Cisplatin anti-tumour potentiation by tirapazamine results from a hypoxia-dependent cellular sensitization to cisplatin

Tirapazamine (TPZ) is a new anticancer drug that is activated specifically at the low oxygen level typically found in solid tumours. It exhibits preferential cytotoxicity towards hypoxic cells and has been shown in preclinical studies with transplanted tumours and in phase II and III clinical trials to potentiate the anti-tumour efficacy of cisplatin without increasing its systemic toxicity. At present, the mechanism for this potentiation is unknown. Here we show that there is a schedule-dependent enhancement of cisplatin cytotoxicity by TPZ for cells in vitro that is similar to that seen with transplanted murine tumours. This cisplatin potentiation depends on the TPZ exposure being at oxygen concentrations below 1%, which are typical of many cells in tumours but not in normal tissues. Also, the interaction between TPZ and cisplatin does not occur in cells mutant in ERCC4, a protein essential for repair of DNA interstrand cross-links. Incubation of the cells with TPZ under hypoxia prior to cisplatin treatment increases cisplatin-induced DNA interstrand cross-links with kinetics suggesting that TPZ inhibits or delays repair of the DNA cross-links. In conclusion, we show that the tumour-specific potentiation of cisplatin cytotoxicity is likely the result of an interaction between TPZ and cisplatin at the cellular level that requires the low oxygen levels typical of those in solid tumours. The mechanism of the interaction appears to be through a potentiation of cisplatin-induced DNA interstrand cross-links, possibly as a result of a diminished or delayed repair of these lesion

Sense of entitlement to support for the reconciliation of employment and family life

This article explores young European women and men’s expectations of support - from the state and employers - for reconciling paid employment and family life. It is based on a qualitative study employing focus groups with young women and men in Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Ireland and the UK. Drawing on the concept of sense of entitlement, derived from social justice theory, it was expected that the type of welfare state and ‘gender contract’ that young adults have experienced will influence their sense of entitlement to support for work and family life. Findings indicate that participants perceived their entitlement to state and employer support differently across national context. However this is moderated by gender, parental and occupational status, and particularly by awareness of provisions in other countries in the case of state support, while perceived entitlement to employer support varies according to the specific policy considered, gender and perception of benefits to employers. Some implications for public policy makers and employers are discussed

Molecular imaging of hypoxia with radiolabelled agents

Tissue hypoxia results from an inadequate supply of oxygen (O2) that compromises biological functions. Structural and functional abnormalities of the tumour vasculature together with altered diffusion conditions inside the tumour seem to be the main causes of tumour hypoxia. Evidence from experimental and clinical studies points to a role for tumour hypoxia in tumour propagation, resistance to therapy and malignant progression. This has led to the development of assays for the detection of hypoxia in patients in order to predict outcome and identify patients with a worse prognosis and/or patients that would benefit from appropriate treatments. A variety of invasive and non-invasive approaches have been developed to measure tumour oxygenation including oxygen-sensitive electrodes and hypoxia marker techniques using various labels that can be detected by different methods such as positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), autoradiography and immunohistochemistry. This review aims to give a detailed overview of non-invasive molecular imaging modalities with radiolabelled PET and SPECT tracers that are available to measure tumour hypoxia

Genetic variants in novel pathways influence blood pressure and cardiovascular disease risk.

Blood pressure is a heritable trait influenced by several biological pathways and responsive to environmental stimuli. Over one billion people worldwide have hypertension (≥140 mm Hg systolic blood pressure or  ≥90 mm Hg diastolic blood pressure). Even small increments in blood pressure are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events. This genome-wide association study of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, which used a multi-stage design in 200,000 individuals of European descent, identified sixteen novel loci: six of these loci contain genes previously known or suspected to regulate blood pressure (GUCY1A3-GUCY1B3, NPR3-C5orf23, ADM, FURIN-FES, GOSR2, GNAS-EDN3); the other ten provide new clues to blood pressure physiology. A genetic risk score based on 29 genome-wide significant variants was associated with hypertension, left ventricular wall thickness, stroke and coronary artery disease, but not kidney disease or kidney function. We also observed associations with blood pressure in East Asian, South Asian and African ancestry individuals. Our findings provide new insights into the genetics and biology of blood pressure, and suggest potential novel therapeutic pathways for cardiovascular disease prevention