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Fundamental & Clinical Pharmacology Aug 2023Panax ginseng is a common natural product, which is well-known to have a wide range of pharmacological activities in cancer. Its metabolite, compound K (CK), has been... (Review)
Review
Panax ginseng is a common natural product, which is well-known to have a wide range of pharmacological activities in cancer. Its metabolite, compound K (CK), has been reported to have anticancer activity. We aimed to systematically review the literature for evidence of anticancer effects of CK. We conducted a systematic search in eight databases. We included all in vitro and in vivo studies investigating the anticancer effects of CK with no restrictions. Quality assessment was applied by ToxRTool. Fifty-four articles were included in our study. The purity of CK in our included studies was at least 95%. The in vitro studies reported that CK had a potential anticancer activity on several cell lines including human lung cancer cell lines (A549, PC-9), nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line (Hk-1), liver cancer cell line (BEL 7402), and pediatric acute myeloid leukemia cell lines (Kasumi-1, MV4-11). The in vivo studies reported a significant decrease in tumor volume in mice treated with CK. CK is a potential supplementary treatment in cancer chemotherapies. The safety and further clinical trials of CK should be explored for future drug development.
Topics: Child; Humans; Animals; Mice; Cell Line; Ginsenosides
PubMed: 36691721
DOI: 10.1111/fcp.12874 -
The Journal of Evidence-based Dental... Dec 2023Evidence suggests that inflammation contributes to tumor development, from onset to progression and metastasis. Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) is a composite... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Evidence suggests that inflammation contributes to tumor development, from onset to progression and metastasis. Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) is a composite parameter that provides information from two distinct cellular elements, platelets, and lymphocytes. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate the prognostic role of the PLR, in terms of overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), cancer-specific survival (CSS) and progression-free survival (PFS), in patients with primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with surgery followed or not by adjuvant therapies.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This systematic review was performed according to the guidelines reported in the Cochrane Handbook and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. Meta-analysis of OS and DFS was performed using the inverse of variance test. Random-effect models were used on the basis of high heterogeneity. Risk of bias assessment, quality of evidence within studies (GRADE) and trial sequential analysis (TSA) were also performed.
RESULTS
The analysis revealed that a higher value of pretreatment PLR correlates with a statistically significant decrease of OS (HR, 1.85; 95% CI: [1.23, 2.80]; P < .00001), confirmed by TSA. The meta-analysis reports an association between high PLR and DFS (HR,1.46; 95% CI: [1.03, 2.06]; P = .003); but TSA suggests that it his should be considered as a false positive. Further studies are needed to validate the efficacy of PLR in predicting CSS and PFS outcomes.
CONCLUSION
Pretreatment PLR is an independent prognostic factor for OS in HNSCC.
Topics: Humans; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; Prognosis; Lymphocytes; Blood Platelets; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Neutrophils
PubMed: 38035889
DOI: 10.1016/j.jebdp.2023.101898 -
Rhinology Dec 2023Identification of perioperative risk factors for recurrent nasal polyps (RNPs) is important for selection of further treatment and determination of appropriate follow-up... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Identification of perioperative risk factors for recurrent nasal polyps (RNPs) is important for selection of further treatment and determination of appropriate follow-up period. However, the relative prognostic significance of these risk factors has not been investigated.
METHODOLOGY
We compared the nasal symptoms, endoscopic polyp and Lund-Mackey computed tomography scores, and the laboratory and pathological findings of RNP and non-RNP patients. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale.
RESULTS
Patients with poor nasal symptom scores and olfactory dysfunctions and high Lund-Mackey computed tomography scores were at higher risk of postoperative RNPs, as were those with allergic conditions and elevated tissue and serum eosinophil levels. The tissue neutrophil counts/percentages were significantly lower in the RNP than the other group. The tissue eosinophil level was of higher diagnostic utility than the serum eosinophil level. The RNP diagnostic odds ratio afforded by the tissue eosinophil count or percentage was 54.1247. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.936. The sensitivity and specificity were 0.8809 and 0.8834, respectively.
CONCLUSION
The tissue eosinophil level reliably predicts RNP after endoscopic sinus surgery.
Topics: Humans; Nasal Polyps; Rhinitis; Sinusitis; Eosinophils; Smell; Chronic Disease
PubMed: 37453133
DOI: 10.4193/Rhin23.136 -
Immune Cell Alterations in Psychotic Disorders: A Comprehensive Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Biological Psychiatry Jan 2024A comprehensive meta-analysis on the composition of circulating immune cells from both the myeloid and the lymphoid lines including specialized subsets in blood and...
BACKGROUND
A comprehensive meta-analysis on the composition of circulating immune cells from both the myeloid and the lymphoid lines including specialized subsets in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with psychotic disorders compared with healthy control participants has been lacking.
METHODS
Multiple databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and PsycINFO) were searched for eligible studies up until October 18, 2022. All studies investigating circulating immune cells in the blood and CSF from patients with psychotic disorders (ICD-10: F20 and F22-29) compared with healthy control participants were included.
RESULTS
A total of 86 studies were included in the meta-analysis. In the blood, the following categories of immune cells were elevated: leukocyte count (31 studies, standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.35; 95% CI, 0.24 to 0.46), granulocyte count (4 studies, SMD = 0.57; 95% CI, 0.12 to 1.01), neutrophil granulocyte count (21 studies, SMD = 0.32; 95% CI, 0.11 to 0.54), monocyte count (23 studies, SMD = 0.40; 95% CI, 0.23 to 0.56), and B lymphocyte count (10 studies, SMD = 0.26; 95% CI, 0.04 to 0.48). Additionally, the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (23 studies, SMD = 0.40; 95% CI, 0.19 to 0.60), the monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (9 studies, SMD = 0.31; 95% CI, 0.04 to 0.57), and the platelet/lymphocyte ratio (10 studies, SMD = 0.23; 95% CI, 0.03 to 0.43) were elevated. The CSF cell count showed a similar tendency but was not significantly elevated (3 studies, SMD = 0.14; 95% CI, -0.04 to 0.32).
CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate a broad activation of the immune system in psychotic disorders, with cells from both the myeloid and the lymphoid line being elevated. However, CSF analyses were lacking in most of the studies, and many studies were hampered by insufficient adjustment for confounding factors such as body mass index and smoking.
PubMed: 38185237
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.11.029 -
Cytotherapy May 2024Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is classified as a hematologic malignancy characterized by the proliferation of immature blood cells within the bone marrow (BM), resulting... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND AIMS
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is classified as a hematologic malignancy characterized by the proliferation of immature blood cells within the bone marrow (BM), resulting in an aberrant and unregulated cellular growth. The primary therapeutic modalities for AML include chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. However, it is important to note that these treatments are accompanied by important adverse effects and mortality rates. Therefore, the need for more effective treatment options seems necessary, and dendritic cell (DC) vaccine therapy can be one of these options. In this study, we aim to investigate the effectiveness of DC vaccination therapy for the management of AML.
METHODS
PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases were searched for this systematic review. The articles were evaluated based on the inclusion criteria of this study and initially compared in terms of titles or abstracts. Finally, the articles related to the topic of this review were obtained in full text. The complete remission and partial remission, survival, correlative immune assays, and health-related metrics were used to evaluate this cellular immunotherapy effectiveness. The quality of the studies was assessed independently using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tools. The compiled data were input into a standard Excel spreadsheet. Each domain was evaluated as having either a "low risk," "high risk," or "unclear risk" of bias.
RESULTS
Among the 3986 studies that were determined, a total of 11 correlated trials were selected for inclusion in this systematic review. DC vaccine therapy was effective in inducing complete and partial remission, and stabilization of the disease. Additionally, it was discovered that the treatment strengthened the immune system as seen by increased levels of CD4 and CD8 T cells, Th1 cytokines, WT1-specific T cells, and activated NK cells.
