BRCA1 tumours correlate with a HIF-1alpha phenotype and have a poor prognosis through modulation of hydroxylase enzyme profile expression

Background:

There are limited data regarding the hypoxia pathway in familial breast cancers. We therefore performed a study of hypoxic factors in BRCA1, BRCA2 and BRCAX breast cancers.

Methods:

Immunoperoxidase staining for HIF-1α, PHD1, PHD2, PHD3, VEGF and FIH was carried out in 125 (38 BRCA1, 33 BRCA2 and 54 BRCAX) breast carcinomas. These were correlated with clinicopathological parameters and the intrinsic breast cancer phenotypes.

Results:

BRCA1 tumours correlated with positivity for HIF-1α (P=0.008) and negativity for PHD3 (P=0.037). HIF-1α positivity (P=0.001), PHD3 negativity (P=0.037) and nuclear FIH negativity (P=0.011) was associated with basal phenotype. HIF-1α expression correlated with high tumour grade (P=0.009), negative oestrogen receptor (ER) status (P=0.001) and the absence of lymph node metastasis (P=0.028). Nuclear FIH expression and PHD3 correlated with positive ER expression (P=0.024 and P=0.035, respectively). BRCA1 cancers with positive HIF-1α or cytoplasmic FIH had a significantly shorter relapse-free survival (P=0.007 and P=0.049, respectively).

Conclusions:

The aggressive nature of BRCA1 and basal-type tumours may be partly explained by an enhanced hypoxic drive and hypoxia driven ER degradation because of suppressed PHD and aberrantly located FIH expression. This may have important implications, as these tumours may respond to compounds directed against HIF-1α or its downstream targets.

Expression of the forkhead box transcription factor FOXP1 is associated with oestrogen receptor alpha, oestrogen receptor beta and improved survival in familial breast cancers

Background:

The role of FOXP1 in sporadic breast cancers has been widely studied but its role in familial breast cancers is yet unexplored.

Aims:

To investigate FOXP1 expression in different molecular subtypes of familial breast cancers and to correlate its expression with clinicopathological parameters, oestrogen receptors (ER) and survival.

Methods:

Immunohistochemical staining for FOXP1 was performed in 126 familial breast carcinomas comprising 35 BRCA1, 34 BRCA2 and 57 BRCAX.

Results:

Nuclear FOXP1 expression ranged from focal weak to widespread strong expression. Expression of FOXP1 was higher in familial breast cancers (54%) compared with sporadic cancers (46%) (p<0.001). There was a significant correlation between FOXP1 with ERα (p = 0.038) and ERβ (p = 0.007) in familial breast cancers. FOXP1 was more highly expressed in familial breast cancers compared with sporadic cancers for luminal (p = 0.021) and basal (p<0.001), but not HER2 and null phenotypes (both p>0.05). The absence of FOXP1 expression was associated with a shorter relapse-free (p = 0.025) and overall survival (p = 0.009) in familial breast cancer. Negativity for FOXP1 was associated with a significantly worse overall survival in BRCA2 cancers (p = 0.021) and there was a non-significant separation of the survival curves for BRCA1 cancers (p = 0.183). No differences in survival were seen for BRCAX cancers (p = 0.762).

Conclusion:

Results suggest that FOXP1 demonstrates different expression patterns in familial breast cancers than sporadic tumours, even in tumours showing similar phenotypes. They also suggest a different role of FOXP1 as a tumour suppressor in familial tumours, which is unrelated to ER expression and may impact on therapeutic options.

The lupus-susceptibility gene kallikrein downmodulates antibody-mediated glomerulonephritis

Sle3 is a NZM2410/NZW-derived lupus-susceptibility interval on murine chromosome 7, which is associated with spontaneous lupus nephritis (SLN), and also anti-GBM-induced glomerulonephritis (GN). The tissue kallikrein gene cluster is located within the Sle3 interval and constitutes potential candidate genes for this locus. We have recently reported that renal kallikrein expression was upregulated by anti-GBM antibody challenge in a strain-specific manner and that it was significantly underexpressed in the anti-GBM-sensitive strains, including B6.Sle3. Further sequencing and functional studies reported earlier provided evidence that kallikreins could constitute disease genes in lupus. In this report, we have used an adenoviral vector to deliver the klk1 gene to B6.Sle3 congenics to directly test if kallikreins might have a protective effect against anti-GBM-induced nephritis. Our data show that klk1 gene delivery ameliorated anti-GBM-induced nephritis in B6.Sle3 congenics. Taken together with earlier studies, these findings indicate that kallikreins play an important protective role in autoantibody-initiated GN and could constitute potential candidate genes for anti-GBM-induced GN and SLN.

Influence of fatty acid diets on gene expression in rat mammary epithelial cells

BACKGROUND

This study examines the impact of dietary fatty acids on regulation of gene expression in mammary epithelial cells before and during puberty.

METHODS

Diets primarily consisted of n-9 monounsaturated fatty acids (olive oil), n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (safflower), saturated acids (butter), and the reference AIN-93G diet (soy oil). The dietary regimen mimics the repetitive nature of fatty acid exposure in Western diets. Diet-induced changes in gene expression were examined in laser capture microdissected mammary ductal epithelial cells at day of weaning and end of puberty. PCNA immunohistochemistry analysis compared proliferation rates between diets.

RESULTS

Genes differentially expressed between each test diets and the reference diet were significantly enriched by cell cycle genes. Some of these genes were involved in activation of the cell cycle pathway or the G2/M check point pathway. Although there were some differences in the level of differential expression, all diets showed qualitatively the same pattern of differential expression compared to the reference diet. Cluster analysis identified an expanded set of cell cycle as well as immunity and sterol metabolism related clusters of differentially expressed genes.

CONCLUSION

Fatty acid-enriched diets significantly upregulated proliferation above normal physiological levels during puberty. Higher cellular proliferation during puberty caused by enriched fatty acid diets poses a potential increase risk of mammary cancer in later life. The human homologs of 27 of 62 cell cycle rat genes are included in a human breast cancer cluster of 45 cell cycle genes, further emphasizing the importance of our findings in the rat model.

Composite microspheres induce the sustained release and the control of the initial release of water soluble drugs

Although epidural analgesia may provide adequate pain relief and minimize systemic side effects, long-term, even permanent placement of epidural catheter for chronic or cancer-related pain management carries a potential risk of both superficial and deep infection. The development of antibiotics microspheres that could be dwelled in epidural drug-delivery devices is likely to achieve a significant advance allowing antibiotics given by the intradiscal route to control catheter-related infections. In the present study, the composite microspheres composed of double-walled microcapsules and PLGA were constructed for encapsulating water-soluble antibiotics, cefazolin. The results show that these microspheres could efficiently control the initial release of drug, which was only 3.0% at 2 h. Cefazolin encapsulated in the composite microspheres released gradually nearly in a constant rate in the first 16 days, and still maintained a relative fast rate in the next 14 days, indicating that composite microspheres could improve the incomplete release of entrapped drugs.

Measurement of the lifetime of the Bc+/- meson in the semileptonic decay channel

Using approximately 1.3 fb(-1) of data collected by the D0 detector between 2002 and 2006, we measure the lifetime of the Bc+/- meson in the Bc-/+-->J/psimicro+/-+X final state. A simultaneous unbinned likelihood fit to the J/psi+micro invariant mass and lifetime distributions yields a signal of 881+/-80(stat) candidates and a lifetime measurement of tau(Bc+/-)=0.448(-0.036)(+0.038)(stat)+/-0.032(syst) ps.

Measurement of the semileptonic branching ratio of B_{s};{0} to an orbitally excited D_{s};{**} state: Br(B_{s};{0}-->D_{s1};{-}(2536)mu;{+}nuX)

In a data sample of approximately 1.3 fb;{-1} collected with the D0 detector between 2002 and 2006, the orbitally excited charm state D_{s1};{+/-}(2536) has been observed with a measured mass of 2535.7+/-0.6(stat)+/-0.5(syst) MeV/c;{2} via the decay mode B_{s};{0}-->D_{s1};{-}(2536)mu;{+}nu_{mu}X. A first measurement is made of the branching ratio product Br(b[over ]-->D_{s1};{-}(2536)mu;{+}nu_{mu}X)xBr(D_{s1};{-}-->D;{*-}K_{S};{0}). Assuming that D_{s1};{-}(2536) production in semileptonic decay is entirely from B_{s};{0}, an extraction of the semileptonic branching ratio Br(B_{s};{0}-->D_{s1};{-}(2536)mu;{+}nu_{mu}X) is made.

Measurement of Bs0 mixing parameters from the flavor-tagged decay Bs0-->J/psiphi

From an analysis of the flavor-tagged decay Bs0-->J/psiphi we obtain the width difference between the Bs0 light and heavy mass eigenstates, DeltaGammas = 0.19+/-0.07(stat)(-0.01)+0.02(syst) ps(-1), and the CP-violating phase, phi s= -0.57(-0.30)+0.24(stat)(-0.02)+0.08(syst). The allowed 90% CL intervals of DeltaGammas and phi s are 0.06 < DeltaGammas < 0.30 ps(-1) and -1.20 < phi s < 0.06, respectively. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 2.8 fb(-1) accumulated with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider.

Search for neutral Higgs bosons in multi-b-jet events in pp[over] collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV

Data recorded by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider are analyzed to search for neutral Higgs bosons produced in association with b quarks. This production mode can be enhanced in the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM). The search is performed in the three b quark channel using multijet triggered events corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1 fb(-1). No statistically significant excess of events with respect to the predicted background is observed and limits are set in the MSSM parameter space.

Measurement of the forward-backward charge asymmetry and extraction of sin2thetaWeff in pp-->Z/gamma* + X-->e+e- +X events produced at sqrt[s] = 1.96 TeV

We present a measurement of the forward-backward charge asymmetry (A FB) in pp-->Z/gamma* + X-->e+e(-) + X events at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV using 1.1 fb(-1) of data collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. A FB is measured as a function of the invariant mass of the electron-positron pair, and found to be consistent with the standard model prediction. We use the A FB measurement to extract the effective weak mixing angle sin2thetaWeff = 0.2326+/-0.0018(stat)+/-0.0006(syst).

Measurement of the polarization of the upsilon(1S) and upsilon(2S) states in pp collisions at square root[s]=1.96 TeV

We present a study of the polarization of the Upsilon(1S) and Upsilon(2S) states using a 1.3 fb;{-1} data sample collected by the D0 experiment in 2002-2006 during run II of the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We measure the polarization parameter alpha=(sigma_{T}-2sigma_{L})/(sigma_{T}+2sigma_{L}), where sigma_{T} and sigma_{L} are the transversely and longitudinally polarized components of the production cross section, as a function of the transverse momentum (p_{T};{Upsilon}) for the Upsilon(1S) and Upsilon(2S). Significant p_{T};{Upsilon}-dependent longitudinal polarization is observed for the Upsilon(1S). A comparison with theoretical models is presented.

A novel c.545-546insG mutation in the loricrin gene correlates with a heterogeneous phenotype of loricrin keratoderma

BACKGROUND

Loricrin keratoderma (LK) is a group of congenital skin abnormalities characterized by the common features of honeycomb palmoplantar keratoderma and diffused ichthyosiform dermatosis. Earlier studies have shown that LK is associated with genetic defects of the loricrin gene.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the correlation between a loricrin mutation and a heterogeneous phenotype of loricrin keratoderma.

METHODS

We obtained DNA samples from a large family in which affected members showed more severe hyperkeratosis on the dorsal parts of their hands, mild palmoplantar keratoderma with no honeycomb-like manifestations and generalized ichthyosis. Screening of the loricrin gene was performed by direct sequencing of the entire coding region. Plasmids encoding the green fluorescent protein-tagged human loricrin were constructed and transferred to 293A cells for subcellular localization analyses.

RESULTS

Molecular analyses of the loricrin gene identified a novel insertion mutation c.545-546insG that resulted in a frameshift after codon 182. This mutation was predicted to produce a mutant protein with a frameshift of its C-terminal sequence of amino acids that embeds a newly generated nuclear localization signal (NLS), and to be 22 amino acids longer than the wild-type protein due to a delayed termination codon. The NLSs appear to result in an accumulation of mutant loricrin within nuclei.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results extend the repertoire of loricrin mutations underlying LK, provide further evidence that heterogeneous phenotypes of LK may be the result of genetic heterogeneity of loricrin mutations, and demonstrate that nuclear accumulation of mutant loricrin is due to the nuclear targeting sequences in the mutant C-terminus.

Search for pair production of doubly charged Higgs bosons in the H++H- - -->mu+ mu+ mu- mu- final state

We report the results of a search for pair production of doubly charged Higgs bosons via pp over-->H++H - - X-->mu+ mu+ mu- mu- X at sqrt s=1.96 TeV. We use a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.1 fb(-1) collected from 2002 to 2006 by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. In the absence of an excess above the standard model background, lower mass limits of M(H L +/- +/-) >150 GeV/c2 and M(H R+/- +/-) >127 GeV/c2 at 95% C.L. are set, respectively, for left-handed and right-handed doubly charged Higgs bosons assuming a 100% branching ratio into muons.

Search for Higgs bosons decaying to tau pairs in pp over collisions with the D0 detector

We present a search for the production of neutral Higgs bosons varphi decaying into tau+tau - final states in pp over collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV. The data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of approximately 1 fb(-1), were collected by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. Limits on the production cross section times branching ratio are set. The results are interpreted in the minimal supersymmetric standard model yielding limits that are the most stringent to date at hadron colliders.

Measurement of the inclusive jet cross section in pp[over] collisions at square root [s]=1.96 TeV

We report on a measurement of the inclusive jet cross section in pp[over ] collisions at a center-of-mass energy sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV using data collected by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.70 fb;{-1}. The data cover jet transverse momenta from 50 to 600 GeV and jet rapidities in the range -2.4 to 2.4. Detailed studies of correlations between systematic uncertainties in transverse momentum and rapidity are presented, and the cross section measurements are found to be in good agreement with next-to-leading order QCD calculations.

Search for decay of a fermiophobic Higgs boson hf-->gammagamma with the D0 detector at sqrt s=1.96 TeV

We report the results of a search for a narrow resonance decaying into two photons in 1.1 fb;{-1} of data collected by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider during the period 2002-2006. We find no evidence for such a resonance and set a lower limit on the mass of a fermiophobic Higgs boson of m_{h_{f}}>100 GeV at the 95% C.L. This exclusion limit exceeds those obtained in previous searches at the Fermilab Tevatron and covers a significant region of the parameter space B(h_{f}-->gammagamma) vs m_{h_{f}} which was not accessible at the CERN Large Electron-Positron Collider.

Search for large extra dimensions via single photon plus missing energy final states at sqrt s = 1.96 TeV

We report on a search for large extra dimensions in a data sample of approximately 1 fb(-1) of pp[over] collisions at sqrt s=1.96 TeV. We investigate Kaluza-Klein graviton production with a photon and missing transverse energy in the final state. At the 95% C.L. we set limits on the fundamental mass scale M(D) from 884 to 778 GeV for two to eight extra dimensions.

Observation of the Bc meson in the exclusive decay Bc-->J/psipi

A fully reconstructed Bc-->J/psipi signal is observed with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron pp[over] collider using 1.3 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity. The signal consists of 54+/-12 candidates with a significance that exceeds 5 standard deviations, and confirms earlier observations of this decay. The measured mass of the Bc meson is 6300+/-14(stat)+/-5(syst) MeV/c2.

First study of the radiation-amplitude zero in Wgamma production and limits on anomalous WWgamma couplings at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV

We present results from a study of pp-->Wgamma+X events utilizing data corresponding to 0.7 fb{-1} of integrated luminosity at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We set limits on anomalous WWgamma couplings at the 95% C.L. The one-dimensional 95% C.L. limits are 0.49<kappa{gamma}<1.51 and -0.12<lambda{gamma}<0.13. We make the first study of the charge-signed rapidity difference between the lepton and the photon and find it to be indicative of the standard model radiation-amplitude zero in the Wgamma system.

Search for scalar neutrino superpartners in e+mu final states in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV

We report a search for R-parity-violating production and decay of sneutrino particles in the emu final state with 1.04+/-0.06 fb-1 of data collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider in 2002-2006. Good agreement between the data and the standard model prediction is observed. With no evidence for new physics, we set limits on the R-parity-violating couplings lambda'311 and lambda312 as a function of the sneutrino mass.

Search for W' boson resonances decaying to a top quark and a bottom quark

We search for the production of a heavy W' gauge boson that decays to third generation quarks in 0.9 fb-1 of pp collisions at square root(s)=1.96 TeV, collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. We find no significant excess in the final-state invariant mass distribution and set upper limits on the production cross section times branching fraction. For a left-handed W' boson with SM couplings, we set a lower mass limit of 731 GeV. For right-handed W' bosons, we set lower mass limits of 739 GeV if the W' boson decays to both leptons and quarks and 768 GeV if the W' boson decays only to quarks. We also set limits on the coupling of the W' boson to fermions as a function of its mass.

Study of direct CP violation in B(+/-)-->J/psiK(+/-)(pi(+/-)) decays

We present a search for direct CP violation in B(+/-)-->J/psiK(+/-)(pi(+/-)) decays. The event sample is selected from 2.8 fb(-1) of pp collisions recorded by D0 experiment in run II of the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. The charge asymmetry A_(CP)(B(+)-->J/psiK(+))= + 0.0075 +/- 0.0061(stat)+/-0.0030(syst) is obtained using a sample of approximately 40, 000 B(+/-)-->J/psiK(+/-) decays. The achieved precision is of the same level as the expected deviation predicted by some extensions of the standard model. We also measured the charge asymmetry A(CP)(B(+)-->J/psipi(+))=-0.09+/-0.08(stat)+/-0.03(syst).

Simultaneous measurement of the ratio R=B(t --> Wb)/B(t --> Wq) and the top-quark pair production cross section with the D0 detector at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV

We present the first simultaneous measurement of the ratio of branching fractions, R=B(t --> Wb)/B(t --> Wq), with q being a d, s, or b quark, and the top-quark pair production cross section sigma(tt[over]) in the lepton plus jets channel using 0.9 fb(-1) of pp[over] collision data at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV collected with the D0 detector. We extract R and sigma(tt[over]) by analyzing samples of events with 0, 1, and > or =2 identified b jets. We measure R=0.97(+0.09)/(-0.08)(stat+syst) and sigma(tt[over])=8.18(+0.09)(-0.84)(stat+syst) +/- 0.50(lumi) pb, in agreement with the standard model prediction.

Measurement of the tt[over] production cross section in pp[over] collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV

We measure the tt[over] production cross section in pp[over] collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV in the lepton + jets channel. Two complementary methods discriminate between signal and background: b tagging and a kinematic likelihood discriminant. Based on 0.9 fb(-1) of data collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider, we measure sigma(tt[over])=7.62+/-0.85 pb, assuming the current world average m(t)=172.6 GeV. We compare our cross section measurement with theory predictions to determine a value for the top-quark mass of 170+/-7 GeV.