B1 but not B2 bradykinin receptor agonists promote DU145 prostate cancer cell proliferation and migration

Background

The kallikrein-kinin system (KKS) is an endogenous pathway involved in angiogenesis and tumourigenesis, both vital for cancer growth and progression.

Objectives

To investigate the effect of two bradykinin receptor (B1R and B2R) agonists on growth and motility of prostate tumour (DU145) and micro-vascular endothelial cells (dMVECs).

Methods

Increasing concentrations of selective B1R and B2R agonists were added to cultured cells. Cell proliferation and migration were assessed using the 3-[4,5 dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and modified Boyden Chamber assays, respectively. Where significant stimulation was found, the influence of an antagonist was also investigated.

Results

Neither growth nor motility of endothelial cells was affected by either agonist. In DU145 cells, while the B2R agonist was without any significant effect, the B1R agonist stimulated proliferation and migration at concentrations of 10nM and 50nM respectively. Further, this effect was abrogated when cells were pre-incubated with a B1R antagonist.

Conclusions

Unlike the physiologically-active B2R, the pathologically-inducible B1R may be implicated in prostate tumourigenic events. The involvement of the KKS in malignant prostate pathology supports on-going exploration of bradykinin receptor antagonists as target candidates in the development of alternate approaches to cancer therapy.     

Annular and subvalvular dynamics after extracellular matrix mitral tube graft implantation in pigs

 Open in a separate windowOBJECTIVESEntire mitral valve reconstruction with an extracellular matrix tube graft is a potential candidate to overcome the current limitations of mechanical and bioprosthetic valves. However, clinical data have raised concern with respect to patch failure. The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of extracellular matrix mitral tube graft implantation on mitral annular and subvalvular regional dynamics in pigs.METHODSA modified tube graft design made of 2-ply extracellular matrix was used (CorMatrix^®; Cardiovascular Inc., Alpharetta, GA, USA). The reconstructions were performed in an acute 80-kg porcine model (N = 8), where each pig acted as its own control. Haemodynamics were assessed with Mikro-Tip pressure catheters and mitral annular and subvalvular geometry and dynamics with sonomicrometry.RESULTSCatheter-based peak left atrial pressure and pressure difference across the mitral and aortic valves in the reconstructions were comparable to the values seen in the native mitral valves. Also comparable were maximum mitral annular area (755 ± 100 mm²), maximum septal-lateral distance (29.7 ± 1.7 mm), maximum commissure–commissure distance (35.0 ± 3.4 mm), end-systolic annular height-to-commissural width ratio (10.2 ± 1.0%) and end-diastolic interpapillary muscle distance (27.7 ± 3.3 mm). Systolic expansion of the mitral annulus was, however, observed after reconstruction.CONCLUSIONSThe reconstructed mitral valves were fully functional without regurgitation, obstruction or stenosis. The reconstructed mitral annular and subvalvular geometry and subvalvular dynamics were found in the same range to those in the native mitral valve. A regional annular ballooning effect occurred that might predispose to patch failure. However, the greatest risk was found at the papillary muscle attachments.     

Tumor mutational burden and purity adjustment before and after treatment with temozolomide in 27 paired samples of glioblastoma: a prospective study

Treatment of glioblastoma (GBM) remains a challenging task, with limited treatment options, none offering a cure. Immune therapy has proven effective across different cancers with remarkable response rates. Tumor mutational burden (TMB) is a marker of response, but technical and methodological differences in TMB estimates have made a proper assessment and comparison challenging. Here, we analyzed a prospective collection of paired samples from 35 patients with newly diagnosed GBM, all of whom were wild‐type (WT) for isocitrate dehydrogenase, before and after treatment with radiotherapy and temozolomide. Seven patients (20%) had O6‐methylguanine‐DNA methyltransferase‐methylated tumors. Six patients (17%) had two relapse surgeries, and tissue from all three surgeries was collected. We found that accurate evaluation of TMB was confounded by high variability in the cancer cell fraction of relapse samples. To ameliorate this, we developed a model to adjust for tumor purity based on the relative density distribution of variant allele frequencies in each primary–relapse pair. Additionally, we examined the mutation spectra of shared and private mutations. After tumor purity adjustment, we found TMB comparison reliable in tumors with tumor purity between 15% and 40%, resulting in 27/35 patients (77.1%). TMB remained unchanged from 0.65 mutations per megabase (Mb) to 0.67/Mb before and after treatment, respectively. Examination of the mutation spectra revealed a dominance of C > T transitions at CpG sites in both shared and relapse‐private mutations, consistent with cytosine deamination and the clock‐like mutational signature 1. We present and apply a cellularity correction approach that enables more accurate assessment of TMB in paired tumor samples. We did not find a significant increase in TMB after correcting for cancer cell fraction. Our study raises significant concerns when determining TMB. Although a small sample size, corrected TMB can have a clinical significance when stratifying patients to experimental treatment, for example, immune checkpoint therapy.     

Double-blind, randomised study of the effect of combined treatment with vitamin C and E on albuminuria in Type 2 diabetic patients.

AIMS: Elevated levels of urinary albumin excretion rate (AER) predict high risk for progressing to end-stage renal disease. In streptozotocin-induced diabetes, supplementation with vitamin C or E reduces albuminuria and glomerular hypertrophy. We tested the hypothesis that supplementation of both vitamin C and E in pharmacological doses lowers AER in Type 2 diabetic patients with persistent micro/macroalbuminuria. METHODS: Thirty Type 2 diabetic patients with AER 30-300 mg/24 h were included in a double-blind randomised, cross-over trial. Patients received vitamin C (1250 mg) and vitamin E (680 IU) per day or matching placebo for 4 weeks with a 3-week wash-out period between treatment periods in random order. RESULTS: Combined treatment with vitamin C and E reduced AER by 19% (95% CI 6-34%) (p = 0.04), geometric mean 197 mg/24 h (95% CI 114-341 mg/24 h) vs. 243 mg/24 h (146-404 mg/24 h). No changes were seen in serum creatinine, haemoglobin A1C or blood pressure. Fasting plasma concentrations of vitamin C and E increased in all patients during active treatment (mean vitamin C 79.4 micromol/L (SD 27.8) vs. 41.9 micromol/L (18.4) and vitamin E 47.0 micromol/L (19.8) vs. 29.5 micromol/L (15.3), P < 0.000001). Except for two patients that started additional blood pressure lowering treatment during the run-in period, no changes in medication, food and exercise habits or in the number of smokers occurred during the study. CONCLUSION: Short-term treatment with vitamin C and E in pharmacological doses lowers AER in Type 2 diabetic patients with micro/macroalbuminuria. Further long-term, large-scale studies of this albuminuria reducing treatment modality are warranted.     

四种中成药对气血双虚模型小鼠血象及免疫水平的影响

目的:为艾滋病抗病毒疗法所致的骨髓不良反应筛选疗效确切的中成药,观察分析参芪颗粒、复方阿胶浆、贞芪扶正颗粒、复方皂矾丸四种中成药对放血和注射环磷酰胺联合复制的气血双虚模型小鼠血象及免疫水平的影响。方法:实验于2005-08/09在河南中医学院药理实验室完成。①参芪颗粒(江西山高制药有限公司生产,批号040702);复方阿胶浆(山东东阿阿胶股份有限公司生产,批号050446);贞芪扶正颗粒(甘肃扶正药业科技股份有限公司生产,批号040803);复方皂矾丸(陕西郝其军制药有限责任公司生产,批号041014);当归补血口服液(郑州市协和制药厂生产,批号041122);环磷酰胺(上海华联制药有限公司生产,批号050101)。②选取清洁级昆明种小鼠150只,随机数字表法分为15组,10只/组:1～3组分别灌服参芪颗粒混悬液3,2,1g/kg;4～6组分别灌服复方阿胶浆30,20,10mL/kg;7～9组分别灌服贞芪扶正颗粒混悬液15,10,5g/kg;10～12组分别灌服复方皂矾丸混悬液2.4,1.6,0.8g/kg;第13组灌服当归补血口服液10g/kg;剩余2组为空白对照组和模型对照组,分别给于同体积生理盐水10g/kg。各组给药1次/d,连续给药10d。③除空白对照组外,其他各组从给药第1天开始建立气血双虚模型。每只鼠尾部放血0.25mL/10g,然后分别于第2,4,6,8天腹腔注射环磷酰胺80,40,40,40mg/kg。空白对照组同时间点仅腹腔注射等体积生理盐水。末次注射环磷酰胺后2h,眼眶取血,一部分用于血象测定,另一部分离心取血清,测定血细胞比容及血清中巨噬细胞集落刺激因子水平;解剖取胸腺和脾脏,检测胸腺皮质厚度、胸腺淋巴细胞数、脾小结大小、脾脏淋巴细胞数病理学指标的变化。结果:150只小鼠全部进入结果分析,放血和注射环磷酰胺并用可成功建立小鼠气血双虚模型。①与模型对照组比较,参芪颗粒3g/kg组、贞芪扶正颗粒10,5g/kg组、复方皂矾丸1.6g/kg组均可升高气血双虚模型小鼠白细胞水平(t=2.18～2.74,P<0.05),贞芪扶正颗粒15g/kg组作用更为显著(t=2.98,P<0.01);参芪颗粒1g/kg组、复方阿胶浆20mL/kg组、贞芪扶正颗粒15,10g/kg组均可升高红细胞水平(t=2.44～2.69,P<0.05),复方阿胶浆30mL/kg组、贞芪扶正颗粒5g/kg组、复方皂矾丸2.4,1.6g/kg组作用更为显著(t=2.91～3.66,P<0.01);当归补血口服液组、复方阿胶浆20mL/kg组、参芪颗粒3,1g/kg组、贞芪扶正颗粒15,10,5g/kg组均可升高血红蛋白水平(t=2.27～2.85,P<0.05),复方阿胶浆30mL/kg组、复方皂矾丸2.4,1.6g/kg组作用更为显著(t=3.07～4.04,P<0.01);当归补血口服液组、参芪颗粒3,2g/kg组均可升高血小板水平(t=2.20～2.41,P<0.05)。②与模型对照组比较,参芪颗粒2g/kg组、贞芪扶正颗粒5g/kg组均可升高气血双虚模型小鼠血细胞比容(t=2.01～2.62,P<0.05),参芪颗粒1g/kg组、复方阿胶浆30,20,10mL/kg组、贞芪扶正颗粒15,10,5g/kg组、复方皂矾丸2.4,1.6,0.8g/kg组作用更为显著(t=3.18～4.36,P<0.01);参芪颗粒2g/kg组、复方阿胶浆30,20,10mL/kg组、贞芪扶正颗粒15,10,5g/kg组、复方皂矾丸2.4,1.6g/kg组均可显著升高巨噬细胞集落刺激因子水平(t=3.60～6.80,P<0.01)。③与模型对照组比较,当归补血口服液组、参芪颗粒3,2,1g/kg组、复方阿胶浆30,20,10mL/kg组、贞芪扶正颗粒15,10,5g/kg组、复方皂矾丸2.4,1.6,0.8g/kg组均可显著增加气血双虚模型小鼠胸腺皮质厚度(t=3.71～9.34,P<0.01),增大脾小结(t=3.36～11.97,P<0.01),增加脾脏淋巴细胞数(t=4.29～10.44,P<0.01);复方阿胶浆30mL/kg组可明显增加小鼠胸腺淋巴细胞数(t=2.45,P<0.05),当归补血口服液组、参芪颗粒3,2,1g/kg组、复方阿胶浆20,10mL/kg组、贞芪扶正颗粒15,10,5g/kg组、复方皂矾丸2.4g/kg组作用更为显著(t=3.22～8.20,P<0.01)。结论:①四种中成药对气血双虚模型小鼠血红蛋白升高作用相近,以复方阿胶浆和贞芪扶正颗粒对白细胞和红细胞水平升高作用为强,以复方阿胶浆和贞芪扶正颗粒对血小板水平升高作用为优。②四种中成药对气血双虚模型小鼠血细胞比容的影响无差异,以贞芪扶正颗粒和复方皂矾丸对巨噬细胞集落刺激因子水平的升高作用为优。③以参芪颗粒、复方阿胶浆、贞芪扶正颗粒对胸腺皮质厚度和淋巴细胞数的促进作用为优,以参芪颗粒、贞芪扶正颗粒、复方皂矾丸对脾小结和脾脏淋巴细胞数的促进作用为优。