Quercetin through miR-147-5p/Clip3 axis reducing Th17 cell differentiation to alleviate periodontitis

Background

Quercetin (QU) plays an important role in treating periodontitis; however, the mechanism through which microRNAs regulate Th17 cell differentiation has not been determined.

Methods

QU was administered intragastrically to periodontitis rats once a day for one month. The morphology of alveolar bone was observed by micro-CT, gingival tissue structure was observed by HE staining, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-17A, RORγt, FOXP3 and IL-10 were detected by immunohistochemical staining, and Th17 and Treg cells in the peripheral blood were detected by flow cytometry. CD4+T cells were induced to differentiate into Th17 cells in vitro. Cell viability was determined by CCK8, and IL-17A and RORγt were detected by qPCR. Th17 cells were detected by flow cytometry, microRNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis were used to screen key microRNAs, the phenotypic changes of Th17 cells were observed after overexpressed microRNAs via mimics. TargetScan database, in situ hybridization, and dual-luciferase reporter experiment were used to predict and prove target genes of microRNAs. The phenotype of Th17 cells was observed after overexpression of microRNA and target gene.

Results

Compared with periodontitis group, the distance from cementoenamel junction(CEJ) to alveolar bone(AB) was decreased, the structure of gingival papilla was improved, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-17, and RORγt were downregulated, FOXP3 and IL-10 were upregulated, the proportion of Th17 decreased and Treg increased in peripheral blood after QU treatment. Compared with Th17 cell group, mRNA levels of IL-17A and RORγt were decreased, and proportion of Th17 cells was significantly lower in the coculture group. MiR-147-5p was low in control group, upregulated in Th17 cell group, and downregulated after QU intervention, it's eight bases were inversely related to 3'UTR of Clip3, miR-147-5p with Clip3 were co-located in cells of periodontal tissue. Compared with those in Th17-mimicsNC + QU cells, the mRNA levels of RORγt and IL-17A upregulated, and proportion of Th17 cells increased in Th17-miR-147-5p + QU cells. The miR-147-5p mimics inhibited the luciferase activity of the WT Clip3 3'UTR but had no effect on the Mut Clip3 3'UTR. Clip3 was significantly downregulated after the overexpression of miR-147-5p. Mimics transfected with miR-147-5p reversed the decrease in the proportion of Th17 cells induced by QU, while the overexpression of Clip3 antagonized the effect of miR-147-5p and further reduced the proportion of Th17 cells. Moreover, the overexpression of miR-147-5p reversed the decreases in the mRNA levels of IL-17 and RORγt induced by QU treatment, while pcDNA3.1 Clip3 treatment further decreased the mRNA levels of IL-17 and RORγt.

Conclusion

QU reducing inflammatory response and promoting alveolar bone injury and repair, which closely relative to inhibit the differentiation of CD4+T cells into Th17 cells by downregulating miR-147-5p to promote the activation of Clip3.

PHF19 before and post induction treatment possess favorable potency of reflecting treatment response to protease inhibitors, event-free survival, and overall survival in multiple myeloma patients

OBJECTIVE

Plant homeodomain finger protein 19 (PHF19) regulates hematopoietic stem cell differentiation and promotes multiple myeloma (MM) progression. This study intended to explore the potency of PHF19 at baseline and post induction treatment in estimating treatment response to protease inhibitors and survival in MM patients.

METHODS

This retrospective study screened 69 MM patients who received protease inhibitors with bone marrow (BM) samples available at both baseline and post induction treatment. Twenty healthy BM donors were included as healthy controls (HCs). PHF19 in plasma cells from BM was quantified by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

PHF19 at baseline and post induction treatment in MM patients were increased than in HCs. In MM patients, PHF19 was declined post induction treatment. Elevated PHF19 at baseline and post induction treatment were correlated with renal impairment, beta-2-microglobulin ≥5.5 mg/L, t (4; 14), higher international staging system (ISS) stage, and higher revised ISS (R-ISS) stage. Concerning treatment response, PHF19 at baseline and post induction treatment were negatively associated with complete response and overall response rate. Notably, abnormal PHF19 (above 95% quantile value of PHF19 in HCs) at baseline and post induction treatment were linked with shortened event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS). After adjustment, abnormal PHF19 post induction treatment was independently related to shortened EFS (hazard ratio = 2.474) and OS (hazard ratio = 3.124).

CONCLUSION

PHF19 is aberrantly high and declines post induction therapy, which simultaneously reflects unfavorable treatment response to protease inhibitors as well as shorter EFS and OS in MM patients.

Recent advances in scaffolding biomaterials for cultivated meat

The emergence of cultivated meat provides a sustainable and ethical alternative to traditional animal agriculture, highlighting its increasing importance in the food industry. Biomaterial scaffolds are critical components in cultivated meat production for enabling cell adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, and orientation. While there's extensive research on scaffolding biomaterials, applying them to cultivated meat production poses distinct challenges, with each material offering its own set of advantages and disadvantages. This review summarizes the most recent scaffolding biomaterials used in the last five years for cell-cultured meat, detailing their respective advantages and disadvantages. We suggest future research directions and provide recommendations for scaffolds that support scalable, cost-effective, and safe high-quality meat production. Additionally, we highlight commercial challenges cultivated meat faces, encompassing bioreactor design, cell culture mediums, and regulatory and food safety issues. In summary, this review provides a comprehensive guide and valuable insights for researchers and companies in the field of cultivated meat production.

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells in clinical trials: Insights from single-cell studies

Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs) offer tremendous potential for the treatment of various diseases and their healing properties have been explored in hundreds of clinical trials. These trails primarily focus on immunological and neurological disorders, as well as regenerative medicine. Adipose tissue is a rich source of mesenchymal stromal cells and methods to obtain and culture adipose-derived MSCs (AD-MSCs) have been well established. Promising results from pre-clinical testing of AD-MSCs activity prompted clinical trials that further led to the approval of AD-MSCs for the treatment of complex perianal fistulas in Crohn's disease and subcutaneous tissue defects. However, AD-MSC heterogeneity along with various manufacturing protocols or different strategies to boost their activity create the need for standardized quality control procedures and safety assessment of the intended cell product. High-resolution transcriptomic methods have been recently gaining attention, as they deliver insight into gene expression profiles of individual cells, helping to deconstruct cellular hierarchy and differentiation trajectories, and to understand cell-cell interactions within tissues. This article presents a comprehensive overview of completed clinical trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of AD-MSC treatment, together with current single-cell studies of human AD-MSC. Furthermore, our work emphasizes the increasing significance of single-cell research in elucidating the mechanisms of cellular action and predicting their therapeutic effects.

Suppression of retinal neovascularization by intravitreal injection of cryptotanshinone

Neovascular eye diseases, including proliferative diabetic retinopathy and retinopathy of prematurity, is a major cause of blindness. Laser ablation and intravitreal anti-VEGF injection have shown their limitations in treatment of retinal neovascularization. Identification of a new therapeutic strategies is in urgent need. Our study aims to assess the effects of Cryptotanshinone (CPT), a natural compound derived from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, in retina neovascularization and explore its potential mechanism. Our study demonstrated that CPT did not cause retina tissue toxicity at the tested concentrations. Intravitreal injections of CPT reduced pathological angiogenesis and promoted physical angiogenesis in oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) model. CPT improve visual function in OIR mice and reduced cell apoptosis. Moreover, we also revealed that CPT diminishes the expression of inflammatory cytokines in the OIR retina. In vitro, the administration of CPT effectively inhibited endothelial cells proliferation, migration, sprouting, and tube formation induced by the stimulation of human retinal vascular endothelial cells (HRVECs) with VEGF165. Mechanistically, CPT blocking the phosphorylation of VEGFR2 and downstream targeting pathway. After all, the findings demonstrated that CPT exhibits potent anti-angiogenic and anti-inflammatory effects in OIR mice, and it has therapeutic potential for the treatment of neovascular retinal diseases.

Poor statistical reporting: do we have a reason for concern? A narrative review and recommendations

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The aim of the review conducted was to present recent articles indicating the need to implement statistical recommendations in the daily work of biomedical journals.

