Autologous transplantation gives encouraging results for young adults with favorable-risk acute myeloid leukemia, but is not improved with gemtuzumab ozogamicin
AbstractWe report the results of a prospective, randomized phase 3 trial evaluating the use of gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO) in an intensive consolidation approach in 657 patients 17-60 years of age. Patients in first complete remission (CR1) after cytarabine and standard- or high-dose daunorubicin induction received 2 cycles of consolidation with high-dose cytarabine followed by peripheral blood progenitor cell collection. The 352 patients who entered consolidation were randomized to receive GO (n = 132) or not (n = 138) and then proceeded to autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). GO was given to 67 patients. Median follow-up was 50.9 months. Results of the intention-to-treat analysis demonstrated a 4-year disease-free survival (DFS) of 33.6% versus 35.9% (P = .54) and an overall survival (OS) of 41.3% versus 41.9% (P = .52) for those randomized to receive GO versus no GO, respectively. Patients with favorable- and intermediate-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treated with high-dose daunorubicin and autologous HCT had 4-year DFS rates of 60% and 40% and OS rates of 80% and 49.3%, respectively. For younger AML patients in CR1, autologous HCT should be considered in favorable- and intermediate-cytogenetic risk patients who do not have an allogeneic donor. The addition of a single dose of GO in this setting did not improve outcomes. This trial is registered at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00049517.
Abstract 4950: Correlation of methylation status with expression levels of the genes in prostate cancer
Abstract DNA methylation abnormalities, either gain or loss of methylation in promoters or other regulatory regions, contribute to tumorigenesis by altering the activity of tumor suppressor or oncogenes. To identify the molecular alterations in prostate cancer, we have profiled gene methylation using Infinium Human Methylation27 bead chips in benign prostate tissue, primary prostate tumor tissue from patients who developed metastasis within 5 years of prostatectomy, and serum from patients who developed metastasis. Tissue DNA isolation and bisulfite conversion was done using ZR Genomic DNA kit and EZ methylation kit. Serum DNA isolation and bisulfite conversion was done using ZR serum DNA kit and EZ methylation kit. Methylation data was processed using the Beadstudio average normalization algorithm and differentially methylated genes identified using a two-group T-test p-value < 0.05. To evaluate the impact of methylation on mRNA expression levels, we isolated RNA from LCM-derived epithelial cells of 124 patients using Picopure RNA isolation kit and measured expression using HG-U133+2 microarrays. The gene expression data was preprocessed using GCRMA background correction, FASTLO normalization, affinities-only PM correction, and median polish summarization, and differential gene expression was defined by a two-group T-test p-value < 0.05, a log2 fold change > 1, and a maximum average expression value > log2 7. Comparison of the methylation and gene expression data identified 321 differentially expressed Affymetrix probesets which mapped to genes differentially methylated genes; 272 with differential methylation in the prostate cancer tissue and 97 with differential methylation in the prostate cancer serum. In general, we expected a complementary effect between gene methylation and expression, with hyper-methylation driving decreased expression, and hypo-methylation driving increased expression. This was seen in the prostate cancer tissue methylation data, where 228/272 (84%) probesets possessed this methylation-expression complementarity; 212/238 hyper-methylated genes and 16/34 hypo-methylated genes. The effect was not as strong in the prostate cancer serum methylation data, where 30/97 (31%) probesets displayed the methylation-expression complementarity; 19/79 hyper-methylated genes and 11/18 hypo-methylated genes. Overall, our results revealed a significant correlation of the DNA methylation with the down regulation in the mRNA expression levels of the genes, which could play potential roles in prostate cancer progression. Note: This abstract was not presented at the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010 because the presenter was unable to attend. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4950.
Do old HLA and mitochondrial DNA variants associate with demyelination types in young patients?
