Neoplastic Brain, Glioblastoma, and Immunotherapy

IGF-I, insulin-like growth factor 1, is present in normal fetal/neonatal brain development and reappears in the mature brain participating in the development of malignant tumor, glioblastoma multiforme. Targeting the IGF-I system has emerged as a useful method to reduce glial malignant development. Downregulation in the expression of IGF-I using antigene anti-IGF-I technology (antisense, AS, and triple helix, TH) applied in glioma cell culture established from glioblastoma biopsies induces the expression of B7 and MHC-I antigens in transfected cells (immunogenicity). The transfected cancer cells, “vaccines,” after subcutaneous injection, initiated an immune response mediated by T CD8+ lymphocytes, followed by tumor regression (immunotherapy). The median survival of patients treated by surgery followed by radiotherapy and immunotherapy was 21–24 months. On the other side, the experimental work has demonstrated that IGF-I AS or TH transfected tumor cells fused with activated dendritic cells, DC, showing more striking immunogenic character. Using IGF-I TH/DC “vaccination,” the efficiency in suppressing rat glioma tumors is not only relatively higher than that obtained using IGF-I TH cells but is also more rapid

Iron status in late pregnancy is inversely associated with birth weight in Colombia

Objective: Gestational anaemia (GA) is common in developing countries. This study assessed the relationship of late GA and negative perinatal outcomes in participants recruited in a reference maternity unit of the Caribbean region of Colombia. Design: Prospective analytical birth cohort study. Maternal Hb and serum ferritin (SF) levels were measured. GA was defined as Hb levels <6·82 mmol/l (<11 g/dl), SF depletion as SF levels <12 µg/l. Birth outcomes such as low birth weight (LBW), preterm birth (PB) and small for gestational age (SGA) were examined. Setting: Mothers in the first stage of labour, living in urban or rural areas of Bolívar, were enrolled in an obstetrical centre located in Cartagena, Colombia. Blood and stool samples were taken prior delivery. Maternal blood count, SF levels and infant anthropometric data were recorded for analysis. Participants: 1218 pregnant women aged 18-42 years and their newborns. Results: Prevalence of GA and SF depletion was 41·6 % and 41·1 %, respectively. GA was positively associated with poverty-related sociodemographic conditions. Prenatal care attendance lowered the risk of PB, LBW and SGA. Birth weight was inversely associated with Hb levels, observing a -36·8 g decrease in newborn weight per 0·62 mmol/l (or 1 g/dl) of maternal Hb. SF depletion, but not anaemia, was associated with PB. SGA outcome showed a significant association with anaemia, but not a significant relationship with SF depletion. Conclusions: Birth weight and other-related perinatal outcomes are negatively associated with Hb and SF depletion. Prenatal care attendance reduced the risk of negative birth outcomes

Epistemological experience in developing of biomolecular technology for immunogene therapy strategy

Unos de los retos científicos de los últimos 40 años, ha sido la búsqueda de la herramienta para el tratamiento del tumor cerebral, el glioblastoma, mortales en el 100% de los casos, utilizando nuestro conocimiento de la evolución, la química de las proteínas, la genética, la biología molecular y la inmunología. Una estrategia eficiente enfocada hacia el factor de crecimiento IGF-I presente en el desarrollo tumoral, fue establecida mediante la construcción de vectores expresando el IGF-I antisentido ARN o el IGF-I ARN formando ARN-ADN triple hélice. Estos vectores introducidos en las células cancerosas in vitro, permiten detener por completo la síntesis de IGF-I en la traducción o a nivel de la transcripción respectivamente. Mientras la inyección in vivo, &nbsp;inducen efecto antitumoral inmune (TCD8+) acompañado de aumento de la supervivencia media de los pacientes. La primera tesis en Colombia que describe la tecnología utilizada, fue presentada en la Universidad Distrital, en febrero de 2016.We have been faced with a 40 year long challenge: how to establish tools that can be applied in the treatment of brain tumor - glioblastoma (100% fatal) - using our knowledge of evolution, chemistry of proteins, genetics, molecular biology and immunology. An efficient strategy targeting growth factor IGF-I, present in tumor development, was established by construction of vectors expressing either IGF-I antisense RNA or IGF-I RNA forming RNA-DNA triple helix. The vectors introduced in the cancer cells in vitro, enable to completely stop the synthesis of IGF-I: on translation or transcription level, respectively. When injected in vivo, these cells induce an immune anti-tumor effect (CD8+) accompanied by increase of the median survival of patients. The first thesis in Colombia describing the used technology, was presented in Distrital University in February 2016

Epistemológica experiencia en la elaboración de tecnología biomolecular para estrategia de la inmunoterapia génica

We have been faced with a 40 year long challenge: how to establish tools that can be applied in the treatment of brain tumor - glioblastoma (100% fatal) - using our knowledge of evolution, chemistry of proteins, genetics, molecular biology and immunology. An efficient strategy targeting growth factor IGF-I, present in tumor development, was established by construction of vectors expressing either IGF-I antisense RNA or IGF-I RNA forming RNA-DNA triple helix. The vectors introduced in the cancer cells in vitro, enable to completely stop the synthesis of IGF-I: on translation or transcription level, respectively. When injected in vivo, these cells induce an immune anti-tumor effect (CD8+) accompanied by increase of the median survival of patients. The first thesis in Colombia describing the used technology, was presented in Distrital University in February 2016.Unos de los retos científicos de los últimos 40 años, ha sido la búsqueda de la herramienta para el tratamiento del tumor cerebral, el glioblastoma, mortales en el 100% de los casos, utilizando nuestro conocimiento de la evolución, la química de las proteínas, la genética, la biología molecular y la inmunología. Una estrategia eficiente enfocada hacia el factor de crecimiento IGF-I presente en el desarrollo tumoral, fue establecida mediante la construcción de vectores expresando el IGF-I antisentido ARN o el IGF-I ARN formando ARN-ADN triple hélice. Estos vectores introducidos en las células cancerosas in vitro, permiten detener por completo la síntesis de IGF-I en la traducción o a nivel de la transcripción respectivamente. Mientras la inyección in vivo, &nbsp;inducen efecto antitumoral inmune (TCD8+) acompañado de aumento de la supervivencia media de los pacientes. La primera tesis en Colombia que describe la tecnología utilizada, fue presentada en la Universidad Distrital, en febrero de 2016

Epistemological experience in developing of biomolecular technology for immunogene therapy strategy

We have been faced with a 40 year long challenge: how to establish tools that can be applied in the treatment of brain tumor - glioblastoma (100% fatal) - using our knowledge of evolution, chemistry of proteins, genetics, molecular biology and immunology. An efficient strategy targeting growth factor IGF-I, present in tumor development, was established by construction of vectors expressing either IGF-I antisense RNA or IGF-I RNA forming RNA-DNA triple helix. The vectors introduced in the cancer cells in vitro, enable to completely stop the synthesis of IGF-I: on translation or transcription level, respectively. When injected in vivo, these cells induce an immune anti-tumor effect (CD8+) accompanied by increase of the median survival of patients. The first thesis in Colombia describing the used technology, was presented in Distrital University in February 2016

In vitro Technical Aspects of Anti-Gene IGF-I Vaccines against Glioma

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