Patients' Perspectives on Health-Related Social Needs and Recommendations for Interventions: A Qualitative Study.

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: People with low socioeconomic status are disproportionately affected by kidney failure, and their adverse outcomes may stem from unmet health-related social needs. This study explored hemodialysis patient perspectives on health-related social needs and recommendations for intervention. STUDY DESIGN: Qualitative study using semistructured interviews. SETTINGS & PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-two people with low socioeconomic status receiving hemodialysis at 3 hemodialysis facilities in Austin, Texas. ANALYTICAL APPROACH: Interviews were analyzed for themes and subthemes using the constant comparative method. RESULTS: Seven themes and 21 subthemes (in parentheses) were identified: (1) kidney failure was unexpected (never thought it would happen to me; do not understand dialysis); (2) providers fail patients (doctors did not act; doctors do not care); (3) dialysis is detrimental (life is not the same; dialysis is all you do; dialysis causes emotional distress; dialysis makes you feel sick); (4) powerlessness (dependent on others; cannot do anything about my situation); (5) financial resource strain (dialysis makes you poor and keeps you poor; disability checks are not enough; food programs exist but are inconsistent; eat whatever food is available; not enough affordable housing; unstable housing affects health and well-being); (6) motivation to keep going (faith, support system, will to live); and (7) interventions should promote self-efficacy (navigation of community resources, support groups). LIMITATIONS: Limited quantitative data such as on dialysis vintage, and limited geographic representation. CONCLUSIONS: Dialysis exacerbates financial resource strain, and health-related social needs exacerbate dialysis-related stress. The participants made recommendations to address social needs with an emphasis on increasing support and community resources for this population. PLAIN-LANGUAGE SUMMARY: People receiving dialysis often experience health-related social needs, such as food and housing needs, but little is known about how these impact patients' health and well-being or how to best address them. We interviewed people receiving dialysis about how health-related social needs affect them and what they think dialysis facilities can do to help them address those needs. The participants reported that they often lose their independence after starting dialysis and health-related social needs are common, exacerbate their stress and emotional distress, and reduce their sense of well-being. Dialysis facilities may be able to enhance the experience of these patients by facilitating connections with local resources and providing opportunities for patients to support one another.

COT drives resistance to RAF inhibition through MAP kinase pathway reactivation.

Oncogenic mutations in the serine/threonine kinase B-RAF (also known as BRAF) are found in 50-70% of malignant melanomas. Pre-clinical studies have demonstrated that the B-RAF(V600E) mutation predicts a dependency on the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling cascade in melanoma-an observation that has been validated by the success of RAF and MEK inhibitors in clinical trials. However, clinical responses to targeted anticancer therapeutics are frequently confounded by de novo or acquired resistance. Identification of resistance mechanisms in a manner that elucidates alternative 'druggable' targets may inform effective long-term treatment strategies. Here we expressed ∼600 kinase and kinase-related open reading frames (ORFs) in parallel to interrogate resistance to a selective RAF kinase inhibitor. We identified MAP3K8 (the gene encoding COT/Tpl2) as a MAPK pathway agonist that drives resistance to RAF inhibition in B-RAF(V600E) cell lines. COT activates ERK primarily through MEK-dependent mechanisms that do not require RAF signalling. Moreover, COT expression is associated with de novo resistance in B-RAF(V600E) cultured cell lines and acquired resistance in melanoma cells and tissue obtained from relapsing patients following treatment with MEK or RAF inhibitors. We further identify combinatorial MAPK pathway inhibition or targeting of COT kinase activity as possible therapeutic strategies for reducing MAPK pathway activation in this setting. Together, these results provide new insights into resistance mechanisms involving the MAPK pathway and articulate an integrative approach through which high-throughput functional screens may inform the development of novel therapeutic strategies.

High-throughput oncogene mutation profiling in human cancer.

