Genetic Inactivation of the β1 adrenergic receptor prevents Cerebral Cavernous Malformations in zebrafish.

Propranolol reduces experimental murine cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) and prevents embryonic caudal venous plexus (CVP) lesions in zebrafish that follow mosaic inactivation of . Because morpholino silencing of the β1 adrenergic receptor () prevents the embryonic CVP lesion, we proposed that plays a role in CCM pathogenesis. Here we report that zebrafish exhibited 86% fewer CVP lesions and 87% reduction of CCM lesion volume relative to wild type brood mates at 2dpf and 8-10 weeks stage, respectively.

Clinical efficacy of prophylactic intravenous immunoglobulin for elderly DLBCL patients with hypogammaglobulinemia in the COVID-19 pandemic era.

Background: Elderly patients diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) undergoing reduced intensity R-CHOP therapy are at a heightened risk of acquiring infections, notably coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) as prophylaxis against COVID-19 in this vulnerable population.

Methods: A total of 125 elderly patients with DLBCL undergoing reduced intensity R-CHOP therapy were analyzed in this prospective, multicenter study.

Comparison of first-line treatment with CHOP versus ICED in patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma eligible for upfront autologous stem cell transplantation.

Introduction: Upfront autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has been recommended for patients who are newly diagnosed with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL), and CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone), an anthracycline-based chemotherapy has been the frontline chemotherapy for PTCL. However, it is not clear whether anthracycline-based chemotherapies such as CHOP could be standard induction therapy for PTCL.

Methods: We conducted a randomized phase II study to compare CHOP with fractionated ifosfamide, carboplatin, etoposide, and dexamethasone (ICED) for patients eligible for ASCT.

IL-2 can signal via chemokine receptors to promote regulatory T cells' suppressive function.

Canonical interleukin-2 (IL-2) signaling via the high-affinity CD25-containing IL-2 receptor-Janus kinase (JAK)1,3-signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) pathway is essential for development and maintenance of CD4CD25Foxp3 regulatory T cells (Tregs) that support immune homeostasis. Here, we report that IL-2 signaling via an alternative CD25-chemokine receptor pathway promotes the suppressive function of Tregs. Using an antibody against CD25 that biases IL-2 signaling toward this alternative pathway, we establish that this pathway increases the suppressive activity of Tregs and ameliorates murine experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).

Incidence and risk factors of opportunistic infections after autologous stem cell transplantation: a nationwide, population-based cohort study in Korea.

Several guidelines classify autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) as a low to intermediate risk group for infection. In a nationwide population-based study, using the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database, patients with lymphoma and multiple myeloma (MM) who underwent ASCT from 2002 to 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Cumulative incidence rates (CIRs) and risk factors of opportunistic infections were investigated.

Kindlin2 enables EphB/ephrinB bi-directional signaling to support vascular development.

Direct contact between cells expressing either ephrin ligands or Eph receptor tyrosine kinase produces diverse developmental responses. Transmembrane ephrinB ligands play active roles in transducing bi-directional signals downstream of EphB/ephrinB interaction. However, it has not been well understood how ephrinB relays transcellular signals to neighboring cells and what intracellular effectors are involved.

Chronic Hepatitis B Viral Activity Enough to Take Antiviral Drug Could Predict the Survival Rate in Malignant Lymphoma.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection carries a risk of liver cancer and extrahepatic malignancy. However, the incidence trend and clinical course of malignant lymphoma (ML) in HBV patients are not well known. Data about ML newly diagnosed in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients from 2003 to 2016 were collected from National Health Insurance Service claims.

Optimal timing of treatment at relapse after autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with multiple myeloma: a study of the Korean Multiple Myeloma Working Party (KMM-1909).

The effectiveness of early treatment for biochemical relapse of multiple myeloma (MM) is unclear. To clarify this issue, this retrospective study was performed to evaluate the survival outcomes of 315 patients with relapsed MM after upfront autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Over a median follow-up of 66.

Results of Multicenter Phase II Study With Imatinib Mesylate in Allogeneic Recipients With Steroid-Refractory Chronic GVHD.

In this multicenter phase II study, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of imatinib in patients with steroid-resistant chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) and evaluated the quality of life (QOL) of the enrolled patients using the Short Form 36 (SF-36) health survey questionnaire. Thirty-six patients who were diagnosed with steroid-refractory cGVHD and treated with imatinib between March 2013 and February 2019 received 100 mg/day of imatinib for 2 weeks. Depending on the patient's condition and investigator's decision, the imatinib dose was allowed to be increased by 100 mg every 2 weeks up to 400 mg/day.

Phostensin enables lymphocyte integrin activation and population of peripheral lymphoid organs.

Rap1 GTPase drives assembly of the Mig-10/RIAM/Lamellipodin (MRL protein)-integrin-talin (MIT) complex that enables integrin-dependent lymphocyte functions. Here we used tandem affinity tag-based proteomics to isolate and analyze the MIT complex and reveal that Phostensin (Ptsn), a regulatory subunit of protein phosphatase 1, is a component of the complex. Ptsn mediates dephosphorylation of Rap1, thereby preserving the activity and membrane localization of Rap1 to stabilize the MIT complex.

Relapse with plasmacytoma after upfront autologous stem cell transplantation in multiple myeloma.

Plasmacytoma has been reported to be associated with a poor prognosis in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). In this study, we evaluated the incidence of relapse with plasmacytoma and survival outcomes after upfront autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). This study retrospectively analyzed the data of 303 patients with MM who underwent upfront ASCT between April 2000 and April 2018 at eight institutes in the Republic of Korea.

Influence of creatinine levels on survival in patients with veno-occlusive disease treated with defibrotide.

Background/aims: Veno-occlusive disease/sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (VOD/SOS) is one of the most fatal complications of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), and defibrotide is the only curative drug. We conducted this study to confirm the survival rate of VOD/SOS patients diagnosed in Korea and assess the efficacy of defibrotide.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with VOD/SOS after allogenic HCT between 2003 and 2020 were enrolled.

Development of a new risk stratification system for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma using R-ISS and F-FDG PET/CT.

In multiple myeloma (MM), a high number of focal lesions (FL) detected using positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) was found to be associated with adverse prognosis. To design a new risk stratification system that combines the Revised International Staging System (R-ISS) with FL, we analyzed the data of 380 patients with newly diagnosed MM (NDMM) who underwent F-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG) PET/CT upon diagnosis. The K-adaptive partitioning algorithm was adopted to define subgroups with homogeneous survival.

Development of a new clinical index to easily assess frailty of elderly patients with multiple myeloma in Asian population.

The number of elderly people is rapidly growing, and the proportion of elderly patients with multiple myeloma (MM) continues to increase. This study aimed to develop a frailty assessment tool based on clinical data and to estimate its feasibility in elderly patients with MM. This study analyzed data from 728 elderly transplant-ineligible patients with newly diagnosed MM who were treated between January 2010 and October 2019.