Potential of fecal microbiota for early-stage detection of colorectal cancer.

Several bacterial species have been implicated in the development of colorectal carcinoma (CRC), but CRC-associated changes of fecal microbiota and their potential for cancer screening remain to be explored. Here, we used metagenomic sequencing of fecal samples to identify taxonomic markers that distinguished CRC patients from tumor-free controls in a study population of 156 participants. Accuracy of metagenomic CRC detection was similar to the standard fecal occult blood test (FOBT) and when both approaches were combined, sensitivity improved > 45% relative to the FOBT, while maintaining its specificity. Accuracy of metagenomic CRC detection did not differ significantly between early- and late-stage cancer and could be validated in independent patient and control populations (N = 335) from different countries. CRC-associated changes in the fecal microbiome at least partially reflected microbial community composition at the tumor itself, indicating that observed gene pool differences may reveal tumor-related host-microbe interactions. Indeed, we deduced a metabolic shift from fiber degradation in controls to utilization of host carbohydrates and amino acids in CRC patients, accompanied by an increase of lipopolysaccharide metabolism.

Direct and indirect effects of H-NS and Fis on global gene expression control in Escherichia coli.

Nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs) are global regulators of gene expression in Escherichia coli, which affect DNA conformation by bending, wrapping and bridging the DNA. Two of these--H-NS and Fis--bind to specific DNA sequences and structures. Because of their importance to global gene expression, the binding of these NAPs to the DNA was previously investigated on a genome-wide scale using ChIP-chip. However, variation in their binding profiles across the growth phase and the genome-scale nature of their impact on gene expression remain poorly understood. Here, we present a genome-scale investigation of H-NS and Fis binding to the E. coli chromosome using chromatin immunoprecipitation combined with high-throughput sequencing (ChIP-seq). By performing our experiments under multiple time-points during growth in rich media, we show that the binding regions of the two proteins are mutually exclusive under our experimental conditions. H-NS binds to significantly longer tracts of DNA than Fis, consistent with the linear spread of H-NS binding from high- to surrounding lower-affinity sites; the length of binding regions is associated with the degree of transcriptional repression imposed by H-NS. For Fis, a majority of binding events do not lead to differential expression of the proximal gene; however, it has a significant indirect effect on gene expression partly through its effects on the expression of other transcription factors. We propose that direct transcriptional regulation by Fis is associated with the interaction of tandem arrays of Fis molecules to the DNA and possible DNA bending, particularly at operon-upstream regions. Our study serves as a proof-of-principle for the use of ChIP-seq for global DNA-binding proteins in bacteria, which should become significantly more economical and feasible with the development of multiplexing techniques.

Inhibition of aurora kinases for tailored risk-adapted treatment of multiple myeloma.

Genetic instability and cellular proliferation have been associated with aurora kinase expression in several cancer entities, including multiple myeloma. Therefore, the expression of aurora-A, -B, and -C was determined by Affymetrix DNA microarrays in 784 samples including 2 independent sets of 233 and 345 CD138-purified myeloma cells from previously untreated patients. Chromosomal aberrations were assessed by comprehensive interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization and proliferation of primary myeloma cells by propidium iodine staining. We found aurora-A and -B to be expressed at varying frequencies in primary myeloma cells of different patient cohorts, but aurora-C in testis cell samples only. Myeloma cell samples with detectable versus absent aurora-A expression show a significantly higher proliferation rate, but neither a higher absolute number of chromosomal aberrations (aneuploidy), nor of subclonal aberrations (chromosomal instability). The clinical aurora kinase inhibitor VX680 induced apoptosis in 20 of 20 myeloma cell lines and 5 of 5 primary myeloma cell samples. Presence of aurora-A expression delineates significantly inferior event-free and overall survival in 2 independent cohorts of patients undergoing high-dose chemotherapy, independent from conventional prognostic factors. Using gene expression profiling, aurora kinase inhibitors as a promising therapeutic option in myeloma can be tailoredly given to patients expressing aurora-A, who in turn have an adverse prognosis.

