Safety of intra-arterial chemotherapy with or without osmotic blood-brain barrier disruption for the treatment of patients with brain tumors.

Background: Intra-arterial administration of chemotherapy with or without osmotic blood-brain barrier disruption enhances delivery of therapeutic agents to brain tumors. The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety of these procedures.

Methods: Retrospectively collected data from a prospective database of consecutive patients with primary and metastatic brain tumors who received intra-arterial chemotherapy without osmotic blood-brain barrier disruption (IA) or intra-arterial chemotherapy with osmotic blood-brain barrier disruption (IA/OBBBD) at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) between December 1997 and November 2018 is reported.

Blood-brain barrier opening by intracarotid artery hyperosmolar mannitol induces sterile inflammatory and innate immune responses.

Intracarotid arterial hyperosmolar mannitol (ICAHM) blood-brain barrier disruption (BBBD) is effective and safe for delivery of therapeutics for central nervous system malignancies. ICAHM osmotically alters endothelial cells and tight junction integrity to achieve BBBD. However, occurrence of neuroinflammation following hemispheric BBBD by ICAHM remains unknown.

Radiation enhances the delivery of antisense oligonucleotides and improves chemo-radiation efficacy in brain tumor xenografts.

Overexpression of O-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) contributes to resistance to chemo-radiation therapy (CRT) in brain tumors. We previously demonstrated that non-ablative radiation improved delivery of anti-MGMT morpholino oligonucleotides (AMONs) to reduce MGMT levels in subcutaneous tumor xenografts. We evaluate this approach to enhance CRT efficacy in rat brain tumor xenograft models.

Patterns of relapse in primary central nervous system lymphoma: inferences regarding the role of the neuro-vascular unit and monoclonal antibodies in treating occult CNS disease.

Background And Purpose: The radiologic features and patterns of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) at initial presentation are well described. High response rates can be achieved with first-line high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) based regimens, yet many relapse within 2 years of diagnosis. We describe the pattern of relapse and review the potential mechanisms involved in relapse.

The Translational Significance of the Neurovascular Unit.

The mammalian brain is supplied with blood by specialized vasculature that is structurally and functionally distinct from that of the periphery. A defining feature of this vasculature is a physical blood-brain barrier (BBB). The BBB separates blood components from the brain microenvironment, regulating the entry and exit of ions, nutrients, macromolecules, and energy metabolites.

Interactions between αv-Integrin and HER2 and Their Role in the Invasive Phenotype of Breast Cancer Cells In Vitro and in Rat Brain.

Background: We tested the hypothesis that αv-integrin and the human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2) interact with each other in brain trophic metastatic breast cancer cells and influence their invasive phenotype.

Methods: Clones of MDA-MB231BR human breast cancer cells with stable knock down of αv-integrin in combination with high or low levels of HER2 were created. The interactions of these two proteins and their combined effect on cell migration and invasion were investigated in vitro and in vivo.

Mosquito Aedes aegypti (L.) leucokinin receptor is critical for in vivo fluid excretion post blood feeding.

The evolution of the blood feeding adaptation in mosquitoes required hormonal coordination of multiple physiological processes (behavior, digestion, diuresis, oogenesis). The Aedes kinins (leucokinin-like neuropeptides) are involved in post blood feeding physiological processes, having diuretic and myotropic functions. To understand the in vivo contribution of the kinin receptor to overall female post-prandial fluid excretion, RNAi knockdown was followed by fluid secretion assays which proved its fundamental role in rapid diuresis.

A calcium bioluminescence assay for functional analysis of mosquito (Aedes aegypti) and tick (Rhipicephalus microplus) G protein-coupled receptors.

Arthropod hormone receptors are potential targets for novel pesticides as they regulate many essential physiological and behavioral processes. The majority of them belong to the superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). We have focused on characterizing arthropod kinin receptors from the tick and mosquito.

The kinin receptor is expressed in the Malpighian tubule stellate cells in the mosquito Aedes aegypti (L.): a new model needed to explain ion transport?

It is known that insect kinins increase diuresis and fluid secretion in the Aedes aegypti Malpighian tubule, causing a rapid drop of the transepithelial resistance and increasing chloride conductance from the hemolymph towards the tubule lumen. The tubule is composed of both principal and stellate cells. The main route for increased chloride influx upon kinin treatment is proposed to be paracellular, with septate junctions acquiring increased chloride selectivity and conductance.