NGS analysis Dotaz Zobrazit nápovědu
Short- and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs and MCCPs) are environmental contaminants known for their persistence and bioaccumulation in fatty tissues. SCCPs are considered potential carcinogens and endocrine disruptors, with similar effects expected for MCCPs. This study investigated the body burden of SCCPs and MCCPs in residents of two regions of the Czech Republic with different levels of industrial pollution. Blood serum samples from 62 individuals in Ceske Budejovice (control area) and Ostrava (industrial area) were analysed. The results showed higher concentrations of SCCPs (<120-650 ng/g lipid weight (lw)) and MCCPs (<240-1530 ng/g lw) in Ostrava compared to Ceske Budejovice (SCCPs: <120-210 ng/g lw, MCCPs: <240-340 ng/g lw). The statistical analysis revealed no significant correlations between chemical concentrations and demographic variables such as age, BMI, or gender. The findings are consistent with European and Australian studies but significantly lower than levels reported in China. This is the first comprehensive survey of SCCPs and MCCPs in human blood serum in the Czech Republic and the second study in Europe. The data collected in this study are essential for assessing SCCPs and MCCPs. They will contribute to a better understanding the potential health risks associated with exposure to these chemicals.
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Large-scale next-generation sequencing (NGS) studies revealed extensive genetic heterogeneity, driving a highly variable clinical course of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). The evolution of subclonal populations contributes to diverse therapy responses and disease refractoriness. Besides, the dynamics and impact of subpopulations before therapy initiation are not well understood. We examined changes in genomic defects in serial samples of 100 untreated CLL patients, spanning from indolent to aggressive disease. A comprehensive NGS panel LYNX, which provides targeted mutational analysis and genome-wide chromosomal defect assessment, was employed. We observed dynamic changes in the composition and/or proportion of genomic aberrations in most patients (62%). Clonal evolution of gene variants prevailed over the chromosomal alterations. Unsupervised clustering based on aberration dynamics revealed four groups of patients with different clinical behaviour. An adverse cluster was associated with fast progression and early therapy need, characterized by the expansion of TP53 defects, ATM mutations, and 18p- alongside dynamic SF3B1 mutations. Our results show that clonal evolution is active even without therapy pressure and that repeated genetic testing can be clinically relevant during long-term patient monitoring. Moreover, integrative NGS testing contributes to the consolidated evaluation of results and accurate assessment of individual patient prognosis.
The level of the human body's burden of benzophenone and camphor ultraviolet (UV) filters can be estimated from their urinary levels. The present study describes the implementations and validation of the sensitive analytical method for the analysis of seven benzophenone and two camphor UV filters in urine. Sample preparation includes overnight enzymatic hydrolysis and ethyl acetate extraction followed by purification by dispersive solid-phase extraction using a sorbent Z-Sep. For the analysis, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry was used. Validation was performed using a Standard Reference Material® 3673 and an artificially contaminated urine sample. Target analyte recoveries ranged from 79-113% with repeatability expressed as a relative standard deviation of 2-15%. The limits of quantification were between 0.001 and 0.100 ng/mL in urine. This method was subsequently applied to examine the urine samples collected from Czech women. The analytes benzophenone-1 and 4-hydroxy-benzophenone were the most common analytes present in 100% of the samples, whereas benzophenone-3 was quantified in only 90% of the urine samples. The other four determined benzophenone derivatives were quantified in ≤33% of the samples. The derivatives of camphor were not detected in any samples. This method could be applied in biomonitoring studies.
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
STUDY QUESTION: What is the impact of the EuroNet-PHL-C2 treatment for boys with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) on semen parameters? SUMMARY ANSWER: More than half of the patients (52%, n = 16/31) had oligozoospermia or azoospermia at 2 years from cHL diagnosis; particularly boys treated for advanced-stage cHL had low sperm counts and motility. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Chemotherapy and radiotherapy to the inguinal region or testes can impair spermatogenesis and result in reduced fertility. The EuroNet-PHL-C2 trial aims to minimize radiotherapy in standard childhood cHL treatment, by intensifying chemotherapy. The present study aims to assess the (gonadotoxic) impact of this treatment protocol on semen parameters and reproductive hormones in boys aged ≤18 years. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This international, prospective, multi-centre cohort study was an add-on study to the randomized phase-3 EuroNet-PHL-C2 trial, where the efficacy of standard cHL treatment with OEPA-COPDAC-28 (OEPA: vincristine, etoposide, prednisone, and doxorubicin; COPDAC-28: cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone, and dacarbazine) was compared to intensified OEPA-DECOPDAC-21 chemotherapy (DECOPDAC-21: COPDAC with additional doxorubicin and etoposide and 25% more cyclophosphamide). Patients were recruited between January 2017 and September 2021. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Eligibility criteria included male patients, diagnosed with classical HL before or at the age of 18 years, and treated according to the EuroNet-PHL-C2 protocol in any of the 18 participating sites in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Czech Republic, and Austria. Sperm parameters (sperm concentration, progressive motility, sperm volume, and calculated total motile sperm count) were assessed at diagnosis and 2 years after diagnosis in (post)pubertal boys. Laboratory measurements (serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and inhibin B) were performed in samples drawn at diagnosis, during treatment (2-3 times), and at 2 years post-diagnosis, and (age-adjusted) analyses were conducted separately for pre-pubertal and (post)pubertal boys. Outcomes were compared between the treatment levels (TL1, TL2, and TL3) and consolidation treatment schemes (COPDAC-28 and DECOPDAC-21). MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: In total, 101 boys were included in the present analysis: 73 were (post)pubertal (median age 15.4 years, (IQR 14.4; 16.6), 10 TL1, 29 TL2, 34 TL3, 62% of TL2/3 patients received COPDAC-28) and 28 boys were pre-pubertal (median age 9.6 years (IQR 6.6; 11.4), 4 TL1, 7 TL2, 17 TL3, 38% of TL2/3 patients received COPDAC-28). The study included six boys who had received pelvic radiotherapy; none were irradiated in the inguinal or testicular area. At diagnosis, 48 (post)pubertal boys delivered semen for cryopreservation; 19 (40%) semen samples were oligospermic and 4 (8%) were azoospermic. Low sperm concentration (<15 mil/ml) appeared to be related to the HL disease itself, with a higher prevalence in boys who presented with B symptoms (76% vs 26%, aOR 2.3 (95% CI 1.0; 3.8), P = 0.001) compared to those without such symptoms. At 2 -years post-diagnosis, 31 boys provided semen samples for analysis, of whom 12 (39%) boys had oligozoospermia and 4 (13%) had azoospermia, while 22 boys (71%) had low total motile sperm counts (TMSC) (<20 mil). Specifically, the eight boys in the TL3 group treated with DECOPDAC-21 consolidation had low sperm counts and low progressive motility after 2 years (i.e. median sperm count 1.4 mil/ml (IQR <0.1; 5.3), n = 7 (88%), low sperm concentration, low median progressive motility 16.5% (IQR 0.0; 51.2), respectively). Age-adjusted serum FSH levels were significantly raised and inhibin B levels (and inhibin B:FSH ratios) were decreased during chemotherapy in (post)pubertal boys, with subsequent normalization in 80% (for FSH) and 60% (for inhibin B) of boys after 2 years. Only 4 out of the 14 (post)pubertal boys (29%) with low sperm concentrations after 2 years had elevated FSH (>7.6 IU/l), while 7 (50%) had low inhibin B levels (<100 ng/l). In pre-pubertal boys, reproductive hormones were low overall and remained relatively stable during chemotherapy. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: The present analyses included sperm and laboratory measurements up to 2 years post-diagnosis. Long-term reproductive outcomes and potential recovery of spermatogenesis remain unknown, while recovery was reported up to 5- or even 10-year post-chemotherapy in previous studies.Boys who were pre-pubertal at diagnosis were still too young and/or physically not able to deliver semen after 2 years and we could not assess a potential difference in gonadotoxicity according to pubertal state at the time of treatment. Overall, the statistical power of the analyses on sperm concentration and quality after 2 years was limited. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Results of the semen analyses conducted among the 31 boys who had provided a semen sample at 2 years post-treatment were generally poor. However, additional long-term and adequately powered data are crucial to assess the potential recovery and clinical impact on fertility. The participating boys will be invited to deliver a semen sample after 5 years. Until these data become available, benefits of intensified chemotherapy in cHL treatment to reduce radiotherapy and lower risk for development of secondary tumours should be carefully weighed against potentially increased risk of other late effects, such as diminished fertility due to the increased chemotherapy burden. Boys with newly diagnosed cHL should be encouraged to deliver sperm for cryopreservation whenever possible. However, patients and clinicians should also realize that the overall state of disease and inflammatory milieu of cHL can negatively affect sperm quality and thereby reduce chance of successful fertility preservation. Furthermore, the measurement of FSH and inhibin B appears to be of low value in predicting low sperm quality at two years from cHL treatment. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): This study was funded by the Dutch charity foundation KiKa (project 257) that funds research on all forms of childhood cancer. C.M.-K., D.K., W.H.W., D.H., MC, A.U., and A.B. were involved in the development of the EuroNet-PHL-C2 regimen. The other authors declare no potential conflict of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.
