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Lubna Al Asoom,1 Maha A Alassaf,2 Najd S AlSulaiman,3 Dhuha N Boumarah,4 Aldana M Almubireek,2 Gaeda K Alkaltham,2 Hussain A Alhawaj,5 Taleb Alkhamis,5 Nazish Rafique,1 Ahmed Alsunni,1 Rabia Latif,1 Seham Alsaif,1 Dana Almohazey,6 Sayed AbdulAzeez,7 J Francis Borgio7 1Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 2King Fahd hospital of the University, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Internal Medicine, King Fahd Hospital of the University, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Surgery, King Fahd Hospital of the University, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 5Animal House, Environmental Health Department, Institute for Research and Medical Consultation, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 6Department of Stem Cell Research, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 7Department of Genetic Research, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Lubna Al Asoom, Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O Box 2004, Dammam, 31541, Saudi Arabia, Tel +966505846344, Email lasoom@iau.edu.saBackground: Obesity is a global pandemic that is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Natural herbs are commonly used for weight reduction and appetite suppression. Therefore, we aim to investigate the role and mechanism of Nigella sativa (NS) and ginger on weight reduction and appetite regulation.Methods: This experimental study was performed at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University. Twenty-five female rats were distributed into 5 groups: NS (oral 1000mg/kg), Ginger (500 mg/kg), NS-ginger (both interventions), a positive control (intraperitoneal 50 μg/kg Liraglutide), and a negative control. Each intervention was given for 9 weeks. Food intake and body weight were assessed weekly. Serum lipid profile and peptides involved in appetite control (cholecystokinin (CCK), glucagon-like peptide 1(GLP-1), gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), ghrelin, peptide YY, and orexin) were assayed at the end of the experiment.Results: None of the interventions showed a statistically significant difference regarding food consumption or weight gain (p > 0.05). However, the three interventions significantly reduced total cholesterol (TC), NS and NS-ginger significantly increased HDL, NS increased ghrelin and ginger increased orexin.Conclusion: The present dose and duration of NS, ginger, or in combination did not demonstrate a significant change in body weight or food consumption in comparison to the negative or positive controls. However, NS or ginger has improved the lipid profile by reducing TC and increasing HDL. In addition, NS or ginger can influence some of the peptides involved in appetite regulation such as the increase in ghrelin induced by NS and the reduction of orexin induced by ginger. We believe that these latter effects are novel and might indicate a promising effect of these natural products on appetite regulation.Keywords: Nigella sativa, ginger, body weight, appetite, Liraglutide

Rabia Latif,1 Nazish Rafique,1 Lubna Al Asoom,1 Ahmed A Alsunni,1 Ayad Mohammed Salem,1 Dinah Abdulhadi AlNoaimi,2 Wasan Mohammed AlHarbi,2 Ahad Yasir Shaikh,2 Shoug Abdullah AlRaddadi,2 Leena Abdulrahman AlMuhaish,2 Dana Almohazey,3 Sayed Abdulazeez,4 J Francis Borgio4 1Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 2College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Stem Cell Research, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Genetic Research, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Rabia LatifDepartment of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam, 31441, Saudi ArabiaTel +966 596212648Fax +966 38578048Email rlhussain@iau.edu.saBackground: A reliable, migraine-specific biomarker has not been identified so far. Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) and Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) might serve as migraine biomarkers due to their roles in migraine pathophysiology. However, their diagnostic usefulness has not been explored yet. Present study explored the diagnostic accuracy of CGRP and ApoE in migraine.Methods: A cross-sectional, case–control study was conducted from November 2019 to April 2020 at Physiology department of our university. Fourteen female migraine patients, 18– 25 years old, with confirmed “Migraine” diagnosis by a neurologist, were recruited. Control group consisted of 14 age-matched healthy females with no personal/family history of migraine. Blood was drawn once from control subjects and twice from migraine patients (ictal and interictal phase). Serum CGRP and ApoE levels were assessed by ELISA. Statistical analysis involved paired t-test, one-way ANOVA, Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and cross-tabs.Results: ApoE (mg/dl) was higher significantly in interictal (1.90± 0.50) and ictal (1.97± 0.65) phases of migraine compared to control (1.07± 0.26) (p ≤ 0.001). ROC curves for ApoE were significant in migraine ictal vs control (AUC= 0.91, AUC 95% CI: 0.78– 1.0) and migraine interictal vs control (AUC=0.92, AUC 95% CI: 0.8– 1.0) subjects. ROC curve for CGRP (pg/mL) was significant in migraine ictal vs control subjects only (AUC=0.79, AUC 95% CI: 0.6– 0.97).Conclusion: Serum ApoE has “excellent” accuracy to diagnose migraine patients whether in ictal or interictal phase, from healthy subjects. ApoE levels of patients in these two phases of migraine are raised significantly than healthy subjects. CGRP has “fair” diagnostic accuracy to discriminate between migraine ictal phase and healthy subjects. Its levels do not differ significantly among migraine ictal, interictal phase and healthy controls.Keywords: apolipoprotein E, calcitonin gene-related peptide, migraine, receiver operating curve, biomarkers

Firdos Alam Khan, Dana Almohazey, Munthar Alomari, Sarah Ameen Almofty Department of Stem Cell Biology, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Abstract: Nanoparticles have enormous applications in textiles, cosmetics, electronics, and pharmaceuticals. But due to their exceptional physical and chemical properties, particularly antimicrobial, anticancer, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory properties, nanoparticles have many potential applications in diagnosis as well as in the treatment of various diseases. Over the past few years, nanoparticles have been extensively used to investigate their response on the neuronal cells. These nanoparticles cause stem cells to differentiate into neuronal cells and promote neuronal cell survivability and neuronal cell growth and expansion. The nanoparticles have been tested both in in vitro and in vivo models. The nanoparticles with various shapes, sizes, and chemical compositions mostly produced stimulatory effects on neuronal cells, but there are few that can cause inhibitory effects on the neuronal cells. In this review, we discuss stimulatory and inhibitory effects of various nanoparticles on the neuronal cells. The aim of this review was to summarize different effects of nanoparticles on the neuronal cells and try to understand the differential response of various nanoparticles. This review provides a bird’s eye view approach on the effects of various nanoparticles on neuronal differentiation, neuronal survivability, neuronal growth, neuronal cell adhesion, and functional and behavioral recovery. Finally, this review helps the researchers to understand the different roles of nanoparticles (stimulatory and inhibitory) in neuronal cells to develop effective therapeutic and diagnostic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases. Keywords: nanoparticles, neuron biology, neuroprotection, neurotoxicity

This study evaluated the reliability of sealer penetration measurement methods used with confocal laser scanning microscopy in correlation with the percentage of residual root filling and examined the effect of residual root-filling material on dentine penetrability after retreatment. Extracted teeth were randomly divided into different groups according to the obturation sealer used (n = 6); BioRoot RCS; MTA Fillapex; Bio-C and AH Plus. Root-filling material was removed before the secondary chemo-mechanical preparation and obturation using fluorescein labelled AH Plus. Multiple micro-computed tomography scans were obtained followed by confocal laser scanning microscopy to measure the penetration of the labelled sealer into the dentinal tubules using four different methods. Measuring sealer penetration into radicular dentine using the penetration percentage method was found to be the most reliable. Dentine penetrability during retreatment did not seem to be affected by the type of residual root-filling material., (© 2024 Australian Society of Endodontology Inc.)

This study aimed to evaluate the fracture resistance of root and sealer penetration after obturation using an epoxy resin sealer AH plus (AH+) and two different bioactive endodontic sealers, i.e., Totalfill BC Hiflow (TF BC), and experimental injectable bioactive glass (Exp.BG). A thermo-sensitive injectable sealer was prepared by using a non-ionic triblock copolymer and bioactive glass. The root canals of human extracted teeth were obturated with the respective sealers. The fracture resistance was analyzed at different time intervals, i.e., days 7, 30, and 90. The morphological and elemental analyses of the fractured roots were conducted with a scanning electron microscopy and a electron dispersive spectroscopy. Sealer penetration depth and the percentage of penetrated sealers into the dentinal tubules were assessed with the confocal laser scanning microscope. Statistical analysis was performed using a one-way ANOVA post hoc Tukey's test. The mean fracture force in AH+ was significantly higher on day 30 (664.08 ± 138.8 N) compared to day 7 (476.07 ± 173.2 N) and day 90 (493.38 ± 120.18 N). There was no statistically significant difference between the TF BC and Exp.BG at different time intervals. The maximum penetration was observed in the middle region compared to coronal and apical for the Exp.BG, followed by the TF BC and AH+ groups; however, a nonsignificant difference in penetration was found over time. It is concluded that the TF BC group showed overall better fracture resistance than AH+ at day 90. Exp.BG showed comparable sealer penetration to those of TF BC and better than those of AH+.

The emergence of multidrug-resistant fungi Candida auris is a worldwide health crisis connected with high rates of mortality. There is a critical need to find novel and unique antifungal compounds for treating infections of multidrug-resistant fungi such as C. auris . This study aimed to illustrate that biosynthetic gene clusters in native bacterial isolates are able to produce antifungal compounds against the multidrug-resistant fungus C. auris. It was successfully achieved using large-scale antifungal activity screening, cytotoxicity analysis, and whole genome sequencing integrated with genome mining-guided analysis and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS). A list of possible gene candidates was initially identified with genome mining methods to predict secondary metabolite gene clusters of antifungal-compound-producing bacteria. Then, gene clusters present in the antifungal-compound-producing bacteria were identified and aligned with the reference genome using comparative genomic approaches. Bacillus halotolerans AQ11M9 was identified through large-scale antifungal activity screening as a natural compound-producer against multidrug-resistant C. auris , while it was nontoxic to normal human skin fibroblast cells (confirmed using a cell viability assay). The genome (4,197,347 bp) of B. halotolerans AQ11M9 with 2931 predicted genes was first mined for detecting and characterizing biosynthetic gene clusters, which revealed 10 candidate regions with antifungal activity. Clusters of AQ11M9 encoded non-ribosomal peptide synthase (NRPS) (bacilysin, bacillibactin, paenibactin, surfactin, plipastin, and fengycin) and polyketide (macrobrevin). The presence of gene clusters with anti- C. auris activity, and surfactin identified through LC/MS, from AQ11M9 suggests the potential of utilizing it as a source for a novel and powerful anti- C. auris compound.

Novel antifungal drugs are urgently needed to treat candidiasis caused by the emerging fungal multidrug-resistant pathogen Candida auris . In this study, the most cost-effective drug repurposing technology was adopted to identify an appropriate option among the 1615 clinically approved drugs with anti- C. auris activity. High-throughput virtual screening of 1,3-beta-glucanosyltransferase inhibitors was conducted, followed by an analysis of the stability of 1,3-beta-glucanosyltransferase drug complexes and 1,3-beta-glucanosyltransferase-dutasteride metabolite interactions and the confirmation of their activity in biofilm formation and planktonic growth. The analysis identified dutasteride, a drug with no prior antifungal indications, as a potential medication for anti- auris activity in seven clinical C. auris isolates from Saudi Arabian patients. Dutasteride was effective at inhibiting biofilm formation by C. auris while also causing a significant reduction in planktonic growth. Dutasteride treatment resulted in disruption of the cell membrane, the lysis of cells, and crushed surfaces on C. auris , and significant ( p -value = 0.0057) shrinkage in the length of C. auris was noted at 100,000×. In conclusion, the use of repurposed dutasteride with anti- C . auris potential can enable rapid recovery in patients with difficult-to-treat candidiasis caused by C. auris and reduce the transmission of nosocomial infection.

A chemo-drug such as cisplatin is effective for cancer treatment but remains non-specific, is susceptible to drug resistance, and induces several side effects on organ systems. Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8, a type of MOF, has gained attention, including as a drug delivery method for targeted cancer therapeutics. In this study, ZIF-8/Silica nanocomposite was synthesized using a one-pot hydrothermal technique using the Stober technique. We studied the effect of phyto-synthesized GPt and chemo-drug cisplatin CPt on ZIF-8/Silica for targeted efficacy of cancer therapy. The texture, morphology, and chemical environment of Pt on ZIF-8/Silica were analyzed using different characterization techniques such as XRD, FT-IR, BET, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, SEM-EDX, TEM, zeta potential, and TGA analysis. The isothermal behavior of CPt and GPt adsorption was investigated using isotherm models like Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin isotherm. The adsorption kinetics indicating the adsorption efficiency of GPt and CPt are influenced by the concentration of Pt complex and the adsorption sites of ZIF-8/Silica. A high entrapment efficiency and loading capacity of GPt (86% and 4.3%) and CPt (91% and 4.5%) were evident on ZIF-8/Silica. The nanocomposite showed a pH-sensitive Pt release using a dialysis membrane technique. For instance, a high release of GPt (93%) was observed under pH = 6.6 in 72 h, while the release reduced to 50% at pH 7.4 in 72 h. The anti-cancer activity of nanoformulations was studied in vitro using MCF7 (breast cancer cells) and HFF-1 (human foreskin fibroblast) cells. The findings demonstrated that GPt is as effective as CPt; the EC50 value for MCF7 cells treated with ZIF-8/Silica/Cp/PEG was 94.86 µg/mL, whereas for ZIF-8/Silica/GPt/PEG it was 60.19 µg/mL.

In nanotherapeutics, gaining insight about the drug interaction with the pore architecture and surface functional groups of nanocarriers is crucial to aid in the development of targeted drug delivery. Manganese ferrite impregnated graphene oxide (MnFe 2 O 4 /GO) with a two-dimensional sheet and spherical silica with a three-dimensional interconnected porous structure (MnFe 2 O 4 /silica) were evaluated for cisplatin release and cytotoxic effects. Characterization studies revealed the presence of Mn 2+ species with a variable spinel cubic phase and superparamagnetic effect. We used first principles calculations to study the physisorption of cisplatin on monodispersed silica and on single- and multi-layered GO. The binding energy of cisplatin on silica and single-layer GO was ~1.5 eV, while it was about double that value for the multilayer GO structure. Moreover, we treated MCF-7 (breast cancer cells) and HFF-1 (human foreskin fibroblast) with our nanocomposites and used the cell viability assay MTT. Both nanocomposites significantly reduced the cell viability. Pt 4+ species of cisplatin on the spinel ferrite/silica nanocomposite had a better effect on the cytotoxic capability when compared to GO. The EC50 for MnFe 2 O 4 /silica/cisplatin and MnFe 2 O 4 /GO/cisplatin on MCF-7 was: 48.43 µg/mL and 85.36 µg/mL, respectively. The EC50 for the same conditions on HFF was: 102.92 µg/mL and 102.21 µg/mL, respectively. In addition, immunofluorescence images using c-caspase 3/7, and TEM analysis indicated that treating cells with these nanocomposites resulted in apoptosis as the major mechanism of cell death.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most aggressive types of cancer with about two million new cases and one million deaths in 2020. The side effects of the available chemotherapies and the possibility of developing resistance against treatment highlight the importance of developing new therapeutic options. The development in the field of nanotechnology have introduced the application of nanoparticles (NPs) as a promising approach in the diagnosis and treatments of colorectal cancer and other types of cancer. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are currently one of the most studied materials as they possess unique tunable properties allowing them to play a role in colorectal cancer bioimaging, diagnosis, and therapy. The high surface-to-volume ratio of AuNPs mediates their utilization in drug delivery as well as functionalization to provide specific targeting. Moreover, depending on their physical properties (size, shape), AuNPs can be modified to fit the intended application. However, there are contradictory results around the pharmacokinetics of AuNPs including their biodistribution, clearance, and toxicity. This variation of opinions is most likely due to the development of different AuNPs that vary in shape, size, and surface chemistry, in addition to the conditions under which each research was carried out. The conflicting data represent a challenge in the clinical use of AuNPs suggesting the need to understand the toxicity, fate, and long-term exposure of AuNPs in vivo. Thus, there is an unmet need for the establishment of a publicly available data base for extensive analysis. In this review, we discuss the recent advances in AuNP applications in the treatment and diagnosis of colorectal cancer, mechanisms of action, and clinical challenges., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors report no declarations of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objectives : Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is a hereditary monogenic disease due to a single β-globin gene mutation that codes for the production of sickle hemoglobin. Its phenotype is modulated by fetal hemoglobin (HbF), a product of γ-globin genes. Exploring the molecules that regulate γ-globin genes at both transcriptional and translational levels, including microRNA (miRNA), might help identify alternative therapeutic targets. Materials and Methods : Using next-generation sequencing we identified pre-miRNAs and mature miRNA expression signatures associated with different HbF levels in patients homozygous for the sickle hemoglobin gene. The involvement of identified miRNAs in potential SCD-related pathways was investigated with the DIANA TOOL and miRWalk 2.0 database. Results : miR-184 were most highly upregulated in reticulocytes. miR-3609 and miR-483-5p were most highly downregulated in sickle cell anemia with high HbF. miR-370-3p that regulates LIN28A, and miR-451a which is effective in modulating α- and β- globin levels were also significantly upregulated. miRNA targeted gene pathway interaction identified BCL7A, BCL2L1, LIN28A, KLF6, GATA6, solute carrier family genes and ZNF genes associated with erythropoiesis, cell cycle regulation, glycosphingolipid biosynthesis, cAMP, cGMP-PKG, mTOR, MAPK and PI3K-AKT signaling pathways and cancer pathways. Conclusions : miRNA signatures and their target genes identified novel miRNAs that could regulate fetal hemoglobin production and might be exploited therapeutically.

Migraine is a neurological ailment that is characterized by severe throbbing unilateral headache and associated with nausea, photophobia, phonophobia and vomiting. A full and clear mechanism of the pathogenesis of migraine, though studied extensively, has not been established yet. The current available information indicates an intracranial network activation that culminates in the sensitization of the trigemino-vascular system, release of inflammatory markers, and initiation of meningeal-like inflammatory reaction that is sensed as headache. Genetic factors might play a significant role in deciding an individual's susceptibility to migraine. Twin studies have revealed that a single gene polymorphism can lead to migraine in individuals with a monogenic migraine disorder. In this review, we describe recent advancements in the genetics, pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, management, and prevention of migraine. We also discuss the potential roles of genetic and abnormal factors, including some of the metabolic triggering factors that result in migraine attacks. This review will help to accumulate current knowledge about migraine and understanding of its pathophysiology, and provides up-to-date prevention strategies., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

Dynamic regulation of intestinal cell differentiation is crucial for both homeostasis and the response to injury or inflammation. Sprouty2, an intracellular signaling regulator, controls pathways including PI3K and MAPKs that are implicated in differentiation and are dysregulated in inflammatory bowel disease. Here, we ask whether Sprouty2 controls secretory cell differentiation and the response to colitis. We report that colonic epithelial Sprouty2 deletion leads to expanded tuft and goblet cell populations. Sprouty2 loss induces PI3K/Akt signaling, leading to GSK3β inhibition and epithelial interleukin (IL)-33 expression. In vivo, this results in increased stromal IL-13+ cells. IL-13 in turn induces tuft and goblet cell expansion in vitro and in vivo. Sprouty2 is downregulated by acute inflammation; this appears to be a protective response, as VillinCre;Sprouty2 F/F mice are resistant to DSS colitis. In contrast, Sprouty2 is elevated in chronic colitis and in colons of inflammatory bowel disease patients, suggesting that this protective epithelial-stromal signaling mechanism is lost in disease.

Tamoxifen (TAM) is a hormonal drug and is mainly used as an anti-estrogen in breast cancer patients. TAM binds to estrogen receptors (ERs), resulting in inhibition of estrogen signaling pathways and thus, a downregulation of cell proliferation. Cancer cells with negative or low ER expression will not uptake TAM and will show low response. Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanoparticles were prepared using surfactant-free emulsion polymerization, then were loaded with Nile red (NR), which resulted in PMMA-NR. To enhance TAM delivery to cervical cancer cells (HELA), which is considered ER-negative, we loaded TAM and polymethyl methacrylate nanoparticles-Nile-red into silica (PMMA-NR-Si-TAM). The uptake and intracellular distribution were visualized by confocal laser scanning microscopy, and the in vitro cytotoxic activity was evaluated by MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide) assay using HELA and non-tumorigenic cell line HFF-1. The sensitivity of HELA (LC50: 207.31 µg/mL) and HFF-1 (LC50: 234.08 µg/mL) to free TAM was very low. However, after the encapsulation of TAM with PMMA-NR, the sensitivity significantly increased HELA (LC50: 71.83 µg/mL) and HFF-1 (LC50: 37.36 µg/mL). This indicates that TAM can be used for the treatment of ER-negative cervical cancer once conjugated to PMMA-NR nanoparticles. In addition, the PMMA-NR formulation appears to be highly suitable for cancer imaging and drug delivery.

Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is basically biocompatible polyester with high resistance to chemical hydrolysis, and high drug permeability and the most important characteristics of PMMA is that it does not produce any toxicity. There is not much information about PMMA action on the colon cancer cells. In the present study, we have synthesized PMMA nanoparticles. The distribution pattern of PMMA particles was analysed by Zeta sizer and the size of the particles was calculated by using quasi elastic light scattering (QELS). The surface structure and the morphology of PMMA were characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), respectively. We have also analysed their effects on cancerous cells (human colorectal carcinoma cells, HCT-116) and normal, healthy cells (human embryonic kidney cells, HEK-293) by using morphometric, MTT, DAPI and wound healing methods. We report that PMMA particles inhibited the cancer cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. The lower dose (1.0 μg/ml) showed a moderate decrease in cancer cell viability, whereas higher dosages (2.5 μg/ml, 5.0 μg/mL and 7.5 μg/mL) showed steadily decrease in the cancer cell viability. We also report that PMMA is highly selective to cancerous cells (HCT-116), as we did not find any action on the normal healthy cells (HEK-293). In conclusion, our results suggest PMMA particles are potential biomaterials to be used in the treatment of colon cancer.

The combination of magnetic nanoparticles with a porous silica is a composite that has attracted significant attention for potential multifunctional theranostic applications. In this study, 30 wt % CuFe 2 O 4 was impregnated into a matrix of monodispersed spherical hydrophilic silica (HYPS) nanoparticles through a simple dry impregnation technique. The chemotherapy drug cisplatin was loaded through electrostatic equilibrium adsorption over 24 h in normal saline solution. The presence of cubic spinel CuFe 2 O 4 on HYPS was confirmed through powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and diffuse reflectance UV-vis spectroscopy (DR UV-vis) analysis. The HYPS particles showed a surface area of 170 m 2 /g, pore size of 8.3 nm and pore volume of 0.35 cm 3 /g. The cisplatin/CuFe 2 O 4 /HYPS nanoformulation showed the accumulation of copper ferrite nanoparticles on the surface and in the pores of HYPS with a surface area of 45 m 2 /g, pore size of 16 nm and pore volume of 0.18 cm 3 /g. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) mapping analysis showed the presence of homogeneous silica particles with nanoclusters of copper ferrite distributed on the HYPS support. Vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) analysis of CuFe 2 O 4 /HYPS showed paramagnetic behavior with a saturated magnetization value of 7.65 emu/g. DRS UV-vis analysis revealed the functionalization of cisplatin in tetrahedral and octahedral coordination in the CuFe 2 O 4 /HYPS composite. Compared to other supports such as mesocellular foam and silicalite, the release of cisplatin using the dialysis membrane technique was found to be superior when CuFe 2 O 4 /HYPS was applied as the support. An in vitro experiment was conducted to determine the potential of CuFe 2 O 4 /HYPS as an anticancer agent against the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7. The results show that the nanoparticle formulation can effectively target cancerous cells and could be an effective tumor imaging guide and drug delivery system., (Copyright © 2019, Jermy et al.; licensee Beilstein-Institut.)

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are multipotent, self-renewing cells that can differentiate into myeloid or lymphoid cells. The mobilization and differentiation processes are affected by the external environment, such as extracellular matrix and soluble molecules in the niche, where the lipid rafts (LRs) of the HSCs act as the receptors and control platforms for these effectors. LRs are membrane microdomains that are enriched in cholesterol, sphingolipid, and proteins. They are involved in diverse cellular processes including morphogenesis, cytokinesis, signaling, endocytic events, and response to the environment. They are also involved in different types of diseases, such as cancer, Alzheimer's, and prion disease. LR clustering and disruption contribute directly to the differentiation, homing, hibernation, or mobilization of HSCs. Thus, characterization of LR integrity may provide a promising approach to controlling the fate of stem cells for clinical applications. In this review, we show the critical role of LR modification (clustering, disruption, protein incorporation, and signal responding) in deciding the fate of HSCs, under the effect of soluble cytokines such as stem cell factor (SCF), transforming growth factor- β (TGF-β), hematopoietic-specific phospholipase Cβ2 (PLC-β2), and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF).

Background: B-cell lymphoma/leukaemia 11A (BCL11A) is a C2H2-type zinc-finger transcription factor protein that is a critical modulator of haemoglobin switching and suppresses the production of foetal haemoglobin. Variation in the BCL11A gene ameliorates the severity of sickle cell disease (SCD) and β-thalassemia (β-thal). The BCL11A gene is located on chromosome 2p16.1 and encodes an 835-amino acid protein., Method: Using state-of-the-art in silico tools, this study examined the most pathogenic non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) that disrupt the BCL11A protein and mediate foetal-to-adult globin switching. A total of 11,463 SNPs were retrieved from the Single Nucleotide Polymorphism database (dbSNP). These included 799 in the 5' untranslated region (UTR), 486 in the 3' UTR, and 266 non-synonymous, 189 coding synonymous, six nonsense, and six stop-gained SNPs., Results and Discussion: In silico tools (SIFT, SNAP, PolyPhen-2, PANTHER, I-Mutant, PROVEAN, SNPs&GO, mCSM, and PhD-SNP) predicted the five most-deleterious nsSNPs: rs61742690, rs62142605, rs17028351, rs115666026, and rs74987258. Molecular dynamic simulation and homology modelling of the mutated proteins (S783N, D643N, G451S, K670R, and M313L) of the most deleterious nsSNPs revealed their functional and structural impact. nsSNP rs61742690 was predicted to be the most deleterious, as supported by eight of the nine in silico tools., Conclusions: Complete failure in the protein-protein interactions with functional partners (KLF1 and others) and significant changes (±100% variation) in the interface energy revealed that rs61742690 (S783N) in the zinc-finger domain is a suitable target for disrupting BCL11A-mediated foetal-to-adult globin switching., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

The in-vitro experimental model for the development of cancer therapeutics has always been challenging. Recently, the scientific revolution has improved cell culturing techniques by applying three dimensional (3D) culture system, which provides a similar physiologically relevant in-vivo model for studying various diseases including cancer. In particular, cancer cells exhibiting in-vivo behavior in a model of 3D cell culture is a more accurate cell culture model to test the effectiveness of anticancer drugs or characterization of cancer cells in comparison with two dimensional (2D) monolayer. This study underpins various factors that cause resistance to anticancer drugs in forms of spheroids in 3D in-vitro cell culture and also outlines key challenges and possible solutions for the future development of these systems., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) hold great potential for the treatment of various degenerative diseases. Pluripotent hESCs have a great ability to undergo unlimited self-renewal in culture and to differentiate into all cell types in the body. The journey of hESC research is not that smooth, as it has faced several challenges which are limited to not only tumor formation and immunorejection but also social, ethical, and political aspects. The isolation of hESCs from the human embryo is considered highly objectionable as it requires the destruction of the human embryo. The issue was debated and discussed in both public and government platforms, which led to banning of hESC research in many countries around the world. The banning has negatively affected the progress of hESC research as many federal governments around the world stopped research funding. Afterward, some countries lifted the ban and allowed the funding in hESC research, but the damage has already been done on the progress of research. Under these unfavorable conditions, still some progress was made to isolate, culture, and characterize hESCs using different strategies. In this review, we have summarized various strategies used to successfully isolate, culture, and characterize hESCs. Finally, hESCs hold a great promise for clinical applications with proper strategies to minimize the teratoma formation and immunorejection and better cell transplantation strategies.

Both nanoparticles and cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) possess anticancer properties, but they do not elicit a significant response on cancer cells when treated alone. In the present study, we have tested fluorescent magnetic submicronic polymer nanoparticles (FMSP-nanoparticles) in combination with crude clove extracts on human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) to examine whether the combination approach enhance the cancer cell death. The MCF-7 cells were treated with different concentrations (1.25  μ g/mL, 12.5  μ g/mL, 50  μ g/mL, 75  μ g/mL, and 100  μ g/mL) of FMSP-nanoparticles alone and in combination with 50  μ g/mL crude clove extracts. The effects of FMSP-nanoparticles alone and combined with clove extracts were observed after 24 hrs and 48 hrs intervals. The response of FMSP-nanoparticles-treated cells was evaluated by Trypan Blue, 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays, respectively. We have demonstrated that cancer cell viability was decreased to 55.40% when treated with FMSP-nanoparticles alone, whereas when cancer cells were treated with FMSP-nanoparticles along with crude clove extracts, the cell viability was drastically decreased to 8.50%. Both morphological and quantitative data suggest that the combination of FMSP-nanoparticles plus crude clove extracts are more effective in treating cancer cells and we suggest that the combination treatment of nanoparticles along with clove extracts hold a great promise for the cancer treatments.

Currently, breast cancer treatment mostly revolves around radiation therapy and surgical interventions, but often these treatments do not provide satisfactory relief to the patients and cause unmanageable side-effects. Nanomaterials show promising results in treating cancer cells and have many advantages such as high biocompatibility, bioavailability and effective therapeutic capabilities. Interestingly, fluorescent magnetic nanoparticles have been used in many biological and diagnostic applications, but there is no report of use of fluorescent magnetic submicronic polymer nanoparticles (FMSP-nanoparticles) in the treatment of human breast cancer cells. In the present study, we tested the effect of FMSP-nanoparticles on human breast cancer cells (MCF-7). We tested different concentrations (1.25, 12.5 and 50 µg/mL) of FMSP-nanoparticles in MCF-7 cells and evaluated the nanoparticles response morphometrically. Our results revealed that FMSP-nanoparticles produced a concentration dependent effect on the cancer cells, a dose of 1.25 µg/mL produced no significant effect on the cancer cell morphology and cell death, whereas dosages of 12.5 and 50 µg/mL resulted in significant nuclear augmentation, disintegration, chromatic condensation followed by dose dependent cell death. Our results demonstrate that FMSP-nanoparticles induce cell death in MCF-7 cells and may be a potential anti-cancer agent for breast cancer treatment.

Nanoparticles have many advantages such as high biocompatibility, bioavailability and effective therapeutic capabilities. The aim of the present study is to examine whether fluorescent magnetic submicronic polymer nanoparticles (FMSP-nanoparticles) have any impact on human colorectal cancer cells. In the present study, we have tested FMSP-nanoparticles with an average size of 100-200 nm on human colorectal carcinoma cells (HCT-116) to check their cytotoxic and anti-cancer capabilities. The effects of FMSP-nanoparticles on cancer cells were observed after 6 h, 24 h and 48 h intervals. The response of FMSP-nanoparticles-treated cells was evaluated by Trypan Blue, 4lue-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays. Our MTT analysis results revealed that FMSP-nanoparticles produced dose-dependent effects on cancer cells, FMSP-nanoparticles with dose of 1.25 µg/mL did not decrease cell survivability, whereas dosages of 12.5 µg/mL and 50 µg/mL respectively showed 23.59% and 59.47% decrease in the cancer cell survivability. In conclusion, our results demonstrate FMSP-nanoparticles have a potential anti-cancer capability and hold a great promise for colon cancer treatments.

Paneth cells (PCs), a secretory population located at the base of the intestinal crypt, support the intestinal stem cells (ISC) with growth factors and participate in innate immunity by releasing antimicrobial peptides, including lysozyme and defensins. PC dysfunction is associated with disorders such as Crohn's disease and necrotizing enterocolitis, but the specific pathways regulating PC development and function are not fully understood. Here we tested the role of the neuregulin receptor ErbB3 in control of PC differentiation and the ISC niche. Intestinal epithelial ErbB3 knockout caused precocious appearance of PCs as early as postnatal day 7, and substantially increased the number of mature PCs in adult mouse ileum. ErbB3 loss had no effect on other secretory lineages, but increased expression of the ISC marker Lgr5. ErbB3-null intestines had elevated levels of the Atoh1 transcription factor, which is required for secretory fate determination, while Atoh1 + cells had reduced ErbB3, suggesting reciprocal negative regulation. ErbB3-null intestinal progenitor cells showed reduced activation of the PI3K-Akt and ERK MAPK pathways. Inhibiting these pathways in HT29 cells increased levels of ATOH1 and the PC marker LYZ. Conversely, ErbB3 activation suppressed LYZ and ATOH1 in a PI3K-dependent manner. Expansion of the PC compartment in ErbB3-null intestines was accompanied with elevated ER stress and inflammation markers, raising the possibility that negative regulation of PCs by ErbB3 is necessary to maintain homeostasis. Taken together, our data suggest that ErbB3 restricts PC numbers through PI3K-mediated suppression of Atoh1 levels leading to inhibition of PC differentiation, with important implications for regulation of the ISC niche.

Efficient clearance of pro-inflammatory macrophages from tissues after resolution of a challenge is critical to prevent prolonged inflammation. Defects in clearance can contribute to conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, and thus may be therapeutically targetable. However, the signaling pathways that induce termination of pro-inflammatory macrophages are incompletely defined. We tested whether the ErbB4 receptor tyrosine kinase, previously not known to have role in macrophage biology, is involved in this process. In vitro, pro-inflammatory activation of cultured murine and human macrophages induced ErbB4 expression; in contrast, other ErbB family members were not induced in pro-inflammatory cells, and other innate immune lineages (dendritic cells, neutrophils) did not express detectable ErbB4 levels. Treatment of activated pro-inflammatory macrophages with the ErbB4 ligand neuregulin-4 (NRG4) induced apoptosis. ErbB4 localized to the mitochondria in these cells. Apoptosis was accompanied by loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and was dependent upon the proteases that generate the cleaved ErbB4 intracellular domain fragment, suggesting a requirement for this fragment and mitochondrial pathway apoptosis. In vivo, ErbB4 was highly expressed on pro-inflammatory macrophages but not neutrophils during experimental DSS colitis in C57Bl/6 mice. Active inflammation in this model suppressed NRG4 expression, which may allow for macrophage persistence and ongoing inflammation. Consistent with this notion, NRG4 levels rebounded during the recovery phase, and administration of exogenous NRG4 during colitis reduced colonic macrophage numbers and ameliorated inflammation. These data define a novel role for ErbB4 in macrophage apoptosis, and outline a mechanism of feedback inhibition that may promote resolution of colitis.

