Comparison of genome-wide analysis techniques to DNA methylation analysis in human cancer.

DNA methylation was the first epigenetic modification to be detected in human cancers with specific relation to aberrant gene expression. Herein, DNA methylation analysis explains how epigenetic patterns affect gene expression level. Hypermethylation at tumor suppressor gene loci leads to increased tumorigenesis due to tumor suppressor gene silencing, whereas global hypomethylation of CpG islands (CGIs) is followed by genomic instability and aberrant activation of multiple oncogenes. Therefore, characterization of the genes which silenced or activated epigenetically in human tumor cells can improve our understanding of cancer biology. Different genome-wide methodologies are applied to evaluate methylation status. Various commonly conducted techniques for this evaluation are reviewed in this paper. We provided comparative description of the procedures, advantages, and drawbacks of genome-wide DNA methylation analysis methods and biological applications, to give information on selecting the appropriate method for different methylation studies.

Evaluation of the relationship between endometriosis and omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is a common chronic inflammation causing major problems including infertility. The role of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids as their potential anti-inflammatory effects in endometriosis needs to be further explored. The objective of this study was to compare serum phospholipid fatty acid profile in endometriosis patients with controls, and to explore the correlation of this profile with the severity of the disease. METHODS: Sixty-four endometriosis patients and 74 control women, in reproductive age, participated in this study. Among the endometriosis patients, 19 cases were in stage I, 27 cases in stage II, 8 cases in stage III, and 10 cases in stage IV. Each patient underwent laparoscopy. Before surgery, 5 ml of blood was obtained. After extraction of the total lipids, serum total phospholipid fraction was isolated by thin layer chromatography. Fatty acid composition of the phospholipid fraction was determined by gas chromatography and the resulted profile was compared in endometriosis patients and controls. The profile was also compared in the endometriosis group based on the severity of disease. RESULTS: Stearic acid was significantly lower in the endometriosis group as compared to controls (P= 0.030). No other fatty acid compositions were significantly different between patients and controls. Serum ratio of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) to arachidonic acid (AA) was in reasonable correlation with the severity of endometriosis (r = 0.34, P = 0.006). CONCLUSION: According to these findings, levels of fatty acids in serum total phospholipids seem not to be a marker for endometriosis, but the EPA to AA ratio was a relevant factor indicating severity of illness.

Raised inflammatory markers in semen from men with asymptomatic chlamydial infection.

The aim of this study was to determine whether interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 concentrations, as well as numbers of seminal leukocytes in a population of infertile men, some of whom were Chlamydia trachomatis positive, were related to chlamydial infection. Our patient group included 255 men attending for diagnostic semen analysis as part of infertility investigations. Significantly raised levels of IL-8, but not IL-6, were found in C trachomatis-infected patients but not in uninfected patients. Raised IL-8 levels in semen were also associated with an increase in semen volume. There was a relationship between C trachomatis infection and lower progressive motile sperm, as well as an increase in seminal leukocytes. The overall prevalence rate for C trachomatis was 6.2%, and more infections were detected in semen than in first void urine. This study supports the suggestion that IL-8 might be used as a marker for male genital tract infection, especially when due to C trachomatis. In this study, there was a relationship between the presence of C trachomatis in semen and alterations of some semen parameters. Further investigations should be performed to understand the disparities of first void urine and semen testing for detection of C trachomatis in males.