Abstract:
Natalizumab a monoclonal antibody is associated with the risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), an infection caused by the John Cunningham (JC) virus. The inventors explored the hypothesis that bacteria should be involved in the onset of PML in connection to the HLA-DR haplotype in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Thus 625 MS patients starting Natalizumab therapy from the BIONAT study were followed prospectively. Among those patients, 12 developed a PML. Outside the BIONAT cohort, we included nine additional MS patients with PML who had been referred to our center. For each patient, blood metagenomics sequencing and sequencing-based typing for HLA-DRB1*15:01 ancestral haplotype were determined. HLA-DRB1*15:01 haplotype carriers show a protection against PML (p=0.03). Among blood taxa, at genus level, Phyllobacterium was only significantly associated in HLA-DRB1*15:01 haplotype carriers with an inflammatory marker (p 2% have an odds ratio of 4.55 (95% confidence intervals 1.82-11.37; p=0.001) of developing or having PML under NTZ treatment. In conclusion, the inventors showed a relation between the HLA-DRB1*15:01 haplotype, the circulating microbiota and the risk of PML. The interaction between blood microbiota and the HLA-DRB1*15:01 haplotype may play a role in the virulence of the viruses.
Abstract:
Bilateral congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) are the main cause of childhood chronic kidney disease (CKD). Accurate and non-biased prenatal prediction of postnatal disease evolution is currently lacking, but is essential for prenatal counseling and disease management. Here the inventors aimed to develop an objective and quantifiable risk prediction method based on amniotic fluid (AF) peptides. 178 fetuses with bilateral CAKUT were included in a prospective multicenter study. The AF peptide content was studied using capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry. The endpoint was early-onset renal failure (CKD stage 3-5) or death due to end-stage renal disease at two years of age. Among the ~7000 peptide candidates, 98 were associated with early severe renal failure. The most frequently found peptides associated with severe disease were fragments from extracellular matrix proteins and thymosin-P4. Combination of those 98 peptides in a classifier lead to the prediction of postnatal renal outcome in a blinded validation set of 51 patients with a 88% (95%CI: 64-98) sensitivity, 97% (95%CI: 85-100) specificity and an AUC of 0.96 (95%CI: 0.87-1.00), outperforming predictions based on currently used clinical methods. The classifier also predicted normal postnatal renal function in 75% of terminated pregnancies where fetopathology showed kidneys compatible with normal life. Analysis of AF peptides thus allows a precise and quantifiable prediction of postnatal renal function in bilateral CAKUT with potential major impact on pre- and postnatal disease management.
Abstract:
This breathing simulator (2) is used for calibrating a gas analyzer (6) which is designed for determining a variable rate of oxygen consumption and/or a variable rate of carbon dioxide production of a living subject. The breathing simulator includes a first inlet (22) for connection to a reservoir (4) of a gas mixture with a predetermined composition, a second inlet (24) for connection to the ambient atmosphere, an outlet (26) for connection to the gas analyzer (6) and a gas mixer (28) for mixing the gas mixture coming from the first inlet (22) with air coming from the second inlet (24). The breathing simulator also includes a first fluid line (32) connecting the first inlet (22) to the gas mixer (28), a second fluid line (34) connecting the second inlet (24) to the gas mixer and a third fluid line (36) connecting the gas mixer to the outlet. A first flow regulator (42) is mounted on the first fluid line (32), while a second flow regulator (46) and a metering pump (48) are mounted on the third fluid line (36). An electronic control unit (50) pilots at least the first and second flow regulators (42,46) for simulating different breathing regimes.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to the treatment of mast cell activation diseases (MCAD). The present invention is based on the discovery that aminoquinoline compound (such) can improve clinical symptoms present in several MCAD patients. In all patients, six months after HCQ treatment initiation, a significant improvement of MC activation symptoms was observed. These clinical observations prompted to investigate the biological effects of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) treatment on human mast cells (MCs) in vitro. The results indicate that HCQ treatment modifies key features of MC biology and induces a profound alteration of MC granules homeostasis (storage of inactive tryptase and decreased expression of key MC inflammatory mediator). Taken together, the HCQ induced dramatic reduction of MC inflammatory capabilities contributing to the observed efficacy of HCQ in MCAD patients. Accordingly, the present invention relates to an aminoquinoline compound (such HCQ) for use in the treatment of MACD such as mastocytosis and mast cell activation syndromes (MCAS).
Abstract:
The present invention relates to antibodies targeting Tumor Associated Macrophages (TAMs) and uses thereof. The inventors investigated specific marker exposed on the surface of the macrophages associated to tumor in order to detect and target TAMs. They showed that sideroflexin 3, which is absent in normal macrophage, is expressed by tumor associated macrophages. The inventors further demonstrated that using antibody directed to sideroflexin 3, they depleted TAMs in PBMC sample obtained from LCC patient, and strongly reduced leukemic B cells number.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions for use in the treatment of chemoresistant acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The inventors have established a powerful preclinical model to screen in vivo responses to conventional genotoxics and to mimic the chemoresistance and minimal residual disease as observed in AML patients after chemotherapy. The inventors showed that cytarabine-resistance mechanism involves the CD39-dependent crosstalk between energetic niche and AML mitochondrial functions through CD39-P2Y13-cAMP-PKA signaling axis. In particular, the present invention relates to an inhibitor of the CD39-P2Y13-cAMP-PKA signaling axis for use in a method of treating chemoresistant acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in a patient in need thereof comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of said inhibitor.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method of preventing and/or treating the hypotensive effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEl) in a patient treated with ACEl, said patient being under a critical condition. More specifically, it concerns the use of a Bradykinin 2 receptor (BR2) antagonist for the prevention and treatment of the hypotensive effect of ACEl in a patient treated with ACEl undergoing emergency anaesthesia or shock resuscitation like hypovolemic shock (i.e. hemorrhagic shock (HS), or vasoplegic shock (i.e. septic shock).
Abstract:
The present invention relates to methods and pharmaceutical compositions for preventing or reducing metastatic dissemination (i.e. reducing motility of cancer cells). In particular, the present invention relates to a method for preventing or reducing metastatic dissemination (i.e. reducing motility of cancer cells) in a subject suffering from a cancer comprising the steps consisting of i) determining the expression level of at least one biomarker selected from the group consisting of soluble CD95L and EMT promoting factors in a sample obtained from the subject, ii) comparing the expression level determined at step i) with a predetermined reference value and iii) administering the subject with a therapeutically effective amount of C16-ceramide or derivatives such as C16-sphingomyelin and C16- glycosphingolipids when the expression level determined at step i) is higher than the predetermined reference value.