Vaccination with human amniotic epithelial cells confer effective protection in a murine model of Colon adenocarcinoma.

As a prophylactic cancer vaccine, human amniotic membrane epithelial cells (hAECs) conferred effective protection in a murine model of colon cancer. The immunized mice mounted strong cross-protective CTL and antibody responses. Tumor burden was significantly reduced in tumor-bearing mice after immunization with hAECs. Placental cancer immunotherapy could be a promising approach for primary prevention of cancer. In spite of being the star of therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment, the results of immunotherapeutic approaches are still far from expectations. In this regard, primary prevention of cancer using prophylactic cancer vaccines has gained considerable attention. The immunologic similarities between cancer development and placentation have helped researchers to unravel molecular mechanisms responsible for carcinogenesis and to take advantage of stem cells from reproductive organs to elicit robust anti-cancer immune responses. Here, we showed that vaccination of mice with human amniotic membrane epithelial cells (hAECs) conferred effective protection against colon cancer and led to expansion of systemic and splenic cytotoxic T cell population and induction of cross-protective cytotoxic responses against tumor cells. Vaccinated mice mounted tumor-specific Th1 responses and produced cross-reactive antibodies against cell surface markers of cancer cells. Tumor burden was also significantly reduced in tumor-bearing mice immunized with hAECs. Our findings pave the way for potential future application of hAECs as an effective prophylactic cancer vaccine.

Heavy metals fractionation in surface sediments of Gowatr bay--Iran.

In this study, the chemical speciation of heavy metals and their distribution in surface sediments of Gowatr bay, southeast Iran, are investigated. Modified Bureau Commune de Reference of the European Commission (BCR) sequential extraction technique was applied to assess Cu, Pb, Zn, Mn, Ni, Co, Cr, V, and Fe in the four fractions of five surface sediment samples. Calculated contamination factors (C(i)f) indicate considerable to very high degree of contamination for Cu and Cr, and very high degree for Zn and Ni. Maximum contamination degree (Cd) also suggests serious anthropogenic pollution at two sites. The dominance of average concentration of Cu, Pb, Zn, and Mn in non-residual fractions indicates higher ecological risk within Gowatr bay. Conversely, Ni, Co, Cr, Fe, and V mainly exist in residual phase and hence pose no immediate ecological risk. Calculated individual contamination factors (ICFs) indicate the highest risk of Cu, Pb, Zn, and Mn at two investigated sites. Global contamination factor (GCF) reveals that Pasabandar harbor is highly impacted by metal pollutants.

Ecotoxicological risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban soil of Isfahan metropolis, Iran.

Concentration, distribution, probable sources, and health risks of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated in 52 soil samples collected within a radius 50 km from Isfahan metropolis center. Total concentration of PAHs ranged from 57.70 to 11,730.08 µg/kg averaging 2,000.56 µg/kg. Spatial PAH profiles were site-specific and higher concentration of PAHs was observed in the vicinity of industrial zones within Isfahan metropolis. The molecular indices, ring classes, and principal component analysis indicated that the sources of PAHs were both geogenic and pyrogenic. The incremental lifetime cancer risks of exposure to soil PAHs for adults and children living in the study area were 2.3×10(-2) and 2.2×10(-3), respectively. The results suggest that current PAHs levels in Isfahan metropolis soil are highly carcinogenic and may hold a serious health risk for local resident.

Speciation and phytoavailability of heavy metals in contaminated soils in Sarcheshmeh area, Kerman Province, Iran.

Heavy metal content in soil and the most abundant indigenous plant species (Artemisia sieberi) in Sarcheshmeh area is investigated. Sequential extraction analysis is carried out and phytoavailable fractions of selected heavy metals are also determined. The results show that heavy metals in the study area are potentially bioavailable. Calculated transfer factor (mean value for Cu: 5.7; As: 8.9; Pb: 4.1; Mo: 7.2; Cd: 1.9; and Zn: 1.8) and heavy metal concentration in plant species indicate that metal contamination is already transferred to Artemisia sieberi which proved to behave like an accumulator plant and hence poses a serious threat to local population. Contamination is mostly the result of three decades of ore smelting at the Sarcheshmeh copper complex.

Potential Health Risk of Herbal Distillates and Decoctions Consumption in Shiraz, Iran.

Concentration of 26 elements in 16 different herbal distillates and 5 herbal decoctions, were determined using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The elemental content of five raw herbal materials used for making decoctions and seven distilled and boiled residues were also evaluated by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The results indicated that herbal products display a wide range of elemental concentrations. Compared with world health regulations, the concentrations of the elements in herbal distillates and decoctions did not exceed the recommended limits. The analysis of herbal extracts did not show a significant transfer of toxic elements during decoction preparation. Comparison of elemental content among fresh herbal material and herbal distillate and decoction of the same herb showed that, besides the elemental abundance of herbal organs, the ionic potential of elements also play an important role in elemental content of herbal products. Based on the results of the research, it seems that most health benefits attributed to herbal products (especially herbal distillates) are more related to their organic compounds rather than elemental composition. Calculated hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) were used to evaluate the noncarcinogenic health risk from individual and combined metals via daily consumption of 100 ml of herbal distillates and 250 ml of herbal decoctions. Both HQs and HI through consumption of herbal distillates and herbal decoctions (except Valerian) were below 1. Apparently, daily consumption of herbal distillates and decoctions at the indicated doses poses no significant health risk to a normal adult.