Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0043352 (xerostomia)
 4,250 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Mucositis and xerostomia are the most common oral complications of the non-surgical therapy of cancer. Mucositis, a common sequel of radio- (DXR), chemo-(CXR) and radiochemo-therapy in patients with cancer, or patients requiring haemopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT), has a direct and significant impact on the quality of life and cost of care, and also affects survival--because of the risk of infection. Apart from dose reduction, preventive and treatment options for mucositis are scarce, although multiple agents have been tested. Evidence suggests that cryotherapy, topical benzydamine and amifostine might provide some benefit in specific situations. The recombinant human keratinocyte growth factor Palifermin (Kepivance) was recently approved as a mucositis intervention in patients receiving conditioning regimens before HSCT for the treatment of haematological malignancies. A number of mechanistically based interventions are in various stages of development. Unfortunately, many other approaches have not been rigorously tested. This paper reviews the clinical features, prevalence, diagnosis, complications, pathogenesis, prophylaxis and management of mucositis.
 ...
PMID:Oral mucositis. 1670 Jul 32

Previously we developed a fibrin hydrogel (FH) decorated with laminin-111 peptides (L1p-FH) and supports three-dimensional (3D) gland microstructures containing polarized acinar cells. Here we expand on these results and show that co-culture of rat parotid Par-C10 cells with mesenchymal stem cells produces migrating branches of gland cells into the L1p-FH and we identify FGF-7 as the principal morphogenetic signal responsible for branching. On the other hand, another FGF family member and gland morphogen, FGF-10 increased proliferation but did not promote migration and therefore, limited the number and length of branched structures grown into the gel. By controlling the mode of growth factor presentation and delivery, we can control the length and cellularity of branches as well as formation of new nodes/clusters within the hydrogel. Such spatial delivery of two or more morphogens may facilitate engineering of anatomically complex tissues/mini organs such as salivary glands that can be used to address developmental questions or as platforms for drug discovery. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Hyposalivation leads to the development of a host of oral diseases. Current treatments only provide temporary relief. Tissue engineering may provide promising permanent solutions. Yet current models are limited to salivary spheroids with no branching networks. Branching structures are vital to an effective functioning gland as they increase the surface area/glandular volume ratio of the tissue, allowing a higher output from the small-sized gland. We describe a strategy that controls branch network formation in salivary glands that is a key in advancing the field of salivary gland tissue engineering.
 ...
PMID:Engineering the mode of morphogenetic signal presentation to promote branching from salivary gland spheroids in 3D hydrogels. 3198 42