The bacterial neurometabolic signature of the gut microbiota of young children with autism spectrum disorders.

The human gut microbiota is currently seen as an important factor that can promote autism spectrum disorder (ASD) development in children. This study aimed to detect differences in the taxonomic composition and content of bacterial genes encoding key enzymes involved in the metabolism of neuroactive biomarker compounds in the metagenomes of gut microbiota of children with ASD and neurotypical children. A whole metagenome sequencing approach was used to obtain metagenomic data on faecal specimens of 36 children with ASD and 21 healthy neurotypical children of 3-5 years old.

Targeting TLR-4 with a novel pharmaceutical grade plant derived agonist, Immunomax®, as a therapeutic strategy for metastatic breast cancer.

Background: Previously we demonstrated that the resection of primary 4T1 tumors only slightly prolongs mouse survival, but importantly, creates a "window of opportunity" with attenuated suppressor cell and increased activated T cell populations. This suggests that additional activation of the immune system by immunostimulatory agents during this period may enhance anti-tumor immunity and potentially eradicate micro-metastatic disease in this stringent model. We hypothesized that the immunostimulator Immunomax®, which is comprised of a plant-derived polysaccharide, is non-toxic in humans and stimulates immune defense during the infectious diseases treatment, may have also anti-tumor activity and be beneficial in the adjuvant setting when endogenous anti-tumor responses are present and during the "window of opportunity" in post-resection metastatic breast cancer model.