Germline gain-of-function MMP11 variant results in an aggressive form of colorectal cancer

Matrix metalloproteinase-11 (MMP11) is an enzyme with proteolytic activity against matrix and nonmatrix proteins. Although most MMPs are secreted as inactive proenzymes and are later activated extracellularly, MMP11 is activated intracellularly by furin within the constitutive secretory pathway. It is a key factor in physiological tissue remodeling and its alteration may play an important role in the progression of epithelial malignancies and other diseases. TCGA colon and colorectal adenocarcinoma data showed that upregulation of MMP11 expression correlates with tumorigenesis and malignancy. Here, we provide evidence that a germline variant in the MMP11 gene (NM_005940: c.232C>T; p.(Pro78Ser)), identified by whole exome sequencing, can increase the tumorigenic properties of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. P78S is located in the prodomain region, which is responsible for blocking MMP11's protease activity. This variant was detected in the proband and all the cancer-affected family members analyzed, while it was not detected in healthy relatives. In silico analyses predict that P78S could have an impact on the activation of the enzyme. Furthermore, our in vitro analyses show that the expression of P78S in HCT116 cells increases tumor cell invasion and proliferation. In summary, our results show that this variant could modify the structure of the MMP11 prodomain, producing a premature or uncontrolled activation of the enzyme that may contribute to an early CRC onset in these patients. The study of this gene in other CRC cases will provide further information about its role in CRC development, which might improve patient treatment in the future.     

Job hazards and respiratory symptoms in Hispanic female domestic cleaners

Abstract

The occupational hazards and respiratory symptoms of domestic cleaners in USA are largely unknown. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 56 Hispanic female domestic cleaner on their health status and frequency of cleaning products used and tasks performed. While women used multi-use products (60.0%) and toilet bowl cleaners (51.8%) most days of the week, many (39.3%) reported not using personal protective equipment while cleaning. Itchy/watery eyes (61.8%) and itchy nose (56.4%) were the most frequently reported symptoms. A history of physician-diagnosed asthma was reported by 14.3% while 33.9% had symptoms of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR). In conclusion, this vulnerable population has high prevalence of physician-diagnosis asthma and BHR symptoms and is potentially exposed to myriad occupational hazards. Further research exploring associations between products use, cleaning tasks and respiratory symptoms is warranted.     

Influence of pain and urinary symptoms on quality of life in young men with chronic prostatitis-like symptoms

BACKGROUND: Our aims in the present study were to estimate the influences of pain and urinary symptoms on quality of life, and to determine which of these two variables has the most predictive power with respect to quality of life in young men with chronic prostatitis-like symptoms. METHODS: Chronic prostatitis-like symptoms were measured by the National Institutes of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index. Of the 28,841 men aged 20 years who lived in the study community, 18,495 men (a response rate 64.1%) agreed to participate in the study. A total of 1057 men who complained of symptoms indicative of chronic prostatitis were included in the study. The influences of pain and urinary symptoms on quality of life were determined using logistic regression analysis. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to estimate the predictive ability of each of these variables with respect to quality of life. RESULTS: Results from multivariate analysis showed that both pain and urinary symptoms were associated with an increased likelihood of impaired quality of life, although pain contributed more to a reduced quality of life than urinary symptoms. Relative to men who experienced mild pain, men who experienced moderate pain had a 3.9-fold risk of poor quality of life (odds ratio [OR], 3.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.86-5.23; P < 0.001) and those who experienced severe pain had a 15.7-fold risk of reduced quality of life (OR, 15.68; 95% CI, 6.59-37.35; P < 0.001). Moderate urinary symptoms were associated with a 1.4-fold risk of bother (OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.01-1.99; P < 0.001) and severe urinary symptoms were associated with 2.4-fold risk (OR, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.37-4.12; P < 0.001), relative to mild urinary symptoms. Comparison of the effects of pain and urinary symptoms showed that pain severity had the most predictive power for bother, quality of life, and quality-of-life impact. The areas under the ROC curves for bother, quality of life, and quality-of-life impact were 71.3%, 69.3% and 72.5%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Urinary symptoms and pain might be associated with an increased likelihood of impaired quality of life in young men with chronic prostatitis-like symptoms. In addition, our findings suggest that pain severity is the most influential variable for determining quality of life in this population.     

