Senescence impairs successful reprogramming to pluripotent stem cells

Somatic cells can be reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells by overexpressing combinations of factors such as Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc. Reprogramming is slow and stochastic, suggesting the existence of barriers limiting its efficiency. Here we identify senescence as one such barrier. Expression of the four reprogramming factors triggers senescence by up-regulating p53, p16^INK4a, and p21^CIP1. Induction of DNA damage response and chromatin remodeling of the INK4a/ARF locus are two of the mechanisms behind senescence induction. Crucially, ablation of different senescence effectors improves the efficiency of reprogramming, suggesting novel strategies for maximizing the generation of iPS cells.     

Characterisation of bioactive and resorbable polylactide/Bioglass composites by FTIR spectroscopic imaging

Formation, size and distribution of hydroxyapatite domains in resorbable composites made of poly(DL-lactide) foams and Bioglass particles after exposure to a solution of phosphate-buffer saline (PBS) for different periods of time have been analysed with FTIR imaging using the micro-ATR-IR approach. The spectral information of 4096 spectra measured simultaneously with the IR microscope equipped with a focal plane infrared array detector allowed us to obtain chemical images showing the distribution of Bioglass particles in the composites. FTIR imaging in micro-ATR mode allowed to obtain images with enhanced spatial resolution. A random distribution of hydroxyapatite domains with average size of ca. 10 microm on the surface of the composites was found after exposure to PBS for 14 and 28 days. The further growth of the hydroxyapatite domains after exposure to PBS for 63 days was detected. The spectroscopic imaging method introduced here promises to become a powerful method for characterisation of resorbable polymer composites containing bioactive inorganic phases developed for bone tissue engineering scaffolds. The accurate detection of hydroxyapatite domains and the imaging of their location in the scaffold structure is required to provide an assessment of the composites bioactivity.     

Emergence of extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase (CTX-M-9)-producing multiresistant strains of Salmonella enterica serotype Virchow in poultry and humans in France

During 2002 to 2003, eight Salmonella enterica serotype Virchow poultry and poultry product isolates from various sources (chicken farms, poultry slaughterhouse, or retail store) and one S. enterica rough strain isolated from human feces were found to produce extended-spectrum beta-lactamase CTX-M-9. Poultry and poultry product isolates were recovered from different locations in the southwest of France. The human rough isolate had sequences of flagellin genes (fliC and fljB) typical of serotype Virchow and ribotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns closely similar to those of serotype Virchow strains. PFGE confirmed the clonal relationship between the poultry isolates, while the human isolate displayed a pattern with 94% homology. The bla(CTX-M-9) gene was located on a conjugative plasmid and was shown to be linked to orf513. Plasmid profiling found a very similar EcoRI restriction pattern in six transconjugants studied, including transconjugants obtained from the human isolate. A single hatchery, supplying chicks to the six farms, was identified. Emergence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing S. enterica strains in food animals is a major concern, as such strains could disseminate on a large scale and lead to antibiotic therapy difficulties.     

The immunogenicity and safety of an investigational meningococcal serogroups A, C, W-135, Y tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine (ACWY-TT) compared with a licensed meningococcal tetravalent polysaccharide vaccine: A randomized, controlled non-inferiority study

Immunogenicity and safety of ACWY-TT compared with licensed ACWY polysaccharide vaccine (MenPS) in healthy adults, and lot-to-lot consistency of three ACWY-TT lots were evaluated in a phase 3, open, controlled study. Adults aged 18-55 y were randomized to receive ACWY-TT (one of three lots) or MenPS. Serum bactericidal antibodies (rSBA) were measured pre- and 1 mo post-vaccination. Adverse events (AEs) were assessed 4 d (solicited symptoms) and 31 d (unsolicited symptoms) post-vaccination. Serious AEs were reported up to 6 mo after vaccination. The number of vaccinated subjects was 1247 (ACWY-TT, n = 935; MenPS, n = 312). ACWY-TT lot-to-lot consistency and non-inferiority of ACWY-TT as compared with MenPS groups were demonstrated according to pre-specified criteria. The percentages of subjects with a vaccine response (VR = rSBA titer ≥ 1:32 in initially seronegative; ≥ 4-fold increase in initially seropositive) to ACWY-TT vs. MenPS were 80.1%/69.8% (serogroup A), 91.5%/ 92.0% (C), 90.2%/85.5% (W-135), 87.0%/78.8% (Y). Exploratory analyses showed that for serogroups A, W-135 and Y, VR rates and GMTs were significantly higher for ACWY-TT compared with MenPS. For each serogroup, ≥ 98.0% of subjects had rSBA titers ≥ 1:128. Grade 3 solicited AEs were reported in ≤ 1.6% of subjects in any group. The immunogenicity of ACWY-TT vaccine was non-inferior to MenPS for all four serogroups in adults, with significantly higher VR rates to serogroups A, W-135 and Y and an acceptable safety profile. Consistency of 3 ACWY-TT production lots was demonstrated. These data suggest that, if licensed, ACWY-TT conjugate vaccine may be used for protection against invasive meningococcal disease in healthy adults. This study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov NCT00453986.     

Alu-mediated deletion of SOX10 regulatory elements in Waardenburg syndrome type 4

Waardenburg syndrome type 4 (WS4) is a rare neural crest disorder defined by the combination of Waardenburg syndrome (sensorineural hearing loss and pigmentation defects) and Hirschsprung disease (intestinal aganglionosis). Three genes are known to be involved in this syndrome, that is, EDN3 (endothelin-3), EDNRB (endothelin receptor type B), and SOX10. However, 15-35% of WS4 remains unexplained at the molecular level, suggesting that other genes could be involved and/or that mutations within known genes may have escaped previous screenings. Here, we searched for deletions within recently identified SOX10 regulatory sequences and describe the first characterization of a WS4 patient presenting with a large deletion encompassing three of these enhancers. Analysis of the breakpoint region suggests a complex rearrangement involving three Alu sequences that could be mediated by a FosTes/MMBIR replication mechanism. Taken together with recent reports, our results demonstrate that the disruption of highly conserved non-coding elements located within or at a long distance from the coding sequences of key genes can result in several neurocristopathies. This opens up new routes to the molecular dissection of neural crest disorders.     

Spontaneous disclosure of BRCA1/2 genetic test results to employers: a French prospective study

The aim of this study was to examine the patterns of disclosure of BRCA1/2 genetic test results to employers by unaffected carriers. In a national prospective cohort study on unaffected BRCA1/2 mutation carriers, disclosure to employers was assessed prospectively, using self-administered questionnaires, up to 2 years after their test results were delivered by cancer geneticists. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox-regression analysis were used to assess the factors associated with time to disclosure to the employer. Mean age of the 146 women BRCA1/2 carriers who were employed when their test results were delivered was 37.1 years (range: 19-57). At the end of the second year of follow-up, 47 of them (32.2%) had disclosed their results to their employers; median time to disclosure was 6 months. Reasons spontaneously expressed were first to inform the employer that medical surveillance/surgery was necessary for cancer risk management although these carriers did not actually have cancer. After multivariate adjustment on age, women with a lower educational level (HRadj=2.00, P=0.026) and those who had undergone prophylactic surgery during the 2 years of follow-up (HRadj=2.18, P=0.019) had disclosed their BRCA status to their employers earlier and more frequently. One-third of the female carriers not affected by breast/ovarian cancer disclosed their BRCA1/2 genetic test results spontaneously to their employers, mainly to inform them that they were disease-free but required medical surveillance or a surgical intervention to reduce the risk of cancer.     

Common genetic variants in complement genes other than CFH, CD46 and the CFHRs are not associated with aHUS

It is well established that common genetic variants in CFH, CD46 and the CFHRs are additional risk factors for the development of aHUS. To examine the hypothesis that common variants in other complement genes have a similar effect we genotyped 501 SNPs in 47 complement genes in 94 aHUS patients from Newcastle, 126 aHUS patients from Paris, 374 UK controls and 165 French controls. We replicated the associations in CFH, CD46 and the CFHRs but found no association with any other complement gene. The strongest associations replicated in both cohorts were found for four SNPs within CD46 (p-value<10(-3)) and five SNPs within CFH (p-value<5×10(-3)). Significant replicable associations with single SNPs in CFHR2, CFHR4 and an intergenic SNP (CR1-CD46) were also found. Analysis of the Paris cohort showed that the association with CD46 SNPs was only present in those patients with complement mutations. Haplotype analysis showed at-risk and protective haplotypes in both CD46 and CFH. The CD46 haplotype was only disease-associated in those patients with mutations.     

