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Oral diseases encompassing conditions such as oral cancer, periodontitis, and endodontic infections pose significant challenges due to the oral cavity's susceptibility to pathogenic bacteria and infectious agents. Saliva, a key component of the oral environment, can compromise drug efficacy during oral disease treatment by diluting drug formulations and reducing drug-site interactions. Thus, it is imperative to develop effective drug delivery methods. Stimuli-responsive nanocomposite hydrogels offer a promising solution by adapting to changes in environmental conditions during disease states, thereby enabling targeted drug delivery. These smart drug delivery systems have the potential to enhance drug efficacy, minimize adverse reactions, reduce administration frequency, and improve patient compliance, thus facilitating a faster recovery. This review explores various types of stimuli-responsive nanocomposite hydrogels tailored for smart drug delivery, with a specific focus on their applications in managing oral diseases.
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OBJECTIVE: No direct comparisons of the effect of natalizumab and ocrelizumab on progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) and relapse-associated worsening (RAW) events are currently available. We aimed to compare the risk of achieving first 6 months confirmed PIRA and RAW events and irreversible Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 4.0 and 6.0 in a cohort of naïve patients treated with natalizumab or ocrelizumab from the Italian Multiple Sclerosis Register. METHODS: Patients with a first visit within 1 year from onset, treated with natalizumab or ocrelizumab, and ≥3 visits were extracted. Pairwise propensity score-matched analyses were performed. Risk of reaching the first PIRA, RAW, and EDSS 4.0 and 6.0 events were estimated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to show cumulative probabilities of reaching outcomes. RESULTS: In total, 770 subjects were included (natalizumab = 568; ocrelizumab = 212) and the propensity score-matching retrieved 195 pairs. No RAW events were found in natalizumab group and only 1 was reported in ocrelizumab group. A first PIRA event was reached by 23 natalizumab and 25 ocrelizumab exposed patients; 7 natalizumab- and 10 ocrelizumab-treated patients obtained an irreversible EDSS 4.0, while 13 natalizumab- and 15 ocrelizumab-treated patients reached an irreversible EDSS 6.0. No differences between the two groups were found in the risk (HR, 95%CI) of reaching a first PIRA (1.04, 0.59-1.84; p = 0.88) event, an irreversible EDSS 4.0 (1.23, 0.57-2.66; p = 0.60) and 6.0 (0.93, 0.32-2.68; p = 0.89). INTERPRETATION: Both medications strongly suppress RAW events and, in the short term, the risk of achieving PIRA events, EDSS 4.0 and 6.0 milestones is not significantly different.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized , Disease Progression , Immunologic Factors , Natalizumab , Humans , Natalizumab/adverse effects , Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/adverse effects , Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/pharmacology , Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/administration & dosage , Female , Male , Adult , Immunologic Factors/adverse effects , Immunologic Factors/pharmacology , Immunologic Factors/administration & dosage , Middle Aged , Multiple Sclerosis/drug therapy , Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting/drug therapy , Registries , ItalyABSTRACT
Spin-orbit coupling in nanoscale optical fields leads to the emergence of a nontrivial spin angular momentum component, transverse to the orbital momentum. In this study, we initially investigate how this spin-orbit coupling effect influences the dynamics in gold monomers. We observe that localized surface plasmon resonance induces self-generated transverse spin, affecting the trajectory of the nanoparticles as a function of the incident polarization. Furthermore, we investigate the spin-orbit coupling in gold dimers. The resonant spin momentum distribution is characterized by the unique formation of vortex and anti-vortex spin angular momentum pairs on opposite surfaces of the nanoparticles, also affecting the particle motion. These findings hold promise for various fields, particularly for the precision control in the development of plasmonic thrusters and the development of metasurfaces and other helicity-controlled system aspects. They offer a method for the development of novel systems and applications in the realm of spin optics.
