Potential of methacrylated acemannan for exerting antioxidant-, cell proliferation-, and cell migration-inducing activities in vitro.

Background: Acemannan is an acetylated polysaccharide of Aloe vera extract with antimicrobial, antitumor, antiviral, and antioxidant activities. This study aims to optimize the synthesis of acemannan from methacrylate powder using a simple method and characterize it for potential use as a wound-healing agent.

Methods: Acemannan was purified from methacrylated acemannan and characterized using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).

Human Menstrual Blood-Derived Stem Cells Inhibit the Proliferation of HeLa Cells via TGF-1-Mediated JNK/P21 Signaling Pathways.

Human menstrual blood-derived stem cells (hMBSCs) are a novel type of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that have a high proliferative rate, multilineage differentiation potential, low immunogenicity, and low oncogenicity, making them suitable candidates for regenerative medicine. The therapeutic efficacy of hMBSCs has been demonstrated in some diseases; however, their effects on cervical cancer remain unclear. In the present study, we investigated whether hMBSCs have anticancer properties on cervical cancer cells in vivo and in vitro, which has not yet been reported.

Interleukin-33: Its Emerging Role in Allergic Diseases.

Allergic diseases, which include asthma, allergic rhinitis (AR), chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), atopic dermatitis (AD), food allergy (FA), allergic keratoconjunctivitis, seriously affect the quality of life of people all over the world. Recently, interleukin-33 (IL-33) has been found to play an important role in these refractory disorders, mainly by inducing T helper (Th) 2 immune responses. This article reviews the mobilization and biological function of IL-33 in allergic disorders, providing novel insights for addressing these hypersensitive conditions.

Recent progress on the effects of microRNAs and natural products on tumor epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a biological process of phenotypic transition of epithelial cells that can promote physiological development as well as tissue healing and repair. In recent years, cancer researchers have noted that EMT is closely related to the occurrence and development of tumors. When tumor cells undergo EMT, they can develop enhanced migration and local tissue invasion abilities, which can lead to metastatic growth.