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1.
Cell ; 186(13): 2911-2928.e20, 2023 06 22.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37269832

ABSTRACT

Animals with complex nervous systems demand sleep for memory consolidation and synaptic remodeling. Here, we show that, although the Caenorhabditis elegans nervous system has a limited number of neurons, sleep is necessary for both processes. In addition, it is unclear if, in any system, sleep collaborates with experience to alter synapses between specific neurons and whether this ultimately affects behavior. C. elegans neurons have defined connections and well-described contributions to behavior. We show that spaced odor-training and post-training sleep induce long-term memory. Memory consolidation, but not acquisition, requires a pair of interneurons, the AIYs, which play a role in odor-seeking behavior. In worms that consolidate memory, both sleep and odor conditioning are required to diminish inhibitory synaptic connections between the AWC chemosensory neurons and the AIYs. Thus, we demonstrate in a living organism that sleep is required for events immediately after training that drive memory consolidation and alter synaptic structures.


Subject(s)
Caenorhabditis elegans , Odorants , Animals , Caenorhabditis elegans/physiology , Smell , Sleep/physiology , Synapses/physiology
2.
Childs Nerv Syst ; 40(5): 1367-1375, 2024 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38240786

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Rathke cleft cysts (RCCs) are benign, epithelial-lined sellar lesions that arise from remnants of the craniopharyngeal duct. Due to their rarity in the pediatric population, data are limited regarding the natural history and optimal management of growing or symptomatic RCCs. We present our institutional experience with the surgical management of RCCs. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of consecutive RCC patients ≤ 18 years old treated surgically at our institution between 2006 and 2022. RESULTS: Overall, 567 patients with a diagnosis of pituitary mass or cyst were identified. Of these, 31 had a histopathological diagnosis of RCC, 58% female and 42% male. The mean age was 13.2 ± 4.2 years. Presenting symptoms included headache (58%), visual changes (32%), and endocrinopathies or growth delay (26%); 13% were identified incidentally and subsequently demonstrated growth on serial imaging. Six percent presented with symptomatic intralesional hemorrhage. Surgical approach was transsphenoidal for 90% of patients and orbitozygomatic for 10%. Preoperative headaches resolved in 61% of patients and preoperative visual deficits improvement in 55% after surgery. New pituitary axis deficits were seen in 9.7% of patients. Only two complications occurred from a first-time surgery: one cerebrospinal fluid leak requiring lumbar drain placement, and one case of epistaxis requiring cauterization. No patients experienced new visual or neurological deficits. Patients were followed postoperatively with serial imaging at a mean follow-up was 62.9 ± 58.4 months. Recurrence requiring reoperation occurred in 32% of patients. Five-year progression-free survival was 47.9%. Except for one patient with multiple neurological deficits from a concurrent tectal glioma, all patients had a modified Rankin Scale score of 0 or 1 (good outcome) at last follow-up. CONCLUSION: Due to their secretory epithelium, pediatric RCCs may demonstrate rapid growth and can cause symptoms due to local mass effect. Surgical management of symptomatic or growing pediatric RCCs via cyst fenestration or partial resection of the cyst wall can be performed safely, with good neurologic outcomes. There is a nontrivial risk of endocrinologic injury, and long-term follow up is needed due to high recurrence rates.


Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Renal Cell , Central Nervous System Cysts , Cysts , Kidney Neoplasms , Humans , Child , Male , Female , Adolescent , Retrospective Studies , Central Nervous System Cysts/surgery
3.
Med J Aust ; 219(2): 80-89, 2023 07 17.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37356051

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Long term opioids are commonly prescribed to manage pain. Dose reduction or discontinuation (deprescribing) can be challenging, even when the potential harms of continuation outweigh the perceived benefits. The Evidence-based clinical practice guideline for deprescribing opioid analgesics was developed using robust guideline development processes and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology, and contains deprescribing recommendations for adults prescribed opioids for pain. MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS: Eleven recommendations provide advice about when, how and for whom opioid deprescribing should be considered, while noting the need to consider each person's goals, values and preferences. The recommendations aim to achieve: implementation of a deprescribing plan at the point of opioid initiation; initiation of opioid deprescribing for persons with chronic non-cancer or chronic cancer-survivor pain if there is a lack of overall and clinically meaningful improvement in function, quality of life or pain, a lack of progress towards meeting agreed therapeutic goals, or the person is experiencing serious or intolerable opioid-related adverse effects; gradual and individualised deprescribing, with regular monitoring and review; consideration of opioid deprescribing for individuals at high risk of opioid-related harms; avoidance of opioid deprescribing for persons nearing the end of life unless clinically indicated; avoidance of opioid deprescribing for persons with a severe opioid use disorder, with the initiation of evidence-based care, such as medication-assisted treatment of opioid use disorder; and use of evidence-based co-interventions to facilitate deprescribing, including interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary or multimodal care. CHANGES IN MANAGEMENT AS A RESULT OF THESE GUIDELINES: To our knowledge, these are the first evidence-based guidelines for opioid deprescribing. The recommendations intend to facilitate safe and effective deprescribing to improve the quality of care for persons taking opioids for pain.


Subject(s)
Chronic Pain , Deprescriptions , Opioid-Related Disorders , Adult , Humans , Analgesics, Opioid/adverse effects , Chronic Pain/drug therapy , Opioid-Related Disorders/drug therapy , Quality of Life
4.
J Cancer Educ ; 38(5): 1636-1640, 2023 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37225924

ABSTRACT

Cancer Care Experience (CCE) is a unique elective educational program to further explore the subspecialty of oncology beyond the scope of the traditional undergraduate medical education curriculum. During the COVID-19 pandemic, CCE moved from an in-person to a virtual learning platform. This transition allowed program leaders to offer CCE as a multi-institutional program, with students participating from both Duke University School of Medicine and Penn State College of Medicine. Our study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of virtual learning, student perspectives on multi-institutional collaboration, and the program's impact on the student's understanding of oncology care and clerkship preparedness. Overall, students indicated CCE was an impactful program for them to learn more about oncology and that virtual learning was an effective learning platform. Furthermore, our results suggest students found the multi-institutional aspect valuable and that a multi-institution, hybrid (in-person and virtual) platform was preferred. Our study highlights the success of CCE as a multi-institution program and an effective elective program to expose students to the field of oncology further.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Education, Medical, Undergraduate , Students, Medical , Humans , COVID-19/epidemiology , Pandemics , Curriculum , Students
5.
Int J Cancer ; 150(1): 132-141, 2022 01 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34287840

ABSTRACT

Although cancer is highly heterogeneous, all metastatic cancer is considered American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Stage IV disease. The purpose of this project was to redefine staging of metastatic cancer. Internal validation of nationally representative patient data from the National Cancer Database (n = 461 357; 2010-2013), and external validation using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database (n = 106 595; 2014-2015) were assessed using the concordance index for evaluation of survival prediction. A Cox proportional hazards model was used for overall survival by considering identified phenotypes (latent classes) and other confounding variables. Latent class analysis was performed for phenotype identification, where Bayesian information criterion (BIC) and sample-size-adjusted BIC were used to select the optimal number of distinct clusters. Kappa coefficients assessed external cluster validation. Latent class analysis identified five metastatic phenotypes with differences in overall survival (P < .0001): (Stage IVA) nearly exclusive bone-only metastases (n = 59 049, 12.8%; median survival 12.7 months; common in lung, breast and prostate cancers); (IVB) predominant lung metastases (n = 62 491, 13.5%; 11.4 months; common in breast, stomach, kidney, ovary, uterus, thyroid, cervix and soft tissue cancers); (IVC) predominant liver/lung metastases (n = 130 014, 28.2%; 7.0 months; common in colorectum, pancreatic, lung, esophagus and stomach cancers); (IVD) bone/liver/lung metastases predominant over brain (n = 61 004, 13.2%; 5.9 months; common in lung and breast cancers); and (IVE) brain/lung metastases predominant over bone/liver (n = 148 799, 32.3%; 5.7 months; lung cancer and melanoma). Long-term survivors were identified, particularly in Stages IVA-B. A pan-cancer nomogram model to predict survival (STARS: site, tumor, age, race, sex) was created, validated and provides 13% better prognostication than AJCC: 1-month concordance index of 0.67 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.66-0.67) vs 0.61 (95% CI: 0.60-0.61). STARS is simple, uses easily accessible variables, better prognosticates survival outcomes and provides a platform to develop novel metastasis-directed clinical trials.


Subject(s)
Neoplasms/pathology , Nomograms , Phenotype , Adult , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Metastasis , Prognosis , Survival Rate , Young Adult
6.
Thorax ; 77(4): 364-369, 2022 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34226204

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Acute exacerbations of interstitial lung diseases (AE-ILD) have a high mortality rate with no effective medical therapies. Lung transplantation is a potentially life-saving option for patients with AE-ILD, but its role is not well established. The aim of this study is to determine if this therapy during AE-ILD significantly affects post-transplant outcomes in comparison to those transplanted with stable disease. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of consecutive patients with AE-ILD admitted to our institution from 2015 to 2018. The comparison group included patients with stable ILD listed for lung transplant during the same period. The primary end-points were in-hospital mortality for patients admitted with AE-ILD and 1-year survival for the transplanted patients. RESULTS: Of 53 patients admitted for AE-ILD, 28 were treated with medical therapy alone and 25 underwent transplantation. All patients with AE-ILD who underwent transplantation survived to hospital discharge, whereas only 43% of the AE-ILD medically treated did. During the same period, 67 patients with stable ILD underwent transplantation. Survival at 1 year for the transplanted patients was not different for the AE-ILD group versus stable ILD group (96% vs 92.5%). The rates of primary graft dysfunction, post-transplant hospital length-of-stay and acute cellular rejection were similar between the groups. CONCLUSION: Patients with ILD transplanted during AE-ILD had no meaningful difference in overall survival, rate of primary graft dysfunction or acute rejection compared with those transplanted with stable disease. Our results suggest that lung transplantation can be considered as a therapeutic option for selected patients with AE-ILD.


Subject(s)
Lung Diseases, Interstitial , Lung Transplantation , Acute Disease , Disease Progression , Hospitalization , Humans , Lung Diseases, Interstitial/surgery , Prognosis , Retrospective Studies
7.
Am J Transplant ; 21(11): 3550-3560, 2021 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34014614

ABSTRACT

Chronic rejection is among the most pressing clinical challenges in solid organ transplantation. Interestingly, in a mouse model of heterotopic heart transplantation, antibody-dependent, natural killer (NK) cell-mediated chronic cardiac allograft vasculopathy occurs in some donor-recipient strain combinations, but not others. In this study, we sought to identify the mechanism underlying this unexplained phenomenon. Cardiac allografts from major histocompatibility complex (MHC) mismatched donors were transplanted into immune-deficient C57Bl/6.rag-/- recipients, followed by administration of a monoclonal antibody against the donor MHC class I antigen. We found marked allograft vasculopathy in hearts from C3H donors, but near-complete protection of BALB/c allografts from injury. We found no difference in recipient NK cell phenotype or intrinsic responsiveness to activating signals between recipients of C3H versus BALB/c allografts. However, cardiac endothelial cells from C3H allografts showed an approximately twofold higher expression of Rae-1, an activating ligand of the NK cell receptor natural killer group 2D (NKG2D). Importantly, the administration of a neutralizing antibody against NKG2D abrogated the development of allograft vasculopathy in recipients of C3H allografts, even in the presence of donor-specific antibodies. Therefore, the activating NK cell receptor NKG2D is necessary in this model of chronic cardiac allograft vasculopathy, and strain-dependent expression of NK activating ligands correlates with the development of this disease.


Subject(s)
Heart Transplantation , NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K , Animals , Antibodies, Monoclonal , Endothelial Cells , Graft Rejection/etiology , Heart Transplantation/adverse effects , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Mice, Inbred C3H , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Receptors, Natural Killer Cell
8.
Med J Aust ; 214(7): 324-331, 2021 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33786837

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of paracetamol as an analgesic medication in a range of painful conditions. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review of systematic reviews of the analgesic effects of paracetamol in randomised, placebo-controlled trials. Conduct of systematic reviews was assessed with AMSTAR-2; confidence in effect estimates (quality of evidence) was assessed with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; systematic reviews published 1 January 2010 - 30 April 2020. DATA SYNTHESIS: We extracted pain and adverse events outcomes from 36 systematic reviews that assessed the efficacy of paracetamol in 44 painful conditions. Continuous pain outcomes were expressed as mean differences (MDs; standardised 0-10-point scale); dichotomous outcomes were expressed as risk ratios (RRs). There is high quality evidence that paracetamol provides modest pain relief for people with knee or hip osteoarthritis (MD, -0.3 points; 95% CI, -0.6 to -0.1 points) and after craniotomy (MD, -0.8 points; 95% CI, -1.4 to -0.2 points); there is moderate quality evidence for its efficacy in tension-type headache (pain-free at 2 hours: RR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.4) and perineal pain soon after childbirth (patients experiencing 50% pain relief: RR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.5-3.8). There is high quality evidence that paracetamol is not effective for relieving acute low back pain (MD, 0.2 points; 95% CI, -0.1 to 0.4 points). Evidence regarding efficacy in other conditions was of low or very low quality. Frequency of adverse events was generally similar for people receiving placebo or paracetamol, except that transient elevation of blood liver enzyme levels was more frequent during repeated administration of paracetamol to patients with spinal pain (RR, 3.8; 95% CI, 1.9-7.4). CONCLUSIONS: For most conditions, evidence regarding the effectiveness of paracetamol is insufficient for drawing firm conclusions. Evidence for its efficacy in four conditions was moderate to strong, and there is strong evidence that paracetamol is not effective for reducing acute low back pain. Investigations that evaluate more typical dosing regimens are required. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: CRD42015029282 (prospective).


Subject(s)
Acetaminophen/therapeutic use , Pain Management/methods , Pain/drug therapy , Acetaminophen/administration & dosage , Acetaminophen/adverse effects , Analgesics, Non-Narcotic/administration & dosage , Analgesics, Non-Narcotic/adverse effects , Analgesics, Non-Narcotic/therapeutic use , Case-Control Studies , Craniotomy , Data Management , Humans , Low Back Pain/drug therapy , Osteoarthritis/drug therapy , Placebos/administration & dosage , Prospective Studies , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic , Safety , Tension-Type Headache/drug therapy , Treatment Outcome
9.
Epilepsy Behav ; 119: 107988, 2021 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33957389

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Vinpocetine has been shown to enhance memory in animal models, with possible cognitive benefit in humans. The present study sought to demonstrate if vinpocetine can enhance cognition in healthy volunteers or patients with epilepsy. In addition, we compare blood levels of vinpocetine and its active metabolite (apovincaminic acid; AVA) in humans and animals to further characterize factors related to possible therapeutic benefit. METHODS: The cognitive effects of vinpocetine were assessed in healthy adult volunteers (n = 8) using a double-blind, randomized, crossover design at single doses (placebo, 10, 20, and 60 mg oral). Cognitive effects of vinpocetine in patients with focal epilepsy (n = 8) were tested using a double-blind, randomized, crossover design at single doses (placebo, 20 mg oral) followed by one-month open label at 20 mg oral three times a day. The neuropsychological battery included both computerized and non-computerized tests. Levels of vinpocetine and AVA in the human studies were compared to levels in 45 mice across time dosed at 5-20 mg/kg intraperitoneal of vinpocetine. RESULTS: No significant cognitive benefits were seen in healthy volunteers or patients with epilepsy. No appreciable side effects occurred. Vinpocetine and AVA levels were lower in humans than animals. CONCLUSIONS: Vinpocetine was well tolerated, but was not associated with positive cognitive effects. However, blood levels obtained in humans were substantially less than levels in animals obtained from dosages known to be effective in one model. This suggests that higher dosages are needed in humans to assess vinpocetine's cognitive efficacy.


Subject(s)
Cognition/drug effects , Epilepsies, Partial , Epilepsy , Vinca Alkaloids/therapeutic use , Adult , Animals , Humans , Memory , Mice
10.
Mol Med ; 26(1): 52, 2020 05 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32460694

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Fibrosis is an integral component of the pathogenesis of acute lung injury and is associated with poor outcomes in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Fibrocytes are bone marrow-derived cells that traffic to injured tissues and contribute to fibrosis; hence their concentration in the peripheral blood has the potential to serve as a biomarker of lung fibrogenesis. We therefore sought to test the hypothesis that the concentration and phenotype of circulating fibrocytes in patients with ARDS predicts clinical outcomes. METHODS: For the animal studies, C57Bl/6 mice were infected with experimental Klebsiella pneumoniae in a model of acute lung injury; one-way ANOVA was used to compare multiple groups and two-way ANOVA was used to compare two groups over time. For the human study, 42 subjects with ARDS and 12 subjects with pneumonia (without ARDS) were compared to healthy controls. Chi-squared or Fisher's exact test were used to compare binary outcomes. Survival data was expressed using a Kaplan-Meier curve and compared by log-rank test. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression were used to predict death. RESULTS: In mice with acute lung injury caused by Klebsiella pneumonia, there was a time-dependent increase in lung soluble collagen that correlated with sequential expansion of fibrocytes in the bone marrow, blood, and then lung compartments. Correspondingly, when compared via cross-sectional analysis, the initial concentration of blood fibrocytes was elevated in human subjects with ARDS or pneumonia as compared to healthy controls. In addition, fibrocytes from subjects with ARDS displayed an activated phenotype and on serial measurements, exhibited intermittent episodes of markedly elevated concentration over a median of 1 week. A peak concentration of circulating fibrocytes above a threshold of > 4.8 × 106 cells/mL cells correlated with mortality that was independent of age, ratio of arterial oxygen concentration to the fraction of inspired oxygen, and vasopressor requirement. CONCLUSIONS: Circulating fibrocytes increase in a murine model of acute lung injury and elevation in the number of these cells above a certain threshold is correlated with mortality in human ARDS. Therefore, these cells may provide a useful and easily measured biomarker to predict outcomes in these patients.


Subject(s)
Acute Lung Injury/pathology , Bone Marrow Cells/pathology , Lung/pathology , Respiratory Distress Syndrome/mortality , Respiratory Distress Syndrome/pathology , Acute Lung Injury/etiology , Adult , Animals , Biomarkers , Cell Movement , Disease Models, Animal , Female , Flow Cytometry , Fluorescent Antibody Technique , Humans , Kaplan-Meier Estimate , Male , Mice , Middle Aged , Pilot Projects , Prognosis , Respiratory Distress Syndrome/etiology
11.
Epilepsia ; 61(8): 1749-1757, 2020 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32658325

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The RNS System is a direct brain-responsive neurostimulation system that is US Food and Drug Administration-approved for adults with medically intractable focal onset seizures based on safety and effectiveness data from controlled clinical trials. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the real-world safety and effectiveness of the RNS System. METHODS: Eight comprehensive epilepsy centers conducted a chart review of patients treated with the RNS System for at least 1 year, in accordance with the indication for use. Data included device-related serious adverse events and the median percent change in disabling seizure frequency from baseline at years 1, 2, and 3 of treatment and at the most recent follow-up. RESULTS: One hundred fifty patients met the criteria for analysis. The median reduction in seizures was 67% (interquartile range [IQR] = 33%-93%, n = 149) at 1 year, 75% (IQR = 50%-94%, n = 93) at 2 years, 82% (IQR = 50%-96%, n = 38) at ≥3 years, and 74% (IQR = 50%-96%, n = 150) at last follow-up (mean = 2.3 years). Thirty-five percent of patients had a ≥90% seizure frequency reduction, and 18% of patients reported being clinically seizure-free at last follow-up. Seizure frequency reductions were similar regardless of patient age, age at epilepsy onset, duration of epilepsy, seizure onset in mesial temporal or neocortical foci, magnetic resonance imaging findings, prior intracranial monitoring, prior epilepsy surgery, or prior vagus nerve stimulation treatment. The infection rate per procedure was 2.9% (6/150 patients); five of the six patients had an implant site infection, and one had osteomyelitis. Lead revisions were required in 2.7% (4/150), and 2.0% (3/150) of patients had a subdural hemorrhage, none of which had long-lasting neurological consequences. SIGNIFICANCE: In this real-world experience, safety was similar and clinical seizure outcomes exceeded those of the prospective clinical trials, corroborating effectiveness of this therapy and suggesting that clinical experience has informed more effective programming.


Subject(s)
Drug Resistant Epilepsy/therapy , Electric Stimulation Therapy/methods , Epilepsies, Partial/therapy , Implantable Neurostimulators , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Electrocorticography , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , Treatment Outcome , Young Adult
12.
Curr Opin Organ Transplant ; 24(6): 694-698, 2019 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31599762

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To summarize recent findings linking donor-specific antibodies with innate immunity resulting in chronic allograft rejection. RECENT FINDINGS: Studies in recent years highlight the significance of donor-specific antibodies (DSA) in both acute and chronic allograft rejection. Since chronic rejection is the leading cause of graft failure, this review centers on the contribution of three areas of innate immunity of particular recent focus: complement, NK cells, and macrophages. Recent advances indicate the diverse roles that complement components play both in directly initiating allograft injury and indirectly by contributing to enhanced alloreactivity. NK cells also have emerged as an additional innate response that directly links DSA with chronic graft injury. Finally, recent studies identify alternatively activated macrophages as an additional arm of innate immunity contributing to chronic allograft rejection. SUMMARY: Chronic allograft rejection involves a significant contribution of DSA and differing pathways of the innate immune system. However, key issues remain unresolved. First, it is not always clear which of these varied sources of innate immunity contributing to chronic rejection may be antibody dependent. Moreover, it is not yet clear if these innate pathways represent independent routes that contribute to chronic rejection or rather act in concert to mediate allograft injury.


