The expression of Galectin-3 in endometrial cancer: a systematic review of the literature

Molecular Biology Reports - Galectin-3 is part of a protein group called lectins and acts as a multifunctional glycoprotein due to its expression location. Galectin-3 is expressed by different...     

MMP-2 −1306C > T polymorphism in breast cancer: a case–control study in a South European population

This case control study aims to investigate the role of MMP-2 ?1306C > T polymorphism as a potential risk factor and possible prognostic marker for breast cancer in a South European population. 113 consecutive incident cases of histologically confirmed ductal breast cancer and 124 healthy controls were recruited. MMP-2 ?1306C > T polymorphism was genotyped; multivariate logistic regression as well as Cox regression analysis were performed. MMP-2 ?1306C > T status was not associated with breast cancer risk either at the total sample or at the subanalyses on premenopausal and postmenopausal women. At the survival analysis, a trend towards a favorable association between MMP-2 ?1306C > T allele and disease-free survival as well as overall survival was observed. Regarding subanalyses on ER-negative and ER-positive cases, the favorable association implicating MMP-2 ?1306C > T allele was particularly evident among ER-positive cases; no significant associations emerged among ER-negative cases. MMP-2 ?1306C > T polymorphism does not seem to be a risk factor for breast cancer in South European population; however, a trend towards a favorable association with survival has been observed.     

HSP90, HSPA8, HIF-1 alpha and HSP70-2 polymorphisms in breast cancer: a case–control study

This case control study aims to investigate the role of HSP90 Gln488His (C?>?G), HSP70-2 P1/P2, HIF-1 alpha C1772T and HSPA8 intronic 1541–1542delGT polymorphisms as potential risk factors and/or prognostic markers for breast cancer. 113 consecutive incident cases of histologically confirmed ductal breast cancer and 124 healthy cases were recruited. The above mentioned polymorphisms were genotyped; multivariate logistic regression was performed. HSP90 GG (His/His) genotype was associated with elevated breast cancer risk. Similarly, the allele dose–response model pointed to increase in breast cancer risk per G allele. HSP70-2 P1/P2, HSPA8 intronic 1541–1542delGT and HIF-1 alpha polymorphisms were not associated with breast cancer risk, as evidenced by the dose–response allele models. The positive association between HSP90 G allele and breast cancer risk seemed to pertain to both premenopausal and postmenopausal women. With respect to survival analysis, none of the aforementioned polymorphisms was associated with either disease-free survival or overall survival. HSP90α Gln488His polymorphism seems to be a risk factor for breast cancer. On the other hand, our study did not point to excess risk conferred by HSPA8 1541–1542delGT, Hsp70-2 P1/P2 and HIF-1α C1772T.     

Network Self-Organization Explains the Statistics and Dynamics of Synaptic Connection Strengths in Cortex

The information processing abilities of neural circuits arise from their synaptic connection patterns. Understanding the laws governing these connectivity patterns is essential for understanding brain function. The overall distribution of synaptic strengths of local excitatory connections in cortex and hippocampus is long-tailed, exhibiting a small number of synaptic connections of very large efficacy. At the same time, new synaptic connections are constantly being created and individual synaptic connection strengths show substantial fluctuations across time. It remains unclear through what mechanisms these properties of neural circuits arise and how they contribute to learning and memory. In this study we show that fundamental characteristics of excitatory synaptic connections in cortex and hippocampus can be explained as a consequence of self-organization in a recurrent network combining spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP), structural plasticity and different forms of homeostatic plasticity. In the network, associative synaptic plasticity in the form of STDP induces a rich-get-richer dynamics among synapses, while homeostatic mechanisms induce competition. Under distinctly different initial conditions, the ensuing self-organization produces long-tailed synaptic strength distributions matching experimental findings. We show that this self-organization can take place with a purely additive STDP mechanism and that multiplicative weight dynamics emerge as a consequence of network interactions. The observed patterns of fluctuation of synaptic strengths, including elimination and generation of synaptic connections and long-term persistence of strong connections, are consistent with the dynamics of dendritic spines found in rat hippocampus. Beyond this, the model predicts an approximately power-law scaling of the lifetimes of newly established synaptic connection strengths during development. Our results suggest that the combined action of multiple forms of neuronal plasticity plays an essential role in the formation and maintenance of cortical circuits.     

HTERT MNS16A polymorphism in breast cancer: a case–control study

This case–control study aims to investigate the role of HTERT MNS16A polymorphism as a potential risk factors and/or a prognostic marker for breast cancer. 113 consecutive incident cases of histologically confirmed ductal breast cancer and 124 healthy controls were recruited. HTERT MNS16A polymorphism was genotyped (L: long allele, S: short allele); multivariate logistic regression was performed. No significant association was noted either at the overall analysis (OR?=?1.57, 95?% CI 0.84–2.93 for heterozygous LS carriers; OR?=?1.02, 95?% CI 0.54–1.95 for homozygous SS carriers) or at the subanalyses in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. With respect to survival analysis, HTERT MNS16A polymorphism was not associated with either disease-free survival or overall survival. HTERT MNS16A polymorphism does not seem to be a risk factor for breast cancer in the Caucasian Greek population. Further, larger studies from other countries and subjects seem to be needed as this novel polymorphism is being examined in depth.