A Modified Ficoll-Paque Gradient Method for Isolating Mononuclear Cells from the Peripheral and Umbilical Cord Blood of Humans for Biobanks and Clinical Laboratories

Reverse vaccinology approach for identification of epitopes from E1 protein as peptide vaccine against HCV: A proof of concept

The development of effective vaccines against Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) remains a global health priority and challenge. In this study, we employed an integrative approach combining computational epitope prediction with experimental validation to identify immunogenic peptides targeting the E1 glycoprotein of HCV. In the present report, computational data from various epitope prediction algorithms such as IEDB and SYFPEITHI, followed by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and immuno-informatics analysis is presented. Through computational screening, we identified potential epitope candidates, with QVRNSSGLY (P3) and QLFTFSPRH (P7) emerging as promising candidates. MD simulations revealed stable interactions between these epitopes and MHC molecule, further validated by free energy estimations using MMPBSA method. Immuno-informatics analysis supported these findings, showing high binding potential and immunogenicity scores for the selected peptides. Subsequent synthesis and characterization of epitope peptides confirmed their structural integrity and purity required for conducting immune activation assays. Experimental immunological assays carried out in this study involved epitope peptide induced activation of CD8 + and CD4 + T cells from healthy human subjects and HCV- recovered patients. Data from experimental validation revealed significant cytokine release upon exposure to epitope peptides, particularly TNF-a, IL-6, and GM-CSF, indicative of robust immune responses. Notably, peptides P3 and P7 exhibited the most pronounced cytokine induction profiles, underscoring their potential as vaccine candidates. Further investigations addressing the mechanism of action of these epitope peptides under preclinical and clinical settings may help in developing effective vaccine against HCV.

Ultrastructural Characterization of PBMCs and Extracellular Vesicles in Multiple Sclerosis: A Pilot Study

Growing evidence identifies extracellular vesicles (EVs) as important cell-to-cell signal transducers in autoimmune disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS). If the etiology of MS still remains unknown, its molecular physiology has been well studied, indicating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) as the main pathologically relevant contributors to the disease and to neuroinflammation. Recently, several studies have suggested the involvement of EVs as key mediators of neuroimmune crosstalk in central nervous system (CNS) autoimmunity. To assess the role of EVs in MS, we applied electron microscopy (EM) techniques and Western blot analysis to study the morphology and content of plasma-derived EVs as well as the ultrastructure of PBMCs, considering four MS patients and four healthy controls. Through its exploratory nature, our study was able to detect significant differences between groups. Pseudopods and large vesicles were more numerous at the plasmalemma interface of cases, as were endoplasmic vesicles, resulting in an activated aspect of the PBMCs. Moreover, PBMCs from MS patients also showed an increased number of multivesicular bodies within the cytoplasm and amorphous material around the vesicles. In addition, we observed a high number of plasma-membrane-covered extensions, with multiple associated large vesicles and numerous autophagosomal vacuoles containing undigested cytoplasmic material. Finally, the study of EV cargo evidenced a number of dysregulated molecules in MS patients, including GANAB, IFI35, Cortactin, Septin 2, Cofilin 1, and ARHGDIA, that serve as inflammatory signals in a context of altered vesicular dynamics. We concluded that EM coupled with Western blot analysis applied to PBMCs and vesiculation can enhance our knowledge in the physiopathology of MS.

A Comparative Study of B Cell Blast Isolation Methods from Bone Marrow Aspirates of Pediatric Leukemia Patients

Density gradient centrifugation is a conventional technique widely utilized to isolate bone marrow mononuclear cells (BM-MNC) from bone marrow (BM) aspirates obtained from pediatric B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) patients. Nevertheless, this technique achieves incomplete recovery of mononuclear cells and is relatively time-consuming and expensive. Given that B-ALL is the most common childhood malignancy, alternative methods for processing B-ALL samples may be more cost-effective. In this pilot study, we use several readouts, including immune phenotype, cell viability, and leukemia-initiating capacity in immune-deficient mice, to directly compare the density gradient centrifugation and buffy coat processing methods. Our findings indicate that buffy coat isolation yields comparable BM-MNC product in terms of both immune and leukemia cell content and could provide a viable, lower cost alternative for biobanks processing pediatric leukemia samples.