RECENT FINDINGS

The most recent literature shows an unchanged percentage of journals using specialized statistical review over 20 years. The problems of finding statistical reviewers, the impractical way in which biostatistics is taught and the nonimplementation of published statistical recommendations contribute to the fact that a small percentage of accepted manuscripts contain correctly performed analysis. The statistical recommendations published for authors and editorial board members in recent years contain important advice, but more emphasis should be placed on their practical and rigorous implementation. If this is not the case, we will additionally continue to experience low reproducibility of the research.

SUMMARY

There is a low level of statistical reporting these days. Recommendations related to the statistical review of submitted manuscripts should be followed more rigorously.

Synergistic activity of Thymus capitatus essential oil and cefotaxime against ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae

The objective of the current study was to evaluate the interaction between Tunisian Thymus capitatus essential oil (EO) and cefotaxime against Extended-Spectrum Beta-lactamases (ESBLs) producing Klebsiella pneumoniae hospital strains. GC-MS revealed that the major component of EO was found to be carvacrol (69.28%). The EO exerts an advanced bactericidal effect against all strains. Synergy between EO and cefotaxime was obtained by combined disk diffusion and checkerboard techniques. Combined use of EO and cefotaxime reduced the MIC of imipenem by 8- to 128-fold for all strains (fractional inhibitory concentration index ˂ 0.5, synergy). The time kill curve assay confirmed the advanced activity of combinatory effects of EO and cefotaxime, with total reduce of bacterial number (CFU/mL) after 6 h of culture. Synergistic activity of the combination between EO and cefotaxime constitute an important strategy as therapeutical option to combat infections caused by ESBLs producing Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Chrysin mitigated neuropathic pain and peripheral sensitization in knee osteoarthritis rats by repressing the RAGE/PI3K/AKT pathway regulated by HMGB1

BACKGROUND

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a chronic progressive osteoarthropathy. Chrysin's anti-KOA action has been demonstrated, however more research is needed to understand how chrysin contributes to KOA.

METHODS

LPS/ATP-induced macrophages transfected with or without HMGB1 overexpression underwent 5 μg/mL chrysin. The cell viability and macrophage pyroptosis were examined by cell counting kit-8 and flow cytometer. In vivo experiments, rats were injected with 1 mg monosodium iodoacetate by the infrapatellar ligament of the bilateral knee joint to induce KOA. The histological damage was analyzed by Safranin O/Fast Green staining and hematoxylin and eosin staining. The PWT, PWL and inflammatory factors were analyzed via Von-Frey filaments, thermal radiometer and ELISA. Immunofluorescence assay examined the expressions of CGRP and iNOS. The levels of HMGB1/RAGE-, NLRP3-, PI3K/AKT- and neuronal ion channel-related markers were examined by qPCR and western blot.

RESULTS

Chrysin alleviated macrophage pyroptosis by inhibiting HMGB1 and the repression of chrysin on HMGB1/RAGE pathway and ion channel activation was reversed by overexpressed HMGB1. HMGB1 facilitated neuronal ion channel activation through the RAGE/PI3K/AKT pathway. Chrysin could improve the pathological injury of knee joints in KOA rats. Chrysin suppressed the HMGB1-regulated RAGE/PI3K/AKT pathway, hence reducing KOA damage and peripheral sensitization.

CONCLUSION

Chrysin mitigated neuropathic pain and peripheral sensitization in KOA rats by repressing the RAGE/PI3K/AKT pathway modulated by HMGB1.

Vitamin D supplementation and calcium: Many-faced gods or nobody in fighting against Corona Virus Disease 2019

In December 2019, Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first identified and designated as a pandemic in March 2020 due to rapid spread of the virus globally. At the beginning of the pandemic, only a few treatment options, mainly focused on supportive care and repurposing medications, were available. Due to its effects on immune system, vitamin D was a topic of interest during the pandemic, and researchers investigated its potential impact on COVID-19 outcomes. However, the results of studies about the impact of vitamin D on the disease are inconclusive. In the present narrative review, different roles of vitamin D regarding the COVID-19 have been discussed to show that vitamin D supplementation should be recommended carefully.

Elucidating the role of chemokines in inflammaging associated atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases

Age-related inflammation or inflammaging is a critical deciding factor of physiological homeostasis during aging. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are exquisitely associated with aging and inflammation and are one of the leading causes of high mortality in the elderly population. Inflammaging comprises dysregulation of crosstalk between the vascular and cardiac tissues that deteriorates the vasculature network leading to development of atherosclerosis and atherosclerotic-associated CVDs in elderly populations. Leukocyte differentiation, migration and recruitment holds a crucial position in both inflammaging and atherosclerotic CVDs through relaying the activity of an intricate network of inflammation-associated protein-protein interactions. Among these interactions, small immunoproteins such as chemokines play a major role in the progression of inflammaging and atherosclerosis. Chemokines are actively involved in lymphocyte migration and severe inflammatory response at the site of injury. They relay their functions via chemokine-G protein-coupled receptors-glycosaminoglycan signaling axis and is a principal part for the detection of age-related atherosclerosis and related CVDs. This review focuses on highlighting the detailed intricacies of the effects of chemokine-receptor interaction and chemokine oligomerization on lymphocyte recruitment and its evident role in clinical manifestations of atherosclerosis and related CVDs. Further, the role of chemokine mediated signaling for formulating next-generation therapeutics against atherosclerosis has also been discussed.

Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells: Future regenerative medicine for clinical applications in mitigation of radiation injury

Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) are gaining significant attention in regenerative medicine for their potential to treat degenerative diseases and mitigate radiation injuries. WJ-MSCs are more naïve and have a better safety profile, making them suitable for both autologous and allogeneic transplantations. This review highlights the regenerative potential of WJ-MSCs and their clinical applications in mitigating various types of radiation injuries. In this review, we will also describe why WJ-MSCs will become one of the most probable stem cells for future regenerative medicine along with a balanced view on their strengths and weaknesses. Finally, the most updated literature related to both preclinical and clinical usage of WJ-MSCs for their potential application in the regeneration of tissues and organs will also be compiled.

Fabrication of a Near-Infrared-Emissive Probe for Detecting Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 in the Liver of Diabetic Mice and Clinical Serum

Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) plays a key role in glucose metabolism, which has been a close target for diabetes pathology and treatment. It is significant for the evaluation of cellular DPP4 activity in various biological systems. Fluorescence imaging technology is currently a popular method for detecting enzymes in living cells due to its advantages of high selectivity, high sensitivity, high spatiotemporal resolution, and real-time visualization. Herein, a near-infrared (NIR)-emissive probe NEDP with a large Stokes shift (153 nm) was developed for the assay of DPP4 activity. Upon addition of DPP4, NEDP can emit a significant turn-on NIR fluorescence signal (673 nm) with high sensitivity and specificity. Moreover, NEDP can successfully be used for imaging of intracellular DPP4, confirming the regulation of DPP4 expression in hyperglucose and its treatment in living cells. Most importantly, NEDP can not only monitor the changes of DPP4 in vivo but also show that DPP4 in diabetes is mainly up-regulated in the liver, and the level of DPP4 is positively correlated with the pathological damage of the liver. In addition, NEDP can identify the serum of diabetic patients from healthy people through the fluorescence response to DPP4. These results demonstrated that the designed probe NEDP provides a prospective visual tool to explore the relationship between DPP4 and diabetes and would be applied for detecting serum of diabetes in the clinic.

Production and characterization of the lipopeptide with anti-adhesion for oral biofilm on the surface of titanium for dental implants

Titanium implants are subject to bacterial adhesion and peri-implantitis induction, and biosurfactants bring a new alternative to the fight against infections. This work aimed to produce and characterize the biosurfactant from Bacillus subtilis ATCC 19,659, its anti-adhesion and antimicrobial activity, and cell viability. Anti-adhesion studies were carried out against Streptococcus sanguinis, Staphylococcus aureus, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Proteus mirabilis as the minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum bactericidal concentration. Cell viability was measured against osteoblast and fibroblast cells. The biosurfactant was classified as lipopeptide, with critical micelle concentration at 40 µg mL- 1, and made the titanium surface less hydrophobic. The anti-adhesion effect was observed for Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus sanguinis with 54% growth inhibition and presented a minimum inhibitory concentration of 15.7 µg mL- 1 for Streptococcus sanguinis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. The lipopeptide had no cytotoxic effect and demonstrated high potential application against bacterial biofilms.

