Iranian Breast Cancer Bio-Bank: the activity and challenging issues

Abstract

The information gained from the Human Genome Project has facilitated molecular as well as cellular studies not only to find the origins of Breast Cancer (BC), but also to create novel, and effective treatments. In order to provide an infrastructure for local and international research in this area, Iranian Center for Breast Cancer (ICBC) has established a Bio-Bank (BB) for BC. This article describes the aim, structure, and activities in general, and the challenging issues confronting the bank as a model for the establishment of Bio-Banks in developing countries in particular. The methods employed by the Bank could be explained in the following categories: Blood and Tissue sampling, Preparation and Banking of collected Samples, Clinical and Histopathology data collection, Collaboration Protocol, Challenging issues, and the programs to confront the problems. During the five-year activity of the bank, 110 families were enrolled for genetic counseling, from whom 600 biologic samples were obtained, including 387 blood samples and 213 tissue samples. Of 387 blood samples, 317 (82%) were found to belong to the BC patients and the remaining 70 (18%) belonged to their available relatives. The number of samples increased over the study period partly as a result of the programs designed to confront the problems. During the study period, there were some finished research studies using the samples of BB, and many other studies which are still ongoing. ICBC-BB is a model of biologic sample banking which provides a significant number of biological samples for local and international collaborative research projects regarding molecular and cellular aspects of BC. In establishing the ICBC-BB we have experienced problems and challenges, some general and some local. Some were expected and others not, but we have identified solutions.

Expression Analysis of ARMC3, a Testis-Specific Gene, in Breast Cancer Patients

“…Samples were obtained from the breast cancer research center Biobank (BCRC-BB) (19). The study protocol was approved by the ethics committee of Qazvin University of medical Science, in compliance with the Helsinki declaration.…”

Avaliação do impacto da implantação do controle de qualidade em um banco de amostras teciduais criopreservadas

“…A execução desse p rojeto direciona a um novo mundo de p esquisa, baseado em diversas técnicas moleculares como identificação de polimorfismos (que predispõe o risco d e doenças o u asp ectos farmacogenômicos de seu tr atamento), an álise de expressão gênica atra vés de micro array de DNA e RNA (que tem c omo objetivo capturar a biologia e o fe nótipo da do ença), ensa ios genôm icos c omo hibridação genômica comparativa, rastreamento d e genes para doenças h ereditárias e multifatoriais (especialmente em diferentes etnias) e muitas outras questões, que têm se tornado gra ndes desafios na genética médica e h umana Majidzadeh-A et al, 2012).…”

“…Para co nduzir es ses estud os que irão utili zar proteínas e áci dos n ucléicos, modelos da m esma espécie são mais ad equados, havendo atu almente cada vez mais demanda por tecidos e tumores h umanos, ao invés d e anim ais, já q ue a espécie humana é única e os resu ltados mais relevantes vêm de material huma no (Garman et al, 20 07;Thom as et al ., 2 010;Yu, Z hu, 2010;Ad ams, 2011;BéruBé e t al., 2011 ;Foster, 2011;Fuller, 2011;Pierscionek, 2 011;Majidzadeh-A et al , 2012). No entanto, muito s est udos ai nda oco rrem em modelos ani mais, d evido a pouca disponibilidade de amostras humanas (Balaguer et al, 2006;Bunton, 2010;Coleman, 2011).…”

“…Posteriormente, fl uidos c orporais como sa ngue periférico, e scarro e urina ta mbém podem ser coletados Dougall, 2011;Majidzadeh-A et al, 2012 estruturado facilita e permite descobertas que podem melhorar a saúde da população .…”

“…Através da sua utilização, a coleta d e amostra, q ue era uma das etapas mais d emoradas e difíce is em e studos genéticos, foi contornada, e a inv estigação molecular pod e ser co nduzida d e forma mais conveniente. Com todas essas vantagens ainda há poucos bancos estabelecidos em todo mundo (Majidzadeh-A et al, 2012 Ruiz-Godoy et al, 2010).…”