Characterization of chicken visfatin gene: cDNA cloning, tissue distribution, and promoter analysis

Here we report the cloning and characterization of chicken visfatin (also called pre-B cell enhancing factor; PBEF, or nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase; Nampt) gene. Sequence analyses revealed that the coding region of visfatin is 1,482 bp in length and encodes a protein of 493 amino acids, which shares high amino acid sequence identity not only to visfatin of human (94%), rat (94%), carp (89%), and zebrafish (89%), but also to Nampt of sponge (58%) and cyanobacterium (48%). The reverse transcription PCR assay and Northern-blot analysis demonstrated that visfatin was widely expressed in all chicken tissues examined. Using a dual luciferase reporter system, we further demonstrated that the cloned 1,372-bp fragment upstream of the putative translation start site (ATG) displayed the maximal promoter activity in cultured CHO, DF-1, and HEK293 cells, whereas the removal of its 5'-region (1,075 bp) or 3'-region (297 bp) could only partially reduce its promoter activity, implying that visfatin gene transcription was likely controlled by multiple promoters near the translation start site. Taken together, results from present study will contribute to our better understanding of the expression and roles of visfatin gene in chickens.

Abstract P4-05-01: Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus Vector G47Δ Effectively Targets Breast Cancer Stem Cells

Breast tumors can be classified according to their gene-expression profiles into different molecular subtypes with distinct biological and clinical features. Moreover, different subtypes show distinct responses to different therapeutic regimens, thereby resulting in markedly different outcomes. Recently, accumulating evidence has suggested that breast cancer originates from cancer stem cells (CSCs), which comprise a small percentage of the overall tumor but are highly tumorigenic and pluripotent with unlimited proliferation potential. Furthermore, cancer stem cells are highly resistant to conventional treatment, which potentially explains certain difficulties in treating cancer with current therapy options. The use of oncolytic viruses is a relatively new strategy in cancer therapy, oncolytic herpes simplex virus (oHSV) has been shown to be a safe and effective therapeutic approach for a variety of different cancers.

In this study, different types of breast cancer cell lines were cultured in anchorage-independent conditions, the cells typically form mammospheres within 10 days of anchorage-independent culture, which showed properties of CSCs. The mammospheres are capable of being passaged indefinitely and single dissociated mammosphere cells were able to regenerate spheres. Moreover, compared to the parental cell lines, mammoshpere cells were enriched for CD44+CD24− cells and highly expression of the alternative breast cancer stem cell marker ALDH-1.

The third generation oHSV vector G47Δ effectively killed different subtypes of breast cancer cells in vitro, with more than 98% of the tumor cells killed by day 5, even at multiplicities of infection(MOI) 0.01. Moreover, G47Δ equally targeted non-cancer stem cells (NCSCs) and CSCs which showed resistance to paclitaxel. We also demonstrated that G47Δ effectively replicated and spread among CSCs. Moreover, G47Δ impaired the self-renewal ability of CSCs, as the viable cells unable to form secondary tumor spheres. We also showed that G47Δ was able to induce the regression of tumor xenografts in BALB/c nude mice and demonstrated the ability of G47Δ to synergize with paclitaxel for killing both NCSCs and CSCs. This is the first report that oHSV effectively targets different breast cancer NCSCs and CSCs, thereby suggesting that oHSV may be an effective treatment modality for patients with breast cancer.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-05-01.

Abstract P3-07-08: Recent trends in the characteristics of patients with distant stage breast cancer in the United States Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Stage Disease (SEER) program

Objectives. Even though advances in screening and contemporary diagnostic techniques have led to earlier detection, a proportion of breast cancer patients are still diagnosed with distant stage disease. The objective of this research was to describe the changing demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with distant stage breast cancer.

Methods. We identified women aged 20 years or older who were diagnosed with distant stage primary breast cancer between 1995 and 2009 with non-missing hormone receptor (HR) status in the SEER 18 Registry (1973–2009) database. As staging systems changed across the years of the study, we opted to use the SEER historic stage in our analyses. Trends in demographic and clinical characteristics were evaluated by time period of diagnosis (1995–1999, 2000–2004, 2005–2009) and HR status (HR+ includes ER+/PR+, ER+/PR- and ER−/PR+; HR− includes ER−/PR− only). Statistically significant changes were examined using the Cochran Armitage test.

