Potential of fecal microbiota for early-stage detection of colorectal cancer

Several bacterial species have been implicated in the development of colorectal carcinoma (CRC), but CRC-associated changes of fecal microbiota and their potential for cancer screening remain to be explored. Here, we used metagenomic sequencing of fecal samples to identify taxonomic markers that distinguished CRC patients from tumor-free controls in a study population of 156 participants. Accuracy of metagenomic CRC detection was similar to the standard fecal occult blood test (FOBT) and when both approaches were combined, sensitivity improved > 45% relative to the FOBT, while maintaining its specificity. Accuracy of metagenomic CRC detection did not differ significantly between early- and late-stage cancer and could be validated in independent patient and control populations (N = 335) from different countries. CRC-associated changes in the fecal microbiome at least partially reflected microbial community composition at the tumor itself, indicating that observed gene pool differences may reveal tumor-related host–microbe interactions. Indeed, we deduced a metabolic shift from fiber degradation in controls to utilization of host carbohydrates and amino acids in CRC patients, accompanied by an increase of lipopolysaccharide metabolism.     

Label-free LC-MSMS analysis of vitreous from autoimmune uveitis reveals a significant decrease in secreted Wnt signalling inhibitors DKK3 and SFRP2

Equine recurrent uveitis is a severe and frequent blinding disease in horses which presents with auto-reactive invading T-cells, resulting in the destruction of the inner eye. Infiltration of inflammatory cells into the retina and vitreous is driven by currently unknown guidance cues, however surgical removal of the vitreous (vitrectomy) has proven therapeutically successful. Therefore, proteomic analyses of vitrectomy samples are likely to result in detection of proteins contributing to disease pathogenesis. Vitreous from healthy and ERU diseased horses were directly compared by quantitative mass spectrometry based on label-free quantification of peak intensities across samples. We found a significant upregulation of complement and coagulation cascades and downregulation of negative paracrine regulators of canonical Wnt signalling including the Wnt signalling inhibitors DKK3 and SFRP2. Based on immunohistochemistry, both proteins are expressed in equine retina and suggest localisation to retinal Müller glial cells (RMG), which may be the source cells for these proteins. Furthermore, retinal expression levels and patterns of DKK3 change in response to ERU. Since many other regulated proteins identified here are associated with RMG cells, these cells qualify as the prime responders to autoimmune triggers.     

Persistent High IgG Phase I Antibody Levels against Coxiella burnetii among Veterinarians Compared to Patients Previously Diagnosed with Acute Q Fever after Three Years of Follow-Up

Background

Little is known about the development of chronic Q fever in occupational risk groups. The aim of this study was to perform long-term follow-up of Coxiella burnetii seropositive veterinarians and investigate the course of IgG phase I and phase II antibodies against C. burnetii antigens and to compare this course with that in patients previously diagnosed with acute Q fever.

Methods

Veterinarians with IgG phase I ≥1:256 (immunofluorescence assay) that participated in a previous seroprevalence study were asked to provide a second blood sample three years later. IgG antibody profiles were compared to a group of acute Q fever patients who had IgG phase I ≥1:256 twelve months after diagnosis.

Results

IgG phase I was detected in all veterinarians (n = 76) and in 85% of Q fever patients (n = 98) after three years (p<0.001). IgG phase I ≥1:1,024, indicating possible chronic Q fever, was found in 36% of veterinarians and 12% of patients (OR 3.95, 95% CI: 1.84–8.49).

Conclusions

IgG phase I persists among veterinarians presumably because of continuous exposure to C. burnetii during their work. Serological and clinical follow-up of occupationally exposed risk groups should be considered.     

Dual Targeted Therapy with p53 siRNA and Epigallocatechingallate in a Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cell Model

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive phenotype that is resistant to standard therapy. Thus, the development of alternative therapeutic strategies for TNBC is essential. The purpose of our in vitro study was to evaluate the impact of p53 gene silencing in conjunction with the administration of a natural compound, epigallocatechingallate (EGCG). RT²Profiler PCR Array technology was used to evaluate the impact of dual treatment on the main genes involved in apoptosis in the Hs578T cell culture model of TNBC. Gene expression analysis revealed 28 genes were significantly altered (16 upregulated and 12 downregulated) in response to combined p53 siRNA and EGCG treatment. Further analysis revealed that p53 siRNA and EGCG dual therapy leads to the activation of pro-apoptotic genes and the inhibition of pro-survival genes, autophagy, and cell network formation. These results indicate that this dual therapy targets both the apoptotic and angiogenic pathways, which may improve treatment effectiveness for tumors resistant to conventional treatment.     

Temporal Monitoring of Differentiated Human Airway Epithelial Cells Using Microfluidics

The airway epithelium is exposed to a variety of harmful agents during breathing and appropriate cellular responses are essential to maintain tissue homeostasis. Recent evidence has highlighted the contribution of epithelial barrier dysfunction in the development of many chronic respiratory diseases. Despite intense research efforts, the responses of the airway barrier to environmental agents are not fully understood, mainly due to lack of suitable in vitro models that recapitulate the complex in vivo situation accurately. Using an interdisciplinary approach, we describe a novel dynamic 3D in vitro model of the airway epithelium, incorporating fully differentiated primary human airway epithelial cells at the air-liquid interface and a basolateral microfluidic supply of nutrients simulating the interstitial flow observed in vivo. Through combination of the microfluidic culture system with an automated fraction collector the kinetics of cellular responses by the airway epithelium to environmental agents can be analysed at the early phases for the first time and with much higher sensitivity compared to common static in vitro models. Following exposure of primary differentiated epithelial cells to pollen we show that CXCL8/IL–8 release is detectable within the first 2h and peaks at 4–6h under microfluidic conditions, a response which was not observed in conventional static culture conditions. Such a microfluidic culture model is likely to have utility for high resolution temporal profiling of toxicological and pharmacological responses of the airway epithelial barrier, as well as for studies of disease mechanisms.     

Antisense inhibition of the plastidial glucose-6-phosphate/phosphate translocator in Vicia seeds shifts cellular differentiation and promotes protein storage

The glucose-6-phosphate/phosphate translocator (GPT) acts as an importer of carbon into the plastid. Despite the potential importance of GPT for storage in crop seeds, its regulatory role in biosynthetic pathways that are active during seed development is poorly understood. We have isolated GPT1 from Vicia narbonensis and studied its role in seed development using a transgenic approach based on the seed-specific legumin promoter LeB4. GPT1 is highly expressed in vegetative sink tissues, flowers and young seeds. In the embryo, localized upregulation of GPT1 at the onset of storage coincides with the onset of starch accumulation. Embryos of transgenic plants expressing antisense GPT1 showed a significant reduction (up to 55%) in the specific transport rate of glucose-6-phosphate as determined using proteoliposomes prepared from embryos. Furthermore, amyloplasts developed later and were smaller in size, while the expression of genes encoding plastid-specific translocators and proteins involved in starch biosynthesis was decreased. Metabolite analysis and stable isotope labelling demonstrated that starch biosynthesis was also reduced, although storage protein biosynthesis increased. This metabolic shift was characterized by upregulation of genes related to nitrogen uptake and protein storage, morphological variation of the protein-storing vacuoles, and a crude protein content of mature seeds of transgenics that was up to 30% higher than in wild-type. These findings provide evidence that (1) the prevailing level of GPT1 abundance/activity is rate-limiting for the synthesis of starch in developing seeds, (2) GPT1 exerts a controlling function on assimilate partitioning into storage protein, and (3) GPT1 is essential for the differentiation of embryonic plastids and seed maturation.     

The role of osteopontin (OPN/SPP1) haplotypes in the susceptibility to Crohn's disease

Background

Osteopontin represents a multifunctional molecule playing a pivotal role in chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Its expression is increased in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of our study was to analyze the association of osteopontin (OPN/SPP1) gene variants in a large cohort of IBD patients.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Genomic DNA from 2819 Caucasian individuals (n = 841 patients with Crohn''s disease (CD), n = 473 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), and n = 1505 healthy unrelated controls) was analyzed for nine OPN SNPs (rs2728127, rs2853744, rs11730582, rs11739060, rs28357094, rs4754 = p.Asp80Asp, rs1126616 = p.Ala236Ala, rs1126772 and rs9138). Considering the important role of osteopontin in Th17-mediated diseases, we performed analysis for epistasis with IBD-associated IL23R variants and analyzed serum levels of the Th17 cytokine IL-22. For four OPN SNPs (rs4754, rs1126616, rs1126772 and rs9138), we observed significantly different distributions between male and female CD patients. rs4754 was protective in male CD patients (p = 0.0004, OR = 0.69). None of the other investigated OPN SNPs was associated with CD or UC susceptibility. However, several OPN haplotypes showed significant associations with CD susceptibility. The strongest association was found for a haplotype consisting of the 8 OPN SNPs rs2728127-rs2853744-rs11730582-rs11439060-rs28357094-rs112661-rs1126772-rs9138 (omnibus p-value = 2.07×10⁻⁸). Overall, the mean IL-22 secretion in the combined group of OPN minor allele carriers with CD was significantly lower than that of CD patients with OPN wildtype alleles (p = 3.66×10⁻⁵). There was evidence for weak epistasis between the OPN SNP rs28357094 with the IL23R SNP rs10489629 (p = 4.18×10⁻²) and between OPN SNP rs1126616 and IL23R SNP rs2201841 (p = 4.18×10⁻²) but none of these associations remained significant after Bonferroni correction.

