Photobiomodulation's potential as a non-invasive therapy for alzheimer's disease and minimal cognitive impairment: A 12-week investigation.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's Disease (AD), undergoing a faster increase in occurrence than any other type of dementia, lacks a curative remedy despite advanced discoveries. To explore the realm of non-pharmacologic therapies, our study evaluates the 12-week impact of non-invasive Photobiomodulation (PBM) on cognitive and psychological aspects in individuals with AD and minimal cognitive impairment (MCI). The urgency of exploring innovative interventions is underscored by the rising occurrence of AD, particularly in regions with aging populations like Iran. METHOD: 13 patients (6 case patients and 7 control patients) participated in the study. Sham treatment was administered to seven individuals, while another six received PBM treatment over 12 weeks, with daily at-home LED (810 nm wavelength) device usage lasting 20 min. Initially, the patient and their caregiver participated in two hospital sessions to acquaint them with the device's operation. RESULTS: The mean reduction of Hamilton's anxiety questionnaire score was 3.33±6.08 in the intervention group and 2.00±3.46 in the control group (p-value=0.836). The mean score reduction of the Hamilton depression questionnaire was 3.16±3.86 in the intervention group and 4.85±6.20 in the control group (p-value=0.836). The mean score of the DAD questionnaire in the intervention group before the study was 25.50±13.13 and after the intervention was 29.83±12.12 (p-value=0.084) and in the control group it was 29.71±8.19 and after the study was 29±0.972 (p-value = 0.526). The mean changes in the DAD questionnaire score in the intervention group increased by 4.33±4.92 and decreased by 0.71±2.81 in the control group (p-value=0.041). CONCLUSION: In general, PBM appears to hold promise as a potentially safe method for enhancing the cognitive, functional, and psychological status of individuals with Alzheimer's disease, though further research with larger sample size and cautious interpretation are warranted.

Classification and Diagnostic Prediction of Colorectal Cancer Mortality Based on Machine Learning Algorithms: A Multicenter National Study.

INTRODUCTION: Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks as the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. This study aimed to predict survival outcomes of CRC patients using machine learning (ML) methods. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis included 1853 CRC patients admitted to three prominent tertiary hospitals in Iran from October 2006 to July 2019. Six ML methods, namely logistic regression (LR), Naïve Bayes (NB), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Neural Network (NN), Decision Tree (DT), and Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LGBM), were developed with 10-fold cross-validation. Feature selection employed the Random Forest method based on mean decrease GINI criteria. Model performance was assessed using Area Under the Curve (AUC). RESULTS: Time from diagnosis, age, tumor size, metastatic status, lymph node involvement, and treatment type emerged as crucial predictors of survival based on mean decrease GINI. The NB (AUC = 0.70, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.65-0.75) and LGBM (AUC = 0.70, 95% CI 0.65-0.75) models achieved the highest predictive AUC values for CRC patient survival. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the significance of variables including time from diagnosis, age, tumor size, metastatic status, lymph node involvement, and treatment type in predicting CRC survival. The NB model exhibited optimal efficacy in mortality prediction, maintaining a balanced sensitivity and specificity. Policy recommendations encompass early diagnosis and treatment initiation for CRC patients, improved data collection through digital health records and standardized protocols, support for predictive analytics integration in clinical decisions, and the inclusion of identified prognostic variables in treatment guidelines to enhance patient outcomes.

Screening the critical protein subnetwork to delineate potential mechanisms and protective agents associated with arsenic-induced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: A toxicogenomic study.

Recent studies show that complex mechanisms are involved in arsenic-induced malignant transformation of cells. This study aimed to decipher molecular mechanisms associated with arsenic-induced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) and suggest potential protective factors. RNA-seq-based differentially expressed genes between arsenic-exposed human keratinocytes (HaCaT) and controls were used to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and discover critical subnetwork-based mechanisms. Protective compounds against arsenic toxicity were determined and their target interactions in the core sub-network were identified by the comparative toxicogenomic database (CTD). The binding affinity between the effective factor and target was calculated by molecular docking. A total of 15 key proteins were screened out as critical arsenic-responsive subnetwork (FN1, IL-1A, CCN2, PECAM1, FGF5, EDN1, FGF1, PXDN, DNAJB9, XBP1, ERN1, PDIA4, DNAJB11, FOS, PDIA6) and 7 effective protective agents were identified (folic acid, quercetin, zinc, acetylcysteine, methionine, catechin, selenium). The GeneMANIA predicted detailed interactions of the subnetwork and revealed terms related to unfolded protein response as the main processes. FN1, IL1A and CCN2, as top significant genes, had good docking affinity with folic acid and quercetin, as selected key compounds. Integration of gene expression and protein-protein interaction related to arsenic exposure in cSCC explored the potential mechanisms and protective agents.

Botulinium toxin applications in the lower face and neck: A comprehensive review.

BACKGROUND: Botulinum toxin has been widely and mainly used for the treatment of conditions affecting the upper and middle face; however, recent efforts have expanded the indications of botulinum toxin injection to the lower face and neck areas for cosmetic and medical purposes. AIMS: We have reviewed the latest updates on using botulinum toxin in the lower face and neck focusing on cosmetic purposes and have discussed the existing concerns as well as the adverse sequelae of these newer indications. PATIENTS/METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was performed using the following keywords [[botulinum] AND [[Toxin] OR [Neurotoxin]]] AND [[Lower AND Face] AND/OR [Neck]] within the main databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Embase and gray literature on and before February 2023. The data were screened using titles and abstracts and those relevant to the topic were included in the paper. RESULTS: Botulinum toxin injection has considerable cosmetic and therapeutic effect on facial contouring, masseteric hypertrophy, lower face and neck scars, gummy smile, drooping lip corner and even skin rejuvenation. CONCLUSION: BNT injection has been widely used for the treatment of different medical and cosmetic purposes. Low rates of side effects, which were self-limited in most cases, have been reported in the literature, making BNT a safe therapeutic medication in most cases. However, regulatory status needs to be updated and more accurately revised in many countries and more comprehensive research is required to address the existing gaps in this area including the site, dosage, and method of injection in each case.

Laser Diode - GaAlAs Acupuncture in the Treatment of Central Obesity: a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: : Obesity is a global health challenge. Traditional approaches, including increased physical activity, dietary interventions, and medical therapy, often yield limited success, propelling some patients toward costly and invasive procedures like bariatric surgery. Laser acupuncture has been suggested as a complementary therapeutic approach to overcome this challenge. The present study investigated the effectiveness of laser acupuncture treatment in weight loss and abdominal subcutaneous fat reduction. Methods: : A randomized, blinded, sham-controlled clinical trial was conducted, with 30 subjects each in the intervention and control groups. Patients in the intervention group underwent 12 sessions of laser acupuncture treatment within a month (three sessions/week), whereas those in the control group received sham laser treatment on identical acupoints. The patients were instructed not to alter their physical activity levels or dietary regimens. All parameters were evaluated before and after the treatment. Results: : Significant reductions in weight, body mass index, and waist circumference were noted in both intervention and control groups. Further analysis revealed a more significant decrease in the laser acupuncture group. Abdominal sonography revealed a marked decrease in periumbilical fat thickness in the intervention group. Conversely, laboratory evaluations showed no significant difference between the two groups. Conclusion: : Laser acupuncture is an effective method for weight loss in patients with periumbilical abdominal fat. The observed impact on subcutaneous fat suggests its potential as a non-invasive intervention for individuals seeking weight management alternatives. Further research is warranted to validate these findings and explore the underlying mechanisms of laser acupuncture in adipose tissue modulation.

Assessment of the Response of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells to Photodynamic Therapy: Highlighting the Role of Il-17 Signaling Pathway.

Introduction: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a method based on the application of a photosensitive agent and the administration of light irradiation on the treated samples. PDT is applied as an effective tool with minimal side effects against tumor tissues. This study aimed to assess the targets of critical genes by PDT at the cellular level of cancer to provide a new perspective on its molecular mechanism. Methods: To assess the effect of PDT, we extracted the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from the gene expression profiles of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) treated with PDT from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. The queried DEGs were evaluated via a regulatory network and gene ontology enrichment to find the critical targets. Results: Among 76 queried significant DEGs, 27 individuals were interacted by activation, inhibition, and co-expression actions. Thirty DEGs were related to the five classes of biological terms. The IL-17 signaling pathway and PTGS2, CXCL8, FOS, JUN, CXCL1, ZFP36, and FOSB were identified as the crucial targets of PDT. Conclusion: PDT as a stimulator of gene expression and an activator of gene activity overexpressed and hyper-activated many genes. It seems that PDT introduces a number of genes and pathways that can be regulated by anticancer drugs to fight against cancers.

