Essential Oil Constituents as Anti-Inflammatory and Neuroprotective Agents: An Insight through Microglia Modulation.

Microglia are key players in the brain's innate immune response, contributing to homeostatic and reparative functions but also to inflammatory and underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration. Targeting microglia and modulating their function may have therapeutic potential for mitigating neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. The anti-inflammatory properties of essential oils suggest that some of their components may be useful in regulating microglial function and microglial-associated neuroinflammation. This study, starting from the ethnopharmacological premises of the therapeutic benefits of aromatic plants, assessed the evidence for the essential oil modulation of microglia, investigating their potential pharmacological mechanisms. Current knowledge of the phytoconstituents, safety of essential oil components, and anti-inflammatory and potential neuroprotective effects were reviewed. This review encompasses essential oils of Thymus spp., Artemisia spp., Ziziphora clinopodioides, Valeriana jatamansi, Acorus spp., and others as well as some of their components including 1,8-cineole, ß-caryophyllene, ß-patchoulene, carvacrol, ß-ionone, eugenol, geraniol, menthol, linalool, thymol, α-asarone, and α-thujone. Essential oils that target PPAR/PI3K-Akt/MAPK signalling pathways could supplement other approaches to modulate microglial-associated inflammation to treat neurodegenerative diseases, particularly in cases where reactive microglia play a part in the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration.

Differences in Histological Subtypes of Invasive Lobular Breast Carcinoma According to Immunohistochemical Molecular Classification.

The technical complexity of gene expression profiling in routine practice has necessitated the use of surrogate molecular classification of breast cancer, based on immunohistochemical analyses. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the differences between histological and molecular subtypes of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) of the breast, in order to be able to predict the behavior and prognosis of the disease, as well as to effectively determine therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study included 263 cases of breast ILC diagnosed over a seven-year period. The diagnosis of invasive lobular carcinoma is based on the characteristic growth pattern and phenotype of cancer cells with the respective subtypes: classic, alveolar, solid, tubulolobular, pleomorphic and mixed lobular type. The examined cases were divided into five groups according to molecular classification based on the expression of ER, PR, HER2 and Ki67 immunohistochemical markers. RESULTS: It was found that the pleomorphic subtype occurred statistically significantly less often as the luminal A subtype compared to others (p = 0.00027), and the HER2-enriched subtype occurred statistically significantly more often in the pT4 stage (p = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study significantly singled out the luminal A subtype, and among them classic ILC, as the subtype with the most favorable expression ratio of the investigated predictive/prognostic immunohistochemical markers.

Potential beneficial effect of IFN-ß1a and ocrelizumab in people with MS during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Disease-modifying therapy (DMT) has led to added challenges in the management of people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) during the COVID-19 era. It can reduce relapse in MS or slow down disease progression, but some DMTs can increased risk of infection. The aim of study was to evaluate risk and severity of COVID-19 in pwMS. METHODS: The examined group of pwMS were divided in group treated with IFN-ß1a, group treated with ocrelizumab and untreated group. The examination included impact of age, gender, duration of MS, type of MS, vaccination status and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) on the risk and severity of COVID-19 infection. A diagnosis of COVID-19 in pwMS was confirmed by positive polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) or antigen test. RESULTS: Out of 207 pwMS, 82 patients were treated with ocrelizumab, 63 with IFN-ß1a, while 62 patients were untreated pwMS. The average duration of the MS was longer in the group of patients treated with ocrelizumab than in the group treated with IFN-ß1a (p < 0.05). EDSS was higher in the ocrelizumab group compared to the other two groups (p < 0.001). Untreated (more often unvaccinated) had the same COVID frequency as ocrelizumab-treated (more vaccinated, but higher EDSS). The multivariate logistic regression model indicated that administration of IFN-ß1a reduces the risk of COVID-19 infection (p = 0.001, OR = 0.381, 95% CI 0.602-0.160). The use of both DMTs, driven mainly by the IFN-ß1a effect, reduces the risk of moderate and severe COVID-19 (p < 0.05, OR = 0.105, 95% CI 0.011-0.968). CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that IFN-ß1a can reduce the frequency of COVID-19 infection and that two DMTs, driven mainly by the IFN-ß1a effect, do not increase the risk of moderate/severe COVID-19.

Hypoplastic arteries of the cerebral arterial ring in the blind spot of computed tomography angiography.

BACKGROUND: Some variations of the cerebral arterial circle (CAC) are associated with an increased risk for the development of various pathological conditions. This paper aimed to determine the prevalence of hypoplastic arteries of CAC and to emphasize the limited possibility of their visualization by computed tomography angiography (CTA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The research was performed on 400 adult cadavers by macro- and microdissection of the cerebral arteries. Each case was photographed and the diameter of the arteries was measured digitally, by analyzing photographs of the bases of the brain in the ImageJ program. RESULTS: The largest prevalence of artery diameter <1mm (<0.6mm) in CAC had the posterior communicating artery (PCoA). PCoA on the left side was hypoplastic in 44.9% (11.4%) of cases, while the same artery on the right side was hypoplastic in 44.3% (6.6%) of cases. The posterior cerebral artery was hypoplastic on the left side in 3% (0.6%) and on the right side in 4.2% (0.6%) of cases. The anterior cerebral artery had a hypoplastic caliber only on the right side in 2.4% (0.6%) of the cases, while the internal carotid arteries did not have a diameter <1mm in any case. The anterior communicating artery showed the greatest variability in morphology. Studies on CTA describe the occurrence of aplasia in a statistically significantly higher percentage, and the occurrence of hypoplastic arteries in a statistically significantly lower percentage compared to studies on cadavers. CONCLUSIONS: Due to significant differences between cadaveric and radiological studies, it is necessary to analyze their results regarding arterial hypoplasia and aplasia separately. A diameter of less than 1 mm has been suggested as a criterion for arterial hypoplasia.

The first case of combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency-1 due to a GFM1 mutation in the Serbian population: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency-1 (COXPD1) resulting from a mutation in the G elongation factor mitochondrial 1 (GFM1) gene is an autosomal recessive multisystem disorder arising from a defect in the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation system. Death usually appears in the first weeks or years of lifespan. CASE: We report a male patient with ventriculomegaly diagnosed in the 8th month of pregnancy. The delivery was done by caesarean section and respiratory failure occurred immediately after birth. Hypoglycemia, lactic acidosis, elevated gamma-glutamyl transferase and hepatomegaly were confirmed. The brain MRI detected hypoplasia of the cerebellar hemispheres, dilated lateral ventricles, and markedly immature brain parenchyma. Epilepsy had been present since the third month. At 5 months of age, neurological follow-up showed his head circumference to be 37 cm, with plagiocephaly, a low hairline, a short neck, axial hypotonia and he did not adopt any developmental milestones. A genetic mutation, a missense variant in the GFM1 gene, was confirmed: c.748C > T (p.Arg250Trp) was homozygous in the GFM1 gene. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, 28 cases of COXPD1 disease caused by mutations in the GFM1 gene have been described in the literature. COXPD1 should be considered due to symptoms and signs which begin during intrauterine life or at birth. Signs of impaired energy metabolism should indicate that the disease is in the group of metabolic encephalopathies.