March-April 2009 l Vol 15 l No 3-4

Commentary

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: “Cinderella” Is Becoming a Star
Federico Caligaris-Cappio
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Research Articles

Elevated Serum Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) Concentrations in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Are Associated with Markers of Oxidative Stress and Endothelial Activation
Annette Bruchfeld, Juan J Carrero, Abdul R Qureshi, Bengt Lindholm, Peter Barany, Olof Heimburger, Maowen Hu, Xinchun Lin, Peter Stenvikel, and Edmund J Miller
Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) experience reduced kidney function over time, and have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a cytokine that has been implicated in autoimmune diseases. But, knowledge regarding the role of MIF in renal patients is limited. In this work, Bruchfeld et al. investigated whether circulating MIF levels were elevated in patients with CKD. While MIF concentrations were elevated significantly in CKD patients compared with controls, they did not correlate with glomerular filtration rate, a measurement of kidney function, or with other inflammatory markers such as CRP, IL-6, and TNF. The data suggest increased MIF found in CKD may not be caused by poor renal function, but may be associated with markers of oxidative stress and endothelial activation with possible implications for a role in vascular processes in this population.
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Genes Involved in Viral Carcinogenesis and Tumor Initiation in Hepatitis C Virus-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Valeria R Mas, Daniel G Maluf, Kellie J Archer, Kenneth Yanek, Xiangrong Kong, Laura Kulik, Chris E Freise, Kim M Olthoff, Rafik M Ghobrial, Paula McIver, and Robert Fisher
Liver cancer rates in the US are increasing due to the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV).  Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) due to HCV may be an indirect result of hepatocyte turnover that occurs as the liver replaces infected cells. Chronic inflammation, immune-mediated hepatocellular destruction, and liver regeneration underlie cirrhosis and are thought to play central roles in primary carcinogenesis. Mas et al. studied the genes involved in viral tumorogenesis and tumor initiation in HCV-induced HCC. They identified gene signatures that distinguish the pathological stages of HCC and potential molecular markers for early HCC diagnosis in high risk cirrhotic HCV patients.  These findings provide a comprehensive molecular portrait of genomic changes in progressive HCV-related HCC.
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Supplementery Data

High Serum Aβ and Vascular Risk Factors in First-Degree Relatives of Alzheimer’s Disease Patients
Laila Abdullah, Cheryl Luis, Daniel Paris, Ghania Ait-ghezala, Benoit Mouzon, Elizabeth Allen, Julia Parrish, Myles A Mullan, Scott Ferguson, Marcie Wood, Fiona Crawford, and Michael Mullan
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized clinically by progressive cognitive impairment, and pathologically by the presence of β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Those with enriched family histories of AD-like dementia may be a high-risk population for development of this disease and an ideal group for evaluation of vascular risk factors of AD and blood Aβ levels. Abdullah et al. examined the potential association between serum Aβ levels and vascular risk factors among cognitively normal first-degree relatives of patients with AD or related dementia. Findings suggest that high Aβ in the periphery among the family history-enriched cohorts may be due to enrichment of vascular risk factors and may reflect presymptomatic AD pathology. Longitudinal evaluation of blood Aβ in this cohort will provide a better understanding of the significance of this association in AD etiology.
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Review Articles

Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells in Prostate Cancer Patients: Methodological Pitfalls and Clinical Relevance
Zacharoula Panteleakou, Peter Lembessis, Antigone Sourla, Nikolaos Pissimissis, Aristides Polyzos, Charlambos Deliveliotis, and Michael Koutsilieris
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in Western countries. Preexisting metastases and those which develop after treatment are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients. Bone metastasis occurs in more than 85% of cases, and patients with bone lesions cannot be cured.  Panteleakou et al. review current literature regarding molecular methods for circulating tumor cell (CTC) detection in the peripheral blood and bone marrow biopsies of prostate cancer patients, and discuss methodological pitfalls that influence molecular staging.
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Molecularly Targeted Therapies for Malignant Gliomas
Andreas A Argyriou and Haralabos P Kalofonos
Malignant gliomas are the most common primary brain tumors. The prognosis for patients remains poor with a median survival time of up to 3 years. Conventional treatment includes surgical resection and fractioned radiation therapy of the tumor and surrounding brain parenchyma followed by chemotherapy with alkylating compounds.  Argyriou et al. review molecular therapies for malignant gliomas and discuss advances in the molecular and genetic pathogenesis of these lethal brain malignancies.
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