Systematic efforts are underway to decipher the genetic changes associated with tumor initiation and progression. However, widespread clinical application of this information is hampered by an inability to identify critical genetic events across the spectrum of human tumors with adequate sensitivity and scalability. Here, we have adapted high-throughput genotyping to query 238 known oncogene mutations across 1,000 human tumor samples. This approach established robust mutation distributions spanning 17 cancer types. Of 17 oncogenes analyzed, we found 14 to be mutated at least once, and 298 (30%) samples carried at least one mutation. Moreover, we identified previously unrecognized oncogene mutations in several tumor types and observed an unexpectedly high number of co-occurring mutations. These results offer a new dimension in tumor genetics, where mutations involving multiple cancer genes may be interrogated simultaneously and in 'real time' to guide cancer classification and rational therapeutic intervention.

Antidoping programme and biological monitoring before and during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.

BACKGROUND: The FIFA has implemented an important antidoping programme for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. AIM: To perform the analyses before and during the World Cup with biological monitoring of blood and urine samples. METHODS: All qualified players from the 32 teams participating in the World Cup were tested out-of-competition. During the World Cup, 2-8 players per match were tested. Over 1000 samples were collected in total and analysed in the WADA accredited Laboratory of Lausanne. RESULTS: The quality of the analyses was at the required level as described in the WADA technical documents. The urinary steroid profiles of the players were stable and consistent with previously published papers on football players. During the competition, amphetamine was detected in a sample collected on a player who had a therapeutic use exemption for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The blood passport data showed no significant difference in haemoglobin values between out-of-competition and postmatch samples. CONCLUSIONS: Logistical issues linked to biological samples collection, and the overseas shipment during the World Cup did not impair the quality of the analyses, especially when used as the biological passport of football players.

Combination of carbon isotope ratio with hydrogen isotope ratio determinations in sports drug testing.

Carbon isotope ratio (CIR) analysis has been routinely and successfully applied to doping control analysis for many years to uncover the misuse of endogenous steroids such as testosterone. Over the years, several challenges and limitations of this approach became apparent, e.g., the influence of inadequate chromatographic separation on CIR values or the emergence of steroid preparations comprising identical CIRs as endogenous steroids. While the latter has been addressed recently by the implementation of hydrogen isotope ratios (HIR), an improved sample preparation for CIR avoiding co-eluting compounds is presented herein together with newly established reference values of those endogenous steroids being relevant for doping controls. From the fraction of glucuronidated steroids 5ß-pregnane-3α,20α-diol, 5α-androst-16-en-3α-ol, 3α-Hydroxy-5ß-androstane-11,17-dione, 3α-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one (ANDRO), 3α-hydroxy-5ß-androstan-17-one (ETIO), 3ß-hydroxy-androst-5-en-17-one (DHEA), 5α- and 5ß-androstane-3α,17ß-diol (5aDIOL and 5bDIOL), 17ß-hydroxy-androst-4-en-3-one and 17α-hydroxy-androst-4-en-3-one were included. In addition, sulfate conjugates of ANDRO, ETIO, DHEA, 3ß-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one plus 17α- and androst-5-ene-3ß,17ß-diol were considered and analyzed after acidic solvolysis. The results obtained for the reference population encompassing n = 67 males and females confirmed earlier findings regarding factors influencing endogenous CIR. Variations in sample preparation influenced CIR measurements especially for 5aDIOL and 5bDIOL, the most valuable steroidal analytes for the detection of testosterone misuse. Earlier investigations on the HIR of the same reference population enabled the evaluation of combined measurements of CIR and HIR and its usefulness regarding both steroid metabolism studies and doping control analysis. The combination of both stable isotopes would allow for lower reference limits providing the same statistical power and certainty to distinguish between the endo- or exogenous origin of a urinary steroid.

Facilitating Medical Care for Latinx Individuals at Risk for CKD: A Pilot Intervention.

Rationale and Objective: Latinx individuals are at a higher risk for kidney failure than non-Latinx White individuals; however, they are less likely to receive pre-kidney failure medical care. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a community health worker (CHW) intervention that facilitated access to medical care for Latinx individuals. Study Design: Single-arm prospective study. Setting and Participants: Latinx adults were found to have albuminuria or risk factors for kidney disease at community screening events in Austin, Texas. Intervention: A 6-month CHW intervention that facilitated the following: (1) obtaining medical insurance; (2) medical care coordination with primary and nephrology care; (3) kidney disease education; and (4) connection with local resources to address health-related social needs. Outcomes: Recruitment, retention, medical care linkage, and participant and CHW-reported satisfaction with the intervention. Results: Of the 173 individuals who attended the 2 community screening events, 49 agreed to participate in the study, of whom, 51% were men with a mean ± standard deviation (SD) age of 45 ± 14 years, and all self-identified as Mexican or Chicano. The mean ± SD estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 110 ± 21 mL/min/1.73 m2 and 41% of the participants reported a urine albumin-creatinine ratio of ≥30 mg/g. Among those enrolled, 28 of the 49 (57%) completed at least 1 CHW visit, and 20 of 49 (41%) completed the intervention. 7 individuals who needed assistance with insurance obtained insurance, and 15 of 20 (75%) scheduled an appointment with a primary care physician within 180 days. Participants reported that the US health care previously seemed inaccessible but gained insurance, the ability to navigate the system, and the ability to help others in their community to access medical care because of the program. Limitations: Small sample size and a single community may limit generalizability. Conclusions: We reported the acceptability of a CHW intervention. We encountered challenges with feasibility and identified strategies to overcome them. Studies are needed to test the effect of CHW interventions on outcomes and kidney health disparities. Funding: National Kidney Foundation young investigator research grant to Dr Novick. Plain Language Summary: Latinx individuals are at a higher risk for kidney failure than non-Latinx White individuals; however, they are less likely to receive pre-kidney failure medical care. We piloted a community health worker intervention that connected people with risk factors or showed evidence of kidney dysfunction at community screening events with medical care. Our findings indicate the acceptability of the intervention. We encountered challenges with feasibility and identified strategies to overcome them.

MEK1 mutations confer resistance to MEK and B-RAF inhibition.

Genetic alterations that activate the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) pathway occur commonly in cancer. For example, the majority of melanomas harbor mutations in the BRAF oncogene, which are predicted to confer enhanced sensitivity to pharmacologic MAP kinase inhibition (e.g., RAF or MEK inhibitors). We investigated the clinical relevance of MEK dependency in melanoma by massively parallel sequencing of resistant clones generated from a MEK1 random mutagenesis screen in vitro, as well as tumors obtained from relapsed patients following treatment with AZD6244, an allosteric MEK inhibitor. Most mutations conferring resistance to MEK inhibition in vitro populated the allosteric drug binding pocket or alpha-helix C and showed robust ( approximately 100-fold) resistance to allosteric MEK inhibition. Other mutations affected MEK1 codons located within or abutting the N-terminal negative regulatory helix (helix A), which also undergo gain-of-function germline mutations in cardio-facio-cutaneous (CFC) syndrome. One such mutation, MEK1(P124L), was identified in a resistant metastatic focus that emerged in a melanoma patient treated with AZD6244. Both MEK1(P124L) and MEK1(Q56P), which disrupts helix A, conferred cross-resistance to PLX4720, a selective B-RAF inhibitor. However, exposing BRAF-mutant melanoma cells to AZD6244 and PLX4720 in combination prevented emergence of resistant clones. These results affirm the importance of MEK dependency in BRAF-mutant melanoma and suggest novel mechanisms of resistance to MEK and B-RAF inhibitors that may have important clinical implications.

Recent developments in the use of isotope ratio mass spectrometry in sports drug testing.

According to the annual report of the World Anti-Doping Agency, steroids are the most frequently detected class of doping agents. Detecting the misuse of endogenously occurring steroids, i.e. steroids such as testosterone that are produced naturally by humans, is one of the most challenging issues in doping control analysis. The established thresholds for urinary concentrations or concentration ratios such as the testosterone/epitestosterone quotient are sometimes inconclusive owing to the large biological variation in these parameters.For more than 15 years, doping control laboratories focused on the carbon isotope ratios of endogenous steroids to distinguish between naturally elevated steroid profile parameters and illicit administration of steroids. A variety of different methods has been developed throughout the last decade and the number of different steroids under investigation by isotope ratio mass spectrometry has recently grown considerably. Besides norandrosterone, boldenone was found to occur endogenously in rare cases and the misuse of corticosteroids or epitestosterone can now be detected with the aid of carbon isotope ratios as well. In addition, steroids excreted as sulfoconjugates were investigated, and the first results regarding hydrogen isotope ratios recently became available.All of these will be presented in detail within this review together with some considerations on validation issues and on identification of parameters influencing steroidal isotope ratios in urine.

