Semi-quantitative assessment of disease risks at the human, livestock, wildlife interface for the Republic of Korea using a nationwide survey of experts: A model for other countries

Wildlife-associated diseases and pathogens have increased in importance; however, management of a large number of diseases and diversity of hosts is prohibitively expensive. Thus, the determination of priority wildlife pathogens and risk factors for disease emergence is warranted. We used an online questionnaire survey to assess release and exposure risks, and consequences of wildlife-associated diseases and pathogens in the Republic of Korea (ROK). We also surveyed opinions on pathways for disease exposure, and risk factors for disease emergence and spread. For the assessment of risk, we employed a two-tiered, statistical K-means clustering algorithm to group diseases into three levels (high, medium and low) of perceived risk based on release and exposure risks, societal consequences and the level of uncertainty of the experts' opinions. To examine the experts' perceived risk of routes of introduction of pathogens and disease amplification and spread, we used a Bayesian, multivariate normal order-statistics model. Six diseases or pathogens, including four livestock and two wildlife diseases, were identified as having high risk with low uncertainty. Similarly, 13 diseases were characterized as having high risk with medium uncertainty with three of these attributed to livestock, six associated with human disease, and the remainder having the potential to affect human, livestock and wildlife (i.e., One Health). Lastly, four diseases were described as high risk with high certainty, and were associated solely with fish diseases. Experts identified migration of wildlife, international human movement and illegal importation of wildlife as the three routes posing the greatest risk of pathogen introduction into ROK. Proximity of humans, livestock and wildlife was the most significant risk factor for promoting the spread of wildlife-associated diseases and pathogens, followed by high density of livestock populations, habitat loss and environmental degradation, and climate change. This study provides useful information to decision makers responsible for allocating resources to address disease risks. This approach provided a rapid, cost-effective method of risk assessment of wildlife-associated diseases and pathogens for which the published literature is sparse.

A newly designed observation and response chart's effect upon adverse inpatient outcomes and rapid response team activity

BACKGROUND

Adverse inpatient events may diminish with earlier response to clinical deterioration. Observation and response charts with a tiered escalation response are recommended for use.

AIMS

To examine the impact of an observation and response chart and altered calling criteria on rapid response team (RRT) calls, cardiac arrests and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions from the ward and hospital deaths.

METHODS

Linked administrative and clinical data from an Australian, adult tertiary hospital for August 2007 to June 2013 (pre-chart) and July 2013 to December 2014 (post-chart) and analysed using interrupted time series analysis.

RESULTS

Pre-chart RRT calls were increasing by 1.7 calls per 10 000 hospital admissions per month, whilst ICU admissions from the ward, deaths and cardiac arrests were decreasing by 0.3, 0.25 and 0.079 per 10 000 admissions per month respectively. Immediately upon chart introduction, the RRT call rate increased by 82% (66-98% CI; P < 0.01), the ward admissions to ICU rate increased by 41% (14-67% CI; P < 0.01) and the rates of deaths and cardiac arrests did not change. In the post chart period, both the pre-chart increasing trend in the rate of RRT and decreasing trend in the rate of ICU admissions changed significantly to become constant. The pre chart trends in the cardiac arrest rate and hospital mortality did not change.

CONCLUSION

Observation and response charts increased RRT and ICU workload without improving cardiac arrest rate or mortality. Future chart evaluation should identify features beneficial to patient outcomes and refine those that consume critical care resources that are not associated with improved patient outcomes.

Prognostic relevance of lymph node status for patients with ampullary adenocarcinoma after radical resection followed by adjuvant treatment

PURPOSE

Attempts have been made to revise the nodal stage due to simplicity of current N staging system in ampullary adenocarcinoma. However, because of the disease rarity, there have only been a few studies assessing the prognostic impact of lymph node (LN) parameters.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 120 patients who underwent radical resection followed by adjuvant chemoradiotherapy for ampullary adenocarcinoma. The effect of LN parameters (number of total harvest LNs, number of metastatic LN (MLN), lymph node ratio (LNR), and log odds of positive LNs (LODDS)) on overall survival (OS), locoregional relapse-free survival (LRFS) and distant metastasis-free survival were evaluated. Cutoff points of MLN, LNR and LODDs were determined using maximal χ² method.

RESULTS

Fifty-seven patients (48%) were staged as pN1 and their survival was not significantly decreased compared with pN0 patients. There was also no significant difference between patients with MLN 0 vs. 1. In univariate analyses, MLN (0-1 vs. ≥2), LNR (≤17% vs. >17%) and perineural invasion were common prognosticators for OS and LRFS. Distant metastasis-free survival was not influenced by LN status. In addition, multivariate analysis revealed that among the LN parameters, LNR was able to independently predict both OS and LRFS.

CONCLUSIONS

LNR performs better than other LN related parameters for predicting survival. After radical resection followed by adjuvant treatment, survival of patients with one positive LN does not seem to differ from patients without LN metastasis.

Differential protein stability and clinical responses of EML4-ALK fusion variants to various ALK inhibitors in advanced ALK-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer

Background

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibition using crizotinib has become the standard of care in advanced ALK-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but the treatment outcomes and duration of response vary widely. Echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 (EML4)-ALK is the most common translocation, and the fusion variants show different sensitivity to crizotinib in vitro. However, there are only limited data on the specific EML4-ALK variants and clinical responses of patients to various ALK inhibitors.

Patients and methods

By multiplex reverse-transcriptase PCR, which detects 12 variants of known EML4-ALK rearrangements, we retrospectively determined ALK fusion variants in 54 advanced ALK rearrangement-positive NSCLCs. We subdivided the patients into two groups (variants 1/2/others and variants 3a/b) by protein stability and evaluated correlations of the variant status with clinical responses to crizotinib, alectinib, or ceritinib. Moreover, we established the EML4-ALK variant-expressing system and analyzed patterns of sensitivity of the variants to ALK inhibitors.

Results

Of the 54 tumors analyzed, EML4-ALK variants 3a/b (44.4%) was the most common type, followed by variants 1 (33.3%) and 2 (11.1%). The 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 76.0% [95% confidence interval (CI) 56.8-100] in group EML4-ALK variants 1/2/others versus 26.4% (95% CI 10.5-66.6) in group variants 3a/b (P = 0.034) among crizotinib-treated patients. Meanwhile, the 2-year PFS rate was 69.0% (95% CI 49.9-95.4) in group variants 1/2/others versus 32.7% (95% CI 15.6-68.4) in group variants 3a/b (P = 0.108) among all crizotinib-, alectinib-, and ceritinib-treated patients. Variant 3a- or 5a-harboring cells were resistant to ALK inhibitors with >10-fold higher half maximal inhibitory concentration in vitro.

Conclusion

Our findings show that group EML4-ALK variants 3a/b may be a major source of ALK inhibitor resistance in the clinic. The variant-specific genotype of the EML4-ALK fusion allows for more precise stratification of patients with advanced NSCLC.

Skeletal effects of vitamin D deficiency among patients with primary hyperparathyroidism

Little is known about the association between vitamin D deficiency and the skeletal phenotypes in primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) patients. A low 25-hydroxyvitamin D level was associated with a low bone mineral density and deteriorated hip geometry in women with PHPT in an Asian population where vitamin D deficiency is prevalent.

INTRODUCTION

Few studies have examined the effect of vitamin D deficiency on the bone health of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) patients.

METHODS

We investigated the skeletal effects of vitamin D deficiency in 79 PHPT patients by assessing bone mineral density (BMD), the trabecular bone score (TBS), and hip geometry, which were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (27 men with median age 60 years [53;69]; 52 postmenopausal women with median age of 57 years [53;67]). Cross-sectional data were collected from subjects enrolled in an ongoing PHPT cohort study at Seoul National University Hospital from March 2008 to December 2015.

RESULTS

We classified PHPT patients according to 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels (<20 vs. ≥20 ng/ml). After adjusting for age and body mass index, women with vitamin D deficiency had lower BMDs at the lumbar spine (LS) and femur neck (FN) than women who had sufficient levels of vitamin D (LS, 0.903 ± 0.138 vs. 0.998 ± 0.184 g/cm²; FN, 0.715 ± 0.084 vs. 0.791 ± 0.113 g/cm²; P < 0.05). However, the total hip BMD and the TBS were not significantly different between the two groups. In the hip geometry analysis, the cross-sectional area, cross-sectional moment of inertia, and section modulus were also significantly lower in women with vitamin D deficiency than in those without. No significant difference was found in the BMD, TBS, or hip geometry according to 25(OH)D levels in men.

CONCLUSION

Vitamin D deficiency may be associated with a low BMD and deteriorated hip geometry in postmenopausal women with PHPT.

The association between whole body sagittal balance and risk of falls among elderly patients seeking treatment for back pain

Objectives

The objective of this study was to assess the association between whole body sagittal balance and risk of falls in elderly patients who have sought treatment for back pain. Balanced spinal sagittal alignment is known to be important for the prevention of falls. However, spinal sagittal imbalance can be markedly compensated by the lower extremities, and whole body sagittal balance including the lower extremities should be assessed to evaluate actual imbalances related to falls.

Methods

Patients over 70 years old who visited an outpatient clinic for back pain treatment and underwent a standing whole-body radiograph were enrolled. Falls were prospectively assessed for 12 months using a monthly fall diary, and patients were divided into fallers and non-fallers according to the history of falls. Radiological parameters from whole-body radiographs and clinical data were compared between the two groups.

Results

A total of 144 patients (120 female patients and 24 male patients) completed a 12-month follow-up for assessing falls. A total of 31 patients (21.5%) reported at least one fall within the 12-month follow-up. In univariate logistic regression analysis, the risk of falls was significantly increased in older patients and those with more medical comorbidities, decreased lumbar lordosis, increased sagittal vertical axis, and increased horizontal distance between the C7 plumb line and the centre of the ankle (C7A). Increased C7A was significantly associated with increased risk of falls even after multivariate adjustment.

Conclusion

Whole body sagittal balance, measured by the horizontal distance between the C7 plumb line and the centre of the ankle, was significantly associated with risk of falls among elderly patients with back pain.

Cite this article: J. Kim, J. Y. Hwang, J. K. Oh, M. S. Park, S. W. Kim, H. Chang, T-H. Kim. The association between whole body sagittal balance and risk of falls among elderly patients seeking treatment for back pain. Bone Joint Res 2017;6:–344. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.65.BJR-2016-0271.R2.

Dietary potassium intake is beneficial to bone health in a low calcium intake population: the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) (2008-2011)

Dietary potassium may neutralize acid load and reduce calcium loss from the bone, leading to beneficial effect on bone mineral density. In this nationwide Korean population study, dietary potassium intake was associated with improved bone mineral density in older men and postmenopausal women.

INTRODUCTION

Nutrition is a major modifiable factor that affects bone health. The accompanying anion in dietary potassium may act as an alkaline source by neutralizing the acid load and reducing calcium loss from the bone. We aimed to evaluate the association between dietary potassium intake and bone mineral density (BMD) in the Korean population.

METHODS

We analyzed a total of 3135 men aged >50 years and 4052 postmenopausal women from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Lumbar spine, total hip, and femur neck BMD were measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. The daily food intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire.

RESULTS

When we divided the participants into tertiles based on the intake of potassium intake, the highest potassium intake tertile group showed a significantly higher total hip and femur neck BMD as compared to lower tertile groups (0.914 ± 0.004, 0.928 ± 0.003, 0.925 ± 0.004 mg/day across the tertiles, P = .014 for total hip; 0.736 ± 0.003, 0.748 ± 0.003, 0.750 ± 0.004 mg/day, P = .012 for femur neck). Postmenopausal women in the highest potassium intake tertile group showed significantly higher lumbar, total hip, and femur neck BMD as compared to those in lower potassium intake tertile groups (0.793 ± 0.004, 0.793 ± 0.003, 0.805 ± 0.004 mg/day across the tertiles, P = .029 for lumbar spine; 0.766 ± 0.003, 0.770 ± 0.002, 0.780 ± 0.003 mg/day, P = .002 for total hip; 0.615 ± 0.003, 0.619 ± 0.002, 0.628 ± 0.003 mg/day, P = .002 for femur neck).

