bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Measurement of Circulating Cell‐Free DNA in Relation to 18F‐Fluorocholine PET/CT Imaging in Chemotherapy‐Treated Advanced Prostate Cancer
Authors: Kwee Sandi , Song Min‐Ae , Cheng Iona , Loo Lenora , Tiirikainen Maarit 
Published: February 2012

Abstract Purpose: To examine the effects of chemotherapy on circulating cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) composition in relation to investigational whole‐body measurement of tumor activity by fluorine‐18 fluorocholine (FCH) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in hormone‐refractory prostate cancer (HRPC).Methods: Serial FCH PET/CT scans were performed in eight patients with HRPC receiving docetaxel‐based chemotherapy. Corresponding serial cfDNA samples were characterized by microfluidic electrophoresis, quantified by real‐time PCR, and compared with PET/CT results. Promoter methylation of two prostate cancer‐associated genes, GSTP1 and RARB2, was assessed by methylation‐specific PCR of bisulfite‐converted cfDNA.Results: Plasma cfDNA concentrations increased significantly from 13.3 ng/mL at baseline to 46.8 ng/mL and 50.9 ng/mL after one and three treatment cycles, respectively (p= 0.001). GSTP1 and/or RARB2 promoter methylation was identified in all pretreatment samples. The appearance of large (200 bp–10.4 kb) cfDNA fragments was noted in posttreatment samples along with loss of methylation at GSTP1 and/or RARB2. Tumor activity on PET/CT correlated with cfDNA concentration (r=−0.50, p= 0.01). Patients meeting criteria for PET tumor response had significantly lower pretreatment cfDNA levels than those who did not (8.0 vs. 16.4 ng/mL, p= 0.03).Conclusions: Chemotherapy is associated with significant changes in plasma cfDNA content and FCH PET/CT‐detected tumor activity. These interrelated measures are potential candidate markers of therapeutic response in HRPC. Clin Trans Sci 2012; Volume #: 1–6
Access to Core Facilities and Other Research Resources Provided by the Clinical and Translational Science Awards
Authors: Rosenblum Daniel 
Published: February 2012

Abstract Principal investigators who received Clinical and Translational Science Awards created academic homes for biomedical research. They developed program‐supported websites to offer coordinated access to a range of core facilities and other research resources. Visitors to the 60 websites will find at least 170 generic services, which this review has categorized in the following seven areas: (1) core facilities, (2) biomedical informatics, (3) funding, (4) regulatory knowledge and support, (5) biostatistics, epidemiology, research design, and ethics, (6) participant and clinical interaction resources, and (7) community engagement. In addition, many websites facilitate access to resources with search engines, navigators, studios, project development teams, collaboration tools, communication systems, and teaching tools. Each of these websites may be accessed from a single site, http://www.CTSAcentral.org. The ability to access the research resources from 60 of the nation's academic health centers presents a novel opportunity for investigators engaged in clinical and translational research. Clin Trans Sci 2012; Volume #: 1–5
Reverse TCA cycle flux through isocitrate dehydrogenases 1 and 2 is required for lipogenesis in hypoxic melanoma cells
Authors: Filipp Fabian V. , Scott David A. , Ronai Ze’ev A. , Osterman Andrei L. , Smith Jeffrey W. 
Published: February 2012

SummaryThe tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle is the central hub of oxidative metabolism, running in the classic forward direction to provide carbon for biosynthesis and reducing agents for generation of ATP. Our metabolic tracer studies in melanoma cells showed that in hypoxic conditions the TCA cycle is largely disconnected from glycolysis. By studying the TCA branch point metabolites, acetyl CoA and citrate, as well as the metabolic endpoint glutamine and fatty acids, we developed a comprehensive picture of the rewiring of the TCA cycle that occurs in hypoxia. Hypoxic tumor cells maintain proliferation by running the TCA cycle in reverse. The source of carbon for acetyl CoA, citrate, and fatty acids switches from glucose in normoxia to glutamine in hypoxia. This hypoxic flux from glutamine into fatty acids is mediated by reductive carboxylation. This reductive carboxylation is catalyzed by two isocitrate dehydrogenases, IDH1 and IDH2. Their combined action is necessary and sufficient to effect the reverse TCA flux and maintain cellular viability.
Lactobacillus acidophilus Induces Cytokine and Chemokine Production via NF-κB and p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Signaling Pathways in Intestinal Epithelial Cells
Authors: Jiang Yujun , Lü Xuena , Man Chaoxin , Han Linlin , Shan Yi , Qu Xingguang , Liu Ying , Yang Shiqin , Xue Yuqing , Zhang Yinghua 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACTIntestinal epithelial cells can respond to certain bacteria by producing an array of cytokines and chemokines which are associated with host immune responses.Lactobacillus acidophilusNCFM is a characterized probiotic, originally isolated from human feces. This study aimed to test the ability ofL. acidophilusNCFM to stimulate cytokine and chemokine production in intestinal epithelial cells and to elucidate the mechanisms involved in their upregulation. In experiments using intestinal epithelial cell lines and mouse models, we observed thatL. acidophilusNCFM could rapidly but transiently upregulate a number of effector genes encoding cytokines and chemokines such as interleukin 1α (IL-1α), IL-1β, CCL2, and CCL20 and that cytokines showed lower expression levels withL. acidophilusNCFM treatment than chemokines. Moreover,L. acidophilusNCFM could activate a pathogen-associated molecular pattern receptor, Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), in intestinal epithelial cell lines. The phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in intestinal epithelial cell lines was also enhanced byL. acidophilusNCFM. Furthermore, inhibitors of NF-κB (pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate [PDTC]) and p38 MAPK (SB203580) significantly reduced cytokine and chemokine production in the intestinal epithelial cell lines stimulated byL. acidophilusNCFM, suggesting that both NF-κB and p38 MAPK signaling pathways were important for the production of cytokines and chemokines induced byL. acidophilusNCFM.
Transcutaneous Immunization with a Vibrio cholerae O1 Ogawa Synthetic Hexasaccharide Conjugate following Oral Whole-Cell Cholera Vaccination Boosts Vibriocidal Responses and Induces Protective Immunity in Mice
Authors: Tarique A. A. , Kalsy A. , Arifuzzaman M. , Rollins S. M. , Charles R. C. , Leung D. T. , Harris J. B. , LaRocque R. C. , Sheikh A. , Bhuiyan M. S. , Saksena R. , Clements J. D. , Calderwood S. B. , Qadri F. , Kováč P. , Ryan E. T. 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACTA shortcoming of currently available oral cholera vaccines is their induction of relatively short-term protection against cholera compared to that afforded by wild-type disease. We were interested in whether transcutaneous or subcutaneous boosting using a neoglycoconjugate vaccine made from a synthetic terminal hexasaccharide of the O-specific polysaccharide ofVibrio choleraeO1 (Ogawa) coupled to bovine serum albumin as a carrier (CHO-BSA) could boost lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-specific and vibriocidal antibody responses and result in protective immunity following oral priming immunization with whole-cell cholera vaccine. We found that boosting with CHO-BSA with immunoadjuvantative cholera toxin (CT) orEscherichia coliheat-labile toxin (LT) following oral priming with attenuatedV. choleraeO1 vaccine strain O395-NT resulted in significant increases in serum anti-V. choleraeLPS IgG, IgM, and IgA (P< 0.01) responses as well as in anti-Ogawa (P< 0.01) and anti-Inaba (P< 0.05) vibriocidal titers in mice. The LPS-specific IgA responses in stool were induced by transcutaneous (P< 0.01) but not subcutaneous immunization. Immune responses following use of CT or LT as an adjuvant were comparable. In a neonatal mouse challenge assay, immune serum from boosted mice was associated with 79% protective efficacy against death. Our results suggest that transcutaneous and subcutaneous boosting with a neoglycoconjugate following oral cholera vaccination may be an effective strategy to prolong protective immune responses againstV. cholerae.
Serodiagnosis Efficacy and Immunogenicity of the Fusion Protein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Composed of the 10-Kilodalton Culture Filtrate Protein, ESAT-6, and the Extracellular Domain Fragment of PPE68
Authors: Xu Jia-Nan , Chen Jian-Ping , Chen Da-Li 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACTIn order to identify immunodominant antigens ofMycobacterium tuberculosisthat may be used in the serodiagnosis of active tuberculosis (TB), we designed anM. tuberculosisfusion protein consisting of CFP-10 (10-kDa culture filtrate protein), ESAT-6 (6-kDa early secreted antigenic target), and the extracellular domain fragment of PPE68 (PPE68′). Then, the coding sequences of the three proteins were inserted into a prokaryotic expression vector, pET-32a(+). To enhance the immunological response, the proteins were linked together. The fusion proteins with a 6×His tag were successfully overexpressed inEscherichia coliBL21 and purified. The purified proteins were applied for detection of the total IgG titer by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with human sera from well-characterized TB cases and the control cases, and results were compared to those with purified protein derivative tuberculin (PPD). The ELISA results showed that among 140 cases of confirmed active TB and 70 control cases, CFP-10–ESAT-6–PPE68′ had a sensitivity of 73.3% and specificity of 94.3%, compared to a sensitivity of 66.7% and specificity of 74.3% for PPD and a sensitivity of 65% and specificity of 91.4% for CFP-10–ESAT-6. In addition, the fusion protein CFP-10–ESAT-6–PPE68′ stimulated a higher level of antigen-specific gamma interferon (IFN-γ) release for active-TB patients than PPD and CFP-10–ESAT-6. After immunization of C57BL/6 mice, the findings indicated that the total IgG titers and the concentrations of IFN-γ in mice immunized by CFP-10–ESAT-6–PPE68′ were high and induced strong, long-term humoral immunity compared to results with PPD and CFP-10–ESAT-6. Thus, our study indicates that the fusion protein CFP-10–ESAT-6–PPE68′ may be useful as an immunodominant antigen for the serodiagnosis of active TB.
Rapid Direct Testing of Susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to Isoniazid and Rifampin on Nutrient and Blood Agar in Resource-Starved Settings
Authors: Satti Luqman , Ikram Aamer , Coban Ahmet Yilmaz , Martin Anandi 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACT

In this study, we evaluated the performance of blood agar (by macroscopic growth) and nutrient agar (by a microcolony detection method) for drug susceptibility testing of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
against rifampin (RIF) and isoniazid (INH), using 67 smear-positive sputum specimens. The direct proportion method on Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) medium was used as the “gold standard.” Compared with LJ medium, results for both media were in 100% agreement for RIF, while for INH the agreement levels for blood agar and nutrient agar were 98% and 95%, respectively. Within 2 weeks, 100% of specimens yielded results on blood agar, while 96.8% of specimens yielded results on nutrient agar. Our study showed that blood agar and nutrient agar can be used as alternative media for direct susceptibility testing of RIF and INH, especially in resource-poor settings.
Biomedical Mass Spectrometry in Today's and Tomorrow's Clinical Microbiology Laboratories
Authors: van Belkum Alex , Welker Martin , Erhard Marcel , Chatellier Sonia 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACT
Clinical microbiology is a conservative laboratory exercise where base technologies introduced in the 19th century remained essentially unaltered. High-tech mass spectrometry (MS) has changed that. Within a few years following its adaptation to microbiological diagnostics, MS has been introduced, embraced, and broadly accepted by clinical microbiology laboratories throughout the world as an innovative tool for definitive bacterial species identification. Herein, we review the current state of the art with respect to this exciting new technology and discuss potential future applications.
The First Locally Acquired Human Infection of Echinococcus multilocularis in The Netherlands
Authors: van Dommelen Laura , Stoot Jan H. M. B. , Cappendijk Vincent C. , Abdul Hamid Myrurgia A. , Stelma Foekje F. , Kortbeek Laetitia M. , van der Giessen Joke , Oude Lashof Astrid M. L. 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACT

In the northern part of Western Europe,
Echinococcus multilocularis
is primarily detected in and spreading among foxes. The present case marks
E. multilocularis
as an emerging pathogen for humans, as it describes the first human case of probably locally acquired
E. multilocularis
in The Netherlands, with various interesting clinical aspects.
Development of a Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Assay for Rapid Detection of Capripoxviruses
Authors: Das Amaresh , Babiuk Shawn , McIntosh Michael T. 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACT
Sheep pox (SP), goat pox (GP), and lumpy skin disease (LSD), caused by capripoxviruses (CaPVs), are economically important diseases of sheep, goats, and cattle, respectively. Here, we report the development of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for rapid detection of CaPVs. LAMP primers were designed to target a conserved gene encoding the poly(A) polymerase small subunit (VP39) of CaPVs. Hydroxynaphthol blue (HNB) was incorporated to monitor assay progress by color change from violet when negative to sky blue when positive, and results were verified by agarose gel electrophoresis. The LAMP assay was shown to be highly specific for CaPVs, with no apparent cross-reactivity to other related viruses (near neighbors) or viruses that cause similar clinical signs (look-a-like viruses). The performance of LAMP was compared to that of a highly sensitive quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay. LAMP and qPCR exhibited similar analytical sensitivities, with limits of detection of 3 and 8 viral genome copies, respectively. Diagnostic specificity was assessed on 36 negative specimens, including swabs and EDTA blood from control sheep, goats, and cattle. Diagnostic sensitivity was assessed on 275 specimens, including EDTA blood, swabs, and tissues from experimentally infected sheep, goats, and cattle. Overall agreement on diagnostic test results between the two assays was 90 to 95% for specificity and 89 to 100% for sensitivity. The LAMP assay described in this report is simple to use, inexpensive, highly sensitive, and particularly well suited for the diagnosis of capripox in less well equipped laboratories and in rural settings where resources are limited.
Molecular Characterization of the Processing of Arenavirus Envelope Glycoprotein Precursors by Subtilisin Kexin Isozyme-1/Site-1 Protease
Authors: Burri Dominique J. , Pasqual Giulia , Rochat Cylia , Seidah Nabil G. , Pasquato Antonella , Kunz Stefan 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACT

A crucial step in the life cycle of arenaviruses is the biosynthesis of the mature fusion-active viral envelope glycoprotein (GP) that is essential for virus-host cell attachment and entry. The maturation of the arenavirus GP precursor (GPC) critically depends on proteolytic processing by the cellular proprotein convertase (PC) subtilisin kexin isozyme-1 (SKI-1)/site-1 protease (S1P). Here we undertook a molecular characterization of the SKI-1/S1P processing of the GPCs of the prototypic arenavirus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) and the pathogenic Lassa virus (LASV). Previous studies showed that the GPC of LASV undergoes processing in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)/
cis
-Golgi compartment, whereas the LCMV GPC is cleaved in a late Golgi compartment. Herein we confirm these findings and provide evidence that the SKI-1/S1P recognition site RRLL, present in the SKI-1/S1P prodomain and LASV GPC, but not in the LCMV GPC, is crucial for the processing of the LASV GPC in the ER/
cis
-Golgi compartment. Our structure-function analysis revealed that the cleavage of arenavirus GPCs, but not cellular substrates, critically depends on the autoprocessing of SKI-1/S1P, suggesting differences in the processing of cellular and viral substrates. Deletion mutagenesis showed that the transmembrane and intracellular domains of SKI-1/S1P are dispensable for arenavirus GPC processing. The expression of a soluble form of the protease in SKI-I/S1P-deficient cells resulted in the efficient processing of arenavirus GPCs and rescued productive virus infection. However, exogenous soluble SKI-1/S1P was unable to process LCMV and LASV GPCs displayed at the surface of SKI-I/S1P-deficient cells, indicating that GPC processing occurs in an intracellular compartment. In sum, our study reveals important differences in the SKI-1/S1P processing of viral and cellular substrates.
High-Risk Human Papillomavirus E5 Oncoprotein Displays Channel-Forming Activity Sensitive to Small-Molecule Inhibitors
Authors: Wetherill Laura F. , Holmes Kristopher K. , Verow Mark , Müller Marietta , Howell Gareth , Harris Mark , Fishwick Colin , Stonehouse Nicola , Foster Richard , Blair G. Eric , Griffin Stephen , Macdonald Andrew 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACT

High-risk human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) is the primary causative agent of cervical cancer and therefore is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Cellular transformation is mediated directly by the expression of viral oncogenes, the least characterized of which, E5, subverts cellular proliferation and immune recognition processes. Despite a growing catalogue of E5-specific host interactions, little is understood regarding the molecular basis of its function. Here we describe a novel function for HPV16 E5 as an oligomeric channel-forming protein, placing it within the virus-encoded “viroporin” family. The development of a novel recombinant E5 expression system showed that E5 formed oligomeric assemblies of a defined luminal diameter and stoichiometry in membranous environments and that such channels mediated fluorescent dye release from liposomes. Hexameric E5 channel stoichiometry was suggested by native PAGE studies. In lieu of high-resolution structural information, established
de novo
molecular modeling and design methods permitted the development of the first specific small-molecule E5 inhibitor, capable of both abrogating channel activity
in vitro
and reducing E5-mediated effects on cell signaling pathways. The identification of channel activity should enhance the future understanding of the physiological function of E5 and could represent an important target for antiviral intervention.
Human CD4+T Cell Response to Human Herpesvirus 6
Authors: Nastke Maria-D. , Becerra Aniuska , Yin Liusong , Dominguez-Amorocho Omar , Gibson Laura , Stern Lawrence J. , Calvo-Calle J. Mauricio 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACTFollowing primary infection, human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) establishes a persistent infection for life. HHV-6 reactivation has been associated with transplant rejection, delayed engraftment, encephalitis, muscular dystrophy, and drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome. The poor understanding of the targets and outcome of the cellular immune response to HHV-6 makes it difficult to outline the role of HHV-6 in human disease. To fill in this gap, we characterized CD4 T cell responses to HHV-6 using peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and T cell lines generated from healthy donors. CD4+T cells responding to HHV-6 in peripheral blood were observed at frequencies below 0.1% of total T cells but could be expanded easilyin vitro. Analysis of cytokines in supernatants of PBMC and T cell cultures challenged with HHV-6 preparations indicated that gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were appropriate markers of the HHV-6 cellular response. Eleven CD4+T cell epitopes, all but one derived from abundant virion components, were identified. The response was highly cross-reactive between HHV-6A and HHV-6B variants. Seven of the CD4+T cell epitopes do not share significant homologies with other known human pathogens, including the closely related human viruses human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7) and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) tetramers generated with these epitopes were able to detect HHV-6-specific T cell populations. These findings provide a window into the immune response to HHV-6 and provide a basis for tracking HHV-6 cellular immune responses.
Virion Architecture Unifies Globally Distributed Pleolipoviruses Infecting Halophilic Archaea
Authors: Pietilä Maija K. , Atanasova Nina S. , Manole Violeta , Liljeroos Lassi , Butcher Sarah J. , Oksanen Hanna M. , Bamford Dennis H. 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACT

Our understanding of the third domain of life,
Archaea
, has greatly increased since its establishment some 20 years ago. The increasing information on archaea has also brought their viruses into the limelight. Today, about 100 archaeal viruses are known, which is a low number compared to the numbers of characterized bacterial or eukaryotic viruses. Here, we have performed a comparative biological and structural study of seven pleomorphic viruses infecting extremely halophilic archaea. The pleomorphic nature of this novel virion type was established by sedimentation analysis and cryo-electron microscopy. These nonlytic viruses form virions characterized by a lipid vesicle enclosing the genome, without any nucleoproteins. The viral lipids are unselectively acquired from host cell membranes. The virions contain two to three major structural proteins, which either are embedded in the membrane or form spikes distributed randomly on the external membrane surface. Thus, the most important step during virion assembly is most likely the interaction of the membrane proteins with the genome. The interaction can be driven by single-stranded or double-stranded DNA, resulting in the virions having similar architectures but different genome types. Based on our comparative study, these viruses probably form a novel group, which we define as pleolipoviruses.
Roles of E4orf6 and VA I RNA in Adenovirus-Mediated Stimulation of Human Parvovirus B19 DNA Replication and Structural Gene Expression
Authors: Winter Kerstin , von Kietzell Kristina , Heilbronn Regine , Pozzuto Tanja , Fechner Henry , Weger Stefan 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACT
Despite its very narrow tropism for erythroid progenitor cells, human parvovirus B19 (B19V) has recently been shown to replicate and form infectious progeny virus in 293 cells in the presence of early adenoviral functions provided either by infection with adenovirus type 5 or by addition of the pHelper plasmid encoding the E2a, E4orf6, and VA RNA functions. In the present study we dissected the individual influence of these functions on B19V genome replication and expression of structural proteins VP1 and VP2. We show that, in the presence of the constitutively expressed E1A and E1B, E4orf6 alone is able to promote B19V DNA replication, resulting in a concomitant increase in VP expression levels. The stimulatory effects of E4orf6 require the integrity of the BC box motifs, which target cellular proteins such as p53 and the Mre11 DNA repair complex for proteosomal degradation through formation of an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex with E1B. VA RNA also strongly induces VP expression but, in contrast to E4orf6, in a replication-independent manner. This stimulation could be attributed exclusively to the VA I RNA transcript and does not involve major activating effects at the level of the B19V p6 promoter, but the nucleotide residues required for the well-defined pathway of VA I RNA mediated stimulation of translation through functional inactivation of protein kinase R. These data show that the cellular pathways regulating B19V replication may be very similar to those governing the productive cycle of the helper-dependent parvoviruses, the adeno-associated viruses.