Overexpression of TACE and TIMP3 mRNA in head and neck cancer: association with tumour development and progression

BACKGROUND

TACE/ADAM17 is a transmembranous protease that cleaves membrane-bound growth factors like EGFR ligands. TACE-dependent proteolysis is regulated by its inhibitor, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 3 (TIMP3). This study analyses the role of TACE and TIMP3 mRNA expression in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (HNSCCs).

METHODS

We analysed TACE and TIMP3 mRNA expression in HNSCCs from 106 patients by RNA in situ hybridisation.

RESULTS

TACE mRNA was upregulated in HNSCCs compared with dysplastic (P<0.05) and normal epithelia (P<0.001), with strong hybridisation signals in 21.9% of invasive tumour tissues and 4.5% of dysplasia. Elevated mRNA levels were accompanied by increased amounts of TACE protein in HNSCCs. TIMP3 mRNA expression in HNSCC-associated stroma was significantly higher than in the stroma adjacent to dysplastic or normal epithelia. Expression of TACE mRNA in HNSCCs was associated with tumour stage (P=0.019) and regional lymph node metastasis (P=0.009). Furthermore, levels of TACE mRNA in HNSCCs correlated with the expression of TIMP3 mRNA in HNSCC-associated stroma. Concomitantly, patients expressing high levels of TACE and TIMP3 mRNA showed significantly reduced overall survival compared with those with low mRNA levels.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate an important role of TACE and TIMP3 during development and progression of HNSCCs.

Structural fluctuations between two conformational states of a transmembrane helical peptide are related to its channel-forming properties in planar lipid membranes

Putative transmembrane helices of membrane proteins in general and channel proteins in particular often contain proline residues which may induce a bend into an otherwise regular helical structure. Here we show by fluorescence-energy-transfer measurements and molecular-dynamics calculations that, in the case of synthetic bilayer-spanning helical polypeptides, a proline-induced bend in a helix acts as a flexible element mediating rigid body motions of the helical segments. Most important, such structural fluctuations in the transmembrane helices seem to play a functional role in the formation of ionic channels in planar lipid bilayers and biological membranes.

Impact of Rehabilitation on Physical and Neuropsychological Health of Patients Who Acquired COVID-19 in the Workplace

Workers, especially healthcare workers, are exposed to an increased risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, less is known about the impact of rehabilitation on health outcomes associated with post-COVID. This longitudinal observational study examined the changes in physical and neuropsychological health and work ability after inpatient rehabilitation of 127 patients (97 females/30 males; age 21-69 years; Mean = 50.62) who acquired COVID-19 in the workplace. Post-COVID symptoms, functional status, physical performance, neuropsychological health, employment, and work ability were assessed before and after rehabilitation. Group differences relating to sex, professions, and acute COVID status were also analyzed. Except for fatigue, the prevalence of all post-COVID symptoms decreased after rehabilitation. Significant improvements in physical performance and neuropsychological health outcomes were determined. Moreover, healthcare workers showed a significantly greater reduction in depressive symptoms compared to non-healthcare workers. Nevertheless, participants reported poor work ability, and 72.5% of them were still unable to work after discharge from rehabilitation. As most participants were still suffering from the impact of COVID-19 at rehabilitation discharge, ongoing strategies in aftercare are necessary to improve their work ability. Further investigations of this study population at 6 and 12 months after rehabilitation should examine the further course of post-COVID regarding health and work ability status.

[Intracranial hemorrhage in preterm- and full-term newborn infants. Frequency and prognosis for development]

In a prospective study 306 high-risk infants with a birth-weight between 890 to 4900 gm were examined by means of cerebral ultrasound scanning and about a time of two years the psychomotor development was evaluated. 145 patients (47.4%) were classified as intracerebral haemorrhages. The strongest relation with the event of bleeding was found for the high level of PCO2. With increased severity of the intracranial haemorrhage was associated a worse prognosis of development in the first two years of life. The type I-haemorrhage showed in 72.2%, the types III/IV in yet only 42.9% a development without psychomotor disorders.

Rehabilitation and Return-to-Work of Patients Acquiring COVID-19 in the Workplace: A Study Protocol for an Observational Cohort Study

Background

In 2020, the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) developed into a worldwide pandemic. The course of COVID-19 is diverse, non-specific, and variable: Affected persons suffer from physical, cognitive, and psychological acute and long-term consequences. The symptoms influence everyday life activities, as well as work ability in the short or long-term. Healthcare professionals are considered particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 compared to the general population. In Germany, COVID-19 is recognized as an occupational disease or a work-related accident under certain conditions. Disease-specific rehabilitation is recommended for patients following acute COVID-19 to recover physical and neuropsychological performance and to improve work ability. Currently, there are limited findings on the short-term or long-term impact of COVID-19 as a recognized occupational disease or work-related accident, as well as on rehabilitation programs and associated influencing factors. Thus, the present research project will investigate these questions.

Methods

For this observational cohort study, post-acute patients with COVID-19 as a recognized occupational disease or work-related accident according to the insurance regulations for COVID-19 will be recruited at the BG Hospital for Occupational Disease in Bad Reichenhall, Germany. All participants will complete a comprehensive multimodal and interdisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation program for a duration of at least 3 weeks, beginning after their acute COVID-19 infection and depending on their individual indication and severity of disease. Participants will complete medical, functional, motor, psychological, and cognitive measurements at four time points (at the beginning (T1) and end (T2) of inpatient rehabilitation; 6 (T3) and 12 (T4) months after the beginning of inpatient rehabilitation).

Discussion

The present research project will help to assess and describe long-term effects of COVID-19 as a recognized occupational disease or work-related accident on physical and neuropsychological health, as well as on everyday activities and work ability of affected insured persons. In addition, this study will investigate influencing factors on severity and course of COVID-19. Furthermore, we will examine rehabilitation needs, measures, occurring specifics, and the feasibility of the rehabilitation procedure and disease development in the patients. The results of the intended study will further advance common recommendations for targeted and tailored rehabilitation management and participation in inpatient rehabilitation.

Clinical Trial Registration

www.drks.de, identifier: DRKS00022928.

[The status of biological risk factors and the optimality concept in diagnosis of early childhood developmental disorders]

In a prospective study the psychomotor development up to the end of the second year of life of 409 preterm and term newborn infants was examined in order to identify which optimality score might be associated with disturbances of normal childlike development. Significant connections between 24 and 55 risk factors and the mortality could be demonstrated, but only 3 factors (sex, apgar, acidosis) exert influence on psychomotor development. The risk loading of the collective was high, not one of the children showed an optimal score. Decreased patients possessed a stronger reduced optimality than survivors. The optimality concept is not suitable for the prediction of later disturbed development of children, because the items are unspecific. The marker of hypoxia, the erythrocytic-density-test, as well as the neuron-specific enolase showed better diagnostic values than the optimality concept.