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We validated the diagnostic performance of a previously developed blood-based 7-protein biomarker panel, AptoDetect™-Lung (Aptamer Sciences Inc., Pohang, Korea) using modified aptamer-based proteomic technology for lung cancer detection. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 200 patients and benign nodule controls, 200 participants were enrolled. In a high-risk population corresponding to ≥ 55 years of age and ≥ 30 pack-years, the diagnostic performance was improved, showing 73.3% sensitivity and 90.5% specificity with an area under the curve of 0.88. AptoDetect™-Lung (Aptamer Sciences Inc.) offers the best validated performance to discriminate NSCLC from benign nodule controls in a high-risk population and could play a complementary role in lung cancer screening.

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Diabetic nephropathy, the major cause of chronic kidney disease, is associated with progressive renal fibrosis. Recently, accumulation of periostin, an extracellular matrix protein, was shown to augment renal fibrosis. Aptamers have higher binding affinities without developing the common side effects of antibodies. Thus, we evaluated the effect of periostin inhibition by an aptamer-based inhibitor on renal fibrosis under diabetic conditions. In vitro, transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) treatment significantly upregulated periostin, fibronectin, and type I collagen mRNA and protein expressions in inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) cells. These increases were attenuated significantly in periostin-binding DNA aptamer (PA)-treated IMCD cells exposed to TGF-ß1. In vivo, PA treatment attenuated the increased blood urea nitrogen levels in the diabetic mice significantly. Fibronectin and type I collagen mRNA and protein expressions increased significantly in the kidneys of diabetic mice: PA administration abrogated these increases significantly. Immunohistochemistry and Sirius Red staining also revealed that fibronectin expression was significantly higher and tubulointersititial fibrosis was significantly worse in diabetic mice kidneys compared with control mice. These changes were ameliorated by PA treatment. These findings suggested that inhibition of periostin using a DNA aptamer could be a potential therapeutic strategy against renal fibrosis in diabetic nephropathy.

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Peritoneal fibrosis is a major complication in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, which leads to dialysis discontinuation. Periostin, increased by transforming growth factor ß1 (TGF-ß1) stimulation, induces the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) genes. Aberrant periostin expression has been demonstrated to be associated with PD-related peritoneal fibrosis. Therefore, the effect of periostin inhibition by an aptamer-based inhibitor on peritoneal fibrosis was evaluated. In vitro, TGF-ß1 treatment upregulated periostin, fibronectin, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and Snail expression and reduced E-cadherin expression in human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMCs). Periostin small interfering RNA (siRNA) treatment ameliorated the TGF-ß1-induced periostin, fibronectin, α-SMA, and Snail expression and restored E-cadherin expression in HPMCs. Similarly, the periostin-binding DNA aptamer (PA) also attenuated fibronectin, α-SMA, and Snail upregulation and E-cadherin downregulation in TGF-ß1-stimulated HPMCs. In mice treated with PD solution for 4 weeks, the expression of periostin, fibronectin, α-SMA, and Snail was significantly increased in the peritoneum, whereas E-cadherin expression was significantly decreased. The thickness of the submesothelial layer and the intensity of Masson's trichrome staining in the PD group were significantly increased compared to the untreated group. These changes were significantly abrogated by the intraperitoneal administration of PA. These findings suggest that PA can be a potential therapeutic strategy for peritoneal fibrosis in PD patients.

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Hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes liver diseases, such as hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, steatosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. To understand the life cycle and pathogenesis of HCV, the one-step growth of HCV in a cell culture system was analyzed using a highly infectious variant of the JFH1 clone. The observed profiles of HCV RNA replication indicated that the synthesis of negative-strand RNAs occurred at 6 h (h) after infection, followed by the active synthesis of positive-strand RNAs. Our measurements of infectious virus production showed that the latent period of HCV was about 12 h. The specific infectivity of HCV particles (focus-forming unit per viral RNA molecule) secreted to the extracellular milieu early in infection was about 30-fold higher than that secreted later during infection. The buoyant densities of the infectious virion particles differed with the duration of infection, indicating changes in the compositions of the virion particles.

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High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), an abundant nuclear protein that triggers host immune responses, is an endogenous danger signal involved in the pathogenesis of various infectious agents. However, its role in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is not known. Here, we show that HMGB1 protein is translocated from the nucleus to cytoplasm and subsequently is released into the extracellular milieu by HCV infection. Secreted HMGB1 triggers antiviral responses and blocks HCV infection, a mechanism that may limit HCV propagation in HCV patients. Secreted HMGB1 also may have a role in liver cirrhosis, which is a common comorbidity in HCV patients. Further investigations into the roles of HMGB1 in the diseases caused by HCV infection will shed light on and potentially help prevent these serious and prevalent HCV-related diseases.

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Covelently labeled pyrene excimer molecular beacon (MB) with cholesterol moiety has been developed for enhanced the cellular delivery of MB.(1) Pyrene units were covalently attached into adenosine and incorporated to oligonucleotides at the complementary locations in opposite strands in the middle positions of hairpin stems. The system behaves as an effective MB that changes color from green to blue upon duplex formation. A cholesterol unit was also attached into a free terminus of one of these hairpins. The cholesterol-linked MBs enhanced the cellular delivery of the MBs and showed similar cell permeability to conventional transfection methods. These structurally simple cholesterol-based MB systems, which can be synthesized very efficiently, have good potential for opening up new and exciting opportunities in the field of in vivo biosensors.

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An infectious hepatitis C virus (HCV) cDNA clone (JFH1) was generated recently. However, quantitative analysis of HCV infection and observation of infected cells have proved to be difficult because the yield of HCV in cell cultures is fairly low. We generated infectious HCV clones containing the convenient reporters green fluorescent protein (GFP) and Renilla luciferase in the NS5a-coding sequence. The new viruses responded to antiviral agents in a dose-dependent manner. Responses of individual cells containing HCV to alpha interferon (IFN-alpha) were monitored using GFP-tagged HCV and time-lapse confocal microscopy. Marked variations in the response to IFN-alpha were observed among HCV-containing cells.

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We appended pyrene units covalently onto adenosine (forming A(P) units) and then incorporated them into oligonucleotides such that they were positioned in complementary locations in opposite strands in the middle positions of hairpin stems. System 1 (A(P)A(P)) behaves as an effective molecular beacon (MB) that changes color from green to blue upon duplex formation. In addition, we attached a cholesterol unit to a free terminus of one of these hairpins; this approach enhanced the cellular delivery of the modified MB relative to those encountered when using conventional transfection methods. These structurally simple cholesterol-based MB systems, which can be synthesized very efficiently, have good potential for opening up new and exciting opportunities in the field of in vivo biosensors.

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