Are paraspinous intramuscular injections of botulinum toxin a (BoNT-A) efficient in the treatment of chronic low-back pain? A randomised, double-blinded crossover trial

Abstract Background Treatment for patients with chronic low-back pain (LBP) is a public health issue. Intramuscular injections of botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) have shown an analgesic effect on LBP in two previous randomized controlled studies. The objective of the study was to verify the efficacy of paravertebral injections of BoNT-A in patients with LBP. Methods Patients were included in this phase 3 randomized double-blinded trial comparing the efficacy of BoNT-A versus placebo in a crossover study on LBP. Both groups received 200 units of BoNT-A in paravertebral muscles or a placebo, and vice versa at Day 120. The main judgment criterion was LBP intensity 1 month after the injections, evaluated by using a visual pain scale (VAS). Secondary assessment criteria included: LBP intensity 90 and 120 days after injection day; number of days when an allowed antalgic oral treatment was needed in between each evaluation; functional disability measured by the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale; quality of life; inability to work; patient satisfaction in relation to the treatment’s effect; spinal mobility; and strength of spinal muscles, measured by isokinetic technique. Results Nineteen patients completed the study. There was no significant difference between the groups’ average LBP during the last 8 days at Day30 (p = 0.97). There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding the secondary assessment criteria (p > 0.05). Conclusions Injections of BoNT-A in the paravertebral muscles were not found to be effective to relieve chronic LBP. The limits of the study are that the dose of BoNT-A used was lower than in other studies, and that the limited number of patients included may explain the negative results. Trial registrations Identifiers: NCT03181802 . Unique Protocol ID: CHUBX2003

IgH 3’ regulatory region increases ectopic class switch recombination

International audienceDNA lesions inflicted by activation-induced deaminase (AID) instrumentally initiate the processes reshaping immunoglobulin genes in mature B-cells, from local somatic hypermutation (SHM) to junctions of distant breaks during class switch recombination (CSR). It remains incompletely understood how these divergent outcomes of AID attacks are differentially and temporally focused, with CSR strictly occurring in the Ig heavy chain ( IgH ) locus while SHM concentrates on rearranged V(D)J regions in the IgH and Ig light chain loci. In the IgH locus, disruption of either the 3’Regulatory Region (3’RR) super-enhancer or of switch (S) regions preceding constant genes, profoundly affects CSR. Reciprocally, we now examined if these elements are sufficient to induce CSR in a synthetic locus based on the Igκ locus backbone. Addition of a surrogate “core 3’RR” (c3’RR) and of a pair of transcribed and spliced Switch regions, together with a reporter system for “κ-CSR” yielded a switchable Igκ locus. While the c3’RR stimulated SHM at S regions, it also lowered the local SHM threshold necessary for switch recombination to occur. The 3’RR thus both helps recruit AID to initiate DNA lesions, but then also promotes their resolution through long-distance synapses and recombination following double-strand breaks

Genotype of 86 Toxoplasma gondii Isolates Associated with Human Congenital Toxoplasmosis, and Correlation with Clinical Findings

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Glomerulosclerosis and kidney failure in a mouse model of monoclonal immunoglobulin light-chain deposition disease

Abstract Light chain deposition disease (LCDD) is a rare disorder characterized by glomerular and peritubular amorphous deposits of a monoclonal immunoglobulin (Ig) light chain (LC), leading to nodular glomerulosclerosis and nephrotic syndrome. We developed a transgenic model using site-directed insertion of the variable domain of a pathogenic human LC gene into the mouse Ig kappa locus, ensuring its production by all plasma cells. High free LC levels were achieved after backcrossing with mice presenting increased plasma cell differentiation and no Ig heavy chain (HC) production. Our mouse model recapitulates the characteristic features of LCDD, including progressive glomerulosclerosis, nephrotic-range proteinuria and finally, kidney failure. The variable domain of the LC bears alone the structural properties involved in its pathogenicity. RNA sequencing conducted on plasma cells demonstrated that LCDD LC induces endoplasmic reticulum stress, likely accounting for the high efficiency of proteasome inhibitor-based therapy. Accordingly, reduction of circulating pathogenic LC was efficiently achieved and not only preserved renal function, but partially reversed kidney lesions. Finally, transcriptome analysis of pre-sclerotic glomeruli revealed that proliferation and extracellular matrix remodelling represented the first steps of glomerulosclerosis, paving the way for future therapeutic strategies in LCDD and other kidney diseases featuring diffuse glomerulosclerosis, particularly diabetic nephropathy

Livre Blanc : Les appuis français à l’organisation du monde rural en Afrique

Synthèse du groupe de travail "Accompagnement de l'organisation du monde rural" du MAE, Ministère de la Coopération et AFDLe groupe de travail "Accompagnement de l'organisation du monde rural" s'est réuni pendant près d'un an et demi, de janvier 1997 à juin 1998.Il s'est constitué à l'initiative du Ministère des Affaires Étrangères, du Ministère délégué à la Coopération et à la Francophonie et de la Caisse Française de Développement (selon les dénominations de l'époque), suite à un bilan interne de la coopération française dans le domaine de l'appui à l'organisation du monde agricole. Il a rassemblé une vingtaine de représentants d'organismes français acteurs de l'accompagnementde l'organisation du monde agricole au Sud.Les objectifs du travail du groupe étaient (1) de passer en revue les actions d'accompagnement de l’organisation du monde agricole menées par les acteurs français, publics et privés (les actions d’appui au développement local et aux systèmes de financement décentralisés n’ont pas étéprises en compte) ; (2) de tenter de mieux structurer l'offre française dans ce domaine et (3) de proposer de nouvelles approches opérationnelles afin de rendre plus efficaces les actions engagées et à venir.Il s’agissait donc essentiellement d’objectifs d’ordre opérationnel : améliorerl’offre française et accroître son efficacité.Ce livre blanc est la synthèse de ces travau

Exome sequencing as a first-tier test for copy number variant detection: retrospective evaluation and prospective screening in 2418 cases

International audienceBackground Despite the availability of whole exome (WES) and genome sequencing (WGS), chromosomal microarray (CMA) remains the first-line diagnostic test in most rare disorders diagnostic workup, looking for copy number variations (CNVs), with a diagnostic yield of 10%–20%. The question of the equivalence of CMA and WES in CNV calling is an organisational and economic question, especially when ordering a WGS after a negative CMA and/or WES. Methods This study measures the equivalence between CMA and GATK4 exome sequencing depth of coverage method in detecting coding CNVs on a retrospective cohort of 615 unrelated individuals. A prospective detection of WES-CNV on a cohort of 2418 unrelated individuals, including the 615 individuals from the validation cohort, was performed. Results On the retrospective validation cohort, every CNV detectable by the method (ie, a CNV with at least one exon not in a dark zone) was accurately called (64/64 events). In the prospective cohort, 32 diagnoses were performed among the 2418 individuals with CNVs ranging from 704 bp to aneuploidy. An incidental finding was reported. The overall increase in diagnostic yield was of 1.7%, varying from 1.2% in individuals with multiple congenital anomalies to 1.9% in individuals with chronic kidney failure. Conclusion Combining single-nucleotide variant (SNV) and CNV detection increases the suitability of exome sequencing as a first-tier diagnostic test for suspected rare Mendelian disorders. Before considering the prescription of a WGS after a negative WES, a careful reanalysis with updated CNV calling and SNV annotation should be considered