A non-invasive approach to monitor chronic lymphocytic leukemia engraftment in a xenograft mouse model using ultra-small superparamagnetic iron oxide-magnetic resonance imaging (USPIO-MRI).

This work was supported by: Associazione Italiana Ricerca sul Cancro (AIRC) [Grant 5 x mille n.9980, (to M.F., F.M. and A. N.)]; AIRC I.G. [n. 14,326 (to M.F.)], [n.10136 and 16,722 (A.N.)], [n.15426 (to F.F.)]. AIRC and Fondazione CaRiCal co-financed Multi Unit Regional Grant 2014 [n.16695 (to F.M.)]. Italian Ministry of Health 5 × 1000 funds (to F.F). A.G R. was supported by Associazione Italiana contro le Leucemie-Linfomi-Mielomi (AIL) Cosenza - Fondazione Amelia Scorza (FAS). S.M. C.M., F.V., L. E., S. B., were supported by AIRC.Peer reviewedPostprin

REGIONAL MAPPING OF MYOCARDIAL HIBERNATION PHENOTYPE IN IDIOPATHIC END-STAGE DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY

Myocardial hibernation (MH) is a well-known feature of human ischaemic cardiomyopathy (ICM), whereas its presence in human idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is still controversial. We investigated the histological and molecular features of MH in left ventricle (LV) regions of failing DCM or ICM hearts. We examined failing hearts from DCM (n = 11; 41.9 ± 5.45 years; left ventricle-ejection fraction (LV-EF), 18 ± 3.16%) and ICM patients (n = 12; 58.08 ± 1.7 years; LVEF, 21.5 ± 6.08%) undergoing cardiac transplantation, and normal donor hearts (N, n = 8). LV inter-ventricular septum (IVS) and antero-lateral free wall (FW) were transmurally (i.e. sub-epicardial, mesocardial and sub-endocardial layers) analysed. LV glycogen content was shown to be increased in both DCM and ICM as compared with N hearts (P < 0.001), with a U-shaped transmural distribution (lower values in mesocardium). Capillary density was homogenously reduced in both DCM and ICM as compared with N (P < 0.05 versus N), with a lower decrease independent of the extent of fibrosis in sub-endocardial and sub-epicardial layers of DCM as compared with ICM. HIF1-α and nestin, recognized ischaemic molecular hallmarks, were similarly expressed in DCM-LV and ICM-LV myocardium. The proteomic profile was overlapping by ~50% in DCM and ICM groups. Morphological and molecular features of MH were detected in end-stage ICM as well as in end-stage DCM LV, despite epicardial coronary artery patency and lower fibrosis in DCM hearts. Unravelling the presence of MH in the absence of coronary stenosis may be helpful to design a novel approach in the clinical management of DCM

Flow cytometric immunobead assay for detection of BCR-ABL1 fusion proteins in chronic myleoid leukemia: Comparison with FISH and PCR techniques

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) is characterized by a balanced translocation juxtaposing the Abelson (ABL) and breakpoint cluster region (BCR) genes. The resulting BCR-ABL1 oncogene leads to increased proliferation and survival of leukemic cells. Successful treatment of CML has been accompanied by steady improvements in our capacity to accurately and sensitively monitor therapy response. Currently, measurement of BCR-ABL1 mRNA transcript levels by real-time quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR) defines critical response endpoints. An antibody-based technique for BCR-ABL1 protein recognition could be an attractive alternative to RQ-PCR. To date, there have been no studies evaluating whether flow-cytometry based assays could be of clinical utility in evaluating residual disease in CML patients. Here we describe a flow-cytometry assay that detects the presence of BCR-ABL1 fusion proteins in CML lysates to determine the applicability, reliability, and specificity of this method for both diagnosis and monitoring of CML patients for initial response to therapy. We show that: i) CML can be properly diagnosed at onset, (ii) follow-up assessments show detectable fusion protein (i.e. relative mean fluorescent intensity, rMFI%&gt;1) when BCR-ABL1IS transcripts are between 1-10%, and (iii) rMFI% levels predict CCyR as defined by FISH analysis. Overall, the FCBA assay is a rapid technique, fully translatable to the routine management of CML patients

Differential molecular and behavioural response to L-DOPA in mice injected with 6-hydroxydopamine in the striatum or in the medial forebrain bundle

Unilateral lesions of nigrostriatal dopamine ( DA) pathways with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) can be used to obtain a model of Parkinson's disease in the mouse. In the present study we examine two types of unilateral 6-OHDA lesions in the mouse for their ability to induce stable motor deficits and supersensitive molecular and behavioural response to L-DOPA

Pharmacological modulation of glutamate transmission in a rat model of L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia: effects on motor behavior and striatal nuclear signalling.

