Extracellular vesicle mimetics engineered from mesenchymal stem cells and curcumin promote fibrosis regression in a mouse model of thioacetamide-induced liver fibrosis.

Recent research suggests that advanced liver fibrosis could be reversed, but the therapeutic agents needed for the prevention of liver fibrosis remain to be elucidated. The beneficial effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) on liver fibrosis have been reported. However, the large-scale production of MSC-EVs remains challenging.

Engineering Three-Dimensional Spheroid Culture for Enrichment of Proangiogenic miRNAs in Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Promotion of Angiogenesis.

In the field of regenerative medicine, umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) have a plausible potential. However, traditional two-dimensional (2D) culture systems remain limited in replicating the complex microenvironment. Thus, three-dimensional (3D) cultures offer a more physiologically relevant model.

Deep learning-based binary classification of beta-amyloid plaques using 18 F florapronol PET.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate a deep learning model to classify amyloid plaque deposition in the brain PET images of patients suspected of Alzheimer's disease.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on patients who were suspected of having a mild cognitive impairment or dementia, and brain amyloid 18 F florapronol PET/computed tomography images were obtained from 2019 to 2022. Brain PET images were visually assessed by two nuclear medicine specialists, who classified them as either positive or negative.

Harnessing exosomes as cancer biomarkers in clinical oncology.

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles well known for facilitating cell-to-cell communication by distributing essential macromolecules like proteins, DNA, mRNA, lipids, and miRNA. These vesicles are abundant in fluids distributed throughout the body, including urine, blood, saliva, and even bile. They are important diagnostic tools for breast, lung, gastrointestinal cancers, etc.

Exosomes in Bone Cancer: Unveiling their Vital Role in Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Therapeutic Advancements.

Bone cancer among adolescents and children exhibits varying survival outcomes based on disease state. While localized bone cancer cases have a survival rate exceeding 70%, metastatic, refractory, and recurrent forms are associated with significantly poorer prognoses. Initially believed to be mere vehicles for cellular waste disposal, exosomes are now recognized as extracellular vesicles facilitating intercellular communication.

Efficacy of Empirical 131 I Radioiodine Therapy in Well-Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma Patients With Thyroglobulin-Elevated Negative Iodine Scintigraphy Syndrome : A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objectives: This study aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of empirical high-dose radioiodine therapy in treating differentiated thyroid cancer patients with thyroglobulin (Tg)-elevated negative iodine scintigraphy (TENIS) syndrome.

Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library to identify relevant studies published until April 2022. This systematic review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist and registered in an international prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO).

Clinical Values of Whole-Body Blood Pool Scans and SPECT for Evaluation of Congenital Vascular Malformation.

Purpose: This study examines the diagnostic potential of whole-body blood pool scintigraphy (WBBPS) using technetium-99 m-labeled red blood cells to detect congenital vascular malformations (CVMs). It aims to compare its efficacy with traditional imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasonography (USG), emphasizing its potential advantages in terms of characterization of lesions and capacity for whole-body assessment.

Methods: The efficacy of WBBPS and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) imaging in diagnosing CVMs, comparing them with USG and MRI results, was evaluated in this retrospective study.

Smart Nanoscale Extracellular Vesicles in the Brain: Unveiling their Biology, Diagnostic Potential, and Therapeutic Applications.

Information exchange is essential for the brain, where it communicates the physiological and pathological signals to the periphery and . Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a heterogeneous group of membrane-bound cellular informants actively transferring informative calls to and from the brain via lipids, proteins, and nucleic acid cargos. In recent years, EVs have also been widely used to understand brain function, given their "cell-like" properties.

Comparison of Recombinant Human Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone and Thyroid Hormone Withdrawal for 131 I Therapy in Patients With Intermediate- to High-Risk Thyroid Cancer : A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: This meta-analysis and systematic review aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and advantages associated with the use of recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone (rhTSH) for radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy in patients with intermediate- to high-risk differentiated thyroid cancer.

Patients And Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched to identify relevant articles reporting clinical outcomes of rhTSH compared with thyroid hormone withdrawal (THW) in patients with intermediate- to high-risk differentiated thyroid cancer published between January 2012 and June 2023. Meta-analyses were performed (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022340915) to assess the success rate of radioiodine remnant ablation (RRA) in patients with intermediate to high risk and determine the disease control rate among patients with distant metastases, evaluated using the RECIST criteria.

Predictive factors for severe radiation-induced lung injury in patients with lung cancer and coexisting interstitial lung disease.

Background And Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the predictive factors of severe radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) in patients with lung cancer and coexisting interstitial lung disease (ILD) undergoing conventionally fractionated thoracic radiotherapy.

Materials And Methods: The study includes consecutive patients treated with thoracic radiotherapy for lung cancer at two tertiary centers between 2010 and 2021. RILI severity was graded using the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria version 5.

Clinical Implications of Adding SPECT/CT to Radioiodine Whole-Body Scan in Patients With Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the usefulness of adding SPECT/CT to radioiodine whole-body scans (WBSs) for the treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC).

Patients And Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed following the PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO registration: CRD42022341732) to compare the feasibility of conclusive readings and the frequency of changes in treatment plans in patients with DTC undergoing WBS + SPECT/CT versus WBS. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched to identify relevant articles concerning thyroid cancer, radioactive iodine, and SPECT/CT or SPECT, published before August 16, 2023.

Impact of Positron Emission Tomography Viability Imaging: Guided Revascularizations on Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Myocardial Scar on Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography Scans.

Background: Positron emission tomography (PET) viability scan is used to determine whether patients with a myocardial scar on single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) may need revascularization. However, the clinical utility of revascularization decision-making guided by PET viability imaging has not been proven yet. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of PET to determine revascularization on clinical outcomes.

Second Primary Malignancy After Radioiodine Therapy in Thyroid Cancer Patient: A Nationwide Study.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the risk of second primary malignancy after radioiodine (RAI) therapy in patients with thyroid cancer, using the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database.

Methods: We extracted data from the NHIS database of South Korea, which covers the entire population of the nation. Risk of second primary malignancy in the thyroid cancer patients who received RAI therapy were compared with the thyroid cancer patients who received surgery only.

Comparison of Prognostic Value Between Stimulated and Nonstimulated Thyroglobulins in Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: A Retrospective Study.

Purpose: The growing incidence of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) demands dependable prognostic factors to guide follow-up and treatment plans. This study investigated the prognostic value of response to therapy (RTT) assessment using TSH stimulated-thyroglobulin (sti-Tg) and nonstimulated-thyroglobulin (nonsti-Tg) and evaluates whether RTT using nonsti-Tg (nonstiRTT) can replace RTT using sti-Tg (stiRTT) in clinical practice to improve patients' quality of life during assessment.

Methods: We enrolled 419 DTC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy, radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy, and Tg assessment.

The Diagnostic Value of F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography in Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Patients with Elevated Thyroglobulin/Thyroglobulin Antibody Levels and Negative Iodine Scintigraphy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) in detecting recurrence in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) who have negative whole-body scans (WBSs) but elevated serum thyroglobulin (Tg) or thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) levels. This systematic review/meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis for Diagnostic Test Accuracy criteria (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews registration number: CRD42022340924). A comprehensive search of the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases identified articles reporting the diagnostic accuracy of FDG PET/CT for the detection of recurrence in patients with DTC with negative WBS and elevated serum Tg or TgAb levels published between January 2012 and June 2023.

An update on stem cell and stem cell-derived extracellular vesicle-based therapy in the management of Alzheimer's disease.

Globally, neurological diseases pose a major burden to healthcare professionals in terms of the management and prevention of the disorder. Among neurological diseases, Alzheimer's disease (AD) accounts for 50%-70% of dementia and is the fifth leading cause of mortality worldwide. AD is a progressive, degenerative neurological disease, with the loss of neurons and synapses in the cerebral cortex and subcortical regions.

Three-dimensional culture conditioned bone marrow MSC secretome accelerates wound healing in a burn injury mouse model.

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapy has emerged as a promising regenerative therapeutic approach for wound healing. To determine the effects of cultured MSCs as a 2D monolayer (2D-MSCs) and 3D spheroids (3D-MSCs) on their secretomes, and to examine the effect of 3D-MSC secretomes on endothelial cells (ECs) and MSCs in a burn injury mouse model. MSCs were cultured as 2D monolayers (2D-MSCs) and 3D spheroids (3D-MSCs) and their cellular characteristics were evaluated by western blotting.

The emerging role of exosomes in innate immunity, diagnosis and therapy.

Exosomes, which are nano-sized transport bio-vehicles, play a pivotal role in maintaining homeostasis by exchanging genetic or metabolic information between different cells. Exosomes can also play a vital role in transferring virulent factors between the host and parasite, thereby regulating host gene expression and the immune interphase. The association of inflammation with disease development and the potential of exosomes to enhance or mitigate inflammatory pathways support the notion that exosomes have the potential to alter the course of a disease.

Current Role of Intra-Articular Injections of Platelet-Rich Plasma in Adhesive Capsulitis of Shoulder: A Systematic Review.

Adhesive capsulitis shoulder is a common problem of patients presenting with shoulder pain and disability. The approach to such patients includes a variety of modalities. This systematic review evaluates the efficacy of intra-articular injections of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the treatment.

Engineered Nanovesicles from Fibroblasts Modulate Dermal Papillae Cells In Vitro and Promote Human Hair Follicle Growth Ex Vivo.

Alopecia is a common medical condition affecting both sexes. Dermal papilla (DP) cells are the primary source of hair regeneration in alopecia patients. Therapeutic applications of extracellular vesicles (EVs) are restricted by low yields, high costs, and their time-consuming collection process.

Different Expression of Thyroid-Specific Proteins in Thyroid Cancer Cells between 2-Dimensional (2D) and 3-Dimensional (3D) Culture Environment.

The two-dimensional (2D) monolayer culture as a conventional method has been widely applied in molecular biology fields, but it has limited capability to recapitulate real cell environments, being prone to misinterpretation with poor prediction of in vivo behavior. Recently, the three-dimensional (3D) spheroid culture has been studied extensively. Spheroids are self-assembled cell aggregates that have biomimicry capabilities.

Application of extracellular vesicles from mesenchymal stem cells promotes hair growth by regulating human dermal cells and follicles.

Background: Dermal papillae (DP) and outer root sheath (ORS) cells play important roles in hair growth and regeneration by regulating the activity of hair follicle (HF) cells.

Aim: To investigate the effects of human mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (hMSC-EVs) on DP and ORS cells as well as HFs. EVs are known to regulate various cellular functions.

Interleukin-4 Receptor Targeting Peptide Decorated Extracellular Vesicles as a Platform for In Vivo Drug Delivery to Thyroid Cancer.

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been demonstrated to deliver therapeutic drugs in preclinical studies. However, their use is limited, as they lack the ability to specifically deliver drugs to tumor tissues in vivo. In the present study, we propose the use of a targeting peptide, IL-4R-binding peptide (IL4RPep-1), to specifically deliver intravenously (i.