Incorporating Insulin Growth Factor-1 into Regenerative and Personalized Medicine for Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the world's leading causes of increased morbidity and mortality. Current interventions for CVD, including percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), carry certain risks and complications, which may also affect the patient's quality of life. It is important to minimize those risks and complications while speeding up the recovery. Insulin Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) is a growth factor responsible for cellular migration, proliferation, differentiation, and angiogenesis, which supports cardiovascular regeneration.

METHODS

In light of the current trend of regenerative medicine, the present review aims to pool data relating to the incorporation of IGF-1 in regenerative medicine and provide input on the current research gaps and concerns arising on translating this approach from benchwork into clinical settings.

RESULTS

Using the keywords IGF-1 'OR' Insulin Growth Factor 1 'AND' Mesenchymal Stem Cells 'AND' Tissue Healing from 2009 to 2020, we identified 160 and 52 from Medline and PubMed, screening out 202 articles due to non-fulfilment of the inclusion criteria.

CONCLUSION

Incorporating IGF-1 into regenerative and personalized medicine may be promising for treating CVD; however, the concerns include the role of IGF-1 in inducing cancer growth and its ability to migrate to the specific site of injury, especially for those who present with multiple pathologies should be addressed prior to its translation from bench work into clinical settings.

Concepts and Application of Tai Ji in Stroke Rehabilitation: A Narrative Review

Stroke remains a leading cause of adult disability, and it decreases the health-related quality of life due to functional disability and poor functional recovery in stroke. Tai Ji has been recently introduced to overcome disabilities. This review aims to explain the effects of Tai Ji on functional recovery in stroke patients, linking it to current approaches, concepts and therapies such as Bobath and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation techniques. A compilation of recent literature on Tai Ji's use in stroke rehabilitation from Google scholar and PubMed Central (2018 to 2022). The benefits of Tai Ji in stroke functional recovery were studied and explained based on its similarity in concepts to current conventional stroke rehabilitation approaches. There were few randomized controlled trials on Tai Ji in functional recovery among stroke patients. However, all literature identified Tai Ji as beneficial in stroke rehabilitation. However, there was no literature on explaining the Tai Ji movement based on current conventional stroke rehabilitation approaches. Tai Ji carries similar theories to the current neurorehabilitation approach. Tai Ji can be modified and incorporated into stroke rehabilitation programs based on patients' needs to produce promising outcomes.

Quality of life among pregnant women with urinary incontinence: A cross-sectional study in a Malaysian primary care clinic

BACKGROUND

Pregnant women have an increased risk of urinary incontinence (UI), affecting their quality of life (QoL). This study aims to determine UI and its relationship with QoL among incontinent pregnant women.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study in a semi-urban primary care clinic in Selangor, Malaysia, among pregnant women aged 18 years old and above. The validated study instruments consisted of questions on socio-demography, the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-UI Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF) to determine UI and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Quality of Life Module (ICIQ-LUTSQoL) to assess their QoL. A generalised linear model was used to determine the association between the continent and incontinent pregnant women with QoL.

RESULTS

Of the approached 610 respondents, 440 consented to participate in the study, resulting in a response rate of 72.1%. The mean age was 29.8 years old (SD 4.69) with 82.2% (n = 148) having stress UI. Significant independent factors related to the decreased QoL were mid to late trimester (OR 3.06, 95% CI 1.48-6.32), stress UI, (OR 6.94, 95%CI 4.00-12.04) and urge UI (OR3.87, 95%CI 0.48-31.28). Non-Malay improved QoL (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.16-0.52).

CONCLUSIONS

All types of UI significantly affecting pregnant women's QoL. This information is useful in enhancing antenatal management at the primary care level, whereby they should be screened for UI and provided with effective early intervention to improve their QoL.

Incorporating regenerative medicine into rehabilitation programmes: a potential treatment for ankle sprain

Ankle sprain has a great effect on morbidity and complications of chronic diseases. Experts have come to a consensus where ankle sprain can be managed by rest, ice, compression and elevation, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, immobilisation, functional support such as the use of an ankle brace, exercise, surgery and other therapies that include physiotherapy modalities and acupuncture. However, the time required for healing is still relatively long in addition to post-operative complications. Because of the challenges and setbacks faced by interventions to manage ankle sprains and in view of the recent trend and development in the field of regenerative medicine, this article discusses future treatments focusing on a personalised and holistic approach for ankle sprain management. This narrative review provides a novel idea for incorporating regenerative medicine into conventional therapy as an intervention for ankle sprain based on theoretical concepts and available evidence on regenerative medicine involving ligament injuries.

Effect of dental pulp stem cells in MPTP-induced old-aged mice model

BACKGROUND

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by the loss of dopaminergic (DA-ergic) neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) and represented as a huge threat to the geriatric population. Cell replacement therapies (CRTs) have been proposed as a promising strategy to slow down or replace neuronal loss. Among the widely available cell sources, dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) portray as an attractive source primarily due to their neural crest origin, ease of tissue procurement and less ethical hurdles.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We first demonstrated the in vitro differentiation ability of DPSCs towards DA-ergic-like cells before evaluating their neuro-protection/neuro-restoration capacities in MPTP-induced mice. Transplantation via intrathecal was performed with behavioural assessments being evaluated every fortnight. Subsequent analysis investigating their immuno-modulatory behaviour was conducted using neuronal and microglial cell lines.