Genomic Profiling of Metastatic Uveal Melanoma and Clinical Results of a Phase I Study of the Protein Kinase C Inhibitor AEB071.

Up to 50% of patients with uveal melanoma (UM) develop metastatic disease, for which there is no effective systemic treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the orally available protein kinase C inhibitor, AEB071, in patients with metastatic UM, and to perform genomic profiling of metastatic tumor samples, with the aim to propose combination therapies. Patients with metastatic UM (n = 153) were treated with AEB071 in a phase I, single-arm study. Patients received total daily doses of AEB071 ranging from 450 to 1,400 mg. First-cycle dose-limiting toxicities were observed in 13 patients (13%). These were most commonly gastrointestinal system toxicities and were dose related, occurring at doses ≥700 mg/day. Preliminary clinical activity was observed, with 3% of patients achieving a partial response and 50% with stable disease (median duration 15 weeks). High-depth, targeted next-generation DNA sequencing was performed on 89 metastatic tumor biopsy samples. Mutations previously identified in UM were observed, including mutations in GNAQ, GNA11, BAP1, SF3B1, PLCB4, and amplification of chromosome arm 8q. GNAQ/GNA11 mutations were observed at a similar frequency (93%) as previously reported, confirming a therapeutic window for inhibition of the downstream effector PKC in metastatic UM.In conclusion, the protein kinase C inhibitor AEB071 was well tolerated, and modest clinical activity was observed in metastatic UM. The genomic findings were consistent with previous reports in primary UM. Together, our data allow envisaging combination therapies of protein kinase C inhibitors with other compounds in metastatic UM.

Metabolite profiling of Calvin cycle intermediates by HPLC-MS using mixed-mode stationary phases.

SUMMARY: A sensitive and robust mixed-mode high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for the qualitative and quantitative determination of sugar phosphates, which are notoriously difficult to separate using reversed-phase materials. Sugar phosphates were separated on a Primesep SB column by gradient elution using aqueous ammonium formate and acetonitrile as mobile phases. Target analytes were identified by their precursor/product ions and retention times. Quantitative analysis was performed in negative ionization/multiple reaction monitoring mode with five different time segments. The method was validated by spiking authentic sugar phosphate standards into complex plant tissue extracts. Standard curves of neat authentic standards and spiked extracts were generated for concentrations in the low picomole to nanomole range, with correlation coefficients of R(2) > 0.991, and the degree of ion suppression in the presence of a plant matrix was calculated for each analyte. Analyte recoveries, which were determined by including known quantities of authentic standards in the sugar phosphate extraction protocol, ranged from 40.0% to 57.4%. The analytical reproducibility was assessed by determining the coefficient of variance based on repeated extractions/measurements (<20%). The utility of our method is demonstrated with two types of applications: profiling of Calvin cycle intermediates in (i) dark-adapted and light-treated tobacco leaves, and in (ii) antisense plants expressing reduced levels of the Calvin cycle enzymes glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase or ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (comparison with wild-type controls). The broader applicability of our method is illustrated by profiling sugar phosphates extracted from the leaves of five taxonomically diverse plants.

First-in-Class ERK1/2 Inhibitor Ulixertinib (BVD-523) in Patients with MAPK Mutant Advanced Solid Tumors: Results of a Phase I Dose-Escalation and Expansion Study.

