New Circulating Circular RNAs with Diagnostic and Prognostic Potential in Advanced Colorectal Cancer.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a group of special endogenous long non-coding RNAs which are highly stable in the circulation, and, thus, more suitable as new biomarkers of colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of our study was to explore the plasma expression levels of four circRNAs: has_circ_0001445, hsa_circ_0003028, hsa_circ_0007915 and hsa_circ_0008717 in patients with CRC and to evaluate their associations with clinicopathological characteristics and the clinical outcome of the patients. CircRNAs were extracted from patients' plasma obtained prior to chemotherapy. Their expression levels were measured by qPCR and calculated applying the 2-ΔΔCt method. The levels of all four circRNAs were significantly increased in the plasma of CRC patients. At the optimal cut-off values hsa_circ_0001445 and hsa_circ_0007915 in plasma could significantly distinguish between patients with or without metastatic CRC with 92.56% sensitivity and 42.86% specificity, and with 86.07% sensitivity and 57.14% specificity, respectively. The mean overall survival (OS) of patients with high/intermediate expression of hsa_circ_0001445 was 30 months, significantly higher in comparison with the mean OS of the patients with low expression-20 months (log-rank test, p = 0.034). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, the low levels of hsa_circ_0001445 were also associated with shorter survival (HR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.02-2.47, p = 0.040). A prognostic significance of hsa_circ_0001445 for patients with metastatic CRC was established.

Effects of sulphur-containing mineral water intake on oxidative status and markers for inflammation in healthy subjects.

CONTEXT: Sulphurous mineral waters (SMW) have a wide range of applications. Sulphur content of mineral waters is considered as possible determinant for their anti-inflammatory or pro-inflammatory effects. OBJECTIVE: To explore the healing properties of Varna basin mineral water by analysing possible antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An intervention with Varna SMW intake was performed with healthy volunteers. Total thiols, total glutathione and its fractions, reactive oxygen metabolites, malondialdehyde, intracellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM-1) were measured. Expression of γ-gluthamyl-cysteinyl ligase (GCL) and sICAM-1 genes was also analysed. RESULTS: A significantly increased total glutathione and total thiols were observed at the end of the intervention. GCL and sICAM-1 gene expressions were increased after the intervention. CONCLUSION: SMW consumption improved redox status of the body. We suggested that these beneficial effects may be attributed to the established high levels of sulphur-containing compounds in Varna mineral water.