Altered gene expression and spongiotrophoblast differentiation in placenta from a mouse model of diabetes in pregnancy

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

Pregnancies complicated by diabetes have a higher risk of adverse outcomes for mothers and children, including predisposition to disease later in life, e.g. metabolic syndrome and hypertension. We hypothesised that adverse outcomes from diabetic pregnancies may be linked to compromised placental function, and sought to identify cellular and molecular abnormalities in diabetic placenta.

METHODS

Using a mouse model of diabetic pregnancy, placental gene expression was assayed at mid-gestation and cellular composition analysed at various stages. Genome-wide expression profiling was validated by quantitative PCR and tissue localisation studies were performed to identify cellular correlates of altered gene expression in diabetic placenta.

RESULTS

We detected significantly altered gene expression in diabetic placenta for genes expressed in the maternal and those expressed in the embryonic compartments. We also found altered cellular composition of the decidual compartment. In addition, the junctional and labyrinth layers were reduced in diabetic placenta, accompanied by aberrant differentiation of spongiotrophoblast cells.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

Diabetes during pregnancy alters transcriptional profiles in the murine placenta, affecting cells of embryonic and maternal origin, and involving several genes not previously implicated in diabetic pregnancies. The molecular changes and abnormal differentiation of multiple cell types precede impaired growth of junctional zone and labyrinth, and of placenta overall. Regardless of whether these changes represent direct responses to hyperglycaemia or are physiological adaptations, they are likely to play a role in pregnancy complications and outcomes, and to have implications for developmental origins of adult disease.

An early decrease in serum HBeAg titre is a strong predictor of virological response to entecavir in HBeAg-positive patients

Quantification of HBeAg levels has been found to be useful in monitoring and predicting the outcomes of interferon and lamivudine treatment in HBeAg-positive patients. The aim of this study was to determine whether quantification of HBeAg at baseline and on treatment could predict which patients would achieve HBeAg seroconversion after 96 weeks of entecavir therapy. Sixty-five HBeAg-positive naïve chronic hepatitis B patients who were treated with entecavir at a dose of 0.5 mg once daily for 96 weeks were evaluated. Serum HBV DNA levels were assessed at baseline, week 24, 48 and 96; serum HBeAg levels were assessed at baseline, week 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96. Serum HBeAg levels were associated with a higher likelihood of HBeAg seroconversion to entecavir at weeks 96 than serum HBV DNA levels both at baseline and on treatment (at baseline: OR = 9.932, P = 0.003 vs. OR = 5.045, P = 0.036; on treatment: OR = 112.5, P < 0.0001 vs. OR = 47.782, P < 0.0001). A maintained reduction in HBeAg > 65% of pretreatment HBeAg values after 24 weeks of entecavir therapy is the strongest predictor for HBeAg seroconversion at week 96 (OR = 70.578, P < 0.0001). Quantification of HBeAg at the start and early during therapy showed a higher predictive value than that of HBV DNA for HBeAg seroconversion by entecavir. A significant decrease in serum HBeAg levels at week 24 may be a useful on-treatment measurement in the early phase for predicting HBeAg seroconversion and identifying patients who will most likely benefit from finite entecavir treatment.

Loss of balance between T helper type 17 and regulatory T cells in chronic human immunodeficiency virus infection

The aim of this study is to characterize the changes of CD4(+) CD25(high) forkhead box P3 (FoxP3(+) ) regulatory T cells (T(reg) ), interleukin (IL)-17 secreting T helper type 17 (Th17) cell frequencies and the balance of these two subsets in a cohort of chronic human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected patients in China. A total of 115 untreated chronic HIV-infected individuals and 32 healthy donors were recruited in this study. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from ethylenediamine tetracetic acid (EDTA) anti-coagulated fresh whole blood and stained to characterize the frequencies of T(reg) and Th17. Of a total 115 patients, 42 individuals including 10 elite controllers were followed-up for more than 1 year, and changes of T(reg) and Th17 frequencies were analysed over time. The continuous loss of Th17 cells was accompanied by a concomitant rise in the frequency of T(reg) cells, resulting in a loss of Th17/T(reg) balance during the progressive HIV infection. Meanwhile, the T(reg) levels, Th17 levels and Th17/T(reg) ratios of the elite controller group were comparable to those of the HIV-1 negative controls in the follow-up study. Additionally, we demonstrated that loss of balance between Th17 and T(reg) is associated with an earlier CD4 T cell decline during the course of HIV infection. Our results indicate that a loss of immune-balance of Th17 to T(reg) during HIV-1 disease progression and the persistence of such an immune-balance in the elite controllers may have a critical role in HIV-1 infection and further shed new light into understanding the pathogenesis of HIV-1.

Efficacy, tolerability, and biomarker analyses from a phase III, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel group study of gefitinib as maintenance therapy in patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC; INFORM; C-TONG 0804)

LBA7511

Background: INFORM (a phase III, randomized, multicenter, parallel group study; NCT00770588 ) investigated the efficacy, safety and tolerability of gefitinib (G) vs. placebo (P) as maintenance therapy in pts with locally advanced/metastatic NSCLC following standard first-line platinum based chemotherapy. Methods: Pts (≥18 years, with stage IIIB/IV NSCLC and WHO performance status 0-2) had completed 4 cycles of first-line platinum based doublet chemotherapy without progression/unacceptable toxicity. Pts were randomized 1:1 to G 250mg/day or P on discontinuation of first-line therapy. Progression-free survival (PFS; primary endpoint) was assessed in the intent to treat population (Cox proportional hazards adjusted for histology [adenocarcinoma vs. non-adenocarcinoma], smoking status [never-smoker vs. smoker], EGFR mutation status [positive vs. negative vs. unknown] and best response to first-line chemotherapy [complete response/partial response vs. stable disease]). PFS was considered superior with gefitinib if the G:P hazard ratio (HR) upper confidence interval (CI) was <1.00. Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), objective response rate, disease control rate, symptom improvement and tolerability. Results: 296 pts (n=148 G, n=148 P) were randomized (27 centers in china; 26 September 2008-10 August 2009). PFS data cutoff on 24 January 2011. Median duration of follow-up was 16.8 months: 91% pts progressed; 59% deaths. Demography was balanced between treatments; overall, 54.1% pts were never-smokers, 70.6% had adenocarcinoma, and 40.9% were female. For G vs. P, PFS HR=0.42; 95% CI 0.32-0.54; p<0.0001; median PFS 4.8 vs. 2.6 months. Most common AEs (any grade) with G were rash (49.7%), diarrhea (25.2%), and ALT increase (21.1%) which were generally mild/moderate. Overall incidence of serious AEs: G (6.8%); P (3.4%). Other secondary endpoint data (including OS and biomarkers) will be presented. Conclusions: PFS was significantly longer with G compared with P as maintenance therapy in Chinese patients with locally advanced NSCLC.

p130Cas, E-cadherin and β-catenin in human transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder: expression and clinicopathological significance

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the effects of junction protein, p130 Crk-associated substance (p130Cas), and adhesion molecules, E-cadherin and β-catenin, on the biological behavior of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

METHODS

In 72 paraffin embedded specimens of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and 20 normal controls, the expression of p130Cas, E-cadherin and β-catenin was examined by quantum dot-based immunofluorescence histochemistry (QD-IHC) and conventional immunohistochemistry (IHC).

RESULTS

QD-IHC was consistent with IHC in detecting the expression of the three molecules (P > 0.05 for all comparisons). The positive expression rate of p130Cas in bladder cancer tissues increased more significantly than that in normal bladder tissues (P < 0.001). Similarly, the aberrant expression rates of E-cadherin and β-catenin in bladder cancer tissues were significantly higher than those in normal bladder tissues (P < 0.001 for both comparisons). The expression of each molecule was correlated with tumor pathological grade and clinical stage (P < 0.05 for all comparisons), but not with tumor number and size (P > 0.05 for all comparisons). Furthermore, negative correlations were found between the expression intensities of p130Cas and E-cadherin or β-catenin in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder (P < 0.05 for both comparisons).

CONCLUSIONS

p130Cas, E-cadherin and β-catenin might represent useful predictors of malignant degree of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

Top-down and bottom-up approaches in production of aqueous nanocolloids of low solubility drug paclitaxel

Nano-encapsulation of a poorly soluble anticancer drug was demonstrated with a sonication assisted layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte coating (SLbL). We changed the strategy of LbL-encapsulation from making microcapsules with many layers in the walls for encasing highly soluble materials to using a very thin polycation/polyanion coating on low solubility nanoparticles to provide them with good colloidal stability. SLbL encapsulation of paclitaxel resulted in stable 100-200 nm diameter colloids with a high electrical surface ξ-potential (of -45 mV) and drug content in the nanoparticles of 90 wt%. In the top-down approach, nanocolloids were prepared by rupturing a powder of paclitaxel using ultrasonication and simultaneous sequential adsorption of oppositely charged biocompatible polyelectrolytes. In the bottom-up approach paclitaxel was dissolved in organic solvent (ethanol or acetone), and drug nucleation was initiated by the addition of aqueous polyelectrolyte assisted by ultrasonication. Paclitaxel release rates from such nanocapsules were controlled by assembling multilayer shells with variable thicknesses and were in the range of 10-20 h.