Ulixertinib (BVD-523) is an ERK1/2 kinase inhibitor with potent preclinical activity in BRAF- and RAS-mutant cell lines. In this multicenter phase I trial (NCT01781429), 135 patients were enrolled to an accelerated 3 + 3 dose-escalation cohort and six distinct dose-expansion cohorts. Dose escalation included 27 patients, dosed from 10 to 900 mg twice daily and established the recommended phase II dose (RP2D) of 600 mg twice daily. Ulixertinib exposure was dose proportional to the RP2D, which provided near-complete inhibition of ERK activity in whole blood. In the 108-patient expansion cohort, 32% of patients required dose reduction. The most common treatment-related adverse events were diarrhea (48%), fatigue (42%), nausea (41%), and dermatitis acneiform (31%). Partial responses were seen in 3 of 18 (17%) patients dosed at or above maximum tolerated dose and in 11 of 81 (14%) evaluable patients in dose expansion. Responses occurred in patients with NRAS-, BRAF V600-, and non-V600 BRAF-mutant solid tumors.Significance: Here, we describe the first-in-human dose-escalation study of an ERK1/2 inhibitor for the treatment of patients with advanced solid tumors. Ulixertinib has an acceptable safety profile with favorable pharmacokinetics and has shown early evidence of clinical activity in NRAS- and BRAF V600- and non-V600-mutant solid-tumor malignancies. Cancer Discov; 8(2); 184-95. ©2017 AACR.See related commentary by Smalley and Smalley, p. 140This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 127.

BRAF-inhibitor Associated MEK Mutations Increase RAF-Dependent and -Independent Enzymatic Activity.

Alterations in MEK1/2 occur in cancers, both in the treatment-naïve state and following targeted therapies, most notably BRAF and MEK inhibitors in BRAF-V600E-mutant melanoma and colorectal cancer. Efforts were undertaken to understand the effects of these mutations, based upon protein structural location, and MEK1/2 activity. Two categories of MEK1/2 alterations were evaluated, those associated with either the allosteric pocket or helix-A. Clinically, MEK1/2 alterations of the allosteric pocket are rare and we demonstrate that they confer resistance to MEK inhibitors, while retaining sensitivity to BRAF inhibition. Most mutations described in patients fall within, or are associated with, helix-A. Mutations in this region reduce sensitivity to both BRAF and MEK inhibition and display elevated phospho-ERK1/2 levels, independent from increases in phospho-MEK1/2. Biochemical experiments with a representative helix-A variant, MEK1-Q56P, reveal both increased catalytic efficiency of the activated enzyme, and phosphorylation-independent activity relative to wild-type MEK1. Consistent with these findings, MEK1/2 alterations in helix A retain sensitivity to downstream antagonism via pharmacologic inhibition of ERK1/2. This work highlights the importance of classifying mutations based on structural and phenotypic consequences, both in terms of pathway signaling output and response to pharmacologic inhibition.Implications: This study suggests that alternate modes of target inhibition, such as ERK inhibition, will be required to effectively treat tumors harboring these MEK1/2-resistant alleles. Mol Cancer Res; 15(10); 1431-44. ©2017 AACR.

Targeting the MAPK Signaling Pathway in Cancer: Promising Preclinical Activity with the Novel Selective ERK1/2 Inhibitor BVD-523 (Ulixertinib).

Aberrant activation of signaling through the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK (MAPK) pathway is implicated in numerous cancers, making it an attractive therapeutic target. Although BRAF and MEK-targeted combination therapy has demonstrated significant benefit beyond single-agent options, the majority of patients develop resistance and disease progression after approximately 12 months. Reactivation of ERK signaling is a common driver of resistance in this setting. Here we report the discovery of BVD-523 (ulixertinib), a novel, reversible, ATP-competitive ERK1/2 inhibitor with high potency and ERK1/2 selectivity. In vitro BVD-523 treatment resulted in reduced proliferation and enhanced caspase activity in sensitive cells. Interestingly, BVD-523 inhibited phosphorylation of target substrates despite increased phosphorylation of ERK1/2. In in vivo xenograft studies, BVD-523 showed dose-dependent growth inhibition and tumor regression. BVD-523 yielded synergistic antiproliferative effects in a BRAFV600E-mutant melanoma cell line xenograft model when used in combination with BRAF inhibition. Antitumor activity was also demonstrated in in vitro and in vivo models of acquired resistance to single-agent and combination BRAF/MEK-targeted therapy. On the basis of these promising results, these studies demonstrate BVD-523 holds promise as a treatment for ERK-dependent cancers, including those whose tumors have acquired resistance to other treatments targeting upstream nodes of the MAPK pathway. Assessment of BVD-523 in clinical trials is underway (NCT01781429, NCT02296242, and NCT02608229). Mol Cancer Ther; 16(11); 2351-63. ©2017 AACR.

