Real-world Imatinib Mesylate Treatment in Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: The Importance of Molecular Monitoring and the Early Molecular Response.

Introduction: Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a clonal myeloproliferative disorder characterized by the Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome. After the introduction of imatinib mesylate (IM) in 2000, the natural history of the disease changed. Data on the treatment of CML with IM are from randomized clinical trials.

Phytosterols Supplementation Reduces Endothelin-1 Plasma Concentration in Moderately Hypercholesterolemic Individuals Independently of Their Cholesterol-Lowering Properties.

Experimental and clinical studies have demonstrated the effect of phytosterols (PS) on reducing plasma levels of cholesterol and LDL-c, but the effects of plant sterols beyond cholesterol-lowering are still questionable. Since inflammation and endothelial dysfunction are involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, this study aims to evaluate the effect of PS on biomarkers involved in atherosclerosis progression and whether these effects are independent of alterations in plasma LDL-c levels. Thirty-eight moderately hypercholesterolemic volunteers (58 ± 12 years; LDL-c ≥ 130 mg/dL) were randomly assigned to consume 400 mL/day of soy milk or soy milk + PS (1.

Rapid Molecular Detection of Zika Virus in Acute-Phase Urine Samples Using the Recombinase Polymerase Amplification Assay.

Background: Currently the detection of Zika virus (ZIKV) in patient samples is done by real-time RT-PCR. Samples collected from rural area are sent to highly equipped laboratories for screening. A rapid point-of-care test is needed to detect the virus, especially at low resource settings.

Differential expression of genes encoding proteins of the HGF/MET system in insulinomas.

Background: Insulinomas are the most common functional pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, whereas histopathological features do not predict their biological behaviour. In an attempt to better understand the molecular processes involved in the tumorigenesis of islet beta cells, the present study evaluated the expression of genes belonging to the hepatocyte growth factor and its receptor (HGF/MET) system, namely, MET, HGF; HGFAC and ST14 (encode HGF activator and matriptase, respectively, two serine proteases that catalyze conversion of pro-HGF to active HGF); and SPINT1 and SPINT2 (encode serine peptidase inhibitors Kunitz type 1 and type 2, respectively, two inhibitors of HGF activator and of matriptase).

Methods: Quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was employed to assess RNA expression of the target genes in 24 sporadic insulinomas: 15 grade 1 (G1), six grade 2 (G2) and three hepatic metastases.

HOXB7 mRNA is overexpressed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas and its knockdown induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

Background: Human homeobox genes encode nuclear proteins that act as transcription factors involved in the control of differentiation and proliferation. Currently, the role of these genes in development and tumor progression has been extensively studied. Recently, increased expression of HOXB7 homeobox gene (HOXB7) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC) was shown to correlate with an invasive phenotype, lymph node metastasis and worse survival outcomes, but no influence on cell proliferation or viability was detected.

Apoptosis through Bcl-2/Bax and cleaved caspase up-regulation in melanoma treated by boron neutron capture therapy.

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a binary treatment involving selective accumulation of boron carriers in a tumor followed by irradiation with a thermal or epithermal neutron beam. The neutron capture reaction with a boron-10 nucleus yields high linear energy transfer (LET) particles, alpha and (7)Li, with a range of 5 to 9 µm. These particles can only travel very short distances and release their damaging energy directly into the cells containing the boron compound.

Hyperinsulinism/hyperammonemia (HI/HA) syndrome due to a mutation in the glutamate dehydrogenase gene.

The hyperinsulinism/hyperammonemia (HI/HA) syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant disease manifested by hypoglycemic symptoms triggered by fasting or high-protein meals, and by elevated serum ammonia. HI/HA is the second most common cause of hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia of infancy, and it is caused by activating mutations in GLUD1, the gene that encodes mitochondrial enzyme glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH). Biochemical evaluation, as well as direct sequencing of exons and exon-intron boundary regions of the GLUD1 gene, were performed in a 6-year old female patient presenting fasting hypoglycemia and hyperammonemia.

Rosiglitazone prevents sirolimus-induced hypomagnesemia, hypokalemia, and downregulation of NKCC2 protein expression.

Sirolimus, an antiproliferative immunosuppressant, induces hypomagnesemia and hypokalemia. Rosiglitazone activates renal sodium- and water-reabsorptive pathways. We evaluated whether sirolimus induces renal wasting of magnesium and potassium, attempting to identify the tubule segments in which this occurs.

Thalidomide treatment down-regulates SDF-1alpha and CXCR4 expression in multiple myeloma patients.

The chemokine stromal-derived factor-1alpha (SDF-1alpha) and its receptor CXCR4 are critically involved in directional migration and homing of plasma cells in multiple myeloma. Here, we show that the expression of SDF-1alpha and CXCR4 was significantly down-regulated in patients treated with thalidomide (n=10) as compared to newly diagnosed MM patients (n=31) and MM patients treated with other drugs (n=38). SDF-1 alpha and CXCR4 expression was also significantly decreased in a RPMI 8226 cell line treated with 10 and 20micromol/L of thalidomide.

Association between tumoral GH-releasing peptide receptor type 1a mRNA expression and in vivo response to GH-releasing peptide-6 in ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome patients.

Objective: GH secretagogues (GHS) produce exaggerated ACTH and cortisol responses in Cushing's disease (CD) patients, attributable to their direct action on GH-releasing peptide receptor type 1a (GHSR-1a). However, there are no studies correlating the in vivo response to GHS and GHSR-1a mRNA expression in ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome (CS) patients. The aim of this study is to correlate the patterns of ACTH and cortisol response to GH-releasing peptide-6 (GHRP-6) to GHSR-1a expression in ACTH-dependent CS patients.

Hepatocyte growth factor-regulated tyrosine kinase substrate (HGS) and guanylate kinase 1 (GUK1) are differentially expressed in GH-secreting adenomas.

Pituitary tumors, adenomas in their vast majority, represent around 10-15% of the intracranial neoplasms. Pituitary carcinomas are exceedingly rare. Clinically, these neoplasms cause hormonal dysfunctions, and mass effect symptoms as headache and visual disorders in the case of macroadenomas.