Uptake Pathway of Styrene Maleic Acid Copolymer-Coated Lipid Emulsions Under Acidic Tumor Microenvironment.

The purpose of this study was to elucidate and compare styrene maleic acid copolymer (SMA)-coated lipid emulsions (SMA emulsions) uptake pathway in vascular endothelial cells and surrounding cancer cells under not only neutral but also acidic pH, which is often observed in tumor microenvironment. DiI-labeled SMA emulsions were prepared using 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn­glycero-3-phosphocholine and triolein. In murine melanoma B16-BL6 (B16) cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), DiI-labeled SMA emulsions uptake under near-neutral (pH 7.4) and acidic (pH 6.0) conditions was determined by fluorescent analysis. SMA emulsions were taken up more efficiently into HUVEC than B16 cells under acidic condition in a temperature-dependent manner. Uptake study using endocytosis inhibitors showed that SMA emulsions were taken up by macropinocytosis and clathrin-mediated endocytosis in B16 cells. In HUVEC, however, they were taken up by clathrin- and caveolae-independent, but dynamin-dependent pathway. SMA emulsions would be internalized efficiently into vascular endothelial cells as well as cancer cells under acidic microenvironment via different endocytosis pathways. SMA emulsions could be a promising drug delivery carrier for anti-angiogenic drugs.

A Pilot Study to Determine the Role of Spatulating the Ureter During Pyeloplasty in Children for Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction in the Robotic Era.

Purpose: Spatulation during ureteropelvic junction obstruction repair was evaluated in children treated by robot-assisted retroperitoneal pyeloplasty anastomosis (RRPA). Methods: Intraoperative video recordings (IVRs) of RRPA (n = 22 ureters) performed at a single institute between 2018 and 2022 were reviewed blindly by 5 independent surgeons for perceived difficulty of suturing (DOS; 5 = impossible; 4 = difficult; 3 = tedious; 2 = slow; 1 = easy) and spatulation ranking as superior (+1), inferior (-1), or unnecessary (0). The retroperitoneal space was accessed in the lateral decubitus position using a closed technique under direct vision to avoid air leakage and subcutaneous emphysema. All subjects had a Double-J stent (4.7F) placed. Results: Subjects had similar demographics and preoperative ureter diameters. IVRs were RRPA with spatulation of the ureter on the lateral side (RRPA +SP) (n = 13) and RRPA without spatulation of the ureter (RRPA -SP) (n = 9). Overall DOS scores and coefficients of variation for time taken to place one suture were similar. Total anastomotic time was significantly shorter for RRPA -SP; 67.9 ± 8.4 minutes versus 57.9 ± 9.2 minutes, P = .01. Overall spatulation ranking was 0. Postoperative scanning showed improved drainage in 12 of 13 (92%) in RRPA +SP and 8 of 9 (88%) in RRPA -SP; differences were not significant. One anastomotic stricture in RRPA -SP required open repair. Conclusions: RRPA was quicker and more precise without spatulation. Outcomes of scanning 1 year after RRPA were similar for RRPA -SP and RRPA +SP.

Enhanced Clinical Utility of Molecular Budding Signature as a Recurrence Risk Determinant in Stage II and III Colon Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: A molecular budding signature (MBS), which consists of seven tumor budding-related genes, was recently presented as a prominent prognostic indicator in colon cancer (CC) using microarray data acquired from frozen specimens. This study aimed to confirm the predictive power of MBS for recurrence risk based on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) materials. METHODS: This research utilized the same microarray data from a prior multicenter study using FFPE whole tissue sections, which retrospectively reviewed 232 stage II CC patients without adjuvant chemotherapy and 302 stage III CC patients with adjuvant chemotherapy. All patients underwent upfront curative surgery without neoadjuvant therapy between 2009 and 2012. An MBS score was calculated using the mean of log2 [each signal] of seven genes (MSLN, SLC4A11, WNT11, SCEL, RUNX2, MGAT3, and FOXC1) as described before. RESULTS: The MBS-low group exhibited a better relapse-free survival (RFS) than the MBS-high group in stage II (P = 0.0077) and in stage III CC patients (P = 0.0003). Multivariate analyses revealed that the MBS score was an independent prognostic factor in both stage II (P = 0.0257) and stage III patients (P = 0.0022). Especially among T4, N2, or both (high-risk) stage III patients, the MBS-low group demonstrated markedly better RFS compared with the MBS-high group (P = 0.0013). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed the predictive power of the MBS for recurrence risk by employing FFPE materials in stage II/III CC patients.

