Anti-epileptic effect of saikosaponin a by inhibiting ferroptosis via the IL-17/Akt/ERK signaling pathway in the temporal lobe epilepsy model.

Saikosaponin A (SSa), a triterpenoid saponin isolated from Astragalus membranaceus, possesses multiple pharmacological properties, including anticonvulsant, antiepileptic, and anti-inflammatory activities. This study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which SSa exerts therapeutic effects in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), with a particular focus on the involvement of ferroptosis pathways. In a kainic acid-induced TLE mouse model, electroencephalography (EEG) was used to monitor seizure frequency.

Bovine serum albumin modified carbon dots and berberine composite promotes tumor mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis.

Precise delivery of antitumor drugs has become a research focus in cancer treatment. Herein, we developed a bovine serum albumin (BSA) modified carbon dots (CDs) and berberine (BBR) composite for improved intravenous BBR delivery. The surface-negatively charged CDs can associate with positively charged BBR through electrostatic interactions, resulting in CDs and BBR composite (BBR@CDs).

Diagnostic value of systemic immune-inflammation index and prognostic nutritional index combined with CEA in gastric cancer with lymph node metastasis.

Background: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), systemic immune-inflammation index(SII), and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) are diagnostic markers for cancer, but their combined significance in gastric cancer (GC) with lymph node metastasis remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between these serum biomarkers and lymph node metastasis in patients with GC.

Methods: Records of patients with GC were reviewed retrospectively.

Machine learning-based scoring model for predicting mortality in ICU-admitted ischemic stroke patients with moderate to severe consciousness disorders.

Background: Stroke is a leading cause of mortality and disability globally. Among ischemic stroke patients, those with moderate to severe consciousness disorders constitute a particularly high-risk subgroup. Accurate predictive models are essential for guiding clinical decisions in this population.

The Application of Pneumatic Arm in Neuroendoscopic Transsphenoidal Pituitary Adenoma Resection.

Objective: To summarize the application experience of the pneumatic arm in transnasal sphenoidal pituitary adenoma resection under neuroendoscope.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 52 patients with pituitary adenoma who underwent endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery with pneumatic arm fixation in the Neurosurgery Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from July 2021 to March 2024. Among them, there were 5 cases of pituitary microadenoma, 35 cases of macroadenoma, and 12 cases of giant adenoma.

Evidence for an intra-tumoral microbiome in pituitary neuroendocrine tumors with different clinical phenotypes.

Purpose: Bacteria have been observed in the tumor environment for decades and have been demonstrated to play important roles in the pathogenesis and development of several different tumors. So far there is a clear lack of specific studies relating to the presence of bacteria in pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs).

Methods: In this study, we performed five region-based amplification and bacterial 16 S rRNA sequencing to identify the microbiome of PitNET tissues across four clinical phenotypes.

"Rapid Formation, Acute Rupture" Course of Intracranial Aneurysm.

Intracranial aneurysm (IA) is a devastating cerebrovascular disease characterizing with a potential rupturing risk. In previous studies, the formation of IA was considered to be in a chronic manner, and the ruptured aneurysms might merely derived from the already formed unruptured IA. A 61-year-old male presented to the hospital complaining of a headache.

Nanosensitizers for sonodynamic therapy for glioblastoma multiforme: current progress and future perspectives.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary malignant brain tumor, and it is associated with poor prognosis. Its characteristics of being highly invasive and undergoing heterogeneous genetic mutation, as well as the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), have reduced the efficacy of GBM treatment. The emergence of a novel therapeutic method, namely, sonodynamic therapy (SDT), provides a promising strategy for eradicating tumors via activated sonosensitizers coupled with low-intensity ultrasound.

Intracranial Infiltration of a Scalp Neoplasm After Hair Dyeing 10 Years Ago.

Cosmetics with unknown chemical components may cause unexpected cancers. Here, we report a rare case of hair dye-induced intracranial communicating scalp sebaceous carcinoma in a young female who dyed her hair 10 years ago. The histological origin of the intracranial communicating neoplasm was of priority for subsequent therapeutic decisions, therefore, requiring comprehensive diagnostic strategy.

Engineering nanotheranostic strategies for liver cancer.

The incidence and mortality of hepatocellular carcinoma have continued to increase over the last few years, and the medicine-based outlook of patients is poor. Given great ideas from the development of nanotechnology in medicine, especially the advantages in the treatments of liver cancer. Some engineering nanoparticles with active targeting, ligand modification, and passive targeting capacity achieve efficient drug delivery to tumor cells.

A simple lectin-based biochip might display the potential clinical value of glycomics in patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.

Background: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a cerebrovascular disease with extremely high disability and mortality rates. Glycans play critical roles in biological processes. However, whether glycans can serve as potential biomarkers for determining clinical diagnosis and prognosis in ICH remains determined.

Neurotoxic role of interleukin-17 in neural stem cell differentiation after intracerebral hemorrhage.

Interleukin 17 (IL-17) and its main producer, T cell receptor γδ cells, have neurotoxic effects in the pathogenesis of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), aggravating brain injuries. To investigate the correlation between IL-17 and ICH, we dynamically screened serum IL-17 concentrations using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and explored the clinical values of IL-17 in ICH patients. There was a significant negative correlation between serum IL-17 level and neurological recovery status in ICH patients (r = -0.

Morphological features of IFN-γ-stimulated mesenchymal stromal cells predict overall immunosuppressive capacity.

Human mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) lines can vary significantly in their functional characteristics, and the effectiveness of MSC-based therapeutics may be realized by finding predictive features associated with MSC function. To identify features associated with immunosuppressive capacity in MSCs, we developed a robust in vitro assay that uses principal-component analysis to integrate multidimensional flow cytometry data into a single measurement of MSC-mediated inhibition of T-cell activation. We used this assay to correlate single-cell morphological data with overall immunosuppressive capacity in a cohort of MSC lines derived from different donors and manufacturing conditions.

Influencing Factors Analysis of Facial Nerve Function after the Microsurgical Resection of Acoustic Neuroma.

Objective: To explore and analyze the influencing factors of facial nerve function retainment after microsurgery resection of acoustic neurinoma.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of our hospital 105 acoustic neuroma cases from October, 2006 to January 2012, in the group all patients were treated with suboccipital sigmoid sinus approach to acoustic neuroma microsurgery resection. We adopted researching individual patient data, outpatient review and telephone followed up and the House-Brackmann grading system to evaluate and analyze the facial nerve function.

Restoring immune tolerance in neuromyelitis optica: Part II.

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMO/SD) and its clinical variants have at their core the loss of immune tolerance to aquaporin-4 and perhaps other autoantigens. The characteristic phenotype is disruption of astrocyte function and demyelination of spinal cord, optic nerves, and particular brain regions. In this second of a 2-part article, we present further perspectives regarding the pathogenesis of NMO/SD and how this disease might be amenable to emerging technologies aimed at restoring immune tolerance to disease-implicated self-antigens.

Restoring immune tolerance in neuromyelitis optica: Part I.

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and spectrum disorder (NMO/SD) represent a vexing process and its clinical variants appear to have at their pathogenic core the loss of immune tolerance to the aquaporin-4 water channel protein. This process results in a characteristic pattern of astrocyte dysfunction, loss, and demyelination that predominantly affects the spinal cord and optic nerves. Although several empirical therapies are currently used in the treatment of NMO/SD, none has been proven effective in prospective, adequately powered, randomized trials.

Combination Therapy Using IL-2/IL-2 Monoclonal Antibody Complexes, Rapamycin, and Islet Autoantigen Peptides Increases Regulatory T Cell Frequency and Protects against Spontaneous and Induced Type 1 Diabetes in Nonobese Diabetic Mice.

Regulatory T cells (Treg) play a crucial role in the maintenance of self-tolerance. In this study, we sought to expand Ag-specific Tregs in vivo and investigate whether the expanded Tregs can prevent or delay the development of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in the NOD mouse model. NOD mice were treated with a combination of IL-2/anti-IL-2 Ab complex, islet Ag peptide, and rapamycin.

Mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases in experimental animal models.

Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells [also known as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)] are currently being studied as a cell-based treatment for inflammatory disorders. Experimental animal models of human immune-mediated diseases have been instrumental in establishing their immunosuppressive properties. In this review, we summarize recent studies examining the effectiveness of MSCs as immunotherapy in several widely-studied animal models, including type 1 diabetes, experimental autoimmune arthritis, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, inflammatory bowel disease, graft-vs-host disease, and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Assessment of immunosuppressive activity of human mesenchymal stem cells using murine antigen specific CD4 and CD8 T cells in vitro.

Introduction: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have immunosuppressive activity. They do not induce allospecific T cell responses, making them promising tools for reducing the severity of graft versus host disease (GVHD) as well as treating various immune diseases. Currently, there is a need in the MSC field to develop a robust in vitro bioassay which can characterize the immunosuppressive function of MSCs.

Evaluation of immunosuppressive function of regulatory T cells using a novel in vitro cytotoxicity assay.

Naturally occurring regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a pivotal role in the maintenance of self-tolerance due to their intrinsic immunosuppressive activity. Currently, a number of human clinical trials are being conducted to investigate the roles of Tregs in treating various immune-mediated disorders. Traditionally, the suppressive activity of Tregs is measured using either a thymidine incorporation assay, which is a radioactive assay; or CFSE based flow cytometry assay, which requires a relatively large number of cells.

Synuclein-γ suppression mediated by RNA interference inhibits the clonogenicity and invasiveness of MCF-7 cells.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of synuclein-γ (SNCG) downregulation by RNA interference (RNAi) on the clonogenicity and invasiveness of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. This study used four pairs of SNCG-specific siRNAs which were designed and cloned into the pGPU6 plasmid for introduction into an MCF-7 cell line. The SNCG knockdown efficacies of the four siRNAs were compared using the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunocytochemistry.