Literature Watch

Deconstructing Dietary Restriction: A Case for Systems Approaches in Aging.

Systems Biology - Thu, 2016-08-25 07:02
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Deconstructing Dietary Restriction: A Case for Systems Approaches in Aging.

Cell Metab. 2016 Mar 8;23(3):395-6

Authors: Yeo R, Brunet A

Abstract
Dietary restriction is a robust and conserved intervention to slow aging and extend lifespan. In this issue of Cell Metabolism, Hou et al. (2016) use a systems biology approach in C. elegans to uncover key molecular nodes underlying the transcriptomic response to dietary restriction and predict novel regulators of lifespan.

PMID: 26959179 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Categories: Literature Watch

MYC functions are specific in biological subtypes of breast cancer and confers resistance to endocrine therapy in luminal tumours.

Systems Biology - Thu, 2016-08-25 07:02
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MYC functions are specific in biological subtypes of breast cancer and confers resistance to endocrine therapy in luminal tumours.

Br J Cancer. 2016 Apr 12;114(8):917-28

Authors: Green AR, Aleskandarany MA, Agarwal D, Elsheikh S, Nolan CC, Diez-Rodriguez M, Macmillan RD, Ball GR, Caldas C, Madhusudan S, Ellis IO, Rakha EA

Abstract
BACKGROUND: MYC is amplified in approximately 15% of breast cancers (BCs) and is associated with poor outcome. c-MYC protein is multi-faceted and participates in many aspects of cellular function and is linked with therapeutic response in BCs. We hypothesised that the functional role of c-MYC differs between molecular subtypes of BCs.
METHODS: We therefore investigated the correlation between c-MYC protein expression and other proteins involved in different cellular functions together with clinicopathological parameters, patients' outcome and treatments in a large early-stage molecularly characterised series of primary invasive BCs (n=1106) using immunohistochemistry. The METABRIC BC cohort (n=1980) was evaluated for MYC mRNA expression and a systems biology approach utilised to identify genes associated with MYC in the different BC molecular subtypes.
RESULTS: High MYC and c-MYC expression was significantly associated with poor prognostic factors, including grade and basal-like BCs. In luminal A tumours, c-MYC was associated with ATM (P=0.005), Cyclin B1 (P=0.002), PIK3CA (P=0.009) and Ki67 (P<0.001). In contrast, in basal-like tumours, c-MYC showed positive association with Cyclin E (P=0.003) and p16 (P=0.042) expression only. c-MYC was an independent predictor of a shorter distant metastases-free survival in luminal A LN+ tumours treated with endocrine therapy (ET; P=0.013). In luminal tumours treated with ET, MYC mRNA expression was associated with BC-specific survival (P=0.001). In ER-positive tumours, MYC was associated with expression of translational genes while in ER-negative tumours it was associated with upregulation of glucose metabolism genes.
CONCLUSIONS: c-MYC function is associated with specific molecular subtypes of BCs and its overexpression confers resistance to ET. The diverse mechanisms of c-MYC function in the different molecular classes of BCs warrants further investigation particularly as potential therapeutic targets.

PMID: 26954716 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Categories: Literature Watch

Quantitative assessment of gene expression network module-validation methods.

Systems Biology - Thu, 2016-08-25 07:02
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Quantitative assessment of gene expression network module-validation methods.

Sci Rep. 2015;5:15258

Authors: Li B, Zhang Y, Yu Y, Wang P, Wang Y, Wang Z, Wang Y

Abstract
Validation of pluripotent modules in diverse networks holds enormous potential for systems biology and network pharmacology. An arising challenge is how to assess the accuracy of discovering all potential modules from multi-omic networks and validating their architectural characteristics based on innovative computational methods beyond function enrichment and biological validation. To display the framework progress in this domain, we systematically divided the existing Computational Validation Approaches based on Modular Architecture (CVAMA) into topology-based approaches (TBA) and statistics-based approaches (SBA). We compared the available module validation methods based on 11 gene expression datasets, and partially consistent results in the form of homogeneous models were obtained with each individual approach, whereas discrepant contradictory results were found between TBA and SBA. The TBA of the Zsummary value had a higher Validation Success Ratio (VSR) (51%) and a higher Fluctuation Ratio (FR) (80.92%), whereas the SBA of the approximately unbiased (AU) p-value had a lower VSR (12.3%) and a lower FR (45.84%). The Gray area simulated study revealed a consistent result for these two models and indicated a lower Variation Ratio (VR) (8.10%) of TBA at 6 simulated levels. Despite facing many novel challenges and evidence limitations, CVAMA may offer novel insights into modular networks.