Design Strategy of Microneedle Systems for Skin Wound Healing: Based on the Structure of Tips and Therapeutic Methodologies

The skin, being the largest organ of the human body, is susceptible to damage resulting in wounds that are vulnerable to pathogenic attacks and fail to provide effective protection for internal tissues. Therefore, it is crucial to expedite wound healing. In recent years, microneedles have garnered significant attention as an innovative drug delivery system owing to their noninvasive and painless administration, simplified application process, precise control over drug release, and versatile loading capabilities. Consequently, they hold immense potential for the treatment of skin wound. This review presents a comprehensive design strategy for the microneedle system in promoting skin wound healing. First, the process of skin wound healing and the characteristics of specific wounds are elucidated. The design strategies for microneedles are subsequently presented and classified based on their structural and therapeutic methodologies. Finally, a succinct recapitulation of the previously discussed points and a prospective analysis are provided.

Whole Exome Sequencing in Vaccine-Induced Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia (VITT)

Background: In February 2021, a few cases of unusual, severe thrombotic events associated with thrombocytopenia reported after vaccination with ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (Vaxzevria) or with Johnson & Johnson's Janssen vaccine raise concern about safety. The vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) has been related to the presence of platelet-activating antibodies directed against platelet Factor 4. Objectives: We investigated VITT subject genetic background by a high-throughput whole exome sequencing (WES) approach in order to investigate VITT genetic predisposition. Methods: Six consecutive patients (females of Caucasian origin with a mean age of 64 years) were referred to the Atherothrombotic Diseases Center (Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, Florence) with a diagnosis of definite VITT underwent WES analysis. WES analysis was performed on the Illumina NextSeq500 platform. Results:WES analysis revealed a total of 140,563 genetic variants. Due to VITT's rare occurrence, we focused attention on rare variants. The global analysis of all high-quality rare variants did not reveal a significant enrichment of mutated genes in biological/functional pathways common to patients analyzed. Afterwards, we focused on rare variants in genes associated with blood coagulation and fibrinolysis, platelet activation and aggregation, integrin-mediated signaling pathway, and inflammation with particular attention to those involved in vascular damage, as well as autoimmune thrombocytopenia. According to ACMG criteria, 47/194 (24.2%) rare variants were classified as uncertain significance variants (VUS), whereas the remaining were likely benign/benign. Conclusion: WES analysis identifies rare variants possibly favoring the prothrombotic state triggered by the exposure to the vaccine. Functional studies and/or extensions to a larger number of patients might allow a more comprehensive definition of these molecular pathways.

Breast cancer, viruses, and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)

Several viruses have been implicated in breast cancer, including human herpes virus 4 (HHV4), human herpes virus 5 (HHV5), human papilloma virus (HPV), human JC polyoma virus (JCV), human endogenous retrovirus group K (HERVK), bovine leukemia virus (BLV) and mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV). Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) is involved in virus elimination and has been shown to influence breast cancer protection/susceptibility. Here we investigated the hypothesis that the contribution of a virus to development of breast cancer would depend on the presence of the virus, which, in turn, would be inversely related to the success of its elimination. For that purpose, we estimated in silico predicted binding affinities (PBA) of proteins of the 7 viruses above to 127 common HLA alleles (69 Class I [HLA-I] and 58 Class II HLA-II]) and investigated the association of these binding affinities to the breast cancer-HLA (BC-HLA) immunogenetic profile of the same alleles. Using hierarchical tree clustering, we found that, for HLA-I, viruses BLV, JCV and MMTV were grouped with the BC-HLA, whereas, for HLA-II, viruses BLV, HERVK, HPV, JCV, and MMTV were grouped with BC-HLA. Finally, for both HLA classes, the average PBAs of the viruses grouped with the BC-HLA profile were significantly lower than those of the other, non BC-HLA associated viruses. Assuming that low PBAs are likely associated with slower viral elimination, these findings support the hypothesis that a defective/slower elimination and, hence, longer persistence and inefficient/delayed production of antibodies against them underlies the observed association of the low-PBA group with breast cancer.

Histocompatibility assessment in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: recommendations from the Italian Society for Immunogenetics and Transplantation Biology (Associazione Italiana di Immunogenetica e Biologia dei Trapianti - AIBT)

The outcome of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is significantly influenced by the degree of HLA histocompatibility between donor and recipient. To provide shared indications for required histocompatibility testing and interpretation before HSCT, the Italian Society for Immunogenetics and Transplantation Biology (Associazione Italiana di Immunogenetica e Biologia dei Trapianti [AIBT]) gathered members and created a working group to discuss and develop recommendations for histocompatibility assessment in HSCT.After a review of the literature and multiple panel discussions, AIBT developed up-to-date recommendations for the resolution levels of HLA typing, histocompatibility definitions of patients and donors, importance of anti-HLA antibodies, and significance of NK alloreactivity, which are reported in this document. These recommendations have been shared with the Italian Group for Bone Marrow Transplantation (Gruppo Italiano per il Trapianto di Midollo Osseo, cellule staminali emopoietiche e terapia cellulare [GITMO]) and the Italian National Center for Transplantation (Centro Nazionale Trapianti [CNT]). Notably, the increased use of HLA-mismatched transplantation (i.e., mismatched unrelated, haploidentical) in recent years has made these indications even more relevant for the standardization and improvement of quality of care.This document represents a useful instrument for health care workers involved in the field of HSCT, enhancing synergy with transplant physicians and enabling greater optimization of the available resources.

Melatonin hyalurosomes in collagen thermosensitive gel as a potential repurposing approach for rheumatoid arthritis management via the intra-articular route

Despite the fact that several rheumatoid arthritis treatments have been utilized, none of them achieved complete joint healing and has been accompanied by several side effects that compromise patient compliance. This study aims to provide an effective safe RA treatment with minimum side effects through the encapsulation of melatonin (MEL) in hyalurosomes and loading these hyalurosomes in collagen thermos-sensitive poloxamer 407 (PCO) hydrogels, followed by their intra-articular administration in AIA model rats. In vitro characterization of MEL-hyalurosomes and PCO hydrogel along with in vivo evaluation of the selected formulation were conducted. Particle size, PDI and EE % of the selected formulation were 71.5 nm, 0.09 and 90 %. TEM micrographs demonstrated that the particles had spherical shape with no aggregation signs. Loading PCO hydrogels with MEL-hyalurosomes did not cause significant changes in pH although it increased its viscosity and injection time. FTIR analysis showed that no interactions were noted among the delivery system components. In vivo results revealed the superior effect of MEL-hyalurosomes PCO hydrogel over MEL-PCO hydrogel and blank PCO hydrogels in improving joint healing, cartilage repair, pannus formation and cell infiltrations. Also, MEL-hyalurosomes PCO hydrogel group showed comparable levels of TNF-α, IL1, MDA, NRF2 and HO-1 with the negative control group. These findings highlight the MEL encapsulation role in augmenting its pharmacological effects along with the synergistic effect of hyaluronic acid in hyalurosomes and collagen in PCO hydrogel in promoting joint healing.

Identification of potential biomarkers for cerebral palsy and the development of prediction models

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a prevalent motor disorder originating from early brain injury or malformation, with significant variability in its clinical presentation and etiology. Early diagnosis and personalized therapeutic interventions are hindered by the lack of reliable biomarkers. This study aims to identify potential biomarkers for cerebral palsy and develop predictive models to enhance early diagnosis and prognosis. We conducted a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of gene expression profiles in muscle samples from CP patients to identify candidate biomarkers. Six key genes (CKMT2, TNNT2, MYH4, MYH1, GOT1, and LPL) were validated in an independent cohort, and potential biological pathways and molecular networks involved in CP pathogenesis were analyzed. The importance of processes such as functional regulation, energy metabolism, and cell signaling pathways in the muscles of CP patients was emphasized. Predictive models of muscle sample biomarkers related to CP were developed and visualized. Calibration curves and receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated that the predictive models exhibit high sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing individuals at risk of CP. The identified biomarkers and developed prediction models offer significant potential for early diagnosis and personalized management of CP. Future research should focus on validating these biomarkers in larger cohorts and integrating them into clinical practice to improve outcomes for individuals with CP.

