Further research is needed with single-embryo culture, single-embryo transfer and highly sensitive detection techniques to determine the potential application of measuring sHLA-G in culture supernatant.

According to human research, the location of fat accumulation seems to play an important role in the induction of obesity-related inflammatory complications. To evaluate whether an inflammatory response to obesity depends on adipose tissue location, adipokine gene expression, presence of immune cells and adipocyte cell size of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were compared between lean and obese cats. Additionally, the present study proposes the cat as a model for human obesity and highlights the importance of animal models for human research. A total of ten chronically obese and ten lean control cats were included in the present study. Body weight, body condition score and body composition were determined. T-lymphocyte, B-lymphocyte, macrophage concentrations and adipocyte cell size were measured in adipose tissue at different locations. Serum leptin concentration and the mRNA expression of leptin and adiponectin, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, chemoligand-5, IL-8, TNF-a, interferon-g, IL-6 and IL-10 were measured in blood and adipose tissues (abdominal and inguinal SAT, and omental, bladder and renal VAT). Feline obesity was characterised by increased adipocyte cell size and altered adipokine gene expression, in favour of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Consequently, concentration of T-lymphocytes was increased in the adipose tissue of obese cats. Alteration of adipose tissue was location dependent in both lean and obese cats. Moreover, the observed changes were more prominent in SAT compared with VAT.

The combination of bortezomib and capecitabine is well tolerated and has moderate antitumour activity in heavily pretreated patients.

We investigated correlations between soluble HLA-DR (sHLA-DR) molecules and several clinical, biological and genetic parameters associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity. Serum sHLA-DR concentrations were determined in 146 samples from 89 RA patients by an ELISA format, using an antibody combination of mouse and rat monoclonal anti-human HLA-DR antibodies. The mean sHLA-DR serum level in RA patients was significantly increased with 277+/-19 ng/ml compared to 142+/-13 ng/ml of 80 healthy controls (P<0.001). In ascending order of significance, correlations were found between serum sHLA-DR and EULAR swelling and pain scores, Waaler-Rose, RA factor, ESR and CRP (P=0.025 to P<0.001). High sHLA-DR levels were defined above 374 ng/ml that was the 95% confidence interval of the controls. Thirty-seven blood samples (25%) in 31 RA patients were above this level. The EULAR pain and swelling scores, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) and RA factor were higher (P=0.044 to P<0.001) at the moment of high sHLA-DR concentrations, compared to the lower concentrations. Higher disease activity was further found in groups of RA patients respectively heterozygous or homozygous for the disease-associated epitope (Q)R/KRAA within the HLA-DRB1 chain, compared to the group without this epitope (P<0.017 for part of the results). Likewise, sHLA-DR was respectively 169+/-17 (no disease associated epitope), 324+/-34 (heterozygous) and 442+/-69 ng/ml (homozygous for the disease-associated epitope on HLA-DRB1 alleles) (P<0.017). In conclusion, this study shows significant correlations between serum sHLA-DR levels and RA disease activity parameters, as well as increased sHLA-DR in patients with disease-associated epitope on HLA-DRB1 alleles.

Background: Isatuximab is an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody with multiple modes of action for killing tumor cells through direct tumor targeting and immune cell engagement [1]. Aims: Exposure-Response (E-R) analysis and disease modelling of tumor burden were performed to evaluate the relationship between isatuximab exposure and efficacy outcome and to support dosing regimen selection for isatuximab as a single agent in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) patients. Methods: The E-R analyses were conducted in 194 RRMM patients evaluable for pharmacokinetics (PK) from two monotherapy trials, a phase 1/2 trial (NCT01084252)[2] and a phase 1 trial (NCT02514668). Isatuximab was administered intravenously at doses from 1 to 20 mg/kg once a week or every 2 weeks. Several isatuximab exposure parameters were tested and their association with the probability of achieving an objective response (CR, VGPR or PR) was examined by logistic regression modeling. Baseline covariates were also considered in the model to reduce their potential confounding effects. Disease progression was captured in a subset of 122 evaluable patients with the dynamics of the serum M-protein and accounted for dropout using a joint model. Trial simulations were then performed to evaluate different dosing regimens of interest using both models. Results: The E-R relationship was best described by Emax model, in which Ctrough at 4 weeks and percent of bone marrow plasma cells were significant predictors of overall response rate (ORR). Patients with bone marrow plasma cells lower than 50% were more likely to respond. For a given bone marrow plasma cell value, higher probability of response to treatment was obtained with higher Ctrough at 4 weeks. Longitudinal data of M-protein was adequately described by a tumor growth inhibition model [3,4] and provided more insights into the response of patients over time. Therefore, a high loading dose of 20 mg/ kg weekly over 4 weeks was chosen for maximizing the tumor response and a maintenance dose of 20 mg/kg every 2 weeks appeared sufficient to sustain efficacy. Clinical trial simulation demonstrated that this dosing regimen presented a probability of success of 76% to reach 30% ORR (5,000 trials with 100 patients) and would allow 52% reduction of serum M-protein from baseline at 2 months of treatment. In addition, isatuximab appeared to be well tolerated at this dose level. Summary/Conclusion: Model-based drug development has been successfully applied to support phase II isatuximab monotherapy dosing regimen selection in RRMM patients. This approach increases both the robustness of dose selection decision making and the chances of success for future clinical trials. References: