Nkhoma, P. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2020

EFFECTS OF BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS, KIDNEY DISEASE AND MEDICATION ON ANAEMIA STATUS OF TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS PATIENTS

IntroductionLifestyle-related diseases like type 2 diabetes mellitus, have emerged as a significant public health problem due to rapid urbanization and industrialization. In 2018, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus was estimated to be 500 million cases worldwide and was comparable between high- and low-income countries. Diabetes leads to multiple complications, including end-stage renal disease, cardiovascular disease, infection, and death. Anaemia in diabetic individuals has severe adverse effects on the quality of life and is associated with disease progression. A cross-sectional study was conducted that included 101 participants. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of anaemia and kidney disease and their interplay with medication and/or blood glucose levels in T2D patients. Resultsseventy-one per cent of participants were females. Majority of patients 62% were on Insulin, 30% on metformin, 7% on a combination of metformin and glimepiride and 1% on glimepiride. Ninety-five (94%) of the participants were HIV negative. The prevalence of anaemia among the participants was 23% out of which 56% had moderate anaemia, and 44% had mild anaemia. Twenty-one per cent (21%) of the participants had high creatinine levels signifying impaired kidney function or kidney disease. Anaemia was significantly associated with kidney function, fasting blood glucose and use of metformin; p = 0.042 beta = 2.5, p = 0.025 beta = 2.7 and p = 0.040 beta = -2.5 respectively. ConclusionThe study found the prevalence of anaemia of 23%, which was of moderate public health concern. Also, the prevalence of kidney disease was high in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. It also found that kidney disease and high blood glucose levels increase the chances of developing anaemia. However, we found that metformin had a protective role against the development of anaemia in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients.

pathology↗

bioRxiv2020

Integrated Molecular Characterisation of the MAPK Pathways in Human Cancers

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways are a crucial regulator of the cellular processes that fuel the malignant transformation of normal cells. The genetic underpinnings of molecular aberrations which lead to cancer involve mutations in and, transcription variations of, various MAPK pathway genes. Here, we use datasets of 40,848 patient-derived tumours representing 101 distinct human cancers to identify cancer-associated mutations in MAPK signalling pathway genes. We identify the subset of these genes within which mutations tend to be associated with the worst disease outcomes. Furthermore, by integrating information extracted from various large-scale molecular datasets, we expose the relationship between the fitness of cancer cells after CRISPR mediated gene knockout of MAPK pathway genes, and their dose-responses to MAPK pathway inhibitors. Besides providing new insights into MAPK pathways, we unearth vulnerabilities in specific pathway genes that are reflected in the responses of cancer cells to MAPK drug perturbations: a revelation with great potential for guiding the development of innovative therapeutic strategies.

bioinformatics↗