Abstract P5-14-01: Docosahexanoic acid's modulation of survival and invasion is associated with altered CCL20/CCR6 chemokine levels and signaling in hyperplastic, DCIS and metastatic breast cancer cell lines

Introduction: High dietary intake of docosahexanoic acid is associated with a lower risk of breast cancer and reduced metastasis. Epidemiological and preclinical studies suggest that the regulation of monocyte recruitment may play an important role in lowering breast cancer risk and decreasing breast cancer metastasis. In addition to promoting the recruitment of pro-inflammatory leukocytes, the CCL20/CCR6 chemokine axis has been implicated in promoting breast cancer cell migration and invasion. We hypothesize that one mechanism by which DHA suppresses breast cancer progression and metastasis is through the suppression of CCL20/CCR6 signaling.

Methods: The 21PT, 21NT and 21MT-1 cell lines have been previously described as reflecting the characteristics of hyperplastic, in situ and metastatic breast cells, respectively. We measured the impact of physiological DHA concentrations on cell survival and cell proliferation using colony formation and MTT assays respectively. Invasion of 21PT, 21NT and 21MT-1 cells were evaluated using invasion chambers. Changes in CCL20 and CCR6 expression were measured using qPCR. The activity and expression levels of JNK, ERK1/2 and c-Jun, downstream modulators of the CCL20/CCR6 axis, were evaluated using Western blot analyses.

Results: Following a 24 hr exposure to 20 uM DHA and 5-7 days of recovery, colony counts of all three cell lines were significantly suppressed, with 21NT cells experiencing the largest percent reduction. Invasion capacity of 21PT, 21NT and 21MT-1 accurately mirrored the stages of breast cancer they represent. Treatment with DHA reduced the invasion capacity of 21MT-1 to the levels of its hyperplastic counterpart. CCL20 mRNA levels were reduced when cells were exposed to DHA for 48 hrs. Western blot analyses suggest that activation of ERK1/2 and JNK signaling may be critical in orchestrating DHA-associated reduction of invasion.

Conclusions: With the support from epidemiological and preclinical studies, the use of omega-3 based preventive regimen may prove useful for reducing breast cancer risk and breast cancer metastasis. In vitro studies using premalignant breast cancer can provide invaluable insights to the molecular mechanisms accountable for preventive properties of omega-3 fatty acids. DHA-associated regulation of CCL20/CCR6 signal transduction may be an important preventive mechanism and future studies will warrant deepened understanding of how nutraceutical compounds can prevent breast cancer.

Citation Format: Ching Hui Chen, Laura Garcia, Carol Fabian, Stephen Hursting, Linda deGraffenried. Docosahexanoic acid's modulation of survival and invasion is associated with altered CCL20/CCR6 chemokine levels and signaling in hyperplastic, DCIS and metastatic breast cancer cell lines [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-14-01.

Relationship of pain and ancestry in African American women

BACKGROUND

African Americans are reported to be more sensitive to pain than European Americans. Pain sensitivity has been shown to be genetically linked in animal models and is likely to be in humans.

METHODS

Exactly, 11,239 self-identified African American post-menopausal women enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative had percentage African ancestry determined by ancestry informative markers, "Pain Construct" measurements and covariate information. They answered five questions about specific types and location of pain, such as joint, neck, low back, headache and urinary. They also answered two questions which were used to derive a "Pain Construct", a measure of general pain scored on a scale of 1-100. Associations were tested in linear regression models adjusting for age, self-reported medical conditions, neighbourhood socio-economic status, education and depression.

RESULTS

In the unadjusted model of the five specific types of pain measures, greater pain perception was associated with a higher proportion of African ancestry. However, some of the specific types of pain measures were no longer associated with African ancestry after adjustment for other study covariates. The Pain Construct was statistically significantly associated with African ancestry in both the unadjusted [β = -0.132, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -099 to -0.164; r = -0.075, 95% CI -0.056 to -0.093] and the adjusted models (β = -0.069 95% CI = -0.04 to -0.10).

CONCLUSIONS

Greater African ancestry was associated with higher levels of self-reported pain, although this accounted for only a minor fraction of the overall variation in the Pain Construct.

Early-life nutritional stress affects associative learning and spatial memory but not performance on a novel object test

Developmental environments can have long-term effects on cognition. Multiple aspects of cognition may be affected by unfavourable conditions during development if underlying neuronal structures are maturing simultaneously. We investigated the effects of nutritional stress at different stages of development on adult associative learning, spatial memory, and behaviours towards a novel object in a songbird. Zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) were raised in consistently high or low food conditions until post-hatch day (PHD) 36 (i.e., nutritional independence), where half of the birds from each condition were switched to the other condition until PHD 61. Subjects were then tested as adults with two associative learning tasks, a hippocampus-dependent spatial memory task, and for responses toward a novel object. Surprisingly, low food treatment before independence facilitated spatial associative learning but impaired an aspect of hippocampus-dependent spatial memory. Responses to a novel object were not altered by treatments. This study demonstrates that developmental stress is able to influence learning without simultaneously affecting a measure of personality.

Association between diabetes, diabetes treatment and risk of developing endometrial cancer

Background:

A growing body of evidence suggests that diabetes is a risk factor for endometrial cancer incidence. However, most of these studies used case-control study designs and did not adjust for obesity, an established risk factor for endometrial cancer. In addition, few epidemiological studies have examined the association between diabetes treatment and endometrial cancer risk. The objective of this study was to assess the relationships among diabetes, diabetes treatment and endometrial cancer risk in postmenopausal women participating in the Women's Health Initiative (WHI).

Methods:

A total of 88 107 postmenopausal women aged 50–79 years who were free of cancer and had no hysterectomy at baseline were followed until date of endometrial cancer diagnosis, death, hysterectomy or loss to follow-up, whichever came first. Endometrial cancers were confirmed by central medical record and pathology report review. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) (95% confidence interval (CI)) for diagnosis of diabetes and metformin treatment as risk factors for endometrial cancer.

Results:

Over a mean of 11 years of follow-up, 1241 endometrial cancers developed. In the primary analysis that focused on prevalent diabetes at enrolment, compared with women without diabetes, women with self-reported diabetes, and the subset of women with treated diabetes, had significantly higher risk of endometrial cancer without adjusting for BMI (HR=1.44, 95% CI: 1.13–1.85 for diabetes, HR=1.57, 95% CI: 1.19–2.07 for treated diabetes). However after adjusting for BMI, the associations between diabetes, diabetes treatment, diabetes duration and the risk of endometrial cancer became non-significant. Elevated risk was noted when considering combining diabetes diagnosed at baseline and during follow-up as time-dependent exposure (HR=1.31, 95% CI: 1.08–1.59) even after adjusting for BMI. No significant association was observed between metformin use and endometrial cancer risk.

Conclusions:

Our results suggest that the relationship observed in previous research between diabetes and endometrial cancer incidence may be largely confounded by body weight, although some modest independent elevated risk remains.

Ethnic differences in the relationship between birth weight and type 2 diabetes mellitus in postmenopausal women

AIM

The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between self-reported birth weight and the adult occurrence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in a large multi-ethnic population of women.

METHODS

Baseline data from the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study [n=75,993] was used to examine the association between participant birth weight category and prevalent type 2 diabetes mellitus. Models were adjusted for age, ethnicity, body mass index and other pertinent risk factors. Sub-analyses were performed stratifying by ethnicity.

RESULTS

There was a strong inverse association between birth weight and type 2 diabetes mellitus with a birth weight of <6 pounds (lbs) (OR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.33) significantly associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus and a birth weight of ≥10 lbs (OR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.57, 0.92) associated with a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus compared to women who reported their birth weight between 7 and 8 lbs 15 ounces (oz). Stratifying by ethnicity, the inverse association between birth weight and type 2 diabetes mellitus was only apparent in White women, but not Black, Hispanic or Asian women.

CONCLUSION

Lower birth weight was associated with increased T2D risk in American White and Black post-menopausal women.

Experimental investigation of the mechanical stiffness of periodic framework-patterned elastomers

Recent advances in the cataloguing of three-dimensional nets mean a systematic search for framework structures with specific properties is now feasible. Theoretical arguments about the elastic deformation of frameworks suggest characteristics of mechanically isotropic networks. We explore these concepts on both isotropic and anisotropic networks by manufacturing porous elastomers with three different periodic net geometries. The blocks of patterned elastomers are subjected to a range of mechanical tests to determine the dependence of elastic moduli on geometric and topological parameters. We report results from axial compression experiments, three-dimensional X-ray computed tomography imaging and image-based finite-element simulations of elastic properties of framework-patterned elastomers.

Prognostic role of maternal neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin in women with severe early-onset preeclampsia

INTRODUCTION

The association between maternal plasma levels of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and maternal complications in women admitted with severe early-onset preeclampsia was evaluated.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Plasma levels of NGAL were measured at admission in patients with severe early-onset (presenting before 34 weeks) preeclampsia. The maternal outcome of women with elevated plasma levels was compared with those with normal levels. Maternal complications included eclampsia, HELLP syndrome, acute renal failure, subcapsular hepatic hematoma, pulmonary edema and disseminated intravascular disease.

RESULTS

Sixty-seven patients were included. The median NGAL plasma levels in the group of women who subsequently had a complication were significantly higher than in those uncomplicated cases (114.8 vs. 84.2 ng/ml; Mann-Whitney U test p = 0.03). Maternal complications were more common in the elevated (>100 ng/ml) NGAL group (58.3 vs. 25.6%; χ(2) test p = 0.008), with an OR of 4.1 (95% CI 1.4-11.8). After adjustment by gestational age at onset, the association between elevated NGAL plasma levels and maternal complications remained significant (OR 4.2; 95% CI 1.4-12.4).

DISCUSSION

Women with severe early-onset preeclampsia are at higher risk of maternal complications if plasma levels of NGAL are elevated.

Delayed Surgical Treatment for Long Onset Facial Paralysis

Objectives:

Present qualitative evidence that supports surgical intervention to those patients with long onset facial paralysis.

Methods:

Retrospective study of clinical and surgical records of patients operated from July 2006 to September 2012. Twenty-two patients with long onset facial paralysis were operated at a specialized center. Patients underwent surgical facial nerve decompression. Preoperatory and outcomes were recorded with the House-Brackmann facial function score (HBs). Intraoperative stimulation response was obtained as indicator prognostic outcome for facial nerve function.

Results:

Patients who undergo surgical decompression obtain reduction in the HBs when intraoperative stimulation is obtained.

Conclusions:

Surgical decompression of the facial nerve is an option for subjects with long onset facial nerve paralysis with improvement of facial function through time.

Generic sodium stibogluconate is as safe and effective as branded meglumine antimoniate, for the treatment of tegumentary leishmaniasis in Isiboro Secure Park, Bolivia

Human cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and mucous leishmaniasis (ML) are highly endemic in Isiboro Secure Park, which lies in the Bolivian department of Cochabamba--an area where branded meglumine antimoniate (Glucantime) is expensive and poorly distributed. The safety and efficacy of generic sodium stibogluconate (SSG), from Albert David Ltd, was therefore explored, in CL and ML cases from the park, who were treated with 20 mg/kg.day for 20 and 30 days, respectively. A questionnaire recording adverse effects was completed by a physician in each treatment centre. Efficacy of treatment was assessed at the end of treatment and at follow-ups 1 month and 3, 6 and 12 months later. Overall, 146 patients completed treatment with SSG in 2003-2004. No fatalities or severe adverse effects were reported but mild to moderate adverse effects were noted in 41 (28%) of the patients. The incidence of adverse effects was significantly higher among the cases of ML than among the cases of CL. Of the 86 patients with CL who completed 6 months of follow-up, 81 (94.2%) were considered to have been clinically cured; a comparable cohort of 69 CL cases who had been treated with Glucantime in 2001-2002 showed a similar frequency of clinical cure (90%). Generic SSG was shown to be safe and efficacious for the treatment of tegumentary leishmaniasis in Bolivia. Being several times cheaper than Glucantime, it could contribute to improving the access of CL and ML patients to treatment, not only in Bolivia but also in other countries of Latin America.

Time after birth in relation to failure rate in newborn hearing screening

OBJECTIVE

To verify and correlate the rate of failure in the newborn hearing screening in relation to the time of life of the newborn when the procedure is carried out.

METHODS

The study focused on babies born on a maternity, from October/2010 to March/2011. Newborns possessing one or more risk indicators for auditory impairment as described by the JCIH, 2007 or with time of life longer than 60 h were excluded. An automated transient evoked otoacoustic emission equipment was used. The "pass" criterion adopted was: signal to noise ratio greater than 6dB and a minimum signal level of -5dbNPS in at least three frequencies. Babies were divided in three groups: GI: fewer than 24 h old, GII: between 24 and 36 h, and GIII: more than 36 h.

RESULTS

890 babies were included, 52% male and 48% female. Of all newborns, 70% passed the test and 30% failed. Regarding gender, 30% female and 31% male failed the test. 35% of the newborns were in GI, 53% in GII and 12% in GIII. Comparing the three groups simultaneously, we conclude that there is evidence of differences between them (P value <0.001). When compared two by two, we conclude that the distributions of GII and GIII may be considered the same (P=0.443), but both are different from GI (P<0.001). We noticed that in GII and GIII, the proportion of patients who presented de "pass" result is much higher than that of patients who presented this result in GI. The result of logistic regression shows that with the passing of each hour after birth, a newborn's chance of failing the test decreases by 5%.

CONCLUSION

We have concluded that the failure rate in the newborn hearing screening was much higher in the newborns screened within 24 h from birth, deviating statistically from the newborns screened between 24 and 36 h. There was no statistically significant difference between the latter two time brackets.