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Early Increase (early + increase)
Selected AbstractsEarly Changes in Biochemical Markers of Bone Formation Predict BMD Response to Teriparatide in Postmenopausal Women With Osteoporosis,,JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 6 2005Peiqi Chen Abstract The relationship between early changes in biochemical markers of bone turnover and the subsequent BMD response to daily teriparatide therapy in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis was studied. Changes in five biochemical markers, obtained from a subset of women enrolled in the Fracture Prevention Trial, were examined. Early increases in the PICP and the PINP were the best predictors of BMD response to teriparatide in this analysis. Introduction: Early reductions in biochemical markers of bone turnover with antiresorptive therapy negatively correlate with subsequent increases in BMD. We undertook this analysis to determine if early changes in biochemical markers with teriparatide therapy predict subsequent increases in BMD. Materials and Methods: In the Fracture Prevention Trial, 1637 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis were randomized to receive daily, self-administered, subcutaneous injections of placebo, teriparatide 20 ,g/day, or teriparatide 40 ,g/day. Serum concentrations of two bone formation markers (bone-specific alkaline phosphatase [bone ALP] and the carboxy-terminal extension peptide of procollagen type 1 [PICP]) and urinary concentrations of two bone resorption markers (free deoxypyridinoline [DPD] and N-terminal telopeptide [NTX]) were assessed in a trial population subset (n = 520) at baseline and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. We also assessed serum concentrations of another bone formation marker, the amino-terminal extension peptide of procollagen type 1 (PINP), in a subset of 771 women at baseline and 3 months. Lumbar spine (LS) BMD was measured by DXA at baseline and 18 months. Femoral neck BMD was measured at baseline and 12 months. Results and Conclusion: Baseline bone turnover status correlated positively and significantly with BMD response. The highest correlations occurred for the LS BMD response to teriparatide 20 ,g/day. Among all studied biochemical markers, increases in PICP at 1 month and PINP at 3 months correlated best with increases in LS BMD at 18 months (0.65 and 0.61, respectively; p < 0.05). The relationships between these two biochemical markers and the LS BMD response were stronger than the corresponding relationships for the femoral neck BMD response. Using receiver operator curve analysis, we determined that the increases in PICP at 1 month and PINP at 3 months were the most sensitive and accurate predictors of the LS BMD response. [source] Up-and-Coming Markers: Myeloperoxidase, a Novel Biomarker Test for Heart Failure and Acute Coronary Syndrome Application?CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE, Issue 2008Christoph Sinning MD Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a mammalian enzyme responsible for generation of hypochlorite. The advantage of myeloperoxidase for use as a biomarker in the setting of heart failure and acute coronary syndrome is the early increase of MPO concentration in response to the acute event. In the setting of heart failure the reported independency of coronary artery disease and general inflammation, as indicated by MPO concentration in comparison to other inflammatory markers or in subgroups of patients with ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, has to be highlighted. In terms of ACS, inclusion of MPO into a multiple marker strategy might add to enhance diagnosis and therapy decision making. Therefore, MPO is a biomarker worthwhile of further evaluation in the setting of cardiovascular disease. Congest Heart Fail. 2008;14(4 suppl 1):46,48. ©2008 Le Jacq [source] NKT cells are dispensable in the induction of oral tolerance but are indispensable in the abrogation of oral tolerance by prostaglandin EEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 1 2003Ryotaro Ishimitsu Abstract NK1.1+ ,,, T cells (NKT cells) regulate the Th1/Th2 balance in response to dietary Ag, which may be involved in regulation of oral tolerance. OVA-specific IgE and IgG1 Ab levels were significantly lower following an i.p. injection of OVA (in CFA) in C57BL/6 mice orally given a single, high dose (25,mg) of OVA than in those orally given PBS. The oral tolerance was normally induced in J,281,/, mice which lack V,14+ NKT cells, suggesting that NKT cells are dispensable for induction of oral tolerance. Treatment with PGE1 or PGE2 abrogated the oral tolerance in J,281+/+ mice; this abrogation was accompanied by an OVA-specific Th2-dominant response. The abrogation of oral tolerance by PGE1 was not evident in J,281,/, mice. Treatment with PGE1 induced an early increase in IL-4 production by liver NKT cells in normal mice and neutralization of the early IL-4 by administration of anti-IL-4 mAb abolished PGE1 -induced abrogation of oral tolerance. These results suggest that liver NKT cells producing IL-4 are responsible for the down-regulation of oral tolerance that is caused by the PGE molecules. [source] Predictors of response to therapy with terlipressin and albumin in patients with cirrhosis and type 1 hepatorenal syndrome,HEPATOLOGY, Issue 1 2010André Nazar Terlipressin plus albumin is an effective treatment for type 1 hepatorenal syndrome (HRS), but approximately only half of the patients respond to this therapy. The aim of this study was to assess predictive factors of response to treatment with terlipressin and albumin in patients with type 1 HRS. Thirty-nine patients with cirrhosis and type 1 HRS were treated prospectively with terlipressin and albumin. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory variables obtained before the initiation of treatment as well as changes in arterial pressure during treatment were analyzed for their predictive value. Response to therapy (reduction in serum creatinine <1.5 mg/dL at the end of treatment) was observed in 18 patients (46%) and was associated with an improvement in circulatory function. Independent predictive factors of response to therapy were baseline serum bilirubin and an increase in mean arterial pressure of ,5 mm Hg at day 3 of treatment. The cutoff level of serum bilirubin that best predicted response to treatment was 10 mg/dL (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.77; P < 0.0001; sensitivity, 89%; specificity, 61%). Response rates in patients with serum bilirubin <10 mg/dL or ,10 mg/dL were 67% and 13%, respectively (P = 0.001). Corresponding values in patients with an increase in mean arterial pressure ,5 mm Hg or <5 mm Hg at day 3 were 73% and 36%, respectively (P = 0.037). Conclusion: Serum bilirubin and an early increase in arterial pressure predict response to treatment with terlipressin and albumin in type 1 HRS. Alternative treatment strategies to terlipressin and albumin should be investigated for patients with type 1 HRS and low likelihood of response to vasoconstrictor therapy. (HEPATOLOGY 2009.) [source] Predicting and monitoring cancer treatment response with diffusion-weighted MRIJOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, Issue 1 2010Harriet C. Thoeny MD Abstract An imaging biomarker that would provide for an early quantitative metric of clinical treatment response in cancer patients would provide for a paradigm shift in cancer care. Currently, nonimage based clinical outcome metrics include morphology, clinical, and laboratory parameters, however, these are obtained relatively late following treatment. Diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) holds promise for use as a cancer treatment response biomarker as it is sensitive to macromolecular and microstructural changes which can occur at the cellular level earlier than anatomical changes during therapy. Studies have shown that successful treatment of many tumor types can be detected using DW-MRI as an early increase in the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values. Additionally, low pretreatment ADC values of various tumors are often predictive of better outcome. These capabilities, once validated, could provide for an important opportunity to individualize therapy thereby minimizing unnecessary systemic toxicity associated with ineffective therapies with the additional advantage of improving overall patient health care and associated costs. In this report, we provide a brief technical overview of DW-MRI acquisition protocols, quantitative image analysis approaches and review studies which have implemented DW-MRI for the purpose of early prediction of cancer treatment response. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Divergent modulation of iron regulatory proteins and ferritin biosynthesis by hypoxia/reoxygenation in neurones and glial cellsJOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 5 2005Carlo Irace Abstract Ferritin, the main iron storage protein, exerts a cytoprotective effect against the iron-catalyzed production of reactive oxygen species, but its role in brain injury caused by hypoxia/reoxygenation is unclear. Ferritin expression is regulated mainly at post-transcriptional level by iron regulatory proteins (IRP1 and IRP2) that bind specific RNA sequences (IREs) in the 5,untranslated region of ferritin mRNA. Here, we show that hypoxia decreases IRP1 binding activity in glial cells and enhances it in cortical neurons. These effects were reversed by reoxygenation in both cell types. In glial cells there was an early increase of ferritin synthesis during hypoxia and reoxygenation. Conversely, in cortical neurons, ferritin synthesis increased during the late phase of reoxygenation. Steady-state analysis of ferritin mRNA levels suggested that ferritin synthesis is regulated mainly post-transcriptionally by IRPs in glioma cells, both transcriptionally and post-transcriptionally in type-1 astrocytes, and mainly at transcriptional level in an IRP-independent way in neurons. The different regulation of ferritin expression may account for the different vulnerability of neurons and glial cells to the injury elicited by oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD)/reoxygenation. The greater vulnerability of cortical neurons to hypoxia-reoxygenation was strongly attenuated by the exogenous administration of ferritin during OGD/reoxygenation, suggesting the possible cytoprotective role exerted by this iron-segregating protein. [source] Vitamin E blocks early events induced by 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) in cerebellar granule cellsJOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 2 2003Rosa A. González-Polo Abstract Exposure of cerebellar granule cells (CGCs) to 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) results in apoptotic cell death, which is markedly attenuated by co-treatment of CGCs with the radical scavenger vitamin E. Analysis of free radical production and mitochondrial transmembrane potential (,,m), using specific fluorescent probes, showed that MPP+ mediates early radical oxygen species (ROS) production without a loss of ,,m. Exposure to MPP+ also produces an early increase in Bad dephosphorylation and translocation of Bax to the mitochondria. These events are accompanied by cytochrome c release from mitochondria to cytosol, which is followed by caspase 3 activation. Exposure of the neurons to vitamin E maintains Bad phosphorylation and attenuates Bax translocation, inhibiting cytochrome c release and caspase activation. MPP+ -mediated cytochrome c release is also prevented by allopurinol, suggesting the participation of xanthine oxidase in the process. Our results indicate that free radicals play an active role in the MPP+ -induced early events that culminate with cell death. [source] Pyruvate protection against ,-amyloid-induced neuronal death: Role of mitochondrial redox stateJOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH, Issue 2 2003Gema Alvarez Abstract The mechanism by which ,-amyloid protein (A,) causes degeneration in cultured neurons is not completely understood, but several lines of evidence suggest that A,-mediated neuronal death is associated with an enhanced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative damage. In the present study, we address whether supplementation of glucose-containing culture media with energy substrates, pyruvate plus malate (P/M), protects rat primary neurons from A,-induced degeneration and death. We found that P/M addition attenuated cell death evoked by ,-amyloid peptides (A,25,35 and A,1,40) after 24 hr treatment and that this effect was blocked by ,-ciano-3-hydroxycinnamate (CIN), suggesting that it requires mitochondrial pyruvate uptake. P/M supply to control and A,-treated neuronal cultures increases cellular reducing power, as indicated by the ability to reduce the dye 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT). The early increases in ROS levels, measured by dichlorofluorescein (DCF) fluorescence, and caspase-3 activity that follow exposure to A, were notably reduced in the presence of P/M. These results place activation of caspase-3 most likely downstream of oxidative damage to the mitochondria and indicate that mitochondrial NAD(P) redox status plays a central role in the neuroprotective effect of pyruvate. Inhibition of respiratory chain complexes and mitochondrial uncoupling did not block the early increase in ROS levels, suggesting that A, could initiate oxidative stress by activating a source of ROS that is not accesible to the antioxidant defenses fueled by mitochondrial substrates. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Melatonin decreases neurovascular oxidative/nitrosative damage and protects against early increases in the blood,brain barrier permeability after transient focal cerebral ischemia in miceJOURNAL OF PINEAL RESEARCH, Issue 2 2006Hung-Yi Chen Abstract:, We have recently shown that melatonin decreases the late (24 hr) increase in blood,brain barrier (BBB) permeability and the risk of tissue plasminogen activator-induced hemorrhagic transformation following ischemic stroke in mice. In the study, we further explored whether melatonin would reduce postischemic neurovascular oxidative/nitrosative damage and, therefore, improve preservation of the early increase in the BBB permeability at 4 hr after transient focal cerebral ischemia for 60 min in mice. Melatonin (5 mg/kg) or vehicle was given intraperitoneally at the beginning of reperfusion. Hydroethidine (HEt) in situ detection and immunohistochemistry for nitrotyrosine were used to evaluate postischemic accumulation in reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, respectively, in the ischemic neurovascular unit. BBB permeability was evaluated by spectrophotometric and microscopic quantitation of Evans Blue leakage. Relative to controls, melatonin-treated animals not only had a significantly reduced superoxide accumulation in neurovascular units in boundary zones of infarction, by reducing 35% and 54% cytosolic oxidized HEt in intensity and cell-expressing percentage, respectively (P < 0.001), but also exhibited a reduction in nitrotyrosine by 52% (P < 0.01). Additionally, melatonin-treated animals had significantly reduced early postischemic disruption in the BBB permeability by 53% (P < 0.001). Thus, melatonin reduced postischemic oxidative/nitrosative damage to the ischemic neurovascular units and improved the preservation of BBB permeability at an early phase following transient focal cerebral ischemia in mice. The findings further highlight the ability of melatonin in anatomical and functional preservation for the ischemic neurovascular units and its relevant potential in the treatment of ischemic stroke. [source] Increased expression of cytotoxic effector molecules: Different interpretations for steroid-based and steroid-free immunosuppressionPEDIATRIC TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 1 2003Thomas Satterwhite Abstract: Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) effector molecules have been studied as markers of acute rejection in renal allograft recipients on steroid-based immunosuppression. We hypothesized that basal CTL gene expression may vary with time post-transplantation as well as with different immunosuppression protocols (steroid-based or steroid-free). Variations in CTL gene expression may thus impact on the ability to predict acute allograft rejection. We used the non-invasive method of quantitative competitive-reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (QC-RT-PCR) to quantify the amounts of CTL effector molecules (granulysin, GL; perforin, P; granzyme B, GB) in serial peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) samples from steroid-free and steroid-based adult and pediatric renal allograft recipients. Patients on both protocols were clinically monitored by protocol biopsies at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post-transplantation and for graft function at 1 yr post-transplantation in a separate clinical study. Steroid-free patients with stable graft function showed an increase in GL, P, and GB gene expression over time post-transplantation with the increase being seen largely by the first post-transplant month. A further increase in GL expression was noted at the end of the first post-transplant year in the absence of acute rejection, whereas GB and P levels were unchanged. At comparative time-points post-transplantation, CTL genes were found to be higher in steroid-free patients with stable graft function, compared to steroid-based recipients with either clinically stable graft function or acute rejection. This study suggests that levels of CTL gene expression, although important in a steroid-based regimen to monitor the risk of acute rejection, may not be similarly applied in patients on steroid-free immunosuppression. The early increase in levels seen in steroid-free patients appears to correlate with the total absence of steroids. As steroid-free patients seem to have a lower incidence of acute rejection and better long-term graft function at 1 yr, the early increase in CTL genes in the absence of acute rejection may suggest an early adaptive immune activation response, promoting early graft acceptance in this protocol. [source] Mechanisms involved in the early increase of serotonin contraction evoked by endotoxin in rat middle cerebral arteriesBRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 4 2003Raquel Hernanz The present study investigated the mechanisms involved in the increased 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) vasoconstriction observed in rat middle cerebral arteries exposed in vitro to lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 ,g ml,1) for 1,5 h. Functional, immunohistochemical and Western blot analysis and superoxide anion measurements by ethidium fluorescence were performed. LPS exposure increased 5-HT (10 ,M) vasoconstriction only during the first 4 h. In contrast to control tissue, indomethacin (10 ,M), the COX-2 inhibitor NS 398 (10 ,M), the TXA2/PGH2 receptor antagonist SQ 29,548 (1 ,M) and the TXA2 synthase inhibitor furegrelate (1 ,M) reduced 5-HT contraction of LPS-treated arteries from hour one. The iNOS inhibitor aminoguanidine (0.1 mM) increased 5-HT contraction from hour three of LPS incubation. The superoxide anion scavenger superoxide dismutase (SOD, 100 U ml,1) and the H2O2 scavenger catalase (1000 U ml,1), as well as the respective inhibitors of NAD(P)H oxidase and xanthine oxidase, apocynin (0.3 mM) and allopurinol (0.3 mM), reduced 5-HT contraction after LPS incubation. LPS induced an increase in superoxide anion levels that was abolished by PEG-SOD. Subthreshold concentrations of the TXA2 analogue U 46619, xanthine/xanthine oxidase and H2O2 potentiated, whereas those of sodium nitroprusside inhibited, the 5-HT contraction. COX-2 expression was increased at 1 and 5 h of LPS incubation, while that of iNOS, Cu/Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD was only increased after 5 h. All the three vascular layers expressed COX-2 and Cu/Zn-SOD. iNOS expression was detected in the endothelium and adventitia after LPS. In conclusion, increased production of TXA2 from COX-2, superoxide anion and H2O2 enhanced vasoconstriction to 5-HT during the first few hours of LPS exposure; iNOS and SOD expression counteracted that increase at 5 h. These changes can contribute to the disturbance of cerebral blood flow in endotoxic shock. British Journal of Pharmacology (2003) 140, 671,680. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0705501 [source] Eicosanoid-mediated proinflammatory activity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ExoUCELLULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 12 2005A. M. Saliba Summary As Pseudomonas aeruginosa ExoU possesses two functional blocks of homology to calcium-independent (iPLA2) and cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2), we addressed the question whether it would exhibit a proinflammatory activity by enhancing the synthesis of eicosanoids by host organisms. Endothelial cells from the HMEC-1 line infected with the ExoU-producing PA103 strain exhibited a potent release of arachidonic acid (AA) that could be significantly inhibited by methyl arachidonyl fluorophosphonate (MAFP), a specific PLA2 inhibitor, as well as significant amounts of the cyclooxygenase (COX)-derived prostaglandins PGE2 and PGI2. Cells infected with an isogenic mutant defective in ExoU synthesis did not differ from non-infected cells in the AA release and produced prostanoids in significantly lower concentrations. Infection by PA103 induced a marked inflammatory response in two different in vivo experimental models. Inoculation of the parental bacteria into mice footpads led to an early increase in the infected limb volume that could be significantly reduced by inhibitors of both COX and lipoxygenase (ibuprofen and NDGA respectively). In an experimental respiratory infection model, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) from mice instilled with 104 cfu of PA103 exhibited a marked influx of inflammatory cells and PGE2 release that could be significantly reduced by indomethacin, a non-selective COX inhibitor. Our results suggest that ExoU may contribute to P. aeruginosa pathogenesis by inducing an eicosanoid,mediated inflammatory response of host organisms. [source] Indication for a role of regulatory T cells for the advent of influenza A (H1N1)-related pneumoniaCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 3 2010M. Raftogiannis Summary Regulatory T cells (Tregs) have an anti-inflammatory role. A former study in a limited number of patients found that absolute counts of Tregs increase when infection by the new influenza H1N1 virus is complicated with pneumonia. These results generate the question if H1N1-related pneumonia is associated with a state of hypo-inflammation. A total of 135 patients were enrolled with blood sampling within less than 24 h from diagnosis; 23 with flu-like syndrome; 69 with uncomplicated H1N1-infection; seven with bacterial pneumonia; and 36 with H1N1-related pneumonia. Tregs and CD14/HLA-DR co-expression were estimated by flow cytometry; concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-,), of interleukin (IL)-6 and of soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) by an enzyme immunoassay; those of procalcitonin (PCT) by immuno-time-resolved amplified cryptate technology assay. Expression of human leucocyte antigen D-related (HLA-DR) on monocytes was similar between groups; absolute Treg counts were greater among patients with H1N1-related pneumonia than flu-like syndrome or H1N1-uncomplicated infection. Serum TNF-, of patients with bacterial pneumonia was greater than those of other groups, but IL-10 was similar between groups. Serum PCT was greater among patients with H1N1-related pneumonia and sTREM-1 among those with H1N1-related pneumonia. Regression analysis revealed that the most important factors related with the advent of pneumonia were the existence of underlying illnesses (P = 0·006) and of Tregs equal to or above 16 mm3 (P = 0·013). It is concluded that the advent of H1N1-related pneumonia is related to an early increase of the absolute Treg counts. This increase is probably not part of a hypo-inflammatory state of the host. [source] Melatonin decreases neurovascular oxidative/nitrosative damage and protects against early increases in the blood,brain barrier permeability after transient focal cerebral ischemia in miceJOURNAL OF PINEAL RESEARCH, Issue 2 2006Hung-Yi Chen Abstract:, We have recently shown that melatonin decreases the late (24 hr) increase in blood,brain barrier (BBB) permeability and the risk of tissue plasminogen activator-induced hemorrhagic transformation following ischemic stroke in mice. In the study, we further explored whether melatonin would reduce postischemic neurovascular oxidative/nitrosative damage and, therefore, improve preservation of the early increase in the BBB permeability at 4 hr after transient focal cerebral ischemia for 60 min in mice. Melatonin (5 mg/kg) or vehicle was given intraperitoneally at the beginning of reperfusion. Hydroethidine (HEt) in situ detection and immunohistochemistry for nitrotyrosine were used to evaluate postischemic accumulation in reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, respectively, in the ischemic neurovascular unit. BBB permeability was evaluated by spectrophotometric and microscopic quantitation of Evans Blue leakage. Relative to controls, melatonin-treated animals not only had a significantly reduced superoxide accumulation in neurovascular units in boundary zones of infarction, by reducing 35% and 54% cytosolic oxidized HEt in intensity and cell-expressing percentage, respectively (P < 0.001), but also exhibited a reduction in nitrotyrosine by 52% (P < 0.01). Additionally, melatonin-treated animals had significantly reduced early postischemic disruption in the BBB permeability by 53% (P < 0.001). Thus, melatonin reduced postischemic oxidative/nitrosative damage to the ischemic neurovascular units and improved the preservation of BBB permeability at an early phase following transient focal cerebral ischemia in mice. The findings further highlight the ability of melatonin in anatomical and functional preservation for the ischemic neurovascular units and its relevant potential in the treatment of ischemic stroke. [source] |