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The World Journal of Men's Health Sep 2023The () gene is a paternally expressed imprinted gene that appears to play a role in embryo survival. The latest meta-analysis on methylation pattern in spermatozoa of...
PURPOSE
The () gene is a paternally expressed imprinted gene that appears to play a role in embryo survival. The latest meta-analysis on methylation pattern in spermatozoa of infertile patients found higher methylation in spermatozoa from infertile patients than fertile controls. To provide an updated and comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis on the gene methylation pattern in patients with abnormal sperm parameters compared to men with normal parameters.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This meta-analysis was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023397056) and performed following the MOOSE guidelines for Meta-analyses and Systematic Reviews of Observational Studies and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P). Only original articles evaluating gene methylation in spermatozoa from patients with infertility or abnormalities in one or more sperm parameters compared to fertile or normozoospermic men were included.
RESULTS
Of 354 abstracts evaluated for eligibility, only 6 studies were included in the quantitative synthesis, involving a total of 301 patients and 163 controls. Our analysis showed significantly higher levels of gene methylation in patients compared with controls (standard mean difference [SMD] 2.150, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.377, 3.922; p=0.017), although there was significant heterogeneity between studies (Q-value=239.90, p<0.001; I²=97.91%). No significant evidence of publication bias was found, although one study was sensitive enough to skew the results, leading to a loss of significance (SMD 1.543, 95% CI -0.300, 3.387; p=0.101). In meta-regression analysis, we found that the results were independent of both ages (p=0.6519) and sperm concentration (p=0.2360).
CONCLUSIONS
Sperm DNA methylation may be associated with epigenetic risk in assisted reproductive techniques (ART). The gene could be included in the genetic panel of prospective studies aimed at identifying the most representative and cost-effective genes to be analyzed in couples undergoing ART.
PubMed: 37853535
DOI: 10.5534/wjmh.230094 -
Frontiers in Oncology 2023The canonical Wnt inhibitor Dickkopf-1 (Dkk-1) has the capacity to modulate homeostasis between canonical and non-canonical Wnt pathways and also signal independently of...
BACKGROUND
The canonical Wnt inhibitor Dickkopf-1 (Dkk-1) has the capacity to modulate homeostasis between canonical and non-canonical Wnt pathways and also signal independently of Wnt. The specific effects of Dkk-1 activity on tumor physiology are therefore unpredictable with examples of Dkk-1 serving as either a driver or suppressor of malignancy. Given that Dkk-1 blockade may serve as a potential treatment for some types of cancer, we questioned whether it is possible to predict the role of Dkk-1 on tumor progression based on the tissue origin of the tumor.
METHODS
Original research articles that described Dkk-1 in terms a tumor suppressor or driver of cancer growth were identified. To determine the association between tumor developmental origin and the role of Dkk-1, a logistic regression was performed. The Cancer Genome Atlas database was interrogated for survival statistics based on tumor Dkk-1 expression.
RESULTS
We report that Dkk-1 is statistically more likely to serve as a suppressor in tumors arising from the ectoderm ( = 0.0198) or endoderm ( = 0.0334) but more likely to serve as a disease driver in tumors of mesodermal origin ( = 0.0155). Survival analyses indicated that in cases where Dkk-1 expression could be stratified, high Dkk-1 expression is usually associated with poor prognosis. This in part may be due to pro-tumorigenic role Dkk-1 plays on tumor cells but also through its influence on immunomodulatory and angiogenic processes in the tumor stroma.
CONCLUSION
Dkk-1 has a context-specific dual role as a tumor suppressor or driver. Dkk-1 is significantly more likely to serve as a tumor suppressor in tumors arising from ectoderm and endoderm while the converse is true for mesodermal tumors. Patient survival data indicated high Dkk-1 expression is generally a poor prognostic indicator. These findings provide further support for the importance of Dkk-1 as a therapeutic cancer target in some cases.
PubMed: 37007131
DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1114822 -
Neuro-degenerative Diseases 2022Several studies indicate the role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as an important tool in regenerative medicine associated with injuries that affect the central nervous...
INTRODUCTION
Several studies indicate the role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as an important tool in regenerative medicine associated with injuries that affect the central nervous system (CNS). The MSCs have the capacity to differentiate into cells of the embryonic tissue, such as the mesoderm. So, these cells can be found in a variety of tissues. Also, the MSCs can release immunomodulatory and neurotrophic factors performance as inflammation mediators operating in injured tissue regeneration. Furthermore, they can differentiate into neural-like cells in vitro. Thereby, because of the high immunomodulatory role of MSCs, this review sought to describe the main immunomodulatory mechanisms performed by MSCs in CNS recovery after tissue injury or neurodegenerative diseases.
METHODS
PubMed and ScienceDirect were searched between January 2011 to March 2021, and 43 articles met the criteria of the review.
