Short-term triple therapy with azithromycin for Helicobacter pylori eradication: Low cost, high compliance, but low efficacy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Brazilian consensus recommends a short-term treatment course with clarithromycin, amoxicillin and proton-pump inhibitor for the eradication of <it>Helicobacter pylori </it>(<it>H. pylori)</it>. This treatment course has good efficacy, but cannot be afforded by a large part of the population. Azithromycin, amoxicillin and omeprazole are subsidized, for several aims, by the Brazilian federal government. Therefore, a short-term treatment course that uses these drugs is a low-cost one, but its efficacy regarding the bacterium eradication is yet to be demonstrated. The study's purpose was to verify the efficacy of <it>H. pylori </it>eradication in infected patients who presented peptic ulcer disease, using the association of azithromycin, amoxicillin and omeprazole.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Sixty patients with peptic ulcer diagnosed by upper digestive endoscopy and <it>H. pylori </it>infection documented by rapid urease test, histological analysis and urea breath test were treated for six days with a combination of azithromycin 500 mg and omeprazole 20 mg, in a single daily dose, associated with amoxicillin 500 mg 3 times a day. The eradication control was carried out 12 weeks after the treatment by means of the same diagnostic tests. The eradication rates were calculated with 95% confidence interval.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The eradication rate was 38% per intention to treat and 41% per protocol. Few adverse effects were observed and treatment compliance was high.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Despite its low cost and high compliance, the low eradication rate does not allow the recommendation of the triple therapy with azithromycin as an adequate treatment for <it>H. pylori </it>infection.</p

The Inflammatory Kinase MAP4K4 Promotes Reactivation of Kaposi's Sarcoma Herpesvirus and Enhances the Invasiveness of Infected Endothelial Cells

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a mesenchymal tumour, which is caused by Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) and develops under inflammatory conditions. KSHV-infected endothelial spindle cells, the neoplastic cells in KS, show increased invasiveness, attributed to the elevated expression of metalloproteinases (MMPs) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). The majority of these spindle cells harbour latent KSHV genomes, while a minority undergoes lytic reactivation with subsequent production of new virions and viral or cellular chemo- and cytokines, which may promote tumour invasion and dissemination. In order to better understand KSHV pathogenesis, we investigated cellular mechanisms underlying the lytic reactivation of KSHV. Using a combination of small molecule library screening and siRNA silencing we found a STE20 kinase family member, MAP4K4, to be involved in KSHV reactivation from latency and to contribute to the invasive phenotype of KSHV-infected endothelial cells by regulating COX-2, MMP-7, and MMP-13 expression. This kinase is also highly expressed in KS spindle cells in vivo. These findings suggest that MAP4K4, a known mediator of inflammation, is involved in KS aetiology by regulating KSHV lytic reactivation, expression of MMPs and COX-2, and, thereby modulating invasiveness of KSHV-infected endothelial cells. © 2013 Haas et al

Should We Abandon Systematic Pelvic and Paraaortic Lymphadenectomy in Low-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer?

International audienceLow-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (LGSOC) is a rare disease that accounts for 5% of all ovarian cancers and requires surgical complete debulking. To date, the prognostic value of pelvic and paraaortic lymphadenectomy remains unclear in this population

p63/MT1-MMP axis is required for in situ to invasive transition in basal-like breast cancer

The transition of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) to invasive breast carcinoma requires tumor cells to cross the basement membrane (BM). However, mechanisms underlying BM transmigration are poorly understood. Here, we report that expression of membrane-type 1 (MT1)-matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), a key component of the BM invasion program, increases during breast cancer progression at the in situ to invasive breast carcinoma transition. In the intraductal xenograft model, MT1-MMP is required for BM transmigration of MCF10DCIS.com breast adenocarcinoma cells and is overexpressed in cell clusters overlying focal BM disruptions and at the invasive tumor front. Mirrored upregulation of p63 and MT1-MMP is observed at the edge of MCF10DCIS.com xenograft tumors and p63 is required for induction of MT1-MMP-dependent invasive program in response to microenvironmental signals. Immunohistochemistry and analysis of public database reveal that p63 and MT1-MMP are upregulated in human basal-like breast tumors suggesting that p63/MT1-MMP axis contributes to progression of basal-like breast cancers with elevated p63 and MT1-MMP levels.Fil: Lodillinsky, Catalina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; FranciaFil: Infante, E.. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; FranciaFil: Guichard, A.. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; FranciaFil: Chaligné, R.. Génétique Et Biologie Du Développement; FranciaFil: Fuhrmann, L.. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; FranciaFil: Cyrta, J.. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; FranciaFil: Irondelle, Marie. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; FranciaFil: Lagoutte, Emilie. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; FranciaFil: Vacher, Sophie. Institut Curie; FranciaFil: Bonsang-Kitzis, H.. Institut Curie; FranciaFil: Glukhova, M.. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; FranciaFil: Reyal, F.. Institut Curie; FranciaFil: Bièche, I.. Institut Curie; FranciaFil: Vincent Salomon, Anne. Institut Curie; Francia. Génétique Et Biologie Du Développement; FranciaFil: Chavrier, Philippe. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Franci

Molecular and Biochemical Analysis of AST-1, a Class A β-Lactamase from Nocardia asteroides Sensu Stricto

A β-lactamase gene was cloned from a Nocardia asteroides sensu stricto clinical isolate. A recombinant plasmid, pAST-1, expressed the β-lactamase AST-1 in Escherichia coli JM109. Its pI was 4.8, and its relative molecular mass was 31 kDa. E. coli JM109(pAST-1) was resistant to penicillins and narrow-spectrum cephalosporins. The β-lactamase AST-1 had a restricted hydrolytic activity spectrum. Its activity was partially inhibited by clavulanic acid but not by sulbactam and tazobactam. AST-1 is an Ambler class A β-lactamase sharing 65% amino acid identity with β-lactamase FAR-1, the most closely related enzyme