Dual inhibition of protein kinase C and p53-MDM2 or PKC and mTORC1 are novel efficient therapeutic approaches for uveal melanoma.

Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common cancer of the eye in adults. Many UM patients develop metastases for which no curative treatment has been identified. Novel therapeutic approaches are therefore urgently needed. UM is characterized by mutations in the genes GNAQ and GNA11 which activate the PKC pathway, leading to the use of PKC inhibitors as a rational strategy to treat UM tumors. Encouraging clinical activity has been noted in UM patients treated with PKC inhibitors. However, it is likely that curative treatment regimens will require a combination of targeted therapeutic agents. Employing a large panel of UM patient-derived xenograft models (PDXs), several PKC inhibitor-based combinations were tested in vivo using the PKC inhibitor AEB071. The most promising approaches were further investigated in vitro using our unique panel of UM cell lines. When combined with AEB071, the two agents CGM097 (p53-MDM2 inhibitor) and RAD001 (mTORC1 inhibitor) demonstrated greater activity than single agents, with tumor regression observed in several UM PDXs. Follow-up studies in UM cell lines on these two drug associations confirmed their combination activity and ability to induce cell death. While no effective treatment currently exists for metastatic uveal melanoma, we have discovered using our unique panel of preclinical models that combinations between PKC/mTOR inhibitors and PKC/p53-MDM2 inhibitors are two novel and very effective therapeutic approaches for this disease. Together, our study reveals that combining PKC and p53-MDM2 or mTORC1 inhibitors may provide significant clinical benefit for UM patients.

Gene Expression Ratios Lead to Accurate and Translatable Predictors of DR5 Agonism across Multiple Tumor Lineages.

Death Receptor 5 (DR5) agonists demonstrate anti-tumor activity in preclinical models but have yet to demonstrate robust clinical responses. A key limitation may be the lack of patient selection strategies to identify those most likely to respond to treatment. To overcome this limitation, we screened a DR5 agonist Nanobody across >600 cell lines representing 21 tumor lineages and assessed molecular features associated with response. High expression of DR5 and Casp8 were significantly associated with sensitivity, but their expression thresholds were difficult to translate due to low dynamic ranges. To address the translational challenge of establishing thresholds of gene expression, we developed a classifier based on ratios of genes that predicted response across lineages. The ratio classifier outperformed the DR5+Casp8 classifier, as well as standard approaches for feature selection and classification using genes, instead of ratios. This classifier was independently validated using 11 primary patient-derived pancreatic xenograft models showing perfect predictions as well as a striking linearity between prediction probability and anti-tumor response. A network analysis of the genes in the ratio classifier captured important biological relationships mediating drug response, specifically identifying key positive and negative regulators of DR5 mediated apoptosis, including DR5, CASP8, BID, cFLIP, XIAP and PEA15. Importantly, the ratio classifier shows translatability across gene expression platforms (from Affymetrix microarrays to RNA-seq) and across model systems (in vitro to in vivo). Our approach of using gene expression ratios presents a robust and novel method for constructing translatable biomarkers of compound response, which can also probe the underlying biology of treatment response.

C-RAF mutations confer resistance to RAF inhibitors.

Melanomas that contain B-RAF(V600E) mutations respond transiently to RAF and MEK inhibitors; however, resistance to these agents remains a formidable challenge. Although B- or C-RAF dysregulation represents prominent resistance mechanisms, resistance-associated point mutations in RAF oncoproteins are surprisingly rare. To gain insights herein, we conducted random mutagenesis screens to identify B- or C-RAF mutations that confer resistance to RAF inhibitors. Whereas bona fide B-RAF(V600E) resistance alleles were rarely observed, we identified multiple C-RAF mutations that produced biochemical and pharmacologic resistance. Potent C-RAF resistance alleles localized to a 14-3-3 consensus binding site or a separate site within the P loop. These mutations elicited paradoxical upregulation of RAF kinase activity in a dimerization-dependent manner following exposure to RAF inhibitors. Knowledge of resistance-associated C-RAF mutations may enhance biochemical understanding of RAF-dependent signaling, anticipate clinical resistance to novel RAF inhibitors, and guide the design of "next-generation" inhibitors for deployment in RAF- or RAS-driven malignancies.

Influences of ß-HCG administration on carbon isotope ratios of endogenous urinary steroids.

Several factors influencing the carbon isotope ratios (CIR) of endogenous urinary steroids have been identified in recent years. One of these should be the metabolism of steroids inside the body involving numerous different enzymes. A detailed look at this metabolism taking into account differences found between steroids excreted as glucuronides or as sulphates and hydrogen isotope ratios of different steroids pointed out possibility of unequal CIR at the main production sites inside the male body - the testes and the adrenal glands. By administration of ß-HCG it is possible to strongly stimulate the steroid production within the testes without influencing the production at the adrenal glands. Therefore, this treatment should result in changed CIR of urinary androgens in contrast to the undisturbed pre-treatment values. Four male volunteers received three injections of ß-HCG over a time course of 5 days and collected their urine samples at defined intervals after the last administration. Those samples showing the largest response in contrast to the pre-administration urines were identified by steroid profile measurements and subsequent analysed by GC/C/IRMS. CIR of androsterone, etiocholanolone, testosterone, 5α- and 5ß-androstanediol and pregnanediol were compared. While pregnanediol was not influenced, most of the investigated androgens showed depleted values after treatment. The majority of differences were found to be statistically significant and nearly all showed the expected trend towards more depleted δ(13)C-values. These results support the hypothesis of different CIR at different production sites inside the human body. The impact of these findings on doping control analysis will be discussed.

Investigations on carbon isotope ratios and concentrations of urinary formestane.

The aromatase inhibitor formestane (4-hydroxy-androst-4-ene-3,17-dione, F) is prohibited in sports by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). F possesses only weak androgenic properties and is presumed to be employed in order to suppress estrogen production during the illicit intake of anabolic steroids by athletes. Former studies additionally showed that F is an endogenous steroid produced in low amounts. According to the regulations of WADA, urinary concentrations above 100 ng/ml are assumed to be due to ingestion of F. To distinguish between endogenous or exogenous sources of urinary F, isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) is the method of choice. Therefore, a method to determine the carbon isotope ratio (CIR) of F in urine samples was developed and validated. Routine samples (n = 42) showing concentrations of F above 5 ng/ml were investigated and enabled elucidation of the CIR of endogenous F and subsequent the calculation of a reference limit. A reference population encompassing n = 90 males and females was investigated regarding endogenous concentrations of F. An excretion study with one male volunteer was conducted to test and validate the developed method and to identify possible impact of F administration on other endogenous steroids. By CIR determination of F it is clearly possible to elucidate its endogenous or exogenous source. Taking into account the CIR of other target analytes like testosterone, a differentiation between F and androstenedione intake is possible. In 2011, the first exogenous F below the WADA threshold could be detected by means of the developed IRMS method.

Dissecting therapeutic resistance to RAF inhibition in melanoma by tumor genomic profiling.

A detailed understanding of the mechanisms by which tumors acquire resistance to targeted anticancer agents should speed the development of treatment strategies with lasting clinical efficacy. RAF inhibition in BRAF-mutant melanoma exemplifies the promise and challenge of many targeted drugs; although response rates are high, resistance invariably develops. Here, we articulate overarching principles of resistance to kinase inhibitors, as well as a translational approach to characterize resistance in the clinical setting through tumor mutation profiling. As a proof of principle, we performed targeted, massively parallel sequencing of 138 cancer genes in a tumor obtained from a patient with melanoma who developed resistance to PLX4032 after an initial dramatic response. The resulting profile identified an activating mutation at codon 121 in the downstream kinase MEK1 that was absent in the corresponding pretreatment tumor. The MEK1(C121S) mutation was shown to increase kinase activity and confer robust resistance to both RAF and MEK inhibition in vitro. Thus, MEK1(C121S) or functionally similar mutations are predicted to confer resistance to combined MEK/RAF inhibition. These results provide an instructive framework for assessing mechanisms of acquired resistance to kinase inhibition and illustrate the use of emerging technologies in a manner that may accelerate personalized cancer medicine.