Hematological and immunological impairment following in-utero and postnatal exposure to aluminum sulfate in female offspring of albino rats

Antioxidant dihydrolipolic acid protects against in vitro aluminum-induced toxicity

Dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) is a natural antioxidant known for its ability to counteract metal toxicity and oxidative stress. It has shown the potential to safeguard cells from harmful environmental substances. It may hold therapeutic benefits in treating neurodegenerative disorders by defending against oxidative damage and chronic inflammation. Thus, this study aimed to explore the potential neuroprotective effects of DHLA against aluminum (Al)-induced toxicity using an Alzheimer's disease (AD) model in vitro. The study focused on two important pathways: GSK-3β and the Wnt signaling pathways. The SH-SY5Y cell line was differentiated to establish AD, and the study group were as follows: control, Al, DHLA, Al-DHLA, AD, AD-Al, AD-DHLA, and AD-Al-DHLA. The impact of DHLA on parameters related to oxidative stress was assessed. The activity of the GSK-3β pathway was measured by evaluating the levels of PPP1CA, PP2A, GSK-3β, and Akt. The Wnt signaling pathway was assessed by measuring Wnt/β-catenin in the different study groups. Exposure to DHLA significantly reduced oxidative stress by effectively decreasing the levels of reactive oxygen species, thereby protecting against protein oxidation and limiting the production of malonaldehyde. Moreover, the DHLA-treated groups exhibited a remarkable increase in the total antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, the study observed an upregulation of the Wnt signaling pathway and a downregulation of the GSK-3β pathway in the groups treated with DHLA. In summary, the neuroprotective effects of DHLA, primarily achieved by reducing oxidative stress and modulating critical imbalanced pathways associated with AD, indicate its potential as a promising addition to the treatment regimens of AD patients.

Contributing factors common to COVID‑19 and gastrointestinal cancer

The devastating complications of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) result from the dysfunctional immune response of an individual following the initial severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Multiple toxic stressors and behaviors contribute to underlying immune system dysfunction. SARS-CoV-2 exploits the dysfunctional immune system to trigger a chain of events, ultimately leading to COVID-19. The authors have previously identified a number of contributing factors (CFs) common to myriad chronic diseases. Based on these observations, it was hypothesized that there may be a significant overlap between CFs associated with COVID-19 and gastrointestinal cancer (GIC). Thus, in the present study, a streamlined dot-product approach was used initially to identify potential CFs that affect COVID-19 and GIC directly (i.e., the simultaneous occurrence of CFs and disease in the same article). The nascent character of the COVID-19 core literature (~1-year-old) did not allow sufficient time for the direct effects of numerous CFs on COVID-19 to emerge from laboratory experiments and epidemiological studies. Therefore, a literature-related discovery approach was used to augment the COVID-19 core literature-based ‘direct impact’ CFs with discovery-based ‘indirect impact’ CFs [CFs were identified in the non-COVID-19 biomedical literature that had the same biomarker impact pattern (e.g., hyperinflammation, hypercoagulation, hypoxia, etc.) as was shown in the COVID-19 literature]. Approximately 2,250 candidate direct impact CFs in common between GIC and COVID-19 were identified, albeit some being variants of the same concept. As commonality proof of concept, 75 potential CFs that appeared promising were selected, and 63 overlapping COVID-19/GIC potential/candidate CFs were validated with biological plausibility. In total, 42 of the 63 were overlapping direct impact COVID-19/GIC CFs, and the remaining 21 were candidate GIC CFs that overlapped with indirect impact COVID-19 CFs. On the whole, the present study demonstrates that COVID-19 and GIC share a number of common risk/CFs, including behaviors and toxic exposures, that impair immune function. A key component of immune system health is the removal of those factors that contribute to immune system dysfunction in the first place. This requires a paradigm shift from traditional Western medicine, which often focuses on treatment, rather than prevention.

RNAi Technology and Investigation on Possible Vaccines to Combat SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, taking place globally, occurs as a result of the SARS-CoV-2 viral infection which has caused death of innumerable numbers of people and is responsible for a massive drop in the global economy. Millions of people are infected, and the death rate is also quite high in different countries. So, there is an urgent requirement of the invention of some effective and efficient drugs that can be effective against this deadly viral infection. The invention of new drugs and vaccine has become a matter of utmost importance to stop the mayhem of coronavirus pandemic. In the middle of such a deadly pandemic, the necessity of development of a vaccine is of high importance in this context. Among all the popular methods of vaccine development, the mRNA vaccines turned out to be the one of the most versatile vaccine with quick responses. However, in this review, we have explained all the possible types of vaccines available including DNA vaccines, RNA vaccines, and live and attenuated vaccines. Their effectiveness, importance, and application of the vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus have been discussed. Research is also being conducted in the field of gene silencing, and one of the best possible ways to combat the virus at the molecular level is by applying RNAi technology. The modified siRNA molecules can be used to silence the gene expression of the virus. A summarization of the virus’s behavior, characteristics, and the methods by which RNAi technology can be administered to control the virus is depicted in this study.

Towards effective COVID‑19 vaccines: Updates, perspectives and challenges (Review)

In the current context of the pandemic triggered by SARS-COV-2, the immunization of the population through vaccination is recognized as a public health priority. In the case of SARS-COV-2, the genetic sequencing was done quickly, in one month. Since then, worldwide research has focused on obtaining a vaccine. This has a major economic impact because new technological platforms and advanced genetic engineering procedures are required to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine. The most difficult scientific challenge for this future vaccine obtained in the laboratory is the proof of clinical safety and efficacy. The biggest challenge of manufacturing is the construction and validation of production platforms capable of making the vaccine on a large scale.