Varied functions of immune checkpoints during cancer metastasis.

Immune checkpoints comprise diverse receptors and ligands including costimulatory and inhibitory molecules, which play monumental roles in regulating the immune system. Immune checkpoints retain key potentials in maintaining the immune system homeostasis and hindering the malignancy development and autoimmunity. The expression of inhibitory immune checkpoints delineates an increase in a plethora of metastatic tumors and the inhibition of these immune checkpoints can be followed by promising results. On the other hand, the stimulation of costimulatory immune checkpoints can restrain the metastasis originating from diverse tumors. From the review above, key findings emerged regarding potential functions of inhibitory and costimulatory immune checkpoints targeting the metastatic cascade and point towards novel potential Achilles' heels of cancer that might be exploited therapeutically in the future.

The therapeutic effect of cerium oxide nanoparticle on ischaemia/reperfusion injury in rat testis.

Testicular torsion is a dangerous urogenital disorder which is caused by twisting of spermatic cord, and unless immediate treatments happen at a proper time, oxidative stress, occurred during ischaemia reperfusion, finally leads to irreversible disintegration of testicular tissue. One of the first preventive lines is to administrate antioxidant factors. In the present study, we investigate the therapeutic effect of cerium oxide nanoparticle on the injury. We divided 45 rats into nine groups, subjected eight groups to testicular torsion-detorsion, injected different doses of cerium oxide nanoparticle into the peritoneum of six groups and analysed all the groups regarding spermatogenetic indices including sperm count, sperm viability and Johnson mean. Our results showed that cerium oxide nanoparticle can alleviate oxidative stress in testis, and this alleviation promotes the reproductive indices as the concentration of cerium oxide nanoparticles increases. The catalase-mimetic and superoxide dismutase-mimetic activities of cerium oxide nanoparticle are the most probable theories to explain the antioxidant effect of the nanoparticle.

The potential role of miR-29 in health and cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy.

miR-29 family is one of the small noncoding RNAs and has a very important role in many physiologic and pathologic functions through regulating the target genes that play roles in various bioprocesses such as proliferation, survival, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. Thus, we aim to survey the potential of the miR-29 family in normal model and development and progression of malignancy in this study. In addition, the potential role of miR-29 family has been studied as the clinical marker for the diagnosis and prognosis of many cancers as the potential targets to treat cancer. Moreover, it was stated in summary that the herbal compounds can regulate miR-29 family in cancers. Therefore, regulating the expression of the miR-29 family in a variety of cancers can be a new strategy to obtain better results from cancerous patients' treatment in the future.

A review of plant-based compounds and medicinal plants effective on atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is one of the most important cardiovascular diseases that involve vessels through the development of fatty streaks and plaques. Plant-based compounds can help treat or prevent atherosclerosis through affecting the involved factors. The main purpose of this review article is to investigate and introduce medicinal plants and their potential activities regarding antioxidant properties, effective on lipids level and development of plaque, atherosclerosis, and progression of atherosclerosis as well as the development of cardiovascular disease and ischemia. To search for the relevant articles indexed in Information Sciences Institute, PubMed, Scientific Information Database, IranMedex, and Scopus between 1980 and 2013, with further emphasis on those indexed from 2004 to 2015, we used these search terms: atherosclerosis, antioxidant, cholesterol, inflammation, and the medicinal plants below. Then, the articles with inclusion criteria were used in the final analysis of the findings. Plant-based active compounds, including phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidants, can be effective on atherosclerosis predisposing factors and hence in preventing this disease and associated harmful complications, especially through reducing cholesterol, preventing increase in free radicals, and ultimately decreasing vascular plaque and vascular resistance. Hence, medicinal plants can contribute to treating atherosclerosis and preventing its progression through reducing cholesterolemia, free radicals, inflammation, vascular resistance, and certain enzymes. They, alone or in combination with hypocholesterolemic drugs, can therefore be useful for patients with hyperlipidemia and its complications.

Synthesis of Chiral Triazine Frameworks for Enantiodiscrimination.

Manipulation of the structure of covalent organic frameworks at the molecular level is an efficient strategy to shift their biological, physicochemical, optical, and electrical properties in the desired windows. In this work, we report on a new method to construct chiral triazine frameworks using metal-driven polymerization for enantiodiscrimination. The nucleophilic substitution reaction between melamine and cyanuric chloride was performed in the presence of PdCl2, ZnCl2, and CuCl2 as chirality-directing agents. Palladium, with the ability of planar complex formation, was able to assemble monomers in two-dimensions and drive the reaction in two directions, leading to a two-dimensional triazine network with several micrometers lateral size. Nonplanar arrangements of monomers in the presence of ZnCl2 and CuCl2, however, resulted in calix and bouquet structures, respectively. While 2D and bouquet structures showed strong negative and positive bands in the CD spectra, respectively, their calix counterparts displayed long-range weak negative bands. In spite of the ability of both calix and bouquet networks to load l-histidine 35 and 50% more than d-histidine from pure enantiomers, respectively, only calix counterparts were able to take up this enantiomer (78%) from the racemic mixture. The two-dimensional polytriazine network did not show any specific interactions with pure enantiomers or their racemic mixtures.

The effect of different concentrations of cerium oxide during pregnancy on ovarian follicle development in neonatal mice.

OBJECTIVES: Cerium is a member of the rare metals group and widely used in drug delivery, gene therapy, molecular imaging and medicine. In this study, we investigated the effect of different doses of Cerium (IV) oxide (CeO2 ) during pregnancy on neonatal mice ovaries, as well as its effect on blood biochemical parameters. METHODS: Thirty pregnant NMRI mice were divided into five groups: Control and 4 groups treated with CeO2 (10, 25, 80, 250 mg/kg.bw i.p) at the GD7 and GD14. The ovarian histological of neonatal (2 and 6 day-olds), as well as blood serum of neonates at 15-dpp were analyzed. RESULTS: Count of ovarian primordial follicles in neonates at 2 dpp showed a significant decrease in the groups treated with 80 and 250 mg/kg.bw doses of CeO2 . There was also a significant decrease in ovarian primordial and primary follicles in neonates at 6-dpp at 250 mg/kg.bw doses of CeO2 in the control (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in serum levels of malondialdehyde and total antioxidant capacity between the experimental and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the effects of CeO2 on the ovarian tissue of neonatal mice during pregnancy may be dose-dependent.

Encapsulation of Satureja khuzistanica extract in alginate hydrogel accelerate wound healing in adult male rats.

BACKGROUND: Finding the best dressing for a specific wound had continued from the past to present. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of encapsulated extract of Satureja khuzistanica in hydrogel alginate at wound healing. METHODS: Thirty-two male Wistar rats with a puncture wound in the back of the neck skin were divided randomly into four groups including a control group, Satureja khuzistanica-treated group, hydrogel alginate-treated group, and Satureja khuzistanica encapsulated in hydrogel alginate-treated group. Rats were treated for 22 days. The skin samples were taken on 3rd, 7th, 14th, and 22nd days after treatment for light microscopy. Results were analyzed in accordance with Kruskal-Wallis and Friedman test (for histopathology analysis) by using SPSS v.22 software. RESULTS: Macroscopically evaluations and measurement of wound size showed increased wound healing process in the treated groups. The complete improvement was created on the 14th day. The wound site was not observed on the 22nd day. But the wound site was observed on the 22nd day in the control group. Also, comparison of the percentage of wound healing between the treated and control groups on 3rd, 7th, 14th, and 22nd days showed a significant difference (p < 0.05). Comparison of the H&E stained sections in the studied groups showed that treated groups were effective on wound healing in comparison with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Encapsulated extract of Satureja khuzistanica in hydrogel alginate may accelerate wound improvement and increase the rate of wound healing without scar formation.

Macrophage polarization in wound healing: role of aloe vera/chitosan nanohydrogel.

The balance between M1 and M2 macrophages plays an important role in wound healing. Interestingly, this immune response can be modulated by natural biomaterials such as chitosan nanohydrogel (Ch) and aloe vera (AV). Therefore, we aimed to improve wound recovery response by exploiting the potential healing properties of Ch and AV. Wounds were created in rats and were treated daily with either saline (control), AV, Ch, or different ratios of AV (volume):Ch (weight) (1:1), (2:1), and (3:1). M1 (iNOS, TNF-α) and M2 (CD163, TGF-ß) responses were analyzed at days 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28. Wound healing increased within the third and seventh days in AV-Ch (3:1) (P < 0.001 and P < 0.002, respectively). In the treated groups, immunohistochemistry of iNOS expression decreased on the third day (P < 0.0001) while CD163 increased (P < 0.0001) on the 3rd, 7th, and 14th days. The gene expression of TGF-ß decreased on the third day in AV group (P < 0.03) and on the 21st and 28th days in Ch-treated group (P < 0.00). TNF-α expression decreased in AV, Ch, and AV-Ch (3:1 v/w) on the 14th and 28th days (P < 0.00). TGF-ß and TNF-α proteins decreased on the 28th day compared to the control and AV-Ch (3:1 v/w), respectively. AV-Ch (1 and 3:1 v/w) and Ch resulted in optimum wound repair by decreasing M1 after 3 days and increasing M2 after 14. Thus, Ch nanohydrogel, especially in combination with 1:1 and 1:3 ratio to AV, could be a proper candidate for modulating macrophages in response to wound healing.

Effects of pomegranate peel extract on histopathology, testosterone levels and sperm of testicular torsion-detorsion induced in adult Wistar rats.

Background In the present study, effects of pomegranate peel extract have been evaluated on decreasing the damage induced by testis torsion. Methods In this study, 30 adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups of control, experimental (1) and experimental (2). CONTROL: no ischemia, received vehicle alone, exposed to sham operation. Experimental (1): Received the vehicle alone during ischemia followed by 60 days' reperfusion. Experimental (2): After performing ischemia reperfusion, 500 mg/kg of pomegranate peel extract has been used for 60 days. Blood samples and sperm samples were collected. Testes were harvested and stained with haematoxylin and eosin to study the structure of seminiferous tubules. Results The statistical comparison between sperm count and their viability and testosterone hormone amount showed a significant difference between control and experimental (1) groups and control and experimental (2) groups. The results showed an improvement of morphological condition of seminiferous tubules. Conclusions Pomegranate peel extract has revealed desirable changes on the effective parameters in infertility.