- MeSH
- analýza spermatu MeSH
- azoospermie farmakoterapie MeSH
- cyklofosfamid * terapeutické užití MeSH
- dakarbazin terapeutické užití MeSH
- dítě MeSH
- doxorubicin terapeutické užití škodlivé účinky MeSH
- etoposid terapeutické užití aplikace a dávkování MeSH
- folikuly stimulující hormon krev MeSH
- Hodgkinova nemoc * farmakoterapie MeSH
- inhibiny krev MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- motilita spermií účinky léků MeSH
- oligospermie farmakoterapie MeSH
- počet spermií MeSH
- prednison terapeutické užití aplikace a dávkování MeSH
- předškolní dítě MeSH
- prospektivní studie MeSH
- protokoly protinádorové kombinované chemoterapie * terapeutické užití škodlivé účinky MeSH
- vinkristin terapeutické užití MeSH
- Check Tag
- dítě MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- předškolní dítě MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- multicentrická studie MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- randomizované kontrolované studie MeSH
Oxidative DNA damage markers (8OHdG, comet assay, gammaH2AX) are becoming widely used in clinical cardiology research. To conduct this review of DNA damage in relation to hypertension in humans, we used databases (e.g. PubMed, Web of Science) to search for English-language publications up to June 30, 2022 and the terms: DNA damage, comet assay, gammaH2AX, 8OHdG, strand breaks, and arterial hypertension. Exclusion criteria were: children, absence of relevant controls, extra-arterial hypertensive issues, animal, cell lines. From a total of 79526, 15 human studies were selected. A total of 902 hypertensive patients (pts): (comet: N=418 pts; 8OHdG: N=484 pts) and 587 controls (comet: N=203; 8OHdG: N=384) were included. DNA damage was significantly higher in hypertensive pts than healthy controls (comet 26.6±11.0 vs 11.7±4.07 arbitrary units /A.U./; P<0.05 and="" 8ohdg="" 13="" 1="" 4="" 12="" vs="" 6="" 97="" 2="" 67="" ng="" mg="" creatinine="" i=""> P<0.05) confirmed with meta-analysis for both. Greater DNA damage was observed in more adverse cases (concentric cardiac hypertrophy 43.4±15.4 vs 15.6±5.5; sustained/untreated hypertension 31.4±12.1 vs 14.2±5/35.0±5.0 vs 25.0 ±5.0; non-dippers 39.2±15.5 vs 29.4±11.1 A.U.; elderly 14.9±4.5 vs 9.3±4.1 ng/mg creatinine; without carvedilol 9.1±4.2 vs 5.7±3.9; with coronary heart disease 0.5±0.1 vs 0.2±0.1 ng/mL) (P<0.05) confirmed with meta-analysis. DNA damage correlated strongly positively with serum glycosylated haemoglobin (r=0.670; P<0.05) and negatively with total antioxidant status (r=-0.670 to -0.933; P<0.05). This is the first systematic review with meta-analysis showing that oxidative DNA damage was increased in humans with arterial hypertension compared to controls.
- MeSH
- 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosin MeSH
- dítě MeSH
- hypertenze * MeSH
- kometový test MeSH
- kreatinin MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- poškození DNA * MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- dítě MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- metaanalýza MeSH
- přehledy MeSH
- systematický přehled MeSH
This study aimed to evaluate the ability of selected microRNAs as biomarkers of atrial fibrillation (AF) in ischemic stroke patients in comparison with other established biochemical biomarkers. A prospective case-control study of consecutive ischemic stroke patients with AF admitted to a comprehensive stroke center was conducted. The control group consisted of patients with ischemic stroke with no AF detected on prolonged (at least 3 weeks) Holter ECG monitoring. As potential biomarkers of AF, we analyzed the plasma levels of microRNAs (miR-21, miR-29b, miR-133b, miR-142-5p, miR-150, miR-499, and miR-223-3p) and 13 biochemical biomarkers at admission. The predictive accuracy of biomarkers was assessed by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. The data of 117 patients were analyzed (61 with AF, 56 with no AF, 46% men, median age 73 years, median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale 6). Biochemical biomarkers (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide [NT-proBNP], high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein, eGFR, and total triglycerides) were significantly associated with AF. NT-proBNP had the best diagnostic performance for AF with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.92 (95%, CI 0.86-0.98); a cutoff value of >528 ng/L had a sensitivity of 79% and a specificity of 97%. None of the other biomarkers, including microRNAs, was associated with AF. Conventional biochemical biomarkers (NT-proBNP, high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein, eGFR, and triglycerides), but not microRNAs (miR-21, miR-29b, miR-133b, miR-142-5p, miR-150, miR-499, and miR-223-3p) were significantly associated with AF in our ischemic stroke cohort.
- MeSH
- biologické markery * krev MeSH
- C-reaktivní protein analýza MeSH
- fibrilace síní * krev diagnóza genetika MeSH
- ischemická cévní mozková příhoda * krev diagnóza MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mikro RNA * krev MeSH
- natriuretický peptid typu B krev MeSH
- peptidové fragmenty krev MeSH
- prospektivní studie MeSH
- ROC křivka MeSH
- senioři nad 80 let MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- studie případů a kontrol MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- senioři nad 80 let MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- pozorovací studie MeSH
PURPOSE: To evaluate the decline in transferable embryos in preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) cycles due to (a) non-biopsable blastocyst quality, (b) failure of genetic analysis, (c) diagnosis of uniform numerical or structural chromosomal aberrations, and/or (d) chromosomal aberrations in mosaic constitution. METHODS: This retrospective multicenter study comprised outcomes of 1562 blastocysts originating from 363 controlled ovarian stimulation cycles, respectively, 226 IVF couples in the period between January 2016 and December 2018. Inclusion criteria were PGT-A cycles with trophectoderm biopsy (TB) and next generation sequencing (NGS). RESULTS: Out of 1562 blastocysts, 25.8% were lost due to non-biopsable and/or non-freezable embryo quality. In 10.3% of all biopsied blastocysts, genetic analysis failed. After exclusion of embryos with uniform or chromosomal aberrations in mosaic, only 18.1% of those originally yielded remained as diagnosed euploid embryos suitable for transfer. This translates into 50.4% of patients and 57.6% of stimulated cycles with no euploid embryo left for transfer. The risk that no transfer can take place rose significantly with a lower number of oocytes and with increasing maternal age. The chance for at least one euploid blastocyst/cycle in advanced maternal age (AMA)-patients was 33.3% compared to 52.1% in recurrent miscarriage (RM), 59.8% in recurrent implantation failure (RIF), and 60.0% in severe male factor (SMF). CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates that PGT-A is accompanied by high embryo drop-out rates. IVF-practitioners should be aware that their patients run a high risk of ending up without any embryo suitable for transfer after (several) stimulation cycles, especially in AMA patients. Patients should be informed in detail about the frequency of inconclusive or mosaic results, with the associated risk of not having an euploid embryo available for transfer after PGT-A, as well as the high cost involved in this type of testing.
