Current landscape of clinical use of ex vivo expanded natural killer cells for cancer therapy.

Natural Killer cells are immune leukocytes required for responses against tumor cells and virus-infected cells. In the last decade, natural killer cells have emerged as promising tools in cancer therapy, and clinical studies on patients treated with natural killer cells have revealed increased rates of disease-free survival. In this article, we review results from the major clinical trials that have used natural killer cells for cancer treatment, including their global distribution.

Landscape of Brazilian research and development public funding in advanced therapies: lessons learned and a roadmap for middle-income economies.

Background Aims: Advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) have reached the forefront of biotechnological innovation, partly due to public funders' efforts in the early stages of research and development (R&D). Data on investment in R&D of ATMPs are recognized as scarce, particularly in developing countries. Because of the numerous peculiarities of the Brazilian health system and the science and technology (S&T) system, the country is a good example for the evaluation of public investments in R&D of ATMPs.

Acute fluoxetine treatment increases aggressiveness in juvenile matrinxã (Brycon amazonicus).

Fluoxetine (FLX) is a selective serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitor known for its effects modifying aggressiveness, personality traits, and anxiety-like behaviors. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of the acute treatment, by immersion, with FLX on aggressive behavior of resident Brycon amazonicus fish. Fish pretreated with FLX presented an increase in aggressiveness, evidenced by the increase on the number of bites and chases against the intruder and a decrease in latency for the first attack, when compared to control fish.

GABAA-benzodiazepine receptors in the dorsomedial (Dm) telencephalon modulate restraint-induced antinociception in the fish Leporinus macrocephalus.

The possibility that fish experience pain has been denied based on the absence of the neural substrates to support this "experience". In this context, the identification of brain regions involved in nociception modulation could provide important insights regarding the processing of nociceptive information in fish. Our study evaluated the participation of the GABAA-benzodiazepine receptor in the dorsomedial (Dm) telencephalon in restraint-induced antinociception in the fish Leporinus macrocephalus through the microinjection of the anxiolytic drug midazolam.

Acute administration of a cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist impairs stress-induced antinociception in fish.

This study evaluated the influence of the pre-treatment with AM251 (a cannabinoid type I receptor (CB1) selective antagonist) on the stress-induced antinociception promoted by restraint in the fish Leporinus macrocephalus. The application of 3 and 5 min of restraint stress promoted an inhibition of the behavioural response to the subcutaneous injection of 3% formaldehyde (increase in locomotor activity), suggesting the activation of an antinociceptive system. The acute intraperitoneal administration of AM251 (3 mg·kg(-1)) impaired this antinociceptive response induced by 3 and 5 min of restraint stress.

Cortisol influences the antipredator behavior induced by chemical alarm cues in the Frillfin goby.

We evaluated the effect of increased plasma cortisol levels on fish antipredator behavior induced by conspecific chemical alarm cues. The experimental model for the study was the Frillfin goby Bathygobius soporator. We first confirmed that the alarm substance induces typical defensive antipredator responses in Frillfin gobies and described their alarm substance cells (epidermal 'club' cells).

Stress-induced antinociception in fish reversed by naloxone.

Pain perception in non-mammalian vertebrates such as fish is a controversial issue. We demonstrate that, in the fish Leporinus macrocephalus, an imposed restraint can modulate the behavioral response to a noxious stimulus, specifically the subcutaneous injection of 3% formaldehyde. In the first experiment, formaldehyde was applied immediately after 3 or 5 min of the restraint.

Behavioral characterization of the alarm reaction and anxiolytic-like effect of acute treatment with fluoxetine in piauçu fish.

In Ostariophysan fish, the detection of the alarm substance liberated into the water as a consequence of an attack by a predator elicits an alarm reaction or anti-predatory behavior. In this study, experiments were performed to: (i) describe and quantitatively characterize the behavioral and ventilatory responses in piauçu fish (Leporinus macrocephalus), individually and as part of a school, to conspecific alarm substance (CAS) and; (ii) test the effect of acute fluoxetine treatment on alarm reaction. Histological analysis revealed the presence of club cells in the intermediate and superficial layers of the epidermis.