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Noonan syndrome (NS) is a genetic disorder characterized by multiple congenital defects caused by mutations in the RAS/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. Male fertility has been reported to be impaired in NS, but only a few studies have focused on fertility status in NS patients and underlying mechanisms are still incompletely understood. We describe the case of a 35-year-old man who underwent an andrological evaluation due to erectile dysfunction and severe oligospermia. A syndromic facial appearance and reduced testis size were present on clinical examination. Hormonal evaluation showed normal total testosterone level, high FSH level, and low-normal AMH and inhibin B, compatible with primary Sertoli cell dysfunction. Genetic analysis demonstrated the pathogenetic heterozygous variant c.742G>A, p.(Gly248Arg) of the LZTR1 gene (NM_006767.3). This case report provides increased knowledge on primary gonadal dysfunction in men with NS and enriches the clinical spectrum of NS from a rare variant in the novel gene LZTR1.
Subject(s)
Noonan Syndrome , Humans , Male , Noonan Syndrome/genetics , Noonan Syndrome/complications , Adult , Transcription Factors/genetics , Erectile Dysfunction/genetics , Oligospermia/genetics , Infertility, Male/genetics , MutationABSTRACT
The adaptor protein 4 (AP-4) constitutes a conserved hetero-tetrameric complex within the family of adaptor protein (AP) complex, crucial for the signal-mediated trafficking of integral membrane proteins. Mutations affecting all subunits of the AP-4 complex have been linked to autosomal-recessive cerebral palsy and a complex hereditary spastic paraparesis (HSP) phenotype. Our report details the case of a 14-year-old boy born to consanguineous parents, presenting psychomotor delay, severe intellectual disability, microcephaly, and trigonocephaly. Despite a history of febrile seizures, subsequent years were devoid of seizures, with normal EEG. Exome sequencing revealed pathogenic variants in both the AP4B1 and ERF genes. Significantly, the patient exhibited features associated with AP4B1 mutations, including distinctive traits such as cranial malformations. The ERF gene variant, linked to craniosynostosis, likely contributes to the observed trigonocephaly. This case represents the initial documentation of a concurrent mutation in the AP4B1 and ERF genes, underscoring the critical role of exome analysis in unraveling complex phenotypes. Understanding these complex genotypes offers valuable insights into broader syndromic conditions, facilitating comprehensive patient management.
Subject(s)
Adaptor Protein Complex 4 , Mutation , Peptide Termination Factors , Phenotype , Repressor Proteins , Humans , Male , Adolescent , Peptide Termination Factors/genetics , Adaptor Protein Complex 4/genetics , Intellectual Disability/genetics , Intellectual Disability/pathology , Exome Sequencing , Microcephaly/genetics , Microcephaly/pathology , Craniosynostoses/genetics , Craniosynostoses/pathologyABSTRACT
Alexander disease (AxD) is a rare inherited autosomal dominant (AD) disease with different clinical phenotypes according to the age of onset. It is caused by mutations in the glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) gene, which causes GFAP accumulation in astrocytes. A wide spectrum of mutations has been described. For some variants, genotype-phenotype correlations have been described, although variable expressivity has also been reported in late-onset cases among members of the same family. We present the case of a 19-year-old girl who developed gait ataxia and subtle involuntary movements, preceded by a history of enuresis and severe scoliosis. Her mother has been affected by ataxia since her childhood, which was then complicated by pyramidal signs and heavily worsened through the years. Beyond her mother, no other known relatives suffered from neurologic syndromes. The scenario was further complicated by a complex brain and spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) pattern in both mother and daughter. However, the similar clinical phenotype made an inherited cause highly probable. Both AD and autosomal recessive (AR) ataxic syndromes were considered, lacking a part of the proband's pedigree, but no causative genetic alterations were found. Considering the strong suspicion for an inherited condition, we performed clinical exome sequencing (CES), which analyzes more than 4,500 genes associated with diseases. CES evidenced the new heterozygous missense variant c.260 T > A in exon 1 of the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) gene (NM_002055.4), which causes the valine to aspartate amino acid substitution at codon 87 (p. Val87Asp) in the GFAP. The same heterozygous variant was detected in her mother. This mutation has never been described before in the literature. This case should raise awareness for this rare and under-recognized disease in juvenile-adult cases.
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Despite its widespread use in clinical practice, the effectiveness of natalizumab extended interval dosing (EID) adopted from treatment start across different treatment intervals and individual modifiers (body mass index - BMI) is still under-investigated. Here, seven-hundred and forty-five multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, exposed to natalizumab for 3.30 â± â1.34 years, were retrospectively enrolled in an observational multicenter study. After stratifying patients in EID or standard interval dosing (SID), we assessed differences in time to relapse, MRI activity and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) progression. The primary analysis was conducted on patients exposed to EID interval from 5 weeks and 1 day to 7 weeks, while a secondary analysis included also EID periods up to 8 weeks. An additional analysis explored the impact of BMI. No differences in time to first relapse, time to radiological activity, time to EDSS progression or time to EDA (evidence of disease activity) were detected between SID and EID group (EID interval from 5 weeks to 1 day to 7 weeks). When including EID periods from 7 weeks and 1 day to 8 weeks, the EID group showed a trend towards higher risk of experience clinical relapses than the SID group. A higher EDA risk was also identified in EID patients with BMI above median. In conclusion, a higher risk of relapses seems to occur for EID above 7 weeks. Independently from the EID scheme adopted, higher BMI increases the risk of EDA in these patients.
Subject(s)
Body Mass Index , Natalizumab , Humans , Natalizumab/therapeutic use , Natalizumab/administration & dosage , Female , Male , Adult , Retrospective Studies , Italy/epidemiology , Middle Aged , Multiple Sclerosis/drug therapy , Immunologic Factors/therapeutic use , Immunologic Factors/administration & dosage , Treatment Outcome , Disease Progression , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methodsABSTRACT
Photonic bound states in the continuum (BICs), embedded in the spectrum of free-space waves1,2 with diverging radiative quality factor, are topologically non-trivial dark modes in open-cavity resonators that have enabled important advances in photonics3,4. However, it is particularly challenging to achieve maximum near-field enhancement, as this requires matching radiative and non-radiative losses. Here we propose the concept of supercritical coupling, drawing inspiration from electromagnetically induced transparency in near-field coupled resonances close to the Friedrich-Wintgen condition2. Supercritical coupling occurs when the near-field coupling between dark and bright modes compensates for the negligible direct far-field coupling with the dark mode. This enables a quasi-BIC field to reach maximum enhancement imposed by non-radiative loss, even when the radiative quality factor is divergent. Our experimental design consists of a photonic-crystal nanoslab covered with upconversion nanoparticles. Near-field coupling is finely tuned at the nanostructure edge, in which a coherent upconversion luminescence enhanced by eight orders of magnitude is observed. The emission shows negligible divergence, narrow width at the microscale and controllable directivity through input focusing and polarization. This approach is relevant to various physical processes, with potential applications for light-source development, energy harvesting and photochemical catalysis.
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BACKGROUND: The increasing knowledge about multiple sclerosis (MS) pathophysiology has reinforced the need for an improved description of disease phenotypes, connected to disease biology. Growing evidence indicates that complex diseases constitute phenotypical and genetic continuums with "simple," monogenic disorders, suggesting shared pathomechanisms. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to depict a novel MS phenotypical framework leveraging shared physiopathology with Mendelian diseases and to identify phenotype-specific candidate drugs. METHODS: We performed an enrichment testing of MS-associated variants with Mendelian disorders genes. We defined a "MS-Mendelian network," further analyzed to define enriched phenotypic subnetworks and biological processes. Finally, a network-based drug screening was implemented. RESULTS: Starting from 617 MS-associated loci, we showed a significant enrichment of monogenic diseases (p < 0.001). We defined an MS-Mendelian molecular network based on 331 genes and 486 related disorders, enriched in four phenotypic classes: neurologic, immunologic, metabolic, and visual. We prioritized a total of 503 drugs, of which 27 molecules active in 3/4 phenotypical subnetworks and 140 in subnetwork pairs. CONCLUSION: The genetic architecture of MS contains the seeds of pathobiological multiplicities shared with immune, neurologic, metabolic and visual monogenic disorders. This result may inform future classifications of MS endophenotypes and support the development of new therapies in both MS and rare diseases.
Subject(s)
Multiple Sclerosis , Humans , Phenotype , Genome-Wide Association Study , Genetic Predisposition to DiseaseSubject(s)
Aneurysm, Infected , Endocarditis, Bacterial , Endocarditis , Heart Valve Diseases , Humans , Heart VentriclesABSTRACT
Importance: Although up to 20% of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience onset before 18 years of age, it has been suggested that people with pediatric-onset MS (POMS) are protected against disability because of greater capacity for repair. Objective: To assess the incidence of and factors associated with progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) and relapse-associated worsening (RAW) in POMS compared with typical adult-onset MS (AOMS) and late-onset MS (LOMS). Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study on prospectively acquired data from the Italian MS Register was performed from June 1, 2000, to September 30, 2021. At the time of data extraction, longitudinal data from 73â¯564 patients from 120 MS centers were available in the register. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcomes included age-related cumulative incidence and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for PIRA and RAW and associated factors. Exposures: Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging features, time receiving disease-modifying therapy (DMT), and time to first DMT. Results: After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the study assessed 16 130 patients with MS (median [IQR] age at onset, 28.7 [22.8-36.2 years]; 68.3% female). Compared with AOMS and LOMS, patients with POMS had less disability, exhibited more active disease, and were exposed to DMT for a longer period. A first 48-week-confirmed PIRA occurred in 7176 patients (44.5%): 558 patients with POMS (40.4%), 6258 patients with AOMS (44.3%), and 360 patients with LOMS (56.8%) (P < .001). Factors associated with PIRA were older age at onset (AOMS vs POMS HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.30-1.55; LOMS vs POMS HR, 2.98; 95% CI, 2.60-3.41; P < .001), longer disease duration (HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.04-1.05; P < .001), and shorter DMT exposure (HR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.64-0.74; P < .001). The incidence of PIRA was 1.3% at 20 years of age, but it rapidly increased approximately 7 times between 21 and 30 years of age (9.0%) and nearly doubled for each age decade from 40 to 70 years (21.6% at 40 years, 39.0% at 50 years, 61.0% at 60 years, and 78.7% at 70 years). The cumulative incidence of RAW events followed a similar trend from 20 to 60 years (0.5% at 20 years, 3.5% at 30 years, 7.8% at 40 years, 14.4% at 50 years, and 24.1% at 60 years); no further increase was found at 70 years (27.7%). Delayed DMT initiation was associated with higher risk of PIRA (HR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.00-1.34; P = .04) and RAW (HR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.28-2.39; P = .001). Conclusions and Relevance: PIRA can occur at any age, and although pediatric onset is not fully protective against progression, this study's findings suggest that patients with pediatric onset are less likely to exhibit PIRA over a decade of follow-up. However, these data also reinforce the benefit for DMT initiation in patients with POMS, as treatment was associated with reduced occurrence of both PIRA and RAW regardless of age at onset.
