This review assessed the rate of high-risk Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection among women living in sub-Saharan Africa. It also determined the prevalence of high-risk HPV (hrHPV) among human immunodeficiency virus seropositive (HIV+) and seronegative (HIV-) women in sub-Saharan Africa, preand post-year 2010. In this systematic review, Google Scholar, PubMed Central, and EMBASE databases were searched to identify cohort and case-controlled studies that investigated the relationship between HIV and HPV infections. Database searches yielded 17 studies published between 1999 and 2018. In the general population, the prevalence of any HPV/multiple HPV infection was higher among HIV+ (53.6%/22.6%) than among HIV-women (26.5%/7.3%) with OR' 3.22/3.71, 95% confidence interval: 3.00-3.42/2.39-5.75, p< 0.001). The prevalent HPV genotypes among HIV+ and HIV-women diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer (ICC) were HPV-16/18 and 45.

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women. X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) that is constantly overexpressed in cancer is a promising therapeutic target in cancer treatments. The mechanisms of the anticancer effects of carotenoid isolates of Spondias mombim in DMBA-induced breast cancer in Wistar rats through XIAP antagonism were investigated in the present study. Carotenoids isolated from the leaves of Spondias mombim were subjected to Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS) and Electrospray Ionization (ESI) for characterization. The characterized carotenoid isolates were docked against XIAP BIR2 domain and XIAP BIR3 domain. The anticancer effects of the carotenoid isolates of Spondias mombim in DMBA-induced breast cancer in Wistar rats were also investigated through the expression of XIAP, COX-2, TNF, BCl-2 mRNAs by qRT-PCR and biochemical parameters of catalase, lipid peroxidation, LDH, ALP, and ALT. These show the carotenoid isolates demonstrate anticancer effects by antagonism of XIAP, proapoptotic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Practical applications The present study showed that carotenoids (astaxanthin, β-carotene-15,15ʹ-epoxide, and 7,7ʹ,8,8ʹ-tetrahydro-β, β-carotene) isolated from the leaves of Spondias mombim are proapoptotic, it further gives credence to the chemopreventive abilities of carotenoids. This study validated XIAP as a druggable target in cancer treatment and hence more phytochemicals should be screened against it, for possible lead compounds of plant origin. Cancer cells often explore XIAP for antiapoptotic and resistance tendencies, hence, β-carotene-15,15ʹ-epoxide and 7,7ʹ,8,8ʹ-tetrahydro-β, β-carotene (XIAP antagonists) are promising drug candidates that can withstand resistant and prone cancer cells to apoptotic cell death. There is a need to synthesize β-carotene-15,15ʹepoxide and 7,7ʹ,8,8ʹ-tetrahydro-β for further investigation in clinical studies. K E Y W O R D S 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA), baculovirus IAP repeat (BIR), breast cancer, liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) How to cite this article: Metibemu DS, Akinloye OA, Akamo AJ, et al. Carotenoid isolates of Spondias mombin demonstrate anticancer effects in DMBA-induced breast cancer in Wistar rats through X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) antagonism and anti-inflammation.

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We read with keen interest the article recently published by El-Dessouky et al on "prenatal Ultrasound Findings of Holoprosencephaly Spectrum: Unusual associations". 1 The authors rightly selected their cases and sufficiently investigated the genetic correlates of holoprosencephaly (HPE). However, we are intrigued by the striking variations between the reports of El-Dessouky et al and El-Bassyouni et al, 1,2 considering the fact that the both investigations were carried out in Cairo, Egypt. The former did not make any reference to or discuss their findings in the light of the earlier report of the latter. This creates a gap in the literature and limits the ability of policy makers to rightly channel interventions in health care. First, El-Dessouky et al investigated 25 cases of HPE (between 2017 and 2019) at Cairo Fetal Medicine Unit and reported a male:female (M:F) sex ratio of 1:1.8. 1 Contrastingly, El-Bassyouni et al investigated 24 cases of HPE at National Research Centre (between 2008 and 2012) and reported an M:F sex ratio of 2:1. 2 Globally, HPE is preponderant in females and M: F sex ratio ranges from 1:1.4 to 1:2.5. 3-5 The reason for the initial preponderance in males and the shift from male preponderance to female preponderance in Egypt is yet unexplained. This warrants more investigations.

This cross-sectional study evaluated the expression of miR-let-7b, miR-21, miR-125b, miR-143, miR-145, miR-155, miR-182, miR-200c, p53 gene, Ki67, SCCA1 and CD4+ T-cell counts among 319 women, to Epstein-Barr virus, human papillomavirus and herpes simplex virus 2 mono-infections and co-infections, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction methods. This study suggests that malignancies associated with viral co-infection could be diagnosed early by monitoring cluster of differentiation 4+ T-cell counts and serum expression of miR-145 and miR-182.

Cervical cancer is the 9 th most common cancer in world, and the 6 th most common and 3rd most deadly cancer among women (Fitzmaurice et al., 2019). Studies show a minor reduction in age standardized incidence rate (ASIR per 100,000) from 14.5 to 13.1 between 2017 and 2018, and a minor increase in the age standardized mortality rate (ASMR per 100,000) from 6.1 to 6.9 within the same period (Fitzmaurice et al., 2019;Arbyn et al., 2020). Despite the fact that majority of the countries in Asia and Africa have similar economy (less developed),

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