Glaucoma, Stem Cells, and Gene Therapy: Where Are We Now?

Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness, affecting 70~80 million people around the world. The death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) is the main cause of blindness related to this disease. Current therapies do not provide enough protection and regeneration of RGCs. A novel opportunity for treatment of glaucoma is application of technologies related to stem cell and gene therapy. In this perspective we will thus focus on emerging approaches to glaucoma treatment including stem cells and gene therapy.

Quantification of human chorionic gonadotropin by bovine serum albumin nanoparticles

Background and Aims: Some nanoparticles can be used in immunoassays to increase sensitivity. This study aimed to evaluate a novel nano-immunoassay based on bovine serum albumin nanoparticles [BSA NPs]

Materials and methods: At first, the nanostructure was synthesized, and then applied as a tag in the nano-immunoassay. Then the concentration of and beta;-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin [and beta;HCG] in the clinical samples was quantified by traditional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA], and then checked by the nano-immunoassay

Results: The Pearson's correlation coefficient between ELISA and nano-immunoassay was high, i.e., 0.80. Relative sensitivity and specificity of this nano-immunoassay were reported 97.4% and 96.6%, respectively

Conclusions: BSA NPs can be applied in nano-immunoassays as a new structure, and as an example, and beta;HCG can be detected by this novel assay

Antimicrobial activity, toxicity and stability of phytol as a novel surface disinfectant

Background: Although various surface disinfectants have been introduced, most of them are toxic. The use of natural antimicrobial agent e.g. phytol, extracted from Leptadenia pyrotechnica is a new strategy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity, toxicity, and stability of phytol

Methods: The serial concentrations of phytol were prepared, and separately incubated with four microbial isolates. Then, its Minimum Inhibitory Concentration [MIC] was measured for each microorganism. For toxicity test, serial concentrations [62.5, 125, 250, 500 and 1000 [micro]g/mL] of phytol were incubated with mouse skin cells, and then cell viability was calculated by MTT assay. For stability test, three common surfaces [stone, steel, and MDF] were considered. Then, 100 [micro]L of phytol was separately spread over their surface, and they have been kept at lab panel for 12, 24 and 36 hours. After incubation, two samples were obtained from each surface and inoculated on nutrient agar plates. Finally, colony count was read for each surface. T-test was used to evaluate the significant differences between groups, and P>0.05 considered as level of significant difference

Results: The MIC50 of phytol against E.coli, C.albicans, and A.niger was 62.5 [micro]g/mL, and against S.aureus was >1000 [micro]g/mL. MTT assay showed that the toxicity of phytol was dose and time dependent. The stability test demonstrated that phytol was stable on the stone, MDF, and steel surfaces until 36 hours

Conclusion: It can be concluded that phytol has high antimicrobial activity, high stability, and low toxicity. This substance must be evaluated at actual conditions

Effects of ecstasy on mouse cardiac histopathology, electrocardiogram and blood cell counts

Background and Aims: ecstasy or 3-4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine [MDMA] is a brain stimulant and a hallucinogenic material prepared by chemical changes in amphetamine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes induced by this drug in mouse cardiac histopathology, electrocardiogram [ECG] and blood cell counts

Materials and Methods: in this experiment, 3 groups [n=10] of mice were enrolled. Group 1, as control, received placebo. Group 2 mice were given single daily low dose [20 mg/kg/d for 28 days] of intraperitoneal MDMA, and group 3 were given single daily high dose [40 mg/kg/d for 28 days] of intraperitoneal MDMA. An AVF lead ECG record was obtained, a blood sample was taken for complete blood counts, and the heart was removed for microscopic study of tissue sections with routine staining

Results: the group 3 showed significant decrease in erythrocyte indices, myocarditis in 7 cases and monocyte infiltration around cardiac myocytes in 6 cases. In group 2, lower degree of myocardial injury was observed, but significant increase in QT and QTc durations was observed in ECG. In high dose group, red blood count, hematocrit, mean cell volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration showed significant changes in comparison with the control group

Conclusion: ecstasy can affect red blood cell index and lead to anemia. Many monocytes may be seen around cardiac cells, and increased ventricular depolarization and repolarization can lead to increase in QRS-QT interval. Combination of myocarditis, arrhythmia and sinus tachycardia reflect change in cardiac function and myocardial structure. Cardiac injury due to hypoxia and ischemia may cause myocardial infarction

homing of spermatogonial cells in the cavities of a novel nanoscaffold

Background and Aims: in this lab trial, the effect of scaffold based on human serum albumin [HSA] and hydroxyapatite nanoparticles [HA NPs] on mouse spermatogonial cell line [SCL] was investigated

