Ophthalmic preservatives are indispensable in eye drop formulations, but may be toxic to corneal structures. Corneal damage necessitates the discontinuation of treatment with ophthalmic solutions. ...Therefore, the development of a new and safe preservative system without corneal toxicity is needed. The present study investigated the effects of mannitol on the antimicrobial activities and corneal toxicities of various preservatives using Escherichia coli and a human corneal epithelial cell line (HCE-T cells). The following preservatives were examined: boric acid (BA), benzalkonium chloride (BAC), methyl parahydroxybenzoate (MP), propyl parahydroxybenzoate (PP), sodium chlorite (SC), and zinc chloride (ZC). The antimicrobial activities and HCE-T-cell toxicities of 50 µg/mL BA, MP, PP, SC, and ZC were reduced by a co-treatment with mannitol (0–300 µg/mL). The suppressed antimicrobial activities of BA, MP, PP, and SC by the co-treatment with mannitol were restored by the application of a mannitol content higher than 500 µg/mL. In contrast to these 5 preservatives, the addition of mannitol did not affect the antimicrobial activity of BAC and attenuated its HCE-T cell toxicity. Therefore, the balance between the contents of mannitol and preservatives is important in co-treatments. The present results will serve as a guide for the future development of eye drop formulations without corneal toxicity.
Among several mechanisms for the resistance of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-overexpressing (HER2 +) cancer cells to trastuzumab, little is known regarding the mechanism underlying the ...resistance to trastuzumab-mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Cell death due to ADCC is caused by apoptosis of target cells induced by granzymes released from natural killer cells. Because optimal granzyme physiological activity occurs at neutral pH, we assumed that the pH of the intracellular environment influences the cytotoxic effects of granzymes. We established ADCC-resistant cells and compared them with wild-type cells in terms of the expression of intracellular pH-regulating genes. The expression of
ATP6V1B1
, which encodes a component of vacuolar ATPases, was downregulated in the ADCC-resistant cells. Thus, to functionally characterize ATP6V1B1, we used a CRISPR/Cas9 system to generate
ATP6V1B1
-knockout SKBR3 and JIMT-1 cells (both HER2 + human breast cancer cell line). The resulting cells exhibited significantly less ADCC than the control SKBR3 and JIMT-1 cells. The intracellular pH of the
ATP6V1B1
-knockout SKBR3 and JIMT-1 cells was significantly lower than control SKBR3 and JIMT-1cells. An analysis of granzyme dynamics during the ADCC reaction in cancer cells revealed that granzymes degraded intracellularly in the control SKBR3 and JIMT-1 cells and accumulated in
ATP6V1B1
-knockout cells, but were not cytotoxic. These findings suggest that decreased vacuolar ATPase activity alters the cytoplasmic pH of cancer cells to create an environment that is less suitable for granzyme bioactivity, which adversely affects the induction of apoptosis of cancer cells by NK cells.
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EMUNI, FZAB, GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
The evaluation of the dissolution profile of hypnotic drugs is important to promote switching from original products to generic products by removing distrust in generic hypnotics. In this study, we ...investigated differences in the dissolution profiles between original and generic products (GE-D, GE-S, and GE-T) in commercially available zolpidem tartrate (ZOL) products using the HPLC method using a connected microdialysis probe (microdialysis-HPLC method). Although the degree of hardness and the disintegration time were not different among the original, GE-S, and GE-T, GE-D was 1.4 times harder than the other products. The disintegration time of GE-D was approximately twice as long as that of the original product. Generic products dissolved rapidly as compared with the original product, however, the dissolution rate in the ZOL powder (milled ZOL product) was not different between the original and generic products. Macrogol 6000 (polyethylene glycol (PEG)-6000) was used in the generic products, and this additive was the only PEG difference from the original product. We investigated whether the PEG in the product affected the solubility of ZOL and found that the addition of PEG-4000 or PEG-6000 significantly increased the dissolution rate. These results suggest that the solubility of ZOL may be increased by PEG when the product is disintegrated, resulting in the increased dissolution rate in the generic products. In conclusion, we found that the difference of PEG affected the dissolution profile in the disintegration process using the microdialysis-HPLC method. This finding can help ensure the safety of milled products and the selection of additives.
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a severe dose-limiting side effect of taxanes such as paclitaxel and docetaxel. Despite the high medical needs, insufficient understanding of the ...complex mechanism underlying CIPN pathogenesis precludes any endorsed causal therapy to prevent or relieve CIPN. In this study, we report that elevation of plasma galectin-3 level is a pathologic change common to both patients with taxane-treated breast cancer with CIPN and a mouse model of taxane-related CIPN. Following multiple intraperitoneal injections of paclitaxel in mice, galectin-3 levels were elevated in Schwann cells within the sciatic nerve but not in other peripheral organs or cells expressing galectin-3. Consistent with this, paclitaxel treatment of primary cultures of rat Schwann cells induced upregulation and secretion of galectin-3.
migration assays revealed that recombinant galectin-3 induced a chemotactic response of the murine macrophage cell line RAW 264.7. In addition, perineural administration of galectin-3 to the sciatic nerve of naive mice mimicked paclitaxel-induced macrophage infiltration and mechanical hypersensitivity. By contrast, chemical depletion of macrophages by clodronate liposomes suppressed paclitaxel-induced mechanical hypersensitivity despite the higher level of plasma galectin-3. Deficiency (
mice) or pharmacologic inhibition of galectin-3 inhibited paclitaxel-induced macrophage infiltration and mechanical hypersensitivity. In conclusion, we propose that Schwann cell-derived galectin-3 plays a pronociceptive role via macrophage infiltration in the pathogenesis of taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy. Therapies targeting this phenomenon, which is common to patients with CIPN and mouse models, represent a novel approach to suppress taxane-related CIPN. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings demonstrate that the elevation of plasma galectin-3 is a CIPN-related pathologic change common to humans and mice, and that targeting galectin-3 is a therapeutic option to delay CIPN progression.
Background
It has been reported that the gene expression profile of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) exhibits a unique gene expression signature in several types of cancer. In this study, ...we aimed to explore the breast cancer patient-specific gene expression profile of PBMCs and discuss immunological insight on host antitumor immune responses.
Methods
We comprehensively analyzed the gene expression of PBMCs by RNA sequencing in the breast cancer patients as compared to that of healthy volunteers (HVs). Pathway enrichment analysis was performed on MetaCore
tm
to search the molecular pathways associated with the gene expression profile of PBMCs in cancer patients compared with HVs.
Results
We found a significant unique gene expression signature, such as the Toll-like receptor (TLR) 3- and TLR4-induced Toll/interleukin-1 receptor domain-containing adapter molecule 1 (TICAM1)-specific signaling pathway in the breast cancer patients as compared to that of healthy volunteers. Distinctive immunological gene expression profiles also showed the possibility of classifying breast cancer patients into subgroups such as T-cell inhibitory and monocyte-activating groups independent of known phenotypes of breast cancer.
Conclusions
These preliminary findings suggest that evaluation of gene expression patterns of PBMCs might be both a less invasive diagnostic procedure and a useful way to reveal immunological insight of breast cancer, including biomarkers for cancer immunotherapy, such as immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Radiation therapy (RT) can enhance the abscopal effect of immune checkpoint blockade. This phase I/II study investigated the efficacy and safety of nivolumab plus RT in HER2-negative metastatic ...breast cancer requiring palliative RT for bone metastases. Cohort A included luminal-like disease, and cohort B included both luminal-like and triple-negative disease refractory to standard systemic therapy. Patients received 8 Gy single fraction RT for bone metastasis on day 0. Nivolumab was administered on day 1 for each 14-day cycle. In cohort A, endocrine therapy was administered. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR) of the unirradiated lesions. Cohorts A and B consisted of 18 and 10 patients, respectively. The ORR was 11% (90% CI 4-29%) in cohort A and 0% in cohort B. Disease control rates were 39% (90% CI 23-58%) and 0%. Median progression-free survival was 4.1 months (95% CI 2.1-6.1 months) and 2.0 months (95% CI 1.2-3.7 months). One patient in cohort B experienced a grade 3 adverse event. Palliative RT combined with nivolumab was safe and showed modest anti-tumor activity in cohort A. Further investigations to enhance the anti-tumor effect of endocrine therapy combined with RT plus immune checkpoint blockade are warranted.Trial registration number and date of registration UMIN: UMIN000026046, February 8, 2017; ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03430479, February 13, 2018; Date of the first registration: June 22, 2017.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is still difficult to treat partly because of lacking specific target. Although 50-70% of TNBC expresses EGFR, it is less sensitive to the treatment of ...EGFR inhibition for TNBC as compared to the efficacy of HER2 inhibition for HER2-positive breast cancer. Several phase II study on EGFR blockade treatment has been reported, however it has not applied in a clinical setting yet. It was reported that residual tumors after treatment with EGFR-targeted antibodies showed increased HER3 abundance leading to EGFR/HER3 receptor dimerization. The signals of HER3/EGFR dimerization to PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways are thought to be involved in cancer survival, proliferation and also up-regulation of PD-L1 expression. Thus, we hypothesized that up-regulation of HER3 signal caused by anti-cancer treatment might induce PD-L1 expression and inhibit host anti-tumor immunity. In this study, we tested the relationships between HER3 signal and PD-L1 expression by using three basal-like breast cancer cell line; MDA-MB-231, HCC70, and MDA-MB-468. MDA-MB-231 is HER3-negative, and HCC70 and MDA-MB-468 are HER3-positive cell lines. We added neureglin 1 (NRG1: HER3 ligand) to those three cell lines and analyzed PD-L1 expression of protein by flowcytometry and mRNA by qRT-PCR. Both protein and mRNA level of PD-L1 on HCC70 and MDA-MB-468 treated with NRG1 are increased as compared with those without NRG1 while there was no change of PD-L1 expression of MDA-MB-231 either with or without NRG1. In order to confirm the significance of potential treatment target of HER3, we evaluated HER3 expression in biopsy samples by immunohistochemistry before neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) including all phenotypes. Thirteen pathological complete response (pCR) cases after NAC and 6 non pCR cases were included. We scored the HER3 stainability from 0 to 3 and found that non pCR cases showed significantly higher HER3 score than pCR cases (84.6% and 33% respectively, p=0.0149).
Although further study is needed, these results suggest that HER3 signal possibly regulates PD-L1 expression in HER3-positive basal-like breast cancer and treatment with anti-HER3 targeting therapy combination with an immune checkpoint inhibition therapy for HER3 positive NAC resistant patients might be warranted.
Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting.
Citation Format: Ayane Yamaguchi, Eiji Suzuki, Kosuke Kawaguchi, Mariko Nishie, Moe Tsuda, Takeshi Kotake, Masakazu Toi. The impact of HER3 signaling mediated PD-L1 regulation in triple negative breast cancer abstract. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3697. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-3697
On-site disinfection techniques are beneficial during a pandemic when there is a marked shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), as experienced during the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak. ...Ozone gas has been considered an alternative on-site disinfectant during a pandemic because it has antimicrobial activities, can be produced from air by electricity without the need for storage, and can be easily deactivated after use. However, ozone gas might become distributed at the lower layer because it has a larger molecular weight than air.
This study aimed to reveal the applicability of ozone gas for the on-site disinfection of PPE. The lockers meant for changing dresses were used as ozone gas exposure boxes, and the distribution of ozone was assayed. Considering that the determined ozone levels were not consistent in the types of ozone analysers, we studied the chemical and biological activities of ozone, which were evenly detected in the locker. The gown in the locker was also uniformly exposed to ozone. Results showed that ozone gas could be used for the on-site disinfection of PPE in a closed box, such as a locker. This finding is valuable during a pandemic when PPE is in short supply.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
In our research program to identify cholinesterase and β-secretase inhibitors, we investigated Ginseng (root of
Panax ginseng
), a crude drug described as a multifunctional drug in the ancient ...Chinese herbal book
Shennong Ben Cao Jing
. Results from hexane and methanol extracts showed moderate inhibitory activities. This suggests that ginseng roots may be effective for the prevention of and therapy for dementia. We then focused on hexane extracts of raw ginseng root and dried ginseng root since the determination of hexane extract constituents has not been studied extensively. Activity-guided fractionation and purification led to the isolation of 4 polyacetylene compounds; homopanaxynol, homopanaxydol, (9
Z
)-heptadeca-1, 9-diene-4,6-diyn-3-one, and (8
E
)-octadeca-1,8-diene-4,6-diyn-3,10-diol. The chemical structures of these compounds, including stereochemistry, were determined. This is the first study to identify the structure of homopanaxynol and homopanaxydol. Moreover, the modes of action of some compounds were characterized as competitive inhibitors. This study showed, for the first time, that polyacetylene compounds possess acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
To learn an importance of team collaboration on disaster medicine is one of key issues in the education for undergraduate students. In the joint curriculum of 4-year students of medical and pharmacy ...schools at Kindai University, which was organized by interprofessional faculty of both schools, small group discussion class as an educational program was organized. The students were welcomed to answer the questions in the questionnaire survey. At the beginning and end of the program, the students were asked structured questions. They were also asked to make free comments at the end of class. We compared pre and post score in the structured questions and conducted sentiment analysis in contextual mining of the free comments of the students.Of 253 students, 222 students consented to be enrolled in this survey. They emphasized the importance of team collaboration after the class compared to before the class (P<0.001). Of the free comments, 189 were considered positive to the program by sentiment analysis of text mining. The positive expression such as “way of thinking,” “opinion,” “opportunity,” and “exchange” were related to willingness of students for the program. Of the comments, 91 were considered negative. The words related to negative expressions included such words as “time,” “long,” “group,” and “many.” In these expressions, students indicated the redundancy in the plenary session of class.The shared learning of disaster medicine with a discussion type program was effective in getting the sense of interprofessional collaboration in disaster medicine on both medical and pharmacy students.
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