TRPM8 ion channels differentially modulate proliferation and cell cycle distribution of normal and cancer prostate cells

Overexpression of the cation-permeable channel TRPM8 in prostate cancers might represent a novel opportunity for their treatment. Inhibitors of TRPM8 reduce the growth of prostate cancer cells. We have used two recently described and highly specific blockers, AMTB and JNJ41876666, and RNAi to determine the relevance of TRPM8 expression in the proliferation of non-tumor and tumor cells. Inhibition of the expression or function of the channel reduces proliferation rates and proliferative fraction in all tumor cells tested, but not of non-tumor prostate cells. We observed no consistent acceleration of growth after stimulation of the channel with menthol or icilin, indicating that basal TRPM8 expression is enough to sustain growth of prostate cancer cells

Brazilian Thoracic Association recommendations for the management of post-tuberculosis lung disease

Historically, all efforts against tuberculosis were focused on rapid diagnosis and effective treatment to break the chain of transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. However, in the last few years, more and more evidence has been found on the dramatic consequences of the condition defined as post-tuberculosis lung disease (PTLD). Approximately one third of patients surviving pulmonary tuberculosis face considerable ongoing morbidities, including respiratory impairment, psychosocial challenges, and reduced health-related quality of life after treatment completion. Given the important global and local burden of tuberculosis, as well as the estimated burden of PTLD, the development of a consensus document by a Brazilian scientific society—Sociedade Brasileira de Pneumologia e Tisiologia (SBPT)—was considered urgent for the prevention and management of this condition in order to allocate resources to and within tuberculosis services appropriately and serve as a guide for health care professionals. A team of eleven pulmonologists and one methodologist was created by the SBPT to review the current evidence on PTLD and develop recommendations adapted to the Brazilian context. The expert panel selected the topics on the basis of current evidence and international guidelines. During the first phase, three panel members drafted the recommendations, which were divided into three sections: definition and prevalence of PTLD, assessment of PTLD, and management of PTLD. In the second phase, all panel members reviewed, discussed, and revised the recommendations until a consensus was reached. The document was formally approved by the SBPT in a special session organized during the 2023 SBPT Annual Conference

Nucleofection induces non-specific changes in the metabolic activity of transfected cells

Transfection has become an everyday technique widely used for functional studies in living cells. The choice of the particular transfection method is usually determined by its efficiency and toxicity, and possible functional consequences specific to the method used are normally overlooked. We describe here that nucleofection, a method increasingly used because of its convenience and high efficiency, increases the metabolic rate of some cancer cells, which can be misleading when used as a measure of proliferation. Moreover, nucleofection can alter the subcellular expression pattern of the transfected protein. These undesired effects are independent of the transfected nucleic acid, but depend on the particular cell line used. Therefore, the interpretation of functional data using this technology requires further controls and caution