Systematic Review on Tumor Microenvironment in Glial Neoplasm: From Understanding Pathogenesis to Future Therapeutic Perspectives

Despite the multidisciplinary management in the treatment of glioblastomas, the average survival of GBM patients is still 15 months. In recent years, molecular biomarkers have gained more and more importance both in the diagnosis and therapy of glial tumors. At the same time, it has become clear that non neoplastic cells, which constitute about 30% of glioma mass, dramatically influence tumor growth, spread, and recurrence. This is the main reason why, in recent years, scientific research has been focused on understanding the function and the composition of tumor microenvironment and its role in gliomagenesis and recurrence. The aim of this review is to summarize the most recent discovery about resident microglia, tumor-associated macrophages, lymphocytes, and the role of extracellular vesicles and their bijective interaction with glioma cells. Moreover, we reported the most recent updates about new therapeutic strategies targeting immune system receptors and soluble factors. Understanding how glioma cells interact with non-neoplastic cells in tumor microenvironment is an essential step to comprehend mechanisms at the base of disease progression and to find new therapeutic strategies for GBM patients. However, no significant results have yet been obtained in studies targeting single molecules/pathways; considering the complex microenvironment, it is likely that only by using multiple therapeutic agents acting on multiple molecular targets can significant results be achieved.     

Pep19 Has a Positive Effect on Insulin Sensitivity and Ameliorates Both Hepatic and Adipose Tissue Phenotype of Diet-Induced Obese Mice

Peptide DIIADDEPLT (Pep19) has been previously suggested to improve metabolic parameters, without adverse central nervous system effects, in a murine model of diet-induced obesity. Here, we aimed to further evaluate whether Pep19 oral administration has anti-obesogenic effects, in a well-established high-fat diet-induced obesity model. Male Swiss mice, fed either a standard diet (SD) or high-fat diet (HFD), were orally administrated for 30 consecutive days, once a day, with saline vehicle or Pep19 (1 mg/kg). Next, several metabolic, morphological, and behavioral parameters were evaluated. Oral administration of Pep19 attenuated HFD body-weight gain, reduced in approximately 40% the absolute mass of the endocrine pancreas, and improved the relationship between circulating insulin and peripheral insulin sensitivity. Pep19 treatment of HFD-fed mice attenuated liver inflammation, hepatic fat distribution and accumulation, and lowered plasma alanine aminotransferase activity. The inguinal fat depot from the SD group treated with Pep19 showed multilocular brown-fat-like cells and increased mRNA expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), suggesting browning on inguinal white adipose cells. Morphological analysis of brown adipose tissue (BAT) from HFD mice showed the presence of larger white-like unilocular cells, compared to BAT from SD, Pep19-treated SD or HFD mice. Pep19 treatment produced no alterations in mice behavior. Oral administration of Pep19 ameliorates some metabolic traits altered by diet-induced obesity in a Swiss mice model.     

Cloaking a receiving antenna or a sensor with plasmonic metamaterials

In this contribution, we discuss the possibility of applying the scattering-cancellation-based plasmonic cloaking technique to reduce the scattering from a sensing device, lowering its disturbance on sensing without affecting its ability to measure and “sense” the external world. The plasmonic cloak, while allowing the external fields to penetrate into the cover, may be able to suppress the scattering without necessarily shielding its interiors from the impinging light, which may be of great use if we wish to “sense” the external world, or receive an external signal, from inside the cloak. Our results may provide a unique sensing system that may receive and transmit signals, while its presence may not be perceived by the surrounding. This may be of great importance in a wide range of biological, optical, physical and engineering applications.     

