Alarmins and antimicrobial immunity

Alarmins are endogenous mediators capable of enhancing innate and adaptive immune response through induction of concomitant recruitment and activation of antigen-presenting cells. Here we provide a brief overview of various alarmins, highlight their critical roles in innate and adaptive antimicrobial immunity, and speculate on potential usage of alarmins in combating aspergillosis.

Ovarian volume and follicle number in the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome in Chinese women

OBJECTIVE

To assess the value of ovarian volume and follicle number in the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in a Chinese population.

METHODS

This study included 432 women with PCOS selected using the National Institutes of Health criteria, who were compared with 153 age-matched women as controls. All participants were given a transvaginal or transrectal ultrasound scan during day 3-5 of the menstrual cycle (for regularly menstruating women) or randomly (for oligomenorrheic or amenorrheic women). The ovarian volume (calculated using the simplified formula: 0.5 x length x height x width) and follicle number were obtained and the best diagnostic cut-off values were evaluated using receiver-operating characteristics (ROC)-curve analysis.

RESULTS

The 10(th) and 90(th) centiles of ovarian volume in PCOS patients were 4.89 and 15.79 cm(3), respectively, and the median was 9.21 cm(3); the 10(th) and 90(th) centiles of follicle number were 8 and 19, respectively, and the median was 12. The 10(th) and 90(th) centiles of ovarian volume in controls were 2.43 and 7.75 cm(3), respectively, and the median was 4.46 cm(3); the 10(th) and 90(th) centiles of follicle number were 3 and 10, respectively, and the median was 6. The differences in ovarian volume and follicle number between patients and controls were statistically significant. The areas under the ROC curves for mean ovarian volume (MOV), maximum ovarian volume (MaxOV), mean follicle number (MFN) and maximum follicle number (MaxFN) to diagnose PCOS were 0.898, 0.882, 0.909 and 0.911, respectively. Setting the threshold for MOV at 6.4 cm(3) (sensitivity 81%, specificity 85.6%), the threshold for MaxOV at 7.9 cm(3) (sensitivity 78%, specificity 85.6%), the threshold for MFN at 10 (sensitivity 85.2%, specificity 88.8%) and the threshold for MaxFN at 12 (sensitivity 85.2%, specificity 92.6%) obtained the best compromise between sensitivity and specificity, based on the Youden index.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that ovarian volume and follicle number have satisfactory power for use in the diagnosis of PCOS. Cut-offs of 6.4 cm(3), 7.9 cm(3), 10 and 12, for MOV, MaxOV, MFN and MaxFN, respectively, obtained the best compromise between sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of PCOS in Chinese women.

Wealth of opportunity - the C1 domain as a target for drug development

The diacylglycerol-responsive C1 domains of protein kinase C and of the related classes of signaling proteins represent highly attractive targets for drug development. The signaling functions that are regulated by C1 domains are central to cellular control, thereby impacting many pathological conditions. Our understanding of the diacylglycerol signaling pathways provides great confidence in the utility of intervention in these pathways for treatment of cancer and other conditions. Multiple compounds directed at these signaling proteins, including compounds directed at the C1 domains, are currently in clinical trials, providing strong validation for these targets. Extensive understanding of the structure and function of C1 domains, coupled with detailed insights into the molecular details of ligand - C1 domain interactions, provides a solid basis for rational and semi-rational drug design. Finally, the complexity of the factors contributing to ligand - C1 domain interactions affords abundant opportunities for manipulation of selectivity; indeed, substantially selective compounds have already been identified.

Polymorphisms in VEGF and IL-8 predict tumor recurrence in stage III colon cancer

BACKGROUND

Identifying molecular markers for tumor recurrence is critical in successfully selecting patients with stage III colon cancer who are more likely to benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy. The present study analyzed a subset of 10 polymorphisms within eight genes involved in the tumor angiogenesis pathway and their impact on prognosis in stage III colon cancer patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Blood samples were obtained from 125 patients with locally advanced colon cancer at University of Southern California medical facilities. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood and the genotypes were analyzed using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism and 5'-end [gamma-(33)P] ATP-labeled PCR protocols.

RESULTS

Polymorphisms in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) (C+936T; P = 0.003, log-rank test) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) (T-251A; P = 0.04, log-rank test) were independently associated with risk of recurrence in stage III colon cancer patients. In combined analysis, grouping alleles into favorable versus nonfavorable alleles, high expression variants of VEGF C+936T and IL-8 T-251A were associated with a higher likelihood of developing tumor recurrence (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

High expression variants of VEGF C+936T and IL-8 T-251A were associated with shorter time to tumor recurrence, indicating that the analysis of angiogenesis-related gene polymorphisms may help to identify patient subgroups at high risk for tumor recurrence.