Autologous transplantation of bone marrow cells improves damaged heart function

BACKGROUND

Autologous bone marrow cells (BMCs) transplanted into ventricular scar tissue may differentiate into cardiomyocytes and restore myocardial function. This study evaluated cardiomyogenic differentiation of BMCs, their survival in myocardial scar tissue, and the effect of the implanted cells on heart function.

METHODS AND RESULTS

IN VITRO STUDIES

BMCs from adult rats were cultured in cell culture medium (control) and medium with 5-azacytidine (5-aza, 10 micromol/L), TGFbeta1 (10 ng/mL), or insulin (1 nmol/L) (n=6, each group). Only BMCs cultured with 5-aza formed myotubules which stained positively for troponin I and myosin heavy chain. In vivo studies: a cryoinjury-derived scar was formed in the left ventricular free wall. At 3 weeks after injury, fresh BMCs (n=9), cultured BMCs (n=9), 5-aza-induced BMCs (n=12), and medium (control, n=12) were autologously transplanted into the scar. Heart function was measured at 8 weeks after myocardial injury. Cardiac-like muscle cells which stained positively for myosin heavy chain and troponin I were observed in the scar tissue of the 3 groups of BMC transplanted hearts. Only the 5-aza-treated BMC transplanted hearts had systolic and developed pressures which were higher (P<0.05) than that of the control hearts. All transplanted BMCs induced angiogenesis in the scar.

CONCLUSIONS

Transplantation of BMCs induced angiogenesis. BMCs cultured with 5-aza differentiated into cardiac-like muscle cells in culture and in vivo in ventricular scar tissue and improved myocardial function.

Usual interstitial pneumonia in rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease

Interstitial lung disease is a common manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis; however, little is known about factors that influence its prognosis. The aim of the present study was to determine whether or not the usual interstitial pneumonia pattern found on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) is of prognostic significance in rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD). Patients with RA-ILD were identified retrospectively (n = 82). The relationship of a definite usual interstitial pneumonia pattern on HRCT to survival was determined and compared to that in a cohort of patients with radiologically diagnosed idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (n = 51). A definite usual interstitial pneumonia pattern was seen in 20 (24%) out of 82 patients with RA-ILD. These patients showed worse survival than those without this pattern (median survival 3.2 versus 6.6 yrs), and a similar survival to those with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. On multivariate analysis, a definite usual interstitial pneumonia pattern on HRCT was associated with worse survival (hazard ratio of 2.3). Analysis of specific HRCT features demonstrated that traction bronchiectasis and honeycomb fibrosis were associated with worse survival (hazard ratio of 2.6 and 2.1, respectively). Female sex (hazard ratio of 0.30) and a higher baseline diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (hazard ratio of 0.96) were associated with better survival. A definite usual interstitial pneumonia pattern on HRCT has important prognostic implications in RA-ILD.

Tolerance to toxic metals by a gene family of phytochelatin synthases from plants and yeast

Phytochelatins play major roles in metal detoxification in plants and fungi. However, genes encoding phytochelatin synthases have not yet been identified. By screening for plant genes mediating metal tolerance we identified a wheat cDNA, TaPCS1, whose expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae results in a dramatic increase in cadmium tolerance. TaPCS1 encodes a protein of approximately 55 kDa with no similarity to proteins of known function. We identified homologs of this new gene family from Arabidopsis thaliana, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and interestingly also Caenorhabditis elegans. The Arabidopsis and S.pombe genes were also demonstrated to confer substantial increases in metal tolerance in yeast. PCS-expressing cells accumulate more Cd2+ than controls. PCS expression mediates Cd2+ tolerance even in yeast mutants that are either deficient in vacuolar acidification or impaired in vacuolar biogenesis. PCS-induced metal resistance is lost upon exposure to an inhibitor of glutathione biosynthesis, a process necessary for phytochelatin formation. Schizosaccharomyces pombe cells disrupted in the PCS gene exhibit hypersensitivity to Cd2+ and Cu2+ and are unable to synthesize phytochelatins upon Cd2+ exposure as determined by HPLC analysis. Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells expressing PCS produce phytochelatins. Moreover, the recombinant purified S.pombe PCS protein displays phytochelatin synthase activity. These data demonstrate that PCS genes encode phytochelatin synthases and mediate metal detoxification in eukaryotes.

