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Aleksandar Bogdanovic,1,2 Jovana Despotovic,3 Danijel Galun,1,2 Nemanja Bidzic,1,2 Aleksandra Nikolic,3 Jovana Rosic,2 Zoran Krivokapic1,2,4 1HPB Unit, Clinic for Digestive Surgery, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, 11 000, Serbia; 2School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade 11 000, Serbia; 3Laboratory for Molecular Biology, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, 11 000, Serbia; 4Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Belgrade 11 000, SerbiaCorrespondence: Aleksandar BogdanovicClinical Center of Serbia – Clinic for Digestive Surgery, Koste Todorovica 6, Belgrade 11 000, SerbiaTel +381 64 2461104Email aleksandarbogdanovic81@yahoo.comPurpose: There are limited data on expression of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers in patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). The study aim was to evaluate the expression and prognostic significance of E-cadherin (CDH1), fibronectin (FN1) and vimentin (VIM) in patients with CRLM after curative-intent liver resection.Patients and Methods: Thirty patients with CRLM managed by curative-intent liver resection were included in this prospective pilot study. Blood samples, colorectal liver metastases and surrounding non-tumor liver tissue were collected. Expression of CDH1, FN1 and VIM was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Expression in CRLM and non-tumor liver tissue was compared, while expression in serum was correlated with CRLM expression. One-year recurrence-free survival was compared between patients with low and high CDH1, FN1 and VIM expression.Results: The expression of CDH1 was similar in CRLM and non-tumor liver tissues, while FN1 and VIM expression was significantly lower in metastatic tissue (P=0.003 and pP< 0.001, respectively). Serum expression of CDH1 and VIM was detected in 66.7% and 93.3% of patients, respectively, while FN1 was not detected in any of the patients. The correlation of CDH1 and VIM expression between CRLM and serum was not statistically significant. Decreased CDH1 expression in CRLM and decreased VIM expression in serum were associated with early recurrence after surgical treatment of CRLM.Conclusion: Lower expression of CDH1 in CRLM and lower serum expression of VIM were found to be associated with early recurrence after liver resection for CRLM.Keywords: epithelial–mesenchymal transition, CDH1, VIM, FN1, colorectal liver metastasis, colorectal cancer

The Schlafen 11 (SLFN11) protein has recently emerged as pivotal in DNA damage conditions, with predictive potential for tumor response to cytotoxic chemotherapies. Recent discoveries also showed that the programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) protein can be found on malignant cells, providing an immune evasion mechanism exploited by different tumors. Additionally, excessive generation of free radicals, redox imbalance, and consequential DNA damage can affect intestinal cell homeostasis and lead to neoplastic transformation. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the significance of SLFN11 and PD-L1 proteins and redox status parameters as prognostic biomarkers in CRC patients. This study included a total of 155 CRC patients. SLFN11 and PD-L1 serum levels were measured with ELISA and evaluated based on redox status parameters, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, and survival. The following redox status parameters were investigated: spectrophotometrically measured superoxide dismutase (SOD), sulfhydryl (SH) groups, advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), malondialdehyde (MDA), pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB), and superoxide anion (O 2 •- ). The prooxidative score, antioxidative score, and OXY-SCORE were also calculated. The results showed significantly shorter survival in patients with higher OXY-SCOREs and higher levels of serum SLFN11, while only histopathology-analysis-related factors showed significant prognostic value. OXY-SCORE and SLFN11 levels may harbor prognostic potential in CRC patients.

