Worldwide research groups are searching for anticancer compounds, many of them are organometalic complexes having platinum group metals as their active centers. Most commonly used cytostatics from this group are cisplatin, carboplatin and oxaliplatin. Cisplatin was used fot the first time in 1978, from this time many platinum derivatives were created. In this review we present biological properties and probable future clinical use of platinum, gold, silver, iridium and ruthenium derivatives. Gold derivative Auranofin has been studied extensively. Action of silver nanoparticles on different cell lines was analysed. Iridium isotopes are commonly used in brachyterapy. Ruthenium compound new anti-tumour metastasis inhibitor (NAMI-A) is used in managing lung cancer metastases. Electroporation of another ruthenium based compound KP1339 was also studied. Most of described complexes have antiproliferative and proapoptotic properties. Further studies need to be made. Nevertheless noble metal based chemotherapheutics and compounds seem to be an interesting direction of research.

PAX8 gene encodes one of the transcription factors engaged in the regulation of proper development of thyroid gland as well as Müllerian and renal/upper urinary tracts. So far, six alternatively spliced transcripts were reported, however, sequences of only four were deposited in the NCBI database. Here, we evaluate a fragment of a novel variant of PAX8 mRNA formed by an alternative 3' acceptor site located in the second exon. The molecular outcome encompasses extension of the 5' untranslated region of exon two by 97 nucleotides as is evident from mRNA. This new insert may impair binding of mRNA to the ribosome and in consequence significantly decrease expression of the PAX8 protein. Here, we show for the first time that the novel insert in exon two might be associated with congenital thyroid hemiagenesis and influence development of different types of cancer.

No abstract

Vaults are cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein particles composed of three proteins (MVP, TEP1, vPARP) and vault‑associated RNAs (vRNAs). Although the cellular functions of vaults remain unclear, vaults are strongly linked to the development of multidrug resistance (MDR), the major obstacle to the efficient treatment of cancers. Available published data suggest that vaults and their components are frequently upregulated in broad variety of multidrug-resistant cancer cell lines and tumors of different histological origin. Here, we provide detailed analysis of vault protein expression in post-surgery ovarian cancer samples from patients that were not exposed to chemotherapy. Our analysis suggests that vault proteins are expressed in the ovaries of healthy individuals but their expression in cancer patients is changed. Specifically, MVP, TEP1 and vPARP mRNA levels are significantly decreased in cancer samples with tendency of lower expression in higher-grade tumors. The pattern of vault protein mRNA expression is strongly correlated with the expression of other MDR-associated proteins such as MDR1, MRP1 and BCRP. Surprisingly, the protein levels of MVP, TEP1 and vPARP are actually increased in the higher‑grade tumors suggesting existence of post-transcriptional regulation of vault component production.

Chemokine stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and its receptors, CXCR4 and CXCR7, have been implicated in epithelial ovarian cancer progression and metastasis. However, limited data are available on the expression levels of SDF-1 and CXCR4 variants and CXCR7 in human epithelial ovarian cancer. The present study aimed to characterize the expression pattern and levels of SDF-1, CXCR4 and CXCR7 in normal human ovaries and epithelial ovarian cancer. The expression of SDF-1 and CXCR4 transcript variants and CXCR7 was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Plasma SDF-1α levels were determined by commercially available EIA kits and cancer antigen 125 (CA 125) levels were quantified by automated microparticle enzyme immunosorbent assay. High expression levels of SDF-1 transcript variant 1 were identified in ovarian cancer and control ovaries. By contrast, in both groups the expression levels of SDF-1 transcript variants 3 and 4 were extremely low. Furthermore, SDF-1 variant 1 levels were notably higher in epithelial ovarian cancer than in control ovaries, while data for the remaining transcripts were similar in both groups. CXCR4 transcript variant 2 and CXCR7 expression levels in normal and neoplastic ovaries were similar. In both groups, CXCR4 transcript variant 2 was not detected. Plasma SDF-1α levels were notably higher in females with epithelial ovarian cancer than in the control ovaries. Elevated levels of blood SDF-1α were found prior to surgery, 6 days after surgery and following completion of the first chemotherapy course. These increases were independent of the type of epithelial ovarian cancer. Our results suggest that the expression of SDF-1 and the genes controlling alternative splicing are elevated in epithelial ovarian cancer, leading to an increased formation of SDF-1 variant 1. Elevated plasma SDF-1α levels in epithelial ovarian cancer patients are not associated with the presence of tumors and/or metastases, however reflect a general response to the disease.