Citations

AbstractObjectivesApproximately 15% of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) exhibit a t(4;14) translocation, which often results in constitutive activation of the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3). This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of dovitinib, an RTK inhibitor with in vitro inhibitory activity against FGFR, in patients with relapsed or refractory MM with or without t(4;14) translocation.MethodsAdult patients with relapsed or refractory MM who had received ≥2 prior regimens were enrolled in this multicenter, 2‐stage, phase 2 trial. Patients were grouped based on their t(4;14) status. Dovitinib (500 mg/day orally) was administered on a 5‐days‐on/2‐days‐off schedule. The primary endpoint was overall response rate by local investigator review (per International Myeloma Working Group criteria). In non‐responding patients, treatment could continue with the addition of low‐dose dexamethasone.ResultsIn total, 43 patients (median age, 63 years) were enrolled (13 t(4;14) positive, 26 t(4;14) negative, and 4 t(4;14) status non‐interpretable). Patients had received a median of 5 prior regimens. Median duration of treatment was 8.7 weeks in the t(4;14)‐positive group and 3.7 weeks in the t(4;14)‐negative group. None of the patients on dovitinib had objective responses. The stable disease rate was 61.5% in the t(4;14)‐positive group and 34.6% in the t(4;14)‐negative group. Overall, 39 patients (90.7%) had adverse events suspected to be related to study drug, most commonly diarrhea (60.5%), nausea (58.1%), vomiting (46.5%), and fatigue (32.6%).ConclusionDovitinib showed no single‐agent activity in relapsed or refractory MM but may stabilize disease in some t(4;14)‐positive patients.

It is recognized that individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) already demonstrate difficulty in aspects of daily functioning, which predicts disease progression. This study examined the relationship between self‐ versus informant‐report of functional ability, and how those reports relate to objective disease measures across the disease spectrum (i.e. cognitively normal, MCI, Alzheimer's disease). A total of 1080 subjects with self‐ and/or informant‐rated Everyday Cognition questionnaires were included. Objective measures included cognitive functioning, structural brain atrophy, cerebrospinal fluid abnormalities, and a marker of amyloid deposition using positron emission tomography with [ 18 F]AV45 (florbetapir). Overall, informant‐report was consistently more associated with objective markers of disease than self‐report although self‐reported functional status may still have some utility in early disease.

In this report, sex/gender research relevant to reproduction on Earth, in conjunction with the extant human and animal observations in space, was used to identify knowledge gaps and prioritize recommendations for future sex- and gender-specific surveillance and monitoring of male and female astronauts. With overall increased durations of contemporary space missions, a deeper understanding of sex/gender effects on reproduction-related responses and adaptations to the space environment is warranted to minimize risks and insure healthy aging of the men and women who travel into space.

Stem cells harbor significant potential for regenerative medicine as well as basic and clinical translational research. Prior to harnessing their reparative nature for degenerative diseases, concerns regarding their genetic integrity and mutation acquisition need to be addressed. Here we review pluripotent and multipotent stem cell response to DNA damage including differences in DNA repair kinetics, specific repair pathways (homologous recombination vs. non-homologous end joining), and apoptotic sensitivity. We also describe DNA damage and repair strategies during reprogramming and discuss potential genotoxic agents that can reduce the inherent risk for teratoma formation and mutation accumulation. Ensuring genomic stability in stem cell lines is required to achieve the quality control standards for safe clinical application.

Supplemental oxygen, used to treat hypoxia in preterm and term neonates, increases the risk of neonatal lung diseases, such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and asthma. There is a known sex predilection for BPD, but the underlying mechanisms are not clear. We tested the hypothesis that altered, local estradiol following hyperoxia contributes to pathophysiological changes observed in immature lung. In human fetal airway smooth muscle (fASM) cells exposed to normoxia or hyperoxia, we measured the expression of proteins involved in estrogen metabolism and cell proliferation responses to estradiol. In fASM cells, CYP1a1 expression was increased by hyperoxia, whereas hyperoxia-induced enhancement of cell proliferation was blunted by estradiol. Pharmacological studies indicated that these effects were attributable to upregulation of CYP1a1 and subsequent increased metabolism of estradiol to a downstream intermediate 2-methoxyestradiol. Microarray analysis of mouse lung exposed to 14 days of hyperoxia showed the most significant alteration in CYP1a1 expression, with minimal changes in expression of five other genes related to estrogen receptors, synthesis, and metabolism. Our novel results on estradiol metabolism in fetal and early postnatal lung in the context of hyperoxia indicate CYP1a1 as a potential mechanism for the protective effect of estradiol in hyperoxia-exposed immature lung, which may help explain the sex difference in neonatal lung diseases.