Nanocrystal Structure of Minoxidil: A Safe Stimulator for Hair Growth Factor for C57BL/6 Mice.

BACKGROUND: Commercial Minoxidil (MXD) is commonly used as a vasodilator agent of hair follicles for providing direct dermal papilla cell proliferation and consequently enhancing the rate of hair growth. OBJECTIVE: The current study attempted to improve the bioactivity and water solubility of MXD by producing nanocrystal structures and investigating the obtained hair growthstimulating activity on C57BL/6 mice. METHOD: The MXD nanoparticles (MXD-NPs) were prepared through a bead mill and ultrasonic process and characterized by DLS, XRD, UV-Vis, FTIR, FESEM, TEM, and Zeta-potential techniques. RESULT: The cytotoxicity of MXD-NPs was studied on human dermal fibroblast (HDF) by MTT assay. Lastly, we analyzed the comparative hair growth inductive activity of certain MXD-NPs concentrations on C57BL/6 mice. The stabled MXD-NPs (-46 mV, 21.9 nm) caused a significant increase in the hair growth rate of C57BL/6 mice by running a safe site-specific delivery mechanism on the targeted pilosebaceous follicles when compared to MXD. CONCLUSION: The MXD-NPs-receiving mice exhibited a greater rate of anagen/telogen follicular when compared with MXD-treated types, which verified the improvement of their hair re-growing and follicular-stimulative activities. Therefore, these outcomes confirmed the potential of MXD-NPs for substituting its commercial solution format as a safe and efficient iso-formulation structure.

Preparation and preclinical characterization of 111In-DTPA-Anti-MUC1 as a radioimmunoconjugate for diagnosis of breast cancer by single-photon emission computed tomography.

Context: Targeting MUC1 antigens which are overexpressed in 80% of breast cancers can be widely used in the field of radioimmunoscintigraphy (RIS) of breast cancer. Aims: The aim of this study was to develop a new diagnostic labeled compound for breast cancer RIS. Settings and Design: In this study, an efficient indirect labeling method of PR81 with Indium-111 was developed and preliminary preclinical qualifications were reported. Subjects and Methods: 111In-DTPA-PR81 was prepared and its radiochemical purity and stabilities in human serum and in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) buffer were surveyed. Furthermore, cellular studies including complex reactivity, binding specificity, cell toxicity, etc., were examined. Finally, biodistribution and scintigraphy of the complex were studied in normal and tumoral animals. Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 10.0. Results: 111In-DTPA-PR81 was prepared with a radiochemical purity of >99% at optimized conditions. Stability studies showed the radiochemical purity of >90% in PBS buffer after 96 h, while the stability in human serum showed decrement to 81% after 96 h. Reactivity of the complex with MUC1 was significantly (P < 0.005) higher than bovine serum albumin (BSA) (about 7-8 times), even though BSA concentration was about twice the MUC1. The binding specificity of the complex to the MUC1 antigen was confirmed by means of immunoreactivity assay. Cell toxicity examination showed no significant lethal effect of the radiolabeled compound on the cells. Biodistribution studies of the complex in normal rats were consistent with the biodistribution of antibodies and high accumulation was observed in the tissues expressing MUC1 antigen. The results of 111In-DTPA-PR81 scintigraphy in tumoral female BALB/c mice at 24 and 48 h after injection showed an increasement of the accumulation in the tumor site. Conclusions: 111In-DTPA-PR81 can be considered as a potential agent for imaging of the MUC1 +breast tumors.

The effect of the human cumulus cells-conditioned medium on in vitro maturation of mouse oocyte: An experimental study.

BACKGROUND: To increase the results of infertility treatment, many efforts have been made to improve the treatment methods. As assisted reproductive technology is mainly using cell culture methods, one of the approaches to improve this technology is conditioned medium from different sources. It is desirable to apply in vitro maturation (IVM) and use oocytes from normal cycles instead of stimulating ovulation. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of human cumulus cell condition medium (hCCCM) on the IVM of immature mouse oocytes and morphology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this experimental study, 240 germinal vesile oocytes were collected from four-six wk-old mice after 48 hr of 5IU pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) injection and cultured in hCCCM (test group, n = 120) and DMEM + 20% FBS (control group, n = 120). The IVM rates and changes in perivitelline space (PVS) and shape were investigated at 8, 16, and 24 hr following the culture. The mature (MII) oocytes were subjected to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and the fertilization rate was assessed in three days. RESULTS: A significant difference was observed between the maturation rates in the hCCCM and control groups (24.16% vs 0%; p = 0.001), as well as morphologic changes between the two groups (p = 0.04, p = 0.05). The development rate for MII oocytes attained from IVM in the hCCCM group was 27.58% (2-cell) and 6.89% (4-cell). Data displayed that hCCCM is an effective medium for oocytes maturation compared to the control medium. CONCLUSION: hCCCM supports oocyte in vitro growth and maturation. Moreover, hCCCM changes the oocyte shape and size of perivitelline space.

Antitumoral potential of microvesicles extracted from human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells on human breast cancer cells.

AIM OF STUDY: One of the new methods that have promising results is the use of cell-derived microvesicles (MVs) to kill tumor cells. Given that MVs contain apoptotic materials, genes, and proteins, they can interfere with the fate of adjacent cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present study, after adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AT-MSCs) isolation and characterization, MVs were derived from AT-MSCs and then characterized morphologically by standard error of the mean and size determination by DLS, and after that, the influence of MVs on human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) was investigated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium assay and apoptosis-related gene expression. The raw data were analyzed in SPSS.17 software. RESULTS: The results indicated that MVs have a size range of 500-1500 nm, and the viability of MCF-7 was significantly decreased when treated by different concentrations of MVs and it was confirmed when apoptosis-related genes' expression level was measured by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction whereas demonstrated that apoptosis genes including Bax, P53, P21, and EP300 (2- ΔΔ CT) and ΔCT values were expressed significantly in MCF-7 treated by MVs higher than those nontreated, and decrease of Bcl-2 expression level in MVs-treated MCF-7 was also significant as an antiapoptosis-related gene. CONCLUSIONS: Taking together, AT-MSC-derived MVs demonstrated anticancer or antitumoral properties on MCF-7 cells, and it could also be effective for other types of cancer cells.

Demographic Characteristics and Functional Performance of the Kidneys and Hearts of Patients with Acute Tramadol Toxicity.

BACKGROUND: Tramadol overdose is disproportionately more common in Iran, and in recent years, it has become one of the most common causes of poisoning admissions to emergency departments in this country. Tramadol is a synthetic analogue of codeine and a weak opioid receptor (µ) agonist that can cause seizures even in commonly used doses. AIMS: This study aimed to examine the relationship between seizure and plasma tramadol concentration in patients with tramadol poisoning who referred to one of the hospitals in Ghaemshahr, Iran. STUDY DESIGN: This research is an analytical cross-sectional study. METHODS: A total of 121 tramadol users (non-seizure group=61 and seizure group=60) were admitted to hospital. Demographic characteristics and clinical findings were collected by a questionnaire. Plasma was harvested after separation from blood cells and quantified using the HPLC method. Biochemical parameters, including urea, creatinine, troponin I, and creatine phosphokinase (CPK-MB) were determined by spectrophotometry. This study was a single blind design study. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 25 years. Ninety-five participants were classified as smokers. The mean serum concentrations of tramadol in subjects with seizures and those without seizures were 491.90 µg/ml and 374.42 µg/ml (p=0.211), respectively. Average concentrations of biochemical parameters in the seizure group were 53.33 (9.38) µg/ml urea, 1.71 (0.29) µg/ml Cr, 6.53 (2.89) µg/ml TPI, and 58.23 (22.20) µg/ml CPK- MB. Average concentrations of biochemical parameters were significantly higher in the seizure group than in the non-seizure group (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Tramadol-induced seizures were not found to be related to age, gender, or dosage. This complication can lead to cardiac and renal complications in individuals on tramadol experiencing seizures. This result indicates that stricter restrictions should be imposed on the distribution and administration of the drug tramadol.

Improved anticancer properties of stem cells derived exosomes by prolonged release from PCL nanofibrous structure.

Systemic chemotherapy as a routine method for the treatment of cancers has several complications. Localized chemotherapy can significantly increase the treatment efficacy and reduce side effects. Here, mesenchymal stem cells derived microvesicles (MVs) was incorporated into Polycaprolactone nanofibers and then the apoptotic behavior of MCF-7 breast cancer cells was investigated while cultured on MVs-Polycaprolactone by using SEM, MTT and apoptotic gene expression. Results demonstrated that MVs-Polycaprolactone group was shown a great apoptosis induction potential into MCF-7 cells and it can be concluded that MVs-Polycaprolactone has a great promising potential to introduce as an in-situ tumor inhibitor construct rather than chemo-drugs.

The Effect of Zinc Supplementation on Expressed Levels of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma and Glucose Transporter Type 1 Genes in Newborns of Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

The current study was designed to determine the beneficial effects of zinc supplementation on expressed levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) and glucose transporter type 1 (GLUT1) genes in newborns of women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed among 40 women with GDM. Patients were randomly allocated to intake either 233 mg zinc gluconate (containing 30 mg zinc) (n = 20) or a placebo (n = 20) for 6 weeks. PPAR-γ and GLUT1 mRNA levels were quantified in umbilical cord blood of newborns of women with GDM. After 6 weeks of intervention, the change in serum zinc levels was greater in women consuming zinc than in the placebo group (+11.1 ± 13.4 vs. -4.8 ± 17.3 mg/dL, P = 0.002). Quantitative results of RT-PCR demonstrated that compared with the placebo, zinc supplementation resulted in a significant increase of expressed levels of PPAR-γ mRNA (P < 0.001) and GLUT1 mRNA (P < 0.001) in umbilical cord blood of newborns of women with GDM. Taken together, the current study demonstrated that zinc supplementation for 6 weeks among GDM women increased the mRNA levels of PPAR-γ and GLUT1 in their newborns compared with the placebo group.