Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the commonest demyelinating degenerative disease causing adult neurological disability. The cuprizone (CPZ) model is suitable for studying MS induced demyelination. Thymoquinone (TQ) and Platelet rich plasma derived lyophilized growth factors (PRP d. LGFs) showed neuroprotective activity and had been successfully applied in degenerative conditions.
Aim of the work to determine and compare the possible neuroprotective activities for TQ and LGFs against CPZ induced demyelination in rat corpus callosum (CC).
Material and methods 40 male adult albino rats were randomly and equally assorted in 4 groups; Group I (Control group): The rats received nothing. Group II (CPZ group): The rats fed standard rodent chow mixed with 0.6% CPZ/ day (0.6 g of Cuprizone was added to 100 g of chow) for 4 weeks. ‏Group III (CPZ + TQ): The rats were given 0.6% CPZ and TQ daily (20 mg/ kg body weight) dissolved in corn oil (0.5 ml/ rat) orally by intragastric tube for 4 weeks. Group IV (CPZ + PRP d. LGF): The rats received 0.6% CPZ and LGF (250 μL dissolved in distilled water, by intraperitoneal injection) 2 times every week in 4 weeks. At the distend time, light microscopic, electron microscopic, immunohistochemical and morphometric studies were used to study myelination and demyelination in rat CC.
Results: Cuprizone induced oligodendrocytes damage or loss in the rat CC with a subsequent loss of myelin, axonal degeneration and astrogliosis. Both LGFs and TQ attenuated the CPZ induced CC demyelination, but it was more obvious in the LGFs treated group.
Conclusion: Simultaneous administration of LGF or TQ with CPZ improved CC architecture in CPZ model of demyelination with higher protective efficacy for LGF over TQ.

Background: Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) offer promising regenerative therapy potential. This study compared the effects of BM-MSCs and α-tocopherol (α-Toc) on apoptosis, autophagy, β-cell function, and associated signaling pathways in a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes rat model. Additionally, it explored the entero-insular axis and PI3K/Akt signaling.

Methods: Forty adult male albino rats were divided into four groups: control, diabetic (STZ-induced, 45 mg/kg), diabetic treated with BM-MSCs, and diabetic treated with α-Toc. Blood glucose, insulin, nitric oxide (NO), and catalase (CAT) levels were measured. Pancreatic histopathology, expression of insulin, CD44, caspase-3, autophagy markers, PI3K/Akt signaling, pancreas/duodenum homeobox protein 1, and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) were analyzed using histological and molecular techniques.

Results: Diabetic rats showed elevated glucose levels, impaired GIP expression, and partial restoration of pancreatic islets. Both BM-MSCs and α-Toc treatment improved autophagy, restored PI3K/Akt signaling, and reversed intestinal GIP expression. However, BM-MSCs demonstrated superior cytoprotective effects compared to α-Toc.

Conculsion: These findings suggest that BM-MSCs and α-Toc have therapeutic potential in type 1 diabetes by targeting autophagy, β-cell function, and entero-insular axis regulation, with BM-MSCs offering a more pronounced effect.

Background 

Vitiligo is a chronic depigmenting disorder with multiple aetiopathogenic theories. Weak expression of epithelial cadherin protein has been implicated as an aggravating factor in the selective loss of melanocytes in affected skin areas. Yet, little information is known about the role of the cadherin gene as a susceptible gene to vitiligo.

Aims 

We assessed the association between genetic polymorphism of the Cadherin (CDH1)-encoding gene and the risk of developing vitiligo in Egyptians.

Methods 

Venous blood samples were obtained from 25 vitiligo patients and 25 healthy controls. Total DNA extraction was performed followed by a single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping assay of CDH1C/T (rs10431924) gene using real-time PCR. Vitiligo patients were clinically evaluated.

Results 

An insignificant association between the CDH1 (rs10431924) genotypes or allele distribution, and the risk of developing vitiligo was observed after comparing patients and controls.

Conclusion 

In contrast to the previous studies, we did not detect the CDH1 (rs10431924) gene polymorphism as a risk factor for acquiring vitiligo.

Background: Systemic sclerosis (Ssc) is an autoimmune disorder marked by excessive fibrosis, microvascular stenosis, and systemic clinical manifestations. An autoimmune process is believed to induce T-cell activation, mainly CD 4 T helper cells, and enhance production of proinflammatory and profibrotic cytokines such as IL 4 and IL 13. These cytokines contribute to vasculopathy and excessive collagen synthesis. UBASH3a and TIGIT are coinhibitory receptors expressed on T cell to suppress T cell activation.

Objective: Our study aimed to explore UBASH3A and TIGIT mRNA expression levels in systemic sclerosis (Ssc) patients compared to healthy controls. 

Methodology: We detected the mRNA levels via real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in total RNA, isolated from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 30 Ssc patients and 30 age and sex matched  healthy controls with RNA extraction kits.

Results: The expression level of UBASH3A and TIGIT mRNA was significantly high in PBMCs from Ssc patients in comparison with healthy subjects.

 Conclusion : increased expression of TIGIT and UBASH3A3 in SSc patients may indicaes that those patients express CO-IRs signatures reminiscent of immune cell exhaustion so they may be candidate for targeted therapy

Background: The hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF) are considered master regulators of oxygen homeostasis and are oxygen level sensitive. Currently, there is no information regarding the expression of HIF-1α in pregnant women with COVID-19 infection and its potential involvement in the placentation of this condition. Objective: The current study aims to detect the expression of HIF-1α and possible molecular link between the expression of HIF-1α and PLGF. Methodology: A case-control study was conducted in a tertiary university hospital between January and September 2022. Placental tissue of post COVID-19 infected pregnant women (n= 34) and healthy control (n=16) were collected and processed for gene expression of HIF-1α and PLGF by Quantitative real-time PCR.

Results: There was a statistically significant higher median level of HIF-1α among cases compared to controls (P<0.001). Moreover, there was a statistically significant higher median level of PLGF among cases compared to controls (P<0.001). There was statistically significant moderate positive correlation between HIF-1α and PLGF gene (r=0.636, P <0.001) among studied samples, however no statistically significant correlation between the two genes among cases and controls groups separately.

Conclusion: the higher levels of HIF-1α and PLGF in the placentas of post COVID-infected pregnant women compared to normal pregnant women indicate that COVID-19 hypoxia did not affect the process of placentation. This is confirmed also by the positive correlation between HIF-1α and PIGF in placental tissues among total studied samples.

Background: Cytokines play a major role in the pathogenesis and progression of psoriasis. Interleukin (IL)-30 is a multifunctional cytokine. It binds to glycoprotein 130 (GP130) and inhibits the GP130 signaling pathways of psoriasis associated cytokines such as IL-6, IL-11, and IL-27.

Objective: The study intended to assess associations of IL-30 and GP130 with the risk of psoriasis and Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) score. Methodology: The serum levels of IL-30 and GP130 in psoriasis patients and in a control group were measured by ELISA in the serum of 43 patients and 43 normal controls. Statistical analysis of IL-30 and GP130 serum levels among patients and control groups and their correlation with PASI scores were performed

Results: IL-30 serum levels showed a significant increase in patients with psoriasis compared with controls (p<0.001) and a positive correlation with PASI scores. While serum levels of GP130 were not different in psoriatic patients and in the control group. Furthermore, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that IL-30 had diagnostic ability for prediction of psoriasis in comparison to controls, at cut of point of >14.34 showed a sensitivity of 97.7%, 100% specificity.

Conclusion: IL-30 was elevated in psoriasis patients than controls, therefore, it can be considered a sensitive biomarker for diagnosis of psoriasis.