Subject(s)
Allografts/immunology , Graft Rejection/immunology , Immunity, Innate/immunology , Humans
13.
Breast Cancer Res Treat ; 172(2): 487-496, 2018 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30140962

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Breast fibroglandular tissue (FGT), as visualized on a mammogram (mammographic density, MD), is one of the strongest known risk factors for breast cancer. FGT is also visible on breast MRI, and increased background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) in the FGT has been identified as potentially a major breast cancer risk factor. The aim of this exploratory study was to examine the biologic basis of BPE. METHODS: We examined the unaffected contra-lateral breast of 80 breast cancer patients undergoing a prophylactic mastectomy before any treatment other than surgery of their breast cancer. BPE was classified on the BI-RADS scale (minimal/mild/moderate/marked). Slides were stained for microvessel density (MVD), CD34 (another measure of endothelial density), glandular tissue within the FGT and VEGF. Spearman correlations were used to evaluate the associations between BPE and these pathologic variables. RESULTS: In pre-menopausal patients, BPE was highly correlated with MVD, CD34 and glandular concentration within the FGT, and the pathologic variables were themselves highly correlated. The expression of VEGF was effectively confined to terminal duct lobular unit (TDLU) epithelium. The same relationships of the four pathologic variables with BPE were seen in post-menopausal patients, but the relationships were much weaker and not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The strong correlation of BPE and MVD together with the high correlation of MVD with glandular concentration seen in pre-menopausal patients indicates that increased breast cancer risk associated with BPE in pre-menopausal women is likely to result from its association with increased concentration of glandular tissue in the FGT. The effective confinement of VEGF expression to the TDLUs shows that the signal for MVD growth arises directly from the glandular tissue. Further studies are needed to understand the basis of BPE in post-menopausal women.


Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Breast/pathology , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Parenchymal Tissue/pathology , Adult , Breast/diagnostic imaging , Breast Density/physiology , Breast Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Female , Humans , Mammography , Middle Aged , Parenchymal Tissue/diagnostic imaging , Risk Factors
14.
Cell Immunol ; 332: 101-110, 2018 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30103941

ABSTRACT

The induction of tolerance to transplanted organs is a major objective in transplantation immunology research. Lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) interactions have been identified as a key component of the T-cell activation process that may be interrupted to lead to allograft tolerance. In mice, αLFA-1 mAb is a potent monotherapy that leads to the induction of donor-specific transferable tolerance. By interrogating important adaptive and innate immunity pathways, we demonstrate that the induction of tolerance relies on CD8+T-cells. We further demonstrate that αLFA-1 induced tolerance is associated with CD8+CD28-T-cells with a suppressor phenotype, and that while CD8 cells are present, the effector T-cell response is abrogated. A recent publication has shown that CD8+CD28- cells are not diminished by cyclosporine or rapamycin, therefore CD8+CD28- cells represent a clinically relevant population. To our knowledge, this is the first time that a mechanism for αLFA-1 induced tolerance has been described.


Subject(s)
CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology , Graft Survival/immunology , Immune Tolerance/immunology , Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1/immunology , Transplantation Tolerance/immunology , Animals , Antibodies, Monoclonal/immunology , CD28 Antigens/immunology , Cyclosporine/pharmacology , Female , Graft Rejection/drug therapy , Graft Rejection/immunology , Graft Survival/drug effects , Immune Tolerance/drug effects , Immunity, Innate/drug effects , Immunity, Innate/immunology , Lymphocyte Activation/drug effects , Lymphocyte Activation/immunology , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Mice, Inbred C3H , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Transgenic , Sirolimus/pharmacology , Transplantation Tolerance/drug effects , Transplantation, Homologous/methods
15.
Drug Metab Dispos ; 44(1): 127-36, 2016 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26452722

