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Background Loncastuximab tesirine has shown antitumor activity with an acceptable toxicity profile in patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who were relapsed or refractory after ≥2 prior therapies, including activity in patients with high-risk disease characteristics. This analysis examined health-related quality of life (HRQoL), symptoms, and tolerability in patients receiving loncastuximab tesirine for relapsed or refractory DLBCL. Patients and Methods The single-arm, open-label phase II LOTIS-2 study (ADCT-402-201; NCT03589469) enrolled 145 patients aged ≥18 years. Patients received loncastuximab tesirine as a 30-minute intravenous infusion on day 1 of each 3-week treatment cycle. Patient-reported outcomes were measured using EQ-5D and FACT-Lym at baseline, day 1 of each cycle, and the end-of-treatment visit. Results During the course of treatment, EQ VAS overall health score was improved over time. The adjusted improvement was 0.65 per cycle (95% CI, 0.26-1.04; P = .001), and the adjusted mean change from baseline score was 5.00 (95% CI, 1.75-8.25; P = .003) at cycle 9, day 1. FACT-Lym total scores remained stable during treatment. More patients reported improvement compared to baseline in pain, lumps/swelling, and losing weight for a majority of visits. More than 60% of patients reported being "not at all" or "a little bit" bothered by treatment side effects for all treatment visits. Findings in elderly patients were similar to the population as whole. Conclusion The findings on HRQoL, symptoms, and tolerability further support the clinical use of loncastuximab tesirine for the treatment of relapsed or refractory DLBCL. Funding This work was funded by ADC Therapeutics SA. Authors affiliated with ADC Therapeutics SA participated in designing the study; in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting the data; in writing the report; and in the decision to submit the article for publication.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between miR-21 and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced myocardial injury and its molecular and regulatory mechanisms.We constructed LPS-mediated myocardial injury model using C57BL/6J mice and H9c2 cells. In-vivo, in-vitro, RIP and dual-luciferase reporter assays were used to determine the effect of miR-21 on myocardial injury.In-vivo and in-vitro results showed that the expression of miR-21 was increased in LPS-treated H9c2 cells and myocardial tissues of mice, and the pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α) and NF-κB pathway were activated in LPS-treated H9c2 cells. Besides, the B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6) expression levels decreased, while Bax and cleaved caspase 9 levels increased in LPS-treated H9c2 cells. Inhibition of miR-21 could suppress LPS-induced apoptosis, inflammatory reactions and NF-κB activation to attenuate LPS-induced myocardial injury in H9c2 cells, and effectively improve survival of mice with sepsis. Most importantly, Bcl-2 and CDK6 were found to be the direct target of miR-21 using dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. Further gain-of-function assay demonstrated that Bcl-2 or CDK6 over-expression promoted the protective effects of miR-21 inhibitor on LPS-mediated myocardial cells.Our findings revealed that the down-regulation or antagonism of miR-21 protects myocardial cells against LPS-induced apoptosis and inflammation through up-regulating Bcl-2 and CDK6 expression, which provided a new insight for prevention and treatment of myocardial injury.

Despite the potent effect of intermittent parathyroid hormone (PTH) treatment on promoting new bone formation, bone mineral density (BMD) rapidly decreases upon discontinuation of PTH administration. To uncover the mechanisms behind this adverse phenomenon, we investigated the immediate responses in bone microstructure and bone cell activities to PTH treatment withdrawal and the associated long-term consequences. Unexpectedly, intact female and estrogen-deficient female rats had distinct responses to the discontinuation of PTH treatment. Significant tibial bone loss and bone microarchitecture deterioration occurred in estrogen-deficient rats, with the treatment benefits of PTH completely lost 9 weeks after discontinuation. In contrast, no adverse effect was observed in intact rats, with sustained treatment benefit 9 weeks after discontinuation. Intriguingly, there is an extended anabolic period during the first week of treatment withdrawal in estrogen-deficient rats, during which no significant change occurred in the number of osteoclasts, whereas the number of osteoblasts remained elevated compared with vehicle-treated rats. However, increases in number of osteoclasts and decreases in number of osteoblasts occurred 2 weeks after discontinuation of PTH treatment, leading to significant reduction in bone mass and bone microarchitecture. To leverage the extended anabolic period upon early withdrawal from PTH, a cyclic administration regimen with repeated cycles of on and off PTH treatment was explored. We demonstrated that the cyclic treatment regimen efficiently alleviated the PTH withdrawal-induced bone loss, improved bone mass, bone microarchitecture, and whole-bone mechanical properties, and extended the treatment duration. © 2021 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).

Insufficient bone fracture repair represents a significant clinical burden, and identification of novel therapeutics enhancing repair would have substantial clinical and societal impact. Activin A is a TGF-β protein superfamily member known to stimulate ectopic bone formation, but its roles in fracture repair and its therapeutic potentials remain unclear. Using two mouse tibia fracture repair models, here we mapped activin A expression at the tissue and single cell levels, tested its requirement for normal repair and evaluated its ability to enhance repair when provided exogenously. Activin A was minimally expressed in periosteum of intact bones but was markedly upregulated in developing callus soon after fracture. Single cell RNA-sequencing revealed that the activin A-encoding gene Inhba marked a unique, highly proliferative progenitor cell (PPC) population with a myofibroblast character which emerged over repair time and lay at the center of a developmental trajectory bifurcation producing cartilage and bone cells within callus. Systemic administration of a neutralizing activin A antibody impaired fracture repair and its endochondral and intramembranous phases, whereas local delivery of recombinant activin A enhanced repair. Activin A delivery also induced SMAD2 phosphorylation in vivo and increased the fraction of αSMA+ myofibroblasts within fracture callus. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments in vitro showed that activin A directly stimulated myofibroblast differentiation, chondrogenesis and osteogenesis in periosteal progenitor cells. Together, these data identify a unique population of Inhba-expressing proliferative progenitor cells that give rise to chondrocytes and osteoblasts during fracture healing and establish activin A as a potential new therapeutic tool to enhance it.One Sentence SummaryDeficits in bone fracture repair remain a clinical challenge and the present study provides evidence for the therapeutic potentials of activin A

The prognosis for patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) remains poor, with a need for alternatives to current salvage therapies. Loncastuximab tesirine (ADCT-402) is an antibody-drug conjugate comprising a humanized anti-CD19 monoclonal antibody conjugated to a pyrrolobenzodiazepine dimer toxin. Presented here are final results of a phase 1 dose-escalation and dose-expansion study in patients with R/R B-NHL. Objectives were to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended dose(s) for expansion and evaluate safety, clinical activity, pharmacokinetics, and immunogenicity of loncastuximab tesirine. Overall, 183 patients received loncastuximab tesirine, with 3 + 3 dose escalation at 15 to 200 µg/kg and dose expansion at 120 and 150 µg/kg. Dose-limiting toxicities (all hematologic) were reported in 4 patients. The MTD was not reached, although cumulative toxicity was higher at 200 µg/kg. Hematologic treatment-emergent adverse events were most common, followed by fatigue, nausea, edema, and liver enzyme abnormalities. Overall response rate (ORR) in evaluable patients was 45.6%, including 26.7% complete responses (CRs). ORRs in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), mantle cell lymphoma, and follicular lymphoma were 42.3%, 46.7%, and 78.6%, respectively. Median duration of response in all patients was 5.4 months and not reached in patients with DLBCL (doses ≥120 µg/kg) who achieved a CR. Loncastuximab tesirine had good stability in serum, notable antitumor activity, and an acceptable safety profile, warranting continued study in B-NHL. The recommended dose for phase 2 was determined as 150 µg/kg every 3 weeks for 2 doses followed by 75 µg/kg every 3 weeks. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02669017.

Skeletal muscle has remarkable regenerative ability after injury. Mesenchymal fibro-adipogenic progenitors (FAPs) are necessary, active participants during this repair process, but the molecular signatures of these cells and their functional relevance remain largely unexplored. Here, using a lineage tracing mouse model (Gli1-CreER Tomato), we demonstrate that Gli1 marks a small subset of muscle-resident FAPs with elevated Hedgehog (Hh) signaling. Upon notexin muscle injury, these cells preferentially and rapidly expanded within FAPs. Ablation of Gli1+ cells using a DTA mouse model drastically reduced fibroblastic colony-forming unit (CFU-F) colonies generated by muscle cells and impaired muscle repair at 28 days. Pharmacologic manipulation revealed that Gli1+ FAPs rely on Hh signaling to increase the size of regenerating myofiber. Sorted Gli1+ FAPs displayed superior clonogenicity and reduced adipogenic differentiation ability in culture compared to sorted Gli1- FAPs. In a glycerol injury model, Gli1+ FAPs were less likely to give rise to muscle adipocytes compared to other FAPs. Further cell ablation and Hh activator/inhibitor treatments demonstrated their dual actions in enhancing myogenesis and reducing adipogenesis after injury. Examining single-cell RNA-sequencing dataset of FAPs from normal mice indicated that Gli1+ FAPs with increased Hh signaling provide trophic signals to myogenic cells while restrict their own adipogenic differentiation. Collectively, our findings identified a subpopulation of FAPs that play an essential role in skeletal muscle repair. © 2021 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).

