Prolactin Expression in the Baboon (Papio hamadryas) Eye.

Prolactin (PRL) is a hormone expressed in lactotrophs cells of the pituitary gland in primates. Extra pituitary expression of PRL has been reported, including the eye; however, expression in the developing eye of primates is limited. The aim of the study was determining the expression of PRL and PRL receptor (PRLR) (mRNAs and proteins) in adult and fetal baboon (Papio hamadryas) ocular tissues. METHODS: We analyzed PRL and PRLR in baboon eyes tissues by immunofluorescence. The mRNAs of PRL and PRLR were detected by RT-PCR, cDNA was cloned, and sequenced. Furthermore, we performed a phylogenetic analysis to identify the evolutionary forces that underlie the divergence of PRL and PRLR primate genes. RESULTS: We observed the expression of PRL and PRLR (mRNAs and proteins) in all retinal cell lineages of fetal and adult baboon. PRL and PRLR fit the hypothesis of evolutionary purifying gene selection. CONCLUSIONS: mRNA and protein of PRL and PRLR are expressed in fetal and adult baboon retinal tissue. PRL may trigger autocrine and paracrine-specific actions in retinal cell lines.

Risk Association of TOX3 and MMP7 Gene Polymorphisms with Sporadic Breast Cancer in Mexican Women.

Breast cancer (BC) has one of the highest incidences and mortality worldwide. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TOX3 rs3803662 and MMP7 rs1943779 have been associated with susceptibility to BC. In this case-control study, we evaluated the association of rs3803662 (TOX3)/rs1943779 (MMP7) SNPs with clinical features, immunohistochemical reactivity, and risk association with BC in women from northeastern Mexico. We compared 212 BC cases and 212 controls. DNA was isolated from peripheral blood to perform the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay. We calculated genotype frequencies, odds ratios, and 95% confidence intervals. We found that CT (Cytocine-Thymine) and TT (Thymine -Thymine) genotypes, and T alleles of TOX3 rs3803662, were associated with BC risk (p = 0.034, p = 0.011, respectively). SNP TOX3 rs3803662 was associated with positive progesterone receptors (PR) and triple-negative BC (TNBC) but not with estrogen receptor (ER) or HER2 reactivity. CT and TT genotypes (p = 0.006) and T alleles (p = 0.002) of SNP MMP7 rs1943779 were associated with risk of BC. We found that T alleles of TOX3 rs3803662 and MMP7 rs1943779 SNPs are associated with BC risk. These findings contribute to personalized medicine in Mexican women.

Chemosensitivity analysis and study of gene resistance on tumors and cancer stem cell isolates from patients with colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the main causes of mortality. Recent studies suggest that cancer stem cells (CSCs) can survive after chemotherapy and promote tumor invasiveness and aggression. According to a higher hierarchy complexity of CSC, different protocols for isolation, expansion, and characterization have been used; however, there are no available resistance biomarkers that allow predicting the clinical response of treatment 5­fluorouracil (5FU) and oxaliplatin. Therefore, the primary aim of the present study was to analyze the expression of gene resistance on tumors and CSC­derived isolates from patients CRC. In the present study, adenocarcinomas of the colon and rectum (CRAC) were classified based on an in vitro adenosine triphosphate­based chemotherapy response assay, as sensitive and resistant and the percentage of CD24 and CD44 markers are evaluated by immunohistochemistry. To isolate resistant colon­CSC, adenocarcinoma tissues resistant to 5FU and oxaliplatin were evaluated. Finally, all samples were sequenced using a custom assay with chemoresistance­associated genes to find a candidate gene on resistance colon­CSC. Results showed that 59% of the CRC tissue analyzed was resistant and had a higher percentage of CD44 and CD24 markers. An association was found in the expression of some genes between the tumor­resistant tissue and CSC. Overall, isolates of the CSC population CD44+ resistant to 5FU and oxaliplatin demonstrated different expression profiles; however, the present study was able to identify overexpression of the KRT­18 gene, in most of the isolates. In conclusion, the results of the present study showed overexpression of KRT­18 in CD44+ cells is associated with chemoresistance to 5FU and oxaliplatin in CRAC.