Prognostic value of serial serum KL-6 measurements in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Background

The prognostic significance of serial measurements of serum KL-6 levels in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is unclear; hence, it was assessed in this study.

Polymerization of methacrylic acid esters with the aged system of lanthanum versatate and p-chlorobenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate

The aged system of lanthanum versatate ( 1 ) and p-chlorobenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate ( 2 ) was found to initiate effectively the radical polymerization of acrylic monomers including alkyl methacrylates, butyl acrylate and acrylonitrile, although its initiating activity is lower than that of the non-aged system. The polymerization of methyl methacrylate ( 3 ) with the aged 1/2 system was studied kinetically in acetone. The initial polymerization rate (R_p) is expressed by R_p = Kċ[aged 1/2 ]^0.80 ċ [ 3 ]^1.1 at 50°C. The overall activation energy of the polymerization is 59.0 kJ ċ mol⁻¹. The molecular weight of the resulting poly( 3 ) formed in the early stage increases with increasing conversion. The polymerization system involves a persistent radical showing a four-line EPR spectrum with a g-value of 2.004. A three-line spectrum due to the nitroxyl radical was also observed at lower monomer concentrations. The total concentration of persistent radicals was found to correspond well to the instantaneous polymerization rate. The copolymerization of styrene (M₁) and 3 (M₂) with the aged initiator system was examined at 50°C in acetone. r₁ and r₂ are 0.19 and 0.47, respectively. The former is considerably smaller than that (0.52) reported for the conventional radical polymerization.     

Potential role of the PD-L1 expression and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes on neuroblastoma

Pediatric Surgery International - The programmed death 1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) pathway has garnered much attention for its roles in clinical oncology. The aim of this study was...     

Protease‐activated receptor‐2 accelerates intestinal tumor formation through activation of nuclear factor‐κB signaling and tumor angiogenesis in ApcMin/+ mice

Hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor‐1 (HAI‐1), encoded by the SPINT1 gene, is a membrane‐bound protease inhibitor expressed on the surface of epithelial cells. Hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor‐1 regulates type II transmembrane serine proteases that activate protease‐activated receptor‐2 (PAR‐2). We previously reported that deletion of Spint1 in Apc^Min/+ mice resulted in accelerated formation of intestinal tumors, possibly through enhanced nuclear factor‐κB signaling. In this study, we examined the role of PAR‐2 in accelerating tumor formation in the Apc^Min/+ model in the presence or absence of Spint1. We observed that knockout of the F2rl1 gene, encoding PAR‐2, not only eliminated the enhanced formation of intestinal tumors caused by Spint1 deletion, but also reduced tumor formation in the presence of Spint1. Exacerbation of anemia and weight loss associated with HAI‐1 deficiency was also normalized by compound deficiency of PAR‐2. Mechanistically, signaling triggered by deregulated protease activities increased nuclear translocation of RelA/p65, vascular endothelial growth factor expression, and vascular density in Apc^Min/+‐induced intestinal tumors. These results suggest that serine proteases promote intestinal carcinogenesis through activation of PAR‐2, and that HAI‐1 plays a critical tumor suppressor role as an inhibitor of matriptase, kallikreins, and other PAR‐2 activating proteases.