Selcuk Medical Journal Current Issue

Aim: Objective of this study was to investigate the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and apoptosis mediated anticancer ef fect of boric acid in human pancreatic cancer MIA PaCa-2 and P ANC-1 cells. Materials and Methods: The effect of boric acid on the viability of pancreatic cancer cells and the IC50 value were calculated by XTT test and using CompuSyn version 1.0 software. Apoptotic, anti-apoptotic and ER stress-related gene levels were determined. The effect of boric acid on the colony formation capacity of these cells was evaluated with the colony formation assay.
Results: Boric acid inhibited cell viability in these cell lines as time and dose dependent. As a result of the XTT test, the IC50 doses of boric acid in MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1 cells were found to be 15707.5 and 14248.8 μM, respectively. Boric acid significantly upregulated BAX, CASP3, CASP8, CYCS and FAS expression, which are the genes associated with apoptosis in both cell lines. CASP9 and FADD gene levels were significantly elevated only in PANC-1 cells. It was observed that boric acid statistically upregulated the expression of ATF4, HSP47 and XBP1 genes associated with ER stress in both cell lines. In addition, boric acid treatment significantly increased ATF6, CHOP and EIF2A expressions only in PANC-1 cells. Boric acid also caused an increase in GRP78 gene expression in MIA PaCa-2 cells. Colony formation test results illustrated that boric acid significantly suppressed co lony formation capacities in both cell lines.
Conclusion: Boric acid reduced cell viability and colony formation in both human pancreatic cancer cells and changed gene levels in apoptosis and ER stress pathways. Findings suggested that boric acid exhibits anticancer activity in human pancreatic cancer cells v ia ER stress and apoptosis.

Aim: In autologous breast reconstruction, there is pain in the recipient site due to rib cartilage intervention in the postoperative period. In this study, we aimed to reveal the effect of the rib-sparing internal mammarian vessel approach on postoperative pain in breast reconstruction by comparing it with the noncostal-sparing approach.
Patients and Methods: Between 2018 and 2022 twenty five patients underwent surgery were included in the study. Groups were divided according to internal mammary artery(IMA) exposure techniques. Group 1: Patients who underwent rib-sparing surgery(n=9), Group 2: Patients who underwent rib cartilage resection(n=16). Patient Controlled Analgesia(PCA) pump usage time, morphine dose used, and early and late pain scores were noted in both groups in the postoperative period.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 49.8 years. No complications were encountered in the early and late postoperative period. All flap transfers were successful. Mean PCA duration was 24±1.41 hours in group 1 and 26.31±1.62 hours in group 2. The dose of morphine was 9.67±1 mg in group 1 and 23.93±3.02mg in group 2. The early pain score was 2.89±1.16 in group 1 and 5.18±1.22 in group 2. Late pain scores were 2.11±0.98 in group 1 and 2.75±0.77 in group 2.
There was a statistically significant difference between the morphine dose and early pain scores of the groups (p<0.01). There was no significant difference between the duration of PCA use (p=0.3) and late pain scores (p=0.07) (p>0.05).
Conclusion: In conclusion, we think that costal sparing surgery significantly reduces pain in the early period during recipient site preparation in autologous breast r econstruction.

Aim: Thyroid Hormone Receptor Interacting Protein 13 (TRIP13) is a protein involved in spindle-aggregation checkpoint, which plays a role in meiotic recombination. Recent studies have revealed that TRIP13 may be a potential tumor inducer in many cancers, including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). We aimed to investigate the anticancer activity of DCZ0415, a small molecule inhibitor of TRIP13, in U87 human GBM cells in this study.

Materials and Methods: The possible anticancer effect of DCZ0415 on U87 cells was determined by cytotoxicity, colony formation, and apoptosis assays. In addition, the effects of DCZ0415 on mRNA levels of genes which were involved in apoptosis, invasion and Transforming Growth Factor-Beta (TGF-β) signaling pathway were investigated by qRT-PCR analysis.

Results: DCZ0415 inhibited U87 cell proliferation in a dose and time dependent manner. The IC₅₀ dose of DCZ0415 for 48 hours was determined as 19.77 µM in U87 cells. DCZ0415 treatment at this dose induced apoptosis and suppressed colony forming abilities of U87 cells. In addition, DCZ0415 altered mRNA levels of genes associated with apoptosis, invasion and TGF-β signaling pathway, which could lead to anticancer effects.

Conclusion: DCZ0415, an inhibitor of TRIP13 which has been evaluated as a new oncogenic factor in cancer, has an anticancer effect on GBM cells. In this respect, it is thought that TRIP13 may be an important therapeutic target for GBM and DCZ0415 may be considered as an effective inhibitor that causes anticancer effects in GBM cells.

Aim: This study aimed to determine the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients infected with the VOC 202012/01-B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2 and to compare these patients with those infected with other variants of SARS-CoV-2, in order to demonstrate the differences.
Patients and Methods: Records of 671 patients with VOC 202012/01 (B.1.1.7)(VOC+) who tested positive in the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test, between February 2–11, 2021 in Konya Province, and were found to have the VOC 202012/01 (B.1.1.7), according to variant analysis and 2284 (VOC−) patients who also tested positive in the PCR test between the same dates but did not have the variant (VOC−) were screened in the Public Health Administration System of the Turkish Ministry of Health, on February 24, 2021. Age, gender, hospitalization status, and admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) were recorded from the screening results.
Results: There was no statistically significant difference between hospitalization status, according to the presence/absence of the variant (p= 0.234). Of the patients who were variant-positive and those who were not, 1.9% and 3.9% were admitted to the ICU, respectively. The rate of admission to the ICU was significantly higher for patients who were not positive for the variant as compared to those who were (p=0.013).
Conclusıons: In the light of the findings of this study, it is possible to state that SARS-CoV-2 VOC 202012/01(B.1.1.7) is not more dangerous in terms of hospitalization and admission to the ICU.

Aim: Mutations in the DCLRE1C gene result in functional impairment of the Artemis protein and T/B cell development is adversely affected. As a result of this mutation, a clinic of severe combined and combined immunodeficiency (CID) generally occurs. In our region where consanguineous marriage is common, CID cases due to this mutation are frequently encountered. Therefore, suspected patients should be evaluated promptly for the relevant gene mutation. It is clear that more complicated and costly methods are used in the detection of mutations and there is a need for cheaper and faster methods. Therefore, in this study, it was aimed to determine the mutations of DCLRE1C gene exon 3 (c.194C>T; p.T65I) and exon 14 (c.1669_1670insA; p.T577Nfs*21) by using Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length
Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method.
Patients and Methods: The study was carried out between 2017 and 2020 and study included 14 patients followed up with DCLRE1C mutation in our clinic, 2 parents and 10 healthy controls. PCR-RFLP analysis was performed with primers containing mutation sites and approp riate restriction enzymes.
Results: As a result of the analysis, 12 patients were homozygous mutant for DCLRE1C gene exon 3, 2 parents were heterozygous for exon 3, and 2 patients were heterozygous for exon 3 and exon 14 and were found to be compound heterozygous genotype. Mutations were confirmed by Sanger DNA sequencing. Mutations in the relevant region were determined quickly and re liably by the PCR-RFLP method.
Conclusion: The study showed that the PCR-RFLP method is a cheap, safe and fast method that can be used in cases such as family screening, especially for the detection of known mutations in primary immunodeficiencies.

Abstract

Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) is a chronic progressive inflammatory disease that affects 10-30% of patients with psoriasis (PsO). The term "PsA sine psoriasis" is used to describe "patients diagnosed with PsA without skin manifestations". In this study, it was aimed to define the demographic and clinical features of “PsA” “sine psoriasis” according to CASPAR criteria.

Patients and Methods

Twenty-nine patients diagnosed with PsA sine psoriasis according to CASPAR criteria between 2016-2022 were included in the study. Patients with rheumatic diseases and any skin involvement were excluded from the study.

Results

All twenty-nine patients included in the study were diagnosed with PsA according to the CASPAR criteria. 16 of the patients were female. The mean (±SD) age of the patients was 45±11 years. The mean (±SD)  PsA duration of the patients was 6.2±3.0 years. A history of psoriasis in the first-degree relatives of patients with PsA was 54.1%; A history of psoriasis in second-degree relatives was found in 45.9%. 39.4% patients had polyarticular, 35.7% had oligoarticular, 24.9% had axial involvement. DIP involvement was present in 19 (65.5%) of all patients. Nail findings were present in 88.9% of the patients. Besides, enthesitis was detected in 17 (58.6%) and dactylitis was in 18 (62%) of patients.

Conclusion

Patients with clinical symptoms and findings suggestive of PsA and a family history of psoriasis can be classified as PsA sine psoriasis. Patients with dactylitis and DIP arthritis, familial psoriasis may represent a subgroup of PsA.

Porencephaly is a disorder of Central nervous system characterized by cysts/ cavities in the cerebral hemisphere. It has varied clinical manifestations like seizures, paresis, learning disabilities, mental retardation and rarely psychiatric manifestations. Among psychiatric symptoms, psychosis is the most commonly seen manifestation. There have been only few case reports of porencephaly presenting with psychiatric syndromes. Hereby the author discusses a unique case of porencephaly with seizure disorder, organic personality change and agitated depression.