The grapevine guard cell-related VvMYB60 transcription factor is involved in the regulation of stomatal activity and is differentially expressed in response to ABA and osmotic stress

- Background: Under drought, plants accumulate the signaling hormone abscisic acid (ABA), which induces the rapid closure of stomatal pores to prevent water loss. This event is trigged by a series of signals produced inside guard cells which finally reduce their turgor. Many of these events are tightly regulated at the transcriptional level, including the control exerted by MYB proteins. In a previous study, while identifying the grapevine R2R3 MYB family, two closely related genes, VvMYB30 and VvMYB60 were found with high similarity to AtMYB60, an Arabidopsis guard cell-related drought responsive gene. - Results: Promoter-GUS transcriptional fusion assays showed that expression of VvMYB60 was restricted to stomatal guard cells and was attenuated in response to ABA. Unlike VvMYB30, VvMYB60 was able to complement the loss-of-function atmyb60-1 mutant, indicating that VvMYB60 is the only true ortholog of AtMYB60 in the grape genome. In addition, VvMYB60 was differentially regulated during development of grape organs and in response to ABA and drought-related stress conditions. - Conclusions: These results show that VvMYB60 modulates physiological responses in guard cells, leading to the possibility of engineering stomatal conductance in grapevine, reducing water loss and helping this species to tolerate drought under extreme climatic conditions

Clinical relevance of an objective - limit of detection - limit of quantification - based flow cytometry approach for measurable residual disease assessment in acute myeloid leukemia. A post-hoc analysis of the GIMEMA AML1310 trial

Using a multiparametric flow cytometry (MFC) assay, we assessed the predictive power of a threshold calculated applying the criteria of limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) in adult patients affected with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). This was a post-hoc analysis of 261 patients enrolled in the GIMEMA AML1310 prospective trial. According to the protocol design, using the predefined MRD threshold of 0.035% bone marrow residual leukemic cell (RLC) calculated on mononuclear cells, 154 (59%) were negative (MRD<0.035%) and 107 (41%) were positive (MRD≥0.035%). Using LOD and LOQ, we selected the following categories of patients: 1) LODneg if RLC were below LOD (74; 28.4%); 2) LODpos-LOQneg if RLC were between LOD and LOQ (43; 16.5%); and 3) LOQpos if RLC were above LOQ (144; 54.4%). Two-year overall survival (OS) of these 3 categories was 75.4% vs. 79.8% vs. 66.4%, respectively (p=0.1197). Due to superimposable outcome, LODneg and LODpos-LOQneg categories were combined. Two-year OS of LODneg/LODpos- LOQneg patients was 77.0% versus 66.4% of LOQpos individuals (P=0.043). Such a figure was challenged in multivariate analysis (p=0.048, HR 0.628, 95% CI 0.396-0.997) that confirmed the independent role of LOD-LOQ approach in influencing OS. In the AML1310 protocol, using the threshold of 0.035%, 2-year OS of MRD<0.035% and MRD≥0.035% patients was 74.5% vs. 66.4%, respectively (p=0.3521). In conclusion, the use of LOD-LOQ method results in a more sensitive detection of MRD that, in turn, translates in a more accurate recognition of patients with different outcome

Use of Measurable Residual Disease to Evolve Transplant Policy in Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A 20-Year Monocentric Observation

Measurable residual disease (MRD) is increasingly employed as a biomarker of quality of complete remission (CR) in intensively treated acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. We evaluated if a MRD-driven transplant policy improved outcome as compared to a policy solely relying on a familiar donor availability. High-risk patients (adverse karyotype, FLT3-ITD) received allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (alloHCT) whereas for intermediate and low risk ones (CBF-AML and NPM1-mutated), alloHCT or autologous SCT was delivered depending on the post-consolidation measurable residual disease (MRD) status, as assessed by flow cytometry. For comparison, we analyzed a matched historical cohort of patients in whom alloHCT was delivered based on the sole availability of a matched sibling donor. Ten-years overall and disease-free survival were longer in the MRD-driven cohort as compared to the historical cohort (47.7% vs. 28.7%, p = 0.012 and 42.0% vs. 19.5%, p = 0.0003). The favorable impact of this MRD-driven strategy was evident for the intermediate-risk category, particularly for MRD positive patients. In the low-risk category, the significantly lower CIR of the MRD-driven cohort did not translate into a survival advantage. In conclusion, a MRD-driven transplant allocation may play a better role than the one based on the simple donor availability. This approach determines a superior outcome of intermediate-risk patients whereat in low-risk ones a careful evaluation is needed for transplant allocation

HER2-Displaying M13 Bacteriophages induce Therapeutic Immunity against Breast Cancer

The advent of trastuzumab has significantly improved the prognosis of HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer patients; nevertheless, drug resistance limits its clinical benefit. Anti-HER2 active immunotherapy represents an attractive alternative strategy, but effective immunization needs to overcome the patient's immune tolerance against the self-HER2. Phage display technology, taking advantage of phage intrinsic immunogenicity, permits one to generate effective cancer vaccines able to break immune tolerance to self-antigens. In this study, we demonstrate that both preventive and therapeutic vaccination with M13 bacteriophages, displaying the extracellular (EC) and transmembrane (TM) domains of human HER2 or its Δ16HER2 splice variant on their surface (ECTM and Δ16ECTM phages), delayed mammary tumor onset and reduced tumor growth rate and multiplicity in ∆16HER2 transgenic mice, which are tolerant to human ∆16HER2. This antitumor protection correlated with anti-HER2 antibody production. The molecular mechanisms underlying the anticancer effect of vaccine-elicited anti-HER2 antibodies were analyzed in vitro against BT-474 human breast cancer cells, sensitive or resistant to trastuzumab. Immunoglobulins (IgG) purified from immune sera reduced cell viability mainly by impairing ERK phosphorylation and reactivating retinoblastoma protein function in both trastuzumab-sensitive and -resistant BT-474 cells. In conclusion, we demonstrated that phage-based HER2 vaccines impair mammary cancer onset and progression, opening new perspectives for HER2+ breast cancer treatment

Clinical significance of occult central nervous system disease in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A multicenter report from the Campus ALL Network

In acute lymphoblastic leukemia, flow cytometry detects more accurately leukemic cells in patients' cerebrospinal fluid compared to conventional cytology. However, the clinical significance of flow cytometry positivity with a negative cytology - occult central nervous system disease - is not clear. In the framework of the national Campus ALL program, we retrospectively evaluated the incidence of occult central nervous system disease and its impact on outcome in 240 adult patients with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia. All cerebrospinal fluid samples were investigated by conventional cytology and flow cytometry. The presence of ≥10 phenotypically abnormal events, forming a cluster, was considered as flow cytometry positivity. No central nervous system involvement was documented in 179 patients, while 18 were positive by conventional morphology and 43 were occult central nervous system disease positive. The relapse rate was significantly lower in central nervous system disease negative patients and the disease-free and overall survival were significantly longer in central nervous system disease negative patients than in those with manifest or occult central nervous system disease positive. In multivariate analysis, the status of manifest and occult central nervous system disease positivity was independently associated with a worse overall survival. In conclusion, we demonstrate that in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients at diagnosis flow cytometry can detect occult central nervous system disease at high sensitivity and that the status of occult central nervous system disease positivity is associated with an adverse outcome. (Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03803670

Disease-specific and general health-related quality of life in newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients: The Pros-IT CNR study

Background: The National Research Council (CNR) prostate cancer monitoring project in Italy (Pros-IT CNR) is an observational, prospective, ongoing, multicentre study aiming to monitor a sample of Italian males diagnosed as new cases of prostate cancer. The present study aims to present data on the quality of life at time prostate cancer is diagnosed. Methods: One thousand seven hundred five patients were enrolled. Quality of life is evaluated at the time cancer was diagnosed and at subsequent assessments via the Italian version of the University of California Los Angeles-Prostate Cancer Index (UCLA-PCI) and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). Results: At diagnosis, lower scores on the physical component of the SF-12 were associated to older ages, obesity and the presence of 3+ moderate/severe comorbidities. Lower scores on the mental component were associated to younger ages, the presence of 3+ moderate/severe comorbidities and a T-score higher than one. Urinary and bowel functions according to UCLA-PCI were generally good. Almost 5% of the sample reported using at least one safety pad daily to control urinary loss; less than 3% reported moderate/severe problems attributable to bowel functions, and sexual function was a moderate/severe problem for 26.7%. Diabetes, 3+ moderate/severe comorbidities, T2 or T3-T4 categories and a Gleason score of eight or more were significantly associated with lower sexual function scores at diagnosis. Conclusions: Data collected by the Pros-IT CNR study have clarified the baseline status of newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients. A comprehensive assessment of quality of life will allow to objectively evaluate outcomes of different profile of care

Progress of Molecular Targeted Therapies for Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a crucial role in tumor angiogenesis. VEGF expression in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) is mostly regulated by hypoxia, predominantly via the hypoxia-induced factor (HIF)/Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) pathway. Advances in our knowledge of VEGF role in tumor angiogenesis, growth, and progression have permitted development of new approaches for the treatment of mRCC, including several agents targeting VEGF and VEGF receptors: tyrosine kinase pathway, serine/threonine kinases, α5β1-integrin, deacetylase, CD70, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), AKT, and phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase (PI3K). Starting from sorafenib and sunitinib, several targeted therapies have been approved for mRCC treatment, with a long list of agents in course of evaluation, such as tivozanib, cediranib, and VEGF-Trap. Here we illustrate the main steps of tumor angiogenesis process, defining the pertinent therapeutic targets and the efficacy and toxicity profiles of these new promising agents

Correction: Liberati, S., et al. Loss of TRPV2 Homeostatic Control of Cell Proliferation Drives Tumor Progression. Cells 2014, 3, 112–128

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [1]: [...