Association of Histone H3 Trimethylation in Circulating Monocytes with Lack of Early Recurrence in Patients with Bladder Cancer following BCG Induction Therapy.

Background: The mode of action of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in the treatment of patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is incompletely understood, but recent studies support an association between BCG-induced trained immunity in circulating monocytes and disease-free survival.

Objective: We compared epigenetic profiles in monocytes from NMIBC patients with early disease recurrence with those from recurrence-free patients.

Methods: We conducted chromatin immunoprecipitation and DNA sequencing (ChIP-seq) on monocytes from seven patients treated with BCG (four with early recurrences and three recurrence-free after one year) to determine genome-wide distribution and abundance of histone 3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) prior to and after five weeks of induction therapy.

SUCLG1 mutations and mitochondrial encephalomyopathy: a case study and review of the literature.

The mitochondrial encephalomyopathies represent a clinically heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative disorders. The clinical phenotype of patients could be explained by mutations of mitochondria-related genes, notably SUCLG1 and SUCLA2. Here, we presented a 5-year-old boy with clinical features of mitochondrial encephalomyopathy from Iran.

Trends in therapeutic antibody affinity maturation: From in-vitro towards next-generation sequencing approaches.

Current advances in antibody engineering driving the strongest growth area in biotherapeutic agents development. Affinity improvement that is mainly important for biological activity and clinical efficacy of therapeutic antibodies, has still remained a challenging task. In the human body, during a course of immune response affinity maturation increase antibody activity by several rounds of somatic hypermutation and clonal selection in the germinal center.

The effects of somatic mutations on EGFR interaction with anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies: Implication for acquired resistance.

A number of mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) have been identified that imparts resistance to anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in clinical and preclinical samples. Primary or acquired resistance to targeted therapy will eventually limit the clinical benefit of anticancer mAbs. The aim of the current study was to perform computational analysis to investigate the structural implications of the EGFR somatic mutations on its complexes with the four anti-EGFR mAbs (Cetuximab, Panitumumab, Necitumumab, and Matuzumab).

The transient production of anti-TNF-α antibody Adalimumab and a comparison of its characterization to the biosimilar Cinorra.

Recombinant antibodies have emerged over the last few decades as the fastest growing class of therapeutic proteins for autoimmune diseases. Post-translation modifications of antibodies produced by human cell lines are highly consistent with those existing in natural human proteins and this is a major advantage of utilizing these cell lines. Cinorra is a biosimilar form of the antibody Adalimumab, which is an antagonist of TNF-α used for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

Co-treatment by docetaxel and vinblastine breaks down P-glycoprotein mediated chemo-resistance.

Objectives: Chemoresistance remains the main causes of treatment failure and mortality in cancer patients. There is an urgent need to investigate novel approaches to improve current therapeutic modalities and increase cancer patients' survival. Induction of drug efflux due to overexpression of P-glycoproteins is considered as an important leading cause of multidrug resistance.

A Bioinformatics Approach to the Identification of Variants Associated with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus that Reside in Functionally Validated miRNAs Binding Sites.

The present work is aimed at finding variants associated with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) that reside in functionally validated miRNAs binding sites and that can have a functional role in determining diabetes and related pathologies. Using bioinformatics analyses we obtained a database of validated polymorphic miRNA binding sites which has been intersected with genes related to DM or to variants associated and/or in linkage disequilibrium (LD) with it and is reported in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). The workflow we followed allowed us to find variants associated with DM that also reside in functional miRNA binding sites.

Sphingosine 1-phosphate interacts with Survivin pathway to enhance tumorigenesis in cancer cells.

Objectives: Degradation of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), as a bioactive lipid, or deregulation of its production involves in tumor progression, metastasis and chemoresistance. Since the tumor progression effects of S1P and its mechanism in chronic lymphoblastic leukemia and non-small cell lung cancer is not fully understood, we investigated the role and one of the mechanisms of S1P in tumor progression of SKW3 and H1299 cells.

Materials And Methods: The effects of S1P on proliferation, invasion and migration was studied using MTT assay, soft-agar colony forming assay and trans-well migration assay, respectively.

Combination therapy increases the efficacy of docetaxel, vinblastine and tamoxifen in cancer cells.

Introduction: Developing novel strategies to increase the efficacy of chemotherapy is an urgent need. We investigated the impact of combination therapy with docetaxel, or vinblastine with tamoxifen in inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 and H1299 cells.

Materials And Methods: Cell proliferation was assessed by MTT assay and the percentage of apoptotic cells was measured using DAPI staining.

Inhibition of survivin restores the sensitivity of breast cancer cells to docetaxel and vinblastine.

Combination therapy is considered a viable strategy to overcome the resistance to chemotherapeutics. Survivin as a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family, which is involved in resistance to various drugs. We investigated the role of combination therapy in downregulating survivin and increasing drug's efficacy in MDA-MB-231 cells.

Luteolin-loaded phytosomes sensitize human breast carcinoma MDA-MB 231 cells to doxorubicin by suppressing Nrf2 mediated signalling.

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) has been recognized as a transcription factor that controls mechanisms of cellular defense response by regulation of three classes of genes, including endogenous antioxidants, phase II detoxifying enzymes and transporters. Previous studies have revealed roles of Nrf2 in resistance to chemotherapeutic agents and high level expression of Nrf2 has been found in many types of cancer. At physiological concentrations, luteolin as a flavonoid compound can inhibit Nrf2 and sensitize cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents.

Sphingosin 1-phosphate contributes in tumor progression.

Sphingosine-1 phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive lipid that mediates diverse cellular responses. Signaling of S1P is carried out by a family of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), which show differential expression patterns depending on tissue and cell types. Activation of S1P receptors induces signaling pathway, which can subsequently lead to physiological process.