Immunotoxin: A new tool for cancer therapy.

Cancer is one of the main reasons of death in the most countries and in Iran. Immunotherapy quickly became one of the best methods of cancer treatment, along with chemotherapy and radiation. "Immunotoxin Therapy" is a promising way of cancer therapy that is mentioned in this field. Immunotoxins are made from a toxin attaching to an antibody target proteins present on cancer cells. The first-generation immunotoxins were made of a full-length toxin attached to whole monoclonal antibodies. But, these immunotoxins could bind to normal cells. DAB389IL2 was the first immunotoxin approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Current trends and researches are ongoing on finding proteins that in combination with immunotoxins have minimal immunogenicity and the most potency for target cell killing.

Cellular, Molecular and Non-Pharmacological Therapeutic Advances for the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease: Separating Hope from Hype.

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a frustrating condition characterized by motor and nonmotor deficits majorly caused by the loss of dopaminergic cells in the Substantia Nigra pars compacta (SNc) and destruction of the nigrostriatal pathway. Despite the very respectable advances in cutting-edge approaches for the treatment of PD, there exist numerous challenges that have incapacitated the definitive treatment of this disease. This review emphasized the development of various non-pharmaceutical therapeutic approaches and mainly highlighted the cutting-edge treatments for PD including gene- and stem cell-based therapies, targeted delivery of neurotrophic factors, and brain stimulation techniques such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), and Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). The review covered various gene therapy strategies including Adeno-Associated Virus-Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase (AAV-GAD), AAV-Aromatic L-Amino Acid Decarboxylase (AAV-AADC), Lenti-AADC/Tyrosine Hydroxylase/Guanosine Triphosphate- Cyclohydrolase I (Lenti-AADC/TH/GTP-CH1), AAV-Neurturin (AAV-NRTN), α-Synuclein silencing, and PRKN gene delivery. Also, the advantages, disadvantages, and the results of trials of these methods were discussed. Finally, reasons for the failure of PD treatment were described, with the hopes separated from hypes.

Metallo-beta-Lactamase VIM-1, SPM-1, and IMP-1 Genes Among Clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa Species Isolated in Zahedan, Iran.

BACKGROUND: One of the major clinical problems regarding Pseudomonas aeruginosa is attributed to metallo-beta-lactamases (MBL). This group of enzymes is a subset of beta lactamases which belong to group B of Ambler classification and cause hydrolysis of carbapenems. Based on epidemiological studies conducted worldwide, it is proved that prevalence of genes coding MBLs in P. aeruginosa species are different in various geographic zones and even in various hospitals. Therefore, according to the clinical importance of organisms generating MBLs, it is necessary to identify and control these bacteria in hospitals for therapeutic purposes. OBJECTIVES: The current study aimed to investigate the Metallo-beta-Lactamase VIM-1, SPM-1, and IMP-1 genes among clinical P. aeruginosa species isolated in Zahedan, Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The current study investigated the presence of MBL through phenotypic and genotypic methods and also the pattern of antibiotic resistance in P. aeruginosa species isolated in hospitals. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) against imipeneme was measured for 191 P. aeruginosa species isolated from Zahedan hospitals after identification through biochemical methods and determination of the antibiotic resistance pattern. Strains with MIC > 4 µg/mL were studied by phenotypic and genotypic methods. RESULTS: The rate of resistance against imipeneme was 5.7% and after carrying out the phenotypic experiments, nine species were identified as of MBL producer. Seven species were confirmed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method. Gene VIM-1 was the predominant gene among the positive (antibiotic resistant) species. CONCLUSIONS: The study results showed that MBL genes were present in some of the species isolated from Zahedan hospitals. Regarding the importance of MBL producer bacteria in hospitals, quick identification and evaluation of these clinical species can be considered as an important and basic step for treatment and control of pseudomonad infections.

Antibacterial activity of ethyl acetate and aqueous extracts of Mentha longifolia L. and hydroalcoholic extract of Zataria multiflora Boiss. plants against important human pathogens.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the potential antibacterial activity of ethyl acetate and aqueous extracts from Mentha longifolia L. (M. longifolia) and hydroalcoholic extract of Zataria multiflora Boiss. (Z. multiflora) against important human pathogens. METHODS: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shigella dysenteriae, Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumonia), Enterobacter cloacae, Salmonella typhi, Proteus mirabilis, Serratia marcescens, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Staphylococcus aureus were kinds of pathogenic bacteria to determine the antibacterial effect of aqueous and ethyl acetate extracts of M. longifolia and hydroalcoholic extract of Z. multiflora using broth microdiluation method. RESULTS: The lowest minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration values for K. pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (1.25 and 2.5 mg/mL) were observed by the hydroalcoholic extract of Z. multiflora and the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration values for K. pneumonia and Serratia marcescens (2.5 and 5 mg/mL) were observed by the aqueous extracts of M. longifolia. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, it seems that Z. multiflora and M. longifolia extracts could inhibit the growth of all of the mentioned bacteria.