Stimuli-responsive carrageenan-based biomaterials for biomedical applications.

Carrageenan-based biomaterials have attracted considerable attention in recent years due to their unique biological properties, including their biodegradability, compatibility, and lack of adverse effects. These biomaterials exhibit a variety of beneficial properties, such as antiviral, antitumor, and immunomodulatory effects, which set them apart from other polysaccharides. Stimuli-responsive carrageenan-based biomaterials have attracted particular attention due to their unique properties, such as reducing systemic toxicity and controlling drug release.

Natural killer cell-based therapies in neuroblastoma.

Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extracranial solid tumor of childhood forming around 15 % of all pediatric tumors. Despite advances in the treatment of NB, high-risk patients still face a grave prognosis. Adoptive cell therapies based on NK cells are becoming an assistive treatment for such cases.

Biomimetic scaffolds loaded with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) or MSC-derived exosomes for enhanced wound healing.

Since wound healing is one of the most important medical challenges and common dressings have not been able to manage this challenge well today, efforts have been increased to achieve an advanced dressing. Mesenchymal stem cells and exosomes derived from them have shown high potential in healing and regenerating wounds due to their immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive, and high regenerative capacities. However, challenges such as the short life of these cells, the low durability of these cells in the wound area, and the low stability of exosomes derived from them have resulted in limitations in their use for wound healing.

An update on the therapeutic role of RNAi in NAFLD/NASH.

Unhealthy lifestyles have given rise to a growing epidemic of metabolic liver diseases, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NAFLD often occurs as a consequence of obesity, and currently, there is no FDA-approved drug for its treatment. However, therapeutic oligonucleotides, such as RNA interference (RNAi), represent a promising class of pharmacotherapy that can target previously untreatable conditions.

Circulating tumor cells and circulating tumor DNA in breast cancer diagnosis and monitoring.

Liquid biopsy, including both circulating tumor cells and circulating tumor DNA, is becoming more popular as a diagnostic tool in the clinical management of breast cancer. Elevated concentrations of these biomarkers during cancer treatment may be used as markers for cancer progression as well as to understand the mechanisms underlying metastasis and treatment resistance. Thus, these circulating markers serve as tools for cancer assessing and monitoring through a simple, non-invasive blood draw.