Efficacy Evaluation of Human Skin Treatment with Photodynamic Therapy in Actinic Keratoses Patients.

Introduction: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a combined method of light and light-activated chemicals that are called photosensitizers (PSs). PDT is recommended as a high cure rate method with fewer side effects and a noninvasive tool to treat cancer. This study aimed to evaluate PDT efficacy as a therapeutic method against actinic keratoses in patients via protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis by using the gene expression profiles of Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Methods: Twenty-one gene expression profiles were extracted from GEO and analyzed by GEO2R to determine the significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The significant DEGs were included in PPI networks via Cytoscape software. The networks were analyzed by the "Network Analyzer", and the elements of the main connected components were assessed. Results: There were three main connected components for the compared sets of the gene expression profiles including the lesional region of skin before (Before set) and after (After set) PDT versus healthy (healthy set) skin and before versus after. The before-health comparison showed a partial similarity with the After-Healthy assessment. The before-after evaluation indicated that there were not considerable differences between the gene expression profile of the lesional region before and after PDT. Conclusion: In conclusion, PDT was unable to return the gene expression pattern of the actinic keratoses skin to a healthy condition completely.

Assessment of Photosensitizer Concentration Effects on the Efficacy of Photodynamic Therapy.

Introduction: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an attractive approach in medicine. Due to its noninvasive nature and low side effects, PDT has been developed quickly. In the present study, the gene expression profiles of the human cell line that was treated via PDT in the sub-lethal concentration (LC50) and super-lethal concentration (LC90) of a photosensitizer (PS) from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) were extracted and the common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were investigated. Methods: The gene expression profiles of the treated cells were compared with a control, and the common DEGs were determined. The common DEGs were assessed via protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, and gene ontology enrichment was evaluated. The related biological terms for the common genes were identified. Results: Ninety-four common DEGs were selected to be analyzed. It appeared that the activation and increment of gene expression were prominent processes. Jun, Dusp1, Atf4, and Atf3 as four critical genes were highlighted. "Chromosomal and microsatellite instability in colorectal cancer" was identified as the main class of biological terms related to the assessed DEGs. Conclusion: The major molecular events which happened in both analyses indicated that PDT, independent from the concentration of PS, induced gross molecular changes such as the upregulation of Jun and Dusp1.

Collagen Synthesis as a Prominent Process During the Interval between Two Laser Sessions.

Introduction: Many people suffer from skin photodamage, especially photoaging. The application of a laser to repair damages is a common therapeutic method that is used widely. In the present study, the effectiveness and molecular mechanism of an Er:Glass non-ablative fractional laser on the human skin was assessed via bioinformatics and network analysis. Methods: The gene expression profiles of 17 white female forearm skins which received an Er:Glass non-ablative fractional laser before and after laser treatment in two sessions were extracted from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Data were evaluated via GEO2R and the significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were assessed via protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. The central nodes were identified and discussed for the compared set of samples. Results: Five classes of samples were clustered in two categories: first, baseline, 7 and 14 days after the first session of laser treatment, and second, one day after the first laser session, 29 days after the first laser session, and 1 day after the second laser session. The gross cell functions such as cell division and cell cycle and immune response were highlighted as the early affected targets of the laser. Collagen synthesis was resulted after the first laser session. Conclusion: In conclusion, the time interval between laser sessions plays a critical role in the effectiveness of laser therapy. Findings indicate that the gross effect of laser application appears in a short time, and important processes such as collagen synthesis happen later.

Introducing Critical Genes in Response to Photodynamic Therapy: A Network Analysis.