Influences of amino-terminal modifications on amyloid fibril formation of human serum amyloid A.

Human serum amyloid A (SAA) is a precursor protein involved in AA amyloidosis. The N-terminal region of the SAA molecule is crucial for amyloid fibril formation, and therefore modifications in this region are considered to influence the pathogenesis of AA amyloidosis. In the present study, using the N-terminal peptide corresponding to the putative first helix region of the SAA molecule, we investigated the influences of N-terminal modifications on amyloid fibril formation. Spectroscopic analyses revealed that carbamoylation of the N-terminal amino group delayed the onset of amyloid fibril formation. From transmission electron microscopic observations, the N-terminal carbamoylated aggregate showed remarkably different morphologies from the unmodified control. In contrast, acetylation of the N-terminal amino group or truncation of N-terminal amino acid(s) considerably diminished amyloidogenic properties. Furthermore, we also tested the cell toxicity of each peptide aggregate on cultured cells by two cytotoxic assays. Irrespective of carbamoylation or acetylation, MTT assay revealed that SAA peptides reduced the reductive activity of MTT on cells, whereas no apparent increase in LDH release was observed during an LDH assay. In contrast, N-terminal truncation did not affect either MTT reduction or LDH release. These results suggest that N-terminal modification of SAA molecules can act as a switch to regulate susceptibility to AA amyloidosis.

Characteristics of anal canal squamous cell carcinoma as an HPV-associated cancer in Japan.

The definition of the anal canal was revised in the TNM classification (8th edition). The Japanese Society for Cancer of the Colon and Rectum (JSCCR) conducted a retrospective multi-institutional study to clarify the characteristics of anal canal cancer (ACC) in Japan. The diagnoses of 1781 patients treated for ACC were squamous cell carcimoma (SCC; n = 428; 24.0%), adenosquamous cell carcinoma (n = 7; 0.4%), and adenocarcinoma (n = 1260; 70.7%). Anal carcinoma is associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and is risk factor for anal SCC. Among 40 cases analyzed at Takano Hospital and 47 cases analyzed at National Cancer Center Hospital, 34 cases (85.0%) and 40 cases (85.1%), respectively were infected with HPV; HPV-16 was the most common genotype (79.4% and 82.5%). In the JSCCR retrospective multi-institutional study, the prognosis analysis by stage was performed for anal SCC cases (202 cases treated by CRT and 91 cases treated by surgery). The 5-year overall survival (OS) rates by stage did not differ between the two treatment groups to a statistically significant extent. Regarding the results of cancer treatment of patients who underwent HPV infection tests, although the 5-year OS rates by stage did not differ to a statistically significant extent due to the small number of cases, HPV-positive patients had better survival. While an HPV vaccine for anal canal SCC has already been approved internationally, HPV vaccination has already been implemented in Japan as a national immunization program for young women but not for men at present. An HPV vaccination for men is urgently needed.

Nucleotide alterations in the HLA-C class I gene can cause aberrant splicing and marked changes in RNA levels in a polymorphic context-dependent manner.

