S-1 maintenance therapy in Caucasian patients with metastatic esophagogastric adenocarcinoma-final results of the randomized AIO MATEO phase II trial

PURPOSE

Platinum-fluoropyrimidine combinations are standard of care for treatment of metastatic esophagogastric adenocarcinoma. The optimal duration of first-line chemotherapy is unknown, however, and maintenance strategies have not yet been established.

DESIGN

MATEO is an international randomized phase II trial exploring efficacy and safety of S-1 maintenance therapy in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced esophagogastric adenocarcinoma. After 3 months of first-line platinum-fluoropyrimidine-based induction therapy, patients without progression were randomized in a 2 : 1 allocation to receive S-1 monotherapy (arm A) or to continue combination chemotherapy (arm B). The primary objective was to show non-inferiority of overall survival in the S-1 maintenance group. Progression-free survival, adverse events, and quality of life were secondary endpoints.

RESULTS

From 2014 to 2019, 110 and 55 patients were randomized in arm A and arm B, respectively (recruitment closed prematurely). Median overall survival from randomization was 13.4 months for arm A and 11.4 months for arm B [hazard ratio 0.97 (80% confidence interval 0.76-1.23), P = 0.86]. Median progression-free survival from randomization was 4.3 and 6.1 months for arm A versus arm B, respectively [hazard ratio 1.10 (80% confidence interval 0.86-1.39), P = 0.62]. Patients in arm A had numerically fewer treatment-related adverse events (84.9% versus 93.9%) and significantly less peripheral sensory polyneuropathy ≥grade 2 (9.4% versus 36.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

S-1 maintenance following platinum-based induction therapy leads to non-inferior survival outcomes compared with the continuation of platinum-based combination. Toxicity patterns favor a fluoropyrimidine maintenance strategy. These data challenge the continued use of platinum combination chemotherapy after response to 3 months induction therapy in patients with advanced human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative esophagogastric adenocarcinoma.

Study protocol of the FIRE-8 (AIO-KRK/YMO-0519) trial: a prospective, randomized, open-label, multicenter phase II trial investigating the efficacy of trifluridine/tipiracil plus panitumumab versus trifluridine/tipiracil plus bevacizumab as first-line treatment in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer

Background

Initial systemic therapy for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) is usually based on two- or three-drug chemotherapy regimens with fluoropyrimidine (5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or capecitabine), oxaliplatin and/or irinotecan, combined with either anti-VEGF (bevacizumab) or, for RAS wild-type (WT) tumors, anti-EGFR antibodies (panitumumab or cetuximab). Recommendations for patients who are not eligible for intensive combination therapies are limited and include fluoropyrimidine plus bevacizumab or single agent anti-EGFR antibody treatment. The use of a monochemotherapy concept of trifluridine/ tipiracil in combination with monoclonal antibodies is not approved for first-line therapy, yet. Results from the phase II TASCO trial evaluating trifluridine/ tipiracil plus bevacicumab in first-line treatment of mCRC patients and from the phase I/II APOLLON trial investigating trifluridine/ tipiracil plus panitumumab in pre-treated mCRC patients suggest favourable activity and tolerability of these new therapeutic approaches.

Methods

FIRE-8 (NCT05007132) is a prospective, randomized, open-label, multicenter phase II study which aims to evaluate the efficacy of first-line treatment with trifluridine/tipiracil (35 mg/m² body surface area (BSA), orally twice daily on days 1–5 and 8–12, q28 days) plus either the anti-EGFR antibody panitumumab (6 mg/kg body weight, intravenously on day 1 and 15, q28 days) [arm A] or (as control arm) the anti-VEGF antibody bevacizumab (5 mg/kg body weight, intravenously on day 1 and 15, q28 days) [arm B] in RAS WT mCRC patients. The primary objective is to demonstrate an improved objective response rate (ORR) according to RECIST 1.1 from 30% (control arm) to 55% with panitumumab. With a power of 80% and a two-sided significance level of 0.05, 138 evaluable patients are needed. Given an estimated drop-out rate of 10%, 153 patients will be enrolled.

Discussion

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first phase II trial to evaluate the efficacy of trifluridine/tipiracil plus panitumumab in first-line treatment of RAS WT mCRC patients. The administration of anti-EGFR antibodies rather than anti-VEGF antibodies in combination with trifluridine/tipiracil may result in an increased initial efficacy.

Trial registration

EU Clinical Trials Register (EudraCT) 2019-004223-20. Registered October 22, 2019, ClinicalTrials.govNCT05007132. Registered on August 12, 2021.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-09892-8.

Changes in the expression of cardiac genes responsive to thyroid hormones in the chickens with cold-induced pulmonary hypertension

Cold stress is an environmental cause of pulmonary hypertension syndrome (PHS) in broiler chickens. This factor could increase the rate of metabolic activity via thyroid hormones (T3 and T4). To evaluate the effect of these hormones on the heart, the plasma concentration of T3, T4, and the gene expression of their receptors (THRα and THRβ) and many contractile proteins (ACTC1, MHCα, MHCβ, RYR2, SERCA2, THRα, THRβ, and troponin I) were measured in the right ventricle in 2 periods of age (21 and 35 d). Plasma T3 concentration was significantly higher in the PHS group of chickens than in the control one at 21 and 35 d while plasma T4 did not change. The relative expression of MHCα, RYR2, SERCA2, and THRα genes in the right ventricle tissues was only higher in PHS group of broilers than control group at 21 d (P < 0.05) whereas the expression of ACTC1, MHCβ, and troponin I did not differ at 2 periods of age. The positive correlations between MHCα, RYR2, SERCA2, and T3, THRα were confirmed. The expression of THRβ gene was only higher in PHS group of broilers than control at 35 d (P < 0.05). The data determined that cold stress could increase thyroid hormones and the gene expression of their receptor (THRα) in the pick of chicken growth (21 d) that they themselves elevates the expression of many genes related to contractile elements (MHCα, RYR2, and SERCA2), leading to adaptive right ventricle hypertrophy.