Conclusions/Significance

Our study identified OPN haplotypes as modifiers of CD susceptibility, while the combined effects of certain OPN variants may modulate IL-22 secretion.     

Insensitivity to Abeta42-lowering nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and gamma-secretase inhibitors is common among aggressive presenilin-1 mutations

Abeta42-lowering nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) constitute the founding members of a new class of gamma-secretase modulators that avoid side effects of pan-gamma-secretase inhibitors on NOTCH processing and function, holding promise as potential disease-modifying agents for Alzheimer disease (AD). These modulators are active in cell-free gamma-secretase assays indicating that they directly target the gamma-secretase complex. Additional support for this hypothesis was provided by the observation that certain mutations in presenilin-1 (PS1) associated with early-onset familial AD (FAD) change the cellular drug response to Abeta42-lowering NSAIDs. Of particular interest is the PS1-DeltaExon9 mutation, which provokes a pathogenic increase in the Abeta42/Abeta40 ratio and dramatically reduces the cellular response to the Abeta42-lowering NSAID sulindac sulfide. This FAD PS1 mutant is unusual as a splice-site mutation results in deletion of amino acids Thr(291)-Ser(319) including the endoproteolytic cleavage site of PS1, and an additional amino acid exchange (S290C) at the exon 8/10 splice junction. By genetic dissection of the PS1-DeltaExon9 mutation, we now demonstrate that a synergistic effect of the S290C mutation and the lack of endoproteolytic cleavage is sufficient to elevate the Abeta42/Abeta40 ratio and that the attenuated response to sulindac sulfide results partially from the deficiency in endoproteolysis. Importantly, a wider screen revealed that a diminished response to Abeta42-lowering NSAIDs is common among aggressive FAD PS1 mutations. Surprisingly, these mutations were also partially unresponsive to gamma-secretase inhibitors of different structural classes. This was confirmed in a mouse model with transgenic expression of the PS1-L166P mutation, in which the potent gamma-secretase inhibitor LY-411575 failed to reduce brain levels of soluble Abeta42. In summary, these findings highlight the importance of genetic background in drug discovery efforts aimed at gamma-secretase, suggesting that certain AD mouse models harboring aggressive PS mutations may not be informative in assessing in vivo effects of gamma-secretase modulators and inhibitors.     

Role of increased guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase-1 expression and tetrahydrobiopterin levels upon T cell activation

Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH(4)) is an essential co-factor for the nitric-oxide (NO) synthases, and in its absence these enzymes produce superoxide (O(2)(·-)) rather than NO. The rate-limiting enzyme for BH(4) production is guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase-1 (GTPCH-1). Because endogenously produced NO affects T cell function, we sought to determine whether antigen stimulation affected T cell GTPCH-1 expression and ultimately BH(4) levels. Resting T cells had minimal expression of inducible NOS (NOS2), endothelial NOS (NOS3), and GTPCH-1 protein and nearly undetectable levels of BH(4). Anti-CD3 stimulation of T cells robustly stimulated the coordinated expression of NOS2, NOS3, and GTPCH-1 and markedly increased both GTPCH-1 activity and T cell BH(4) levels. The newly expressed GTPCH-1 was phosphorylated on serine 72 and pharmacological inhibition of casein kinase II reduced GTPCH-1 phosphorylation and blunted the increase in T cell BH(4). Inhibition of GTPCH-1 with diaminohydroxypyrimidine (1 mmol/liter) prevented T cell BH(4) accumulation, reduced NO production, and increased T cell O(2)(·-) production, due to both NOS2 and NOS3 uncoupling. GTPCH-1 inhibition also promoted TH(2) polarization in memory CD4 cells. Ovalbumin immunization of mice transgenic for an ovalbumin receptor (OT-II mice) confirmed a marked increase in T cell BH(4) in vivo. These studies identify a previously unidentified consequence of T cell activation, promoting BH(4) levels, NO production, and modulating T cell cytokine production.