Monitoring with circulating tumor cells in the perioperative setting of patients with surgically treated stages I-IIIA NSCLC.

Background: Surgery is regarded as the treatment's cornerstone for early stage and locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whenever the tumor is considered resectable. Liquid biopsy is one of the most promising research areas in oncology in the last 10 years, providing a useful non-invasive tool to detect and monitor cancer. The prognostic value of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) has been studied in different cancer types and had been related with a higher risk of relapse and worse prognosis.

Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab as First-line Treatment for Patients With Metastatic Nonsquamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer With High Tumor Mutation Burden: A Nonrandomized Controlled Trial.

Importance: Antiangiogenic drug combinations with anti-programmed cell death 1 protein and anti-programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) agents are a novel treatment option for lung cancer. However, survival remains limited, and the activity of these combinations for tumors with high tumor mutation burden (TMB) is unknown.

Objective: To assess the clinical benefits and safety of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab for patients with high-TMB advanced nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Deep metagenomics examines the oral microbiome during dental caries, revealing novel taxa and co-occurrences with host molecules.

Dental caries, the most common chronic infectious disease worldwide, has a complex etiology involving the interplay of microbial and host factors that are not completely understood. In this study, the oral microbiome and 38 host cytokines and chemokines were analyzed across 23 children with caries and 24 children with healthy dentition. De novo assembly of metagenomic sequencing obtained 527 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), representing 150 bacterial species.

Progression-Free and Overall Survival for Concurrent Nivolumab With Standard Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy in Locally Advanced Stage IIIA-B NSCLC: Results From the European Thoracic Oncology Platform NICOLAS Phase II Trial (European Thoracic Oncology Platform 6-14).

Introduction: The NICOLAS study is the first completed single-arm phase II trial in stage III NSCLC evaluating hierarchically first the safety and then the efficacy of adding nivolumab concurrently to standard definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy. The safety end point was reported earlier; here, we present the efficacy results.

Methods: Stage IIIA-B unresectable treatment-naive patients with NSCLC received three cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy and concurrent radiotherapy (66 Gy, 33 fractions), along with nivolumab (360 mg, 3-weekly).

Identification of the Bacterial Biosynthetic Gene Clusters of the Oral Microbiome Illuminates the Unexplored Social Language of Bacteria during Health and Disease.

Small molecules are the primary communication media of the microbial world. Recent bioinformatic studies, exploring the biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) which produce many small molecules, have highlighted the incredible biochemical potential of the signaling molecules encoded by the human microbiome. Thus far, most research efforts have focused on understanding the social language of the gut microbiome, leaving crucial signaling molecules produced by oral bacteria and their connection to health versus disease in need of investigation.

Author Correction: Single CD271 marker isolates mesenchymal stem cells from human dental pulp.

In the original version of this Article, Figure 1c was inadvertently assembled with a duplicate of Figure 1b. The correct image for Figure 1c, shown below, has been added in the HTML and PDF versions of the Article. This does not affect the conclusions of the study.

Loss of ER retention motif of AGR2 can impact mTORC signaling and promote cancer metastasis.

Anterior gradient 2 (AGR2) is a member of the protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) family, which plays a role in the regulation of protein homeostasis and the unfolded protein response pathway (UPR). AGR2 has also been characterized as a proto-oncogene and a potential cancer biomarker. Cellular localization of AGR2 is emerging as a key component for understanding the role of AGR2 as a proto-oncogene.

JUN-Mediated Downregulation of EGFR Signaling Is Associated with Resistance to Gefitinib in EGFR-mutant NSCLC Cell Lines.

Mutations or deletions in exons 18-21 in the ) are present in approximately 15% of tumors in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). They lead to activation of the EGFR kinase domain and sensitivity to molecularly targeted therapeutics aimed at this domain (gefitinib or erlotinib). These drugs have demonstrated objective clinical response in many of these patients; however, invariably, all patients acquire resistance.

Evidence of eosinophil extracellular trap cell death in COPD: does it represent the trigger that switches on the disease?

In spite of the numerous studies on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the cellular and molecular basis of the disease's development remain unclear. Neutrophils and eosinophils are known to be key players in COPD. Recently, neutrophil extracellular trap cell death (NETosis), a mechanism due to decondensation and extrusion of chromatin to form extracellular traps, has been demonstrated in COPD.

