The Role of microRNAs Identified in the Amniotic Fluid

AIM: The study aimed to provide an overall view of current data considering the presence of microRNAs in amniotic fluid. METHODS: The available literature in MEDLINE, regarding the role of the amniotic fluid in pregnancy and fetal development, was searched for related articles including terms such as "microRNA", "Amniotic fluid", "Adverse outcome" and others. RESULTS: The amniotic fluid has an undoubtedly significant part in fetal nutrition, with a protecting and thermoregulatory role alongside. MicroRNAs have proven to be highly expressed during pregnancy in many body liquids including amniotic fluid and are transferred between cells loaded in exosomes, while they are also implicated in many processes during fetal development and could be potential biomarkers for early prediction of adverse outcomes. CONCLUSION: Current knowledge reveals that amniotic fluid microRNAs participate in many developmental and physiological processes of pregnancy including proliferation of fibroblasts, fetal development, angiogenesis, cardioprotection, activation of signaling pathways, differentiation and cell motility, while the expression profile of specific microRNAs has a potential prognostic role in the prediction of Down syndrome, congenital hydronephrosis and kidney fibrosis.

Association of Pregestational Maternal Sleeping Disorders and Preeclampsia: A Retrospective Cohort Study and Review of the Literature.

In this retrospective cohort study, primigravidas with normal pregnancies and women who developed preeclampsia (PE) were assigned to complete sleeping disorder questionnaires. The Crown-Rump length (CRL) of the first prenatal screening was used to determine the gestational age and the participants were assigned to complete the following questionnaires according to their everyday life before pregnancy: (1) Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), (2) Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and (3) Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS). Women were also asked to evaluate their stress before pregnancy with the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The results of the women developing preeclampsia were analyzed to test the primary hypothesis that women with pre-existing to pregnancy sleep disorders are more likely to develop preeclampsia. Statistically significant differences were found between women who developed preeclampsia and women in the control group concerning sleeping disorder features before pregnancy of all three research tools, namely AIS (p<0.001), PSQI (p<0.001), and ESS (p=0.012<0.05). The results support that there is a possible statistical effect of pre-existing to pregnancy sleep disorders on the development of preeclampsia and women with pregestational sleep disorders request strict monitoring during pregnancy, however, further investigation with larger studies is needed to reach safe conclusions.

The Impact of microRNAs in Breast Cancer Angiogenesis and Progression.

OBJECTIVE: The study aims to review the recent data considering the expression profile and the role of microRNAs in breast tumorigenesis, and their impact on -the vital for breast cancer progression- angiogenesis. METHODS: PubMed was searched for studies focused on data that associate microRNA with breast cancer, using the terms ''breast", "mammary gland", "neoplasia'', "angiogenesis" and ''microRNA'' between 1997-2018. RESULTS: Aberrant expression of several circulating and tissue miRNAs is observed in human breast neoplasms with the deregulation of several miRNAs having a major participation in breast cancer progression. Angiogenesis seems to be directly affected by either overexpression or down regulation of many miRNAs, defining the overall prognostic rates. Many miRNAs differentially expressed in breast cancer that reveal a key role in suppression - progression and metastasis of breast cancer along with the contribution of the EGF, TNF-a and EGF cytokines. Conclusion Angiogenesis has proven to be vital for tumor development and metastasis while microRNAs are proposed to have multiple biological roles, including participation in immunosuppressive, immunomodulatory and recent studies reveal their implication in angiogenesis and its possible use as prognostic factors in cancer Even though larger studies are needed in order to reach safe conclusions, important steps are made that reveal the connection of serum microRNA expression to the angiogenic course of breast cancer, while miRNAs could be potential prognostic factors for the different breast cancer types.

The Notch Pathway in Breast Cancer Progression.

OBJECTIVE: Notch signaling pathway is a vital parameter of the mammalian vascular system. In this review, the authors summarize the current knowledge about the impact of the Notch signaling pathway in breast cancer progression and the therapeutic role of Notch's inhibition. METHODS: The available literature in MEDLINE, PubMed, and Scopus, regarding the role of the Notch pathway in breast cancer progression was searched for related articles from about 1973 to 2017 including terms such as "Notch," "Breast Cancer," and "Angiogenesis." Results. Notch signaling controls the differentiation of breast epithelial cells during normal development. Studies confirm that the Notch pathway has a major participation in breast cancer progression through overexpression and/or abnormal genetic type expression of the notch receptors and ligands that determine angiogenesis. The cross-talk of Notch and estrogens, the effect of Notch in breast cancer stem cells formation, and the dependable Notch overexpression during breast tumorigenesis have been studied enough and undoubtedly linked to breast cancer development. The already applied therapeutic inhibition of Notch for breast cancer can drastically change the course of the disease. CONCLUSION: Current data prove that Notch pathway has a major participation and multiple roles during breast tumor progression. Inhibition of Notch receptors and ligands provides innovative therapeutic results and could become the therapy of choice in the next few years, even though further research is needed to reach safe conclusions.

Interleukins Associated with Breast Cancer.

A tumor consists of a group of cells with abnormal growth, capable of acquiring unique characteristics that provide them with the ability to display mercurial migration patterns, adapting to microenvironments and their chemical and physical factors. Interleukins are small proteins secreted mainly by CD3+ and CD4+ T lymphocytes that mediate the "essential for cancer progression" interactions between cells. Interleukins are implicated in both the development and differentiation of different cells (NK, B, and T leukocytes) and, in general, play a major role in many diseases, including breast cancer, due to their unique participation in systemic inflammation and immune system modulation. During the past decade, interleukins proved to be decisive for future immunotherapy, predisposing a more reliable treatment with fewer side effects on normal proliferating cells. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the role of interleukins implicated in breast cancer progression.