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BMC Nephrology Jun 2024Tubular biomarkers, which reflect tubular dysfunction or injury, are associated with incident chronic kidney disease and kidney function decline. Several tubular... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Changes in tubular biomarkers with dietary intervention and metformin in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease: a post-hoc analysis of two clinical trials.
BACKGROUND
Tubular biomarkers, which reflect tubular dysfunction or injury, are associated with incident chronic kidney disease and kidney function decline. Several tubular biomarkers have also been implicated in the progression of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). We evaluated changes in multiple tubular biomarkers in four groups of patients with ADPKD who participated in one of two clinical trials (metformin therapy and diet-induced weight loss), based on evidence suggesting that such interventions could reduce tubule injury.
METHODS
66 participants (26 M/40 F) with ADPKD and an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥ 30 ml/min/1.73m who participated in either a metformin clinical trial (n = 22 metformin; n = 23 placebo) or dietary weight loss study (n = 10 daily caloric restriction [DCR]; n = 11 intermittent fasting [IMF]) were included in assessments of urinary tubular biomarkers (kidney injury molecule-1 [KIM-1], fatty-acid binding protein [FABP], interleukin-18 [IL-18], monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 [MCP-1], neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin [NGAL], clusterin, and human cartilage glycoprotein-40 [YKL-40]; normalized to urine creatinine), at baseline and 12 months. The association of baseline tubular biomarkers with both baseline and change in height-adjusted total kidney volume (HtTKV; percent change from baseline to 12 months) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; absolute change at 12 months vs. baseline), with covariate adjustment, was also assessed using multiple linear regression.
RESULTS
Mean ± s.d. age was 48 ± 8 years, eGFR was 71 ± 16 ml/min/1.73m, and baseline BMI was 30.5 ± 5.9 kg/m. None of the tubular biomarkers changed with any intervention as compared to placebo. Additionally, baseline tubular biomarkers were not associated with either baseline or change in eGFR or HtTKV over 12 months, after adjustments for demographics, group assignment, and clinical characteristics.
CONCLUSIONS
Tubular biomarkers did not change with dietary-induced weight loss or metformin, nor did they associate with kidney disease progression, in this cohort of patients with ADPKD.
Topics: Humans; Metformin; Polycystic Kidney, Autosomal Dominant; Male; Female; Biomarkers; Middle Aged; Kidney Tubules; Caloric Restriction; Adult; Glomerular Filtration Rate; Lipocalin-2; Chemokine CCL2; Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 1; Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; Hypoglycemic Agents
PubMed: 38918734
DOI: 10.1186/s12882-024-03643-6 -
Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer... Jun 2024The alterations of EGFR and HER2/neu as growth factor receptors and the cytoplasmic signal transduction proteins of RAS/RAF/MAP kinases including its end effector...
Evaluation of the Expression EGFR, HER2/NEU and the End Effector ERK of the RAS/RAF/MAP Kinase Pathway in Prostatic Adenocarcinoma for a Possible Role as New Target Therapy.
UNLABELLED
The alterations of EGFR and HER2/neu as growth factor receptors and the cytoplasmic signal transduction proteins of RAS/RAF/MAP kinases including its end effector molecule (ERK) are important in the carcinogenesis of many tumors. The activation of these protooncogenes in prostate cancer is still under investigation. The aim of this work was to study EGFR, HER2- neu, inactive (non-phosphorylated) and active (phosphorylated) ERK expression in prostatic adenocarcinomas in correlation to the clinical and pathological parameters.
METHODS
Immunohistochemistry- using tissue microarrays- for EGFR, HER2/neu, non-phosphorylated, and phosphor-ERK, was performed on tissues from 166 patients- with primary prostatic adenocarcinoma with no prior treatment-. The results of different markers expression were correlated with the clinical and pathological parameters and were analyzed statistically.
RESULTS
The prostatic tissue showed EGFR, HER2 neu, phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated ERK expression in 8.4%, 1.4%, 78.2%, and 83.4% respectively whether low (patchy) or high expression (diffuse). There were no significant correlations found between patient characteristics and expression of the tested markers. The negative immune reactivity for non-phosphorylated ERK and EGFR- was significantly correlated with high tumor stage (p values 0.03 and 0.01, respectively).
CONCLUSION
EGFR and HER2/neu may play a limited role in prostatic adenocarcinoma as they showed positive expression in a limited number of the examined tissues specifically HER2neu. The expression of non-phosphorylated ERK (mostly weak to moderate) and phosphorylated ERK (mostly moderate to strong)- was appreciated in most cases. Thus, we suggest that anti-EGFR drugs may have a limited role in the treatment of castrate-resistant prostate cancer, but anti-MEK/ERK drugs may have more promising role as a target therapy. It is recommended to perform further molecular testing to elucidate the exact mechanism and significance of these markers.
Topics: Humans; Male; Prostatic Neoplasms; ErbB Receptors; Receptor, ErbB-2; Adenocarcinoma; Biomarkers, Tumor; Aged; Middle Aged; Prognosis; Phosphorylation; raf Kinases; Follow-Up Studies; MAP Kinase Signaling System; ras Proteins; Aged, 80 and over; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 38918683
DOI: 10.31557/APJCP.2024.25.6.2193 -
Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer... Jun 2024Standard tools are not sensitive enough for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) early detection. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of dickkopf-1 (DKK1) and soluble...
BACKGROUND
Standard tools are not sensitive enough for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) early detection. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of dickkopf-1 (DKK1) and soluble Axl (sAxl) and their combined for early differentiating of HCC from premalignant benign liver diseases.
METHODS
A total of 210 chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients (55 fibrotic, 45 cirrhotic and 110 HCC) were enrolled. Both DKK1 and sAxl were tested using ELISA for all participants.
RESULTS
HCC patients were accompanied by a significant increase (P<0.05) in DKK1 (5.38±2.05 ng/mL) and sAxl (178.02±49.39 ng/mL) compared to patients with fibrosis (2.16±0.6, 97.63±19.71 ng/mL, respectively) and cirrhosis (2.62±0.8, 121.84±34.66 ng/mL, respectively). Both DKK1 (AUC=0.852) and sAxl (AUC=0.882) had a good diagnostic accuracy in separating HCC from all non-HCC patients. Multiplying DKK1 with sAXL yielded values that significantly (P=0.0001) increased in patients who developed HCC (674.3 (434.2-1413.9)) versus fibrotic (204.9 (161.7-262)) and cirrhotic (254.4 (205.4-343.7)) patients. This model improves HCC diagnostic performances [AUC=0.921; sensitivity 90.9%, specificity 87%, PPV 88.5%, NPV 89.7% and efficiency 89.1%]. Elevated DKK1×sAxl values were associated with aggressive tumor features including multiple nodules, large size, Child-Pugh and BCLC late stages.
CONCLUSIONS
combined use of DKK1×sAxl is simple and feasible HCC diagnostic model that could enhance HCC diagnostic accuracy and could replace AFP in follow up of patients with premalignant diseases.
Topics: Humans; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Liver Neoplasms; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; Male; Axl Receptor Tyrosine Kinase; Female; Middle Aged; Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Biomarkers, Tumor; Proto-Oncogene Proteins; Hepatitis C, Chronic; Prognosis; Liver Cirrhosis; Follow-Up Studies; Adult; Hepacivirus; Early Detection of Cancer; Aged
PubMed: 38918682
DOI: 10.31557/APJCP.2024.25.6.2185 -
Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer... Jun 2024Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major public health problem and one of leading cancer related death all over the world. One of the prognostic parameters that play a role in...
BACKGROUND
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major public health problem and one of leading cancer related death all over the world. One of the prognostic parameters that play a role in different types of cancer is HER2. However, the role of HER2 in CRC and its relation with clinicopathological features and survival is conflicting. We hypothesize that HER2 has different patterns of expression in CRC which may affect the prognosis of patients.
MATERIAL & METHODS
We studied sixty specimens of colorectal carcinoma for HER2 immunohistochemistry and gene amplification and correlate it with clinicopathological features and patients` survival.
RESULTS
Our data showed that negative HER2 expression was statistically associated with female gender (P = 0.010) and low & intermediate tumor budding (P = 0.030). There was a statistically significant relation between HER2 IHC and HER2 FISH amplification (P=0.000). Although neither HER2 immunoexpression and FISH amplification showed significant relation with overall survival nor disease free survival, HER2 amplified CRCs tended to have a worse survival compared with negative CRCs (40 months versus 50 months). The presence of male gender, lymphovascular invasion, nodal metastasis and distant metastasis (P = 0.013, 0.006, 0.006 and 0.000 respectively) were significantly statistically associated with poor overall survival. The presence of tumor grade III and high tumor budding (P = 0.035 and 0.007 respectively) were significantly statistically associated with shorter disease free survival.
CONCLUSIONS
Our results showed that HER2 IHC 3+ staining is highly predictive of HER2 gene amplification in colorectal carcinomas. There is a tendency towards poorer prognosis in amplified HER2 CRC cases.
Topics: Humans; Male; Colorectal Neoplasms; Female; Receptor, ErbB-2; Middle Aged; Egypt; Prognosis; Survival Rate; Biomarkers, Tumor; Gene Amplification; Aged; Adult; Follow-Up Studies; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; Lymphatic Metastasis; Neoplasm Staging; Immunohistochemistry
PubMed: 38918664
DOI: 10.31557/APJCP.2024.25.6.2023 -
Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer... Jun 2024Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), Crohn's disease (CD), and ulcerative colitis (UC) are diseases that result from the combined effects of a predisposing genetic...
BACKGROUND
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), Crohn's disease (CD), and ulcerative colitis (UC) are diseases that result from the combined effects of a predisposing genetic background and several environmental factors, including smoking. Some genes can influence these diseases through genetic inheritance, and their regulation is explained by gene polymorphism. However, Toll-like receptor (TLR) genes have been identified as susceptibility genes for CD and UC.
METHODS
A case-control study was performed on a Turkish population composed of 105 healthy controls and 79 CD, 77 UC patients genotyped by Allele-specific PCR and PCR-RFLP for TLR9 (T-1486C) and TLR 2 (-196 to -174del) gene. Genotype and allele frequencies of TLR9 (T-1486C) and TLR 2 (-196 to -174del) gene polymorphisms compared to allele frequencies in CD and UC patients.
RESULTS
No statistically significant findings were found between the CD, UC patients, and the control group in terms of both genotype distributions and allele frequencies for TLR 9 (T-1486C; rs187084) and TLR 2 (-196 to -174del; rs111200466) gene polymorphisms in a Turkish population (P > 0.05).
CONCLUSION
No association was found between the TLR2 (rs111200466) and TLR 9 (rs187084) gene polymorphisms among IBD patients and the control groups in the Turkish population.
Topics: Humans; Toll-Like Receptor 2; Case-Control Studies; Male; Female; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Toll-Like Receptor 9; Adult; Crohn Disease; Genotype; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; Colitis, Ulcerative; Turkey; Gene Frequency; Middle Aged; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Prognosis; Follow-Up Studies; Young Adult
PubMed: 38918662
DOI: 10.31557/APJCP.2024.25.6.2003 -
Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer... Jun 2024Gastric cancer is a prevalent cancer type worldwide, and significant research efforts are focused on finding effective treatments. Recent studies have highlighted the...
OBJECTIVE
Gastric cancer is a prevalent cancer type worldwide, and significant research efforts are focused on finding effective treatments. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of plasma membrane carriers, particularly solute carriers, in cancer progression. The SLC16A family, notably the SLC16A13 gene, plays a critical role in cancer development and tumor growth. This study aims to explore the impact of reducing SLC16A13 expression in gastric cancer cells on their survival, proliferation, and metastatic potential.
METHODS
Gastric cancer cells (KATO2) were cultured in RPMI medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. The cells were then transfected with SLC16A13 si-RNA to lower gene expression. The effects of this si-RNA on cell death and apoptosis were assessed using MTT and flow cytometry assays. Cell migration capabilities were evaluated using the scratch test. Western blot and Real-Time PCR were employed to measure SLC16A13 expression levels and protein detection. Additionally, RT-PCR was used to analyze changes in genes related to apoptosis and cell migration.
RESULTS
The reduction of SLC16A13 expression following si-RNA transfection significantly increased apoptosis and cell death in the KATO2 cell line after 72 hours (P < 0.0001). Furthermore, the study revealed that decreased SLC16A13 expression did not impact cancer cell migration. Cell viability, assessed by MTT assay, showed a significant decrease at 48 and 72 hours post-transfection (P < 0.0001).
CONCLUSION
The findings indicate that targeting SLC16A13 can effectively increase cell death and apoptosis in gastric cancer cells, making it a viable therapeutic target.
Topics: Humans; Apoptosis; Stomach Neoplasms; Cell Movement; Cell Proliferation; Biomarkers, Tumor; Monocarboxylic Acid Transporters; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Cell Line, Tumor; RNA, Small Interfering
PubMed: 38918656
DOI: 10.31557/APJCP.2024.25.6.1953 -
Life Science Alliance Sep 2024Schizophrenia is associated with altered cortical circuitry. Although the schizophrenia risk gene is known to affect the wiring of inhibitory interneurons, its role in...
Schizophrenia is associated with altered cortical circuitry. Although the schizophrenia risk gene is known to affect the wiring of inhibitory interneurons, its role in excitatory neurons and axonal development is unclear. Here, we investigated the role of Nrg1 in the development of the corpus callosum, the major interhemispheric connection formed by cortical excitatory neurons. We found that deletion of Nrg1 impaired callosal axon development in vivo. Experiments in vitro and in vivo demonstrated that Nrg1 is cell-autonomously required for axonal outgrowth and that intracellular signaling of Nrg1 is sufficient to promote axonal development in cortical neurons and specifically in callosal axons. Furthermore, our data suggest that Nrg1 signaling regulates the expression of Growth Associated Protein 43, a key regulator of axonal growth. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that NRG1 is involved in the formation of interhemispheric callosal connections and provides a novel perspective on the relevance of NRG1 in excitatory neurons and in the etiology of schizophrenia.
Topics: Animals; Neuregulin-1; Corpus Callosum; Axons; Mice; Signal Transduction; Schizophrenia; Mice, Knockout; Neurons; GAP-43 Protein; Mice, Inbred C57BL
PubMed: 38918041
DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202302250 -
International Journal For Parasitology.... Jun 2024Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are major worldwide morbidity-causing pathogens. Bumped kinase inhibitors (BKIs) are a compound class that has been optimized to...
Efficacy of the bumped kinase inhibitor BKI-1708 against the cyst-forming apicomplexan parasites Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in vitro and in experimentally infected mice.
Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are major worldwide morbidity-causing pathogens. Bumped kinase inhibitors (BKIs) are a compound class that has been optimized to target the apicomplexan calcium-dependent protein kinase 1 (CDPK1) - and several members of this class have proven to be safe and highly active in vitro and in vivo. BKI-1708 is based on a 5-aminopyrazole-4-carboxamide scaffold, and exhibited in vitro IC values of 120 nM for T. gondii and 480 nM for N. caninum β-galactosidase expressing strains, and did not affect human foreskin fibroblast (HFF) viability at concentrations up to 25 μM. Electron microscopy established that exposure of tachyzoite-infected fibroblasts to 2.5 μM BKI-1708 in vitro induced the formation of multinucleated schizont-like complexes (MNCs), characterized by continued nuclear division and harboring newly formed intracellular zoites that lack the outer plasma membrane. These zoites were unable to finalize cytokinesis to form infective tachyzoites. BKI-1708 did not affect zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo development during the first 96 h following egg hatching at concentrations up to 2 μM. Treatments of mice with BKI-1708 at 20 mg/kg/day during five consecutive days resulted in drug plasma levels ranging from 0.14 to 4.95 μM. In vivo efficacy of BKI-1708 was evaluated by oral application of 20 mg/kg/day from day 9-13 of pregnancy in mice experimentally infected with N. caninum (NcSpain-7) tachyzoites or T. gondii (TgShSp1) oocysts. This resulted in significantly decreased cerebral parasite loads and reduced vertical transmission in both models without drug-induced pregnancy interference.
PubMed: 38917582
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2024.100553 -
PloS One 2024Humans have approximately 400 different olfactory receptors (hORs) and recognize odorants through the repertoire of hOR responses. Although the cell surface expression...
Humans have approximately 400 different olfactory receptors (hORs) and recognize odorants through the repertoire of hOR responses. Although the cell surface expression of hORs is critical to evaluate their response, hORs are poorly expressed on the surface of heterologous cells. To address this problem, previous studies have focused on hOR transportation to the membrane. Nevertheless, the response pattern of hORs to odorants has yet to be successfully linked, and the response sensitivity still remains to be improved. In this study, we demonstrate that increasing the transcriptional level can result in a significant increase in cell surface and functional expression of hORs. We used the TAR-Tat system, which increases the transcription efficiency through positive feedback, and found that OR1A1, OR6N2, and OR51M1 exhibited robust expression. Moreover, this system induces enhanced hOR responses to odorants, thus defining four hORs as novel n-hexanal receptors and n-hexanal is an inverse agonist to one of them. Our results suggested that using the TAR-Tat system and increasing the transcriptional level of hORs can help understanding the relationship between hORs and odorants that were previously undetectable. This finding could facilitate the understanding of the sense of smell by decoding the repertoire of hOR responses.
Topics: Receptors, Odorant; Humans; Transcription, Genetic; Odorants; Aldehydes
PubMed: 38917199
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306029 -
PloS One 2024Orexin-mediated stimulation of orexin receptors 1/2 (OX[1/2]R) may stimulate the diaphragm and genioglossus muscle via activation of inspiratory neurons in the...
Orexin receptor 2 agonist activates diaphragm and genioglossus muscle through stimulating inspiratory neurons in the pre-Bötzinger complex, and phrenic and hypoglossal motoneurons in rodents.
Orexin-mediated stimulation of orexin receptors 1/2 (OX[1/2]R) may stimulate the diaphragm and genioglossus muscle via activation of inspiratory neurons in the pre-Bötzinger complex, which are critical for the generation of inspiratory rhythm, and phrenic and hypoglossal motoneurons. Herein, we assessed the effects of OX2R-selective agonists TAK-925 (danavorexton) and OX-201 on respiratory function. In in vitro electrophysiologic analyses using rat medullary slices, danavorexton and OX-201 showed tendency and significant effect, respectively, in increasing the frequency of inspiratory synaptic currents of inspiratory neurons in the pre-Bötzinger complex. In rat medullary slices, both danavorexton and OX-201 significantly increased the frequency of inspiratory synaptic currents of hypoglossal motoneurons. Danavorexton and OX-201 also showed significant effect and tendency, respectively, in increasing the frequency of burst activity recorded from the cervical (C3-C5) ventral root, which contains axons of phrenic motoneurons, in in vitro electrophysiologic analyses from rat isolated brainstem-spinal cord preparations. Electromyogram recordings revealed that intravenous administration of OX-201 increased burst frequency of the diaphragm and burst amplitude of the genioglossus muscle in isoflurane- and urethane-anesthetized rats, respectively. In whole-body plethysmography analyses, oral administration of OX-201 increased respiratory activity in free-moving mice. Overall, these results suggest that OX2R-selective agonists enhance respiratory function via activation of the diaphragm and genioglossus muscle through stimulation of inspiratory neurons in the pre-Bötzinger complex, and phrenic and hypoglossal motoneurons. OX2R-selective agonists could be promising drugs for various conditions with respiratory dysfunction.
Topics: Animals; Diaphragm; Motor Neurons; Orexin Receptors; Rats; Phrenic Nerve; Mice; Male; Hypoglossal Nerve; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Inhalation; Medulla Oblongata; Isoquinolines; Pyridines
PubMed: 38917189
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306099