EpCAM-autoantibody levels in the course of disease of ovarian cancer patients

EpCAM is a tumor-associated antigen, which is frequently expressed in ovarian cancer. Recently, autoantibodies against EpCAM have been identified in patients with ovarian cancer. It is not clear whether these autoantibodies are of prognostic importance. We evaluated whether EpCAM-autoantibodies have an impact on the clinical course of patients with ovarian cancer. EpCAM-autoantibodies were determined in sera of 28 healthy voluntary age-matched women and 84 patients with primary epithelial ovarian cancer before and after platinum-based chemotherapy using a recombinant EpCAM-protein for antibody detection by ELISA technique. The median follow-up time was 18 months. Samples exceeding the mean antibody titer of healthy controls plus 2 standard deviations were considered positive. The antibody titer of healthy controls was 0.061 ± 0.015. Using a cut-off value of 0.091, we found 3/84 (4%) patients before and 12/61 (20%) patients with ovarian cancer to be positive for EpCAM-autoantibodies after first-line treatment. Using the paired T-Test, we noted a significant post-therapeutic increase of AABs (P < 0.0001). Notably, AAB-levels after first-line therapy were found to be correlated with the tumor resection status in primary surgery. Analysis of progression-free survival, FIGO stage, grading, age and sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy did not reveal significant associations with EpCAM-AAB titers. We observed an increase in AAB-levels during the first-line treatment of patients with ovarian cancer. EpCAM-AAB-levels after first-line treatment appear to correlate with macroscopic tumor residuals after initial surgery.     

Breast tumors from <Emphasis Type="Italic">CHEK2 1100delC-</Emphasis> mutation carriers: genomic landscape and clinical implications

Introduction  

Checkpoint kinase 2 (CHEK2) is a moderate penetrance breast cancer risk gene, whose truncating mutation 1100delC increases the risk about twofold. We investigated gene copy-number aberrations and gene-expression profiles that are typical for breast tumors of CHEK2 1100delC-mutation carriers.     

Mesenchymal stem cells and inorganic bovine bone mineral in sinus augmentation: comparison with augmentation by autologous bone in adult sheep

Our aim was to compare the osteogenic potential of mononuclear cells harvested from the iliac crest combined with bovine bone mineral (BBM) (experimental group) with that of autogenous cancellous bone alone (control group). We studied bilateral augmentations of the sinus floor in 6 adult sheep. BBM and mononuclear cells (MNC) were mixed and placed into one side and autogenous bone in the other side. Animals were killed after 8 and 16 weeks. Sites of augmentation were analysed radiographically and histologically. The mean (SD) augmentation volume was 3.0 (1.0) cm³ and 2.7 (0.3) cm³ after 8 and 16 weeks in the test group, and 2.8 (0.3) cm³ (8 weeks) and 2.8 (1.2) cm³ (16 weeks) in the control group, respectively. After 8 weeks, histomorphometric analysis showed 24 (3)% BBM, and 19 (11)% of newly formed bone in the test group. The control group had 20 (13%) of newly formed bone. Specimens after 16 weeks showed 29 (12%) of newly formed bone and 19 (3%) BBM in the test group. The amount of newly formed bone in the control group was 16 (6%). The results show that mononuclear cells, including mesenchymal stem cells, in combination with BBM as the biomaterial, have the potential to form bone.     

Influences of opioids and nanoparticles on in vitro wound healing models

For efficient pain reduction in severe skin wounds, topical opioids may be a new option – given that wound healing is not impaired and the vehicle allows for slow opioid release, since long intervals of painful wound dressing changes are intended. We investigated the influence of opioids on the wound healing process via in vitro models, migration assay and scratch test. In fact, morphine, hydromorphone, fentanyl and buprenorphine increased the number of migrated HaCaT cells (spontaneously transformed keratinocytes) twofold. In the scratch test, morphine accelerated the closure of a monolayer wound (scratch). As possible slow release application forms are nanoparticulate systems like solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) and dendritic core-multishell (CMS) nanotransporters, we evaluated the effect of unloaded nanoparticles on HaCaT cell migration, too. CMS nanotransporters did not inhibit migration, SLN even enhanced it (twofold). Applying morphine plus unloaded nanoparticles reduced morphine effects possibly due to uptake into CMS nanotransporters and adsorption to the surface of SLN. In contrast to SLN, TGF-β1 was taken up by CMS nanotransporters, too. Both nanoparticles are tolerable by skin and eye as derived from Episkin-SM^TM skin irritation test and HET-CAM assay. No acute toxic effects were observed either. In conclusion, opioids as well as the investigated nanoparticulate carriers conform the essential conditions for topical pain reduction.     

Dobrava-Belgrade Virus Spillover Infections, Germany

We present the molecular identification of Apodemus agrarius (striped field mouse) as reservoir host of the Dobrava-Belgrade virus (DOBV) lineage DOBV-Aa in 3 federal states of Germany. Phylogenetic analyses provided evidence for multiple spillover of DOBV-Aa to A. flavicollis, a crucial prerequisite for host switch and genetic reassortment.