Polymorphisms of HLA genes, which play a crucial role in presenting peptides with diverse sequences in their peptide-binding pockets, are also thought to affect HLA gene expression, as many studies have reported associations between HLA gene polymorphisms and their expression levels. In this study, we devised an ectopic expression assay for the HLA class I genes in the context of the entire gene, and used the assay to show that the HLA-C*03:03:01 and C*04:01:01 polymorphic differences observed in association studies indeed cause different levels of RNA expression. Subsequently, we investigated the C*03:23N null allele, which was previously noted for its reduced expression, attributed to an alternate exon 3 3' splice site generated by G/A polymorphism at position 781 within the exon 3. We conducted a thorough analysis of the splicing patterns of C*03:23N, and revealed multiple aberrant splicing, including the exon 3 alternative splicing, which overshadowed its canonical counterpart. After confirming a significant reduction in RNA levels caused by the G781A alteration in our ectopic assay, we probed the function of the G-rich sequence preceding the canonical exon 3 3' splice site. Substituting the G-rich sequence with a typical pyrimidine-rich 3' splice site sequence on C*03:23N resulted in a marked elevation in RNA levels, likely due to the enhanced preference for the canonical exon 3 3' splice site over the alternate site. However, the same substitution led to a reduction in RNA levels for C*03:03:01. These findings suggested the dual roles of the G-rich sequence in RNA expression, and furthermore, underscore the importance of studying polymorphism effects within the framework of the entire gene, extending beyond conventional mini-gene reporter assays.

C-type lectin-like receptor (CLEC)-2, the ligand of podoplanin, induces morphological changes in podocytes.

Podoplanin (PDPN) is intensely expressed on the podocyte membrane in an evolutionally conserved manner. CLEC-2, the endogenous ligand of PDPN, is highly expressed in platelets and also exists in a soluble form in plasma. Normally, podocytes are sequestered from CLEC-2, but when the glomerular barrier is injured, podocytes gain access to CLEC-2. We tested the effects of CLEC-2 in podocytes in vitro and in vivo. Cultured podocytes treated with Fc-CLEC-2 demonstrated that CLEC-2 induced the dephosphorylation of ezrin, radixin, and moesin (ERM) proteins. Podocytes treated with Fc-CLEC-2 also showed the dissociation of F-actin filaments from PDPN, F-actin degradation, detachment, and round morphology. Next, we perfused normal mouse kidney in vivo with FLAG-CLEC-2. CLEC-2 induced dephosphorylation of ERM and widening of the foot processes of podocytes. Platelets were detected by immunostaining for CD41 in the urine of mice with podocyte injury, indicating that podocytes can encounter platelets when glomeruli are injured. Collectively, these observations suggest that when platelets leak through the injured glomeruli, CLEC-2 from the platelets acts on PDPN in podocytes and induces morphological change and detachment, which may further aggravate podocyte injury. Thus, PDPN on podocytes may work as a leaked-platelet sensor.

Sequence Variations Within HLA-G and HLA-F Genomic Segments at the Human Leukocyte Antigen Telomeric End Associated With Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease in Unrelated Bone Marrow Transplantation.

Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) is defined as a syndrome of an immunological response of graft to the host that occurs early after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT). This disease is frequently observed even in HCT matched for human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles at multiple gene loci. Although the HLA region represents complex and diverse genomic characteristics, detailed association analysis is required for the identification of uncharacterized variants that are strongly associated with aGVHD. We genotyped three loci, OR2H2, HLA-F-AS1, and HLA-G, that are located in the 460 kb of HLA telomeric region and statistically analyzed the genotypes including HLA-DPB1 with clinical and transplantation outcomes using 338 unrelated bone marrow transplantation (UR-BMT) patient-donor pairs who were matched for HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C, HLA-DRB1, and HLA-DQB1 (HLA-10/10). Multivariate analyses demonstrated that HLA-F-AS1 and HLA-DPB1 mismatches were associated with grade II-IV aGVHD (hazard ratio (HR), 1.76; 95% CI, 1.07-2.88; p = 0.026; and HR, 1.59; CI, 1.02-2.49; p = 0.042, respectively). There was no confounding between HLA-F-AS1 and HLA-DPB1 (p = 0.512), suggesting that the HLA-F-AS1 mismatch has a strong effect on aGVHD independently of HLA-DPB1. Moreover, a stratified analysis suggested possible associations of HLA-F-AS1, HLA-DPB1, and/or HLA-G mismatches with grade II-IV aGVHD and the more severe grade III-IV aGVHD. These findings provide new insights into understanding the molecular mechanism of aGVHD caused by HLA-matched UR-BMT.

Applications of Synthetic Polymer Discoidal Lipid Nanoparticles to Biomedical Research.

