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Richardson SC, Williams JA, Vance MM, Phipps-Bennett M, Stevenson AP, Herbert R. Informing Equitable Prevention Practices: A Statewide Disaggregated Analysis of Suicide for Ethnoracially Minoritized Adolescents. Prev Sci 2024; 25:532-544. [PMID: 38429617 PMCID: PMC11093829 DOI: 10.1007/s11121-024-01654-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
The increase in adolescent suicide rates in the United States is a pervasive public health issue, and ethnoracial youth with diverse identities are disproportionately impacted, yet less studied. National planning efforts reinforce state-level approaches to suicide prevention through an equitable lens to prevent adolescent suicide. This study examined disaggregated state-level data over time to determine changes to suicide outcomes based on race/ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, and the intersection of these identities and determined which sub-groups had higher odds of suicide outcomes. Data from the 1991-2019 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System were analyzed for 17,419 ethnoracially minoritized high school adolescents in North Carolina. Descriptive analyses and multinominal logistic regression models were employed. Findings indicated that subgroups within categories of ethnoracial populations, specifically Black female adolescents unsure of their sexual orientation, reported higher rates of suicide attempts. Additionally, Multiracial adolescents reported higher means for suicide consideration and attempts over time. Recommendations for investigating state-level suicide data by focusing on diverse intersecting identities to illuminate areas for potential prevention efforts and support health equity are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonyia C Richardson
- School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd, Charlotte, NC, 28223, USA.
| | | | | | - Margaret Phipps-Bennett
- School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd, Charlotte, NC, 28223, USA
| | | | - Rehaana Herbert
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA
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Williams JA. Sixty years of learning and teaching physiology. Adv Physiol Educ 2023; 47:732-742. [PMID: 37498551 DOI: 10.1152/advan.00094.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
This is a memoir of my experiences in learning and teaching Physiology. It begins in 1962 when I entered the University of Washington as a medical student and began research in a physiology laboratory, which led to a Ph.D. degree in Physiology and Biophysics to go with my M.D. degree in 1968. At this time, both groups of students participated in the same physiology course containing both lectures and laboratories. After postdoctoral research at the NIH and in Cambridge, UK, in 1973 I joined the faculty of the Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco where I participated in the teaching of medical students and graduate students for nearly 15 years. By this time, the teaching of medical and graduate students had largely separated. In 1987, I moved to the University of Michigan as Professor and Chair of Physiology where my role in teaching was organizational as well as participatory for the next 35 years. In this work, I compare the teaching of medical students as well as graduate students and focus on how it has changed over this 60-year period. Over this time both medical and graduate Ph.D. education have become more integrative. Medical education is now taught in organ blocks rather than courses, and I participated in organizing the teaching of the gastrointestinal block. At Michigan, there is no longer a separate medical school class in Physiology, and graduate students enter a combined, "Program in Biomedical Science" for a year before choosing a mentor and department.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Teaching remains an important part of the career of academic physiologists. It is important for schools offering the Ph.D. to provide instruction and experience in teaching. The American Physiology Society has developed new programs to assist teachers and many universities have centers on learning and teaching.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Williams
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
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Russ D, Williams JA, Cardoso VR, Bravo-Merodio L, Pendleton SC, Aziz F, Acharjee A, Gkoutos GV. Correction: Evaluating the detection ability of a range of epistasis detection methods on simulated data for pure and impure epistatic models. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0288416. [PMID: 37410766 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263390.].
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Slater K, Williams JA, Schofield PN, Russell S, Pendleton SC, Karwath A, Fanning H, Ball S, Hoehndorf R, Gkoutos GV. Klarigi: Characteristic explanations for semantic biomedical data. Comput Biol Med 2023; 153:106425. [PMID: 36638616 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2022.106425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Annotation of biomedical entities with ontology classes provides for formal semantic analysis and mobilisation of background knowledge in determining their relationships. To date, enrichment analysis has been routinely employed to identify classes that are over-represented in annotations across sets of groups, such as biosample gene expression profiles or patient phenotypes, and is useful for a range of tasks including differential diagnosis and causative variant prioritisation. These approaches, however, usually consider only univariate relationships, make limited use of the semantic features of ontologies, and provide limited information and evaluation of the explanatory power of both singular and grouped candidate classes. Moreover, they are not designed to solve the problem of deriving cohesive, characteristic, and discriminatory sets of classes for entity groups. We have developed a new tool, called Klarigi, which introduces multiple scoring heuristics for identification of classes that are both compositional and discriminatory for groups of entities annotated with ontology classes. The tool includes a novel algorithm for derivation of multivariable semantic explanations for entity groups, makes use of semantic inference through live use of an ontology reasoner, and includes a classification method for identifying the discriminatory power of candidate sets, in addition to significance testing apposite to traditional enrichment approaches. We describe the design and implementation of Klarigi, including its scoring and explanation determination methods, and evaluate its use in application to two test cases with clinical significance, comparing and contrasting methods and results with literature-based and enrichment analysis methods. We demonstrate that Klarigi produces characteristic and discriminatory explanations for groups of biomedical entities in two settings. We also show that these explanations recapitulate and extend the knowledge held in existing biomedical databases and literature for several diseases. We conclude that Klarigi provides a distinct and valuable perspective on biomedical datasets when compared with traditional enrichment methods, and therefore constitutes a new method by which biomedical datasets can be explored, contributing to improved insight into semantic data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Slater
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK; Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham, NHS Foundation Trust, UK; MRC Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), Midlands, UK; University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
| | - John A Williams
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK; Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham, NHS Foundation Trust, UK; University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
| | - Paul N Schofield
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Sophie Russell
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK
| | - Samantha C Pendleton
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK
| | - Andreas Karwath
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK; Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham, NHS Foundation Trust, UK; MRC Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), Midlands, UK; University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
| | - Hilary Fanning
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham, NHS Foundation Trust, UK; University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
| | - Simon Ball
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham, NHS Foundation Trust, UK; University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
| | - Robert Hoehndorf
- Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences & Engineering Division, Computational Bioscience Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, UK
| | - Georgios V Gkoutos
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK; Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham, NHS Foundation Trust, UK; NIHR Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, UK; NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre, UK; NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, UK; MRC Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), Midlands, UK; University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
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Kany S, Cardoso VR, Bravo L, Williams JA, Schnabel R, Fabritz L, Gkoutos GV, Kirchhof P. Eligibility for early rhythm control in patients with atrial fibrillation in the UK Biobank. Heart 2022; 108:1873-1880. [PMID: 35835543 PMCID: PMC9664114 DOI: 10.1136/heartjnl-2022-321196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The Early Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation for Stroke Prevention (EAST-AFNET4) trial showed a clinical benefit of early rhythm-control therapy in patients with recently diagnosed atrial fibrillation (AF). The generalisability of the results in the general population is not known. METHODS Participants in the population-based UK Biobank were assessed for eligibility based on the EAST-AFNET4 inclusion/exclusion criteria. Treatment of all eligible participants was classified as early rhythm-control (antiarrhythmic drug therapy or AF ablation) or usual care. To assess treatment effects, primary care data and Hospital Episode Statistics were merged with UK Biobank data.Efficacy and safety outcomes were compared between groups in the entire cohort and in a propensity-matched data set. RESULTS AF was present in 35 526/502 493 (7.1%) participants, including 8340 (988 with AF <1 year) with AF at enrolment and 27 186 with incident AF during follow-up. Most participants (22 003/27 186; 80.9%) with incident AF were eligible for early rhythm-control.Eligible participants were older (70 years vs 63 years) and more likely to be female (42% vs 21%) compared with ineligible patients. Of 9004 participants with full primary care data, 874 (9.02%) received early rhythm-control. Safety outcomes were not different between patients receiving early rhythm-control and controls. The primary outcome of EAST-AFNET 4, a composite of cardiovascular death, stroke/transient ischaemic attack and hospitalisation for heart failure or acute coronary syndrome occurred less often in participants receiving early rhythm-control compared with controls in the entire cohort (HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.71 to 0.94, p=0.005). In the propensity-score matched analysis, early rhythm-control did not significantly decrease of the primary outcome compared with usual care (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.72 to 1.04, p=0.124). CONCLUSION Around 80% of participants diagnosed with AF in the UK population are eligible for early rhythm-control. Early rhythm-control therapy was safe in routine care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinwan Kany
- Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Partner site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, German Center for Cardiovascular Sciences (DZHK), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Victor Roth Cardoso
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.,Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK.,Midlands Site, Health Data Research UK, Birmingham, UK.,Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Laura Bravo
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK.,Midlands Site, Health Data Research UK, Birmingham, UK.,Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - John A Williams
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK.,Midlands Site, Health Data Research UK, Birmingham, UK.,Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Renate Schnabel
- Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Partner site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, German Center for Cardiovascular Sciences (DZHK), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Larissa Fabritz
- Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Partner site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, German Center for Cardiovascular Sciences (DZHK), Hamburg, Germany.,Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Georgios V Gkoutos
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK.,Midlands Site, Health Data Research UK, Birmingham, UK.,Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Paulus Kirchhof
- Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany .,Partner site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, German Center for Cardiovascular Sciences (DZHK), Hamburg, Germany.,Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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Sharma-Oates A, Zemedikun DT, Kumar K, Reynolds JA, Jain A, Raza K, Williams JA, Bravo L, Cardoso VR, Gkoutos G, Nirantharakumar K, Lord JM. Early onset of immune-mediated diseases in minority ethnic groups in the UK. BMC Med 2022; 20:346. [PMID: 36224602 PMCID: PMC9558944 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-022-02544-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prevalence of some immune-mediated diseases (IMDs) shows distinct differences between populations of different ethnicities. The aim of this study was to determine if the age at diagnosis of common IMDs also differed between different ethnic groups in the UK, suggestive of distinct influences of ethnicity on disease pathogenesis. METHODS This was a population-based retrospective primary care study. Linear regression provided unadjusted and adjusted estimates of age at diagnosis for common IMDs within the following ethnic groups: White, South Asian, African-Caribbean and Mixed-race/Other. Potential disease risk confounders in the association between ethnicity and diagnosis age including sex, smoking, body mass index and social deprivation (Townsend quintiles) were adjusted for. The analysis was replicated using data from UK Biobank (UKB). RESULTS After adjusting for risk confounders, we observed that individuals from South Asian, African-Caribbean and Mixed-race/Other ethnicities were diagnosed with IMDs at a significantly younger age than their White counterparts for almost all IMDs. The difference in the diagnosis age (ranging from 2 to 30 years earlier) varied for each disease and by ethnicity. For example, rheumatoid arthritis was diagnosed at age 49, 48 and 47 years in individuals of African-Caribbean, South Asian and Mixed-race/Other ethnicities respectively, compared to 56 years in White ethnicities. The earlier diagnosis of most IMDs observed was validated in UKB although with a smaller effect size. CONCLUSION Individuals from non-White ethnic groups in the UK had an earlier age at diagnosis for several IMDs than White adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Archana Sharma-Oates
- Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK. .,School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
| | - Dawit T Zemedikun
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Kanta Kumar
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - John A Reynolds
- Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.,Department of Rheumatology, Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | | | - Karim Raza
- Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.,Department of Rheumatology, Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, Birmingham, UK.,MRC-Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.,NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Birmingham and University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - John A Williams
- Department of Rheumatology, Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, Birmingham, UK.,Health Data Research UK, Midlands Site, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Laura Bravo
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Victor Roth Cardoso
- Health Data Research UK, Midlands Site, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.,Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Georgios Gkoutos
- Health Data Research UK, Midlands Site, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.,Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Krishnarajah Nirantharakumar
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.,Health Data Research UK, Midlands Site, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Janet M Lord
- Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.,MRC-Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.,NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Birmingham and University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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Gill S, Bunting KV, Sartini C, Cardoso VR, Ghoreishi N, Uh HW, Williams JA, Suzart-Woischnik K, Banerjee A, Asselbergs FW, Eijkemans M, Gkoutos GV, Kotecha D. Smartphone detection of atrial fibrillation using photoplethysmography: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Heart 2022; 108:1600-1607. [PMID: 35277454 PMCID: PMC9554073 DOI: 10.1136/heartjnl-2021-320417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Timely diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF) is essential to reduce complications from this increasingly common condition. We sought to assess the diagnostic accuracy of smartphone camera photoplethysmography (PPG) compared with conventional electrocardiogram (ECG) for AF detection. METHODS This is a systematic review of MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane (1980-December 2020), including any study or abstract, where smartphone PPG was compared with a reference ECG (1, 3 or 12-lead). Random effects meta-analysis was performed to pool sensitivity/specificity and identify publication bias, with study quality assessed using the QUADAS-2 (Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2) risk of bias tool. RESULTS 28 studies were included (10 full-text publications and 18 abstracts), providing 31 comparisons of smartphone PPG versus ECG for AF detection. 11 404 participants were included (2950 in AF), with most studies being small and based in secondary care. Sensitivity and specificity for AF detection were high, ranging from 81% to 100%, and from 85% to 100%, respectively. 20 comparisons from 17 studies were meta-analysed, including 6891 participants (2299 with AF); the pooled sensitivity was 94% (95% CI 92% to 95%) and specificity 97% (96%-98%), with substantial heterogeneity (p<0.01). Studies were of poor quality overall and none met all the QUADAS-2 criteria, with particular issues regarding selection bias and the potential for publication bias. CONCLUSION PPG provides a non-invasive, patient-led screening tool for AF. However, current evidence is limited to small, biased, low-quality studies with unrealistically high sensitivity and specificity. Further studies are needed, preferably independent from manufacturers, in order to advise clinicians on the true value of PPG technology for AF detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simrat Gill
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Health Data Research UK Midlands Site, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Karina V Bunting
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Health Data Research UK Midlands Site, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Claudio Sartini
- Medical Affairs and Pharmacovigilance, Pharmaceuticals, Integrated Evidence Generation, Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
| | - Victor Roth Cardoso
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Health Data Research UK Midlands Site, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Narges Ghoreishi
- Medical Affairs and Pharmacovigilance, Pharmaceuticals, Integrated Evidence Generation, Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
| | - Hae-Won Uh
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - John A Williams
- Health Data Research UK Midlands Site, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Kiliana Suzart-Woischnik
- Medical Affairs and Pharmacovigilance, Pharmaceuticals, Integrated Evidence Generation, Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
| | - Amitava Banerjee
- Farr Institute of Health Informatics Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - Folkert W Asselbergs
- Department of Cardiology, University Medical Centre Utrecht Department of Cardiology, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Department of Cardiology, University College London Faculty of Population Health Sciences, London, UK
- Institute of Cardiovascular Science, Faculty of Population Health Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mjc Eijkemans
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Georgios V Gkoutos
- Health Data Research UK Midlands Site, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Dipak Kotecha
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Health Data Research UK Midlands Site, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
- Department of Cardiology, University Medical Centre Utrecht Department of Cardiology, Utrecht, Netherlands
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Williams JA, Burgess S, Suckling J, Lalousis PA, Batool F, Griffiths SL, Palmer E, Karwath A, Barsky A, Gkoutos GV, Wood S, Barnes NM, David AS, Donohoe G, Neill JC, Deakin B, Khandaker GM, Upthegrove R. Inflammation and Brain Structure in Schizophrenia and Other Neuropsychiatric Disorders: A Mendelian Randomization Study. JAMA Psychiatry 2022; 79:498-507. [PMID: 35353173 PMCID: PMC8968718 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.0407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Importance Previous in vitro and postmortem research suggests that inflammation may lead to structural brain changes via activation of microglia and/or astrocytic dysfunction in a range of neuropsychiatric disorders. Objective To investigate the relationship between inflammation and changes in brain structures in vivo and to explore a transcriptome-driven functional basis with relevance to mental illness. Design, Setting, and Participants This study used multistage linked analyses, including mendelian randomization (MR), gene expression correlation, and connectivity analyses. A total of 20 688 participants in the UK Biobank, which includes clinical, genomic, and neuroimaging data, and 6 postmortem brains from neurotypical individuals in the Allen Human Brain Atlas (AHBA), including RNA microarray data. Data were extracted in February 2021 and analyzed between March and October 2021. Exposures Genetic variants regulating levels and activity of circulating interleukin 1 (IL-1), IL-2, IL-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were used as exposures in MR analyses. Main Outcomes and Measures Brain imaging measures, including gray matter volume (GMV) and cortical thickness (CT), were used as outcomes. Associations were considered significant at a multiple testing-corrected threshold of P < 1.1 × 10-4. Differential gene expression in AHBA data was modeled in brain regions mapped to areas significant in MR analyses; genes were tested for biological and disease overrepresentation in annotation databases and for connectivity in protein-protein interaction networks. Results Of 20 688 participants in the UK Biobank sample, 10 828 (52.3%) were female, and the mean (SD) age was 55.5 (7.5) years. In the UK Biobank sample, genetically predicted levels of IL-6 were associated with GMV in the middle temporal cortex (z score, 5.76; P = 8.39 × 10-9), inferior temporal (z score, 3.38; P = 7.20 × 10-5), fusiform (z score, 4.70; P = 2.60 × 10-7), and frontal (z score, -3.59; P = 3.30 × 10-5) cortex together with CT in the superior frontal region (z score, -5.11; P = 3.22 × 10-7). No significant associations were found for IL-1, IL-2, CRP, or BDNF after correction for multiple comparison. In the AHBA sample, 5 of 6 participants (83%) were male, and the mean (SD) age was 42.5 (13.4) years. Brain-wide coexpression analysis showed a highly interconnected network of genes preferentially expressed in the middle temporal gyrus (MTG), which further formed a highly connected protein-protein interaction network with IL-6 (enrichment test of expected vs observed network given the prevalence and degree of interactions in the STRING database: 43 nodes/30 edges observed vs 8 edges expected; mean node degree, 1.4; genome-wide significance, P = 4.54 × 10-9). MTG differentially expressed genes that were functionally enriched for biological processes in schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, and epilepsy. Conclusions and Relevance In this study, genetically determined IL-6 was associated with brain structure and potentially affects areas implicated in developmental neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia and autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A. Williams
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Centre for Computational Biology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Institute for Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Health Data Research UK (HRD), Midlands Site, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen Burgess
- Medical Research Council Biostatistics Unit, Cambridge Institute of Public Health, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - John Suckling
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Paris Alexandros Lalousis
- Institute for Mental Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Fatima Batool
- Medical Research Council Biostatistics Unit, Cambridge Institute of Public Health, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Sian Lowri Griffiths
- Institute for Mental Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Edward Palmer
- Institute for Mental Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Andreas Karwath
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Centre for Computational Biology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Institute for Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Health Data Research UK (HRD), Midlands Site, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Andrey Barsky
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Centre for Computational Biology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Institute for Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Georgios V. Gkoutos
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Centre for Computational Biology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Institute for Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Health Data Research UK (HRD), Midlands Site, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen Wood
- Institute for Mental Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Orygen, Melbourne, Australia
- Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Nicholas M. Barnes
- Institute for Clinical Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony S. David
- Institute of Mental Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gary Donohoe
- School of Psychology, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
- Centre for Neuroimaging, Cognition and Genomics, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Joanna C. Neill
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Bill Deakin
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Golam M. Khandaker
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Centre for Academic Mental Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, Bristol, United Kingdom
- NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel Upthegrove
- Institute for Mental Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Early Intervention Service, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, United Kingdom
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9
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Slater LT, Russell S, Makepeace S, Carberry A, Karwath A, Williams JA, Fanning H, Ball S, Hoehndorf R, Gkoutos GV. Evaluating semantic similarity methods for comparison of text-derived phenotype profiles. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 2022; 22:33. [PMID: 35123470 PMCID: PMC8818208 DOI: 10.1186/s12911-022-01770-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Semantic similarity is a valuable tool for analysis in biomedicine. When applied to phenotype profiles derived from clinical text, they have the capacity to enable and enhance ‘patient-like me’ analyses, automated coding, differential diagnosis, and outcome prediction. While a large body of work exists exploring the use of semantic similarity for multiple tasks, including protein interaction prediction, and rare disease differential diagnosis, there is less work exploring comparison of patient phenotype profiles for clinical tasks. Moreover, there are no experimental explorations of optimal parameters or better methods in the area. Methods We develop a platform for reproducible benchmarking and comparison of experimental conditions for patient phentoype similarity. Using the platform, we evaluate the task of ranking shared primary diagnosis from uncurated phenotype profiles derived from all text narrative associated with admissions in the medical information mart for intensive care (MIMIC-III). Results 300 semantic similarity configurations were evaluated, as well as one embedding-based approach. On average, measures that did not make use of an external information content measure performed slightly better, however the best-performing configurations when measured by area under receiver operating characteristic curve and Top Ten Accuracy used term-specificity and annotation-frequency measures. Conclusion We identified and interpreted the performance of a large number of semantic similarity configurations for the task of classifying diagnosis from text-derived phenotype profiles in one setting. We also provided a basis for further research on other settings and related tasks in the area.
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10
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Williams JA, James M, Beltrán ACD, Young J, Neshyba MV, Ogletree Q. Employing the Urban Education Typology Through a Critical Race Spatial Analysis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 54:450-480. [PMID: 34754131 PMCID: PMC8568565 DOI: 10.1007/s11256-021-00625-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The urban education typology put forth by Milner (Urban Educ 47(3):556–561, 2012) offered a conceptual demarcation of three different, yet interconnected types of urban school districts (i.e., urban intensive, urban emergent, and urban characteristic). Nearly one decade after Milner’s seminal urban education typology, few empirical or conceptual articles have operationalized this typology across multiple school districts in one region. We enter this scholarly space to reaffirm the typology and its utility in identifying the conditions that create varying educational inequities and transformative opportunities. Through a critical race spatial analysis, we attempt to capture, crystalize, and expand Milner's typology by examining a multitude of data points and intentionally drawing on geospatial data from five linked school districts in Harris County, Texas. Our findings, as viewed through lenses of Critical Race Theory and the Chicana Feminist conceptual framework known as borderlands, accentuate two major implications; (1) while there are physical spaces of restriction inside and around schools and school districts, regularly school districts contend with identical challenges despite their urban education typology categorical classification; and (2) when employing the urban education typology, it is imperative that researchers deeply contextualize the physical, temporal, historical, social, and racialized spaces that schools and school districts exist in.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Williams
- Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture, Texas A&M University College Station, College Station, TX 77843 USA
| | - Marlon James
- Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture, Texas A&M University College Station, College Station, TX 77843 USA
| | | | - Jemimah Young
- Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture, Texas A&M University College Station, College Station, TX 77843 USA
| | - Mónica Vásquez Neshyba
- Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture, Texas A&M University College Station, College Station, TX 77843 USA
| | - Quinita Ogletree
- Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture, Texas A&M University College Station, College Station, TX 77843 USA
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11
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Slater K, Williams JA, Karwath A, Fanning H, Ball S, Schofield PN, Hoehndorf R, Gkoutos GV. Multi-faceted semantic clustering with text-derived phenotypes. Comput Biol Med 2021; 138:104904. [PMID: 34600327 PMCID: PMC8573608 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.104904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Identification of ontology concepts in clinical narrative text enables the creation of phenotype profiles that can be associated with clinical entities, such as patients or drugs. Constructing patient phenotype profiles using formal ontologies enables their analysis via semantic similarity, in turn enabling the use of background knowledge in clustering or classification analyses. However, traditional semantic similarity approaches collapse complex relationships between patient phenotypes into a unitary similarity scores for each pair of patients. Moreover, single scores may be based only on matching terms with the greatest information content (IC), ignoring other dimensions of patient similarity. This process necessarily leads to a loss of information in the resulting representation of patient similarity, and is especially apparent when using very large text-derived and highly multi-morbid phenotype profiles. Moreover, it renders finding a biological explanation for similarity very difficult; the black box problem. In this article, we explore the generation of multiple semantic similarity scores for patients based on different facets of their phenotypic manifestation, which we define through different sub-graphs in the Human Phenotype Ontology. We further present a new methodology for deriving sets of qualitative class descriptions for groups of entities described by ontology terms. Leveraging this strategy to obtain meaningful explanations for our semantic clusters alongside other evaluation techniques, we show that semantic clustering with ontology-derived facets enables the representation, and thus identification of, clinically relevant phenotype relationships not easily recoverable using overall clustering alone. In this way, we demonstrate the potential of faceted semantic clustering for gaining a deeper and more nuanced understanding of text-derived patient phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Slater
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK; Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham, NHS Foundation Trust, UK; MRC Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) Midlands, UK; University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
| | - John A Williams
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK; Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham, NHS Foundation Trust, UK; University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
| | - Andreas Karwath
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK; Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham, NHS Foundation Trust, UK; MRC Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) Midlands, UK; University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
| | - Hilary Fanning
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham, NHS Foundation Trust, UK; University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
| | - Simon Ball
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham, NHS Foundation Trust, UK; University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
| | - Paul N Schofield
- Dept of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Robert Hoehndorf
- Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences & Engineering Division, Computational Bioscience Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia
| | - Georgios V Gkoutos
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK; Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham, NHS Foundation Trust, UK; NIHR Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, UK; NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre, UK; NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, UK; MRC Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) Midlands, UK; University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
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12
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Karwath A, Bunting KV, Gill SK, Tica O, Pendleton S, Aziz F, Barsky AD, Chernbumroong S, Duan J, Mobley AR, Cardoso VR, Slater K, Williams JA, Bruce EJ, Wang X, Flather MD, Coats AJS, Gkoutos GV, Kotecha D. Redefining β-blocker response in heart failure patients with sinus rhythm and atrial fibrillation: a machine learning cluster analysis. Lancet 2021; 398:1427-1435. [PMID: 34474011 PMCID: PMC8542730 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(21)01638-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mortality remains unacceptably high in patients with heart failure and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) despite advances in therapeutics. We hypothesised that a novel artificial intelligence approach could better assess multiple and higher-dimension interactions of comorbidities, and define clusters of β-blocker efficacy in patients with sinus rhythm and atrial fibrillation. METHODS Neural network-based variational autoencoders and hierarchical clustering were applied to pooled individual patient data from nine double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trials of β blockers. All-cause mortality during median 1·3 years of follow-up was assessed by intention to treat, stratified by electrocardiographic heart rhythm. The number of clusters and dimensions was determined objectively, with results validated using a leave-one-trial-out approach. This study was prospectively registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT00832442) and the PROSPERO database of systematic reviews (CRD42014010012). FINDINGS 15 659 patients with heart failure and LVEF of less than 50% were included, with median age 65 years (IQR 56-72) and LVEF 27% (IQR 21-33). 3708 (24%) patients were women. In sinus rhythm (n=12 822), most clusters demonstrated a consistent overall mortality benefit from β blockers, with odds ratios (ORs) ranging from 0·54 to 0·74. One cluster in sinus rhythm of older patients with less severe symptoms showed no significant efficacy (OR 0·86, 95% CI 0·67-1·10; p=0·22). In atrial fibrillation (n=2837), four of five clusters were consistent with the overall neutral effect of β blockers versus placebo (OR 0·92, 0·77-1·10; p=0·37). One cluster of younger atrial fibrillation patients at lower mortality risk but similar LVEF to average had a statistically significant reduction in mortality with β blockers (OR 0·57, 0·35-0·93; p=0·023). The robustness and consistency of clustering was confirmed for all models (p<0·0001 vs random), and cluster membership was externally validated across the nine independent trials. INTERPRETATION An artificial intelligence-based clustering approach was able to distinguish prognostic response from β blockers in patients with heart failure and reduced LVEF. This included patients in sinus rhythm with suboptimal efficacy, as well as a cluster of patients with atrial fibrillation where β blockers did reduce mortality. FUNDING Medical Research Council, UK, and EU/EFPIA Innovative Medicines Initiative BigData@Heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Karwath
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Health Data Research UK Midlands Site, Birmingham, UK
| | - Karina V Bunting
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK; Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Health Data Research UK Midlands Site, Birmingham, UK
| | - Simrat K Gill
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Otilia Tica
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Health Data Research UK Midlands Site, Birmingham, UK
| | - Samantha Pendleton
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Furqan Aziz
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Health Data Research UK Midlands Site, Birmingham, UK
| | - Andrey D Barsky
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Health Data Research UK Midlands Site, Birmingham, UK
| | | | - Jinming Duan
- Computer Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Alastair R Mobley
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK; Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Health Data Research UK Midlands Site, Birmingham, UK
| | - Victor Roth Cardoso
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Health Data Research UK Midlands Site, Birmingham, UK
| | - Karin Slater
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Health Data Research UK Midlands Site, Birmingham, UK
| | - John A Williams
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Health Data Research UK Midlands Site, Birmingham, UK
| | - Emma-Jane Bruce
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK; Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Health Data Research UK Midlands Site, Birmingham, UK
| | - Xiaoxia Wang
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK; Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Health Data Research UK Midlands Site, Birmingham, UK
| | | | | | - Georgios V Gkoutos
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK; Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Health Data Research UK Midlands Site, Birmingham, UK.
| | - Dipak Kotecha
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK; Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Health Data Research UK Midlands Site, Birmingham, UK.
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13
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Jahangiri L, Pucci P, Ishola T, Trigg RM, Williams JA, Pereira J, Cavanagh ML, Turner SD, Gkoutos GV, Tsaprouni L. The Contribution of Autophagy and LncRNAs to MYC-Driven Gene Regulatory Networks in Cancers. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168527. [PMID: 34445233 PMCID: PMC8395220 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
MYC is a target of the Wnt signalling pathway and governs numerous cellular and developmental programmes hijacked in cancers. The amplification of MYC is a frequently occurring genetic alteration in cancer genomes, and this transcription factor is implicated in metabolic reprogramming, cell death, and angiogenesis in cancers. In this review, we analyse MYC gene networks in solid cancers. We investigate the interaction of MYC with long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Furthermore, we investigate the role of MYC regulatory networks in inducing changes to cellular processes, including autophagy and mitophagy. Finally, we review the interaction and mutual regulation between MYC and lncRNAs, and autophagic processes and analyse these networks as unexplored areas of targeting and manipulation for therapeutic gain in MYC-driven malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Jahangiri
- Department of Life Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham B15 3TN, UK; (L.J.); (T.I.); (M.L.C.)
| | - Perla Pucci
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK; (P.P.); (S.D.T.)
| | - Tala Ishola
- Department of Life Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham B15 3TN, UK; (L.J.); (T.I.); (M.L.C.)
| | - Ricky M. Trigg
- Department of Functional Genomics, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage SG1 2NY, UK;
| | - John A. Williams
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UK; (J.A.W.); (G.V.G.)
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2SY, UK
| | - Joao Pereira
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA;
| | - Megan L. Cavanagh
- Department of Life Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham B15 3TN, UK; (L.J.); (T.I.); (M.L.C.)
| | - Suzanne D. Turner
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK; (P.P.); (S.D.T.)
- CEITEC, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Georgios V. Gkoutos
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UK; (J.A.W.); (G.V.G.)
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2SY, UK
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, Medical Research Council Harwell Institute, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
- MRC Health Data Research, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
- NIHR Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
- NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Loukia Tsaprouni
- Department of Life Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham B15 3TN, UK; (L.J.); (T.I.); (M.L.C.)
- Correspondence:
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14
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Bruce JIE, Sánchez-Alvarez R, Sans MD, Sugden SA, Qi N, James AD, Williams JA. Insulin protects acinar cells during pancreatitis by preserving glycolytic ATP supply to calcium pumps. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4386. [PMID: 34282152 PMCID: PMC8289871 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24506-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute pancreatitis (AP) is serious inflammatory disease of the pancreas. Accumulating evidence links diabetes with severity of AP, suggesting that endogenous insulin may be protective. We investigated this putative protective effect of insulin during cellular and in vivo models of AP in diabetic mice (Ins2Akita) and Pancreatic Acinar cell-specific Conditional Insulin Receptor Knock Out mice (PACIRKO). Caerulein and palmitoleic acid (POA)/ethanol-induced pancreatitis was more severe in both Ins2Akita and PACIRKO vs control mice, suggesting that endogenous insulin directly protects acinar cells in vivo. In isolated pancreatic acinar cells, insulin induced Akt-mediated phosphorylation of 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase 2 (PFKFB2) which upregulated glycolysis thereby preventing POA-induced ATP depletion, inhibition of the ATP-dependent plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPase (PMCA) and cytotoxic Ca2+ overload. These data provide the first mechanistic link between diabetes and severity of AP and suggest that phosphorylation of PFKFB2 may represent a potential therapeutic strategy for treatment of AP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason I. E. Bruce
- grid.5379.80000000121662407Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK ,grid.214458.e0000000086837370Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI USA
| | - Rosa Sánchez-Alvarez
- grid.5379.80000000121662407Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Maria Dolors Sans
- grid.214458.e0000000086837370Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI USA
| | - Sarah A. Sugden
- grid.5379.80000000121662407Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Nathan Qi
- grid.214458.e0000000086837370Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI USA
| | - Andrew D. James
- grid.5379.80000000121662407Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK ,grid.5685.e0000 0004 1936 9668Present Address: Division of Cancer Sciences, Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York, UK
| | - John A. Williams
- grid.214458.e0000000086837370Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI USA
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15
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Williams JA, Russ D, Bravo-Merodio L, Cardoso VR, Pendleton SC, Aziz F, Acharjee A, Gkoutos GV. A Causal Web between Chronotype and Metabolic Health Traits. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12071029. [PMID: 34356044 PMCID: PMC8303793 DOI: 10.3390/genes12071029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Observational and experimental evidence has linked chronotype to both psychological and cardiometabolic traits. Recent Mendelian randomization (MR) studies have investigated direct links between chronotype and several of these traits, often in isolation of outside potential mediating or moderating traits. We mined the EpiGraphDB MR database for calculated chronotype–trait associations (p-value < 5 × 10−8). We then re-analyzed those relevant to metabolic or mental health and investigated for statistical evidence of horizontal pleiotropy. Analyses passing multiple testing correction were then investigated for confounders, colliders, intermediates, and reverse intermediates using the EpiGraphDB database, creating multiple chronotype–trait interactions among each of the the traits studied. We revealed 10 significant chronotype–exposure associations (false discovery rate < 0.05) exposed to 111 potential previously known confounders, 52 intermediates, 18 reverse intermediates, and 31 colliders. Chronotype–lipid causal associations collided with treatment and diabetes effects; chronotype–bipolar associations were mediated by breast cancer; and chronotype–alcohol intake associations were impacted by confounders and intermediate variables including known zeitgebers and molecular traits. We have reported the influence of chronotype on several cardiometabolic and behavioural traits, and identified potential confounding variables not reported on in studies while discovering new associations to drugs and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A. Williams
- Centre for Computational Biology, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (D.R.); (L.B.-M.); (V.R.C.); (S.C.P.); (F.A.); (A.A.); (G.V.G.)
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
- Correspondence:
| | - Dominic Russ
- Centre for Computational Biology, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (D.R.); (L.B.-M.); (V.R.C.); (S.C.P.); (F.A.); (A.A.); (G.V.G.)
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Laura Bravo-Merodio
- Centre for Computational Biology, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (D.R.); (L.B.-M.); (V.R.C.); (S.C.P.); (F.A.); (A.A.); (G.V.G.)
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Victor Roth Cardoso
- Centre for Computational Biology, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (D.R.); (L.B.-M.); (V.R.C.); (S.C.P.); (F.A.); (A.A.); (G.V.G.)
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Samantha C. Pendleton
- Centre for Computational Biology, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (D.R.); (L.B.-M.); (V.R.C.); (S.C.P.); (F.A.); (A.A.); (G.V.G.)
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Furqan Aziz
- Centre for Computational Biology, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (D.R.); (L.B.-M.); (V.R.C.); (S.C.P.); (F.A.); (A.A.); (G.V.G.)
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Animesh Acharjee
- Centre for Computational Biology, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (D.R.); (L.B.-M.); (V.R.C.); (S.C.P.); (F.A.); (A.A.); (G.V.G.)
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
- NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre, University Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2WB, UK
| | - Georgios V. Gkoutos
- Centre for Computational Biology, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (D.R.); (L.B.-M.); (V.R.C.); (S.C.P.); (F.A.); (A.A.); (G.V.G.)
