• Azithromycin versus placebo for the treatment of HIV-associated chronic lung disease in children and adolescents (BREATHE trial): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial 

      Gonzalez-Martinez, Carmen; Kranzer, Katharina; McHugh, Grace; Corbett, Elizabeth L.; Mujuru, Hilda A.; Nicol, Mark P; Rowland-Jones, Sarah; Rehman, Andrea M.; Gutteberg, Tore Jarl; Flægstad, Trond; Odland, Jon Øyvind; Ferrand, Rashida (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2017-12-28)
      Background<br> Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related chronic lung disease (CLD) among children is associated with substantial morbidity, despite antiretroviral therapy. This may be a consequence of repeated respiratory tract infections and/or dysregulated immune activation that accompanies HIV infection. Macrolides have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, and we hypothesised that ...
    • Chronic iron deficiency and anaemia were highly prevalent in a population-based longitudinal study among adolescent girls 

      Stabell, Niklas; Averina, Maria; Flægstad, Trond (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2021-07-01)
      <b>Aim:</b> The combination of iron deficiency and anaemia is a major health problem, and adolescents are an at- risk group. The main aim of this study was to explore the mag-nitude of these conditions among adolescents aged 15–19 and identify possible as-sociated risk factors. <br><b>Methods:</b> This population- based longitudinal study of adolescents in North Norway was conducted in 2010–2011, ...
    • Clinically Relevant Biomarker Discovery in High-Risk Recurrent Neuroblastoma 

      Utnes, Peter; Løkke, Cecilie; Flægstad, Trond; Einvik, Christer (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2019-03-11)
      Neuroblastoma is a pediatric cancer of the developing sympathetic nervous system. High-risk neuroblastoma patients typically undergo an initial remission in response to treatment, followed by recurrence of aggressive tumors that have become refractory to further treatment. The need for biomarkers that can select patients not responding well to therapy in an early phase is therefore needed. In this ...
    • Composition of gut microbiota of children and adolescents with perinatal HIV infection taking antiretroviral therapy in Zimbabwe 

      Flygel, Trym Thune; Sovershaeva, Evgeniya; Classen-Weitz, Shantelle; Hjerde, Erik; Mwaikono, Kilaza S.; Odland, Jon Øyvind; Ferrand, Rashida A.; McHugh, Grace; Gutteberg, Tore Jarl; Nicol, Mark P.; Cavanagh, Jorunn Pauline; Flægstad, Trond (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2019-09-24)
      <p><i>Background - </i>Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection causes impairment of the gastrointestinal barrier, with substantial depletion of CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells in the gut. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) restores CD4<sup>+</sup> counts and may have beneficial effects on gut microbiota in adults. Little is known about effect of long-term ART on gut microbiome in HIV-infected children. We ...
    • Core genome conservation of Staphylococcus haemolyticus limits sequence based population structure analysis 

      Cavanagh, Jorunn Pauline; Klingenberg, Claus Andreas; Hanssen, Anne-Merethe; Aarag, Elizabeth; Francois, Patrice; Schrenzel, Jaques; Flægstad, Trond; Sollid, Johanna U Ericson (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2012)
      The notoriously multi-resistant Staphylococcus haemolyticus is an emerging pathogen causing serious infections in immunocompromised patients. Defining the population structure is important to detect outbreaks and spread of antimicrobial resistant clones. Currently, the standard typing technique is pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). In this study we describe novel molecular typing schemes for ...
    • DNA methylation and copy number variation profiling of T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia and lymphoma 

      Haider, Zahra; Landfors, Mattias; Golovleva, Irina; Erlanson, Martin; Schmiegelow, Kjeld; Flægstad, Trond; Kanerva, Jukka; Norén-Nyström, Ulrika; Hultdin, Magnus; Degerman, Sofie (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2020-04-28)
      Despite having common overlapping immunophenotypic and morphological features, T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and lymphoma (T-LBL) have distinct clinical manifestations, which may represent separate diseases. We investigated and compared the epigenetic and genetic landscape of adult and pediatric T-ALL (<i>n</i> = 77) and T-LBL (<i>n</i> = 15) patient samples by high-resolution genome-wide ...
    • DNA methylation holds prognostic information in relapsed precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia 

      Borssén, Magnus; Nordlund, Jessica; Haider, Zahra; Landfors, Mattias; Larsson, Pär; Kanerva, Jukka; Schmiegelow, Kjeld; Flægstad, Trond; Jónsson, Ólafur Gísli; Frost, Britt-Marie; Palle, Josefine; Forestier, Erik; Heyman, Mats; Hultdin, Magnus; Lönnerholm, Gudmar; Degerman, Sofie (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2018-03-05)
      <p><i>Background</i>: Few biological markers are associated with survival after relapse of B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL). In pediatric T-cell ALL, we have identified promoter-associated methylation alterations that correlate with prognosis. Here, the prognostic relevance of CpG island methylation phenotype (CIMP) classification was investigated in pediatric BCP-ALL ...
    • Dna methylation-based subtype prediction for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia 

      Nordlund, Jessica; Bäcklin, Christopher L.; Zachariadis, Vasilios; Cavelier, Lucia; Dahlberg, Johan; Öfverholm, Ingegerd; Barbany, Gisela; Nordgren, Ann; Overnäs, Elin; Abrahamsson, Jonas; Flægstad, Trond; Heyman, Mats M.; Jónsson, Ólafur G.; Kanerva, Jukka; Larsson, Rolf; Palle, Josefine; Schmiegelow, Kjeld; Gustafsson, Mats G.; Lönnerholm, Gudmar; Forestier, Erik; Syvänen, Ann-Christine (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2015-02-17)
      Background: We present a method that utilizes DNA methylation profiling for prediction of the cytogenetic subtypes of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells from pediatric ALL patients. The primary aim of our study was to improve risk stratification of ALL patients into treatment groups using DNA methylation as a complement to current diagnostic methods. A secondary aim was to gain insight into ...
    • Effect of Once-Weekly Azithromycin vs Placebo in Children With HIV-Associated Chronic Lung Disease: The BREATHE Randomized Clinical Trial 

      Ferrand, Rashida A.; McHugh, Grace; Rehman, Andrea M.; Mujuru, Hilda A.; Simms, Victoria; Majonga, Edith D.; Nicol, Mark P.; Flægstad, Trond; Gutteberg, Tore Jarl; Gonzalez-Martinez, carmen; Corbett, Elizabeth L.; Rowland-Jones, Sarah; Kranzer, Katharina; Weiss, Helen Anne; Odland, Jon Øyvind (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2020-12-17)
      <i>Importance</i> - HIV-associated chronic lung disease (HCLD) in children is associated with small airways disease, is common despite antiretroviral therapy (ART), and is associated with substantial morbidity. Azithromycin has antibiotic and immunomodulatory activity and may be effective in treating HCLD through reducing respiratory tract infections and inflammation.<p> <p><i>Objective</i> - ...
    • Exhaled nitric oxide is associated with inflammatory biomarkers and risk of acute respiratory exacerbations in children with HIV-associated chronic lung disease 

      Flygel, Trym Thune; Hameiri-Bowen, Dan; Simms, Victoria; Rowland-Jones, Sarah; Ferrand, Rashida Abbas; Bandason, Tsitsi; Yindom, Louis-Marie; Odland, Jon Øyvind; Cavanagh, Jorunn Pauline; Flægstad, Trond; Sovershaeva, Evgeniya (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2023-10-07)
      Objectives: Chronic lung disease is a recognized complication in children with HIV. Acute respiratory exacerbations (ARE) are common among this group and cause significant morbidity. Exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) is a known marker of local airway inflammation. We investigated the association between eNO and ARE, biomarkers of systemic inflammation, and the effect of azithromycin on eNO levels.<p> ...
    • Exosome-like extracellular vesicles from MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cells contain oncogenic miRNAs 

      Haug, Bjørn Helge; Hald, Øyvind; Utnes, Peter; Roth, Sarah A; Løkke, Cecilie; Flægstad, Trond; Einvik, Christer (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2015)
      <p><i>Background:</i> In recent years, evidence has accumulated indicating that both normal and cancer cells communicate via the release and delivery of macromolecules packed into extracellular membrane vesicles. <p><i>Materials and Methods:</i> We isolated nano-sized extracellular vesicles from MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cell lines using ultracentrifugation and exosome precipitation (Exoquick) ...
    • Genome-wide signatures of differential DNA methylation in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia 

      Nordlund, Jessica; Bäcklin, Christopher L.; Wahlberg, Per; Busche, Stephan; Berglund, Eva C.; Eloranta, Maija-Leena; Flægstad, Trond; Forestier, Erik; Frost, Britt-Marie; Harila-Saari, Arja; Heyman, Mats; Jonsson, Olafur G.; Larsson, Rolf; Palle, Josefine; Rönnblom, Lars; Schmiegelow, Kjeld; Sinnett, Daniel; Söderhäll, Stefan; Pastinen, Tomi; Gustafsson, Mats G.; Lönnerholm, Gudmar; Syvänen, Ann-Christine (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2013-09-24)
      Background: Although aberrant DNA methylation has been observed previously in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the patterns of differential methylation have not been comprehensively determined in all subtypes of ALL on a genome-wide scale. The relationship between DNA methylation, cytogenetic background, drug resistance and relapse in ALL is poorly understood.<p> <p>Results: We surveyed the ...
    • Health in overweight children: 2-year follow-up of Finnmark Activity School-a randomised trial 

      Kokkvoll, Ane Sofie; Grimsgaard, Sameline; Steinsbekk, Silje; Flægstad, Trond; Njølstad, Inger (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2014-11-20)
    • High prevalence of overweight and obesity among 6-year-old children in Finnmark County, North Norway 

      Kokkvoll, Ane Sofie; Jeppesen, Elisabeth; Juliusson, Petur Benedikt; Flægstad, Trond; Njølstad, Inger (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2012)
    • History of tuberculosis is associated with lower exhaled nitric oxide levels in HIV-infected children 

      Sovershaeva, Evgeniya; Kranzer, Katharina; McHugh, Grace; Bandason, Tsitsi; Majonga, Edith D.; Usmani, Omar S.; Rowland-Jones, Sarah; Gutteberg, Tore Jarl; Flægstad, Trond; Ferrand, Rashida A.; Odland, Jon Øyvind (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2019-09-01)
      <p><i>Objective - </i>HIV disrupts host defense mechanisms and maintains chronic inflammation in the lung. Nitric oxide is a marker of lung inflammation and can be measured in the exhaled air. We investigated the relationship between exhaled nitric oxide (eNO), HIV status and airway abnormalities in perinatally HIV-infected children aged 6–19 years. <p><i>Design - </i>A cross-sectional study. <p ...
    • Hsa-miR-323a-3p functions as a tumor suppressor and targets STAT3 in neuroblastoma cells 

      Bhavsar, Swapnil; Olsen, Lotte; Løkke, Cecilie; Koster, Jan; Flægstad, Trond; Einvik, Christer (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2023-03-24)
      Background: Studies conducted in the last decades have revealed a role for the non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) in cancer development and progression. Several miRNAs within the chromosome region 14q32, a region commonly deleted in cancers, are associated with poor clinical outcome in the childhood cancer neuroblastoma. We have previously identified miR-323a-3p from this region to be downregulated in ...
    • Hsa-miR-376c-3p targets cyclin D1 and induces G1-cell cycle arrest in neuroblastoma cells 

      Bhavsar, Swapnil Parashram; Løkke, Cecilie; Flægstad, Trond; Einvik, Christer (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2018-09-11)
      High‑risk neuroblastoma is the most aggressive form of cancer in children. The estimated survival of children with high‑risk neuroblastoma is 40‑50% compared with low and intermediate risk neuroblastoma, which is >98 and 90‑95%, respectively. In addition, patients with high‑risk neuroblastoma often experience relapse following intensive treatments with standard chemotherapeutic drugs. Therefore ...
    • Inhibitors of ribosome biogenesis repress the growth of MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma 

      Hald, Øyvind Holsbø; Olsen, Lotte; Gallo-Oller, Gabriel; Elfman, Lotta Helena Maria; Løkke, Cecilie; Kogner, Per; Sveinbjørnsson, Baldur; Flægstad, Trond; Johnsen, John Inge; Einvik, Christer (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2018-12-12)
      Abnormal increases in nucleolar size and number caused by dysregulation of ribosome biogenesis has emerged as a hallmark in the majority of spontaneous cancers. The observed ribosome hyperactivity can be directly induced by the MYC transcription factors controlling the expression of RNA and protein components of the ribosome. Neuroblastoma, a highly malignant childhood tumor of the sympathetic nervous ...
    • An integrated transcriptome analysis in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia links DNA methylation subgroups to dysregulated TAL1 and ANTP homeobox gene expression 

      Haider, Zahra; larsson, Pär; Landfors, Mattias; Kohn, Linda; Schmiegelow, Kjeld; Flægstad, Trond; Kanerva, Jukka; Heyman, Mats; Hultdin, Magnus; Degerman, Sofie (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2018-12-21)
      Classification of pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) patients into CIMP (CpG Island Methylator Phenotype) subgroups has the potential to improve current risk stratification. To investigate the biology behind these CIMP subgroups, diagnostic samples from Nordic pediatric T-ALL patients were characterized by genome-wide methylation arrays, followed by targeted exome sequencing, ...
    • MicroRNA-193b-3p represses neuroblastoma cell growth via downregulation of Cyclin D1, MCL-1 and MYCN 

      Roth, Sarah Andrea; Hald, Øyvind Holsbø; Fuchs, Steffen; Løkke, Cecilie; Mikkola, Ingvild; Flægstad, Trond; Schulte, Johannes; Einvik, Christer (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2018-04-06)
      Neuroblastoma is the most common diagnosed tumor in infants and the second most common extracranial tumor of childhood. The survival rate of patients with high-risk neuroblastoma is still very low despite intensive multimodal treatments. Therefore, new treatment strategies are needed. In recent years, miRNA-based anticancer therapy has received growing attention. Advances in this novel treatment ...