Inhibition of α4β1 Integrin Activity by Small Tellurium Compounds Regulates PD-L1 Expression and Enhances Antitumor Effects.

Various cancer treatment approaches that inhibit the activity of the programmed death-1/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) axis, a key player in tumor immune evasion, have been developed. We show that the immunomodulatory small tellurium complexes AS101 (ammonium trichloro(dioxoethylene-o,o')tellurate) and SAS (octa-O-bis(R,R)-tartarate ditellurane) suppress PD-L1 expression in a variety of human and mouse malignant cells via the modulation of α4β1 very late antigen- (VLA-4) integrin activity. Consequently, the expression of pAkt and its downstream effector pNFκB are inhibited.

In vitro cytokine profile in childhood alopecia areata and the immunomodulatory effects of AS-101.

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of AS-101, a known immunomodulator, on the pattern of cytokine production in children with patchy alopecia areata (PAA). Ten previously untreated children with PAA were compared to 10 healthy age- and sex-matched controls. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated from all participants.

Iron status and neurobehavioral development of premature infants.

Objective: This study was conducted to examine the relation between iron status and neurobehavioral development in premature infants.

Study Design: Infants born before 34 weeks postmenstrual age and who were medically stable were studied. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin < or =10 g/Dl and low iron stores as a serum ferritin concentration < or =75 microg/l.

Cytokine profile of patients with mycosis fungoides and the immunomodulatory effect of AS101.

Cytokines are known to play a major role in the pathogenesis of mycosis fungoides, a cutaneous malignant neoplasm of CD 4 T cells. In the present study, we investigated the effect of AS101, a tellurium-based compound with immunomodulating properties, on the pattern of lymphokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with mycosis fungoides. PBMCs were isolated from 35 patients with mycosis fungoides stage IA and IB before initiation of treatment and from 20 healthy sex and age-matched controls.

Histone acetylation is a checkpoint in FGF-stimulated mesoderm induction.

We have previously demonstrated that the transcription factor, AP-1 (c-jun/c-fos heterodimer), mediates fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling during mesoderm induction in Xenopus embryo. In the present studies, we show that histone acetylation is involved in FGF-mediated signaling leading to mesoderm induction. Histone acetylation is a dynamic process regulated by the activities of two histone-modifying enzymes, the histone acetyltransferase(s) and histone deacetylase(s) (HDACs).