Breast cancer-derived GM-CSF regulates arginase 1 in myeloid cells to promote an immunosuppressive microenvironment.

Tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells contribute to the development of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Myeloid cell expression of arginase 1 (ARG1) promotes a protumor phenotype by inhibiting T cell function and depleting extracellular l-arginine, but the mechanism underlying this expression, especially in breast cancer, is poorly understood. In breast cancer clinical samples and in our mouse models, we identified tumor-derived GM-CSF as the primary regulator of myeloid cell ARG1 expression and local immune suppression through a gene-KO screen of breast tumor cell-produced factors.

Inclusion of fish or fish oil in weight-loss diets for young adults: effects on blood lipids.

Objective: To assess the effects of fish (lean or oily) and fish oil consumption on blood lipid concentration during weight loss.

Design: Randomized, controlled 8-week trial of energy-restricted diet varying in fish and fish oil content. Subjects, 324 men and women, aged 20-40 years, body mass index 27.

Effectiveness of distant healing for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a randomised controlled partially blinded trial (EUHEALS).

Background: Distant healing, a form of spiritual healing, is widely used for many conditions but little is known about its effectiveness.

Methods: In order to evaluate distant healing in patients with a stable chronic condition, we randomised 409 patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) from 14 private practices for environmental medicine in Germany and Austria in a two by two factorial design to immediate versus deferred (waiting for 6 months) distant healing. Half the patients were blinded and half knew their treatment allocation.