Publications by authors named "Melissa Hopper"

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients that fail to achieve a complete metabolic response with frontline immunochemotherapy have a poor prognosis. Genomic profiling has led to a broader understanding of the molecular drivers in DLBCL, but it is unknown how well current classifiers identify patients that will experience primary treatment resistance (PTR). Using whole exome and RNA sequencing data from newly diagnosed DLBCL patients, we evaluated the genomic landscape of PTR and compared it to that of non-PTR DLBCL.

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This study sheds light on the pivotal role of the oncoprotein DEK in B-cell lymphoma. We reveal DEK expression correlates with increased tumor proliferation and inferior overall survival in cases diagnosed with low-grade B-cell lymphoma (LGBCL). We also found significant correlation between DEK expression and copy number alterations in LGBCL tumors, highlighting a novel mechanism of LGBCL pathogenesis that warrants additional exploration.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Researchers used a multiomic approach on tumor samples from 444 newly diagnosed DLBCL patients, combining gene analysis methods to identify a signature predictive of high early clinical failure risk.
  • * The study found that this signature, which includes ARID1A mutations, accurately predicted 45% of early clinical failures and could significantly influence future treatment strategies.
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Follicular lymphoma (FL) is an indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma of germinal center origin, which presents with significant biologic and clinical heterogeneity. Using RNA-seq on B cells sorted from 87 FL biopsies, combined with machine-learning approaches, we identify 3 transcriptional states that divide the biological ontology of FL B cells into inflamed, proliferative, and chromatin-modifying states, with relationship to prior GC B cell phenotypes. When integrated with whole-exome sequencing and immune profiling, we find that each state was associated with a combination of mutations in chromatin modifiers, copy-number alterations to TNFAIP3, and T follicular helper cells (Tfh) cell interactions, or primarily by a microenvironment rich in activated T cells.

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Article Synopsis
  • A study was conducted on diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients to identify a genetic signature that predicts those at high risk of early clinical failure (EFS24), addressing a need for better treatment selection.
  • Analysis involved tumor biopsies from 444 newly diagnosed patients using whole exome sequencing (WES) and RNA sequencing, leading to the identification of a high-risk RNA signature significantly linked to poor outcomes.
  • Integrating genomic data showed that including mutations in the signature could identify 45% of cases with early clinical failure, marking a significant advancement for potential therapeutic strategies for DLBCL.
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Non-follicular low-grade B-cell lymphomas (LGBCL) are biologically diverse entities that share clinical and histologic features that make definitive pathologic categorization challenging. While most patients with LGBCL have an indolent course, some experience aggressive disease, highlighting additional heterogeneity across these subtypes. To investigate the potential for shared biology across subtypes, we performed RNA sequencing and applied machine learning approaches that identified five clusters of patients that grouped independently of subtype.

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A stepped approach to management using these communication tips and coping strategies can help decrease the stigma of generalized anxiety disorder and increase patients' sense of ownership in their care.

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Kinases form an attractive class of targets for small molecule inhibitors, but similarity among their adenosine triphosphate binding sites presents difficulties for developing selective drugs. Standard methods of evaluating selectivity of most reversibly bound drugs account for binding affinity but not the two-step process, affinity and inactivation, occurring during covalent inhibition. To illustrate this concept, we assessed the selectivity of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) over TEC kinases by two novel therapeutics: ibrutinib and acalabrutinib.

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Trichomoniasis, caused by the protozoan parasite Trichomonas vaginalis, is the most common, non-viral, sexually transmitted infection in the world, but only two closely related nitro drugs are approved for its treatment. New antimicrobials against trichomoniasis remain an urgent need. Several organic gold compounds were tested for activity against T.

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A series of ferrocenyl- and aryl-functionalised organosilane thiosemicarbazone compounds was obtained via a nucleophilic substitution reaction with an amine-terminated organosilane. The thiosemicarbazone (TSC) ligands were further reacted with either a ruthenium dimer [(η(6-i)PrC6H4Me)Ru(μ-Cl)Cl]2 or a rhodium dimer [(Cp*)Rh(μ-Cl)Cl]2 to yield a series of cationic mono- and binuclear complexes. The thiosemicarbazone ligands, as well as their metal complexes, were characterised using NMR and IR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry.

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A series of C-3 thiourea functionalized β-lactams, β-lactam-7-chloroquinoline conjugates and 7-chloroquinoline-thiohydantoin derivatives were prepared with the aim of probing antimalarial structure-activity relationships. 7-Chlorquinoline-thiohydantoin derivatives were found to be potent inhibitors of cultured Plasmodium falciparum, with the most potent and non-cytotoxic compound exhibiting an IC50 of 39.8 nM.

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Trichomonas gallinae is a ubiquitous flagellated protozoan parasite, and the most common etiologic agent of epidemic trichomonosis in columbid and passerine species. In this study, free-ranging Pacific Coast band-tailed pigeons (Patagioenas fasciata monilis) in California (USA) were found to be infected with trichomonad protozoa that were genetically and morphologically distinct from T. gallinae.

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In this study, we describe the synthesis of mono- and bis-1-1,2,3-triazole-tethered β-lactam-isatin conjugates using copper-catalysed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction between mono- and di-propargylated azetidin-2-ones and -alkylazido isatins. The synthesized conjugates were evaluated for their preliminary in vitro analysis against at 50 μM. The efficacy of synthesized hybrids was observed to depend on the substituent at -1 position of β-lactam ring, as well as the presence of single/double 1-1,2,3-triazole linker.

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