The Arabidopsis HKT1 gene homolog mediates inward Na(+) currents in xenopus laevis oocytes and Na(+) uptake in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The Na(+)-K(+) co-transporter HKT1, first isolated from wheat, mediates high-affinity K(+) uptake. The function of HKT1 in plants, however, remains to be elucidated, and the isolation of HKT1 homologs from Arabidopsis would further studies of the roles of HKT1 genes in plants. We report here the isolation of a cDNA homologous to HKT1 from Arabidopsis (AtHKT1) and the characterization of its mode of ion transport in heterologous systems. The deduced amino acid sequence of AtHKT1 is 41% identical to that of HKT1, and the hydropathy profiles are very similar. AtHKT1 is expressed in roots and, to a lesser extent, in other tissues. Interestingly, we found that the ion transport properties of AtHKT1 are significantly different from the wheat counterpart. As detected by electrophysiological measurements, AtHKT1 functioned as a selective Na(+) uptake transporter in Xenopus laevis oocytes, and the presence of external K(+) did not affect the AtHKT1-mediated ion conductance (unlike that of HKT1). When expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, AtHKT1 inhibited growth of the yeast in a medium containing high levels of Na(+), which correlates to the large inward Na(+) currents found in the oocytes. Furthermore, in contrast to HKT1, AtHKT1 did not complement the growth of yeast cells deficient in K(+) uptake when cultured in K(+)-limiting medium. However, expression of AtHKT1 did rescue Escherichia coli mutants carrying deletions in K(+) transporters. The rescue was associated with a less than 2-fold stimulation of K(+) uptake into K(+)-depleted cells. These data demonstrate that AtHKT1 differs in its transport properties from the wheat HKT1, and that AtHKT1 can mediate Na(+) and, to a small degree, K(+) transport in heterologous expression systems.

A novel nickel-containing superoxide dismutase from Streptomyces spp

A novel type of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was purified to apparent homogeneity from the cytosolic fractions of Streptomyces sp. IMSNU-1 and Strep. coelicolor ATCC 10147 respectively. Both enzymes were composed of four identical subunits of 13.4 kDa, were stable at pH 4.0-8.0 and up to 70 degrees C, and were inhibited by cyanide and H2O2 but little inhibited by azide. The atomic absorption analyses revealed that both enzymes contain 0.74 g-atom of nickel per mol of subunit. Both enzymes were different from iron-containing SOD and manganese-containing SOD from Escherichia coli, and copper- and zinc-containing SODs from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and bovine erythrocytes, with respect to amino acid composition, N-terminal amino acid sequence and cross-reactivity against antibody. The absorption spectra of both enzymes were identical, exhibiting maxima at 276 and 378 nm, and a broad peak at 531 nm. The EPR spectra of both enzymes were almost identical with that of NiIII in a tetragonal symmetry of NiIII-oligopeptides especially containing histidine. The apoenzymes, lacking in nickel, had no ability to mediate the conversion of superoxide anion radical to hydrogen peroxide, strongly indicating that NiIII plays a main role in these enzymes.

Tumour-infiltrating CD8+ lymphocytes as an independent predictive factor for pathological complete response to primary systemic therapy in breast cancer

Background:

Tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are known to be associated with response to primary systemic therapy (PST) in breast cancer. This study was conducted to assess the association of TIL subsets with pathological complete response (pCR) after PST in breast cancer in relation to breast cancer subtype, breast cancer stem cell (BCSC) phenotype and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT).

Methods:

The pre-chemotherapeutic biopsy specimens of 153 breast cancer patients who underwent surgical resection after anthracycline- or anthracycline/taxane-based PST were analysed. TIL subsets (CD4+, CD8+, and FOXP3+ TILs), BCSC phenotype, and the expression of EMT markers were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and were correlated with pCR after PST.

Results:

Infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes was closely correlated with BCSC phenotype and EMT. High levels of CD4+, CD8+, and FOXP3+ TILs were associated with pCR, and CD8+ TILs were found to be an independent predictive factor for pCR. In addition, CD8+ TILs were associated with pCR irrespective of breast cancer subtype, CD44+/CD24− phenotype, EMT, and chemotherapeutic regimen in subgroup analyses.

Conclusion:

These findings indicate that CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes are a key component of TILs associated with chemo-response and can be used as a reliable predictor of response to anthracycline- or anthracycline/taxane-based PST in breast cancer.

Inactivation of interferon regulatory factor-1 tumor suppressor protein by HPV E7 oncoprotein. Implication for the E7-mediated immune evasion mechanism in cervical carcinogenesis

In studying biological roles of interferon regulatory factor (IRF)-1 tumor suppressor in cervical carcinogenesis, we found that HPV E7 is functionally associated with IRF-1. Binding assays indicate a physical interaction between IRF-1 and HPV E7 in vivo and in vitro. The carboxyl-terminal transactivation domain of IRF-1 was required for the interaction. Transient co-expression of E7 significantly inhibits the IRF-1-mediated activation of IFN-beta promoter in NIH-3T3 cells. Co-transfection of E7 mutants reveals that the pRb-binding portion of E7 is necessary for the E7-mediated inactivation of IRF-1. It was next determined whether histone deacetylase (HDAC) is involved in the inactivation mechanism as recently suggested, where the carboxyl-terminal zinc finger domain of E7 associates with NURD complex containing HDAC. When trichostatin A, an inhibitor of HDAC, was treated, the repressing activity of E7 was released in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the mutation of zinc finger abrogates such activity without effect on the interaction with IRF-1. These results suggest that HPV E7 interferes with the transactivation function of IRF-1 by recruiting HDAC to the promoter. The immune-promoting role of IRF-1 evokes the idea that our novel finding might be important for the elucidation of the E7-mediated immune evading mechanism that is frequently found in cervical cancer.

Distinct MRI atrophy patterns in autopsy-proven Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal lobar degeneration

To better define the anatomic distinctions between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), we retrospectively applied voxel-based morphometry to the earliest magnetic resonance imaging scans of autopsy-proven AD (N = 11), FTLD (N = 18), and controls (N = 40). Compared with controls, AD patients showed gray matter reductions in posterior temporoparietal and occipital cortex; FTLD patients showed atrophy in medial prefrontal and medial temporal cortex, insula, hippocampus, and amygdala; and patients with both disorders showed atrophy in dorsolateral and orbital prefrontal cortex and lateral temporal cortex (P(FWE-corr) < .05). Compared with FTLD, AD patients had decreased gray matter in posterior parietal and occipital cortex, whereas FTLD patients had selective atrophy in anterior cingulate, frontal insula, subcallosal gyrus, and striatum (P < .001, uncorrected). These findings suggest that AD and FTLD are anatomically distinct, with degeneration of a posterior parietal network in AD and degeneration of a paralimbic fronto-insular-striatal network in FTLD.

Genomic organization and partial duplication of the human alpha7 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene (CHRNA7)

The human alpha7 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene (HGMW-approved symbol CHRNA7) has been characterized from genomic clones. The gene is similar in structure to the chick alpha7 gene with 10 exons and conserved splice junction positions. The size of the human gene is estimated to be larger than 75 kb. A putative promoter 5' of the translation start in exon 1 has been cloned and sequenced. The promoter region lacks a TATA box and has a high GC content (77%). Consensus Sp1, AP-2, Egr-1, and CREB transcription factor binding sites appear to be conserved between bovine and human genes. The alpha7 nAChR gene was found to be partially duplicated, with both loci mapping to the chromosome 15q13 region. A yeast artificial chromosome contig was constructed over a genetic distance of 5 cM that includes both alpha7 loci and the region between them. Four novel exons are described, located in genomic clones containing the partially duplicated gene. The duplicated sequences, including the novel exons, are expressed in human brain.

The metastasis associated protein S100A4: role in tumour progression and metastasis

The metastasis associated protein S100A4 is a small calcium binding protein that is associated with metastatic tumors and appears to be a molecular marker for clinical prognosis. Below we discuss its biochemical properties and possible cellular functions in metastasis including cell motility, invasion, apoptosis, angiogenesis and differentiation.

