Unique Transcriptional Profiles Underlie Osteosarcomagenesis Driven by Different p53 Mutants.

Missense mutations in the DNA binding domain of p53 are characterized as structural or contact mutations based on their effect on the conformation of the protein. These mutations show gain-of-function (GOF) activities, such as promoting increased metastatic incidence compared with p53 loss, often mediated by the interaction of mutant p53 with a set of transcription factors. These interactions are largely context specific. To understand the mechanisms by which p53 DNA binding domain mutations drive osteosarcoma progression, we created mouse models, in which either the p53 structural mutant p53R172H or the contact mutant p53R245W are expressed specifically in osteoblasts, yielding osteosarcoma tumor development. Survival significantly decreased and metastatic incidence increased in mice expressing p53 mutants compared with p53-null mice, suggesting GOF. RNA sequencing of primary osteosarcomas revealed vastly different gene expression profiles between tumors expressing the missense mutants and p53-null tumors. Further, p53R172H and p53R245W each regulated unique transcriptomes and pathways through interactions with a distinct repertoire of transcription factors. Validation assays showed that p53R245W, but not p53R172H, interacts with KLF15 to drive migration and invasion in osteosarcoma cell lines and promotes metastasis in allogeneic transplantation models. In addition, analyses of p53R248W chromatin immunoprecipitation peaks showed enrichment of KLF15 motifs in human osteoblasts. Taken together, these data identify unique mechanisms of action of the structural and contact mutants of p53. SIGNIFICANCE: The p53 DNA binding domain contact mutant p53R245W, but not the structural mutant p53R172H, interacts with KLF15 to drive metastasis in somatic osteosarcoma, providing a potential vulnerability in tumors expressing p53R245W mutation.

Correlates of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among People who Inject Drugs in the San Diego-Tijuana Border Region

BackgroundPeople who inject drugs (PWID) are vulnerable to acquiring SARS-CoV-2 but their barriers to COVID-19 vaccination are under-studied. We examined correlates of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among PWID in the U.S.-Mexico border region, of whom only 7.6% had received [≥]one COVID-19 vaccine dose by September, 2021. MethodsBetween October, 2020 and September, 2021, participants aged [≥]18 years from San Diego, California, USA and Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico who injected drugs within the last month completed surveys and SARS-CoV-2, HIV, and HCV serologic testing. Logistic regressions with robust standard error estimation via generalized estimating equations identified factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, defined as being unsure or unwilling to receive COVID-19 vaccines. ResultsOf 393 participants, 127 (32.3%) were vaccine hesitant. Older participants, those with greater food insecurity, and those with greater concern about acquiring SARS-CoV-2 were more willing to be vaccinated. Higher numbers of chronic health conditions, having access to a smart phone or computer, and citing social media as ones most important source of COVID-19 information were independently associated with vaccine hesitancy. COVID-19-related disinformation was independently associated with vaccine hesitancy (adjusted odds ratio: 1.51 per additional conspiracy theory endorsed; 95% confidence interval: 1.31-1.74). ConclusionsNearly one third of PWID in the San Diego-Tijuana border region reported COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, which was significantly influenced by exposure to disinformation. Interventions that improve accurate knowledge and trust in COVID-19 vaccines are needed to increase vaccination in this vulnerable population. SummaryNearly one third of people who inject drugs in the U.S.-Mexico border region reported COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, which was significantly influenced by exposure to disinformation and social media and inversely associated with food insecurity and high perceived threat of COVID-19.

Prevalence and correlates of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity among people who inject drugs in the San Diego-Tijuana border region

