Discovery of novel metabolic signatures for early identification of women at risk of developing gestational hypertension.

INTRODUCTION: Gestational hypertension (GH) is defined as the presence of systolic blood pressure (BP) ≥ 140 mm Hg and/or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mm Hg, measured at least 4 h apart after 20 weeks of gestation. Early identification of women at high-risk of developing GH could contribute significantly towards improved maternal and fetal outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To determine early metabolic biomarkers in women with GH as compared with normotensive women. METHODS: Serum samples were collected from subjects during three stages of their pregnancy: 8-12 weeks, 18-20 weeks and after 28 weeks (< 36 weeks) of gestation and studied using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics approach. Multivariate and univariate analyses were performed to determine the significantly altered metabolites in GH women. RESULTS: A total of 10 metabolites, including isoleucine, glutamine, lysine, proline, histidine, phenylalanine, alanine, carnitine, N-acetyl glycoprotein and lactic acid were observed to be significantly downregulated during all pregnancy stages in women with GH as compared with controls. Furthermore, expression of 5 metabolites in the first trimester i.e., phenylalanine [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.745], histidine [AUC = 0.729], proline [AUC = 0.722], lactic acid [AUC = 0.722], and carnitine [AUC = 0.714] exhibited highest potential in discriminating GH from normotensive women. CONCLUSION: The present study is the first of its kind to identify significantly altered metabolites that have the potential to discriminate between women at risk of developing GH and normotensive women across three trimesters of pregnancy. This opens up the possibility of exploring these metabolites as potential early predictive markers of GH.

Is metabolism the magic bullet for targeted cancer therapy?

Altered cellular metabolism has long been recognized as a hallmark of cancer. Oncogenic signaling cascades induce metabolic rewiring that further supports tumorigenesis, therapy resistance and metastasis. In view of this, the Collection on 'Cancer Metabolism' highlights the current views and focus of research on personalized medicine approach to target metabolism for cancer therapy.

Metabolomic signatures of asthma-COPD overlap (ACO) are different from asthma and COPD.

INTRODUCTION: Asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) overlap, termed as ACO, is a complex heterogeneous disease without any clear diagnostic or therapeutic guidelines. The pathophysiology of the disease, its characteristic features, and existence as a unique disease entity remains unclear. Individuals with ACO have a faster lung function decline, more frequent exacerbations, and worse quality of life than those with COPD or asthma alone. OBJECTIVES: The present study aims to determine whether ACO has a distinct metabolic profile in comparison to asthma and COPD. METHODS: Two different groups of patients were recruited as discovery (D) and validation (V) cohorts. Serum samples obtained from moderate and severe asthma patients diagnosed as per GINA guidelines [n = 34(D); n = 32(V)], moderate and severe COPD cases identified by GOLD guidelines [n = 30(D); 32(V)], ACO patients diagnosed by joint GOLD and GINA guidelines [n = 35(D); 40(V)] and healthy controls [n = 33(D)] were characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometry. RESULTS: Multivariate and univariate analysis indicated that 12 metabolites [lipid, isoleucine, N-acetylglycoproteins (NAG), valine, glutamate, citric acid, glucose, L-leucine, lysine, asparagine, phenylalanine and histidine] were dysregulated in ACO patients when compared with both asthma and COPD. These metabolites were further validated in a fresh cohort of patients, which again exhibited a similar expression pattern. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that ACO has an enhanced energy and metabolic burden associated with it as compared to asthma and COPD. It is anticipated that our results will stimulate researchers to further explore ACO and unravel the pathophysiological complexities associated with the disease.

Rotational dynamics of optically trapped human spermatozoa.

INTRODUCTION: Optical trapping is a laser-based method for probing the physiological and mechanical properties of cells in a noninvasive manner. As sperm motility is an important criterion for assessing the male fertility potential, this technique is used to study sperm cell motility behavior and rotational dynamics. METHODS AND PATIENTS: An integrated optical system with near-infrared laser beam has been used to analyze rotational dynamics of live sperm cells from oligozoospermic and asthenozoospermic cases and compared with controls. RESULTS: The linear, translational motion of the sperm is converted into rotational motion on being optically trapped, without causing any adverse effect on spermatozoa. The rotational speed of sperm cells from infertile men is observed to be significantly less as compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: Distinguishing normal and abnormal sperm cells on the basis of beat frequency above 5.6 Hz may be an important step in modern reproductive biology to sort and select good quality spermatozoa. The application of laser-assisted technique in biology has the potential to be a valuable tool for assessment of sperm fertilization capacity for improving assisted reproductive technology.

Unlocking ferroptosis in prostate cancer - the road to novel therapies and imaging markers.

Ferroptosis is a distinct form of regulated cell death that is predominantly driven by the build-up of intracellular iron and lipid peroxides. Ferroptosis suppression is widely accepted to contribute to the pathogenesis of several tumours including prostate cancer. Results from some studies reported that prostate cancer cells can be highly susceptible to ferroptosis inducers, providing potential for an interesting new avenue of therapeutic intervention for advanced prostate cancer. In this Perspective, we describe novel molecular underpinnings and metabolic drivers of ferroptosis, analyse the functions and mechanisms of ferroptosis in tumours, and highlight prostate cancer-specific susceptibilities to ferroptosis by connecting ferroptosis pathways to the distinctive metabolic reprogramming of prostate cancer cells. Leveraging these novel mechanistic insights could provide innovative therapeutic opportunities in which ferroptosis induction augments the efficacy of currently available prostate cancer treatment regimens, pending the elimination of major bottlenecks for the clinical translation of these treatment combinations, such as the development of clinical-grade inhibitors of the anti-ferroptotic enzymes as well as non-invasive biomarkers of ferroptosis. These biomarkers could be exploited for diagnostic imaging and treatment decision-making.

Adipose Triglyceride Lipase Is a Therapeutic Target in Advanced Prostate Cancer That Promotes Metabolic Plasticity.

Lipid metabolism plays a central role in prostate cancer. To date, the major focus has centered on de novo lipogenesis and lipid uptake in prostate cancer, but inhibitors of these processes have not benefited patients. A better understanding of how cancer cells access lipids once they are created or taken up and stored could uncover more effective strategies to perturb lipid metabolism and treat patients. Here, we identified that expression of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), an enzyme that controls lipid droplet homeostasis and a previously suspected tumor suppressor, correlates with worse overall survival in men with advanced, castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Molecular, genetic, or pharmacologic inhibition of ATGL impaired human and murine prostate cancer growth in vivo and in cell culture or organoids under conditions mimicking the tumor microenvironment. Mass spectrometry imaging demonstrated that ATGL profoundly regulates lipid metabolism in vivo, remodeling membrane composition. ATGL inhibition induced metabolic plasticity, causing a glycolytic shift that could be exploited therapeutically by cotargeting both metabolic pathways. Patient-derived phosphoproteomics identified ATGL serine 404 as a target of CAMKK2-AMPK signaling in CRPC cells. Mutation of serine 404 did not alter the lipolytic activity of ATGL but did decrease CRPC growth, migration, and invasion, indicating that noncanonical ATGL activity also contributes to disease progression. Unbiased immunoprecipitation/mass spectrometry suggested that mutation of serine 404 not only disrupts existing ATGL protein interactions but also leads to new protein-protein interactions. Together, these data nominate ATGL as a therapeutic target for CRPC and provide insights for future drug development and combination therapies. SIGNIFICANCE: ATGL promotes prostate cancer metabolic plasticity and progression through both lipase-dependent and lipase-independent activity, informing strategies to target ATGL and lipid metabolism for cancer treatment.

Therapeutic targeting of the TNF superfamily: a promising treatment for advanced endometrial adenocarcinoma.