CONCLUSIONS

Dietary potassium intake was positively associated with BMD in men aged >50 years and postmenopausal women, indicating the beneficial effects of dietary potassium intake on bone health.

Long-term effect of aromatase inhibitors on bone microarchitecture and macroarchitecture in non-osteoporotic postmenopausal women with breast cancer

In non-osteoporotic postmenopausal women with breast cancer, aromatase inhibitors (AIs) negatively affected bone mineral density (BMD), lumbar spine trabecular bone score (TBS) as a bone microarchitecture index, and hip geometry as a bone macroarchitecture index.

INTRODUCTION

AIs increase the risk of fracture in patients with breast cancer. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the long-term skeletal effects of AIs in postmenopausal women with primary breast cancer.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective longitudinal observational study in non-osteoporotic patients with breast cancer who were treated with AIs for ≥3 years (T-score >-2.5). Patients with previous anti-osteoporosis treatment or those who were given bisphosphonate during AI treatment were excluded from the analysis. We serially assessed BMD, lumbar spine TBS, and hip geometry using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

RESULTS

BMD significantly decreased from baseline to 5 years at the lumbar spine (-6.15%), femur neck (-7.12%), and total hip (-6.35%). Lumbar spine TBS also significantly decreased from baseline to 5 years (-2.12%); this change remained significant after adjusting for lumbar spine BMD. The annual loss of lumbar spine BMD and TBS slowed after 3 and 1 year of treatment, respectively, although there was a relatively constant loss of BMD at the femur neck and total hip for up to 4 years. The cross-sectional area, cross-sectional moment of inertia, minimal neck width, femur strength index, and section modulus significantly decreased, although the buckling ratio increased over the treatment period (all P < 0.001); these changes were independent of total hip BMD.

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term adjuvant AI treatment negatively influenced bone quality in addition to BMD in patients with breast cancer. This study suggests that early monitoring and management are needed in non-osteoporotic patients with breast cancer who are starting AIs.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D cutoffs for functional bone measures in postmenopausal osteoporosis

This study sought to determine the minimal serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration required to maintain bone health in postmenopausal women with low bone mass. A serum 25(OH)D concentration of 20 ng/mL rather than 30 ng/mL was appropriate for bone health.

INTRODUCTION

There is no consensus on the minimal serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration required to maintain bone health. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between 25(OH)D measured via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), which is the current gold standard, and biochemical markers of bone turnover, PTH, and bone mineral densitometry (BMD).

METHODS

The medical records of 750 postmenopausal women newly diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopenia at Samsung Medical Center from 2009 to 2014 were investigated. Subjects were divided into four groups according to serum 25(OH)D concentration: <10, 10-20, 20-30, and ≥30 ng/mL. Serum concentrations of bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BS-ALP), carboxy-terminal cross-linking telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTx), intact PTH (iPTH), and BMD were compared among the four groups using analysis of covariance. Thresholds of 25(OH)D were then assessed using spline plots and locally weighted regression smoothing (LOESS) plots.

RESULTS

25(OH)D was negatively correlated with serum BS-ALP, CTx, and iPTH. Only femur neck and total femur BMD had significant positive relationships with 25(OH)D. Cutoff values of 11.9 and 9.7 ng/mL were estimated from the spline plots of femur neck and total femur BMD, respectively. For iPTH, the LOESS plot showed a steep decrease to a serum 25(OH)D concentration of about 20 ng/mL, followed by a plateau.

CONCLUSIONS

According to this study, a serum 25(OH)D concentration of 20 ng/mL, rather than 30 ng/mL, was appropriate for bone health.

A novel missense mutation in NR0B1 causes delayed-onset primary adrenal insufficiency in adults

A novel missense mutation (c.775T>C; p.ser259Pro) in the NROBI gene cause a late-onset adrenal insufficiency without hypogonadism.

Abstract P3-14-12: Oncologic outcomes of immediate breast reconstruction after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients: A matched case control study

Introduction: Although the indication for total mastectomy (TM) with immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) has been expanded, IBR after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is still controversy. We assumed that TM with IBR after NACT is feasible surgical treatment in breast cancer patients. Methods: A retrospective review of breast cancer patients who underwent TM with IBR after NACT between 2008 and 2015 at a single center was conducted. These cases were matched by 1:5 to patients who underwent mastectomy alone after NACT. Matching variables included age, clinical T and N staging before NACT, response to NACT, and pathologic staging after NACT. Pathological stage was followed by seventh American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) classification. Results: Overall, 31 patients were identified in the TM with IBR group (Study group) and 85 patients (Control group) were matched. In the study group, 13 (41.9%) patients underwent nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) and 18 (58.1%) underwent skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM). Median follow-up duration was 29.2 (7-31) and 38.8 (11-85) months for the study and control group, respectively. Median age was 37.0 (26-57) and 40.0 (24-56) years for the study and control group, respectively. The clinicopathologic characteristics of both groups are summarized in Table1. Disease-free survival (p=0.520), local recurrence-free survival (p=0.610), distant metastasis-free survival (p=0.795), and over survival (p=0.971) did not differ significantly between two groups. Conclusion: TM with IBR after NACT is feasible surgical treatment option in breast cancer patients.

Clinicopathologic characteristicsVariablesControl group (n=85)Study group (n=31)p-valueAge, years (matching variables)  0.890≤3515 (17.7)9 (29.0) 36-5061 (71.8)21 (67.7) 51≥9 (10.6)1 (3.2) BMI, m2/kg  0.13025≤62 (72.9)28 (90.3) 26-3018 (21.2)2 (6.5) 30&gt;5 (5.9)1 (3.2) Histology  0.326Ductal carcinoma in situ2 (2.4)3 (9.7) Invasive ductal carcinoma74 (87.1)28 (90.3) Invasive lobular carcinoma2 (2.4)0 (0) Others7 (8.2)0 (0) Multiplicity  0.063yes19 (22.6)12 (40.0) no65 (77.4)18 (60.0) Lymphovascular invasion  0.161yes33 (39.3)17 (54.8) no51 (60.7)14 (45.2) Nuclear grade  0.317Low10 (11.9)1 (3.3) Intermediate27 (32.1)14 (46.7) High47 (56.0)15 (24.2) Pathologic T stage (matching variable)  0.154T17 (8.2)6 (19.4) T229 (34.1)15 (48.4) T331 (36.5)4 (12.9) T418 (21.2)6 (19.4) Pathologic N stage (matching variable)  0.494N036 (42.4)13 (41.9) N123 (27.1)13 (41.9) N216 (18.8)4 (12.9) N310 (11.8)1 (3.2) Estrogen receptor  0.608positive49 (57.7)15 (48.4) negative36 (42.4)16 (51.6) Progesterone receptor  0.291positive40 (47.1)10 (32.3) negative45 (52.9)21 (67.7) HER2 status  0.345amplification29 (34.1)10 (32.3) not amplification56 (65.9)21 (67.7) Clinical T-stage (matching variable)  0.897cT12 (2.4)1 (3.2) cT231 (36.5)12 (38.7) cT346 (54.1)16 (51.6) cT46 (7.1)2 (6.5) Clinical N stage (matching variable)  0.947cN03 (3.5)1 (3.2) cN120 (23.5)10 (32.3) cN236 (42.4)10 (32.3) cN326 (30.6)10 (32.3) Response (matching variable)  1.000Partial response64 (75.3)27 (29.7) Stable disease21 (24.7)4 (12.9) 

Citation Format: Ryu JM, Lee JE, Kim SW, Yu J, Rayzah M, Lee SK, Mansoor A, Bae SY, Park S, Paik H-J, Kim I, Bang SI, Jeon BJ, Mun G-H, Pyon J-K. Oncologic outcomes of immediate breast reconstruction after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients: A matched case control study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-14-12.

Abstract P6-09-50: Impact of young age on recurrence and mortality after surgery in breast cancer: 15 years active surveillance

Introduction:Substantial efforts have been made to find factors associated with breast cancer (BC) recurrence and mortality after BC treatment. So far TNM stage, ER, PR, and HER2 status are considered as the major predictive markers of BC recurrence and used for treatment decision. However, most of these factors were evaluated independent from other important confounders such as age, stage, and various anti-cancer treatments because they were mostly derived from clinical trials. In Korea, up to 50% of BC patients are premenopausal women, it is not clear how age at diagnosis affect the progression and outcomes of the disease considering all known prognostic factors including TNM stage, ER, PR, and HER2 status. We aim to evaluate the impact of young age on recurrence and mortality after surgery among Korean women with BC.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study conducted using the data from BC registry from 2000 to 2016 at Samsung Medical Cancer, Seoul, Korea. Patients who received curative BC surgery and who had histologically-confirmed invasive BC between 2000 to 2011 were included in the study. Patients who second primary cancer or double primary cancer were excluded. Information local, regional, or distant recurrence and death until May 2016 was collected using electronic medical records and National Health Statistics. Cumulative incidence rates of distant recurrence and morality at 3-years, 5-years and 10-years were calculated using a competing-risk model. Cox proportional hazards analysis were conducted with 3 different models to take into account for potential confounding factors including age, body mass index (BMI), stage and subtype at breast cancer diagnosis, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone therapy.

Results:There were 7360 BC patients with curative BC surgery between 2000 and 2011, and the average follow up duration was 75.4 months. The mean age at diagnosis was 48.4 years old (Standard deviation (SD)=±10), and 6.2% (n=459) was diagnosed younger than 35. Of total, 13.3% were stage III BC and 73.4% of patients had hormone receptor positive BC. The cumulative incidence (95%CI) of recurrence at 3, 5, and 10 years was 4.4% (3.9-4.9), 7.5% (6.8-8.2), and 14.8% (12.9-16.7) respectively. The incidence of mortality at 3, 5, and 10 years was 1.8% (1.5-2.1), 3.8% (3.3-4.3), and 10.2% (9.1-11.5) respectively. Patients who were diagnosed BC under 35 years of age had 2.14 (95% confidence interval (CI):1.74-3.10) and 1.62 (95% CI:1.02-2.56) times higher risk of distant recurrence and mortality compared to patients whose age at diagnosis were between 50 to 60 after adjusting all well-known prognostic factors including stage, subtype, and BMI at diagnosis, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone therapy.

Conclusions: Young age at diagnosis (&lt;35) was the most significant predictor on BC recurrence and mortality independently from BC stage and subtype. Further study is warranted to explain biologic background for the differences in outcomes in young women with BC.

Citation Format: Kim J-Y, Cho J, Kim H, Kang D, Jung HA, Lee S-H, Bae S, Yu JH, Lee SK, Kim SW, Lee JE, Nam SJ, Ahn JS, Im Y-H, Guallar E, Park YH. Impact of young age on recurrence and mortality after surgery in breast cancer: 15 years active surveillance [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-09-50.

Abstract P1-05-15: Multi-omics and immuno-oncology profiling reveal distinct molecular signatures of young Asian breast cancers

Breast cancers (BC) in younger, premenopausal patients (YBC) tend to be more aggressive with worse prognosis, higher chance of relapse and poorer response to endocrine therapies compared to breast cancers in older patients. The proportion of YBC (age ≤ 40) among BC in East Asia is estimated to be 16-32%, significantly higher than the 7% reported in Western countries. To characterize the molecular bases of Asian YBC, we have performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) and whole-transcriptome sequencing (WTS) on tumor and matched normal samples from 134 Korean BC patients consisting of 74 YBC cases (age ≤ 40) and 60 OBC cases (age &gt; 40). We then performed comparison analyses and integrative analyses with the TCGA BC cohort consisting of 1,116 tumors from primarily Caucasian patients, also grouped by age into YBC (age ≤ 40), IBC (40 &lt; age ≤ 60) and OBC (age &gt; 60).

