Anti-Cancerous Potential of Polysaccharides Derived from Wheat Cell Culture.

There is a global need to discover effective anti-cancerous compounds from natural sources. Cultivated wheat cells can be a valuable source of non-toxic or low toxic plant-derived polysaccharides. In this study, we evaluated the anti-cancer ability of seven fractions of wheat cell culture polysaccharides (WCCPSs) in the HCT-116 colon cancer cell line. Almost all (6/7) fractions had an inhibitory effect on the proliferation of colon cancer cells, and two fractions (A-b and A-f) had considerable therapeutic indexes. The WCCPS fractions induced cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase and induced different rates of apoptosis (≤48%). Transmission and scanning electron microscopy revealed that WCCPS fractions caused apoptotic changes in the nucleus and cytoplasm, including damage to mitochondria and external morphological signs of apoptosis. In addition, the WCCPSs induced an increase in the levels of Bax, cytochrome c, and caspases 8 and 3, indicating that cell death progressed through intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of apoptosis. Furthermore, some fractions caused a significant decrease of c-Myc, b-catenin, NFkB2, and HCAM (CD 44) levels, indicating enhanced cell differentiation. Thus, for the first time, our results provide a proof of concept of the anti-cancer capacity of WCCPS fractions in colorectal cancer.

LIOFeron®TB/LTBI: A novel and reliable test for LTBI and tuberculosis.

OBJECTIVES: High accuracy diagnostic screening tests for tuberculosis (TB) are required to improve the diagnosis of both active TB and latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection (LTBI). The novel IGRA LIOFeron®TB/LTBI assay was tested and its accuracy was compared to the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold Plus assay. METHODS: A total of 389 subjects were enrolled in two cohorts and classified as healthy, active TB or LTBI persons. The blood of all the patients was tested with LIOFeron®TB/LTBI assay, containing MTB alanine dehydrogenase, able to differentiate active TB from LTBI diagnosis. The results obtained with both IGRAs, performed on the same 250 samples, were finally compared. RESULTS: The two assays demonstrated an excellent concordance of their results with patients' diagnosis of MTB infection. ROC analysis for QuantiFERON®-TB Gold Plus showed sensitivity and specificity respectively of 98% and 97% in diagnosing active TB patients and 85% and 94% in diagnosing LTBI subjects. LIOFeron®TB/LTBI assay showed sensitivity and specificity respectively of 90% and 98% in diagnosing active TB patients and 94% and 97% in diagnosing LTBI subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The two IGRAs displayed the same high accuracy in diagnosing MTB infection/TB disease, and LIOFeron®TB/LTBI assay demonstrated higher sensitivity than QuantiFERON®-TB Gold Plus test in LTBI detection.

Features of Cytokine Profile in Different Age Groups.

INTRODUCTION: The study of the cytokine profile during aging is interesting because age-related changes of the immune status are usually correlate with the onset of specific diseases. Characteristics of cytokine activity in the elderly can not only detail the pathogenesis of the disease but also help to choose the appropriate therapeutic strategy, which in addition to the therapeutic effect could improve the quality of life of the elderly. The purpose of this study was to examine cytokine levels in older adults. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We examined 268 people aged 45-80 years and older. All surveyed individuals were divided into 8 different age groups. All participants were tested for concentrations of IL-1ß, IL-2, TNF-α and IFN-γ. RESULTS: The study found that concentrations of TNF-α increased with age. For age group 45-49, the concentration of TNF-α was 5.94 pcg/ml. In older age groups, there was a gradual increase in cytokine concentration. In a group of centenarians, concentration of TNF-α reached 20.55 pcg/ml, which is 3.4 times higher compared to the middle age group. Similar trends were found in the concentration of IL-1. For the age group of 45-49, the concentration of IL-1 ß was 3.38 pcg/ml, and in the age group of 80 years and older, levels of this cytokine increased almost 5 times. It was found that with age-related there is a gradual decrease in the level of IL-2, and a gradual increase of IFN-γ. The decrease in IL-2 is due to the typical aging decrease in the amount of T-lymphocytes. CONCLUSION: Thus, our results indicate that there are significant deviations of immune parameters, particularly in cytokine concentrations, in older adults compared to middle aged adults.