Human placental extract attenuates neurological symptoms in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis model of multiple sclerosis-A putative approach in MS disease?

Background: Different studies have demonstrated the anti-inflammatory effects of human placental extract both in vivo and in vitro. Considering the chronic inflammatory nature of multiple sclerosis (MS) disease, we examined whether or not the administration of human placental extract is able to attenuate the neurological symptoms detected in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model of MS. Methods: The injected myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) induced EAE in mice, and treatment began from day 4 post-injection by intraperitoneal administration of 0.2 mg/kg human placental extract, repeated every other day up to day 31 post-injection. At the end of the treatment, luxol fast blue (LBS) staining and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining were performed to evaluate the demyelination of neurons and inflammatory responses, respectively. Further assessed were the serum concentrations of IL-23 and IL-27. Results: The administration of human placental extract was able to significantly reduce the mean clinical score in EAE mice, decrease the pro-inflammatory process and attenuate neural demyelination. Moreover, while the serum concentration of IL-23 was significantly diminished in the EAE mice receiving human placental extract compared to the non-Treated EAE group, IL-27 concentration was significantly increased. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated the administration of human placental extract could significantly attenuate the neurological symptoms in the EAE model of MS in part through modulating the serum levels of IL-23 and IL-27 and enhancing neuroprotection and myelin repair. © 2020 BioMed Central Ltd.. All rights reserved

Association between the microbiota and women's cancers � Cause or consequences?

Breast, ovarian and uterine cancers are the most common neoplasms among women. Several mechanisms may be involved in oncogenesis and these include environmental and genetic factors. Bacteria may affect the development of some cancers, with bacterial components, their products and metabolites interacting with susceptible tissues. Commensalism and dysbiosis are important potential mechanisms involved in oncogenesis, and an effective strategy for diagnosis and treatment is required. The purpose of this review was to analyze the complex associations between these cancers in women, and the microbiota, specifically bacterial microbes. However, several cancers have an increased prevalence among individuals with HIV and HPV so the relationship between viral infections and malignancies in women is also referred to. We described how different phylum of bacteria, particularly in the gut, mammary tissue and vaginal microbiome may be involved in carcinogenesis; and we discuss the potential pathways involved: (I), that lead to cell proliferation, (II), immune system perturbation, (III), cell metabolic changes (e.g., hormonal factors), and (IV), DNA damage. Studies investigating the differences between the composition of the bacterial microbiota of healthy women compared to that present in various conditions, and the clinical trials are summarized for the few studies that have addressed the microbiota and related conditions, are also reviewed. © 2020 The Author

The role of hypoxia in the tumor microenvironment and development of cancer stem cell: a novel approach to developing treatment

Hypoxia is a common feature of solid tumors, and develops because of the rapid growth of the tumor that outstrips the oxygen supply, and impaired blood flow due to the formation of abnormal blood vessels supplying the tumor. It has been reported that tumor hypoxia can: activate angiogenesis, thereby enhancing invasiveness and risk of metastasis; increase survival of tumor, as well as suppress anti-tumor immunity and hamper the therapeutic response. Hypoxia mediates these effects by several potential mechanisms: altering gene expression, the activation of oncogenes, inactivation of suppressor genes, reducing genomic stability and clonal selection. We have reviewed the effects of hypoxia on tumor biology and the possible strategiesto manage the hypoxic tumor microenvironment (TME), highlighting the potential use of cancer stem cells in tumor treatment. © 2021, The Author(s)

Identification of an Immunoglobulin M (IgM) Antibody Against Enolase 1 Protein (ENO1) Derived from HEK-293 Cells in Patients with Kidney Failure

Abstract: Kidney failure is one of the most important challenges in medicine. In this study, we used HEK-293 kidney cells to evaluate and compare changes in the expression of natural antibodies in patients with kidney failure and healthy controls. We analyzed the immunoreactivity of two groups of pooled sera from patient and control groups against antigens derived from HEK-293 cell lysates. The cell lysates were immunoblotted with the pooled sera from the groups. The results showed that the patients� sera contained IgM antibodies, which recognized enolase 1 proteins. Graphic Abstract: Figure not available: see fulltext. © 2019, Springer Nature B.V

Rapid noninvasive detection of bladder cancer using survivin antibody-conjugated gold nanoparticles (GNPs) based on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR)

