Background: During the last decade Ebola virus has caused several outbreaks in Africa. The recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus-vectored Zaire Ebola (rVSVDGZEBOV-GP) vaccine has proved safe and... Show moreBackground: During the last decade Ebola virus has caused several outbreaks in Africa. The recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus-vectored Zaire Ebola (rVSVDGZEBOV-GP) vaccine has proved safe and immunogenic but is reactogenic. We previously identified the first innate plasma signature response after vaccination in Geneva as composed of five monocyte-related biomarkers peaking at day 1 post-immunization that correlates with adverse events, biological outcomes (haematological changes and viremia) and antibody titers. In this follow-up study, we sought to identify additional biomarkers in the same Geneva cohort and validate those identified markers in a US cohort. Methods: Additional biomarkers were identified using multiplexed protein biomarker platform O-link and confirmed by Luminex. Principal component analysis (PCA) evaluated if these markers could explain a higher variability of the vaccine response (and thereby refined the initial signature). Multivariable and linear regression models evaluated the correlations of the main components with adverse events, biological outcomes, and antibody titers. External validation of the refined signature was conducted in a second cohort of US vaccinees (n=142). Results: Eleven additional biomarkers peaked at day 1 post-immunization: MCP2, MCP3, MCP4, CXCL10, OSM, CX3CL1, MCSF, CXCL11, TRAIL, RANKL and IL15. PCA analysis retained three principal components (PC) that accounted for 79% of the vaccine response variability. PC1 and PC2 were very robust and had different biomarkers that contributed to their variability. PC1 better discriminated different doses, better defined the risk of fever and myalgia, while PC2 better defined the risk of headache. We also found new biomarkers that correlated with reactogenicity, including transient arthritis (MCP-2, CXCL10, CXCL11, CX3CL1, MCSF, IL-15, OSM). Several innate biomarkers are associated with antibody levels one and six months after vaccination. Refined PC1 correlated strongly in both data sets (Geneva: r = 0.97, P < 0.001; US: r = 0.99, P< 0.001). Conclusion: Eleven additional biomarkers refined the previously found 5- biomarker Geneva signature. The refined signature better discriminated between different doses, was strongly associated with the risk of adverse events and with antibody responses and was validated in a separate cohort. Show less
Hasan, S.; Schie, P. van; Kaptein, B.L.; Schoones, J.W.; Marang-van de Mheen, P.J.M.; Nelissen, R.G.H.H. 2024
Background: Loosening is a major cause for failure of total hip and total knee arthroplasties (THAs/TKAs). Preemptive diagnostics of asymptomatic loosening could open strategies to prevent gross... Show moreBackground: Loosening is a major cause for failure of total hip and total knee arthroplasties (THAs/TKAs). Preemptive diagnostics of asymptomatic loosening could open strategies to prevent gross loosening. A multitude of biomarkers may discriminate between loosened and stable implants, but it is unknown which have the best performance. The present systematic review aimed to assess which biomarkers have shown the most promising results in discriminating between stable and aseptic loosened THAs and TKAs.Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Academic Search Premier were systematically searched up to January 2020 for studies including THA/TKA and biomarkers to assess loosening. Two reviewers independently screened records, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias using the ICROMS tool to classify the quality of the studies.Results: Twenty-eight (three high-quality) studies were included, reporting on a median of 48 patients (interquartile range 28-69). Serum and urine markers were evaluated in 22 and 10 studies, respectively. Tumor necrosis factor alpha and osteocalcin were significantly higher in loosened compared with stable implants. Urinary N-terminal telopeptide had significantly elevated levels in loosened prostheses.Conclusion: Several serum and urine markers were promising in discriminating between loosened and stable implants. We recommend future studies to evaluate these biomarkers in a longitudinal fashion to assess whether progression of loosening is associated with a change in these biomarkers. In particular, high-quality studies assessing the usability of these biomarkers are needed. Show less
Gruil, N. de; Böhringer, S.; Groot, S. de; Pijl, H.; Kroep, J.R.; Swen, J.J. 2023
Simple Summary: Insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) are metabolic hormones, which are often upregulated to stimulate proliferation in breast cancer. A fasting mimicking diet (FMD)... Show moreSimple Summary: Insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) are metabolic hormones, which are often upregulated to stimulate proliferation in breast cancer. A fasting mimicking diet (FMD) targets insulin signaling pathway downregulation to hamper tumor growth. Genes encoding for the insulin receptors on the cell's surface contain genetic variation between patients, which can affect insulin receptor function and cellular response. Therefore, a group of 113 patients with HER2-negative breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy with or without a fasting mimicking diet were investigated. We found that two IGF1 receptor variants were associated with worse pathological response compared to the reference alleles, out of the 17 interrogated