tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Abstract TMEM-039: THE ROLE OF SNAIL IN CELL DIFFERENTIATION STATUS: EPITHELIAL-MESENCHYMAL TRANSITION AND CANCER STEM CELLS
Authors: Hanmin Wang, Alyse Huisken-Hill, Evgeny Chirshev, Juli Unternaehrer-Hamm
Journal: Clinical Cancer Research (2017)

Abstract PURPOSE: The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process by which epithelial cells lose their cell polarity and cell-cell adhesion, and become mesenchymal cells with migratory and invasive properties. EMT is essential for numerous developmental processes such as gastrulation, and is involved in the initiation of metastasis for cancer progression. Cancer cells that undergo EMT are enabled to metastasize to form secondary tumors. One characteristic of advanced tumors is a low expression level of let-7, a miRNA known to be vital in both maintenances of cellular differentiation and tumor suppression. There is a gap in the literature concerning the mechanism of let-7 downregulation. Our purpose in this study is to present data that shows Snail, an EMT inducer, directly represses let-7, hence inducing cancer stem cells. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES: Ovarian, pancreatic and breast cancer cell lines treated with TGFβ or EGF, inducers of EMT, were studied in our experiments. Expression of several markers at protein level was visualized with immunofluorescence and quantified with flow cytometry. Gene expression of mesenchymal, epithelial and pluripotency factors and miRNAs was detected by q-RT-PCR. Chromatin immunoprecipitation of Snail was performed in ovarian cancer lines. Let-7i promoter luciferase with and without Snail were co-transfected into OVSAHO and 293T cell lines and followed by luciferase assays for detection of bioluminescence. Snail was knocked down by lentiviral small hairpin RNA. Snail was overexpressed by estrogen receptor fusion protein. Orthotopic xenografts of patient-derived ovarian cancer cells were used to test the effect of Snail knockdown on tumor burden. RESULTS: In selected ovarian cancer lines, levels of Snail expression correlated directly with Nanog, and indirectly with let-7 expression. Snail bound promoters of let-7 in cell lines tested. Luciferase assays demonstrated direct repression of let-7 transcription by Snail. Metastatic burden was significantly reduced in cell line xenografts in which Snail was knocked down. CONCLUSIONS: Let-7 is confirmed to be negatively related to Snail. Our preliminary data also shows Snail directly represses let-7, therefore induces properties of stemness in cancer cells. Cell line and patient-derived data support the relationship between Snail expression, let-7 downregulation, and the induction of cancer stem cells. Snail knockdown appears to disrupt the cancer stem cell state and reduces disease progression. Citation Format: Hanmin Wang, Alyse Huisken-Hill, Evgeny Chirshev, Juli Unternaehrer-Hamm. THE ROLE OF SNAIL IN CELL DIFFERENTIATION STATUS: EPITHELIAL-MESENCHYMAL TRANSITION AND CANCER STEM CELLS [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 11th Biennial Ovarian Cancer Research Symposium; Sep 12-13, 2016; Seattle, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2017;23(11 Suppl):Abstract nr TMEM-039.
Blood urea nitrogen/ albumin ratio: Is it a new predictor for prognosis of community-acquired pneumonia?
Authors: Eylem Akpinar, Derya Hosgün, Beyza Doganay, Meral Gulhan
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2013)

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. CURB-65 (confusion, urea nitrogen, respiratory rate, blood pressure, ≥65 years) and pneumonia severity index (PSI) are the most frequently used scoring scales to assess the disease severity However, their accuracy is lower regarding the evaluation of mortality and need for ICU treatment. Aim was to evaluate the role of the BUN/Alb ratio in the prediction of disease severity and one-month mortality.

Methods: The study included patients hospitalized for CAP. Venous blood samples were obtained to calculate the ratio of BUN/Alb. The correlation of BUN/Alb ratio with the requirement of the intensive care unit (ICU), development of complications and mortality within one month was evaluated.

Results: 216 patients were enrolled in the study. Patients who needed ICU treatment had a higher BUN/Alb ratio than those who did not ( P =0.02). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that BUN/Alb ratio was not an independent risk factor for the development of complications,mortality and for ICU treatment. Low albumin level was an independent risk factor for the need of ICU treatment (OR: 0.190, 95% CI: 0.072 to 0.501, P =0.001).Lower albumin levels and poor PSI were independent predictive factors for the development of complications (OR: 0.204, 95% CI: 0.067 to 0.627, P =0.005; OR: 7.444, 95% CI: 2.565 to 21.605, P <0.0001, respectively).

Conclusions: The CAP patients who have higher BUN/Alb ratio are under higher risk of the need for ICU. Larger studies are neccessary to evaluate the exact role and the cutt-off value of the BUN/Alb ratio in predicting the severity and mortality of CAP.
Abstract 126: Gene Deletion of Dipeptidyl Peptidase I Reduces Myocyte Loss and Preserves Cardiac Function After Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Zhao Qi, Mikhail Kolpakov, Bahman Hooshdaran, Khadija Rafiq, Xinji Guo, Tao Wang, Christine Pham, Abdelkarim Sabri
Journal: Circulation Research (2012)

Introduction and Hypothesis: Chronic inflammation predisposes tissue to adverse cardiac remodeling and contributes to heart failure (HF) progression. The mechanisms whereby inflammation contributes to cardiac remodeling after cardiac injury has largely focused on action of reactive oxygen species and cytokines/chemokines and their role on myocyte growth and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. However, the role of inflammatory proteases on myocyte loss and adverse cardiac remodeling has not been studied and are the focus of this study. Methods and Results: We subjected wild type and mice lacking Dipeptidyl peptidase I (DPPI), a lysosomal enzyme involved in the cleavage and activation of major inflammatory serine proteases, to myocardial ischemia for 30 min followed by reperfusion for 24hrs (IRI) and assessed the role of DPPI gene deletion on inflammatory proteases activation, myocyte apoptosis and cardiac remodeling and function. DPPI KO mice show markedly reduced inflammatory serine protease activity in response to myocardial IRI compared to wild type mice. DPPI deletion also markedly reduced myocyte apoptosis, limited infarct size and improved cardiac function in response to IRI. The role of inflammatory serine proteases in cardiac remodeling was further demonstrated after in-vivo cardiac transfer of cathepsin G, a neutrophil derived serine protease that has been shown to induce myocyte death in-vitro. Mice with cathepsin G injection for 5 days show increased interstitial collagen degradation and myocyte apoptosis and presented cardiac dilatation and contractile dysfunction. Conclusions: These findings reveal the role of DPPI as a key mediator of postischemic/reperfusion injury and show that inflammatory derived proteases contribute to the pathological cardiac remodeling and dysfunction.
FF-10102-01: A Novel, Highly Selective Spleen Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor, to Be in Clinical Application for Treatment of Autoimmune Diseases and B-Cell Malignancies
Authors: Chieko Kinouchi, Kazuya Taguchi, Susumu Shimoyama, Tadaaki Ioroi, Hayato Ogura, Mari Yamamoto, Akiko Iino, Yoshimasa Maeda, Hiroshi Kato, Hideyasu Fujiwara, Shinji Hagiwara, Hiroyuki Iwamura, David J Kuter, Takaaki Nakamura, Yasuhiro Shimada
Journal: Blood (2016)
Evaluation of tumor and circulating cell free (cf) DNA mutations in women with hormone refractory metastatic breast cancer (MBC) enrolled in a phase I study of Z-endoxifen (MC093C).
Authors: Matthew P. Goetz, Vera J. Suman, Joel M. Reid, Donald W. Northfelt, Sarah A Burhow, Stephanie L. Safgren, Renee M. McGovern, Travis J. Dockter, Tufia C. Haddad, Charles Erlichman, Alex A. Adjei, Daniel W. Visscher, Benjamin Kipp, John Hawse, James H. Doroshow, Jerry M. Collins, Howard Streicher, Matthew M. Ames, James N. Ingle, Minetta C. Liu
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2017)

1043 Background: In estrogen receptor (ER) positive MBC, mutations (e.g. ESR1), identified from tumor biopsies or cfDNA, confer resistance. The concordance between mutations observed in tumor and cfDNA and the implications for response to Z-endoxifen, a potent anti-estrogen, are unknown. Methods: We previously conducted a phase I trial of Z-endoxifen in endocrine refractory, ER positive MBC. Seven dose levels were considered ranging from 20 to 160 mg/day followed by expansion cohorts (EC) of 40, 80, and 100 mg/day. Pretreatment blood samples (all pts) and fresh tumor biopsies (EC) were collected prospectively. Tumor and cfDNA were evaluated by targeted NGS. Results: 41 pts (38 evaluable) were enrolled. Prior endocrine therapy included aromatase inhibitors (37/38, 97%), fulvestrant (22/38, 58%) and tamoxifen (26/38, 68%). Substantial endoxifen exposure without DLTs at doses above 80 mg/day led to a halt in dose escalation and opening of the EC. Overall clinical benefit (stable &gt; 6 months [7 pts.] or partial response by RECIST criteria [3 pts.]) rate was 26.3% (95%CI: 13.4-43.1%). cfDNA was obtained from 36 pts and mutations were identified in 13 (36%) including ESR1 [ Y537N or D538G] (5), PIK3CA [ H1047R or E542K] (8), TP53 [ K132R, R248Q, R267Q, or H179Y] (4), AKT ( Q79K) (1), and KRAS ( G12D) (1). In 5 pts with cf ESR1 mutations, 4 had additional cfDNA mutations including PIK3CA (3), and TP53 (1). PFS was shorter in pts with cfDNA mutations relative to those without (median: 61 vs.132 days; log-rank p = 0.021). Discordance was observed between tumor and cfDNA mutations where 3/7 PIK3CA tumor mutations were detected by cfDNA, 1/2 TP53 tumor mutations were detected by cfDNA, and 0/1 AKT tumor mutations were detected by cfDNA. Conversely, 2 pts had cfDNA mutations (either ESR1, TP53 or AKT) undetected in tumor. Conclusions: The absence of cfDNA mutations in patients with endocrine resistant, MBC treated with Z-Endoxifen was associated with significantly longer PFS. Given the discordance between tumor and cfDNA sequence data, future studies must determine which approach maximizes prognosis and prediction of benefit for estrogen-targeted therapy. Clinical trial information: NCT01327781.
Long-term efficacy and safety in patients with rheumatoid arthritis continuing on SB4 or switching from reference etanercept to SB4
Authors: Paul Emery, Jiří Vencovský, Anna Sylwestrzak, Piotr Leszczyński, Wieslawa Porawska, Barbara Stasiuk, Joanna Hilt, Zdenka Mosterova, Soo Yeon Cheong, Jeehoon Ghil
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2017)

