Intestinal Microbiota and Relapse After Hematopoietic-Cell Transplantation.

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Peled, Jonathan U; Devlin, Sean M; Staffas, Anna; Lumish, Melissa; Khanin, Raya; Littmann, Eric R; Ling, Lilan; Kosuri, Satyajit; Maloy, Molly; Slingerland, John B; Ahr, Katya F; Porosnicu Rodriguez, Kori A; Shono, Yusuke; Slingerland, Ann E; Docampo, Melissa D; Sung, Anthony D; Weber, Daniela; Alousi, Amin M; Gyurkocza, Boglarka; Ponce, Doris M; Barker, Juliet N; Perales, Miguel-Angel; Giralt, Sergio A; Taur, Ying; Pamer, Eric G; Jenq, Robert R; van den Brink, Marcel R M

2017-05-20

Purpose The major causes of mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic-cell transplantation (allo-HCT) are relapse, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and infection. We have reported previously that alterations in the intestinal flora are associated with GVHD, bacteremia, and reduced overall survival after allo-HCT. Because intestinal bacteria are potent modulators of systemic immune responses, including antitumor effects, we hypothesized that components of the intestinal flora could be associated with relapse after allo-HCT. Methods The intestinal microbiota of 541 patients admitted for allo-HCT was profiled by means of 16S ribosomal sequencing of prospectively collected stool samples. We examined the relationship between abundance of microbiota species or groups of related species and relapse/progression of disease during 2 years of follow-up time after allo-HCT by using cause-specific proportional hazards in a retrospective discovery-validation cohort study. Results Higher abundance of a bacterial group composed mostly of Eubacterium limosum in the validation set was associated with a decreased risk of relapse/progression of disease (hazard ratio [HR], 0.82 per 10-fold increase in abundance; 95% CI, 0.71 to 0.95; P = .009). When the patients were categorized according to presence or absence of this bacterial group, presence also was associated with less relapse/progression of disease (HR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.31 to 0.87; P = .01). The 2-year cumulative incidences of relapse/progression among patients with and without this group of bacteria were 19.8% and 33.8%, respectively. These associations remained significant in multivariable models and were strongest among recipients of T-cell-replete allografts. Conclusion We found associations between the abundance of a group of bacteria in the intestinal flora and relapse/progression of disease after allo-HCT. These might serve as potential biomarkers or therapeutic targets to prevent relapse and improve survival after allo-HCT.

Comparative efficacy of tandem autologous versus autologous followed by allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

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Kharfan-Dabaja Mohamed A

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite advances in understanding of clinical, genetic, and molecular aspects of multiple myeloma (MM and availability of more effective therapies, MM remains incurable. The autologous-allogeneic (auto-allo hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT strategy is based on combining cytoreduction from high-dose (chemo- or chemoradio-therapy with adoptive immunotherapy. However, conflicting results have been reported when an auto-allo HCT approach is compared to tandem autologous (auto-auto HCT. A previously published meta-analysis has been reported; however, it suffers from serious methodological flaws. Methods A systematic search identified 152 publications, of which five studies (enrolling 1538 patients met inclusion criteria. All studies eligible for inclusion utilized biologic randomization. Results Assessing response rates by achievement of at least a very good partial response did not differ among the treatment arms [risk ratio (RR (95% CI = 0.97 (0.87-1.09, p = 0.66]; but complete remission was higher in the auto-allo HCT arm [RR = 1.65 (1.25-2.19, p = 0.0005]. Event-free survival did not differ between auto-allo HCT group versus auto-auto HCT group using per-protocol analysis [hazard ratio (HR = 0.78 (0.58-1.05, p = 0.11] or using intention-to-treat analysis [HR = 0.83 (0.60-1.15, p = 0.26]. Overall survival (OS did not differ among these treatment arms whether analyzed on per-protocol [HR = 0.88 (0.33-2.35, p = 0.79], or by intention-to-treat [HR = 0.80 (0.48-1.32, p = 0.39] analysis. Non-relapse mortality (NRM was significantly worse with auto-allo HCT [RR (95%CI = 3.55 (2.17-5.80, p  Conclusion Despite higher complete remission rates, there is no improvement in OS with auto-allo HCT; but this approach results in higher NRM in patients with newly diagnosed MM. At present, totality of evidence suggests that an auto-allo HCT approach for patients with newly diagnosed

Patient socioeconomic status as a prognostic factor for allo-SCT.

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Silla, L; Fischer, G B; Paz, A; Daudt, L E; Mitto, I; Katz, B; da Graça Grossini, M; Bittencourt, H N; Jochims, A; Fogliatto, L; Bittar, C M; Friedrisch, J R; Bittencourt, R I

2009-04-01

The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of socioeconomic status (SeS) on the outcome of allo-SCT at a Brazilian SCT center. In total, 201 patients receiving HLA-identical related allo-SCTs were studied. The median age was 30 years. Overall, 163 patients had malignancies (CML 68, ALL/AML 63, myelodysplastic syndrome 12 and others 20). SeS was defined according to the Brazilian Association of Market Research Agencies classification, where people are clustered in groups A-E (richest to poorest). In total, 146 patients (72%) were classified as richest (A+B+C) and 55 (28%) as poorest (D+E). The D+E SeS group was associated with a higher incidence of chronic GVHD and acute GVHD (hazard ratio (HR)=2.61; P=0.001 and HR=2.62; P=0.001, respectively), better platelet and neutrophil engraftment (HR=1.94; P=factor in patients undergoing allo-SCT in Brazil, influencing engraftment, TRM and overall survival.

Lung transplantation for bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after allo-SCT.

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Holm, A M; Riise, G C; Hansson, L; Brinch, L; Bjørtuft, O; Iversen, M; Simonsen, S; Fløisand, Y

2013-05-01

Chronic GVHD (cGVHD) associated bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) is a serious complication after allo-SCT, and lung transplantation (LTx) may be the ultimate treatment option. To evaluate this treatment, data on all patients with LTx after allo-SCT ever performed in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland were recorded and compared with survival data from the Scandiatransplant registry. In total, LTx after allo-SCT had been performed in 13 patients. Allo-SCT was done because of AML (n=6), CML (n=3), ALL (n=2), immunodeficiency (n=1) and aplastic anemia (n=1). All developed clinical cGVHD, with median interval from allo-SCT to LTx of 8.2 (0.7-16) years. Median age at LTx was 34 (16-55) years, and the median postoperative observation time was 4.2 (0.1-15) years. Two patients died, one due to septicemia, the other of relapsing leukemia, after 2 and 14 months, respectively. Four developed BOS, one of these was retransplanted. The survival did not significantly differ from the survival in matched LTx controls, being 90% 1 year and 75% 5 years after LTx compared with 85% and 68% in the controls. We therefore suggest that LTx may be considered in carefully selected patients with BOS due to cGVHD after allo-SCT.

A mouse model of adoptive immunotherapeutic targeting of autoimmune arthritis using allo-tolerogenic dendritic cells.

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Jie Yang

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Tolerogenic dendritic cells (tDCs are immunosuppressive cells with potent tolerogenic ability and are promising immunotherapeutic tools for treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA. However, it is currently unknown whether allogeneic tDCs (allo-tDCs induce tolerance in RA, and whether the numbers of adoptively transferred allo-tDCs, or the requirement for pulsing with relevant auto-antigens are important. METHODS: tDCs were derived from bone marrow precursors of C57BL/B6 mice, which were induced in vitro by GM-CSF, IL-10 and TGF-β1. Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA was modeled in D1 mice by immunization with type II collagen (CII to test the therapeutic ability of allo-tDCs against CIA. Clinical and histopathologic scores, arthritic incidence, cytokine and anti-CII antibody secretion, and CD4(+Th subsets were analyzed. RESULTS: tDCs were characterized in vitro by a stable immature phonotype and a potent immunosuppressive ability. Following adoptive transfer of low doses (5×10(5 of CII-loaded allo-tDCs, a remarkable anti-arthritic activity, improved clinical scores and histological end-points were found. Serological levels of inflammatory cytokines and anti-CII antibodies were also significantly lower in CIA mice treated with CII-pulsed allo-tDCs as compared with allo-tDCs. Moreover, treatment with allo-tDCs altered the proportion of Treg/Th17 cells. CONCLUSION: These findings suggested that allo-tDCs, especially following antigen loading, reduced the severity of CIA in a dose-dependent manner. The dampening of CIA was associated with modulated cytokine secretion, Treg/Th17 polarization and inhibition of anti-CII secretion. This study highlights the potential therapeutic utility of allo-tDCs in autoimmune arthritis and should facilitate the future design of allo-tDC immunotherapeutic strategies against RA.

Establishing an autologous versus allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant program in nations with emerging economies.

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Chaudhri, Naeem A; Aljurf, Mahmoud; Almohareb, Fahad I; Alzahrani, Hazzaa A; Bashir, Qaiser; Savani, Bipin; Gupta, Vikas; Hashmi, Shahrukh K

2017-12-01

More than 70,000 hematopoietic cell transplants are currently performed each year, and these continue to increase every year. However, there is a significant variation in the number of absolute transplants and transplant rates between centers, countries, and global regions. The prospect for emerging countries to develop a hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) program, as well as to decide on whether autologous HCT (auto-HCT) or allogeneic HCT (allo-HCT) should be established to start with, relies heavily on factors that can explain differences between these two procedures. Major factors that will influence a decision about establishing the type of HCT program are macroeconomic factors such as organization of the healthcare network, available resources and infrastructure. Prevalence of specific diseases in the region as well genetic background of donors and recipients will also influence the mandate or priority of the HCT in the national healthcare plan to explain some of the country-specific differences. Furthermore, microeconomic factors play a role, such as center-specific experience in treating various disorders requiring hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, along with accreditation status and patient volume. The objective of the transplant procedure was to improve the survival and quality of life of patients. The regional difference that one notices in emerging countries about the higher number of allo-HCT compared with auto-HCT procedures performed is primarily based on suboptimal healthcare network in treating various malignant disorders that are the primary indication for auto-stem cell transplantation. In this context, nonmalignant disorders such as bone marrow failure syndromes, inherited genetic disorders and hemoglobinopathies have become the major indication for stem cell transplantation. Better understanding of these factors will assist in establishing new transplant centers in the emerging countries to achieve their specific objectives and

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for poor-risk CLL: dissecting immune-modulating strategies for disease eradication and treatment of relapse.

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Hahn, M; Böttcher, S; Dietrich, S; Hegenbart, U; Rieger, M; Stadtherr, P; Bondong, A; Schulz, R; Ritgen, M; Schmitt, T; Tran, T H; Görner, M; Herth, I; Luft, T; Schönland, S; Witzens-Harig, M; Zenz, T; Kneba, M; Ho, A D; Dreger, P

2015-10-01

To elucidate factors contributing to the effectiveness of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHCT) in high-risk CLL, immune interventions, GvHD and clinical outcome of 77 consecutive patients allografted for CLL were analyzed. Immune modulation (immunosuppression tapering, rituximab-augmented donor lymphocyte infusions) was guided by minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring and commenced at a median of 91 (22-273) days after alloHCT, resulting in a probability of being event free and MRD-negative 1 year after transplant of 57% (84% in those encountering chronic GvHD). Patients who were event free and MRD-negative at the 12-month landmark had a 4-year PFS of 77% and largely remained durably MRD-negative if MRD clearance had occurred subsequent to immune modulation. Three-year overall survival, PFS, relapse incidence and non-relapse mortality of all 77 patients were 69, 57, 26 and 24%, respectively. Survival was not affected by EBMT risk category but by active disease at alloHCT, which could not be overcome by intensification of conditioning. Twenty-three patients who experienced relapse post alloHCT had a survival of 56% at 2 years after CLL recurrence. In conclusion, MRD-guided immune modulation after alloHCT for high-risk CLL can provide durable MRD clearance in more than half of the patients.

Investigations on the chemistry of berbanes 15(1). Synthesis of the allo-berbane skeleton labelled with 14C

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szammer, J.; Doernyei, G.; Szantay, C.

1994-01-01

[14- 14 C]-allo-berbane-14-ol: (7,8-methylenedioxy-14α-hydroxy-[14- 14 C]-allo-berbane, [14- 14 C]1, spec. act: 405 MBq/mM) was synthesized in nine reaction steps from K 14 CN (overall radioactive yield: 2.8%). (author)

Lung transplantation for bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after allo-SCT

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, A M; Riise, Gerdt; Hansson, Leif Helmuth

2013-01-01

and Finland were recorded and compared with survival data from the Scandiatransplant registry. In total, LTx after allo-SCT had been performed in 13 patients. Allo-SCT was done because of AML (n=6), CML (n=3), ALL (n=2), immunodeficiency (n=1) and aplastic anemia (n=1). All developed clinical c...

Association of PTP1B with Outcomes of Breast Cancer Patients Who Underwent Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

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Rivera Franco, Monica M; Leon Rodriguez, Eucario; Martinez Benitez, Braulio; Villanueva Rodriguez, Luisa G; de la Luz Sevilla Gonzalez, Maria; Armengol Alonso, Alejandra

2016-01-01

PTP1B is involved in the oncogenesis of breast cancer. In addition, neoadjuvant therapy has been widely used in breast cancer; thus, a measurement to assess survival improvement could be pathological complete response (pCR). Our objective was to associate PTP1B overexpression with outcomes of breast cancer patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Forty-six specimens were included. Diagnostic biopsies were immunostained using anti-PTP1B antibody. Expression was categorized as negative (<5%) and overexpression (≥5%). Patients' responses were graded according to the Miller-Payne system. Sixty-three percent of patients overexpressed PTP1B. There was no significant association between PTP1B overexpression and pCR ( P = 0.2). However, when associated with intrinsic subtypes, overexpression was higher in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive-enriched specimens ( P = 0.02). Ten-year progression-free survival showed no differences. Our preliminary results do not show an association between PTP1B over-expression and pCR; however, given the limited sample and heterogeneous treatment in our cohort, this hypothesis cannot be excluded.

Association of PTP1B with Outcomes of Breast Cancer Patients who Underwent Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

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Monica M. Rivera Franco

2016-01-01

Full Text Available PTP1B is involved in the oncogenesis of breast cancer. In addition, neoadjuvant therapy has been widely used in breast cancer; thus, a measurement to assess survival improvement could be pathological complete response (pCR. Our objective was to associate PTP1B overexpression with outcomes of breast cancer patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Forty-six specimens were included. Diagnostic biopsies were immunostained using anti-PTP1B antibody. Expression was categorized as negative (<5% and overexpression (≥5%. Patients' responses were graded according to the Miller-Payne system. Sixty-three percent of patients overexpressed PTP1B. There was no significant association between PTP1B overexpression and pCR (P = 0.2. However, when associated with intrinsic subtypes, overexpression was higher in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive-enriched specimens (P = 0.02. Ten-year progression-free survival showed no differences. Our preliminary results do not show an association between PTP1B overexpression and pCR; however, given the limited sample and heterogeneous treatment in our cohort, this hypothesis cannot be excluded.

Evidence for a GVL effect following reduced-intensity allo-SCT in ALL: a British Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation study.

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Medd, P G; Peniket, A J; Littlewood, T J; Pearce, R; Perry, J; Kirkland, K E; Shaw, B E; Potter, M N; Craddock, C F; Milligan, D W; Fielding, A K; Marks, D I; Cook, G

2013-07-01

Myeloablative allo-SCT decreases relapse incidence (RI) in ALL. Reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) may extend allo-SCT to older and less fit patients. Sixty-nine ALL patients reported to the BSBMT underwent fludarabine-based RIC allo-SCT, 38 from unrelated donors (UD). Forty-four patients received alemtuzumab. ALL was in CR in 64 patients (93%). This was a second or third SCT in 23 patients. Two-year OS and PFS were 36% and 32%, respectively. In multivariate analysis male recipients demonstrated better OS and PFS (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.42, P = 0.008 and HR = 0.45, P = 0.012, respectively). Two-year TRM was 29%: higher with younger age (HR = 0.97/year, P = 0.041), female recipient (HR = 2.55, P = 0.049) and increasing grade of acute GVHD (HR = 1.87, P = 0.001). Two-year RI was 38% and was lower in patients with acute and chronic GVHD (HR = 0.62 per increasing grade, P = 0.035 and HR = 0.52, P = 0.025, respectively). Long-term ALL-free survival is achievable following fludarabine-based RIC allo-SCT. The association between GVHD and decreased RI suggests the presence of a GVL effect.

Investigations on the chemistry of berbanes 15{sup (1)}. Synthesis of the allo-berbane skeleton labelled with {sup 14}C

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szammer, J.; Doernyei, G.; Szantay, C. [Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest (Hungary). Central Research Inst. for Chemistry

1994-11-01

[14-{sup 14}C]-allo-berbane-14-ol: (7,8-methylenedioxy-14{alpha}-hydroxy-[14-{sup 14}C]-allo-berbane, [14-{sup 14}C]1, spec. act: 405 MBq/mM) was synthesized in nine reaction steps from K{sup 14}CN (overall radioactive yield: 2.8%). (author).

Progression and CSF Inflammation after Eradication of Oligoclonal Bands in an MS Patient Treated with Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Follicular Lymphoma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Braendstrup, P; Langkilde, Annika; Schreiber, K

2012-01-01

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) has been proposed as treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune diseases.......Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) has been proposed as treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune diseases....

Prognostic factors and outcome in relapsed multiple myeloma after nonmyeloablative allo-SCT: a single center experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Minnema, M C; van Dorp, S; van de Donk, N W C J; Schouten, F; Kersten, M J; Coenen, J L L M; Schouten, H; Zweegman, S; Schaafsma, R; Lokhorst, H M

2011-02-01

For relapsed multiple myeloma (MM) patients, allo-SCT is a possible treatment option, but recent data obtained using a nonmyeloablative (NMA) conditioning regimen are scarce. We retrospectively collected data from 38 relapsed MM patients who received a NMA allo-SCT from October 2001 to January 2008. In total, 18 patients (48%) were transplanted using a matched unrelated donor. The median follow-up is 2.3 years. In 16 patients (42%) the response improved and eight patients (21%) were rapidly progressive within 6 months after allo-SCT. In total, 15 patients (39%) were in CR after allo-SCT. The median PFS was 1.4 years (range, 0.1-4.9), and having a CR after allo-SCT or having chronic GVHD resulted in longer PFS. Median OS was 3.1 years (range, 0.2-7.2) and again having a CR after allo-SCT or chronic GVHD was associated with a better OS. Six patients (16%) have died from treatment-related diseases. These results indicate that NMA allo-SCT is a treatment option in relapsed MM patients and that results may be improved by strategies that enhance the CR rate after allo-SCT.

Thymol Elicits HCT-116 Colorectal Carcinoma Cell Death Through Induction of Oxidative Stress.

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Chauhan, Anil Kumar; Bahuguna, Ashutosh; Paul, Souren; Kang, Sun Chul

2018-02-07

Colon cancer is one of the most deadly and common carcinomas occurring worldwide and there have been many attempts to treat this cancer. The present work was designed in order to evaluate thymol as a potent drug against colon cancer. Cytotoxicity of thymol at different concentrations was evaluated against a human colon carcinoma cell line (HCT-116 cells). Fluorescent staining was carried out to evaluate the level of ROS as well as mitochondrial and DNA fragmentation and immunoblot analysis were performed to confirm apoptosis and mitoptosis. Results of the study demonstrated that thymol efficiently created an oxidative stress environment inside HCT-116 cells, a colorectal carcinoma cell line, through induction of ROS production along with intense damage to DNA and mitochondria, as observed through Hoechst and rhodamine 123 staining, respectively. Moreover, expression of PARP-1, p-JNK, cytochrome-C and caspase-3 proteins was up-regulated, suggesting HCT-116 cells underwent mitoptotic cell death. Therefore, thymol could be used as a potent drug against colon cancer due to its lower toxicity and prevalence in natural medicinal plants. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Autologous transplantation versus allogeneic transplantation in patients with follicular lymphoma experiencing early treatment failure.

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Smith, Sonali M; Godfrey, James; Ahn, Kwang Woo; DiGilio, Alyssa; Ahmed, Sairah; Agrawal, Vaibhav; Bachanova, Veronika; Bacher, Ulrike; Bashey, Asad; Bolaños-Meade, Javier; Cairo, Mitchell; Chen, Andy; Chhabra, Saurabh; Copelan, Edward; Dahi, Parastoo B; Aljurf, Mahmoud; Farooq, Umar; Ganguly, Siddhartha; Hertzberg, Mark; Holmberg, Leona; Inwards, David; Kanate, Abraham S; Karmali, Reem; Kenkre, Vaishalee P; Kharfan-Dabaja, Mohamed A; Klein, Andreas; Lazarus, Hillard M; Mei, Matthew; Mussetti, Alberto; Nishihori, Taiga; Ramakrishnan Geethakumari, Praveen; Saad, Ayman; Savani, Bipin N; Schouten, Harry C; Shah, Nirav; Urbano-Ispizua, Alvaro; Vij, Ravi; Vose, Julie; Sureda, Anna; Hamadani, Mehdi

2018-04-12

Early treatment failure (ETF) in follicular lymphoma (FL), defined as relapse or progression within 2 years of frontline chemoimmunotherapy, is a newly recognized marker of poor survival and identifies a high-risk group of patients with an expected 5-year overall survival (OS) rate of approximately 50%. Transplantation is an established option for relapsed FL, but its efficacy in this specific ETF FL population has not been previously evaluated. This study compared autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HCT) with either matched sibling donor (MSD) or matched unrelated donor (MUD) allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) as the first transplantation approach for patients with ETF FL (age ≥ 18 years) undergoing auto-HCT or allo-HCT between 2002 and 2014. The primary endpoint was OS. The secondary endpoints were progression-free survival, relapse, and nonrelapse mortality (NRM). Four hundred forty FL patients had ETF (auto-HCT, 240; MSD hematopoietic stem cell transplantation [HCT], 105; and MUD HCT, 95). With a median follow-up of 69 to 73 months, the adjusted probability of 5-year OS was significantly higher after auto-HCT (70%) or MSD HCT (73%) versus MUD HCT (49%; P = .0008). The 5-year adjusted probability of NRM was significantly lower for auto-HCT (5%) versus MSD (17%) or MUD HCT (33%; P ETF, undergoing auto-HCT for FL have low NRM and a promising 5-year OS rate (70%). MSD HCT has lower relapse rates than auto-HCT but similar OS. Cancer 2018. © 2018 American Cancer Society. © 2018 American Cancer Society.

The evolving role of chemotherapy and hematopoietic cell transplants in Ph-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia in adults.

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Litzow, M R; Fielding, A K; Luger, S M; Paietta, E; Ofran, Y; Rowe, J M; Goldstone, A H; Tallman, M S; Lazarus, H M

2017-12-01

The introduction of the tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) into the treatment of patients with Ph or BCR-ABL1-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia has revolutionized the treatment of this poor prognosis acute leukemia. The combination of TKI with chemotherapy has improved response rates and allowed more patients to proceed to allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (alloHCT). Older patients have excellent responses to TKI and corticosteroids or in combination with minimal chemotherapy. This raises the question as to whether patients require full-intensity chemotherapy with TKI to achieve molecular remissions. The pediatricians have proposed that cure is achievable without alloHCT in children. These results have suggested that many patients may not require traditional chemotherapy in addition to TKI to achieve remission, and that patients who achieve a negative minimal residual disease state may not require alloHCT. The data in support of these questions is presented here and a suggested future clinical trial design based on these data is proposed.

Rituximab-containing reduced-intensity conditioning improves progression-free survival following allogeneic transplantation in B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma

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Narendranath Epperla

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL, rituximab-containing reduced-intensity conditioning regimens (R-RIC have been shown to provide favorable outcomes in single-arm studies; however, large multicenter studies comparing R-RIC and non-rituximab-containing reduced-intensity conditioning regimens (nonR-RIC have not been performed. Using the CIBMTR database, we report the outcomes of R-RIC versus nonR-RIC regimens in B-NHL. Methods We evaluated 1401 adult B-NHL patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT who received nonR-RIC (n = 1022 or R-RIC (n = 379 regimens. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD prophylaxis was limited to calcineurin inhibitor-based approaches. Results Median follow-up of survivors in the R-RIC and nonR-RIC groups was 47 and 37 months, respectively. On multivariate analysis, no difference was seen between the R-RIC and nonR-RIC cohorts in terms of acute GVHD grade II–IV (RR = 1.14, 95%CI = 0.83–1.56, p = 0.43 or grade III–IV (RR = 1.16, 95%CI = 0.72–1.89, p = 0.54, chronic GVHD (RR = 1.15, 95%CI = 0.92–1.46, p = 0.22, non-relapse mortality (RR = 0.90; 95%CI = 0.67–1.22; p = 0.51, relapse/progression (RR = 0.79; 95%CI = 0.63–1.01; p = 0.055, and mortality (RR = 0.84, 95%CI = 0.69–1.02, p = 0.08 risk. However, R-RIC was associated with a significantly improved progression-free survival (RR = 0.76; 95%CI 0.62–0.92; p = 0.006. On subgroup analysis, mortality benefit was noted in the R-RIC group patients not receiving busulfan-based RIC (RR = 0.76; 95%CI = 0.60–0.96; p = 0.02 and with the use of a higher cumulative rituximab dose (RR = 0.43; 95%CI = 0.21–0.90; p = 0.02. Conclusion Our analysis shows that inclusion of rituximab in RIC regimens improves progression-free survival in patients with B cell NHL. These data supports the use of R-RIC in B

Different impact of intermediate and unfavourable cytogenetics at the time of diagnosis on outcome of de novo AML after allo-SCT: a long-term retrospective analysis from a single institution.

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Nahi, H; Remberger, M; Machaczka, M; Ungerstedt, J; Mattson, J; Ringden, O; Le-Blanc, Katarina; Ljungman, P; Hägglund, H

2012-12-01

Karyotype of myeloblasts at the time of AML diagnosis has been shown to be prognostic significant for pre-remission outcome and outcome after allo-SCT, but the latter requires further studies. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the impact of intermediate and unfavourable cytogenetics at the time of primary diagnosis on outcome after allo-SCT in de novo AML. The study included 169 patients who underwent allo-SCT at Karolinska University Hospital between 1980 and 2010. Intermediate and unfavourable cytogenetics were found in 129 (76%) and 40 patients (24%), respectively. Myeloablative and reduced-intensity conditioning were given to 120 (71%) and 49 (29%) patients, respectively. Allo-SCT was performed in CR1 in 122 patients (72%). TRM was 16% in both cytogenetics groups. Relapse occurred in 29% patients with intermediate and in 45% patients with unfavourable cytogenetics (P=0.01). The probabilities of 5-year OS for patients with intermediate and unfavourable cytogenetics were 60 and 43%, respectively (P=0.02). Multivariate analysis revealed intermediate cytogenetics, chronic GVHD, and recipient CMV-negative serostatus as variables associated with favourable OS. Our study showed that outcome after allo-SCT in de novo AML differs depending on cytogenetic risk-group; however its position in post-remission therapy of eligible AML patients is not threatened.

Galectin-1 is required for the regulatory function of B cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Alhabbab, R; Blair, P; Smyth, L A; Ratnasothy, K; Peng, Q; Moreau, A; Lechler, R; Elgueta, R; Lombardi, G

2018-02-09

Galectin-1 (Gal-1) is required for the development of B cells in the bone marrow (BM), however very little is known about the contribution of Gal-1 to the development of B cell regulatory function. Here, we report an important role for Gal-1 in the induction of B cells regulatory function. Mice deficient of Gal-1 (Gal-1 -/- ) showed significant loss of Transitional-2 (T2) B cells, previously reported to include IL-10 + regulatory B cells. Gal-1 -/- B cells stimulated in vitro via CD40 molecules have impaired IL-10 and Tim-1 expression, the latter reported to be required for IL-10 production in regulatory B cells, and increased TNF-α expression compared to wild type (WT) B cells. Unlike their WT counterparts, T2 and T1 Gal-1 -/- B cells did not suppress TNF-α expression by CD4 + T cells activated in vitro with allogenic DCs (allo-DCs), nor were they suppressive in vivo, being unable to delay MHC-class I mismatched skin allograft rejection following adoptive transfer. Moreover, T cells stimulated with allo-DCs show an increase in their survival when co-cultured with Gal-1 -/- T2 and MZ B cells compared to WT T2 and MZ B cells. Collectively, these data suggest that Gal-1 contributes to the induction of B cells regulatory function.

Distress, problems and supportive care needs of patients treated with auto- or allo-SCT.

Science.gov (United States)

Braamse, A M J; van Meijel, B; Visser, O; Huijgens, P C; Beekman, A T F; Dekker, J

2014-02-01

Hematological malignancies and treatment with hematopoietic SCT are known to affect patients' quality of life. The problem profile and care needs of this patient group need clarification, however. This study aimed to assess distress, problems and care needs after allo- or auto-SCT, and to identify risk factors for distress, problems or care needs. In this cross-sectional study, patients treated with allo-SCT or auto-SCT for hematological malignancies completed the Distress Thermometer and Problem List. Three patient groups were created: 0-1, 1-2.5 and 2.5-5.5 years after transplantation. After allo-SCT, distress and the number of problems tended to be lower with longer follow-up. After auto-SCT, distress was highest at 1-2.5 year(s). Patients mainly reported physical problems, followed by cognitive-emotional and practical problems. A minority reported care needs. Risk factors for distress as well as problems after allo-SCT included younger age, shorter time after transplantation and GVHD. A risk factor for distress as well as problems after auto-SCT was the presence of comorbid diseases. Up to 5 years after auto-SCT or allo-SCT, patients continue to experience distress and problems. Judged by prevalence, physical problems are first priority in supportive care, followed by cognitive-emotional and practical problems.

A Limited Submuscular Direct-to-Implant Technique Utilizing AlloMax

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Michal Brichacek, MD

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Background:. This study evaluates a novel limited submuscular direct-to-implant technique utilizing AlloMax where only the upper few centimeters of the implant is covered by the pectoralis, whereas the majority of the implant including the middle and lower poles are covered by acellular dermal matrix. Methods:. The pectoralis muscle is released off its inferior and inferior-medial origins and allowed to retract superiorly. Two sheets of AlloMax (6 × 16 cm are sutured together and secured to the inframammary fold, serratus fascia, and the superiorly retracted pectoralis. Thirty-seven breasts in 19 consecutive patients with follow-up at 6 months were reviewed. Results:. Nineteen consecutive patients with 37 reconstructed breasts were studied. Average age was 50 years, average BMI was 24.3. Ptosis ranged from grade 0–III, and average cup size was B (range, A–DDD. Early minor complications included 1 seroma, 3 minor postoperative hematomas managed conservatively, and 3 minor wound healing problems. Three breasts experienced mastectomy skin flap necrosis and were managed with local excision. There were no cases of postoperative infection, red breast, grade III/IV capsular contractures, or implant loss. A single patient complained of animation postoperatively. One patient desired fat grafting for rippling. Conclusions:. The limited submuscular direct-to-implant technique utilizing AlloMax appears to be safe with a low complication rate at 6 months. This technique minimizes the action of the pectoralis on the implant, reducing animation deformities but still providing muscle coverage of the upper limit of the implant. Visible rippling is reduced, and a vascularized bed remains for fat grafting of the upper pole if required.

Transformações químicas do (+-10b,14-diol-allo-aromadendrano, isolado de duguetia glabriuscula r. e. fries (r. e. fries (annonaceae e avaliações biológicas de alguns derivados obtidos Chemical modifications of (+-allo-aromadendrane-10b,14-diol isolated from duguetia glabriuscula r. e. fries (r. e. fries (annonaceae and biological evaluation of some obtained derivatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dênis Pires de Lima

1997-12-01

Full Text Available The sesquiterpene (+-allo-aromadendrane-10b-14-diol 1 was the lead compound to the preparation of several derivatives in order to test their biological activity against A. salina, C. sphaerospermum, E. coli and S. aureus. In this way the monoalcohols (+-viridiflorol 4, 9 and 11 were synthesized from 1 together with the acetal 6, the ketal 7, and the ketone 8. The oxirane 3 and nitrile 5 were also prepared using as an intermediate the tosylate derivative 2.

The cumulative burden of double-stranded DNA virus detection after allogeneic HCT is associated with increased mortality.

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Hill, Joshua A; Mayer, Bryan T; Xie, Hu; Leisenring, Wendy M; Huang, Meei-Li; Stevens-Ayers, Terry; Milano, Filippo; Delaney, Colleen; Sorror, Mohamed L; Sandmaier, Brenda M; Nichols, Garrett; Zerr, Danielle M; Jerome, Keith R; Schiffer, Joshua T; Boeckh, Michael

2017-04-20

Strategies to prevent active infection with certain double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) are limited by incomplete understanding of their epidemiology and clinical impact. We retrospectively tested weekly plasma samples from allogeneic HCT recipients at our center from 2007 to 2014. We used quantitative PCR to test for cytomegalovirus, BK polyomavirus, human herpesvirus 6B, HHV-6A, adenovirus, and Epstein-Barr virus between days 0 and 100 post-HCT. We evaluated risk factors for detection of multiple viruses and association of viruses with mortality through day 365 post-HCT with Cox models. Among 404 allogeneic HCT recipients, including 125 cord blood, 125 HLA-mismatched, and 154 HLA-matched HCTs, detection of multiple viruses was common through day 100: 90% had ≥1, 62% had ≥2, 28% had ≥3, and 5% had 4 or 5 viruses. Risk factors for detection of multiple viruses included cord blood or HLA-mismatched HCT, myeloablative conditioning, and acute graft-versus-host disease ( P values < .01). Absolute lymphocyte count of <200 cells/mm 3 was associated with greater virus exposure on the basis of the maximum cumulative viral load area under the curve (AUC) ( P = .054). The maximum cumulative viral load AUC was the best predictor of early (days 0-100) and late (days 101-365) overall mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 1.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.25, 1.49], and aHR = 1.04, 95% CI [1.0, 1.08], respectively) after accounting for immune reconstitution and graft-versus-host disease. In conclusion, detection of multiple dsDNA viruses was frequent after allogeneic HCT and had a dose-dependent association with increased mortality. These data suggest opportunities to improve outcomes with better antiviral strategies. © 2017 by The American Society of Hematology.

Iron depletion in HCT116 cells diminishes the upregulatory effect of phenethyl isothiocyanate on heme oxygenase-1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bolloskis, Michael P.; Carvalho, Fabiana P.; Loo, George

2016-01-01

Some of the health-promoting properties of cruciferous vegetables are thought to be partly attributed to isothiocyanates. These phytochemicals can upregulate the expression of certain cytoprotective stress genes, but it is unknown if a particular nutrient is involved. Herein, the objective was to ascertain if adequate iron is needed for enabling HCT116 cells to optimally express heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) when induced by phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC). PEITC increased HO-1 expression and also nuclear translocation of Nrf2, which is a transcription factor known to activate the HO-1 gene. However, in HCT116 cells that were made iron-deficient by depleting intracellular iron with deferoxamine (DFO), PEITC was less able to increase HO-1 expression and nuclear translocation of Nrf2. These suppressive effects of DFO were overcome by replenishing the iron-deficient cells with the missing iron. To elucidate these findings, it was found that PEITC-induced HO-1 upregulation can be inhibited with thiol antioxidants (glutathione and N-acetylcysteine). Furthermore, NADPH oxidase inhibitors (diphenyleneiodonium and apocynin) and a superoxide scavenger (Tiron) each inhibited PEITC-induced HO-1 upregulation. In doing so, diphenyleneiodonium was the most potent and also inhibited nuclear translocation of redox-sensitive Nrf2. Collectively, the results imply that the HO-1 upregulation by PEITC involves an iron-dependent, oxidant signaling pathway. Therefore, it is concluded that ample iron is required to enable PEITC to fully upregulate HO-1 expression in HCT116 cells. As such, it is conceivable that iron-deficient individuals may not reap the full health benefits of eating PEITC-containing cruciferous vegetables that via HO-1 may help protect against multiple chronic diseases. - Highlights: • PEITC increased HO-1 expression in HCT116 cells. • PEITC-induced HO-1 upregulation was impaired in iron-depleted HCT116 cells. • Impairment of PEITC-induced HO-1 upregulation was

Hematopoietic cell transplantation in Fanconi anemia: current evidence, challenges and recommendations.

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Ebens, Christen L; MacMillan, Margaret L; Wagner, John E

2017-01-01

Hematopoietic cell transplantation for Fanconi Anemia (FA) has improved dramatically over the past 40 years. With an enhanced understanding of the intrinsic DNA-repair defect and pathophysiology of hematopoietic failure and leukemogenesis, sequential changes to conditioning and graft engineering have significantly improved the expectation of survival after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) with incidence of graft failure decreased from 35% to 40% to <10%. Today, five-year overall survival exceeds 90% in younger FA patients with bone marrow failure but remains about 50% in those with hematologic malignancy. Areas covered: We review the evolution of alloHCT contributing to decreased rates of transplant related complications; highlight current challenges including poorer outcomes in cases of clonal hematologic disorders, alloHCT impact on endocrine function and intrinsic FA risk of epithelial malignancies; and describe investigational therapies for prevention and treatment of the hematologic manifestations of FA. Expert commentary: Current methods allow for excellent survival following alloHCT for FA associated BMF irrespective of donor hematopoietic cell source. Alternative curative approaches, such as gene therapy, are being explored to eliminate the risks of GVHD and minimize therapy-related adverse effects.

Country-Level Macroeconomic Indicators Predict Early Post-Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Survival in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A CIBMTR Analysis.

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Wood, William A; Brazauskas, Ruta; Hu, Zhen-Huan; Abdel-Azim, Hisham; Ahmed, Ibrahim A; Aljurf, Mahmoud; Badawy, Sherif; Beitinjaneh, Amer; George, Biju; Buchbinder, David; Cerny, Jan; Dedeken, Laurence; Diaz, Miguel Angel; Freytes, Cesar O; Ganguly, Siddhartha; Gergis, Usama; Almaguer, David Gomez; Gupta, Ashish; Hale, Gregory; Hashmi, Shahrukh K; Inamoto, Yoshihiro; Kamble, Rammurti T; Adekola, Kehinde; Kindwall-Keller, Tamila; Knight, Jennifer; Kumar, Lalit; Kuwatsuka, Yachiyo; Law, Jason; Lazarus, Hillard M; LeMaistre, Charles; Olsson, Richard F; Pulsipher, Michael A; Savani, Bipin N; Schultz, Kirk R; Saad, Ayman A; Seftel, Matthew; Seo, Sachiko; Shea, Thomas C; Steinberg, Amir; Sullivan, Keith; Szwajcer, David; Wirk, Baldeep; Yared, Jean; Yong, Agnes; Dalal, Jignesh; Hahn, Theresa; Khera, Nandita; Bonfim, Carmem; Atsuta, Yoshiko; Saber, Wael

2018-03-19

For patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) offers a potential cure. Life-threatening complications can arise from alloHCT that require the application of sophisticated health care delivery. The impact of country-level economic conditions on post-transplantation outcomes is not known. Our objective was to assess whether these variables were associated with outcomes for patients transplanted for ALL. Using data from the Center for Blood and Marrow Transplant Research, we included 11,261 patients who received a first alloHCT for ALL from 303 centers across 38 countries between the years of 2005 and 2013. Cox regression models were constructed using the following macroeconomic indicators as main effects: Gross national income per capita, health expenditure per capita, and Human Development Index (HDI). The outcome was overall survival at 100 days following transplantation. In each model, transplants performed within lower resourced environments were associated with inferior overall survival. In the model with the HDI as the main effect, transplants performed in the lowest HDI quartile (n = 697) were associated with increased hazard for mortality (hazard ratio, 2.42; 95% confidence interval, 1.64 to 3.57; P macroeconomic indices were associated with lower survival at 100 days after alloHCT for ALL. The reasons for this disparity require further investigation. Copyright © 2018 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans, gomisins J and N inhibit the Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling pathway in HCT116 cells

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Kang, Kyungsu; Lee, Kyung-Mi; Yoo, Ji-Hye; Lee, Hee Ju [Functional Food Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung 210-340 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Chul Young [Functional Food Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung 210-340 (Korea, Republic of); College of Pharmacy, Hanyang University, Ansan 426-791 (Korea, Republic of); Nho, Chu Won, E-mail: cwnho@kist.re.kr [Functional Food Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung 210-340 (Korea, Republic of)

2012-11-16

Graphical abstract: Schematic diagram of the possible molecular mechanism underlying the inhibition of the Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling pathway and the induction of G0/G1-phase arrest by gomisins J and N, derived from the fruits of S. chinensis, in HCT116 human colon cancer cells. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Gomisins J and N inhibited Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling pathway in HCT116 cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Gomisins J and N disrupted the binding of {beta}-catenin to specific DNA sequences, TBE. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Gomisins J and N inhibited the HCT116 cell proliferation through G0/G1 phase arrest. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Gomisins J and N inhibited the expression of Cyc D1, a Wnt/{beta}-catenin target gene. -- Abstract: Here, we report that gomisin J and gomisin N, dibenzocyclooctadiene type lignans isolated from Schisandra chinensis, inhibit Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling in HCT116 cells. Gomisins J and N appear to inhibit Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling by disrupting the interaction between {beta}-catenin and its specific target DNA sequences (TCF binding elements, TBE) rather than by altering the expression of the {beta}-catenin protein. Gomisins J and N inhibit HCT116 cell proliferation by arresting the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase. The G0/G1 phase arrest induced by gomisins J and N appears to be caused by a decrease in the expression of Cyclin D1, a representative target gene of the Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling pathway, as well as Cdk2, Cdk4, and E2F-1. Therefore, gomisins J and N, the novel Wnt/{beta}-catenin inhibitors discovered in this study, may serve as potential agents for the prevention and treatment of human colorectal cancers.

Dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans, gomisins J and N inhibit the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in HCT116 cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Kyungsu; Lee, Kyung-Mi; Yoo, Ji-Hye; Lee, Hee Ju; Kim, Chul Young; Nho, Chu Won

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: Schematic diagram of the possible molecular mechanism underlying the inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and the induction of G0/G1-phase arrest by gomisins J and N, derived from the fruits of S. chinensis, in HCT116 human colon cancer cells. Highlights: ► Gomisins J and N inhibited Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in HCT116 cells. ► Gomisins J and N disrupted the binding of β-catenin to specific DNA sequences, TBE. ► Gomisins J and N inhibited the HCT116 cell proliferation through G0/G1 phase arrest. ► Gomisins J and N inhibited the expression of Cyc D1, a Wnt/β-catenin target gene. -- Abstract: Here, we report that gomisin J and gomisin N, dibenzocyclooctadiene type lignans isolated from Schisandra chinensis, inhibit Wnt/β-catenin signaling in HCT116 cells. Gomisins J and N appear to inhibit Wnt/β-catenin signaling by disrupting the interaction between β-catenin and its specific target DNA sequences (TCF binding elements, TBE) rather than by altering the expression of the β-catenin protein. Gomisins J and N inhibit HCT116 cell proliferation by arresting the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase. The G0/G1 phase arrest induced by gomisins J and N appears to be caused by a decrease in the expression of Cyclin D1, a representative target gene of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, as well as Cdk2, Cdk4, and E2F-1. Therefore, gomisins J and N, the novel Wnt/β-catenin inhibitors discovered in this study, may serve as potential agents for the prevention and treatment of human colorectal cancers.

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing prior to myeloablative allo-SCT: a feasibility study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelsey, C R; Scott, J M; Lane, A; Schwitzer, E; West, M J; Thomas, S; Herndon, J E; Michalski, M G; Horwitz, M E; Hennig, T; Jones, L W

2014-10-01

The feasibility of symptom-limited cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) prior to allo-SCT was assessed in addition to the prognostic value of CPET-derived measures. CPET was performed prospectively on 21 patients with hematologic malignancies, with assessments of peak (for example, peak oxygen consumption, VO2peak) and submaximal (for example, ventilatory threshold (VT)) measures of cardiopulmonary function. No serious adverse events were observed during CPET procedures, with 95% of patients achieving criteria for a peak test. Mean VO2peak was 24.7±6.4 mL kg(-1 )min(-1) (range: 10.9-35.5), equivalent to 29%±17% below that of age-matched healthy controls. All patients proceeded with the conditioning regimen followed by allo-SCT. Median follow-up was 25 months. During this period, 11 (52.4%) patients died (n=6, relapsed disease; n=5, non-relapse mortality (NRM)); 9 patients (43%) developed pulmonary toxicity. In univariate analyses, both peak and submaximal markers of cardiopulmonary function were predictors of OS, pulmonary toxicity and NRM. For OS, the HR for VO2peak and VT were 0.89 (95% CI, 0.8-0.99, P=0.04) and 0.84 (95% CI, 0.71-0.98, P=0.03), respectively. In conclusion, CPET is safe and feasible prior to allo-SCT. Patients have marked impairments in cardiopulmonary function prior to allo-SCT. CPET-derived metrics may complement conventional measures to improve risk stratification.

Longitudinal follow-up of nutritional status and its influencing factors in adults undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Urbain, P; Birlinger, J; Lambert, C; Finke, J; Bertz, H; Biesalski, H-K

2013-03-01

There are few longitudinal data on nutritional status and body composition of patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT). We assessed nutritional status of 105 patients before alloHCT and its course during the early post-transplant period to day +30 and day +100 via weight history, body mass index (BMI) normalized for gender and age, Subjective Global Assessment, phase angle normalized for gender, age, and BMI, and fat-free and body fat masses. Furthermore, we present a multivariate regression model investigating the impact of factors on body weight. At admission, 23.8% reported significant weight losses (>5%) in the previous 6 months, and we noted 31.5% with abnormal age- and sex-adjusted BMI values (10th, 90th percentiles). BMI decreased significantly (Panorexia (parameter estimate 1.07; P=0.058) as independent factors influencing early weight loss. In conclusion, our results show a significant deterioration in nutritional status during the early post-transplant period. Predominant alloHCT-associated complications such as anorexia and acute GVHD became evident as significant factors influencing nutritional status.

Apoptosis inducing activity of benzophenanthridine-type alkaloids and 2-arylbenzofuran neolignans in HCT116 colon carcinoma cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Mansoor, Tayyab A; Borralho, Pedro M; Luo, Xuan; Mulhovo, Silva; Rodrigues, Cecília M P; Ferreira, Maria-José U

2013-07-15

Thirteen compounds belonging to different classes of alkaloids (1-9) and lignans (10-13), isolated from the methanol extract of roots of the African medicinal plant Zanthoxylum capense, were assayed for their ability as apoptosis inducers in HCT116 colon carcinoma cells. The cytotoxicity of these compounds was evaluated in HCT116 colon carcinoma cells by the MTS assay. Out of the tested compounds, three benzophenanthridine alkaloids (1, 4, and 7), a dibenzyl butyrolactone lignan (10), and two 2-arylbenzofuran neolignans (12 and 13) displayed significant cytotoxicity to HCT116 cells, confirmed by the Guava ViaCount viability assay. The selected compounds (1, 4, 7, 10, 12, and 13) were further tested for apoptosis induction activity in HCT116 cells, by evaluation of nuclear morphology following Hoechst staining, and by caspase-3 like activity assays. Morphologic evaluation of HCT116 nuclei following Hoechst staining and fluorescence microscopy revealed that compounds 1, 4, 7, 10, 12, and 13 induced apoptosis in HCT116 colon carcinoma cells, producing similar, or higher, apoptosis levels when compared with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), the cornerstone cytotoxic used in colon cancer treatment for several decades. In fact, HCT116 cells developed morphological changes characteristic of apoptosis, including chromatin condensation, nuclear fragmentation and formation of apoptotic bodies. Importantly, compounds 4 and 13 at 20 μM were the most promising in this study, inducing respectively ∼11- and 7-fold increases in apoptotic cells as compared to vehicle control, whereas 5-FU increased apoptosis by ∼2-fold. Apoptosis induction for compounds 4 and 13 was further confirmed by caspase-3-like activity assays, which showed respectively ∼2- and 1.5-fold increases in caspase-3-like activity compared to vehicle control. These results suggested that specific benzophenanthridine alkaloids and 2-arylbenzofuran neolignans isolated from Zanthoxylum capense show strong anticancer

Specific Reagent for Cr(III): Imaging Cellular Uptake of Cr(III) in Hct116 Cells and Theoretical Rationalization.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Firoj; Saha, Sukdeb; Maity, Arunava; Taye, Nandaraj; Si, Mrinal Kanti; Suresh, E; Ganguly, Bishwajit; Chattopadhyay, Samit; Das, Amitava

2015-10-15

A new rhodamine-based reagent (L1), trapped inside the micellar structure of biologically benign Triton-X 100, could be used for specific recognition of Cr(III) in aqueous buffer medium having physiological pH. This visible light excitable reagent on selective binding to Cr(III) resulted in a strong fluorescence turn-on response with a maximum at ∼583 nm and tail of that luminescence band extended until 650 nm, an optical response that is desired for avoiding the cellular autofluorescence. Interference studies confirm that other metal ions do not interfere with the detection process of Cr(III) in aqueous buffer medium having pH 7.2. To examine the nature of binding of Cr(III) to L1, various spectroscopic studies are performed with the model reagent L2, which tend to support Cr(III)-η(2)-olefin π-interactions involving two olefin bonds in molecular probe L1. Computational studies are also performed with another model reagent LM to examine the possibility of such Cr(III)-η(2)-olefin π-interactions. Presumably, polar functional groups of the model reagent LM upon coordination to the Cr(III) center effectively reduce the formal charge on the metal ion and this is further substantiated by results of the theoretical studies. This assembly is found to be cell membrane permeable and shows insignificant toxicity toward live colon cancer cells (Hct116). Confocal laser scanning microscopic studies further revealed that the reagent L1 could be used as an imaging reagent for detection of cellular uptake of Cr(III) in pure aqueous buffer medium by Hct116 cells. Examples of a specific reagent for paramagnetic Cr(III) with luminescence ON response are scanty in the contemporary literature. This ligand design helped us in achieving the turn on response by utilizing the conversion from spirolactam to an acyclic xanthene form on coordination to Cr(III).

AURKA Phe31Ile polymorphism interacted with use of alcohol, betel quid, and cigarettes at multiplicative risk of oral cancer occurrence.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Chi-Pin; Chiang, Shang-Lun; Lee, Chien-Hung; Tsai, Yi-Shan; Wang, Zhi-Hong; Hua, Chun-Hung; Chen, Yuan-Chien; Tsai, Eing-Mei; Ko, Ying-Chin

2015-11-01

The expression levels of two DNA repair genes (CHAF1A and CHAF1B) and a chromosome segregation gene (AURKA) were susceptible to arecoline exposure, a major alkaloid of areca nut. We hypothesize that genetic variants of these genes might also be implicated in the risk of oral cancer and could be modified by substance use of betel quid or alcohol and cigarettes. A case-control study, which included 507 patients with oral cancer and 717 matched controls, was performed in order to evaluate the cancer susceptibility by the tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (tagSNPs) in AURKA, CHAF1A, and CHAF1B using a genotyping assay and gene-environment interaction analysis. The Phe31Ile polymorphism (rs2273535, T91A) of AURKA was significantly associated with an increased risk of oral cancer (odds ratio (OR) = 2.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-3.5). The gene dosage of the 91A allele also showed a significant trend in risk of oral cancer (P = 0.008). Furthermore, we found the AURKA 91AA homozygote was modifiable by substance use of alcohol, betel quid, and cigarettes (ABC), leading to increased risk of oral cancer in an additive or a multiplicative model (combined effect indexes = 1.2-4.0 and 1.5-2.2, respectively). However, no association was observed between the genetic variants of CHAF1A or CHAF1B and oral cancer risk in the study. These findings reveal the functional Phe31Ile polymorphism tagSNP of AURKA may be a strong susceptibility gene in ABC-related oral cancer occurrence. The results of this betel-related oral cancer study provide the evidence of environment-gene interaction for early prediction and molecular diagnosis.

Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Older Patients: Prognosis Determined by Disease Risk Index.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Fiona; Cao, Qing; Lazaryan, Aleksandr; Brunstein, Claudio; Holtan, Shernan; Warlick, Erica; Ustun, Celalettin; McClune, Brian; Arora, Mukta; Rashidi, Armin; Eckfeldt, Craig; Weisdorf, Daniel J; Bejanyan, Nelli

2017-09-01

The treatment of elderly patients with advanced hematological malignancies has expanded to include reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) as a potentially curative option. We studied the association between Disease Risk Index (DRI) and clinical outcomes of 196 elderly patients (median age, 64.8; range, 60 to 75 years) with hematological malignancies receiving RIC alloHCT (2000 to 2014). Donors were related and unrelated adults (n = 100, 51.1%) or umbilical cord blood (n = 96, 48.9%). DRI classified 12 patients (6.1%) as low risk (LR), 146 patients (74.5%) as intermediate risk (IR), and 38 patients (19.4%) as high risk (HR). Two-year overall survival (OS) was 47% (52% for LR/IR versus 29% for HR, P risk of relapse (hazard ratio, 2.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34 to 3.33; P = .02) and treatment failure (hazard ratio, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.35 to 3.18; P risk of relapse leading to poor survival in HR DRI, participation in clinical trials offering relapse prevention strategies after RIC alloHCT should be encouraged when available. Copyright © 2017 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association of Macroeconomic Factors With Nonrelapse Mortality After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Adults With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: An Analysis From the Acute Leukemia Working Party of the EBMT.

Science.gov (United States)

Giebel, Sebastian; Labopin, Myriam; Ibatici, Adalberto; Browne, Paul; Czerw, Tomasz; Socie, Gerard; Unal, Ali; Kyrcz-Krzemien, Slawomira; Bacigalupo, Andrea; Goker, Hakan; Potter, Mike; Furness, Caroline L; McQuaker, Grant; Beelen, Dietrich; Milpied, Noel; Campos, Antonio; Craddock, Charles; Nagler, Arnon; Mohty, Mohamad

2016-03-01

From a global perspective, the rates of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) are closely related to the economic status of a country. However, a potential association with outcome has not yet been documented. The goal of this study was to evaluate effects of health care expenditure (HCE), Human Development Index (HDI), team density, and center experience on nonrelapse mortality (NRM) after HLA-matched sibling alloHCT for adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). A total of 983 patients treated with myeloablative alloHCT between 2004 and 2008 in 24 European countries were included. In a univariate analysis, the probability of day 100 NRM was increased for countries with lower current HCE (8% vs. 3%; p = .06), countries with lower HDI (8% vs. 3%; p = .02), and centers with less experience (8% vs. 5%; p = .04). In addition, the overall NRM was increased for countries with lower current HCE (21% vs. 17%; p = .09) and HDI (21% vs. 16%; p = .03) and for centers with lower activity (21% vs. 16%; p = .07). In a multivariate analysis, the strongest predictive model for day 100 NRM included current HCE greater than the median (hazard ratio [HR], 0.39; p = .002). The overall NRM was mostly predicted by HDI greater than the median (HR, 0.65; p = .01). Both lower current HCE and HDI were associated with decreased probability of overall survival. Both macroeconomic factors and the socioeconomic status of a country strongly influence NRM after alloHCT for adults with ALL. Our findings should be considered when clinical studies in the field of alloHCT are interpreted. ©AlphaMed Press.

Risk factors for treatment failure after allogeneic transplantation of patients with CLL

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schetelig, J; de Wreede, L C; van Gelder, M

2017-01-01

For young patients with high-risk CLL, BTK-/PI3K-inhibitors or allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloHCT) are considered. Patients with a low risk of non-relapse mortality (NRM) but a high risk of failure of targeted therapy may benefit most from alloHCT. We performed Cox regression analyses......, performance status, prior autologous HCT, remission status and sex-mismatch had a significant impact, whereas del(17p) did not. The model-based prediction of 5-year EFS was 55% and 64%, respectively, for male and female good-risk patients. Good-risk transplant candidates with high-risk CLL and limited...

A non-fatal case of invasive zygomycete (Lichtheimia corymbifera) infection in an allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplant recipient

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eickhardt, Steffen; Braendstrup, Peter; Clasen-Linde, Erik

2013-01-01

Post-transplant infections in allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplant (allo-HCT) recipients often have severe consequences. This is especially the case when dealing with zygomycete infections where the result is often fatal. A major problem when dealing with zygomycete infections is the need...... for an accurate and fast diagnosis as the phylum is highly resistant towards the conventional antifungals. We herein describe a non-fatal case of Lichtheimia corymbifera infection in an allo-HCT recipient....

Gallic acid induced apoptotic events in HCT-15 colon cancer cells

Science.gov (United States)

Subramanian, Aruna Priyadharshni; Jaganathan, Saravana Kumar; Mandal, Mahitosh; Supriyanto, Eko; Muhamad, Ida Idayu

2016-01-01

AIM: To investigate the inhibitory action of diet-derived phenolic compound gallic acid (GA) against HCT-15 colon cancer cells. METHODS: The antiproliferative effect of GA against colon cancer cells was determined by performing thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The colony forming ability of GA treated colon cancer cells was evaluated using the colony forming assay. The cell cycle changes induced by GA in HCT-15 cells were analyzed by propidium iodide staining. Levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential of HCT-15 exposed to GA was assessed using 2’,7’-dichlorfluorescein-diacetate and rhodamine-123 respectively, with the help of flow cytometry. Morphological changes caused by GA treatment in the colon cancer cells were identified by scanning electron microscope and photomicrograph examination. Apoptosis was confirmed using flow cytometric analysis of GA treated HCT-15 cells after staining with Yo-Pro-1. RESULTS: MTT assay results illustrated that GA has an inhibitory effect on HCT-15 cells with IC50 value of 740 μmol/L. A time-dependent inhibition of colony formation was evident with GA treatment. Cell cycle arrest was evident from the accumulation of GA treated HCT-15 cells at sub-G1 phase (0.98 ± 1.03 vs 58.01 ± 2.05) with increasing exposure time. Flow cytometric analysis of GA treated HCT-15 cells depicted early events associated with apoptosis like lipid layer breakage and fall in mitochondrial membrane potential apart from an increase in the generation of ROS which were in a time dependent manner. SEM and photomicrograph images of the GA-treated cells displayed membrane blebbing and cell shrinking characteristics of apoptosis. Further apoptosis confirmation by Yo-Pro-1 staining also showed the time-dependent increase of apoptotic cells after treatment. CONCLUSION: These results show that GA induced ROS dependent apoptosis and inhibited the growth of colon cancer cells. PMID:27099438

Differential cellular responses to prolonged LDR-IR in MLH1-proficient and MLH1-deficient colorectal cancer HCT116 cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Tao; Seo, Yuji; Kinsella, Timothy J

2009-11-15

MLH1 is a key DNA mismatch repair (MMR) protein involved in maintaining genomic stability by participating in the repair of endogenous and exogenous mispairs in the daughter strands during S phase. Exogenous mispairs can result following treatment with several classes of chemotherapeutic drugs, as well as with ionizing radiation. In this study, we investigated the role of the MLH1 protein in determining the cellular and molecular responses to prolonged low-dose rate ionizing radiation (LDR-IR), which is similar to the clinical use of cancer brachytherapy. An isogenic pair of MMR(+) (MLH1(+)) and MMR(-) (MLH1(-)) human colorectal cancer HCT116 cells was exposed to prolonged LDR-IR (1.3-17 cGy/h x 24-96 h). The clonogenic survival and gene mutation rates were examined. Cell cycle distribution was analyzed with flow cytometry. Changes in selected DNA damage repair proteins, DNA damage response proteins, and cell death marker proteins were examined with Western blotting. MLH1(+) HCT116 cells showed greater radiosensitivity with enhanced expression of apoptotic and autophagic markers, a reduced HPRT gene mutation rate, and more pronounced cell cycle alterations (increased late-S population and a G(2)/M arrest) following LDR-IR compared with MLH1(-) HCT116 cells. Importantly, a progressive increase in MLH1 protein levels was found in MLH1(+) cells during prolonged LDR-IR, which was temporally correlated with a progressive decrease in Rad51 protein (involved in homologous recombination) levels. MLH1 status significantly affects cellular responses to prolonged LDR-IR. MLH1 may enhance cell radiosensitivity to prolonged LDR-IR through inhibition of homologous recombination (through inhibition of Rad51).

A non-fatal case of invasive zygomycete (Lichtheimia corymbifera) infection in an allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplant recipient.

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Eickhardt, Steffen; Braendstrup, Peter; Clasen-Linde, Erik; Jensen, Karl E; Alhede, Morten; Bjarnsholt, Thomas; Høiby, Niels; Vindeløv, Lars; Moser, Claus

2013-05-01

Post-transplant infections in allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplant (allo-HCT) recipients often have severe consequences. This is especially the case when dealing with zygomycete infections where the result is often fatal. A major problem when dealing with zygomycete infections is the need for an accurate and fast diagnosis as the phylum is highly resistant towards the conventional antifungals. We herein describe a non-fatal case of Lichtheimia corymbifera infection in an allo-HCT recipient. © 2012 The Authors APMIS © 2012 APMIS.

Pulp Obliteration in a Patient with Sclerodermatous Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease.

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Gomes, Camilla Borges Ferreira; Treister, Nathaniel Simon; Miller, Brian; Armand, Philippe; Friedland, Bernard

2016-04-01

Dental pulp calcification is a common finding associated with localized dental trauma, genetic disorders, and systemic inflammatory diseases. Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is a frequent complication after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) characterized by immune-mediated injury to the skin, mouth, eyes, liver, and other tissues, resulting in significant disability and reduced quality of life. We report a patient with sclerodermatous cGVHD who presented with general pulp calcification in all teeth 5 years after allo-HCT. A review of full mouth dental radiographs obtained just before allo-HCT revealed normal-appearing pulp chambers. Based on prior reports of generalized pulp calcification associated with progressive systemic sclerosis, we hypothesized that the etiology was likely related to the presence of cGVHD with associated vascular and fibrotic tissue changes within the pulp vasculature. Clinicians should consider cGVHD in the differential diagnosis of generalized pulp calcification. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Endodontists. All rights reserved.

Baseline Characteristics Predicting Very Good Outcome of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Young Patients With High Cytogenetic Risk Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia - A Retrospective Analysis From the Chronic Malignancies Working Party of the EBMT.

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van Gelder, Michel; Ziagkos, Dimitris; de Wreede, Liesbeth; van Biezen, Anja; Dreger, Peter; Gramatzki, Martin; Stelljes, Matthias; Andersen, Niels Smedegaard; Schaap, Nicolaas; Vitek, Antonin; Beelen, Dietrich; Lindström, Vesa; Finke, Jürgen; Passweg, Jacob; Eder, Matthias; Machaczka, Maciej; Delgado, Julio; Krüger, William; Raida, Luděk; Socié, Gerard; Jindra, Pavel; Afanasyev, Boris; Wagner, Eva; Chalandon, Yves; Henseler, Anja; Schoenland, Stefan; Kröger, Nicolaus; Schetelig, Johannes

2017-10-01

Patients with genetically high-risk relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia have shorter median progression-free survival (PFS) with kinase- and BCL2-inhibitors (KI, BCL2i). Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHCT) may result in sustained PFS, especially in younger patients because of its age-dependent non-relapse mortality (NRM) risk, but outcome data are lacking for this population. Risk factors for 2-year NRM and 8-year PFS were identified in patients < 50 years in an updated European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation registry cohort (n = 197; median follow-up, 90.4 months) by Cox regression modeling, and predicted probabilities of NRM and PFS of 2 reference patients with favorable or unfavorable characteristics were plotted. Predictors for poor 8-year PFS were no remission at the time of alloHCT (hazard ratio [HR], 1.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-2.5) and partially human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-mismatched unrelated donor (HR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.5-5.2). The latter variable also predicted a higher risk of 2-year NRM (HR, 4.0; 95% CI, 1.4-11.6) compared with HLA-matched sibling donors. Predicted 2-year NRM and 8-year PFS of a high cytogenetic risk (del(17p) and/or del(11q)) patient in remission with a matched related donor were 12% (95% CI, 3%-22%) and 54% (95% CI, 38%-69%), and for an unresponsive patient with a female partially HLA-matched unrelated donor 37% (95% CI, 12%-62%) and 38% (95% CI, 13%-63%). Low predicted NRM and high 8-year PFS in favorable transplant high cytogenetic risk patients compares favorably with outcomes with KI or BCL2i. Taking into account the amount of uncertainty for predicting survival after alloHCT and after sequential administration of KI and BCL2i, alloHCT remains a valid option for younger patients with high cytogenetic risk chronic lymphocytic leukemia with a well-HLA-matched donor. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Isoreserpine promotes {beta}-catenin degradation via Siah-1 up-regulation in HCT116 colon cancer cells

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Gwak, Jungsug; Song, Taeyun [PharmacoGenomics Research Center, Inje University, Busan 614-735 (Korea, Republic of); Song, Jie-Young; Yun, Yeon-Sook [Laboratory of Radiation Cancer Science, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul 139-706 (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Il-Whan [Department of Microbiology, Center for Viral Disease Research, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan 614-735 (Korea, Republic of); Jeong, Yongsu [Department of Genetic Engineering, and Graduate School of Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 446-701 (Korea, Republic of); Shin, Jae-Gook [PharmacoGenomics Research Center, Inje University, Busan 614-735 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Busan 614-735 (Korea, Republic of); Oh, Sangtaek, E-mail: ohsa@inje.ac.kr [PharmacoGenomics Research Center, Inje University, Busan 614-735 (Korea, Republic of)

2009-09-25

Aberrant accumulation of intracellular {beta}-catenin in intestinal epithelial cells is a frequent early event during the development of colon cancer. To identify small molecules that decrease the level of intracellular {beta}-catenin, we performed cell-based chemical screening using genetically engineered HEK293 reporter cells to detect compounds that inhibit TOPFlash reporter activity, which was stimulated by Wnt3a-conditioned medium. We found that isoreserpine promoted the degradation of intracellular {beta}-catenin by up-regulation of Siah-1 in HEK293 and HCT116 colon cancer cells. Moreover, isoreserpine repressed the expression of {beta}-catenin/T-cell factor (TCF)-dependent genes, such as cyclin D1 and c-myc, resulting in the suppression of HCT116 cell proliferation. Our findings suggest that isoreserpine can potentially be used as a chemotherapeutic agent against colon cancer.

Cytogenetic Evolution in Myeloid Neoplasms at Relapse after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: Association with Previous Chemotherapy and Effect on Survival.

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Ertz-Archambault, Natalie; Kosiorek, Heidi; Slack, James L; Lonzo, Melissa L; Greipp, Patricia T; Khera, Nandita; Kelemen, Katalin

2017-05-01

Cytogenetic evolution (CGE) in patients with myeloid neoplasms who relapsed after an allogeneic (allo) hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) has been evaluated by only few studies. The effect of the CGE on survival of relapsed allo-HCT recipients is not clear. The effect of previously received chemotherapy to induce CGE in this patient population has not been studied. The aims of our study are to (1) characterize the patterns of cytogenetic change in patients with myeloid neoplasms who relapsed after an allo-HCT, (2) evaluate the effect of CGE on survival, and (3) explore the association of CGE with previous chemotherapy (including the lines of salvage therapy, type of induction, and conditioning therapy). Of 49 patients with a myeloid malignancy (27 acute myeloid leukemia [AML], 19 myelodysplastic syndrome [MDS]/myeloproliferative neoplasm [MPN], and 3 chronic myelogenous leukemia) who relapsed after an allo-HCT, CGE was observed in 25 (51%), whereas 24 patients had unchanged cytogenetic findings at relapse. The CGE group carried more cytogenetic abnormalities at original diagnosis. The most frequent cytogenetic change was the acquisition of 3 or more new chromosomal abnormalities followed by acquisition of unbalanced abnormalities, aneuploidy, and emergence of apparently new clones unrelated to the original clone. The CGE cohort had higher proportion of MDS and MPN and fewer patients with de novo AML. Disease risk assessment category showed a trend to higher frequency of high-risk patients in the CGE group, though the difference was not statistically significant. Time from diagnosis to transplantation and time from transplantation to relapse were not different between the CGE and non-CGE groups. CGE and non-CGE cohorts had similar exposures to salvage therapy and to induction chemotherapy, as well as similar conditioning regimens; thus, no particular type of chemotherapy emerged as a predisposing factor to CGE. CGE was associated with significantly shortened

Monoterpene bisindole alkaloids, from the African medicinal plant Tabernaemontana elegans, induce apoptosis in HCT116 human colon carcinoma cells.

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Mansoor, Tayyab A; Borralho, Pedro M; Dewanjee, Saikat; Mulhovo, Silva; Rodrigues, Cecília M P; Ferreira, Maria-José U

2013-09-16

Tabernaemontana elegans is a medicinal plant used in African traditional medicine to treat several ailments including cancer. The aims of the present study were to identify anti-cancer compounds, namely apoptosis inducers, from Tabernaemontana elegans, and hence to validate its usage in traditional medicine. Six alkaloids, including four monomeric indole (1-3, and 6) and two bisindole (4 and 5) alkaloids, were isolated from the methanolic extract of Tabernaemontana elegans roots. The structures of these compounds were characterized by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometric data. Compounds 1-6 along with compound 7, previously isolated from the leaves of the same species, were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxicity against HCT116 human colon carcinoma cells by the MTS metabolism assay. The cytotoxicity of the most promising compounds was corroborated by Guava-ViaCount flow cytometry assays. Selected compounds were next studied for apoptosis induction activity in HCT116 cells, by evaluation of nuclear morphology following Hoechst staining, and by caspase-3 like activity assays. Among the tested compounds (1-7), the bisindole alkaloids tabernaelegantine C (4) and tabernaelegantinine B (5) were found to be cytotoxic to HCT116 cells at 20 µM, with compound 5 being more cytotoxic than the positive control 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), at a similar dose. In fact, even at 0.5 µM, compound 5 was more potent than 5-FU. Compounds 4 and 5 induced characteristic patterns of apoptosis in HCT116 cancer cells including, cell shrinkage, condensation, fragmentation of the nucleus, blebbing of the plasma membrane and chromatin condensation. Further, general caspase-3-like activity was increased in cells exposed to compounds 4 and 5, corroborating the nuclear morphology evaluation assays. Bisindole alkaloids tabernaelegantine C (4) and tabernaelegantinine B (5) were characterized as potent apoptosis inducers in HCT116 human colon carcinoma cells and as possible lead/scaffolds for

A mobile school-based HCT service - is it youth friendly?

Science.gov (United States)

Lawrence, Estelle; Struthers, Patricia; Van Hove, Geert

2016-12-01

Despite an increase in HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT), few young people have been tested. It has been suggested that they do not test because formal health services (where HCT is provided) are often not youth friendly. The World Health Organisation describes a youth-friendly health service (YFHS) as one which is accessible, equitable, acceptable, appropriate, and effective. A mobile school-based model has been implemented by a non-governmental organisation in Cape Town in an attempt to make HCT more youth friendly and accessible to young people. The objective of this study was to explore whether this mobile school-based HCT service is youth friendly. The study was descriptive, using three qualitative data collection methods: observation of the HCT site at two secondary schools; interviews with six service providers; and direct observation of 21 HCT counselling sessions. The mobile school-based HCT service fulfilled some of the criteria for being a YFHS. The service was equitable in that all students, irrespective of race, gender, age, or socio-economic status, were free to use the service. It was accessible in terms of location and cost, but students were not well informed to make decisions about using the service. The service was acceptable in that confidentiality was guaranteed and the service providers were friendly and non-judgemental, but it was not considered acceptable in that there was limited privacy. The service was appropriate in that HCT is recommended as an intervention for decreasing the transmission of HIV, based on evidence and expert opinion; however, in this case, HCT was provided as a stand-alone service rather than part of a full package of services. Moreover, studies have suggested that young people want to know their HIV status. The service was ineffective in that it identified students who are HIV positive; however, these students were not assisted to access care. Providing HCT in the school setting may make HCT more accessible for

Centre characteristics and procedure-related factors have an impact on outcomes of allogeneic transplantation for patients with CLL

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schetelig, Johannes; de Wreede, Liesbeth C; Andersen, Niels S

2017-01-01

The best approach for allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantations (alloHCT) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is unknown. We therefore analysed the impact of procedure- and centre-related factors on 5-year event-free survival (EFS) in a large retrospective study. Data...... of 684 CLL patients who received a first alloHCT between 2000 and 2011 were analysed by multivariable Cox proportional hazards models with a frailty component to investigate unexplained centre heterogeneity. Five-year EFS of the whole cohort was 37% (95% confidence interval [CI], 34-42%). Larger numbers...... of CLL alloHCTs (hazard ratio [HR] 0·96, P = 0·002), certification of quality management (HR 0·7, P = 0·045) and a higher gross national income per capita (HR 0·4, P = 0·04) improved EFS. In vivo T-cell depletion (TCD) with alemtuzumab compared to no TCD (HR 1·5, P = 0·03), and a female donor compared...

Human CD134 (OX40) expressed on T cells plays a key role for human herpesvirus 6B replication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagamata, Satoshi; Nagasaka, Miwako; Kawabata, Akiko; Kishimoto, Kenji; Hasegawa, Daiichiro; Kosaka, Yoshiyuki; Mori, Takeshi; Morioka, Ichiro; Nishimura, Noriyuki; Iijima, Kazumoto; Yamada, Hideto; Kawamoto, Shinichiro; Yakushijin, Kimikazu; Matsuoka, Hiroshi; Mori, Yasuko

2018-05-01

CD134 (OX40), which is a cellular receptor for human herpesvirus-6B (HHV-6B) and expresses on activated T cells, may play a key role for HHV-6B replication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Therefore, we examined the CD134 expression on T cells and HHV-6B replication after allo-HSCT, and analyzed the correlation between them. Twenty-three patients after allo-HSCT were enrolled. The percentages of CD134-positive cells within the CD4 + and CD8 + cell populations were measured by flow cytometry, and the viral copy number of HHV-6B was simultaneously quantified by real-time PCR. The correlation between CD134 and HHV-6B viral load was then statistically analyzed. HHV-6B reactivation occurred in 11 of 23 patients (47.8%). CD134 expression was seen on T cells and was coincident with the time of peak viral load. The percentage of CD134-positive cells decreased significantly when HHV-6B DNA disappeared (p = .005 in CD4 + T cells, p = .02 in CD8 + T cells). In the 4 patients who underwent umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT), the viral load varied with the percentage of CD134-positive cells. In the comparison between the HHV-6B reactivation group and non-reactivation group, maximum percentages of CD134-positive cells among CD4 + T cells in reactivation group were significantly higher than those in non-reactivation group (p = .04). This is the first study to show that a correlation of CD134 expression on T cells with HHV-6B replication after allo-HSCT, especially in UCBT. The results possibly indicate that CD134 on T cells plays a key role for HHV-6B replication after allo-HSCT. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Primary study on the lesions and specific proteins in BEAS-2B cells induced with the 2009 A (H1N1) influenza virus.

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Shisong; Zhang, Kaining; Wang, Ting; Wang, Xin; Lu, Xing; Peng, Bo; Wu, Weihua; Zhang, Ran; Chen, Shiju; Zhang, Renli; Xue, Hong; Yu, Muhua; Cheng, Jinquan

2014-12-01

In order to investigate the lesions and proteins with differential expression in cells infected with the 2009 A (H1N1) virus and to determine the specific proteins involved in cell damage, the present study has been performed. BEAS-2B cells were infected with the 2009 A (H1N1) influenza virus or the seasonal H1N1 influenza virus for 12, 24, 48, and 72 h, and cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed with flow cytometry. Total cellular proteins were extracted and underwent two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The differentially expressed proteins underwent mass spectrometry for identification. The results showed that after 12 h, cells infected with the virus strain sourced from severe cases had the highest apoptosis rate (P cells infected with the virus strain sourced from fatal cases and severe cases had the highest apoptosis rate (P cells infected with virus strains from fatal cases and ordinary cases had the highest apoptosis rate (P cell cycle arrest mainly at the G0/G1 phase. Eighteen differentially expressed proteins were identified, including galectin-1, cofilin-1, protein DJ-1, proteasome subunit α type-5, macrophage migration inhibitory factor, translationally controlled tumor protein, profilin 1, and interferon α-2. Galectin-1 was specifically observed in BEAS-2B infected with 2009 A (H1N1) influenza viruses, and cofilin-1 was specifically observed in BEAS-2B cells in the late stage of 2009 A (H1N1) influenza virus infection. In conclusion, differential effects of the 2009 A (H1N1) influenza virus and seasonal H1N1 influenza virus were identified on the cell cycle and apoptosis, and galectin-1 may play a role in cell apoptosis induced by 2009 A (H1N1) influenza virus.

A Pansharpening Method Based on HCT and Joint Sparse Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

XU Ning

2016-04-01

Full Text Available A novel fusion method based on the hyperspherical color transformation (HCT and joint sparsity model is proposed for decreasing the spectral distortion of fused image further. In the method, an intensity component and angles of each band of the multispectral image is obtained by HCT firstly, and then the intensity component is fused with the panchromatic image through wavelet transform and joint sparsity model. In the joint sparsity model, the redundant and complement information of the different images can be efficiently extracted and employed to yield the high quality results. Finally, the fused multi spectral image is obtained by inverse transforms of wavelet and HCT on the new lower frequency image and the angle components, respectively. Experimental results on Pleiades-1 and WorldView-2 satellites indicate that the proposed method achieves remarkable results.

A mobile school-based HCT service – is it youth friendly?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Estelle Lawrence

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Despite an increase in HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT, few young people have been tested. It has been suggested that they do not test because formal health services (where HCT is provided are often not youth friendly. The World Health Organisation describes a youth-friendly health service (YFHS as one which is accessible, equitable, acceptable, appropriate, and effective. A mobile school-based model has been implemented by a non-governmental organisation in Cape Town in an attempt to make HCT more youth friendly and accessible to young people. The objective of this study was to explore whether this mobile school-based HCT service is youth friendly. Methods: The study was descriptive, using three qualitative data collection methods: observation of the HCT site at two secondary schools; interviews with six service providers; and direct observation of 21 HCT counselling sessions. Key Results: The mobile school-based HCT service fulfilled some of the criteria for being a YFHS. The service was equitable in that all students, irrespective of race, gender, age, or socio-economic status, were free to use the service. It was accessible in terms of location and cost, but students were not well informed to make decisions about using the service. The service was acceptable in that confidentiality was guaranteed and the service providers were friendly and non-judgemental, but it was not considered acceptable in that there was limited privacy. The service was appropriate in that HCT is recommended as an intervention for decreasing the transmission of HIV, based on evidence and expert opinion; however, in this case, HCT was provided as a stand-alone service rather than part of a full package of services. Moreover, studies have suggested that young people want to know their HIV status. The service was ineffective in that it identified students who are HIV positive; however, these students were not assisted to access care. Conclusion: Providing HCT

The pharmacokinetics and safety of twice daily i.v. BU during conditioning in pediatric allo-SCT recipients.

Science.gov (United States)

Le Gall, J B; Milone, M C; Waxman, I M; Shaw, L M; Harrison, L; Duffy, D; van de Ven, C; Militano, O; Geyer, M B; Morris, E; Bhatia, M; Satwani, P; George, D; Garvin, J H; Bradley, M B; Schwartz, J; Baxter-Lowe, L A; Cairo, M S

2013-01-01

Intravenous BU divided four times daily (q6 h) has been shown to be safe and effective in pediatric allo-SCT recipients. Though less frequent dosing is desirable, pharmacokinetic (PK) data on twice daily (q12 h) i.v. BU administration in pediatric allo-SCT recipients is limited. We prospectively examined the PK results in a cohort of pediatric allo-SCT recipients receiving i.v. BU q12 h as part of conditioning before allo-SCT. BU levels were obtained after the first dose of conditioning. PK parameter analysis (n=49) yielded the following 95% confidence intervals (CI₉₅): weight-normalized volume of distribution: 0.65-0.73 L/kg; t(1/2): 122-147 min; weight-normalized clearance (CL(n)): 3.4-4.3 mL/min/kg; and area under the curve: 1835-2180 mmol × min/L. From these results, a steady state concentration was calculated with CI₉₅ between 628-746 ng/mL. Comparison between recipients ≤4 vs >4 years old revealed significant differences in t(1/2) (mean: 115 vs 146 min, P=0.008) and CL(n) (mean: 4.4 vs 3.5 mL/min/kg, P=0.038). Intravenous BU q12 h had a comparable PK to i.v. BU q6 h PK seen in the literature, and in pediatric allo-SCT recipients, is a feasible, attractive alternative to i.v. q6h dosing.

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allogeneic HCT) for treatment of pediatric Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Michael J; Cao, Qing; Trotz, Barb; Weigel, Brenda; Kumar, Ashish; Smith, Angela; Verneris, Michael R

2009-12-15

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) with best available donor for children with Philadelphia positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has previously been considered standard practice. Since the introduction of imatinib into the treatment of this disease, the role of allogeneic HCT is more uncertain. We investigated the impact of remission status, graft source, and imatinib use on transplant outcomes for 37 children with Ph+ ALL who received an allogeneic HCT at the University of Minnesota between 1990 and 2006. The median age at HCT was 7.47 (range; 1.4-16.4) years. Thirteen patients received imatinib therapy pre- and/or post-HCT (imatinib group) and 24 patients, received either no imatinib (n = 23) or only post-HCT relapse (n = 1) (non-imatinib group). There was no difference in disease-free survival (DFS) or relapse between the imatinib and non-imatinib groups at 3 years (62%/15% vs. 53%/26%; P = 0.99; 0.81, respectively). There was no significant difference in transplant outcomes between matched related donor or unrelated donor (umbilical cord blood or matched unrelated marrow) recipients whereas patients receiving allogeneic HCT in first remission (CR1) had superior DFS and less relapse compared to patients transplanted in >or=CR2 (71%/16% vs. 29%/36%; P = 0.01; P = 0.05). Based on this retrospective analysis at a single institution, the use of imatinib either pre- and/or post-transplant does not appear to significantly impact outcomes for children with Ph+ ALL and allogeneic HCT with the best available donor should be encouraged in CR1.

Is there a role for B lymphocyte chimerism in the monitoring of B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients receiving allogeneic stem cell transplantation?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi-Ning Yang

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: To determine the sensitivity and significance of B-cell chimerism for the detection of early engraftment, transplant rejection, and disease relapse. Methods: The dynamic monitoring of lineage-specific cell subtypes (B, T, and NK cells was made in 20 B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL patients following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT. In the early period after allo-HSCT, the latest establishment of B-cell complete chimerism (CC was observed in a majority of patients. Results: The percentage of donor cells of B-cell lineage was lower than the percent of T-cell lineage in most of the mixed chimerism (MC patients. During graft rejection, the frequency of patients with decreasing MC of B-, T- and NK-cell lineage were 5/5, 2/5, and 2/5. When disease relapsed, five patients showed a faster decrease of the donor percent of B-cells than of T- or NK-cells. Only one patient displayed a more rapid decrease in NK-cells than in T- or B-cells. Conclusion: Monitoring of B-cell chimerism after HSCT seems to be valuable for insuring complete engraftment, anticipating graft rejection, and relapse in B-ALL patients. Keywords: B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL, B-cell, T-cell, Chimerism, Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT

Porcine alanine transaminase after liver allo-and xenotransplantation

OpenAIRE

Ekser, Burcin; Gridelli, Bruno; Cooper, David K.C.

2012-01-01

Aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) are measured following liver transplantation as indicators of hepatocellular injury. During a series of orthotopic liver allo-and xenotransplants, we observed that there was an increase in AST in all cases. The anticipated concomitant rise in ALT did not occur when a wild-type (WT) pig was the source of the liver graft, but did occur when a baboon or a genetically engineered (α1,3-galactosyltransferase gene-knockout [GTKO]) pig was t...

L-allo-threonine aldolase with an H128Y/S292R mutation from Aeromonas jandaei DK-39 reveals the structural basis of changes in substrate stereoselectivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Hui-Min; Imai, Fabiana Lica; Miyakawa, Takuya; Kataoka, Michihiko; Kitamura, Nahoko; Urano, Nobuyuki; Mori, Koji; Kawabata, Hiroshi; Okai, Masahiko; Ohtsuka, Jun; Hou, Feng; Nagata, Koji; Shimizu, Sakayu; Tanokura, Masaru

2014-06-01

L-allo-Threonine aldolase (LATA), a pyridoxal-5'-phosphate-dependent enzyme from Aeromonas jandaei DK-39, stereospecifically catalyzes the reversible interconversion of L-allo-threonine to glycine and acetaldehyde. Here, the crystal structures of LATA and its mutant LATA_H128Y/S292R were determined at 2.59 and 2.50 Å resolution, respectively. Their structures implied that conformational changes in the loop consisting of residues Ala123-Pro131, where His128 moved 4.2 Å outwards from the active site on mutation to a tyrosine residue, regulate the substrate specificity for L-allo-threonine versus L-threonine. Saturation mutagenesis of His128 led to diverse stereoselectivity towards L-allo-threonine and L-threonine. Moreover, the H128Y mutant showed the highest activity towards the two substrates, with an 8.4-fold increase towards L-threonine and a 2.0-fold increase towards L-allo-threonine compared with the wild-type enzyme. The crystal structures of LATA and its mutant LATA_H128Y/S292R reported here will provide further insights into the regulation of the stereoselectivity of threonine aldolases targeted for the catalysis of L-allo-threonine/L-threonine synthesis.

Survival of Er(a+) red cells in a patient with allo-anti-Era

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, H.W.; Skradski, K.J.; Thoreson, J.R.; Polesky, H.F.

1985-01-01

51 Chromium-labeled Er(a+) red cells survived nearly normally (T1/2 of 21 days) in a patient with allo-anti-Era. Transfusion of Er(a+) blood was without significant reaction and did not affect the anti-Era titer

Sulforaphane Induces Cell Death Through G2/M Phase Arrest and Triggers Apoptosis in HCT 116 Human Colon Cancer Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Kuo-Ching; Shih, Ting-Ying; Kuo, Chao-Lin; Ma, Yi-Shih; Yang, Jiun-Long; Wu, Ping-Ping; Huang, Yi-Ping; Lai, Kuang-Chi; Chung, Jing-Gung

2016-01-01

Sulforaphane (SFN), an isothiocyanate, exists exclusively in cruciferous vegetables, and has been shown to possess potent antitumor and chemopreventive activity. However, there is no available information that shows SFN affecting human colon cancer HCT 116 cells. In the present study, we found that SFN induced cell morphological changes, which were photographed by contrast-phase microscopy, and decreased viability. SFN also induced G2/M phase arrest and cell apoptosis in HCT 116 cells, which were measured with flow cytometric assays. Western blotting indicated that SFN increased Cyclin A, cdk 2, Cyclin B and WEE1, but decreased Cdc 25C, cdk1 protein expressions that led to G2/M phase arrest. Apoptotic cell death was also confirmed by Annexin V/PI and DAPI staining and DNA gel electrophoresis in HCT 116 cells after exposure to SFN. The flow cytometric assay also showed that SFN induced the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Ca[Formula: see text] and decreased mitochondria membrane potential and increased caspase-8, -9 and -3 activities in HCT 116 cell. Western blotting also showed that SFN induced the release of cytochrome c, and AIF, which was confirmed by confocal microscopy examination. SFN induced ER stress-associated protein expression. Based on those observations, we suggest that SFN may be used as a novel anticancer agent for the treatment of human colon cancer in the future.

Comparison of Cyclophosphamide Combined with Total Body Irradiation, Oral Busulfan, or Intravenous Busulfan for Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Adults with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitsuhashi, Kenjiro; Kako, Shinichi; Shigematsu, Akio; Atsuta, Yoshiko; Doki, Noriko; Fukuda, Takahiro; Kanamori, Heiwa; Onizuka, Makoto; Takahashi, Satoshi; Ozawa, Yukiyasu; Kurokawa, Mineo; Inoue, Yoshiko; Nagamura-Inoue, Tokiko; Morishima, Yasuo; Mizuta, Shuichi; Tanaka, Junji

2016-12-01

We conducted a retrospective analysis to compare outcomes in adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) with conditioning regimens containing cyclophosphamide (CY) in combination with total body irradiation (TBI), oral busulfan (p.o. BU), or intravenous busulfan (i.v. BU). We used data for January 2000 to December 2012 from the Transplant Registry Unified Management Program of the Japan Society of Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation. We identified 2130 patients treated with TBI/CY (n = 2028), p.o. BU/CY (n = 60), or i.v. BU/CY (n = 42). Two-year overall survival (OS) and 2-year relapse-free survival rates were 69.0% and 62.1%, respectively, in the TBI/CY group, 55.9% and 54.2% in the p.o. BU/CY group, and 71.0% and 46.8% in the i.v. BU/CY group. In multivariate analysis, compared with TBI/CY, p.o. BU/CY, but not i.v. BU/CY, was associated with lower OS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.46; P = .047) and a higher incidence of sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (HR, 3.36; P = .030). No between-group differences were seen in the incidence of nonrelapse mortality, relapse, acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), or chronic GVHD. We suggest that i.v. BU/CY might be a possible alternative allo-HCT conditioning regimen for adults with ALL who are not suitable for TBI. Copyright © 2016 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Successful Combination of Sequential Gene Therapy and Rescue Allo-HSCT in Two Children with X-CGD - Importance of Timing.

Science.gov (United States)

Siler, Ulrich; Paruzynski, Anna; Holtgreve-Grez, Heidi; Kuzmenko, Elena; Koehl, Ulrike; Renner, Eleonore D; Alhan, Canan; de Loosdrecht, Arjan A van; Schwäble, Joachim; Pfluger, Thomas; Tchinda, Joelle; Schmugge, Markus; Jauch, Anna; Naundorf, Sonja; Kühlcke, Klaus; Notheis, Gundula; Güngor, Tayfun; Kalle, Christof V; Schmidt, Manfred; Grez, Manuel; Seger, Reinhard; Reichenbach, Janine

2015-01-01

We report on a series of sequential events leading to long-term survival and cure of pediatric X-linked chronic granulomatous disease (X-CGD) patients after gamma-retroviral gene therapy (GT) and rescue HSCT. Due to therapyrefractory life-threatening infections requiring hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) but absence of HLAidentical donors, we treated 2 boys with X-CGD by GT. Following GT both children completely resolved invasive Aspergillus nidulans infections. However, one child developed dual insertional activation of ecotropic viral integration site 1 (EVI1) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) genes, leading to myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with monosomy 7. Despite resistance to mismatched allo-HSCT with standard myeloablative conditioning, secondary intensified rescue allo-HSCT resulted in 100 % donor chimerism and disappearance of MDS. The other child did not develop MDS despite expansion of a clone with a single insertion in the myelodysplasia syndrome 1 (MDS1) gene and was cured by early standard allo-HSCT. The slowly developing dominance of clones harboring integrations in MDS1-EVI1 may guide clinical intervention strategies, i.e. early rescue allo-HSCT, prior to malignant transformation. GT was essential for both children to survive and to clear therapy-refractory infections, and future GT with safer lentiviral self-inactivated (SIN) vectors may offer a therapeutic alternative for X-CGD patients suffering from life-threatening infections and lacking HLA-identical HSC donors.

Risk factors for treatment failure after allogeneic transplantation of patients with CLL: a report from the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Schetelig, J; de Wreede, L C; van Gelder, M; Andersen, N S; Moreno, C; Vitek, A; Karas, M; Michallet, M; Machaczka, M; Gramatzki, M; Beelen, D; Finke, J; Delgado, J; Volin, L; Passweg, J; Dreger, P; Henseler, A; van Biezen, A; Bornhäuser, M; Schönland, S O; Kröger, N

2017-04-01

For young patients with high-risk CLL, BTK-/PI3K-inhibitors or allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloHCT) are considered. Patients with a low risk of non-relapse mortality (NRM) but a high risk of failure of targeted therapy may benefit most from alloHCT. We performed Cox regression analyses to identify risk factors for 2-year NRM and 5-year event-free survival (using EFS as a surrogate for long-term disease control) in a large, updated EBMT registry cohort (n= 694). For the whole cohort, 2-year NRM was 28% and 5-year EFS 37%. Higher age, lower performance status, unrelated donor type and unfavorable sex-mismatch had a significant adverse impact on 2-year NRM. Two-year NRM was calculated for good- and poor-risk reference patients. Predicted 2-year-NRM was 11 and 12% for male and female good-risk patients compared with 42 and 33% for male and female poor-risk patients. For 5-year EFS, age, performance status, prior autologous HCT, remission status and sex-mismatch had a significant impact, whereas del(17p) did not. The model-based prediction of 5-year EFS was 55% and 64%, respectively, for male and female good-risk patients. Good-risk transplant candidates with high-risk CLL and limited prognosis either on or after failure of targeted therapy should still be considered for alloHCT.

A promising sword of tomorrow: Human γδ T cell strategies reconcile allo-HSCT complications.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Yongxian; Cui, Qu; Luo, Chao; Luo, Yi; Shi, Jimin; Huang, He

2016-05-01

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is potentially a curative therapeutic option for hematological malignancies. In clinical practice, transplantation associated complications greatly affected the final therapeutical outcomes. Currently, primary disease relapse, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and infections remain the three leading causes of a high morbidity and mortality in allo-HSCT patients. Various strategies have been investigated in the past several decades including human γδ T cell-based therapeutical regimens. In different microenvironments, human γδ T cells assume features reminiscent of classical Th1, Th2, Th17, NKT and regulatory T cells, showing diverse biological functions. The cytotoxic γδ T cells could be utilized to target relapsed malignancies, and recently regulatory γδ T cells are defined as a novel implement for GVHD management. In addition, human γδ Τ cells facilitate control of post-transplantation infections and participate in tissue regeneration and wound healing processes. These features potentiate γδ T cells a versatile therapeutical agent to target transplantation associated complications. This review focuses on insights of applicable potentials of human γδ T cells reconciling complications associated with allo-HSCT. We believe an improved understanding of pertinent γδ T cell functions would be further exploited in the design of innovative immunotherapeutic approaches in allo-HSCT, to reduce mortality and morbidity, as well as improve quality of life for patients after transplantation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A human monoclonal antibody drug and target discovery platform for B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia based on allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and phage display.

Science.gov (United States)

Baskar, Sivasubramanian; Suschak, Jessica M; Samija, Ivan; Srinivasan, Ramaprasad; Childs, Richard W; Pavletic, Steven Z; Bishop, Michael R; Rader, Christoph

2009-11-12

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) is the only potentially curative treatment available for patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). Here, we show that post-alloHSCT antibody repertoires can be mined for the discovery of fully human monoclonal antibodies to B-CLL cell-surface antigens. Sera collected from B-CLL patients at defined times after alloHSCT showed selective binding to primary B-CLL cells. Pre-alloHSCT sera, donor sera, and control sera were negative. To identify post-alloHSCT serum antibodies and subsequently B-CLL cell-surface antigens they recognize, we generated a human antibody-binding fragment (Fab) library from post-alloHSCT peripheral blood mononuclear cells and selected it on primary B-CLL cells by phage display. A panel of Fab with B-CLL cell-surface reactivity was strongly enriched. Selection was dominated by highly homologous Fab predicted to bind the same antigen. One Fab was converted to immunoglobulin G1 and analyzed for reactivity with peripheral blood mononuclear cells from B-CLL patients and healthy volunteers. Cell-surface antigen expression was restricted to primary B cells and up-regulated in primary B-CLL cells. Mining post-alloHSCT antibody repertoires offers a novel route to discover fully human monoclonal antibodies and identify antigens of potential therapeutic relevance to B-CLL and possibly other cancers. Trials described herein were registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as nos. NCT00055744 and NCT00003838.

Sorafenib promotes graft-versus-leukemia activity in mice and humans through IL-15 production in FLT3-ITD-mutant leukemia cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mathew, N.R.; Baumgartner, F.; Braun, L.; O'Sullivan, D.; Thomas, S.; Waterhouse, M.; Muller, T.A.; Hanke, K.; Taromi, S.; Apostolova, P.; Illert, A.L.; Melchinger, W.; Duquesne, S.; Schmitt-Graeff, A.; Osswald, L.; Yan, K.L.; Weber, A; Tugues, S.; Spath, S.; Pfeifer, D.; Follo, M.; Claus, R.; Lubbert, M.; Rummelt, C.; Bertz, H.; Wasch, R.; Haag, J.; Schmidts, A.; Schultheiss, M.; Bettinger, D.; Thimme, R.; Ullrich, E.; Tanriver, Y.; Vuong, G.L.; Arnold, R.; Hemmati, P.; Wolf, D.; Ditschkowski, M.; Jilg, C.; Wilhelm, K.; Leiber, C.; Gerull, S.; Halter, J.; Lengerke, C.; Pabst, T.; Schroeder, T.; Kobbe, G.; Rosler, W.; Doostkam, S.; Meckel, S.; Stabla, K.; Metzelder, S.K.; Halbach, S.; Brummer, T.; Hu, Z; Dengjel, J.; Hackanson, B.; Schmid, C.; Holtick, U.; Scheid, C.; Spyridonidis, A.; Stolzel, F.; Ordemann, R.; Muller, L.P.; Sicre-de-Fontbrune, F.; Ihorst, G.; Kuball, J.; Ehlert, J.E.; Feger, D.; Wagner, E.M.; Cahn, J.Y.; Schnell, J.; Kuchenbauer, F.; Bunjes, D.; Chakraverty, R.; Richardson, S.; Gill, S.; Kroger, N.; Ayuk, F.; Vago, L.; Ciceri, F.; Muller, A.M.; Kondo, T.; Teshima, T.; Klaeger, S.; Kuster, B.; Kim, D.D.H.; Weisdorf, D.; Velden, W.J. van der; Dorfel, D.; Bethge, W.; Hilgendorf, I.; Hochhaus, A.; Andrieux, G.; Borries, M.; Busch, H.; Magenau, J.; Reddy, P.; Labopin, M.; Antin, J.H., et al.

2018-01-01

Individuals with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) harboring an internal tandem duplication (ITD) in the gene encoding Fms-related tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) who relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) have a 1-year survival rate below 20%. We observed that sorafenib, a

Essential oil of Pinus koraiensis inhibits cell proliferation and migration via inhibition of p21-activated kinase 1 pathway in HCT116 colorectal cancer cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Sun-Mi; Lee, Eun-Ok; Kim, Sung-Hoon; Lee, Hyo-Jeong

2014-07-30

The essential oil of Pinus koraiensis (EOPK) is biologically active compound obtained from the leaves of P. koraiensis. The goal of this study was to investigate the anti-cancer mechanism of EOPK in HCT116 colorectal cancer cells. HCT116 cell proliferation was assessed by conducting crystal violet and BrdU assays. To assess the effects of EOPK on cell migration, we performed a wound-healing assay. Further, the contribution of PAK1 to EOPK-induced AKT and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) suppression was assessed by siRNA-mediated PAK1 knockdown. Changes to the expression and phosphorylation of PAK1 and its effectors were determined by western blotting, and changes to the actin cytoskeleton were determined by performing an immunofluorescence assay. EOPK significantly decreased HCT116 cell proliferation and migration, and induced G1 arrest without affecting normal cells. Additionally, EOPK suppressed the expression of PAK1, and decreased ERK and AKT phosphorylation in HCT116 cells. Finally, EOPK suppressed β-catenin, cyclin D1, and CDK4/6 expression. Our studies indicate that EOPK significantly reduced proliferation and migration of colorectal cancer cells. Furthermore, EOPK suppressed PAK1 expression in a dose-dependent manner, and this suppression of PAK1 led to inhibition of ERK, AKT, and β-catenin activities. Our findings suggest that EOPK exerts its anticancer activity via the inhibition of PAK1 expression, suggesting it may be a potent chemotherapeutic agent for colorectal cancer.

Radiation sensitization studies by silymarin on HCT-15 cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lal, Mitu; Gupta, Damodar; Arora, R.

2014-01-01

Radiotherapy has been widely used for treatment of human cancers. However, cancer cells develop radioresistant phenotypes following multiple exposures to the treatment agent that decrease the efficacy of radiotherapy. Here it was investigated that the radiation sensitization effects of silymarin found in colon cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate mechanisms involved in radiation sensitization growth inhibitory effect of silymarin in combination with radiation, in Human colon carcinoma (HCT-15). The human colon carcinoma was utilized and SRB-assay was performed to study anti-proliferative effect of silymarin in combination with gamma radiation (2 Gy) appropriate radiation dose was optimized and confirmed by clonogenic assay. Microscopic analysis was done by staining with Hoechst-33342, DAPI, Propidium iodide to confirm the presence of apoptosis. Nitric oxide production, changes in lipid peroxidation, Cell cycle analysis were carried out and mitochondrial membrane potential was measured by uptake of cationic dye JC-1 by using flow cytometer. Silymarin in combination with radiation (2 Gy) inhibited 70% ± 5% population growth of HCT-15 cells in time and dose dependent manner. Pre treatment of cells with silymarin for 30 min before radiation was found to be most effective for radiation sensitization. There was 25% increase in levels of nitric oxide as compare to control, whereas 2.5 fold change in lipid peroxidation with respect to control. IR-induced apoptosis in HCT-15 cell line was significantly enhanced by silymarin, as reflected by viability, DNA fragmentation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Additionally, silymarin in combination with IR is found to be effective in sensitization of HCT-15 cells. In vivo studies on development of tumor and sensitization aspects needs to done in future. (author)

Suppression of microRNA-31 increases sensitivity to 5-FU at an early stage, and affects cell migration and invasion in HCT-116 colon cancer cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sun Xiao-Feng

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs are endogenously expressed noncoding RNAs with important biological and pathological functions. Although several studies have shown that microRNA-31 (miR-31 is obviously up-regulated in colorectal cancer (CRC, there is no study on the functional roles of miR-31 in CRC. Methods Anti-miR™ miRNA 31 inhibitor (anti-miR-31 is a sequence-specific and chemically modified oligonucleotide to specifically target and knockdown miR-31 molecule. The effect of anti-miR-31 transfection was investigated by real-time PCR. HCT-116p53+/+ and HCT-116p53-/-colon cancer cells were treated by anti-miR-31 with or without 5-fluorouracil (5-FU, cell proliferation was determined by MTT assay; apoptosis was detected by DAPI staining; cell cycle was evaluated by flow cytometry; colony formation, migration and invasion assays were performed to investigate the effect of suppression of miR-31 on the cell lines. Results Real-time PCR results showed that anti-miR-31 was efficiently introduced into the cells and reduced miR-31 levels to 44.1% in HCT-116p53+/+ and 67.8% in HCT-116p53-/-cell line (p = 0.042 and 0.046. MTT results showed that anti-miR-31 alone had no effect on the proliferation of HCT-116p53+/+ or HCT-116p53-/-. However, when combined with 5-FU, anti-miR-31 inhibited the proliferation of the two cell lines as early as 24 h after exposure to 5-FU (p = 0.038 and 0.044. Suppression of miR-31 caused a reduction of the migratory cells by nearly 50% compared with the negative control in both HCT-116p53+/+ and HCT-116p53-/-(p = 0.040 and 0.001. The invasive ability of the cells were increased by 8-fold in HCT-116p53+/+ and 2-fold in HCT-116p53-/- (p = 0.045 and 0.009. Suppression of miR-31 had no effect on cell cycle and colony formation (p > 0.05. Conclusions Suppression of miR-31 increases sensitivity to 5-FU at an early stage, and affects cell migration and invasion in HCT-116 colon cancer cells.

Physical and emotional well-being of survivors of childhood and young adult allo-SCT

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Josef Nathan; Gøtzsche, Frederik; Heilmann, Carsten

2016-01-01

The aim of this investigation was to examine, within a population-based study of a national cohort comprising Danish survivors of allo-SCT (n = 148), the long-term effects of allo-SCT in children and young adults. Physical and emotional well-being was assessed using the Short Form 36 (SF-36) and ...... of anxiety, depression, and physical and emotional well-being to those of the normal population....

Translation inhibition of the developmental cycle protein HctA by the small RNA IhtA is conserved across Chlamydia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeremiah Tattersall

Full Text Available The developmental cycle of the obligate intracellular pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis serovar L2 is controlled in part by the small non-coding RNA (sRNA, IhtA. All Chlamydia alternate in a regulated fashion between the infectious elementary body (EB and the replicative reticulate body (RB which asynchronously re-differentiates back to the terminal EB form at the end of the cycle. The histone like protein HctA is central to RB:EB differentiation late in the cycle as it binds to and occludes the genome, thereby repressing transcription and translation. The sRNA IhtA is a critical component of this regulatory loop as it represses translation of hctA until late in infection at which point IhtA transcription decreases, allowing HctA expression to occur and RB to EB differentiation to proceed. It has been reported that IhtA is expressed during infection by the human pathogens C. trachomatis serovars L2, D and L2b and C. pneumoniae. We show in this work that IhtA is also expressed by the animal pathogens C. caviae and C. muridarum. Expression of HctA in E. coli is lethal and co-expression of IhtA relieves this phenotype. To determine if regulation of HctA by IhtA is a conserved mechanism across pathogenic chlamydial species, we cloned hctA and ihtA from C. trachomatis serovar D, C. muridarum, C. caviae and C. pneumoniae and assayed for rescue of growth repression in E. coli co-expression studies. In each case, co-expression of ihtA with the cognate hctA resulted in relief of growth repression. In addition, expression of each chlamydial species IhtA rescued the lethal phenotype of C. trachomatis serovar L2 HctA expression. As biolayer interferometry studies indicate that IhtA interacts directly with hctA message for all species tested, we predict that conserved sequences of IhtA are necessary for function and/or binding.

Translation inhibition of the developmental cycle protein HctA by the small RNA IhtA is conserved across Chlamydia.

Science.gov (United States)

Tattersall, Jeremiah; Rao, Geeta Vittal; Runac, Justin; Hackstadt, Ted; Grieshaber, Scott S; Grieshaber, Nicole A

2012-01-01

The developmental cycle of the obligate intracellular pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis serovar L2 is controlled in part by the small non-coding RNA (sRNA), IhtA. All Chlamydia alternate in a regulated fashion between the infectious elementary body (EB) and the replicative reticulate body (RB) which asynchronously re-differentiates back to the terminal EB form at the end of the cycle. The histone like protein HctA is central to RB:EB differentiation late in the cycle as it binds to and occludes the genome, thereby repressing transcription and translation. The sRNA IhtA is a critical component of this regulatory loop as it represses translation of hctA until late in infection at which point IhtA transcription decreases, allowing HctA expression to occur and RB to EB differentiation to proceed. It has been reported that IhtA is expressed during infection by the human pathogens C. trachomatis serovars L2, D and L2b and C. pneumoniae. We show in this work that IhtA is also expressed by the animal pathogens C. caviae and C. muridarum. Expression of HctA in E. coli is lethal and co-expression of IhtA relieves this phenotype. To determine if regulation of HctA by IhtA is a conserved mechanism across pathogenic chlamydial species, we cloned hctA and ihtA from C. trachomatis serovar D, C. muridarum, C. caviae and C. pneumoniae and assayed for rescue of growth repression in E. coli co-expression studies. In each case, co-expression of ihtA with the cognate hctA resulted in relief of growth repression. In addition, expression of each chlamydial species IhtA rescued the lethal phenotype of C. trachomatis serovar L2 HctA expression. As biolayer interferometry studies indicate that IhtA interacts directly with hctA message for all species tested, we predict that conserved sequences of IhtA are necessary for function and/or binding.

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in first remission abrogates poor outcomes associated with high-risk pediatric acute myeloid leukemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Michael J; Wagner, John E; Cao, Qing; Ustun, Celalettin; Verneris, Michael R

2013-07-01

Despite remission rates of approximately 85% for children diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), greater than 40% will die from relapsed disease. Patients with poor-risk molecular/cytogenetics and/or inadequate response to up-front therapy are typically considered high-risk (HR) and historically have poor outcomes with chemotherapy alone. We investigated whether allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) with best available donor in first remission (CR1) would abrogate the poor outcomes associated with HR AML in children and young adults treated with chemotherapy. We reviewed the outcomes of 50 consecutive children and young adults (ages 0 to 30 years) with AML who received a myeloablative allo-HCT between 2001 and 2010. Thirty-six patients (72%) were HR, defined as having FLT3-ITD mutations, 11q23 MLL rearrangements, chromosome 5 or 7 abnormalities, induction failure, and/or having persistent disease. The majority of patients received cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation conditioning, and graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) prophylaxis was cyclosporine based. Transplantation outcomes for HR patients were compared to standard-risk patients, with no significant differences observed in overall survival (72% versus 78%, P = .72), leukemia-free survival (69% versus 79%, P = .62), relapse (11% versus 7%, P = .71), or treatment-related mortality (17% versus 14%, P = .89). Children and young adults with HR-AML have comparable outcomes to standard-risk patients following allo-HCT in CR1. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Recipient Immune Modulation with Atorvastatin for Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease Prophylaxis after Allogeneic Transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kanate, Abraham S; Hari, Parameswaran N; Pasquini, Marcelo C; Visotcky, Alexis; Ahn, Kwang W; Boyd, Jennifer; Guru Murthy, Guru Subramanian; Rizzo, J Douglas; Saber, Wael; Drobyski, William; Michaelis, Laura; Atallah, Ehab; Carlson, Karen S; D'Souza, Anita; Fenske, Timothy S; Cumpston, Aaron; Bunner, Pamela; Craig, Michael; Horowitz, Mary M; Hamadani, Mehdi

2017-08-01

Atorvastatin administration to both the donors and recipients of matched related donor (MRD) allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) as acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis has been shown to be safe and effective. However, its efficacy as acute GVHD prophylaxis when given only to allo-HCT recipients is unknown. We conducted a phase II study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of atorvastatin-based acute GVHD prophylaxis given only to the recipients of MRD (n = 30) or matched unrelated donor (MUD) (n = 39) allo-HCT, enrolled in 2 separate cohorts. Atorvastatin (40 mg/day) was administered along with standard GVHD prophylaxis consisting of tacrolimus and methotrexate. All patients were evaluable for acute GVHD. The cumulative incidences of grade II to IV acute GVHD at day +100 in the MRD and MUD cohorts were 9.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0 to 20%) and 29.6% (95% CI,15.6% to 43.6%), respectively. The cumulative incidences of grade III and IV acute GVHD at day +100 in the MRD and MUD cohorts were 3.4% (95% CI, 0 to 9.7%) and 18.3% (95% CI, 6.3% to 30.4%), respectively. The corresponding rates of moderate/severe chronic GVHD at 1 year were 28.1% (95% CI, 11% to 45.2%) and 38.9% (95% CI, 20.9% to 57%), respectively. In the MRD cohort, the 1-year nonrelapse mortality, relapse rate, progression-free survival, and overall survival were 6.7% (95% CI, 0 to 15.4%), 43.3% (95% CI, 24.9% to 61.7%), 50% (95% CI, 32.1% to 67.9%), and 66.7% (95% CI, 49.8% to 83.6%), respectively. The respective figures for the MUD cohort were 10.3% (95% CI, 8% to 19.7%), 20.5% (95% CI, 7.9% to 33.1%), 69.2% (95% CI, 54.7% to 83.7%), and 79.5% (95% CI, 66.8% to 92.2%), respectively. No grade 4 toxicities attributable to atorvastatin were seen. In conclusion, the addition of atorvastatin to standard GVHD prophylaxis in only the recipients of MRD and MUD allo-HCT appears to be feasible and safe. The preliminary efficacy seen here warrants confirmation in

Effect of low dose radiation on cell cycle and expression of its related proteins of HCT-8 cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Ying; Ma Kewei; Li Wei; Wang Guanjun

2009-01-01

Objective: To study the effects of low dose radiation (LDR) on cell cycle and the expression of its related proteins of HCT-8 cells and provide theoretical basis for clinical application of LDR. Methods: Human colon carcinoma cells (HCT-8) cultivated in vitro were divided into seven groups: sham radiation group (0 mGy), LDR groups (25, 50, 75, 100 and 200 mGy) and high dose radiation group (1000 mGy). The proliferation rate was detected with the method of cell count and MTT, the ratios of G 0 /G 1 , S, G 2 /M in cell cycle were determined with flow cytometry after LDR, The cell cycle and expressions of related signal proteins were analyzed with protein assay system. Results: The results of cell count and MTT showed that there were no significant differences of proliferation rate of HCT-8 cells between 25, 50, 75, 100, 200 mGy LDR groups and sham radiation group (P>0.05); compared with high dose radiation group, there were significant differences (P 0 /G 1 phase of HCT-8 cells increased (P>0.05), the ratio of S phase decreased significantly (P 2 /M phase increased obviously (P 0 /G 1 , S, and G 2 /M phases of HCT-8 cells 48 h after radiation compared with sham radiation group (P>0.05). The protein assay result indicated that the expressions of AKt, PCNA, p27, CDK2, cyclin E, EGFR, ERK1/2, p-ERK, p-GSK-32/β in HCT-8 cells after LDR decreased compared with sham radiation group. Conclusion: LDR has no stimulating effect on HCT-8 cells. However, to some extent LDR suppress the expressions of some proteins related to proliferation and cell cycle. (authors)

Treatment strategies in patients with AML or high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome relapsed after Allo-SCT.

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Sauer, T; Silling, G; Groth, C; Rosenow, F; Krug, U; Görlich, D; Evers, G; Albring, J; Besoke, R; Mesters, R M; Müller-Tidow, C; Kessler, T; Büchner, T; Berdel, W E; Stelljes, M

2015-04-01

Non-relapse mortality after Allo-SCT has significantly decreased over the last years. Nevertheless, relapse remains a major cause for post SCT mortality in patients with AML and high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). In this retrospective single-center analysis, we have analyzed the treatment outcomes of 108 patients with AML or MDS, who relapsed after Allo-SCT. Seventy of these patients (65%) were treated with salvage therapies containing chemotherapy alone, allogeneic cell-based treatment or the combination of both. Thirty-eight patients (35%) received palliative treatment. Median OS after diagnosis of relapse was 130 days. Compared with patients who received chemotherapy alone, response to salvage therapy was significantly improved in patients treated with a combination of chemo- and allogeneic cell-based therapy (CR rate 57% vs 13%, P=0.002). Among risk factors concerning pretreatment characteristics, disease status before first Allo-SCT, and details of transplantation, only the time interval from Allo-SCT to relapse was an independent predictor of response to salvage therapy and OS. These data confirmed that time to relapse after transplantation is an important prognostic factor. Up to now, only patients eligible for treatment regimens containing allogeneic cell-based interventions achieved relevant response rates.

ALLOGENEIC HEMATOPOIETIC CELL TRANSPLANTATION IN THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC LYMPHOCITIC LEUKEMIA : WHY AND WHEN ?

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Maria L. Delioukina

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL is the most common hematologic malignancy in adults with an incidence rate of 4.2 per 100,000 per year. CLL frequently takes an indolent course, with some patients not requiring treatment for years, yet is incurable by currently available chemo- and immuno-therapeutic modalities. Despite high initial response rates, particularly to purine analogues, patients invariably relapse and subsequently develop resistance to therapy. The traditional “watchful waiting” approach to CLL is being challenged by data showing that treatments used early in the disease course impact long-term overall and progression-free survivals . The only curative treatment for CLL currently, is allogeneic hematopoeietic cell transplantation (alloHCT. In contrast to autologous transplant, myeloablative alloHCT for CLL patients generates durable remissions with promising survival plateaus; however, significant transplant related mortality (TRM is also observed (25-50% . At present the fact remains that for poor-risk CLL, alloHCT is the only treatment with the potential of providing long-term disease control. Future combinations with emerging low-toxicity therapies may further enhance the curative potential of allogeniec hematopoietic cell transplant. New drugs can also potentially enable refractory patients to attain response as a bridge to more effective stem cell transplantation.

IND-2, a pyrimido[1″,2″:1,5]pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoline derivative, circumvents multi-drug resistance and causes apoptosis in colon cancer cells.

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Karthikeyan, Chandrabose; Lee, Crystal; Moore, Joshua; Mittal, Roopali; Suswam, Esther A; Abbott, Kodye L; Pondugula, Satyanarayana R; Manne, Upender; Narayanan, Narayanan K; Trivedi, Piyush; Tiwari, Amit K

2015-02-01

Naturally occurring condensed quinolines have anticancer properties. In efforts to find active analogues, we designed and synthesized eight polycyclic heterocycles with a pyrimido[1″,2″:1,5]pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoline framework (IND series). The compounds were evaluated for activity against colon (HCT-116 and S1-MI-80), prostate (PC3 and DU-145), breast (MCF-7 and MDAMB-231), ovarian (ov2008 and A2780), and hepatocellular (HepG2) cancer cells and against non-cancerous Madin Darby canine kidney (MDCK), mouse embryonic fibroblast (NIH/3T3), and human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293). IND-2, a 4-chloro-2-methyl pyrimido[1″,2″:1,5]pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoline, exhibited more than ten-fold selectivity and potent cytotoxic activity against colon cancer cells relative to the other cancer and non-cancer cells. With five additional colon cancer cell lines (HT-29, HCT-15, LS-180, LS-174, and LoVo), IND-2 had similar cytotoxicity and selectivity, and sub-micromolar concentrations caused changes in the morphology of HCT-116 and HCT-15 cells. IND-2 did not activate the transactivating function of the pregnane X receptor (PXR), indicating that it does not induce PXR-regulated ABCB1 or ABCG2 transporters. Indeed, IND-2 was not a substrate of ABCB1 or ABCG2, and it induced cytotoxicity in HEK293 cells overexpressing ABCB1 or ABCG2 to the same extent as in normal HEK293 cells. IND-2 was cytotoxic to resistant colon carcinoma S1-MI-80 cells, approximately three- and five-fold more than SN-38 and topotecan, respectively. In HCT-116 colon cancer cells, IND-2 produced concentration-dependent changes in mitochondrial membrane potential, leading to apoptosis, and sub-micromolar concentrations caused chromosomal DNA fragmentation. These findings suggest that, by increasing apoptosis, IND-2 has potential therapeutic efficacy for colorectal cancer. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Liver-Specific Deletion of Protein-Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) Improves Metabolic Syndrome and Attenuates Diet-Induced Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

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Delibegovic, Mirela; Zimmer, Derek; Kauffman, Caitlin; Rak, Kimberly; Hong, Eun-Gyoung; Cho, You-Ree; Kim, Jason K.; Kahn, Barbara B.; Neel, Benjamin G.; Bence, Kendra K.

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVE—The protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP1B is a negative regulator of insulin signaling; consequently, mice deficient in PTP1B are hypersensitive to insulin. Because PTP1B−/− mice have diminished fat stores, the extent to which PTP1B directly regulates glucose homeostasis is unclear. Previously, we showed that brain-specific PTP1B−/− mice are protected against high-fat diet–induced obesity and glucose intolerance, whereas muscle-specific PTP1B−/− mice have increased insulin sensitivity independent of changes in adiposity. Here we studied the role of liver PTP1B in glucose homeostasis and lipid metabolism. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—We analyzed body mass/adiposity, insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance, and lipid metabolism in liver-specific PTP1B−/− and PTP1Bfl/fl control mice, fed a chow or high-fat diet. RESULTS—Compared with normal littermates, liver-specific PTP1B−/− mice exhibit improved glucose homeostasis and lipid profiles, independent of changes in adiposity. Liver-specific PTP1B−/− mice have increased hepatic insulin signaling, decreased expression of gluconeogenic genes PEPCK and G-6-Pase, enhanced insulin-induced suppression of hepatic glucose production, and improved glucose tolerance. Liver-specific PTP1B−/− mice exhibit decreased triglyceride and cholesterol levels and diminished expression of lipogenic genes SREBPs, FAS, and ACC. Liver-specific PTP1B deletion also protects against high-fat diet–induced endoplasmic reticulum stress response in vivo, as evidenced by decreased phosphorylation of p38MAPK, JNK, PERK, and eIF2α and lower expression of the transcription factors C/EBP homologous protein and spliced X box-binding protein 1. CONCLUSIONS—Liver PTP1B plays an important role in glucose and lipid metabolism, independent of alterations in adiposity. Inhibition of PTP1B in peripheral tissues may be useful for the treatment of metabolic syndrome and reduction of cardiovascular risk in addition to

Circulating S100B and Adiponectin in Children Who Underwent Open Heart Surgery and Cardiopulmonary Bypass

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Alessandro Varrica

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background. S100B protein, previously proposed as a consolidated marker of brain damage in congenital heart disease (CHD newborns who underwent cardiac surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB, has been progressively abandoned due to S100B CNS extra-source such as adipose tissue. The present study investigated CHD newborns, if adipose tissue contributes significantly to S100B serum levels. Methods. We conducted a prospective study in 26 CHD infants, without preexisting neurological disorders, who underwent cardiac surgery and CPB in whom blood samples for S100B and adiponectin (ADN measurement were drawn at five perioperative time-points. Results. S100B showed a significant increase from hospital admission up to 24 h after procedure reaching its maximum peak (P0.05 have been found all along perioperative monitoring. ADN/S100B ratio pattern was identical to S100B alone with the higher peak at the end of CPB and remained higher up to 24 h from surgery. Conclusions. The present study provides evidence that, in CHD infants, S100B protein is not affected by an extra-source adipose tissue release as suggested by no changes in circulating ADN concentrations.

NKp46 expression on NK cells as a prognostic and predictive biomarker for response to allo-SCT in patients with AML.

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Chretien, Anne-Sophie; Devillier, Raynier; Fauriat, Cyril; Orlanducci, Florence; Harbi, Samia; Le Roy, Aude; Rey, Jérôme; Bouvier Borg, Gaelle; Gautherot, Emmanuel; Hamel, Jean-François; Ifrah, Norbert; Lacombe, Catherine; Cornillet-Lefebvre, Pascale; Delaunay, Jacques; Toubert, Antoine; Arnoulet, Christine; Vey, Norbert; Blaise, Didier; Olive, Daniel

2017-01-01

NKp46 is a major determinant of natural killer (NK) cell function and it is implicated in tumor immune surveillance in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of NKp46 expression in an independent cohort of patients with AML, and to investigate the impact of NKp46 on clinical outcome after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT). NKp46 expression was assessed at diagnosis on NK cells by flow cytometry (N = 180 patients). Clinical outcome was evaluated with regard to NKp46 expression. Patients with NKp46 high phenotype at diagnosis had better progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) than patients with NKp46 low phenotype (74.3% vs. 46.6%, p = 0.014; 82.6% vs. 57.1%, p = 0.010, respectively). In multivariate analysis, high NKp46 was an independent factor for improved OS (HR = 0.409, p = 0.010) and PFS (HR = 0.335, p = 0.011). Subgroup analysis revealed that allo-SCT had a favorable impact on PFS in patients with NKp46 high phenotype ( p = 0.025). By contrast, allo-SCT did not impact PFS in patients with low NKp46 expression ( p = 0.303). In conclusion, we validate the prognostic value of NKp46 expression at diagnosis in AML. However, the prognostic value of NKp46 expression is limited to patients treated with allo-SCT, thus suggesting that NKp46 status may be predictive for allo-SCT responsiveness.

A human monoclonal antibody drug and target discovery platform for B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia based on allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and phage display

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Baskar, Sivasubramanian; Suschak, Jessica M.; Samija, Ivan; Srinivasan, Ramaprasad; Childs, Richard W.; Pavletic, Steven Z.; Bishop, Michael R.; Rader, Christoph

2009-01-01

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) is the only potentially curative treatment available for patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). Here, we show that post-alloHSCT antibody repertoires can be mined for the discovery of fully human monoclonal antibodies to B-CLL cell-surface antigens. Sera collected from B-CLL patients at defined times after alloHSCT showed selective binding to primary B-CLL cells. Pre-alloHSCT sera, donor sera, and control sera w...

Fem1b, a proapoptotic protein, mediates proteasome inhibitor-induced apoptosis of human colon cancer cells.

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Subauste, M Cecilia; Sansom, Owen J; Porecha, Nehal; Raich, Natacha; Du, Liqin; Maher, Joseph F

2010-02-01

In the treatment of colon cancer, the development of resistance to apoptosis is a major factor in resistance to therapy. New molecular approaches to overcome apoptosis resistance, such as selectively upregulating proapoptotic proteins, are needed in colon cancer therapy. In a mouse model with inactivation of the adenomatous polyposis coli (Apc) tumor suppressor gene, reflecting the pathogenesis of most human colon cancers, the gene encoding feminization-1 homolog b (Fem1b) is upregulated in intestinal epithelium following Apc inactivation. Fem1b is a proapoptotic protein that interacts with apoptosis-inducing proteins Fas, tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 (TNFR1), and apoptotic protease activating factor-1 (Apaf-1). Increasing Fem1b expression induces apoptosis of cancer cells, but effects on colon cancer cells have not been reported. Fem1b is a homolog of feminization-1 (FEM-1), a protein in Caenorhabditis elegans that is regulated by proteasomal degradation, but whether Fem1b is likewise regulated by proteasomal degradation is unknown. Herein, we found that Fem1b protein is expressed in primary human colon cancer specimens, and in malignant SW620, HCT-116, and DLD-1 colon cancer cells. Increasing Fem1b expression, by transfection of a Fem1b expression construct, induced apoptosis of these cells. We found that proteasome inhibitor treatment of SW620, HCT-116, and DLD-1 cells caused upregulation of Fem1b protein levels, associated with induction of apoptosis. Blockade of Fem1b upregulation with morpholino antisense oligonucleotide suppressed the proteasome inhibitor-induced apoptosis of these cells. In conclusion, the proapoptotic protein Fem1b is downregulated by the proteasome in malignant colon cancer cells and mediates proteasome inhibitor-induced apoptosis of these cells. Therefore, Fem1b could represent a novel molecular target to overcome apoptosis resistance in therapy of colon cancer.

Evodiamine Induces Apoptosis and Inhibits Migration of HCT-116 Human Colorectal Cancer Cells

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Lv-Cui Zhao

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Evodiamine (EVO exhibits strong anti-cancer effects. However, the effect of EVO on the human colorectal cancer cell line HCT-116 has not been explored in detail, and its underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. In the present study, cell viability was assessed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8. Cell cycle and apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry, and morphological changes in the nucleus were examined by fluorescence microscopy and Hoechst staining. Cell motility was detected by Transwell assay. ELISA was used to assess the protein levels of autocrine motility factor (AMF in the cell supernatant, and protein expression was determined by Western blotting. Our results showed that EVO inhibited the proliferation of HCT-116 cells, caused accumulation of cells in S and G2/M phases, and reduced the levels of the secreted form of AMF. The protein levels of tumor suppressor protein (p53, Bcl-2 Associated X protein (Bax, B cell CLL/lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2, phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI, phosphorylated signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (p-STAT3 and matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3 were altered in cells treated with EVO. Taken together, our results suggest that EVO modulates the activity of the p53 signaling pathway to induce apoptosis and downregulate MMP3 expression by inactivating the JAK2/STAT3 pathway through the downregulation of PGI to inhibit migration of HCT-116 human colorectal cancer cells.

Comparative proteomic analysis of colon cancer cell HCT-15 in response to all-trans retinoic acid treatment.

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Zhao, Jie; Wen, Gaotian; Ding, Ming; Pan, Jian-Yi; Yu, Mei-Lan; Zhao, Fukun; Weng, Xia-Lian; Du, Jiang-Li

2012-12-01

Colon cancer is one of the most common malignances. In vitro and in vivo study show that retinoic acids inhibit a wide variety of cancer cells but the molecular mechanism of their anti-tumor effects are not yet fully understood. Alltrans retinoic acid (ATRA), an isomer of retinoic acid, can inhibit the proliferation of HCT-15 human colon cancer cell line. A proteomic analysis was performed using HCT-15 treated with ATRA to further elucidate the retinoic acid signaling pathway and its anti-tumor effect mechanism. MTT results showed that the growth of HCT-15 cells were significantly inhibited by ATRA. The alkaline phosphatase activity assay showed that ATRA failed to induce the differentiation of HCT-15. The DNA ladder detection showed that ATRA induced apoptosis in HCT-15. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis coupled with MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry identified 13 differentially expressed proteins in HCT-15 cells after all-trans retinoic acid treatment. Among the identified differentially expressed proteins, there were four scaffold proteins (YWHAE, SFN, YWHAB, and YWHAZ), two ubiquitin modification related proteins (ISG-15 and UBE2N), two translational initiation factors (EIF1AX and EIF3K), two cytoskeleton related proteins (EZRI and CNN3), two proteinmodification related proteins (TXNDC17 and PIMT), and one enzyme related to phospholipid metabolism (PSP). Both EZRI and UBE2N were rendered to western-blot validation and the results were consistent with the two-dimension electrophoresis analysis. In this study, the differentially expressed proteins in HCT-15 treated by ATRA were identified, which will assist the further elucidation of the anti-tumor mechanism of retinoic acids.

Gamma-tubulin-containing abnormal centrioles are induced by insufficient Plk4 in human HCT116 colorectal cancer cells.

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Kuriyama, Ryoko; Bettencourt-Dias, Monica; Hoffmann, Ingrid; Arnold, Marc; Sandvig, Lisa

2009-06-15

Cancer cells frequently induce aberrant centrosomes, which have been implicated in cancer initiation and progression. Human colorectal cancer cells, HCT116, contain aberrant centrioles composed of disorganized cylindrical microtubules and displaced appendages. These cells also express unique centrosome-related structures associated with a subset of centrosomal components, including gamma-tubulin, centrin and PCM1. During hydroxyurea treatment, these abnormal structures become more abundant and undergo a change in shape from small dots to elongated fibers. Although gamma-tubulin seems to exist as a ring complex, the abnormal structures do not support microtubule nucleation. Several lines of evidence suggest that the fibers correspond to a disorganized form of centriolar microtubules. Plk4, a mammalian homolog of ZYG-1 essential for initiation of centriole biogenesis, is not associated with the gamma-tubulin-specific abnormal centrosomes. The amount of Plk4 at each centrosome was less in cells with abnormal centrosomes than cells without gamma-tubulin-specific abnormal centrosomes. In addition, the formation of abnormal structures was abolished by expression of exogenous Plk4, but not SAS6 and Cep135/Bld10p, which are downstream regulators required for the organization of nine-triplet microtubules. These results suggest that HCT116 cells fail to organize the ninefold symmetry of centrioles due to insufficient Plk4.

SoxB1-driven transcriptional network underlies neural-specific interpretation of morphogen signals.

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Oosterveen, Tony; Kurdija, Sanja; Ensterö, Mats; Uhde, Christopher W; Bergsland, Maria; Sandberg, Magnus; Sandberg, Rickard; Muhr, Jonas; Ericson, Johan

2013-04-30

The reiterative deployment of a small cadre of morphogen signals underlies patterning and growth of most tissues during embyogenesis, but how such inductive events result in tissue-specific responses remains poorly understood. By characterizing cis-regulatory modules (CRMs) associated with genes regulated by Sonic hedgehog (Shh), retinoids, or bone morphogenetic proteins in the CNS, we provide evidence that the neural-specific interpretation of morphogen signaling reflects a direct integration of these pathways with SoxB1 proteins at the CRM level. Moreover, expression of SoxB1 proteins in the limb bud confers on mesodermal cells the potential to activate neural-specific target genes upon Shh, retinoid, or bone morphogenetic protein signaling, and the collocation of binding sites for SoxB1 and morphogen-mediatory transcription factors in CRMs faithfully predicts neural-specific gene activity. Thus, an unexpectedly simple transcriptional paradigm appears to conceptually explain the neural-specific interpretation of pleiotropic signaling during vertebrate development. Importantly, genes induced in a SoxB1-dependent manner appear to constitute repressive gene regulatory networks that are directly interlinked at the CRM level to constrain the regional expression of patterning genes. Accordingly, not only does the topology of SoxB1-driven gene regulatory networks provide a tissue-specific mode of gene activation, but it also determines the spatial expression pattern of target genes within the developing neural tube.

Butyrate Inhibits Cancerous HCT116 Colon Cell Proliferation but to a Lesser Extent in Noncancerous NCM460 Colon Cells.

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Zeng, Huawei; Taussig, David P; Cheng, Wen-Hsing; Johnson, LuAnn K; Hakkak, Reza

2017-01-01

Butyrate, an intestinal microbiota metabolite of dietary fiber, exhibits chemoprevention effects on colon cancer development. However, the mechanistic action of butyrate remains to be determined. We hypothesize that butyrate inhibits cancerous cell proliferation but to a lesser extent in noncancerous cells through regulating apoptosis and cellular-signaling pathways. We tested this hypothesis by exposing cancerous HCT116 or non-cancerous NCM460 colon cells to physiologically relevant doses of butyrate. Cellular responses to butyrate were characterized by Western analysis, fluorescent microscopy, acetylation, and DNA fragmentation analyses. Butyrate inhibited cell proliferation, and led to an induction of apoptosis, genomic DNA fragmentation in HCT116 cells, but to a lesser extent in NCM460 cells. Although butyrate increased H3 histone deacetylation and p21 tumor suppressor expression in both cell types, p21 protein level was greater with intense expression around the nuclei in HCT116 cells when compared with that in NCM460 cells. Furthermore, butyrate treatment increased the phosphorylation of extracellular-regulated kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2), a survival signal, in NCM460 cells while it decreased p-ERK1/2 in HCT116 cells. Taken together, the activation of survival signaling in NCM460 cells and apoptotic potential in HCT116 cells may confer the increased sensitivity of cancerous colon cells to butyrate in comparison with noncancerous colon cells.

The role of chloride in the mechanism of O(2) activation at the mononuclear nonheme Fe(II) center of the halogenase HctB.

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Pratter, Sarah M; Light, Kenneth M; Solomon, Edward I; Straganz, Grit D

2014-07-02

Mononuclear nonheme Fe(II) (MNH) and α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) dependent halogenases activate O2 to perform oxidative halogenations of activated and nonactivated carbon centers. While the mechanism of halide incorporation into a substrate has been investigated, the mechanism by which halogenases prevent oxidations in the absence of chloride is still obscure. Here, we characterize the impact of chloride on the metal center coordination and reactivity of the fatty acyl-halogenase HctB. Stopped-flow kinetic studies show that the oxidative transformation of the Fe(II)-α-KG-enzyme complex is >200-fold accelerated by saturating concentrations of chloride in both the absence and presence of a covalently bound substrate. By contrast, the presence of substrate, which generally brings about O2 activation at enzymatic MNH centers, only has an ∼10-fold effect in the absence of chloride. Circular dichroism (CD) and magnetic CD (MCD) studies demonstrate that chloride binding triggers changes in the metal center ligation: chloride binding induces the proper binding of the substrate as shown by variable-temperature, variable-field (VTVH) MCD studies of non-α-KG-containing forms and the conversion from six-coordinate (6C) to 5C/6C mixtures when α-KG is bound. In the presence of substrate, a site with square pyramidal five-coordinate (5C) geometry is observed, which is required for O2 activation at enzymatic MNH centers. In the absence of substrate an unusual trigonal bipyramidal site is formed, which accounts for the observed slow, uncoupled reactivity. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest that the binding of chloride to the metal center of HctB leads to a conformational change in the enzyme that makes the active site more accessible to the substrate and thus facilitates the formation of the catalytically competent enzyme-substrate complex. Results are discussed in relation to other MNH dependent halogenases.

Nonexpansive immediate breast reconstruction using human acellular tissue matrix graft (AlloDerm).

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Salzberg, C Andrew

2006-07-01

Immediate breast reconstruction has become a standard of care following mastectomy for cancer, largely due to improved esthetic and psychologic outcomes achieved with this technique. However, the current historical standards--transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap reconstruction and expander--implant surgery-still have limitations as regards patient morbidity, short-term body-image improvements, and even cost. To address these shortcomings, we employ a novel concept of human tissue replacement to enhance breast shape and provide total coverage, enabling immediate mound reconstruction without the need for breast expansion prior to permanent implant placement. AlloDerm (human acellular tissue matrix) is a human-derived graft tissue with extensive experience in various settings of skin and soft tissue replacement surgery. This report describes the success using acellular tissue matrix to provide total coverage over the prosthesis in immediate reconstruction, with limited muscle dissection. In this population, 49 patients (76 breasts) successfully underwent the acellular tissue matrix-based immediate reconstruction, resulting in durable breast reconstruction with good symmetry. These findings may predict that acellular tissue matrix-supplemented immediate breast reconstruction will become a new technique for the immediate reconstruction of the postmastectomy breast.

Ethics of international clinical research collaboration - the experience of AlloStem.

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Chaplin, C

2006-02-01

This paper examines the ethics of international clinical collaboration in stem cell research by focusing on the AlloStem project. AlloStem is an international research programme, financed by the European Union under the Sixth Framework Programme, with the aim of advancing the use of stem cells in treating leukaemia and other haematological diseases. Several areas of ethical importance are explored. Research justification and the need to consider both deontological and teleological aspects are examined. Ethical sensitivity in research and the requirement to respond to areas of ethical concern identified by the European Commission, such as the involvement of human beings, the use of human tissue, and the use of animals are also explored. Ethical issues around project structure and management, such as ethical standardization in international research, and achieving set targets are discussed. The ethical importance of dissemination of findings and teaching in clinical research is also considered. Finally, the distribution of benefits is addressed and the importance of distributive justice is emphasized.

21 CFR 1271.265 - Receipt, predistribution shipment, and distribution of an HCT/P.

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2010-04-01

... DRUG ADMINISTRATION HUMAN CELLS, TISSUES, AND CELLULAR AND TISSUE-BASED PRODUCTS Current Good Tissue Practice § 1271.265 Receipt, predistribution shipment, and distribution of an HCT/P. (a) Receipt. You must... distribution of an HCT/P. 1271.265 Section 1271.265 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF...

Evaluation of 6-chloro-N-[3,4-disubstituted-1,3-thiazol-2(3H)-ylidene]-1,3-benzothiazol-2-amine Using Drug Design Concept for Their Targeted Activity Against Colon Cancer Cell Lines HCT-116, HCT15, and HT29.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Ming-Li; Wang, Cui-Yue; Xu, Cheng-Mian; Bi, Wei-Ping; ZHou, Xiu-Ying

2017-03-05

BACKGROUND Colorectal adenocarcinoma is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the world. The stage of the disease is related to the survival of the patient, and in early phases surgery is the main modality of treatment. The main aim of modern medicinal chemistry is to synthesize small molecules via drug designing, especially by targeting tumor cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS A new series of 19 compounds containing benzothiazole and thiazole were designed. Molecular docking studies were performed on the designed series of molecules. Compounds showing good binding affinity towards the EGFR receptor were selected for synthetic studies. Characterization of the synthesized compounds was done by FTIR, 1HNMR, Mass and C, H, N, analysis. RESULTS The anticancer evaluation of the synthesized compounds was done at NIC, USA at a single dose against colon cancer cell lines HCT 116, HCT15, and HC 29. The active compounds were further evaluated for the 5-dose testing. Compounds were designed by using docking analysis. To ascertain the interaction of EGFR tyrosine kinase binding, energy calculation was used. CONCLUSIONS The results of the present study indicate that the designed compounds show good activity against colon cancer cell lines, which may be further studied to design new potential molecules.

Flanking sequence determination and specific PCR identification of transgenic wheat B102-1-2.

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Cao, Jijuan; Xu, Junyi; Zhao, Tongtong; Cao, Dongmei; Huang, Xin; Zhang, Piqiao; Luan, Fengxia

2014-01-01

The exogenous fragment sequence and flanking sequence between the exogenous fragment and recombinant chromosome of transgenic wheat B102-1-2 were successfully acquired using genome walking technology. The newly acquired exogenous fragment encoded the full-length sequence of transformed genes with transformed plasmid and corresponding functional genes including ubi, vector pBANF-bar, vector pUbiGUSPlus, vector HSP, reporter vector pUbiGUSPlus, promoter ubiquitin, and coli DH1. A specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identification method for transgenic wheat B102-1-2 was established on the basis of designed primers according to flanking sequence. This established specific PCR strategy was validated by using transgenic wheat, transgenic corn, transgenic soybean, transgenic rice, and non-transgenic wheat. A specifically amplified target band was observed only in transgenic wheat B102-1-2. Therefore, this method is characterized by high specificity, high reproducibility, rapid identification, and excellent accuracy for the identification of transgenic wheat B102-1-2.

Centre characteristics and procedure-related factors have an impact on outcomes of allogeneic transplantation for patients with CLL: a retrospective analysis from the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT).

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Schetelig, Johannes; de Wreede, Liesbeth C; Andersen, Niels S; Moreno, Carol; van Gelder, Michel; Vitek, Antonin; Karas, Michal; Michallet, Mauricette; Machaczka, Maciej; Gramatzki, Martin; Beelen, Dietrich; Finke, Jürgen; Delgado, Julio; Volin, Liisa; Passweg, Jakob; Dreger, Peter; Schaap, Nicolaas; Wagner, Eva; Henseler, Anja; van Biezen, Anja; Bornhäuser, Martin; Iacobelli, Simona; Putter, Hein; Schönland, Stefan O; Kröger, Nicolaus

2017-08-01

The best approach for allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantations (alloHCT) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is unknown. We therefore analysed the impact of procedure- and centre-related factors on 5-year event-free survival (EFS) in a large retrospective study. Data of 684 CLL patients who received a first alloHCT between 2000 and 2011 were analysed by multivariable Cox proportional hazards models with a frailty component to investigate unexplained centre heterogeneity. Five-year EFS of the whole cohort was 37% (95% confidence interval [CI], 34-42%). Larger numbers of CLL alloHCTs (hazard ratio [HR] 0·96, P = 0·002), certification of quality management (HR 0·7, P = 0·045) and a higher gross national income per capita (HR 0·4, P = 0·04) improved EFS. In vivo T-cell depletion (TCD) with alemtuzumab compared to no TCD (HR 1·5, P = 0·03), and a female donor compared to a male donor for a male patient (HR 1·4, P = 0·02) had a negative impact on EFS, but not non-myeloablative versus more intensive conditioning. After correcting for patient-, procedure- and centre-characteristics, significant variation in centre outcomes persisted. In conclusion, further research on the impact of centre and procedural characteristics is warranted. Non-myeloablative conditioning appears to be the preferable approach for patients with CLL. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Potential contribution of a novel Tax epitope-specific CD4+ T cells to graft-versus-Tax effect in adult T cell leukemia patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Tamai, Yotaro; Hasegawa, Atsuhiko; Takamori, Ayako; Sasada, Amane; Tanosaki, Ryuji; Choi, Ilseung; Utsunomiya, Atae; Maeda, Yasuhiro; Yamano, Yoshihisa; Eto, Tetsuya; Koh, Ki-Ryang; Nakamae, Hirohisa; Suehiro, Youko; Kato, Koji; Takemoto, Shigeki; Okamura, Jun; Uike, Naokuni; Kannagi, Mari

2013-04-15

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is an effective treatment for adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) caused by human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1). We previously reported that Tax-specific CD8(+) cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) contributed to graft-versus-ATL effects in ATL patients after allo-HSCT. However, the role of HTLV-1-specific CD4(+) T cells in the effects remains unclear. In this study, we showed that Tax-specific CD4(+) as well as CD8(+) T cell responses were induced in some ATL patients following allo-HSCT. To further analyze HTLV-1-specific CD4(+) T cell responses, we identified a novel HLA-DRB1*0101-restricted epitope, Tax155-167, recognized by HTLV-1-specific CD4(+) Th1-like cells, a major population of HTLV-1-specific CD4(+) T cell line, which was established from an ATL patient at 180 d after allo-HSCT from an unrelated seronegative donor by in vitro stimulation with HTLV-1-infected cells from the same patient. Costimulation of PBMCs with both the identified epitope (Tax155-167) and known CTL epitope peptides markedly enhanced the expansion of Tax-specific CD8(+) T cells in PBMCs compared with stimulation with CTL epitope peptide alone in all three HLA-DRB1*0101(+) patients post-allo-HSCT tested. In addition, direct detection using newly generated HLA-DRB1*0101/Tax155-167 tetramers revealed that Tax155-167-specific CD4(+) T cells were present in all HTLV-1-infected individuals tested, regardless of HSCT. These results suggest that Tax155-167 may be the dominant epitope recognized by HTLV-1-specific CD4(+) T cells in HLA-DRB1*0101(+)-infected individuals and that Tax-specific CD4(+) T cells may augment the graft-versus-Tax effects via efficient induction of Tax-specific CD8(+) T cell responses.

A mobile school-based HCT service – is it youth friendly?

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2016-08-31

Aug 31, 2016 ... that they do not test because formal health services (where HCT is provided) are often not youth friendly. .... among young women aged 15–19 and 20–24 years old, respect- ... AIDS (UNAIDS) (1997) recommendations, one of the ways that .... In Table 1, the gender, age, and job title of the service providers.

Cross-sensitization between xeno- and allo-antigens on subsequent allogeneic and xenogeneic pancreatic islet transplantation in a murine model.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hyun-Je; Byun, Nari; Kwon, Ohsang; Park, Chung-Gyu

2016-11-18

The number of patients in need of organ transplantation is continuously on the rise. However, because of organ donor shortage, xenotransplantation has been highlighted as an alternative. Among the various porcine organs and tissues, porcine islets are considered to be the best-matching implantable candidates for clinical application based on recent progress in nonhuman primate pre-clinical studies. Nevertheless, before initiation of clinical trials, it should be confirmed whether the requisite xeno-antigen sensitization would have a deleterious effect on subsequent allo-transplantation or vice versa. Therefore, in the present study, the survival rate of islets grafted in naïve recipients was compared with that in cross-sensitized recipients. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, and immunohistochemistry were conducted to assess the cellular and humoral immune responses. The survival days of Balb/c mouse islets transplanted into B6 mice that had been previously sensitized with porcine cells (i.e., xeno-sensitized) showed no significant difference from that of naïve B6 mice. Moreover, the survival days of porcine islets transplanted into allo-antigen (Balb/c)-sensitized B6 recipients was not significantly different from that in naïve B6 mice. Furthermore, our data provide the first demonstration that the cellular xenogeneic immune response (against porcine antigen) measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assay is not cross-reactive to the allogeneic immune responses in a murine islet transplantation model. These results suggest that clinical application of islet xenotransplantation is not likely to have a deleterious effect on subsequent allogeneic islet transplantation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Capecitabine treatment of HCT-15 colon cancer cells induces ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

HCT-15 cells caused condensation of DNA and induced apoptosis in a concentration- ... Conclusion: Capecitabine treatment causes inhibition of colon cancer growth via the mitochondrial ... fluoropyrimidine aimed to selectively transfer 5-.

Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide and Tacrolimus-Mycophenolate Mofetil Combination Prevents Graft-versus-Host Disease in Allogeneic Peripheral Blood Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation from HLA-Matched Donors.

Science.gov (United States)

Carnevale-Schianca, Fabrizio; Caravelli, Daniela; Gallo, Susanna; Coha, Valentina; D'Ambrosio, Lorenzo; Vassallo, Elena; Fizzotti, Marco; Nesi, Francesca; Gioeni, Luisa; Berger, Massimo; Polo, Alessandra; Gammaitoni, Loretta; Becco, Paolo; Giraudo, Lidia; Mangioni, Monica; Sangiolo, Dario; Grignani, Giovanni; Rota-Scalabrini, Delia; Sottile, Antonino; Fagioli, Franca; Aglietta, Massimo

2017-03-01

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) remains the only curative therapy for many hematologic malignancies but it is limited by high nonrelapse mortality (NRM), primarily from unpredictable control of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Recently, post-transplant cyclophosphamide demonstrated improved GVHD control in allogeneic bone marrow HCT. Here we explore cyclophosphamide in allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (alloPBSCT). Patients with high-risk hematologic malignancies received alloPBSCT from HLA-matched unrelated/related donors. GVHD prophylaxis included combination post-HCT cyclophosphamide 50 mg/kg (days +3 and +4) and tacrolimus/mofetil mycophenolate (T/MMF) (day +5 forward). The primary objective was the cumulative incidence of acute and chronic GVHD. Between March 2011 and May 2015, 35 consecutive patients received the proposed regimen. MMF was stopped in all patients at day +28; the median discontinuation of tacrolimus was day +113. Acute and chronic GVHD cumulative incidences were 17% and 7%, respectively, with no grade IV GVHD events, only 2 patients requiring chronic GVHD immunosuppression control, and no deaths from GVHD. Two-year NRM, overall survival, event-free survival, and chronic GVHD event-free survival rates were 3%, 77%, 54%, and 49%, respectively. The graft-versus-tumor effect was maintained as 5 of 15 patients (33%) who received HCT with evidence of disease experienced further disease response. A post-transplant cyclophosphamide + T/MMF combination strategy effectively prevented acute and chronic GVHD after alloPBSCT from HLA-matched donors and achieved an unprecedented low NRM without losing efficacy in disease control or impaired development of the graft-versus-tumor effect. This trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02300571. Copyright © 2017 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Recent advances in post autologous transplantation maintenance therapies in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas

Science.gov (United States)

Epperla, Narendranath; Fenske, Timothy S; Hari, Parameswaran N; Hamadani, Mehdi

2015-01-01

Lymphomas constitute the second most common indication for high dose therapy (HDT) followed by autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (auto-HCT). The intent of administering HDT in these heterogeneous disorders varies from cure (e.g., in relapsed aggressive lymphomas) to disease control (e.g., most indolent lymphomas). Regardless of the underlying histology or remission status at transplantation, disease relapse remains the number one cause of post auto-HCT therapy failure and mortality. The last decade has seen a proliferation of clinical studies looking at prevention of post auto-HCT therapy failure with various maintenance strategies. The benefit of such therapies is in turn dependent on disease histology and timing of transplantation. In relapsed, chemosensitive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), although post auto-HCT maintenance rituximab seems to be safe and feasible, it does not provide improved survival outcomes and is not recommended. The preliminary results with anti- programmed death -1 (PD-1) antibody therapy as post auto-HCT maintenance in DLBCL is promising but requires randomized validation. Similarly in follicular lymphoma, maintenance therapies including rituximab following auto-HCT should be considered investigational and offered only on a clinical trial. Rituximab maintenance results in improved progression-free survival but has not yet shown to improve overall survival in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), but given the poor prognosis with post auto-HCT failure in MCL, maintenance rituximab can be considered on a case-by-case basis. Ongoing trials evaluating the efficacy of post auto-HCT maintenance with novel compounds (e.g., immunomodulators, PD-1 inhibitors, proteasome inhibitors and bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitors) will likely change the practice landscape in the near future for B cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas patients following HDT and auto-HCT. PMID:26421260

Optimising measles virus-guided radiovirotherapy with external beam radiotherapy and specific checkpoint kinase 1 inhibition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Touchefeu, Yann; Khan, Aadil A.; Borst, Gerben; Zaidi, Shane H.; McLaughlin, Martin; Roulstone, Victoria; Mansfield, David; Kyula, Joan; Pencavel, Tim; Karapanagiotou, Eleni M.; Clayton, Jamie; Federspiel, Mark J.; Russell, Steve J.; Garrett, Michelle; Collins, Ian; Harrington, Kevin J.

2013-01-01

Background and purpose: We previously reported a therapeutic strategy comprising replication-defective NIS-expressing adenovirus combined with radioiodide, external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and DNA repair inhibition. We have now evaluated NIS-expressing oncolytic measles virus (MV-NIS) combined with NIS-guided radioiodide, EBRT and specific checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) inhibition in head and neck and colorectal models. Materials and methods: Anti-proliferative/cytotoxic effects of individual agents and their combinations were measured by MTS, clonogenic and Western analysis. Viral gene expression was measured by radioisotope uptake and replication by one-step growth curves. Potential synergistic interactions were tested in vitro by Bliss independence analysis and in in vivo therapeutic studies. Results: EBRT and MV-NIS were synergistic in vitro. Furthermore, EBRT increased NIS expression in infected cells. SAR-020106 was synergistic with EBRT, but also with MV-NIS in HN5 cells. MV-NIS mediated 131 I-induced cytotoxicity in HN5 and HCT116 cells and, in the latter, this was enhanced by SAR-020106. In vivo studies confirmed that MV-NIS, EBRT and Chk1 inhibition were effective in HCT116 xenografts. The quadruplet regimen of MV-NIS, virally-directed 131 I, EBRT and SAR-020106 had significant anti-tumour activity in HCT116 xenografts. Conclusion: This study strongly supports translational and clinical research on MV-NIS combined with radiation therapy and radiosensitising agents

Gamma ray-irradiation in fresh allo-joint transplantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Hiroshi

1995-01-01

In the first of a series of experiments in rat designed to assess the efficacy of gamma ray irradiation in fresh allo-joint transplantation, it was found that the optimal gamma ray dosage was 4 Gy. At this dosage level, the irradiation rays suppressed the viability of marrow cells which had the highest antigenicity, with no injury to the bone or articular cartilage. In a second experiment, a fresh homologous knee joint was irradiated at 4 Gy and then transplanted while administering the donor's splenic cell suspension (for specific immunosuppression) and the immunosuppressive agent cyclosporine (5 mg/kg) to the recipient rat. All the rats that received a pre-irradiated knee joint graft survived until sacrificed for evaluation without showing any sign of host rejection. In these rats, bone fusion had occurred between the host bone and the graft by the 8th postoperative week. Degeneration of the articular cartilage was similar between the rats that had received a pre-irradiated graft and those that had not. These findings indicated that 4 Gy gamma ray irradiation to a graft before transplantation provided an effective means of immunosuppression. (author)

Prolonged sulforaphane treatment activates survival signaling in nontumorigenic NCM460 colon cells but apoptotic signaling in tumorigenic HCT116 colon cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Huawei; Trujillo, Olivia N; Moyer, Mary P; Botnen, James H

2011-01-01

Sulforaphane (SFN) is a naturally occurring chemopreventive agent; the induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis is a key mechanism by which SFN exerts its colon cancer prevention. However, little is known about the differential effects of SFN on colon cancer and normal cells. In this study, we demonstrated that SFN (15 μmol/L) exposure (72 h) inhibited cell proliferation by up to 95% in colon cancer cells (HCT116) and by 52% in normal colon mucosa-derived (NCM460) cells. Our data also showed that SFN exposure (5 and 10 μmol/L) led to the reduction of G1 phase cell distribution and an induction of apoptosis in HCT116 cells, but to a much lesser extent in NCM460 cells. Furthermore, the examination of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling status revealed that SFN upregulated the phosphorylation of extracellular-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) in NCM460 cells but not in HCT116 cells. In contrast, SFN enhanced the phosphorylation of stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK) and decreased cellular myelocytomatosis oncogene (c-Myc) expression in HCT116 cells but not NCM460 cells. Taken together, the activation of survival signaling in NCM460 cells and apoptotic signaling in HCT116 cells may play a critical role in SFN's stronger potential of inhibiting cell proliferation in colon cancer cells than in normal colon cells. Copyright © 2011, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Vorinostat plus tacrolimus/methotrexate to prevent GVHD after myeloablative conditioning, unrelated donor HCT.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Sung Won; Braun, Thomas; Henig, Israel; Gatza, Erin; Magenau, John; Parkin, Brian; Pawarode, Attaphol; Riwes, Mary; Yanik, Greg; Dinarello, Charles A; Reddy, Pavan

2017-10-12

The oral histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor (vorinostat) is safe and results in low incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after reduced-intensity conditioning, related donor hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). However, its safety and efficacy in preventing acute GVHD in settings of heightened clinical risk that use myeloablative conditioning, unrelated donor (URD), and methotrexate are not known. We conducted a prospective, phase 2 study in this higher-risk setting. We enrolled 37 patients to provide 80% power to detect a significant difference in grade 2 to 4 acute GVHD of 50% compared with a reduction in target to 28%. Eligibility included adults with a hematological malignancy to receive myeloablative HCT from an available 8/8-HLA matched URD. Patients received GVHD prophylaxis with tacrolimus and methotrexate. Vorinostat (100 mg twice daily) was started on day -10 and continued through day +100 post-HCT. Median age was 56 years (range, 18-69 years), and 95% had acute myelogenous leukemia or high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome. Vorinostat was safe and tolerable. The cumulative incidence of grade 2 to 4 acute GVHD at day 100 was 22%, and for grade 3 to 4 it was 8%. The cumulative incidence of chronic GVHD was 29%; relapse, nonrelapse mortality, GVHD-free relapse-free survival, and overall survival at 1 year were 19%, 16%, 47%, and 76%, respectively. Correlative analyses showed enhanced histone (H3) acetylation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and reduced interleukin 6 ( P = .028) and GVHD biomarkers (Reg3, P = .041; ST2, P = .002) at day 30 post-HCT in vorinostat-treated subjects compared with similarly treated patients who did not receive vorinostat. Vorinostat for GVHD prevention is an effective strategy that should be confirmed in a randomized phase 3 study. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01790568. © 2017 by The American Society of Hematology.

Down-regulation of UDP-glucose dehydrogenase affects glycosaminoglycans synthesis and motility in HCT-8 colorectal carcinoma cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Tsung-Pao; Pan, Yun-Ru; Fu, Chien-Yu; Chang, Hwan-You, E-mail: hychang@life.nthu.edu.tw

2010-10-15

UDP-glucose dehydrogenase (UGDH) catalyzes oxidation of UDP-glucose to yield UDP-glucuronic acid, a precursor of hyaluronic acid (HA) and other glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in extracellular matrix. Although association of extracellular matrix with cell proliferation and migration has been well documented, the importance of UGDH in these behaviors is not clear. Using UGDH-specific small interference RNA to treat HCT-8 colorectal carcinoma cells, a decrease in both mRNA and protein levels of UGDH, as well as the cellular UDP-glucuronic acid and GAG production was observed. Treatment of HCT-8 cells with either UGDH-specific siRNA or HA synthesis inhibitor 4-methylumbelliferone effectively delayed cell aggregation into multicellular spheroids and impaired cell motility in both three-dimensional collagen gel and transwell migration assays. The reduction in cell aggregation and migration rates could be restored by addition of exogenous HA. These results indicate that UGDH can regulate cell motility through the production of GAG. The enzyme may be a potential target for therapeutic intervention of colorectal cancers.

Chikusetsusaponin IVa methyl ester induces cell cycle arrest by the inhibition of nuclear translocation of β-catenin in HCT116 cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Kyung-Mi [Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Yun, Ji Ho [Natural Products Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, 210-340 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Dong Hwa [Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Andong National University, Andong 760-749 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Young Gyun [Natural Products Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, 210-340 (Korea, Republic of); Son, Kun Ho [Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Andong National University, Andong 760-749 (Korea, Republic of); Nho, Chu Won, E-mail: cwnho@kist.re.kr [Natural Products Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, 210-340 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Yeong Shik, E-mail: kims@snu.ac.kr [Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2015-04-17

We demonstrate that chikusetsusaponin IVa methyl ester (CME), a triterpenoid saponin from the root of Achyranthes japonica, has an anticancer activity. We investigate its molecular mechanism in depth in HCT116 cells. CME reduces the amount of β-catenin in nucleus and inhibits the binding of β-catenin to specific DNA sequences (TCF binding elements, TBE) in target gene promoters. Thus, CME appears to decrease the expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins such as Cyclin D1, as a representative target for β-catenin, as well as CDK2 and CDK4. As a result of the decrease of the cell cycle regulatory proteins, CME inhibits cell proliferation by arresting the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase. Therefore, we suggest that CME as a novel Wnt/β-catenin inhibitor can be a putative agent for the treatment of colorectal cancers. - Highlights: • CME inhibits cell proliferation in HCT116 cells. • CME increases cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase and apoptosis. • CME attenuates cyclin D1 and regulates cell cycle regulatory proteins. • CME inhibits β-catenin translocation to nucleus.

Chikusetsusaponin IVa methyl ester induces cell cycle arrest by the inhibition of nuclear translocation of β-catenin in HCT116 cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Kyung-Mi; Yun, Ji Ho; Lee, Dong Hwa; Park, Young Gyun; Son, Kun Ho; Nho, Chu Won; Kim, Yeong Shik

2015-01-01

We demonstrate that chikusetsusaponin IVa methyl ester (CME), a triterpenoid saponin from the root of Achyranthes japonica, has an anticancer activity. We investigate its molecular mechanism in depth in HCT116 cells. CME reduces the amount of β-catenin in nucleus and inhibits the binding of β-catenin to specific DNA sequences (TCF binding elements, TBE) in target gene promoters. Thus, CME appears to decrease the expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins such as Cyclin D1, as a representative target for β-catenin, as well as CDK2 and CDK4. As a result of the decrease of the cell cycle regulatory proteins, CME inhibits cell proliferation by arresting the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase. Therefore, we suggest that CME as a novel Wnt/β-catenin inhibitor can be a putative agent for the treatment of colorectal cancers. - Highlights: • CME inhibits cell proliferation in HCT116 cells. • CME increases cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase and apoptosis. • CME attenuates cyclin D1 and regulates cell cycle regulatory proteins. • CME inhibits β-catenin translocation to nucleus

Flanking sequence determination and event-specific detection of genetically modified wheat B73-6-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Junyi; Cao, Jijuan; Cao, Dongmei; Zhao, Tongtong; Huang, Xin; Zhang, Piqiao; Luan, Fengxia

2013-05-01

In order to establish a specific identification method for genetically modified (GM) wheat, exogenous insert DNA and flanking sequence between exogenous fragment and recombinant chromosome of GM wheat B73-6-1 were successfully acquired by means of conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and thermal asymmetric interlaced (TAIL)-PCR strategies. Newly acquired exogenous fragment covered the full-length sequence of transformed genes such as transformed plasmid and corresponding functional genes including marker uidA, herbicide-resistant bar, ubiquitin promoter, and high-molecular-weight gluten subunit. The flanking sequence between insert DNA revealed high similarity with Triticum turgidum A gene (GenBank: AY494981.1). A specific PCR detection method for GM wheat B73-6-1 was established on the basis of primers designed according to the flanking sequence. This specific PCR method was validated by GM wheat, GM corn, GM soybean, GM rice, and non-GM wheat. The specifically amplified target band was observed only in GM wheat B73-6-1. This method is of high specificity, high reproducibility, rapid identification, and excellent accuracy for the identification of GM wheat B73-6-1.

Centre characteristics and procedure-related factors have an impact on outcomes of allogeneic transplantation for patients with CLL: a retrospective analysis from the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schetelig, J.; Wreede, L.C. de; Andersen, N.S.; Moreno, C.; Gelder, M. van; Vitek, A.; Karas, M.; Michallet, M.; Machaczka, M.; Gramatzki, M.; Beelen, D.; Finke, J.; Delgado, J.; Volin, L.; Passweg, J.; Dreger, P.; Schaap, N.P.; Wagner, E.; Henseler, A.; Biezen, A. van; Bornhauser, M.; Iacobelli, S.; Putter, H.; Schonland, S.O.; Kroger, N.

2017-01-01

The best approach for allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantations (alloHCT) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is unknown. We therefore analysed the impact of procedure- and centre-related factors on 5-year event-free survival (EFS) in a large retrospective study. Data of

Impact of Pretransplantation Indices in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Knowledge of Center-Specific Outcome Data Is Pivotal before Making Index-Based Decisions.

Science.gov (United States)

Törlén, Johan; Remberger, Mats; Le Blanc, Katarina; Ljungman, Per; Mattsson, Jonas

2017-04-01

Outcome after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is influenced by patient comorbidity, disease type, and status before treatment. We performed a retrospective study involving 521 consecutive adult hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients who underwent transplantation for hematological malignancy at our center from 2000 to 2012 to compare the predictive value of the hematopoietic cell transplantation-specific comorbidity index (HCT-CI) and the disease risk index (DRI) for overall survival and transplantation-related mortality. Patients in the highest HCT-CI risk group (HCT-CI score ≥3) had a lower 5-year overall survival rate (50%) than the low-risk group (63%; P 6 [n = 9]). Five-year overall survival in the highest DRI risk group was significantly poorer (44%) than in the low-risk group (63%; P indices failed to predict differences in transplantation-related mortality (HCT-CI, P = .54; DRI, P = .17). We conclude that HCT-CI and DRI were predictive of overall survival in our patient population. Even so, our data show that different patient groups may have different outcomes despite sharing the same index risk group and that indices should, therefore, be evaluated according to local data before clinical implementation at the single-center level. Copyright © 2017 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Efficacy of cisplatin-based immunochemotherapy plus alloSCT in high-risk chronic lymphocytic leukemia : final results of a prospective multicenter phase 2 HOVON study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Gelder, M.; van Oers, M. H.; Alemayehu, W. G.; Abrahamse-Testroote, M. C. J.; Cornelissen, J. J.; Chamuleau, M. E.; Zachee, P.; Hoogendoorn, M.; Nijland, M.; Petersen, E. J.; Beeker, A.; Timmers, G-J; Verdonck, L.; Westerman, M.; de Weerdt, O.; Kater, A. P.

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) remains the only curative option for CLL patients. Whereas active disease at the time of alloSCT predicts poor outcome, no standard remission-induction regimen exists. We prospectively assessed outcome after cisplatin-containing immune-chemotherapy

Methylselenol, a selenium metabolite, plays common and different roles in cancerous colon HCT116 cell and noncancerous NCM460 colon cell proliferation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Huawei; Briske-Anderson, Mary; Wu, Min; Moyer, Mary P

2012-01-01

Methylselenol is hypothesized to be a critical selenium metabolite for anticancer action, and differential chemopreventive effects of methylselenol on cancerous and noncancerous cells may play an important role. In this study, the submicromolar concentrations of methylselenol were generated by incubating methionase with seleno-L methionine, and colon-cancer-derived HCT-116 cells and noncancerous colon NCM460 cells were exposed to methylselenol. Methylselenol exposure inhibited cell growth and led to an increase in G1 and G2 fractions with a concomitant drop in S-phase and an induction of apoptosis in HCT116, but to a much lesser extent in NCM460 colon cells. Similarly, the examination of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and cellular myelocytomatosis oncogene (c-Myc) signaling status revealed that methylselenol inhibited the phosphorylation of extracellular-regulated kinase1/2 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and the expression of c-Myc in HCT116 cells, but also to a lesser extent in NCM460 cells. The other finding is that methylselenol inhibits sarcoma kinase phosphorylation in HCT116 cells. In contrast, methylselenol upregulated the phosphorylation of sarcoma and focal adhesion kinase survival signals in the noncancerous NCM460 cells. Collectively, methylselenol's stronger potential of inhibiting cell proliferation/survival signals in the cancerous HCT116 cells when compared with that in noncancerous NCM460 cells may partly explain the potential of methylselenol's anticancer action.

Host-specific adaptation of HIV-1 subtype B in the Japanese population.

Science.gov (United States)

Chikata, Takayuki; Carlson, Jonathan M; Tamura, Yoshiko; Borghan, Mohamed Ali; Naruto, Takuya; Hashimoto, Masao; Murakoshi, Hayato; Le, Anh Q; Mallal, Simon; John, Mina; Gatanaga, Hiroyuki; Oka, Shinichi; Brumme, Zabrina L; Takiguchi, Masafumi

2014-05-01

The extent to which HIV-1 clade B strains exhibit population-specific adaptations to host HLA alleles remains incompletely known, in part due to incomplete characterization of HLA-associated HIV-1 polymorphisms (HLA-APs) in different global populations. Moreover, it remains unknown to what extent the same HLA alleles may drive significantly different escape pathways across populations. As the Japanese population exhibits distinctive HLA class I allele distributions, comparative analysis of HLA-APs between HIV-1 clade B-infected Japanese and non-Asian cohorts could shed light on these questions. However, HLA-APs remain incompletely mapped in Japan. In a cohort of 430 treatment-naive Japanese with chronic HIV-1 clade B infection, we identified 284 HLA-APs in Gag, Pol, and Nef using phylogenetically corrected methods. The number of HLA-associated substitutions in Pol, notably those restricted by HLA-B*52:01, was weakly inversely correlated with the plasma viral load (pVL), suggesting that the transmission and persistence of B*52:01-driven Pol mutations could modulate the pVL. Differential selection of HLA-APs between HLA subtype members, including those differing only with respect to substitutions outside the peptide-binding groove, was observed, meriting further investigation as to their mechanisms of selection. Notably, two-thirds of HLA-APs identified in Japan had not been reported in previous studies of predominantly Caucasian cohorts and were attributable to HLA alleles unique to, or enriched in, Japan. We also identified 71 cases where the same HLA allele drove significantly different escape pathways in Japan versus predominantly Caucasian cohorts. Our results underscore the distinct global evolution of HIV-1 clade B as a result of host population-specific cellular immune pressures. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) escape mutations in HIV-1 are broadly predictable based on the HLA class I alleles expressed by the host. Because HLA allele distributions differ among

Synthesis and biological evaluation of 6H-1-benzopyrano[4,3-b]quinolin-6-one derivatives as inhibitors of colon cancer cell growth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tie-Ling Li

2015-08-01

Full Text Available A convenient synthesis of 6H-1-benzopyrano[4,3-b]quinolin-6-one derivatives was reported using 4-chloro-2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-carbaldehyde with different aromatic amines using silica sulfuric acid. The compounds were tested for their anticancer activity against colon (HCT-116 and S1-MI-80, prostate (PC3 and DU-145, breast (MCF-7 and MDAMB-231 cancer cells. These com-pounds showed more selectivity and potent cytotoxic activity against colon cancer cells. 3c was tested against five other colon cancer cell lines (HT-29, HCT-15, LS-180, LS-174, and LoVo, which had similar cytotoxicity and selectivity. 3c did not induce PXR-regulated ABCB1 or ABCG2 transporters. In fact, 3c induced cytotoxicity in HEK293 cells over expressing ABCB1 or ABCG2 to the same extent as in normal HEK293 cells. It was cytotoxic approximately 3- and 5-fold to resistant colon carcinoma S1-MI-80 cells. 3c also produced concentration-dependent changes in HCT-116 colon cancer cells, in mitochondrial membrane potential, leading to apoptosis, and sub-micromolar concentrations caused chromosomal DNA fragmentation.

Synergistic inhibition of the APC/C by the removal of APC15 in HCT116 cells lacking UBE2C

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Garvanska, Dimitriya H; Larsen, Marie Sofie Yoo; Nilsson, Jakob

2016-01-01

that has been shown to depend on the APC/C E2 enzymes, UBE2C and UBE2S. Here we investigate the in vivo role of the APC/C E2 enzymes in SAC silencing using CRISPR/Cas9 genetically engineered HCT116 UBE2C or UBE2S null cell lines. Using live cell assays, we show that UBE2C and UBE2S make a minor...... contribution to SAC silencing in HCT116 cells. Strikingly in cells specifically lacking UBE2C, we observe a strong synergistic inhibition of mitotic progression when we stabilize the MCC on the APC/C by depleting APC15, potentially reflecting increased competition between the MCC and the remaining initiating E...

Allogeneic CD19-CAR-T cell infusion after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in B cell malignancies.

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Liu, Jun; Zhong, Jiang F; Zhang, Xi; Zhang, Cheng

2017-01-31

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is considered the cornerstone in treatment of hematological malignancies. However, relapse of the hematological disease after allo-HSCT remains a challenge and is associated with poor long-term survival. Chimeric antigen receptor redirected T cells (CAR-T cells) can lead to disease remission in patients with relapsed/refractory hematological malignancies. However, the therapeutic window for infusion of CAR-T cells post allo-HSCT and its efficacy are debatable. In this review, we first discuss the use of CAR-T cells for relapsed cases after allo-HSCT. We then review the toxicities and the occurrence of graft-versus-host disease in relapsed patients who received CAR-T cells post allo-HSCT. Finally, we review clinical trial registrations and the therapeutic time window for infusion of CAR-T cells post allo-HSCT. The treatment of allogeneic CAR-T cells is beneficial for patients with relapsed B cell malignancies after allo-HSCT with low toxicities and complications. However, multicenter clinical trials with larger sample sizes should be performed to select the optimal therapeutic window and confirm its efficacy.

Influence of MLH1 on colon cancer sensitivity to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor combined with irinotecan.

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Tentori, Lucio; Leonetti, Carlo; Muzi, Alessia; Dorio, Annalisa Susanna; Porru, Manuela; Dolci, Susanna; Campolo, Federica; Vernole, Patrizia; Lacal, Pedro Miguel; Praz, Françoise; Graziani, Grazia

2013-07-01

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) are currently evaluated in clinical trials in combination with topoisomerase I (Top1) inhibitors against a variety of cancers, including colon carcinoma. Since the mismatch repair component MLH1 is defective in 10-15% of colorectal cancers we have investigated whether MLH1 affects response to the Top1 inhibitor irinotecan, alone or in combination with PARPi. To this end, the colon cancer cell lines HCT116, carrying MLH1 mutations on chromosome 3 and HCT116 in which the wild-type MLH1 gene was replaced via chromosomal transfer (HCT116+3) or by transfection of the corresponding MLH1 cDNA (HCT116 1-2) were used. HCT116 cells or HCT116+3 cells stably silenced for PARP-1 expression were also analysed. The results of in vitro and in vivo experiments indicated that MLH1, together with low levels of Top1, contributed to colon cancer resistance to irinotecan. In the MLH1-proficient cells SN-38, the active metabolite of irinotecan, induced lower levels of DNA damage than in MLH1-deficient cells, as shown by the weaker induction of γ-H2AX and p53 phosphorylation. The presence of MLH1 contributed to induce of prompt Chk1 phosphorylation, restoring G2/M cell cycle checkpoint and repair of DNA damage. On the contrary, in the absence of MLH1, HCT116 cells showed minor Chk1 phosphorylation and underwent apoptosis. Remarkably, inhibition of PARP function by PARPi or by PARP-1 gene silencing always increased the antitumor activity of irinotecan, even in the presence of low PARP-1 expression.

Assuring Quality in Promoting Generic Skills in the Higher College of Technology (HCT), Muscat: Challenges & Realities

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Ali, Holi Ibrahim Holi

2012-01-01

This paper explores EFL teachers' perceptions in relation to the pedagogical and conceptual challenges that they face in promoting generic skills in the Higher College of Technology (HCT), Muscat, in the context of post foundation level provision. A questionnaire was administered to 17 EFL teachers at HCT, at post foundation levels to investigate…

Distress, problems and supportive care needs of patients treated with auto- or allo-SCT

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Annemarie Braamse; prof Berno van Meijel; O. Visser; P.C. Huijgens; A.T.F. Beekman; J. Dekker

2013-01-01

Hematological malignancies and treatment with hematopoietic SCT are known to affect patients’ quality of life. The problem profile and care needs of this patient group need clarification, however. This study aimed to assess distress, problems and care needs after allo- or auto-SCT, and to identify

Distress, problems and supportive care needs of patients treated with auto- or allo-SCT

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Braamse, A.M.J.; van Meijel, B.; Visser, O.; Huijgens, P.C.; Beekman, A.T.F.; Dekker, J.

2014-01-01

Hematological malignancies and treatment with hematopoietic SCT are known to affect patients' quality of life. The problem profile and care needs of this patient group need clarification, however. This study aimed to assess distress, problems and care needs after allo-or auto-SCT, and to identify

Physical and emotional well-being of survivors of childhood and young adult allo-SCT - A Danish national cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Josef Nathan; Gøtzsche, Frederik; Heilmann, Carsten; Sengeløv, Henrik; Adamsen, Lis; Christensen, Karl Bang; Larsen, Hanne Baekgaard

2016-08-01

The aim of this investigation was to examine, within a population-based study of a national cohort comprising Danish survivors of allo-SCT (n = 148), the long-term effects of allo-SCT in children and young adults. Physical and emotional well-being was assessed using the Short Form 36 (SF-36) and the HADS. Allo-SCT-related data were obtained from the participants' medical records. The study includes 148 patients, with an 89% response rate (n = 132). For comparison purposes, norm data from Danish (1994, n = 6000), Swedish (2006, n = 285), and British (2001, n = 1792) population samples were used. Factors negatively influencing the SF-36 subscales included female gender; TBI; stem cells derived from PB; older age at time of questioning; and living alone. Factors significantly (p SCT patients were similar to norm data. In conclusion, this national cohort study shows that patients treated with SCT in early life (SCT, showed similar levels of anxiety, depression, and physical and emotional well-being to those of the normal population. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Baseline Characteristics Predicting Very Good Outcome of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Young Patients With High Cytogenetic Risk Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia - A Retrospective Analysis From the Chronic Malignancies Working Party of the EBMT

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van Gelder, Michel; Ziagkos, Dimitris; de Wreede, Liesbeth

2017-01-01

registry cohort (n = 197; median follow-up, 90.4 months) by Cox regression modeling, and predicted probabilities of NRM and PFS of 2 reference patients with favorable or unfavorable characteristics were plotted. RESULTS: Predictors for poor 8-year PFS were no remission at the time of alloHCT (hazard ratio...

GEN-27, a Newly Synthetic Isoflavonoid, Inhibits the Proliferation of Colon Cancer Cells in Inflammation Microenvironment by Suppressing NF-κB Pathway

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yajing Wang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Nonresolving inflammation is one of the consistent features of the tumor microenvironment in the intestine and plays a critical role in the initiation and development of colon cancer. Here we reported the inhibitory effects of GEN-27, a new derivative of genistein, on the inflammation-related colon cancer cell proliferation and delineated the mechanism of its action. The results indicated that GEN-27 inhibited the proliferation of human colon tumor HCT116 cells stimulated by culture supernatants of LPS-induced human monocytes THP-1 cells and significantly decreased LPS-induced secretion of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 and interleukin-1β in THP-1 cells. The HCT116 cell proliferation elicited by THP-1-conditioned medium could be blocked by the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA. Further mechanistic study revealed that GEN-27 remarkably inhibited the nuclear translocation of NF-κB and phosphorylation of IκB and IKKα/β in both HCT116 and THP-1 cells. In addition, GEN-27 markedly suppressed the HCT116 cell proliferation stimulated by IL-1β treatment, which was dependent on the inhibition of NF-κB/p65 nuclear localization, as verified by p65 overexpression and BAY 11-7082, an NF-κB inhibitor. Taken together, our findings established that GEN-27 modulated NF-κB signaling pathway involved in inflammation-induced cancer cells proliferation and therefore could be a potential chemopreventive agent against inflammation-associated colon cancer.

GEN-27, a Newly Synthetic Isoflavonoid, Inhibits the Proliferation of Colon Cancer Cells in Inflammation Microenvironment by Suppressing NF-κB Pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yajing; Lu, Ping; Zhang, Weifeng; Du, Qianming; Tang, Jingjing; Wang, Hong; Lu, Jinrong; Hu, Rong

2016-01-01

Nonresolving inflammation is one of the consistent features of the tumor microenvironment in the intestine and plays a critical role in the initiation and development of colon cancer. Here we reported the inhibitory effects of GEN-27, a new derivative of genistein, on the inflammation-related colon cancer cell proliferation and delineated the mechanism of its action. The results indicated that GEN-27 inhibited the proliferation of human colon tumor HCT116 cells stimulated by culture supernatants of LPS-induced human monocytes THP-1 cells and significantly decreased LPS-induced secretion of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 and interleukin-1β in THP-1 cells. The HCT116 cell proliferation elicited by THP-1-conditioned medium could be blocked by the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA). Further mechanistic study revealed that GEN-27 remarkably inhibited the nuclear translocation of NF-κB and phosphorylation of IκB and IKKα/β in both HCT116 and THP-1 cells. In addition, GEN-27 markedly suppressed the HCT116 cell proliferation stimulated by IL-1β treatment, which was dependent on the inhibition of NF-κB/p65 nuclear localization, as verified by p65 overexpression and BAY 11-7082, an NF-κB inhibitor. Taken together, our findings established that GEN-27 modulated NF-κB signaling pathway involved in inflammation-induced cancer cells proliferation and therefore could be a potential chemopreventive agent against inflammation-associated colon cancer.

Semiallogenic fusions of MSI+ tumor cells and activated B cells induce MSI-specific T cell responses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garbe, Yvette; Klier, Ulrike; Linnebacher, Michael

2011-01-01

Various strategies have been developed to transfer tumor-specific antigens into antigen presenting cells in order to induce cytotoxic T cell responses against tumor cells. One approach uses cellular vaccines based on fusions of autologous antigen presenting cells and allogeneic tumor cells. The fusion cells combine antigenicity of the tumor cell with optimal immunostimulatory capacity of the antigen presenting cells. Microsatellite instability caused by mutational inactivation of DNA mismatch repair genes results in translational frameshifts when affecting coding regions. It has been shown by us and others that these mutant proteins lead to the presentation of immunogenic frameshift peptides that are - in principle - recognized by a multiplicity of effector T cells. We chose microsatellite instability-induced frameshift antigens as ideal to test for induction of tumor specific T cell responses by semiallogenic fusions of microsatellite instable carcinoma cells with CD40-activated B cells. Two fusion clones of HCT116 with activated B cells were selected for stimulation of T cells autologous to the B cell fusion partner. Outgrowing T cells were phenotyped and tested in functional assays. The fusion clones expressed frameshift antigens as well as high amounts of MHC and costimulatory molecules. Autologous T cells stimulated with these fusions were predominantly CD4 + , activated, and reacted specifically against the fusion clones and also against the tumor cell fusion partner. Interestingly, a response toward 6 frameshift-derived peptides (of 14 tested) could be observed. Cellular fusions of MSI + carcinoma cells and activated B cells combine the antigen-presenting capacity of the B cell with the antigenic repertoire of the carcinoma cell. They present frameshift-derived peptides and can induce specific and fully functional T cells recognizing not only fusion cells but also the carcinoma cells. These hybrid cells may have great potential for cellular immunotherapy and

Quilamine HQ1-44, an iron chelator vectorized toward tumor cells by the polyamine transport system, inhibits HCT116 tumor growth without adverse effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Renaud, Stéphanie; Corcé, Vincent; Cannie, Isabelle; Ropert, Martine; Lepage, Sylvie; Loréal, Olivier; Deniaud, David; Gaboriau, François

2015-08-01

Tumor cell growth requires large iron quantities and the deprivation of this metal induced by synthetic metal chelators is therefore an attractive method for limiting the cancer cell proliferation. The antiproliferative effect of the Quilamine HQ1-44, a new iron chelator vectorized toward tumor cells by a polyamine chain, is related to its high selectivity for the Polyamine Transport System (PTS), allowing its preferential uptake by tumoral cells. The difference in PTS activation between healthy cells and tumor cells enables tumor cells to be targeted, whereas the strong dependence of these cells on iron ensures a secondary targeting. Here, we demonstrated in vitro that HQ1-44 inhibits DNA synthesis and cell proliferation of HCT116 cells by modulating the intracellular metabolism of both iron and polyamines. Moreover, in vivo, in xenografted athymic nude mice, we found that HQ1-44 was as effective as cis-platin in reducing HCT116 tumor growth, without its side effects. Furthermore, as suggested by in vitro data, the depletion in exogenous or endogenous polyamines, known to activate the PTS, dramatically enhanced the antitumor efficiency of HQ1-44. These data support the need for further studies to assess the value of HQ1-44 as an adjuvant treatment in cancer. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Discovery of new A- and B-type laxaphycins with synergistic anticancer activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Weijing; Matthew, Susan; Chen, Qi-Yin; Paul, Valerie J; Luesch, Hendrik

2018-05-15

Two new cyclic lipopeptides termed laxaphycins B4 (1) and A2 (2) were discovered from a collection of the marine cyanobacterium Hormothamnion enteromorphoides, along with the known compound laxaphycin A. The planar structures were solved based on a combined interpretation of 1D and 2D NMR data and mass spectral data. The absolute configurations of the subunits were determined by chiral LC-MS analysis of the hydrolysates, advanced Marfey's analysis and 1D and 2D ROESY experiments. Consistent with similar findings on other laxaphycin A- and B-type peptides, laxaphycin B4 (1) showed antiproliferative effects against human colon cancer HCT116 cells with IC 50 of 1.7 µM, while laxaphycins A and A2 (2) exhibited weak activities. The two major compounds isolated from the sample, laxaphycins A and B4, were shown to act synergistically to inhibit the growth of HCT116 colorectal cancer cells. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Porcine alanine transaminase after liver allo-and xenotransplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ekser, Burcin; Gridelli, Bruno; Cooper, David K C

2012-01-01

Aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) are measured following liver transplantation as indicators of hepatocellular injury. During a series of orthotopic liver allo-and xenotransplants, we observed that there was an increase in AST in all cases. The anticipated concomitant rise in ALT did not occur when a wild-type (WT) pig was the source of the liver graft, but did occur when a baboon or a genetically engineered (α1,3-galactosyltransferase gene-knockout [GTKO]) pig was the source of the graft. We hypothesized that the cience of Galα1,3Gal in GTKO pig livers may render pig hepatocytes similar to human and baboon hepatocytes in their response to hepatocellular injury. Reviewing the literature, after WT pig liver allotransplantation or xenotransplantation, in the majority of reports, although changes in AST were reported, no mention was made of changes in ALT, suggesting that there was no change in ALT. However, Ramirez et al. reported two cases of liver xenotransplants from hCD55 pigs, following which there were increases in both AST and ALT, suggesting that it is not simply the cience of expression of Galα1,3Gal that is the cause. We acknowledge that our observation is based on a small number of experiments, but we believe it is worth recording. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Quercetin enhances hypoxia-mediated apoptosis via direct inhibition of AMPK activity in HCT116 colon cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hak-Su; Wannatung, Tirawat; Lee, Sooho; Yang, Woo Kyeom; Chung, Sung Hyun; Lim, Jong-Seok; Choe, Wonchae; Kang, Insug; Kim, Sung-Soo; Ha, Joohun

2012-09-01

Tumor hypoxia is considered the best validated target in clinical oncology because of its significant contribution to chemotherapy failure and drug resistance. As an approach to target hypoxia, we assessed the potential of quercetin, a flavonoid widely distributed in plants, as a anticancer agent under hypoxic conditions and examined its pharmacological mechanisms by primarily focusing on the role of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Quercetin significantly attenuated tumor growth in an HCT116 cancer xenograft in vivo model with a substantial reduction of AMPK activity. In a cell culture system, quercetin more dramatically induced apoptosis of HCT116 cancer cells under hypoxic conditions than normoxic conditions, and this was tightly associated with inhibition of hypoxia-induced AMPK activity. An in vitro kinase assay demonstrated that quercetin directly inhibits AMPK activity. Inhibition of AMPK by expressing a dominant-negative form resulted in an increase of apoptosis under hypoxia, and a constitutively active form of AMPK effectively blocked quercetin-induced apoptosis under hypoxia. Collectively, our data suggest that quercetin directly inhibits hypoxia-induced AMPK, which plays a protective role against hypoxia. Quercetin also reduced the activity of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), a major transcription factor for adaptive cellular response to hypoxia. Moreover, quercetin sensitized HCT116 cancer cells to the anticancer drugs cisplatin and etoposide under hypoxic conditions. Our findings suggest that AMPK may serve as a novel target for overcoming tumor hypoxia-associated negative aspects.

The Genetics of PTPN1 and Obesity: Insights from Mouse Models of Tissue-Specific PTP1B Deficiency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryan C. Tsou

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP1B is a negative regulator of both insulin and leptin signaling and is involved in the control of glucose homeostasis and energy expenditure. Due to its prominent role in regulating metabolism, PTP1B is a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of human obesity and type 2 diabetes. The PTP1B protein is encoded by the PTPN1 gene on human chromosome 20q13, a region that shows linkage with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and obesity in human populations. In this paper, we summarize the genetics of the PTPN1 locus and associations with metabolic disease. In addition, we discuss the tissue-specific functions of PTP1B as gleaned from genetic mouse models.

TSA-induced DNMT1 down-regulation represses hTERT expression via recruiting CTCF into demethylated core promoter region of hTERT in HCT116.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Jee-Hye; Min, Na Young; Park, Jina; Kim, Jin Hong; Park, Soo Hyun; Ko, Young Jong; Kang, Yoonsung; Moon, Young Joon; Rhee, Sangmyung; Ham, Seung Wook; Park, Ae Ja; Lee, Kwang-Ho

2010-01-01

Trichostatin A (TSA), an inhibitor of histone deacetylase, is a well-known antitumor agent that effectively and selectively induces tumor growth arrest and apoptosis. Recently, it was reported that hTERT is one of the primary targets for TSA-induced apoptosis in cancer cells but the mechanism of which has not yet been elucidated. In the present study, to better understand the epigenetic regulation mechanism responsible for the repression of hTERT by TSA, we examined expression of hTERT in the HCT116 colon cancer cell line after treatment with TSA and performed site-specific CpG methylation analysis of the hTERT promoter. We found that TSA-induced the demethylation of site-specific CpGs on the promoter of hTERT, which was caused by down-regulation of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1). Among the demethylated region, the 31st-33rd CpGs contained a binding site for CTCF, an inhibitor of hTERT transcription. ChIP analysis revealed that TSA-induced demethylation of the 31st-33rd CpGs promoted CTCF binding on hTERT promoter, leading to repression of hTERT. Taken together, down-regulation of DNMT1 by TSA caused demethylation of a CTCF binding site on the hTERT promoter, the result of which was repression of hTERT via recruitment of CTCF to the promoter. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interaction of the B cell-specific transcriptional coactivator OCA-B and galectin-1 and a possible role in regulating BCR-mediated B cell proliferation.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Xin; Siegel, Rachael; Roeder, Robert G

2006-06-02

OCA-B is a B cell-specific transcriptional coactivator for OCT factors during the activation of immunoglobulin genes. In addition, OCA-B is crucial for B cell activation and germinal center formation. However, the molecular mechanisms for OCA-B function in these processes are not clear. Our previous studies documented two OCA-B isoforms and suggested a novel mechanism for the function of the myristoylated, membrane-bound form of OCA-B/p35 as a signaling molecule. Here, we report the identification of galectin-1, and related galectins, as a novel OCA-B-interacting protein. The interaction of OCA-B and galectin-1 can be detected both in vivo and in vitro. The galectin-1 binding domain in OCA-B has been localized to the N terminus of OCA-B. In B cells lacking OCA-B expression, increased galectin-1 expression, secretion, and cell surface association are observed. Consistent with these observations, and a reported inhibitory interaction of galectin-1 with CD45, the phosphatase activity of CD45 is reduced modestly, but significantly, in OCA-B-deficient B cells. Finally, galectin-1 is shown to negatively regulate B cell proliferation and tyrosine phosphorylation upon BCR stimulation. Together, these results raise the possibility that OCA-B may regulate BCR signaling through an association with galectin-1.

Copper(II) complexes of alloferon 1 with point mutations (H1A) and (H9A) stability structure and biological activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Matusiak, Agnieszka; Kuczer, Mariola; Czarniewska, Elżbieta; Rosiński, Grzegorz; Kowalik-Jankowska, Teresa

2014-09-01

Mono- and polynuclear copper(II) complexes of the alloferon 1 with point mutations (H1A) A(1)GVSGH(6)GQH(9)GVH(12)G (Allo1A) and (H9A) H(1)GVSGH(6)GQA(9)GVH(12)G (Allo9A) have been studied by potentiometric, UV-visible, CD, EPR spectroscopic and mass spectrometry (MS) methods. To obtain a complete complex speciation different metal-to-ligand molar ratios ranging from 1:1 to 4:1 for Allo1A and to 3:1 for Allo9A were studied. The presence of the His residue in first position of the peptide chain changes the coordination abilities of the Allo9A peptide in comparison to that of the Allo1A. Imidazole-N3 atom of N-terminal His residue of the Allo9A peptide forms stable 6-membered chelate with the terminal amino group. Furthermore, the presence of two additional histidine residues in the Allo9A peptide (H(6),H(12)) leads to the formation of the CuL complex with 4N {NH2,NIm-H(1),NIm-H(6),NIm-H(12)} binding site in wide pH range (5-8). For the Cu(II)-Allo1A system, the results demonstrated that at physiological pH7.4 the predominant complex the CuH-1L consists of the 3N {NH2,N(-),CO,NIm} coordination mode. The inductions of phenoloxidase activity and apoptosis in vivo in Tenebrio molitor cells by the ligands and their copper(II) complexes at pH7.4 were studied. The Allo1A, Allo1K peptides and their copper(II) complexes displayed the lowest hemocytotoxic activity while the most active was the Cu(II)-Allo9A complex formed at pH7.4. The results may suggest that the N-terminal-His(1) and His(6) residues may be more important for their proapoptotic properties in insects than those at positions 9 and 12 in the peptide chain. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

v-Src causes delocalization of Mklp1, Aurora B, and INCENP from the spindle midzone during cytokinesis failure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soeda, Shuhei [Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Inohana 1-8-1, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8675 (Japan); Nakayama, Yuji, E-mail: nakayama@mb.kyoto-phu.ac.jp [Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Inohana 1-8-1, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8675 (Japan); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, 5 Nakauchi-cho, Misasagi, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto 607-8414 (Japan); Honda, Takuya; Aoki, Azumi; Tamura, Naoki; Abe, Kohei; Fukumoto, Yasunori [Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Inohana 1-8-1, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8675 (Japan); Yamaguchi, Naoto, E-mail: nyama@faculty.chiba-u.jp [Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Inohana 1-8-1, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8675 (Japan)

2013-06-10

Src-family tyrosine kinases are aberrantly activated in cancers, and this activation is associated with malignant tumor progression. v-Src, encoded by the v-src transforming gene of the Rous sarcoma virus, is a mutant variant of the cellular proto-oncogene c-Src. Although investigations with temperature sensitive mutants of v-Src have shown that v-Src induces many oncogenic processes, the effects on cell division are unknown. Here, we show that v-Src inhibits cellular proliferation of HCT116, HeLa S3 and NIH3T3 cells. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that inducible expression of v-Src results in an accumulation of 4N cells. Time-lapse analysis revealed that binucleation is induced through the inhibition of cytokinesis, a final step of cell division. The localization of Mklp1, which is essential for cytokinesis, to the spindle midzone is inhibited in v-Src-expressing cells. Intriguingly, Aurora B, which regulates Mklp1 localization at the midzone, is delocalized from the spindle midzone and the midbody but not from the metaphase chromosomes upon v-Src expression. Mklp2, which is responsible for the relocation of Aurora B from the metaphase chromosomes to the spindle midzone, is also lost from the spindle midzone. These results suggest that v-Src inhibits cytokinesis through the delocalization of Mklp1 and Aurora B from the spindle midzone, resulting in binucleation. -- Highlights: • v-Src inhibits cell proliferation of HCT116, HeLa S3 and NIH3T3 cells. • v-Src induces binucleation together with cytokinesis failure. • v-Src causes delocalization of Mklp1, Aurora B and INCENP from the spindle midzone.

Inhibition of bone resorption in vitro and prevention of ovariectomy-induced bone loss in vivo by flurbiprofen nitroxybutylester (HCT1026).

Science.gov (United States)

Armour, K J; van 't Hof, R J; Armour, K E; Torbergsen, A C; Del Soldato, P; Ralston, S H

2001-09-01

Inhibitors of prostaglandin production, such as nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and pharmacologic nitric oxide (NO) donors, such as organic nitrates, have been suggested to protect against bone loss in both humans and experimental animals. Recently, a new class of nitrosylated NSAID (known as NO-NSAIDs) has been developed, which combines the properties of a NO donor with those of a cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor. This study investigated the effects of one of these compounds, flurbiprofen nitroxybutylester (HCT1026), on bone metabolism in vitro and in vivo. The effects of HCT1026 on osteoclast formation and resorption were determined in vitro using cocultures of primary mouse osteoblasts and osteoclasts. The effect of HCT1026 in vivo was assessed using a mouse model of ovariectomy-induced bone loss. HCT1026 was significantly more efficacious than the parent compound, flurbiprofen, at inhibiting osteoclast formation and bone resorption in vitro, and these effects could not be reproduced by combinations of flurbiprofen with a variety of NO donors. Studies in vivo showed that HCT1026 protected against ovariectomy-induced bone loss by inhibiting osteoclastic bone resorption, whereas flurbiprofen at similar concentrations was ineffective. These data indicate that HCT1026 is a potent inhibitor of bone resorption in vitro and protects against ovariectomy-induced bone loss in vivo by a novel mechanism that appears to be distinct from its NO donor properties and from its inhibitory effects on COX activity. We conclude that HCT1026 may be of clinical value in the prevention and treatment of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, which are characterized by joint inflammation as well as periarticular and systemic bone loss.

Varioloid A, a new indolyl-6,10b-dihydro-5aH-[1]benzofuro[2,3-b]indole derivative from the marine alga-derived endophytic fungus Paecilomyces variotii EN-291.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Peng; Li, Xiao-Ming; Mao, Xin-Xin; Mándi, Attila; Kurtán, Tibor; Wang, Bin-Gui

2016-01-01

A new indolyl-6,10b-dihydro-5a H -[1]benzofuro[2,3- b ]indole derivative, varioloid A ( 1 ), was isolated from the marine alga-derived endophytic fungus Paecilomyces variotii EN-291. Its structure was elucidated on the basis of extensive analysis of 1D and 2D NMR data and the absolute configuration was determined by time-dependent density functional theory-electronic circular dichroism (TDDFT-ECD) calculations. A similar compound, whose planar structure was previously described but the relative and absolute configurations and 13 C NMR data were not reported, was also identified and was tentatively named as varioloid B ( 2 ). Both compounds 1 and 2 exhibited cytotoxicity against A549, HCT116, and HepG2 cell lines, with IC 50 values ranging from 2.6 to 8.2 µg/mL.

Docking of B-cell epitope antigen to specific hepatitis B antibody

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The interaction of pres1 region of hepatitis B virus B-cell epitope antigen with specific hepatitis B neutralizing monoclonal antibody was examined by docking study. We modelled the 3D complex structure of B-cell epitope antigen residues CTTPAQGNSMFPSCCCTKPTDGNCY by homology modelling and docked it with the ...

Contributo allo studio della composizione delle parole : Raffronto contrastivo italiano-croato, croato-italiano. Primi risultati

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zorica Vučetić

1999-12-01

Full Text Available Nel presente lavoro si considerano le parole composte italiane e croate, e più pre­ cisamente nella fase moderna dell'italiano e del croato. L'approccio allo studio della composizione delle parole nelle due lingue è sincronico. Si prendono in considerazione solo parole motivate nella coscienza linguistica dei parlanti di oggi. La composizione delle parole, che unisce due o più elementi costitutivi, creando in tal modo nuove unità lessicali, è molto importante nella lingua italiana. Si distinguono due casi: in un gran numero di composti ii parlante continua ad identificare i due ele­ menti costitutivi dopo che la fusione è avvenuta (A+B=AB: in questo caso ii signifi­ cato del composto è la somma dei significati dei membri costitutivi e il composto è motivato nella consapevolezza linguistica dei parlanti di oggi; mentre in altri composti la fusione dei due elementi costitutivi dà origine a un nuovo significato (A+B=C, per cui i composti non sono motivati nella consapevolezza linguistica dei parlanti di oggi, quindi non sono trasparenti e dal punto di vista sincronico non sono parole composte, ma vanno studiati dal punto di vista diacronico.

Wilms Tumor 1b defines a wound-specific sheath cell subpopulation associated with notochord repair

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez-Baez, Juan Carlos; Zeng, Zhiqiang; Brunsdon, Hannah; Salzano, Angela; Brombin, Alessandro; Wyatt, Cameron; Rybski, Witold; Huitema, Leonie F A; Dale, Rodney M; Kawakami, Koichi; Englert, Christoph; Chandra, Tamir; Schulte-Merker, Stefan

2018-01-01

Regenerative therapy for degenerative spine disorders requires the identification of cells that can slow down and possibly reverse degenerative processes. Here, we identify an unanticipated wound-specific notochord sheath cell subpopulation that expresses Wilms Tumor (WT) 1b following injury in zebrafish. We show that localized damage leads to Wt1b expression in sheath cells, and that wt1b+cells migrate into the wound to form a stopper-like structure, likely to maintain structural integrity. Wt1b+sheath cells are distinct in expressing cartilage and vacuolar genes, and in repressing a Wt1b-p53 transcriptional programme. At the wound, wt1b+and entpd5+ cells constitute separate, tightly-associated subpopulations. Surprisingly, wt1b expression at the site of injury is maintained even into adult stages in developing vertebrae, which form in an untypical manner via a cartilage intermediate. Given that notochord cells are retained in adult intervertebral discs, the identification of novel subpopulations may have important implications for regenerative spine disorder treatments. PMID:29405914

Patients with Multiple Myeloma Develop SOX2-Specific Autoantibodies after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

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Sebastian Kobold

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The occurrence of SOX2-specific autoantibodies seems to be associated with an improved prognosis in patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS. However, it is unclear if SOX2-specific antibodies also develop in established multiple myeloma (MM. Screening 1094 peripheral blood (PB sera from 196 MM patients and 100 PB sera from healthy donors, we detected SOX2-specific autoantibodies in 7.7% and 2.0% of patients and donors, respectively. We identified SOX2211–230 as an immunodominant antibody-epitope within the full protein sequence. SOX2 antigen was expressed in most healthy tissues and its expression did not correlate with the number of BM-resident plasma cells. Accordingly, anti-SOX2 immunity was not related to SOX2 expression levels or tumor burden in the patients’ BM. The only clinical factor predicting the development of anti-SOX2 immunity was application of allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT. Anti-SOX2 antibodies occurred more frequently in patients who had received alloSCT (n=74. Moreover, most SOX2-seropositive patients had only developed antibodies after alloSCT. This finding indicates that alloSCT is able to break tolerance towards this commonly expressed antigen. The questions whether SOX2-specific autoantibodies merely represent an epiphenomenon, are related to graft-versus-host effects or participate in the immune control of myeloma needs to be answered in prospective studies.

Allo-SCT for  Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms in blast phase: a study from the Societe Française de Greffe de Moelle et de Therapie Cellulaire (SFGM-TC).

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Cahu, X; Chevallier, P; Clavert, A; Suarez, F; Michallet, M; Vincent, L; Vigouroux, S; Blaise, D; Mariette, C; Bilger, K; Robin, M; Yakoub-Agha, I; Peffault de Latour, R; Mohty, M

2014-06-01

Progression of Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative (MPN) or myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms (MDS/MPN) to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an adverse event in the course of the disease. Although allogeneic hematopoietic SCT (allo-SCT) is considered as the only curative therapy, few data exist on the outcome of patients with Philadelphia-negative MPN or MDS/MPN in blast phase who received an allo-SCT. Sixty patients were included in this retrospective study. AML was secondary to an MPN in 43 cases, whereas AML evolved from an MDS/MPN in 17 cases. Patients received allo-SCT in CR or advanced disease in 26 cases and 34 cases, respectively. With a median follow-up of 31 months (range, 25-44), OS and leukemia-free survival (LFS) were, respectively, 18% and 9% at 3 years. CR at transplant was associated with an improved LFS in univariate and multivariate analysis. The 3-year LFS was 18% for patients undergoing allo-SCT in CR versus 3% in advanced disease (P=0.008). Absence of thrombosis and an intermediate or favorable AML karyotype were associated with an improved outcome for patients who received allo-SCT in CR. New strategies are needed to improve the outcome of patients with MPN-MDS/MPN in blast phase.

Design and discovery of thioether and nicotinamide containing sorafenib analogues as multikinase inhibitors targeting B-Raf, B-RafV600E and VEGFR-2.

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Sun, Shaofeng; He, Zuopeng; Huang, Mindong; Wang, Ningning; He, Zongzhong; Kong, Xiangkai; Yao, Jianwen

2018-04-03

New sorafenib derivatives containing thioether and nicotinamide moiety were designed and synthesized as B-Raf, B-Raf V600E and VEGFR-2 multikinase inhibitors. Their in vitro enzymatic inhibitory activities against B-Raf, B-Raf V600E and VEGFR-2 and their antiproliferative activities against HCT-116 and B16BL6 cell lines were evaluated and described. Most of the compounds showed potent activities against both cell lines and specific kinases. Compounds a1, b1 and c4, which exhibited the most potent inhibitory activities against B-Raf with IC 50 of 21 nM, 27 nM and 17 nM, B-Raf V600E with IC 50 of 29 nM, 28 nM and 16 nM, VEGFR-2 with IC 50 of 84 nM, 46 nM and 63 nM, respectively, and good antiproliferative activities, also demonstrated competitive antiangiogenic activities to sorafenib in in vitro HUVEC tube formation assay. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cdh1-APC/C, cyclin B-Cdc2, and Alzheimer's disease pathology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aulia, Selina; Tang, Bor Luen

2006-01-01

The anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) is a key E3 ubiquitin ligase complex that functions in regulating cell cycle transitions in proliferating cells and has, as revealed recently, novel roles in postmitotic neurons. Regulated by its activator Cdh1 (or Hct1), whose level is high in postmitotic neurons, APC/C seems to have multiple functions at different cellular locations, modulating diverse processes such as synaptic development and axonal growth. These processes do not, however, appear to be directly connected to cell cycle regulation. It is now shown that Cdh1-APC/C activity may also have a basic role in suppressing cyclin B levels, thus preventing terminally differentiated neurons from aberrantly re-entering the cell cycle. The result of an aberrant cyclin B-induced S-phase entry, at least for some of these neurons, would be death via apoptosis. Cdh1 thus play an active role in maintaining the terminally differentiated, non-cycling state of postmitotic neurons-a function that could become impaired in Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases

Varioloid A, a new indolyl-6,10b-dihydro-5aH-[1]benzofuro[2,3-b]indole derivative from the marine alga-derived endophytic fungus Paecilomyces variotii EN-291

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Peng Zhang

2016-09-01

Full Text Available A new indolyl-6,10b-dihydro-5aH-[1]benzofuro[2,3-b]indole derivative, varioloid A (1, was isolated from the marine alga-derived endophytic fungus Paecilomyces variotii EN-291. Its structure was elucidated on the basis of extensive analysis of 1D and 2D NMR data and the absolute configuration was determined by time-dependent density functional theory-electronic circular dichroism (TDDFT-ECD calculations. A similar compound, whose planar structure was previously described but the relative and absolute configurations and 13C NMR data were not reported, was also identified and was tentatively named as varioloid B (2. Both compounds 1 and 2 exhibited cytotoxicity against A549, HCT116, and HepG2 cell lines, with IC50 values ranging from 2.6 to 8.2 µg/mL.

HTLV-1 specific CD8+ T cell function augmented by blockade of 2B4/CD48 interaction in HTLV-1 infection.

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Chibueze Chioma Ezinne

Full Text Available CD8+ T cell response is important in the response to viral infections; this response though is regulated by inhibitory receptors. Expression of inhibitory receptors has been positively correlated with CD8+ T cell exhaustion; the consequent effect of simultaneous blockade of these inhibitory receptors on CD8+ T cell response in viral infections have been studied, however, the role of individual blockade of receptor-ligand pair is unclear. 2B4/CD48 interaction is involved in CD8+T cell regulation, its signal transducer SAP (signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (SLAM-associated protein is required for stimulatory function of 2B4/CD244 on lymphocytes hence, we analyzed 2B4/CD244 (natural killer cell receptor and SAP (signaling lymphocyte activation molecule(SLAM-associated protein on total CD8+ and HTLV-1 specific CD8+T cells in HTLV-1 infection and the effect of blockade of interaction with ligand CD48 on HTLV-1 specific CD8+ T cell function. We observed a high expression of 2B4/CD244 on CD8+ T cells relative to uninfected and further upregulation on HTLV-1 specific CD8+ T cells. 2B4+ CD8+ T cells exhibited more of an effector and terminally differentiated memory phenotype. Blockade of 2B4/CD48 interaction resulted in improvement in function via perforin expression and degranulation as measured by CD107a surface mobilization on HTLV-1 specific CD8+ T cells. In the light of these findings, we thus propose an inhibitory role for 2B4/CD48 interaction on CD8+T cell function.

Rhein induces apoptosis of HCT-116 human colon cancer cells via ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Rhein, a major compound in rhubarb, has been found to have anti-tumor properties in many human cancer cells. However, the details about rhein suppressing the growth of human colon cancer cells remained elusive. In this paper, we explored the potential of rhein as a chemotherapeutic agent on HCT- 116 cells and ...

[Solubilization Specificities Interferon beta-1b from Inclusion Bodies].

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Zhuravko, A S; Kononova, N V; Bobruskin, A I

2015-01-01

A new solubilization method of recombinant interferon beta-1b (IFNβ-1b) from the inclusion bodies was developed. This method allows to extract the target protein selectively in the solutions of different alcohols, such as ethanol, propanol and isopropanol. It was shown that the more effective IFNβ-1b solubilization was achieved in the 55% propanol solution. This method allowed to extract the target protein from inclusion bodies around 85-90%, and significantly reduced Escherichia coli content in the solubilizate, in comparison with standard methods.

Structural diversity and evolution of the N-terminal isoform-specific region of ecdysone receptor-A and -B1 isoforms in insects

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Kubo Takeo

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The ecdysone receptor (EcR regulates various cellular responses to ecdysteroids during insect development. Insects have multiple EcR isoforms with different N-terminal A/B domains that contain the isoform-specific activation function (AF-1 region. Although distinct physiologic functions of the EcR isoforms have been characterized in higher holometabolous insects, they remain unclear in basal direct-developing insects, in which only A isoform has been identified. To examine the structural basis of the EcR isoform-specific AF-1 regions, we performed a comprehensive structural comparison of the isoform-specific region of the EcR-A and -B1 isoforms in insects. Results The EcR isoforms were newly identified in 51 species of insects and non-insect arthropods, including direct-developing ametabolous and hemimetabolous insects. The comprehensive structural comparison revealed that the isoform-specific region of each EcR isoform contained evolutionally conserved microdomain structures and insect subgroup-specific structural modifications. The A isoform-specific region generally contained four conserved microdomains, including the SUMOylation motif and the nuclear localization signal, whereas the B1 isoform-specific region contained three conserved microdomains, including an acidic activator domain-like motif. In addition, the EcR-B1 isoform of holometabolous insects had a novel microdomain at the N-terminal end. Conclusions Given that the nuclear receptor AF-1 is involved in cofactor recruitment and transcriptional regulation, the microdomain structures identified in the isoform-specific A/B domains might function as signature motifs and/or as targets for cofactor proteins that play essential roles in the EcR isoform-specific AF-1 regions. Moreover, the novel microdomain in the isoform-specific region of the holometabolous insect EcR-B1 isoform suggests that the holometabolous insect EcR-B1 acquired additional transcriptional

Distress, problems, and supportive care needs of patients treated with auto- or allo-SCT. Bone Marrow Transplant.

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Annemarie Braamse; prof Berno van Meijel; A.T. Beekman; O. Visser; J. Dekker

2014-01-01

Abstract Hematological malignancies and treatment with hematopoietic SCT are known to affect patients' quality of life. The problem profile and care needs of this patient group need clarification, however. This study aimed to assess distress, problems and care needs after allo- or auto-SCT, and to

Function-Oriented Synthesis of Marine Phidianidine Derivatives as Potential PTP1B Inhibitors with Specific Selectivity

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Jin Liu

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Phidianidines A and B are two novel marine indole alkaloids bearing an uncommon 1,2,4-oxadiazole ring and exhibiting various biological activities. Our previous research showed that the synthesized phidianidine analogs had the potential to inhibit the activity of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B, a validated target for Type II diabetes, which indicates that these analogs are worth further structural modification. Therefore, in this paper, a series of phidianidine derivatives were designed and rapidly synthesized with a function-oriented synthesis (FOS strategy. Their inhibitory effects on PTP1B and T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (TCPTP were evaluated, and several compounds displayed significant inhibitory potency and specific selectivity over PTP1B. The structure–activity relationship (SAR and molecular docking analyses are also described.

Function-Oriented Synthesis of Marine Phidianidine Derivatives as Potential PTP1B Inhibitors with Specific Selectivity.

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Liu, Jin; Chen, Yu; Li, Jing-Ya; Luo, Cheng; Li, Jia; Chen, Kai-Xian; Li, Xu-Wen; Guo, Yue-Wei

2018-03-20

Phidianidines A and B are two novel marine indole alkaloids bearing an uncommon 1,2,4-oxadiazole ring and exhibiting various biological activities. Our previous research showed that the synthesized phidianidine analogs had the potential to inhibit the activity of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), a validated target for Type II diabetes, which indicates that these analogs are worth further structural modification. Therefore, in this paper, a series of phidianidine derivatives were designed and rapidly synthesized with a function-oriented synthesis (FOS) strategy. Their inhibitory effects on PTP1B and T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (TCPTP) were evaluated, and several compounds displayed significant inhibitory potency and specific selectivity over PTP1B. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) and molecular docking analyses are also described.

Chest health surveillance utility in the early detection of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome in children after allo-SCT.

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Gassas, A; Craig-Barnes, H; Dell, S; Doyle, J; Schechter, T; Sung, L; Egeler, M; Palaniyar, N

2013-06-01

To prospectively assess whether periodic chest health surveillance is beneficial for the early detection of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) in children after allo-SCT. Children up to 18 years of age receiving allo-SCT from September 2009 to September 2011 were included. Surveillance consisted of the following: a 7-item respiratory system questionnaire of cough, wheeze and shortness of breath; focused physical examination; and pulmonary function test (PFT) conducted before SCT and at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months after SCT. Thirty-nine patients were enrolled. Five children developed BOS at a median time of 192 days (range 94-282). Positive response comparisons between the BOS group vs the non-BOS group were NS for history questionnaire (P=0.2), heart rate (P=0.3), respiratory rate (P=0.3) and oxygen saturation monitoring (P=0.8). Differences between the two groups for chest auscultation and PFT were statistically significant (P=0.03 and P=0.01, respectively). However, chest auscultation in the BOS group was only positive after BOS diagnosis. PFT reduction was evident in the asymptomatic phase (BOS group 33%; non-BOS group 4.5%, P=0.01). Changes in PFT, but not history/physical examination, allow the early detection of BOS in children after SCT. Our study is limited by the small sample size.

Overexpression of B7-H3 augments anti-apoptosis of colorectal cancer cells by Jak2-STAT3.

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Zhang, Ting; Jiang, Bo; Zou, Shi-Tao; Liu, Fen; Hua, Dong

2015-02-14

To investigate the role of the overexpression of B7-H3 in apoptosis in colorectal cancer cell lines and the underlying molecular mechanisms. SW620 cells that highly overexpressed B7-H3 (SW620-B7-H3-EGFP) and HCT8 cells stably transfected with B7-H3 shRNA (HCT8-shB7-H3) were previously constructed in our laboratory. Cells transfected with pIRES2-EGFP were used as negative controls (SW620-NC and HCT8-NC). Real-time PCR and western blotting analysis were used to detect the mRNA and protein expressions of the apoptosis regulator proteins Bcl-2, Bcl-xl and Bax. A cell proliferation assay was used to evaluate the survival rate and drug sensitivity of the cells. The effect of drug resistance was detected by a cell cycle assay. Active caspase-3 western blotting was used to reflect the anti-apoptotic ability of cells. Western blotting was also performed to determine the expression of proteins associated with the Jak2-STAT3 signaling pathway and the apoptosis regulator proteins after the treatment with AG490, a Jak2 specific inhibitor, in B7-H3 overexpressing cells. The data were analyzed by GraphPad Prism 6 using a non-paired t-test. Whether by overexpression in SW620 cells or downregulation in HCT8, B7-H3 significantly affected the expression of anti- and pro-apoptotic proteins, at both the transcriptional and translational levels, compared with the negative control (P overexpression increased the drug resistance of cells and resulted in a higher survival rate (P overexpression inhibited apoptosis in colorectal cancer cell lines (P overexpression improved Jak2 and STAT3 phosphorylation and, in turn, increased the expression of the downstream anti-apoptotic proteins B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-xl, based on western blotting (P overexpressing cells with the Jak2-specific inhibitor AG490, the phosphorylation of Jak2 and STAT3, and the expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl, decreased accordingly (P overexpression of B7-H3 induces resistance to apoptosis in colorectal cancer

Combination of Quercetin and Kaempferol enhances in vitro Cytotoxicity on Human Colon Cancer (HCT-116 Cells

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Sara Jaramillo-Carmona

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Colon cancer is one of the most common types of cancer malignancy. Although flavonoids naturally occur as mixtures, little information is available regarding the additive or synergistic biochemical interactions between flavonoids. The objectives of this study were to examine the feasibility of combining two major structurally related flavonoids, quercetin and kaempferol, to affect the cell viability, cell cycle, and proliferation of the human colon cancer HCT-116 cell line. The combination of quercetin and kaempferol exhibited a greater cytotoxic efficacy than did either quercetin or kaempferol alone. This effect was highest and acted in a synergistic fashion in a 2-fold quercetin and 1-fold kaempferol IC50 combination, which also arrested cell growth in the G2/M phase and suppressed proliferation. Our observations support a structure-activity relationship based on the presence of 3’–OH moiety and/or 4’–OH moiety on the B-ring of flavonoids.

Clinical Development of a Cytomegalovirus DNA Vaccine: From Product Concept to Pivotal Phase 3 Trial

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Michele Gerber

2013-09-01

Full Text Available 2013 marks a milestone year for plasmid DNA vaccine development as a first-in-class cytomegalovirus (CMV DNA vaccine enters pivotal phase 3 testing. This vaccine consists of two plasmids expressing CMV antigens glycoprotein B (gB and phosphoprotein 65 (pp65 formulated with a CRL1005 poloxamer and benzalkonium chloride (BAK delivery system designed to enhance plasmid expression. The vaccine’s planned initial indication under investigation is for prevention of CMV reactivation in CMV-seropositive (CMV+ recipients of an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT. A randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled phase 2 proof-of-concept study provided initial evidence of the safety of this product in CMV+ HCT recipients who underwent immune ablation conditioning regimens. This study revealed a significant reduction in viral load endpoints and increased frequencies of pp65-specific interferon-γ-producing T cells in vaccine recipients compared to placebo recipients. The results of this endpoint-defining trial provided the basis for defining the primary and secondary endpoints of a global phase 3 trial in HCT recipients. A case study is presented here describing the development history of this vaccine from product concept to initiation of the phase 3 trial.

Clinical Development of a Cytomegalovirus DNA Vaccine: From Product Concept to Pivotal Phase 3 Trial.

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Smith, Larry R; Wloch, Mary K; Chaplin, Jennifer A; Gerber, Michele; Rolland, Alain P

2013-09-25

2013 marks a milestone year for plasmid DNA vaccine development as a first-in-class cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA vaccine enters pivotal phase 3 testing. This vaccine consists of two plasmids expressing CMV antigens glycoprotein B (gB) and phosphoprotein 65 (pp65) formulated with a CRL1005 poloxamer and benzalkonium chloride (BAK) delivery system designed to enhance plasmid expression. The vaccine's planned initial indication under investigation is for prevention of CMV reactivation in CMV-seropositive (CMV⁺) recipients of an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT). A randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled phase 2 proof-of-concept study provided initial evidence of the safety of this product in CMV⁺ HCT recipients who underwent immune ablation conditioning regimens. This study revealed a significant reduction in viral load endpoints and increased frequencies of pp65-specific interferon-γ-producing T cells in vaccine recipients compared to placebo recipients. The results of this endpoint-defining trial provided the basis for defining the primary and secondary endpoints of a global phase 3 trial in HCT recipients. A case study is presented here describing the development history of this vaccine from product concept to initiation of the phase 3 trial.

A general model to calculate the spin-lattice (T1) relaxation time of blood, accounting for haematocrit, oxygen saturation and magnetic field strength.

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Hales, Patrick W; Kirkham, Fenella J; Clark, Christopher A

2016-02-01

Many MRI techniques require prior knowledge of the T1-relaxation time of blood (T1bl). An assumed/fixed value is often used; however, T1bl is sensitive to magnetic field (B0), haematocrit (Hct), and oxygen saturation (Y). We aimed to combine data from previous in vitro measurements into a mathematical model, to estimate T1bl as a function of B0, Hct, and Y. The model was shown to predict T1bl from in vivo studies with a good accuracy (± 87 ms). This model allows for improved estimation of T1bl between 1.5-7.0 T while accounting for variations in Hct and Y, leading to improved accuracy of MRI-derived perfusion measurements. © The Author(s) 2015.

ARID1B is a specific vulnerability in ARID1A-mutant cancers.

Science.gov (United States)

Helming, Katherine C; Wang, Xiaofeng; Wilson, Boris G; Vazquez, Francisca; Haswell, Jeffrey R; Manchester, Haley E; Kim, Youngha; Kryukov, Gregory V; Ghandi, Mahmoud; Aguirre, Andrew J; Jagani, Zainab; Wang, Zhong; Garraway, Levi A; Hahn, William C; Roberts, Charles W M

2014-03-01

Recent studies have revealed that ARID1A, encoding AT-rich interactive domain 1A (SWI-like), is frequently mutated across a variety of human cancers and also has bona fide tumor suppressor properties. Consequently, identification of vulnerabilities conferred by ARID1A mutation would have major relevance for human cancer. Here, using a broad screening approach, we identify ARID1B, an ARID1A homolog whose gene product is mutually exclusive with ARID1A in SWI/SNF complexes, as the number 1 gene preferentially required for the survival of ARID1A-mutant cancer cell lines. We show that loss of ARID1B in ARID1A-deficient backgrounds destabilizes SWI/SNF and impairs proliferation in both cancer cells and primary cells. We also find that ARID1A and ARID1B are frequently co-mutated in cancer but that ARID1A-deficient cancers retain at least one functional ARID1B allele. These results suggest that loss of ARID1A and ARID1B alleles cooperatively promotes cancer formation but also results in a unique functional dependence. The results further identify ARID1B as a potential therapeutic target for ARID1A-mutant cancers.

The second therapeutic trial for children with hematological malignancies who relapsed after their first allogeneic SCT: long-term outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishikawa, Takuro; Inagaki, Jiro; Nagatoshi, Yoshihisa; Fukano, Reiji; Nakashima, Kentaro; Ito, Nobuhiro; Sawa, Daisuke; Kawano, Yoshifumi; Okamura, Jun

2012-11-01

The impact of a second all-SCT on the long-term outcomes of children who relapse after allo-SCT has been unclear. We retrospectively analyzed the long-term outcomes of different salvage treatments for such children. Sixty-six children with hematological malignancies (40 ALL, 22 AML, three MDS, and one CML) who relapsed after a first allo-SCT received either a second allo-SCT (n = 16) or CTx and/or DLI (n = 50). The median follow-up for all children was 9.1 yr. The five-yr OS after relapse was significantly better in patients who underwent a second allo-SCT (42.9%) than in patients treated with CTx and/or DLI (11.8%) (p SCT, two died more than five yr after the second allo-SCT. A second allo-SCT can therefore lead to a prolonged OS in patients who relapse after allo-SCT. However, a second allo-SCT should be selected carefully. This is because the mortality rate is still high, even when there is an extensive duration of time following the second allo-SCT. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Population-specific regulation of Chmp2b by Lbx1 during onset of synaptogenesis in lateral association interneurons.

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Jun Xu

Full Text Available Chmp2b is closely related to Vps2, a key component of the yeast protein complex that creates the intralumenal vesicles of multivesicular bodies. Dominant negative mutations in Chmp2b cause autophagosome accumulation and neurodegenerative disease. Loss of Chmp2b causes failure of dendritic spine maturation in cultured neurons. The homeobox gene Lbx1 plays an essential role in specifying postmitotic dorsal interneuron populations during late pattern formation in the neural tube. We have discovered that Chmp2b is one of the most highly regulated cell-autonomous targets of Lbx1 in the embryonic mouse neural tube. Chmp2b was expressed and depended on Lbx1 in only two of the five nascent, Lbx1-expressing, postmitotic, dorsal interneuron populations. It was also expressed in neural tube cell populations that lacked Lbx1 protein. The observed population-specific expression of Chmp2b indicated that only certain population-specific combinations of sequence specific transcription factors allow Chmp2b expression. The cell populations that expressed Chmp2b corresponded, in time and location, to neurons that make the first synapses of the spinal cord. Chmp2b protein was transported into neurites within the motor- and association-neuropils, where the first synapses are known to form between E11.5 and E12.5 in mouse neural tubes. Selective, developmentally-specified gene expression of Chmp2b may therefore be used to endow particular neuronal populations with the ability to mature dendritic spines. Such a mechanism could explain how mammalian embryos reproducibly establish the disynaptic cutaneous reflex only between particular cell populations.

Measurement of total hemoglobin reduces red cell transfusion in hospitalized patients undergoing cardiac surgery: a retrospective database analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Craver, Christopher; Belk, Kathy W; Myers, Gerard J

2018-01-01

Historically, perioperative hemoglobin monitoring has relied on calculated saturation, using blood gas devices that measure plasma hematocrit (Hct). Co-oximetry, which measures total hemoglobin (tHb), yields a more comprehensive assessment of hemodilution. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of tHb measurement by co-oximetry and Hct, using conductivity with red blood cell (RBC) transfusion, length of stay (LOS) and inpatient costs in patients having major cardiac surgery. A retrospective study was conducted on patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and/or valve replacement (VR) procedures from January 2014 to June 2016, using MedAssets discharge data. The patient population was sub-divided by the measurement modality (tHb and Hct), using detailed billing records and Current Procedural Terminology coding. Cost was calculated using hospital-specific cost-to-charge ratios. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify significant drivers of RBC transfusion and resource utilization. The study population included 18,169 cardiovascular surgery patients. Hct-monitored patients accounted for 66% of the population and were more likely to have dual CABG and VR procedures (10.4% vs 8.9%, p=0.0069). After controlling for patient and hospital characteristics, as well as patient comorbidities, Hct-monitored patients had significantly higher RBC transfusion risk (OR=1.26, CI 1.15-1.38, pcosts (IRR=1.15, pcost (IRR=1.22, pcost compared to Hct monitoring.

Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Subgenotypes 1a and 1b in Japanese Patients: Ultra-Deep Sequencing Analysis of HCV NS5B Genotype-Specific Region

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Shuang; Kanda, Tatsuo; Nakamoto, Shingo; Jiang, Xia; Miyamura, Tatsuo; Nakatani, Sueli M.; Ono, Suzane Kioko; Takahashi-Nakaguchi, Azusa; Gonoi, Tohru; Yokosuka, Osamu

2013-01-01

Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) subgenotypes 1a and 1b have different impacts on the treatment response to peginterferon plus ribavirin with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) against patients infected with HCV genotype 1, as the emergence rates of resistance mutations are different between these two subgenotypes. In Japan, almost all of HCV genotype 1 belongs to subgenotype 1b. Methods and Findings To determine HCV subgenotype 1a or 1b in Japanese patients infected with HCV genotype 1, real-time PCR-based method and Sanger method were used for the HCV NS5B region. HCV subgenotypes were determined in 90% by real-time PCR-based method. We also analyzed the specific probe regions for HCV subgenotypes 1a and 1b using ultra-deep sequencing, and uncovered mutations that could not be revealed using direct-sequencing by Sanger method. We estimated the prevalence of HCV subgenotype 1a as 1.2-2.5% of HCV genotype 1 patients in Japan. Conclusions Although real-time PCR-based HCV subgenotyping method seems fair for differentiating HCV subgenotypes 1a and 1b, it may not be sufficient for clinical practice. Ultra-deep sequencing is useful for revealing the resistant strain(s) of HCV before DAA treatment as well as mixed infection with different genotypes or subgenotypes of HCV. PMID:24069214

Vorinostat plus tacrolimus/methotrexate to prevent GVHD after myeloablative conditioning, unrelated donor HCT

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Choi, S.W.; Braun, T.; Henig, I.; Gatza, E.; Magenau, J.; Parkin, B.; Pawarode, A.; Riwes, M.; Yanik, G.; Dinarello, C.A.; Reddy, P.

2017-01-01

The oral histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor (vorinostat) is safe and results in low incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after reduced-intensity conditioning, related donor hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). However, its safety and efficacy in preventing acute GVHD in

Sequential Kinase Inhibition (Idelalisib/Ibrutinib Induces Clinical Remission in B-Cell Prolymphocytic Leukemia Harboring a 17p Deletion

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H. Coelho

2017-01-01

Full Text Available B-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (B-PLL is a rare lymphoid neoplasm with an aggressive clinical course. Treatment strategies for B-PLL remain to be established, and, until recently, alemtuzumab was the only effective therapeutic option in patients harboring 17p deletions. Herein, we describe, for the first time, a case of B-cell prolymphocytic leukemia harboring a 17p deletion in a 48-year-old man that was successfully treated sequentially with idelalisib-rituximab/ibrutinib followed by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HSCT. After 5 months of therapy with idelalisib-rituximab, clinical remission was achieved, but the development of severe diarrhea led to its discontinuation. Subsequently, the patient was treated for 2 months with ibrutinib and the quality of the response was maintained with no severe adverse effects reported. A reduced-intensity conditioning allo-HSCT from a HLA-matched unrelated donor was performed, and, thereafter, the patient has been in complete remission for 10 months now. In conclusion, given the poor prognosis of B-PLL and the lack of effective treatment modalities, the findings here suggest that both ibrutinib and idelalisib should be considered as upfront therapy of B-PLL and as a bridge to allo-HSCT.

HNF-1B specifically regulates the transcription of the {gamma}a-subunit of the Na{sup +}/K{sup +}-ATPase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferre, Silvia [Department of Physiology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre (Netherlands); Veenstra, Gert Jan C. [Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen (Netherlands); Bouwmeester, Rianne; Hoenderop, Joost G.J. [Department of Physiology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre (Netherlands); Bindels, Rene J.M., E-mail: r.bindels@fysiol.umcn.nl [Department of Physiology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre (Netherlands)

2011-01-07

Research highlights: {yields} Defects in HNF-1B transcription factor affect Mg{sup 2+} handling in the distal kidney. {yields} {gamma}a- and {gamma}b- subunits of the Na{sup +}/K{sup +}-ATPase colocalize in the distal convoluted tubule of the nephron. {yields} HNF-1B specifically activates {gamma}a expression. {yields} HNF-1B mutants have a dominant negative effect on wild type HNF-1B activity. {yields} Defective transcription of {gamma}a may promote renal Mg{sup 2+} wasting. -- Abstract: Hepatocyte nuclear factor-1B (HNF-1B) is a transcription factor involved in embryonic development and tissue-specific gene expression in several organs, including the kidney. Recently heterozygous mutations in the HNF1B gene have been identified in patients with hypomagnesemia due to renal Mg{sup 2+} wasting. Interestingly, ChIP-chip data revealed HNF-1B binding sites in the FXYD2 gene, encoding the {gamma}-subunit of the Na{sup +}/K{sup +}-ATPase. The {gamma}-subunit has been described as one of the molecular players in the renal Mg{sup 2+} reabsorption in the distal convoluted tubule (DCT). Of note, the FXYD2 gene can be alternatively transcribed into two main variants, namely {gamma}a and {gamma}b. In the present study, we demonstrated via two different reporter gene assays that HNF-1B specifically acts as an activator of the {gamma}a-subunit, whereas the {gamma}b-subunit expression was not affected. Moreover, the HNF-1B mutations H69fsdelAC, H324S325fsdelCA, Y352finsA and K156E, previously identified in patients with hypomagnesemia, prevented transcription activation of {gamma}a-subunit via a dominant negative effect on wild type HNF1-B. By immunohistochemistry, it was shown that the {gamma}a- and {gamma}b-subunits colocalize at the basolateral membrane of the DCT segment of mouse kidney. On the basis of these data, we suggest that abnormalities involving the HNF-1B gene may impair the relative abundance of {gamma}a and {gamma}b, thus affecting the transcellular Mg{sup 2

Antigen presentation by hapten-specific B lymphocytes. II. Specificity and properties of antigen-presenting B lymphocytes, and function of immunoglobulin receptors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbas, A.K.; Haber, S.; Rock, K.L.

1985-01-01

Studies were designed to examine the ability of hapten-binding murine B lymphocytes to present hapten-protein conjugates to protein antigen-specific, Ia-restricted T cell hybridomas. BALB/c B cells specific for TNP or FITC presented hapten-modified proteins (TNP-G1 phi, TNP-OVA, or FITC-OVA) to the relevant T cell hybridomas at concentrations below 0.1 microgram/ml. Effective presentation of the same antigens by B lymphocyte-depleted splenocytes, and of unmodified proteins by either hapten-binding B cells or Ig spleen cells, required about 10(3)-to 10(4)-fold higher concentrations of antigen. The use of two different haptens and two carrier proteins showed that this extremely efficient presentation of antigen was highly specific, with hapten specificity being a property of the B cells and carrier specificity of the responding T cells. The presentation of hapten-proteins by hapten-binding B lymphocytes was radiosensitive and was not affected by the depletion of plastic-adherent cells, suggesting that conventional APCs (macrophages or dendritic cells) are not required in this phenomenon. Antigen-pulsing and antibody-blocking experiments showed that this hapten-specific antigen presentation required initial binding of antigen to surface Ig receptors. Moreover, linked recognition of hapten and carrier determinants was required, but these recognition events could be temporally separated. Finally, an antigen-processing step was found to be necessary, and this step was disrupted by ionizing radiation. These data suggest a role for B cell surface Ig in providing a specific high-affinity receptor to allow efficient uptake or focusing of antigen for its subsequent processing and presentation to T lymphocytes

Time-dependent alterations in serum NO concentration after oral administration of L-arginine, L-NAME, and allopurinol in intestinal ischemia/reperfusion

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Amalia E Yanni

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Amalia E Yanni1, Eleutherios Margaritis2, Nikolaos Liarakos2, Alkisti Pantopoulou2, Maria Poulakou2, Maria Kostakis2, Despoina Perrea2, Alkis Kostakis31Department of Science of Dietetics and Nutrition, Harokopio University of Athens, Athens, Greece, 2Laboratory of Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece, 32nd Department of Propedeutic Surgery, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, GreeceObjective: To study the effect of oral administration of a nitric oxide (NO donor L-arginine (L-Arg, a NO synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME and an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase, allopurinol (Allo, on serum NO concentration and catalase activity after intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R in rats.Methods: Male Wistar rats received per os L-Arg (800 mg/kg or L-NAME (50 mg/kg or Allo (100 mg/kg 24 hrs, 12 hrs and 1 hr before underwent 1 hr occlusion of superior mesenteric artery followed by 1 hr of reperfusion (L-Arg(IR1, L-NAME(IR1 and Allo(IR1 respectively or 1 hr occlusion followed by 8 hrs of reperfusion (L-Arg(IR8, L-NAME(IR8 and Allo(IR8 respectively. There was one group underwent 1 hr occlusion (I, a group underwent 1 hr occlusion followed by 1 hr reperfusion (IR1, a group subjected to 1 hr occlusion followed by 8 hrs of reperfusion (IR8 and a last group that served as control (C. Serum NO concentration and catalase activity were measured.Results: After 1 hr of reperfusion serum NO concentration was elevated in IR1 and L-Arg(IR1 groups compared with group C but not in L-NAME(IR1 and Allo(IR1 group. Catalase activity was enhanced in L-NAME(IR1 group. Interestingly, serum NO concentration was increased after 8 hrs of reperfusion in all groups (IR8, L-Arg(IR8, L-NAME(IR8 and Allo(IR8 compared with control while catalase activity did not show significant difference in any group.Conclusions: The results of the

Design specifications for ASME B and PV Code Section III nuclear class 1 piping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richardson, J.A.

1978-01-01

ASME B and PV Code Section III code regulations for nuclear piping requires that a comprehensive Design Specification be developed for ensuring that the design and installation of the piping meets all code requirements. The intent of this paper is to describe the code requirements, discuss the implementation of these requirements in a typical Class 1 piping design specification, and to report on recent piping failures in operating light water nuclear power plants in the US. (author)

Modeling of allergen proteins found in sea food products

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Nataly Galán-Freyle

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Shellfish are a source of food allergens, and their consumption is the cause of severe allergic reactions in humans. Tropomyosins, a family of muscle proteins, have been identified as the major allergens in shellfish and mollusks species. Nevertheless, few experimentally determined three-dimensional structures are available in the Protein Data Base (PDB. In this study, 3D models of several homologous of tropomyosins present in marine shellfish and mollusk species (Chaf 1, Met e1, Hom a1, Per v1, and Pen a1 were constructed, validated, and their immunoglobulin E binding epitopes were identified using bioinformatics tools. All protein models for these allergens consisted of long alpha-helices. Chaf 1, Met e1, and Hom a1 had six conserved regions with sequence similarities to known epitopes, whereas Per v1 and Pen a1 contained only one. Lipophilic potentials of identified epitopes revealed a high propensity of hydrophobic amino acids in the immunoglobulin E binding site. This information could be useful to design tropomyosin-specific immunotherapy for sea food allergies.

Chitosan oligosaccharides with degree of polymerization 2-6 induces apoptosis in human colon carcinoma HCT116 cells.

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Zou, Pan; Yuan, Shoujun; Yang, Xin; Zhai, Xingchen; Wang, Jing

2018-01-05

Colon cancer is the third most common cancer, and yet there is a lack of effective therapeutic method with low side effects. Chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) is derived from chitosan after chitin deacetylation, and attracts more interests due to smaller molecular weight and soluble property. Previously, COS, mainly absorbed through intestinal epithelia, has been reported to exhibit many bioactivities, especially its anti-tumor effect. Recent references pay little attention to molecular weight distribution which is crucial for understanding its biological behavior. Here, we studied reducing sugar content and degree of polymerization (DP) of COS. 86.73% reducing sugar exists in COS sample and the content of chitosan fractions with 2-6 is 85.8%. COS suppressed the growth of HCT116 cells in vitro and in vivo, and the inhibition rate of tumor weight in vivo was high up to 58.6%. Moreover, the morphology observation, flow cytometry analysis and mRNA expression were applied to study the apoptosis related mechanism. COS treatment promoted mitosis, late stage apoptosis and S cell cycle arrest in HCT116 cells, and enhanced the mRNA expression of BAK and reduce BCL-2 and BCL-x L . These findings may provide an important clue for clinical applications of COS as anti-tumor drug or pharmaceutic adjuvant in the future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Activity and Trends at a Pediatric Transplantation Center in Turkey During 1998-2008

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Volkan Hazar

2012-06-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to document hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT activity and trends at our treatment center. METHODS: Data collected over a 10-year period were retrospectively analyzed, concentrating primarily on types of HSCT, transplant-related mortality (TRM, stem cell sources, indications for HSCT, and causes of death following HSCT. RESULTS: In total, 222 allogeneic (allo-HSCT (87.4% and 32 autologous (auto-HSCT (12.6% procedures were performed between 1998 and 2008. Stem cells obtained from unrelated donors were used in 22.6% (50/222 of the allo- HSCTs. Cord blood was the source of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC in 12.2% of all transplants. The most common indication for allo-HSCT was hemoglobinopathy (43.2%, versus neuroblastoma (53.1% for auto-HSCT. The TRM rate 1 year post transplantation was 18.3% ± 2.5% for all transplants, but differed according to transplantation type (23.5% ± 7.9% for auto-HSCT and 17.5% ± 2.6% for allo-HSCT. The most common cause of death 1 year post HSCT was infection (35.9%. CONCLUSION: The TRM rate in the patients that underwent allo-HSCT was similar to that which has been previously reported; however, the TRM rate in the patients that underwent auto-HSCT was higher than previously reported in developed countries. The selection of these patients to be transplanted must be made attentively.

Genotype, Phenotype and Outcomes of Nine Patients with T-B+NK+ SCID

OpenAIRE

Yu, Grace P; Nadeau, Kari C; Berk, David R; de Saint Basile, Geneviève; Lambert, Nathalie; Knapnougel, Perrine; Roberts, Joseph; Kavanau, Kristina; Dunn, Elizabeth; Stiehm, E. Richard; Lewis, David B; Umetsu, Dale T; Puck, Jennifer M; Cowan, Morton J

2011-01-01

There are few reports of clinical presentation, genotype, and hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) outcomes for T-B+NK+ SCID patients. Between 1981 and 2007, 8 of 84 SCID patients who received and/or were followed after HCT at UCSF had the T-B+NK+ phenotype. One additional T-B+NK+ SCID patient was identified as the sibling of a patient treated at UCSF. Chart reviews were performed. Molecular analyses of IL7R, IL2RG, JAK3 and the genes encoding the CD3 T-cell receptor components δ (CD3D), ε (CD...

Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) PET imaging of meningioma and other intracranial tumors.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Derek R; Hunt, Christopher H; Nathan, Mark A; Parisi, Joseph E; Boeve, Bradley F; Murray, Melissa E; Knopman, David S; Jack, Clifford R; Petersen, Ronald C; Lowe, Val J; Johnson, Geoffrey B

2018-01-01

Meningiomas are the most common intracranial tumors. Diagnosis by MRI is generally straightforward, but lack of imaging specificity can present a diagnostic dilemma, particularly in patients with cancer. We report our experience with meningioma identification on Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) PET/CT. Patients who underwent PiB PET/CT from 2006 to 2015 were reviewed to identify those with intracranial tumors. Tumor types were classified by MR appearance, or by pathology when available. Maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) measurements of tumor PiB activity were compared across tumor types. 2472 patients underwent PiB PET/CT in the period of interest; 45 patients (1.8%) had probable or definite intracranial tumor. Tumor types were meningioma (29/45, 64%), vestibular schwannoma (7/45, 16%), pituitary macroadenoma (4/45, 9%), metastatic disease (2/45, 4%), and others (3/45, 7%). In patients with meningioma, the mean lesion SUVmax was 2.05 (SD 1.37), versus 1.00 (SD 0.42) in patients with non-meningioma tumors (p < 0.01). A receiver operating curve was created for lesion:cerebellum SUVmax ratio, with an area under the curve of 0.91 for a value of 1.68. At or above this ratio, specificity for meningioma was 100% (95% CI 79-100%) and sensitivity was 76% (95% CI 57-90%). PiB PET activity within an intracranial tumor is a highly specific and reasonably sensitive marker of meningioma. Further prospective evaluation is warranted to validate this result as well as to assess the performance of commercially available beta-amyloid radiotracers in meningioma identification.

Vulvovaginal Graft-Versus-Host Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Kornik, Rachel I; Rustagi, Alison S

2017-09-01

Vulvovaginal chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is an underrecognized complication of stem cell transplantation. Early recognition may prevent severe sequelae. Genital involvement is associated with oral, ocular, and skin manifestations. Treatment includes topical immunosuppression, dilator use, and adjuvant topical estrogen. Clinical and histologic features may mimic other inflammatory vulvar conditions. In the right clinical context, these findings are diagnostic of chronic GVHD. Female recipients of allo-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) are at higher risk of condylomas, cervical dysplasia, and neoplasia. The National Institutes of Health publishes guidelines for the diagnosis, grading, management, and supportive care for HCT patients by organ system. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A single exercise bout augments adenovirus-specific T-cell mobilization and function.

Science.gov (United States)

Kunz, Hawley E; Spielmann, Guillaume; Agha, Nadia H; O'Connor, Daniel P; Bollard, Catherine M; Simpson, Richard J

2018-04-30

Adoptive transfer of virus-specific T-cells (VSTs) effectively treats viral infections following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT), but logistical difficulties have limited widespread availability of VSTs as a post-transplant therapeutic. A single exercise bout mobilizes VSTs specific for latent herpesviruses (i.e. CMV and EBV) to peripheral blood and augments their ex vivo expansion. We investigated whether exercise exerts similar effects on T-cells specific for a NON-latent virus such as adenovirus, which is a major contributor to infection-related morbidity and mortality after alloHSCT. Thirty minutes of cycling exercise increased circulating adenovirus-specific T-cells 2.0-fold and augmented their ex vivo expansion by ~33% compared to rest without altering antigen and MHC-specific autologous target cell killing capabilities. We conclude that exercise is a simple and economical adjuvant to boost the isolation and manufacture of therapeutic VSTs specific to latent and non-latent viruses from healthy donors. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Incidence of venous thromboembolism in the setting of hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Hara, V J Daphne; Miller, Trent; Mehta, Rakesh; Swartzendruber, Evonne; Kiel, Patrick J

2014-01-01

The underlying risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is unclear in patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). As such, these patients should still be considered at risk for development of VTE due to factors such as their underlying malignancy and the marked inflammatory state that develops from treatment. The purpose of this study was to characterize the incidence of VTE in patients undergoing HCT. Retrospective chart review of patients from the Indiana University Stem Cell Transplant Unit treated between January 1, 2008, and May 24, 2011. Patients were older than 18 years and had undergone HCT. The primary objective was to analyze the incidence of VTE in patients undergoing autologous HCT versus allogeneic HCT. Secondary objectives included documentation of VTE treatment strategies and time to occurrence of VTE. Of the 567 patients who underwent autologous HCT, 14 developed VTE (2.5%), whereas 5 of the 180 patients who underwent allogeneic HCT developed VTE (2.8%; P = 1.000). The median time to development of VTE from admission for HCT was 12 days in the autologous HCT arm versus 19 days in the allogeneic HCT arm (P = 0.610). The most commonly used VTE treatment strategy was enoxaparin (12 out of 19 VTEs). This study illustrates that VTE does occur rarely in patients who have undergone HCT. The optimal treatment regimen in this population requires further evaluation. Until a reliable protocol for treatment and evidence for risk factors are established, providers should be vigilant for occurrence of VTE in these patients.

Oxidizable carbon and humic substances in rotation systems with brachiaria/livestock and pearl millet/no livestock in the Brazilian Cerrado

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A. Loss

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The crop-livestock integration system significantly increases the carbon content in chemical fractions of soil organic matter (SOM. This study aimed to evaluate chemical indicators of SOM attributes for sites under brachiaria/livestock and pearl millet/no livestock in Goias, Brazil. A third area covered with natural Cerrado vegetation (Cerradão served as reference. Soil was randomly sampled at 0-5, 5-10, 10-20 and 20-40 cm. Total organic carbon stocks (TOC, oxidizable carbon fractions (OCF (F1>F2>F3>F4, carbon content in the humin (C-HUM, humic acid (C-HAF and fulvic acid (C-FAF fractions were evaluated. F1/F4, F1+F2/F3+F4, C-HAF/C-FAF and (C-HAF+C-FAF/C-HUM indices were calculated, as well as stocks chemical SOM fractions. Brachiaria/livestock produced greater TOC stocks than pearl millet/no livestock (0-5, 5-10 and 10-20 cm. In terms of OCF, brachiaria/livestock generally exhibited higher levels in F1, F2, F4 and F1/F4 than pearl millet/no livestock. C-HUM (0-10 cm and C-HAF (0-20 cm stocks were larger in brachiaria/livestock than pearl millet/no livestock. Compared to the Cerradão, brachiaria/livestock locations displayed higher values for TOC (5-10 and 10-20 cm, C-HAF and C-HAF/C-FAF (5-10 cm stocks. TOC, C-HAF stock and OCF show that land management with brachiaria/livestock was more efficient in increasing SOM than pearl millet/no livestock. Moreover, when compared with pearl millet/no livestock, brachiaria/livestock provided a more balanced distribution of very labile (F1 and recalcitrant (F4 carbon throughout soil layers, greater SOM humification. Brachiaria/livestock leads to higher values of F1 and F4 in depth when compared to pearl millet/livestock and provides a more homogeneous distribution of C-FAF and C-HAF in depth compared to Cerradão.

Procaine Induces Epigenetic Changes in HCT116 Colon Cancer Cells

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Hussein Sabit

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Colon cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world, and it is the major cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. The present study aimed at treating colon cancer cell line (HCT116 with different chemotherapeutic drug/drug combinations (procaine, vorinostat “SAHA,” sodium phenylbutyrate, erlotinib, and carboplatin. Two different final concentrations were applied: 3 μM and 5 μM. Trypan blue test was performed to assess the viability of the cell before and after being treated with the drugs. The data obtained showed that there was a significant decrease in the viability of cells after applying the chemotherapeutic drugs/drug combinations. Also, DNA fragmentation assay was carried out to study the effect of these drugs on the activation of apoptosis-mediated DNA degradation process. The results indicated that all the drugs/drug combinations had a severe effect on inducing DNA fragmentation. Global DNA methylation quantification was performed to identify the role of these drugs individually or in combination in hypo- or hypermethylating the CpG dinucleotide all over the genome of the HCT116 colon cancer cell line. Data obtained indicated that different combinations had different effects in reducing or increasing the level of methylation, which might indicate the effectiveness of combining drugs in treating colon cancer cells.

Secreted Human Adipose Leptin Decreases Mitochondrial Respiration in HCT116 Colon Cancer Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Yehuda-Shnaidman, Einav; Nimri, Lili; Tarnovscki, Tanya; Kirshtein, Boris; Rudich, Assaf; Schwartz, Betty

2013-01-01

Obesity is a key risk factor for the development of colon cancer; however, the endocrine/paracrine/metabolic networks mediating this connection are poorly understood. Here we hypothesize that obesity results in secreted products from adipose tissue that induce malignancy-related metabolic alterations in colon cancer cells. Human HCT116 colon cancer cells, were exposed to conditioned media from cultured human adipose tissue fragments of obese vs. non-obese subjects. Oxygen consumption rate (OCR, mostly mitochondrial respiration) and extracellular acidification rate (ECAR, mostly lactate production via glycolysis) were examined vis-à-vis cell viability and expression of related genes and proteins. Our results show that conditioned media from obese (vs. non-obese) subjects decreased basal (40%, prespiration and function in HCT116 colon cancer cells, an effect that is at least partly mediated by leptin. These results highlight a putative novel mechanism for obesity-associated risk of gastrointestinal malignancies, and suggest potential new therapeutic avenues. PMID:24073224

Sex-specific differences in corticosterone secretion, behavioral phenotypes and expression of TrkB.T1 and TrkB.FL receptor isoforms: Impact of systemic TrkB inhibition and combinatory stress exposure in adolescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Azogu, Idu; Liang, Jacky; Plamondon, Helene

2018-05-09

Stress exposure has been implicated in the development of mood disorders, although little is known about the lasting effects of repeated stress during the adolescent period on sex-specific differences in endocrine and plasticity-signaling responses in adulthood. Using a 10-day combinatory stress paradigm (postnatal day (PND) 26 to 35), we examined sex-specific impact of adolescent stress and inhibition of tyrosine-related kinase B (TrkB) receptor (ANA-12; 0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) on 1) adolescent blood corticosterone levels, 2) adult locomotion and anxiety-like behavior, and 3) region-specific differences in endogenous TrkB full-length (TrkB.FL) and truncated (TrkB.T1) receptor isoforms. Blood collected on days 1, 5 and 10 revealed elevated basal and stress-induced CORT secretion in females compared to males, while ANA-12 attenuated CORT elevations post stress in both sexes. As adults, all females exhibited higher locomotor and exploratory activity than males in the open field test and elevated plus maze, and differences were comparable in the forced swim within stress-naïve and stress groups. Biochemically, vehicle-treated males showed elevated TrkB.T1 and TrkB.FL compared to vehicle-treated females in the PFC, hippocampus and NAc, and levels were consistently attenuated by ANA-12 treatment in non-stress males. With regards to stress exposure, expression of both isoforms was strongly down-regulated in the NAc of males only and was associated with increased TrkB.T1 in the PFC. ANA-12 enhanced expression in females, independent of stress exposure, compared to vehicle-treated counterparts, expression being increased for TrkB.T1 versus TrkB.FL and magnitude of the changes being region-specific. In contrast, ANA-12 effects in stressed males were restricted to inhibition of both isoforms in the hippocampus. Together, our findings support that TrkB activation, contingent on stress exposure, differentially affects TrkB isoform regulation during adulthood. Sex-specific

Study of Laser Welding of HCT600X Dual Phase Steels

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Švec Pavol

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The effects of beam power and welding speed on microstructure, microhardnes and tensile strength of HCT600X laser welded steel sheets were evaluated. The welding parameters influenced both the width and the microstructure of the fusion zone and heat affected zone. The welding process has no effect on tensile strength of joints which achieved the strength of base metal and all joints fractured in the base metal.

Reduced expression of α-L-Fucosidase-1 (FUCA-1) predicts recurrence and shorter cancer specific survival in luminal B LN+ breast cancer patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonin, Serena; Parascandolo, Alessia; Aversa, Cinzia; Barbazza, Renzo; Tsuchida, Nobuo; Castellone, Maria Domenica; Stanta, Giorgio; Vecchio, Giancarlo

2018-03-16

The lysosomal enzyme α-L-Fucosidase-1 (FUCA-1) catalyzes the hydrolytic cleavage of terminal fucose residues. FUCA-1 gene is down-regulated in highly aggressive and metastatic human tumors as its inactivation perturbs the fucosylation of proteins involved in cell adhesion, migration and metastases. Negativity to FUCA-1 was significantly related to the development of later recurrences in breast cancer patients with lymph node involvement at diagnosis. Cancer specific survival of luminal B LN+ patients was influenced by FUCA-1 expression as luminal B LN+ patients with positive expression had a longer cancer specific survival. FUCA-1 mRNA expression was inversely related to cancer stage and lymph node involvement. WB and qPCR analysis of FUCA-1 expression in breast cancer-derived cell lines confirmed an inverse relationship with tumor aggressiveness. This study shows that, within LN+ breast cancer patients, FUCA-1 is able to identify a sub-set of non recurrent patients characterized by the positive expression of FUCA-1 and that, within luminal B LN+ patients, the expression of FUCA-1 predicts longer cancer specific survival. We have analyzed FUCA-1 in 305 breast cancer patients by Immunohistochemistry (IHC), and by qPCR in breast cancer patients and in breast cancer cell lines.

Monovalent engagement of the BCR activates ovalbumin-specific transnuclear B cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Avalos, Ana M.; Bilate, Angelina M.; Witte, Martin D.; Tai, Albert K.; He, Jiang; Frushicheva, Maria P.; Thill, Peter D.; Meyer-Wentrup, Friederike; Theile, Christopher S.; Chakraborty, Arup K.; Zhuang, Xiaowei; Ploegh, Hidde L.

2014-01-01

Valency requirements for B cell activation upon antigen encounter are poorly understood. OB1 transnuclear B cells express an IgG1 B cell receptor (BCR) specific for ovalbumin (OVA), the epitope of which can be mimicked using short synthetic peptides to allow antigen-specific engagement of the BCR.

Financial Hardship and Patient-Reported Outcomes after Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Abel, Gregory A; Albelda, Randy; Khera, Nandita; Hahn, Theresa; Salas Coronado, Diana Y; Odejide, Oreofe O; Bona, Kira; Tucker-Seeley, Reginald; Soiffer, Robert

2016-08-01

Although hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is the only curative therapy for many advanced hematologic cancers, little is known about the financial hardship experienced by HCT patients nor the association of hardship with patient-reported outcomes. We mailed a 43-item survey to adult patients approximately 180 days after their first autologous or allogeneic HCT at 3 high-volume centers. We assessed decreases in household income; difficulty with HCT-related costs, such as need to relocate or travel; and 2 types of hardship: hardship_1 (reporting 1 or 2 of the following: dissatisfaction with present finances, difficulty meeting monthly bill payments, or not having enough money at the end of the month) and "hardship_2" (reporting all 3). Patient-reported stress was measured with the Perceived Stress Scale-4, and 7-point scales were provided for perceptions of overall quality of life (QOL) and health. In total, 325 of 499 surveys (65.1%) were received. The median days since HCT was 173; 47% underwent an allogeneic HCT, 60% were male, 51% were > 60 years old, and 92% were white. Overall, 46% reported income decline after HCT, 56% reported hardship_1, and 15% reported hardship_2. In multivariable models controlling for income, those reporting difficulty paying for HCT-related costs were more likely to report financial hardship (odds ratio, 6.9; 95% confidence interval, 3.8 to 12.3). Hardship_1 was associated with QOL below the median (odds ratio, 2.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.7 to 4.9), health status below the median (odds ratio, 2.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.3 to 3.6), and stress above the median (odds ratio, 2.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.3 to 3.5). In this sizable cohort of HCT patients, financial hardship was prevalent and associated with worse QOL and higher levels of perceived stress. Interventions to address patient financial hardship-especially those that ameliorate HCT-specific costs-are likely to improve patient-reported outcomes. Copyright © 2016

Financial Hardship and Patient-Reported Outcomes after Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

Science.gov (United States)

Abel, Gregory A.; Albelda, Randy; Khera, Nandita; Hahn, Theresa; Salas Coronado, Diana Y.; Odejide, Oreofe O.; Bona, Kira; Tucker-Seeley, Reginald; Soiffer, Robert

2016-01-01

Although hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is the only curative therapy for many advanced hematologic cancers, little is known about the financial hardship experienced by HCT patients, nor the association of hardship with patient-reported outcomes. We mailed a 43-item survey to adult patients approximately 180 days post first autologous or allogeneic HCT at three high-volume centers. We assessed decreases in household income, difficulty with HCT-related costs such as need to relocate or travel, and two types of hardship: “hardship_1” (reporting one or two of the following: dissatisfaction with present finances, difficulty meeting monthly bill payments, or not having enough money at the end of the month), and “hardship_2” (reporting all three). Patient-reported stress was measured with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-4), and seven-point scales were provided for perceptions of overall quality of life (QOL) and health. 325 of 499 surveys (65.1%) were received. The median days since HCT was 173; 47% underwent an allogeneic HCT, 60% were male, 51% were > 60 years old, and 92% were white. Overall, 46% reported income decline post-HCT, 56% reported “hardship_1” and 15% “hardship 2.” In multivariable models controlling for income, those reporting difficulty paying for HCT-related costs were more likely to report financial hardship (OR 6.9 [3.8, 12.3]). “Hardship_1” was associated with QOL below the median (OR 2.9 [1.7, 4.9]), health status below the median (OR 2.2 [1.3, 3.6]), and stress above the median (OR 2.1 [1.3, 3.5]). In this sizable cohort of HCT patients, financial hardship was prevalent, and associated with worse QOL and higher levels of perceived stress. Interventions to address patient financial hardship—especially those that ameliorate HCT-specific costs—are likely to improve patient-reported outcomes. PMID:27184627

Specific B-cell Epitope of Per a 1: A Major Allergen of American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana) and Anatomical Localization.

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Sookrung, Nitat; Khetsuphan, Thanyathon; Chaisri, Urai; Indrawattana, Nitaya; Reamtong, Onrapak; Chaicumpa, Wanpen; Tungtrongchitr, Anchalee

2014-07-01

Cockroach (CR) is a common source of indoor allergens, and Per a 1 is a major American CR (Periplaneta americana) allergen; however, several attributes of this protein remain unknown. This study identifies a novel specific B cell epitope and anatomical locations of Per a 1.0105. Recombinant Per a 1.0105 (rPer a 1.0105) was used as BALB/c mouse immunogen for the production of monoclonal antibodies (MAb). The MAb specific B cell epitope was identified by determining phage mimotopic peptides and pair-wise alignment of the peptides with the rPer a 1.0105 amino acid sequence. Locations of the Per a 1.0105 in P. americana were investigated by immunohistochemical staining. The rPer a 1.0105 (~13 kDa) had 100%, 98% and ≥90% identity to Per a 1.0105, Per a 1.0101, and Cr-PII, respectively. The B-cell epitope of the Per a 1.0105 specific-MAb was located at residues(99) QDLLLQLRDKGV(110) contained in all 5 Per a 1.01 isoforms and Per a 1.02. The epitope was analogous to the Bla g 1.02 epitope; however, this B-cell epitope was not an IgE inducer. Per a 1.0105 was found in the midgut and intestinal content of American CR but not in the other organs. The amount of the Per a 1 was ~544 ℃g per gram of feces. The novel Per a 1 B-cell epitope described in this study is a useful target for allergen quantification in samples; however, the specific MAb can be used as an allergen detection reagent. The MAb based-affinity resin can be made for allergen purification, and the so-purified protein can serve as a standard and diagnostic allergen as well as a therapeutic vaccine component. The finding that the Per a 1 is contained in the midgut and feces is useful to increase yield and purity when preparing this allergen.

Immunogenicity, reactogenicity, and safety of a P1.7b,4 strain-specific serogroup B meningococcal vaccine given to preteens.

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Hosking, Jamie; Rasanathan, Kumanan; Mow, Florina Chan; Jackson, Catherine; Martin, Diana; O'Hallahan, Jane; Oster, Philipp; Ypma, Ellen; Reid, Stewart; Aaberge, Ingeborg; Crengle, Sue; Stewart, Joanna; Lennon, Diana

2007-11-01

New Zealand (NZ) has experienced a Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B epidemic since 1991. MeNZB, a strain-specific outer membrane vesicle vaccine made using an NZ epidemic strain isolate, NZ98/254 (B:4:P1.7b,4), from two manufacturing sites, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) and Chiron Vaccines (CV; now Novartis), was evaluated for safety, immunogenicity, and reactogenicity in this observer-blind trial with 8- to 12-year-old children. In year 1, cohort A (n = 302) was randomized 4:1 for receipt of NIPH-MeNZB or MenBvac (Norwegian parent vaccine strain 44/76; B:15:P1.7,16). In year 2, cohort B (n = 313) was randomized 4:1 for receipt of CV-MeNZB or NIPH-MeNZB. Participants all received three vaccinations 6 weeks apart. Local and systemic reactions were monitored for 7 days. Seroresponse was defined as a fourfold or greater rise in the serum bactericidal antibody titer from the baseline titer as measured by a serum bactericidal assay. Those with baseline titers of /=1:8 to serorespond. Intention-to-treat (ITT) and per protocol (PP) analyses are presented. In cohort A, 74% (ITT) and 73% (PP) of NIPH-MeNZB recipients demonstrated seroresponses against NZ98/254 after three doses, versus 32% (ITT and PP) of MenBvac recipients. In cohort B, seroresponses against NZ98/254 after three doses occurred in 79% (ITT and PP) of CV-MeNZB versus 75% (ITT) and 76% (PP) of NIPH-MeNZB recipients. Vaccines were tolerable, with no vaccine-related serious adverse events. In conclusion, the NZ strain meningococcal B vaccine (MeNZB) from either manufacturing site was immunogenic against New Zealand epidemic vaccine strain meningococci with no safety concerns when given in three doses to these 8- to 12-year-old children.

Changes in B Cell Populations and Merozoite Surface Protein-1-Specific Memory B Cell Responses after Prolonged Absence of Detectable P. falciparum Infection.

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Cyrus Ayieko

Full Text Available Clinical immunity to malaria declines in the absence of repeated parasite exposure. However, little is known about how B cell populations and antigen-specific memory B cells change in the absence of P. falciparum infection. A successful indoor residual insecticide spraying campaign in a highland area of western Kenya, led to an absence of blood-stage P. falciparum infection between March 2007 and April 2008. We assessed memory B cell responses in 45 adults at the beginning (April 2008 and end (April 2009 of a subsequent 12-month period during which none of the adults had evidence of asymptomatic parasitemia or clinical disease. Antibodies and memory B cells to the 42-kDa portion of the merozoite surface protein-1 (MSP-142 were measured using ELISA and ELISPOT assays, respectively. B cell populations were characterized by flow cytometry. From 2008 to 2009, the prevalence of MSP-142-specific memory B cells (45% vs. 55%, respectively, P = 0.32 or antibodies (91% vs. 82%, respectively, P = 0.32 did not differ significantly, although specific individuals did change from positive to negative and vice versa, particularly for memory B cells, suggesting possible low-level undetected parasitemia may have occurred in some individuals. The magnitude of MSP-142-specific memory B cells and levels of antibodies to MSP-142 also did not differ from 2008 to 2009 (P>0.10 for both. However, from 2008 to 2009 the proportions of both class-switched atypical (CD19+IgD-CD27-CD21-IgM- and class-switched activated (CD19+IgD-CD27+CD21-IgM- memory B cells decreased (both P<0.001. In contrast, class-switched resting classical memory B cells (CD19+IgD-CD27+CD21+IgM- increased (P<0.001. In this area of seasonal malaria transmission, a one- year absence of detectable P. falciparum infection was not associated with changes in the prevalence or level of MSP-142 specific memory B cells, but was associated with major changes in overall memory B cell subsets.

Le Comunità Tradizionali e la Politica Recente Dell'incentivo Allo Sviluppo

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Anne Greice Soares Ribeiro Macedo

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In questo studio si contestualizza la recente politica brasiliana di incentivo allo sviluppo, istituita con il PAC I e il sucessivo PAC II, per una miglior comprensione della questione ambientale e dellacutizzarsi dei conflitti determinati dalla configurazione del capitalismo globale, che, privo di regole, indebolisce i diritti naturali. In quanto nazione periferica, il Brasile, non senza difficoltà, si inserisce in questo nuovo momento del capitalismo, e proprio da questo suo inserimento emergono le contraddizioni tipiche di un progetto politico che, nel nome del progresso economico, di recente concretizzato in grandi imprese per il commercio di commodities, causa grandi conflitti tra interessi economici e il diritto originario dei popoli indigeni o delle popolazioni tradizionali.

Antiproliferative Effects of Tetrabuthylammonium Chloride Ionic Liquid on HCT 8 Human Colon Carcinoma Cells

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Gabi Dumitrescu

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The ionic liquids have attracted a great of attention in the scientific community due to their potential pharmaceutical such as antimicrobial. In this paper, the main objective was the assessment of the cytotoxic effect of tetrabutylammonium chloride against HCT 8 human colon carcinoma cell line. The cells were cultured in 75 cm2 culture flasks  using RPMI medium supplemented with 10% inactivated fetal bovine serum (FBS, penicillin (100 IU/mL and streptomycin (100 μg/mL and maintained at 37 °C and 5% CO2. Before achieving viability test, the cells were harvested using trypsin solution (0.25%. Then, the cells were seeded in 24 – well plates at a density of 5 x 105 cells/mL in 100 µL medium/well in order to reach confluence. After 24 h, the medium was replaced with fresh medium containing different concentrations of ionic liquid, respectively, 0.085, 0.17, 0.34, 0.68 and 1.36 mg /mL. Control group contained cells without treatment. Cell proliferation kinetics have been studied at 24 and 48 h after IL treatment, following trypsinization and counting total cells per plate by using a Trypan blue dye and a hemocytometer. Data obtained from the growth kinetics assay shows that the tetrabutylammonium chloride (TBAC had an inhibitory effect on the growth of cells in a concentration dependent manner. The maximum inhibitory effect on HCT 8 cells it was obtained at 1.36 mg TBAC/mL.

H2S-induced S-sulfhydration of lactate dehydrogenase a (LDHA) stimulates cellular bioenergetics in HCT116 colon cancer cells.

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Untereiner, Ashley A; Oláh, Gabor; Módis, Katalin; Hellmich, Mark R; Szabo, Csaba

2017-07-15

Cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS) is upregulated and hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) production is increased in colon cancer cells. The functional consequence of this response is stimulation of cellular bioenergetics and tumor growth and proliferation. Lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) is also upregulated in various colon cancer cells and has been previously implicated in tumor cell bioenergetics and proliferation. In the present study, we sought to determine the potential interaction between the H 2 S pathway and LDH activity in the control of bioenergetics and proliferation of colon cancer, using the colon cancer line HCT116. Low concentrations of GYY4137 (a slow-releasing H 2 S donor) enhanced mitochondrial function (oxygen consumption, ATP production, and spare respiratory capacity) and glycolysis in HCT116 cells. SiRNA-mediated transient silencing of LDHA attenuated the GYY4137-induced stimulation of mitochondrial respiration, but not of glycolysis. H 2 S induced the S-sulfhydration of Cys163 in recombinant LDHA, and stimulated LDHA activity. The H 2 S-induced stimulation of LDHA activity was absent in C163A LDHA. As shown in HCT116 cell whole extracts, in addition to LDHA activation, GYY4137 also stimulated LDHB activity, although to a smaller extent. Total cellular lactate and pyruvate measurements showed that in HCT116 cells LDHA catalyzes the conversion of pyruvate to lactate. Total cellular lactate levels were increased by GYY4137 in wild-type cells (but not in cells with LDHA silencing). LDHA silencing sensitized HCT116 cells to glucose oxidase (GOx)-induced oxidative stress; this was further exacerbated with GYY4137 treatment. Treatment with low concentrations of GYY4137 (0.3mM) or GOx (0.01U/ml) significantly increased the proliferation rate of HCT116 cells; the effect of GOx, but not the effect of GYY4137 was attenuated by LDHA silencing. The current report points to the involvement of LDHA in the stimulatory effect of H 2 S on mitochondrial respiration in colon

14 CFR Appendix B to Part 135 - Airplane Flight Recorder Specifications

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2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Airplane Flight Recorder Specifications B Appendix B to Part 135 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.... B Appendix B to Part 135—Airplane Flight Recorder Specifications Parameters Range Installed system 1...

Acquisition of 5-fluorouracil resistance induces epithelial-mesenchymal transitions through the Hedgehog signaling pathway in HCT-8 colon cancer cells.

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Liu, Yanjun; DU, Fangfang; Zhao, Qiannan; Jin, Jian; Ma, Xin; Li, Huazhong

2015-06-01

Colon cancer has a high incidence in individuals >60-years-old. The commonly used chemotherapeutic agent, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), has gradually lost its potency in treating colorectal cancer following the acquisition of resistance. Drug resistance is usually associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transitions (EMTs) in cancer cells. In the present study, the EMT phenotypes of two colon cancer cell lines, wild-type (HCT-8/WT) and 5-FU-resistant (HCT-8/5-FU), were characterized following the analysis of cellular migration, proliferation, morphology and molecular changes. In order to further clarify the mechanism of EMT in HCT-8/5-FU cells, the effect of EMT pathway inhibitors upon drug sensitivity was investigated. The results revealed that the Hedgehog signaling pathway inhibitor, GDC0449, reversed drug resistance. Therefore, inhibition of the Hedgehog pathway may provide a novel chemotherapeutic strategy for the treatment of patients with 5-FU-resistant colon cancer.

Subject-specific increases in serum S-100B distinguish sports-related concussion from sports-related exertion.

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Kiechle, Karin; Bazarian, Jeffrey J; Merchant-Borna, Kian; Stoecklein, Veit; Rozen, Eric; Blyth, Brian; Huang, Jason H; Dayawansa, Samantha; Kanz, Karl; Biberthaler, Peter

2014-01-01

The on-field diagnosis of sports-related concussion (SRC) is complicated by the lack of an accurate and objective marker of brain injury. To compare subject-specific changes in the astroglial protein, S100B, before and after SRC among collegiate and semi-professional contact sport athletes, and compare these changes to differences in S100B before and after non-contact exertion. Longitudinal cohort study. From 2009-2011, we performed a prospective study of athletes from Munich, Germany, and Rochester, New York, USA. Serum S100B was measured in all SRC athletes at pre-season baseline, within 3 hours of injury, and at days 2, 3 and 7 post-SRC. Among a subset of athletes, S100B was measured after non-contact exertion but before injury. All samples were collected identically and analyzed using an automated electrochemiluminescent assay to quantify serum S100B levels. Forty-six athletes (30 Munich, 16 Rochester) underwent baseline testing. Thirty underwent additional post-exertion S100B testing. Twenty-two athletes (16 Rochester, 6 Munich) sustained a SRC, and 17 had S100B testing within 3 hours post-injury. The mean 3-hour post-SRC S100B was significantly higher than pre-season baseline (0.099±0.008 µg/L vs. 0.058±0.006 µg/L, p = 0.0002). Mean post-exertion S100B was not significantly different than the preseason baseline. S100B levels at post-injury days 2, 3 and 7 were significantly lower than the 3-hour level, and not different than baseline. Both the absolute change and proportional increase in S100B 3-hour post-injury were accurate discriminators of SRC from non-contact exertion without SRC (AUC 0.772 and 0.904, respectively). A 3-hour post-concussion S100B >0.122 µg/L and a proportional S100B increase of >45.9% over baseline were both 96.7% specific for SRC. Relative and absolute increases in serum S100B can accurately distinguish SRC from sports-related exertion, and may be a useful adjunct to the diagnosis of SRC.

Subject-specific increases in serum S-100B distinguish sports-related concussion from sports-related exertion.

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Karin Kiechle

Full Text Available The on-field diagnosis of sports-related concussion (SRC is complicated by the lack of an accurate and objective marker of brain injury.To compare subject-specific changes in the astroglial protein, S100B, before and after SRC among collegiate and semi-professional contact sport athletes, and compare these changes to differences in S100B before and after non-contact exertion.Longitudinal cohort study.From 2009-2011, we performed a prospective study of athletes from Munich, Germany, and Rochester, New York, USA. Serum S100B was measured in all SRC athletes at pre-season baseline, within 3 hours of injury, and at days 2, 3 and 7 post-SRC. Among a subset of athletes, S100B was measured after non-contact exertion but before injury. All samples were collected identically and analyzed using an automated electrochemiluminescent assay to quantify serum S100B levels.Forty-six athletes (30 Munich, 16 Rochester underwent baseline testing. Thirty underwent additional post-exertion S100B testing. Twenty-two athletes (16 Rochester, 6 Munich sustained a SRC, and 17 had S100B testing within 3 hours post-injury. The mean 3-hour post-SRC S100B was significantly higher than pre-season baseline (0.099±0.008 µg/L vs. 0.058±0.006 µg/L, p = 0.0002. Mean post-exertion S100B was not significantly different than the preseason baseline. S100B levels at post-injury days 2, 3 and 7 were significantly lower than the 3-hour level, and not different than baseline. Both the absolute change and proportional increase in S100B 3-hour post-injury were accurate discriminators of SRC from non-contact exertion without SRC (AUC 0.772 and 0.904, respectively. A 3-hour post-concussion S100B >0.122 µg/L and a proportional S100B increase of >45.9% over baseline were both 96.7% specific for SRC.Relative and absolute increases in serum S100B can accurately distinguish SRC from sports-related exertion, and may be a useful adjunct to the diagnosis of SRC.

Dual modality CT/PET imaging in lung cancer staging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diaz, Gabriel A.

2005-01-01

Purpose: To compare the diagnostic capability of PET-HCT image fusion and helical computed tomography (HCT) for nodal and distant metastases detection in patients with lung cancer. Material and methods: Between February, 2003 and March, 2004 sixty-six consecutive lung cancer patients (45 men and 21 women, mean ages: 63 years old, range: 38 to 96 years old) who underwent HCT and PET-HCT fusion imaging were evaluated retrospectively. All patients had histological confirmation of lung cancer and a definitive diagnosis established on the basis of pathology results and/or clinical follow-up. Results: For global nodal staging (hilar and mediastinal) HCT showed a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 72%, 47%, 62% and 58% respectively, versus 94%, 77%, 83% and 92% corresponding to PET-HCT examination. For assessment of advanced nodal stage (N3) PET-HCT showed values of 92%, 100%, 100% and 98% respectively. For detection of distant metastasis, HCT alone had values of 67%, 93%, 84% and 83% respectively versus 100%, 98%, 96% and 100% for the PET-HCT fusion imaging. In 20 (30%) patients under-staged or over-staged on the basis of HCT results, PET-HCT allowed accurate staging. Conclusions: PET-HCT fusion imaging was more effective than HCT alone for nodal and distant metastasis detection and oncology staging. (author)

Effect of hydroxyapatite particle size, morphology and crystallinity on proliferation of colon cancer HCT116 cells

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Dey, Sangeeta; Das, Mitun, E-mail: mitun@cgcri.res.in; Balla, Vamsi Krishna

2014-06-01

The aim of the present work is to chemically and physically characterize the synthesized Hydroxyapatite (HAp) micro and nanoparticles and to explore the inhibitory effect of nano-HAps on the in vitro growth of human colon cancerous cells HCT116. HAp powder was synthesized using three different routes to achieve micro and nanosized powders, with different morphologies and crystallinity. The synthesized powders were characterized using X-ray diffraction, FTIR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope. The results showed that the average crystallite size of HAp powder varies from 11 nm to 177 nm and respective crystallinity of powder found to be in the range of 0.12 and 0.92. The effect of these physico-chemical properties of HAp powders on human colon cancer HCT116 cells inhibition was determined in vitro. It was found that decreasing the HAp powder crystallite size between 11 nm and 22 nm significantly increases the HCT116 cell inhibition. Our results demonstrate that apart from HAp powder size their crystallinity and morphology also play an important role in cellular inhibition of human colon cancer cells. - Highlights: • Chemically synthesized hydroxyapatite micro and nano-particles with different morphologies and crystallinity. • In vitro cell–material interaction showed that hydroxyapatite nano-particles inhibit colon cancer cells. • Human colon cancer cell inhibition also depends on crystallinity and morphology of HAp powder.

Adipocyte-specific protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B deletion increases lipogenesis, adipocyte cell size and is a minor regulator of glucose homeostasis.

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Carl Owen

Full Text Available Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B, a key negative regulator of leptin and insulin signaling, is positively correlated with adiposity and contributes to insulin resistance. Global PTP1B deletion improves diet-induced obesity and glucose homeostasis via enhanced leptin signaling in the brain and increased insulin signaling in liver and muscle. However, the role of PTP1B in adipocytes is unclear, with studies demonstrating beneficial, detrimental or no effect(s of adipose-PTP1B-deficiency on body mass and insulin resistance. To definitively establish the role of adipocyte-PTP1B in body mass regulation and glucose homeostasis, adipocyte-specific-PTP1B knockout mice (adip-crePTP1B(-/- were generated using the adiponectin-promoter to drive Cre-recombinase expression. Chow-fed adip-crePTP1B(-/- mice display enlarged adipocytes, despite having similar body weight/adiposity and glucose homeostasis compared to controls. High-fat diet (HFD-fed adip-crePTP1B(-/- mice display no differences in body weight/adiposity but exhibit larger adipocytes, increased circulating glucose and leptin levels, reduced leptin sensitivity and increased basal lipogenesis compared to controls. This is associated with decreased insulin receptor (IR and Akt/PKB phosphorylation, increased lipogenic gene expression and increased hypoxia-induced factor-1-alpha (Hif-1α expression. Adipocyte-specific PTP1B deletion does not beneficially manipulate signaling pathways regulating glucose homeostasis, lipid metabolism or adipokine secretion in adipocytes. Moreover, PTP1B does not appear to be the major negative regulator of the IR in adipocytes.

Parvovirus B19 in the Context of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Evaluating Cell Donors and Recipients

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Gama, Bianca E.; Emmel, Vanessa E.; Oliveira-Silva, Michelle; Gutiyama, Luciana M.; Arcuri, Leonardo; Colares, Marta; de Cássia Tavares, Rita; Bouzas, Luis F.; Abdelhay, Eliana; Hassan, Rocio

2017-01-01

Background Parvovirus B19 (B19V) is a common human pathogen, member of the family Parvoviridae. Typically, B19V has been found to infect erythroid progenitors and cause hematological disorders, such as anemia and aplastic crisis. However, the persistence of genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) has been demonstrated in tonsils, liver, skin, brain, synovial, and testicular tissues as well as bone marrow, for both symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects. Although the molecular and cellular mechanisms of persistence remain undefined, it raises questions about potential virus transmissibility and its effects in the context of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) recipients. Methods With this aim, we retrospectively screened allogeneic stem cell donors from 173 patients admitted for allo-HSCT from January 2008 to May 2013 using a seminested polymerase chain reaction approach. Results We found 8 positive donor samples, yielding a 4.6% of parvovirus prevalence (95% confidence interval, 2.36-8.85). Pre- and post-HSCT samples (n = 51) from the 8 recipients of the positive donors were also investigated, and 1 case exhibited B19V DNA in the post-HSCT follow-up (D + 60). Direct DNA sequencing was performed to determine the genotype of isolates and classification, performed by phylogenetic reconstruction, showed a predominance of genotype 1a, whereas the rare genotype 3b was detected in 2 additional patients. By molecular cloning, different B19V 1a substrains polymorphisms were evidenced in the single case in which donor and its recipient were B19V+. Conclusions Our results suggest that HSCT allografts are not a main source for B19V transmission, pointing to potential events of reinfection or endogenous viral reactivation. PMID:29184906

Parvovirus B19 in the Context of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Evaluating Cell Donors and Recipients.

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Gama, Bianca E; Emmel, Vanessa E; Oliveira-Silva, Michelle; Gutiyama, Luciana M; Arcuri, Leonardo; Colares, Marta; de Cássia Tavares, Rita; Bouzas, Luis F; Abdelhay, Eliana; Hassan, Rocio

2017-11-01

Parvovirus B19 (B19V) is a common human pathogen, member of the family Parvoviridae. Typically, B19V has been found to infect erythroid progenitors and cause hematological disorders, such as anemia and aplastic crisis. However, the persistence of genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) has been demonstrated in tonsils, liver, skin, brain, synovial, and testicular tissues as well as bone marrow, for both symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects. Although the molecular and cellular mechanisms of persistence remain undefined, it raises questions about potential virus transmissibility and its effects in the context of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) recipients. With this aim, we retrospectively screened allogeneic stem cell donors from 173 patients admitted for allo-HSCT from January 2008 to May 2013 using a seminested polymerase chain reaction approach. We found 8 positive donor samples, yielding a 4.6% of parvovirus prevalence (95% confidence interval, 2.36-8.85). Pre- and post-HSCT samples (n = 51) from the 8 recipients of the positive donors were also investigated, and 1 case exhibited B19V DNA in the post-HSCT follow-up (D + 60). Direct DNA sequencing was performed to determine the genotype of isolates and classification, performed by phylogenetic reconstruction, showed a predominance of genotype 1a, whereas the rare genotype 3b was detected in 2 additional patients. By molecular cloning, different B19V 1a substrains polymorphisms were evidenced in the single case in which donor and its recipient were B19V+. Our results suggest that HSCT allografts are not a main source for B19V transmission, pointing to potential events of reinfection or endogenous viral reactivation.

Dangers resulting from DNA profiling of biological materials derived from patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT with regard to forensic genetic analysis

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Renata Jacewicz

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The study documents the risk that comes with DNA analysis of materials derived from patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT in forensic genetics. DNA chimerism was studied in 30 patients after allo-HSCT, based on techniques applied in contemporary forensic genetics, i.e. real-time PCR and multiplex PCR-STR with the use of autosomal DNA as well as Y-DNA markers. The results revealed that the DNA profile of the recipient’s blood was identical with the donor’s in the majority of cases. Therefore, blood analysis can lead to false conclusions in personal identification as well as kinship analysis. An investigation of buccal swabs revealed a mixture of DNA in the majority of recipients. Consequently, personal identification on the basis of stain analysis of the same origin may be impossible. The safest (but not ideal material turned out to be the hair root. Its analysis based on autosomal DNA revealed 100% of the recipient’s profile. However, an analysis based on Y-chromosome markers performed in female allo-HSCT recipients with male donors demonstrated the presence of donor DNA in hair cells – similarly to the blood and buccal swabs. In the light of potential risks arising from DNA profiling of biological materials derived from persons after allotransplantation in judicial aspects, certain procedures were proposed to eliminate such dangers. The basic procedures include abandoning the approach based exclusively on blood collection, both for kinship analysis and personal identification; asking persons who are to be tested about their history of allo-HSCT before sample collection and profile entry in the DNA database, and verification of DNA profiling based on hair follicles in uncertain cases.

Universal cytotoxic activity of a HTLV-1 Tax-specific T cell clone from an HLA-A*24:02⁺ patient with adult T-cell leukemia against a variety of HTLV-I-infected T-cells.

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Tanaka, Yukie; Yamazaki, Rie; Terasako-Saito, Kiriko; Nakasone, Hideki; Akahoshi, Yu; Nakano, Hirofumi; Ugai, Tomotaka; Wada, Hidenori; Yamasaki, Ryoko; Ishihara, Yuko; Kawamura, Koji; Sakamoto, Kana; Ashizawa, Masahiro; Sato, Miki; Kimura, Shun-ichi; Kikuchi, Misato; Kako, Shinichi; Kanda, Junya; Tanihara, Aki; Nishida, Junji; Kanda, Yoshinobu

2014-01-01

Adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) is an aggressive mature T cell malignancy that is causally associated with human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection. The HTLV-1 regulatory protein Tax aggressively accelerates the proliferation of host cells and is also an important target antigen for CD8(+) cytotoxic T cells (CTLs). We previously reported that several predominant HLA-A*24:02-restricted HTLV-1 Tax301-309-specific CTL clones commonly expressed a particular amino acid sequence motif (P-D-R) in complementarity-determining region 3 of T-cell receptor (TCR)-β chain among unrelated ATL patients who underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Furthermore, a PDR-motif(+) CTL clone persistently existed in a long-term survivor as a central CTL clone with strong CTL activities after HSCT. Although a larger analysis of the relationship between PDR-motif(+) CTLs and the clinical course is required, the expression of PDR-motif(+) TCR on CD8(+) T cells may play a critical role in the management of anti-HTLV-1 activities for HLA-A24:02(+) ATL patients. Therefore, in this study, we prepared an HTLV-1 Tax301-309 peptide-specific CTL clone (HT-9) expressing PDR-motif(+) TCR isolated from a long-term survivor after HSCT, and evaluated its CTL activity against a variety of HTLV-1-infected T-cells from HLA-A*24:02(+) ATL patients. Before the assay of CTL function, we confirmed that HT-9 expressed less-differentiated effector-memory phenotypes (CD45RA(-)CCR7(-)CD27(+)CD28(+/-)CD57(+/-)) and T-cell exhaustion marker PD-1(+). In assays of CTL function, HT-9 recognized HTLV-1 Tax in an HLA-restricted fashion and demonstrated strong CTL activities against a variety of HTLV-1-infected T-cells from HLA-A*24:02(+) ATL patients regardless of whether the sources were autologous or allogeneic, but not normal cells. These data indicate that PDR-motif(+) TCR could be an important TCR candidate for TCR-gene immunotherapy for HLA-A24:02(+) ATL patients, provided

Isolation and Characterization of Plantaricin Produced by Lactobacillus plantarum Strains (IIA-1A5, IIA-1B1, IIA-2B2

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I. I. Arief

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Bacteriocins produced by Indonesian lactic acid bacteria Lactobacillus plantarum IIA-1A5, IIA-1B1, IIA-2B2 were purified and characterized. Plantaricin W gene had been successfully amplified from all strains. This amplicon showed the expected 200 bp size of plantaricin W gene. This bacteriocins purified from L. plantarum IIA-1A5, IIA-1B1, and IIA-2B2 were named plantaricin IIA-1A5, IIA-1B1, and IIA-2B2. Purification by cation exchange chromatography increased the purity (fold and activity of plantaricins. Purity of plantaricin IIA-1A5 was increased by 3.13 fold with specific activity 13.40 AU/mg. Plantaricin IIA-1B1 had 2.98 fold purity with specific activity 5.12 AU/mg, while purity of plantaricin IIA-2B2 was 1.37 fold with specific activity 7.70 AU/mg. All plantaricins could inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Bacillus cereus, and Staphylococcus aureus. Plantaricins could be digested by trypsin. Stability of plantaricins at 80 oC for 30 min and at 121 oC for 15 min were affected by type of plantaricin and species of pathogenic bacteria. Generally, plantaricin IIA-1A5 was better as antimicrobial agent than plantaricin IIA-1B1 and plantaricin IIA-2B2.

Preoperative differentiation between T1a and ≥T1b gallbladder cancer: combined interpretation of high-resolution ultrasound and multidetector-row computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joo, Ijin; Baek, Jee Hyun; Kim, Jung Hoon; Han, Joon Koo; Choi, Byung Ihn; Lee, Jae Young; Park, Hee Sun

2014-01-01

To determine the diagnostic value of combined interpretation of high-resolution ultrasound (HRUS) and multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) for preoperative differentiation between T1a and ≥T1b gallbladder (GB) cancer. Eighty-seven patients with pathologically confirmed GB cancers (T1a, n = 15; ≥T1b, n = 72), who preoperatively underwent both HRUS and MDCT, were included in this retrospective study. Two reviewers independently determined the T-stages of the GB cancers on HRUS and MDCT using a five-point confidence scale (5, definitely T1a; 1, definitely ≥T1b). For individual modality interpretation, the lesions with scores ≥4 were classified as T1a, and, for combined modality interpretation, the lesions with all scores ≥4 in both modalities were classified as T1a. The McNemar test was used to compare diagnostic performance. The diagnostic accuracy of differentiation between T1a and ≥T1b GB cancer was higher using combined interpretation (90.8 % and 88.5 % for reviewers 1 and 2, respectively) than individual interpretation of HRUS (82.8 % and 83.9 %) or MDCT (74.7 % and 82.8 %) (P < 0.05, reviewer 1). Combined interpretations demonstrated 100 % specificity for both reviewers, which was significantly higher than individual interpretations (P < 0.05, both reviewers). Combined HRUS and MDCT interpretation may improve the diagnostic accuracy and specificity for differentiating between T1a and ≥T1b GB cancers. circle Differentiating between T1a and ≥T1b gallbladder cancer can help surgical planning. (orig.)

Synergistic inhibition of the APC/C by the removal of APC15 in HCT116 cells lacking UBE2C.

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Garvanska, Dimitriya H; Larsen, Marie Sofie Yoo; Nilsson, Jakob

2016-10-15

The spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) inhibits the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) in response to unattached kinetochores by generating a diffusible inhibitor termed the mitotic checkpoint complex (MCC). At metaphase, rapid activation of the APC/C requires removal of the MCC, a process that has been shown to depend on the APC/C E2 enzymes, UBE2C and UBE2S. Here we investigate the in vivo role of the APC/C E2 enzymes in SAC silencing using CRISPR/Cas9 genetically engineered HCT116 UBE2C or UBE2S null cell lines. Using live cell assays, we show that UBE2C and UBE2S make a minor contribution to SAC silencing in HCT116 cells. Strikingly, in cells specifically lacking UBE2C, we observe a strong synergistic inhibition of mitotic progression when we stabilize the MCC on the APC/C by depleting APC15, potentially reflecting increased competition between the MCC and the remaining initiating E2 enzyme UBE2D. In conclusion, we provide in vivo insight into the APC/C E2 module and its interplay with SAC silencing components. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Synthesis and Cytotoxic Evaluation of 1H-1,2,3-Triazol-1-ylmethyl-2,3-dihydronaphtho[1,2-b]furan-4,5-diones

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INGRID C. CHIPOLINE

2018-02-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The 1,2-naphthoquinone compound was previously considered active against solid tumors. Moreover, glycosidase inhibitors such as 1,2,3-1H triazoles has been pointed out as efficient compounds in anticancer activity studies. Thus, a series of eleven 1,2-naphthoquinones tethered in C2 to 1,2,3-1H-triazoles 9a-k were designed, synthesized and their cytotoxic activity evaluated using HCT-116 (colon adenocarcinoma, MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma and RPE (human nontumor cell line from retinal epithelium. The chemical synthesis was performed from C-3 allylation of lawsone followed by iodocyclization with subsequent nucleophilic displacement with sodium azide and, finally, the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition catalyzed by Cu(I with terminal alkynes led to the formation of 1H-1,2,3-Triazol-1-ylmethyl-2,3-dihydronaphtho[1,2-b]furan-4,5-diones in good yields. Compounds containing aromatic group linked to 1,2,3-triazole ring (9c, 9d, 9e, 9i presented superior cytotoxic activity against cancer cell lines with IC50 in the range of 0.74 to 4.4 µM indicating that the presence of aromatic rings substituents in the 1,2,3-1H-triazole moiety is probably responsible for the improved cytotoxic activity.

Intracellular high mobility group B1 protein (HMGB1) represses HIV-1 LTR-directed transcription in a promoter- and cell-specific manner

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naghavi, Mojgan H.; Nowak, Piotr; Andersson, Jan; Soennerborg, Anders; Yang Huan; Tracey, Kevin J.; Vahlne, Anders

2003-01-01

We investigated whether the high mobility group B 1 (HMGB1), an abundant nuclear protein in all mammalian cells, affects HIV-1 transcription. Intracellular expression of human HMGB1 repressed HIV-1 gene expression in epithelial cells. This inhibitory effect of HMGB1 was caused by repression of long terminal repeat (LTR)-mediated transcription. Other viral promoters/enhancers, including simian virus 40 or cytomegalovirus, were not inhibited by HMGB1. In addition, HMGB1 inhibition of HIV-1 subtype C expression was dependent on the number of NFκB sites in the LTR region. The inhibitory effect of HMGB1 on viral gene expression observed in HeLa cells was confirmed by an upregulation of viral replication in the presence of antisense HMGB1 in monocytic cells. In contrast to what was found in HeLa cells and monocytic cells, endogenous HMGB1 expression did not affect HIV-1 replication in unstimulated Jurkat cells. Thus, intracellular HMGB1 affects HIV-1 LTR-directed transcription in a promoter- and cell-specific manner

Dynamics of Dengue Virus (DENV)-Specific B Cells in the Response to DENV Serotype 1 Infections, Using Flow Cytometry With Labeled Virions.

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Woda, Marcia; Friberg, Heather; Currier, Jeffrey R; Srikiatkhachorn, Anon; Macareo, Louis R; Green, Sharone; Jarman, Richard G; Rothman, Alan L; Mathew, Anuja

2016-10-01

The development of reagents to identify and characterize antigen-specific B cells has been challenging. We recently developed Alexa Fluor-labeled dengue viruses (AF DENVs) to characterize antigen-specific B cells in the peripheral blood of DENV-immune individuals. In this study, we used AF DENV serotype 1 (AF DENV-1) together with AF DENV-2 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from children in Thailand with acute primary or secondary DENV-1 infections to analyze the phenotypes of antigen-specific B cells that reflected their exposure or clinical diagnosis. DENV serotype-specific and cross-reactive B cells were identified in PBMCs from all subjects. Frequencies of AF DENV(+) class-switched memory B cells (IgD(-)CD27(+) CD19(+) cells) reached up to 8% during acute infection and early convalescence. AF DENV-labeled B cells expressed high levels of CD27 and CD38 during acute infection, characteristic of plasmablasts, and transitioned into memory B cells (CD38(-)CD27(+)) at the early convalescent time point. There was higher activation of memory B cells early during acute secondary infection, suggesting reactivation from a previous DENV infection. AF DENVs reveal changes in the phenotype of DENV serotype-specific and cross-reactive B cells during and after natural DENV infection and could be useful in analysis of the response to DENV vaccination. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

B-1 cell immunoglobulin directed against oxidation-specific epitopes

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Dimitrios eTsiantoulas

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Natural antibodies (NAbs are pre-existing antibodies with germline origin that arise in the absence of previous exposure to foreign antigens. NAbs are produced by B-1 lymphocytes and are primarily of the IgM isotype. There is accumulating evidence that - in addition to their role in antimicrobial host defense - NAbs exhibit important housekeeping functions by facilitating the non-immunogenic clearance of apoptotic cells as well as the removal of (neo-self antigens. These properties are largely mediated by the ability of NAbs to recognize highly conserved and endogenously generated structures, which are exemplified by so-called oxidation-specific epitopes (OSEs that are products of lipid peroxidation. The generation of OSEs as well as their interaction with the immune system have been studied extensively in the context of atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease of the vascular wall that is characterized by the accumulation of cellular debris and oxidized low-density lipoproteins (OxLDL. Both apoptotic cells as well as OxLDL carry OSEs that are targeted by NAbs. Therefore, OSEs represent stress-induced neo-self structures that mediate recognition of metabolic waste (e.g. cellular debris by NAbs, allowing its safe disposal, which has fundamental implications in health and disease.

Females increase reproductive investment in response to helper-mediated improvements in allo-feeding, nest survival, nestling provisioning and post-fledging survival in the Karoo scrub-robin Cercotrichas coryphaeus

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Lloyd, P.; Andrew, Taylor W.; du Plessis, Morné A.; Martin, T.E.

2009-01-01

In many cooperatively-breeding species, the presence of one or more helpers improves the reproductive performance of the breeding pair receiving help. Helper contributions can take many different forms, including allo-feeding, offspring provisioning, and offspring guarding or defence. Yet, most studies have focussed on single forms of helper contribution, particularly offspring provisioning, and few have evaluated the relative importance of a broader range of helper contributions to group reproductive performance. We examined helper contributions to multiple components of breeding performance in the Karoo scrub-robin Cercotrichas coryphaeus, a facultative cooperative breeder. We also tested a prediction of increased female investment in reproduction when helpers improve conditions for rearing young. Helpers assisted the breeding male in allo-feeding the incubating female, increasing allo-feeding rates. Greater allo-feeding correlated with greater female nest attentiveness during incubation. Nest predation was substantially lower among pairs breeding with a helper, resulting in a 74% increase in the probability of nest survival. Helper contributions to offspring provisioning increased nestling feeding rates, resulting in a reduced incidence of nestling starvation and increased nestling mass. Nestling mass had a strong, positive effect on post-fledging survival. Controlling for female age and habitat effects, annual production of fledged young was 130% greater among pairs breeding with a helper, and was influenced most strongly by helper correlates with nest survival, despite important helper effects on offspring provisioning. Females breeding with a helper increased clutch size, supporting the prediction of increased female investment in reproduction in response to helper benefits. ?? 2009 J. Avian Biol.

Xylopine Induces Oxidative Stress and Causes G2/M Phase Arrest, Triggering Caspase-Mediated Apoptosis by p53-Independent Pathway in HCT116 Cells

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Luciano de Souza Santos

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Xylopine is an aporphine alkaloid that has cytotoxic activity to cancer cells. In this study, the underlying mechanism of xylopine cytotoxicity was assessed in human colon carcinoma HCT116 cells. Xylopine displayed potent cytotoxicity in different cancer cell lines in monolayer cultures and in a 3D model of cancer multicellular spheroids formed from HCT116 cells. Typical morphology of apoptosis, cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase, increased internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, loss of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential, and increased phosphatidylserine externalization and caspase-3 activation were observed in xylopine-treated HCT116 cells. Moreover, pretreatment with a caspase-3 inhibitor (Z-DEVD-FMK, but not with a p53 inhibitor (cyclic pifithrin-α, reduced xylopine-induced apoptosis, indicating induction of caspase-mediated apoptosis by the p53-independent pathway. Treatment with xylopine also caused an increase in the production of reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS, including hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide, but not superoxide anion, and reduced glutathione levels were decreased in xylopine-treated HCT116 cells. Application of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine reduced the ROS levels and xylopine-induced apoptosis, indicating activation of ROS-mediated apoptosis pathway. In conclusion, xylopine has potent cytotoxicity to different cancer cell lines and is able to induce oxidative stress and G2/M phase arrest, triggering caspase-mediated apoptosis by the p53-independent pathway in HCT116 cells.

