SUMMARY Inflammation-mediated neurodegeneration occurs in the acute and the chronic phases of multiple sclerosis (MS) and its animal model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Classically-activated (M1) microglia are key players mediating this process. Here we identified Galectin-1 (Gal1), an endogenous glycan-binding protein, as a pivotal regulator of M1 microglia activation, targeting the activation of p38MAPK-, CREB-, and NF-κB-dependent signaling pathways and hierarchically supressing downstream pro-inflammatory mediators such as iNOS, TNF and CCL2. Gal1 bound to core 2 O-glycans on CD45, favoring retention of this glycoprotein on the microglial cell surface and augmenting its phosphatase activity and inhibitory function. Gal1 was highly expressed in the acute phase of EAE and its targeted deletion resulted in pronounced inflammation-induced neurodegeneration. Adoptive transfer of Gal1-secreting astrocytes or administration of recombinant Gal1 suppressed EAE through mechanisms involving microglia de-activation. Thus, Gal1-glycan interactions are essential in tempering microglia activation, brain inflammation and neurodegeneration with critical therapeutic implications for MS.

The findings of this large study strongly support the notion that FGFR3 mutations characterize a subgroup of bladder cancers with good prognosis; patients with mutant TaG1 tumors have a higher risk of recurrence; and the F386L variant is selectively associated with low-grade tumors.

Activating mutations of the p110 ␣ subunit of PI3K (PIK3CA) oncogene have been identified in a broad spectrum of malignant tumors. However, their role in benign or preneoplastic conditions is unknown. Activating FGF receptor 3 (FGFR3) mutations are common in benign skin lesions, either as embryonic mutations in epidermal nevi (EN) or as somatic mutations in seborrheic keratoses (SK). FGFR3 mutations are also common in low-grade malignant bladder tumors, where they often occur in association with PIK3CA mutations. Therefore, we examined exons 9 and 20 of PIK3CA and FGFR3 hotspot mutations in EN (n ‫؍‬ 33) and SK (n ‫؍‬ 62), two proliferative skin lesions lacking malignant potential. Nine of 33 (27%) EN harbored PIK3CA mutations; all cases showed the E545G substitution, which is uncommon in cancers. In EN, R248C was the only FGFR3 mutation identified. By contrast, 10 of 62 (16%) SK revealed the typical cancer-associated PIK3CA mutations E542K, E545K, and H1047R. The same lesions displayed a wide range of FGFR3 mutations. Corresponding unaffected tissue was available for four EN and two mutant SK: all control samples displayed a WT sequence, confirming the somatic nature of the mutations found in lesional tissue. Forty of 95 (42%) lesions showed at least one mutation in either gene. PIK3CA and FGFR3 mutations displayed an independent distribution; 5/95 lesions harbored mutations in both genes. Our findings suggest that, in addition to their role in cancer, oncogenic PIK3CA mutations contribute to the pathogenesis of skin tumors lacking malignant potential. The remarkable genotype-phenotype correlation as observed in this study points to a distinct etiopathogenesis of the mutations in keratinocytes occuring either during fetal development or in adult life.oncogene ͉ senescence ͉ skin ͉ benign tumor

The ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene codifies for a protein critically involved in the cellular response to DNA damage. ATM alterations have been observed in some sporadic lymphoproliferative disorders. The recurrent 11q22-23 deletions found in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) suggest that ATM could be inactivated in these lymphomas. In this study, ATM gene alterations and protein expression were examined in 20 and 17 MCL tumor specimens, respectively. Previously, these patients had been examined for p53 and p14 ARF gene status and analyzed by comparative genomic hybridization. Nine patients had 11q22-23 losses. Eight ATM gene mutations were detected in 7 patients. These alterations were 3 missense mutations in the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI-3K) domain and 5 truncating mutations, including 3 frameshifts, a nonsense mutation, and a substitution of the initial methionine. All truncating mutations were associated with lack of protein expression. Somatic origin was demonstrated in 3 mutations, whereas one mutation was carried heterozygously in the patient germ line. Chromosomal imbalances were significantly higher in typical MCL with ATM inactivation (7.8 ؎ 1.3) than in tumors with the wildtype gene (3 ؎ 1.1) (P ‫؍‬ .001). Moreover, tumors with bi-allelic ATM alteration were associated with 3q gains (P ‫؍‬ .015) and frequent extranodal involvement (P ‫؍‬ . IntroductionMantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a lymphoproliferative disorder characterized by the t(11;14) (q13;q32) translocation, which leads to the rearrangement and overexpression of the cyclin D1 gene. 1,2 However, the tumorigenic and transforming potential of cyclin D1 in experimental models is relatively limited, and it requires the cooperation of other oncogenic factors such as c-myc. 3 Additional alterations in the tumor suppressor genes p16 INK4a and p53 have been described in aggressive variants of MCL, suggesting that these genes may cooperate with cyclin D1 overexpression in the progression of these lymphomas. [4][5][6][7] Classical cytogenetic and comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) studies have shown a high number of recurrent chromosomal alterations in MCL, indicating that other genes may be involved in the pathogenesis of these tumors. [8][9][10] One of the most frequent secondary chromosomal aberrations in MCL is the loss of the 11q22-23 region, where the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene is located. 11,12 Mutations in the ATM gene are responsible for the ataxiatelangiectasia (AT) syndrome, a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by progressive cerebellar ataxia, ocular telangiectasia, immunodeficiency, high sensitivity to ionizing radiation, and predisposition to lymphoid malignancies. 13 AT cells show chromosomal instability, telomere shortening, and defects in response to ionizing radiation and radiomimetic drugs. 14 Mutations and deletions in the ATM gene have also been found in a variety of sporadic neoplasias, including T-prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL) 15-17 and B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). 18,19 ...

Treatment of ambulatory exacerbations of mild-to-moderate COPD with amoxicillin/clavulanate is more effective and significantly prolongs the time to the next exacerbation compared with placebo.

Bladder tumors constitute a very heterogeneous disease. Superficial tumors are characterized by a high prevalence of FGFR3 mutations and chromosome 9 alterations. High-grade and muscle-invasive tumors are characterized by Tp53 mutations and aneuploidy. We have analyzed the sequence of exons 9 and 20 of PIK3CA in a panel of bladder tumors covering the whole spectrum of the disease. DNA from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor sections was amplified by PCR and products were sequenced. In an unselected panel of tumors representative of the disease, the PIK3CA mutation prevalence was 13% (11 of 87). Mutations occurred mainly at the previously identified hotspots (codons 542, 545, 1007, and 1047). The distribution according to stage was as follows: papillary urothelial neoplasms of uncertain malignant potential (PUNLMP; 11 of 43, 25.6%), T a (9 of 57, 16%), T 1 (2 of 10, 20%), and muscle-invasive tumors (0 of 20, 0%; P = 0.019). Mutations were associated with low-grade tumors: grade 1 (6 of 27, 22.2%), grade 2 (3 of 23, 13%), and grade 3 (2 of 37, 5.4%; P = 0.047). Overall, PIK3CA mutations were strongly associated with FGFR3 mutations: 18 of 69 (26%) FGFR3 mut tumors were PIK3CA mut , versus 4 of 58 (6.9%) FGFR3 wt tumors (P = 0.005). Our findings indicate that PIK3CA mutations are a common event that can occur early in bladder carcinogenesis and support the notion that papillary and muscle-invasive tumors arise through different molecular pathways. PIK3CA may constitute a novel diagnostic and prognostic tool, as well as a therapeutic target, in bladder cancer. (Cancer Res 2006; 66(15): 7401-4)

FGFR3 andTp53 mutations have been proposed as defining two alternative pathways in the pathogenesis of transitional bladder cancer. FGFR3 mutations are associated with low-grade tumors and a favorable prognosis. Tp53 alterations are associated with advanced tumors and, possibly, with a poor prognosis.We focus here on the subgroup ofT1G3 superficial tumors because they are a major clinical challenge. Patients (n = 119) were identified from a prospective study of 1,356 cases. Mutations in FGFR3 (exons 7, 10, and 15) and Tp53 (exons 4-9) were analyzed using PCR and direct sequencing. All cases were followed for recurrence and death. Survival was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariable Cox regression. FGFR3 mutations were detected in 20 (16.8%) tumors; 100 mutations in Tp53 were found in tumors from 78 (65.5%) cases. Multiple alterations inTp53 were present in 19 tumors (16%). Inactivating mutations were present in 58% of tumors. The combined mutation distribution (FGFR3/Tp53) was: wt/wt (34.5%), mut/wt (7.6%), wt/mut (48.7%), and mut/mut (9.2%), indicating that the presence of either mutation did not depend on the other (P value = 0.767). FGFR3 and Tp53 mutations were not associated with clinicopathologic characteristics of patients and did not predict, alone or in combination, recurrence or survival. Taking the risk of the wt/wt group as reference, the mutation-associated risks of cancer-specific mortality were: mut/wt 1.42 (0.15-13.75), wt/mut 0.67 (0.19-2.31), mut/mut 1.62 (0.27-9.59). These molecular features support the notion that T1G3 tumors are at the crossroads of the two main molecular pathways proposed for bladder cancer development and progression.

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is associated with the t(2;5)(p23;q35), which generates the NPM-ALK fusion gene encoding an 80-kD protein. Several studies have suggested that genes other than NPM may be fused to theALK gene. Here we have identified TRK-fused gene (TFG) as a new ALK partner in 2 ALCL, 1 of which exhibited a t(2;3)(p23;q21). In these cases, TFG was involved in 2 different fusion genes, TFG-ALKS andTFG-ALKL, coding respectively 85-kD and 97-kD chimeric proteins. The ALK breakpoint in these translocations was the same as in the classic t(2;5) translocation. These 2 proteins were both active in an in vitro tyrosine kinase assay showing that the new cloned cDNA sequences are translated into chimeric proteins with functional activity. These findings indicate thatTFG can provide an alternative to NPM as a fusion partner responsible for activation of the ALK and the pathogenesis of ALCL.