Quantitative proteomics and phosphoproteomics profiling of meiotic divisions in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

In eukaryotes, chromosomal DNA is equally distributed to daughter cells during mitosis, whereas the number of chromosomes is halved during meiosis. Despite considerable progress in understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate mitosis, there is currently a lack of complete understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating meiosis. Here, we took advantage of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, for which highly synchronous meiosis can be induced, and performed quantitative proteomics and phosphoproteomics analyses to track changes in protein expression and phosphorylation during meiotic divisions.

Dysfunction of Gpl1-Gih35-Wdr83 Complex in Affects the Splicing of DNA Damage Repair Factors Resulting in Increased Sensitivity to DNA Damage.

Pre-mRNA splicing plays a key role in the regulation of gene expression. Recent discoveries suggest that defects in pre-mRNA splicing, resulting from the dysfunction of certain splicing factors, can impact the expression of genes crucial for genome surveillance mechanisms, including those involved in cellular response to DNA damage. In this study, we analyzed how cells with a non-functional spliceosome-associated Gpl1-Gih35-Wdr83 complex respond to DNA damage.

Neurobio-logy of multiple myeloma and its therapeutical use - results of the pilot study with a control arm.

Background: Myeloma cells, occupying a bone marrow niche, are influenced not only by neighbouring stroma cells but also by signals from the axons of sympathetic nervous system. The nervous system is directly involved in the process of myeloma progression. Among other cancers, patients with myeloma suffer the most difficult distress generating intensive adrenergic signals, causing its further progression.

Topical application of local anesthetics to melanoma increases the efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy.

Experimental and clinical data have shown that the nervous system can significantly stimulate the initiation and progression of melanoma. In support of this, approaches that reduce the transmission of signals from peripheral nerves to effector tissues reduce the recurrence of melanoma. Therefore, we investigated the effect of topical application of the local anesthetic Pliaglis (7% lidocaine and 7% tetracaine) on the growth of melanoma induced by intradermal application of B16F0 cells in mice without treatment and in mice treated with the anti-PD-1 antibody.

Phytochemical-based nanodrugs going beyond the state-of-the-art in cancer management-Targeting cancer stem cells in the framework of predictive, preventive, personalized medicine.

Cancer causes many deaths worldwide each year, especially due to tumor heterogeneity leading to disease progression and treatment failure. Targeted treatment of heterogeneous population of cells - cancer stem cells is still an issue in protecting affected individuals against associated multidrug resistance and disease progression. Nanotherapeutic agents have the potential to go beyond state-of-the-art approaches in overall cancer management.

Heterogeneity of B cell lymphopoiesis in patients with premalignant and active myeloma.

To better characterize the heterogeneity of multiple myeloma (MM), we profiled plasma cells (PCs) and their B cell lymphopoiesis in the BM samples from patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, smoldering MM, and active MM by mass cytometry (CyTOF) analysis. Characterization of intra- and interneoplastic heterogeneity of malignant plasmablasts and PCs revealed overexpression of the MM SET domain (MMSET), Notch-1, and CD47. Variations in upregulation of B cell signaling regulators (IFN regulatory factor 4 [IRF-4], CXCR4, B cell lymphoma 6 [Bcl-6], c-Myc, myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 [MYD88], and spliced X box-binding protein 1 [sXBP-1]) and aberrant markers (CD319, CD269, CD200, CD117, CD56, and CD28) were associated with different clinical outcomes in clonal PC subsets.

Streptococcus pneumoniae as cause of acute otitis media (AOM) in Slovak children in the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine era (2008-2019).

Aim: Little data is available on pneumococcal serotypes and their antimicrobial resistance in the pneumococcal conjugate vaccination era in young children with acute otitis media (AOM). Here such data is provided from Slovakia, acountry with sequential introduction and parallel-use of the three commercially available pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs; PCV7; PCV13; PCV10).

Methods: This observational study takes advantage of the fact that tympanocentesis is the standard of care in children with AOM in Slovakia.

Tracking Clonal Evolution of Multiple Myeloma Using Targeted Next-Generation DNA Sequencing.

