Substituting steel for a polymer in a jar for ball milling does matter

Usually, in situ diffraction studies of mechanochemical transformations use plastic milling jars in place of steel. This is done to reduce the absorbtion of radiation by the walls. Using as...

Analyzing the relationship between the cytokine profile of invasive breast carcinoma, its histopathological characteristics and metastasis to regional lymph nodes

This study was aimed at analyzing the relations of metastasis to regional lymph nodes (RLNs) with histopathological indicators of invasive breast carcinoma of no special type (IC-NST) and its cytokine profile. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were performed to determine concentrations of IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17, IL-18, IL-1β, IL-1Ra, TNF-α, IFN-γ, G-CSF, GM-CSF, VEGF-A, and MCP-1 in the culture supernatant of IC-NST samples from 48 female patients. Histopathological indicators (degree of tumor cell differentiation, mitoses, and others) and ER, PR, Her2/neu, Ki-67, and CD34 expression levels were determined. By means of three types of neural network models, it was shown that for different parameters of the output layer, different groups of parameters are involved that have predictive value regarding metastasis to RLNs. As a result of multi-dimensional cluster analysis, three clusters were formed with different cytokines profiles of IC-NST. Different correlations between indicators of cytokine production by IC-NST and its histopathological parameters were revealed in groups with different cytokine profiles. It was shown that at simultaneous evaluation of the production of even two cytokines, the importance of which relationship with metastasis was revealed by neural network modeling, can increase the probability of determining the presence of metastasis in the RLNs.

The Relationship Between Cytokine Production, CSF2RA, and IL1R2 Expression in Mammary Adenocarcinoma, Tumor Histopathological Parameters, and Lymph Node Metastasis

Objective:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between cytokine production, GM-CSF receptor (CSF2RA), and IL-1 receptor (IL1R2) expression in mammary adenocarcinoma and their association with it histopathological parameters and lymph node metastasis.

Methods:

We analyzed tumor biopsy samples (cultured in vitro) from 50 women (aged 43-75) with invasive ductal mammary adenocarcinomas. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method the concentrations of interleukin 2, interleukin 6, interleukin 8, interleukin 10, interleukin 17, interleukin 18, interleukin 1β, interleukin 1Ra, tumor necrosis factor α, interferon γ, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor A were determined in culture supernatants. The expression of CSF2RA and IL1R2 in tumor biopsy was evaluated by immunohistochemical method.

Results:

We showed that the “cytokine profile” of a tumor (the ability of tumor cells and its microenvironment to produce different cytokines) is very individual. It has been shown that the features of the cytokine profile of the mammary adenocarcinoma are important for the formation and realization of the metastatic potential of the mammary adenocarcinoma. We found correlations between some histopathological parameters of mammary adenocarcinoma and coefficients K_{GM-CSF/CSF2RA} and K_IL-1β/IL1R2, which are the ratios of concentrations of granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin -1β to expression of CSF2RA and IL1R2, respectively. K_{GM-CSF/CSF2RA} positively correlated with highly differentiated cells, and K_IL-1β/IL1R2 positively correlated with the number of mitoses, poorly differentiated cells, and a number of lymph nodes with metastases. K_{GM-CSF/CSF2RA} positively correlated with the concentrations of interleukin 6, interleukin 8, interleukin 1Ra, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. K_IL-1β/IL1R2 positively correlated with concentrations of interleukin 1β and interferon γ and negative correlated with the concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor A and tumor necrosis factor α. It is shown that K_IL-1β/IL1R2 can be considered as a prognostic indicator predicting the probability of mammary adenocarcinoma metastasis to regional lymph nodes.

Conclusions:

The ratios of granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin 1β cytokines, produced in tumor, to the expression of CSF2RA and IL1R2 depend on levels of interleukin 6, interleukin 8, tumor necrosis factor α, interferon γ, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor A and are important factors affecting the progression and metastasis of the breast cancer.

Effects of polyclonal activators on cell differentiation and cytokine production of cultured invasive breast carcinoma of no special type, their association with tumour histopathological parameters and lymph node metastasis

Currently, a number of promising strategies and approaches to cancer treatment include differentiation therapy. However, theoretical and methodological foundations of this field are not yet well developed. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of a mixture of polyclonal activators (PAs; phytohaemagglutinin, concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide) on cytokine production by biopsy samples of invasive breast carcinoma of no special type (IBC-NST) having various differentiation abilities and metastatic potentials as well as on differentiation status of the IBC-NST biopsy samples. We used ELISAs to investigate spontaneous and PA-stimulated cytokine production in the IBC-NST biopsy samples; from these data, we calculated a cytokine production stimulation index (SIPA). The effect of PAs on tumour cell differentiation was determined via a differentiation stimulation index (DSI). DSI was found to vary within the range 1.0-5.0. After treatment with PAs, in the IBC-NST biopsy samples of group I (DSI <1.25), the production of IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17, IL-18, IL-1β, IL-1Ra, TNF-α and GM-CSF increased; in the biopsy samples of group II (DSI >1.25), the production of IL-6, IL-1β, IL-1Ra, TNF-α, G-CSF and GM-CSF significantly increased, while the production of VEGF-A decreased. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis of SIPA revealed that increased production of IL-18 in the IBC-NST biopsy samples after exposure to PAs may block the PA-driven, cytokine-mediated differentiation of moderately differentiated into highly differentiated tumour cells. The ROC analysis also uncovered an association between the responses of tumour cells to PAs and lymph node metastasis observed in the patients. The findings suggest that there is a need for research aimed at finding new drugs for differentiating cancer therapy and at searching for targeted inducers of cytokine production or specific suppressors of their induction.

VEGF-R2 and TNF-R1 expression and cytokine production by samples of mammary adenocarcinomas and correlations with histopathological parameters of these malignant tumors

Currently, the role of cytokines in the tumor progression, including breast cancer, is universally recognized. At the same time, there are still many questions concerning the role of individual cytokines and receptors for cytokines in various morphogenetic processes underlying the tumor progression. The objective of this work was to study cytokine production and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-R2 and VEGF-R1 expression by mammary adenocarcinoma (MAC) and the correlations with histopathological parameters of malignant tumors. The object of the study was cultured tumor biopsy samples from 47 women aged 43-75 years with invasive ductal carcinoma, which was classified as grade II-III adenocarcinoma. It was shown that the cytokine profiles of the supernatants of MAC samples from patients differ greatly. A correlation between the levels of VEGF-R2 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-R1 expression was observed. Correlations were also revealed during analysis of the relations of histopathological MAC indicators with K_{VEGF-R2/VEGF-A} and K_{TNF-R1/TNF-α} coefficients, which are equal, respectively, to the ratio of expression values of receptors VEGF-R2 and TNF-R1 to the concentrations of the relevant cytokines (VEGF-A and TNF-α) in the culture supernatants of the same MAC samples. A direct correlation was identified between K_{VEGF-R/VEGF-A} and some histopathological MAC characteristics: proportion of cells undergoing mitosis or pathological mitosis in MAC and poorly differentiated cells. K_{VEGF-R2/VEGF-A} directly correlated with the concentration in supernatant interleukin (IL)-18 and interferon (IFN)-γ. K_{TNF-R1/TNF-α} was inversely correlated with the concentration in supernatant of IL-1Ra, IL-8, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). The data obtained show that the high-level production of IL-18 and IL-1β by MAC, overexpression of VEGF-R2 in tumor (at relatively low VEGF-A production), and the high level of IFN-γ production are attributed factors contributing to the formation of a population of low-grade cells in the tumor. The factors regulating the population of moderately differentiated cells in the tumor are referred to as IL-1Ra, IL-8, and GM-CSF.

Cytokine production in mammary adenocarcinoma and its microenvironmental cells in patients with or without metastases in regional lymph nodes

In recent years, the concept of formation of a sufficiently autonomous cytokine network in a malignant tumour has emerged. In this regard, the data on the role of this network and its signalling pathways in the process of metastasis are an interesting topic. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro cytokine-producing potential of mammary adenocarcinoma (MAC; and cells of its microenvironment) from patients with or without metastases in regional lymph nodes (LNs). By enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays of culture supernatants, we studied the cytokine production by biopsy samples of MAC: spontaneous and stimulated by polyclonal activators (PAs: phytohaemagglutinin, concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide). The levels of spontaneous production of interleukin (IL)-10 and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and the amounts of IL-2, IL-10, G-CSF and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) produced during stimulation by PAs, as well as the index of stimulation by polyclonal activators (ISPA) for IL-2 production, were lower for MAC with LN metastasis than for MAC without LN metastasis. The levels of spontaneous production of IL-2 and interferon (IFN)-γ and the ISPA for granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) production were higher for MAC with LN metastasis. There were only three pairwise correlations between the produced cytokines that were specific to MAC with LN metastasis: IL-2 and IFN-γ, IL-6 and GM-CSF, and IL-8 and GM-CSF. There were 10 pairwise correlations between the produced cytokines that were specific to nonmetastasising MAC: IL-6 and IL-10, IL-6 and MCP-1, IL-8 and IL-10, IL-8 and MCP-1, IL-10 and G-CSF, IL-10 and MCP-1, IFN-γ and MCP-1, MCP-1 and G-CSF, G-CSF and IL-1Ra, and GM-CSF and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Our data indicate that metastatic tumours show desynchronisation of many pathways of induction and synthesis of cytokines that are characteristic of nonmetastatic tumours.