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
- NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre, University Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2WB, UK
- MRC Health Data Research UK (HDR), Midlands Site, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
- NIHR Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2WB, UK
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16
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Arias-Hervert ER, Xu N, Njus M, Murphy GG, Hou Y, Williams JA, Lentz SI, Ernst SA, Stuenkel EL. Actions of Rab27B-GTPase on mammalian central excitatory synaptic transmission. Physiol Rep 2021; 8:e14428. [PMID: 32358861 PMCID: PMC7195558 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.14428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the Rab3 gene family are considered central to membrane trafficking of synaptic vesicles at mammalian central excitatory synapses. Recent evidence, however, indicates that the Rab27B-GTPase, which is highly homologous to the Rab3 family, is also enriched on SV membranes and co-localize with Rab3A and Synaptotagmin at presynaptic terminals. While functional roles of Rab3A have been well-established, little functional information exists on the role of Rab27B in synaptic transmission. Here we report on functional effects of Rab27B at SC-CA1 and DG-MF hippocampal synapses. The data establish distinct functional actions of Rab27B and demonstrate functions of Rab27B that differ between SC-CA1 and DG-MF synapses. Rab27B knockout reduced frequency facilitation compared to wild-type (WT) controls at the DG/MF-CA3 synaptic region, while increasing facilitation at the SC-CA1 synaptic region. Remarkably, Rab27B KO resulted in a complete elimination of LTP at the MF-CA3 synapse with no effect at the SC-CA1 synapse. These actions are similar to those previously reported for Rab3A KO. Specificity of action on LTP to Rab27B was confirmed as LTP was rescued in response to lentiviral infection and expression of human Rab27B, but not to GFP, in the DG in the Rab27B KO mice. Notably, the effect of Rab27B KO on MF-CA3 LTP occurred in spite of continued expression of Rab3A in the Rab27B KO. Overall, the results provide a novel perspective in suggesting that Rab27B and Rab3A act synergistically, perhaps via sequential effector recruitment or signaling for presynaptic LTP expression in this hippocampal synaptic region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erwin R Arias-Hervert
- Molecular & Integrative Physiology Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Nicole Xu
- Molecular & Integrative Physiology Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Meredith Njus
- Molecular & Integrative Physiology Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Geoff G Murphy
- Molecular & Integrative Physiology Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Yanan Hou
- Molecular & Integrative Physiology Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - John A Williams
- Molecular & Integrative Physiology Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Stephen I Lentz
- Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Stephen A Ernst
- Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Edward L Stuenkel
- Molecular & Integrative Physiology Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Slater K, Karwath A, Williams JA, Russell S, Makepeace S, Carberry A, Hoehndorf R, Gkoutos GV. Towards similarity-based differential diagnostics for common diseases. Comput Biol Med 2021; 133:104360. [PMID: 33836447 PMCID: PMC8204262 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.104360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Ontology-based phenotype profiles have been utilised for the purpose of differential diagnosis of rare genetic diseases, and for decision support in specific disease domains. Particularly, semantic similarity facilitates diagnostic hypothesis generation through comparison with disease phenotype profiles. However, the approach has not been applied for differential diagnosis of common diseases, or generalised clinical diagnostics from uncurated text-derived phenotypes. In this work, we describe the development of an approach for deriving patient phenotype profiles from clinical narrative text, and apply this to text associated with MIMIC-III patient visits. We then explore the use of semantic similarity with those text-derived phenotypes to classify primary patient diagnosis, comparing the use of patient-patient similarity and patient-disease similarity using phenotype-disease profiles previously mined from literature. We also consider a combined approach, in which literature-derived phenotypes are extended with the content of text-derived phenotypes we mined from 500 patients. The results reveal a powerful approach, showing that in one setting, uncurated text phenotypes can be used for differential diagnosis of common diseases, making use of information both inside and outside the setting. While the methods themselves should be explored for further optimisation, they could be applied to a variety of clinical tasks, such as differential diagnosis, cohort discovery, document and text classification, and outcome prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Slater
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK; Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham, NHS Foundation Trust, UK; University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
| | - Andreas Karwath
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK; Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham, NHS Foundation Trust, UK; University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
| | - John A Williams
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK; Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham, NHS Foundation Trust, UK; University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
| | - Sophie Russell
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK
| | - Silver Makepeace
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK
| | - Alexander Carberry
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK
| | - Robert Hoehndorf
- Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences & Engineering Division, Computational Bioscience Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia
| | - Georgios V Gkoutos
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK; Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham, NHS Foundation Trust, UK; NIHR Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, UK; NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre, UK; NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, UK; MRC Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) Midlands, UK; University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
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Williams JA, Groblewski GE, Gorelick FS, Mayerle J, Apte M, Gukovskaya A. American Pancreatic Association Frank Brooks Symposium: Fifty Years of Pancreatic Cell Biology. Pancreas 2021; 49:604-611. [PMID: 32433396 PMCID: PMC7249997 DOI: 10.1097/mpa.0000000000001543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John A. Williams
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
- Department of Internal Medicine (Gastroenterology), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Guy E. Groblewski
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
| | - Fred S. Gorelick
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Julia Mayerle
- Department of Medicine II, Liver Centre Munich, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany
| | - Minoti Apte
- Pancreatic Research Group, South Western Sydney Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Anna Gukovskaya
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, and, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA
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Jahangiri L, Ishola T, Pucci P, Trigg RM, Pereira J, Williams JA, Cavanagh ML, Gkoutos GV, Tsaprouni L, Turner SD. The Role of Autophagy and lncRNAs in the Maintenance of Cancer Stem Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13061239. [PMID: 33799834 PMCID: PMC7998932 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13061239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a distinct cancer subpopulation that can influence the tumour microenvironment, in addition to cancer progression and relapse. A multitude of factors including CSC properties, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and autophagy play pivotal roles in maintaining CSCs. We discuss the methods of detection of CSCs and how our knowledge of regulatory and cellular processes, and their interaction with the microenvironment, may lead to more effective targeting of these cells. Autophagy and lncRNAs can regulate several cellular functions, thereby promoting stemness factors and CSC properties, hence understanding this triangle and its associated signalling networks can lead to enhanced therapy response, while paving the way for the development of novel therapeutic approaches. Abstract Cancer stem cells (CSCs) possess properties such as self-renewal, resistance to apoptotic cues, quiescence, and DNA-damage repair capacity. Moreover, CSCs strongly influence the tumour microenvironment (TME) and may account for cancer progression, recurrence, and relapse. CSCs represent a distinct subpopulation in tumours and the detection, characterisation, and understanding of the regulatory landscape and cellular processes that govern their maintenance may pave the way to improving prognosis, selective targeted therapy, and therapy outcomes. In this review, we have discussed the characteristics of CSCs identified in various cancer types and the role of autophagy and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in maintaining the homeostasis of CSCs. Further, we have discussed methods to detect CSCs and strategies for treatment and relapse, taking into account the requirement to inhibit CSC growth and survival within the complex backdrop of cellular processes, microenvironmental interactions, and regulatory networks associated with cancer. Finally, we critique the computationally reinforced triangle of factors inclusive of CSC properties, the process of autophagy, and lncRNA and their associated networks with respect to hypoxia, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and signalling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Jahangiri
- Department of Life Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham B15 3TN, UK; (T.I.); (M.L.C.); (L.T.)
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK; (P.P.); (R.M.T.); (S.D.T.)
- Correspondence: (L.J.); (G.V.G.)
| | - Tala Ishola
- Department of Life Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham B15 3TN, UK; (T.I.); (M.L.C.); (L.T.)
| | - Perla Pucci
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK; (P.P.); (R.M.T.); (S.D.T.)
| | - Ricky M. Trigg
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK; (P.P.); (R.M.T.); (S.D.T.)
- Department of Functional Genomics, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage SG1 2NY, UK
| | - Joao Pereira
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA;
| | - John A. Williams
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UK;
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2SY, UK
| | - Megan L. Cavanagh
- Department of Life Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham B15 3TN, UK; (T.I.); (M.L.C.); (L.T.)
| | - Georgios V. Gkoutos
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UK;
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2SY, UK
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, Medical Research Council Harwell Institute, Oxfordshire OX110RD, UK
- MRC Health Data Research Midlands, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
- NIHR Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
- NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
- Correspondence: (L.J.); (G.V.G.)
| | - Loukia Tsaprouni
- Department of Life Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham B15 3TN, UK; (T.I.); (M.L.C.); (L.T.)
| | - Suzanne D. Turner
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK; (P.P.); (R.M.T.); (S.D.T.)
- Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
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Donahue LM, Morgan HK, Peterson WJ, Williams JA. The Carbon Footprint of Residency Interview Travel. J Grad Med Educ 2021; 13:89-94. [PMID: 33680306 PMCID: PMC7901631 DOI: 10.4300/jgme-d-20-00418.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Over the last decade, medical student residency applicants have shown a substantial increase in the number of interviews attended, which is associated with a significant increase in travel. The carbon footprint associated with residency interviews has not been well documented prior to this investigation, and is a critical issue related to climate health. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to document the carbon footprint associated with travel to residency interviews of the applicants from a single institution. METHODS Graduating medical students from the University of Michigan Medical School were surveyed in 2020 to gather information regarding travel related to residency interviews. A validated carbon emissions calculator was used to determine the associated carbon footprint. RESULTS Response rate was 103 of 174 (59%). Average interviews per student across all specialties was 14.39 interviews per student. The overall class average for total carbon footprint per student was calculated as 3.07 metric tons CO2, making the class average carbon footprint per interview 0.21 metric tons CO2. If we extrapolate the results of our study to all residents, the resulting CO2 emissions approach 51 665 metric tons CO2 per year, which is equivalent to the amount of CO2 produced by 11 162 passenger cars in 1 year. CONCLUSIONS Medical education leaders could help reduce the carbon footprint by encouraging a reduction in number of in-person interviews attended by applicants.
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Aziz F, Acharjee A, Williams JA, Russ D, Bravo-Merodio L, Gkoutos GV. Biomarker Prioritisation and Power Estimation Using Ensemble Gene Regulatory Network Inference. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E7886. [PMID: 33114263 PMCID: PMC7660606 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21217886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Inferring the topology of a gene regulatory network (GRN) from gene expression data is a challenging but important undertaking for gaining a better understanding of gene regulation. Key challenges include working with noisy data and dealing with a higher number of genes than samples. Although a number of different methods have been proposed to infer the structure of a GRN, there are large discrepancies among the different inference algorithms they adopt, rendering their meaningful comparison challenging. In this study, we used two methods, namely the MIDER (Mutual Information Distance and Entropy Reduction) and the PLSNET (Partial least square based feature selection) methods, to infer the structure of a GRN directly from data and computationally validated our results. Both methods were applied to different gene expression datasets resulting from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) studies. For each case, gene regulators were successfully identified. For example, for the case of the IBD dataset, the UGT1A family genes were identified as key regulators while upon analysing the PDAC dataset, the SULF1 and THBS2 genes were depicted. We further demonstrate that an ensemble-based approach, that combines the output of the MIDER and PLSNET algorithms, can infer the structure of a GRN from data with higher accuracy. We have also estimated the number of the samples required for potential future validation studies. Here, we presented our proposed analysis framework that caters not only to candidate regulator genes prediction for potential validation experiments but also an estimation of the number of samples required for these experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Furqan Aziz
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Centre for Computational Biology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (F.A.); (J.A.W.); (D.R.); (L.B.-M.); (G.V.G.)
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Animesh Acharjee
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Centre for Computational Biology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (F.A.); (J.A.W.); (D.R.); (L.B.-M.); (G.V.G.)
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
- NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre, University Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2WB, UK
| | - John A. Williams
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Centre for Computational Biology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (F.A.); (J.A.W.); (D.R.); (L.B.-M.); (G.V.G.)
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
- Medical Research Council Harwell Institute, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Dominic Russ
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Centre for Computational Biology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (F.A.); (J.A.W.); (D.R.); (L.B.-M.); (G.V.G.)
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Laura Bravo-Merodio
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Centre for Computational Biology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (F.A.); (J.A.W.); (D.R.); (L.B.-M.); (G.V.G.)
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Georgios V. Gkoutos
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Centre for Computational Biology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (F.A.); (J.A.W.); (D.R.); (L.B.-M.); (G.V.G.)
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
- NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre, University Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2WB, UK
- MRC Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), Midlands B15 2TT, UK
- NIHR Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2WB, UK
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Williams JA, Kao JY, Omary MB. Reply. Gastroenterology 2020; 159:799. [PMID: 32553547 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2020.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John A Williams
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology and, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - John Y Kao
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - M Bishr Omary
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey
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Sans MD, Crozier SJ, Vogel NL, D'Alecy LG, Williams JA. Dietary Protein and Amino Acid Deficiency Inhibit Pancreatic Digestive Enzyme mRNA Translation by Multiple Mechanisms. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020; 11:99-115. [PMID: 32735995 PMCID: PMC7596297 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2020.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Chronic amino acid (AA) deficiency, as in kwashiorkor, reduces the size of the pancreas through an effect on mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1). Because of the physiological importance of AAs and their role as a substrate, a stimulant of mTORC1, and protein synthesis, we studied the effect of acute protein and AA deficiency on the response to feeding. METHODS ICR/CD-1 mice were fasted overnight and refed for 2 hours with 4 different isocaloric diets: control (20% Prot); Protein-free (0% Prot); control (AA-based diet), and a leucine-free (No Leu). Protein synthesis, polysomal profiling, and the activation of several protein translation factors were analyzed in pancreas samples. RESULTS All diets stimulated the Protein Kinase-B (Akt)/mTORC1 pathway, increasing the phosphorylation of the kinase Akt, the ribosomal protein S6 (S6) and the formation of the eukaryotic initiation factor 4F (eIF4F) complex. Total protein synthesis and polysome formation were inhibited in the 0% Prot and No Leu groups to a similar extent, compared with the 20% Prot group. The 0% Prot diet partially reduced the Akt/mTORC1 pathway and the activity of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor eIF2B, without affecting eIF2α phosphorylation. The No Leu diet increased the phosphorylation of eIF2α and general control nonderepressible 2, and also inhibited eIF2B activity, without affecting mTORC1. Essential and nonessential AA levels in plasma and pancreas indicated a complex regulation of their cellular transport mechanisms and their specific effect on the synthesis of digestive enzymes. CONCLUSIONS These studies show that dietary AAs are important regulators of postprandial digestive enzyme synthesis, and their deficiency could induce pancreatic insufficiency and malnutrition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Dolors Sans
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
| | - Stephen J Crozier
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Nancy L Vogel
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Louis G D'Alecy
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - John A Williams
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Jahangiri L, Tsaprouni L, Trigg RM, Williams JA, Gkoutos GV, Turner SD, Pereira J. Core regulatory circuitries in defining cancer cell identity across the malignant spectrum. Open Biol 2020; 10:200121. [PMID: 32634370 PMCID: PMC7574545 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.200121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene expression programmes driving cell identity are established by tightly regulated transcription factors that auto- and cross-regulate in a feed-forward manner, forming core regulatory circuitries (CRCs). CRC transcription factors create and engage super-enhancers by recruiting acetylation writers depositing permissive H3K27ac chromatin marks. These super-enhancers are largely associated with BET proteins, including BRD4, that influence higher-order chromatin structure. The orchestration of these events triggers accessibility of RNA polymerase machinery and the imposition of lineage-specific gene expression. In cancers, CRCs drive cell identity by superimposing developmental programmes on a background of genetic alterations. Further, the establishment and maintenance of oncogenic states are reliant on CRCs that drive factors involved in tumour development. Hence, the molecular dissection of CRC components driving cell identity and cancer state can contribute to elucidating mechanisms of diversion from pre-determined developmental programmes and highlight cancer dependencies. These insights can provide valuable opportunities for identifying and re-purposing drug targets. In this article, we review the current understanding of CRCs across solid and liquid malignancies and avenues of investigation for drug development efforts. We also review techniques used to understand CRCs and elaborate the indication of discussed CRC transcription factors in the wider context of cancer CRC models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Jahangiri
- Department of Life Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, UK.,Division of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Loukia Tsaprouni
- Department of Life Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, UK
| | - Ricky M Trigg
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Functional Genomics, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage, UK
| | - John A Williams
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK.,Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.,Mammalian Genetics Unit, Medical Research Council Harwell Institute, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Georgios V Gkoutos
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK.,Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.,MRC Health Data Research, UK.,NIHR Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, Birmingham, UK.,NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre, Birmingham, UK.,NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Birmingham, UK
| | - Suzanne D Turner
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Joao Pereira
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, USA
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Ghosh S, Manley SE, Nightingale PG, Williams JA, Susarla R, Alonso‐Perez I, Stratton IM, Gkoutos GV, Webber J, Luzio SD, Hanif W, Roberts GA. Prevalence of admission plasma glucose in 'diabetes' or 'at risk' ranges in hospital emergencies with no prior diagnosis of diabetes by gender, age and ethnicity. Endocrinol Diabetes Metab 2020; 3:e00140. [PMID: 32704561 PMCID: PMC7375073 DOI: 10.1002/edm2.140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS To establish the prevalence of admission plasma glucose in 'diabetes' and 'at risk' ranges in emergency hospital admissions with no prior diagnosis of diabetes; characteristics of people with hyperglycaemia; and factors influencing glucose measurement. METHODS Electronic patient records for 113 097 hospital admissions over 1 year from 2014 to 2015 included 43 201 emergencies with glucose available for 31 927 (74%) admissions, comprising 22 045 people. Data are presented for 18 965 people with no prior diagnosis of diabetes and glucose available on first attendance. RESULTS Three quarters (14 214) were White Europeans aged 62 (43-78) years, median (IQ range); 12% (2241) South Asians 46 (32-64) years; 9% (1726) Unknown/Other ethnicities 43 (29-61) years; and 4% (784) Afro-Caribbeans 49 (33-63) years, P < .001. Overall, 5% (1003) had glucose in the 'diabetes' range (≥11.1 mmol/L) higher at 8% (175) for South Asians; 16% (3042) were 'at risk' (7.8-11.0 mmol/L), that is 17% (2379) White Europeans, 15% (338) South Asians, 14% (236) Unknown/Others and 11% (89) Afro-Caribbeans, P < .001. The prevalence for South Asians aged <30 years was 2.1% and 5.2%, respectively, 2.6% and 8.6% for Afro-Caribbeans <30 years, and 2.0% and 8.4% for White Europeans <40 years. Glucose increased with age and was more often in the 'diabetes' range for South Asians than White Europeans with South Asian men particularly affected. One third of all emergency admissions were for <24 hours with 58% of these having glucose measured compared to 82% with duration >24 hours. CONCLUSIONS Hyperglycaemia was evident in 21% of adults admitted as an emergency; various aspects related to follow-up and initial testing, age and ethnicity need to be considered by professional bodies addressing undiagnosed diabetes in hospital admissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandip Ghosh
- Diabetes Translational Research GroupDiabetes CentreNuffield HouseQueen Elizabeth Hospital BirminghamBirminghamUK
- Institute of Translational MedicineHeritage Building (Queen Elizabeth Hospital)BirminghamUK
| | - Susan E. Manley
- Diabetes Translational Research GroupDiabetes CentreNuffield HouseQueen Elizabeth Hospital BirminghamBirminghamUK
- Institute of Translational MedicineHeritage Building (Queen Elizabeth Hospital)BirminghamUK
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems ResearchCollege of Medical and Dental SciencesUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamUK
| | - Peter G. Nightingale
- Institute of Translational MedicineHeritage Building (Queen Elizabeth Hospital)BirminghamUK
| | - John A. Williams
- Institute of Translational MedicineHeritage Building (Queen Elizabeth Hospital)BirminghamUK
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic SciencesCollege of Medical and Dental SciencesUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamUK
- Mammalian Genetics UnitMedical Research Council Harwell InstituteOxfordshireUK
| | - Radhika Susarla
- Diabetes Translational Research GroupDiabetes CentreNuffield HouseQueen Elizabeth Hospital BirminghamBirminghamUK
- Institute of Translational MedicineHeritage Building (Queen Elizabeth Hospital)BirminghamUK
| | - Irene Alonso‐Perez
- Health Informatics DepartmentQueen Elizabeth Hospital BirminghamBirminghamUK
| | - Irene M. Stratton
- Gloucestershire Retinal Research GroupCheltenham General HospitalCheltenhamUK
| | - Georgios V. Gkoutos
- Institute of Translational MedicineHeritage Building (Queen Elizabeth Hospital)BirminghamUK
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic SciencesCollege of Medical and Dental SciencesUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamUK
- MRC Health Data Research UK (Central Office)Gibbs BuildingLondonUK
- NIHR Biomedical Research CentreBirminghamUK
| | - Jonathan Webber
- Diabetes Translational Research GroupDiabetes CentreNuffield HouseQueen Elizabeth Hospital BirminghamBirminghamUK
| | - Stephen D. Luzio
- Diabetes Translational Research GroupDiabetes CentreNuffield HouseQueen Elizabeth Hospital BirminghamBirminghamUK
- Diabetes Research Unit (Cymru)Grove BuildingSwansea UniversitySwanseaUK
| | - Wasim Hanif
- Diabetes Translational Research GroupDiabetes CentreNuffield HouseQueen Elizabeth Hospital BirminghamBirminghamUK
- Institute of Translational MedicineHeritage Building (Queen Elizabeth Hospital)BirminghamUK
| | - Graham A. Roberts
- Diabetes Translational Research GroupDiabetes CentreNuffield HouseQueen Elizabeth Hospital BirminghamBirminghamUK
- Diabetes Research Unit (Cymru)Grove BuildingSwansea UniversitySwanseaUK
- HRB‐Clinical Research Facility – CorkMercy University HospitalCorkIreland
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John Y Kao
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Williams JA, Powell G, Mallon AM, Simon MM. Genomic Mutation Identification in Mice Using Illumina Sequencing and Linux-Based Computational Methods. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 9:e64. [PMID: 31532925 DOI: 10.1002/cpmo.64] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Genetically modified mice are an essential tool for modeling disease-causing mechanisms and discovering gene function. SNP genotyping was traditionally used to associate candidate regions with traits in the mouse, but failed to reveal novel variants without further targeted sequencing. Using a robust set of computational protocols, we present a platform to enable scientists to detect variants arising from whole-genome and exome sequencing experiments. This article guides researchers on aligning reads to the mouse genome, quality-assurance strategies, mutation discovery, comparing mutations to previously discovered mouse SNPs, and the annotation of novel variants, in order to predict mutation consequences on the protein level. Challenges unique to the mouse are discussed, and two protocols use self-contained containers to maintain version control and allow users to adapt our approach to new techniques by upgrading container versions. Our protocols are suited for servers or office workstations and are usable by non-bioinformatics specialists. © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Williams
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom.,Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, United Kingdom.,Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - George Powell
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom.,Big Data Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Ann-Marie Mallon
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Michelle M Simon
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Translational medicine (TM) is an emerging domain that aims to facilitate medical or biological advances efficiently from the scientist to the clinician. Central to the TM vision is to narrow the gap between basic science and applied science in terms of time, cost and early diagnosis of the disease state. Biomarker identification is one of the main challenges within TM. The identification of disease biomarkers from -omics data will not only help the stratification of diverse patient cohorts but will also provide early diagnostic information which could improve patient management and potentially prevent adverse outcomes. However, biomarker identification needs to be robust and reproducible. Hence a robust unbiased computational framework that can help clinicians identify those biomarkers is necessary. METHODS We developed a pipeline (workflow) that includes two different supervised classification techniques based on regularization methods to identify biomarkers from -omics or other high dimension clinical datasets. The pipeline includes several important steps such as quality control and stability of selected biomarkers. The process takes input files (outcome and independent variables or -omics data) and pre-processes (normalization, missing values) them. After a random division of samples into training and test sets, Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator and Elastic Net feature selection methods are applied to identify the most important features representing potential biomarker candidates. The penalization parameters are optimised using 10-fold cross validation and the process undergoes 100 iterations and a combinatorial analysis to select the best performing multivariate model. An empirical unbiased assessment of their quality as biomarkers for clinical use is performed through a Receiver Operating Characteristic curve and its Area Under the Curve analysis on both permuted and real data for 1000 different randomized training and test sets. We validated this pipeline against previously published biomarkers. RESULTS We applied this pipeline to three different datasets with previously published biomarkers: lipidomics data by Acharjee et al. (Metabolomics 13:25, 2017) and transcriptomics data by Rajamani and Bhasin (Genome Med 8:38, 2016) and Mills et al. (Blood 114:1063-1072, 2009). Our results demonstrate that our method was able to identify both previously published biomarkers as well as new variables that add value to the published results. CONCLUSIONS We developed a robust pipeline to identify clinically relevant biomarkers that can be applied to different -omics datasets. Such identification reveals potentially novel drug targets and can be used as a part of a machine-learning based patient stratification framework in the translational medicine settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Bravo-Merodio
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Centre for Computational Biology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK
| | - John A. Williams
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Centre for Computational Biology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, Medical Research Council Harwell Institute, Harwell Campus, Didcot, OX11 0RD UK
| | - Georgios V. Gkoutos
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Centre for Computational Biology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK
- MRC Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), London, UK
- NIHR Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK
- NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK
| | - Animesh Acharjee
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Centre for Computational Biology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK
- NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK
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Abstract
Pancreatic acinar cells synthesize and secrete about 20 digestive enzymes and ancillary proteins with the processes that match the supply of these enzymes to their need in digestion being regulated by a number of hormones (CCK, secretin and insulin), neurotransmitters (acetylcholine and VIP) and growth factors (EGF and IGF). Of these regulators, one of the most important and best studied is the gastrointestinal hormone, cholecystokinin (CCK). Furthermore, the acinar cell has become a model for seven transmembrane, heterotrimeric G protein coupled receptors to regulate multiple processes by distinct signal transduction cascades. In this review, we briefly describe the chemistry and physiology of CCK and then consider the major physiological effects of CCK on pancreatic acinar cells. The majority of the review is devoted to the physiologic signaling pathways activated by CCK receptors and heterotrimeric G proteins and the functions they affect. The pathways covered include the traditional second messenger pathways PLC-IP3-Ca2+ , DAG-PKC, and AC-cAMP-PKA/EPAC that primarily relate to secretion. Then there are the protein-protein interaction pathways Akt-mTOR-S6K, the three major MAPK pathways (ERK, JNK, and p38 MAPK), and Ca2+ -calcineurin-NFAT pathways that primarily regulate non-secretory processes including biosynthesis and growth, and several miscellaneous pathways that include the Rho family small G proteins, PKD, FAK, and Src that may regulate both secretory and nonsecretory processes but are not as well understood. © 2019 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 9:535-564, 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Williams
- University of Michigan, Departments of Molecular & Integrative Physiology and Internal Medicine (Gastroenterology), Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Park MJ, Iyer S, Xue X, Cunha JB, Gu S, Moons D, Pipe SW, Williams JA, Simeone DM, Shah YM, Omary MB. HIF1-alpha Regulates Acinar Cell Function and Response to Injury in Mouse Pancreas. Gastroenterology 2018; 154:1630-1634.e3. [PMID: 29409830 PMCID: PMC5927829 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2018.01.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Revised: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
We investigated whether intrapancreatic coagulation, with deposition of the fibrinogen-γ dimer (Fib-γD) and hypoxia, affect the severity of acute pancreatitis (AP) in mice. Pancreata of mice with AP induced by administration of cerulein or by L-arginine, or from patients with pancreatitis, had increased deposition of Fib-γD compared with control pancreata. Heparin administration protected mice from cerulein-induced AP and prevented Fib-γD formation. Cerulein administration resulted in activation and stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF1α) in pancreata of oxygen-dependent degradation domain-luciferase HIF1α reporter mice. Cerulein also led to induction of genes regulated by HIF1α, including Vegfa and Ero1a, before evidence of Fib-γD deposition or histologic features of AP. Expression of tissue factor, which is regulated by vascular endothelial growth factor, also increased following cerulein administration. Mice with acinar cell-specific disruption of Hif1a (Hif1aAc-/-) developed spontaneous endoplasmic reticulum stress and less severe AP, but did not accumulate Fib-γD following administration of cerulein. Feeding mice increased pancreatic expression of HIF1α, indicating a physiologic role in the exocrine pancreas. Therefore, HIF1α has bifunctional roles, in exocrine pancreas homeostasis and progression of AP that is promoted by intrapancreatic coagulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Jung Park
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
| | - Sapna Iyer
- Research & Development, Protein and Cell Analysis, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Bangalore, India
| | - Xiang Xue
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan
| | | | - Shufang Gu
- Department of Pediatric and Communicable Disease, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Michigan
| | - David Moons
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan
| | - Steven W. Pipe
- Department of Pediatric and Communicable Disease, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Michigan
| | - John A. Williams
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan
| | - Diane M. Simeone
- Departments of General Surgery and Pathology, New York University
| | - Yatrik M. Shah
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan
| | - M. Bishr Omary
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan,Address correspondence to: Min-Jung Park ()
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Elenbaas JS, Cunha JB, Azuero-Dajud R, Nelson B, Oral EA, Williams JA, Stewart CL, Omary MB. Lamin A/C Maintains Exocrine Pancreas Homeostasis by Regulating Stability of RB and Activity of E2F. Gastroenterology 2018; 154:1625-1629.e8. [PMID: 29366840 PMCID: PMC5927841 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2018.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2016] [Revised: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Lamins have important roles in nuclear structure and cell signaling. Several diseases are associated with mutations in the lamin A/C gene (LMNA in humans). Patients with familial partial lipodystrophy caused by LMNA mutations develop pancreatitis, but lamin function in the pancreas and how these mutations affect pancreatic regulation are unknown. We generated mice with inducible exocrine pancreas-specific disruption of Lmna and showed that LMNA is lost from most exocrine pancreas cells. LMNA-knockout pancreata develop endoplasmic reticulum stress with loss of acinar cell markers, increased autophagy, apoptosis, and cell proliferation, compared to CreERT2- mice (littermate controls). Disruption of Lmna led to a phenotype that resembled chronic pancreatitis, with increased Sirius Red staining and α-smooth muscle actin in male LMNA-knockout mice compared to littermate males, but not in female mice. LMNA-knockout pancreata have reduced levels of RB and activation of E2F, based on increased expression of E2F target genes. Therefore, lamins maintain pancreatic homeostasis by regulating RB stability and E2F activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared S. Elenbaas
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Juliana Bragazzi Cunha
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Rodrigo Azuero-Dajud
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Bradley Nelson
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Elif A. Oral
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes Division, Brehm Center for Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - John A. Williams
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | | | - M. Bishr Omary
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan,To whom correspondence should be addressed: University of Michigan Medical School, Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, 7744 Medical Science Bldg.II, 1137 East Catherine St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5622.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Williams
- Departments of Molecular and Integrative Physiology and Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - David I Yule
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- John A. Williams
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology University of North Dakota Grand Forks, North Dakota 58202
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35
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Khoriaty R, Vogel N, Hoenerhoff MJ, Sans MD, Zhu G, Everett L, Nelson B, Durairaj H, McKnight B, Zhang B, Ernst SA, Ginsburg D, Williams JA. SEC23B is required for pancreatic acinar cell function in adult mice. Mol Biol Cell 2017; 28:2146-2154. [PMID: 28539403 PMCID: PMC5509426 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e17-01-0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2017] [Revised: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Inactivation of Sec23b exclusively in the pancreatic acinar cells of adult mice results in loss of pancreatic mass, with evidence of cell loss, degeneration of exocrine cells (with smaller-than-normal zymogen granules and ER dilation), ER stress, and increased pancreatic cell apoptosis. Mice with germline absence of SEC23B die perinatally, exhibiting massive pancreatic degeneration. We generated mice with tamoxifen-inducible, pancreatic acinar cell–specific Sec23b deletion. Inactivation of Sec23b exclusively in the pancreatic acinar cells of adult mice results in decreased overall pancreatic weights from pancreatic cell loss (decreased pancreatic DNA, RNA, and total protein content), as well as degeneration of exocrine cells, decreased zymogen granules, and alterations in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), ranging from vesicular ER to markedly expanded cisternae with accumulation of moderate-density content or intracisternal granules. Acinar Sec23b deletion results in induction of ER stress and increased apoptosis in the pancreas, potentially explaining the loss of pancreatic cells and decreased pancreatic weight. These findings demonstrate that SEC23B is required for normal function of pancreatic acinar cells in adult mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rami Khoriaty
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Nancy Vogel
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Mark J Hoenerhoff
- In Vivo Animal Core, Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - M Dolors Sans
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Guojing Zhu
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Lesley Everett
- University of Michigan Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Bradley Nelson
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Haritha Durairaj
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Brooke McKnight
- College of Literature Science and the Arts, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Bin Zhang
- Genomic Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, OH 44195
| | - Stephen A Ernst
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - David Ginsburg
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 .,Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109.,Departments of Human Genetics and Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - John A Williams
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 .,Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
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Spicer LJ, Schütz LF, Williams JA, Schreiber NB, Evans JR, Totty ML, Gilliam JN. G protein-coupled receptor 34 in ovarian granulosa cells of cattle: changes during follicular development and potential functional implications. Domest Anim Endocrinol 2017; 59:90-99. [PMID: 28040605 PMCID: PMC5357439 DOI: 10.1016/j.domaniend.2016.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2016] [Revised: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 12/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Abundance of G protein-coupled receptor 34 (GPR34) mRNA is greater in granulosa cells (GCs) of cystic vs normal follicles of cattle. The present experiments were designed to determine if GPR34 mRNA in granulosa cell [GC] changes during selection and growth of dominant follicles in cattle as well as to investigate the hormonal regulation of GPR34 mRNA in bovine GC in vitro. In Exp. 1, estrous cycles of nonlactating cows were synchronized and then ovariectomized on either day 3-4 or 5-6 after ovulation. GPR34 mRNA abundance in GC was 2.8- to 3.8-fold greater (P < 0.05) in small (1-5 mm) and large (≥8 mm) estrogen-inactive dominant follicles than in large estrogen-active follicles. Also, GPR34 mRNA tended to be greater (P < 0.10) in F2 than F1 follicles on day 3-4 postovulation. In Exp. 2-7, ovaries were collected at an abattoir and GC were isolated and treated in vitro. Expression of GPR34 was increased (P < 0.05) 2.2-fold by IGF1. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α decreased (P < 0.05) the IGF1-induced GPR34 mRNA abundance in small-follicle GC, whereas IGF1 decreased (P < 0.05) GPR34 expression by 45% in large-follicle GC. Treatment of small-follicle GC with either IL-2, prostaglandin E2 or angiogenin decreased (P < 0.05) GPR34 expression, whereas FSH, cortisol, wingless 3A, or hedgehog proteins did not affect (P > 0.10) GPR34 expression. In Exp. 6 and 7, 2 presumed ligands of GPR34, L-a-lysophosphatidylserine (LPPS) and LPP-ethanolamine, increased (P < 0.05) GC numbers and estradiol production by 2-fold or more in small-follicle GC, and this response was only observed in IGF1-treated GC. In conclusion, GPR34 is a developmentally and hormonally regulated gene in GC, and its presumed ligands enhance IGF1-induced proliferation and steroidogenesis of bovine GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- L J Spicer
- Department of Animal Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
| | - L F Schütz
- Department of Animal Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - J A Williams
- Department of Animal Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - N B Schreiber
- Department of Animal Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - J R Evans
- Department of Animal Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - M L Totty
- Department of Animal Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - J N Gilliam
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
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Scheerens H, Malong A, Bassett K, Boyd Z, Gupta V, Harris J, Mesick C, Simnett S, Stevens H, Gilbert H, Risser P, Kalamegham R, Jordan J, Engel J, Chen S, Essioux L, Williams JA. Current Status of Companion and Complementary Diagnostics: Strategic Considerations for Development and Launch. Clin Transl Sci 2017; 10:84-92. [PMID: 28121072 PMCID: PMC5355969 DOI: 10.1111/cts.12455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)‐approved diagnostic assays play an increasingly common role in managing patients to prolong lifespan while also enhancing quality of life. Diagnostic assays can be essential for the safe and effective use of therapeutics (companion diagnostic), or may inform on improving the benefit/risk ratio without restricting drug access (complementary diagnostic). This tutorial reviews strategic considerations for drug and assay development resulting in FDA‐approved companion or complementary diagnostic status.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Scheerens
- Genentech Inc., San Francisco, California, USA
| | - A Malong
- Genentech Inc., San Francisco, California, USA
| | - K Bassett
- Genentech Inc., San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Z Boyd
- Genentech Inc., San Francisco, California, USA
| | - V Gupta
- Genentech Inc., San Francisco, California, USA
| | - J Harris
- Genentech Inc., San Francisco, California, USA
| | - C Mesick
- Genentech Inc., San Francisco, California, USA
| | - S Simnett
- Genentech Inc., San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - H Gilbert
- Genentech Inc., San Francisco, California, USA
| | - P Risser
- Genentech Inc., San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | | | - J Engel
- Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - S Chen
- Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - L Essioux
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
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Kang MH, Prieto López LO, Chen B, Teo K, Williams JA, Milne WI, Cole MT. Mechanical Robustness of Graphene on Flexible Transparent Substrates. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2016; 8:22506-22515. [PMID: 27482734 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b06557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This study reports on a facile and widely applicable method of transferring chemical vapor deposited (CVD) graphene uniformly onto optically transparent and mechanically flexible substrates using commercially available, low-cost ultraviolet adhesive (UVA) and hot-press lamination (HPL). We report on the adhesion potential between the graphene and the substrate, and we compare these findings with those of the more commonly used cast polymer handler transfer processes. Graphene transferred with the two proposed methods showed lower surface energy and displayed a higher degree of adhesion (UVA: 4.40 ± 1.09 N/m, HPL: 0.60 ± 0.26 N/m) compared to equivalent CVD-graphene transferred using conventional poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA: 0.44 ± 0.06 N/m). The mechanical robustness of the transferred graphene was investigated by measuring the differential resistance as a function of bend angle and repeated bend-relax cycles across a range of bend radii. At a bend angle of 100° and a 2.5 mm bend radius, for both transfer techniques, the normalized resistance of graphene transferred on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was around 80 times less than that of indium-tin oxide on PET. After 10(4) bend cycles, the resistance of the transferred graphene on PET using UVA and HPL was found to be, on average, around 25.5 and 8.1% higher than that of PMMA-transferred graphene, indicating that UVA- and HPL-transferred graphene are more strongly adhered compared to PMMA-transferred graphene. The robustness, in terms of maintained electrical performance upon mechanical fatigue, of the transferred graphene was around 60 times improved over ITO/PET upon many thousands of repeated bending stress cycles. On the basis of present production methods, the development of the next-generation of highly conformal, diverse form factor electronics, exploiting the emerging family of two-dimensional materials, necessitates the development of simple, low-cost, and mechanically robust transfer processes; the developed UVA and HPL approaches show significant potential and allow for large-area-compatible, near-room temperature transfer of graphene onto a diverse range of polymeric supports.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moon H Kang
- Electrical Engineering Division, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge , 9 J. J. Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
| | - Lizbeth O Prieto López
- INM-Leibniz Institute for New Materials , Campus D2 2, 66123 Saarbruecken, Germany
- Mechanics, Materials & Design Division, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge , Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1PZ, United Kingdom
| | - Bingan Chen
- Aixtron , Buckingham Business Park, Swavesey CB24 4FQ, United Kingdom
| | - Ken Teo
- Aixtron , Buckingham Business Park, Swavesey CB24 4FQ, United Kingdom
| | - John A Williams
- Mechanics, Materials & Design Division, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge , Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1PZ, United Kingdom
| | - William I Milne
- Electrical Engineering Division, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge , 9 J. J. Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
- Aixtron , Buckingham Business Park, Swavesey CB24 4FQ, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew T Cole
- Electrical Engineering Division, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge , 9 J. J. Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
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Simonelli M, Zucali P, Santoro A, Thomas MB, de Braud FG, Borghaei H, Berlin J, Denlinger CS, Noberasco C, Rimassa L, Kim TY, English PA, Abbattista A, Gallo Stampino C, Carpentieri M, Williams JA. Phase I study of PF-03446962, a fully human monoclonal antibody against activin receptor-like kinase-1, in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Ann Oncol 2016; 27:1782-7. [PMID: 27329247 DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdw240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2016] [Accepted: 06/09/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This expansion cohort of a multicenter, dose-escalation, phase I study (NCT00557856) evaluated safety, tolerability, antitumor activity, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamic effects of the anti-activin receptor-like kinase-1 (ALK-1) monoclonal antibody PF-03446962 in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with HCC and disease progression after prior antiangiogenic therapy or intolerance to treatment received PF-03446962 7 mg/kg intravenously biweekly, as recommended in the dose-escalation part of the study. RESULTS Twenty-four patients received PF-03446962. The most frequent treatment-related adverse events (AEs) were thrombocytopenia (33.3%), asthenia (29.2), and chills (16.7%). Two patients experienced treatment-related telangiectasia, suggesting an in vivo knockout of ALK-1 function through ALK-1 pathway inhibition. Overall, treatment-related grade 3-4 AEs were reported in eight patients (33.3%). Treatment-related grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia was noted in four patients. No complete or partial responses were reported. Twelve (50%) patients achieved stable disease, which lasted ≥12 weeks in seven (29.2%) patients. The median time to progression was 3 months. Biomarker analyses showed higher mean tumor expression of c-tumor mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor and higher mean serum levels of bone morphogenetic protein-9 in patients with disease control (DC) for ≥12 weeks versus patients with disease progression. Conversely, lower mean serum transforming growth factor-β and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 levels were detected in patients with DC versus patients with progression. CONCLUSIONS The observed safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic profile, and clinical activity support further evaluation of PF-03446962 in patients with HCC and other solid malignancies, as single agent or in combination with other antiangiogenic, chemotherapeutic, or immunotherapeutic agents. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT00557856.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Simonelli
- Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Humanitas Cancer Center, Rozzano, Milano, Italy
| | - P Zucali
- Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Humanitas Cancer Center, Rozzano, Milano, Italy
| | - A Santoro
- Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Humanitas Cancer Center, Rozzano, Milano, Italy
| | - M B Thomas
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA
| | - F G de Braud
- Department of Medical Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy
| | - H Borghaei
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia
| | - J Berlin
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, USA
| | - C S Denlinger
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia
| | - C Noberasco
- Department of Medical Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy
| | - L Rimassa
- Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Humanitas Cancer Center, Rozzano, Milano, Italy
| | - T-Y Kim
- Department of Medical Oncology/Hematology, Seoul National Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Aria A, Kidambi PR, Weatherup RS, Xiao L, Williams JA, Hofmann S. Time Evolution of the Wettability of Supported Graphene under Ambient Air Exposure. J Phys Chem C Nanomater Interfaces 2016; 120:2215-2224. [PMID: 26900413 PMCID: PMC4754094 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.5b10492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2015] [Revised: 01/07/2016] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The wettability of graphene is both fundamental and crucial for interfacing in most applications, but a detailed understanding of its time evolution remains elusive. Here we systematically investigate the wettability of metal-supported, chemical vapor deposited graphene films as a function of ambient air exposure time using water and various other test liquids with widely different surface tensions. The wettability of graphene is not constant, but varies with substrate interactions and air exposure time. The substrate interactions affect the initial graphene wettability, where, for instance, water contact angles of ∼85 and ∼61° were measured for Ni and Cu supported graphene, respectively, after just minutes of air exposure. Analysis of the surface free energy components indicates that the substrate interactions strongly influence the Lewis acid-base component of supported graphene, which is considerably weaker for Ni supported graphene than for Cu supported graphene, suggesting that the classical van der Waals interaction theory alone is insufficient to describe the wettability of graphene. For prolonged air exposure, the effect of physisorption of airborne contaminants becomes increasingly dominant, resulting in an increase of water contact angle that follows a universal linear-logarithmic relationship with exposure time, until saturating at a maximum value of 92-98°. The adsorbed contaminants render all supported graphene samples increasingly nonpolar, although their total surface free energy decreases only by 10-16% to about 37-41 mJ/m2. Our finding shows that failure to account for the air exposure time may lead to widely different wettability values and contradicting arguments about the wetting transparency of graphene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrianus
I. Aria
- Division of Electrical
Engineering and Division of Mechanics, Materials
and Design, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom CB2 1PZ
| | - Piran R. Kidambi
- Division of Electrical
Engineering and Division of Mechanics, Materials
and Design, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom CB2 1PZ
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139-4307, United States
| | - Robert S. Weatherup
- Division of Electrical
Engineering and Division of Mechanics, Materials
and Design, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom CB2 1PZ
- Materials
Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Long Xiao
- Division of Electrical
Engineering and Division of Mechanics, Materials
and Design, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom CB2 1PZ
| | - John A. Williams
- Division of Electrical
Engineering and Division of Mechanics, Materials
and Design, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom CB2 1PZ
| | - Stephan Hofmann
- Division of Electrical
Engineering and Division of Mechanics, Materials
and Design, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom CB2 1PZ
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Hou Y, Ernst SA, Lentz SI, Williams JA. Genetic deletion of Rab27B in pancreatic acinar cells affects granules size and has inhibitory effects on amylase secretion. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2016; 471:610-5. [PMID: 26845357 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2016.01.180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2016] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Small G protein Rab27B is expressed in various secretory cell types and plays a role in mediating secretion. In pancreatic acinar cells, Rab27B was found to be expressed on the zymogen granule membrane and by overexpression to regulate the secretion of zymogen granules. However, the effect of Rab27B deletion on the physiology of pancreatic acinar cells is unknown. In the current study, we utilized the Rab27B KO mouse model to better understand the role of Rab27B in the secretion of pancreatic acinar cells. Our data show that Rab27B deficiency had no obvious effects on the expression of major digestive enzymes and other closely related proteins, e.g. similar small G proteins, such as Rab3D and Rab27A, and putative downstream effectors. The overall morphology of acinar cells was not changed in the knockout pancreas. However, the size of zymogen granules was decreased in KO acinar cells, suggesting a role of Rab27B in regulating the maturation of secretory granules. The secretion of digestive enzymes was moderately decreased in KO acini, compared with the WT control. These data indicate that Rab27B is involved at a different steps of zymogen granule maturation and secretion, which is distinct from that of Rab3D.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Hou
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Stephen A Ernst
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Stephen I Lentz
- Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - John A Williams
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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43
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Hou Y, Ernst SA, Heidenreich K, Williams JA. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor is present in pancreatic acinar cells and regulates amylase secretion through cAMP. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2016; 310:G26-33. [PMID: 26542397 PMCID: PMC4698438 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00293.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Accepted: 10/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a glucoincretin hormone that can act through its receptor (GLP-1R) on pancreatic β-cells and increase insulin secretion and production. GLP-1R agonists are used clinically to treat type 2 diabetes. GLP-1 may also regulate the exocrine pancreas at multiple levels, including inhibition through the central nervous system, stimulation indirectly through insulin, and stimulation directly on acinar cells. However, it has been unclear whether GLP-1R is present in pancreatic acini and what physiological functions these receptors regulate. In the current study we utilized GLP-1R knockout (KO) mice to study the role of GLP-1R in acinar cells. RNA expression of GLP-1R was detected in acutely isolated pancreatic acini. Acinar cell morphology and expression of digestive enzymes were not affected by loss of GLP-1R. GLP-1 induced amylase secretion in wild-type (WT) acini. In GLP-1R KO mice, this effect was abolished, whereas vasoactive intestinal peptide-induced amylase release in KO acini showed a pattern similar to that in WT acini. GLP-1 stimulated cAMP production and increased protein kinase A-mediated protein phosphorylation in WT acini, and these effects were absent in KO acini. These data show that GLP-1R is present in pancreatic acinar cells and that GLP-1 can regulate secretion through its receptor and cAMP signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Hou
- 1Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan;
| | - Stephen A. Ernst
- 2Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan; and
| | - Kaeli Heidenreich
- 1Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan;
| | - John A. Williams
- 1Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan; ,3Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Glucagon Like Peptide 1 (GLP-1) mimetic drugs or degradation inhibitors mimic the action of native GLP-1 as a incretin hormone and have become a common second line of therapy for Type 2 diabetes. However, an important clinical issue is whether these drugs increase the incidence of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. OBJECTIVE This paper reviews the physiology of GLP-1 including its synthesis, secretion and action of the peptide. Reported effects of the mimetic drugs on the exocrine pancreas in animal studies are also reviewed. RESULTS GLP-1 is synthesized in a specific class of enteroendocrine cell, the L-cell, by post-translational processing of proglucagon. It is released in response to the presence of nutrients in the small intestine and stimulates vagal afferent nerve endings as well as entering the blood where it is rapidly degraded by dipeptidyl peptidase IV. Its actions are mediated by specific G-protein coupled receptors. The major target tissues are the pancreatic islet beta cells, the brain and the heart but GLP-1 also affects gastrointestinal motility and secretion including the exocrine pancreas where its major systemic action is to inhibit secretion. In some animal, as well as human studies, the GLP-1 mimetic drugs are associated with pancreatitis or precursor lessions to pancreatic cancer but a mechanism is not clear. The most common occurrence of pathology in rodents is when the drugs are combined with a high fat diet. CONCLUSIONS There is nothing in the physiology of GLP-1 or animal toxicology studies to support a mechanism of action or a major concern about the action of GLP-1 mimetic drugs on the exocrine pancreas. Further studies are warranted using animal models of disease and high fat diets.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Williams
- Departments of Molecular & Integrative Physiology and Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
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Kang YK, Yau T, Park JW, Lim HY, Lee TY, Obi S, Chan SL, Qin S, Kim RD, Casey M, Chen C, Bhattacharyya H, Williams JA, Valota O, Chakrabarti D, Kudo M. Randomized phase II study of axitinib versus placebo plus best supportive care in second-line treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Ann Oncol 2015; 26:2457-63. [PMID: 26386123 DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdv388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2015] [Accepted: 09/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The efficacy and safety of axitinib, a potent and selective vascular endothelial growth factor receptors 1-3 inhibitor, combined with best supportive care (BSC) was evaluated in a global, randomized, placebo-controlled phase II trial in patients with locally advanced or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with HCC and Child-Pugh Class A who progressed on or were intolerant to one prior antiangiogenic therapy were stratified by tumour invasion (presence/absence of extrahepatic spread and/or vascular invasion) and region (Asian/non-Asian) and randomized (2:1) to axitinib/BSC (starting dose 5 mg twice-daily) or placebo/BSC. The primary end point was overall survival (OS). RESULTS The estimated hazard ratio for OS was 0.907 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.646-1.274; one-sided stratified P = 0.287] for axitinib/BSC (n = 134) versus placebo/BSC (n = 68), with the median (95% CI) of 12.7 (10.2-14.9) versus 9.7 (5.9-11.8) months, respectively. Results of prespecified subgroup analyses in Asian versus non-Asian patients or presence versus absence of tumour invasion were consistent with the overall population. Improvements favouring axitinib/BSC (P < 0.01) were observed in secondary efficacy end point analyses [progression-free survival (PFS), time to tumour progression (TTP), and clinical benefit rate (CBR)], and were retained among Asian patients in the prespecified subgroup analyses. Overall response rate did not differ significantly between treatments and patient-reported outcomes favoured placebo/BSC. Most common all-causality adverse events with axitinib/BSC were diarrhoea (54%), hypertension (54%), and decreased appetite (47%). Baseline serum analyses identified potential new prognostic (interleukin-6, E-selectin, interleukin-8, angiopoietin-2, migration inhibitory factor, and c-MET) or predictive (E-selectin and stromal-derived factor-1) factors for survival. CONCLUSIONS Axitinib/BSC did not improve OS over placebo/BSC in the overall population or in stratification subgroups. However, axitinib/BSC resulted in significantly longer PFS and TTP and higher CBR, with acceptable toxicity in patients with advanced HCC. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01210495.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y-K Kang
- Department of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - T Yau
- Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - J-W Park
- National Cancer Center/Center for Liver Cancer, Goyang-si
| | - H Y Lim
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - T-Y Lee
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - S Obi
- Department of Hepatology, Sasaki Foundation Kyoundo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - S L Chan
- State Key Laboratory in Oncology of South China, Department of Clinical Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Sk Qin
- Nanjing Bayi Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - R D Kim
- H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - M Kudo
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kinki University Hospital, Osaka, Japan
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Holtz BJ, Lodewyk KB, Sebolt-Leopold JS, Ernst SA, Williams JA. ERK activation is required for CCK-mediated pancreatic adaptive growth in mice. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2014; 307:G700-10. [PMID: 25104499 PMCID: PMC4187068 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00163.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
High levels of cholecystokinin (CCK) can stimulate pancreatic adaptive growth in which mature acinar cells divide, leading to enhanced pancreatic mass with parallel increases in protein, DNA, RNA, and digestive enzyme content. Prolonged release of CCK can be induced by feeding trypsin inhibitor (TI) to disrupt normal feedback control. This leads to exocrine growth in a CCK-dependent manner. The extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) pathway regulates many proliferative processes in various tissues and disease models. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of ERK signaling in pancreatic adaptive growth using the MEK inhibitors PD-0325901 and trametinib (GSK-1120212). It was determined that PD-0325901 given two times daily by gavage or mixed into powdered chow was an effective and specific inhibitor of ERK signaling in vivo. TI-containing chow led to a robust increase in pancreatic mass, protein, DNA, and RNA content. This pancreatic adaptive growth was blocked in mice fed chow containing the MEK inhibitors. PD-0325901 blocked TI-induced ERK-regulated early response genes, cell-cycle proteins, and mitogenesis by acinar cells. It was determined that ERK signaling is necessary for the initiation of pancreatic adaptive growth but not necessary to maintain it. PD-0325901 blocked adaptive growth when given before cell-cycle initiation but not after mitogenesis had been established. Furthermore, GSK-1120212, a chemically distinct inhibitor of the ERK pathway that is now approved for clinical use, inhibited growth similar to PD-0325901. These data demonstrate that the ERK pathway is required for CCK-stimulated pancreatic adaptive growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan J. Holtz
- 1Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan;
| | - Kevin B. Lodewyk
- 1Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan;
| | | | - Stephen A. Ernst
- 3Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan; and
| | - John A. Williams
- 1Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan; ,4Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Twelves C, Chmielowska E, Havel L, Popat S, Swieboda-Sadlej A, Sawrycki P, Bycott P, Ingrosso A, Kim S, Williams JA, Chen C, Olszanski AJ, de Besi P, Schiller JH. Randomised phase II study of axitinib or bevacizumab combined with paclitaxel/carboplatin as first-line therapy for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. Ann Oncol 2014; 25:132-8. [PMID: 24356624 DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdt489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Efficacy and safety of first-line axitinib/paclitaxel/carboplatin versus bevacizumab/paclitaxel/carboplatin in advanced non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was evaluated. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with stage IIIB/IV disease stratified by adjuvant therapy and gender were randomised 1 : 1 to axitinib (5 mg twice daily) or bevacizumab [15 mg/kg every 3 weeks (Q3W)], both with paclitaxel (200 mg/m(2) Q3W)/carboplatin (AUC 6 mg min/ml Q3W). RESULTS The trial was discontinued after preliminary analysis. Median progression-free survival (primary end point) for axitinib (N = 58) and bevacizumab (N = 60), respectively, was 5.7 and 6.1 months [hazard ratio (HR) 1.09, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.68-1.76; one-sided stratified P = 0.64]; median overall survival was 10.6 and 13.3 months (HR 1.12, 95% CI 0.74-1.69; one-sided stratified P = 0.70). Objective response rates (95% CI) were 29.3% (18.1-42.7) and 43.3% (30.6-56.8), respectively; risk ratio 0.676 (95% CI 0.41-1.11; one-sided stratified P = 0.94). The most common grade 3/4 adverse events included neutropenia (28% versus 20%), fatigue (14% versus 7%), and hypertension (14% versus 5%). Patient-reported outcomes based on the EORTC QLQ-C30 were similar between arms. CONCLUSIONS In patients with advanced non-squamous NSCLC, axitinib/paclitaxel/carboplatin did not improve efficacy versus bevacizumab/paclitaxel/carboplatin, and was less well tolerated.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Twelves
- Cancer Research UK Clinical Centre, St James's University Hospital, Leeds, UK
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48
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Labonte D, Williams JA, Federle W. Surface contact and design of fibrillar ‘friction pads’ in stick insects (
Carausius morosus
): mechanisms for large friction coefficients and negligible adhesion. J R Soc Interface 2014. [DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2014.0192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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49
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Labonte D, Williams JA, Federle W. Surface contact and design of fibrillar 'friction pads' in stick insects (Carausius morosus): mechanisms for large friction coefficients and negligible adhesion. J R Soc Interface 2014; 11:20140034. [PMID: 24554580 PMCID: PMC3973371 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2014.0034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Many stick insects and mantophasmids possess tarsal ‘heel pads’ (euplantulae) covered by arrays of conical, micrometre-sized hairs (acanthae). These pads are used mainly under compression; they respond to load with increasing shear resistance, and show negligible adhesion. Reflected-light microscopy in stick insects (Carausius morosus) revealed that the contact area of ‘heel pads’ changes with normal load on three hierarchical levels. First, loading brought larger areas of the convex pads into contact. Second, loading increased the density of acanthae in contact. Third, higher loads changed the shape of individual hair contacts gradually from circular (tip contact) to elongated (side contact). The resulting increase in real contact area can explain the load dependence of friction, indicating a constant shear stress between acanthae and substrate. As the euplantula contact area is negligible for small loads (similar to hard materials), but increases sharply with load (resembling soft materials), these pads show high friction coefficients despite little adhesion. This property appears essential for the pads’ use in locomotion. Several morphological characteristics of hairy friction pads are in apparent contrast to hairy pads used for adhesion, highlighting key adaptations for both pad types. Our results are relevant for the design of fibrillar structures with high friction coefficients but small adhesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Labonte
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, , Cambridge CB2 1TN, UK
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50
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Evans JR, Schreiber NB, Williams JA, Spicer LJ. Effects of fibroblast growth factor 9 on steroidogenesis and control of FGFR2IIIc mRNA in porcine granulosa cells. J Anim Sci 2014; 92:511-9. [PMID: 24664559 PMCID: PMC10837796 DOI: 10.2527/jas.2013-6989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of fibroblast growth factor 9 (FGF9) on hormone-stimulated porcine granulosa cell proliferation and steroid production and to further elucidate the hormonal and developmental control of FGFR2IIIc gene expression in granulosa cells. Porcine ovaries were collected from a local slaughterhouse and granulosa cells were collected from small to medium (1 to 5 mm) follicles for 5 in vitro studies that were conducted. Cells were cultured for 48 h in 5% fetal calf serum plus 5% porcine serum and then treated with various combinations of FSH, IGF-I, FGF9, Sonic hedgehog (SHH), cortisol, PGE2, and/or wingless-type mouse mammary tumor virus integration site family member 5A (WNT5A) in serum-free medium for an additional 24 or 48 h. Medium was collected for analysis of steroid concentration via RIA, or RNA was collected for gene expression analysis of FGFR2IIIc via quantitative reverse transcription PCR. Fibroblast growth factor 9 stimulated (P < 0.05) IGF-I-induced estradiol production in the presence of FSH and testosterone. However, FGF9 had inconsistent effects on progesterone production, stimulating progesterone production in the presence of FSH and testosterone but inhibiting progesterone production in the presence of IGF-I, FSH, and testosterone. Cell numbers were increased (P < 0.05) by FGF9 in the presence of IGF-I and FSH but not in the presence of FSH and absence of IGF-I. For FGFR2IIIc mRNA studies, granulosa cells were treated with FSH, IGF-I, FGF9, SHH, cortisol, PGE2, or WNT5A. Follicle-stimulating hormone alone had no effect (P > 0.10) whereas IGF-I increased (P < 0.05) FGFR2IIIc mRNA abundance. Cortisol, PGE2, SHH, and WNT5A had no effect (P > 0.10) on FGFR2IIIc gene expression whereas FGF9 in the presence of FSH and IGF-I inhibited (P < 0.05) FGFR2IIIc gene expression. In an in vivo study, granulosa cells from large (7 to 14 mm) follicles had greater (P < 0.05) abundance of FGFR2IIIc mRNA than small (1 to 3 mm) or medium (4 to 6 mm) follicles. In conclusion, IGF-I-induced FGFR2IIIc mRNA may be a mechanism for increased responses to FGF9 in FSH plus IGF-I-treated granulosa cells. Fibroblast growth factor 9 and IGF-I may work together as amplifiers of follicular growth and granulosa cell differentiation by stimulating estradiol production and concomitantly stimulating granulosa cell growth in pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- J R Evans
- Department of Animal Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater 74078
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