12515 results for ""non-traditional+communal+storytelling+approach"+novel+segment+noted+in+critical+commentary"

in 382.17 milliseconds.

• Breast cancer women lack normal lifelong immune response after full-term pregnancies

  Immunological tolerance during pregnancy is necessary for women’s bodies to accept the semi-allogenic fetus. Interestingly, “immune evasion”, which consists of some similar immunological changes, was recently proposed as a hallmark of cancer. Looking at these results, it seems paradoxical that increasing number of full-term pregnancies (FTP) reduces the risk of breast cancer in women. Our aim was to use a systems epidemiology approach to investigate this paradox by modelling breast cancer incidence as a function of parity in the Norwegian Women and Cancer (NOWAC) cohort, then testing the mathematical model using gene expression from blood in a subcohort of these women: the NOWAC postgenome cohort. Lastly, we undertook a gene set enrichment analysis for immunological gene sets. A linear trend nicely fitted the dataset showing an 8% decrease in risk for each FTP, independent of stratification on other risk factors and lasting for decades after a woman’s last FTP. However, when we looked at gene expression we found that hundreds of genes showed linear trends in cancer-free controls, but this was not the case in /any/ of the samples from breast cancer cases. In the gene set enrichment analysis, samples consisted of human blood or cord blood and mouse bone marrow or spleen. We found more adaptive gene sets than expected in humans and more innate gene sets than expected in mice. None of the gene sets provided information about the long-term effects of immunological tolerance during pregnancy, but the lack of relevant reductionist experiments hampers our interpretation. We suggest that, after resolution at birth, the immunological tolerance induced by pregnancy augments immune response to cancer development.

  Study EGAS00001002616

• An analysis of humoral and cellular immune responses following COVID-19 vaccination.

  Two dose mRNA vaccination provides excellent protection against SARS-CoV-2. However, there are few data on vaccine efficacy in elderly individuals above the age of 801. Additionally, new variants of concern (VOC) with reduced sensitivity to neutralising antibodies have raised fears for vulnerable groups. Here we assessed humoral and cellular immune responses following vaccination with mRNA vaccine BNT162b22 in elderly participants prospectively recruited from the community and younger health care workers. Median age was 72 years and 51% were females amongst 140 participants. Neutralising antibody responses after the first vaccine dose diminished with increasing age, with a steep drop in participants over 80 years old. Sera from participants below and above 80 showed significantly lower neutralisation potency against B.1.1.7, B.1.351 and P.1. variants of concern as compared to wild type. Those over 80 were more likely to lack any neutralisation against VOC compared younger participants following first dose. Binding IgG and IgA antibodies were lower in the elderly, as was the frequency of SARS-CoV-2 Spike specific B- cells. We observed a trend towards lower somatic hypermutation in participants with suboptimal neutralisation, and elderly participants demonstrated clear reduction in class switched somatic hypermutation, driven by the IgA1/2 isotype. SARS-CoV-2 Spike specific T- cell IFN?? and IL-2 responses were secreted primarily by CD4 T cells, and impaired in the older age group. We conclude that the elderly are a high risk population that warrant specific measures in order to mitigate against vaccine failure, particularly where variants of concern are circulating. Specifically, the dosing interval should not be extended in this group.

  Study EGAS00001005380

• Genetics and therapeutic responses to TIL therapy of pancreatic cancer PDX models

  Pancreatic cancer is the 7th leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Checkpoint immunotherapy has not yet showed encouraging results in pancreatic cancer possibly owing to a poor immunogenicity and/or an immune suppressive microenvironment. The aim of this study was to develop patient-derived xenografts (PDX) models and to assess if autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) would have anti-tumoral activity in pancreatic cancer. Tumor biopsies from 29 patients were subcutaneously transplanted into NOG mice. Tumor growths were confirmed in 11 out of 29 transplantations. The PDX tumors histologically resembled their original biopsies, but since stromal cells in the PDX model tumors were from mouse, their gene expression differed from the original biopsies. Immune checkpoint ligands other than PD-L1 were expressed in pancreatic cancers but PD-L1 was rarely expressed. One of the three tumors that did express PD-L1 was an adenosquamous cancer and another had a mismatch repair deficiency. TILs were expanded from six tumors and were injected into NOG or human interleukin-2 transgenic-NOG (hIL2-NOG) mice carrying PDX tumors. Regression of tumors could be verified in hIL2-NOG mice in 3 of the 6 PDX models treated with autologous TILs, including the adenosquamous PDX model. In conclusion, PDX models of pancreatic cancer can be used to learn more about tumor characteristics and biomarkers, and to evaluate responses to ACT and combination therapies. The major benefit of the model is that modifications of T cells can be tested in an autologous humanized mouse model to gain preclinical data to support the initiation of a clinical trial.

  Study EGAS00001005596

• Genetics of Mood Disorders: Aging and Emotion Regulation Brain Circuitry in Bipolar

  This single-site study is designed to investigate age-related changes in structure and function of a ventral prefrontal cortex (VPFC) neural system, that subserves emotion processing and regulation, during mid to later adulthood in individuals with bipolar disorder (BD), compared to healthy controls (HC). It is a 5-year study of age-related changes in mood, emotion regulation and related symptoms and behaviors using multimodality imaging measures [structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of gray matter, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of white matter, and functional MRI measures of functional connectivity and of brain responses during implicit and explicit emotion regulation] comparing BD and HC groups ages 40-79 years, 50% female; a subgroup will be reassessed and rescanned after 2 years to study brain and associated behavioral changes over time. We will explore relationships between brain aging with risk factors implicated in progression. This will include genes, as well as adverse outcomes of progression such as suicide ideation and behavior. As there has been little study of effects of aging of the VPFC emotional circuitry in healthy individuals, findings could provide new insights into brain circuitry and emotional regulation in older adults. In addition to the importance of contributing to understanding BD, as BD is unique in having both elevated and depressive episodes, its study can provide a model for understanding progressive emotion dysregulation to both intervention and prevention that can be better targeted specifically for older individuals with BD. A de-identified blood sample will be sent to the Repository and Genomics Resource.

  Study phs001631

• Impact of Glycolysis Inhibition on the Epigenome of Synovial Fluid T Cells in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

  Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) encompasses a group of childhood-onset autoimmune conditions characterized by joint inflammation and mononuclear cell infiltration, especially of activated CD4+ memory/effector T (Tmem/Teff) cells in synovial fluid (SF). JIA CD4+ T cells exhibit a distinct inflammation-associated epigenomic profile, though the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigates the role of glycolysis in shaping the epigenomic landscape of JIA SF CD4+ T cells, with a focus on H3K27ac histone modifications. Using an ex vivo model of antigen stimulation, CD4+ T cells were isolated from peripheral blood (PB) of healthy controls (HC) and synovial fluid from JIA patients. Cells were activated in vitro with anti-CD3/CD28 for 24 hours, and changes in H3K27ac were assessed by chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-seq). To explore the specific role of glycolysis, cells were also treated with 2-deoxyglucose (2DG), an inhibitor of glucose-6-phosphate production. This inhibition impacted both H3K27ac acetylation patterns and gene expression associated with the activated epigenomic regions. Additionally, HC CD4+ T cells were activated in vitro in the presence of 30% SF or 30% plasma from JIA patients. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed to examine SF-induced transcriptional changes, providing insight into the metabolic dysregulation and epigenomic alterations observed in JIA SF CD4+ T cells. This dataset includes ChIP-seq and RNA-seq data that collectively advance our understanding of how glycolysis and the SF environment contribute to the epigenetic and transcriptional regulation in JIA CD4+ T cells.

