Extracellular Vesicles-A New Potential Player in the Immunology of Renal Cell Carcinoma.

The incidence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has doubled in the developed world within the last fifty years, and now it is responsible for 2-3% of diagnosed cancers. The delay in diagnosis and the not fully understood pathogenesis are the main challenges that have to be overcome. It seems that extracellular vesicles (EVs) are one of the key players in tumor development since they ensure a proper microenvironment for the tumor cells. The stimulation of angiogenesis and immunosuppression is mediated by molecules contained in EVs. It was shown that EVs derived from cancer cells can inhibit T cell proliferation, natural killer lymphocyte activation, and dendritic cell maturation by this mechanism. Moreover, EVs may be a biomarker for the response to anti-cancer treatment. In this review, we sum up the knowledge about the role of EVs in RCC pathogenesis and show their future perspectives in this field.

Insight into the Role of the PI3K/Akt Pathway in Ischemic Injury and Post-Infarct Left Ventricular Remodeling in Normal and Diabetic Heart.

Despite the significant decline in mortality, cardiovascular diseases are still the leading cause of death worldwide. Among them, myocardial infarction (MI) seems to be the most important. A further decline in the death rate may be achieved by the introduction of molecularly targeted drugs. It seems that the components of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway are good candidates for this. The PI3K/Akt pathway plays a key role in the regulation of the growth and survival of cells, such as cardiomyocytes. In addition, it has been shown that the activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway results in the alleviation of the negative post-infarct changes in the myocardium and is impaired in the state of diabetes. In this article, the role of this pathway was described in each step of ischemia and subsequent left ventricular remodeling. In addition, we point out the most promising substances which need more investigation before introduction into clinical practice. Moreover, we present the impact of diabetes and widely used cardiac and antidiabetic drugs on the PI3K/Akt pathway and discuss the molecular mechanism of its effects on myocardial ischemia and left ventricular remodeling.

Impact of the Main Cardiovascular Risk Factors on Plasma Extracellular Vesicles and Their Influence on the Heart's Vulnerability to Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

The majority of cardiovascular deaths are associated with acute coronary syndrome, especially ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Therapeutic reperfusion alone can contribute up to 40 percent of total infarct size following coronary artery occlusion, which is called ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). Its size depends on many factors, including the main risk factors of cardiovascular mortality, such as age, sex, systolic blood pressure, smoking, and total cholesterol level as well as obesity, diabetes, and physical effort. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-coated particles released by every type of cell, which can carry content that affects the functioning of other tissues. Their role is essential in the communication between healthy and dysfunctional cells. In this article, data on the variability of the content of EVs in patients with the most prevalent cardiovascular risk factors is presented, and their influence on IRI is discussed.