In Vivo Metabolic Responses to Different Formulations of Amino Acid Mixtures for the Treatment of Phenylketonuria (PKU)

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a rare autosomal recessive inborn error of metabolism where the mainstay of treatment is a Phe restricted diet consisting of a combination of limited amounts of natural protein with supplementation of Phe-free or low-Phe protein substitutes and special low protein foods. Suboptimal outcomes may be related to the different absorption kinetics of free AAs, which have lower biological efficacy than natural proteins. Physiomimic Technology^TM is a technology engineered to prolong AA (AA-PT) release allowing physiological absorption and masking the odor and taste of free AAs. The aim of these studies was to assess the impact of AA-PT formulation on selected functional and metabolic parameters both in acute and long-term experimental studies. Adult rats in fasting conditions were randomized in different groups and treated by oral gavage. Acute AA-PT administration resulted in significantly lower BUN at 90 min versus baseline. Both BUN and glycemia were modulated in the same direction as intact casein protein. Long-term treatment with AA-PT significantly reduces the protein expression of the muscle degradation marker Bnip3L (−46%) while significantly increasing the proliferation of market myostatin (+58%). Animals dosed for 15 days with AA-PT had significantly stronger grip strength (+30%) versus baseline. In conclusion, the results suggest that the AA-PT formulation may have beneficial effects on both AA oxidation and catabolism with a direct impact on muscle as well as on other metabolic pathways.     

Biological Effects of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitors Ribociclib,Palbociclib and Abemaciclib on Breast Cancer Bone Microenvironment

The CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDKi) palbociclib, ribociclib, and abemaciclib are currently approved in combination with anti-estrogen therapy for the treatment of advanced and/or metastatic hormone receptor-positive/HER2-neu-negative breast cancer patients. Given the high incidence of bone metastases in this population, we investigated and compared the potential effects of palbociclib, ribociclib, and abemaciclib on the breast cancer bone microenvironment. Primary osteoclasts (OCs) and osteoblasts (OBs) were obtained from human monocyte and mesenchymal stem cells, respectively. OC function was evaluated by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase assay and real-time PCR; OB activity was assessed by an alizarin red assay. OB/breast cancer co-culture models were generated via the seeding of MCF-7 cells on a layer of OBs, and tumor cell proliferation was analyzed using flow cytometry. Here, we showed that ribociclib, palbociclib, and abemaciclib exerted similar inhibitory effects on the OC differentiation and expression of bone resorption markers without affecting OC viability. On the other hand, the three CDKi did not affect the ability of OB to produce bone matrix, even if the higher doses of palbociclib and abemaciclib reduced the OB viability. In OB/MCF-7 co-culture models, palbociclib demonstrated a lower anti-tumor effect than ribociclib and abemaciclib. Overall, our results revealed the direct effects of CDKi on the tumor bone microenvironment, highlighting differences potentially relevant for clinical practice.     

Porcine Small Intestinal Submucosa (SIS) as a Suitable Scaffold for the Creation of a Tissue-Engineered Urinary Conduit: Decellularization,Biomechanical and Biocompatibility Characterization Using New Approaches

Bladder cancer (BC) is among the most common malignancies in the world and a relevant cause of cancer mortality. BC is one of the most frequent causes for bladder removal through radical cystectomy, the gold-standard treatment for localized muscle-invasive and some cases of high-risk, non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. In order to restore urinary functionality, an autologous intestinal segment has to be used to create a urinary diversion. However, several complications are associated with bowel-tract removal, affecting patients’ quality of life. The present study project aims to develop a bio-engineered material to simplify this surgical procedure, avoiding related surgical complications and improving patients’ quality of life. The main novelty of such a therapeutic approach is the decellularization of a porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS) conduit to replace the autologous intestinal segment currently used as urinary diversion after radical cystectomy, while avoiding an immune rejection. Here, we performed a preliminary evaluation of this acellular product by developing a novel decellularization process based on an environmentally friendly, mild detergent, i.e., Tergitol, to replace the recently declared toxic Triton X-100. Treatment efficacy was evaluated through histology, DNA, hydroxyproline and elastin quantification, mechanical and insufflation tests, two-photon microscopy, FTIR analysis, and cytocompatibility tests. The optimized decellularization protocol is effective in removing cells, including DNA content, from the porcine SIS, while preserving the integrity of the extracellular matrix despite an increase in stiffness. An effective sterilization protocol was found, and cytocompatibility of treated SIS was demonstrated from day 1 to day 7, during which human fibroblasts were able to increase in number and strongly organize along tissue fibres. Taken together, this in vitro study suggests that SIS is a suitable candidate for use in urinary diversions in place of autologous intestinal segments, considering the optimal results of decellularization and cell proliferation. Further efforts should be undertaken in order to improve SIS conduit patency and impermeability to realize a future viable substitute.     

The Expression of Active CD11b Monocytes in Blood and Disease Progression in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Monocytes expressing the inflammation suppressing active CD11b, a beta2 integrin, may regulate neuroinflammation and modify clinical outcomes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In this single site, retrospective study, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 38 individuals living with ALS and 20 non-neurological controls (NNC) were investigated using flow cytometry to study active CD11b integrin classical (CM), intermediate (IM) and non-classical (NCM) monocytes during ALS progression. Seventeen ALS participants were sampled at the baseline (V1) and at two additional time points (V2 and V3) for longitudinal analysis. Active CD11b+ CM frequencies increased steeply between the baseline and V3 (ANOVA repeated measurement, p < 0.001), and the V2/V1 ratio negatively correlated with the disease progression rate, similar to higher frequencies of active CD11b+ NCM at the baseline (R = −0.6567; p = 0.0031 and R = 0.3862; p = 0.0168, respectively). CD11b NCM, clinical covariates and neurofilament light-chain plasma concentration at the baseline predicted shorter survival in a multivariable and univariate analysis (CD11b NCM—HR: 1.05, CI: 1.01–1.11, p = 0.013. Log rank: above median: 43 months and below median: 21.22 months; p = 0.0022). Blood samples with the highest frequencies of active CD11b+ IM and NCM contained the lowest concentrations of soluble CD11b. Our preliminary data suggest that the levels of active CD11b+ monocytes and NCM in the blood predict different clinical outcomes in ALS.     

The Impact of Sub-Millisecond Damage Fixation Kinetics on the In Vitro Sparing Effect at Ultra-High Dose Rate in UNIVERSE

The impact of the exact temporal pulse structure on the potential cell and tissue sparing of ultra-high dose-rate irradiation applied in FLASH studies has gained increasing attention. A previous version of our biophysical mechanistic model (UNIVERSE: UNIfied and VERSatile bio response Engine), based on the oxygen depletion hypothesis, has been extended in this work by considering oxygen-dependent damage fixation dynamics on the sub-milliseconds scale and introducing an explicit implementation of the temporal pulse structure. The model successfully reproduces in vitro experimental data on the fast kinetics of the oxygen effect in irradiated mammalian cells. The implemented changes result in a reduction in the assumed amount of oxygen depletion. Furthermore, its increase towards conventional dose-rates is parameterized based on experimental data from the literature. A recalculation of previous benchmarks shows that the model retains its predictive power, while the assumed amount of depleted oxygen approaches measured values. The updated UNIVERSE could be used to investigate the impact of different combinations of pulse structure parameters (e.g., dose per pulse, pulse frequency, number of pulses, etc.), thereby aiding the optimization of potential clinical application and the development of suitable accelerators.     

Upgrading the data acquisition and control systems of the European Breeding Blanket Test Facility

The EBBTF (European Breeding Blanket Test Facility) experimental plant is a key component for the development of the breeding blankets (TBMs test blanket modules, HCLL helium cooled lithium lead and HCPB helium cooled pebble bed types) used by ITER. EBBTF is an experimental plant which provides the double breeding/cooling loops (liquid metal and gas) required for HCLL testing. EBBTF is composed of four subsystems (TBM, IELLLO integrated European lead lithium loop, HE-FUS3 helium fusion loop, version 3 and helium compressor build by ATEKO) with dedicated control systems realized with hardware/software combinations covering 15 years (1995–2010) time span. At the end of 2010 we began to upgrade the HE-FUS3 data acquisition control systems (DACS) replacing the obsolete PLC Siemens S5 with National Instruments Compact FieldPoint and LabVIEW. The control room has been completely reorganized using high resolution monitors and workstations linked with standard Ethernet interfaces. The data acquisition, control, safety and SCADA software has been completely developed in ENEA using LabVIEW. In this paper we are going to discuss the technical difficulties and the solutions that we have used to accomplish the upgrade.