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Background and objectives Background: The proposal and the initiative to conduct the Prevalence of Severe Asthma in Hospital Units in Spain (PAGE) study arises from the perspective of widespread implementation of electronic medical records and the limited data available on the prevalence of severe asthma in hospitals in our setting. Objectives: The primary objective is to determine the prevalence of severe asthma in the outpatient departments of allergy and pneumology services in Spain. Secondary objectives include describing the most prevalent characteristics and phenotypes of severe asthma, evaluating the selection criteria for receiving approved biological treatments for this disease, and estimating resource consumption. Furthermore, taking advantage of the incorporation of digital technology and new data collection sources, which allow the reuse of information stored in electronic medical records (Big Data), the use of one of these tools (Savana) has been integrated into the study. Methods The PAGE study is designed as a multicenter, non-experimental, observational, cross-sectional study in a first phase, and prospective in a second phase, controlled, population-based, with a two-stage selection of subjects by random sampling. The research will be carried out in 40 hospitals, following a criterion of convenience, which assumes the geographical representativeness of Spain. Results This manuscript describes the study design and protocol. Conclusions Our study design is robust to avoid bias and to allow establishing the prevalence of patients with severe asthma in Spanish hospitals. It is the first to incorporate new tools that can help in routine clinical practice and research, such as big data analysis software, and to evaluate its reliability and efficiency.

Mitochondria are believed to play an important role in shaping the intracellular Ca2+ transients during skeletal muscle contraction. There is discussion about whether mitochondrial matrix Ca2+ dynamics always mirror the cytoplasmic changes and whether this happens in vivo in whole organisms. In this study, we characterized cytosolic and mitochondrial Ca2+ signals during spontaneous skeletal muscle contractions in zebrafish embryos expressing bioluminescent GFP-aequorin (GA, cytoplasm) and mitoGFP-aequorin (mitoGA, trapped in the mitochondrial matrix). The Ca2+ transients measured with GA and mitoGA reflected contractions of the trunk observed by transmitted light. The mitochondrial uncoupler FCCP and the inhibitor of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU), DS16570511, abolished mitochondrial Ca2+ transients whereas they increased the frequency of cytosolic Ca2+ transients and muscle contractions, confirming the subcellular localization of mitoGA. Mitochondrial Ca2+ dynamics were also determined with mitoGA and were found to follow closely cytoplasmic changes, with a slower decay. Cytoplasmic Ca2+ kinetics and propagation along the trunk and tail were characterized with GA and with the genetically encoded fluorescent Ca2+ indicator, Twitch-4. Although fluorescence provided a better spatio-temporal resolution, GA was able to resolve the same kinetic parameters while allowing continuous measurements for hours.

Mitochondria are believed to play an important role in shaping the intracellular Ca2+ transients during skeletal muscle contraction. There is discussion about whether mitochondrial matrix Ca2+ dynamics always mirror the cytoplasmic changes and whether this happens in vivo in whole organisms. In this study, we characterized cytosolic and mitochondrial Ca2+ signals during spontaneous skeletal muscle contractions in zebrafish embryos expressing bioluminescent GFP-aequorin (GA, cytoplasm) and mitoGFP-aequorin (mitoGA, trapped in the mitochondrial matrix). The Ca2+ transients measured with GA and mitoGA reflected contractions of the trunk observed by transmitted light. The mitochondrial uncoupler FCCP and the inhibitor of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU), DS16570511, abolished mitochondrial Ca2+ transients whereas they increased the frequency of cytosolic Ca2+ transients and muscle contractions, confirming the subcellular localization of mitoGA. Mitochondrial Ca2+ dynamics were also determined with mitoGA and were found to follow closely cytoplasmic changes, with a slower decay. Cytoplasmic Ca2+ kinetics and propagation along the trunk and tail were characterized with GA and with the genetically encoded fluorescent Ca2+ indicator, Twitch-4. Although fluorescence provided a better spatio-temporal resolution, GA was able to resolve the same kinetic parameters while allowing continuous measurements for hours.

High-content screening (HCS) automates image acquisition and analysis in microscopy. This technology considers the multiple parameters contained in the images and produces statistically significant results. The recent improvements in image acquisition throughput, image analysis, and machine learning (ML) have popularized this kind of experiments, emphasizing the need for new tools and know-how to help in its design, analysis, and data interpretation. This chapter summarizes HCS recommendations for lab scale assays and provides both macros for HCS-oriented image analysis and user-friendly tools for data mining processes. All the steps described herein are oriented to a wide variety of image cell-based experiments. The workflows are illustrated with practical examples and test images. Their use is expected to help analyze thousands of images, create graphical representations, and apply machine learning models on HCS.

High-content screening (HCS) automates image acquisition and analysis in microscopy. This technology considers the multiple parameters contained in the images and produces statistically significant results. The recent improvements in image acquisition throughput, image analysis, and machine learning (ML) have popularized this kind of experiments, emphasizing the need for new tools and know-how to help in its design, analysis, and data interpretation. This chapter summarizes HCS recommendations for lab scale assays and provides both macros for HCS-oriented image analysis and user-friendly tools for data mining processes. All the steps described herein are oriented to a wide variety of image cell-based experiments. The workflows are illustrated with practical examples and test images. Their use is expected to help analyze thousands of images, create graphical representations, and apply machine learning models on HCS.

// Michele Cioffi 1 , Sara M. Trabulo 1, 2 , Mireia Vallespinos 1 , Deepak Raj 2 , Tony Bou Kheir 2 , Meng-Lay Lin 2 , Julfa Begum 2 , Ann-Marie Baker 3 , Ala Amgheib 2 , Jaimy Saif 4 , Manuel Perez 5 , Joaquim Soriano 5 , Manuel Desco 6, 7, 8 , Maria Victoria Gomez-Gaviro 6, 7, 8 , Lorena Cusso 6, 7, 8 , Diego Megias 5 , Alexandra Aicher 1, 2 , Christopher Heeschen 1, 2 1 Stem Cells & Cancer Group, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain 2 Stem Cells in Cancer & Ageing, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK 3 Centre for Tumour Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK 4 School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK 5 Confocal Microscopy Unit, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncologicas, Madrid, Spain 6 Departamento de Ingenieria Biomedica e Ingenieria Aeroespacial, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Leganes, Spain 7 Instituto de Investigacion Sanitaria Gregorio Maranon, Madrid, Spain 8 Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain Correspondence to: Alexandra Aicher, email: aicher_a@yahoo.com Christopher Heeschen, email: c.heeschen@qmul.ac.uk Keywords: metastasis, CD274, bone marrow, stromal niche, MDSC Received: June 29, 2016 Accepted: January 10, 2017 Published: February 17, 2017 ABSTRACT The stromal microenvironment controls response to injury and inflammation, and is also an important determinant of cancer cell behavior. However, our understanding of its modulation by miRNA (miR) and their respective targets is still sparse. Here, we identified the miR-25-93-106b cluster and two new target genes as critical drivers for metastasis and immune evasion of cancer cells. Using miR-25-93-106b knockout mice or antagomiRs, we demonstrated regulation of the production of the chemoattractant CXCL12 controlling bone marrow metastasis. Moreover, we identified the immune checkpoint PD-L1 (CD274) as a novel miR-93/106b target playing a central role in diminishing tumor immunity. Eventually, upregulation of miR-93 and miR-106b via miR-mimics or treatment with an epigenetic reader domain (BET) inhibitor resulted in diminished expression of CXCL12 and PD-L1. These data suggest a potential new therapeutic rationale for use of BET inhibitors for dual targeting of cancers with strong immunosuppressive and metastatic phenotypes.

et al., The orphan G protein-coupled receptor GPR55 has been directly or indirectly related to basic alterations that drive malignant growth: uncontrolled cancer cell proliferation, sustained angiogenesis, and cancer cell adhesion and migration. However, little is known about the involvement of this receptor in metastasis. Here, we show that elevated GPR55 expression in human tumors is associated with the aggressive basal/triple-negative breast cancer population, higher probability to develop metastases, and therefore poor patient prognosis. Activation of GPR55 by its proposed endogenous ligand lysophosphatidylinositol confers pro-invasive features on breast cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. Specifically, this effect is elicited by coupling to G heterotrimeric proteins and the subsequent activation, through ERK, of the transcription factor ETV4/PEA3. Together, these data show that GPR55 promotes breast cancer metastasis, and supports the notion that this orphan receptor may constitute a new therapeutic target and potential biomarker in the highly aggressive triple-negative subtype., This work was supported by grants from Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [PI11/00295 to CS, PI14/01101 to CS and EP-G, SAF2013-46183-R to MQ, and SAF2014-54705-R to MV-M, supported with European Regional Development (FEDER) funds] and Madrid Regional Government (S2010/BMD-2308 to MG, and 2010/ BMD-2359 to MQ). EPG was a recipient of a Postdoctoral Research Contract from Fundación Científica Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer and a Federation of the Societies of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (FEBS) Short-term Fellowship. SB-B and SC-L are recipients of a Formación de Profesorado Universitario (FPU) fellowship and a Ramón y Cajal research contract, respectively, from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness.