Genomic insights into the pathogenesis of Epstein-Barr virus-associated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma by whole-genome and targeted amplicon sequencing.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified (DLBCL NOS) constitute a distinct clinicopathological entity in the current World Health Organization (WHO) classification. However, its genomic features remain sparsely characterized. Here, we combine whole-genome sequencing (WGS), targeted amplicon sequencing (tNGS), and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) from 47 EBV + DLBCL (NOS) cases to delineate the genomic landscape of this rare disease. Integrated WGS and tNGS analysis clearly distinguished this tumor type from EBV-negative DLBCL due to frequent mutations in ARID1A (45%), KMT2A/KMT2D (32/30%), ANKRD11 (32%), or NOTCH2 (32%). WGS uncovered structural aberrations including 6q deletions (5/8 patients), which were subsequently validated by FISH (14/32 cases). Expanding on previous reports, we identified recurrent alterations in CCR6 (15%), DAPK1 (15%), TNFRSF21 (13%), CCR7 (11%), and YY1 (6%). Lastly, functional annotation of the mutational landscape by sequential gene set enrichment and network propagation predicted an effect on the nuclear factor κB (NFκB) pathway (CSNK2A2, CARD10), IL6/JAK/STAT (SOCS1/3, STAT3), and WNT signaling (FRAT1, SFRP5) alongside aberrations in immunological processes, such as interferon response. This first comprehensive description of EBV + DLBCL (NOS) tumors substantiates the evidence of its pathobiological independence and helps stratify the molecular taxonomy of aggressive lymphomas in the effort for future therapeutic strategies.

Single-cell analysis of structural variations and complex rearrangements with tri-channel processing.

Structural variation (SV), involving deletions, duplications, inversions and translocations of DNA segments, is a major source of genetic variability in somatic cells and can dysregulate cancer-related pathways. However, discovering somatic SVs in single cells has been challenging, with copy-number-neutral and complex variants typically escaping detection. Here we describe single-cell tri-channel processing (scTRIP), a computational framework that integrates read depth, template strand and haplotype phase to comprehensively discover SVs in individual cells. We surveyed SV landscapes of 565 single cells, including transformed epithelial cells and patient-derived leukemic samples, to discover abundant SV classes, including inversions, translocations and complex DNA rearrangements. Analysis of the leukemic samples revealed four times more somatic SVs than cytogenetic karyotyping, submicroscopic copy-number alterations, oncogenic copy-neutral rearrangements and a subclonal chromothripsis event. Advancing current methods, single-cell tri-channel processing can directly measure SV mutational processes in individual cells, such as breakage-fusion-bridge cycles, facilitating studies of clonal evolution, genetic mosaicism and SV formation mechanisms, which could improve disease classification for precision medicine.

Reversible disulfide bond formation of intracellular proteins probed by NMR spectroscopy.

Reversible oxidation of amino acids within intracellular proteins leads to local and/or global conformational changes in protein structure. Thus, the enzymatic activity or binding properties of a protein might be regulated by local changes in a cell's redox potential, mediated by the availability of reducing/oxidizing equivalents. Whereas it is well established that intracellular pools of oxidizable groups compensate for oxidative stress, far less is known about the molecular mechanisms that accompany transient and reversible oxidation of cytoplasmic proteins. Therefore, the intrinsic redox properties of proteins amenable to reversible oxidation need to be determined. Here we describe the application of NMR spectroscopy to derive the redox properties of intracellular proteins. As exemplified for thioredoxin 1, the Tnk-1 kinase SH3 domain, and the hSH3(N) domain of the T cell protein ADAP, the conformational changes associated with disulfide bond formation can be followed directly upon titration with different ratios of reduced to oxidized glutathione. Redox potentials can be measured accurately in homogeneous solutions and define the conditions under which regulatory oxidation of the respective protein may occur in the living cell.

House dust mite-specific immunotherapy with two licensed vaccines: Outcome under clinical routine conditions.

