Comprehensive quantitative lipidomic approach to investigate serum phospholipid alterations in breast cancer

Introduction

Globally, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and ranks second most common cause of cancer related mortality. Although efforts are made by researchers in molecular characterization of breast cancer using “-OMIC’S” approaches, limited work has explored to understand the phospholipid alterations in breast cancer.

Objectives

This study aims to explore five classes of serum phospholipid alterations in breast cancer towards discrimination of breast cancer from benign and healthy controls.

Methods

Twenty eight each of breast cancer patients and age-matched benign and healthy control serum samples were used to identify alterations of phospholipids using liquid chromatography-multiple reaction monitoring-mass spectrometry. Both multivariate and univariate statistical analyses were applied to investigate breast cancer associated phospholipid alterations. Differentially expressed phospholipid species were further confirmed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Results

Among the identified and quantified 200 phospholipids, 25 phospholipids were found to be statistically significant (VIP > 1.4 and ANOVA p < 0.05) in the serum of women with breast cancer when compared with benign and healthy controls. Comparison of serum phospholipids of breast cancer patients and healthy controls revealed 12 phospholipids were found to be differentially expressed in which six were up-regulated and six were down-regulated. While comparative analysis of breast cancer serum against benign showed an increased concentration of six phospholipids in breast cancer samples. Further, significantly altered phospholipids were structurally characterized by enhanced product ion scanning.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrate that some of the differentially regulated phospholipids identified in our study such as PE (14:1/16:0), PC (18:0/18:0), LPE 14:0, PE (20:0/22:2) could be a panel of potential signature which can discriminate breast cancer from benign and healthy controls. These findings also provide insight into lipidomic information that can be used for monitoring of breast cancer progression.

     

Percutaneous coronary intervention with adjunctive abciximab and clopidogrel in a patient with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopaenic purpura

The use of the antiplatelet agents abciximab and clopidogrel is now accepted therapy in percutaneous coronary intervention. We present a case in which these agents were used in a patient with idiopathic thrombocytopaenic purpura and a platelet count of 40x10(9)/l undergoing primary multivessel coronary stenting. This case shows that unstable coronary syndromes can occur in patients with thrombocytopaenia and that antiplatelet agents may be used safely in this context.     

Pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-ones as antiplasmodial falcipain-2 inhibitors

Plasmodium falciparum cysteine protease falcipain-2 (FP-2) is a promising target for antimalarial chemotherapy and inhibition of this protease affects the growth of parasite adversely. A series of pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-ones were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro FP-2 inhibitory potential. Compounds (14,17) showed excellent FP-2 inhibition and can serve as lead compounds for further development of potent FP-2 inhibitors as potential antimalarial drugs.     

Influence of Manganese and Zinc on Biochemical Profiles of Selected Algal Species: A Laboratory Study

The present study focused on the responses of six freshwater algal species (Anabaena ambigua, Anabaena subcylindrica, Nostoc commune, Nostoc muscorum, Spirogyra sp., and Spirulina sp.) to manganese and zinc. Laboratory experiments were conducted for the assessment of biochemical responses to manganese and zinc at various concentrations (0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 mg/L) for 15 days of exposure. After the incubation period, 10 ml of sample was centrifuged at 6000 rpm for 15 min and the pellets were used for measurement of the various experimental parameters. The toxicological study of manganese on algae showed that Anabaena ambigua was most sensitive algae. Regarding effects of manganese concentrations, chlorophyll, protein, carbohydrate, starch, and amino acid were inhibited 50% (IC₅₀) at 3 mg/L, whereas the toxicological study of zinc on algae Anabaena subcylindrica showed most adverse effects. Regarding effects of zinc concentrations, chlorophyll, protein, carbohydrate, starch, and amino acid were inhibited 50% (IC₅₀) at 1 mg/L. The inhibitory and stimulatory effects of either of the used heavy metals depend on concentration. Different organisms, however, have different sensitivities to the same metal, and the same organism may be more or less damaged by different metals.     

Chemical investigation of Iphigenia stellata Blatter by GC-MS

GC-MS analysis of Iphigenia stellata Blatter in methanol extract revealed the presence of twenty chemical compounds in corm, nine in capsule wall, seven in leaves and six in seeds. Amongst the different phytochemicals identified 2-furan-carboxaldehyde-5-(hydroxymethyl) (38% in corms), glycerine (35.4% in seeds) and n-hexadecanoic acid (31.5% in leaves, 28%) in capsule wall) were significant. Iphigenia stellata is known for the presence of colchicine. However, in the methanol extract it was not detected.     

Baker's yeast catalyzed synthesis of 1,4-benzothiazines,performed under ultrasonication

An efficient and simple one pot method has been developed for the synthesis of 1,4-benzothiazines by allowing the condensation of 2-aminobenzenethiols and 1,3-dicarbonyls using cheaper biocatalyst, baker's yeast. The role of ultrasonication in the rate expediting of the condensation has been discussed.     

Conservation of Glycerolated Cultures of Ochromonas danica and O. malhamensis at −10 C

SYNOPSIS. Ochromonas danica in a complex natural growth medium dies at 6–10 C in 4 days; O. malhamensis in ∼2 days. O. danica grown in the medium supplemented with 4.0% glycerol survived at −10±2 C for 35 days, and with 8% glycerol 29 days. O. malhamensis lasted only to 5 days in these media supplemented with 4% glycerol. Ethylene glycol and dimethylsulfoxide were too toxic to be effective. Difficulties in freeze-preservation of certain other phagocytic cells, notably blood granulocytes having comparatively simple flexuous outer membranes, add interest to use of O. danica and O. malhamensis as test organisms for preservation methods, especially in the convenient, inexpensive -10 to -20 C range. Biphasic media with an overlay of distilled water serve for conservation at room temperature. Problems of mutational erosion of these photosynthetic phagotrophs are discussed.