Structure-forming units of amino acid maleates. Case study ofL-valinium hydrogen maleate

A new salt of L-valinium hydrogen maleate was used as an example to study structure-forming units in amino acid maleates. This compound was crystallized, its structure solved from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data, and the phase purity of the bulk powder sample confirmed by X-ray powder diffraction and FT–IR spectra. The stability of the new salt was analyzed using density functional theory andPIXELcalculations with focus on theC22(12) structure-forming crystallographic motif. This motif was of particular interest as it is common for almost all maleates. The exceptionally high ability of maleic acid to form salts with various amino acids was rationalized.

Influence of high pressure on amino acids and their multicomponent crystals

The studies of molecular crystals at high pressures help to understand intermolecular interactions, their role in the formation of crystal structures and in crystal structure response to external actions. Multicomponent crystals are promising for high-pressure research since a large number of phenomena has been observed for them [1]. Crystals of amino acids, their salts and co-crystals are of special interest in this respect. They are promising as new materials and can serve as biomimetics since the structure forming units of these crystals are similar to those in biomolecules. The aim of this study was to follow the effect of increasing pressure on crystal structures of amino acid salts and co-crystals to compare the results with those obtained for individual amino acids. Glycine, alanine, serine and their corresponding salts with carboxylic acids were chosen as objects of the study. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy were used as main experimental techniques. Three different types of behavior of salts on increasing pressure as compared with individual crystals were observed. For some salts, adding the second component stabilized the crystal structure with respect to phase transitions [2]. In the second group, on the contrary, the salts underwent phase transitions at relatively low pressures, though individual components did not undergo phase transitions at least up to 8-10 GPa. The last, third group of salts showed phase transitions in a similar pressure range as the individual components, but the mechanism of the transition changed. The phase transitions were accompanied either by crystal structure disordering, or by switching-over hydrogen bonds [3]. This work was supported by a grant from RFBR (12-03-31541 mol_a), by the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia, Russian Academy of Sciences, and by a grant of President of Russia for State support of Russian leading Scientific Schools (project NSh-279.2014.3).

High pressure studies of L-Serine-L-Ascorbic acid co-crystal

"Experiments for studying crystalline materials under extreme conditions are a powerful tool for investigating ""structure-property"" relationships. They also give information on the behavior of hydrogen bonds and are important both for materials science and crystal engineering. In addition, many processes in the living organisms are also related to mechanical stress. One of the most interesting tasks is to identify factors which influence the stability of a structure, or a part of the structure, at high pressure. Experiments on the systematic study of compounds in a wide range of pressures allow us to accumulate data that can be used to solve this problem. For a more complete picture, the mixed crystals of the selected compound are studied. Investigation of mixed crystals and cocrystals of interest can be compared with the crystals of individual compounds. We have chosen the structure of L-serine - L-ascorbic acid to be compared with those of L-serine and L-ascorbic acids for such a study. Phase transitions were previously reported to be induced by increasing pressure in both L-serine [1] and L-ascorbic acid [2]; moreover, the structure of L-serine was followed at multiple pressures by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction[3]. L-serine – L-ascorbic acid co-crystal was studied in the pressure range 0-5.4 GPa (at multiple points at every 0.5-0.7 GPa) by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. A phase transition has been detected and some rearrangement in the network of hydrogen bonds was observed. The high pressure data were compared with those for the individual structures of the L-serine and L-ascorbic acid. This work was supported by RFBR (grants 12–03-31541, 14-03-31866, 13-03-92704, 14-03-00902 ), Ministry of Science and Education of Russia and Russian Academy of Sciences."