Revisiting the Role of γδ T Cells in Anti-CMV Immune Response after Transplantation

Gamma delta (γδ) T cells form an unconventional subset of T lymphocytes that express a T cell receptor (TCR) consisting of γ and δ chains. Unlike conventional αβ T cells, γδ T cells share the immune signature of both the innate and the adaptive immunity. These features allow γδ T cells to act in front-line defense against infections and tumors, rendering them an attractive target for immunotherapy. The role of γδ T cells in the immune response to cytomegalovirus (CMV) has been the focus of intense research for several years, particularly in the context of transplantation, as CMV reactivation remains a major cause of transplant-related morbidity and mortality. Therefore, a better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie CMV immune responses could enable the design of novel γδ T cell-based therapeutic approaches. In this regard, the advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) and single-cell TCR sequencing have allowed in-depth characterization of CMV-induced TCR repertoire changes. In this review, we try to shed light on recent findings addressing the adaptive role of γδ T cells in CMV immunosurveillance and revisit CMV-induced TCR reshaping in the era of NGS. Finally, we will demonstrate the favorable and unfavorable effects of CMV reactive γδ T cells post-transplantation

Phylogenetic and Structural Analysis of the Pluripotency Factor Sex-Determining Region Y box2 Gene of Camelus dromedarius (cSox2)

Although the sequencing information of Sox2 cDNA for many mammalian is available, the Sox2 cDNA of Camelus dromedaries has not yet been characterized. The objective of this study was to sequence and characterize Sox2 cDNA from the brain of C. dromedarius (also known as Arabian camel). A full coding sequence of the Sox2 gene from the brain of C. dromedarius was amplified by reverse transcription PCRjmc and then sequenced using the 3730XL series platform Sequencer (Applied Biosystem) for the first time. The cDNA sequence displayed an open reading frame of 822 nucleotides, encoding a protein of 273 amino acids. The molecular weight and the isoelectric point of the translated protein were calculated as 29.825 kDa and 10.11, respectively, using bioinformatics analysis. The predicted cSox2 protein sequence exhibited high identity: 99% for Homo sapiens, Mus musculus, Bos taurus , and Vicugna pacos ; 98% for Sus scrofa and 93% for Camelus ferus. A 3D structure was built based on the available crystal structure of the HMG-box domain of human stem cell transcription factor Sox2 (PDB: 2 LE4) with 81 residues and predicting bioinformatics software for 273 amino acid residues. The comparison confirms the presence of the HMG-box domain in the cSox2 protein. The orthologous phylogenetic analysis showed that the Sox2 isoform from C. dromedarius wa s grouped with humans, alpacas, cattle, and pigs. We believe that this genetic and structural information will be a helpful source for the annotation. Furthermore, Sox2 is one of the transcription factors that contributes to the generation-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which in turn will probably help generate camel induced pluripotent stem cells (CiPSCs)

Effects of Rhazya Stricta plant organic extracts on human induced pluripotent stem cells derived neural stem cells.

Rhazya Stricta (R. stricta) has been employed as a natural remedy for several diseases for centuries. Numerous studies revealed that R. stricta extracts contain alkaloids, tannins, and flavonoids that possess antimicrobial, anticancer, antihypertensive, and antioxidant activities. In this study, we examined the effects of organic extracts from different parts of R. stricta plant on human pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs)-derived neural stem cells (NSCs) for medical purposes. NSCs were incubated with different concentrations of organic extracts from the leaves, stem, and fruits, and we assessed the growth and viability of the cells by using MTS assay and the chemical composition of the potential plant extract by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Our results revealed that the methanolic extract from the stem increased NSCs growth significantly, particularly at a concentration of 25 μg/ml. GC/MS analysis was utilized to identify the potential compounds of the methanolic extract. In conclusion, our results demonstrated for the first time that methanolic stem extract of R. stricta contains compounds that can positively impact NSCs growth. These compounds can be further investigated to determine the potential bioactive compounds that can be used for research and medical purposes

Molecular Modeling and Phylogeny of the Krüppel-like Factor 4 (cKLF4) Protein from the Arabian Camel,

Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) is a pluripotency transcription factor that helps in generating induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). We sequenced for the first time the full coding sequence of Camelus dromedarius KLF4 (cKLF4), which is also known as the Arabian camel. Bioinformatics analysis revealed the molecular weight and the isoelectric point of cKLF4 protein to be 53.043 kDa and 8.74, respectively. The predicted cKLF4 protein sequence shows high identity with some other species as follows: 98% with Bactrian camel and 89% with alpaca KLF4 proteins. A three-dimensional (3D) structure was built based on the available crystal structure of the Mus musculus KLF4 (mKLF4) of 82 residues (PDB: 2 WBS) and by predicting 400 residues using bioinformatics software. The comparison confirms the presence of the zinc finger domains in cKLF4 protein. Phylogenetic analysis showed that KLF4 from the Arabian camel is grouped with the Bactrian camel, alpaca, cattle, and pig. This study will help in the annotation of KLF4 protein and in generating camel-induced pluripotent stem cells (CiPSCs)