[The correlation between cerebral MRI characteristics of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome and serum levels of PlGF, sEng in patients with pre-eclampsia]

Objective: To investigate the MRI characteristics of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) in patients with pre-eclampsia(PE) and its correlation with serum placental growth factor (PlGF), soluble endoglin (sEng) and sEng/PlGF ratio. Methods: 34 patients with PE who were admitted to Guangdong Women and Children Hospital from September 2013 to March 2014 were studied retrospectively.13 cases had PRES and 21 cases had normal cerebral MRI. All patients underwent conventional MRI and DWI scanning. The score of brain edema (SBE) were calculated. PlGF, sEng concentrations were measured with ELISA. The levels of PlGF, sEng and sEng/PlGF were compared between the PRES group and the normal MRI groups. The correlation of sEng/PIGF ratio and SBE were studied as well. Results: The PlGF in the PRSE group was (231.4±66.8) ng/L, and in normal cerebral MRI group was (333.6±37.5) ng/L (t= 5.61, P<0.05). The sEng in the PRSE group was (5 256.2±879.6) ng/L, in normal cerebral MRI group was (3 955.6±537.7) ng/L (t=6.53, P<0.01).The sEng/PlGF in the PRSE group was (26.0±10.0) , and in normal cerebral MRI group was (11.9±1.6; t=8.41, P<0.01) , with the cut-off value of 20.0. The sensitivity was 81.8% and the specificity was 85.0%.There was no statistically significant correlation between PlGF, sEng and SBE (P>0.05).There was a positive correlation between the sEng/PlGF ratio and SBE (P>0.05). Conclusion: The value of sEng/PlGF ratio was correlated with brain edema score in PE. The serum sEng/PlGF ratio may be used as a reference for prediction of PRES.

Hepatic epithelioid angiomyolipoma: clinical features and imaging findings of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and CT

AIM

To evaluate the clinical features and imaging findings of epithelioid angiomyolipoma (EAML) on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

During January 2006 to November 2015, six patients with histopathologically proven hepatic EAML were evaluated using both CECT and ultrasonography. Six patients underwent CEUS and four patients had CECT images. Patients' demographics, clinical presentations, laboratory test results, and imaging appearances were collected and analysed.

RESULTS

Six patients were female, and the mean age was 43.5 years. All hepatic EAMLs were solitary. None of patients had specific symptoms, and laboratory tests were normal in all patients. The maximal diameter of the lesions ranged from 3.1 to 6.5 cm (mean 4.4 cm). Baseline ultrasound revealed that 50% of hepatic EAMLs were hypo-echoic and 50% were mixed echoic. CEUS showed that 100% of the hepatic EAMLs displayed homogeneous hyperenhancement in the arterial phase and 67% (4/6) showed hypo-enhancement in the late phase. On CECT, 100% (4/4) of the neoplasms were significantly hyperenhanced in the arterial phase and washout in the portal phase. There was no recurrence or metastasis after a mean follow-up period of 11.8 months.

CONCLUSION

Hepatic EAML shows similar enhancement patterns to that of hepatocellular carcinoma. It should be considered as a possible differential diagnosis in female patients without viral hepatitis infection.

A high speed compact microwave interferometer for density fluctuation measurements in Sino-UNIted Spherical Tokamak

A single-channel 3 mm interferometer has been developed for plasma density diagnostics in the Sino-UNIted Spherical Tokamak (SUNIST). The extremely compact microwave interferometer utilizes one corrugated feed horn antenna for both emitting and receiving the microwave. The beam path lies on the equatorial plane so the system would not suffer from beam path deflection problems due to the symmetry of the cross section. A focusing lens group and an oblique vacuum window are carefully designed to boost the signal to noise ratio, which allows this system to show good performance even with the small-diameter central column itself as a reflector, without a concave mirror. The whole system discards the reference leg for maximum compactness, which is particularly suitable for the small-sized tokamak. An auto-correcting algorithm is developed to calculate the phase evolution, and the result displays good phase stability of the whole system. The intermediate frequency is adjustable and can reach its full potential of 2 MHz for best temporal resolution. Multiple measurements during ohmic discharges proved the interferometer's capability to track typical density fluctuations in SUNIST, which enables this system to be utilized in the study of MHD activities.

Assessment of the beam path deflection for a vertically installed microwave interferometer in SUNIST

Microwave interferometry has been widely employed to provide reliable line averaged electron density measurement on plasma devices. For a vertically installed interferometer on a tokamak, the refraction problem, which distorts the beam path and aggravates power loss at the receiving antenna, may become significant if taking the cross section shape into account. Increasing the frequency of the probing microwave can alleviate the distortion, but at the expense of losing the density resolution. To seek for an optimized frequency, previous calculations are mainly based on the cylindrical column geometry which grossly underestimates the deflection of the beam path induced by the plasma shape, and empirical suggestions indicating ne0/nc = 1/2 ∼ 1/3 may not always be the appropriate option. Here a single ray tracing method is applied to estimate the final horizontal deviation at the receiving antenna, which is supposed to represent the level of power loss. The calculation is carried out under the real tokamak geometry in Sino-UNIted Spherical Tokamak (SUNIST) with the cross section parameters obtained from the equilibrium reconstruction, and the result indicates that for a target density of 1.2 × 10(19) m(-3), a frequency of at least 100 GHz is desirable to reduce the power loss to an acceptable level. This would be helpful for the design of a vertically installed interferometer on SUNIST.

Potential rapid solutions to maintain ventilation in the event of anaesthesia machine failure with no access to the patient's airway

Anaesthesia machine failure requires rapid solutions to maintain ventilation and anaesthesia. During procedures with poor access to the patient's airway, it may not be possible to use a self-inflating mechanical ventilation device (SIMVD) for emergency ventilation, and alternative solutions are needed. We evaluated five methods for rescue ventilation using a patient simulator. In Method 1, we used the inspiratory and expiratory tubes and the alternative common gas outlet (ACGO) on the anaesthesia machine to produce a Mapleson E system. In Method 2, we used the tubes, ACGO and an open-ended reservoir bag to produce a Mapleson F system, controlling the bag to achieve ventilation. In Method 3, we attached a SIMVD to the inspiratory tube, and controlled occlusion of the expiratory tube. In Method 4, we used the tubes and ACGO in a Mapleson F configuration, replacing the open-ended bag with a SIMVD to facilitate manual ventilation. In Method 5, we attached a SIMVD to the expiratory tube and left the inspiratory tube attached to its mounting. We were able to achieve ventilation, maintain inhalational anaesthesia, and prevent expired gas rebreathing in Methods 1 and 2. In Method 3 ventilation was achieved with minimal rebreathing of expiratory gas, but with no inhalational agent. Methods 4 and 5 led to rebreathing. Our findings indicate that Methods 1 or 2 are the preferred rapid solutions to maintain ventilation and inhalational anaesthesia in the event of anaesthesia machine failure where there is poor airway access.

Role of 5 Saponins in Secretion of Cytokines by PRRSV-induced Endothelial Cells

The aim of the research presented here was to investigate the immunoloregulatory effects of 5 saponins: Saikosaponins A (SSA) and D (SSD) from Bupleurum chinese DC (Umbelliferae), Panax Notoginseng Saponin (PNS) and Notoginsenoside R1 from Panax notoginseng (Araliaceae) (SR1), and Anemoside B4 from Pulsatilla chinensis Regel (Ranunculaceae) (AB4). To achieve this, endothelial cells were challenged with 10(5) TCID50/mL PRRSV for 24 h then treated respectively with 5 saponins at 3 concentrations (1, 5 and 10 μg/mL). The cells were incubated at 37°C in a cell incubator for 24 h. The supernatants were collected and analyzed the levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-10, IL-2, and γ-interferon (IFN-γ) by ELISA kits. The results revealed that PNS and SR1 inhibited the production of IL-4; PNS, SR1 and SSD inhibited the secretion of IL-10; SSA, SSD and AB4 up-regulated IL-2 expression; SSA and SSD increased the level of IFN-γ. All these changes were significant. Taken together, the data suggested that these 5 saponins might effectively regulate immune responses via changes in the levels of these select cytokines.

Abstract PD2-05: Evaluating the role of recurrent ESR1-CCDC170 in breast cancer endocrine resistance

Background

Recurrent gene fusions resulting from chromosome translocations are critical genetic aberrations causing cancer. In our previous study, we identified recurrent rearrangements between ESR1 and its neighbor, CCDC170, in 6-8% of luminal B tumors. Luminal B subtype is a more aggressive ER+ breast cancer, with a higher risk of early relapse after endocrine therapy. These rearrangements enable the expression of N-terminally truncated CCDC170 (ΔCCDC170) under ESR1 promoter. Consistent with the behavior of luminal B tumors, ectopic ΔCCDC170 expression in ER+ breast cancer cells, led to markedly increased cell motility, invasion, anchorage-independent growth, and reduced endocrine sensitivity in vitro, as well as enhanced xenograft growth in vivo. In the present study, we studied the role of ESR1-CCDC170 in breast cancer endocrine resistance in vivo and explored the potential mechanism.

Methods

To study endocrine resistance in vivo, we transplanted T47D cells stably overexpressing (OE) control (empty) construct or 2 ΔCCDC170 fusion variants (E2-E7 and E2-E10) bilaterally to 4-6 week old female athymic nude mice (supplemented with 17β-estradiol pellets). The tumor growth was monitored biweekly and tumor volume was measured by the formula 1/2(length × width2). When the tumors reach 150–200 mm3, mice were randomly allocated to vehicle or tamoxifen (tam) treatment groups. For ERE luciferase assay, cells were co-transfected with ERE luciferase reporter (ERE-TK-Luc) and pCMV β-galactosidase. The luciferase levels were measured and normalized to β-gal activity. For immunoblot analysis, T47D OE cells were estrogen-deprived, serum-starved, and treated with vehicle, estrogen (E2) or tam. Reverse Phase Protein Array (RPPA) analysis was performed using ∼200 validated antibodies against an array of key signaling molecules in cancer.

Results

Our in vivo endocrine sensitivity study showed that, while T47D vector control tumors mostly regressed after tam treatment, the regression of E2-E7 tumors was significantly slower. Moreover, E2-E10 tumors continued to grow despite tam treatment. These observations suggest that ΔCCDC170 may render the T47D xenografts less sensitive to tam in vivo. Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed a significantly worse progression-free survival (defined by tumor doubling time) for E2-E7 (p&lt;0.01) and E2-E10 (p&lt;0.001) tumors treated with tam compared to control tumors. ΔCCDC170 expression in T47D cells enhanced the ER transcriptional activity in the presence of E2 but not tam, suggesting that the fusion-mediated endocrine-sensitivity changes is unlikely due to restoration of classic ER activity. Immunoblot analysis of T47D OE cells revealed hyperactive growth factor signaling even after serum withdrawal, which was not significantly affected by tam treatment. Preliminary RPPA analysis revealed upregulation of key signaling molecules in T47D cells expressing ΔCCDC170, such as Her3, AMPK, Akt, Erk, c-Myc, and Src-3.

Conclusion

These data suggest a potential role of ESR1-CCDC170 in mediating breast cancer endocrine resistance, presumably due to hyperactive growth factor signaling endowed by this fusion. Further studies are required to elucidate the role of endogenous ESR1-CCDC170 in breast cancer endocrine resistance, and discover the precise engaged mechanisms.

Citation Format: Hu Y, Veeraraghavan J, Wang X, Tan Y, Kim J, Schiff R, Wang X-S. Evaluating the role of recurrent ESR1-CCDC170 in breast cancer endocrine resistance. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PD2-05.

Supplemental lipoic acid relieves post-weaning diarrhoea by decreasing intestinal permeability in rats

Lipoic acid (LA) is a naturally existing substance which widely distributed in the cellular membranes and cytosol of animal cells. Its intracellular functions include quenching of free radicals and repairing oxidized proteins. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of LA on post-weaning diarrhoea using a rat model. Sixty weaned rats were fed either a basal diet or a LA-supplemented diet, or a zinc oxide (ZnO)-supplemented diet as a positive control. Rats in the LA and ZnO groups had better performance and reduced incidence of diarrhoea (p < 0.05). Both LA and ZnO treatments enhanced intestinal homeostatic and architecture, significantly decreased urinary lactulose to mannitol ratios (p < 0.05) and increased the expression of the intestinal mucosal tight junction proteins occludin (OCLN) and zonula occludens protein-1 (ZO-1) (p < 0.05). LA significantly increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes, and reduced glutathione while decreasing the levels of oxidative glutathione and malondialdehyde in the intestinal mucosa (p < 0.05). Furthermore, an in vitro study indicated that supplementation with LA in IEC-6 intestinal epithelial cells significantly enhanced the expression of OCLN and ZO-1 under hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress. Collectively, these results suggest that LA relieves post-weaning diarrhoea by reducing intestinal permeability and improving antioxidant indices.

Comparison of the Effect of Vessel Size Imaging and Cerebral Blood Volume Derived from Perfusion MR Imaging on Glioma Grading

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Vascular proliferation is a major criterion for grading gliomas on the basis of histology. Relative cerebral blood volume can provide pathophysiologic information about glioma grading. Vessel size imaging, in some animals, can be used to estimate the microvascular caliber of a glioma, but its clinical use remains unclear. Herein, we aimed to compare the predictive power of relative cerebral blood volume and vessel size imaging in glioma grading, with grading based on histology.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Seventy patients with glioma participated in the study; 30 patients underwent MR perfusion imaging with a spin-echo sequence and vessel size imaging with a gradient-echo and spin-echo sequence successively at 24-hour intervals before surgery. We analyzed the vessel size imaging values and relative cerebral blood volume of differently graded gliomas. The microvessel parameters were histologically evaluated and compared with those on MR imaging. The cutoff values of vessel size imaging and relative cerebral blood volume obtained from receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were used to predict glioma grading in another 40 patients.

RESULTS

Vessel size imaging values and relative cerebral blood volume were both increased in high-grade gliomas compared with low-grade gliomas (P < .01). Moreover, vessel size imaging values had higher specificity and sensitivity in differentiating high-grade from low-grade gliomas compared with relative cerebral blood volume. In addition, a significant correlation was observed between vessel size imaging values and microvessel diameters (r > 0.8, P < .05) and between relative cerebral blood volume and microvessel area (r = 0.6579, P < .05). Most important, the use of vessel size imaging cutoff values to predict glioma grading was more accurate (100%) than use of relative cerebral blood volume (85%) values.

CONCLUSIONS

Vessel size imaging can provide more accurate information on glioma grading and may serve as an effective biomarker for the prognosis of patients with gliomas.

Effect of low temperatures on BAX and BCL2 proteins in rats with spinal cord ischemia reperfusion injury

We evaluated changes in BAX and BCL2 expression levels after spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury (SCII) and hypothermia during operations in rats. Eighty rats were divided into four groups: Group A (N = 20, 18°C); Group B (N = 20, 28°C); Group C (N = 20, room temperature); and Group D (N = 20, sham operation control). Spinal cord ischemia was induced for 90 min. Hypothermia was induced 15 min before, and maintained during ischemia, followed by heating to normothermia for 30 min after reperfusion. Motor function of the lower limbs was evaluated according to the Tarlov score at 72 and 168 h. For each rat, spinal cord samples were taken at 6, 24, 72 h, and 1 week to evaluate the histopathological changes, neuronal apoptosis, and BAX and BCL2 expression levels. Compared with normothermia, hypothermia significantly improved hind limb function; Group B achieved a higher score than Group A. Group D showed no neurologic deficiency, while the other groups showed various degrees. Group C exhibited greater neuronal apoptosis, higher BAX expression, but lower BCL2 expression than the other groups. Compared with Group A, BAX was expressed less and BCL2 more in Group B, and there was less apoptosis in Group B. Hypothermia preserves hind limb motor function and reduces neuronal death, thereby protecting rats from SCII. The spinal cord may be protected from SCII by inhibition of BAX and activation of BCL2. However, deep hypothermia may inhibit the expression of BCL2, resulting in a worse outcome than mild hypothermia.

Measurement of eddy-current distribution in the vacuum vessel of the Sino-UNIted Spherical Tokamak

Eddy currents have an important effect on tokamak plasma equilibrium and control of magneto hydrodynamic activity. The vacuum vessel of the Sino-UNIted Spherical Tokamak is separated into two hemispherical sections by a toroidal insulating barrier. Consequently, the characteristics of eddy currents are more complex than those found in a standard tokamak. Thus, it is necessary to measure and analyze the eddy-current distribution. In this study, we propose an experimental method for measuring the eddy-current distribution in a vacuum vessel. By placing a flexible printed circuit board with magnetic probes onto the external surface of the vacuum vessel to measure the magnetic field parallel to the surface and then subtracting the magnetic field generated by the vertical-field coils, the magnetic field due to the eddy current can be obtained, and its distribution can be determined. We successfully applied this method to the Sino-UNIted Spherical Tokamak, and thus, we obtained the eddy-current distribution despite the presence of the magnetic field generated by the external coils.

Quality of life and psychosocial measures influenced by exercise modality in patients with coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND

The optimal approach to prescribing resistance training (RT) combined with aerobic training (AT) for psychosocial and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is unclear.

