Mapping research activity on mental health disorders in Europe: Study protocol for the Mapping_NCD project

© 2016 The Author(s). Background: Mental health disorders (MHDs) constitute a large and growing disease burden in Europe, although they typically receive less attention and research funding than other non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This study protocol describes a methodology for the mapping of MHD research in Europe as part of Mapping_NCD, a 2-year project funded by the European Commission which seeks to map European research funding and impact for five NCDs in order to identify potential gaps, overlaps, synergies and opportunities, and to develop evidence-based policies for future research. Methods: The project aims to develop a multi-focal view of the MHD research landscape across the 28 European Union Member States, plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, through a survey of European funding entities, analysis of research initiatives undertaken in the public, voluntary/not-for-profit and commercial sectors, and expert interviews to contextualize the gathered data. The impact of MHD research will be explored using bibliometric analyses of scientific publications, clinical guidelines and newspaper stories reporting on research initiatives. Finally, these research inputs and outputs will be considered in light of various metrics that have been proposed to inform priorities for the allocation of research funds, including burden of disease, treatment gaps and cost of illness. Discussion: Given the growing burden of MHDs, a clear and broad view of the current state of MHD research is needed to ensure that limited resources are directed to evidence-based priority areas. MHDs pose a particular challenge in mapping the research landscape due to their complex nature, high co-morbidity and varying diagnostic criteria. Undertaking such an effort across 31 countries is further challenged by differences in data collection, healthcare systems, reimbursement rates and clinical practices, as well as cultural and socioeconomic diversity. Using multiple methods to explore the spectrum of MHD research funding activity across Europe, this project aims to develop a broad, high-level perspective to inform priority setting for future research

An A91V SNP in the perforin gene is frequently found in NK/T-cell lymphomas

NK/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL) is the most frequent EBV-related NK/T-cell disease. Its clinical manifestations overlap with those of familial haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (FHLH). Since PERFORIN (PRF1) mutations are present in FHLH, we analysed its role in a series of 12 nasal and 12 extranasal-NKTCLs. 12.5% of the tumours and 25% of the nasal-origin cases had the well-known g.272C>T(p.Ala91Val) pathogenic SNP, which confers a poor prognosis. Two of these cases had a double-CD4/CD8-positive immunophenotype, although no correlation was found with perforin protein expression. p53 was overexpressed in 20% of the tumoral samples, 80% of which were of extranasal origin, while none showed PRF1 SNVs. These results suggest that nasal and extranasal NKTCLs have different biological backgrounds, although this requires validation

HTLV-1 infection in solid organ transplant donors and recipients in Spain

HTLV-1 infection is a neglected disease, despite infecting 10-15 million people worldwide and severe illnesses develop in 10% of carriers lifelong. Acknowledging a greater risk for developing HTLV-1 associated illnesses due to immunosuppression, screening is being widely considered in the transplantation setting. Herein, we report the experience with universal HTLV testing of donors and recipients of solid organ transplants in a survey conducted in Spain. All hospitals belonging to the Spanish HTLV network were invited to participate in the study. Briefly, HTLV antibody screening was performed retrospectively in all specimens collected from solid organ donors and recipients attended since the year 2008. A total of 5751 individuals were tested for HTLV antibodies at 8 sites. Donors represented 2312 (42.2%), of whom 17 (0.3%) were living kidney donors. The remaining 3439 (59.8%) were recipients. Spaniards represented nearly 80%. Overall, 9 individuals (0.16%) were initially reactive for HTLV antibodies. Six were donors and 3 were recipients. Using confirmatory tests, HTLV-1 could be confirmed in only two donors, one Spaniard and another from Colombia. Both kidneys of the Spaniard were inadvertently transplanted. Subacute myelopathy developed within 1 year in one recipient. The second recipient seroconverted for HTLV-1 but the kidney had to be removed soon due to rejection. Immunosuppression was stopped and 3 years later the patient remains in dialysis but otherwise asymptomatic. The rate of HTLV-1 is low but not negligible in donors/recipients of solid organ transplants in Spain. Universal HTLV screening should be recommended in all donor and recipients of solid organ transplantation in Spain. Evidence is overwhelming for very high virus transmission and increased risk along with the rapid development of subacute myelopathy

Rainbow trout red blood cells exposed to viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus up-regulate antigen-processing mechanisms and MHC I&II, CD86, and CD83 antigen-presenting cell markers

Nucleated teleost red blood cells (RBCs) are known to express molecules from the major histocompatibility complex and peptide-generating processes such as autophagy and proteasomes, but the role of RBCs in antigen presentation of viruses have not been studied yet. In this study, RBCs exposed ex vivo to viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) were evaluated by means of transcriptomic and proteomic approaches. Genes and proteins related to antigen presentation molecules, proteasome degradation, and autophagy were up-regulated. VHSV induced accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins in ex vivo VHSV-exposed RBCs and showed at the same time a decrease of proteasome activity. Furthermore, induction of autophagy was detected by evaluating LC3 protein levels. Sequestosome-1/p62 underwent degradation early after VHSV exposure, and it may be a link between ubiquitination and autophagy activation. Inhibition of autophagosome degradation with niclosamide resulted in intracellular detection of N protein of VHSV (NVHSV) and p62 accumulation. In addition, antigen presentation cell markers, such as major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I & II, CD83, and CD86, increased at the transcriptional and translational level in rainbow trout RBCs exposed to VHSV. In summary, we show that nucleated rainbow trout RBCs can degrade VHSV while displaying an antigen-presenting cell (APC)-like profile.This work was supported by the European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant GA639249). The proteomic analysis was performed in the Proteomics Facility of The Spanish National Center for Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC) belonging to ProteoRed, PRB3-ISCIII, supported by grant PT17/0019.Peer reviewe

2-Aminoadipic acid is a marker of protein carbonyl oxidation in the aging human skin: effects of diabetes, renal failure and sepsis

We hypothesized that the ϵ-amino group of lysine residues in longlived proteins oxidatively deaminates with age forming the carbonyl compound, allysine (α-aminoadipic acid-δ-semialdehyde), which can further oxidize into 2-aminoadipic acid. In the present study, we measured both products in insoluble human skin collagen from n=117 individuals of age range 10–90 years, of which n=61 and n=56 were non-diabetic and diabetic respectively, and a total of n=61 individuals had either acute or chronic renal failure. Allysine was reduced by borohydride into 6-hydroxynorleucine and both products were measured in acid hydrolysates by selective ion monitoring gas chromatography (GC)-MS. The results showed that 2-aminoadipic acid (P<0.0001), but not 6-hydroxynorleucine (P=0.14), significantly increased with age reaching levels of 1 and 0.3 mmol/mol lysine at late age respectively. Diabetes in the absence of renal failure significantly (P<0.0001) increased 2-aminoadipic acid up to <3 mmol/mol, but not 6-hydroxynorleucine (levels<0.4 mmol/mol, P=0.18). Renal failure even in the absence of diabetes markedly increased levels reaching up to <0.5 and 8 mmol/mol for 6-hydroxynorleucine and 2-aminoadipic acid respectively. Septicaemia significantly (P<0.0001) elevated 2-aminoadipic acid in non-diabetic, but not diabetic individuals, and mildly correlated with other glycoxidation markers, carboxymethyl-lysine and the methylglyoxal-derived products, carboxyethyl-lysine, argpyrimidine and MODIC (methylglyoxal-derived imidazolium cross-link). These results provide support for the presence of metal-catalysed oxidation (the Suyama pathway) in diabetes and the possible activation of myeloperoxidase during sepsis. We conclude that 2-aminoadipic acid is a more reliable marker for protein oxidation than its precursor, allysine. Its mechanism of formation in each of these conditions needs to be elucidated