The major features of extracellular vesicles secreted by mammalian cells are considered. Cell activation caused by formation of pathology stimulates the secretion acutely. The vesicles (exosomes, microvesicles) are enriched with annexin V, tetraspanin, miRNA. Exosomes are enriched especially by integrins, heat shock proteins. Microvesicles contain elevated amounts of tissue factors, phosphatidylserine, mRNA. The vesicles carry information about the pathological process, and microvesicles contain more proteins characteristic of inflammation and death than exosomes. They are important mediators of inflammation and infection in the body, have different effects on the immune system and the processes of carcinogenesis and neurodegeneration. However, antigenic profiles of extracellular vesicles differ not profoundly in various pathologies and so far they help diagnostics limitedly. The vesicles carry signals of genetic reprogramming of the cells and epigenetic stimulation, connected with both protein factors and mRNA and miRNA. Profiles of miRNA vesicles produced by the various pathological sources are studied actively and are useful as indicators of source and stage of cancer. Some ways of therapeutic use of the vesicles are also considered.

Pheochromocytoma (PCC)/paraganglioma is a catecholamine-secreting tumor of the paraganglion. The hereditary variants of PCC have been previously considered to occur in 10% of cases. The latest researches have clearly demonstrated that the hereditary cause of chromaffin tumors is revealed in a much larger number of patients. There have been the most investigated NF, RET, VHL, SDHD, SDHC, and SDHB gene mutations. New EGLN1/PHD2, KIF1B, SDH5/SDHAF2, IDH1, TMEM127, SDHA, MAX, and HIF2A gene mutations have been recently discovered. This review describes new ideas of the genetic bases of PCC. The authors discuss criteria for patient referral for genetic examination on the basis of the phenotypic.manifestations of mutations, such as a malignant course, bilateral adrenal lesion, and age at disease manifestations. Recommendations are determined for carriers to screen for the components of hereditary pathology.

Therapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is very complex clinical problem. The optimal choice of therapy demands not only the analysis of data on clinical effectiveness, but also an assessment of cost-effectiveness of the applied drugs. The current options for first- or second/third-line of lung cancer treatment are tirosine kinase inhibitors (TKI)--gefitinib, erlotinib and afatinib. According to the received results TKI first-line therapy for NSCLC in patients with EGFR mutations is not only clinically effective but also is economically acceptable from a position of the Russian budgetary health care. TKI second-line therapy for NSCLC patients who fail first-line therapy also provides improvement of the quality of life and prolonged time to progression. Comparable clinical effectiveness and safety of erlotinib and gefitinib in patients with EGFR mutations allows making drug choice on the basis of regional price characteristics. Afatinib is highly effective both in the first- and in the second/third-line of therapy in patients with the most frequent mutations (a deletion in exon 19 or a point mutation L858R in exon 21) but first-line therapy demands an increase of financial expenses caused by substantial increase of time to progression and duration of therapy. Thus TKI therapy of both the first-, and second/third-line of patients with NSCLC with EGFR mutations is characterized by acceptable cost-effectiveness.

This review is aimed at the analysis the current state of acral lentiginous melanoma. This tumor has rather aggressive course and is the main cause of death in skin cancer patients. In Russia the incidence of melanoma during the period 2000-2010 increased from 3.18 to 3.95 cases per 100000 of population. The average annual growth rate was 1.99% and the total growth rate was 21.81%. Although skin melanoma is a visual tumor, more than one third of patients visit oncologists at advanced stages of the disease. Primary melanoma with localizations on the skin of fingers, interdigital spaces, soles, palms and nail plates is especially difficult for early diagnostics.

Ability to stimulate angiogenesis/lymphangiogenesis is recognized as an inherent feature of cancer cells providing necessary conditions for their growth and dissemination. "Angiogenic switch" is one of the earliest consequences of malignant transformation that encompasses a great number of genes and triggers a complex set of signaling cascades in endothelial cells. The processes of tumor microvasculature development are closely connected to the steps of carcinogenesis (from benign lesions to invasive forms) and occur through multiple deviations from the norm. Analysis of expression of proangiogenic factors at successive steps of cervical cancer development (intraepithelial neoplasia, cancer in situ, microinvasive, and invasive cancer) enables to reconstruct the regulatory mechanisms of (lymph-)angiogenesis and to discriminate the most important components. This review presents detailed analysis of literature data on expression of the key regulators of angiogenesis in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical cancer. Their possible involvement in molecular mechanisms of neoplastic transformation of epithelial cells, as well as invasion and tumor metastasis is discussed. Correlation between expression of proangiogenic molecular factors and various clinicopathological parameters is considered, the potential of their use in molecular diagnostics and targeted therapy of cervical cancer is reviewed. Particular attention is paid to relatively poorly studied regulators of lymphangiogenesis and "non-VEGF dependent", or alternative, angiogenic pathways that constitute the prospect of future research in the field.

Induced differentiation of leukemia cells is in the focus of basic and applied biomedical studies medicine and biology for more than 30 years. During this period specific regulatory molecules involved in the maturation process have been identified by biochemical and molecular biological methods. Recent developments of high-throughput transcriptomic and proteomic techniques made it possible to analyze large sets of mRNA and proteins; this resulted in identification of functionally important signal transduction pathways and networks of molecular interactions, and thus extent existing knowledge on the molecular mechanisms of induced differentiation. Despite significant advances in mechanisms of induced differentiation, many problems related to the molecular mechanism of cell maturation, a phenomenon of therapeutic resistance of leukemic cells need better understanding and thus require further detailed study. Transcriptomics and proteomics methods provide a suitable methodological platform for the implementation of such studies. This review highlights the use of transcriptomic and proteomic methods in studies aimed at various aspects of the induced differentiation. Special attention is paid to the employment of the systems approach for investigation of various aspects of cell maturation. The use of the systems approach in studies of induced differentiation is an important step for the transition from the formal data accumulation on expression of mRNA and proteins towards creating models of biological processes in silico.

Tuberous sclerosis complex is a autosomal dominant instantly progressing disease, causing the development of benign tumors in all organs and tissues of human body. According to International Consensus Conference (2012), definite or possible TSC diagnosis can be made. For the definite diagnosis of TSC, two major criteria or one major criterion and ≥2 minor criteria have to be present. For a possible diagnosis, 1 major criterion or ≥2 minor criteria should be found. A pathogenic mutation in the TSC1 or TSC2 gene is by itself sufficient for a definite diagnosis. There are following major diagnostic criteria: angiofibromas (≥3) or forehead plaque; hypomelanotic macules (≥3); ungual fibromas (≥2); chagrin patch; multiple retinal hamartomas; cortical dysplasias (≥3, include tubers and cerebral white matter radial migration lines; subependymal nodules; subependymal giant cell astrocytoma; cardiac rhabdomyoma; lymphagioleiomatosis and renal angiomyolipomas (≥2). The minor criteria are the following ones: dental enamel pits (≥3); intraoral fibromas (≥2); non-renal hamartomas; retinal achromatic patch; confetti skin lesions; multiple renal cysts. Diagnosis of TSC is not difficult if a physician is familiar with clinical presentation of the disease.

Analyzed the presence of BRAF V600E mutation in the focal thyroid gland in the preoperative diagnosis of papillary carcinoma (PC). Molecular genetic testing conducted on puncture aspirates from 26 patients before surgery. The diagnosis was verified according to the morphological investigations. Mutations in BRAF V600E detected only in patients with the thyroid PC. Thus, the definition of BRAF V600E mutation may be a marker in the preoperative diagnosis of thyroid PC. Analyzed the presence of BRAF V600E mutation in the focal thyroid gland in the preoperative diagnosis of papillary carcinoma (PC). Molecular genetic testing conducted on puncture aspirates from 26 patients before surgery. The diagnosis was verified according to the morphological investigations. Mutations in BRAF V600E detected only in patients with the thyroid PC. Thus, the definition of BRAF V600E mutation may be a marker in the preoperative diagnosis of thyroid PC.

To expand the informational capabilities of molecular genetic research, on the biological microchips, new indotricarbocyanine dyes that fluoresce in the near infrared (IR) spectral region have been synthesized. The developed IR dyes were studied using a biochip-based test system for detection of mutations in the BRCA1/BRCA2 and CHECK2 genes associated with breast cancer. The fluorescent label was introduced to the analyzed DNA during PCR using primers labeled with the synthesized IR dyes. An analyzer that allows recording and processing of images of fluorescent microarrays in the IR spectral region was designed and manufactured. It has been shown that the use of the synthesized dyes enables to conduct analysis in the IR region and improve the reliability of medical diagnostic tests due to low fluorescence intensity of sample components as well as of a biochip substrate and the reagents used for analysis.

The review considers the effect of progestins on the function, proliferation, and apoptosis of cells of various organs in health and noncancerous disorders. Data are summarized to describe the mechanism of progestin action through various progesterone receptors and sensors and the regulation of their levels. The effects of progestins depend on the cell phenotype, including the composition and proportion of different receptors, activity of signaling pathways, and expression of transcription factor coregulators and steroid metabolism enzymes. The role paracrine regulation plays in the progestin effect is described. Particular attention is paid to the progestin effect on the tissues where progestins are thought or known to affect carcinogenesis or to stimulate or suppress the tumor growth, that is, to modulate cell proliferation, apoptosis, and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

The major problem in prostate cancer treatment is the development of drug resistance and especially important, cross-resistance. The mechanisms of drug resistance, which are divided into ligand-dependent (requiring the presence of androgens in the cell) and independent (not requiring the presence of androgens) are reviewed. The mechanisms are mainly represented with mutations of the androgen receptor and expression of aberrant constitutively active splice variants, as well as up-regulation of genes involved in androgens synthesis.

The incidence of melanoma demonstrates a persistent increasing tendency, which justifies the need to study and identify new prognostic markers for the development and course of this disease. The given paper shows current approaches to melanoma staging, including those to applying pathomorphological prognostic criteria, and discusses prospects for using the results of genomic and epigenomic studies of the carcinoma in clinical practice.

to comparatively study the immunohistochemical profile and to analyze mutations in the BRAF and N-RAS genes.

There was revealed, that the survival indices in mammary gland cancer (MGC) patients in similar stage of the disease, in the same tumor histology, and in a mutant gene p53 hyperexpression, to whom identical complex treatment was conducted, are rhythmic, what witnesses a necessity to search for additional predicting factors. Predicting role of tumoral stroma in patients, suffering MGC with p53 hyperexpression, was studied.

The review is concerned with the crucial marker of nucleotide excision repair ERCC1 and its contribution to platinum resistance of ovarian cancer. All the variants of the laboratory and clinical ERCC1 assessment in the ovarian cancer tissue (single nucleotide polymorphisms of the ERCC1 gene, levels of mRNA or protein) are considered. Data on the prognostic and predictive value of ERCC1 as a marker of the response to platinum-based therapy in ovarian cancer are systematized. The authors discuss the possible causes of heterogeneity of the results and emphasize the necessity of a unified and integrated approach to evaluation of ERCC1 in the tumor. The publications cited in the Search Engine Pub Med up to January 2015 were analyzed.

MicroRNAs (MiRNAs) act as key post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression. This review examines current advances in the study of the role of miRNAs in cancer, including prostate cancer. Issues devoted to the nomenclature, biogenesis, the role of miRNAs as oncogenes and tumor suppressors, and their role in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of prostate cancer are discussed. Assessment ofthe role of miRNAs in the development of prostate cancer will promote early diagnosis and will be important for the development of new approaches to the disease treatment.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a heterogeneous group of diseases, which accounts for 30% of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Current molecular studies have confirmed that there are several DLBCL subtypes characterized by different cellular origin, cytogenetic profile, molecular genetic disorders, and different pathogenesis. Impaired JAK-STAT signaling is a part of the pathogenesis of various cancers, including DLBCL. The review deals with the molecular genetic aspects of the occurrence of DLBCL and the function of the SOCSI gene that has been proven to be responsible for the development of several cancers. Mutations of this gene result from spontaneously impaired B-cell somatic hypermutation and they are frequently inactivating. The presence of point mutations in the functionally significant region of this gene in DLBCL could identify a group of patients with poor prognosis during standard chemotherapy.

To determine the immunoglobulin variable heavy chain (gVH) genes and their somatic mutations and to compare these data with the clinical and laboratory parameters of patients and the outcomes of the disease.

A mathematical model of tumor growth is developed taking into account angiogenesis. Malignant cells under metabolic stress produce vascular endothelium growth factor that stimulates angiogenesis, increasing nutrient influx in tumor. The model takes into account the migration and proliferation dichotomy in the malignant cells depending on nutrient concentration. Convective fluxes originated due to active tumor cell proliferation in compact dense tissue are also considered. The computational analysis of the model has demonstrated that diffusive tumor growth rate does not depend on angiogenesis while for non-invasive tumors angiogenesis can significantly alter tumor growth, although it is not able to stop it completely. The causes and significance of the result for estimation of the antitumor efficacy of antiangiogenic therapy are discussed.

The methylation of CpG islands in promoter regions, together with the interaction of miRNAs with the mRNAs of their target genes on the posttranscriptional level, are complex epigenetic mechanisms that perform the delicate and dynamic regulation of genes and signal transduction pathways in the cell. This review summarizes the results obtained by the authors, as well as the literature data, on the roles of methylation in regulating the protein-coding genes of chromosome 3 and a number of miRNA genes in clear-cell renal cell carcinomas. The results are based on the use of genomic NotI-microarrays (which allow the identification of both methylation and deletions in genes containing CpG islands) and on some other approaches. The application of NotI-microarray technology to the analysis of the chromosome-3 short arm, a region of frequent deletions in tumors, gave us the opportunity to identify many novel genes associated with kidney cancer pathogenesis. The relationship between alterations in the expression leyels and methylation of chromosome 3 genes, kidney cancer progression, and metastasis was shown. New microRNAs involved in kidney cancer pathogenesis were identified as well. The functions of microRNA genes methylated in kidney cancer were discussed.