BackgroundPeople who inject drugs may be at elevated SARS-CoV-2 risk due to their living conditions and/or exposures when seeking or using drugs. No study to date has reported upon risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection among people who inject drugs or sex workers. Methods and FindingsBetween October, 2020 and June, 2021, participants aged [≥]18 years from San Diego, California, USA and Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico who injected drugs within the last month underwent interviews and testing for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and antibodies. Binomial regressions identified correlates of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity. Of 386 participants, SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence was 36.3% (95% CI: 31.5%-41.1%); 92.1% had detectable IgM antibodies. Only 37.5% had previously been tested. Seroprevalence did not differ by country of residence. None tested RNA-positive. Most (89.5%) reported engaging in [≥]1 protective behavior [e.g., facemasks (73.5%), social distancing (46.5%), or increasing handwashing/sanitizers (22.8%)]. In a multivariate model controlling for sex, older age, and Hispanic/Latinx/Mexican ethnicity were independently associated with SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity, as was engaging in sex work (AdjRR: 1.63; 95% CI: 1.18-2.27) and having been incarcerated in the past six months (AdjRR: 1.49; 95% CI: 0.97-2.27). Presence of comorbidities and substance using behaviors were not associated with SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity. ConclusionsThis is the first study to show that sex work and incarceration were independently associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Despite engaging in protective measures, over one-third had evidence of infection, reinforcing the need for a coordinated binational response. Risk mitigation and vaccination is especially needed among older and Hispanic people who inject drugs and those with less agency to protect themselves, such as those who are sex workers or incarcerated.

Radiation and Androgen Deprivation Therapy With or Without Docetaxel in the Management of Nonmetastatic Unfavorable-Risk Prostate Cancer: A Prospective Randomized Trial.

PURPOSE: Although docetaxel is not recommended when managing men with unfavorable-risk prostate cancer (PC) given negative or inconclusive results from previous randomized trials, unstudied benefits may exist. METHODS: Between September 21, 2005, and January 13, 2015, we randomly assigned 350 men 1:1 with T1c-4N0M0 unfavorable-risk PC to receive radiation therapy (RT) and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) plus docetaxel (60 mg/m2 once every 3 weeks for three cycles before RT and 20 mg/m2 once weekly during RT) versus ADT + RT. We evaluated the treatment effect of adding docetaxel to ADT + RT on the primary end point of overall survival (OS) and the incidence of RT-induced cancers and explored whether the impact of the treatment effect on OS differed within prostate-specific antigen (PSA) subgroups (< 4, > 20 v 4-20 ng/mL) using the interaction test for heterogeneity adjusted for age and PC prognostic factors. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 10.2 years, 89 men died (25.43%); of these, 42 from PC (47.19%). Although OS was not significantly increased in the docetaxel arm (the restricted mean survival time over 10 years was 9.11 v 8.82 years; P = .22), significantly fewer RT-induced cancers were observed (10-year estimates: 0.61% v 4.90%; age-adjusted hazard ratio of 0.13; 95% CI, 0.02 to 0.97; P = .046). The treatment effect of adding docetaxel to ADT + RT on OS significantly differed in men with a PSA < 4 ng/mL versus 4-20 ng/mL (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.27 and 1.51, respectively) because of less PC-specific mortality on the docetaxel arm (0.00% v 28.57%) among men with PSA < 4 ng/mL. CONCLUSION: Adding docetaxel to ADT + RT did not prolong OS in men with unfavorable-risk PC, but decreased RT-induced cancer incidence, and may prolong OS in the subgroup of men with a PSA < 4 ng/mL by reducing PC-specific mortality.

A pedigree-based prediction model identifies carriers of deleterious de novo mutations in families with Li-Fraumeni syndrome.

De novo mutations (DNMs) are increasingly recognized as rare disease causal factors. Identifying DNM carriers will allow researchers to study the likely distinct molecular mechanisms of DNMs. We developed Famdenovo to predict DNM status (DNM or familial mutation [FM]) of deleterious autosomal dominant germline mutations for any syndrome. We introduce Famdenovo.TP53 for Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) and analyze 324 LFS family pedigrees from four US cohorts: a validation set of 186 pedigrees and a discovery set of 138 pedigrees. The concordance index for Famdenovo.TP53 prediction was 0.95 (95% CI: [0.92, 0.98]). Forty individuals (95% CI: [30, 50]) were predicted as DNM carriers, increasing the total number from 42 to 82. We compared clinical and biological features of FM versus DNM carriers: (1) cancer and mutation spectra along with parental ages were similarly distributed; (2) ascertainment criteria like early-onset breast cancer (age 20-35 yr) provides a condition for an unbiased estimate of the DNM rate: 48% (23 DNMs vs. 25 FMs); and (3) hotspot mutation R248W was not observed in DNMs, although it was as prevalent as hotspot mutation R248Q in FMs. Furthermore, we introduce Famdenovo.BRCA for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome and apply it to a small set of family data from the Cancer Genetics Network. In summary, we introduce a novel statistical approach to systematically evaluate deleterious DNMs in inherited cancer syndromes. Our approach may serve as a foundation for future studies evaluating how new deleterious mutations can be established in the germline, such as those in TP53.

Excess Out-Of-Hospital Mortality and Declining Oxygen Saturation: The Sentinel Role of EMS Data in the COVID-19 Crisis in Tijuana, Mexico.

OBJECTIVE: Emergency medical services (EMS) may serve as a key source of real-time data about the evolving health of COVID-19 affected populations, especially in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) with less rapid and reliable vital statistic registration systems. Although official COVID-19 statistics in Mexico report almost exclusively in-hospital mortality events, excess out-of-hospital mortality has been identified in other settings, including one EMS study in Italy that showed a 58% increase. EMS and hospital reports from several countries have suggested that silent hypoxemia--low oxygen saturation (SpO2) in the absence of dyspnea--is associated with COVID-19 outbreaks. It is unclear, however, how these phenomena can be generalized to LMICs. We assess how EMS data can be used in a sentinel capacity in Tijuana, a city on the Mexico-United States border with earlier exposure to COVID-19 than many LMIC settings. METHODS: We calculated numbers of weekly out-of-hospital deaths and respiratory cases seen by EMS in Tijuana, and estimate the difference between peak-epidemic rates (during April 14th-May 11th) and forecasted 2014-2019 trends. Results were compared with official COVID-19 statistics, stratified by neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES), and examined for changing demographic or clinical features, including mean (SpO2). RESULTS: An estimated 194.7 (95%CI: 135.5-253.9) excess out-of-hospital deaths events occurred, representing an increase of 145% (70%-338%) compared to forecasted trends. During the same window, only 8 COVID-19-positive, out-of-hospital deaths were reported in official statistics. This corresponded with a rise in respiratory cases of 274% (119%-1142%), and a drop in mean SpO2 to 77.7%, from 90.2% at baseline. The highest out-of-hospital death rates were observed in low-SES areas, although respiratory cases were more concentrated in high-SES areas. CONCLUSIONS: EMS systems may play an important sentinel role in monitoring excess out-of-hospital mortality and other trends during the COVID-19 crisis in LMICs. Using EMS data, we observed increases in out-of-hospital deaths in Tijuana that were nearly threefold greater magnitude than increases reported using EMS data in Italy. Increased testing in out-of-hospital settings may be required to determine if excess mortality is being driven by COVID-19 infection, health system saturation, or patient avoidance of healthcare. We also found evidence of worsening rates of hypoxemia among respiratory patients seen by EMS, suggesting a rise in silent hypoxemia, which should be met with increased detection and clinical management efforts. Finally, we observed that social disparities in out-of-hospital death that warrant monitoring and amelioration.

Excess Out-Of-Hospital Mortality and Declining Oxygen Saturation Documented by EMS During the COVID-19 Crisis in Tijuana, Mexico

ObjectiveEmergency medical services (EMS) may serve as a key source of real-time data about the evolving health of COVID-19 affected populations, especially in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) with less rapid and reliable vital statistic registration systems. Although official COVID-19 statistics in Mexico report almost exclusively in-hospital mortality events, excess out-of-hospital mortality has been identified in other settings, including one EMS study in Italy that showed a 58% increase. EMS and hospital reports from several countries have suggested that silent hypoxemia--low oxygen saturation (SpO2) in the absence of dyspnea--is associated with COVID-19 outbreaks. It is unclear, however, how these phenomena can be generalized to LMICs. We assess how EMS data can be used in a sentinel capacity in Tijuana, a city on the Mexico-United States border with earlier exposure to COVID-19 than many LMIC settings. MethodsWe calculated numbers of weekly out-of-hospital deaths and respiratory cases seen by EMS in Tijuana, and estimate the difference between peak-epidemic rates (during April 14th-May 11th) and forecasted 2014-2019 trends. Results were compared with official COVID-19 statistics, stratified by neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES), and examined for changing demographic or clinical features, including mean (SpO2). ResultsAn estimated 194.7 (95%CI: 135.5-253.9) excess out-of-hospital deaths events occurred, representing an increase of 145% (70%-338%) compared to forecasted trends. During the same window, only 8 COVID-19-positive, out-of-hospital deaths were reported in official statistics. This corresponded with a rise in respiratory cases of 274% (119%-1142%), and a drop in mean SpO2 to 77.7%, from 90.2% at baseline. The highest out-of-hospital death rates were observed in low-SES areas, although respiratory cases were more concentrated in high-SES areas. ConclusionsEMS systems may play an important sentinel role in monitoring excess out-of-hospital mortality and other trends during the COVID-19 crisis in LMICs. Using EMS data, we observed increases in out-of-hospital deaths in Tijuana that were nearly threefold greater magnitude than increases reported using EMS data in Italy. Increased testing in out-of-hospital settings may be required to determine if excess mortality is being driven by COVID-19 infection, health system saturation, or patient avoidance of healthcare. We also found evidence of worsening rates of hypoxemia among respiratory patients seen by EMS, suggesting a rise in silent hypoxemia, which should be met with increased detection and clinical management efforts. Finally, we observed that social disparities in out-of-hospital death that warrant monitoring and amelioration.

Restitution volumes at the end of dialysis sessions: A potential influencing factor on patients' haemoglobin levels?

AIM: To evaluate whether haemoglobin (Hb) levels are influenced by the restitution volume (RestVol) at the end of the dialysis session, independently of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA) and iron doses. DESIGN: Over 12 months, 4,386 haemodialysis patients from 34 centres were enrolled in this observational descriptive study according to the checklist STrengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE). METHOD: RestVol, Hb levels, ESA and iron doses of every patient were assessed on a monthly basis. To determine the ideal RestVol, the clinics were classified into three groups according to the restitution volumes at the end of the dialysis sessions. RESULTS: Mean age was 69 ± 14 years, and 58.9% were men. The evaluation of 665,712 treatments revealed that RestVol of 380 ml seems to be the most efficient, since the clinics in this group managed to reduce ESA consumption with a negligible reduction in Hb levels.

Cis-regulatory elements involved in species-specific transcriptional regulation of the SVCT1 gene in rat and human hepatoma cells.

Ascorbic acid is transported into cells by the sodium-coupled vitamin C transporters (SVCTs). Recently, we obtained evidence of differential regulation of SVCT expression in response to acute oxidative stress in cells from species that differ in their capacity to synthesize vitamin C, with a marked decrease in SVCT1 mRNA and protein levels in rat hepatoma cells that was not observed in human hepatoma cells. To better understand the regulatory aspects involved, we performed a structural and functional analysis of the proximal promoter of the SVCT1 rat gene. We cloned a 1476-bp segment containing the proximal promoter of the rat SVCT1 gene and generated deletion-derived truncated promoters of decreasing sizes and mutant promoters by modification of consensus binding sites for transcription factors by site-directed mutagenesis. We next analyzed their capacity to direct the transcription of a reporter gene after transfection into rat H4IIE and human HepG2 hepatoma cells, in experiments involving the coexpression of transcription factors whose consensus binding sequences are present in the SVCT1 promoter. This analysis revealed the presence of two critical cis-regulatory elements of the transcriptional activity of the rat SVCT1 gene promoter, sites containing consensus sequences for the binding of the transcription factors Bach1 and HNF4 that are not present in equivalent locations in the human SVCT1 gene promoter. Moreover, a consensus site for HNF1 that is crucial for the regulation of the human SVCT1 promoter is present in the SVCT1 rat promoter but has no effect on its transcriptional activity. These findings imply that regulation of vitamin C metabolism in the rat, a species with the capacity to synthesize large amounts of ascorbic acid, may differ from that of humans, a species that must obtain ascorbic acid from the diet through a transport mechanism that depends on proper SVCT1 expression.