Castration-mediated IL-8 promotes myeloid infiltration and prostate cancer progression

Unlike several other tumor types, prostate cancer rarely responds to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). To define tumor cell intrinsic factors that contribute to prostate cancer progression and resistance to ICB, we analyzed prostate cancer epithelial cells from castration-sensitive and -resistant samples using implanted tumors, cell lines, transgenic models and human tissue. We found that castration resulted in increased expression of interleukin-8 (IL-8) and its probable murine homolog Cxcl15 in prostate epithelial cells. We showed that these chemokines drove subsequent intratumoral infiltration of tumor-promoting polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells (PMN-MDSCs), which was largely abrogated when IL-8 signaling was blocked genetically or pharmacologically. Targeting IL-8 signaling in combination with ICB delayed the onset of castration resistance and increased the density of polyfunctional CD8 T cells in tumors. Our findings establish a novel mechanism by which castration mediates IL-8 secretion and subsequent PMN-MDSC infiltration, and highlight blockade of the IL-8/CXCR2 axis as a potential therapeutic intervention.

Hyperoxia improves autonomic function in individuals with long-duration type 1 diabetes and macroalbuminuria

AIM

Acute oxygen inhalation and slow deep breathing improve measures of autonomic function transiently in individuals with short-duration type 1 diabetes. Our aims were to examine these interventions and changes in autonomic function in individuals with long-duration type 1 diabetes and to explore interactions with the presence of macroalbuminuria or existing cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy.

METHODS

Individuals with type 1 diabetes (n = 54) were exposed to acute oxygen inhalation, slow deep breathing and a combination of both (hereafter 'the combination'). Primary outcomes were change in baroreflex sensitivity and heart rate variability. Associations between changes in outcomes were evaluated using mixed effects models.

RESULTS

Mean age ± sd was 60 ± 10 years and diabetes duration was 38 ± 14 years. Changes are presented as per cent difference from baseline with 95% confidence intervals. Acute oxygen inhalation, slow deep breathing and the combination increased baroreflex sensitivity by 21 (10, 34)%, 32 (13, 53)% and 30 (10, 54)%, respectively. Acute oxygen inhalation trended towards increasing heart rate variability 8 (-1, 17)% (P = 0.056), and slow deep breathing and the combination increased heart rate variability by 33 (18, 49)% and 44 (27, 64)% respectively. Macroalbuminuria or cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy did not modify results.

CONCLUSION

Autonomic function is improved transiently in individuals with long-duration type 1 diabetes and normoalbuminuria or macroalbuminuria by acute oxygen inhalation and slow deep breathing. There is a risk of survival bias. Autonomic dysfunction might be a reversible condition, and hypoxia might represent a target of intervention.

Engineering tissue-specific blood vessels

Vascular diversity among organs has recently become widely recognized. Several studies using mouse and human fetal tissues revealed distinct characteristics of organ-specific vasculature in molecular and functional levels. Thorough understanding of vascular heterogeneities in human adult tissues is significant for developing novel strategies for targeted drug delivery and tissue regeneration. Recent advancements in microfabrication techniques, biomaterials, and differentiation protocols allowed for incorporation of microvasculature into engineered organs. Such vascularized organ models represent physiologically relevant platforms that may offer innovative tools for dissecting the effects of the organ microenvironment on vascular development and expand our present knowledge on organ-specific human vasculature. In this article, we provide an overview of the current structural and molecular evidence on microvascular diversity, bioengineering methods used to recapitulate the microenvironmental cues, and recent vascularized three-dimensional organ models from the perspective of tissue-specific vasculature.

Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy and bone metabolism in Type 1 diabetes

AIM

To investigate the association between cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy and bone metabolism in people with Type 1 diabetes.

METHODS

We assessed cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in 329 people with Type 1 diabetes according to heart rate response to deep breathing, to standing and to the Valsalva manoeuvre, and 2-min resting heart rate. More than one pathological non-resting test was defined as cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy. Bone mineral density of the femoral neck (BMDfn) was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Serum parathyroid hormone levels and other bone markers were measured.

RESULTS

The mean (sd) age of the participants was 55.6 (9.4) years, 52% were men, and the mean (sd) diabetes duration was 40 (8.9) years, HbA_1c 62 (9) mmol/mol and estimated GFR 78 (26) ml/min/1.73m² . In all, 36% had cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy. Participants with cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy had 4.2% (95% CI -8.0 to -0.2; P=0.038) lower BMDfn and 33.6% (95% CI 14.3 to 53.8; P=0.0002) higher parathyroid hormone levels compared with participants without cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in adjusted models. Higher resting heart rate remained associated with higher parathyroid hormone level and lower BMDfn after additional adjustment for eGFR (P<0.0001 and P = 0.042, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy was associated with reduced BMDfn and increased levels of parathyroid hormone. Kidney function may either confound or mediate these findings. Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy could be associated with increased risk of osteoporosis in Type 1 diabetes. Whether cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy directly affects bone metabolism detrimentally or if this association is mediated via decreased kidney function should be investigated further.

The iPSYCH2012 case-cohort sample: new directions for unravelling genetic and environmental architectures of severe mental disorders

The Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH) consortium has established a large Danish population-based Case-Cohort sample (iPSYCH2012) aimed at unravelling the genetic and environmental architecture of severe mental disorders. The iPSYCH2012 sample is nested within the entire Danish population born between 1981 and 2005, including 1 472 762 persons. This paper introduces the iPSYCH2012 sample and outlines key future research directions. Cases were identified as persons with schizophrenia (N=3540), autism (N=16 146), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (N=18 726) and affective disorder (N=26 380), of which 1928 had bipolar affective disorder. Controls were randomly sampled individuals (N=30 000). Within the sample of 86 189 individuals, a total of 57 377 individuals had at least one major mental disorder. DNA was extracted from the neonatal dried blood spot samples obtained from the Danish Neonatal Screening Biobank and genotyped using the Illumina PsychChip. Genotyping was successful for 90% of the sample. The assessments of exome sequencing, methylation profiling, metabolome profiling, vitamin-D, inflammatory and neurotrophic factors are in progress. For each individual, the iPSYCH2012 sample also includes longitudinal information on health, prescribed medicine, social and socioeconomic information, and analogous information among relatives. To the best of our knowledge, the iPSYCH2012 sample is the largest and most comprehensive data source for the combined study of genetic and environmental aetiologies of severe mental disorders.

Differential DNA methylation at birth associated with mental disorder in individuals with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome

Individuals with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (DS) have an increased risk of comorbid mental disorders including schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, as well as intellectual disability. Although most 22q11.2 deletion carriers have the long 3-Mb form of the hemizygous deletion, there remains a large variation in the development and progression of psychiatric disorders, which suggests that alternative factors contribute to the pathogenesis. In this study we investigated whether neonatal DNA methylation signatures in individuals with the 22q11.2 deletion associate with mental disorder later in life. DNA methylation was measured genome-wide from neonatal dried blood spots in a cohort of 164 individuals with 22q11.2DS, including 48 individuals diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder. Among several CpG sites with P-value<10-6, we identified cg23546855 (P-value=2.15 × 10-7) mapping to STK32C to be associated with a later psychiatric diagnosis. Pathway analysis of the top findings resulted in the identification of several Gene Ontology pathways to be significantly enriched (P-value<0.05 after Benjamini-Hochberg correction); among them are the following: neurogenesis, neuron development, neuron projection development, astrocyte development, axonogenesis and axon guidance. In addition, we identified differentially methylated CpG sites in LRP2BP (P-value=5.37 × 10-8) to be associated with intellectual disability (F70-79), in TOP1 (P-value=1.86 × 10-7) with behavioral disorders (F90-98), in NOSIP (P-value=5.12 × 10-8) with disorders of psychological development (F80-89) and in SEMA4B (P-value=4.02 × 10-7) with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (F20-29). In conclusion, our study suggests an association of DNA methylation differences at birth with development of mental disorder later in life in 22q11.2DS individuals.

High and low vitamin D level is associated with cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes

AIM

To investigate the possible association between vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in people with diabetes.

METHODS

A total of 113 people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes [mean (interquartile range) diabetes duration 22.0 (12-31) years, mean (sd) age 56.2 (13.0) years, 58% men] underwent vitamin D (D2 and D3) assessment, and were screened for cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy using three cardiovascular reflex tests [heart rate response to deep breathing (E/I ratio), to standing (30/15 ratio) and to the Valsalva manoeuvre] and assessment of 5-min resting heart rate and heart rate variability indices.

RESULTS

We found an inverse U-shaped association between serum vitamin D level and E/I ratio, 30/15 ratio and three heart rate variability indices (P < 0.05). Vitamin D level was non-linearly associated with cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy diagnosis (P < 0.05 adjusted for age and sex). Linear regression models showed that an increase in vitamin D level from 25 to 50 nmol/l was associated with an increase of 3.9% (95% CI 0.1;7.9) in E/I ratio and 4.8% (95% CI 4.7;9.3) in 30/15 ratio. Conversely, an increase from 125 to 150 nmol/l in vitamin D level was associated with a decrease of 2.6% (95% CI -5.8;0.1) and 4.1% (95% CI -5.8;-0.5) in the respective outcome measures.

