Background and purpose: Breast cancer (BC) is one of the major causes of female cancer-related death. It has recently been demonstrated that metabolic reprogramming including alteration in lipid metabolism is indicated in various types of cancer. The enzymes of the acyl-coenzyme A synthetase long-chain family (ACSLs) are responsible for converting fatty acids to their corresponding fatty acyl-coenzyme A esters which are essential for some lipid metabolism pathways. ACSL4 is one of the isoforms of ACSLs and has a marked preference for arachidonic and eicosapentaenoic acids. The objective of this study was to evaluate ACSL4 expression, its prognostic significance, and its correlation with p53 tumor suppressor in BC patients. Experimental approach: In this study 55 pairs of fresh samples of BC and adjacent non-cancerous tissue were used to analyze ACSL4 expression, using real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. The expression of other studied variables was also examined using the IHC technique. Findings / Results: ACSL4 expression was significantly higher in BC tissues compared to the adjacent normal tissue. This upregulation was negatively correlated with Ki-67 and age, and positively correlated with p53 status. The correlation between ACSL4 and p53 may indicate the role of p53 in the regulation of lipid metabolism in cancer cells, in addition to its role in the regulation of ferroptosis cell death. Conclusion and implications: Our results indicated that the expression of ACSL4 may be considered as a prognostic indicator and potential therapeutic target in BC. However, further studies are needed to confirm the significance of these findings.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a leading cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease worldwide, particularly among individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Early detection and intervention are crucial in slowing the progression of DN and improving patient outcomes. Traditional diagnostic methods, such as the measurement of albuminuria and serum creatinine, often fail to detect early renal damage because structural kidney damage may occur before albumin excretion. This systematic review aims to evaluate the diagnostic value of various urinary and serum biomarkers in the early detection of DN in patients with T2DM. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. We only considered studies involving human populations for inclusion in our analysis. Animal and in vitro studies were excluded from our review. Our analysis of 17 observational studies identified several key serum biomarkers, such as netrin-1, osteopontin, adiponectin, and specific cytokines (e.g., IL-6, IL-8), which show significant promise for early detection of DN. Urinary biomarkers, including neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), transferrin, N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), and various cytokines, have also proven to be reliable indicators. The combination of both serum and urinary biomarkers may enhance diagnostic accuracy and enable earlier intervention. Additionally, incorporating genetic and mRNA markers could provide a more comprehensive approach to early DN detection. Implementing these biomarkers in clinical practice could significantly improve outcomes for patients with DN by facilitating early diagnosis and timely management.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD), particularly coronary artery disease (CAD), constitutes the leading cause of death across the world. They are responsible for the highest mortality rate in Iran. The traditional risk factors for CAD are smoking, obesity, hypertension, family history, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia. Furthermore, enhanced oxidative stress is known as a novel risk factor for CAD. Objectives: The associations of oxidative and antioxidative markers were investigated relative to the occurrence and severity of CAD. Methods: A total of 286 participants, including 141 males and 145 females aged 30 - 70, were classified as CAD case and control groups, based on their coronary angiography results. The CAD severity scoring was done based on the number and extent of lesions in coronary arteries. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was assayed using the ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) method. Meantime, malondialdehyde (MDA) was measured as a lipid peroxidation product. Results: The results demonstrated a significant increase in SOD activity (P = 0.019) and the uric acid concentration (P = 0.000) of CAD patients compared to the control group. Although no change was seen in GPx and CAT activity, as well as FRAP and MDA, a significant positive correlation was found between CAT and SOD activity (P = 0.011) and between FRAP and uric acid (P = 0.000) levels. Conclusions: The results suggest that some antioxidants are significantly associated with the severity of CAD, thereby helping predict the risk of cardiovascular events. However, extra studies are needed to endorse the significance of these findings.