Objectives: Pituitary stem cells play a role in the oncogenesis of human adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas (aCPs). We hypothesized that crosstalk between the Wnt/b-catenin and Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) pathways, both of which are important in normal pituitary development, would contribute to the pathogenesis of aCPs. Design: To explore the mRNA and protein expression of components of the SHH signaling pathway in aCPs and their relationship with the identification of CTNNB1/b-catenin mutations and patients outcomes. Patients and methods: In 18 aCP samples, CTNNB1 was sequenced, and the mRNA expression levels of SHH pathway members (SHH, PTCH1, SMO, GLI1, GLI2, GLI3, and SUFU) and SMO, GLI1, GLI3, SUFU, b-catenin, and Ki67 proteins were evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry respectively. Anterior normal pituitaries were used as controls. Associations between molecular findings and clinical data were analyzed. Results: The aCPs presented higher mRNA expression of SHH (C400-fold change (FC); P!0.01), GLI1 (C102-FC; P!0.001), and GLI3 (C5.1-FC; P!0.01) than normal anterior pituitaries. Longer disease-free survival was associated with low SMO and SUFU mRNA expression (P!0.01 and PZ0.02 respectively). CTNNB1/b-catenin mutations were found in 47% of the samples. aCPs with identified mutations presented with higher mRNA expression of SMO and GLI1 (C4.3-FC; PZ0.02 and C10.2-FC; PZ0.03 respectively). SMO, GLI1, GLI3, and SUFU staining was found in 85, 67, 93, and 64% of the samples respectively. Strong GLI1 and GLI3 staining was detected in palisade cells, which also labeled Ki67, a marker of cell proliferation. Conclusions: The upregulation of SHH signaling occurs in aCPs. Thus, activation of Wnt/b-catenin and SHH pathways, both of which are important in pituitary embryogenesis, appears to contribute to the pathogenesis of aCP.

Oleuropein is one of the most abundant phenolic compounds present in olive leaves, and many studies have shown that this compound has important biological properties (anti-inflammatory, anti-atherogenic, anticancer, antimicrobial and antiviral) and that is why it has been gaining prominence in research. Oleuropein can be extracted from different sources using standard and unconventional methods, and can be recovered and purified (mainly by chromatographic techniques), for later use in several areas. The literature presents information about oleuropein alone in scientific research with different objectives, however, it was observed by the authors that studies that compile the existing information on these secoiridoides are very scarce and, therefore, this review was developed with the aim of providing current information to the scientific community, about the different techniques of extraction and purification of oleuropein, as well as the opportunities for applications and uses of this compound.

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Aims:The ATP-binding cassette transporters, ABCA1 and ABCG1, are LXR-target genes that play an important role in reverse cholesterol transport. We examined the effects of inhibitors of the cholesterol absorption (ezetimibe) and synthesis (statins) on expression of these transporters in HepG2 cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of individuals with primary (and nonfamilial) hypercholesterolemia (HC). Materials & methods:A total of 48 HC individuals were treated with atorvastatin (10 mg/day/4 weeks) and 23 were treated with ezetimibe (10 mg/day/4 weeks), followed by simvastatin (10 mg/day/8 weeks) and simvastatin plus ezetimibe (10 mg of each/day/4 weeks). Gene expression was examined in statin-or ezetimibe-treated and control HepG2 cells as well as PBMCs using real-time PCR. Results: In PBMCs, statins and ezetimibe downregulated ABCA1 and ABCG1 mRNA expression but did not modulate NR1H2 (LXR-b) and NR1H3 (LXR-a) levels. Positive correlations of ABCA1 with ABCG1 and of NR1H2 with NR1H3 expressions were found in all phases of the treatments. In HepG2 cells, ABCA1 mRNA levels remained unaltered while ABCG1 expression was increased by statin (1.0-10.0 µM) or ezetimibe (5.0 µM) treatments. Atorvastatin upregulated NR1H2 and NR1H3 only at 10.0 µM, meanwhile ezetimibe (1.0-5.0 µM) downregulated NR1H2 but did not change NR1H3 expression. Conclusion: Our findings reveal that lipid-lowering drugs downregulate ABCA1 and ABCG1 mRNA expression in PBMCs of HC individuals and exhibit differential effects on HepG2 cells. Moreover, they indicate that the ABCA1 and ABCG1 transcript levels were not correlated directly to LXR mRNA expression in both cell models treated with lipid-lowering drugs.KEYWORDS: ABCA1 n ABCG1 n ezetimibe n mRNA expression n PBMC n statins

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