Identifying Epstein–Barr virus peptide sequences associated with differential IgG antibody response

Background: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection contributes to cancers in a fraction of seropositive individuals, but much remains to be learned about variation in EBV-directed humoral immunity in cancer-free adults. Methods: A protein microarray was used to probe serum from 175 Taiwanese and 141 Northern European adults for immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody responses to 115 different peptide sequences, representing protein segments or protein variants, from 45 EBV proteins. It was posited that this antibody-based approach could identify EBV peptide sequences representing immunodominant regions relevant for B-cell immunity. Results: Analyses of 45 EBV proteins with multiple protein segments or variants printed on the array identified eight EBV peptide sequences that appear to play a role in immunogenicity. This included: (1) three proteins with segments/regions associated with IgG reactivity (BALF5, LMP1, LMP2A); and (2) five proteins with sequence variants/amino acid changes associated with IgG reactivity (BDLF4, EBNA3A, EBNA3B, EBNA-LP, LF1). Conclusion: This examination of IgG antibody responses against 115 EBV peptide sequences in 316 cancer-free adults represents an important step toward identifying specific EBV protein sequences that play a role in generating B-cell immunity in humans

Women with endometriosis have higher comorbidities: Analysis of domestic data in Taiwan

AbstractEndometriosis, defined by the presence of viable extrauterine endometrial glands and stroma, can grow or bleed cyclically, and possesses characteristics including a destructive, invasive, and metastatic nature. Since endometriosis may result in pelvic inflammation, adhesion, chronic pain, and infertility, and can progress to biologically malignant tumors, it is a long-term major health issue in women of reproductive age. In this review, we analyze the Taiwan domestic research addressing associations between endometriosis and other diseases. Concerning malignant tumors, we identified four studies on the links between endometriosis and ovarian cancer, one on breast cancer, two on endometrial cancer, one on colorectal cancer, and one on other malignancies, as well as one on associations between endometriosis and irritable bowel syndrome, one on links with migraine headache, three on links with pelvic inflammatory diseases, four on links with infertility, four on links with obesity, four on links with chronic liver disease, four on links with rheumatoid arthritis, four on links with chronic renal disease, five on links with diabetes mellitus, and five on links with cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, etc.). The data available to date support that women with endometriosis might be at risk of some chronic illnesses and certain malignancies, although we consider the evidence for some comorbidities to be of low quality, for example, the association between colon cancer and adenomyosis/endometriosis. We still believe that the risk of comorbidity might be higher in women with endometriosis than that we supposed before. More research is needed to determine whether women with endometriosis are really at risk of these comorbidities

Primary Cutaneous Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma with Regional Lymph Node Metastasis

Primary cutaneous adenoid cystic carcinoma (PCACC) is a particularly rare variant of sweat gland carcinoma with characteristics of indolent and progressive course and high incidence of perineural invasion and local recurrence. However, regional lymph node metastasis in PCACC is exceedingly rare and its prognostic implication is unknown. Only two previous cases of recurrent scalp PCACC were reported to be associated with cervical lymph node metastases at 42 months and 20 years, respectively, after the initial treatment. We present a case of PCACC occurring in the left parotid region with regional neck lymph node metastasis in a 64-year-old man. Because the occurrence of lymph node metastasis seems to be associated with recurrent PCACC, we suggest that neck dissection may be included in the treatment for recurrent PCACC patients. [References: 16

Pmma Particle-Mediated DNA Vaccine for Cervical Cancer

DNA vaccination is a novel immunization strategy that possesses many potential advantages over other vaccine strategies. One of the major difficulties hindering the clinical application of DNA vaccination is the relative poor immunogenicity of DNA vaccines. Poly(methyl methacrylate) ( PMMA) is a synthetic polymer approved by the Food and Drug Administration for certain human clinical applications such as the bone cement. In vivo, PMMA particles are phagocytosable and have the potential to initiate strong immune responses by stimulating the production of inflammatory cytokines. In this study, we synthesized a series of PMMA particles (PMMA 1-5) with different particle sizes and surface charges to test the feasibility of implementing such polymer particles for DNA vaccination. To our knowledge, this is the first report to show that the gene gun can deliver DNA vaccine by propelling PMMA particles mixed with plasmid DNA for cervical cancer. It was found that PMMA 4 particles (particle size: 460 +/- 160 nm, surface charge: +11.5 +/- 1.8 mV) stimulated the highest level of TNF-alpha production by macrophages in vitro and yielded the best result of antitumor protection in vivo. Therefore, our results possess the potential for translation and implementation of polymer particles in gene gun delivering DNA vaccination

E-, P-, and N-Cadherin Are Co-Expressed in the Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cell Line Tw-039

The cadherin/catenin complex plays a key role in the initiation of cell- cell recognition, and adhesion, and the elaboration of structural and functional organization in multicellular tissues and organs. It is associated with tumor metastasis and also acts as an "invasion suppressor" of cancer cells. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is notorious for its highly metastatic nature. The expression of the E- cadherin/catenin complex is down-regulated in NPC tumor specimens. To obtain better insight into the intercellular adhesive property of NPC cells, we used immunofluorescence microscopy, immunoprecipitation, and immunoblot analysis to examine the expression of the classical cadherins and beta- catenin in a NPC cell line, TW-039. The results demonstrate a change in the distribution of E-cadherin from cytosolic flakes to cell-cell contacts with increasing time in culture . Between days 1 and 5 after plating, the detergent- insoluble fraction of E-cadherin increased from 20% to 37% of total E-cadherin, and that for P-cadherin increased from 33% to 40%. By contrast, the values for beta-catenin remained unchanged (26% and 25%). Both immunofluorescence and immunoblot studies suggested that P-cadherin may be involved in pioneer contact adhesion of TW-039 cells. Interestingly , E-, P-, and N-cadherin are co-expressed in this cell line. Immunoprecipitation studies also showed that other members of the cadherin family may be involved in the contact adhesion of TW-039 cells

Taxol Reduces Cytosolic E-Cadherin and Beta-Catenin Levels in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cell Line Tw-039: Cross-Talk between the Microtubule- and Actin-Based Cytoskeletons

Taxol affects microtubule dynamics by promoting microtubule assembly. To obtain a better insight into possible cross- talk between the microtubule- and actin-based cytoskeletons, we studied the short-term effects of Taxol treatment on the expression of actin and the E-cadherin/catenin complex in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line TW-039 using immunofluorescence, immunoprecipitation, and immunoblotting methods. Morphologic changes in actin filaments, including ventral actin clumps and perijunctional actin blebs, were seen at Taxol concentrations >1 uM. Levels of detergent- soluble E-cadherin fell to 53% or 58% compared to controls in cells treated, respectively, with 1 or 5 uM Taxol, while levels of detergent- soluble b-catenin fell to 76% or 74%. Levels of the detergent-soluble pool of alfa- and gamma- catenin and the detergent-insoluble pool of the E- cadherin/ catenin complex were unchanged by Taxol treatment and no significant difference was seen in the levels of adenomatous polyposis coli or glycogen synthase-3beta or tyrosine phosphorylation patterns. These results suggest that modulation of microtubule dynamics by Taxol may have effects on the expression of actin and the cytosolic E-cadherin and beta-catenin in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells through pathways not involving the phosphorylation of beta-catenin

大白鼠腮腺第 I 型去氧核醣核酸酶之免疫組織化學定位

背景：去氧核醣核酸酶為腮腺所必的消化酵素之一。近年來隨著分子生物技術 及生化科學的進步，吾人對去氧核醣核酸酶在生命現象中所扮演的角色，有了 更進一步的認識，除了已知的消化功能外，其與許多癌症和細胞凋亡(apoptosis)都 存在著某種程度的關聯。方法：本研究利用純化出之抗體，以免疫組織化學染色法及 免疫電子顯微鏡技術定位大白鼠第 I 型去氧核醣核酸酶( deoxyribonuclease I, DNase I)於腮腺及胰臟組織的分佈情形。結果：大白鼠DNase I 主要存在於腮腺 腺胞(acinar cells)的分泌顆粒中，而異於其他哺乳動物的是大白鼠胰臟中並無 DNase I 的存在。結論：由本研究結果得知腮腺在消化系統中，因動物種類的不同可 能扮演著不同功能的角色。同時，因了解DNase I 在腮腺的分佈情形，使有關腮腺細 胞生物學方面的知識提昇很多，對於進一步的研究應當有所幫助。 Background: Deoxyribonuclease (DNase) is one of the digestive enzymes secreted by the parotid gland. Recent progresses in molecular biology and biochemistry have enabled us to learn more about the function of DNase in cells. In addition to its well-known digestive function, DNase was found to be closely related to some cancers and apoptosis.] Methods: We use immunohistochemical techniques with purified antibody to study the distribution of DNase I in rat pancreas and parotid gland. Results: Rat DNase I is localized in secretary ganules of parotid gland but not found in pancreas. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the role in digestive function of parotid gland may differ among different species and localization of DNase I may help us to the further study of parotid gland in cell biology

高脂血 症患者之超高頻聽力喪失

　　Seventy-five patients with hyperlipidemia and inner ear symptoms were divided into 3 groups according to the serum lipid levels. Group A comprised 25 patients with serum total cholesterol level greater than 240 mg/dL. Group B comprised 25 patients with serum triglyceride level greater than 150 mg/dL. Group C comprised 25 patdients with serum total cholesterol level greater than 240 mg/dL and triglyceride level greater than 150 mg/dL. Another 25 persons free from ear symptoms served as the control group. Evaluating the hearing level for air conduction in the study groups, 28%, 20%, and 32% of ears showed abnormal conventional audiograms in the A, B, and C group respectively; while 76%, 80%, and 76% of ears revealed impairment in the range of ultrahigh frequencies. These data suggest that more than 50% of hyperlipidemia patients suffer from ultrahigh frequency hearing loss although their conventional audiograms are normal. Thus, ultrahigh frequency audiometry may serve as a useful tool in assisting the diagnosis of inner ear disorders caused by hyperlipidemia.#0132