et al., [Background]: Pharmacological activation of cannabinoid receptors elicits antitumoral responses in different cancer models. However, the biological role of these receptors in tumor physio-pathology is still unknown. [Methods]: We analyzed CB2 cannabinoid receptor protein expression in two series of 166 and 483 breast tumor samples operated in the University Hospitals of Kiel, Tübingen, and Freiburg between 1997 and 2010 and CB2 mRNA expression in previously published DNA microarray datasets. The role of CB2 in oncogenesis was studied by generating a mouse line that expresses the human V-Erb-B2 Avian Erythroblastic Leukemia Viral Oncogene Homolog 2 (HER2) rat ortholog (neu) and lacks CB2 and by a variety of biochemical and cell biology approaches in human breast cancer cells in culture and in vivo, upon modulation of CB2 expression by si/shRNAs and overexpression plasmids. CB2-HER2 molecular interaction was studied by colocalization, coimmunoprecipitation, and proximity ligation assays. Statistical tests were two-sided. [Results]: We show an association between elevated CB2 expression in HER2+ breast tumors and poor patient prognosis (decreased overall survival, hazard ratio [HR] = 0.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.09 to 0.71, P = .009) and higher probability to suffer local recurrence (HR = 0.09, 95% CI = 0.049 to 0.54, P = .003) and to develop distant metastases (HR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.13 to 0.75, P = .009). We also demonstrate that genetic inactivation of CB2 impairs tumor generation and progression in MMTV-neu mice. Moreover, we show that HER2 upregulates CB2 expression by activating the transcription factor ELK1 via the ERK cascade and that an increased CB2 expression activates the HER2 pro-oncogenic signaling at the level of the tyrosine kinase c-SRC. Finally, we show HER2 and CB2 form heteromers in cancer cells. [Conclusions]: Our findings reveal an unprecedented role of CB2 as a pivotal regulator of HER2 pro-oncogenic signaling in breast cancer, and they suggest that CB2 may be a biomarker with prognostic value in these tumors., This work was supported by grants from Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (PI11/00295 and PI14/01101, supported with European Regional Development (FEDER) funds, to CS, SAF2012-36566 to JFP, SAF2010-22198 to SOG, and Ramón y Cajal fellowship to PJM); GW Pharmaceuticals (to CS); Madrid Regional Government (S2010/BMD-2308 to MG, S2010/BMD-2353 to SOG and S2011/BMD-2470 to JFP); Fundación Mutua Madrileña; Sandra Ibarra Foundation; and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBERER-3–749/172.03 and ACCI-CIBERER-16 to JFP). EPG and EMV are recipients of Postdoctoral Research Contracts from Fundación Científica Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer. MA is a recipient of a Formación de Profesorado Universitario (FPU) fellowship (from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness), and EPG was a recipient of a Federation of the Societies of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (FEBS) Short-term Fellowship.

Microscopy in the context of biomedical research is demanding new tools to automatically detect and capture objects of interest. The few extant packages addressing this need, however, have enjoyed limited uptake due to complexity of use and installation. To overcome these drawbacks, we developed iMSRC, which combines ease of use and installation with high flexibility and enables applications such as rare event detection and high-resolution tissue sample screening, saving time and resources.

Membrane-anchored ephrinB2 and its receptor EphB4 are involved in the formation of blood and lymphatic vessels in normal and pathologic conditions. Eph/ephrin activation requires cell-cell interactions and leads to bidirectional signaling pathways in both ligand- and receptor-expressing cells. To investigate the functional consequences of blocking ephrinB2 activity, 2 highly specific human single-chain Fv (scFv) Ab fragments against ephrinB2 were generated and characterized. Both Ab fragments suppressed endothelial cell migration and tube formation in vitro in response to VEGF and provoked abnormal cell motility and actin cytoskeleton alterations in isolated endothelial cells. As only one of them (B11) competed for binding of ephrinB2 to EphB4, these data suggest an EphB-receptor–independent blocking mechanism. Anti-ephrinB2 therapy reduced VEGF-induced neovascularization in a mouse Matrigel plug assay. Moreover, systemic administration of ephrinB2-blocking Abs caused a drastic reduction in the number of blood and lymphatic vessels in xenografted mice and a concomitant reduction in tumor growth. Our results show for the first time that specific Ab-based ephrinB2 targeting may represent an effective therapeutic strategy to be used as an alternative or in combination with existing antiangiogenic drugs for treating patients with cancer and other angiogenesis-related diseases.