Improved efficacy of a dendritic cell-based vaccine against a murine model of colon cancer: The helper protein effect

Purpose Targeted immunotherapy using dendritic cells (DCs) has been employed in numerous investigations aiming at combating neoplasms. We previously showed that copulsing of an antigen with a helper protein could considerably enhance antigen presenting capacity of ex vivo-generated DCs. In this study, we attempted to administer an effective treatment in a murine model of colon cancer with DCs pulsed with the mixture of a tumor-specific gp70-derived peptide (AH1) and a helper protein, ovalbumin (OVA). Materials and Methods First, the presence of gp70 in CT26 tumor cells and tumor tissues was verified using immunofluorescence and Western blot analyses. Next, DCs were purified from normal mice, loaded ex vivowith AH1 and OVA (DC-Pep-OVA), and injected into tumor-bearing mice. Tumor volume, in vitro antigen (Ag)-specific proliferation of splenic cells, and survival rate were measured to determine the efficacy of DC-Pep-OVA. As the control groups, tumor-bearing mice were vaccinated with DC-Pep, unpulsed DC, and DCs loaded with a mixture of OVA and an irrelevant peptide (P15), or were not vaccinated at all. Results DC-Pep-OVA showed superior efficacy over other groups, as indicated by smaller tumor volume, higher Ag-specific proliferation rate of splenic cells, and prolonged survival. Conclusion Overall, in the present study we showed for the first time that DCs copulsed with AH1 (tumor Ag) and OVA (helper molecule) could be considered as potentially robust weapons for use in future antitumor immunotherapies. © 2015 by the Korean Cancer Association

Techniques for evaluation of LAMP amplicons and their applications in molecular biology

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) developed by Notomi et al. (2000) has made it possible to amplify DNA with high specificity, efficiency and rapidity under isothermal conditions. The ultimate products of LAMP are stem-loop structures with several inverted repeats of the target sequence and cauliflower-like patterns with multiple loops shaped by annealing between every other inverted repeats of the amplified target in the similar strand. Because the amplification process in LAMP is achieved by using four to six distinct primers, it is expected to amplify the target region with high selectivity. However, evaluation of reaction accuracy or quantitative inspection make it necessary to append other procedures to scrutinize the amplified products. Hitherto, various techniques such as turbidity assessment in the reaction vessel, post-reaction agarose gel electrophoresis, use of intercalating fluorescent dyes, real-time turbidimetry, addition of cationic polymers to the reaction mixture, polyacrylamide gel-based microchambers, lateral flow dipsticks, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and nanoparticle-based colorimetric tests have been utilized for this purpose. In this paper, we reviewed the best-known techniques for evaluation of LAMP amplicons and their applications in molecular biology beside their advantages and deficiencies. Regarding the properties of each technique, the development of innovative prompt, cost-effective and precise molecular detection methods for application in the broad field of cancer research may be feasible

Global Health Education: a cross-sectional study among German medical students to identify needs, deficits and potential benefits (Part 1 of 2: Mobility patterns & educational needs and demands)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In recent years, education and training in global health has been the subject of recurring debate in many countries. However, in Germany, there has been no analysis of the educational needs or demands of medical students, or the educational deficits or potential benefits involved in global health education. Our purpose is to analyse international health elective patterns of medical students enrolled at German universities and assess whether or how they prepare for their electives abroad. We examine the exposure of medical students enrolled at German universities to training courses in tropical medicine or global health and assess students' perceived needs and demands for education in global health.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cross-sectional study among medical students in Germany including all 36 medical schools during the second half of the year 2007. All registered medical students were eligible to participate in the study. Recruitment occurred via electronic mailing-lists of students' unions. We developed a web-based, semi-structured questionnaire to capture students' international mobility patterns, preparation before electives, destination countries, exposure to and demand for global health learning opportunities.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>1126 online-replies were received and analysed from all registered medical students in Germany (N = 78.067). 33.0% of all respondents (370/1126) declared at least one international health elective and of these, 36.0% (133/370) completed their electives in developing countries. 36.0% (131/363) did not prepare specifically at all, 59.0% (214/363) prepared either by self-study or declared a participation in specific preparation programmes. 87.8% of 5^thand 6^thyear students had never participated in a global health course and 72.6% (209/288) had not completed a course in tropical medicine. 94.0% (861/916) endorsed the idea of introducing global health into medical education.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Students in our sample are highly mobile during their studies. International health electives are common, also in developing countries. Formal preparation beyond self-study is virtually non-existent amongst our sample and the participation rate in courses of tropical medicine or global health is appallingly low. We have identified unmet perceived needs and the demand for more learning opportunities in global health in our sample, urging for reforms to adjust curricula to a globalising world.</p

