Epigenetic Induction of Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotypic Alterations in Aortic Aneurysms and Dissections.

BACKGROUND: Smooth muscle cell (SMC) phenotypic switching has been increasingly detected in aortic aneurysm and dissection (AAD) tissues. However, the diverse SMC phenotypes in AAD tissues and the mechanisms driving SMC phenotypic alterations remain to be identified. METHODS: We examined the transcriptomic and epigenomic dynamics of aortic SMC phenotypic changes in mice with angiotensin II-induced AAD by using single-cell RNA sequencing and single-cell sequencing assay for transposase-accessible chromatin. SMC phenotypic alteration in aortas from patients with ascending thoracic AAD was examined by using single-cell RNA sequencing analysis. RESULTS: Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis revealed that aortic stress induced the transition of SMCs from a primary contractile phenotype to proliferative, extracellular matrix-producing, and inflammatory phenotypes. Lineage tracing showed the complete transformation of SMCs to fibroblasts and macrophages. Single-cell sequencing assay for transposase-accessible chromatin analysis indicated that these phenotypic alterations were controlled by chromatin remodeling marked by the reduced chromatin accessibility of contractile genes and the induced chromatin accessibility of genes involved in proliferation, extracellular matrix, and inflammation. IRF3 (interferon regulatory factor 3), a proinflammatory transcription factor activated by cytosolic DNA, was identified as a key driver of the transition of aortic SMCs from a contractile phenotype to an inflammatory phenotype. In cultured SMCs, cytosolic DNA signaled through its sensor STING (stimulator of interferon genes)-TBK1 (tank-binding kinase 1) to activate IRF3, which bound and recruited EZH2 (enhancer of zeste homolog 2) to contractile genes to induce repressive H3K27me3 modification and gene suppression. In contrast, double-stranded DNA-STING-IRF3 signaling induced inflammatory gene expression in SMCs. In Sting-/- mice, the aortic stress-induced transition of SMCs into an inflammatory phenotype was prevented, and SMC populations were preserved. Finally, profound SMC phenotypic alterations toward diverse directions were detected in human ascending thoracic AAD tissues. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reveals the dynamic epigenetic induction of SMC phenotypic alterations in AAD. DNA damage and cytosolic leakage drive SMCs from a contractile phenotype to an inflammatory phenotype.

Anti-diabetic effects of GLP1 analogs are mediated by thermogenic interleukin-6 signaling in adipocytes.

Mechanisms underlying anti-diabetic effects of GLP1 analogs remain incompletely understood. We observed that in prediabetic humans exenatide treatment acutely induces interleukin-6 (IL-6) secretion by monocytes and IL-6 in systemic circulation. We hypothesized that GLP1 analogs signal through IL-6 in adipose tissue (AT) and used the mouse model to test if IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) signaling underlies the effects of the GLP1-IL-6 axis. We show that liraglutide transiently increases IL-6 in mouse circulation and IL-6R signaling in AT. Metronomic liraglutide treatment resulted in AT browning and thermogenesis linked with STAT3 activation. IL-6-blocking antibody treatment inhibited STAT3 activation in AT and suppressed liraglutide-induced increase in thermogenesis and glucose utilization. We show that adipose IL-6R knockout mice still display liraglutide-induced weight loss but lack thermogenic adipocyte browning and metabolism activation. We conclude that the anti-diabetic effects of GLP1 analogs are mediated by transient upregulation of IL-6, which activates canonical IL-6R signaling and thermogenesis.

Metabolic remodeling precedes mTORC1-mediated cardiac hypertrophy.

