Patients receiving allogeneic haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation and clinical outcomes after early access to palliative care.

Allogeneic haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation is a potential curative therapy for otherwise fatal haematological diseases. This treatment modality is complex, burdensome, and can involve considerable or life-threatening adverse events requiring high-quality symptom control. In contrast to patients with solid tumours, the transition to end-of-life care can be abrupt if the underlying disease relapses or other severe transplantation-related complications occur.

Nuclear import of BCL11B is mediated by a classical nuclear localization signal and not the Krüppel-like zinc fingers.

The Krüppel-like transcription factor (KLF) BCL11B is characterized by a wide tissue distribution and crucial functions in key developmental and cellular processes, as well as in various pathologies including cancer and HIV infection. Although the basics of BCL11B activity and relevant interactions with other proteins have been uncovered, how this exclusively nuclear protein localizes to its compartment remained unclear. Here, we demonstrate that unlike other KLFs, BCL11B does not require the C-terminal DNA-binding domain to pass through the nuclear envelope but has an independent, previously unidentified, nuclear localization signal (NLS), which is located distantly from the zinc finger domains and fulfills the essential criteria of being an autonomous NLS.

Can Isoflavones Influence Prostate Specific Antigen Serum Levels in Localized Prostate Cancer? A Systematic Review.

Low risk prostate cancer does not always necessitate aggressive or invasive intervention and is best monitored through active surveillance, but in daily practice a majority of men seek a more proactive approach. Therefore, tertiary chemoprevention is an attractive option for men seeking a way to slow disease progression. Several natural anti-carcinogens have been identified in soy beans, especially isoflavones.

Novel 3D organotypic urothelial cell culture model for identification of new therapeutic approaches in urological infections.

Purpose: 3D organotypic cell cultures offer the possibility to study cell growth in a more in vivo like situation. To our knowledge no 3D culture of primary urothelial cells has been established yet. BK Polyomavirus (BKPyV), replicating in urothelial cells, may cause haemorrhagic cystitis in immunocompromised patients.

Molecular Mechanisms of Bortezomib Action: Novel Evidence for the miRNA-mRNA Interaction Involvement.

Bortezomib is an anti-tumor agent, which inhibits 26S proteasome degrading ubiquitinated proteins. While apoptotic transcription-associated activation in response to bortezomib has been suggested, mechanisms related to its influence on post-transcriptional gene silencing mediated regulation by non-coding RNAs remain not fully elucidated. In the present study, we examined changes in global gene and miRNA expression and analyzed the identified miRNA-mRNA interactions after bortezomib exposure in human neuroblastoma cells to define pathways affected by this agent in this type of cells.

Is BK Virus-Associated Cystitis a Generalized Epithelial Disease?

BK polyomavirus-associated haemorrhagic cystitis (BKHC) is a complication after allogeneic stem cell transplantation, which can occur in 5-60% of the cases. BK viruria alone can also occur in up to 100%. BKHC can lead to severe morbidity in stem cell-transplanted patients, but data about this disease is limited.

Comparison of intravenous or intravesical cidofovir in the treatment of BK polyomavirus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis following adult allogeneic stem cell transplantation-A systematic review.

Introduction: BK polyomavirus can lead to hemorrhagic cystitis (BKPyV-HC) in allogeneic stem cell transplantation and therefore to increased morbidity. No causal therapy has been established yet. Cidofovir (CDV) is a nucleotide analog of cytosine that is active against various DNA viruses and it has been described for therapy of BKPyV-HC using 2 admission routes: intravenous and intravesical.

Are the Polyomaviruses BK and JC Associated with Opportunistic Infections, Graft-versus-Host Disease, or Worse Outcomes in Adult Patients Receiving Their First Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation with Low-Dose Alemtuzumab?

Background: The association of polyomaviruses BK and JC with other opportunistic infections and graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) in allogeneic stem cell transplantation is controversially discussed.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 64 adult patients who received their first allogeneic stem cell transplantation between March 2010 and December 2014; the follow-up time was 2 years.

Results: Acute leukemia was the most frequent underlying disease (45.

Clinical course and end-of-life care in patients who have died after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

Purpose: Allogeneic stem cell transplantation may cure approximately 50% of patients, however, a significant part of the other half might benefit from a high-quality palliative care medicine at the end of life. Somatic, psychic and spiritual needs of these patients may differ from those of patients suffering from incurable solid tumours and are not comprehensively evaluated so far.

Methods: To address this question, data from charts of 123 patients who have died after allogeneic stem cell transplantation were extracted.

Treatment of High-Risk T-NHL with Stem Cell Transplantation: A Single Center Experience.

Prognosis of peripheral and other advanced T cell lymphomas is poor. 20 patients with a median age of 46.4 (range 20.

Composition of molecular cardiolipin species correlates with proliferation of lymphocytes.

The mitochondrial phospholipid cardiolipin (CL) is required for oxidative phosphorylation. Oxidation of CL results in the disruption of CL-cytochrome c binding and the induction of apoptosis. Large variations in the acyl-chain residues of CL have been reported, but evidence as to whether these variants exert distinct biological effects has been limited.

Fast approach for clarification of chromosomal aberrations by using LM-PCR and FT-CGH in leukaemic sample.

Chromosomal abnormalities, like deletions, amplifications, inversions or translocations, are recurrent features in haematological malignancies. However, the precise molecular breakpoints are frequently not determined. Here we describe a rapid analysis of genetic imbalances combining fine tiling comparative genomic hybridization (FT-CGH) and ligation-mediated PCR (LM-PCR).

Assessment of chemosensitivity by monitoring bcl-2 transcript kinetics in acute myeloid leukemias.

Enforced bcl-2 gene expression suppresses apoptosis and confers resistance to anticancer drugs. Here we established a real time fluorescence PCR assay to analyze the association between the bcl-2 gene expression and clinical chemosensitivity in acute myeloid leukemia. Expression levels of the bcl-2 gene were measured and normalized by beta-actin, a housekeeping gene expressed as endogenous reference.

Quantitation of cytomegalovirus (hCMV) DNA and beta-actin DNA by duplex real-time fluorescence PCR in solid organ (liver) transplant recipients.

Even now rare human cytomegalovirus (hCMV) reactivation is still a life-threatening complication after solid organ transplantation. Although PCR techniques are regarded as the most sensitive detection methods for hCMV, their accuracy and reproducibility are limited. This is a major disadvantage with quantitative PCR assays, which are thought to provide valuable information about hCMV latency or active viral replication in transplant patients.

Kinetics of stem cell engraftment and clearance of leukaemia cells after allogeneic stem cell transplantation with reduced intensity conditioning in chronic myeloid leukaemia.

It is hypothesised that an effective graft-vs.-leukaemia reaction contributes substantially to the therapeutic effect of reduced intensity conditioning stem cell transplantation in chronic myeloid leukaemia. However, kinetic data on eradication of leukaemia cells and stem cell engraftement which could support this assumption are lacking.

Quantitation of the spliced late gene of human cytomegalovirus and its kinetics during experimental infection.

Human cytomegalovirus (hCMV) infection is still a cause of morbidity and mortality after solid organ and bone marrow transplantation and in other immunocompromised states. 'Preemptive therapy' strategies necessitate sensitive and specific methods for rapid diagnosis of symptomatic hCMV infection and monitoring of antiviral treatment. For analysis of the lytic stage of viral replication, the molecular determination of late transcripts is a useful approach for diagnosis of hCMV disease.