Citations

AbstractThe role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is unclear. Some lncRNAs can be transferred by extracellular vesicles (EVs) and have potential as biomarkers. Here, we identify an lncRNA that could serve as a biomarker for PDAC and show the functional roles of the lncRNA. Expression profiling of lncRNAs revealed that highly upregulated in liver cancer (HULC) was highly expressed, and induced, by transforming growth factor‐β in PDAC cells and their EVs. Knockdown of HULC decreased PDAC cell invasion and migration by inhibiting the EMT. Thus, HULC could be transferred by EVs, and promote EMT, invasion, and migration in recipient PDAC cells. To assess the roles of HULC, PDAC cell xenografts in nude mice were established. Knockdown of HULC in PDAC cells implanted in mice inhibited tumor growth. Moreover, microRNA‐133b suppressed PDAC cell invasion and migration by inhibiting the EMT through targeting HULC. Furthermore, serum samples were obtained from 20 PDAC and 22 intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) patients, as well as 21 healthy individuals. Analysis of serum EV HULC expression by digital PCR showed that HULC expression was significantly increased in PDAC patients compared to healthy individuals or IPMN patients. Additionally, HULC showed good predictive performance for discriminating PDAC, suggesting that the analysis of EV‐encapsulated HULC would contribute to the diagnosis for human PDAC. Extracellular vesicle‐transported HULC promotes cell invasion and migration by inducing the EMT, and microRNA‐133b suppresses the EMT by targeting HULC. Extracellular vesicle‐encapsulated HULC could be a potential circulating biomarker for human PDAC.

Abstract Homebound older adults tend to have more medical comorbidities, higher risk of mortality, and higher healthcare utilization compared to non-homebound, community dwelling older adults in the U.S. Preventative primary care home visit have been shown to reduce hospitalizations and total healthcare costs in this population. Through a retrospective study, we aim to explore characteristics associated with ED and hospital utilization in patients who have received a home visit. A total 608 subjects, 70% female and median age of 86 years, were involved. A 184 (30%) of homebound subjects were hospitalized or visited the ED in 90 days. Comparing those with hospitalization or ED and those without, there was no significant difference in sex, age, race, marital status, or advance care planning. A 74% of those with 90 day ED/hospitalization had prior ED visit within 1 year of home visit compared to 59% of those without (p=0.0004). In addition, 58% of those with 90 day ED/hospitalization had prior hospitalization within 1 year of home visit compared to 44% of those without (p=0.0015). They also had significantly higher number of total medical comorbidities (median 4.5 vs 4, p=0.02). Our study suggests that prior healthcare utilization and medical comorbidity burden may be better predictors of 90 day hospitalization or ED use in geriatric patients who have received a home visit. Advance care planning and age did not significantly differ between the two groups in our study. Further studies should be performed to validate our findings in a prospective manner.

Purpose The Mayo Clinic Biobank was established to provide a large group of patients from which comparison groups (ie, controls) could be selected for case–control studies, to create a prospective cohort with sufficient power for common outcomes and to support electronic health record (EHR) studies. Participants A total of 56 862 participants enrolled (21% response rate) into the Mayo Clinic Biobank from Rochester, Minnesota (77%, n=43 836), Jacksonville, Florida (18%, n=10 368) and La Crosse, Wisconsin (5%, n=2658). Participants were all Mayo Clinic patients, 18 years of age or older and US residents. Findings to date Overall, 43% of participants were 65 years of age or older and female participants were more frequent (59%) than males at all sites. Most participants resided in the Upper Midwest regions of the USA (Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois or Wisconsin), Florida or Georgia. Self-reported race among Biobank participants was 90% white. Here we provide examples of the types of studies that have successfully utilised the resource, including (1) investigations of the population itself, (2) provision of controls for case–control studies, (3) genotype-driven research, (4) EHR-based research and (5) prospective recruitment to other studies. Over 270 projects have been approved to date to access Biobank data and/or samples; over 200 000 sample aliquots have been approved for distribution. Future plans The data and samples in the Mayo Clinic Biobank can be used for various types of epidemiological and clinical studies, especially in the setting of case–control studies for which the Biobank samples serve as control samples. We are planning cohort studies with additional follow-up and acquisition of genetic information on a large scale.