PMID: 26470848 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Categories: Literature Watch

Missing Pieces in the Puzzle of Plant MicroRNAs.

Systems Biology - Thu, 2016-08-25 07:02
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Missing Pieces in the Puzzle of Plant MicroRNAs.

Trends Plant Sci. 2015 Nov;20(11):721-8

Authors: Reis RS, Eamens AL, Waterhouse PM

Abstract
Plant microRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulatory switches. Recent advances have revealed many regulatory layers between the two essential processes, miRNA biogenesis and function. However, how these multilayered regulatory processes ultimately control miRNA gene regulation and connects miRNAs and plant responses with the surrounding environment is still largely unknown. In this opinion article, we propose that the miRNA pathway is highly dynamic and plastic. The apparent flexibility of the miRNA pathway in plants appears to be controlled by a number recently identified proteins and poorly characterized signaling cascades. We further propose that altered miRNA accumulation can be a direct consequence of the rewiring of interactions between proteins that function in the miRNA pathway, an avenue that remains largely unexplored.

PMID: 26442682 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Categories: Literature Watch

DiMeX: A Text Mining System for Mutation-Disease Association Extraction.

Drug-induced Adverse Events - Thu, 2016-08-25 07:02
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DiMeX: A Text Mining System for Mutation-Disease Association Extraction.

PLoS One. 2016;11(4):e0152725

Authors: Mahmood AS, Wu TJ, Mazumder R, Vijay-Shanker K

Abstract
The number of published articles describing associations between mutations and diseases is increasing at a fast pace. There is a pressing need to gather such mutation-disease associations into public knowledge bases, but manual curation slows down the growth of such databases. We have addressed this problem by developing a text-mining system (DiMeX) to extract mutation to disease associations from publication abstracts. DiMeX consists of a series of natural language processing modules that preprocess input text and apply syntactic and semantic patterns to extract mutation-disease associations. DiMeX achieves high precision and recall with F-scores of 0.88, 0.91 and 0.89 when evaluated on three different datasets for mutation-disease associations. DiMeX includes a separate component that extracts mutation mentions in text and associates them with genes. This component has been also evaluated on different datasets and shown to achieve state-of-the-art performance. The results indicate that our system outperforms the existing mutation-disease association tools, addressing the low precision problems suffered by most approaches. DiMeX was applied on a large set of abstracts from Medline to extract mutation-disease associations, as well as other relevant information including patient/cohort size and population data. The results are stored in a database that can be queried and downloaded at http://biotm.cis.udel.edu/dimex/. We conclude that this high-throughput text-mining approach has the potential to significantly assist researchers and curators to enrich mutation databases.

PMID: 27073839 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Categories: Literature Watch

("orphan disease" OR "rare disease" OR "orphan diseases" OR "rare diseases"); +11 new citations

Orphan or Rare Diseases - Wed, 2016-08-24 06:48

11 new pubmed citations were retrieved for your search. Click on the search hyperlink below to display the complete search results:

("orphan disease" OR "rare disease" OR "orphan diseases" OR "rare diseases")

These pubmed results were generated on 2016/08/24

PubMed comprises more than 24 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites.

Categories: Literature Watch

"Cystic Fibrosis"; +8 new citations

Cystic Fibrosis - Wed, 2016-08-24 06:48

8 new pubmed citations were retrieved for your search. Click on the search hyperlink below to display the complete search results:

"Cystic Fibrosis"

These pubmed results were generated on 2016/08/24

PubMed comprises more than 24 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites.

Categories: Literature Watch

Repositioning Antitubercular 6-Nitro-2,3-dihydroimidazo[2,1-b][1,3]oxazoles for Neglected Tropical Diseases: Structure-Activity Studies on a Preclinical Candidate for Visceral Leishmaniasis.

Drug Repositioning - Wed, 2016-08-24 06:48
Related Articles

Repositioning Antitubercular 6-Nitro-2,3-dihydroimidazo[2,1-b][1,3]oxazoles for Neglected Tropical Diseases: Structure-Activity Studies on a Preclinical Candidate for Visceral Leishmaniasis.

J Med Chem. 2016 Mar 24;59(6):2530-50

Authors: Thompson AM, O'Connor PD, Blaser A, Yardley V, Maes L, Gupta S, Launay D, Martin D, Franzblau SG, Wan B, Wang Y, Ma Z, Denny WA

Abstract
6-Nitro-2,3-dihydroimidazo[2,1-b][1,3]oxazole derivatives were initially studied for tuberculosis within a backup program for the clinical trial agent pretomanid (PA-824). Phenotypic screening of representative examples against kinetoplastid diseases unexpectedly led to the identification of DNDI-VL-2098 as a potential first-in-class drug candidate for visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Additional work was then conducted to delineate its essential structural features, aiming to improve solubility and safety without compromising activity against VL. While the 4-nitroimidazole portion was specifically required, several modifications to the aryloxy side chain were well-tolerated e.g., exchange of the linking oxygen for nitrogen (or piperazine), biaryl extension, and replacement of phenyl rings by pyridine. Several less lipophilic analogues displayed improved aqueous solubility, particularly at low pH, although stability toward liver microsomes was highly variable. Upon evaluation in a mouse model of acute Leishmania donovani infection, one phenylpyridine derivative (37) stood out, providing efficacy surpassing that of the original preclinical lead.

PMID: 26901446 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Categories: Literature Watch

Repurposing Registered Drugs as Antagonists for Protease-Activated Receptor 2.

Drug Repositioning - Wed, 2016-08-24 06:48
Related Articles

Repurposing Registered Drugs as Antagonists for Protease-Activated Receptor 2.

J Chem Inf Model. 2015 Oct 26;55(10):2079-84

Authors: Xu W, Lim J, Goh CY, Suen JY, Jiang Y, Yau MK, Wu KC, Liu L, Fairlie DP

Abstract
Virtual screening of a drug database identified Carvedilol, Loratadine, Nefazodone and Astemizole as PAR2 antagonists, after ligand docking and molecular dynamics simulations using a PAR2 homology model and a putative binding mode of a known PAR2 ligand. The drugs demonstrated competitive binding and antagonism of calcium mobilization and ERK1/2 phosphorylation in CHO-hPAR2 transfected cells, while inhibiting IL-6 secretion in PAR2 expressing MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. This research highlights opportunities for GPCR hit-finding from FDA-approved drugs.

PMID: 26445028 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Categories: Literature Watch

Knowns and unknowns in metabolomics identified by multidimensional NMR and hybrid MS/NMR methods.

Systems Biology - Wed, 2016-08-24 06:48

Knowns and unknowns in metabolomics identified by multidimensional NMR and hybrid MS/NMR methods.

Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2016 Aug 20;43:17-24

Authors: Bingol K, Brüschweiler R

Abstract
Metabolomics continues to make rapid progress through the development of new and better methods and their applications to gain insight into the metabolism of a wide range of different biological systems from a systems biology perspective. Customization of NMR databases and search tools allows the faster and more accurate identification of known metabolites, whereas the identification of unknowns, without a need for extensive purification, requires new strategies to integrate NMR with mass spectrometry, cheminformatics, and computational methods. For some applications, the use of covalent and non-covalent attachments in the form of labeled tags or nanoparticles can significantly reduce the complexity of these tasks.

PMID: 27552705 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Categories: Literature Watch

Transcriptional landscapes at the intersection of neuronal apoptosis and substance P-induced survival: exploring pathways and drug targets.

Systems Biology - Wed, 2016-08-24 06:48

Transcriptional landscapes at the intersection of neuronal apoptosis and substance P-induced survival: exploring pathways and drug targets.

