Identifying heat source intensity in treatment of cancerous tumor using therapy based on local hyperthermia - The Trefftz method approachs

The presented study considers the equation of hyperbolic conduction of heat with perfusion in order to identify such intensity of spatial heat source that will lead to hyperthermia of a cancerous tumor placed in healthy tissue. The tumor is assumed to be in the form of a sphere with a small radius. In order that the determined intensity of the heat source does not damage healthy tissue, different temperature distributions as a function of time are anticipated at the tumor's border. The mathematical tools used are based on the Trefftz method. The results are presented in the form of numbers and graphs illustrating the intensity of the identified heat source and matching the obtained temperature distributions in the tumor to the predicted ones.

The Effect of Treatment of Denture-related Stomatitis on Peripheral T Cells and Monocytes

PURPOSE

Systemic immune activation has been recently linked to chronic inflammatory disorders of the oral cavity, particularly to periodontitis. The purpose of this study was to determine whether treatment of a fungus-induced oral inflammation, namely denture-related stomatitis (DRS), can affect the activation of the systemic immune response.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Peripheral blood from patients with denture-related stomatitis caused by Candida albicans infection (n = 15) was collected at three time points: before treatment with nystatin, at the end of therapy and 2 months after finishing therapy. Activation of T cells and monocytes was assessed by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

The percentages of peripheral lymphocytes, T cells and their subpopulations, as well as monocytes were similar before, immediately following and two months after nystatin treatment. Cells expressing early activation marker CD69 and RANTES C-C chemokine receptor type 5 significantly increased immediately after treatment and returned to baseline levels after two months. Th17 cells, which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of DRS, remained unchanged. Central memory CD4+ subset and intermediate subset of monocytes were lower after therapy and this effect was sustained for two months.

CONCLUSION

Treatment of denture-related stomatitis does not seem to affect the general state of the cellular components of the immune system. The results suggest a potential proinflammatory effect of the antifungal agent, nystatin. Although transient and not intense, this effect might be of particular clinical importance, because of relationships between inflammation and certain diseases. Further studies are required to clarify this aspect.

Treatment of denture-related stomatitis improves endothelial function assessed by flow-mediated vascular dilation

INTRODUCTION

The presence of oral inflammation has recently been linked with the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. While numerous studies have described links between periodontitis and endothelial dysfunction, little is known about the influence of denture-related stomatitis (DRS) on cardiovascular risk. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether the treatment of DRS can lead to improvement of the clinical measures of vascular dysfunction.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The DRS patients were treated with a local oral antifungal agent for 3 weeks. Blood pressure, flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) and nitroglycerine-mediated vascular dilatation (NMD) were measured during three study visits: before treatment, one day and two months after conclusion of antifungal therapy.

RESULTS

Flow-mediated dilatation measurements showed significant improvement of endothelial function 2 months after treatment (FMD median 5%, 95 CI: 3-8.3 vs. 11%, 95% CI: 8.8-14.4; p < 0.01), while there was no difference in control, endothelium-independent vasorelaxations (NMD; median = 15.3%, 95% CI: 10.8-19.3 vs. 12.7%, 95% CI: 10.6-15; p = 0.3). Other cardiovascular parameters such as systolic (median = 125 mm Hg; 95% CI: 116-129 vs. 120 mm Hg, 95% CI: 116-126; p = 0.1) as well as diastolic blood pressure and heart rate (median = 65.5 bpm, 95% CI: 56.7-77.7 vs. 71 bpm, 95% CI: 66.7-75; p = 0.5) did not change during or after the treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment of DRS is associated with improvement of endothelial function. Since endothelial dysfunction is known to precede the development of severe cardiovascular disorders such as atherosclerosis and hypertension, patients should be more carefully screened for DRS in general dental practice, and immediate DRS treatment should be advised.

Systemic T Cells and Monocyte Characteristics in Patients with Denture Stomatitis

PURPOSE

Chronic inflammatory disorders of the oral cavity, such as periodontitis, were recently linked to systemic immune activation. Since fungal oral infections have not yet been studied in this respect, the aim of our study is to determine whether the local inflammation caused by oral fungal infection of the palatal tissue (denture stomatitis-DS) is associated with the systemic inflammatory response. This question is becoming essential as the population ages.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Peripheral blood of DS patients (n = 20) and control patients (n = 24) was assessed with flow cytometry to determine lymphocyte and monocyte profiles. Intracellular cytometric analysis was carried out to establish cytokine production by T cells. DS was diagnosed based on clinical symptoms of DS such as swelling and redness of oral mucosa, confirmed by microbiological swabs for fungal colonization with Candida species. The control group was recruited from denture users without clinical and microbiological signs of oral infections.

RESULTS

Percentages of peripheral lymphocytes, T cells, monocytes, and their subpopulations were similar in both studied groups. The exception was median percentages of CD25+ T cell subsets, which were significantly lower in DS patients than in control subjects. This reduction was observed in both CD4 T cell subset (16.7% and 28.1%; p = 0.0006) and CD8 T cell subset (4.6% and 7.0%; p = 0.007) CONCLUSIONS: While DS and associated local fungal infection do not overtly affect activation of monocytes or lymphocytes, the number of CD 25+ T cells is significantly lower in the DS patients, possibly indicating limited potential for the infection clearance in denture-using aging patients.

Serum BPIFB4 levels classify health status in long-living individuals

BACKGROUND

People that reach extreme ages (Long-Living Individuals, LLIs) are object of intense investigation for increase/decrease of genetic variant frequencies, genetic methylation levels, protein abundance in serum and tissues. The aim of these studies is the discovery of the mechanisms behind LLIs extreme longevity and the identification of markers of well-being. We have recently associated a BPIFB4 haplotype (LAV) with exceptional longevity under a homozygous genetic model, and identified that CD34(+) of LLIs subjects express higher BPIFB4 transcript as compared to CD34(+) of control population. It would be of interest to correlate serum BPIFB4 protein levels with exceptional longevity and health status of LLIs.

METHODS

Western blots on cellular medium to detect BPIFB4 secretion in transfected HEK293T cells with plasmid carrying BPIFB4 and ELISA on LLIs serum to detect BPIFB4 levels.

RESULTS

Here we show that BPIFB4 is a secreted protein and its levels are increased in serum of LLIs, and high BPIFB4 levels classify their health status.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum BPIFB4 protein levels classify longevity and health status in LLIs. Further studies are required to evaluate the possible role of BPIFB4 in monitoring disease progression.

Genetic Analysis Reveals a Longevity-Associated Protein Modulating Endothelial Function and Angiogenesis

RATIONALE

Long living individuals show delay of aging, which is characterized by the progressive loss of cardiovascular homeostasis, along with reduced endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity, endothelial dysfunction, and impairment of tissue repair after ischemic injury.

OBJECTIVE

Exploit genetic analysis of long living individuals to reveal master molecular regulators of physiological aging and new targets for treatment of cardiovascular disease.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We show that the polymorphic variant rs2070325 (Ile229Val) in bactericidal/permeability-increasing fold-containing-family-B-member-4 (BPIFB4) associates with exceptional longevity, under a recessive genetic model, in 3 independent populations. Moreover, the expression of BPIFB4 is instrumental to maintenance of cellular and vascular homeostasis through regulation of protein synthesis. BPIFB4 phosphorylation/activation by protein-kinase-R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase induces its complexing with 14-3-3 and heat shock protein 90, which is facilitated by the longevity-associated variant. In isolated vessels, BPIFB4 is upregulated by mechanical stress, and its knock-down inhibits endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation. In hypertensive rats and old mice, gene transfer of longevity-associated variant-BPIFB4 restores endothelial nitric oxide synthase signaling, rescues endothelial dysfunction, and reduces blood pressure levels. Furthermore, BPIFB4 is implicated in vascular repair. BPIFB4 is abundantly expressed in circulating CD34(+) cells of long living individuals, and its knock-down in endothelial progenitor cells precludes their capacity to migrate toward the chemoattractant SDF-1. In a murine model of peripheral ischemia, systemic gene therapy with longevity-associated variant-BPIFB4 promotes the recruitment of hematopoietic stem cells, reparative vascularization, and reperfusion of the ischemic muscle.

CONCLUSIONS

Longevity-associated variant-BPIFB4 may represent a novel therapeutic tool to fight endothelial dysfunction and promote vascular reparative processes.

Exome sequencing of a family with lone, autosomal dominant atrial flutter identifies a rare variation in ABCB4 significantly enriched in cases

Background

Lone atrial flutter (AFL) and atrial fibrillation (AF) are common and sometimes consequential cardiac conduction disorders with a strong heritability, as underlined by recent genome-wide association studies that identified genetic modifiers. Follow-up family-based genetic analysis also identified Mendelian transmission of disease alleles. Three affected members were exome-sequenced for the identification of potential causative mutations, which were subsequently validated by direct sequencing in the other 3 affected members. Taqman assay was then used to confirm the role of any mutation in an independent population of sporadic lone AFL/AF cases.

Results

The family cluster analysis provided evidence of genetic inheritance of AFL in the family via autosomal dominant transmission. The exome-sequencing of 3 family members identified 7 potential mutations: of these, rs58238559, a rare missense genetic variant in the ATP-binding cassette sub-family B, member 4 (ABCB4) gene was carried by all affected members. Further analysis of 82 subjects with sporadic lone AF, 63 subjects with sporadic lone AFL, and 673 controls revealed that the allele frequency for this variation was significantly higher in cases than in the controls (0.05 vs. 0.01; OR = 3.73; 95% CI = 1.16–11.49; P = 0.013).

Conclusions

rs58238559 in ABCB4 is a rare missense variant with a significant effect on the development of AFL/AF.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12863-015-0177-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A G613A missense in the Hutchinson's progeria lamin A/C gene causes a lone, autosomal dominant atrioventricular block

BACKGROUND

LMNA/C mutations have been linked to the premature aging syndrome Hutchinson's progeria, dilated cardiomyopathy 1A, skeletal myopathies (such as the autosomal dominant variant of Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy and limb-girdle muscular dystrophy), Charcot-Marie-Tooth disorder type 2B1, mandibuloacral dysplasia, autosomal dominant partial lipodystrophy, and axonal neuropathy. Atrioventricular block (AVB) can be associated with several cardiac disorders and it can also be a highly heritable, primitive disease. One of the most common pathologies associated with AVB is dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), which is characterized by cardiac dilatation and reduced systolic function. In this case, onset has been correlated with several mutations in genes essential for the proper maturation of cardiomyocytes, such as the gene for lamin A/C. However, no clear genotype-phenotype relationship has been reported to date between LMNA/C mutations and cardiomyopathies.

RESULTS

DNA and medical histories were collected from (n = 11) members of different generations of one family, the proband of which was implanted with a pacemaker for lone, type II AVB. Exome sequencing analysis was performed on three relatives with AVB, and the mutations therein identified validated in a further three AVB-affected family members. In the initial three AVB family members, we identified 10 shared nonsynonymous single-nucleotide variations with a rare or unreported allele frequency in the 1000 Genomes Project database. Follow-up genetic screening in the additional three affected relatives disclosed a correlation between the lone AVB phenotype and the single-nucleotide polymorphism rs56816490, which generates an E317K change in lamin A/C. Although this mutation has already been described by others in a DCM-affected proband with familiarity for AVB and sudden death, the absence of DCM in our large, AVB-affected family is indicative of genotype-phenotype correlation between rs56816490 and a familial, autosomal dominant form of lone AVB.

CONCLUSIONS

Screening for G613A in LMNA/C in patients with lone AVB and their relatives might prevent sudden death in families affected by AVB but without familiarity for DCM. Lone AVB is an age-related disease caused by mutations in LMNA/C gene rather than a complication of DCM.

The diguanylate cyclase YddV controls production of the exopolysaccharide poly-N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG) through regulation of the PNAG biosynthetic pgaABCD operon

In Gram-negative bacteria, production of adhesion factors and extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) is promoted by the activity of diguanylate cyclases (DGCs), a class of enzymes able to catalyse the synthesis of the signal molecule bis-(3',5')-cyclic di-guanylic acid (c-di-GMP). In this report we show that in Escherichia coli, overexpression of the YddV protein, but not of other DGCs such as AdrA and YcdT, induces the production of the EPS poly-N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG) by stimulating expression of pgaABCD, the PNAG-biosynthetic operon. Stimulation of PNAG production and activation of pgaABCD expression by the YddV protein are abolished by inactivation of its GGDEF motif, responsible for DGC activity. Consistent with the effects of YddV overexpression, inactivation of the yddV gene negatively affects pgaABCD transcription and PNAG-mediated biofilm formation. pgaABCD regulation by the yddV gene also takes place in a mutant carrying a partial deletion of the csrA gene, which encodes the main regulator of pgaABCD expression, suggesting that YddV does not regulate pgaABCD through modulation of CsrA activity. Our results demonstrate that PNAG production does not simply respond to intracellular c-di-GMP concentration, but specifically requires the DGC activity of the YddV protein, thus supporting the notion that in E. coli, c-di-GMP biosynthesis by a given DGC protein triggers regulatory events that lead to activation of specific sets of EPS biosynthetic genes or proteins.