Glucose metabolism in early onset versus late onset Alzheimer's disease: an SPM analysis of 120 patients

The aims of this cross-sectional study were (i) to compare the overall glucose metabolism between early onset and late onset Alzheimer's disease in a large sample of patients; and (ii) to investigate the pattern of glucose metabolism as a function of dementia severity in early onset versus late onset Alzheimer's disease, using a statistical parametric mapping (SPM) analysis. Subjects consisted of four groups: 74 patients with early onset Alzheimer's disease, 46 patients with late onset of the disease, and two control groups age matched to each patient group. All the subjects underwent 2-[(18)F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG)-PET under the same scanning conditions. Severity of dementia was rated with the Clincial Dementia Rating (CDR). Voxel-based SPM99 was used for statistical analyses. Overall glucose hypometabolism of early onset Alzheimer's disease patients was much greater in magnitude and extent than that of late onset patients, though both groups were similar in dementia severity: the early onset group showed more severe hypometabolism in parietal, frontal and subcortical (basal ganglia and thalamus) areas. When the decline of glucose metabolism was compared as a function of CDR stage, the slope was steeper in early onset than in late onset Alzheimer's disease. The rapid decline occurred at CDR 0.5-1 in the early onset group, whereas similar changes occurred at CDR 2-3 in the late onset group. The greater hypometabolism in early onset than in late onset patients is required to reach the same severity of dementia, probably reflecting greater functional reserve in younger than in older subjects. Alternatively, the metabolic decline curve suggests that the early onset patients may take a more rapid course in the reduction of glucose metabolism than the late onset patients.

Cyclooxygenase-2 selective inhibitors aggravate kainic acid induced seizure and neuronal cell death in the hippocampus

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in the brain is expressed constitutively and also increased in pathological conditions such as seizure, cerebral ischemia, and inflammation. This study examined the role of COX-2 in kainic acid-induced seizure and in the following neuronal death by using selective inhibitors. Systemic kainate injection (50 mg/kg; i.p.) in mice evoked seizure within 15 min and led to 29% mortality within 2 h. TUNEL-positive neuronal death peaked at 3 days after injection and was prominent in CA(3a) regions of the hippocampus. NS-398 or celecoxib (10 mg/kg, COX-2 selective inhibitor) and indomethacin (5 mg/kg, nonselective inhibitor) exaggerated kainic acid-induced seizure activity and mortality. COX-2 selective inhibitors induced the seizure at earlier onset and more severe mortality within the first hour than indomethacin and aspirin. NS-398 also aggravated kainic acid-induced TUNEL positive neuronal death and decreased Cresyl violet stained viable neurons, and extended lesions to CA(1) and CA(3b). Kainic acid increased the levels of PGD(2), PGF(2a) and PG E(2) in the hippocampus immediately after injection. Indomethacin attenuated the production of basal and kainic acid-induced prostaglandins. In contrast, NS-398 failed to reduce until the first 30 min after kainic acid injection, during which the animals were severely seizured. It has been challenged the endogenous PGs might have anticonvulsant properties. Thus, COX-2 selective inhibitor, including nonselective inhibitor such as indomethacin, aggravated kainic acid-induced seizure activity and the following hippocampal neuronal death even with variable prostaglandin levels.

Urinary chemokines CXCL9 and CXCL10 are noninvasive markers of renal allograft rejection and BK viral infection

Renal transplant recipients require periodic surveillance for immune-based complications such as rejection and infection. Noninvasive monitoring methods are preferred, particularly for children, for whom invasive testing is problematic. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of adult and pediatric transplant recipients to determine whether a urine-based chemokine assay could noninvasively identify patients with rejection among other common clinical diagnoses. Urine was collected from 110 adults and 46 children with defined clinical conditions: healthy volunteers, stable renal transplant recipients, and recipients with clinical or subclinical acute rejection (AR) or BK infection (BKI), calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) toxicity or interstitial fibrosis (IFTA). Urine was analyzed using a solid-phase bead-array assay for the interferon gamma-induced chemokines CXCL9 and CXCL10. We found that urine CXCL9 and CXCL10 were markedly elevated in adults and children experiencing either AR or BKI (p = 0.0002), but not in stable allograft recipients or recipients with CNI toxicity or IFTA. The sensitivity and specificity of these chemokine assays exceeded that of serum creatinine. Neither chemokine distinguished between AR and BKI. These data show that urine chemokine monitoring identifies patients with renal allograft inflammation. This assay may be useful for noninvasively distinguishing those allograft recipients requiring more intensive surveillance from those with benign clinical courses.

Bleeding Dieulafoy's lesions and the choice of endoscopic method: comparing the hemostatic efficacy of mechanical and injection methods

BACKGROUND

Dieulafoy's lesion has unique endoscopic and histopathologic characteristics. This is a clinical trial of endoscopic therapy in 24 patients with Dieulafoy's lesions.

METHODS

Patients were divided into 2 groups according to initial endoscopic treatment method. Data were analyzed with respect to clinical and endoscopic characteristics as well as outcomes. The 24 patients were evenly divided into mechanical (9 hemoclipping, 3 band ligation) and injection groups (12).

RESULTS

The average number of therapeutic endoscopic sessions needed to achieve permanent hemostasis for the mechanical and injection groups were 1.17 and 1.67, respectively. Initial hemostasis was achieved in 91.7% of patients undergoing mechanical therapy and 75% of those undergoing injection therapy, with none in the former group needing subsequent surgery in comparison to 17% of the latter group. The rate of recurrent bleeding in the mechanical therapy group was significantly lower in comparison to the injection therapy group (8.3% versus 33.3%, p < 0. 05).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher efficacy in terms of initial hemostasis and less recurrent bleeding was achieved by mechanical hemostatic therapy with hemoclip and band ligation compared with injection therapy. Endoscopic mechanical therapy is recommended as effective for bleeding Dieulafoy's lesions.

Relationship between blood pressure parameters and pulse wave velocity in normotensive and hypertensive subjects: invasive study

Blood pressure (BP) is one of the most important contributing factors to pulse wave velocity (PWV), a classic measure of arterial stiffness. Although there have been many non-invasive studies to show the relation between arterial stiffness and BP, the results are controversial. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of BP as an influencing factor on PWV using invasive method. We observed 174 normotensive and untreated hypertensive subjects using coronary angiography. Arterial stiffness was assessed through aorto-femoral PWV by foot-to-foot velocity method using fluid-filled system. And BP was measured by pressure wave at the right common femoral artery. From univariate analysis, age, diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, waist, waist-to-hip ratio, total cholesterol-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio, systolic BP (SBP), pulse pressure (PP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) showed significant association with PWV. To avoid multiple colinearity among SBP, PP and MAP, we performed multiple regression analysis predicting PWV thrice. Age, DM and each BP were significantly and consistently correlated to PWV. In the first and third modules, compared to age, SBP and MAP were less strong predictors, respectively. However, PP was the stronger predictor than age and DM in the second module. Lastly, we simultaneously forced MAP and PP with other variables in the fourth multivariate analysis. Age, DM and PP remained significantly correlated with PWV, but the significance of MAP was lost. This is the first invasive study to suggest that PP has the strongest correlation with PWV among a variety of BP parameters.

Autologous porcine heart cell transplantation improved heart function after a myocardial infarction

OBJECTIVE

Fetal cardiomyocyte transplantation improved heart function after cardiac injury. However, cellular allografts were rejected despite cyclosporine (INN: ciclosporin) therapy. We therefore evaluated autologous heart cell transplantation in an adult swine model of a myocardial infarction.

METHODS

In 16 adult swine a myocardial infarction was created by occlusion of the distal left anterior descending coronary artery by an intraluminal coil. Four weeks after infarction, technetium 99m-sestamibi single photon emission tomography showed minimal perfusion and viability in the infarcted region. Porcine heart cells were isolated and cultured from the interventricular septum at the time of infarction and grown in vitro for 4 weeks. Through a left thoracotomy, either cells (N = 8) or culture medium (N = 8) was injected into the infarct zone.

RESULTS

Four weeks after cell transplantation, technetium 99m-sestamibi single photon emission tomography demonstrated greater wall motion scores in the pigs receiving transplantation than in control animals (P =.01). Pigs receiving transplantation were more likely to have an improvement in perfusion scores (P =.03). Preload recruitable stroke work (P =.009) and end-systolic elastance (P =. 02) were greater in the pigs receiving transplantation than in control animals. Scar areas were not different, but scar thickness was greater (P =.02) in pigs receiving transplantation. Cells labeled with bromodeoxyuridine in vitro could be identified in the infarct zone 4 weeks after transplantation. Swine receiving transplantation gained more weight than control animals (P =.02).

CONCLUSION

Autologous porcine heart cell transplantation improved regional perfusion and global ventricular function after a myocardial infarction.

AtKUP1: an Arabidopsis gene encoding high-affinity potassium transport activity

Because plants grow under many different types of soil and environmental conditions, we investigated the hypothesis that multiple pathways for K+ uptake exist in plants. We have identified a new family of potassium transporters from Arabidopsis by searching for homologous sequences among the expressed sequence tags of the GenBank database. The deduced amino acid sequences of AtKUP (for Arabidopsis thaliana K+ uptake transporter) cDNAs are highly homologous to the non-plant Kup and HAK1 potassium transporters from Escherichia coli and Schwanniomyces occidentalis, respectively. Interestingly, AtKUP1 and AtKUP2 are able to complement the potassium transport deficiency of an E. coli triple mutant. In addition, transgenic Arabidopsis suspension cells overexpressing AtKUP1 showed increased Rb+ uptake at micromolar concentrations with an apparent K(m) of approximately 22 microM, indicating that AtKUP1 encodes a high-affinity potassium uptake activity in vivo. A small, low-affinity Rb+ uptake component was also detected in AtKUP1-expressing cells. RNA gel blot analysis showed that the various members of the AtKUP family have distinct patterns of expression, with AtKUP3 transcript levels being strongly induced by K+ starvation. It is proposed that plants contain multiple potassium transporters for high-affinity uptake and that the AtKUP family may provide important components of high- and low-affinity K+ nutrition and uptake into various plant cell types.

Fetal cell transplantation: a comparison of three cell types

OBJECTIVE

We have previously reported that fetal cardiomyocyte transplantation into myocardial scar improves heart function. The mechanism by which this occurs, however, has not been elucidated. To investigate possible mechanisms by which cell transplantation may improve heart function, we compared cardiac function after transplantation of 3 different fetal cell types: cardiomyocytes, smooth muscle cells (nonstriated muscle cells), and fibroblasts (noncontractile cells).

METHODS

A left ventricular scar was created by cryoinjury in adult rats. Four weeks after injury, cultured fetal ventricular cardiomyocytes (n = 13), enteric smooth muscle cells (n = 10), skin fibroblasts (n = 10), or culture medium (control, n = 15 total) were injected into the myocardial scar. All rats received cyclosporine A (INN: ciclosporin). Four weeks after transplantation, left ventricular function was evaluated in a Langendorff preparation.

RESULTS

The implanted cells were identified histologically. All transplanted cell types formed tissue within the myocardial scar. At an end-diastolic volume of 0.2 mL, developed pressures in cardiomyocytes group were significantly greater than smooth muscle cells and skin fibroblasts groups (cardiomyocytes, 134% +/- 22% of control; smooth muscle cells, 108% +/- 14% of control; skin fibroblasts, 106% +/- 17% of control; P =.0001), as were +dP/dt(max) (cardiomyocytes, 119% +/- 37% of control; smooth muscle cells, 98% +/- 18% of control; skin fibroblasts, 92% +/- 11% of control; P =. 0001) and -dP/dt(max) (cardiomyocytes, 126% +/- 29% of control; smooth muscle cells, 108% +/- 19% of control; skin fibroblasts, 99% +/- 16% control; P =.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Fetal cardiomyocytes transplanted into myocardial scar provided greater contractility and relaxation than fetal smooth muscle cells or fetal fibroblasts. The contractile and elastic properties of transplanted cells determine the degree of improvement in ventricular function achievable with cell transplantation.

Implication of lipocalin-2 and visfatin levels in patients with coronary heart disease

OBJECTIVES

Visfatin and lipocalin-2 are novel adipokines associated with insulin resistance (IR) and obesity-related metabolic disorders. We compared lipocalin-2 and visfatin concentrations between patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and control subjects and evaluated their association with cardiovascular risk factors.

METHODS

We examined serum visfatin, lipocalin-2 levels, and cardiovascular risk factors in 91 subjects (49 patients with angiographically confirmed CHD versus 42 age- and gender-matched control participants).

RESULTS

Circulating lipocalin-2 levels were significantly higher in patients with CHD compared with the control subjects (82.6+/-38.7 ng/ml versus 43.8+/-27.8 ng/ml; P<0.001). However, visfatin levels were not significantly different between patients with CHD and control subjects. Serum lipocalin-2 levels were positively associated with weight (r=0.26; P=0.036), fasting insulin (r=0.36; P=0.003), and IR (r=0.33; P=0.007), whereas these levels showed a negative correlation with high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (r=-0.30; P=0.016) after adjustment for gender and body mass index. However, visfatin levels were not associated with any variables of the metabolic syndrome. The multiple regression analysis showed that lipocalin-2 levels were independently associated with HDL cholesterol and IR (R2=0.199). Furthermore, the multiple logistic regression analysis showed that systolic blood pressure, IR, and lipocalin-2 levels were independently associated with CHD.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum lipocalin-2 levels were significantly elevated in patients with CHD and were independently associated with CHD. The present findings suggest that the measurement of serum lipocalin-2 levels may be useful for assessing CHD risk.

Global patterns of care in advanced stage mycosis fungoides/Sezary syndrome: a multicenter retrospective follow-up study from the Cutaneous Lymphoma International Consortium

BACKGROUND

Advanced-stage mycosis fungoides (MF)/Sézary syndrome (SS) patients are weighted by an unfavorable prognosis and share an unmet clinical need of effective treatments. International guidelines are available detailing treatment options for the different stages but without recommending treatments in any particular order due to lack of comparative trials. The aims of this second CLIC study were to retrospectively analyze the pattern of care worldwide for advanced-stage MF/SS patients, the distribution of treatments according to geographical areas (USA versus non-USA), and whether the heterogeneity of approaches has potential impact on survival.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This study included 853 patients from 21 specialist centers (14 European, 4 USA, 1 each Australian, Brazilian, and Japanese).

RESULTS

Heterogeneity of treatment approaches was found, with up to 24 different modalities or combinations used as first-line and 36% of patients receiving four or more treatments. Stage IIB disease was most frequently treated by total-skin-electron-beam radiotherapy, bexarotene and gemcitabine; erythrodermic and SS patients by extracorporeal photochemotherapy, and stage IVA2 by polychemotherapy. Significant differences were found between USA and non-USA centers, with bexarotene, photopheresis and histone deacetylase inhibitors most frequently prescribed for first-line treatment in USA while phototherapy, interferon, chlorambucil and gemcitabine in non-USA centers. These differences did not significantly impact on survival. However, when considering death and therapy change as competing risk events and the impact of first treatment line on both events, both monochemotherapy (SHR = 2.07) and polychemotherapy (SHR = 1.69) showed elevated relative risks.

CONCLUSION

This large multicenter retrospective study shows that there exist a large treatment heterogeneity in advanced MF/SS and differences between USA and non-USA centers but these were not related to survival, while our data reveal that chemotherapy as first treatment is associated with a higher risk of death and/or change of therapy and thus other therapeutic options should be preferable as first treatment approach.

Prognostic and predictive values of EGFR overexpression and EGFR copy number alteration in HER2-positive breast cancer

Background:

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in a subset of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancers, and coexpression of HER2 and EGFR has been reported to be associated with poor clinical outcome. Moreover, interaction between HER2 and EGFR has been suggested to be a possible basis for trastuzumab resistance.

Methods:

We analysed the clinical significance of EGFR overexpression and EGFR gene copy number alterations in 242 HER2-positive primary breast cancers. In addition, we examined the correlations between EGFR overexpression, trastuzumab response and clinical outcome in 447 primary, and 112 metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer patients treated by trastuzumab.

Results:

Of the 242 primary cases, the level of EGFR overexpression was 2+ in 12.7% and 3+ in 11.8%. High EGFR gene copy number was detected in 10.3%. Epidermal growth factor receptor overexpression was associated with hormone receptor negativity and high Ki-67 proliferation index. In survival analyses, EGFR overexpression, but not high EGFR copy number, was associated with poor disease-free survival in all patients, and in the subgroup not receiving adjuvant trastuzumab. In 447 HER2-positive primary breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant trastuzumab, EGFR overexpression was also an independent poor prognostic factor. However, EGFR overexpression was not associated with trastuzumab response, progression-free survival or overall survival in the metastatic setting.

Conclusions:

Epidermal growth factor receptor overexpression, but not high EGFR copy number, is a poor prognostic factor in HER2-positive primary breast cancer. Epidermal growth factor receptor overexpression is a predictive factor for trastuzumab response in HER2-positive primary breast cancer, but not in metastatic breast cancer.

Specificity and sensitivity of eubacterial primers utilized for molecular profiling of bacteria within complex microbial ecosystems

Efficient profiling of eubacterial diversity within complex communities requires that primers are specific for eubacterial 16S rRNA. Specificity of published primers against eubacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA as well as protozoal and fungal 18S rRNA was assessed in silico. The specificity and sensitivity of the V3 and V6-V8 (F968gc and R1401) Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) primers was subsequently verified using rumen-derived samples. An assessment of the effects of employing touchdown PCR cycling conditions was also made. For DGGE profiling of eubacteria within rumen samples, primers F968gc and R1401 proved the most specific and sensitive providing that touchdown PCR is not used.

Non-specific cellular uptake of surface-functionalized quantum dots

We report a systematic empirical study of nanoparticle internalization into cells via non-specific pathways. The nanoparticles were comprised of commercial quantum dots (QDs) that were highly visible under a fluorescence confocal microscope. Surface-modified QDs with basic biologically significant moieties, e.g. carboxyl, amino, and streptavidin, were used, in combination with surface derivatization with polyethylene glycol (PEG) for a range of immortalized cell lines. Internalization rates were derived from image analysis and a detailed discussion about the effect of nanoparticle size, charge and surface groups is presented. We find that PEG derivatization dramatically suppresses the non-specific uptake while PEG-free carboxyl and amine functional groups promote QD internalization. These uptake variations displayed a remarkable consistency across different cell types. The reported results are important for experiments concerned with cellular uptake of surface-functionalized nanomaterials, both when non-specific internalization is undesirable and when it is intended for material to be internalized as efficiently as possible.

Transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation by nickel of sodN gene encoding nickel-containing superoxide dismutase from Streptomyces coelicolor Müller

A novel type of superoxide dismutase containing nickel as a cofactor (NiSOD) has been discovered in several Streptomyces spp. The gene for NiSOD (sodN) was cloned from S. coelicolor Müller using degenerate oligonucleotide probes designed from the N-terminal peptide sequence of the purified enzyme. It encodes a polypeptide of 131 amino acids (14703 Da), without any apparent sequence similarity to other known proteins. The N-terminus of the purified NiSOD was located 14 amino acids downstream from the initiation codon of the deduced open reading frame (ORF), indicating the involvement of protein processing. The molecular mass of the processed polypeptide was predicted to be 13201 Da, in close agreement with that of the purified NiSOD (13.4 kDa). The transcription start site of the sodN gene was determined by S1 mapping and primer extension analysis. Ni2+ regulates the synthesis of NiSOD polypeptide. S1 mapping of both 5' and 3' ends of sodN mRNA revealed that Ni2+ increased the level of monocistronic sodN mRNA by more than ninefold without changing its half-life, thus demonstrating that Ni2+ regulates transcription. Both precursor and processed NiSOD polypeptides with little SOD activity were produced from the cloned sodN gene in S. lividans in the absence of sufficient Ni2+; however, on addition of Ni2+, active NiSOD consisting of only processed polypeptide was formed. Expression of the full-length sodN gene in E. coli produced NiSOD polypeptide without any SOD activity even in the presence of Ni2+. However, deletion of nucleotides encoding the N-terminal 14 amino acids from the sodN gene allowed the production of active NiSOD in E. coli, indicating that N-terminal processing is required to produce active NiSOD. These results reveal the unique role of nickel as a multifaceted regulator in S. coelicolor controlling sodN transcription and protein processing, as well as acting as a catalytic cofactor.