RESULTS
This systematic review indicates that MSCs were used in vivo experimental multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ischemic stroke, and traumatic brain injury. The treatment MSCs were usually from human origin, derived from bone marrow, and administered intravenously.
CONCLUSION
It was shown that MSCs, independent from origin or administration pathway, can reduce inflammation and help in the recovery and preservation of injured neural tissue. Thus, the use of MSCs represents a potential therapeutic option in the treatment of neurological disorders mediated by inflammatory processes.
Topics: Humans; Mesenchymal Stem Cells; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Central Nervous System; Multiple Sclerosis; Parkinson Disease
PubMed: 36398461
DOI: 10.1159/000528036 -
Journal of Ovarian Research Sep 2022Ovarian malignant mesoderm mixed tumor (OMMMT) is a rare clinical entity. To provide reference for the treatment and prognosis of OMMMT, we analyzed the clinical... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Ovarian malignant mesoderm mixed tumor (OMMMT) is a rare clinical entity. To provide reference for the treatment and prognosis of OMMMT, we analyzed the clinical features, pathology and molecular biology characteristic of published cases.
METHODS
The English and Chinese reported cases of OMMMT were selected from PubMed, Clinical Trials.gov and CNKI database from 2000 to December 15th, 2021 following the PRISMA guidelines.
RESULTS
A total of 63 literatures including 199 OMMMT cases were included. The average age of patients at diagnosis was 56.46 years, the highest incidence age was 60-65 years, and 82% of them were menopausal women. Most patients were diagnosed in FIGO III stage (59.64%). The most common symptom of OMMMT was abdominal pain (60.5%). 61.6% of patients were accompanied by ascites, while ascites was not associated with metastatic tumor and local recurrence. The CA125 of 88.68% patients increased. The most common reported carcinomatous component and sarcomatous component were serous adenocarcinoma (44.96%) and chondrosarcoma (24.81%), respectively. Initial treatment included surgery (94.97%) and taxanes-based (55.10%) or platinum-based (85.71%) chemotherapy regimens. The median survival time of patients was 20 months. Heterologous sarcoma component did not shorten life expectancy. The optimal ovarian tumor cell debulking surgery (OOTCDS), radiotherapy and chemotherapy could significantly prolong the median survival time of patients. Furthermore, platinum drugs could significantly prolong the survival time after comparing various chemotherapy schemes. Besides, the combination of platinum and taxanes was therapeutically superior to the combination of platinum and biological alkylating agents.
CONCLUSION
The OOTCDS and platinum-based chemotherapy regimen can improve the prognosis of OMMMT. Targeted therapy might become a new research direction in the future. Since the elderly patients are the majority, the toxicity of new drugs on the elderly patients is more noteworthy.
Topics: Aged; Alkylating Agents; Carcinoma; Female; Humans; Mesoderm; Middle Aged; Ovarian Neoplasms; Taxoids
PubMed: 36114551
DOI: 10.1186/s13048-022-01037-6 -
Head and Neck Pathology Dec 2020The microenvironment of oral cancer is highly dynamic and has been proved to affect tumor progression. Pericytes are blood vessels surrounding cells that have recently...
The microenvironment of oral cancer is highly dynamic and has been proved to affect tumor progression. Pericytes are blood vessels surrounding cells that have recently gained attention for their roles in vascular and cancer biology. The objective of the present study was to survey the scientific literature for conclusive evidence about whether pericytes are part of blood vessels in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and their roles in the tumor microenvironment and clinical outcomes. A systematic electronic search was undertaken in Medline Ovid, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Eligibility criteria were: publications adopting in vivo models of OSCC that included pericyte detection and assessment by pericyte markers (e.g., α-smooth muscle actin, neuron-glial antigen 2 and platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β). The search yielded seven eligible studies (from 2008 to 2018). The markers most commonly used for pericyte detection were α-smooth muscle actin and neuron-glial antigen 2. The studies reviewed showed the presence of immature vessels exhibiting a reduction of pericyte coverage in OSCC and indicated that anti-cancer therapies could contribute to vessel normalization and pericyte regain. The pericyte population is significantly affected during OSCC development and cancer therapy. While these findings might suggest a role for pericytes in OSCC progression, the limited data available do not allow us to conclude whether they modify the tumor microenvironment and clinical outcome.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Mouth Neoplasms; Pericytes; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; Tumor Microenvironment
PubMed: 32506378
DOI: 10.1007/s12105-020-01188-2 -
International Journal of Environmental... Dec 2019Physical, chemical, and social environments adversely affect the molecular process and results in cell signal transduction and the subsequent transcription factor...
DNA Methylation of Candidate Genes (ACE II, IFN-γ, AGTR 1, CKG, ADD1, SCNN1B and TLR2) in Essential Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Quantitative Evidence Synthesis.
Physical, chemical, and social environments adversely affect the molecular process and results in cell signal transduction and the subsequent transcription factor dysregulation, leading to impaired gene expression and abnormal protein synthesis. Stressful environments such as social adversity, isolation, sustained social threats, physical inactivity, and highly methylated diets predispose individuals to molecular level alterations such as aberrant epigenomic modulations that affect homeostasis and hemodynamics. With cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of mortality in the US and blacks/African Americans being disproportionately affected by hypertension (HTN) which contributes substantially to these deaths, reflecting the excess mortality and survival disadvantage of this sub-population relative to whites, understanding the molecular events, including epigenomic and socio-epigenomic modulations, is relevant to narrowing the black-white mortality risk differences. We aimed to synthesize epigenomic findings in HTN namely (a) angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE II) gene, (b) Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) gene, (c) interferon γ (IFN-γ) gene, and (d) Capping Actin Protein, Gelosin-Like () , adducin 1(ADD1) gene, (e) Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 3 (), (f) mesoderm specific transcript (MEST) loci, (g) sodium channel epithelial 1 alpha subunit 2 (SCNN1B), (h) glucokinase (CKG) gene (i) angiotensin II receptor, type1 (AGTR1), and DNA methylation (mDNA). A systematic review and quantitative evidence synthesis (QES) was conducted using Google Scholar and PubMed with relevant search terms. Data were extracted from studies on: (a) Epigenomic modulations in HTN based on ACE II (b) TLR2, (c) IFN-γ gene, (d) , ADD1, , MEST loci, and mDNA. The random-effect meta-analysis method was used for a pooled estimate of the common effect size, while z statistic and I^2 were used for the homogeneity of the common effect size and between studies on heterogeneity respectively. Of the 642 studies identified, five examined hypermethylation while seven studies assessed hypomethylation in association with HTN. The hypermethylation of ACE II, SCNN1B, CKG, IFN-γ gene, and miR-510 promoter were associated with hypertension, the common effect size (CES) = 6.0%, 95% CI, -0.002-11.26. In addition, the hypomethylation of TLR2, IFN-γ gene, ADD1, AGTR1, and GCK correlated with hypertension, the CES = 2.3%, 95% CI, -2.51-7.07. The aberrant epigenomic modulation of ACE II, TLR2, IFN-γ, AGTR1, and GCK correlated with essential HTN. Transforming the environments resulting from these epigenomic lesions will facilitate early intervention mapping in reducing HTN in the US population, especially among socially disadvantaged individuals, particularly racial/ethnic minorities.
Topics: DNA Methylation; Essential Hypertension; Female; Genotype; Humans
PubMed: 31805646
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16234829 -
World Journal of Stem Cells Nov 2019Mesenchymal stem cells are pluripotent cells that have the ability to generate cells from a cell line or in other cell types from different tissues but from the same...
BACKGROUND
Mesenchymal stem cells are pluripotent cells that have the ability to generate cells from a cell line or in other cell types from different tissues but from the same origin. Although those cells have more limited differentiation capacity than embryonic stem cells, they are easily obtained from somatic tissue and can be grown in large quantities. This characteristic of undifferentiated stem cells differentiating into different cell lines arouses strategies in regenerative medicine for the treatment of different diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases.
AIM
To evaluate the cell differentiation capacity of human breastmilk stem cells for the three germ layers by a systematic review.
METHODS
The searched databases were PubMed, EMBASE, OVID, and COCHRANE LIBRARY, published between 2007 and 2018 in the English language. All were studies for analysis of the "cell differentiation potential" in the literature using the keywords "human breastmilk," "stem cells," and keywords combined with the Boolean operator "NOT" were used to exclude those articles that had the word "CANCER" and their respective synonyms, which were previously consulted according to medical subject heading terms. PRISMA 2009 guidelines were followed in this study.
RESULTS
A total of 315 titles and abstracts of articles were examined. From these, 21 were in common with more than one database, leaving 294 articles for analysis. Of that total, five publications met the inclusion criteria. When analyzing the publications, it was demonstrated that human breastmilk stem cells have a high cellular plasticity, exhibiting the ability to generate cells of all three germ layers, endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm, demonstrating their stemness. Those cells expressed the genes, TRA-1-60/81, octamer-binding transcription factor 4, and NANOG, of which NANOG, a critical regulator for self-renewal and maintenance, was the most highly expressed. Those cells have the ability to differentiate into adipocytes, chondrocytes, osteocytes, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and neurons as well hepatocytes, β-pancreatic cells, and cardiomyocytes.
CONCLUSION
Although the literature has been scarce, the pluripotentiality of these cells represents great potential for tissue engineering and cellular therapy. Further studies for safe clinical translation are needed.
PubMed: 31768226
DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v11.i11.1005 -
Ayu Jan 2014Ayurveda has its own view to understand the development of human body and its various organs. As the quotations are in a concise manner, it is essential to amalgamate... (Review)
Review
Ayurveda has its own view to understand the development of human body and its various organs. As the quotations are in a concise manner, it is essential to amalgamate the basics stated by various Acharyas with comprehensive explanation of modern science. The liver is a vital organ for metabolism. Acharyas have opined about the genesis of Yakrut (liver) from Rakta Dhatu (blood tissue). Parallel opinion in conventional anatomy states that abundant quantity of blood is responsible for the formation of sinusoids of liver. This huge quantity of blood comes from broken viteline and umbilical veins in the septum transversum. On the other hand, the raw material for the formation of blood cells and liver (septum transversum) is the same, being mesenchymal cells from the mesoderm. The present review was conducted to discover the similarities about the genesis of liver in the opinions of ancient and conventional medical science. This may be useful for utilizing the ancient medical science in a new perspective. Therefore, it is attempted to correlate the genesis of liver in Ayurveda with modern science.
PubMed: 25364192
DOI: 10.4103/0974-8520.141895 -
Molecular Neurobiology Feb 2013Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an incurable form of brain cancer with a very poor prognosis. Because of its highly invasive nature, it is impossible to remove all... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an incurable form of brain cancer with a very poor prognosis. Because of its highly invasive nature, it is impossible to remove all tumor cells during surgical resection, making relapse inevitable. Further research into the regulatory mechanism underpinning GBM pathogenesis is therefore warranted, and over the past decade, there has been an increased focus on the functional role of microRNA (miRNA). This systematic review aims to present a comprehensive overview of all the available literature on the expression profiles and function of miRNA in GBM. Here, we have reviewed 163 papers and identified 253 upregulated, 95 downregulated, and 17 disputed miRNAs with respect to expression levels; 85 % of these miRNAs have not yet been functionally characterized. A focus in this study has been 26 interesting miRNAs involved in the mesenchymal mode of migration and invasion, demonstrating the importance of miRNAs in the context of the cellular niche. Both oncogenic and tumor-suppressive miRNAs were found to affect target genes involved in cell migration, cytoskeletal rearrangement, invasiveness, and angiogenesis. Clearly, the distinct functional properties of these miRNAs need further investigation and might hold a great potential in future molecular therapies targeting GBM.
Topics: Brain Neoplasms; Cell Movement; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Glioblastoma; Humans; Mesoderm; MicroRNAs; Neoplasm Invasiveness
PubMed: 23054677
DOI: 10.1007/s12035-012-8349-7 -
Clinical Oral Investigations Jun 2011The alveolar cleft in patients with clefts of lip, alveolus and palate (CLAP) is usually reconstructed with an autologous bone graft. Harvesting of autologous bone... (Review)
Review
Reconstruction of the alveolar cleft: can growth factor-aided tissue engineering replace autologous bone grafting? A literature review and systematic review of results obtained with bone morphogenetic protein-2.
The alveolar cleft in patients with clefts of lip, alveolus and palate (CLAP) is usually reconstructed with an autologous bone graft. Harvesting of autologous bone grafts is associated with more or less donor site morbidity. Donor site morbidity could be eliminated if bone is fabricated by growth factor-aided tissue engineering. The objective of this review was to provide an oversight on the current state of the art in growth factor-aided tissue engineering with regard to reconstruction of the alveolar cleft in CLAP. Medline, Embase and Central databases were searched for articles on bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2), bone morphogenetic protein 7, transforming growth factor beta, platelet-derived growth factor, insulin-like growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor and platelet-rich plasma for the reconstruction of the alveolar cleft in CLAP. Two-hundred ninety-one unique search results were found. Three articles met our selection criteria. These three selected articles compared BMP-2-aided bone tissue engineering with iliac crest bone grafting by clinical and radiographic examinations. Bone quantity appeared comparable between the two methods in patients treated during the stage of mixed dentition, whereas bone quantity appeared superior in the BMP-2 group in skeletally mature patients. Favourable results with BMP-2-aided bone tissue engineering have been reported for the reconstruction of the alveolar cleft in CLAP. More studies are necessary to assess the quality of bone. Advantages are shortening of the operation time, absence of donor site morbidity, shorter hospital stay and reduction of overall cost.
Topics: Alveolar Process; Alveoloplasty; Bone Density; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; Bone Transplantation; Cleft Lip; Cleft Palate; Collagen Type I; Humans; Mesoderm; Osteogenesis; Recombinant Proteins; Tissue Engineering; Tissue Scaffolds; Transforming Growth Factor beta
PubMed: 21465220
DOI: 10.1007/s00784-011-0547-6