Safety and efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in patients with preexisting antinuclear antibodies.

PURPOSE: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) show promising clinical activity in advanced cancers. However, the safety and efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in patients with preexisting antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are unclear. METHODS: 191 patients treated with nivolumab, pembrolizumab, atezolizumab, or durvalumab for unresectable advanced cancers between September 2014 and December 2018 were identified retrospectively. Patients were divided into positive (ANA titers ≥ 1:160) and negative ANA groups (ANA titers < 1:160). Development of immune-related adverse events (irAEs), the overall response rate (ORR), and disease control rate (DCR) were monitored. RESULTS: Positive ANA titers were seen in 9 out of 191 patients. Four patients in the positive ANA group and 69 patients in the negative group developed irAEs of any grade without a significant difference between the groups. The development of endocrine, pulmonary, and cutaneous irAEs was not significant, whereas positive ANA was significantly higher in patients who developed colitis (2/9) than in patients who did not (3/182, P = 0.0002). DCR in the positive and negative ANA group was 37.5% and 67.5%, respectively, and was not statistically significant, but had better efficacy in patients without ANA (P = 0.08). ANA-related autoimmune diseases such as SLE, Sjögren's syndrome, MCTD, scleroderma, dermatomyositis, and polymyositis was not induced in either group. However, one patient with preexisting dermatomyositis had a flare up after initiation of atezolizumab. CONCLUSION: Further studies to identify predictive factors for the development of irAEs are required to provide relevant patient care and maximize the therapeutic benefits of ICIs.

Hepatocytes produce tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 in response to Porphyromonas gingivalis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The liver plays a major role in clearing systemic bacterial infections. In addition, inflammatory cytokines produced in the liver play a critical role in systemic cytokine levels. The aim of this study was to investigate the production of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) by hepatocytes in response to periodontal pathogens. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The mouse hepatic carcinoma cell line Hepa-1.6 and the mouse macrophage-like cell line RAW 264 were co-cultured in Transwell insert plates. Cells were stimulated with bacterial extracts prepared from Porphyromonas gingivalis and the induction of TNF-α and IL-6 was measured using real-time PCR and ELISA. RESULTS: After stimulation with bacteria, the induction of TNF-α and IL-6 was observed in RAW 264 cells and Hepa-1.6 cells. Significant reduction of TNF-α mRNA expression in Hepa-1.6 cells was observed after treatment with antibody to TNF-α. CONCLUSION: The results obtained in the present study show that P. gingivalis extract induces TNF-α and IL-6 in an in vitro liver model and that macrophage-derived TNF-α mediates the induction of TNF-α in hepatocytes.

Fetal cells in the maternal circulation: detection of Y-sequence by gene amplification.

Detection of a Y-specific sequence in the maternal circulation has clinical importance because it would be useful in determining fetal gender in mothers with severe X-linked disorders. The method described in this paper has the advantage of requiring only small amounts of maternal blood. Numerous attempts have been made to identify XY cells in the blood of mothers bearing male fetuses; however, the results have been controversial. In this study, a member of the DYZ1 family and the XY homologous region of the amelogenin gene were used as targets for polymerase chain reaction detection of the Y chromosome. The subjects in this study were a group of 100 pregnant women at 17-20 weeks' gestation and 30 puerperal women who had given birth 2-5 days previously. All of the former underwent amniocentesis, with venous blood samples drawn before the procedure. Forty-five fetuses were confirmed as male by karyotyping amniocytes, and 30 of these were positive for the Y sequence in the DYZ1 region (sensitivity 66.7%). However, ten of the 55 cases diagnosed as female were also positive, giving a specificity of only 81.8%. Thus, the positive and negative predictive values were each 75%. In the amelogenin gene study, a positive Y signal was not detected in any of the cases examined. This study demonstrates the usefulness of polymerase chain reaction detection of Y-specific sequences in the maternal circulation. However, further investigation is necessary to increase the reliability for clinical application, because the method does produce false-positive results.

Teratogenesis of dexamethasone and preventive effect of vitamin B12.

Ddy mice which were treated with 0.32 mg of dexamethasone were used. Vitamin B12 was injected subcutaneously into the animals from the 10th day to the 13th day with a dosage of 0.1r, 1r, or 10r. The rate of incidence of cleft palate was decreased to 77.0% in the 0.1r group, 58.1% in the 1r group and 67.9% in the 10r group as compared to the control value of 88.5%.