Abstract-Angiogenesis is implicated in the pathogenesis of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and atherosclerosis and in the treatment of coronary artery and peripheral vascular disease. Here, cholesterol-lowering agents, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, are shown to interfere with angiogenesis. In vivo, the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor simvastatin dose-dependently inhibited capillary growth in both vascular endothelial growth factor-stimulated chick chorioallantoic membranes and basic fibroblast growth factor-stimulated mouse corneas. In vitro, the development of tubelike structures by human microvascular endothelial cells cultured on 3D collagen gels was inhibited at simvastatin concentrations similar to those found in the serum of patients on therapeutic doses of this agent. HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors interfered with angiogenesis via inhibition of the geranylgeranylation and membrane localization of RhoA. Simvastatin inhibited membrane localization of RhoA with a concentration dependence similar to that for the inhibition of tube formation, whereas geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate, the substrate for the geranylgeranylation of Rho, reversed the effect of simvastatin on tube formation and on the membrane localization of RhoA. Furthermore, tube formation was inhibited by GGTI, a specific inhibitor of the geranylgeranylation of Rho; by C3 exotoxin, which inactivates Rho; and by the adenoviral expression of a dominant-negative RhoA mutant.

Amplification of 1q21 is the most frequent genetic alteration in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), being detected in 58%-78% of primary HCC cases by comparative genomic hybridization. Recently, we isolated a candidate oncogene, Amplified in Liver Cancer 1 (ALC1), from 1q21 by hybrid selection. Here we demonstrate that ALC1 was frequently amplified and overexpressed in HCC. ALC1-transfected cells possessed a strong oncogenic ability, increasing the colony formation in soft agar and increasing the tumorigenicity in nude mice, which could be effectively suppressed by small interfering RNA against ALC1. Functional studies showed that overexpression of ALC1 could promote G1/S phase transition and inhibit apoptosis. Molecular studies revealed that the oncogenic function of ALC1 might be associated with its roles in promoting cell proliferation by down-regulating p53 expression. Conclusion: These results suggest that ALC1 is the target oncogene within the 1q21 amplicon and plays a pivotal role in HCC pathogenesis. (HEPATOLOGY 2008;47:503-510.)

These data suggest that intrarenal granulomas in urate nephropathy may be the consequence of a crystal induced DTH reaction mediated by MIF.

Dear Editor, In the past 17 years, coronaviruses including SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 have crossed the species barrier and resulted in remarkable epidemics in human for three times. Each disease caused by them, especially COVID-19 that is caused by SARS-CoV-2 1 , led to tremendous life threatening and economic loss. There is no effective treatment against them currently, and the development of druggable target is urgently needed. Considering the frequent invasion into human by various coronaviruses, broad spectrum drugs against coronaviruses are particularly important. HIV backbone-based pseudotyped virus carries a luciferase reporter gene, which is a safe and convenient tool to study the entry of highly virulent pathogens such as SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. Using this tool, we have previously identified ACE2 as the receptor of SARS-CoV 2 , and analyzed the immunoreactivity of the sera from MERS-CoV-infected animals 3. In the current study, we used SARS-CoV pseudotyped virus (HIV/SARS-CoV pseudovirus) to screen a siRNA library, and identified AP2M1 as a crucial host factor for SARS-CoV infection. Based on the discovery, we further demonstrated that sunitinib, a kinase inhibitor involving in the regulation of AP2M1, not only inhibited the entry of HIV/SARS-CoV pseudovirus, but also functioned on SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV, thus held great potential as an anticoronavirus drug.

No abstract

This study aimed to use the LiquidBiopsy system and immunofluorescence to measure human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 in circulating breast cancer cells. Seventy-one patients with breast cancer and 107 control provided blood samples. The results indicated that the LiquidBiopsy system may be useful for detecting human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 expression levels on CTC as it was positively correlated with pathologic examination. Background: Most previous studies of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are based on the CellSearch platform, but CellSearch has a number of limitations. This study aimed to use the LiquidBiopsy system and immunofluorescence to test the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status of CTCs in patients with breast cancer. Materials and Methods: The LiquidBiopsy system was used to detect HER2-positive (HER2 þ) cells in whole blood by microfluidic immunomagnetic bead screening and immunofluorescence assay, according to the manufacturer;s instructions. HER2 expression on CTCs was assessed using the Ariol system, calibrated through spiking experiments of 100 cells (BT474, SKBR3, A431, and MDA-MB-231) and 2.5 Â 10 7 white blood cells/mL from healthy donors. Seventyone patients with breast cancer and 107 non-cancer donors consented to provide blood. Results: Based on breast cancer cell lines experiments, HER2 þ CTCs were defined as CTCs with HER2 immunofluorescence intensity ! 3.5 times higher than the CD45 immunofluorescence intensity (100% sensitivity and 99.9% specificity). Among the 71 patients with breast cancer, 31 (43.7%) had HER2 þ tumor. Among the HER2 þ patients, 41.9% (13/31) were found to be HER2 þ based on CTC ! 1, and 25.8% (8/31) were positive based on CTC ! 3. In HER2-negative patients by pathologic examination, 1 (2.5%) patient was found to have ! 3 HER2 þ CTCs, whereas 15 (37.5%) patients had ! 1 HER2 þ CTC. HER2 þ CTCs were detected at all stages, even in early breast cancer, but the detection rate was higher in metastatic breast cancer. Conclusion: This proof-of-concept study strongly suggests that HER2 þ CTCs can be detected using the LiquidBiopsy system.

No abstract

BackgroundSerological studies for influenza infection and vaccine response often involve microneutralization and hemagglutination inhibition assays to evaluate neutralizing antibodies against human and avian influenza viruses, including H5N1. We have previously characterized lentiviral particles pseudotyped with H5-HA (H5pp) and validated an H5pp-based assay as a safe alternative for high-throughput serological studies in BSL-2 facilities. Here we show that H5-HAs from different clades do not always give rise to efficient production of H5pp and the underlying mechanisms are addressed.Methodology/FindingsWe have carried out mutational analysis to delineate the molecular determinants responsible for efficient packaging of HA from A/Cambodia/40808/2005 (H5Cam) and A/Anhui/1/2005 (H5Anh) into H5pp. Our results demonstrate that a single A134V mutation in the 130-loop of the receptor binding domain is sufficient to render H5Anh the ability to generate H5Anh-pp efficiently, whereas the reverse V134A mutation greatly hampers production of H5Cam-pp. Although protein expression in total cell lysates is similar for H5Anh and H5Cam, cell surface expression of H5Cam is detected at a significantly higher level than that of H5Anh. We further demonstrate by several independent lines of evidence that the behaviour of H5Anh can be explained by a stronger binding to sialic acid receptors implicating residue 134.ConclusionsWe have identified a single A134V mutation as the molecular determinant in H5-HA for efficient incorporation into H5pp envelope and delineated the underlying mechanism. The reduced binding to sialic acid receptors as a result of the A134V mutation not only exerts a critical influence in pseudotyping efficiency of H5-HA, but has also an impact at the whole virus level. Because A134V substitution has been reported as a naturally occurring mutation in human host, our results may have implications for the understanding of human host adaptation of avian influenza H5N1 viruses.