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Endothelial cells (ECs) display remarkable plasticity during development before becoming quiescent and functionally mature. EC maturation is directed by several known transcription factors (TFs), but the specific set of TFs responsible for promoting high-resistance barriers, such as the blood-brain barrier (BBB), have not yet been fully defined. Using expression mRNA data from published studies on ex vivo ECs from the central nervous system (CNS), we predicted TFs that induce high-resistance barrier properties of ECs as in the BBB. We used our previously established method to generate ECs from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), and then we overexpressed the candidate TFs in hPSC-ECs and measured barrier resistance and integrity using electric cell-substrate impedance sensing, trans-endothelial electrical resistance and FITC-dextran permeability assays. SOX18 and TAL1 were the strongest EC barrier-inducing TFs, upregulating Wnt-related signaling and EC junctional gene expression, respectively, and downregulating EC proliferation-related genes. These TFs were combined with SOX7 and ETS1 that together effectively induced EC barrier resistance, decreased paracellular transport and increased protein expression of tight junctions and induce mRNA expression of several genes involved in the formation of EC barrier and transport. Our data shows identification of a transcriptional network that controls barrier resistance in ECs. Collectively this data may lead to novel approaches for generation of in vitro models of the BBB.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-60688-x | DOI Listing |
Front Immunol
September 2025
Department of Pathological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States.
Oncolytic virotherapy (OVT) has emerged as a promising and innovative cancer treatment strategy that harnesses engineered viruses to selectively infect, replicate within, and destroys malignant cells while sparing healthy tissues. Beyond direct oncolysis, oncolytic viruses (OVs) exploit tumor-specific metabolic, antiviral, and immunological vulnerabilities to reshape the tumor microenvironment (TME) and initiate systemic antitumor immunity. Despite promising results from preclinical and clinical studies, several barriers, including inefficient intratumoral virus delivery, immune clearance, and tumor heterogeneity, continue to limit the therapeutic advantages of OVT as a standalone modality and hindered its clinical success.
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September 2025
Precision Pharmacy and Drug Development Center, Department of Pharmacy, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Gliomas are the most common primary malignant tumors of the central nervous system (CNS), and despite progress in molecular diagnostics and targeted therapies, their prognosis remains poor. In recent years, immunotherapy has emerged as a promising treatment modality in cancer therapy. However, the inevitable immune evasion by tumor cells is a key barrier affecting therapeutic efficacy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMater Today Bio
October 2025
University of Maribor, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Taborska Ulica 8, SI-2000, Maribor, Slovenia.
Catheter associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is the most frequent healthcare associated infection, arising from microbial adhesion to catheter surfaces, biofilm development, and the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance. Many publications have addressed CAUTI epidemiology, biofilm biology, or biomaterials for catheters in isolation, yet there is little literature that connects these areas into a coherent translational perspective. This review seeks to fill that gap by combining an overview of biofilm pathophysiology with recent advances in material based innovations for catheter design, including nanostructured and responsive coatings, sensor enabled systems, additive manufacturing, and three dimensional printing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAntimicrob Steward Healthc Epidemiol
September 2025
Infectious Disease, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
Objective: To identify barriers and facilitators of infection prevention and control (IPC) practices at King Faisal Hospital (KFH) in Kigali, Rwanda, using the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model.
Design: Qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews.
Setting: King Faisal Hospital, a tertiary healthcare facility in Kigali, Rwanda.
Front Med (Lausanne)
August 2025
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Diagnosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia.
Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the leading causes of infectious disease mortality worldwide, increasingly complicated by the emergence of drug-resistant strains and limitations in existing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Despite decades of global efforts, the disease continues to impose a significant burden, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where health system weaknesses hinder progress. This comprehensive review explores recent advancements in TB diagnostics, antimicrobial resistance (AMR surveillance), treatment strategies, and vaccine development.
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