Introduction: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is applied as an efficient method for preventing the progress of cancers. Light and a photosensitive compound which is known as photosensitizer (PS) are the main parts of PDT. In the present study, molecular events after using PDT in the presence of a super lethal dose of a PS were assessed via protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis. Methods: Data were extracted from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). The gene expression profiles of the treated human Sk-Cha1 cells via PDT were compared with the control cells. Expressed change analysis and PPI network analysis were administrated via Cytoscape software v 3.7.2 to find the critical differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Regulatory relationships between the central DEGs were evaluated and the highlighted genes were identified. Results: The significant amounts of gene expression values were grouped and a few DEGs characterized by tremendously expressed values were identified. EGFR, CANX, HSPA5, MYC, JUN, ITGB1, APP, and CDH1 were highlighted as hub-bottleneck DEGs. EGFR, CDH1, and JUN appeared as a set of SEGs, which play a crucial role in response to PDT in the treated Sk-Cha1 cells. Conclusion: In conclusion, regulatory relationships between EGFR, CDH1, and JUN, which have an effect on the regulation of cellular survival, differentiation, and proliferation, were highlighted in the present investigation.

Long and Short-terms Effects of Ablative Fractional Laser Therapy on Human Skin: A Network Analysis.

Introduction: Time-dependent effects of laser radiation have been investigated by researchers. An understanding of the molecular mechanism of the time course effect of the laser needs molecular assessment and function evaluation of the related genes. In the present study, the importance of repetition of treatment after 4 weeks and gene expression alteration after 7 days of laser radiation versus one day on the human skin was evaluated via protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and gene ontology enrichment. Methods: The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were extracted from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and assessed via PPI network analysis. The critical DEGs were enriched via gene ontology. The related biological processes and biochemical pathways were retrieved from "GO-Biological process" and "Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes" (KEGG) respectively. Results: The repetition of laser therapy after 4 weeks of the first treatment did not have a significant effect on treatment efficacy. Sixty-three significant DEGs and six classes of biological terms discriminated the samples seven days after the treatment from individuals one day after the treatment. The studied DEGs were organized into two clusters with certain functions. Conclusion: Based on the findings after laser therapy, several days are required to complete the critical processes such as DNA biosynthesis and skin cornification.

Gene Ontology Assessment of Indirect Cold Physical Plasma and UV-Radiation Molecular Mechanism at the Cellular Level.

Introduction: The development of therapeutic methods implies an understanding of the molecular mechanism of the applied methods. Due to the widespread use of UV radiation and cold physical plasma in medicine, the molecular mechanism of these two methods is compared via gene ontology. Methods: Data were derived from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) which discriminate the cells treated with UV radiation versus indirect cold physical plasma were analyzed via gen ontology enrichment. The related biochemical pathways were extracted from the "Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes" (KEGG). Results: Among the 152 queried DEGs, 18 critical genes including SOC1, LDLR, ALO5, PTGS2, TNF, JUNB, TNFRSF1A, CD40, SMAD7, ID1, SMAD6, SERPINE1, PMAIP1, MDM2, CREB5, GADD45A, E2F3, and ETV5 were highlighted as the genes that victimize the two methods. Conclusion: NOTCH1 and TNF as the main genes plus SEREPINE1, KLF, and BDNF were introduced as the significant genes that are involved in the processes which discriminate cold physical plasma administration and UV-radiation as the two evaluated therapeutic methods.

The Clinical Effects of Laser Acupuncture on Hospitalized Patients With Severe COVID-19: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Introduction: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was extended to the entire population in China and around the world, and its mortality rate was about 3.4%. The impact of laser therapy on chronic respiratory diseases has been shown in previous studies. This study was aimed at examining the effects of laser acupuncture (LA) on patients with severe COVID-19. Methods: In the present study, 60 patients with a positive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test were assigned to the intervention and control groups (30 patients in each group). The intervention group was treated with LA, that is, laser light with low energy on acupuncture points, once a day for five consecutive days. Results: The participants' mean age in the intervention and control groups was 48.96±12.65 and 53.16±12.28 respectively; 70% of the patients were male and 30% of them were female. IL6 had a significant reduction in the intervention group (P value=0.038) in comparison with the control group (P value=0.535). Furthermore, the mean admission time in the control group was significantly higher than that in the intervention group (P value=0.047). However, the mortality rate in the intervention group was zero, but three patients in the control group died. Conclusion: Our study showed that LA can be used as supportive therapy for routine treatment in patients with severe COVID-19. Moreover, due to LA safety and it's low cost, it could be recommended as an adjuvant to conventional therapy in patients interested in treating their disease with such a method.

Promotion of cutaneous diabetic wound healing by subcutaneous administration of Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells derived from umbilical cord.

