Because E2-EPF protein levels were elevated during the G2/M phase of the cell cycle and because E2-EPF mRNA in tumor specimens was frequently coexpressed with genes involved in cell cycle control, spindle assembly, and mitotic surveillance, the possibility that E2-EPF might have a function in the cellular response to agents that induce a G2 checkpoint or an M checkpoint was investigated. E2-EPF knockdown sensitized HeLa cells to the topoisomerase (topo) II inhibitors etoposide and doxorubicin and also increased topo IIα protein levels. These data suggest that combined administration of topo II-directed drugs and E2-EPF inhibitors may enhance their clinical effectiveness. PMID:17710163

  5. Multimodal breast cancer imaging using coregistered dynamic diffuse optical tomography and digital breast tomosynthesis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zimmermann, Bernhard B.; Deng, Bin; Singh, Bhawana; Martino, Mark; Selb, Juliette; Fang, Qianqian; Sajjadi, Amir Y.; Cormier, Jayne; Moore, Richard H.; Kopans, Daniel B.; Boas, David A.; Saksena, Mansi A.; Carp, Stefan A.

    2017-04-01

    Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) is emerging as a noninvasive functional imaging method for breast cancer diagnosis and neoadjuvant chemotherapy monitoring. In particular, the multimodal approach of combining DOT with x-ray digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) is especially synergistic as DBT prior information can be used to enhance the DOT reconstruction. DOT, in turn, provides a functional information overlay onto the mammographic images, increasing sensitivity and specificity to cancer pathology. We describe a dynamic DOT apparatus designed for tight integration with commercial DBT scanners and providing a fast (up to 1 Hz) image acquisition rate to enable tracking hemodynamic changes induced by the mammographic breast compression. The system integrates 96 continuous-wave and 24 frequency-domain source locations as well as 32 continuous wave and 20 frequency-domain detection locations into low-profile plastic plates that can easily mate to the DBT compression paddle and x-ray detector cover, respectively. We demonstrate system performance using static and dynamic tissue-like phantoms as well as in vivo images acquired from the pool of patients recalled for breast biopsies at the Massachusetts General Hospital Breast Imaging Division.

  6. Association of symptoms and breast cancer in population-based mammography screening in Finland

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Deependra; Malila, Nea; Pokhrel, Arun; Anttila, Ahti

    2015-01-01

    The study purpose was to assess association of symptoms at screening visits with detection of breast cancer among women aged 50–69 years during the period 2006–2010. Altogether 1.2 million screening visits were made and symptoms (lump, retraction, secretion etc.) were reported either by women or radiographer. Breast cancer risk was calculated for each symptom separately using logistic regression [odds ratio (OR)] and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Of the 1,198,410 screening visits symptoms were reported in 298,220 (25%) visits. Breast cancer detection rate for women with and without symptoms was 7.8 per 1,000 and 4.7 per 1,000 screening visits, respectively, whereas lump detected 32 cancers per 1,000 screens. Women with lump or retraction had an increased risk of breast cancer, OR = 6.47, 95% CI 5.89−7.09 and OR = 2.19, 95% CI 1.92–2.49, respectively. The sensitivity of symptoms in detecting breast carcinoma was 35.5% overall. Individual symptoms sensitivity and specificity ranged from, 0.66 to 14.8% and 87.4 to 99.7%, respectively. Of 5,541 invasive breast cancers, 1,993 (36%) reported symptoms at screen. Breast cancer risk among women with lump or retraction was higher in large size tumors (OR = 9.20, 95% CI 8.08–10.5) with poorly differentiated grades (OR = 5.91, 95% CI 5.03–6.94) and regional lymph nodes involvement (OR = 6.47, 95% CI 5.67–7.38). This study was done in a setting where breast tumors size is generally small, and symptoms sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing breast tumors were limited. Importance of breast cancer symptoms in the cancer prevention and control strategy needs to be evaluated also in other settings. PMID:25160029

  7. Design of a sensitive grating-based phase contrast mammography prototype (Conference Presentation)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arboleda Clavijo, Carolina; Wang, Zhentian; Köhler, Thomas; van Stevendaal, Udo; Martens, Gerhard; Bartels, Matthias; Villanueva-Perez, Pablo; Roessl, Ewald; Stampanoni, Marco

    2017-03-01

    Grating-based phase contrast mammography can help facilitate breast cancer diagnosis, as several research works have demonstrated. To translate this technique to the clinics, it has to be adapted to cover a large field of view within a limited exposure time and with a clinically acceptable radiation dose. This indicates that a straightforward approach would be to install a grating interferometer (GI) into a commercial mammography device. We developed a wave propagation based optimization method to select the most convenient GI designs in terms of phase and dark-field sensitivities for the Philips Microdose Mammography (PMM) setup. The phase sensitivity was defined as the minimum detectable breast tissue electron density gradient, whereas the dark-field sensitivity was defined as its corresponding signal-to-noise Ratio (SNR). To be able to derive sample-dependent sensitivity metrics, a visibility reduction model for breast tissue was formulated, based on previous research works on the dark-field signal and utilizing available Ultra-Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (USAXS) data and the outcomes of measurements on formalin-fixed breast tissue specimens carried out in tube-based grating interferometers. The results of this optimization indicate the optimal scenarios for each metric are different and fundamentally depend on the noise behavior of the signals and the visibility reduction trend with respect to the system autocorrelation length. In addition, since the inter-grating distance is constrained by the space available between the breast support and the detector, the best way we have to improve sensitivity is to count on a small G2 pitch.

  8. Impact of Breast Reader Assessment Strategy on mammographic radiologists' test reading performance.

    PubMed

    Suleiman, Wasfi I; Rawashdeh, Mohammad A; Lewis, Sarah J; McEntee, Mark F; Lee, Warwick; Tapia, Kriscia; Brennan, Patrick C

    2016-06-01

    The detection of breast cancer is somewhat limited by human factors, and thus there is a need to improve reader performance. This study assesses whether radiologists who regularly undertake the education in the form of the Breast Reader Assessment Strategy (BREAST) demonstrate any changes in mammography interpretation performance over time. In 2011, 2012 and 2013, 14 radiologists independently assessed a year-specific BREAST mammographic test-set. Radiologists read a different single test-set once each year, with each comprising 60 digital mammogram cases. Radiologists marked the location of suspected lesions without computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) and assigned a confidence rating of 2 for benign and 3-5 for malignant lesions. The mean sensitivity, specificity, location sensitivity, JAFROC FOM and ROC AUC were calculated. A Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the readings for the 14 radiologists across the 3 years. Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to assess comparison between pairs of years. Relationships between changes in performance and radiologist characteristics were examined using a Spearman's test. Significant increases were noted in mean sensitivity (P = 0.01), specificity (P = 0.01), location sensitivity (P = 0.001) and JAFROC FOM (P = 0.001) between 2011 and 2012. Between 2012 and 2013, significant improvements were noted in mean sensitivity (P = 0.003), specificity (P = 0.002), location sensitivity (P = 0.02), JAFROC FOM (P = 0.005) and ROC AUC (P = 0.008). No statistically significant correlations were shown between the levels of improvement and radiologists' characteristics. Radiologists' who undertake the BREAST programme demonstrate significant improvements in test-set performance during a 3-year period, highlighting the value of ongoing education through the use of test-set. © 2016 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.

  9. Knockdown of CAVEOLIN-1 Sensitizes Human Basal-Like Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells to Radiation.

    PubMed

    Zou, Man; Li, Yanhui; Xia, Shu; Chu, Qian; Xiao, Xiaoguang; Qiu, Hong; Chen, Yu; Zheng, Zu'an; Liu, Fei; Zhuang, Liang; Yu, Shiying

    2017-01-01

    Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a high-risk breast cancer phenotype without specific targeted therapy options and is significantly associated with increased local recurrence in patients treated with radiotherapy. CAVEOLIN-1 (CAV-1)-mediated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) nuclear translocation following irradiation promotes DNA repair and thus induces radiation resistance. In this study, we aimed to determine whether knockdown of CAV-1 enhances the radiosensitivity of basal-like TNBC cell lines and to explore the possible mechanisms. Western blotting was used to compare protein expression in a panel of breast cancer cell lines. Nuclear accumulation of EGFR as well as DNA repair and damage at multiple time points following irradiation with or without CAV-1 siRNA pretreatment were investigated using western blotting and confocal microscopy. The radiosensitizing effect of CAV-1 siRNA was evaluated using a clonogenic assay. Flowcytometry was performed to analyse cell apoptosis and cell cycle alteration. We found that CAV-1 is over-expressed in basal-like TNBC cell lines and barely expressed in HER-2-positive cells; additionally, we observed that HER-2-positive cell lines are more sensitive to irradiation than basal-like TNBC cells. Our findings revealed that radiation-induced EGFR nuclear translocation was impaired by knockdown of CAV-1. In parallel, radiation-induced elevation of DNA repair proteins was also hampered by pretreatment with CAV-1 siRNA before irradiation. Silencing of CAV-1 also promoted DNA damage 24 h after irradiation. Colony formation assays verified that cells could be radiosensitized after knockdown of CAV-1. Furthermore, G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis enhancement may also contribute to the radiosensitizing effect of CAV-1 siRNA. Our results support the hypothesis that CAV-1 knockdown by siRNA causes increased radiosensitivity in basal-like TNBC cells. The mechanisms associated with this effect are reduced DNA repair through

  10. Influence of Snail on Integrin Beta l Expression/Activity in Breast Carcinoma

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-09-01

    sensitive for this purpose (data not shown). Next, we tested the ability of a monoclonal Snail-1 antibody from our collaborator, Dr. Antonio Garcia de...monoclonal antibody from our collaborator, Dr. Antonio Garcia de Herreros (commercially- available antibodies were not of sufficient sensitivity...expression/function in breast tumor cells. Breast Cancer Res. Treat. In Press. 2. Wanami, L.S., Chen, H., Peiro, S., Garcia de Herreros, A., and

  11. Influence of Snail on Integrin Beta 1 Expression/Activity in Breast Carcinoma

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-09-01

    sensitive for this purpose (data not shown). Next, we tested the ability of a monoclonal Snail-1 antibody from our collaborator, Dr. Antonio Garcia de...monoclonal antibody from our collaborator, Dr. Antonio Garcia de Herreros (commercially- available antibodies were not of sufficient sensitivity...expression/function in breast tumor cells. Breast Cancer Res. Treat. In Press. 2. Wanami, L.S., Chen, H., Peiro, S., Garcia de Herreros, A., and

  12. A-type dimeric epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a more potent inhibitor against the formation of insulin amyloid fibril than EGCG monomer.

    PubMed

    Nie, Rong-Zu; Zhu, Wei; Peng, Jin-Ming; Ge, Zhen-Zhen; Li, Chun-Mei

    2016-06-01

    Because fibrillary protein aggregates is regarded to be closely associated with many diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and Parkinson's disease, growing interest and researches have been focused on finding potential fibrillation inhibitors. In the present study, the inhibitory effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and A-type dimeric epigallocatechin-3-gallate (A-type EGCG dimer) on the formation of insulin fibrillation were compared by multi-dimensional approaches including thioflavin-T (ThT) fluorescence assay, 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonic (ANS) fluorescence assay, dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Our results confirmed that A-type EGCG dimer is a more potent inhibitor against the formation of bovine insulin amyloid fibril than EGCG. In addition, A-type EGCG dimer could not only inhibit insulin amyloid fibril formation, but also change the aggregation pathway and induce bovine insulin into amorphous aggregates. The results of the present study may provide a new guide on finding novel anti-amyloidogenic agents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. and Société française de biochimie et biologie Moléculaire (SFBBM). All rights reserved.

  13. Dose reduction in molecular breast imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wagenaar, Douglas J.; Chowdhury, Samir; Hugg, James W.; Moats, Rex A.; Patt, Bradley E.

    2011-10-01

    Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI) is the imaging of radiolabeled drugs, cells, or nanoparticles for breast cancer detection, diagnosis, and treatment. Screening of broad populations of women for breast cancer with mammography has been augmented by the emergence of breast MRI in screening of women at high risk for breast cancer. Screening MBI may benefit the sub-population of women with dense breast tissue that obscures small tumors in mammography. Dedicated breast imaging equipment is necessary to enable detection of early-stage tumors less than 1 cm in size. Recent progress in the development of these instruments is reviewed. Pixellated CZT for single photon MBI imaging of 99mTc-sestamibi gives high detection sensitivity for early-stage tumors. The use of registered collimators in a near-field geometry gives significantly higher detection efficiency - a factor of 3.6-, which translates into an equivalent dose reduction factor given the same acquisition time. The radiation dose in the current MBI procedure has been reduced to the level of a four-view digital mammography study. In addition to screening of selected sub-populations, reduced MBI dose allows for dual-isotope, treatment planning, and repeated therapy assessment studies in the era of molecular medicine guided by quantitative molecular imaging.

  14. Persistent arm pain is distinct from persistent breast pain following breast cancer surgery.

    PubMed

    Langford, Dale J; Paul, Steven M; West, Claudia; Abrams, Gary; Elboim, Charles; Levine, Jon D; Hamolsky, Deborah; Luce, Judith A; Kober, Kord M; Neuhaus, John M; Cooper, Bruce A; Aouizerat, Bradley E; Miaskowski, Christine

    2014-12-01

    Persistent pain following breast cancer surgery is well documented. However, it is not well characterized in terms of the anatomic site affected (ie, breast, arm). In 2 separate growth mixture modeling analyses, we identified subgroups of women (N = 398) with distinct breast pain and arm pain trajectories. The fact that these latent classes differed by anatomic site, types of tissue affected, and neural innervation patterns suggests the need for separate evaluations of these distinct persistent pain conditions. The purposes of this companion study were to identify demographic and clinical characteristics that differed between the 2 arm pain classes and determine if differences existed over time in sensitivity in the upper inner arm and axillary lymph node dissection sites, pain qualities, pain interference, and hand and arm function, as well as to compare findings with persistent breast pain. Higher occurrence rates for depression and lymphedema were found in the moderate arm pain class. Regardless of pain group membership, sensory loss was observed in the upper inner arm and axillary lymph node dissection site. Arm pain was described similarly to neuropathic pain and interfered with daily functioning. Persistent arm pain was associated with sustained impairments in shoulder mobility. For persistent breast and arm pain, changes in sensation following breast cancer surgery were notable. Persistent arm pain was associated with sustained interference with daily functioning and upper body mobility impairments. Long-term management of persistent pain following breast cancer surgery is warranted to improve the quality of survivorship for these women. Copyright © 2014 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. PERSISTENT ARM PAIN IS DISTINCT FROM PERSISTENT BREAST PAIN FOLLOWING BREAST CANCER SURGERY

    PubMed Central

    Langford, Dale J.; Paul, Steven M.; West, Claudia; Abrams, Gary; Elboim, Charles; Levine, Jon D.; Hamolsky, Deborah; Luce, Judith A.; Kober, Kord M.; Neuhaus, John M.; Cooper, Bruce A.; Aouizerat, Bradley E.; Miaskowski, Christine

    2014-01-01

    Persistent pain following breast cancer surgery is well-documented. However, it is not well characterized in terms of the anatomic site effected (i.e., breast, arm). In two separate growth mixture modeling analyses, we identified subgroups of women (n=398) with distinct breast pain and arm pain trajectories. Based on the fact that these latent classes differed by anatomic site, types if tissue affected, and neural innervation patterns suggests the need for separate evaluations of these distinct persistent pain conditions. Purposes of this companion study were to identify demographic and clinical characteristics that differed between the two arm pain classes and determine if differences existed over time in sensitivity in the upper inner arm and axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) sites, pain qualities, pain interference, and hand and arm function; as well as to compare findings with persistent breast pain. Higher occurrence rates for depression and lymphedema were found in the Moderate Arm pain class. Regardless of pain group membership, sensory loss was observed in the upper inner arm and ALND site. Arm pain was described similarly to neuropathic pain and interfered with daily functioning. Persistent arm pain was associated with sustained impairments in shoulder mobility. Perspective: For persistent breast and arm pain, changes in sensation following breast cancer surgery were notable. Persistent arm pain was associated with sustained interference with daily functioning and upper body mobility impairments. Long-term management of persistent pain following breast cancer surgery is warranted to improve the quality of survivorship for these women. PMID:25439319

  16. Photodynamic cell-kill analysis of breast tumor cells with a tamoxifen-pyropheophorbide conjugate.

    PubMed

    Fernandez Gacio, Ana; Fernandez-Marcos, Carlos; Swamy, Narasimha; Dunn, Darra; Ray, Rahul

    2006-10-15

    We hypothesized that estrogen receptor (ER) in hormone-sensitive breast cancer cells could be targeted for selective photodynamic killing of tumor cell with antiestrogen-porphyrin conjugates by combining the over-expression of ER in hormone-sensitive breast cancer cells and tumor-retention property of porphyrin photosensitizers. In this study we describe that a tamoxifen (TAM)-pyropheophorbide conjugate that specifically binds to ER alpha, caused selective cell-kill in MCF-7 breast cancer cells upon light exposure. Therefore, it is a potential candidate for ER-targeted photodynamic therapy of cancers (PDT) of tissues and organs that respond to estrogens/antiestrogens. 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  17. Use of shear wave elastography to differentiate benign and malignant breast lesions.

    PubMed

    Çebi Olgun, Deniz; Korkmazer, Bora; Kılıç, Fahrettin; Dikici, Atilla Süleyman; Velidedeoğlu, Mehmet; Aydoğan, Fatih; Kantarcı, Fatih; Yılmaz, Mehmet Halit

    2014-01-01

    We aimed to determine the correlations between the elasticity values of solid breast masses and histopathological findings to define cutoff elasticity values differentiating malignant from benign lesions. A total of 115 solid breast lesions of 109 consecutive patients were evaluated prospectively using shear wave elastography (SWE). Two orthogonal elastographic images of each lesion were obtained. Minimum, mean, and maximum elasticity values were calculated in regions of interest placed over the stiffest areas on the two images; we also calculated mass/fat elasticity ratios. Correlation of elastographic measurements with histopathological results were studied. Eighty-three benign and thirty-two malignant lesions were histopathologically diagnosed. The minimum, mean, and maximum elasticity values, and the mass/fat elasticity ratios of malignant lesions, were significantly higher than those of benign lesions. The cutoff value was 45.7 kPa for mean elasticity (sensitivity, 96%; specificity, 95%), 54.3 kPa for maximum elasticity (sensitivity, 95%; specificity, 94%), 37.1 kPa for minimum elasticity (sensitivity, 96%; specificity, 95%), and 4.6 for the mass/fat elasticity ratio (sensitivity, 97%; specificity, 95%). SWE yields additional valuable quantitative data to ultrasonographic examination on solid breast lesions. SWE may serve as a complementary tool for diagnosis of breast lesions. Long-term clinical studies are required to accurately select lesions requiring biopsy.

  18. The Effect of California's Breast Density Notification Legislation on Breast Cancer Screening.

    PubMed

    Chau, Stephanie Lynn; Alabaster, Amy; Luikart, Karin; Brenman, Leslie Manace; Habel, Laurel A

    2017-04-01

    Half of US states mandate women be notified if they have dense breasts on their mammogram, yet guidelines and data on supplemental screening modalities are limited. Breast density (BD) refers to the extent that breast tissue appears radiographically dense on mammograms. High BD reduces the sensitivity of screening mammography and increases breast cancer risk. The aim of this study was to determine the potential impact of California's 2013 BD notification legislation on breast cancer screening patterns. We conducted a cohort study of women aged 40 to 74 years who were members of a large Northern California integrated health plan (approximately 3.9 million members) in 2011-2015. We calculated pre- and post-legislation rates of screening mammography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We also examined whether women with dense breasts (defined as BI-RADS density c or d) had higher MRI rates than women with nondense breasts (defined as BI-RADS density a or b). After adjustment for race/ethnicity, age, body mass index, medical facility, neighborhood median income, and cancer history, there was a relative 6.6% decrease (relative risk [RR] 0.934, confidence interval [CI] 0.92-0.95) in the rate of screening mammography, largely driven by a decrease among women <50 years. While infrequent, there was a relative 16% increase (RR 1.16, CI 1.07-1.25) in the rate of screening MRI, with the greatest increase among the youngest women. In the postlegislation period, women with extremely dense breasts (BI-RADS d) had 2.77 times (CI 1.93-3.95) the odds of a MRI within 9 months of a screening mammogram compared with women with nondense breasts (BI-RADS b). In this setting, MRI rates increased in the postlegislation period. In addition, women with higher BD were more likely to have supplementary MRI. The decrease in mammography rates seen primarily among younger women may have been due to changes in national screening guidelines.

  19. Integrated analysis of breast cancer cell lines reveals unique signaling pathways

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Heiser, Laura M.; Wang, Nicholas J.; Talcott, Carolyn L.

    Cancer is a heterogeneous disease resulting from the accumulation of genetic defects that negatively impact control of cell division, motility, adhesion and apoptosis. Deregulation in signaling along the EGFR-MAPK pathway is common in breast cancer, though the manner in which deregulation occurs varies between both individuals and cancer subtypes. We were interested in identifying subnetworks within the EGFR-MAPK pathway that are similarly deregulated across subsets of breast cancers. To that end, we mapped genomic, transcriptional and proteomic profiles for 30 breast cancer cell lines onto a curated Pathway Logic symbolic systems model of EGFR-MEK signaling. This model was comprised ofmore » 539 molecular states and 396 rules governing signaling between active states. We analyzed these models and identified several subtype specific subnetworks, including one that suggested PAK1 is particularly important in regulating the MAPK cascade when it is over-expressed. We hypothesized that PAK1 overexpressing cell lines would have increased sensitivity to MEK inhibitors. We tested this experimentally by measuring quantitative responses of 20 breast cancer cell lines to three MEK inhibitors. We found that PAK1 over-expressing luminal breast cancer cell lines are significantly more sensitive to MEK inhibition as compared to those that express PAK1 at low levels. This indicates that PAK1 over-expression may be a useful clinical marker to identify patient populations that may be sensitive to MEK inhibitors. All together, our results support the utility of symbolic system biology models for identification of therapeutic approaches that will be effective against breast cancer subsets.« less

  20. Integrated analysis of breast cancer cell lines reveals unique signaling pathways.

    PubMed

    Heiser, Laura M; Wang, Nicholas J; Talcott, Carolyn L; Laderoute, Keith R; Knapp, Merrill; Guan, Yinghui; Hu, Zhi; Ziyad, Safiyyah; Weber, Barbara L; Laquerre, Sylvie; Jackson, Jeffrey R; Wooster, Richard F; Kuo, Wen Lin; Gray, Joe W; Spellman, Paul T

    2009-01-01

    Cancer is a heterogeneous disease resulting from the accumulation of genetic defects that negatively impact control of cell division, motility, adhesion and apoptosis. Deregulation in signaling along the EgfR-MAPK pathway is common in breast cancer, though the manner in which deregulation occurs varies between both individuals and cancer subtypes. We were interested in identifying subnetworks within the EgfR-MAPK pathway that are similarly deregulated across subsets of breast cancers. To that end, we mapped genomic, transcriptional and proteomic profiles for 30 breast cancer cell lines onto a curated Pathway Logic symbolic systems model of EgfR-MAPK signaling. This model was composed of 539 molecular states and 396 rules governing signaling between active states. We analyzed these models and identified several subtype-specific subnetworks, including one that suggested Pak1 is particularly important in regulating the MAPK cascade when it is over-expressed. We hypothesized that Pak1 over-expressing cell lines would have increased sensitivity to Mek inhibitors. We tested this experimentally by measuring quantitative responses of 20 breast cancer cell lines to three Mek inhibitors. We found that Pak1 over-expressing luminal breast cancer cell lines are significantly more sensitive to Mek inhibition compared to those that express Pak1 at low levels. This indicates that Pak1 over-expression may be a useful clinical marker to identify patient populations that may be sensitive to Mek inhibitors. All together, our results support the utility of symbolic system biology models for identification of therapeutic approaches that will be effective against breast cancer subsets.

  1. Breast Cancer Cause Beliefs: Chinese, Korean, and Mexican American Breast Cancer Survivors

    PubMed Central

    Gonzalez, Patricia; Lim, Jung-Won; Wang-Letzkus, Ming; Flores, Katrina F.; Allen, Kristi M.; Castañeda, Sheila F.; Talavera, Gregory A.

    2014-01-01

    This study examined causal attribution beliefs about breast cancer and the influence that these beliefs exert on health behavior change among breast cancer survivors (BCS). Focus groups with Chinese (n = 21), Korean (n = 11), and Mexican American (n = 9) BCS recruited through community- and hospital-based support groups were conducted. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and translated into English for thematic content analysis. Three themes concerning beliefs about breast cancer cause common to all three groups included (a) stress, (b) diet, and (c) fatalism. Causal beliefs corresponded to behavioral changes with women describing efforts to improve their diet and manage their stress. Ethnic minority BCS adhere to beliefs about what caused their cancer that influence their health behaviors. Providing quality health care to ethnically diverse cancer survivors requires cultural sensitivity to patients’ beliefs about the causes of their cancer and awareness of how beliefs influence patients’ health behaviors post diagnosis. PMID:25001237

  2. Positron emission mammography in breast cancer presurgical planning: comparisons with magnetic resonance imaging

    PubMed Central

    Narayanan, Deepa; Kalinyak, Judith E.; The, Juliette; Velasquez, Maria Victoria; Kahn, Simone; Saady, Matthew; Mahal, Ravinder; Chrystal, Larraine

    2010-01-01

    Purpose The objective of this study was to compare the performance characteristics of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission mammography (PEM) with breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a presurgical imaging and planning option for index and ipsilateral lesions in patients with newly diagnosed, biopsy-proven breast cancer. Methods Two hundred and eight women >25 years of age (median age = 59.7 ± 14.1 years) with biopsy-proven primary breast cancer enrolled in this prospective, single-site study. MRI, PEM, and whole-body positron emission tomography (WBPET) were conducted on each patient within 7 business days. PEM and WBPET images were acquired on the same day after intravenous administration of 370 MBq of FDG (median = 432.9 MBq). PEM and MRI images were blindly evaluated, compared with final surgical histopathology, and the sensitivity determined. Substudy analysis compared the sensitivity of PEM versus MRI in patients with different menopausal status, breast density, and use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) as well as determination of performance characteristics for additional ipsilateral lesion detection. Results Two hundred and eight patients enrolled in the study of which 87% (182/208) were analyzable. Of these analyzable patients, 26.4% (48/182), 7.1% (13/182), and 64.2% (120/182) were pre-, peri-, and postmenopausal, respectively, and 48.4% (88/182) had extremely or heterogeneously dense breast tissue, while 33.5% (61/182) had a history of HRT use. Ninety-two percent (167/182) underwent core biopsy for index lesion diagnosis. Invasive cancer was found in 77.5% (141/182), while ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and/or Paget’s disease were found in 22.5% (41/182) of patients. Both PEM and MRI had index lesion depiction sensitivity of 92.8% and both were significantly better than WBPET (67.9%, p < 0.001, McNemar’s test). For index lesions, PEM and MRI had equivalent sensitivity of various tumors, categorized by tumor

  3. The utility of ductal lavage in breast cancer detection and risk assessment

    PubMed Central

    Domchek, Susan M

    2002-01-01

    Ductal lavage (DL) permits noninvasive retrieval of epithelial cells from the breast. Clinical development of this technique has been fueled largely by its potential, as yet unproven, to improve detection of breast cancer and definition of individual risk for development of breast cancer. Early studies demonstrate the feasibility of performing this technique, provide data on cellular yield and findings, and demonstrate the ability to measure molecular markers in DL fluid. However, the sensitivity and specificity of DL for the detection of breast cancer remains unknown, as does the significance of atypia, particularly mild atypia, when found in DL fluid. Although DL appears safe and the device is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, DL is still best utilized in the setting of clinical trials designed to resolve issues of sensitivity, specificity, and localization. PMID:11879562

  4. Exquisite Sensitivity of TP53 Mutant and Basal Breast Cancers to a Dose-Dense Epirubicin−Cyclophosphamide Regimen

    PubMed Central

    Espié, Marc; de Reyniès, Aurélien; Feugeas, Jean-Paul; Plassa, Louis-François; Soliman, Hany; Varna, Mariana; de Roquancourt, Anne; Lehmann-Che, Jacqueline; Beuzard, Yves; Marty, Michel; Misset, Jean-Louis; Janin, Anne; de Thé, Hugues

    2007-01-01

    transcriptional profile associated with complete responses among TP53 mutant tumors. In patients with unresponsive tumors, mutant TP53 status predicted significantly shorter overall survival. The 15 patients with responsive TP53-mutant tumors, however, had a favorable outcome, suggesting that this chemotherapy regimen can overcome the poor prognosis generally associated with mutant TP53 status. Conclusions This study demonstrates that, in noninflammatory breast cancers, TP53 status is a key predictive factor for response to this dose-dense epirubicin–cyclophosphamide regimen and further suggests that the basal subtype is exquisitely sensitive to this association. Given the well-established predictive value of complete responses for long-term survival and the poor prognosis of basal and TP53-mutant tumors treated with other regimens, this chemotherapy could be particularly suited for breast cancer patients with a mutant TP53, particularly those with basal features. PMID:17388661

  5. Exquisite sensitivity of TP53 mutant and basal breast cancers to a dose-dense epirubicin-cyclophosphamide regimen.

    PubMed

    Bertheau, Philippe; Turpin, Elisabeth; Rickman, David S; Espié, Marc; de Reyniès, Aurélien; Feugeas, Jean-Paul; Plassa, Louis-François; Soliman, Hany; Varna, Mariana; de Roquancourt, Anne; Lehmann-Che, Jacqueline; Beuzard, Yves; Marty, Michel; Misset, Jean-Louis; Janin, Anne; de Thé, Hugues

    2007-03-01

    associated with complete responses among TP53 mutant tumors. In patients with unresponsive tumors, mutant TP53 status predicted significantly shorter overall survival. The 15 patients with responsive TP53-mutant tumors, however, had a favorable outcome, suggesting that this chemotherapy regimen can overcome the poor prognosis generally associated with mutant TP53 status. This study demonstrates that, in noninflammatory breast cancers, TP53 status is a key predictive factor for response to this dose-dense epirubicin-cyclophosphamide regimen and further suggests that the basal subtype is exquisitely sensitive to this association. Given the well-established predictive value of complete responses for long-term survival and the poor prognosis of basal and TP53-mutant tumors treated with other regimens, this chemotherapy could be particularly suited for breast cancer patients with a mutant TP53, particularly those with basal features.

  6. Seribantumab, an Anti-ERBB3 Antibody, Delays the Onset of Resistance and Restores Sensitivity to Letrozole in an Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer Model.

    PubMed

    Curley, Michael D; Sabnis, Gauri J; Wille, Lucia; Adiwijaya, Bambang S; Garcia, Gabriela; Moyo, Victor; Kazi, Armina A; Brodie, Angela; MacBeath, Gavin

    2015-11-01

    Heregulin-driven ERBB3 signaling has been implicated as a mechanism of resistance to cytotoxic and antiendocrine therapies in preclinical breast cancer models. In this study, we evaluated the effects of seribantumab (MM-121), a heregulin-blocking anti-ERBB3 monoclonal antibody, alone and in combination with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole, on cell signaling and tumor growth in a preclinical model of postmenopausal estrogen receptor-positive (ER(+)) breast cancer. In vitro, heregulin treatment induced estrogen receptor phosphorylation in MCF-7Ca cells, and long-term letrozole-treated (LTLT-Ca) cells had increased expression and activation levels of EGFR, HER2, and ERBB3. Treatment with seribantumab, but not letrozole, inhibited basal and heregulin-mediated ERBB receptor phosphorylation and downstream effector activation in letrozole-sensitive (MCF-7Ca) and -refractory (LTLT-Ca) cells. Notably, in MCF-7Ca-derived xenograft tumors, cotreatment with seribantumab and letrozole had increased antitumor activity compared with letrozole alone, which was accompanied by downregulated PI3K/MTOR signaling both prior to and after the development of resistance to letrozole. Moreover, the addition of an MTOR inhibitor to this treatment regimen did not improve antitumor activity and was not well tolerated. Our results demonstrate that heregulin-driven ERBB3 signaling mediates resistance to letrozole in a preclinical model of ER(+) breast cancer, suggesting that heregulin-expressing ER(+) breast cancer patients may benefit from the addition of seribantumab to antiendocrine therapy. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

  7. Significance and Application of Digital Breast Tomosynthesis for the BI-RADS Classification of Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Cai, Si-Qing; Yan, Jian-Xiang; Chen, Qing-Shi; Huang, Mei-Ling; Cai, Dong-Lu

    2015-01-01

    Full-field digital mammography (FFDM) with dense breasts has a high rate of missed diagnosis, and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) could reduce organization overlapping and provide more reliable images for BI-RADS classification. This study aims to explore application of COMBO (FFDM+DBT) for effect and significance of BI-RADS classification of breast cancer. In this study, we selected 832 patients who had been treated from May 2013 to November 2013. Classify FFDM and COMBO examination according to BI-RADS separately and compare the differences for glands in the image of the same patient in judgment, mass characteristics display and indirect signs. Employ Paired Wilcoxon rank sum test was used in 79 breast cancer patients to find differences between two examine methods. The results indicated that COMBO pattern is able to observe more details in distribution of glands when estimating content. Paired Wilcoxon rank sum test showed that overall classification level of COMBO is higher significantly compared to FFDM to BI-RADS diagnosis and classification of breast (P<0.05). The area under FFDM ROC curve is 0.805, while that is 0.941 in COMBO pattern. COMBO shows relation of mass with the surrounding tissues, the calcification in the mass, and multiple foci clearly in breast cancer tissues. The optimal sensitivity of cut-off value in COMBO pattern is 82.9%, which is higher than that in FFDM (60%). They share the same specificity which is both 93.2%. Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (DBT) could be used for the BI-RADS classification in breast cancer in clinical.

  8. Gene therapy for carcinoma of the breast

    PubMed Central

    Stoff-Khalili, MA; Dall, P; Curiel, DT

    2007-01-01

    In view of the limited success of available treatment modalities for breast cancer, alternative and complementary strategies need to be developed. The delineation of the molecular basis of breast cancer provides the possibility of specific intervention by gene therapy through the introduction of genetic material for therapeutic purposes. In this regard, several gene therapy approaches for carcinoma of the breast have been developed. These approaches can be divided into six broad categories: (1) mutation compensation, (2) molecular chemotherapy, (3) proapoptotic gene therapy, (4) antiangiogenic gene therapy, (5) genetic immunopotentiation, and (6) genetic modulation of resistance/sensitivity. Clinical trials for breast cancer have been initiated to evaluate safety, toxicity, and efficacy. Combined modality therapy with gene therapy and chemotherapy or radiation therapy has shown promising results. It is expected that as new therapeutic targets and approaches are identified and advances in vector design are realized, gene therapy will play an increasing role in clinical breast cancer treatment. PMID:16410823

  9. Aluminum concentrations in central and peripheral areas of malignant breast lesions do not differ from those in normal breast tissues

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Aluminum is used in a wide range of applications and is a potential environmental hazard. The known genotoxic effects of aluminum might play a role in the development of breast cancer. However, the data currently available on the subject are not sufficient to establish a causal relationship between aluminum exposure and the augmented risk of developing breast cancer. To achieve maximum sensitivity and specificity in the determination of aluminum levels, we have developed a detection protocol using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). The objective of the present study was to compare the aluminum levels in the central and peripheral areas of breast carcinomas with those in the adjacent normal breast tissues, and to identify patient and/or tumor characteristics associated with these aluminum levels. Methods A total of 176 patients with breast cancer were included in the study. Samples from the central and peripheral areas of their tumors were obtained, as well as from the surrounding normal breast tissue. Aluminum quantification was performed using GFAAS. Results The average (mean ± SD) aluminum concentrations were as follows: central area, 1.88 ± 3.60 mg/kg; peripheral area, 2.10 ± 5.67 mg/kg; and normal area, 1.68 ± 11.1 mg/kg. Overall and two-by-two comparisons of the aluminum concentrations in these areas indicated no significant differences. We detected a positive relationship between aluminum levels in the peripheral areas of the tumors, age and menopausal status of the patients (P = .02). Conclusions Using a sensitive quantification technique we detected similar aluminum concentrations in the central and peripheral regions of breast tumors, and in normal tissues. In addition, we did not detect significant differences in aluminum concentrations as related to the location of the breast tumor within the breast, or to other relevant tumor features such as stage, size and steroid receptor status. The next

  10. Iranian Women's Breast Health-Seeking Behaviors: Husband's Role.

    PubMed

    Mazloomy-Mahmoodabad, Seyed Saeed; Khodayarian, Mahsa; Morowatisharifabad, Mohammad Ali; Lamyian, Minoor; Tavangar, Hossein

    2017-12-14

    Breast cancer has become the most common cancer among Yazdi women in Iran. Thus, it is necessary to encourage these women to participate in breast health-seeking behaviors. In this regard, husbands can play an effective role. The aim of this study was to explore women's perceptions about the effect of their husband's role on breast health-seeking protection motivation. This study used a directed qualitative content analysis approach based on the Protection Motivation Theory. Participants were selected using purposive sampling; in-depth semistructured interviews with 14 Yazdi women were completed. One major category named "motivator role of husband" emerged from the analysis. The following subcategories underlying this category were "indifference and a lack of support as long as the women can continue with expected duties," "what women want for support," "facilitating and restrictive factors of husband's supportive role," "public health education needed," and "husband's agreement with preventive actions." Voluntary participation in breast health-seeking behaviors is a culturally sensitive topic. The qualitative methodology allowed this sensitive topic and its different aspects to be explored. The findings indicated that the major source of support for women was their husband's behavior toward breast health-seeking actions. Family cohesion and love among couples were identified as strong determinant factors pertaining to husband's supportive behaviors. The study findings provided deeper understanding about the effective factors related to a husband's role in motivating a wife to practice breast cancer prevention. These new findings are relevant for health educators and practitioners to develop culturally based interventions.

  11. Positron emission mammography in the diagnosis of breast cancer. Is maximum PEM uptake value a valuable threshold for malignant breast cancer detection?

    PubMed

    Müller, F H H; Farahati, J; Müller, A G; Gillman, E; Hentschel, M

    2016-01-01

    To evaluate the diagnostic value (sensitivity, specificity) of positron emission mammography (PEM) in a single site non-interventional study using the maximum PEM uptake value (PUVmax). In a singlesite, non-interventional study, 108 patients (107 women, 1 man) with a total of 151 suspected lesions were scanned with a PEM Flex Solo II (Naviscan) at 90 min p.i. with 3.5 MBq 18F-FDG per kg of body weight. In this ROI(region of interest)-based analysis, maximum PEM uptake value (PUV) was determined in lesions, tumours (PUVmaxtumour), benign lesions (PUVmaxnormal breast) and also in healthy tissues on the contralateral side (PUVmaxcontralateral breast). These values were compared and contrasted. In addition, the ratios of PUVmaxtumour / PUVmaxcontralateral breast and PUVmaxnormal breast / PUVmaxcontralateral breast were compared. The image data were interpreted independently by two experienced nuclear medicine physicians and compared with histology in cases of suspected carcinoma. Based on a criteria of PUV>1.9, 31 out of 151 lesions in the patient cohort were found to be malignant (21%). A mean PUVmaxtumour of 3.78 ± 2.47 was identified in malignant tumours, while a mean PUVmaxnormal breast of 1.17 ± 0.37 was reported in the glandular tissue of the healthy breast, with the difference being statistically significant (p < 0.001). Similarly, the mean ratio between tumour and healthy glandular tissue in breast cancer patients (3.15 ± 1.58) was found to be significantly higher than the ratio for benign lesions (1.17 ± 0.41, p < 0.001). PEM is capable of differentiating breast tumours from benign lesions with 100% sensitivity along with a high specificity of 96%, when a threshold of PUVmax >1.9 is applied.

  12. Neratinib overcomes trastuzumab resistance in HER2 amplified breast cancer

    PubMed Central

    Mullooly, Maeve; Bennett, Ruth; Bouguern, Noujoude; Pedersen, Kasper; O'Brien, Neil A; Roxanis, Ioannis; Li, Ji-Liang; Bridge, Esther; Finn, Richard; Slamon, Dennis; McGowan, Patricia; Duffy, Michael J.

    2013-01-01

    Trastuzumab has been shown to improve the survival outcomes of HER2 positive breast cancer patients. However, a significant proportion of HER2-positive patients are either inherently resistant or develop resistance to trastuzumab. We assessed the effects of neratinib, an irreversible panHER inhibitor, in a panel of 36 breast cancer cell lines. We further assessed its effects with or without trastuzumab in several sensitive and resistant breast cancer cells as well as a BT474 xenograft model. We confirmed that neratinib was significantly more active in HER2-amplified than HER2 non-amplified cell lines. Neratinib decreased the activation of the 4 HER receptors and inhibited downstream pathways. However, HER3 and Akt were reactivated at 24 hours, which was prevented by the combination of trastuzumab and neratinib. Neratinib also decreased pHER2 and pHER3 in acquired trastuzumab resistant cells. Neratinib in combination with trastuzumab had a greater growth inhibitory effect than either drug alone in 4 HER2 positive cell lines. Furthermore, trastuzumab in combination with neratinib was growth inhibitory in SKBR3 and BT474 cells which had acquired resistance to trastuzumab as well as in a BT474 xenograft model. Innately trastuzumab resistant cell lines showed sensitivity to neratinib, but the combination did not enhance response compared to neratinib alone. Levels of HER2 and phospho-HER2 showed a direct correlation with sensitivity to neratinib. Our data indicate that neratinib is an effective anti-HER2 therapy and counteracted both innate and acquired trastuzumab resistance in HER2 positive breast cancer. Our results suggest that combined treatment with trastuzumab and neratinib is likely to be more effective than either treatment alone for both trastuzumab-sensitive breast cancer as well as HER2-positive tumors with acquired resistance to trastuzumab. PMID:24009064

  13. Neratinib overcomes trastuzumab resistance in HER2 amplified breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Canonici, Alexandra; Gijsen, Merel; Mullooly, Maeve; Bennett, Ruth; Bouguern, Noujoude; Pedersen, Kasper; O'Brien, Neil A; Roxanis, Ioannis; Li, Ji-Liang; Bridge, Esther; Finn, Richard; Siamon, Dennis; McGowan, Patricia; Duffy, Michael J; O'Donovan, Norma; Crown, John; Kong, Anthony

    2013-10-01

    Trastuzumab has been shown to improve the survival outcomes of HER2 positive breast cancer patients. However, a significant proportion of HER2-positive patients are either inherently resistant or develop resistance to trastuzumab. We assessed the effects of neratinib, an irreversible panHER inhibitor, in a panel of 36 breast cancer cell lines. We further assessed its effects with or without trastuzumab in several sensitive and resistant breast cancer cells as well as a BT474 xenograft model. We confirmed that neratinib was significantly more active in HER2-amplified than HER2 non-amplified cell lines. Neratinib decreased the activation of the 4 HER receptors and inhibited downstream pathways. However, HER3 and Akt were reactivated at 24 hours, which was prevented by the combination of trastuzumab and neratinib. Neratinib also decreased pHER2 and pHER3 in acquired trastuzumab resistant cells. Neratinib in combination with trastuzumab had a greater growth inhibitory effect than either drug alone in 4 HER2 positive cell lines. Furthermore, trastuzumab in combination with neratinib was growth inhibitory in SKBR3 and BT474 cells which had acquired resistance to trastuzumab as well as in a BT474 xenograft model. Innately trastuzumab resistant cell lines showed sensitivity to neratinib, but the combination did not enhance response compared to neratinib alone. Levels of HER2 and phospho-HER2 showed a direct correlation with sensitivity to neratinib. Our data indicate that neratinib is an effective anti-HER2 therapy and counteracted both innate and acquired trastuzumab resistance in HER2 positive breast cancer. Our results suggest that combined treatment with trastuzumab and neratinib is likely to be more effective than either treatment alone for both trastuzumab-sensitive breast cancer as well as HER2-positive tumors with acquired resistance to trastuzumab.

  14. Validation of a measurement tool to assess awareness of breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Linsell, Louise; Forbes, Lindsay J L; Burgess, Caroline; Kapari, Marcia; Thurnham, Angela; Ramirez, Amanda J

    2010-05-01

    Until now, there has been no universally accepted and validated measure of breast cancer awareness. This study aimed to validate the new Breast Cancer Awareness Measure (BCAM) which assesses, using a self-complete questionnaire, knowledge of breast cancer symptoms and age-related risk, and frequency of breast checking. We measured the psychometric properties of the BCAM in 1035 women attending the NHS Breast Screening Programme: acceptability was assessed using a feedback questionnaire (n=292); sensitivity to change after an intervention promoting breast cancer awareness (n=576), and test-retest reliability (n=167). We also assessed readability, and construct validity using the 'known-groups' method. The readability of the BCAM was high. Over 90% of women found it acceptable. The BCAM was sensitive to change: there was an increase in the proportion of women obtaining the full score for breast cancer awareness one month after receiving the intervention promoting breast cancer awareness; this was greater among those who received a more intensive version (less intensive version (booklet): 9.3%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.5-14.1%; more intensive version (interaction with health professional plus booklet): 30%, 95% CI: 23.4-36.6%). Test-retest reliability of the BCAM was moderate to good for most items. Cancer experts had higher levels of cancer awareness than non-medical academics (50% versus 6%, p=0.001), indicating good construct validity. The BCAM is a valid and robust measure of breast cancer awareness suitable for use in surveys of breast cancer awareness in the general population and to evaluate the impact of awareness-raising interventions. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. GENOMIC PREDICTOR OF RESPONSE AND SURVIVAL FOLLOWING TAXANE-ANTHRACYCLINE CHEMOTHERAPY FOR INVASIVE BREAST CANCER

    PubMed Central

    Hatzis, Christos; Pusztai, Lajos; Valero, Vicente; Booser, Daniel J.; Esserman, Laura; Lluch, Ana; Vidaurre, Tatiana; Holmes, Frankie; Souchon, Eduardo; Martin, Miguel; Cotrina, José; Gomez, Henry; Hubbard, Rebekah; Chacón, J. Ignacio; Ferrer-Lozano, Jaime; Dyer, Richard; Buxton, Meredith; Gong, Yun; Wu, Yun; Ibrahim, Nuhad; Andreopoulou, Eleni; Ueno, Naoto T.; Hunt, Kelly; Yang, Wei; Nazario, Arlene; DeMichele, Angela; O’Shaughnessy, Joyce; Hortobagyi, Gabriel N.; Symmans, W. Fraser

    2017-01-01

    CONTEXT Accurate prediction of who will (or won’t) have high probability of survival benefit from standard treatments is fundamental for individualized cancer treatment strategies. OBJECTIVE To develop a predictor of response and survival from chemotherapy for newly diagnosed invasive breast cancer. DESIGN Development of different predictive signatures for resistance and response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (stratified according to estrogen receptor (ER) status) from gene expression microarrays of newly diagnosed breast cancer (310 patients). Then prediction of breast cancer treatment-sensitivity using the combination of signatures for: 1) sensitivity to endocrine therapy, 2) chemo-resistance, and 3) chemo-sensitivity. Independent validation (198 patients) and comparison with other reported genomic predictors of chemotherapy response. SETTING Prospective multicenter study to develop and test genomic predictors for neoadjuvant chemotherapy. PATIENTS Newly diagnosed HER2-negative breast cancer treated with chemotherapy containing sequential taxane and anthracycline-based regimens then endocrine therapy (if hormone receptor-positive). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Distant relapse-free survival (DRFS) if predicted treatment-sensitive and absolute risk reduction (ARR, difference in DRFS of the two predicted groups) at median follow-up (3 years), and their 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS Patients in the independent validation cohort (99% clinical Stage II–III) who were predicted to be treatment-sensitive (28% of total) had DRFS of 92% (CI 85–100) and survival benefit compared to others (absolute risk reduction (ARR) 18%; CI 6–28). Predictions were accurate if breast cancer was ER-positive (30% predicted sensitive, DRFS 97%, CI 91–100; ARR 11%, CI 0.1–21) or ER-negative (26% predicted sensitive, DRFS 83%, CI 68–100; ARR 26%, CI 4–28), and were significant in multivariate analysis after adjusting for relevant clinical-pathologic characteristics. Other

  16. Preoperative axillary lymph node evaluation in breast cancer patients by breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): Can breast MRI exclude advanced nodal disease?

    PubMed

    Hyun, Su Jeong; Kim, Eun-Kyung; Moon, Hee Jung; Yoon, Jung Hyun; Kim, Min Jung

    2016-11-01

    To evaluate the diagnostic performance of breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in preoperative evaluation of axillary lymph node metastasis (ALNM) in breast cancer patients and to assess whether breast MRI can be used to exclude advanced nodal disease. A total of 425 patients were included in this study and breast MRI findings were retrospectively reviewed. The diagnostic performance of breast MRI for diagnosis of ALNM was evaluated in all patients, patients with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), and those without NAC (no-NAC). We evaluated whether negative MRI findings (cN0) can exclude advanced nodal disease (pN2-pN3) using the negative predictive value (NPV) in each group. The sensitivity and NPV of breast MRI in evaluation of ALNM was 51.3 % (60/117) and 83.3 % (284/341), respectively. For cN0 cases on MRI, pN2-pN3 manifested in 1.8 % (6/341) of the overall patients, 0.4 % (1/257) of the no-NAC group, and 6 % (5/84) of the NAC group. The NPV of negative MRI findings for exclusion of pN2-pN3 was higher for the no-NAC group than for the NAC group (99.6 % vs. 94.0 %, p = 0.039). Negative MRI findings (cN0) can exclude the presence of advanced nodal disease with an NPV of 99.6 % in the no-NAC group. • Breast MRI can be used to exclude advanced nodal disease (pN2-3). • Negative MRI allows breast cancer patients to avoid unnecessary axillary surgery (98.2 %). • Negative MRI findings exclude 99.6 % of pN2-pN3 in the no-NAC group. • Negative MRI findings exclude 96.0 % of pN2-pN3 in the NAC group.

  17. The Use of Chlorhexidine/n-Propyl Gallate (CPG) as an Ambient-Temperature Urine Preservative

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nillen, Jeannie L.; Smith, Scott M.

    2003-01-01

    A safe, effective ambient temperature urine preservative, chlorhexidine/n-propyl gallate (CPG), has been formulated for use during spacefli ght that reduces the effects of oxidation and bacterial contamination on sample integrity while maintaining urine pH. The ability of this preservative to maintain stability of nine key analytes was evaluated for a period of one year. CPG effectively maintained stability of a mmonia, total nitrogen, 3-methylhistidine, chloride, sodium, potassiu m, and urea; however, creatinine and osmolality were not preserved by CPG. These data indicate that CPG offers prolonged room-temperature storage for multiple urine analytes, reducing the requirements for f rozen urine storage on future spaceflights. Iii medical applications on Earth, this technology can allow urine samples to be collected in remote settings and eliminate the need to ship frozen samples.

  18. Disruption of p53 function sensitizes breast cancer MCF-7 cells to cisplatin and pentoxifylline.

    PubMed

    Fan, S; Smith, M L; Rivet, D J; Duba, D; Zhan, Q; Kohn, K W; Fornace, A J; O'Connor, P M

    1995-04-15

    The possibility that appropriately designed chemotherapy could act selectively against p53-defective tumor cells was explored in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. These cells were chosen because they have normal p53 function but are representative of a tumor cell type that does not readily undergo p53-dependent apoptosis. Two sublines (MCF-7/E6 and MCF-7/mu-p53) were established in which p53 function was disrupted by transfection with either the human papillomavirus type-16 E6 gene or a dominant-negative mutant p53 gene. p53 function in MCF-7/E6 and MCF-7/mu-p53 cells was defective relative to control cells in that there were no increases in p53 or p21Waf1/Cip1 protein levels and no G1 arrest following exposure to ionizing radiation. Survival assays showed that p53 disruption sensitized MCF-7 cells to cisplatin (CDDP) but not to several other DNA-damaging agents. CDDP sensitization was not limited to MCF-7 cells since p53 disruption in human colon carcinoma RKO cells also enhanced sensitivity to CDDP. Contrary to the other DNA-damaging agents tested, CDDP-induced DNA lesions are repaired extensively by nucleotide excision, and in agreement with a defect in this process, MCF-7/E6 and MCF-7/mu-p53 cells exhibited a reduced ability to repair a CDDP-damaged chloramphenicol acetyltransferase-reporter plasmid transfected into the cells. Therefore, we attributed the increased CDDP sensitivity of MCF-7 cells with disrupted p53 to defects in G1 checkpoint control, nucleotide excision repair, or both. The G2 checkpoint inhibitor pentoxifylline exhibited synergism with CDDP in killing MCF-7/E6 cells but did not affect sensitivity of the control cells. Moreover, pentoxifylline inhibited G2 checkpoint function to a greater extent in MCF-7/E6 than in the parental cells. These results suggested that, in the absence of p53 function, cancer cells are more vulnerable to G2 checkpoint abrogators. Our results show that a combination of CDDP and pentoxifylline is capable of synergistic

  19. Bombesin Encapsulated in Long-Circulating pH-Sensitive Liposomes as a Radiotracer for Breast Tumor Identification.

    PubMed

    De Barros, André Luís Branco; Mota, Luciene Das Graças; Coelho, Marina Melo Antunes; Corrêa, Natássia Caroline Resende; De Góes, Alfredo Miranda; Oliveira, Mônica Cristina; Cardoso, Valbert Nascimento

    2015-02-01

    Bombesin (BBN) is a tetradecapeptide that binds specifically to gastrin-releasing peptide receptors in humans. These receptors are over-expressed in several forms of cancer; radiolabeled BBN could therefore be used to detect such cancers. However, the degradation of peptides is a critical issue in the development of tumor tracers. Liposomes can be used to overcome this problem and improve the uptake of tracers by tumors. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to prepare and characterize long-circulating and pH-sensitive liposomes (SpHL) containing 99mTc-HYNIC-βAla-Bombesin(7-14) (99mTc-BBN(7-14). In addition, the ability of this system to identify human breast cancer tissue was evaluated using biodistribution studies and scintigraphic images. Long-circulating and pH-sensitive liposomes (SpHL) were prepared and freeze-dried in the presence of cryoprotectants (glucose, mannitol, and trehalose). They were subsequently reconstituted with a solution of 99mTc-HYNIC-βAla-Bombesin(7-14) (99mTc-BBN(7-14)). The liposomes were evaluated for size, encapsulation percentage, radiotracer leakage, and storage stability. In addition, in vivo studies were performed in breast tumor-bearing nude mice. Liposomes in the presence of glucose (SpHLG), exhibited a mean diameter of 164.5 ± 6.5 nm and exhibited a 99mTc-BBN(7-14) encapsulation percentage of 30%. In addition, they remained highly stable for up to 120 days of storage. SpHLG- 99mTc-BBN(7-14) showed longer blood circulation than free 99mTc-BBN(7-14), did. The tumor-to-muscle and tumor-to-blood ratios for SpHLG-99mTc-BBN(7-14 were high at 4 h post-injection (9.31%ID/g and 7.93%ID/g, respectively). Furthermore, scintigraphic images revealed a strong signal in the tumor area, indicating tumor specificity of SpHLG-99mTc-BBN(7-14). In summary, SpHLG-99mTc-BBN(7-14) presented characteristics suitable for a diagnostic agent, and is a potential tool for tumor identification.

  20. Contact sensitization to cosmetic series of allergens in a general population in Beijing.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Jian; Li, Lin-Feng

    2014-03-01

    Cosmetic allergic contact dermatitis (CACD) due to common cosmetic allergens in standard series has been extensively studied; however, the prevalence of contact allergy to other cosmetic allergens other than those in standard series is largely unknown. In this study, the frequency of contact sensitization to a European cosmetic series of allergens (Chemotechnique Diagnostics, Vellinge, Sweden) in healthy university student volunteers were detected in Beijing. Of 201 students studied, fifty-eight exhibited positive results, and 9 of them reported had cosmetics related dermatitis previously. The total positivity rate was not correlated to gender. The leading allergens were thimerosal (19.4%), shellac (3.0%), cocamidopropyl betaine (2.0%), hexamethylenetetramine (1.5%), dodecyl gallate (1.5%), hexahydro-1,3,5-tris-(2-hydroxyethyl)triazine (1.0%) and methyldibromo glutaronitrile (1.0%). The positivity rate of thimerosal patch test in men (9.8%) was lower than that of women (23.6%, P < 0.05, Chi square test), but no difference could be found between the prevalence of other cosmetic allergens in men and women (P > 0.05, Chi square test). These results suggested that some cosmetic-related contact allergies may be missed by just testing patients with the European standard series or T.R.U.E. test system only, we recommend shellac, cocamidopropyl betaine, hexamethylenetetramine and dodecyl gallate as the additionally candidates for patch testing in patients with suspected CACD. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Dietary Natural Products for Prevention and Treatment of Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Li, Ya; Li, Sha; Meng, Xiao; Gan, Ren-You; Zhang, Jiao-Jiao; Li, Hua-Bin

    2017-07-08

    Breast cancer is the most common cancer among females worldwide. Several epidemiological studies suggested the inverse correlation between the intake of vegetables and fruits and the incidence of breast cancer. Substantial experimental studies indicated that many dietary natural products could affect the development and progression of breast cancer, such as soy, pomegranate, mangosteen, citrus fruits, apple, grape, mango, cruciferous vegetables, ginger, garlic, black cumin, edible macro-fungi, and cereals. Their anti-breast cancer effects involve various mechanisms of action, such as downregulating ER-α expression and activity, inhibiting proliferation, migration, metastasis and angiogenesis of breast tumor cells, inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, and sensitizing breast tumor cells to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. This review summarizes the potential role of dietary natural products and their major bioactive components in prevention and treatment of breast cancer, and special attention was paid to the mechanisms of action.

  2. Dietary Natural Products for Prevention and Treatment of Breast Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Li, Ya; Li, Sha; Meng, Xiao; Zhang, Jiao-Jiao

    2017-01-01

    Breast cancer is the most common cancer among females worldwide. Several epidemiological studies suggested the inverse correlation between the intake of vegetables and fruits and the incidence of breast cancer. Substantial experimental studies indicated that many dietary natural products could affect the development and progression of breast cancer, such as soy, pomegranate, mangosteen, citrus fruits, apple, grape, mango, cruciferous vegetables, ginger, garlic, black cumin, edible macro-fungi, and cereals. Their anti-breast cancer effects involve various mechanisms of action, such as downregulating ER-α expression and activity, inhibiting proliferation, migration, metastasis and angiogenesis of breast tumor cells, inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, and sensitizing breast tumor cells to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. This review summarizes the potential role of dietary natural products and their major bioactive components in prevention and treatment of breast cancer, and special attention was paid to the mechanisms of action. PMID:28698459

  3. Preparation and characterization of (−)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG)-loaded nanoparticles and their inhibitory effects on Human breast cancer MCF-7 cells

    PubMed Central

    Zeng, Liang; Yan, Jingna; Luo, Liyong; Ma, Mengjun; Zhu, Huiqun

    2017-01-01

    We were employing nanotechnology to improve the targeting ability of (−)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) towards MCF-7 cells, and two kinds of EGCG nanoparticles (FA-NPS-PEG and FA-PEG-NPS) were obtained, besides, their characteristics and effects on MCF-7 cells were studied. The results indicated that (i) both FA-NPS-PEG and FA-PEG-NPS have high stabilities; (ii) their particles sizes were 185.0 ± 13.5 nm and 142.7 ± 7.2 nm, respectively; (iii) their encapsulation efficiencies of EGCG were 90.36 ± 2.20% and 39.79 ± 7.54%, respectively. (iv) there was no cytotoxicity observed in EGCG, FA-NPS-PEG and FA-PEG-NPS toward MCF-7 cells over all concentrations (0~400 μg/mL) tested; (v) EGCG, FA-NPS-PEG and FA-PEG-NPS inhibited MCF-7 cells proliferation in dose-dependent manners, with the average IC50 of 470.5 ± 33.0, 65.9 ± 0.4 and 66.6 ± 0.6 μg/mL; (vi) EGCG, FA-NPS-PEG and FA-PEG-NPS could modulated the expressions of several key regulatory proteins in PI3K-Akt pathway such as up-regulation of PTEN, p21 and Bax, and down-regulation of p-PDK1, p-AKT, CyclinD1 and Bcl-2, which gave an illustration about the mechanism by which EGCG nanoparticles inhibited MCF-7 cells proliferation. In this study, EGCG nanoparticles can significantly enhance the targeting ability and efficacy of EGCG, which is considered to an experimental foundation for further research on its activity, targeting ability and metabolism in vivo. PMID:28349962

  4. Characterization and cloning of laccase gene from Hericium coralloides NBRC 7716 suitable for production of epitheaflagallin 3-O-gallate.

    PubMed

    Itoh, Nobuya; Takagi, Shinya; Miki, Asami; Kurokawa, Junji

    2016-01-01

    Epitheaflagallin 3-O-gallate (ETFGg) is a minor polyphenol found in black tea extract, which has good physiological functions. It is synthesized from epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) with gallic acid via laccase oxidation. Various basidiomycetes and fungi were screened to find a suitable laccase for the production of ETFGg. A basidiomycete, Hericium coralloides NBRC 7716, produced an appropriate extracellular laccase. The purified laccase produced twice the level of ETFGg compared with commercially available laccase from Trametes sp. The enzyme, termed Lcc2, is a monomeric protein with an apparent molecular mass of 67.2 kDa. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of Lcc2 is quite different from laccase isolated from the fruiting bodies of Hericium. Lcc2 showed similar substrate specificity to known laccases and could oxidize various phenolic substrates, including pyrogallol, gallic acid, and 2,6-dimethoxyphenol. The full-length lcc2 gene was obtained by PCR using degenerate primers, which were designed based on the N-terminal amino acid sequence of Lcc2 and conserved copper-binding sites of laccases, and 5'-, and 3'-RACE PCR with mRNA. The Lcc2 gene showed homology with Lentinula edodes laccase (sharing 77% amino acid identity with Lcc6). We successfully produced extracellular Lcc2 using a heterologous expression system with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Moreover, it was confirmed that the recombinant laccase generates similar levels of ETFGg as the native enzyme. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Hepcidin as a possible marker in determination of malignancy degree and sensitivity of breast cancer cells to cytostatic drugs.

    PubMed

    Yalovenko, T M; Todor, I M; Lukianova, N Y; Chekhun, V F

    2016-06-01

    To investigate the role of hepcidin (Hepc) in the formation of cells malignant phenotype in vitro and its expression in the dyna-mics of growth of Walker-256 carcinosarcoma with different sensitivity to doxorubicin (Dox). The cell lines used in the analysis included T47D, MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, MCF/CP, and MCF/Dox. Hepc expression was studied by immunocytochemical method. "Free" iron content was determined by EPR spectroscopy. Determination of Hepc expression in homogenates of tumor tissue and in blood serum of rats with Dox-sensitive and -resistant Walker-256 carcinosarcoma was performed. It was found that Hepc levels in breast cancer (BC) cells with high degree of malignancy (MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468) and drug-resistant phenotype (MCF/CP, MCF/Dox) were by 1.5-2 times higher (p < 0.05) in comparison with sensitive and less malignant BC cells. The development of drug-resistant phenotype in Walker-256 carcinosarcoma cells was accompanied by increasing of Hepc and "free" iron content (by 2.4 and 1.2 times, respectively). The data of in vitro and in vivo research evidenced on involvement of Hepc in formation of BC cells malignant phenotype and their resistance to Dox.

  6. Trafficking Microenvironmental pHs of Polycationic Gene Vectors in Drug-Sensitive and Multidrug-Resistant MCF7 Breast Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Kang, Han Chang; Samsonova, Olga; Bae, You Han

    2010-01-01

    While multidrug resistance (MDR) has been a significant issue in cancer chemotherapy, delivery resistance to various anticancer biotherapeutics, including genes, has not been widely recognized as a property of MDR. This study aims to provide a better understanding of the transfection characteristics of drug-sensitive and drug-resistant cells by tracing microenvironmental pHs of two representative polymer vectors: poly(l-lysine) and polyethyleneimine. Drug-sensitive breast MCF7 cells had four- to seven-times higher polymeric transfection efficiencies than their counterpart drug-resistant MCF7/ADR-RES cells. Polyplexes in MCF7/ADR-RES cells after endocytosis were exposed to a more acidic microenvironment than those in MCF7 cells; the MDR cells show faster acidification rates in endosomes/lysosomes than the drug-sensitive cells after endocytosis (in the case of PLL/pDNA complexes, ~ pH 5.1 for MCF7/ADR-RES cells vs. ~ pH 6.8 for MCF7 cells at 0.5 hr post-transfection). More polyplexes were identified trapped in acidic subcellular compartments of MCF7/ADR-RES cells than in MCF7 cells, suggesting that they lack endosomal escaping activity. These findings demonstrate that the design of polymer-based gene delivery therapeutics should take into account the pH of subcellular compartments. PMID:20092888

  7. Cosmetic Contact Sensitivity in Patients with Melasma: Results of a Pilot Study

    PubMed Central

    Prabha, Neel; Mahajan, Vikram K.; Mehta, Karaninder S.; Chauhan, Pushpinder S.

    2014-01-01

    Background. Some of the patients with melasma perhaps have pigmented cosmetic dermatitis. However, cosmetic contact sensitivity in melasma remains poorly studied particularly in the Indian context. Objectives. To study cosmetic contact sensitivity in patients with melasma. Materials and Methods. 67 (F : M = 55 : 12) consecutive patients with melasma between 19 and 49 years of age were patch tested sequentially during January–December, 2012, with Indian Cosmetic and Fragrance Series, Indian Sunscreen Series, p-phenylenediamine, and patient's own cosmetic products. Results. 52 (78%) patients were in the age group of 20–40 years. The duration of melasma varied from 1 month to 20 years. Centrofacial, malar, and mandibular patterns were observed in 48 (72%), 18 (27%), and 1 (1%) patients, respectively. Indian Cosmetics and Fragrance Series elicited positive reactions in 29 (43.3%) patients. Cetrimide was the most common contact sensitizers eliciting positivity in 15 (52%) patients, followed by gallate mix in 9 (31%) patients and thiomersal in 7 (24%) patients. Only 2 of the 42 patients showed positive reaction from their own cosmetics while the other 5 patients had irritant reaction. Indian Sunscreen Series did not elicit any positive reaction. Conclusion. Cosmetics contact sensitivity appears as an important cause of melasma not associated with pregnancy, lactation, or hormone therapy. PMID:25132846

  8. Clarifying the debate on population-based screening for breast cancer with mammography

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Tony Hsiu-Hsi; Yen, Amy Ming-Fang; Fann, Jean Ching-Yuan; Gordon, Paula; Chen, Sam Li-Sheng; Chiu, Sherry Yueh-Hsia; Hsu, Chen-Yang; Chang, King-Jen; Lee, Won-Chul; Yeoh, Khay Guan; Saito, Hiroshi; Promthet, Supannee; Hamashima, Chisato; Maidin, Alimin; Robinson, Fredie; Zhao, Li-Zhong

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Background: The recent controversy about using mammography to screen for breast cancer based on randomized controlled trials over 3 decades in Western countries has not only eclipsed the paradigm of evidence-based medicine, but also puts health decision-makers in countries where breast cancer screening is still being considered in a dilemma to adopt or abandon such a well-established screening modality. Methods: We reanalyzed the empirical data from the Health Insurance Plan trial in 1963 to the UK age trial in 1991 and their follow-up data published until 2015. We first performed Bayesian conjugated meta-analyses on the heterogeneity of attendance rate, sensitivity, and over-detection and their impacts on advanced stage breast cancer and death from breast cancer across trials using Bayesian Poisson fixed- and random-effect regression model. Bayesian meta-analysis of causal model was then developed to assess a cascade of causal relationships regarding the impact of both attendance and sensitivity on 2 main outcomes. Results: The causes of heterogeneity responsible for the disparities across the trials were clearly manifested in 3 components. The attendance rate ranged from 61.3% to 90.4%. The sensitivity estimates show substantial variation from 57.26% to 87.97% but improved with time from 64% in 1963 to 82% in 1980 when Bayesian conjugated meta-analysis was conducted in chronological order. The percentage of over-detection shows a wide range from 0% to 28%, adjusting for long lead-time. The impacts of the attendance rate and sensitivity on the 2 main outcomes were statistically significant. Causal inference made by linking these causal relationships with emphasis on the heterogeneity of the attendance rate and sensitivity accounted for the variation in the reduction of advanced breast cancer (none-30%) and of mortality (none-31%). We estimated a 33% (95% CI: 24–42%) and 13% (95% CI: 6–20%) breast cancer mortality reduction for the best scenario (90

  9. Identification of Breast Cancer-Associated Lipids in Scalp Hair

    PubMed Central

    Mistry, Dharmica A.H.; Haklani, Joseph; French, Peter W.

    2012-01-01

    A correlation between the presence of breast cancer and a change in the synchrotron-generated X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of hair has been reported in several publications by different groups, and on average XRD-based assays detect around 75% of breast cancer patients in blinded studies. To date, the molecular mechanisms leading to this alteration are largely unknown. We have determined that the alteration is likely to be due to the presence of one or more breast cancer-associated phospholipids. Further characterization of these lipids could be used to develop a novel, sensitive and specific screening test for breast cancer, based on hair initially, and potentially extendable to other biological samples. PMID:22872787

  10. Radiation sensitivity and EPR dosimetric potential of gallic acid and its esters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tuner, Hasan; Oktay Bal, M.; Polat, Mustafa

    2015-02-01

    In the preset work the radiation sensitivities of Gallic Acid anhydrous and monohydrate, Octyl, Lauryl, and Ethyl Gallate (GA, GAm, OG, LG, and EG) were investigated in the intermediate (0.5-20 kGy) and low radiation (<10 Gy) dose range using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. While OG, LG, and EG are presented a singlet EPR spectra, their radiation sensitivity found to be very different in the intermediate dose range. At low radiation dose range (<10 Gy) only LG is found to be present a signal that easily distinguished from the noise signals. The intermediate and low dose range radiation sensitivities are compared using well known EPR dosimeter alanine. The radiation yields (G) of the interested material were found to be 1.34×10-2, 1.48×10-2, 4.14×10-2, and 6.03×10-2, 9.44×10-2 for EG, GA, GAm, OG, and LG, respectively at the intermediate dose range. It is found that the simple EPR spectra and the noticeable EPR signal of LG make it a promising dosimetric material to be used below 10 Gy of radiation dose.

  11. Use of shear wave elastography to differentiate benign and malignant breast lesions

    PubMed Central

    Olgun, Deniz Çebi; Korkmazer, Bora; Kılıç, Fahrettin; Dikici, Atilla Süleyman; Velidedeoğlu, Mehmet; Aydoğan, Fatih; Kantarcı, Fatih; Yılmaz, Mehmet Halit

    2014-01-01

    PURPOSE We aimed to determine the correlations between the elasticity values of solid breast masses and histopathological findings to define cutoff elasticity values differentiating malignant from benign lesions. MATERIALS and METHODS A total of 115 solid breast lesions of 109 consecutive patients were evaluated prospectively using shear wave elastography (SWE). Two orthogonal elastographic images of each lesion were obtained. Minimum, mean, and maximum elasticity values were calculated in regions of interest placed over the stiffest areas on the two images; we also calculated mass/fat elasticity ratios. Correlation of elastographic measurements with histopathological results were studied. RESULTS Eighty-three benign and thirty-two malignant lesions were histopathologically diagnosed. The minimum, mean, and maximum elasticity values, and the mass/fat elasticity ratios of malignant lesions, were significantly higher than those of benign lesions. The cutoff value was 45.7 kPa for mean elasticity (sensitivity, 96%; specificity, 95%), 54.3 kPa for maximum elasticity (sensitivity, 95%; specificity, 94%), 37.1 kPa for minimum elasticity (sensitivity, 96%; specificity, 95%), and 4.6 for the mass/fat elasticity ratio (sensitivity, 97%; specificity, 95%). CONCLUSION SWE yields additional valuable quantitative data to ultrasonographic examination on solid breast lesions. SWE may serve as a complementary tool for diagnosis of breast lesions. Long-term clinical studies are required to accurately select lesions requiring biopsy. PMID:24509183

  12. Stability of Polyphenols Epigallocatechin Gallate and Pentagalloyl Glucose in a Simulated Digestive System

    PubMed Central

    Krook, Melanie A.; Hagerman, Ann E.

    2012-01-01

    Polyphenols found in foods and beverages are under intense scrutiny for their potential beneficial effects on human health. We examined the stability of two bioactive polyphenols, epigallocatechin-O-gallate (EGCg) and 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-β-D-glucopyranose (PGG), in a model digestive system at low oxygen tension with and without added digestive components and foods. Both compounds were stable at pH values of 5–6 and below, indicating gastric stability. Both compounds decomposed at pH 7.0. PGG was stabilized in a model system containing pepsin, pancreatin, bile and lipase, and/or baby food, but was not stabilized by dry cereal. EGCg was not stabilized by the addition of any biomolecule. The effects of polyphenols on human health should be evaluated in the context of their stability in the digestive tract with and without added digestive components and/or food. PMID:23028206

  13. Diagnosis of breast cancer using elastic-scattering spectroscopy: preliminary clinical results

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bigio, Irving J.; Brown, Stephen G.; Briggs, Gavin M.; Kelley, Christine; Lakhani, Sunil; Pickard, David; Ripley, Paul M.; Rose, Ian; Saunders, Christobel

    2000-04-01

    We report on the first stages of a clinical study designed to test elastic-scattering spectroscopy, medicated by fiberoptic probes, for three specific clinical applications in breast-tissue diagnosis: (1) a transdermal-needle (interstitial) measurement for instant diagnosis with minimal invasiveness similar to fine-needle aspiration but with sensitivity to a larger tissue volume, (2) a hand-held diagnostic probe for use in assessing tumor/resection margins during open surgery, and (3) use of the same probe for real-time assessment of the `sentinel' node during surgery to determine the presence or absence of tumor (metastatic). Preliminary results from in vivo measurements on 31 women are encouraging. Optical spectra were measured on 72 histology sites in breast tissue, and 54 histology sites in sentinel nodes. Two different artificial intelligence methods of spectral classification were studied. Artificial neural networks yielded sensitivities of 69% and 58%, and specificities of 85% and 93%, for breast tissue and sentinel nodes, respectively. Hierarchical cluster analysis yielded sensitivities of 67% and 91%, and specificities of 79% and 77%, for breast tissue and sentinel nodes, respectively. These values are expected to improve as the data sets continue to grow and more sophisticated data preprocessing is employed. The study will enroll up to 400 patients over the next two years.

  14. Nuclear medicine in breast cancer diagnostics: Primary tumor and lymphatic metastasis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sinilkin, I.; Medvedeva, A.; Chernov, V.; Slonimskaya, E.; Zelchan, R.; Bragina, O.

    2017-09-01

    The purpose of the study: to assess the possibility of using nuclear medicine techniques at the stages of diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Materials and Methods: The study included 290 patients with breast cancer and 70 patients with benign breast tumors. The study was used as a radiopharmaceutical 99mTc-MIBI, 199Tl for imaging tumors and colloid 99mTc-Aloteh for visualization sentinel lymph nodes (SLN), colloid was injected peritumoral in four points to 80 MBq one day prior to the planned operation. Results: The sensitivity of SPECT using both 99mTc-MIBI and 199Tl for breast cancer detection was shown to be rather high, being 98.5% and 98%, respectively. It should be noted that the sensitivity of SPECT in detection of small tumors (less than 1 cm in diameter) and multicentric tumors was not high irrespective of the radioisotope used (60% and 65% with 99mTc-MIBI and 65% and 59% with 199Tl, respectively). The difference in the sensitivity was found between 99mTc-MIBI and 199T for the detection of regional lymph node metastasis (91% vs 70%). SLN were detected in 31 patients. The most commonly SLN were defined in the axillary region of 96.7%. In 22 (70.9%) patients there was no metastasis SLN. The sensitivity of the method was 91.2%, specificity of 100%. Conclusion: The specificity of SPECT with 199Tl was higher than that with 99mTc-MIBI. The data obtained show that SPECT with 199Tl can be recommended for its use as an additional breast cancer detection method in cases when other imaging techniques and histological findings are not accurate enough. The clinical study of 99mTc-Aloteh, a new radiopharmaceutical agent, has shown that the studied colloid has high uptake level in SLN and can be successfully used for visualization of SLN in patients with breast cancer.

  15. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory bone resorption, and protects against alveolar bone loss in mice.

    PubMed

    Tominari, Tsukasa; Matsumoto, Chiho; Watanabe, Kenta; Hirata, Michiko; Grundler, Florian M W; Miyaura, Chisato; Inada, Masaki

    2015-01-01

    Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a major polyphenol in green tea, possesses antioxidant properties and regulates various cell functions. Here, we examined the function of EGCG in inflammatory bone resorption. In calvarial organ cultures, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced bone resorption was clearly suppressed by EGCG. In osteoblasts, EGCG suppressed the LPS-induced expression of COX-2 and mPGES-1 mRNAs, as well as prostaglandin E2 production, and also suppressed RANKL expression, which is essential for osteoclast differentiation. LPS-induced bone resorption of mandibular alveolar bones was attenuated by EGCG in vitro, and the loss of mouse alveolar bone mass was inhibited by the catechin in vivo.

  16. Technetium-99m sestamibi scintimammography complements mammography in the detection of breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Krishnaiah, Gayathri; Sher-Ahmed, Arifa; Ugwu-Dike, Martins; Regan, Patricia; Singer, John; Totoonchie, Adil; Spiegler, Ethan; Sardi, Armando

    2003-01-01

    Mammography remains the technique of choice for the detection of early breast cancer. The sensitivity of mammography is 85%, but is decreased in patients with dense breasts. Sestamibi scintimammography (SCM) has been suggested as an adjunctive modality to improve the detection of breast cancer. We conducted a study to determine the impact of SCM in patient management. A prospective study was conducted in 95 patients presenting with palpable masses and/or abnormal mammography scheduled for biopsy. Injection of 20-30 mCi of technetium-99m (Tc-99m) sestamibi into a pedal vein was performed. Ten-minute images of the breast and axilla were obtained in multiple projections. The mammography and SCM were correlated with pathology and clinical findings. The median age was 44 years (range 28-86 years). The total number of lesions was 104, as eight patients had bilateral lesions and one patient had two lesions in the same breast. Fifty-nine patients presented with palpable lesions and 45 patients with nonpalpable lesions (42 with abnormal mammography only and 3 with nipple discharge). A comparison of sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and overall accuracy of SCM and mammography were performed. The sensitivity and specificity for SCM were 83% and 83%, respectively, and for mammography were 65%, and 72%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity for combined SCM and mammography were 87% and 94%, respectively. The p-value for mammography versus combined SCM and mammography was 0.0003 and that for SCM versus SCM and mammography was 0.0098. There were 80 (77%) benign and 24 (23%) malignant lesions. Of the 24 malignancies, SCM missed six (25%), versus eight (33%) by mammography. In two patients (9%) SCM detected malignancy in the breast that was not visualized by mammography or found on clinical examination. Sestamibi SCM improves the sensitivity of mammography and it detects up to 9% of malignancies not detected by mammography or clinical

  17. Viral infections and breast cancer - A current perspective.

    PubMed

    Gannon, O M; Antonsson, A; Bennett, I C; Saunders, N A

    2018-04-28

    Sporadic human breast cancer is the most common cancer to afflict women. Since the discovery, decades ago, of the oncogenic mouse mammary tumour virus, there has been significant interest in the potential aetiologic role of infectious agents in sporadic human breast cancer. To address this, many studies have examined the presence of viruses (e.g. papillomaviruses, herpes viruses and retroviruses), endogenous retroviruses and more recently, microbes, as a means of implicating them in the aetiology of human breast cancer. Such studies have generated conflicting experimental and clinical reports of the role of infection in breast cancer. This review evaluates the current evidence for a productive oncogenic viral infection in human breast cancer, with a focus on the integration of sensitive and specific next generation sequencing technologies with pathogen discovery. Collectively, the majority of the recent literature using the more powerful next generation sequencing technologies fail to support an oncogenic viral infection being involved in disease causality in breast cancer. In balance, the weight of the current experimental evidence supports the conclusion that viral infection is unlikely to play a significant role in the aetiology of breast cancer. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. High resolution PET breast imager with improved detection efficiency

    DOEpatents

    Majewski, Stanislaw

    2010-06-08

    A highly efficient PET breast imager for detecting lesions in the entire breast including those located close to the patient's chest wall. The breast imager includes a ring of imaging modules surrounding the imaged breast. Each imaging module includes a slant imaging light guide inserted between a gamma radiation sensor and a photodetector. The slant light guide permits the gamma radiation sensors to be placed in close proximity to the skin of the chest wall thereby extending the sensitive region of the imager to the base of the breast. Several types of photodetectors are proposed for use in the detector modules, with compact silicon photomultipliers as the preferred choice, due to its high compactness. The geometry of the detector heads and the arrangement of the detector ring significantly reduce dead regions thereby improving detection efficiency for lesions located close to the chest wall.

  19. [Metastatic breast cancers: comparison of the prognostic significance and the sensitivity to chemotherapy according to the presence of estradiol and progesterone receptors].

    PubMed

    Pouillart, P; Madgelenat, H; Jouve, M; Palangie, T; Garcia-Giralt, E; Bretaudeau, B; Polijcak, M; Asselain, B

    1982-01-01

    102 patients with disseminated breast cancer entered this retrospective study. An estrogen receptor (ER) assay was realized in 91 patients and a progesterone receptor (PgR) assay in 90 cases; 44 per cent of the patients were considered as ER+ and 29 per cent as PgR+; 56 per cent were considered as ER- PgR-. The objective response rate to cytotoxic chemotherapy after 4 months of treatment was 66 per cent for ER-, 73 per cent for ER+, 67 per cent for PgR- and 74 per cent for PgR+. However, the mean duration of response was significantly shorter for ER- patients, and no difference appeared between PgR+ and PgR- patients. The acturial survival curves demonstrated a favorable prognostic significance of ER+ as compared to ER- p = 0,03), but the difference was slightly more significant for PgR+ as compared to PgR- (p = 0,008). The prognostic significance of PgR in patients with advanced breast cancer treated with cytotoxic chemotherapy does not appear to be related to the sensitivity to this treatment.

  20. Detection method of visible and invisible nipples on digital breast tomosynthesis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chae, Seung-Hoon; Jeong, Ji-Wook; Lee, Sooyeul; Chae, Eun Young; Kim, Hak Hee; Choi, Young-Wook

    2015-03-01

    Digital Breast Tomosynthesis(DBT) with 3D breast image can improve detection sensitivity of breast cancer more than 2D mammogram on dense breast. The nipple location information is needed to analyze DBT. The nipple location is invaluable information in registration and as a reference point for classifying mass or micro-calcification clusters. Since there are visible nipple and invisible nipple in 2D mammogram or DBT, the nipple detection of breast must be possible to detect visible and invisible nipple of breast. The detection method of visible nipple using shape information of nipple is simple and highly efficient. However, it is difficult to detect invisible nipple because it doesn't have prominent shape. Mammary glands in breast connect nipple, anatomically. The nipple location is detected through analyzing location of mammary glands in breast. In this paper, therefore, we propose a method to detect the nipple on a breast, which has a visible or invisible nipple using changes of breast area and mammary glands, respectively. The result shows that our proposed method has average error of 2.54+/-1.47mm.

  1. Rapid Point-Of-Care Breath Test for Biomarkers of Breast Cancer and Abnormal Mammograms

    PubMed Central

    Phillips, Michael; Beatty, J. David; Cataneo, Renee N.; Huston, Jan; Kaplan, Peter D.; Lalisang, Roy I.; Lambin, Philippe; Lobbes, Marc B. I.; Mundada, Mayur; Pappas, Nadine; Patel, Urvish

    2014-01-01

    Background Previous studies have reported volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in breath as biomarkers of breast cancer and abnormal mammograms, apparently resulting from increased oxidative stress and cytochrome p450 induction. We evaluated a six-minute point-of-care breath test for VOC biomarkers in women screened for breast cancer at centers in the USA and the Netherlands. Methods 244 women had a screening mammogram (93/37 normal/abnormal) or a breast biopsy (cancer/no cancer 35/79). A mobile point-of-care system collected and concentrated breath and air VOCs for analysis with gas chromatography and surface acoustic wave detection. Chromatograms were segmented into a time series of alveolar gradients (breath minus room air). Segmental alveolar gradients were ranked as candidate biomarkers by C-statistic value (area under curve [AUC] of receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curve). Multivariate predictive algorithms were constructed employing significant biomarkers identified with multiple Monte Carlo simulations and cross validated with a leave-one-out (LOO) procedure. Results Performance of breath biomarker algorithms was determined in three groups: breast cancer on biopsy versus normal screening mammograms (81.8% sensitivity, 70.0% specificity, accuracy 79% (73% on LOO) [C-statistic value], negative predictive value 99.9%); normal versus abnormal screening mammograms (86.5% sensitivity, 66.7% specificity, accuracy 83%, 62% on LOO); and cancer versus no cancer on breast biopsy (75.8% sensitivity, 74.0% specificity, accuracy 78%, 67% on LOO). Conclusions A pilot study of a six-minute point-of-care breath test for volatile biomarkers accurately identified women with breast cancer and with abnormal mammograms. Breath testing could potentially reduce the number of needless mammograms without loss of diagnostic sensitivity. PMID:24599224

  2. New method for generating breast models featuring glandular tissue spatial distribution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Paixão, L.; Oliveira, B. B.; Oliveira, M. A.; Teixeira, M. H. A.; Fonseca, T. C. F.; Nogueira, M. S.

    2016-02-01

    Mammography is the main radiographic technique used for breast imaging. A major concern with mammographic imaging is the risk of radiation-induced breast cancer due to the high sensitivity of breast tissue. The mean glandular dose (DG) is the dosimetric quantity widely accepted to characterize the risk of radiation induced cancer. Previous studies have concluded that DG depends not only on the breast glandular content but also on the spatial distribution of glandular tissue within the breast. In this work, a new method for generating computational breast models featuring skin composition and glandular tissue distribution from patients undergoing digital mammography is proposed. Such models allow a more accurate way of calculating individualized breast glandular doses taking into consideration the glandular tissue fraction. Sixteen breast models of four patients with different glandularity breasts were simulated and the results were compared with those obtained from recommended DG conversion factors. The results show that the internationally recommended conversion factors may be overestimating the mean glandular dose to less dense breasts and underestimating the mean glandular dose for denser breasts. The methodology described in this work constitutes a powerful tool for breast dosimetry, especially for risk studies.

  3. 53BP1 depletion causes PARP inhibitor resistance in ATM-deficient breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Hong, Ruoxi; Ma, Fei; Zhang, Weimin; Yu, Xiying; Li, Qing; Luo, Yang; Zhu, Changjun; Jiang, Wei; Xu, Binghe

    2016-09-09

    Mutations in DNA damage response factors BRCA1 and BRCA2 confer sensitivity to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors in breast and ovarian cancers. BRCA1/BRCA2-defective tumors can exhibit resistance to PARP inhibitors via multiple mechanisms, one of which involves loss of 53BP1. Deficiency in the DNA damage response factor ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) can also sensitize tumors to PARP inhibitors, raising the question of whether the presence or absence of 53BP1 can predict sensitivity of ATM-deficient breast cancer to these inhibitors. Cytotoxicity of PARP inhibitor and ATM inhibitor in breast cancer cell lines was assessed by MTS, colony formation and apoptosis assays. ShRNA lentiviral vectors were used to knockdown 53BP1 expression in breast cancer cell lines. Phospho-ATM and 53BP1 protein expressions were determined in human breast cancer tissues by immunohistochemistry (IHC). We show that inhibiting ATM increased cytotoxicity of PARP inhibitor in triple-negative and non-triple-negative breast cancer cell lines, and depleting the cells of 53BP1 reduced this cytotoxicity. Inhibiting ATM abrogated homologous recombination induced by PARP inhibitor, and down-regulating 53BP1 partially reversed this effect. Further, overall survival was significantly better in triple-negative breast cancer patients with lower levels of phospho-ATM and tended to be better in patients with negative 53BP1. These results suggest that 53BP1 may be a predictor of PARP inhibitor resistance in patients with ATM-deficient tumors.

  4. Breast Density Legislation in New England: A Survey Study of Practicing Radiologists.

    PubMed

    Lourenco, Ana P; DiFlorio-Alexander, Roberta M; Slanetz, Priscilla J

    2017-10-01

    This study aimed to assess radiologists' knowledge about breast density legislation as well as perceived practice changes resulting from the enactment of breast density legislation. This is an institutional review board-exempt anonymous email survey of 523 members of the New England Roentgen Ray Society. In addition to radiologist demographics, survey questions addressed radiologist knowledge of breast density legislation, knowledge of breast density as a risk factor for breast cancer, recommendations for supplemental screening, and perceived practice changes resulting from density notification legislation. Of the 523 members, 96 responded, yielding an 18% response rate. Seventy-three percent of respondents practiced in a state with breast density legislation. Sixty-nine percent felt that breast density notification increased patient anxiety about breast cancer, but also increased patient (74%) and provider (66%) understanding of the effect of breast density on mammographic sensitivity. Radiologist knowledge of the relative risk of breast cancer when comparing breasts of different density was variable. Considerable confusion and controversy regarding breast density persists, even among practicing radiologists. Copyright © 2017 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. The effect of silicone implants on the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Handel, Neal

    2007-12-01

    Because of the prevalence of breast cancer, many augmented women eventually will develop the disease. This article reviews what is known about the effect of implants on the detection, prognosis, and treatment of carcinoma of the breast. Observations were made on 4082 breast cancer patients (3953 nonaugmented and 129 augmented) treated over a 23-year time span. Findings in the two groups were compared and differences analyzed statistically. Mammograms of all women with palpable lesions were reviewed to assess mammographic sensitivity in patients with and without implants. Cosmetic outcomes in augmented patients treated with breast conservation therapy were reviewed. Augmented patients presented more frequently with palpable lesions, invasive tumors, axillary nodal metastases, and false-negative mammograms. However, there was no significant difference in stage of disease, tumor size, recurrence rates, or survival between the two groups. Augmented patients treated with breast conservation therapy often experienced poor cosmetic results and frequently required reoperation. Despite the diminished sensitivity of mammography in women with implants, augmented and nonaugmented patients are diagnosed at a similar stage of disease and have a comparable prognosis. Implants may impair mammography but appear to facilitate tumor detection on physical examination. Magnetic resonance imaging and breast ultrasound may be useful adjuncts, but conventional mammography remains the most reliable tool for diagnosing early breast cancer in augmented patients. Breast implants do not interfere with mastectomy or breast reconstruction but may compromise the outcome of breast conservation therapy.

  6. Breast 3 T-MR imaging: indication for stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsy.

    PubMed

    Yamamoto, Nobuko; Yoshizako, Takeshi; Yoshikawa, Kazuaki; Itakura, Masayuki; Maruyama, Riruke; Kitagaki, Hajime

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess indications for stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (SVAB) evaluated by breast 3 T-magnetic resonance (3 T-MR) imaging in patients showing suspicious microcalcifications on mammography and negative ultrasound (US) findings. Fifty-five patients with 55 breast lesions showing suspicious microcalcifications on mammography and negative US findings underwent preoperative 3 T-MR examination including dynamic MR imaging. All patients underwent SVAB within 1 month of MR imaging. The pathological diagnosis of each breast lesion was made by examining tissues obtained by SVAB or radical/partial mastectomy. 3 T-MR imaging findings were evaluated by using the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System Atlas (BI-RADS-MRI) and then were correlated with the histopathological findings. When BI-RADS 4 and 5 MR imaging lesions were assumed to be malignant, the usefulness of 3 T-MR imaging was evaluated for diagnosis of impalpable breast lesions by SVAB among lesions with microcalcification detected by mammography and negative US findings. There were 21 malignant lesions, including 5 invasive ductal carcinomas, 16 lesions of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of 3 T-MR imaging for deciding the indications for SVAB was 90.5%, 97.1%, 95.0%, 94.3%, and 94.5%, respectively. The one-false negative case was a DCIS with small enhancing lesions (0.5 mm). The one false-positive case was ductal adenoma with a linear ductal pattern of enhancement. 3 T-MR imaging may be useful for deciding the indications for SVAB in patients who have breast lesions with microcalcification that are impalpable and are detected by mammography and negative US findings. However, our findings should be considered preliminary and further prospective investigation is required.

  7. The proteomic landscape of triple-negative breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Lawrence, Robert T; Perez, Elizabeth M; Hernández, Daniel; Miller, Chris P; Haas, Kelsey M; Irie, Hanna Y; Lee, Su-In; Blau, C Anthony; Villén, Judit

    2015-04-28

    Triple-negative breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease characterized by poor clinical outcomes and a shortage of targeted treatment options. To discover molecular features of triple-negative breast cancer, we performed quantitative proteomics analysis of twenty human-derived breast cell lines and four primary breast tumors to a depth of more than 12,000 distinct proteins. We used this data to identify breast cancer subtypes at the protein level and demonstrate the precise quantification of biomarkers, signaling proteins, and biological pathways by mass spectrometry. We integrated proteomics data with exome sequence resources to identify genomic aberrations that affect protein expression. We performed a high-throughput drug screen to identify protein markers of drug sensitivity and understand the mechanisms of drug resistance. The genome and proteome provide complementary information that, when combined, yield a powerful engine for therapeutic discovery. This resource is available to the cancer research community to catalyze further analysis and investigation. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. ABRAXAS (FAM175A) and Breast Cancer Susceptibility: No Evidence of Association in the Breast Cancer Family Registry.

    PubMed

    Renault, Anne-Laure; Lesueur, Fabienne; Coulombe, Yan; Gobeil, Stéphane; Soucy, Penny; Hamdi, Yosr; Desjardins, Sylvie; Le Calvez-Kelm, Florence; Vallée, Maxime; Voegele, Catherine; Hopper, John L; Andrulis, Irene L; Southey, Melissa C; John, Esther M; Masson, Jean-Yves; Tavtigian, Sean V; Simard, Jacques

    2016-01-01

    Approximately half of the familial aggregation of breast cancer remains unexplained. This proportion is less for early-onset disease where familial aggregation is greater, suggesting that other susceptibility genes remain to be discovered. The majority of known breast cancer susceptibility genes are involved in the DNA double-strand break repair pathway. ABRAXAS is involved in this pathway and mutations in this gene impair BRCA1 recruitment to DNA damage foci and increase cell sensitivity to ionizing radiation. Moreover, a recurrent germline mutation was reported in Finnish high-risk breast cancer families. To determine if ABRAXAS could be a breast cancer susceptibility gene in other populations, we conducted a population-based case-control mutation screening study of the coding exons and exon/intron boundaries of ABRAXAS in the Breast Cancer Family Registry. In addition to the common variant p.Asp373Asn, sixteen distinct rare variants were identified. Although no significant difference in allele frequencies between cases and controls was observed for the identified variants, two variants, p.Gly39Val and p.Thr141Ile, were shown to diminish phosphorylation of gamma-H2AX in MCF7 human breast adenocarcinoma cells, an important biomarker of DNA double-strand breaks. Overall, likely damaging or neutral variants were evenly represented among cases and controls suggesting that rare variants in ABRAXAS may explain only a small proportion of hereditary breast cancer.

  9. Color Doppler sonography of the lateral thoracic (breast-feeding) arteries: a new approach to the diagnosis of breast disease?

    PubMed

    Obwegeser, R; Berghammer, P; Lorenz, K; Auerbach, L; Kubista, E

    2001-11-01

    The main arteries to the breast are the lateral thoracic artery and to a lesser extent the internal thoracic artery. In this prospective open diagnostic study involving 94 women, we compared the intraindividual differences of Doppler indices in the lateral thoracic (breast-feeding) artery of breasts affected by cancer with those unaffected by disease. Sixty-seven consecutive patients were recruited from an outpatient unit for breast surgery and 27 volunteers were studied who were known to be without any breast disease (controls). In each patient we attempted to obtain Doppler indices from the lateral thoracic artery of both breasts. The difference in Doppler indices in each individual was assessed and statistical analysis was performed to assess whether these differences were significantly altered in women with cancer compared to healthy women. Lateral thoracic arteries could be visualized in 88% of the study population. Significantly lower values for pulsatility and resistance indices and systolic/diastolic ratios were obtained in the lateral thoracic arteries of breasts affected by cancer as compared to the contralateral breasts (1.73 +/- 0.39 vs. 2.05 +/- 0.47, P = 0.003; 0.78 +/- 0.06 vs. 0.84 +/- 0.06, P < 0.0001; 4.71 +/- 1.24 vs. 6.75 +/- 3.38, P = 0.0008, respectively). Using the intraindividual difference of pulsatility index, resistance index and systolic/diastolic ratio to screen for malignancy, sensitivities for breast cancer of 78%, 85% and 83%, respectively, were achieved. Depending on the cut-off level, specificity reached 94%. The intraindividual difference in Doppler indices in women with breast cancer may be a useful test for the diagnosis of breast lesions.

  10. Novel anticancer activity of phloroglucinol against breast cancer stem-like cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kim, Rae-Kwon; Uddin, Nizam; Hyun, Jin-Won

    Poor prognosis of breast cancer patients is closely associated with metastasis and relapse. There is substantial evidence supporting that cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) are primarily responsible for relapse in breast cancer after anticancer treatment. However, there is a lack of suitable drugs that target breast cancer stem-like cells (BCSCs). Here, we report that phloroglucinol (PG), a natural phlorotannin component of brown algae, suppresses sphere formation, anchorage-independent colony formation and in vivo tumorigenicity. In line with these observations, treatment with PG also decreased CD44{sup +} cancer cell population as well as expression of CSC regulators such as Sox2, CD44, Oct4, Notch2more » and β-catenin. Also, treatment with PG sensitized breast cancer cells to anticancer drugs such as cisplatin, etoposide, and taxol as well as to ionizing radiation. Importantly, PG inhibited KRAS and its downstream PI3K/AKT and RAF-1/ERK signaling pathways that regulate the maintenance of CSCs. Taken together, our findings implicate PG as a good candidate to target BCSCs and to prevent the disease relapse. - Highlights: • Phloroglucinol suppresses in vivo tumor formation. • Phloroglucinol sensitizes breast cancer cells to anticancer agents. • Phloroglucinol inhibits breast cancer stem-like cells. • Phloroglucinol inhibits PI3K/AKT and KRAS/RAF/ERK signaling pathways.« less

  11. Mammographic compression after breast conserving therapy: Controlling pressure instead of force

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Groot, J. E. de, E-mail: jerry.degroot@sigmascreening.com; Branderhorst, W.; Grimbergen, C. A.

    Purpose: X-ray mammography is the primary tool for early detection of breast cancer and for follow-up after breast conserving therapy (BCT). BCT-treated breasts are smaller, less elastic, and more sensitive to pain. Instead of the current force-controlled approach of applying the same force to each breast, pressure-controlled protocols aim to improve standardization in terms of physiology by taking breast contact area and inelasticity into account. The purpose of this study is to estimate the potential for pressure protocols to reduce discomfort and pain, particularly the number of severe pain complaints for BCT-treated breasts. Methods: A prospective observational study including 58more » women having one BCT-treated breast and one untreated nonsymptomatic breast, following our hospital's 18 decanewton (daN) compression protocol was performed. Breast thickness, applied force, contact area, mean pressure, breast volume, and inelasticity (mean E-modulus) were statistically compared between the within-women breast pairs, and data were used as predictors for severe pain, i.e., scores 7 and higher on an 11-point Numerical Rating Scale. Curve-fitting models were used to estimate how pressure-controlled protocols affect breast thickness, compression force, and pain experience. Results: BCT-treated breasts had on average 27% smaller contact areas, 30% lower elasticity, and 30% higher pain scores than untreated breasts (allp < 0.001). Contact area was the strongest predictor for severe pain (p < 0.01). Since BCT-treatment is associated with an average 0.36 dm{sup 2} decrease in contact area, as well as increased pain sensitivity, BCT-breasts had on average 5.3 times higher odds for severe pain than untreated breasts. Model estimations for a pressure-controlled protocol with a 10 kPa target pressure, which is below normal arterial pressure, suggest an average 26% (range 10%–36%) reduction in pain score, and an average 77% (range 46%–95%) reduction of the odds for

  12. Diagnostic accuracy of contrast-enhanced spectral mammography in comparison to conventional full-field digital mammography in a population of women with dense breasts.

    PubMed

    Mori, Miki; Akashi-Tanaka, Sadako; Suzuki, Satoko; Daniels, Murasaki Ikeda; Watanabe, Chie; Hirose, Masanori; Nakamura, Seigo

    2017-01-01

    Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography to compare clinical efficacy of contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) and conventional digital mammography (MMG) with histopathology as gold standard in dense breasts. A total of 143 breasts of 72 women who underwent CESM and MMG between 2011 and 2014 at Showa University Hospital were analyzed. 129 (90.2 %) of 143 breasts revealed dense breasts on MMG. 58 (40.6 %) of 143 breasts were diagnosed with breast cancer at histopathology. The remaining 85 breasts were diagnosed with benign findings after image assessments and/or core needle biopsy. CESM revealed 8 false-negative cases among 58 breast cancer cases (sensitivity 86.2 %) and 5 false-positive cases (specificity 94.1 %). Accuracy was 90.9 %. Conventional MMG was assessed true positive in 31 of 58 breast cancer cases (sensitivity 53.4 %) and false positive in 12 cases (specificity 85.9 %). Accuracy was 72.7 %. Sensitivity (p < 0.001), specificity (p = 0.016) and accuracy (p < 0.001) were significantly higher on CESM compared to MMG. MMG missed malignancy in 27 breasts. Of these, 25 were dense breasts. Of these 25, 20 (80.0 %) breasts were positive on CESM. These findings suggest that CESM offers superior clinical performance compared to MMG. Use of CESM may decrease false negatives especially for women with dense breasts.

  13. Tracking the mammary architectural features and detecting breast cancer with magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging.

    PubMed

    Nissan, Noam; Furman-Haran, Edna; Feinberg-Shapiro, Myra; Grobgeld, Dov; Eyal, Erez; Zehavi, Tania; Degani, Hadassa

    2014-12-15

    Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer among women worldwide. Early detection of breast cancer has a critical role in improving the quality of life and survival of breast cancer patients. In this paper a new approach for the detection of breast cancer is described, based on tracking the mammary architectural elements using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). The paper focuses on the scanning protocols and image processing algorithms and software that were designed to fit the diffusion properties of the mammary fibroglandular tissue and its changes during malignant transformation. The final output yields pixel by pixel vector maps that track the architecture of the entire mammary ductal glandular trees and parametric maps of the diffusion tensor coefficients and anisotropy indices. The efficiency of the method to detect breast cancer was tested by scanning women volunteers including 68 patients with breast cancer confirmed by histopathology findings. Regions with cancer cells exhibited a marked reduction in the diffusion coefficients and in the maximal anisotropy index as compared to the normal breast tissue, providing an intrinsic contrast for delineating the boundaries of malignant growth. Overall, the sensitivity of the DTI parameters to detect breast cancer was found to be high, particularly in dense breasts, and comparable to the current standard breast MRI method that requires injection of a contrast agent. Thus, this method offers a completely non-invasive, safe and sensitive tool for breast cancer detection.

  14. The Minnesota Green Tea Trial (MGTT), a randomized controlled trial of the efficacy of green tea extract on biomarkers of breast cancer risk: Study rationale, design, methods, and participant characteristics

    PubMed Central

    Samavat, Hamed; Dostal, Allison M.; Wang, Renwei; Bedell, Sarah; Emory, Tim H.; Ursin, Giske; Torkelson, Carolyn J.; Gross, Myron D.; Le, Chap T.; Yu, Mimi C.; Yang, Chung S.; Yee, Douglas; Wu, Anna H.; Yuan, Jian-Min; Kurzer, Mindy S.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose The Minnesota Green Tea Trial (MGTT) was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded trial investigating the effect of daily green tea extract consumption for 12 months on biomarkers of breast cancer risk. Methods Participants were healthy postmenopausal women at high risk of breast cancer due to dense breast tissue with differing catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotypes. The intervention was a green tea catechin extract containing 843.0 ± 44.0 mg/day epigallocatechin gallate or placebo capsules for one year. Annual digital screening mammograms were obtained at baseline and month 12, and fasting blood and 24-hour urine samples were provided at baseline, months 6, and 12. Primary endpoints included changes in percent mammographic density, circulating endogenous sex hormones and insulin-like growth factor axis proteins; secondary endpoints were changes in urinary estrogens and estrogen metabolites and circulating F2-isoprostanes, a biomarker of oxidative stress. Results The MGTT screened more than 100,000 mammograms and randomized 1075 participants based on treatment (green tea extract vs. placebo), stratified by COMT genotype activity (high COMT vs. low/intermediate COMT genotype activity). 937 women successfully completed the study and 138 dropped out (overall dropout rate= 12.8%). Conclusions In this paper we report the rationale, design, recruitment, participant characteristics, and methods for biomarker and statistical analyses. PMID:26206423

  15. Imaging of common breast implants and implant-related complications: A pictorial essay.

    PubMed

    Shah, Amisha T; Jankharia, Bijal B

    2016-01-01

    The number of women undergoing breast implant procedures is increasing exponentially. It is, therefore, imperative for a radiologist to be familiar with the normal and abnormal imaging appearances of common breast implants. Diagnostic imaging studies such as mammography, ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging are used to evaluate implant integrity, detect abnormalities of the implant and its surrounding capsule, and detect breast conditions unrelated to implants. Magnetic resonance imaging of silicone breast implants, with its high sensitivity and specificity for detecting implant rupture, is the most reliable modality to asses implant integrity. Whichever imaging modality is used, the overall aim of imaging breast implants is to provide the pertinent information about implant integrity, detect implant failures, and to detect breast conditions unrelated to the implants, such as cancer.

  16. Data in support of the negative influence of divalent cations on (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG)-mediated inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2)

    PubMed Central

    Deb, Gauri; Batra, Sahil; Limaye, Anil M.

    2015-01-01

    In this data article we have provided evidence for the negative influence of divalent cations on (−)‐epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG)-mediated inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) activity in cell-free experiments. Chelating agents, such as EDTA and sodium citrate alone, did not affect MMP-2 activity. While EDTA enhanced, excess of divalent cations interfered with EGCG-mediated inhibition of MMP-2. PMID:26977427

  17. Strategy for Restoring Drug Sensitivity to Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-09-01

    tocopherol ether-linked acetic acid analog -TEA), a non-hydrolyzable ether analog of RRR- - tocopherol in p53 mutant TNBC cells, and to understand...cells with a unique analog of vitamin E (alpha- tocopherol ether-linked acetic acid analog; abbreviated α-TEA) in combination with chemotherapeutic...p53-mutant, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells with a unique analog of vitamin E (alpha- tocopherol ether-linked acetic acid analog

  18. 3.0 Tesla breast magnetic resonance imaging in patients with nipple discharge when mammography and ultrasound fail.

    PubMed

    Lubina, Nóra; Schedelbeck, Ulla; Roth, Anne; Weng, Andreas Max; Geissinger, Eva; Hönig, Arnd; Hahn, Dietbert; Bley, Thorsten Alexander

    2015-05-01

    To compare 3.0 Tesla breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with galactography for detection of benign and malignant causes of nipple discharge in patients with negative mammography and ultrasound. We prospectively evaluated 56 breasts of 50 consecutive patients with nipple discharge who had inconspicuous mammography and ultrasound, using 3.0 Tesla breast MRI with a dedicated 16-channel breast coil, and then compared the results with galactography. Histopathological diagnoses and follow-ups were used as reference standard. Lesion size estimated on MRI was compared with the size at histopathology. Sensitivity and specificity of MRI vs. galactography for detecting pathologic findings were 95.7 % vs. 85.7 % and 69.7 % vs. 33.3 %, respectively. For the supposed concrete pathology based on MRI findings, the specificity was 67.6 % and the sensitivity 77.3 % (PPV 60.7 %, NPV 82.1 %). Eight malignant lesions were detected (14.8 %). The estimated size at breast MRI showed excellent correlation with the size at histopathology (Pearson's correlation coefficient 0.95, p < 0.0001). MRI of the breast at 3.0 Tesla is an accurate imaging test and can replace galactography in the workup of nipple discharge in patients with inconspicuous mammography and ultrasound. • Breast MRI is an excellent diagnostic tool for patients with nipple discharge. • MRI of the breast reveals malignant lesions despite inconspicuous mammography and ultrasound. • MRI of the breast has greater sensitivity and specificity than galactography. • Excellent correlation of lesion size measured at MRI and histopathology was found.

  19. From Bombs to Breast Cancer Imaging: Los Alamos National Laboratory

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Martineau, Rebecca M

    mammography. Currently, there is fierce debate surrounding the age at which breast cancer screening should begin, and once begun, how often it should occur. The American Cancer Society recommends yearly mammograms starting at age 40. On the other hand, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends against routine so early. Rather, the Task Force recommends biennial mammography screening for women aged 50 to 74 years. The ten-year discrepancy in the onset of screening results from recent data suggesting that the frequent use of X-ray radiation during screenings could potentially increase the likelihood of developing cancer. This danger is increased by the low sensitivity and accuracy of mammograms, which sometimes require multiple screenings to yield results. Furthermore, mammograms are often not only inaccurate, but average appalling misdiagnoses rates: about 80% false positives and 15% false negatives. These misdiagnoses lead to unwarranted biopsies at an estimated health care cost of $2 billion per year, while at the same time, resulting in excessive cases of undetected cancer. As such, the National Cancer Institute recommends more studies on the advantages of types and frequency of screenings, as well as alternative screening options. The UST technology developed at LANL could be an alternative option to greatly improve the specificity and sensitivity of breast cancer screening without using ionizing radiation. LANL is developing high-resolution ultrasound tomography algorithms and a clinical ultrasound tomography scanner to conduct patient studies at the UNM Hospital. During UST scanning, the patient lies face-down while her breast, immersed in a tank of warm water, is scanned by phased-transducer arrays. UST uses recorded ultrasound signals to reconstruct a high-resolution three-dimensional image of the breast, showing the spatial distribution of mechanical properties within the breast. Breast cancers are detected by higher values of mechanical properties compared

  20. Cost-effectiveness of digital mammography breast cancer screening.

    PubMed

    Tosteson, Anna N A; Stout, Natasha K; Fryback, Dennis G; Acharyya, Suddhasatta; Herman, Benjamin A; Hannah, Lucy G; Pisano, Etta D

    2008-01-01

    The DMIST (Digital Mammography Imaging Screening Trial) reported improved breast cancer detection with digital mammography compared with film mammography in selected population subgroups, but it did not assess the economic value of digital relative to film mammography screening. To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of digital mammography screening for breast cancer. Validated, discrete-event simulation model. Data from DMIST and publicly available U.S. data. U.S. women age 40 years or older. Lifetime. Societal and Medicare. All-film mammography screening; all-digital mammography screening; and targeted digital mammography screening, which is age-targeted digital mammography (for women <50 years of age) and age- and density-targeted digital mammography (for women <50 years of age or women > or =50 years of age with dense breasts). Cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained. All-digital mammography screening cost $331,000 (95% CI, $268,000 to $403,000) per QALY gained relative to all-film mammography screening but was more costly and less effective than targeted digital mammography screening. Targeted digital mammography screening resulted in more screen-detected cases of cancer and fewer deaths from cancer than either all-film or all-digital mammography screening, with cost-effectiveness estimates ranging from $26,500 (CI, $21,000 to $33,000) per QALY gained for age-targeted digital mammography to $84,500 (CI, $75,000 to $93,000) per QALY gained for age- and density-targeted digital mammography. In the Medicare population, the cost-effectiveness of density-targeted digital mammography screening varied from a base-case estimate of $97,000 (CI, $77,000 to $131,000) to $257,000 per QALY gained (CI, $91,000 to $536,000) in the alternative-case analyses, in which the sensitivity of film mammography was increased and the sensitivity of digital mammography in women with nondense breasts was decreased. Results were sensitive to the cost of digital mammography and to

  1. A facile inhibitor screening of SARS coronavirus N protein using nanoparticle-based RNA oligonucleotide.

    PubMed

    Roh, Changhyun

    2012-01-01

    Hundreds of million people worldwide have been infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and the rate of global death from SARS has remarkably increased. Hence, the development of efficient drug treatments for the biological effects of SARS is highly needed. We have previously shown that quantum dots (QDs)-conjugated RNA oligonucleotide is sensitive to the specific recognition of the SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) nucleocapsid (N) protein. In this study, we found that a designed biochip could analyze inhibitors of the SARS-CoV N protein using nanoparticle-based RNA oligonucleotide. Among the polyphenolic compounds examined, (-)-catechin gallate and (-)-gallocatechin gallate demonstrated a remarkable inhibition activity on SARS-CoV N protein. (-)-catechin gallate and (-)-gallocatechin gallate attenuated the binding affinity in a concentrated manner as evidenced by QDs-conjugated RNA oligonucleotide on a designed biochip. At a concentration of 0.05 μg mL(-1), (-)-catechin gallate and (-)-gallocatechin gallate showed more than 40% inhibition activity on a nanoparticle-based RNA oligonucleotide biochip system.

  2. Loss of PEDF: A Novel Mechanism of Antihormone Resistance in Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-08-01

    major chal- lenge in the management of ERa-positive breast cancer and is an area under intense investigation. While many studies point towards the cross...I, Morandi A, Robertson D, Pancholi S, Drury S, Dowsett M, Martin LA, Isacke CM: Targeting the receptor tyrosine kinase RET sensitizes breast cancer

  3. Predictive biomarkers of sensitivity to the phosphatidylinositol 3' kinase inhibitor GDC-0941 in breast cancer preclinical models.

    PubMed

    O'Brien, Carol; Wallin, Jeffrey J; Sampath, Deepak; GuhaThakurta, Debraj; Savage, Heidi; Punnoose, Elizabeth A; Guan, Jane; Berry, Leanne; Prior, Wei Wei; Amler, Lukas C; Belvin, Marcia; Friedman, Lori S; Lackner, Mark R

    2010-07-15

    The class I phosphatidylinositol 3' kinase (PI3K) plays a major role in proliferation and survival in a wide variety of human cancers. A key factor in successful development of drugs targeting this pathway is likely to be the identification of responsive patient populations with predictive diagnostic biomarkers. This study sought to identify candidate biomarkers of response to the selective PI3K inhibitor GDC-0941. We used a large panel of breast cancer cell lines and in vivo xenograft models to identify candidate predictive biomarkers for a selective inhibitor of class I PI3K that is currently in clinical development. The approach involved pharmacogenomic profiling as well as analysis of gene expression data sets from cells profiled at baseline or after GDC-0941 treatment. We found that models harboring mutations in PIK3CA, amplification of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, or dual alterations in two pathway components were exquisitely sensitive to the antitumor effects of GDC-0941. We found that several models that do not harbor these alterations also showed sensitivity, suggesting a need for additional diagnostic markers. Gene expression studies identified a collection of genes whose expression was associated with in vitro sensitivity to GDC-0941, and expression of a subset of these genes was found to be intimately linked to signaling through the pathway. Pathway focused biomarkers and the gene expression signature described in this study may have utility in the identification of patients likely to benefit from therapy with a selective PI3K inhibitor. Copyright 2010 AACR.

  4. NOTCH3 inactivation increases triple negative breast cancer sensitivity to gefitinib by promoting EGFR tyrosine dephosphorylation and its intracellular arrest.

    PubMed

    Diluvio, Giulia; Del Gaudio, Francesca; Giuli, Maria Valeria; Franciosa, Giulia; Giuliani, Eugenia; Palermo, Rocco; Besharat, Zein Mersini; Pignataro, Maria Gemma; Vacca, Alessandra; d'Amati, Giulia; Maroder, Marella; Talora, Claudio; Capalbo, Carlo; Bellavia, Diana; Checquolo, Saula

    2018-05-25

    Notch dysregulation has been implicated in numerous tumors, including triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which is the breast cancer subtype with the worst clinical outcome. However, the importance of individual receptors in TNBC and their specific mechanism of action remain to be elucidated, even if recent findings suggested a specific role of activated-Notch3 in a subset of TNBCs. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in TNBCs but the use of anti-EGFR agents (including tyrosine kinase inhibitors, TKIs) has not been approved for the treatment of these patients, as clinical trials have shown disappointing results. Resistance to EGFR blockers is commonly reported. Here we show that Notch3-specific inhibition increases TNBC sensitivity to the TKI-gefitinib in TNBC-resistant cells. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that Notch3 is able to regulate the activated EGFR membrane localization into lipid rafts microdomains, as Notch3 inhibition, such as rafts depletion, induces the EGFR internalization and its intracellular arrest, without involving receptor degradation. Interestingly, these events are associated with the EGFR tyrosine dephosphorylation at Y1173 residue (but not at Y1068) by the protein tyrosine phosphatase H1 (PTPH1), thus suggesting its possible involvement in the observed Notch3-dependent TNBC sensitivity response to gefitinib. Consistent with this notion, a nuclear localization defect of phospho-EGFR is observed after combined blockade of EGFR and Notch3, which results in a decreased TNBC cell survival. Notably, we observed a significant correlation between EGFR and NOTCH3 expression levels by in silico gene expression and immunohistochemical analysis of human TNBC primary samples. Our findings strongly suggest that combined therapies of TKI-gefitinib with Notch3-specific suppression may be exploited as a drug combination advantage in TNBC treatment.

  5. Fuzzy method for pre-diagnosis of breast cancer from the Fine Needle Aspirate analysis

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Across the globe, breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death among women and, currently, Fine Needle Aspirate (FNA) with visual interpretation is the easiest and fastest biopsy technique for the diagnosis of this deadly disease. Unfortunately, the ability of this method to diagnose cancer correctly when the disease is present varies greatly, from 65% to 98%. This article introduces a method to assist in the diagnosis and second opinion of breast cancer from the analysis of descriptors extracted from smears of breast mass obtained by FNA, with the use of computational intelligence resources - in this case, fuzzy logic. Methods For data acquisition of FNA, the Wisconsin Diagnostic Breast Cancer Data (WDBC), from the University of California at Irvine (UCI) Machine Learning Repository, available on the internet through the UCI domain was used. The knowledge acquisition process was carried out by the extraction and analysis of numerical data of the WDBC and by interviews and discussions with medical experts. The PDM-FNA-Fuzzy was developed in four steps: 1) Fuzzification Stage; 2) Rules Base; 3) Inference Stage; and 4) Defuzzification Stage. Performance cross-validation was used in the tests, with three databases with gold pattern clinical cases randomly extracted from the WDBC. The final validation was held by medical specialists in pathology, mastology and general practice, and with gold pattern clinical cases, i.e. with known and clinically confirmed diagnosis. Results The Fuzzy Method developed provides breast cancer pre-diagnosis with 98.59% sensitivity (correct pre-diagnosis of malignancies); and 85.43% specificity (correct pre-diagnosis of benign cases). Due to the high sensitivity presented, these results are considered satisfactory, both by the opinion of medical specialists in the aforementioned areas and by comparison with other studies involving breast cancer diagnosis using FNA. Conclusions This paper presents an intelligent method to

  6. Preclinical study of diagnostic performances of contrast-enhanced spectral mammography versus MRI for breast diseases in China.

    PubMed

    Wang, Qingguo; Li, Kangan; Wang, Lihui; Zhang, Jianbing; Zhou, Zhiguo; Feng, Yan

    2016-01-01

    To evaluate diagnostic performances of CESM for breast diseases with comparison to breast MRI in China. Sixty-eight patients with 77 breast lesions underwent MR and CESM. Two radiologists interpreted either MRI or CESM images, separately and independently. BI-RADS 1-3 and BI-RADS 4-5 were classified into the suspicious benign and suspicious malignant groups. Diagnostic accuracy parameters were calculated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed for the two modalities. The agreement and correlation between maximum lesion diameter based on CESM and MRI, or CESM and pathology were analyzed. Diagnostic accuracy parameters for CESM were sensitivity 95.8 %, specificity 65.5 %, PPV 82.1 %, NPV 90.5 % and accuracy 84.4 %. The diagnostic accuracy parameters for breast MRI were sensitivity 93.8 %, specificity 82.8 %, PPV 88.2 %, NPV 92.3 %and accuracy 89.6 %. Area under the curve (AUC) of ROC was 0.96 for breast MRI and 0.88 for CESM. The Bland-Altman plots showed a mean difference of 0.7 mm with 95 % limits of agreement of 11.4 mm in tumor diameter measured using CESM and breast MRI. The differences of size measurement between CESM and breast MRI were significant, whereas no difference was observed between CESM and pathology as well as between breast MRI and pathology. The better correlation with pathological results was found in CESM than breast MRI. Our study demonstrates that CESM possesses better diagnostic performances than breast MRI in terms of diagnostic sensitivity and lesion size assessment. And CESM is a good alternative method of screening breast cancer in high-risk people.

  7. Micro-anatomical quantitative optical imaging: toward automated assessment of breast tissues.

    PubMed

    Dobbs, Jessica L; Mueller, Jenna L; Krishnamurthy, Savitri; Shin, Dongsuk; Kuerer, Henry; Yang, Wei; Ramanujam, Nirmala; Richards-Kortum, Rebecca

    2015-08-20

    Pathologists currently diagnose breast lesions through histologic assessment, which requires fixation and tissue preparation. The diagnostic criteria used to classify breast lesions are qualitative and subjective, and inter-observer discordance has been shown to be a significant challenge in the diagnosis of selected breast lesions, particularly for borderline proliferative lesions. Thus, there is an opportunity to develop tools to rapidly visualize and quantitatively interpret breast tissue morphology for a variety of clinical applications. Toward this end, we acquired images of freshly excised breast tissue specimens from a total of 34 patients using confocal fluorescence microscopy and proflavine as a topical stain. We developed computerized algorithms to segment and quantify nuclear and ductal parameters that characterize breast architectural features. A total of 33 parameters were evaluated and used as input to develop a decision tree model to classify benign and malignant breast tissue. Benign features were classified in tissue specimens acquired from 30 patients and malignant features were classified in specimens from 22 patients. The decision tree model that achieved the highest accuracy for distinguishing between benign and malignant breast features used the following parameters: standard deviation of inter-nuclear distance and number of duct lumens. The model achieved 81 % sensitivity and 93 % specificity, corresponding to an area under the curve of 0.93 and an overall accuracy of 90 %. The model classified IDC and DCIS with 92 % and 96 % accuracy, respectively. The cross-validated model achieved 75 % sensitivity and 93 % specificity and an overall accuracy of 88 %. These results suggest that proflavine staining and confocal fluorescence microscopy combined with image analysis strategies to segment morphological features could potentially be used to quantitatively diagnose freshly obtained breast tissue at the point of care without the need for

  8. Breast MRI: EUSOBI recommendations for women's information.

    PubMed

    Mann, Ritse M; Balleyguier, Corinne; Baltzer, Pascal A; Bick, Ulrich; Colin, Catherine; Cornford, Eleanor; Evans, Andrew; Fallenberg, Eva; Forrai, Gabor; Fuchsjäger, Michael H; Gilbert, Fiona J; Helbich, Thomas H; Heywang-Köbrunner, Sylvia H; Camps-Herrero, Julia; Kuhl, Christiane K; Martincich, Laura; Pediconi, Federica; Panizza, Pietro; Pina, Luis J; Pijnappel, Ruud M; Pinker-Domenig, Katja; Skaane, Per; Sardanelli, Francesco

    2015-12-01

    This paper summarizes information about breast MRI to be provided to women and referring physicians. After listing contraindications, procedure details are described, stressing the need for correct scheduling and not moving during the examination. The structured report including BI-RADS® categories and further actions after a breast MRI examination are discussed. Breast MRI is a very sensitive modality, significantly improving screening in high-risk women. It also has a role in clinical diagnosis, problem solving, and staging, impacting on patient management. However, it is not a perfect test, and occasionally breast cancers can be missed. Therefore, clinical and other imaging findings (from mammography/ultrasound) should also be considered. Conversely, MRI may detect lesions not visible on other imaging modalities turning out to be benign (false positives). These risks should be discussed with women before a breast MRI is requested/performed. Because breast MRI drawbacks depend upon the indication for the examination, basic information for the most important breast MRI indications is presented. Seventeen notes and five frequently asked questions formulated for use as direct communication to women are provided. The text was reviewed by Europa Donna-The European Breast Cancer Coalition to ensure that it can be easily understood by women undergoing MRI. • Information on breast MRI concerns advantages/disadvantages and preparation to the examination • Claustrophobia, implantable devices, allergic predisposition, and renal function should be checked • Before menopause, scheduling on day 7-14 of the cycle is preferred • During the examination, it is highly important that the patient keeps still • Availability of prior examinations improves accuracy of breast MRI interpretation.

  9. Impact of 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine and epigallocatechin-3-gallate for induction of human regulatory T cells.

    PubMed

    Kehrmann, Jan; Tatura, Roman; Zeschnigk, Michael; Probst-Kepper, Michael; Geffers, Robert; Steinmann, Joerg; Buer, Jan

    2014-07-01

    The epigenetic regulation of transcription factor genes is critical for T-cell lineage specification. A specific methylation pattern within a conserved region of the lineage specifying transcription factor gene FOXP3, the Treg-specific demethylated region (TSDR), is restricted to regulatory T (Treg) cells and is required for stable expression of FOXP3 and suppressive function. We analysed the impact of hypomethylating agents 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine and epigallocatechin-3-gallate on human CD4(+)  CD25(-) T cells for generating demethylation within FOXP3-TSDR and inducing functional Treg cells. Gene expression, including lineage-specifying transcription factors of the major T-cell lineages and their leading cytokines, functional properties and global transcriptome changes were analysed. The FOXP3-TSDR methylation pattern was determined by using deep amplicon bisulphite sequencing. 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine induced FOXP3-TSDR hypomethylation and expression of the Treg-cell-specific genes FOXP3 and LRRC32. Proliferation of 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine-treated cells was reduced, but the cells did not show suppressive function. Hypomethylation was not restricted to FOXP3-TSDR and expression of master transcription factors and leading cytokines of T helper type 1 and type 17 cells were induced. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate induced global DNA hypomethylation to a lesser extent than 5-aza-2'-deoxycitidine, but no relevant hypomethylation within FOXP3-TSDR or expression of Treg-cell-specific genes. Neither of the DNA methyltransferase inhibitors induced fully functional human Treg cells. 5-aza-2'-deoxycitidine-treated cells resembled Treg cells, but they did not suppress proliferation of responder cells, which is an essential capability to be used for Treg cell transfer therapy. Using a recently developed targeted demethylation technology might be a more promising approach for the generation of functional Treg cells. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. The anti-hyperuricemic effect of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on hyperuricemic mice.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Chuang; Xu, Yan; Liu, Zeng-Hui; Wan, Xiao-Chun; Li, Da-Xiang; Tai, Ling-Ling

    2018-01-01

    Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major constituent of green tea catechin, has been used for antioxidant. This study aimed to evaluate the antihyperuricemic activity of EGCG on hyperuricemic mice. We demonstrated that serum uric acid (UA) level was decreased significantly with dose-dependence by EGCG treated with 10, 20, and 50mg/kg. Compared with the model, data on blood urea nitrogen (BUN) supported that there was significance with high dose of EGCG (50mg/kg). Levels of serum creatinine (Cr) in each EGCG-treated group were decreased but not significant; the activities of hepatic xanthine oxidase (XOD) and adenosine deaminase (ADA) in high dose groups' EGCG were notably lower than those of model group. EGCG could downregulate the renal mRNA expression levels of glucose transporter 9 (GLUT9) and urate transporter 1 (URAT1) on hyperuricemic mice. These results presented that EGCG had obvious hypouricemic and renal protective effects on hyperuricemic mice. Our data may have a potential value in clinical practice in the treatment of hyperuricemia. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  11. Machine learning models in breast cancer survival prediction.

    PubMed

    Montazeri, Mitra; Montazeri, Mohadeseh; Montazeri, Mahdieh; Beigzadeh, Amin

    2016-01-01

    Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers with a high mortality rate among women. With the early diagnosis of breast cancer survival will increase from 56% to more than 86%. Therefore, an accurate and reliable system is necessary for the early diagnosis of this cancer. The proposed model is the combination of rules and different machine learning techniques. Machine learning models can help physicians to reduce the number of false decisions. They try to exploit patterns and relationships among a large number of cases and predict the outcome of a disease using historical cases stored in datasets. The objective of this study is to propose a rule-based classification method with machine learning techniques for the prediction of different types of Breast cancer survival. We use a dataset with eight attributes that include the records of 900 patients in which 876 patients (97.3%) and 24 (2.7%) patients were females and males respectively. Naive Bayes (NB), Trees Random Forest (TRF), 1-Nearest Neighbor (1NN), AdaBoost (AD), Support Vector Machine (SVM), RBF Network (RBFN), and Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) machine learning techniques with 10-cross fold technique were used with the proposed model for the prediction of breast cancer survival. The performance of machine learning techniques were evaluated with accuracy, precision, sensitivity, specificity, and area under ROC curve. Out of 900 patients, 803 patients and 97 patients were alive and dead, respectively. In this study, Trees Random Forest (TRF) technique showed better results in comparison to other techniques (NB, 1NN, AD, SVM and RBFN, MLP). The accuracy, sensitivity and the area under ROC curve of TRF are 96%, 96%, 93%, respectively. However, 1NN machine learning technique provided poor performance (accuracy 91%, sensitivity 91% and area under ROC curve 78%). This study demonstrates that Trees Random Forest model (TRF) which is a rule-based classification model was the best model with the highest level of

  12. Digital Breast Tomosynthesis: Observer Performance of Clustered Microcalcification Detection on Breast Phantom Images Acquired with an Experimental System Using Variable Scan Angles, Angular Increments, and Number of Projection Views

    PubMed Central

    Goodsitt, Mitchell M.; Helvie, Mark A.; Zelakiewicz, Scott; Schmitz, Andrea; Noroozian, Mitra; Paramagul, Chintana; Roubidoux, Marilyn A.; Nees, Alexis V.; Neal, Colleen H.; Carson, Paul; Lu, Yao; Hadjiiski, Lubomir; Wei, Jun

    2014-01-01

    Purpose To investigate the dependence of microcalcification cluster detectability on tomographic scan angle, angular increment, and number of projection views acquired at digital breast tomosynthesis (DBTdigital breast tomosynthesis). Materials and Methods A prototype DBTdigital breast tomosynthesis system operated in step-and-shoot mode was used to image breast phantoms. Four 5-cm-thick phantoms embedded with 81 simulated microcalcification clusters of three speck sizes (subtle, medium, and obvious) were imaged by using a rhodium target and rhodium filter with 29 kV, 50 mAs, and seven acquisition protocols. Fixed angular increments were used in four protocols (denoted as scan angle, angular increment, and number of projection views, respectively: 16°, 1°, and 17; 24°, 3°, and nine; 30°, 3°, and 11; and 60°, 3°, and 21), and variable increments were used in three (40°, variable, and 13; 40°, variable, and 15; and 60°, variable, and 21). The reconstructed DBTdigital breast tomosynthesis images were interpreted by six radiologists who located the microcalcification clusters and rated their conspicuity. Results The mean sensitivity for detection of subtle clusters ranged from 80% (22.5 of 28) to 96% (26.8 of 28) for the seven DBTdigital breast tomosynthesis protocols; the highest sensitivity was achieved with the 16°, 1°, and 17 protocol (96%), but the difference was significant only for the 60°, 3°, and 21 protocol (80%, P < .002) and did not reach significance for the other five protocols (P = .01–.15). The mean sensitivity for detection of medium and obvious clusters ranged from 97% (28.2 of 29) to 100% (24 of 24), but the differences fell short of significance (P = .08 to >.99). The conspicuity of subtle and medium clusters with the 16°, 1°, and 17 protocol was rated higher than those with other protocols; the differences were significant for subtle clusters with the 24°, 3°, and nine protocol and for medium clusters with 24°, 3°, and nine

  13. Three-dimensional vascular mapping of the breast by using contrast-enhanced MRI: association of unilateral increased vascularity with ipsilateral breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Orgüç, Şebnem; Başara, Işıl; Coşkun, Teoman; Pekindil, Gökhan

    2012-01-01

    We aimed to retrospectively compare three-dimensional vascular maps of both breasts obtained by dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and determine the association of one-sided vascular prominence with ipsilateral breast cancer. MRI was performed using gadolinium in 194 cases. Two readers scored vascular density using maximum intensity projections (MIPs). Dynamic fat-saturated T1-weighted gradientecho MIPs were acquired. Two readers evaluated the MIPs, and vessels greater than 2 mm in diameter and longer than 3 cm were counted. The difference in vessel numbers detected in the two breasts determined the score. A total of 54 patients had malignant lesions (prevalence, 28%), including invasive ductal carcinoma (n=40), invasive mixed ductal-lobular carcinoma (n=5), invasive lobular carcinoma (n=3), ductal carcinoma in situ (n=3), mucinous carcinoma (n=1), medullary carcinoma (n=1), and leukemic metastasis (n=1). In 62 patients, there were benign lesions (fibroadenomas, fibrocysts), and four patients had inflammation (granulomatous mastitis in two patients, breast tuberculosis in two patients). There were 78 normal cases. When a difference of at least two vessels was scored as vascular asymmetry, the sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (+LR), and negative (-LR) of unilaterally increased vascularity associated with ipsilateral malignancy were 69%, 92%, 8.72, and 0.34, respectively. When four infection and three post-operative cases with vascular asymmetry were excluded; prevalence, specificity, and +LR increased to 29%, 97%, and 22.8, respectively, with the same sensitivity and -LR. Differences in mean vascularity scores were evaluated with regard to tumor size. T1 and T2 tumors were not significantly different from each other. The mean score of T3 tumors differed significantly from T1 and T2 tumors. MRI vascular mapping is an effective method for determining breast tissue vascularization. Ipsilateral increased vascularity was commonly associated with

  14. Compositional breast imaging using a dual-energy mammography protocol

    PubMed Central

    Laidevant, Aurelie D.; Malkov, Serghei; Flowers, Chris I.; Kerlikowske, Karla; Shepherd, John A.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: Mammography has a low sensitivity in dense breasts due to low contrast between malignant and normal tissue confounded by the predominant water density of the breast. Water is found in both adipose and fibroglandular tissue and constitutes most of the mass of a breast. However, significant protein mass is mainly found in the fibroglandular tissue where most cancers originate. If the protein compartment in a mammogram could be imaged without the influence of water, the sensitivity and specificity of the mammogram may be improved. This article describes a novel approach to dual-energy mammography, full-field digital compositional mammography (FFDCM), which can independently image the three compositional components of breast tissue: water, lipid, and protein. Methods: Dual-energy attenuation and breast shape measures are used together to solve for the three compositional thicknesses. Dual-energy measurements were performed on breast-mimicking phantoms using a full-field digital mammography unit. The phantoms were made of materials shown to have similar x-ray attenuation properties of the compositional compartments. They were made of two main stacks of thicknesses around 2 and 4 cm. Twenty-six thickness and composition combinations were used to derive the compositional calibration using a least-squares fitting approach. Results: Very high accuracy was achieved with a simple cubic fitting function with root mean square errors of 0.023, 0.011, and 0.012 cm for the water, lipid, and protein thicknesses, respectively. The repeatability (percent coefficient of variation) of these measures was tested using sequential images and was found to be 0.5%, 0.5%, and 3.3% for water, lipid, and protein, respectively. However, swapping the location of the two stacks of the phantom on the imaging plate introduced further errors showing the need for more complete system uniformity corrections. Finally, a preliminary breast image is presented of each of the compositional

  15. Prerequisites of realization of total breast reconstruction concept in Tomsk region

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dudnikov, A.; Smirnov, N.; Belozertseva, A.; Baitinger, A.; Kudyakov, L.

    2015-11-01

    The recent research represents the attempt of economical evaluation of the Total Breast Reconstruction concept (TBR), which was formulated in «Scientific and Research Institute of Microsurgery», in 2014. This concept includes anatomical and functional breast reconstruction, afferential reinnervation, sensitivity recovery and the creation of a new erogenous zone in the reconstructed breast. The created clinical-economical model allows for the evaluation of the efficacy and benefits of using the TBR concept. The benefits of using TBR concept for Tomsk Region also were evaluated.

  16. The potential of multiparametric MRI of the breast

    PubMed Central

    Pinker, Katja; Helbich, Thomas H

    2017-01-01

    MRI is an essential tool in breast imaging, with multiple established indications. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) is the backbone of any breast MRI protocol and has an excellent sensitivity and good specificity for breast cancer diagnosis. DCE-MRI provides high-resolution morphological information, as well as some functional information about neoangiogenesis as a tumour-specific feature. To overcome limitations in specificity, several other functional MRI parameters have been investigated and the application of these combined parameters is defined as multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) of the breast. MpMRI of the breast can be performed at different field strengths (1.5–7 T) and includes both established (diffusion-weighted imaging, MR spectroscopic imaging) and novel MRI parameters (sodium imaging, chemical exchange saturation transfer imaging, blood oxygen level-dependent MRI), as well as hybrid imaging with positron emission tomography (PET)/MRI and different radiotracers. Available data suggest that multiparametric imaging using different functional MRI and PET parameters can provide detailed information about the underlying oncogenic processes of cancer development and progression and can provide additional specificity. This article will review the current and emerging functional parameters for mpMRI of the breast for improved diagnostic accuracy in breast cancer. PMID:27805423

  17. 9-Cis-Retinoic Acid Induces Growth Inhibition in Retinoid-Sensitive Breast Cancer and Sea Urchin Embryonic Cells via Retinoid X Receptor α and Replication Factor C3

    PubMed Central

    Maeng, Sejung; Kim, Gil Jung; Choi, Eun Ju; Yang, Hyun Ok; Lee, Dong-Sup

    2012-01-01

    There is widespread interest in defining factors and mechanisms that suppress the proliferation of cancer cells. Retinoic acid (RA) is a potent suppressor of mammary cancer and developmental embryonic cell proliferation. However, the molecular mechanisms by which 9-cis-RA signaling induces growth inhibition in RA-sensitive breast cancer and embryonic cells are not apparent. Here, we provide evidence that the inhibitory effect of 9-cis-RA on cell proliferation depends on 9-cis-RA-dependent interaction of retinoid X receptor α (RXRα) with replication factor C3 (RFC3), which is a subunit of the RFC heteropentamer that opens and closes the circular proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) clamp on DNA. An RFC3 ortholog in a sea urchin cDNA library was isolated by using the ligand-binding domain of RXRα as bait in a yeast two-hybrid screening. The interaction of RFC3 with RXRα depends on 9-cis-RA and bexarotene, but not on all-trans-RA or an RA receptor (RAR)-selective ligand. Truncation and mutagenesis experiments demonstrated that the C-terminal LXXLL motifs in both human and sea urchin RFC3 are critical for the interaction with RXRα. The transient interaction between 9-cis-RA-activated RXRα and RFC3 resulted in reconfiguration of the PCNA-RFC complex. Furthermore, we found that knockdown of RXRα or overexpression of RFC3 impairs the ability of 9-cis-RA to inhibit proliferation of MCF-7 breast cancer cells and sea urchin embryogenesis. Our results indicate that 9-cis-RA-activated RXRα suppresses the growth of RA-sensitive breast cancer and embryonic cells through RFC3. PMID:22949521

  18. Imaging of common breast implants and implant-related complications: A pictorial essay

    PubMed Central

    Shah, Amisha T; Jankharia, Bijal B

    2016-01-01

    The number of women undergoing breast implant procedures is increasing exponentially. It is, therefore, imperative for a radiologist to be familiar with the normal and abnormal imaging appearances of common breast implants. Diagnostic imaging studies such as mammography, ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging are used to evaluate implant integrity, detect abnormalities of the implant and its surrounding capsule, and detect breast conditions unrelated to implants. Magnetic resonance imaging of silicone breast implants, with its high sensitivity and specificity for detecting implant rupture, is the most reliable modality to asses implant integrity. Whichever imaging modality is used, the overall aim of imaging breast implants is to provide the pertinent information about implant integrity, detect implant failures, and to detect breast conditions unrelated to the implants, such as cancer. PMID:27413269

  19. Clinical utility of serum HER-2/neu testing on the Bayer Immuno 1 automated system in breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Cook, G B; Neaman, I E; Goldblatt, J L; Cambetas, D R; Hussain, M; Lüftner, D; Yeung, K K; Chan, D W; Schwartz, M K; Allard, W J

    2001-01-01

    The clinical utility of automated serum HER-2/neu measurements in breast cancer run on the Bayer random analyzer Immuno 1 was analyzed in several steps: [a] The reference interval was determined for 242 normal healthy pre- and postmenopausal females. [b] The clinical specificity of serum HER-2/neu to separate healthy controls from 210 patients with non-malignant breast--and non-breast diseases was calculated. [c] The clinical sensitivity of cross-sectional serum HER-2/neu values for 204 patients (pts) with stage I-IV breast cancer was established. [d] Specimens from 103 stage IV breast cancer pts were tested for their parallel between serial serum HER-2/neu results and disease course. [a] The value of 13.03 ng/ml exceeded 95% of the results from the healthy female population. Based on the mean +2 standard deviations value of 14.7 ng/dl, the upper limit of normal was established at 15 ng/ml. [b] The specificity for benign breast diseases and other benign non-breast diseases was 98.0% and 94.6%, respectively. [c] The correlation of increased serum HER-2/neu levels and stage of breast cancer revealed the best sensitivity of 40% for stage IV disease. [4] Thirty-eight (36.9%) of 103 stage IV patients had initial HER-2/neu values > 15 ng/ml, 33 of whom showed longitudinal HER-2/neu concentrations which paralleled the clinical course of the disease giving a sensitivity of 86.8%.

  20. Targeting Transcription Elongation Machinery for Breast Cancer Therapy

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-04-01

    activation of EMT genes in breast cancer cells. 6-30 H. Lu (Zhou) 80% Subtask 2: Determine the molecular basis underlying high sensitivity of EMT and...interaction with the molecular chaperone heat shock protein HSP90 upon the KD. Fig. 1. Knockdown (KD) of HEXIM1 in T47D cells enhances breast cancer EMT...that the observed increase in EMT in ELL2-overexpressing cells was due to the elevated P-TEFb activity. Subtask 2: Determine the molecular basis

  1. Insufficient Knowledge of Breast Cancer Risk Factors Among Malaysian Female University Students

    PubMed Central

    Samah, Asnarulkhadi Abu; Ahmadian, Maryam; Latiff, Latiffah A.

    2016-01-01

    Background: Despite continuous argument about the efficacy of breast self-examination; it still could be a life-saving technique through inspiring and empowering women to take better control over their body/breast and health. This study investigated Malaysian female university students’ knowledge about breast cancer risk factors, signs, and symptoms and assessed breast self-examination frequency among students. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2013 in nine public and private universities in the Klang Valley and Selangor. 842 female students were respondents for the self-administered survey technique. Simple descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for data analysis. Results: The uptake of breast self-examination (BSE) was less than 50% among the students. Most of students had insufficient knowledge on several breast cancer risk factors. Conclusion: Actions and efforts should be done to increase knowledge of breast cancer through the development of ethnically and traditionally sensitive educational training on BSE and breast cancer literacy. PMID:26234996

  2. In vitro evaluation of the antiviral activity of the synthetic epigallocatechin gallate analog-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) palmitate against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Chunjian; Liu, Shuaihua; Li, Chunying; Yang, Lei; Zu, Yuangang

    2014-02-21

    In this study, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) palmitate was synthesized and its anti-porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) activity was studied. Specifically, EGCG palmitate was evaluated for its ability to inhibit PRRSV infection in MARC-145 cells when administered as pre-, post-, or co-treatment. EGCG and ribavirin were used as controls. The results showed that a 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50) of EGCG, EGCG palmitate, and ribavirin was achieved at 2,359.71, 431.42, and 94.06 μM, respectively. All three drugs inhibited PRRSV in a dose-dependent manner regardless of the treatment protocol. EGCG palmitate exhibited higher cytotoxicity than EGCG, but lower cytotoxicity than ribavirin. EGCG palmitate anti-PRRSV activity was significantly higher than that of EGCG and ribavirin, both as pre-treatment and post-treatment. Under the former conditions and a tissue culture infectious dose of 10 and 100, the selectivity index (SI) of EGCG palmitate in the inhibition of PRRSV was 3.8 and 2.9 times higher than that of ribavirin when administered as a pre-treatment, while the SI of EGCG palmitate in the inhibition of PRRSV was 3.0 and 1.9 times higher than ribavirin when administered as a post-treatment. Therefore, EGCG palmitate is potentially effective as an anti-PRRSV agent and thus of interest to the pharmaceutical industry.

  3. Sensitive Detection of Mono- and Polyclonal ESR1 Mutations in Primary Tumors, Metastatic Lesions, and Cell-Free DNA of Breast Cancer Patients.

    PubMed

    Wang, Peilu; Bahreini, Amir; Gyanchandani, Rekha; Lucas, Peter C; Hartmaier, Ryan J; Watters, Rebecca J; Jonnalagadda, Amruth R; Trejo Bittar, Humberto E; Berg, Aaron; Hamilton, Ronald L; Kurland, Brenda F; Weiss, Kurt R; Mathew, Aju; Leone, Jose Pablo; Davidson, Nancy E; Nikiforova, Marina N; Brufsky, Adam M; Ambros, Tadeu F; Stern, Andrew M; Puhalla, Shannon L; Lee, Adrian V; Oesterreich, Steffi

    2016-03-01

    Given the clinical relevance of ESR1 mutations as potential drivers of resistance to endocrine therapy, this study used sensitive detection methods to determine the frequency of ESR1 mutations in primary and metastatic breast cancer, and in cell-free DNA (cfDNA). Six ESR1 mutations (K303R, S463P, Y537C, Y537N, Y537S, D538G) were assessed by digital droplet PCR (ddPCR), with lower limits of detection of 0.05% to 0.16%, in primary tumors (n = 43), bone (n = 12) and brain metastases (n = 38), and cfDNA (n = 29). Correlations between ESR1 mutations in metastatic lesions and single (1 patient) or serial blood draws (4 patients) were assessed. ESR1 mutations were detected for D538G (n = 13), Y537S (n = 3), and Y537C (n = 1), and not for K303R, S463P, or Y537N. Mutation rates were 7.0% (3/43 primary tumors), 9.1% (1/11 bone metastases), 12.5% (3/24 brain metastases), and 24.1% (7/29 cfDNA). Two patients showed polyclonal disease with more than one ESR1 mutation. Mutation allele frequencies were 0.07% to 0.2% in primary tumors, 1.4% in bone metastases, 34.3% to 44.9% in brain metastases, and 0.2% to 13.7% in cfDNA. In cases with both cfDNA and metastatic samples (n = 5), mutations were detected in both (n = 3) or in cfDNA only (n = 2). Treatment was associated with changes in ESR1 mutation detection and allele frequency. ESR1 mutations were detected at very low allele frequencies in some primary breast cancers, and at high allele frequency in metastases, suggesting that in some tumors rare ESR1-mutant clones are enriched by endocrine therapy. Further studies should address whether sensitive detection of ESR1 mutations in primary breast cancer and in serial blood draws may be predictive for development of resistant disease. See related commentary by Gu and Fuqua, p. 1034. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

  4. Breast fibromatosis associated with breast implants.

    PubMed

    Seo, Yoon Nae; Park, Young Mi; Yoon, Hye Kyoung; Lee, Sun Joo; Choo, Hye Jung; Ryu, Ji Hwa

    2015-09-01

    Fibromatosis refers to an extra-abdominal desmoid tumor or aggressive fibromatosis. Breast fibromatosis can develop in association with the capsule around a breast implant, although reports of cases of fibromatosis associated with breast implants are rare. As the demand for breast augmentation has increased, it is important to understand the diseases associated with breast implants. In the present report, we describe a case of breast fibromatosis that developed adjacent to a breast implant and demonstrated a relatively well-defined border even though it invaded the surrounding structures. We also explore the specific imaging features for diagnosing breast fibromatosis in association with implants by reviewing previous literature.

  5. Association between power law coefficients of the anatomical noise power spectrum and lesion detectability in breast imaging modalities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Lin; Abbey, Craig K.; Boone, John M.

    2013-03-01

    Previous research has demonstrated that a parameter extracted from a power function fit to the anatomical noise power spectrum, β, may be predictive of breast mass lesion detectability in x-ray based medical images of the breast. In this investigation, the value of β was compared with a number of other more widely used parameters, in order to determine the relationship between β and these other parameters. This study made use of breast CT data sets, acquired on two breast CT systems developed in our laboratory. A total of 185 breast data sets in 183 women were used, and only the unaffected breast was used (where no lesion was suspected). The anatomical noise power spectrum computed from two-dimensional region of interests (ROIs), was fit to a power function (NPS(f) = α f-β), and the exponent parameter (β) was determined using log/log linear regression. Breast density for each of the volume data sets was characterized in previous work. The breast CT data sets analyzed in this study were part of a previous study which evaluated the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve performance using simulated spherical lesions and a pre-whitened matched filter computer observer. This ROC information was used to compute the detectability index as well as the sensitivity at 95% specificity. The fractal dimension was computed from the same ROIs which were used for the assessment of β. The value of β was compared to breast density, detectability index, sensitivity, and fractal dimension, and the slope of these relationships was investigated to assess statistical significance from zero slope. A statistically significant non-zero slope was considered to be a positive association in this investigation. All comparisons between β and breast density, detectability index, sensitivity at 95% specificity, and fractal dimension demonstrated statistically significant association with p < 0.001 in all cases. The value of β was also found to be associated with patient age and

  6. Gamma-ray detectors for breast imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Williams, Mark B.; Goode, Allen R.; Majewski, Stan; Steinbach, Daniela; Weisenberger, Andrew G.; Wojcik, Randolph F.; Farzanpay, Farzin

    1997-07-01

    Breast cancer is the most common cancer of American women and is the leading cause of cancer-related death among women aged 15 - 54; however recent years have shown that early detection using x-ray mammography can lead to a high probability of cure. However, because of mammography's low positive predictive value, surgical or core biopsy is typically required for diagnosis. In addition, the low radiographic contrast of many nonpalpable breast masses, particularly among women with radiographically dense breasts, results in an overall rate of 10% to 25% for missed tumors. Nuclear imaging of the breast using single gamma emitters (scintimammography) such as (superscript 99m)Tc, or positron emitters such as F-18- fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) for positron emission tomography (PET), can provide information on functional or metabolic tumor activity that is complementary to the structural information of x-ray mammography, thereby potentially reducing the number of unnecessary biopsies and missed cancers. This paper summarizes recent data on the efficacy of scintimammography using conventional gamma cameras, and describes the development of dedicated detectors for gamma emission breast imaging. The detectors use new, high density crystal scintillators and large area position sensitive photomultiplier tubes (PSPMTs). Detector design, imaging requirements, and preliminary measured imaging performance are discussed.

  7. Optical Imaging in Breast Cancer Diagnosis: The Next Evolution

    PubMed Central

    Ruibal, Alvaro

    2012-01-01

    Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among the population of the Western world. Diagnostic methods include mammography, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance; meanwhile, nuclear medicine techniques have a secondary role, being useful in regional assessment and therapy followup. Optical imaging is a very promising imaging technique that uses near-infrared light to assess optical properties of tissues and is expected to play an important role in breast cancer detection. Optical breast imaging can be performed by intrinsic breast tissue contrast alone (hemoglobin, water, and lipid content) or with the use of exogenous fluorescent probes that target specific molecules for breast cancer. Major advantages of optical imaging are that it does not use any radioactive components, very high sensitivity, relatively inexpensive, easily accessible, and the potential to be combined in a multimodal approach with other technologies such as mammography, ultrasound, MRI, and positron emission tomography. Moreover, optical imaging agents could, potentially, be used as “theranostics,” combining the process of diagnosis and therapy. PMID:23304141

  8. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of hormone-induced breast changes in young premenopausal women.

    PubMed

    Clendenen, Tess V; Kim, Sungheon; Moy, Linda; Wan, Livia; Rusinek, Henry; Stanczyk, Frank Z; Pike, Malcolm C; Zeleniuch-Jacquotte, Anne

    2013-01-01

    We conducted a pilot study to identify whether MRI parameters are sensitive to hormone-induced changes in the breast during the natural menstrual cycle and whether changes could also be observed during an oral contraceptive (OC) cycle. The New York University Langone Medical Center Institutional Review Board approved this HIPAA-compliant prospective study. All participants provided written informed consent. Participants were aged 24-31 years.We measured several non-contrast breast MRI parameters during each week of a single menstrual cycle (among 9 women) and OC cycle (among 8 women). Hormones were measured to confirm ovulation and classify menstrual cycle phase among naturally cycling women and to monitor OC compliance among OC users. We investigated how the non-contrast MRI parameters of breast fibroglandular tissue (FGT), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), magnetization transfer ratio (MTR), and transverse relaxation time (T2) varied over the natural and the OC cycles. We observed significant increases in MRI FGT% and ADC in FGT, and longer T2 in FGT in the luteal vs. follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. We did not observe any consistent pattern of change for any of the MRI parameters among women using OCs. MRI is sensitive to hormone-induced breast tissue changes during the menstrual cycle. Larger studies are needed to assess whether MRI is also sensitive to the effects of exogenous hormones, such as various OC formulations, on the breast tissue of young premenopausal women. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. [Imaging of breast tumors using MR elastography].

    PubMed

    Lorenzen, J; Sinkus, R; Schrader, D; Lorenzen, M; Leussler, C; Dargatz, M; Röschmann, P

    2001-01-01

    Imaging of breast tumors using MR-Elastography. Low-frequency mechanical waves are transmitted into breast-tissue by means of an oscillator. The local characteristics of the mechanical wave are determined by the elastic properties of the tissue. By means of a motion-sensitive spin-echo-sequence these waves can be displayed within the phase of the MR image. Subsequently, these images can be used to reconstruct the local distribution of elasticity. In-vivo measurements were performed in 3 female patients with malignant tumors of the breast. All patients tolerated the measurement set-up without any untoward sensation in the contact area of skin and oszillator. The waves completely penetrated the breast, encompassing the axilla and regions close to the chest wall. All tumors were localized by MRE as structures of markedly stiffer tissue when compared to the surrounding tissue. Furthermore, in one patient, a metastasis in an axillary lymph node was detected. In all patients, local regions of increased elasticity were found in the remaining parenchyma of the breast, which, however, did not reach the high levels of elasticity found in the tumors. MRE is an imaging modality enabling adjunct tissue differentiation of mammary tumors.

  10. Scintillator performance considerations for dedicated breast computed tomography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vedantham, Srinivasan; Shi, Linxi; Karellas, Andrew

    2017-09-01

    Dedicated breast computed tomography (BCT) is an emerging clinical modality that can eliminate tissue superposition and has the potential for improved sensitivity and specificity for breast cancer detection and diagnosis. It is performed without physical compression of the breast. Most of the dedicated BCT systems use large-area detectors operating in cone-beam geometry and are referred to as cone-beam breast CT (CBBCT) systems. The large-area detectors in CBBCT systems are energy-integrating, indirect-type detectors employing a scintillator that converts x-ray photons to light, followed by detection of optical photons. A key consideration that determines the image quality achieved by such CBBCT systems is the choice of scintillator and its performance characteristics. In this work, a framework for analyzing the impact of the scintillator on CBBCT performance and its use for task-specific optimization of CBBCT imaging performance is described.

  11. Low-dose radiation: a cause of breast cancer

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Land, C.E.

    1980-08-15

    It is likely that the breast is the organ most sensitive to radiation carcinogenesis in postpubertal women. Studies of different exposed populations have yielded remarkably consistent results, in spite of wide differences in underlying breast cancer rates and conditions of exposure. Excess risk is approximately proportional to dose, and is relatively independent of ionization density and fractionization of dose. This implies that the risk associated with low-dose exposures to ionizing radiation can be estimated with some confidence from higher-dose data. Excess risk is heavily dependent on age at exposure but relatively independent of population differences in normal risk. The temporalmore » patterns after exposure of both radiation-induced and naturally occurring breast cancer are similar, suggesting a strong influence of factors other than radiation on radiation-induced breast cancer. Uncertainties remain about risks from exposures before puberty and after menopause.« less

  12. Value of circulating cell-free DNA analysis as a diagnostic tool for breast cancer: a meta-analysis

    PubMed Central

    Ma, Xuelei; Zhang, Jing; Hu, Xiuying

    2017-01-01

    Objectives The aim of this study was to systematically evaluate the diagnostic value of cell free DNA (cfDNA) for breast cancer. Results Among 308 candidate articles, 25 with relevant diagnostic screening qualified for final analysis. The mean sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve (AUC) of SROC plots for 24 studies that distinguished breast cancer patients from healthy controls were 0.70, 0.87, and 0.9314, yielding a DOR of 32.31. When analyzed in subgroups, the 14 quantitative studies produced sensitivity, specificity, AUC, and a DOR of 0.78, 0.83, 0.9116, and 24.40. The 10 qualitative studies produced 0.50, 0.98, 0.9919, and 68.45. For 8 studies that distinguished malignant breast cancer from benign diseases, the specificity, sensitivity, AUC and DOR were 0.75, 0.79, 0.8213, and 9.49. No covariate factors had a significant correlation with relative DOR. Deek's funnel plots indicated an absence of publication bias. Materials and Methods Databases were searched for studies involving the use of cfDNA to diagnose breast cancer. The studies were analyzed to determine sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC). Covariates were evaluated for effect on relative DOR. Deek's Funnel plots were generated to measure publication bias. Conclusions Our analysis suggests a promising diagnostic potential of using cfDNA for breast cancer screening, but this diagnostic method is not yet independently sufficient. Further work refining qualitative cfDNA assays will improve the correct diagnosis of breast cancers. PMID:28460452

  13. Prospective computerized analyses of sensibility in breast reconstruction with non-reinnervated DIEP flap.

    PubMed

    Santanelli, Fabio; Longo, Benedetto; Angelini, Matteo; Laporta, Rosaria; Paolini, Guido

    2011-05-01

    The deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap is considered the definitive standard for autologous breast reconstruction because of its ability to restore shape, its consistency, and its static and dynamic symmetry, but the degree of spontaneous sensory recovery is still widely discussed. To clarify the real need for sensitive nerve coaptation, return of sensibility in DIEP flaps was investigated using a pressure-specifying sensory device. Thirty consecutive patients with breast cancer scheduled for modified radical mastectomy, axillary node dissection, and immediate reconstruction with cutaneous-adipose DIEP flaps without nerve repair were enrolled in the study. Sensibility for one and two points, static and moving, was tested preoperatively on the breasts and abdomen, and postoperatively at 6 and 12 months on the DIEP flaps. A t test was used for comparison of paired data and to investigate which factors affected sensory recovery. Preoperative healthy breast and abdomen pressure thresholds were lower for two-point than one-point discrimination and for moving discriminations compared with static ones at 6 and 12 months. Although they were significantly higher than those for contralateral healthy breasts (p < 0.05), pressure thresholds in DIEP flaps at 12 months were lower than at 6 months, showing a significant progressive sensory recovery (p < 0.05). At 12 months postoperatively, the best sensibility recovery was found at the inferior lateral quadrant, the worst at the superior medial quadrant. Age and flap weight were factors related to the performance of sensory recovery. DIEP flap transfer for immediate breast reconstruction undergoes satisfactory progressive spontaneous sensitive recovery at 6 and 12 months after surgery, and operative time spent dissecting sensitive perforator branches and their coaptation in recipient site could be spared.

  14. The Inhibition of Maillard Browning by Different Concentrations of Rosmarinic Acid and Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate in Model, Bakery, and Fruit Systems.

    PubMed

    Favreau-Farhadi, Nicole; Pecukonis, Lauren; Barrett, Ann

    2015-10-01

    Rosmarinic acid and Epigallocatechin gallate concentrations were studied as natural inhibitors of Maillard browning in glucose/glycine model systems, and in bakery rolls and applesauce. The concentrations of the inhibitors were varied to determine the highest level of inhibition without a pro-oxidant/browning effect. UV absorbance and gas chromatography/mass spec (GC/MS) with solid phase microextraction (SPME) sampling was used to study browning in the model systems. Hunter L*, a*, b* was used to analyze the color change results of the inhibitors on applesauce and bakery rolls. It was determined that a 1.0% solution of either antioxidant in the glucose/glycine system produced the greatest inhibition and a synergistic effect was not apparent when the two were combined. Inhibition of browning and a lack of synergy between the antioxidants were also determined in food systems consisting of applesauce and bakery rolls. GC/MS analysis of the model system revealed a high level of pyrazine formation in no-inhibitor control samples and the absence of pyrazines in inhibitor-containing samples. Natural browning inhibitors, that is Rosmarinic acid and Epigallocatechin gallate, can be added to food items to inhibit browning over a prolonged period of storage in order to increase product shelf stability. The concentrations of the inhibitors require optimization since a pro-oxidant effect and increased browning will occur at high levels. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  15. Subgroup Economic Evaluation of Radiotherapy for Breast Cancer After Mastectomy.

    PubMed

    Wan, Xiaomin; Peng, Liubao; Ma, Jinan; Chen, Gannong; Li, Yuanjian

    2015-11-01

    A recent meta-analysis by the Early Breast Cancer Trialists' Collaborative Group found significant improvements achieved by postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) for patients with breast cancer with 1 to 3 positive nodes (pN1-3). It is unclear whether PMRT is cost-effective for subgroups of patients with positive nodes. To determine the cost-effectiveness of PMRT for subgroups of patients with breast cancer with positive nodes. A semi-Markov model was constructed to estimate the expected lifetime costs, life expectancy, and quality-adjusted life-years for patients receiving or not receiving radiation therapy. Clinical and health utilities data were from meta-analyses by the Early Breast Cancer Trialists' Collaborative Group or randomized clinical trials. Costs were estimated from the perspective of the Chinese society. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. The incremental cost-effective ratio was estimated as $7984, $4043, $3572, and $19,021 per quality-adjusted life-year for patients with positive nodes (pN+), patients with pN1-3, patients with pN1-3 who received systemic therapy, and patients with >4 positive nodes (pN4+), respectively. According to World Health Organization recommendations, these incremental cost-effective ratios were judged as cost-effective. However, the results of one-way sensitivity analyses suggested that the results were highly sensitive to the relative effectiveness of PMRT (rate ratio). We determined that the results were highly sensitive to the rate ratio. However, the addition of PMRT for patients with pN1-3 in China has a reasonable chance to be cost-effective and may be judged as an efficient deployment of limited health resource, and the risk and uncertainty of PMRT are relatively greater for patients with pN4+. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Postmortem validation of breast density using dual-energy mammography

    PubMed Central

    Molloi, Sabee; Ducote, Justin L.; Ding, Huanjun; Feig, Stephen A.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: Mammographic density has been shown to be an indicator of breast cancer risk and also reduces the sensitivity of screening mammography. Currently, there is no accepted standard for measuring breast density. Dual energy mammography has been proposed as a technique for accurate measurement of breast density. The purpose of this study is to validate its accuracy in postmortem breasts and compare it with other existing techniques. Methods: Forty postmortem breasts were imaged using a dual energy mammography system. Glandular and adipose equivalent phantoms of uniform thickness were used to calibrate a dual energy basis decomposition algorithm. Dual energy decomposition was applied after scatter correction to calculate breast density. Breast density was also estimated using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding and a fuzzy C-mean algorithm. Chemical analysis was used as the reference standard to assess the accuracy of different techniques to measure breast composition. Results: Breast density measurements using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding, fuzzy C-mean algorithm, and dual energy were in good agreement with the measured fibroglandular volume fraction using chemical analysis. The standard error estimates using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding, fuzzy C-mean, and dual energy were 9.9%, 8.6%, 7.2%, and 4.7%, respectively. Conclusions: The results indicate that dual energy mammography can be used to accurately measure breast density. The variability in breast density estimation using dual energy mammography was lower than reader assessment rankings, standard histogram thresholding, and fuzzy C-mean algorithm. Improved quantification of breast density is expected to further enhance its utility as a risk factor for breast cancer. PMID:25086548

  17. Postmortem validation of breast density using dual-energy mammography

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Molloi, Sabee, E-mail: symolloi@uci.edu; Ducote, Justin L.; Ding, Huanjun

    2014-08-15

    Purpose: Mammographic density has been shown to be an indicator of breast cancer risk and also reduces the sensitivity of screening mammography. Currently, there is no accepted standard for measuring breast density. Dual energy mammography has been proposed as a technique for accurate measurement of breast density. The purpose of this study is to validate its accuracy in postmortem breasts and compare it with other existing techniques. Methods: Forty postmortem breasts were imaged using a dual energy mammography system. Glandular and adipose equivalent phantoms of uniform thickness were used to calibrate a dual energy basis decomposition algorithm. Dual energy decompositionmore » was applied after scatter correction to calculate breast density. Breast density was also estimated using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding and a fuzzy C-mean algorithm. Chemical analysis was used as the reference standard to assess the accuracy of different techniques to measure breast composition. Results: Breast density measurements using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding, fuzzy C-mean algorithm, and dual energy were in good agreement with the measured fibroglandular volume fraction using chemical analysis. The standard error estimates using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding, fuzzy C-mean, and dual energy were 9.9%, 8.6%, 7.2%, and 4.7%, respectively. Conclusions: The results indicate that dual energy mammography can be used to accurately measure breast density. The variability in breast density estimation using dual energy mammography was lower than reader assessment rankings, standard histogram thresholding, and fuzzy C-mean algorithm. Improved quantification of breast density is expected to further enhance its utility as a risk factor for breast cancer.« less

  18. Allergic contact cheilitis from a lipstick misdiagnosed as herpes labialis: Subsequent worsening due to Zovirax contact allergy.

    PubMed

    Ozkaya, Esen; Topkarci, Zeynep; Ozarmağan, Güzin

    2007-08-01

    A 29-year-old Turkish woman with allergic contact cheilitis from a lipstick was misdiagnosed as herpes labialis and subsequently worsened with the application of Zovirax cream. Patch tests were positive to Zovirax cream, propylene glycol, the patient's favourite lipstick and propyl gallate. No reaction was seen with Zovirax ophthalmic ointment and Zovirax tablet. The propylene glycol component of the Zovirax cream and the propyl gallate component of the lipstick were regarded as the responsible contact sensitizers. The differential diagnosis was challenging due to concomitant contact sensitization with these agents.

  19. Benign Breast Disease, Mammographic Breast Density, and the Risk of Breast Cancer

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Benign breast disease and high breast density are prevalent, strong risk factors for breast cancer. Women with both risk factors may be at very high risk. Methods We included 42818 women participating in the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium who had no prior diagnosis of breast cancer and had undergone at least one benign breast biopsy and mammogram; 1359 women developed incident breast cancer in 6.1 years of follow-up (78.1% invasive, 21.9% ductal carcinoma in situ). We calculated hazard ratios (HRs) using Cox regression analysis. The referent group was women with nonproliferative changes and average density. All P values are two-sided. Results Benign breast disease and breast density were independently associated with breast cancer. The combination of atypical hyperplasia and very high density was uncommon (0.6% of biopsies) but was associated with the highest risk for breast cancer (HR = 5.34; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.52 to 8.09, P < .001). Proliferative disease without atypia (25.6% of biopsies) was associated with elevated risk that varied little across levels of density: average (HR = 1.37; 95% CI = 1.11 to 1.69, P = .003), high (HR = 2.02; 95% CI = 1.68 to 2.44, P < .001), or very high (HR = 2.05; 95% CI = 1.54 to 2.72, P < .001). Low breast density (4.5% of biopsies) was associated with low risk (HRs <1) for all benign pathology diagnoses. Conclusions Women with high breast density and proliferative benign breast disease are at very high risk for future breast cancer. Women with low breast density are at low risk, regardless of their benign pathologic diagnosis. PMID:23744877

  20. Benign breast disease, mammographic breast density, and the risk of breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Tice, Jeffrey A; O'Meara, Ellen S; Weaver, Donald L; Vachon, Celine; Ballard-Barbash, Rachel; Kerlikowske, Karla

    2013-07-17

    Benign breast disease and high breast density are prevalent, strong risk factors for breast cancer. Women with both risk factors may be at very high risk. We included 42818 women participating in the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium who had no prior diagnosis of breast cancer and had undergone at least one benign breast biopsy and mammogram; 1359 women developed incident breast cancer in 6.1 years of follow-up (78.1% invasive, 21.9% ductal carcinoma in situ). We calculated hazard ratios (HRs) using Cox regression analysis. The referent group was women with nonproliferative changes and average density. All P values are two-sided. Benign breast disease and breast density were independently associated with breast cancer. The combination of atypical hyperplasia and very high density was uncommon (0.6% of biopsies) but was associated with the highest risk for breast cancer (HR = 5.34; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.52 to 8.09, P < .001). Proliferative disease without atypia (25.6% of biopsies) was associated with elevated risk that varied little across levels of density: average (HR = 1.37; 95% CI = 1.11 to 1.69, P = .003), high (HR = 2.02; 95% CI = 1.68 to 2.44, P < .001), or very high (HR = 2.05; 95% CI = 1.54 to 2.72, P < .001). Low breast density (4.5% of biopsies) was associated with low risk (HRs <1) for all benign pathology diagnoses. Women with high breast density and proliferative benign breast disease are at very high risk for future breast cancer. Women with low breast density are at low risk, regardless of their benign pathologic diagnosis.

  1. MRI versus breast-specific gamma imaging (BSGI) in newly diagnosed ductal cell carcinoma-in-situ: a prospective head-to-head trial.

    PubMed

    Keto, Jessica L; Kirstein, Laurie; Sanchez, Diana P; Fulop, Tamara; McPartland, Laura; Cohen, Ilona; Boolbol, Susan K

    2012-01-01

    Mammography remains the standard imaging technique for the diagnosis of ductal carcinoma-in-situ (DCIS). Functional breast imaging, including breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), has known limitations in evaluating DCIS. To date, there are limited data on the utility of breast-specific gamma imaging (BSGI) in DCIS. We sought to prospectively compare the sensitivity of BSGI to MRI in newly diagnosed DCIS patients. Patients with newly diagnosed DCIS from June 1, 2009, through May 31, 2010, underwent a protocol with both breast MRI and BSGI. Each imaging study was read by a separate dedicated breast radiologist. Patients were excluded if excisional biopsy was performed for diagnosis, if their MRI was performed at an outside facility, or if final pathology revealed invasive carcinoma. There were 18 patients enrolled onto the study that had both MRI and BSGI for newly diagnosed DCIS. The sensitivity for MRI was 94% and for BSGI was 89% (P > 0.5, NS). There was one index tumor not seen on either MRI or BSGI, and one index tumor seen on MRI but not visualized on BSGI. Although BSGI has previously been shown to be as sensitive as MRI for detecting known invasive breast carcinoma, this study shows that BSGI is equally as sensitive as MRI at detecting newly diagnosed DCIS. As a result of the limited number of patients enrolled onto the study, larger prospective studies need to be performed to determine the true sensitivity and specificity of BSGI.

  2. Influence of personal characteristics of individual women on sensitivity and specificity of mammography in the Million Women Study: cohort study

    PubMed Central

    Banks, Emily; Reeves, Gillian; Beral, Valerie; Bull, Diana; Crossley, Barbara; Simmonds, Moya; Hilton, Elizabeth; Bailey, Stephen; Barrett, Nigel; Briers, Peter; English, Ruth; Jackson, Alan; Kutt, Elizabeth; Lavelle, Janet; Rockall, Linda; Wallis, Matthew G; Wilson, Mary; Patnick, Julietta

    2004-01-01

    Objectives To examine how lifestyle, hormonal, and other factors influence the sensitivity and specificity of mammography. Methods Women recruited into the Million Women Study completed a questionnaire about various personal factors before routine mammographic screening. A sample of 122 355 women aged 50-64 years were followed for outcome of screening and incident breast cancer in the next 12 months. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated by using standard definitions, with adjustment for potential confounding factors. Results Breast cancer was diagnosed in 726 (0.6%) women, 629 in screen positive and 97 in screen negative women; 3885 (3.2%) were screen positive but had no subsequent diagnosis of breast cancer. Overall sensitivity was 86.6% and specificity was 96.8%. Three factors had an adverse effect on both measures: use of hormone replacement therapy (sensitivity: 83.0% (95% confidence interval 77.4% to 87.6%), 84.7% (73.9% to 91.6%), and 92.1% (87.6% to 95.0%); specificity: 96.8% (96.6% to 97.0%), 97.8% (97.5% to 98.0%), and 98.1% (98.0% to 98.2%), respectively, for current, past, and never use); previous breast surgery v no previous breast surgery (sensitivity: 83.5% (75.7% to 89.1%) v 89.4% (86.5% to 91.8%); specificity: 96.2% (95.8% to 96.5%) v 97.4% (97.3% to 97.5%), respectively); and body mass index < 25 v ≥ 25 (sensitivity: 85.7% (81.2% to 89.3%) v 91.0% (87.5% to 93.6%); specificity: 97.2% (97.0% to 97.3%) v 97.4% (97.3% to 97.6%), respectively). Neither sensitivity nor specificity varied significantly according to age, family history of breast cancer, parity, past oral contraceptive use, tubal ligation, physical activity, smoking, or alcohol consumption. Conclusions The efficiency, and possibly the effectiveness, of mammographic screening is lower in users of hormone replacement therapy, in women with previous breast surgery, and in thin women compared with other women. PMID:15331472

  3. Breast EIT using a new projected image reconstruction method with multi-frequency measurements.

    PubMed

    Lee, Eunjung; Ts, Munkh-Erdene; Seo, Jin Keun; Woo, Eung Je

    2012-05-01

    We propose a new method to produce admittivity images of the breast for the diagnosis of breast cancer using electrical impedance tomography(EIT). Considering the anatomical structure of the breast, we designed an electrode configuration where current-injection and voltage-sensing electrodes are separated in such a way that internal current pathways are approximately along the tangential direction of an array of voltage-sensing electrodes. Unlike conventional EIT imaging methods where the number of injected currents is maximized to increase the total amount of measured data, current is injected only twice between two pairs of current-injection electrodes attached along the circumferential side of the breast. For each current injection, the induced voltages are measured from the front surface of the breast using as many voltage-sensing electrodes as possible. Although this electrode configurational lows us to measure induced voltages only on the front surface of the breast,they are more sensitive to an anomaly inside the breast since such an injected current tends to produce a more uniform internal current density distribution. Furthermore, the sensitivity of a measured boundary voltage between two equipotential lines on the front surface of the breast is improved since those equipotential lines are perpendicular to the primary direction of internal current streamlines. One should note that this novel data collection method is different from those of other frontal plane techniques such as the x-ray projection and T-scan imaging methods because we do not get any data on the plane that is perpendicular to the current flow. To reconstruct admittivity images using two measured voltage data sets, a new projected image reconstruction algorithm is developed. Numerical simulations demonstrate the frequency-difference EIT imaging of the breast. The results show that the new method is promising to accurately detect and localize small anomalies inside the breast.

  4. PI3K regulates MEK/ERK signaling in breast cancer via the Rac-GEF, P-Rex1

    PubMed Central

    Ebi, Hiromichi; Costa, Carlotta; Faber, Anthony C.; Nishtala, Madhuri; Kotani, Hiroshi; Juric, Dejan; Della Pelle, Patricia; Song, Youngchul; Yano, Seiji; Mino-Kenudson, Mari; Benes, Cyril H.; Engelman, Jeffrey A.

    2013-01-01

    The PI3K pathway is genetically altered in excess of 70% of breast cancers, largely through PIK3CA mutation and HER2 amplification. Preclinical studies have suggested that these subsets of breast cancers are particularly sensitive to PI3K inhibitors; however, the reasons for this heightened sensitivity are mainly unknown. We investigated the signaling effects of PI3K inhibition in PIK3CA mutant and HER2 amplified breast cancers using PI3K inhibitors currently in clinical trials. Unexpectedly, we found that in PIK3CA mutant and HER2 amplified breast cancers sensitive to PI3K inhibitors, PI3K inhibition led to a rapid suppression of Rac1/p21-activated kinase (PAK)/protein kinase C-RAF (C-RAF)/ protein kinase MEK (MEK)/ERK signaling that did not involve RAS. Furthermore, PI3K inhibition led to an ERK-dependent up-regulation of the proapoptotic protein, BIM, followed by induction of apoptosis. Expression of a constitutively active form of Rac1 in these breast cancer models blocked PI3Ki-induced down-regulation of ERK phosphorylation, apoptosis, and mitigated PI3K inhibitor sensitivity in vivo. In contrast, protein kinase AKT inhibitors failed to block MEK/ERK signaling, did not up-regulate BIM, and failed to induce apoptosis. Finally, we identified phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate-dependent Rac exchanger 1 (P-Rex1) as the PI(3,4,5)P3-dependent guanine exchange factor for Rac1 responsible for regulation of the Rac1/C-RAF/MEK/ERK pathway in these cells. The expression level of P-Rex1 correlates with sensitivity to PI3K inhibitors in these breast cancer cell lines. Thus, PI3K inhibitors have enhanced activity in PIK3CA mutant and HER2 amplified breast cancers in which PI3K inhibition down-regulates both the AKT and Rac1/ERK pathways. In addition, P-Rex1 may serve as a biomarker to predict response to single-agent PI3K inhibitors within this subset of breast cancers. PMID:24327733

  5. Breast magnetic resonance imaging for surveillance of women with a personal history of breast cancer: outcomes stratified by interval between definitive surgery and surveillance MR imaging.

    PubMed

    Park, Vivian Youngjean; Kim, Eun-Kyung; Kim, Min Jung; Moon, Hee Jung; Yoon, Jung Hyun

    2018-01-22

    Women with a personal history of breast cancer are at increased risk of future breast cancer events, and may benefit from supplemental screening methods that could enhance early detection of subclinical disease. However, current literature on breast magnetic resonance (MR) imaging surveillance is limited. We investigated outcomes of surveillance breast magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in women with a personal history of breast cancer. We reviewed 1053 consecutive breast MR examinations that were performed for surveillance in 1044 women (median age, 53 years; range, 20-85 years) previously treated for breast cancer between August 2014 and February 2016. All patients had previously received supplemental surveillance with ultrasound. Cancer detection rate (CDR), abnormal interpretation rate and characteristics of MR-detected cancers were assessed, including extramammary cancers. We also calculated the PPV 1 , PPV 3 , sensitivity and specificity for MR-detected intramammary lesions. Performance statistics were stratified by interval following initial surgery. The CDR for MR-detected cancers was 6.7 per 1000 examinations (7 of 1053) and was 3.8 per 1000 examinations (4 of 1053) for intramammary cancers. The overall abnormal interpretation rate was 8.0%, and the abnormal interpretation rate for intramammary lesions was 7.2%. The PPV 1 , PPV 3 , sensitivity and specificity for intramammary lesions was 5.3% (4 of 76), 15.8% (3 of 19), 75.0% (3 of 4) and 98.3% (1031 of 1049), respectively. For MR examinations performed ≤36 months after surgery, the overall CDR was 1.4 per 1000 examinations. For MR examinations performed > 36 months after surgery, the overall CDR was 17.4 per 1000 examinations. Surveillance breast MR imaging may be considered in women with a history of breast cancer, considering the low abnormal interpretation rate and its high specificity. However, the cancer detection rate was low and implementation may be more effective after more than 3

  6. Structural transition in lanthanum gallate and transformation of the fine structure of the EPR spectrum of a Gd3+ impurity center

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vazhenin, V. A.; Guseva, V. B.; Fokin, A. V.; Potapov, A. P.; Artyomov, M. Yu.

    2011-04-01

    Abrupt changes in resonance positions, hysteretic temperature behavior, and coexistence of phases, which indicate a first-order phase transition, have been revealed from measurements of temperature dependences of the EPR spectra of Gd3+ and Mn4+ centers in the vicinity of the structural transition of lanthanum gallate. The transformation of monoclinic Gd3+ centers into trigonal Gd3+ centers upon the phase transition has been used to estimate the adequacy of two approximations of the superposition model for parameters of the zero-field splitting of the ground state.

  7. Comparison of digital mammography and digital breast tomosynthesis in the detection of architectural distortion.

    PubMed

    Dibble, Elizabeth H; Lourenco, Ana P; Baird, Grayson L; Ward, Robert C; Maynard, A Stanley; Mainiero, Martha B

    2018-01-01

    To compare interobserver variability (IOV), reader confidence, and sensitivity/specificity in detecting architectural distortion (AD) on digital mammography (DM) versus digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). This IRB-approved, HIPAA-compliant reader study used a counterbalanced experimental design. We searched radiology reports for AD on screening mammograms from 5 March 2012-27 November 2013. Cases were consensus-reviewed. Controls were selected from demographically matched non-AD examinations. Two radiologists and two fellows blinded to outcomes independently reviewed images from two patient groups in two sessions. Readers recorded presence/absence of AD and confidence level. Agreement and differences in confidence and sensitivity/specificity between DBT versus DM and attendings versus fellows were examined using weighted Kappa and generalised mixed modeling, respectively. There were 59 AD patients and 59 controls for 1,888 observations (59 × 2 (cases and controls) × 2 breasts × 2 imaging techniques × 4 readers). For all readers, agreement improved with DBT versus DM (0.61 vs. 0.37). Confidence was higher with DBT, p = .001. DBT achieved higher sensitivity (.59 vs. .32), p < .001; specificity remained high (>.90). DBT achieved higher positive likelihood ratio values, smaller negative likelihood ratio values, and larger ROC values. DBT decreases IOV, increases confidence, and improves sensitivity while maintaining high specificity in detecting AD. • Digital breast tomosynthesis decreases interobserver variability in the detection of architectural distortion. • Digital breast tomosynthesis increases reader confidence in the detection of architectural distortion. • Digital breast tomosynthesis improves sensitivity in the detection of architectural distortion.