Herbal hydrogel-based encapsulated Enterococcus faecium ABRIINW.N7 improves the resistance of red hybrid tilapia against Streptococcus iniae

AIMS

The streptococcal disease has been associated with serious mortality and significant global economic loss in the tilapia farming industry. The overall goal of this work was to test herbal hydrogels based on encapsulated Enterococcus faecium ABRIINW.N7 for potential probiotic anti-microbial activity against Streptococcus iniae in red hybrid tilapia.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Abnormal behaviour, clinical signs, postinjection survival and histopathology (kidney, liver, eye and brain) were measured. Cumulative mortality of CON⁺ , free cells, ALG and treatments (F1-F7) was 30, 24, 22, 19, 17, 17, 16, 14, 14 and 12 out of 30 fish and the survival rates for E. faecium ABRIINW.N7 microencapsulated in an alginate-BS blend with 0·5, 1, 1·5, 2, 2·5 and 3% fenugreek were 43, 43, 47, 53, 53 and 60%, respectively. After the incorporation of fenugreek with the alginate-BS blend, there was an 8-21% increase in probiotic cell viability. Furthermore, the survival rate for the alginate-BS blend with 2·5 and 3% fenugreek (F6 and F7) was significantly (P ≤ 0·05) higher than other blends. The highest encapsulation efficiency, viability in gastrointestinal conditions and during storage time and excellent antipathogenicity against S. iniae were observed in alginate-BS +3% fenugreek formulation (F7).

CONCLUSIONS

It is recommended that probiotic strains like E. faecium ABRIINW.N7 in combination with local herbal gums, such as BS and fenugreek plus alginate, can be used as a suitable scaffold and an ideal matrix for the encapsulation of probiotics.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study proposes models connecting process parameters, matrix structure and functionality.

Relation of cetuximab-induced skin toxicity and early tumor shrinkage in metastatic colorectal cancer patients: results of the randomized phase 3 trial FIRE-3 (AIO KRK0306)

BACKGROUND

Cetuximab-induced skin toxicity (Cet-ST) is positively associated with outcome in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Besides its predictive relevance for targeted therapy, we investigated its prognostic impact with early tumor shrinkage (ETS) ≥20%, another on-treatment surrogate for clinical outcome in FIRE-3.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

FIRE-3 evaluated first-line FOLFIRI (folinic acid, fluorouracil and irinotecan) plus cetuximab (FOLFIRI/Cet) versus FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab (FOLFIRI/Bev) in mCRC patients with RAS-WT tumors (i.e. wild-type in KRAS and NRAS exons 2-4). Retrospective data on Cet-ST that occurred during cycles 1-3 of treatment were correlated with efficacy endpoints, including ETS. To control for guarantee-time bias, only patients who had completed three or more treatment cycles were considered.

RESULTS

Of 199 patients treated with FOLFIRI/Cet, 181 (91.0%) completed three or more treatment cycles. A significant survival benefit of FOLFIRI/Cet over FOLFIRI/Bev was only evident in patients developing Cet-ST grade 2-3 [41.0 versus 26.6 months; hazard ratio (HR) = 0.73; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.61-0.87; P < 0.001] compared with Cet-ST grade 0-1 (HR = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.67-1.20; P = 0.48). Regarding prognosis, Cet-ST grade 2-3 (n = 75; 41.4%), compared with Cet-ST grade 0-1 (n = 106; 58.6%), was associated with prolonged overall survival (OS; HR = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.42-0.91; P = 0.01). In multivariate analysis, both Cet-ST (HR = 0.66; 95% CI: 0.50-0.87; P = 0.003) and ETS (HR = 0.55; 95% CI: 0.41-0.74; P < 0.0001) were independently prognostic for OS. Absence of both Cet-ST grade ≥2 and ETS identified a subgroup of patients with very poor prognosis (median OS 15.1 months).

CONCLUSIONS

In FIRE-3, the addition of cetuximab to FOLFIRI was associated with superior OS compared with FOLFIRI/Bev only in patients developing Cet-ST grade ≥2. Regarding prognostic relevance, both Cet-ST and ETS were independent and early predictors of survival. The present analysis supports that a combined evaluation of on-treatment parameters such as Cet-ST and ETS may help to guide treatment of mCRC.

Prognostic Role of Survivin and Macrophage Infiltration Quantified on Protein and mRNA Level in Molecular Subtypes Determined by RT-qPCR of KRT5, KRT20, and ERBB2 in Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer Treated by Adjuvant Chemotherapy

OBJECTIVES

Bladder cancer is a heterogeneous malignancy. Therefore, it is difficult to find single predictive markers. Moreover, most studies focus on either the immunohistochemical or molecular assessment of tumor tissues by next-generation sequencing (NGS) or PCR, while a combination of immunohistochemistry (IHC) and PCR for tumor marker assessment might have the strongest impact to predict outcome and select optimal therapies in real-world application. We investigated the role of proliferation survivin/BIRC5 and macrophage infiltration (CD68, MAC387, CLEVER-1) on the basis of molecular subtypes of bladder cancer (KRT5, KRT20, ERBB2) to predict outcomes of adjuvant treated muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients with regard to progression-free survival (PFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used tissue microarrays (TMA) from n = 50 patients (38 males, 12 female) with muscle-invasive bladder cancer. All patients had been treated with radical cystectomy followed by adjuvant triple chemotherapy. Median follow-up time was 60.5 months. CD68, CLEVER-1, MAC387, and survivin protein were detected by immunostaining and subsequent visual inspection. BIRC5, KRT5, KRT20, ERBB2, and CD68 mRNAs were detected by standardized RT-qPCR after tissue dot RNA extraction using a novel stamp technology. All these markers were evaluated in three different centers of excellence.

RESULTS

Nuclear staining rather than cytoplasmic staining of survivin predicted DSS as a single marker with high levels of survivin being associated with better PFS and DSS upon adjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.0138 and p = 0.001, respectively). These results were validated by the quantitation of BIRC5 mRNA by PCR (p = 0.0004 and p = 0.0508, respectively). Interestingly, nuclear staining of survivin protein was positively associated with BIRC5 mRNA, while cytoplasmic staining was inversely related, indicating that the translocation of survivin protein into the nucleus occurred at a discrete, higher level of its mRNA. Combining survivin/BIRC5 levels based on molecular subtype being assessed by KRT20 expression improved the predictive value, with tumors having low survivin/BIRC5 and KRT20 mRNA levels having the best survival (75% vs. 20% vs. 10% 5-year DSS, p = 0.0005), and these values were independent of grading, node status, and tumor stage in multivariate analysis (p = 0.0167). Macrophage infiltration dominated in basal tumors and was inversely related with the luminal subtype marker gene expression. The presence of macrophages in survivin-positive or ERBB2-positive tumors was associated with worse DSS.

CONCLUSIONS

For muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients, the proliferative activity as determined by the nuclear staining of survivin or RT-qPCR on the basis of molecular subtype characteristics outperforms single marker detections and single technology approaches. Infiltration by macrophages detected by IHC or PCR is associated with worse outcome in defined subsets of tumors. The limitations of this study are the retrospective nature and the limited number of patients. However, the number of molecular markers has been restricted and based on predefined assumptions, which resulted in the dissection of muscle-invasive disease into tumor-biological axes of high prognostic relevance, which warrant further investigation and validation.

Consensus molecular subgroups (CMS) of colorectal cancer (CRC) and first-line efficacy of FOLFIRI plus cetuximab or bevacizumab in the FIRE3 (AIO KRK-0306) trial

BACKGROUND

FIRE-3 compared first-line therapy with FOLFIRI plus either cetuximab or bevacizumab in 592 KRAS exon 2 wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients. The consensus molecular subgroups (CMS) are grouping CRC samples according to their gene-signature in four different subtypes. Relevance of CMS for the treatment of mCRC has yet to be defined.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this exploratory analysis, patients were grouped according to the previously published tumor CRC-CMSs. Objective response rates (ORR) were compared using chi-square test. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) times were compared using Kaplan-Meier estimation, log-rank tests. Hazard ratios (HR) were estimated according to the Cox proportional hazard method.

RESULTS

CMS classification could be determined in 438 out of 514 specimens available from the intent-to-treat (ITT) population (n = 592). Frequencies for the remaining 438 samples were as follows: CMS1 (14%), CMS2 (37%), CMS3 (15%), CMS4 (34%). For the 315 RAS wild-type tumors, frequencies were as follows: CMS1 (12%), CMS2 (41%), CMS3 (11%), CMS4 (34%). CMS distribution in right- versus (vs) left-sided primary tumors was as follows: CMS1 (27% versus 11%), CMS2 (28% versus 45%), CMS3 (10% versus 12%), CMS4 (35% versus 32%). Independent of the treatment, CMS was a strong prognostic factor for ORR (P = 0.051), PFS (P < 0.001), and OS (P < 0.001). Within the RAS wild-type population, OS observed in CMS4 significantly favored FOLFIRI cetuximab over FOLFIRI bevacizumab. In CMS3, OS showed a trend in favor of the cetuximab arm, while OS was comparable in CMS1 and CMS2, independent of targeted therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

CMS classification is prognostic for mCRC. Prolonged OS induced by FOLFIRI plus cetuximab versus FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab in the FIRE-3 study appears to be driven by CMS3 and CMS4. CMS classification provides deeper insights into the biology to CRC, but at present time has no direct impact on clinical decision-making.The FIRE-3 (AIO KRK-0306) study had been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00433927.

Mathematical Analysis of a Modified Closed-Form Formula for Design a Uniform Leaky-Wave Antenna With Ultra-Low SLL

Straight long slots have high side-lobes in the far-field amplitude patterns, which reduces their use as high-performance antennas. To reduce these side-lobes, a long slot may be tapered to produce the desired radiation patterns. The theory of control of the aperture distribution to reduce side-lobes has been already reported in some works and well known for already some decades. It is, however, shown in this paper that it may not be good enough to achieve ultra-low side lobes. The theory to analyze and design tapered leaky-wave antennas is described in this paper. Since it is very challenging to achieve a mathematical equation in this regard, some parameters will be calculated using simulation in the first step and the shape of the antenna field is obtained based on these parameters. In the next step, a differential equation is derived for the first step parameters. The solution of this differential equation which is the main motivation of this paper will be expressed in three ways where each part is more accurate than the previous one. According to the measurement results, the structure has a side-lobe level more than −45 dB.

A New Potential Contrast Agent for Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Iron Oxide-4A Nanocomposite

BACKGROUND

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents have an important role to differentiate healthy and diseased tissues. Access and design new contrast agents for the optimal use of MRI are necessary. This study aims to evaluate iron oxide-4A nanocomposite ability to act as a magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Iron oxide-4A nanocomposite (F4A) was synthesized. MTT assay was used to consider the nanocomposite safety for cell culture. The T1 and T2 relaxation times were measured using a 1.5 Tesla clinical MRI scanner. Then the corresponding relaxivities were determined.

RESULTS

The average particle diameter of the nanocomposite was 50 to 100 nm based on scanning electron microscope (SEM) image. A linear relationship between relaxation rates and the Fe concentration of the nanocomposite was obtained. The T1 and T2 relaxivities of the nanocomposite were calculated 5.413 and 1092.1 mM-1.s-1, respectively which led to the T2/T1 relaxivity ratio of 201.75.

CONCLUSION

The high T2/T1 relaxivity ratio of the iron oxide-4A nanocomposite confirms it's potential to act as a T2 contrast agent.

Relevance of baseline carcinoembryonic antigen for first-line treatment against metastatic colorectal cancer with FOLFIRI plus cetuximab or bevacizumab (FIRE-3 trial)

PURPOSE

Increased baseline carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) serum level is associated with inferior overall survival (OS) in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). However, limited data exist on its predictive relevance for targeted therapies. Therefore, we analysed its relevance in FIRE-3, a randomised phase III study.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

FIRE-3 evaluated first-line FOLFIRI plus cetuximab (FOLFIRI/Cet) versus FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab (FOLFIRI/Bev) in mCRC patients with RAS-WT tumour (i.e. wild-type in KRAS and NRAS exons 2-4). Herein, the impact of CEA on patient outcome was investigated.

RESULTS

Of 400 patients, 356 (89.0%) were evaluable for CEA. High CEA (>10 ng/ml; N = 237) compared to low CEA (≤10 ng/ml; N = 119) was associated with shorter OS in the FOLFIRI/Bev arm (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.50; P = 0.036), while no significant OS difference was observed in the FOLFIRI/Cet arm (HR = 1.07; P = 0.74). In patients with high CEA, FOLFIRI/Cet compared to FOLFIRI/Bev showed a greater OS benefit (HR = 0.56; P < 0.001) than in patients with low CEA (HR = 0.78; P = 0.30). Furthermore, FOLFIRI/Cet exhibited significantly superior objective response rate in patients with high CEA (odds ratio = 2.21; P = 0.006) in contrast to patients with low CEA (odds ratio = 0.90; P = 0.85).

CONCLUSION

In patients with RAS-WT mCRC receiving first-line chemotherapy with FOLFIRI/Cet versus FOLFIRI/Bev, elevated CEA was associated with inferior survival in the bevacizumab arm, while this was not the case when cetuximab was applied. Comparison of OS and objective response rate according to treatment arms indicated that cetuximab was greatly superior to bevacizumab in patients with elevated CEA, while this effect was markedly lower and lost statistical significance in patients with low CEA.

The quantum-confined Stark effect in layered hybrid perovskites mediated by orientational polarizability of confined dipoles

The quantum-confined Stark effect (QCSE) is an established optical modulation mechanism, yet top-performing modulators harnessing it rely on costly fabrication processes. Here, we present large modulation amplitudes for solution-processed layered hybrid perovskites and a modulation mechanism related to the orientational polarizability of dipolar cations confined within these self-assembled quantum wells. We report an anomalous (blue-shifting) QCSE for layers that contain methylammonium cations, in contrast with cesium-containing layers that show normal (red-shifting) behavior. We attribute the blue-shifts to an extraordinary diminution in the exciton binding energy that arises from an augmented separation of the electron and hole wavefunctions caused by the orientational response of the dipolar cations. The absorption coefficient changes, realized by either the red- or blue-shifts, are the strongest among solution-processed materials at room temperature and are comparable to those exhibited in the highest-performing epitaxial compound semiconductor heterostructures.

Interaction between the sequence of feeding of hay and concentrate, and boiling of barley on feed intake, the activity of hydrolytic enzymes and fermentation in the hindgut of Arabian mares

The interaction between the sequence of feeding of hay and concentrate and the hydrothermal processing of barley in alleviating concentrate effects on intake, and hindgut fermentation in horses was tested. Six Arabian mares (4-10 years of age, 410 ± 35 kg body weight) were used to evaluate the effects of feeding sequence (FS) and type of barley (TB) on intake, and faecal volatile fatty acids (VFA), activities of α-amylase (AA: EC 3.2.1.1), carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase: EC 3.2.1.4), microcrystalline cellulase (MCCase: EC 3.2.1.91) and general filter paper degrading activity (FPD). Mares were offered a ration of air-dried alfalfa and concentrate (70:30 as-fed) in four subsequent periods of 14 days including 8 days of adaptation and 6 days of sampling. In each period and each meal, mares received concentrate either 30 min after (HC) or 30 min before (CH) alfalfa hay. Barley was either milled or boiled in water. Rectal samples were grabbed directly from rectum once per period. Mares subjected to CH had higher dry matter intakes than mares under HC regime. The acetate:propionate ratio (A:P ratio) in rectal content was higher with CH than HC. The AA activity was higher under CH than under HC. Mares fed boiled barley had lower rectal concentrations of VFA and propionate and a higher A:P ratio than mares fed milled barley. Furthermore, the rectal content showed a higher MCCase activity but a lower AA activity when mares were fed boiled compared with milled barley. Interactions between FS and TB were observed with respect to CMCase activity, and concentrations of propionate and valerate. In conclusion, the present results suggest that both, feeding concentrate before hay and boiling the barley, might improve the hindgut environment in Arabian mares, and that the two measures were mostly additive and sometimes even synergistic.

Effects of partially replacing barley with sugar beet pulp, with and without roasted canola seeds, on performance, rumen histology and fermentation patterns in finishing Arabian lambs

This study investigated the effects of partially replacing barley grains with sugar beet pulp (SBP), with and without roasted canola seed (RCS) on ruminal pH, ruminal volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations, ruminal histomorphometric characteristics, and performance in finishing lambs fed a high concentrate diet. Twenty-four Arabian male lambs (23.7 ± 2.5 kg bodyweight, 118 ± 10 days in age) were used for 99 days in a completely randomised design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Lambs were fed with a high concentrate diet containing (1) 68% barley (B) (2) barley plus 7% RCS (B + RCS) (3) 36% SBP, (4) SBP plus 7% RCS (SBP + RCS). Ruminal fluid pH and VFA concentrations were determined at 0, 2, 4 and 8 h post-feeding 1 day before slaughter day. Tissue samples were collected for histomorphometric study at slaughter day. Average daily gain of the lambs was not affected by partial replacement of barley with SBP, however it was improved by RCS inclusion (P < 0.05). Diets with RCS had significantly lower (P < 0.05) neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre digestibility values than diets without RCS (P < 0.05). Both SBP and RCS increased ruminal pH, molar proportions of acetate, isobutyrate but decreased molar proportion of propionate in rumen content (P < 0.05). The height, width, epithelial thickness and tunica muscularis of rumen papilla and reticulum folds were increased by SBP (P < 0.05). Density of reticulum folds were higher in lambs fed by higher SBP (P < 0.05). Inclusion of RCS significantly increased papillae height and thickness of epithelium (P < 0.05). In conclusion, partially replacing barley with SBP as well as RCS inclusion prevented a drop in the ruminal pH, and improved the morphology of the rumen-reticulum in finishing lambs fed a high concentrate diet.

Detection of Ultraweak Photon Emission (UPE) from Cells as a Tool for Pathological Studies

OBJECTIVE

It is well-known that all living cells emit ultra-weak photon emission (UPE), which is due to byproducts of chemical reactions in cell metabolisms. It has been shown that Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in the cells enhances the UPE intensity. The magnitude of such UPE is extremely weak (i.e. a few to 10³ photons/ (sec.cm2²)), and the detection of such ultra-weak signals is hardly possible via sensitive instruments like photomultiplier tube (PMT) that can detect single photons.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

H₂O₂ factor with various concentrations was applied on the HT-29 cells to generate ROS. H₂O₂ concentrations were so low to be nondestructive to the cells. Then, the effect of ROS generation on UPE intensity was investigated. PMT was used to detect UPE from HT-29 cells.

RESULTS

The topical application of H₂O₂ was significantly different (P < 0.05) in comparison with HT-29 cells without H₂O₂ at a concentration of 1mM in 5 min detection time. The integrated UPE in the presence of H₂O₂ at concentration of 3mM was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the integrated UPE in other groups at the same detection time. The difference between the concentrations of 3mM and 4mM was not significant (P > 0.01) for integrated UPE in the cell groups in the presence of H₂O₂.

CONCLUSION

The results show that the recorded UPE from HT-29 cells increased with the topical application of exogenous ROS inducer. As a result, UPE can be used as a non-invasive technique for monitoring ROS in cells.

Evaluation of survival across several treatment lines in metastatic colorectal cancer: Analysis of the FIRE-3 trial (AIO KRK0306)

BACKGROUND

We explored the impacts of sequential application of various treatment lines on survival kinetics. Therefore, differences in overall survival (OS) observed in FIRE-3 were investigated in the context of time and exposure to applied treatment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

OS analyses (stratified by treatment with FOLFIRI plus either cetuximab or bevacizumab) were performed according to time intervals as well as using a Cox model to define changes of hazard ratio (HR) over time.

RESULTS

The fraction of patients with systemic treatment and time on treatment markedly decreases over treatment lines and time. OS evaluation by a Cox model indicated a trend towards a non-proportional hazard between treatment arms (P = 0.12/P = 0.09 for KRAS-intention-to-treat (ITT)/all-RAS wild-type populations, respectively). To improve the fit of the model, a change-point (point of curve separation) was estimated at 22.6 months (day 687) after randomisation. The HR between the two arms before 22.6 months was not significantly different from one. However, markedly different survival kinetics in favour of the cetuximab arm were apparent after the change-point (KRAS-ITT: P = 0.0018; HR, 0.60 [95% confidence interval [CI], 0.44-0.83] and RAS: P = 0.0006; HR, 0.51 [95% CI, 0.35-0.75]).

CONCLUSION

The differences in OS favouring the cetuximab arm become apparent about 22.6 months after randomisation, indicating that only those patients who survive 22.6 months after randomisation benefit from the superiority of the cetuximab arm. When OS curves separate, only few patients receive active systemic treatment in short courses, suggesting that earlier treatment effects are responsible for later kinetics of survival curves.

Impact of BRAF and RAS mutations on first-line efficacy of FOLFIRI plus cetuximab versus FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab: analysis of the FIRE-3 (AIO KRK-0306) study

BACKGROUND

RAS and BRAF mutations have been identified as negative prognostic factors in metastatic colorectal cancer. Efficacy of 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan (FOLFIRI) plus bevacizumab in patients with RAS-mutant tumours needs to be further evaluated. Whether to treat patients with BRAF-mutant tumours with either bevacizumab or anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibodies remains unclear.

METHODS

Patients treated within the FIRE-3 trial were retrospectively tested for BRAF and RAS mutations using formalin fixated paraffin embedded (FFPE) tumour material applying pyrosequencing for KRAS and NRAS exon 2, 3 and 4 mutations as far as for BRAF mutations. Survival analysis was done using Kaplan-Meier estimation and differences were expressed using the log-rank test. Overall response rate (ORR) was compared using Fisher's exact test. Data from a central independent radiological response evaluation were used to calculate early tumour shrinkage (ETS) and depth of response (DpR).

RESULTS

Overall, 188 patients with RAS-mutant tumours and 48 with BRAF-mutant tumours were identified. In BRAF-mutant patients, ORR was numerically higher in the cetuximab versus the bevacizumab arm (52% versus 40%), while comparable results were achieved for progression-free survival (PFS; hazard ratio [HR] = 0.84, p = 0.56) and overall survival (OS; HR 0.79, p = 0.45). RAS mutation was associated with a trend towards lower ORR (37% versus 50.5%, p = 0.11) and shorter PFS (7.4 versus 9.7 months; HR 1.25; p = 0.14) in patients receiving FOLFIRI plus cetuximab versus bevacizumab, but OS was comparable (19.1 versus 20.1 months; HR 1.05; p = 0.73), respectively. ETS identified subgroups sensitive to cetuximab-based treatment in both BRAF- (9/17) and RAS-mutant (18/48) patients and was associated with significantly longer OS. DpR was comparable between both treatment arms in RAS- and BRAF-mutant patients, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In BRAF- and RAS-mutant patients, cetuximab- and bevacizumab-based treatment had comparable survival times. ETS represents an early parameter associated with the benefit from anti-EGFR, while this was not the case with vascular endothelial growth factor A blockade.

Association between the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 mutations and the susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus; Contribution markers of inflammation and oxidative stress

The cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) also known as CD152 (cluster of differentiation 152) is a crucial negative regulator of the immune system. This protein receptor provides negative signals in order to suppress T-cell activation and immune attack against self-antigens, although its role is unclear.  The ability of CTLA-4 to limit T cell-mediated immune response has made it a major target in treatment of tumors and autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this study, we investigated whether CTLA-4 G-1661A and CTLA-4 T-1722C mutations are associated with SLE. So one hundred nine SLE patients and 101 gender and age-matched unrelated healthy controls were recruited for this case-control study. The promoter mutations were detected by PCR-RFLP, neopterin, malondialdehyde (MDA) and serum lipid concentration were determined by HPLC and enzyme assay, respectively.

RESULT

We found that both codominant (AA vs. GG) and recessive (AA vs. GA+GG) CTLA-4 G-1661A mutation significantly decreased the risk of SLE by 1.7 and 3.7 times, respectively.  Interestingly, SLE patients with AA genotypes of CTLA-4 G-1661A have lower neopterin and MDA concentration compared with GA+GG genotypes. The overall distribution of CTLA-4 T-1722C genotypes and alleles in SLE patients were similar to those in control group. In conclusion, our findings showed, that there is an association between systemic inflammatory markers, oxidative stress and the CTLA-4 G-1661A GG+AG genotypes, MDA and neopterin which are the most conventional risk factors for coronary heart disease, therefore these mutations may be consider as a risk factor for susceptibility to heart disease in SLE patients.

Pharmacogenetics of drug metabolizing enzyme: thiopurine methyl transferase phenotypes and multidrug resistance 1 gene polymorphism in inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease(IBD) is progressing rapidly in developing countries such as Iran. This research is intended to compile the frequency distribution of the drug metabolizing enzyme, thiopurine methyl transferase(TPMT) and the drug transporter, Multi drug resistance(MDR1) which are involved in metabolism of many therapeutics such as thiopurines in inflammatory bowel disease(IBD). Ethnicity is an important variable influencing drug response. The aims of this research were to investigate the association of TPMT phenotypes with MDR1 genotypes. TPMT activity was measured by using a non-extraction HPLC method and genotype for the C3435T polymorphism of MDR1 gene was determined in 215 unrelated IBD patients including of 85 males and 130 females and 212 unrelated healthy individuals consisted of 96 males and 116 females as control group by PCR-RFLP in Iran's western population. TPMT phenotypes demonstrated no frequency for deficient, 2.2% for low and 97.8% for normal activity that is different with results of other studies. Interestingly there were a significant negative correlation between TPMT activities as calculated based on nmol/grHb/h and positive correlation calculated in mU/L with Hb levels in IBD patients and control subjects. Dominant and codominant MDR1 C3435T gene polymorphism increased the risk of IBD by 1.45 and 1.46 times, respectively. IBD patients with MDR1 mutant genotypes C3435T, had lower TPMT activites and Hb concentrations. Using of mU/L is more appropriate than nmol6MTG/grHb/h for expressing TPMT activity. TPMT frequency of deficient and low activity in western Iran is low. The carriers of mutant C3435T MDR1 are not good TPMT methylators.

CEA response is associated with tumor response and survival in patients with KRAS exon 2 wild-type and extended RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer receiving first-line FOLFIRI plus cetuximab or bevacizumab (FIRE-3 trial)

BACKGROUND

To examine the relation of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) response with tumor response and survival in patients with (K)RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer receiving first-line chemotherapy in the FIRE-3 trial comparing FOLFIRI plus cetuximab versus FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

CEA response assessed as the percentage of CEA decrease from baseline to nadir was evaluated for its association with tumor response and survival. Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed an optimal cut-off value of 75% using the maximum of sensitivity and specificity for CEA response to discriminate CEA responders from non-responders. In addition, the time to CEA nadir was calculated.

RESULTS

Of 592 patients in the intent-to-treat population, 472 were eligible for analysis of CEA (cetuximab arm: 230 and bevacizumab arm: 242). Maximal relative CEA decrease (%) significantly (P = 0.003) differed between the cetuximab arm (median 83.0%; IQR 40.9%-94.7%) and the bevacizumab arm (median 72.3%; IQR 26.3%-91.0%). In a longitudinal analysis, the CEA decrease occurred faster in the cetuximab arm and was greater than in the bevacizumab arm at all evaluated time points until 56 weeks after treatment start. CEA nadir occurred after 3.3 months (cetuximab arm) and 3.5 months (bevacizumab arm), (P = 0.49). In the cetuximab arm, CEA responders showed a significantly longer progression-free survival [11.8 versus 7.4 months; hazard ratio (HR) 1.53; 95% Cl, 1.15-2.04; P = 0.004] and longer overall survival (36.6 versus 21.3 months; HR 1.73; 95% Cl, 1.24-2.43; P = 0.001) than CEA non-responders. Analysis of extended RAS wild-type patients revealed similar results.

CONCLUSION

In the FIRE-3 trial, CEA decrease was significantly faster and greater in the cetuximab arm than in the bevacizumab arm and correlated with the prolonged survival observed in patients receiving FOLFIRI plus cetuximab.

CLINICAL TRIALS NUMBER

NCT00433927 (ClinicalTrials.gov); AIO KRK0306 FIRE-3.

Risk Factors for Lung Cancer Mortality in a Referral Center

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is one of the most common causes of death that is rising in many countries including Iran. This study aimed to determine the impact of factors on survival of lung cancer patients at a referral center of lung diseases in Tehran, Iran.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted on adult lung cancer cases admitted to a referral center for lung diseases from 2011 to 2015. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine the risk factors for all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

Of a total 933 patients with lung cancer, 53.4% died, 49.3% of them at the hospital. Overall median follow-up time was 7 months. The most common histological type of cancer was adenocarcinoma with a 13 month median survival time. Age ≥55 and smoking remained significant for all-cause mortality on Cox analysis, whereas gender was not.

CONCLUSIONS

The survival of lung cancer patients is poor and the patients with history of smoking and age ≥55 are at increased risk of death. Having a large hospital-based registry provides a good measurement of prognostic statistics for lung cancer. Further investigations are necessary to establish reasons for mortality.

Main applications of hybrid PET-MRI contrast agents: a review

In medical imaging, the continuous quest to improve diagnostic performance and optimize treatment strategies has led to the use of combined imaging modalities. Positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) is a hybrid imaging existing already for many years. The high spatial and contrast resolution of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the high sensitivity and molecular information from PET imaging are leading to the development of this new hybrid imaging along with hybrid contrast agents. To create a hybrid contrast agent for PET-MRI device, a PET radiotracer needs to be combined with an MRI contrast agent. The most common approach is to add a radioactive isotope to the surface of a small superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) particle. The resulting agents offer a wide range of applications, such as pH variation monitoring, non-invasive angiography and early imaging diagnosis of atherosclerosis. Oncology is the most promising field with the detection of sentinel lymph nodes and the targeting of tumor neoangiogenesis. Oncology and cardiovascular imaging are thus major areas of development for hybrid PET-MRI imaging systems and hybrid contrast agents. The aim is to combine high spatial resolution, high sensitivity, morphological and functional information. Future prospects include the use of specific antibodies and hybrid multimodal PET-MRI-ultrasound-fluorescence imaging with the potential to provide overall pre-, intra- and postoperative patient care.

Azacitidine in combination with intensive induction chemotherapy in older patients with acute myeloid leukemia: The AML-AZA trial of the Study Alliance Leukemia

DNA methylation changes are a constant feature of acute myeloid leukemia. Hypomethylating drugs such as azacitidine are active in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) as monotherapy. Azacitidine monotherapy is not curative. The AML-AZA trial tested the hypothesis that DNA methyltransferase inhibitors such as azacitidine can improve chemotherapy outcome in AML. This randomized, controlled trial compared the efficacy of azacitidine applied before each cycle of intensive chemotherapy with chemotherapy alone in older patients with untreated AML. Event-free survival (EFS) was the primary end point. In total, 214 patients with a median age of 70 years were randomized to azacitidine/chemotherapy (arm-A) or chemotherapy (arm-B). More arm-A patients (39/105; 37%) than arm-B (25/109; 23%) showed adverse cytogenetics (P=0.057). Adverse events were more frequent in arm-A (15.44) versus 13.52 in arm-B, (P=0.26), but early death rates did not differ significantly (30-day mortality: 6% versus 5%, P=0.76). Median EFS was 6 months in both arms (P=0.96). Median overall survival was 15 months for patients in arm-A compared with 21 months in arm-B (P=0.35). Azacitidine added to standard chemotherapy increases toxicity in older patients with AML, but provides no additional benefit for unselected patients.

Differential metabolic and endocrine adaptations in llamas, sheep, and goats fed high- and low-protein grass-based diets

This study aimed to elucidate whether distinct endocrine and metabolic adaptations provide llamas superior ability to adapt to low protein content grass-based diets as compared with the true ruminants. Eighteen adult, nonpregnant females (6 llamas, 6 goats, and 6 sheep) were fed either green grass hay with (HP) or grass seed straw (LP) in a cross-over design experiment over 2 periods of 21 d. Blood samples were taken on day 21 in each period at -30, 60, 150, and 240 min after feeding the morning meal and analyzed for plasma contents of glucose, triglyceride, nonesterified fatty acids, β-hydroxy butyrate (BOHB), urea, creatinine, insulin, and leptin. Results showed that llamas vs sheep and goats had higher plasma concentrations of glucose (7.1 vs 3.5 and 3.6 ± 0.18 mmol/L), creatinine (209 vs 110 and 103 ± 10 μmol/L), and urea (6.7 vs 5.6 and 4.9 ± 0.5 mmol/L) but lower leptin (0.33 vs 1.49 and 1.05 ± 0.1 ng/mL) and BOHB (0.05 vs 0.26 and 0.12 ± 0.02 mmol/L), respectively. BOHB in llamas was extremely low for a ruminating animal. Llamas showed that hyperglycemia coexisted with hyperinsulinemia (in general on the HP diet; postprandially on the LP diet). Llamas were clearly hypercreatinemic compared with the true ruminants, which became further exacerbated on the LP diet, where they also sustained plasma urea at markedly higher concentrations. However, llamas had markedly lower leptin concentrations than the true ruminants. In conclusion, llamas appear to have an intrinsic insulin resistant phenotype. Augmentation of creatinine and sustenance of elevated plasma urea concentrations in llamas when fed the LP diet must reflect distinct metabolic adaptations of intermediary protein and/or nitrogen metabolism, not observed in the true ruminants. These features can contribute to explain lower metabolic rates in llamas compared with the true ruminants, which must improve the chances of survival on low protein content diets.

Matrix metalloproteinase 9 polymorphisms and systemic lupus erythematosus: correlation with systemic inflammatory markers and oxidative stress

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that involves multiple organs and is characterized by persistent systemic inflammation. Among the effects of inflammatory mediators, the induction of matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9 (MMP-2 and MMP-9) and oxidative stress has been demonstrated to be important in the development of SLE. In this study, the possible association between MMP-9 and MMP-2 functional promoter polymorphism, stress, and inflammatory markers with development of severe cardiovascular disease (CVD), high blood pressure (HBP), and lupus nephropathy (LN) in SLE patients was investigated. The present case-control study consisted of 109 SLE patients with and without CVD, HBP and LN and 101 gender- and age-matched unrelated healthy controls from a population in western Iran. MMP-2 –G1575A and MMP-9 –C1562T polymorphisms were detected by PCR-RFLP, serum MMP-2 and MMP-9, neopterin, malondialdehyde (MDA) and lipid levels were determined by ELISA, HPLC and enzyme assay, respectively. We found that MMP-9 –C1562 T and MMP-2 –G1575A alleles act synergistically to increase the risk of SLE by 2.98 times ( p = 0.015). Findings of this study also demonstrated that there is a significant increase in the serum levels of MMP-2, neopterin and MDA and a significant decrease in serum level of MMP-9 in the presence of MMP-9-C1562 T and MMP-2 –G1575A alleles in SLE patients compared to controls. Further, SLE patients with MMP-9 (C/T + T/T) genotype had significantly higher serum concentrations of MMP-2, neopterin, MDA and LDL-C, but lower serum MMP-9 and HDL-C levels than corresponding members of the control group. MMP-9 (C/T + T/T) genotype increased risk of hypertension in SLE patients 2.71-fold. This study for the first time not only suggests that MMP-9 –C1562 T and MMP-2 –G1575A alleles synergistically increase the risk of SLE but also high serum levels of MDA, neopterin, and circulatory levels of MMP-2 and lower MMP-9 in SLE patients. This information may be important in the evaluation of SLE progression and in the elucidation of the mechanisms of the disease pathogenesis.

Synergistic effects of BuChE non-UU phenotype and paraoxonase (PON1) 55 M allele on the risk of systemic lupus erythematosus: influence on lipid and lipoprotein metabolism and oxidative stress, preliminary report

There is some evidence indicating lipid peroxidation can affect progression of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and glomerulonephritis in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. Human butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) and paraoxonase-1 (PON1) are two major bioscavenger enzymes that are associated with inflammation, oxidative stress and lipid metabolism. Hyperlipidemia, increase in lipid oxidation reactions and defects in antioxidant status may lead to increased oxidative stress and high frequency of CVDs in SLE. It has also been suggested that deficiency in the function of the antioxidant system and an increase in reactive oxygen release (ROS) may play an important role in the pathogenesis of SLE. This study is the first investigation to examine the association of BuChE phenotypes, PON1 (L55M; PON-55-M) polymorphism, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), neopterin, lipid-lipoprotein and activities of BuChE and arylesterase activity (ARE) of PON with severity of SLE.

The present case-control study consisted of 109 SLE patients and 101 gender- and age-matched, unrelated healthy control subjects from the population of west Iran. We found that the PON-55-M allele and BuChE non-UU act synergistically to increase the risk of SLE by 2.5 times (1.03–6.7, p = 0.044). There was a significant negative correlation between severity of SLE with serum BuChE activity ( R = −0.31, p < 0.001) and positive correlation with serum neopterin level. The SLE patients with the PON-55-M (M/L + M/M) allele or with BuChE non-UU phenotype had significantly lower serum ARE and BuChE activities than those with PON-55-L/L or BuChE-UU phenotypes, respectively. In addition, their serum levels of MDA, neopterin and LDL-C were significantly elevated, suggesting that these individuals are more susceptible to CVD. However, further studies are needed to shed more light on the contribution of the M allele of PON1 and non-UU phenotypes of BuChE in the development of SLE in different ethnicities.

Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) 55 polymorphism, lipid profiles and psoriasis

BACKGROUND

Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) is a serum high-density lipoprotein-bound enzyme with antioxidant function. It hydrolyses lipid peroxides, protecting low-density lipoproteins from oxidative modifications. Patients with psoriasis are at greater risk of oxidative stress, which is associated with abnormal plasma lipid metabolism.

OBJECTIVES

In this study, association of the PON1 55 M allele with serum arylesterase (ARE) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA), lipid profiles and psoriasis was investigated.

METHODS

The present case-control study consisted of 100 patients with psoriasis with and without cardiovascular diseases (mean age 35·3 years) and 100 sex- and age-matched unrelated healthy controls (mean age 35·7 years) from the population of western Iran. The PON1 55 Met>Leu polymorphism was detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Serum ARE activity, MDA, and lipid and apolipoprotein levels were determined spectrophotometrically, by high-performance liquid chromatography and by enzyme assay, respectively.

RESULTS

The presence of the PON1 55 M allele was found to be associated with psoriasis (odds ratio = 1·96, P = 0·017). The patients with psoriasis with the PON1 M (M/L + M/M) allele had higher MDA levels (4·12 ± 0·88 vs. 2·24 ± 0·55 μmol L(-1) , P < 0·001), apolipoprotein B (APOB)/APOA1 ratio (0·91 ± 0·66 vs. 0·66 ± 0·35, P = 0·004), APOB (111 ± 38·7 vs. 88·3 ± 22·5 mg mL(-1) , P = 0·001) and lipoprotein(a) [LP(a)] (21·9 ± 18·4 vs. 15·8 ± 16·6 mg mL(-1) , P = 0·034), but lower ARE activity (39·6 ± 11 vs. 45·9 ± 11·8 U mL(-1) , P = 0·031) than the control subjects. ARE activity showed a significant positive correlation with APOA1 and a negative correlation with MDA concentration in patients with psoriasis.

CONCLUSIONS

The PON1 55 M allele is a risk factor for psoriasis. Carriers of this allele have high levels of MDA, APOB and LP(a), a high APOB/APOA1 ratio and low ARE activity. These results indicate that oxidative stress, impairment of the antioxidant system and abnormal lipid metabolism may play a role in the pathogenesis and progression of psoriasis and its related complications. These data suggest that patients with psoriasis are more susceptible to vascular diseases.

Feed Variance Limitations for Co-rotating Intermeshing Twin Screw Extruders

The extent of feeder error to survive a plasticating compounding extruder is addressed in this theoretical and experimental study. Results of unit step and cyclic variation of tracer concentration were used to define the transfer function and damping ratio respectively. The frequency dependent damping ratio of cyclically varying tracer content in the feedstream was predicted for three screw configurations with fair agreement to experiment.

Computer Simulation of Melt Viscoelasticity Functions for Binary Polyblends

Composition dependence of the polyblends' properties is usually associated with a synergism (the positive deviation from additivity). Using the bicubic spline interpolation technique and the melt viscoelasticity data the effects of shear stress on the location and intensity of the synergism is demonstrated for a set of binary mixtures of commercial polyolefins. Principal patterns of the “transient” and the “set-in” synergisms are identified.

Study on the Effects of Temperature and Compatibilizer on the Interfacial Tension of PP/PA6 and PP/PET Pairs

The interfacial tension (IFT) of Polypropylene/Polyamide6 (PP/PA6) and Polypropylene/Polyethylene terephthalate (PP/PET) pairs was evaluated as a function of temperature and Glycidyl Methacrylate grafted PP (PP-g-GMA) content, using the pendant drop method (PDM). PP-g-GMA was used as the compatibilizer in both systems. It was observed that IFT values of both systems showed a linear decrease with increasing temperature. Also, presence of a small amount of PP-g-GMA compatibilizer in the PP phase reduced the IFT of polymeric pairs dramatically, while adding more compatibilizer had no influence on IFT, due to the saturation of the interface. The saturation concentrations of GMA in the PP phase were obtained for 0.05 wt.% and 0.025 wt.% in PP/PA6 and PP/PET systems, respectively. The IFT values of compatibilized systems were reduced by 68% for PP/PA6 and 57% for PP/PET pairs compared to non-compatibilized ones.