Publications by authors named "Andrew A Almonte"
Article Synopsis
- Carcinogenesis leads to long-term changes in gut health and metabolism, impacting cancer treatment effectiveness.
- Emerging research indicates that gut microbiota-related biomarkers could enhance cancer immunotherapy by overcoming treatment resistance.
- There is a pressing need for more accessible diagnostic tools to monitor gut health in cancer patients, which could help tailor treatment plans and improve outcomes in immuno-oncology.
Background: Cancer patients have increased morbidity and mortality from COVID-19, but may respond poorly to vaccination. The Evaluation of COVID-19 Vaccination Efficacy and Rare Events in Solid Tumors (EVEREST) study, comparing seropositivity between cancer patients and healthy controls in a low SARS-CoV-2 community-transmission setting, allows determination of vaccine response with minimal interference from infection.
Methods: Solid tumor patients from The Canberra Hospital, Canberra, Australia, and healthy controls who received COVID-19 vaccination between March 2021 and January 2022 were included.
Article Synopsis
- Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a groundbreaking cancer treatment, but only about 30% of patients see lasting results, indicating variability in responses to therapy.
- The study uses fine-needle aspiration (a nonterminal method) to collect data on immune cells from mouse cancer models, allowing researchers to analyze how immune response correlates with treatment outcomes.
- Results show that specific T cell populations increased significantly in mice that responded well to anti-CTLA4 therapy, providing insights into why different genetically similar mice experience different therapeutic responses.
Article Synopsis
- The role of the gut microbiome in the effectiveness of checkpoint inhibitor cancer therapy is not fully understood, and research progress has been slow.
- The antibiotic treatment typically used in critical studies has only been tested on the C57BL/6 mouse strain, which poses a problem because it is not tolerated by other common mouse strains like BALB/c and DBA/2.
- Researchers are urged to recognize this limitation in order to prevent dehydration of mice during experiments and to conserve time and resources in cancer research involving the gut microbiota.
Article Synopsis
- Researchers tested a slow-release emulsion of killed mycobacteria (CFA) for treating tumors in mice, dogs, horses, and human cancer patients, analyzing its effects on survival and immune response.
- * In preclinical trials, significant tumor regression and extended survival were observed across all species, with immune cell analysis indicating that early neutrophil infiltration predicted treatment success.
- * The treatment was well tolerated in human patients, and CT scans showed tumor regression, particularly in a late-stage renal cancer patient.
Article Synopsis
- Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies are effective cancer treatments for some patients, but only about one-third benefit from them, prompting research to enhance their effectiveness.
- Recent studies indicate that the gut microbiome significantly influences the success of these therapies, revealing a direct correlation between gut bacteria diversity and cancer treatment outcomes.
- The review discusses potential mechanisms for how gut bacteria might improve ICB response, including the idea that bacteria could migrate from the gut to tumors and enhance anti-tumor immunity, while emphasizing the need for further research in this area.
Article Synopsis
- Field-grown plants experience variable sunlight exposure due to environmental factors like cloud cover and shading, which requires them to manage excess energy from sunlight effectively.
- This study explored the genetic factors related to non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) by growing different plant varieties under various environmental conditions and measuring their NPQ kinetics.
- Using genome-wide association studies (GWAS), researchers identified 15 significant quantitative trait loci (QTL) linked to photosynthesis, including a key QTL associated with an NPQ-related gene, potentially paving the way for enhancing photosynthetic efficiency in crops.
Article Synopsis
- The article discusses how the plant Arabidopsis thaliana has adapted its flowering patterns in response to varying climate temperatures across different regions.
- It examines genome-wide signatures, which are specific genetic markers that indicate these adaptations.
- The analysis highlights the diversity within its native range and the importance of understanding genetic responses to climate change.