L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia (LID) in Parkinson's disease has been linked to altered dopamine and glutamate transmission within the basal ganglia. In the present study, we compared compounds targeting specific subtypes of glutamate receptors or calcium channels for their ability to attenuate LID and the associated activation of striatal nuclear signalling and gene expression in the rat. Rats with 6-hydroxydopamine lesions were treated acutely or chronically with L-DOPA in combination with the following selective compounds: antagonists of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (MTEP for mGluR5, and EMQMCM for mGluR1), agonist of group II mGluR (LY379268), NR2B-selective NMDA receptor antagonists (Ro631908 and Ro256981), and antagonist of L-type calcium channels (isradipine). Dyskinesia and rotarod performance were monitored during chronic drug treatment. The striatal expression of phospho-ERK1/2 and MSK-1, or prodynorphin mRNA were examined following acute or chronic treatment, respectively. In the acute treatment studies, only MTEP and EMQMCM significantly attenuated L-DOPA-induced phospho-ERK 1/2 and/or phospho-MSK-1 expression, MTEP being the most effective (70-80% reduction). In the chronic experiment, only MTEP significantly attenuated dyskinesia without adverse motor effects, whereas EMQMCM and LY379268 inhibited the L-DOPA-induced improvement in rotarod performance. The NR2B antagonist had positive anti-akinetic effects but did not reduce dyskinesia. Only MTEP blocked the upregulation of prodynorphin mRNA induced by L-DOPA. Among the pharmacological treatments here examined, MTEP was most effective in inhibiting LID and the associated molecular alterations. Antagonism of mGluR5 seems to be a promising strategy to reduce dyskinesia in Parkinson's disease

Impact of the lesion procedure on the profiles of motor impairment and molecular responsiveness to L-DOPA in the 6-hydroxydopamine mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

6-Hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions are being used in the mouse for basic research on Parkinson's disease and L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia. We set out to compare unilateral lesion models produced by intrastriatal or intramesencephalic injections of a fixed 6-OHDA concentration (3.2μg/μl) in C57BL/6 mice. In the first experiment, toxin injections were performed either at two striatal coordinates (1 or 2μl per site, termed "striatum(2×1μl)" and "striatum(2×2μl)" models), in the medial forebrain bundle (MFB), or in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SN) (1μl per site). All the four lesion models produced significant forelimb use asymmetry, but spontaneous turning asymmetry only occurred in the MFB and striatum(2×2μl) models. After the behavioral studies, the induction of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (pERK1/2) by acute L-DOPA (30mg/kg) was used as a marker of post-synaptic supersensitivity. Striatal pERK1/2 expression was sparse in the SN and striatum(2×1μl) groups, but pronounced in the striatum(2×2μl) and MFB-lesioned mice. In further experiments, mice with MFB and striatal(2×2μl) lesions were used to compare behavioral and molecular responses to chronic L-DOPA treatment (12days at 3 and 6mg/kg/day). Maximally severe abnormal involuntary movements (AIMs) occurred in all MFB-lesioned mice, whereas only 35% of the mice with striatal lesions developed dyskinesia. Striatal tissue levels of dopamine were significantly lower in the dyskinetic animals (both MFB and striatum(2×2μl) groups) in comparison with the non-dyskinetic ones. Noradrenaline levels were significantly reduced only in MFB lesioned animals and did not differ among the dyskinetic and non-dyskinetic cases with striatal lesions. In all groups, the L-DOPA-induced AIM scores correlated closely with the number of cells immunoreactive for tyrosine hydroxylase or FosB/∆FosB in the striatum. In conclusion, among the four lesion procedures examined here, only the MFB and striatum(2×2μl) models yielded a degree of dopamine denervation sufficient to produce spontaneous postural asymmetry and molecular supersensitivity to L-DOPA. Both lesion models are suitable to reproduce L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia, although only MFB lesions yield a pronounced and widespread expression of post-synaptic supersensitivity markers in the striatum

Relationship between atrial fibrillation and cognitive decline in individuals aged 80 and older: A narrative review

Background:Atrialfibrillation (AF) and dementia are largely prevalent and incident in progressively older sub-jects, suggesting a link between the two conditions. While in the general population there are severalfindingssupporting a causal relationship between AF and dementia, it is unclear whether or not this association is stillpresent in individuals aged 80 and older.Results:So far, the few studies that analysed this issue did not provide enough evidence supporting the causativerole of AF in increasing the risk of cognitive decline or dementia in patients aged 80 and older. Conversely, a rel-evant roleofoptimalanticoagulation controlin determininga significantreduction intheriskofcognitive declineis suggested, in AF subjects aged 80 years or older.Conclusions:Further data, coming from population-based studies specifically investigating very old individualsand based upon large samples and comprehensive cognitive assessments, are needed to fully elucidate the rela-tionship between AF and dementia in very old individual