Artículos originales

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14703/47

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 406

Prevalence of H. pylori Infection in Relatives of Peruvian Patients with Gastric Cancer
(Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Care, 2021) Castillo, Miluska; Bernabe, Luis A.; Castaneda, Carlos A.; Suarez, Nancy; Barreda, Fernando; Valdivia, Daniel; Ruiz, Eloy; Nieves, Jais; Dias-Neto, Emmanuel; Landa-Baella, Maria; Montano-Flores, Jennifer; Chavez, Ivan
bjective: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in relatives and patients with gastric cancer (GC). Methods: H. pylori infection was evaluated by the breath urease test in 171 relatives and by qPCR technique in gastric tissue of 61 patients (n=45 for GC and n=16 for non-GC). Results: There were included 137 relatives of GC patients and 34 of non-GC. The median age of the relatives of patients with a gastric tissue sample was 39 years (10-86). Infection was found in 60.2% (n=103) relatives. There were no higher H. pylori infection rates in relatives of patients with gastric cancer (62% vs 62.9%, p=0.33), H. pylori infection (60% vs 60%, p=0.96), or metaplasia (58.8% vs 61.8%, p=0.71). Conclusion: The prevalence of infection in relatives of GC patients is high in our population but not associated with H. pylori presence in the paired case
Natural Occurrence of Mycotoxin-Producing Fusaria in Market-Bought Peruvian Cereals: A Food Safety Threat for Andean Populations
(MDPI, 2021) Ducos, Christine; Pinson-Gadais, Laetitia; Chereau, Sylvain; Richard-Forget, Florence; Vásquez-Ocmín, Pedro; Cerapio, Juan Pablo; Casavilca-Zambrano, Sandro; Ruiz, Eloy; Pineau, Pascal; Bertani, Stéphane; Ponts, Nadia
Consumption of cereals contaminated by mycotoxins poses health risks. For instance, Fumonisins B, mainly produced by Fusarium verticillioides and Fusarium proliferatum, and the type B trichothecene deoxynivalenol, typically produced by Fusarium graminearum, are highly prevalent on cereal grains that are staples of many cultural diets and known to represent a toxic risk hazard. In Peru, corn and other cereals are frequently consumed on a daily basis under various forms, the majority of food grains being sold through traditional markets for direct consumption. Here, we surveyed mycotoxin contents of market-bought grain samples in order to assess the threat these mycotoxins might represent to Peruvian population, with a focus on corn. We found that nearly one sample of Peruvian corn out of six was contaminated with very high levels of Fumonisins, levels mostly ascribed to the presence of F. verticillioides. Extensive profiling of Peruvian corn kernels for fungal contaminants could provide elements to refine the potential risk associated with Fusarium toxins and help define adapted food safety standards.
Metallomic profile in non-cirrhotic hepatocellular carcinoma supports a phenomenon of metal metabolism adaptation in tumor cells
(Nature, 2021) Cano, Luis; Bertani, Stéphane; Island, Marie-Laure; Cerapio, Juan Pablo; Ruiz, Eloy; Pineau, Pascal; Monbet, Valérie; Boudjema, Karim; Taxa, Luis; Casavilca-Zambrano, Sandro; Ropert, Martine; Turlin, Bruno; Loréal, Olivier
We have previously described a form of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in non-cirrhotic liver (HCC-NC) developed by Peruvian patients. We analyzed the metallomic profile in hepatic tissues from two independent cohorts exhibiting HCC-NC. Clinical, histopathological data, and HCC and non-tumoral liver (NTL) samples of 38 Peruvian and 38 French HCC-NC patients, were studied. Twelve metals were quantified using ICP/MS: Mn, Fe, Cu, Co, Zn, As, Se, Rb, Mo, Cd, Pb, and Sn. Associations between metals and survival were assessed. Our data showed significant differences between cohorts. Mean ages were 40.6 ± 20, 67.5 ± 9 years old for Peruvians and French, respectively. Fifty percent of the Peruvian patients were positive for the HBsAg, versus 3% in French patients. Mn, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Rb, Mo, Cd, Sn metal concentrations were higher in NTL of Peruvians. Importantly, metal concentrations were lower in HCC areas compared to NTL tissues in both cohorts, except for Cu for which mean concentration was higher in HCC (p < 0.05). Se concentration in HCC was associated with extended survival only in Peruvians. Our data, obtained in Peruvian and French HCC-NC cohorts, highlights similarity in the metallomic profile of HCC compared to NTL during the hepatic tumorigenesis in these specific groups of patients.
Level of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and density of infiltrating immune cells in different malignancies
(Publmed, 2019) Castañeda, Carlos A.; Castillo, Miluska; Aliaga, Karina; Bernabé, Luis A.; Casavilca, Sandro; Sánchez, Joselyn; Torres-Cabala, Carlos A.; Gómez , Henry L.; Mas, Luis; Dunstan, Jorge; Cotrina, José M; Abugattas, Julio; Chávez, Iván; Ruiz, Eloy; Montenegro, Paola; Rojas, Víctor; Orrego, Enrique; Gálvez-Nino, Marco; Félix , Brayam; Landa-Baella, María P.; Vidaurre, Tatiana; Villa, María R; Zevallos, Rocío; Taxa, Luis; Guerra, Henry; Jorge Luis
Aim: To correlate levels of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) evaluated using the International Immuno-Oncology Biomarker Working Group methodology, and both density of tumor-infiltrating immune cell and clinicopathological features in different malignancies. Methods: 209 pathological samples from gastric cancer, cervical cancer (CC), non-small-lung cancer, cutaneous melanoma (CM) and glioblastoma were tested for TIL in hematoxylin eosin, and density of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD20+, CD68+ and CD163+ cells by digital analysis. Results: TIL levels were higher in invasive margin compartments (IMC). TIL in IMC, intratumoral and stromal compartments predicted survival. CC and gastric cancer had higher TIL in intratumoral; CC and CM had higher TIL in stromal compartment and IMC. CM had the highest density of lymphocyte and macrophage populations. CD20 density was associated with survival in the whole series. Conclusion: Standardized evaluation of TIL levels may provide valuable prognostic information in a spectrum of different malignancies.
Latin American Study of Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer LACAM: A Genomic Epidemiology Approach
(Publmed, 2019) Oliver, Javier; Quezada Urban, Rosalía; Franco Corté, Claudia Alejandra; Díaz Velásquez, Clara Estela; Montealegre Paez, Ana Lorena; Pacheco-Orozco, Rafael Adrián; Castro Rojas , Carlos; García-Robles, Reggie; López Rivera, Juan Javier; Gaitán Chaparro , Sandra; Milena Gómez, Ana; Suarez Obando, Fernando; Giraldo, Gustavo; Maya , Maria Isabel; Hurtado-Villa, Paula; Sanchez, Ana Isabel; Serrano , Norma; Orduz Galvis , Ana Isabel; Aruachan, Sandra; Nuñez Castillo, Johanna; Frecha, Cecilia; Riggi, Cecilia; Jauk, Federico; Gómez García, Eva María; Carranza, Claudia Lorena; Zamora, Vanessa; Torres Mejía, Gabriela; Romieu, Isabelle; Castañeda, Carlos Arturo; Castillo, Miluska; Gitler, Rina; Antoniano, Adriana; Rojas Jiménez, Ernesto; Romero Cruz, Luis Enrique; Vallejo Lecuona, Fernando; Delgado Enciso, Iván; Martínez Rizo, Abril Bernardette; Flores Carranza, Alejandro; Benites Godinez, Verónica; Méndez Catalá, Claudia Fabiola; Herrera, Luis Alonso; Irasema Chirino, Yolanda; Terrazas, Luis Ignacio; Perdomo, Sandra; Vaca Paniagua , Felipe
Purpose: Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) syndrome is responsible for ~5-10% of all diagnosed breast and ovarian cancers. Breast cancer is the most common malignancy and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women in Latin America (LA). The main objective of this study was to develop a comprehensive understanding of the genomic epidemiology of HBOC throughout the establishment of The Latin American consortium for HBOC-LACAM, consisting of specialists from 5 countries in LA and the description of the genomic results from the first phase of the study. Methods: We have recruited 403 individuals that fulfilled the criteria for HBOC from 11 health institutions of Argentina, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico and Peru. A pilot cohort of 222 individuals was analyzed by NGS gene panels. One hundred forty-three genes were selected on the basis of their putative role in susceptibility to different hereditary cancers. Libraries were sequenced in MiSeq (Illumina, Inc.) and PGM (Ion Torrent-Thermo Fisher Scientific) platforms. Results: The overall prevalence of pathogenic variants was 17% (38/222); the distribution spanned 14 genes and varied by country. The highest relative prevalence of pathogenic variants was found in patients from Argentina (25%, 14/57), followed by Mexico (18%, 12/68), Guatemala (16%, 3/19), and Colombia (13%, 10/78). Pathogenic variants were found in BRCA1 (20%) and BRCA2 (29%) genes. Pathogenic variants were found in other 12 genes, including high and moderate risk genes such as MSH2, MSH6, MUTYH, and PALB2. Additional pathogenic variants were found in HBOC unrelated genes such as DCLRE1C, WRN, PDE11A, and PDGFB. Conclusion: In this first phase of the project, we recruited 403 individuals and evaluated the germline genetic alterations in an initial cohort of 222 patients among 4 countries. Our data show for the first time in LA the distribution of pathogenic variants in a broad set of cancer susceptibility genes in HBOC. Even though we used extended gene panels, there was still a high proportion of patients without any detectable pathogenic variant, which emphasizes the larger, unexplored genetic nature of the disease in these populations.
Herbal Medicine Practices of Patients With Liver Cancer in Peru: A Comprehensive Study Toward Integrative Cancer Management
(Publmed, 2018) Rojas Rojas, Teresa; Bourdy, Geneviève; Ruiz , Eloy; Cerapio, Juan-Pablo; Pineau, Pascal; Gardon , Jacques; Doimi, Franco; Deparis, Javier; Deharo, Eric; Bertani, Stéphane
Rationale: The highest burden of liver cancer occurs in developing countries, where the use of herbal medicine (HM) is still widespread. Despite this trend, few studies have been conducted to report HM practices of patients with a hepatic tumor in the developing world. Hence, this study aimed to document the use of HM among patients with liver cancer in Peru.
Emergence and spread of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii international clones II and III in Lima, Peru
(Publmed, 2018) Levy-Blitchtein, Saúl; Roca, Ignasi; Plasencia-Rebata, Stefany; Vicente-Taboada, William; Velásquez-Pomar , Jorge; Muñoz, Laura; Moreno-Morales, Javier; Pons, Maria J; Del Valle-Mendoza, Juana; Vila, Jordi
Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii is the top-ranked pathogen in the World Health Organization priority list of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. It emerged as a global pathogen due to the successful expansion of a few epidemic lineages, or international clones (ICs), producing acquired class D carbapenemases (OXA-type). During the past decade, however, reports regarding IC-I isolates in Latin America are scarce and are non-existent for IC-II and IC-III isolates. This study evaluates the molecular mechanisms of carbapenem resistance and the epidemiology of 80 non-duplicate clinical samples of A. baumannii collected from February 2014 through April 2016 at two tertiary care hospitals in Lima. Almost all isolates were carbapenem-resistant (97.5%), and susceptibility only remained high for colistin (95%). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showed two main clusters spread between both hospitals: cluster D containing 51 isolates (63.8%) associated with sequence type 2 (ST2) and carrying OXA-72, and cluster F containing 13 isolates (16.3%) associated with ST79 and also carrying OXA-72. ST2 and ST79 were endemic in at least one of the hospitals. ST1 and ST3 OXA-23-producing isolates were also identified. They accounted for sporadic hospital isolates. Interestingly, two isolates carried the novel OXA-253 variant of OXA-143 together with an upstream novel insertion sequence (ISAba47). While the predominant A. baumannii lineages in Latin America are linked to ST79, ST25, ST15, and ST1 producing OXA-23 enzymes, we report the emergence of highly resistant ST2 (IC-II) isolates in Peru producing OXA-72 and the first identification of ST3 isolates (IC-III) in Latin America, both considered a serious threat to public health worldwide.
Detection of Helicobacter pylori in gastric cancer tissue through histopathology, immunohistochemistry and real-time reverse transcription-PCR
(Publmed, 2020) Castaneda, Carlos A; Castillo, Miluska; Sanchez, Joselyn; Casavilca, Sandro; Sanchez, Juvenal; Bernabe, Luis A; Suarez, Nancy; Chavez, Ivan; Ruiz, Eloy; Tello, Katherine; Villa, Maria R; Zevallos, Rocio; Montenegro, Paola; Dias-Neto, Emmanuel; Landa-Baella, Maria; Taxa, Luis
Aim:Helicobacter pylori is usually detected based on hematoxylin-eosin (H-E) features, but, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and real-time PCR (RT-PCR) are more precise in chronic-gastritis. We evaluated the relevance of these tests in Peruvian gastric cancer samples. Materials & methods: We performed and evaluated H-E, IHC staining and RT-PCR in 288 gastric tumors. Slides were independently evaluated by three pathologists. Results:H. pylori was detected in 167/287 through H-E, 140/288 through IHC and 175/288 through RT-PCR, and positive-status were associated (p < 0.001). H. pylori detection by H-E had a good concordance with IHC (kappa index = 0.632) but poor with RT-PCR (kappa index = 0.317). Higher median gene-copies were found in high H. pylori density through H-E or IHC (p < 0.001). Conclusion: H-E evaluation is accurate in gastric cancer, and IHC and RT-PCR can complement its results.
Concurrent Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells and Circulating Tumor DNA in Triple-negative Breast Cancer
(Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Care, 2021) Gomez, Henry L.; Castaneda, Carlos A.; Castillo, Miluska; Reuben, James; Gao, Hui; Suarez, Nnacy; Bernabe, Luis A.; Cotrina, Jose M.; Dunstan, Jorge; Velarde, Marco; Abugattas, Julio; Guerra, Henry
Objective: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) provide tumor information in breast cancer. Our objective was to characterize CTCs, and contrasted them with ctDNA PIK3CA mutation in 24 triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Methods: CTCs genes were characterized by AdnaTest protocol and ctDNA by digital PCR. Results: We found CTCs genes in 37.5% and ctDNA PIK3CA mutations in 29.16%. Three cases with CTCs genes had concurrent ctDNA PIK3CA mutations. MUC1 or GA733-2 were found in 4 cases, and 3 of them had concurrent ctDNA PIK3CA. CTCs ALDH1/TWIST1 were found in 2 cases, AKT2 in one and PI3Kα in another, and none had concurrent ctDNA PIK3CA mutations. There was no correlation between CTCs and ctDNA detection. All 3 cases with CTC & cDNA concurrent finding underwent death during follow-up. Conclusion: Infrequent concurrent detection of CTC and ctDNA presence suggests that both represent independent processes in TNBC patients, and could identify worst prognosis cases.
Concurrent Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells and Circulating Tumor DNA in Triple-negative Breast Cancer
(Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Care, 2021) Gomez, Henry L.; Castaneda, Carlos A.; Castillo, Miluska; Reuben, James; Gao, Hui; Suarez, Nnacy; Bernabe, Luis A.; Cotrina, Jose M.; Dunstan, Jorge; Velarde, Marco; Abugattas, Julio; Guerra, Henry
Objective: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) provide tumor information in breast cancer. Our objective was to characterize CTCs, and contrasted them with ctDNA PIK3CA mutation in 24 triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Methods: CTCs genes were characterized by AdnaTest protocol and ctDNA by digital PCR. Results: We found CTCs genes in 37.5% and ctDNA PIK3CA mutations in 29.16%. Three cases with CTCs genes had concurrent ctDNA PIK3CA mutations. MUC1 or GA733-2 were found in 4 cases, and 3 of them had concurrent ctDNA PIK3CA. CTCs ALDH1/TWIST1 were found in 2 cases, AKT2 in one and PI3Kα in another, and none had concurrent ctDNA PIK3CA mutations. There was no correlation between CTCs and ctDNA detection. All 3 cases with CTC & cDNA concurrent finding underwent death during follow-up. Conclusion: Infrequent concurrent detection of CTC and ctDNA presence suggests that both represent independent processes in TNBC patients, and could identify worst prognosis cases.
Class D carbapenemases in clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii
(Revista Peruana de Medicina Experimental y Salud Pública, 2020) Yauri-Condor, Katherine; Zavaleta Apestegui, Milagros; Sevilla-Andrade, Carlos Raúl; Villoslado Espinoza, Claudia; Vicente Taboada, William; Gonzales-Escalante, Edgar
Los hallazgos sugieren que A. baumanniiMDR productor de carbapenemasas clase D circula en el INEN||sin embargo, la informaciÃ³n de su distribuciÃ³n e impacto en el paÃs es limitada. Por lo tanto, deben realizarse estudios de epi-demiologÃa molecular para desarrollar estrategias de control y manejo de las IAAS asociadas a A. baumannii.
Cancer research in Latin America, 2014-2019, and its disease burden
(EManuscript Services, 2021) Lewison, Grant; Owen, Gareth I.; Gómez, Henry; Cazap, Eduardo; Murillo, Raúl; Unger‐Saldaña, Karla; Dreyer, Marisa; Tieko Tsunoda, Audrey; Jiménez de la Jara, Jorge
There is little available information on cancer research overall in Latin American and Caribbean countries, and on its relationship with the disease burden from cancer, which is increasing as a proportion of the total. We identified cancer research papers in the Web of Science from 2014-19. Outputs of the region on anatomical cancer sites were compared with the relative disease burden from these cancers. Outputs of individual countries were compared with their wealth and their disease burden from cancer. Their usage and impact on other researchers were determined from U2, a new usage indicator, citation counts over three years (C0-2), and the impact factor of the journals in which they were published (JIF). In 2014-19, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay published twice the amounts expected from the Latin American trend-line, but much less than European countries, relative to their Gross Domestic Products (GDPs). Most countries under-researched cancer relative to its burden. Lung, pancreatic and oesophageal cancers were relatively neglected. Less populous countries' research was of high impact, principally due to international collaboration with larger nations. Latin American research funding was dominated by the public sector. Current research orientation and funding is insufficient to combat the growing cancer burden in Latin America. This reflects the lack of research funding overall, relative to the countries' GDPs. The paucity of private-non-profit support needs to be addressed with policies to encourage public donations, and the endowment of foundations. There is also a need to improve the infrastructure for clinical trials.
Biological characteristics of a sub-population of cancer stem cells from two triple-negative breast tumour cell lines
(Heliyon, 2021) Enciso-Benavides, J; Alfaro, L; Castañeda-Altamirano, C; Rojas, N; Gonzalez-Cabeza, J; Enciso, N; Riesco, F; Castillo, M; Enciso, J
Triple-negative breast tumours (TNBTs) make up 15-20% of all breast tumours. There is no treatment for them, and the role that cancer stem cells (CSCs) have in carcinogenesis is still unclear, so finding markers and therapeutic targets in CSC exosomes requires these cells to exist as a homogeneous cell population. The objective of this work was to determine differences in ultrastructural morphology, proliferative capacity, and mouse-xenotransplantation characteristics of the MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-436 TNBT cell lines with the CD44 high /CD24 low phenotype in order to study their exosomes. The results show that the CD44 high /CD24 low MBA-MB-231 cells had a population doubling time of 41.56 h, compared to 44.79 h in the MDA-MB-436 cell line. After magnetic immunoseparation, 18.75% and 14.56% of the stem cell population of the MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-436 cell lines, respectively, were of the CD44 high /CD24 low phenotype, which were expanded to reach purities of 80.4% and 87.6%. The same expanded lineage in both cell lines was shown to possess the pluripotency markers Nanog and Oct4. Under a scanning electron microscope, the CD44 high /CD24 low lineage of the MBA-MD-231 cell line formed groups of more interconnected cells than this lineage of the MBA-MD-436 line. A total of 16% of the mice inoculated with the CD44 high /CD24 low lineage of either cell line presented tumours of the breast, lung, and submandibular ganglia, in whose tissues variable numbers of inoculated cells were found 30 days post-inoculation. By magnetic immunoselection, it was possible to isolate in similar quantities and characterize, expand, and xenotransplant the CD44 high /CD24 low lineage of the MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-436 cell lines. The former cell line has greater proliferative capacity, the two lines differ under scanning electron microscopy in how they intercommunicate, and both cell lines induce new tumours in mice and persist at least 30 days post-inoculation in the transplanted animal so their exosomes would also be different.
Factors associated with accepting chemotherapy despite the risk of fertility loss in Latin American breast cancer patients—LACOG 0414 study
(Sage Publications, 2025) Werutsky, Gustavo; Villarreal-Garza, Cynthia; Gomez, Henry L.; Campos-Gómez, Saúl; Ortiz Reyes, Rosa; Liedke, Pedro E. R.; Reinert, Tomás; Dybal, Vanessa; Martinez-Mesa, Jeovany; Nunes Filho, Paulo Ricardo; Gomes de Jesus, Rafaela; Zaffaroni, Facundo; Silva Garcia, Vitória; Fauth Seibel, Mariana; Barrios, Pablo; Soares Rocha, Matheus; Barrios, Carlos H.
Background: Fertility loss due to chemotherapy is a major concern for young patients with breast cancer (BC), influencing treatment decisions and quality of life. Despite established guidelines recommending fertility counseling, access to fertility preservation remains limited in Latin America. Objectives: This study evaluated attitudes and preferences regarding fertility-related concerns and chemotherapy decision-making among young Latin American women with early-stage BC. Design: A prospective cohort study was conducted at seven institutions in Brazil, Mexico, and Peru. Methods: Premenopausal women aged 18–40years with stage I–III BC requiring (neo) adjuvant chemotherapy completed a fertility questionnaire before treatment, along with validated quality-of-life assessments (EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-BR23). One year after chemotherapy initiation, the patients were reassessed for ovarian function status and quality of life. Factors associated with chemotherapy acceptance despite potential infertility risks were analyzed using univariate and multivariate Poisson regression models. Results: A total of 270 patients were included (mean age, 33.9years). Prior to diagnosis, 41.5% of the women had children, and 31.1% expressed a desire for future childbearing. Among the participants, 8.5% were unaware of chemotherapy-induced infertility risks, 21.5% would decline chemotherapy if the infertility risk exceeded 25%, and 20.0% would accept treatment despite a 76%–100% infertility risk. In addition, 44.1% of patients required at least a 20% increase in survival probability to accept chemotherapy. In the multivariate analysis, married patients were significantly less likely to refuse chemotherapy (risk ratio: 0.88, 95% confidence interval: 0.82–0.94; p<0.01). One year post-treatment, 73.1% of the patients experienced chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea. Conclusion: Fertility concerns significantly impact chemotherapy decision-making in young Latin American patients with BC. Limited fertility awareness, socioeconomic disparities, and restricted access to fertility preservation contribute to these challenges. Strengthening fertility counseling and improving access to preservation options are essential for supporting informed treatment decisions in this population.
