Search results for "TOC"
showing 10 items of 14693 documents
Inter-individual differences in the susceptibility of primary human hepatocytes towards drug-induced cholestasis are compound and time dependent.
2018
Abstract Cholestasis represents a major subtype of drug-induced liver injury and novel preclinical models for its prediction are needed. Here we used primary human hepatocytes (PHH) from different donors in 2D-sandwich (2D-sw) and/or 3D-spheroid cultures to study inter-individual differences in the response towards cholestatic hepatotoxins after short-term (48–72 hours) and long-term repeated exposures (14 days). The cholestatic liabilities of drugs were determined by comparing cell viability upon exposure to the highest non-cytotoxic drug concentration in the presence and absence of a non-cytotoxic concentrated bile acid mixture. In 2D-sw culture, cyclosporine A and amiodarone presented cl…
From mammals back to birds: Host-switch of the acanthocephalan Corynosoma australe from pinnipeds to the Magellanic penguin Spheniscus magellanicus.
2017
Trophically-transmitted parasites are regularly exposed to potential new hosts through food web interactions. Successful colonization, or switching, to novel hosts, occur readily when ?donor? and ?target? hosts are phylogenetically related, whereas switching between distantly related hosts is rare and may result from stochastic factors (i.e. rare favourable mutations). This study investigates a host-switching event between a marine acanthocephalan specific to pinnipeds that is apparently able to reproduce in Magellanic penguins Spheniscus magellanicus from Brazil. Detailed analysis of morphological and morphometrical data from acanthocephalans from penguins indicates that they belong to Cor…
VEGF-B gene therapy inhibits doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by endothelial protection
2016
Congestive heart failure is one of the leading causes of disability in long-term survivors of cancer. The anthracycline antibiotic doxorubicin (DOX) is used to treat a variety of cancers, but its utility is limited by its cumulative cardiotoxicity. As advances in cancer treatment have decreased cancer mortality, DOX-induced cardiomyopathy has become an increasing problem. However, the current means to alleviate the cardiotoxicity of DOX are limited. We considered that vascular endothelial growth factor-B (VEGF-B), which promotes coronary arteriogenesis, physiological cardiac hypertrophy, and ischemia resistance, could be an interesting candidate for prevention of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity …
Simultaneous Inhibition of Peripheral CB1R and iNOS Mitigates Obesity-Related Dyslipidemia Through Distinct Mechanisms.
2020
Diabetic dyslipidemia, characterized by increased plasma triglycerides and decreased HDL cholesterol levels, is a major factor contributing to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes. Activation of the cannabinoid-1 receptor (CB1R) and activation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) are associated with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis progression. Here, we tested whether dual-targeting inhibition of hepatic CB1R and iNOS improves diabetic dyslipidemia in mice with diet-induced obesity (DIO mice). DIO mice were treated for 14 days with (S)-MRI-1867, a peripherally restricted hybrid inhibitor of CB1R and iNOS. (R)-MRI-1867, the CB1R-inactive stereoisomer that …
Brief Report: Functional Interaction of Endoplasmic Reticulum Aminopeptidase 2 and HLA-B27 Activates the Unfolded Protein Response.
2017
Objective: The basic mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) remain unresolved. We previously reported an association of the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2549782 in the endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase 2 gene (ERAP2) with AS. It is known that patients homozygous for the G allele (GG) of another ERAP2 SNP, rs2248374, lack expression of ERAP2 (ERAP2 null). The present study utilized this information to study the impact of ERAP2 deficiency on HLAâB27 expression in patients with AS, specifically focusing on the functional interaction of ERAP2 and HLAâB27 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with AS and assessing the effects …
Malignant ovarian germ cell tumors in pediatric patients: The AIEOP (Associazione Italiana Ematologia Oncologia Pediatrica) study.
2017
Objective Malignant ovarian germ cell tumors (MOGCT) carry an excellent prognosis, and the treatment aims to achieve results with the least possible treatment-related morbidity. The aim of this study was to assess the outcomes of pediatric patients with MOGCT. Methods Patients were treated according to their stage: surgery and surveillance for stage I; a modified bleomycin–etoposide–cisplatin (BEP) regimen for stages II (three cycles), III, and IV (three cycles) with surgery on residual disease. Results Seventy-seven patients were enrolled (median age 11.8 years), 26 with dysgerminoma (Dysg), 13 with immature teratoma and elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein levels (IT + AFP), and 38 with nondy…
Whole-blood transcriptome profiling reveals signatures of metformin and its therapeutic response
2020
Metformin, a biguanide agent, is the first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus due to its glucose-lowering effect. Despite its wide application in the treatment of multiple health conditions, the glycemic response to metformin is highly variable, emphasizing the need for reliable biomarkers. We chose the RNA-Seq-based comparative transcriptomics approach to evaluate the systemic effect of metformin and highlight potential predictive biomarkers of metformin response in drug-naive volunteers with type 2 diabetes in vivo. The longitudinal blood-derived transcriptome analysis revealed metformin-induced differential expression of novel and previously described genes involved in cholester…
Association of metformin administration with gut microbiome dysbiosis in healthy volunteers
2018
Background Metformin is a widely used first-line drug for treatment of type 2 diabetes. Despite its advantages, metformin has variable therapeutic effects, contraindications, and side effects. Here, for the very first time, we investigate the short-term effect of metformin on the composition of healthy human gut microbiota. Methods We used an exploratory longitudinal study design in which the first sample from an individual was the control for further samples. Eighteen healthy individuals were treated with metformin (2 × 850 mg) for 7 days. Stool samples were collected at three time points: prior to administration, 24 hours and 7 days after metformin administration. Taxonomic composition of…
Stromal hyaluronan accumulation is associated with low immune response and poor prognosis in pancreatic cancer
2021
AbstractHyaluronan (HA) accumulation has been associated with poor survival in various cancers, but the mechanisms for this phenomenon are still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of stromal HA accumulation and its association with host immune response in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The study material consisted of 101 radically treated patients for PDAC from a single geographical area. HA staining was evaluated using a HA-specific probe, and the patterns of CD3, CD8, CD73 and PD-L1 expression were evaluated using immunohistochemistry. HA staining intensity of tumour stromal areas was assessed digitally using QuPath. CD3- and CD8-based …
CD3ε Expression Defines Functionally Distinct Subsets of Vδ1 T Cells in Patients With Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection
2018
Human γδ T cells expressing the Vδ1 T cell receptor (TCR) recognize self and microbial antigens and stress-inducible molecules in a major histocompatibility complex -unrestricted manner and are an important source of innate interleukin-17. Vδ1 T cells are expanded in the circulation and intestines of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. In the present study, we show that patients with HIV have elevated frequencies, but not absolute numbers, of circulating Vδ1 T cells compared to control subjects. This increase was most striking in the patients with Candida albicans co-infection. Using flow cytometry and confocal microscopy, we identify two populations of Vδ1 T cells, …