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Isabelle Salmon

Publications and source records attributed to Isabelle Salmon.

45 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Interleukin-3 and interferon beta cooperate to induce differentiation of monocytes into dendritic cells with potent helper T-cell stimulatory properties.

It was observed that interferon beta (IFN-beta) prevents the down-regulation of the interleukin-3 receptor alpha chain (IL-3Ralpha), which spontaneously occurs during culture of human monocytes. The functionality of IL-3R was demonstrated by the fact that IL-3 rescued IFN-beta-treated monocytes from apoptosis. Monocytes cultured in the presence of IFN-beta and IL-3 acquire a dendritic morphology and express high levels of HLA antigen class I and class II and costimulatory molecules. When stimulated by either lipopolysaccharide or fibroblasts expressing CD40 ligand (CD40L) transfectants, dendritic cells (DCs) generated in IFN-beta and IL-3 secreted high levels of IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha but low levels of IL-12 in comparison with DCs generated in IL-4 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). In mixed leukocyte culture, IL-3-IFN-beta DCs induced a vigorous proliferative response of allogeneic cord blood T cells and elicited the production of high levels of IFN-gamma and IL-5 by naive adult CD4+ T cells. Finally, IL-3-IFN-beta DCs were found to produce much higher levels of IFN-alpha than IL-4-GM-CSF DCs in response to Poly (I:C) but not to influenza virus. It was concluded that monocytes cultured in the presence of IL-3 and IFN-beta differentiate into DCs with potent helper T-cell stimulatory capacity despite their low secretion of IL-12.

Adult↗

Galectin-1 modulates human glioblastoma cell migration into the brain through modifications to the actin cytoskeleton and levels of expression of small GTPases.

We show that high-grade astrocytic tumors with high levels of galectin-1 expression are associated with dismal prognoses. The immunohistochemical analysis of galectin-1 expression of human U87 and U373 glioblastoma xenografts from the brains of nude mice revealed a higher level of galectin-1 expression in invasive areas rather than non-invasive areas of the xenografts. Nude mice intracranially grafted with U87 or U373 cells constitutively expressing low levels of galectin-1 (by stable transfection of an expression vector containing the antisense mRNA of galectin-1) had longer survival periods than those grafted with U87 or U373 cells expressing normal levels of galectin-1. Galectin-1 added to the culture media markedly and specifically increased cell motility levels in human neoplastic astrocytes. These effects are related to marked modifications in the organization of the actin cytoskeleton and the increase in small GTPase RhoA expression. All the data obtained indicate that galectin-1 enhances the migratory capabilities of tumor astrocytes and, therefore, their biological aggressiveness.

Actin Cytoskeleton↗

Gastrin significantly modifies the migratory abilities of experimental glioma cells.

Malignant astrocytic tumors are characterized by the pronounced and diffuse migration of tumor astrocytes into the brain parenchyma. The present study shows that gastrin is a brain neuropeptide that is able to significantly modulate astrocytic tumor migration at both invasion and motility levels. In the matter of invasion, gastrin severely reduces the in vitro invasive abilities of C6 rat glioma, 9L rat gliosarcoma, and U373 human glioma cells in a collagen matrix. In vitro, gastrin also markedly modifies the motility features in both C6 and U373 cells, at least partly through a decrease in the expression of the RhoA small GTPase, and so brings about some dramatic modifications to the organization in the actin cytoskeleton. The in vitro preincubation of C6 tumor cells with gastrin significantly increases the life spans of rats stereotactically implanted with these cells as compared with the survival periods of rats implanted with gastrin-untreated C6 cells. As suggested by our in vitro experiments, these effects, observed in vivo cannot relate to only the gastrin-induced decrease in tumor astrocyte migratory abilities. Indeed, gastrin also induces immunomodulatory effects, because we observed a marked gastrin-induced recruitment of lymphocytes into C6 gliomas and 9L gliosarcomas. These data all suggest that gastrin can act as an endogenous modulator of glioma progression.

Animals↗

Changes in galectin-7 and cytokeratin-19 expression during the progression of malignancy in thyroid tumors: diagnostic and biological implications.

