Maternal Plasma and Amniotic Fluid Chemokines Screening in Fetal Down Syndrome

Objective. Chemokines exert different inflammatory responses which can potentially be related to certain fetal chromosomal abnormalities. The aim of the study was to determine the concentration of selected chemokines in plasma and amniotic fluid of women with fetal Down syndrome. Method. Out of 171 amniocentesis, we had 7 patients with confirmed fetal Down syndrome (15th–18th weeks of gestation). For the purpose of our control, we chose 14 women without confirmed chromosomal aberration. To assess the concentration of chemokines in the blood plasma and amniotic fluid, we used a protein macroarray, which allows the simultaneous determination of 40 chemokines per sample. Results. We showed significant decrease in the concentration of 4 chemokines, HCC-4, IL-28A, IL-31, and MCP-2, and increase in the concentration of CXCL7 (NAP-2) in plasma of women with fetal Down syndrome. Furthermore, we showed decrease in concentration of 3 chemokines, ITAC, MCP-3, MIF, and increase in concentration of 4 chemokines, IP-10, MPIF-1, CXCL7, and 6Ckine, in amniotic fluid of women with fetal Down syndrome. Conclusion. On the basis of our findings, our hypothesis is that the chemokines may play role in the pathogenesis of Down syndrome. Defining their potential as biochemical markers of Down syndrome requires further investigation on larger group of patients

The perspective of Polish patients with rheumatoid arthritis – treatment expectations, patient-reported outcomes, and digital literacy (the SENSE study)

Introduction A widely accepted treat-to-target strategy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) requires the patient’s perspective in making treatment decisions. However, data on treatment preferences and expectations of Polish patients with RA are scarce. The aim of the study was to determine the satisfaction with treatment and the nature of therapeutic preferences and expectations of Polish patients with moderate to severe RA. Material and methods Fifty-two adult Polish patients with moderately to highly active RA were asked to complete pa-tient-reported outcomes and patient-provided information questionnaires. Additionally, patient sociodemographic and clinical data and information on patient current and planned treatment strategies were collected. Results The mean global assessment of patient satisfaction with treatment was 64.1 ±24.6, below the level of indicating satisfaction. Rheumatoid arthritis negatively impacted patients’ lives, resulting in a 37.8% impairment of work efficiency and 45% impairment of total activity. Primary treatment expectations for patients were lasting relief of RA symptoms, reduced pain and swelling in joints, in-creased flexibility of joints, and general improvement of arthritis. The most acceptable potential side effect was weight gain and the least acceptable were increases in the risk of cardiovascular disease, infection, and malignancies. The rapid onset of the drug effect (up to 1 week) was a preference of 48.1% of patients. Access to internet health resources was important for 44.2% of patients, but the median total eHealth literacy score in the study population was 24.0 (interquartile range: 20.5–28.0, range 8–37), which means low digital health literacy (DHL). Conclusions Understanding these treatment preferences and expectations of patients with RA is essential for clinical practitioners to facilitate shared treatment decision-making. Digital health literacy data suggest the need of further improvement

Maternal plasma and amniotic fluid sphingolipids profiling in fetal Down syndrome.

INTRODUCTION:Sphingolipids can be potentially involved in the formation of the central and peripheral nervous systems, which are particularly connected with the pathogenesis of Down syndrome. The aim of the study was to determine the concentration of selected sphingolipids in the plasma and amniotic fluid of pregnant patients with fetal Down syndrome. MATERIAL AND METHODS:Out of 190 amniocentesis we had 10 patients with confirmed Down syndrome. For the purpose of our control we chose 14 women without confirmed chromosomal aberration. To assess the concentration of 11 sphingolipids in the blood plasma and amniotic fluid we used an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC/MS/MS). RESULTS:We showed a significant increase in the concentration of 2 ceramides, C22-Cer and C24:1-Cer, in the plasma of women with fetal Down syndrome. Furthermore we showed a decrease in the concentration of 7 ceramides--C16-Cer, C18-Cer, C18:1-Cer, C20-Cer, C22-Cer, C24:1-Cer, and C24-Cer--in the amniotic fluid of women with fetal Down syndrome. We created ROC curves for all significant sphingolipids in maternal plasma, which set the threshold values and allowed for predicting the likelihood of Down syndrome in the fetus with specific sensitivity and specificity. We demonstrated a significantly higher risk of Down syndrome when the plasma concentration of C22-Cer > 12.66 ng/100 ul (sens. 0.9, sp. 0.79, P value = 0.0007) and C24:1-Cer > 33,19 ng/100 ul (sens. 0.6, sp. 0.86, P value = 0.0194). CONCLUSION:On the basis of our findings, it seems that the sphingolipids may play a role in the pathogenesis of Down syndrome. Defining their potential as biochemical markers of Down syndrome requires further investigation on a larger group of patients

Maternal plasma angiogenic and inflammatory factor profiling in foetal Down syndrome

<div><p>Objective and design</p><p>Angiogenic factors are proteins that are related to certain foetal chromosomal abnormalities. The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of 60 angiogenic factors in the plasma of women with offspring possessing trisomy 21/Down syndrome (DS).</p><p>Method</p><p>After analysing karyotyping results, we selected 20 patients with foetuses possessing DS, and for the control group, we selected 28 healthy patients with uncomplicated pregnancies who delivered healthy newborns at term (i.e., 15–18 weeks of gestation). To assess the concentration of proteins in the blood plasma, we used a protein macroarray which enabled simultaneous determination of 60 angiogenic factors per sample.</p><p>Results</p><p>We observed a statistically significant increase in the concentration of these five angiogenic and inflammatory factors: TGFb1 (p = 0.039), angiostatin (p = 0.0142), I-309 (p = 0.0476), TGFb3 (p = 0.0395), and VEGF-D (p = 0.0173)—compared to concentrations in patients with healthy foetuses.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Our findings suggest that angiogenic factors may play role in DS pathogenesis.</p></div

Diagnostic values of sphingolipids in amniotic fluid.

<p>Diagnostic values of sphingolipids in amniotic fluid.</p

Activity of the human immortalized endothelial progenitor cell line HEPC-CB.1 supporting in vitro angiogenesis.

International audienceThe human HEPC-CB.1 cell line with many characteristics of endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) was tested for its proangiogenic properties as a potentially therapeutic compound. HEPC-CB.1 cells' potential to differentiate into endothelial cells was revealed after treating the cells with a mixture of ATRA, cAMP and VEGF, as shown by the reduced expression levels of CD133, CD271 and CD90 antigens, augmentation of CD146 and CD31, and a decrease in cell clonogenicity. The cooperation of HEPC-CB.1 with the endothelial cell line HSkMEC.2 resulted in the formation of a common network. Tube formation was significantly more effective when resulting from HEPC-CB.1 and HSkMEC.2 cell co-culture as compared to a monoculture of each cell line. The exocrine mechanism of HEPC-CB.1 and HSkMEC.2 cross talk by secreted factors was evidenced using the HEPC-CB.1 supernatant to increase the efficacy of HSkMEC.2 tube formation. The proangiogenic factors produced by HEPC-CB.1 were identified using cytokine antibody array. Out of 120 examined factors, the HEPC-CB.1 cell line produced 63, some with known angiogenic activity. As in vivo the angiogenic process occurs at low oxygen tension, it was observed that in hypoxia, the production of defined factors was augmented. The presented results demonstrate that HEPC-CB.1 cells are able to both cooperate and integrate in a newly formed network and produce factors that help the network formation. The results suggest that HEPC-CB.1 cells are indeed endothelial progenitors and may prove to be an effective tool in regenerative medicine