The ERBB4 receptor tyrosine kinase promotes colonocyte survival. Herein, we tested whether ERBB4's antiapoptotic signaling promotes transformation and colorectal tumorigenesis. ERBB4 alterations in a The Cancer Genome Atlas colorectal cancer (CRC) data set stratified survival, and in a combined Moffitt Cancer Center and Vanderbilt Medical Center CRC expression data set, ERBB4 message levels were increased at all tumor stages. Similarly, western blot and immunohistochemistry on additional CRC tissue banks showed elevated ERBB4 protein in tumors. ERBB4 was highly expressed in aggressive, dedifferentiated CRC cell lines, and its knockdown in LIM2405 cells reduced anchorage-independent colony formation. In nude mouse xenograft studies, ERBB4 alone was insufficient to induce tumor establishment of non-transformed mouse colonocytes, but its over-expression in cells harboring Apc(min) and v-Ha-Ras caused a doubling of tumor size. ERBB4-expressing xenografts displayed increased activation of survival pathways, including epidermal growth factor receptor and Akt phosphorylation and COX-2 expression, and decreased apoptotic signals. Finally, ERBB4 deletion from mouse intestinal epithelium impaired stem cell replication and in vitro enteroid establishment. In summary, we report that ERBB4 is over-expressed in human CRC, and in experimental systems enhances the survival and growth of cells driven by Ras and/or WNT signaling. Chronic ERBB4 over-expression in the context of, for example, inflammation may contribute to colorectal carcinogenesis. Tumors with high receptor levels are likely to have enhanced cell survival signaling through epidermal growth factor receptor, PI3K and COX-2. These results suggest ERBB4 as a novel therapeutic target in a subset of CRC., (© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Intestinal epithelial cell renewal relies on the right balance of epithelial cell migration, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Intestinal epithelial cells consist of absorptive and secretory lineage. The latter is comprised of goblet, Paneth, and enteroendocrine cells. Fibroblast growth factor 10 (FGF10) plays a central role in epithelial cell proliferation, survival, and differentiation in several organs. The expression pattern of FGF10 and its receptors in both human and mouse intestine and their role in small intestine have yet to be investigated. First, we analyzed the expression of FGF10, FGFR1, and FGFR2, in the human ileum and throughout the adult mouse small intestine. We found that FGF10, FGFR1b, and FGFR2b are expressed in the human ileum as well as in the mouse small intestine. We then used transgenic mouse models to overexpress Fgf10 and a soluble form of Fgfr2b, to study the impact of gain or loss of Fgf signaling in the adult small intestine. We demonstrated that overexpression of Fgf10 in vivo and in vitro induces goblet cell differentiation while decreasing Paneth cells. Moreover, FGF10 decreases stem cell markers such as Lgr5, Lrig1, Hopx, Ascl2, and Sox9. FGF10 inhibited Hes1 expression in vitro, suggesting that FGF10 induces goblet cell differentiation likely through the inhibition of Notch signaling. Interestingly, Fgf10 overexpression for 3 days in vivo and in vitro increased the number of Mmp7/Muc2 double-positive cells, suggesting that goblet cells replace Paneth cells. Further studies are needed to determine the mechanism by which Fgf10 alters cell differentiation in the small intestine., (Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.)

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) affects up to 10% of premature infants, has a mortality of 30%, and can leave surviving patients with significant morbidity. Neuregulin-4 (NRG4) is an ErbB4-specific ligand that promotes epithelial cell survival. Thus, this pathway could be protective in diseases such as NEC, in which epithelial cell death is a major pathologic feature. We sought to determine whether NRG4-ErbB4 signaling is protective in experimental NEC. NRG4 was used i) in the newborn rat formula feeding/hypoxia model; ii) in a recently developed model in which 14- to 16-day-old mice are injected with dithizone to induce Paneth cell loss, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae infection to induce intestinal injury; and iii) in bacterially infected IEC-6 cells in vitro. NRG4 reduced NEC incidence and severity in the formula feed/hypoxia rat model. It also reduced Paneth cell ablation-induced NEC and prevented dithizone-induced Paneth cell loss in mice. In vitro, cultured ErbB4(-/-) ileal epithelial enteroids had reduced Paneth cell markers and were highly sensitive to inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, NRG4 blocked, through a Src-dependent pathway, Cronobacter muytjensii-induced IEC-6 cell apoptosis. The potential clinical relevance of these findings was demonstrated by the observation that NRG4 and its receptor ErbB4 are present in human breast milk and developing human intestine, respectively. Thus, NRG4-ErbB4 signaling may be a novel pathway for therapeutic intervention or prevention in NEC., (Copyright © 2014 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)