Genomic rearrangements and signatures of breeding in the allo-octoploid strawberry as revealed through an allele dose based SSR linkage map

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijk, van T.; Pagliarani, G.; Pikunova, A.; Noordijk, Y.; Yilmaz-Temel, H.; Meulenbroek, B.; Visser, R.G.F.; Weg, van de W.E.

2014-01-01

Background Breeders in the allo-octoploid strawberry currently make little use of molecular marker tools. As a first step of a QTL discovery project on fruit quality traits and resistance to soil-borne pathogens such as Phytophthora cactorum and Verticillium we built a genome-wide SSR linkage map

Novel piplartine-containing ruthenium complexes: synthesis, cell growth inhibition, apoptosis induction and ROS production on HCT116 cells.

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D'Sousa Costa, Cinara O; Araujo Neto, João H; Baliza, Ingrid R S; Dias, Rosane B; Valverde, Ludmila de F; Vidal, Manuela T A; Sales, Caroline B S; Rocha, Clarissa A G; Moreira, Diogo R M; Soares, Milena B P; Batista, Alzir A; Bezerra, Daniel P

2017-11-28

Piplartine (piperlongumine) is a plant-derived molecule that has been receiving intense interest due to its anticancer characteristics that target the oxidative stress. In the present paper, two novel piplartine-containing ruthenium complexes [Ru(piplartine)(dppf)(bipy)](PF 6 ) 2 (1) and [Ru(piplartine)(dppb)(bipy)](PF 6 ) 2 (2) were synthesized and investigated for their cellular and molecular responses on cancer cell lines. We found that both complexes are more potent than metal-free piplartine in a panel of cancer cell lines on monolayer cultures, as well in 3D model of cancer multicellular spheroids formed from human colon carcinoma HCT116 cells. Mechanistic studies uncovered that the complexes reduced the cell growth and caused phosphatidylserine externalization, internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, caspase-3 activation and loss of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential on HCT116 cells. Moreover, the pre-treatment with Z-VAD(OMe)-FMK, a pan-caspase inhibitor, reduced the complexes-induced apoptosis, indicating cell death by apoptosis through caspase-dependent and mitochondrial intrinsic pathways. Treatment with the complexes also caused a marked increase in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), including hydrogen peroxide, superoxide anion and nitric oxide, and decreased reduced glutathione levels. Application of N-acetyl-cysteine, an antioxidant, reduced the ROS levels and apoptosis induced by the complexes, indicating activation of ROS-mediated apoptosis pathway. RNA transcripts of several genes, including gene related to the cell cycle, apoptosis and oxidative stress, were regulated under treatment. However, the complexes failed to induce DNA intercalation. In conclusion, the complexes are more potent than piplartine against different cancer cell lines and are able to induce caspase-dependent and mitochondrial intrinsic apoptosis on HCT116 cells by ROS-mediated pathway.

Dynamics of Dengue Virus (DENV)–Specific B Cells in the Response to DENV Serotype 1 Infections, Using Flow Cytometry With Labeled Virions

Science.gov (United States)

Woda, Marcia; Friberg, Heather; Currier, Jeffrey R.; Srikiatkhachorn, Anon; Macareo, Louis R.; Green, Sharone; Jarman, Richard G.; Rothman, Alan L.; Mathew, Anuja

2016-01-01

Background. The development of reagents to identify and characterize antigen-specific B cells has been challenging. Methods. We recently developed Alexa Fluor–labeled dengue viruses (AF DENVs) to characterize antigen-specific B cells in the peripheral blood of DENV-immune individuals. Results. In this study, we used AF DENV serotype 1 (AF DENV-1) together with AF DENV-2 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from children in Thailand with acute primary or secondary DENV-1 infections to analyze the phenotypes of antigen-specific B cells that reflected their exposure or clinical diagnosis. DENV serotype-specific and cross-reactive B cells were identified in PBMCs from all subjects. Frequencies of AF DENV+ class-switched memory B cells (IgD−CD27+ CD19+ cells) reached up to 8% during acute infection and early convalescence. AF DENV–labeled B cells expressed high levels of CD27 and CD38 during acute infection, characteristic of plasmablasts, and transitioned into memory B cells (CD38−CD27+) at the early convalescent time point. There was higher activation of memory B cells early during acute secondary infection, suggesting reactivation from a previous DENV infection. Conclusions. AF DENVs reveal changes in the phenotype of DENV serotype–specific and cross-reactive B cells during and after natural DENV infection and could be useful in analysis of the response to DENV vaccination. PMID:27443614

Brucella TIR-like protein TcpB/Btp1 specifically targets the host adaptor protein MAL/TIRAP to promote infection.

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Li, Wenna; Ke, Yuehua; Wang, Yufei; Yang, Mingjuan; Gao, Junguang; Zhan, Shaoxia; Xinying, Du; Huang, Liuyu; Li, Wenfeng; Chen, Zeliang; Li, Juan

2016-08-26

Brucella spp. are known to avoid host immune recognition and weaken the immune response to infection. Brucella like accomplish this by employing two clever strategies, called the stealth strategy and hijacking strategy. The TIR domain-containing protein (TcpB/Btp1) of Brucella melitensis is thought to be involved in inhibiting host NF-κB activation by binding to adaptors downstream of Toll-like receptors. However, of the five TIR domain-containing adaptors conserved in mammals, whether MyD88 or MAL, even other three adaptors, are specifically targeted by TcpB has not been identified. Here, we confirmed the effect of TcpB on B.melitensis virulence in mice and found that TcpB selectively targets MAL. By using siRNA against MAL, we found that TcpB from B.melitensis is involved in intracellular survival and that MAL affects intracellular replication of B.melitensis. Our results confirm that TcpB specifically targets MAL/TIRAP to disrupt downstream signaling pathways and promote intra-host survival of Brucella spp. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Loss of BMI-1 dampens migration and EMT of colorectal cancer in inflammatory microenvironment through TLR4/MD-2/MyD88-mediated NF-κB signaling.

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Ye, Kai; Chen, Qi-Wei; Sun, Ya-Feng; Lin, Jian-An; Xu, Jian-Hua

2018-02-01

Increasing evidence from various clinical and experimental studies has demonstrated that the inflammatory microenvironment created by immune cells facilitates tumor migration. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is involved in the progression of cancer invasion and metastasis in an inflammatory microenvironment. B-lymphoma Moloney murine leukemia virus insertion region 1 (BMI-1) acts as an oncogene in various tumors. Ectopic expression of Bmi-1 have an effect on EMT and invasiveness. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of BMI-1 on inflammation-induced tumor migration and EMT and the underlying mechanism. We observed that the expression of BMI-1, TNF-α, and IL-1β was significantly increased in HT29 and HCT116 cells after THP-1 Conditioned-Medium (THP-1-CM) stimulation. Additionally, inhibition of BMI-1 impeded cell invasion induced by THP-1-CM-stimulation in both HT29 and HCT116 cells. BMI-1 knockdown remarkably repressed THP-1-CM-induced EMT by regulating the expression of EMT biomarkers with an increase in E-cadherin accompanied by decrease in N-cadherin and vimentin. Furthermore, downregulation of BMI-1 dramatically impeded THP-1-CM-triggered Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/myeloid differentiation protein 2(MD-2)/myeloid differentiation factor 88(MyD88) activity by repressing the expression of the TLR4/MD-2 complex and MyD88. Further data demonstrated that knockout of BMI-1 also dampened NF-κB THP-1-CM-triggered activity. Taken all data together, our findings established that BMI-1 modulated TLR4/MD-2/MyD88 complex-mediated NF-κB signaling involved in inflammation-induced cancer cells invasion and EMT, and therefore, could be a potential chemopreventive agent against inflammation-associated colorectal cancer. Establishment of an inflammatory microenvironment. Suppression of BMI-1 reverses THP-1-CM-induced inflammatory cytokine production in CRC. Loss of BMI-1 suppressed TLR4/MD-2/MyD88 complex-mediated NF-κB signaling. © 2017 Wiley

Impact of MLH1 expression on tumor evolution after curative surgical tumor resection in a murine orthotopic xenograft model for human MSI colon cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Meunier, Katy; Ferron, Marianne; Calmel, Claire; Fléjou, Jean-François; Pocard, Marc; Praz, Françoise

2017-09-01

Colorectal cancers (CRCs) displaying microsatellite instability (MSI) most often result from MLH1 deficiency. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of MLH1 expression per se on tumor evolution after curative surgical resection using a xenograft tumor model. Transplantable tumors established with the human MLH1-deficient HCT116 cell line and its MLH1-complemented isogenic clone, mlh1-3, were implanted onto the caecum of NOD/SCID mice. Curative surgical resection was performed at day 10 in half of the animals. The HCT116-derived tumors were more voluminous compared to the mlh1-3 ones (P = .001). Lymph node metastases and peritoneal carcinomatosis occurred significantly more often in the group of mice grafted with HCT116 (P = .007 and P = .035, respectively). Mlh1-3-grafted mice did not develop peritoneal carcinomatosis or liver metastasis. After surgical resection, lymph node metastases only arose in the group of mice implanted with HCT116 and the rate of cure was significantly lower than in the mlh1-3 group (P = .047). The murine orthotopic xenograft model based on isogenic human CRC cell lines allowed us to reveal the impact of MLH1 expression on tumor evolution in mice who underwent curative surgical resection and in mice whose tumor was left in situ. Our data indicate that the behavior of MLH1-deficient CRC is not only governed by mutations arising in genes harboring microsatellite repeated sequences but also from their defect in MLH1 as such. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ibrutinib efficacy and tolerability in patients with relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia following allogeneic HCT.

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Ryan, Christine E; Sahaf, Bita; Logan, Aaron C; O'Brien, Susan; Byrd, John C; Hillmen, Peter; Brown, Jennifer R; Dyer, Martin J S; Mato, Anthony R; Keating, Michael J; Jaglowski, Samantha; Clow, Fong; Rezvani, Andrew R; Styles, Lori; Coutre, Steven E; Miklos, David B

2016-12-22

Ibrutinib, a potent and irreversible small-molecule inhibitor of both Bruton's tyrosine kinase and interleukin-2 inducible kinase (ITK), has been used to treat relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with prolongation of progression-free and overall survival. Here, we present 27 patients with relapsed CLL following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) who subsequently received ibrutinib salvage therapy. Sixteen of these patients were part of multi-institutional clinical trials and achieved an overall response rate of 87.5%. An additional 11 patients were treated at Stanford University following US Food and Drug Administration approval of ibrutinib; 7 (64%) achieved a complete response, and 3 (27%) achieved a partial response. Of the 9 patients treated at Stanford who had mixed chimerism-associated CLL relapse, 4 (44%) converted to full donor chimerism following ibrutinib initiation, in association with disease response. Four of 11 (36%) patients evaluated by ClonoSeq achieved minimal residual disease negativity with CLL ibrutinib was discontinued, in 1 case even after 26 months. None of the 27 patients developed graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) following ibrutinib initiation. We postulate that ibrutinib augments the graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) benefit through a T-cell-mediated effect, most likely due to ITK inhibition. To investigate the immune modulatory effects of ibrutinib, we completed comprehensive immune phenotype characterization of peripheral B and T cells from treated patients. Our results show that ibrutinib selectively targets pre-germinal B cells and depletes Th2 helper cells. Furthermore, these effects persisted after drug discontinuation. In total, our results provide evidence that ibrutinib effectively augments GVL without causing GVHD. © 2016 by The American Society of Hematology.

Tobacco-specific carcinogen 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) induces cell proliferation in normal human bronchial epithelial cells through NFκB activation and cyclin D1 up-regulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ho, Y.-S.; Chen, Chien-Ho; Wang, Y.-J.; Pestell, Richard G.; Albanese, Chris; Chen, R.-J.; Chang, M.-C.; Jeng, J.-H.; Lin, S.-Y.; Liang, Y.-C.; Tseng, H.; Lee, W.-S.; Lin, J.-K.; Chu, J.-S.; Chen, L.-C.; Lee, C.-H.; Tso, W.-L.; Lai, Y.-C.; Wu, C.-H.

2005-01-01

Cigarette smoke contains several carcinogens known to initiate and promote tumorigenesis as well as metastasis. Nicotine is one of the major components of the cigarette smoke and the 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) is a tobacco-specific carcinogen. Here, we demonstrated that NNK stimulated cell proliferation in normal human bronchial epithelial cells (NHBE) and small airway epithelial cells (SAEC). Cells exposed to NNK resulted in an increase in the level of cyclin D1 protein (as early as 3-6 h). Increased phosphorylation of the Rb Ser 795 was detected at 6-15 h after NNK treatment and thereby promoted cells entering into the S phase (at 15-21 h). The increased cyclin D1 protein level was induced through activation of the transcription factor, nuclear factor kB (NFκB), in the NHBE cells. Treatment of the NHBE cells with PD98059, an ERK1/2 (extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase)-specific inhibitor, specifically suppressed the NNK-induced IκBα phosphorylation at position 32 of the serine residue, suggesting that the ERK1/2 kinase was involved in the IκBα phosphorylation induced by NFκB activation. To determine whether the NNK-induced NFκB activation and cyclin D1 induction were also observed in vivo, A/J mice were treated with NNK (9.1 mg) for 20 weeks and the results showed a significant induction of cyclin D1 and NFκB translocation determined by immunoblotting analyses. We further demonstrated that the nicotine acetylcholine receptor (nAchR), which contains the α3-subunit, was the major target mediating NNK-induced cyclin D1 expression in the NHBE cells. In summary, our findings demonstrate for the first time that NNK could stimulate normal human bronchial cell proliferation through activation of the NFκB, which in turn up-regulated the cyclin D1 expression

Current status and developments in gene therapy for thalassemia and sickle cell disease

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Evangelia Yannaki

2014-12-01

Full Text Available β-thalassemias and sickle cell anemia (SCA are the most common monogenic diseases worldwide for which curative treatments remain a desired goal. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT, - the only curative treatment currently available for hemoglobinopaties-, has a narrow application window whereas it incurs several immunological risks. Gene therapy (GT, that is the autologous transplantation of genetically modified hematopoietic stem cells (CD34+, represents a promising new therapeutic strategy which is anticipated to reestablish effective hemoglobin production and render patients transfusion- and drug- independent without the immunological complications that normally accompany allo-HCT. Prior to the application of GT for hemoglobinopathies in the clinic, many years of extensive preclinical research were spent for the optimization of the gene transfer tools and conditions. To date, three GT clinical trials for β-thalassemia and sickle cell disease (SCD have been conducted or are in progress and 3 cases of transfusion independence in thalassemic β0/βΕ patients have been reported. In the present review, the prerequisites for successful implementation of GT, the tough pathway of GT for hemoglobinopathies towards the clinic and the knowledge gained from the first clinical trials as well as the remaining questions and challenges, will be discussed. Overall, after decades of research including achievements but pitfalls as well, the path to GT of human patients with hemoglobinopathies is currently open and highly promising...

Oppositines A and B, Sesquiterpene Pyridine Alkaloids from a Sri Lankan Pleurostylia opposita

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Whitson, Emily L.; Mala, S.M.V. Damayanthi; Veltri, Charles. A.; Bugni, Tim S.; de Silva, E. Dilip; Ireland, Chris M.

2008-01-01

Two new sesquiterpene pyridine alkaloids, oppositines A (1) and B (2), have been isolated from the plant, Pleurostylia opposita (Celastraceae), collected in Sri Lanka. The compounds were isolated and purified by solvent/solvent partitioning, column chromatography and HPLC. Their structures were assigned on the basis of extensive 1D and 2D NMR studies as well as analysis by HRESIMS. Oppositines A (1) and B (2) showed moderate cytotoxicity against HCT116 cell lines with EC50 values of 27 ± 2 and 26 ± 3 μM, respectively. PMID:17190474

Allogeneic stem cell transplant in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia with 17p deletion: consult-transplant versus consult- no-transplant analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Poon, Michelle L; Fox, Patricia S; Samuels, Barry I; O'Brien, Susan; Jabbour, Elias; Hsu, Yvonne; Gulbis, Alison; Korbling, Martin; Champlin, Richard; Abruzzo, Lynne V; Bassett, Roland L; Khouri, Issa F

2015-03-01

Allogeneic stem cell transplant (alloSCT) can overcome the adverse prognosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia with 17p deletion (17p- CLL). However, its applicability remains unclear. Since 2007, our leukemia service has referred patients with 17p- CLL for alloSCT at presentation. In this study, the outcomes of these patients were reviewed retrospectively to determine whether they underwent alloSCT and why patients did not undergo alloSCT. Fifty-two patients with 17p- CLL who were referred to the transplant service from 2007 to 2010 were identified. Of these patients, 32 (62%) did not undergo alloSCT, mainly because of treatment- or disease-related complications (n = 15). The 2-year post-referral overall survival rates of the alloSCT and non-SCT groups were 64% and 25%, respectively (p = 0.001). These findings suggest that while alloSCT is an effective therapy in patients with 17p- CLL, pre-SCT complications may preclude a significant proportion of patients from undergoing the procedure.

Modeling of allergen proteins found in sea food products Modelagem de proteínas alergênicas em frutos do mar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nataly Galán-Freyle

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Shellfish are a source of food allergens, and their consumption is the cause of severe allergic reactions in humans. Tropomyosins, a family of muscle proteins, have been identified as the major allergens in shellfish and mollusks species. Nevertheless, few experimentally determined three-dimensional structures are available in the Protein Data Base (PDB. In this study, 3D models of several homologous of tropomyosins present in marine shellfish and mollusk species (Chaf 1, Met e1, Hom a1, Per v1, and Pen a1 were constructed, validated, and their immunoglobulin E binding epitopes were identified using bioinformatics tools. All protein models for these allergens consisted of long alpha-helices. Chaf 1, Met e1, and Hom a1 had six conserved regions with sequence similarities to known epitopes, whereas Per v1 and Pen a1 contained only one. Lipophilic potentials of identified epitopes revealed a high propensity of hydrophobic amino acids in the immunoglobulin E binding site. This information could be useful to design tropomyosin-specific immunotherapy for sea food allergies.Os mariscos são fontes de alérgenos alimentares e seu consumo é a causa de graves reações alérgicas em humanos. Tropomiosinas, uma família de proteínas musculares, foram identificadas como os principais alérgenos em espécies de crustáceos e moluscos. No entanto, poucas estruturas experimentais tridimensionais estão disponíveis no Protein Data Base (PDB. Neste trabalho, modelos 3D de vários homólogos de tropomiosinas presentes em moluscos marinhos e espécies de moluscos (Chaf 1, Met e1, Hom a1, v1 Per e Pen a1 foram construídas, validadas e seus epítopos de ligação de imunoglobulina E (IgE foram identificados, utilizando ferramentas de bioinformática. Todos os modelos de proteína para esses alérgenos consistiam em longas alfa-hélices. Chaf 1, Met e1, e Hom a1 apresentaram seis regiões conservadas com similaridades de sequência para epítopos conhecidos

Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant for Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Evolution of an Effective Strategy in India

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Abhijeet Ganapule

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose: There are limited data from developing countries on the role and cost-effectiveness of allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML. Patients and Methods: We undertook a retrospective descriptive study of all patients with AML who underwent allo-SCT from 1994 to 2013 at our center to evaluate the clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness of this therapeutic modality. Results: Two hundred fifty-four consecutive patients, median age 34 years, who underwent allo-SCT at our center were included in this study. There were 161 males (63.4%. The 5-year overall survival (OS and event-free survival for the entire cohort was 40.1 ± 3.5% and 38.7 ± 3.4%, respectively. The 5-year OS for patients in first (CR1, second, and third complete remission and with disease/refractory AML was 53.1 ± 5.2%, 48.2 ± 8.3%, 31.2 ± 17.8%, and 16.0 ± 4.4%, respectively (P < .001. From 2007, reduced intensity conditioning (RIC with fludarabine and melphalan (Flu/Mel was used in a majority of patients in CR1 (n = 67. Clinical outcomes were compared with historical conventional myeloablative conditioning regimens (n = 38. Use of Flu/Mel was associated with lower treatment-related mortality at 1 year, higher incidence of chronic graft-versus-host-disease, and comparable relapse rates. The 5-year OS and event-free survival for Flu/Mel and myeloablative conditioning group was 67.2 ± 6.6% versus 38.1 ± 8.1% (P = .003 and 63.8 ± 6.4% versus 32.3 ± 7.9% (P = .002, respectively. Preliminary cost analysis suggests that in our medical cost payment system, RIC allo-SCT in CR1 was likely the most cost-effective strategy in the management of AML. Conclusion: In a resource-constrained environment, Flu/Mel RIC allo-SCT for AML CR1 is likely the most efficacious and cost-effective approach in a subset of newly diagnosed young adult patients.

Discovery of core-structurally novel PTP1B inhibitors with specific selectivity containing oxindole-fused spirotetrahydrofurochroman by one-pot reaction.

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Dong, Suzhen; Lei, Yubing; Jia, Shikun; Gao, Lixin; Li, Jia; Zhu, Tong; Liu, Shunying; Hu, Wenhao

2017-02-15

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) has been proposed to be an ideal target for treatment of type II diabetes and obesity. However, no druggable PTP1B inhibitor has been established and there is still an urgent demand for the development of structurally novel PTPIB inhibitor. Herein, we reported core-structurally novel PTP1B inhibitors with low micromole-ranged inhibitory activity by one-pot reaction from simple starting materials. Further studies demonstrated some of these active compounds had a specific selectivity over other PTPs. The structure and activity relationship was also described. The best active and selective compound 5e inhibited PTP1B activity with an IC 50 of 4.53μM. Molecular docking analysis further demonstrated that compound 5e bound to the active pocket of PTP1B. The results might provide some insights for further development of new drugs for type II diabetes and obesity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association between ambient air pollution and pregnancy rate in women who underwent IVF.

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Choe, S A; Jun, Y B; Lee, W S; Yoon, T K; Kim, S Y

2018-04-05

: 0.87, 0.99) and CO (0.94, 95% CI: 0.89, 1.00) during period 1 were associated with decreased probability of intrauterine pregnancy. PM10 (0.92, 95% CI: 0.85, 0.99), NO2 (0.93, 95% CI = 0.86, 1.00) and CO (0.93, 95% CI: 0.87, 1.00) levels during period 3 were also inversely associated with intrauterine pregnancy. Both PM10 (1.17, 95% CI: 1.04 1.33) and NO2 (1.18, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.34) during period 3 showed positive associations with biochemical pregnancy loss. The district-specific ambient air pollution treated as an individual exposure may not represent the actual level of each woman's exposure to air pollution. Smoking, working status, parity or gravidity of women, and semen analysis data were not included in the analysis. This study provided evidence of an association between increased ambient concentrations of PM10, NO2 and CO and reduced probabilities for achieving intrauterine pregnancy using multiple IVF cycle data. Specifically, our results indicated that lower intrauterine pregnancy rates in IVF cycles may be linked to ambient air pollution during COS and the post-transfer period. This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (2013 R1A6A3A04059017, 2016 R1D1A1B03933410 and 2018 R1A2B6004608) and the National Cancer Center of Korea (NCC-1810220-01). The authors report no conflicts of interest. N/A.

Tissue-Specific Methylation of Long Interspersed Nucleotide Element-1 of Homo Sapiens (L1Hs) During Human Embryogenesis and Roles in Neural Tube Defects.

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Wang, L; Chang, S; Guan, J; Shangguan, S; Lu, X; Wang, Z; Wu, L; Zou, J; Zhao, H; Bao, Y; Qiu, Z; Niu, B; Zhang, T

2015-01-01

Epigenetic regulation of long interspersed nucleotide element-1 (LINE-1) retrotransposition events plays crucial roles during early development. Previously we showed that LINE-1 hypomethylation in neuronal tissues is associated with pathogenesis of neural tube defect (NTD). Herein, we further evaluated LINE-1 Homo sapiens (L1Hs) methylation in tissues derived from three germ layers of stillborn NTD fetuses, to define patterns of tissue specific methylation and site-specific hypomethylation at CpG sites within an L1Hs promoter region. Stable, tissue-specific L1Hs methylation patterns throughout three germ layer lineages of the fetus, placenta, and maternal peripheral blood were observed. Samples from maternal peripheral blood exhibited the highest level of L1Hs methylation (64.95%) and that from placenta showed the lowest (26.82%). Between samples from NTDs and controls, decrease in L1Hs methylation was only significant in NTD-affected brain tissue at 7.35%, especially in females (8.98%). L1Hs hypomethylation in NTDs was also associated with a significant increase in expression level of an L1Hs-encoded transcript in females (r = -0.846, p = 0.004). This could be due to genomic DNA instability and alternation in chromatins accessibility resulted from abnormal L1Hs hypomethylation, as showed in this study with HCT-15 cells treated with methylation inhibitor 5-Aza.

Evaluation of Performance Status and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Specific Comorbidity Index on Unplanned Admission Rates in Patients with Multiple Myeloma Undergoing Outpatient Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation.

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Obiozor, Cynthia; Subramaniam, Dipti P; Divine, Clint; Shune, Leyla; Singh, Anurag K; Lin, Tara L; Abhyankar, Sunil; Chen, G John; McGuirk, Joseph; Ganguly, Siddhartha

2017-10-01

Although outpatient autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is safe and feasible in most instances, some patients undergoing planned outpatient transplantation for multiple myeloma (MM) will need inpatient admission for transplantation-related complications. We aim to evaluate the difference, if any, between outpatient and inpatient ASCT cohorts of MM patients in terms of admission rate, transplantation outcome, and overall survival. We also plan to assess whether the Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Comorbidity Index (HCT-CI) and Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) can predict unplanned admissions after adjusting for confounding factors. Patients with MM (n = 448) who underwent transplantation at our institution between 2009 and 2014 were included in this retrospective analysis. Patients were grouped into 3 cohorts: cohort A, planned inpatient ASCT (n = 216); cohort B, unplanned inpatient admissions (n = 57); and cohort C, planned outpatient SCT (n = 175). The statistical approach included descriptive, bivariate, and survival analyses. There were no differences among the 3 cohorts in terms of type of myeloma, stage at diagnosis, time from diagnosis to transplantation, CD34 cell dose, engraftment kinetics, and 100-day response rates. Serum creatinine was higher and patients were relatively older in both the planned inpatient (median age, 62 years; range, 33 to 80 years) and unplanned (median age, 59 years; range, 44 to 69 years) admission cohorts compared with the outpatient-only cohort (median age, 57 years; range, 40 to 70 years) (P Performance status (cohort A: median, 90%; range, 60% to 100%; cohort B: 80%, 50% to 100%; cohort C: 80%, 60% to 100%) was lower (P performance status (KPS 2 also appeared to be associated with worse outcomes compared with HCT-CI 0 to 1, the the difference did not reach statistical significance (hazard ratio, 1.41l 95% confidence interval, 0.72 to 2.76). Only 1 patient out of 448 died from a transplantation

Identification of the base-pairing requirements for repression of hctA translation by the small RNA IhtA leads to the discovery of a new mRNA target in Chlamydia trachomatis.

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Nicole A Grieshaber

Full Text Available The non-coding small RNA, IhtA expressed by the obligate intracellular human pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis modulates the translation of HctA, a key protein involved in replicative to infectious cell type differentiation. Using a combination of bioinformatics and mutagenesis we sought to identify the base pairing requirement for functional repression of HctA protein expression, with an eye to applying our findings towards the identification of additional targets. IhtA is predicted to fold into a three stem:loop structure. We found that loop 1 occludes the initiation codon of hctA, while loop 2 and 3 are not required for function. This 7 nucleotide region forms G/C rich interactions surrounding the AUG of hctA. Two additional genes in the chlamydial genome, CTL0322 and CTL0097, contained some elements of the hctA:IhtA recognition sequence. The mRNA of both CTL0322and CTL0097 interacted with IhtA in vitro as measured by biolayer interferometry. However, using a CheZ reporter expression system, IhtA only inhibited the translation of CTL0322. The proposed IhtA recognition site in the CTL0322 message contains significant G/C base pairing on either side of the initiation codon while CTL0097 only contains G/C base pairing 3' to the AUG initiation codon. These data suggest that as the functional interacting region is only 6-7nt in length that full translation repression is dependent on the degree of G/C base pairing. Additionally our results indicate that IhtA may regulate multiple mRNAs involved in the chlamydial infectious cycle.

Effect of different pneumoperitoneum pressure on stress state in patients underwent gynecological laparoscopy

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Ai-Yun Shen

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Objective: To observe the effect of different CO2 pneumoperitoneum pressure on the stress state in patients underwent gynecological laparoscopy. Methods: A total of 90 patients who were admitted in our hospital from February, 2015 to October, 2015 for gynecological laparoscopy were included in the study and divided into groups A, B, and C according to different CO2 pneumoperitoneum pressure. The changes of HR, BP, and PetCO2 during the operation process in the three groups were recorded. The changes of stress indicators before operation (T0, 30 min during operation (T1, and 12 h after operation (T2 were compared. Results: The difference of HR, BP, and PetCO2 levels before operation among the three groups was not statistically significant (P>0.05. HR, BP, and PetCO2 levels 30 min after pneumoperitoneum were significantly elevated when compared with before operation (P0.05. PetCO2 level 30 min after pneumoperitoneum in group B was significantly higher than that in group A (P0.05. Conclusions: Low pneumoperitoneum pressure has a small effect on the stress state in patients underwent gynecological laparoscopy, will not affect the surgical operation, and can obtain a preferable muscular relaxation and vision field; therefore, it can be selected in preference.

[Combination of busulfan with increased-dose of fludarabine as conditioning regimen for MDS and MDS-AML patients with allo-HSCT].

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Yuan, Jing; Ren, Hanyun; Qiu, Zhixiang; Li, Yuan; Wang, Mangju; Liu, Wei; Xu, Weilin; Sun, Yuhua; Wang, Lihong; Liang, Zeyin; Dong, Yujun; Ou, Jinping; Wang, Wensheng; Yin, Yue; Cen, Xinan; Wang, Qian

2015-06-01

To investigate the safety and efficacy of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and secondary acute myelogenous leukemia (MDS-AML) using conditioning regimen with busulfan (Bu) and increased-dose of fludarabine (ID-Flu). A total of 49 patients with MDS or MDS-AML were treated by allo-HSCT, the clinical data was analyzed retrospectively. All patients achieved hematopoietic reconstitution. Neutrophil engraftment was at 10 - 22 days (median 13 days), and platelet engraftment was at 8 - 66 days (median 16 days). The cumulative incidences of Ⅱ-Ⅳ degree acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), hemorrhagic cystitis (HC), and hepatic venous occlusive disease (VOD) were 28.6%, 14.3% and 2.0%, respectively. The transplant-related mortality (TRM) was only 4.1% at 100d and 8.2% at 1-92 months of followed-up (median 14 months) period. Overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (DFS) was 75.5%, 73.5%, respectively. Kaplan-Meier curve showed that 3-year OS and 3-year DFS was (71.1 ± 7.8)%, (66.7 ± 8.3)%, respectively, with a relapse incidence (RI) 16.3%. OS for MDS and MDS-AML was 81.5% and 68.2%, and RI in two settings was 3.7%, 31.8%, respectively. OS for MDS-AML at complete remission (CR) and non-CR subgroup was 83.3% and 50.0%, respectively, while cumulative RR was 16.7% and 50.0%, respectively. OS and RI except for non-CR subgroup were 82.1% and 7.7%. Univariate analysis showed that pre-HSCT disease status had correlation with OS (P=0.031), but age, decitabine in conditioning regimen, stem cell source, HLA matching, patient-donor gender, dose of mononuclear cells and GVHD had no correlation with OS. Bu/ID-Flu conditioning regimen for MDS and MDS-AML has high efficiency, fewer complications, lower toxicity and TRM. The OS and DFS were higher and RI was lower except for refractory MDS-AML patients. The regimen is valuable for clinical application.

Age adjusted hematopoietic stem cell transplant comorbidity index predicts survival in a T-cell depleted cohort.

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Saeed, Hayder; Yalamanchi, Swati; Liu, Meng; Van Meter, Emily; Gul, Zartash; Monohan, Gregory; Howard, Dianna; Hildebrandt, Gerhard C; Herzig, Roger

2018-02-01

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT) continues to evolve with the treatment in higher risk patient population. This practice mandates stringent update and validation of risk stratification prior to undergoing such a complex and potentially fatal procedure. We examined the adoption of the new comorbidity index (HCT-CI/Age) proposed by the Seattle group after the addition of age variable and compared it to the pre-transplant assessment of mortality (PAM) that already incorporates age as part of its evaluation criteria. A retrospective analysis of adult patients who underwent HCT at our institution from January 2010 through August 2014 was performed. Kaplan-Meier's curve, log-rank tests, Cox model and Pearson correlation was used in the analysis. Of the 114 patients that underwent allogeneic transplant in our institution, 75.4% were ≥40 years old. More than 58% had a DLCO ≤80%. Although scores were positively correlated (correlation coefficient 0.43, p < 0.001), HCT-CI/Age more accurately predicted 2-year overall survival (OS) and non-relapse mortality (NRM) in patients with lower (0-4) and higher (5-7) scores (52% and 36% versus 24% and 76%, p = 0.004, 0.003 respectively). PAM score did not reach statistical significance for difference in OS nor NRM between the low (<24) and high-risk (≥24) groups (p = 0.19 for both). Despite our small sample population, HCT-CI/Age was more discriminative to identify patients with poor outcome that might benefit from intensified management strategies or other therapeutic approaches rather than allogeneic HCT. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Combination of Albendazole and 2-Methoxyestradiol significantly improves the survival of HCT-116 tumor-bearing nude mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ehteda, Anahid; Galettis, Peter; Pillai, Krishna; Morris, David L

2013-01-01

Albendazole (ABZ) is a microtubule-targeting anthelmintic with a remarkable activity against a variety of human cancer cells. In this study, we examined if the antitumor activity of ABZ could be enhanced by its combination with other microtubule-binding agents. The interactions between ABZ and microtubule-binding agents, paclitaxel, vinblastine, colchicine, and 2-methoxyestradiol were characterized using median effect analysis method in HCT-116 colorectal cancer cells and DU145 prostate cancer cell line. The mechanism underlying the synergistic interaction related to tubulin polymerization and apoptosis was then investigated. Finally, the effect of the combination therapy on the survival of HCT-116 tumor-bearing nude mice was evaluated. Among the tested drugs, a synergistic anti-proliferative effect was observed with the combination of low concentrations of ABZ plus colchicine and ABZ plus 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME). Exploring the mechanism of the interaction between ABZ and 2ME revealed that the combination therapy synergistically activated the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis. Consistent with in vitro results, the combination of low concentration of ABZ with 2ME prolonged the survival of mice-bearing HCT-116 tumors. High concentration of ABZ in combination with 2ME, however, proved to be less effective than ABZ alone. The combination of low doses of ABZ and 2ME has shown promising results in our pre-clinical model. Additionally, the finding that the combination of two microtubule-binding agents that share the same binding site can act synergistically may lead to the development of new therapeutic strategies in cancer treatment

Sorafenib promotes graft-versus-leukemia activity in mice and humans through IL-15 production in FLT3-ITD-mutant leukemia cells.

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Mathew, Nimitha R; Baumgartner, Francis; Braun, Lukas; O'Sullivan, David; Thomas, Simone; Waterhouse, Miguel; Müller, Tony A; Hanke, Kathrin; Taromi, Sanaz; Apostolova, Petya; Illert, Anna L; Melchinger, Wolfgang; Duquesne, Sandra; Schmitt-Graeff, Annette; Osswald, Lena; Yan, Kai-Li; Weber, Arnim; Tugues, Sonia; Spath, Sabine; Pfeifer, Dietmar; Follo, Marie; Claus, Rainer; Lübbert, Michael; Rummelt, Christoph; Bertz, Hartmut; Wäsch, Ralph; Haag, Johanna; Schmidts, Andrea; Schultheiss, Michael; Bettinger, Dominik; Thimme, Robert; Ullrich, Evelyn; Tanriver, Yakup; Vuong, Giang Lam; Arnold, Renate; Hemmati, Philipp; Wolf, Dominik; Ditschkowski, Markus; Jilg, Cordula; Wilhelm, Konrad; Leiber, Christian; Gerull, Sabine; Halter, Jörg; Lengerke, Claudia; Pabst, Thomas; Schroeder, Thomas; Kobbe, Guido; Rösler, Wolf; Doostkam, Soroush; Meckel, Stephan; Stabla, Kathleen; Metzelder, Stephan K; Halbach, Sebastian; Brummer, Tilman; Hu, Zehan; Dengjel, Joern; Hackanson, Björn; Schmid, Christoph; Holtick, Udo; Scheid, Christof; Spyridonidis, Alexandros; Stölzel, Friedrich; Ordemann, Rainer; Müller, Lutz P; Sicre-de-Fontbrune, Flore; Ihorst, Gabriele; Kuball, Jürgen; Ehlert, Jan E; Feger, Daniel; Wagner, Eva-Maria; Cahn, Jean-Yves; Schnell, Jacqueline; Kuchenbauer, Florian; Bunjes, Donald; Chakraverty, Ronjon; Richardson, Simon; Gill, Saar; Kröger, Nicolaus; Ayuk, Francis; Vago, Luca; Ciceri, Fabio; Müller, Antonia M; Kondo, Takeshi; Teshima, Takanori; Klaeger, Susan; Kuster, Bernhard; Kim, Dennis Dong Hwan; Weisdorf, Daniel; van der Velden, Walter; Dörfel, Daniela; Bethge, Wolfgang; Hilgendorf, Inken; Hochhaus, Andreas; Andrieux, Geoffroy; Börries, Melanie; Busch, Hauke; Magenau, John; Reddy, Pavan; Labopin, Myriam; Antin, Joseph H; Henden, Andrea S; Hill, Geoffrey R; Kennedy, Glen A; Bar, Merav; Sarma, Anita; McLornan, Donal; Mufti, Ghulam; Oran, Betul; Rezvani, Katayoun; Shah, Omid; Negrin, Robert S; Nagler, Arnon; Prinz, Marco; Burchert, Andreas; Neubauer, Andreas; Beelen, Dietrich; Mackensen, Andreas; von Bubnoff, Nikolas; Herr, Wolfgang; Becher, Burkhard; Socié, Gerard; Caligiuri, Michael A; Ruggiero, Eliana; Bonini, Chiara; Häcker, Georg; Duyster, Justus; Finke, Jürgen; Pearce, Erika; Blazar, Bruce R; Zeiser, Robert

2018-03-01

Individuals with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) harboring an internal tandem duplication (ITD) in the gene encoding Fms-related tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) who relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) have a 1-year survival rate below 20%. We observed that sorafenib, a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, increased IL-15 production by FLT3-ITD + leukemia cells. This synergized with the allogeneic CD8 + T cell response, leading to long-term survival in six mouse models of FLT3-ITD + AML. Sorafenib-related IL-15 production caused an increase in CD8 + CD107a + IFN-γ + T cells with features of longevity (high levels of Bcl-2 and reduced PD-1 levels), which eradicated leukemia in secondary recipients. Mechanistically, sorafenib reduced expression of the transcription factor ATF4, thereby blocking negative regulation of interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF7) activation, which enhanced IL-15 transcription. Both IRF7 knockdown and ATF4 overexpression in leukemia cells antagonized sorafenib-induced IL-15 production in vitro. Human FLT3-ITD + AML cells obtained from sorafenib responders following sorafenib therapy showed increased levels of IL-15, phosphorylated IRF7, and a transcriptionally active IRF7 chromatin state. The mitochondrial spare respiratory capacity and glycolytic capacity of CD8 + T cells increased upon sorafenib treatment in sorafenib responders but not in nonresponders. Our findings indicate that the synergism of T cells and sorafenib is mediated via reduced ATF4 expression, causing activation of the IRF7-IL-15 axis in leukemia cells and thereby leading to metabolic reprogramming of leukemia-reactive T cells in humans. Therefore, sorafenib treatment has the potential to contribute to an immune-mediated cure of FLT3-ITD-mutant AML relapse, an otherwise fatal complication after allo-HCT.

Patterns and Timing of Failure for Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma After Initial Therapy in a Cohort Who Underwent Autologous Bone Marrow Transplantation for Relapse

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Dhakal, Sughosh; Bates, James E. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York (United States); Casulo, Carla; Friedberg, Jonathan W.; Becker, Michael W.; Liesveld, Jane L. [Department of Medicine, Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York (United States); Constine, Louis S., E-mail: louis_constine@urmc.rochester.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York (United States)

2016-10-01

Purpose: To evaluate the location and timing of initial recurrence in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who subsequently underwent high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplant (HDC/ASCT), to direct approaches for disease surveillance, elucidate the patterns of failure of contemporary treatment strategies, and guide adjuvant treatment decisions. Methods and Materials: We analyzed consecutive patients with DLBCL who underwent HDC/ASCT between May 1992 and March 2014 at our institution. Of the 187 evaluable patients, 8 had incomplete data, and 79 underwent HDC/ASCT as a component of initial treatment for de novo or refractory DLBCL and were excluded from further analysis. Results: The median age was 50.8 years; the median time to relapse was 1.3 years. Patients were segregated according to the initial stage at diagnosis, with early stage (ES) defined as stage I/II and advanced stage (AS) defined as stage III/IV. In total, 40.4% of the ES and 75.5% of the AS patients relapsed in sites of initial disease; 68.4% of those with ES disease and 75.0% of those with AS disease relapsed in sites of initial disease only. Extranodal relapses were common (44.7% in ES and 35.9% in AS) and occurred in a variety of organs, although gastrointestinal tract/liver (n=12) was most frequent. Conclusions: Most patients with DLBCL who relapse and subsequently undergo HDC/ASCT initially recur in the previously involved disease site(s). Time to recurrence is brief, suggesting that frequency of screening is most justifiably greatest in the early posttherapy years. © 2016 Elsevier Inc.

Outcome of relapse after allogeneic HSCT in children with ALL enrolled in the ALL-SCT 2003/2007 trial

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Kuhlen, Michaela; Willasch, Andre M; Dalle, Jean-Hugues

2018-01-01

Relapse remains the major cause of treatment failure in children with high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (allo-SCT). Prognosis is considered dismal but data on risk factors and outcome are lacking from prospective studies. We...... analysed 242 children with recurrence of ALL after first allo-SCT enrolled in the Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster (BFM) ALL-SCT-BFM 2003 and ALL-SCT-BFM international 2007 studies. Median time from allo-SCT to relapse was 7·7 months; median follow-up from relapse after allo-SCT until last follow-up was 3·4 years....... The 3-year event-free survival (EFS) was 15% and overall survival (OS) was 20%. The main cause of death was disease progression or relapse (86·5%). The majority of children (48%) received salvage therapy without second allo-SCT, 26% of the children underwent a second allo-SCT and 25% received palliative...

Mobilized peripheral blood stem cells compared with bone marrow from HLA-identical siblings for reduced-intensity conditioning transplantation in acute myeloid leukemia in complete remission

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nagler, Arnon; Labopin, Myriam; Shimoni, Avichai

2012-01-01

Reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC)-alloSCT is increasingly used for acute myelogenous leukemia. Limited data are available for the comparison of peripheral blood stem cells with bone marrow for RIC-alloSCT. We used the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) ALWP data...... to compare the outcome of mobilized peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) (n = 1430) vs. bone marrow (BM) (n = 107) for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) patients with complete remission that underwent RIC-alloSCT from compatible sibling donors. The leukemia features, the disease status, and the time from...

Tissue-specific alternative splicing and expression of ATP1B2 gene ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

After heat-stress, the expression levels of the different transcripts were lower in different tissues; however, the expression of the ATP1B2-complete transcript increased in heart and lung tissues. The results of this research provide some useful information for further studies into the function of the bovine ATP1B2 gene.

Cytotect®CP as salvage therapy in patients with CMV infection following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation: a multicenter retrospective study.

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Alsuliman, Tamim; Kitel, Caroline; Dulery, Rémy; Guillaume, Thierry; Larosa, Fabrice; Cornillon, Jérôme; Labussière-Wallet, Helene; Médiavilla, Clémence; Belaiche, Stéphanie; Delage, Jeremy; Alain, Sophie; Yakoub-Agha, Ibrahim

2018-04-13

Cytomegalovirus is one of the main contributing factors to high mortality rates in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). The main factors of treatment failure are both drug resistance and intolerance. In some cases, Cytotect®CP CMV-hyperimmune globulin is used as salvage therapy. This study aims to investigate the safety and efficacy of Cytotect®CP as a salvage therapy in patients with CMV infection after allo-HCT. Twenty-three consecutive patients received Cytotect®CP for CMV infection after prior CMV therapy. At the time of Cytotect®CP introduction, 17 patients (74%) had developed acute GVHD and 15 patients (64%) were receiving steroid treatment; Cytotect®CP was used as monotherapy (n = 7) and in combination (n = 16). Overall, response was observed in 18 patients (78%) with a median time of 15 days (range: 3-51). Of the 18 responders, 4 experienced CMV reactivation, while 5 responders died within 100 days of beginning treatment. Of these 5 deaths, 4 were due to causes unrelated to CMV. Estimated 100-day OS from the introduction of Cytotect®CP was 69.6%. No statistically significant difference was observed in 100-day OS between responders and non-responders (73.7% vs 50.0%, p = 0.258). Cytotect®CP as salvage therapy is effective and well-tolerated. Given its safety profile, early treatment use should be considered.

Activations of Both Extrinsic and Intrinsic Pathways in HCT 116 Human Colorectal Cancer Cells Contribute to Apoptosis through p53-Mediated ATM/Fas Signaling by Emilia sonchifolia Extract, a Folklore Medicinal Plant

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Yu-Hsuan Lan

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Emilia sonchifolia (L. DC (Compositae, an herbaceous plant found in Taiwan and India, is used as folk medicine. The clinical applications include inflammation, rheumatism, cough, cuts fever, dysentery, analgesic, and antibacteria. The activities of Emilia sonchifolia extract (ESE on colorectal cancer cell death have not been fully investigated. The purpose of this study explored the induction of apoptosis and its molecular mechanisms in ESE-treated HCT 116 human colorectal cancer cells in vitro. The methanolic ESE was characterized, and γ-humulene was formed as the major constituent (63.86%. ESE induced cell growth inhibition in a concentration- and time-dependent response by MTT assay. Apoptotic cells (DNA fragmentation, an apoptotic catachrestic were found after ESE treatment by TUNEL assay and DNA gel electrophoresis. Alternatively, ESE stimulated the activities of caspase-3, -8, and -9 and their specific caspase inhibitors protected against ESE-induced cytotoxicity. ESE promoted the mitochondria-dependent and death-receptor-associated protein levels. Also, ESE increased ROS production and upregulated the levels of ATM, p53, and Fas in HCT 116 cells. Strikingly, p53 siRNA reversed ESE-reduced viability involved in p53-mediated ATM/Fas signaling in HCT 116 cells. In summary, our result is the first report suggesting that ESE may be potentially efficacious in the treatment of colorectal cancer.

Specific heat and magnetization of a ZrB12 single crystal: characterization of a type II/1 superconductor

OpenAIRE

Wang, Yuxing; Lortz, Rolf; Paderno, Yuriy; Filippov, Vladimir; Abe, Satoko; Tutsch, Ulrich; Junod, Alain

2005-01-01

We measured the specific heat, the magnetization, and the magnetoresistance of a single crystal of ZrB12, which is superconducting below Tc ~ 6 K. The specific heat in zero field shows a BCS-type superconducting transition. The normal- to superconducting-state transition changes from first order (with a latent heat) to second order (without latent heat) with increasing magnetic field, indicating that the pure compound is a low-kappa, type-II/1 superconductor in the classification of Auer and ...

Specific heat of MgB_2 after irradiation

OpenAIRE

Wang, Yuxing; Bouquet, Frederic; Sheikin, Ilya; Toulemonde, Pierre; Revaz, Bernard; Eisterer, Michael; Weber, Harald W.; Hinderer, Joerg; Junod, Alain

2002-01-01

We studied the effect of disorder on the superconducting properties of polycrystalline MgB_2 by specific-heat measurements. In the pristine state, these measurements give a bulk confirmation of the presence of two superconducting gaps with 2 Delta 0 / k_B T_c = 1.3 and 3.9 with nearly equal weights. The scattering introduced by irradiation suppresses T_c and tends to average the two gaps although less than predicted by theory. We also found that by a suitable irradiation process by fast neutr...

The apoptotic response in HCT116BAX-/- cancer cells becomes rapidly saturated with increasing expression of a GFP-BAX fusion protein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Semaan, Sheila J; Nickells, Robert W

2010-01-01

Many chemotherapeutic agents promote tumor cell death by activating the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis. Intrinsic apoptosis involves permeabilization of the mitochondrial outer membrane and the release of cytochrome c, a process that is controlled by proteins of the BCL2 gene family. Chemoresistance is often associated with abnormalities in concentrations of BCL2 family proteins. Although stoichiometirc interactions between anti-apoptotic and BH3-only BCL2 family proteins have been well documented as affecting cell death, the association between changes in BAX concentration and intrinsic apoptosis are poorly understood. Exogenous GFP-murine Bax fusion constructs were transfected into BAX-deficient HCT116 cells. To titrate the expression of the fusion protein, GFP-BAX was cloned into a tetracycline sensitive expression cassette and cotransfected with a plasmid expressing the rtTA transcription factor into HCT116 BAX-/- cells. Linear expression of the fusion gene was induced with doxycycline and monitored by quantitative PCR and immunoblotting. Cell death was assayed by DAPI staining cells after exposure to indomethacin, and scoring nuclei for condensed chromatin and fragmented nuclei. HCT116 BAX-/- cells were resistant to indomethacin, but susceptibility could be recovered in cells expressing a GFP-BAX fusion protein. Titration of GFP-BAX expression revealed that the concentration of BAX required to induce a saturating apoptosis response from baseline, was rapidly achieved. Increased levels of GFP-BAX were unable to stimulate higher levels of cell death. Examination of GFP-BAX distribution before and after indomethacin treatment indicated that BAX protein did not form aggregates when present at sub-lethal concentrations. Within the limitations of this experimental system, BAX-dependent apoptosis in HCT116 cells exhibits an all-or-none response depending on the level of BAX protein present. The lack of BAX aggregation at sub-saturation levels suggests that the

Natural products from Cuscuta reflexa Roxb. with antiproliferation activities in HCT116 colorectal cell lines.

Science.gov (United States)

Riaz, Muhammad; Bilal, Aishah; Ali, Muhammad Shaiq; Fatima, Itrat; Faisal, Amir; Sherkheli, Muhammad Azhar; Asghar, Adnan

2017-03-01

Parasitic Cuscuta reflexa Roxb. possesses many medicinal properties and is a rich source of a variety of biologically relevant natural products. Natural products are the prime source of leads, drugs, and drug templates, and many of the anticancer and antiviral drugs are either based on natural product or derived from them. Cancer is a devastating disease and one of the leading causes of death worldwide despite improvements in patient survival during the past 50 years; new and improved treatments for cancer are therefore actively sought. Colorectal cancer is the fourth most prevalent cancer worldwide and is responsible for nearly 9% of all cancer deaths. Our search for anticancer natural products from C. reflexa has yielded four natural products: Scoparone (1), p-coumaric acid (2), stigmasta-3,5-diene (3) and 1-O-p-hydroxycinnamoylglucose (4) and among them 1-O-p-hydroxycinnamoyldlucose (4) showed promising antiproliferative activities in HCT116 colorectal cell lines, whereas compounds 1-3 showed moderate activities.

Effect of radiation dose-rate on hematopoietic cell engraftment in adult zebrafish.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tiffany J Glass

Full Text Available Although exceptionally high radiation dose-rates are currently attaining clinical feasibility, there have been relatively few studies reporting the biological consequences of these dose-rates in hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT. In zebrafish models of HCT, preconditioning before transplant is typically achieved through radiation alone. We report the comparison of outcomes in adult zebrafish irradiated with 20 Gy at either 25 or 800 cGy/min in the context of experimental HCT. In non-transplanted irradiated fish we observed no substantial differences between dose-rate groups as assessed by fish mortality, cell death in the kidney, endogenous hematopoietic reconstitution, or gene expression levels of p53 and ddb2 (damage-specific DNA binding protein 2 in the kidney. However, following HCT, recipients conditioned with the higher dose rate showed significantly improved donor-derived engraftment at 9 days post transplant (p ≤ 0.0001, and improved engraftment persisted at 31 days post transplant. Analysis for sdf-1a expression, as well as transplant of hematopoietic cells from cxcr4b -/- zebrafish, (odysseus, cumulatively suggest that the sdf-1a/cxcr4b axis is not required of donor-derived cells for the observed dose-rate effect on engraftment. Overall, the adult zebrafish model of HCT indicates that exceptionally high radiation dose-rates can impact HCT outcome, and offers a new system for radiobiological and mechanistic interrogation of this phenomenon. Key words: Radiation dose rate, Total Marrow Irradiation (TMI, Total body irradiation (TBI, SDF-1, Zebrafish, hematopoietic cell transplant.

Granzyme B mediated function of Parvovirus B19-specific CD4+ T cells

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Arun; Perdomo, Maria F; Kantele, Anu; Hedman, Lea; Hedman, Klaus; Franssila, Rauli

2015-01-01

A novel conception of CD4+ T cells with cytolytic potential (CD4+ CTL) is emerging. These cells appear to have a part in controlling malignancies and chronic infections. Human parvovirus B19 can cause a persistent infection, yet no data exist on the presence of B19-specific CD4+ CTLs. Such cells could have a role in the pathogenesis of some autoimmune disorders reported to be associated with B19. We explored the cytolytic potential of human parvovirus B19-specific T cells by stimulating peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) with recombinant B19-VP2 virus-like particles. The cytolytic potential was determined by enzyme immunoassay-based quantitation of granzyme B (GrB) and perforin from the tissue culture supernatants, by intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) and by detecting direct cytotoxicity. GrB and perforin responses with the B19 antigen were readily detectable in B19-seropositive individuals. T-cell depletion, HLA blocking and ICS experiments showed GrB and perforin to be secreted by CD4+ T cells. CD4+ T cells with strong GrB responses were found to exhibit direct cytotoxicity. As anticipated, ICS of B19-specific CD4+ T cells showed expected co-expression of GrB, perforin and interferon gamma (IFN-γ). Unexpectedly, also a strong co-expression of GrB and interleukin 17 (IL-17) was detected. These cells expressed natural killer (NK) cell surface marker CD56, together with the CD4 surface marker. To our knowledge, this is the first report on virus-specific CD4+ CTLs co-expressing CD56 antigen. Our results suggest a role for CD4+ CTL in B19 immunity. Such cells could function within both immune regulation and triggering of autoimmune phenomena such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or rheumatoid arthritis. PMID:26246896

Study of the seroma volume changes in the patients who underwent Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Dae Ho; Son, Sang Jun; Mun, Jun Ki; Seo, Seok Jin; Lee, Je Hee

2016-01-01

By analyzing seroma volume changes in the patients who underwent Partial breast radiation therapy after breast conserving surgery, we try to contribute to the improvement of radiotherapy effect. Enrolled 20 patients who underwent partial breast radiation therapy by ViewRay MRIdian System were subject. After seeking for the size of the removed sample in the patients during surgery and obtained seroma volume changes on a weekly basis. On the Basis of acquired volume, it was compared with age, term from start of the first treatment after surgery, BMI (body mass index) and the extracted sample size during surgery. And using the ViewRay MRIdian RTP System, the figure was analyzed by PTV(=seroma volume + margin) to obtain a specific volume of the Partial breast radiation therapy. The changes of seroma volume from MR simulation to the first treatment (a week) is 0~5% in 8, 5~10% in 3, 10 to 15% in 2, and 20% or more in 5 people. Two patients(A, B patient) among subjects showed the biggest change. The A patient's 100% of the prescribed dose volume is 213.08 cc, PTV is 181.93 cc, seroma volume is 15.3 cc in initial plan. However, while seroma volume decreased 65.36% to 5.3 cc, 100% of the prescribed dose volume was reduced to 3.4% to 102.43 cc and PTV also did 43.6% to 102.54 cc. In the case of the B patient, seroma volume decreased 42.57% from 20.2 cc to 11.6 cc. Because of that, 100% of the prescribed dose volume decreased 8.1% and PTV also did to 40%. As the period between the first therapy and surgery is shorter, the patient is elder and the size of sample is smaller than 100 cc, the change grow bigger. It is desirable to establish an adaptive plan according to each patient's changes of seroma volume through continuous observation. Because partial breast patients is more sensitive than WBRT patients about dose conformity in accordance with the volume change

High incidence of chronic graft-versus-host disease after myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation for chronic lymphocytic leukemia in Sweden: graft-versus-leukemia effect protects against relapse.

Science.gov (United States)

Machaczka, Maciej; Johansson, Jan-Erik; Remberger, Mats; Hallböök, Helene; Lazarevic, Vladimir Lj; Wahlin, Björn Engelbrekt; Omar, Hamdy; Wahlin, Anders; Juliusson, Gunnar; Kimby, Eva; Hägglund, Hans

2013-12-01

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) is a potentially curative treatment option for eligible patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). However, it is known that cure of CLL is only possible if a graft-versus-leukemia effect is present. Between 1994 and 2007, 48 adults underwent allo-SCT for poor-risk CLL in Sweden. Of these, ten (21%) patients aged 24-53 years (median: 46 years) received myeloablative conditioning (MAC), based on TBI and cyclophosphamide. All MAC patients had refractory, poorly controlled CLL before allo-SCT (partial remission in 9/10 patients and progressive disease in one). The cumulative incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) grades II-IV was 30%. Nine patients developed chronic GVHD; extensive in four. Rates of nonrelapse mortality at 1, 3 and 10 years were 0, 10 and 20%, respectively. Two patients relapsed 36 and 53 months after transplantation. Six patients were still alive after a median follow-up time of 11.5 years (range 5.9-13.7). The probabilities of relapse-free and overall survival from 1, 3 and 5 years after transplantation were 100, 90 and 70%, and 100, 90 and 80%, respectively. Nevertheless, our analysis of long-term outcome after MAC allo-SCT for CLL suggests that younger patients with poorly controlled CLL may benefit from MAC allo-SCT.

Preparation of antisera specific for human B cells by immunization of rabbits with immune complexes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Welsh, K.I.; Turner, M.J.