RATIONALE: The nutrient sensing mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) and its primary inhibitor, tuberin (TSC2), are cues for the development of cardiac hypertrophy. The phenotype of mTORC1 induced hypertrophy is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of sustained mTORC1 activation on metabolism, function, and structure of the adult heart. METHODS AND RESULTS: We developed a mouse model of inducible, cardiac-specific sustained mTORC1 activation (mTORC1iSA) through deletion of Tsc2. Prior to hypertrophy, rates of glucose uptake and oxidation, as well as protein and enzymatic activity of glucose 6-phosphate isomerase (GPI) were decreased, while intracellular levels of glucose 6-phosphate (G6P) were increased. Subsequently, hypertrophy developed. Transcript levels of the fetal gene program and pathways of exercise-induced hypertrophy increased, while hypertrophy did not progress to heart failure. We therefore examined the hearts of wild-type mice subjected to voluntary physical activity and observed early changes in GPI, followed by hypertrophy. Rapamycin prevented these changes in both models. CONCLUSION: Activation of mTORC1 in the adult heart triggers the development of a non-specific form of hypertrophy which is preceded by changes in cardiac glucose metabolism.

Single-Cell Analysis of Aneurysmal Aortic Tissue in Patients with Marfan Syndrome Reveals Dysfunctional TGF-ß Signaling.

The molecular and cellular processes leading to aortic aneurysm development in Marfan syndrome (MFS) remain poorly understood. In this study, we examined the changes of aortic cell populations and gene expression in MFS by performing single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA seq) on ascending aortic aneurysm tissues from patients with MFS (n = 3) and age-matched non-aneurysmal control tissues from cardiac donors and recipients (n = 4). The expression of key molecules was confirmed by immunostaining. We detected diverse populations of smooth muscle cells (SMCs), fibroblasts, and endothelial cells (ECs) in the aortic wall. Aortic tissues from MFS showed alterations of cell populations with increased de-differentiated proliferative SMCs compared to controls. Furthermore, there was a downregulation of MYOCD and MYH11 in SMCs, and an upregulation of COL1A1/2 in fibroblasts in MFS samples compared to controls. We also examined TGF-ß signaling, an important pathway in aortic homeostasis. We found that TGFB1 was significantly upregulated in two fibroblast clusters in MFS tissues. However, TGF-ß receptor genes (predominantly TGFBR2) and SMAD genes were downregulated in SMCs, fibroblasts, and ECs in MFS, indicating impairment in TGF-ß signaling. In conclusion, despite upregulation of TGFB1, the rest of the canonical TGF-ß pathway and mature SMCs were consistently downregulated in MFS, indicating a potential compromise of TGF-ß signaling and lack of stimulus for SMC differentiation.

Single-Cell Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Dynamic Cell Populations and Differential Gene Expression Patterns in Control and Aneurysmal Human Aortic Tissue.

BACKGROUND: Ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm (ATAA) is caused by the progressive weakening and dilatation of the aortic wall and can lead to aortic dissection, rupture, and other life-threatening complications. To improve our understanding of ATAA pathogenesis, we aimed to comprehensively characterize the cellular composition of the ascending aortic wall and to identify molecular alterations in each cell population of human ATAA tissues. METHODS: We performed single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of ascending aortic tissues from 11 study participants, including 8 patients with ATAA (4 women and 4 men) and 3 control subjects (2 women and 1 man). Cells extracted from aortic tissue were analyzed and categorized with single-cell RNA sequencing data to perform cluster identification. ATAA-related changes were then examined by comparing the proportions of each cell type and the gene expression profiles between ATAA and control tissues. We also examined which genes may be critical for ATAA by performing the integrative analysis of our single-cell RNA sequencing data with publicly available data from genome-wide association studies. RESULTS: We identified 11 major cell types in human ascending aortic tissue; the high-resolution reclustering of these cells further divided them into 40 subtypes. Multiple subtypes were observed for smooth muscle cells, macrophages, and T lymphocytes, suggesting that these cells have multiple functional populations in the aortic wall. In general, ATAA tissues had fewer nonimmune cells and more immune cells, especially T lymphocytes, than control tissues did. Differential gene expression data suggested the presence of extensive mitochondrial dysfunction in ATAA tissues. In addition, integrative analysis of our single-cell RNA sequencing data with public genome-wide association study data and promoter capture Hi-C data suggested that the erythroblast transformation-specific related gene(ERG) exerts an important role in maintaining normal aortic wall function. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the cellular composition of the ascending aortic wall and reveals how the gene expression landscape is altered in human ATAA tissue. The information from this study makes important contributions to our understanding of ATAA formation and progression.

Kidney Injury in Murine Models of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) affects different organs, including the skin, liver, and gastrointestinal tract. Although kidneys are not among the organs commonly known to be the target of acute GVHD, kidney damage is frequently reported after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). We have studied the effect of bone marrow transplantation (BMT) on the kidneys in different murine models of GVHD. We found that glomerular damage in the kidneys is a common pathological finding in mice after BMT. The histopathological features of glomeruli damage included mesengiolysis, mesangial proliferation and edema, subendothelial and endothelial thickening, splitting of capillary walls in glomeruli, narrowing and collapsing of capillary lumens, fibrinoid necrosis of afferent arterioles, intimal hyperplasia, and microthrombi. These pathological features are similar to those detected in kidneys of patients with thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) after allo-HSCT. We previously showed that activation of the complement system plays a role in GVHD-induced tissue injury in mice. Here we report the presence of complement activation products in the kidney specimens of mice after BMT. We also report that complement deficiency reduced the extent and severity of post-BMT glomerular damage in mice. We conclude that BMT in mice is associated with glomerular injury and tubulointerstitial nephritis, and that kidney damage is at least partially mediated by activation of the complement system.

Sca-1+ cardiac fibroblasts promote development of heart failure.

The causative effect of GM-CSF produced by cardiac fibroblasts to development of heart failure has not been shown. We identified the pathological GM-CSF-producing cardiac fibroblast subset and the specific deletion of IL-17A signaling to these cells attenuated cardiac inflammation and heart failure. We describe here the CD45- CD31- CD29+ mEF-SK4+ PDGFRα+ Sca-1+ periostin+ (Sca-1+ ) cardiac fibroblast subset as the main GM-CSF producer in both experimental autoimmune myocarditis and myocardial infarction mouse models. Specific ablation of IL-17A signaling to Sca-1+ periostin+ cardiac fibroblasts (PostnCre Il17rafl/fl ) protected mice from post-infarct heart failure and death. Moreover, PostnCre Il17rafl/fl mice had significantly fewer GM-CSF-producing Sca-1+ cardiac fibroblasts and inflammatory Ly6Chi monocytes in the heart. Sca-1+ cardiac fibroblasts were not only potent GM-CSF producers, but also exhibited plasticity and switched their cytokine production profiles depending on local microenvironments. Moreover, we also found GM-CSF-positive cardiac fibroblasts in cardiac biopsy samples from heart failure patients of myocarditis or ischemic origin. Thus, this is the first identification of a pathological GM-CSF-producing cardiac fibroblast subset in human and mice hearts with myocarditis and ischemic cardiomyopathy. Sca-1+ cardiac fibroblasts direct the type of immune cells infiltrating the heart during cardiac inflammation and drive the development of heart failure.

Comparing the periodontal clinical effect between conventional and self-ligating brackets: systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction: orthodontists constantly seek to reduce the duration of their provided treatments and the patient's time in the office. for this reason, different bracket systems are currently used in orthodontics; an example is self-ligating brackets (SLB) which are believed to offer advantages over conventional brackets (CB). objective: to evaluate and compare the clinical periodontal effect of CB and SLB through a systematic review and a meta-analysis. material and method: a search of the literature was carried out until December 2017, in the biomedical databases: PubMed, Embase, SciELO, ScienceDirect, SIGLE, LILACS, BBO, Google Scholar and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. the selection criteria of the studies were defined as such: randomized clinical trials, up to 5 years old and that report the clinical effects (probing depth, bleeding on probing, gingival index and plaque index) from the use of CB and SLB. the risk of study bias was analyzed through the Cochrane Handbook of systematic reviews of interventions. results: the search strategy resulted in 12 articles, eight of which reported no difference in the reduction in probing depth, bleeding on probing, gingival index and plaque index (p>0.05) between CB and SLB. conclusion: the literature reviewed suggests that there are no differences in the periodontal clinical effect among patients who received orthodontic treatment with CB or SLB.

Linfoma de Burkitt en un escolar con infección perinatal por VIH lentamente progresiva / Burkitt's lymphoma in a school boy with slow progression perinatally acquired HIV

Resumen Las manifestaciones clínicas en los niños con infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH) de transmisión perinatal, pueden ser de inicio precoz o tardío. El linfoma asociado a VIH es una manifestación tardía que se asocia a estadios avanzados de inmunosupresión. Se presenta el caso de un escolar de 9 años con diagnóstico de novo de infección por VIH que debutó con un linfoma de Burkitt. En niños, la frecuencia de esta asociación es de 1-2% con pocos casos reportados en la literatura médica.

Children with perinatal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection can present early or late clinical disease. HIV-associated lymphoma is a later manifestation that is associated with advanced immunosuppression (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome -AIDS). This is a case of a 9-year-old boy with recent diagnosis of HIV with Burkitt's lymphoma as first clinical manifestation. In children, the frequency of this association is very low and there are few cases reported.

Clinical effect of platelet rich fibrin in the treatment of periodontal intrabony defects. systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: There is currently no gold standard biomaterial for the treatment of periodontal intrabony defects (PIDs). One of the current options is the use of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF). Objective: To determine the clinical effect of PRF in the treatment of PID through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Materials and Methods: A literature search was conducted up to February 2017 in the following biomedical databases: Pubmed, Embase, Scielo, Science Direct, SIGLE, LILACS and in the Cochrane Central Register of Clinical Trials. The selection criteria included: randomized clinical trials published in the last 5 years, reporting clinical effects (probing depth, clinical insertion level or gingival recession), with a follow-up time equal to or greater than 6 months, and sample size larger than or equal to 10 patients reporting the use of PRF as a treatment for PID. The methodological quality of the studies was analyzed using the Cochrane Handbook of Systematic Reviews of Interventions as a reference. Results: The search strategy yielded 20 articles. A reduction in probing depth and an increase in clinical insertion level or a reduction in gingival recession is reported, when using PRF alone or in combination with another biomaterial or substance that stimulates tissue regeneration. Conclusion: The literature suggests that the use of PRF in the treatment of PIDs has a beneficial clinical effect when compared to control treatments.

Clinical effect of platelet rich plasma in the treatment of periodontal intrabony defects. systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction: One of the consequences of periodontitis is periodontal intrabony defects (PID). Various biomaterials have been used for its treatment, but there is still no biomaterial considered as the gold standard. Current research is focused on the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for the treatment of PID. Objective: To determine the clinical effect of PRP in the treatment of PID through a systematic review with meta-analysis. Materials and Methods: A literature search was conducted until February 2017 in the biomedical databases: Pubmed, Embase, Scielo, Science Direct, SIGLE, LILACS, IBECS, and the Cochrane Central Register of Clinical Trials. The criteria for the selection of the studies, which were randomized clinical trials, were the following: articles or papers published in the last 5 years, reporting clinical effects, with a follow-up time equal to or greater than 6 months, and a sample size equal to or greater than 10 patients reporting the use of PRP as a treatment for PID. The methodological quality of the studies was analyzed using the Cochrane Handbook of Systematic Reviews of Interventions as a reference. Results: The search strategy yielded nine articles reporting a reduction in probing depth and gingival recession, and an increase in clinical insertion level when using PRP alone or in combination with another biomaterial. Conclusion: The reviewed literature suggests that the use of PRP in the treatment of PID has a positive clinical effect.

Glucose regulates the intrinsic inflammatory response of the heart to surgically induced hypothermic ischemic arrest and reperfusion.

We investigated the isolated working rat heart as a model to study early transcriptional remodeling induced in the setting of open heart surgery and stress hyperglycemia. Hearts of male Sprague Dawley rats were cold-arrested in Krebs-Henseleit buffer and subjected to 60 min normothermic reperfusion in the working mode with buffer supplemented with noncarbohydrate substrates plus glucose (25 mM) or mannitol (25 mM; osmotic control). Gene expression profiles were determined by microarray analysis and compared with those of nonperfused hearts. Perfused hearts displayed a transcriptional signature independent from the presence of glucose showing a more than twofold increase in expression of 71 genes connected to inflammation, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. These transcriptional alterations were very similar to the ones taking place in the hearts of open heart surgery patients. Prominent among those alterations was the upregulation of the three master regulators of metabolic reprogramming, MYC, NR4A1, and NR4A2. Targeted pathway analysis revealed an upregulation of metabolic processes associated with the proliferation and activation of macrophages and fibroblasts. Glucose potentiated the upregulation of a subset of genes associated with polarization of tissue reparative M2-like macrophages, an effect that was lost in perfused hearts from rats rendered insulin resistant by high-sucrose feeding. The results expose the heart as a significant source of proinflammatory mediators released in response to stress associated with cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, and suggest a major role for glucose as a signal in the determination of resident cardiac macrophage polarization.

Bile acid excess induces cardiomyopathy and metabolic dysfunctions in the heart.

Cardiac dysfunction in patients with liver cirrhosis is strongly associated with increased serum bile acid concentrations. Here we show that excess bile acids decrease fatty acid oxidation in cardiomyocytes and can cause heart dysfunction, a cardiac syndrome that we term cholecardia. Farnesoid X receptor; Small Heterodimer Partner double knockout mice, a model for bile acid overload, display cardiac hypertrophy, bradycardia, and exercise intolerance. In addition, double knockout mice exhibit an impaired cardiac response to catecholamine challenge. Consistent with this decreased cardiac function, we show that elevated serum bile acids reduce cardiac fatty acid oxidation both in vivo and ex vivo. We find that increased bile acid levels suppress expression of proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1α, a key regulator of fatty acid metabolism, and that proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1α overexpression in cardiac cells was able to rescue the bile acid-mediated reduction in fatty acid oxidation genes. Importantly, intestinal bile acid sequestration with cholestyramine was sufficient to reverse the observed heart dysfunction in the double knockout mice. CONCLUSIONS: Decreased proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1α expression contributes to the metabolic dysfunction in cholecardia so that reducing serum bile acid concentrations may be beneficial against the metabolic and pathological changes in the heart. (Hepatology 2017;65:189-201).

[Burkitt's lymphoma in a school boy with slow progression perinatally acquired HIV]. / Linfoma de Burkitt en un escolar con infección perinatal por VIH lentamente progresiva.

Children with perinatal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection can present early or late clinical disease. HIV-associated lymphoma is a later manifestation that is associated with advanced immunosuppression (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome -AIDS). This is a case of a 9-year-old boy with recent diagnosis of HIV with Burkitt's lymphoma as first clinical manifestation. In children, the frequency of this association is very low and there are few cases reported.

Oncometabolite d-2-hydroxyglutarate impairs α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase and contractile function in rodent heart.

Hematologic malignancies are frequently associated with cardiac pathologies. Mutations of isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 (IDH1/2) occur in a subset of acute myeloid leukemia patients, causing metabolic and epigenetic derangements. We have now discovered that altered metabolism in leukemic cells has a profound effect on cardiac metabolism. Combining mathematical modeling and in vivo as well as ex vivo studies, we found that increased amounts of the oncometabolite d-2-hydroxyglutarate (D2-HG), produced by IDH2 mutant leukemic cells, cause contractile dysfunction in the heart. This contractile dysfunction is associated with impaired oxidative decarboxylation of α-ketoglutarate, a redirection of Krebs cycle intermediates, and increased ATP citrate lyase (ACL) activity. Increased availability of D2-HG also leads to altered histone methylation and acetylation in the heart. We propose that D2-HG promotes cardiac dysfunction by impairing α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase and induces histone modifications in an ACL-dependent manner. Collectively, our results highlight the impact of cancer cell metabolism on function and metabolism of the heart.

Eagle syndrome: a narrative review / Síndrome de Eagle: una revisión narrativa

Abstract: painful disorders in the maxillofacial region are common in dental practice. Most of these conditions are not properly diagnosed because of inadequate knowledge of craniofacial and cervico-pharyngeal syndromes such as Eagle Syndrome. The aim of this review is to describe the general aspects, diagnosis and treatment of Eagle syndrome. Eagle syndrome or stylohyoid syndrome was first described by Watt W. Eagle in 1937. It was defined as orofacial pain related to the elongation of the styloid process and ligament stylohyoid calcification. The condition is accompanied by symptoms such as dysphonia, dysphagia, sore throat, glossitis, earache, tonsillitis, facial pain, headache, pain in the temporomandibular joint and inability to perform lateral movements of the neck. Diagnosis and treatment of Eagle syndrome based on symptoms and radiographic examination of the patient will determine the need for surgical or nonsurgical treatment. Eagle syndrome is a complex disorder demanding a thorough knowledge of its signs and symptoms to make a correct diagnosis and provide an appropriate subsequent treatment. Disseminating information about this syndrome among medical-dental professionals is essential to provide adequate dental care to patients.

Resumen: en la práctica odontológica, es frecuente encontrar alteraciones con sintomatología dolorosa en la región maxilofacial, las cuales no son apropiadamente diagnosticadas, a causa del desconocimiento de síndromes craneofaciales y cervicofaríngeos, como el Síndrome de Eagle. El objetivo de esta revisión es describir los aspectos generales, diagnóstico y tratamiento del Síndrome de Eagle. El Síndrome de Eagle o estilalgia es la entidad nosológica, descrita por Watt W. Eagle en 1937, definida como aquel dolor orofacial relacionado con la elongación de la apófisis estiloides y calcificación del ligamento estilohioideo; el cual está acompañado de síntomas como: disfonía, disfagia, dolor faríngeo, glositis, otalgia, tonsilitis, dolor facial, cefalea, odinofagia, dolor en la articulación temporomandibular e imposibilidad de realizar movimientos laterales del cuello. El diagnóstico y tratamiento del Síndrome de Eagle está basado en la sintomatología y el examen radiográfico del paciente, lo cual determinará el tratamiento quirúrgico o no quirúrgico. El Síndrome de Eagle es una patología compleja que requiere un conocimiento amplio de sus signos y síntomas, para establecer un correcto diagnóstico y posteriormente un adecuado tratamiento. Para ello, es necesario difundir la información sobre este síndrome entre los profesionales médico-odontológico y así brindar una atención adecuada a cada uno de los pacientes.

Increased COUP-TFII expression in adult hearts induces mitochondrial dysfunction resulting in heart failure.

Mitochondrial dysfunction and metabolic remodelling are pivotal in the development of cardiomyopathy. Here, we show that myocardial COUP-TFII overexpression causes heart failure in mice, suggesting a causal effect of elevated COUP-TFII levels on development of dilated cardiomyopathy. COUP-TFII represses genes critical for mitochondrial electron transport chain enzyme activity, oxidative stress detoxification and mitochondrial dynamics, resulting in increased levels of reactive oxygen species and lower rates of oxygen consumption in mitochondria. COUP-TFII also suppresses the metabolic regulator PGC-1 network and decreases the expression of key glucose and lipid utilization genes, leading to a reduction in both glucose and oleate oxidation in the hearts. These data suggest that COUP-TFII affects mitochondrial function, impairs metabolic remodelling and has a key role in dilated cardiomyopathy. Last, COUP-TFII haploinsufficiency attenuates the progression of cardiac dilation and improves survival in a calcineurin transgenic mouse model, indicating that COUP-TFII may serve as a therapeutic target for the treatment of dilated cardiomyopathy.

Dental implant survival rate in well controlled diabetic patients: a systematic review / Tasa de supervivencia de implantes dentales en pacientes diabéticos controlados: una revisión sistemática

Abstract: Background: dental implants have now become one of the most popular options for replacing a missing tooth. On the other hand, diabetes mellitus is a systemic disease that affects a large part of the population and is generally considered an absolute or relative contraindication to implant therapy. Aim: To determine the survival rate of dental implants in controlled diabetic patients through a systematic review. Material and methods: A systematic search in Pubmed, SciELO and RedALyC databases was performed. The selection criteria were: studies published in the last 10 years, with at least 20 controlled diabetic patients, reporting survival rate and number of implants placed, with follow-up periods equal to or longer than 1 year, including a control group of healthy patients. Methodological quality was analyzed with the follwing scales: Jadad and Downs & Black’s CMQ. Results: Three articles with a follow-up period between 1 and 12 years were analyzed. The overall survival rate of dental implants in diabetic controlled patients was 97.43 percent. Conclusion: The reviewed literature suggests that survival rate of dental implants in well-controlled diabetic patients is similar to non diabetic patients.

Resumen: Antecedentes: los implantes dentales se han convertido actualmente en una de las opciones más populares para sustituir un diente perdido. Por otro lado, la diabetes mellitus es una enfermedad sistémica que afecta a gran parte de la población y es considerada generalmente una contraindicación absoluta o relativa en la terapia con implantes. Objetivo: Determinar mediante una revisión sistemática la tasa de supervivencia de implantes dentales en pacientes diabéticos controlados. Materiales y métodos: Búsqueda sistemática en las bases de datos biomédicas Pubmed, SciELO y RedALyC. Los criterios de selección fueron: estudios publicados en los últimos 10 años, con al menos 20 pacientes diabéticos controlados, que reporten tasa de supervivencia y número de implantes colocados, con un seguimiento igual o superior a 1 año, con un grupo control de pacientes sanos. Se analizó la calidad metodológica de los estudios con las escalas Jadad y CMQ de Downs y Black. Resultados: Se analizaron tres artículos con un seguimiento de entre 1 y 12 años. La tasa de supervivencia global de los implantes dentales en los pacientes diabéticos controlados fue de un 97.43 por ciento. Conclusión: La literatura revisada sugiere que la supervivencia de los implantes dentales en pacientes diabéticos bien controlados es similar a pacientes no diabéticos.

Clodronate inhibits tumor angiogenesis in mouse models of ovarian cancer.

PURPOSE: Bisphosphonates have been shown to inhibit and deplete macrophages. The effects of bisphosphonates on other cell types in the tumor microenvironment have been insufficiently studied. Here, we sought to determine the effects of bisphosphonates on ovarian cancer angiogenesis and growth via their effect on the microenvironment, including macrophage, endothelial and tumor cell populations. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Using in vitro and in vivo models, we examined the effects of clodronate on angiogenesis and macrophage density, and the overall effect of clodronate on tumor size and metastasis. RESULTS: Clodronate inhibited the secretion of pro-angiogenic cytokines by endothelial cells and macrophages, and decreased endothelial migration and capillary tube formation. In treated mice, clodronate significantly decreased tumor size, number of tumor nodules, number of tumor-associated macrophages and tumor capillary density. CONCLUSIONS: Clodronate is a potent inhibitor of tumor angiogenesis. These results highlight clodronate as a potential therapeutic for cancer.

Autocrine effects of tumor-derived complement.

We describe a role for the complement system in enhancing cancer growth. Cancer cells secrete complement proteins that stimulate tumor growth upon activation. Complement promotes tumor growth via a direct autocrine effect that is partially independent of tumor-infiltrating cytotoxic T cells. Activated C5aR and C3aR signal through the PI3K/AKT pathway in cancer cells, and silencing the PI3K or AKT gene in cancer cells eliminates the progrowth effects of C5aR and C3aR stimulation. In patients with ovarian or lung cancer, higher tumoral C3 or C5aR mRNA levels were associated with decreased overall survival. These data identify a role for tumor-derived complement proteins in promoting tumor growth, and they therefore have substantial clinical and therapeutic implications.