ERG mediates the inhibition of NK cell cytotoxicity through the HLX/STAT4/Perforin signaling pathway, thereby promoting the progression of myocardial infarction

This study aimed to investigate the role of ERG in the HLX/STAT4/Perforin signaling axis, impacting natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity and myocardial infarction (MI) progression. NK cell cytotoxicity was assessed via co-culture and 51Cr release assays. Datasets GSE34198 and GSE97320 identified common differentially expressed genes in MI. NK cell gene expression was analyzed in MI patients and healthy individuals using qRT-PCR and Western blotting. ERG's regulation of HLX and STAT4's regulation of perforin were studied through computational tools (MEM) and ChIP experiments. HLX's influence on STAT4 was explored with the MG132 proteasome inhibitor. Findings were validated in a mouse MI model.ERG, a commonly upregulated gene, was identified in NK cells from MI patients and mice. ERG upregulated HLX, leading to STAT4 proteasomal degradation and reduced Perforin expression. Consequently, NK cell cytotoxicity decreased, promoting MI progression. ERG mediates the HLX/STAT4/Perforin axis to inhibit NK cell cytotoxicity, fostering MI progression. These results provide vital insights into MI's molecular mechanisms.

Analyzing the expression pattern of the noncoding RNAs (HOTAIR, PVT-1, XIST, H19, and miRNA-34a) in PBMC samples of patients with COVID-19, according to the disease severity in Iran during 2022-2023: A cross-sectional study

Background and aims

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are well-known types of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), which have been known as the key regulators of gene expression. They can play critical roles in viral infection by regulating the host immune response and interacting with genes in the viral genome. In this regard, ncRNAs can be employed as biomarkers for viral diseases. The current study aimed to evaluate peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) ncRNAs (lncRNAs-homeobox C antisense intergenic RNA [HOTAIR], -H19, X-inactive-specific transcript [XIST], plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 [PVT-1], and miR-34a) as diagnostic biomarkers to differentiate severe COVID-19 cases from mild ones.

Methods

Candidate ncRNAs were selected according to previous studies and assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction in the PBMC samples of patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (n = 40), healthy subjects (n = 40), and mild COVID-19 cases (n = 40). Furthermore, the diagnostic value of the selected ncRNAs was assessed by analyzing the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC).

Results

The results demonstrated that the expression pattern of the selected ncRNAs was significantly different between the studied groups. The levels of HOTAIR, XIST, and miR-34a were remarkably overexpressed in the severe COVID-19 group in comparison with the mild COVID-19 group, and in return, the PVT-1 levels were lower than in the mild COVID-19 group. Interestingly, the XIST expression level in men with severe COVID-19 was higher compared to women with mild COVID-19. ROC results suggested that HOTAIR and PVT-1 could serve as useful biomarkers for screening mild COVID-19 from severe COVID-19.

Conclusions

Overall, different expression patterns of the selected ncRNAs and ROC curve results revealed that these factors can contribute to COVID-19 pathogenicity and can be considered diagnostic markers of COVID-19 severe outcomes.

Immunomodulatory effect of Myrtenol on benzo (a) pyrene-induced lung cancer in Swiss albino mice via modulation of tumor markers, cytokines and inhibition of PCNA expression

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. Although many diagnostic and treatment regimens have been followed in the treatment for lung cancer, increasing mortality rate due to lung cancer is depressing and hence requires alternative plant based therapeutics with with less side-effects. Myrtenol exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Hence we intended to study the effect of Myrtenol on B(a)P-induced lung cancer. Our study showed that B(a)P lowered hematological count, decreased phagocyte and avidity indices, nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction, levels of immunoglubulins, antioxidant levels, whereas Myrtenol treatment restored them back to normal levels. On the other hand, xenobiotic and liver dysfunction marker enzymes and pro-inflammatory cytokines were elevated on B(a)P exposure, which retuned back to normal by Myrtenol. This study thus describes the immunomodulatory and antioxidant effects of Myrtenol on B[a]P-induced immune destruction.

Body fluid-derived stem cells - an untapped stem cell source in genitourinary regeneration

Somatic stem cells have been obtained from solid organs and tissues, including the bone marrow, placenta, corneal stroma, periosteum, adipose tissue, dental pulp and skeletal muscle. These solid tissue-derived stem cells are often used for tissue repair, disease modelling and new drug development. In the past two decades, stem cells have also been identified in various body fluids, including urine, peripheral blood, umbilical cord blood, amniotic fluid, synovial fluid, breastmilk and menstrual blood. These body fluid-derived stem cells (BFSCs) have stemness properties comparable to those of other adult stem cells and, similarly to tissue-derived stem cells, show cell surface markers, multi-differentiation potential and immunomodulatory effects. However, BFSCs are more easily accessible through non-invasive or minimally invasive approaches than solid tissue-derived stem cells and can be isolated without enzymatic tissue digestion. Additionally, BFSCs have shown good versatility in repairing genitourinary abnormalities in preclinical models through direct differentiation or paracrine mechanisms such as pro-angiogenic, anti-apoptotic, antifibrotic, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. However, optimization of protocols is needed to improve the efficacy and safety of BFSC therapy before therapeutic translation.

Urine-derived stem cells in neurological diseases: current state-of-the-art and future directions

Stem cells have potential applications in the field of neurological diseases, as they allow for the development of new biological models. These models can improve our understanding of the underlying pathologies and facilitate the screening of new therapeutics in the context of precision medicine. Stem cells have also been applied in clinical tests to repair tissues and improve functional recovery. Nevertheless, although promising, commonly used stem cells display some limitations that curb the scope of their applications, such as the difficulty of obtention. In that regard, urine-derived cells can be reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). However, their obtaining can be challenging due to the low yield and complexity of the multi-phased and typically expensive differentiation protocols. As an alternative, urine-derived stem cells (UDSCs), included within the population of urine-derived cells, present a mesenchymal-like phenotype and have shown promising properties for similar purposes. Importantly, UDSCs have been differentiated into neuronal-like cells, auspicious for disease modeling, while overcoming some of the shortcomings presented by other stem cells for these purposes. Thus, this review assesses the current state and future perspectives regarding the potential of UDSCs in the ambit of neurological diseases, both for disease modeling and therapeutic applications.

Targeting of human fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 by a novel specific nanobody

Inhibition of FGFR2 signaling is promising in targeted therapy of FGFR2-related tumors. In this study, anti-FGFR2 nanobodies (Nbs) were isolated through screening of an immune camelid phage display library. Four rounds of biopanning were carried out with commercial human FGFR2 antigen and enrichment was assessed by ELISA and phage titration. The gene of Nb was sub-cloned into the expression vector, and the recombinant vector was transformed into Escherichia coli WK6 cells. The recombinant protein was purified using Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. The anti-FGFR2 Nb (C13) was characterized by SDS-PAGE, western blotting, competitive inhibition ELISA, flow cytometry, MTT, and migration assay. C13 Nb recognized FGFR2 with high specificity and no cross-reactivity was observed with other tested antigens. The affinity of C13 Nb was calculated to be 1.5 × 10-9 M. Results of cytotoxicity showed that C13 Nb (10 µg/ml) inhibited 85% of the proliferation of T-47D cells (p < 0.001). In addition, C13 inhibited the migration of 68% of T-47D toward the source of the growth factor (p < 0.01). The flow cytometry showed that C13 Nb bound to the surface of FGFR2+ cells, T-47D cell line (96%). Results indicate the potential of anti-FGFR2 Nb for targeted therapy of FGFR2-overexpressing tumors after complementary investigations.

An optimized force-triggered density gradient sedimentation method for isolation of pelage follicle dermal papilla cells from neonatal mouse skin

BACKGROUND

The dermal papilla cells are a specialized population of mesenchymal cells located at the base of the hair follicle (HF), which possess the capacity to regulate HF morphogenesis and regeneration. However, lack of cell-type specific surface markers restricts the isolation of DP cells and application for tissue engineering purposes.

METHODS

We describe a novel force-triggered density gradient sedimentation (FDGS) method to efficiently obtain purified follicular DP-spheres cells from neonatal mouse back skin, utilizing only centrifugation and optimized density gradients.

RESULTS

Expression of characteristic DP cell markers, alkaline phosphatase, β-catenin, versican, and neural cell adhesion molecules, were confirmed by immunofluorescence. Further, the patch assays demonstrated that DP cells maintained their hair regenerative capacity in vivo. Compared with current methods, including microdissection and fluorescence-activated cell sorting, the FDGS technique is simpler and more efficient for isolating DP cells from neonatal mouse skin.

CONCLUSIONS

The FDGS method will improve the research potential of neonatal mouse pelage-derived DP cells for tissue engineering purposes.

Mini-αA-Crystallin Stifled Melittin-Induced Haemolysis and Lymphocyte Lysis

Melittin, the most potent pharmacological ingredient of honey bee venom, induces haemolysis, lymphocyte lysis, long-term pain, localised inflammation, and hyperalgesia. In this study, efforts were made to subdue the melittin’s ill effects using a chaperone peptide called ‘mini-αA-crystallin’ (MAC) derived from eye lens αA-crystallin. Haemolytic test on human red blood cells, percentage viability, and DNA diffusion assay on Human peripheral blood lymphocytes (HPBLs) were performed with melittin in the presence or absence of MAC. Propidium iodide and Annexin V-FITC dual staining were performed to analyse quantitative levels of necrotic and apoptotic induction by melittin in the presence or absence of MAC on HPBLs using a flow cytometer. A computational study to find out the interactions between MAC and melittin was undertaken by modelling the structure of MAC using a PEP-FOLD server. The result showed that MAC inhibited melittin-induced lysis in nucleated (lymphocytes) and enucleated (RBC) cells. Flow cytometric analysis revealed a substantial increase in the necrotic and late apoptotic cells after treating HPBLs with melittin (4 µg/ml) for 24 h. Treatment with MAC at a 2:1 molar ratio prevented HPBLs from developing melittin-induced necrosis and late apoptosis. In the docking study, hydrogen, van der Waals, π-π stacking, and salt bridges were observed between the MAC and melittin complex, confirming a strong interaction between them. The MAC-melittin complex was stable during molecular dynamics simulation. These findings may be beneficial in developing a medication for treating severe cases of honeybee stings.

The Value of SIRT1/FOXO1 Signaling Pathway in Early Detection of Cardiovascular Risk in Children with β-Thalassemia Major

Background: Atherosclerosis represents one of the major causes of morbidity in children with β-thalassemia major (β-TM). Aim: This study was designed to investigate SIRT1-FOXO1 signaling in β-TM children and their role in early detection of premature atherosclerosis. Methods: We equally subdivided 100 Egyptian children aged 6−14 years with β-TM according to carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) into 50 with CIMT < 0.5 mm and 50 with CIMT ≥ 0.5 mm, and 50 healthy children of matched age were included. They were subjected to evaluation of SIRT1, heat shock protein 72 (HSP72), and hepcidin levels via ELISA and forkhead box protein 1 (FOXO1) mRNA expression using real-time PCR in PBMCs; meanwhile, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase activities were evaluated spectrophotometrically. Results: Our results show significantly high values for CIMT, β-stiffness, atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), MDA, HSP72 and FOXO1, ferritin with significantly low hepcidin, SOD, catalase, and SIRT1 in β-TM as compared to controls with a more significant difference in β-TM with CIMT ≥ 0.5 mm than those with CIMT < 0.5 mm. A significant positive correlation between CIMT and MDA, HSP72, and FOXO1 gene expression was found, while a significant negative correlation with hepcidin, SOD, catalase, and SIRT1 was found. FOXO1 gene expression and HSP72 levels were the strongest independent determinants of CIMT. Conclusion: In β-TM, FOXO1 signaling is activated with low levels of SIRT1, and this is attributed to accelerated atherosclerosis in β-TM, which would be crucial in prediction of atherosclerosis.

Optimization of Blood Handling and Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell Cryopreservation of Low Cell Number Samples

Background: Rural/remote blood collection can cause delays in processing, reducing PBMC number, viability, cell composition and function. To mitigate these impacts, blood was stored at 4 °C prior to processing. Viable cell number, viability, immune phenotype, and Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) release were measured. Furthermore, the lowest protective volume of cryopreservation media and cell concentration was investigated. Methods: Blood from 10 individuals was stored for up to 10 days. Flow cytometry and IFN-γ ELISPOT were used to measure immune phenotype and function on thawed PBMC. Additionally, PBMC were cryopreserved in volumes ranging from 500 µL to 25 µL and concentration from 10 × 10⁶ cells/mL to 1.67 × 10⁶ cells/mL. Results: PBMC viability and viable cell number significantly reduced over time compared with samples processed immediately, except when stored for 24 h at RT. Monocytes and NK cells significantly reduced over time regardless of storage temperature. Samples with >24 h of RT storage had an increased proportion in Low-Density Neutrophils and T cells compared with samples stored at 4 °C. IFN-γ release was reduced after 24 h of storage, however not in samples stored at 4 °C for >24 h. The lowest protective volume identified was 150 µL with the lowest density of 6.67 × 10⁶ cells/mL. Conclusion: A sample delay of 24 h at RT does not impact the viability and total viable cell numbers. When long-term delays exist (>4 d) total viable cell number and cell viability losses are reduced in samples stored at 4 °C. Immune phenotype and function are slightly altered after 24 h of storage, further impacts of storage are reduced in samples stored at 4 °C.

Long noncoding RNA uc003pxg.1 regulates endothelial cell proliferation and migration via miR‑25‑5p in coronary artery disease

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to be associated with the progression of coronary artery disease (CAD). In our previous study, the levels of lncRNA uc003pxg.1 were upregulated in patients with CAD compared with those in control subjects. However, the role and underlying mechanism of the effects of uc003pxg.1 in CAD remain unknown. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the expression pattern and biological function of uc003pxg.1 in CAD. First, uc003pxg.1 expression levels were assessed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from patients with CAD by reverse transcription‑quantitative (RT‑q)PCR. The results demonstrated that the levels of uc003pxg.1 were significantly upregulated (~4.6‑fold) in samples from 80 patients with CAD compared with those in 80 healthy subjects. Subsequently, the present study demonstrated that small interfering RNA‑mediated uc003pxg.1 knockdown inhibited human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation and migration, which was analyzed using the Cell Counting Kit‑8, cell cycle, EdU and Transwell assays. Additionally, the results of RT‑qPCR and western blot analyses revealed that uc003pxg.1 regulated the mRNA and protein levels of cyclin D1 and cyclin‑dependent kinase. Through high‑throughput sequencing and dual‑luciferase reporter assays, the present study demonstrated that microRNA (miR)‑25‑5p was a downstream target of uc003pxg.1. Further experiments verified that uc003pxg.1 regulated HUVEC proliferation and migration via miR‑25‑5p. The results of the present study may enhance the current understanding of the role of lncRNA uc003pxg.1 in CAD.

ILC2 Cells Promote Th2 Cell Differentiation in AECOPD Through Activated Notch-GATA3 Signaling Pathway

This study is to investigate the capacity of type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) in regulating the Th2 type adaptive immune response of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). The study enrolled healthy people, stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, and AECOPD patients. Flow cytometry was used to detect Th2 and ILC2 cells in the peripheral blood. In addition, ILC2s from the peripheral blood of AECOPD patients were stimulated with PBS, IL-33, Jagged1, DAPT, IL-33+Jagged1, IL-33+DAPT, and IL-33+Jagged-1+DAP in vitro. The levels of cytokines in the culture supernatant were detected by ELISA and the culture supernatant was used to culture CD4 ⁺ T cells. The mRNA and protein levels of Notch1, hes1, GATA3, RORα, and NF-κB of ILC2s were detected by real-time PCR and Western blot. The proportion of Th2 and ILC2s was significantly increased in the peripheral blood of AECOPD patients, alone with the increased Notch1, hes1, and GATA3 mRNA levels. In vitro results showed that the mRNA and protein levels of Notch1, hes1, GATA3 and NF-κB were significantly increased after stimulation with Notch agonist, meanwhile, the level of type 2 cytokines were increased in the supernatant of cells stimulated with Notch agonist, and significantly promoted differentiation of Th2 cells in vitro. Disruption of Notch pathway weakened GATA3 expression and cytokine production, and ultimately affected the differentiation of Th2 cells. In conclusion, our results suggest that ILC2s can promote Th2 cell differentiation in AECOPD via activated Notch-GATA3 signal pathway.

Sphingolipidomics in Translational Sepsis Research-Biomedical Considerations and Perspectives

Scientific Background: Sphingolipids are a highly diverse group of lipids with respect to physicochemical properties controlling either structure, distribution, or function, all of them regulating cellular response in health and disease. Mass spectrometry, on the other hand, is an analytical technique characterizing ionized molecules or fragments thereof by mass-to-charge ratios, which has been prosperingly developed for rapid and reliable qualitative and quantitative identification of lipid species. Parallel to best performance of in-depth chromatographical separation of lipid classes, preconditions of precise quantitation of unique molecular species by preprocessing of biological samples have to be fulfilled. As a consequence, “lipid profiles” across model systems and human individuals, esp. complex (clinical) samples, have become eminent over the last couple of years due to sensitivity, specificity, and discriminatory capability. Therefore, it is significance to consider the entire experimental strategy from sample collection and preparation, data acquisition, analysis, and interpretation.

Areas Covered: In this review, we outline considerations with clinical (i.e., human) samples with special emphasis on sample handling, specific physicochemical properties, target measurements, and resulting profiling of sphingolipids in biomedicine and translational research to maximize sensitivity and specificity as well as to provide robust and reproducible results. A brief commentary is also provided regarding new insights of “clinical sphingolipidomics” in translational sepsis research.

Expert Opinion: The role of mass spectrometry of sphingolipids and related species (“sphingolipidomics”) to investigate cellular and compartment-specific response to stress, e.g., in generalized infection and sepsis, is on the rise and the ability to integrate multiple datasets from diverse classes of biomolecules by mass spectrometry measurements and metabolomics will be crucial to fostering our understanding of human health as well as response to disease and treatment.

Analysis of the Exonic Single Nucleotide Polymorphism rs182428269 of the NRF2 Gene in Patients with Diabetic Foot Ulcer

BACKGROUND

The pivotal role of Nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (NRF2) in redox homeostasis and wound healing has been well documented. However, the genetic mechanisms that regulate NRF2 in type 2 diabetes and diabetic foot ulcers remain unexplored. The present study investigated the association of single nucleotide polymorphism rs182428269 (-127 C/T) in subjects with type 2 diabetes and diabetic foot ulcers.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study comprised 400 participants that included group I: normal glucose tolerant subjects (NGT, n = 150), group II: type 2 diabetes mellitus subjects (T2DM, n = 150) and group III: infected diabetic foot ulcer subjects (DFU, n = 100). The non-synonymous SNP rs182428269 was selected based on in silico analysis and genotyped by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) followed by bidirectional Sanger sequencing. In addition, the gene expression of NRF2 in patients with polymorphism was analyzed by qPCR to evaluate the functional impact of the SNP.

RESULTS

NRF2 expression was significantly decreased among the T2DM and DFU subjects when compared to the NGT subjects. Of particular interest, the homozygous mutant (TT) genotype of rs182428269 polymorphism was significantly associated with an increased risk for the development of T2DM (OR = 1.95 (1.02-3.72), p = 0.04) and DFU (OR = 5.66 (2.98-10.76), p = 0.0001). Furthermore, a progressive decline in NRF2 expression was observed among the T2DM and DFU subjects with "TT" genotype compared to the "CC" and "CT" genotypes.

CONCLUSION

NRF2 polymorphism rs182428269 is associated with the pathogenesis of T2DM and DFU.

Design, Synthesis and Evaluation of 2,4-Diaminoquinazoline Derivatives as Potential Tubulin Polymerization Inhibitors

Microtubules are highly dynamic polymers composed of α- and β-tubulin proteins that have been shown to be potential therapeutic targets for the development of anticancer drugs. Currently, a wide variety of chemically diverse agents that bind to β-tubulin have been reported. Nocodazole (NZ) and colchicine (COL) are well-known tubulin-depolymerizing agents that have close binding sites in the β-tubulin. In this study, we designed and synthesized a set of nine 2,4-diaminoquinazoline derivatives that could occupy both NZ and COL binding sites. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for their antiproliferative activities against five cancer cell lines (PC-3, HCT-15, MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and SK-LU-1), a noncancerous one (COS-7), and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The effect of compounds 4 e and 4 i on tubulin organization and polymerization was analyzed on the SK-LU-1 cell line by indirect immunofluorescence, western blotting, and tubulin polymerization assays. Our results demonstrated that both compounds exert their antiproliferative activity by inhibiting tubulin polymerization. Finally, a possible binding pose of 4 i in the NZ/COL binding site was determined by using molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) approaches. To our knowledge, this is the first report of non-N-substituted 2,4-diaminoquinazoline derivatives with the ability to inhibit tubulin polymerization.

Tumor suppressive activity of miR-424-5p in breast cancer cells through targeting PD-L1 and modulating PTEN/PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway

AIMS

MicroRNAs (miRs) are key modulators of cellular processes such as proliferation, apoptosis, as well as anti-cancer immune responses. Here, we evaluated the role of miR-424-5p in breast cancer (BC) and investigated its effects on T cell-related immune response.

MAIN METHODS

BC tissues and cell lines were prepared and the expression of miR-424-5p and PD-L1, as well as the underlying molecular pathways, were assessed via qRT-PCR and western blotting. The MTT assay and flow cytometry were used to assess the effect of miR-424-5p on proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy, and cell cycle progression. The co-culture of T cells with MDA-MB-231 was performed for evaluating the role of miR-424-5p in rescuing T cell exhaustion.

KEY FINDINGS

The results indicated the down-regulation of miR-424-5p and up-regulation of PD-L1 expression in BC tissue specimens. MiR-424-5p transfection into PD-L1 overexpressing MDA-MB-231 cells decreased the expression of PD-L1. Also, miR-424-5p could reduce MDA-MB-231 cell viability through modulating apoptosis and autophagy pathways. Furthermore, miR-424-5p transfection leads to decreased colony formation and increased cell number at the G2/M phase. Western blot analysis illustrated that miR-424-5p could exert its anti-proliferative effect via modulating PTEN/PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Moreover, it was demonstrated that suppression of PD-L1 by miR-424-5p could participate in regulating the expression of effector cytokines in T cells.

SIGNIFICANCE

MiR-424-5p could be considered as a potential tumor-suppressor miR in regulating BC cellular growth, apoptosis, and T cell-related immune response through targeting PD-L1, and its downstream mediators. Therefore, we recognized miR-424-5p as a promising candidate for miR restoration therapy in BC patients.

IFI35 as a biomolecular marker of neuroinflammation and treatment response in multiple sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) with unpredictable clinical outcome. As such, there is an urgent need to identify biomarkers that can predict the treatment response. Therefore, in an open-label, clinical, paraclinical and molecular prospective study, we assessed 50 interferon (IFN) treated MS patients for Rio Score (RS)/Modified Rio Score (MRS) and densitometric expression of the interferon-induced protein 35 (IFI35), a signal-protein with potential to be clinically relevant in the management of the disease. We found 4.92-fold upregulated IFI35 in IFN-treated MS group respect to healthy controls (p < .0001) and 2.31-fold respect to untreated MS group (p < .0001). Moreover, IFI35 expression profile correlated with RS and MRS rank values (r = -0.6018, p < .0001; r = -0.620, p < .0001), white matter volume (r = -0.5041; p = .0017) and cerebral lesion load (r = -0.5075; p = .0026). Finally, the main proportion of IFN-treated MS patients non-reaching the 65% threshold in IFI35 expression leaved the RS/MRS rank value 0 in a period ranging from 5 to 15 months (p < .0001) from the study entry; instead, all patients that reaching this threshold maintained the RS/MRS value 0 until the study end (p < .0001). In conclusion, the expression level of IFI35 in untreated MS patients highlights a correlation with neuroinflammation. Furthermore, IFI35 expression in IFN-treated MS patients shows a modular correlation between dosing regimes, which is predictive for long-term clinical outcome and drug efficacy.

Prevalence, risk factors and impact of occult HCV infection on liver morbidity among haemodialysis patients: hospital-based cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

Haemodialysis (HD) patients are at risk for blood-borne infections as occult HCV infection, which justifies comprehensive studies. We aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of occult HCV infection (OCI) among HD patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

One hundred eligible HD patients, with no evidence of overt HCV or HBV and HBV vaccinated were recruited, and tested for HCV, HBV markers and HCV RNA. Two HCV-positive patients were excluded and peripheral mononuclear cells of 98 patients were verified for viraemia.

RESULTS

OCI was detected in eight (8.16%); with a median viral load of 7010copies/ml. Their mean age was 30.63 (±18.87 years) compared to others (41.73 ± 15.93) (p = .069). History of surgery, dental procedure, and blood transfusion was comparably high in both groups (p > .05). All OCI patients underwent dialysis twice weekly compared to 48.9% of non-OCI patients (p = .006). OCI patients had a significantly higher mean duration of dialysis (12.63 ± 6.74 years), and a significantly higher frequency (50%) of HCV Ab compared to 6.48 ± 4.76, and 10%, respectively, in non-OCI patients. None of OCI patients was reactive to HBcAb compared to 34 (37.8%) patients without (p = .048). Evidence of liver morbidity was detected in 5 (62.5%) OCI patients compared to 43 (47.7%) of non-OCI patients (p > .05).

CONCLUSION

Among our HD patients, OCI is considered a comorbid finding associated with mild liver morbidity that warrants strict infection control and periodic testing for blood borne infections.

A novel plasma lncRNA ENST00000416361 is upregulated in coronary artery disease and is related to inflammation and lipid metabolism

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a serious threat to human health and a major cause of mortality worldwide. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) affect the occurrence and development of CAD via the regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis, inflammatory responses and lipid metabolism. Screening methods and therapeutic strategies for CAD have been extensively studied. The present study analyzed clinical indexes of 187 patients with CAD and 150 healthy subjects. The data showed significant differences in diabetes mellitus, hypertension, high-density lipoprotein level and smoking history between the CAD group and the control group. A series of differentially expressed lncRNAs were detected in the plasma samples of three patients with CAD by high-throughput sequencing. Reverse transcription-quantitative (RT-q)PCR data revealed that the expression level of the novel lncRNA ENST00000416361 was ~2.3-fold higher in the plasma of 50 patients with CAD compared with the 50 control subjects. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated, and the area under the ROC curve was 0.7902. Knockdown of ENST00000416361 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells markedly downregulated interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α levels. In addition, sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor (SREBP)1 and SREBP2 were upregulated in patients with CAD, and they were positively correlated with the expression of ENST00000416361. RT-qPCR further demonstrated that knockdown of ENST00000416361 led to the downregulation of SREBP1 and SREBP2. Overall, the novel lncRNA ENST00000416361 may be associated with CAD-induced inflammation and lipid metabolism, and it may serve as a potential biomarker for CAD.

T lymphocyte phenotype of contact-allergic patients: experience with nickel and p-phenylenediamine

BACKGROUND

There is considerable interest in understanding the immunological variables that have the greatest influence on the effectiveness of sensitization by contact allergens, particularly in the context of developing new paradigms for risk assessment of novel compounds.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the relationship between patch test score for three different contact allergens and the characteristics of T cell responses.

METHODS

A total of 192 patients with confirmed nickel, p-phenylenediamine (PPD) or methylisothiazolinone (MI) allergy were recruited from the Contact Dermatitis Investigation Unit at Salford Royal Hospital. Severity of allergy was scored by the use of patch testing, peripheral blood lymphocytes were characterized for T cell phenotype by flow cytometry, and proliferative activity was characterized by radiolabelled thymidine incorporation. Comparisons were drawn with buffy coat samples from healthy volunteers.

RESULTS

Patch test positivity for nickel, PPD and MI was associated with changes in the phenotype of peripheral blood T cells: increases in naïve cells, decreases in regulatory T cell frequency and the CD4+ /CD8hi ratio, and increased expression of the skin-homing marker cutaneous lymphocyte antigen (CLA), particularly for those patients with a +++ patch test score.

CONCLUSIONS

This increased understanding of the characteristics of the T cell responses to contact allergens may provide parameters with which to better measure health risks associated with skin sensitization.

Differentiation agents increase the potential AraC therapy of AML by reactivating cell death pathways without enhancing ROS generation

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has a poor prognosis and requires new approaches for treatment. We have reported that a combination of vitamin D-based cell differentiation agents (doxercalciferol/carnosic acid [D2/CA]) added following the cytotoxic drug arabinocytosine (AraC) increases AML cell death (CD), a model for improved therapy of this disease. Because AraC-induced CD is known to involve reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, here we investigated if the modulation of cellular REDOX status plays a role in the enhancement of cell death (ECD) by D2/CA. Using thiol antioxidants, such as N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), we found a significant inhibition of ECD, yet this occurred in the absence of any detectable change in cellular ROS levels. In contrast, NAC reduced the vitamin D receptor (VDR) abundance and its signaling of ECD. Importantly, VDR knockdown and NAC similarly inhibited ECD without producing an additive effect. Thus, the proposed post-AraC therapy may be compromised by agents that reduce VDR levels in AML blasts.

Bench-to-bedside optimization of mesenchymal stem cell isolation, processing, and expansion for in vivo administration

Aim: In this study, we aimed at identifying the optimal conditions for isolation, processing and expansion of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Methods: Porcine bone marrow was obtained from either small- or large-volume bone marrow aspirate (BMA). Next, three BMA processing methods were compared. Finally, the best condition was selected from various culture parameters, including basal media, supplementation and seeding density. Results: Our results demonstrate that a small-volume BMA and direct plating yields significantly higher concentration of MSCs. Basal media supplementation with 10% platelet lysate and seeding density of 1000 cells/cm² can generate large numbers of multipotent MSCs with augmented function and low population doublings. Conclusion: This work provides guidance for preparation of robust MSCs for future clinical trials.

Participation of vitamin D-upregulated protein 1 (TXNIP)-ASK1-JNK1 signalosome in the enhancement of AML cell death by a post-cytotoxic differentiation regimen

Standard therapy for Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is rarely curative, and several suggested improvements have had little success so far. We have reported that in an in vitro model of a potential therapeutic regimen for AML, the activity of cytarabine (AraC) is enhanced by a sequential treatment with a combination of the vitamin D2 analog Doxercalciferol (D2) and the plant-derived antioxidant carnosic acid (CA). Importantly, the enhancement occurred selectively in patient-derived AML blasts, but not in the normal bone marrow cells. We now demonstrate that TXNIP, previously known as Vitamin D up-regulated protein 1 (VDUP1) [PMID 808674] plays a part in signaling cell death (CD) in this regimen. This is shown by the reduced CD when TXNIP protein levels are decreased by the CRISPR/CAS9 or RNAi technology. Further, we show that direct activation of ASK1 kinase by TXNIP is required for the optimal transmission of the CD signal to apoptotic machinery, regulated by JNK and BIM. These studies provide a rationale for a projected clinical trial of this vitamin D-based new therapeutic regimen for AML.