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Background: The prevalence of individuals allergic to latex, exhibiting cross-hypersensitivity with plant-derived food has been frequently reported as the so-called latex-fruit syndrome. Nonetheless, molecular mechanisms underlying allergy to latex and/or fruit are poorly understood., Aim: The aims of this study were to identify candidate genes that may be associated with the pathogenesis of allergy to latex and/or vegetable food, and to assess if similar molecular pathways are involved in both types of hypersensitivity., Materials and Methods: DNA microarray analysis was performed to screen the molecular profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from patients with allergy to latex, to fruit, or with latex-fruit syndrome, and from control healthy subjects., Results: Molecular profiling identified an overlapping dataset of genes commonly regulated in all the atopic patients enrolled in this study, suggesting that similar molecular mechanisms are involved in the pathogenesis of allergy to the fruit and/or latex. Several regulators of the innate and acquired immunity reported to polarize the immunological response towards a Th2-mediated immune response were overexpressed in the patients. Evidences suggested that the expression of T-regulatory cells might be defective in allergic patients, as a consequence of a dysregulation of some inflammatory cytokines. Finally, several transcription factors that may be responsible for the Th1/Th2 imbalance were modulated in allergic patients., Conclusions: This study identified relevant genes that may help to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying allergic disease. Knowledges of critical targets, along with transcription factors regulating gene activity may facilitate the development of new therapeutic options.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells, able to differentiate into elements of the mesodermal lineage. Bone marrow and adipose tissue represent the main sources for MSC isolation. In the last decade, several studies have reported the plasticity of MSCs toward a hepatocyte-like phenotype. The use of MSCs to generate hepatocyte-like cells holds great promises to overcome the scarcity of available organs for transplantation. However, little is known about the molecular pathways involved in lineage cross-differentiation and several issues remain to be answered before MSC application in clinical settings. Aim of this review is to critically analyze the possible sources of MSCs suitable for liver repopulation and the molecular mechanisms underlying MSC hepatic differentiation.

Background: "Cancer stem cells" (CSC) have been identified as a minority of cancer cells responsible for tumor initiation, maintenance and spreading. Although a universal marker for CSC has not yet been identified, CD133 has been proposed as the hallmark of CSC in colon cancer. The aim of our study was to assess the presence of a CD133+ cell fraction in samples of colon cancer and liver metastasis from colon cancer and evaluate their potential as tumor-initiating cells., Methods: Tissue samples from 17 colon cancers and 8 liver metastasis were fragmented and digested using collagenase. Cell suspensions were characterized by flow cytometry using anti-CD133, CD45 and CD31 antibodies. CD133+ cells were also isolated by magnetic cell sorting and their tumor-initiating potential was assessed versus the remaining CD133- fraction by soft-agar assay., Results: Our results confirmed the existence of a subset of CD133+ tumor cells within human colon cancers. Interestingly, CD133+ cells were detectable in liver metastasis at a higher percentage when compared to primary tumors. Soft-agar assay showed that CD133+ cell fraction was able to induce larger and more numerous colonies than CD133-cells., Conclusion: Our findings data that the CD133+ colon cancer cells might play an important role in both primary tumors as well as in metastatic lesions thus warranting further studies on the role(s) of this subset of cells in the metastatic process.

Background: Human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) can be isolated from a variety of adult and perinatal tissues and exert multipotency and self renewal properties which make them suitable for cell-based therapy. Their potential plasticity extended to non-mesodermal-derived tissues has been indicated, although it is still a debated issue. In this study we have isolated MSCs from both adult and fetal tissues. Their growth, immunophenotype and multi-lineage differentiation potentials have been analyzed, focusing, in particular, on the hepatic differentiation., Methods: Cells were isolated from bone marrow (BMSC), adipose tissue (ATSC) and second trimester amniotic fluid (AFSC), upon a written informed consent obtained from donor patients. Cells were expanded and growth kinetics was assessed by means of proliferation assay. Their immunophenotype was analyzed using cytometry and multi-lineage differentiation potential was evaluated by means of in vitro differentiation assays. Finally, the expression of tissue-specific markers was also assessed by mean of semi-quantitative PCR., Results: Bipolar spindle-shaped cells were successfully isolated from all these tissues. Interestingly, ATSCs and AFSCs showed a higher proliferation potential than BMSCs. Mesodermal differentiation capacity was verified in all MSC populations, even if AFSCs were not able to undergo adipogenesis in our culture conditions. Furthermore, we showed that MSC cultured in appropriate conditions were able to induce hepatic-associated genes, such as ALB and TDO2., Conclusion: Taken together the data here reported suggest that MSCs from both adult and fetal tissues are capable of tissue-specific commitment along mesodermal and non-mesodermal lineages. In particular we have demonstrated that a specific hepatogenic commitment can be efficiently induced, proposing these cells as suitable tool for cell-based applications aimed at liver regeneration.

Adult stem cells (ASC) have becoming a great domain of research by their promising interest for the regenerative medicine. For some years, the number of publications has been increasing, displaying the potential of ASC to differentiate in all tissue-lineages, challenging the previous dogma that ASC were restricted to give rise only to specific cells from their tissue of origin. Among the diversity of ASC, hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) have been the most studied and their use in the clinical setting is largely documented. Commonly, HSC have been harvested from the bone marrow, but for some years, two others sources, the peripheral blood and the umbilical cord blood have been introduced. All these HSC posses their own molecular characteristics and degree of maturity and represent a more or less good candidate to participate in the cellular-based tissue regeneration. We have reviewed the different parameters allowing to define which subset could be the more favorable such as the accessibility to the pool of HSC; the quantity of available cells; the tolerability of host-engraftment and the capacity of the cells to home correctly to the required site of damaged. Besides, recently, the molecular profiling of HSC has allowed identifying which subset posses the more promising characteristics.