The Impact of Organic Anion-Transporting Polypeptide (OATP) Variants on the Side Effects of Direct-Acting Antivirals in Hepatitis C Patients
Zuhal Altintas | Engin Altıntaş
Background Organic anion-transporting polypeptides (OATPs) are responsible for the cellular uptake of a broad range of endogenous compounds and xenobiotics in multiple tissues. The aim of our study was to determine whether variations in OATP1B1 and OATP1B3 affect the side effects experienced by hepatitis C patients treated with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). Methods This study included 199 hepatitis C patients treated with DAAs. Ledipasvir/sofosbuvir or ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir ± dasabuvir and 162 control individuals without hepatitis C. Treatment-related side effects were recorded. The OATP1B1 gene variations c.388A>G and c.521T>C and the OATP1B3 gene variations c.334T>G and c.699G>A were analyzed via the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method...
Epigenetics and Expression of the Wnt Signaling Pathway in Ulcerative Colitis
Zuhal Altintas | Mehmet Emin Erdal | Engin Altintas
Background/Aims: Secreted frizzled-related proteins (SFRPs) are antagonists that bind Wnt and inhibit signaling through this pathway. Secreted frizzled-related proteins are silenced by promoter methylation and cause hyperactivation of the Wnt pathway. In this study, the aim was to evaluate the relationship between methylation and expression of genes involved in the Wnt signaling pathway and the risk of cancer development in inflammatory bowel disease. Materials and Methods: The patient group consisted of 20 individuals who were diagnosed with left-side ulcerative colitis and under went surveillance colonoscopy; the control group consisted of 15 individuals without symptoms and endoscopic pathology who were screened for colorectal cancer. Tissue samples were obtained from inflamed and ...
Indications of the SERPINE 1 variant rs1799768’s role in anti-VEGF therapy resistance in neovascular age-related macular degeneration
Zuhal Altintas
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a retinal disease prevalent in the elderly population, with two main subtypes: dry (non-exudative) and neovascular (wet or exudative). Neovascular AMD (nAMD) has a more debilitating prognosis than dry AMD, making it the third leading cause of blindness. Intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (IV anti-VEGF) are the most effective and widely accepted treatment for nAMD. However, a significant number of nAMD patients exhibit suboptimal responses to IV anti-VEGF therapy, with the underlying mechanisms not yet fully understood. We hypothesized that genetic polymorphisms associated with blood hypercoagulation may also contribute to suboptimal responses to IV anti-VEGF therapy. This study recruited 20 nAMD patients, who were di...