The dissimilarity is a major problem in clinical therapy of skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM). Objective and reproducible classification systems may help decode SKCM heterogeneity. ConsensusClusterPlus was used to establish a stable immune molecular classification based on ferroptosis-related genes that had been acquired from FerrDb. Moreover, the prognosis, somatic mutations, immune microenvironment characteristics, functional enrichment, and clinical responsiveness to the immune checkpoint blockade of different subtypes in two independent melanin datasets were compared. Kaplan-Meier curves, univariate, multivariate, least absolute contraction, and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis were used to develop a molecular model for predicting survival, which was verified by a nomogram on the basis of independent prognostic indicators. Two molecular subtypes (C1 and C2) for SKCM were first identified according to ferroptosis-related genes; C1 showed a poor prognosis, with lower infiltration degree of immune cells and TIED score and higher homologous recombination defects, fraction altered, the number of segments, and copy number amplification and deletion. These characteristics of C2 were the opposite of C1. A ferroptosis-related prognosis risk score (FPRS) model was constructed using 6 of 463 genes with differential expression between C1 and C2. This model splits patients into low- and high-risk cohorts. There were significant differences in the infiltration and proportion of immune cells, immune checkpoint gene expression, responsiveness to immune checkpoint therapy, and sensitivity to chemotherapeutic medications between low- and high-risk cohorts. This model was an independent prognostic marker for SKCM and has a high AUC. In summary, we have identified two subtypes of SKCM with different molecular and immune characteristics on the basis of ferroptosis-related genes and further developed and verified an FPRS model, which might independently serve as a prognostic marker for SKCM.

Defective or insufficient bone repair and regeneration are common in patients as a result of major trauma or severe disease. Cell therapy with periosteal mesenchymal progenitors, which can be limited in severe injury, serves as a promising approach; however, its efficacy is limited due to a repair-hostile ischemic tissue microenvironment after traumatic fracture. Here we report that plasminogen (Plg), a factor that is upregulated in these environments, is critical for fracture healing. Plg knockout mice had impaired trabecular and cortical bone structure and exhibited delayed and incomplete fracture healing. Interestingly, Plg deficiency greatly reduced the thickness of expanded periosteum, suggesting a role of Plg in periosteal mesenchymal progenitor-mediated bone repair. In culture, Plg increased cell proliferation and migration in periosteal mesenchymal progenitors and inhibited cell death under ischemic conditions. Mechanistically, we revealed that Plg cleaved and activated Cyr61 to regulate periosteal progenitor function. Thus, our study uncovers a cellular mechanism underlying fracture healing, by which Plg activates Cyr61 to promote periosteal progenitor proliferation, survival, and migration and improves bone repair after fracture. Targeting Plg may offer a rational and effective therapeutic opportunity for improving fracture healing. © 2021 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).

Introduction: Novel approaches to treating patients (pts) with relapsed or refractory (R/R) classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) have improved outcomes but some pts do not respond or, despite initial response, develop progressive disease and have limited treatment options. Camidanlumab tesirine (ADCT-301; Cami) is an antibody-drug conjugate composed of a human IgG1 anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody stochastically conjugated to a potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimer warhead, which triggers cell death via formation of highly cytotoxic interstrand cross-links. Data from a Phase (Ph) 1 dose-escalation, dose-expansion trial demonstrated an overall response rate (ORR) in pts with cHL of 86.5% (48.6% complete response [CR] rate) at the 45 μg/kg dose. Cami had a generally acceptable safety profile at Ph 1 but there were 5/77 cases (6.5%) of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS)/polyradiculopathy (Preferred Terms: 4 GBS and 1 radiculopathy) (Collins et al, ICML June 18-22, 2019, Lugano, Switzerland, Abstract 055). Here, we present preliminary efficacy and safety results of a Ph 2 trial of single-agent Cami in pts with R/R cHL (NCT04052997). Methods: A single-arm, multi-center, open-label, Ph 2 trial is currently enrolling pts ≥16 yrs (US) and ≥18 yrs (outside US) with R/R cHL following ≥3 prior treatment lines (or ≥2 lines in pts ineligible for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation). Eligible pts had prior treatment with brentuximab vedotin and PD-1 blockade, measurable disease per 2014 Lugano Classification, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-2. The primary objective is to evaluate efficacy of single-agent Cami by ORR as determined by central review. Secondary objectives include further characterization of additional efficacy endpoints and safety. Pts receive 30-min IV infusions of Cami on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle at a dose of 45 μg/kg for 2 cycles, followed by 30 μg/kg for subsequent cycles for up to 1 yr or until discontinuation due to disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or other reasons. Pts deriving clinical benefit at 1 yr may be able to continue treatment on a case-by-case basis. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were defined as AEs occurring/worsening from time of first dose to either 30 days post last dose or to start of new anticancer therapy/procedure, whichever occurs first. This analysis was conducted after meeting a protocol-specified criterion for pausing enrollment (≥2 cases of GBS or other relevant severe neurologic toxicity). Results: As of June 15, 2020, 47 pts with R/R cHL were enrolled and are included in this analysis. Median age was 36 (range 23-74) yrs and pts had received a median of 7 (range 3-20) lines of prior therapy, including transplant (Table 1). Pts received a median of 5 (range 2-10; mean 4.9 [SD 1.86]) cycles of Cami. ORR was 80.9% (38/47 pts), with 18 (38.3%) and 20 (42.6%) pts attaining CR and partial response, respectively; 6 pts (12.8%) had stable disease (Figure 1). TEAEs were experienced by all 47 pts; the most common (≥20% of pts) were fatigue (22, 46.8%); nausea, pyrexia, and maculopapular rash (18, 38.3% each); anemia and headache (12, 25.5% each); pruritus (11, 23.4%); arthralgia, constipation, diarrhea, hypophosphatemia, and rash (10, 21.3% each). TEAEs thought to be PBD-associated included skin reactions and nail disorders (36, 76.6%), liver function test abnormalities (14, 29.8%), and edema or effusion (7, 14.9%). There were 3 (6.4%) pts with GBS/polyradiculopathy (Preferred Terms: grade 4 subacute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, grade 2 radiculopathy, and grade 2 peripheral motor and sensory neuropathy updated to GBS after data cut-off date). In total, 27 (57.4%) pts had grade ≥3 TEAEs; the most common (≥5% of pts) were hypophosphatemia (6, 12.8%) and gamma-glutamyltransferase increased (3, 6.4%). Overall, 3 (6.4%) pts had TEAEs leading to dose reduction/delay and 6 (12.8%) pts had TEAEs leading to treatment discontinuation. Conclusions: Current data show that therapy with Cami has encouraging anti-tumor activity in heavily pretreated pts with R/R cHL. Safety was consistent with that reported at Ph 1, with no new safety concerns identified and similar incidence of GBS/polyradiculopathy. Following a positive risk-benefit assessment, the enrollment pause was lifted, and pts continue to be enrolled. Updated efficacy and safety results will be presented at the meeting. Funding: Study funded by ADC Therapeutics SA. Disclosures Herrera: Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Other: Travel, Accomodations, Expenses, Research Funding; Merck: Consultancy, Research Funding; Gilead Sciences: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genentech, Inc./F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Consultancy, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Karyopharm: Consultancy; AstraZeneca: Research Funding; Immune Design: Research Funding. Carlo-Stella:Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Janssen Oncology, AstraZeneca: Honoraria; ADC Therapeutics and Rhizen Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Boehringer Ingelheim and Sanofi: Consultancy; Servier, Novartis, Genenta Science srl, ADC Therapeutics, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Karyopharm, Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Collins:Taekda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel, accommodations, expenses, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Honoraria; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; MSD: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Celleron: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Amgen: Research Funding; BeiGene: Consultancy; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel, accommodations, expenses , Speakers Bureau. Maddocks:Morphosys: Consultancy, Honoraria; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; Karyopharm: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria; ADC Therapeutics, AstraZeneca: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy, Honoraria; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria. Bartlett:Autolus: Research Funding; BMS/Celgene: Research Funding; Forty Seven: Research Funding; Immune Design: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding; Kite, a Gilead Company: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Millennium: Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Roche/Genentech: Consultancy, Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; BTG: Consultancy; Acerta: Consultancy; Affimed Therapeutics: Research Funding. Savage:BeiGene: Other: Steering Committee; Roche (institutional): Research Funding; Merck, BMS, Seattle Genetics, Gilead, AstraZeneca, AbbVie: Honoraria; Merck, BMS, Seattle Genetics, Gilead, AstraZeneca, AbbVie, Servier: Consultancy. Caimi:ADCT, Kite Therapeutics, Genentech, Amgen, Verastem, TG Therapeutics, Bayer: Consultancy; ADC Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Genentech, ADC Therapeutics: Research Funding; Celgene: Speakers Bureau. Hess:ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; BMS, AstraZeneca: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau. Zinzani:ADC Therapeutics: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Sanofi: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Sandoz: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; EUSA Pharma: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Celltrion: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Verastem: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Janssen-Cilag: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Kirin Kyowa: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Merck: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Portola: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Servier: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; TG Therapeutics, Inc.: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Incyte: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; AbbVie: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; MSD: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Eusapharma: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Kyowa Kirin: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Immune Design: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Immune Design: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau. Cruz:ADC Therapeutics SA: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Wang:ADC Therapeutics America, inc: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Feingold:ADC Therapeutics: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Wuerthner:ADC Therapeutics SA: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Ansell:Takeda: Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Regeneron: Research Funding; Trillium: Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Research Funding; Affimed: Research Funding; AI Therapeutics: Research Funding.

Long bone development involves the embryonic formation of a primary ossification center (POC) in the incipient diaphysis followed by postnatal development of a secondary ossification center (SOC) at each epiphysis. Studies have elucidated major basic mechanisms of POC development, but relatively little is known about SOC development. To gain insights into SOC formation, we used Col2-Cre Rosa-tdTomato (Col2/Tomato) reporter mice and found that their periarticular region contained numerous Tomato-positive lineage cells expressing much higher Tomato fluorescence (termed TomatoH) than underlying epiphyseal chondrocytes (termed TomatoL). With time, the TomatoH cells became evident at the SOC invagination site and cartilage canal, increased in number in the expanding SOC, and were present as mesenchymal lineage cells in the subchondral bone. These data were verified in two mouse lineage tracing models, Col2-CreER Rosa-tdTomato and Gli1-CreER Rosa-tdTomato. In vitro tests showed that the periarticular TomatoH cells from Col2/Tomato mice contained mesenchymal progenitors with multidifferentiation abilities. During canal initiation, the cells expressed vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and migrated into epiphyseal cartilage ahead of individual or clusters of endothelial cells, suggesting a unique role in promoting vasculogenesis. Later during SOC expansion, chondrocytes in epiphyseal cartilage expressed VEGF, and angiogenic blood vessels preceded TomatoH cells. Gene expression analyses of microdissected samples revealed upregulation of MMPs in periarticular cells at the invagination site and suggested potential roles for novel kinase and growth factor signaling pathways in regulating SOC canal initiation. In summary, our data indicate that the periarticular region surrounding epiphyseal cartilage contains mesenchymal progenitors that initiate SOC development and form subchondral bone. Stem Cells 2019;37:677–689

Bone marrow mesenchymal lineage cells are a heterogeneous cell population involved in bone homeostasis and diseases such as osteoporosis. While it is long postulated that they originate from mesenchymal stem cells, the true identity of progenitors and their in vivo bifurcated differentiation routes into osteoblasts and adipocytes remain poorly understood. Here, by employing large scale single cell transcriptome analysis, we computationally defined mesenchymal progenitors at different stages and delineated their bi-lineage differentiation paths in young, adult and aging mice. One identified subpopulation is a unique cell type that expresses adipocyte markers but contains no lipid droplets. As non-proliferative precursors for adipocytes, they exist abundantly as pericytes and stromal cells that form a ubiquitous 3D network inside the marrow cavity. Functionally they play critical roles in maintaining marrow vasculature and suppressing bone formation. Therefore, we name them marrow adipogenic lineage precursors (MALPs) and conclude that they are a newly identified component of marrow adipose tissue.

Cyclic GMP (cGMP) is an important intracellular regulator of endochondral bone growth and skeletal remodeling. Tadalafil, an inhibitor of the phosphodiesterase (PDE) type 5 (PDE5) that specifically hydrolyzes cGMP, is increasingly used to treat children with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), but the effect of tadalafil on bone growth and strength has not been previously investigated. In this study, we first analyzed the expression of transcripts encoding PDEs in primary cultures of chondrocytes from newborn rat epiphyses. We detected robust expression of PDE5 as the major phosphodiesterase hydrolyzing cGMP. Time-course experiments showed that C-type natriuretic peptide increased intracellular levels of cGMP in primary chondrocytes with a peak at 2 min, and in the presence of tadalafil the peak level of intracellular cGMP was 37% greater ( P < 0.01) and the decline was significantly attenuated. Next, we treated 1-mo-old Sprague Dawley rats with vehicle or tadalafil for 3 wk. Although 10 mg·kg−1·day−1 tadalafil led to a significant 52% ( P < 0.01) increase in tissue levels of cGMP and a 9% reduction ( P < 0.01) in bodyweight gain, it did not alter long bone length, cortical or trabecular bone properties, and histological features. In conclusion, our results indicate that PDE5 is highly expressed in growth plate chondrocytes, and short-term tadalafil treatment of growing rats at doses comparable to those used in children with PAH has neither obvious beneficial effect on long bone growth nor any observable adverse effect on growth plate structure and trabecular and cortical bone structure.

Introduction In the ongoing single-arm, open-label phase 2 ADCT-402-201 study (LOTIS 2, NCT03589469), loncastuximab tesirine has shown substantial antitumor activity with a manageable toxicity profile in patients with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who had failed ≥ 2 prior therapies, including activity in patients with high-risk disease characteristics. The overall response rate was 48.3% (based on positron emission tomography-computed tomography [PET-CT] assessed by independent review according to Lugano response criteria), and the median duration of response was 10.25 months. This analysis examined symptoms, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and tolerability using validated patient-reported outcome instruments. Methods Enrolled patients aged ≥18 years received loncastuximab tesirine as an intravenous infusion on day 1 of each 3-week treatment cycle. Responders were defined as patients with a best overall response of complete or partial response. Patient-reported symptoms and HRQoL were measured using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Treatment-Lymphoma (FACT-Lym) and EQ-5D 5 Levels (EQ-5D-5L) instruments at baseline, day 1 of each cycle while patients were treated, and at the end-of-treatment visit. Descriptive statistics for change from baseline scores and percentages of patients with improved, stable, or worsened symptoms were summarized by visit and clinical response. Analysis was conducted using data collected from study initiation (1 August 2018) through 6 April 2020. Results The 145 patients enrolled in this study had a median age of 66 years (range, 23-94). Patients were heavily pretreated, with a median of 3 (range, 2-7) prior systemic therapies. A baseline patient-reported outcome score and at least one post-baseline score were available for 130 patients. Completion rates among patients treated at each visit were ≥ 92% for EQ-5D-5L and ≥ 88% for FACT-Lym up to cycle 9, day 1 (24 weeks). After cycle 9, fewer than 20 patients had patient-reported outcome scores available for analysis. For symptoms assessed in the FACT-Lym lymphoma subscale, pain in certain parts of the body, lumps/swelling, trouble sleeping at night, and fatigue were the most frequently reported symptoms at baseline (34%-59% reported "somewhat" to "very much"). Most patients (≥ 80%) reported "not at all" or "a little bit" at baseline for fever, night sweats, losing weight, itching, and loss of appetite. During the course of treatment, higher percentages of patients reported improvement than worsening for pain and lumps/swelling for the majority of visits. Fever, night sweats, and losing weight did not change for most patients. Itching was the only symptom for which more patients experienced worsening than improvement. For other symptoms, similar percentages of patients reported improvement and worsening. The mean change from baseline in EQ-5D Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score showed a trend of improvement in overall health over time (see figure). The mean VAS change reached the minimally important difference of 7 points at cycle 8, day 1. This improvement was associated with clinical response. When patients were asked how much they were bothered by side effects of treatment, most patients (> 60%) reported "not at all" or "a little bit" for all visits throughout the treatment. Conclusions Results of this analysis suggest that patients who responded to treatment with loncastuximab tesirine generally had stable or improved symptoms and overall HRQoL. The treatment was well tolerated by patients. These findings further support the clinical use of loncastuximab tesirine for the treatment of relapsed or refractory DLBCL. Disclosures Spira: ADCT:Research Funding;Janssen:Consultancy;Incyte:Consultancy;BMS:Consultancy;Merck:Consultancy;Novartis:Consultancy;Takeda:Consultancy;Cardiff Oncology:Research Funding.Chen:ADCT:Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company.Zhou:ADCT:Research Funding.Gnanasakthy:ADCT:Research Funding.Wang:ADC Therapeutics America, inc:Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company.Ungar:ADC Therapeutics:Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company.Curiel:ADCT:Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company.Radford:GlaxoSmithKline:Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Other: Spouse;AstraZeneca:Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Other: Spouse;Takeda:Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau;Pfizer:Research Funding;ADCT:Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding;BMS:Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau;Novartis:Consultancy, Honoraria;Seattle Genetics:Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau.Kahl:AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP:Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees;Celgene Corporation:Consultancy;Genentech:Consultancy;Pharmacyclics LLC:Consultancy;Roche Laboratories Inc:Consultancy;BeiGene:Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding;Janssen:Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees;Acerta:Consultancy, Research Funding;ADC Therapeutics:Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding;AbbVie:Consultancy.

Bone marrow mesenchymal lineage cells are a heterogeneous cell population involved in bone homeostasis and diseases such as osteoporosis. While it is long postulated that they originate from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), the true identity of MSCs and their in vivo bifurcated differentiation routes into osteoblasts and adipocytes remain poorly understood. Here, by employing single cell transcriptome analysis, we identified MSCs and delineated their bi-lineage differentiation paths in young, adult and aging mice. Among several newly discovered mesenchymal subpopulations, one is a distinct population of adipose-lineage cells that we named marrow environment regulating adipose cells (MERAs). MERAs are non-proliferative, post-progenitor cells that express many mature adipocyte markers but are devoid of lipid droplets. They are abundant in the bone marrow of young mice, acting as pericytes and stromal cells that form numerous connections among themselves and with other cells inside bone, including endothelial cells. Genetic ablation of MERAs disrupts marrow vessel structure, promotes de novo bone formation. Taken together, MERAs represent a unique population of adipose lineage cells that exist only in the bone marrow with critical roles in regulating bone and vessel homeostasis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine the transcription profile of the mouse nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus with an unbiased method. Furthermore, pathophysiological relevance of selected genes was demonstrated in the mouse tail intervertebral disc injury model. DESIGN: Paired normal mouse nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus tissue from C57BL/6j mice was examined by a polymerase chain reaction array. Key gene expression in the normal and injured intervertebral discs was confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Among the 84 genes studied, 63 were expressed higher in annulus fibrosus than in nucleus pulposus; only four genes were expressed higher in nucleus pulposus than in annulus fibrosus (n = 4, P ≤ 0.05). Real-time polymerase chain reaction confirmed that cadherin (cdh) 2 gene expression was higher in nucleus pulposus than in annulus fibrosus, and type I collagen (col1) gene expression was higher in the annulus fibrosus than in nucleus pulposus (n = 8, P < 0.01). One week after tail intervertebral disc injury, cdh2 gene expression decreased, while col1 expression increased (n = 8, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to examine the relative expression of 84 genes in normal mouse nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus. Key genes in the normal and injured mouse intervertebral discs were confirmed with real-time polymerase chain reaction. This information should be useful for studying the mouse model of intervertebral disc degeneration and guide future cell therapy approaches.

Atrophic nonunion represents an extremely challenging clinical dilemma for both physicians and fracture patients alike, but its underlying mechanisms are still largely unknown. Here, we established a mouse model that recapitulates clinical atrophic nonunion through the administration of focal radiation to the long bone midshaft 2 weeks before a closed, semistabilized, transverse fracture. Strikingly, fractures in previously irradiated bone showed no bony bridging with a 100% nonunion rate. Radiation triggered distinct repair responses, separated by the fracture line: a less robust callus formation at the proximal side (close to the knee) and bony atrophy at the distal side (close to the ankle) characterized by sustained fibrotic cells and type I collagen-rich matrix. These fibrotic cells, similar to human nonunion samples, lacked osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation and exhibited impaired blood vessel infiltration. Mechanistically, focal radiation reduced the numbers of periosteal mesenchymal progenitors and blood vessels and blunted injury-induced proliferation of mesenchymal progenitors shortly after fracture, with greater damage particularly at the distal side. In culture, radiation drastically suppressed proliferation of periosteal mesenchymal progenitors. Radiation did not affect hypoxia-induced periosteal cell chondrogenesis but greatly reduced osteogenic differentiation. Lineage tracing using multiple reporter mouse models revealed that mesenchymal progenitors within the bone marrow or along the periosteal bone surface did not contribute to nonunion fibrosis. Therefore, we conclude that atrophic nonunion fractures are caused by severe damage to the periosteal mesenchymal progenitors and are accompanied by an extraskeletal, fibro-cellular response. In addition, we present this radiation-induced periosteal damage model as a new, clinically relevant tool to study the biologic basis of therapies for atrophic nonunion. © 2018 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Bone atrophy and its related fragility fractures are frequent, late side effects of radiotherapy in cancer survivors and have a detrimental impact on their quality of life. In another study, we showed that parathyroid hormone 1-34 and anti-sclerostin antibody attenuates radiation-induced bone damage by accelerating DNA repair in osteoblasts. DNA damage responses are partially regulated by the ubiquitin proteasome pathway. In the current study, we examined whether proteasome inhibitors have similar bone-protective effects against radiation damage. MG132 treatment greatly reduced radiation-induced apoptosis in cultured osteoblastic cells. This survival effect was owing to accelerated DNA repair as revealed by γH2AX foci and comet assays and to the up-regulation of Ku70 and DNA-dependent protein kinase, catalytic subunit, essential DNA repair proteins in the nonhomologous end-joining pathway. Administration of bortezomib (Bzb) reversed the loss of trabecular bone structure and strength in mice at 4 wk after focal radiation. Histomorphometry revealed that Bzb significantly increased the number of osteoblasts and activity in the irradiated area and suppressed the number and activity of osteoclasts, regardless of irradiation. Two weeks of Bzb treatment accelerated DNA repair in bone-lining osteoblasts and thus promoted their survival. Meanwhile, it also inhibited bone marrow adiposity. Taken together, we demonstrate a novel role of proteasome inhibitors in treating radiation-induced osteoporosis.-Chandra, A., Wang, L., Young, T., Zhong, L., Tseng, W.-J., Levine, M. A., Cengel, K., Liu, X. S., Zhang, Y., Pignolo, R. J., Qin, L. Proteasome inhibitor bortezomib is a novel therapeutic agent for focal radiation-induced osteoporosis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease, characterized by progressive destruction of the articular cartilage. The surface of joint cartilage is the first defensive and affected site of OA, but our knowledge of genesis and homeostasis of this superficial zone is scarce. EGFR signaling is important for tissue homeostasis. Immunostaining revealed that its activity is mostly dominant in the superficial layer of healthy cartilage but greatly diminished when OA initiates. To evaluate the role of EGFR signaling in the articular cartilage, we studied a cartilage-specific Egfr-deficient (CKO) mouse model (Col2-Cre EgfrWa5/flox). These mice developed early cartilage degeneration at 6 mo of age. By 2 mo of age, although their gross cartilage morphology appears normal, CKO mice had a drastically reduced number of superficial chondrocytes and decreased lubricant secretion at the surface. Using superficial chondrocyte and cartilage explant cultures, we demonstrated that EGFR signaling is critical for maintaining the number and properties of superficial chondrocytes, promoting chondrogenic proteoglycan 4 (Prg4) expression, and stimulating the lubrication function of the cartilage surface. In addition, EGFR deficiency greatly disorganized collagen fibrils in articular cartilage and strikingly reduced cartilage surface modulus. After surgical induction of OA at 3 mo of age, CKO mice quickly developed the most severe OA phenotype, including a complete loss of cartilage, extremely high surface modulus, subchondral bone plate thickening, and elevated joint pain. Taken together, our studies establish EGFR signaling as an important regulator of the superficial layer during articular cartilage development and OA initiation.

Reliability measures have been well studied over many years. Such measures have been thoroughly studied for two-factor models. Motivated by a medical research problem, point and confidence interval estimates of the intraclass correlation coefficient are extended to models containing three crossed random factors-subjects, raters, and occasions. The estimation is conducted using both analysis of variance and Monte Carlo Markov chain methods.

Background Osteitis fibrosa cystica (OFC), a relatively rare skeletal disorder caused by excess parathyroid hormone, is often misdiagnosed as a neoplasm. A summary of the diagnostic procedures and treatment protocols, especially the indications for orthopedic surgery, is helpful to avoid overtreatment. Methods Eight patients from the Orthopedic Department of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University diagnosed with OFC caused by primary hyperparathyroidism were treated, and the clinical manifestations, biochemical and radiography examination findings, surgeries and prognoses were recorded. Results All cases (5 female and 3 male) were admitted to our department with the complaint of bone pain (5/8) or fracture after mild trauma (3/8). Biochemical screening revealed hypercalcemia and high parathyroid hormone of varying levels. Two cases were misdiagnosed as primary bone lesion and metastasis. All cases were treated with parathyroidectomy and experienced spontaneous and progressive regression of the boney disease. Four cases underwent orthopedic surgery. Bone biopsies were necessary to exclude malignant tumors, especially with orthopedic procedures. Conclusions OFC can easily be misdiagnosed in orthopedic patients because of a lack of radiological and histologic specificity. Reaching the correct diagnosis requires a combination of clinical manifestations, routine biochemical screenings, radiographic examinations of bone and parathyroid and bone biopsy. It is generally acknowledged that parathyroidectomy is effective, but orthopedic surgery is sometimes necessary after a correct diagnosis and parathyroidectomy. However, the indications for orthopedic surgery must be strictly controlled to avoid overtreatment.