Chilean Biobanks: A Snapshot of the Current Landscape
(Mary Ann Lieber, 2025) Iskra A. , Signore; Romero, Diego I.; Donoso, Gerardo; Selman, Carolina; Espinosa-Parrilla, Yolanda; Fuentes-Guajardo, Macarena; Bambs, Claudia; Alcalde, Elisa; Calderón, Alejandra; Corvalán, Camila; Casavilca-Zambrano, Sandro; Roa, Juan Carlos; Colombo, Alicia
Latin America hosts extraordinary biological diversity but remains underrepresented in global biomedical research, underscoring the need for robust biobanking infrastructures. This work provides an updated snapshot of Chilean biobanks, based on a national survey exploring their current capacities and challenges. Nine active biobanks were identified across 5 of Chile’s 16 regions, the majority concentrated in Santiago. Collectively, they store over 640,000 biospecimens from nearly 49,000 participants, predominantly oncological. While standardized protocols for sample management are broadly implemented by Chilean biobanks, data management practices are not yet well-developed, as only a few centers have adopted internationally recognized standards. Governance structures vary considerably and often lack formal written documentation. Financial sustainability relies mainly on institutional support, competitive grants, and modest cost recovery. Although Chilean biobanks contribute to research and training, measuring productivity remains challenging due to underreported acknowledgments and limited post-transfer traceability. Overall, our analysis suggests a bottom-up development of Chilean biobanks in the absence of dedicated legislation or strategic governmental policies. This overview shows that Chile’s biobanks hold considerable potential for strengthening translational research and health equity, particularly if further support enables expansion into underrepresented regions. By integrating these infrastructures into higher education, clinical care, and broader regional collaborations, biobanks can help leverage Chilean genetic diversity and address health disparities. With greater governmental prioritization, a cohesive regulatory framework, and collaboration as a key strength, biobanks could enhance interaction with global networks and further strengthen Latin America’s overall contribution to biomedical innovation
Improving equitable access to comprehensive care for people with advanced breast cancer: a global expert review and call-to-action for 2025–2035 (Goal 9)
(Elsevier, 2025) Eniu, Alexandru; Chidebe, Runcie; Vuylsteke, Peter; Chavez-MacGregor, Mariana; Penault-Llorca, Frederique; Lopes, Gilberto; Aapro , Matti; Neciosup, Silvia; Pillay, Nisha; Lewis, Alexandra; Attfield, Georgia; Cardoso, Fatima
Advanced breast cancer (ABC) remains an incurable yet treatable disease, requiring lifelong care. While treatment advancements have extended survival for many patients, access to these innovations is far from universal. There remains a critical need to ensure equitable access to proven and established interventions for all individuals with ABC, while continuing to drive progress in care and survival outcomes. This manuscript assesses the evolving economic landscape for and access to comprehensive ABC care since 2015. It describes the persistent access barriers and inequities, and outlines recommendations for the ABC community over the next decade. It summarizes research conducted for the ABC Global Alliance’s Global Decade Report 2.0. The main findings are: a) Disparities in access to ABC care are widening globally; b) Variable access to diagnostic services delays timely and adequate ABC treatment; c) Infrastructure, supply, and reimbursement barriers hinder ABC treatment access; d) High out-of-pocket costs drive severe financial toxicity across all income settings; e) In low-income contexts, multi-stakeholder efforts are improving access to ABC care. The findings from the ABC Global Alliance’s Global Decade Report 2.0 have informed the development of a new ABC Global Charter. The ABC Global Charter 2.0 defines ten new achievable and measurable goals for the decade 2025–2035, aiming at improving the lives of people living with ABC worldwide.
Microbiome analysis of 940 lung cancers in neversmokers reveals lack of clinically relevant associations
(Nature, 2025) McElderry, John P.; Zhang, Tongwu; Zhao, Wei; Hoang, Phuc H.; Samuel , Anyaso-Samuel; Sang, Jian; Khandekar, Azhar; Hartman, Caleb; Colón-Mato, Frank J.; Miraftab, Mona; Saha, Monjoy; Lee, Olivia; Sharma, Sunandini; Jones, Kristine M.; Zhu, Bin; Díaz-Gay, Marcos; Mas, Luis; Arrieta Rodriguez, Oscar Gerardo; Edell, Eric S.; Martínez Santamaría, Jacobo; Schabath, Matthew B.; Yendamur, Sai; Manczuk, Marta; Lissowska, Jolanta; Świątkowska, Beata; Mukeria, Anush; Shangina, Oxana; Zaridze, David; Holcatova, Ivana; Janout, Vladimir; Mates, Dana; Ognjanovic, Simona; Savic, Milan; Kontic, Milica; Bossé, Yohan; Gould Rothberg, Bonnie E.; Christiani, David C.; Gaborieau, Valerie; Brennan, Paul; Liu, Geoffrey; Hofman, Paul; Pik Wong, Maria; Chung Leung, Kin; Chen, Chih-Yi; Hsiung, Chao Agnes; Rothman, Nathaniel; Leduc, Charles; Baine, Marina K.; Travis, William D.; Sholl, Lynette M.; Joubert, Philippe; Homer, Robert; Yang, Soo-Ryum; Lan, Qing; Nowak, Martin A.; Wedge, David C.; Alexandrov, Ludmil B.; Chanock, Stephen J.; Vogtmann, Emily; Abnet, Christian C.; Shi, Jianxin; Landi, Maria Teresa
In spite of the growing interest in the microbiome in human cancer, there are currently only small-scale lung cancer microbiome studies conducted directly on tissue. As part of the Sherlock-Lung study, we studied the microbiomes of 940 lung cancers (4,090 samples) in never smokers (LCINS) directly from lung tissue using three data types: 16S rRNA gene sequencing (16S), whole-genome sequencing (WGS) with paired blood, and RNA-seq. We observe very low biomass and few microbiome associations in LCINS using 16S and WGS tissue. Using RNA-seq, we observe more total microbial reads, and decreased relative abundance of several commensal bacteria at the genus and species levels in tumors relative to paired normal lung tissue. Among all datasets, we see no consistent associations between the lung tissue microbiome, or circulating bacterial DNA, and any available demographic and clinical features, including age, sex, genetic ancestry, second-hand tobacco smoking exposure, LCINS histology, stage, and overall survival. We also observe no microbiome associations with any human genomic alterations within the same samples. Every null result should be interpreted with caution given the possibility of future methodological breakthroughs. However, all together, using multiple data types in nearly 1,000 patients, we find no substantive role for the lung cancer microbiome in treatment-naïve LCINS.
Minocycline Ameliorates Cognitive Impairments Without Modulating Microglial Reactivity in Sporadic Hypercholesterolemia: A Sex-Specific Analysis in Mice
(Springer, 2025) Scarpatto Rodrigues, Matheus; Baltazar do Nascimento, Natalia; Joras Baumart, Gabriela; Schons, Taina; Padilha, Alex Paulo; Costa, Mariana Viana; Resende Farias, Hémelin; Corrêa Costa‑Beber, Lilian; Telles Fróe, Fernanda; Mesquita Peres, Ariadni; Maia Dantas, Ricardo; Gonçalves Machado, Alessandra; Santos, Lucas; Krolow Bas, Rachel; Budni, Josiane; Pens Gelain, Daniel; Fonseca Moreira, Jose Claudio; Engblom, David; Fabro de Bem, Andreza; de Oliveira, Jade
High blood cholesterol levels have been progressively recognized as an important risk factor for dementia, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Emerging evidence indicates that blood–brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction and microglia-mediated neuroinflammation are key mechanisms contributing to the cognitive decline associated with hypercholesterolemia. In this study, we investigated sex-dependent differences in cognitive impairments, synaptic protein levels, microglial reactivity, and neurovascular changes associated with sporadic hypercholesterolemia, as well as the potential modulatory effects of minocycline. Adult male and female CF-1 mice (3-month-old) were fed either a normal or high-fat high-cholesterol diet for 8 weeks, with daily oral minocycline administered during the final 4 weeks. Mice fed a cholesterol-rich diet exhibited a significant increase in plasma cholesterol levels, which remained unaffected by minocycline treatment. Hypercholesterolemia was associated with memory deficits in the object recognition task, accompanied by decreased claudin-5 expression, reduced numbers of lectin-positive cells, and diminished microglial presence in the hippocampal perivascular area. While minocycline treatment ameliorated cognitive deficits and increased claudin-5 levels and lectin-positive cell numbers in the hippocampus, no significant effects of either diet or treatment were observed on classical microglial reactivity parameters. In addition, diet seemed to impact the content of synaptophysin in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Notably, female mice exhibited greater susceptibility to hypercholesterolemia-induced metabolic and cognitive alterations and showed a more pronounced response to minocycline treatment compared to males. Overall, our findings highlight sex-dependent differences in susceptibility to hypercholesterolemia-induced cognitive dysfunction and in the therapeutic response to minocycline. These results underscore the relevance of BBB alterations and perivascular microglial changes, independent of classical microglial activation, in the pathophysiology of hypercholesterolemia-associated cognitive impairment.
LncRNA-mRNA integrated networks in the neuroendocrine system of bisphenol a-treated mice induce cellular dysfunctions by disrupting transcriptional homeostasis
(Taylor & Francis, 2025) Oh, Seung-Mi; Lim, Byeonghwi; Park, Yoon-Been; Jang, Min-Jae; Lim, Seok-Won; Lim, Chiwoong; Kim, Do-Young; Park, Yejee; Seo, Young-Jun; Kim, Jun-Mo
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widely used xenoestrogen that can disrupt neuroendocrine and immune regulation through multiple hormone receptors. This study investigated BPAinduced long non-coding RNA (lncRNA)-mRNA interactions in the cerebral cortex and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis of adult male mice. Transcriptome sequencing and comprehensive lncRNA annotation identified 14,858 novel lncRNA transcripts. Integrated network analysis using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed four distinct tissue-specific modules: neuronal signaling alterations (Tac1, Htr1b, Npy), RNA splicing modifications (Srsf5), PI3K/Akt-mediated cellular dysfunction (Creb5, Cdkn1a), and immune receptor signaling disruptions (Trbv15, Fcrla). These findings suggest that BPA reprograms transcriptional networks in a tissue-specific manner, potentially disrupting hormone-related neurotransmission, metabolic regulation, and immune signaling via lncRNA-mediated mechanisms. Such systems-level reprogramming of the immune-neuroendocrine network (INEN) provides novel mechanistic insights and biomarker candidates for assessing and mitigating the health impacts of environmental endocrine disruptors.
Impact of diorites and feldspars on soil radioactivity: Evidence from university city of the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos and the National Institute of Neoplastic Diseases
(Elsevier, 2025) Villarreyes Pena, E.G.; Patino Camargo, G.; Mendoza, P.; Baltuano Elias , O.;
This study represents the first systematic measurement of environmental radiation in the University City of the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM) and the National Institute of Neoplastic Diseases (INEN) in the city of Lima, Peru, conducted between July, December 2022, and January 2023. Natural radioactivity levels and absorbed dose rates in soil samples were determined by using gamma spectroscopy with a high purity germanium detector (HPGe) semiconductor detector with 150 % efficiency. At UNMSM, the following results were obtained for the activity concentrations (A) of the four main naturally occurring radioactive materials NORM (238U, 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K): AU238 = 24.2 ± 3.4 Bq kg− 1, ARa226 = 28.8 ± 0.7 Bq kg− 1, ATh232 = 39.4 ± 1.2 Bq kg− 1 and AK40 = 539 ± 7 Bq kg− 1. We find the absorbed dose rate of 57.5 nGy h− 1 and an annual effective dose equivalent of 0.28 mSv y− 1. On the other hand, at INEN, the following activity concentrations of NORM were found: AU238 = 26.0 ± 3.4 Bq kg− 1, ARa226 = 27.9 ± 0.8 Bq kg− 1, ATh232 =42.1 ± 1.6 Bq kg− 1 and AK40 = 559 ± 7.8 Bq kg− 1. We found the annual absorbed dose rate of 60.7 nGy h− 1 and an annual effective dose equivalent of 0.30 mSv y− 1. Additionally, the equivalent activity in radium (Req) and the risk indices for both indoor and outdoor environments were also determined. The higher than global average values of 40K activity concentrations are due to the greater presence of diorites and feldspars in the alluvial soils of Lima. These findings highlight the geological influence on local environmental radioactivity and are essential for future risk assessments. Nonetheless, the levels of environmental radioactivity found in this study are safe for the population in urban areas of academic and medical importance.

Browse

Recent Submissions