SB4 (Benepali, Brenzys) is a biosimilar of reference etanercept (ETN). In a randomised, double-blind, 52-week study, SB4 demonstrated comparable efficacy and safety to ETN in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The open-label extension period evaluated long-term efficacy, safety and immunogenicity when continuing SB4 versus switching from ETN to SB4.
Dramatic enhancement of the detection limits of bioassays via ultrafast deposition of polydopamine
Authors: Junwei Li, Madison A. Baird, Michael A. Davis, Wanyi Tai, Larry S. Zweifel, Kristina M. Adams Waldorf, Michael Gale Jr, Lakshmi Rajagopal, Robert H. Pierce, Xiaohu Gao
Journal: Nature Biomedical Engineering (2017)
Genotype-Phenotype Correlation of <i>SCN5A</i> Mutation for the Clinical and Electrocardiographic Characteristics of Probands With Brugada Syndrome
Authors: Kenichiro Yamagata, Minoru Horie, Takeshi Aiba, Satoshi Ogawa, Yoshifusa Aizawa, Tohru Ohe, Masakazu Yamagishi, Naomasa Makita, Harumizu Sakurada, Toshihiro Tanaka, Akihiko Shimizu, Nobuhisa Hagiwara, Ryoji Kishi, Yukiko Nakano, Masahiko Takagi, Takeru Makiyama, Seiko Ohno, Keiichi Fukuda, Hiroshi Watanabe, Hiroshi Morita, Kenshi Hayashi, Kengo Kusano, Shiro Kamakura, Satoshi Yasuda, Hisao Ogawa, Yoshihiro Miyamoto, Jamie D. Kapplinger, Michael J. Ackerman, Wataru Shimizu
Journal: Circulation (2017)

Background: The genotype-phenotype correlation of SCN5A mutations as a predictor of cardiac events in Brugada syndrome remains controversial. We aimed to establish a registry limited to probands, with a long follow-up period, so that the genotype-phenotype correlation of SCN5A mutations in Brugada syndrome can be examined without patient selection bias. Methods: This multicenter registry enrolled 415 probands (n=403; men, 97%; age, 46±14 years) diagnosed with Brugada syndrome whose SCN5A gene was analyzed for mutations. Results: During a mean follow-up period of 72 months, the overall cardiac event rate was 2.5%/y. In comparison with probands without mutations ( SCN5A (–), n=355), probands with SCN5A mutations ( SCN5A (+), n=60) experienced their first cardiac event at a younger age (34 versus 42 years, P =0.013), had a higher positive rate of late potentials (89% versus 73%, P =0.016), exhibited longer P-wave, PQ, and QRS durations, and had a higher rate of cardiac events ( P =0.017 by log-rank). Multivariate analysis indicated that only SCN5A mutation and history of aborted cardiac arrest were significant predictors of cardiac events ( SCN5A (+) versus SCN5A (–): hazard ratio, 2.0 and P =0.045; history of aborted cardiac arrest versus no such history: hazard ratio, 6.5 and P &lt;0.001). Conclusions: Brugada syndrome patients with SCN5A mutations exhibit more conduction abnormalities on ECG and have higher risk for cardiac events.
Self-Assembly of Semiconducting-Plasmonic Gold Nanoparticles with Enhanced Optical Property for Photoacoustic Imaging and Photothermal Therapy
Authors: Zhen Yang, Jibin Song, Yunlu Dai, Jingyi Chen, Feng Wang, Lisen Lin, Yijing Liu, Fuwu Zhang, Guocan Yu, Zijian Zhou, Wenpei Fan, Wei Huang, Quli Fan, Xiaoyuan Chen
Journal: Theranostics (2017)