Cell Death Discov. 2016;2:16050

Authors: Paparone S, Severini C, Ciotti MT, D'Agata V, Calissano P, Cavallaro S

Abstract
A change in the delicate equilibrium between apoptosis and survival regulates the neurons fate during the development of nervous system and its homeostasis in adulthood. Signaling pathways promoting or protecting from apoptosis are activated by multiple signals, including those elicited by neurotrophic factors, and depend upon specific transcriptional programs. To decipher the rescue program induced by substance P (SP) in cerebellar granule neurons, we analyzed their whole-genome expression profiles after induction of apoptosis and treatment with SP. Transcriptional pathways associated with the survival effect of SP included genes encoding for proteins that may act as pharmacological targets. Inhibition of one of these, the Myc pro-oncogene by treatment with 10058-F4, reverted in a dose-dependent manner the rescue effect of SP. In addition to elucidate the transcriptional mechanisms at the intersection of neuronal apoptosis and survival, our systems biology-based perspective paves the way towards an innovative pharmacology based on targets downstream of neurotrophic factor receptors.

PMID: 27551538 [PubMed]

Categories: Literature Watch

pH determines the energetic efficiency of the cyanobacterial CO2 concentrating mechanism.

Systems Biology - Wed, 2016-08-24 06:48

pH determines the energetic efficiency of the cyanobacterial CO2 concentrating mechanism.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016 Aug 22;

Authors: Mangan NM, Flamholz A, Hood RD, Milo R, Savage DF

Abstract
Many carbon-fixing bacteria rely on a CO2 concentrating mechanism (CCM) to elevate the CO2 concentration around the carboxylating enzyme ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO). The CCM is postulated to simultaneously enhance the rate of carboxylation and minimize oxygenation, a competitive reaction with O2 also catalyzed by RuBisCO. To achieve this effect, the CCM combines two features: active transport of inorganic carbon into the cell and colocalization of carbonic anhydrase and RuBisCO inside proteinaceous microcompartments called carboxysomes. Understanding the significance of the various CCM components requires reconciling biochemical intuition with a quantitative description of the system. To this end, we have developed a mathematical model of the CCM to analyze its energetic costs and the inherent intertwining of physiology and pH. We find that intracellular pH greatly affects the cost of inorganic carbon accumulation. At low pH the inorganic carbon pool contains more of the highly cell-permeable H2CO3, necessitating a substantial expenditure of energy on transport to maintain internal inorganic carbon levels. An intracellular pH ≈8 reduces leakage, making the CCM significantly more energetically efficient. This pH prediction coincides well with our measurement of intracellular pH in a model cyanobacterium. We also demonstrate that CO2 retention in the carboxysome is necessary, whereas selective uptake of HCO3 (-) into the carboxysome would not appreciably enhance energetic efficiency. Altogether, integration of pH produces a model that is quantitatively consistent with cyanobacterial physiology, emphasizing that pH cannot be neglected when describing biological systems interacting with inorganic carbon pools.

PMID: 27551079 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Categories: Literature Watch

Paradoxical signaling regulates structural plasticity in dendritic spines.

Systems Biology - Wed, 2016-08-24 06:48

Paradoxical signaling regulates structural plasticity in dendritic spines.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016 Aug 22;

Authors: Rangamani P, Levy MG, Khan S, Oster G

Abstract
Transient spine enlargement (3- to 5-min timescale) is an important event associated with the structural plasticity of dendritic spines. Many of the molecular mechanisms associated with transient spine enlargement have been identified experimentally. Here, we use a systems biology approach to construct a mathematical model of biochemical signaling and actin-mediated transient spine expansion in response to calcium influx caused by NMDA receptor activation. We have identified that a key feature of this signaling network is the paradoxical signaling loop. Paradoxical components act bifunctionally in signaling networks, and their role is to control both the activation and the inhibition of a desired response function (protein activity or spine volume). Using ordinary differential equation (ODE)-based modeling, we show that the dynamics of different regulators of transient spine expansion, including calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), RhoA, and Cdc42, and the spine volume can be described using paradoxical signaling loops. Our model is able to capture the experimentally observed dynamics of transient spine volume. Furthermore, we show that actin remodeling events provide a robustness to spine volume dynamics. We also generate experimentally testable predictions about the role of different components and parameters of the network on spine dynamics.

PMID: 27551076 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Categories: Literature Watch

TRIENNIAL LACTATION SYMPOSIUM: Systems biology of regulatory mechanisms of nutrient metabolism in lactation.

Systems Biology - Wed, 2016-08-24 06:48
Related Articles

TRIENNIAL LACTATION SYMPOSIUM: Systems biology of regulatory mechanisms of nutrient metabolism in lactation.

J Anim Sci. 2015 Dec;93(12):5575-85

Authors: McNamara JP

Abstract
A major role of the dairy cow is to convert low-quality plant materials into high-quality protein and other nutrients for humans. We must select and manage cows with the goal of having animals of the greatest efficiency matched to their environment. We have increased efficiency tremendously over the years, yet the variation in productive and reproductive efficiency among animals is still large. In part, this is because of a lack of full integration of genetic, nutritional, and reproductive biology into management decisions. However, integration across these disciplines is increasing as the biological research findings show specific control points at which genetics, nutrition, and reproduction interact. An ordered systems biology approach that focuses on why and how cells regulate energy and N use and on how and why organs interact through endocrine and neurocrine mechanisms will speed improvements in efficiency. More sophisticated dairy managers will demand better information to improve the efficiency of their animals. Using genetic improvement and animal management to improve milk productive and reproductive efficiency requires a deeper understanding of metabolic processes throughout the life cycle. Using existing metabolic models, we can design experiments specifically to integrate data from global transcriptional profiling into models that describe nutrient use in farm animals. A systems modeling approach can help focus our research to make faster and larger advances in efficiency and determine how this knowledge can be applied on the farms.

PMID: 26641166 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Categories: Literature Watch

TRIENNIAL LACTATION SYMPOSIUM: Nutrigenomics in livestock: Systems biology meets nutrition.

Systems Biology - Wed, 2016-08-24 06:48
Related Articles

TRIENNIAL LACTATION SYMPOSIUM: Nutrigenomics in livestock: Systems biology meets nutrition.

J Anim Sci. 2015 Dec;93(12):5554-74

Authors: Loor JJ, Vailati-Riboni M, McCann JC, Zhou Z, Bionaz M

Abstract
The advent of high-throughput technologies to study an animal's genome, proteome, and metabolome (i.e., "omics" tools) constituted a setback to the use of reductionism in livestock research. More recent development of "next-generation sequencing" tools was instrumental in allowing in-depth studies of the microbiome in the rumen and other sections of the gastrointestinal tract. Omics, along with bioinformatics, constitutes the foundation of modern systems biology, a field of study widely used in model organisms (e.g., rodents, yeast, humans) to enhance understanding of the complex biological interactions occurring within cells and tissues at the gene, protein, and metabolite level. Application of systems biology concepts is ideal for the study of interactions between nutrition and physiological state with tissue and cell metabolism and function during key life stages of livestock species, including the transition from pregnancy to lactation, in utero development, or postnatal growth. Modern bioinformatic tools capable of discerning functional outcomes and biologically meaningful networks complement the ever-increasing ability to generate large molecular, microbial, and metabolite data sets. Simultaneous visualization of the complex intertissue adaptations to physiological state and nutrition can now be discerned. Studies to understand the linkages between the microbiome and the absorptive epithelium using the integrative approach are emerging. We present examples of new knowledge generated through the application of functional analyses of transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic data sets encompassing nutritional management of dairy cows, pigs, and poultry. Published work to date underscores that the integrative approach across and within tissues may prove useful for fine-tuning nutritional management of livestock. An important goal during this process is to uncover key molecular players involved in the organismal adaptations to nutrition.

PMID: 26641165 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Categories: Literature Watch

Dual Protective and Cytotoxic Benefits of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy in Combination with Chemotherapy/Radiotherapy for Cancer Patients.

Systems Biology - Wed, 2016-08-24 06:48
Related Articles

Dual Protective and Cytotoxic Benefits of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy in Combination with Chemotherapy/Radiotherapy for Cancer Patients.

Crit Rev Eukaryot Gene Expr. 2015;25(3):203-7

Authors: Hendijani F, Javanmard SH

Abstract
Cancer is a major health problem in the world, and scientists seek innovative treatment strategies with higher efficacy and lower toxicity than the existing therapeutic agents. In this way, stem cell researchers try to reveal new pathways that will eventually benefit patients. Stem cell research has proven that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess anticancer activities, and their protein-rich secretome showed similar effects. MSCs also secrete cytokines that play an active role in healing and regeneration processes. Because of their known plasticity, MSCs display a variety of characteristics and functions in different environments, depending on their interactions with various cell types and tissues. Therefore, we hypothesize that MSC therapy in combination with anticancer medicines can potentiate cytotoxic effects on cancer cells. In addition, because of their regenerative capacity, MSCs can protect normal tissues from adverse cytotoxic drug reactions. They may also help rescue injured tissues from these toxic damages or systemic pathological events that occur during cancer treatment. MSC therapy may double the beneficial effects on cancer and normal cells. As our knowledge of systems biology and biotechnological methodology is progressing, this idea can move forward as a treatment option.

PMID: 26558944 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Categories: Literature Watch

Transitioning Pharmacogenomics into the Clinical Setting: Training Future Pharmacists.

Pharmacogenomics - Wed, 2016-08-24 06:47

Transitioning Pharmacogenomics into the Clinical Setting: Training Future Pharmacists.

Front Pharmacol. 2016;7:241

Authors: Frick A, Benton CS, Scolaro KL, McLaughlin JE, Bradley CL, Suzuki OT, Wang N, Wiltshire T

Abstract
Pharmacogenomics, once hailed as a futuristic approach to pharmacotherapy, has transitioned to clinical implementation. Although logistic and economic limitations to clinical pharmacogenomics are being superseded by external measures such as preemptive genotyping, implementation by clinicians has met resistance, partly due to a lack of education. Pharmacists, with extensive training in pharmacology and pharmacotherapy and accessibility to patients, are ideally suited to champion clinical pharmacogenomics. This study aimed to analyze the outcomes of an innovative pharmacogenomic teaching approach. Second-year student pharmacists enrolled in a required, 15-week pharmaceutical care lab course in 2015 completed educational activities including lectures and small group work focusing on practical pharmacogenomics. Reflecting the current landscape of direct-to-consumer (DTC) genomic testing, students were offered 23andMe genotyping. Students completed surveys regarding their attitudes and confidence on pharmacogenomics prior to and following the educational intervention. Paired pre- and post-intervention responses were analyzed with McNemar's test for binary comparisons and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for Likert items. Responses between genotyped and non-genotyped students were analyzed with Fisher's exact test for binary comparisons and the Mann-Whitney U-test for Likert items. Responses were analyzed for all student pharmacists who voluntarily completed the pre-intervention survey (N = 121, 83% response) and for student pharmacists who completed both pre- and post-intervention surveys (N = 39, 27% response). Of those who completed both pre- and post-intervention surveys, 59% obtained genotyping. Student pharmacists demonstrated a significant increase in their knowledge of pharmacogenomic resources (17.9 vs. 56.4%, p < 0.0001) and confidence in applying pharmacogenomic information to manage patients' drug therapy (28.2 vs. 48.7%, p = 0.01), particularly if the student had received genotyping. Student pharmacists understanding of the risks and benefits of using personal genome testing services significantly increased (55.3 vs. 86.8%, p = 0.001) along with agreement that personal genomics would likely play an important role in their future career (47.4 vs. 76.3%, p = 0.01), particularly among students who participated in genotyping. The educational intervention, including personal genotyping, was feasible, and positively enhanced students' reflections, and attitudes toward pharmacogenomics in a professional pharmacy program.

PMID: 27551265 [PubMed]

Categories: Literature Watch

Polymorphisms in drug-metabolizing enzymes and steady-state exemestane concentration in postmenopausal patients with breast cancer.

Pharmacogenomics - Wed, 2016-08-24 06:47

Polymorphisms in drug-metabolizing enzymes and steady-state exemestane concentration in postmenopausal patients with breast cancer.

Pharmacogenomics J. 2016 Aug 23;

Authors: Hertz DL, Kidwell KM, Seewald NJ, Gersch CL, Desta Z, Flockhart DA, Storniolo AM, Stearns V, Skaar TC, Hayes DF, Henry NL, Rae JM

Abstract
Discovery of clinical and genetic predictors of exemestane pharmacokinetics was attempted in 246 postmenopausal patients with breast cancer enrolled on a prospective clinical study. A sample was collected 2 h after exemestane dosing at a 1- or 3-month study visit to measure drug concentration. The primary hypothesis was that patients carrying the low-activity CYP3A4*22 (rs35599367) single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) would have greater exemestane concentration. Additional SNPs in genes relevant to exemestane metabolism (CYP1A1/2, CYP1B1, CYP3A4, CYP4A11, AKR1C3/4, AKR7A2) were screened in secondary analyses and adjusted for clinical covariates. CYP3A4*22 was associated with a 54% greater exemestane concentration (P<0.01). Concentration was greater in patients who reported White race, had elevated aminotransferases, renal insufficiency, lower body mass index and had not received chemotherapy (all P<0.05), and CYP3A4*22 maintained significance after adjustment for covariates (P<0.01). These genetic and clinical predictors of exemestane concentration may be useful for treatment individualization in patients with breast cancer.The Pharmacogenomics Journal advance online publication, 23 August 2016; doi:10.1038/tpj.2016.60.

PMID: 27549341 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Categories: Literature Watch

Predicting therapy response to Mycophenolic acid using UGT1A9 genotyping: Towards personalized medicine in atopic dermatitis.

Pharmacogenomics - Wed, 2016-08-24 06:47

Predicting therapy response to Mycophenolic acid using UGT1A9 genotyping: Towards personalized medicine in atopic dermatitis.

J Dermatolog Treat. 2016 Aug 23;:1-15

Authors: Thijs JL, van der Geest BA, van der Schaft J, van den Broek MP, van Seggelen WO, Bruijnzeel-Koomen CA, Hijnen DJ, van Schaik RH, de Bruin-Weller MS

Abstract
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a very common chronic inflammatory skin disease requiring long-term treatment. Mycophenolic acid (MPA) is used off-label in treatment of patients with severe AD failing Cyclosporin A treatment, however clinical efficacy is observed in only half of the AD patients. In blood, MPA levels are known to have a large interindividual variability. Low MPA exposure and increased enzyme activity correlates with the presence of UGT1A9 polymorphisms. In this retrospective study, 65 adult AD patients treated with MPA were classified as responder or non-responder to MPA treatment. UGT1A9 polymorphisms were determined using PCR. A significantly higher number of UGT1A9 polymorphisms was found in the group that did not respond to MPA treatment. Of the patients that carried a UGT1A9 polymorphism, 85.7% was non-responder to MPA treatment. This implies that non-responsiveness in AD patients is more likely to occur in carriers of a UGT1A9 polymorphism. In a binary logistic regression analysis the odds ratio was 8.65 (95% confidence interval: 0.93 - 80.17). Our results show that UGT1A9 polymorphisms can be used to identify patients with non-responsiveness to MPA. Patients with UGT1A9 polymorphisms might benefit from higher MPA dosage.

PMID: 27549213 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Categories: Literature Watch

("orphan disease" OR "rare disease" OR "orphan diseases" OR "rare diseases"); +14 new citations

Orphan or Rare Diseases - Tue, 2016-08-23 06:31

14 new pubmed citations were retrieved for your search. Click on the search hyperlink below to display the complete search results:

("orphan disease" OR "rare disease" OR "orphan diseases" OR "rare diseases")

These pubmed results were generated on 2016/08/23

PubMed comprises more than 24 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites.

Categories: Literature Watch

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