  Study EGAS50000000808

• Target sequencing of 27 cancer-predisposing genes and 13 renal cell carcinoma-related genes in Japanese renal cell carcinoma patients

  Identifying causative genes via genetic testing is useful for the screening, prevention, and treatment of cancer. Several hereditary syndromes are known to occur in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, these evidences came from the European population; it remains unclear how the RCC-related genes and other cancer-predisposing genes contribute to the development RCC in the Japanese population. A case-control study of 14 RCC-related genes and 26 cancer-predisposing genes was performed using 1,563 Japanese patients with RCC and 6,016 controls. Patients were divided into two major histological subtypes of clear cell RCC (ccRCC) or non-clear cell RCC (nccRCC). Gene-based analysis of germline pathogenic variants in patients with each subtype and cancer-free subjects was performed. Following quality control, 1,532 patients with RCC and 5,996 controls were further analyzed. For ccRCC, 52 of 1,283 (4.05%) patients carried pathogenic variants mainly in the cancer-predisposing genes such as TP53 (P = 1.73 �� 10-4; OR, 5.8; 95% CI, 2.2���15.7). Approximately 80% of patients with pathogenic variants in TP53 had p.Ala189Val that was specific in East Asian population. For nccRCC, 14 of 249 (5.62%) patients carried pathogenic variants mainly in the RCC-related genes such as BAP1 (P = 6.27 �� 10-5; OR, Inf; 95% CI, 10.0���Inf), and FH (P = 6.27 �� 10-5; OR, Inf; 95% CI, 10.0���Inf). Our study showed different and population-specific contributions of risk genes between ccRCC and nccRCC in Japanese for better-personalized medicine.

  Study JGAS000414

• Case Report: Pre-Clinical Combination Targeting VEGF and PI3K in a Rare, Aggressive Mixed Endometrial Carcinoma

  We report a rare case of a young patient (VENUS 167) initially diagnosed with grade 1 endometrioid endometrial cancer, which, following endocrine treatment, presented with mixed aggressive carcinoma with three distinct histologic patterns: grade 1 endometrioid, large cell neuroendocrine, and undifferentiated carcinoma. The surgical specimen at the time of disease progression was used to establish OPTO.85, a patient-derived organoid (PDO), followed by a corresponding organoid-derived xenograft (ODX). Multi-omic analyses confirmed that OPTO.85 accurately reflected the patient’s tumor characteristics. WES analysis identified oncogenic alterations in PIK3CA, ARID1A, and CTNNB1. Further RNA-seq and ATAC-seq analyses revealed enrichment in VEGF and Wnt signaling pathways, suggesting therapeutic vulnerabilities. A high-throughput drug screen was conducted using ApexBio-Approved and Epigenetic Drug Libraries, along with Kinase Inhibitor and Tool Compound Libraries developed at the Ontario Institute of Cancer Research. The OPTO.85 PDO exhibited sensitivity to PI3K inhibitors and responsiveness to VEGF inhibition. Cediranib demonstrated synergy with BKM120, significantly reducing organoid growth. This combination also showed in vivo efficacy in the ODX model, where dual inhibitors significantly suppressed tumor growth compared to single compounds. This case exemplifies the impact of genomic profiling and patient-derived models in identifying actionable molecular changes in rare cancers with limited therapeutic options and poor prognosis. It highlights that high-throughput sequencing for individual patient tumors and generation of patient-derived models are feasible in endometrial cancer. This preclinical model may assist clinical decision and personalized therapy requiring validation in prospective studies.

  Study EGAS50000001665

• A Single Complex Agpat2 Allele In A Patient With Partial Lipodystrophy

  Genetic lipodystrophies are a group of rare syndromes associated with major metabolic complications - including severe insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and hypertriglyceridemia - which are classified according to the distribution of adipose tissue. Lipodystrophies can be present at birth or develop during life and can range from local to partial and general. With at least 18 different genes implicated so far, definite diagnosis can be challenging due to clinical and genetic heterogeneity. In an adult female patient with clinical and metabolic features of partial lipodystrophy we identified via whole genome sequencing a single complex AGPAT2 allele [V67M;V167A], functionally equivalent to heterozygosity. AGPAT2 encodes for an acyltransferase implicated in the biosynthesis of triacylglycerol and glycerophospholipids. So far homozygous and compound heterozygous mutations in AGPAT2 have only been associated with generalized lipodystrophy. A SNP risk score analysis indicated that the index patient is not predisposed to lipodystrophy based on her genetic background. The partial phenotype in our patient is therefore more likely associated to the genetic variants in AGPAT2. To test whether the resulting double-mutant AGPAT2 protein is functional we analysed its in vitro enzymatic activity via mass spectrometry. The resulting AGPAT2 double mutant is enzymatically inactive. Our data support the view that the current classification of lipodystrophies as strictly local, partial or generalized may have to be re-evaluated and viewed more as a continuum, both in terms of clinical presentation and underlying genetic causes. Better molecular understanding of lipodystrophies may lead to new therapies to treat adipose tissue dysfunction in common and rare diseases.

  Study EGAS00001003177

• Spatial and temporal evolution of distal 10q deletion, a prognostically unfavorable event in diffuse low-grade gliomas

  Background: The disease course of patients with diffuse low-grade glioma is notoriously unpredictable. Temporal and spatially distinct samples may provide insight into the evolution of clinically relevant copy number aberrations (CNAs). The purpose of this study is to identify CNAs that are indicative of aggressive tumor behaviour and can thereby complement the prognostically favorable 1p/19q co-deletion. Results: Genome-wide, 50 base pair single-end, sequencing was performed to detect CNAs in a clinically well-characterized cohort of 98 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded low-grade gliomas. CNAs are correlated with overall survival as an endpoint. Seventy-five additional samples from spatially distinct regions and paired recurrent tumors of the discovery cohort were analysed to interrogate the intratumoral heterogeneity and spatial evolution. Loss of 10q25.2-qter is a frequent subclonal event and significantly correlates with an unfavorable prognosis. A significant correlation is furthermore observed in a validation set of 126 and confirmation set of 184 patients. Loss of 10q25.2-qter arises in a longitudinal manner in paired recurrent tumor specimens, whereas the prognostically favorable 1p/ 19q co-deletion is the only CNA that is stable across spatial regions and recurrent tumors. Conclusions: CNAs in low-grade gliomas display extensive intratumoral heterogeneity. Distal loss of 10q is a late onset event and a marker for reduced overall survival in low-grade glioma patients. Intratumoral heterogeneity and higher frequencies of distal 10q loss in recurrences suggest this event is involved in outgrowth to the recurrent tumor.

  Study EGAS00001000643

• Healthspan and lifespan extension by fecal microbiota transplantation in progeroid mice

  The gut microbiome is emerging as a key regulator of several metabolic, immune and neuroendocrine pathways. Gut microbiome deregulation has been implicated in major conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty acid liver disease or cancer, but its precise role in aging remains to be elucidated. Here, we characterize the gut microbiome profile of accelerated aging and show that its external modulation is sufficient to extend healthspan and lifespan. We found that two different mouse models of progeria present with intestinal dysbiosis, which is characterized, among other alterations, by an increment in proteobacteria, cyanobacteria and a loss in verrucomicrobia, whereas long-lived humans (i.e., centenarians) exhibit a remarkable increase in verrucomicrobia and a reduction in proteobacteria. Fecal microbiota transplantation proved to be effective to enhance healthspan and lifespan in both progeroid mouse models and, more importantly, the solely transplantation with the verrucomicrobia Akkermansia muciniphila was sufficient to exert beneficial effects. Our results demonstrate that intestinal dysbiosis is a phenotype associated with accelerated aging and its correction provides health benefits. Moreover, metabolomic analysis of ileal content points to the restoration of secondary bile acids as a possible mechanism for the beneficial outcome of reestablishing a healthy microbiome. Our results suggest the existence of a link between gut aging and the microbiota, and can help to gain insight into the rationale for microbiome-based interventions against age-related diseases. Mouse sequence data have been deposited in ENA (https://www.ebi.ac.uk/ena) under accession number PRJEB34214

  Study EGAS00001003656