Boric acid as a promising agent in the treatment of ovarian cancer: Molecular mechanisms.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to determine the therapeutic effects of boric acid cell proliferation, invasion, migration, colony formation, cell cycle and apoptosis mechanisms in ovarian cancer cell line under in vitro conditions. METHODS: MDAH-2774 ovarian cancer cells were employed. Real-time PCR test was used to investigate changes in genes and proteins of cell cycle and apoptosis and identified miRNAs under the addition of boric acid. The apoptosis rates were calculated by TUNEL assay. Matrigel invasion, colony formation and Wound healing tests were used to determine invasion and migration. Oxidative stress index value was calculated for oxidative stress. RESULTS: Boric acid inhibited cell proliferation, invasion, migration and colony formation, but induces apoptosis and oxidative stress. Also, the expression of miRNA-21, miRNA-200a, miRNA-130a and mi-RNA-224 (which are indicators of poor prognosis of ovarian cancer) decreased significantly. CONCLUSION: The potential of boric acid as a natural molecule may supports its effectiveness in reducing adverse effects arising from conventional ovarian cancer treatments.

Sonohysterography in evaluation of Youssef's syndrome.

A 31-year-old woman with Youssef syndrome was reported. Vesicouterine fistula is responsible for the symptoms of Youssef syndrome. An easy and feasible diagnostic method of vesicouterine fistula is sonohysterography.

Effects of intranasal estradiol treatment on serum paraoxonase and lipids in healthy, postmenopausal women.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Serum lipid concentrations worsen after the menopause because of estrogen deficiency, leading to an increased atherogenic pattern. It is known that serum paraoxonase (PON1) activity prevents the development of atherosclerosis. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to observe the effects of intranasal 17beta-estradiol (300 microg/day) on serum PON1 and lipid levels in healthy postmenopausal women. METHODS: 48 healthy, postmenopausal women were enrolled into this cross-sectional study. 28 subjects without an intact uterus and ovaries were using single-dose (300 microg/day) intranasal 17beta-estradiol and 20 subjects with spontaneous natural menopause were not on any hormone therapy. Body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, serum follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol, fasting glucose, insulin, lipid fractions and PON1 levels were measured. Homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-R) was used to estimate insulin resistance. RESULTS: The higher estradiol, high-density lipoprotein and salt-stimulated paraoxonase (SSP) levels were observed in intranasal 17beta-estradiol users in comparison with non-users. There were no statistically significant differences in BMI, blood pressures, other lipid fractions, basal paraoxonase, arylesterase, fasting glucose and insulin levels, HOMA-R between the groups. SSP was inversely associated with fasting insulin levels and HOMA-R. CONCLUSION: These observations may suggest that intranasal 17beta-estradiol does not have harmful effects on the PON1 activity and lipid metabolism.

The effects of hormone therapy on pulmonary function tests in postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of hormone therapy (HT) administered to postmenopausal women on pulmonary function tests (PFT). METHODS: Eighty-two postmenopausal women who were having natural or surgically initiated menopause and had no risk factor that could affect the respiratory system were included into this prospective, randomized study. Twenty-five women who refused to use HT were assessed as the control group (Group I). Nineteen women who accepted using HT and who were having surgically initiated menopause were given continuous estrogen (Group II), 23 were given continuous estrogen and progesterone in combination (Group III) and 15 were given cyclic estrogen and progesterone combination (Group IV). Forced expiratory volume (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC, forced expiratory flow rate over 25-75% of the forced vital capacity volume and peak expiratory flow rate were assessed at the beginning of the treatment and in the third month in order to evaluate the effects of HT regimens on the women's PFT. RESULTS: A statistically significant increase was observed only in the FEV1 and FVC parameters of Group III after three months of therapy (P<0.05). The comparison between pre- and posttherapy FEV1 and FVC values showed an increase in the Group IV, but the difference was not statistically significant, while there was no difference between basal and third month FEV1 and FVC values of the group receiving estrogen only. CONCLUSIONS: It was seen that particularly continuous combined HT regimen positively affected the FEV1 and FVC parameters of the postmenopausal women.

Comparison of the effects of low intra-abdominal pressure and ischaemic preconditioning on the generation of oxidative stress markers and inflammatory cytokines during laparoscopy in rats.

BACKGROUND: Pneumoperitoneum (Pp) induces ischaemia in intra-abdominal tissues. We investigated the effects of ischaemic preconditioning (IP) and low-pressure Pp methods used to reduce ischaemic injury during Pp on oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokine response. METHODS: Thirty-two rats were divided into four groups. Rats in the control group were subjected to only anaesthesia for 90 min. The other groups were subjected to Pp for 60 min with 15 (Pp15), 10 (Pp10) or 15 mmHg intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) after IP (IPPp15), all of which were followed by deflation (D) for 30 min. IP was defined as 10 min of Pp with 15 mmHg IAP followed immediately by 10 min of D. Peritoneum and blood samples collected at the end of the experiment were examined to determine inflammatory cytokine [tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6)], oxidative stress [malondialdehyde (MDA)] and antioxidant [reduced glutathione (GSH) and glutathione reductase (GR)] levels. RESULTS: Blood and peritoneum MDA values and peritoneum TNF-alpha and IL-6 values decreased, while GR values increased in the Pp10 group in comparison with the Pp15 group. Blood and peritoneum MDA, TNF-alpha and IL-6 values decreased and GR values increased in the IPPp15 group in comparison with the Pp15 group. Blood MDA and IL-6 values in the IPP15 group were lower than those in the Pp10 group, whereas GR values were higher in the former. Except for high peritoneal IL-6 levels, no difference was found between the parameters in the IPP15 and those in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: IP may be more effective than low-pressure Pp in reducing ischaemic insult associated with laparoscopy.

Efficient and non-invasive method for investigating Helicobacter pylori in gravida with hyperemesis gravidarum: Helicobacter pylori stool antigen test.

AIM: To investigate the relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and severe hyperemesis gravidarum (H. Gravidarum) by using Helicobacter pylori Stool Antigen (HpSA) and other serologic test results. METHODS: Twenty-seven pregnant women with H. Gravidarum and 97 asymptomatic pregnant women of matching gestational age without gastric problems were enrolled in a prospective study. Serum samples collected from cases were investigated in terms of specific antibodies for H. pylori (immunoglobulin-IgG, IgA) and feces samples were investigated for HpSA. Statistical analysis of the data obtained from the groups was made by appropriate chi2 tests. RESULTS: Rate of HpSA positivity in patients with H. Gravidarum was 40.7%, while the same rate was 12.4% in the control group. The difference between the two groups was significant (P = 0.001). Rates of positivity for specific IgG formed against H. pylori in gravida with H. Gravidarum and in the asymptomatic gravida were 85.2% and 73.2%, respectively, and the rates for IgA were 48.1% and 41.2%, respectively. There was no difference between groups in terms of specific Igs formed against H. pylori (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The HpSA scan showed a statistically significant relation between H. pylori infection and H. Gravidarum. HpSA test gives more efficient, reliable and realistic results than specific Igs formed against H. pylori in the identification of H. pylori positivity in gravida with H. Gravidarum.