Bovine herpesvirus 4-based vector delivering the full length xCT DNA efficiently protects mice from mammary cancer metastases by targeting cancer stem cells
Despite marked advancements in its treatment, breast cancer is still the second leading cause of cancer death in women, due to relapses and distal metastases. Breast cancer stem cells (CSCs), are a cellular reservoir for recurrence, metastatic evolution and disease progression, making the development of novel therapeutics that target CSCs, and thereby inhibit metastases, an urgent need. We have previously demonstrated that the cystine-glutamate antiporter xCT (SLC7A11), a protein that was shown to be overexpressed in mammary CSCs and that plays a key role in the maintenance of their redox balance, self-renewal and resistance to chemotherapy, is a potential target for mammary cancer immunoth…
Severe plasma prekallikrein deficiency : clinical characteristics, novel KLKB1 mutations, and estimated prevalence
BACKGROUND Severe plasma prekallikrein (PK) deficiency is an autosomal-recessive defect characterized by isolated activated partial thromboplastin time prolongation. To date, no comprehensive methodologically firm analysis has investigated the diagnostic, clinical, and genetic characteristics of PK deficiency, and its prevalence remains unknown. PATIENTS/METHODS We described new families with PK deficiency, retrieved clinical and laboratory information of cases systematically searched in the (gray) literature, and collected blood of these cases for complementary analyses. The Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD) and the population-based Gutenberg Health Study served to study the prevalence …
Detection and Differential Diagnosis of Prekallikrein Deficiency: Genetic Study of New Families and Systematic Review of the Literature
Abstract Introduction. Prekallikrein (PK) and high-molecular-weight kininogen (HK) deficiencies are ultra-rare, autosomal-recessive defects of the contact system caused by biallelic mutations in the KLKB1 and KNG1 genes, respectively. Since affected subjects do not manifest a bleeding phenotype, a correct diagnosis is essential to prevent the administration of prohemostatic agents or plasma and to avoid delay of surgery. We describe a new case of PK deficiency identified at UMC Mainz. In addition, we performed a systematic review of the literature in order to i) collect blood material for genetic studies of reported PK deficient cases lacking this information, and ii) perform a comprehensiv…