ABSTRACT
Soluble biomarkers are paramount to personalized medicine. However, the in vivo turnover and biodistribution of soluble proteins is seldom characterized. The cleaved extracellular domain of the AXL receptor (sAXL) is a prognostic biomarker in several diseases and a predictive marker of AXL targeting agents. Plasma sAXL reflects a balance between production in tissues with lymphatic transport into the circulation and removal from blood by degradation or excretion. It is unclear how this transport cycle affects plasma sAXL levels that are the metric for biomarker development. Radiolabeled mouse sAxl was monitored after intravenous injection to measure degradation and urinary excretion of sAxl, and after intradermal injection to mimic tissue or tumor production. sAxl was rapidly taken-up and degraded by the liver and kidney cortex. Surprisingly, intact sAxl was detectable in urine, indicating passage through the glomerular filter and a unique sampling opportunity. The structure of sAxl showed an elongated, flexible molecule with a length of 18 nm and a thickness of only 3 nm, allowing passage through the glomerulus and excretion into the urine. Intradermally injected sAxl passed through local and distant lymph nodes, followed by uptake in liver and kidney cortex. Low levels of sAxl were seen in the plasma, consistent with an extended transit time from local tissue to circulation. The rapid plasma clearance of sAxl suggests that steady-state levels in blood will sensitively and dynamically reflect the rate of production of sAxl in the tissues but will be influenced by perturbations of liver and kidney function.
Subject(s)
Axl Receptor Tyrosine Kinase , Biomarkers , Proto-Oncogene Proteins , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases , Animals , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/metabolism , Mice , Tissue Distribution , Biomarkers/urine , Biomarkers/blood , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/metabolism , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/urine , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/blood , Liver/metabolism , Humans , FemaleABSTRACT
With current imaging, discriminating tumor progression from treatment effect following immunotherapy or oncolytic virotherapy of glioblastoma (GBM) is challenging. A blood based diagnostic biomarker would therefore be helpful. Axl is a receptor tyrosine kinase that is highly expressed by many cancers including GBM. Axl expression is regulated through enzymatic cleavage of its extracellular domain. The resulting fragment can be detected in serum as soluble Axl (sAxl). sAxl levels can distinguish patients with melanoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma from healthy controls. This is a pilot study to determine if sAxl is a candidate biomarker for GBM. The sAxl levels in the serum of 40 healthy volunteers and 20 GBM patients were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Pre- and post- operative sAxl levels were obtained. Volumetric MRI evaluation provided GBM tumor volume metrics. There was no significant difference in the sAxl levels of the volunteers (30.16±1.88 ng/ml) and GBM patients (30.74±1.96 ng/ml) p = 0.27. The postoperative sAxl levels were significantly higher than preoperative levels (32.32±2.26 ng/ml vs 30.74±1.96 ng/ml, p = 0.03). We found no correlation between tumor volume and sAxl levels. Axl expression was low or absent in 6 of 11 (55%) patient derived GBM cell lines. Given the wide range of Axl expression by GBM tumors, sAxl may not be a reliable indicator of GBM. However, given the small sample size in this study, a larger study may be considered.
Subject(s)
Axl Receptor Tyrosine Kinase , Biomarkers, Tumor , Glioblastoma , Proto-Oncogene Proteins , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases , Humans , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/metabolism , Glioblastoma/metabolism , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/metabolism , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/blood , Pilot Projects , Biomarkers, Tumor/blood , Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism , Male , Female , Middle Aged , Adult , Brain Neoplasms/metabolism , Brain Neoplasms/pathology , Brain Neoplasms/blood , Aged , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Case-Control Studies , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent AssayABSTRACT
Defective mitophagy is consistently found in postmortem brain and iPSC-derived neurons from Alzheimer disease (AD) patients. However, there is a lack of extensive examination of mitophagy status in serum or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and the clinical potential of mitophagy biomarkers has not been tested. We quantified biomarkers of mitophagy/autophagy and lysosomal degradation (PINK1, BNIP3L and TFEB) in CSF and serum from 246 individuals, covering mild cognitive impairment due to AD (MCI-AD, n = 100), dementia due to AD (AD-dementia, n = 100), and cognitively unimpaired individuals (CU, n = 46), recruited from the Czech Brain Aging Study. Cognitive function and brain atrophy were also assessed. Our data show that serum and CSF PINK1 and serum BNIP3L were higher, and serum TFEB was lower in individuals with AD than in corresponding CU individuals. Additionally, the magnitude of mitophagy impairment correlated with the severity of clinical indicators in AD patients. Specifically, levels of PINK1 positively correlated with phosphorylated (p)-MAPT/tau (181), total (t)-MAPT/tau, NEFL (neurofilament light chain), and NRGN (neurogranin) levels in CSF and negatively with memory, executive function, and language domain. Serum TFEB levels negatively correlated with NEFL and positively with executive function and language. This study reveals mitophagy impairment reflected in biofluid biomarkers of individuals with AD and associated with more advanced AD pathology.Abbreviation: Aß: amyloid beta; AD: Alzheimer disease; AVs: autophagic vacuoles; BNIP3L: BCL2 interacting protein 3 like; CU: cognitively unimpaired; CSF: cerebrospinal fluid; LAMP1: lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1; MAP1LC3/LC3: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3; MCI: mild cognitive impairment; NRGN: neurogranin; NEFL: neurofilament light chain; p-MAPT/tau: phosphorylated microtubule associated protein tau; PINK1: PTEN induced kinase 1; t-MAPT/tau: total microtubule associated protein tau; TFEB: transcription factor EB; TMT: Trail Making Test.
Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease , Biomarkers , Mitophagy , Humans , Alzheimer Disease/cerebrospinal fluid , Alzheimer Disease/blood , Alzheimer Disease/diagnosis , Biomarkers/cerebrospinal fluid , Biomarkers/blood , Biomarkers/metabolism , Female , Male , Aged , Membrane Proteins/cerebrospinal fluid , Membrane Proteins/metabolism , Membrane Proteins/blood , Cognitive Dysfunction/cerebrospinal fluid , Cognitive Dysfunction/blood , Cognitive Dysfunction/diagnosis , Protein Kinases/metabolism , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/cerebrospinal fluid , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/blood , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/metabolism , Brain/metabolism , Brain/pathology , Aged, 80 and over , Middle Aged , tau Proteins/cerebrospinal fluid , tau Proteins/metabolism , Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors/metabolism , Tumor Suppressor ProteinsABSTRACT
Background: The severity, symptoms, and outcome of COVID-19 is thought to be closely linked to how the virus enters host cells. This process involves the key roles of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and the Tyrosine protein kinase receptor UFO (AXL) receptors. However, there is limited research on the circulating levels of ACE2 and AXL and their implications in COVID-19. Methods: A control group of 71 uninfected individuals was also included in the study. According to the Guidance for Corona Virus Disease 2019 (10th edition), a cohort of 358 COVID-19 patients were categorized into non-severe and severe cases. Serum ACE2/AXL levels in COVID-19 patients were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at different time points post-COVID-19 infection, including days 0-7, 8-15, 31-179 and >180 days. Serum SARS-CoV-2 IgG/IgM antibodies in COVID-19 patients at the same intervals were assessed by using an iFlash 3000 Chemiluminescence Immunoassay Analyzer. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the diagnostic value of the biological markers, and the association between laboratory parameters and illness progression were explored. Results: Compared with the uninfected group, the levels of ACE2 and AXL in the COVID-19 group were decreased, and the SARS-COV-2 IgG level was increased. AXL (AUC = 0.774) demonstrated a stronger predictive ability for COVID-19 than ACE2. In the first week after infection, only the level of AXL was statistically different between severe group and non-severe group. After first week, the levels of ACE2 and AXL were different in two groups. Moreover, in severe COVID-19 cases, the serum ACE2, AXL, and SARS-COV-2 IgM levels reached a peak during days 8-15 before declining, whereas serum SARS-COV-2 IgG levels continued to rise, reaching a peak at day 31-180 days before decreasing. In addition, the AXL level continued to decrease and the SARS-COV-2 IgG level continued to increase in the infected group after 180 days compared to the uninfected group. Conclusions: The levels of serum ACE2 and AXL correlate with COVID-19 severity. However, AXL can also provide early warning of clinical deterioration in the first week after infection. AXL appears to be a superior potential molecular marker for predicting COVID-19 progression.
Subject(s)
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 , Axl Receptor Tyrosine Kinase , Biomarkers , COVID-19 , Disease Progression , Proto-Oncogene Proteins , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases , SARS-CoV-2 , Humans , COVID-19/blood , COVID-19/immunology , COVID-19/diagnosis , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/blood , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/immunology , Male , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/blood , Female , Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2/blood , Biomarkers/blood , Middle Aged , SARS-CoV-2/immunology , Adult , Aged , Antibodies, Viral/blood , Immunoglobulin G/blood , Severity of Illness Index , Immunoglobulin M/blood , ROC CurveABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Acute renal dysfunction and subsequent acute renal failure after cardiac surgery are associated with high mortality and morbidity. Early therapeutic or preventive intervention is hampered by the lack of an early biomarker for acute renal injury. Recent studies showed that urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL or lipocalin 2) is upregulated early (within 1 to 3 h) after murine renal injury and in pediatric acute renal dysfunction after cardiac surgery. The authors hypothesized that postoperative urinary NGAL concentrations are increased in adult patients developing acute renal dysfunction after cardiac surgery compared with patients without acute renal dysfunction. METHODS: After institutional review board approval, 81 cardiac surgical patients were prospectively studied. Urine samples were collected immediately before incision and at various time intervals after surgery for NGAL analysis by quantitative immunoblotting. Acute renal dysfunction was defined as peak postoperative serum creatinine increase by 50% or greater compared with preoperative serum creatinine. RESULTS: Sixteen of 81 patients (20%) developed postoperative acute renal dysfunction, and the mean urinary NGAL concentrations in patients who developed acute renal dysfunction were significantly higher early after surgery (after 1 h, mean ± SD, 4,195 ± 6,520 vs. 1,068 ± 2,129 ng/ml; P < 0.01) compared with patients who did not develop acute renal dysfunction. Mean urinary NGAL concentrations continued to increase and remained significantly higher at 3 and 18 h after cardiac surgery in patients with acute renal dysfunction. In contrast, urinary NGAL in patients without acute renal dysfunction decreased rapidly after cardiac surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Patients developing postoperative acute renal dysfunction had significantly higher urinary NGAL concentrations early after cardiac surgery. Urinary NGAL may therefore be a useful early biomarker of acute renal dysfunction after cardiac surgery. These findings may facilitate the early detection of acute renal injury and potentially prevent progression to acute renal failure.
Subject(s)
Acute Kidney Injury , Acute-Phase Proteins , Biomarkers , Cardiac Surgical Procedures , Lipocalin-2 , Lipocalins , Postoperative Complications , Humans , Acute Kidney Injury/etiology , Acute Kidney Injury/diagnosis , Acute Kidney Injury/physiopathology , Acute Kidney Injury/urine , Female , Lipocalin-2/urine , Lipocalin-2/blood , Male , Prospective Studies , Cardiac Surgical Procedures/adverse effects , Middle Aged , Lipocalins/urine , Aged , Acute-Phase Proteins/urine , Postoperative Complications/diagnosis , Postoperative Complications/etiology , Biomarkers/urine , Biomarkers/blood , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/urine , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/blood , AdultABSTRACT
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a chronic lymphoproliferative disorder characterized by monoclonal B cell proliferation. Studies carried out in recent years suggest that extracellular vesicles (EVs) may be a potential biomarker in cancer. Tyro3-Axl-Mertk (TAM) Receptor Tyrosine Kinases (RTKs) and Phosphatidylserine (PS) have crucial roles in macrophage-mediated immune response under normal conditions. In the tumor microenvironment, these molecules contribute to immunosuppressive signals and prevent the formation of local and systemic antitumor immune responses. Based on this, we aimed to evaluate the amount of PS and TAM RTK in plasma and on the surface of EVs in CLL patients and healthy volunteers in this study. In this study, 25 CLL (11 F/14 M) patients in the Rai (O-I) stage, newly diagnosed or followed up without treatment, and 15 healthy volunteers (11 F/4 M) as a control group were included. For all samples, PS and TAM RTK levels were examined first in the plasma and then in the EVs obtained from the plasma. We detected a significant decrease in plasma PS, and TAM RTK levels in CLL patients compared to the control. Besides, we determined a significant increase in TAM RTK levels on the EV surface in CLL, except for PS. In conclusion, these receptor levels measured by ELISA in plasma may not be effective for the preliminary detection of CLL. However, especially TAM RTKs on the surface of EVs may be good biomarkers and potential targets for CLL therapies.
Subject(s)
Extracellular Vesicles , Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell , Phosphatidylserines , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases , Humans , Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/blood , Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/diagnosis , Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/metabolism , Extracellular Vesicles/metabolism , Extracellular Vesicles/chemistry , Female , Phosphatidylserines/metabolism , Phosphatidylserines/blood , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/metabolism , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/blood , Male , Middle Aged , Aged , Axl Receptor Tyrosine Kinase , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/blood , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/metabolism , Adult , c-Mer Tyrosine Kinase/metabolism , Aged, 80 and overABSTRACT
Introduction: The protein growth arrest-specific 6 (Gas6) and its tyrosine kinase receptors Tyro-3, Axl, and Mer (TAM) are ubiquitous proteins involved in regulating inflammation and apoptotic body clearance. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system leading to progressive and irreversible disability if not diagnosed and treated promptly. Gas6 and TAM receptors have been associated with neuronal remyelination and stimulation of oligodendrocyte survival. However, few data are available regarding clinical correlation in MS patients. We aimed to evaluate soluble levels of these molecules in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum at MS diagnosis and correlate them with short-term disease severity. Methods: In a prospective cohort study, we enrolled 64 patients with a diagnosis of clinical isolated syndrome (CIS), radiological isolated syndrome (RIS) and relapsing-remitting (RR) MS according to the McDonald 2017 Criteria. Before any treatment initiation, we sampled the serum and CSF, and collected clinical data: disease course, presence of gadolinium-enhancing lesions, and expanded disability status score (EDSS). At the last clinical follow-up, we assessed EDSS and calculated MS severity score (MSSS) and age-related MS severity (ARMSS). Gas6 and TAM receptors were determined using an ELISA kit (R&D Systems) and compared to neurofilament (NFLs) levels evaluated with SimplePlex™ fluorescence-based immunoassay. Results: At diagnosis, serum sAxl was higher in patients receiving none or low-efficacy disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) versus patients with high-efficacy DMTs (p = 0.04). Higher CSF Gas6 and serum sAXL were associated with an EDSS <3 at diagnosis (p = 0.04; p = 0.037). Serum Gas6 correlates to a lower MSSS (r2 = -0.32, p = 0.01). Serum and CSF NFLs were confirmed as disability biomarkers in our cohort according to EDSS (p = 0.005; p = 0.002) and MSSS (r2 = 0.27, p = 0.03; r2 = 0.39, p = 0.001). Results were corroborated using multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Our data suggest a protective role of Gas6 and its receptors in patients with MS and suitable severity disease biomarkers.
Subject(s)
Axl Receptor Tyrosine Kinase , Biomarkers , Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins , Multiple Sclerosis , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases , c-Mer Tyrosine Kinase , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Biomarkers/blood , Biomarkers/cerebrospinal fluid , Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/blood , Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/cerebrospinal fluid , Multiple Sclerosis/diagnosis , Multiple Sclerosis/cerebrospinal fluid , Multiple Sclerosis/blood , Prognosis , Prospective Studies , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/blood , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/cerebrospinal fluid , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/blood , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/cerebrospinal fluid , Severity of Illness IndexABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To dynamically observe the changes in hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) and Bcl-2/adenovirus E1B19kDa-interacting protein 3 (BNIP3) in children with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and evaluate their clinical value in predicting the severity and prognosis of pediatric TBI. METHODS: A prospective study included 47 children with moderate to severe TBI from January 2021 to July 2023, categorized into moderate (scores 9-12) and severe (scores 3-8) subgroups based on the Glasgow Coma Scale. A control group consisted of 30 children diagnosed and treated for inguinal hernia during the same period, with no underlying diseases. The levels of HIF-1α, BNIP3, autophagy-related protein Beclin-1, and S100B were compared among groups. The predictive value of HIF-1α, BNIP3, Beclin-1, and S100B for the severity and prognosis of TBI was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: Serum levels of HIF-1α, BNIP3, Beclin-1, and S100B in the TBI group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). Among the TBI patients, the severe subgroup had higher levels of HIF-1α, BNIP3, Beclin-1, and S100B than the moderate subgroup (P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that the serum levels of HIF-1α, BNIP3, Beclin-1, and S100B were negatively correlated with the Glasgow Coma Scale scores (P<0.05). After 7 days of treatment, serum levels of HIF-1α, BNIP3, Beclin-1, and S100B in both non-surgical and surgical TBI patients decreased compared to before treatment (P<0.05). ROC curve analysis indicated that the areas under the curve for predicting severe TBI based on serum levels of HIF-1α, BNIP3, Beclin-1, and S100B were 0.782, 0.835, 0.872, and 0.880, respectively (P<0.05), and for predicting poor prognosis of TBI were 0.749, 0.775, 0.814, and 0.751, respectively (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Serum levels of HIF-1α, BNIP3, and Beclin-1 are significantly elevated in children with TBI, and their measurement can aid in the clinical assessment of the severity and prognosis of pediatric TBI.
Subject(s)
Beclin-1 , Brain Injuries, Traumatic , Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit , Membrane Proteins , Humans , Male , Female , Brain Injuries, Traumatic/blood , Child , Membrane Proteins/blood , Child, Preschool , Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit/blood , Beclin-1/blood , Prognosis , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/blood , S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit/blood , Prospective Studies , Infant , AdolescentABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Behçet's disease (BD) is an autoimmune chronic systemic inflammatory disease characterized by a versatile clinical spectrum. Growth arrest specific protein 6 (GAS6)/soluble AXL (sAXL) signaling pathway draws attention in the resolution of inflammation, and its deficiency is associated with chronic inflammatory, autoimmune diseases, as well as clearance of apoptotic cells by phagocytes - efferocytosis. In this study, it was aimed to investigate whether GAS6/sAXL, interleukin (IL)-10, nitric oxide (NO), and BCL-2 levels were associated with inflammation and efferocytosis contributes to the pathogenesis of BD. METHODS: A total of 37 Behçet patients with ocular involvement and 30 healthy control subjects were included in this study. GAS6, sAXL, IL-10, NO, and BCL-2 levels were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. RESULTS: Serum GAS6, sAXL, IL-10, NO, and BCL-2 levels were significantly lower in patients with BD compared to the controls (P < 0.005, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P < 0.001, respectively). In correlation analysis, research parameters decreased in patients with BD was significantly correlated with each other: GAS6-IL-10 (r = 0.585, P < 0.001), GAS6-BCL-2 (r = 0.541, P < 0.001), sAXL-BCL-2 (r = 0.696, P < 0.001), IL-10-NO (r = 0.717, P < 0.001), IL-10-BCL-2 (r = 0.759, P < 0.001), and NO-BCL-2 (r = 0.541, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, decreased serum BCL-2 level may be an indicator of increased apoptosis in these patients and decreased levels of GAS6/sAXL, IL-10, and NO may indicate insufficient clearance of apoptotic bodies released as a result of increased apoptosis in BD patients.
Subject(s)
Behcet Syndrome , Biomarkers , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins , Interleukin-10 , Nitric Oxide , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 , Proto-Oncogene Proteins , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Axl Receptor Tyrosine Kinase , Behcet Syndrome/blood , Behcet Syndrome/diagnosis , Biomarkers/blood , Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/blood , Interleukin-10/blood , Nitric Oxide/blood , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/blood , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/blood , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/bloodABSTRACT
Wnt1 inducible protein-1 signaling pathway (WISP-1) is a relatively new adipokine involved in many cellular processes, including epithelial mucosa healing. The aim of the study was to compare circulating levels of WISP-1 and other selected adipokines [adiponectin, resistin and retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP-4)] in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with healthy controls and to investigate possible differences between Crohn's disease patients. (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC). The study was performed as a case-control study. In addition to adipokines, anthropometric, lipid parameters, markers of inflammation or disease activity were evaluated in all participants. Compared to healthy controls (n=20), significantly lower levels of adiponectin and higher levels of resistin and WISP-1 were found in patients with IBD (n=58). Elevation of WISP-1 was detected only in the CD group (n=31). There were no differences in RBP-4 levels between the groups. Adiponectin, WISP-1 and RBP-4 were independently associated with body mass index only, resistin levels were associated with C-reactive protein levels and leukocyte counts. Adverse adipokines production reflects presence of dysfunctional fat tissue in IBD patients. Higher levels of WISP-1 in CD compared to patients with UC may indicate a specific role for mesenteric adipose tissue in WISP-1 production.
Subject(s)
CCN Intercellular Signaling Proteins/blood , Colitis, Ulcerative , Inflammatory Bowel Diseases , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/blood , Adipokines , Adiponectin , Case-Control Studies , Child , Humans , Resistin , Signal TransductionABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression and clinical significance of serum soluble AXL in patients with radiographic knee osteoarthritis (KOA). METHODS: There were 183 patients with KOA who were selected and divided based on the Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) score into KL 0 subgroups (n = 42), KL I-II subgroups (n = 90), and KL III-IV subgroups (n = 51). Healthy volunteers (n = 170) in our hospital were selected with matched age and gender as the control group. AXL level in serum was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The correlation between serum AXL with severity and clinical indicators of osteoarthritis was analyzed. RESULTS: The level of serum AXL was significantly higher in the osteoarthritis group than that in the control group (P < .05). In the osteoarthritis patients, serum AXL level was increased with the increase of KL score. Serum AXL level was positively correlated with age, body mass index, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, serum C-reactive protein, cartilage oligomeric protein, matrix metalloproteinase-13, and transforming growth factor-ß1 levels. The cut-off value for serum AXL was determined as 33.375 ng/mL by receiver operating curve analysis. CONCLUSION: The level of serum AXL in patients with osteoarthritis is significantly higher than in healthy controls, and is closely related to the severity of radiographic osteoarthritis.
Subject(s)
Osteoarthritis, Knee/blood , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/blood , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/blood , Aged , Biomarkers/blood , Case-Control Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Osteoarthritis, Knee/diagnostic imaging , Radiography , Severity of Illness Index , Axl Receptor Tyrosine KinaseABSTRACT
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Microvascular invasion (MVI), a major risk factor for tumor recurrence after surgery in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is only detectable by microscopic examination of the surgical specimen. We aimed to define a transcriptomic signature associated with MVI in HCC than can be applied to formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) biopsies for use in clinical practice. METHODS: To identify a gene expression signature related to MVI by using NanoString technology, we selected a set of 200 genes according to the literature and RNA-sequencing data obtained from a cohort of 150 frozen HCC samples previously published. We used 178 FFPE-archived HCC samples, including 109 surgical samples for the training set and 69 paired pre-operative biopsies for the validation set. In 14 cases of the training set, a paired biopsy was available and was also analyzed. RESULTS: We identified a 6-gene signature (ROS1, UGT2B7, FAS, ANGPTL7, GMNN, MKI67) strongly associated with MVI in the training set of FFPE surgical HCC samples, with 82% accuracy (sensitivity 82%, specificity 81%, AUC 0.82). The NanoString gene expression was highly correlated in 14 paired surgical/biopsy HCC samples (mean R: 0.97). In the validation set of 69 FFPE HCC biopsies, the 6-gene NanoString signature predicted MVI with 74% accuracy (sensitivity 73%, specificity 76%, AUC 0.74). Moreover, on multivariate analysis, the MVI signature was associated with overall survival in both sets (hazard ratio 2.29; 95% CI 1.03-5.07; p = 0.041). CONCLUSION: We defined a 6-gene signature that can accurately predict MVI in FFPE HCC biopsy samples, which is also associated with overall survival, although its survival impact must be confirmed by extensive study with further clinical data. LAY SUMMARY: Microvascular invasion, a major risk factor for tumor recurrence after surgery in hepatocellular carcinoma, is only detectable by microscopic examination of a surgical specimen. In this study, we defined a relevant surrogate signature of microvascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma that may be applied in clinical practice with routine tumor biopsy and integrated into the therapeutic strategy.
Subject(s)
Biopsy/statistics & numerical data , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/blood , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology , Gene Expression/genetics , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Angiopoietin-Like Protein 7/analysis , Angiopoietin-Like Protein 7/blood , Angiopoietin-like Proteins/analysis , Angiopoietin-like Proteins/blood , Biomarkers/analysis , Biomarkers/blood , Biopsy/methods , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/epidemiology , Cohort Studies , Female , France/epidemiology , Geminin/analysis , Geminin/blood , Gene Expression/physiology , Glucuronosyltransferase/analysis , Glucuronosyltransferase/blood , Humans , Ki-67 Antigen/analysis , Ki-67 Antigen/blood , Liver Neoplasms/blood , Liver Neoplasms/epidemiology , Liver Neoplasms/pathology , Male , Microvessels/physiopathology , Middle Aged , Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/analysis , Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/blood , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/analysis , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/blood , fas Receptor/analysis , fas Receptor/bloodABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common primary tumor to develop brain metastasis. Prognostic markers are needed to better determine survival after neurosurgical resection of intracranial disease. Given the importance of mutation subtyping in determining systemic therapy and overall prognosis of NSCLC, the authors examined the prognostic value of mutation status for postresection survival of patients with NSCLC brain metastasis. METHODS: The authors retrospectively analyzed all cases of NSCLC brain metastasis with available molecular testing data that were resected by a single surgeon at a single academic center from January 2009 to February 2019. Mutation status, demographic characteristics, clinical factors, and treatments were analyzed. Association between predictive variables and overall survival after neurosurgery was determined with Cox regression. RESULTS: Of the included patients (n = 84), 40% were male, 76% were smokers, the mean ± SD Karnofsky Performance Status was 85 ± 14, and the mean ± SD age at surgery was 63 ± 11 years. In total, 23%, 26%, and 4% of patients had EGFR, KRAS, and ALK/ROS1 alterations, respectively. On multivariate analysis, survival of patients with EGFR (HR 0.495, p = 0.0672) and KRAS (HR 1.380, p = 0.3617) mutations were not significantly different from survival of patients with wild-type (WT) tumor. However, the subgroup of patients with EGFR mutation who also received tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy had significantly prolonged survival (HR 0.421, p = 0.0471). In addition, postoperative stereotactic radiosurgery (HR 0.409, p = 0.0177) and resected tumor diameter < 3 cm (HR 0.431, p = 0.0146) were also significantly associated with prolonged survival, but Graded Prognostic Assessment score ≤ 1.0 (HR 2.269, p = 0.0364) was significantly associated with shortened survival. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with EGFR mutation who receive TKI therapy may have better survival after resection of brain metastasis than patients with WT tumor. These results may inform counseling and decision-making regarding the appropriateness of resection of NSCLC brain metastasis.
Subject(s)
Biomarkers, Tumor/analysis , Brain Neoplasms/genetics , Brain Neoplasms/therapy , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/genetics , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/therapy , Adult , Aged , Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use , Brain Neoplasms/secondary , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/pathology , Clinical Decision-Making , DNA Mutational Analysis , ErbB Receptors/blood , Female , Humans , Karnofsky Performance Status , Lung Neoplasms/pathology , Male , Middle Aged , Neurosurgical Procedures/methods , Prognosis , Protein Kinase Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/blood , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/blood , Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)/blood , Retrospective Studies , Smoking/adverse effects , Survival AnalysisABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase 1 (TET1) is involved in DNA demethylation and transcriptional regulation, plays a key role in the maintenance of stem cell pluripotency, and is dysregulated in malignant cells. The identification of cancer stem cells (CSCs) driving tumor growth and metastasis is the primary objective of biomarker discovery in aggressive prostate cancer (PCa). In this context, we analyzed TET1 expression in PCa. METHODS: A large-scale immunohistochemical analysis of TET1 was performed in normal prostate (NOR) and PCa using conventional slides (50 PCa specimens) and tissue microarrays (669 NOR and 1371 PCa tissue cores from 371 PCa specimens). Western blotting, RT-qPCR, and 450 K methylation array analyses were performed on PCa cell lines. Genome-wide correlation, gene regulatory network, and functional genomics studies were performed using publicly available data sources and bioinformatics tools. RESULTS: In NOR, TET1 was exclusively expressed in normal cytokeratin 903 (CK903)-positive basal cells. In PCa, TET1 was frequently detected in alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemase (AMACR)-positive tumor cell clusters and was detectable at all tumor stages and Gleason scores. Pearson's correlation analyses of PCa revealed 626 TET1-coactivated genes (r > 0.5) primarily encoding chromatin remodeling and mitotic factors. Moreover, signaling pathways regulating antiviral processes (62 zinc finger, ZNF, antiviral proteins) and the pluripotency of stem cells were activated. A significant proportion of detected genes exhibited TET1-correlated promoter hypomethylation. There were 161 genes encoding transcription factors (TFs), of which 133 were ZNF-TFs with promoter binding sites in TET1 and in the vast majority of TET1-coactivated genes. CONCLUSIONS: TET1-expressing cells are an integral part of PCa and may represent CSCs with oncogenic potential.
Subject(s)
Mixed Function Oxygenases/analysis , Prostatic Neoplasms/genetics , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/analysis , Aged , DNA Methylation/genetics , Gene Expression/genetics , Gene Expression/immunology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Mixed Function Oxygenases/blood , Mixed Function Oxygenases/genetics , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/blood , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/geneticsABSTRACT
Growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible protein 34 (GADD34), one of the key effectors of negative feedback loops, is induced by stress and subsequently attempts to restore homeostasis. It plays a critical role in response to DNA damage and endoplasmic reticulum stress. GADD34 has opposing effects on different stimulus-induced cell apoptosis events in many nervous system diseases, but its role in ischemic stroke is unclear. In this study, we evaluated the role of GADD34 and its distribution in a rat cerebral ischemic model. The results showed that GADD34 was increased in the cortex and contributed to brain injury in ischemic rats. Furthermore, treatment with a GADD34 inhibitor reduced the infarct volume, improved functional outcomes, and inhibited neuronal apoptosis in the cortical penumbra after ischemia. The role of GADD34 in ischemic stroke was associated with the dephosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) and phosphorylation of p53. In addition, the GADD34 level was increased in plasma exosomes of cerebral ischemic rats. These findings indicate that GADD34 could be a potential therapeutic target and biomarker for ischemic stroke.
Subject(s)
Antigens, Differentiation/metabolism , Cinnamates/pharmacology , Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery/diagnosis , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/metabolism , Reperfusion Injury/prevention & control , Thiourea/analogs & derivatives , Animals , Antigens, Differentiation/blood , Biomarkers/blood , Biomarkers/metabolism , Cinnamates/therapeutic use , Disease Models, Animal , Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-2/blood , Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-2/metabolism , Exosomes/metabolism , Humans , Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery/blood , Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery/complications , Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery/drug therapy , Male , Phosphorylation/drug effects , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/blood , Rats , Reperfusion Injury/etiology , Thiourea/pharmacology , Thiourea/therapeutic use , Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/blood , Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/metabolismABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of 4 plasma protein markers for detecting disease activity in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. METHODS: Eighty-three consecutive pediatric patients fulfilling ≥4 ACR criteria for SLE and twenty-five healthy controls were prospectively recruited for serological testing of 4 protein markers identified by antibody-coated microarray screen, namely Axl, ferritin, IGFBP4 and sTNFR2. SLE disease activity was assessed using SLEDAI-2000 score. Fifty-seven patients had clinically active SLE (SLEDAI score ≥4, or having a flare). RESULTS: The plasma concentrations of Axl and ferritin were significantly higher in patients with active SLE than inactive SLE. Plasma Axl levels were significantly higher in active renal versus active non-renal SLE patients. Levels of Axl, ferritin and IGFBP4 correlated significantly with SLEDAI scores. Levels of Axl, IFGBP4 and sTNFR2 inversely correlated with plasma complement C3 levels. Only plasma Axl and ferritin levels correlated with degree of proteinuria. These markers were more specific, but less sensitive, in detecting concurrent SLE activity than elevated anti-dsDNA antibody titer or decreased C3. Ferritin and IGFBP4 levels were more specific for concurrent active lupus nephritis than anti-dsDNA or C3. Plasma ferritin was the best monitor of global SLE activity, followed by C3 then Axl, while both Axl and C3 were best monitors of clinical lupus nephritis activity. CONCLUSION: In childhood-onset SLE patients, plasma ferritin and Axl perform better than traditional yardsticks in identifying disease activity, either global or renal. The performance of these plasma markers should be explored further in longitudinal cohorts of SLE patients.
Subject(s)
Ferritins/blood , Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 4/blood , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/blood , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/blood , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/blood , Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II/blood , Adolescent , Antibodies, Antinuclear/blood , Biomarkers/blood , Child , Complement C3/analysis , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/diagnosis , Lupus Nephritis/blood , Lupus Nephritis/diagnosis , Male , Severity of Illness Index , Axl Receptor Tyrosine KinaseABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Hemodialysis (HD) patients often develop chronic inflammation, which is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular complications and mortality. Axl and its ligand, growth arrest 6 (Gas6), have been reported to play key roles in regulating the immune response. However, the function of Axl in HD patients has not been clarified. METHODS: In the present study, we enrolled 130 HD patients and 117 normal controls (NCs) and evaluated the levels of inflammatory markers, soluble Axl (sAxl), membrane Axl (mAxl), and Gas6 in all participants. The potential downstream cascades of Gas6-Axl signaling in HD patients were identified by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. RESULTS: The levels of inflammatory cytokines-tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-plasma sAxl, and Gas6, were significantly increased in HD patients compared to NCs. Additionally, sAxl was positively associated with the inflammatory factor, interleukin-6 (IL-6), in HD patients. Moreover, we found that mAxl in CD14+ mononuclear cells and CD19+ B cells was increased upon HD. Furthermore, we discovered that the metalloproteinase ADAM17, also called TACE, contributed to the cleavage of mAxl into sAxl, and not ADAM10, in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of HD patients. The upregulation of Gas6-mAxl signaling caused the activation of the STAT1-SOCS3 pathway in the PBMCs of HD patients. After two years follow-up, patients with lower sAxl levels had longer survival time than those with higher sAxl levels. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that Axl may play a significant role in systemic inflammation in HD patients.
