Gestational diabetes status and dietary intake modify maternal and cord blood allostatic load markers.

Introduction: Allostatic load (AL) defines cardiometabolic, inflammatory, and neuroendocrine changes in the body in response to internal and external stressors. It is largely unknown whether gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) alters maternal and fetal AL, which in turn affects GDM outcomes. Whether dietary intakes and quality can modify AL and thus influence GDM progression is also unknown.

Summary of bi-shRNA/GM-CSF augmented autologous tumor cell immunotherapy (FANG™) in advanced cancer of the liver.

Therapies for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are limited. We carried out a phase I trial of a novel autologous whole-cell tumor cell immunotherapy (FANG™), which incorporates a dual granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) expressive/bifunctional small hairpin RNA interference (bi-shRNAi) vector. The bi-shRNAi DNA targets furin, which is a proconvertase of transforming growth factors beta (TGFβ) 1 and 2.

Vertically integrated translational studies of PDX1 as a therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer via a novel bifunctional RNAi platform.

RNA interference (RNAi) represents a powerful, new tool for scientific investigation as well as a promising new form of targeted gene therapy, with applications currently in clinical trials. Bifunctional short hairpin RNA (shRNA) are synthetic RNAi molecules, engineered to utilize multiple endogenous RNAi pathways to specifically silence target genes. Pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 (PDX1) is a key regulator of pancreatic development, β-cell differentiation, normal β-cell function and pancreatic cancer.

Assessment of intravenous pbi-shRNA PDX1 nanoparticle (OFHIRNA-PDX1) in yucatan swine.

PDX1 (pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1) is overexpressed in pancreatic cancer, and its reduction results in tumor regression. Bi-functional pbi-shRNA PDX1 nanoparticle (OFHIRNA-PDX1) utilizes the endogenous micro-RNA biogenesis pathway to effect cleavage- and non-cleavage-dependent degradation of PDX1 mRNA. We have shown that OFHIRNA-PDX1 reduces pancreatic tumor volume in xenograft models.

Immune response and survival of refractory cancer patients who received TGF-β2 antisense/GM-CSF gene modified autologous tumor cell (TAG) vaccine.

TAG vaccine is a novel 'triad vaccine' that involves transfection of autologous tumor with a dual plasmid, TGFβ2 antisense gene and GM-CSF gene. Patients with advanced cancer who failed standard therapy were treated. IFN-γ ELISPOT analysis (Enzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay for Interferon Gamma) using TAG autologous vaccine target cells was performed prior to vaccination and at week 12 after the third vaccination.