A comparison of the effects of omeprazole and ranitidine on gastric secretion in women undergoing elective Caesarean section

This study compares the efficacy of omeprazole and ranitidine at reducing gastric secretion in obstetric patients. Sixty-five women scheduled to undergo elective Caesarean section under general anaesthesia were randomly allocated to receive either omeprazole 40 mg or ranitidine 150 mg orally at 2200 hours the night before and at 0600 hours on the morning of surgery. Intragastric pH and volume were measured immediately after induction of anaesthesia and on completion of surgery. All patients had gastric aspirates less than 25 ml. None of the omeprazole group had an aspirate of pH less than 3.5. Six patients (19%) in the ranitidine group had aspirates of pH less than 3.5, a significant difference from the omeprazole group (p less than 0.05). Of these six, two (6%) had aspirates of pH less than 2.5. Hence this study showed that omeprazole was more effective and consistent than ranitidine at maintaining gastric pH greater than 3.5.     

Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases in Latin America: First Report from Eight Countries Participating in the LAGID

The Latin American Group for Primary Immunodeficiencies, formed in 1993, presently includes 12 countries. One goal was to study the frequency of primary immunodeficiencies in various regions of the American continent and to enhance knowledge about these diseases among primary-care physicians, as well as allergist–immunologists. Important for this purpose was the development of a registry of primary immunodeficiencies using a uniform questionnaire and computerized database. To date, eight countries have collected information on a total of 1428 patients. Predominantly antibody deficiencies were reported in 58% of patients, followed by cellular and antibody immunodeficiencies associated with other abnormalities in 18%, immunodeficiency syndromes associated with granulocyte dysfunction in 8%, phagocytic disorders in 9%, combined cellular and antibody immunodeficiencies in 5%, and complement deficiencies in 2% of patients. The information gathered from this initial analysis of data will serve to expand the patient database to more areas within participating countries and to new countries and to increase collaboration toward better diagnosis and treatment of these diseases.     

Differential long-term subcellular responses in heart and liver to adriamycin stress. Exogenous L-carnitine cardiac and hepatic protection

In order to evaluate the heart and liver responses after adriamycin (ADR) toxic aggression, with and without exogenous L-carnitine (CAR) protection, female Sprague-Dawley rats, body weight 40-60 g, were randomized into four groups: CON, ADR, CAR and CAR-ADR. ADR was injected i.v. at a dose of 15-18 mg/kg body wt (0.1 ml). CAR was administered i.v. at a dose of 20 mg (0.1 ml) before each subdose of ADR, and then orally at 180 mg/kg body wt daily for 12 weeks. Long-term cardiac and hepatic subcellular damage were determined by transmission electron microscopic analysis of ultrathin sections. The ADR-induced long-term cardiac subcellular pathology included loss, disruption and disassembly of myofibrils, and mitochondrial swelling and condensation. On the other hand, the ADR-induced subcellular hepatic alterations consisted of polymorphic mitochondria, cytoplasmic vacuolization and accumulation of lipid droplets. Apparently, cardiac tissue was more affected by ADR toxic aggression than hepatic tissue. However, these alterations were of less severity in protected groups, in both heart and liver, suggesting CAR as a possible hepatoprotector agent against ADR toxicity. Because of the liver-L-carnitine-heart relationship, studying ADR-hepatotoxicity could be helpful in the further understanding of severe ADR-cardiotoxicity.     

Temporal-spatial ablation of neural crest in the mouse results in cardiovascular defects.

Neural crest cells are thought to play a critical role in human conotruncal morphogenesis and dysmorphogenesis. Much of our understanding of the contribution of neural crest to cardiovascular patterning comes from ablation and transplantation experiments in avian species. Although fate mapping experiments in mice suggests a conservation of function, the functional requirement for neural crest in cardiovascular development in mammals has not been formally tested. We used a novel two component genetic system for the temporal-spatial ablation of neural crest in the mouse. Affected embryos displayed a spectrum of cardiovascular outflow tract defects and aortic arch patterning abnormalities. We show that the severity of the cardiovascular phenotype is directly related to the level and extent of neural crest ablation. This is the first report of cardiac neural crest ablation in mammals, and it provides important insight into the role of the mammalian neural crest during cardiovascular development.     

Effect of ethylene on naringin, narirutin and nootkatone accumulation in grapefruit

This paper studies the effect of different concentrations of ethephon on the levels of the sesquiterpene, nootkatone, and of the flavanones, naringin and narirutin, in grapefruit fruits. The results show that nootkatone synthesis and/or accumulation was stimulated by all the concentrations of ethephon assayed, while the levels of naringin and narirutin in the rind diminished. These results open up new perspectives concerning the possible regulation of the secondary metabolism of the plants.