Identification of the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) in human prostate: expression site of the estrogen receptor in the benign and neoplastic gland

Estrogens are involved in growth, differentiation and pathogenesis of human prostate through the mediation of the classical estrogen receptors ERα and ERβ. The G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) is a 'novel' mediator of estrogen signaling which has been recently recognized in some human reproductive tissues, but its expression in the prostate gland is still unknown. Here, we investigated GPER in benign (from 5 patients) and neoplastic prostatic tissues (from 50 patients) by immunohistochemical analysis and Western blotting. Normal areas of benign prostates revealed a strong GPER immunoreactivity in the basal epithelial cells while luminal epithelial cells were unreactive and stromal cells were weakly immunostained. GPER was also immunolocalized in adenocarcinoma samples but the immunoreactivity of tumoral areas decreased from Gleason pattern 2 to Gleason pattern 4. Furthermore, a strong GPER immunostaining was also revealed in cells of pre-neoplastic lesions (high-grade prostatic intra-epithelial neoplasia). Western blot analysis of benign and tumor protein extracts showed the presence of a ~42 kDa band, consistent with the GPER molecular weight. An increase in both pAkt and p cAMP-response-binding protein (pCREB) levels was also observed in poorly differentiated PCa samples. Finally, this work identified GPER in the epithelial basal cells of benign human prostate, with a different localization with respect to the classical estrogen receptors. Furthermore, the expression of GPER in prostatic adenocarcinoma cells was also observed but with a modulation of the immunoreactivity according to tumor cell arrangements.

Thermal transport in out-of-equilibrium quantum harmonic chains

We address the problem of heat transport in a chain of coupled quantum harmonic oscillators, exposed to the influences of local environments of various nature, stressing the effects that the specific nature of the environment has on the phenomenology of the transport process. We study in detail the behavior of thermodynamically relevant quantities such as heat currents and mean energies of the oscillators, establishing rigorous analytical conditions for the existence of a steady state, whose features we analyze carefully. In particular, we assess the conditions that should be faced to recover trends reminiscent of the classical Fourier law of heat conduction and highlight how such a possibility depends on the environment linked to our system.

Purinergic signaling modulates human visceral adipose inflammatory responses: implications in metabolically unhealthy obesity

Obesity is accompanied by chronic inflammation of VAT, which promotes metabolic changes, and purinergic signaling has a key role in a wide range of inflammatory diseases. Therefore, we addressed whether fat inflammation could be differentially modulated by this signaling pathway in the MUO and in individuals who remain MHO. Our results show that the necrotized VAT of both groups released greater levels of ATP compared with lean donors. Interestingly, MUO tissue SVCs showed up-regulation and engagement of the purinergic P2X7R. The extracellular ATP concentration is regulated by an enzymatic process, in which CD39 converts ATP and ADP into AMP, and CD73 converts AMP into adenosine. In VAT, the CD73 ectoenzyme was widely distributed in immune and nonimmune cells, whereas CD39 expression was restricted to immune CD45PAN⁺ SVCs. Although the MUO group expressed the highest levels of both ectoenzymes, no difference in ATP hydrolysis capacity was found between the groups. As expected, MUO exhibited the highest NLRP3 inflammasome expression and IL-1β production. MUO SVCs also displayed up-regulation of the A2AR, allowing extracellular adenosine to increase IL-1β local secretion. Additionally, we demonstrate that metabolic parameters and BMI are positively correlated with purinergic components in VAT. These findings indicate that purinergic signaling is a novel mechanism involved in the chronic inflammation of VAT underlying the metabolic changes in obesity. Finally, our study reveals a proinflammatory role for adenosine in sustaining IL-1β production in this tissue.

Sirolimus-based graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis promotes the in vivo expansion of regulatory T cells and permits peripheral blood stem cell transplantation from haploidentical donors

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) from human leukocyte antigen (HLA) haploidentical family donors is a promising therapeutic option for high-risk hematologic malignancies. Here we explored in 121 patients, mostly with advanced stage diseases, a sirolimus-based, calcineurin-inhibitor-free prophylaxis of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) to allow the infusion of unmanipulated peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) grafts from partially HLA-matched family donors (TrRaMM study, Eudract 2007-5477-54). Conditioning regimen was based on treosulfan and fludarabine, and GvHD prophylaxis on antithymocyte globulin Fresenius (ATG-F), rituximab and oral administration of sirolimus and mycophenolate. Neutrophil and platelet engraftment occurred in median at 17 and 19 days after HSCT, respectively, and full donor chimerism was documented in patients' bone marrow since the first post-transplant evaluation. T-cell immune reconstitution was rapid, and high frequencies of circulating functional T-regulatory cells (Treg) were documented during sirolimus prophylaxis. Incidence of acute GvHD grade II-IV was 35%, and occurrence and severity correlated negatively with Treg frequency. Chronic GvHD incidence was 47%. At 3 years after HSCT, transpant-related mortality was 31%, relapse incidence 48% and overall survival 25%. In conclusion, GvHD prophylaxis with sirolimus-mycophenolate-ATG-F-rituximab promotes a rapid immune reconstitution skewed toward Tregs, allowing the infusion of unmanipulated haploidentical PBSC grafts.

[Study on the efficacy of personal protective equipment for skin against nicotine absorption through the skin route in tobacco workers]

During a previous assessment on the efficacy of some recently installed general dust extraction systems in a tuscan cigar manufacture line, both environmental and biologic monitoring were performed. Although the analysis of environmental samples supported the efficacy of the new general protection implant, these data did not parallel the results from the biologic monitoring, suggesting that nicotine skin absorption needed to be further investigated. We, therefore, carried out a study aimed at evaluating the efficacy of three different kind of PPE for skin (two nitrile gloves of different thickness and one latex glove), to be used by tobacco workers. The results of this study showed that the performance of these three materials in stopping nicotine transfer through the gloves was significantly different. The 0.22 mm thick nicotine gloves resulted, by far, the best gloves in protecting the workers' skin against nicotine exposure.

[Assessment of urinary cotinine in a group occupationally exposed to nicotine]

In a Tobacco processing company, located in central Italy, both air nicotine and, one of its metabolites, the urinary cotinine were assessed, as part of the evaluation of the effectiveness of recently implemented technical preventive controls. Urinary cotinine measurements ranged from 9,63 to 234,09 microg/gr creat. in non-smokers and from 178,79 to 2476,19 microg/gr creat. in smokers. Urinary cotinine proved useful as an exposure biological index especially in terms of population monitoring. On the contrary, the meaning of the measured values were less clear in single workers, because of significant both intra- and inter-individual variability.

Upregulation of miR-21 by Ras in vivo and its role in tumor growth

miR-21 is a microRNA (miRNA) frequently overexpressed in human cancers. Here we show that miR-21 is upregulated both in vitro and in vivo by oncogenic Ras, thus linking this miRNA to one of the most frequently activated oncogenes in human cancers. Ras regulation of miR-21 occurs with a delayed kinetic and requires at least two Ras downstream pathways. A screen of human thyroid cancers and non-small-cell lung cancers for the expression of miR-21 reveals that it is overexpressed mainly in anaplastic thyroid carcinomas, the most aggressive form of thyroid cancer, whereas in lung its overexpression appears to be inversely correlated with tumor progression. We also show that a LNA directed against miR-21 slows down tumor growth in mice. Consistently, a search for mRNAs downregulated by miR-21 shows an enrichment for mRNAs encoding cell cycle checkpoints regulators, suggesting an important role for miR-21 in oncogenic Ras-induced cell proliferation.

[Pneumaturia in a hemodialyzed diabetic. Case report]

The emphysematous cystitis is a rare condition, usually with a favorable prognosis; it is characterized by the presence of air in the bladder lumen and/or wall caused by the fermentation of glucose due to the action of microorganisms. Here the case is described of a hemodialyzed diabetic oligoanuric patient suffering from frequent symptomatic relapses of urinary tract infection, with air in the bladder and reported pneumaturia. The diagnostic workup aimed to exclude the presence of enterovesical fistulas, which are a possible cause of the presence of air in the urinary tract. The air was produced by bacteria isolated in the urine culture. Both the dysuric symptoms and the gas disappeared after appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Specific microRNAs are downregulated in human thyroid anaplastic carcinomas

Thyroid carcinomas comprise a broad spectrum of tumors with different clinical behaviors. On the one side, there are occult papillary carcinomas (PTC), slow growing and clinically silent, and on the other side, rapidly growing anaplastic carcinomas (ATC), which are among the most lethal human neoplasms. We have analysed the microRNA (miR) profile of ATC in comparison to the normal thyroid using a microarray (miRNACHIP microarray). By this approach, we found an aberrant miR expression profile that clearly differentiates ATC from normal thyroid tissues and from PTC analysed in previous studies. In particular, a significant decrease in miR-30d, miR-125b, miR-26a and miR-30a-5p was detected in ATC in comparison to normal thyroid tissue. These results were further confirmed by northern blots, quantitative reverse transcription-PCR analyses and in situ hybridization. The overexpression of these four miRs in two human ATC-derived cell lines suggests a critical role of miR-125b and miR-26a downregulation in thyroid carcinogenesis, since a cell growth inhibition was achieved. Conversely, no effect on cell growth was observed after the overexpression of miR-30d and miR-30a-5p in the same cells. In conclusion, these data indicate a miR signature associated with ATC and suggest the miR deregulation as an important event in thyroid cell transformation.