Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a neuromuscular degenerative disorder caused by the absence of dystrophin protein. It is characterized by progressive muscle weakness and cycles of degeneration/regeneration accompanying chronic muscle damage and repair. Canine models of muscular dystrophy, including the dystrophin-deficient golden retriever muscular dystrophy (GRMD), are the most promising animal models for evaluation of potential therapies, however canine-specific molecular tools are limited. In particular, few immune reagents for extracellular epitopes marking canine satellite cells (muscle stem cells) are available. We generated an antibody to the satellite cell marker syndecan-4 that identifies canine satellite cells. We then characterized isolated satellite cells from GRMD muscle and wildtype muscle by several in vitro metrics, and surprisingly found no significant differences between the two populations. We discuss whether accumulated adverse changes in the muscle environment rather than cell-intrinsic defects may be implicated in the eventual failure of satellite cell efficacy in vivo.

No abstract

Coccidioidomycosis is a common infection in the desert southwestern USA; approximately 3 % of healthy persons in Arizona alone become infected annually. Coccidioidomycosis may be severe in immunocompromised persons, but experience among patients with solid organ cancer has not been fully described. Therefore, we aimed to describe the clinical courses of patients whose cancers were complicated by coccidioidomycosis at our institution, which is located in an area with endemic Coccidioides. To do so, we conducted a retrospective review from January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2014, of all patients with breast, colorectal, or ovarian cancer whose cancer courses were complicated by coccidioidomycosis. We identified 17,576 cancer patients; 14 (0.08 %) of these patients met criteria for proven or probable coccidioidomycosis diagnosed within the first 2 years after the cancer diagnosis. All of these patients had primary pulmonary coccidioidomycosis, none had relapsed prior infection, and 1 had possible extrapulmonary dissemination. Five had active coccidioidal infection during chemotherapy, 1 of whom was hospitalized for coccidioidal pneumonia. All were treated with fluconazole, and all improved clinically. Eleven did not require prolonged courses of fluconazole. There were no clearly demonstrated episodes of relapsed infection. In conclusion, coccidioidomycosis was not a common complication of breast, colorectal, or ovarian cancers in patients treated at our institution, and it was not commonly complicated by severe or disseminated infection.

No abstract