RESULTS

It was apparent that the behavioural parameters began to improve corresponding to tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine transporter (DAT) and dopamine decarboxylase (AADC) immunostaining in SN and striatum as early as 8-week post-transplantation (P < 0·05). About 60% restoration of DA-ergic neurons was observed at SN in MPTP-treated mice after 12-week post-transplantation. Similarly, their ability to reduce toxic effects of MPTP (DNA damages, reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide release) and regulate cytokine levels was distinctly noted (P < 0·05) upon exposure in in vitro model.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that DPSCs may provide a therapeutic benefit in the old-aged PD mice model and may be explored in stem cell-based CRTs especially in geriatric population as an attempt towards 'personalized medicine'.

Polymorphism of MyoD1 and Myf6 genes and associations with carcass and meat quality traits in beef cattle

Myogenic determination factor 1 (MyoD1) and myogenic factor 6 (Myf6) genes belong to the myogenic differentiation (MyoD) gene family, which play key roles in growth and muscle development. The study aimed to investigate the effects of variants in cattle MyoD1 and Myf6 on carcass and meat traits. We screened single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of both genes in 8 cattle populations, including Simmental, Angus, Hereford, Charolais, Limousin, Qinchuan, Luxi, and Jinnan by sequencing. The G782A locus was identified in exon 1 of MyoD1 (MyoD1-BglI) as well as the T186C locus in exon 1 of Myf6 (Myf6-ApaLI). For the two SNPs, the A allele was significantly more frequent than the B allele in the populations tested. The χ(2) test showed that the MyoD1-BglI locus conformed to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in the 8 populations, as did the Myf6-ApaLI locus, with the exception of the Simmental population (P > 0.05). Association analysis revealed that the MyoD1-BglI locus was significantly associated with loin muscle area (LMA) (P < 0.05), and the Myf6-ApaLI locus was significantly associated with carcass length (CL) (P < 0.05). Animals with BB and AB genotypes for the MyoD1-BglI locus had larger LMAs compared to animals with AA genotype. Individuals with BB genotype had longer CLs compared to those with AA and AB genotypes. We conclude that the two SNPs might provide useful genetic markers, opening up new possibilities for cattle breeding and improvements in gene-assisted selection.

Toll-like receptor 2 gene polymorphism and its relationship with SCS in dairy cattle

Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) plays an important role in the innate immune response to a variety of pathogens. In this study, bovine TLR2 gene was taken as a candidate gene for mastitis resistance. Through PCR-SSCP analysis and sequencing, three missense mutations at T385 G, G398A, and G1884A were detected in the coding region that encoded extracellular domain. Altogether 240 dairy cattle of three breeds (Holstein, Simmental, and Sanhe cattle) were genotyped and allele frequencies were determined. The effects of TLR2 polymorphisms on somatic cell score (SCS) were analyzed and significant association was found between T385 G and SCS. The mean of genotype GG was significantly lower than those of genotype TT and TG. No significant associations were found with SCS for G398A and G1884A. Information provided in this research will be useful in further studies to determine the role of TLR2 gene in the mastitis resistance.

Defining the arachidonic acid binding site of human 15-lipoxygenase. Molecular modeling and mutagenesis

Mammalian lipoxygenases have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several inflammatory disorders and are, therefore, important targets for drug discovery. Both plant and mammalian lipoxygenases catalyze the dioxygenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which contain one or more 1,4-cis,cis-pentadiene units to yield hydroperoxide products. At the time this study was initiated, soybean lipoxygenase-1 was the only lipoxygenase for which an atomic resolution structure had been determined. No structure of lipoxygenase with substrate or inhibitor bound is currently available. A model of arachidonic acid docked into the proposed substrate binding site in the soybean structure is presented here. Analysis of this model suggested two residues, an aromatic residue and a positively charged residue, could be critical for substrate binding. Validation of this model is provided by site-directed mutagenesis of human 15-lipoxygenase, despite the low amino acid sequence identity between the soybean and mammalian enzymes. Both a positively charged amino acid residue (Arg402) and an aromatic amino acid residue (Phe414) are identified as critical for the binding of fatty acid substrates in human 15-lipoxygenase. Thus, binding determinants shown to be characteristic of non-enzymatic fatty acid-binding proteins are now implicated in the substrate binding pocket of lipoxygenases.

Identification of a specific methionine in mammalian 15-lipoxygenase which is oxygenated by the enzyme product 13-HPODE: dissociation of sulfoxide formation from self-inactivation

Mammalian 15-lipoxygenases undergo a characteristic self-inactivation. The oxygenation of a single methionine to methionine sulfoxide, by 13(S)-hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-HPODE), was previously suggested as the cause of the inactivation of rabbit reticulocyte lipoxygenase. The site of oxygenation is potentially near the enzyme's active site; however, the specific location of the modified amino acid residue has not been identified. To determine which of the methionine residues is oxygenated, we inactivated both human and rabbit 15-lipoxygenases with 13-HPODE and sequentially denatured, reduced, carboxymethylated, and digested the enzymes with trypsin. The digested mixtures were analyzed by reverse-phase HPLC chromatography. Mass spectrometric analysis of each of the methionine-containing fractions enabled us to locate the peptide segments containing the oxidized methionine in both enzymes separately. Tandem electrospray mass spectrometry identified the oxidized methionine residues to be amino acid 590 in the human enzyme and 591 in the rabbit enzyme. To investigate the significance of this oxygenation, Met590 in human 15-lipoxygenase was substituted with leucine by site-directed mutagenesis. The mutant protein was inactivated by 13-HPODE, yet no oxygenated peptide or other modified peptide could be identified by HPLC-MS analysis. We also found that human 15-lipoxygenase was inactivated during arachidonate oxidation and by the reaction product 15(S)-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HPETE), and no modified peptide was detected. Thus, methionine oxygenation is not essential for the inactivation of human 15-lipoxygenase. We suggest, however, that Met590 is an amino acid in the substrate binding pocket of human 15-lipoxygenase and interacts with the enzyme product 13-HPODE.