Harnessing CRISPR technology for viral therapeutics and vaccines: from preclinical studies to clinical applications.

The CRISPR/Cas system, identified as a type of bacterial adaptive immune system, have attracted significant attention due to its remarkable ability to precisely detect and eliminate foreign genetic material and nucleic acids. Expanding upon these inherent capabilities, recent investigations have unveiled the potential of reprogrammed CRISPR/Cas 9, 12, and 13 systems for treating viral infections associated with human diseases, specifically targeting DNA and RNA viruses, respectively. Of particular interest is the RNA virus responsible for the recent global outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which presents a substantial public health risk, coupled with limited efficacy of current prophylactic and therapeutic techniques.

Novel liposomal glatiramer acetate: Preparation and immunomodulatory evaluation in murine model of multiple sclerosis.

The frequent administration rate required for Glatiramer acetate (GA), a first-line therapy for Multiple sclerosis (MS), poses patient compliance issues. Only a small portion of the subcutaneously administered GA is available for phagocytosis by macrophages, as most of it is hydrolyzed at its administration site or excreted renally. To unravel these hurdles, we have prepared liposomal formulations of GA through thin film-hydration method plus extrusion.

Improving the efficacy of peptide vaccines in cancer immunotherapy.

Peptide vaccines have shown great potential in cancer immunotherapy by targeting tumor antigens and activating the patient's immune system to mount a specific response against cancer cells. However, the efficacy of peptide vaccines in inducing a sustained immune response and achieving clinical benefit remains a major challenge. In this review, we discuss the current status of peptide vaccines in cancer immunotherapy and strategies to improve their efficacy.

The effect of m2 peptide targeted nanoliposomes containing crocin on induction of phenotypic change in tumor macrophages to M1 state.

Aims: Crocin has immunomodulatory and anticancer effects. In this study, crocin was used to induce the M1 phenotype in mouse tumor macrophages.

Main Methods: A targeted liposomal formulation with m2 peptide was prepared and characterized to deliver crocin to the M2 macrophages present in the tumor environment.

Nanoliposomal VEGF-R2 peptide vaccine acts as an effective therapeutic vaccine in a murine B16F10 model of melanoma.

Background: The vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) plays an important role in melanoma development and progression. Peptide vaccines have shown great potential in cancer immunotherapy by targeting VEGFR-2 as a tumor-associated antigen and boosting the immune response against both tumor cells and tumor endothelial cells. Despite this, the low efficiency of peptide vaccines has resulted in moderate therapeutic results in the majority of studies.

An insight into the role of liposomal therapeutics in the reversion of multiple sclerosis.

Introduction: Multiple Sclerosis (MS), as an autoimmune disease, has complicated immunopathology, which makes its management relevant to various factors. Novel pharmaceutical vehicles, especially liposomes, can support efficacious handling of this disease both in early detection and prognosis and also in a therapeutic manner. The most well-known triggers of MS onset are the predominance of cellular to humoral immunity and enhancement of inflammatory cytokines level.

Overweight and Obesity are Potential Risk Factors for Disrupted Nocturnal Sleep in Iranian Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Obesity is a risk factor for several chronic conditions, including sleep disorders. We aimed to analyze the relationship between BMI, body fat percentage (FAT%), hip and waist circumference, and weight on the duration of nocturnal sleep. This study was part of the MASHAD cohort study.

Vaccines targeting angiogenesis in melanoma.

Angiogenesis has a significant role in metastasis and progression of melanoma. Even small tumors may be susceptible to metastasis and hence lead to a worse outcome in patients with melanoma. One of the anti-angiogenic treatment approaches that is undergoing comprehensive study is specific immunotherapy.

Anti-epithelial cell adhesion molecule RNA aptamer-conjugated liposomal doxorubicin as an efficient targeted therapy in mice bearing colon carcinoma tumor model.

To overcome the lack of selectivity and nonspecific biodistribution of drugs in the body, targeted delivery of chemotherapeutic agents with aptamers is a very effective method. In this strategy, aptamers could be specifically identified and attach to targeted molecules on the cancerous cells and deliver the chemotherapeutic agents to desired tissue with minimal or no damage to the normal cells. In this study, we designed anti-epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) RNA aptamer conjugated PEGylated liposomal doxorubicin (ER-lip) to investigate its in vitro and in vivo anticancer abilities.

Recent Advancements in Liposome-Based Strategies for Effective Drug Delivery to the Brain.

Disorders of the central nervous system (CNS) and tumors of the brain are challenging to treat, and they rank amongst the most common causes of death worldwide. The delivery of drugs to the brain is problematic because the blood-brain barrier (BBB) effectively arrests the transport of large molecules (including drugs) from the blood to the CNS. Nanoparticle (NP)-mediated drug delivery has received much interest as a technique to overcome this difficulty.

Immunoliposomes bearing lymphocyte activation gene 3 fusion protein and P5 peptide: A novel vaccine for breast cancer.

LAG3-Ig as an immune adjuvant has elicited potent anti-tumor immune responses in several preclinical and clinical studies, but the full potential immunostimulatory of LAG3-Ig has yet to be achieved. We hypothesized that by anchoring LAG3-Ig to the surface of liposomes, the adjuvant activity of LAG3-Ig could be improved. We also investigated the immunotherapy by co-delivery of liposome-coupled LAG3-Ig and P5 tumor antigen in mice model of TUBO breast cancer.

The therapeutic potential of targeting CD73 and CD73-derived adenosine in melanoma.

The hypoxic environment of melanoma results in CD73 upregulation on the surface of various tumor microenvironment (TME) cells including tumor cells, stromal cells and infiltrated immune cells. Consequently, CD73 through both enzymatic and none enzymatic functions affect melanoma progression. Overaccumulation of CD73-derived adenosine through interaction with its four G coupled receptors (AAR, AAR, AAR, and AAR) mediate tumor growth, immune suppression, angiogenesis, and metastasis.

Long noncoding RNAs in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and liver fibrosis: state-of-the-art and perspectives in diagnosis and treatment.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) significantly impacts global health. Despite considerable research, its pathophysiology remains partially unclear. In addition, selective serum biomarkers of disease diagnosis and progression are missing.

Anti-Epcam Aptamer (Syl3c)-Functionalized Liposome for Targeted Delivery Of Doxorubicin: In Vitro And In Vivo Antitumor Studies in Mice Bearing C26 Colon Carcinoma.

In this study, we have surface-functionalized PEGylated-nanoliposomal doxorubicin (DOX) with anti-EpCAM (epithelial cell adhesion molecule) aptamer via post-insertion of anti-EpCAM aptamer-conjugated DSPE-mPEG into Caelyx® (ED-lip). The size, charge, release profile, and cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of formulation were determined. The characterization of the ED-lip demonstrated the slightly increase in size and PDI along with the decrease in zeta potential which indicated that post-insertion efficiently done.

Combination therapy with liposomal doxorubicin and liposomal vaccine containing E75, an HER-2/neu-derived peptide, reduces myeloid-derived suppressor cells and improved tumor therapy.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are immunosuppressive cells causing resistance to immunotherapies in cancer tumors. In the current study, various immunogenic and therapeutic features of the combination therapies with non-liposomal Doxorubicin (Dox) and the E75 immunogenic peptide (Pep), derived from the human epidermal receptor-2 (HER-2), are investigated in parallel with their liposomal formulations (Lip-Dox (Doxil®) and Lip-Pep). Therefore, triple injection doses of Lip-Pep were preceded with Dox and Lip-Dox injections in TUBO/breast tumor-bearing BALB/c mice.

Preparation and characterization of stable nanoliposomal formulations of curcumin with high loading efficacy: In vitro and in vivo anti-tumor study.

Liposomal formulations were made using Solvent-assisted active loading technology (SALT). Two formulations composed of HSPC:DPPG:Chol:DSPE-mPEG (PG-LipCUR) and HSPC:Chol:DSPE-mPEG (LipCUR) demonstrated good colloidal properties and the CUR-encapsulation of 82% and 89% for PG-LipCUR and LipCUR, respectively. The results showed that both formulations were stable during 6 months storage at 4 °C.

Nanoliposomal vaccine containing long multi-epitope peptide E75-AE36 pulsed PADRE-induced effective immune response in mice TUBO model of breast cancer.

The main goal of peptide-based cancer vaccines is to induce the immune system and activation of effective T cell responses against cancerous cells. Nevertheless, the potency of peptide vaccines is insufficient in most of cases and had limited clinical success. Therefore, the optimization of peptide-based cancer vaccine is essential to achieve powerful therapeutic outcomes.

Doxil chemotherapy plus liposomal P5 immunotherapy decreased myeloid-derived suppressor cells in murine model of breast cancer.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) play a pivotal role in cancer. To overcome the problem of the MDSCs in the tumor microenvironment in this study, a combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy was used. For this purpose, a liposomal formulation of P5 peptide and PEGylated liposomal doxorubicin (Doxil®) was utilized to treat mice bearing HER2 tumor model.

50 bp deletion in promoter superoxide dismutase 1 gene and increasing risk of cardiovascular disease in Mashhad stroke and heart atherosclerotic disorder cohort study.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), one of the main mortality causes worldwide is considered to be affected by general oxidative stress and inadequacy antioxidant system. Superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), a cytosolic antioxidant enzyme has a key role in neutralizing the excessive prooxidant by scavenging the super oxide anions. SOD1 polymorphic variants exhibit the altered activity properties.

Polyethylenimine-associated cerium oxide nanoparticles: A novel promising gene delivery vector.

Aims: The development of highly efficient and low toxic non-viral gene delivery vectors is the most challenging issues for successful application of gene therapy. A particular focus has been on understanding structure-activity relationships for transfection activity and toxicity of polyethylenimine (PEI). During the last decade, the use of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO-NPs) in biomedicine has attracted much attention due to their pH-dependent antioxidant activity.

Cell cytotoxicity, immunostimulatory and antitumor effects of lipid content of liposomal delivery platforms in cancer immunotherapies. A comprehensive in-vivo and in-vitro study.

Liposome is one of the promising technologies for antigen delivery in cancer immunotherapies. It seems that the phospholipid content of liposomes can act as immunostimulatory molecules in cancer immunotherapy. In the present study, the immunological properties of different phospholipid content of liposomal antigen delivery platforms were investigated.

MicroRNAs as important regulators of the NLRP3 inflammasome.

Inflammasomes are a group of cytosolic multi-protein signaling complexes that regulate maturation of the interleukin (IL)-1 family cytokines IL-1β and IL-18 through activation of inflammatory caspase-1. The NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is the best characterized and consists of several key components that are assembled and activated in response to different endogenous and exogenous signals. The NLRP3 inflammasome is common to a number of human inflammatory diseases and its targeting may lead to novel anti-inflammatory therapy.

MPL nano-liposomal vaccine containing P5 HER2/neu-derived peptide pulsed PADRE as an effective vaccine in a mice TUBO model of breast cancer.

Liposomal peptide-based vaccines can potentially suppress cancer cells proliferation in the host. To enhance the effectiveness of vaccination against cancer, additional strategies should also be employed. One strategy to promote peptide-based vaccine efficacy and induce powerful immune responses, is simultaneous activation of CD4 and CD8 T cells.

Association Between Trace Element Status and Depression in HTLV-1-Infected Patients: a Retrospective Cohort Study.

Depression and Anxiety are two important public health problems that are known to be associated with viral infections. The association between the intake of nutrients such as zinc and copper with symptoms of depression has been studied previously. The aim of the current study was to investigate the association between depression with human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection and serum content of zinc and copper in a large Iranian population cohort.