Liposomes are artificially prepared vesicular lipid nanoparticles with a bilayer structure, resembling cell membrane. Their ability to encapsulate various molecules along with excellent biocompatibility makes them ideal delivery vehicles for pharmaceuticals. They can also serve as platforms for membrane proteins to elucidate the structure and function in lipid membranes. Nascent high-density lipoproteins are discoidal lipid nanoparticles with a bilayer structure, which can be reconstituted with their constituents. Such reconstituted nanoparticles, nanodisks, were originally generated in terms of elucidation for mechanisms of lipoprotein metabolisms. At the same time, like liposomes, nanodisks have been developed as delivery vehicles and platforms for membrane proteins in structural biology. From a developmental background, apolipoproteins, their analogs, or fragment peptides were initially used as scaffolding molecules to wrap around the edge of the disk-shaped lipid bilayer. Since the discovery that styrene-maleic acid copolymers produce nanodisks instead of apolipoproteins, variously modified or novel polymers have been synthesized to broaden the applications of polymer nanodisks. This review provides an overview of the types of synthetic polymers used to produce nanodisks, and the biomedical applications of nanodisks to the developments of delivery vehicles and to the structural studies of membrane proteins.

Prognosis of anal canal adenocarcinoma versus lower rectal adenocarcinoma in Japan: a propensity score matching study.

PURPOSE: Anal canal adenocarcinoma (AC) is rare and its surgical outcomes and prognostic factors (PFs) are not well understood. The aim of this retrospective study was to identify the characteristics and PFs of AC, using population-based data in Japan. METHODS: Patients with AC (n = 390) or lower rectal adenocarcinoma (LR) (n = 12,477) diagnosed between1991 and 2006 were enrolled in this study. We compared the clinical- and patient-related factors of the two diseases and then examined propensity score matching, overall survival (OS), and PFs. RESULTS: AC tended to develop more often in women and in patients of advanced age. Macroscopically, AC was of an unclassified type and microscopically, it was of high-grade histological types such as mucinous adenocarcinoma, poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma (por), or signet-ring cell carcinoma (sig), with a high frequency of inguinal node metastasis (P < 0.05). The 5 year OS rates were 56.9% for AC and 67.9% for LR (P = 0.002). The PFs of AC were a high-grade histological type (por/sig), T, N, and M. CONCLUSIONS: AC has a significantly worse prognosis than LR. Moreover, the AC lymph node metastatic sites for AC, especially the inguinal nodes, are different from those for LR.

Evaluation of a 55-gene classifier as a prognostic biomarker for adjuvant chemotherapy in stage III colon cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Adjuvant chemotherapy reduces the risk of recurrence of stage III colon cancer (CC). However, more effective prognostic and predictive biomarkers are needed for better treatment stratification of affected patients. Here, we constructed a 55-gene classifier (55GC) and investigated its utility for classifying patients with stage III CC. METHODS: We retrospectively identified patients aged 20-79 years, with stage III CC, who received adjuvant chemotherapy with or without oxaliplatin, between the years 2009 and 2012. RESULTS: Among 938 eligible patients, 203 and 201 patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy with and without oxaliplatin, respectively, were selected by propensity score matching. Of these, 95 patients from each group were analyzed, and their 5-year relapse-free survival (RFS) rates with and without oxaliplatin were 73.7 and 77.1%, respectively. The hazard ratios for 5-year RFS following adjuvant chemotherapy (fluoropyrimidine), with and without oxaliplatin, were 1.241 (95% CI, 0.465-3.308; P = 0.67) and 0.791 (95% CI, 0.329-1.901; P = 0.60), respectively. Stratification using the 55GC revealed that 52 (27.3%), 78 (41.1%), and 60 (31.6%) patients had microsatellite instability (MSI)-like, chromosomal instability (CIN)-like, and stromal subtypes, respectively. The 5-year RFS rates were 84.3 and 72.0% in patients treated with and without oxaliplatin, respectively, for the MSI-like subtype (HR, 0.495; 95% CI, 0.145-1.692; P = 0.25). No differences in RFS rates were noted in the CIN-like or stromal subtypes. Stratification by cancer sidedness for each subtype showed improved RFS only in patients with left-sided primary cancer treated with oxaliplatin for the MSI-like subtype (P = 0.007). The 5-year RFS rates of the MSI-like subtype in left-sided cancer patients were 100 and 53.9% with and without oxaliplatin, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Subclassification using 55GC and tumor sidedness revealed increased RFS in patients within the MSI-like subtype with stage III left-sided CC treated with fluoropyrimidine and oxaliplatin compared to those treated without oxaliplatin. However, the predictive power of 55GC subtyping alone did not reach statistical significance in this cohort, warranting larger prospective studies. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study protocol was registered in the University Hospital Medical Education Network (UMIN) clinical trial registry (UMIN study ID: 000023879 ).

Cadaver Training for Minimally Invasive Pediatric Surgery: A Preliminary Report.

Aim: To report the value of adult cadavers for training in minimally invasive surgical (MIS) techniques for pediatric surgery (PS). Materials and Methods: Three teams, each consisting of a board-certified consultant pediatric surgeon (CS), a senior trainee (ST), and a junior trainee (JT), attended a cadaver surgical training (CST) course involving five procedures: thoracoscopic esophagoesophagostomy (TEE), thoracoscopic right lower lobectomy (TRL), laparoscopic fundoplication (LFN), laparoscopic hepaticoduodenostomy (LHD), and laparoscopic ureteroureterostomy (LUU). The same teams also performed LFN on live pigs. Attendees (3 CSs, 3 STs, and 3 JTs) were administered a questionnaire to rate their CST experience according to five criteria (tissue texture, organ size, operative field, "feel," and anatomic relationships) using a 4-point scale with 0 being the worst response. Scores were averaged per procedure per attendee groups and compared. LFN was also compared between a cadaver and a pig. Results: End-point (1): For LFN, cadaver scores were significantly higher than pig scores for anatomic relationships (P = .0001), operative field (P = .0053), and organ size (P = .0481). End-point (2): TRL and LFN were ranked together as being most realistic, followed by TEE and LUU, then LHD. End-point (3): Anatomic relationships and operative field consistently scored highly for all attendee groups. End-point (4): CSs and STs tended to award higher scores than JTs although differences were not statistically significant. Conclusions: CST is a valuable opportunity for PS trainees to experience highly realistic training in minimally invasive surgery. Pig training was inferior. IRB Number: 2019173.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma originating from the rectum and diagnosed after rectal perforation during the treatment of ulcerative colitis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal lymphomas like diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) are rare complications of ulcerative colitis (UC), and only a few studies have reported intestinal ulcers caused by DLBCL, which got perforated during the treatment of UC. CASE PRESENTATION: A 43-year-old man with severe lower abdominal pain and an 8-year history of UC was admitted in our hospital. He was diagnosed UC since 8 years and received a maintenance oral dose of 5-aminosalicylic acid, and no other immunosuppressive drugs. A deep rectal ulcer was endoscopically diagnosed 10 months before admission, no malignancy or cytomegalovirus infection was detected on biopsy. After 7 months a further endoscopy with biopsies confirmed the finding and the absence of malignancy. Three months later the patient developed sudden abdominal pain and was admitted in our hospital. Rectal perforation was suspected on X-ray and computed tomography imaging, and an emergency surgery was performed. Surgical exploration revealed a perforation on the anterior wall of the rectum. A subtotal colectomy with temporary ileostomy was performed. Pathology examinations showed lymphocyte infiltration of all of the layers of the perforated site and an immunohistochemical evaluation revealed DLBCL. Clinical staging was stage IV, and the patient received a 6-months regimen of R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone) chemotherapy. Positron emission tomography restaging revealed disappearance of distant uptake and a slight uptake in the residual rectum, and completion proctectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis was performed. No residual tumor in the specimen was found, and the patient was disease-free at 2 years follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: DLBCL may increase the frequency of perforation and is a poor prognostic risk factor for patients with UC. This case study emphasizes the importance of careful medical surveillance and repeated endoscopic biopsies during the treatment of UC.

Effect of mechanochemical inclusion of triamterene into sulfobutylether-ß-cyclodextrin and its improved dissolution behavior.

The formation of inclusion complexes between triamterene (TT) and cyclodextrins (CDs) to increase the water apparent solubility of TT was investigated. UV data showed that the binding constant of the TT/sulfobutylether-ß-cyclodextrin (SBE-ß-CD) inclusion complex was 510 L/mol. The phenyl ring of TT was inserted into the secondary hydroxy face of SBE-ß-CD, as demonstrated by 1H-1H rotating frame nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy NMR. Physicochemical properties of solid TT/SBE-ß-CD complexes prepared by physical mixing, kneading, freeze-drying, and mechanochemical methods were studied by X-ray diffraction and 13C cross-polarization and magic angle spinning NMR. With the mechanochemical method, the diffraction peak corresponding to TT disappeared, indicating the formation of an inclusion complex. The results of the dissolution test revealed that the solid complex obtained by the mechanochemical method improved the dissolution of TT. The water apparent solubility of TT can be improved by simple mechanical mixing without organic solvents, and improved bioavailability after oral administration is expected.

Artificial Intelligence System to Determine Risk of T1 Colorectal Cancer Metastasis to Lymph Node.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: In accordance with guidelines, most patients with T1 colorectal cancers (CRC) undergo surgical resection with lymph node dissection, despite the low incidence (∼10%) of metastasis to lymph nodes. To reduce unnecessary surgical resections, we used artificial intelligence to build a model to identify T1 colorectal tumors at risk for metastasis to lymph node and validated the model in a separate set of patients. METHODS: We collected data from 3134 patients with T1 CRC treated at 6 hospitals in Japan from April 1997 through September 2017 (training cohort). We developed a machine-learning artificial neural network (ANN) using data on patients' age and sex, as well as tumor size, location, morphology, lymphatic and vascular invasion, and histologic grade. We then conducted the external validation on the ANN model using independent 939 patients at another hospital during the same period (validation cohort). We calculated areas under the receiver operator characteristics curves (AUCs) for the ability of the model and US guidelines to identify patients with lymph node metastases. RESULTS: Lymph node metastases were found in 319 (10.2%) of 3134 patients in the training cohort and 79 (8.4%) of /939 patients in the validation cohort. In the validation cohort, the ANN model identified patients with lymph node metastases with an AUC of 0.83, whereas the guidelines identified patients with lymph node metastases with an AUC of 0.73 (P < .001). When the analysis was limited to patients with initial endoscopic resection (n = 517), the ANN model identified patients with lymph node metastases with an AUC of 0.84 and the guidelines identified these patients with an AUC of 0.77 (P = .005). CONCLUSIONS: The ANN model outperformed guidelines in identifying patients with T1 CRCs who had lymph node metastases. This model might be used to determine which patients require additional surgery after endoscopic resection of T1 CRCs. UMIN Clinical Trials Registry no: UMIN000038609.

Preparation and characterization of monoclonal antibodies recognizing two CD4 isotypes of Microminipigs.

Cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) molecule expressed on the leukocytes is known to function as a co-receptor for class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) binding to T cell receptor (TCR) on helper T cells. We previously identified two CD4 alleles (CD4.A and CD4.B) in a Microminipig population based on nucleotide sequencing and PCR detection of their gene sequences. However, CD4.B protein expression was not examined because of the unavailability of a reactive antibody to a CD4.B epitope. In this study, we have produced two swine-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against CD4.B molecules, one that recognizes only CD4.B (b1D7) and the other that recognizes both the CD4.A and CD4.B alleles (x1E10) and that can be used to distinguish CD4 T cell subsets by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. Using these two mAbs, we identified CD4.A and CD4.B allele-specific proteins on the surface of CD4.A (+/+) and CD4.B (+/+) T cells at a similar level of expression. Moreover, stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) derived from CD4.A (+/+) and CD4.B (+/+) swine with toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) in vitro similarly activated both groups of cells that exhibited a slight increase in the CD4/CD8 double positive (DP) cell ratio. A large portion of the DP cells from the allelic CD4.A (+/+) and CD4.B (+/+) groups enhanced the total CD4 and class I swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) expression. The x1E10 mAb delayed and reduced the TSST-1-induced activation of CD4 T cells. Thus, CD4.B appears to be a functional protein whose expression on activated T cells is analogous to CD4.A.

Preparation and characterization of lipid emulsions containing styrene maleic acid copolymer for the development of pH-responsive drug carriers.

Lipid emulsions are potential carriers for poorly water-soluble drugs. Previously, we revealed that lipid nanoparticles complexed with styrene maleic acid copolymer (SMA) disintegrate under acidic pH. In the present study, SMA-containing lipid emulsions (SMA emulsions) were prepared and their physicochemical and biological properties were examined to test whether SMA emulsions could be used as a trigger to facilitate drug release in response to pH reduction. By sonicating lipid and SMA mixtures, homogeneously sized SMA emulsion particles were prepared as verified via dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. Upon the reduction of solution pH, disintegration of SMA emulsions was observed, which may be utilized for drug release at mildly acidic pH. In addition, the sensitivity to pH changes could be controlled by altering the lipid composition. Serum proteins bound to SMA emulsions were analyzed to predict the metabolic fate upon intravenous injection. Predictably, apolipoproteins were abundantly bound, suggesting that SMA emulsions should avoid being recognized as foreign substances. Furthermore, subcellular distribution studies using a human breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231) demonstrated that SMA emulsions localize to lysosomes, which have a lower pH. These results suggest that SMA emulsions could be promising pH-responsive drug carriers.

Capturing Differential Allele-Level Expression and Genotypes of All Classical HLA Loci and Haplotypes by a New Capture RNA-Seq Method.

The highly polymorphic human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) also known as the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) encodes class I and II genes that are the cornerstone of the adaptive immune system. Their unique diversity (>25,000 alleles) might affect the outcome of any transplant, infection, and susceptibility to autoimmune diseases. The recent rapid development of new next-generation sequencing (NGS) methods provides the opportunity to study the influence/correlation of this high level of HLA diversity on allele expression levels in health and disease. Here, we describe the NGS capture RNA-Seq method that we developed for genotyping all 12 classical HLA loci (HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C, HLA-DPA1, HLA-DPB1, HLA-DQA1, HLA-DQB1, HLA-DRA, HLA-DRB1, HLA-DRB3, HLA-DRB4, and HLA-DRB5) and assessing their allelic imbalance by quantifying their allele RNA levels. This is a target enrichment method where total RNA is converted to a sequencing-ready complementary DNA (cDNA) library and hybridized to a complex pool of RNA-specific HLA biotinylated oligonucleotide capture probes, prior to NGS. This method was applied to 161 peripheral blood mononuclear cells and 48 umbilical cord blood cells of healthy donors. The differential allelic expression of 10 HLA loci (except for HLA-DRA and HLA-DPA1) showed strong significant differences (P < 2.1 × 10-15). The results were corroborated by independent methods. This newly developed NGS method could be applied to a wide range of biological and medical questions including graft rejections and HLA-related diseases.

A Validation Study for Recurrence Risk Stratification of Stage II Colon Cancer Using the 55-Gene Classifier.

INTRODUCTION: DNA microarrays, such as the consensus molecular subtype (CMS) classification using >600 genes, are used to predict cancer patient prognosis. We recently constructed a simple 55-gene classifier (55GC) system to risk stratify colon cancer (CC). OBJECTIVE: Here, we validate the 55GC specifically for stage II CC and compare it with CMS categories. METHODS: Tissue sections from 232 stage II CC patients who underwent curative surgery without adjuvant chemotherapy between 2009 and 2012 were subjected to DNA microarray analysis. RESULTS: Based on the 55GC, patients were classified into microsatellite instability-like (27%), chromosomal instability-like (41%), and stromal (32%) subtypes with 5-year relapse-free survival (RFS) rates of 88.5, 83.3, and 71.2%, respectively (stromal vs. others: p = 0.0049). Multivariate analysis by Cox's proportional hazard model revealed that the stromal subtype, pT4, and the number of lymph nodes examined (<12) were independent poor prognostic factors. The overall concordance rate between 55GC and CMS was 72%, and 5-year RFS rates of patients with CMS1, CMS2, CMS3, and CMS4 cancers were 100, 85.5, 92.3, and 73.0%, respectively (p = 0.0113). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the 55GC is a useful and reproducible grading system for stage II CC recurrence risk stratification.