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Abstract Background Several studies have shown overexpression of leptin in microarray experiments in pre-eclampsia (PE) and in hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets (HELLP) syndrome. We decided to study four leptin receptor (LEPR) SNP polymorphisms in HELLP syndrome patients by using quantitative real-time PCR and melting curve analysis. Methods DNA was isolated from blood samples from 83 normotensive pregnant women and 75 HELLP syndrome patients. Four SNPs, LEPR c.326A>G (K109), LEPR c.668A>G (Q223R), LEPR c.1968G>C (K656N) and LEPR c.3024A>G (S1008) were determined by quantitative real-time PCR and melting curve analysis. Investigators were blinded to clinical outcomes. Results LEPR c.326A>G, LEPR c.668A>G, LEPR c.1968G>C and LEPR c.3024A>G allele, genotype and haplotype polymorphisms were not different in HELLP syndrome patients and normotensive healthy pregnants. There were strong linkage disequilibrium (LD) between loci c.326A>G and c.6687A>G (D' = 0.974), and c.668A>G and c.1968G>C (D' = 0.934), and c.326A>G and c.1968G>C (D' = 0.885), and c.1968G>C and c.3024A>G (D' = 1.0). However, linkages of c.3024A>G with c.668A>G (D' = 0.111) and c.326A>G (D' = 0.398) were weak. The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was observed for all polymorphisms. However the LEPR c.326A>G AG genotype was twice more frequent and the (AG AG GG AG) haplotype was three times more frequent in HELLP syndrome patients. The introduced quantitative real-time PCR combined with melting curve analysis is a fast and reliable method for the determination of LEPR SNPs. Conclusion Although certain LEPR haplotypes are more frequent in HELLP syndrome, we conclude that there is no compelling evidence that the four studied LEPR SNP polymorphisms associated with the development of HELLP syndrome.

Both esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESQCC) and adenocarcinoma (EAC) are known to have poor prognosis. We aimed to investigate the invasion front areas of 57 ESQCC and 43 EAC cases to find histological signs of metastatic progression. Tumor cell clusters with different cell counts, including tumor buds (TBs) and poorly differentiated clusters (PDCs), were assessed. The presence of the recently described Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Area (SARIFA) phenomenon, which defines a direct contact between tumor cells and adipocytes, was more frequently observed in EAC than in ESQCC ( p = 0.004). In adenocarcinomas, a higher prevalence of SARIFA was observed in tumors with a higher number of small clusters (TBs and small PDCs; p < 0.001); furthermore, both the high number of TBs ( p = 0.016) and the presence of SARIFA ( p = 0.001) correlated with a higher pT stage. SARIFA positivity in EAC ( p = 0.011) and high TB in ESQCC ( p = 0.0006) were found to be independent prognostic factors for lymph node metastases. Moreover, in ESQCC, the higher absolute number of both TBs and PDCs was associated with shorter overall survival ( p = 0.0269 and p = 0.0377, respectively). Our results suggest that the histological subtypes of esophageal cancer behave differently, namely, that different features of the invasion front are of prognostic significance.

Objective: The outcome and prognosis of apparently similar cases of epithelial ovarian cancers with the same histology and stage is highly variable. The objective was to compare survival and prognostic factors of patients treated at the 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Semmelweis University between 1993-2003 with the similar data of the 25th Annual Report on the Results of Treatment in Gynecological Cancer of FIGO. In addition, the aim was to assess the prognostic value of MMP activities and fibronectin concentration in ovarian tumour patients., Methods: The 25th Annual Report of FIGO included 5694 patients with ovarian tumours from 32 countries diagnosed and treated between 1995 and 1998. Hungary did not participate in this report. Between 1993 and 2003, 180 patients with common epithelial ovarian tumours had been treated at the 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Semmelweis University. Treatment and survival data derived from medical record review and from the Population Register Office. In order to compare different prognostic factors, a multivariate Cox proportional regression analysis was performed. The authors measured MMP activities in 33 surgically removed ovarian tumours, serum and ascites by applying zymographic technique. Fibronectin content was determined by Western blot analysis and quantitated by densitometry., Results: The 5-year survival was 90.0% and 30.9% in the case of ovarian tumours with low malignant potential and of epithelial ovarian cancers, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified adverse prognostic factors including advanced age (>60 years) and stage, high grade and suboptimal operation with residual macroscopic disease and the presence of ascites. However, the histological type was not identified to be an adverse prognostic factor in this study. No correlation could be seen between the histology of the ovarian tumours and the elevation of MMP-2/9 activity. More interestingly, however, MMP-9 expression and fibronectin concentration were significantly elevated and the activated forms of both MMP-9 and MMP-2 were more frequent in ovarian cancer patients who developed recurrent disease., Conclusion: A great deal of effort should be devoted to identification of further prognostic factors to improve treatment of ovarian cancer. These prognostic factors might help to identify those ovarian cancer patients at the time of diagnosis whose disease will have unfavourable outcome. Our data support the notion that high expression of MMP-9 and fibronectin indicates poor prognosis of ovarian cancer patients.