Abstract Background: Blasts and leukemic stem cells of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) as well as several other hematologic malignancies express CD123, potentially providing a target for novel therapies. XmAb14045 (also known as SQZ622) is a potent bispecific antibody targeting both CD123 and CD3 that stimulates targeted T cell-mediated killing of CD123-expressing cells, regardless of T cell antigen specificity. It is a full-length immunoglobulin molecule designed to be dosed intermittently, in contrast to smaller constructs that are referred to as "DART" or "BiTE" bispecific antibodies that require a continuous infusion. Methods: Patients with relapsed or refractory AML, B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), blast phase chronic myelogenous leukemia, or blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm were eligible to enroll on this first-in-human, multicenter, open-label phase 1 dose-escalation study (XmAb14045-01) with standard 3+3 design. The primary objective was to estimate the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) or recommended dose and schedule of XmAb14045. Secondary objectives included safety, preliminary antileukemic activity, and pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of XmAb14045. Treatment was administered weekly in 28 day cycles, using a weight-based dose with a single dose level in Part A and, in Part B, an initial priming dose on Day 1 followed by an escalated dose on subsequent weeks. Premedication to prevent cytokine release syndrome (CRS) was instituted as needed and included a steroid, acetaminophen, and diphenhydramine. Patients were premedicated at all XmAb14045 doses ≥0.075 µg/kg. Therapy was continued for as long as tolerated and there was continuing evidence of therapeutic benefit in the opinion of the investigator. Treatment response was assessed by the 2017 European LeukemiaNet (ELN) criteria after Cycle 1 and after each odd-numbered cycle. CRS was graded using the CRS revised grading system (Lee et al., Blood, 2014). Results: At data cut-off, 64 patients have been treated to date, 63 with relapsed/refractory AML and 1 with B-ALL. Patients had a median age of 61 years and were heavily pretreated (median of 3 prior therapies [range 1-8], including 19 [30%] who had undergone prior allogeneic stem cell transplantation). The recommended dose for Part A was 1.3 µg/kg after a single dose-limiting toxicity of Grade 4 CRS at 2.3 µg/kg; no MTD has been identified. CRS or its component symptoms was the most common treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE). CRS episodes began within approximately 1-4 hours of the start of drug infusion and occurred in 49 of 64 patients (77%). Seven patients (11%) developed Grade ≥3 CRS, the majority of these on the first dose. There were no CRS-related deaths. Excluding CRS-related events, additional TEAEs occurring in >10% of patients included fatigue (31%), febrile neutropenia (30%), peripheral edema (30%), cough (23%), elevated hepatic transaminases (19%; all recovered without sequelae), pneumonia (17%), stomatitis (14%), hyperglycemia (13%), and sepsis (11%). No myelosuppression requiring dose modification or evidence of tumor lysis syndrome was seen. In Part A, single agent antileukemic activity was documented with a best response of CR (2) or CRi (1) in 3/13 AML patients (CR/CRi rate 23%) treated at the two highest dose levels studied to date (1.3 and 2.3 µg/kg weekly); no CR, CRi, or morphologic leukemia-free state (MLFS) responses were seen at lower doses. Antileukemic activity occurred quickly; all responders had achieved at least an MLFS response after 4 doses (1 cycle). Two responders were bridged to stem cell transplantation, and the third was ineligible for medical reasons but remains in remission at 14+ weeks after initiating therapy. Conclusions: XmAb14045 demonstrated evidence of antileukemic activity in heavily pretreated patients with relapsed/refractory AML treated in Part A at the 1.3 and 2.3 µg/kg doses administered once weekly, with a 23% CR/CRi rate. CRS was the most common toxicity but was generally manageable with premedications. The study is ongoing with further optimization of dose, schedule, and premedication regimen for CRS anticipated during accrual to dose escalation cohorts in Part B. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02730312 Disclosures Ravandi: Xencor: Research Funding; Abbvie: Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Sunesis: Honoraria; Astellas Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Honoraria; Abbvie: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Macrogenix: Honoraria, Research Funding; Jazz: Honoraria; Sunesis: Honoraria; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Astellas Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Honoraria; Orsenix: Honoraria; Xencor: Research Funding; Orsenix: Honoraria; Jazz: Honoraria; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Macrogenix: Honoraria, Research Funding. Foran:Xencor, Inc.: Research Funding; Agios: Research Funding. Stock:Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy. Mawad:Swedish Cancer Institute: Employment. Blum:Astellas: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy; Boehringer Ingelheim: Research Funding; Forma: Research Funding; Xencor: Research Funding; Tolero: Research Funding. Saville:Xencor, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Johnson:Xencor, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Vanasse:Novartis: Employment, Equity Ownership. Ly:Xencor, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Mims:Novartis: Consultancy; Agios Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Abbvie Pharmaceuticals: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

AbstractTumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) exerts two separate effects on neutrophils, stimulating effector functions while simultaneously inducing apoptosis. We examined here the involvement of caspases in neutrophil apoptosis and the effect of TNF-–induced apoptosis on reactive oxygen production. Immunoblotting and affinity labeling showed activation of caspase-8, caspase-3, and a caspase with a large subunit of 18 kD (T18) in TNF-–treated neutrophils. Active caspase-6 and -7 were not detectable in this cell type. Caspase-8 activated caspase-3 and T18 in neutrophil cytoplasmic extracts. zVAD-fmk blocked neutrophil apoptosis, in parallel with the inhibition of caspase activation. TNF-–induced caspase activation was accompanied by a decrease in the ability of neutrophils to release superoxide anion. Conversely, TNF- treatment in the presence of zVAD-fmk caused a prolonged augmentation of superoxide release. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor inhibited TNF-–induced caspase activation and apoptosis, while reversing the diminution in superoxide release. These observations not only suggest that a caspase cascade mediates apoptotic events and downregulates oxygen radical production in TNF-–treated neutrophils, but also raise the possibility that suppression of caspase activation with enhanced proinflammatory actions of TNF- may underlie the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases.

AbstractPrevious studies have shown that K562 chronic myelogenous leukemia cells are resistant to induction of apoptosis by a variety of agents, including the topoisomerase II (topo II) poison etoposide, when examined 4 to 24 hours after treatment with an initiating stimulus. In the present study, the responses of K562 cells and apoptosis-proficient HL-60 acute myelomonocytic leukemia cells to etoposide were compared, with particular emphasis on determining the long-term fate of the cells. When cells were treated with varying concentrations of etoposide for 1 hour and subsequently plated in soft agar, the two cell lines displayed similar sensitivities, with a 90% reduction in colony formation at 5 to 10 μmol/L etoposide. After treatment with 17 μmol/L etoposide for 1 hour, cleavage of the caspase substrate poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), DNA fragmentation, and apoptotic morphological changes were evident in HL-60 cells in less than 6 hours. After the same treatment, K562 cells arrested in G2 phase of the cell cycle but otherwise appeared normal for 3 to 4 days before developing similar apoptotic changes. When the etoposide dose was increased to 68 μmol/L, apoptotic changes were evident in HL-60 cells after 2 to 3 hours, whereas the same changes were observed in K562 cells after 24 to 48 hours. This delay in the development of apoptotic changes in K562 cells was accompanied by delayed release of cytochrome c to the cytosol and delayed appearance of peptidase activity that cleaved the fluorogenic substrates Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-aminotrifluoromethylcoumarin (DEVD-AFC) and Val-Glu-Ile-Asp-aminomethylcoumarin (VEID-AMC) as well as an altered spectrum of active caspases that were affinity labeled with N-(Nα-benzyloxycarbonylglutamyl-Nε-biotinyllysyl) aspartic acid [(2,6-dimethylbenzoyl)oxy]methyl ketone [z-EK(bio)D-aomk]. On the other hand, the activation of caspase-3 under cell-free conditions occurred with indistinguishable kinetics in cytosol prepared from the two cell lines. Collectively, these results suggest that a delay in the signaling cascade upstream of cytochrome c release and caspase activation leads to a long latent period before the active phase of apoptosis is initiated in etoposide-treated K562 cells. Once the active phase of apoptosis is initiated, the spectrum and subcellular distribution of active caspase species differ between HL-60 and K562 cells, but a similar proportion of cells are ultimately killed in both cell lines.

Previous studies have shown that K562 chronic myelogenous leukemia cells are resistant to induction of apoptosis by a variety of agents, including the topoisomerase II (topo II) poison etoposide, when examined 4 to 24 hours after treatment with an initiating stimulus. In the present study, the responses of K562 cells and apoptosis-proficient HL-60 acute myelomonocytic leukemia cells to etoposide were compared, with particular emphasis on determining the long-term fate of the cells. When cells were treated with varying concentrations of etoposide for 1 hour and subsequently plated in soft agar, the two cell lines displayed similar sensitivities, with a 90% reduction in colony formation at 5 to 10 μmol/L etoposide. After treatment with 17 μmol/L etoposide for 1 hour, cleavage of the caspase substrate poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), DNA fragmentation, and apoptotic morphological changes were evident in HL-60 cells in less than 6 hours. After the same treatment, K562 cells arrested in G2 phase of the cell cycle but otherwise appeared normal for 3 to 4 days before developing similar apoptotic changes. When the etoposide dose was increased to 68 μmol/L, apoptotic changes were evident in HL-60 cells after 2 to 3 hours, whereas the same changes were observed in K562 cells after 24 to 48 hours. This delay in the development of apoptotic changes in K562 cells was accompanied by delayed release of cytochrome c to the cytosol and delayed appearance of peptidase activity that cleaved the fluorogenic substrates Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-aminotrifluoromethylcoumarin (DEVD-AFC) and Val-Glu-Ile-Asp-aminomethylcoumarin (VEID-AMC) as well as an altered spectrum of active caspases that were affinity labeled with N-(Nα-benzyloxycarbonylglutamyl-Nε-biotinyllysyl) aspartic acid [(2,6-dimethylbenzoyl)oxy]methyl ketone [z-EK(bio)D-aomk]. On the other hand, the activation of caspase-3 under cell-free conditions occurred with indistinguishable kinetics in cytosol prepared from the two cell lines. Collectively, these results suggest that a delay in the signaling cascade upstream of cytochrome c release and caspase activation leads to a long latent period before the active phase of apoptosis is initiated in etoposide-treated K562 cells. Once the active phase of apoptosis is initiated, the spectrum and subcellular distribution of active caspase species differ between HL-60 and K562 cells, but a similar proportion of cells are ultimately killed in both cell lines.

Tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) exerts two separate effects on neutrophils, stimulating effector functions while simultaneously inducing apoptosis. We examined here the involvement of caspases in neutrophil apoptosis and the effect of TNF-–induced apoptosis on reactive oxygen production. Immunoblotting and affinity labeling showed activation of caspase-8, caspase-3, and a caspase with a large subunit of 18 kD (T18) in TNF-–treated neutrophils. Active caspase-6 and -7 were not detectable in this cell type. Caspase-8 activated caspase-3 and T18 in neutrophil cytoplasmic extracts. zVAD-fmk blocked neutrophil apoptosis, in parallel with the inhibition of caspase activation. TNF-–induced caspase activation was accompanied by a decrease in the ability of neutrophils to release superoxide anion. Conversely, TNF- treatment in the presence of zVAD-fmk caused a prolonged augmentation of superoxide release. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor inhibited TNF-–induced caspase activation and apoptosis, while reversing the diminution in superoxide release. These observations not only suggest that a caspase cascade mediates apoptotic events and downregulates oxygen radical production in TNF-–treated neutrophils, but also raise the possibility that suppression of caspase activation with enhanced proinflammatory actions of TNF- may underlie the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases.

Abstract Background: ENESTop, an ongoing, single-arm, phase 2 study (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01698905), is the first trial specifically evaluating treatment-free remission (TFR; ie, stopping tyrosine kinase inhibitor [TKI] treatment without a loss of response) in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase (CML-CP) who achieved a sustained deep molecular response after switching from imatinib (IM) to nilotinib (NIL). Of 126 patients in ENESTop who were eligible to stop NIL, 57.9% (95% CI, 48.8%-66.7%) maintained TFR at 48 weeks. Here we present results from a subgroup analysis based on reasons for switching from IM to NIL, categorized as intolerance, resistance, and physician preference. Methods:Eligible patients were adults with CML-CP who received ≥ 3 years of total TKI therapy (> 4 weeks of IM, followed by ≥ 2 years of NIL) and achieved a sustained MR4.5 (BCR-ABL1 ≤ 0.0032% on the International Scale [BCR-ABL1IS]) on NIL therapy; patients with a documented MR4.5 at the time of switch from IM to NIL were not eligible. Enrolled patients continued NIL treatment in a 1-year consolidation phase, and those without confirmed loss of MR4.5 (ie, consecutive BCR-ABL1IS > 0.0032%) were eligible to stop NIL in the TFR phase. Patients with loss of major molecular response (MMR; ie, BCR-ABL1IS > 0.1%) or confirmed loss of MR4 (ie, consecutive BCR-ABL1IS > 0.01%) during the TFR phase reinitiated NIL treatment. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients who maintained TFR (ie, no loss of MMR, confirmed loss of MR4, or treatment reinitiation) at 48 weeks after stopping NIL. In this post hoc analysis, rates of TFR at 48 weeks after stopping NIL and a Kaplan-Meier (KM) analysis of treatment-free survival (TFS; defined as the time from the start of TFR to the earliest occurrence of any of the following: loss of MMR, confirmed loss of MR4, reinitiation of NIL due to any cause, progression to accelerated phase/blast crisis, death due to any cause) were evaluated in subgroups of patients who switched from IM to NIL due to intolerance, resistance, or physician preference. These categories were determined by grouping the reasons for switching from IM to NIL, as reported by the investigators, based on relatedness to safety (intolerance), loss of response/treatment failure (resistance), and the physician's clinical judgment (physician preference); individual reasons included within each category are presented in the Figure. Results:A total of 125 patients who entered the TFR phase were included in this analysis; 1 patient who was found to have had atypical transcripts was excluded. Among these 125 patients, the reasons for switching to NIL were categorized as intolerance in 51 patients (40.8%), resistance in 30 patients (24.0%), and physician preference in 44 patients (35.2%). The proportion of patients who maintained TFR at 48 weeks after stopping NIL was generally similar across the 3 subgroups: 30 of 51 (58.8%; 95% CI, 44.2%-72.4%) in the intolerance subgroup, 16 of 30 (53.3%; 95% CI, 34.3%-71.7%) in the resistance subgroup, and 27 of 44 (61.4%; 95% CI, 45.5%-75.6%) in the physician preference subgroup. KM analysis of TFS showed that in all 3 subgroups, the majority of TFS events occurred within the first 24 weeks after stopping NIL (Figure). There were no notable differences in the kinetics of TFS events among subgroups. The KM-estimated median duration of TFS was not reached by the data cutoff date in all 3 subgroups. Conclusion: Primary analysis from ENESTop showed that among patients with CML-CP who achieved a sustained MR4.5after switching from IM to NIL, 57.9% of those who stopped NIL maintained TFR at 48 weeks. In the present analysis, TFR was maintained at 48 weeks after stopping NIL by > 50% of patients in the intolerance, resistance, and physician preference subgroups, with generally similar results across subgroups. These findings suggest that the rate of successful TFR following second-line NIL does not differ based on the reasons for switching from IM to NIL. Figure. Figure. Disclosures Hughes: Ariad: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; BMS: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group (ALLG): Other: Chair of the CML/MPN Disease Group. Boquimpani:Novartis: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; BMS: Speakers Bureau. Takahashi:Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Pfizer: Honoraria, Research Funding; BMS: Honoraria. Shuvaev:Pfizer: Honoraria; BMS: Honoraria; Novartis pharma: Honoraria. Ailawadhi:Pharmacyclics: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy; Amgen Inc: Consultancy; Takeda Oncology: Consultancy. Lipton:Pfizer: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; Ariad: Consultancy, Research Funding. Turkina:Pfizer: Honoraria; Novartis Pharma: Honoraria; BMS: Honoraria. Moiraghi:BMS: Speakers Bureau; NOVARTIS: Speakers Bureau. Nicolini:Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria; Ariad pharmaceuticals: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Sacha:BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Incyte: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Adamed: Consultancy, Honoraria. Kim:Pfizer: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; ILYANG: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Fellague-Chebra:Novartis: Employment. Acharya:Novartis Healthcare Pvt. Ltd.: Employment. Krunic:Novartis: Employment, Equity Ownership. Jin:Novartis: Employment, Equity Ownership. Mahon:BMS: Honoraria; PFIZER: Honoraria; NOVARTIS PHARMA: Honoraria, Research Funding; ARIAD: Honoraria.