Inhibition of IKK/NF-κB Signaling Enhances Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Human Embryonic Stem Cells.

Embryonic stem cell-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs; also known as mesenchymal stem cells) represent a promising source for bone regenerative medicine. Despite remarkable advances in stem cell biology, the molecular mechanism regulating differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into MSCs remains poorly understood. Here, we report that inhibition of IκB kinase (IKK)/nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling enhances differentiation of hESCs into MSCs by expediting the loss of pluripotent markers and increasing the expression of MSC surface markers.

Characterization of the osteogenic potential of mesenchymal stem cells from human periodontal ligament based on cell surface markers.

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-mediated therapy has been shown to be clinically effective in regenerating tissue defects. For improved regenerative therapy, it is critical to isolate homogenous populations of MSCs with high capacity to differentiate into appropriate tissues. The utilization of stem cell surface antigens provides a means to identify MSCs from various tissues.

Single CD271 marker isolates mesenchymal stem cells from human dental pulp.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a promising tool in regenerative medicine due to their capacity to differentiate into multiple lineages. In addition to MSCs isolated from bone marrow (BMSCs), adult MSCs are isolated from craniofacial tissues including dental pulp tissues (DPs) using various stem cell surface markers. However, there has been a lack of consensus on a set of surface makers that are reproducibly effective at isolating putative multipotent dental mesenchymal stem cells (DMSCs).

Differences in cerebrospinal fluid inflammatory cell reaction of patients with leptomeningeal involvement by lymphoma and carcinoma.

Dissemination of neoplastic cells into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and leptomeninges is a devastating complication in patients with epithelial cell neoplasia (leptomeningeal carcinomatosis [LC]) and lymphomas (lymphomatous meningitis [LyM]). Information about the surrounding inflammatory cell populations is scarce. In this study, flow cytometry immunophenotyping was used to describe the distribution of the main leukocyte populations in the CSF of 83 patients diagnosed with neoplastic meningitis (LC, n = 65; LyM, n = 18).

Evaluation of clinical use and effectiveness of darbepoetin alfa in cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced anemia.

Purpose: To investigate the patterns of use of darbepoetin alfa in Spanish centers, and to evaluate its effectiveness in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced anemia under clinical practice conditions.

Methods: This was an observational, retrospective, multicenter study in adult patients with non-myeloid malignancies who initiated chemotherapy and darbepoetin alfa. Data was collected for up to 16 weeks or until treatment discontinuation.

Toll-like receptors, inflammation, metabolism and obesity.

Obesity is a highly prevalent health problem in Western countries that leads to many important diseases such as type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome being now considered an inflammatory chronic disease. Adipocytes are no longer considered passive cells storing fat since they are major producers of inflammatory cytokines during obesity. Adipocytes and macrophages share many biological properties including the synthesis of similar molecules regulating inflammation.

Association between genetic variation in the Y chromosome and hypertension in myocardial infarction patients.

A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in chromosome Y has been associated with blood pressure. In men, the risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases, including coronary artery disease, could be influenced by one or more loci on chromosome Y. We genotyped 208 men who had suffered an early episode of myocardial infarction (MI) (< or =55 years) and 178 healthy control men for two Y-polymorphisms (a HindIII polymorphism in an alphoid satellite in the centromeric non-recombining region and the -2627 T/C in the SRY gene).

Renin-angiotensin system polymorphisms and renal scarring.

The purpose of the study was to determine whether DNA polymorphisms at the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone (RAS) genes were associated with evolution to renal scar formation and, consequently, with reflux nephropathy (RN) in patients with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). Some authors have suggested that the DD genotype of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene would be an adverse renal prognosis factor. We recruited 246 patients (aged 3 months to 22 years) from four Spanish hospitals.

Variation in the lipoprotein receptor-related protein, alpha2-macroglobulin and lipoprotein receptor-associated protein genes in relation to plasma lipid levels and risk of early myocardial infarction.

Background: The lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) is an endocytic receptor for several ligands, such as alpha2-macroglobulin (alpha2 M) and apolipoprotein E. LRP is involved in the clearance of lipids from the bloodstream and is expressed in the atherosclerotic plaque. The LRP-associated protein (LRPAP in humans, RAP in mice) acts as a chaperone protein, stabilizing the nascent LRP peptide in the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex.