1,720,984 research outputs found
HTRA family proteins in pregnancy outcome
No full textHTRA (High temperature requirement protease A) family proteins includes HTRA1 (L56 or PRSS11), HTRA2/Omi, HTRA3 (PRSP) and HTRA4. These are oligomeric serine proteases highly conserved from bacteria to humans and are involved in a variety of biological functions including the maintenance of normal cell physiology and pathogenicity such as cell growth, apoptosis, neurodegenerative disorders, inflammation diseases and cancer. These proteins are normally expressed in placental villi during all pregnancy but their expression is found to be altered in pathological pregnancies suggesting a possible role of those proteins in the development of human placenta. Moreover, some HTRA family proteins have also been found in maternal blood and were impaired in pathological pregnancy suggesting a possible role of some of these proteins as early markers of pregnancy outcome. The aim of this review is to summarize the data currently available on the role of HTRA family proteins in pregnancy focalizing their role in pregnancy complications such as Preeclampsia (PE), IntraUterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) and Spontaneus PreTerm Birth (SPTB)
The multifaced actions of curcumin in pregnancy outcome
Full text linkCurcumin, also known as diferuloylmethane, is the main polyphenolic substance present in the rhizomes of Curcuma longa L. This plant showed many beneficial effects and has been used since ancient times for both food and pharmaceutical purposes. Due to its pleiotropic functions, curcumin consumption in the human diet has become very common thanks also to the fact that this natural compound is considered quite safe as it does not have serious side effects. Its functions as an anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, neuroprotective, immunomodulatory, anti-toxicant, anti-apoptotic, and anti-diabetic compound are already known and widely demonstrated. There are numerous studies concerning its effects on various human pathologies including cancer, diabetes and arthritis while the studies on curcumin during pregnancy have been performed only in animal models. Data concerning the role of curcumin as anti-inflammatory compound suggest a possible use of curcumin in managing pregnancy complications such as Preeclampsia (PE), Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM), Fetal Growth Restriction (FGR), PreTerm Birth (PTB), and exposure to toxic agents and pathogens. The aim of this review is to present data to support the possible use of curcumin in clinical trials on human gestation complications
The Role of Xanthine Oxidase in Pregnancy Complications: A Systematic Review
Full text linkXanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) is an enzyme involved in the oxidation of hypoxanthine and xanthine to uric acid. XOR has two isoforms: xanthine dehydrogenase and xanthine oxidase (XO). XO plays a major role in oxidative stress, causing the formation of reactive oxygen species. In the present study, we aimed to summarize the evidence on the association between XO and pregnancy complications. The PRISMA checklist guided the reporting of the data. We conducted systematic searches in the PubMed and Web of Science databases to identify all human studies investigating XO in pregnancy diseases up to June 2024. A total of 195 references have been identified and 14 studies were included. Most studies focused on women with PE and GD. Overall, all the included studies found a statistically significant increase in maternal, placental, and/or fetal XO levels, activity, or tissue expression in women with pregnancy complications, compared to those with uncomplicated pregnancies. Although promising, the quality and dimension of the included studies do not allow for a definitive answer to the question of whether XO may play a crucial role in pregnancy complications. Future studies are warranted to confirm if XO could represent a prognostic and therapeutic marker in pregnancy complications and their impact on long-term maternal and offspring cardiovascular health
Bladder Cancer Sample Handling and Reporting: Pathologist's Point of View
Full text linkThe aim of this narrative review is to provide adequate information on handling and reporting of the bladder cancer samples to improve the closely collaboration between pathologists and urologists. The main (but not exclusive) research tool used was PubMed and 87 references were selected and quoted in the text. We have considered handling of biopsies, transurethral resection (TUR), and cystectomy specimens to summarize the different methods of sampling and the related issues. Moreover, we considered and discussed the main prognostic factors, such as histological tumor type, grade, and stage of bladder cancer, that should be described in the pathological report. In addition, critical issues encountered in the interpretation of histological samples were discussed
AT-rich interactive domain 1A (ARID1A) cannot be considered a morphological marker for prostate cancer progression: A pilot study
No full textProstate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common cancers worldwide but it presents many subtypes and patient heterogeneity. It is necessary to discriminate localised not aggressive PCa and metastatic cancer in order to better define the personalised treatment. The identification of an appropriate biomarker to combine with Gleason grading system, that is one of the most important prognostic factors in prostate cancer outcome, remains a major clinical issue. We have tested AT-rich interactive domain 1A (ARID1A) in prostate tissue is order to verify its possible role as morphological marker for prostate cancer progression. ARID1A is a tumour suppressor protein playing a pivotal role in chromatin remodelling during transcriptional regulation. It was decreased in many cancers correlating with tumour aggressiveness. Our data shown that ARID1A had a nuclear staining and that it is significantly decreased in prostate cancers suggesting that it can be involved in this neoplasm but it is not able to discriminate prostate cancer progression
Diagnostic and Prognostic Role of CD93 in Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review
Full text linkIntroduction. Cluster of Differentiation (CD) 93 (also known as complement protein 1 q subcomponent receptor C1qR1 or C1qRp) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that can also be present in a soluble (sCD93) form. Recent studies have investigated the role of this protein in cardiovascular disease (CVD). The present systematic review aims to assess the associations between CD93 and cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and disease at both the proteomic and genomic levels. Methods. We conducted systematic searches in the PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases to identify all human studies since inception to February 2023 that investigated the role of CD93 in CV risk factors, CVD, and CV-associated outcomes. The data collection and analysis have been independently conducted by two reviewers. The search terms included: cardiovascular, heart failure, acute stroke, myocardial infarction, stroke, peripheral artery disease, cardiovascular death, MACE, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, hyperuricemia, diabetes, cd93, c1qr, C1qR1, complement protein 1 q subcomponent receptor. Results. A total of 182 references were identified, and 15 studies investigating the associations between CD93 protein levels or CD93 genetic polymorphisms and the development or prevalence of CV risk factors (i.e., hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity) and CVD (i.e., heart failure, coronary artery disease, and ischemic stroke) were included. Although promising, the quality and dimension of the analyzed studies do not allow for a definitive answer to the question of whether CD93 may hold diagnostic and prognostic value in CVD
Modulation of NRF2/KEAP1 Signaling in Preeclampsia
Full text linkPlacentation is a key and tightly regulated process that ensures the normal development of the placenta and fetal growth. Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive pregnancy-related disorder involving about 5–8% of all pregnancies and clinically characterized by de novo maternal hypertension and proteinuria. In addition, PE pregnancies are also characterized by increased oxidative stress and inflammation. The NRF2/KEAP1 signaling pathway plays an important role in protecting cells against oxidative damage due to increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. ROS activate NRF2, allowing its binding to the antioxidant response element (ARE) region present in the promoter of several antioxidant genes such as heme oxygenase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase that neutralize ROS, protecting cells against oxidative stress damages. In this review, we analyze the current literature regarding the role of the NRF2/KEAP1 pathway in preeclamptic pregnancies, discussing the main cellular modulators of this pathway. Moreover, we also discuss the main natural and synthetic compounds that can regulate this pathway in in vivo and in vitro models
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
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