Estrogen receptor expression in chronic hepatitis C and hepatocellular carcinoma pathogenesis

AIM To investigate gender-specific liver estrogen receptor(ER) expression in normal subjects and patients with hepatitis C virus(HCV)-related cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).METHODS Liver tissues from normal donors and patients diagnosed with HCV-related cirrhosis and HCV-related HCC were obtained from the NIH Liver Tissue and Cell Distribution System. The expression of ER subtypes, ERα and ERβ, were evaluated by Western blotting and real-time RT-PCR. The subcellular distribution of ERα and ERβ was further determined in nuclear and cytoplasmic tissue lysates along with the expression ofinflammatory [activated NF-κB and IκB-kinase(IKK)] and oncogenic(cyclin D1) markers by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The expression of ERα and ERβ was correlated with the expression of activated NF-κB, activated IKK and cyclin D1 by Spearman's correlation. RESULTS Both ER subtypes were expressed in normal livers but male livers showed significantly higher expression of ERα than females(P < 0.05). We observed significantly higher m RNA expression of ERα in HCV-related HCC liver tissues as compared to normals(P < 0.05) and ERβ in livers of HCV-related cirrhosis and HCV-related HCC subjects(P < 0.05). At the protein level, there was a significantly higher expression of nuclear ERα in livers of HCV-related HCC patients and nuclear ERβ in HCV-related cirrhosis patients as compared to normals(P < 0.05). Furthermore, we observed a significantly higher expression of phosphorylated NF-κB and cyclin D1 in diseased livers(P < 0.05). There was a positive correlation between the expression of nuclear ER subtypes and nuclear cyclin D1 and a negative correlation between cytoplasmic ER subtypes and cytoplasmic phosphorylated IKK in HCV-related HCC livers. These findings suggest that dysregulated expression of ER subtypes following chronic HCVinfection may contribute to the progression of HCVrelated cirrhosis to HCV-related HCC.CONCLUSION Gender differences were observed in ERα expression in normal livers. Alterations in ER subtype expression observed in diseased livers may influence genderrelated disparity in HCV-related pathogenesis.

Numerical evaluation of an autofrettaged thick-walled cylinder under dynamically applied axially non-uniform internal service pressure distribution

A dynamical moving pressure structural numerical calculation model using the internal ballistics calculation pressure-time results was constituted and the vicinity of the internal ballistics and quasiinternal ballistics structural model was checked. The Von Mises stresses obtained by the dynamical structural numerical model calculations and the Von Mises stresses calculated from the shot test strain measurements were compared. The difference for the worse case was 20% and for the best case was 0.1%.Furthermore, the model gave better agreement for the higher charge masses. The numerical structural quasi-internal ballistics computation model created was verified for the top charge mass which represents the highest stress condition and used in a gun barrel design.

Phase I Dose Escalation Study with the Lewis Y Carbohydrate Specific Humanized Antibody IGN311

Purpose: Investigation of safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and anti-tumor activity of the Lewis Y-specific, fully humanized monoclonal antibody (mAb) IGN311 in patients with Lewis Y positive tumors in a Phase I clinical trial. Experimental Design: Twelve patients (pts) were enrolled in an open-label, uncontrolled, dose escalating Phase I study. Three pts received 50 mg, three pts 100 mg and six pts 200 mg IGN311 by i.v. infusion on days 1 and 15. Blood samples were taken immediately before infusion, and 0.5, 4, 8, 24 hours post infusion, as well as on days 3, 5 and 8 after the first and second infusion, respectively, and day 29. A final visit was scheduled for day 43. Results: No drug related adverse events were observed in the 50 mg and 100 mg dose groups. Three out of six patients in the 200 mg dose group showed drug related adverse reactions with nausea, vomiting and hypotension in one patient (NCI CTC grade 3) being the dose limiting toxicities. t1/2 of IGN311 was ~20 days after second infusion of IGN311. Sera of patients receiving IGN311 were capable of lysing Lewis Y positive tumor cells in vitro by both, complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Circulating tumor cells found in the peripheral blood in two out of twelve pts prior to treatment were reduced after treatment to below the quantification limit of the detection method. None of the patients showed an increase in the number of disseminated tumor cells during treatment period. Conclusions: The good safety and PK profile, the biological activity regarding CDC and ADCC mediated tumor cell lysis, and the elimination of circulating tumor cells warrant further clinical investigation of IGN311.