INTRODUCTION: House dust mite (HDM) allergens are major causes for the development of allergic diseases. A disease modifying effect and clinical benefit of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) has been demonstrated in a number of clinical trials. Clinical trials, however, are carried out in selected populations under specific conditions based on inclusion and exclusion criteria and may not represent the entire patient population from medical practice. Objective of this study conducted in patients with HDM allergy was to systematically collect information about the benefit of AIT under clinical routine conditions. METHODS: In this prospective, multi-center non-interventional study, 220 patients (117 adults, 103 children) with HDM allergy receiving subcutaneous AIT with Depigoid® were monitored for 2 years. Organ-specific key symptoms, health-related quality of life (QoL), and the use of concomitant anti-allergic medication were assessed at baseline and after 12 and 24 months. Effectiveness and tolerability of the AIT was assessed by physicians and patients. Occurrence of adverse events (AEs) was continuously monitored. RESULTS: Two hundred and nineteen patients (116 adults, 103 children) were evaluated. A major improvement of the total symptom-score was observed after 24 (12) months in 76% (72%) and 80% (79%) of adults and children, respectively, accompanied by a reduction in concomitant anti-allergic medication and a pronounced improvement in QoL. The effectiveness and tolerability of the AIT was estimated as very good/good by 80-90% of physicians and patients. AEs were observed in 4/117 adults (3.4%) and in 7/103 children (6.8%). Serious AEs were reported in three adults and one child: A grade-II anaphylactic reaction (one adult) controlled by oral antihistamines (no hospitalization) classified as "definitely," three others as not (2) or possibly (1) drug-related. CONCLUSIONS: The data collected from 220 patients confirm the efficacy, tolerability/safety, and acceptance of AIT with Depigoid® in adults and children with HDM allergy under routine clinical conditions.

Treatment of articular cartilage defects in horses with polymer-based cartilage tissue engineering grafts.

The objective of our study was to evaluate the integration of autologous cartilage tissue engineering transplants based on resorbable polyglactin/polydioxanone scaffolds into full-thickness cartilage defects of horses. Cartilage biopsies were taken from the non-load-bearing area of the lateral talus of the left tibiotarsal joint of eight healthy Haflinger horses. Tissue engineering cartilage transplants were generated by three-dimensional arrangement of autologous chondrocytes in biocompatible and resorbable polymer scaffolds. Full-thickness cartilage defects of 8 mm in diameter were created in the tubular bone condyle of the fetlock joint and cartilage grafts were fixed using an anchor system, while defects without grafting served as controls. After 6 and 12 months the repair tissue was evaluated histologically and showed formation of a cartilaginous tissue and good integration into the surrounding host tissue with firm bonding of the graft to the adjacent cartilage and the underlying subchondral bone. Biochemical analysis demonstrated that the content of glycosaminoglycans and hydroxyproline is comparable in repair tissue derived from treated and control defects. The use of three-dimensional autologous cartilage transplants based on resorbable polymer scaffolds ensures secure fixation, good integration of the graft into cartilage lesions, and is therefore suggested as a promising therapeutic option for the treatment of cartilage defects.

miRNAs in multiple myeloma--a survival relevant complex regulator of gene expression.

PURPOSE: microRNAs regulate gene-expression in biological and pathophysiological processes, including multiple myeloma. Here we address i) What are the number and magnitude of changes in miRNA-expression between normal plasma cells and myeloma- or MGUS-samples, and the latter two? ii) What is the biological relevance and how does miRNA-expression impact on gene-expression? iii) Is there a prognostic significance, and what is its background? EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Ninety-two purified myeloma-, MGUS-, normal plasma cell- and myeloma cell line-samples were investigated using miChip-arrays interrogating 559 human miRNAs. Impact on gene-expression was assessed by Affymetrix DNA-microarrays in two cohorts of myeloma patients (n = 677); chromosomal aberrations were assessed by iFISH, survival for 592 patients undergoing up-front high-dose chemotherapy. RESULTS: Compared to normal plasma cells, 67/559 miRNAs (12%) with fold changes of 4.6 to -3.1 are differentially expressed in myeloma-, 20 (3.6%) in MGUS-samples, and three (0.5%) between MGUS and myeloma. Expression of miRNAs is associated with proliferation, chromosomal aberrations, tumor mass, and gene expression-based risk-scores. This holds true for target-gene signatures of regulated mRNAs. miRNA-expression confers prognostic significance for event-free and overall survival, as do respective target-gene signatures. CONCLUSIONS: The myeloma-miRNome confers a pattern of small changes of individual miRNAs impacting on gene-expression, biological functions, and survival.

Intravenous immunoglobulin for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease: current evidence and considerations.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative form of dementia with increasing incidence rates in most countries. AD is characterized by amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brains of AD individuals accompanied by global neuronal loss. The peptide amyloid-ß (Aß) aggregates to amyloid plaques in AD brains. As a result, many therapeutic approaches target Aß. Human plasma and the plasma product intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) contain naturally-occurring anti-Aß antibodies (Nabs-Aß) that appear to reduce risks of developing AD. IVIG sequesters Aß and thus interferes with AD progression. This study reviews the role of different Aß species, Nabs-Aß, preclinical data, and clinical studies of IVIG as potential AD treatments. The focus of this study is the outcomes of a recent Gammaglobulin Alzheimer's Partnership Phase III trial that did not reach primary endpoints, as well as efforts to compare IVIG with current anti-Aß monoclonals such as bapineuzumab, solanezumab, and BIIB037. Moreover, this study critically examines current market and ethical consequences of potential off-label uses of IVIG, limits in IVIG supply, and subsequent challenges.

Redox-regulated conformational changes in an SH3 domain.

Oxidation-induced conformational changes in proteins provide a powerful mechanism to sense the redox state of a living cell. In contrast to the unspecific and often irreversible oxidation of intracellular proteins during severe oxidative stress, regulatory redox events need to have specific and transient effects on cellular targets. Here we present evidence for the reversible formation of a vicinal disulfide bond in a prototypic protein interaction domain. NMR spectroscopy was used to determine the structure of the N-terminal hSH3 domain (hSH3N) of the immune cell protein ADAP (adhesion and degranulation promoting adapter protein) in the reduced and oxidized states. An eight-membered ring formed upon oxidation of two neighboring cysteines leads to significant changes in the variable arginine-threonine (RT) loop of the hSH3N domain and alters the helix-sheet packing of the domain. The redox potential for this structural transition is -228 mV at pH 7.4. This is compatible with a role of the cysteinylcysteine moiety in redox signaling during T cell activation.

Relaxation, equilibrium oligomerization, and molecular symmetry of the VASP (336-380) EVH2 tetramer.

An investigation of the structural and dynamic properties of the C-terminal fragment of the human protein VASP (VASP 336-380) has been performed. Full length VASP has been shown to be tetrameric in solution, and the C-terminal 45 residues of the protein have been suggested to be responsible for the oligomerization. We have expressed and purified a C-terminal fragment of the human VASP protein from residue 336-380. It was found to form a stable domain in its own right. The fragment was shown by CD spectroscopy to form a helical structure, stable under a wide range of temperature and pH conditions. A (15)N-HSQC-experiment exhibits only one set of peaks, suggesting a high degree of symmetry for a putative oligomer. Measurements of the rotational correlation time tau(C) of the molecule and analytical ultracentrifugation data show VASP (336-380) to be entirely tetrameric in solution. The secondary structure was confirmed from a (15)N-NOESY-HSQC experiment and is completely alpha-helical. We conclude that VASP (336-380) forms a tetramer in solution via a coiled coil arrangement and is solely responsible for tetramerization of full-length VASP.

Design of N-substituted peptomer ligands for EVH1 domains.

Ena/VASP proteins are implicated in cytoskeletal reorganization during actin-dependent motility processes. Recruitment to subcellular sites of actin polymerization is mediated by the highly conserved N-terminal EVH1 domain, which interacts with target proteins containing proline-rich motifs. The VASP EVH1 domain specifically binds peptides with the consensus motif FPPPP present in all its binding partners, including the Listerial ActA protein. Previous studies have shown that the Phe and first and final Pro residues are highly conserved and cannot be substituted with any other natural amino acid without significant loss of binding affinity. We have incorporated peptoid building blocks (sarcosine derived, non-natural amino acids) into the peptide SFEFPPPPTEDEL from the Listerial ActA protein and were able to substitute the most highly conserved residues of this motif while maintaining binding to the VASP EVH1 domain with affinities in the range of 45-180 microm. We then used NMR chemical shift perturbations to locate specific domain residues involved in particular interactions. These studies may open up the way for designing selective modulators of VASP function for biological studies and for the development of novel therapeutics for diseases involving pathologically altered cell adhesion or cell motility.