Galectin-7 is associated with p53-dependent onset of apoptosis and proliferation control/differentiation in keratinocyte development. It is also up-regulated in chemically induced rat mammary carcinogenesis. Because the levels of expression of galectin-7 have never been investigated in thyroid tumors (in contrast to those of galectin-1 and -3 associated with malignancy), we initiated analysis of the expression of galectin-7 in benign and malignant thyroid lesions together with that of cytokeratin-19 (CK19), a marker already demonstrated to be useful in diagnosing this kind of lesion. The immunohistochemical expression levels were quantitatively determined by means of computer-assisted microscopy on a series of 84 thyroid lesions including 10 multinodular goiters, 32 adenomas, and 42 carcinomas. Our data clearly indicate a marked down-regulation of galectin-7 expression in a large proportion of adenomas (including the normomacrofollicular, microfollicular, and trabecular variants) if compared with carcinomas. In accordance with results of previous studies, a marked up-regulation of CK19 expression was observed in the thyroid carcinomas, and this contrasted in particular with the low CK19 expression observed in the microfollicular adenomas. Of importance for diagnostic implications, the combination of these two markers enabled our series of microfollicular adenomas (characterized by low galectin-7 and CK19 expression) to be efficiently distinguished from the encapsulated follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinomas (high galectin-7 and CK19 expression).

Adenoma↗

Expression of members of the calcium-binding S-100 protein family in a rat model of cerebral basilar artery vasospasm.

OBJECT: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of S-100 proteins in the onset of vasospasm induced by subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), which leads to severe neurological morbidity and death. It has recently been argued that modifications in the levels of expression of some intracellular signaling elements controlling the organization of the actin cytoskeleton (including the rho A small guanosine triphosphatase and its related kinases) play significant roles in the induction of smooth-muscle cell contraction, a calcium-dependent process that is pathognomonic of SAH-induced vasospasm at the molecular level. Several members of the calcium-binding S-100 protein family are known to exercise significant control over the organization of the actin cytoskeleton. METHODS: The levels of expression of S-100 proteins in SAH-induced vasospasm have never been investigated. The authors therefore used a double-hemorrhage rat model of SAH-induced vasospasm to determine whether the levels of expression of S-100B, S-100A1, S-100A2, S-100A4, and S-100A6 proteins on immunohistochemical studies were significantly modified in this pathological condition. Quantitative determination of immunohistochemically confirmed expression of S-100 proteins (accomplished with the aid of computer-assisted microscopy) revealed that SAH-induced vasospasm is accompanied by a very significant increase in S-100B, S-100A2, and, to a lesser extent, in S-100A4 and S-100A6 expression, whereas this condition is not accompanied by significant modifications to S-100A1 expression. CONCLUSIONS: Such significant modifications in the levels of expression of different members of the S-100 protein family in SAH-induced vasospasm could relate to the various roles played by this specific class of calcium-binding proteins at the level of actin cytoskeleton organization. These modifications in S-100 protein expression seem relatively specific to SAH-induced vasospasm, because heparin-induced epilepsy-like symptoms were accompanied by dramatically distinct profiles of S-100 protein expression.

Animals↗

Radiosurgery for residual or recurrent nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma.

OBJECT: Nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas comprise approximately 30% of all pituitary tumors. The purpose of this retrospective study is to evaluate the efficacy and role of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) in the management of residual or recurrent nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas. METHODS: A review was conducted of the data obtained in 42 patients who underwent adjuvant GKS at the University of Pittsburgh between 1987 and 2001. Prior treatments included transsphenoidal resection, craniotomy and resection, or conventional radiotherapy. Endocrinological, ophthalmological, and radiological responses were evaluated. The duration of follow-up review varied from 6 to 102 months (mean 31.2 months). Fifteen patients were observed for more than 40 months. The mean radiation dose to the tumor margin was 16 Gy. Conformal radiosurgery planning was used to restrict the dose to the optic nerve and chiasm. Tumor control after GKS was achieved in 100% of patients with microadenomas and 97% of patients with macroadenomas. Gamma knife radiosurgery was equally effective in controlling adenomas with cavernous sinus invasion and suprasellar extension. No patient developed a new endocrinological deficiency following GKS. One patient's tumor enlarged with an associated decline in visual function. Another patient experienced a deterioration of visual fields despite a decrease in tumor size. CONCLUSIONS: Gamma knife radiosurgery can achieve tumor control in virtually all residual or recurrent nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas. Dose sparing facilitates tumor management even when the adenoma is close to the optic apparatus or invades the cavernous sinus.

Adenoma↗

Computer-Assisted Microscope Analysis of Feulgen-Stained Nuclei in Gonadotroph Adenomas and Null-Cell Adenomas of the Pituitary Gland.

The current classification of clinically nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas is based on immunocytochemical and ultrastructural studies. However, a number of cases have less distinctive features that cannot be easily conformed with the prevailing morphologic classifications. The diagnostic information contributed by the determination of the nuclear DNA content (DNA ploidy level) and quantitative chromatic pattern description as opposed to the morphofunctional diagnosis in clinically nonfunctioning adenomas was consequently investigated in a series of 71 pituitary adenomas, including 31 null-cell adenomas, 35 gonadotropin adenomas, and 5 nonfunctioning adenomas that were not examined by electron microscopy. DNA ploidy level (8 variables) and quantitative chromatin pattern description (30 variables) were carried out by means of the computer-assisted microscope analysis of 80-1600 Feulgen-stained nuclei analyzed/case. The diagnostic information contributed by the 38 quantitative variables was determined by multifactorial statistical analysis (i.e., Discriminant Analysis). This computer-assisted classification significantly differentiated nulLcell adenomas from gonadotropin adenomas (p = 0.0025). In addition, it was able to differentiate three major subtypes of nonfunctioning adenomas on the basis of their immunohistochemical profiles. These were the immunonegative adenomas, the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-positive adenomas, and the a-subunit (a) and/or luteiwizing hormone (LH)-positive adenomas (p < 0.0001 to p < 0.001). We thus suggest that the cytometric image analysis of Feulgen-stained nuclei can contribute on the discrimination of subtypes of clinically nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas.

Journal Article↗

Laser-assisted microdissection applied to frozen surgical pathologic specimens - methodological aspects on RT-PCR.

Laser-assisted microdissection has become a unique technique for an accurate gene-expression profiling analysis in human tissues. The introduction of this approach requires the development of a reliable, efficient, and reproducible procedure for tissue processing. We report a systematic evaluation of the different relevant steps required to obtain sufficient quantity and good quality RNA for reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction when using frozen surgical pathologic tissues as starting material. We propose an optimized and very efficient method with respect to time and effort that can easily be put into practice in research laboratory as well as in any pathology laboratory.

Colon↗

Primary antibiotic resistance and effectiveness of Helicobacter pylori triple therapy in ulcero-inflammatory pathologies of the upper digestive tract.

OBJECTIVES: To determine firstly, the rates of primary antimicrobial resistance for Helicobacter pylori-associated upper-digestive lesions in relation to the success rate of triple therapy; and secondly, the performance of HpSA stool antigen detection test for control of eradication after treatment. METHODS: Prospective open study of 436 patients who underwent upper-digestive tract endoscopy with biopsies for histological examination and culture between January 1 and July 31, 2002 at a University hospital in Brussels, Belgium. The primary resistance to antibiotics of H. pylori isolates was determined by disc diffusion method. Seventy of 164 infected patients agreed to be included in the treatment study with standard triple therapy with amoxicillin + clarithromycin + omeprazole adjusted on the basis of antibiogram results. Control of eradication was tested by 14C-Urea breath test and H. pylori Stool Antigen test (HpSA test). RESULTS: Primary resistance to clarithromycin and metronidazole was observed in 3% and 31% of the isolates, respectively. No primary resistance to amoxicillin and tetracycline was observed. By intention to treat analysis, H. pylori was eradicated in 56 (80%) patients included in the therapeutic study. Three (4%) patients were lost to follow-up. The rate of eradication failure was 20% (14/70), included 11 cases documented by a positive control test (14C-Urea breath test). In comparison with 14C-Urea breath test, the H. pylori Stool Antigen test showed a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 91%, PPV of 69%, and NPV of 100%. CONCLUSION: Standard triple therapy achieved 80% bacterial eradication in this patient population with a low prevalence of H. pylori primary antibiotic resistance. Our data confirm that the H. pylori Stool Antigen test displays a diagnostic performance similar to the breath test for control of eradication.

Adolescent↗