Sex chromosome mosaicism in couples undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection

BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown an increased frequency of constitutional chromosome aberrations in male and female partners of couples examined prior to ICSI. We conducted a cohort study to determine whether there was an increase in numerical sex chromosome mosaicism among couples undergoing ICSI compared with fertile couples. METHODS: Cytogenetic investigations were performed in 228 females and 208 males seen for ICSI between January 1997 and March 2001. They were matched to control females and males. RESULTS: Sex chromosome loss or gain was observed in at least one cell from 24.1% of ICSI women in comparison with 22% of controls (not significant). A significant difference between these two groups was found when X chromosome loss in at least two cells was considered, 9.6% for ICSI females versus 4.8% for controls (P = 0.01). No significant difference was observed between male groups concerning loss or gain of the X or Y chromosome. CONCLUSION: Our results support previously published studies indicating that the loss of an X chromosome in a single cell in females undergoing ICSI is probably an artefact. However, they suggest that a woman could have true sex chromosome mosaicism when two 45,X0 cells are found.     

Ras-transfection up-regulated HaCaT cell migration: Inhibition by Marimastat

Cell migration is an essential process in physiological and pathological conditions such as wound healing and tumor invasion. This phenomenon involves cell adhesion on the extracellular matrix mediated by integrins, and cell detachment promoted in part by metalloproteinases (MMPs). In the present study, the migration of two HaCaT-ras clones (metastatic or not), was compared with HaCaT cells, and normal human primary cultured keratinocytes. Using colloidal gold migration assay, the migration index on type I and type IV collagen was similar for primary cultured keratinocytes and HaCaT, whereas it was markedly higher for the HaCaT-ras clones. High motility of ras-transfected cells was confirmed from an in vitro wound healing assay. It was not correlated with changes in integrin expression or related to a different adhesion on extracellular matrix. The Marismastat (BB-2516), a MMP inhibitor, inhibited in a dose-dependent effect the migration in both assays, demonstrating the important role of MMPs in the migration process. Under our experimental conditions, MMP-1 activity was not detected in HaCaT and MMP-9 activity was secreted by these cells only after their stimulation by EGF. Here, MMP-2 was the major gelatinolytic activity secreted by all the cells and its secretion was markedly higher for HaCaT-ras clones compared with HaCaT. In addition, Western blotting results confirmed a higher expression of MMP-2 associated with a lower expression of TIMP-2 in HaCaT-ras compared with HaCaT. These results suggest that Ha-ras oncogene could be a stimulating factor of migration and might modified the balance between MMP-2 and TIMP-2 in keratinocyte cell lines. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Analysis of two IL-4 promoter polymorphisms in a cohort of atopic and asthmatic subjects

The Th2 cytokine interleukin 4 (IL-4) has been identified as having a central role in driving the inflammatory immune responses which are present in atopic airway disease. This study examined the distribution of two putative IL-4 promoter polymorphisms (-285 C-T and -81 A-G) in groups of patients with severe and moderate asthma, non-asthmatic atopy and control subjects. Neither polymorphism was identified in any of the samples tested. The data suggest that either the polymorphisms are present at very low frequencies or are artefacts of the B cell lines from which they were identified.     

Dipolar sources of the early scalp somatosensory evoked potentials to upper limb stimulation Effect of increasing stimulus rates

Brain electrical source analysis (BESA) of the scalp electroencephalographic activity is well adapted to distinguish neighbouring cerebral generators precisely. Therefore, we performed dipolar source modelling in scalp medium nerve somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) recorded at 1.5-Hz stimulation rate, where all the early components should be identifiable. We built a four-dipole model, which was issued from the grand average, and applied it also to recordings from single individuals. Our model included a dipole at the base of the skull and three other perirolandic dipoles. The first of the latter dipoles was tangentially oriented and was active at the same latencies as the N20/P20 potential and, with opposite polarity, the P24/N24 response. The second perirolandic dipole showed an initial peak of activity slightly earlier than that of the N20/P20 dipolar source and, later, it was active at the same latency as the central P22 potential. Lastly, the third perirolandic dipole exaplaining the fronto-central N30 potential scalp distribution was constantly more posterior than the first one. In order to evaluate the effect of an increasing repetition frequency on the activity of SEP dipolar sources, we applied the model built from 1.5-Hz SEPs to traces recorded at 3-Hz and 10-Hz repetition rates. We found that the 10-Hz stimulus frequency reduced selectively the later of the two activity phases of the first perirolandic dipole. The decrement in strength of this dipolar source can be explained if we assume that: (a) the later activity of the first perirolandic dipole can represent the inhibitory phase of a “primary response”; (b) two different clusters of cells generate the opposite activities of the tangential perirolandic dipole. An additional finding in our model was that two different perirolandic dipoles contribute to the centro-parietal N20 potential generation. Received: 5 August 1997 / Accepted: 26 November 1997     

A phase I study of dexosome immunotherapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND: There is a continued need to develop more effective cancer immunotherapy strategies. Exosomes, cell-derived lipid vesicles that express high levels of a narrow spectrum of cell proteins represent a novel platform for delivering high levels of antigen in conjunction with costimulatory molecules. We performed this study to test the safety, feasibility and efficacy of autologous dendritic cell (DC)-derived exosomes (DEX) loaded with the MAGE tumor antigens in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: This Phase I study enrolled HLA A2+ patients with pre-treated Stage IIIb (N = 4) and IV (N = 9) NSCLC with tumor expression of MAGE-A3 or A4. Patients underwent leukapheresis to generate DC from which DEX were produced and loaded with MAGE-A3, -A4, -A10, and MAGE-3DPO4 peptides. Patients received 4 doses of DEX at weekly intervals. RESULTS: Thirteen patients were enrolled and 9 completed therapy. Three formulations of DEX were evaluated; all were well tolerated with only grade 1-2 adverse events related to the use of DEX (injection site reactions (N = 8), flu like illness (N = 1), and peripheral arm pain (N = 1)). The time from the first dose of DEX until disease progression was 30 to 429+ days. Three patients had disease progression before the first DEX dose. Survival of patients after the first DEX dose was 52-665+ days. DTH reactivity against MAGE peptides was detected in 3/9 patients. Immune responses were detected in patients as follows: MAGE-specific T cell responses in 1/3, increased NK lytic activity in 2/4. CONCLUSION: Production of the DEX vaccine was feasible and DEX therapy was well tolerated in patients with advanced NSCLC. Some patients experienced long term stability of disease and activation of immune effectors.     

Expression and folding of an antibody fragment selected in vivo for high expression levels in Escherichia coli cytoplasm

In this review, we summarize some of our results on folding and directed evolution of an antibody fragment in Escherichia coli cytoplasm. We will also discuss some attempts to construct other antibodies active in this cellular compartment.     

Encoding of electrical, thermal, and mechanical noxious stimuli by subnucleus reticularis dorsalis neurons in the rat medulla

1. In anesthetized rats, recordings were made within the medullary subnucleus reticularis dorsalis (SRD) from neurons that exhibited convergence of nociceptive inputs from the entire body. Neurons with total nociceptive convergence (TNC) responded to suprathreshold percutaneous electrical stimuli (2-ms duration) with an early and a late peak due to activation of A delta- and C-fibers, respectively, no matter which part of the body was stimulated. Neurons with partial nociceptive convergence (PNC) responded to the same stimuli with an A delta-peak regardless of which part of the body was stimulated and with a C-peak of activation from some, mainly contralateral, parts of the body. The characteristics of the responses of these neurons to the application of graded intensities of electrical, thermal, and mechanical stimuli were analyzed. 2. All TNC neurons and 85% of PNC neurons responded to A delta- and C-fiber activation following percutaneous electrical stimulation of the contralateral hindpaw. With regard to A delta-fiber-evoked responses, a linear relationship between the logarithm of the applied current and the magnitude of the responses was found within the 0.25- to 6.0-mA and 0.5- to 24-mA ranges for TNC and PNC neurons, respectively; however, these curves were essentially similar. With regard to C-fiber-evoked responses, such a linear relationship was found within the 1.5- to 6.0-mA range for both types of SRD neurons, although the TNC neurons presented larger C-fiber-evoked responses than did the PNC neurons. 3. TNC and PNC neurons linearly increased their discharges during the application of noxious thermal stimuli to the contralateral hindpaw within the range 44-52 degrees C; the mean responses evoked by noxious heat from TNC neurons were of higher magnitude than those from PNC neurons. The majority of SRD neurons presented long-lasting afterdischarges, especially with the highest temperature employed (52 degrees C). 4. TNC neurons monotonically increased their discharges during graded mechanical or thermal stimulation of the tail. When mechanical stimuli were applied, a linear relationship was found between the logarithm of the strength of the mechanical stimulus and the neuronal discharges, in the 5.3- to 7.4-N/cm2 range. With thermal stimulation, TNC neurons linearly increased their discharges in the 44-52 degrees C range. When increasing amounts of the tail were immersed in a 50 degrees C waterbath, TNC neurons increased their discharges within a restricted range of tail surface areas (0.9-5.7 cm2); further increases in the stimulated surface size were not followed by increases in firing rate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Erve virus, a probable member of Bunyaviridae family isolated from shrews (Crocidura russula) in France

An apparently new agent, provisionally named Erve virus, was isolated in 1982 from tissues of three white toothed shrews, Crocidura russula, trapped near Saulges village in Western France. Results of virological and ultrastructural studies suggest that this virus belongs to the Bunyaviridae family and is a Bunyavirus-like agent. Serosurveys indicate that Erve virus had apparently a large geographical distribution in France and infects rodents, insectivores, wild boars (Sus scrofa), red deer (Cervus elaphus), sheep, herring gulls (Larus argentatus) and humans. Blood donors living in the vicinity of the Saulges area exhibit the highest incidence of antibody against Erve virus.