Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of Sox1 and Sox2 transcriptional factors in the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the hippocampus in 8 weeks old 5xFAD mice. Introduction: Transgenic 5xFAD mice represent a model of Alzheimer s disease (AD) characterized by an early deposition of amyloid plaques which disrupt the process of adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus. Certain transcriptional factors such as SoxB1 transcriptional factors are involved in the process of adult neurogenesis, but their roles in neurodegenerative disorders are not fully understood. Material and Methods: Transgenic mice of both genders and their respective non-transgenic controls (n=6 per group) were used in the study. Proliferating cells and immature neurons were detected by their immunohistochemical expression of Ki67 and doublecortin, while neuronal stem/precursor cells were identified by the expression of Sox1 and Sox2 proteins. Immunohistochemistry and counting were performed on hippocampal paraffin sections. Results: Immunohistochemical analysis showed that 5xFAD mice in the SGZ of the hippocampus have significantly lower numbers of Sox1 immunoreactive cells, while Sox2 immunoreactive cells were lower only in female 5xFAD mice. Furthermore, we have detected a decrease in the number of newly formed neurons in male transgenic mice, while the number of proliferating cells was unchanged when compared to non-transgenic controls. Conclusion: The results of our study show that early changes in the neurogenesis in 5xFAD model occur despite the preserved proliferative potential in the SGZ. Our results clearly indicate the importance of SoxB1 transcriptional factors in the early phases of AD.

Aim: To examine the quality of tested lung carcinoma samples, frequency and type of EGFR mutations, and their correlation with patients clinical characteristics (gender, age, smoking habits, clinical stage). Introduction: Mutations in Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) have a role in lung carcinoma development and they are more prevalent in women and non-smokers. Evaluation of EGFR mutations in lung carcinomas in mandatory for targeted therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Test performance depends on the quality of tested samples and a test type. Material and Methods: We evaluated reports of EGFR mutation real-time PCR analyses in lung carcinoma samples performed from June 2017 till February 2018. Presence of mutations was correlated with clinical characteristics of lung carcinoma patients. Results: A total of 341 samples was received for testing, among which 40 (11.7%) was unsuitable for analysis due to a low tumor cell content (<5%). Three types of mutations were detected in a total of 24 (8%) cases: L858R in 12 (50%) cases, exon 19 deletion in 10 (41.7%) cases, and G719A/C/S in two cases (8.3%). Mutations were more prevalent in women (13.7%) then in men (4.3%) (p=0.004). Patients with EGFR mutated tumors were older (67,6ą9,4 years), compared to those with non-mutated tumors (62,3ą8,8 years) (p=0,003). Smoking habits and clinical stage were not associated with mutation status in lung carcinomas. Mutations were detected only in adenocarcinomas. Conclusion: Our results suggest the low frequency of EGFR mutations in tested patients, but they are more prevalent in women and older patients.