Results. A total of 30,161 women with distant stage breast cancer were identified. Over the 15 years, the incidence rate (IR) of distant stage disease was stable (10.6 to 10.9 per 100,000 pys), as well as the proportion of HR+ cases (68%).

Age did not vary significantly over time; 55% of the HR+ cases and 45% of the HR- cases were 60 years or older. The proportion of Black and Hispanic patients increased significantly over time (18 to 24% for HR+; 24 to 33% for HR−) -as did the proportion of patients diagnosed with grades I and II cancers (44 to 54% for HR+; and 16 to 20% for HR−). The proportion of ductal histologic diagnoses was stable over time, at 77% among HR+ cases and 93% among HR- cases in 2005–2009. Cancer-directed surgeries (from 63 to 47% for HR+; 72 to 56% for HR−) and radiation therapies (43 to 37% for HR+; 42 to 38% for HR−) became less common over the time. Information on chemotherapy/systemic therapies is unavailable in this dataset.

Conclusions. Although, incidence rate of distant stage breast cancer was stable over a time, there was a higher proportion of diagnosis of grade I/II stage cancer cases potentially due to earlier cancer detections by screening programs. The growing proportion of minorities suggested that screening programs be adjusted to the changing demographics in the United States.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-07-08.

Abstract OT2-3-04: A PILOT PHASE II STUDY TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF DENOSUMAB ON DISSEMINATED TUMOR CELLS (DTC) IN PATIENTS WITH EARLY STAGE BREAST CANCER (ESBC)

Background: Bone is the most common site of metastases in breast cancer (BC). The detection of keratin + cells (DTC) in bone marrow (BM) has been shown to correlate with an increased risk of disease recurrence. Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa b (RANK) is critical to bone turnover. Pre-clinical studies have shown that the ligand to RANK (RANKL) can induce metastases of RANK-expressed tumor cells, and that treatment with a RANKL inhibitor can reduce BC metastases. Our previous study suggests that higher RANK expression in tumor at the time of diagnosis correlates with worse recurrent free survival (RFS). Denosumab, a humanized RANKL inhibitor, has been approved in patients (pts) with osteoporosis and metastatic BC to bone.

Trial design: We designed a nonrandomized, open label phase II pilot study evaluating the impact of denosumab on DTCs in pts with ESBC and DTCs following (neo) adjuvant chemotherapy. A total of 45 pts will be enrolled; treatment (Rx) consists of denosumab by subcutaneous injection monthly for 6 months, then every 12 weeks for 6 months for a total of one year. BMA will be repeated at 6 and 12 mo; samples will be evaluated for DTC and for specific gene expression.

Eligibility criteria: Eligible pts have completed adjuvant chemotherapy and at least 3 months (mo) of hormonal Rx as indicated, and have >10 DTC on screening bone marrow aspiration by immunomagnetic enrichment + flow cytometry (IE/FC).

Specific aims: The primary efficacy endpoint is the reduction of DTC/ml from >10DTC/ml to ≤ 10DTC/ml at 6 mo and one year, and the feasibility of denosumab use in this setting. Secondary and exploratory endpoints are to evaluate the correlation of DTC at each time point with BC recurrence, and to analyze gene expression of markers related to bone destruction and inflammation in sorted DTC.

Statistical methods: A total of 45 pts will be enrolled. Based on results from a previous trial testing zoledronic acid in a group of pts with similar eligibility, we expect to have evaluable BMA on 37 (82%) at 1 year. With standard Rx we expect 5% or fewer will have counts ≤10 DTC/ml at 1 year. Using STATA routine sample size (SAMPSI: sample size and power for means and proportions), as long as 20% of pts in treated group become DTC-negative, we will have 89% power to detect this degree of efficacy. These calculations are based on an “exact” test of the proportion of successes; those with reductions to ≤10DTC/ml in sample sizes of 37 based on one-sided testing at a 5% level of significance. We will compare the DTC/ml at 6 and 12 mo to baseline to evaluate reduction in counts.

Present accrual and target accrual: trial will be open in July, 2012 with target accrual of 45 pts.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr OT2-3-04.

Evidence for the η(b)(2S) and observation of h(b)(1P)→η(b)(1S)γ and h(b)(2P)→η(b)(1S)γ

We report the first evidence for the η(b)(2S) using the h(b)(2P)→η(b)(2S)γ transition and the first observation of the h(b)(1P)→η(b)(1S)γ and h(b)(2P)→η(b)(1S)γ transitions. The mass and width of the η(b)(1S) and η(b)(2S) are measured to be m(η(b)(1S))=(9402.4±1.5±1.8) MeV/c(2), m(η(b)(2S))=(9999.0±3.5(-1.9)(+2.8)) MeV/c(2), and Γ(η(b)(1S))=(10.8(-3.7-2.0)(+4.0+4.5)) MeV. We also update the h(b)(1P) and h(b)(2P) mass measurements. We use a 133.4 fb(-1) data sample collected at energies near the Υ(5S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e(+)e(-) collider.

Generation of induced pluripotent mouse stem cells in an indirect co-culture system

Typically, production of induced pluripotent stem cells requires direct contact with feeder cells. However, once the stem cells have reached the appropriate maturation point, it is difficult to separate them from feeder cells, which must be irradiated with γ-rays or treated with the antibiotic mitomycin-C. We used a microporous poly-membrane-based indirect contact co-culture system with mouse embryonic fibroblasts to induce mouse pluripotent stem cells without radiation or antibiotics. We found that induced pluripotent stem cells induced by this co-culture method had a reprogramming efficiency and time similar to those induced using traditional methods. Furthermore, strongly expressed pluripotent markers showed a normal karyotype and formation and contained all three germ layers in a teratoma.

The effect of mahogunin gene mutant on reproduction in male mice: a new sight for infertility?

Mahogunin is an important mediator of chromogenesis and neurodegeneration. Mahoganoid is a mutation of the mahogunin gene, which causes a pleiotropic phenotype that includes suppression of obesity, spongiform neurodegeneration and improvement of insulin sensitivity. Our previous research found that mahoganoid widely expressed in the male rat reproductive system, and mahoganoid-deficient mice have reduced embryonic viability. But the reproductive change in mahogunin knockout (md(nc) ) male mice has not been reported previously. Here, we report that the mahogunin mRNA also widely exists in reproductive system of male mice, and its mRNA expression in the testis was in accordance with the first spermatogenesis wave cycle. Moreover, we find that md(nc) male mice were able to mate with females but no pups are delivered. Besides, the sperms' active progressive motility and hormone secretion (E2, FSH, LH, PRL) were obviously decreased while abnormal sperm rate showed no significant difference in md(nc) compared to wild-type (WT) male mice. This study indicates the mahogunin deficiency results in the infertility of male mice, disruption of hormones secretion and impaired active progressive motility, which may additionally illuminate the aetiology of male infertility in human.

Automatic identification and normalization of dosage forms in drug monographs

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Predictive value of ankle-brachial index and blood glucose on the outcomes of six-year all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in a Chinese population of type 2 diabetes patients

AIM

The aim of this paper was to investigate the predictive value of ankle-brachial index (ABI) and blood glucose to estimate mortality in Chinese type 2 diabetes patients.

METHODS

Chinese type 2 diabetes patients (1706 subjects) were followed up for about 6 years,

RESULTS

One thousand four hundred fourteen were included in the final statistical analysis during a median follow-up of 69 months. Overall, 398 patients died during follow-up and 254 deaths were attributable to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Relative risks of all-cause and CVD mortality of patients with ABI≤0.4 were increased by 2.073-fold (95% CI: 1.236-3.478) and 3.086-fold (95% CI: 1.702-5.595), compared with those of patients with ABI>1.0 and ≤1.4. Mortality was significantly increased with increasing plasma glucose and decreasing ABI. All-cause and CVD mortality was the highest (55.6% and 44.4%) with ABI≤0.4 and plasma glucose >10 mmol/L simultaneously. Relative risks of all-cause and CVD mortality in these patients were increased by 3.905-fold (95% CI: 1.334-11.431) and 3.771-fold (95% CI: 1.079-13.171), compared with patients with ABI>1.0 and ≤1.4, and plasma glucose ≤6 mmol/L simultaneously. Models to evaluate additional predictive value of ABI for mortality of type 2 diabetes patients suggested that addition of ABI significantly improved the prediction of the death rate compared with the model including conventional risk factors only.

CONCLUSION

High plasma glucose and low ABI had synergistic effects on increasing mortality of type 2 diabetes patients. The addition of ABI can significantly improve the prediction of mortality compared to protocol using conventional risk factors only.

IL-17 and IFN-γ production in peripheral blood following BCG vaccination and Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in human

BACKGROUND

During Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection, cells of the immune system rely on cytokines to regulate the activity of other immune and structural cells such as IFN-gamma and IL-4. Recent studies suggest that Th17 cells secreting IL-17 may play a potential role in tuberculosis (TB) development.

AIM

To assess the effect of IL-17 on TB development, we provide a systematic review on the production of IL-17, IFN-gamma and IL-4 in infants or children vaccinated with BCG and in TB patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The literature relevant with IL-17 and IFN-gamma production with or without IL-4 on human TB was retrieved from PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, BIOSIS Previews and the China Biomedicine Literature Databases (CBM) using the search terms "Interleukin-17 or Th17 cells" and "Tuberculosis". The information of included studies, the production of IL-17 and IFN-gamma responding to antigens in the peripheral blood in vitro, was independently extracted by the first two researchers and subsequently qualitatively analyzed.

RESULTS

Nine studies from a total of 226 retrieved publications met the criteria. These included studies showed that BCG vaccination induced dramatically high level of IL-17 similar to IFN-gamma; The level of IL-17 and IFN-gamma were low while IL-4 was high in patients with active TB; IL-17 and IFN-gamma had a similar trend of increase during the conversion from active to latent TB while IL-4 inclined to decrease in this process.

CONCLUSIONS

IL-17 acts as an effector molecule similar to IFN-gamma after BCG vaccination and Mtb infection to protect human against TB. The current findings do not support IL-17 as an inducer of tissue damage in TB.

Histomorphometric and microarchitectural analyses using the 2 mm bone marrow trephine in metastatic breast cancer patients-preliminary results

BACKGROUND

Bone-targeted agents are widely used for the treatment of osteoporosis, the prevention of cancer-therapy induced bone loss, and for reducing the risk of skeletal related events in patients with metastatic disease. Despite widespread use, relatively little is known about the in vivo effect of these agents on bone homeostasis, bone quality, and bone architecture in humans. Traditionally bone quality has been assessed using a transiliac bone biopsy with a 7 mm "Bordier" core needle. We examined the possibility of using a 2 mm "Jamshidi" core needle as a more practical and less invasive method to assess bone turnover and potentially other tumor effects.

METHODS

A pilot study on the feasibility of assessing bone quality and microarchitecture and tumor invasion using a 2 mm bone marrow trephine was conducted. Patients underwent a posterior trans-iliac trephine biopsy and bone marrow aspirate. Samples were analyzed for bone microarchitecture, bone density, and histomorphometry. The study plan was to accrue three patients with advanced breast cancer to assess the feasibility of the study before enrolling more patients.

RESULTS

The procedure was well tolerated. The sample quality was excellent to analyze bone trabecular microarchitecture using both microCT and histomorphometry. Intense osteoclastic activity was observed in a patient with extensive tumor burden in bone despite intravenous bisphosphonate therapy.

DISCUSSION

Given the success of this study for assessing bone microarchitecture, bone density, and histomorphometry assessment using a 2 mm needle the study will be expanded beyond these initial three patients for longitudinal assessment of bone-targeted therapy.

Oocyte extract improves epigenetic reprogramming of yak fibroblast cells and cloned embryo development

The objective was to investigate the effects of bovine oocyte extract (BOE) on epigenetic reprogramming of yak fibroblast cells, based on their cell cycle status, histone acetylation, DNA methylation, gene expression, and cloned blastocyst formation. Permeabilization of yak fibroblasts after treatment with 10 or 50 μL of BOE (treated-S and treated-L groups, respectively) for 24 hours increased (P < 0.05) the cell population at the G(0)/G(1) phase (85.2 ± 2.3% and 89.6 ± 1.5%, respectively) compared with controls (75.4 ± 1.1%). Acetylation at lysine 9 of histone H3 was also higher (26.1 ± 1.4 and 33.5 ± 2.1) than in the control group (15.3 ± 1.6; P < 0.05). Moreover, BOE reduced methylation of the promoter regions of Oct-4 and Nanog (76.4% and 72.2%; and 35.6% and 30.0%, respectively) compared with the control group (92.1% and 47.8%; P < 0.05). In addition, the relative expression levels of HDAC-1, HADC-2, Dnmt-1, and Dnmt-3a were downregulated (P < 0.05) after yak fibroblasts were treated with BOE. Furthermore, when yak fibroblasts were used for interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer after BOE treatment, 8-cell and blastocyst formation rates significantly exceeded those of the control. In conclusion, BOE induced epigenetic reprogramming of yak fibroblasts, making them suitable donors for yak interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer.

Controlled ambipolar doping and gate voltage dependent carrier diffusion length in lead sulfide nanowires

We report a simple, controlled doping method for achieving n-type, intrinsic, and p-type lead sulfide (PbS) nanowires (NWs) grown by chemical vapor deposition without introducing any impurities. A wide range of carrier concentrations is realized by adjusting the ratio between the Pb and S precursors. The field effect electron mobility of n-type PbS NWs is up to 660 cm(2)/(V s) at room temperature, in agreement with a long minority carrier diffusion length measured by scanning photocurrent microscopy (SPCM). Interestingly, we have observed a strong dependence of minority carrier diffusion length on gate voltage, which can be understood by considering a carrier concentration dependent recombination lifetime. The demonstrated ambipolar doping of high quality PbS NWs opens up exciting avenues for their applications in photodetectors and photovoltaics.

Tunable acoustic double negativity metamaterial

Man-made composite materials called “metamaterials” allow for the creation of unusual wave propagation behavior. Acoustic and elastic metamaterials in particular, can pave the way for the full control of sound in realizing cloaks of invisibility, perfect lenses and much more. In this work we design acousto-elastic surface modes that are similar to surface plasmons in metals and on highly conducting surfaces perforated by holes. We combine a structure hosting these modes together with a gap material supporting negative modulus and collectively producing negative dispersion. By analytical techniques and full-wave simulations we attribute the observed behavior to the mass density and bulk modulus being simultaneously negative.

Increased Expression of MicroRNA-221 in gastric cancer and its clinical significance

OBJECTIVE

MicroRNA-221 (miR-221), which is located on chromosome X, is an oncogenic microRNA that is involved in several human malignancies. This study aimed to characterize the role of miR-221 in the initiation and malignant progression of gastric cancer.

METHODS

The level of miR-221 expression in 92 pairs of primary gastric tumour tissue and adjacent nontumour tissue was quantified by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The relationship between the miR-221 level and clinicopathological features was explored.

RESULTS

MiR-221 was up-regulated in 88% (81/92) of gastric cancer tissue samples compared with their paired adjacent nontumour tissue samples. High expression of miR-221 showed a significant correlation with advanced tumour-node-metastasis stage, local invasion and lymphatic metastasis. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses revealed that miR-221 overexpression was an unfavourable prognostic factor for overall survival in patients with gastric cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that miR-221 is a novel prognostic indicator in gastric cancer and may be a potential target for diagnosis and gene therapy.

Stable knockdown of clusterin by vectorbased RNA interference in a human breast cancer cell line inhibits tumour cell invasion and metastasis

OBJECTIVE

Overexpression of the clusterin (CLU) gene occurs in breast cancer and is associated with lymph node metastasis. The present study explored the effect of CLU silencing on invasion and metastasis, and the relationship between CLU expression and the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) / matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP) signalling pathway in human breast cancer cells.

METHODS

A pcDNA3.1-based RNA interference approach was used to knockdown the CLU gene in MDA-231 cells (MDA-231-CLUi); control MDA-231 cells were transfected with an empty vector (MDA-231-Vec). Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to assess CLU and MMP-9 mRNA levels, and Western blotting was used to analyse CLU, MMP-9 and ERK protein levels. Metastatic potential was evaluated using in vitro and in vivo models of invasion and metastasis.

RESULTS

Compared with MDA-231-Vec cells, the MDA-231-CLUi cells demonstrated reduced migration and invasion in vitro and decreased metastatic potential in vivo. Reintroduction and reexpression of the CLU gene into the MDA-231-CLUi cells restored the invasive phenotype. MMP-9 mRNA and protein levels were reduced in MDA-231-CLUi cells, and there was a correlation between activated ERK and CLU and MMP-9 protein levels.

CONCLUSION

CLU may regulate the aggressive behaviour of human breast cancer cells through modulation of ERK signalling and MMP9 expression.