Tunable structure of chimeric isomaltomegalosaccharides with double α-(1 → 4)-glucosyl chains enhances the solubility of water-insoluble bioactive compounds

Isomaltomegalosaccharides with α-(1 → 4) and α-(1 → 6)-segments solubilize water-insoluble ligands since the former complexes with the ligand and the latter solubilizes the complex. Previously, we enzymatically synthesized isomaltomegalosaccharide with a single α-(1 → 4)-segment at the reducing end (S-IMS) by dextran dextrinase (DDase), but the chain length [average degree of polymerization (DP) ≤ 9] was insufficient for strong encapsulation. We hypothesized that the conjugation of longer α-(1 → 4)-segment afforded the promising function although DDase is incapable to do so. In this study, the cyclodextrin glucanotransferase-catalyzed coupling reaction of α-cyclodextrin to S-IMS synthesized a new α-(1 → 4)-segment at the nonreducing end (N-4S) of S-IMS to form D-IMS [IMS harboring double α-(1 → 4)-segments]. The length of N-4S was modulated by the ratio between α-cyclodextrin and S-IMS, generating N-4Ss with DPs of 7-50. Based on phase-solubility analysis, D-IMS-28.3/13/3 bearing amylose-like helical N-4S with DP of 28.3 displayed a water-soluble complex with aromatic drugs and curcumin. Small-angle X-ray scattering revealed the chain adapted to rigid in solution in which the radius of gyration was estimated to 2.4 nm. Furthermore, D-IMS with short N-4S solubilized flavonoids of less-soluble multifunctional substances. In our research, enzyme-generated functional biomaterials from DDase were developed to maximize the hydrophobic binding efficacy towards water-insoluble bioactive compounds.

Partial depolymerization of tamarind seed xyloglucan and its functionality toward enhancing the solubility of curcumin

Polysaccharides of tamarind seed, a byproduct of the tamarind pulp industry, displayed a potential solubility improvement of lipophilic bioactive molecules but their textural characteristics hinder the dietary formulation. In contrast, the commonly available xyloglucan oligosaccharides (XOSs) with degrees of polymerization (DPs) of 7, 8, and 9 were too short to maintain their ability. The binding capacity of the between sizes is unknown due to a lack of appropriate preparation. We prepared xyloglucan megalosaccharides (XMSs) by partial depolymerization, where term megalosaccharide (MS) defines the middle chain-length saccharide between DPs 10 and 100. Digestion with fungal cellulase enabled reproducible active XMSs. Further identification of pure XMS segments indicated that XMS-B has an average DP of 17.2 (Gal₃Glc₈Xyl₆) with a branched dimer of XOS 8 and 9 and was free of side-chain arabinose, the residue influencing high viscosity. Curcumin, a bioactive pigment, has poor bioavailability because of its water insolubility. XMSs with average DPs of 15.4-24.3 have similarly sufficient capacities to solubilize curcumin. The solubility of curcumin was improved 180-fold by the addition of 50 %, w/v, XMSs, which yielded a clear yellow liquid. Our findings indicated that XMSs were a promising added-value agent in foods and pharmaceuticals for the oral intake of curcumin.

Nonreducing terminal chimeric isomaltomegalosaccharide and its integration with azoreductase for the remediation of soil-contaminated lipophilic azo dyes

Lipophilic azo dyes are practically water-insoluble, and their dissolution by organic solvents and surfactants is harmful to biological treatment with living cells and enzymes. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a newly synthesized nonreducing terminal chimeric isomaltomegalosaccharide (N-IMS) as a nontoxic solubilizer of four simulated lipophilic azo dye wastes for enzymatic degradation. N-IMS bearing a helical α-(1 → 4)-glucosidic segment derived from a donor substrate α-cyclodextrin was produced by a coupling reaction of cyclodextrin glucanotransferase. Inclusion complexing by N-IMS overcame the solubility issue with equilibrium constants of 1786-242 M^-1 (methyl yellow > ethyl red > methyl red > azo violet). Circular dichroism spectra revealed the axial alignment of the aromatic rings in the N-IMS cavity, while UV-visible absorption quenching revealed that the azo bond of methyl yellow was particularly induced. Desorption of the dyes from acidic and neutral soils was specific to aqueous organic over alkali extraction. The dissolution kinetics of the incorporated dyes followed a sigmoid pattern facilitating the subsequent decolorization process with azoreductase. It was demonstrated that after soil extraction, the solid dyes dissolved with N-IMS assistance and spontaneously digested by coupled azoreductase/glucose dehydrogenase (for a cofactor regeneration system) with the liberation of the corresponding aromatic amine.

Effects of genomic estimated breeding value and dietary energy to protein ratio on growth performance, carcass trait, and lipogenic gene expression in Hanwoo steer

"Genome-based precision feeding" is a concept that involves the application of customised diets to different genetic groups of cattle. We investigated the effects of the genomic estimated breeding value (gEBV) and dietary energy to protein ratio (DEP) on growth performance, carcass traits, and lipogenic gene expression in Hanwoo (Korean cattle) steers. Forty-four Hanwoo steers (BW = 636 kg, age = 26.9 months) were genotyped using the Illumina Bovine 50 K BeadChip. The gEBV was calculated using genomic best linear unbiased prediction. Animals were separated into high gEBV of marbling score or low-gMS groups based on the upper and lower 50% groupings of the reference population, respectively. Animals were assigned to one of four groups in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement: high gMS/high DEP (0.084 MJ/g), high gMS/low DEP (0.079 MJ/g), low gMS/high DEP, and low gMS/low DEP. Steers were fed concentrate with a high or low DEP for 31 weeks. The BW tended to be higher (0.05 < P < 0.1) in the high-gMS groups compared to the low-gMS groups at 0, 4, 8, 12, and 20 weeks. The average daily gain (ADG) tended to be lower (P = 0.08) in the high-gMS group than in the low-gMS group. Final BW and measured carcass weight (CW) were positively correlated with the gEBV of carcass weight (gCW). The DEP did not affect ADG. Neither the gMS nor the DEP affected the MS and beef quality grade. The intramuscular fat (IMF) content in the longissimus thoracis (LT) tended to be higher (P = 0.08) in the high-gMS groups than in the low-gMS groups. The mRNA levels of lipogenic acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid binding protein 4 genes in the LT were higher (P < 0.05) in the high-gMS group than in the low-gMS group. Overall, the IMF content tended to be affected by the gMS, and the genetic potential (i.e., gMS) was associated with the functional activity of lipogenic gene expression. The gCW was associated with the measured BW and CW. The results demonstrated that the gMS and the gCW may be used as early prediction indexes for meat quality and growth potential of beef cattle.

Prasugrel-based de-escalation vs. conventional therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention in ACS patients according to the renal function

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: Private company. Main funding source(s): A consortium of six companies in Korea (Daiichi Sankyo, Boston Scientific, Terumo, Biotronik, Qualitech Korea, and Dio).

Background

Patients with coronary artery disease and impaired renal function are at higher risk for both bleeding and ischemic adverse events after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Purpose

We assessed the efficacy and safety of a prasugrel based de-escalation strategy in patients with impaired renal function.

Methods

We conducted a post-hoc analysis of the HOST-REDUCE-POLYTECH-ACS study. Patients with available estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (n=2,311) were categorized into three groups. (high eGFR: ≥90 mL/min; intermediate eGFR: ≥60 and &lt;90 mL/min; low eGFR: &lt;60 mL/min). The endpoints were bleeding outcomes (Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 2, or higher), ischemic outcomes (cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, repeat revascularization, and ischemic stroke), and net adverse clinical events (all cause death, BARC 2 or greater bleeding, MI, stent thrombosis, repeat revascularization, and ischemic stroke) at 1 year follow-up. The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% Confidence interval (CI) were calculated from the multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. Covariates that were considered clinically meaningful were included. The probability risk ratio was obtained by dividing ischemic hazard function from the bleeding hazard function.

Results

With respect to net adverse clinical events, prasugrel de-escalation was beneficial regardless of baseline renal function (p for interaction = 0.508). The relative reduction in bleeding risk from prasugrel de-escalation was higher in the low eGFR group compared with that from both the intermediate and high eGFR groups (relative reduction: 64% [HR 0.36, 95% CI 0.15–0.83] vs. 50% [HR 0.50, 95% CI 0.28-0.90] and 52% [HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.21-1.13] for low, intermediate, and high eGFR groups, p for interaction=0.646). Ischemic risk from prasgurel de-escalation was not significant in all eGFR groups ([HR 1.18, 95% CI 0.47-2.98], [HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.53-1.69], and [HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.26-1.39)], respectively, p for interaction=0.119). The probability risk ratio was highest in low eGFR group (1.06 vs. 1.26 vs. 1.36, for high, intermediate, and low eGFR groups, respectively, p for trend&lt;0.001), suggesting higher relative bleeding risk above ischemic risk. Within those randomized to the de-escalation strategy, the mean probability risk ratio was not significantly different according to renal function (0.89, vs. 0.84 vs. 0.80 respectively, p for trend = 0.053), which was in contrast to those randomized to the conventional strategy where the mean probability risk ratio increased significantly as renal function decreased (1.24 vs. 1.67 vs. 1.94 respectively, p for trend&lt;0.001).

Conclusion

The beneficial effect of prasugrel-based de-escalation strategy was consistent regardless of the baseline renal function, which was mostly driven by a reduction in bleeding risk which was greatest in those with low eGFR.

Animal Welfare Assessment in 16 Zoos in South Korea Using the Modified Animal Welfare Assessment Grid

Various assessment tools that have been proposed thus far have disadvantages in that they are complex, time-consuming, non-objective, and not convenient for assessing multiple zoos. This study aimed to develop a simple, objective, and reliable welfare assessment tool, the modified Animal Welfare Assessment Grid (AWAG), that can be applied in South Korea, where there is no licensing system for zoos. The AWAG has four main sections: physical, psychological, environmental, and procedural. These four sections include 23 welfare factors like general conditions, behaviors, housing, and restraints, for which each individual or group of animals is given a score. The modified AWAG system was applied by converting the 10-point rating scale of the original AWAG to a 6-point Likert scale. Sixteen zoos in Korea were selected based on the zoos with the most animals. Three inspectors assessed the scores of each animal and then averaged the results. The total data surveyed included 16,065 items. Zoos were largely classified into four grades based on the size of the zoo, animal species, and operating organization. In a relatively short period of 14 days, all the zoos were successfully assessed. Despite the shortened and modified assessment tool, the inter-rater reliability among inspectors was 0.942 with high objectivity. The modified AWAG could identify welfare differences between grades of Korean zoos. There were large differences between zoos in most environmental sections and some zoos were evaluated as having inadequate welfare levels. The modified AWAG showed high usability and objectivity. In addition, it was possible to determine which environmental or procedural sections could potentially help improve physical and psychological scores. The modified AWAG is an objective method that could set the direction for the improvement of zoo welfare in the future.

Enhanced biotransformation of the minor ginsenosides in red ginseng extract by Penicillium decumbens β-glucosidase

Compound K (C-K) and Rh2, which are present at low levels in ginseng and ginseng extracts, have higher intestinal absorption rates than other ginsenosides. Here, we attempted to convert ginsenoside Rb1 to C-K using a β-glucosidase from Penicillium decumbens. Ten commercially available enzymes were screened to identify enzymes that can convert ginsenoside Rb1 to C-K, resulting in the selection of a P. decumbens-derived β-glucosidase. β-Glucosidase showed maximum activity at pH 4.0 and 60 °C; its substrate specificity for ginsenoside Rb1 was investigated. The main glucoside-hydrolyzing pathways were as follows: ginsenoside Rb1 or Rd → gypenoside XVII → F2 → C-K and ginsenoside Rg3 → Rh2. The P. decumbens-derived β-glucosidase was used to generate C-K and Rh2 using protopanaxadiol-type ginsenosides as substrates. Additionally, to apply this enzyme to the commercialized red ginseng extract products, the contents of C-K and Rh2 in the total ginsenosides significantly (p < 0.05) increased up to 36-fold and 8.9-fold, respectively, higher than prior to subjecting to biotransformation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the dual biotransformation of C-K and Rh2 by a food-grade commercial enzyme. This study demonstrates that the use of a specific β-glucosidase may increase C-K and Rh2 contents in the ginseng extract through a simple biotransformation process and, thus, enhance its health benefits.

A novel index reflecting both anatomical and physiologic parameters in coronary artery disease, the FFR adjusted SYNTAX score (FaSs)

Background

Various physiology-based indices have been proposed to predict adverse clinical events in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), such as the sum of three vessel-fractional flow reserve (3v-FFR), and the functional SYNTAX score (fSS). However, these values could not fully reflect the anatomical factors, which remains as a barrier for clinical application of these indices.

Purpose

To propose a novel index which can reflect both anatomical and physiologic features in CAD patients, and evaluate the additional predictive value for cardiovascular adverse events compared to previous indices.

Methods

For an index which can reflect both anatomical and physiologic features, we proposed the FFR adjusted SYNTAX score (FaSs). The FaSs is calculated by adding the product of the SYNTAX score and `1-FFR', for all three major coronary arteries. Among the 1136 patients who enrolled at 3V FFR-FRIENDS study, we investigated 866 patients, after excluding those who had missing variables. The 3v-FFR, fSS and FaSs were calculated, derived from the baseline FFR and SYNTAX score. Patients were divided into two groups according to the median value of each index. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (MACE, a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction and ischemia-driven revascularization) at 2 years follow-up.

Results

Among the total population, MACE occurred in 35 (4.04%) patients. Using the median value in a multivariable COX regression model, only FaSs was associated with an increased risk of MACE, (Hazard Ratio [HR] 5.256, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.014–13.720), while 3v-FFR (HR 1.383, 95% CI 0.685–2.790) and fSS (HR 1.640, 95% CI 0.830–3.243) were not significantly associated with a higher risk of MACE. This was also observed in the Kaplan Meier survival curve analysis (log-rank p value: p&lt;0.001 for FaSs, 0.153 for 3v-FFR, and 0.061 for fSS; Figure 1) The sensitivity and specificity of the FaSs was 85.7% and 51.6%, which was higher compared to the 3v-FFR (62.9% and 49.3%, respectively) and fSS (57.1% and 58.5%, respectively). When these indices were combined with clinical risk factors (age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, chronic renal failure, LVEF&lt;40%), FaSs was superior compared with 3v-FFR and fSS assessed in regards of the predictive accuracy for MACE (Figure 2).

Conclusion

The FaSs, which is a novel index calculated by a formula using the SYNTAX score and FFR, showed a superior predictive value for MACE compared to previous indices. Our results confirm the importance of considering both anatomical and physiologic parameters in evaluating the patient's risk for cardiovascular adverse outcomes.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in Asian patients: a multinational, multicenter, prospective registry study in Asia

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are a group of T-cell lymphomas with low incidence. Due to their indolent characteristics, treatment strategies have not yet been established for advanced CTCLs. In this study, relative incidence of CTCLs in Asia was estimated and the therapeutic outcomes presented based on various treatments currently used in clinics for advanced CTCLs. As part of a prospective registry study of peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) conducted across Asia, including Korea, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, subgroup analysis was performed for patients with CTCLs. Among 486 patients with PTCL, 37 with CTCL (7.6%) were identified between April 2016 and February 2019. Primary cutaneous ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL, 35.1%) was the most common subtype. With a median follow-up period of 32.1 months, median progression-free survival (PFS) was 53.5 months (95% CI 0.0-122.5), and overall survival was not reached. 14 patients (48.2%) underwent subsequent treatment after the first relapse, but the response rate was 20% with a PFS of 2.2 months (95% CI 0.3-4.0). Six patients received autologous stem cell transplantation (auto-SCT). However, auto-SCT did not result in better outcomes. Additional studies are needed on standard care treatment of advanced or refractory and relapsed CTCLs.

Synthesis and characteristics of a rebaudioside-A like compound as a potential non-caloric natural sweetener by Leuconostoc kimchii dextransucrase

Stevioside (ST) is currently considered as a highly-demanded natural and zero-caloric replacer of sucrose with several health-promoting properties. Nonetheless, its bitter aftertaste limits its use in the food industry. Herein, glucosyl steviosides were synthesized using primarily a food-grade lactic acid bacteria, Leuconostoc kimchii dextransucrase and conversion yield (%) was 40.3%. A glucose moiety was transferred stereo-selectively to ST by α-1,6-linkage and this is the first report about obtaining rebaudioside A (Reb-A) like glucosyl stevioside-2 (STG-2). Glucosyl steviosides revealed greatly improved stability up to 120 °C and remained stable over 32.1% and 58.12% in the pH (1.4) compared with 30.55% of ST. Moreover, the glucosylated steviosides improved the stability, reaching 95% after 30 days and Reb-A like compound (STG-2) especially exhibited higher stability in commercial beverages. Furthermore, the glucosyl steviosides showed over 1.92- and 2.24-fold decreases than that of enzymatically modified ST in the glucose generation rate test.

The adipokine Retnla deficiency increases responsiveness to cardiac repair through adiponectin-rich bone marrow cells

Resistin-like alpha (Retnla) is a member of the resistin family and known to modulate fibrosis and inflammation. Here, we investigated the role of Retnla in the cardiac injury model. Myocardial infarction (MI) was induced in wild type (WT), Retnla knockout (KO), and Retnla transgenic (TG) mice. Cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography and was significantly preserved in the KO mice, while worsened in the TG group. Angiogenesis was substantially increased in the KO mice, and cardiomyocyte apoptosis was markedly suppressed in the KO mice. By Retnla treatment, the expression of p21 and the ratio of Bax to Bcl2 were increased in cardiomyocytes, while decreased in cardiac fibroblasts. Interestingly, the numbers of cardiac macrophages and unsorted bone marrow cells (UBCs) were higher in the KO mice than in the WT mice. Besides, phosphorylated histone H3(+) cells were more frequent in bone marrow of KO mice. Moreover, adiponectin in UBCs was notably higher in the KO mice compared with WT mice. In an adoptive transfer study, UBCs were isolated from KO mice to transplant to the WT infarcted heart. Cardiac function was better in the KO-UBCs transplanted group in the WT-UBCs transplanted group. Taken together, proliferative and adiponectin-rich bone marrow niche was associated with substantial cardiac recovery by suppression of cardiac apoptosis and proliferation of cardiac fibroblast.

Comparison of survival outcomes according of patients with metastatic gastric cancer receiving trastuzumab with systemic chemotherapy

Purpose

Currently, trastuzumab plus chemotherapy is the standard first-line therapy for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive advanced or metastatic gastric cancer (mGC) or esophagogastric junction cancer. However, it is not clear whether the prognosis of HER2-positive mGC treated with trastuzumab plus chemotherapy is better than that of HER2-negative mGC treated with chemotherapy as the first-line therapy.

Methods

We performed a retrospective study comparing the prognosis of mGC according to first-line treatment with trastuzumab plus chemotherapy or chemotherapy only, at the Korea Cancer Center Hospital from 2011 to 2018. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards model were used for univariate and multivariate survival analyses.

Results

The median overall survival of trastuzumab group was 26.1 months and that of chemotherapy group was 14.8 months (P=0.047). Trastuzumab group had a longer median progression-free survival than chemotherapy group (23.4 vs. 9.2 months, P=0.026). By univariate analysis, sex, age, World Health Organization (WHO) histology, HER2 status, primary tumor site, extent of disease, number of lesions, number of metastatic, measurability of disease, prior gastrectomy, and chemotherapy group are statistically significant. Using multivariate analysis, number of lesions, number of metastatic, prior gastrectomy, and trastuzumab group (hazard ratio, 0.594; 95% confidence interval, 0.384-0.921; P=0.020) were found to be independent prognostic factors of overall survival.

Conclusion

The result suggests prognosis of HER2-positive mGC treated by trastuzumab plus chemotherapy could be better than that of HER2-negative mGC treated by chemotherapy only. Well-designed prospective cohort studies are needed to confirm the results of this study. HER2 testing should be performed routinely in all patients newly diagnosed with mGC.

Antiinflammatory activity of ANGPTL4 facilitates macrophage polarization to induce cardiac repair

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can suppress pathological inflammation. However, the mechanisms underlying the association between MSCs and inflammation remain unclear. Under coculture conditions with macrophages, MSCs highly expressed angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) to blunt the polarization of macrophages toward the proinflammatory phenotype. ANGPTL4-deficient MSCs failed to inhibit the inflammatory macrophage phenotype. In inflammation-related animal models, the injection of coculture medium or ANGPTL4 protein increased the antiinflammatory macrophages in both peritonitis and myocardial infarction. In particular, cardiac function and pathology were markedly improved by ANGPTL4 treatment. We found that retinoic acid-related orphan receptor α (RORα) was increased by inflammatory mediators, such as IL-1β, and bound to ANGPTL4 promoter in MSCs. Collectively, RORα-mediated ANGPTL4 induction was shown to contribute to the antiinflammatory activity of MSCs against macrophages under pathological conditions. This study suggests that the capability of ANGPTL4 to induce tissue repair is a promising opportunity for safe stem cell-free regeneration therapy from a translational perspective.

An Aqueous Extract of Herbal Medicine ALWPs Enhances Cognitive Performance and Inhibits LPS-Induced Neuroinflammation via FAK/NF-κB Signaling Pathways

Recent studies have shown that Liuwei Dihuang pills (LWPs) can positively affect learning, memory and neurogenesis. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not understood. In the present study, we developed ALWPs, a mixture of Antler and LWPs, and investigated whether ALWPs can affect neuroinflammatory responses. We found that ALWPs (500 mg/ml) inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β mRNA levels in BV2 microglial cells but not primary astrocytes. ALWPs significantly reduced LPS-induced cell-surface levels of TLR4 to alter neuroinflammation. An examination of the molecular mechanisms by which ALWPs regulate the LPS-induced proinflammatory response revealed that ALWPs significantly downregulated LPS-induced levels of FAK phosphorylation, suggesting that ALWPs modulate FAK signaling to alter LPS-induced IL-1β levels. In addition, treatment with ALWPs followed by LPS resulted in decreased levels of the transcription factor NF-κB in the nucleus compared with LPS alone. Moreover, ALWPs significantly suppressed LPS-induced BV2 microglial cell migration. To examine whether ALWPs modulate learning and memory in vivo, wild-type C57BL/6J mice were orally administered ALWPs (200 mg/kg) or PBS daily for 3 days, intraperitoneally injected (i.p.) with LPS (250 μg/kg) or PBS, and assessed in Y maze and NOR tests. We observed that oral administration of ALWPs to LPS-injected wild-type C57BL/6J mice significantly rescued short- and long-term memory. More importantly, oral administration of ALWPs to LPS-injected wild-type C57BL/6J mice significantly reduced microglial activation in the hippocampus and cortex. Taken together, our results suggest that ALWPs can suppress neuroinflammation-associated cognitive deficits and that ALWPs have potential as a drug for neuroinflammation/neurodegeneration-related diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Ibrutinib suppresses LPS-induced neuroinflammatory responses in BV2 microglial cells and wild-type mice

Background

The FDA-approved small-molecule drug ibrutinib is an effective targeted therapy for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Ibrutinib inhibits Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK), a kinase involved in B cell receptor signaling. However, the potential regulation of neuroinflammatory responses in the brain by ibrutinib has not been comprehensively examined.

Methods

BV2 microglial cells were treated with ibrutinib (1 μM) or vehicle (1% DMSO), followed by lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 1 μg/ml) or PBS. RT-PCR, immunocytochemistry, and subcellular fractionation were performed to examine the effects of ibrutinib on neuroinflammatory responses. In addition, wild-type mice were sequentially injected with ibrutinib (10 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle (10% DMSO, i.p.), followed by LPS (10 mg/kg, i.p.) or PBS, and microglial and astrocyte activations were assessed using immunohistochemistry.

Results

Ibrutinib significantly reduced LPS-induced increases in proinflammatory cytokine levels in BV2 microglial and primary microglial cells but not in primary astrocytes. Ibrutinib regulated TLR4 signaling to alter LPS-induced proinflammatory cytokine levels. In addition, ibrutinib significantly decreased LPS-induced increases in p-AKT and p-STAT3 levels, suggesting that ibrutinib attenuates LPS-induced neuroinflammatory responses by inhibiting AKT/STAT3 signaling pathways. Interestingly, ibrutinib also reduced LPS-induced BV2 microglial cell migration by inhibiting AKT signaling. Moreover, ibrutinib-injected wild-type mice exhibited significantly reduced microglial/astrocyte activation and COX-2 and IL-1β proinflammatory cytokine levels.

Conclusions

Our data provide insights on the mechanisms of a potential therapeutic strategy for neuroinflammation-related diseases.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12974-018-1308-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Treating synchronous bilateral ocular adnexal marginal zone lymphoma: the consortium for improving survival of lymphoma study

Both-side synchronous involvement has been reported to account for 7-24% of ocular adnexal marginal zone lymphoma (OAML). We conducted a retrospective analysis to identify the clinical features and treatment outcomes of synchronous bilateral OAML (SB-OAML) by treatment modality. We analyzed patients with a histologic diagnosis of SB-OAML, excluding metachronous bilateral involved OAML. We enrolled a total of 95 patients for this analysis, 36 males and 59 females; the median patient age was 42 years (range 16-77 years). Eleven (11.6%) patients had been treated with chemotherapy or chemo-immunotherapy (eight R-CVP, two CVP, and one R-CHOP). The median number of treatments was 6 (range 6-8); there were 9 complete responses (CRs; 81.8%) and 2 partial responses (PRs; 18.2%). Nearly all patients (88.4%) received radiotherapy in both eyes, and the median radiation dose was 27 Gy (range 20-40 Gy) to each eye; 68 CRs (80.9%) and 14 PRs (16.7%) were achieved. Ten-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 79.8 and 91.1%, respectively. Radiotherapy continued to be an independent prognostic marker, with the hazard of progression (P = 0.036). Eleven patients (13.1%) had surgery for cataract treatment during follow-up, and patients who received low-dose radiation (< 30.3 Gy) experienced fewer cataract operations. SB-OAML was predominantly observed in young females, and they had good response and prognosis regardless of treatment modalities. Low-dose radiotherapy to both eyes showed a tendency of longer PFS than did chemotherapy and could decrease cataract operations.

TRIENNIAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT SYMPOSIUM: Molecular mechanisms related to bovine intramuscular fat deposition in the longissimus muscle

The intramuscular fat (IMF) content of the LM, also known as marbling, is particularly important in determining the price of beef in Korea, Japan, and the United States. Deposition of IMF is influenced by both genetic (e.g., breed, gender, and genotype) and nongenetic factors (e.g., castration, nutrition, stressors, animal weight, and age). Castration of bulls markedly increases deposition of IMF, resulting in improved beef quality. Here, we present a comparative gene expression approach between bulls and steers. Transcriptomic and proteomic studies have demonstrated that the combined effects of increases in lipogenesis, fatty acid uptake, and fatty acid esterification and decreased lipolysis are associated with increased IMF deposition in the LM. Several peripheral tissues (LM, adipose tissues, and the liver) are involved in lipid metabolism. Therefore, understanding the significance of the tissue network in lipid metabolism is important. Here, we demonstrate that lipid metabolism in LM tissues is crucial for IMF deposition, whereas lipid metabolism in the liver plays only a minor role. Metabolism of body fat and IMF deposition in bovine species has similarities with these processes in metabolic diseases, such as obesity in humans and rodents. Extensive studies on metabolic diseases using epigenome modification (DNA methylation, histone modification, and microRNA), microbial metagenomics, and metabolomics have been performed in humans and rodents, and new findings have been reported using these technologies. The importance of applying "omics" fields (epigenomics, metagenomics, and metabolomics) to the study of IMF deposition in cattle is described. New information on the molecular mechanisms of IMF deposition may be used to design nutritional or genetic methods to manipulate IMF deposition and to modify fatty acid composition in beef cattle. Applying nutrigenomics could maximize the expression of genetic potential of economically important traits (e.g., marbling) in animals.

Xanthohumol inhibits cellular proliferation in a breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB231) through an intrinsic mitochondrial-dependent pathway

AIMS

Xanthohumol isolated from hops has been reported to exhibit anticancer effects in diverse human cancers. However, its effect on breast cancer has not yet been clearly defined. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of xanthohumol on breast cancer cell proliferation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

After treatment with 5 μM, 10 μM, and 20 μM xanthohumol for 48 h, cells from the human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 were studied using colony assay, flow cytometry, and western blotting.

RESULTS

The survival rate of the MDA-MB231 cells treated with 10 μM and 20 μM xanthohumol for 48 h decreased significantly by 64.7 ± 1.8% and 40.1 ± 1.8%, respectively. The numbers of SubG0/G1 cells in the group treated with 10 μM and 20 μM xanthohumol increased significantly to 11.3 ± 0.2 and 18.4 ± 0.1, respectively. A ladder pattern of DNA fragmentation was also observed. Xanthohumol increased the expression of Bax in the mitochondria, which correspondingly decreased in the cytoplasm. The activity of caspase-3 and caspase-9 was shown to increase significantly in the treated groups but not in the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

Xanthohumol inhibited the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells through a mitochondria- and caspase-dependent apoptotic pathway. This result suggests that xanthohumol might serve as a novel therapeutic drug for breast cancer.

ULTRASOUND SPECTROSCOPY

We introduce the concept of "Ultrasound Spectroscopy". The premise of ultrasound spectroscopy is that by acquiring ultrasound RF data at multiple power and frequency settings, a rich set of features can be extracted from that RF data and used to characterize the underlying tissues. This is beneficial for a variety of problems, such as accurate tissue classification, application-specific image generation, and numerous other quantitative tasks. These capabilities are particularly relevant to point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) applications, where operator experience with ultrasound may be limited. Instead of displaying B-mode images, a POCUS application using ultrasound spectroscopy can, for example, automatically detect internal abdominal bleeding. In this paper, we present ex vivo tissue phantom studies to demonstrate the accuracy of ultrasound spectroscopy over previous approaches. Our studies suggest that ultrasound spectroscopy provides exceptional accuracy and informative features for classifying blood versus other tissues across image locations and body habitus.

Effects of Ambient Temperature on Growth Performance, Blood Metabolites, and Immune Cell Populations in Korean Cattle Steers

Exposure to cold may affect growth performance in accordance with the metabolic and immunological activities of animals. We evaluated whether ambient temperature affects growth performance, blood metabolites, and immune cell populations in Korean cattle. Eighteen Korean cattle steers with a mean age of 10 months and a mean weight of 277 kg were used. All steers were fed a growing stage-concentrate diet at a rate of 1.5% of body weight and Timothy hay ad libitum for 8 weeks. Experimental period 1 (P1) was for four weeks from March 7 to April 3 and period 2 (P2) was four weeks from April 4 to May 1. Mean (8.7°C) and minimum (1.0°C) indoor ambient temperatures during P1 were lower (p<0.001) than those (13.0°C and 6.2°C, respectively) during P2. Daily dry matter feed intake in both the concentrate diet and forage groups was higher (p<0.001) during P2 than P1. Average daily weight gain was higher (p<0.001) during P2 (1.38 kg/d) than P1 (1.13 kg/d). Feed efficiency during P2 was higher (p = 0.015) than P1. Blood was collected three times; on March 7, April 4, and May 2. Nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) were higher on March 7 than April 4 and May 2. Blood cortisol, glucose, and triglyceride concentrations did not differ among months. Blood CD4+, CD8+, and CD4+CD25+ T cell percentages were higher, while CD8+CD25+ T cell percentage was lower, during the colder month of March than during May, suggesting that ambient temperature affects blood T cell populations. In conclusion, colder ambient temperature decreased growth and feed efficiency in Korean cattle steers. The higher circulating NEFA concentrations observed in March compared to April suggest that lipolysis may occur at colder ambient temperatures to generate heat and maintain body temperature, resulting in lower feed efficiency in March.

The Reliability of Histoculture Drug Response Assay (HDRA) in Chemosensitivity Tests for Breast Cancer

PURPOSE

Cancers are highly individual in their response to chemotherapy, however attempts to predict tumor response to drugs using in vitro cell culture have largely failed. A new technology, the histoculture drug response assay (HDRA), appears to have solved many previous problems. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the reliability of HDRA in a chemosensitivity test for breast cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Tumor specimens from breast cancer patients were evaluated by HDRA using different chemotherapeutic agents. Each specimen was tested using a blind method in order to determine the reproducibility of HDRA results for the same tissue and with a triplicated assay in order to determine reproducibility by different examiners. The evaluative power of this assay and the chemosensitivity of drugs for each specimen was determined.

RESULTS

Specimens of 92.9% (65/70) were successfully cultured and evaluated for chemosensitivity. The reproducibility of HDRA for the same tissue was 75% (100% agreement) and 100% (over 70% agreement), respectively. And the reproducibility by different examiners was 78.9% (100% agreement) and 94.7% (over 70% agreement), respectively. Each specimen demonstrated a response to at least one agent.

CONCLUSION

The evaluative power and reproducibility of HDRA were high, therefore it might serve as a reliable clinical method for chemosensitivity testing. However, there is a need for clinical trial in which patients are initially randomized for treatment either by HDRA direction or by clinician's choice.

Long-term control of diabetes in immunosuppressed nonhuman primates (NHP) by the transplantation of adult porcine islets

Pig islets are an alternative source for islet transplantation to treat type 1 diabetes (T1D), but reproducible curative potential in the pig-to-nonhuman primate (NHP) model has not been demonstrated. Here, we report that pig islet grafts survived and maintained normoglycemia for >6 months in four of five consecutive immunosuppressed NHPs. Pig islets were isolated from designated pathogen-free (DPF) miniature pigs and infused intraportally into streptozotocin-induced diabetic rhesus monkeys under pretreatment with cobra venom factor (CVF), anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) induction and maintenance with anti-CD154 monoclonal antibody and low-dose sirolimus. Ex vivo expanded autologous regulatory T cells were adoptively transferred in three recipients. Blood glucose levels were promptly normalized in all five monkeys and normoglycemia (90-110 mg/dL) was maintained for >6 months in four cases, the longest currently up to 603 days. Intravenous glucose tolerance tests during the follow-up period showed excellent glucose disposal capacity and porcine C-peptide responses. Adoptive transfer of autologous regulatory T cells was likely to be associated with more stable and durable normoglycemia. Importantly, the recipients showed no serious adverse effects. Taken together, our results confirm the clinical feasibility of pig islet transplantation to treat T1D patients without the need for excessive immunosuppressive therapy.

A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled multi-centre phase III trial of XELIRI/FOLFIRI plus simvastatin for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer

Background:

The purpose of this randomised phase III trial was to evaluate whether the addition of simvastatin, a synthetic 3-hydroxy-3methyglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor, to XELIRI/FOLFIRI chemotherapy regimens confers a clinical benefit to patients with previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer.

Methods:

We undertook a double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III trial of 269 patients previously treated for metastatic colorectal cancer and enrolled in 5 centres in South Korea. Patients were randomly assigned (1 : 1) to one of the following groups: FOLFIRI/XELIRI plus simvastatin (40 mg) or FOLFIRI/XELIRI plus placebo. The FOLFIRI regimen consisted of irinotecan at 180 mg m⁻² as a 90-min infusion, leucovorin at 200 mg m⁻² as a 2-h infusion, and a bolus injection of 5-FU 400 mg m⁻² followed by a 46-h continuous infusion of 5-FU at 2400 mg m⁻². The XELIRI regimen consisted of irinotecan at 250 mg m⁻² as a 90-min infusion with capecitabine 1000 mg m⁻² twice daily for 14 days. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary end points included response rate, duration of response, overall survival (OS), time to progression, and toxicity.

Results:

Between April 2010 and July 2013, 269 patients were enrolled and assigned to treatment groups (134 simvastatin, 135 placebo). The median PFS was 5.9 months (95% CI, 4.5–7.3) in the XELIRI/FOLFIRI plus simvastatin group and 7.0 months (95% CI, 5.4–8.6) in the XELIRI/FOLFIRI plus placebo group (P=0.937). No significant difference was observed between the two groups with respect to OS (median, 15.9 months (simvastatin) vs 19.9 months (placebo), P=0.826). Grade ⩾3 nausea and anorexia were noted slightly more often in patients in the simvastatin arm compared with with the placebo arm (4.5% vs 0.7%, 3.0% vs 0%, respectively).

Conclusions:

The addition of 40 mg simvastatin to the XELIRI/FOLFIRI regimens did not improve PFS in patients with previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer nor did it increase toxicity.

Re-exploring the N-phenylpicolinamide derivatives to develop mGlu4 ligands with improved affinity and in vitro microsomal stability

In recent years, mGlu4 has received great attention and research effort because of the potential benefits of mGlu4 activation in treating numerous brain disorders, such as Parkinson's disease (PD). Many positive allosteric modulators of mGlu4 have been developed. To better understand the role of mGlu4 in healthy and disease conditions, we are interested in developing an mGlu4 selective radioligand for in vivo studies. Thus, we had synthesized and studied [(11)C]2 as a PET tracer for mGlu4, which demonstrated some promising features as a PET radioligand as well as the limitation need to be improved. In order to develop an mGlu4 ligand with enhanced affinity and improved metabolic stability, we have modified, synthesized and evaluated a series of new N-phenylpicolinamide derivatives. The SAR study has discovered a number of compounds with low nM affinity to mGlu4. The dideuteriumfluoromethoxy modified compound 24 is identified as a very promising mGlu4 ligand, which has demonstrated enhanced affinity, improved in vitro microsomal stability, good selectivity and good permeability.

Effects of Dietary Restriction on the Expression of Lipid Metabolism and Growth Hormone Signaling Genes in the Longissimus dorsi Muscle of Korean Cattle Steers

This study determined the effects of dietary restriction on growth and the expression of lipid metabolism and growth hormone signaling genes in the longissimus dorsi muscle (LM) of Korean cattle. Thirty-one Korean cattle steers (average age 10.5 months) were allocated to normal (N; n = 16) or dietary restriction (DR; n = 15) groups. The feeding trial consisted of two stages: for the 8-month growing period, the DR group was fed 80% of the food intake of the normal diet, and for the 6-month growth-finishing period, the DR group was fed a DR total mixed ration with 78.4% of the crude protein and 64% of the net energy for gain of the normal diet. The LM was biopsied 5 months (period 1 [P1] at 15.5 months of age) and 14 months (period 2 [P2] at 24.5 months of age) after the start of feeding. The mRNA levels were determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Body weight, daily feed intake, average daily gain, and feed efficiency were lower in the DR group compared with the normal group at both P1 and P2. At P1, the lipogenic fatty acid synthase (FASN) mRNA levels were lower (p<0.05) in the DR group compared with the normal group. The DR group tended (p = 0.06) to have higher of levels of growth hormone receptor (GHR) mRNA than the normal group. At P2, the DR group tended to have lower (p = 0.06) androgen receptor (AR) mRNA levels than the normal group. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that dietary restriction partially decreases the transcription of lipogenic FASN and growth hormone signaling AR genes, but increases transcription of the GHR gene. These changes in gene transcription might affect body fat accumulation and the growth of the animals.

Blockade of CD40-CD154 costimulatory pathway promotes long-term survival of full-thickness porcine corneal grafts in nonhuman primates: clinically applicable xenocorneal transplantation

The porcine cornea may be a good solution for the shortage of human donor corneas because its size and refractive properties are comparable to those of the human cornea. However, antigenic differences need to be overcome to apply xenocorneal transplantation in actual clinical practice. We aimed to investigate the feasibility of full-thickness porcine corneas as human corneal substitutes using a CD40-CD154 costimulatory pathway blocking strategy in a clinically applicable pig-to-nonhuman primate corneal transplantation model. As a result, the mean survival time of the xenocorneal grafts in recipients who received anti-CD154 antibody-based immunosuppressants (POD318 (n = 4); >933, >243, 318 and >192) was significantly longer than that in controls (POD28 (n = 3); 21, 28 and 29; p = 0.010, log-rank test). Administration of anti-CD154 antibodies markedly reduced inflammatory cellular infiltrations (predominantly CD8 T cells and macrophages) into the xenocorneal grafts and almost completely blocked xenoantigen-triggered increases in Th1-associated cytokines, chemokines and C3a in the aqueous humor. Moreover, systemic expansion of memory T cells was effectively controlled and responses of anti-Gal/donor pig-specific antibodies were considerably diminished by programmed injection of anti-CD154 antibodies. Consequently, porcine corneas might be promising human corneal substitutes when the transplantation is accompanied by potent immunosuppression such as a CD40-CD154 costimulatory pathway blockade.

Association of DNA Methylation Levels with Tissue-specific Expression of Adipogenic and Lipogenic Genes in Longissimus dorsi Muscle of Korean Cattle

Epigenetic factors, such as DNA methylation status, may regulate adipogenesis and lipogenesis, thus affecting intramuscular fat (IMF) deposition in longissimus dorsi muscle (LM) of beef cattle. In Korean cattle steers, the LM consists mainly of muscle tissue. However, the LM tissue also contains IMF. We compared the gene expression levels between the IMF and muscle portions of the LM after tissue separation. Real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that the mRNA levels of both adipogenic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma isoform 1 (PPARG1) and lipogenic fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) were higher (p<0.01) in the IMF than in the muscle portion of the LM. We determined DNA methylation levels of regulatory regions of the PPARG1 and FABP4 genes by pyrosequencing of genomic DNA. DNA methylation levels of two of three CpG sites in the PPARG1 gene promoter region were lower (p<0.05) in the IMF than in the muscle portion of the LM. DNA methylation levels of all five CpG sites from the FABP4 gene promoter region were also lower (p<0.001) in the IMF than in the muscle portion. Thus, mRNA levels of both PPARG1 and FABP4 genes were inversely correlated with DNA methylation levels in regulatory regions of CpG sites of the corresponding gene. Our findings suggest that DNA methylation status regulates tissue-specific expression of adipogenic and lipogenic genes in the IMF and muscle portions of LM tissue in Korean cattle.

Efficacy and safety of micafungin for the prophylaxis of invasive fungal infection during neutropenia in children and adolescents undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic SCT

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of micafungin for the prevention of invasive fungal infection (IFI) during the neutropenic phase of allogeneic hematopoietic SCT (allo-HSCT) in children and adolescents. This was a prospective, multicenter, open-label, single-arm study. Micafungin was administered i.v. at a dose of 1 mg/kg/day (max 50 mg) from the beginning of conditioning until neutrophil engraftment. Treatment success was defined as the absence of proven, probable, possible or suspected IFI through to 4 weeks after therapy. From April 2010 to December 2011, 155 patients were enrolled from 11 institutions in Korea, and 147 patients were analyzed. Of the 147 patients, 121 (82.3%) completed the protocol without premature interruption. Of the 132 patients in whom micafungin efficacy could be evaluated, treatment success was achieved in 119 patients (90.2%). There was no proven fungal infection in any patient. The number of patients with probable, possible and suspected IFI was two, two and nine, respectively. Thirty-five patients (23.8%) experienced 109 adverse events (AEs) possibly related to micafungin. No patients experienced grade IV AEs. Two patients (1.4%) discontinued micafungin administration due to adverse effects. None of the deaths were related to the study drug.

Oct4 is a critical regulator of stemness in head and neck squamous carcinoma cells

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been suggested as responsible for the initiation and progression of cancers. Octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct4) is an important regulator of embryonic stem cell fate. Here, we investigated whether Oct4 regulates stemness of head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSC) CSCs. Our study showed that ectopic expression of Oct4 promotes tumor growth through cyclin E activation, increases chemoresistance through ABCC6 expression and enhances tumor invasion through slug expression. Also, Oct4 dedifferentiates differentiated HNSC cells to CSC-like cells. Furthermore, Oct4(high) HNSC CSCs have more stem cell-like traits compared with Oct4(low) cells, such as self-renewal, stem cell markers' expression, chemoresistance, invasion capacity and xenograft tumorigeneity in vitro and in vivo. In addition, knockdown of Oct4 led to markedly lower HNSC CSC stemness. Finally, there was a significant correlation between Oct4 expression and survival of 119 HNSC patients. Collectively, these data suggest that Oct4 may be a critical regulator of HNSC CSCs and its targeting may be potentially valuable in the treatment of HNSC CSCs.

A macrophage-specific synthetic promoter for therapeutic application of adiponectin

Foam cell formation from macrophage is a major cause of atherosclerosis. An efficient macrophage-specific promoter is required for the targeting to macrophages. In this study, we develop a macrophage-specific synthetic promoter for the therapeutic application of adiponectin (APN), an antiatherogenic gene. Synthetic promoter-146 (SP146), registered on the NCBI website (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/DQ107383), was tested for promoter activities in two non-macrophage cell lines (293 T, HeLa) and a macrophage cell line (RAW264.7, bone marrow-derived macrophages). To enforce macrophage specificity, partial elements of p47(phox) including the PU.1 site with various lengths (-C1, -C2 and -C3) were inserted next to the synthetic promoters. SP146-C1 showed the highest specificity and efficacy in RAW264.7 cells and was selected for development of an APN-carrying macrophage-specific promoter. Green fluorescent protein (GFP)- or APN-expressing lentivirus under SP146-C1 (Lenti-SP-GFP or Lenti-SP-APN, respectively) showed the highest expression efficacy in RAW264.7 cells compared with the non-macrophage cell lines. APN overexpression in RAW264.7 cells successfully inhibited intracellular lipid accumulation, and atherosclerotic lesions and lipid accumulation were significantly reduced by Lenti-SP-APN in ApoE-/- atherosclerosis mice. In conclusion, the synthetic promoter SP146-C1, combined with a p47(phox) promoter element, was successfully developed to target macrophage, and macrophage-specific introduction of APN under SP146-C1 was shown to ameliorate the atherosclerotic pathology.

Endoscopic versus open release in patients with de Quervain's tenosynovitis: a randomised trial

The purpose of this study was to compare the outcome and complications of endoscopic versus open release for the treatment of de Quervain's tenosynovitis. Patients with this condition were randomised to undergo either endoscopic (n = 27) or open release (n = 25). Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain and Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) scores were measured at 12 and 24 weeks after surgery. Scar satisfaction was measured using a VAS scale. The mean pain and DASH scores improved significantly at 12 weeks and 24 weeks (p < 0.001) in both groups. The scores were marginally lower in the endoscopic group compared to the open group at 12 weeks (p = 0.012 and p = 0.002, respectively); however, only the DASH score showed a clinically important difference. There were no differences between the groups at 24 weeks. The mean VAS scar satisfaction score was higher in the endoscopic group at 24 weeks (p < 0.001). Transient superficial radial nerve injury occurred in three patients in the endoscopic group compared with nine in the open release group (p = 0.033). We conclude that endoscopic release for de Quervain's tenosynovitis seems to provide earlier improvement after surgery, with fewer superficial radial nerve complications and greater scar satisfaction, when compared with open release.

Genetic variants of AICDA/CASP14 associated with childhood brain tumor

We conducted a hospital-based case-control study in Korea to investigate whether apoptosis- and cell cycle control-related genes are associated with childhood brain tumor. Incident brain tumor cases (N = 70) and non-cancer controls (N = 140), frequency-matched by age and gender, were selected from 3 teaching hospitals in Seoul between 2003 and 2006. Tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (N = 297) in 30 genes related to apoptosis and cell cycle control were selected using a pairwise linkage-disequilibrium-based algorithm. Five tag SNPs in 2 genes (AICDA and CASP14) remained significant after adjusted multiple tests. The most significant association with childhood brain tumor risk was for IVS1-401G>C in the AICDA gene [odds ratio (OR) = 2.8; 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 1.25-6.46]; the polymorphism *9276A>C of CASP14 was associated with decreased brain tumor risk (OR = 0.4; 95%CI = 0.19-0.95). We concluded that genetic polymorphisms in AICDA and CASP14 are associated with risk for brain tumor in Korean children.

Epigenetic regulation of myofibroblast differentiation and extracellular matrix production in nasal polyp-derived fibroblasts

BACKGROUND

Nasal polyposis is a multi-factorial disease associated with chronic inflammatory condition of the paranasal sinuses. Myofibroblast differentiation and extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation are involved in the pathogenesis of nasal polyposis.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to study the effect of trichostatin A (TSA), a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, on transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-induced myofibroblast differentiation and ECM accumulation in nasal polyp-derived fibroblasts (NPDFs).

METHODS

Nasal polyp-derived fibroblasts were isolated from nasal polyps of patients who have chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyp. TSA was treated in TGF-β1-induced NPDFs. Expression levels of HDAC2, α-smooth muscle actin (SMA), TGF-β1, collagen type I, acetylated Histone H3, acetylated Histone H4, phosphorylated Smad2/3 and Smad7 were determined by RT-PCR, western blot and/or immunofluorescent staining. The total collagen amount production was analysed by Sircol soluble collagen assay and contractile activity was measured by collagen gel contraction assay. HDAC2 inhibition by TSA or HDAC2 silencing was established by RT-PCR and western blot. The epigenetic effect on α-SMA gene inactivation was examined by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. Proliferation was determined by Ki67-positive cell staining and cytotoxicity was assessed by 3-(4,5- dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay.

RESULTS

The expression levels of HDAC2, α-SMA and TGF-β1 were increased in nasal polyp tissues compared to normal inferior turbinate tissues. TSA and HDAC2 silencing inhibited expression levels α-SMA, collagen and HDAC2. TSA induced hyperacetylation of histone and suppressed opening of α-SMA gene promoter in TGF-β1-induced NPDFs. TSA inhibited TGF-β1-induced Smad 2/3 and rescued TGF-β1-suppressed Smad7 signalling pathway. Finally, TSA blocked proliferation in TGF-β1-induced NPDFs and has no cytotoxic effect in NPDFs.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

These results suggest that HDAC inhibition is associated with myofibroblast differentiation and extracelluar matrix accumulation in nasal polyposis. TSA may be useful as an inhibitor of nasal polyp growth, and thus has potential to be used as a novel treatment option for nasal polyposis.

Comparison of erythrocyte membrane fatty acid contents in renal transplant recipients and dialysis patients

BACKGROUND

Alterations of erythrocyte membrane fatty acid (FA) composition play important roles in cellular function because they change the membrane microenvironment, including transmembrane receptors. The erythrocyte membrane oleic acid content is higher among patients with acute coronary syndrome and also in dialysis patients. However, available data are limited concerning erythrocyte membrane FA content in kidney transplant recipients (KTP). We sought to test the hypothesis that erythrocyte membrane FA content among KTP were different from those in dialysis patients.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 35 hemodialysis, 33 peritoneal dialysis 49 KTP, and 33 normal control subjects (CTL). Their erythrocyte membrane FA content were measured by gas chromatography.

RESULTS

The mean ages of the enrolled dialysis patients, KTP, and CTL were 56.4 ± 10.1, 48.9 ± 10.4, and 49.5 ± 8.3 years, respectively. Mean kidney transplant duration was 89.8 ± 64.8 months and mean dialysis duration, 49.0 ± 32.6 months. The intakes of vegetable lipid and vegetable protein including total calories were significantly increased among KTP versus dialysis patients. Total cholesterol (P < .001) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL; P < .001) levels were significantly higher and C-reactive protein was significantly lower among KTP compared with dialysis patients. The erythrocyte membrane content of palmitoleic acid (P < .001) was significantly higher but oleic acid (P < .001) significantly lower in KTP compared with dialysis patients. The erythrocyte membrane contents of arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid were significantly higher, and linoleic acid and the omega-6 FA to omega-3 FA ratio (P < .001) significantly lower in KTP compared with dialysis patients. The erythrocyte membrane content of oleic acid was independently associated with monounsaturated fatty acid (beta = 0.771, P < .001), eicosapentaeonic acid (beta = -0.244, P = .010), and HDL (beta = -0.139, P = .049) in KTP.

CONCLUSIONS

FA contents of erythrocyte membranes were significantly different in KTP compared with dialysis patients. These differences may have been associated with improved dietary intake and immunosuppression after kidney transplantation.

Magnetic field splitting of the spin resonance in CeCoIn5

Neutron scattering in strong magnetic fields is used to show the spin resonance in superconducting CeCoIn(5) (T(c)=2.3 K) is a doublet. The underdamped resonance (ħΓ=0.069±0.019 meV) Zeeman splits into two modes at E(±)=ħΩ(0)±αμ(B)μ(0)H with α=0.96±0.05. A linear extrapolation of the lower peak reaches zero energy at 11.2±0.5 T, near the critical field for the incommensurate "Q phase." Kenzelmann et al. [Science 321, 1652 (2008)] This, taken with the integrated weight and polarization of the low-energy mode (E(-)), indicates that the Q phase can be interpreted as a Bose condensate of spin excitons.

Effects of 12 weeks of aerobic exercise on body composition and vascular compliance in obese boys

AIM

This study tested the hypothesis that 12 weeks of air board exercise would enhance cardiorespiratory fitness and vascular compliance and reduce % body fat in obese Korean boys.

METHODS

Twenty-two obese boys (>30% body fat) were studied. They were divided into 2 groups- an aerobic exercise group (N.=12), which trained 3 days/week, 50 min/day for 12 weeks, and a control group (N.=10). Control subjects only performed activities involved in their physical education classes. Body composition, cardiovascular fitness (20 m multistage endurance test performance) and vascular compliance were assessed before and after the completion of exercise training.

RESULTS

The % changes in body fat (-4.6±0.9 vs. -1.5±1.0%), fat mass (-5.4±1.5 vs. -0.1±1.6%) and performance on the cardiovascular fitness test (14.3±2.5 vs. 3.7±1.6%) were greater in the exercise group than in the controls Compared to controls, % increases in vascular compliance were greater in the arms and legs of the exercise group (left arm: 2.8±0.5 vs. 2.0±2.9%; left leg: 2.6±1.2 vs. -0.5±2.0%; right arm: 2.9±0.9 vs. 0.3±2.9%; right leg: 4.8±1.8 vs. 1.5±2.0%).

CONCLUSION

Results suggest that exercise training can reduce % body fat and enhance vascular compliance in obese male adolescents; changes that may reduce the risk for later development of cardiovascular disease.

From incommensurate correlations to mesoscopic spin resonance in YbRh2Si2

Spin fluctuations are reported near the magnetic field-driven quantum critical point in YbRh(2)Si(2). On cooling, ferromagnetic fluctuations evolve into incommensurate correlations located at q(0) = ±(δ,δ), with δ = 0.14 ± 0.04 r.l.u. At low temperatures, an in-plane magnetic field induces a sharp intradoublet resonant excitation at an energy E(0) = gμ(B)μ(0)H with g = 3.8 ± 0.2. The intensity is localized at the zone center, indicating precession of spin density extending ξ = 6 ± 2 Å beyond the 4f site.

A ganglion cyst generated by non-absorbable meniscal repair suture material

Arthroscopic meniscal repair has been a common procedure for the treatment of a torn meniscus, since the importance of meniscal preservation is widely understood. Over the years, the complications associated with suture material have been reported. Meniscal cyst is also one of those things. But ganglion cyst triggered by non-absorbable suture material was not documented in the literature. We report the case of a 19-year-old boy who underwent arthroscopic ACL reconstruction and repair of the medial meniscus by inside-out technique using 2-0 non-absorbable polyester sutures. The patient returned to our clinic at 4-year F/U with right knee pain due to medial meniscus tear and ganglion cyst. We suspect non-absorbable suture materials itself might have caused soft tissue irritation with repetitive trauma that lead to mucoid degeneration which results in ganglion cyst formation in the end.

Development of an automated region of interest selection method for 3D surface monitoring of head motion

PURPOSE

To simplify the often complex and user-dependent manual region of interest (ROI) selection process for head motion monitoring, an automatic ROI selection method was developed.

METHODS

The automatic ROI selection algorithm calculated the displacements and velocities of 3D surface points between a temporally correlated 3D image series and a reference image. Only facial surfaces satisfying certain spatial and temporal criteria were selected. The algorithm was tested on five healthy volunteers instructed to perform different types of facial movements for a total of 27 real-time image sets (40-120 images for each image set).

RESULTS

The algorithm detected and excluded surface areas affected by different types of local facial movements that were independent of actual net head motion. Eye, eyebrow, and mandible motion were most commonly detected as being independent of head motion and were excluded from the final ROI. For 3D images taken with substantial facial or whole head motion, either most of the facial area was excluded or only small areas with random patterns were included in the final ROI. Surface image registration using iterative closest point (ICP) methods showed more stable real-time head tracking using the automatically selected ROI than manual user defined ROIs.

CONCLUSIONS

The automatic selection method successfully found ROIs stable over time for tracking head motion by excluding locally varying facial motions. By automating the ROI selection process, it is feasible that the time and complexity of current ROI definition can be reduced, together with user-dependent registration errors.

BRCA1 negatively regulates IGF-1 expression through an estrogen-responsive element-like site

The insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) signaling pathway is critical for both normal mammary gland development and malignant transformation. It has been reported that the IGF-1 stimulates breast cancer cell proliferation and is upregulated in tumors with BRCA1/2 mutations. We report here that IGF-1 is negatively regulated by BRCA1 at the transcriptional level in human breast cancer cells. BRCA1 knockdown (BRCA1-KD) induces the expression of IGF-1 mRNA in MCF7 cells in an estrogen receptor α (ERα)-dependent manner. We found that both BRCA1 and ERα bind to the endogenous IGF-1 promoter region containing an estrogen-responsive element-like (EREL) site. BRCA1-KD does not significantly affect ERα binding on the IGF-1 promoter. Reporter analysis demonstrates that BRCA1 could regulate IGF-1 transcripts via this EREL site. In addition, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed that de-repression of IGF-1 transcription by BRCA1-KD increases the level of extracellular IGF-1 protein, and secreted IGF-1 seems to increase the phospho-IGF-1Rβ and activate its downstream signaling pathway. Blocking the IGF-1/IGF-1R/phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway either by a neutralizing antibody or by small-molecule inhibitors preferentially reduces the proliferation of BRCA1-KD cells. Furthermore, the IGF-1-EREL-Luc reporter assay demonstrates that various inhibitors, which can inhibit the IGF-1R pathway, can suppress this reporter activity. These findings suggest that BRCA1 defectiveness keeps turning on IGF-1/PI3K/AKT signaling, which significantly contributes to increase cell survival and proliferation.

P2-15-11: Outcomes of Corrective Procedure with Vicryl Mesh as an Oncoplastic Surgery of the Breast

Background: Both cosmetic and oncologic outcomes are becoming more important for breast cancer patients. Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) has an acceptable cosmetic result compared with mastectomy, but BCS is also associated with cosmetic failure. In this study, we evaluated the cosmetic outcome of reconstructive surgery with the absorbable implant vicryl mesh after BCS compared with the outcome of BCS alone.

Methods: From May 2007 to December 2009, 101 patients were involved in this study at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital. We used absorbable implants made of folding vicryl mesh and wrapped them with Interceed. In 79 cases, BCS with vicryl mesh implantation was performed; in the other 56 cases, only BCS was performed. Patient satisfaction with cosmetic outcomes was evaluated. We also analyzed other factors that affected cosmetic outcomes, including patient ages, body mass indices, tumor locations, and removed breast tissue.

Results: In the vicryl mesh implantation group, 65 of 79 patients (82.3%) were satisfied; in the BCS-only group, 24 of 56 patients (43%) were satisfied (P &lt; 0.05). In the vicryl mesh implantation group, patient ages, body mass indices, and removed breast tissue did not affect cosmetic outcomes. When the tumor was located in the upper outer quadrant, the patients were more satisfied (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusions: Reconstructive procedures with vicryl mesh are simple, safe, and less expensive than other plastic reconstruction techniques. This study suggests that the procedure was superior to BCS alone in cosmetic outcomes. We believe that the procedure could become a favorable technique in oncoplastic surgery.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-15-11.