Leukocyte surface expression of the endoplasmic reticulum chaperone GRP78 is increased in severe COVID-19.

Hyperinflammation present in individuals with severe COVID-19 has been associated with an exacerbated cytokine production and hyperactivated immune cells. Endoplasmic reticulum stress leading to the unfolded protein response has been recently reported as an active player in inducing inflammatory responses. Once unfolded protein response is activated, GRP78, an endoplasmic reticulum-resident chaperone, is translocated to the cell surface (sGRP78), where it is considered a cell stress marker; however, its presence has not been evaluated in immune cells during disease.

Presence of antibodies against HLA class I and class II molecules in children before and after allo-HSCT. Alloantibodies before and after HSCT.

A severe complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is graft failure (GF). Among others, donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSA) are associated with graft rejection after allogeneic or haploidentical transplantation in adults. Knowledge of DSA and pediatric recipients is limited.

Isthmin 1 is Expressed by Progenitor-Like Cells in the Lung: Phenotypical Analysis of Isthmin 1 Hematopoietic Stem-Like Cells in Homeostasis and during Infection.

The process by which blood cells are generated has been widely studied in homeostasis and during pathogen-triggered inflammatory response. Recently, murine lungs have been shown to be a significant source of hematopoietic progenitors in a process known as extramedullary hematopoiesis. Using multiparametric flow cytometry, we have identified mesenchymal, endothelial, and hematopoietic progenitor cells that express the secreted small protein Isthmin 1 (ISM1).

Cell surface expression of GRP78 and CXCR4 is associated with childhood high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia at diagnostics.

Acute lymphocytic leukemia is the most common type of cancer in pediatric individuals. Glucose regulated protein (GRP78) is an endoplasmic reticulum chaperone that facilitates the folding and assembly of proteins and regulates the unfolded protein response pathway. GRP78 has a role in survival of cancer and metastasis and cell-surface associated GRP78 (sGRP78) is expressed on cancer cells but not in normal cells.

Analytical recommendations for SARS-CoV-2 identification by RT-PCR in pediatric patients.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and is currently listed as a global public health emergency. Timely identification and protocol implementations for molecular detection of this virus are vital for medical decision-making. Identification of SARS-CoV-2 infection cases is based on detection of the virus RNA by molecular tests, particularly real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Genotyping of the Major SARS-CoV-2 Clade by Short-Amplicon High-Resolution Melting (SA-HRM) Analysis.

The genome of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the causal agent of the COVID-19 pandemic, has diverged due to multiple mutations since its emergence as a human pathogen in December 2019. Some mutations have defined several SARS-CoV-2 clades that seem to behave differently in terms of regional distribution and other biological features. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) approaches are used to classify the sequence variants in viruses from individual human patients.

Sensitivity of the Molecular Test in Saliva for Detection of COVID-19 in Pediatric Patients With Concurrent Conditions.

The reference standard for the molecular diagnostic testing for COVID-19 is the use of nasopharyngeal or combined nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal (NP/OP) swabs. Saliva has been proposed as a minimally invasive specimen whose collection reduces the risks for health care personnel. To assess the suitability of saliva for COVID-19 diagnosis as a replacement of the reference standard NP/OP swab in the setting of a tertiary care pediatric unit.

Saliva as a promising biofluid for SARS-CoV-2 detection during the early stages of infection.

Background: Diagnostic testing for coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 is performed using nasopharyngeal swabs. This type of sampling is uncomfortable for the patient, dangerous for health workers, and its high demand has led to a global shortage of swabs. One of the alternative specimens is saliva.

Omics techniques and biobanks to find new biomarkers for the early detection of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in middle-income countries: a perspective from Mexico.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) affects the quality of life of many children in the world and particularly in Mexico, where a high incidence has been reported. With a proper financial investment and with well-organized institutions caring for those patients, together with solid platforms to perform high-throughput analyses, we propose the creation of a Mexican repository system of serum and cells from bone marrow and blood samples derived from tissues of pediatric patients with ALL diagnosis. This resource, in combination with omics technologies, particularly proteomics and metabolomics, would allow longitudinal studies, offering an opportunity to design and apply personalized ALL treatments.

Absence of aryl hydrocarbon receptor alters CDC42 expression and prevents actin polymerization during capacitation.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that regulates the toxicity of a variety of environmental chemicals. The absence of this receptor causes serious reproductive complications. Ahr-knockout (Ahr-KO) male mice, for example, are considerably less fertile: Half of the few spermatozoa they produce exhibit morphological alterations, and those with typical morphology may have pathologic modifications.

Thymidine Kinase: A Biomarker for Recently Diagnosed Acute Leukemia in Pediatric Patients According to the Cell Line Involved.

Background And Aims: Acute leukemia (AL) is a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by a disorganized clone proliferation of hematopoietic cells. Thymidine kinase (TK) is a cell enzyme involved in DNA synthesis and is considered a cellular proliferation marker in some solid tumors.

Methods: A cross-sectional prospective and comparative study was performed in the Federico Gomez Children's Hospital in Mexico (HIMFG, in Spanish) in 125 samples of patients of the HIMFG with AL and 138 samples of children without leukemia.