Increased arterial stiffness is associated with higher levels of aortic wave reflection and aortic blood pressure. Recent evidence suggests a link between muscle sympathetic nerve activity and indices of arterial stiffness. Therefore, the aims of this study were to examine the relationship between resting muscle sympathetic nerve activity and characteristics of aortic pressure wave reflection and the influence of sex on these relationships. In 44 subjects (23 females and 21 males; 25±1 years of age), we measured muscle sympathetic nerve activity via peroneal microneurography. In addition, noninvasive aortic pressure waveforms were synthesized from radial pressure waveforms obtained from applanation tonometry. Aortic blood pressure, augmentation index, wave reflection amplitude, and wasted left ventricular energy were calculated. Resting sympathetic activity (bursts/100 heart beats) was not associated with any of the aortic pressure wave reflection characteristics for all patients. However, there was a positive relationship between sympathetic activity and augmentation index ( r =0.46; P =0.05) in men. Further, sympathetic activity in men was related to wave reflection amplitude ( r =0.53; P <0.05) and wasted left ventricular energy ( r =0.57; P <0.01). In contrast to men, women demonstrated strong inverse relationships between sympathetic activity and augmentation index ( r =−0.63), wave reflection amplitude ( r =−0.59), and wasted left ventricular energy ( r =−0.58; P <0.01 for all). Our results suggest another possible mechanism by which young women are protected against the development of cardiovascular disease.
Influence of Asthma Status on Serotype-Specific Pneumococcal Antibody Levels
Abstract Abstract #62 Background: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in younger women (25 to 49 years of age). Young women with breast cancer also have worse overall survival and increased risk of recurrence compared to older women with breast cancer. Innovative approaches to understanding risk factors and tissue characteristics for the younger population can improve understanding of breast cancer etiology and enhance risk-stratification for these women. This study was aimed at examining breast cancer risk factors among young women (<50 years) with BBD. Materials and Methods: Utilizing the Mayo Clinic Surgical and Pathology Indices, women ages 18 to 85 who had benign excisional breast biopsy between January 1, 1967 and December 31, 1991 were identified. The diagnosis of breast cancer served as the study endpoint and was determined using the Mayo medical record and questionnaire information from study participants. The breast pathologist, blinded to the initial diagnosis and clinical outcome, performed pathology review. BBD was classified as non-proliferative disease (NPD), proliferative disease without atypia (PDWA), or atypical hyperplasia (AH). Age-related lobular involution (reduction in number and size of acini per lobule) was classified as none-0%, partial- 1 to74%, or complete- >75% involution. Relative risk (RR) was estimated by comparing the number of observed breast cancers with the number expected, based on breast cancer rates in the Iowa Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry. Results: Of the 9376 women in the Mayo BBD cohort, 4460 women were aged <50 years at BBD diagnosis and formed the study cohort. The mean age at BBD diagnosis was 39.4 (+ 8.3) years. With a median follow-up of 20 years, 326 breast cancer cases were identified. The histologic findings were NPD in 72% of women, PDWA in 26%, and AH in 2%. The relative risk of breast cancer for the overall cohort of young women with BBD was 1.5 (95% CI [1.4, 1.7]). The relative risk among those with AH was 6.9 (95% CI [4.6, 10.1), compared with a RR of 2.0 (95% CI [1.7, 2.4]) for PDWA, and RR of 1.2 (95% CI [1.0, 1.4]) for NPD. Risk was associated with extent of lobular involution (RR for no involution was 1.7 (95%CI [1.4, 2.1]); partial involution 1.4 (95%CI [1.2, 1.7]); complete involution 0.7 (95%CI [0.3, 1.4]). Family history was available for 83% of the cohort and RR was 2.2 (95% CI [1.7, 2.8]) for women with strong family history and was 1.3 (95% CI [1.1, 1.6]) for women with no family history. Discussion: Young women with BBD are at increased risk of breast cancer. Risk is high in women with atypical hyperplasia, and those with a family history of breast cancer. Lobular involution is associated with reduced breast cancer risk in this population, suggesting a role in modifying breast cancer risk. These findings suggest the need for further research in this population, along with tissue-based studies to examine the processes leading to breast cancer, and enable identification of those women at highest risk. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr 62.
