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Editor-in-chief
Maria Stella Graziani

Deputy Director
Martina Zaninotto

Associate Editors
Ferruccio Ceriotti
Davide Giavarina
Bruna Lo Sasso
Giampaolo Merlini
Martina Montagnana
Andrea Mosca
Paola Pezzati
Rossella Tomaiuolo
Matteo Vidali

EIC Assistant
Francesco Busardò

International Advisory Board Khosrow Adeli Canada
Sergio Bernardini Italy
Marcello Ciaccio Italy
Eleftherios Diamandis Canada
Philippe Gillery France
Kjell Grankvist Sweden
Hans Jacobs The Netherlands
Eric Kilpatrick UK
Magdalena Krintus Poland
Giuseppe Lippi Italy
Mario Plebani Italy
Sverre Sandberg Norway
Ana-Maria Simundic Croatia
Tommaso Trenti Italy
Cas Weykamp The Netherlands
Maria Willrich USA
Paul Yip Canada

Publisher
Biomedia srl
Via L. Temolo 4, 20126 Milano

Responsible Editor
Giuseppe Agosta

Editorial Secretary
Chiara Riva
Biomedia srl
Via L. Temolo 4, 20126 Milano
Tel. 0245498282
email: biochimica.clinica@sibioc.it

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ISSN print: 0393 – 0564
ISSN digital: 0392- 7091

BC: Articoli scritti da M. Franchi

miR-199a and miR-125b expression levels in serum of women affected by epithelial ovarian cancer

M. Benati \| M. Montagnana \| E. Danese \| S. Giudici \| O. Ruzzenente \| G.C. Guidi \| M. Franchi \| G. Lippi \|
<p>Recent studies show that microRNA (miRNAs) are involved in cancer by regulating cell proliferation, apoptosis and angiogenesis. Accordingly, their deregulation could contribute to cancer development and progression. It has been demonstrated that in ovarian tissue the over-expression of miR-199a and miR-125b inhibits tumor angiogenesis, a fundamental process for cancer development and growth. Aims of our study were to investigate the expression levels of miR-199a and miR-125b in serum of patients with ovarian cancer (OC) and to evaluate the correlation between miRNAs expression and traditional biomarkers [CA125 and human epididymis protein 4 (HE4)]. 32 patients with epithelial OC (54±14 years old) and 31 healthy controls (55±17 years old) were enrolled. Serum samples were collected prior to definitive surgical treatment and RNA extraction was performed by using the miRNeasy Serum/Plasma kit (Qiagen GmbH). miR-199a and miR-125b expression was determined by quantitative real timepolymerase chain reaction (TaqMan MicroRNA Assay, Applied Biosystems). The expression levels of miRNAs were normalized to miR-16 and calculated utilizing the 2-ΔCt method. Serum levels of miR-199a and miR-125b were significantly higher in OC patients compared to controls (P=0.007 and P=0.002, respectively). A marginally statistically significant correlation was found between miR-199a and miR-125b expression levels (r=0.38, P=0.03). The ROC curve analysis of the diagnostic performance between healthy controls and OC patients revealed that HE4 had a significantly higher area under the curve (AUC=0.90) when compared to CA125 (AUC=0.85), miR-199a (AUC=0.70) and miR-125b (AUC=0.67). Anyway, the determination of circulating miRNAs may be relevant, since their expression is known to be aberrant in cancer, having potential ability to monitor tumor dynamics.</p>
Biochimica Clinica ; 40(4) 328-333 Contributi scientifici - Scientific Papers

Intervalli di riferimento dell’esame emocromocitometrico nel sangue di cordone ombelicale
Reference intervals for cell counts of umbilical cord blood
F. Dima \| M. Montagnana \| R. Raffaelli \| S. Cascella \| C. Bovo \| M. Franchi \| G. Lippi \|
<p>The umbilical cord blood is useful for assessing the health status in newborns. A limited number of studies evaluated the reference values of peripheral blood cell count and little information is available on the number of stem cells in umbilical cord blood. This study aimed to define reference intervals for hematological parameters in umbilical cord blood. 257 umbilical cord blood samples were obtained from apparently healthy infants with gestational age >37 weeks, uncomplicated pregnancy, birth weight >2500 g and umbilical arterial pH >7.0. The analysis was performed within 3 h from collection using the hematology analyzer Sysmex XN-1000. Reference values were derived with a non-parametric approach, by following the CLSI document EP28–A3c. A statistically significant difference between genders was observed for erythrocytes, hemoglobin, hematocrit and red blood cell distribution width, these parameters being significantly higher in males than in females. Results from this study may be seen as a useful guide for neonatologists to evaluate the newborn status and for hematologists to evaluate the quality of collected blood.</p>
Biochimica Clinica ; 40(3) 204-207 Contributi scientifici - Scientific Papers

Determinazione dell’ormone anti-mulleriano per la valutazione della riserva ovarica in pazienti dopo trattamento chemioterapico
Utility of anti-mullerian hormone for the evaluation of fertility preservation in female patients after chemotherapy
G.L. Salvagno \| R. Di Paola \| S. Zaffagnini \| M. Gelati \| A. Perandini \| C. Tecchio \| C. Costantini \| R. Montemezzi \| M. Franchi \| G.C. Guidi \|
<p>The new advances in the treatment have greatly increased the life expectancy of premenopausal women with hematological malignancies. The susceptibility of their ovarian reserve to chemotherapy is however highly variable. The anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) is one of the most sensitive markers of ovarian reserve and fertility preservation. In this study, antral follicle counts (AFC), serum AMH, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and inhibin B were assayed in female patients treated for lymphoma and hematological disease to characterize the evolution of fertility preservation. 63 consecutive women (48 with Hodgkin's lymphoma, 9 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, 6 acute myeloid leukemia) were eligible for enrolment. All patients [median age, 31 years (range: 17-40)] were in complete remission with a median follow-up time of 9.0 years after therapy. 64 healthy controls were also evaluated [median age, 31 years (range: 20-42)]. Participants had a baseline blood drawing during the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. A significant difference in AFC (9.8 vs. 16.0, P=0.0001), AMH (2.02 μg/L vs. 2.97 μg/L, P=0.02), FSH (16.9 U/L vs. 8.1 U/L, P=0.03) and inhibin B (33.7 ng/L vs. 69.4 ng/L, P <0.005) was observed between patients and controls. The ROC curve analysis comparing AMH and FSH concentrations of patients (at the same AFC cut-off point of 8) revealed that AMH had a better area under the curve (0.904) than FSH (0.678) (P=0.0013). The ovarian reserve is reduced in female patients affected by hematological malignancies after chemotheraphy. AMH is the most reliable serum marker of fertility preservation in these subjects.</p>
Biochimica Clinica ; 38(5) 374-377 Contributi scientifici - Scientific Papers

Valutazione del "risk of ovarian malignancy algorithm" (ROMA) nella stima del rischio di tumore epiteliale maligno dell'ovaio in donne con massa pelvica
The "risk of ovarian malignancy algorithm" for estimating the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer in women presenting with pelvic mass.
M. Montagnana \| E. Danese \| O. Ruzzenente \| S. Giudici \| M. Gelati \| GL. Salvagno \| M. Franchi \| G. Lippi \| G.C. Guidi \|

Biochimica Clinica ; 35(1) 30 CONTRIBUTI SCIENTIFICI - CONTRIBUTI SCIENTIFICI