An antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) complementary to the first six codons of the Bcl-2 mRNA, G3139 (oblimersen sodium; Genasense), has been shown to downregulate Bcl-2 and produce responses in a variety of malignancies including drug-resistant lymphoma. Incubation of ex vivo purified plasma cells from patients with multiple myeloma (MM) with carboxyfluorescein (FAM)-labeled antisense ODNs resulted in a time- and dose-dependent uptake in the cytoplasm and nucleus. No major differences in uptake of Bcl-2 antisense ODNs were observed among patients' samples. Incubation of purified myeloma plasma cells with G3139, but not solvent or reverse polarity control ODNs, resulted in a reduction (>75%) of Bcl-2 mRNA levels after 2 and 4 days, as measured by Real-Time PCR. Treatment with G3139 led to a sequence-specific reduction of Bcl-2 protein levels within 4 days of exposure in 10 out of 11 clinical samples from patients with chemosensitive and multidrug-resistant disease, without significant reduction of alpha-Actin, Bax, Bcl-XL, or Mcl-1 proteins. This resulted in a significantly enhanced sensitivity of the myeloma tumor cells to dexamethasone or doxorubicin-induced apoptosis. G3139 can consistently enter myeloma cells, downregulate the expression of Bcl-2, and enhance the efficacy of myeloma therapy. These data support further clinical evaluation of G3139 therapy in multiple myeloma.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/sj.leu.2402768 | DOI Listing |
Viruses
November 2024
C.U.R.E. (University Center for Liver Disease Research and Treatment), Liver Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy.
SARS-CoV-2 infection induces a humoral immune response, producing virus-specific antibodies such as IgM, IgG, and IgA. IgA antibodies are present at mucosal sites, protecting against respiratory and other mucosal infections, including SARS-CoV-2, by neutralizing viruses or impeding attachment to epithelial cells. Since SARS-CoV-2 spreads through the nasopharynx, the specific IgAs of SARS-CoV-2 are produced quickly after infection, effectively contributing to virus neutralization.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVaccines (Basel)
December 2024
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
Background: A goal of mucosal human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) vaccines is to generate mucosal plasma cells producing polymeric IgA (pIgA)-neutralizing antibodies at sites of viral entry. However, vaccine immunogens capable of eliciting IgA neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) that recognize tier 2 viral isolates have not yet been identified.
Methods: To determine if stabilized native-like HIV-1 envelope (Env) trimers could generate IgA nAbs, we purified total IgA and IgG from the banked sera of six rhesus macaques that had been found in a previous study to develop serum nAbs after subcutaneous immunization with BG505.
Vaccines (Basel)
December 2024
Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada.
HIV causes intense polyclonal activation of B cells, resulting in increased numbers of spontaneously antibody-secreting cells in the circulation and hypergammaglobulinemia. It is accompanied by significant perturbations in various B cell subsets, such as increased frequencies of immature/transitional B cells, activated memory B cells, atypical memory B cells, short-lived plasmablasts and regulatory B cells, as well as by decreased frequencies of resting memory and resting naïve B cells. Furthermore, both memory and antigen-inexperienced naïve B cells show exhausted and immune-senescent phenotypes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPolymers (Basel)
December 2024
Additive Technologies Center, Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk 634050, Russia.
Electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)-based scaffolds are widely used in tissue engineering. However, low cell adhesion remains the key drawback of PCL scaffolds. It is well known that nitrogen-doped diamond-like carbon (N-DLC) coatings deposited on the surface of various implants are able to enhance their biocompatibility and functional properties.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFToxics
December 2024
Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Diagnostic and Research Center for Molecular Biomedicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria.
The contamination of ground and surface waters with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) is of major concern due to their potential adverse effects on human health. The carbon-fluorine bond makes these compounds extremely stable and hardly degradable by natural processes. Therefore, methods for PFAS removal from water are desperately needed.
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