Although various noble metal and semiconducting molecules have been developed as photoacoustic (PA) agents, the use of semiconducting polymer-metal nanoparticle hybrid materials to enhance PA signal has not been explored. A novel semiconducting-plasmonic nanovesicle was fabricated by self-assembly of semiconducting poly(perylene diimide) (PPDI) and poly(ethylene glycol (PEG) tethered gold nanoparticles (Au@PPDI/PEG). A highly localized and strongly enhanced electromagnetic (EM) field is distributed between adjacent gold nanoparticles in the vesicular shell, where the absorbing collapsed PPDI is present. Significantly, the EM field in turn enhances the light absorption efficiency of PPDI, leading to a much greater photothermal effect and a stronger photoacoustic signal compared to PDI nanoparticle or gold nanovesicle alone. The optical property of the hybrid vesicle can be further tailored by controlling the ratio of PPDI and gold nanoparticle as well as the adjustable interparticle distance of gold nanoparticles localized in the vesicular shell. In vivo imaging and therapeutic evaluation demonstrated that the hybrid vesicle is an excellent probe for cancer theranostics.
Overall survival (OS) in patients (Pts) with diagnostic positive (Dx+) breast cancer: Subgroup analysis from a phase 2 study of enzalutamide (ENZA), an androgen receptor (AR) inhibitor, in AR+ triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) treated with 0-1 prior lines of therapy.
Authors: Tiffany A. Traina, Denise A. Yardley, Lee Steven Schwartzberg, Joyce O'Shaughnessy, Javier Cortes, Ahmad Awada, Catherine Margaret Kelly, Maureen E. Trudeau, Peter Schmid, Luca Gianni, Ayca Gucalp, Laura Garcia-Estevez, Rita Nanda, Foluso Olabisi Ademuyiwa, Stephen Chan, Joyce Leta Steinberg, Martha Elizabeth Blaney, Iulia Cristina Tudor, Hirdesh Uppal, Kathy Miller
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2017)

1089 Background: The AR may be a novel therapeutic target for pts with AR-driven TNBC. ENZA, a potent AR inhibitor approved in men with metastatic prostate cancer, was evaluated in this phase 2 study of pts with AR+ TNBC. A genomic signature associated with AR-driven biology was identified; updated OS results in pts treated with 0-1 prior lines of therapy are presented. Methods: This is an open-label, Simon two-stage study (NCT01889238) of ENZA monotherapy in advanced AR+ TNBC (AR &gt; 0% by IHC). Bone-only disease and unlimited prior regimens were allowed; CNS metastases or seizure history were exclusionary. The primary endpoint was clinical benefit rate at 16 weeks (CBR16) in evaluable pts (AR &gt; 10% and ≥1 postbaseline assessment). OS was an exploratory endpoint. Results in intent-to-treat (ITT) and evaluable pts were presented previously (Traina TA et al. J Clin Oncol. 2015;33:1003). Results: 118 pts were enrolled (ITT). CBR16 in 78 evaluable pts was 33.3%. Of the 118 ITT pts, 56 were Dx+ and 62 were Dx–; ≥50% received 0-1 prior lines of therapy (28 Dx+, 37 Dx–). As of 26 Nov 2016 there were 83 deaths (median follow-up 28 mo); median OS (mOS) was 13 mo (95% CI; 8-18). In the Dx+ subgroup there were 32 deaths (mOS 20 mo [95% CI; 13-29]) vs 51 deaths in the Dx– subgroup (mOS 8 mo [95% CI; 5-11]). In pts with 0-1 prior lines of therapy, there were 13 deaths in the Dx+ subgroup (mOS 29 mo [95% CI; 19-not reached] vs 28 in the Dx– subgroup (mOS 10 mo [95% CI; 7-15]). The most common adverse events (AEs) were fatigue and nausea; fatigue was the only grade 3 related AE in &gt; 5% of pts. A multi-covariate Cox analysis identified Dx status (+ vs –) and line of therapy (0-1 vs ≥2) as the only variables significantly associated with OS. Conclusions: In this study, the mOS of pts with Dx+ TNBC who received 0-1 prior lines of therapy appears longer than that of unselected historic controls. ENZA may represent a therapeutic option in pts with AR+ TNBC who would otherwise receive cytotoxic chemotherapy and is currently being evaluated in ENDEAR, a phase 3 study in pts with Dx+ advanced TNBC and 0-1 prior lines of therapy. Clinical trial information: NCT01889238.
Alectinib versus Crizotinib in Untreated <i>ALK</i>-Positive Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Solange Peters, D. Ross Camidge, Alice T. Shaw, Shirish Gadgeel, Jin S. Ahn, Dong-Wan Kim, Sai-Hong I. Ou, Maurice Pérol, Rafal Dziadziuszko, Rafael Rosell, Ali Zeaiter, Emmanuel Mitry, Sophie Golding, Bogdana Balas, Johannes Noe, Peter N. Morcos, Tony Mok
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (2017)

Alectinib, a highly selective inhibitor of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), has shown systemic and central nervous system (CNS) efficacy in the treatment of ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We investigated alectinib as compared with crizotinib in patients with previously untreated, advanced ALK-positive NSCLC, including those with asymptomatic CNS disease.In a randomized, open-label, phase 3 trial, we randomly assigned 303 patients with previously untreated, advanced ALK-positive NSCLC to receive either alectinib (600 mg twice daily) or crizotinib (250 mg twice daily). The primary end point was investigator-assessed progression-free survival. Secondary end points were independent review committee-assessed progression-free survival, time to CNS progression, objective response rate, and overall survival.During a median follow-up of 17.6 months (crizotinib) and 18.6 months (alectinib), an event of disease progression or death occurred in 62 of 152 patients (41%) in the alectinib group and 102 of 151 patients (68%) in the crizotinib group. The rate of investigator-assessed progression-free survival was significantly higher with alectinib than with crizotinib (12-month event-free survival rate, 68.4% [95% confidence interval (CI), 61.0 to 75.9] with alectinib vs. 48.7% [95% CI, 40.4 to 56.9] with crizotinib; hazard ratio for disease progression or death, 0.47 [95% CI, 0.34 to 0.65]; P<0.001); the median progression-free survival with alectinib was not reached. The results for independent review committee-assessed progression-free survival were consistent with those for the primary end point. A total of 18 patients (12%) in the alectinib group had an event of CNS progression, as compared with 68 patients (45%) in the crizotinib group (cause-specific hazard ratio, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.10 to 0.28; P<0.001). A response occurred in 126 patients in the alectinib group (response rate, 82.9%; 95% CI, 76.0 to 88.5) and in 114 patients in the crizotinib group (response rate, 75.5%; 95% CI, 67.8 to 82.1) (P=0.09). Grade 3 to 5 adverse events were less frequent with alectinib (41% vs. 50% with crizotinib).As compared with crizotinib, alectinib showed superior efficacy and lower toxicity in primary treatment of ALK-positive NSCLC. (Funded by F. Hoffmann-La Roche; ALEX ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02075840 .).
Nucleotide excision repair is a potential therapeutic target in multiple myeloma
Authors: R Szalat, M K Samur, M Fulciniti, M Lopez, P Nanjappa, A Cleynen, K Wen, S Kumar, T Perini, A S Calkins, E Reznichenko, D Chauhan, Y-T Tai, M A Shammas, K C Anderson, J-P Fermand, B Arnulf, H Avet-Loiseau, J-B Lazaro, N C Munshi
Journal: Leukemia (2017)

Despite the development of novel drugs, alkylating agents remain an important component of therapy in multiple myeloma (MM). DNA repair processes contribute towards sensitivity to alkylating agents and therefore we here evaluate the role of nucleotide excision repair (NER), which is involved in the removal of bulky adducts and DNA crosslinks in MM. We first evaluated NER activity using a novel functional assay and observed a heterogeneous NER efficiency in MM cell lines and patient samples. Using next-generation sequencing data, we identified that expression of the canonical NER gene, excision repair cross-complementation group 3 (ERCC3), significantly impacted the outcome in newly diagnosed MM patients treated with alkylating agents. Next, using small RNA interference, stable knockdown and overexpression, and small-molecule inhibitors targeting xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group B (XPB), the DNA helicase encoded by ERCC3, we demonstrate that NER inhibition significantly increases sensitivity and overcomes resistance to alkylating agents in MM. Moreover, inhibiting XPB leads to the dual inhibition of NER and transcription and is particularly efficient in myeloma cells. Altogether, we show that NER impacts alkylating agents sensitivity in myeloma cells and identify ERCC3 as a potential therapeutic target in MM.