Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes: A Promising Therapeutic Ace Card to Address Autoimmune Diseases

With the development of novel treatments for autoimmune disorders, it has become a popular research focus which mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have the capacity to counteract with autoimmune diseases progression. One of the underlying mechanisms behind their activities is the release of extracellular vesicles especially exosomes. MSC-derived exosomes are hypoimmunogenic nanocarriers which contain numerous immunoregulatory factors and similar to other exosomes, are able to pass through boundaries like the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Accumulating evidence provided by animal studies has demonstrated that MSC-derived exosomes, as a novel therapy, can re-induce self-tolerance, without subsequent complications reported for other treatments. Therefore, therapeutic applications of MSC-derived exosomes are contributing to core advances in the field of autoimmune diseases. Here, we briefly describe the biological characteristics of MSC-derived exosomes and review the experimentally verified outcomes for autoimmune disease therapy purposes.

Punica granatum L. fruit aqueous extract suppresses reactive oxygen species-mediated p53/p65/miR-145 expressions followed by elevated levels of irs-1 in Alloxan-diabetic rats

Objective: reactive oxygen species [ROS] is an apoptosis inducer in pancreatic beta-cells that stimulates p53/p65 mediated microRNA [miR]-145 expression. Punica granatum L. [pomegranate] is an antioxidant fruit that attenuates ROS generation. This study examines the effects of pomegranate fruit aqueous extract [PGE] on the levels of ROS, p53, p65, miR-145, and its target insulin receptor substrate 1 [irs-1] mRNA in Alloxan-diabetic male Wistar rats

Materials and Methods: in this experimental study, diabetic rats received different doses of PGE. The effects of the PGE polyphenols were examined through a long-term PGE treatment period model, followed by an evaluation of the plasma and tissue contents of free fatty acids [FFAs], triglycerides [TG], and glycogen compared with diabetic controls [DC] and normal controls [NC]. We used real-time polymerase chain reaction [PCR] to investigate the modulation of p53, p65, miR-145, and irs-1 expression levels

Results: there was a noticeable reduction in fasting blood glucose [FBG] and ROS generation compared to DC. We observed marked decreases in p53, p65, miR-145 expression levels followed by an elevated level of irs-1, which contributed to improvement in insulin sensitivity

Conclusion: PGE administration downregulated miR-145 levels in Alloxan-diabetic Wistar rats by suppression of ROS-mediated p53 and p65 overexpression

in-house indirect immunofluorescence test for ensuring that the cell bank is contamination free

Background: cross-contamination between cells is a usual mistake at cell culture laboratories and cell banks worldwide. MRC5 diploid cell and Rk-13, Vero and Hela continuous cell lines are used in different stages of human viral vaccines propagation at Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute of Iran. However diploid and continuous cells are propagated at separated cell culture laboratory and continuous cells can contaminate MRC5 diploid cells. Therefore, a sensitive test is needed. World Health Organization recommends few molecular and cellular techniques to cell characterization

Materials and Methods: the present study was therefore designed to set up an indirect immunofluorescence [IIF] test as follows: Polyclonal anti-MRC5 cell and anti-rabbit antibodies were prepared in rabbit and goat, respectability. Anti-rabbit IgG was purified using protein G affinity chromatography, conjugated to fluorescein isothiocyanate [FITC], and then further purified to remove unbound FITC using Sephadex G 25 chromatography. Using double immunodiffusion assay, purification of homemade anti-rabbit IgG was asssayed by observation of a single arch

Results: the titer of homemade FITC conjugated goat anti rabbit IgG was measured 1/16 vs 1/8 of commercial type. Fluorescein/protein molar ratio of local made fluorescein goat anti-rabbit IgG was measured 3.44 and its protein concentration and FITC concentration were determined 1.198 mg/ml and 0.01 mg/ml, respectively

Conclusion: moreover, homemade IIF test showed 100% intra-laboratory reproducibility. Purity of three batches of MRC5 working seed cell was verified using in- house IIF test and no contamination to continuous cell lines was found

Interferon-gamma gene polymorphism in Iranian patients with multiple sclerosis

Interferon- gamma [IFN- gamma] is an important immune regulator and inflammatory cytokine which is implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis [MS]. A single nucleotide polymorphism, T to A, at position +874 in the first intron has previously been shown. This polymorphism is associated with IFN- gamma production level. To study the effect of this polymorphism on susceptibility to multiple sclerosis, we screened genomic DNA samples from clinically definite MS patients and their unaffected first-degree relatives as controls, using sequence-specific primers [PCR-SSP]. The results indicated that MS patients showed a lower TT [21.2% vs. 30.3%] and higher AA [21.2% vs. 12.1%] genotypes compared to controls, although there were statistically no differences in the IFN- gamma genotype distribution between these two groups. Thus, our data indicate that there is no association between IFN- gamma +874 polymorphism and MS susceptibility or severity of the disease