Efficacy and tolerability of estraderm MX, a new estradiol matrix patch

Objectives: To assess the efficacy and tolerability of a new matrix patch delivering 0.05 mg estradiol per day (Estraderm MX 50) in postmenopausal women with moderate to severe postmenopausal symptoms. Methods: A multicenter, double-blin, randomized, between-patient, placebo controlled trial in 109 postmenopausal women was carried out. Patches were applied twice weekly for 12 weeks. Patients were assessed at 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment. The primary efficacy variable was change from baseline in mean number of moderate to severe hot flushes (including night sweats) per 24 h during the last 2 weeks of treatment. Other variables included Kupperman Index, local and systemic tolerability. Plasma concentrations of estradiol (E2), estrone (E1) and estrone sulfate (E1S) were determined before and after treatment. Results: Estraderm MX was significantly superior to placebo (P < 0.001) in reducing mean number of moderate to severe hot flushes (including night sweats) per 24 h after 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment. The estimate of treatment group differences after 12 weeks was 4.2 hot flushes (95% confidence interval: 2.6–5.5). Estraderm MX also significantly reduced Kupperman Index at all time points compared to placebo (P < 0.001). Estraderm MX induced increases in mean E2, E1 and E1S plasma levels as expected (E2: baseline 2.7 pg/ml, 12 weeks 38.9 pg/ml; E1: baseline 18.8 pg/ml, 12 weeks 41.6 pg/ml; E1S: baseline 235.6 pg/ml, 12 weeks 765.1 pg/ml). Overall rates of adverse experiences were similar for Estraderm MX and placebo. The number of patients reporting skin irritation was low and similar in both groups. Conclusions: Estraderm MX 50, a new matrix patch, offers an effective and well tolerated dosage form for transdermal delivery of 0.05 mg E2 per day.     

Differential effect of LFA703, pravastatin, and fluvastatin on production of IL-18 and expression of ICAM-1 and CD40 in human monocytes

A novel, proinflammatory cytokine, interleukin (IL)-18 production was detected in the medium of human monocytes treated with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme-A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, pravastatin, and fluvastatin (0.1 and 1 muM) but not with the statin-derived lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) inhibitor LFA703, which did not inhibit HMG-CoA reductase. Pravastatin and fluvastatin also induced the production of IL-18, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in contrast to LFA703. IL-18 production by PBMC is located upstream of the cytokine cascade activated by these statins. The IL-18-induced cytokine production was demonstrated to be dependent on adhesion molecule expression on monocytes. In the absence and presence of lower concentrations (0.1 and 1 ng/ml) of IL-18, pravastatin and fluvastatin inhibited the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 and induced the expression of CD40, whereas LFA703 had no effect. In the presence of higher concentrations (5, 10, and 100 ng/ml) of IL-18, pravastatin, fluvastatin, and LFA703 similarly inhibited the expression of ICAM-1 and CD40 as well as the production of IL-12, TNF-alpha, and IFN-gamma in PBMC. The effects of pravastatin and fluvastatin but not LFA703 were abolished by the addition of mevalonate, indicating the involvement of HMG-CoA reductase in the action of pravastatin and fluvastatin. Thus, the effects of LFA703 were distinct from those of pravastatin and fluvastatin in the presence of lower concentrations of IL-18. It was concluded that LFA703 has the inhibitory effect on an IL-18-initiated immune response without any activation on monocytes.     

Expression of CDX2 and MUC2 in Barrett's mucosa

Barrett's mucosa is a risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma and should be detected at an early stage. It is defined by the presence of columnar epithelium with goblet cells in the lower esophagus, but histologic diagnosis can be uncertain in the absence of distinct goblet cells. We investigated 55 biopsies from 48 patients with endoscopically plain Barrett's esophagus and performed immunohistochemistry for CDX2 and MUC2. In addition, alcian blue (pH 2,5)/PAS staining was done. In histologically unequivocal Barrett's mucosa, nuclear expression of CDX2 in goblet cells and many columnar cells, as well as cytoplasmic positivity for MUC2 in goblet cells, could be observed. Alcian blue (pH 2,5)/PAS stained acidic mucins in goblet cells and in some non-goblet columnar cells. In six cases, no definite Barrett's mucosa was present, and no expression of MUC2 could be observed. In these biopsies, there was granular cytoplasmic and/or focal nuclear staining for CDX2 in non-goblet columnar epithelial cells, indicating their intestinal differentiation. We suggest that this peculiar mucosa is the precursor of unequivocal Barrett's mucosa and would designate it early Barrett's mucosa. Alcian blue for acidic mucins is inconsistent in this epithelium and does not reliably indicate early intestinal differentiation.     

An improved and highly standardised transformation procedure allows efficient production of single and multiple targeted gene-knockouts in a moss,<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Physcomitrella patens</Emphasis>

The moss Physcomitrella patens is the only land plant known to date with highly efficient homologous recombination in its nuclear DNA, making it a unique model for plant functional genomics approaches. For high-throughput production of knockout plants, a robust transformation system based on polyethylene glycol-mediated transfection of protoplasts was developed and optimised. Both the DNA conformation and pre-culture of plants used for protoplast isolation significantly affected transformation efficiencies. Employing a newly developed PCR high-throughput method, the gene-targeting efficiency in more than 1,000 plants transformed with different cDNA-based knockout constructs was determined and analysed with regard to the length and intron/exon structure of the homologous gene locus. Different targeting constructs, each containing an identical selectable marker gene, were applied as batch DNA in a single transformation experiment and resulted in double-knockout plants. Thus, the fast and efficient generation of multiple targeted gene-knockouts is now feasible in Physcomitrella.Communicated by U. Kück     

Effect of Enamel Prism Decussation and Chemical Composition on the Biomechanical Behavior of Dental Tissue: A Theoretical Approach to Determine the Loading Conditions to Which Modern Human Teeth are Adapted

This theoretical study explored whether the directions of loads to which modern human molars are commonly subjected to are reflected in the biomechanical behavior of the tissue itself. A detailed finite element model of a piece of decussating enamel (M³ paracone) was created, taking into account differences in crystal orientation between the prism head and the interprismatic matrix, and was tested under differently angled mediolateral loads (i.e., mimicking various stages of the chewing cycle). Second, although teeth are highly mineralized, they also contain organic material and water, while in modern humans, there are systematic differences in chemical composition from the outer enamel surface to the dentinoenamel junction. To test the biomechanical effects of this gradient in mineralization a second set of models with gradually changing properties was created and subjected to the same loads. Chemically heterogeneous enamel yielded overall lower stress levels than homogenous enamel, especially at extreme loading angles. However, the general trends regarding the increase in tensile stresses at more oblique angles, and the number of nodes exhibiting tension, were comparable between the different set‐ups. The findings support suggestions that (a) the biomechanical behavior of dental tissue is the combined result of micromorphology and chemical composition and (b) that the range of loading directions, to which teeth are normally subjected to, can be inferred from dental microanatomy. For (palaeo)biological applications, the findings suggest that the absolute strength of teeth (e.g., bite force) cannot be predicted with certainty, whereas kinematic parameters of the masticatory apparatus can. Anat Rec, 2007. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

The polypore mushroom Irpex lacteus, a new causative agent of fungal infections

Irpex lacteus, a wood-decaying basidiomycete, was isolated from a pulmonary abscess of an immunosuppressed child. This medical strain was compared morphologically and by sequencing of the ribosomal intergenic spacers with specimens from both culture collections and herbarium desiccated material. The patient was treated successfully with amphotericin B.     

Levels of stem cell factor and interleukin-3 in serum in acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria.

The purpose of the present study was to measure serum concentrations of stem cell factor (SCF) and interleukin-3 (IL-3) in patients with acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Serum samples from 15 patients were taken on day of admission and days 7, 14, 21, and 28. Anemia developed in 80% of patients. A transient increase in IL-3 could be observed at the beginning of the disease. It remains controversial whether the measured concentrations of IL-3 and SCF correlate with the grade of anemia. The possibly suppressed IL-3 and SCF production may contribute to the prolonged anemia in P. falciparum malaria, as has been shown for erythropoietin.     

Mechanism(s) promoting HIV-1 infection of primary unstimulated T lymphocytes in autologous B cell/T cell co-cultures

Resting CD4(+) T cells in the lymphoid tissue (LT) are essential producers of virions at the beginning of HIV infection in vivo. We previously developed a model that allowed in vitro infection of non-prestimulated T lymphocytes in the presence of autologous B lymphocytes and complement. In this study, we try to clarify the mechanism(s) responsible for virus transmission in unstimulated autologous B cell/T cell co-cultures. Ex vivo analyses of patient plasma samples revealed that HIV was opsonized. Flow cytometry showed that opsonized virus preferentially bound to complement receptor (CR)-2 on B lymphocytes in primary B cell/T cell co-cultures. As indicated by cytokine measurements and transwell experiments, soluble factors seemed to play a minor role in enabling infection. Rather, direct interaction between B and T lymphocytes and direct binding of opsonized virus to CR2 on B cells turned out to be essential for productive infection. Antibodies blocking cell-cell adhesion inhibited p24 antigen production. An anti-CR2 antibody blocking C3d-CR2 binding also significantly reduced viral replication. Since the infection of unstimulated T cells by opsonized primary HIV isolates in the presence of B cells was highly efficient independent of the tropism of the virus, this mechanism may be critical in the pathogenesis of HIV.     

Potentiation of human alpha4beta2 neuronal nicotinic receptors by a Flustra foliacea metabolite

The effects of various Flustra foliacea metabolites on different types of human neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) expressed in Xenopus oocytes were investigated. Whereas most of the compounds tested had a small blocking effect, one of them, deformylflustrabromine, selectively increased the current obtained in alpha4beta2 receptors when co-applied with acetylcholine (ACh). The current increase was reversible and concentration-dependent. This potentiating effect was still present at saturating concentrations of acetylcholine, and no changes in single-channel conductance or reversal potential were observed, thus suggesting a modification in the gating of alpha4beta2 receptors. Dwell time analysis of single channel records indicates that the mechanism of action of deformylflustrabromine could be both an increase of the opening rate constant and a decrease of the closing rate constant on alpha4beta2 receptors. Thus, deformylflustrabromine may constitute an excellent starting point for the future development of related agents able to potentiate human neuronal nicotinic receptor function.