Luspatercept enhances hemoglobin levels in a Chinese boy with congenital sideroblastic anemia: A case report

BACKGROUND

Congenital sideroblastic anemia (CSA) is a rare and heterogeneous group of genetic disorders. Conventional treatment include pyridoxine (vitamin B6) and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), and can alleviate anemia in the majority of cases. Nevertheless, some CSA cases remain unresponsive to pyridoxine or are unable to undergo allo-HSCT. Novel management approaches is necessary to be developed. To explore the response of luspatercept in treating congenital sideroblastic anemia.

CASE SUMMARY

We share our experience in luspatercept in a 4-year-old male patient with CSA. Luspatercept was administered subcutaneously at doses of 1.0 mg/kg/dose to 1.25 mg/kg/dose every 3 wk, three consecutive doses, evaluating the hematological response. Luspatercept leading to a significant improvement in the patient's anemia. The median hemoglobin during the overall treatment with three doses of luspatercept was 90 (75-101) g/L, the median absolute reticulocyte count was 0.0593 (0.0277-0.1030) × 1012/L, the median serum ferritin was 304.3 (234.4-399) ng/mL, and the median lifespan of mature red blood cells was 80 (57-92) days. Notably, no adverse reactions, such as headaches, dizziness, vomiting, joint pain, or back pain, were observed during the treatment period.

CONCLUSION

We believe that luspatercept might emerge as a viable therapeutic option for the maintenance treatment of CSA or as a bridging treatment option before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulants for preventing venous thromboembolism in hospitalized cancer patients: a national multicenter retrospective cohort study

Introduction

Studies on the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) in hospitalized cancer patients are lacking. Therefore, we conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of DOACs versus low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) for the primary prevention of VTE in hospitalized cancer patients.

Methods

Clinical outcomes included thrombosis, VTE, other thrombosis, all bleeding, major bleeding, nonmajor bleeding, and all-cause death. A 1:1 cohort of rivaroxaban and LMWH patients was created by propensity score matching.

Results

A total of 2,385 cancer patients were included in this study. During the 3-month follow-up period, 129 (5.4%) thrombosis events occurred, 63 (2.7%) of which were VTEs and 66 (2.8%) of which were other thrombosis events. All bleeding occurred in 163 (6.8%) patients, 68 (2.9%) had major bleeding, and 95 (4.0%) had nonmajor bleeding. All-cause deaths occurred in 113 (4.7%) patients. After adjusting for various confounders, the incidence of thrombosis and other thromboses was significantly lower in the rivaroxaban group than in the LMWH group [OR 0.543, 95% CI (0.343-0.859), p = 0.009; OR 0.461, 95% CI (0.241-0.883), p = 0.020]. There were no significant differences in incidence of VTE, total bleeding, major bleeding, nonmajor bleeding, or all-cause death.

Conclusion

In oncology patients receiving thromboprophylaxis, rivaroxaban has a lower incidence of thrombosis and other thrombosis and a similar incidence of VTE as LMWH and does not increase the risk of bleeding. Rivaroxaban may be an attractive alternative to LMWH for preventing VTE in hospitalized cancer patients.

Overview of infectious complications among CAR T- cell therapy recipients

Chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cell (CAR T-cell) therapy has revolutionized the management of hematological malignancies. In addition to impressive malignancy-related outcomes, CAR T-cell therapy has significant toxicity-related adverse events, including cytokine release syndrome (CRS), immune effector cell associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), immune effector cell-associated hematotoxicity (ICAHT), and opportunistic infections. Different CAR T-cell targets have different epidemiology and risk factors for infection, and these targets result in different long-term immunodeficiency states due to their distinct on-target and off- tumor effects. These effects are exacerbated by the use of multimodal immunosuppression in the management of CRS and ICANS. The most effective course of action for managing infectious complications involves determining screening, prophylactic, and monitoring strategies and understanding the role of immunoglobulin replacement and re-vaccination strategies. This involves considering the nature of prior immunomodulating therapies, underlying malignancy, the CAR T-cell target, and the development and management of related adverse events. In conclusion, we now have an increasing understanding of infection management for CAR T-cell recipients. As additional effector cells and CAR T-cell targets become available, infection management strategies will continue to evolve.

Characterization of recurrent cytomegalovirus reactivations post allogenic stem cell transplantation in a population with high seropositivity

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to characterize incidences of CMV reactivations within one year post-allo-SCT and identify risk factors for CMV second reactivation episode in population with high seropositivity where first CMV reactivation episode deemed to be high.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from 359 allo-SCT patients aged 14 and older admitted to a tertiary academic hospital. Data on demographic and clinical factors, CMV serostatus, conditioning regimens, graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis, engraftment time, and CMV reactivations were collected.

RESULTS

First and second CMV reactivations occurred in 88.9% and 18.4% of post-allo-SCT patients respectively. Patients were stratified into two groups based on primary disease necessitating allo-SCT, patients with malignant (Group 1) and non-malignant (Group 2) hematological disease. Factors associated with the second reactivation included cord blood as a stem cell source, human leukocyte antigen mismatch, acute graft-versus-host disease, and hematological malignancies. Patients with non-malignant hematological disease displayed better outcomes, including a higher rate of spontaneous clearance of first CMV reactivation (70% versus 49.4%) and lower rates of second CMV reactivation (9.6% versus 31%) than those with malignant hematological disease. The one-year overall survival rate was 87.7% (95.5% in non-malignant hematological disease and 78.13% in malignant hematological disease).

CONCLUSION

Our findings are concordant with previous local study in regard to high rate of first CMV reactivation post-allo-SCT. It appears that patients with nonmalignant hematological disease had better outcomes, such as lower second CMV reactivation and higher survival rates compared to patients with malignant hematological disease. Further investigation is needed to identify other factors affecting recurrent CMV reactivations in allo-SCT in patients with malignant hematological disease.

Evaluation of the Tasso+ blood self-collection device for quantitation of plasma cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNAemia in adult solid organ transplant recipients (SOTr)

Quantitative monitoring of cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNAemia in venous blood is standard in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTr) but is limited by the need for phlebotomy facilities and personnel. The aim of the study was to evaluate the Tasso+ capillary blood (CB) self-collection device for quantitation of plasma CMV DNAemia. Thirty adult SOTr with suspected CMV DNAemia were enrolled to have a supervised Tasso+ CB sample collection within 24 h of a venous sample. CMV DNA was quantitated in paired samples by using the Abbott M2000 Real-Time qPCR instrument. The participants were provided with a study-specific survey that measured patient acceptability of the Tasso+ device compared with venipuncture. A Tasso + CB sample was successfully collected in 28/30 (93%) patients, and 44 paired samples were analyzed. Concordance for detection of CMV DNAemia above the limit of detection (LOD) was 91% (42/44), and the Tasso + CB sample was estimated to be 95% sensitive at a viral load (VL) of 308 IU/mL. Among samples with a quantifiable DNAemia result with both methods (N = 31), there was excellent correlation between methods (Spearman R2 = 0.99). The difference in CMV VL between venous and Tasso+ CB samples was not dependent on time (P > 0.1). Of 12 who completed the survey, 11 (92%) expressed a preference for Tasso+ CB collection over venipuncture. Collection of CB with the Tasso+ device is feasible, patient-acceptable, and yields generally comparable CMV DNAemia load to standard venous samples, but with lower sensitivity. Future studies to optimize and evaluate this methodology for patient self-collected samples are warranted.

