Identification of a pyruvate-to-lactate signature in pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms.

OBJECTIVE: We used transcriptomic profiling and immunohistochemistry (IHC) to search for a functional imaging strategy to resolve common problems with morphological imaging of cystic neoplasms and benign cystic lesions of the pancreas. METHODS: Resected pancreatic cancer (n = 21) and normal pancreas were laser-capture micro-dissected, and transcripts were quantified by RNAseq. Functional imaging targets were validated at the protein level by IHC on a pancreatic adenocarcinoma tissue microarray and a newly created tissue microarray of resected intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) and IPMN-associated adenocarcinomas. RESULTS: Genes encoding proteins responsible for cellular import of pyruvate, export of lactate, and conversion of pyruvate to lactate were highly upregulated in pancreatic adenocarcinoma compared to normal pancreas. Strong expression of MCT4 and LDHA was observed by IHC in >90% of adenocarcinoma specimens. In IPMNs, the pyruvate-to-lactate signature was significantly elevated in high grade dysplasia (HGD) and IPMN-associated adenocarcinoma. Additionally, cores containing HGD and/or adenocarcinoma exhibited a higher number of peri-lesional stromal cells and a significant increase in peri-lesional stromal cell staining of LDHA and MCT4. Interestingly, the pyruvate-to-lactate signature was significantly upregulated in cores containing only low grade dysplasia (LGD) from patients with histologically confirmed IPMN-associated adenocarcinoma versus LGD cores from patients with non-invasive IPMNs. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest prospective studies with hyperpolarized [1-13C]-pyruvate magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging are warranted. If these IHC results translate to functional imaging findings, a positive pyruvate-to-lactate imaging signature might be a risk factor for invasion that would warrant resection of IPMNs in the absence of other worrisome features.

Evaluation of Posttreatment Follow-Up of Patients With Prostate Cancer Relative to the American College of Radiology's Appropriateness Criteria.

OBJECTIVE: The American College of Radiology (ACR) Appropriateness Criteria panel has recommended that patients with prostate cancer who have received treatment undergo imaging only after suspected cancer recurrence. We examined whether local physicians followed this recommendation and what types of imaging examinations were ordered in a cohort of patients with local prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Rochester Epidemiology Project, a research consortium that collects, links, and stores medical record information of Olmsted County, Minnesota, residents, was used to capture the complete medical history of treated patients with prostate cancer from 2000 through 2011. Clinical information and imaging examinations performed were retrieved by chart review. Suspected recurrence was defined as treatment-specific prostate-specific antigen level elevations, bone pain, or abnormal digital rectal examination findings. RESULTS: Of the 670 treated patients with prostate cancer who were included in the final analysis, 129 (19%) underwent posttreatment imaging. After excluding imaging related to retreatment or another cancer, 13 patients (i.e., 2% of the entire cohort and 10% of imaged patients) underwent imaging in the absence of suspected recurrence. A total of 90 patients (70% of imaged patients) underwent imaging after suspected recurrence. Of these 90 patients, 62 (69%) underwent a bone scan as their first imaging modality either alone or in combination with other imaging modalities. Of the providers who ordered a bone scan first, 27% were urologists, 23% were radiation oncologists, and 24% were primary care physicians. CONCLUSION: Most patients in this study did not undergo imaging in the absence of suspected recurrence. Various types of imaging examinations were ordered for patients with suspected recurrence.

Monitoring the initial delivery of an oncolytic measles virus encoding the human sodium iodide symporter to solid tumors using contrast-enhanced computed tomography.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to determine the feasibility of monitoring viral delivery and initial distribution to solid tumors using iodinated contrast agent and micro-computed tomography (CT). METHODS: Human BxPC-3 pancreatic tumor xenografts were established in nude mice. An oncolytic measles virus with an additional transcriptional unit encoding the sodium iodide symporter (NIS), as a reporter for viral infection, was mixed with a 1:10 dilution of Omnipaque 300 (GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI, USA) contrast agent and injected directly into tumors. Mice were imaged with micro-CT immediately before and after injection to determine the location of contrast agent/virus mixture. Mice were imaged again on day 3 after injection with micro-single-photon emission CT/CT to determine the location of NIS-mediated (99m) TcO(4) transport. RESULTS: A 1:10 dilution of Omnipaque had no effect on viral infectivity or cell viability in vitro and was more than adequate for CT imaging of the intratumoral injectate distribution. The volume of tumor coverage with initial CT contrast agent and the 3-day postinfection measurement of virally infected tumor volume were significantly correlated. Additionally, regions of the tumor that did not receive contrast agent from the initial injection were largely devoid of viral infection at early time points. CONCLUSIONS: Contrast-enhanced viral delivery enables a rapid and accurate prediction of the initial viral distribution within a solid tumor. This technique should enable real-time monitoring of viral propagation from initially infected tumor regions to adjacent tumor regions.

Radiation dose levels for interventional CT procedures.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine typical radiation dose levels to patients undergoing CT-guided interventional procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 571 patients undergoing CT interventional procedures were included in this retrospective data analysis study. Enrolled patients underwent one of five procedures: cryoablation, aspiration, biopsy, drain, or injection. With each procedure, two scan modes were used, either intermittent (no table increment) or helical mode. Skin dose was estimated from the volumetric CT dose index (CTDI(vol)) and phantom measurements. Effective dose was calculated by multiplying dose-length product (DLP) and conversion factor (k factor) for helical mode, and using Monte Carlo organ dose coefficients for intermittent mode. RESULTS: The mean (± SD) skin doses were 728 ± 382, 130 ± 104, 128 ± 81, 152 ± 105, and 195 ± 147 mGy, and the mean effective doses were 119.7 ± 50.3, 20.1 ± 11.0, 13.8 ± 9.2, 25.3 ± 15.4, and 9.1 ± 5.5 mSv for each of the five procedures, respectively. The maximum skin dose was 1.95 Gy. The mean effective dose across all procedure types was 24.1 mSv, with 2.3 mSv from intermittent scans and 21.8 mSv from helical scans. CONCLUSION: Substantial dose differences were observed among the five procedures. The risk of deterministic effects appears to be very low, because the maximum observed skin dose did not exceed the threshold for transient skin erythema (2 Gy). The average risk of stochastic effects was comparable to that of 1-10 abdomen and pelvis CT examinations. Although the intermittent mode can contribute substantially to skin dose, it contributes minimally to the effective dose because of the much shorter scan range used.

Sodium iodide symporter (NIS)-mediated radiovirotherapy for pancreatic cancer.

OBJECTIVE: We have previously shown the therapeutic efficacy of an engineered oncolytic measles virus expressing the sodium iodide symporter reporter gene (MV-NIS) in mice with human pancreatic cancer xenografts. The goal of this study was to determine the synergy between MV-NIS-induced oncolysis and NIS-mediated (131)I radiotherapy in this tumor model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Subcutaneous human BxPC-3 pancreatic tumors were injected twice with MV-NIS. Viral infection, NIS expression, and intratumoral iodide uptake were quantitated with (123)I micro-SPECT/CT. Mice with MV-NIS-infected tumors were treated with 0, 37, or 74 MBq (131)I and monitored for tumor progression and survival. Additional studies were performed with stable NIS-expressing tumors (BxPC-3-NIS) treated with 0, 3.7, 18.5, 37, or 74 MBq of (131)I. RESULTS: Mice treated with intratumoral MV-NIS exhibited significant tumor growth delay (p < 0.01) and prolonged survival (p = 0.02) compared with untreated mice. Synergy between MV-NIS-induced oncolysis and NIS-mediated (131)I ablation was not seen; however, a significant correlation was observed between NIS-mediated intratumoral iodide localization (% ID/g) and peak tumor volume reduction (p = 0.04) with combination MV-NIS and (131)I therapy. Stably transduced NIS-expressing BxPC-3 tumors exhibited rapid regression with > or = 18.5 MBq (131)I. CONCLUSION: Delivery of (131)I radiotherapy to NIS-expressing tumors can be optimized using micro-SPECT/CT imaging guidance. Significant hurdles exist for NIS as a therapeutic gene for combined radiovirotherapy in this human pancreatic cancer model. The lack of synergy observed with MV-NIS and (131)I in this model was not due to a lack of radiosensitivity but rather to a nonuniform intratumoral distribution of MV-NIS infection.

Concordant activity of transgene expression cassettes inserted into E1, E3 and E4 cloning sites in the adenovirus genome.

BACKGROUND: Expression cassettes can be inserted at several positions into recombinant adenoviral genomes but the implications of this choice for transgene expression level have not been determined. Knowledge of the relative expression levels of transgenes inserted at different sites in the adenoviral genome is of particular significance for transgene expression monitoring approaches that rely on the concordant expression of a marker transgene inserted elsewhere in the viral genome. METHODS: Three expression cassettes, each comprising a cytomegalovirus promoter driving one of three marker peptides [serum carcinoembryonic antigen (sCEA), beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (betahCG) or human sodium iodide symporter (hNIS)], were inserted into E1, E3 or E4 cloning sites in a recombinant adenoviral vector backbone. High titer stocks of bicistronic adenoviral vectors coding for combinations of marker peptides were prepared. A panel of human cells of various lineages was infected with the vectors and expression ratios of the transgene-encoded proteins were analysed. Serum levels of the soluble proteins and hepatic uptake of radioactive iodine were also compared in vivo in nude rats after intravenous vector infusion. RESULTS: High concordance of expression between the inserted transgenes was observed in all of the bicistronic vectors irrespective of whether the expression cassettes were placed in the E1, E3 or E4 regions. Concordance was maintained across multiple cell lineages. In vivo, in athymic rats, blood and urine levels of betahCG were highly concordant with serum levels of sCEA at all timepoints after intravenous infusion of the bicistronic vectors encoding both of these soluble markers. Hepatic radioiodine uptake was concordant with serum CEA concentration in mice infused with a bicistronic vector expressing CEA and NIS. CONCLUSIONS: The expression level of a given transgene in an adenoviral vector genome can be accurately and quantitatively inferred from the expression of a marker protein encoded by a second transgene inserted elsewhere in the vector genome.

Quantitative molecular imaging of viral therapy for pancreatic cancer using an engineered measles virus expressing the sodium-iodide symporter reporter gene.

OBJECTIVE: Our objectives were to, first, determine the oncolytic potential of an engineered measles virus expressing the sodium-iodide symporter gene (MV-NIS) for intratumoral (i.t.) therapy of pancreatic cancer and, second, evaluate NIS as a reporter gene for in vivo monitoring and quantitation of MV-NIS delivery, viral spread, and gene expression in this tumor model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cultured human pancreatic cancer cells were infected with MV-NIS. Light microscopy, cell viability, and iodide uptake assays were used to confirm viral infection and NIS gene expression and function in vitro. Human pancreatic tumor xenografts were established in mice and infected via i.t. MV-NIS injections. NIS-mediated i.t. iodide uptake was quantitated by (123)I micro-SPECT/CT. i.t. MV-NIS infection was confirmed by immunohistochemistry of excised pancreatic xenografts. The oncolytic efficacy of MV-NIS was determined by measurement of tumor growth and mouse survival. RESULTS: Infection of human pancreatic cancer cell lines with MV-NIS in vitro resulted in syncytia formation, marked iodide uptake, and ultimately cell death. Tumor xenografts infected with MV-NIS concentrated radioiodine, allowing serial quantitative imaging with (123)I micro-SPECT/CT. i.t. MV-NIS therapy of human pancreatic cancer xenografts resulted in a significant reduction in tumor volume and increased survival time of the treated mice compared with the control mice. CONCLUSION: MV-NIS efficiently infects human pancreatic tumor cells and results in sufficient radioiodine uptake to enable noninvasive serial imaging and quantitation of the intensity, distribution, and time course of NIS gene expression. MV-NIS also shows oncolytic activity in human pancreatic cancer xenografts: Tumor growth is reduced and survival is increased in mice treated with the virus.

Phase I trial of a pathotropic retroviral vector expressing a cytocidal cyclin G1 construct (Rexin-G) in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Rexin-G is a pathotropic retroviral vector displaying a von Willebrand factor-targeting motif and expressing a dominant negative cyclin G1 gene. We undertook a phase I trial of intravenous (i.v.) administration of Rexin-G in patients with gemcitabine refractory, metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Twelve patients were treated. Dose escalation was performed from a dose of 1 x 10(11) colony forming units (CFU) per cycle to 6 x 10(11) CFU per cycle. The treatment was well tolerated. One dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) at dose level 2 (1.5 x 10(11) CFU per cycle) was observed, consisting of grade 3 transaminitis. There was no detection of replication-competent virus in patients' peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) or viral integration in DNA obtained from PBMCs, and no development of neutralizing antibodies. No evidence of antitumor activity was observed. The best objective response was progressive disease in 11 of the 12 study patients, while 1 patient showed radiographically stable disease with clinical deterioration and increase in the CA19.9 tumor marker. Median time to progression was 32 days. The median duration of survival of the study patients was 3.5 months from treatment initiation. Rexin-G is well tolerated in doses up to 6 x 10(11) CFU in patients with recurrent pancreatic cancer, but there was no evidence of clinical antitumor activity.

Sodium iodide symporter (hNIS) permits molecular imaging of gene transduction in cardiac transplantation.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the feasibility of noninvasive micro-single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) imaging and quantification of cardiac gene expression after sodium iodide symporter (hNIS) gene transfer in cardiac transplantation. METHODS: Donor rat hearts were perfused ex vivo with adenovirus expressing hNIS (Ad-hNIS), Ad-Null, or University of Wisconsin (UW) solution prior to heterotopic transplantation into syngeneic recipients. In the first group of recipients, imaging of the transplanted hearts with micro-SPECT/CT on day 5 was followed by immediate explant of the organs for ex vivo analyses. Radioactivity counts in the explanted hearts were obtained ex vivo and expressed as a percentage of the injected dose per gram of tissue (%ID/g). Intensities of the SPECT images of the transplanted hearts were quantified and converted to radioactive counts using a standard equation. The second group of recipients was imaged sequentially after injection of I on days 2 to 14 after transplantation. RESULTS: Higher ex vivo radioiodine counts were noted in the hearts perfused with Ad-hNIS (1.04+/-0.2) compared to either the UW group (0.31+/-0.11, P<0.001) or the Ad-Null group (0.32+/-0.08, P<0.001). Image intensity in the Ad-NIS group (0.9+/-0.2) was also significantly higher than in the UW group (0.4+/-.03, P=0.003) or the Ad-Null group (0.5+/-0.1, P<0.05). Sequential imaging of Ad-NIS-perfused hearts between postoperative days 2 and 14 revealed peak image intensity at day 5. Overall, image intensities correlated with ex vivo counts of radioactivity (rho=0.74, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that hNIS gene transfer permits sequential real-time detection and quantification of reporter gene expression in the transplanted heart with micro-SPECT/CT imaging.

Small animal absorbed radiation dose from serial micro-computed tomography imaging.

PURPOSE: To determine the radiation dose to mouse cancer xenografts from serial micro-computed tomography (CT) examinations. PROCEDURES: A nude mouse with a 15-mm subcutaneous pancreatic cancer xenograft in the rightflank was used. Radiation exposure to the subcutaneous tumor and the mouse pancreas (to simulate an orthotopic pancreatic tumor model) was measured using lithium fluoride thermoluminescent dosimeters. Ultrafast micro-CT was performed using 80 kVp, 0.26 mA, 0.156 mm slice thickness, 256 slices, 0.7 mm Al filtration, and 60-second image acquisition time (15 mA second). Micro-CT imaging acquisitions were repeated four times. RESULTS: We measured consistently low tumor doses (0.014 to 0.02 Gy; average=0.017 Gy) per scan. Orthotopic doses in the region of the pancreas were also consistently low (0.014 to 0.018 Gy; average=0.016 Gy) per scan. CONCLUSIONS: Radiation doses delivered during ultrafast micro-CT serial imaging in the mouse are low and are likely below the threshold to affect tumor growth.

In vivo quantitation of intratumoral radioisotope uptake using micro-single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography.

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to determine the ability of micro-single photon emission computed tomography (micro-SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) to accurately quantitate intratumoral radioisotope uptake in vivo and to compare these measurements with planar imaging and micro-SPECT imaging alone. PROCEDURES: Human pancreatic cancer xenografts were established in 10 mice. Intratumoral radioisotope uptake was achieved via intratumoral injection of an attenuated measles virus vector expressing the NIS gene (MV-NIS). On various days after MV-NIS injection, (123)I planar and micro-SPECT/CT imaging was performed. Tumor activity was determined by dose calibrator measurements and region-of-interest (ROI) image analysis. Agreement and reproducibility of tumor activity measurements were assessed by Bland-Altman plots and Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (CCC). RESULTS: Intratumoral radioisotope uptake was detected in all mice. Scatterplots demonstrate strong agreement (CCC = 0.93) between micro-SPECT/CT ROI image analysis and dose calibrator tumor activity measurements. The differences between dose calibrator activity measurements and those obtained with ROI image analysis of micro-SPECT alone and planar imaging are less accurate and more variable (CCC = 0.84 and 0.78, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Micro-SPECT/CT can be used to accurately quantify intratumoral radioisotope uptake in vivo and is more reliable than planar or micro-SPECT imaging alone.

Transcriptomic and Immunohistochemical Profiling of SLC6A14 in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

We used a target-centric strategy to identify transporter proteins upregulated in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) as potential targets for a functional imaging probe to complement existing anatomical imaging approaches. We performed transcriptomic profiling (microarray and RNASeq) on histologically confirmed primary PDAC tumors and normal pancreas tissue from 33 patients, including five patients whose tumors were not visible on computed tomography. Target expression was confirmed with immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays from 94 PDAC patients. The best imaging target identified was SLC6A14 (a neutral and basic amino acid transporter). SLC6A14 was overexpressed at the transcriptional level in all patients and expressed at the protein level in 95% of PDAC tumors. Very little is known about the role of SLC6A14 in PDAC and our results demonstrate that this target merits further investigation as a candidate transporter for functional imaging of PDAC.

Diseases of the cecum: a CT pictorial review.

Cecal pathology is commonly encountered and may represent a diagnostic challenge in patients with either acute or chronic clinical presentations. Although appendicitis accounts for the majority of surgical conditions presenting with right lower quadrant pain, readers should be aware of the broad spectrum of cecal pathologies and characteristic CT findings, which can be useful in establishing the correct diagnosis.

An investigation into false-negative transthoracic fine needle aspiration and core biopsy specimens.

Transthoracic fine needle aspiration (TFNA)/core needle biopsy (CNB) under computed tomography (CT) guidance has proved useful in the assessment of pulmonary nodules. We sought to determine the TFNA false-negative (FN) rate at our institution and identify potential causes of FN diagnoses. Medical records were reviewed from 1,043 consecutive patients who underwent CT-guided TFNA with or without CNB of lung nodules over a 5-year time period (2003-2007). Thirty-seven FN cases of "negative" TFNA/CNB with malignant outcome were identified with 36 cases available for review, of which 35 had a corresponding CNB. Cases were reviewed independently (blinded to original diagnosis) by three pathologists with 15 age- and sex-matched positive and negative controls. Diagnosis (i.e., nondiagnostic, negative or positive for malignancy, atypical or suspicious) and qualitative assessments were recorded. Consensus diagnosis was suspicious or positive in 10 (28%) of 36 TFNA cases and suspicious in 1 (3%) of 35 CNB cases, indicating potential interpretive errors. Of the 11 interpretive errors (including both suspicious and positive cases), 8 were adenocarcinomas, 1 squamous cell carcinoma, 1 metastatic renal cell carcinoma, and 1 lymphoma. The remaining 25 FN cases (69.4%) were considered sampling errors and consisted of 7 adenocarcinomas, 3 nonsmall cell carcinomas, 3 lymphomas, 2 squamous cell carcinomas, and 2 renal cell carcinomas. Interpretive and sampling error cases were more likely to abut the pleura, while histopathologically, they tended to be necrotic and air-dried. The overall FN rate in this patient cohort is 3.5% (1.1% interpretive and 2.4% sampling errors).

Neutralization capacity of measles virus H protein specific IgG determines the balance between antibody-enhanced infectivity and protection in microglial cells.

Neutralizing antibodies directed against measles virus (MV) surface glycoproteins prevent viral attachment and entry through the natural receptors. H protein specific IgG can enhance MV infectivity in macrophages via Fcγ receptor (FcγR)-dependent mechanism. H-specific IgM, anti-F antibodies and complement cascade activation are protective against antibody-mediated enhancement of MV infection. However, protective role of anti-H IgG against antibody-enhanced infection is not well understood. Here we designed a set of experiments to test the protective effect of H-specific IgG against FcγR-mediated infection in microglial cells. Microglial cells are also potential target of the antibody-mediated enhancement and spread of MV infection in the central nervous system. A partially neutralizing IgG monoclonal antibody (MAb) CL55, specific for MV H protein, at 10 µg/ml enhanced MV infection in mouse microglial cells by 13-14-fold. Infection-enhancing antibody concentrations induced large multinucleated syncytia formation 48-72 h post-inoculation. We generated anti-H IgG MAb 20H6 with a strong neutralization capacity >1:80,000 at 1mg/ml concentration in MV plaque-reduction neutralization assay. In contrast to the partially protective MAb CL55, enhancement of MV infectivity by MAb 20H6 required dilutions below the 1:120 serum titer considered protective against measles infection in humans. At a concentration of 10 µg/ml MAb 20H6 exhibited a dominant protective effect and prevented MAb CL55-mediated enhancement of MV infection and virus-mediated fusion. These results indicate that neutralization capacity of the H-specific IgG determines the balance between antibody enhancement and protection against MV infection in microglial cells.

The sodium iodide symporter (NIS) as an imaging reporter for gene, viral, and cell-based therapies.

Preclinical and clinical tomographic imaging systems increasingly are being utilized for non-invasive imaging of reporter gene products to reveal the distribution of molecular therapeutics within living subjects. Reporter gene and probe combinations can be employed to monitor vectors for gene, viral, and cell-based therapies. There are several reporter systems available; however, those employing radionuclides for positron emission tomography (PET) or singlephoton emission computed tomography (SPECT) offer the highest sensitivity and the greatest promise for deep tissue imaging in humans. Within the category of radionuclide reporters, the thyroidal sodium iodide symporter (NIS) has emerged as one of the most promising for preclinical and translational research. NIS has been incorporated into a remarkable variety of viral and non-viral vectors in which its functionality is conveniently determined by in vitro iodide uptake assays prior to live animal imaging. This review on the NIS reporter will focus on 1) differences between endogenous NIS and heterologously-expressed NIS, 2) qualitative or comparative use of NIS as an imaging reporter in preclinical and translational gene therapy, oncolytic viral therapy, and cell trafficking research, and 3) use of NIS as an absolute quantitative reporter.

Development of monoclonal antibody-based immunoassays for detection of Helicobacter pylori neutrophil-activating protein.

Neutrophil-activating protein (NAP) is a major virulence factor expressed by Helicobacter pylori isolates associated with severe chronic gastroduodenal inflammation and peptic ulcers. NAP is one of the main protective antigens and a target for vaccine development against Helicobacter infection. In addition, NAP is a potent immune stimulator with potential application as a general vaccine adjuvant and in treatment of allergic diseases and cancer immunotherapy. NAP-specific immunoassays are needed for both H. pylori diagnostics and characterization of NAP-based vaccines and immunomodulatory preparations. We generated a panel of NAP-specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) by immunization of BALB/c mice with synthetic NAP peptides. The antibody reactivity against recombinant or native NAP antigen was characterized by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunoblotting and immunofluorescence. A sensitive capture ELISA was developed using MAbs 23C8 and 16F4 (directed against different NAP epitopes) for detection of native or measles virus (MV) vector-expressed recombinant NAP in a concentration range of 4 ng/ml to 2000 ng/ml. MAb 23C8 antigen-binding depends on Tyr101 in a variable amino acid sequence of the NAP molecule, indicating the existence of antigenic variants among H. pylori strains. MAb 16F4 reacted with NAP from different H. pylori strains and was a sensitive tool for detection of small amounts of isolated NAP antigen or whole bacteria by immunoblotting or immunofluorescence. In conclusion, MAb-based immunoassays are highly specific and sensitive for detection of native NAP antigen and recombinant NAP immunostimulatory transgenes expressed by replication competent virus vectors.

Evolution of transthoracic fine needle aspiration and core needle biopsy practice: A comparison of two time periods, 1996-1998 and 2003-2005.

To examine the performance of our large pulmonary transthoracic fine needle aspiration/core biopsy (FNA/CB) practice over time, we performed a retrospective analysis of data from 333 consecutive procedures performed in 1996-1998 and 568 consecutive procedures performed in 2003-2005. Fluoroscopic guidance was performed more frequently in the earlier cohort, while a larger majority of procedures in the later cohort were by computed tomography (CT-guidance). A follow-up histologic diagnosis of cancer or clinical evidence of disease was considered the gold-standard. FNA/CB procedures during the later time period were performed on smaller lesions overall (3.60 cm versus 2.97 cm; P = 0.003) and malignant lesions also tended to be smaller (3.87 cm versus 3.14 cm; P = 0.006). Minimal improvements in sensitivity (94% versus 91%), specificity (99% versus 95%), diagnostic accuracy (95% versus 92%), negative predictive value (NPV) (80% versus 74%), and positive predictive value (PPV) (100% versus 99%) were noted during 2003-2005 when compared with 1996-1998 in all lesions. Larger improvements in sensitivity (94% versus 73%), diagnostic accuracy (95% versus 79%), and NPV (79% versus 50%) were identified in very small lesions (<1 cm) in the later patient cohort in comparison to the earlier patient cohort, as well as a significant decrease in total procedure complications. CT-guided transthoracic FNA/CB continues to be a very effective tool in our practice assessing lung lesions and performance has improved considerably at our institution for very small lesions.

Safety studies on intrahepatic or intratumoral injection of oncolytic vesicular stomatitis virus expressing interferon-beta in rodents and nonhuman primates.

Toxicology studies were performed in rats and rhesus macaques to establish a safe starting dose for intratumoral injection of an oncolytic vesicular stomatitis virus expressing human interferon-beta (VSV-hIFNbeta) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). No adverse events were observed after administration of 7.59 x 10(9) TCID(50) (50% tissue culture infective dose) of VSV-hIFNbeta into the left lateral hepatic lobe of Harlan Sprague Dawley rats. Plasma alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase levels increased and platelet counts decreased in the virus-treated animals on days 1 and 2 but returned to pretreatment levels by day 4. VSV-hIFNbeta was also injected into normal livers or an intrahepatic McA-RH7777 HCC xenograft established in Buffalo rats. Buffalo rats were more sensitive to neurotoxic effects of VSV; the no observable adverse event level (NOAEL) of VSV-hIFNbeta in Buffalo rats was 10(7) TCID(50). Higher doses were associated with fatal neurotoxicity and infectious virus was recovered from tumor and brain. Compared with VSV-hIFNbeta, toxicity of VSV-rIFNbeta (recombinant VSV expressing rat IFN-beta) was greatly diminished in Buffalo rats (NOAEL, >10(10) TCID(50)). Two groups of two adult male rhesus macaques received 10(9) or 10(10) TCID(50) of VSV-hIFNbeta injected directly into the left hepatic lobe under computed tomographic guidance. No neurological signs were observed at any time point. No abnormalities (hematology, clinical chemistry, body weights, behavior) were seen and all macaques developed neutralizing anti-VSV antibodies. Plasma interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and hIFN-beta remained below detection levels by ELISA. On the basis of these studies, we will be proposing a cautious approach to dose escalation in a phase I clinical trial among patients with HCC.