Anti-PD-1 synergizes with cyclophosphamide to induce potent anti-tumor vaccine effects through novel mechanisms

Programmed death-1 receptor (PD-1) is expressed on T cells following TCR activation. Binding of this receptor to its cognate ligands, programmed death ligand (PDL)-1 and PDL-2, down-regulates signals by the TCR, promoting T-cell anergy and apoptosis, thus leading to immune suppression. Here, we find that using an anti-PD-1 antibody (CT-011) with Treg-cell depletion by low-dose cyclophosphamide (CPM), combined with a tumor vaccine, induces synergistic antigen-specific immune responses and reveals novel activities of each agent in this combination. This strategy led to complete regression of established tumors in a significant percentage of treated animals, with survival prolongation. We show for the first time that combining CT-011 and CPM significantly increases the number of vaccine-induced tumor-infiltrating CD8(+) T cells, with simultaneous decrease in infiltrating Treg cells. Interestingly, we find that CT-011 prolongs Treg-cell inhibition induced by CPM, leading to a sustainable significant synergistic decrease of splenic and tumor-infiltrated Treg cells. Surprisingly, we find that the anti-tumor effect elicited by the combination of CT-011 and CPM is dependent on both CD8(+) and CD4(+) T-cell responses, although the antigen we used is a class I MHC-restricted peptide. Thus, we describe a novel and effective therapeutic approach by combining multiple strategies to target several tumor-mediated immune inhibitory mechanisms.     

A new method of quantitative estimation of mutant allele in mitochondrial genome

A new original method of quantitative estimation of heteroplasmy levels in mitochondrial genome is necessary for determination cut-of values mutant allele in tissues, associated with the emergence and development of pathologies in human organism. This method is based on pyrosequencing of short DNA fragments. It is characterized by high accuracy and good reproducibility and helps to find out crucial differences in the level of heteroplasmy of mitochondrial genome in various organs and tissue fragments from the same individual.     

The FBN2 gene: new mutations, locus-specific database (Universal Mutation Database FBN2), and genotype-phenotype correlations

Congenital contractural arachnodactyly (CCA) is an extremely rare disease, due to mutations in the FBN2 gene encoding fibrillin-2. Another member of the fibrillin family, the FBN1 gene, is involved in a broad phenotypic continuum of connective-tissue disorders including Marfan syndrome. Identifying not only what is in common but also what differentiates these two proteins should enable us to better comprehend their respective functions and better understand the multitude of diseases in which these two genes are involved. In 1995 we created a locus-specific database (LSDB) for FBN1 mutations with the Universal Mutation Database (UMD) tool. To facilitate comparison of identified mutations in these two genes and search for specific functional areas, we created an LSDB for the FBN2 gene: the UMD-FBN2 database. This database lists 26 published and six newly identified mutations that mainly comprise missense and splice-site mutations. Although the number of described FBN2 mutations was low, the frequency of joint dislocation was significantly higher with missense mutations when compared to splice site mutations.     

脊髓血管母细胞瘤的MRI诊断与鉴别诊断

目的：分析脊髓血管母细胞瘤MRI影像学特征及鉴别诊断。方法：回顾性分析11例脊髓血管母细胞瘤MRI平扫及增强表现,探讨MRI特征,并分析Von Hippel—Lindau综合征（VHL综合征）及非VHL综合征血管母细胞瘤MRI表现的差异。结果：11例中8例为单发肿瘤（72．7％）,3例VHL综合征均为多发肿瘤（27个）。MRI表现多与肿瘤大小相关。除体积较小（上下径≤1cm）者多位于颈髓外,以胸髓多见,邻近背侧软脊膜。肿瘤边界清楚,强化明显。≤1cm的肿瘤呈点状或结节状,为均匀等T1、稍长T2信号,强化均匀;〉1cm的肿瘤多呈香肠状、葫芦形或不规则形,多以稍长T1、稍短T2为主的混杂信号,不均匀强化。肿瘤常继发大范围脊髓囊性改变（77．8%）及水肿,与肿瘤大小无相关性。〉1cm的肿瘤内部及周围常见流空血管影（100％）。除VHL综合征患者常发生多发、体积小的肿瘤,VHL综合征与非VHL综合征患者在MRI表现中无明显差异。结论：脊髓血管母细胞瘤的MRI影像学表现具有特征性,MR检查是首选方法。     

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and neuropsychological sequelae in children after severe traumatic brain injury: the role of cerebellar lesion

We studied the relationships between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and neuropsychological sequelae in children after severe traumatic brain injury. Twenty-three children ages 7-13 years underwent MRI assessment of brain lesion topography and volume and neuropsychological evaluations, more than 1 year after sustaining severe traumatic brain injury. Most children had lesions to the corpus callosum and frontal lobes. Total lesion volume and extent of cerebral atrophy did not impact on the neuropsychological evaluation. Additional relationships were observed: left frontal lesions with lower semantic verbal fluency, right occipital lesions with lower visual recognition task scores, dyscalculia with cerebellar lesions, and cerebellar damage with lower cognitive performances and lower visual recognition memory. This study demonstrates the significance of the cerebellum's role in neuropsychological outcomes after traumatic brain injury and the importance of the lesion depth classification in predicting functional results.     

An oxepinoflavone from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Artocarpus elasticus</Emphasis> with cytotoxic activity against P-388 cells

A new oxepinoflavone, artoindonesianin E1 (1), was isolated from the wood of Artocarpus elasticus, along with four known prenylated flavones: artocarpin (2), cycloartocarpin (3), cudraflavones A (4) and C (5). The structure of the new compound was identified by spectroscopic methods. Upon cytotoxic evaluation against murine leukemia P-388 cells, the new compound showed IC₅₀ 5.0 μg/mL.     

Formic acid, a novel metabolite of chronic ethanol abuse, causes neurotoxicity, which is prevented by folic acid

Background: Methanol is endogenously formed in the brain and is present as a congener in most alcoholic beverages. Because ethanol is preferentially metabolized over methanol (MeOH) by alcohol dehydrogenase, it is not surprising that MeOH accumulates in the alcohol‐abusing population. This suggests that the alcohol‐drinking population will have higher levels of MeOH’s neurotoxic metabolite, formic acid (FA). FA elimination is mediated by folic acid. Neurotoxicity is a common result of chronic alcoholism. This study shows for the first time that FA, found in chronic alcoholics, is neurotoxic and this toxicity can be mitigated by folic acid administration. Objective: To determine if FA levels are higher in the alcohol‐drinking population and to assess its neurotoxicity in organotypic hippocampal rat brain slice cultures. Methods: Serum and CSF FA was measured in samples from both ethanol abusing and control patients, who presented to a hospital emergency department. FA’s neurotoxicity and its reversibility by folic acid were assessed using organotypic rat brain hippocampal slice cultures using clinically relevant concentrations. Results: Serum FA levels in the alcoholics (mean ± SE: 0.416 ± 0.093 mmol/l, n = 23) were significantly higher than in controls (mean ± SE: 0.154 ± 0.009 mmol/l, n = 82) (p < 0.0002). FA was not detected in the controls’ CSF (n = 20), whereas it was >0.15 mmol/l in CSF of 3 of the 4 alcoholic cases. Low doses of FA from 1 to 5 mmol/l added for 24, 48 or 72 hours to the rat brain slice cultures caused neuronal death as measured by propidium iodide staining. When folic acid (1 μmol/l) was added with the FA, neuronal death was prevented. Conclusions: Formic acid may be a significant factor in the neurotoxicity of ethanol abuse. This neurotoxicity can be mitigated by folic acid administration at a clinically relevant dose.     

Lifespan creativity in a non-Western artistic tradition: a study of Japanese ukiyo-e printmakers

Western cultures' conceptions about creativity emphasize originality and final products; Eastern cultures, skill and process. Does this cultural difference impact how creativity unfolds over the lifespan? To examine this, we investigated Japanese "ukiyo-e" printmaking (c. 1670-1865). Almost 2,000 illustrations of datable prints by 44 artists were found in 36 art books. Career landmarks (earliest, most frequent, and latest illustrated print) and eminence ratings were estimated for each artist. Results are largely consistent with prior research on Western samples: artists' career peaks vary greatly, averaging around age 40, and the most prolific artists usually (but not always) created the most popular prints. However, ukiyo-e artists show a more positive relation between career peak and eminence than Western artists, peak slightly later than their French (but not American) counterparts, and older artists created the most famous prints, compared to the West. Trans-historically, early-peaking ukiyo-e artists are concentrated between 1780 and 1800.     

Lymphocyte resistance to lysophosphatidylcholine mediated apoptosis in atherosclerosis

OBJECTIVE: Apoptosis is being increasingly regarded as a key component in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. Since it has become apparent that the immune system plays a predominant role in mediating atherogenesis, there has been a growing recognition that the evaluation of lymphocyte apoptosis may contribute to understanding a persistent altered immune and inflammatory response. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the apoptotic effect of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) on peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) derived from unstable angina (UA) patients, as compared to healthy donors. METHODS: PBL isolated from 27 healthy donors and 25 age matched UA patients were examined. Early apoptotic events induced by LPC in resting and phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-activated lymphocytes were evaluated by several apoptotic assays. The levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the expression of apoptotic regulated proteins (Bcl-2 and Bax) were measured. RESULTS: LPC was found to induce apoptosis in normal activated lymphocytes, in a dose- and time-dependent manner, in association with an increase in intracellular ROS. In UA patients, an exposure of PHA-activated PBL to LPC triggered neither an increase in ROS generation, nor in the apoptotic manifestations, and was associated with a significantly lower ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 expression. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that PBL isolated from UA patients may be resistant to apoptosis induction by LPC, resulting from oxidative stress challenge and dysregulation of apoptosis-related protein expression.