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Author(s): W. Sunda (corresponding author) [1]; D. J. Kieber [2]; R. P. Kiene [3]; S. Huntsman [1] The algal osmolyte dimethylsulphoniopropionate (DMSP) and its enzymatic cleavage product dimethylsulphide (DMS) contribute [...]

Background Younger maternal age at birth is associated with increased risk of asthma in offspring in European descent populations, but has not been studied in Latino populations. Objectives We sought to examine the relationship between maternal age at birth and prevalence of asthma in a nationwide study of Latino children. Methods We included 3473 Latino children aged 8-21 years (1696 subjects with physician-diagnosed asthma and 1777 healthy controls) from five US centres and Puerto Rico recruited from July 2008 through November 2011. We used multiple logistic regression models to examine the effect of maternal age at birth on asthma in offspring overall and in analyses stratified by ethnic subgroup (Mexican American, Puerto Rican and other Latino). Secondary analyses evaluated the effects of siblings, acculturation and income on this relationship. Results Maternal age < 20 years was significantly associated with decreased odds of asthma in offspring, independent of other risk factors ( OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.57-0.93). In subgroup analyses, the protective effect of younger maternal age was observed only in Mexican Americans ( OR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.36, 0.79). In Puerto Ricans, older maternal age was associated with decreased odds of asthma ( OR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.44-0.97). In further stratified models, the protective effect of younger maternal age in Mexican Americans was seen only in children without older siblings ( OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.23-0.81). Conclusion and Clinical Relevance In contrast to European descent populations, younger maternal age was associated with decreased odds of asthma in offspring in Mexican American women. Asthma is common in urban minority populations but the factors underlying the varying prevalence among different Latino ethnicities in the United States is not well understood. Maternal age represents one factor that may help to explain this variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matthew B Schabath,1,2 Tapashi B Dalvi,3 Hongyue A Dai,4 Alan L Crim,4 Anita Midha,5 Norah Shire,3 Nicholas T Gimbrone,1 Jill Walker,6 Danielle M Greenawalt,7 David Lawrence,8 James R Rigas,9 Robert Brody,9 Danielle Potter,9 Naveen S Kumar,4 Shane A Huntsman,4 Jhanelle E Gray2 1Department of Cancer Epidemiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA; 2Department of Thoracic Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA; 3Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, USA; 4M2Gen, Tampa, FL, USA; 5Department of Personalised Healthcare and Biomarkers, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK; 6Department of Precision Medicine Oncology, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK; 7Department of iMED Oncology Informatics, AstraZeneca, Waltham, MA, USA; 8Department of Global Medicines Development, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK; 9Department of Global Medical Affairs Oncology, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, USACorrespondence: Matthew B SchabathH. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USATel +1 813 745 4150Fax +1 813 745 6525Email matthew.schabath@moffitt.orgPurpose: To characterize programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression in relation to survival and gene mutation status in patients with advanced NSCLC. The study also explored the influence of tumor mutational burden (TMB) on PD-L1 expression and patient characteristics.Patients and methods: Adult patients with histologically or cytologically documented Stage IIIB/Stage IV/recurrent/progressive NSCLC, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 to 3, and >2 lines of prior systemic treatment regimens were included in this retrospective analysis. Patients were treated from 1997 to 2015 at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, or at 7 community centers across the United States. PD-L1 expression level was determined using the VENTANA PD-L1 (SP263) Assay. EGFR and KRAS mutation status and ALK rearrangements were determined by targeted DNA sequencing; these were obtained from clinical records where targeted DNA sequencing was not performed. TMB was calculated as the total number of somatic mutations per sample.Results: From a total of 136 patients included in the study, 23.5% had tumors with high PD-L1 expression (≥25%). There were no significant differences in patient characteristics, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) between patients with high PD-L1 expression (median OS: 39.5 months; median PFS: 15.8 months) vs low PD-L1 expression (

Abstract Background CYYR1 is a recently identified gene located on human chromosome 21 whose product has no similarity to any known protein and is of unknown function. Analysis of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) have revealed high human CYYR1 expression in cells belonging to the diffuse neuroendocrine system (DNES). These cells may be the origin of neuroendocrine (NE) tumors. The aim of this study was to conduct an initial analysis of sequence, splicing and expression of the CYYR1 mRNA in human NE tumors. Methods The CYYR1 mRNA coding sequence (CDS) was studied in 32 NE tumors by RT-PCR and sequence analysis. A subtle alternative splicing was identified generating two isoforms of CYYR1 mRNA differing in terms of the absence (CAG- isoform, the first described mRNA for CYYR1 locus) or the presence (CAG+ isoform) of a CAG codon. When present, this specific codon determines the presence of an alanine residue, at the exon 3/exon 4 junction of the CYYR1 mRNA. The two mRNA isoform amounts were determined by quantitative relative RT-PCR in 29 NE tumors, 2 non-neuroendocrine tumors and 10 normal tissues. A bioinformatic analysis was performed to search for the existence of the two CYYR1 isoforms in other species. Results The CYYR1 CDS did not show differences compared to the reference sequence in any of the samples, with the exception of an NE tumor arising in the neck region. Sequence analysis of this tumor identified a change in the CDS 333 position (T instead of C), leading to the amino acid mutation P111S. NE tumor samples showed no significant difference in either CYYR1 CAG- or CAG+ isoform expression compared to control tissues. CYYR1 CAG- isoform was significantly more expressed than CAG+ isoform in NE tumors as well as in control samples investigated. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that only the genomic sequence of Pan troglodytes CYYR1 is consistent with the possible existence of the two described mRNA isoforms. Conclusion A new "subtle" splicing isoform (CAG+) of CYYR1 mRNA, the sequence and the expression of this gene were defined in a large series of NE tumors.