An 11-Gene Signature Based on Treatment Responsiveness Predicts Radiation Therapy Survival Benefit Among Breast Cancer Patients

PurposeWe developed a strategy of building prognosis gene signature based on clinical treatment responsiveness to predict radiotherapy survival benefit in breast cancer patients.Methods and MaterialsAnalyzed data came from the public database. PFS was used as an indicator of clinical treatment responsiveness. WGCNA was used to identify the most relevant modules to radiotherapy response. Based on the module genes, Cox regression model was used to build survival prognosis signature to distinguish the benefit group of radiotherapy. An external validation was also performed.ResultsIn the developed dataset, MEbrown module with 534 genes was identified by WGCNA, which was most correlated to the radiotherapy response of patients. A number of 11 hub genes were selected to build the survival prognosis signature. Patients that were divided into radio-sensitivity group and radio-resistant group based on the signature risk score had varied survival benefit. In developed dataset, the 3-, 5-, and 10-year AUC of the signature were 0.814 (CI95%: 0.742–0.905), 0.781 (CI95%: 0.682–0.880), and 0.762 (CI95%: 0.626–0.897), respectively. In validation dataset, the 3- and 5-year AUC of the signature were 0.706 (CI95%: 0.523–0.889) and 0.743 (CI95%: 0.595–0.891). The signature had higher predictive power than clinical factors alone and had more clinical prognosis efficiency. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that the identified genes were mainly enriched in immune-related processes. Further immune estimated analysis showed the difference in distribution of immune micro-environment between radio-sensitivity group and radio-resistant group.ConclusionsThe 11-gene signature may reflect differences in tumor immune micro-environment that underlie the differential response to radiation therapy and could guide clinical-decision making related to radiation in breast cancer patients.

Schizophrenia-associated somatic copy number variants from 12,834 cases reveal contribution to risk and recurrent, isoform-specific NRXN1 disruptions

While inherited and de novo copy number variants (CNV) have been implicated in the genetic architecture of schizophrenia (SCZ), the contribution of somatic CNVs (sCNVs), present in some but not all cells of the body, remains unknown. Here we explore the role of sCNVs in SCZ by analyzing blood-derived genotype arrays from 12,834 SCZ cases and 11,648 controls. sCNVs were more common in cases (0.91%) than in controls (0.51%, p = 2.68e-4). We observed recurrent somatic deletions of exons 1-5 of the NRXN1 gene in 5 SCZ cases. Allele-specific Hi-C maps revealed ectopic, allele-specific loops forming between a potential novel cryptic promoter and non-coding cis regulatory elements upon deletions in the 5' region of NRXN1. We also observed recurrent intragenic deletions of ABCB11, a gene associated with anti-psychotic response, in 5 treatment-resistant SCZ cases. Taken together our results indicate an important role of sCNVs to SCZ risk and treatment-responsiveness.

May be Urinary Excretion of α2-macroglobulin (MW 720 kDa) a Proteinuric Marker of Podocytopathy? Insight from Analysis of 204 Patients with Glomerulonephritis (GN) and Nephrotic Syndrome, 177 with Functional Outcome

Background: In IgAN with cellular crescents (CIgAN) urinary excretion of α2-macroglobulin (α2m/C, MW 720 kDa) may be a marker of podocytes damage induced by crescents. The purpose of the study was the evaluation of the clinical significance of α2m/C excretion in 177 patients with glomerulonephritis (GN), nephrotic syndrome (NS) and functional outcome. Methods: In all 177 patients α2m/C excretion was measured; the patients were divided in 2 groups: α2mC=0 (n. 72) and α2m/C >0 (n. 105); for each group were assessed the outcomes considered in combination: Remission & persistent nephrotic syndrome (PNS) with long lasting NRF designed “Remission & NRF”; ESRD & eGFR < 50% & PNS with CRF designed “Progression and progression risk”. Results: In 72 patients with α2m/C=0 “Remission & NRF” was 78% and “Progression & progression risk” was 22%; in 105 patients with α2m/C>0 “remission & NRF” was 52% and “Progression & progression risk” was 48%. “Remission & NRF” in each GN type with α2m/C=0 was: 100% in MCD and LN; 82%, 79%, 67% in FSGS, IMN, MPGN; in α2m/C>0 “Progression and progression risk” was 0%, 38%, 46%, 54%, 56%, 85% in MCD, LN, IMN, MPGN, FSGS, CIgAN with cellular crescents, respectively. Conclusion: Urinary excretion of α2m is a very simple marker available in all clinical practice laboratories, marker of damage of podocytes at least in CIgAN and LN with crescents and marker of GFB damage in different GN types and useful to predict outcome and treatment responsiveness.

Combined Urinary Excretion of IgG and α2-Macroglobulina Very Simple Marker to Assess Disease Severity, Outcome Prediction and Responsiveness to Steroids and Cyclophosphamide in Patients with Chronic Glomerulonephritis and Nephrotic Syndrome

In Glomerulonephritis (GN) with Nephrotic Syndrome (NS) proteinuric and molecular biomarkers don’t reach 100% of outcome prediction and treatment responsiveness.

Characterization and Treatment Responsiveness of Genetically Engineered Ornithine Transcarbamylase-Deficient Pig

To develop novel medical technologies, pig disease models are invaluable especially in the final stages of translational research. Recently, we established a genetically engineered ornithine transcarbamylase-deficient (OTCD) pig strain. Here, we report its characterization and treatment responsiveness. OTCD pigs were obtained by mating an OTCD carrier female (OTC-Xc.186_190delXWT) with a wild-type male. Due to the X-linked recessive mode of inheritance, the disease phenotype emerged only in males. Medication with nitrogen-scavenging agents was based on a clinical protocol. OTCD pigs were born smaller than their wild-type and carrier littermates, showing anemia and faltering. Biochemically, high levels of urinary orotic acid and loss of OTC activity were observed. The natural life course of OTCD pigs was characterized by a decrease in arterial percentage saturation of oxygen and body temperature, as well as an increase in blood ammonia levels; the pigs died in 24.0 ± 5.0 h (mean ± SD, n = 6). The established standard medication composed with nitrogen-scavenging agents and transfusion nearly doubled the survival time to 42.4 ± 13.7 h (n = 6). Our OTCD pig model appropriately mimicked the human pathology. Along with established protocols in handling and medication, this is a first step in developing a large animal disease model that is useful for translational research into novel medical technologies, such as cell transplantation and gene therapy, as well as in relation to urea cycle disorder.

Characteristics and treatment responsiveness of patients with acromegaly and a paradoxical GH increase to oral glucose load

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the clinical, biochemical, histological and radiological characteristics as well as the response to somatostatin analogs (SSA) in a large cohort of acromegaly patients with a paradoxical GH response (PR) to oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Design: retrospective study. Methods: Of 110 patients with acromegaly included in our study, 30 (PR+; 27%) had a paradoxical GH increase of more than 25% relative to basal GH levels during OGTT. Results : At diagnosis, PR+ patients were older than PR- patients (52 ± 16 vs 44 ± 14 years, p<0.05) and had smaller pituitary tumours (40% microadenomas vs 19%, p<0.05), which were less often invasive (17 vs 35%, p<0.05), overall more secreting (IGF-1/tumoural surface: 2.35 ULN/cm² [0.28-9.06] vs 1.08 [0.17- 7.87], p=0.011), and more often hypointense on T2-weighted MRI (92 vs 48%, p=0.001). While the rate of remission after surgery was similar in the two groups (69%), a better response to SSA treatment was observed in PR+ patients, either before (IGF-1 reduction of > 50% after 3-6 months in 77 vs 49%, p=0.023) or after surgery (normalization of IGF-1 in 100 vs 44%, p=0.011). Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that in acromegaly, a paradoxical GH increase during OGTT is associated with particular features of somatotroph adenomas and with a better prognosis in terms of response to somatostatin analogs.

Anti-PD-1 checkpoint blockade monotherapy in the orthotopic GL261 glioma model: the devil is in the detail

The GL261 cell line, syngeneic on the C57BL/6 background, has, since its establishment half a century ago in 1970, become the most commonly used immunocompetent murine model of glioblastoma. As immunotherapy has entered the mainstream of clinical discourse in the past decade, this model has proved its worth as a formidable opponent against various immunotherapeutic combinations. Although advances in surgical, radiological, and chemotherapeutic interventions have extended mean glioblastoma patient survival by several months, five year survival post-diagnosis remains under 5%. Immunotherapeutic interventions, such as the ones explored in the murine GL261 model, may prove beneficial for patients with glioblastoma. However, even common immunotherapeutic interventions in the GL261 model still have unclear efficacy, with wildly discrepant conclusions being made in the literature regarding this topic. Here, we focus on anti-PD-1 checkpoint blockade monotherapy as an example of this pattern. We contend that a fine-grained analysis of how biological variables (age, sex, tumor location, etc…) predict treatment responsiveness in this pre-clinical model will better enable researchers to identify glioblastoma patients most likely to benefit from checkpoint blockade immunotherapy moving forward.