Materials and Methods: to synthesize HA NPs, calcium nitrate and diammonium phosphate at pH 13 were gently added and heated at 100 degreeC for 24 hours. Then serial concentrations of HA NPs was separately added to 500 mg/mL of HSA, and immediately placed in the 100 degreeC water bath. Then, all scaffolds were cut, and incubated with SCL for 6h, 12h, and 24h at 37 degreeC. Finally, the cell count was read, and homing of the cells was examined by optical microscopy

Results: it was found that the quantity of cells did not change by increase in concentration of HA NPs. On the other hand, increased incubation time led to decrease in cell count. Light microscopic observation of scaffold cavities after incubation showed the homing of spermatogonial cells

Conclusions: this promising scaffold must be more investigated in vitro and in vivo, and may be suitable for making artificial testis

In vitro toxicity of the naked and serum-treated nanoparticles on cardiomyocytes

Background and Aims: although metal and metal oxide nanoparticles are used in different medical applications, they may have considerable toxicity on various cells, such as myocytes. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the toxicity of the naked and serum-treated silver nanoparticles [Ag NPs] and magnesium oxide nanoparticles [MgO NPs] on the cardiomyocytes

Materials and Methods: cardiomyocytes were separately exposed to different concentrations of the naked and serum-treated nanoparticles for 24 hours at 37degreeC. Then, MTT assay, cell metabolism assay and LDH assay were performed

Results: naked Ag NPs and MgO NPs had more toxicity than serum-treated nanoparticles. The highest cardiomyocyte toxicity was observed for naked Ag NPs, whereas the minimum toxicity was seen for the serum-treated MgO NPs

Conclusions: coating of nanoparticles with serum components leads to decrease in toxicity for cardiomyocytes, and MgO NPs have less toxicity on the myocytes than Ag NPs

inhibition of Candida albicans secreted aspartyl proteinase by triangular gold nanoparticles

The aim of this study was to synthesize triangular gold nanoparticles, and then to evaluate their capability for inhibition of Candida albicans secreted aspartyl proteinase 2 [Sap2]. To synthesize the nanoparticles, hydrogen tetrachloroaurate and hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide were incubated in presence of Sn[IV] meso-tetra[N-methyl-4-pyridyl] porphine tetratosylate chloride, and then characterized. Next, thirty clinical isolates of Candida albicans were obtained from patients suffering from vaginal candidiasis. Each Candida albicans isolate was first cultured in YCB-BSA medium, incubated for 24 h at 35°C. Then, 100 microL of triangular gold nanoparticles at three concentrations [16, 32, and 64 microg/mL] were added to Candida suspension, and incubated for 24 and 48 h at 35°C. To evaluate Sap activity, 0.1 mL of medium and 0.4 mL of 0.1 M sodium citrate buffer [pH 3.2] containing BSA 1% w/v were added, and incubated 15 minutes at 37°C. Then, the optical density of each tube was read at 280 nm. Enzyme activity was expressed as the amount [microM] of tyrosine equivalents released per min per ml of culture supernatant. This study showed that the size of the nanoparticles was 70 +/- 50 nm. Sap activity evaluation demonstrated triangular gold nanoparticles could inhibit the enzyme, and the higher incubation time and concentration led to more decrease of Sap activity. For the first time, we demonstrated triangular gold nanoparticles as a novel inhibitor of Sap enzyme which may be useful for treatment of candidiasis

Effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles on viability of human spermatozoa

The extensive use of different nanoparticles has raised great concerns about their occupational and biological safety. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles [ZnO NPs] on viability of spermatozoa. Semen samples were obtained from 15 healthy persons, and were analyzed using WHO guidelines. Each semen sample was separately incubated with different concentrations of ZnO NPs [10, 100, 500, and 1000 micro g/mL] at 37°C for 45, 90, and 180 minutes. Then, the cell death percentage of spermatozoa was measured by MTT assay. Mann-Whitney test was used for comparison of different times and concentrations. The maximum cell death percentage was 20.8%, 21.2%, and 33.2% after 45, 90, and 180 minutes, respectively. In case of concentration, the highest concentration [1000 micro g/mL] of ZnO NPs led to the highest toxicity for all incubation times. Statistically, there were significant differences in cell viability after 180 minutes vs.45 and 90 minutes. This study indicated that cytotoxicity of ZnO NPs is dose and time dependent