| 1. |
- Yan, Fei, et al.
(författare)
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Distinguishing coherent and thermal photon noise in a circuit quantum electrodynamical system
- 2018
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Ingår i: Physical Review Letters. - 1079-7114 .- 0031-9007. ; 120:26
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In the cavity-QED architecture, photon number fluctuations from residual cavity photons cause qubit dephasing due to the ac Stark effect. These unwanted photons originate from a variety of sources, such as thermal radiation, leftover measurement photons, and cross talk. Using a capacitively shunted flux qubit coupled to a transmission line cavity, we demonstrate a method that identifies and distinguishes coherent and thermal photons based on noise-spectral reconstruction from time-domain spin-locking relaxometry. Using these measurements, we attribute the limiting dephasing source in our system to thermal photons rather than coherent photons. By improving the cryogenic attenuation on lines leading to the cavity, we successfully suppress residual thermal photons and achieve T1-limited spin-echo decay time. The spin-locking noise-spectroscopy technique allows broad frequency access and readily applies to other qubit modalities for identifying general asymmetric nonclassical noise spectra.
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| 2. |
- Ahlén Bergman, Emma, et al.
(författare)
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Epigenetic methylation profiles of CD4 T cell signature loci from patients with urinary bladder cancer
- 2017
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Immunology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0300-9475 .- 1365-3083. ; 86:4, s. 264-264
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Urinary bladder cancer (UBC) is one of the most frequent cancer diseases with 380 000 new cases diagnosed worldwide and about 150 000 deaths yearly. To dissect the role of T helper (Th) cell responses in UBC we investigate the T helper cell subpopulations; Th1, Th2, Th17 and T regulatory cells (Tregs) and their lineage commitment in draining (sentinel) and non-draining lymph nodes and blood from patients subjected to transurethral resection of the bladder (TUR-B) and/or Cystectomy. By analyzing methylation in signature genes IFNG, IL13, IL17a and FOXP3 we measure the epigenetic stability of these T helper cells.In most patients IFNG is more demethylated in sentinel nodes compared to non-sentinel nodes and blood, suggesting a Th1 activation in nodes in contact with the tumor. Aside from that, the distribution of subpopulations in all tissues investigated is highly variable in between patients. All subsets are represented, although there seem to be no or little Th17 cells in nodes. After neoadjuvant treatment (given in between the TUR-B and cystectomy) a temporary increase in methylation of IFNG locus is seen in blood, which could suggest a translocation of activated Th cells from the blood to the tumor area, but also de novo synthesis of Th cells.By analyzing the intra-patient variations in distribution and relative amount of Th cell subpopulations in blood and sentinel nodes we hope to draw conclusions on differences in outcome. The long-term goal is to be able to identify which patients could respond well to immune modulatory treatments.
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| 3. |
- Ahlén Bergman, Emma, et al.
(författare)
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Increased CD4+ T cell lineage commitment determined by CpG methylation correlates with better prognosis in urinary bladder cancer patients
- 2018
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Ingår i: Clinical Epigenetics. - : BMC. - 1868-7083 .- 1868-7075. ; 10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Urinary bladder cancer is a common malignancy worldwide. Environmental factors and chronic inflammation are correlated with the disease risk. Diagnosis is performed by transurethral resection of the bladder, and patients with muscle invasive disease preferably proceed to radical cystectomy, with or without neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The anti-tumour immune responses, known to be initiated in the tumour and draining lymph nodes, may play a major role in future treatment strategies. Thus, increasing the knowledge of tumour-associated immunological processes is important. Activated CD4+ T cells differentiate into four main separate lineages: Th1, Th2, Th17 and Treg, and they are recognized by their effector molecules IFN-γ, IL-13, IL-17A, and the transcription factor Foxp3, respectively. We have previously demonstrated signature CpG sites predictive for lineage commitment of these four major CD4+ T cell lineages. Here, we investigate the lineage commitment specifically in tumour, lymph nodes and blood and relate them to the disease stage and response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.RESULTS: Blood, tumour and regional lymph nodes were obtained from patients at time of transurethral resection of the bladder and at radical cystectomy. Tumour-infiltrating CD4+ lymphocytes were significantly hypomethylated in all four investigated lineage loci compared to CD4+ lymphocytes in lymph nodes and blood (lymph nodes vs tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes: IFNG -4229 bp p < 0.0001, IL13 -11 bp p < 0.05, IL17A -122 bp p < 0.01 and FOXP3 -77 bp p > 0.05). Examination of individual lymph nodes displayed different methylation signatures, suggesting possible correlation with future survival. More advanced post-cystectomy tumour stages correlated significantly with increased methylation at the IFNG -4229 bp locus. Patients with complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy displayed significant hypomethylation in CD4+ T cells for all four investigated loci, most prominently in IFNG p < 0.0001. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy seemed to result in a relocation of Th1-committed CD4+ T cells from blood, presumably to the tumour, indicated by shifts in the methylation patterns, whereas no such shifts were seen for lineages corresponding to IL13, IL17A and FOXP3.CONCLUSION: Increased lineage commitment in CD4+ T cells, as determined by demethylation in predictive CpG sites, is associated with lower post-cystectomy tumour stage, complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and overall better outcome, suggesting epigenetic profiling of CD4+ T cell lineages as a useful readout for clinical staging.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Bourre-Tessier, Josiane, et al.
(författare)
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Electrocardiographic Findings in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Data From an International Inception Cohort
- 2015
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Ingår i: Arthritis Care and Research. - : Wiley. - 2151-4658 .- 2151-464X. ; 67:1, s. 128-135
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective. To estimate the early prevalence of various electrocardiographic (EKG) abnormalities in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to evaluate possible associations between repolarization changes (increased corrected QT [QTc] and QT dispersion [QTd]) and clinical and laboratory variables, including the anti-Ro/SSA level and specificity (52 or 60 kd). Methods. We studied adult SLE patients from 19 centers participating in the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) Inception Registry. Demographics, disease activity (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 [SLEDAI-2K]), disease damage (SLICC/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index [SDI]), and laboratory data from the baseline or first followup visit were assessed. Multivariate logistic and linear regression models were used to asses for any cross-sectional associations between anti-Ro/SSA and EKG repolarization abnormalities. Results. For the 779 patients included, mean +/- SD age was 35.2 +/- 13.8 years, 88.4% were women, and mean +/- SD disease duration was 10.5 +/- 14.5 months. Mean +/- SD SLEDAI-2K score was 5.4 +/- 5.6 and mean +/- SD SDI score was 0.5 +/- 1.0. EKG abnormalities were frequent and included nonspecific ST-T changes (30.9%), possible left ventricular hypertrophy (5.4%), and supraventricular arrhythmias (1.3%). A QTc >= 440 msec was found in 15.3%, while a QTc >= 460 msec was found in 5.3%. Mean +/- SD QTd was 34.2 +/- 14.7 msec and QTd >= 40 msec was frequent (38.1%). Neither the specificity nor the level of anti-Ro/SSA was associated with QTc duration or QTd, although confidence intervals were wide. Total SDI was significantly associated with a QTc interval exceeding 440 msec (odds ratio 1.38 [95% confidence interval 1.06, 1.79]). Conclusion. A substantial proportion of patients with recent-onset SLE exhibited repolarization abnormalities, although severe abnormalities were rare.
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| 6. |
- Concepcion Gil-Rodriguez, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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De Novo Heterozygous Mutations in SMC3 Cause a Range of Cornelia de Lange Syndrome-Overlapping Phenotypes
- 2015
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Ingår i: Human Mutation. - : Wiley: 12 months. - 1059-7794 .- 1098-1004. ; 36:4, s. 454-462
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is characterized by facial dysmorphism, growth failure, intellectual disability, limb malformations, and multiple organ involvement. Mutations in five genes, encoding subunits of the cohesin complex (SMC1A, SMC3, RAD21) and its regulators (NIPBL, HDAC8), account for at least 70% of patients with CdLS or CdLS-like phenotypes. To date, only the clinical features from a single CdLS patient with SMC3 mutation has been published. Here, we report the efforts of an international research and clinical collaboration to provide clinical comparison of 16 patients with CdLS-like features caused by mutations in SMC3. Modeling of the mutation effects on protein structure suggests a dominant-negative effect on the multimeric cohesin complex. When compared with typical CdLS, many SMC3-associated phenotypes are also characterized by postnatal microcephaly but with a less distinctive craniofacial appearance, a milder prenatal growth retardation that worsens in childhood, few congenital heart defects, and an absence of limb deficiencies. While most mutations are unique, two unrelated affected individuals shared the same mutation but presented with different phenotypes. This work confirms that de novo SMC3 mutations account for approximate to 1%-2% of CdLS-like phenotypes.
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| 7. |
- Hartana, Ciputra Adijaya, et al.
(författare)
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Urothelial bladder cancer may suppress perforin expression in CD8+ T cells by an ICAM-1/TGFβ2 mediated pathway
- 2018
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library Science. - 1932-6203. ; 13:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The immune system plays a significant role in urothelial bladder cancer (UBC) progression, with CD8+ T cells being capable to directly kill tumor cells using perforin and granzymes. However, tumors avoid immune recognition by escape mechanisms. In this study, we aim to demonstrate tumor immune escape mechanisms that suppress CD8+ T cells cytotoxicity. 42 patients diagnosed with UBC were recruited. CD8+ T cells from peripheral blood (PB), sentinel nodes (SN), and tumor were analyzed in steady state and in vitro-stimulated conditions by flow cytometry, RT-qPCR, and ELISA. Mass spectrometry (MS) was used for identification of proteins from UBC cell line culture supernatants. Perforin was surprisingly found to be low in CD8+ T cells from SN, marked by 1.8-fold decrease of PRF1 expression, with maintained expression of granzyme B. The majority of perforin-deficient CD8+ T cells are effector memory T (TEM) cells with exhausted Tc2 cell phenotype, judged by the presence of PD-1 and GATA-3. Consequently, perforin-deficient CD8+ T cells from SN are low in T-bet expression. Supernatant from muscle invasive UBC induces perforin deficiency, a mechanism identified by MS where ICAM-1 and TGFβ2 signaling were causatively validated to decrease perforin expression in vitro. Thus, we demonstrate a novel tumor escape suppressing perforin expression in CD8+ T cells mediated by ICAM-1 and TGFβ2, which can be targeted in combination for cancer immunotherapy.
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| 8. |
- Krantz, David
(författare)
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Adaptive immunity in urothelial cancer : molecular and clinical aspects
- 2018
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In the battle between the immune system and cancer, tolerance mechanisms otherwise protective against autoimmunity, are exploited to halt the anti-tumor immune response. In this model, tumors turn distinct parts of the immune system against each other; suppressive cells such as regulatory T cells (Tregs) are hijacked to obstruct effector lymphocytes in their attempt to eradicate the tumor. We explored the effects of this immunomodulation on Tregs, effector T cells (Teff) and B cells in patients with urinary bladder cancer (UBC) and examined what impact chemotherapy has on this process. Puzzled by our previous finding of tumor-infiltrating Tregs to correlate to a favorable prognosis in patients with UBC, we sought to corroborate our results and ensure that we had not mistaken Teff cells for Treg cells. This was not the case, since we demonstrated tumor-infiltrating CD4+FOXP3+ T cells to be phenotypically, functionally and epigenetically stably committed Tregs. In search for a mechanistic explanation to the apparent favorable role of Tregs in UBC, we found this cell population to mediate suppression of the prometastatic factor MMP2, produced by M2 macrophages and UBC cells at the invasive front of the tumor microenvironment (TME). This finding supports the model where Tregs, by controlling inflammation, may benefit patients with inflammation-driven cancers. In our initial investigation of chemotherapeutic effects on lymphocytes, we found Doxorubicin to enhance the antigen presenting ability of B cells, with a subsequent increased activation of CD4+ T cells. This effect was mediated by an increased expression of the co-stimulatory molecule CD86, together with an altered cytokine profile including IL-10 and TNFα. The findings were translatable to the clinical setting, since CD86 expression was increased on circulating B cells of patients treated with Doxorubicin-containing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). When further evaluating the effects of chemotherapy on the T cell compartment, we changed scenery from peripheral blood to the Sentinel node (SN). CD8+ Teff exhaustion was demonstrated to be reduced after NAC treatment, while cytotoxicity was increased. In complete responders (CRs) to NAC, these cells were functionally and epigenetically committed effectors. For CD4+ Teff cells, tumorspecific reactivity was observed after NAC. In contrast, Tregs were attenuated by NAC in a dosedependent manner with decreased frequency and reduced effector molecule expression. Also, CRs had higher Teff to activated Treg ratio, promoting antitumoral T cell activation. In our further examination of SN T cells we wondered if their proteome was altered by the tumor. We found growth- and immune signaling to be up-regulated in SN Tregs. Most significantly, Interleukin (IL)-16 was identified as central in SN Treg signaling, Furthermore, direct contact with tumoral factors increased Treg IL-16 processing into its bioactive forms and this effect was mediated by active caspase-3. In conclusion, the adaptive arm of the immune system in the TME is heavily modulated in patients with UBC, where NAC contributes with substantial positive effects on this system. The observed suppression of tumor promoting inflammation by Tregs, manifested by inhibition of M2 macrophage functions, suggests the view of Tregs as a clear-cut negative force in tumor immunity to be a reductionistic and unfortunate vision.
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| 9. |
- Krantz, David, et al.
(författare)
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Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Reinforces Antitumour T cell Response in Urothelial Urinary Bladder Cancer
- 2018
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Ingår i: European Urology. - : Elsevier. - 0302-2838 .- 1873-7560. ; 74:6, s. 688-692
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Evidence indicates that neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) may promote antitumour immune responses by activating T cells. The tumour-draining sentinel node (SN) is a key site to study tumour-specific T cell activation, being the primary immunological barrier against the tumour. In this prospective study, we set out to elucidate the effects of NAC on T cell subsets in the SNs of patients with muscle-invasive urothelial bladder cancer. We found that CD8+ effector T (Teff) cell exhaustion was reduced after NAC treatment, while cytotoxicity was increased. Additionally, in complete responders (CR patients), these cells were functionally committed effectors, as displayed by epigenetic analysis. In CD4+ Teffs, NAC treatment was associated with increased clonal expansion of tumour-specific SN-derived cells, as demonstrated by a specific cell reactivity assay. In contrast, we observed an attenuating effect of NAC on regulatory T cells (Tregs) with a dose-dependent decrease in Treg frequency and reduced effector molecule expression in the remaining Tregs. In addition, multicolour flow cytometry analysis revealed that CR patients had higher Teff to activated Treg ratio, promoting antitumoural T cell activation. These results suggest that NAC reinforces the antitumour immune response by activating the effector arm of the T cell compartment and diminishing the influence of suppressive Tregs.PATIENT SUMMARY: In this report, we analysed the effect of chemotherapy on immune cell subsets of 40 patients with advanced bladder cancer. We found that chemotherapy has a positive effect on immune effector T cells, whereas an opposite, diminishing effect was observed for immune-suppressive regulatory T cells. We conclude that chemotherapy reinforces the antitumour immune response in bladder cancer patients.
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| 10. |
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