Breaking the crosstalk of the Cellular Tumorigenic Network by low-dose combination therapy in lung cancer patient-derived xenografts.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is commonly diagnosed at advanced stages limiting treatment options. Although, targeted therapy has become integral part of NSCLC treatment therapies often fail to improve patient's prognosis. Based on previously published criteria for selecting drug combinations for overcoming resistances, NSCLC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) tumors were treated with a low dose combination of cabozantinib, afatinib, plerixafor and etoricoxib.

A novel three-dimensional cell culture method enhances antiviral drug screening in primary human cells.

Gefitinib is a specific inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and FDA approved for treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. In a previous study we could show the in vitro efficacy of gefitinib for treatment of poxvirus infections in monolayer (2D) cultivated cell lines. Permanent cell lines and 2D cultures, however, are known to be rather unphysiological; therefore it is difficult to predict whether determined effective concentrations or the drug efficacy per se are transferable to the in vivo situation.

Breaking the crosstalk of the cellular tumorigenic network: Hypothesis for addressing resistances to targeted therapies in advanced NSCLC.

In the light of current treatment developments for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the idea of a plastic cellular tumorigenic network bound by key paracrine signaling pathways mediating resistances to targeted therapies is brought forward. Based on a review of available preclinical and clinical data in NSCLC combinational approaches to address drivers of this network with marketed drugs are discussed. Five criteria for selecting drug combination regimens aiming at its disruption and thereby overcoming resistances are postulated.

An observational study to evaluate the long-term outcomes of treatment with etanercept in patients with plaque-type psoriasis.

Background: There is an unmet need for long-term, real-life data on the effect of a drug-free interval between treatment cycles in patients with plaque psoriasis being treated with etanercept, which is licensed for intermittent and continuous treatment.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the average duration of the drug-free interval between etanercept treatment cycles in patients with plaque psoriasis.

Methods: This was a non-interventional, open-label, multicentre, prospective study in patients for whom the decision had already been made to initiate treatment with etanercept during routine practice in German centres.

Rationale for the design of an oncology trial using a generic targeted therapy multi‑drug regimen for NSCLC patients without treatment options (Review).

Despite more than 70 years of research concerning medication for cancer treatment, the disease still remains one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Many cancer types lead to death within a period of months to years. The original class of chemotherapeutics is not selective for tumor cells and often has limited efficacy, while treated patients suffer from adverse side‑effects.

LDH-A influences hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1 α) and is critical for growth of HT29 colon carcinoma cells in vivo.

Serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is a well-known clinical surrogate parameter. A high activity of LDH is associated with a poor prognosis in different tumor types. Here we demonstrate by a gene silencing approach that LDH-A is critical for in vivo but not in vitro growth of HT29 colon carcinoma cells.

Immunization with the transmembrane protein of a retrovirus, feline leukemia virus: absence of antigenemia following challenge.

A major challenge in the development of vaccines against retroviruses is the induction of neutralizing antibodies since they prevent infection of the cells where the virus may persist. The transmembrane envelope (TM) protein contains highly conserved domains and seems to be a suitable target. To study whether vaccinating with a TM protein of a retrovirus could protect from infection in vivo, cats were immunized with the TM protein p15E of feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and subsequently challenged.

Inhibition of poxvirus spreading by the anti-tumor drug Gefitinib (Iressa).

The threat of smallpox virus as a bioterrorist weapon is raising international concerns again since the anthrax attacks in the USA in 2001. The medical readiness of treating patients suffering from such infections is a prerequisite of an effective civil defense system. Currently the only therapeutic option for the treatment of poxvirus infections relies on the virostatic nulceosid analog cidofovir, although severe side effects and drug resistant strains have been described.

Increased neutralizing antibody response after simultaneous immunization with leucogen and the feline leukemia virus transmembrane protein.

To develop improved vaccination strategies against feline leukemia virus (FeLV), rats were immunized with the transmembrane envelope protein p15E of FeLV alone or in combination with the commercial vaccine Leucogen® comprising the nonglycosylated FeLV surface envelope protein. Binding and neutralizing antibodies were induced in both groups and in the group immunized with Leucogen alone. Higher titers of antibodies neutralizing FeLV were induced by simultaneous immunization with Leucogen and p15E compared to the responses using Leucogen or p15E alone, suggesting that combination vaccines should be used in the future.

Antibodies neutralizing feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) in cats immunized with the transmembrane envelope protein p15E.

The feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) vaccines that are currently in wide use are generally poor inducers of virus-neutralizing antibodies, although such antibodies appear after recovering from challenge. However, the presence of neutralizing antibodies in cats recovering from natural FeLV infection clearly correlates with resistance to subsequent infection and passive transfer of antibodies can protect other animals. After demonstrating the induction of neutralizing antibodies in rats and goats immunized with the transmembrane envelope protein p15E of FeLV, cats were immunized with the same antigen.

Neutralising antibodies against the transmembrane protein of feline leukaemia virus (FeLV).

Neutralising antibodies specific for feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) were induced by immunisation with recombinant FeLV transmembrane envelope protein p15E. Epitope mapping revealed two epitopes located in similar regions to those previously identified for the porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV). One of the epitopes has partial homology and both are located in regions corresponding to epitopes recognised by neutralising antibodies in patients infected with HIV-1.