Search

Currently, the identification of patient-specific therapies in cancer is mainly informed by personalized genomic analysis. In the setting of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), patient-drug treatment matching fails in a subset of patients harboring atypical internal tandem duplications (ITDs) in the tyrosine kinase domain of the FLT3 gene. To address this unmet medical need, here we develop a systems-based strategy that integrates multiparametric analysis of crucial signaling pathways, and patient-specific genomic and transcriptomic data with a prior knowledge signaling network using a Boolean-based formalism. By this approach, we derive personalized predictive models describing the signaling landscape of AML FLT3-ITD positive cell lines and patients. These models enable us to derive mechanistic insight into drug resistance mechanisms and suggest novel opportunities for combinatorial treatments. Interestingly, our analysis reveals that the JNK kinase pathway plays a crucial role in the tyrosine kinase inhibitor response of FLT3-ITD cells through cell cycle regulation. Finally, our work shows that patient-specific logic models have the potential to inform precision medicine approaches.

Tuber magnatum Picco is the most expensive of the truffles and a great deal of research has been carried out in an attempt to solve the mysteries of its ecology and biology. However, considerable work remains to be done particularly on those secrets of its life cycle that remain a mystery. It is known that T. magnatum is heterothallic, but it has yet to be determined how fertilization occurs between the two strains of different mating types. It is also known that the white truffle is an ectomycorrhizal fungus, and its mycorrhizas can be produced in greenhouses, but then they seem to disappear in the field. The role of other soil microorganisms, fungi and bacteria, on its soil mycelial development and fructification is intriguing but is far from being completely understood. All these uncertainties have made the cultivation of T. magnatum extremely difficult and only recently have we had the scientific proofs that it is possible. Even so, many questions remain unanswered and the management practices of T. magnatum plantations are still to be better defined to also enable the taming of this truffle.

Tuber borchii is a precious truffle, which forms ectomycorrhizal associations with several coniferous and broadleaf trees, arbutoid mycorrhizas with the strawberry tree and recently it was found also to form orchid mycorrhizas with Epipactis atrorubens. In this work, we investigated the formation of T. borchii mycorrhizas in other orchid species (Anacamptis morio, Cephalanthera longifolia, Limodorum abortivum, Ophrys sphegodes, Orchis purpurea). To this aim the orchids growing in three T. borchii production areas located in Emilia Romagna region (Italy) were collected and the presence of T. borchii mycorrhizas was investigated by morphological and molecular approaches. For T. borchii molecular identification, specific primers were used by a nested PCR approach. Tuber borchii was identified in 2 out of 6 samples of A. morio, 3 out of 4 samples of C. longifolia, and 2 out 6 samples of O. sphegodes. The ecological and biological roles of the orchid association in the truffle life cycle are discussed.

Mushroom community in artificial Pinus nigra forest in Amiata mount (Tuscany, Italy) was described. 3220 fruit bodies belonging to 106 different species were found during five surveys from autumn 2014 to spring 2015. The biodiversity indices and the dominance–diversity curves indicate a discrete fungal diversity with the dominance of few species. Edible mushrooms such as Hydnum repandum, Lactarius deliciosus, L. sanguifluus, Suillus granulatus S. luteus and truffles (Tuber aestivum, T. borchii and T. macrosporum) were found in the study area. These fungi are traditionally harvested and are an important complementary economical source for local population. Considering the economic importance of these non-wood forest products, forest management should play major attention to their safeguard.