Gold Derivatives Development as Prospective Anticancer Drugs for Breast Cancer Treatment

Commonly used anticancer drugs are cisplatin and other platinum‐based drugs. However, the use of these drugs in chemotherapy causes numerous side effects and the onset of frequent drug resistance phenomena. This review summarizes the most recent results on the gold derivatives used for their significant inhibitory effects on the in vitro proliferation of breast cancer cell models and for the consequences deriving from morphological changes in the same cells. In particular, the study discusses the antitumor activity of gold nanoparticles, gold (I) and (III) compounds, gold complexes and carbene‐based gold complexes, compared with cisplatin. The results of screening studies of cytotoxicity and antitumor activity for the gold derivatives show that the death of cancer cells can occur intrinsically by apoptosis. Recent research has shown that gold (III) compounds with square planar geometries, such as that of cisplatin, can intercalate the DNA and provide novel anticancer agents. The gold derivatives described can make an important contribution to expanding the knowledge of medicinal bioorganometallic chemistry and broadening the range of anticancer agents available, offering improved characteristics, such as increased activity and/or selectivity, and paving the way for further discoveries and applications

Is hybrid-PBL advancing teaching in biomedicine? A systematic review

[Background]: The impact of instructional guidance on learning outcomes in higher biomedical education is subject of intense debate. There is the teacher-centered or traditional way of teaching (TT) and, on the other side, the notion that students learn best under minimal guidance such as problem-based learning (PBL). Although the benefits of PBL are well-known, there are aspects susceptible to improvement. Hence, a format merging TT and PBL (hybrid-PBL, h-PBL) may advance education in biomedical sciences.[Methods]: Studies that employed h-PBL in higher biomedical education compared to TT and/or pure PBL were systematically reviewed. Specifically, this review addressed the following question: does h-PBL in biomedical sciences result in superior marks and a better student’s perception of the teaching and learning process?[Results]: We found that the use of h-PBL in higher biomedical sciences was superior compared to TT and pure-PBL. This was evidenced by the higher performance of the students in h-PBL as well as the level of student’s satisfaction as compared to TT or pure PBL.[Conclusions]: These findings encourage more research on investigating the pedagogical benefits of h-PBL. In addition, these data support an eclectic system in which the pedagogical tools from TT and PBL are used cooperatively in the best interest of the education and satisfaction of the students.This study was funded by a Juan de la Cierva research grant from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness to RJS (IJCI-2016-27619).Peer reviewe

Emerging roles of novel small non-coding regulatory RNAs in immunity and cancer

The term small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) refers to all those RNAs that even without encoding for a protein, can play important functional roles. Transfer RNA and ribosomal RNA derived fragments (tRFs and rRFs, respectively) are an emerging class of ncRNAs originally considered as simple degradation products, which though play important roles in stress responses, signalling or gene expression. They control all levels of gene expression regulating transcription and translation and affecting RNA processing and maturation. They have been linked to pivotal cellular processes such as self-renewal, differentiation and proliferation. For this reason, mis-regulation of this novel class of ncRNAs can lead to various pathological processes such as neurodegenerative and development diseases, metabolism and immune system disorders and cancer. In this review we summarize the classification, biogenesis and functions of tRFs and rRFs with a special focus on their role in immunity and cancer.D.R. is supported by Programa de Apoyo a Planes Estratégicos de Investigación de Estructuras de Investigación de Excelencia co-funded by the Castilla–León autonomous government and the European Regional Development Fund (CLC–2017–01). J.L. is a PhD student supported by a The Scientific Foundation AECC (Spanish Association Against Cancer) PhD fellowship (PRDSA19002LÓPE). S.B. is a Research Scientist of the Spanish Research Council. We acknowledge funding from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Innovation (MINECO) and Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) and co-financed by the European Development Regional Fund (FEDER) under grant no. SAF2016-78667-R (AEI/FEDER, UE). In addition we acknowledge funding from The Scientific Foundation AECC under grant no. LABAE19040BLAN, and the University of Salamanca and Fundación Memoria de Samuel Solorzano Barruso under grant no. FS/21-2018. AUTHOR’s institution is supported by the Programa de Apoyo a Planes Estratégicos de Investigación de Estructuras de Investigación de Excelencia cofunded by the Castilla–León autonomous government and the European Regional Development Fund (CLC–2017–01).Peer reviewe

The TGF-β-Th2 axis: A new target for cancer therapy?

The innate and adaptive immune responses are critical for the recognition and removal of pathogens. Moreover, in the last two decades, it has been demonstrated that immune cells are also key cells in the cancer-related immune response.1 Ideally, the immune system should eradicate the tumor cells to maintain homeostasis. However, it has been demonstrated that a dysregulation of the innate and adaptive immune responses could lead to tumorigenesis, inhibition of T- and B-cell activation, and stimulation of tumor proliferation and metastasis.2 The immune system can also promote tumor progression through a dynamic process called cancer immunoediting, by which cancer cells acquire mutations that allow them to evade the immune system. Tumor cells that undergo this process harbor a reduced immunogenicity and produce regulatory cytokines such as interleukin-10 (IL-10) and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) that can inhibit T-cell functionality.DR is supported by Juan de la CiervaFormacióngrant (FJC2018-038723-I) from the Spanish Ministry of Universities

Alternative Anaphylactic Routes: The Potential Role of Macrophages

Anaphylaxis is an acute, life-threatening, multisystem syndrome resulting from the sudden release of mediators from effector cells. There are two potential pathways for anaphylaxis. The first one, IgE-dependent anaphylaxis, is induced by antigen (Ag) cross-linking of Ag-specific IgE bound to the high-affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI) on mast cells and basophils. The second one, IgG-dependent anaphylaxis is induced by Ag cross-linking of Ag-specific IgG bound to IgG receptors (FcγRI, FcγRIIA, FcγRIIB, FcγRIIC, and FcγRIIIA) on macrophages, neutrophils, and basophils. Macrophages exhibit a huge functional plasticity and are capable of exerting their scavenging, bactericidal, and regulatory functions under a wide variety of tissue conditions. Herein, we will review their potential role in the triggering and development of anaphylaxis. Thereby, macrophages, among other immune cells, play a role in both anaphylactic pathways (1) by responding to anaphylactic mediators secreted by mast cells after specific IgE cross-linking or (2) by acting as effector cells in the anaphylactic response mediated by IgG. In this review, we will go over the cellular and molecular mechanisms that take place in the above-mentioned anaphylactic pathways and will discuss the clinical implications in human allergic reactions.This work was supported by ISCIII (project numbers PI16/00249 and PI15/02256) cofounded by FEDER for the thematic network and cooperative research centers ARADyAL RD16/0006/0015 and RD16/0006/0001. This work was also supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (project number SAF2014-52423-R) and by Fundación Mutua Madrileña (AP158912015). DR and was supported by FPI-CEU predoctoral fellowships.Peer reviewedPeer Reviewe

Advanced Underwater Acoustic Networking and Cooperation of Multiple Marine Robots

In this paper we present the initial imple- mentation of an advanced communication and networking solution that can enable the coordination and cooperation of autonomous mobile marine robots. To enable such a heterogeneous network three main research areas have been blended: 1) communications, 2) networking, and 3) decentralized cooperative localization and control. This paper focuses on the first two components and addresses the integration of the third one. Due to the challenges of the underwater environment, novel communication software and hardware have to be investigated to provide the level of flexibility and features that are required for efficient networking and robots cooperation. Robust and reliable distributed networking protocols have to be developed and implemented to enable an efficient sharing of data and control messages among heterogeneous surface and underwater platforms. Moreover, the combination of com- munications, networking and cooperative navigation has to be addressed in order to develop more capable, distributed and efficient underwater systems

The Different Facets of Triclocarban: A Review

In the late 1930s and early 1940s, it was discovered that the substitution on aromatic rings of hydrogen atoms with chlorine yielded a novel chemistry of antimicrobials. However, within a few years, many of these compounds and formulations showed adverse effects, including human toxicity, ecotoxicity, and unwanted environmental persistence and bioaccumulation, quickly leading to regulatory bans and phase-outs. Among these, the triclocarban, a polychlorinated aromatic antimicrobial agent, was employed as a major ingredient of toys, clothing, food packaging materials, food industry floors, medical supplies, and especially of personal care products, such as soaps, toothpaste, and shampoo. Triclocarban has been widely used for over 50 years, but only recently some concerns were raised about its endocrine disruptive properties. In September 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned its use in over-the-counter hand and body washes because of its toxicity. The withdrawal of triclocarban has prompted the efforts to search for new antimicrobial compounds and several analogues of triclocarban have also been studied. In this review, an examination of different facets of triclocarban and its analogues will be analyzed

Zinc Finger 259 Gene Polymorphism rs964184 is Associated with Serum Triglyceride Levels and Metabolic Syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterized by a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors that include: abdominal obesity, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance. Recent genome wide association studies have identified several susceptibility regions involved in lipid metabolism that are also associated with MetS. We have explored the association of 9 genetic polymorphisms involved in lipid metabolism and hypertension, including: MTHFR C677T, SELE L554F, FGB - 455G>A, GNB3 C825T, ZNF259 C>G, PSRC-1 A>G, CETP I405V, LPL S447X and LPA C>T in 97 subjects with MetS and 96 individuals without MetS who were recruited randomly from Mashhad stroke and heart atherosclerotic disorder (MASHAD) study using a stratified cluster random sampling technique. Anthropometric parameters and biochemical measurements were determined in all the subjects. Genotyping was carried out followed by univariate and multivariate analyses. The subjects with MetS had a higher triglyceride and lower HDL- C. CG+ GG genotypes of ZNF259 polymorphism (rs964184 C>G) and TT+CT genotypes of MTHFR C677T (rs1801133) were associated with MetS, and individuals carrying the G allele for ZNF259 or the T allele for MTHFR polymorphisms were associated with MetS (e.g, odds ratio (OR) for CG+GG genotypes vs. CC wild type: 2.52, CI=1.33-4.77; P=0.005). However, after multiple comparison adjustment, this relationship remained significant only for CG+ GG genotypes of ZNF259 polymorphism. Moreover, the ZNF259 CG+ GG genotypes were associated with increased serum concentrations of triglycerides and LDL-C, compared to the wild type. These data support the necessity for further studies in larger multicenter settings.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Sol–Gel Treatment of Textiles for the Entrapping of an Antioxidant/Anti-Inflammatory Molecule: Functional Coating Morphological Characterization and Drug Release Evaluation

The growing interest towards textile-based drug delivery systems is due to their potential innovative medical and well-being applications. In recent years, the technique of encapsulation or inclusion of the medicine/active principle into a polymer functional matrix has been employed in order to obtain textile materials with controlled drug release. In this study, a sol–gel-based coating was developed and used as an entrapping polymeric cross-linked network for a N-Palmitoyl-ethanolamine (PEA) derivative, 2-methyl-pentadecanoic acid (4-nitro-phenyl)-amide or N-Palmitoyl-(4-nitro-phenyl)-amine (PNPA), whose anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties have already been shown. A wide series of chemical-physical methods have been used to characterize the silica-based functional sol and to ascertain the efficient and temporary deposit of PNPA on the sol–gel coated cotton fabrics. The medicine release system achieved was shown to ensure biocompatibility, PNPA reservoir and its subsequent releasing under the action of cutaneous stimuli, thus providing useful insights in the design of medical textiles