1976-01-01

Three rabbit antisera are described which are specific without absorption (titer 1:100) for separated human B cells, as measured by complement and non-complement fixing assays. The method of production of these sera involved injections of rabbits with precipitin lines formed between 10μ1 of three separate detergent solubilized membrane preparations and 4μ1 aliquots of rabbit antisera to human B cells. In addition to being B cell specific, the three sera block the MLC reaction, inhibit aggregated IgG binding to B cells, and show differential degrees of B cell lysis when tested on a panel of separated B and T cells. These and other properties suggest that the target specificities of the antibodies are the human equivalent of the murine Ia antigens. (author)

CARMA3 is overexpressed in colon cancer and regulates NF-κB activity and cyclin D1 expression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miao, Zhifeng; Zhao, Tingting; Wang, Zhenning; Xu, Yingying; Song, Yongxi; Wu, Jianhua; Xu, Huimian

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► CARMA3 expression is elevated in colon cancers. ► CARMA3 promotes proliferation and cell cycle progression in colon cancer cells. ► CARMA3 upregulates cyclinD1 through NF-κB activation. -- Abstract: CARMA3 was recently reported to be overexpressed in cancers and associated with the malignant behavior of cancer cells. However, the expression of CARMA3 and its biological roles in colon cancer have not been reported. In the present study, we analyzed the expression pattern of CARMA3 in colon cancer tissues and found that CARMA3 was overexpressed in 30.8% of colon cancer specimens. There was a significant association between CARMA3 overexpression and TNM stage (p = 0.0383), lymph node metastasis (p = 0.0091) and Ki67 proliferation index (p = 0.0035). Furthermore, knockdown of CARMA3 expression in HT29 and HCT116 cells with high endogenous expression decreased cell proliferation and cell cycle progression while overexpression of CARMA3 in LoVo cell line promoted cell proliferation and facilitated cell cycle transition. Further analysis showed that CARMA3 knockdown downregulated and its overexpression upregulated cyclin D1 expression and phospho-Rb levels. In addition, we found that CARMA3 depletion inhibited p-IκB levels and NF-κB activity and its overexpression increased p-IκB expression and NF-κB activity. NF-κB inhibitor BAY 11-7082 reversed the role of CARMA3 on cyclin D1 upregulation. In conclusion, our study found that CARMA3 is overexpressed in colon cancers and contributes to malignant cell growth by facilitating cell cycle progression through NF-κB mediated upregulation of cyclin D1.

A mechanically-induced colon cancer cell population shows increased metastatic potential

KAUST Repository

Tang, Xin; Kuhlenschmidt, Theresa B; Li, Qian; Ali, Shahjahan; Lezmi, Stephane; Chen, Hong; Pires-Alves, Melissa; Laegreid, William W; Saif, Taher A; Kuhlenschmidt, Mark S

2014-01-01

Background: Metastasis accounts for the majority of deaths from cancer. Although tumor microenvironment has been shown to have a significant impact on the initiation and/or promotion of metastasis, the mechanism remains elusive. We previously reported that HCT-8 colon cancer cells underwent a phenotypic transition from an adhesive epithelial type (E-cell) to a rounded dissociated type (R-cell) via soft substrate culture, which resembled the initiation of metastasis. The objective of current study was to investigate the molecular and metabolic mechanisms of the E-R transition.Methods: Global gene expressions of HCT-8 E and R cells were measured by RNA Sequencing (RNA-seq); and the results were further confirmed by real-time PCR. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), anoikis resistance, enzyme activity of aldehyde dehydrogenase 3 family, member A1 (ALDH3A1), and in vitro invasion assay were tested on both E and R cells. The deformability of HCT-8 E and R cells was measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM). To study the in vivo invasiveness of two cell types, athymic nude mice were intra-splenically injected with HCT-8 E or R cells and sacrificed after 9 weeks. Incidences of tumor development and metastasis were histologically evaluated and analyzed with Fisher's exact test.Results: Besides HCT-8, E-R transition on soft substrates was also seen in three other cancer cell lines (HCT116, SW480 colon and DU145 prostate cancer). The expression of some genes, such as ALDH3A1, TNS4, CLDN2, and AKR1B10, which are known to play important roles in cancer cell migration, invasion, proliferation and apoptosis, were increased in HCT-8 R cells. R cells also showed higher ALDH3A1 enzyme activity, higher ROS, higher anoikis resistance, and higher softness than E cells. More importantly, in vitro assay and in vivo animal models revealed that HCT-8 R cells were more invasive than E cells.Conclusions: Our comprehensive comparison of HCT-8 E and R cells revealed differences of molecular

A mechanically-induced colon cancer cell population shows increased metastatic potential

KAUST Repository

Tang, Xin

2014-05-29

Background: Metastasis accounts for the majority of deaths from cancer. Although tumor microenvironment has been shown to have a significant impact on the initiation and/or promotion of metastasis, the mechanism remains elusive. We previously reported that HCT-8 colon cancer cells underwent a phenotypic transition from an adhesive epithelial type (E-cell) to a rounded dissociated type (R-cell) via soft substrate culture, which resembled the initiation of metastasis. The objective of current study was to investigate the molecular and metabolic mechanisms of the E-R transition.Methods: Global gene expressions of HCT-8 E and R cells were measured by RNA Sequencing (RNA-seq); and the results were further confirmed by real-time PCR. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), anoikis resistance, enzyme activity of aldehyde dehydrogenase 3 family, member A1 (ALDH3A1), and in vitro invasion assay were tested on both E and R cells. The deformability of HCT-8 E and R cells was measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM). To study the in vivo invasiveness of two cell types, athymic nude mice were intra-splenically injected with HCT-8 E or R cells and sacrificed after 9 weeks. Incidences of tumor development and metastasis were histologically evaluated and analyzed with Fisher\\'s exact test.Results: Besides HCT-8, E-R transition on soft substrates was also seen in three other cancer cell lines (HCT116, SW480 colon and DU145 prostate cancer). The expression of some genes, such as ALDH3A1, TNS4, CLDN2, and AKR1B10, which are known to play important roles in cancer cell migration, invasion, proliferation and apoptosis, were increased in HCT-8 R cells. R cells also showed higher ALDH3A1 enzyme activity, higher ROS, higher anoikis resistance, and higher softness than E cells. More importantly, in vitro assay and in vivo animal models revealed that HCT-8 R cells were more invasive than E cells.Conclusions: Our comprehensive comparison of HCT-8 E and R cells revealed differences of molecular

Protein kinase mediated upregulation of endothelin A, endothelin B and 5-hydroxytryptamine 1B/1D receptors during organ culture in rat basilar artery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen-Schwartz, Jacob; Svensson, Carl-Lennart; Xu, Cang-Bao

2002-01-01

with ET-1 (unspecific ET(A) and ET(B) agonist), S6c (specific ET(B) agonist) and 5-CT (5-HT(1) agonist). Levels of mRNA coding for the ET(A), ET(B), 5-HT(1B) and 5-HT(1D) receptors were analysed using real-time RT-PCR. 3. Classical PKC's are critically involved in the appearance of the ET(B) receptor; co....... 2. The effect of inhibiting protein kinases during organ culture with staurosporine (unspecific protein kinase inhibitor), RO 31-7549 (specific inhibitor of classical PKC's) and H 89 (specific inhibitor of PKA) was examined using in vitro pharmacological examination of cultured vessel segments......-culture with RO 31-7549 abolished the contractile response (6.9 +/- 1.8%) and reduced the ET(B) receptor mRNA by 44 +/- 4% as compared to the cultured control. Correlation between decreased ET(B) receptor mRNA and abolished contractile function indicates upstream involvement of PKC. 4. Inhibition of PKA generally...

The 7B-1 mutant in tomato shows blue-light-specific resistance to osmotic stress and abscisic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Fellner, Martin; Sawhney, Vipen K

2002-03-01

Germination of wild-type (WT) tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) seed is inhibited by mannitol (100-140 mM) in light, but not in darkness, suggesting that light amplifies the responsiveness of the seed to osmotic stress (M. Fellner, V.K. Sawhney (2001) Theor Appl Genet 102:215-221). Here we report that white light (W) and especially blue light (B) strongly enhance the mannitol-induced inhibition of seed germination, and that the effect of red light (R) is weak or nil. The inhibitory effect of mannitol could be completely overcome by fluridone, an inhibitor of abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis, indicating that mannitol inhibits seed germination via ABA accumulation in seeds. The inhibition of WT seed germination by exogenous ABA was also amplified by W or B, but not by R. In a recessive, ABA-overproducing, 7B-1 mutant of tomato, seed germination and hypocotyl growth were resistant to inhibition by mannitol or exogenous ABA, both in W or B. Experiments with fluridone suggested that inhibition of hypocotyl growth by W or B is also partially via ABA accumulation. De-etiolation in the mutant was especially less in B compared to the WT, and there was no difference in hypocotyl growth between the two genotypes in R. Our data suggest that B amplifies the responsiveness of tomato seeds and hypocotyls to mannitol and ABA, and that W- or B-specific resistance of the 7B-1 mutant to osmotic stress or ABA is a consequence of a defect in B perception or signal transduction.

Phosphodiesterase-1b (Pde1b) knockout mice are resistant to forced swim and tail suspension induced immobility and show upregulation of Pde10a.

Science.gov (United States)

Hufgard, Jillian R; Williams, Michael T; Skelton, Matthew R; Grubisha, Olivera; Ferreira, Filipa M; Sanger, Helen; Wright, Mary E; Reed-Kessler, Tracy M; Rasmussen, Kurt; Duman, Ronald S; Vorhees, Charles V

2017-06-01

Major depressive disorder is a leading cause of suicide and disability. Despite this, current antidepressants provide insufficient efficacy in more than 60% of patients. Most current antidepressants are presynaptic reuptake inhibitors; postsynaptic signal regulation has not received as much attention as potential treatment targets. We examined the effects of disruption of the postsynaptic cyclic nucleotide hydrolyzing enzyme, phosphodiesterase (PDE) 1b, on depressive-like behavior and the effects on PDE1B protein in wild-type (WT) mice following stress. Littermate knockout (KO) and WT mice were tested in locomotor activity, tail suspension (TST), and forced swim tests (FST). FST was also used to compare the effects of two antidepressants, fluoxetine and bupropion, in KO versus WT mice. Messenger RNA (mRNA) expression changes were also determined. WT mice underwent acute or chronic stress and markers of stress and PDE1B expression were examined. Pde1b KO mice exhibited decreased TST and FST immobility. When treated with antidepressants, both WT and KO mice showed decreased FST immobility and the effect was additive in KO mice. Mice lacking Pde1b had increased striatal Pde10a mRNA expression. In WT mice, acute and chronic stress upregulated PDE1B expression while PDE10A expression was downregulated after chronic but not acute stress. PDE1B is a potential therapeutic target for depression treatment because of the antidepressant-like phenotype seen in Pde1b KO mice.

A common variant in the MTNR1b gene is associated with increased risk of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) in youth with obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Chao; Dalla Man, Chiara; Cobelli, Claudio; Groop, Leif; Zhao, Hongyu; Bale, Allen E; Shaw, Melissa; Duran, Elvira; Pierpont, Bridget; Caprio, Sonia; Santoro, Nicola

2015-05-01

To explore the role of MTNR1B rs10830963 and G6PC2 rs560887 variants in the pathogenesis of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) in obese adolescents. A total of 346 Caucasians, 218 African-Americans, and 217 Hispanics obese children and adolescents underwent an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and 518 underwent the evaluation of insulin secretion by the oral minimal model (OMM). Also, 274 subjects underwent a second OGTT after 3.0 ± 2.1 years. The MTNR1B rs10830963 variant was associated with higher fasting glucose levels and lower dynamic beta-cell response in Caucasians and Hispanics (P fasting glucose levels (P  0.10). It has been shown for the first time in obese youth that the MTNR1B variant is associated with an increased risk of IFG. © 2015 The Obesity Society.

Ia-restricted B-B cell interaction. I. The MHC haplotype of bone marrow cells present during B cell ontogeny dictates the self-recognition specificity of B cells in the polyclonal B cell activation by a B cell differentiation factor, B151-TRF2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ono, S.; Takahama, Y.; Hamaoka, T.

1987-01-01

We have demonstrated that B cell recognition of Ia molecules is involved in polyclonal B cell differentiation by B151-TRF2. The present study was undertaken to examine the Ia recognition specificity of B151-TRF2-responsive B cells in fully major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-allogeneic P1----P2, semiallogeneic P1----(P1 x P2)F1, and double donor (P1 + P2)----(P1 x P2)F1 and (P1 + P2)----P1 radiation bone marrow chimeras. The B cells from both P1----P2 and P1----(P1 x P2)F1 chimeras could give rise to in vitro immunoglobulin M-producing cells upon stimulation with B151-TRF2 comparable in magnitude to that of normal P1 B cells, and their responses were inhibited by anti-I-AP1 but not by anti-I-AP2 monoclonal antibody even in the presence of mitomycin C-treated T cell-depleted P2 spleen cells as auxiliary cells. In contrast, the B151-TRF2 responses of P1 B cells isolated from both (P1 + P2)----(P1 x P2)F1 and (P1 + P2)----P1 double bone marrow chimeras became sensitive to the inhibition of not only anti-I-AP1 but also anti-I-AP2 monoclonal antibody only when the culture was conducted in the presence of P2 auxiliary cells, demonstrating that they adaptively differentiate to recognize as self-structures allogeneic as well as syngeneic Ia molecules. Moreover, the experiments utilizing B cells from H-2-congenic mice and B cell hybridoma clones as auxiliary cells revealed that B151-TRF2-responsive B cells recognize Ia molecules expressed on B cells. Taken together, these results demonstrate that B151-TRF2-responsive B cells recognize Ia molecules expressed by B cells as self-structures and that their self-recognition specificity is dictated by the MHC haplotype of bone marrow cells present during the B cell ontogeny but not by the MHC haplotype of a radiation-resistant host environment

IL-1B rs16944 polymorphism is related to septic shock and death.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiménez-Sousa, María Ángeles; Medrano, Luz M; Liu, Pilar; Almansa, Raquel; Fernández-Rodríguez, Amanda; Gómez-Sánchez, Esther; Rico, Lucía; Heredia-Rodríguez, María; Gómez-Pesquera, Estefanía; Tamayo, Eduardo; Resino, Salvador

2017-01-01

IL-1β is a primary mediator of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and it may lead to shock septic. Our aim was to analyse whether IL-1B rs16944 polymorphism is associated with the onset of septic shock and death after major surgery. We performed a case-control study on 467 patients who underwent major cardiac or abdominal surgery. Of them, 205 patients developed septic shock (cases, SS group) and 262 patients developed SIRS (controls, SIRS group). The primary outcome variables were the development of septic shock and death within 90 days after diagnosis of septic shock. The IL-1B rs16944 polymorphism was genotyped by Sequenom's MassARRAY platform. The association analysis was performed under a recessive genetic model (AA vs. GG/GC). The frequency of septic shock was higher in patients with IL-1B rs16944 AA genotype than in patients with IL-1B rs16944 GG/AG genotype when all patients were taken into account (63·6% vs. 41·8%; P = 0·006), cardiac surgery (52·2% vs. 33·3%; P = 0·072) and abdominal surgery (76·2% vs. 50·2%; P = 0·023). However, the IL-1B rs16944 AA genotype was only associated with higher likelihood of septic shock in the analysis of all population [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2·26 (95%CI = 1·03; 4·97; P = 0·042], but not when it was stratified by cardiac surgery (P = 0·175) or abdominal surgery (P = 0·467). Similarly, IL-1B rs16944 AA genotype was also associated with higher likelihood of septic shock-related death in all population [aOR = 2·67 (95%CI = 1·07; 4·97); P = 0·035]. IL-1B rs16944 AA genotype seems to be related to the onset of septic shock and death in patients who underwent major surgery. © 2016 Stichting European Society for Clinical Investigation Journal Foundation.

Tissue-specific B-cell dysfunction and generalized memory B-cell loss during acute SIV infection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandrine Peruchon

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Primary HIV-infected patients display severe and irreversible damage to different blood B-cell subsets which is not restored by highly efficient anti-retroviral therapy (HAART. Because longitudinal investigations of primary HIV-infection is limited by the availability of lymphoid organs, we studied the tissue-specific B-cell dysfunctions in acutely simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV mac251-infected Cynomolgus macaques. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Experiments were performed on three groups of macaques infected for 14, 21 or 28 days and on three groups of animals treated with HAART for two-weeks either initiated at 4 h, 7 or 14 days post-infection (p.i.. We have simultaneously compared changes in B-cell phenotypes and functions and tissue organization of B-cell areas in various lymphoid organs. We showed that SIV induced a steady decline in SIgG-expressing memory (SIgD(-CD27(+ B-cells in spleen and lymph nodes during the first 4 weeks of infection, concomitant to selective homing/sequestration of B-cells to the small intestine and spleen. SIV non-specific Ig production was transiently increased before D14p.i., whereas SIV-specific Ig production was only detectable after D14p.i., coinciding with the presence of CD8(+ T-cells and IgG-expressing plasma cells within germinal centres. Transient B-cell apoptosis on D14p.i. and commitment to terminal differentiation contributed to memory B-cell loss. HAART abrogated B-cell apoptosis, homing to the small intestine and SIV-specific Ig production but had minimal effect on early Ig production, increased B-cell proportions in spleen and loss of memory B-cells. Therefore, virus-B-cell interactions and SIV-induced inflammatory cytokines may differently contribute to early B-cell dysfunction and impaired SIV/HIV-specific antibody response. CONCLUSIONS: These data establish tissue-specific impairments in B-cell trafficking and functions and a generalized and steady memory B-cell loss in secondary lymphoid

The apoptotic response in HCT116BAX-/- cancer cells becomes rapidly saturated with increasing expression of a GFP-BAX fusion protein

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Semaan Sheila J

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Many chemotherapeutic agents promote tumor cell death by activating the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis. Intrinsic apoptosis involves permeabilization of the mitochondrial outer membrane and the release of cytochrome c, a process that is controlled by proteins of the BCL2 gene family. Chemoresistance is often associated with abnormalities in concentrations of BCL2 family proteins. Although stoichiometirc interactions between anti-apoptotic and BH3-only BCL2 family proteins have been well documented as affecting cell death, the association between changes in BAX concentration and intrinsic apoptosis are poorly understood. Methods Exogenous GFP-murine Bax fusion constructs were transfected into BAX-deficient HCT116 cells. To titrate the expression of the fusion protein, GFP-BAX was cloned into a tetracycline sensitive expression cassette and cotransfected with a plasmid expressing the rtTA transcription factor into HCT116BAX-/- cells. Linear expression of the fusion gene was induced with doxycycline and monitored by quantitative PCR and immunoblotting. Cell death was assayed by DAPI staining cells after exposure to indomethacin, and scoring nuclei for condensed chromatin and fragmented nuclei. Results HCT116BAX-/- cells were resistant to indomethacin, but susceptibility could be recovered in cells expressing a GFP-BAX fusion protein. Titration of GFP-BAX expression revealed that the concentration of BAX required to induce a saturating apoptosis response from baseline, was rapidly achieved. Increased levels of GFP-BAX were unable to stimulate higher levels of cell death. Examination of GFP-BAX distribution before and after indomethacin treatment indicated that BAX protein did not form aggregates when present at sub-lethal concentrations. Conclusion Within the limitations of this experimental system, BAX-dependent apoptosis in HCT116 cells exhibits an all-or-none response depending on the level of BAX protein present. The lack of

HIV-Specific B Cell Frequency Correlates with Neutralization Breadth in Patients Naturally Controlling HIV-Infection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angeline Rouers

2017-07-01

Full Text Available HIV-specific broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs have been isolated from patients with high viremia but also from HIV controllers that repress HIV-1 replication. In these elite controllers (ECs, multiple parameters contribute to viral suppression, including genetic factors and immune responses. Defining the immune correlates associated with the generation of bnAbs may help in designing efficient immunotherapies. In this study, in ECs either positive or negative for the HLA-B*57 protective allele, in treated HIV-infected and HIV-negative individuals, we characterized memory B cell compartments and HIV-specific memory B cells responses using flow cytometry and ELISPOT. ECs preserved their memory B cell compartments and in contrast to treated patients, maintained detectable HIV-specific memory B cell responses. All ECs presented IgG1+ HIV-specific memory B cells but some individuals also preserved IgG2+ or IgG3+ responses. Importantly, we also analyzed the capacity of sera from ECs to neutralize a panel of HIV strains including transmitted/founder virus. 29% and 21% of HLA-B*57+ and HLA-B*57− ECs, respectively, neutralized at least 40% of the viral strains tested. Remarkably, in HLA-B*57+ ECs the frequency of HIV-Env-specific memory B cells correlated positively with the neutralization breadth suggesting that preservation of HIV-specific memory B cells might contribute to the neutralizing responses in these patients.

Human aldolase B subunit-specific radioimmunoassay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asaka, M.; Alpert, E.

1983-01-01

A radioimmunoassay was developed for the direct quantification of aldolase B in human serum and tissues. The method is a double-antibody radioimmunoassay technique using radioiodinated aldolase B homopolymer as ligand, chicken antibodies to aldolase B and rabbit antibodies to chicken IgG. This radioimmunoassay was shown to be specific for the aldolase B subunit, with no cross-reactivity with either human aldolase A subunit or homopolymeric human aldolase C (C 4 ). The lowest measurable amount by this method was 2 ng/ml. Aldolase B is predominantly found in normal liver tissue, with relatively-high aldolase B levels also observed in kidney. Aldolase B levels in the serum obtained from 11 normal subjects ranged from 23 to 38 ng/ml, with a mean of 28.5 +- 9.2 (S.D.) ng/ml. Almost all of patients with hepatitis had serum aldolase B levels greater than 30 ng/ml. In cancer patients, serum aldolase B was slightly elevated in patients with metastatic liver cancer and primary lever cell carcinoma, whereas no elevation of serum aldolase B was shown in patients without liver metastasis. (Auth.)

Nematode and arthropod genomes provide new insights into the evolution of class 2 B1 GPCRs.

Science.gov (United States)

Cardoso, João C R; Félix, Rute C; Power, Deborah M

2014-01-01

Nematodes and arthropods are the most speciose animal groups and possess Class 2 B1 G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Existing models of invertebrate Class 2 B1 GPCR evolution are mainly centered on Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila melanogaster and a few other nematode and arthropod representatives. The present study reevaluates the evolution of metazoan Class 2 B1 GPCRs and orthologues by exploring the receptors in several nematode and arthropod genomes and comparing them to the human receptors. Three novel receptor phylogenetic clusters were identified and designated cluster A, cluster B and PDF-R-related cluster. Clusters A and B were identified in several nematode and arthropod genomes but were absent from D. melanogaster and Culicidae genomes, whereas the majority of the members of the PDF-R-related cluster were from nematodes. Cluster A receptors were nematode and arthropod-specific but shared a conserved gene environment with human receptor loci. Cluster B members were orthologous to human GCGR, PTHR and Secretin members with which they probably shared a common origin. PDF-R and PDF-R related clusters were present in representatives of both nematodes and arthropods. The results of comparative analysis of GPCR evolution and diversity in protostomes confirm previous notions that C. elegans and D. melanogaster genomes are not good representatives of nematode and arthropod phyla. We hypothesize that at least four ancestral Class 2 B1 genes emerged early in the metazoan radiation, which after the protostome-deuterostome split underwent distinct selective pressures that resulted in duplication and deletion events that originated the current Class 2 B1 GPCRs in nematode and arthropod genomes.

OTULIN antagonizes LUBAC signaling by specifically hydrolyzing met1-linked polyubiquitin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Keusekotten, K.; Elliott, P.R.; Kulathu, Y.

2013-01-01

The linear ubiquitin (Ub) chain assembly complex (LUBAC) is an E3 ligase that specifically assembles Met1-linked (also known as linear) Ub chains that regulate nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling. Deubiquitinases (DUBs) are key regulators of Ub signaling, but a dedicated DUB for Met1 linkages has...... not been identified. Here, we reveal a previously unannotated human DUB, OTULIN (also known as FAM105B), which is exquisitely specific for Met1 linkages. Crystal structures of the OTULIN catalytic domain in complex with diubiquitin reveal Met1-specific Ub-binding sites and a mechanism of substrate...

Pathophysiological roles of aldo-keto reductases (AKR1C1 and AKR1C3) in development of cisplatin resistance in human colon cancers.

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Matsunaga, Toshiyuki; Hojo, Aki; Yamane, Yumi; Endo, Satoshi; El-Kabbani, Ossama; Hara, Akira

2013-02-25

Cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum, CDDP) is widely used for treatment of patients with solid tumors formed in various organs including the lung, prostate and cervix, but is much less sensitive in colon and breast cancers. One major factor implicated in the ineffectiveness has been suggested to be acquisition of the CDDP resistance. Here, we established the CDDP-resistant phenotypes of human colon HCT15 cells by continuously exposing them to incremental concentrations of the drug, and monitored expressions of aldo-keto reductases (AKRs) 1A1, 1B1, 1B10, 1C1, 1C2 and 1C3. Among the six AKRs, AKR1C1 and AKR1C3 are highly induced with the CDDP resistance. The resistance lowered the sensitivity toward cellular damages evoked by oxidative stress-derived aldehydes, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal and 4-oxo-2-nonenal that are detoxified by AKR1C1 and AKR1C3. Overexpression of AKR1C1 or AKR1C3 in the parental HCT15 cells mitigated the cytotoxicity of the aldehydes and CDDP. Knockdown of both AKR1C1 and AKR1C3 in the resistant cells or treatment of the cells with specific inhibitors of the AKRs increased the sensitivity to CDDP toxicity. Thus, the two AKRs participate in the mechanism underlying the CDDP resistance probably via detoxification of the aldehydes resulting from enhanced oxidative stress. The resistant cells also showed an enhancement in proteolytic activity of proteasome accompanied by overexpression of its catalytic subunits (PSMβ9 and PSMβ10). Pretreatment of the resistant cells with a potent proteasome inhibitor Z-Leu-Leu-Leu-al augmented the CDDP sensitization elicited by the AKR inhibitors. Additionally, the treatment of the cells with Z-Leu-Leu-Leu-al and the AKR inhibitors induced the expressions of the two AKRs and proteasome subunits. Collectively, these results suggest the involvement of up-regulated AKR1C1, AKR1C3 and proteasome in CDDP resistance of colon cancers and support a chemotherapeutic role for their inhibitors. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland

Investigating country-specific music preferences and music recommendation algorithms with the LFM-1b dataset.

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Schedl, Markus

2017-01-01

Recently, the LFM-1b dataset has been proposed to foster research and evaluation in music retrieval and music recommender systems, Schedl (Proceedings of the ACM International Conference on Multimedia Retrieval (ICMR). New York, 2016). It contains more than one billion music listening events created by more than 120,000 users of Last.fm. Each listening event is characterized by artist, album, and track name, and further includes a timestamp. Basic demographic information and a selection of more elaborate listener-specific descriptors are included as well, for anonymized users. In this article, we reveal information about LFM-1b's acquisition and content and we compare it to existing datasets. We furthermore provide an extensive statistical analysis of the dataset, including basic properties of the item sets, demographic coverage, distribution of listening events (e.g., over artists and users), and aspects related to music preference and consumption behavior (e.g., temporal features and mainstreaminess of listeners). Exploiting country information of users and genre tags of artists, we also create taste profiles for populations and determine similar and dissimilar countries in terms of their populations' music preferences. Finally, we illustrate the dataset's usage in a simple artist recommendation task, whose results are intended to serve as baseline against which more elaborate techniques can be assessed.

Outcomes of adults with active or progressive hematological malignancies at the time of allo-SCT: a survey from the Société Française de Greffe de Moelle et de Thérapie Cellulaire (SFGM-TC).

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Chevallier, P; Labopin, M; Milpied, N; Bilger, K; Socié, G; Yakoub-Agha, I; Michallet, M; Bulabois, C-E; Maury, S; Beguin, Y; Bay, J-O; Blaise, D; Maillard, N; Guillerm, G; Daguindeau, E; Raus, N; Mohty, M

2014-03-01

Previous data suggested that allo-SCT might be an effective therapy in the setting of chemo-refractory/relapsed diseases because of the potent long-term immune-mediated tumor control. This retrospective study aimed to analyze the outcome of adult patients who received allo-SCT in a chemo-refractory/relapsed status. The series included 840 patients with active or progressive disease at the time of transplant. Median age was 50 years. With a median follow-up of 40 months, 3-year OS, disease-free survival (DFS), and non-relapse mortality rates were 29±2, 23±2, and 30±2%, respectively. At the last follow-up, 252 patients (30%) were still alive (of whom 201 were in CR (24%). In a Cox multivariate analysis, the use of a reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) before allo-SCT and use of an HLA-identical sibling donor remained independently associated with a better OS (hazard ratio (HR)=0.82; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.69-0.98, P=0.03; and HR=0.79; 95% CI, 0.66-0.93, P=0.006, respectively). Also, a diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome/myeloproliferative disorder, Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma compared with acute leukemia had a favorable impact on OS (HR=0.55; 95% CI, 0.45-0.68, PSCT may be of benefit in some subgroups of patients with active or progressive hematological malignancies at the time of allo-SCT.

CMV-specific T cell isolation from G-CSF mobilized peripheral blood: depletion of myeloid progenitors eliminates non-specific binding of MHC-multimers.

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Beloki, Lorea; Ciaurriz, Miriam; Mansilla, Cristina; Zabalza, Amaya; Perez-Valderrama, Estela; Samuel, Edward R; Lowdell, Mark W; Ramirez, Natalia; Olavarria, Eduardo

2014-11-19

Cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific T cell infusion to immunocompromised patients following allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (allo-HSCT) is able to induce a successful anti-viral response. These cells have classically been manufactured from steady-state apheresis samples collected from the donor in an additional harvest prior to G-CSF mobilization, treatment that induces hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) mobilization to the periphery. However, two closely-timed cellular collections are not usually available in the unrelated donor setting, which limits the accessibility of anti-viral cells for adoptive immunotherapy. CMV-specific cytotoxic T cell (CTL) manufacture from the same G-CSF mobilized donor stem cell harvest offers great regulatory advantages, but the isolation using MHC-multimers is hampered by the high non-specific binding to myeloid progenitors, which reduces the purity of the cellular product. In the present study we describe an easy and fast method based on plastic adherence to remove myeloid cell subsets from 11 G-CSF mobilized donor samples. CMV-specific CTLs were isolated from the non-adherent fraction using pentamers and purity and yield of the process were compared to products obtained from unmanipulated samples. After the elimination of unwanted cell subtypes, non-specific binding of pentamers was notably reduced. Accordingly, following the isolation process the purity of the obtained cellular product was significantly improved. G-CSF mobilized leukapheresis samples can successfully be used to isolate antigen-specific T cells with MHC-multimers to be adoptively transferred following allo-HSCT, widening the accessibility of this therapy in the unrelated donor setting. The combination of the clinically translatable plastic adherence process to the antigen-specific cell isolation using MHC-multimers improves the quality of the therapeutic cellular product, thereby reducing the clinical negative effects associated with undesired

A new tellurium-containing amphiphilic molecule induces apoptosis in HCT116 colon cancer cells.

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Du, Peng; Saidu, Nathaniel Edward Bennett; Intemann, Johanna; Jacob, Claus; Montenarh, Mathias

2014-06-01

Chalcogen-based redox modulators over the years have attracted considerable attention as anti-cancer agents. New selenium- and tellurium-containing compounds with a polar head group and aryl-groups of various lengths have recently been reported as biologically active in several organisms. In the present study, we used the most active of the tellurium compound DP41, and its selenium counterpart DP31 to investigate their effects on the human cancer cell line HCT116. Cells were treated with DP41 or DP31 and the formation of superoxide radicals was determined using dihydroethidium. Cell cycle analysis and apoptosis was determined by cytofluorimetry. Proteins involved in ER signaling and apoptosis were determined by Western blot analysis and fluorescence microscopy. With 50μM of DP41, we observed an increase in O2(-) formation. There was, however, no such increase in O2(-) after treatment with the corresponding selenium compound under the same conditions. In the case of DP41, the production of O2(-) radicals was followed by an up-regulation of Nrf2, HO-1, phospho-eIF2α and ATF4. CHOP was also induced and cells entered apoptosis. Unlike the cancer cells, normal retinal epithelial ARPE-19 cells did not produce elevated levels of O2(-) radicals nor did they induce the ER signaling pathway or apoptosis. The tellurium-containing compound DP41, in contrast to the corresponding selenium compound, induces O2(-) radical formation and oxidative and ER stress responses, including CHOP activation and finally apoptosis. These results indicate that DP41 is a redox modulating agent with promising anti-cancer potentials. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Processing TES Level-1B Data

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DeBaca, Richard C.; Sarkissian, Edwin; Madatyan, Mariyetta; Shepard, Douglas; Gluck, Scott; Apolinski, Mark; McDuffie, James; Tremblay, Dennis

2006-01-01

TES L1B Subsystem is a computer program that performs several functions for the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES). The term "L1B" (an abbreviation of "level 1B"), refers to data, specific to the TES, on radiometric calibrated spectral radiances and their corresponding noise equivalent spectral radiances (NESRs), plus ancillary geolocation, quality, and engineering data. The functions performed by TES L1B Subsystem include shear analysis, monitoring of signal levels, detection of ice build-up, and phase correction and radiometric and spectral calibration of TES target data. Also, the program computes NESRs for target spectra, writes scientific TES level-1B data to hierarchical- data-format (HDF) files for public distribution, computes brightness temperatures, and quantifies interpixel signal variability for the purpose of first-order cloud and heterogeneous land screening by the level-2 software summarized in the immediately following article. This program uses an in-house-developed algorithm, called "NUSRT," to correct instrument line-shape factors.

Evaluation of FlaB1, FlaB2, FlaB3, and Tp0463 of Treponema pallidum for serodiagnosis of syphilis.

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Jiang, Chuanhao; Xiao, Jinhong; Xie, Yafeng; Xiao, Yongjian; Wang, Chuan; Kuang, Xingxing; Xu, Man; Li, Ranhui; Zeng, Tiebing; Liu, Shuanquan; Yu, Jian; Zhao, Feijun; Wu, Yimou

2016-02-01

Syphilis is a multistage disease caused by the invasive spirochete Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum, and accurate diagnosis is important for the prevention and treatment of syphilis. Here, to identify appropriate diagnostic antigens for serodiagnosis of syphilis, 6 recombinant proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified, including flagellins (FlaB1 [Tp0868], FlaB2 [Tp0792], and FlaB3 [Tp0870]), Tp0463, Tp0751, and Tp1038. The sensitivities were determined by screening sera from individuals with primary (n=82), secondary (n=115), latent (n=105), and congenital (n=65) syphilis. The specificities were determined by screening sera from uninfected controls (n=30) and potentially cross-reactive infections including Lyme disease (n=30), leptospirosis (n=5), and hepatitis B (n=30). Our data showed that FlaB1, FlaB2, FlaB3, Tp0463, and Tp1038 exhibited higher overall sensitivities and specificities for detecting IgG antibody, with 95.4% and 98.9%, 92.6% and 95.8%, 95.1% and 95.8%, 92.6% and 97.9%, and 95.9% and 98.9%, respectively. In contrast, Tp0751 demonstrated only an overall sensitivity of 39.2%. For comparison, the sensitivity and specificity of Architect Syphilis TP were determined to be 98.1% and 93.7%, respectively. In addition, FlaB1, FlaB2, FlaB3, and Tp0463 demonstrated excellent performance for detecting IgM antibody in primary and congenital syphilis, with sensitivities of 76.8% and 83.1%, 72.0% and 87.7%, 74.4% and 89.2%, and 64.6% and 75.3%, respectively. These results indicate that FlaB1, FlaB2, FlaB3, and Tp0463 could be as novel diagnostic candidates for serodiagnosis of syphilis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rationale and design of the allogeneiC human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) in patients with aging fRAilTy via intravenoUS delivery (CRATUS) study: A phase I/II, randomized, blinded and placebo controlled trial to evaluate the safety and potential efficacy of allogeneic human mesenchymal stem cell infusion in patients with aging frailty.

Science.gov (United States)

Golpanian, Samuel; DiFede, Darcy L; Pujol, Marietsy V; Lowery, Maureen H; Levis-Dusseau, Silvina; Goldstein, Bradley J; Schulman, Ivonne H; Longsomboon, Bangon; Wolf, Ariel; Khan, Aisha; Heldman, Alan W; Goldschmidt-Clermont, Pascal J; Hare, Joshua M

2016-03-15

Frailty is a syndrome associated with reduced physiological reserves that increases an individual's vulnerability for developing increased morbidity and/or mortality. While most clinical trials have focused on exercise, nutrition, pharmacologic agents, or a multifactorial approach for the prevention and attenuation of frailty, none have studied the use of cell-based therapies. We hypothesize that the application of allogeneic human mesenchymal stem cells (allo-hMSCs) as a therapeutic agent for individuals with frailty is safe and efficacious. The CRATUS trial comprises an initial non-blinded phase I study, followed by a blinded, randomized phase I/II study (with an optional follow-up phase) that will address the safety and pre-specified beneficial effects in patients with the aging frailty syndrome. In the initial phase I protocol, allo-hMSCs will be administered in escalating doses via peripheral intravenous infusion (n=15) to patients allocated to three treatment groups: Group 1 (n=5, 20 million allo-hMSCs), Group 2 (n=5, 100 million allo-hMSCs), and Group 3 (n=5, 200 million allo-hMSCs). Subsequently, in the randomized phase, allo-hMSCs or matched placebo will be administered to patients (n=30) randomly allocated in a 1:1:1 ratio to one of two doses of MSCs versus placebo: Group A (n=10, 100 million allo-hMSCs), Group B (n=10, 200 million allo-hMSCs), and Group C (n=10, placebo). Primary and secondary objectives are, respectively, to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of allo-hMSCs administered in frail older individuals. This study will determine the safety of intravenous infusion of stem cells and compare phenotypic outcomes in patients with aging frailty.

Outcome of relapse after allogeneic HSCT in children with ALL enrolled in the ALL-SCT 2003/2007 trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuhlen, Michaela; Willasch, Andre M; Dalle, Jean-Hugues; Wachowiak, Jacek; Yaniv, Isaac; Ifversen, Marianne; Sedlacek, Petr; Guengoer, Tayfun; Lang, Peter; Bader, Peter; Sufliarska, Sabina; Balduzzi, Adriana; Strahm, Brigitte; von Luettichau, Irene; Hoell, Jessica I; Borkhardt, Arndt; Klingebiel, Thomas; Schrappe, Martin; von Stackelberg, Arend; Glogova, Evgenia; Poetschger, Ulrike; Meisel, Roland; Peters, Christina

2018-01-01

Relapse remains the major cause of treatment failure in children with high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (allo-SCT). Prognosis is considered dismal but data on risk factors and outcome are lacking from prospective studies. We analysed 242 children with recurrence of ALL after first allo-SCT enrolled in the Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster (BFM) ALL-SCT-BFM 2003 and ALL-SCT-BFM international 2007 studies. Median time from allo-SCT to relapse was 7·7 months; median follow-up from relapse after allo-SCT until last follow-up was 3·4 years. The 3-year event-free survival (EFS) was 15% and overall survival (OS) was 20%. The main cause of death was disease progression or relapse (86·5%). The majority of children (48%) received salvage therapy without second allo-SCT, 26% of the children underwent a second allo-SCT and 25% received palliative treatment only. In multivariate analyses, age, site of relapse, time to relapse and type of salvage therapy were identified as significant prognostic factors for OS and EFS, whereas factors associated with first SCT were not statistically significant. Combined approaches incorporating novel immunotherapeutic treatment options and second allo-SCT hold promise to improve outcome in children with post allo-SCT relapse. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Extensive virologic and immunologic characterization in an HIV-infected individual following allogeneic stem cell transplant and analytic cessation of antiretroviral therapy: A case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cummins, Nathan W; Rizza, Stacey; Litzow, Mark R; Hua, Stephane; Lee, Guinevere Q; Einkauf, Kevin; Chun, Tae-Wook; Rhame, Frank; Baker, Jason V; Busch, Michael P; Chomont, Nicolas; Dean, Patrick G; Fromentin, Rémi; Haase, Ashley T; Hampton, Dylan; Keating, Sheila M; Lada, Steven M; Lee, Tzong-Hae; Natesampillai, Sekar; Richman, Douglas D; Schacker, Timothy W; Wietgrefe, Stephen; Yu, Xu G; Yao, Joseph D; Zeuli, John; Lichterfeld, Mathias; Badley, Andrew D

2017-11-01

Notwithstanding 1 documented case of HIV-1 cure following allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT), several subsequent cases of allo-SCT in HIV-1 positive individuals have failed to cure HIV-1 infection. The aim of our study was to describe changes in the HIV reservoir in a single chronically HIV-infected patient on suppressive antiretroviral therapy who underwent allo-SCT for treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. We prospectively collected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by leukapheresis from a 55-year-old man with chronic HIV infection before and after allo-SCT to measure the size of the HIV-1 reservoir and characterize viral phylogeny and phenotypic changes in immune cells. At day 784 post-transplant, when HIV-1 was undetectable by multiple measures-including PCR measurements of both total and integrated HIV-1 DNA, replication-competent virus measurement by large cell input quantitative viral outgrowth assay, and in situ hybridization of colon tissue-the patient consented to an analytic treatment interruption (ATI) with frequent clinical monitoring. He remained aviremic off antiretroviral therapy until ATI day 288, when a low-level virus rebound of 60 HIV-1 copies/ml occurred, which increased to 1,640 HIV-1 copies/ml 5 days later, prompting reinitiation of ART. Rebounding plasma HIV-1 sequences were phylogenetically distinct from proviral HIV-1 DNA detected in circulating PBMCs before transplantation. The main limitations of this study are the insensitivity of reservoir measurements, and the fact that it describes a single case. allo-SCT led to a significant reduction in the size of the HIV-1 reservoir and a >9-month-long ART-free remission from HIV-1 replication. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that the origin of rebound virus was distinct from the viruses identified pre-transplant in the PBMCs.

Hepatic protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 3B (Ppp1r3b) promotes hepatic glycogen synthesis and thereby regulates fasting energy homeostasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mehta, Minal B; Shewale, Swapnil V; Sequeira, Raymond N; Millar, John S; Hand, Nicholas J; Rader, Daniel J

2017-06-23

Maintenance of whole-body glucose homeostasis is critical to glycemic function. Genetic variants mapping to chromosome 8p23.1 in genome-wide association studies have been linked to glycemic traits in humans. The gene of known function closest to the mapped region, PPP1R3B (protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 3B), encodes a protein (G L ) that regulates glycogen metabolism in the liver. We therefore sought to test the hypothesis that hepatic PPP1R3B is associated with glycemic traits. We generated mice with either liver-specific deletion ( Ppp1r3b Δ hep ) or liver-specific overexpression of Ppp1r3b The Ppp1r3b deletion significantly reduced glycogen synthase protein abundance, and the remaining protein was predominantly phosphorylated and inactive. As a consequence, glucose incorporation into hepatic glycogen was significantly impaired, total hepatic glycogen content was substantially decreased, and mice lacking hepatic Ppp1r3b had lower fasting plasma glucose than controls. The concomitant loss of liver glycogen impaired whole-body glucose homeostasis and increased hepatic expression of glycolytic enzymes in Ppp1r3b Δ hep mice relative to controls in the postprandial state. Eight hours of fasting significantly increased the expression of two critical gluconeogenic enzymes, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and glucose-6-phosphatase, above the levels in control livers. Conversely, the liver-specific overexpression of Ppp1r3b enhanced hepatic glycogen storage above that of controls and, as a result, delayed the onset of fasting-induced hypoglycemia. Moreover, mice overexpressing hepatic Ppp1r3b upon long-term fasting (12-36 h) were protected from blood ketone-body accumulation, unlike control and Ppp1r3b Δ hep mice. These findings indicate a major role for Ppp1r3b in regulating hepatic glycogen stores and whole-body glucose/energy homeostasis. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Targeted DNA vaccines for enhanced induction of idiotype-specific B and T cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fredriksen, Agnete B.; Sandlie, Inger; Bogen, Bjarne

2012-01-01

Background: Idiotypes (Id) are antigenic determinants localized in variable (V) regions of Ig. Id-specific T and B cells (antibodies) play a role in immunotherapy of Id + tumors. However, vaccine strategies that enhance Id-specific responses are needed. Methods: Id + single-chain fragment variable (scFv) from multiple myelomas and B cell lymphomas were prepared in a fusion format that bivalently target surface molecules on antigen-presenting cells (APC). APC-specific targeting units were either scFv from APC-specific mAb (anti-MHC II, anti-CD40) or chemokines (MIP-1α, RANTES). Homodimeric Id-vaccines were injected intramuscularly or intradermally as plasmids in mice, combined with electroporation. Results: (i) Transfected cells secreted plasmid-encoded Id + fusion proteins to extracellular fluid followed by binding of vaccine molecules to APC. (ii) Targeted vaccine molecules increased Id-specific B and T cell responses. (iii) Bivalency and xenogeneic sequences both contributed to enhanced responses. (iv) Targeted Id DNA vaccines induced tumor resistance against challenges with Id + tumors. (v) Human MIP-1α targeting units enhanced Id-specific responses in mice, due to a cross reaction with murine chemokine receptors. Thus, targeted vaccines designed for humans can be quality tested in mice. (vi) Human Id + scFv from four multiple myeloma patients were inserted into the vaccine format and were successfully tested in mice. (vii) Human MIP-1α vaccine proteins enhanced human T cell responses in vitro. (viii) A hypothetical model for how the APC-targeted vaccine molecules enhance Id-specific T and B cells is presented. Conclusion: Targeted DNA Id-vaccines show promising results in preclinical studies, paving the way for testing in patients.

Targeted DNA vaccines for enhanced induction of idiotype-specific B and T cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fredriksen, Agnete B.; Sandlie, Inger; Bogen, Bjarne, E-mail: bjarne.bogen@medisin.uio.no [Centre for Immune Regulation, Institute of Immunology, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo (Norway)

2012-10-30

Background: Idiotypes (Id) are antigenic determinants localized in variable (V) regions of Ig. Id-specific T and B cells (antibodies) play a role in immunotherapy of Id{sup +} tumors. However, vaccine strategies that enhance Id-specific responses are needed. Methods: Id{sup +} single-chain fragment variable (scFv) from multiple myelomas and B cell lymphomas were prepared in a fusion format that bivalently target surface molecules on antigen-presenting cells (APC). APC-specific targeting units were either scFv from APC-specific mAb (anti-MHC II, anti-CD40) or chemokines (MIP-1α, RANTES). Homodimeric Id-vaccines were injected intramuscularly or intradermally as plasmids in mice, combined with electroporation. Results: (i) Transfected cells secreted plasmid-encoded Id{sup +} fusion proteins to extracellular fluid followed by binding of vaccine molecules to APC. (ii) Targeted vaccine molecules increased Id-specific B and T cell responses. (iii) Bivalency and xenogeneic sequences both contributed to enhanced responses. (iv) Targeted Id DNA vaccines induced tumor resistance against challenges with Id{sup +} tumors. (v) Human MIP-1α targeting units enhanced Id-specific responses in mice, due to a cross reaction with murine chemokine receptors. Thus, targeted vaccines designed for humans can be quality tested in mice. (vi) Human Id{sup +} scFv from four multiple myeloma patients were inserted into the vaccine format and were successfully tested in mice. (vii) Human MIP-1α vaccine proteins enhanced human T cell responses in vitro. (viii) A hypothetical model for how the APC-targeted vaccine molecules enhance Id-specific T and B cells is presented. Conclusion: Targeted DNA Id-vaccines show promising results in preclinical studies, paving the way for testing in patients.

Eicosapentenoic Acid Attenuates Allograft Rejection in an HLA-B27/EGFP Transgenic Rat Cardiac Transplantation Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhong; Hatayama, Naoyuki; Xie, Lin; Kato, Ken; Zhu, Ping; Ochiya, Takahiro; Nagahara, Yukitoshi; Hu, Xiang; Li, Xiao-Kang

2012-01-01

The development of an animal model bearing definite antigens is important to facilitate the evaluation and modulation of specific allo-antigen responses after transplantation. In the present study, heterotopic cardiac transplantation was performed from F344/EGFPTg and F344/HLA-B27Tg rats to F344 rats. The F344 recipients accepted the F344/EGFPTg transplants, whereas they rejected the cardiac tissue from the F344/HLA-B27Tg rats by 39.4 ± 6.5 days, due to high production of anti-HLA-B27 IgM- and IgG-specific antibodies. In addition, immunization of F344 rats with skin grafts from F344/HLA-B27Tg rats resulted in robust production of anti- HLA-B27 IgM and IgG antibodies and accelerated the rejection of a secondary cardiac allograft (7.4 ± 1.9 days). Of interest, the F344 recipients rejected cardiac grafts from double transgenic F344/HLA-B27&EGFPTg rats within 9.0 ± 3.2 days, and this was associated with a significant increase in the infiltration of lymphocytes by day 7, suggesting a role for cellular immune rejection. Eicosapentenoic acid (EPA), one of the ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish oil, could attenuate the production of anti-HLA IgG antibodies and B-cell proliferation, significantly prolonging double transgenic F344HLA-B27&EGFPTg to F344 rat cardiac allograft survival (36.1 ± 13.6 days). Moreover, the mRNA expression in the grafts was assessed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), revealing an increase in the expression of the HO-1, IL-10, TGF-β, IDO, and Foxp3 genes in the EPA-treated group. Hence, our data indicate that HLA-B27 and/or GFP transgenic proteins are useful for establishing a unique animal transplantation model to clarify the mechanism underlying the allogeneic cellular and humoral immune response, in which the transplant antigens are specifically presented. Furthermore, we also demonstrated that EPA was effective in the treatment of rat cardiac allograft rejection and may allow the development of

Differential clade-specific HLA-B*3501 association with HIV-1 disease outcome is linked to immunogenicity of a single Gag epitope

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Matthews, Philippa C; Koyanagi, Madoka; Kløverpris, Henrik N

2012-01-01

-clade sequences, which critically reduces recognition of the Gag NY10 epitope. These data suggest that in spite of any inherent HLA-linked T-cell receptor repertoire differences that may exist, maximizing the breadth of the Gag-specific CD8(+) T-cell response, by the addition of even a single epitope, may......The strongest genetic influence on immune control in HIV-1 infection is the HLA class I genotype. Rapid disease progression in B-clade infection has been linked to HLA-B*35 expression, in particular to the less common HLA-B*3502 and HLA-B*3503 subtypes but also to the most prevalent subtype, HLA...

Investigation of structure, specific heat and superconducting transition in Mg1-xAlxB2(x∼0.5)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiang, J.Y.; Zheng, D.N.; Lang, P.L.; Zhao, Z.X.; Luo, J.L.

2004-01-01

We have carried out structure, magnetic and specific heat measurements on aluminum doped magnetism diboride samples Mg 1-x Al x B 2 in order to investigate possible superconductivity at the x=0.5 concentration. A diamagnetic signal was observed in magnetization measurements accompanied by a decrease in resistivity. However, the diamagnetic signal was extremely small as compared to what expected from full diamagnetism. Also, the transition both in magnetization and resistance was very broad. We propose that the diamagnetism is due to a very small amount of superconducting phase such as MgB 2 and the resistive transition is due to the percolation behavior. Furthermore, we performed specific heat measurements, which are considered as a tool to investigate the bulk nature of superconducting transition, on the x=0.5 sample to verify the existence of superconductivity. We observed no evident superconducting transition in the entire temperature region from 2 to 300 K. The undistinguishable data between 0 and 5 T magnetic fields also indicated the absence of bulk superconductivity in the x=0.5 sample

MSX1 cooperates with histone H1b for inhibition of transcription and myogenesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hansol; Habas, Raymond; Abate-Shen, Cory

2004-06-11

During embryogenesis, differentiation of skeletal muscle is regulated by transcription factors that include members of the Msx homeoprotein family. By investigating Msx1 function in repression of myogenic gene expression, we identified a physical interaction between Msx1 and H1b, a specific isoform of mouse histone H1. We found that Msx1 and H1b bind to a key regulatory element of MyoD, a central regulator of skeletal muscle differentiation, where they induce repressed chromatin. Moreover, Msx1 and H1b cooperate to inhibit muscle differentiation in cell culture and in Xenopus animal caps. Our findings define a previously unknown function for "linker" histones in gene-specific transcriptional regulation.

Study of the seroma volume changes in the patients who underwent Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Dae Ho; Son, Sang Jun; Mun, Jun Ki; Seo, Seok Jin; Lee, Je Hee [Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-06-15

By analyzing seroma volume changes in the patients who underwent Partial breast radiation therapy after breast conserving surgery, we try to contribute to the improvement of radiotherapy effect. Enrolled 20 patients who underwent partial breast radiation therapy by ViewRay MRIdian System were subject. After seeking for the size of the removed sample in the patients during surgery and obtained seroma volume changes on a weekly basis. On the Basis of acquired volume, it was compared with age, term from start of the first treatment after surgery, BMI (body mass index) and the extracted sample size during surgery. And using the ViewRay MRIdian RTP System, the figure was analyzed by PTV(=seroma volume + margin) to obtain a specific volume of the Partial breast radiation therapy. The changes of seroma volume from MR simulation to the first treatment (a week) is 0~5% in 8, 5~10% in 3, 10 to 15% in 2, and 20% or more in 5 people. Two patients(A, B patient) among subjects showed the biggest change. The A patient's 100% of the prescribed dose volume is 213.08 cc, PTV is 181.93 cc, seroma volume is 15.3 cc in initial plan. However, while seroma volume decreased 65.36% to 5.3 cc, 100% of the prescribed dose volume was reduced to 3.4% to 102.43 cc and PTV also did 43.6% to 102.54 cc. In the case of the B patient, seroma volume decreased 42.57% from 20.2 cc to 11.6 cc. Because of that, 100% of the prescribed dose volume decreased 8.1% and PTV also did to 40%. As the period between the first therapy and surgery is shorter, the patient is elder and the size of sample is smaller than 100 cc, the change grow bigger. It is desirable to establish an adaptive plan according to each patient's changes of seroma volume through continuous observation. Because partial breast patients is more sensitive than WBRT patients about dose conformity in accordance with the volume change.

Botulinum neurotoxin B recognizes its protein receptor with high affinity and specificity.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Rongsheng; Rummel, Andreas; Binz, Thomas; Brunger, Axel T

2006-12-21

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are produced by Clostridium botulinum and cause the neuroparalytic syndrome of botulism. With a lethal dose of 1 ng kg(-1), they pose a biological hazard to humans and a serious potential bioweapon threat. BoNTs bind with high specificity at neuromuscular junctions and they impair exocytosis of synaptic vesicles containing acetylcholine through specific proteolysis of SNAREs (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein attachment protein receptors), which constitute part of the synaptic vesicle fusion machinery. The molecular details of the toxin-cell recognition have been elusive. Here we report the structure of a BoNT in complex with its protein receptor: the receptor-binding domain of botulinum neurotoxin serotype B (BoNT/B) bound to the luminal domain of synaptotagmin II, determined at 2.15 A resolution. On binding, a helix is induced in the luminal domain which binds to a saddle-shaped crevice on a distal tip of BoNT/B. This crevice is adjacent to the non-overlapping ganglioside-binding site of BoNT/B. Synaptotagmin II interacts with BoNT/B with nanomolar affinity, at both neutral and acidic endosomal pH. Biochemical and neuronal ex vivo studies of structure-based mutations indicate high specificity and affinity of the interaction, and high selectivity of BoNT/B among synaptotagmin I and II isoforms. Synergistic binding of both synaptotagmin and ganglioside imposes geometric restrictions on the initiation of BoNT/B translocation after endocytosis. Our results provide the basis for the rational development of preventive vaccines or inhibitors against these neurotoxins.

Assessment of specific IgM antibodies to core antigen of hepatitis B virus in acute and chronic hepatitis B using immunoradiometric assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zichova, M.; Vodak, M.; Kostrhun, L.; Nadvornik, V.; Stransky, J.

1986-01-01

A group of 24 patients with acute viral hepatitis B was assessed for specific antibodies against the ''core'' antigen class IgM (HB c AB IgM) during 1st-4th week of the illness. These specific antibodies were positive in all patients, the mean titre being 10 -5 . The high content of these antibodies persisted for 1-2 months after the onset of the disease. The assessment of specific antibodies against ''core'' antigen class IgM was also made in a group of 39 patients with chronic hepatitis. In these patients positive HB c Ab IgM with a lower content were found (titre 10 -3 ) than in the group with acute viral hepatitis B. Based on the results the conclusion is made that specific antibodies HB c Ab class IgM are, in addition to the estimation of the surface antigen of the hepatitis B virus (HB s Ag), one more indicator of acute viral hepatitis B. The assessment is diagnostically valuable, in particular in acute hepatitis of obscure etiology, in acute jaundice of obscure etiology for the period of low and short-term antigenemia. (author). 6 figs., 1 tab., 14 refs

Evaluation of Antigen-Conjugated Fluorescent Beads to Identify Antigen-Specific B Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isabel Correa

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Selection of single antigen-specific B cells to identify their expressed antibodies is of considerable interest for evaluating human immune responses. Here, we present a method to identify single antibody-expressing cells using antigen-conjugated fluorescent beads. To establish this, we selected Folate Receptor alpha (FRα as a model antigen and a mouse B cell line, expressing both the soluble and the membrane-bound forms of a human/mouse chimeric antibody (MOv18 IgG1 specific for FRα, as test antibody-expressing cells. Beads were conjugated to FRα using streptavidin/avidin-biotin bridges and used to select single cells expressing the membrane-bound form of anti-FRα. Bead-bound cells were single cell-sorted and processed for single cell RNA retrotranscription and PCR to isolate antibody heavy and light chain variable regions. Variable regions were then cloned and expressed as human IgG1/k antibodies. Like the original clone, engineered antibodies from single cells recognized native FRα. To evaluate whether antigen-coated beads could identify specific antibody-expressing cells in mixed immune cell populations, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs were spiked with test antibody-expressing cells. Antigen-specific cells could comprise up to 75% of cells selected with antigen-conjugated beads when the frequency of the antigen-positive cells was 1:100 or higher. In PBMC pools, beads conjugated to recombinant antigens FRα and HER2 bound antigen-specific anti-FRα MOv18 and anti-HER2 Trastuzumab antibody-expressing cells, respectively. From melanoma patient-derived B cells selected with melanoma cell line-derived protein-coated fluorescent beads, we generated a monoclonal antibody that recognized melanoma antigen-coated beads. This approach may be further developed to facilitate analysis of B cells and their antibody profiles at the single cell level and to help unravel humoral immune repertoires.

Evaluation of Antigen-Conjugated Fluorescent Beads to Identify Antigen-Specific B Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Correa, Isabel; Ilieva, Kristina M; Crescioli, Silvia; Lombardi, Sara; Figini, Mariangela; Cheung, Anthony; Spicer, James F; Tutt, Andrew N J; Nestle, Frank O; Karagiannis, Panagiotis; Lacy, Katie E; Karagiannis, Sophia N

2018-01-01

Selection of single antigen-specific B cells to identify their expressed antibodies is of considerable interest for evaluating human immune responses. Here, we present a method to identify single antibody-expressing cells using antigen-conjugated fluorescent beads. To establish this, we selected Folate Receptor alpha (FRα) as a model antigen and a mouse B cell line, expressing both the soluble and the membrane-bound forms of a human/mouse chimeric antibody (MOv18 IgG1) specific for FRα, as test antibody-expressing cells. Beads were conjugated to FRα using streptavidin/avidin-biotin bridges and used to select single cells expressing the membrane-bound form of anti-FRα. Bead-bound cells were single cell-sorted and processed for single cell RNA retrotranscription and PCR to isolate antibody heavy and light chain variable regions. Variable regions were then cloned and expressed as human IgG1/k antibodies. Like the original clone, engineered antibodies from single cells recognized native FRα. To evaluate whether antigen-coated beads could identify specific antibody-expressing cells in mixed immune cell populations, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were spiked with test antibody-expressing cells. Antigen-specific cells could comprise up to 75% of cells selected with antigen-conjugated beads when the frequency of the antigen-positive cells was 1:100 or higher. In PBMC pools, beads conjugated to recombinant antigens FRα and HER2 bound antigen-specific anti-FRα MOv18 and anti-HER2 Trastuzumab antibody-expressing cells, respectively. From melanoma patient-derived B cells selected with melanoma cell line-derived protein-coated fluorescent beads, we generated a monoclonal antibody that recognized melanoma antigen-coated beads. This approach may be further developed to facilitate analysis of B cells and their antibody profiles at the single cell level and to help unravel humoral immune repertoires.