Subject(s)
Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting , Multiple Sclerosis , Adult , Child , Humans , Female , Male , Multiple Sclerosis/diagnostic imaging , Multiple Sclerosis/epidemiology , Cohort Studies , Disease Progression , Chronic Disease , Recurrence , Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting/diagnostic imaging , Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting/drug therapy , Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting/epidemiologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Active relapsing-remitting (RR) and secondary progressive (SP) multiple sclerosis (MS) are currently defined as "relapsing MS" (RMS). The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess drivers of treatment switches due to clinical relapses in a population of RMS patients collected in the Italian MS and Related Disorders Register (I-MS&RD). METHODS: RRMS and SPMS patients with at least one relapse in a time window of 2 years before of data extraction were defined as RMS. Factors associated with disease-modifying therapy (DMT) switching due to clinical activity were assessed through multivariable logistic regression models in which treatment exposure was included as the last recorded DMT and the last DMT's class [moderate-efficacy (ME), high-efficacy (HE) DMTs and anti-CD20 drugs]. RESULTS: A cohort of 4739 RMS patients (4161 RRMS, 578 SPMS) was extracted from the I-MS&RD. A total of 2694 patients switching DMTs due to relapses were identified. Switchers were significantly (p < 0.0001) younger, less disabled, more frequently affected by an RR disease course in comparison to non-switcher patients. The multivariable logistic regression models showed that Alemtuzumab (OR 0.08, 95% CI 0.02-0.37), Natalizumab (0.48, 0.30-0.76), Ocrelizumab (0.1, 0.02-0.45) and Rituximab (0.23, 0.06-0.82) exposure was a protective factor against treatment switch due to relapses. Moreover, the use of HE DMTs (0.43, 0.31-0.59), especially anti-CD20 drugs (0.14, 0.05-0.37), resulted to be a protective factor against treatment switch due to relapses in comparison with ME DMTs. CONCLUSIONS: More than 50% of RMS switched therapy due to disease activity. HE DMTs, especially anti-CD20 drugs, significantly reduce the risk of treatment switch.
Subject(s)
Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive , Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting , Multiple Sclerosis , Humans , Multiple Sclerosis/drug therapy , Immunologic Factors/therapeutic use , Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting/drug therapy , Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting/epidemiology , Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting/chemically induced , Cross-Sectional Studies , Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive/drug therapy , Recurrence , Italy/epidemiologyABSTRACT
The aim of this case series and narrative literature review is to highlight the importance of multimodal imaging in the ophthalmological examination of patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 and provide a summary of the most relevant imaging techniques. Three patients with SCA7 were included in this case series. A literature review revealed twenty-one publications regarding ocular manifestations of SCA7, and the most relevant aspects are summarized. The role of different imaging techniques in the follow-up of SCA7 patients is analyzed, including color vision testing, corneal endothelial topography, color fundus photography (CFP) and autofluorescence, near infrared reflectance imaging, spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT), visual field examination, and electrophysiological tests. SDOCT provides a rapid and non-invasive imaging evaluation of disease progression over time. Additional examination including NIR imaging can provide further information on photoreceptor alteration and subtle disruption of the RPE, which are not evident with CFP at an early stage. Electrophysiological tests provide essential results on the state of cone and rod dystrophy, which could be paramount in guiding future genetic therapies. Multimodal imaging is a valuable addition to comprehensive ophthalmological examination in the diagnosis and management of patients with SCA7.
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DICER1 syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that predisposes patients to the development of malignant and non-malignant diseases. Presently, DICER1 syndrome diagnosis still occurs late, usually following surgical operations, affecting patients' outcomes, especially for further neoplasms, which are entailed in this syndrome. For this reason, herein we present a multicenter report of DICER1 syndrome, with the prospective aim of enhancing post-surgical surveillance. A cohort of seven patients was collected among the surgical registries of Pediatric Surgery at the University of Pisa with the General and Oncologic Surgery of Federico II, University of Naples, and the Pediatric Surgery, Regina Margherita Hospital, University of Turin. In each case, the following data were analyzed: sex, age at diagnosis, age at first surgery, clinical features, familial, genetic investigations, and follow-up. A comprehensive literature review of DICER1 cases, including case reports and multicenter studies published from 1996 to June 2022, was performed. Eventually, the retrieved data from the literature were compared with the data emerging from our cohort of patients.
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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The overall disability in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis is likely to be partly rather than entirely attributed to relapse. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The aim was to investigate the determinants of recovery from first relapse and relapse-associated worsening (RAW) in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients from the Italian MS Registry during a 5-year epoch from the beginning of first-line disease-modifying therapy. To determine recovery, the functional system (FS) score was used to calculate the difference between the score on the date of maximum improvement and the score before the onset of relapse. Incomplete recovery was defined as a combination of partial (1 point in one FS) and poor recovery (2 points in one FS or 1 point in two FSs or any other higher combination). RAW was indicated by a confirmed disability accumulation measured by the Expanded Disability Status Scale score confirmed 6 months after the first relapse. RESULTS: A total of 767 patients had at least one relapse within 5 years of therapy. Of these patients, 57.8% experienced incomplete recovery. Age (odds ratio [OR] 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.04; p = 0.007) and pyramidal phenotype were associated with incomplete recovery (OR = 2.1, 95% CI 1.41-3.14; p < 0.001). RAW was recorded in 179 (23.3%) patients. Age (OR = 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.04; p = 0.029) and pyramidal phenotype (OR = 1.84, 95% CI 1.18-2.88; p = 0.007) were the strongest predictors in the multivariable model. CONCLUSIONS: Age and pyramidal phenotype were the strongest determinants of RAW in early disease epochs.
Subject(s)
Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting , Multiple Sclerosis , Humans , Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting/drug therapy , Chronic Disease , RecurrenceABSTRACT
Although the best-known spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are triplet repeat diseases, many SCAs are not caused by repeat expansions. The rarity of individual non-expansion SCAs, however, has made it difficult to discern genotype-phenotype correlations. We therefore screened individuals who had been found to bear variants in a non-expansion SCA-associated gene through genetic testing, and after we eliminated genetic groups that had fewer than 30 subjects, there were 756 subjects bearing single-nucleotide variants or deletions in one of seven genes: CACNA1A (239 subjects), PRKCG (175), AFG3L2 (101), ITPR1 (91), STUB1 (77), SPTBN2 (39), or KCNC3 (34). We compared age at onset, disease features, and progression by gene and variant. There were no features that reliably distinguished one of these SCAs from another, and several genes-CACNA1A, ITPR1, SPTBN2, and KCNC3-were associated with both adult-onset and infantile-onset forms of disease, which also differed in presentation. Nevertheless, progression was overall very slow, and STUB1-associated disease was the fastest. Several variants in CACNA1A showed particularly wide ranges in age at onset: one variant produced anything from infantile developmental delay to ataxia onset at 64 years of age within the same family. For CACNA1A, ITPR1, and SPTBN2, the type of variant and charge change on the protein greatly affected the phenotype, defying pathogenicity prediction algorithms. Even with next-generation sequencing, accurate diagnosis requires dialogue between the clinician and the geneticist.
Subject(s)
Cerebellar Ataxia , Spinocerebellar Ataxias , Humans , Spinocerebellar Ataxias/genetics , Spinocerebellar Ataxias/diagnosis , Cerebellar Ataxia/genetics , Phenotype , Ataxia/genetics , Genetic Testing , ATPases Associated with Diverse Cellular Activities/genetics , ATP-Dependent Proteases/genetics , Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases/geneticsABSTRACT
Huntington's disease (HD) is characterized by clinical motor impairment (e.g., involuntary movements, poor coordination, parkinsonism), cognitive deficits, and psychiatric symptoms. An inhered expansion of the CAG triplet in the huntingtin gene causing a pathogenic gain-of-function of the mutant huntingtin (mHTT) protein has been identified. In this review, we focus on known biomarkers (e.g., mHTT, neurofilament light chains) and on new biofluid biomarkers that can be quantified in plasma or peripheral blood mononuclear cells from mHTT carriers. Circulating biomarkers may fill current unmet needs in HD management: better stratification of patients amenable to etiologic treatment; the initiation of preventive treatment in premanifest HD; and the identification of peripheral pathogenic central nervous system cascades.
Subject(s)
Cognition Disorders , Cognitive Dysfunction , Huntington Disease , Humans , Huntington Disease/diagnosis , Huntington Disease/genetics , Huntington Disease/metabolism , Leukocytes, Mononuclear/metabolism , Cognition Disorders/etiology , Biomarkers , Cognitive Dysfunction/complications , Huntingtin Protein/genetics , Huntingtin Protein/metabolismABSTRACT
The management of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) has the continuum of care as the treatment paradigm. To date, trifluridine/tipiracil, a biochemically modulated fluoropyrimidine, and regorafenib, a multi-kinase inhibitor, remain the main options for the majority of patients who progressed to standard doublet- or triplet-based chemotherapies, although a tailored approach could be indicated in certain circumstances. Being highly selective for vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-1, -2 and -3, fruquintinib demonstrated a strong anti-tumor activity in preclinical models and received approval from China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in 2018 for the treatment of patients with chemo-refractory mCRC. The approval was based on the results of the phase III FRESCO trial. Then, in order to overcome geographic differences in clinical practice, the FRESCO-2 trial was conducted in the US, Europe, Japan, and Australia. In a heavily pretreated patient population, the study met its primary endpoint, demonstrating an advantage of fruquintinib over a placebo in overall survival (OS). Here, we review the clinical development of fruquintinib and its perspectives in gastrointestinal cancers. Then, we discuss the introduction of fruquintinib in the continuum of care of CRC paying special attention to unmet needs, including the identification of cross-resistant and potentially susceptible populations, evaluation of radiological response, and identification of novel biomarkers of clinical benefit.
Subject(s)
Benzofurans , Colonic Neoplasms , Colorectal Neoplasms , Rectal Neoplasms , Humans , Colorectal Neoplasms/pathology , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/therapeutic use , Benzofurans/therapeutic use , Benzofurans/pharmacology , Colonic Neoplasms/drug therapy , Rectal Neoplasms/drug therapy , Continuity of Patient CareABSTRACT
Background and objectives: Otoferlin is a multi-C2 domain protein implicated in neurotransmitter-containing vesicle release and replenishment of the cochlear inner hair cell (IHC) synapses. Mutations in the OTOF gene have been associated with two different clinical phenotypes: a prelingual severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss (ANSD-DFNB9); and the peculiar temperature-sensitive auditory neuropathy (TS-ANSD), characterized by a baseline mild-to-moderate hearing threshold that worsens to severe-to-profound when the body temperature rises that returns to a baseline a few hours after the temperature has fallen again. The latter clinical phenotype has been described only with a few OTOF variants with an autosomal recessive biallelic pattern of inheritance. Case report: A 7-year-old boy presented a picture compatible with TS-ANSD exacerbated by febrile states or physical exercise with mild-to-moderate hearing loss at low and medium frequencies and a decrease in speech discrimination that worsened with an unfavorable speech-to-noise ratio. Otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) were present whereas auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) evoked by a click or tone-burst were generally absent. No inner ear malformations were described from the CT scan or MRI. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of the known deafness genes and multi-phasic bioinformatic analyses of the data detected in OTOF a c.2521G>A missense variant and the deletion of 7.4 Kb, which was confirmed by array-comparative genomic hybridization (array-CGH). The proband's parents, who were asymptomatic, were tested by Sanger sequencing and the father presented the c.2521G>A missense variant. Conclusions: The picture presented by the patient was compatible with OTOF-induced TS-ANSD. OTOF has been generally associated with an autosomal recessive biallelic pattern of inheritance; in this clinical report, two pathogenic variants never previously associated with TS-ANSD were described.