Themes of scientific production of the cuban journal of pharmacy indexed in scopus (1967-2020)

Introduction: The Cuban Journal of Pharmacy celebrated this year its fifty-fourth anniversary, and during all these years it has successfully published more than 1110 works indexed in Scopus bibliographic database until 2020. Objective: Describe the scientific production from the thematic point of view of the Cuban Journal of Pharmacy indexed in Scopus. Methods: A qualitative study was carried out, based on the systematic review of scientific literature published by the Cuban Journal of Pharmacy, available in Scopus. Publications were grouped by thematic areas according to the authors' criteria, based on the keywords presented in the abstracts and the central theme of the article. The thematic areas defined were eight, with eight sub-themes. Conclusions: Since 1967, the Cuban Journal of Pharmacy has strived to promote the development of science and research in its home country, Cuba. However, because of the variety of its articles it is of great value to foreign researchers and students too. The studies presented have been characterized by the diversity of topics related to pharmacology, the use of Cuban medicinal plants for therapeutic purposes and the methodology for better drug’s production and laboratory procedures.Revisión por pare

IGF-1 Counteracts TGF-β-Mediated Enhancement of Fibronectin for in Vitro Human Lens Epithelial Cells

PURPOSE: To determine whether insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) affects transforming growth factor (TGF-beta)- mediated fibronectin accumulation in human lens epithelial cell line (HLE B-3) cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HLE B-3 cells were incubated for 24 hours with TGF-beta (10 ng/ mL), IGF-1 (10 ng/mL), or both. Expression of the fibronectin gene was determined using a real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Fibronectin levels were examined using western blot analysis and immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS: Expression of the fibronectin gene was not different between the TGF-beta/IGF-1 treated group and the TGF-beta treated group (p= 0.116). However, western blot analysis demonstrated decreased fibronectin levels in human lens epithelial cells treated with TGF-beta and IGF-1 compared to those treated with TGF-beta only (p < 0.01). Immunofluorescence staining disclosed inhibition of TGF-beta-induced fibronectin in the presence of IGF-1. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that IGF-1 counteracts TGF-beta-mediated fibronectin accumulation in human lens epithelial cells.ope

Serum immunoglobulin fused interferon-α inhibited tumor growth in athymic mice bearing colon 26 adenocarcinoma cells

Interferon (IFN) has therapeutic potential for a wide range of infectious and proliferative disorders. However, the half-life of IFN is too short to have a stable therapeutic effect. To overcome this problem, serum immunoglobulin has been fused to IFN. In this study, the efficacy of serum immunoglobulin fused INFs (si-IFN1 and si-IFN2) was evaluated on athymic mice bearing colon 26 adenocarcinoma cells. Seven days after the implantation of tumor cells, each group of mice was injected once a week with si-IFN1 and si-IFN2 at two different concentrations (10 × : 30 µg/kg and 50 × : 150 µg/kg). A slight anti-tumoral effect was observed in all 10 × groups compared to the control. In the 50 × groups, however, si-IFN1 and si-IFN2 showed significant anti- tumoral effects compared to the control. To gain more information on the mechanisms associated with the decrease of tumor size, a Western blot assay of apoptosis-related molecules was performed. The protein expression of cytochrome c, caspase 9, 6, and 3 were increased by si-IFN1 and si-IFN2. These 2 IFNs also increased the expressions of p53, p21, Bax and Bad. Interestingly, si-IFN1 and si-IFN2 decreased the expression of VEGF-β. Taken together, serum immunoglobulin fused IFNs increased therapeutic efficacy under current experimental condition

Prevention of mitochondrial impairment by inhibition of protein phosphatase 1 activity in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by progressive loss of motor neurons (MNs) and subsequent muscle weakness. These pathological features are associated with numerous cellular changes, including alteration in mitochondrial morphology and function. However, the molecular mechanisms associating mitochondrial structure with ALS pathology are poorly understood. In this study, we found that Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) was dephosphorylated in several ALS models, including those with SOD1 and TDP-43 mutations, and the dephosphorylation was mediated by the pathological induction of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) activity in these models. Suppression of the PP1-Drp1 cascade effectively prevented ALS-related symptoms, including mitochondrial fragmentation, mitochondrial complex I impairment, axonal degeneration, and cell death, in primary neuronal culture models, iPSC-derived human MNs, and zebrafish models in vivo. These results suggest that modulation of PP1-Drp1 activity may be a therapeutic target for multiple pathological features of ALS

Tratamiento de la COVID-19 en Perú y Bolivia y los riesgos de la automedicación

Introducción: Se están utilizando diversos fármacos para la sintomatología que causa la COVID-19 sin que estén aprobados para esos fines. Muchos de estos medicamentos tienen un margen de seguridad pequeño y tienen efectos adversos muy riesgosos para la salud, por lo que requieren de receta médica y, sobre todo, de monitoreo y seguimiento médico. Lamentablemente hay muchos casos de automedicación en Perú y Bolivia que requieren de un pronto abordaje. Objetivo: Efectuar una revisión sistemática de la literatura científica que presenta evidencias sobre la efectividad y las reacciones adversas de los fármacos que se usan en la actualidad contra la COVID-19 en Perú y Bolivia. Métodos: Investigación cualitativa a partir de la revisión sistemática de la literatura científica disponible en PubMed, así como la normativa nacional de Perú y Bolivia relacionada con etiología, epidemiología, sintomatología, los tratamientos aprobados y descontinuados por ambos países desde la agudización de la crisis de la COVID-19 y los estudios clínicos que se han completado hasta la fecha. Conclusiones: Los medicamentos usados en Perú y Bolivia para el tratamiento de la COVID19 tienen efectos secundarios y posibles riesgos a la salud de las personas que lamentablemente se automedican. Se requiere un mayor control de estos medicamentos para evitar su libre adquisición, mejorar la estrategia nacional y regional para evaluar los posibles tratamientos sintomatológicos de la COVID-19, para lo que se debe tener en cuenta la alta probabilidad de sobrevivencia de la enfermedad y el riesgo que representa el empleo de estos fármacos, lo que podría causar en el futuro serios efectos adversos a la salud pública de los dos países.Introduction: Various drugs are being used against the symptoms caused by COVID-19, without being approved for these purposes. Many of these drugs have small safety margin and very risky adverse effects on health, a reason why they require prescription and, above all, medical monitoring and follow-up. Unfortunately, there are many cases of self-medication in Peru and Bolivia that require prompt management. Objective: To carry out a systematic review of the scientific literature that presents evidence about the effectiveness and adverse reactions of the drugs currently used against COVID-19 in Peru and Bolivia. Methods: Qualitative research based on the systematic review of the scientific literature available in PubMed, as well as in the national regulations of Peru and Bolivia related to the etiology, epidemiology, symptoms, as well as treatments approved and discontinued by both countries since the exacerbation of the COVID-19 crisis and the completion of clinical studies to date. Conclusions: The drugs used in Peru and Bolivia for treating COVID-19 have side effects and possible risks to the health of people who unfortunately self-medicate. Greater control of these drugs is required to avoid their free acquisition, and to improve the national and regional strategy to evaluate the possible symptomatic treatments of COVID-19, taking into consideration the high probability of survival of the disease and the risk posed by using these drugs, which, in the future, could cause serious adverse effects on public health in the two countries

The Expression of Adipophilin Is Frequently Found in Solid Subtype Adenocarcinoma and Is Associated with Adverse Outcomes in Lung Adenocarcinoma

Background The up-regulation of the lipogenic pathway has been reported in many types of malignant tumors. However, its pathogenic role or clinical significance is not fully understood. The objective of this study was to examine the expression levels of adipophilin and related hypoxic signaling proteins and to determine their prognostic impacts and associations with the pathologic characteristics of lung adenocarcinoma. Methods Expression levels of adipophilin, heat shock protein 27 (HSP27), carbonic anhydrase IX, and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α were examined by immunohistochemical staining using tissue microarray blocks. Correlations between protein expression levels and various clinicopathologic features were analyzed. Results A total of 230 cases of primary adenocarcinoma of the lung were enrolled in this study. Adipophilin expression was more frequent in males and with the solid histologic type. It was correlated with HSP27 expression. Patients with adipophilin-positive adenocarcinoma showed a shorter progression-free survival (PFS) (median PFS, 17.2 months vs 18.4 months) in a univariable survival analysis, whereas HSP27 positivity correlated with favorable overall survival (OS) and PFS. In a multivariable analysis, adipophilin and HSP27 were independent prognostic markers of both OS and PFS. Conclusions Activated lipid metabolism and the hypoxic signaling pathway might play a major role in the progression of lung adenocarcinoma, especially in the solid histologic type

Metastasis to the breast from colonic adenocarcinoma

A 63-year-old woman was referred to a breast surgeon with a breast mass discovered incidentally during follow-up study after colon cancer surgery. Invasive adenocarcinoma was revealed on core needle biopsy. Wide excision of the breast including the tumor was performed. On standard histological examination the tumor showed features of moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. The immunohistochemistry study revealed positive results for cytokeratin (CK)20 and CDX2, but negative for CK7. These are typical characteristics for colon cancer. Considering her history of subtotal colectomy for sigmoid colon cancer, it is presumable that the mass in the breast was of colonic origin, and it was an extremely rare case of metastasis to the breast from primary colorectal neoplasm. Although the instance is rare, clinicians should keep the possibility of breast metastasis from colorectal cancer in mind for early and correct diagnosis

Two Cases of Percutaneous Intervention for Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Anastomoses With Paclitaxel-Eluting Balloon Catheters

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) intervention, particularly anastomosis site intervention, is challenging for interventional cardiologists. A paclitaxel-eluting balloon catheter (SeQuent Please) is a recently-introduced device capable of delivering paclitaxel homogeneously into the targeted vessel wall. We herein report our experience with two cases. In the first case, coronary angiography showed significant stenosis at the site of anastomosis between the saphenous vein graft and the left anterior descending artery (LAD). In the second case, coronary angiography showed significant stenosis at the site of anastomosis between the left internal mammary artery and the LAD. We performed percutaneous intervention of these CABG anastomoses using paclitaxel-eluting balloon catheters, and obtained favorable angiographic and clinical outcomes

Gremlin-1 Induces BMP-Independent Tumor Cell Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion

Gremlin-1, a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) antagonist, is overexpressed in various cancerous tissues but its role in carcinogenesis has not been established. Here, we report that gremlin-1 binds various cancer cell lines and this interaction is inhibited by our newly developed gremlin-1 antibody, GRE1. Gremlin-1 binding to cancer cells was unaffected by the presence of BMP-2, BMP-4, and BMP-7. In addition, the binding was independent of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2) expression on the cell surface. Addition of gremlin-1 to A549 cells induced a fibroblast-like morphology and decreased E-cadherin expression. In a scratch wound healing assay, A549 cells incubated with gremlin-1 or transfected with gremlin-1 showed increased migration, which was inhibited in the presence of the GRE1 antibody. Gremlin-1 transfected A549 cells also exhibited increased invasiveness as well as an increased growth rate. These effects were also inhibited by the addition of the GRE1 antibody. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that gremlin-1 directly interacts with cancer cells in a BMP- and VEGFR2-independent manner and can induce cell migration, invasion, and proliferation