Immunosuppressive effect of pregnant mouse serum on allostimulatory activity of dendritic cells

In normal pregnancy, the maternal immune system is directed towards tolerance or suppression in order to prevent rejection of the semi-allogenic fetus. Antigen-presenting cells, especially dendritic cells (DCs), are key cells in initiation and regulation of immune responses. The presence of potent immunostimulatory DCs in the decidual tissue of pregnancy has been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to determine how allostimulatory activity of DCs could be affected during pregnancy. DCs were isolated from spleen of pregnant or non-pregnant Balb/c mice and co-cultured with allogenic T lymphocytes prepared from brachial lymph nodes of C57BL/6 mice. Some cultures of non-pregnant female DCs were treated by 2.5 serum obtained from pregnant mice at early, middle or late gestational periods, and were used in the same mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) settings. Cell proliferation was measured by 3H-thymidine incorporation, and cytokine production measured in supernatants of MLR cultures using ELISA. The effect of pregnant mouse serum on expression of DC surface markers was evaluated by flow cytometry. No significant difference was found between stimulatory potential of splenic DCs from pregnant and non-pregnant mice in induction of allogenic T cell proliferative response. Moreover, serum of early or late pregnancy did not have any effect on DC function in comparison with non-pregnant mouse serum, while mid-pregnancy serum significantly inhibited allostimulatory activity of DCs. IFNγ production in co-culture of DCs treated with pregnant mouse serum was significantly lower than that of the control group; however, no significant difference in IL-10 production was observed. Treatment of DCs with pregnant mouse serum did not influence the percentage of cells expressing MHC-II, CD86, CD8α or CD11b. However, a marked reduction of the mean fluorescence intensity of MHC-II was observed. Collectively, our results concerning the diminished capacity of DCs to induce production of Th1 cytokines and allogenic T cell proliferation after treatment with pregnant mouse serum reveal a new way of immunologic tolerance against the semi-allogenic fetus. © 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Global Health Education: a cross-sectional study among German medical students to identify needs, deficits and potential benefits (Part 2 of 2: Knowledge gaps and potential benefits)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In Germany, educational deficits or potential benefits involved in global health education have not been analysed till now.</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>We assess the importance medical students place on learning about social determinants of health (SDH) and assess their knowledge of global health topics in relation to (i) mobility patterns, their education in (ii) tropical medicine or (iii) global health.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cross-sectional study among medical students from all 36 medical schools in Germany using a web-based, semi-structured questionnaire. Participants were recruited via mailing-lists of students' unions, all medical students registered in 2007 were eligible to participate in the study. We captured international mobility patterns, exposure to global health learning opportunities and attitudes to learning about SDH. Both an objective and subjective knowledge assessment were performed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>1126 online-replies were received and analysed. International health electives in developing countries correlated significantly with a higher importance placed on all provided SDH (p ≤ 0.006). Participation in tropical medicine (p < 0.03) and global health courses (p < 0.02) were significantly associated with a higher rating of 'culture, language and religion' and the 'economic system'. Global health trainings correlated with significantly higher ratings of the 'educational system' (p = 0.007) and the 'health system structure' (p = 0.007), while the item 'politics' was marginally significant (p = 0.053).</p> <p>In the knowledge assessment students achieved an average score of 3.6 (SD 1.5; Mdn 4.0), 75% achieved a score of 4.0 or less (Q₂₅= 3.0; Q₇₅= 4.0) from a maximum achievable score of 8.0. A better performance was associated with international health electives (p = 0.032), participation in tropical medicine (p = 0.038) and global health (p = 0.258) courses.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The importance medical students in our sample placed on learning about SDH strongly interacts with students' mobility, and participation in tropical medicine and global health courses. The knowledge assessment revealed deficits and outlined needs to further analyse education gaps in global health. Developing concerted educational interventions aimed at fostering students' engagement with SDH could make full use of synergy effects inherent in student mobility, tropical medicine and global health education.</p

How obsessive-compulsive and bipolar disorders meet each other? An integrative gene-based enrichment approach