Protein biochip array technology for cytokine profiling predicts etanercept responsiveness in rheumatoid arthritis

In rheumatoid arthritis (RA) there are currently no useful indicators to predict a clinical response to tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) blockade. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of peripheral blood cytokine profiling in differentiating between a good versus poor response to etanercept in RA. Peripheral blood samples were collected at baseline and at 3 months from 33 patients with active disease who were treated twice weekly by etanercept therapy. Responders are defined by the presence of three of four American College of Rheumatology criteria: > or =20% decrease in C-reactive protein (CRP), visual analogue score of disease activity, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and improvement of the disease activity score (28; four values) by > or =1.2 obtained at 3 months. Twelve cytokines were measured from serum collected on days 0 and 90 by proteomic array (protein biochip array, Investigator Evidence, Randox France), including interleukin (IL)-6, TNF-alpha, IL-1a, IL-1b, IL-2, IL-8, interferon-gamma, IL-4, IL-10, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, epidermal growth factor (EGF) and vascular endothelium growth factor. Our results showed that high serum levels of MCP-1 and EGF were associated with a response to etanercept. In addition, the increase of two combined parameters CRP and EGF was predictive of a response to etanercept treatment at 3 months (sensitivity: 87.5% and specificity: 75%, accuracy: 84.4%). These findings suggest that cytokine profiling by proteomic analysis before treatment initiation may help to identify a responder patient to TNF-alpha blocking agents in RA.     

Identification and functional analysis of SOX10 missense mutations in different subtypes of Waardenburg syndrome

Waardenburg syndrome (WS) is a rare disorder characterized by pigmentation defects and sensorineural deafness, classified into four clinical subtypes, WS1-S4. Whereas the absence of additional features characterizes WS2, association with Hirschsprung disease defines WS4. WS is genetically heterogeneous, with six genes already identified, including SOX10. About 50 heterozygous SOX10 mutations have been described in patients presenting with WS2 or WS4, with or without myelination defects of the peripheral and central nervous system (PCWH, Peripheral demyelinating neuropathy-Central dysmyelinating leukodystrophy-Waardenburg syndrome-Hirschsprung disease, or PCW, PCWH without HD). The majority are truncating mutations that most often remove the main functional domains of the protein. Only three missense mutations have been thus far reported. In the present study, novel SOX10 missense mutations were found in 11 patients and were examined for effects on SOX10 characteristics and functions. The mutations were associated with various phenotypes, ranging from WS2 to PCWH. All tested mutations were found to be deleterious. Some mutants presented with partial cytoplasmic redistribution, some lost their DNA-binding and/or transactivation capabilities on various tissue-specific target genes. Intriguingly, several mutants were redistributed in nuclear foci. Whether this phenomenon is a cause or a consequence of mutation-associated pathogenicity remains to be determined, but this observation could help to identify new SOX10 modes of action.     

Assessment of fibronectin conformation adsorbed to polytetrafluoroethylene surfaces from serum protein mixtures and correlation to support of cell attachment in culture

Surfaces of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) were exposed to buffered aqueous solutions containing radio-labeled human fibronectin ([125I]Fn), Fn/bovine serum albumin (BSA) binary mixtures of various ratios or whole human plasma dilutions for 1 h. Total adsorbed Fn and albumin adsorption following rinsing was quantified on this surface. 125I-labeled monoclonal antibodies against either the tenth type-III Fn repeat unit (containing the cell-binding RGDS integrin recognition motif) or the Fn amino-terminal domain were used to probe the accessibility of each of these respective Fn regions post-adsorption. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured on PTFE surfaces pre-exposed to each of these protein adsorption conditions and compared to identical conditions on tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS). Fn adsorption to PTFE is dependent upon the concentration of albumin co-adsorbing from solution: albumin out-competes Fn for PTFE surface sites even at non-physiological Fn/HSA ratios 10-100-fold biased in Fn. Antibodies against Fn do not readily recognize Fn adsorbed on PTFE as the HSA co-adsorption concentration in either binary mixtures or in plasma increases, indicating albumin masking of adsorbed Fn. At Fn/HSA ratios rich in Fn (1:1, 1:100), albumin co-adsorption actually improves anti-Fn antibody recognition of adsorbed Fn. HUVEC attachment efficiency to PTFE after protein adsorption correlates with amounts of Fn adsorbed and levels of anti-Fn antibody recognition of Fn on PTFE, linking cell attachment to integrin recognition of both adsorbed Fn density and Fn adsorbed conformation on PTFE surfaces.