Parallel Effects of Methamphetamine on Anxiety and CCL3 in Humans and a Genetic Mouse Model of High Methamphetamine Intake

BACKGROUND

Methamphetamine (MA) abuse causes immune dysfunction and neuropsychiatric impairment. The mechanisms underlying these deficits remain unidentified.

METHODS

The effects of MA on anxiety-like behavior and immune function were investigated in mice selectively bred to voluntarily consume high amounts of MA [i.e., MA high drinking (MAHDR) mice]. MA (or saline) was administered to mice using a chronic (14-day), binge-like model. Performance in the elevated zero maze (EZM) was determined 5 days after the last MA dose to examine anxiety-like behavior. Cytokine and chemokine expressions were measured in the hippocampus using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Human studies were also conducted to evaluate symptoms of anxiety using the General Anxiety Disorder-7 Scale in adults with and without a history of MA dependence. Plasma samples collected from human research participants were used for confirmatory analysis of murine qPCR results using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

During early remission from MA, MAHDR mice exhibited increased anxiety-like behavior on the EZM and reduced expression of chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 3 (ccl3) in the hippocampus relative to saline-treated mice. Human adults actively dependent on MA and those in early remission had elevated symptoms of anxiety as well as reductions in plasma levels of CCL3, relative to adults with no history of MA abuse.

CONCLUSIONS

The results highlight the complex effects of MA on immune and behavioral function and suggest that alterations in CCL3 signaling may contribute to the mood impairments observed during remission from MA addiction.

Rb1 loss modifies but does not initiate alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma

Background

Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (aRMS) is a myogenic childhood sarcoma frequently associated with a translocation-mediated fusion gene, Pax3:Foxo1a.

Methods

We investigated the complementary role of Rb1 loss in aRMS tumor initiation and progression using conditional mouse models.

Results

Rb1 loss was not a necessary and sufficient mutational event for rhabdomyosarcomagenesis, nor a strong cooperative initiating mutation. Instead, Rb1 loss was a modifier of progression and increased anaplasia and pleomorphism. Whereas Pax3:Foxo1a expression was unaltered, biomarkers of aRMS versus embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma were both increased, questioning whether these diagnostic markers are reliable in the context of Rb1 loss. Genome-wide gene expression in Pax3:Foxo1a,Rb1 tumors more closely approximated aRMS than embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. Intrinsic loss of pRb function in aRMS was evidenced by insensitivity to a Cdk4/6 inhibitor regardless of whether Rb1 was intact or null. This loss of function could be attributed to low baseline Rb1, pRb and phospho-pRb expression in aRMS tumors for which the Rb1 locus was intact. Pax3:Foxo1a RNA interference did not increase pRb or improve Cdk inhibitor sensitivity. Human aRMS shared the feature of low and/or heterogeneous tumor cell pRb expression.

Conclusions

Rb1 loss from an already low pRb baseline is a significant disease modifier, raising the possibility that some cases of pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma may in fact be Pax3:Foxo1a-expressing aRMS with Rb1 or pRb loss of function.

Dynamic and nuclear expression of PDGFRα and IGF-1R in alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma

Since the advent of tyrosine kinase inhibitors as targeted therapies in cancer, several receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) have been identified as operationally important for disease progression. Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a malignancy in need of new treatment options; therefore, better understanding of the heterogeneity of RTKs would advance this goal. Here, alveolar RMS (aRMS) tumor cells derived from a transgenic mouse model expressing two such RTKs, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGFR)α and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1R, were investigated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Sorted subpopulations that were positive or negative for PDGFRα and IGF-1R dynamically altered their cell surface RTK expression profiles as early as the first cell division. Interestingly, a difference in total PDGFRα expression and nuclear IGF-1R expression was conserved in populations. Nuclear IGF-1R expression was greater than cytoplasmic IGF-1R in cells with initially high cell surface IGF-1R, and cells with high nuclear IGF-1R established tumors more efficiently in vivo. RNA interference-mediated silencing of IGF-1R in the subpopulation of cells initially harboring higher cell surface and total IGF-1R resulted in significantly reduced anchorage-independent colony formation as compared with cells with initially lower cell surface and total IGF-1R expression. Finally, in accordance with the findings observed in murine aRMS, human aRMS also had robust expression of nuclear IGF-1R.

IMPLICATIONS

RTK expression status and subcellular localization dynamics are important considerations for personalized medicine.

A case study of personalized therapy for osteosarcoma

BACKGROUND

Effective targeted therapies are needed in sarcomas, but the biological heterogeneity of these tumors has presented a challenge to clinical integration of small molecule inhibitors in sarcoma treatment. Here we outline a process to personalize therapy for sarcomas through a case study of a canine with spontaneous osteosarcoma.

PROCEDURE

Rapid establishment of a primary tumor cell culture is described, followed by efficient functional characterization of the tumor that identified the Src inhibitor dasatinib as the most effective targeted therapy for this individual dog.

RESULTS

Adjuvant dasatinib was administered for a total of 26 weeks following treatment with chemotherapy. Pharmacokinetic studies confirm that a therapeutic serum concentration was achieved at a tolerable dose of 0.75 mg/kg/day. The canine patient remains without evidence of recurrent disease 24 months following initial diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

The approach described through this illustrative case study is broadly applicable and might be used for other solid tumors in canines as well as in humans.

Abstract 1905: Autophagy inhibitor quinacrine synergistically enhances anti-angiogenic efficacy of Cediranib in intracranial mouse glioma

Despite robust vascularity of malignant gliomas, anti-angiogenic therapy (AAT), largely fails to induce durable responses. We hypothesized that AAT efficacy in treating glioma could be increased by disrupting adaptive mechanisms that enable tumors to survive AAT alone. Hypoxic/nutrient stress conditions, such as those induced by AAT, can activate autophagy in tumor cells, a degradative catabolic pathway that promotes cellular survival during metabolic stress. The anti-malarial agent quinacrine induces late-stage autophagic inhibition, which can induce cell death. We determined whether the angiogenic/anti-tumor efficacy of Cediranib, a VEGF/PDGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, could be synergistically enhanced through combined administration of quinacrine. A noninvasive, dual bolus perfusion MRI approach was used to assess tumor growth and vascular parameters in the syngeneic 4C8 mouse model of intracranial glioma. Dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) MRI, provided high resolution maps of Ktrans, an index of vascular permeability. At the same time, dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) MRI determined cerebral blood flow (CBF). Once tumor growth was documented by MRI, mice were randomized to untreated (U), Cediranib (C, 6 mg/kg daily), quinacrine (Q, 50mg/kg daily), or Cediranib plus quinacrine (C+Q) groups. Tumor growth rate (days−1, mean±SE) was moderately decreased for C (0.17±0.01) in comparison to U (0.22±0.01) and Q (0.21±0.01) (p<0.05). Tumor growth rate was reduced substantially, with C+Q (0.11±0.004) (p<0.01 versus other groups). Consistent with this, survival (days from tumor growth initiation) was greatly increased for C+Q, 25.3±1.8, versus other groups (p<0.01): 11.0 ± 1.6 (U), 11.5 ± 1.2 (Q), and, 14.3 ± 0.7 (C). Perfusion MRI indicated that mean tumor Ktrans for C (0.13±0.01 min−1) was moderately reduced in comparison to U (0.21±0.04) and Q (0.20±0.2), during the 2nd treatment week (P<0.05). Dramatically reduced Ktrans was observed with C+Q (0.07±0.01; p<0.05 vs U, C, and Q). Consistent with this, mean tumor CBF relative to contralateral brain CBF during the 2nd treatment week, was dramatically lower for C+Q, 1.61±0.06 (p<0.05) compared to other groups: 3.06 ± 0.15 (U), 2.55±0.24 (Q), 3.07±0.47 (C). In vitro MTS cell viability assays of 4C8 glioma cells indicated markedly increased efficacy for combined C+Q under hypoxic conditions: 1μM C/2.5μM Q decreased cell viability by 76±6% and 33±1% with 0.5 and 21% O2, respectively. Combination indices (CI) indicated less than additive effects for C and Q with normal O2, while synergism (CI<1) was observed under hypoxic conditions (CI=0.58, 0.75μM C/1μM Q). In conclusion, the autophagy inhibitor quinacrine synergistically increases the anti-angiogenic/anti-tumor effect of Cediranib in 4C8 mouse glioma. Tumor microenvironment conditions such as hypoxia may play a role in the synergistic interaction.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1905. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-1905

Air sparging tracer test to investigate the flow path

The paper presents a useful method for investigating the flow path of the injected air, estimating the radius of influence, and assisting the design of well spacing of sparging wells. The method applies both tracer and modeling approach. A field test using helium as a tracer was conducted on an air sparging pilot. A 3-dimensional, 3-phase compositional model was utilized to simulate the air sparging process at the pilot. The model was first calibrated with the tracer concentrations observed in the field test at various locations between the air sparging well and the soil vapor extraction well. The calibrated model was then used to predict the flow path of the injected air and to simulate the water saturation distributions in the aquifer. The steady-state water saturation distributions was found useful for estimating the radius of influence of air sparging and for designing the well spacing of sparging well.

Ventriculo-peritoneal shunt performance under hyperbaric conditions

A novice scuba diver with an implanted ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunt inquired about the performance characteristics of his shunt while diving. A literature search revealed no information regarding shunt performance under hyperbaric conditions. The manufacturer could not certify that the shunt would function under pressure. Therefore, four VP shunts were tested according to the manufacturer's testing protocol at 1 and 4 atm abs in a multiplace hyperbaric chamber. The pressure (in mm of H2O) required to establish flow through the shunts was recorded. Trials at 1 atm abs (n = 12) and 4 atm abs (n = 12) show that all shunts performed within the pressure range specified by the manufacturer.

On estimating census undercount in small areas

"Net undercount rates in the U.S. decennial census have been steadily declining over the last several censuses. Differential undercounts among race groups and geographic areas, however, appear to persist. In the following, we examine and compare several methodologies for providing small area estimates of census coverage by constructing artificial populations. Measures of performance are also introduced to assess the various small area estimates. Synthetic estimation in combination with regression modelling provide the best results over the methods considered. Sampling error effects are also simulated. The results form the basis for determining coverage evaluation survey small area estimates of the 1900 decennial census."