Glutathione-S-Transferase Theta 2 (GSTT2) Modulates the Response to Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Immunotherapy in Bladder Cancer Patients.

Glutathione-S-transferases (GST) enzymes detoxify xenobiotics and are implicated in response to anticancer therapy. This study evaluated the association of GST theta 1 (GSTT1), GSTT2, and GSTT2B with Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) response in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer treatment. In vitro assessments of GSTT2 knockout (KO) effects were performed using cell lines and dendritic cells (DCs) from GSTT2KO mice.

Tumor-targeting albumin nanoparticles as an efficacious drug delivery system and potential diagnostic tool in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer therapy.

Current intravesical chemotherapy for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) has limited efficacy due to loss of the instilled agent from urine voiding and the agent's lack of specificity for the tumors. We developed a nanocarrier (txCD47-HNP, ∼100 nm) based on human serum albumin conjugated with a peptide that targets the cluster of differentiation 47 receptor overexpressed on bladder cancer (BC) cells. The IC of gemcitabine elaidate (GEM) loaded in the txCD47-HNP was almost an order of magnitude lower than that of free GEM.

Predictive biomarkers of response to bacillus Calmette-Guérin immunotherapy and bacillus Calmette-Guérin failure for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Within the heterogeneous population of patients with bacillus Calmette-Guérin failure, there are clear differences in prognosis and therapy with regard to the timeline when bacillus Calmette-Guérin failure occurred. There are a variety of classifications which include bacillus Calmette-Guérin refractory disease, relapsing, unresponsive, and intolerant. Further profiling of these patients may help to shed light on other forms of therapy that are less radical.

Polymorphism in autophagy gene ATG2B is not associated with bladder cancer recurrence after intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) immunotherapy in Asian patients.

Objectives: Optimal patient stratification is critical in the era of personalized medicine. Germline polymorphisms play an important role in the treatment response of various human diseases, including bladder cancer. Intravesical BCG therapy is widely-used for bladder cancer.

The Role of Vitamin D Receptor Polymorphisms in Predicting the Response to Therapy for Nonmuscle Invasive Bladder Carcinoma.

Purpose: Clinical and pathological predictors of bladder carcinoma recurrence and progression are relatively well defined. However, there is a paucity of genetic data specifically on the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in specific genes for predicting recurrence and progression following immunotherapy. The VDR gene was found to regulate the immunomodulatory effects of vitamin D and it enhances the innate immunity system.

NRAMP1 and hGPX1 gene polymorphism and response to bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy for bladder cancer.

Background: The natural resistance-associated macrophage protein 1 (NRAMP1) gene is associated with susceptibility to Mycobacterium tuberculosis in humans and to bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in mice. The detoxification enzyme, human glutathione peroxidase 1 (hGPX1), is associated with recurrence of bladder cancer (BCa).

Objective: To determine whether NRAMP1 and hGPX1 gene polymorphisms correlate with response to BCG immunotherapy for non-muscle-invasive BCa (NMIBC).

Expression of major HDL-associated antioxidant PON-1 is gender dependent and regulated during inflammation.

Paraoxonase 1, an HDL-associated enzyme that confers antioxidant activity on HDL, and its activity in serum have been correlated with protection against atherosclerosis, an oxidative disease. However, serum PON-1 activity is highly variable and its regulation is complex, involving both genetic and environmental factors. It is influenced by gender and inflammation, two important factors in atherosclerosis.

AFP(+), ESC-derived cells engraft and differentiate into hepatocytes in vivo.

A major problem in gene therapy and tissue replacement is accessibility of tissue-specific stem cells. One solution is to isolate tissue-specific stem cells from differentiating embryonic stem (ES) cells. Here, we show that liver progenitor cells can be purified from differentiated ES cells using alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) as a marker.

Gonadal effects on plasma ACE activity in mice.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) regulates blood pressure and is an important target in the management of hypertension. Hypertension is a gender biased disease. Plasma ACE activity is significantly higher in male mice (309 U/l) than female mice (237 U/l) and is reduced significantly upon gonadectomy to 224 and 209 U/l, respectively.