Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Stephanie L. Rellick, Gangqing Hu, Debra Piktel, Karen H. Martin, Werner J. Geldenhuys, Rajesh R. Nair, Laura F. Gibson
Summary: In this study, an in vitro cell model was developed to investigate a population of treatment-refractory cells in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) characterized by dormant, chemotherapy-resistant tumor cells. Through RNA-Seq analysis, the transcriptional signature of these cells was characterized and found to be similar to expression patterns in MRD cells from patients. Genes and signaling pathways common between these cells were identified as potential therapeutic targets for future studies.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
F. Salamanna, D. Contartese, C. Errani, M. Sartori, V. Borsari, G. Giavaresi
Summary: This review systematically evaluates the role of bone marrow adipocytes (BMAs) in the development and progression of bone metastasis. Preclinical studies suggest that BMAs may play a crucial role in bone metastasis in prostate, breast, and malignant melanoma cancers. However, further preclinical and clinical studies are needed to better understand the role of BMAs.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Hematology
Mehmet Kemal Samur, Raphael Szalat, Nikhil C. Munshi
Summary: Single-cell platforms have become the norm in many research fields, including multiple myeloma, due to the high cellular heterogeneity of the disease. The decreasing cost and increasing accessibility of single-cell platforms, combined with breakthroughs in obtaining multiomics data and analyzing it, have allowed important insights into MM pathogenesis, with further work to be done.
Article
Oncology
Jennifer M. SanMiguel, Elizabeth Eudy, Matthew A. Loberg, Kira A. Young, Jayna J. Mistry, Kristina D. Mujica, Logan S. Schwartz, Timothy M. Stearns, Grant A. Challen, Jennifer J. Trowbridge
Summary: Clonal hematopoiesis resulting from enhanced fitness of mutant hematopoietic stem cells can lead to both favorable and unfavorable health outcomes. This study found that aging-induced TNF alpha signaling promotes the selective advantage of mutant HSCs and stimulates the production of mutant B lymphoid cells. The loss of TNFR1 abolishes the advantage of mutant HSCs, while the loss of TNFR2 results in overproduction of mutant myeloid cells without affecting HSC fitness.
Review
Oncology
Chiara Brignole, Fabio Pastorino, Patrizia Perri, Loredana Amoroso, Veronica Bensa, Enzo Calarco, Mirco Ponzoni, Maria Valeria Corrias
Summary: In children with metastatic neuroblastoma, the survival rate remains low despite aggressive treatments. Understanding the interaction between BM-infiltrating NB cells and the BM environment may help identify mechanisms for survival of metastatic cells, and new therapeutics targeting the microenvironment could improve outcomes. The unique nature of metastatic NB cells and the presence of multiple mechanisms favoring immune evasion underscore the need for synergistic immune therapy approaches.
Article
Oncology
Daria Lazic, Florian Kromp, Fikret Rifatbegovic, Peter Repiscak, Michael Kirr, Filip Mivalt, Florian Halbritter, Marie Bernkopf, Andrea Bileck, Marek Ussowicz, Inge M. Ambros, Peter F. Ambros, Christopher Gerner, Ruth Ladenstein, Christian Ostalecki, Sabine Taschner-Mandl
Summary: This study investigates the diversity of tumor cells and surrounding cells in bone marrow metastases, identifying vast tumor cell diversity and an association with an inflammatory immune response. The results suggest that metastatic tumor cells shape the bone marrow microenvironment, highlighting the need for further investigation into their clinical relevance.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jonathan A. R. Gordon, Mark F. F. Evans, Prachi N. N. Ghule, Kyra Lee, Pamela Vacek, Brian L. L. Sprague, Donald L. L. Weaver, Gary S. S. Stein, Janet L. L. Stein
Summary: The tumor microenvironment is a complex mixture of cell types that interact with and affect tumor initiation, progression, recurrence, and patient survival. In the tumor microenvironment of invasive breast cancer patients, CD90+ MSCs were identified with a unique gene expression signature. Single-cell transcriptional analysis revealed a subpopulation of MSCs with increased gene expression related to extracellular matrix signaling, which directly contributes to cancer cell proliferation through the TGF beta pathway.
Article
Oncology
Seokjin Haam, Jae-Ho Han, Hyun Woo Lee, Young Wha Koh
Summary: This study identified a 17-gene expression signature related to tumor nonimmune microenvironment that could predict brain metastasis in lung adenocarcinoma after surgical resection. This signature, with 11 genes associated with extracellular matrix remodeling, showed high predictive power in four machine learning classifiers, especially in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemical expression of these genes corresponded with NanoString tests, indicating their potential as biological markers for predicting brain metastasis.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Taichi Nakatani, Tatsuki Sugiyama, Yoshiki Omatsu, Hitomi Watanabe, Gen Kondoh, Takashi Nagasawa
Summary: This study demonstrates that CXCL12 derived from CAR cells attracts HSCs within the bone marrow and plays a critical role in the maintenance of lymphoid-biased or balanced HSCs. It suggests an additional mechanism by which cytokines act on HSCs to produce B cells.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Liang Zeng, Hui Xu, Shu-Hua Li, Shuo-Yu Xu, Kai Chen, Liang-Jun Qin, Lei Miao, Fang Wang, Ling Deng, Feng-Hua Wang, Le Li, Sha Fu, Na Liu, Ran Wang, Ying-Qing Li, Hai-Yun Wang
Summary: This study developed an immune checkpoint-based signature (ICS) to assess the survival risk of neuroblastoma (NB) patients and guide patient selection for immunotherapy. The expression levels of 9 immune checkpoints were determined in tumor tissues, and 7 abnormally expressed immune checkpoints were identified. The ICS model based on 4 immune checkpoints showed significant prognostic value in predicting overall survival and event-free survival.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2023)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Kudzai Nyamondo, Helen Wheadon
Summary: This review explores the interactions between micro-environment and the hematopoietic system in adults, specifically focusing on the impact of bone marrow micro-environment on aging, age-related clonal hematopoiesis, and the development of myeloid malignancies. Additionally, the possible role of age-related clonal hematopoiesis and chronic inflammatory conditions in altering the dynamics of the bone marrow micro-environment is discussed.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bianca Cali, Mathieu Deygas, Fabio Munari, Elisabetta Marcuzzi, Antonino Cassara, Lara Toffali, Massimo Vetralla, Mathilde Bernard, Matthieu Piel, Onelia Gagliano, Marta Mastrogiovanni, Carlo Laudanna, Nicola Elvassore, Barbara Molon, Pablo Vargas, Antonella Viola
Summary: Chemical signals regulate the nuclear plasticity of migrating leukocytes to optimize their motility in restricted microenvironments.
Review
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Caroline Hochheuser, Laurens J. Windt, Nina Y. Kunze, Dieuwke L. de Vos, Godelieve A. M. Tytgat, Carlijn Voermans, Ilse Timmerman
Summary: Neuroblastoma is the second most common solid cancer in childhood, with bone marrow being a common site of distant metastasis. Therapy resistance of residual tumor cells in BM remains a major obstacle for the cure of NB. The role of mesenchymal stromal cells in NB development and progression is not fully understood, with a focus on BM as a metastatic niche.
STEM CELLS AND DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Chenzhao Feng, Ting Li, Jun Xiao, Jing Wang, Xinyao Meng, Huizhong Niu, Bin Jiang, Lei Huang, Xiaogeng Deng, Xueqiang Yan, Dianming Wu, Yifan Fang, Yu Lin, Feng Chen, Xiaojuan Wu, Xiang Zhao, Jiexiong Feng
Summary: This study analyzed the tumor microenvironment (TME) of neuroblastoma (NB) patients using a self-curated gene list, identifying three prognostic TME subgroups and constructing a genetic signature and three gene subgroups. The study also found that the worst prognostic subgroup lacked immune cell infiltration and may benefit from anti-GD2 therapy. Additionally, a 48-gene signature (TMEscore) was determined, which could predict prognosis and response to immunotherapies. After incorporating clinical features, the nomogram-based score system (TMEIndex) showed better predictive accuracy for survival.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ana Luisa Correia, Joao C. Guimaraes, Priska Auf Der Maur, Duvini De Silva, Marcel P. Trefny, Ryoko Okamoto, Sandro Bruno, Alexander Schmidt, Kirsten Mertz, Katrin Volkmann, Luigi Terracciano, Alfred Zippelius, Marcus Vetter, Christian Kurzeder, Walter Paul Weber, Mohamed Bentires-Alj
Summary: The study investigates how different tissue-specific microenvironments can either inhibit or support the progression of breast cancer in the liver. It identifies the interplay between natural killer (NK) cells and activated hepatic stellate cells (aHSCs) as a master switch of cancer dormancy, suggesting that therapies aimed at normalizing the NK cell pool may be successful in preventing metastatic outgrowth.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mireia Valles-Colomer, Aitor Blanco-Miguez, Paolo Manghi, Francesco Asnicar, Leonard Dubois, Davide Golzato, Federica Pinto, Fabio Cumbo, Kun D. Huang, Serena Manara, Giulia Masetti, Federica Pinto, Elisa Piperni, Michal Puncochar, Liviana Ricci, Moreno Zolfo, Olivia Farrant, Adriana Goncalves, Marta Selma-Royo, Ana G. Binetti, Jimmy E. Becerra, Bei Han, John Lusingu, John Amuasi, Loredana Amoroso, Alessia Visconti, Claire M. Steves, Mario Falchi, Michele Filosi, Adrian Tett, Anna Last, Qian Xu, Nan Qin, Huanlong Qin, Juergen May, Daniel Eibach, Maria Valeria Corrias, Mirco Ponzoni, Edoardo Pasolli, Tim D. Spector, Enrico Domenici, Maria Carmen Collado, Nicola Segata
Summary: The human microbiome is an essential part of the human body and plays a role in various health conditions. However, we still have limited understanding of the genetic differences in the microbiome between individuals and how it spreads within and across populations.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Andrew Collins, Peter Moller, Goran Gajski, Sona Vodenkova, Abdulhadi Abdulwahed, Diana Anderson, Ezgi Eyluel Bankoglu, Stefano Bonassi, Elisa Boutet-Robinet, Gunnar Brunborg, Christy Chao, Marcus S. S. Cooke, Carla Costa, Solange Costa, Alok Dhawan, Joaquin de Lapuente, Cristian Del Bo, Julien Dubus, Maria Dusinska, Susan J. J. Duthie, Naouale El Yamani, Bevin Engelward, Isabel Gaivao, Lisa Giovannelli, Roger Godschalk, Sofia Guilherme, Kristine B. B. Gutzkow, Khaled Habas, Alba Hernandez, Oscar Herrero, Marina Isidori, Awadhesh N. N. Jha, Siegfried Knasmueller, Ingeborg M. M. Kooter, Gudrun Koppen, Marcin Kruszewski, Carina Ladeira, Blanca Laffon, Marcelo Larramendy, Ludovic Le Hegarat, Angelique Lewies, Anna Lewinska, Guillermo E. E. Liwszyc, Adela Lopez de Cerain, Mugimane Manjanatha, Ricard Marcos, Mirta Milic, Vanessa Moraes de Andrade, Massimo Moretti, Damian Muruzabal, Matjaz Novak, Rui Oliveira, Ann-Karin Olsen, Norah Owiti, Mario Pacheco, Alok K. K. Pandey, Stefan Pfuhler, Bertrand Pourrut, Kerstin Reisinger, Emilio Rojas, Elise Runden-Pran, Julen Sanz-Serrano, Sergey Shaposhnikov, Ville Sipinen, Karen Smeets, Helga Stopper, Joao Paulo Teixeira, Vanessa Valdiglesias, Mahara Valverde, Frederique van Acker, Frederik-Jan van Schooten, Marie Vasquez, Johannes F. F. Wentzel, Maciej Wnuk, Annelies Wouters, Bojana Zegura, Tomas Zikmund, Sabine A. S. Langie, Amaya Azqueta
Summary: The comet assay is a versatile method for detecting various types of DNA damage in individual eukaryotic cells. It has been widely used in research, industry, and regulatory agencies, and has been adopted as an in vivo test for genotoxicity. The present document provides consensus protocols for applying the comet assay to different cell types, species, and types of DNA damage.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rafael Valencia-Quintana, Mirta Milic, Stefano Bonassi, Maria Antonieta Ochoa-Ocana, Victoria Campos-Pena, Maria Guadalupe Tenorio-Arvide, Guillermo Alejandro Perez-Flores, Juana Sanchez-Alarcon
Summary: This study evaluated the effect of pesticides on genetic damage to agricultural workers in Los Reyes, Michoacan, Mexico. The results showed that pesticide use poses a risk of genetic damage to agricultural workers, but measures can be taken to reduce this risk.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Serena Manara, Marta Selma-Royo, Kun D. Huang, Francesco Asnicar, Federica Armanini, Aitor Blanco-Miguez, Fabio Cumbo, Davide Golzato, Paolo Manghi, Federica Pinto, Mireia Valles-Colomer, Loredana Amoroso, Maria Valeria Corrias, Mirco Ponzoni, Roberta Raffaeta, Raul Cabrera-Rubio, Mari Olcina, Edoardo Pasolli, Maria Carmen Collado, Nicola Segata
Summary: Findings reveal that modern westernized lifestyles have an impact on mother-infant microbiome sharing, with differences in composition and diversity observed in newborns compared to non-westernized populations.
Article
Oncology
Marzia Ognibene, Annalisa Pezzolo, Roberto Cavanna, Davide Cangelosi, Stefania Sorrentino, Stefano Parodi
Summary: Studies on the prognostic role of gene expression profiles in cancer patients often use running procedures to select optimal cut-offs, but the hazard ratio (HR) is prone to an overestimation bias. This study proposes a simple test-based method to obtain an unbiased estimate of the HR, adjusting for the overestimation bias. The method is validated using simulated data and gene expression profiles from publicly available datasets.
Article
Oncology
Marzia Ognibene, Patrizia De Marco, Loredana Amoroso, Davide Cangelosi, Federico Zara, Stefano Parodi, Annalisa Pezzolo
Summary: Neuroblastoma (NB), a tumor affecting the peripheral sympathetic nervous system, has unknown mechanisms determining its progression. This study found that loss of chromosome 10q is associated with poor prognosis in NB patients. Additionally, it identified a cluster of 75 deleted genes, including CCSER2, whose low expression is correlated with worse survival.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marzia Ognibene, Patrizia De Marco, Loredana Amoroso, Martina Fragola, Federico Zara, Stefano Parodi, Annalisa Pezzolo
Summary: Chromosomal instability (CIN) is a hallmark of most human cancers and can lead to losses or gains of chromosomes. This study evaluated the prognostic role of CIN in NB patients at diagnosis and found that high CIN values are negatively associated with survival of NB patients.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Graziana Scavone, Silvia Ottonello, Eva Blondeaux, Luca Arecco, Paola Scaruffi, Sara Stigliani, Barbara Cardinali, Roberto Borea, Michele Paudice, Valerio G. Vellone, Margherita Condorelli, Isabelle Demeestere, Matteo Lambertini
Summary: CDK4/6 inhibitors combined with endocrine therapy are the standard treatment for HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer patients. However, limited data is available on the potential gonadotoxicity of these inhibitors. This review summarizes the role of the CDK4/6 complex in ovarian tissue and the potential impact of CDK4/6 inhibition on ovarian physiological processes.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mahara Valverde, Adriana Granados, Mirta Milic, Marcello Ceppi, Leticia Sollano, Stefano Bonassi, Emilio Rojas
Summary: DNA damage in newborn children's cord blood cells from Mexico City is correlated with the DNA damage in their mothers, as well as the environmental exposure and complications during pregnancy. Mothers living in the southern part of the city have double DNA damage compared to those living in the northern part. This study highlights the importance of antioxidants during pregnancy and the role of the placental barrier in protecting newborns from DNA-damaging effects of pollution.
Article
Andrology
Sara Stigliani, Claudia Massarotti, Simona Coco, Guglielmo Mantica, Nataniele Piol, Bruno Spina, Elena Maccarini, Monica Colombo, Paola Anserini, Paola Scaruffi
Summary: Severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes COVID-19, which has been spreading worldwide since December 2019. This study investigated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA in the prostatic tissue of an active infection patient and in the recovered prostate tissues of five patients. The study concluded that SARS-CoV-2 RNA was not detected in any of the prostate tissues tested, even during the acute phase of infection.
WORLD JOURNAL OF MENS HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Piero Barbanti, Gabriella Egeo, Cinzia Aurilia, Paola Torelli, Cinzia Finocchi, Florindo d'Onofrio, Luigi d'Onofrio, Renata Rao, Stefano Messina, Laura Di Clemente, Angelo Ranieri, Massimo Autunno, Giuliano Sette, Bruno Colombo, Antonio Carnevale, Marco Aguggia, Miriam Tasillo, Francesco Zoroddu, Fabio Frediani, Massimo Filippi, Carlo Tomino, Stefania Proietti, Stefano Bonassi
Summary: This study confirms the long-term efficacy, safety, and tolerability of fremanezumab in real-life patients with high-frequency episodic migraine and chronic migraine. The drug significantly reduced the frequency of migraines and headaches during the 24-week treatment period, with minimal side effects.
JOURNAL OF HEADACHE AND PAIN
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
S. Avanzini, P. Dall'Igna, K. Bjornland, S. Braungart, K. Cross, P. Flores, H. O. S. Gabra, J. Gomez-Chacon, S. Irtan, P. Lobos, A. Loh, L. E. Matthyssens, M. Metzelder, S. Parodi, L. Pio, C. P. van de Ven, J. Fuchs, P. D. Losty, S. Sarnacki
Summary: A consensus was reached on a Surgical Complexity Index (SCI) to assess the risks associated with neuroblastoma tumor resection. This index will help in assigning severity scores to IDRFs involved in NB surgery.
PEDIATRIC SURGERY INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Francisco Carlos da Silva Junior, Leticya Pinto de Araujo, Joao Paulo de Mendonca Freitas, Nilmara de Oliveira Alves, Stefano Bonassi, Silvia Regina Batistuzzo de Medeiros
Summary: This study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the association between ambient particulate matter (PM) exposure and micronucleus (MN) frequency. The results showed a significant association between PM exposure and MN frequency, with buccal cells and low economic status as potential effect modifiers. This research is important for understanding the impact of environmental pollution on human health.
MUTATION RESEARCH-REVIEWS IN MUTATION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Marco Crocco, Angela Calvi, Francesca Canzoneri, Federica Malerba, Noemi Zampatti, Andrea Chiaro, Serena Arrigo, Paolo Gandullia, Stefania Proietti, Stefano Bonassi
Summary: This study assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of new-onset celiac disease cases, and found a 14.5% decrease in cases during the pandemic compared to previous years. This is the first study to evaluate the effect of COVID-19 on celiac disease diagnosis in children.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Angelo Cagnacci, Irene Gazzo, Sara Stigliani, Anna Maria Paoletti, Paola Anserini, Ambrogio Pietro Londero, Anjeza Xholli
Summary: This study evaluates the effects of estrogen and progesterone on oxidative status and finds that they have opposite effects. These effects are related to body temperature regulation.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)