Background: Bladder cancer is diagnosed by the use of several biomarkers, including survivin. This protein has an important role in the cancer progression by controlling the rate of cell apoptosis. Findings show that there is no survivin in normal tissues, whereas the level of survivin expression increases in tumor cells. Design: The purpose of this study was to specify the reactive antibodies to survivin protein as a biomarker to determine the bladder cancer stage with ELISA method and using GNPs conjugated with survivin antibody. The serum and urine samples of patients with bladder cancer were collected among those referred to Sina Hospital, Tehran, Iran. The survivin protein level was measured in the serum and urine by ELISA technique and in the urine by GNPs conjugated with survivin. Results: Based on the results of ELISA, the serum and urinary levels of survivin increased significantly in T3 and T4 stages of the disease (high grades), compared with the healthy individuals. Also, using conjugated GNPs, survivin protein was detected in the urine specimens of patients at all grades (low and high grades). Conclusion: Our findings showed that using the ELISA technique, the increased level of survivin could be identified in high grades of bladder cancer, but using anti-survivin antibody-conjugated GNPs, bladder cancer can be detected in early stages. The applied method was found to be a rapid tool, dependent on visible color changes and colorimetric detection, without any need for reader devices. © 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature

The association of high risk human papillomaviruses in patients with cervical cancer: An evidence based study on patients with squamous cell dysplasia or carcinoma for evaluation of 23 human papilloma virus genotypes

Background: Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in females. Human papilloma virus (HPV) is the major risk factor of cervical cancer. Objectives: The aim of the current study was to explore the frequency and role of 23 different HPVs in patients with cervical cancer. Materials and Methods: Overall, 117 formalin-fix and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues from cervical cancer patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) or dysplasia were collected from Mirza-Kochakkhan-Jangali hospital, Tehran, Iran during year 2013, to investigate the presence of HPV- HPV- 67, 68, 6, 11, 13, 16, 17, 30, 69, 39, 40, 42, 64, 66 and 51 to 59 genotypes. Results: The Pap smear report illustrated the presence of malignancy in 71 cases, while 11 cases had no evidence of malignancy. Among the patients, 26 cases had sexually transmitted disease with relative frequency of 0.58. Infection with papilloma virus was observed in 83.6 of SCC patients and 45 of the dysplasia group. The most prevalent HPV genotypes were 18 with 31.62 and 16 with 27.35 of cases. Moreover the relative frequencies of HPV-33, -6, -58, -52, -35 and -51, genotypes were 15.38, 7.69, 5.98, 5.12 and 3.41, respectively. Among the different genotypes of HPV, 31 had the lowest and 16 had the highest relative frequency. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that HPV-16 and -18 have a higher prevalence in our population than 31 and 51. Further investigations are required to evaluate the role of these genotypes in a larger multicenter setting for establishing their values for early detection of patients, which is useful for screening and vaccination programs of cancerous and precancerous lesions of cervical cancer. © 2016, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences

Association between serum cytokine concentrations and the presence of hypertriglyceridemia

Objective Hypertriglyceridemia is an established risk factor for coronary-heart-disease. Inflammatory cytokines are known to be important mediators of atherogenesis; however, the relationship between the concentrations of specific inflammatory cytokines and the presence of hypertriglyceridemia has not been well established. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the serum levels of several pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and the presence of hypertriglyceridemia. Design and methods Four hundred and eighty-four subjects with/without established hypertriglyceridemia were recruited. Anthropometric parameters and biochemical analysis (including a full fasting lipid profile) were determined. The serum levels of several cytokines and growth factors including IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α, MCP-1, IFN-γ, EGF, and VEGF were measured followed by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results Individuals with hypertriglyceridemia had a significantly higher body mass index, total-cholesterol and triglyceride, compared to the group without hypertriglyceridemia. Serum levels of MCP-1, TNF-α and IL-8 were significantly higher in subjects with hypertriglyceridemia e.g., IL-8 from 7.8 ng/L (95% CI: 4.6�18.9) versus 5.7 ng/L (95% CI: 3.6�11.9), P < 0.05. The multivariate analysis showed that the increased serum concentration of TNF-α was independently associated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), while the serum levels of IL-8 and MCP-1 were associated with hypertriglyceridemia. Conclusion Subjects with serum triglycerides of � 2.25 mmol/L had an altered cytokine-profile, particularly with respect to serum IL-8, MCP-1 and TNF-α, which might partially account for its adverse clinical-consequences. Further-investigations in a large multi-center setting are warranted to unravel the potential functional-importance of these cytokines in individuals with hypertriglyceridemia. © 2016 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemist