Long-lasting remission of pulmonary metastases of renal cell cancer under IFN-beta therapy in a patient with multiple sclerosis

Co-regulatory expression quantitative trait loci mapping: method and application to endometrial cancer

Background

Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) studies have helped identify the genetic determinants of gene expression. Understanding the potential interacting mechanisms underlying such findings, however, is challenging.

Methods

We describe a method to identify the trans-acting drivers of multiple gene co-expression, which reflects the action of regulatory molecules. This method-termed co-regulatory expression quantitative trait locus (creQTL) mapping-allows for evaluation of a more focused set of phenotypes within a clear biological context than conventional eQTL mapping.

Results

Applying this method to a study of endometrial cancer revealed regulatory mechanisms supported by the literature: a creQTL between a locus upstream of STARD13/DLC2 and a group of seven IFNβ-induced genes. This suggests that the Rho-GTPase encoded by STARD13 regulates IFNβ-induced genes and the DNA damage response.

Conclusions

Because of the importance of IFNβ in cancer, our results suggest that creQTL may provide a finer picture of gene regulation and may reveal additional molecular targets for intervention. An open source R implementation of the method is available at http://sites.google.com/site/kenkompass/.

Pretreatment with interferon-alpha2a modulates perioperative immunodysfunction in patients with renal cell carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Complex perioperative immunodysfunction occurs in patients with renal cell carcinoma undergoing surgery. Here, we report on the effect of preoperative treatment with interferon-alpha2a (IFN-alpha2a).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

30 patients with a renal tumour received preoperative IFN-alpha2a for 6 days beginning 1 week before nephrectomy, 30 did not. Parameters of cellular and humoral immunity were measured in venous blood at various intervals using flow cytometry and ELISA. Endpoints included effects on immune parameters, toxicity, and survival.

RESULTS

Toxicity was grade 1 in 52%, 2 in 30%, and 3 in 4%. During IFN-alpha2a administration, leukocytes, monocytes, granulocytes, B-cell marker CD19, activation markers, CD4+CD25+ regulatory T-cells, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) dropped significantly, but no difference was observed in T-cell and natural killer (NK)-cell markers, and IL-10. Postoperatively, T-cell and activation markers decreased in both groups, but CD4, CD28, IL-6, IL-10, and HLA-DR alterations were significantly less accentuated in patients who had been treated with IFN-alpha2a. After a median follow-up of 23 months, survival did not differ between the groups (p = 0.54).

CONCLUSIONS

Perioperative immunodysfunction can be modulated by preoperative administration of IFN- alpha2a. IFN-alpha2a decreased the level of VEGF and CD4+CD25+ regulatory T-cells implicating a potential combination with tyrosine kinase inhibitors and vaccines.