abstract Context: Large increases in systemic free fatty acid (FFA) availability in the absence of a corresponding increase in fatty acid oxidation can create a host of metabolic abnormalities. These adverse responses are thought to be the result of fatty acids being shunted into hepatic very low-density lipoprotein-triglyceride production and/or intracellular lipid storage and signaling pathways because tissues are forced to increase nonoxidative FFA disposal. Objective: The objective of the study was to examine whether variations in postabsorptive nonoxidative FFA disposal within the usual range predict insulin resistance and hypertriglyceridemia. Design: We measured: systemic FFA turnover using a continuous iv infusion of [9–10, 3H]palmitate; substrate oxidation with indirect calorimetry combined with urinary nitrogen excretion; whole-body and peripheral insulin sensitivity with the labeled iv glucose tolerance test minimal model. Setting: the study was conducted at the Mayo Clinic General Clinical Research Center. Participants: Participants included healthy, postabsorptive, nonobese adults (21 women and 21 men). Interventions: There were no interventions. Main Outcome Measures: Nonoxidative FFA disposal (micromoles per minute), defined as the FFA disappearance rate minus fatty acid oxidation. Results: Women had 64% greater nonoxidative FFA disposal rate than men but a better lipid profile and similar insulin sensitivity. There was no significant correlation between nonoxidative FFA disposal and whole-body sensitivity, peripheral insulin sensitivity, or fasting serum triglyceride concentrations in men or women. Conclusions: Healthy nonobese women have greater rates of nonoxidative FFA disposal than men, but this does not appear to relate to adverse health consequences. Understanding the sex-specific interaction between adipose tissue lipolysis and peripheral FFA removal will help to discover new approaches to treat FFA-induced abnormalities.
Cardiac Baroreflex Sensitivity Is Not Correlated to Sympathetic Baroreflex Sensitivity Within Healthy, Young Humans
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the cardiac and sympathetic baroreflex sensitivities within healthy, young humans. The sensitivities of the cardiac and sympathetic baroreflexes were compared in 53 normotensive individuals (28 men and 25 women; age: 24.0±0.9 years; body mass index: 24.0±0.3 cm/kg 2 , mean±SEM). Heart rate, arterial blood pressure, and peroneal muscle sympathetic nerve activity were recorded under resting conditions (heart rate: 58±1 bpm; systolic blood pressure: 126±2 mm Hg; diastolic blood pressure: 72±1 mm Hg; mean arterial blood pressure: 89±1 mm Hg; muscle sympathetic nerve activity: 18±1 bursts per min) and during rapid changes in blood pressure induced by sequential boluses of nitroprusside and phenylephrine. Cardiac and sympathetic baroreflex sensitivities were analyzed using the slopes of the linear portions of the muscle sympathetic nerve activity-diastolic blood pressure and R-R interval-systolic blood pressure relationships, respectively. When individual cardiac baroreflex sensitivity was compared with sympathetic baroreflex sensitivity, no correlation (R-R interval: r =−0.13; heart rate: r =0.21) was observed when studied as a group. Analysis by sex unveiled a correlation in women between the cardiac and sympathetic baroreflex sensitivities (R-R interval: r =−0.54; P =0.01; no correlation with hazard ratio: r =0.29). No relationship was found in men (R-R interval: r =0.17; heart rate: r =0.12). These results indicate that, although both cardiac and sympathetic efferents function in baroreflex control of arterial pressure, there is no correlation in their sensitivities within healthy normotensive humans. However, sex-stratified data indicate that sex-based differential correlations might exist.
PGC-1
α, A Potential Therapeutic Target for Early Intervention in Parkinson’s Disease
Abnormal expression of genes for energy regulation in Parkinson’s disease patients identifies a master regulator as a possible therapeutic target for early intervention.