Enhancing immune effects of a DNA vaccine against kidney cancer using CD40L as an adjuvant

The use of specific combinations of antigens and adjuvant represents a promising approach for increasing the immunogenicity of DNA vaccines. In the present study, we evaluated the immunity and antitumor effects of DNA vaccines with G250 as the target antigen in a mouse model of renal cell carcinoma. We constructed two recombinant plasmids, pVAX1-G250 and pVAX1-CD40L. The recombinant plasmids were injected into mice by intramuscular injection and electrical pulse stimulation. ELISA and ELISPOT experiments were performed to evaluate the corresponding humoral and cellular immune responses following immunization. To further investigate the antitumor potential of the DNA vaccines, we established a tumor-bearing mouse model expressing G250 target antigen. Our results showed that immunization with the combination of the two plasmids exerted the strongest anti-tumor effects. Therefore, our findings demonstrated the effectiveness of CD40L as an adjuvant for DNA vaccines and highlighted the promising use of these vaccines for the treatment of tumors.

Evolution of potential biomarkers of acute muscle injury after physical exercise

Skeletal muscle injury is a frequent event and diagnosis using the classical blood markers sometimes produces unsatisfactory results. Therefore, objective of the study was to detect new biomarkers in plasma, saliva and urine in response to acute muscle damage induced by physical exercise. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 27 American football players. Before the physical exercises (T0), 60 minutes (T1) and 24 hours (T2) after physical exercise, was determined the clinical, biochemical and molecular parameters, including ADA, TBARS, leukocytes, lymphocytes and comet assay. The serum ADA was significantly higher in T1 and T2, in the urine there was a significant increase in T1, in the saliva there was no significant differences. There was an increase in serum TBARS in T2, saliva and urine in T1. The leukocytes increased in T1 and decreased in T2. Through the comet assay was observed significant DNA damage in T1 and T2. Serum and urinary ADA activity, serum, urinary and salivary TBARS are robust and promising biomarkers of acute muscle injury and that the comet assay allows a quick and effective evaluation of DNA lesions induced by physical exercise and could be used to monitor athletes avoiding injuries that are more serious.

Gliomas malignos: biología molecular y detalles oncogenéticos / Wicked gliomas: molecular biology and oncogenetics detail

RESUMEN La biología de los gliomas malignos se asocia con el balance de la expresión de las proteínas que controlan de manera positiva o negativa el ciclo celular, la proliferación, la motilidad, la neoformación vascular y el reconocimiento del sistema inmune. La frecuencia de las alteraciones genéticas que están presentes en GBM2 y GBM1 son diferentes así como la edad de los pacientes en la que se presentan. Mientras que los GBM1 suelen aparecer en edades más tardías, alrededor de los 60-70 años, los GBM2 suelen presentarse en edades más tempranas, 40-50 años. En la génesis del glioblastoma existen alteraciones moleculares a nivel de genes supresores de tumores, oncogenes y genes reparadores de ADN (AU).

ABSTRACT The glioblastoma it is the primary wicked tumor of the central nervous system more common in adults and it invariably associates to a bad presage. The biology of the wicked gliomas associates with the balance of the expression of the proteins that they control of positive way or negative the cellular cycle, the proliferation, the motility, the vascular neoformation and the recognition of the immune system. The frequency of the genetic alterations that they are present in GBM2 and GBM1 is different. While the GBM1 usually appears in later ages, around the 60-70 years, the GBM2 usually presents in earlier ages, 40-50 years. In the genesis of the glioblastoma exist molecular alterations at level of suppressive genes of tumors (GST), oncogenes and reparative genes of DNA (AU).

Evaluation of p53, bcl-2 Proteins and DNA Ploidy in Squamous and Transitional Cell Carcinomas of Urinary Bladder

The study covered 33 urinary bladder carcinoma cases, where mutated p53 nuclear protein and bcl-2 gene products were evaluated. Image analysis proved the correlation between genopathologic alterations and DNA ploidy. Immunohistochemistiy technique and Feulgen stain methods were applied to paraffin embedded tissue sections. Squamous cell carcinoma [Squ.C.C.] was diagnosed in 19 biopsies and transitional cell carcinoma [T.C.C.] in 14 biopsies. In Squ.C.C group, 10 cases [52.6%] demonstrated nuclear accumulation of mutated p53 protein with significant correlation to the advanced stage and high grade tumors [p=0.03 and 0.0001, respectively]. On the contrary, cytoplasmic expression of bcl-2 was detected in 7 cases [36.8%]. Dual expression of both biomarkers was observed in 2 cases. In T.C.C group, a single case [7.1%] was positive for p53 nuclear reactivity and S cases [35.7%] demonstrated bcl-2 cytoplasmic expression. In both groups, all p53 positive carcinomas comprised significant correlation to aneuploid histograms of DNA distribution patterns. However, 11 out of 12 bcl-2 positive cases [91.6%] demonstrated poliferative diploid histograms with a wide S-phase. It was concluded that, p53 was significantly expressed in Squ C.C. versus T.C.C. and was associated with advanced stage, high grade and aneuploid DNA. On the other hand, bcl-2 expression displayed insignificant difference in both groups of tumor