  8. Targeting the NFκB signaling pathways for breast cancer prevention and therapy.

    PubMed

    Wang, Wei; Nag, Subhasree A; Zhang, Ruiwen

    2015-01-01

    The activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NFκB), a proinflammatory transcription factor, is a commonly observed phenomenon in breast cancer. It facilitates the development of a hormone-independent, invasive, high-grade, and late-stage tumor phenotype. Moreover, the commonly used cancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy approaches activate NFκB, leading to the development of invasive breast cancers that show resistance to chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and endocrine therapy. Inhibition of NFκB results in an increase in the sensitivity of cancer cells to the apoptotic effects of chemotherapeutic agents and radiation and restoring hormone sensitivity, which is correlated with increased disease-free survival in patients with breast cancer. In this review article, we focus on the role of the NFκB signaling pathways in the development and progression of breast cancer and the validity of NFκB as a potential target for breast cancer prevention and therapy. We also discuss the recent findings that NFκB may have tumor suppressing activity in certain cancer types. Finally, this review also covers the state-of-the-art development of NFκB inhibitors for cancer therapy and prevention, the challenges in targeting validation, and pharmacology and toxicology evaluations of these agents from the bench to the bedside.

  9. Social support and coping means: the lived experiences of Northeastern Thai women with breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Dumrongpanapakorn, Phensiri; Liamputtong, Pranee

    2017-10-01

    Social support plays a critical role in how women living with breast cancer deal with their diagnosis and treatment. This article discusses the meanings of breast cancer and the experiences of social support among women living with breast cancer in Northeastern Thailand (Isan). In-depth interviews were conducted with 18 women with breast cancer. Data were analysed using the thematic analysis method. Being diagnosed with breast cancer can be a traumatic experience. However, many women with breast cancer managed to deal with their illnesses and treatments and this was based largely on social support they received. Available support from family members, friends, neighbours, religion and health care professionals was essential for them to deal with their breast cancer. Social support was an important component for the provision of good care for these women and women living with breast cancer. Although medical treatments were essential for breast cancer, social support could enhance the effectiveness of the treatments as it helped women to have positive perspectives about their health conditions and to better deal with their illnesses. Our findings are useful for sensitive health promotion for women with breast cancer in Thailand and elsewhere. Social support should be modified to meet the woman's individual needs. Health professionals are an important source of social support for women with breast cancer. Having an understanding and being sensitive to these women's experiences and challenges means that health care professionals can provide more individualised support and care to women during their vulnerable period of life. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  10. (-)Epigallocatechin-3-gallate decreases the stress-induced impairment of learning and memory in rats.

    PubMed

    Soung, Hung-Sheng; Wang, Mao-Hsien; Tseng, Hsiang-Chien; Fang, Hsu-Wei; Chang, Kuo-Chi

    2015-08-18

    Stress induces reactive oxygen species (ROS) and causes alterations in brain cytoarchitecture and cognition. Green tea has potent antioxidative properties especially the tea catechin (-) epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). These powerful antioxidative properties are able to protect against various oxidative damages. In this study we investigated the impact of stress on rats' locomotor activity, learning and memory. Many tea catechins, including EGCG, were examined for their possible therapeutic effects in treating stress-induced impairment. Our results indicated that locomotor activity was decreased, and the learning and memory were impaired in stressed rats (SRs). EGCG treatment was able to prevent the decreased locomotor activity as well as improve the learning and memory in SRs. EGCG treatment was also able to reduce the increased oxidative status in SRs' hippocampi. The above results suggest a therapeutic effect of EGCG in treating stress-induced impairment of learning and memory, most likely by means of its powerful antioxidative properties. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Gene Environment Interactions in Women With Breast and Secondary Lung Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-07-01

    information that may be useful in defining subpopulations sensitive to radiation therapy . 15. SUBJECT TERMS Breast cancer, lung cancer, secondary...risk levels to women choosing a breast cancer therapy . Additionally, this research may provide new data on the susceptibilities of women with...secondary lung cancer risk that increased 2-3 fold for nonsmokers and 30 fold in smokers who receive radiation therapy (4,5). Overall, radiotherapy

  12. Breast MR segmentation and lesion detection with cellular neural networks and 3D template matching.

    PubMed

    Ertaş, Gökhan; Gülçür, H Ozcan; Osman, Onur; Uçan, Osman N; Tunaci, Mehtap; Dursun, Memduh

    2008-01-01

    A novel fully automated system is introduced to facilitate lesion detection in dynamic contrast-enhanced, magnetic resonance mammography (DCE-MRM). The system extracts breast regions from pre-contrast images using a cellular neural network, generates normalized maximum intensity-time ratio (nMITR) maps and performs 3D template matching with three layers of 12x12 cells to detect lesions. A breast is considered to be properly segmented when relative overlap >0.85 and misclassification rate <0.10. Sensitivity, false-positive rate per slice and per lesion are used to assess detection performance. The system was tested with a dataset of 2064 breast MR images (344slicesx6 acquisitions over time) from 19 women containing 39 marked lesions. Ninety-seven percent of the breasts were segmented properly and all the lesions were detected correctly (detection sensitivity=100%), however, there were some false-positive detections (31%/lesion, 10%/slice).

  13. Initial experience of automated breast volume scanning (ABVS) and ultrasound elastography in predicting breast cancer subtypes and staging.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xiao-Lei; Tao, Lin; Zhou, Xian-Li; Wei, Hong; Sun, Jia-Wei

    2016-12-01

    Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease consisting of distinct histopathological subtypes with different clinical outcomes. In this article, we identified the automated breast volume scanning (ABVS) and shear wave velocity (SWV) characteristics of different pathological types of breast carcinoma. A retrospective review of both ABVS and SWV imaging of 118 consecutive breast masses was performed. The imaging features of both techniques were assessed with reference to histopathological results. Echo heterogeneity with a smooth and lobulated margin was a significant feature more frequently found in mucinous carcinoma groups (100%, P < 0.05). Between different stages of ductal carcinoma, echo homogeneity was more likely in high-grade ductal carcinomas (P < 0.05). SWV differences existed between inside tumor areas and either tumor boundary or tissues outside the tumors (P < 0.05), and values differed between different breast carcinoma stages. The central and tumor margin areas of ductal carcinomas were much harder than in tubular carcinoma and micro-carcinoma, respectively (P < 0.05). SWV ROC curve analyses yielded a cut-off value of 3.015 m/s between ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive ductal carcinoma in the central part of lesions, with 83.5% sensitivity and 80% specificity for T0 vs T1-3 staging. Since some features were associated with different breast carcinoma types and stages, ABVS and SWV imaging has the potential to give clues about breast carcinoma differentiation in a non-invasive manner. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Breast cancer stem cells in HER2-negative breast cancer cells contribute to HER2-mediated radioresistance and molecular subtype conversion: clinical implications for serum HER2 in recurrent HER2-negative breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Kim, Yun Gyoung; Yoon, Yi Na; Choi, Hyang Suk; Kim, Ji-Hyun; Seol, Hyesil; Lee, Jin Kyung; Seong, Min-Ki; Park, In Chul; Kim, Kwang Il; Kim, Hyun-Ah; Kim, Jae-Sung; Noh, Woo Chul

    2018-01-19

    Although it has been proposed that the beneficial effect of HER2-targeted therapy in HER2-negative breast cancer is associated with the molecular subtype conversion, the underlying mechanism and the clinical biomarkers are unclear. Our study showed that breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) mediated HER2 subtype conversion and radioresistance in HER2-negative breast cancer cells and evaluated serum HER2 as a clinical biomarker for HER2 subtype conversion. We found that the CD44 + /CD24 -/low BCSCs from HER2-negative breast cancer MCF7 cells overexpressed HER2 and EGFR and showed the radioresistant phenotype. In addition, we showed that trastuzumab treatment sensitized the radioresistant phenotype of the CD44 + /CD24 -/low cells with decreased levels of HER2 and EGFR, which suggested that HER2-targeted therapy in HER2-negative breast cancer could be useful for targeting BCSCs that overexpress HER2/EGFR. Importantly, our clinical data showed that serial serum HER2 measurement synchronously reflected the disease relapse and the change in tumor burden in some patients who were initially diagnosed as HER2-negative breast cancer, which indicated that serum HER2 could be a clinical biomarker for the evaluation of HER2 subtype conversion in patients with recurrent HER2-negative breast cancer. Therefore, our data have provided in vitro and in vivo evidence for the molecular subtype conversion of HER2-negative breast cancer.

  15. Challenging the roles of CD44 and lipolysis stimulated lipoprotein receptor in conveying Clostridium perfringens iota toxin cytotoxicity in breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Fagan-Solis, Katerina D; Reaves, Denise K; Rangel, M Cristina; Popoff, Michel R; Stiles, Bradley G; Fleming, Jodie M

    2014-07-02

    Translational exploration of bacterial toxins has come to the forefront of research given their potential as a chemotherapeutic tool. Studies in select tissues have demonstrated that Clostridium perfringens iota toxin binds to CD44 and lipolysis stimulated lipoprotein receptor (LSR) cell-surface proteins. We recently demonstrated that LSR expression correlates with estrogen receptor positive breast cancers and that LSR signaling directs aggressive, tumor-initiating cell behaviors. Herein, we identify the mechanisms of iota toxin cytotoxicity in a tissue-specific, breast cancer model with the ultimate goal of laying the foundation for using iota toxin as a targeted breast cancer therapy. In vitro model systems were used to determine the cytotoxic effect of iota toxin on breast cancer intrinsic subtypes. The use of overexpression and knockdown technologies confirmed the roles of LSR and CD44 in regulating iota toxin endocytosis and induction of cell death. Lastly, cytotoxicity assays were used to demonstrate the effect of iota toxin on a validated set of tamoxifen resistant breast cancer cell lines. Treatment of 14 breast cancer cell lines revealed that LSR+/CD44- lines were highly sensitive, LSR+/CD44+ lines were slightly sensitive, and LSR-/CD44+ lines were resistant to iota cytotoxicity. Reduction in LSR expression resulted in a significant decrease in toxin sensitivity; however, overexpression of CD44 conveyed toxin resistance. CD44 overexpression was correlated with decreased toxin-stimulated lysosome formation and decreased cytosolic levels of iota toxin. These findings indicated that expression of CD44 drives iota toxin resistance through inhibition of endocytosis in breast cancer cells, a role not previously defined for CD44. Moreover, tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer cells exhibited robust expression of LSR and were highly sensitive to iota-induced cytotoxicity. Collectively, these data are the first to show that iota toxin has the potential to be an

  16. Chest wall leiomyosarcoma after breast-conservative therapy for early-stage breast cancer in a young woman with Li-Fraumeni syndrome.

    PubMed

    Henry, Eve; Villalobos, Victor; Million, Lynn; Jensen, Kristin C; West, Robert; Ganjoo, Kristen; Lebensohn, Alexandra; Ford, James M; Telli, Melinda L

    2012-08-01

    Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is one of the most penetrant forms of familial cancer susceptibility syndromes, characterized by early age at tumor onset and a wide spectrum of malignant tumors. Identifying LFS in patients with cancer is clinically imperative because they have an increased sensitivity to ionizing radiation and are more likely to develop radiation-induced secondary malignancies. This case report describes a young woman whose initial presentation of LFS was early-onset breast cancer and whose treatment of this primary malignancy with breast conservation likely resulted in a secondary malignancy arising in her radiation field. As seen in this case, most breast cancers in patients with LFS exhibit a triple-positive phenotype (estrogen receptor-positive/progesterone receptor-positive/HER2-positive). Although this patient met classic LFS criteria based on age and personal and family history of cancer, the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology for Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Breast and Ovarian Cancer endorse genetic screening for TP53 mutations in a subset of patients with early-onset breast cancer, even in the absence of a suggestive family history, because of the potential for de novo TP53 mutations.

  17. Textural kinetics: a novel dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI feature for breast lesion classification.

    PubMed

    Agner, Shannon C; Soman, Salil; Libfeld, Edward; McDonald, Margie; Thomas, Kathleen; Englander, Sarah; Rosen, Mark A; Chin, Deanna; Nosher, John; Madabhushi, Anant

    2011-06-01

    Dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast has emerged as an adjunct imaging tool to conventional X-ray mammography due to its high detection sensitivity. Despite the increasing use of breast DCE-MRI, specificity in distinguishing malignant from benign breast lesions is low, and interobserver variability in lesion classification is high. The novel contribution of this paper is in the definition of a new DCE-MRI descriptor that we call textural kinetics, which attempts to capture spatiotemporal changes in breast lesion texture in order to distinguish malignant from benign lesions. We qualitatively and quantitatively demonstrated on 41 breast DCE-MRI studies that textural kinetic features outperform signal intensity kinetics and lesion morphology features in distinguishing benign from malignant lesions. A probabilistic boosting tree (PBT) classifier in conjunction with textural kinetic descriptors yielded an accuracy of 90%, sensitivity of 95%, specificity of 82%, and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.92. Graph embedding, used for qualitative visualization of a low-dimensional representation of the data, showed the best separation between benign and malignant lesions when using textural kinetic features. The PBT classifier results and trends were also corroborated via a support vector machine classifier which showed that textural kinetic features outperformed the morphological, static texture, and signal intensity kinetics descriptors. When textural kinetic attributes were combined with morphologic descriptors, the resulting PBT classifier yielded 89% accuracy, 99% sensitivity, 76% specificity, and an AUC of 0.91.

  18. Immunotherapeutic interventions of Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Li, Zehuan; Qiu, Yiran; Lu, Weiqi; Jiang, Ying; Wang, Jin

    2018-05-30

    Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) is a highly heterogeneous subtype of breast cancer that lacks the expression of oestrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. Although TNBC is sensitive to chemotherapy, the overall outcomes of TNBC are worse than for other breast cancers, and TNBC is still one of the most fatal diseases for women. With the discovery of antigens specifically expressed in TNBC cells and the developing technology of monoclonal antibodies, chimeric antigen receptors and cancer vaccines, immunotherapy is emerging as a novel promising option for TNBC. This review is mainly focused on the tumour microenvironment and host immunity, Triple Negative Breast Cancer and the clinical treatment of TNBC, novel therapies for cancer and immunotherapy for TNBC, and the future outlook for the treatment for TNBC and the interplay between the therapies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors with targeted treatments in TNBC, adoptive cell therapy, cancer vaccines. The review also highlights recent reports on the synergistic effects of immunotherapy and chemotherapy, antibody-drug conjugates, and exosomes, as potential multifunctional therapeutic agents in TNBC.

  19. Endocrine Therapy of Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-06-01

    our existing algorithms and have recently submitted for publication a short communication on the implementation and uses of our VISDA algorithms...binding domain and related intramolecular communication restores tamoxifen sensitivity in resistant breast cancer.” Cancer Cell, 10: 487-499, 2006...reviewed publications comparable to short communications in biomedical journals. Comment on Subcontracts: Please also note that the majority of our

  20. Effects of dietary supplementation with the green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate on insulin resistance and associated metabolic risk factors: randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Brown, A Louise; Lane, Joan; Coverly, Jacqueline; Stocks, Janice; Jackson, Sarah; Stephen, Alison; Bluck, Les; Coward, Andy; Hendrickx, Hilde

    2009-03-01

    Animal evidence indicates that green tea may modulate insulin sensitivity, with epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) proposed as a likely health-promoting component. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with EGCG on insulin resistance and associated metabolic risk factors in man. Overweight or obese male subjects, aged 40-65 years, were randomly assigned to take 400 mg capsules of EGCG (n 46) or the placebo lactose (n 42), twice daily for 8 weeks. Oral glucose tolerance testing and measurement of metabolic risk factors (BMI, waist circumference, percentage body fat, blood pressure, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, TAG) was conducted pre- and post-intervention. Mood was evaluated weekly using the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology mood adjective checklist. EGCG treatment had no effect on insulin sensitivity, insulin secretion or glucose tolerance but did reduce diastolic blood pressure (mean change: placebo - 0.058 (se 0.75) mmHg; EGCG - 2.68 (se 0.72) mmHg; P = 0.014). No significant change in the other metabolic risk factors was observed. The EGCG group also reported feeling in a more positive mood than the placebo group across the intervention period (mean score for hedonic tone: EGCG, 29.11 (se 0.44); placebo, 27.84 (se 0.46); P = 0.048). In conclusion, regular intake of EGCG had no effect on insulin resistance but did result in a modest reduction in diastolic blood pressure. This antihypertensive effect may contribute to some of the cardiovascular benefits associated with habitual green tea consumption. EGCG treatment also had a positive effect on mood. Further studies are needed to confirm the findings and investigate their mechanistic basis.

  1. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate suppressed the over-expression of HSP 70 and MDR1 induced by heat shock in SGC 7901.

    PubMed

    Tang, Xiao-Yan; Zhu, You-Qing

    2008-06-01

    This study investigated the effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on the expression of HSP 70 and MDR 1. SGC-7901 cells were cultured with RPMI 1640 medium. The single or combined effects of EGCG (0.1, 1, 10, 20, and 40 micromol/L) and heat shock were examined by MTT assay. The expression of HSP 70 and MDR 1 was semi-quantified by the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry method (SP staining). EGCG suppressed cell proliferation at a time- and dose-dependent manner. The effects of combined treatment with EGCG and heat shock on the growth of SGC-7901 cells were stronger than single effects of EGCG. After using EGCG for 24 h, 48 h and 72 h, the IC50s were 112.5 micromol/l, 21.41 micromol/l and 5.24 micromol/l, respectively. Heat shock stimulated the over-expression of HSP 70, especially after heat shock for 8 h, as well as MDR1 after heat shock for 24 h. But EGCG suppressed the over-expression induced by heat shock. The authors conclude that EGCG inhibited the proliferation of SGC-7901, and EGCG combined with heat shock strengthened the effects. Heat shock weakened the over-expression of HSP 70 and MDR1; however, EGCG suppressed the over-expression of HSP 70 and MDR1 induced by heat shock. EGCG combined with heat shock may enhance the sensitivity of drugs to tumors.

  2. Amorphous Solid Dispersion of Epigallocatechin Gallate for Enhanced Physical Stability and Controlled Release.

    PubMed

    Cao, Yizheng; Teng, Jing; Selbo, Jon

    2017-11-09

    Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has been recognized as the most prominent green tea extract due to its healthy influences. The high instability and low bioavailability, however, strongly limit its utilization in food and drug industries. This work, for the first time, develops amorphous solid dispersion of EGCG to enhance its bioavailability and physical stability. Four commonly used polymeric excipients are found to be compatible with EGCG in water-dioxane mixtures via a stepwise mixing method aided by vigorous mechanical interference. The dispersions are successfully generated by lyophilization. The physical stability of the dispersions is significantly improved compared to pure amorphous EGCG in stress condition (elevated temperature and relative humidity) and simulated gastrointestinal tract environment. From the drug release tests, one of the dispersions, EGCG-Soluplus ® 50:50 ( w / w ) shows a dissolution profile that only 50% EGCG is released in the first 20 min, and the remains are slowly released in 24 h. This sustained release profile may open up new possibilities to increase EGCG bioavailability via extending its elimination time in plasma.

  3. Quinopeptide formation associated with the disruptive effect of epigallocatechin-gallate on lysozyme fibrils.

    PubMed

    Cao, Na; Zhang, Yu-Jie; Feng, Shuang; Zeng, Cheng-Ming

    2015-01-01

    Numerous studies demonstrate that natural polyphenols can inhibit amyloid formation and disrupt preformed amyloid fibrils. In the present study, the fibril-disruptive effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) were examined using lysozyme as a model protein. The results indicated that EGCG dose dependently inhibited lysozyme fibrillation and modified the peptide chains with quinonoid moieties under acidic conditions, as measured by ThT fluorescence, transmission electron microscopy, and an NBT-staining assay. Moreover, EGCG transformed the preformed lysozyme fibrils to amorphous aggregates through quinopeptide formation. The thiol blocker, N-ethylmaleimide, inhibited the disruptive effect of EGCG on preformed fibrils, suggesting that thiol groups are the binding sites for EGCG. We propose that the formation of quinone intermediates via oxidation and subsequent binding to lysozyme chains are the main processes driving the inhibition of amyloid formation and disruption of preformed fibrils by EGCG. The information presented in this study may provide fresh insight into the link between the antioxidant capacity and anti-amyloid activity of polyphenols. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Amorphous Solid Dispersion of Epigallocatechin Gallate for Enhanced Physical Stability and Controlled Release

    PubMed Central

    Cao, Yizheng; Teng, Jing; Selbo, Jon

    2017-01-01

    Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has been recognized as the most prominent green tea extract due to its healthy influences. The high instability and low bioavailability, however, strongly limit its utilization in food and drug industries. This work, for the first time, develops amorphous solid dispersion of EGCG to enhance its bioavailability and physical stability. Four commonly used polymeric excipients are found to be compatible with EGCG in water-dioxane mixtures via a stepwise mixing method aided by vigorous mechanical interference. The dispersions are successfully generated by lyophilization. The physical stability of the dispersions is significantly improved compared to pure amorphous EGCG in stress condition (elevated temperature and relative humidity) and simulated gastrointestinal tract environment. From the drug release tests, one of the dispersions, EGCG-Soluplus® 50:50 (w/w) shows a dissolution profile that only 50% EGCG is released in the first 20 min, and the remains are slowly released in 24 h. This sustained release profile may open up new possibilities to increase EGCG bioavailability via extending its elimination time in plasma. PMID:29120370

  5. Effect of quercitrin gallate on zymosan A-induced peroxynitrite production in macrophages.

    PubMed

    Kim, Byung Hak; Cho, Sung-Min; Chang, Yoon Sook; Han, Sang Bae; Kim, Youngsoo

    2007-06-01

    We previously isolated quercetin 3-O-beta-(2"-galloyl)-rhamnopyranoside (QGR), a quercitrin gallate, from aerial parts of Persicaria lapathifolia (Polygonaceae) to prevent superoxide produc tion in monocytes from venous blood of healthy human donors. In this study, effects of QGR and its building moieties (quercitrin, quercetin and gallic acid) on the production of peroxyni trite, a coupling oxidant between superoxide and nitric oxide (NO) radicals, were investigated in zymosan A-stimulated macrophages RAW 264.7. The QGR, quercitrin and quercetin inhib ited peroxynitrite production in dose-dependent manners with IC50 values of 2.1 microM, 24.5 microM and 5.1 microM, respectively, but gallic acid even at 100 microM was inactive. QGR also inhibited both zymosan A- and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-induced superoxide productions with IC50 values of 3.2 microM and 4.7 microM, respectively. However, QGR affected neither zymosan A-induced NO production nor inducible NO synthase synthesis. Taken together, QGR could inhibit peroxynitrite production by blocking superoxide production without affecting NO production. Finally, this study could provide a pharmacological potential of QGR in the oxidative stress-implicated disorders.

  6. Family History of Breast Cancer, Breast Density, and Breast Cancer Risk in a U.S. Breast Cancer Screening Population.

    PubMed

    Ahern, Thomas P; Sprague, Brian L; Bissell, Michael C S; Miglioretti, Diana L; Buist, Diana S M; Braithwaite, Dejana; Kerlikowske, Karla

    2017-06-01

    Background: The utility of incorporating detailed family history into breast cancer risk prediction hinges on its independent contribution to breast cancer risk. We evaluated associations between detailed family history and breast cancer risk while accounting for breast density. Methods: We followed 222,019 participants ages 35 to 74 in the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium, of whom 2,456 developed invasive breast cancer. We calculated standardized breast cancer risks within joint strata of breast density and simple (1 st -degree female relative) or detailed (first-degree, second-degree, or first- and second-degree female relative) breast cancer family history. We fit log-binomial models to estimate age-specific breast cancer associations for simple and detailed family history, accounting for breast density. Results: Simple first-degree family history was associated with increased breast cancer risk compared with no first-degree history [Risk ratio (RR), 1.5; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.0-2.1 at age 40; RR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.3-1.7 at age 50; RR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.2-1.6 at age 60; RR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.5 at age 70). Breast cancer associations with detailed family history were strongest for women with first- and second-degree family history compared with no history (RR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1-3.2 at age 40); this association weakened in higher age groups (RR, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.88-1.5 at age 70). Associations did not change substantially when adjusted for breast density. Conclusions: Even with adjustment for breast density, a history of breast cancer in both first- and second-degree relatives is more strongly associated with breast cancer than simple first-degree family history. Impact: Future efforts to improve breast cancer risk prediction models should evaluate detailed family history as a risk factor. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(6); 938-44. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

  7. 3 Tesla breast MR imaging as a problem-solving tool: Diagnostic performance and incidental lesions

    PubMed Central

    Spick, Claudio; Szolar, Dieter H. M.; Preidler, Klaus W.; Reittner, Pia; Rauch, Katharina; Brader, Peter; Tillich, Manfred

    2018-01-01

    Purpose To investigate the diagnostic performance and incidental lesion yield of 3T breast MRI if used as a problem-solving tool. Methods This retrospective, IRB-approved, cross-sectional, single-center study comprised 302 consecutive women (mean: 50±12 years; range: 20–79 years) who were undergoing 3T breast MRI between 03/2013-12/2014 for further workup of conventional and clinical breast findings. Images were read by experienced, board-certified radiologists. The reference standard was histopathology or follow-up ≥ two years. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were calculated. Results were stratified by conventional and clinical breast findings. Results The reference standard revealed 53 true-positive, 243 true-negative, 20 false-positive, and two false-negative breast MRI findings, resulting in a sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of 96.4% (53/55), 92.4% (243/263), 72.6% (53/73), and 99.2% (243/245), respectively. In 5.3% (16/302) of all patients, incidental MRI lesions classified BI-RADS 3–5 were detected, 37.5% (6/16) of which were malignant. Breast composition and the imaging findings that had led to referral had no significant influence on the diagnostic performance of breast MR imaging (p>0.05). Conclusion 3T breast MRI yields excellent diagnostic results if used as a problem-solving tool independent of referral reasons. The number of suspicious incidental lesions detected by MRI is low, but is associated with a substantial malignancy rate. PMID:29293582

  8. Plasma DNA integrity index as a potential molecular diagnostic marker for breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Kamel, Azza M; Teama, Salwa; Fawzy, Amal; El Deftar, Mervat

    2016-06-01

    Plasma DNA integrity index is increased in various malignancies including breast cancer, the most common cancer in women worldwide; early detection is crucial for successful treatment. Current screening methods fail to detect many cases of breast cancer at an early stage. In this study, we evaluated the level of plasma DNA integrity index in 260 females (95 with breast cancer, 95 with benign breast lesions, and 70 healthy controls) to verify its potential value in discriminating malignant from benign breast lesions. The criteria of the American Joint Committee on Cancer were used for staging of breast cancer patients. DNA integrity index was measured by real-time PCR. DNA integrity index was significantly higher in breast cancer than in benign breast patients and healthy subjects (P = <0.001). DNA integrity index is correlated with TNM stage. Given 100 % specificity, the highest sensitivity achieved in detecting cancer group was 85.3 % at 0.55 DNA integrity index cutoff. In conclusion, the plasma DNA integrity index may be a promising molecular diagnostic marker of malignancy in breast lesions.

  9. Potent inhibition of VEGFR-2 activation by tight binding of green tea epigallocatechin gallate and apple procyanidins to VEGF: relevance to angiogenesis.

    PubMed

    Moyle, Christina W A; Cerezo, Ana B; Winterbone, Mark S; Hollands, Wendy J; Alexeev, Yuri; Needs, Paul W; Kroon, Paul A

    2015-03-01

    Excessive concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drive angiogenesis and cause complications such as increased growth of tumours and atherosclerotic plaques. The aim of this study was to determine the molecular mechanism underlying the potent inhibition of VEGF signalling by polyphenols. We show that the polyphenols epigallocatechin gallate from green tea and procyanidin oligomers from apples potently inhibit VEGF-induced VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) signalling in human umbilical vein endothelial cells by directly interacting with VEGF. The polyphenol-induced inhibition of VEGF-induced VEGFR-2 activation occurred at nanomolar polyphenol concentrations and followed bi-phasic inhibition kinetics. VEGF activity could not be recovered by dialysing VEGF-polyphenol complexes. Exposure of VEGF to epigallocatechin gallate or procyanidin oligomers strongly inhibited subsequent binding of VEGF to human umbilical vein endothelial cells expressing VEGFR-2. Remarkably, even though VEGFR-2 signalling was completely inhibited at 1 μM concentrations of polyphenols, endothelial nitric oxide synthase was shown to still be activated via the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway which is downstream of VEGFR-2. These data demonstrate for the first time that VEGF is a key molecular target for specific polyphenols found in tea, apples and cocoa which potently inhibit VEGF signalling and angiogenesis at physiological concentrations. These data provide a plausible mechanism which links bioactive compounds in food with their beneficial effects. © 2014 The Authors. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. miR-378a-3p modulates tamoxifen sensitivity in breast cancer MCF-7 cells through targeting GOLT1A

    PubMed Central

    Ikeda, Kazuhiro; Horie-Inoue, Kuniko; Ueno, Toshihide; Suzuki, Takashi; Sato, Wataru; Shigekawa, Takashi; Osaki, Akihiko; Saeki, Toshiaki; Berezikov, Eugene; Mano, Hiroyuki; Inoue, Satoshi

    2015-01-01

    Breast cancer is a hormone-dependent cancer and usually treated with endocrine therapy using aromatase inhibitors or anti-estrogens such as tamoxifen. A majority of breast cancer, however, will often fail to respond to endocrine therapy. In the present study, we explored miRNAs associated with endocrine therapy resistance in breast cancer. High-throughput miRNA sequencing was performed using RNAs prepared from breast cancer MCF-7 cells and their derivative clones as endocrine therapy resistant cell models, including tamoxifen-resistant (TamR) and long-term estrogen-deprived (LTED) MCF-7 cells. Notably, miR-21 was the most abundantly expressed miRNA in MCF-7 cells and overexpressed in TamR and LTED cells. We found that miR-378a-3p expression was downregulated in TamR and LTED cells as well as in clinical breast cancer tissues. Additionally, lower expression levels of miR-378a-3p were associated with poor prognosis for tamoxifen-treated patients with breast cancer. GOLT1A was selected as one of the miR-378a-3p candidate target genes by in silico analysis. GOLT1A was overexpressed in breast cancer specimens and GOLT1A-specific siRNAs inhibited the growth of TamR cells. Low GOLT1A levels were correlated with better survival in patients with breast cancer. These results suggest that miR-378a-3p-dependent GOLT1A expression contributes to the mechanisms underlying breast cancer endocrine resistance. PMID:26255816

  11. Myricetin-induced apoptosis of triple-negative breast cancer cells is mediated by the iron-dependent generation of reactive oxygen species from hydrogen peroxide.

    PubMed

    Knickle, Allison; Fernando, Wasundara; Greenshields, Anna L; Rupasinghe, H P Vasantha; Hoskin, David W

    2018-05-06

    Myricetin is a dietary phytochemical with anticancer activity; however, the effect of myricetin on breast cancer cells remains unclear. Here, we show that myricetin inhibited the growth of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells but was less inhibitory for normal cells. The effect of myricetin was comparable to epigallocatechin gallate and doxorubicin, and greater than resveratrol and cisplatin. Myricetin-treated TNBC cells showed evidence of early and late apoptosis/necrosis, which was associated with intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, extracellular regulated kinase 1/2 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase activation, mitochondrial membrane destabilization and cytochrome c release, and double-strand DNA breaks. The antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine protected myricetin-treated TNBC cells from cytotoxicity due to DNA damage. Myricetin also induced hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) production in cell-free culture medium, as well as in the presence of TNBC cells and normal cells. In addition, deferriprone-mediated inhibition of intracellular ROS generation via the iron-dependent Fenton reaction and inhibition of extracellular ROS accumulation with superoxide dismutase plus catalase prevented myricetin-induced cytotoxicity in TNBC cell cultures. We conclude that the cytotoxic effect of myricetin on TNBC cells was due to oxidative stress initiated by extracellular H 2 O 2 formed by autoxidation of myricetin, leading to intracellular ROS production via the Fenton reaction. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  12. Validation of the breast evaluation questionnaire for breast hypertrophy and breast reduction.

    PubMed

    Lewin, Richard; Elander, Anna; Lundberg, Jonas; Hansson, Emma; Thorarinsson, Andri; Claudelin, Malin; Bladh, Helena; Lidén, Mattias

    2018-06-13

    There is a lack of published, validated questionnaires for evaluating psychosocial morbidity in patients with breast hypertrophy undergoing breast reduction surgery. To validate the breast evaluation questionnaire (BEQ), originally developed for the assessment of breast augmentation patients, for the assessment of psychosocial morbidity in patients with breast hypertrophy undergoing breast reduction surgery. Validation study Subjects: Women with macromastia Methods: The validation of the BEQ, adapted to breast reduction, was performed in several steps. Content validity, reliability, construct validity and responsiveness were assessed. The original version was adjusted according to the results for content validity and resulted in item reduction and a modified BEQ (mBEQ) that was then assessed for reliability, construct validity and responsiveness. Internal and external validation was performed for the modified BEQ. Convergent validity was tested against Breast-Q (reduction) and discriminate validity was tested against the SF-36. Known-groups validation revealed significant differences between the normal population and patients undergoing breast reduction surgery. The BEQ showed good reliability by test-re-test analysis and high responsiveness. The modified BEQ may be reliable, valid and responsive instrument for assessing women who undergo breast reduction.

  13. Understanding health anxiety following breast cancer diagnosis.

    PubMed

    Jones, Shannon L; Hadjistavropoulos, Heather D; Gullickson, Kirsten

    2014-01-01

    Health anxiety is a persistent fear of illness or disease that often involves the misinterpretation of bodily symptoms as signs of serious illness. Evidence shows that health anxiety affects a proportion of women following a diagnosis of breast cancer, but there are some limitations to how health anxiety has been measured. The objectives of this study were to (1) provide an estimate of clinically elevated health anxiety in women after a diagnosis of breast cancer using a validated measure appropriate for medical populations and (2) understand patient, disease, and anxiety/vulnerability variables that predict health anxiety in this group. Canadian women (n = 137) diagnosed with breast cancer within the past five years completed an online survey measuring health anxiety, along with patient, disease, and anxiety/vulnerability variables. Clinically significant health anxiety was reported by 23.4% of the sample. The regression model revealed that younger age, more advanced stage of breast cancer, increased cognitive anxiety sensitivity, and greater body vigilance were significant unique predictors of health anxiety. These findings highlight that a proportion of women report substantial health anxiety following breast cancer diagnosis, with a combination of patient, disease, and anxiety/vulnerability variables associated with the experience. Further research is needed to better understand the impact of health anxiety in this population.

  14. Quantitative estimates of the impact of sensitivity and specificity in mammographic screening in Germany.

    PubMed Central

    Warmerdam, P G; de Koning, H J; Boer, R; Beemsterboer, P M; Dierks, M L; Swart, E; Robra, B P

    1997-01-01

    STUDY OBJECTIVE: To estimate quantitatively the impact of the quality of mammographic screening (in terms of sensitivity and specificity) on the effects and costs of nationwide breast cancer screening. DESIGN: Three plausible "quality" scenarios for a biennial breast cancer screening programme for women aged 50-69 in Germany were analysed in terms of costs and effects using the Microsimulation Screening Analysis model on breast cancer screening and the natural history of breast cancer. Firstly, sensitivity and specificity in the expected situation (or "baseline" scenario) were estimated from a model based analysis of empirical data from 35,000 screening examinations in two German pilot projects. In the second "high quality" scenario, these properties were based on the more favourable diagnostic results from breast cancer screening projects and the nationwide programme in The Netherlands. Thirdly, a worst case, "low quality" hypothetical scenario with a 25% lower sensitivity than that experienced in The Netherlands was analysed. SETTING: The epidemiological and social situation in Germany in relation to mass screening for breast cancer. RESULTS: In the "baseline" scenario, an 11% reduction in breast cancer mortality was expected in the total German female population, ie 2100 breast cancer deaths would be prevented per year. It was estimated that the "high quality" scenario, based on Dutch experience, would lead to the prevention of an additional 200 deaths per year and would also cut the number of false positive biopsy results by half. The cost per life year gained varied from Deutsche mark (DM) 15,000 on the "high quality" scenario to DM 21,000 in the "low quality" setting. CONCLUSIONS: Up to 20% of the total costs of a screening programme can be spent on quality improvement in order to achieve a substantially higher reduction in mortality and reduce undesirable side effects while retaining the same cost effectiveness ratio as that estimated from the German data

  15. Characterization and discrimination of human breast cancer and normal breast tissues using resonance Raman spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Binlin; Smith, Jason; Zhang, Lin; Gao, Xin; Alfano, Robert R.

    2018-02-01

    Worldwide breast cancer incidence has increased by more than twenty percent in the past decade. It is also known that in that time, mortality due to the affliction has increased by fourteen percent. Using optical-based diagnostic techniques, such as Raman spectroscopy, has been explored in order to increase diagnostic accuracy in a more objective way along with significantly decreasing diagnostic wait-times. In this study, Raman spectroscopy with 532-nm excitation was used in order to incite resonance effects to enhance Stokes Raman scattering from unique biomolecular vibrational modes. Seventy-two Raman spectra (41 cancerous, 31 normal) were collected from nine breast tissue samples by performing a ten-spectra average using a 500-ms acquisition time at each acquisition location. The raw spectral data was subsequently prepared for analysis with background correction and normalization. The spectral data in the Raman Shift range of 750- 2000 cm-1 was used for analysis since the detector has highest sensitivity around in this range. The matrix decomposition technique nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) was then performed on this processed data. The resulting leave-oneout cross-validation using two selective feature components resulted in sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 92.6%, 100% and 96.0% respectively. The performance of NMF was also compared to that using principal component analysis (PCA), and NMF was shown be to be superior to PCA in this study. This study shows that coupling the resonance Raman spectroscopy technique with subsequent NMF decomposition method shows potential for high characterization accuracy in breast cancer detection.

  16. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate ameliorates insulin resistance in hepatocytes.

    PubMed

    Ma, Shan-Bo; Zhang, Rui; Miao, Shan; Gao, Bin; Lu, Yang; Hui, Sen; Li, Long; Shi, Xiao-Peng; Wen, Ai-Dong

    2017-06-01

    Hyperglycemia is a typical pathogenic factor in a series of complications among patients with type II diabetes. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the major polyphenol extracted from green tea and is reported to be an antioxidant. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of EGCG on insulin resistance in human HepG2 cells pretreated with high concentrations of glucose. The protein kinase B (AKT)/glycogen synthase kinase (GSK) pathways were analyzed using western blot analysis in HepG2 cells and primary mouse hepatocytes treated with high glucose and/or EGCG. Cellular glycogen content was determined using a glycogen assay kit. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was determined using dihydroethidium staining and flow cytometry. c‑JUN N‑terminal kinase (JNK)/insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1)/AKT/GSK signaling was explored using western blot analysis in HepG2 cells treated with high glucose and/or EGCG or N-acetyl-cysteine. High glucose significantly decreased the levels of phosphorylated AKT and GSK in HepG2 cells and mouse primary hepatocytes. Pretreatment with EGCG significantly restored the activation of AKT and GSK in HepG2 cells and primary hepatocytes exposed to high glucose. In HepG2 cells and primary hepatocytes, glycogen synthesis was improved by EGCG treatment in a dose‑dependent manner. High glucose significantly stimulated the production of ROS while EGCG protected high glucose‑induced ROS production. ROS is known to serve a major role in high glucose induced‑insulin resistance by increasing JNK and IRS1 serine phosphorylation. In the present study, EGCG was observed to enhance the insulin‑signaling pathway. EGCG ameliorated high glucose‑induced insulin resistance in the hepatocytes by potentially decreasing ROS‑induced JNK/IRS1/AKT/GSK signaling.

  17. Monte Carlo design of optimal wire mesh collimator for breast tumor imaging process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saad, W. H. M.; Roslan, R. E.; Mahdi, M. A.; Choong, W.-S.; Saion, E.; Saripan, M. I.

    2011-08-01

    This paper presents the modeling of breast tumor imaging process using wire mesh collimator gamma camera. Previous studies showed that the wire mesh collimator has a potential to improve the sensitivity of the tumor detection. In this paper, we extend our research significantly, to find an optimal configuration of the wire mesh collimator specifically for semi-compressed breast tumor detection, by looking into four major factors: weight, sensitivity, spatial resolution and tumor contrast. The numbers of layers in the wire mesh collimator is varied to optimize the collimator design. The statistical variations of the results are studied by simulating multiple realizations for each experiment using different starting random numbers. All the simulation environments are modeled using Monte Carlo N-Particle Code (MCNP). The quality of the detection is measured directly by comparing the sensitivity, spatial resolution and tumor contrast of the images produced by the wire mesh collimator and benchmarked that with a standard multihole collimator. The proposed optimal configuration of the wire mesh collimator is optimized by selecting the number of layers in wire mesh collimator, where the tumor contrast shows a relatively comparable value to the multihole collimator, when it is tested with uniformly semi-compressed breast phantom. The wire mesh collimator showed higher number of sensitivity because of its loose arrangement while the spatial resolution of wire mesh collimator does not shows much different compared to the multihole collimator. With a relatively good tumor contrast and spatial resolution, and increased in sensitivity, a new proposed wire mesh collimator gives a significant improvement in the wire mesh collimator design for breast cancer imaging process. The proposed collimator configuration is reduced to 44.09% from the total multihole collimator weight.

  18. Assessing Breast Cancer Risk with an Artificial Neural Network

    PubMed

    Sepandi, Mojtaba; Taghdir, Maryam; Rezaianzadeh, Abbas; Rahimikazerooni, Salar

    2018-04-25

    Objectives: Radiologists face uncertainty in making decisions based on their judgment of breast cancer risk. Artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques have been widely applied in detection/recognition of cancer. This study aimed to establish a model to aid radiologists in breast cancer risk estimation. This incorporated imaging methods and fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) for cyto-pathological diagnosis. Methods: An artificial neural network (ANN) technique was used on a retrospectively collected dataset including mammographic results, risk factors, and clinical findings to accurately predict the probability of breast cancer in individual patients. Area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were used to evaluate discriminative performance. Result: The network incorporating the selected features performed best (AUC = 0.955). Sensitivity and specificity of the ANN were respectively calculated as 0.82 and 0.90. In addition, negative and positive predictive values were respectively computed as 0.90 and 0.80. Conclusion: ANN has potential applications as a decision-support tool to help underperforming practitioners to improve the positive predictive value of biopsy recommendations. Creative Commons Attribution License

  19. MR elastography of the breast:preliminary clinical results.

    PubMed

    Lorenzen, J; Sinkus, R; Lorenzen, M; Dargatz, M; Leussler, C; Röschmann, P; Adam, G

    2002-07-01

    Imaging of breast tumors and various breast tissues using magnetic resonance (MR) elastography (MRE) to explore the potential of elasticity as a new parameter for the diagnosis of breast lesions. Low-frequency mechanical waves are transmitted into breast tissue by means of an oscillator. The local characteristics of the mechanical wave are determined by the underlying elastic properties of the tissue. Theses waves can be displayed by means of a motion-sensitive spin-echo MR sequence within the phase of the MR image. Elasticity reconstruction is performed on the basis of 8 "snapshots" of each wave within the three spatial directions. We performed in-vivo measurements in 15 female patients with malignant tumors of the breast, 5 patients with benign breast tumors, and 15 healthy volunteers. Malignant invasive breast tumors documented the highest values of elasticity with a median of 15.9 kPa and a wide range of stiffnesses between 8 and 28 kPa. In contrast, benign breast lesions represented low values of elasticity, which were significantly different from malignant breast tumors (median elasticity: 7.0 kPa; p = 0.0012). This was comparable to the stiffest tissue areas in healthy volunteers (median elasticity 7.0 kPa), whereas breast parenchyma (median: 2.5 kPa) and fatty breast tissue (median: 1.7 kPa) showed the lowest values of elasticity. Two invasive ductal carcinomas had elasticity values of 8 kPa and two stiff parenchyma areas in healthy volunteers had elasticities of 13 and 15 kPa. These lesions could not be differentiated by their elasticity. We conclude that MRE is a promising new imaging modality with the capability to assess the viscoelastic properties of breast tumors and the surrounding tissues. However, from our preliminary results in a small number of patients it is obvious that there is an overlap in the elasticity ranges of soft malignant tumors and stiff benign lesions.

  20. Proteomic profiling reveals that resveratrol inhibits HSP27 expression and sensitizes breast cancer cells to doxorubicin therapy.

    PubMed

    Díaz-Chávez, José; Fonseca-Sánchez, Miguel A; Arechaga-Ocampo, Elena; Flores-Pérez, Ali; Palacios-Rodríguez, Yadira; Domínguez-Gómez, Guadalupe; Marchat, Laurence A; Fuentes-Mera, Lizeth; Mendoza-Hernández, Guillermo; Gariglio, Patricio; López-Camarillo, César

    2013-01-01

    The use of chemopreventive natural compounds represents a promising strategy in the search for novel therapeutic agents in cancer. Resveratrol (3,4',5-trans-trihydroxystilbilene) is a dietary polyphenol found in fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants that exhibits chemopreventive and antitumor effects. In this study, we searched for modulated proteins with preventive or therapeutic potential in MCF-7 breast cancer cells exposed to resveratrol. Using two-dimensional electrophoresis we found significant changes (FC >2.0; p≤0.05) in the expression of 16 proteins in resveratrol-treated MCF-7 cells. Six down-regulated proteins were identified by tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) as heat shock protein 27 (HSP27), translationally-controlled tumor protein, peroxiredoxin-6, stress-induced-phosphoprotein-1, pyridoxine-5'-phosphate oxidase-1 and hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase; whereas one up-regulated protein was identified as triosephosphate isomerase. Particularly, HSP27 overexpression has been associated to apoptosis inhibition and resistance of human cancer cells to therapy. Consistently, we demonstrated that resveratrol induces apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. Apoptosis was associated with a significant increase in mitochondrial permeability transition, cytochrome c release in cytoplasm, and caspases -3 and -9 independent cell death. Then, we evaluated the chemosensitization effect of increasing concentrations of resveratrol in combination with doxorubicin anti-neoplastic agent in vitro. We found that resveratrol effectively sensitize MCF-7 cells to cytotoxic therapy. Next, we evaluated the relevance of HSP27 targeted inhibition in therapy effectiveness. Results evidenced that HSP27 inhibition using RNA interference enhances the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin. In conclusion, our data indicate that resveratrol may improve the therapeutic effects of doxorubicin in part by cell death induction. We propose that potential modulation of HSP27 levels using natural

  1. MCL-1 inhibition provides a new way to suppress breast cancer metastasis and increase sensitivity to dasatinib.

    PubMed

    Young, Adelaide I J; Law, Andrew M K; Castillo, Lesley; Chong, Sabrina; Cullen, Hayley D; Koehler, Martin; Herzog, Sebastian; Brummer, Tilman; Lee, Erinna F; Fairlie, Walter D; Lucas, Morghan C; Herrmann, David; Allam, Amr; Timpson, Paul; Watkins, D Neil; Millar, Ewan K A; O'Toole, Sandra A; Gallego-Ortega, David; Ormandy, Christopher J; Oakes, Samantha R

    2016-12-08

    Metastatic disease is largely resistant to therapy and accounts for almost all cancer deaths. Myeloid cell leukemia-1 (MCL-1) is an important regulator of cell survival and chemo-resistance in a wide range of malignancies, and thus its inhibition may prove to be therapeutically useful. To examine whether targeting MCL-1 may provide an effective treatment for breast cancer, we constructed inducible models of BIMs2A expression (a specific MCL-1 inhibitor) in MDA-MB-468 (MDA-MB-468-2A) and MDA-MB-231 (MDA-MB-231-2A) cells. MCL-1 inhibition caused apoptosis of basal-like MDA-MB-468-2A cells grown as monolayers, and sensitized them to the BCL-2/BCL-XL inhibitor ABT-263, demonstrating that MCL-1 regulated cell survival. In MDA-MB-231-2A cells, grown in an organotypic model, induction of BIMs2A produced an almost complete suppression of invasion. Apoptosis was induced in such a small proportion of these cells that it could not account for the large decrease in invasion, suggesting that MCL-1 was operating via a previously undetected mechanism. MCL-1 antagonism also suppressed local invasion and distant metastasis to the lung in mouse mammary intraductal xenografts. Kinomic profiling revealed that MCL-1 antagonism modulated Src family kinases and their targets, which suggested that MCL-1 might act as an upstream modulator of invasion via this pathway. Inhibition of MCL-1 in combination with dasatinib suppressed invasion in 3D models of invasion and inhibited the establishment of tumors in vivo. These data provide the first evidence that MCL-1 drives breast cancer cell invasion and suggests that MCL-1 antagonists could be used alone or in combination with drugs targeting Src kinases such as dasatinib to suppress metastasis.

  2. Persistent breast pain among women with histories of breast conserving surgery for breast cancer compared to women without histories of breast surgery or cancer

    PubMed Central

    Edmond, Sara N.; Shelby, Rebecca A.; Keefe, Francis J.; Fisher, Hannah M.; Schmidt, John; Soo, Mary Scott; Skinner, Celette Sugg; Ahrendt, Gretchen M.; Manculich, Jessica; Sumkin, Jules H.; Zuley, Margarita L.; Bovbjerg, Dana H.

    2016-01-01

    Objectives This study compared persistent breast pain among women who received breast-conserving surgery for breast cancer and women without a history of breast cancer. Methods Breast cancer survivors (n=200) were recruited at their first post-surgical surveillance mammogram (6-15 months post-surgery). Women without a breast cancer history (n=150) were recruited at the time of a routine screening mammogram. All women completed measures of breast pain, pain interference with daily activities and intimacy, worry about breast pain, anxiety symptoms, and depression symptoms. Demographic and medical information were also collected. Results Persistent breast pain (duration ≥ 6 months) was reported by 46.5% of breast cancer survivors and 12.7% of women without a breast cancer history (p<0.05). Breast cancer survivors also had significantly higher rates of clinically significant persistent breast pain (pain intensity score ≥3/10), as well as higher average breast pain intensity and unpleasantness scores. Breast cancer survivors with persistent breast pain had significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms, as well as pain worry and interference, compared to survivors without persistent breast pain or women without a breast cancer history. Anxiety symptoms were significantly higher in breast cancer survivors with persistent breast pain compared to women without a breast cancer history. Discussion Results indicate that persistent breast pain negatively impacts women with a history of breast conserving cancer surgery compared to women without that history. Strategies to ameliorate persistent breast pain and to improve adjustment among women with persistent breast pain should be explored for incorporation into standard care for breast cancer survivors. PMID:27922843

  3. Physical effects of mechanical design parameters on photon sensitivity and spatial resolution performance of a breast-dedicated PET system.

    PubMed

    Spanoudaki, V C; Lau, F W Y; Vandenbroucke, A; Levin, C S

    2010-11-01

    This study aims to address design considerations of a high resolution, high sensitivity positron emission tomography scanner dedicated to breast imaging. The methodology uses a detailed Monte Carlo model of the system structures to obtain a quantitative evaluation of several performance parameters. Special focus was given to the effect of dense mechanical structures designed to provide mechanical robustness and thermal regulation to the minuscule and temperature sensitive detectors. For the energies of interest around the photopeak (450-700 keV energy window), the simulation results predict a 6.5% reduction in the single photon detection efficiency and a 12.5% reduction in the coincidence photon detection efficiency in the case that the mechanical structures are interspersed between the detectors. However for lower energies, a substantial increase in the number of detected events (approximately 14% and 7% for singles at a 100-200 keV energy window and coincidences at a lower energy threshold of 100 keV, respectively) was observed with the presence of these structures due to backscatter. The number of photon events that involve multiple interactions in various crystal elements is also affected by the presence of the structures. For photon events involving multiple interactions among various crystal elements, the coincidence photon sensitivity is reduced by as much as 20% for a point source at the center of the field of view. There is no observable effect on the intrinsic and the reconstructed spatial resolution and spatial resolution uniformity. Mechanical structures can have a considerable effect on system sensitivity, especially for systems processing multi-interaction photon events. This effect, however, does not impact the spatial resolution. Various mechanical structure designs are currently under evaluation in order to achieve optimum trade-off between temperature stability, accurate detector positioning, and minimum influence on system performance.

  4. Physical effects of mechanical design parameters on photon sensitivity and spatial resolution performance of a breast-dedicated PET system

    PubMed Central

    Spanoudaki, V. C.; Lau, F. W. Y.; Vandenbroucke, A.; Levin, C. S.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: This study aims to address design considerations of a high resolution, high sensitivity positron emission tomography scanner dedicated to breast imaging. Methods: The methodology uses a detailed Monte Carlo model of the system structures to obtain a quantitative evaluation of several performance parameters. Special focus was given to the effect of dense mechanical structures designed to provide mechanical robustness and thermal regulation to the minuscule and temperature sensitive detectors. Results: For the energies of interest around the photopeak (450–700 keV energy window), the simulation results predict a 6.5% reduction in the single photon detection efficiency and a 12.5% reduction in the coincidence photon detection efficiency in the case that the mechanical structures are interspersed between the detectors. However for lower energies, a substantial increase in the number of detected events (approximately 14% and 7% for singles at a 100–200 keV energy window and coincidences at a lower energy threshold of 100 keV, respectively) was observed with the presence of these structures due to backscatter. The number of photon events that involve multiple interactions in various crystal elements is also affected by the presence of the structures. For photon events involving multiple interactions among various crystal elements, the coincidence photon sensitivity is reduced by as much as 20% for a point source at the center of the field of view. There is no observable effect on the intrinsic and the reconstructed spatial resolution and spatial resolution uniformity. Conclusions: Mechanical structures can have a considerable effect on system sensitivity, especially for systems processing multi-interaction photon events. This effect, however, does not impact the spatial resolution. Various mechanical structure designs are currently under evaluation in order to achieve optimum trade-off between temperature stability, accurate detector positioning, and minimum

  5. Breast-density assessment with hand-held ultrasound: A novel biomarker to assess breast cancer risk and to tailor screening?

    PubMed

    Sanabria, Sergio J; Goksel, Orcun; Martini, Katharina; Forte, Serafino; Frauenfelder, Thomas; Kubik-Huch, Rahel A; Rominger, Marga B

    2018-03-19

    To assess feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of a novel hand-held ultrasound (US) method for breast density assessment that measures the speed of sound (SoS), in comparison to the ACR mammographic (MG) categories. ACR-MG density (a=fatty to d=extremely dense) and SoS-US were assessed in the retromamillary, inner and outer segments of 106 women by two radiographers. A conventional US system was used for SoS-US. A reflector served as timing reference for US signals transmitted through the breasts. Four blinded readers assessed average SoS (m/s), ΔSoS (segment-variation SoS; m/s) and the ACR-MG density. The highest SoS and ΔSoS values of the three segments were used for MG-ACR whole breast comparison. SoS-US breasts were examined in <2 min. Mean SoS values of densities a-d were 1,421 m/s (SD 14), 1,432 m/s (SD 17), 1,448 m/s (SD 20) and 1,500 m/s (SD 31), with significant differences between all groups (p<0.001). The SoS-US comfort scores and inter-reader agreement were significantly better than those for MG (1.05 vs. 2.05 and 0.982 vs. 0.774; respectively). A strong segment correlation between SoS and ACR-MG breast density was evident (r s =0.622, p=<0.001) and increased for full breast classification (r s =0.746, p=<0.001). SoS-US allowed diagnosis of dense breasts (ACR c and d) with sensitivity 86.2 %, specificity 85.2 % and AUC 0.887. Using hand-held SoS-US, radiographers measured breast density without discomfort, readers evaluated measurements with high inter-reader agreement, and SoS-US correlated significantly with ACR-MG breast-density categories. • The novel speed-of-sound ultrasound correlated significantly with mammographic ACR breast density categories. • Radiographers measured breast density without women discomfort or radiation. • SoS-US can be implemented on a standard US machine. • SoS-US shows potential for a quantifiable, cost-effective assessment of breast density.

  6. The role of breast-feeding in the development of allergies and asthma.

    PubMed

    Friedman, Noah J; Zeiger, Robert S

    2005-06-01

    Breast-feeding is the preferred method of infant nutrition for numerous reasons. However, its role in the prevention of allergic disease remains controversial. Reasons for this controversy include methodological differences and flaws in the studies performed to date, the immunologic complexity of breast milk itself and, possibly, genetic differences among patients that would affect whether breast-feeding is protective against the development of allergies or is in fact sensitizing. The preponderance of evidence does suggest, however, that there would be much to lose by not recommending breast-feeding. In general, studies reveal that infants fed formulas of intact cow's milk or soy protein compared with breast milk have a higher incidence of atopic dermatitis and wheezing illnesses in early childhood. Consistent with these findings, exclusive breast-feeding should be encouraged for at least 4 to 6 months in infants at both high and low risk of atopy and irrespective of a history of maternal asthma.

  7. The Role of Immune Escape and Immune Cell Infiltration in Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Steven, André; Seliger, Barbara

    2018-03-01

    While detailed analysis of aberrant cancer cell signaling pathways and changes in cancer cell DNA has dominated the field of breast cancer biology for years, there now exists increasing evidence that the tumor microenvironment (TME) including tumor-infiltrating immune cells support the growth and development of breast cancer and further facilitate invasion and metastasis formation as well as sensitivity to drug therapy. Furthermore, breast cancer cells have developed different strategies to escape surveillance from the adaptive and innate immune system. These include loss of expression of immunostimulatory molecules, gain of expression of immunoinhibitory molecules such as PD-L1 and HLA-G, and altered expression of components involved in apoptosis. Furthermore, the composition of the TME plays a key role in breast cancer development and treatment response. In this review we will focus on i) the different immune evasion mechanisms used by breast cancer cells, ii) the role of immune cell infiltration in this disease, and (iii) implication for breast cancer-based immunotherapies.

  8. Role of shear wave sonoelastography in differentiation between focal breast lesions.

    PubMed

    Dobruch-Sobczak, Katarzyna; Nowicki, Andrzej

    2015-02-01

    Our goal in this study was to evaluate the relevance of shear wave sonoelastography (SWE) in the differential diagnosis of masses in the breast with respect to ultrasound (US). US and SWE were performed (Aixplorer System, SuperSonic Imagine, Aix en Provence, France) in 76 women (aged 24 to 85) with 84 lesions (43 malignant, 41 benign). The study included BI-RADS-US (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System for Ultrsound) category 3-5 lesions. In elastograms, the following values were calculated: mean elasticity in lesions (E(av.l)) and in fat tissue (E(av.f.)) and maximal (E(max.adj.)) and mean (E(av.adj.)) elasticity in lesions and adjacent tissues. The sensitivity and specificity of the BI-RADS category 4a/4b cutoff value were 97.7% and 90.2%. For an E(av.adj.) of 68.5 kPa, the cutoff sensitivity was 86.1% and the specificity was 87.8%, and for an E(max.adj.) of 124.1 kPa, 74.4% and 92.7%, respectively. For BI-RADS-US category 3 lesions, E(av.l), E(max.adj.) and E(av.adj.) were below cutoff levels. On the basis of our findings, E(av.adj.) had lower sensitivity and specificity compared with US. Emax.adj. improved the specificity of breast US with loss of sensitivity. Copyright © 2015 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Symmetry-based detection and diagnosis of DCIS in breast MRI

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Srikantha, Abhilash; Harz, Markus T.; Newstead, Gillian; Wang, Lei; Platel, Bram; Hegenscheid, Katrin; Mann, Ritse M.; Hahn, Horst K.; Peitgen, Heinz-Otto

    2013-02-01

    The delineation and diagnosis of non-mass-like lesions, most notably DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ), is among the most challenging tasks in breast MRI reading. Even for human observers, DCIS is not always easy to diferentiate from patterns of active parenchymal enhancement or from benign alterations of breast tissue. In this light, it is no surprise that CADe/CADx approaches often completely fail to classify DCIS. Of the several approaches that have tried to devise such computer aid, none achieve performances similar to mass detection and classification in terms of sensitivity and specificity. In our contribution, we show a novel approach to combine a newly proposed metric of anatomical breast symmetry calculated on subtraction images of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) breast MRI, descriptive kinetic parameters, and lesion candidate morphology to achieve performances comparable to computer-aided methods used for masses. We have based the development of the method on DCE MRI data of 18 DCIS cases with hand-annotated lesions, complemented by DCE-MRI data of nine normal cases. We propose a novel metric to quantify the symmetry of contralateral breasts and derive a strong indicator for potentially malignant changes from this metric. Also, we propose a novel metric for the orientation of a finding towards a fix point (the nipple). Our combined scheme then achieves a sensitivity of 89% with a specificity of 78%, matching CAD results for breast MRI on masses. The processing pipeline is intended to run on a CAD server, hence we designed all processing to be automated and free of per-case parameters. We expect that the detection results of our proposed non-mass aimed algorithm will complement other CAD algorithms, or ideally be joined with them in a voting scheme.

  10. Sensitizing basal-like breast cancer to chemotherapy using nanoparticles conjugated with interference peptide

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sorolla, A.; Ho, D.; Wang, E.; Evans, C. W.; Ormonde, C. F. G.; Rashwan, R.; Singh, R.; Iyer, K. Swaminathan; Blancafort, P.

    2016-04-01

    Basal-like breast cancers are highly aggressive malignancies associated with very poor prognosis. Although these cancers may initially respond to first-line treatment, they become highly resistant to standard chemotherapy in the metastatic setting. Chemotherapy resistance in basal-like breast cancers is associated with highly selective overexpression of the homeobox transcription factor Engrailed 1 (EN1). Herein, we propose a novel therapeutic strategy using poly(glycidyl methacrylate) nanoparticles decorated with poly(acrylic acid) that enable dual delivery of docetaxel and interference peptides designed to block or inhibit EN1 (EN1-iPep). We demonstrate that EN1-iPep is highly selective in inducing apoptotic cell death in basal-like cancer cells with negligible effects in a non-neoplastic human mammary epithelial cell line. Furthermore, we show that treatment with EN1-iPep results in a highly synergistic pharmacological interaction with docetaxel in inhibiting cancer cell growth. The incorporation of these two agents in a single nanoformulation results in greater anticancer efficacy than current nanoparticle-based treatments used in the clinical setting.Basal-like breast cancers are highly aggressive malignancies associated with very poor prognosis. Although these cancers may initially respond to first-line treatment, they become highly resistant to standard chemotherapy in the metastatic setting. Chemotherapy resistance in basal-like breast cancers is associated with highly selective overexpression of the homeobox transcription factor Engrailed 1 (EN1). Herein, we propose a novel therapeutic strategy using poly(glycidyl methacrylate) nanoparticles decorated with poly(acrylic acid) that enable dual delivery of docetaxel and interference peptides designed to block or inhibit EN1 (EN1-iPep). We demonstrate that EN1-iPep is highly selective in inducing apoptotic cell death in basal-like cancer cells with negligible effects in a non-neoplastic human mammary

  11. Endogenous sex hormones and breast density in young women.

    PubMed

    Jung, Seungyoun; Stanczyk, Frank Z; Egleston, Brian L; Snetselaar, Linda G; Stevens, Victor J; Shepherd, John A; Van Horn, Linda; LeBlanc, Erin S; Paris, Kenneth; Klifa, Catherine; Dorgan, Joanne F

    2015-02-01

    Breast density is a strong risk factor for breast cancer and reflects epithelial and stromal content. Breast tissue is particularly sensitive to hormonal stimuli before it fully differentiates following the first full-term pregnancy. Few studies have examined associations between sex hormones and breast density among young women. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 180 women ages 25 to 29 years old who participated in the Dietary Intervention Study in Children 2006 Follow-up Study. Eighty-five percent of participants attended a clinic visit during their luteal phase of menstrual cycle. Magnetic resonance imaging measured the percentage of dense breast volume (%DBV), absolute dense breast volume (ADBV), and absolute nondense breast volume (ANDBV). Multiple-linear mixed-effect regression models were used to evaluate the association of sex hormones and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) with %DBV, ADBV, and ANDBV. Testosterone was significantly positively associated with %DBV and ADBV. The multivariable geometric mean of %DBV and ADBV across testosterone quartiles increased from 16.5% to 20.3% and from 68.6 to 82.3 cm(3), respectively (Ptrend ≤ 0.03). There was no association of %DBV or ADBV with estrogens, progesterone, non-SHBG-bound testosterone, or SHBG (Ptrend ≥ 0.27). Neither sex hormones nor SHBG was associated with ANDBV except progesterone; however, the progesterone result was nonsignificant in analysis restricted to women in the luteal phase. These findings suggest a modest positive association between testosterone and breast density in young women. Hormonal influences at critical periods may contribute to morphologic differences in the breast associated with breast cancer risk later in life. ©2014 American Association for Cancer Research.

  12. Improvement in diagnostic performance of breast cancer: comparison between conventional digital mammography alone and conventional mammography plus digital breast tomosynthesis.

    PubMed

    Ohashi, Ryoko; Nagao, Michinobu; Nakamura, Izumi; Okamoto, Takahiro; Sakai, Shuji

    2018-04-12

    The aim of this study was to determine if the diagnostic performance of breast lesion examinations could be improved using both digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) and conventional digital mammography (CDM). Our institutional review board approved the protocol, and patients were provided the opportunity to opt out of the study. A total of 628 patients aged 22-91 years with abnormal screening results or clinical symptoms were consecutively enrolled between June 2015 and March 2016. All patients underwent DBT and CDM, and 1164 breasts were retrospectively analyzed by three radiologists who interpreted the results based on the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System. Categories 4 and 5 were considered positive, and pathological results were the gold standard. The diagnostic performance of CDM and CDM plus DBT was compared using the mean areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. A total of 100 breast cancer cases were identified. The areas under the ROC curves were 0.9160 (95% confidence interval 0.8779-0.9541) for CDM alone and 0.9376 (95% confidence interval 0.9019-0.9733) for CDM plus DBT. The cut-off values for both CDM alone and CDM plus DBT measurements were 4, with sensitivities of 61.0% (61/100) and 83.0% (83/100), respectively, and specificities of 99.1% (1054/1064) and 98.9% (1052/1064), respectively. CDM yielded 39 false-negative diagnoses, while CDM plus DBT identified breast cancer in 22 of those cases (56.4%). The combination of DBT and CDM for the diagnosis of breast cancer in women with abnormal examination findings or clinical symptoms proved effective and should be used to improve the diagnostic performance of breast cancer examinations.

  13. TNFα-Induced Mucin 4 Expression Elicits Trastuzumab Resistance in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Mercogliano, María F; De Martino, Mara; Venturutti, Leandro; Rivas, Martín A; Proietti, Cecilia J; Inurrigarro, Gloria; Frahm, Isabel; Allemand, Daniel H; Deza, Ernesto Gil; Ares, Sandra; Gercovich, Felipe G; Guzmán, Pablo; Roa, Juan C; Elizalde, Patricia V; Schillaci, Roxana

    2017-02-01

    Although trastuzumab administration improved the outcome of HER2-positive breast cancer patients, resistance events hamper its clinical benefits. We demonstrated that TNFα stimulation in vitro induces trastuzumab resistance in HER2-positive breast cancer cell lines. Here, we explored the mechanism of TNFα-induced trastuzumab resistance and the therapeutic strategies to overcome it. Trastuzumab-sensitive breast cancer cells, genetically engineered to stably overexpress TNFα, and de novo trastuzumab-resistant tumors, were used to evaluate trastuzumab response and TNFα-blocking antibodies effectiveness respectively. Immunohistochemistry and antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity (ADCC), together with siRNA strategy, were used to explore TNFα influence on the expression and function of its downstream target, mucin 4 (MUC4). The clinical relevance of MUC4 expression was studied in a cohort of 78 HER2-positive breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant trastuzumab. TNFα overexpression turned trastuzumab-sensitive cells and tumors into resistant ones. Histopathologic findings revealed mucin foci in TNFα-producing tumors. TNFα induced upregulation of MUC4 that reduced trastuzumab binding to its epitope and impaired ADCC. Silencing MUC4 enhanced trastuzumab binding, increased ADCC, and overcame trastuzumab and trastuzumab-emtansine antiproliferative effects in TNFα-overexpressing cells. Accordingly, administration of TNFα-blocking antibodies downregulated MUC4 and sensitized de novo trastuzumab-resistant breast cancer cells and tumors to trastuzumab. In HER2-positive breast cancer samples, MUC4 expression was found to be an independent predictor of poor disease-free survival (P = 0.008). We identified TNFα-induced MUC4 expression as a novel trastuzumab resistance mechanism. We propose MUC4 expression as a predictive biomarker of trastuzumab efficacy and a guide to combination therapy of TNFα-blocking antibodies with trastuzumab. Clin Cancer Res; 23(3); 636-48.

  14. The prognostic value of histidine-rich glycoprotein RNA in breast tissue using unmodified gold nanoparticles assay.

    PubMed

    Eissa, Sanaa; Azzazy, Hassan M E; Matboli, Marwa; Shawky, Sherif M; Said, Hebatallah; Anous, Fatin A

    2014-09-01

    The aim of is this study is to explore the role of tissue histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG) RNA as a promising clinically useful biomarker for breast cancer patients prognosis using nanogold assay. Expression of the HRG RNA was assessed by gold nanoparticles and conventional RT-PCR after purification by magnetic nanoparticles in breast tissue samples. The study included 120 patients, 60 of which were histologically proven breast carcinoma cases, 30 had benign breast lesions and 30 were healthy individuals who had undergone reductive plastic surgery. ER, PR and HER2 status were also investigated. The prognostic significance of tissue HRG RNA expression in breast cancer was explored. The magnetic nanoparticles coated with specific thiol modified oligonucleotide probe were used successfully in purification of HRG RNA from breast tissue total RNAs with satisfactory yield. The developed HRG AuNPs assay had a sensitivity and a specificity of 90 %, and a detection limit of 1.5 nmol/l. The concordance rate between the HRG AuNPs assay with RT-PCR after RNA purification using magnetic nanoparticles was 93.3 %. The median follow-up period was 60 months. Among traditional prognostic biomarkers, HRG was a significant independent prognostic marker in relapse-free survival (RFS). HRG RNA is an independent prognostic marker for breast cancer and can be detected using gold NPs assay, which is rapid, sensitive, specific, inexpensive to extend the value for breast cancer prognosis.

  15. The Combination of Catechin and Epicatechin Gallate from Fructus Crataegi Potentiates β-Lactam Antibiotics Against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Vitro and in Vivo

    PubMed Central

    Qin, Rongxin; Xiao, Kangkang; Li, Bin; Jiang, Weiwei; Peng, Wei; Zheng, Jiang; Zhou, Hong

    2013-01-01

    Fructus crataegi (hawthorn) is the common name of all plant species in the genus Crataegus of the Rosaceae family. In the present study, three monomers of (+)-catechin (C), (−)-epicatechin gallate (ECg) and (−)-epigallocatechin (EGC) were isolated from the hawthorn under the guide of antibacterial sensitization activity. The bioactivity of the composite fraction in enhancing the antibacterial effect of oxacillin against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was greater than that of the individual monomer of the hawthorn extract in vitro. Two-fold dilution and checkerboard methods were used to analyze antibacterial activity and screen for the combination and proportion of monomers with the best bioactivity. The result showed that C (128 mg/L) combined with ECg (16 mg/L) had the greatest effect and the combination also reduced the bacterial load in blood of septic mice challenged with a sublethal dose of MRSA, increased daunomycin accumulation within MRSA and down-regulated the mRNA expression of norA, norC and abcA, three important efflux pumps of MRSA. In summary, C and ECg enhanced the antibacterial effect of β-lactam antibiotics against MRSA in vitro and in vivo, which might be related to the increased accumulation of antibiotics within MRSA via suppression of important efflux pumps’ gene expression. PMID:23325048

  16. A DNA microarray-based methylation-sensitive (MS)-AFLP hybridization method for genetic and epigenetic analyses.

    PubMed

    Yamamoto, F; Yamamoto, M

    2004-07-01

    We previously developed a PCR-based DNA fingerprinting technique named the Methylation Sensitive (MS)-AFLP method, which permits comparative genome-wide scanning of methylation status with a manageable number of fingerprinting experiments. The technique uses the methylation sensitive restriction enzyme NotI in the context of the existing Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) method. Here we report the successful conversion of this gel electrophoresis-based DNA fingerprinting technique into a DNA microarray hybridization technique (DNA Microarray MS-AFLP). By performing a total of 30 (15 x 2 reciprocal labeling) DNA Microarray MS-AFLP hybridization experiments on genomic DNA from two breast and three prostate cancer cell lines in all pairwise combinations, and Southern hybridization experiments using more than 100 different probes, we have demonstrated that the DNA Microarray MS-AFLP is a reliable method for genetic and epigenetic analyses. No statistically significant differences were observed in the number of differences between the breast-prostate hybridization experiments and the breast-breast or prostate-prostate comparisons.

  17. [Efficacy of storage phosphor-based digital mammography in diagnosis of breast cancer--comparison with film-screen mammography].

    PubMed

    Kitahama, H

    1991-05-25

    The aim of this study is to present efficacy of storage phosphor-based digital mammography (CR-mammography) in diagnosis of breast cancer. Ninety-seven cases with breast cancer including 44 cases less than 2 cm in macroscopic size (t1 cases) were evaluated using storage phosphor-based digital mammography (2000 x 2510 pixels by 10 bits). Abnormal findings on CR-mammography were detected in 86 cases (88.7%) of 97 women with breast cancer. Sensitivity of CR-mammography was 88.7%. It was superior to that of film-screen mammography. On t1 breast cancer cases, sensitivity on CR-mammography was 88.6%. False negative rate in t1 breast cancer cases was reduced by image processing using CR-mammography. To evaluate microcalcifications, CR-mammograms and film-screen mammograms were investigated in 22 cases of breast cancer proven pathologically the existence of microcalcifications and 11 paraffin tissue blocks of breast cancer. CR-mammography was superior to film-screen mammography in recognizing of microcalcifications. As regards the detectability for the number and the shape of microcalcifications, CR-mammography was equivalent to film-screen mammography. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis by eight observers was performed for CR-mammography and film-screen mammography with 54 breast cancer patients and 54 normal cases. The detectability of abnormal findings of breast cancer on CR-mammography (ROC area = 0.91) was better than that on film-screen mammography (ROC area = 0.88) (p less than 0.05). Efficacy of storage phosphor-based digital mammography in diagnosis of breast cancer was discussed and demonstrated in this study.

  18. Probing the inhibitory potency of epigallocatechin gallate against human γB-crystallin aggregation: Spectroscopic, microscopic and simulation studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chaudhury, Susmitnarayan; Dutta, Anirudha; Bag, Sudipta; Biswas, Pranandita; Das, Amit Kumar; Dasgupta, Swagata

    2018-03-01

    Aggregation of human ocular lens proteins, the crystallins is believed to be one of the key reasons for age-onset cataract. Previous studies have shown that human γD-crystallin forms amyloid like fibres under conditions of low pH and elevated temperature. In this article, we have investigated the aggregation propensity of human γB-crystallin in absence and presence of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), in vitro, when exposed to stressful conditions. We have used different spectroscopic and microscopic techniques to elucidate the inhibitory effect of EGCG towards aggregation. The experimental results have been substantiated by molecular dynamics simulation studies. We have shown that EGCG possesses inhibitory potency against the aggregation of human γB-crystallin at low pH and elevated temperature.

  19. Use of Autoantibodies to Detect the Onset of Breast Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Mangé, Alain; Solassol, Jérôme

    2014-01-01

    The widespread use of screening mammography has resulted in increased detection of early-stage breast disease, particularly for in situ carcinoma and early-stage breast cancer. However, the majority of women with abnormalities noted on screening mammograms are not diagnosed with cancer because of several factors, including radiologist assessment, patient age, breast density, malpractice concerns, and quality control procedures. Although magnetic resonance imaging is a highly sensitive detection tool that has become standard for women at very high risk of developing breast cancer, it lacks sufficient specificity and costeffectiveness for use as a general screening tool. Therefore, there is an important need to improve screening and diagnosis of early-invasive and noninvasive tumors, that is, in situ carcinoma. The great potential for molecular tools to improve breast cancer outcomes based on early diagnosis has driven the search for diagnostic biomarkers. Identification of tumor-specific markers capable of eliciting an immune response in the early stages of tumor development seems to provide an effective approach for early diagnosis. The aim of this review is to describe several autoantibodies identified during breast cancer diagnosis. We will focus on these molecules highlighted in the past two years and discuss the potential future use of autoantibodies as biomarkers of early-stage breast cancer. PMID:25143958

  20. Estrogen receptor coregulator binding modulators (ERXs) effectively target estrogen receptor positive human breast cancers

    PubMed Central

    Raj, Ganesh V; Sareddy, Gangadhara Reddy; Ma, Shihong; Lee, Tae-Kyung; Viswanadhapalli, Suryavathi; Li, Rui; Liu, Xihui; Murakami, Shino; Chen, Chien-Cheng; Lee, Wan-Ru; Mann, Monica; Krishnan, Samaya Rajeshwari; Manandhar, Bikash; Gonugunta, Vijay K; Strand, Douglas; Tekmal, Rajeshwar Rao; Ahn, Jung-Mo; Vadlamudi, Ratna K

    2017-01-01

    The majority of human breast cancer is estrogen receptor alpha (ER) positive. While anti-estrogens/aromatase inhibitors are initially effective, resistance to these drugs commonly develops. Therapy-resistant tumors often retain ER signaling, via interaction with critical oncogenic coregulator proteins. To address these mechanisms of resistance, we have developed a novel ER coregulator binding modulator, ERX-11. ERX-11 interacts directly with ER and blocks the interaction between a subset of coregulators with both native and mutant forms of ER. ERX-11 effectively blocks ER-mediated oncogenic signaling and has potent anti-proliferative activity against therapy-sensitive and therapy-resistant human breast cancer cells. ERX-11 is orally bioavailable, with no overt signs of toxicity and potent activity in both murine xenograft and patient-derived breast tumor explant models. This first-in-class agent, with its novel mechanism of action of disrupting critical protein-protein interactions, overcomes the limitations of current therapies and may be clinically translatable for patients with therapy-sensitive and therapy-resistant breast cancers. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.26857.001 PMID:28786813

  1. Indications for axillary ultrasound use in breast cancer patients.

    PubMed

    Joh, Jennifer E; Han, Gang; Kiluk, John V; Laronga, Christine; Khakpour, Nazanin; Lee, M Catherine

    2012-12-01

    Axillary ultrasound has been adopted for preoperative planning in breast cancer. Our objective was to determine features predictive of abnormal AUS and/or positive axillary node needle biopsy (NBx). Single-institution database of breast cancer patients identified patients with preoperative AUS. Patient characteristics and outcomes were correlated with AUS and NBx. Significant features were identified using univariable and multivariable analysis and correlative statistics. Three hundred thirteen breast cancers were evaluated. Abnormal AUS was demonstrated in 250 cases (80%). Node needle biopsy was performed in 247 cases (79%). Sensitivity and specificity was 93% and 48% for AUS and 86% and 100% for NBx, respectively. Palpable axillary adenopathy was significant in logistic regression model (P < .05). There were positive correlations between tumor grade, clinical T and tumor-node-metastasis stage, invasive ductal carcinoma histology, and inflammatory breast carcinoma with AUS and NBx (P < .05). Clinicopathologic features (grade, histology, tumor size) might help guide judicious use of AUS. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Young investigator challenge: The utility of GATA3 immunohistochemistry in the evaluation of metastatic breast carcinomas in malignant effusions.

    PubMed

    Lew, Madelyn; Pang, Judy C; Jing, Xin; Fields, Kristina L; Roh, Michael H

    2015-10-01

    It is not uncommon to encounter challenges in the immunohistochemical confirmation of metastatic breast cancer given the limited sensitivities of mammaglobin and gross cystic disease fluid protein 15 (GCDFP-15/BRST-2) and the significant proportion of triple-negative breast carcinomas (ie, tumors that are negative for estrogen receptor [ER], and progesterone receptor [PgR], and human epidermal growth factor 2 [HER2]). GATA binding protein 3 (GATA3) has emerged as a potentially useful immunohistochemical adjunct during the evaluation of metastatic breast carcinomas in cytology specimens. The objective of the current study was to examine GATA3 expression in the context of malignant effusions secondary to both mammary and extramammary malignancies. In total, 306 malignant effusions (from 62 metastatic breast carcinomas and 244 extramammary malignancies) were examined using GATA3 immunohistochemistry. Effusions with metastatic breast carcinoma were also examined using immunohistochemistry for additional breast markers (ER, PgR, HER2, mammaglobin, and GCDFP-15/BRST-2). GATA3 immunohistochemistry highlighted the tumor cells in 58 of the 62 samples (93.5%) from patients with metastatic breast carcinoma, which was higher than the observed sensitivity of immunohistochemistry for ER (63.8%), PgR (41.4%), HER2 (15.5%), mammaglobin (22.4%), and GCDFP-15/BRST-2 (5.2%). GATA3 expression also was observed in a subset of malignant effusions secondary to extramammary primaries, specifically, in 28 of 244 specimens (11.5%). GATA3 is a highly sensitive marker for the detection of metastatic breast carcinomas in effusion specimens. However, this marker is not entirely specific for malignancies of breast origin. Thus, GATA3 should be used in conjunction with additional immunohistochemical markers during the cytologic evaluation of malignant effusions. © 2015 American Cancer Society.

  3. African American Women: Surviving Breast Cancer Mortality against the Highest Odds.

    PubMed

    White-Means, Shelley; Rice, Muriel; Dapremont, Jill; Davis, Barbara; Martin, Judy

    2015-12-22

    Among the country's 25 largest cities, the breast cancer mortality disparity is highest in Memphis, Tennessee, where African American women are twice as likely to die from breast cancer as White women. This qualitative study of African-American breast cancer survivors explores experiences during and post treatment that contributed to their beating the high odds of mortality. Using a semi-structured interview guide, a focus group session was held in 2012 with 10 breast cancer survivors. Thematic analysis and a deductive a priori template of codes were used to analyze the data. Five main themes were identified: family history, breast/body awareness and preparedness to manage a breast cancer event, diagnosis experience and reaction to the diagnosis, family reactions, and impact on life. Prayer and family support were central to coping, and survivors voiced a cultural acceptance of racial disparities in health outcomes. They reported lack of provider sensitivity regarding pain, financial difficulties, negative responses from family/friends, and resiliency strategies for coping with physical and mental limitations. Our research suggested that a patient-centered approach of demystifying breast cancer (both in patient-provider communication and in community settings) would impact how women cope with breast cancer and respond to information about its diagnosis.

  4. African American Women: Surviving Breast Cancer Mortality against the Highest Odds

    PubMed Central

    White-Means, Shelley; Rice, Muriel; Dapremont, Jill; Davis, Barbara; Martin, Judy

    2015-01-01

    Among the country’s 25 largest cities, the breast cancer mortality disparity is highest in Memphis, Tennessee, where African American women are twice as likely to die from breast cancer as White women. This qualitative study of African-American breast cancer survivors explores experiences during and post treatment that contributed to their beating the high odds of mortality. Using a semi-structured interview guide, a focus group session was held in 2012 with 10 breast cancer survivors. Thematic analysis and a deductive a priori template of codes were used to analyze the data. Five main themes were identified: family history, breast/body awareness and preparedness to manage a breast cancer event, diagnosis experience and reaction to the diagnosis, family reactions, and impact on life. Prayer and family support were central to coping, and survivors voiced a cultural acceptance of racial disparities in health outcomes. They reported lack of provider sensitivity regarding pain, financial difficulties, negative responses from family/friends, and resiliency strategies for coping with physical and mental limitations. Our research suggested that a patient-centered approach of demystifying breast cancer (both in patient-provider communication and in community settings) would impact how women cope with breast cancer and respond to information about its diagnosis. PMID:26703655

  5. Comparison of conventional and automated breast volume ultrasound in the description and characterization of solid breast masses based on BI-RADS features.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hyunji; Cha, Joo Hee; Oh, Ha-Yeun; Kim, Hak Hee; Shin, Hee Jung; Chae, Eun Young

    2014-07-01

    To compare the performance of radiologists in the use of conventional ultrasound (US) and automated breast volume ultrasound (ABVU) for the characterization of benign and malignant solid breast masses based on breast imaging and reporting data system (BI-RADS) criteria. Conventional US and ABVU images were obtained in 87 patients with 106 solid breast masses (52 cancers, 54 benign lesions). Three experienced radiologists who were blinded to all examination results independently characterized the lesions and reported a BI-RADS assessment category and a level of suspicion of malignancy. The results were analyzed by calculation of Cohen's κ coefficient and by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Assessment of the agreement of conventional US and ABVU indicated that the posterior echo feature was the most discordant feature of seven features (κ = 0.371 ± 0.225) and that orientation had the greatest agreement (κ = 0.608 ± 0.210). The final assessment showed substantial agreement (κ = 0.773 ± 0.104). The areas under the ROC curves (Az) for conventional US and ABVU were not statistically significant for each reader, but the mean Az values of conventional US and ABVU by multi-reader multi-case analysis were significantly different (conventional US 0.991, ABVU 0.963; 95 % CI -0.0471 to -0.0097). The means for sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of conventional US and ABVU did not differ significantly. There was substantial inter-observer agreement in the final assessment of solid breast masses by conventional US and ABVU. ROC analysis comparing the performance of conventional US and ABVU indicated a marginally significant difference in mean Az, but not in mean sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, or negative predictive value.

  6. Breast-feeding and benign breast disease.

    PubMed

    Bernardi, S; Londero, A P; Bertozzi, S; Driul, L; Marchesoni, D; Petri, R

    2012-01-01

    Benign breast disease (BBD) is very common among women in their fertile age, but its correlation with breast reproductive function remains unclear. Our study aimed to investigate the relation between BBD and breast-feeding. We collected data on 105 women with BBD and 98 controls, focusing on their reproductive history and breast-feeding. We analysed data by R (version 2.12.1) considering p < 0.05 as significant. The results showed that fibroadenoma represented the most frequent BBD (55%), followed by fibrocystic changes (19%), intraductal papilloma (6%) and inflammatory breast disorders (5%). The mean age was 31.5 years (± 6.1), BMI 21.2 kg/m² (± 3.4) and age at menarche 13.0 years (± 1.5). Duration of breast-feeding was not significantly different between controls and BBD types (p = NS). Selecting women with fibroadenoma breast-feeding duration directly correlated with the number of benign lesions (p < 0.05), which remains significant also by multivariate analysis. It was concluded that there seemed to be no difference in breast-feeding among BBDs types, but lactation may influence the number of fibroadenomas. Moreover, prospective studies would better define the correlation between lactation and BBDs.

  7. Characterization of Active Anthocyanin Degradation in the Petals of Rosa chinensis and Brunfelsia calycina Reveals the Effect of Gallated Catechins on Pigment Maintenance

    PubMed Central

    Luo, Honghui; Deng, Shuangfan; Fu, Wei; Zhang, Xin; Zhang, Xuelian; Zhang, Zhaoqi; Pang, Xuequn

    2017-01-01

    Anthocyanin degradation decreases ornamental or nutritional values of horticultural products. To investigate factors that may influence colour change in flower development, anthocyanin degradation was compared between the flowers of Brunfelsia calycina and Rosa chinensis, which show rapid and slow degradation, respectively. In-gel activity assays, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of tannins, enzyme kinetics measurement and immune-detection of anthocyanin degradation related-perioxidases (PODs) were carried out for the comparison. Rose petals possessed significantly lower anthocyanin degradation-related POD activities than Brunfelsia petals, which may be related to the high tannin contents. Epicatechin gallate (ECG) and gallocatechin gallate (GCG) were detected in rose as 161.3 ± 12.34 and 273.56 ± 41.23 μg/g FW (Fresh Weight) respectively, while not detected in Brunfelsia. ECG and GCG inhibited the activities of the Brunfelsia POD with half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50s) as 21.5 and 29.7 μM respectively, and increased the colour intensities of the anthocyanins. Catechin and epicatechin did not inhibit the POD activity, while serving as POD substrates, with Km (the Michaelis constant) as 0.48 and 1.23 mM. Similar protein levels of the anthocyanin degradation-related 40-kDa PODs were detected in Brunfelsia and rose. In summary, high amount of tannins, particularly ECG and GCG, in red rose petals may inhibit the degradation-related enzymes, leading to the maintenance of anthocyanins in vivo. PMID:28346355

  8. Characterization of Active Anthocyanin Degradation in the Petals of Rosa chinensis and Brunfelsia calycina Reveals the Effect of Gallated Catechins on Pigment Maintenance.

    PubMed

    Luo, Honghui; Deng, Shuangfan; Fu, Wei; Zhang, Xin; Zhang, Xuelian; Zhang, Zhaoqi; Pang, Xuequn

    2017-03-25

    Anthocyanin degradation decreases ornamental or nutritional values of horticultural products. To investigate factors that may influence colour change in flower development, anthocyanin degradation was compared between the flowers of Brunfelsia calycina and Rosa chinensis , which show rapid and slow degradation, respectively. In-gel activity assays, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of tannins, enzyme kinetics measurement and immune-detection of anthocyanin degradation related-perioxidases (PODs) were carried out for the comparison. Rose petals possessed significantly lower anthocyanin degradation-related POD activities than Brunfelsia petals, which may be related to the high tannin contents. Epicatechin gallate (ECG) and gallocatechin gallate (GCG) were detected in rose as 161.3 ± 12.34 and 273.56 ± 41.23 μg/g FW (Fresh Weight) respectively, while not detected in Brunfelsia . ECG and GCG inhibited the activities of the Brunfelsia POD with half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50s) as 21.5 and 29.7 μM respectively, and increased the colour intensities of the anthocyanins. Catechin and epicatechin did not inhibit the POD activity, while serving as POD substrates, with K m (the Michaelis constant) as 0.48 and 1.23 mM. Similar protein levels of the anthocyanin degradation-related 40-kDa PODs were detected in Brunfelsia and rose. In summary, high amount of tannins, particularly ECG and GCG, in red rose petals may inhibit the degradation-related enzymes, leading to the maintenance of anthocyanins in vivo.

  9. Classification of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrences after breast conservation therapy can predict patient prognosis and facilitate treatment planning

    PubMed Central

    Yi, Min; Buchholz, Thomas A.; Meric-Bernstam, Funda; Bedrosian, Isabelle; Hwang, Rosa F.; Ross, Merrick I.; Kuerer, Henry M.; Luo, Sheng; Gonzalez-Angulo, Ana M.; Buzdar, Aman U.; Symmans, W. Fraser; Feig, Barry W.; Lucci, Anthony; Huang, Eugene H.; Hunt, Kelly K.

    2015-01-01

    Objective To classify ipsilateral breast tumor recurrences (IBTR) as either new primary tumors (NP) or true local recurrence (TR). We utilized two different methods and compared sensitivities and specificities between them. Our goal was to determine whether distinguishing NP from TR had prognostic value. Summary Background Data After breast-conservation therapy (BCT), IBTR may be classified into two distinct types (NP and TR). Studies have attempted to classify IBTR by using tumor location, histologic subtype, DNA flow cytometry data, or gene-expression profiling data. Methods 447 (7.9%) of 5660 patients undergoing BCT from 1970 to 2005 experienced IBTR. Clinical data from 397 patients were available for review. We classified IBTRs as NP or TR on the basis of either tumor location and histologic subtype (method 1) or tumor location, histologic subtype, estrogen receptor (ER) status and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) status (method 2). Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests were used to evaluate overall and disease-specific survival (DSS) differences between the two groups. Classification methods were validated by calculating sensitivity and specificity values using a Bayesian method. Results Of 397 patients, 196 (49.4%) were classified as NP by method 1 and 212 (53.4%) were classified as NP by method 2. The sensitivity and specificity values were 0.812 and 0.867 for method 1 and 0.870 and 0.800 for method 2, respectively. Regardless of method used, patients classified as NP developed contralateral breast carcinoma more often but had better 10-year overall and DSS rates than those classified as TR. Patients with TR were more likely to develop metastatic disease after IBTR. Conclusion IBTR classified as TR and NP had clinically different features, suggesting that classifying IBTR may provide clinically significant data for the management of IBTR. PMID:21209588

  10. Breast Tumors with Elevated Expression of 1q Candidate Genes Confer Poor Clinical Outcome and Sensitivity to Ras/PI3K Inhibition

    PubMed Central

    Viveka Thangaraj, Soundara; Periasamy, Jayaprakash; Bhaskar Rao, Divya; Barnabas, Georgina D.; Raghavan, Swetha; Ganesan, Kumaresan

    2013-01-01

    Genomic aberrations are common in cancers and the long arm of chromosome 1 is known for its frequent amplifications in breast cancer. However, the key candidate genes of 1q, and their contribution in breast cancer pathogenesis remain unexplored. We have analyzed the gene expression profiles of 1635 breast tumor samples using meta-analysis based approach and identified clinically significant candidates from chromosome 1q. Seven candidate genes including exonuclease 1 (EXO1) are consistently over expressed in breast tumors, specifically in high grade and aggressive breast tumors with poor clinical outcome. We derived a EXO1 co-expression module from the mRNA profiles of breast tumors which comprises 1q candidate genes and their co-expressed genes. By integrative functional genomics investigation, we identified the involvement of EGFR, RAS, PI3K / AKT, MYC, E2F signaling in the regulation of these selected 1q genes in breast tumors and breast cancer cell lines. Expression of EXO1 module was found as indicative of elevated cell proliferation, genomic instability, activated RAS/AKT/MYC/E2F1 signaling pathways and loss of p53 activity in breast tumors. mRNA–drug connectivity analysis indicates inhibition of RAS/PI3K as a possible targeted therapeutic approach for the patients with activated EXO1 module in breast tumors. Thus, we identified seven 1q candidate genes strongly associated with the poor survival of breast cancer patients and identified the possibility of targeting them with EGFR/RAS/PI3K inhibitors. PMID:24147022

  11. Effect of processing on physicochemical characteristics and bioefficacy of β-lactoglobulin-epigallocatechin-3-gallate complexes.

    PubMed

    Lestringant, Pauline; Guri, Anilda; Gülseren, Ibrahim; Relkin, Perla; Corredig, Milena

    2014-08-20

    Varying amounts of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) were encapsulated in β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg) nanoparticles, either native or processed, denoted as heated or desolvated protein. The stability, physical properties, and bioactivity of the β-Lg-EGCG complexes were tested. Native β-Lg-EGCG complexes showed comparable stability and binding efficacy (EGCG/β-Lg molar ratio of 1:1) to heated β-Lg nanoparticles (1% and 5% protein w/w). The sizes of heated and desolvated β-Lg nanoparticles were comparable, but the latter showed the highest binding affinity for EGCG. The presence of EGCG complexed with β-Lg did not affect the interfacial tension of the protein when tested at the soy oil-water interface but caused a decrease in dilational elasticity. All β-Lg complexes (native, heated, or desolvated) showed a decrease in cellular proliferation similar to that of free ECGC. In summary, protein-EGCG complexes did not alter the bioefficacy of EGCG and contributed to increased stability with storage, demonstrating the potential benefits of nanoencapsulation.

  12. Simultaneous determination of twelve tea catechins by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

    PubMed

    Sano, M; Tabata, M; Suzuki, M; Degawa, M; Miyase, T; Maeda-Yamamoto, M

    2001-06-01

    A high-performance liquid chromatographic method with electrochemical detection was developed for the determination of twelve tea catechins including four major catechins: epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECG) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG); four of their epimers at the C-2 position, C, GC, CG and GCG; and four methylated catechin derivatives, epigallocatechin-3-O-(3-O-methyl)gallate, gallocatechin-3-O-(3-O-methyl)gallate, epigallocatechin-3-O-(4-O-methyl)gallate and epicatechin-3-O-(3-O-methyl)gallate. These catechins were separated on an ODS C18 reversed-phase column by isocratic elution with 0.1 M NaH2PO4 buffer (pH 2.5)-acetonitrile (87:13) containing 0.1 mM EDTA.2Na. The detection limits (S/N = 3) of these catechins were approximately 10-40 pmol ml-1 at an applied voltage of 600 mV. Extracting these catechins from tea leaf powder with H2O-acetonitrile (1:1) at 30 degrees C for 40 min inhibited the epimerization at C-2 significantly from these epicatechins compared to extraction with hot water at 90 degrees C. This analytical method is sensitive to and appropriate for the simultaneous determination of various biologically active catechins in green tea.

  13. Assembling a prototype resonance electrical impedance spectroscopy system for breast tissue signal detection: preliminary assessment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sumkin, Jules; Zheng, Bin; Gruss, Michelle; Drescher, John; Leader, Joseph; Good, Walter; Lu, Amy; Cohen, Cathy; Shah, Ratan; Zuley, Margarita; Gur, David

    2008-03-01

    Using electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technology to detect breast abnormalities in general and cancer in particular has been attracting research interests for decades. Large clinical tests suggest that current EIS systems can achieve high specificity (>= 90%) at a relatively low sensitivity ranging from 15% to 35%. In this study, we explore a new resonance frequency based electrical impedance spectroscopy (REIS) technology to measure breast tissue EIS signals in vivo, which aims to be more sensitive to small tissue changes. Through collaboration between our imaging research group and a commercial company, a unique prototype REIS system has been assembled and preliminary signal acquisition has commenced. This REIS system has two detection probes mounted in the two ends of a Y-shape support device with probe separation of 60 mm. During REIS measurement, one probe touches the nipple and the other touches to an outer point of the breast. The electronic system continuously generates sweeps of multi-frequency electrical pulses ranging from 100 to 4100 kHz. The maximum electric voltage and the current applied to the probes are 1.5V and 30mA, respectively. Once a "record" command is entered, multi-frequency sweeps are recorded every 12 seconds until the program receives a "stop recording" command. In our imaging center, we have collected REIS measurements from 150 women under an IRB approved protocol. The database includes 58 biopsy cases, 78 screening negative cases, and other "recalled" cases (for additional imaging procedures). We measured eight signal features from the effective REIS sweep of each breast. We applied a multi-feature based artificial neural network (ANN) to classify between "biopsy" and normal "non-biopsy" breasts. The ANN performance is evaluated using a leave-one-out validation method and ROC analysis. We conducted two experiments. The first experiment attempted to classify 58 "biopsy" breasts and 58 "non-biopsy" breasts acquired on 58 women

  14. A Physical Mechanism and Global Quantification of Breast Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Yu, Chong; Wang, Jin

    2016-01-01

    Initiation and progression of cancer depend on many factors. Those on the genetic level are often considered crucial. To gain insight into the physical mechanisms of breast cancer, we construct a gene regulatory network (GRN) which reflects both genetic and environmental aspects of breast cancer. The construction of the GRN is based on available experimental data. Three basins of attraction, representing the normal, premalignant and cancer states respectively, were found on the phenotypic landscape. The progression of breast cancer can be seen as switching transitions between different state basins. We quantified the stabilities and kinetic paths of the three state basins to uncover the biological process of breast cancer formation. The gene expression levels at each state were obtained, which can be tested directly in experiments. Furthermore, by performing global sensitivity analysis on the landscape topography, six key genes (HER2, MDM2, TP53, BRCA1, ATM, CDK2) and four regulations (HER2⊣TP53, CDK2⊣BRCA1, ATM→MDM2, TP53→ATM) were identified as being critical for breast cancer. Interestingly, HER2 and MDM2 are the most popular targets for treating breast cancer. BRCA1 and TP53 are the most important oncogene of breast cancer and tumor suppressor gene, respectively. This further validates the feasibility of our model and the reliability of our prediction results. The regulation ATM→MDM2 has been extensive studied on DNA damage but not on breast cancer. We notice the importance of ATM→MDM2 on breast cancer. Previous studies of breast cancer have often focused on individual genes and the anti-cancer drugs are mainly used to target the individual genes. Our results show that the network-based strategy is more effective on treating breast cancer. The landscape approach serves as a new strategy for analyzing breast cancer on both the genetic and epigenetic levels and can help on designing network based medicine for breast cancer. PMID:27410227

  15. Breast cancer and human papillomavirus infection: No evidence of HPV etiology of breast cancer in Indian women

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Two clinically relevant high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) types 16 and 18 are etiologically associated with the development of cervical carcinoma and are also reported to be present in many other carcinomas in extra-genital organ sites. Presence of HPV has been reported in breast carcinoma which is the second most common cancer in India and is showing a fast rising trend in urban population. The two early genes E6 and E7 of HPV type 16 have been shown to immortalize breast epithelial cells in vitro, but the role of HPV infection in breast carcinogenesis is highly controversial. Present study has therefore been undertaken to analyze the prevalence of HPV infection in both breast cancer tissues and blood samples from a large number of Indian women with breast cancer from different geographic regions. Methods The presence of all mucosal HPVs and the most common high-risk HPV types 16 and 18 DNA was detected by two different PCR methods - (i) conventional PCR assays using consensus primers (MY09/11, or GP5+/GP6+) or HPV16 E6/E7 primers and (ii) highly sensitive Real-Time PCR. A total of 228 biopsies and corresponding 142 blood samples collected prospectively from 252 patients from four different regions of India with significant socio-cultural, ethnic and demographic variations were tested. Results All biopsies and blood samples of breast cancer patients tested by PCR methods did not show positivity for HPV DNA sequences in conventional PCRs either by MY09/11 or by GP5+/GP6+/HPV16 E6/E7 primers. Further testing of these samples by real time PCR also failed to detect HPV DNA sequences. Conclusions Lack of detection of HPV DNA either in the tumor or in the blood DNA of breast cancer patients by both conventional and real time PCR does not support a role of genital HPV in the pathogenesis of breast cancer in Indian women. PMID:21247504

  16. Challenging the roles of CD44 and lipolysis stimulated lipoprotein receptor in conveying Clostridium perfringens iota toxin cytotoxicity in breast cancer

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Translational exploration of bacterial toxins has come to the forefront of research given their potential as a chemotherapeutic tool. Studies in select tissues have demonstrated that Clostridium perfringens iota toxin binds to CD44 and lipolysis stimulated lipoprotein receptor (LSR) cell-surface proteins. We recently demonstrated that LSR expression correlates with estrogen receptor positive breast cancers and that LSR signaling directs aggressive, tumor-initiating cell behaviors. Herein, we identify the mechanisms of iota toxin cytotoxicity in a tissue-specific, breast cancer model with the ultimate goal of laying the foundation for using iota toxin as a targeted breast cancer therapy. Methods In vitro model systems were used to determine the cytotoxic effect of iota toxin on breast cancer intrinsic subtypes. The use of overexpression and knockdown technologies confirmed the roles of LSR and CD44 in regulating iota toxin endocytosis and induction of cell death. Lastly, cytotoxicity assays were used to demonstrate the effect of iota toxin on a validated set of tamoxifen resistant breast cancer cell lines. Results Treatment of 14 breast cancer cell lines revealed that LSR+/CD44- lines were highly sensitive, LSR+/CD44+ lines were slightly sensitive, and LSR-/CD44+ lines were resistant to iota cytotoxicity. Reduction in LSR expression resulted in a significant decrease in toxin sensitivity; however, overexpression of CD44 conveyed toxin resistance. CD44 overexpression was correlated with decreased toxin-stimulated lysosome formation and decreased cytosolic levels of iota toxin. These findings indicated that expression of CD44 drives iota toxin resistance through inhibition of endocytosis in breast cancer cells, a role not previously defined for CD44. Moreover, tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer cells exhibited robust expression of LSR and were highly sensitive to iota-induced cytotoxicity. Conclusions Collectively, these data are the first to show that iota

  17. A serum glycomics approach to breast cancer biomarkers.

    PubMed

    Kirmiz, Crystal; Li, Bensheng; An, Hyun Joo; Clowers, Brian H; Chew, Helen K; Lam, Kit S; Ferrige, Anthony; Alecio, Robert; Borowsky, Alexander D; Sulaimon, Shola; Lebrilla, Carlito B; Miyamoto, Suzanne

    2007-01-01

    Because the glycosylation of proteins is known to change in tumor cells during the development of breast cancer, a glycomics approach is used here to find relevant biomarkers of breast cancer. These glycosylation changes are known to correlate with increasing tumor burden and poor prognosis. Current antibody-based immunochemical tests for cancer biomarkers of ovarian (CA125), breast (CA27.29 or CA15-3), pancreatic, gastric, colonic, and carcinoma (CA19-9) target highly glycosylated mucin proteins. However, these tests lack the specificity and sensitivity for use in early detection. This glycomics approach to find glycan biomarkers of breast cancer involves chemically cleaving oligosaccharides (glycans) from glycosylated proteins that are shed or secreted by breast cancer tumor cell lines. The resulting free glycan species are analyzed by MALDI-FT-ICR MS. Further structural analysis of the glycans can be performed in FTMS through the use of tandem mass spectrometry with infrared multiphoton dissociation. Glycan profiles were generated for each cell line and compared. These methods were then used to analyze sera obtained from a mouse model of breast cancer and a small number of serum samples obtained from human patients diagnosed with breast cancer or patients with no known history of breast cancer. In addition to the glycosylation changes detected in mice as mouse mammary tumors developed, glycosylation profiles were found to be sufficiently different to distinguish patients with cancer from those without. Although the small number of patient samples analyzed so far is inadequate to make any legitimate claims at this time, these promising but very preliminary results suggest that glycan profiles may contain distinct glycan biomarkers that may correspond to glycan "signatures of cancer."

  18. Cost-effectiveness analysis of implants versus autologous perforator flaps using the BREAST-Q.

    PubMed

    Matros, Evan; Albornoz, Claudia R; Razdan, Shantanu N; Mehrara, Babak J; Macadam, Sheina A; Ro, Teresa; McCarthy, Colleen M; Disa, Joseph J; Cordeiro, Peter G; Pusic, Andrea L

    2015-04-01

    Reimbursement has been recognized as a physician barrier to autologous reconstruction. Autologous reconstructions are more expensive than prosthetic reconstructions, but provide greater health-related quality of life. The authors' hypothesis is that autologous tissue reconstructions are cost-effective compared with prosthetic techniques when considering health-related quality of life and patient satisfaction. A cost-effectiveness analysis from the payer perspective, including patient input, was performed for unilateral and bilateral reconstructions with deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flaps and implants. The effectiveness measure was derived using the BREAST-Q and interpreted as the cost for obtaining 1 year of perfect breast health-related quality-adjusted life-year. Costs were obtained from the 2010 Nationwide Inpatient Sample. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was generated. A sensitivity analysis for age and stage at diagnosis was performed. BREAST-Q scores from 309 patients with implants and 217 DIEP flap reconstructions were included. The additional cost for obtaining 1 year of perfect breast-related health for a unilateral DIEP flap compared with implant reconstruction was $11,941. For bilateral DIEP flaps compared with implant reconstructions, the cost for an additional breast health-related quality-adjusted life-year was $28,017. The sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the cost for an additional breast health-related quality-adjusted life-year for DIEP flaps compared with implants was less for younger patients and earlier stage breast cancer. DIEP flaps are cost-effective compared with implants, especially for unilateral reconstructions. Cost-effectiveness of autologous techniques is maximized in women with longer life expectancy. Patient-reported outcomes findings can be incorporated into cost-effectiveness analyses to demonstrate the relative value of reconstructive procedures.

  19. Preoperative Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging Use by Breast Density and Family History of Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Henderson, Louise M; Hubbard, Rebecca A; Zhu, Weiwei; Weiss, Julie; Wernli, Karen J; Goodrich, Martha E; Kerlikowske, Karla; DeMartini, Wendy; Ozanne, Elissa M; Onega, Tracy

    2018-01-15

    Use of preoperative breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) among women with a new breast cancer has increased over the past decade. MRI use is more frequent in younger women and those with lobular carcinoma, but associations with breast density and family history of breast cancer are unknown. Data for 3075 women ages >65 years with stage 0-III breast cancer who underwent breast conserving surgery or mastectomy from 2005 to 2010 in the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium were linked to administrative claims data to assess associations of preoperative MRI use with mammographic breast density and first-degree family history of breast cancer. Multivariable logistic regression estimated adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for the association of MRI use with breast density and family history, adjusting for woman and tumor characteristics. Overall, preoperative MRI use was 16.4%. The proportion of women receiving breast MRI was similar by breast density (17.6% dense, 16.9% nondense) and family history (17.1% with family history, 16.5% without family history). After adjusting for potential confounders, we found no difference in preoperative MRI use by breast density (OR = 0.95 for dense vs. nondense, 95% CI: 0.73-1.22) or family history (OR = 0.99 for family history vs. none, 95% CI: 0.73-1.32). Among women aged >65 years with breast cancer, having dense breasts or a first-degree relative with breast cancer was not associated with greater preoperative MRI use. This utilization is in keeping with lack of evidence that MRI has higher yield of malignancy in these subgroups.

  20. Interactions of quercetin, curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate and folic acid with gelatin.

    PubMed

    Yang, Tingting; Yang, Huiru; Fan, Yan; Li, Bafang; Hou, Hu

    2018-06-15

    Some small bioactive molecules from food show the potential health benefits, but with poor chemical stability and bioavailability. The interactions between small molecules and gelatin were investigated. Fluorescence experiments demonstrated that the bimolecular quenching constants (k q ) of complexes (gelatin-quercetin, gelatin-curcumin, gelatin-epigallocatechin gallate, gelatin-folic acid) were 3.7 × 10 12  L·mol -1 ·s -1 , 1.4 × 10 12  L·mol -1 ·s -1 , 2.7 × 10 12  L·mol -1 ·s -1 and 8.5 × 10 12  L·mol -1 ·s -1 , indicating that fluorescence quenching did not arise from a dynamical mechanism, but from gelatin-small molecules binding. Furthermore, the affinity with gelatin was ranked in the order of folic acid > quercetin > epigallocatechin gallate > curcumin. Fluorescence spectroscopy, ultraviolet and visible absorption spectroscopy, FTIR and circular dichroism showed that the interactions between small molecules and gelatin did not significantly alter the conformation and secondary structure of gelatin. Non-covalent interactions may result in the binding of gelatin with small molecules. The interactions were considered to be through two modes: (1) small molecules bound within the hydrophobic pockets of gelatin; (2) small molecules surrounded the gelatin molecule mainly through hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.