Background: The novel approaches to psychiatric classification assume that disorders, contrary to what was previously thought, are not completely separate phenomena. In this regard, in addition to symptom-based criteria, disturbances are also considered on the basis of lower level components. With this viewpoint, identifying common biochemical markers would be beneficial in adopting a comprehensive strategy for prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Main body: One of the problematic areas in clinical settings is the coexistence of both obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and bipolar disorder (BD) that is challenging and difficult to manage. In this study, using a system biologic approach we aimed to assess the interconnectedness of OCD and BD at different levels. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) method was used to identify the shared biological network between the two disorders. The results of the analysis revealed 34 common genes between the two disorders, the most important of which were CACNA1C, GRIA1, DRD2, NOS1, SLC18A1, HTR2A and DRD1. Dopaminergic synapse and cAMP signaling pathway as the pathways, dopamine binding and dopamine neurotransmitter receptor activity as the molecular functions, dendrite and axon part as the cellular component and cortex and striatum as the brain regions were the most significant commonalities. Short conclusion: The results of this study highlight the role of multiple systems, especially the dopaminergic system in linking OCD and BD. The results can be used to estimate the disease course, prognosis, and treatment choice, particularly in the cases of comorbidity. Such perspectives, going beyond symptomatic level, help to identify common endophenotypes between the disorders and provide diagnostic and therapeutic approaches based on biological in addition to the symptomatic level. © 2020 The Author(s)

Short-term effect of kinesiology taping on pain, functional disability and lumbar proprioception in individuals with nonspecific chronic low back pain: a double-blinded, randomized trial

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of kinesiology taping (KT) on lumbar proprioception, pain, and functional disability in individuals with nonspecific chronic low back pain (CLBP). Methods: Thirty individuals with nonspecific CLBP participated in this double-blinded, randomized clinical trial from July 2017 to September 2018. The participants were randomized into two groups: KT (n = 15) and placebo group (n = 15). KT was applied with 15�25 tension for 72 h, and placebo taping was used without tension. Lumbar repositioning error was measured by a bubble inclinometer at three different angles (45° and 60° flexion, and 15° extension) in upright standing. Pain and disability were assessed by the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire and Oswestry Disability Index, respectively. All measurements were recorded at baseline and 3 days after taping. Results: Pain and disability scores reduced 3 days after taping in the KT group with large effect sizes (p 0.05). Also, only constant error of 15° extension showed a moderate correlation with disability (r = 0.39, p = 0.02). Conclusion: KT can decrease pain and disability scores after 3 days of application. Although placebo taping can reduce pain, the effect of KT is higher than placebo taping. The findings do not support the therapeutic effect of KT and placebo taping as a tool to enhance lumbar proprioception in patients with nonspecific CLBP. Trial registration: The study prospectively registered on 21.05.2018 at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials: IRCT20090301001722N20. © 2020, The Author(s)

Morphological and molecular characteristics of spheroid formation in HT-29 and Caco-2 colorectal cancer cell lines

Background: Relapse and metastasis in colorectal cancer (CRC) are often attributed to cancer stem-like cells (CSCs), as small sub-population of tumor cells with ability of drug resistance. Accordingly, development of appropriate models to investigate CSCs biology and establishment of effective therapeutic strategies is warranted. Hence, we aimed to assess the capability of two widely used and important colorectal cancer cell lines, HT-29 and Caco-2, in generating spheroids and their detailed morphological and molecular characteristics. Methods: CRC spheroids were developed using hanging drop and forced floating in serum-free and non-attachment conditions and their morphological features were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Then, the potential of CSCs enrichment in spheroids was compared to their adherent counterparts by analysis of serial sphere formation capacity, real-time PCR of key stemness genes (KLF4, OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, C-MYC) and the expression of potential CRC-CSCs surface markers (CD166, CD44, and CD133) by flow cytometry. Finally, the expression level of some EMT-related (Vimentin, SNAIL1, TWIST1, N-cadherin, E-cadherin, ZEB1) and multi-drug resistant (ABCB1, ABCC1, ABCG2) genes was evaluated. Results: Although with different morphological features, both cell lines were formed CSCs-enriched spheroids, indicated by ability to serial sphere formation, significant up-regulation of stemness genes, SOX2, C-MYC, NANOG and OCT4 in HT-29 and SOX2, C-MYC and KLF4 in Caco-2 spheroids (p-value < 0.05) and increased expression of CRC-CSC markers compared to parental cells (p-value < 0.05). Additionally, HT-29 spheroids exhibited a significant higher expression of both ABCB1 and ABCG2 (p-value = 0.02). The significant up-regulation of promoting EMT genes, ZEB1, TWIST1, E-cadherin and SNAIL1 in HT-29 spheroids (p-value = 0.03), SNAIL1 and Vimentin in Caco-2 spheroids (p-value < 0.05) and N-cadherin down-regulation in both spheroids were observed. Conclusion: Enrichment of CSC-related features in HT-29 and Caco-2 (for the first time without applying special scaffold/biochemical) spheroids, suggests spheroid culture as robust, reproducible, simple and cost-effective model to imitate the complexity of in vivo tumors including self-renewal, drug resistance and invasion for in vitro research of CRC-CSCs. © 2021, The Author(s)