Histopathological and immunohistochemical study of antiosteoporotic efficacy of the earthworm Allolobophora caliginosa extract in orchiectomized rats / Estudio histopatológico e inmunohistoquímico de la eficacia antiosteoporótica del extracto de lombriz de tierra Allolobophora caliginosa en ratas orquiectomizadas

SUMMARY: Osteoporosis is a bone condition marked by a loss of bone mass and a disruption of bone microarchitecture. Men lose bone density as they age, resulting in brittle bones. The loss of free testosterone is one of the key factors. The objective of present study was to evaluate Allolobophora caliginosa extract (AcE) for its anti-osteoporotic and antiapoptotic activity in orchiotomized rat model at two different dose levels. Twenty eight male rats were divided into two groups. The first group represented sham operated rats while the second group underwent bilateral orchidectomy (OCX). After one week of recovery from orchidectomy surgery, the second group was randomly subdivided into 3 subgroups. The first OCX subgroup was administered orally distilled water daily for 10 weeks. The other two OCX subgroups were administered AcE (100 or200 mg/kg body weight/day) orally for 10 weeks. Orchiectomy induces remarkable loss of the cortical as well as trabecular bone loss; which, could be counterbalanced by Allolobophora caliginosa extract (AcE) that prevented cortical as well as trabecular bone loss. Allolobophora caliginosa extract (AcE) at Dose 200 mg/kg/day was found to be effective at a highly significant level in osteoporotic bone, as determined by histological images and immunohistochemical study, where Dose (100 mg/kg/day) was found to be moderately significant.In the present study, it is suggested that AcE may inhibit steroid-induced osteoblasts apoptosis, potentially via upregulation of Bcl-2 and downregulation of caspase-3. Allolobophora caliginosa extract demonstrates anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidant properties. Therefore, AcE may be used for the prevention of steroid-induced bone damage.

RESUMEN: La osteoporosis es una afección ósea caracterizada por una pérdida de masa ósea y una alteración de la microarquitectura ósea. Los hombres pierden densidad ósea a medida que envejecen, lo que resulta en huesos quebradizos. La pérdida de testosterona libre es factor clave en este proceso. El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar el extracto de Allolobophora caliginosa (AcE) debido a su actividad antiosteoporótica y antiapoptótica en un modelo de rata orquiectomizadas con dos niveles de dosis diferentes. Se dividieron veintiocho ratas macho en dos grupos. El primer grupo incluyó ratas con operación simulada, mientras que el segundo grupo se sometió a orquidectomía bilateral (OCX). Después de una semana de recuperación de la orquidectomía, el segundo grupo fue subdividido en 3 subgrupos. Al primer subgrupo de OCX se administró diariamente agua destilada por vía oral durante 10 semanas. Los otros dos subgrupos de OCX se administraron por vía oral AcE (100 o 200 mg / kg de peso corporal / día) durante 10 semanas. La orquidectomía induce una pérdida notable del hueso cortical y trabecular; el cual podría ser contrarrestado por el extracto de Allolobophora caliginosa (AcE) que previno la pérdida de hueso tanto cortical como trabecular visualizado en imágenes histológicas y estudio inmuno- histoquímico, donde se encontró que la dosis (100 mg / kg / día) era moderadamente significativa. En el presente estudio, se sugiere que la AcE puede inhibir la apoptosis de los osteoblastos inducida por esteroides, potencialmente a través de la regulación al alza de Bcl 2 y la regulación a la baja de caspasa 3. El extracto de Allolobophora caliginosa demuestra propiedades anti apoptóticas y antioxidantes. Por lo tanto, AcE puede usarse para la prevención del daño óseo inducido por esteroides.

Phase Ib study of patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer treated with different sequencing regimens of atezolizumab and sipuleucel-T.

BACKGROUND: Combining an immune checkpoint inhibitor with a tumor vaccine may modulate the immune system to leverage complementary mechanisms of action that lead to sustained T-cell activation and a potent prolonged immunotherapeutic response in metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). METHODS: Subjects with asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic mCRPC were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either atezolizumab followed by sipuleucel-T (Arm 1) or sipuleucel-T followed by atezolizumab (Arm 2). The primary endpoint was safety, while secondary endpoints included preliminary clinical activity such as objective tumor response and systemic immune responses that could identify key molecular and immunological changes associated with sequential administration of atezolizumab and sipuleucel-T. RESULTS: A total of 37 subjects were enrolled. The median age was 75.0 years, median prostate specific antigen (PSA) was 21.9 ng/mL, and subjects had a median number of three prior treatments. Most subjects (83.8%) had at least one treatment-related adverse event. There were no grade 4 or 5 toxicities attributed to either study drug. Immune-related adverse events and infusion reactions occurred in 13.5% of subjects, and all of which were grade 1 or 2. Of 23 subjects with Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors measurable disease, only one subject in Arm 2 had a partial response (PR) and four subjects overall had stable disease (SD) at 6 months reflecting an objective response rate of 4.3% and a disease control rate of 21.7%. T-cell receptor diversity was higher in subjects with a response, including SD. Immune response to three novel putative antigens (SIK3, KDM1A/LSD1, and PIK3R6) appeared to increase with treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, regardless of the order in which they were administered, the combination of atezolizumab with sipuleucel-T appears to be safe and well tolerated with a comparable safety profile to each agent administered as monotherapy. Correlative immune studies may suggest the combination to be beneficial; however, further studies are needed. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03024216.

IL-7 expands lymphocyte populations and enhances immune responses to sipuleucel-T in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

BACKGROUND: Sipuleucel-T (sip-T) is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved autologous cellular immunotherapy for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). We hypothesized that combining sip-T with interleukin (IL)-7, a homeostatic cytokine that enhances both B and T cell development and proliferation, would augment and prolong antigen-specific immune responses against both PA2024 (the immunogen for sip-T) and prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP). METHODS: Fifty-four patients with mCRPC treated with sip-T were subsequently enrolled and randomized 1:1 into observation (n=26) or IL-7 (n=28) arms of a phase II clinical trial (NCT01881867). Recombinant human (rh) IL-7 (CYT107) was given weekly×4. Immune responses were evaluated using flow cytometry, mass cytometry (CyTOF), interferon (IFN)-γ ELISpot, 3H-thymidine incorporation, and ELISA. RESULTS: Treatment with rhIL-7 was well tolerated. For the rhIL-7-treated, but not observation group, statistically significant lymphocyte subset expansion was found, with 2.3-2.6-fold increases in CD4+T, CD8+T, and CD56bright NK cells at week 6 compared with baseline. No significant differences in PA2024 or PAP-specific T cell responses measured by IFN-γ ELISpot assay were found between rhIL-7 and observation groups. However, antigen-specific T cell proliferative responses and humoral IgG and IgG/IgM responses significantly increased over time in the rhIL-7-treated group only. CyTOF analyses revealed pleiotropic effects of rhIL-7 on lymphocyte subsets, including increases in CD137 and intracellular IL-2 and IFN-γ expression. While not powered to detect clinical outcomes, we found that 31% of patients in the rhIL-7 group had prostate specific antigen (PSA) doubling times of >6 months, compared with 14% in the observation group. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with rhIL-7 led to a significant expansion of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and CD56bright natural killer (NK) cells compared with observation after treatment with sip-T. The rhIL-7 treatment also led to improved antigen-specific humoral and T cell proliferative responses over time as well as to increased expression of activation markers and beneficial cytokines. This is the first study to evaluate the use of rhIL-7 after sip-T in patients with mCRPC and demonstrates encouraging results for combination approaches to augment beneficial immune responses.

Targeting the spectrum of immune checkpoints in prostate cancer.

Introduction: The proven efficacy of the cellular vaccine sipuleucel-T in 2010 led to optimism about immunotherapeutic approaches for the treatment of prostate cancer. Some surmised that prostate cancer might be an ideal target for immune-mediated killing given that the prostate is not an essential organ and expresses unique proteins including prostate-specific antigen, prostate-specific membrane antigen, and prostatic acid phosphatase that could be targeted without side effects. Subsequently, antibodies that inhibit the T cell checkpoints PD1 and CTLA4 were shown to stimulate antitumor immune responses, leading to tumor regression in several cancer types. These therapies have since been tested in several studies as treatments for prostate cancer, but appear to have limited efficacy in molecularly unselected patients.Areas covered: In this review, we discuss these studies and evaluate features of prostate cancer and its host environment that may render it generally resistant to CTLA4 and PD1 blockade. We provide an overview of alternate immune checkpoints that may hold greater significance in this disease.Expert opinion: Combination therapies to target multiple layers of alternate immune checkpoints may be required for an effective immune response to prostate cancer. We discuss combination therapies currently being investigated.

Comparative Effectiveness of Levothyroxine, Desiccated Thyroid Extract, and Levothyroxine+Liothyronine in Hypothyroidism.

INTRODUCTION: Studies comparing levothyroxine (LT4) therapy with LT4 + liothyronine (LT3) or desiccated thyroid extract (DTE) did not detect consistent superiority of either treatment. Here, we investigated these therapies, focusing on the whole group of LT4-treated hypothyroid patients, while also exploring the most symptomatic patients. METHODOLOGY: Prospective, randomized, double-blind, crossover study of 75 hypothyroid patients randomly allocated to 1 of 3 treatment arms, LT4, LT4 + LT3, and DTE, for 22 weeks. The primary outcomes were posttreatment scores on the 36-point thyroid symptom questionnaire (TSQ-36), 12-point quality of life general health questionnaire (GHQ-12), the Wechsler memory scale-version IV (VMS-IV), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Secondary endpoints included treatment preference, biochemical and metabolic parameters, etiology of hypothyroidism, and Thr92Ala-DIO2 gene polymorphism. Analyses were performed with a linear mixed model using subject as a random factor and group as a fixed effect. RESULTS: Serum TSH remained within reference range across all treatment arms. There were no differences for primary and secondary outcomes, except for a minor increase in heart rate caused by DTE. Treatment preference was not different and there were no interferences of the etiology of hypothyroidism or Thr92Ala-DIO2 gene polymorphism in the outcomes. Subgroup analyses of the 1/3 most symptomatic patients on LT4 revealed strong preference for treatment containing T3, which improved performance on TSQ-36, GHQ-12, BDI, and visual memory index (VMS-IV component). CONCLUSIONS: As a group, outcomes were similar among hypothyroid patients taking DTE vs LT4 + T3 vs LT4. However, those patients that were most symptomatic on LT4 preferred and responded positively to therapy with LT4 + LT3 or DTE.

Investigating the molecular control of deer antler extract on articular cartilage.

BACKGROUND: Deer antler is considered as a precious traditional Chinese medicinal material and has been widely used to reinforce kidney's yang, nourish essence, and strengthen bone function. The most prominent bioactive components in deer antler are water-soluble proteins that play potential roles in bone formation and repair. The aim of this study was to explore the molecular control and therapeutic targets of deer antler extract (DAE) on articular cartilage. METHODS: DAE was prepared as previously described. All rats were randomly divided into Blank group and DAE group (10 rats per group) after 7-day adaptive feeding. The rats in DAE group were orally administrated with DAE at a dose of 0.2 g/kg per day for 3 weeks, and the rats in Blank group were fed with drinking water. Total RNA was isolated from the articular cartilage of knee joints. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) experiment combined with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) verification assay was carried out to explore the molecular control and therapeutic targets of DAE on articular cartilage. RESULTS: We demonstrated that DAE significantly increased the expression levels of functional genes involved in cartilage formation, growth, and repair and decreased the expression levels of susceptibility genes involved in the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis. CONCLUSIONS: DAE might serve as a candidate supplement for maintaining cartilage homeostasis and preventing cartilage degeneration and inflammation. These effects were possibly achieved by accelerating the expression of functional genes involved in chondrocyte commitment, survival, proliferation, and differentiation and suppressing the expression of susceptibility genes involved in the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis. Thus, our findings will contribute towards deepening the knowledge about the molecular control and therapeutic targets of DAE on the treatment of cartilage-related diseases.

Effect of Porcine Placenta Extract Supplement on Skin Condition in Healthy Adult Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study.

Placenta extract has been used as a component of ointments for skin dryness and beautification. However, little is known about the effect of oral intake of placenta extract on skin condition. The current study aimed to clinically explore the effect of oral intake of porcine placenta extract on human skin quality. A randomized controlled double-blind trial was performed on healthy women aged 40-59 years (n = 20), who were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or 200 mg of porcine placenta extract once daily for 4 weeks from 28 January 2019 to 25 February 2019. Skin quality parameters and the Simplified Menopausal Index (SMI) were assessed at baseline and after 4 weeks. After 4 weeks, three parameters of skin quality were significantly improved in the porcine placenta group compared with the placebo group. These results suggest that porcine placenta extract can be used as a health food ingredient to maintain humans' skin condition in the dry winter season.

Pharmacotherapeutic strategies for castrate-resistant prostate cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is a potentially symptomatic disease with an eventual lethal outcome. Novel pharmaceutical agents are continuously studied with encouraging results in CRPC. AREAS COVERED: In this perspective, the authors present established and promising pharmacotherapeutic strategies for the management of CRPC; both with and without metastases. Apart from the different treatment strategies, the authors present the relevant sequence of treatment through disease progression. EXPERT OPINION: Usually, docetaxel should be considered the first line treatment in mCRPC. Abiraterone acetate (AA) plus prednisone or enzalutamide (ENZ) could be alternative treatments in chemotherapy naïve patients. Sipuleucel-T has been approved for the treatment of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic mCRPC. Ra-223 has been approved for patients with mCRPC with symptomatic bone metastases (not visceral metastases). Cabazitaxel has been approved as the second line treatment to docetaxel in mCRPC. No differences in the overall survival has been observed between sequences starting with docetaxel versus AA/ENZ. Between AA-to-ENZ and ENZ-to-AA sequence, the AA-to-ENZ sequence appeared to be more favorable than the ENZ-to-AA regarding progression-free survival but not overall survival. Carbazitaxel seemed to retain its activity regardless of the treatment sequence. Of note, ENZ and apalutamide have been approved in non-metastatic CRPC.

Survival of African-American and Caucasian men after sipuleucel-T immunotherapy: outcomes from the PROCEED registry.

PURPOSE: African Americans experience greater prostate cancer risk and mortality than do Caucasians. An analysis of pooled phase III data suggested differences in overall survival (OS) between African American and Caucasian men receiving sipuleucel-T. We explored this in PROCEED (NCT01306890), an FDA-requested registry in over 1900 patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) treated with sipuleucel-T. PATIENTS AND METHODS: OS for patients who received ≥1 sipuleucel-T infusion was compared between African American and Caucasian men using an all patient set and a baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-matched set (two Caucasians to every one African American with baseline PSAs within 10% of each other). Univariable and multivariable analyses were conducted. Survival data were examined using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard methodologies. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 46.6 months. Overall survival differed between African American and Caucasian men with hazard ratios (HR) of 0.81 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.68-0.97, P = 0.03) in the all patient set and 0.70 (95% CI: 0.57-0.86, P < 0.001) in the PSA-matched set. Median OS was longer in African Americans than in Caucasian men for both analysis sets, e.g., 35.3 and 25.8 months, respectively, in the PSA-matched set. Similar results were observed in the all patient set. Differences were larger when treatment began at lower baseline PSA; curves were more similar among patients with higher baseline PSA. In patients with baseline PSA below the median, the HR was 0.52 (95% CI: 0.37-0.72, P < 0.001), with median OS of 54.3 versus 33.4 months. Known prognostic factors and African American race (multivariable analyses; HR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.48-0.74, P < 0.001) were independently associated with OS. Use of post-sipuleucel-T anticancer interventions was balanced between races. CONCLUSION: In this exploratory analysis of a registry including nearly 12% African American men with mCRPC, OS was significantly different between African Americans and Caucasians, indicating further research is warranted.

Prostaglandin E2, Produced by Mast Cells in Colon Tissues From Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Contributes to Visceral Hypersensitivity in Mice.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Visceral hypersensitivity is common in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). We investigated whether inflammatory molecules, such as histamine and proteases, activate prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (also called COX2) to increase the synthesis of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) by mast cells, which activates the receptor PTGER2 (also called EP2) in the dorsal root ganglia to promote visceral hypersensitivity. METHODS: We used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure levels of spontaneous release of molecules from mast cells in colonic mucosa from patients with IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D; 18 women and 5 men; aged 28-60 years), healthy individuals (controls, n = 24), mice, and rats. We measured visceromotor responses to colorectal distension in rodents after intracolonic administration of colon biopsy supernatants, histamine, PGE2, a small interfering RNA against EP2, or an agonist of F2R like trypsin receptor 1 (F2RL1, also called protease-activated receptor 2 [PAR2]). We investigated the role of COX2, produced by mast cells, in mediation of visceral hypersensitivity using mice with the Y385F substitution in Ptgs2 (Ptgs2Y385F mice), mast cell-deficient (W/WV) mice, and W/WV mice given injections of mast cells derived from wild-type or Ptgs2Y385F mice. RESULTS: Colon biopsies from patients with IBS-D had increased levels of PGE2, based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and COX2 messenger RNA and protein, compared with control biopsies. Immunohistochemistry showed that most of the COX2 was in mast cells. Intracolonic infusions of rats with IBS-D biopsy supernatants generated a 3- to 4-fold increase in visceromotor responses to colorectal distension; this was associated with significant increases in PGE2, histamine, and tryptase in the colonic mucosa. These increases were prevented by a mast cell stabilizer, COX2 inhibitor, or knockdown of EP2. Intracolonic administration of supernatants from biopsies of patients with IBS-D failed to induce visceral hypersensitivity or increase the level of PGE2 in W/WV and Ptgs2Y385Fmice. Reconstitution of mast cells in W/WV mice restored the visceral hypersensitivity response. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal synthesis of PGE2 by colonic mast cells appears to induce visceral hypersensitivity in patients with IBS-D.

Treatment Patterns and Outcomes in Patients With Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer in a Real-world Clinical Practice Setting in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of several life-prolonging therapies for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC); however, real-world data on their use, survival effect, and safety are limited. Using electronic health record data from the Flatiron Health database, we studied real-world treatment patterns and health outcomes in patients with mCRPC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, non-interventional cohort analysis of electronic health record data of patients with confirmed mCRPC between January 2013 and September 2017. The primary objective was to describe real-world treatment patterns, including treatment type, duration, and sequencing. Secondary objectives included describing patient characteristics and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Of 2559 patients with mCRPC, 1980 (77%) received at least 1 line of life-prolonging therapy (abiraterone, enzalutamide, docetaxel, cabazitaxel, sipuleucel-T, or radium-223). Of patients receiving first-line therapy, 49% received second-line therapy, and of these, 43% received third-line therapy. Abiraterone/prednisone and enzalutamide accounted for 65% of first-line therapies and 54% of second-line therapies. Docetaxel was the most common third-line therapy (24%). Back-to-back use of abiraterone/prednisone and enzalutamide was common. Radium-223 monotherapy use was 2% in the first-line setting, 3% in the second-line setting, and 8% in the third-line setting. The median overall survival was longer in patients who received life-prolonging therapies (23.7 months; 95% confidence interval: 22.3-25.1 months) than in those who did not (10.1 months; 95% confidence interval: 9.1-11.5 months). CONCLUSION: These real-world insights on over 2500 patients with mCRPC supplement findings from randomized controlled trials and may help to inform clinical trial design, treatment guidelines, and clinical decision-making.

Real World Experience With Pembrolizumab in Recurrent or Advanced Prostate Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Phase II trials have shown activity with pembrolizumab against prostate cancer. However, the clinical factors predictive of a response to pembrolizumab in men with prostate cancer are unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 54 consecutive men with progressive, recurrent, or advanced prostate cancer were treated with 1 to 12 cycles of pembrolizumab 200 mg every 3 weeks with or without stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). RESULTS: For the 31 men evaluable for response, the median age, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, and Gleason score were 75 years, 30 ng/mL, and 8 (4 + 4), respectively, which were similar to those for the 23 nonevaluable patients. The treatments received before pembrolizumab were enzalutamide in 26, abiraterone in 18, and sipuleucel-T in 23. All but 4 men had had castrate-resistant disease. Of the 54 men, 31 had completed ≥ 4 cycles of pembrolizumab and were evaluable for the response. Ten men had undergone SBRT to an isolated metastasis shortly before or during pembrolizumab treatment, with the goal of inducing an abscopal effect. The clinical characteristics of the 17 men with a response or stable disease were compared with those of the 14 men with progressive disease. Grade ≥ 2 toxicity occurred in 16 men (30%). PSA stabilization or a response occurred in slightly more than one half (55%) of the men treated with ≥ 4 cycles of pembrolizumab. Five patients had a notable PSA decline of > 50%, which were sustained as long as they had continued receiving pembrolizumab. A PSA response or stabilization was more common for men who had begun taking pembrolizumab with a lower PSA level, fewer bone metastases, and fewer mutations and without previous chemotherapy. A statistically nonsignificant trend toward stabilization or a response was observed in men who had undergone concomitant SBRT. CONCLUSION: Pembrolizumab showed modest anticancer activity against metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer. A PSA response or stabilization occurred more frequently in men with less-advanced disease.

Effect of Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Chicken Embryo Extract on Flap Viability and Mast Cells in Rat Skin Flaps.

Study Objective: We investigated the effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) and chicken embryo extract (CEE), alone and in combination, on tissue viability of skin flaps, and mast cells (MCs), in an experimental random skin flap (RSF) rat model. Materials and Methods: A 30 mm × 80 mm RSF was made on the dorsum of each of the forty rats, which were then divided into four groups. One group did not receive any treatment and served as the control, the second group received BMMSCs, the third group received CEE + BMMSCs, and the fourth group received CEE. For BMMSC treatment, 6 × 109 BMMSCs were injected into twelve separate injection sites of each flap. Seven days after RSF surgery, the remaining viable part of each flap was measured and examined to determine the number of blood vessels, MCs, and degranulated MCs. Results: The CEE, CEE + BMMSC, and BMMSC groups displayed significantly higher levels of flap viability (ANOVA test: p = 0.000; LSD test for all groups: p = 0.000), and a greater number of vessels (ANOVA test: p = 0.000; LSD test: p = 0.000, 0.002, and 0.012, respectively), compared with the control group. The flap viability was poorer in the BMMSC group than in the CEE and CEE + BMMSC groups. The BMMSC group also had a greater number of degranulated and total MCs, compared with the CEE and CEE + BMMSC groups. Conclusions: We observed biostimulatory effects of BMMSCs, CEE, and CEE + BMMSCs on flap viability and vessel numbers, compared to the control group. MCs produced in response to BMMSC treatment have an inhibitory effect on the RSFs survival in an ischemic tissue model.

Design of Experiment, Preparation, and in vitro Biological Assessment of Human Amniotic Membrane Extract Loaded Nanoparticles.

BACKGROUND: Human amniotic membrane grafting could be potentially useful in ocular surface complications due to tissue similarity and the presence of factors that reduce inflammation, vascularization, and scarring. However, considerations like donor-derived infectious risk and the requirement of an invasive surgery limit the clinical application of such treatments. Moreover, the quick depletion of bioactive factors after grafting reduces the efficacy of treatments. Therefore, in the current study, the possibility of nano delivery of the bioactive factors extracted from the human amniotic membrane to the ocular surface was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nanoparticles were prepared using polyelectrolyte complexation from chitosan and dextran sulfate. The effect of polymer ratio, pH, and the amount of extract on particle size and encapsulation efficacy were studied using Box-Behnken response surface methodology. RESULTS: The optimum condition was obtained as follows: 4.9:1 ratio of dextran sulfate to chitosan, 600 µL amniotic membrane extract, and pH of 6. The prepared nanoparticles had an average size of 213 nm with 77% encapsulation efficacy. In the release test, after 10 days, approximately 50% of entrapped bioactive proteins were released from the nanocarriers in a controlled manner. Biological activity assessment on endothelial cells revealed amniotic membrane extract loaded nanoparticles had a longer and significant increase in anti-angiogenic effect when compared to the control. CONCLUSION: Our data elucidate the ability of nanotechnology in ocular targeted nano delivery of bioactive compounds.

Anticancer Activity of Earthworm Powder (Lumbricus terrestris) Against MCF-7 and PC-3 Cancer Cell Lines.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The importance of earthworm in treatment of various diseases has been proven in ancient literatures. Nowadays, with advances in biotechnology, earthworm is considered a rich natural source of many biomolecules that possesses antioxidant and antitumor activities. The present study aimed to evaluate the antitumor activity of earthworm powder (Lumbricus terrestris) against two cell lines, breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and prostate cancer cells (PC-3). METHODS: Fully matured earthworms (L. terrestris) were collected from soil in Baghdad, Iraq. To assess the cytotoxicity of earthworm powder, the MTT assay was conducted on cancerous (MCF-7 and PC-3 cells) and normal cell line (WRL68 cells) lines. RESULTS: It was revealed that earthworm powder exerts cytotoxic effects against two cancer cell lines. The viability of MCF-7 and PC-3 cells decreased with increasing the concentration. The IC50 values for PC-3 and MCF-7 cell lines were 265.5 and 965.9 µg/ml, respectively, while the earthworm powder exhibited no cytotoxicity against the WRL68 cells. According to the analysis of the results of the multiple cytotoxicity assay (HCS), the treatment of PC-3 cells with 100, 200, and 400 µg/ml of earthworm powder for 24 h at 37 °C led to cell death by changing the permeability of mitochondrial membrane resulting in cytochrome C release and inducing apoptosis. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study contribute additional evidence for the antitumor activity of earthworm extracts. Therefore, further research should concentrate on isolating and identifying the earthworm's active biomolecules that have antitumor activity by investigating the molecular mechanism, genetics, and pathways responsible for the antitumor activity of these biomolecules.

Dietary Supplementation with Sea Bass (Lateolabrax maculatus) Ameliorates Ulcerative Colitis and Inflammation in Macrophages through Inhibiting Toll-Like Receptor 4-Linked Pathways.

Sea bass (Lateolabrax maculatus) is a kind of food material commonly consumed in daily life. In traditional Chinese medicinal books, it has been indicated that sea bass can be applied for managing many inflammation-associated conditions. However, the studies on the pharmacological mechanisms of inflammation of sea bass remain scarce. Hence, this study aims to investigate the molecular mechanisms of the anti-inflammatory activity of sea bass. Anti-inflammatory activities of sea bass were assessed using dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in a mice model and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophages model. Low body weight and short colon length were observed in DSS-fed mice that were significantly recovered upon sea bass treatments. Moreover, the colon histopathology score showed that sea bass-treated mice had decreased crypt damage, focal inflammation infiltration and the extent of inflammation, suggesting that treatment with sea bass could attenuate intestinal inflammation. In addition, the in-vitro study conjointly indicated that sea bass could suppress the inflammatory mediators in LPS-activated macrophage by inhibiting the TLR4-linked pathway. The present findings demonstrated that sea bass has an inhibitory effect on TLR4 signaling; thus, it could be a promising candidate for treating inflammation-associated conditions. A further justification for the clinical application of sea bass in treating inflammation-associated conditions is necessary.

Efficacy of a Ceratothoa oestroides Olive Oil Extract in Patients With Chronic Ulcers: A Pilot Study.

Chronic wounds unresponsive to existing treatments constitute a serious disease burden. Factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic ulcers include oxidative stress, comorbid microbial infections, and the type of immune system response. Preclinically, and in a case study, a formulation containing a Ceratothoa oestroides olive oil extract promoted wound healing. Patients with chronic venous and pressure ulcers, clinically assessed as being unresponsive to healing agents, were treated for 3 months with an ointment containing the C oestroides extract combined with antibiotic and/or antiseptic agents chosen according to the type of bacterial infection. Treatment evaluation was performed using the Bates-Jensen criteria with +WoundDesk and MOWA cell phone applications. After 3 months of treatment, C oestroides resulted in an average decrease of 36% in the Bates-Jensen score of ulcers (P < .000), with the decrease being significant from the first month (P < .007). The combined use of topically applied antibiotics and antiseptics efficiently controlled microbial ulcer infection and facilitated wound healing. In relation to other factors such as initial wound size, chronicity appeared to be an important prognostic factor regarding the extent of wound healing. Future clinical investigations assessing the wound healing efficacy of the C oestroides olive oil extract are warranted.

Preventive and therapeutic effects of Trichinella spiralis adult extracts on allergic inflammation in an experimental asthma mouse model.

BACKGROUND: Helminths immunomodulate the host immune system by secreting proteins to create an inhibitory environment as a strategy for survival in the host. As a bystander effect, this balances the host immune system to reduce hypersensitivity to allergens or autoantigens. Based on this, helminth therapy has been used to treat some allergic or autoimmune diseases. As a tissue-dwelling helminth, Trichinella spiralis infection has been identified to have strong immunomodulatory effects; the effective components in the worm have not yet been identified. METHODS: The soluble extracts of T. spiralis adult worms and muscle larvae were used to treat airway inflammation before and after an ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitization/challenge in an OVA-induced asthma mouse model. The therapeutic effects were observed by measuring the level of inflammation in the lungs. RESULTS: The soluble products derived from T. spiralis parasites, especially from adult worms, were able to ameliorate OVA-induced airway inflammatory responses which were associated with reduced eosinophil infiltration, OVA-specific IgE, Th2 cytokine IL-4, and increased IL-10 and TGF-ß. The stimulation of the Treg response may contribute to the alleviated allergic inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: Trichinella spiralis worm extracts stimulate regulatory cytokines that are associated with reduced allergic airway inflammation. The identification of effective components in the adult worm extracts will be a crucial approach for developing a novel therapeutic for allergic and autoimmune diseases.

Prolonged PSA stabilization and overall survival following sipuleucel-T monotherapy in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Sipuleucel-T is an autologous cellular immunotherapy that is FDA approved for the treatment of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The IMPACT registry trial demonstrated a 4.1 month survival benefit, but not a consistent PSA response or improvement in progression-free survival. Based upon several factors, including this lack of objective treatment response, sipuleucel-T has been under-utilized in this patient population, despite current NCCN recommendations. METHODS: In order to explore if delayed treatment response occurs in a subset of patients, we performed a single institutional retrospective analysis of mCRPC patients treated with sipuleucel-T and ongoing ADT alone. Within that group, we then identified a subset of sipuleucel-T-treated men with long-term disease control and no additional interventions. To independently confirm this finding, we evaluated a total of 336 patients from 4 large urology group practices treated with sipuleucel-T between 2010 and 2014 and identified 44 patients who met the same criteria and demonstrated evidence of PSA stabilization post sipuleucel-T treatment. RESULTS: For this subgroup of patients, 79% (95% CI: 64.5%, 88.1%) survived 36 months with a median time to subsequent therapy of 17.8 months (95% CI 10.3, 25.3). CONCLUSIONS: Although patient selection could account for some or all of these results, these data support the utilization of sipuleucel-T alone in select mCRPC patients that is associated with a delay in disease progression and a good overall prognosis.