Summary Early T‐cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ETP‐ALL) is a recently identified subtype of T‐ALL with distinctive gene expression and cell marker profiles, poor response to chemotherapy and a very high risk of relapse. We determined the reliability of restricted panel of cell markers to identify EPT‐ALL using a previously classified cohort. Then, we applied the cell marker profile that best discriminated ETP‐ALL to a cohort of 91 patients with T‐ALL enrolled in the Tokyo Children’s Cancer Study Group L99‐15 study, which included allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo‐SCT) for patients with poor prednisone response. Five of the 91 patients (5·5%) met the ETP‐ALL criteria. There were no significant differences in presenting clinical features between these and the remaining 86 patients. Response to early remission induction therapy was inferior in ETP‐ALL as compared with T‐ALL. The ETP‐ALL subgroup showed a significantly poorer event‐free survival (4‐year rate; 40%) than the T‐ALL subgroup (70%, P = 0·014). Of note, three of four relapsed ETP‐ALL patients survived after allo‐SCT, indicating that allo‐SCT can be effective for this drug‐resistant subtype of T‐ALL.

IntroductionAngiogenesis is an important factor in the development of osteoarthritis (OA). We investigated the efficacy of bevacizumab, an antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor and an inhibitor of angiogenesis, in the treatment of OA using a rabbit model of anterior cruciate ligament transection.MethodsFirst, we evaluated the response of gene expression and histology of the normal joint to bevacizumab treatment. Next, in a rabbit model of OA induced by anterior cruciate ligament transection, we used macroscopic and histological evaluations and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to examine the responses to intravenous (systemic) administration of bevacizumab (OAB IV group). We also investigated the efficacy of intra-articular (local) administration of bevacizumab in OA-induced rabbits (OAB IA group).ResultsHistologically, bevacizumab had no negative effect in normal joints. Bevacizumab did not increase the expression of genes for catabolic factors in the synovium, subchondral bone, or articular cartilage, but it increased the expression of collagen type 2 in the articular cartilage. Macroscopically and histologically, the OAB IV group exhibited a reduction in articular cartilage degeneration and less osteophyte formation and synovitis compared with the control group (no bevacizumab; OA group). Real-time PCR showed significantly lower expression of catabolic factors in the synovium in the OAB IV group compared with the OA group. In articular cartilage, expression levels of aggrecan, collagen type 2, and chondromodulin-1 were higher in the OAB IV group than in the OA group. Histological evaluation and assessment of pain behaviour showed a superior effect in the OAB IA group compared with the OAB IV group 12 weeks after administration of bevacizumab, even though the total dosage given to the OAB IA group was half that received by the OAB IV group.ConclusionsConsidering the dosage and potential adverse effects of bevacizumab, the local administration of bevacizumab is a more advantageous approach than systemic administration. Our results suggest that intra-articular bevacizumab may offer a new therapeutic approach for patients with post-traumatic OA.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13075-014-0427-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Extreme insulin resistance occurs in patients with primary defects in insulin action at the receptor or postreceptor levels. The condition commonly is associated with acanthosis nigricans and ovarian masculinization. Despite a marked increase in insulin secretion, some patients develop frank diabetes mellitus that does not respond adequately to insulin therapy. Insulinlike growth factor I exerts metabolic effects similar to those of insulin. This study assessed the potential effectiveness of IGF-I as a blood glucose lowering agent in patients with extreme insulin resistance syndromes, including type A insulin resistance, congenital generalized lipodystrophy, and leprechaunism. Among the 11 patients studied, some exhibited mutated insulin receptors, whereas others were suspected to have defects in postreceptor sites. In each patient, plasma glucose levels decreased in response to subcutaneous injections of recombinant human IGF-I (0.1-0.3 mg/kg body wt). The degree of the decrease was roughly comparable with that observed in normal individuals. IGF-I also reduced plasma insulin concentrations. A long-term trial of IGF-I (up to 16 mo) showed that IGF-I (0.1-0.4 mg/kg body wt twice daily) is effective in lowering both fasting and postprandial plasma glucose concentrations with decreases in both fructosamine and HbA1c values. Improvement of acanthosis nigricans was observed in some of the patients. These results suggest that recombinant human IGF-I could be used clinically as a hypoglycemic agent in diabetic patients with extreme insulin resistance in whom insulin treatment is ineffective.