ABSTRACT
Abnormal placental angiogenesis is associated with the occurrence of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) in piglets, and effective treatment strategies against this occurrence remain to be explored. Adenosine has been reported to play an important role in angiogenesis, but its role in placental angiogenesis is still unknown. Here, we investigated the effect of dietary adenosine supplementation on IUGR occurrence in piglets by analyzing the role of adenosine in placental angiogenesis for Normal and IUGR piglets. Specifically, 88 sows were allotted to 2 treatments (n = 44) and fed a basal diet supplemented with 0% or 0.1% of adenosine from day 65 of gestation until farrowing, followed by collecting the placental samples of Normal and IUGR piglets, and recording their characteristics. The results showed that adenosine supplementation increased the mean birth weight of piglets (P < 0.05) and placental efficiency (P < 0.05), while decreasing the IUGR piglet rate (P < 0.05). Expectedly, the placenta for IUGR neonates showed a down-regulated vascular density (P < 0.05) and angiogenesis as evidenced by the expression level of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM1) (P < 0.05). Notably, dietary adenosine supplementation promoted angiogenesis (P < 0.05) both in the Normal and IUGR placenta. More importantly, the expression level of adenosine A2a receptor (ADORA2A) was lower (P < 0.05) in the IUGR placenta than in Normal placenta, whereas adenosine treatment could significantly increase ADORA2A expression, and also had an interaction effect between factors IUGR and Ado. Collectively, placentae for IUGR piglets showed impaired angiogenesis and down-regulated expression level of ADORA2A, while dietary adenosine supplementation could activate ADORA2A expression, improve the placental angiogenesis, and ultimately decrease the occurrence of IUGR in piglets.
ABSTRACT
T-cell large granular lymphocytic leukemia (T-LGLL) is a rare haematologic neoplasm. Consequntly, there are no large prospective studies of therapy and no uniform therapy recommendations. We analyzed data from 36 subjects receiving methotrexate alone (N = 27) or with prednisone (N = 9) as initial therapy. 31 subjects responded (86%, 95% confidence interval [CI], 73, 95%) with 8 complete responses and 23 partial responses. Median time-to-response was 3 months (range, 1-5 months). Median response duration was 20 months (range, 2-55 months). ß2-microoglobulin (ß2-MG) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) decreased significantly post-therapy (P < 0.0001). Pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) was present in 18 subjects (50%) of our subjects and responded well to methotrexate. 26 subjects (72%) were tested for STAT3 mutation. 9 with a mutation had a median treatment-free survival of 5 months (range, 0.5-13 months), significantly briefer than that of 17 subjects without a STAT3 mutation (19 months, range, 3-97 months; P = 0.012; log-rank test). Methotrexate with or without prednisone is an effective initial therapy of persons with T-LGLL with wild-type STAT3.
