The role of stem cell therapy in multiple sclerosis: An overview of the current status of the clinical studies.

The complexity of multiple sclerosis (MS) and the incompetence of a large number of promised treatments for MS urge us to plan new and more effective therapeutic approaches that aim to suppress ongoing autoimmune responses and induction of local endogenous regeneration. Emerging data propose that hematopoietic, mesenchymal, and neural stem cells have the potential to restore self-tolerance, provide in situ immunomodulation and neuroprotection, as well as promote regeneration. Thus, in this article, we will first provide an overview of the cell sources for proposed mechanisms that contribute to the beneficial effects of stem cell transplantation, the ideal route and/or timing of stem cell-based therapies for each main stem cell group, and finally, an overview of the current status of stem cell research in clinical trial stages in MS by comparable and healthy therapeutic effects of different stem cell therapies for MS patients.

Livin, a novel marker in lymphoma type distinction.

Despite advances in immunohistochemical and molecular diagnostics, there are persistent difficulties in differentiating between several subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and classic Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL). Considering high level of livin expression in hematologic malignancies, we aimed to examine the utility of livin expression ratio, as an ancillary biomarker, in distinguishing CHL from NHL in ambiguous cases. We evaluated livin expression in 38 CHL, 23 NHL, and 39 nonneoplastic lymph nodes in paraffin-embedded blocks. Tissue microarray-based semiquantitative immunoflourecent staining was applied for protein expression. Criterion standard of diagnosis was based on selection of only definite cases and not the cases suspected by hemathopathologists. A significant difference was found in the livin/GAPDH mean ratio (M.R) of expression between NHL and CHL cases. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis confirmed 0.6370 to be the best diagnostic cut-off value for the livin/GAPDH expression M.R in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) (area under the curve = 0.944); it yielded 92% sensitivity, 94% specificity, likelihood ratios positive 17.5, and likelihood ratios negative 0.07 for diagnosing DLBCL from CHL. Mean ratio of livin/Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) expression seems to be a valuable index in differentiating DLBCL from CHL. We suggested an optimal cut-off point for livin/GAPDH expression M.R with a high sensitivity and specificity. Thus, in diagnostically difficult cases of DLBCL and CHL, focus on livin as marker may provide useful corroborative information.

Association between serum biochemical levels, related to bone metabolism and Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D insufficiency and serum calcium disturbance have been reported to be more common in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients than in healthy control subjects, which may be due to a chronic disease or reduced mobility contributes to these relatively disturbances. Because of the high-vitamin D insufficiency in our population, we aimed to compare a biochemical levels which are related to bone metabolism, in PD patients in comparison with age-matched healthy controls, for the 1(st) time in a Middle East population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This case-control study was involved 105 (20 were excluded) PD patients, who were age- and -sex matched with 112 controls. 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) and parathyroid hormone analyzed by enzyme immunoassay; another laboratory data including, calcium, phosphorous, and alkaline phosphatase were performed by spectrophotometric methods. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in 25OHD between PD patients and control group (P = 0.071). 25OHD level was not significantly different in PD patients compared to controls {odds ratio 1.003, (confidence interval [CI], 0.98-1.02), P value 0.793}. None of the other biochemical levels did not induce more chance for PD, only we observed in men has more risk of PD than women (odds ratio 2.53, [CI, 1.27-5.03], P value 0.008). CONCLUSION: Our data do not support a possible role of vitamin D insufficiency in PD. Regarding to variable changes in biochemical markers in PD patients than in controls; further studies are suggested to determine any plausibility role of them as a causal relationship or as an outcome of PD.

25-hydroxyvitamin d and severity of Parkinson's disease.

Introduction. A role for vitamin D deficiency in Parkinson's disease (PD) has recently been proposed. Given the growing body of evidence for the association of vitamin D with several neurodegenerative disorders and unavailability of any published study in the Middle East, the present study is aimed to determine the associations of circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels with the severity of PD in an Iranian sample. Methods. In 109 patients, the severity of PD was evaluated by using Hoehn & Yahr (HR) stages and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Stage (UPDRS) Part III compared with 25OHD level in a double-blind and cross-sectional study. Results. Mean ± SD levels of 25OHD were 28.5 ± 1.4 and 27.1 ± 1.5, for males and females, respectively. Also, 38.4% of the patients showed deficiency levels of 25OHD (<20 ng/mL), and 72.8% had insufficient levels (<30 ng/mL). High prevalence of 25OHD insufficiency in subjects with early disease was not associated with HR stage and UPDRS scores even after multivariate adjustment for possible confounders including disease duration. Conclusions. These findings are consistent with the possibility that vitamin D status does not seem to deteriorate during the early disease stages of PD. Further studies are needed to reveal the natural role and significance of vitamin D insufficiency in PD.