Search results for "diagnostic"

Non-invasive Biomarkers of Acute Rejection in Kidney Transplantation: Novel Targets and Strategies

2019

Abstract: Kidney transplantation is considered the favored treatment for patients suffering from end-stage renal disease, since successful transplantation is associated with longer survival and improved quality of life compared to dialysis. Alloreactive immune responses against the donor kidney may lead to acute rejection of the transplant. The current diagnosis of renal allograft rejection mainly relies on clinical monitoring, including serum creatinine, proteinuria, and confirmation by histopathologic assessment in the kidney transplant biopsy. These parameters have their limitations. Identification and validation of biomarkers, which correlate with or predict the presence of acute reject…

A two-gene epigenetic signature for the prediction of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer patients

2019

Background Pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) varies between 30 and 40% approximately. To provide further insight into the prediction of pCR, we evaluated the role of an epigenetic methylation-based signature. Methods Epigenetic assessment of DNA extracted from biopsy archived samples previous to NAC from TNBC patients was performed. Patients included were categorized according to previous response to NAC in responder (pCR or residual cancer burden, RCB = 0) or non-responder (non-pCR or RCB > 0) patients. A methyloma study was performed in a discovery cohort by the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip (450K arra…

2020

Orthodontic tooth movement to therapeutically align malpositioned teeth is supposed to impact blood flow in the surrounding tissues. Here, we evaluated actual vascularization in the tension area of the periodontal ligament during experimental tooth movement in rats (N = 8) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We inserted an elastic band between the left upper first and the second rat molar; the right side was not treated and served as control. After four days of tooth movement, we recorded T1-weighted morphologic and dynamic-contrast-enhanced MRI sequences with an animal-specific 7 Tesla MRI to assess of local vascularization. Furthermore, we quantified osteoclasts and monocytes in the pe…

Propeptide glycosylation and galectin‐3 binding decrease proteolytic activation of human proMMP‐9/progelatinase B

2019

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are secreted as proenzymes, containing propeptides that interact with the catalytic zinc, thereby controlling MMP activation. The MMP‐9 propeptide is unique in the MMP family because of its post‐translational modification with an N‐linked oligosaccharide. ProMMP‐9 activation by MMP‐3 occurs stepwise by cleavage of the propeptide in an aminoterminal (pro‐AT) and carboxyterminal (pro‐CT) peptide. We chemically synthesized aglycosyl pro‐AT and pro‐CT and purified recombinant glycosylated pro‐ATS f−9. First, we report new cleavage sites in the MMP‐9 propeptide by MMP‐3 and neutrophil elastase. Additionally, we demonstrated with the use of western blot analysis a…

Long-Term in vivo Evaluation of Orthotypical and Heterotypical Bioengineered Human Corneas.

2020

Purpose: Human cornea substitutes generated by tissue engineering currently require limbal stem cells for the generation of orthotypical epithelial cell cultures. We recently reported that bioengineered corneas can be fabricated in vitro from a heterotypical source obtained from Wharton’s jelly in the human umbilical cord (HWJSC). Methods: Here, we generated a partial thickness cornea model based on plastic compression nanostructured fibrin-agarose biomaterials with cornea epithelial cells on top, as an orthotypical model (HOC), or with HWJSC, as a heterotypical model (HHC), and determined their potential in vivo usefulness by implantation in an animal model. Results: No major side effects …

SARS-CoV2 vertical transmission with adverse effects on the newborn revealed through integrated immunohistochemical, electron microscopy and molecula…

2020

Background: The occurrence of trans-placental transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection remains highly debated. Placental positivity for SARS-CoV-2 has been reported in selected cases, but infection or virus-associated disease of fetal tissues or newborns remains to be demonstrated. Methods: We screened for SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein expression placentas from 101 women who delivered between February 7 and May 15 2020, including 15 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, 34 tested negative, and 52 not evaluated as they did not meet testing criteria (32), or delivered before COVID-19 pandemic declaration (20). Immunostain for SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid…

Exosomal miRNA analysis in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) patients' plasma through qPCR : a feasible liquid biopsy tool

2016

Abstract: The discovery of alterations in the EGFR and ALK genes, amongst others, in NSCLC has driven the development of targeted-drug therapy using selective tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). To optimize the use of these TKIs, the discovery of new biomarkers for early detection and disease progression is mandatory. These plasma-isolated exosomes can be used as a non-invasive and repeatable way for the detection and followup of these biomarkers. One ml of plasma from 12 NSCLC patients, with different mutations and treatments (and 6 healthy donors as controls), were used as exosome sources. After RNAse treatment, in order to degrade circulating miRNAs, the exosomes were isolated with a comm…

Evaluation of Mucociliary Clearance by Three Dimension Micro-CT-SPECT in Guinea Pig: Role of Bitter Taste Agonists

2016

Different image techniques have been used to analyze mucociliary clearance (MCC) in humans, but current small animal MCC analysis using in vivo imaging has not been well defined. Bitter taste receptor (T2R) agonists increase ciliary beat frequency (CBF) and cause bronchodilation but their effects in vivo are not well understood. This work analyzes in vivo nasal and bronchial MCC in guinea pig animals using three dimension (3D) microCT-SPECT images and evaluates the effect of T2R agonists. Intranasal macroaggreggates of albumin-Technetium 99 metastable (MAA-Tc99m) and lung nebulized Tc99m albumin nanocolloids were used to analyze the effect of T2R agonists on nasal and bronchial MCC respecti…

A "kissing lesion": In-vivo 7T evidence of meningeal inflammation in early multiple sclerosis

2017

Background: The role of cortical lesions (CLs) in disease progression and clinical deficits is increasingly recognized in multiple sclerosis (MS); however the origin of CLs in MS still remains unclear. Objective: Here, we report a para-sulcal CL detected two years after diagnosis in a relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patient without manifestation of clinical deficit. Methods: Ultra-high field (7T) MR imaging using magnetization-prepared 2 rapid acquisition gradient echoes (MP2RAGE) sequence was performed. Results: A para-sulcal CL was detected which showed hypointense rim and iso- to hyperintense core. This was detected in the proximity of the leptomeninges in the left precentral gyrus extendi…

New insights in primary ciliary dyskinesia

2017

Introduction: Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare genetic disease with an estimated prevalence of 1:20.000 births. It is characterized by abnormal motility of cilia, leading to impaired mucociliary clearance, and subsequent infection and chronic inflammation of the airways. PCD also affects spermatozoa and cilia in the Fallopian tubes, contributing to fertility issues; dyskinesia of embryonic nodal cilia causes a random distribution of the organs. Areas covered: An overview of the history, genetics, clinical manifestations in children and adults, diagnostic tests, treatments, and prognosis are reviewed. We also discuss current research and future prospects of PCD. Expert opinion: As …