ABSTRACT

Accurate prediction of in vivo hepatic drug clearance using in vitro assays is important to properly estimate clinical dosing regimens. Clearance of low-turnover compounds is especially difficult to predict using short-lived suspensions of unpooled primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) and functionally declining PHH monolayers. Micropatterned cocultures (MPCCs) of PHHs and 3T3-J2 fibroblasts have been shown previously to display major liver functions for several weeks in vitro. In this study, we first characterized long-term activities of major cytochrome P450 enzymes in MPCCs created from unpooled cryopreserved PHH donors. MPCCs were then used to predict the clearance of 26 drugs that exhibit a wide range of turnover rates in vivo (0.05-19.5 ml/min per kilogram). MPCCs predicted 73, 92, and 96% of drug clearance values for all tested drugs within 2-fold, 3-fold, and 4-fold of in vivo values, respectively. There was good correlation (R(2) = 0.94, slope = 1.05) of predictions between the two PHH donors. On the other hand, suspension hepatocytes and conventional monolayers created from the same donor had significantly reduced predictive capacity (i.e., 30-50% clearance values within 4-fold of in vivo), and were not able to metabolize several drugs. Finally, we modulated drug clearance in MPCCs by inducing or inhibiting P450s. Rifampin-mediated CYP3A4 induction increased midazolam clearance by 73%, while CYP3A4 inhibition with ritonavir decreased midazolam clearance by 79%. Similarly, quinidine-mediated CYP2D6 inhibition reduced clearance of dextromethorphan and desipramine by 71 and 22%, respectively. In conclusion, MPCCs created using cryopreserved unpooled PHHs can be used for drug clearance predictions and to model drug-drug interactions.


Subject(s)
Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme Inducers/pharmacology , Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology , Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System/metabolism , Drug Interactions , Hepatocytes/drug effects , Hepatocytes/enzymology , Models, Biological , Adult , Cell Culture Techniques , Cells, Cultured , Female , Humans , Isoenzymes , Kinetics , Male , Metabolic Clearance Rate , Middle Aged , Risk Assessment , Substrate Specificity , Young Adult
17.
Curr Opin Organ Transplant ; 21(1): 40-4, 2016 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26575853

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The T cell-dependent recognition of allogeneic tissues and organs is complicated by the fact that both donor and host antigen-presenting cells can present donor antigens to host T cells. As such, these pathways result in T cells that can be restricted to either donor ('direct') or host ('indirect') major histocompatibility complex (MHC). These pathways are well recognized, but how these distinct patterns actually dictate allograft recognition is less clear. Thus, the purpose of the review is to summarize results from preclinical animal models in an attempt to clarify the distinct forms of allograft rejection dictated by these recognition pathways. RECENT FINDINGS: CD4 and CD8 donor MHC-restricted T cells are sufficient to reject allografts by a T-cell receptor-mediated direct ('cognate') interaction using a defined array of effector molecules. Conversely, 'noncognate' host MHC-restricted CD4 T cells must interact with intermediate host-type antigen-presenting cells and so greatly amplify the response by triggering antibody and inflammatory responses. SUMMARY: Importantly, 'cognate' CD4 and CD8 T cells have strikingly similar requirements for rejection, suggesting that this effector mechanism is dictated by the nature of allograft recognition rather than by T-cell subset. Conversely, 'noncognate' allograft recognition drives an increasingly appreciated role for inciting innate immunity in mediating allograft injury.


Subject(s)
Graft Rejection , Allografts , Animals , Antigen-Presenting Cells/immunology , Humans , T-Lymphocytes/immunology , Transplantation, Homologous
20.
Microorganisms ; 12(3)2024 Mar 17.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38543650

ABSTRACT

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is a global health challenge that can result in significant liver-related morbidity and mortality. Despite a prophylactic vaccine being available, patients already living with CHB often must engage in lifelong therapy with nucleoside analogues. However, the potential of RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics as a promising avenue for CHB treatment is being explored. RNAi, particularly using small interfering RNA (siRNA), targets viral RNA that can be used to inhibit hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication. Several candidates are currently being studied and have exhibited varying success in reducing hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) levels, with some showing sustained HBsAg loss after cessation of therapy. The dynamic evolution of RNAi therapy presents a promising trajectory for the development of effective and sustained treatments for CHB. This review highlights recent findings on RNAi therapeutics, including modifications for stability, various delivery vectors, and specific candidates currently in development.

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