EVI1 activation in blast crisis CML due to juxtaposition to the rare 17q22 partner region as part of a 4-way variant translocation t(9;22)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Variant translocations t(9;22) occur in 5 to 10% of newly diagnosed CMLs and additional genetic changes are present in 60–80% of patients in blast crisis (BC). Here, we report on a CML patient in blast crisis presenting with a four-way variant t(9;22) rearrangement involving the <it>EVI1 </it>locus.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Dual-colour Fluorescence In Situ Hybridisation was performed to unravel the different cytogenetic aberrations. Expression levels of <it>EVI1 </it>and <it>BCR/ABL1 </it>were investigated using real-time quantitative RT-PCR.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this paper we identified a patient with a complex 4-way t(3;9;17;22) which, in addition to <it>BCR/ABL1 </it>gene fusion, also resulted in <it>EVI1 </it>rearrangement and overexpression.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This report illustrates how a variant t(9;22) translocation can specifically target a second oncogene most likely contributing to the more aggressive phenotype of the disease. Molecular analysis of such variants is thus warranted to understand the phenotypic consequences and to open the way for combined molecular therapies in order to tackle the secondary oncogenic effect which is unresponsive to imatinib treatment.</p

The microaerophilic microbiota of de-novo paediatric inflammatory bowel disease: the BISCUIT study

&lt;p&gt;Introduction: Children presenting for the first time with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) offer a unique opportunity to study aetiological agents before the confounders of treatment. Microaerophilic bacteria can exploit the ecological niche of the intestinal epithelium; Helicobacter and Campylobacter are previously implicated in IBD pathogenesis. We set out to study these and other microaerophilic bacteria in de-novo paediatric IBD.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Patients and Methods: 100 children undergoing colonoscopy were recruited including 44 treatment naïve de-novo IBD patients and 42 with normal colons. Colonic biopsies were subjected to microaerophilic culture with Gram-negative isolates then identified by sequencing. Biopsies were also PCR screened for the specific microaerophilic bacterial groups: Helicobacteraceae, Campylobacteraceae and Sutterella wadsworthensis.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Results: 129 Gram-negative microaerophilic bacterial isolates were identified from 10 genera. The most frequently cultured was S. wadsworthensis (32 distinct isolates). Unusual Campylobacter were isolated from 8 subjects (including 3 C. concisus, 1 C. curvus, 1 C. lari, 1 C. rectus, 3 C. showae). No Helicobacter were cultured. When comparing IBD vs. normal colon control by PCR the prevalence figures were not significantly different (Helicobacter 11% vs. 12%, p = 1.00; Campylobacter 75% vs. 76%, p = 1.00; S. wadsworthensis 82% vs. 71%, p = 0.312).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Conclusions: This study offers a comprehensive overview of the microaerophilic microbiota of the paediatric colon including at IBD onset. Campylobacter appear to be surprisingly common, are not more strongly associated with IBD and can be isolated from around 8% of paediatric colonic biopsies. S. wadsworthensis appears to be a common commensal. Helicobacter species are relatively rare in the paediatric colon.&lt;/p&gt

Identification of Novel Predictor Classifiers for Inflammatory Bowel Disease by Gene Expression Profiling

BACKGROUND: Improvement of patient quality of life is the ultimate goal of biomedical research, particularly when dealing with complex, chronic and debilitating conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This is largely dependent on receiving an accurate and rapid diagnose, an effective treatment and in the prediction and prevention of side effects and complications. The low sensitivity and specificity of current markers burden their general use in the clinical practice. New biomarkers with accurate predictive ability are needed to achieve a personalized approach that take the inter-individual differences into consideration. METHODS: We performed a high throughput approach using microarray gene expression profiling of colon pinch biopsies from IBD patients to identify predictive transcriptional signatures associated with intestinal inflammation, differential diagnosis (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis), response to glucocorticoids (resistance and dependence) or prognosis (need for surgery). Class prediction was performed with self-validating Prophet software package. RESULTS: Transcriptional profiling divided patients in two subgroups that associated with degree of inflammation. Class predictors were identified with predictive accuracy ranging from 67 to 100%. The expression accuracy was confirmed by real time-PCR quantification. Functional analysis of the predictor genes showed that they play a role in immune responses to bacteria (PTN, OLFM4 and LILRA2), autophagy and endocytocis processes (ATG16L1, DNAJC6, VPS26B, RABGEF1, ITSN1 and TMEM127) and glucocorticoid receptor degradation (STS and MMD2). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that using analytical algorithms for class prediction discovery can be useful to uncover gene expression profiles and identify classifier genes with potential stratification utility of IBD patients, a major step towards personalized therapy

Evaluation of T2-W MR imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging for the early post-treatment local response assessment of patients treated conservatively for cervical cancer: a multicentre study

Objectives: To compare MR imaging with or without DWI and clinical response evaluation (CRE) in the local control evaluation of cervical carcinoma after radiotherapy. Methods: In a multicentre university setting, we prospectively included 107 patients with primary cervical cancer treated with radiotherapy. Sensitivity and specificity for CRE and MR imaging (with pre-therapy MR imaging as reference) (2 readers) were evaluated using cautious and strict criteria for identifying residual tumour. Nested logistic regression models were constructed for CRE, subsequently adding MR imaging with and without DWI as independent variables, as well as the pre- to post-treatment change in apparent diffusion coefficient (delta ADC). Results: Using cautious criteria, CRE and MR imaging with DWI (reader 1/reader 2) have comparable high specificity (83% and 89%/95%, respectively), whereas MR imaging without DWI showed significantly lower specificity (63%/53%) than CRE. Using strict criteria, CRE and MR imaging with DWI both showed very high specificity (99% and 92%/95%, respectively), whereas MR imaging without DWI showed significantly lower specificity (89%/77%) than CRE. All sensitivities were not significantly different. Addition of MR imaging with DWI to CRE has statistically significant incremental value in identifying residual tumour (reader 1: estimate, 1.06; p = 0.001) (reader 2: estimate, 0.62; p = 0.02). Adding the delta ADC did not have significant incremental value in detecting residual tumour. Conclusions: DWI significantly increases the specificity of MR imaging in the detection of local residual tumour. Furthermore, MR imaging with DWI has significant incremental diagnostic value over CRE, whereas adding the delta ADC has no incremental diagnostic value. Key Points: • If MR imaging is used for response evaluation, DWI should be incorporated• MR imaging with DWI has diagnostic value comparable/complementary to clinical response evaluation• Inter-reader agreement is moderate to fair for two experienced radiologist readers• Quantitative measurements of ADC early post-therapy have limited diagnostic valu

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms That Increase Expression of the Guanosine Triphosphatase RAC1 Are Associated With Ulcerative Colitis

BACKGROUND & AIMS: RAC1 is a GTPase that has an evolutionarily conserved role in coordinating immune defenses, from plants to mammals. Chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are associated with dysregulation of immune defenses. We studied the role of RAC1 in IBD using human genetic and functional studies and animal models of colitis. METHODS: We used a candidate gene approach to HapMap-Tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a discovery cohort; findings were confirmed in 2 additional cohorts. RAC1 mRNA expression was examined from peripheral blood cells of patients. Colitis was induced in mice with conditional disruption of Rac1 in phagocytes by administration of dextran sulphate sodium (DSS). RESULTS: We observed a genetic association between RAC1 with ulcerative colitis (UC) in a discovery cohort, 2 independent replication cohorts, and in combined analysis for the SNPs rs10951982 (Pcombined UC = 3.3 × 10–8, odds ratio [OR]=1.43 [1.26–1.63]) and rs4720672 (Pcombined UC=4.7 × 10–6, OR=1.36 [1.19–1.58]). Patients with IBD who had the rs10951982 risk allele had increased expression of RAC1, compared to those without this allele. Conditional disruption of Rac1 in macrophage and neutrophils of mice protected them against DSS-induced colitis. CONCLUSION: Studies of human tissue samples and knockout mice demonstrated a role for the GTPase RAC1 in the development of UC; increased expression of RAC1 was associated with susceptibility to colitis

Microbiota of De-Novo Pediatric IBD : Increased Faecalibacterium Prausnitzii and Reduced Bacterial Diversity in Crohn's But Not in Ulcerative Colitis

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We are grateful for the expertise of our sequencing provider NewGene and in particular for the support and help of Dr Jonathan Coxhead.Mrs Karen McIntyre and Dr Dagmar Kastner were invaluable in identifying patients for recruitment in Dundee. Mrs Ann Morrice provided administrative support in Aberdeen. Dr Paul Henderson gave helpful comments on the manuscript. We appreciate the generosity of the families who freely gave their time and samples to make this study possible and the theatre staff of all centers who allowed time for sample collection during busy endoscopy lists.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Role of Dlg5/lp-dlg, a Membrane-Associated Guanylate Kinase Family Protein, in Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in LLc-PK1 Renal Epithelial Cells

Discs large homolog 5 (Dlg5) is a member of the membrane-associated guanylate kinase adaptor family of proteins, some of which are involved in the regulation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Dlg5 has been described as a susceptibility gene for Crohn's disease; however, the physiological function of Dlg5 is unknown. We show here that transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-induced EMT suppresses Dlg5 expression in LLc-PK1 cells. Depletion of Dlg5 expression by knockdown promoted the expression of the mesenchymal marker proteins, fibronectin and α-smooth muscle actin, and suppressed the expression of E-cadherin. In addition, activation of JNK and p38, which are stimulated by TGF-β, was enhanced by Dlg5 depletion. Furthermore, inhibition of the TGF-β receptor suppressed the effects of Dlg5 depletion. These observations suggest that Dlg5 is involved in the regulation of TGF-βreceptor-dependent signals and EMT