Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in patients with invasive breast cancer in relation to its serum levels in patients with benign breast disease, and to investigate correlation between MDA serum levels with pathohistological prognostic factors (tumor size, lymph node involvement, and histologic grade [HG]), estrogen receptor (ER) status, and with breast cancer patient’s age and menopausal status. Methods: A total of 43 with well-documented invasive breast cancer were included in this study: 27 with positive axillary’s lymph nodes, and 16 with negative axillary’s lymph nodes, and 39 patients with findings of benign breast diseases. MDA determination in serum of breast cancer and benign breast disease patients was performed by the fluorimetric method, immunohistochemical staining was performed for ER, and routine pathohistological examination was conducted for pathohistological factors. Results: MDA serum levels in breast cancer patients were significantly higher than MDA serum levels in benign breast disease patients (p = 0.042). No statistically significant difference between MDA serum levels in breast cancer patients with and without lymph node metastases was found (p = 0.238). No statistically significant correlations between MDA serum levels and tumor size (p = 0.256), HG (p = 0.124), or number of positive lymph nodes (0.113) were found. A statistically significant correlation between serum MDA levels and ages of breast cancer patients with lymph node metastases was found (p = 0.006). Conclusion: Obtained results support the importance of MDA in the carcinogenesis of breast cancer. According to our findings, serum level of MDA could not be a useful prognostic factor in breast cancer.

Confirming treatment response in clinical trials for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is challenging, due to the lack of biomarkers and limitations of the currently available symptom assessment tools. The Experience Sampling Method (ESM) might overcome these limitations by collecting digital assessments randomly and repeatedly during daily life. This study evaluated differences in change in abdominal pain between real‐time (ie, ESM) and retrospective (ie, Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale [GSRS] and an end‐of‐day symptom diary) measurements, using data of an RCT on escitalopram vs placebo in patients with IBS and comorbid panic disorder.

Orally ingested bacteria interact with intestinal mucosa and may impact immunity. However, insights in mechanisms involved are limited. In this randomized placebo-controlled cross-over trial, healthy human subjects were given Lactobacillus plantarum supplementation (strain TIFN101, CIP104448, or WCFS1) or placebo for 7 days. To determine whether L. plantarum can enhance immune response, we compared the effects of three stains on systemic and gut mucosal immunity, by among others assessing memory responses against tetanus toxoid (TT)-antigen, and mucosal gene transcription, in human volunteers during induction of mild immune stressor in the intestine, by giving a commonly used enteropathic drug, indomethacin [non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)]. Systemic effects of the interventions were studies in peripheral blood samples. NSAID was found to induce a reduction in serum CD4+/Foxp3 regulatory cells, which was prevented by L. plantarum TIFN101. T-cell polarization experiments showed L. plantarum TIFN101 to enhance responses against TT-antigen, which indicates stimulation of memory responses by this strain. Cell extracts of the specific L. plantarum strains provoked responses after WCFS1 and TIFN101 consumption, indicating stimulation of immune responses against the specific bacteria. Mucosal immunomodulatory effects were studied in duodenal biopsies. In small intestinal mucosa, TIFN101 upregulated genes associated with maintenance of T- and B-cell function and antigen presentation. Furthermore, L. plantarum TIFN101 and WCFS1 downregulated immunological pathways involved in antigen presentation and shared downregulation of snoRNAs, which may suggest cellular destabilization, but may also be an indicator of tissue repair. Full sequencing of the L. plantarum strains revealed possible gene clusters that might be responsible for the differential biological effects of the bacteria on host immunity. In conclusion, the impact of oral consumption L. plantarum on host immunity is strain dependent and involves responses against bacterial cell components. Some strains may enhance specific responses against pathogens by enhancing antigen presentation and leukocyte maintenance in mucosa. In future studies and clinical settings, caution should be taken in selecting beneficial bacteria as closely related strains can have different effects. Our data show that specific bacterial strains can prevent immune stress induced by commonly consumed painkillers such as NSAID and can have enhancing beneficial effects on immunity of consumers by stimulating antigen presentation and memory responses.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of three Lactobacillus plantarum strains on in-vivo small intestinal barrier function and gut mucosal gene transcription in human subjects. The strains were selected for their differential effects on TLR signalling and tight junction protein rearrangement, which may lead to beneficial effects in a stressed human gut mucosa. Ten healthy volunteers participated in four different intervention periods: 7-day oral intake of either L. plantarum WCFS1, CIP104448, TIFN101 or placebo, proceeded by a 4 weeks wash-out period. Lactulose-rhamnose ratio (an indicator of small intestinal permeability) increased after intake of indomethacin, which was given as an artificial stressor of the gut mucosal barrier (mean ratio 0.06 ± 0.04 to 0.10 ± 0.06, p = 0.001), but was not significantly affected by the bacterial interventions. However, analysis in small intestinal biopsies, obtained by gastroduodenoscopy, demonstrated that particularly L. plantarum TIFN101 modulated gene transcription pathways related to cell-cell adhesion with high turnover of genes involved in tight- and adhesion junction protein synthesis and degradation (e.g. actinin alpha-4, metalloproteinase-2). These effects were less pronounced for L. plantarum WCFS1 and CIP104448. In conclusion, L. plantarum TIFN101 induced the most pronounced probiotic properties with specific gene transcriptional effects on repair processes in the compromised intestine of healthy subjects.