Promoter methylation and loss of PTEN expression occur frequently in carcinoma of uterine cervix. Our results suggest that PTEN plays an important role in the carcinogenesis of cervical cancer.

The antioxidant capacity of commonly consumed cucurbits vegetable was determined by the DPPH, FRAP, Fe 3+ reducing power, and hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay. The aqueous extract of Luffa cylindrica showed the highest value of phenolic content and antioxidant capacity based on FRAP, Fe 3+ reducing power, and hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay. However, Laginaria siceraria extract showed the highest flavonoid and DPPH scavenging activities among all three cucurbits used in this study. Phenolic content in aqueous extracts of Luffa cylindrica and Laginaria siceraria was almost equal. Cucurbita maxima exhibited the lowest phenolic, flavonoid content, and exhibited the lowest power of antioxidant scavenging. The antioxidant capacity of cucurbits was significantly correlated (P < 0.05) with the phenolic content of their extracts. The antioxidant capacity of Luffa cylindrica and Laginaria siceraria have also shown a significant correlation (P < 0.05).

A recent genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified association with variants in X-linked CLDN2 and MORC4, and PRSS1-PRSS2 loci with chronic pancreatitis (CP) in North American patients of European ancestry. We selected 9 variants from the reported GWAS and replicated the association with CP in Indian patients by genotyping 1807 unrelated Indians of Indo-European ethnicity, including 519 patients with CP and 1288 controls. The etiology of CP was idiopathic in 83.62% and alcoholic in 16.38% of 519 patients. Our study confirmed a significant association of 2 variants in CLDN2 gene (rs4409525—OR 1.71, P = 1.38 x 10-09; rs12008279—OR 1.56, P = 1.53 x 10-04) and 2 variants in MORC4 gene (rs12688220—OR 1.72, P = 9.20 x 10-09; rs6622126—OR 1.75, P = 4.04x10-05) in Indian patients with CP. We also found significant association at PRSS1-PRSS2 locus (OR 0.60; P = 9.92 x 10-06) and SAMD12-TNFRSF11B (OR 0.49, 95% CI [0.31–0.78], P = 0.0027). A variant in the gene MORC4 (rs12688220) showed significant interaction with alcohol (OR for homozygous and heterozygous risk allele -14.62 and 1.51 respectively, P = 0.0068) suggesting gene-environment interaction. A combined analysis of the genes CLDN2 and MORC4 based on an effective risk allele score revealed a higher percentage of individuals homozygous for the risk allele in CP cases with 5.09 fold enhanced risk in individuals with 7 or more effective risk alleles compared with individuals with 3 or less risk alleles (P = 1.88 x 10-14). Genetic variants in CLDN2 and MORC4 genes were associated with CP in Indian patients.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are an essential component of the bone marrow microenvironment and have shown to support cancer evolution in multiple myeloma. Despite the increasing evidence that multiple myeloma MSCs differ from their healthy counterparts, little knowledge exists as to whether MSCs independently influence disease outcome. The aim of this study was to determine the importance of MSCs in disease progression and outcome in multiple myeloma. To determine the impact of MSCs on multiple myeloma outcome in an system, we first identified genes from cultured MSCs that were specific to MSC expression and were not or minimally expressed in plasma cells (PC) or other cells present in bone marrow aspirates. We then applied this MSC gene signature to whole bone marrow biopsies of multiple myeloma patients compared with healthy controls and determined MSC expression scores specific to multiple myeloma and predictive of outcome. We show that multiple myeloma MSC gene expression signatures can differentiate multiple myeloma from monoclonal gammopathy and smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) as well as from healthy controls and treated multiple myeloma patients who have achieved a complete remission. We identified a prognostic gene score based on three MSC specific genes, and, that was able to predict progression-free survival in multiple myeloma patients and progression into multiple myeloma from SMM. Our findings show that progression of multiple myeloma and of SMM into multiple myeloma does not rely solely on intrinsic PC factors, but is independently affected by the biology of the surrounding microenvironment. .

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