CONCLUSION
We conducted a systematic review that supports the use of DC vaccine therapy as an effective treatment for AML. The therapy demonstrated potentials in achieving remission, enhancing the immune system function, and increasing overall survival. However, more studies are required to improve the methods of preparing and delivering the DC vaccine, and to confirm its long-term safety and effectiveness.
Topics: Humans; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute; Dendritic Cells; Cancer Vaccines; Vaccination; Immunotherapy
PubMed: 38483358
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2024.02.009 -
Nature Communications Jan 2024The unexpected contamination of normal samples with tumour cells reduces variant detection sensitivity, compromising downstream analyses in canonical tumour-normal...
The unexpected contamination of normal samples with tumour cells reduces variant detection sensitivity, compromising downstream analyses in canonical tumour-normal analyses. Leveraging whole-genome sequencing data available at Genomics England, we develop a tool for normal sample contamination assessment, which we validate in silico and against minimal residual disease testing. From a systematic review of [Formula: see text] patients with haematological malignancies and sarcomas, we find contamination across a range of cancer clinical indications and DNA sources, with highest prevalence in saliva samples from acute myeloid leukaemia patients, and sorted CD3+ T-cells from myeloproliferative neoplasms. Further exploration reveals 108 hotspot mutations in genes associated with haematological cancers at risk of being subtracted by standard variant calling pipelines. Our work highlights the importance of contamination assessment for accurate somatic variants detection in research and clinical settings, especially with large-scale sequencing projects being utilised to deliver accurate data from which to make clinical decisions for patient care.
Topics: Humans; Genomics; Hematologic Neoplasms; Mutation; Neoplasms; Whole Genome Sequencing
PubMed: 38238294
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44158-2 -
Experimental & Molecular Medicine Mar 2024Secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis/macrophage activation syndrome (sHLH/MAS) is a life-threatening immune disorder triggered by rheumatic disease, infections,... (Review)
Review
Secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis/macrophage activation syndrome (sHLH/MAS) is a life-threatening immune disorder triggered by rheumatic disease, infections, malignancies, or medications. Characterized by the presence of hemophagocytic macrophages and a fulminant cytokine storm, sHLH/MAS leads to hyperferritinemia and multiorgan failure and rapidly progresses to death. The high mortality rate and the lack of specific treatments necessitate the development of a new drug. However, the complex and largely unknown immunopathologic mechanisms of sHLH/MAS, which involve dysfunction of various immune cells, diverse etiologies, and different clinical contexts make this effort challenging. This review introduces the terminology, diagnosis, and clinical features of sHLH/MAS. From a translational perspective, this review focuses on the immunopathological mechanisms linked to various etiologies, emphasizing potential drug targets, including key molecules and signaling pathways. We also discuss immunomodulatory biologics, existing drugs under clinical evaluation, and novel therapies in clinical trials. This systematic review aims to provide insights and highlight opportunities for the development of novel sHLH/MAS therapeutics.
Topics: Humans; Lymphohistiocytosis, Hemophagocytic; Macrophage Activation Syndrome; Macrophages
PubMed: 38448692
DOI: 10.1038/s12276-024-01182-6 -
PANoptosis is a compound death in periodontitis: A systematic review of ex vivo and in vivo studies.Oral Diseases May 2024The purpose of the systematic review is to verify the presence of PANoptosis in periodontitis based on the published literatures studying cell death in periodontitis. (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the systematic review is to verify the presence of PANoptosis in periodontitis based on the published literatures studying cell death in periodontitis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We conducted a comprehensive review of literature studying the types of cell death in vitro cellular experiments, in vivo rodent studies and clinical studies from three major databases: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The present systematic review was recorded in the PROSPERO database, under registration number CRD42022383456.
RESULTS
In total, 51 articles were included in this study. Our analysis of in vitro cell models revealed that pyroptosis, necroptosis, and apoptosis could be induced by periodontal pathogens in macrophages, fibroblasts, stem cells, and periodontal ligament cells. Furthermore, three types of cell death were detected in in vivo rodent periodontitis models. Clinical studies on human periodontitis tissue specimens and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) showed that some key proteins related to pyroptosis, necroptosis, and apoptosis were elevated in periodontitis.
CONCLUSIONS
Various studies have established similar in vivo and in vitro models with three modes of death detected under the same conditions, revealing complex interactions between different types of cell death pathways in periodontitis and the potential for PANoptosis to occur in periodontitis.
Topics: Humans; Periodontitis; Pyroptosis; Animals; Necroptosis; Apoptosis; Fibroblasts; Macrophages; Periodontal Ligament; Cell Death
PubMed: 37650218
DOI: 10.1111/odi.14726 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2023Ageing research is establishing macrophages as key immune system regulators that undergo functional decline. Due to heterogeneity between species and tissue populations,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
INTRODUCTION
Ageing research is establishing macrophages as key immune system regulators that undergo functional decline. Due to heterogeneity between species and tissue populations, a plethora of data exist and the power of scientific conclusions can vary substantially. This meta-analysis by information content (MAIC) and systematic literature review (SLR) aims to determine overall changes in macrophage gene and protein expression, as well as function, with age.
METHODS
PubMed was utilized to collate peer-reviewed literature relating to macrophage ageing. Primary studies comparing macrophages in at least two age groups were included. Data pertaining to gene or protein expression alongside method used were extracted for MAIC analysis. For SLR analysis, data included all macrophage-specific changes with age, as well as species, ontogeny and age of groups assessed.
RESULTS
A total of 240 studies were included; 122 of which qualified for MAIC. The majority of papers focussed on changes in macrophage count/infiltration as a function of age, followed by gene and protein expression. The MAIC found iNOS and TNF to be the most commonly investigated entities, with 328 genes and 175 proteins showing consistent dysregulation with age across the literature. Overall findings indicate that cytokine secretion and phagocytosis are reduced and reactive oxygen species production is increased in the ageing macrophage.
DISCUSSION
Collectively, our analysis identifies critical regulators in macrophage ageing that are consistently dysregulated, highlighting a plethora of targets for further investigation. Consistent functional changes with age found here can be used to confirm an ageing macrophage phenotype in specific studies and experimental models.
Topics: Macrophages; Phagocytosis
PubMed: 37520567
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1222308 -
European Respiratory Review : An... Sep 2023Peripheral blood monocyte counts have been associated with poor outcomes in interstitial lung disease (ILD). However, studies are limited by variable biomarker... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Peripheral blood monocyte counts have been associated with poor outcomes in interstitial lung disease (ILD). However, studies are limited by variable biomarker thresholds, analytic approaches and heterogenous populations. This systematic review and meta-analysis characterised the relationship between monocytes and clinical outcomes in ILD.
METHODS
Electronic database searches were performed. Two reviewers screened abstracts and extracted data. Pooled estimates (hazard ratios (HRs)) of monocyte count thresholds were calculated for their association with mortality using ≥0.6×10 and >0.9×10 cells·L for unadjusted models and ≥0.95×10 cells·L for adjusted models, using random effects, with heterogeneity and bias assessed. Disease progression associated with monocytes >0.9×10cells·L was also calculated.
RESULTS
Of 3279 abstracts, 13 were included in the systematic review and eight in the meta-analysis. The pooled unadjusted HR for mortality for monocyte counts ≥0.6×10 cells·L was 1.71 (95% CI 1.34-2.19, p<0.001, I=0%) and for monocyte counts >0.90×10 cells·L it was 2.44 (95% CI 1.53-3.87, p=0.0002, I=52%). The pooled adjusted HR for mortality for monocyte counts ≥0.95×10 cells·L was 1.93 (95% CI 1.24-3.01, p=0.0038 I=69%). The pooled HR for disease progression associated with increased monocyte counts was 1.83 (95% CI 1.40-2.39, p<0.0001, I=28%).
CONCLUSIONS
Peripheral blood monocyte counts were associated with an increased risk of mortality and disease progression in patients with ILD.
Topics: Humans; Monocytes; Lung Diseases, Interstitial; Patients; Disease Progression
PubMed: 37673424
DOI: 10.1183/16000617.0072-2023