SUMMARY The effect of Salinity stress on solasodine production by Solanum nigrum under tissue culture conditions has been investigated. Solasodine is steroidal alkaloid, alternative to diosgenin, which is used as a precursor for the commercial production of steroidal drugs. Salinity stress has been applied by adding NaCl to the culture medium MS, five concentrations were applied: 0.0 (control), 50, 100, 150, and 200 mM for 8 weeks. The obtained results show the possibility to increase solsasodine level production under salainity stress. However, the highest salinity stress concentration (200 mM of NaCl) has not significant when it is compared to (150 mM of NaCl) concentration. Positive correlations were observed between the NaCl levels and solasodine content accumulation, proline content and solasodine accumulation in Solanum nigrum calli. The solasodine production increased significantly as a result of increasing of NaCl concentrations. However, non-significantly differences were observed between 150 mM and 200 mM of NaCl on solasodine accumulation.

Colorectal and breast cancer are the most common cancer types worldwide and they continue to be a serious public health problem. Early detection and diagnosis are of great importance in cancer management. At present, diagnostic blood tests are based on detection of tumor-associated markers such as CEA, PSA, AFP, and others. The lack of sensitivity and specificity of these markers prevents their general use in cancer screening of an average risk population. Therefore, new cancer biomarkers or better screening methods are necessary to improve the diagnostics of the disease. This work was directed to establishment of a diagnostic, ELISA-based test to identify and validate new serum markers, such as ecPKA and NNMT, potential candidates for detection of early human breast and colorectal neoplasm. This specific auto-antibody ELISA is thought to identify the cancer antigens by detecting the presence of auto-antibodies against the tumor proteins in human serum. In conclusion it has been showed that anti-ecPKA auto-antibody ELISA is functional and easy to perform and it could have a promising role in early diagnostic/prognostic of other cancer types.