Browsing by Subject "Clinical Trials as Topic"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2

Open Access
Evidence-Based Clinical Use of Nanoscale Extracellular Vesicles in Nanomedicine
(American Chemical Society, 2016-03) Fais, S.; O'Driscoll, L.; Borras, F. E.; Buzas, E.; Camussi, G.; Cappello, F.; Carvalho, J.; Cordeiro Da Silva, A.; Del Portillo, H.; El Andaloussi, S.; Ficko Trček, T.; Furlan, R.; Hendrix, A.; Gursel, I.; Kralj-Iglic, V.; Kaeffer, B.; Kosanovic, M.; Lekka, M. E.; Lipps, G.; Logozzi, M.; Marcilla, A.; Sammar, M.; Llorente, A.; Nazarenko, I.; Oliveira, C.; Pocsfalvi, G.; Rajendran, L.; Raposo, G.; Rohde, E.; Siljander, P.; Van, N. G.; Vasconcelos, M. H.; Yáñez-Mó, M.; Yliperttula, M. L.; Zarovni, N.; Zavec, A. B.; Giebel, B.
Recent research has demonstrated that all body fluids assessed contain substantial amounts of vesicles that range in size from 30 to 1000 nm and that are surrounded by phospholipid membranes containing different membrane microdomains such as lipid rafts and caveolae. The most prominent representatives of these so-called extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanosized exosomes (70-150 nm), which are derivatives of the endosomal system, and microvesicles (100-1000 nm), which are produced by outward budding of the plasma membrane. Nanosized EVs are released by almost all cell types and mediate targeted intercellular communication under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Containing cell-type-specific signatures, EVs have been proposed as biomarkers in a variety of diseases. Furthermore, according to their physical functions, EVs of selected cell types have been used as therapeutic agents in immune therapy, vaccination trials, regenerative medicine, and drug delivery. Undoubtedly, the rapidly emerging field of basic and applied EV research will significantly influence the biomedicinal landscape in the future. In this Perspective, we, a network of European scientists from clinical, academic, and industry settings collaborating through the H2020 European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) program European Network on Microvesicles and Exosomes in Health and Disease (ME-HAD), demonstrate the high potential of nanosized EVs for both diagnostic and therapeutic (i.e., theranostic) areas of nanomedicine.
Open Access
Imetelstat (a telomerase antagonist) exerts off target effects on the cytoskeleton
(2013) Mender I.; Senturk, S.; Ozgunes, N.; Can Akcali, K.; Kletsas, D.; Gryaznov, S.; Can, A.; Shay J.W.; Dikmen, Z.G.
Telomerase is a cellular ribonucleoprotein reverse transcriptase that plays a crucial role in telomere maintenance. This enzyme is expressed in approximately 90% of human tumors, but not in the majority of normal somatic cells. Imetelstat sodium (GRN163L), is a 13-mer oligonucleotide N3'→P5' thio-phosphoramidate lipid conjugate, which represents the latest generation of telomerase inhibitors targeting the template region of the human functional telomerase RNA (hTR) subunit. In preclinical trials, this compound has been found to inhibit telomerase activity in multiple cancer cell lines, as well as in vivo xenograft mouse models. Currently, GRN163L is being investigated in several clinical trials, including a phase II human non small cell lung cancer clinical trial, in a maintenance setting following standard doublet chemotherapy. In addition to the inhibition of telomerase activity in cancer cell lines, GRN163L causes morphological cell rounding changes, independent of hTR expression or telomere length. This leads to the loss of cell adhesion properties; however, the mechanism underlying this effect is not yet fully understood. In the present study, we observed that GRN163L treatment leads to the loss of adhesion in A549 lung cancer cells, due to decreased E-cadherin expression, leading to the disruption of the cytoskeleton through the alteration of actin, tubulin and intermediate filament organization. Consequently, the less adherent cancer cells initially cease to proliferate and are arrested in the G1 phase of the cell cycle, accompanied by decreased matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) expression. These effects of GRN163L are independent of its telomerase catalytic activity and may increase the therapeutic efficacy of GRN163L by decreasing the adhesion, proliferation and metastatic potential of cancer cells in vivo.