AIM

To compare the effects of AT combined with RT (1 versus 3 sets) versus AT alone on HRQOL and psychosocial outcomes.

DESIGN

Subjects (N.=72) were randomized to AT (5 d∙wk-1) or AT (3 d∙wk-1) with either 1 set (AT/RT1) or 3 sets (AT/RT3) of RT performed 2 d∙wk-1.

SETTING

Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation Program.

POPULATION

Subjects with coronary artery disease.

METHODS

HRQOL and psychosocial parameters were assessed before and after 29 weeks of training by questionnaire.

RESULTS

Fifty-three subjects (mean±SD age 60.6±10.6 years) completed training. There was a group effect for change in self-efficacy of lower body physical activity tasks (P=0.03) with significantly greater improvement for AT/RT3 than AT alone (17.5±16.6% vs. 3.2±12.8% respectively, p=0.04). Lower body self-efficacy improved for AT/RT1 (15.5±13.8%, p<0.001) but not for AT alone (P=0.2). Self-efficacy for upper body tasks improved with AT/RT3 (18.2±19.9%, P=0.003) and AT/RT1 training (12.6±15.8%, P=0.005) but not with AT alone (8.3±16.1%, P=0.1). AT/RT3 and AT/RT1 training yielded improvements in depression score (-4.0±7.7, P=0.04 and -3.0±5.1, P=0.02 respectively) but not with AT alone (-0.5±4.7, P=0.71). The improvement from baseline in physical HRQOL score (MOS, SF-36) averaged 8.2±11.2% for AT (P=0.04), 10.4±11.9% for AT/RT1 (P=0.006) and 12.0±12.9% for AT/RT3 (P=0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

Both AT+RT groups with either 1 or 3 sets (AT 3 d∙wk-1and RT 2 d∙wk-1) each yield more pronounced psychosocial and HRQOL adaptations than AT alone (5 d∙wk-1). RT prescription beyond 1 set may further augment selected parameters in cardiac patients.

CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT

These results provide further rationale to develop combined AT+RT regimens for individuals with coronary artery disease.

Effect of adding gemtuzumab ozogamicin to induction chemotherapy for newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia: a meta-analysis of prospective randomized phase III trials

BACKGROUND

Gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO) is a targeted antineoplastic agent comprised of a recombinant anti-CD33 humanized antibody linked to calicheamicin. Previous trials have showed conflicting results concerning the efficacy and toxicity of adding GO to induction chemotherapy for newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to resolve this controversial issue.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Summary data from five randomized phase III trials compared adding GO to induction chemotherapy with induction chemotherapy alone for newly diagnosed AML were meta-analyzed. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS), and pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs for complete remission (CR) rate, incidences of resistance disease, relapse and toxicity were calculated.

RESULTS

Data of 3596 patients (1798 GO and 1798 controls) from five randomized phase III trials were analyzed. Compared with induction chemotherapy alone, adding GO significantly prolonged OS (HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.86-1.00, P=0.05) and RFS (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.79-0.95, P=0.003), decreased the incidences of resistant disease (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.55-0.93, P=0.01) and relapse (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.63-0.90, P=0.002), but had no effect on CR rate (OR 1.15, 95% CI 0.91-1.46, P=0.24). Sensitivity analysis yielded similar results. Subgroup analysis identified that cytogenetics might be an influencing factor for the effect of adding GO. In addition, the risks of grade 3-4 nausea/vomiting, diarrhea and liver aspartate transaminase (AST) elevation were increased in GO arm.

CONCLUSIONS

Adding GO to induction chemotherapy for newly diagnosed AML can significantly prolong OS and RFS, decrease incidences of resistant disease and relapse, but may increase risks of grade 3-4 nausea/vomiting, diarrhea and liver AST elevation.

Genetic variations in microRNA genes and susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma

We conducted a hospital-based case-control study to investigate the effect of the miR-146aG>C and miR-499A>G polymorphisms on the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a Chinese population. This study was 1:1 matched case-control study consisting of 184 HCC patients and 184 control subjects. miR-146aG>C and miR-499A>G polymorphisms were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Multivariate regression analyses showed that subjects carrying the miR-146a G allele and miR-499 G allele were associated with a non-significant increased risk of HCC compared with subjects with the homozygous allele, with adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of 1.38 (0.97-1.84) and 1.40 (0.99-2.08), respectively. Moreover, subjects carrying the miR-499 A allele showed a greatly increased risk of HCC in subjects infected with HBV compared with subjects carrying the miR-499 A allele, with an adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of 1.53 (1.34-2.41). In conclusion, the miR-146aG>C and miR-499A>G polymorphisms do not have a role in the genetic susceptibility to HCC.

Risk factors for gas-related complications of peroral endoscopic myotomy in achalasia

BACKGROUND

Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a novel endoscopic technique for the treatment of achalasia. However, there are POEM-associated complications, the most common of which being gas-related. The aim of the current study was to determine the occurrence of and risk factors for gas-related complications of POEM in patients with achalasia.

METHODS

Retrospective analyses were performed on the clinical data of 216 achalasia patients receiving POEM at our hospital during the period from August 2011 to November 2013. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to look for potential risk factors for gas-related complications.

RESULTS

The rate of gas-related complications was 10.2% (22/216). Univariate analyses indicated that simple longitudinal mucosal incision, tunnel width ≤ 3 cm, sigmoid-type oesophagus, myotomy depth and operative time were risk factors for gas-related complications (p < 0.05). Multivariate analyses indicated that simple longitudinal mucosal incision, tunnel width ≤ 3 cm and sigmoid-type oesophagus were risk factors for the complications (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Simple longitudinal mucosal incision, tunnel width ≤ 3 cm and sigmoid-type oesophagus are independent risk factors for gas-related complications for achalasia during POEM, but not myotomy depth and operative time.

Neural stem cell progeny regulate stem cell death in a Notch and Hox dependent manner

Cell death is a prevalent, well-controlled and fundamental aspect of development, particularly in the nervous system. In Drosophila, specific neural stem cells are eliminated by apoptosis during embryogenesis. In the absence of apoptosis, these stem cells continue to divide, resulting in a dramatically hyperplastic central nervous system and adult lethality. Although core cell death pathways have been well described, the spatial, temporal and cell identity cues that activate the cell death machinery in specific cells are largely unknown. We identified a cis-regulatory region that controls the transcription of the cell death activators reaper, grim and sickle exclusively in neural stem cells. Using a reporter generated from this regulatory region, we found that Notch activity is required for neural stem cell death. Notch regulates the expression of the abdominalA homeobox protein, which provides important spatial cues for death. Importantly, we show that pro-apoptotic Notch signaling is activated by the Delta ligand expressed on the neighboring progeny of the stem cell. Thus we identify a previously undescribed role for progeny in regulating the proper developmental death of their parental stem cells.

Size and polydispersity trends found in gold nanoparticles synthesized by laser ablation in liquids

In this work, we compare our experimental results with the latest computational findings for the synthesis of nanoparticles via Laser Ablation in Liquids (LAL). In addition, we demonstrate the usefulness of shadowgraphy imaging of the cavitation bubble in determination of ablation thresholds and irradiation efficiency.

Effect of asymmetrical eddy currents on magnetic diagnosis signals for equilibrium reconstruction in the Sino-UNIted Spherical Tokamak

The vacuum vessel of Sino-UNIted Spherical Tokamak was split into two insulated hemispheres, both of which were insulated from the central cylinder. The eddy currents flowing in the vacuum vessel would become asymmetrical due to discontinuity. A 3D finite elements model was applied in order to study the eddy currents. The modeling results indicated that when the Poloidal Field (PF) was applied, the induced eddy currents would flow in the toroidal direction in the center of the hemispheres and would be forced to turn to the poloidal and radial directions due to the insulated slit. Since the eddy currents converged on the top and bottom of the vessel, the current densities there tended to be much higher than those in the equatorial plane were. Moreover, the eddy currents on the top and bottom of vacuum vessel had the same direction when the current flowed in the PF coils. These features resulted in the leading phases of signals on the top and bottom flux loops when compared with the PF waveforms.

Transcriptional repression of CDKN2D by PML/RARα contributes to the altered proliferation and differentiation block of acute promyelocytic leukemia cells

Cell proliferation and differentiation are highly coordinated processes. These two processes are disrupted during leukemogenesis, resulting in differentiation block and uncontrolled proliferation in leukemia. To understand the mechanisms disrupting the coordination between the two processes in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), we investigated the regulatory mechanism of the negative cell cycle regulator CDKN2D by the promyelocytic leukemia/retinoic acid receptor α (PML/RARα) fusion protein and the role of CDKN2D in cell differentiation and proliferation. We found that CDKN2D expression in APL cells was significantly lower than that in normal promyelocytes. By chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter assays, we showed that PML/RARα directly bound to and inhibited the transactivation of the CDKN2D promoter. Further evidence by the truncated and mutated CDKN2D promoters revealed that the everted repeat 8 (ER8) motif on the promoter was the binding site of PML/RARα. Forced expression of CDKN2D induced G0/G1 phase arrest and partial granulocytic differentiation in APL-derived NB4 cells, suggesting the function of CDKN2D in regulating both cell proliferation and granulocytic differentiation. Furthermore, all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) significantly induced CDKN2D expression in APL cells and knockdown of CDKN2D expression during ATRA treatment partially blocked the ATRA-induced differentiation and cell cycle arrest. Collectively, our data indicate that CDKN2D repression by PML/RARα disrupts both cell proliferation and differentiation in the pathogenesis of APL, and induced expression of CDKN2D by ATRA alleviates the disruption of both processes to ensure treatment efficiency. This study provides a mechanism for coupling proliferation and differentiation in leukemic cells through the action of CDKN2D.

β-Catenin and NF-κB co-activation triggered by TLR3 stimulation facilitates stem cell-like phenotypes in breast cancer

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are responsible for tumor initiation and progression. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are highly expressed in cancer cells and associated with poor prognosis. However, a linkage between CSCs and TLRs is unclear, and potential intervention strategies to prevent TLR stimulation-induced CSC formation and underlying mechanisms are lacking. Here, we demonstrate that stimulation of toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) promotes breast cancer cells toward a CSC phenotype in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, conventional NF-κB signaling pathway is not exclusively responsible for TLR3 activation-enriched CSCs. Intriguingly, simultaneous activation of both β-catenin and NF-κB signaling pathways, but neither alone, is required for the enhanced CSC phenotypes. We have further identified a small molecule cardamonin that can concurrently inhibit β-catenin and NF-κB signals. Cardamonin is capable of effectively abolishing TLR3 activation-enhanced CSC phenotypes in vitro and successfully controlling TLR3 stimulation-induced tumor growth in human breast cancer xenografts. These findings may provide a foundation for developing new strategies to prevent the induction of CSCs during cancer therapies.

Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 modulates calcium oscillation and innate immune response induced by lipopolysaccharide in microglial cell

Microglia, the primary immune cells in the brain, have been implicated as the predominant cells governing inflammation-mediated neuronal damage. In response to immunological challenges such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), microglia are activated and subsequently inflammatory process is initiated as evidenced by the release of pro-inflammatory chemokines and cytokines. Here we show that Group I metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) is involved in LPS-induced microglia activation. LPS triggered a similar pattern of [Ca2+]i oscillation in N9, Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-mutant EOC 20, TLR4-wild-type and TLR4-deficient primary mouse microglia, suggesting that LPS-induced [Ca2+]i oscillation is independent of TLR4. The characteristics of [Ca2+]i oscillation induced by LPS are consistent with those observed in mGluR5 activation. In addition, mGluR5 antagonist 3-[(2-methyl-1,3-thiazol-4-yl)ethynyl]pyridine (MTEP) abolished LPS-induced [Ca2+]i oscillation. Immunocytochemistry demonstrated that LPS colocalizes with mGluR5 in microglia and the direct binding of LPS and mGluR5 was further validated by antibody-based fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) technology. Activation of mGluR5 using a selective agonist (RS)-2-chloro-5-hydroxyphenylglycine (CHPG) significantly expanded LPS-induced nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activity and CHPG alone increased NF-κB activity as well. But, mGluR5 antagonist MTEP attenuated the actions of LPS, CHPG and the additive effect of LPS and CHPG in microglia. LPS induced tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) secretion in N9 microglia, but not in TLR4-mutant EOC 20 and TLR4-deficient primary mouse microglia. CHPG reduced LPS-caused TNF-α production, but MTEP increased LPS-induced TNF-α production and blocked the effect of CHPG in N9 microglia. These data demonstrate that mGluR5 and TLR4 are two critical receptors that mediate microglia activation in response to LPS, suggesting that mGluR5 may represent a novel target for modulating microglia-dependent neuroinflammation.

Phospholipase C gamma 1 is a potential prognostic biomarker for patients with locally advanced and resectable oral squamous cell carcinoma

The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic and predictive values of phospholipase C gamma 1 (PLCG1) expression in patients with locally advanced and resectable oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), who were treated in a prospective, randomized, phase 3 trial evaluating standard treatment with surgery and postoperative radiation preceded or not by induction docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil (TPF). Immunohistochemical staining for PLCG1 was performed on the biopsies of 232 out of 256 OSCC patients at clinical stage III/IVA; the PLCG1 positive score was determined by immunoreactive scoring system. The survival analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier method; hazard ratios were calculated using the Cox proportional hazards model. Patients with a low PLCG1 expression had a significantly better overall survival (P=0.022), and a trend towards better disease-free survival (P=0.087), loco-regional recurrence-free survival (P=0.058), distant metastasis-free survival (P=0.053), and a high response rate to TPF induction chemotherapy with regard to clinical response (P=0.052) and pathological response (P=0.061), compared to those with high PLCG1 expression. Our results suggest that PLCG1 expression could be used as a prognostic biomarker for patients with advanced OSCC; however, it was not an adequate predictive biomarker for TPF induction chemotherapy.

Genetic tuning of the novel avian influenza A(H7N9) virus during interspecies transmission, China, 2013

A novel avian influenza A(H7N9) virus causing human infection emerged in February 2013 in China. To elucidate the mechanism of interspecies transmission, we compared the signature amino acids of avian influenza A(H7N9) viruses from human and non-human hosts and analysed the reassortants of 146 influenza A(H7N9) viruses with full genome sequences. We propose a genetic tuning procedure with continuous amino acid substitutions and reassorting that mediates host adaptation and interspecies transmission. When the early influenza A(H7N9) virus, containing ancestor haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes similar to A/Shanghai/05 virus, circulated in waterfowl and transmitted to terrestrial poultry, it acquired an NA stalk deletion at amino acid positions 69 to 73. Then, receptor binding preference was tuned to increase the affinity to human-like receptors through HA G186V and Q226L mutations in terrestrial poultry. Additional mammalian adaptations such as PB2 E627K were selected in humans. The continual reassortation between H7N9 and H9N2 viruses resulted in multiple genotypes for further host adaptation. When we analysed a potential association of mutations and reassortants with clinical outcome, only the PB2 E627K mutation slightly increased the case fatality rate. Genetic tuning may create opportunities for further adaptation of influenza A(H7N9) and its potential to cause a pandemic.

Short-term effects of escitalopram on regional brain function in first-episode drug-naive patients with major depressive disorder assessed by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging

BACKGROUND

Most knowledge regarding the effects of antidepressant drugs is at the receptor level, distal from the nervous system effects that mediate their clinical efficacy. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), this study investigated the effects of escitalopram, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), on resting-state brain function in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

METHOD

Fourteen first-episode drug-naive MDD patients completed two fMRI scans before and after 8 weeks of escitalopram therapy. Scans were also acquired in 14 matched healthy subjects. Data were analyzed using the regional homogeneity (ReHo) approach.

RESULTS

Compared to controls, MDD patients before treatment demonstrated decreased ReHo in the frontal (right superior frontal gyrus), temporal (left middle and right inferior temporal gyri), parietal (right precuneus) and occipital (left superior occipital gyrus and right cuneus) cortices, and increased ReHo in the left dorsal medial prefrontal gyrus and left anterior lobe of the cerebellum. Compared to the unmedicated state, ReHo in the patients after treatment was decreased in the left dorsal medial prefrontal gyrus, the right insula and the bilateral thalamus, and increased in the right superior frontal gyrus. Compared to controls, patients after treatment displayed a ReHo decrease in the right precuneus and a ReHo increase in the left anterior lobe of the cerebellum.

CONCLUSIONS

Successful treatment with escitalopram may be associated with modulation of resting-state brain activity in regions within the fronto-limbic circuit. This study provides new insight into the effects of antidepressants on functional brain systems in MDD.

An improved high-output cell microarray technology

AIMS

Cell microarray (CMA) is a high-throughput scientific research tool, which has greatly accelerated many analyses based at the cellular level. However, there are few described methods for constructing CMAs. Here, we introduce a new, simple, high-output CMA method that is applicable to a broad range of cellular samples.

METHODS

In this method, a recipient block (length, 3.6 cm; width, 2.7 cm; depth, 2 cm) with 40 dot markers was moulded using a transparent plastic box. Adenocarcinoma cells were collected from malignant pleural effusions, cell cylinders were moulded with plastic piping and the cylinders were manually arrayed one by one into the corresponding location of the 60 °C pre-softened recipient block using the guide holes drilled with a steel needle. We constructed a 40-cylinder CMA to prove this method. The expression of cytokeratin 7 (CK7) in the CMA was examined to confirm antigen preservation and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutation was screened for in five samples.

RESULTS

The CMA prepared by this method had well-defined array configurations, good cellular morphology and well-preserved proteins and DNA. A total of 1000 sections could be easily gained from this CMA block.

CONCLUSIONS

This simple and low-cost method provides a novel way of preparing a high-output CMA.

Prenatal exposure to decabrominated diphenyl ether impairs learning ability by altering neural stem cell viability, apoptosis, and differentiation in rat hippocampus

Background:Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) levels in children and teenagers were higher than those of the adults and the highest levels were found in infants and toddlers. 2,2',3,3',4,4',5,5',6,6'-Decabrominated diphenyl ether (BDE-209) readily crosses the placental barrier and produces toxicity in the developing fetus, particularly to the developing brain.Objectives:This present study aims to investigate the potential effects of prenatal BDE-209 exposure on regulation of neurogenesis and learning function in an experimental rat model.Methods:Pregnant rats received BDE-209 (10, 30, or 50 mg kg-1 day-1) or vehicle (arachis oil) through gastric gavage from gestation day 1 to 14 (n = 10 per group). The embryonic hippocampal neural stem cells (NSCs) from five pregnant rats in each group were collected on day 14 and cultured in vitro to determine the cell viability, apoptosis, and differentiation of NSCs using cell counting kit 8 assay, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence staining, respectively. In total, 20 male offspring on postnatal day 25 from each group were chosen to evaluate learning ability using a Morris water navigation task assay.Results:The data showed that prenatal exposure to BDE-209 decreased cell viability and differentiation of NSCs but promoted apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Prenatal BDE-209 exposure also impaired rat-learning acquisition in a dose-dependent manner.Conclusions:Prenatal BDE-209 exposure impairs rat-learning acquisition, possibly by affecting neurogenesis in the hippocampus during embryonic development.

The serum levels of connective tissue growth factor in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis

OBJECTIVE

The expression of connective tissue growth factor mRNA in human kidneys may serve as an early marker for lupus nephritis progression. Therefore, we speculated that connective tissue growth factor may be involved in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis. In this study, we set out to investigate the associations between serum connective tissue growth factor levels and clinicopathological features of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis.

METHODS

Serum samples from patients with non-renal systemic lupus erythematosus, renal biopsy-proven lupus nephritis and healthy control subjects were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for serum connective tissue growth factor levels. The associations between connective tissue growth factor levels and clinicopathological features of the patients were further analysed.

RESULTS

The levels of serum connective tissue growth factor in patients with non-renal systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis were both significantly higher than those in the normal control group (34.14 ± 12.17 ng/ml vs. 22.8 ± 3.0 ng/ml, p<0.001; 44.1 ± 46.8 ng/ml vs. 22.8 ± 3.0 ng/ml, p = 0.035, respectively). There was no significant difference of the serum connective tissue growth factor levels between non-renal systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis group (34.14 ± 12.17 ng/ml vs. 44.1 ± 46.8 ng/ml, p = 0.183). Serum connective tissue growth factor levels were significantly higher in lupus nephritis patients with the following clinical manifestations, including anaemia (51.3 ± 51.4 ng/ml vs. 23.4 ± 9.7 ng/ml, p<0.001) and acute renal failure (85.5 ± 75.0 ng/ml vs. 31.2 ± 21.8 ng/ml, p = 0.002). Serum connective tissue growth factor levels in class IV were significantly higher than that in class II, III and V (57.6 ± 57.5 ng/ml vs. 18.7 ± 6.4 ng/ml, p = 0.019; 57.6 ± 57.5 ng/ml vs. 25.2 ± 14.9 ng/ml, p = 0.006; 57.6 ± 57.5 ng/ml vs. 30.5 ± 21.3 ng/ml, p = 0.017, respectively). Serum connective tissue growth factor levels were significantly higher in those with both active/chronic lesions than those in those with active lesions only in either class IV (84.9 ± 69.6 ng/ml vs. 40.0 ± 40.2 ng/ml, p = 0.001) or in combination of class III and IV lupus nephritis (63.3 ± 63.4 ng/ml vs. 38.3 ± 37.9 ng/ml, p = 0.035, respectively). Serum connective tissue growth factor levels were negatively associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (r = -0.46, p<0.001) and positively associated with interstitial inflammation (r = 0.309, p = 0.002) and interstitial fibrosis (r = 0.287, p = 0.004). Serum connective tissue growth factor level was a risk factor for doubling of serum creatinine in lupus nephritis (p<0.001, hazard ratio = 1.015, 95% confidence intervals 1.008-1.022) in univariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum connective tissue growth factor levels were significantly higher in lupus and correlated with chronic renal interstitial injury and doubling of serum creatinine in patients with lupus nephritis.

Effects and mechanisms of gastric electrical stimulation on visceral pain in a rodent model of gastric hyperalgesia secondary to chemically induced mucosal ulceration

BACKGROUND

Gastric electrical stimulation (GES) has been suggested as a potential treatment for patients with gastric motility disorders. The aim of this study was to examine the effects and mechanisms of GES on visceral pain in awaken rats.

METHODS

Under anesthesia, acetic acid was injected into the submucosal layer of the stomach wall in Sprague-Dawley (SD) male rats. Each rat was chronically placed with an intragastric balloon and two pairs of electrodes on gastric serosa for GES and at the neck muscles for electromyography (EMG) recordings respectively. The study was composed of four experiments. Exp 1 was designed to determine optimal GES parameters in reducing EMG response to gastric distention (GD). Exp 2 was performed to investigate the effect of GES on gastric tone/accommodation. Exp 3 was to investigate if the opioid pathway was involved in the analgesic effects of GES. Exp 4 was to assess the effectiveness of GES on the spinal cord neurons (T9-T10) responding to GD.

KEY RESULTS

(i) Gastric electrical stimulation with a train on of 0.1 s and off of 0.4 s, 0.25 ms, 100 Hz, and 6 mA significantly reduced GD-induced EMG responses at GD 40, 60, and 80 mmHg. (ii) The inhibitory effects of GES on the GD-induced EMG responses were blocked by Naloxone. (iii) GES inhibited 90% of high-threshold (HT) spinal neurons in response to GD. However, GES with the same parameters only suppressed 36.3% low-threshold (LT) neuronal response to GD.

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

Gastric electrical stimulation with optimal parameters inhibits visceral pain; the analgesic effect of GES on visceral pain is mediated via the endogenous opioid system and the suppression of spinal afferent neuronal activities.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 inhibitor RO3306 promotes mitotic slippage in paclitaxel-treated HepG2 cells

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver neoplasm and current systemic chemotherapy are mostly ineffective. Paclitaxel (PTX) has a clinically significant effect on many malignant tumors. Cells treated with PTX undergo reversible mitotic arrest and although high doses can cause side effects it may also induce apoptosis. We investigated the effect of a sequential combination of PTX and RO3306, a cyclin-dependent kinase 1 inhibitor, on the hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell line. The sequential drug treatment protocol involved the addition of PTX (0.2 µmol/L) for 18 h followed by RO3306 (2 µmol/L) for a further 6 h. Cell viability and proliferation were measured using tetrazolium dye (MTT) and colony formation assay. Cell cycle profiles were established by flow cytometry. The expression level of protein was examined by immunoblotting. We observed a synergistic effect of PTX and RO3306 treatment on cell growth and proliferation as well as an increased proportion of cells in sub-G1 phase. Expression levels of cyclin B, cyclin E and phosphorylated Histone H3 demonstrated that RO3306 enhanced apoptosis in PTX treated cells by mitotic slippage. Our data suggested that the combination of PTX and RO3306 may be an effective therapeutic combination for the treatment of liver cancer.

Abstract P3-04-04: Amplification and overexpression of TLK2 promote genomic instability in invasive breast cancer

The accumulation of numerous chromosomal aberrations is a hallmark characteristic of invasive breast cancer (IBC). It is thus critical to find specific chromosomal aberrations that may drive breast cancer initiation and progression, particularly those that are drivers of the genomic instability. By integrative analysis of genomic data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we have nominated Tousled-Like Kinase 2 (TLK2) as a candidate oncogene target for IBC. Ultra-high resolution copy-number data from TCGA suggest that TLK2 was amplified in approximately 10% of IBC, which are more frequent in luminal B than luminal A tumors. These data also revealed that TLK2-high breast tumors harbor significantly more global copy-number aberrations than the TLK2 low-tumors. TLK2 is a nuclear serine/threonine kinase that serves as a cell cycle checkpoint regulating chromatin assembly, and in response to DNA damage, TLK2 can be inactivated by phosphorylation through the ATM-dependent pathway. We thus postulated that up-regulation of TLK2 may help cancer cells to surpass the cell cycle checkpoint upon DNA damage, which may promote genomic instability in breast cancer cells. To analyze the effect of TLK2 overexpression, we introduced an inducible expression vector containing the TLK2 open-reading frame into the MCF10A benign epithelial cells and the T47D breast cancer cells. As shown by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS), ectopic expression of TLK2 in these cells overcame the cell cycle checkpoint in response to the DNA damage induced by gamma irradiation. gamma-H2AX foci formation revealed increased DNA double strand breaks and prolonged DNA repair window after irradiation in the TLK2 overexpressing cells. Interestingly, immunofluorescence localized TLK2 to the nucleus of breast cancer cells, which was markedly enriched in DNA double-strand break foci (or gamma-H2AX foci). To examine the effect of TLK2 knockdown, the MCF7 and MDAMB361 breast cancer cells overexpressing TLK2 were transfected with different TLK2 siRNAs. TLK2 inhibition led to G1/S cell cycle arrest (FACS analysis), profound decrease in cell growth (MTT assay), and enhanced apoptosis (Annexin V assay) in the MCF7 and MDAMB361 breast cancer cells over-expressing TLK2. Together, this study supports the role of TLK2 deregulation in the increased genomic instability of TLK2-high breast cancers, and suggests its potential as an attractive therapeutic target.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P3-04-04.

Cognitive trio: relationship with major depression and clinical predictors in Han Chinese women

BACKGROUND

Previous studies support Beck's cognitive model of vulnerability to depression. However, the relationship between his cognitive triad and other clinical features and risk factors among those with major depression (MD) has rarely been systematically studied.

METHOD

The three key cognitive symptoms of worthlessness, hopelessness and helplessness were assessed during their lifetime worst episode in 1970 Han Chinese women with recurrent MD. Diagnostic and other risk factor information was assessed at personal interview. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated by logistic regression.

RESULTS

Compared to patients who did not endorse the cognitive trio, those who did had a greater number of DSM-IV A criteria, more individual depressive symptoms, an earlier age at onset, a greater number of episodes, and were more likely to meet diagnostic criteria for melancholia, postnatal depression, dysthymia and anxiety disorders. Hopelessness was highly related to all the suicidal symptomatology, with ORs ranging from 5.92 to 6.51. Neuroticism, stressful life events (SLEs) and a protective parental rearing style were associated with these cognitive symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

During the worst episode of MD in Han Chinese women, the endorsement of the cognitive trio was associated with a worse course of depression and an increased risk of suicide. Individuals with high levels of neuroticism, many SLEs and high parental protectiveness were at increased risk for these cognitive depressive symptoms. As in Western populations, symptoms of the cognitive trio appear to play a central role in the psychopathology of MD in Chinese women.