Translational research into frailty from bench to bedside: Salivary biomarkers for inflammaging.

Frailty is a complex physiological syndrome associated with adverse ageing and decreased physiological reserves. Frailty leads to cognitive and physical disability and is a significant cause of morbidity, mortality and economic costs. The underlying cause of frailty is multifaceted, including immunosenescence and inflammaging, changes in microbiota and metabolic dysfunction. Currently, salivary biomarkers are used as early predictors for some clinical diseases, contributing to the effective prevention and treatment of diseases, including frailty. Sample collection for salivary analysis is non-invasive and simple, which are paramount factors for testing in the vulnerable frail population. The aim of this review is to describe the current knowledge on the association between frailty and the inflammatory process and discuss methods to identify putative biomarkers in salivary fluids to predict this syndrome. This study describes the relationship between i.-inflammatory process and frailty; ii.-infectious, chronic, skeletal, metabolic and cognitive diseases with inflammation and frailty; iii.-inflammatory biomarkers and salivary fluids. There is a limited number of previous studies focusing on the analysis of inflammatory salivary biomarkers and frailty syndrome; hence, the study of salivary fluids as a source for biomarkers is an open area of research with the potential to address the increasing demands for frailty-associated biomarkers.

Autoimmune Responses in Oncology: Causes and Significance.

Specific anti-tumor immune responses have proven to be pivotal in shaping tumorigenesis and tumor progression in solid cancers. These responses can also be of an autoimmune nature, and autoantibodies can sometimes be present even before the onset of clinically overt disease. Autoantibodies can be generated due to mutated gene products, aberrant expression and post-transcriptional modification of proteins, a pro-immunogenic milieu, anti-cancer treatments, cross-reactivity of tumor-specific lymphocytes, epitope spreading, and microbiota-related and genetic factors. Understanding these responses has implications for both basic and clinical immunology. Autoantibodies in solid cancers can be used for early detection of cancer as well as for biomarkers of prognosis and treatment response. High-throughput techniques such as protein microarrays make parallel detection of multiple autoantibodies for increased specificity and sensitivity feasible, affordable, and quick. Cancer immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatments and has made a considerable impact on reducing cancer-associated morbidity and mortality. However, immunotherapeutic interventions such as immune checkpoint inhibition can induce immune-related toxicities, which can even be life-threatening. Uncovering the reasons for treatment-induced autoimmunity can lead to fine-tuning of cancer immunotherapy approaches to evade toxic events while inducing an effective anti-tumor immune response.

Hijos de mujeres con trasplante renal: factores de riesgo en el embarazo, estilos de crianza y funciones cognoscitivas / Children of women with kidney transplantation: risk factors in pregnancy, parenting styles and cognitive functions

Las mujeres con trasplante renal (TR) suelen cursar un embarazo de alto riesgo, pues son más susceptibles a presentar complicaciones médicas. Aunado a este hecho pueden presentar alteraciones en su estado emocional y psicológico durante y después del embarazo, lo que impactaría directamente en el estilo de crianza y desarrollo posterior del niño. Se desconoce cómo son los estilos de crianza en los hijos de las mujeres con TR y el posible impacto en su funcionamiento cognoscitivo. El presente trabajo tuvo dos objetivos: 1) determinar si existían diferencias en los estilos de crianza y las funciones cognoscitivas de los hijos de mujeres con trasplante renal en comparación con los hijos de mujeres sanas y 2) identificar la asociación entre las variables asociadas al riesgo en el embarazo y los estilos de crianza con las funciones cognoscitivas. Para ello fueron reclutados de diversos centros de trasplantes 23 niños (9 casos y 14 controles) de 7-15 años con sus respectivas madres a quienes se evaluó mediante el WISC-IV y el cuestionario CRPBI. Las madres fueron evaluadas con el cuestionario BRIEF, el cuestionario PCRI-M y el BDI-II. Se realizó un diseño transversal con alcance correlacional. No se encontraron diferencias entre el grupo caso y control en los estilos de crianza ni en las funciones cognoscitivas. Sin embargo, sí se encontró asociación entre los estilos de crianza y las funciones cognoscitivas. Un estilo en el que predomine la comunicación y la disciplina se asocia con mejores resultados cognoscitivos y conductuales.

Pregnancy in Kidney Transplant (KT) recipients is usually considered of high risk. KT recipients are susceptible to have obstetric complications. Studies report that KT recipients are at higher risk of experiencing distress during and after pregnancy, situation that may have an impact in parenting styles and child's development. Characteristics of parenting styles in KT recipients' offspring and its possible impact in cognitive functions remain unknown. The aims of the study were: 1) to determine if there are differences in parenting styles and cognitive functions among KT recipients' offspring and healthy women's offspring, and 2) to identify associations between high risk pregnancy variables, parenting styles and cognitive functions. Twenty-three children (9 cases and 14 controls) aged 8-15 years and their mothers were assessed with the (WISC-V) and the CRPBI. Mothers were asked to complete BRIEF, PCRI-M, BDI-II and a socioeconomic status instrument. A transversal correlational design was performed. No differences were found between case and control group in parenting styles or cognitive functions. However, an association between parenting styles and cognitive functions was found. Being raised with communication and discipline is associated with increased cognitive results.

Intellectual performance of kidney transplant recipients' offspring: a cross-sectional, multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: The number of successful pregnancies in kidney transplant (KT) recipients has increased in recent years. Little evidence is available about the risk of in utero immunosuppressive exposure for long-term cognitive consequences. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of immunosuppression during pregnancy on intellectual performance of children born to KT recipients. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional design, women who had undergone KT and their children (aged 4+ years) were recruited at the outpatient follow-up in five transplant centers. Women who did not receive immunosuppression during pregnancy with similar distributions of socioeconomic status and length of gestation and their children were also recruited. Children were assessed with Wechsler Intelligence Scales. RESULTS: The study sample included 50 exposed and 50 unexposed children. No differences between groups in all the proposed confounding factors were found. Full-scale IQ did not differ significantly between both groups. Also, significant differences in any index or subscale score were not observed, with the exception of time required to complete the Wechsler preschool and primary scale of intelligence (WPPSI) Zoo locations subtest, which was done quicker in the unexposed group (p = .007). Exposure to immunosuppression during pregnancy was not a significant predictor of low IQ in logistic regression after adjustment for other factors. CONCLUSIONS: Immunosuppression therapy during pregnancy of KT women did not affect global intellectual performance of their offspring, except maybe for visuospatial working memory in preschool children.