Surgical treatment including total abdominal hysterectomy+bilateral salpingo oopherectomy (TAH+BSO) with pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy may not be sufficient to treat cases with advanced endometrial adenocarcinoma (EAC), and in these cases, adjuvant treatments including radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy, are employed based upon the tumor location, type and stage of the disease. These treatment modalities have high incidence of systemic toxicity, thereby compelling clinicians to look for targeted therapy aiming specifically at the malignant cells. Bevacizumab (anti-VEGF), temsirolimus (mTOR inhibitor) and aflibercept (VEGF trap) are already under clinical trials in women with EAC. Targeting the ligands and receptors of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily holds promise in this regard. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the various mechanisms and pathways related to the TNF superfamily involved in advanced EAC and to identify the new therapeutic strategies for specifically targeting these impaired pathways. In addition, the development of treatments for EAC is also discussed. The possible therapeutic treatments include targeting TNFα and its receptors using monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) such as infliximab, adalimumab, etanercept, and certolizumab. Proteosome inhibitors including bortezomib and the anti CD-20 agent rituximab are used to inhibit the NF-κB pathway. Other options include targeting the FAS (CD95) pathway and the TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) pathway using agents such as mapatumab, lexatumumab, and conatumumab. These pathways are known to be involved in the pathogenesis of EAC. Moreover, there is adequate evidence to warrant the use of drugs that target the TNF superfamily for the treatment of advanced EAC.

Nanoencapsulation as a Promising Platform for the Delivery of the Morin-Cu(II) Complex: Antibacterial and Anticancer Potential.

Nanoencapsulation has emerged as a promising approach for the effective delivery of poorly aqueous soluble compounds. The current study focuses on the preparation of human serum albumin (HSA)-based nanoparticles (NPs) and poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA)-based nanoparticles for effective delivery of the morin-Cu(II) complex. The NPs were analyzed based on different parameters such as particle size, surface charge, morphology, encapsulation efficiency, and in vitro release properties. The average particle sizes were found to be 214 ± 6 nm for Mor-Cu-HSA-NPs and 185 ± 7.5 nm for Mor-Cu-PLGA-NPs. The release of the morin-Cu(II) complex from both the NPs (Mor-Cu-HSA-NPs and Mor-Cu-PLGA-NPs) followed a biphasic behavior, which comprises an early burst release followed by a sustained and controlled release. The resulting NPs also exhibit free radical scavenging activity confirmed by a standard antioxidant assay. The antibacterial activities of the NPs were investigated using a disk diffusion technique, and it was observed that both the NPs showed better antibacterial activity than morin and the morin-Cu(II) complex. The anticancer activities of the prepared NPs were examined on MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cell lines using a cytotoxicity assay, and the mode of cell death was visualized using fluorescence microscopy. Our results revealed that NPs kill the cancer cells with greater efficiency than free morin and the morin-Cu(II) complex. Thus, both HSA-based NPs and PLGA-based NPs can act as promising delivery systems for the morin-Cu(II) complex and can be utilized for further biomedical applications.

Imaging 6-Phosphogluconolactonase Activity in Brain Tumors In Vivo Using Hyperpolarized δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone.

INTRODUCTION: The pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) is essential for NADPH generation and redox homeostasis in cancer, including glioblastomas. However, the precise contribution to redox and tumor proliferation of the second PPP enzyme 6-phosphogluconolactonase (PGLS), which converts 6-phospho-δ-gluconolactone to 6-phosphogluconate (6PG), remains unclear. Furthermore, non-invasive methods of assessing PGLS activity are lacking. The goal of this study was to examine the role of PGLS in glioblastomas and assess the utility of probing PGLS activity using hyperpolarized δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone for non-invasive imaging. METHODS: To interrogate the function of PGLS in redox, PGLS expression was silenced in U87, U251 and GS2 glioblastoma cells by RNA interference and levels of NADPH and reduced glutathione (GSH) measured. Clonogenicity assays were used to assess the effect of PGLS silencing on glioblastoma proliferation. Hyperpolarized δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone metabolism to 6PG was assessed in live cells treated with the chemotherapeutic agent temozolomide (TMZ) or with vehicle control. 13C 2D echo-planar spectroscopic imaging (EPSI) studies of hyperpolarized δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone metabolism were performed on rats bearing orthotopic glioblastoma tumors or tumor-free controls on a 3T spectrometer. Longitudinal 2D EPSI studies of hyperpolarized δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone metabolism and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed in rats bearing orthotopic U251 tumors following treatment with TMZ to examine the ability of hyperpolarized δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone to report on treatment response. RESULTS: PGLS knockdown downregulated NADPH and GSH, elevated oxidative stress and inhibited clonogenicity in all models. Conversely, PGLS expression and activity and steady-state NADPH and GSH were higher in tumor tissues from rats bearing orthotopic glioblastoma xenografts relative to contralateral brain and tumor-free brain. Importantly, [1-13C]6PG production from hyperpolarized δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone was observed in live glioblastoma cells and was significantly reduced by treatment with TMZ. Furthermore, hyperpolarized δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone metabolism to [1-13C]6PG could differentiate tumor from contralateral normal brain in vivo. Notably, TMZ significantly reduced 6PG production from hyperpolarized δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone at an early timepoint prior to volumetric alterations as assessed by anatomical imaging. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, we have, for the first time, identified a role for PGLS activity in glioblastoma proliferation and validated the utility of probing PGLS activity using hyperpolarized δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone for non-invasive in vivo imaging of glioblastomas and their response to therapy.

Bioinspired 3D porous human placental derived extracellular matrix/silk fibroin sponges for accelerated bone regeneration.

Critical bone defects arising from traumatic injury and diseases are of major health concern since they are unable to heal spontaneously without clinical intervention. In this context, bone tissue engineering provides an attractive approach to treat bone defects by providing a bioactive template which has the potential to guide osseous tissue regeneration. In this study, porous hybrid placental extracellular matrix sponge (PIMS) was fabricated by a combinatorial method using silk fibroin (SF)/placental derived extracellular matrix and subsequently evaluated its efficacy towards bone tissue regeneration. The presence of intrinsic growth factors was evidenced by immunoblotting of the extracted proteins derived from the placental derived extracellular matrix. This growth factor rich PIMS lends a unique bioactive scaffolding to human amniotic mesenchymal stem cells (HAMSCs) which supported enhanced proliferation as well as superior osteogenic differentiation. Gene expression studies demonstrated significant up-regulation of osteogenic related genes in the PIMS group. PIMS when implanted in the chick chorioallantoic membrane, significantly attracted allantoic vessels revealing its potential to stimulate angiogenesis ex vivo. Furthermore, no severe immune response to the host was observed on subcutaneous implantation of PIMS in vivo. Instead, it supported the formation of blood vessels, revealing its outstanding biocompatibility. Additionally, critical tibial defects treated with PIMS demonstrated higher bone volume after six weeks when analyzed by micro-CT, which was accompanied by high mineral density. Histological and immunofluorescence studies validated the results and revealed enhanced osseous tissue regeneration after six weeks of surgery. All these findings recapitulated that the growth factors incorporated bioactive PIMS could perform as an appropriate matrix for osteogenic differentiation and efficient bone regeneration.

Glutamate Is a Noninvasive Metabolic Biomarker of IDH1-Mutant Glioma Response to Temozolomide Treatment.

Although lower grade gliomas are driven by mutations in the isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) gene and are less aggressive than primary glioblastoma, they nonetheless generally recur. IDH1-mutant patients are increasingly being treated with temozolomide, but early detection of response remains a challenge and there is a need for complementary imaging methods to assess response to therapy prior to tumor shrinkage. The goal of this study was to determine the value of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS)-based metabolic changes for detection of response to temozolomide in both genetically engineered and patient-derived mutant IDH1 models. Using 1H MRS in combination with chemometrics identified several metabolic alterations in temozolomide-treated cells, including a significant increase in steady-state glutamate levels. This was confirmed in vivo, where the observed 1H MRS increase in glutamate/glutamine occurred prior to tumor shrinkage. Cells labeled with [1-13C]glucose and [3-13C]glutamine, the principal sources of cellular glutamate, showed that flux to glutamate both from glucose via the tricarboxylic acid cycle and from glutamine were increased following temozolomide treatment. In line with these results, hyperpolarized [5-13C]glutamate produced from [2-13C]pyruvate and hyperpolarized [1-13C]glutamate produced from [1-13C]α-ketoglutarate were significantly higher in temozolomide-treated cells compared with controls. Collectively, our findings identify 1H MRS-detectable elevation of glutamate and hyperpolarized 13C MRS-detectable glutamate production from either pyruvate or α-ketoglutarate as potential translatable metabolic biomarkers of response to temozolomide treatment in mutant IDH1 glioma. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings show that glutamate can be used as a noninvasive, imageable metabolic marker for early assessment of tumor response to temozolomide, with the potential to improve treatment strategies for mutant IDH1 patients.

MR-detectable metabolic biomarkers of response to mutant IDH inhibition in low-grade glioma.

Mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1mut) are reported in 70-90% of low-grade gliomas and secondary glioblastomas. IDH1mut catalyzes the reduction of α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) to 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG), an oncometabolite which drives tumorigenesis. Inhibition of IDH1mut is therefore an emerging therapeutic approach, and inhibitors such as AG-120 and AG-881 have shown promising results in phase 1 and 2 clinical studies. However, detection of response to these therapies prior to changes in tumor growth can be challenging. The goal of this study was to identify non-invasive clinically translatable metabolic imaging biomarkers of IDH1mut inhibition that can serve to assess response. Methods: IDH1mut inhibition was confirmed using an enzyme assay and 1H- and 13C- magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) were used to investigate the metabolic effects of AG-120 and AG-881 on two genetically engineered IDH1mut-expressing cell lines, NHAIDH1mut and U87IDH1mut. Results:1H-MRS indicated a significant decrease in steady-state 2-HG following treatment, as expected. This was accompanied by a significant 1H-MRS-detectable increase in glutamate. However, other metabolites previously linked to 2-HG were not altered. 13C-MRS also showed that the steady-state changes in glutamate were associated with a modulation in the flux of glutamine to both glutamate and 2-HG. Finally, hyperpolarized 13C-MRS was used to show that the flux of α-KG to both glutamate and 2-HG was modulated by treatment. Conclusion: In this study, we identified potential 1H- and 13C-MRS-detectable biomarkers of response to IDH1mut inhibition in gliomas. Although further studies are needed to evaluate the utility of these biomarkers in vivo, we expect that in addition to a 1H-MRS-detectable drop in 2-HG, a 1H-MRS-detectable increase in glutamate, as well as a hyperpolarized 13C-MRS-detectable change in [1-13C] α-KG flux, could serve as metabolic imaging biomarkers of response to treatment.

In vivo detection of γ-glutamyl-transferase up-regulation in glioma using hyperpolarized γ-glutamyl-[1-13C]glycine.

Glutathione (GSH) is often upregulated in cancer, where it serves to mitigate oxidative stress. γ-glutamyl-transferase (GGT) is a key enzyme in GSH homeostasis, and compared to normal brain its expression is elevated in tumors, including in primary glioblastoma. GGT is therefore an attractive imaging target for detection of glioblastoma. The goal of our study was to assess the value of hyperpolarized (HP) γ-glutamyl-[1-13C]glycine for non-invasive imaging of glioblastoma. Nude rats bearing orthotopic U87 glioblastoma and healthy controls were investigated. Imaging was performed by injecting HP γ-glutamyl-[1-13C]glycine and acquiring dynamic 13C data on a preclinical 3T MR scanner. The signal-to-noise (SNR) ratios of γ-glutamyl-[1-13C]glycine and its product [1-13C]glycine were evaluated. Comparison of control and tumor-bearing rats showed no difference in γ-glutamyl-[1-13C]glycine SNR, pointing to similar delivery to tumor and normal brain. In contrast, [1-13C]glycine SNR was significantly higher in tumor-bearing rats compared to controls, and in tumor regions compared to normal-appearing brain. Importantly, higher [1-13C]glycine was associated with higher GGT expression and higher GSH levels in tumor tissue compared to normal brain. Collectively, this study demonstrates, to our knowledge for the first time, the feasibility of using HP γ-glutamyl-[1-13C]glycine to monitor GGT expression in the brain and thus to detect glioblastoma.