Evaluation of Antigen-Conjugated Fluorescent Beads to Identify Antigen-Specific B Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Correa, Isabel; Ilieva, Kristina M.; Crescioli, Silvia; Lombardi, Sara; Figini, Mariangela; Cheung, Anthony; Spicer, James F.; Tutt, Andrew N. J.; Nestle, Frank O.; Karagiannis, Panagiotis; Lacy, Katie E.; Karagiannis, Sophia N.

2018-01-01

Selection of single antigen-specific B cells to identify their expressed antibodies is of considerable interest for evaluating human immune responses. Here, we present a method to identify single antibody-expressing cells using antigen-conjugated fluorescent beads. To establish this, we selected Folate Receptor alpha (FRα) as a model antigen and a mouse B cell line, expressing both the soluble and the membrane-bound forms of a human/mouse chimeric antibody (MOv18 IgG1) specific for FRα, as test antibody-expressing cells. Beads were conjugated to FRα using streptavidin/avidin-biotin bridges and used to select single cells expressing the membrane-bound form of anti-FRα. Bead-bound cells were single cell-sorted and processed for single cell RNA retrotranscription and PCR to isolate antibody heavy and light chain variable regions. Variable regions were then cloned and expressed as human IgG1/k antibodies. Like the original clone, engineered antibodies from single cells recognized native FRα. To evaluate whether antigen-coated beads could identify specific antibody-expressing cells in mixed immune cell populations, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were spiked with test antibody-expressing cells. Antigen-specific cells could comprise up to 75% of cells selected with antigen-conjugated beads when the frequency of the antigen-positive cells was 1:100 or higher. In PBMC pools, beads conjugated to recombinant antigens FRα and HER2 bound antigen-specific anti-FRα MOv18 and anti-HER2 Trastuzumab antibody-expressing cells, respectively. From melanoma patient-derived B cells selected with melanoma cell line-derived protein-coated fluorescent beads, we generated a monoclonal antibody that recognized melanoma antigen-coated beads. This approach may be further developed to facilitate analysis of B cells and their antibody profiles at the single cell level and to help unravel humoral immune repertoires. PMID:29628923

Nidogen-1 regulates laminin-1-dependent mammary-specific gene expression

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pujuguet, Philippe; Simian, Marina; Liaw, Jane; Timpl, Rupert; Werb, Zena; Bissell, Mina J..

2000-02-01

Nidogen-1 (entactin) acts as a bridge between the extracellular matrix molecules laminin-1 and type IV collagen, and thus participates in the assembly of basement membranes. To investigate the role of nidogen-1 in regulating cell-type-specific gene expression in mammary epithelium, we designed a culture microecosystem in which each component, including epithelial cells, mesenchymal cells, lactogenic hormones and extracellular matrix, could be controlled. We found that primary and established mesenchymal and myoepithelial cells synthesized and secreted nidogen-1, whereas expression was absent in primary and established epithelial cells. In an epithelial cell line containing mesenchymal cells, nidogen-1 was produced by the mesenchymal cells but deposited between the epithelial cells. In this mixed culture, mammary epithelial cells express b-casein in the presence of lactogenic hormones. Addition of either laminin-1 plus nidogen-1, or laminin-1 alone to mammary epithelial cells induced b- casein production. We asked whether recombinant nidogen-1 alone could signal directly for b-casein. Nidogen-1 did not induce b-casein synthesis in epithelial cells, but it augmented the inductive capacity of laminin-1. These data suggest that nidogen-1 can cooperate with laminin-1 to regulate b-casein expression. Addition of full length nidogen-1 to the mixed cultures had no effect on b-casein gene expression; however, a nidogen-1 fragment containing the laminin-1 binding domain, but lacking the type IV collagen-binding domain, had a dominant negative effect on b-casein expression. These data point to a physiological role for nidogen-1 in the basement membrane-induced gene expression by epithelial cells.

The design strategy of selective PTP1B inhibitors over TCPTP.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, XiangQian; Wang, LiJun; Shi, DaYong

2016-08-15

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) has already been well studied as a highly validated therapeutic target for diabetes and obesity. However, the lack of selectivity limited further studies and clinical applications of PTP1B inhibitors, especially over T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (TCPTP). In this review, we enumerate the published specific inhibitors of PTP1B, discuss the structure-activity relationships by analysis of their X-ray structures or docking results, and summarize the characteristic of selectivity related residues and groups. Furthermore, the design strategy of selective PTP1B inhibitors over TCPTP is also proposed. We hope our work could provide an effective way to gain specific PTP1B inhibitors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Three-dimensional structure discrepancy between HLA alleles for effective prediction of aGVHD severity and optimal selection of recipient-donor pairs: a proof-of-concept study.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Hongxing; Yuan, Fang; Sun, Yuying; Liu, Jinfeng; Liu, Shuguang; Luo, Yuan; Liang, Fei; Liu, Nan; Long, Juan; Zhao, Xiao; Kong, Fanhua; Xi, Yongzhi

2015-11-24

The optimal selection of recipient-donor pair and accurate prediction of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) severity are always the two most crucial works in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), which currently rests mostly with HLA compatibility, the most polymorphic loci in the human genome, in clinic. Thus, there is an urgent need for a rapid and reliable quantitative system for optimal recipient-donor pairs selection and accurate prediction of aGVHD severity prior to allo-HSCT. For these reasons, we have developed a new selection/prediction system for optimal recipient-donor selection and effective prediction of aGVHD severity based on HLA three-dimensional (3D) structure modeling (HLA-TDSM) discrepancy, and applied this system in a pilot randomized clinical allo-HSCT study. The 37 patient-donor pairs in the study were typed at low- and high-resolution levels for HLA-A/-B/-DRB1/-DQB1 loci. HLA-TDSM system covering the 10000 alleles in HLA class I and II consists of the revised local and coordinate root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) values for each locus. Its accuracy and reliability were confirmed using stably transfected Hmy2.CIR-HLA-B cells, TCR Vβ gene scan, and antigen-specific alloreactive cytotoxic lymphocytes. Based on the preliminary results, we theoretically defined all HLA acceptable versus unacceptable mismatched alleles. More importantly, HLA-TDSM enabled a successful retrospective verification and prospective prediction for aGVHD severity in a pilot randomized clinical allo-HSCT study of 32 recipient-donor transplant pairs. There was a strong direct correlation between single/total revised RMSD and aGVHD severity (92% in retrospective group vs 95% in prospective group). These results seem to be closely related to the 3D structure discrepancy of mismatched HLA-alleles, but not the number or loci of mismatched HLA-alleles. Our data first provide the proof-of-concept that HLA-TDSM is essential for optimal selection of

Specific heat of Ce{sub x}La{sub 1-x}B{sub 6} in the low cerium concentration limit (x {<=} 0.03)

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Anisimov, M. A., E-mail: anisimov.m.a@gmail.com; Glushkov, V. V.; Bogach, A. V.; Demishev, S. V.; Samarin, N. A. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Prokhorov General Physics Institute (Russian Federation); Gavrilkin, S. Yu.; Mitsen, K. V. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Lebedev Physical Institute (Russian Federation); Shitsevalova, N. Yu.; Levchenko, A. V.; Filippov, V. B. [National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Institute of Problems of Materials Science (Ukraine); Gabani, S.; Flachbart, K. [IEP SAS, Centre of Low Temperature Physics (Slovakia); Sluchanko, N. E. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Prokhorov General Physics Institute (Russian Federation)

2013-05-15

The specific heat of high-quality Ce{sub x}La{sub 1-x}B{sub 6} (x = 0, 0.01, 0.03) single crystals is studied in the temperature range 0.4-300 K. LaB{sub 6} samples with various boron isotope compositions ({sup 10}B, {sup 11}B, {sup nat}B) are analyzed to estimate the effect of boron vacancies. The experimental data are used to take into account the electron component correctly under the renormalization of the density of states at T < 8 K, the contribution of the quasi-local vibrational mode of a rare-earth ion with the Einstein temperature {Theta}{sub E} Almost-Equal-To 152 K, the Debye contribution from the rigid cage of boron atoms with the Debye temperature {Theta}{sub D} Almost-Equal-To 1160 K, and the low-temperature Schottky contribution related to the presence of 1.5-2.3% boron vacancies in the rare-earth hexaborides. The detected low-temperature anomalies in the specific heat are shown to be interpreted in terms of the formation of two-level systems with an energy {Delta}E = 92-98 K caused by the displacement of rare-earth ions from their centrosymmetric positions. A scenario of heavy fermion formation that is alternative to the Kondo mechanism is proposed for the systems with a magnetic impurity.

Naphthalimides Induce G2 Arrest Through the ATM-Activated Chk2-Executed Pathway in HCT116 Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hong Zhu

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Naphthalimides, particularly amonafide and 2-(2-dimethylamino-6-thia-2-aza-benzo[def]chrysene-1,3-diones (R16, have been identified to possess anticancer activities and to induce G2-M arrest through inhibiting topoisomerase II accompanied by Chk1 degradation. The current study was designed to precisely dissect the signaling pathway(s responsible for the naphthalimide-induced cell cycle arrest in human colon carcinoma HCT116 cells. Using phosphorylated histone H3 and mitotic protein monoclonal 2 as mitosis markers, we first specified the G2 arrest elicited by the R16 and amonafide. Then, R16 and amonafide were revealed to induce phosphorylation of the DNA damage sensor ataxia telangiectasia-mutated (ATM responding to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs. Inhibition of ATM by both the pharmacological inhibitor caffeine and the specific small interference RNA (siRNA rescued the G2 arrest elicited by R16, indicating its ATM-dependent characteristic. Furthermore, depletion of Chk2, but not Chk1 with their corresponding siRNA, statistically significantly reversed the R16- and amonafide-triggered G2 arrest. Moreover, the naphthalimides phosphorylated Chk2 in an ATM-dependent manner but induced Chk1 degradation. These data indicate that R16 and amonafide preferentially used Chk2 as evidenced by the differential ATM-executed phosphorylation of Chk1 and Chk2. Thus, a clear signaling pathway can be established, in which ATM relays the DNA DSBs signaling triggered by the naphthalimides to the checkpoint kinases, predominantly to Chk2,which finally elicits G2 arrest. The mechanistic elucidation not only favors the development of the naphthalimides as anticancer agents but also provides an alternative strategy of Chk2 inhibition to potentiate the anticancer activities of these agents.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is required for cardiac lineage differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Eshkiki, Zahra Shokati; Ghahremani, Mohammad Hossein; Shabani, Parisa; Firuzjaee, Sattar Gorgani; Sadeghi, Asie; Ghanbarian, Hossein; Meshkani, Reza

2017-01-01

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) has been shown to regulate multiple cellular events such as differentiation, cell growth, and proliferation; however, the role of PTP1B in differentiation of embryonic stem (ES) cells into cardiomyocytes remains unexplored. In the present study, we investigated the effects of PTP1B inhibition on differentiation of ES cells into cardiomyocytes. PTP1B mRNA and protein levels were increased during the differentiation of ES cells into cardiomyocytes. Accordingly, a stable ES cell line expressing PTP1B shRNA was established. In vitro, the number and size of spontaneously beating embryoid bodies were significantly decreased in PTP1B-knockdown cells, compared with the control cells. Decreased expression of cardiac-specific markers Nkx2-5, MHC-α, cTnT, and CX43, as assessed by real-time PCR analysis, was further confirmed by immunocytochemistry of the markers. The results also showed that PTP1B inhibition induced apoptosis in both differentiated and undifferentiated ES cells, as presented by increasing the level of cleaved caspase-3, cytochrome C, and cleaved PARP. Further analyses revealed that PTP1B inhibition did not change proliferation and pluripotency of undifferentiated ES cells. Taken together, the data presented here suggest that PTP1B is essential for proper differentiation of ES cells into cardiomyocytes.

Radical prostatectomy and adjuvant radioactive gold seed placement: Results of treatment at 5 and 10 years for clinical stages A2, B1 and B2 cancer of the prostate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, E.D.; Loening, S.A.; Hawtrey, C.E.

1991-01-01

Between 1977 and 1988, 131 patients with adenocarcinoma of the prostate underwent combined radical prostatectomy and intraoperative radioactive gold seed placement. Of these 131 patients 80 were clinically assessed as having stage A2 (12), B1 (43) or B2 (25) cancer and they are the subject of this review. The average dose of radioactivity administered to each patient was 96.6 mCi, and mean followup was 65 months (median 64 months). No patient in this series received any other form of adjuvant therapy until disease recurrence was demonstrated. Local recurrences were observed in 2 patients (2.5%) in this series while distant recurrences were observed in 10 (12.5%). Cancer specific survival free of disease at 5 years was 100% for clinical stage A2, 91% for B1 and 75% for B2 cancers. The 10-year survival free of disease was 100% for clinical stage A2, 82% for B1 and 68% for B2 cancers. Covariants of clinical stage and seminal vesicle involvement influenced survival free of disease in a statistically significant manner (p less than 0.05) while pathological stage and degree of tumor differentiation did not. Mild to severe complications were observed in 12 patients (15%). Intraoperative placement of radioactive gold seeds into unresected pelvic tissues surrounding the site of prostatectomy offers a theoretical advantage in treatment by delivering tumoricidal levels of irradiation to residual foci of cancer not appreciated at the time of surgery. Our results suggest that increases in cancer specific survival free of disease over that previously reported for prostatectomy alone may be achieved through this combined treatment regimen. Furthermore, it is our opinion that therapeutic gains can be achieved without the attendant increases in morbidity and treatment delay often associated with adjuvant external beam radiotherapy

IMPACT OF PRE-TRANSPLANT RITUXIMAB ON SURVIVAL AFTER AUTOLOGOUS HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION FOR DIFFUSE LARGE B-CELL LYMPHOMA

Science.gov (United States)

Fenske, Timothy S.; Hari, Parameswaran N.; Carreras, Jeanette; Zhang, Mei-Jie; Kamble, Rammurti T.; Bolwell, Brian J.; Cairo, Mitchell S.; Champlin, Richard E.; Chen, Yi-Bin; Freytes, César O.; Gale, Robert Peter; Hale, Gregory A.; Ilhan, Osman; Khoury, H. Jean; Lister, John; Maharaj, Dipnarine; Marks, David I.; Munker, Reinhold; Pecora, Andrew L.; Rowlings, Philip A.; Shea, Thomas C.; Stiff, Patrick; Wiernik, Peter H.; Winter, Jane N.; Rizzo, J. Douglas; van Besien, Koen; Lazarus, Hillard M.; Vose, Julie M.

2010-01-01

Incorporation of the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab into front-line regimens for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) has resulted in improved survival. Despite this progress, many patients develop refractory or recurrent DLBCL and then receive autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AuHCT). It is unclear to what extent pre-transplant exposure to rituximab affects outcomes following AuHCT. Outcomes of 994 patients receiving AuHCT for DLBCL between 1996 and 2003 were analyzed according to whether rituximab was (n=176, “+R” group) or was not (n=818, “ −R” group) administered with front-line or salvage therapy prior to AuHCT. The +R group had superior progression-free survival (50% versus 38%, p=0.008) and overall survival (57% versus 45%, p=0.006) at 3 years. Platelet and neutrophil engraftment were not affected by exposure to rituximab. Non-relapse mortality (NRM) did not differ significantly between the +R and −R groups. In multivariate analysis, the +R group had improved progression-free survival (relative risk of relapse/progression or death 0.64, p<0.001) and improved overall survival (relative risk of death of 0.74, p=0.039). We conclude that pre-transplant rituximab is associated with a lower rate of progression and improved survival following AuHCT for DLBCL, with no evidence of impaired engraftment or increased NRM. PMID:19822306

The Role and Potential Therapeutic Application of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells in Allo- and Autoimmunity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qi Zhang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs are a heterogeneous population of cells that consists of myeloid progenitor cells and immature myeloid cells. They have been identified as a cell population that may affect the activation of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells to regulate the immune response negatively, which makes them attractive targets for the treatment of transplantation and autoimmune diseases. Several studies have suggested the potential suppressive effect of MDSCs on allo- and autoimmune responses. Conversely, MDSCs have also been found at various stages of differentiation, accumulating during pathological situations, not only during tumor development but also in a variety of inflammatory immune responses, bone marrow transplantation, and some autoimmune diseases. These findings appear to be contradictory. In this review, we summarize the roles of MDSCs in different transplantation and autoimmune diseases models as well as the potential to target these cells for therapeutic benefit.

Identification of Gene-Specific Polymorphisms and Association with Capsaicin Pathway Metabolites in Capsicum annuum L. Collections

Science.gov (United States)

Abburi, Venkata L.; Alaparthi, Suresh Babu; Unselt, Desiree; Hankins, Gerald; Park, Minkyu; Choi, Doil

2014-01-01

Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is an economically important crop with added nutritional value. Production of capsaicin is an important quantitative trait with high environmental variance, so the development of markers regulating capsaicinoid accumulation is important for pepper breeding programs. In this study, we performed association mapping at the gene level to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with capsaicin pathway metabolites in a diverse Capsicum annuum collection during two seasons. The genes Pun1, CCR, KAS and HCT were sequenced and matched with the whole-genome sequence draft of pepper to identify SNP locations and for further characterization. The identified SNPs for each gene underwent candidate gene association mapping. Association mapping results revealed Pun1 as a key regulator of major metabolites in the capsaicin pathway mainly affecting capsaicinoids and precursors for acyl moieties of capsaicinoids. Six different SNPs in the promoter sequence of Pun1 were found associated with capsaicin in plants from both seasons. Our results support that CCR is an important control point for the flux of p-coumaric acid to specific biosynthesis pathways. KAS was found to regulate the major precursors for acyl moieties of capsaicinoids and may play a key role in capsaicinoid production. Candidate gene association mapping of Pun1 suggested that the accumulation of capsaicinoids depends on the expression of Pun1, as revealed by the most important associated SNPs found in the promoter region of Pun1. PMID:24475113

Additive effects of levonorgestrel and ethinylestradiol on brain aromatase (cyp19a1b) in zebrafish specific in vitro and in vivo bioassays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hinfray, N., E-mail: nathalie.hinfray@ineris.fr [INERIS, Unité d' écotoxicologie in vitro et in vivo , Verneuil-en-Halatte (France); Tebby, C. [INERIS, Unité Modèles pour l' Ecotoxicologie et la Toxicologie, Verneuil-en-Halatte (France); Garoche, C.; Piccini, B. [INERIS, Unité d' écotoxicologie in vitro et in vivo , Verneuil-en-Halatte (France); Bourgine, G. [IRSET, équipe NEED, Université de Rennes 1, Rennes (France); Aït-Aïssa, S. [INERIS, Unité d' écotoxicologie in vitro et in vivo , Verneuil-en-Halatte (France); Kah, O. [IRSET, équipe NEED, Université de Rennes 1, Rennes (France); Pakdel, F. [IRSET, Inserm U1085, équipe TREC, Université de Rennes 1, Rennes (France); Brion, F. [INERIS, Unité d' écotoxicologie in vitro et in vivo , Verneuil-en-Halatte (France)

2016-09-15

Estrogens and progestins are widely used in combination in human medicine and both are present in aquatic environment. Despite the joint exposure of aquatic wildlife to estrogens and progestins, very little information is available on their combined effects. In the present study we investigated the effect of ethinylestradiol (EE2) and Levonorgestrel (LNG), alone and in mixtures, on the expression of the brain specific ER-regulated cyp19a1b gene. For that purpose, recently established zebrafish-derived tools were used: (i) an in vitro transient reporter gene assay in a human glial cell line (U251-MG) co-transfected with zebrafish estrogen receptors (zfERs) and the luciferase gene under the control of the zebrafish cyp19a1b gene promoter and (ii) an in vivo bioassay using a transgenic zebrafish expressing GFP under the control of the zebrafish cyp19a1b gene promoter (cyp19a1b-GFP). Concentration-response relationships for single chemicals were modeled and used to design the mixture experiments following a ray design. The results from mixture experiments were analyzed to predict joint effects according to concentration addition and statistical approaches were used to characterize the potential interactions between the components of the mixtures (synergism/antagonism). We confirmed that some progestins could elicit estrogenic effects in fish brain. In mixtures, EE2 and LNG exerted additive estrogenic effects both in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that some environmental progestin could exert effects that will add to those of environmental (xeno-)estrogens. Moreover, our zebrafish specific assays are valuable tools that could be used in risk assessment for both single chemicals and their mixtures. - Highlights: • Combined effects of EE2 and LNG were assessed on ER-dependent cyp19a1b expression. • EE2 and LNG alone induced brain aromatase in zebrafish specific bioassays. • Experimental ray design allowed complete concentration-response surfaces modeling. • EE2 and

Use of radiolabeled monoclonal anti-B1 antibody for B lymphocyte imaging in Rhesus monkeys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Letvin, N.L.; Zalutsky, M.R.; Chalifoux, L.V.; Atkins, H.L.

1987-01-01

Imaging tissues rich in B lymphocytes in man using a radiolabeled monoclonal anti-B cell antibody would be extremely useful in the clinical staging of non-Hodgkins lymphomas. Studies were done in rhesus monkeys using radiolabeled monoclonal anti-B1 antibody to determine the feasibility of such an approach. Immunohistologic studies demonstrated that infused monoclonal anti-B1 binds in vivo with specificity to B cells in lymph nodes and spleen. The kinetics of clearance of 131 I-labeled anti-B1 were determined. The B lymphocyte-rich spleen could be readily visualized by gamma camera scanning without significant background and without the need for image intensification or blood background subtraction techniques. These data support the feasibility of using anti-B1 for staging B cell lymphomas in man. (author)

Characterization of Antigen-Specific B Cells Using Nominal Antigen-Coated Flow-Beads

Science.gov (United States)

Akl, Ahmed; Lepetit, Maud; Crochette, Romain; Giral, Magali; Lepourry, Julie; Pallier, Annaick; Castagnet, Stéphanie; Dugast, Emilie; Guillot-Gueguen, Cécile; Jacq-Foucher, Marylène; Saulquin, Xavier; Cesbron, Anne; Laplaud, David; Nicot, Arnaud; Brouard, Sophie; Soulillou, Jean-Paul

2013-01-01

In order to characterize the reactivity of B cells against nominal antigens, a method based on the coupling of antigens onto the surface of fluorescent core polystyrene beads was developed. We first demonstrate that murine B cells with a human MOG-specific BCR are able to interact with MOG-coated beads and do not recognize beads coated with human albumin or pp65. B cells purified from human healthy volunteer blood or immunized individuals were tested for their ability to interact with various nominal antigens, including viral, vaccine, self and alloantigens, chosen for their usefulness in studying a variety of pathological processes. A substantial amount of B cells binding self-antigen MOG-coated beads can be detected in normal blood. Furthermore, greater frequencies of B cell against anti-Tetanic Toxin or anti-EBNA1 were observed in primed individuals. This method can reveal increased frequencies of anti-HLA committed B cells in patients with circulating anti-HLA antibodies compared to unsensitized patients and normal individuals. Of interest, those specific CD19 cells were preferentially identified within CD27−IgD+ (i-e naïve) subset. These observations suggest that a broad range of medical situations could benefit from a tool that allows the detection, the quantification and the characterization of antigen-specific blood B cells. PMID:24386360

Assessment of specific IgM antibodies to core antigen of hepatitis B virus in acute and chronic hepatitis B using immunoradiometric assay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zichova, M; Vodak, M; Kostrhun, L; Nadvornik, V; Stransky, J

1987-12-31

A group of 24 patients with acute viral hepatitis B was assessed for specific antibodies against the ''core'' antigen class IgM (HB/sub c/AB IgM) during 1st-4th week of the illness. These specific antibodies were positive in all patients, the mean titre being 10/sup -5/. The high content of these antibodies persisted for 1-2 months after the onset of the disease. The assessment of specific antibodies against ''core'' antigen class IgM was also made in a group of 39 patients with chronic hepatitis. In these patients positive HB/sub c/Ab IgM with a lower content were found (titre 10/sup -3/) than in the group with acute viral hepatitis B. Based on the results the conclusion is made that specific antibodies HB/sub c/Ab class IgM are, in addition to the estimation of the surface antigen of the hepatitis B virus (HB/sub s/Ag), one more indicator of acute viral hepatitis B. The assessment is diagnostically valuable, in particular in acute hepatitis of obscure etiology, in acute jaundice of obscure etiology for the period of low and short-term antigenemia. (author). 6 figs., 1 tab., 14 refs.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is dispensable for IgE-mediated cutaneous reaction in vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Ting; Xie, Zhongping; Li, Hua; Yue, Lei; Pang, Zheng; MacNeil, Adam J; Tremblay, Michel L; Tang, Jin-Tian; Lin, Tong-Jun

2016-01-01

Mast cells play a critical role in allergic reactions. The cross-linking of FcεRI-bound IgE with multivalent antigen initiates a cascade of signaling events leading to mast cell activation. It has been well-recognized that cross linking of FcεRI mediates tyrosine phosphorylation. However, the mechanism involved in tyrosine dephosphorylation in mast cells is less clear. Here we demonstrated that protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B)-deficient mast cells showed increased IgE-mediated phosphorylation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) and enhanced production of CCL9 (MIP-1γ) and IL-6 in IgE-mediated mast cells activation in vitro. However, IgE-mediated calcium mobilization, β-hexaosaminidase release (degranulation), and phosphorylation of IκB and MAP kinases were not affected by PTP1B deficiency. Furthermore, PTP1B deficient mice showed normal IgE-dependent passive cutaneous anaphylaxis and late phase cutaneous reactions in vivo. Thus, PTP1B specifically regulates IgE-mediated STAT5 pathway, but is redundant in influencing mast cell function in vivo. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Specific heat of MgB2 after irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Yuxing; Bouquet, Frederic; Sheikin, Ilya; Toulemonde, Pierre; Revaz, Bernard; Eisterer, Michael; Weber, Harald W; Hinderer, Joerg; Junod, Alain

2003-01-01

We studied the effect of disorder on the superconducting properties of polycrystalline MgB 2 by specific-heat measurements. In the pristine state, these measurements give a bulk confirmation of the presence of two superconducting gaps with 2Δ 0 /k B T c =1.3 and 3.9 with nearly equal weights. The scattering introduced by irradiation suppresses T c and tends to average the two gaps although less than predicted by theory. We also found that by a suitable irradiation process by fast neutrons, a substantial bulk increase of dH c2 /dT at T c can be obtained without sacrificing more than a few degrees in T c . The upper critical field of the sample after irradiation exceeds 28 T at T→0

Experiment list: SRX897941 [Chip-atlas[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available 081,98.0,12.4,11292 GSM1624626: ChIP seq Chaf1a.166 Sox2 IP day3; Mus musculus; ChIP-Seq source_name=OKSM reprogramming... intermediates from Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts || strain=Black6-129X1/SvJ || cell type=OKSM reprogramming

Tissue-specific alternative splicing and expression of ATP1B2 gene

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user6

2012-05-15

May 15, 2012 ... retention; these isoforms were found in liver, kidney, muscle and breast tissues. ... lower levels than the complete ATP1B2 gene transcript in all the ... temperature. ... growth, differentiation, and disease (Zhou et al., 2002;.

Influenza B pneumonia with Staphylococcus aureus superinfection associated with parvovirus B19 and concomitant agranulocytosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Krell, S; Adams, I; Arnold, U; Kalinski, T; Aumann, V; König, W; König, B

2003-10-01

An 11-year-old patient with anamnestic fever for 3 days and signs of upper respiratory tract infection underwent fulminant Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia with concomitant agranulocytosis. From autopsia influenza B virus and parvovirus B19 were detected by nucleic acid amplification technique (NAT). Specific IgG but no IgM points to preexisting parvovirus B19 infection. Whether in this case agranulocytosis can be interpreted as early manifestation of reactivated parvovirus B19 infection is under discussion. Therefore, parvovirus B19 could have provoked a foudroyant course of influenza B pneumonia which was superinfected with S. aureus.

In-vitro assessment of cytotoxicity of halloysite nanotubes against HepG2, HCT116 and human peripheral blood lymphocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Farrukh Rafiq; Shoaib, Muhammad Harris; Azhar, Mudassar; Um, Soong Ho; Yousuf, Rabia Ismail; Hashmi, Shahkamal; Dar, Ahsana

2015-11-01

Halloysite is a clay mineral with chemical similarity to kaolin, a pharmaceutical ingredient. It consists of mainly aluminosilicate nanotubular particles in the size range of ∼ 200-1000 nm. Many studies have tried to empirically explore this novel clay for its potential in drug delivery systems but no work has yet studied its cytotoxicity from the perspective of oral drug delivery system. In this study, the halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) were subjected to size distribution analyses, which reveal more than 50% of nanotubes in the size range of 500 nm and rest mainly in the sub micrometer range. HNTs were then evaluated for in-vitro cytotoxicity against HCT116 (colorectal carcinoma) and HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma) cells which represent the earliest entry point and the first accumulating organ, respectively, for nanoparticles en-route to systemic circulation after oral delivery. Moreover, HNTs were tested for their cytogenetic toxicity against human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Both these results collectively indicated that HNTs are generally safe at practical concentrations of excipients for oral dosage forms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Two New Tryptamine Derivatives, Leptoclinidamide and (--Leptoclinidamine B, from an Indonesian Ascidian Leptoclinides dubius

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michio Namikoshi

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Two new tryptamine-derived alkaloids, named as leptoclinidamide (1 and (--leptoclinidamine B (2, were isolated from an Indonesian ascidian Leptoclinides dubius together with C2-α-D-mannosylpyranosyl-L-tryptophan (3. The structure of 1 was assigned on the basis of spectroscopic data for 1 and its N-acetyl derivative (4. Compound 1 was an amide of tryptamine with two β-alanine units. Although the planar structure of 2 is identical to that of the known compound (+-leptoclinidamine B (5, compound 2 was determined to be the enantiomer of 5 based on amino acid analysis using HPLC methods. Compounds 1 to 4 were evaluated for cytotoxicity against two human cancer cell lines, HCT-15 (colon and Jurkat (T-cell lymphoma cells, but none of the compounds showed activity.

Cell type-specific translational repression of Cyclin B during meiosis in males.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Catherine Craig; Gim, Byung Soo; Fuller, Margaret T

2015-10-01

The unique cell cycle dynamics of meiosis are controlled by layers of regulation imposed on core mitotic cell cycle machinery components by the program of germ cell development. Although the mechanisms that regulate Cdk1/Cyclin B activity in meiosis in oocytes have been well studied, little is known about the trans-acting factors responsible for developmental control of these factors in male gametogenesis. During meiotic prophase in Drosophila males, transcript for the core cell cycle protein Cyclin B1 (CycB) is expressed in spermatocytes, but the protein does not accumulate in spermatocytes until just before the meiotic divisions. Here, we show that two interacting proteins, Rbp4 and Fest, expressed at the onset of spermatocyte differentiation under control of the developmental program of male gametogenesis, function to direct cell type- and stage-specific repression of translation of the core G2/M cell cycle component cycB during the specialized cell cycle of male meiosis. Binding of Fest to Rbp4 requires a 31-amino acid region within Rbp4. Rbp4 and Fest are required for translational repression of cycB in immature spermatocytes, with Rbp4 binding sequences in a cell type-specific shortened form of the cycB 3' UTR. Finally, we show that Fest is required for proper execution of meiosis I. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

New Dimeric Members of the Phomoxanthone Family: Phomolactonexanthones A, B and Deacetylphomoxanthone C Isolated from the Fungus Phomopsis sp.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bo Ding

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Three new phomoxanthone compounds, phomolactonexanthones A (1, B (2 and deacetylphomoxanthone C (3, along with five known phomoxanthones, including dicerandrol A (4, dicerandrol B (5, dicerandrol (6, deacetylphomoxanthone B (7 and penexanthone A (8, were isolated in the metabolites of the fungus Phomopsis sp. HNY29-2B, which was isolated from the mangrove plants. The structures of compounds 1–3 were established on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. All compounds were evaluated against four human cancer cell lines including human breast MDA-MB-435, human colon HCT-116, human lung Calu-3 and human liver Huh7 by MTT assay. The compounds 4, 5, 7 and 8 showed cyctotoxic activities against tested cancer cell lines (IC50 < 10 μM.

Kinetics of antigen specific and non-specific polyclonal B-cell responses during lethal Plasmodium yoelii malaria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laurence Rolland

1992-06-01

Full Text Available In order to study the kinetics and composition of the polyclonal B-cell activation associated to malaria infection, antigen-specific and non-specific B-cell responses were evaluated in the spleens of mice infected with Plasmodium yoelii 17 XL or injected with lysed erythrocytes or plasma from P. yoelii infected mice or with P. falciparum culture supernatants. Spleen/body weigth ratio, numbers of nucleated spleen cells and Immunoglobulin-containing and Immunoglobulin-secreting cells increased progressively during the course of infection,in parallel to the parasitemia. A different pattern of kinetics was observed when anti-sheep red blood cell and anti-trinitrophenylated-sheep red blood cell plaque forming cells response were studied: maximum values were observed at early stages of infection, whereas the number of total Immunoglobulin-containing and Immunoglobulin-secreting cells were not yet altered. Conversely, at the end of infection, when these latter values reached their maximum, the anti-sheep red blood cell and anti-trinitrophenylated-sheep red blood cell specific responses were normal or even infranormal. In mice injected with Plasmodium-derived material, a higher increase in antigen-specific PFC was observed, as compared to the increase of Immunoglobulin-containing and Immunoglobulin-secreting cell numbers. This suggested a "preferential" (antigen-plus mitogen-induced stimulation of antigen-specific cells rather than a generalized non-specific (mitogen-induced triggering of B-lymphocytes. On the basis of these and previous results, it is suggested that polyclonal B-cell activation that takes place during the course of infection appears as a result of successive waves of antigen-specific B-cell activation.

Doxorubicin-induced mitophagy contributes to drug resistance in cancer stem cells from HCT8 human colorectal cancer cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Chen; Luo, Lan; Guo, Chang-Ying; Goto, Shinji; Urata, Yoshishige; Shao, Jiang-Hua; Li, Tao-Sheng

2017-03-01

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are known to be drug resistant. Mitophagy selectively degrades unnecessary or damaged mitochondria by autophagy during cellular stress. To investigate the potential role of mitophagy in drug resistance in CSCs, we purified CD133 + /CD44 + CSCs from HCT8 human colorectal cancer cells and then exposed to doxorubicin (DXR). Compared with parental cells, CSCs were more resistant to DXR treatment. Although DXR treatment enhanced autophagy levels in both cell types, the inhibition of autophagy by ATG7 silencing significantly increased the toxicity of DXR only in parental cells, not in CSCs. Interestingly, the level of mitochondrial superoxide was detected to be significantly lower in CSCs than in parental cells after DXR treatment. Furthermore, the mitophagy level and expression of BNIP3L, a mitophagy regulator, were significantly higher in CSCs than in parental cells after DXR treatment. Silencing BNIP3L significantly halted mitophagy and enhanced the sensitivity to DXR in CSCs. Our data suggested that mitophagy, but not non-selective autophagy, likely contributes to drug resistance in CSCs isolated from HCT8 cells. Further studies in other cancer cell lines will be needed to confirm our findings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impaired quality of the hepatitis B virus (HBV)-specific T-cell response in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-HBV coinfection.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, J Judy; Sirivichayakul, Sunee; Avihingsanon, Anchalee; Thompson, Alex J V; Revill, Peter; Iser, David; Slavin, John; Buranapraditkun, Supranee; Marks, Pip; Matthews, Gail; Cooper, David A; Kent, Stephen J; Cameron, Paul U; Sasadeusz, Joe; Desmond, Paul; Locarnini, Stephen; Dore, Gregory J; Ruxrungtham, Kiat; Lewin, Sharon R

2009-08-01

Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-specific T cells play a key role both in the control of HBV replication and in the pathogenesis of liver disease. Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) coinfection and the presence or absence of HBV e (precore) antigen (HBeAg) significantly alter the natural history of chronic HBV infection. We examined the HBV-specific T-cell responses in treatment-naïve HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative HIV-1-HBV-coinfected (n = 24) and HBV-monoinfected (n = 39) Asian patients. Peripheral blood was stimulated with an overlapping peptide library for the whole HBV genome, and tumor necrosis factor alpha and gamma interferon cytokine expression in CD8+ T cells was measured by intracellular cytokine staining and flow cytometry. There was no difference in the overall magnitude of the HBV-specific T-cell responses, but the quality of the response was significantly impaired in HIV-1-HBV-coinfected patients compared with monoinfected patients. In coinfected patients, HBV-specific T cells rarely produced more than one cytokine and responded to fewer HBV proteins than in monoinfected patients. Overall, the frequency and quality of the HBV-specific T-cell responses increased with a higher CD4+ T-cell count (P = 0.018 and 0.032, respectively). There was no relationship between circulating HBV-specific T cells and liver damage as measured by activity and fibrosis scores, and the HBV-specific T-cell responses were not significantly different in patients with either HBeAg-positive or HBeAg-negative disease. The quality of the HBV-specific T-cell response is impaired in the setting of HIV-1-HBV coinfection and is related to the CD4+ T-cell count.

Involvement of dendritic cells in allograft rejection new implications of dendritic cell-endothelial cell interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Schlichting, C L; Schareck, W D; Kofler, S; Weis, M

2007-04-01

For almost half a century immunologists have tried to tear down the MHC barrier, which separates two unrelated individuals during transplantation. Latest experimental data suggest that a breakthrough in vitro is imminent. Dendritic cells (DCs), which activate naïve allo-reactive T-cells (TCs), play a central role in the establishment of allo-antigen-specific immunity. Allograft solid organ rejection is initiated at the foreign endothelial cell (EC) layer, which forms an immunogenic barrier for migrating DCs. Thus, DC/EC interactions might play a crucial role in antigen-specific allograft rejection. Organ rejection is mediated by host allo-reactive TCs, which are activated by donor DCs (direct activation) or host DCs (indirect activation). Direct allo-antigen presentation by regulatory dendritic cells (DCreg) can play an instructive role towards tolerance induction. Several groups established that, DCregs, if transplanted beforehand, enter host thymus, spleen, or bone marrow where they might eventually establish allo-antigen-specific tolerance. A fundamental aspect of DC function is migration throughout the entire organism. After solid organ transplantation, host DCs bind to ECs, invade allograft tissues, and finally transmigrate into lymphoid vessels and secondary lymphoid organs, where they present allo-antigens to naïve host TCs. Recent data suggest that in vitro manipulated DCregs may mediate allo-transplantation tolerance induction. However, the fundamental mechanisms on how such DCregs cause host TCs in the periphery towards tolerance remain unclear. One very promising experimental concept is the simultaneous manipulation of DC direct and indirect TC activation/suppression, towards donor antigen-specific allo-transplantation tolerance. The allo-antigen-specific long-term tolerance induction mediated by DCreg pre-transplantation (with simultaneous short-term immunosuppression) has become reproducible in the laboratory animal setting. Despite the shortcomings

Discrimination of candidate subgenome-specific loci by linkage map construction with an S1 population of octoploid strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa).

Science.gov (United States)

Nagano, Soichiro; Shirasawa, Kenta; Hirakawa, Hideki; Maeda, Fumi; Ishikawa, Masami; Isobe, Sachiko N

2017-05-12

The strawberry, Fragaria × ananassa, is an allo-octoploid (2n = 8x = 56) and outcrossing species. Although it is the most widely consumed berry crop in the world, its complex genome structure has hindered its genetic and genomic analysis, and thus discrimination of subgenome-specific loci among the homoeologous chromosomes is needed. In the present study, we identified candidate subgenome-specific single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci, and constructed a linkage map using an S 1 mapping population of the cultivar 'Reikou' with an IStraw90 Axiom® SNP array and previously published SSR markers. The 'Reikou' linkage map consisted of 11,574 loci (11,002 SNPs and 572 SSR loci) spanning 2816.5 cM of 31 linkage groups. The 11,574 loci were located on 4738 unique positions (bin) on the linkage map. Of the mapped loci, 8999 (8588 SNPs and 411 SSR loci) showed a 1:2:1 segregation ratio of AA:AB:BB allele, which suggested the possibility of deriving loci from candidate subgenome-specific sequences. In addition, 2575 loci (2414 SNPs and 161 SSR loci) showed a 3:1 segregation of AB:BB allele, indicating they were derived from homoeologous genomic sequences. Comparative analysis of the homoeologous linkage groups revealed differences in genome structure among the subgenomes. Our results suggest that candidate subgenome-specific loci are randomly located across the genomes, and that there are small- to large-scale structural variations among the subgenomes. The mapped SNPs and SSR loci on the linkage map are expected to be seed points for the construction of pseudomolecules in the octoploid strawberry.

CT assessment of tracheobronchial anomaly in left pulmonary artery sling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhong, Yu-Min M.; Zhu, Ming; Sun, Ai-Min M.; Wang, Qian [Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Shanghai Children' s Medical Center, Shanghai (China); Jaffe, Richard B. [Primary Children' s Medical Center, Department of Medical Imaging, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Gao, Wei [Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Children' s Medical Center, Shanghai (China)

2010-11-15

The left pulmonary artery sling (LPAS) is a rare vascular anomaly where the left pulmonary artery arises from the right pulmonary artery, passes over the right bronchus, and goes posteriorly between the trachea and esophagus. The LPAS is frequently associated with cardiac and non-cardiac defects including tracheobronchial abnormalities. To evaluate the utility of multislice CT (MSCT) and helical CT (HCT) in diagnosing and defining the tracheobronchial anomaly and anatomic relationships between the trachea and aberrant left pulmonary artery. MSCT or HCT was performed in 27 children to determine the tracheobronchial anatomy and identify tracheobronchial stenosis. Eighteen children underwent surgery. According to the Wells [6] classification of LPAS, which includes two main types and two subtypes, there were eight cases of type 1A, five cases of type 1B, six cases of type 2A and eight cases of type 2B in this group. Twenty-four of the 27 children had substantial tracheobronchial stenosis. Four died before surgery; the 18 had reanastomosis of the left pulmonary artery. Five children also had tracheoplasty; three died after surgery. CT, especially MSCT, is an ideal modality for simultaneously identifying aberrant left pulmonary artery and any associated tracheobronchial anomaly. The Wells classification is useful for operative planning. (orig.)

TIM-1 signaling in B cells regulates antibody production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, Juan; Usui, Yoshihiko; Takeda, Kazuyoshi; Harada, Norihiro; Yagita, Hideo; Okumura, Ko; Akiba, Hisaya

2011-01-01

Highlights: → TIM-1 is highly expressed on anti-IgM + anti-CD40-stimulated B cells. → Anti-TIM-1 mAb enhanced proliferation and Ig production on activated B cell in vitro. → TIM-1 signaling regulates Ab production by response to TI-2 and TD antigens in vivo. -- Abstract: Members of the T cell Ig and mucin (TIM) family have recently been implicated in the control of T cell-mediated immune responses. In this study, we found TIM-1 expression on anti-IgM- or anti-CD40-stimulated splenic B cells, which was further up-regulated by the combination of anti-IgM and anti-CD40 Abs. On the other hand, TIM-1 ligand was constitutively expressed on B cells and inducible on anti-CD3 + anti-CD28-stimulated CD4 + T cells. In vitro stimulation of activated B cells by anti-TIM-1 mAb enhanced proliferation and expression of a plasma cell marker syndecan-1 (CD138). We further examined the effect of TIM-1 signaling on antibody production in vitro and in vivo. Higher levels of IgG2b and IgG3 secretion were detected in the culture supernatants of the anti-TIM-1-stimulated B cells as compared with the control IgG-stimulated B cells. When immunized with T-independent antigen TNP-Ficoll, TNP-specific IgG1, IgG2b, and IgG3 Abs were slightly increased in the anti-TIM-1-treated mice. When immunized with T-dependent antigen OVA, serum levels of OVA-specific IgG2b, IgG3, and IgE Abs were significantly increased in the anti-TIM-1-treated mice as compared with the control IgG-treated mice. These results suggest that TIM-1 signaling in B cells augments antibody production by enhancing B cell proliferation and differentiation.

TIM-1 signaling in B cells regulates antibody production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma, Juan [Department of Immunology, Juntendo University, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421 (Japan); Usui, Yoshihiko [Department of Immunology, Juntendo University, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421 (Japan); Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishi-shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023 (Japan); Takeda, Kazuyoshi [Department of Immunology, Juntendo University, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421 (Japan); Harada, Norihiro [Department of Immunology, Juntendo University, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421 (Japan); Department of Respiratory Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421 (Japan); Research Institute for Diseases of Old Ages, Juntendo University, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421 (Japan); Yagita, Hideo; Okumura, Ko [Department of Immunology, Juntendo University, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421 (Japan); Akiba, Hisaya, E-mail: hisaya@juntendo.ac.jp [Department of Immunology, Juntendo University, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421 (Japan)

2011-03-11

Highlights: {yields} TIM-1 is highly expressed on anti-IgM + anti-CD40-stimulated B cells. {yields} Anti-TIM-1 mAb enhanced proliferation and Ig production on activated B cell in vitro. {yields} TIM-1 signaling regulates Ab production by response to TI-2 and TD antigens in vivo. -- Abstract: Members of the T cell Ig and mucin (TIM) family have recently been implicated in the control of T cell-mediated immune responses. In this study, we found TIM-1 expression on anti-IgM- or anti-CD40-stimulated splenic B cells, which was further up-regulated by the combination of anti-IgM and anti-CD40 Abs. On the other hand, TIM-1 ligand was constitutively expressed on B cells and inducible on anti-CD3{sup +} anti-CD28-stimulated CD4{sup +} T cells. In vitro stimulation of activated B cells by anti-TIM-1 mAb enhanced proliferation and expression of a plasma cell marker syndecan-1 (CD138). We further examined the effect of TIM-1 signaling on antibody production in vitro and in vivo. Higher levels of IgG2b and IgG3 secretion were detected in the culture supernatants of the anti-TIM-1-stimulated B cells as compared with the control IgG-stimulated B cells. When immunized with T-independent antigen TNP-Ficoll, TNP-specific IgG1, IgG2b, and IgG3 Abs were slightly increased in the anti-TIM-1-treated mice. When immunized with T-dependent antigen OVA, serum levels of OVA-specific IgG2b, IgG3, and IgE Abs were significantly increased in the anti-TIM-1-treated mice as compared with the control IgG-treated mice. These results suggest that TIM-1 signaling in B cells augments antibody production by enhancing B cell proliferation and differentiation.

Evolution of elderly patients who underwent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass

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Alain Moré Duarte

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: There is a steady increase in the number of elderly patients with severe cardiovascular diseases who require a surgical procedure to recover some quality of life that allows them a socially meaningful existence, despite the risks.Objectives: To analyze the behavior of elderly patients who underwent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.Method: A descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted with patients over 65 years of age who underwent surgery at the Cardiocentro Ernesto Che Guevara, in Santa Clara, from January 2013 to March 2014.Results: In the study, 73.1% of patients were men; and there was a predominance of subjects between 65 and 70 years of age, accounting for 67.3%. Coronary artery bypass graft was the most prevalent type of surgery and had the longest cardiopulmonary bypass times. Hypertension was present in 98.1% of patients. The most frequent postoperative complications were renal dysfunction and severe low cardiac output, with 44.2% and 34.6% respectively.Conclusions: There was a predominance of men, the age group of 65 to 70 years, hypertension, and patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft with prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass. Renal dysfunction was the most frequent complication.

The Cucumber vein yellowing virus silencing suppressor P1b can functionally replace HCPro in Plum pox virus infection in a host-specific manner.

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Carbonell, Alberto; Dujovny, Gabriela; García, Juan Antonio; Valli, Adrian

2012-02-01

Plant viruses of the genera Potyvirus and Ipomovirus (Potyviridae family) use unrelated RNA silencing suppressors (RSS) to counteract antiviral RNA silencing responses. HCPro is the RSS of Potyvirus spp., and its activity is enhanced by the upstream P1 protein. Distinctively, the ipomovirus Cucumber vein yellowing virus (CVYV) lacks HCPro but contains two P1 copies in tandem (P1aP1b), the second of which functions as RSS. Using chimeras based on the potyvirus Plum pox virus (PPV), we found that P1b can functionally replace HCPro in potyviral infections of Nicotiana plants. Interestingly, P1a, the CVYV protein homologous to potyviral P1, disrupted the silencing suppression activity of P1b and reduced the infection efficiency of PPV in Nicotiana benthamiana. Testing the influence of RSS in host specificity, we found that a P1b-expressing chimera poorly infected PPV's natural host, Prunus persica. Conversely, P1b conferred on PPV chimeras the ability to replicate locally in cucumber, CVYV's natural host. The deleterious effect of P1a on PPV infection is host dependent, because the P1aP1b-expressing PPV chimera accumulated in cucumber to higher levels than PPV expressing P1b alone. These results demonstrate that a potyvirus can use different RSS, and that particular RSS and upstream P1-like proteins contribute to defining the virus host range.

Induction of CYP1A1, CYP1A2, and CYP1B1 mRNAs by nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in various human tissue-derived cells: chemical-, cytochrome P450 isoform-, and cell-specific differences

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Iwanari, M.; Nakajima, M.; Yokoi, T. [Div. of Drug Metabolism, Kanazawa Univ., Kanazawa (Japan); Kizu, R.; Hayakawa, K. [Lab. of Hygienic Chemistry, Kanazawa Univ., Kanazawa (Japan)

2002-06-01

Nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) are found in diesel exhaust and ambient air. NPAHs as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are known to have mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, and endocrine-disruptive effects. In the present study, the inducibility of the human cytochrome P450-1 (CYP1) family by NPAHs was compared with those produced by their parent PAHs and some reductive metabolites, amino-PAHs. Furthermore, to investigate the differences in the inducibility of the CYP1 family in human tissues, various human tissue-derived cell lines, namely HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma), ACHN (renal carcinoma), A549 (lung carcinoma), MCF-7 (breast carcinoma), LS-180 (colon carcinoma), HT-1197 (bladder carcinoma), HeLa (cervix of uterus adenocarcinoma), OMC-3 (ovarian carcinoma), and NEC14 (testis embryonal carcinoma), were treated with NPAHs, PAHs, or amino-PAHs. The mRNA levels of CYP1A1, CYP1A2, and CYP1B1 were determined with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The cell lines were classified into two groups: CYP1 inducible cell lines, comprising HepG2, MCF-7, LS-180, and OMC-3 cells, and CYP1 non-inducible cell lines, comprising ACHN, A549, HT-1197, HeLa, and NEC14 cells. In inducible cell lines, the induction profile of chemical specificity was similar for CYP1A1, CYP1A2, and CYP1B1, although the extent of induction differed among the cell lines and for the CYP isoforms. Pyrene, 1-nitropyrene, 1-aminopyrene, 1,3-, 1,6-, and 1,8-dinitropyrenes slightly induced CYP1 mRNAs, but 1,3-dinitropyrene produced a 6-fold induction of CYP1A1 mRNA in MCF-7 cells. 2-Nitrofluoranthene and 3-nitrofluoranthene exhibited stronger inducibility than fluoranthene in the inducible cell lines. 6-Nitrochrysene induced CYP1 mRNAs to the same extent or more potently than chrysene. The induction potencies of 6-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene and 7-nitrobenz[a]anthracene were weaker than those of their parents benzo[a]pyrene and benz[a]anthracene, respectively. This

MLH1 function is context dependent in colorectal cancers.

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Jackson, Thomas; Ahmed, Mohamed A H; Seth, Rashmi; Jackson, Darryl; Ilyas, Mohammad

2011-02-01

Loss of mismatch repair (MMR) function in sporadic colorectal cancer occurs most commonly because of inactivation of MLH1, and it causes an increase in mutation rate. However, it is uncertain whether loss of MMR alters any other cellular function. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of MMR in regulating cell numbers and apoptosis. MLH1 protein levels were manipulated by (a) cloning and forcibly expressing MLH1 in HCT116 (a cell line with MLH1 mutation) and RKO (a cell line with MLH1 silencing), and (b) knockdown of MLH1 in SW480 (a cell line with normal MMR function). Cell number and apoptotic bodies were measured in standard and 'high stress' (ie, after staurosporine exposure) conditions. Restoration of MLH1 function in HCT116 and RKO resulted in increased cell number (pculture conditions. However, on induction of apoptotic stress, restoration of MLH1 resulted in reduced cell numbers (pcontext dependent: in 'low stress' conditions it may act to inhibit apoptosis, while in 'high stress' conditions it may induce apoptosis. However, within the context of chromosomal instability, the effect of MLH1 on cell numbers is limited.

Synthesis, in-vitro cytotoxicity of 1H-benzo[f]chromene derivatives and structure-activity relationships of the 1-aryl group and 9-position.

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Mohamed, Hany M; Fouda, Ahmed M; Khattab, Essam S A E H; Agrody, Ahmed M El-; Afifi, Tarek H

2017-05-01

A series of 1H-benzo[f]chromene-2-carbonitriles was synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against MCF-7, HCT-116, and HepG-2 cancer cells. The SAR studies reported that the substitution in the phenyl ring at 1-position of 1H-benzo[f]chromene nucleus with the specific group, H atom, or methoxy group at 9-position increases the ability of the molecule against the different cell lines.

Should elderly patients with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes undergo allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation?

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Zeidan, Amer M; Gore, Steven D

2013-10-01

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) include a group of hematopoietic malignancies characterized by dysplastic changes, ineffective hematopoiesis and variable risk of leukemic progression. At diagnosis, 86% of MDS patients are ≥60 years. Azacitidine, the only drug that prolongs life in high-risk (HR)-MDS patients, adds a median of only 9.5 months to life. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) remains the only potentially curative approach. Despite recent improvements including use of reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) that decrease transplant-related mortality, alloSCT continues to be used rarely in elderly MDS. There is paucity of data regarding outcomes of RIC alloSCT in elderly MDS patients, especially in direct comparison with azanucleosides. In this paper, the authors discuss the recent Markov decision analysis by Koreth et al. in which investigators demonstrated superior survival of patients with HR-MDS aged 60-70 years who underwent RIC alloSCT in comparison with those who were treated with azanucleosides.

Neuronal SH2B1 is essential for controlling energy and glucose homeostasis.

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Ren, Decheng; Zhou, Yingjiang; Morris, David; Li, Minghua; Li, Zhiqin; Rui, Liangyou

2007-02-01

SH2B1 (previously named SH2-B), a cytoplasmic adaptor protein, binds via its Src homology 2 (SH2) domain to a variety of protein tyrosine kinases, including JAK2 and the insulin receptor. SH2B1-deficient mice are obese and diabetic. Here we demonstrated that multiple isoforms of SH2B1 (alpha, beta, gamma, and/or delta) were expressed in numerous tissues, including the brain, hypothalamus, liver, muscle, adipose tissue, heart, and pancreas. Rat SH2B1beta was specifically expressed in neural tissue in SH2B1-transgenic (SH2B1(Tg)) mice. SH2B1(Tg) mice were crossed with SH2B1-knockout (SH2B1(KO)) mice to generate SH2B1(TgKO) mice expressing SH2B1 only in neural tissue but not in other tissues. Systemic deletion of the SH2B1 gene resulted in metabolic disorders in SH2B1(KO) mice, including hyperlipidemia, leptin resistance, hyperphagia, obesity, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and glucose intolerance. Neuron-specific restoration of SH2B1beta not only corrected the metabolic disorders in SH2B1(TgKO) mice, but also improved JAK2-mediated leptin signaling and leptin regulation of orexigenic neuropeptide expression in the hypothalamus. Moreover, neuron-specific overexpression of SH2B1 dose-dependently protected against high-fat diet-induced leptin resistance and obesity. These observations suggest that neuronal SH2B1 regulates energy balance, body weight, peripheral insulin sensitivity, and glucose homeostasis at least in part by enhancing hypothalamic leptin sensitivity.

Curcumin-Free Turmeric Exhibits Activity against Human HCT-116 Colon Tumor Xenograft: Comparison with Curcumin and Whole Turmeric

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Prasad, Sahdeo; Tyagi, Amit K.; Siddik, Zahid H.; Aggarwal, Bharat B.

2017-01-01

Extensive research within last two decades has indicated that curcumin extracted from turmeric (Curcuma longa), exhibits anticancer potential, in part through the modulation of inflammatory pathways. However, the residual antitumor activity of curcumin-free turmeric (CFT) relative to curcumin or turmeric is not well-understood. In the present study, therefore, we determined activities of these agents in both in vitro and in vivo models of human HCT-116 colorectal cancer (CRC). When examined in an in vitro antiproliferative, clonogenic or anti-inflammatory assay system, we found that curcumin was highly active whereas turmeric and CFT had relatively poor activity against CRC cells. However, when examined in vivo at an oral dose of either 100 or 500 mg/kg given to nude mice bearing CRC xenografts, all three preparations of curcumin, turmeric, and CFT similarly suppressed the growth of the xenograft. The effect of CFT on suppression of tumor growth was dose-dependent, with 500 mg/kg tending to be more effective than 100 mg/kg. Interestingly, 100 mg/kg curcumin or turmeric was found to be more effective than 500 mg/kg. When examined in vivo for the expression of biomarkers associated with cell survival (cIAP-1, Bcl-2, and survivin), proliferation (Ki-67 and cyclin D1) and metastasis (ICAM-1 and VEGF), all were down-modulated. These agents also suppressed inflammatory transcription factors (NF-κB and STAT3) in tumor cells. Overall, our results with CFT provide evidence that turmeric must contain additional bioactive compounds other than curcumin that, in contrast to curcumin, exhibit greater anticancer potential in vivo than in vitro against human CRC. Moreover, our study highlights the fact that the beneficial effects of turmeric and curcumin in humans may be more effectively realized at lower doses, whereas CFT could be given at higher doses without loss in favorable activity. PMID:29311914

Curcumin-Free Turmeric Exhibits Activity against Human HCT-116 Colon Tumor Xenograft: Comparison with Curcumin and Whole Turmeric

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Sahdeo Prasad

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Extensive research within last two decades has indicated that curcumin extracted from turmeric (Curcuma longa, exhibits anticancer potential, in part through the modulation of inflammatory pathways. However, the residual antitumor activity of curcumin-free turmeric (CFT relative to curcumin or turmeric is not well-understood. In the present study, therefore, we determined activities of these agents in both in vitro and in vivo models of human HCT-116 colorectal cancer (CRC. When examined in an in vitro antiproliferative, clonogenic or anti-inflammatory assay system, we found that curcumin was highly active whereas turmeric and CFT had relatively poor activity against CRC cells. However, when examined in vivo at an oral dose of either 100 or 500 mg/kg given to nude mice bearing CRC xenografts, all three preparations of curcumin, turmeric, and CFT similarly suppressed the growth of the xenograft. The effect of CFT on suppression of tumor growth was dose-dependent, with 500 mg/kg tending to be more effective than 100 mg/kg. Interestingly, 100 mg/kg curcumin or turmeric was found to be more effective than 500 mg/kg. When examined in vivo for the expression of biomarkers associated with cell survival (cIAP-1, Bcl-2, and survivin, proliferation (Ki-67 and cyclin D1 and metastasis (ICAM-1 and VEGF, all were down-modulated. These agents also suppressed inflammatory transcription factors (NF-κB and STAT3 in tumor cells. Overall, our results with CFT provide evidence that turmeric must contain additional bioactive compounds other than curcumin that, in contrast to curcumin, exhibit greater anticancer potential in vivo than in vitro against human CRC. Moreover, our study highlights the fact that the beneficial effects of turmeric and curcumin in humans may be more effectively realized at lower doses, whereas CFT could be given at higher doses without loss in favorable activity.