Patients' views and experiences on the supported self-management/patient-initiated follow up pathway for breast cancer.

Purpose: To explore patients' expectations and experience of Supportive Self-Management (SSM)/ Patient Initiated Follow Up (PIFU) following breast cancer treatments over a 12-month period.

Methods: In total, 32/110 (29%) patient participants in the PRAGMATIC (Patients' experiences of a suppoRted self-manAGeMent pAThway In breast Cancer) study were interviewed at baseline, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. Interviews in this sub-study used a mix-methods approach to explore understanding of the pathway, confidence in self-management, triggers to seek help and/or re-engage with the clinical breast team and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effect of adiposity on tissue-specific adiponectin secretion.

Circulating adiponectin levels are lower in individuals with increased BMI and central adiposity. However, they are paradoxically higher in those with peripheral adiposity. We hypothesized that adiponectin secretion from central and peripheral adipose tissue depots may be associated with adiposity levels and its distribution.

Tryptophan 415 Is Critical for the Cholesterol Transport Functions of Scavenger Receptor BI.

High density lipoproteins (HDL) are anti-atherogenic particles, primarily due to their role in the reverse cholesterol transport pathway whereby HDL delivers cholesteryl esters (CE) to the liver for excretion upon interaction with its receptor, scavenger receptor BI (SR-BI). We designed experiments to test the hypothesis that one or more of the eight highly conserved tryptophan (Trp; W) residues in SR-BI are critical for mediating function. We created a series of Trp-to-phenylalanine (Phe, F) mutant receptors, as well as Trp-less SR-BI (ΔW-SR-BI), and assessed their ability to mediate cholesterol transport.

SR-BI/CD36 chimeric receptors define extracellular subdomains of SR-BI critical for cholesterol transport.

High-density lipoproteins (HDLs) are athero-protective, primarily because of their ability to promote cholesterol flux from peripheral tissues to the liver by reverse cholesterol transport (RCT). The delivery of HDL-cholesteryl esters (CE) into cells is mediated by the HDL receptor, scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI), a promising target for enhancing whole body cholesterol disposal and preventing cardiovascular disease. A detailed understanding of the structural determinants underlying proper SR-BI/HDL alignment that supports the selective uptake of HDL-CE into cells remains lacking.

Extracellular hydrophobic regions in scavenger receptor BI play a key role in mediating HDL-cholesterol transport.

The binding of high density lipoprotein (HDL) to scavenger receptor BI (SR-BI) is responsible for whole-body cholesterol disposal via reverse cholesterol transport. The extracellular domain of SR-BI is required for HDL binding and selective uptake of HDL-cholesterol. We identified six highly hydrophobic regions in this domain that may be important for receptor activity and performed site-directed mutagenesis to investigate the importance of these regions in SR-BI-mediated cholesterol transport.