Background: Considering the impact of SMAD7 deregulation in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression and the significance of single nucleotide variant (SNV)-mediated disruptions of microRNA (miRNA)-dependent regulation for cancer susceptibility, our study aimed to analyze genetic variation in the SMAD7 3' untranslated region ( 3'UTR) in CRC, measure differences in allelic mRNA expression, and evaluate its interference with miRNA-mediated post-transcriptional regulation., Patients and Methods: This study included 80 patients with different CRC stages and six human colon cancer cell lines of various histological origins. SMAD7 3'UTR was analyzed by direct sequencing, followed by the relative quantification of differential allelic expression of detected variants by allele-specific qRT-PCR. In silico tools were employed for predictions of regulatory consequences of detected variants., Results: A total of four different SNVs in one cell line and nine patients were found, among which were a novel somatic point variant and three already known germline variants (rs16950113, rs1050799536, and rs1043778717). All evaluated SNVs exhibited variable extents of allelic imbalance in expression. In silico analysis predicted significant effects of SNVs on miRNA binding efficiency, with each SNV disrupting existing and creating new target sites for one or more miRNAs., Conclusion: Imbalance observed in the expression of SNV alleles altering miRNA binding suggests that all investigated SNVs are potential contributing factors impacting SMAD7 expression regulation in CRC that further studies should investigate., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: In the search for candidate predictive biomarkers to evaluate response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) in rectal cancer, only a few studies report proteomic profiles of tumor tissue before and after nCRT. The aim of our study was to determine differentially expressed proteins between responders and non-responders before and after the therapy in order to identify candidate molecules for prediction and follow-up of response to nCRT., Experimental Design: The study has included tissue sections of rectal tumor and non-tumor mucosa from five responders and five non-responders taken before and after nCRT from patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. Extracted proteins were analyzed by LC-MS/MS analysis followed by a set of bioinformatics analyses., Result: Proteomics analysis provided a mean of approximately 1050 protein identifications per sample. A comparison of proteomic profiles between responders and non-responders has identified 18 differentially expressed proteins. Pathway analysis demonstrated high metabolic activity in non-responders' tumors before nCRT, indicating the presence of intrinsic chemoradioresistance in these subjects. Two proteins associated with poor prognosis in colorectal cancer, ADAM10 and CAD, were identified as candidate predictive biomarkers as they were present in non-responders only., Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Shortlisted proteins from our study should be further validated as candidate biomarkers for response to routinely applied nCRT protocols., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the application of nanofat containing stem cells improves continence in women who had previously undergone anal sphincteroplasty with unsatisfactory long-term outcomes., Method: This prospective pilot study included nine women with various degrees of anal incontinence who had previously undergone anal sphincteroplasty due to obstetric trauma. In all patients, the Wexner Incontinence Score (WS) and Faecal Incontinence Quality of Life Score (FIQLS), as well as anal manometry and endoanal ultrasound measurements, were performed before the procedure and during follow-up. In all patients, liposuction was performed and 50 ml of raw lipoaspirate was obtained and processed using a NanoFat Kit device. Approximately 20 ml of the mechanically emulsified and filtrated fat was obtained and the anal sphincter complex was infiltrated with it. Patient follow-up was conducted in person or via telephone 6 and 12 months after the procedure., Results: The squeeze pressure was significantly increased 6 months after the procedure (p = 0.01). The external anal sphincter measured at the 12 o'clock position was significantly thicker (p = 0.04). A significant decrease in the WS was observed both 6 and 12 months after the procedure compared with baseline values (p < 0.05 for both)., Conclusion: This study is the first to show that the application of nanofat as an injectable product improves continence in patients with unsatisfactory results after sphincteroplasty, suggesting it to be a promising and effective therapeutic tool. The procedure is safe and can be easily performed as an ambulatory procedure., (© 2022 Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland.)

Inhibitory SMAD7 and common mediator SMAD4 play crucial roles in SMAD-dependent TGF-β signaling that is often disrupted in colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aimed to profile the expression of SMAD7 and SMAD4 in primary and metastatic CRC and to evaluate their significance in disease progression and therapy response. The expression of SMAD7 and SMAD4 genes was analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR in tissues from 35 primary and metastatic CRC patients and in vitro in 7 human cell lines originating from colon tissue. Expression levels of SMAD7 and SMAD4, as well as their ratio, were determined and their association with tumor characteristics and response to therapy were evaluated. SMAD4 level was significantly lower in tumors compared to non-tumor tissues in both primary (p = 0.001) and metastatic (p = 0.001) CRC patients, while tumor expression of SMAD7 was significantly lower from non-tumor tissue only in metastatic patients (p = 0.017). SMAD7/SMAD4 ratio was elevated in CRC primary tumor tissues and cell lines compared to corresponding non-tumor tissues and cell line, respectively (p = 0.003). SMAD7 expression was significantly elevated in primary tumor tissues obtained from responders to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) compared to non-responders (p = 0.014). Alterations of expression and ratio of SMAD7 and SMAD4 in CRC cell lines, primary rectal cancer, and liver metastasis emphasize the importance of these genes in different stages of disease progression. Differential expression of SMAD7 in responders versus non-responders to nCRT should be further investigated for its potential predictive value., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Every periodontal researcher have been taught, and every textbook in periodontics have advocated, that a phase in which the patient is meticulously motivated and instructed in proper oral hygiene-the oral hygiene phase-must be included in any periodontal intervention. However, how is this oral hygiene phase actually portrayed in periodontal intervention studies, and how much space have this important phase received in the planning and carry-through of intervention studies? The purpose of this letter to the editor was to review current literature in the period 1975/01/01-2017/12/31 on periodontal, mechanical intervention studies in order to see what focus the oral hygiene phase had received in these articles. The result showed that the oral hygiene phase is variable in length and content, variable in claimed result, insufficiently described, and invariably amalgamated with the scaling and root planing which is the intervention or part of an intervention. The consequences of these findings are discussed and suggestions proposed for more harmonized and calibrated oral hygiene phase introduced to avoid biased and inflated results of interventions., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)