Pregnancy Specific beta-1 Glycoprotein 1 is Expressed in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma and its Subcellular Localization Correlates with Overall Survival
JOURNAL OF CANCER
Authors: Shahinian, Jasmin H.; Fuellgraf, Hannah; Tholen, Stefan; Mastroianni, Justin; Knopf, Julia Daniela; Kuehs, Markus; Mayer, Bettina; Schlimpert, Manuel; Kulemann, Birte; Kuesters, Simon; Hoeppner, Jens; Wellner, Ulrich F.; Werner, Martin; Hopt, Ulrich T.; Zeiser, Robert; Bronsert, Peter; Schilling, Oliver
Abstract
Proteins of the pregnancy specific beta-1 glycoprotein (PSG) family are renowned for their elevated expression during pregnancy. Only few reports have investigated their expression in adenocarcinomas. We studied the expression of PSG1 in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In a cohort of 104 patient samples, immunohistochemical analysis determined PSG1 expression in every specimen. PSG1 was found at apical and cytoplasmic localization or solely at cytoplasmic localization, with the latter case being correlated to shortened median survival (25 vs 11 months, logrank p-value < 0.001). At the same time, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) did not detect elevated PSG1 levels in the plasma of PDAC patients as opposed to the plasma of healthy, non-pregnant control individuals. We also probed the impact of PSG1 expression in a murine tumor model system, using subcutaneous injection of Colo-26 cells into immunocompetent BALB/c mice. Here, tumor growth was not affected by the expression of human PSG1. Our study reaffirms interest into the tumor-contextual biology of PSG proteins.
Relationship between muscle strength and functional walking capacity among people with stroke
JOURNAL OF REHABILITATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Authors: Moriello, Carolina; Finch, Lois; Mayo, Nancy E.
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to estimate, using the Position-Specific Global Index (PSG1) of Lower-Limb Muscle Strength, the extent to which muscle strength is independently associated with functional walking capacity. We performed an observational, cross-sectional study with 63 patients poststroke (onset between 3 and 12 months) at a major teaching hospital in an urban Canadian city. We assessed functional walking capacity with the six-minute walk test (6MWT) and muscle strength with handheld dynamometry. We established the relationship between the lower-limb muscles and functional walking capacity with the PSGI. The PSGI explained 70% (p < 0.001) of the variability in the 6MWT, whereas the index of alternate against-gravity muscle strength explained 39% and the hip flexors in a supine position explained 51%.