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- Lakiotaki, E, et al.
(author)
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Potential role of AKT/mTOR signalling proteins in hairy cell leukaemia: association with BRAF/ERK activation and clinical outcome
- 2016
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In: Scientific reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 6, s. 21252-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The potential role of AKT/mTOR signalling proteins and its association with the Raf-MEK-ERK pathway was investigated in hairy cell leukaemia (HCL). BRAFV600E expression and activated forms of AKT, mTOR, ERK1/2, p70S6k and 4E-BP1 were immunohistochemically assessed in 77 BM biopsies of HCL patients and correlated with clinicopathological and BM microvascular characteristics, as well as with c-Caspase-3 levels in hairy cells. Additionally, we tested rapamycin treatment response of BONNA-12 wild-type cells or transfected with BRAFV600E. Most HCL cases expressed p-p70S6K and p-4E-BP1 but not p-mTOR, being accompanied by p-ERK1/2 and p-AKT. AKT/mTOR activation was evident in BONNA-12 cells irrespective of the presence of BRAFV600E mutation and was implicated in cell proliferation enhancement. In multivariate analysis p-AKT/p-mTOR/p-4E-BP1 overexpression was an adverse prognostic factor for time to next treatment conferring earlier relapse. When p-AKT, p-mTOR and p-4E-BP1 were examined separately only p-4E-BP1 remained significant. Our findings indicate that in HCL, critical proteins up- and downstream of mTOR are activated. Moreover, the strong associations with Raf-MEK-ERK signalling imply a possible biologic interaction between these pathways. Most importantly, expression of p-4E-BP1 alone or combined with p-AKT and p-mTOR is of prognostic value in patients with HCL.
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- Alafuzoff, Irina, et al.
(author)
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The need to unify neuropathological assessments of vascular alterations in the ageing brain : Multicentre survey by the BrainNet Europe consortium
- 2012
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In: Experimental Gerontology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0531-5565 .- 1873-6815. ; 47:11, s. 825-833
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Here, we summarise the results after carrying out a large survey regarding the assessment of vascular alterations, both vessel changes and vascular lesions in an inter-laboratory setting. In total, 32 neuropathologists from 22 centres, most being members of BrainNet Europe (BNE), participated by filling out a questionnaire with emphasis on assessment of common vascular alterations seen in the brains of aged subjects. A certain level of harmonisation has been reached among BNE members regarding sectioning of the brain, harvesting of brain tissue for histology and staining used when compared to the survey carried out in 2006 by Pantoni and colleagues. The most significant variability was seen regarding the assessment of severity and of clinical significance of vascular alterations. Two strategies have recently been recommended regarding the assessment of vascular alterations in aged and demented subjects. The National Institute on Aging - Alzheimer's Association (NIA-AA) recommends the assessment of hippocampal sclerosis, vascular brain injury and microvascular lesions in 12 regions. Although this strategy will be easy to follow, the recommendations do not inform how the load of observed alterations should be assessed and when the observed lesions are of significance. Deramecourt and his colleagues recommend an assessment and semiquantitative grading of various pathologies in 4 brain regions. This strategy yielded a total score of 0 to 20 as an estimate of pathology load. It is, however, not clear which score is considered to be of clinical significance. Furthermore, in several BNE trials the semiquantitative assessment has yielded poor agreement rates; an observation that might negatively influence the strategy proposed by Deramecourt and his colleagues. In line with NIA-AA, a dichotomised approach of easily recognisable lesions in a standardised set of brain regions harvested for neuropathological assessment and applying reproducible sampling and staining strategies is recommended by BNE. However, a simple strategy regarding assessment of load of alteration is urgently needed to yield reproducible, and at the same time, comparable results between centres.
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- Schmitt, A, et al.
(author)
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How a neuropsychiatric brain bank should be run : a consensus paper of Brainnet Europe II.
- 2007
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In: Journal of neural transmission. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0300-9564 .- 1435-1463. ; 114:5, s. 527-37
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The development of new molecular and neurobiological methods, computer-assisted quantification techniques and neurobiological investigation methods which can be applied to the human brain, all have evoked an increased demand for post-mortem tissue in research. Psychiatric disorders are considered to be of neurobiological origin. Thus far, however, the etiology and pathophysiology of schizophrenia, depression and dementias are not well understood at the cellular and molecular level. The following will outline the consensus of the working group for neuropsychiatric brain banking organized in the Brainnet Europe II, on ethical guidelines for brain banking, clinical diagnostic criteria, the minimal clinical data set of retrospectively analyzed cases as well as neuropathological standard investigations to perform stageing for neurodegenerative disorders in brain tissue. We will list regions of interest for assessments in psychiatric disorder, propose a dissection scheme and describe preservation and storage conditions of tissue. These guidelines may be of value for future implementations of additional neuropsychiatric brain banks world-wide.
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- Bell, Jeanne E, et al.
(author)
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Management of a twenty-first century brain bank : experience in the BrainNet Europe consortium.
- 2008
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In: Acta Neuropathologica. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0001-6322 .- 1432-0533. ; 115:5, s. 497-507
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Collections of human postmortem brains gathered in brain banks have underpinned many significant developments in the understanding of central nervous system (CNS) disorders and continue to support current research. Unfortunately, the worldwide decline in postmortem examinations has had an adverse effect on research tissue procurement, particularly from control cases (non-diseased brains). Recruitment to brain donor programmes partially addresses this problem and has been successful for dementing and neurodegenerative conditions. However, the collection of brains from control subjects, particularly from younger individuals, and from CNS disorders of sudden onset, remains a problem. Brain banks need to adopt additional strategies to circumvent such shortages. The establishment of brain bank networks allows data on, and access to, control cases and unusual CNS disorders to be shared, providing a larger resource for potential users. For the brain banks themselves, inclusion in a network fosters the sharing of protocols and development of best practice and quality control. One aspect of this collective experience concerns brain bank management, excellence in which is a prerequisite not only for gaining the trust of potential donors and of society in general, but also for ensuring equitable distribution to researchers of high quality tissue samples. This review addresses the legal, ethical and governance issues, tissue quality, and health and safety aspects of brain bank management and data management in a network, as well as the needs of users, brain bank staffing, donor programs, funding issues and public relations. Recent developments in research methodology present new opportunities for researchers who use brain tissue samples, but will require brain banks to adopt more complex protocols for tissue collection, preparation and storage, with inevitable cost implications for the future.
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