Developmental Dysfunction of the Central Nervous System Lymphatics Modulates the Adaptive Neuro-Immune Response in the Perilesional Cortex in a Mouse Model of Traumatic Brain Injury

Rationale The recently discovered meningeal lymphatic vessels (mLVs) have been proposed to be the missing link between the immune and the central nervous system. The role of mLVs in modulating the neuro-immune response following a traumatic brain injury (TBI), however, has not been analyzed. Parenchymal T lymphocyte infiltration has been previously reported as part of secondary events after TBI, suggestive of an adaptive neuro-immune response. The phenotype of these cells has remained mostly uncharacterized. In this study, we identified subpopulations of T cells infiltrating the perilesional areas 30 days post-injury (an early-chronic time point). Furthermore, we analyzed how the lack of mLVs affects the magnitude and the type of T cell response in the brain after TBI. Methods TBI was induced in K14-VEGFR3-Ig transgenic (TG) mice or in their littermate controls (WT; wild type), applying a controlled cortical impact (CCI). One month after TBI, T cells were isolated from cortical areas ipsilateral or contralateral to the trauma and from the spleen, then characterized by flow cytometry. Lesion size in each animal was evaluated by MRI. Results In both WT and TG-CCI mice, we found a prominent T cell infiltration in the brain confined to the perilesional cortex and hippocampus. The majority of infiltrating T cells were cytotoxic CD8+ expressing a CD44(hi)CD69+ phenotype, suggesting that these are effector resident memory T cells. K14-VEGFR3-Ig mice showed a significant reduction of infiltrating CD4+ T lymphocytes, suggesting that mLVs could be involved in establishing a proper neuro-immune response. Extension of the lesion (measured as lesion volume from MRI) did not differ between the genotypes. Finally, TBI did not relate to alterations in peripheral circulating T cells, as assessed one month after injury. Conclusions Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that mLVs are involved in the neuro-immune response after TBI. We also defined the resident memory CD8+ T cells as one of the main population activated within the brain after a traumatic injury.Peer reviewe

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening and follow-up investigations in Māori and non-Māori men in New Zealand

Text. Pairwise sequence alignment between human SCN9A and homologous genes. (DOCX 34 kb

Konseptual Framework Untuk Pengukuran Kualitas Website Pada Sistem Informasi Akademik Dengan Metode Gqm

Konseptual framework yang diusulkan dalam penelitian ini berupa model konseptual yang merupakan gambaran proses pengukuran kualitas beserta tahapan yang dilakukan dalam pengukuran kualitas website sistem informasi akademik. Model konseptual yang sudah ada selama ini masih bersifat luas dan tidak spesifik pada domain tertentu. Terdapat banyak website yang dibangun oleh web developer, namun masih sedikit yang dibangun sesuai dengan kebutuhan pengguna. Salah satu website online dibidang pendidikan adalah sistem informasi akademik. Sistem informasi akademik merupakan layanan website oleh universitas dalam menyediakan informasi dan pengelolaan data-data akademik. Karakteristik dari sistem informasi akademik adalah academic content, periodic acccessibility, level of user authority, precission dan accurateness. Beberapa dari karakteristik tersebut kemudian dipetakan kedalam faktor-faktor kualitas yang diadopsi dari berbagai model, seperti ISO-9126, Website quality Model, dan academic website quality model. akademik. Hasil pemetaan tersebut memperoleh 5 faktor kualitas yang diusulkan untuk melakukan pengukuran kualitas, yaitu USAbility, functionality, content, efficiency dan reliability. Kelima faktor kualitas ini dijadikan sebagai tujuan pengukuran. Metode GQM digunakan untuk memperoleh metric internal agar menghasilkan pengukuran yang objektif dan kuantitatif. Metric-metric yang dihasilkan dari metode GQM divalidasi dengan menggunakan validasi empiris. Metric internal produk diterapkan dalam studi kasus sistem informasi akademik berbasis web universitas di Pekanbaru. Hasil validasi dari framework pengukuran yang dibangun adalah memiliki nilai baik pada faktor kualitas functionality, content dan reliability, dan nilai cukup pada faktor kualitas USAbility dan efficiency

Preclinical and clinical characterization of fibroblast-derived neuregulin-1 on trastuzumab and pertuzumab activity in HER2-positive breast cancer

[Purpose]: To characterize expression of neuregulin-1 (NRG1), an HER3 ligand, in HER2-positive breast cancer and its relation with the efficacy of trastuzumab with or without pertuzumab.[Experimental Design]: Characterization of NRG1 expression in tumor cell lines, in tumor specimens, and in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Patient-derived CAFs were used to investigate NRG1 impact on the activity of trastuzumab with or without pertuzumab in HER2-positive breast cancer cells. The relationship between NRG1 expression and pathologic response to anti-HER2–based neoadjuvant therapy was assessed in a retrospective patient cohort and in the NeoSphere trial.[Results]: NRG1 was expressed in HER2-positive breast cancer–derived fibroblasts at significantly higher levels than in cancer cells. NRG1 and the conditioned media (CM) from CAFs phosphorylated HER3 and AKT in cancer cells and mediated trastuzumab resistance. Stable genetic depletion of NRG1 from CAFs overcame trastuzumab resistance. Pertuzumab effectively suppressed trastuzumab resistance mediated by either NRG1 or CAF's CM. NRG1 engaged an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition that was prevented by trastuzumab and pertuzumab. In clinical samples, stromal and/or tumor cell expression of NRG1 determined by immunohistochemistry was uncommon (13.2%) yet significantly linked with residual disease following trastuzumab-based neoadjuvant therapy. In the NeoSphere trial, the magnitude of the difference of pathologic complete response rates favoring the pertuzumab arm was higher in the NRG1-high group.[Conclusions]: CAF-derived NRG1 mediates trastuzumab resistance through HER3/AKT, which might be reverted by pertuzumab. In patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, high expression of NRG1 was associated to poor response to trastuzumab, but not in combination with pertuzumab.This work is supported by ISCIII (CIBERONC CB16/12/00481, CB16/12/00241, PI18/00382, PI18/00006, PI18/01219 and by Generalitat de Catalunya (2017 SGR 507). S. Menendez is supported by Department de Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya (PERIS SLT006/17/00040). MARBiobanc is supported by ISCiii/FEDER (PT17/0015/0011) and by “Xarxa de Bancs de tumors” sponsored by Pla Director d’ Oncologia de Catalunya (XBTC) and Fundacion Jimenez Díaz Biobanks Platform by PT13/0010/0012 grant. Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain (BFU2015-71371-R) and the CRIS Cancer Foundation provides support to A. Pandiella. Work carried out in our laboratories receive support from the European Community through the Regional Development Funding Program (FEDER). J.C. Montero is funded by the ISCIII through a Miguel Servet program (CPII17/00015) and receives research support from the same institution (PI18/00796). J. Albanell is supported by Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF20-08), Instituto de Salud Carlos III Project Reference number AC15/00062 and the EC under the framework of the ERA-NET TRANSCAN-2 initiative co-financed by FEDER, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CB16/12/00449 and PI19/01181), and Asociacion Espanola Contra el Cáncer (AECC)

Representative micrographs showing immunolocalization of alarmins (A) HMGB1 and (B) HMGB2 in IIM and controls.

<p>Both HMGB1 and HMGB2 are highly expressed in all IIM samples, mainly in association with immune infiltrates (white arrows), blood vessels (blue arrows), nuclei of myofibers, and occasionally with muscle fiber cytoplasm (white asterisks). Both HMGB1 and 2 co-localize with LC3 in association with muscle infiltrating cells and myofibers (white asterisks). In control muscle LC3 and HMGB1 and HMGB2 staining is weak or absent. Original magnification x40; bar: 20 µm.</p

Interaction among HSP60, LC3 and TLR4 in IIM and control muscles.

<p>(<b>A</b>) LC3-positive autophagosomes (red) are present in infiltrating cells (white arrow), within muscle fibers (asterisks), and blood vessels (blue arrows) (<b>A</b>, top panel). Vesicles positive for endogenous HSP60 (green) and LC3 (red) are present mainly in association with infiltrates and capillaries (<b>A</b>, top panel). Cells positive for bacterial HSP60 (green) in IIM muscles are also immunopositive for LC3 (red) (<b>A</b>, top panel). (<b>B</b>) Endogenous HSP60 (green) co-expresses with TLR4 (red) on some muscle fibers (asterisks), blood vessels (blue arrows) and in extracellular matrix (yellow arrows). Original magnification x40; bar: 20 µm. Original magnification of the insets x120; bars: 5 µm (PM) and 10 µm (sIBM).</p

Endogenous and bacterial HSP60 in IIM and control muscles.

<p>Endogenous HSP60 is highly expressed in all IIM (<b>A–C</b>), mainly in association with inflammatory infiltrates (white arrows), vascular endothelial cells (red asterisk), myofibers surrounded or invaded by immune infiltrates (yellow arrow). In control muscles only occasional capillaries were positive for endogenous HSP60 (<b>D</b>). Bacterial HSP60 was occasionally observed associated with muscle infiltrates in all IIM muscles (<b>E–G</b>), particularly PM (<b>E</b>) and sIBM (<b>F</b>), but not controls (<b>H</b>). Original magnification x40; bar: 20 µm.</p

Autophagy, Inflammation and Innate Immunity in Inflammatory Myopathies

<div><p>Autophagy has a large range of physiological functions and its dysregulation contributes to several human disorders, including autoinflammatory/autoimmune diseases such as inflammatory myopathies (IIMs). In order to better understand the pathogenetic mechanisms of these muscular disorders, we sought to define the role of autophagic processes and their relation with the innate immune system in the three main subtypes of IIM, specifically sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM), polymyositis (PM), dermatomyositis (DM) and juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM). We found that although the mRNA transcript levels of the autophagy-related genes BECN1, ATG5 and FBXO32 were similar in IIM and controls, autophagy activation in all IIM subgroups was suggested by immunoblotting results and confirmed by immunofluorescence. TLR4 and TLR3, two potent inducers of autophagy, were highly increased in IIM, with TLR4 transcripts significantly more expressed in PM and DM than in JDM, sIBM and controls, and TLR3 transcripts highly up-regulated in all IIM subgroups compared to controls. Co-localization between autophagic marker, LC3, and TLR4 and TLR3 was observed not only in sIBM but also in PM, DM and JDM muscle tissues. Furthermore, a highly association with the autophagic processes was observed in all IIM subgroups also for some TLR4 ligands, endogenous and bacterial HSP60, other than the high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1). These findings indicate that autophagic processes are active not only in sIBM but also in PM, DM and JDM, probably in response to an exogenous or endogenous ‘danger signal’. However, autophagic activation and regulation, and also interaction with the innate immune system, differ in each type of IIM. Better understanding of these differences may lead to new therapies for the different IIM types.</p></div

Post-translational dysfunctions in channelopathies of the nervous system

International audienc

Co-localization of HLA-DR (MHC class II cell surface receptor) with LC3 in IIM and controls.

<p>HLA-DR positivity is present on the sarcolemma of some muscle fibers (blue arrows), particularly those close to inflammatory infiltrates in PM and sIBM, and in association with vascular endothelial cells, particularly in DM and JDM (asterisks). HLA-DR-positive myofibers contain LC3-positive vesicles (white arrows) or are close to LC3-positive infiltrating cells (blue star). In control muscles, both positivity for HLA-DR and for LC3 is weak or absent. Original magnification x40; bar: 20 µm.</p