Biomedical Research and Therapy

Morin: a promising nutraceutical therapy for modulation of the NF-κB/NOX-2/IL-6/HO-1 signaling pathways in paracetamol-induced liver toxicity

2022-09-30T21:38:10+00:00

Introduction: Paracetamol overdose potentially causes liver injury. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of morin against paracetamol overdose-induced hepatotoxicity.

Methods: Thirty albino rats weighing 185 ± 5 g were randomly selected from five groups: group I: orally administered with 1% Tween 80; group II: administered with 1 g paracetamol; group III: administered with 1 g paracetamol and 50 mg morin; group IV: administered with 100 mg paracetamol and morin; and group V: administered with 100 mg paracetamol and silymarin, with all treatments administered for 14 days.

Results: Morin and silymarin significantly protected the rats against induced alterations in the plasma total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, and HDL-C levels as well as the liver ALT, AST, ALP, LDH, protein thiol, GSH, SOD, CAT, MDA, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels. Furthermore, morin significantly inhibited the expression of NF-κB, NADPH oxidase-2, and interleukin-6 and induction of heme oxygenase-1 compared with paracetamol. The histological results indicated that morin protected the liver tissues against the toxic effect of paracetamol.

Conclusion: Morin significantly depletes the side effects of paracetamol and protects the liver tissue from the resulting free radicals.

Exosomes from human adipose-derived stem cells promoted the expression of angiogenic factors in endothelial cells

2022-10-01T22:50:34+00:00

Introduction: In regenerative medicine, human adipose tissue–derived mesenchymal stem cells (hadMSCs) have exhibited tremendous promise as an efficient approach to chronic cardiovascular diseases. Detrimental effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been acknowledged to contribute to not only cellular engraftment and response to the site of injury but also paracrine action via the release of extracellular vesicles, notably exosomes. This study aimed to investigate the effects of exosomes from hadMSCs (hadMSC-Exo) on the angiogenesis of endothelial cells.

Methods: Firstly, hadMSCs were characterized and cultured at a density of 500,000 cells in exosome-free medium for 48 hours. The conditioned medium was ultracentrifuged for exosome isolation. Obtained exosomes were characterized with the expression of CD9, CD63, and CD81 markers by flow cytometry and imaged with a TEM microscope. Exosomes were added to a culture medium of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) to understand the effects of exosomes on HUVECs. The expression of some angiogenic genes in HUVECs was identified by RT-qPCR.

Results: The concentration of total protein in isolated exosomes by Bradford assay was 0.51 ± 0.04 mg/mL. Exosomes were successfully isolated and characterized by their morphology and immunophenotype. The results showed that exosomes significantly increased the mRNA expression of TGF (11.56 ± 2.03, P < 0.05), Flk-1 (4.04 ± 0.01, P < 0.05), VE-cadherin (7.25 ± 2.30, P < 0.05), and CD31 (3.02 ± 1.13, P < 0.05).

Conclusion: This study suggested that exosomes promoted the angiogenesis of endothelial cells in vitro.

Light-Chain Multiple Myeloma Presenting as a Bone Tumor in the Right Knee Joint – a Case Report

2022-10-01T08:26:05+00:00

Myeloma is the neoplastic proliferation of plasma cells. The peak age of onset of this disease is the seventh decade, and it is rare in young patients. Myeloma usually presents as lytic lesions in axial bones and rarely present as a joint disease. Usually, the tumor cells secrete monoclonal immunoglobulins. Non-secretory myeloma is a rare clinical entity. The incidence of light-chain myeloma is 16 – 20 % among all multiple myelomas, and the more common subtype is the lambda chain type. We present a case of kappa light chain-type myeloma in a 29-year-old male with the presenting lesion in the right knee joint. The case is presented for its rarity due to the age of patient, presentation, and type of myeloma.