Wound healing is a major problem in diabetic patients, and current treatments have been confronted with limited success. The present study examined the benefit of Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) derived from the human umbilical cord (UC) in wound healing in diabetic rats. Thirty days after inducing diabetes, a circular excision was created in the skin of rats, and the treatments were performed for 21 days. Two groups were studied, which included the Control group and WJ-MSCs group. The studied groups were sampled on the 7th, 14th, and 21st days after wounding. Histological ultrasound imaging of dermis and epidermis in the wound area for thickness and density measurement and skin elasticity were evaluated. Our results on post-wounding days 7, 14, and 21 showed that the wound closure, thickness, and density of new epidermis and dermis, as well as skin elasticity in the healed wound, were significantly higher in the WJ-MSCs group compared to the Control group. Subcutaneous administration of WJ-MSCs in diabetic wounds can effectively accelerate healing. Based on this, these cells can be used along with other treatment methods in the healing of different types of chronic wounds.

Intravesical Gemcitabine versus Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin for the Treatment of Intermediate-Risk Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: The most common adjuvant therapy known for non-invasive muscle bladder cancer (NMIBC) is intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). Intravesical chemotherapy drugs like gemcitabine can also be used post-TURBT, which is considered as a good alternative for BCG, or can be used as a second-line treatment. Due to the common side effects of BCG, the use of chemotherapy drugs as intravesical treatments is currently increasing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 117 intermediate-risk NMIBC cases were included in this study. All the patients underwent TURBT surgery and received 1 gr intravesical gemcitabine immediately after performing the surgery. The patients were then divided into two groups, either receiving intravesical gemcitabine or intravesical BCG weekly for 6 weeks. The patients were followed up with cystoscopy. RESULTS: Most patients were men who had smoking risk factors. The youngest patient was 36 years old and the oldest one was 88 years old. The rate of side effects in the group receiving gemcitabine (13.6%) was much lower than the group receiving BCG (44.8%). (P-value = 0.016). The recurrence rate during a one year period was lower in the group consisting of patients receiving gemcitabine compared to the group receiving BCG (19 patients vs. 23 patients) (p-value = 0.401) Conclusion: The efficacy of intravesical gemcitabine and intravesical BCG was almost equal in the treatment of intermediate-risk NMIBCs. The adverse effects of gemcitabine were found to be significantly lower than BCG. Due to causing fewer complications, gemcitabine can be known as a good alternative, especially among elderly patients with comorbidities.

The effectiveness of photobiomodulation therapy in modulation the gut microbiome dysbiosis related diseases.

Maintaining a healthy balance between commensal, and pathogenic bacteria within the gut microbiota is crucial for ensuring the overall health, and well-being of the host. In fact, by affecting innate, and adaptive immune responses, the gut microbiome plays a key role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis and barrier integrity. Dysbiosis is the loss of beneficial microorganisms and the growth of potentially hazardous microorganisms in a microbial community, which has been linked to numerous diseases. As the primary inducer of circadian rhythm, light can influence the human intestinal microbiome. Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT), which is the use of red (630-700 nm), and near-infrared light (700 and 1200 nm), can stimulate healing, relieve pain, and reduce inflammation, and affect the circadian rhythm and gut microbiome beneficially. Our focus in this paper is on the effects of PBMT on gut microbiota, to provide an overview of how it can help control gut microbiota dysbiosis-related disorders.

Extracellular matrix is the main targeted environment in early stage of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Aim: Due to weak diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), detection of PDAC possible biomarkers in early stage is the main aim of this study. Background: PDAC is known as an exocrine cancer with a 5-year overall survival of 11%. Methods: Gene expression profiles of early stage of PDAC tissue and normal tissue are downloaded from gene expression omnibus (GEO) and evaluated via GEO2R. The significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) are investigated via protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and gene ontology. Results: Among 104 DEGs, ALB, COL1A1, COL1A2, MMP1, POSTN, PLAU, and COL3A1 were pointed out as hub nodes. "Gelatin degradation by MMP1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13" group of 52 biological terms were identified as the main affected terms. Conclusion: In conclusion, ALB, MMP1, and COL1A1 genes were highlighted as possible biomarkers of early stage of PDAC. Dysfunction of extracellular matrix was identified as a main event in patients.

