Although hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA may be eliminated from blood circulation by direct-acting antivirals (DAA) therapy as assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), HCV RNA can still be present in liver tissue, and this is known as occult HCV. There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after DAA treatment of hepatic cells infected with chronic HCV. One of the main risk factors that leads to de novo HCC is the chronicity of HCV in hepatic cells. There are many studies regarding the progression of HCV-infected hepatic cells to HCC. However, there is a lack of research on the different molecular mechanisms that lead to the progression of chronic HCV infection to HCC, as well as on the effect of HCV on the alteration of DNA ploidy, which eventually leads to a recurrence of HCC after DAA treatment. In this review article, we will address some risk factors that could lead to the development/recurrence of HCC after treatment of HCV with DAA therapy, such as the role of liver cirrhosis, the alteration of DNA ploidy, the reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV), the role of cytokines and the alteration of the immune system, concomitant non- alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), obesity, alcohol consumption and also occult HCV infection/co-infection. Clinicians should be cautious considering that full eradication of hepatocarcinogenesis cannot be successfully accomplished by anti-HCV treatment alone.

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in genes encoding drug-metabolizing enzymes (DME) could have a critical role in individual responses to anastrozole. Frequency of CYP3A4*1B, CYP3A5*3 and UGT1A4*2 SNPs in 126 Croatian breast cancer (BC) patients and possible association with anastrozole-induced undesirable side effects were analyzed. Eighty-two postmenopausal patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive BC treated with anastrozole and 44 postmenopausal ER-positive BC patients before hormonal adjuvant therapy were included in the study. Genomic DNA was genotyped by TaqMan Real-Time PCR. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The homozygotes for the variant G allele of CYP3A5*3 were predominant (88%), and the homozygotes for the reference A allele were not detected. While homozygotes for the variant G allele of CYP3A4*1B were not detected, predominantly wild type homozygotes for A allele (94%) were present. CYP3A4*1B and CYP3A5*3 SNPs were in 84.3% linkage disequilibrium (D’ = 0.843) and 95.1% (D’ = 0.951) in group treated with anastrozole and w/o treatment, respectively. Homozygotes for the A allele of UGT1A4*2 were not detected in our study groups. Although the variant CYP3A5*3 allele, which might result in poor metabolizer phenotype and more pronounced side effects, was predominant, significant association with BMD changes induced by anastrozole were not confirmed.

Background and Objectives: Peptic ulcer disease is a chronic disease affecting up to 10% of the world’s population. Proton pump inhibitors, such as lansoprazole are the gold standard in the treatment of ulcer disease. However, various studies have shown the effectiveness of garlic oil extracts in the treatment of ulcer disease. A cellular model can be established in the human gastric cell line by sodium taurocholate. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of garlic oil extracts pretreatment and LPZ addition in the cell culture model of peptic ulcer disease by examining oxidative stress and F-actin distribution. Materials and Methods: Evaluation was performed by determination of glutathione and prostaglandin E2 concentrations by ELISA; human gastric cell line proliferation by cell counting; expression of ATP-binding cassette, sub-family G, member 2; nuclear factor kappa B subunit 2 by RT PCR; and F-actin cytoskeleton visualization by semi-quantification of Rhodamine Phalloidin stain. Results: Our results showed significant reduction of cell damage after sodium taurocholate incubation when the gastric cells were pretreated with lansoprazole (p < 0.001) and increasing concentrations of garlic oil extracts (p < 0.001). Pretreatment with lansoprazole and different concentrations of garlic oil extracts increased prostaglandin E2 and glutathione concentrations in the cell culture model of peptic ulcer disease (p < 0.001). Positive correlation of nuclear factor kappa B subunit 2 (p < 0.01) with lansoprazole and garlic oil extracts pretreatment was seen, while ATP-binding cassette, sub-family G, member 2 expression was not changed. Treatment with sodium taurocholate as oxidative stress on F actin structure was less pronounced, although the highest concentration of garlic oil extracts led to a statistically significant increase of total amount of F-actin (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Hence, pretreatment with garlic oil extracts had gastroprotective effect in the cell model of peptic ulcer disease. However, further experiments are needed to fully elucidate the mechanism of this protective role.

Breast sonoelastography is a relatively novel ultrasound (US) method that enables estimation of tissue stiffness to estimate the elasticity of normal breast tissue and seek to correlate it with well-known breast cancer risk factors. Two hundred women of different age were included in the study and completed a questionnaire about personal, familiar, and reproductive history. Glandular and fatty tissue elasticity in all breast quadrants was measured by shear wave elastography (SWE). Mean elastographic values of breast tissue were calculated and compared to personal history risk factors. Elasticity of normal glandular tissue (66.4 kilopascals (kPa)) was higher than fatty tissue (26.1 kPa) in all breast quadrants and in both breasts. Lower outer quadrant (LOQ) had the lowest elasticity values of both parenchyma and fat. Higher elasticity values of breast tissue were confirmed in the left breast than in the right breast. Glandular and fat tissue elasticity negatively correlated with body mass index (BMI). Women with mastodynia had higher glandular elastographic values compared to subjects without breast pain. Nuliparity was also associated with higher elasticity of glandular breast tissue. The results of this study are promising and could, over time, contribute to a better understanding of glandular breast tissue elasticity as a potential risk factor for breast cancer.

Urolithiasis is a multifactorial disease with a high incidence and high recurrence rate, characterized by formation of solid deposits in the urinary tract. The most common type of these stones are calcium oxalate stones. Calcium oxalate crystals can, in hyperoxaluric states, interact with renal epithelial cells, causing injury to the renal epithelia. Pathogenesis of urolithiasis is widely investigated, but underlying mechanisms are still not completely clarified. In vitro models offer insight into molecular processes which lead to renal stone formation and are significant for evaluation of prophylactic and therapeutic management of patients with urolithiasis. In this review, we summarize recently published data from in vitro studies investigating interactions of calcium oxalate crystals with renal epithelial cell lines, anti-urolithiatic mechanisms, and the results from studies exploring possible therapeutic and prophylactic options for calcium oxalate urolithiasis in cell cultures.

Liver fibrosis represents a response to chronic liver injury. Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis are the most common chronic liver diseases, both with increasing incidence. Therefore, there is a great impetus for development of agents targeting these conditions. Accumulating data on possible treatment options for liver fibrosis are emerging in the literature. However, despite extensive research and much effort in the field, approved agents for liver fibrosis are still lacking. In this critical review, we have summarized the main data about specific treatment options for liver fibrosis gained from ongoing clinical trials, with an emphasis on efficacy and safety of these agents.