This study included 20 selected female patients with breast cancer, 30 of their female relatives (sisters and daughters), and 10 healthy females as a control group. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood lymphocytes of all the subjects, and the polymerase chain reaction was carried out using specific primers for BRCA1 (exons 2 and 8) and BRCA2 (exons 9, 11, and 21). The mutations were detected using a single-strand conformation polymorphism assay and heteroduplex analysis. Finally, the sample variants and their controls were sequenced. Mutations were detected in 44% of the study population, with 18% found in the BRCA1 gene and 26% attributed to BRCA2. Five sequence variants were identified, including two frameshift mutations, one nonsense mutation, and two missense mutations. Therefore, we conclude that germline mutations in two major genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, may have an important influence on the predisposition and development of familial breast cancer.
Background
Breast cancer is one of the most frequent cancers among females worldwide. Ephedra alata is a Saharan endemic that may be found in Algeria, North Africa, and other parts of the world. Recently it has become very used by Algerian patients to treat several diseases. Galectin-3 is highly expressed in a variety of neoplasms, and its expression has been linked to metastasis in various tumour cell systems.
Methods
The present study therefore was conducted to test the effect of Ephedra alata ethanolic extract (EEEA) on Swiss female mice induced with cancer. Determination of the functional consequence of galectin-3 expression in malignant mice breast cells is one of the main Target of the study. The expression of galectin-3 genes was examined in various groups of mice to investigate the involvement of galectins in breast cancer (negative control group, tumour without treatment as positive control, group treated with oral extract, group treated with injection of tumour with extract and protective group which take oral extract before induce of tumor).
Results
Size of tumor in induced mice with cancer cell were decreased and appear as capsulated after treatment with tested EEEA. The fold difference in Gal-3 relative to control was 32.8 in case of untreated tumor where it decreased in case of treatment with Ephedra alata extract and treatment using letrazol which used as reference drug.
Conclusion
The alcoholic extract of the Ephedra alata plant was shown to have a positive effect on the treatment of breast cancer cells in the investigation.
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