Alterations of Multipotent Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Induced by Interaction with Allogeneic Lymphocytes In Vitro

Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are widely used for cell therapy. Treatment with interferon-γ (IFNγ) increases the immunomodulating properties of MSCs. When administered intravenously, MSCs interact with lymphocytes. It is impossible to follow the fate of MSCs in the recipient organism. The aim of this study was to investigate the properties of MSCs after their interaction with lymphocytes in vitro. Bone marrow MSCs were co-cultured for 4 days with activated and non-activated lymphocytes. A portion of the MSCs was pretreated with IFNγ. HLA-DR expression on the MSCs increased when these cells were co-cultured with lymphocytes and after they were treated with IFNγ. The activated lymphocytes induced significantly higher HLA-DR expression levels than did IFNγ treatment. IFNγ increased the viability of MSCs when these cells were co-cultured with lymphocytes. The immunomodulating properties of MSCs were amplified after IFNγ priming and co-cultivation with lymphocytes; therefore, this amplification was not dependent on the IFNγ source. IFNγ treatment and lymphocyte interactions induced increases in the relative expression levels (RELs) of ICAM1 and factors involved in immunomodulation in the MSCs. IFNγ stabilizes MSCs while maintaining their viability. The data suggest that MSCs obtained from the hematopoietic cells donor or autologous should be used for cell therapy

Hodgkin’s Lymphoma: Analysis Results of Volgograd Regional Registry

Background. The present paper discusses feasibility of first- and second-line therapies as well as the significance of different risk factors in the population of all patients with newly diagnosed Hodgkin’s lymphomas (HL) in a 14-year period based on the data of Volgograd regional registry. Materials & Methods. During the period 2003 to 2017 the population registry of Department of Hematology of Volgograd Regional Clinical Oncology Dispensary included the data of all the patients with newly diagnosed HL (n = 622): 272 (44 %) men and 350 (56 %) women aged 18 to 84 years (mean age 38 years, median age 33 years). There were 97 (16 %) patients with early stages and without risk factors, 165 (27 %) patients with early stages and risk factors, 360 (59 %) patients with advanced stages, 308 (50 %) patients with toxic symptoms (stage B), and 179 (29 %) patients with bulky tumor lesions (≥ 10 cm). ABVD treatment regimen was administered in 190 (30.5 %) patients, increased-dose BEACO(D)PP in 39 (6 %) patients, BEACO(D)PP-14 in 159 (26 %) patients, standard BEACO(D)PP in 200 (32 %) patients, IVDG in 25 (4 %) patients, and other regimens in 9 (1.5 %) patients. The second-line treatment was administered in 120 (19 %) out of 622 patients. By the end of August 2018, the number of followed-up patients was 514 (83 %), 108 (17 %) patients had died. The prognostic value of the International Prognostic Score (IPS), PET, and other factors was assessed by means of Cox’s multivariate regression analysis. Pharmacoeconomic analysis of differences between options of first-line therapy was based on Markov model. Results. In the group of patients with advanced HL stages treated with escalated BEACO(D)PP (the increased-dose regimen and BEACO(D)PP-14) 5- and 10-year overall survival (OS) was 83 % and 74 %, respectively, OS median was not reached. On standard BEACO(D)PP patients with advanced HL stages had OS median of 139 months (11.6 years) and 5- and 10-year OS of 68 % and 54 %, respectively (p = 0,012). In the group of patients with early stages and poor prognosis treated with escalated regimens BEACO(D)PP 5- and 10- year OS was 100 % and 90 %, respectively, in the combined group treated with ABVD and standard BEACO(D)PP it was 83 % and 75 % (p = 0.035). Replacement of procarbazine with dacarbazine in the standard and increased-dose BEACOPP regimens did not affect treatment efficacy. Markov analysis demonstrated the advantages of the escalated regimens for treatment of early stages with poor prognosis and advanced stages in terms of life years gained. Out of 7 IPS factors male sex, age ≥ 45 years, hemoglobin < 105 g/L, and albumin < 40 mg/L significantly impacted OS. Based on these data an adjusted prognostic index was suggested. Conclusion. The advantage of the escalated strategy of first-line therapy in HL is reflected in survival parameters and is based on pharmacoeconomic evidence. The significance of some laboratory IPS risk factors can be reviewed; most obvious is increasing importance of PET for predicting the need for salvage therapy

Towards a Rigorous Network of Protein-Protein Interactions of the Model Sulfate Reducer Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough

Protein–protein interactions offer an insight into cellular processes beyond what may be obtained by the quantitative functional genomics tools of proteomics and transcriptomics. The aforementioned tools have been extensively applied to study Escherichia coli and other aerobes and more recently to study the stress response behavior of Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough, a model obligate anaerobe and sulfate reducer and the subject of this study. Here we carried out affinity purification followed by mass spectrometry to reconstruct an interaction network among 12 chromosomally encoded bait and 90 prey proteins based on 134 bait-prey interactions identified to be of high confidence. Protein-protein interaction data are often plagued by the lack of adequate controls and replication analyses necessary to assess confidence in the results, including identification of potential false positives. We addressed these issues through the use of biological replication, exponentially modified protein abundance indices, results from an experimental negative control, and a statistical test to assign confidence to each putative interacting pair applicable to small interaction data studies. We discuss the biological significance of metabolic features of D. vulgaris revealed by these protein-protein interaction data and the observed protein modifications. These include the distinct role of the putative carbon monoxide-induced hydrogenase, unique electron transfer routes associated with different oxidoreductases, and the possible role of methylation in regulating sulfate reduction

Characterization of Glucocorticoid Binding Capacity in Human Mononuclear Lymphocytes: Increase by Metyrapone is Prevented by Dexamethasone Pretreatment

Autoregulation of receptor systems by their own ligands is a well established biological phenomenon. While down-regulation of the glucocorticoid binding capacity by glucocorticoids has been shown in animals and humans, data on up-regulation processes in humans are lacking. To further explore glucocorticoid receptor plasticity in relation to endogenous ligands, glucocorticoid binding parameters were assessed in 15 healthy controls before and after oral administration of 1.5 g metyrapone with and without dexamethasone pretreatment. Administration of metyrapone resulted in blockade of the feedback of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system as shown by the rise in adrenocorticotropin levels, while pretreatment with 1 mg dexamethasone completely suppressed adrenocorticotropin concentrations. Glucocorticoid binding sites per lymphocyte exhibited an increase of 63% following metyrapone administration, which was prevented by dexamethasone pretreatment. Comparison of morning and afternoon glucocorticoid binding sites per cell in 11 healthy volunteers further revealed a diurnal rhythm of glucocorticoid receptor sites. These data suggest that human lymphocyte glucocorticoid receptors are under autoregulatory control

Strontium substituted tricalcium phosphate bone cement: short and long-term time-resolved studies and in vitro properties

Due to a significant influence of strontium (Sr) on bone regeneration, Sr substituted beta-tricalcium phosphate (Sr-TCP) cement is prepared and investigated by short- and long-term time-resolved techniques. For short-term investigations, energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, and, for the first time, terahertz time-domain spectroscopy techniques are applied. For long-term time-resolved studies, angular dispersive X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, mechanical tests, and behavior in Ringer solution are carried out. After 45 min of the cement setting, the Sr-TCP phase is no longer detectable. During this time period, an appearance and constant increase of the final brushite phase are registered. The compressive strength of the Sr-TCP cement increases from 4.5 MPa after 2 h of setting and reaches maximum at 13.3 MPa after 21 d. After cement soaking for 21 d in Ringer solution, apatite final product, with an admixture of brushite and TCP phases is detected. The cytotoxicity aspects of the prepared cement are investigated using NCTC 3T3 fibroblast cell line, and the cytocompatibility-by human dental pulp mesenchymal stem cells. The obtained results allow to conclude that the developed Sr-TCP cement is promising for biomedical applications for bone tissue