Author Correction: Metabolomics reveals perturbations in endometrium and serum of minimal and mild endometriosis.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

In vivo investigation of hyperpolarized [1,3-13C2]acetoacetate as a metabolic probe in normal brain and in glioma.

Dysregulation in NAD+/NADH levels is associated with increased cell division and elevated levels of reactive oxygen species in rapidly proliferating cancer cells. Conversion of the ketone body acetoacetate (AcAc) to ß-hydroxybutyrate (ß-HB) by the mitochondrial enzyme ß-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (BDH) depends upon NADH availability. The ß-HB-to-AcAc ratio is therefore expected to reflect mitochondrial redox. Previous studies reported the potential of hyperpolarized 13C-AcAc to monitor mitochondrial redox in cells, perfused organs and in vivo. However, the ability of hyperpolarized 13C-AcAc to cross the blood brain barrier (BBB) and its potential to monitor brain metabolism remained unknown. Our goal was to assess the value of hyperpolarized [1,3-13C2]AcAc in healthy and tumor-bearing mice in vivo. Following hyperpolarized [1,3-13C2]AcAc injection, production of [1,3-13C2]ß-HB was detected in normal and tumor-bearing mice. Significantly higher levels of [1-13C]AcAc and lower [1-13C]ß-HB-to-[1-13C]AcAc ratios were observed in tumor-bearing mice. These results were consistent with decreased BDH activity in tumors and associated with increased total cellular NAD+/NADH. Our study confirmed that AcAc crosses the BBB and can be used for monitoring metabolism in the brain. It highlights the potential of AcAc for future clinical translation and its potential utility for monitoring metabolic changes associated with glioma, and other neurological disorders.

PI3K/mTOR inhibition of IDH1 mutant glioma leads to reduced 2HG production that is associated with increased survival.

70-90% of low-grade gliomas and secondary glioblastomas are characterized by mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDHmut). IDHmut produces the oncometabolite 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG), which drives tumorigenesis in these tumors. The phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway represents an attractive therapeutic target for IDHmut gliomas, but noninvasive indicators of drug target modulation are lacking. The goal of this study was therefore to identify magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS)-detectable metabolic biomarkers associated with IDHmut glioma response to the dual PI3K/(mTOR) inhibitor XL765. 1H-MRS of two cell lines genetically modified to express IDHmut showed that XL765 induced a significant reduction in several intracellular metabolites including 2HG. Importantly, examination of an orthotopic IDHmut tumor model showed that enhanced animal survival following XL765 treatment was associated with a significant in vivo 1H-MRS detectable reduction in 2HG but not with significant inhibition in tumor growth. Further validation is required, but our results indicate that 2HG could serve as a potential noninvasive MRS-detectable metabolic biomarker of IDHmut glioma response to PI3K/mTOR inhibition.

Polycaprolactone nanofibers functionalized with placental derived extracellular matrix for stimulating wound healing activity.

