T-Cell Immunoglobulin and Mucin Domain 3 (TIM-3) Gene Expression as a Negative Biomarker of B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) accounts for 85% of all childhood ALL. Malignancies exhaust T and B cells, resulting in an increased expression of immune checkpoint receptors (ICRs), such as T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (TIM-3). TIM-3 has been found to be dysregulated in different types of cancer.

Stem cell-based targeted therapy in pancreatic cancer: Current approaches and future prospects.

Despite recent improvements in oncology, diagnosis, and therapy, pancreatic cancer remains extremely difficult to cure due to its aggressive growth pattern with early invasion and distant metastases, chemoresistance, and a lack of effective screening modalities for early detection. Here, novel therapeutic approaches for treating pancreatic cancer are urgently needed. Recently, stem cells have drawn a lot of interest as a possible treatment for pancreatic cancer due to their ability to locate tumors.

Herpesvirus Entry Mediator as an Immune Checkpoint Target and a Potential Prognostic Biomarker in Myeloid and Lymphoid Leukemia.

Herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM) is a molecular switch that can modulate immune responses against cancer. The significance of HVEM as an immune checkpoint target and a potential prognostic biomarker in malignancies is still controversial. This study aims to determine whether HVEM is an immune checkpoint target with inhibitory effects on anti-tumor CD4 T cell responses in vitro and whether gene expression is dysregulated in patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).

Modulation of the Tumor Microenvironment by Ellagic Acid in Rat Model for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Potential Target against Hepatic Cancer Stem Cells.

The resistance to therapy and relapse in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is highly attributed to hepatic cancer stem cells (HCSCs). HCSCs are under microenvironment control. This work aimed to assess the systemic effect of ellagic acid (EA) on the HCC microenvironment to decline HCSCs.

Effect of Co-culturing both placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their condition medium in the cancer cell (HepG2) migration, damage through apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.

Human placental-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hPMSCs) are a promising candidate to inhibit the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines such as HepG2. The effects of hPMSCs and their conditioned media on HepG2 are, however, still a mystery. As a result, the goal of this study was to look into the effects of hPMSCs and their conditioned media on HepG2 and figure out what was going on.

Pharmacophore-based virtual screening approaches to identify novel molecular candidates against EGFR through comprehensive computational approaches and studies.

Alterations to the EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) gene, which primarily occur in the axon 18-21 position, have been linked to a variety of cancers, including ovarian, breast, colon, and lung cancer. The use of TK inhibitors (gefitinib, erlotinib, lapatinib, and afatinib) and monoclonal antibodies (cetuximab, panitumumab, and matuzumab) in the treatment of advanced-stage cancer is very common. These drugs are becoming less effective in EGFR targeted cancer treatment and developing resistance to cancer cell eradication, which sometimes necessitates stopping treatment due to the side effects.

Stem-Cell-Based Therapy: The Celestial Weapon against Neurological Disorders.

Stem cells are a versatile source for cell therapy. Their use is particularly significant for the treatment of neurological disorders for which no definitive conventional medical treatment is available. Neurological disorders are of diverse etiology and pathogenesis.

Pharmacophore-Model-Based Virtual-Screening Approaches Identified Novel Natural Molecular Candidates for Treating Human Neuroblastoma.

The mortality of cancer patients with neuroblastoma is increasing due to the limited availability of specific treatment options. Few drug candidates for combating neuroblastoma have been developed, and identifying novel therapeutic candidates against the disease is an urgent issue. It has been found that protein is amplified in one-third of human neuroblastomas and expressed as an attractive drug target against the disease.

25 (S)-Hydroxycholesterol acts as a possible dual enzymatic inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 M and RdRp-: an insight from molecular docking and dynamics simulation approaches.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has rapidly extended globally and killed approximately 5.83 million people all over the world. But, to date, no effective therapeutic against the disease has been developed.

Deciphering the Significance of Plasma Chemokines as Prognostic Biomarkers in Pegylated IFN-Α-2a /Ribavirin-Treated Chronic Hepatitis C Genotype 4 Patients.

Background: Hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection is a major clinical burden globally. Pegylated IFN-α-2a (PEG-IFN-α-2a) with ribavirin (RIB) therapy induces an array of cellular antiviral responses, including dsRNA kinases (PKR), chemokines, and cytokines to tackle the HCV infection. However, many HCV patients develop resistance to PEG-IFN/RIB therapy rendering the therapy ineffective.

Ellagic Acid Modulates the Amyloid Precursor Protein Gene via Superoxide Dismutase Regulation in the Entorhinal Cortex in an Experimental Alzheimer's Model.

Patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD) are still increasing worldwide. The development of (AD) is related to oxidative stress and genetic factors. This study investigated the therapeutic effects of ellagic acid (EA) on the entorhinal cortex (ERC), which plays a major role in episodic memory, in the brains of an AD rat model.

Untargeted Metabolic Profiling of Extracellular Vesicles of SARS-CoV-2-Infected Patients Shows Presence of Potent Anti-Inflammatory Metabolites.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) carry important biomolecules, including metabolites, and contribute to the spread and pathogenesis of some viruses. However, to date, limited data are available on EV metabolite content that might play a crucial role during infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Therefore, this study aimed to perform untargeted metabolomics to identify key metabolites and associated pathways that are present in EVs, isolated from the serum of COVID-19 patients.

Impact of Mothers' Age on Telomere Length and Human Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase Expression in Human Fetal Membrane-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Age-related cellular changes and limited replicative capacity of adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are few of the challenges confronting stem cell research. MSCs from human fetal membranes (hFM-MSCs), including placental, umbilical cord, and amniotic membrane, are considered an alternative to adult MSCs. However, the effect of mothers' age on hFM-MSC cellular properties is still not clearly established.

Disorder in milk proteins: adipophilin and TIP47, important constituents of the milk fat globule membrane.

Milk fat globules (MFGs), which are secreted by the epithelial cells of the lactating mammary glands, account for the most of the nutritional value of milk. They are enveloped by the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM), a complex structure consisting of three phospholipid membrane monolayers and containing various lipids. Depending on the origin of milk, specific proteins accounts for 5-70% of the MFGM mass.

Neuroectodermal stem cells: A remyelinating potential in acute compressed spinal cord injury in rat model.

The outcomes of compressed spinal cord injury (CSCI) necessitate radical treatment. The therapeutic potential of neuroectodermal stem cells (NESCs) in a rat model of CSCI in acute and subacute stages was assessed. White Wistar rat were divided into control, sham-operated, CSCI untreated model, CSCI grafted with NESCs at 1 day after CSCI, and at 7 days after CSCI.

Rhazyaminine from Rhazya stricta Inhibits Metastasis and Induces Apoptosis by Downregulating Bcl-2 Gene in MCF7 Cell Line.

Background: The role of alkaloids isolated from Rhazya stricta Decne (Apocynaceae family) (RS) in targeting genes involved in cancer and metastasis remains to be elucidated.

Objective: Identify and characterize new compounds from RS, which inhibit gene(s) involved in the survival, invasion, self-renewal, and metastatic processes of cancer cells.

Methods: Bioinformatics study was performed using HISAT2, stringtie, and ballgown pipeline to understand expressional differences between a normal epithelial cell line-MCF10A and MCF7.

Potential Effect of Exosomes Derived from Cancer Stem Cells and MSCs on Progression of DEN-Induced HCC in Rats.

Cross talk, mediated by exosomes, between normal stem cells and cancer stem cells (CSCs) in the tumor microenvironment has been given less attention so far. In addition, no publications are available in the literature that address the impact of exosomes derived from CSCs and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on progression of long-term hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Herein, we hypothesized that transfer of exosomes among the cells in the HCC microenvironment could either induce or inhibit tumor growth and metastasis depending on their source.

Correction to: Variability of Some Milk-Associated Genes and Proteins in Several Breeds of Saudi Arabian Camels.

The original version of this article contained mistakes in author names and affiliations. The last names of the authors Salah Korim, Amro Samra, and Hussein A. Amhedar were misspelled.

Variability of Some Milk-Associated Genes and Proteins in Several Breeds of Saudi Arabian Camels.

To gain knowledge on the molecular basis of diversity of several clans of Saudi camel (Camelus dromedarius) characterization of these animals was conducted at both genetic and protein levels. To this end, blood and milk samples were collected from several camel breeds at different Saudi Arabia locations (northern Jeddah, Riyadh, and Alwagh governorates). Genomic DNA was extracted from blood of four Saudi camel breeds (Majahem, Safra, Wadha, and Hamara), and DNA fragments of the casein and α-lactalbumin genes were amplified.

Anethum graveolens (dill) - A medicinal herb induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in HepG2 cell line.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The medicinal herb, Anethum graveolens L. (dill) is one of the potent culinary herbs used as an alternative form of medicine worldwide. The unguent topical Oil from the aerial parts of A.

Chloroform fraction of Foeniculum vulgare induced ROS mediated, mitochondria-caspase-dependent apoptotic pathway in MCF-7, human breast cancer cell line.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Foeniculum vulgare Mill. (Fennel) is one of the most common herbs used in alternative medicines for its varied range of bioactivity. In Ecuador (South America), use of fennel in traditional cancer treatment is on record.

Pleomorphism and drug resistant cancer stem cells are characteristic of aggressive primary meningioma cell lines.

Background: Meningioma tumors arise in arachnoid membranes, and are the most reported central nervous system (CNS) tumors worldwide. Up to 20% of grade I meningioma tumors reoccur and currently predictive cancer stem cells (CSCs) markers for aggressive and drug resistant meningiomas are scarce.

Methods: Meningioma tissues and primary cell lines were investigated using whole transcriptome microarray analysis, immunofluorescence staining of CSCs markers (including CD133, Sox2, Nestin, and Frizzled 9), and drug treatment with cisplatin or etoposide.

Histological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study of secondary compressed spinal cord injury in a rat model.

Introduction: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a life-disrupting condition in which the first few days are the most critical. Secondary conditions remain the main causes of death for people with SCI. The response of different cell types to SCI and their role at different times in the progression of secondary degeneration are not well understood.

Transcription factors regulating uspA genes in Catharanthus roseus.

RNA-Seq of the Catharanthus roseus SRA database was done in order to detect putative universal stress proteins (USPs) and their possible controlling factors. Previous analysis indicated the existence and characterization of uspA-like genes. In silico analysis of RNA-Seq database in several plant tissues revealed the possible functions and regulations of some uspA-like transcripts whose transcription factors (TFs) that might drive their expression were detected.

Targeting signal transduction pathways of cancer stem cells for therapeutic opportunities of metastasis.

Tumor comprises of heterogeneous population of cells where not all the disseminated cancer cells have the prerogative and "in-build genetic cues" to form secondary tumors. Cells with stem like properties complemented by key signaling molecules clearly have shown to exhibit selective growth advantage to form tumors at distant metastatic sites. Thus, defining the role of cancer stem cells (CSC) in tumorigenesis and metastasis is emerging as a major thrust area for therapeutic intervention.