CONCLUSIONS

High and low vitamin D levels were associated with cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in people with diabetes. Future studies should explore this association and the efficacy of treating dysvitaminosis D to prevent cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy.

The role of serum methylglyoxal on diabetic peripheral and cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy: the ADDITION Denmark study

AIMS

Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy and diabetic peripheral neuropathy are common diabetic complications and independent predictors of cardiovascular disease. The glucose metabolite methylglyoxal has been suggested to play a causal role in the pathogeneses of diabetic peripheral neuropathy and possibly diabetic cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy. The aim of this study was to investigate the cross-sectional association between serum methylglyoxal and diabetic peripheral neuropathy and cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in a subset of patients in the ADDITION-Denmark study with short-term screen-detected Type 2 diabetes (duration ~ 5.8 years).

METHODS

The patients were well controlled with regard to HbA(1c), lipids and blood pressure. Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy was assessed by measures of resting heart rate variability and cardiovascular autonomic reflex tests. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy was assessed by vibration detection threshold (n = 319), 10 g monofilament (n = 543) and the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument questionnaire (n = 966). Painful diabetic neuropathy was assessed using the Brief Pain Inventory short form (n = 882).

RESULTS

No associations between methylglyoxal and cardiovascular autonomic reflex tests or any measures of diabetic peripheral neuropathy or painful diabetic neuropathy were observed. However, a positive association between methylglyoxal and several heart rate variability indices was observed, although these associations were not statistically significant when corrected for multiple testing.

CONCLUSION

Serum methylglyoxal is not associated with cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy, diabetic peripheral neuropathy or painful diabetic neuropathy in this cohort of well-treated patients with short-term diabetes.

Immunomodulatory effects of helminths and protozoa in multiple sclerosis and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic inflammatory CNS disease, which affects about 1 in 1000 individuals in the western world. During the last couple of decades, epidemiological data have accumulated, pointing towards increases in incidence. This has been suggested to be linked to the relatively high hygiene standards that exist in the western world, with reduced exposure to various pathogens, including parasites, as a consequence. Parasites are known to employ various immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory strategies, which enable them to evade destruction by the immune system. This is most likely one of the reasons for the disease-dampening effects, reported in numerous studies investigating parasite infections and autoimmunity. This review will focus on recent advances in the field of parasites as beneficial immunomodulators, in multiple sclerosis and the animal model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

[Attitudes towards medical abortion among gynecologic patients]

This study describes and discusses the attitudes regarding use of medical abortion among patients at a department of gynaecology. The patients received a leaflet about medical abortion and subsequently answered a questionnaire. If given the choice, half of the patients would prefer medical abortion. The answer was independent of age, marital status and choice of contraceptive. The study provides information on women's priorities regarding abortion and justifies the introduction of medical abortion in Denmark.

Direct neural induction and selective inhibition of mesoderm and epidermis inducers by Xnr3

During gastrulation in amphibians, secreted factors from Spemann's organizer act on dorsal ectoderm to induce the central nervous system. A number of secreted factors produced by Spemann's organizer have recently been identified. The TGFbeta family member Xnr3 is similar in amino acid sequence to the mouse factor nodal and is expressed in a restricted group of cells in the superficial layer of Spemann's organizer. Xnr3, unlike the related factors nodal, Xnr1 and Xnr2, lacks mesoderm-inducing activity. We report here that Xnr3 can directly induce neural tissue in Xenopus ectoderm explants (animal caps). Injection of animal caps with either Xnr3 RNA or plasmids induces the expression of the pan-neural genes NCAM and nrp1, as well as the anterior neural marker Cpl1. A growing body of evidence suggests that neural induction in Xenopus proceeds as the default in the absence of epidermis inducers. The best candidates for the endogenous epidermis inducers are BMP-4 and BMP-7. The neural inducing activity of Xnr3 can be inhibited by overexpression of BMP-4, as has been observed with the neural inducers noggin, chordin and follistatin. Furthermore, Xnr3 can block mesoderm induction by BMP-4 and activin, but not by Xnr2. The structural basis underlying the divergent activities of Xnr2 and Xnr3 was analyzed using site-directed mutagenesis. Mutations introduced to the conserved cysteine residues characteristic of the TGFbeta family were found to inactivate Xnr2, but not Xnr3. The most unique feature of Xnr3 is the absence of a conserved cysteine at the C terminus of the protein. This feature distinguishes Xnr3 from other TGFbeta family members, including Xnr2. However, we observed that changing the C terminus of Xnr3 to more closely resemble other TGFbeta family members did not significantly alter its activity, suggesting that other structural features of Xnr3 distinguish its biological activity from Xnr2.

Disposition of radiolabeled flumequine in rat and dog

Single doses of 14C-flumequine (a urinary tract antibacterial) were given to rats and dogs. Unchanged drug accounted for more than 80% of the drug in plasma of rats but only 25-50% in plasma of dogs. Although only a small percentage of the dose was excreted in the urine of each species as unchanged drug, a wide differentiation in the urinary metabolite profiles was observed. No significant tissue retention was seen in rats or dogs.

Plasma and urine levels of flumequine and 7-hydroxyflumequine following single and multiple oral dosing

Plasma and urine concentrations of flumequine and its microbiologically active metabolite, 7-hydroxyflumequine, were determined in healthy subjects following single oral doses of 400, 800, and 1200 mg of flumequine, and following multiple oral doses of 800 mg given four-times daily. After administration of the single oral doses, antimicrobial levels in plasma and urine were rapidly attained, were proportional to the dose given, and were maintained for 12 to 24 h. The multiple dosage regimen yielded antimicrobial levels in both plasma and urine that were several-fold higher than the levels required to inhibit the growth of susceptible bacteria. Following both the single and multiple dose regimens, the plasma elimination half-life of flumequine was about 7h. The excretion of 7-hydroxyflumequine in the urine contributed significantly to the antimicrobial activity.

Determination of flumequine and a hydroxy metabolite in biological fluids by high-pressure liquid chromatographic, fluorometric, and microbiological methods

A sensitive and specific high-pressure liquid chromatographic method is described for the determination of the antibacterial drug flumequine and a major metabolite, 7-hydroxyflumequine, in human plasma and urine. The assay was linear over a concentration range of 1 to 120 micrograms/ml for both compounds. This method is compared with fluorometric and microbiological assays for flumequine. These latter methods did not differentiate between flumequine and any fluorescent or antimicrobiologically active metabolites. However, because essentially all drug in the plasma was found to be flumequine in radiolabeled studies, levels of unchanged drug in the plasma could be quantitated by either high-pressure liquid chromatography or fluorometry. Although only high-pressure liquid chromatography was able to specifically measure flumequine in the urine, the antimicrobial activity of the urine, which is more therapeutically relevant due to antimicrobially active metabolites, could be quantitated by either the fluorometric or the microbiological assay.

Quantitative determination of nefopam in human plasma, saliva and cerebrospinal fluid by gas-liquid chromatography using a nitrogen-selective detector

A sensitive and selective gas-liquid chromatographic method for the determination of nefopam in human plasma, saliva and cerebrospinal fluid has been developed. The method includes the selective extraction of nefopam and the internal standard, orphenadrine, from biological fluids by a double extraction procedure. The extracted nefopam and internal standard are analyzed by a gas chromatograph equipped with a 3% OV-17 glass column and a nitrogen-phosphorus flame ionization detector (NPFID) operated in the nitrogen mode. The detector provides the needed high sensitivity and also selectivity due to the inherent characteristics of NPFID to discriminate against non-nitrogen containing materials. Five nanograms nefopam per ml plasma or saliva are routinely quantitated with a 1-ml sample or as little as 2 ng per ml cerebrospinal fluid with a 3-ml sample. The intra-day reproducibilities, expressed as the relative standard deviation, are 5, 2 and 3% at 10, 35 and 75 ng/ml plasma levels, respectively. The accuracies expressed by relative error at these levels are 12, -4 and -2%, respectively. The inter-day reproducibility is demonstrated by the small relative standard, deviation, 2%, of the slopes from ten plasma standard curves run on ten different days. In various clinical studies in humans the method has been successfully applied to the study of single-dose pharmacokinetics of nefopam and the monitoring of nefopam concentrations in saliva and cerebrospinal fluids.

GLC determination of nanogram quantities of a new analgesic, nefopam, in human plasma

A sensitive and specific method was developed for the quantitative GLC determination of plasma nefopam levels. The method includes a multiple-step solvent extraction of the analgesic drug and the internal mass standard, orphenadrine. The accuracy, expressed as the relative error, was--4,6,6, and 4% at 20, 40, 70, and 130 ng/ml, respectively. The precision, expressed as relative standard deviation, was 17, 7, 3, and 5% at these same concentrations, respectively. Quantitation of nefopam in human plasma is possible down to 20 ng/ml with a 2-ml plasma sample; the sensitivity can be increased by using larger plasma samples. The methods was applied successfully to the determination of plasma nefopam levels in humans in pharmacokinetic studies at therapeutic doses.