There are no treatments for reversing or halting cataract, a disease of the structural proteins in the eye lens, that has associations with other age-related degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. The incidence of cataract and associated conditions is increasing as the average age of the population rises. Protein folding diseases are difficult to assess in vivo as proteins and their age-related changes are assessed after extraction. Nanotechnology can be used to investigate protein changes in the intact lens as well as for a potential means of drug delivery. Nanoparticles, such as cerium oxide (CeO(2)) which have antioxidant properties, may even be used as a means of treating cataract directly. Prior to use in treatments, nanoparticle genotoxicity must be tested to assess the extent of any DNA or chromosomal damage. Sister chromatid exchanges were measured and DNA damage investigated using the alkaline COMET assay on cultured human lens epithelial cells, exposed to 5 and 10 microg ml(-1) of CeO(2) nanoparticles (nanoceria). Nanoceria at these dosages did not cause any DNA damage or significant increases in the number of sister chromatid exchanges. The absence of genotoxic effects on lens cells suggests that nanoceria, in the doses and exposures tested in this study, are not deleterious to the eye lens and have the potential for use in studying structural alterations, in developing non-surgical cataract treatments and in investigating other protein folding diseases.

Endometrial carcinoma (EC) is the most common cancer of the female reproductive system. In the United States, EC was the sixth-cause of cancer-related death in 2018, accounting for 11,350 deaths. The disease affects an estimated 1 out of every 37 and 49 women respectively during their lifetime in the United States and Australia [1,2]. The outlook for 5-year survival after treatment ranges from 74% to 91% [3,4]. EC has been historically classified into estrogen dependent (type I) and estrogenindependent (type II) cancers [4]. Type II tumors are less common, more clinically aggressive, and may have serous, clear cell or undifferentiated histology. In contrast, type I tumors present in 70%-80% of cases, with endometrioid histology and a more favorable outcome. The updated classification of EC identifies four molecular subtypes according to The Cancer Genomic Atlas (TCGA): "POLE-mutated (ultramutated), microsatellite unstable (hypermutated), copy number low (endometrioid), and copy number high (serous-like)" [1]. The POLE-ultramutated subgroup holds great promise for the outlook of EC patients. The tumors have a more favorable outcome, and are usually noted to be of endometrioid type and associated with lymphoid infiltrates [5]. The POLE gene encodes the catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase epsilon, which synthesizes the leading strand of replicating DNA. The epsilon polymerase recognizes and removes mispaired nucleotides using exonuclease activity. This proofreading capacity of epsilon enables high fidelity DNA replication [6]. Mutations can occur in the exonuclease domain of the polymerase,

BackgroundThis study aimed to estimate the rate of HER-2/neu (c-erbB2) immunohistochemical overexpression in different histological types of breast cancer found in the middle Euphrates region of Iraq, a region that was exposed to high levels of depleted uranium. HER-2/neu (c-erbB2) overexpression was correlated with common clinicopathological parameters such as age, grade, stage, tumor size and lymph node involvement to determine if any particular biomarker for exposure to depleted uranium could be found in the tumor samples from this region.Materials and MethodsThe present investigation was performed over a period starting from September 2007 to June 2008. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded blocks from 90 patients with breast cancer were included in this study. A group of 25 patients with benign breast lesions (fibroadenoma) was included as a comparative group, and 20 breast tissue sections were used as controls. Labeled streptavidin-biotin (LSAB) complex method was employed for immunohistochemical detection of HER-2/neu.ResultsHER-2/neu immuno-expression was positive in 67.8% of breast cancer, while it was negative in all benign breast lesions (fibroadenoma) (P < 0.05). HER-2/neu immunostaining was significantly associated with histological type and recurrence of breast cancer (P < 0.05). It was positively correlated with tumor grade, but this finding was not significant (P > 0.05).ConclusionBased upon the findings of this study, it can be concluded that HER-2/neu overexpression plays an important role in the pathogenesis of breast cancer and is associated with a worse prognosis. The findings indicate that in regions exposed to high levels of depleted uranium, HER-2/neu overexpression is high, but its correlation with age, grade, stage, tumor size, and lymph node involvement is similar to studies that have been conducted on populations not exposed to depleted uranium.

The present study aimed to assess the correlation between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) overexpression and the grade, size, and recurrence of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) in the south of Iraq, which includes regions that have been exposed to high levels of depleted uranium. The study also sought to evaluate whether there is any biomarker in the expression that could be correlated with the increased incidence of this type of cancer in the exposed areas. Samples of formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue from 54 patients (41 males and 13 females) with TCC and from 32 patients with benign bladder lesions (cystitis) used as controls were included in this study. The avidin-biotin complex method was used for immunohistochemical detection of VEGF. VEGF immunoexpression was positive in 77.77% of TCC but was not found in benign bladder lesions (cystitis) (P<0.05). VEGF immunostaining was positively correlated with grade, stage, and recurrence of TCC but the findings were not statistically significant (P>0.05). These findings support the role of VEGF in the carcinogenesis of TCC regarding evolution, behavior, and aggressiveness. Hence, VEGF could be considered as a poor prognostic parameter in bladder cancer. No positive correlation between immunohistochemical expression and the high incidence of TCC was detected (R=<0.3). The study further concludes that immunohistochemical expression of the VEGF gene in TCC bladder cancer does not differ from similar cancers found in other parts of the world where there has been no known exposure to depleted uranium.

BackgroundColorectal carcinoma (CRC) is the seventh-most common malignancy and is the main cause of death in Iraq. The incidence of this cancer has increased sharply after the invasion of Iraq in 2003.AimTo estimate immunohistochemical expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in CRC in relation to other parameters, such as grade and stage of tumour.MethodsFormalin fixed, paraffin-embedded blocks from 52 patients (27 male and 25 female) with CRC were included in this study. A group of 22 patients with non-cancerous colonic tissues were included as a control group. Avidin–biotin complex method was employed for immunohistochemical detection of VEGF.Results VEGF immuno-expression was positive in 51.9% of CRC, while it was 18.2% in the normal colonic tissue (p <0.05). VEGF immunostaining was positively correlated with grade of colonic malignancy (p <0.05).ConclusionThese findings provide further evidence for the role of VEGF in the carcinogenesis of CRC. However, VEGF could not be well correlated with stage of tumour and hence may be a poor prognostic parameter of state of malignancy of colonic carcinoma.