COX-2 as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target in melanoma

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) have recently been identified as key regulators of oxidative stress in several malignancies. The level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) must be constantly regulated to maintain cancer cell proliferation and chemoresistance and to prevent apoptosis. This review will discuss how lncRNAs alter the ROS level in cancer cells. We will first describe the role of lncRNAs in the nuclear factor like 2 (Nrf-2) coordinated antioxidant response of cancer cells. Secondly, we show how lncRNAs can promote the Warburg effect in cancer cells, thus shifting the cancer cell’s “building blocks” towards molecules important in oxidative stress regulation. Lastly, we explain the role that lncRNAs play in ROS-induced cancer cell apoptosis and proliferation.

Tacrolimus has a narrow therapeutic window; a whole-blood trough target concentration of between 5 and 8 ng/mL is considered a safe level for stable kidney transplant recipients. Tacrolimus serum levels must be closely monitored to obtain a balance between maximizing efficacy and minimizing dose-related toxic effects. Currently, there is no specific tacrolimus toxicity biomarker except a graft biopsy. Our study aimed to identify specific serum metabolites correlated with tacrolinemia levels using serum high-precision liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and standard laboratory evaluation. Three machine learning algorithms were used (Naïve Bayes, logistic regression, and Random Forest) in 19 patients with high tacrolinemia (8 ng/mL) and 23 patients with low tacrolinemia (5 ng/mL). Using a selected panel of five lipid metabolites (phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, arachidyl palmitoleate, and ceramide), Mg²⁺, and uric acid, all three machine learning algorithms yielded excellent classification accuracies between the two groups. The highest classification accuracy was obtained by Naïve Bayes, with an area under the curve of 0.799 and a classification accuracy of 0.756. Our results show that using our identified five lipid metabolites combined with Mg²⁺ and uric acid serum levels may provide a novel tool for diagnosing tacrolimus toxicity in kidney transplant recipients. Further validation with targeted MS and biopsy-proven TAC toxicity is needed.

Background: With growing evidence regarding long-term clinical results of left main angioplasty, it has become clear that the gap between percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) and bypass surgery can be narrowed only by improving the PCI technique. While intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) has become routinely used for this subset of lesions, there is still insufficient data regarding the role of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in left main PCI. Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term results of OCT-guided PCI in comparison to angiographical guidance alone. Material and methods: We conducted a retrospective single-center high-volume analysis of patients with left main disease treated by PCI. The primary endpoint was all-cause death. Results and discussion: Between January 2013 and January 2024, we enrolled 221 eligible patients with unprotected left main coronary artery disease treated by PCI; among these, 13.1% were treated by OCT-guided PCI and 86.9% by angiographic-guided PCI. At a median follow up of 30.16 months (interquartile range: 14.3–60 months), Kaplan–Meier survival analysis revealed a significantly higher survival probability in the OCT group compared to the non-OCT group (log-rank p = 0.034), with no significant differences between the groups regarding procedural success rate. In the multivariable Cox proportional hazards model, adjusting for other relevant covariates, OCT was borderline non-significantly independently associated with a 63% reduction in mortality (HR = 0.37, p = 0.063). Conclusions: In our study, OCT-guided PCI was associated with early procedural distinctions and a trend toward improved unadjusted survival in LM PCI. The findings highlight the potential procedural advantages of OCT, as well as the need for larger prospective studies to establish its long-term clinical benefits in left main interventions.

With the advancement of interventional coronary procedures, drug-coated balloons have become an increasingly common alternative to drug-eluting stents in the treatment of various lesions. This paradigm shift stems from several advantages that DCBs entail, including a reduction in stent length burden, the possibility of late vessel positive remodeling, and the preservation of bifurcation anatomy. Conversely, several studies compared the efficacy of DCB treatment to stents or POBA in various scenarios. In this review, we will discuss the areas in which a DCB can be of paramount importance. We will begin by examining the role of DCBs in in-stent restenosis, for which the current practice guidelines do not clearly state the role of this technology, as opposed to the previous ones, in which it was mentioned as a first-line armamentarium. We will then discuss the indications and advantages of using DCBs in de novo lesions, concerning both small and large vessels, with growing emphasis on diffuse lesions. Lastly, we will address the current data on the use of DCBs in special scenarios such as the treatment of chronic total occlusion and left main and bifurcation lesions, without forgetting the primordial role of drug-eluting stents in all these lesions.