IMPORTANCE

We evaluate an FDA-cleared blood self-collection device (Tasso+) and demonstrate that it is patient-acceptable and yields a liquid blood sample with quantitative CMV DNAemia results comparable to those of standard venipuncture samples. This opens up possibilities for self-blood collection to monitor for CMV and potentially other viruses in transplant and other at-risk populations.

Mapping the landscape: a bibliometric study of global chimeric antigen receptor T cell immunotherapy research

The rise of immunotherapy provided new approaches to cancer treatment. We aimed to describe the contribution of chimeric antigen receptor T cell immunotherapy to future prospects. We analyzed 8035 articles from the Web of Science Core Collection with CiteSpace that covered with various aspects with countries, institutions, authors, co-cited authors, journals, keywords, and references. The USA was the most prolific country, with the University of Pennsylvania being the most published institution. Among individual authors, June Carl H published the most articles, while Maude SL was the most frequently co-cited author. "Blood" emerged as the most cited journal. Keyword clustering revealed six core themes: "Expression," "Chimeric Antigen Receptor," "Tumor Microenvironment," "Blinatumomab," "Multiple Myeloma," and "Cytokine Release Syndrome." In the process of researching the timeline chart of keywords and references, "Large B-cell lymphoma" was located on the right side of the timeline. In the keyword prominence analysis, we found that the keywords "biomarkers," "pd-1," "antibody drug conjugate," "BCMA," and "chimeric antigen" had high explosive intensity in the recent past. We found that in terms of related diseases, "large B-cell lymphoma" and "cytokine release syndrome" are still difficult problems in the future. In the study of therapeutic methods, "BCMA," "PD-1," "chimeric antigen," and "antibody drug conjugate" deserve more attention from researchers in the future.

Characteristics of the immune environment in prostate cancer as an adjunct to immunotherapy

Background and Aims

The tumor microenvironment (TME) exerts an important role in carcinogenesis and progression. Several investigations have suggested that immune cell infiltration (ICI) is of high prognostic importance for tumor progression and patient survival in many tumors, particularly prostate cancer. The pattern of immune infiltration of PCa, on the other hand, has not been thoroughly understood.

Methods

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets on PCa were obtained, and several datasets were merged into one data set using the "ComBat" algorithm. The ICI profiles of PCa patients were then to be uncovered by two computer techniques. The unsupervised clustering method was utilized to identify three ICI patterns in tumor samples, and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was conducted to estimate the ICI score.

Results

Three different clusters of three ICIs were identified in 1341 PCa samples, which also correlated with different clinical features/characteristics and biological pathways. Patients with PCa are classified into high and low subtypes based on the ICI scores extracted from immune-associated signature genes. High ICI score subtypes are associated with a worse prognosis, which may intrigue the activation of cancer-related and immune-related pathways such as pathways involving Toll-like receptors, T-cell receptors, JAK-STAT, and natural killer cells. The ICI score was linked to tumor mutation load and immune/cancer-relevant signaling pathways, which explain prostate cancer's poor prognosis.

Conclusion

The findings of this study not only advanced our knowledge of the mechanism of immune response in the prostate tumor microenvironment but also provided a novel biomarker, that is, the ICI score, for disease prognosis and guiding precision immunotherapy.

Unraveling and Harnessing the Immune Response at the Cell-Biomaterial Interface for Tissue Engineering Purposes

Biomaterials are defined as "engineered materials" and include a range of natural and synthetic products, designed for their introduction into and interaction with living tissues. Biomaterials are considered prominent tools in regenerative medicine that support the restoration of tissue defects and retain physiologic functionality. Although commonly used in the medical field, these constructs are inherently foreign toward the host and induce an immune response at the material-tissue interface, defined as the foreign body response (FBR). A strong connection between the foreign body response and tissue regeneration is suggested, in which an appropriate amount of immune response and macrophage polarization is necessary to trigger autologous tissue formation. Recent developments in this field have led to the characterization of immunomodulatory traits that optimizes bioactivity, the integration of biomaterials and determines the fate of tissue regeneration. This review addresses a variety of aspects that are involved in steering the inflammatory response, including immune cell interactions, physical characteristics, biochemical cues, and metabolomics. Harnessing the advancing knowledge of the FBR allows for the optimization of biomaterial-based implants, aiming to prevent damage of the implant, improve natural regeneration, and provide the tools for an efficient and successful in vivo implantation.

The current landscape of antifibrotic therapy across different organs: A systematic approach

Fibrosis is a common pathological process that can affect virtually all the organs, but there are hardly any effective therapeutic options. This has led to an intense search for antifibrotic therapies over the last decades, with a great number of clinical assays currently underway. We have systematically reviewed all current and recently finished clinical trials involved in the development of new antifibrotic drugs, and the preclinical studies analyzing the relevance of each of these pharmacological strategies in fibrotic processes affecting tissues beyond those being clinically studied. We analyze and discuss this information with the aim of determining the most promising options and the feasibility of extending their therapeutic value as antifibrotic agents to other fibrotic conditions.

Hypermethylation of the FOXP3 gene regulates Tregs immunodysregulation in chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

BACKGROUND

Chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is an autoimmune disease characterized by a breakdown of immune tolerance; in ITP, the body's immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys platelets. This study aims to investigate the role and underlying mechanisms of FOXP3 in chronic ITP.

METHODS

Flow cytometry was used to detect the proportion of CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) in CD4+CD25+ T lymphocytes from 20 patients with chronic ITP (CITP), 20 acute ITP (AITP) controls, and 20 healthy individuals.CD4+CD25+ Treg cells were isolated from peripheral blood of patients with CITP using magnetic beads and then treated with phosphate-buffered saline solution or decitabine (a methylation inhibitor) for 48 h. The levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-10, and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) in the plasma and CD4+CD25+ Treg cells were assessed by Enzyme-linked-immunosorbent serologic assay and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). FOXP3 level was measured by qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Methylation-specific PCR (MS-PCR) was adopted to detect the status of FOXP3 methylation.

RESULTS

The number of Treg cells and the contents of IL-2, IL-10, and TGF-β1 decreased in patients with CITP, compared to the AITP control group and normal group. FOXP3 expression was reduced and FOXP3 methylation increased in patients with CITP, compared to the AITP control group and normal group. Hypermethylation of FOXP3 promoter led to decrease in FOXP3 level in Treg cells. Inhibition of FOXP3 promoter hypermethylation promoted the secretion of IL-2, IL-10, and TGF-β1 in Treg cells.

CONCLUSION

The number of Treg cells in CITP patients decreased, and the hypermethylation of FOXP3 promoter led to reduction of its expression in Treg cells, thus affecting the immune functioning of Treg cells.

Revisiting the advances and challenges in the clinical applications of extracellular vesicles in cancer

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been the subject of an exponentially growing number of studies covering their biogenesis mechanisms, isolation and analysis techniques, physiological and pathological roles, and clinical applications, such as biomarker and therapeutic uses. Nevertheless, the heterogeneity of EVs both challenges our understanding of them and presents new opportunities for their potential application. Recently, the EV field experienced a wide range of advances. However, the challenges also remain huge. This review focuses on the recent progress and difficulties encountered in the practical use of EVs in clinical settings. In addition, we also explored the concept of EV heterogeneity to acquire a more thorough understanding of EVs and their involvement in cancer, specifically focusing on the fundamental nature of EVs.

Evaluation of the effects of decellularized extracellular matrix nanoparticles incorporation on the polyhydroxybutyrate/nano chitosan electrospun scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering

Recent research focuses on fabricating scaffolds imitating the extracellular matrix (ECM) in texture, composition, and functionality. Moreover, specific nano-bio-particles can enhance cell differentiation. Decellularized ECM nanoparticles possess all of the mentioned properties. In this research, cartilage ECM, extracted from the cow's femur condyle, was decellularized, and ECM nanoparticles were synthesized. Finally, nanocomposite electrospun fibers containing polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), chitosan (Cs) nanoparticles, and ECM nanoparticles were fabricated and characterized. TEM and DLS results revealed ECM nanoparticle sizes of 17.51 and 21.6 nm, respectively. Optimal performance was observed in the scaffold with 0.75 wt% ECM nanoparticles (PHB-Cs/0.75E). By adding 0.75 wt% ECM, the ultimate tensile strength and elongation at break increased by about 29 % and 21 %, respectively, while the water contact angle and crystallinity decreased by about 36° and 2 %, respectively. Uneven and rougher surfaces of the PHB-Cs/0.75E were determined by FESEM and AFM images, respectively. TEM images verified the uniform dispersion of nanoparticles within the fibers. After 70 days of degradation in PBS, the PHB-Cs/0.75E and PHB-Cs scaffolds demonstrated insignificant weight loss differences. Eventually, enhanced viability, attachment, and proliferation of the human costal chondrocytes on the PHB-Cs/0.75E scaffold, concluded from MTT, SEM, and DAPI staining, confirmed its potential for cartilage tissue engineering.

BMP1 Promotes Keloid by Inducing Fibroblast Inflammation and Fibrogenesis

Keloid is a typical fibrotic and inflammatory skin disease with unclear mechanisms and few therapeutic targets. In this study, we found that BMP1 was significantly increased in a collagen high-expressing subtype of fibroblast by reanalyzing a public single-cell RNA-sequence data set of keloid. The number of BMP1-positive fibroblast cells was increased in keloid fibrotic loci. Increased levels of BMP1 were further validated in the skin tissues and fibroblasts from keloid patients. Additionally, a positive correlation between BMP1 and the Keloid Area and Severity Index was found in keloid patients. In vitro analysis revealed collagen production, the phosphorylation levels of p65, and the IL-1β secretion decreased in BMP1 interfered keloid fibroblasts. Besides, the knockdown of BMP1 inhibited the growth and migration of keloid fibroblast cells. Mechanistically, BMP1 inhibition downregulated the noncanonical TGF-β pathways, including p-p38 and p-ERK1/2 signaling. Furthermore, we found the delivery of BMP1 siRNAs could significantly alleviate keloid in human keloid-bearing nude mice. Collectively, our results indicated that BMP1 exhibited various pathogenic effects on keloids as promoting cell proliferation, migration, inflammation, and ECM deposition of fibroblast cells by regulating the noncanonical TGF-β/p38 MAPK, and TGF-β/ERK pathways. BMP1-lowing strategies may appear as a potential new therapeutic target for keloid.

Clinical characteristics, disease trajectories and management of vacuoles, E1 enzyme, X-linked, autoinflammatory, somatic (VEXAS) syndrome: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

VEXAS (vacuoles, E1 enzyme, X-linked, autoinflammatory, somatic) syndrome is a newly discovered autoinflammatory condition characterised by somatic mutation of the UBA1 gene. The syndrome leads to multi-system inflammation affecting predominantly the skin, lungs and bone marrow.

METHODS

We undertook a systematic review of the multisystem features and genotypes observed in VEXAS syndrome. Articles discussing VEXAS syndrome were included. Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases were searched. Information was extracted on: demographics, type and prevalence of clinical manifestations, genetic mutations and treatment. Meta-analysis using a random effects model was used to determine pooled estimates of serum markers.

RESULTS

From 303 articles, 90 were included, comprising 394 patients with VEXAS. 99.2% were male, with a mean age of 67.1 years (SD 8.5) at disease onset. The most frequent diagnoses made prior to VEXAS were: relapsing polychondritis (n = 59); Sweet's syndrome (n = 24); polyarteritis nodosa (n = 11); and myelodysplastic syndrome (n = 10). Fever was reported in 270 cases (68.5%) and weight loss in 79 (20.1%). Most patients had haematological (n = 342; 86.8%), dermatological (n = 321; 81.5%), pulmonary (n = 297; 75.4%%) and musculoskeletal (n = 172; 43.7%) involvement, although other organ manifestations of varying prevalence were also recorded. The most commonly reported mutations were "c.122T > C pMET41Thr" (n = 124), "c.121A > G pMET41Val" (n = 62) and "c.121A > C pMet41Leu" (n = 52). Most patients received glucocorticoids (n = 240; 60.9%) followed by methotrexate (n = 82; 20.8%) and IL-6 inhibitors (n = 61, 15.4%). One patient underwent splenectomy; 24 received bone marrow transplants.

CONCLUSION

VEXAS syndrome is a rare disorder affecting predominantly middle-aged men. This is the first systematic review to capture clinical manifestations, genetics and treatment of reported cases. Further studies are needed to optimise treatment and subsequently reduce morbidity and mortality.

Histone deacetylases and inhibitors in diabetes mellitus and its complications

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia, with its prevalence linked to both genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Epigenetic modifications, particularly through histone deacetylases (HDACs), have been recognized for their significant influence on DM pathogenesis. This review focuses on the classification of HDACs, their role in DM and its complications, and the potential therapeutic applications of HDAC inhibitors. HDACs, which modulate gene expression without altering DNA sequences, are categorized into four classes with distinct functions and tissue specificity. HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) have shown efficacy in various diseases, including DM, by targeting these enzymes. The review highlights how HDACs regulate β-cell function, insulin sensitivity, and hepatic gluconeogenesis in DM, as well as their impact on diabetic cardiomyopathy, nephropathy, and retinopathy. Finally, we suggest that targeted histone modification is expected to become a key method for the treatment of diabetes and its complications. The study of HDACi offers insights into new treatment strategies for DM and its associated complications.

Current cell therapies for systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease in which multiple organs are damaged by the immune system. Although standard treatment options such as hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), glucocorticoids (GCs), and other immunosuppressive or immune-modulating agents can help to manage symptoms, they do not offer a cure. Hence, there is an urgent need for the development of novel drugs and therapies. In recent decades, cell therapies have been used for the treatment of SLE with encouraging results. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, mesenchymal stem cells, regulatory T (Treg) cell, natural killer cells, and chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR T) cells are advanced cell therapies which have been developed and evaluated in clinical trials in humans. In clinical application, each of these approaches has shown advantages and disadvantages. In addition, further studies are necessary to conclusively establish the safety and efficacy of these therapies. This review provides a summary of recent clinical trials investigating cell therapies for SLE treatment, along with a discussion on the potential of other cell-based therapies. The factors influencing the selection of common cell therapies for individual patients are also highlighted.

Harnessing immunity: Immunomodulatory therapies in COVID-19

An overly exuberant immune response, characterized by a cytokine storm and uncontrolled inflammation, has been identified as a significant driver of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases. Consequently, deciphering the intricacies of immune dysregulation in COVID-19 is imperative to identify specific targets for intervention and modulation. With these delicate dynamics in mind, immunomodulatory therapies have emerged as a promising avenue for mitigating the challenges posed by COVID-19. Precision in manipulating immune pathways presents an opportunity to alter the host response, optimizing antiviral defenses while curbing deleterious inflammation. This review article comprehensively analyzes immunomodulatory interventions in managing COVID-19. We explore diverse approaches to mitigating the hyperactive immune response and its impact, from corticosteroids and non-steroidal drugs to targeted biologics, including anti-viral drugs, cytokine inhibitors, JAK inhibitors, convalescent plasma, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, cell-based therapies (i.e., CAR T, etc.). By summarizing the current evidence, we aim to provide a clear roadmap for clinicians and researchers navigating the complex landscape of immunomodulation in COVID-19 treatment.

Delivery of exogenous miR-19b by Wharton's Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cells attenuates transplanted kidney ischemia/reperfusion injury by regulating cellular metabolism

Renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) frequently occurs following kidney transplantation, and exosomes derived from umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSC-Exos) have shown promise in treating IRI in transplanted kidneys. Our study delved into the potential mechanism of WJ-MSC-Exos in ameliorating IRI in transplanted kidneys, revealing that miR-19b is abundantly present in WJ-MSC-Exos. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that the absence of miR-19b abolished the protective effects of WJ-MSC-Exos against renal IRI. Mechanistically, miR-19b suppressed glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β) expression, thereby stabilizing PDXK protein through direct binding. Treatment with WJ-MSC-Exos led to reduced PDXK levels and enhanced pyridoxine accumulation, ultimately mitigating IRI in transplanted kidneys and I/R-induced HK2 cell apoptosis. These findings elucidate the underlying mechanism of WJ-MSC-Exos in alleviating IRI in transplanted kidneys, unveiling novel therapeutic targets for post-kidney transplantation IRI and providing a solid theoretical foundation for the clinical application of WJ-MSC-Exos in IRI treatment post-transplantation.

CCR7 and CD48 as Predicted Targets in Acute Rejection Related to M1 Macrophage after Pediatric Kidney Transplantation

Background

Kidney transplantation (KT) is the best treatment for end-stage renal disease. Although long and short-term survival rates for the graft have improved significantly with the development of immunosuppressants, acute rejection (AR) remains a major risk factor attacking the graft and patients. The innate immune response plays an important role in rejection. Therefore, our objective is to determine the biomarkers of congenital immunity associated with AR after KT and provide support for future research.

Materials and Methods

A differential expression genes (DEGs) analysis was performed based on the dataset GSE174020 from the NCBI gene Expression Synthesis Database (GEO) and then combined with the GSE5099 M1 macrophage-related gene identified in the Molecular Signatures Database. We then identified genes in DEGs associated with M1 macrophages defined as DEM1Gs and performed gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. Cibersort was used to analyze the immune cell infiltration during AR. At the same time, we used the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and Cytoscape software to determine the key genes. Dataset, GSE14328 derived from pediatric patients, GSE138043 and GSE9493 derived from adult patients, were used to verify Hub genes. Additional verification was the rat KT model, which was used to perform HE staining, immunohistochemical staining, and Western Blot. Hub genes were searched in the HPA database to confirm their expression. Finally, we construct the interaction network of transcription factor (TF)-Hub genes and miRNA-Hub genes.

Results

Compared to the normal group, 366 genes were upregulated, and 423 genes were downregulated in the AR group. Then, 106 genes related to M1 macrophages were found among these genes. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that these genes are mainly involved in cytokine binding, antigen binding, NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity, activation of immune receptors and immune response, and activation of the inflammatory NF-κB signaling pathway. Two Hub genes, namely CCR7 and CD48, were identified by PPI and Cytoscape analysis. They have been verified in external validation sets, originated from both pediatric patients and adult patients, and animal experiments. In the HPA database, CCR7 and CD48 are mainly expressed in T cells, B cells, macrophages, and tissues where these immune cells are distributed. In addition to immunoinfiltration, CD4+T, CD8+T, NK cells, NKT cells, and monocytes increased significantly in the AR group, which was highly consistent with the results of Hub gene screening. Finally, we predicted that 19 TFs and 32 miRNAs might interact with the Hub gene.

Conclusions

Through a comprehensive bioinformatic analysis, our findings may provide predictive and therapeutic targets for AR after KT.

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout strategies for enhancing immunotherapy in breast cancer

Breast cancer, a prevalent disease with significant mortality rates, often presents treatment challenges due to its complex genetic makeup. This review explores the potential of combining Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) gene knockout strategies with immunotherapeutic approaches to enhance breast cancer treatment. The CRISPR/Cas9 system, renowned for its precision in inducing genetic alterations, can target and eliminate specific cancer cells, thereby minimizing off-target effects. Concurrently, immunotherapy, which leverages the immune system's power to combat cancer, has shown promise in treating breast cancer. By integrating these two strategies, we can potentially augment the effectiveness of immunotherapies by knocking out genes that enable cancer cells to evade the immune system. However, safety considerations, such as off-target effects and immune responses, necessitate careful evaluation. Current research endeavors aim to optimize these strategies and ascertain the most effective methods to stimulate the immune response. This review provides novel insights into the integration of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout strategies and immunotherapy, a promising avenue that could revolutionize breast cancer treatment as our understanding of the immune system's interplay with cancer deepens.

Calcifediol boosts efficacy of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine by upregulating genes promoting memory T cell responses

The ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (COVISHIELD) vaccine has emerged as a pivotal tool in the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. In our previous study eligible subjects were supplemented with calcifediol, a direct precursor to the biologically active form of vitamin D, calcitriol with an objective to enhance the immunogenicity of the COVISHIELD vaccine. Herein we investigated the effects of calcifediol supplementation on gene expression profiles in individuals who received the COVISHIELD vaccine. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from vaccinated individuals with and without calcifediol supplementation at baseline, 3rd and 6th month, and the gene expression profiles were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing. The results revealed distinct patterns of gene expression associated with calcifediol supplementation, suggesting potential molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of calcifediol in improving the efficacy of COVISHIELD vaccine via augmentation of T cell activation, proliferation and T cell memory responses. Additionally, there was upregulation of NOD like receptor, JAK/STAT and TGF beta signaling pathways. Calcifediol supplementation in vaccinated individuals also downregulated the pathways related to the Coronavirus disease. Taken together, our findings provide valuable insights into the interplay between vitamin D receptor (VDR) signaling and vaccine-induced immune responses and offer another approach in improving vaccination induced antiviral responses.

Alkaptonuria: From Molecular Insights to a Dedicated Digital Platform

Alkaptonuria (AKU) is a genetic disorder that affects connective tissues of several body compartments causing cartilage degeneration, tendon calcification, heart problems, and an invalidating, early-onset form of osteoarthritis. The molecular mechanisms underlying AKU involve homogentisic acid (HGA) accumulation in cells and tissues. HGA is highly reactive, able to modify several macromolecules, and activates different pathways, mostly involved in the onset and propagation of oxidative stress and inflammation, with consequences spreading from the microscopic to the macroscopic level leading to irreversible damage. Gaining a deeper understanding of AKU molecular mechanisms may provide novel possible therapeutical approaches to counteract disease progression. In this review, we first describe inflammation and oxidative stress in AKU and discuss similarities with other more common disorders. Then, we focus on HGA reactivity and AKU molecular mechanisms. We finally describe a multi-purpose digital platform, named ApreciseKUre, created to facilitate data collection, integration, and analysis of AKU-related data.

Therapeutic Efficacy of Interferon-Gamma and Hypoxia-Primed Mesenchymal Stromal Cells and Their Extracellular Vesicles: Underlying Mechanisms and Potentials in Clinical Translation

Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) hold promises for cell therapy and tissue engineering due to their self-renewal and differentiation abilities, along with immunomodulatory properties and trophic factor secretion. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) from MSCs offer similar therapeutic effects. However, MSCs are heterogeneous and lead to variable outcomes. In vitro priming enhances MSC performance, improving immunomodulation, angiogenesis, proliferation, and tissue regeneration. Various stimuli, such as cytokines, growth factors, and oxygen tension, can prime MSCs. Two classical priming methods, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and hypoxia, enhance MSC immunomodulation, although standardized protocols are lacking. This review discusses priming protocols, highlighting the most commonly used concentrations and durations, along with mechanisms and in vivo therapeutics effects of primed MSCs and their EVs. The feasibility of up-scaling their production was also discussed. The review concluded that priming with IFN-γ or hypoxia (alone or in combination with other factors) boosted the immunomodulation capability of MSCs and their EVs, primarily via the JAK/STAT and PI3K/AKT and Leptin/JAK/STAT and TGF-β/Smad signalling pathways, respectively. Incorporating priming in MSC and EV production enables translation into cell-based or cell-free therapies for various disorders.

Blockade of Sialylation with Decrease in Polysialic Acid Levels Counteracts Transforming Growth Factor β1-Induced Skin Fibroblast-to-Myofibroblast Transition

Aberrant sialylation with overexpression of the homopolymeric glycan polysialic acid (polySia) was recently reported in fibroblasts from fibrotic skin lesions. Yet, whether such a rise in polySia levels or sialylation in general may be functionally implicated in profibrotic activation of fibroblasts and their transition to myofibroblasts remains unknown. Therefore, we herein explored whether inhibition of sialylation could interfere with the process of skin fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition induced by the master profibrotic mediator transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1). Adult human skin fibroblasts were pretreated with the competitive pan-sialyltransferase inhibitor 3-Fax-peracetyl-Neu5Ac (3-Fax) before stimulation with recombinant human TGFβ1, and then analyzed for polySia expression, cell viability, proliferation, migratory ability, and acquisition of myofibroblast-like morphofunctional features. Skin fibroblast stimulation with TGFβ1 resulted in overexpression of polySia, which was effectively blunted by 3-Fax pre-administration. Pretreatment with 3-Fax efficiently lessened TGFβ1-induced skin fibroblast proliferation, migration, changes in cell morphology, and phenotypic and functional differentiation into myofibroblasts, as testified by a significant reduction in FAP, ACTA2, COL1A1, COL1A2, and FN1 gene expression, and α-smooth muscle actin, N-cadherin, COL1A1, and FN-EDA protein levels, as well as a reduced contractile capability. Moreover, skin fibroblasts pre-administered with 3-Fax displayed a significant decrease in Smad3-dependent canonical TGFβ1 signaling. Collectively, our in vitro findings demonstrate for the first time that aberrant sialylation with increased polySia levels has a functional role in skin fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition and suggest that competitive sialyltransferase inhibition might offer new therapeutic opportunities against skin fibrosis.

Host Cell Proteases Involved in Human Respiratory Viral Infections and Their Inhibitors: A Review

Viral tropism is most commonly linked to receptor use, but host cell protease use can be a notable factor in susceptibility to infection. Here we review the use of host cell proteases by human viruses, focusing on those with primarily respiratory tropism, particularly SARS-CoV-2. We first describe the various classes of proteases present in the respiratory tract, as well as elsewhere in the body, and incorporate the targeting of these proteases as therapeutic drugs for use in humans. Host cell proteases are also linked to the systemic spread of viruses and play important roles outside of the respiratory tract; therefore, we address how proteases affect viruses across the spectrum of infections that can occur in humans, intending to understand the extrapulmonary spread of SARS-CoV-2.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) polyphenols and inflammatory bowel diseases: Major phytochemicals, functional properties, and health effects

Major polyphenols in Rosmarinus officinalis L. primarily consist of phenolic acids, phenolic diterpenes, and flavonoids, all of which have pharmacological properties including anti-inflammatory and antibacterial characteristics. Numerous in vitro and animal studies have found that rosemary polyphenols have the potential to decrease the severity of intestinal inflammation. The beneficial effects of rosemary polyphenols were associated with anti-inflammatory properties, including improved gut barrier (increased mucus secretion and tight junction), increased antioxidant enzymes, inhibiting inflammatory pathways and cytokines (downregulation of NF-κB, NLRP3 inflammasomes, STAT3 and activation of Nrf2), and modulating gut microbiota community (increased core probiotics and SCFA-producing bacteria, and decreased potential pathogens) and metabolism (changes in SCFA and bile acid metabolites). This paper provides a better understanding of the anti-inflammatory properties of rosemary polyphenols and suggests that rosemary polyphenols might be employed as strong anti-inflammatory agents to prevent intestinal inflammation and lower the risk of inflammatory bowel disease and related diseases.

Role of SYT11 in human pan-cancer using comprehensive approaches

BACKGROUND

Synaptotagmin 11 (SYT11) plays a pivotal role in neuronal vesicular trafficking and exocytosis. However, no independent prognostic studies have focused on various cancers. In this study, we aimed to summarize the clinical significance and molecular landscape of SYT11 in various tumor types.

METHODS

Using several available public databases, we investigated abnormal SYT11 expression in different tumor types and its potential clinical association with prognosis, methylation profiling, immune infiltration, gene enrichment analysis, and protein-protein interaction analysis, and identified common pathways.

RESULTS

TCGA and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) showed that SYT11 was widely expressed across tumor and corresponding normal tissues. Survival analysis showed that SYT11 expression correlated with the prognosis of seven cancer types. Additionally, SYT11 mRNA expression was not affected by promoter methylation, but regulated by certain miRNAs and associated with cancer patient prognosis. In vitro experiments further verified a negative correlation between the expression of SYT11 and miR-19a-3p in human colorectal, lung, and renal cancer cell lines. Moreover, aberrant SYT11 expression was significantly associated with immune infiltration. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that the biological and molecular processes of SYT11 were related to clathrin-mediated endocytosis, Rho GTPase signaling, and cell motility-related functions.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results provide a clear understanding of the role of SYT11 in various cancer types and suggest that SYT11 may be of prognostic and clinical significance.

Restoration of corneal epithelial barrier function: A possible target for corneal neovascularization

Corneal neovascularization (CoNV) is the second leading common cause of vision impairment worldwide and is a blinding pathological alteration brought on by ocular trauma, infection, and other factors. There are some limitations in the treatment of CoNV, hence it's critical to look into novel therapeutic targets. The corneal epithelial barrier, which is the initial barrier of the ocular surface, is an important structure that shields the eye from changes in the internal environment or invasion by the external environment. This study sought to collate evidence on the regulation of corneal epithelial barrier injury on the activation of vascular endothelial cells (VECs), basement membrane (BM) degradation, differentiation, migration, and proliferation of VECs, vascular maturation and stability, and other key processes in CoNV, so as to provide a novel concept for CoNV therapy targeting corneal epithelial barrier repair.

Effects of valproic acid on wound healing of the abdominal wall musculoaponeurotic layer: an experimental study in rats

INTRODUCTION

valproic acid (VPA), an epigenetic drug, has potential for the treatment of neoplasms. Its effects on the healing of the peritoneal-musculo-aponeurotic plane (PMA) of the abdominal wall are studied.

METHOD

sixty Wistar rats were allocated into two groups: experimental (VPA) and control (0.9% sodium chloride), treated daily, starting three days before the intervention and until euthanasia. Under anesthesia, a median laparotomy was performed and repaired with two synthetic layers. Assessments took place 3, 7 and 14 days after surgery. The integrity of the wounds, the quality of the inflammatory reaction, the intensity of the leukocyte infiltrate, collagen synthesis, the intensity of angiogenesis and the presence of myofibroblasts were studied.

RESULTS

there was dehiscence of the PMA plane in 11 of the 30 animals (p=0.001) in the experimental group. There was no difference in the quality and intensity of the inflammatory reaction. Immunohistochemistry revealed, in the experimental group, less collagen I (p3=0.003, p7=0.013 and p14=0.001) and more collagen III (p3=0.003, p7=0.013 and p14= 0.001). Collagen evaluated by Sirus Supra Red F3BA showed, in the experimental group, less collagen at all three times (p<0.001) with less collagen I and collagen III (p<0.001). A lower number of vessels was found on the 3rd day (p<0.001) and on the 7th day (p=0.001) and did not affect the number of myofibroblasts.

CONCLUSION

VPA showed dehiscence of the PMA plane, with less deposition of total collagen and collagen I, less angiogenic activity, without interfering with the number of myofibroblasts.

MicroRNA-98: the multifaceted regulator in human cancer progression and therapy

MicroRNA-98 (miR-98) stands as an important molecule in the intricate landscape of oncology. As a subset of microRNAs, these small non-coding RNAs have accompanied a new era in cancer research, underpinning their significant roles in tumorigenesis, metastasis, and therapeutic interventions. This review provides a comprehensive insight into the biogenesis, molecular properties, and physiological undertakings of miR-98, highlighting its double-edged role in cancer progression-acting both as a tumor promoter and suppressor. Intriguingly, miR-98 has profound implications for various aspects of cancer progression, modulating key cellular functions, including proliferation, apoptosis, and the cell cycle. Given its expression patterns, the potential of miR-98 as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker, especially in liquid biopsies and tumor tissues, is explored, emphasizing the hurdles in translating these findings clinically. The review concludes by evaluating therapeutic avenues to modulate miR-98 expression, addressing the challenges in therapy resistance, and assessing the efficacy of miR-98 interventions. In conclusion, while miR-98's involvement in cancer showcases promising diagnostic and therapeutic avenues, future research should pivot towards understanding its role in tumor-stroma interactions, immune modulation, and metabolic regulation, thereby unlocking novel strategies for cancer management.