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Gastric cancer is the fifth most frequent cancer worldwide and the fourth leading cause of death from cancer, a complex multifactorial neoplasm. LncRNAs are regulatory RNA molecules larger than 200 nucleotides, which can have profound effects on the oncogenic process of various types of cancer. Therefore, these molecules can be used as diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers. This study aimed to determine the differences in BOK-AS1, FAM215A, and FEZF1-AS1 gene expression between tumor tissue and adjacent healthy non-tumor tissue of gastric cancer (GC) patients. In this study one hundred pairs of cancerous and non-cancerous marginal tissues were gathered. Next, RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis were achieved for all of the samples. Then, the qRT-PCR was performed to measure the expression of BOK-AS1, FAM215A and FEZF1-AS1 genes. All BOK-AS1, FAM215A and FEZF1-AS1 genes showed significantly increased expression in tumor tissues compared with non-tumor tissues. The outcome of the ROC analysis demonstrated that BOK-AS1, FAM215A, and FEZF1-AS1 may act as mean biomarkers with AUC of 0.7368, 0.7163 and 0.7115, specificity of 64%, 61% and 59%, and sensitivity of 74%, 70%, and 74% respectively. Based on the increased expression of the BOK-AS1, FAM215A and FEZF1-AS1 genes in GC patients, this study suggests that these genes may function as oncogenic factors. Furthermore, the mentioned genes can be considered as intermediate biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer. In addition, no association between these genes and clinicopathological features was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric cancer (GC), is a complex multifactorial neoplasm with a high mortality and prevalence rate all over the world. Hence, it is necessary to identify the multiple pathways that are previously unknown and are involved in its initiation and progression. Recently, it has become clear that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a crucial role in the onset and spread of cancer. The current study assessed the lncRNAs PCAT1, PCAT2, and PCAT5 expression in primary gastric tumors and adjacent noncancerous tissues. 90 pairs of GC and adjacent noncancerous tissue samples were obtained. Total RNA was extracted, then cDNA was synthesized. Using quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR), PCAT1, PCAT2, and PCAT5 expression levels were evaluated. Using the SPSS statistical package, the correlation between clinicopathological characteristics and the expression of PCAT1, PCAT2, and PCAT5 was investigated. The diagnostic value of PCAT1, PCAT2, and PCAT5 in GC was assessed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Compared to surrounding non-cancerous tissues, PCAT1, PCAT2, and PCAT5 were all significantly overexpressed in tumoral tissues (P = 0.001, P = 0.019, and P = 0.0001, respectively). PCAT5 expression was significantly associated with gender (P = 0.020), according to our research. The ROC curve's findings indicated that PCAT1, PCAT2, and PCAT5 may each function as poor diagnostic biomarkers, with respective AUC values of 64 %, 60 %, and 68 %, specificity values of 68 %, 60 %, and 76 %, and sensitivity values of 55 %, 72 %, and 52 %. Our research suggested that PCAT1, PCAT2, and PCAT5 may be engaged in promoting and developing GC cells as a novel oncogene because of the increased expression of PCAT1, PCAT2 and PCAT5 in tumor tissues of GC patients. Additionally, PCAT1, PCAT2, and PCAT5 can be thought of as poor diagnostic biomarkers for GC case detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioblastoma (GBM) remains the most lethal brain tumor without any curative treatment. Exosomes can mediate cell-to-cell communication, and may function as a new type of targeted therapy. In this study, the therapeutic benefits of exosomes generated by U87 cells treated with curcumin and/or temozolomide were investigated. The cells were cultured and treated with temozolomide (TMZ), curcumin (Cur), or their combination (TMZ+Cur). Exosomes were isolated with a centrifugation kit and characterized using DLS, SEM, TEM, and Western blotting. The levels of exosomal BDNF and TNF-α were measured. Naïve U87 cells were treated with the isolated exosomes, and the effects on apoptosis-related proteins HSP27, HSP70, HSP90, and P53 were assessed. All exosomes, Cur-Exo, TMZ-Exo, and TMZ+Cur-Exo increased cleaved caspase 3, Bax, and P53 proteins, while reducing HSP27, HSP70, HSP90, and Bcl2 proteins. Moreover all treatment groups increased apoptosis in naïve U87 recipient cells. Exosomes released from treated U87 cells had less BDNF and more TNF-α compared to exosomes released from naive U87 cells. In conclusion, we showed for the first time that exosomes released from drug-treated U87 cells could be a new therapeutic approach in glioblastoma, and could reduce the side effects produced by drugs alone. This concept needs to be further examined in animal models before clinical trials could be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treating cardiovascular diseases with cardiac stem cells (CSCs) is a valid treatment among various stem cell-based therapies. With supplying the physiological need for cardiovascular cells as their main function, under pathological circumstances, CSCs can also reproduce the myocardial cells. Although studies have identified many of CSCs' functions, our knowledge of molecular pathways that regulate these functions is not complete enough. Either physiological or pathological studies have shown, stem cells proliferation and differentiation could be regulated by microRNAs (miRNAs). How miRNAs regulate CSC behavior is an interesting area of research that can help us study and control the function of these cells in vitro; an achievement that may be beneficial for patients with cardiovascular diseases. The secretome of stem and progenitor cells has been studied and it has been determined that exosomes are the main source of their secretion which are very small vesicles at the nanoscale and originate from endosomes, which are secreted into the extracellular space and act as key signaling organelles in intercellular communication. Mesenchymal stem cells, cardiac-derived progenitor cells, embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes release exosomes that have been shown to have cardioprotective, immunomodulatory, and reparative effects. Herein, we summarize the regulation roles of miRNAs and exosomes in cardiac stem cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]