Osteomyelitis as a late complication of Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccination.

Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) osteomyelitis is a very rare complication of BCG vaccination. We report a 14-month-old boy who received BCG vaccination at birth. He developed pain and swelling in his left calf at 11 months of age. BCG osteomyelitis was diagnosed in right femur and left tibia. He had no evidence of immunodeficiency. After antituberculous therapy and surgical treatment, the bone lesions disappeared and he was discharged from hospital without any sequela during 11 months of follow-up.     

Immunomodulatory effects of mesenchymal stem cells on leukocytes with emphasis on neutrophils

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a population of multipotent cells with the ability of expansion and plastic-adherence in vitro. MSCs can differentiate into chondrocytes, osteocytes and adipocytes; they lack co-stimulatory molecules and have small amount of MHC-I that makes no immunogenicity. These characteristics are empowering MSCs’ huge in vivo applications. In addition, MSCs possess the ability of regulating the immune responses in many diseases. Many studies have shown that MSCs have immunosuppressive as well as immunoenhancing properties such as inhibition of T-lymphocytes proliferation and cytokines production which lead to the balance of Th1 and Th2. Some other immunomodulatory features of MSCs are increasing suppressive capacity of T_reg, reducing activity of B-lymphocytes and immunoglobulins secretion, inhibition of dendritic cells maturation and antigen presenting capacity, and inhibition of NK-cells activity. MSCs also exert inhibitory effects on neutrophil apoptosis and reduce reactive oxygen species production. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the MSCs? effects on immune cells, especially neutrophils.     

Calprotectin (S100A8/S100A9): a key protein between inflammation and cancer

Background

Calprotectin (S100A8/S100A9), a heterodimeric EF-hand Ca²⁺?binding protein, are abundant in cytosol of neutrophils and are involved in inflammatory processes and several cancerous pathogens.

Objective

The purpose of the present systematic review is to evaluate the pro- and anti-tumorigenic functions of calprotectin and its relation to inflammation.

Materials and methods

We conducted a review of studies published in the Medline (1966–2018), Scopus (2004–2018), ClinicalTrials.gov (2008–2018) and Google Scholar (2004–2018) databases, combined with studies found in the reference lists of the included studies.

Results

Elevated levels of S100A8/S100A9 were detected in inflammation, neoplastic tumor cells and various human cancers. Recent data have explained that many cancers arise from sites of infection, chronic irritation, and inflammation. The inflammatory microenvironment which largely includes calprotectin, has an essential role on high producing of inflammatory factors and then on neoplastic process and metastasis.

Conclusion

Scientists have shown different outcomes in inflammation, malignancy and apoptosis whether the source of the aforementioned protein is extracellular or intracellular. These findings are offering new insights that anti-inflammatory therapeutic agents and anti-tumorigenic functions of calprotectin can lead to control cancer development.

     

Comparing the effect of Toll-like receptor agonist adjuvants on the efficiency of a DNA vaccine

We have investigated whether poly(I:C) Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) and resiquimod Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) agonists can serve as vaccine adjuvants and promote the efficiency of therapeutic DNA vaccination against tumors expressing the human papilloma virus 16 (HPV-16) E7 protein. For this purpose, C57BL/6 mice were inoculated with 2 × 10⁵ TC-1 cells, and they were then immunized with HPV-16 E7 DNA vaccine alone or with 50 μg of resiquimod or poly(I:C) individually. We found that poly(I:C) and resiquimod could induce more antigen-specific lymphocyte proliferation and cytolytic activity compared to vaccination with E7 DNA alone. While E7 DNA had no significant inhibitory effect on tumor growth, co-administration of poly(I:C) and resiquimod with E7 DNA induced significant tumor regression. Peripheral and local cytokine assays demonstrated that co-administration of poly(I:C) and resiquimod with E7 DNA induced circulating antigen-specific IFN-γ and nonspecific intratumoral IL-12. TLR3 and TLR7 agonists can be used to enhance the immune response to DNA vaccine immunogens. Taken together, these data indicate that combined vaccination with DNA encoding HPV-16 E7 plus TLR agonists provides a strategy for improving the efficacy of a vaccine as a possible immunotherapeutic strategy for cervical cancer.     

Comparison of myo-inositol and metformin on glycemic control,lipid profiles,and gene expression related to insulin and lipid metabolism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized controlled clinical trial

Abstract

This investigation was conducted to evaluate comparison of myo-inositol and metformin on glycemic control, lipid profiles, and gene expression related to insulin and lipid metabolism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 53 women with PCOS, aged 18–40 years old. Subjects were randomly allocated into two groups to take either myo-inositol (n?=?26) or metformin (n?=?27) for 12 weeks. Myo-inositol supplementation, compared with metformin, significantly reduced fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (β ?5.12?mg/dL; 95% CI, ?8.09, ?2.16; p=.001), serum insulin levels (β ?1.49 µIU/mL; 95% CI, ?2.28, ?0.70; p<.001), homeostasis model of assessment-insulin resistance (β ?0.36; 95% CI, ?0.55, ?0.17; p<.001), serum triglycerides (β 12.42?mg/dL; 95% CI, ?20.47, ?4.37; p=.003) and VLDL-cholesterol levels (β ?2.48?mg/dL; 95% CI, ?4.09, ?0.87; p=.003), and significantly increased the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (β 0.006; 95% CI, 0.002, 0.01; p=.006) compared with metformin. Moreover, myo-inositol supplementation upregulated gene expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) (p=.002) compared with metformin. Overall, taking myo-inositol, compared with metformin, for 12 weeks by women with PCOS had beneficial effects on glycemic control, triglycerides and VLDL-cholesterol levels, and gene expression of PPAR-γ.     

Clinicopathological Features of Colon Polyps from African-Americans

Background and Aims  

Among the ethnic groups, the age-standardized incidence rate of colorectal cancer (CRC) is highest among African-Americans. The majority of CRC arise from preexisting adenoma. It is shown that 30% of the US adult population has adenomas. The potential risk of malignant transformation in adenomas differs by specific pathologic and clinical characteristics that we aimed to study in AAs.