Subject(s)
Inflammation/pathology , Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/metabolism , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/blood , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/metabolism , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/blood , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/metabolism , Renal Dialysis/adverse effects , ADAM10 Protein/metabolism , ADAM17 Protein/metabolism , Adult , Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases/metabolism , B-Lymphocytes/metabolism , Female , Humans , Inflammation/genetics , Inflammation/immunology , Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/blood , Interferon-gamma/blood , Interleukin-6/blood , Leukocytes, Mononuclear/metabolism , Male , Membrane Proteins/metabolism , Middle Aged , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/genetics , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/genetics , STAT1 Transcription Factor/metabolism , Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3 Protein/metabolism , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood , Axl Receptor Tyrosine KinaseABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether soluble frizzled-related protein 4 (sFRP4) concentration in the first trimester of pregnancy is individually, or in combination with Leptin, Chemerin and/or Adiponectin, associated with the development of gestational diabetes (GDM). METHODS: In a nested case-control study, 50 women with GDM who spontaneously conceived and delivered a live-born infant were matched with a total of 100 uncomplicated singleton control pregnancies based on body mass index (± 2 kg/m2), gestational age at sampling (exact day) and maternal age (± 2 years). In serum samples, obtained between 70-90 days gestational age, sFRP4, Chemerin, Leptin and Adiponectin concentrations were determined by ELISA. Statistical comparisons were performed using univariate and multi-variate logistic regression analysis after logarithmic transformation of the concentrations. Discrimination of the models was assessed by the area under the curve (AUC). RESULTS: First trimester sFRP4 concentrations were significantly increased in GDM cases (2.04 vs 1.93 ng/ml; p<0.05), just as Chemerin (3.19 vs 3.15 ng/ml; p<0.05) and Leptin (1.44 vs 1.32 ng/ml; p<0.01). Adiponectin concentrations were significantly decreased (2.83 vs 2.94 ng/ml; p<0.01) in GDM cases. Further analysis only showed a weak, though significant, correlation of sFRP4 with Chemerin (R2 = 0.124; p<0.001) and Leptin (R2 = 0.145; p<0.001), and Chemerin with Leptin (R2 = 0.282; p<0.001) in the control group. In a multivariate logistic regression model of these four markers, only Adiponectin showed to be significantly associated with GDM (odds ratio 0.12, 95%CI 0.02-0.68). The AUC of this model was 0.699 (95%CI 0.605-0.793). CONCLUSION: In the first trimester of pregnancy, a multi-marker model with sFRP4, Leptin, Chemerin and Adiponectin is associated with the development of GDM. Therefore, this panel seems to be an interesting candidate to further evaluate for prediction of GDM in a prospective study.
Subject(s)
Diabetes, Gestational/metabolism , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/metabolism , Adipokines/analysis , Adipokines/blood , Adiponectin/analysis , Adiponectin/blood , Adult , Area Under Curve , Biomarkers/blood , Blood Glucose/metabolism , Body Mass Index , Case-Control Studies , Chemokines/analysis , Chemokines/blood , Chemokines/metabolism , Diabetes, Gestational/physiopathology , Female , Humans , Leptin/analysis , Leptin/blood , Maternal Age , Netherlands , Odds Ratio , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Trimester, First/blood , Prospective Studies , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/blood , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/physiology , ROC CurveABSTRACT
Wnt1-inducible signaling pathway protein 1 (WISP1) regulates cell proliferation, differentiation, adhesion, migration and survival. Abnormal WISP1 expression is associated with the carcinogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Aberrant DNA methylation is one of the major epigenetic alterations in HCC. However, the methylation status of the WISP1 promoter is still unclear. We therefore aimed to determine the methylation status of the WISP1 promoter and evaluate its clinical value in HCC. The study enrolled 251 participants, including 123 participants with HCC, 90 participants with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and 38 healthy controls (HCs). WISP1 methylation status, mRNA levels and plasma soluble WISP1 were detected by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP), quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. We found that the methylation frequency of WISP1 in patients with HCC was significantly lower than that in patients with CHB and HCs, while the relative expression levels of WISP1 mRNA were markedly higher in patients with HCC than in patients with CHB and HCs. Furthermore, the plasma soluble WISP1 in patients with HCC was obviously lower than in that in patients with CHB and HCs. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a widely recognized biomarker to diagnose HCC which lacks enough sensitivity and specificity. WISP1 promoter methylation status combined with AFP significantly improved the diagnostic ability in discriminating HCC from CHB compared with AFP or WISP1 methylation status alone. In conclusion, hypomethylation of the WISP1 gene promoter may serve as a noninvasive biomarker for detecting HBV-associated HCC.
Subject(s)
CCN Intercellular Signaling Proteins/genetics , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/diagnosis , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/genetics , DNA Methylation/genetics , Hepatitis B virus/physiology , Liver Neoplasms/diagnosis , Liver Neoplasms/genetics , Promoter Regions, Genetic , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/genetics , Base Sequence , CCN Intercellular Signaling Proteins/blood , CCN Intercellular Signaling Proteins/metabolism , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/blood , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/virology , Case-Control Studies , Female , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Hepatitis B, Chronic/genetics , Humans , Liver Neoplasms/blood , Liver Neoplasms/virology , Logistic Models , Male , Middle Aged , Multivariate Analysis , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/blood , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/metabolism , RNA, Messenger/genetics , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , ROC CurveABSTRACT
Expanding the mass of pancreatic insulin-producing beta cells through re-activation of beta cell replication has been proposed as a therapy to prevent or delay the appearance of diabetes. Pancreatic beta cells exhibit an age-dependent decrease in their proliferative activity, partly related to changes in the systemic environment. Here we report the identification of CCN4/Wisp1 as a circulating factor more abundant in pre-weaning than in adult mice. We show that Wisp1 promotes endogenous and transplanted adult beta cell proliferation in vivo. We validate these findings using isolated mouse and human islets and find that the beta cell trophic effect of Wisp1 is dependent on Akt signaling. In summary, our study reveals the role of Wisp1 as an inducer of beta cell replication, supporting the idea that the use of young blood factors may be a useful strategy to expand adult beta cell mass.