Introducing Matrix Metalloproteinases as Crucial Targets for Intra-articular Laser Therapy in Patients with Synovial Fluid of Knee Osteoarthritis.

Background: Many elder people have knee osteoarthritis (OA). The patients are faced with pain and disability in movement. Given the challenging lifestyle of the patients, finding an efficient therapy approach is necessary. Since low-level laser therapy applies to the treatment of many diseases, it seems it can be a suitable option for the treatment of knee OA. The present study aimed to evaluate the molecular mechanism of laser therapy on knee OA via a protein expression change study. Methods: The present study examines the gene expression profile of patients with OA in the knee using bioinformatics. The protein expression change profile of synovial fluid of knee OA patients is extracted from the literature and is analyzed based on the rate of expression and interactions between the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). The results are compared with the DEPs of similar tissue of the treated knee OA patients (from published documents) after laser therapy. Results: Apolipoprotein B (APOB) and matrix metallopeptidase 2 (MMP2) were determined as the hub bottlenecks of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of synovial fluid of knee OA patients. MMP2, complement 5, transthyretin, and apolipoprotein A-1 from laser-treated patients were related to the PPI network of knee OA patients. The reduction of Interleukin-6 activity was highlighted as a critical event as a function of laser on the human body. Conclusion: In conclusion, it was noted that the main phenomenon associated with laser therapy-induced improvement in the condition of knee OA patients is the downregulation of MMP2.

Combination of epidermal keratinocyte-melanocyte cells suspension and microneedling: Safe surgical approach in vitiligo.

INTRODUCTION: Vitiligo is a skin disease that is associated with impaired skin immune systems and pigment degradation in skin melanocyte cells. Despite the significant impact of the disease on the quality of life of patients, treatment of the disease using an effective method such as the transplantation of uncultivated melanocytes was considered by researchers around the world. The goal of this research was to use microneedling to transplant epidermal keratinocyte-melanocyte cells suspension for the treatment of vitiligo patients. METHODS: In this study, 15 male and female vitiligo in face region patients aged 18-45 years were studied. In this study, melanocyte-keratinocyte cells suspension was sprayed. Patients underwent microneedling treatment after spraying the cells. Before and after transplantation, patients were biometrically examined, and the quantity of pigmentation and changes in the transplanted region were documented. Statistical software was used to examine the results. RESULTS: The color difference between the lesion area and normal skin in one, two, and six months after treatment with cell suspension was significantly reduced compared with before treatment (by 48.95%). Moreover, the amount of melanin was significantly increased 6 months after treatment compared with before treatment (129.8 ± 4.16 vs. 195.2 ± 3.54, p = 0.000). A significant decrease in skin brightness in the skin of the lesion area was observed compared with normal skin, 6 months after treatment compared with before treatment (43.7 ± 1.44 vs. 27.9 ± 1.24, p = 0.000). CONCLUSION: Epidermal keratinocyte-melanocyte cells suspension in combination with microneedling could be considered as an effective treatment of vitiligo.

Topical spray of Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells derived from umbilical cord accelerates diabetic wound healing.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Cell-based therapy utilizing mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is currently being investigated as a therapeutic agent for chronic wounds. There is no evidence regarding effectiveness of the spray and local transfer of this cellular product in diabetic wound healing. Accordingly, the present study, using clinical, pathological and biometric parameters, investigated the effectiveness of the spray of these cells in the healing of diabetic wounds in rats. METHODS: Three days after the induction of diabetes (50 mg/kg single dose of streptozotocin) a circular excision was created on the back of rats. Diabetic rats were divided into two groups (n = 21): Control and WJ-MSCs group. Sampling of the studied groups was performed on Days 7, 14, and 21 after wounding. Histological, ultrasound imaging of dermis and epidermis in the wound area for thickness and density measurement and skin elasticity were evaluated. RESULTS: Our results on Days 7, 14, and 21 after wounding showed that the wound closure, thickness, and density of new epidermis and dermis, as well as skin elasticity in healed wound were significantly higher in WJ-MSCs group compared with the Control group. CONCLUSION: Application of WJ-MSCs suspension spray on the wound area can accelerate healing in diabetic wounds. Our findings may potentially provide a helpful therapeutic strategy for patients with a diabetic wound.