Self-Reported Onset of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation Is Related to Sleeping Body Position.

Because stretch of the atrial myocardium is proarrhythmic for atrial fibrillation (AF) and a left lateral body position increases atrial dimensions in humans, we hypothesized that left lateral recumbence is a frequent AF-triggering body position in AF patients. We performed a questionnaire study of symptomatic paroxysmal AF (episodes of AF < 1 week) patients scheduled for a first AF ablation therapy at Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven, the Netherlands and at University Hospital, Bordeaux, France. Ninety-four symptomatic paroxysmal AF patients were included [mean age 61 ± 11 years, median AF history of 29(48) months, 31% were females].

The Expression of Fibroblast Activation Protein in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinomas Is Associated with Synchronous Lymph Node Metastases.

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC) is a heterogeneous and complex disease that frequently develops distant metastases. Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is a serine peptidase the expression of which in cancer-associated fibroblasts has been associated with higher risk of metastases and poor survival. The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of FAP in metastatic CCRCC (mCCRCC).

Risk factors for tuberculosis in inflammatory bowel disease: anti-tumor necrosis factor and hospitalization.

Aims: To determine risk factors for active tuberculosis in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases.

Methods: Retrospective, case-control study at 4 referral hospitals in Spain. Cases developed tuberculosis after a diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease.

Tailor-Made Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases: In Vitro Site-Directed Mutagenesis of PTEN and PTPRZ-B.

In vitro site-directed mutagenesis (SDM) of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) is a commonly used approach to experimentally analyze PTP functions at the molecular and cellular level and to establish functional correlations with PTP alterations found in human disease. Here, using the tumor-suppressor PTEN and the receptor-type PTPRZ-B (short isoform from PTPRZ1 gene) phosphatases as examples, we provide a brief insight into the utility of specific mutations in the experimental analysis of PTP functions. We describe a standardized, rapid, and simple method of mutagenesis to perform single and multiple amino acid substitutions, as well as deletions of short nucleotide sequences, based on one-step inverse PCR and DpnI restriction enzyme treatment.

Altered Activity and Expression of Cytosolic Peptidases in Colorectal Cancer.

Background And Objective: The role of peptidases in carcinogenic processes and their potential usefulness as tumor markers in colorectal cancer (CRC) have been classically attributed to cell-surface enzymes. The objective of the present study was to analyze the activity and mRNA expression of three cytosolic peptidases in the CRC and to correlate the obtained results with classic histopathological parameters for tumor prognosis and survival.

Methods: The activity and mRNA levels of puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase (PSA), aminopeptidase B (APB) and pyroglutamyl-peptidase I (PGI) were measured by fluorimetric and quantitative RT-PCR methods in colorectal mucosa and tumor tissues and plasma samples from CRC patients (n=81).

Aminopeptidase N activity predicts 5-year survival in colorectal cancer patients.

Background: Aminopeptidase N (APN; EC 3.4.11.

Dipeptidyl-peptidase IV activity is correlated with colorectal cancer prognosis.

Background: Dipeptidyl-peptidase IV (EC 3.4.14.

Altered glutamyl-aminopeptidase activity and expression in renal neoplasms.

Background: Advances in the knowledge of renal neoplasms have demonstrated the implication of several proteases in their genesis, growth and dissemination. Glutamyl-aminopeptidase (GAP) (EC. 3.

Prolyl endopeptidase activity is correlated with colorectal cancer prognosis.

Background And Objective: Prolyl endopeptidase (PEP) (EC 3.4.21.

Epidemiological Clinical Features and Evolution of Gastroduodenal Ulcer Bleeding in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Spain, during the Last Seven Years.

Background. Gastroduodenal ulcer bleeding is a common medical emergency. The aim of this study was to analyze the characteristics of bleeding episodes and to identify changes in the clinical trends over seven years.

Altered peptidase activities in thyroid neoplasia and hyperplasia.

Background: Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), follicular thyroid adenoma (FTA), and thyroid nodular hyperplasia (TNH) are the most frequent diseases of the thyroid gland. Previous studies described the involvement of dipeptidyl-peptidase IV (DPPIV/CD26) in the development of thyroid neoplasia and proposed it as an additional tool in the diagnosis/prognosis of these diseases. However, very little is known about the involvement of other peptidases in neoplastic and hyperplastic processes of this gland.

Cannabinoid CB1 receptor is expressed in chromophobe renal cell carcinoma and renal oncocytoma.

Objective: To analyze the mRNA and protein expression of cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 in chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (ChRCC) and renal oncocytoma (RO).

Design And Methods: Fresh and formalin-fixed tissue samples of ChRCC and RO were analyzed by using real-time quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemical techniques (n=40).

Results: Quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that CB1 mRNA was underexpressed by 12-fold in ChRCC and had a variable expression in RO.

The impact of peptidase activity on clear cell renal cell carcinoma survival.

Several studies have proposed that protease expression and activity may have a predictive value in the survival of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC). Most efforts on this issue have been focused on the analysis of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) and very little on the role of other proteases, such as peptidases. The catalytic activity of 9 peptidases (APN, APB, ASP, CAP, DPP-IV, NEP/CD10, PEP, PGI, and PSA) was quantified by fluorometric methods in a series of 79 CCRCC patients, and the results obtained were analyzed for survival (Kaplan-Meier curves, log-rank test, and Cox multivariate analysis).

Cannabinoid CB₁ receptor is downregulated in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Several studies in cell cultures and in animal models have demonstrated that cannabinoids have important antitumoral properties. Because many of these effects are mediated through cannabinoid (CB) receptors CB₁ and CB₂, the study of their expression in human neoplasms has become of great interest in recent years. Fresh and formalin-fixed tissue samples of 20 consecutive clear cell renal cell carcinomas (CCRCCs) were collected prospectively and analyzed for the expression of both CB receptors by using RT-PCR, Western blot (WB), and immunohistochemical techniques.

γδ T cells enhance autoimmunity by restraining regulatory T cell responses via an interleukin-23-dependent mechanism.

Mice that lack interleukin-23 (IL-23) are resistant to T cell-mediated autoimmunity. Although IL-23 is a maturation factor for T helper 17 (Th17) cells, a subset of γδ T cells expresses the IL-23 receptor (IL-23R) constitutively. Using IL-23R reporter mice, we showed that γδ T cells were the first cells to respond to IL-23 during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).

Angiotensin-converting enzymes (ACE and ACE2) are downregulated in renal tumors.

The angiotensin-converting enzymes (ACE and ACE2) are highly expressed in renal tubules and play an important role in the regulation of renal function by the intrarenal renin-angiotensin system (iRAS). Dysregulation of these cell-surface peptidases has been associated with renal injury. Most of these studies, however, have focused on non-neoplastic kidney diseases.

Changes in cell-surface peptidase activity in papillary renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Renal cancer is one of the ten most common malignant tumours in humans and its histological classification, best clinical management and treatment strategies are continuously debated. Roughly 10% of renal carcinomas are papillary renal cell carcinomas (RCCs), a histologically well characterized tumour subtype that is linked to alterations on chromosomes 7 and 17. Peptidases are proteolytic enzymes known to be involved in oncological processes, although their precise role in renal cancer is poorly understood.

Expression and activity profiles of DPP IV/CD26 and NEP/CD10 glycoproteins in the human renal cancer are tumor-type dependent.

Background: Cell-surface glycoproteins play critical roles in cell-to-cell recognition, signal transduction and regulation, thus being crucial in cell proliferation and cancer etiogenesis and development. DPP IV and NEP are ubiquitous glycopeptidases closely linked to tumor pathogenesis and development, and they are used as markers in some cancers. In the present study, the activity and protein and mRNA expression of these glycoproteins were analysed in a subset of clear-cell (CCRCC) and chromophobe (ChRCC) renal cell carcinomas, and in renal oncocytomas (RO).

Increased prolyl endopeptidase activity in human neoplasia.

Prolyl endopeptidase (EC 3.4.21.

Increased APN/CD13 and acid aminopeptidase activities in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Involvement of peptidases in carcinogenic processes of several tumor types has been investigated in recent years. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and accounts for more than 90% of all head and neck cancers. Increased understanding of its pathophysiology has led to implication of several proteinases, specially matrix metalloproteinases, in its genesis, growth, and dissemination.

Acid, basic, and neutral peptidases present different profiles in chromophobe renal cell carcinoma and in oncocytoma.

Renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) are neoplasias with high prevalence and mortality. We previously reported that several peptidases may be involved in the pathophysiology of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC). Now, to gain insight into the reasons that lead the various RCC types to behave very differently with regard to aggressiveness and response to anticancer treatments, we analyzed subsets of chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (ChRCC), and renal oncocytoma (RO), a benign tumor; as well as different grades and stages of CCRCCs.

Cystinyl aminopeptidase activity is decreased in renal cell carcinomas.

The involvement of peptidases in carcinogenetic processes of several tumor types has been researched in recent years. Although kidney is one of the major tissues known to express cystinyl-aminopeptidase (CAP), little is known about its role in renal neoplasia. This study analyzes fluorimetrically membrane-bound and soluble CAP activity in the three main renal cancers: clear cell (CCRCC), papillary (PRCC), and chromophobe (ChRCC) renal cell carcinomas.

Altered levels of acid, basic, and neutral peptidase activity and expression in human clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Peptides play important roles in cell regulation and signaling in many tissues and are regulated by peptidases, most of which are highly expressed in the kidney. Several peptide convertases have a function in different tumor stages, and some have been clearly characterized as diagnostic and prognostic markers for solid tumors, including renal cancer; however, little is known about their in vivo role in kidney tumors. The present study compares the activity of a range of peptidases in human tumor samples and nontumor tissue obtained from clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC) patients.