Geometric morphometrics reveals shifts in flower shape symmetry and size following gene knockdown of CYCLOIDEA and ANTHOCYANIDIN SYNTHASE

Peer reviewe

Patients' preferences for subcutaneous trastuzumab versus conventional intravenous infusion for the adjuvant treatment of HER2-positive early breast cancer: final analysis of 488 patients in the international, randomized, two-cohort PrefHer study

PrefHer revealed compelling and consistent patient preference for subcutaneous (s.c.) trastuzumab, regardless of delivery by single-use injection device or hand-held syringe. s.c. trastuzumab was well-tolerated and safety data, including immunogenicity, were consistent with previous reports. No new safety signals were identified compared with the known intravenous trastuzumab profile in early breast cance

Characterization, transport, and magnetic properties of Co/Pd multilayers produced by pulsed laser deposition

Metallic Co/Pd multilayers with equal layer thickness and periods ranging from 5 to 150 A were deposited using pulsed laser deposition. They have an fcc (111) texture and the diffraction patterns give clear evidence of a modulated period structure. From the period dependence of the in-plane electrical resistivity a diffuse interface between cobalt and palladium of thickness b= 6 ± 2 Å has been deduced. Magnetic, magnetoresistance, and Kerr-effect measurements indicate in-plane magnetization. In low fields (B0 \u3c 10 mT) the magnetoresistanceis highly anisotropic, varying by ~2% in the transverse configuration and + 1% in the longitudinal configuration due to orbital moment of cobalt in the interface region. The shape of the Kerr-effect major hysteresis loop can be explained by the in-plane component of the anisotropy of the cobalt layers

Evaluation of the antitumor activity of interleukin-12 in an experimental murine model of colorectal cancer induced by 1,2 dimethylhydrazine (DMH) Estudio de la respuesta antitumoral de la interleucina-12 en cáncer de colon inducido mediante 1,2-dimetilhidracina (DMH)

Objective: interlukin 12 (IL-12) is a cytokine that may enhance the proliferation and cytotoxic activity of T lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells. A relationship between extensive intratumoral infiltration of NK cells and longer survival rates in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients was previously noted. Preliminary evidence suggests that the combined administration of IL-12 and IL-2 may produce additive immunomodulatory activity. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the systemic administration of IL-12 (+/- IL-2) may induce an immune response against CRC as induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH). Methods: sixty-five 6-week-old Wistar rats were treated with weekly subcutaneous injections of DMH for 26 weeks at a dose of 20 mg/kg of body weight. Once tumoral induction was over, the animals were randomly allocated to one of three groups: I, control; II, intraperitoneal injections of IL-12; III, intraperitoneal injections of IL-12 combined with IL-2. At 30 weeks, all surviving animals were sacrificed. We studied the following parameters in each rat - number of tumors, size of tumors, and total tumoral volume.Tumor samples were studied using the monoclonal antibody CD 57 for the detection of NK cells. The extent of NK infiltration was classified as small, less than 50 NK cells/50 high-power field (HPF); moderate, 50 to 150 NK cells/50 HPF, and extensive, more than 150 NK cells/50 HPF. Results: thirty-five rats died before completion of the carcinogen exposure, and 30 rats were randomized (10 each group). In group II, 2 animals died during treatment. All rats in groups I and III developed tumors, while in group II two rats (25%) were tumor-free. Moreover, only one rat in group II developed multiple neoplasms, in contrast with group I and group III, where six rats (60%) and seven rats (70%), respectively, had more than one tumor. We found statistically significant differences in the mean number of tumors found in group II when compared to group I (p=0.028) and group III (p = 0.019). Other parameters measured, such as biggest tumor size and total tumoral volume were found to be lower in group II, although no statistical differences were found between groups. Only 10% of rats in group I showed moderated/extensive NK cell infiltration, vs. 60% of rats in group II (p = 0.077) and 70% in group III (p = 0.02). Conclusion: The administration of DMH to rodents provides a reliable and consistent means of inducing CRC that may be suitable for the evaluation of anti-cancer therapies. Our findings suggest that IL-12 is effective against the development of experimental CRC. Its antineoplastic effect could be attributed to the stimulus of this cytokine on the intratumoral infiltration of NK cells.Objetivo: la interleucina (IL-12) es una citocina que estimula la proliferación y la actividad citotóxica de los linfocito T y las células natural killer (NK). En trabajos previos se ha observado una relación entre la infiltración intratumoral de células NK y una mayor supervivencia en carcinomas colorrectales (CCR). Existen evidencias de un efecto aditivo en la actividad inmunomoduladora de la asociación de IL-12 con IL-2. Así, nos hemos propuesto el estudio de la capacidad de respuesta inmune antitumoral, tras la administración sistémica de IL-12 sola o combinada con IL-2, en un modelo experimental de CCR inducidos mediante la administración de 1,2-dimetilhidracina (DMH). Método: sesenta y cinco ratas Wistar de 6 semanas a las que se administró en inyección subcutánea una dosis semanal de DMH a razón de 20 mg/kg de peso durante 26 semanas. Finalizado el periodo de inducción, los animales se distribuyeron aleatoriamente en tres grupos. I: grupo control. Grupo II, se administró IL-12 recombinante murina. Grupo III: se administró IL-12, combinada con IL-2. Las ratas se sacrificaron en la semana 30, estudiándose los siguientes parámetros: número y localización de tumores, tamaño y carga tumoral. Se realizó inmunotinción para células NK con anticuerpo monoclonal CD 57. Se establecieron tres grupos según la cuantía del infiltrado: leve, menos 50 células/50 campos de gran aumento (CGA), moderado, entre 50 y 150/células/50 CGA y elevado, más de 150 células/50 CGA. Resultados: durante la inducción tumoral fallecieron 35 ratas. Las 30 restantes fueron distribuidas aleatoriamente en 3 grupos de 10. Durante las 2 semanas de tratamiento fallecieron 2 ratas, del grupo II. Todas las ratas de los grupos I y III desarrollaron CCR. En el grupo II, dos animales (25%) no desarrollaron tumor. Sólo una rata del grupo II desarrolló neoplasias múltiples en contraste con el grupo I en el que esto ocurrió en 6 ratas (60%) y siete (70%) en el grupo III. Se hallaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en el número de tumores desarrollados entre el grupo II respecto al I (p = 0,028) y al grupo III (p = 0,019). El mayor tamaño tumoral o el volumen tumoral total fueron menores en el grupo II pero no se obtuvieron diferencias estadísticamente significativas con los restantes grupos. Un 10% de las ratas del grupo I presentó moderada o extensa infiltración, frente al 60% del grupo II (p = 0,077) y al 70% del grupo III (p = 0,02). Entre los grupos II y III no se encontró ninguna diferencia estadística (p = 1). Conclusión: El modelo usado de inducción tumoral es un modelo útil para el estudio de la eficacia de distintos tratamientos antitumorales. Pensamos que la IL-12 tiene un efecto antineoplásico frente al desarrollo de tumores experimentales, lo que puede ser atribuido, al menos en parte, al estímulo ejercido por esta citocina sobre los infiltrados intratumorales de células NK

Use of bevacizumab as a first-line treatment for metastatic breast cancer

Roche Farm