Project description:Immune checkpoint inhibitor anemias (ICI-A) are a rare entity which can be potentially life-threatening without prompt identification. The goal of the study is to characterize the presentation, evaluation, and outcomes of ICI therapy in early phase clinical trial setting to guide future research and to develop standardized care guidelines. Retrospective chart review of 333 patients who participated in early phase clinical trials at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center revealed four cases with ICI-A between 2016 and 2020. We identified a spectrum of four cases which included ICI-related autoimmune hemolytic anemias, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and thrombotic microangiopathy as a result of combinatory investigational therapies involving ICI. Patient presentation, evaluation, bone marrow pathology, interventions, and clinical course were reviewed. The median time to onset of hematological immune-related adverse events (heme-irAEs) in this retrospective series was 3.5 weeks (2 - 6 weeks). One patient had pre-existing untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Glucocorticoids are an effective first-line treatment in most patients although most patients were not rechallenged but successfully had complete recovery and pursued further non-immunotherapy-based therapies. Cognizance of ICI-A in clinical trial setting is paramount to early recognition of heme-irAEs. Further research is needed to identify and stratify risk factors during clinical trial enrollment and optimal management strategies for immune-mediated hematologic toxicities.
Project description:We describe the epidemiology and incidence of infections following gender-affirming vaginoplasty. Urinary tract and surgical site infections were the most common infections with incidences of 17.5% and 5.5%, respectively. We also identified a significant gap in human immunodeficiency virus screening and prescription of preexposure prophylaxis.
Project description:Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) develops through multistep carcinogenesis. During the past decades, 2 precursors have been proved to evolve to CCA. The 2 main precursor lesions of CCA are biliary intraepithelial neoplasia and intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct. It is an interesting and relatively novel entity for the hepatobiliary surgeons, radiologists, oncologists, and pathologists. It worth being familiar with these 2 entities for better communication between pathologists, oncologists, and surgeons to improve the treatment and follow-up of these lesions, which can definitely decrease their evolvement to CCA as an aggressive, poor prognostic, and life-threatening cancer. In this narrative review, I collected and discussed all published studies about these 2 precursor lesions of CCA including radiologic, clinical, and pathological manifestation.
Project description:BackgroundResponsive neurostimulation (RNS) is an implantable device for persons with medically refractory focal-onset epilepsy. We report a single-center experience for RNS outcomes with special focus on stereoelectroencephalography (sEEG) for seizure onset localization.MethodsWe performed retrospective review of patients with drug resistant focal epilepsy implanted with the RNS System for a minimum of six months between July 2014 and July 2019. Records were reviewed for demographic data, epilepsy duration, seizure frequency, number of prior antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), number of AEDs at RNS System implantation, prior epilepsy surgery or device use, previous seizure localization with sEEG, and RNS system information. Clinical response was defined as a 50% reduction in seizures. Differing response rates were calculated using Fisher Exact test.Results30 patients met inclusion criteria. Seventeen (57%) underwent previous sEEG. Average clinical follow up was 3.0 years. Overall response rate was 70%. Median seizure reduction was 74.5%. Response rate was 82.3% for patients with sEEG compared to 53.8% without (p = 0.08); 37.5% for prior epilepsy surgery compared to 81.8% without (p = 0.02); 70% for mesial temporal onset; 50% for previous vagal nerve stimulator compared to 77.3% without (p = 0.13).ConclusionOur response rates match or surpass outcome metrics of previous studies. Although limited by small study size, subpopulation analyses show positive response rates in patients with previous sEEG versus no sEEG and in temporal versus extratemporal pathology. Additional research is needed to evaluate efficacy of RNS in patients with previous epilepsy surgery, and utility of sEEG in this population.
Project description:PurposeInflammation associated endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction is key to atherosclerotic disease. Recent studies have demonstrated a protective role of amitriptyline in cardiomyocytes induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation. However, the mechanism by which amitriptyline regulates the inflammatory reaction in ECs remains unknown. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate whether amitriptyline protects against inflammation in TNF-α-treated ECs.MethodsHUVECs were incubated with amitriptyline (2.5 μM) or TNF-α (20 ng/ml) for 24 h. EdU, tube formation, transwell, DHE fluorescence staining, and monocyte adhesion assays were performed to investigate endothelial function. Thoracic aortas were isolated from mice, and vascular tone was measured with a wire myograph system. The levels of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, MCP-1, phosphorylated MAPK and NF-κB were detected using western blotting.ResultsAmitriptyline increased the phosphorylation of nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and the release of NO. Amitriptyline significantly inhibited TNF-α-induced increases in ASMase activity and the release of ceramide and downregulated TNF-α-induced expression of proinflammatory proteins, including ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and MCP-1 in ECs, as well as the secretion of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1. TNF-α treatment obviously increased monocyte adhesion and ROS production and impaired HUVEC proliferation, migration and tube formation, while amitriptyline rescued proliferation, migration, and tube formation and decreased monocyte adhesion and ROS production. Additionally, we demonstrated that amitriptyline suppressed TNF-α-induced MAPK phosphorylation as well as the activity of NF-κB in HUVECs. The results showed that the relaxation response of aortic rings to acetylcholine in the WT-TNF-α group was much lower than that in the WT group, and the sensitivity of aortic rings to acetylcholine in the WT-TNF-α group and WT-AMI-TNF-α group was significantly higher than that in the WT-TNF-α group.ConclusionThese results suggest that amitriptyline reduces endothelial inflammation, consequently improving vascular endothelial function. Thus, the identification of amitriptyline as a potential strategy to improve endothelial function is important for preventing vascular diseases.
Project description:IntroductionLysozyme-associated nephropathy (LyN), a rare cause of kidney injury in patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), has not been well described to date. We report the clinicopathologic spectrum of LyN from a multi-institutional series.MethodWe identified 37 native kidney biopsies with LyN and retrospectively obtained clinicopathologic data.ResultsThirty-seven patients had a median age of 74 years and included 78% males. Their most common presentation was acute kidney injury (AKI) or AKI on chronic kidney disease (CKD) (66%) with median estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 21.7 ml/min per 1.73 m2, and proteinuria of 1.7 g. A minority (15%) had partial Fanconi syndrome. Serum lysozyme levels were elevated in all tested. Hematologic disorder (n = 28, 76%) was the most common etiology, including CMML (n = 15), acute myeloid leukemia (n = 5), and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) (n = 5). Nonhematologic causes (n = 5, 14%), included metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma (n = 3), sarcoidosis, and leprosy. Etiology was unknown in 4 (11%). Pathology showed proximal tubulopathy with abundant hypereosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusions, with characteristic staining pattern by lysozyme immunostain. Mortality was high (8/30). However, among the 22 alive, including 85% treated, 7 had improved kidney function, including 1 who discontinued dialysis and 6 with increase in eGFR >15 ml/min per 1.73 m2 compared with eGFR at the time of biopsy.ConclusionIncreased awareness of the full clinicopathologic spectrum of LyN may lead to prompt diagnosis, earlier treatment, and potentially improved outcome of this rare entity.
Project description:Claudin-1 (CL-1) is responsible for the paracellular barrier function of glomerular parietal epithelial cells (PEC) in kidneys, but the role of CL-1 in proximal tubules remains to be elucidated. In this study, to evaluate CL-1 as a potential therapeutic drug target for chronic kidney disease, we investigated change of CL-1 expression in the proximal tubules of diseased kidney and elucidated the factors that induced this change. We established Alport mice as a kidney disease model and investigated the expression of CL-1 in diseased kidney using quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Compared to wild type mice, Alport mice showed significant increases in plasma creatinine, urea nitrogen and urinary albumin excretion. CL-1 mRNA was increased significantly in the kidney cortex and CL-1 was localized on the adjacent cell surfaces of PECs and proximal tubular epithelial cells. The infiltration of inflammatory cells around proximal tubules and a significant increase in TNF-α mRNA were observed in diseased kidneys. To reveal factors that induce CL-1, we analyzed the induction of CL-1 by albumin or tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in human proximal tubular cells (RPTEC/TERT1) using quantitative PCR and Western blotting. TNF-α increased CL-1 expression dose-dependently, though albumin did not affect CL-1 expression in RPTEC/TERT1. In addition, both CL-1 and TNF-α expression were significantly increased in UUO mice, which are commonly used as a model of tubulointerstitial inflammation without albuminuria. These results indicate that CL-1 expression is induced by inflammation, not by albuminuria in diseased proximal tubules. Moreover, we examined the localization of CL-1 in the kidney of IgA nephropathy patients by IHC and found CL-1 expression was also elevated in the proximal tubular cells. Taken together, CL-1 expression is increased in the proximal tubular epithelial cells of diseased kidney. Inflammatory cells around the tubular epithelium may produce TNF-α which in turn induces CL-1 expression.
Project description:Background and aimPrimary hyperoxalurias are rare inborn errors of metabolism resulting in increased endogenous production of oxalate that leads to excessive urinary oxalate excretion. Diagnosis of primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) is a challenging issue and depends on diverse diagnostic tools including biochemical analysis of urine, stone analysis, renal biopsy, genetic studies and in some cases liver biopsy for enzyme assay. We characterized the clinical presentation as well as renal and extrarenal phenotypes in PH1 patients.MethodsThis descriptive cohort study included patients with presumable PH1 presenting with nephrolithiasis and/or nephrocalcinosis (NC). Precise clinical characterization of renal phenotype as well as systemic involvement is reported. AGXT mutational analysis was performed to confirm the diagnosis of PH1.ResultsThe study cohort included 26 patients with presumable PH1 with male to female ratio of 1.4:1. The median age at time of diagnosis was 6 years, nevertheless the median age at initial symptoms was 3 years. Thirteen patients (50%) were diagnosed before the age of 5 years. Two patients had no symptoms and were diagnosed while screening siblings of index patients. Seventeen patients (65.4%) had reached end-stage renal disease (ESRD): 6/17 (35.3%) during infancy, 4/17 (23.5%) in early childhood and 7/17 (41.29%) in late childhood. Two patients (7.7%) had clinically manifest extra renal (retina, heart, bone, soft tissue) involvement. Mutational analysis of AGXT gene confirmed the diagnosis of PH1 in 15 out of 19 patients (79%) where analysis had been performed. Fifty percent of patients with maintained renal functions had projected 10 years renal survival.ConclusionPH1 is a heterogeneous disease with wide spectrum of clinical, imaging and functional presentation. More than two-thirds of patients presented prior to the age of 5 years; half of them with the stormy course of infantile PH1. ESRD was the commonest presenting manifestation in two-thirds of our cohort.
Project description:BackgroundIn this pilot study, we examined the characteristics of patients with and without central nervous system (CNS) malignancies who developed immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-induced encephalopathy.MethodsWe identified adult patients treated with ICIs between 1 January 2013 and 9 May 2018 at our tertiary care center who developed encephalopathy within 30 days of the last dose of ICI without other explained causes. Demographic and clinical features were compared between patients with primary and metastatic malignant CNS tumors and those without.ResultsOf the 480 patients treated with ICIs, 14 (2.9%) developed encephalopathy induced by nivolumab (8), pembrolizumab (4), and combined ipilimumab-nivolumab (2). Median age was 64.5 years. Patients with CNS malignancies tolerated more treatment cycles and developed encephalopathy later than patients without CNS lesions (20 and 32 days, respectively, p = 0.04) following ICI initiation. Four of seven patients with CNS tumors developed new contrast-enhancing lesions on brain imaging despite having no changes on imaging for a median of 61 (30-545) days. Electroencephalogram (EEG) revealed features of generalized dysfunction in patients in both cohorts. Two patients without and three with CNS malignancies were treated with steroids. Two thirds of patients without and 29% of those with CNS malignancies expired during ICI therapy or shortly thereafter.ConclusionsLack of the uniform evaluation limits the definitive conclusion of the cause of encephalopathy in some patients but reflects the standard of care at the time of their assessment. ICI-associated neurotoxicity presenting with encephalopathy is an ominous complication of ICI therapy, especially if left untreated. Prompt recognition and involvement of multidisciplinary care, including neurologists, would facilitate timely administration of recommended therapies.
Project description:ObjectivesThis study aimed at establishing a mouse model of immune-related adverse in humanized BALB/c-hPD1/hCTLA4 mice to investigate their potential pathogenesis and explore therapeutic targets for immune-related arthritis and pneumonitis.MethodsHumanized BALB/c-hPD1/hCTLA4 mice were injected with vehicle or collagen-specific antibodies (CA) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI, ipilimumab, anti-human CTLA-4; and nivolumab, anti-human PD-1), and some mice were treated with anti-TNF-α antibody, leading to the control, collagen antibody-induced arthritis (CAIA), CAIA+ICI and treatment groups. The severity of clinical arthritis and pneumonitis in mice was monitored longitudinally and the pathological changes in the joints and lungs were histologically analyzed and the contents of lung hydroxyproline were measured. The frequency of different subsets of T cells was analyzed by flow cytometry and multiplex immunofluorescency.ResultsCompared with the control, the ICI group of mice developed the delayed onset of moderate degrees of arthritis while the CAIA+ICI group of mice exhibited the early onset of severe arthritis. Treatment with ICI caused severe pneumonitis, especially in the mice with CA. Flow cytometry analysis indicated a significantly higher frequency of splenic TNF-α+CD4+ and TNF-α+CD8+ T cells, but not other subsets of T cells tested, in the CAIA+ICI group of mice, relative to that in other groups of mice. Treatment with anti-TNF-α significantly mitigated the severity of arthritis and pneumonitis as well as deposition of collagen in lung of mice. The treatment also decreased the frequency of TNF-α+CD4+ and TNF-α+CD8+ T cells as well as effector memory T cells in the periphery lymph orangs and lungs of mice.ConclusionsWe successfully established a humanized mouse model of ICI-related severe arthritis and pneumonitis with a higher frequency of TNF-α+ T cells, which were significantly mitigated by anti-TNF-α treatment. Conceptually, ICI treatment can induce multiple autoimmune-like diseases in autoimmune-prone individuals and TNF-α+ T cells may be therapeutic targets for intervention of immune-related arthritis and pneumonitis.