common variants. Additionally, two IGF1 receptor variants could interact negatively within the FMD group regarding radiological response. These results emphasize that genetic variation harbors predictive clinical relevance to optimize and personalize cancer therapy. Aim: We aimed to investigate associations between IGF1R and INSR single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and clinical response in patients with breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy with or without a fasting mimicking diet (FMD) from the DIRECT trial (NCT02126449), since insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) and the insulin pathway are heavily involved in tumor growth and progression. Methods: Germline DNA from 113 patients was tested for 17 systematically selected candidate SNVs in IGF1R and INSR with pathological and radiological response. Results: IGF1R variants A > G (rs3743259) and G > A (rs3743258) are associated with worse pathological response compared to reference alleles p = 0.002, OR = 0.42 (95%CI: 0.24; 0.73); p = 0.0016; OR = 0.40 (95%CI: 0.23; 0.70). INSR T > C (rs1051690) may be associated with worse radiological response p = 0.02, OR = 2.92 (95%CI: 1.16; 7.36), although not significant after Bonferroni correction. Exploratory interaction analysis suggests that IGF1R SNVs rs2684787 and rs2654980 interact negatively with the FMD group regarding radiological response p = 0.036, OR = 5.13 (95%CI: 1.12; 23.63); p = 0.024, OR = 5.71 (95%CI: 1.26; 25.85). Conclusions: The IGF1R variants rs3743259 and rs3743258 are negatively associated with pathological response in this cohort, suggesting potential relevance as a predictive biomarker. Further research is needed to validate these findings and elucidate the underlying mechanisms and interaction with FMD. Show less
Khalid, H.; Pierneef, L.; Hooij, A. van; Zhou, Z.J.; Jong, D. de; Fat, E.T.K.; ... ; Geluk, A. 2023
Bovine tuberculosis (bTB), caused by Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) infection in cattle, is an economically devastating chronic disease for livestock worldwide. Efficient disease control measures... Show moreBovine tuberculosis (bTB), caused by Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) infection in cattle, is an economically devastating chronic disease for livestock worldwide. Efficient disease control measures rely on early and accurate diagnosis using the tuberculin skin test (TST) and interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs), followed by culling of positive animals. Compromised performance of TST and IGRA, due to BCG vaccination or co-infections with non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), urges improved diagnostics. Lateral flow assays (LFAs) utilizing luminescent upconverting reporter particles (UCP) for quantitative measurement of host biomarkers present an accurate but less equipment- and labor-demanding diagnostic test platform. UCP-LFAs have proven applications for human infectious diseases. Here, we report the development of UCP-LFAs for the detection of six bovine proteins (IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-6, CCL4, CXCL9, and CXCL10), which have been described by ELISA as potential biomarkers to discriminate M. bovis infected from naïve and BCG-vaccinated cattle. We show that, in line with the ELISA data, the combined PPDb-induced levels of IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-6, CCL4, and CXCL9 determined by UCP-LFAs can discriminate M. bovis challenged animals from naïve (AUC range: 0.87–1.00) and BCG-vaccinated animals (AUC range: 0.97–1.00) in this cohort. These initial findings can be used to develop a robust and user-friendly multi-biomarker test (MBT) for bTB diagnosis. Show less
Background: Surveillance of pancreatic cysts focuses on the detection of (mostly morphologic) features warranting surgery. European guidelines consider elevated CA19.9 as a relative indication for... Show moreBackground: Surveillance of pancreatic cysts focuses on the detection of (mostly morphologic) features warranting surgery. European guidelines consider elevated CA19.9 as a relative indication for surgery. We aimed to evaluate the role of CA19.9 monitoring for early detection and management in a cyst surveillance population. Methods: The PACYFIC-registry is a prospective collaboration that investigates the yield of pancreatic cyst surveillance performed at the discretion of the treating physician. We included participants for whom at least one serum CA19.9 value was determined by a minimum follow-up of 12 months. Results: Of 1865 PACYFIC participants, 685 met the inclusion criteria for this study (mean age 67 years, SD 10; 61% female). During a median follow-up of 25 months (IQR 24, 1966 visits), 29 participants developed high-grade dysplasia (HGD) or pancreatic cancer. At baseline, CA19.9 ranged from 1 to 591 kU/L (median 10 kU/L [IQR 14]), and was elevated (& GE;37 kU/L) in 64 participants (9%). During 191 of 1966 visits (10%), an elevated CA19.9 was detected, and these visits more often led to an intensified follow-up (42%) than those without an elevated CA19.9 (27%; p < 0.001). An elevated CA19.9 was the sole reason for surgery in five participants with benign disease (10%). The baseline CA19.9 value was (as continuous or dichotomous variable at the 37 kU/L threshold) not independently associated with HGD or pancreatic cancer development, whilst a CA19.9 of & GE; 133 kU/L was (HR 3.8, 95% CI 1.1-13, p = 0.03). Conclusions: In this pancreatic cyst surveillance cohort, CA19.9 monitoring caused substantial harm by shortening surveillance intervals (and performance of unnecessary surgery). The current CA19.9 cutoff was not predictive of HGD and pancreatic cancer, whereas a higher cutoff may decrease false-positive values. The role of CA19.9 monitoring should be critically appraised prior to implementation in surveillance programs and guidelines. Show less
Memarian, E.; Heijmans, R.; Slieker, R.C.; Sierra, A.; Gornik, O.; Beulens, J.W.J.; ... ; Hoek, M. van 2023
Aims/HypothesisInflammation is important in the development of type 2 diabetes complications. The N-glycosylation of IgG influences its role in inflammation. To date, the association of plasma IgG N-. Show moreAims/HypothesisInflammation is important in the development of type 2 diabetes complications. The N-glycosylation of IgG influences its role in inflammation. To date, the association of plasma IgG N-glycosylation with type 2 diabetes complications has not been extensively investigated. We hypothesised that N-glycosylation of IgG may be related to the development of complications of type 2 diabetes.MethodsIn three independent type 2 diabetes cohorts, plasma IgG N-glycosylation was measured using ultra performance liquid chromatography (DiaGene n = 1815, GenodiabMar n = 640) and mass spectrometry (Hoorn Diabetes Care Study n = 1266). We investigated the associations of IgG N-glycosylation (fucosylation, galactosylation, sialylation and bisection) with incident and prevalent nephropathy, retinopathy and macrovascular disease using Cox- and logistic regression, followed by meta-analyses. The models were adjusted for age and sex and additionally for clinical risk factors.ResultsIgG galactosylation was negatively associated with prevalent and incident nephropathy and macrovascular disease after adjustment for clinical risk factors. Sialylation was negatively associated with incident diabetic nephropathy after adjustment for clinical risk factors. For incident retinopathy, similar associations were found for galactosylation, adjusted for age and sex.ConclusionsWe showed that IgG N-glycosylation, particularly galactosylation and to a lesser extent sialylation, is associated with a higher prevalence and future development of macro- and microvascular complications of diabetes. These findings indicate the predictive potential of IgG N-glycosylation in diabetes complications and should be analysed further in additional large cohorts to obtain the power to solidify these conclusions. Show less
Loveikyte, R.; Bourgonje, A.R.; Reijden, J.J. van der; Bulthuis, M.L.C.; Hawinkels, L.J.A.C.; Visschedijk, M.C.; ... ; Dijkstra, G. 2023
Lay Summary: Absolute iron deficiency is the primary determinant of hepcidin levels, even in an inflammatory state. Induction therapy can decrease hepcidin levels, which might improve iron... Show moreLay Summary: Absolute iron deficiency is the primary determinant of hepcidin levels, even in an inflammatory state. Induction therapy can decrease hepcidin levels, which might improve iron bioavailability. Hence, hepcidin is a potential diagnostic iron deficiency biomarker that could assist therapeutic decision making. Background: Hepcidin, the systemic iron regulator, could be critical in differentiating iron deficiency (ID) from functional iron restriction in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We assessed hepcidin as a diagnostic ID marker and explored the relationship between hepcidin and its regulators in patients with IBD undergoing induction therapy with infliximab (IFX) or vedolizumab (VEDO). Methods: Patients with active IBD receiving induction therapy with IFX or VEDO were included. Serum samples at baseline and after 6 weeks of induction therapy were analyzed for hepcidin, inflammation- and hypoxia-associated cytokines, and oxidative stress. Data were analyzed by stratifying based on the response at week 14. Results were compared with samples from age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. Results: Patients receiving induction therapy with IFX (n = 71) or VEDO (n = 51) and healthy control subjects (n = 50) were included. At baseline, hepcidin correlated positively with ferritin and negatively with soluble transferrin receptor/log ferritin index (P < .001). ID was prevalent in 96.7% of patients who had hepcidin levels below the median. Hepcidin accurately identified ID: the area under the curve (hepcidin) was 0.89 (95% confidence interval, 0.82-0.95; P < .001). In total, 75.4% of patients responded to induction therapy; inflammation, hepcidin, and ferritin decreased significantly, while transferrin increased during induction therapy. These changes were observed only in patients who responded to the therapy. Conclusions: Hepcidin levels in IBD are primarily determined by ID, even in an inflammatory state. In addition, induction therapy can decrease hepcidin levels, which might lead to better bioavailability of iron supplements. Therefore, hepcidin is a potential diagnostic ID biomarker that could assist therapeutic decision making. Show less
Background:The long-term effects of schistosomiasis on the glomerulus may contribute to the development of chronic kidney disease. This study aimed to investigate baseline Schistosoma mansoni-Circu... Show moreBackground:The long-term effects of schistosomiasis on the glomerulus may contribute to the development of chronic kidney disease. This study aimed to investigate baseline Schistosoma mansoni-Circulating Anodic Antigen (CAA) levels and their association with kidney biomarkers related to podocyte injury and inflammation in long-term follow-up after praziquantel (PZQ) treatment.Methods:Schistosoma infection was diagnosed by detecting CAA in urine using a quantitative assay based on lateral flow using luminescent up-converting phosphor reporter particles. A cutoff threshold of 0.1 pg/mL CAA was used to diagnose Schistosoma infection (baseline) in a low-prevalence area in Ceará, Northeast, Brazil. Two groups were included: CAA-positive and CAA-negative individuals, both of which received a single dose of PZQ at baseline. Urinary samples from 55 individuals were evaluated before (baseline) and at 1, 2, and 3 years after PZQ treatment. At all time points, kidney biomarkers were quantified in urine and adjusted for urinary creatinine levels.Results:CAA-positive patients had increased baseline albuminuria and proteinuria and showed greater associations between kidney biomarkers. CAA levels correlated only with Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) (podocyte injury) levels. Increasing trends were observed for malondialdehyde (oxidative stress), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (inflammation marker), and VEGF. In the follow-up analysis, no relevant differences were observed in kidney biomarkers between the groups and different periods.Conclusions:S. mansoni-infected individuals presented subclinical signs of glomerular damage that may reflect podocyte injury. However, no causal effect on long-term renal function was observed after PZQ treatment. Show less
Background: The complete response rate of cervical high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (cHSIL) patients to imiquimod immunotherapy is approximately 60%. Consequently, many patients are... Show moreBackground: The complete response rate of cervical high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (cHSIL) patients to imiquimod immunotherapy is approximately 60%. Consequently, many patients are exposed to unnecessary adverse effects of imiquimod. On the other hand, conventional surgical large loop excision therapy is associated with increased risk of premature births in subsequent pregnancies. An in-depth analysis of the cHSIL immune microenvironment was performed in order to identify and develop a predictive biomarker for response to imiquimod, to maximize therapy efficacy and to avoid adverse effects in patients unlikely to respond. Methods: Biopsies of 35 cHSIL patients, before and 10 weeks on imiquimod treatment, were analyzed by two multispectral seven-color immunofluorescence panels for T cell and myeloid cell composition in relation to treatment response. Based on these results a simplified immunohistochemical detection protocol was developed. Samples were scanned with the Vectra multispectral imaging system and cells were automatically identified using machine learning. Results: The immune microenvironment of complete responders (CR) is characterized by a strong and coordinated infiltration by T helper cells (activated PD1(+)/type 1 Tbet(+)), M1-like macrophages (CD68(+)CD163(-)) and dendritic cells (CD11c(+)) prior to imiquimod. The lesions of non-responders (NRs) displayed a high infiltration by CD3(+)FOXP3(+) regulatory T cells. At 10 weeks on imiquimod, a strong influx of intraepithelial and stromal CD4(+) T cells was observed in CR but not NR patients. A steep decrease in macrophages occurred both in CR and NR patients, leveling the pre-existing differences in myeloid cell composition between the two groups. Based on the pre-existing immune composition differences, the sum of intraepithelial CD4 T cell, macrophage and dendritic cell counts was used to develop a quantitative simplified one color immunohistochemical biomarker, the CHSIL immune biomarker for imiquimod (CIBI), which can be automatically and unbiasedly quantified and has an excellent predictive capacity (receiver operating characteristic area under the curve 0.95, p<0.0001). Conclusion: The capacity of cHSIL patients to respond to imiquimod is associated with a pre-existing coordinated local immune process, fostering an imiquimod-mediated increase in local T cell infiltration. The CIBI immunohistochemical biomarker has strong potential to select cHSIL patients with a high likelihood to experience a complete response to imiquimod immunotherapy. Show less
Background and purpose Although myasthenia gravis (MG) is recognized as an immunoglobulin G autoantibody-mediated disease, the relationship between autoantibody levels and disease activity in MG is... Show moreBackground and purpose Although myasthenia gravis (MG) is recognized as an immunoglobulin G autoantibody-mediated disease, the relationship between autoantibody levels and disease activity in MG is unclear. We sought to evaluate this landscape through systematically assessing the evidence, testing the impact of predefined variables on any relationship, and augmenting with expert opinion. Methods In October 2020, a forum of leading clinicians and researchers in neurology from across Europe (Expert Forum for Rare Autoantibodies in Neurology in Myasthenia Gravis) participated in a series of virtual meetings that took place alongside the conduct of a systematic literature review (SLR). Results Forty-two studies were identified meeting inclusion criteria. Of these, 10 reported some correlation between a patient's autoantibody level and disease severity. Generally, decreased autoantibody levels (acetylcholine receptor, muscle-specific kinase, and titin) were positively and significantly correlated with improvements in disease severity (Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis score, Myasthenia Gravis Composite score, Myasthenia Gravis Activities of Daily Living score, Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America classification). Given the limited evidence, testing the impact of predefined variables was not feasible. Conclusions This first SLR to assess whether a correlation exists between autoantibody levels and disease activity in patients with MG has indicated a potential positive correlation, which could have clinical implications in guiding treatment decisions. However, in light of the limited and variable evidence, we cannot currently recommend routine clinical use of autoantibody level testing in this context. For now, patient's characteristics, clinical disease course, and laboratory data (e.g., autoantibody status, thymus histology) should inform management, alongside patient-reported outcomes. We highlight the need for future studies to reach more definitive conclusions on this relationship. Show less
BACKGROUND: The relationship between gut microbiota and in vivo coronary plaque characteristics has not been reported. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between gut... Show moreBACKGROUND: The relationship between gut microbiota and in vivo coronary plaque characteristics has not been reported. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between gut microbiota and coronary plaque characteristics in patients with coronary artery disease.METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients who underwent both optical coherence tomography and intravascular ultrasound imaging and provided stool and blood specimens were included. The composition of gut microbiota was evaluated using 16S rRNA sequencing. A total of 55 patients were included. At the genus level, 2 bacteria were associated with the presence of thin-cap fibroatheroma, and 9 bacteria were associated with smaller fibrous cap thickness. Among them, some bacteria had significant associations with inflammatory/prothrombotic biomarkers. Dysgonomonas had a positive correlation with interleukin-6, Paraprevotella had a positive correlation with fibrinogen and negative correlation with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, Succinatimonas had positive correlations with fibrinogen and homocysteine, and Bacillus had positive correlations with fibrinogen and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. In addition, Paraprevotella, Succinatimonas, and Bacillus were also associated with greater plaque volume. Ten bacteria were associated with larger fibrous cap thickness. Some were associated with protective biomarker changes; Anaerostipes had negative correlations with trimethylamine N-oxide, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and interleukin-6, and Dielma had negative correlations with trimethylamine N-oxide, white blood cells, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, and homocysteine, and a positive correlation with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.CONCLUSIONS: Bacteria that were associated with vulnerable coronary plaque phenotype and greater plaque burden were identified. These bacteria were also associated with elevated inflammatory or prothrombotic biomarkers. Show less
Ven, J.P.G. van der; Bosch, E. van den; Kamphuis, V.P.; Terol, C.; Gnanam, D.; Bogers, A.J.J.C.; ... ; Helbing, W.A. 2022
BACKGROUND: Ventricular performance is temporarily reduced following surgical atrial septa! defect closure. Cardiopulmonary bypass and changes in loading conditions are considered important factors... Show moreBACKGROUND: Ventricular performance is temporarily reduced following surgical atrial septa! defect closure. Cardiopulmonary bypass and changes in loading conditions are considered important factors, but this phenomenon is incompletely understood. We aim to characterize biventricular performance following surgical and percutaneous atrial septal defect closure and to relate biomarkers to ventricular performance following intervention.METHODS AND RESULTS: In this multicenter prospective study, children scheduled for surgical or percutaneous atrial septal defect closure were included. Subjects were assessed preoperatively, in the second week postintervention (at 2-weeks follow-up), and 1-year postintervention (1-year follow-up). At each time point, an echocardiographic study and a panel of biomarkers were obtained. Sixty-three patients (median age, 4.1 [interquartile range, 3.1-6.1] years) were included. Forty-three patients underwent surgery. At 2-weeks follow-up, right ventricular global longitudinal strain was decreased for the surgical, but not the percutaneous, group (-17.6 +/- 4.1 versus -27.1 +/- 3.4; P<0.001). A smaller decrease was noted for left ventricular global longitudinal strain at 2-weeks follow-up for the surgical group (surgical versus percutaneous, -18.6 +/- 3.2 versus -20.2 +/- 2.4; P=0.040). At 1-year follow-up, left ventricular performance returned to baseline, whereas right ventricular performance improved, but did not reach preintervention levels. Eight biomarkers relating to cardiovascular and immunological processes differed across study time points. Of these biomarkers, only NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) correlated with less favorable left ventricular global longitudinal strain at 2-weeks follow-up.CONCLUSIONS: Right, and to a lesser degree left, ventricular performance was reduced early after surgical atrial septal defect closure. Right ventricular performance at 1-year follow-up remained below baseline levels. Several biomarkers showed a pattern over time similar to ventricular performance. These biomarkers may provide insight into the processes that affect ventricular function. Show less
Stadt, L.A. van de; Kroon, F.P.B.; Thudium, C.F.; Bay-Jensen, A.C.; Kloppenburg, M. 2022
Objectives To investigate whether biomarkers are modulated by prednisolone treatment in patients with hand OA and whether they can predict response to prednisolone. Methods Biomarkers reflecting... Show moreObjectives To investigate whether biomarkers are modulated by prednisolone treatment in patients with hand OA and whether they can predict response to prednisolone. Methods Biomarkers reflecting tissue turnover and inflammation [aggrecanase-derived neoepitope of arggecan (ARGS), MMP-derived neoepitope of type I collagen (C1M), MMP-derived neoepitope of type III collagen (C3M), marker of true type V collagen formation (PROC5), MMP-derived neoepitope of CRP (CRPM), citrullinated vimentin fragment (VICM), high-sensitivity (hsCRP)] were measured in sera from 78 patients with painful inflammatory hand OA, who were randomized between prednisolone or placebo treatment. Association of baseline biomarker levels with disease characteristics [visual analogue scale (VAS) pain, synovial thickening ultrasonography sum score and erosive OA] and OMERACT-Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) response after 6 weeks were analysed with linear or logistic regression and adjusted for age, BMI and sex. Change in biomarker levels after 6 weeks was assessed with linear regression adjusted for baseline biomarker levels, age, BMI and sex. Results For all patients (mean age 64 years, 79% female), there were no associations between biomarker levels and VAS finger pain or synovial thickening score at baseline. Patients with erosive hand OA had higher levels of C1M and hsCRP [adjusted geometric mean ratio 1.24 (95% CI 1.03, 1.49) and 1.91 (1.19, 3.06), respectively]. Biomarker levels did not decrease over time. There was no association between baseline biomarkers levels and OARSI response, except for CRPM [geometric mean ratio of 0.88 (0.77, 1.00)]. Conclusion Erosive disease was associated with higher levels of C1M and hsCRP. Biomarker levels were not influenced by treatment with prednisolone. Current biomarkers were not associated with response to prednisolone in hand OA. Show less
Background: Plasma biomarkers may aid in the detection of anthracycline-related cardiomyopathy (ACMP). However, the currently available biomarkers have limited diagnostic value in long-term... Show moreBackground: Plasma biomarkers may aid in the detection of anthracycline-related cardiomyopathy (ACMP). However, the currently available biomarkers have limited diagnostic value in long-term childhood cancer survivors. This study sought to identify diagnostic plasma biomarkers for ACMP in childhood cancer survivors. Methods and Results: We measured 275 plasma proteins in 28 ACMP cases with left ventricular ejection fraction <45%, 29 anthracycline-treated controls with left ventricular ejection fraction >= 53% matched on sex, time after cancer, and anthracycline dose, and 29 patients with genetically determined dilated cardiomyopathy with left ventricular ejection fraction <45%. Multivariable linear regression was used to identify differentially expressed proteins. Elastic net model, including clinical characteristics, was used to assess discrimination of proteins diagnostic for ACMP. NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) and the inflammatory markers CCL19 (C-C motif chemokine ligands 19) and CCL20, PSPD (pulmonary surfactant protein-D), and PTN (pleiotrophin) were significantly upregulated in ACMP compared with controls. An elastic net model selected 45 proteins, including NT-proBNP, CCL19, CCL20 and PSPD, but not PTN, that discriminated ACMP cases from controls with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.78. This model was not superior to a model including NT-proBNP and clinical characteristics (AUC=0.75; P=0.766). However, when excluding 8 ACMP cases with heart failure, the full model was superior to that including only NT-proBNP and clinical characteristics (AUC=0.75 versus AUC=0.50; P=0.022). The same 45 proteins also showed good discrimination between dilated cardiomyopathy and controls (AUC=0.89), underscoring their association with cardiomyopathy. Conclusions: We identified 3 specific inflammatory proteins as candidate plasma biomarkers for ACMP in long-term childhood cancer survivors and demonstrated protein overlap with dilated cardiomyopathy. Show less
Background Colorectal cancer patients have an increased risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE), resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. Because the exact mechanism is yet unknown,... Show moreBackground Colorectal cancer patients have an increased risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE), resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. Because the exact mechanism is yet unknown, risk prediction is still challenging; therefore, new biomarkers are needed. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, relatively stable RNAs, that regulate a variety of cellular processes, and are easily measured in body fluids. Objective The aim of this study was to identify novel tumor-expressed miRNAs associated with VTE. Methods In a cohort of 418 colorectal cancer patients diagnosed between 2001 and 2015 at the Leiden University Medical Center, 23 patients (5.5%) developed VTE 1 year before or after cancer diagnosis. Based on availability of frozen tumor material, tumor cells of 17 patients with VTE and 18 patients without VTE were isolated using laser capture microdissection and subsequently analyzed on the Illumina sequencing platform NovaSeq600 using 150-bp paired-end sequencing. Cases and controls were matched on age, sex, tumor stage, and grade. Differential miRNA expression was analyzed using edgeR. Results A total of 547 miRNAs were detected. Applying a 1.5-fold difference and false discovery rate of <0.1, 19 tumor-miRNAs were differentially regulated in VTE cases versus controls, with hsa-miR-3652, hsa-miR-92b-5p, and hsa-miR-10,394-5p as most significantly downregulated. Seven of the 19 identified miRNAs were predicted to regulate the gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor pathway. Conclusion We identified 19 differentially regulated tumor-expressed miRNAs in colorectal cancer-associated VTE, which may provide insights into the biological mechanism and in the future might have potential to serve as novel, predictive biomarkers. Show less
Bovine tuberculosis (bTB), caused by Mycobacterium bovis, is a globally prevalent infectious disease with significant animal welfare and economic impact. Difficulties in implementing test-and... Show moreBovine tuberculosis (bTB), caused by Mycobacterium bovis, is a globally prevalent infectious disease with significant animal welfare and economic impact. Difficulties in implementing test-and-slaughter measures in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and the underperformance of the current diagnostics establish a clear need to develop improved diagnostics. Adaptive immunity biomarkers other than IFN gamma could be useful as suggested by various gene expression studies; however, a comprehensive assessment at the protein level is lacking. Here, we screened a range of chemokines and cytokines for their potential as biomarkers in samples from M. bovis experimentally challenged or naive animals. Although serum concentrations for most proteins were low, the pro-inflammatory markers, IL-2, CXCL-9, IP-10 and CCL4, in addition to IFN gamma, were found to be significantly elevated in bovine tuberculin (PPDb)-stimulated whole blood supernatants. Further assessment of these molecules in BCG-vaccinated with or without subsequent M. bovis challenge or naive animals revealed that PPDb-specific IL-2 and IP-10, in addition to IFN gamma, could discriminate naive and BCG-vaccinated from M. bovis challenged animals. Moreover, these proteins, along with CCL4, showed DIVA potential, i.e., enabling differentiation of M. bovis-infected animals from BCG-vaccinated animals. Combined analysis of cytokines and chemokines could also accurately identify M. bovis infection with strong correlations observed between PPDb-specific IFN gamma, IL-2 and IP-10 levels. This provides proof of concept for utilizing multiple biomarker signatures for discrimination of animals with respect to M. bovis infection or BCG vaccination status. Show less
Stroes, C.I.; Schokker, S.; Khurshed, M.; Woude, S.O. van der; Mathot, R.A.A.; Slingerland, M.; ... ; Laarhoven, H.W.M. van 2022
Purpose: Regorafenib monotherapy, a multikinase inhibitor of angiogenesis, tumor microenvironment, and tumorigenesis, showed promising results in gastric cancer. We aimed to assess the tolerability... Show morePurpose: Regorafenib monotherapy, a multikinase inhibitor of angiogenesis, tumor microenvironment, and tumorigenesis, showed promising results in gastric cancer. We aimed to assess the tolerability of regorafenib and paclitaxel in patients with advanced esophagogastric cancer (EGC) refractory to first-line treatment, and explore potential biomarkers. Methods: Patients received paclitaxel (80 mg/m(2)) on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle and regorafenib (80/120/160 mg) on days 1-21 in the dose-escalation cohort, and the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) in the dose-expansion cohort. Exploratory, overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were compared to a propensity-score matched cohort receiving standard second-/third-line systemic treatment. Paclitaxel pharmacokinetics were assessed using samples from day 1 (D1) and day 15 (D15). We performed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay measurements of galectin-1, RNA sequencing, and shallow whole-genome sequencing of metastatic tumor biopsies for biomarker analyses. Results: In the dose-escalation cohort (n = 14), the MTD of regorafenib was 120 mg. In all, 34 patients were enrolled in the dose-expansion cohort. Most common toxicities (all grades; grade >= 3) were fatigue (79%; 4%) and sensory neuropathy (63%; 4%). Best responses achieved were partial response (28%) and stable disease (54%). Median OS and PFS were 7.8 and 4.2 months, respectively (median follow-up: 7.8 months). OS (p = 0.08) and PFS (p = 0.81) were not significantly improved compared to the matched cohort. Paclitaxel concentrations were significantly increased with regorafenib (D15) compared with paclitaxel only (D1; p < 0.05); no associations were observed with toxicity or efficacy. An increase in circulating galectin-1 compared to baseline was associated with shorter OS (p < 0.01). Enrichment of angiogenesis-related gene expression was observed in short survivors measured by RNA sequencing. Chromosome 19q13.12-q13.2 amplification was associated with shorter OS (p = 0.02) and PFS (p = 0.02). Conclusion: Treatment with regorafenib and paclitaxel is tolerable and shows promising efficacy in advanced EGC refractory to first-line treatment. Galectin-1 and chromosome 19q13.12-q13.2 amplification could serve as negative predictive biomarkers for treatment response. Show less
The role of pathology in patient management has evolved over time from the retrospective review of cells, tissue, and disease ('what happened') to a prospective outlook ('what will happen').... Show moreThe role of pathology in patient management has evolved over time from the retrospective review of cells, tissue, and disease ('what happened') to a prospective outlook ('what will happen'). Examination of a static, two-dimensional hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained tissue slide has traditionally been the pathologist's primary task, but novel ancillary techniques enabled by technological breakthroughs have supported pathologists in their increasing ability to predict disease status and behaviour. Nevertheless, the informational limits of 2D, fixed tissue are now being reached and technological innovation is urgently needed to ensure that our understanding of disease entities continues to support improved individualized treatment options. Here we review pioneering work currently underway in the field of cancer pathology that has the potential to capture information beyond the current basic snapshot. A selection of exciting new technologies is discussed that promise to facilitate integration of the functional and multidimensional (space and time) information needed to optimize the prognostic and predictive value of cancer pathology. Learning how to analyse, interpret, and apply the wealth of data acquired by these new approaches will challenge the knowledge and skills of the pathology community. (c) 2022 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Show less
Objectives. The IMI-APPROACH knee osteoarthritis study used machine learning (ML) to predict structural and/or pain progression, expressed by a structural (S) and pain (P) predicted-progression... Show moreObjectives. The IMI-APPROACH knee osteoarthritis study used machine learning (ML) to predict structural and/or pain progression, expressed by a structural (S) and pain (P) predicted-progression score, to select patients from existing cohorts. This study evaluates the actual 2-year progression within the IMI-APPROACH, in relation to the predicted-progression scores.Methods. Actual structural progression was measured using minimum joint space width (minJSW). Actual pain (progression) was evaluated using the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcomes Score (KOOS) pain questionnaire. Progression was presented as actual change (Delta) after 2 years, and as progression over 2 years based on a per patient fitted regression line using 0, 0.5, 1 and 2-year values. Differences in predicted-progression scores between actual progressors and non-progressors were evaluated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed and corresponding area under the curve (AUC) reported. Using Youden's index, optimal cut-offs were chosen to enable evaluation of both predicted-progression scores to identify actual progressors.Results. Actual structural progressors were initially assigned higher S predicted-progression scores compared with structural non-progressors. Likewise, actual pain progressors were assigned higher P predicted-progression scores compared with pain non-progressors. The AUC-ROC for the S predicted-progression score to identify actual structural progressors was poor (0.612 and 0.599 for Delta and regression minJSW, respectively). The AUC-ROC for the P predicted-progression score to identify actual pain progressors were good (0.817 and 0.830 for Delta and regression KOOS pain, respectively).Conclusion. The S and P predicted-progression scores as provided by the ML models developed and used for the selection of IMI-APPROACH patients were to some degree able to distinguish between actual progressors and non-progressors. Show less
Objective:To perform a scoping review of imaging-based machine-learning models to predict clinical outcomes and identify biomarkers in patients with PDAC.Summary of Background Data:Patients with... Show moreObjective:To perform a scoping review of imaging-based machine-learning models to predict clinical outcomes and identify biomarkers in patients with PDAC.Summary of Background Data:Patients with PDAC could benefit from better selection for systemic and surgical therapy. Imaging-based machine-learning models may improve treatment selection.Methods:A scoping review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses-scoping review guidelines in the PubMed and Embase databases (inception-October 2020). The review protocol was prospectively registered (open science framework registration: m4cyx). Included were studies on imaging-based machine-learning models for predicting clinical outcomes and identifying biomarkers for PDAC. The primary outcome was model performance. An area under the curve (AUC) of >= 0.75, or a P-value of <= 0.05, was considered adequate model performance. Methodological study quality was assessed using the modified radiomics quality score.Results:After screening 1619 studies, 25 studies with 2305 patients fulfilled the eligibility criteria. All but 1 study was published in 2019 and 2020. Overall, 23/25 studies created models using radiomics features, 1 study quantified vascular invasion on computed tomography, and one used histopathological data. Nine models predicted clinical outcomes with AUC measures of 0.78-0.95, and C-indices of 0.65-0.76. Seventeen models identified biomarkers with AUC measures of 0.68-0.95. Adequate model performance was reported in 23/25 studies. The methodological quality of the included studies was suboptimal, with a median modified radiomics quality score score of 7/36.Conclusions:The use of imaging-based machine-learning models to predict clinical outcomes and identify biomarkers in patients with PDAC is increasingly rapidly. Although these models mostly have good performance scores, their methodological quality should be improved. Show less
