Metformin boosts doxorubicin efficacy and increases CD8 + T cell frequency in mouse breast cancer.

Purpose: Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. The presence and function of CD8 + T cells in the tumor microenvironment have been associated with better patient outcomes. Drug toxicity has posed a significant challenge to the clinical implementation of chemotherapy-based strategies in cancer treatment.

Multi-Stimuli-Responsive Biocompatible Magnetic Nanocarrier as Drug Delivery System to MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells.

Introduction: The last strategy in targeted drug delivery systems is to deliver the anticancer drug to the tumor tissue to increase its therapeutic effect and minimize its undesirable side effects. In line with this goal in this research, the redox/pH-responsive disulfide magnetic nanocarriers based on PF127-NH2/L-cysteine-CM-β-CD-FA were synthesized and evaluated in a doxorubicin delivery system.

Methods: We effectively surrounded Fe3O4 nanoparticles with SiO2 using the sol-gel method, and then confidently coated them with oleic acid on Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles.

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes alleviate the severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and enhance lag-3 expression on foxp3 + CD4 + T cells.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system, causing inflammation, demyelination, and neurodegeneration. Understanding the dysregulation of Tregs, dynamic cells involved in autoimmunity, is crucial in comprehending diseases like MS. However, the role of lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (Lag-3) in MS remains unclear.

Role of Maternal Immune Factors in Neuroimmunology of Brain Development.

Inflammation during pregnancy may occur due to various factors. This condition, in which maternal immune system activation occurs, can affect fetal brain development and be related to neurodevelopmental diseases. MIA interacts with the fetus's brain development through maternal antibodies, cytokines, chemokines, and microglial cells.

Exposure to ionizing radiations and changes in blood cells and interleukin-6 in radiation workers.

Long-term exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) can cause dire health consequences even less than the dose limits. Previous biomonitoring studies have focused more on complete blood counts (CBCs), with non-coherent results. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between exposure to IR and cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) along with hematological parameters in Tabriz megacity's radiation workers.

Spectrofluorimetric Method for Monitoring Methotrexate in Patients' Plasma Samples and Cell Lysates Using Highly Fluorescent Carbon Dots.

For the first time, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, and boron-doped carbon dots (N, S, P, B-codoped CDs) were synthesized through a hydrothermal reaction. The produced CDs were utilized to develop an optical sensor to determine methotrexate (MTX) in cell lysates and patients' plasma samples. Basically, in the presence of MTX, the fluorescence emission of the CD-based probe was quenched.

Chitosan-based biomaterials for the treatment of bone disorders.

Bone is an alive and dynamic organ that is well-differentiated and originated from mesenchymal tissues. Bone undergoes continuous remodeling during the lifetime of an individual. Although knowledge regarding bones and their disorders has been constantly growing, much attention has been devoted to effective treatments that can be used, both from materials and medical performance points of view.

Applications of scaffold-based advanced materials in biomedical sensing.

There have been many efforts to synthesize advanced materials that are capable of real-time specific recognition of a molecular target, and allow the quantification of a variety of biomolecules. Scaffold materials have a porous structure, with a high surface area and their intrinsic nanocavities can accommodate cells and macromolecules. The three-dimensional structure (3D) of scaffolds serves not only as a fibrous structure for cell adhesion and growth in tissue engineering, but can also provide the controlled release of drugs and other molecules for biomedical applications.

Ultrasensitive fluorescence detection of antitumor drug methotrexate based on a terbium-doped silica dendritic probe.

A novel strategy was developed for the detection of methotrexate (MTX) the quenching effect of MTX on the fluorescence intensity of terbium-doped dendritic silica particles (Tb@KCC-1). The fluorescence intensity of Tb@KCC-1 can be effectively quenched by MTX at 546 nm under an excitation wavelength of 233 nm. The quenched fluorescence is proportional to the amount of MTX in both plasma and exhaled breath condensate (EBC) samples.

Applications of advanced materials in bio-sensing in live cells: Methods and applications.

A wide variety of species, such as different ions, reactive oxygen species, and biomolecules play critical roles in many cell functions. These species are responsible for a range of cellular functions such as signaling, and disturbed levels could be involved in many diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, neurodegeneration etc. Thus, sensitive and specific detection methods for these biomarkers could be helpful for early disease detection and mechanistic investigations.

Para-sulfonatocalix[n]arene-based biomaterials: Recent progress in pharmaceutical and biological applications.

The history, properties, and characteristics of para-sulfonato-calixarenes are described. On the one hand, the inherent antibacterial and antifungal properties against microorganisms, and on the other hand non-toxicity of these supramolecules toward human organs are analyzed. The resulting biocompatibility of para-sulfonato-calixarenes makes them potential candidates for diverse life sciences and pharmaceutical applications without significant side effects.

Targeting PPAR ligands as possible approaches for metabolic reprogramming of T cells in cancer immunotherapy.

Despite the prominent progress in understanding cancer immunosurveillance mechanisms, there are some types of problems which have been identified to hinder effective and successful immunotherapy of cancers. Such problems have been ascribed to the tumor abilities in the creation of a tolerant milieu that can impair immune responses against cancer cells. In the present study, we represent possible approaches for metabolic reprogramming of T cells in cancer immunotherapy to overcome tumor metabolic impositions on immune responses against cancer cells.

Carbohydrate polymer-based silver nanocomposites: Recent progress in the antimicrobial wound dressings.

Wound healing is a dynamic and complex process which affects the quality of life in patients and annually causes high costs for the health system, worldwide. Polymers from natural origins such as polysaccharides have gained particular interest between researchers for wound dressing applications due to their abundance in nature, biocompatibility with human tissues, and ideal physicochemical properties. Aside from their supportive effect in wound care, polysaccharides and their derivatives can actively contribute to the healing process.

Immune-mediated anti-tumor effects of metformin; targeting metabolic reprogramming of T cells as a new possible mechanism for anti-cancer effects of metformin.

Immunotherapy-based cancer treatment has revolutionized the era of cancer patients recuperation and it has brought a strong hope to treatment of some types of cancers. Metformin, a widely used antidiabetic drug, which has intensely been studied for its anticancer effects, is believed to have positive influences on immune responses against tumor cells. Metformin can affect metabolic pathways within cells mainly through activation of AMPK.

Sanguinarine enhances cisplatin sensitivity via glutathione depletion in cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer (A2780) cells.

Ovarian cancer is considered as one of the most lethal gynecological cancers, and cisplatin-based therapy has an important role as the first-line option for chemotherapy. Resistance to chemotherapy is the main obstacle against successful cancer chemotherapy with cisplatin. Therefore, identifying potent compositions and molecules with fewer side-effects is a big challenge to overcome cisplatin resistance.

Major fundamental factors hindering immune system in defense against tumor cells: The link between insufficiency of innate immune responses, metabolism, and neurotransmitters with effector immune cells disability.

Despite the major progresses in comprehending the mechanisms of tumor immunosurveillance and the role of innate and adaptive immune systems in recent years, there are still a number of obstacles hindering successful and effective immunotherapy of cancer. Such obstacles have been mainly attributed to the ability of tumors in creating a tolerant microenvironment and exploiting a plethora of immunosuppressive factors that counter effective immune responses against tumor cells. Here we represent a new insight into probable links between immune system disability with metabolism and chronic psychological stress which is beyond the other strategies recruited by tumors to thwart tumor immunosurveillance.

Overexpression of tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) by ciglitazone sensitizes doxorubicin-resistance leukemia cancer cells to treatment.

Overcoming multidrug resistance (MDR) is a final goal of various recent studies, in which combination of different compounds and conventional chemotherapeutics results in circumventing MDR and hence cancer progression. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effects of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs)-γ on MDR in doxorubicin-resistant human myelogenous leukemia cells. The effect of doxorubicin on cell viability following treatment with ciglitazone was measured using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay.

A novel bioactive quaternized chitosan and its silver-containing nanocomposites as a potent antimicrobial wound dressing: Structural and biological properties.

Wound care is crucial for controlling infections of the injured area. Regarding this, wound dressings with antimicrobial activities are useful to minimize the microbial infections of the wounds. Herein, a series of quaternized chitosan nanocomposite films blended with silver nanoparticles were fabricated with high potential for wound dressing applications.

New potentials for 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzymeA reductase inhibitors: Possible applications in retarding diabetic complications.

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is increasing all over the world and it is apparent that treatment of diabetic complications has the same importance as primary diabetes treatment and glycemic control. Diabetic complications occur as a result of prolonged hyperglycemia and its consequences, such as advanced glycation end products and reactive oxygen species. Impairment of lipid profile is also contributed to worsening diabetic complications.

Nanocrystalline cellulose: Preparation, physicochemical properties, and applications in drug delivery systems.

Cancer is the leading cause of death all over the world and chemotherapy is an important approach to fight cancer, however, there are many obstacles against successful cancer chemotherapy such as development of multidrug resistance, poor solubility of chemotherapeutic agents and adverse side effects to healthy tissues. An important strategy to overcome these obstacles, is the use of nanotechnology. In recent years, natural polymers such as cellulose and its nanoform structure, nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC), have attracted the interest of researchers in the field of nanotechnology and specially drug delivery systems, due to biocompatibility and biodegradability of NCC.

Polyelectrolyte Carboxymethyl Cellulose for Enhanced Delivery of Doxorubicin in MCF7 Breast Cancer Cells: Toxicological Evaluations in Mice Model.

Purpose: Chemotherapy as an important tool for cancer treatment faces many obstacles such as multidrug resistance and adverse toxic effects on healthy tissues. Drug delivery systems have opened a new window to overcome these problems.

Methods: A polyelectrolyte carboxymethyl cellulose polymer as a magnetic nanocarrier was synthesized for enhancing delivery and uptake of doxorubicin in MCF7 breast cancer cells and decreasing the adverse toxic effects to healthy tissues.

CRISPR/Cas9 technology as a potent molecular tool for gene therapy.

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated nuclease 9 (CRISPR-Cas9) is an RNA-guided gene editing tool which offers several advantageous characteristics in comparison with the conventional methods (e.g., zinc finger nucleases and transcription activator-like effector nucleases) such as cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and being easy-to-use.

Possible Protective Effects of Thiazolidinediones Antidiabetic Drugs in Colorectal Cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, and it is considered the fourth most common cause of life-threatening cancers. Diabetes mellitus, especially type 2 diabetes, is an independent risk factor for CRC, due to shared risk factors like physical inactivity and obesity. Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are among the most common medications for type 2 diabetes mellitus.