Somatic mutation prevalence analysis identified 7 significantly mutated genes and the same top three genes – TP53, GATA3 and PIK3CA – were reported by the TCGA BC study. To identify differentially expressed (DE) genes and pathways in YBCs vs. OBCs, we performed logistic regression analyses while controlling for the confounding effects of tumor purity and stage. We were surprised to see a significant overlap in DE pathways between a comparison of adjacent normal tissues in younger vs. older TCGA cohorts and a comparison of YBC vs. OBC tumors, indicating that normal tissue compartment could contribute to observed differences between bulk tumors. To separately examine molecular signatures from tumor, stroma and normal compartments, we used non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) analyses to virtually dissect bulk tumor expression data and identified 14 factors including 3 factors associated with normal tissues, 1 factor associated with stroma and 1 factor associated with tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL). Integrative analyses of tumor associated factors and DE pathways revealed that estrogen response, endocrine therapy resistance, and oxidative phosphorylation pathways are up-regulated in YBCs compared to OBCs while cell cycle and proliferation pathways are up-regulated in Asian OBCs. Interestingly, many immune and inflammation pathways correlated with the TIL factor were significantly upregulated in OBCs vs. YBCs. Using gene expression signatures representing distinct immune cell types, we classified our cohort into four subtypes of varying TIL activities and observed significant enrichment of the TIL-high subtype in OBCs compared to YBCs. These observations were confirmed by IHC analyses of four TIL markers (CD45, CD4, CD8 and CD163) in 120 tumors.

To our knowledge, this is the first large-scale multi-omics study of Asian breast cancer and would significantly contribute to the compendium of molecular data available for studying young breast cancers. The major landmarks in the molecular landscape looked similar across BCs of different ethnicities and ages, however, we have identified a number of distinguishing molecular characteristics associated with Asian YBC. The sources for some signatures were further traced to non-tumor intrinsic compartments, indicating that tumor microenvironment may play potentially important roles in driving the carcinogenesis of young breast cancers.

Citation Format: Kan Z, Ding Y, Cho S, Lee S-H, Powell E, Jung HH, Chung W, Deng S, Choi Y-l, Kim J, Park W-Y, Vizcarra P, Fernandez-Banet J, Nichols T, Ram S, Lee SK, Kim SW, Lee JE, Ching KA, Kim J-Y, Ahn JS, Im Y-H, Nam SJ, Park YH. Multi-omics and immuno-oncology profiling reveal distinct molecular signatures of young Asian breast cancers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-05-15.

Abstract P1-02-11: Clinical utility of serial monitoring of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)in patients with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for locally advanced breast cancer (LABC)

Introduction: Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a new biomarker which could guide further treatment. Characterization of tumor mutation profiles is required for informed choice of therapy, given that biological agents target specific pathways and effectiveness may be modulated by specific mutations. It would have clinical utility for neoadjuvant setting also. Thus, we assess the potency of ctDNA to predict tumor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC) in locally advanced breast cancer(LABC).

Methods: We performed targeted deep sequencing of 30 plasma DNAs and 10 matched germline DNAs from 10 LABC patients. Serial plasma DNAs were collected at diagnosis, after 1st NAC and curative surgery. For the target enrichment, we designed RNA baits covering a total of ~202kb regions of human genome including a total of 83 cancer-related genes. We constructed the sequencing libraries according to the optimized protocol that we recently reported and sequenced on Illumina HiSeq2500 aiming a mean sequencing depth of ~10,000. After excluding unmapped reads, PCR duplicates and off-target reads, the coverage depths for plasma DNA and germline DNA samples were 2,627x and 4,833x on average, respectively. NAC response was measured by residual cancer burden(RCB) score, calculated as a continuous index combining pathologic measurements of primary tumor and nodal metastases for prediction of distant relapse-free survival.

Results: We analyzed ctDNA and primary tumor tissues from 10 patients with LABC scheduled NAC followed by operation in Samsung Medical Center. Of ten LABCs, one excluded from analysis because of angiosarcoma of breast. Five samples were triple-negative breast cancers (BCs), 2 were HER2 positive BCs and others were ER positive BCs. In tumor response, 1 patient had pathologic complete response (pCR), 1 had RCB class I, 4 and 3 patients did RCB class II and III.

Of 83 genes, in analysis of ctDNA at BC diagnosis, we found 2 to 6 mutations in each samples and 3 mutations were detected averagely. Most common mutation was TP53 (6 patients), followed by PIK3CA mutation. By measuring these mutations in serial ctDNA, we found that ctDNA had disappeared after first cycle of NAC in patient with pCR. In two patients with RCB class I, ctDNA had decreased by more than 10 percent (the level of ctDNA(pg/ml): 455.9 to 30.4, 5.8 to 0.0) of primary plasma sample after first NAC. Two patients increased level of ctDNA had tumor response with RCB class III and one patient had distant tumor recurrence within 3 months after curative surgery. However, correlation between the level of ctDNA and initial stage was not observed.

Patient No.Initial stageSurgical stageRCB scoreRCB classct DNA at diagnosis (pg/5ml)ctDNA after 1st NAG (pg/5ml)Tumor recurrence12A11.3331455.930.4No22B00pCR446.60.0No33B2A1.31515.80.0No42A12.132246.255.4No52B11.7972107.811.6No63B3A4.09033401.15075.5Yes73A2B3.92235088.68536.7No

Conclusions: This preliminary result suggests that serial monitoring of ctDNA would be a potiential surrogate marker to predict tumor response and recurrence during NAC in LABC patients. Further results with long-term outcomes are warranted.

Citation Format: Kim J-Y, Park D, Jung HH, Bae SY, Yu JH, Lee SK, Kim SW, Lee JE, Nam SJ, Ahn JS, Im Y-H, Park YH. Clinical utility of serial monitoring of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)in patients with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-02-11.

Abstract P6-09-36: Tamoxifen resistance: EGFR expression in hormone receptor-positive and HER2 negative breast cancer

Purpose: Crosstalk between growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and the estrogen receptor (ER) represents one of the most important mechanisms of endocrine resistance. EGFR and HER2 have been recognized as prominent factors associated with endocrine resistance. Most previous studies did not identify subgroups by HER2 overexpression and/or included breast cancer with HER2 overexpression. Accordingly, we analyzed HR positive (HR+) tumors without HER2 overexpression (HER2-).

Methods: We analyzed the clinical data of 2,166 patients with HR+HER2- breast tumors, between January 2007 and July 2013.We included only patients who had endocrine therapy with tamoxifen. Immunostaining for EGFR was interpreted as positive when at least 10% of the tumor cells showed moderate to strong membrane staining.

Results: EGFR expression (EGFR+) was present in 109 patients (5%). EGFR expression was significantly associated with more advanced stage and higher grades. In the univariate analyses, EGFR+ tumors were associated with poorer prognosis than EGFR- tumors (5-year DFS, EGFR+ vs. EGFR-, 91.2% vs. 96.6%, P &lt;0.001; 5-year OS, EFGR+ vs EGFR-, 93.1 % vs. 99.4%, P &lt; 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, EGFR+ tumors had a hazard ratio of 2.63 (95% CI 1.14 -6.05) for DFS. EGFR+ tumors had a hazard ratio of 8.8 (95% CI 2.68-132.25) for OS.

Conclusion: EGFR expression could be prognostic factor in hormone receptor-positive and HER2 negative breast cancer, for tamoxifen resistance.

Citation Format: Bae SY, Nam SJ, Lee SK, Kim SW, Lee JE, Yu JH. Tamoxifen resistance: EGFR expression in hormone receptor-positive and HER2 negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-09-36.

Effects of dietary supplementation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product to sows and their offspring on growth and meat quality

This study evaluated the effects of long term dietary supplementation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (SCFP) in the diets for sows and offspring on growth performance, intestinal morphology, volatile fatty acid production, and carcass characteristics of offspring. Newly weaned pigs (n = 256) were allotted to 4 treatments based on a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Each treatment had 8 pens with 8 pigs per pen. First factor was maternal dietary effects (no SCFP, or SCFP at 12.0 and 15.0 g/d through gestation and lactation, respectively) and the second factor was dietary supplementation of SCFP to offspring (no SCFP, or SCFP at 0.2 and 0.1% for nursery and finisher, respectively). Pigs were on a 6-phase feeding program with assigned diets from nursery to slaughter. Body weights (BW) and feeder weights were measured at the end of each phase. On d 5 after weaning, 1 pig per pen was euthanized to evaluate intestinal morphology and volatile fatty acid production. At 115 kg of BW, 1 pig from each pen was slaughtered to measure carcass characteristics. Feeding diets with SCFP to sows or to their offspring had no effect on BW, overall average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and gain-to-feed (G:F) ratio during the nursery or finisher period. Feeding SCFP to sows tended to increase (P = 0.098) cecal butyric acid production in their offspring. Pigs with SCFP tended to have a greater (P = 0.084) concentration of acetic acid but a reduced (P = 0.054) propionic acid in colon digesta than pigs without SCFP regardless of maternal feeding regimen. Loin marbling scores were greater (P = 0.043) in pigs with SCFP than those without SCFP regardless of maternal feeding regimen. Overall, supplementation of SCFP in sow diets did not affect growth performance or intestinal morphology of their offspring. Supplementation of SCFP in diets of offspring from nursery to slaughter had little effect on growth performance. However, inclusion of SCFP from nursery to slaughter improved marbling score possibly by increased acetic acid and butyric acid production in the large intestine.

Increased sagittal vertical axis is associated with less effective control of acute pain following vertebroplasty

OBJECTIVES

Although vertebroplasty is very effective for relieving acute pain from an osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture, not all patients who undergo vertebroplasty receive the same degree of benefit from the procedure. In order to identify the ideal candidate for vertebroplasty, pre-operative prognostic demographic or clinico-radiological factors need to be identified. The objective of this study was to identify the pre-operative prognostic factors related to the effect of vertebroplasty on acute pain control using a cohort of surgically and non-surgically managed patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with single-level acute osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture at thoracolumbar junction (T10 to L2) were followed. If the patients were not satisfied with acute pain reduction after a three-week conservative treatment, vertebroplasty was recommended. Pain assessment was carried out at the time of diagnosis, as well as three, four, six, and 12 weeks after the diagnosis. The effect of vertebroplasty, compared with conservative treatment, on back pain (visual analogue score, VAS) was analysed with the use of analysis-of-covariance models that adjusted for pre-operative VAS scores.

RESULTS

A total of 342 patients finished the 12-week follow-up, and 120 patients underwent vertebroplasty (35.1%). The effect of vertebroplasty over conservative treatment was significant regardless of age, body mass index, medical comorbidity, previous fracture, pain duration, bone mineral density, degree of vertebral body compression, and canal encroachment. However, the effect of vertebroplasty was not significant at all time points in patients with increased sagittal vertical axis.

CONCLUSIONS

For single-level acute osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures, the effect of vertebroplasty was less favourable in patients with increased sagittal vertical axis (> 5 cm) possible due to aggravation of kyphotic stress from walking imbalance.Cite this article: Y-C. Kim, D. H. Bok, H-G. Chang, S. W. Kim, M. S. Park, J. K. Oh, J. Kim, T-H. Kim. Increased sagittal vertical axis is associated with less effective control of acute pain following vertebroplasty. Bone Joint Res 2016;5:544-551. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.511.BJR-2016-0135.R1.

Association between basal-like phenotype and BRCA1/2 germline mutations in Korean breast cancer patients

INTRODUCTION

BRCA mutation testing allows index patients and their families to be provided with appropriate cancer risk-reduction strategies. Because of the low prevalence of BRCA mutations in unselected breast cancer patients and the high cost of genetic testing, it is important to identify the subset of women who are likely to carry BRCA mutations. In the present study, we examined the association between BRCA1/2 germline mutations and the immunohistochemical features of breast cancer.

METHODS

In a retrospective review of 498 breast cancer patients who had undergone BRCA testing at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital between July 2003 and September 2012, we gathered immunohistochemical information on estrogen receptor (er), progesterone receptor (pr), her2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2), cytokeratin 5/6, egfr (epidermal growth factor receptor), and p53 status.

RESULTS

Among the 411 patients eligible for the study, 50 (12.2%) had germline mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2. Of the 93 patients with triple-negative breast cancer (tnbc), 25 with BRCA1/2 mutations were identified (BRCA1, 20.4%; BRCA2, 6.5%). On univariate analysis, er, pr, cytokeratin 5/6, egfr, and tnbc were found to be related to BRCA1 mutations, but on multivariate analysis, only tnbc was significantly associated with BRCA1 mutations. Among patients with early-onset breast cancer or with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, BRCA1 mutations were significantly more prevalent in the tnbc group than in the non-tnbc group.

CONCLUSIONS

In the present study, tnbc was the only independent predictor of BRCA1 mutation in patients at high risk of hereditary breast and ovarian cancers. Other histologic features of basal-like breast cancer did not improve the estimate of BRCA1 mutation risk.

Impact of the emergency department streaming decision on patients' outcomes

BACKGROUND

Streaming occurs in emergency department (ED) to reduce crowding, but misallocation of patients may impact patients' outcome.

AIM

The study aims to determine the outcomes of patients misallocated by the ED process of streaming into likely admission or discharge.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study, at an Australian, urban, tertiary referral hospital's ED between January 2010 and March 2012, using propensity score matching for comparison. Total and partitioned ED lengths of stay, inpatient length of stay, in-hospital mortality and 7- and 28-day unplanned readmission rate were compared between patients who were streamed to be admitted against those streamed to be discharged.

RESULTS

Total ED length of stay did not differ significantly for admitted patients if allocated to the wrong stream (median 7.6 h, interquartile range 5.7-10.6, cf. 7.5 h, 5.3-11.2; P = 0.34). The median inpatient length of stay was shorter for those initially misallocated to the discharge stream (1.8 days, 1.1-3.0, cf. 2.4 days, 1.4-3.9; P < 0.001). In-hospital mortality and 7- and 28-day readmission rates were not adversely affected by misallocation. When considering patients eventually discharged from the ED, those allocated to the wrong stream stayed in the ED longer than those appropriately allocated (5.2 h, 3.7-7.3, cf. 4.6 h, 3.3-6.4; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

There were no significant adverse consequences for an admitted patient initially misallocated by an ED admission/discharge streaming process. Patients' discharge from the ED was slower if they had been allocated to the admission stream. Streaming carries few risks for patients misallocated by such a process.

Identification of new single nucleotide polymorphisms affecting total number born and candidate genes related to ovulation rate in Chinese Erhualian pigs

The Chinese Erhualian pig has the highest record for litter size in the world. However, the genetic mechanism of its high prolificacy remains poorly understood. In our study, large phenotypic variations in litter size were found among Erhualian sows. Significant differences in total number born (TNB) and corpora lutea numbers were observed between sows with high and low estimated breeding values (EBVs) for TNB. To identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with TNB, a selective genomic scan was conducted on 18 sows representing the top 10% and 18 sows representing the bottom 10% of EBVs of 177 sows using Illumina Porcine SNP60 genotype data. Genome-wide fixation coefficient (F_ST ) values were calculated for each SNP between the high- and low-EBV groups. A total of 154 SNPs were significantly differentiated loci between the two groups. Of the top 10 highest F_ST SNPs, rs81399474, rs81400131 and rs81405013 on SSC8 and rs81434499 and rs81434489 on SSC 12 corresponded to previously reported QTL for litter size. The other five SNPs, rs81367039 on SSC2, rs80891106 on SSC7, rs81477883 on SSC12 and rs80938898 and rs80971725 on SSC14, appeared to be novel QTL for TNB. Significant associations between rs81399474 on SSC8 and TNB were confirmed in 313 Erhualian sows. Forty genes were identified around the top 10 highest F_ST SNPs, of which UCHL1, adjacent to rs81399474, and RPS6KB1 and CLTC, adjacent to rs81434499, have been reported to affect the ovulation rate in pig. The findings can advance understanding of the genetic variations in litter size of pigs.

Optimum Sampling Interval for Ra Roughness Measurement

This paper describes the statistical treatment of determining the sampling interval for the digital Ra roughness measurement. It is proved that the optimum sampling interval can be determined from the Rq/Ra ratio of the surface to be measured and the evaluation length. A nomograph is suggested for practical uses on the workshop floor.

Surgical and clinical safety and effectiveness of robot-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy compared to conventional laparoscopy and laparotomy for cervical cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

This study aimed to evaluate the surgical safety and clinical effectiveness of RH versus LH and laparotomy for cervical cancer.

METHODS

We searched Ovid-Medline, Ovid-EMBASE, and the Cochrane library through May 2015, and checked references of relevant studies. We selected the comparative studies reported the surgical safety (overall; peri-operative; and post-operative complications; death within 30 days; and specific morbidities), and clinical effectiveness (survival; recurrence; length of stay [LOS]; estimated blood loss [EBL]; operative time [OT]) and patient-reported outcomes.

RESULTS

Fifteen studies comparing RH with OH and 11 comparing RH with LH were identified. No significant differences were found in survival outcomes. The LOS was shorter and transfusion rate was lower with RH compared to OH or LH. EBL was significantly reduced with RH compared to OH. Compared to OH, overall complications, urinary infection, wound infection, and fever were significantly less frequent with RH. The overall, peri-operative, and post-operative complications were similar in other comparisons. Several patient-reported outcomes were improved with RH, though each outcome was reported in only one study.

CONCLUSIONS

RH appears to have a positive effect in reducing overall complications, individual adverse events including wound infection, fever, urinary tract infection, transfusion, LOS, EBL, and time to diet than OH for cervical cancer patients. Compared to LH, the current evidence is not enough to clearly determine its clinical safety and effectiveness. Further rigorous prospective studies with long-term follow-up that overcome the many limitations of the current evidence are needed.

The effects of body mass index on the hereditary influences that determine peak bone mass in mother-daughter pairs (KNHANES V)

A daughter's bone mineral density (BMD) is significantly correlated with her mother's BMD, but the daughter's body mass index (BMI) could modulate this association. Maternal inheritance dominantly affects daughters with a lower BMI, but BMI could compensate for hereditary influences in daughters with a higher BMI in terms of daughter's BMD.

INTRODUCTION

Achieving optimal peak bone mass at a young age is the best way to protect against future osteoporosis and subsequent fractures. Although environmental components influence bone mass accrual, but peak bone mass is largely programmed by inheritance. The aims of this study were to investigate the influence of maternal inheritance on the daughter's bone mass and to assess whether these influences differ according to the daughter's body mass index (BMI).

METHODS

We used data obtained from the 2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey V and included 187 mother-daughter pairs. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured at the lumbar spine (LS), femur neck (FN), and total hip (TH) by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The daughter group was stratified into two groups according to the mean BMI (21.4 kg/m(2)).

RESULTS

The daughters' BMD correlated significantly with both their BMI and their mothers' Z-score for each skeletal site. In the daughters with a lower BMI (≤21.4 kg/m(2)), the BMDs at the FN and TH were affected more by the mothers' Z-score than by the daughters' BMI. Meanwhile, the influence of the daughters' BMI on their BMD was higher than that of their mothers' Z-score in daughters with a higher BMI (>21.4 kg/m(2)). Moreover, the mothers' Z-scores were a significant predictor of their daughters having Z-scores < -1.0 only in daughters with a lower BMI.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that maternal inheritance is an important determinant of the daughters' bone mass, but that this hereditary factor may vary according to the daughters' BMI.

Effect of sodium intake on renin level: Analysis of general population and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

We evaluated the association between sodium intake and plasma renin levels in the cross sectional study and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, whether there is a persistent elevation of plasma renin by longer-term sodium intake restriction.

METHODS

Plasma renin activity (PRA) and 24-h urine sodium (24HUNa) excretion were measured from individuals randomly selected from a community. Simple and multiple linear regression analyses adjusted for age, 24-h systolic blood pressure, 24-h average heart rate, fasting blood glucose and gender were performed. For meta-analysis, 74 studies published from 1975 to mid-2014 were identified in a systematic literature search using EMBASE, CINAHL, and MEDLINE. Random effects meta-analyses and a meta-regression analysis were performed.

RESULTS

Among the 496 participants recruited, 210 normotensive and 87 untreated hypertensive subjects were included in the analysis. There was no significant association between PRA and 24HUNa in the total population, or hypertensive and normotensive individuals. In the meta-analysis, the standard mean difference (SMD) of renin level by sodium intake reduction was 1.26 (95% CI: 1.08 to 1.44, Z=12.80, P<0.001, I(2)=87%). In the meta-regression analysis, an increase in a day of intervention was associated with a fall in SMD by -0.04 (95% CI: -0.05 to -0.02, Z=-5.27, P<0.001, I(2)=86%), indicating that longer duration of reduced sodium intake would lead to lesser SMD of renin level.

CONCLUSIONS

The present population based cross-sectional study and meta-analysis suggests that prolonged reduction in sodium intake is very unlikely associated with elevation of plasma renin levels.

Berberine reduce allergic inflammation in a house dust mite allergic rhinitis mouse model

BACKGROUND

Berberine (Ber), used widely as an antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory drug, has long been used as a gastrointestinal remedy in Chinese traditional medicine. Recent reports have suggested that Ber suppresses Th17 responses that was mediated by direct actions on T cells and thymic stromal lymphopoietin production in primary mast cells. It has been suggested that Ber may be useful in treating allergic response. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of Ber treatment on allergic inflammation in an allergic rhinitis mouse model and to examine the underlying mechanism(s).

METHODS

BALB/c mice were divided into control, Derf with no treated (Derf), Ber treated, and Ber with anti-C25 monoclonal antibody treated (Ber + anti-CD25) groups. All mice, with the exception of the control group, were sensitized with an intraperitoneal i.p. injection of Dermatophagoides farinae (Derf). Mice in the Ber and Ber + anti-CD25 group were treated intranasally with 10 #181;g/mL. Then, 1 week after sensitization, all mice were challenged intranasally with 20 #181;g Derf for 5 consecutive days. Mice in the anti-CD25 group were treated intraperitoneally with 250 #181;g anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody 1 day before the first intra-nasal challenge with Derf. Allergic symptom scores, eosinophil counts, and serum Derf-specific IgE levels were measured. T-bet, GATA-3, interferon-g (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL)-10, IL-13, and Foxp3 expression was examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. CD4⁺ CD25⁺ Foxp3⁺ T cells were assessed by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

Symptom scores, serum Derf-specific IgE levels, GATA-3 mRNA levels, T-bet mRNA levels, and tissue eosinophil counts were decreased in the Ber versus the Derf group. In the Ber + anti-CD25 group, serum IL-10 levels were decreased versus the control, Derf, and Ber groups. In the Ber + anti-CD25 mAb groups, Foxp3 mRNA levels were decreased versus the control group. In the Ber group, Foxp3 mRNA levels were increased versus the control group. In the Ber group, the percentage of CD4⁺ CD25⁺ Foxp3⁺ T cells was increased versus the Derf group. The percentage of CD4⁺ CD25⁺ Foxp3+ T cells was increased in the Ber versus the Derf groups.

CONCLUSIONS

In our study, Ber reduced allergic inflammation significantly. Moreover, our findings suggest that the mechanism of action of Ber may be via CD4⁺ CD25⁺ Foxp3⁺ Treg cells, possibly through not only by increasing their numbers but also altering their function.