Clonal evolution drives treatment failure in multiple myeloma (MM). Here, we used a custom 372-gene panel to track genetic changes occurring during MM progression at different stages of the disease. A tumor-only targeted next-generation DNA sequencing was performed on 69 samples sequentially collected from 30 MM patients.

Imaging flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy in assessing radiation response in lymphocytes from umbilical cord blood and cancer patients.

DNA double strand breaks (DSB) induced by ionizing radiation (IR) are usually measured using γH2AX/53BP1 DNA repair foci, that is considered to be the most sensitive assay for DSB analysis. While fluorescence microscopy (FM) is the gold standard for this analysis, imaging flow cytometry (IFC) may offer number of advantages such as lack of the fluorescence background, higher number of cells analyzed, and higher sensitivity in detection of DNA damage induced by IR at low doses. Along with appearance of γH2AX foci, the variable fraction of the cells exhibits homogeneously stained γH2AX signal resulting in so-called γH2AX pan-staining, which is believed to appear at early stages of apoptosis.

Genoprotective activities of plant natural substances in cancer and chemopreventive strategies in the context of 3P medicine.

Severe durable changes may occur to the DNA structure caused by exogenous and endogenous risk factors initiating the process of carcinogenesis. By evidence, a large portion of malignancies have been demonstrated as being preventable. Moreover, the targeted prevention of cancer onset is possible, due to unique properties of plant bioactive compounds.

BCR/ABL preleukemic fusion gene in subpopulations of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells from human UCB.

The BCR/ABL preleukemic fusion gene (PFG) is one of the most frequent fusion genes in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and was also detected in hematopoietic cells from umbilical cord blood (UCB) of healthy newborns. Since hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC) are considered to be a critical cellular target for origination of leukemia, we have studied the presence of BCR/ABL PFG in expanded subpopulations of HSPC and differentiated cells from UCB of those healthy newborns, who have previously been tested positive for BCR/ABL by screening of their UCB mononuclear cells using RT-qPCR and FISH methods. We isolated cells from human UCB samples positive for BCR/ABL and negative controls.

Synthesis and Anticancer Activity of Novel 9--Substituted Berberine Derivatives.

Berberine is a bioactive isoquinoline alkaloid derived from many plants. Although berberine has been shown to inhibit growth and induce apoptosis of several tumor cell lines, its poor absorption and moderate activity hamper its full therapeutic potential. Here, we describe the synthesis of a series of 9--substituted berberine derivatives with improved antiproliferative and apoptosis-inducing activities.

The novel compound STK405759 is a microtubule-targeting agent with potent and selective cytotoxicity against multiple myeloma in vitro and in vivo.

Despite advances in treatment, multiple myeloma (MM) remains incurable. Here we propose the use of STK405759, a novel microtubule targeting agent (MTA) and member of the furan metotica family for MM therapy.STK405759 inhibited tubulin polymerization in a cell-free system and in myeloma cells.

Combination of a Selective HSP90α/β Inhibitor and a RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK Signaling Pathway Inhibitor Triggers Synergistic Cytotoxicity in Multiple Myeloma Cells.

Heat shock protein (HSP)90 inhibitors have shown significant anti-tumor activities in preclinical settings in both solid and hematological tumors. We previously reported that the novel, orally available HSP90α/β inhibitor TAS-116 shows significant anti-MM activities. In this study, we further examined the combination effect of TAS-116 with a RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK signaling pathway inhibitor in RAS- or BRAF-mutated MM cell lines.

Rational combination treatment with histone deacetylase inhibitors and immunomodulatory drugs in multiple myeloma.

Immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) thalidomide, lenalidomide (Len) and pomalidomide trigger anti-tumor activities in multiple myeloma (MM) by targetting cereblon and thereby impacting IZF1/3, c-Myc and IRF4. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) also downregulate c-Myc. We therefore determined whether IMiDs with HDACi trigger significant MM cell growth inhibition by inhibiting or downregulating c-Myc.

Class IIa HDAC inhibition enhances ER stress-mediated cell death in multiple myeloma.

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors have been extensively investigated as therapeutic agents in cancer. However, the biological role of class IIa HDACs (HDAC4, 5, 7 and 9) in cancer cells, including multiple myeloma (MM), remains unclear. Recent studies show HDAC4 interacts with activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) and inhibits activation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-associated proapoptotic transcription factor C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP).