Polymorphism: Sequencing of amplified exon 4(1) identified a single base pair substitution at position 1100 in the coding sequence of 3/3-HSD. The replacement of A (allele 1) by C (allele 2) results in codon 367 changing from Asn to Thr. This is the first non-synonymous polymorphism to be described in 3/3-HSD and its physiological effect has yet to be assessed. Mild late onset deficiencies of 3...

Abstract Background Current diagnostic blood tests for prostate cancer (PCa) are unreliable the early stage disease, resulting in numerous unnecessary biopsies men with benign disease and false reassurance of negative PCa. Predicting risk PCa is pivotal making an informed decision on treatment options as 5-year survival rate low-risk group more than 95% most would benefit from surveillance rath...

Variants in genes involved in estrogen biosynthesis are likely to be important in the etiology of endometrial cancer. This review summarizes data on variants in seven genes in the estrogen biosynthesis pathway and their relation to circulating levels of sex steroid hormones in women and to risk of endometrial cancer. Little or no association was found between genotypes of the cytochrome P-450 g...

Sex hormones have been implicated in prostate carcinogenesis and are thought to modulate cell proliferation and growth. To investigate the association between polymorphisms in hormone-related genes and prostate cancer risk, we conducted a two-stage, case-control study within the screening arm of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. Using DNA extracted from blood s...

Male germ-cell apoptosis occurs naturally and can be increased by exposure to drugs and toxic chemicals. Individuals may have different rates of apoptosis and are likely to also exhibit differential sensitivity to outside influences. Previously, we reported that p-chloroamphetamine (pCA), a substance that inhibits serotonin synthesis, induced germ-cell apoptosis in prepubertal male rats. Here, ...

Prostate cancer is a slowly developing but very common cancer in males that may be amenable to preventive strategies that are not toxic. Chinese red yeast rice (RYR), a food herb made by fermenting Monascus purpureus Went yeast on white rice, contains a mixture of eight different monacolins that inhibit cholesterogenesis in addition to red pigments with antioxidant properties. Monacolin K is id...

Roundup and its active ingredient glyphosate are among the most widely used herbicides worldwide and may contaminate surface waters. Research suggests both Roundup and glyphosate induce oxidative stress in fish and may also cause reproductive toxicity in mammalian systems. We aimed to investigate the reproductive effects of Roundup and glyphosate in fish and the potential associated mechanisms ...