- MeSH
- aneuploidie MeSH
- blastocysta patologie MeSH
- genetické testování metody MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- preimplantační diagnóza * metody MeSH
- retrospektivní studie MeSH
- těhotenství MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- těhotenství MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- multicentrická studie MeSH
Background/Objectives: This retrospective study analyzed soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) plasma levels alongside routine inflammatory markers, including the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte count ratio, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), procalcitonin (PCT), and D-dimers in COVID-19 patients hospitalized during the Omicron wave of the pandemic. Methods: We measured plasma suPAR levels using a suPARnostic® Quick Triage kit. We divided COVID-19 patients into two groups based on the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) criteria. The logistic regression analysis tested the predictive value of the biomarkers. Results: We evaluated 160 consecutive COVID-19 patients hospitalized between January and August 2022. The cohort exhibited a high incidence of comorbidities, with an in-hospital mortality rate of 5.6%. Upon admission, the median suPAR plasma levels were not significantly different between patients with mild COVID-19 (n = 110) and those with moderate/severe disease (n = 50), with 7.25 ng/mL and 7.55 ng/mL, respectively. We observed significant differences (p < 0.01) between the groups for CRP and IL-6 levels that were higher in moderate/severe disease than in mild infection. Additionally, suPAR plasma levels were above the normal range (0-2.00 ng/mL) in all patients, with a significant positive correlation identified between suPAR levels and serum IL-6, PCT, and creatinine levels. Conclusions: These findings indicate that COVID-19 during the Omicron wave is strongly associated with elevated suPAR levels; however, these levels do not directly correlate with the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
BACKGROUND: Genetic factors are involved in the pathogenesis of familial and sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and constitute a link to its association with frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Gene-targeted therapies for some forms of ALS (C9orf72, SOD1) have recently gained momentum. Genetic architecture in Czech ALS patients has not been comprehensively assessed so far. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to deliver pilot data on the genetic landscape of ALS in our country. METHODS: A cohort of patients with ALS (n = 88), recruited from two Czech Neuromuscular Centers, was assessed for hexanucleotide repeat expansion (HRE) in C9orf72 and also for genetic variations in other 36 ALS-linked genes via next-generation sequencing (NGS). Nine patients (10.1%) had a familial ALS. Further, we analyzed two subgroups of sporadic patients - with concomitant FTD (n = 7) and with young-onset of the disease (n = 22). RESULTS: We detected the pathogenic HRE in C9orf72 in 12 patients (13.5%) and three other pathogenic variants in FUS, TARDBP and TBK1, each in one patient. Additional 7 novel and 9 rare known variants with uncertain causal significance have been detected in 15 patients. Three sporadic patients with FTD (42.9%) were harbouring a pathogenic variant (all HRE in C9orf72). Surprisingly, none of the young-onset sporadic patients harboured a pathogenic variant and we detected no pathogenic SOD1 variant in our cohort. CONCLUSION: Our findings resemble those from other European populations, with the highest prevalence of HRE in the C9orf72 gene. Further, our findings suggest a possibility of a missing genetic variability among young-onset patients.
- MeSH
- amyotrofická laterální skleróza * genetika MeSH
- DNA vazebné proteiny genetika MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- expanze repetic DNA * MeSH
- frontotemporální demence * genetika MeSH
- genetická predispozice k nemoci MeSH
- kohortové studie MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- protein C9orf72 * genetika MeSH
- protein FUS vázající RNA genetika MeSH
- protein-serin-threoninkinasy genetika MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- věk při počátku nemoci MeSH
- vysoce účinné nukleotidové sekvenování MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are myeloid malignancies with heterogeneous genotypes and phenotypes, characterized by ineffective haematopoiesis and a high risk of progression towards acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Prognosis for patients treated with hypomethylating agents (HMAs), as is azacytidine, the main drug used as frontline therapy for MDS is mostly based on cytogenetics and next generation sequencing (NGS) of the initial myeloid clone. Although the critical influence of the epigenetic landscape upon cancer cells survival and development as well on tumour environment establishment is currently recognized and approached within current clinical practice in MDS, the heterogenous response of the patients to epigenetic therapy is suggesting a more complex mechanism of action, as is the case of RNA methylation. In this sense, the newly emerging field of epitranscriptomics could provide a more comprehensive perspective upon the modulation of gene expression in malignancies, as is the proof-of-concept of MDS. We initially did RNA methylation sequencing on MDS patients (n = 6) treated with azacytidine and compared responders with non-responders. Afterwards, the genes identified were assessed in vitro and afterwards validated on a larger cohort of MDS patients treated with azacytidine (n = 58). Our data show that a more accurate prognosis could be based on analysing the methylome and thus we used methylation sequencing to differentially split high-grade MDS patients with identical demographical and cytogenetic features, between azacytidine responders and non-responders.
- MeSH
- azacytidin * farmakologie terapeutické užití MeSH
- epigeneze genetická účinky léků MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- methylace RNA MeSH
- metylace DNA * účinky léků MeSH
- myelodysplastické syndromy * genetika farmakoterapie patologie MeSH
- prognóza MeSH
- protinádorové antimetabolity terapeutické užití farmakologie MeSH
- sekvenční analýza RNA MeSH
- senioři nad 80 let MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- stanovení celkové genové exprese MeSH
- transkriptom genetika účinky léků MeSH
- vysoce účinné nukleotidové sekvenování MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- senioři nad 80 let MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH