Prevalence study of Prader-Willi syndrome in North Dakota

A prevalence study of Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) has been conducted in North Dakota. All pediatricians, neurologists, child psychiatrists, psychologists, and clinical geneticists were surveyed. The state's comprehensive evaluation center, the state hospital, the state institution for the mentally retarded, and group homes for the developmentally disabled, including one for persons with PWS, were also contacted. Seventeen patients were identified, 8 males, 8 females, and one patient whose sex was not specified. This suggests a prevalence rate of 1 per 16,062 in North Dakota.

Five cardiac hormones decrease the number of human small-cell lung cancer cells

BACKGROUND

Four peptide hormones of a family of six hormones, i.e. atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), C-natriuretic peptide (CNP), long acting natriuretic peptide (LANP), vessel dilator and kaliuretic peptide, significantly decrease the number of adenocarcinoma cells in culture. The present investigation was designed to determine whether these peptide hormones' effects are specific to adenocarcinomas or whether they might decrease the number of cancer cells of a different type of cancer, i.e. small-cell lung cancer.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

These six hormones were evaluated for their ability to decrease the number and/or proliferation of human small-cell lung cancer cells in culture for 24, 48, 72, and 96 h.

RESULTS

Within 24 h, vessel dilator, LANP, kaliuretic peptide, ANP and their intracellular mediator cyclic GMP, each at 1 microM, decreased the number of small-cell lung cancer cells by 63% (P < 0.001), 21% (P < 0.05), 30% (P < 0.05), 39% (P < 0.05), and 31% (P < 0.05), respectively. There was no proliferation in the 3 days following this decrease in cell number. These same hormones decreased DNA synthesis 68% to 82% (P < 0.001). Brain natriuretic peptide and CNP did not decrease the number of small-cell lung cancer cells or inhibit their DNA synthesis at 1 microM or 10 microM concentrations. Dose-response curves revealed that at 100 microM, the vessel dilator decreased 92% of the cancer cells in 24 h while BNP had no effect, but CNP caused a 39% decrease. Western blots revealed that the natriuretic peptide receptors A- and C- were present in these cancer cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Five peptide hormones significantly decrease the number of human small-cell lung cancer cells within 24 h and inhibit their proliferation for at least 96 h. Their mechanism of doing so involves inhibition of DNA synthesis mediated in part by cyclic GMP.

Four peptides decrease the number of human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells

BACKGROUND

Long-acting natriuretic peptide, vessel dilator, kaliuretic peptide and atrial natriuretic peptide are four peptide hormones synthesized by the same gene. Their main known biologic properties are sodium and water excretion and blood pressure lowering in both animals and humans.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

These four peptide hormones, each at their 1-microm concentrations, were evaluated for their ability to decrease the number and/or proliferation of human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells in culture at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h.

RESULTS

Vessel dilator, long-acting natriuretic peptide, kaliuretic peptide and atrial natriuretic peptide decreased the number of human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells in culture by 65% (P<0.001), 47% (P<0.01), 37% (P<0.05) and 34% (P<0.05), respectively, within 24 h. This decrease was sustained without any proliferation of the cancer cells occurring in the 3 days following this decrease in number. The mechanism of these peptide hormones' decrease in cancer cell number and antiproliferative effects was a 83% (P<0.001) or greater inhibition of DNA synthesis but not owing to enhanced apoptosis, i.e. programmed cell death. The two known mediators of these peptide hormones' mechanism(s) of action, i.e. cyclic GMP and prostaglandin E2, inhibited DNA synthesis in these adenocarcinoma cells by 51% and 23%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Four peptide hormones significantly decrease the number of pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells within 24 h and inhibit the proliferation of these cells for at least 96 h. Their mechanism of doing so is via inhibition of DNA synthesis mediated in part by cyclic GMP.

Four peptide hormones decrease the number of human breast adenocarcinoma cells

BACKGROUND

A family of six hormones, i.e. atrial natriuretic peptide, brain natriuretic peptide, C-natriuretic peptide, long-acting natriuretic peptide, vessel dilator, and kaliuretic peptide's main known biologic properties are sodium and water excreting and blood pressure lowering.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

These six hormones, each at their 1-microm concentrations, were evaluated for their ability to decrease the number and/or proliferation of breast adenocarcinoma cells in culture for 24, 48, 72, and 96 h.

RESULTS

Within 24 h, vessel dilator, long-acting natriuretic peptide, kaliuretic peptide, atrial natriuretic peptide and 8-bromo-cyclic GMP, a cell-permeable analogue of their intracellular mediator cyclic GMP (each at 1 microm), decreased the number of breast adenocarcinoma cells 60%, 31%, 27%, 40%, and 31%, respectively. There was no proliferation in the 3 days following this decrease in breast adenocarcinoma cell number. These same hormones decreased DNA synthesis 69% to 85% (P < 0.001). Brain natriuretic peptide and CNP did not decrease the number of breast adenocarcinoma cells or inhibit their DNA synthesis. Vessel dilator, long-acting natriuretic peptide, kaliuretic peptide and 8-bromo-cyclic GMP (each at 1 microM) decreased the number of cells in the S phase of the cell cycle by 62%, 33%, 50%, and 39%, respectively (all P < 0.05). Natriuretic peptide receptors-A and -C were present in the breast adenocarcinoma cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Four peptide hormones significantly decrease the number of human breast adenocarcinoma cells within 24 h and inhibit the proliferation of these cells for at least 96 h. Their mechanism of doing so involves inhibition of DNA synthesis and a decrease in cells in the S phase of the cell cycle mediated in part by cyclic GMP.

Four peptide hormones' specific decrease (up to 97%) of human prostate carcinoma cells

BACKGROUND

Mortality from prostate cancer remains a significant problem with current treatment(s), with an expected 30 350 deaths from prostate cancer in 2005. Long-acting natriuretic peptide, vessel dilator, kaliuretic peptide and atrial natriuretic peptide have significant anticancer effects in breast and pancreatic adenocarcinomas. Whether these effects are specific and whether they have anticancer effects in prostate adenocarcinoma cells has not been determined.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

These peptide hormones were evaluated to determine if they have specific anticancer effects in human prostate adenocarcinomas.

RESULTS

Dose-response curves revealed a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in human prostate cancer number with each tenfold increase in the concentration from 1 microM to 1000 microM (i.e. 1 mM) of these four peptide hormones. There was a 97.4%, 87%, 88% and 89% (P < 0.001 for each) decrease in prostate cancer cells secondary to vessel dilator, long-acting natriuretic peptide, kaliuretic peptide and atrial natriuretic peptide, respectively, at their 1-mM concentrations within 24 h, without any proliferation in the 3 days following this decrease. These same hormones decreased DNA synthesis from 68% to 89% (P < 0.001). When utilized with their respective antibodies their ability to decrease prostate adenocarcinoma cells or inhibit their DNA synthesis was completely blocked. Western blots revealed that for the first time natriuretic peptide receptors (NPR) A- and C- were present in prostate cancer cells.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that these peptide hormones' anticancer effects are specific. Furthermore, they have very potent effects of eliminating up to 97% of prostate cancer cells within 24 h of treatment.

Urodilatin and four cardiac hormones decrease human renal carcinoma cell numbers

BACKGROUND

Mortality from renal-cell cancer remains a significant problem with an estimated 12,600 deaths in the United States in 2005 even with current treatment(s) of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and immunotherapy. Four cardiac natriuretic peptides, that is, atrial natriuretic peptide, vessel dilator, long-acting natriuretic peptide and kaliuretic peptide have significant anti-cancer effects in breast, pancreatic, prostate and colon adenocarcinomas.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

These four peptide hormones plus brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), C-natriuretic peptide (CNP) and urodilatin, a peptide hormone formed in the kidney by a different post-translational processing of the atrial natriuretic peptide prohormone, were evaluated for their anti-cancer effects in renal carcinomas.

RESULTS

Dose-response curves revealed a significant (P < 0.0001) decrease in human renal carcinoma cells with each 10-fold increase in concentration from 1 microm to 100 microm of five of these peptide hormones. There was an 81%, 74%, 66%, 70% and 70% elimination within 24 h in renal carcinoma cells secondary to vessel dilator, kaliuretic peptide, urodilatin, atrial natriuretic peptide and long-acting natriuretic peptide, respectively (P < 0.0001 for each), whereas BNP had no effect and CNP decreased renal cancer cell number by 10% (P = 0.04) at their 100 microm concentrations. Three days after treatment with these peptide hormones, the cancer cells began to proliferate again. The four cardiac hormones and urodilatin decreased DNA synthesis from 65-84% (P < 0.00001), whereas BNP and CNP decreased DNA synthesis 3% and 12% (both non-significant). Western blots revealed for the first time natriuretic peptide receptors (NPR)-A, -B and -C were present in the renal cancer cells.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that urodilatin and the four cardiac hormones have potent anti-cancer effects by eliminating up to 81% of renal carcinoma cells within 24 h of treatment.

A comparison of breastfeeding rates among children with pervasive developmental disorder, and controls

The breastfeeding rates for 50 children with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) from North Dakota's roster of PDD patients were compared with the national average and with the rates for a control group matched for age, sex, and IQ. In addition, the breastfeeding rates for the normal siblings of the PDD and control groups were compared with the national average to help determine whether the lower breastfeeding rate among PDD patients was a function of parenting practices. The breastfeeding rates for the PDD and control groups were not significantly different from each other, but both were significantly lower than the national average. The breastfeeding rate for the normal siblings of PDD children was almost identical to the national average, but the rate for the siblings of the matched control group was significantly lower than the national average. These results are discussed in terms of hypotheses regarding the early parent-child interactions and characteristics in the families of PDD children.