Immunomodulatory and Anti-fibrotic Effects Following the Infusion of Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in a Critically Ill Patient With COVID-19 Presenting Lung Fibrosis: A Case Report.

The patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) associated with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) may require prolonged mechanical ventilation which often results in lung fibrosis, thus worsening the prognosis and increasing fatality rates. A mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapy may decrease lung inflammation and accelerate recovery in COVID-19. In this context, some studies have reported the effects of MSC therapy for patients not requiring invasive ventilation or during the first hours of tracheal intubation.

Is there a place for mesenchymal stromal cell-based therapies in the therapeutic armamentarium against COVID-19?

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the rapid global spread of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), has caused healthcare systems to collapse and led to hundreds of thousands of deaths. The clinical spectrum of COVID-19 is not only limited to local pneumonia but also represents multiple organ involvement, with potential for systemic complications. One year after the pandemic, pathophysiological knowledge has evolved, and many therapeutic advances have occurred, but mortality rates are still elevated in severe/critical COVID-19 cases.

Characterization of Crystalline Phase of TiO Nanocrystals, Cytotoxicity and Cell Internalization Analysis on Human Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Titanium dioxide (TiO) is manufactured worldwide as crystalline and amorphous forms for multiple applications, including tissue engineering, but our study proposes analyzing the impact of crystalline phases of TiO on Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs). Several studies have already described the regenerative potential of MSCs and TiO has been used for bone regeneration. In this study, polydispersity index and sizes of TiO nanocrystals (NCs) were determined.

Tolerogenic Dendritic Cells Reduce Cardiac Inflammation and Fibrosis in Chronic Chagas Disease.

Chronic Chagas disease cardiomyopathy (CCC) is the most frequent and severe form of this parasitic disease. CCC is caused by a progressive inflammation in the heart, resulting in alterations that can culminate in heart failure and death. The use of dendritic cells (DCs) appears as an option for the development of treatments due to their important role in regulating immune responses.

Generation of human iPS cell line CBTCi001-A from dermal fibroblasts obtained from a healthy donor.

Human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) CBTCi001-A line was generated from a healthy 30-year old male dermal fibroblasts using non-integrative reprogramming method using episomal-based plasmids expressing OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, and MYCL. Characterization of CBTCi001-A was confirmed by the expression of typical markers of pluripotency and differentiation potential in vitro.

Anti-inflammatory activity of SintMed65, an N-acylhydrazone derivative, in a mouse model of allergic airway inflammation.

Asthma is a chronic, complex and heterogeneous inflammatory illness, characterized by obstruction of the lower airways. About 334 million people worldwide suffer from asthma, and these estimates, as well as the severity of the disease, have increased in the last decades. Glucocorticoids are currently the most widely used drugs in the treatment and control of asthma symptoms, but their prolonged use can cause serious adverse effects.

Erratum: Tolerogenic Dendritic Cells Reduce Airway Inflammation in a Model of Dust Mite Triggered Allergic Inflammation.

This corrects the article on p. 406 in vol. 10, PMID: 29949837.

Tolerogenic Dendritic Cells Reduce Airway Inflammation in a Model of Dust Mite Triggered Allergic Inflammation.

Purpose: The use of tolerogenic dendritic cells (TolDCs) to control exacerbated immune responses may be a prophylactic and therapeutic option for application in autoimmune and allergic conditions. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of TolDC administration in a mouse model of allergic airway inflammation caused by mite extract.

Methods: Mouse bone marrow-derived TolDCs were induced by incubation with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and dexamethasone, and then characterized by flow cytometry and cytokine production by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Betulinic acid derivative BA5, a dual NF-kB/calcineurin inhibitor, alleviates experimental shock and delayed hypersensitivity.

Betulinic acid (BA) is a naturally occurring triterpenoid with several biological properties already described, including immunomodulatory activity. Here we investigated the immunomodulatory activity of eight semi-synthetic amide derivatives of betulinic acid. Screening of derivatives BA1-BA8 led to the identification of compounds with superior immunomodulatory activity than BA on activated macrophages and lymphocytes.

Protective effects of mito-TEMPO against doxorubicin cardiotoxicity in mice.

Purpose: Doxorubicin (DOX) is a chemotherapeutic that is widely used for the treatment of many human tumors. However, the development of cardiotoxicity has limited its use. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible efficacy of mito-TEMPO (mito-T) as a protective agent against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity in mice.