These data are in agreement with results that have previously been reported on dysregulated miRNAs for other solid human tumors. Moreover, in our investigation, additional miRNAs were found to be dysregulated in MPM. Interestingly, gene products that regulate the cell cycle are targets and predicted targets for these miRNAs. Our data suggest that specific miRNAs could be key players in MPM development/progression. In addition, some of these miRNAs may represent MPM markers and potential targets for new therapeutic approaches.

Novel biomaterials are of paramount importance for bone regrowth. In this study, we investigated human adipose stem cells (hASCs) for osteogenic, osteoconductivity, and osteoinductivity effects of an innovative collagen/hydroxylapatite hybrid scaffold. In hASCs that were grown on this scaffold, osteogenic genes were analyzed for their expression profiles, together with adhesion and extracellular matrix genes. In hASC integrins, basement membrane constituents and collagens were up-regulated, together with cell proliferation. In addition, expression of osteopontin and activated focal adhesion kinase was studied at the protein level. Our data indicate that hASCs, together with hybrid biomaterial, is an important model of study to investigate bone induction.-Mazzoni, E., D'Agostino, A., Manfrini, M., Maniero, S., Puozzo, A., Bassi, E., Marsico, S., Fortini, C., Trevisiol, L., Patergnani, S., Tognon, M. Human adipose stem cells induced to osteogenic differentiation by an innovative collagen/hydroxylapatite hybrid scaffold.

Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), a DNA tumor virus, has been found to be associated with Merkel cell carcinoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. MCPyV sequences have also been detected in various normal tissues in tumor-affected patients. Immunologic studies have detected MCPyV antibodies in as many as 80% of healthy blood donors. This high seroprevalence suggests that MCPyV infection is widespread in humans. In our study, buffy coats, which were examined for MCPyV DNA Tag sequences, showed a prevalence of 22%. Viral DNA load was revealed in blood samples from 10 to 100 molecules/100 000 cells. DNA sequencing confirmed that polymerase chain reaction amplicons belong to the IntroductionMerkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is a small DNA tumor virus. 1 A recent investigation has reported MCPyV sequences in 27.1% of purified malignant cells from human chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) samples. 2 CLL, the most common leukemia in the Western world, results from the expansion of a rare population of mature B-lymphocytes. 3 In a previous study, MCPyV DNA was identified in Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). 4 This neoplasm is a rare but aggressive skin cancer of neuroendocrine origin. 5 MCC has been detected in immunosuppressed patients who have undergone organ transplantation or are affected by HIV infection, with Tlymphocyte immunosuppression resulting from CLL. 6 MCPyV DNA has been also identified in various tissue samples in patients affected by malignant or nonmalignant tumors. 4,[7][8][9] Moreover, the presence of MCPyV in peripheral blood at low copy number has also been reported. 4,10 Recent immunologic studies have detected MCPyV antibodies in 70% to 80% of adults. 11-13 Because human polyomavirus DNAs have been detected in tonsillar tissues, the high respiratory tract has been proposed as one of the entry portals for these viral agents. 14-16 However, the process by which polyomaviruses, and specifically MCPyV, gain access to and establish persistent infections in distal body compartments has not been well established. 15 Methods Samples and PCR techniquesBuffy coats (n ϭ 60) were obtained from healthy blood donors as recently described. 17 DNA was isolated as previously done, and its quality was confirmed by ␤-globin polymerase chain reaction (PCR). 17 The pUC57MC1 recombinant plasmid, with MCC 350 strain sequences, was used as a positive control in MCPyV PCR amplification experiments. 18 Two different MCPyV Tag regions, nucleotides (nt) 571 to 879 and nt 1709 to 1846, were investigated by single PCR analysis for 35 cycles using the primer sets, LT3F-LT3R and MCPyLT1709.FMCPyLT1864.R, respectively. Amplicons of 308 bp and 138 bp are expected from these sPCR amplifications. 4,18 However, no MCPyV Tag sequences were detected in our samples. Recently, similar data have been reported by other groups. 19,20 To verify whether these negative data were the result of a low viral DNA load in our buffy coats, the same MCPyV sequences were investigated by PCR reamplifications, using 5 L of the first PCR reaction, with the same ...