A New Method to Detect Directly in Culture Cell Surface Membrane Immunoglobulins

Abstract

An ELISA assay is described for the measurement of the smIgG. The method is based on the detection of cell-smIgG directly on the same microplate used for the culture. The cells, preincubated at 37°C for one hour, were cultured in the presence of S-ConA and serum-free medium for two days. Using this strategy, the background noise due to non specific adsorbtion of IgG to plastic wells and cytophilic antibodies was eliminated. The cells in the presence of S-ConA and serum-free medium adhered to the plastic wells, and the cell-smIgG were detected using an anti-human IgG covalently linked to alkaline phosphatase or its F(ab')₂ fragment. The possibility of measuring the modulation of the expression of the cell-smIgG without any additional manipulation is stressed.     

Rituximab or Cyclophosphamide in the Treatment of Membranous Nephropathy: The RI-CYCLO Randomized Trial

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Preliminary Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of Standard Intravenous Immunoglobulins in Pregnant Women with Primary Cytomegalovirus Infection

Hyperimmune globulins were reported to prevent and treat fetal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection during pregnancy. Here, we report that infusions of standard human intravenous immunoglobulin significantly increase CMV IgG titers and avidity indexes in pregnant women, paving the way to their use for passive transfer of maternal CMV humoral immunity to fetuses. Preliminary data on perinatal outcomes of the first 67 newborns are encouraging.     

Comments on potential efficacy of monthly administrations of spot-on moxidectin 2.5 %/imidacloprid 10 % in the simultaneous prevention of major canine filarioses

Information on the efficacy of pharmaceutical protocols for the prevention of the major canine filarioses (i.e., Dirofilaria immitis, Dirofilaria repens, and Acanthocheilonema reconditum) under natural conditions is scant. Chemoprophylaxis for canine filarioses under field conditions deserves to be studied more fully and information about vector biology, ecology, and seasonality has to be well appreciated to correctly set control protocols. It is advisable that researchers planning field trials to assess the efficacy of any product for the prevention of canine vector-borne diseases should consider different eco-epidemiological aspects of diseases, including their dynamics of transmission, which are driven by complex interactions between animals, pathogens, and vectors.     

The use of personalized biomarkers and liquid biopsies to monitor treatment response and disease recurrence in locally advanced rectal cancer after neoadjuvant chemoradiation

Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) followed by surgery is the mainstay treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer. Variable degrees of tumor regression are observed after nCRT and alternative treatment strategies, including close surveillance without immediate surgery, have been investigated to spare patients with complete tumor regression from potentially adverse outcomes of radical surgery. However, clinical and radiological assessment of response does not allow accurate identification of patients with complete response. In addition, surveillance for recurrence is similarly important for these patients, as early detection of recurrence allows salvage resections and adjuvant interventions. We report the use of liquid biopsies and personalized biomarkers for monitoring treatment response to nCRT and detecting residual disease and recurrence in patients with rectal cancer. We sequenced the whole-genome of four rectal tumors to identify patient-specific chromosomal rearrangements that were used to monitor circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in liquid biopsies collected at diagnosis and during nCRT and follow-up. We compared ctDNA levels to clinical, radiological and pathological response to nCRT. Our results indicate that personalized biomarkers and liquid biopsies may not be sensitive for the detection of microscopic residual disease. However, it can be efficiently used to monitor treatment response to nCRT and detect disease recurrence, preceding increases in CEA levels and radiological diagnosis. Similar good results were observed when assessing tumor response to systemic therapy and disease progression. Our study supports the use of personalized biomarkers and liquid biopsies to tailor the management of rectal cancer patients, however, replication in a larger cohort is necessary to introduce this strategy into clinical practice.