Sera Of Control Patients Research Articles

Serum level of microRNA-147 as diagnostic biomarker in human non-small cell lung cancer

Objectives In this study, we intended to examine the gene expression level and the clinical significance of microRNA-147 (miR-147) in cancer tissues and sera of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to investigate the expression levels of miR-147 in 32 paired NSCLC tissues and their adjacent normal lung tissues, sera of 122 control and 87 NSCLC patients. The correlation of serum miR-147 expression level with clinicopathological characteristics, and the prognosis of NSCLC patients was statistically evaluated.Results MiR-147 was significantly down-regulated in NSCLC tissues than in paired adjacent normal tissues, and in sera of NSCLC patients than in sera of control patients. In addition, serum miR-147 was markedly down-regulated in advanced NSCLC patients and the patients with lymph node metastasis (LNM). Low serum miR-147 expression level was found to be significantly correlated with tumor, lymph node, metastasis stage, LNM, and tumor size. Statistical analysis showed that patients with low serum miR-147 had much worse overall survival, and low serum miR-147 expression level was an independent prognostic factor for poor prognosis for NSCLC.Conclusion Low serum miR-147 expression level may be a useful biomarker for patients with NSCLC.

Abstract P5-05-13: Obesity confers chemotherapy resistance in triple negative breast cancer cells

Abstract Introduction: Obesity is associated with a more aggressive breast cancer and a worse outcome following chemotherapy treatment. Triple negative breast cancer is a highly aggressive subtype of breast cancer characterized by the absence of estrogen, progesterone, and human epidermal growth factor-2 (HER2) receptors. This subtype has also been correlated with a worse prognosis. This study aims to investigate the impact of obesity on triple negative breast cancer cells’ response to chemotherapy treatment and elucidate potential therapeutic options to improve response. Methods: Sera was collected from breast cancer patients at the Cancer Therapy and Research Center at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) and pooled according to body mass index (BMI) category (Control:18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2; Obese:≥30 kg/m2). MDA-MB-231 cells, a triple negative breast cancer cell line, were grown in serum-free media supplemented with 2% obese or control patient sera to create an in vitro model of obesity. The effects of docetaxel, a chemotherapeutic agent, on cell viability in the presence of obese versus control sera were examined by MTT. Modulation of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) were evaluated as possible mechanisms for obesity-induced chemotherapy resistance. Results: The obese sera significantly reduced sensitivity of the MDA-MB-231 cells to docetaxel. In fact, there was no variance in the viability level of cells grown in obese patient sera for 96 hours with and without docetaxel treatment. The mechanism for resistance does not appear to involve Bcl-2 or COX-2, previously implicated in docetaxel resistance. Intriguingly, suppression of mTOR did provide significant benefit, in agreement with our previous in vivo studies investigating obesity and aromatase inhibitor (AI) response. The role of the mTOR pathway in modulating therapeutic response is still being investigated. Conclusion: Exposure to obesity-associated circulating factors confers chemotherapy resistance in triple negative breast cancer cells. Further research will be conducted to determine the mechanism by which obesity promotes chemotherapy resistance and whether modulation of the mTOR pathway will provide significant benefit. Citation Format: Victoria R Lehrmann, Laura W Bowers, Andrew J Brenner, Linda A deGraffenried. Obesity confers chemotherapy resistance in triple negative breast cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-05-13.

Conformational transitions and glycation of serum albumin in patients with minimal-change glomerulopathy.

BackgroundThere has been a lack of study on the structural changes of serum albumin in patients with minimal change disease (MCD). To determine whether glycation and/or conformational transitions of albumin are involved in the pathogenesis of albuminuria, nine patients with MCD were enrolled in a prospective follow-up study for comparison of these parameters in serum albumin during the remission and relapse of nephrotic syndrome.MethodsCircular dichroism measurements were made with purified albumin. Ellipticities at each wavelength were transformed to mean residue ellipticity. Monosaccharide composition was analyzed by high-pH anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection.ResultsThere was no difference in the proportions of α-helix, β-conformation, and β-turn of albumin between the sera of control patients and those with nephrotic syndrome. However, the proportion of the random configuration was slightly higher in the plasma albumin of patients in relapse than in those in remission. The proportion of the random configuration was lower in the albumin of the serum than in the urine of patients with nephrotic syndrome, but there was no difference in the proportions of α-helix, β-conformation, and β-turn of albumin between their plasma and urine.ConclusionOur results suggest that conformational changes in albumin are involved in albuminuria in patients with MCD.

Glycohydrolases in diabetes: characterization of acid α-glucosidase from liver and neutral α-glucosidase from sera of diabetic patients and controls

Acid alpha-glucosidase activity measured in the supernatant fraction of liver homogenates obtained from adult-onset diabetic patients is significantly decreased when compared to controls (2.86 +/- 1.18 and 5.79 +/- 1.82 nmoles/min/mg protein +/- S.D., respectively). The biochemical properties (Km values, thermostability, pH optimum, isoelectric focusing profiles) of acid alpha-glucosidase obtained from the livers of diabetic patients were similar to those of acid alpha-glucosidase obtained from the livers of controls. Mixing studies gave additivity of acid alpha-glucosidase activity suggesting that neither inhibitors nor activators are present (in diabetic and control livers, respectively). Neutral alpha-glucosidase activity measured in the sera of diabetic patients was significantly increased when compared to controls (4.35 +/- 1.82 and 2.44 +/- 1.05 nmoles/h/ml +/- S.D., respectively). Neutral alpha-glucosidase in the sera of diabetic and control patients has a similar pH optimum but the enzyme in the serum of diabetics has a slightly lower apparent Km value for the 4-methylumbelliferyl substrate (0.6 vs. 0.9 mmol/L) and slightly increased thermostability. Experiments involving dialysis of patient serum, addition of glucose to patient serum and mixing of control and diabetic patient sera all suggest that glucose exhibits only slight inhibition of serum neutral alpha-glucosidase activity. Isoelectric focusing indicates that neutral alpha-glucosidase activity in the sera of diabetic patients is consistently different from the enzyme in the sera of control patients in that a significantly smaller percentage of activity is found in the acidic region with pI values less than 4.8.

Viral Antibodies in Serum and CSF of Parkinsonian Patients and Controls

• Viral antibody titers to 12 strains of influenza A virus and to 11 other viruses were determined by complement-fixation (CF), hemagglutination-inhibition (HI), and/or indirect hemagglutination (IHA) tests in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with classical postencephalitic Parkinson's disease (PEPD), idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD), and nonparkinsonian neurological and medical diseases (controls). We found significant differences of mean serum antibody titers to several viruses in the group with PEPD and the controls. Herpes simplex virus type 1 (CF, IHA), cytomegalovirus (CF, IHA), and herpes simplex virus type 2 (IHA) mean titers were significantly lower in sera of patients with PEPD than in the sera of control patients. Herpes simplex virus 1 (IHA), measles (HI), and rubella (HI) mean titers were significantly lower in sera of patients with PD than in those of controls. Serum influenza mean titers (Hsw1N1) were significantly higher in the patients with PEPD than in the controls; but, this latter finding could not be confirmed when two additional control groups were concurrently tested. We question the biological importance of these viral agents in the etiology of Parkinson's disease and suggest that none of these viruses are causally associated with the disease.

Results obtained with the antiglobulin consumption test and investigations of autoantibody eluates in immunohematology.

Abstract 1.1. The Antiglobulin Consumption test is described. Results obtained with this technique are shown. One hundred thirty-five sera were investigated using leukocytes as antigen. Depending on the severity of illness 45 to 71 per cent of the sera investigated of patients with idiopathic granulocytopenia and pancytopenia gave positive results, while sera of control patients and healthy individuals gave negative results. 2.2. Using platelets as antigen, we investigated 142 sera. Sixty-six per cent of the sera investigated of patients with idiopathic thrombopenic purpura gave positive results, while sera of control patients and of healthy individuals gave negative results. In comparative investigations of sera of patients with vascular purpura with platelets and blood vessel homogenizations as antigen the experiments with platelets gave negative results, whereas with blood vessel homogenizations in one-half of the sera investigated positive results were obtained. 3.3. An elution technique for the isolation of leukocyte and platelet antibodies is described. The serologic investigation results of the eluates, proving the appearance of the antibody in the eluates, are recorded. 4.4. Animal experiments are described in which antibody eluates were injected intravenously in rabbits. Depending on the cell specificity of the isolated antibodies, a significant diminution of leukocytes or platelets took place followed by a thrombocytopenia or leukopenia lasting several days. Injections of control eluates did not produce such effects. 5.5. The serum factor responsible for a positive Antiglobulin Consumption test, elutable from cells onto which it has become linked specifically and responsible for a cell-diminishing effect of the eluates in animal experiments, is characterized as a platelet or leukocyte autoantibody. Its significance for the development of thrombocytopenia and granulocytopenia, as well as autoaggression as a pathogenetic principle, is discussed.