Correlation of PD-L1 Expression with Tumor Mutation Burden and Gene Signatures for Prognosis in Early-Stage Squamous Cell Lung Carcinoma

Objectives

Anti–programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) immunotherapy has demonstrated success in the treatment of advanced NSCLC. Recently, PD-1/PD-L1 blockade also has demonstrated interesting results in small trials of neoadjuvant treatment in stage IB to IIIA NSCLC. In addition, several clinical trials using anti–PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy as an adjuvant or neoadjuvant treatment in patients with resectable stage NSCLC are ongoing. However, few analyses of anti–PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy–related biomarkers in early-stage squamous cell lung carcinoma (SqCLC) have been reported. In this study, we evaluated PD-L1 protein expression, tumor mutation burden, and expression of an immune gene signature in early-stage SqCLC, providing data for identifying the potential role for patients with anti–PD-1/PD-L1 treatment in early-stage SqCLC.

sICAM-1 as potential additional parameter in the discrimination of the Sjögren syndrome and non-autoimmune sicca syndrome: a pilot study

Clinical Rheumatology - Both Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) and non-autoimmune sicca syndrome (nSS) can show symptoms of dry eyes and a dry mouth, and objective reductions in tear and saliva...     

Task-evoked reconfiguration of the fronto-parietal network is associated with cognitive performance in brain tumor patients

Brain Imaging and Behavior - In healthy participants, the strength of task-evoked network reconfigurations is associated with cognitive performance across several cognitive domains. It is, however,...     

Combined effects of valproate and naringin on kidney antioxidative markers and serum parameters of kidney function in C57BL6 mice

Valproate is known to disturb the kidney function, and high doses or prolonged intake may cause serum ion imbalance, kidney tubular acidosis, proteinuria, hyperuricosuria, polyuria, polydipsia, and dehydration. The aim of this in vivo study was to see whether naringin would counter the adverse effects of high-dose valproate in C57Bl/6 mice and to which extent. As expected, valproate (150 mg/kg bw a day for 10 days) caused serum hyperkalaemia, more in male than female mice. Naringin reversed (25 mg/kg bw a day for 10 days) the hyperkalaemia and activated antioxidative defence mechanisms (mainly catalase and glutathione), again more efficiently in females. In males naringin combined with valproate was not as effective and even showed some prooxidative effects.KEY WORDS: calcium, catalase, hyperkalaemia, malondialdehyde, oxidative stress, potassium, sodium, superoxide dismutase     

ILC2 transfers to apolipoprotein E deficient mice reduce the lipid content of atherosclerotic lesions

The use of immunodeficient mice transplanted with human hematopoietic stem cells is an accepted approach to study human-specific infectious diseases such as HIV-1 and to investigate multiple aspects of human immune system development. However, mouse and human are different in sialylation patterns of proteins due to evolutionary mutations of the CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid hydroxylase (CMAH) gene that prevent formation of N-glycolylneuraminic acid from N-acetylneuraminic acid. How changes in the mouse glycoproteins’ chemistry affect phenotype and function of transplanted human hematopoietic stem cells and mature human immune cells in the course of HIV-1 infection are not known. We mutated mouse CMAH in the NOD/scid-IL2Rγc−/− (NSG) mouse strain, which is widely used for the transplantation of human cells, using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. The new strain provides a better environment for human immune cells. Transplantation of human hematopoietic stem cells leads to broad B cells repertoire, higher sensitivity to HIV-1 infection, and enhanced proliferation of transplanted peripheral blood lymphocytes. The mice showed no effect on the clearance of human immunoglobulins and enhanced transduction efficiency of recombinant adeno-associated viral vector rAAV2/DJ8. NSG-cmah−/− mice expand the mouse models suitable for human cells transplantation, and this new model has advantages in generating a human B cell repertoire. This strain is suitable to study different aspects of the human immune system development, provide advantages in patient-derived tissue and cell transplantation, and could allow studies of viral vectors and infectious agents that are sensitive to human-like sialylation of mouse glycoproteins.     

Lithium disturbs homeostasis of essential microelements in erythrocytes of rats: Selenium as a protective agent?

Background

Selenium is an essential element which shows protective properties against diverse harmful factors. Lithium compounds are widely used in medicine, but, in spite of undoubted beneficial effects, treatment with these compounds may lead to severe side effects, including renal, gastrointestinal, neurological, endocrine and metabolic disorders. This study was aimed at evaluating the influence of selenium and/or lithium on lithium, iron, zinc and copper content in rats’ erythrocytes as well as estimate the action of additional selenium on lithium exposure effects.

The relationship between blood serum lipids and periodontal condition

The aim of the study: the study analyzed he relationship between blood serum lipids and periodontal condition, as well as the relationship between the left ventricular mass index and the condition of periodontium. The study included 261 subjects--140 women and 121 men. Mean age of the subjects was 38 years. The condition of periodontal tissues during the study was evaluated with the help of the CPITN index (Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs). The study was performed at Kaunas University of Medicine (KMU) Clinic of Dental and Oral Diseases. Laboratory blood lipid studies were performed at the laboratory of the Hospital of Kaunas University of Medicine (HKUM). The studies included the determination of the total blood cholesterol level, triglyceride level, HDL cholesterol level, and LDL cholesterol level (mmol/l). Patients with hypertension (102 patients) underwent ultrasound examination of the heart at KMU Clinic of Cardiology. On the basis of the findings of the ultrasound study, left ventricular mass index (g/m(2)) was calculated. The findings of our study showed that there was no difference in the blood serum concentration of total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol between people with healthy periodontium and those with gingivitis or periodontitis. Mean rank of the left ventricular mass index in subjects with healthy periodontium or gingivitis (CPITN codes 0, 1, 2) was 48.3, and in subjects with periodontitis (CPITN codes 3, 4) - 61.36 (p<0.05).