No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Objective-We sought to discover proteins that associate with estrogen receptor beta (ER␤) and modulate estrogen signaling. Methods and Result-Using a yeast 2-hybrid screen, we identified heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) as an ER␤-associated protein. HSP27 is a recently identified biomarker of atherosclerosis that is secreted at reduced levels from atherosclerotic compared with normal arteries. In vitro protein-binding assays confirmed the specific interaction of HSP27 with ER␤ and not ER␣. HSP27 expression was absent in coronary arteries with complex atherosclerotic lesions. Interestingly, HSP27 expression was also absent in 60% of coronary arteries from young males and females (27Ϯ6.5 years) with normal histology or nonobstructive fatty streaks/atheromas. Moreover, the absence of HSP27 in these normal or minimally diseased arteries coincided with the loss of ER␤ expression. Only 35% of arteries showed coexpression of HSP27 and ER␤. Relative to controls, estradiol-mediated transcription was reduced 20% with overexpression of HSP27 and increased 44% when HSP27 protein levels were reduced with HSP27 siRNA. T here is a sex bias in the prevalence of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality that favors women until menopause; thereafter, this difference is lost. 1 Although a plausible explanation for this epidemiological distinction is the presumed vasculoprotective effect of ovarian hormones, randomized primary and secondary prevention trials involving hormone replacement therapy not only are nonconfirmatory but also document ill effects. [2][3][4] Estrogens act via at least 2 receptors that are expressed in the vessel wall (ER␣ and ER␤), although there is increasing evidence that receptorassociated proteins play a critical role in determining the biological responses to ligand-dependent and ligandindependent signaling. 1,[5][6][7][8][9] We hypothesized that coregulators of ERs may modulate estrogen signaling in vascular tissues. In this article, we report that heat shock protein 27 (HSP27), a recently reported potential biomarker of atherosclerosis, specifically interacts with estrogen receptor beta (ER␤)-the receptor isoform that shows transient mRNA overexpression early after vascular injury. 10 -12 Using a differential proteomic screening approach, HSP27 secretion levels from human carotid plaques were found to be markedly diminished compared with normal arteries. 10 Moreover, circulating blood levels of HSP27 were decreased in patients with carotid atherosclerosis relative to healthy subjects. We now demonstrate that expression of HSP27 diminishes as the stage of coronary atherosclerosis progresses and that HSP27 is capable of regulating estrogen mediated transcription in vitro. Conclusions-HSP27, Materials and MethodsBriefly, our studies involve 4 major components: (1) the use of a yeast 2-hybrid screen to identify proteins that associate with the unique A/B domain of ER␤; (2) the in vitro confirmation of the association of HSP27 with ER␤ and not ER␣; (3) the demonstration of HSP27 expression in human coronary arter...

No abstract

Recent studies indicate that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are phenotypically and functionally heterogeneous. However, little is known about CAF subtypes, the roles they play in cancer progression, and molecular mediators of the CAF “state.” Here, we identify a novel cell surface pan-CAF marker, CD49e, and demonstrate that two distinct CAF states, distinguished by expression of fibroblast activation protein (FAP), coexist within the CD49e+ CAF compartment in high-grade serous ovarian cancers. We show for the first time that CAF state influences patient outcomes and that this is mediated by the ability of FAP-high, but not FAP-low, CAFs to aggressively promote proliferation, invasion and therapy resistance of cancer cells. Overexpression of the FAP-low–specific transcription factor TCF21 in FAP-high CAFs decreases their ability to promote invasion, chemoresistance, and in vivo tumor growth, indicating that it acts as a master regulator of the CAF state. Understanding CAF states in more detail could lead to better patient stratification and novel therapeutic strategies.

Molecular changes that underlie evolutionary changes in behavior and physiology are not well understood. Dauer formation in Caenorhabditis elegans is a temperature-sensitive process controlled through a network of signaling pathways associated with sensory neurons and is potentially an excellent system in which to investigate molecular changes in neuronal function during evolution. To begin to investigate the evolution of dauer formation in the genus Caenorhabditis at the molecular level, we isolated dauerformation mutations in C. briggsae, a species closely related to the model organism C. elegans. We identified mutations in orthologs of C. elegans genes daf-2 (insulin receptor), daf-3 (Smad), and daf-4 (TGF-b type 2 receptor), as well as genes required for formation of sensory cilia. Phenotypic analyses revealed that functions of these genes are conserved between C. elegans and C. briggsae. Analysis of C. briggsae mutations also revealed a significant difference between the two species in their responses to high temperatures (.26°). C. elegans is strongly induced to form dauers at temperatures above 26°, near the upper limit for growth of C. elegans. In contrast, C. briggsae, which is capable of growth at higher temperatures than C. elegans, lacks this response.

Background Patients with heart failure (HF) are at the highest risk for hospital readmissions during the first few weeks after discharge when patients are transitioning from hospital to home. Telemonitoring (TM) for HF management has been found to reduce mortality risk and hospital readmissions if implemented appropriately; however, the impact of TM targeted for patients recently discharged from hospital, for whom TM might have the biggest benefit, is still unknown. Medly, a mobile phone–based TM system that is currently being used as a standard of care for HF at a large Canadian hospital, may be an effective tool for the management of HF in patients recently discharged from hospital. Objective The objective of the Medly-After an Incidence of acute Decompensation (Medly-AID) trial is to determine the effect of Medly on the self-care and quality of life of patients with HF who have been recently discharged from hospital after an HF-related decompensation. Methods A multisite multimethod randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted at 2 academic hospitals and at least one community hospital to evaluate the impact of Medly-enabled HF management on the outcomes of patients with HF who had been hospitalized for HF-related decompensation and discharged during the 2 weeks before recruitment. The trial will include 144 participants with HF (74 in each control and intervention groups). Control patients will receive standard of care, whereas patients in the intervention group will receive standard of care and Medly. Specifically, patients in the intervention group will record daily weight, blood pressure, and heart rate and answer symptom-related questions via the Medly app. Medly will generate automated patient self-care messages such as to adjust diuretic medications, based on the rules-based algorithm personalized to the individual patient, and send real-time alerts to their health care providers as necessary. All patients will be followed for 3 months. Primary outcome measures are self-care and quality of life as measured through the validated questionnaires Self-Care of Heart Failure Index, EQ-5D-5L, and the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire-12. Secondary outcome measures for this study include cost of health care services used and health outcomes. Results Patient recruitment began in November 2018 at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, with a total of 35 participants recruited by July 30, 2019 (17 in the intervention group and 18 in the control group). The final analysis is expected to occur in the fall of 2020. Conclusions This RCT will be the first to assess the effectiveness of the Medly TM system for use following discharge from hospital after a HF-related decompensation. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03358303; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03358303 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/15753