Impaired wound healing is primarily associated with inadequate angiogenesis, repressed cell migration, deficient synthesis of extracellular matrix (ECM) component/growth factors, and altered inflammatory responses in the wound bed environment. Herein, we report a simple process for the fabrication of PCL nanofiber mats embedded with placental-derived bioactive molecules (PCL-sPEM) rich in growth factors for full-thickness cutaneous wound healing. The physicochemical attributes and biological composition of PCL-sPEM nanofiber mats delivered a nontoxic environment in vitro and significantly promoted the adhesion, infiltration, and proliferation of human fibroblasts/keratinocytes. Conditioned media extracted from PCL-sPEM nanofiber mats enhanced the migration potential of the cells (fibroblasts/keratinocytes) involved in wound healing due to the release of growth factors embedded in it. Further, PCL-sPEM nanofiber mats attracted, stimulated and supported vascularization as determined by the Chick Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM) assay. Interestingly, critical skin wounds of rats treated with PCL-sPEM nanofiber mats facilitated improved wound closure with well-organized dermis and epidermis, which could be ascribed to prominent vascularization, augmented migration of human foreskin fibroblasts (HFFs) & human epidermal keratinocytes (HEKs), increased collagen synthesis and early re-epithelialization. Collectively, our results suggest that PCL-sPEM nanofiber mats embedded with growth factors could be a suitable matrix for treating critical full-thickness wounds.

Metabolomics reveals perturbations in endometrium and serum of minimal and mild endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a common benign gynecological disease, characterized by growth and proliferation of endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterus. With studies showing metabolic changes in various biofluids of endometriosis women, we have set upon to investigate whether endometrial tissue show differences in their metabolic profiles. 1H NMR analysis was performed on eutopic endometrial tissue of women with endometriosis and controls. Analysis was performed on spectral data and on relative concentrations of metabolites obtained from spectra using multivariate and univariate data analysis. Analysis shows that various energy, ketogenic and glucogenic metabolites have significant altered concentrations in various stages of endometriosis. In addition, altered tissue metabolites in minimal and mild stages of endometriosis were explored in serum of these patients to assess their role in disease diagnosis. For Stage I diagnosis alanine was found to have 90% sensitivity (true positives) and 58% specificity (true negatives). For Stage II diagnosis alanine, leucine, lysine, proline and phenylalanine showed significant altered levels in serum. While sensitivity of these serum metabolites varied between 69.2-100% the specificity values ranged between 58.3-91.7%. Further, a regression model generated with this panel of serum markers showed an improved sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 83%, respectively for Stage II diagnosis.

Silk Sponges Ornamented with a Placenta-Derived Extracellular Matrix Augment Full-Thickness Cutaneous Wound Healing by Stimulating Neovascularization and Cellular Migration.

Regeneration of full-thickness wounds without scar formation is a multifaceted process, which depends on in situ dynamic interactions between the tissue-engineered skin substitutes and a newly formed reparative tissue. However, the majority of the tissue-engineered skin substitutes used so far in full-thickness wound healing cannot mimic the natural extracellular matrix (ECM) complexity and thus are incapable of providing a suitable niche for endogenous tissue repair. Herein, we demonstrated a simple approach to fabricate porous hybrid ECM sponges (HEMS) using a placental ECM and silk fibroin for full-thickness wound healing. HEMS with retained cytokines/growth factors provided a noncytotoxic environment in vitro for human foreskin fibroblasts (HFFs), human epidermal keratinocytes (HEKs), and human amniotic membrane-derived stem cells to adhere, infiltrate, and proliferate. Interestingly, HEMS-conditioned media accelerated the migration of HFFs and HEKs owing to the presence of cytokines/growth factors. Also, the ex vivo chick chorioallantoic membrane assay of HEMS demonstrated its excellent vascularization potential by inducing and supporting blood vessels. Additionally, HEMS when subcutaneously implanted demonstrated no severe immune response to the host. Furthermore, HEMS implanted in full-thickness wounds in a rat model showed augmented healing progression with well-organized epidermal-dermal junctions via pronounced angiogenesis, accelerated migration of HFFs/HEKs, enhanced granulation tissue formation, and early re-epithelialization. Taken together, these findings show that porous HEMS ornamented with cytokines/growth factors having superior physicomechanical properties may be an appropriate skin substitute for full-thickness cutaneous wounds.