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Aggressive malignant brain tumors have a poor prognosis, and early detection can significantly improve treatment effectiveness and increase patient survival rates. Various methods are available for diagnosing brain tumors, with biopsy being one of the primary options. However, a biopsy is an invasive procedure that carries a risk of brain damage, highlighting the need for safer alternatives. One promising non-invasive method is liquid biopsy, which involves extracting extracellular vesicles (EVs) from different biological fluids. Most cell types can produce and release extracellular vesicles. EVs isolated from bodily fluids, along with the molecules they carry—such as proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids—can be used to diagnose brain tumors. This approach has the potential to replace labor-intensive and expensive diagnostic methods that can adversely affect patient health. This review discusses recent advancements in the use of EVs as biomarkers for diagnosing brain tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melanoma is a malignant, highly metastatic neoplasm showing increasing morbidity and mortality. Tumor invasion and angiogenesis are based on remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Selective inhibition of functional components of cell–ECM interaction, such as hyaluronic acid (HA), matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and integrins, may inhibit tumor progression and enhance the efficacy of combination treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), chemotherapy, or immunotherapy. In this review, we combine the results of different approaches targeting extracellular matrix elements in melanoma in preclinical and clinical studies. The identified limitations of many approaches, including side effects, low selectivity, and toxicity, indicate the need for further studies to optimize therapy. Nevertheless, significant progress in expanding our understanding of tumor biology and the development of targeted therapies holds great promise for the early approaches developed several decades ago to inhibit metastasis through ECM targeting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epilepsy is a brain disorder characterized by a persistent predisposition to epileptic seizures. With various etiologies of epilepsy, a significant proportion of patients develop pharmacoresistance to antiepileptic drugs, which necessitates the search for new therapeutic methods, in particular, using gene therapy. This review discusses the use of adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors in gene therapy for epilepsy, emphasizing their advantages, such as high efficiency of neuronal tissue transduction and low immunogenicity/cytotoxicity. AAV vectors provide the possibility of personalized therapy due to the diversity of serotypes and genomic constructs, which allows for increasing the specificity and effectiveness of treatment. Promising orientations include the modulation of the expression of neuropeptides, ion channels, transcription, and neurotrophic factors, as well as the use of antisense oligonucleotides to regulate seizure activity, which can reduce the severity of epileptic disorders. This review summarizes the current advances in the use of AAV vectors for the treatment of epilepsy of various etiologies, demonstrating the significant potential of AAV vectors for the development of personalized and more effective approaches to reducing seizure activity and improving patient prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, approaches to personalized medicine are actively developing. For example, the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is actively growing every year. As a result of activation, platelets release a wide range of growth factors, cytokines, chemokines, and angiogenic factors, after which these molecules regulate chemotaxis, inflammation, and vasomotor function and play a crucial role in restoring the integrity of damaged vascular walls, angiogenesis, and tissue regeneration. Due to these characteristics, PRP has a wide potential in regenerative medicine and gerontology. PRP products are actively used not only in esthetic medicine but also to stimulate tissue regeneration and relieve chronic inflammation. PRP therapy has a number of advantages, but the controversial results of clinical studies, a lack of standardization of the sample preparation of the material, and insufficient objective data on the evaluation of efficacy do not allow us to unambiguously look at the use of PRP for therapeutic purposes. In this review, we will examine the current clinical efficacy of PRP-based products and analyze the contribution of PRP in the therapy of diseases associated with aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hereditary neurodegenerative diseases (hNDDs) such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's disease, and others are primarily characterized by their progressive nature, severely compromising both the cognitive and motor abilities of patients. The underlying genetic component in hNDDs contributes to disease risk, creating a complex genetic landscape. Considering the fact that growth factors play crucial roles in regulating cellular processes, such as proliferation, differentiation, and survival, they could have therapeutic potential for hNDDs, provided appropriate dosing and safe delivery approaches are ensured. This article presents a detailed overview of growth factors, and explores their therapeutic potential in treating hNDDs, emphasizing their roles in neuronal survival, growth, and synaptic plasticity. However, challenges such as proper dosing, delivery methods, and patient variability can hinder their clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The improvement of human living conditions has led to an increase in average life expectancy, creating a new social and medical problem—aging, which diminishes the overall quality of human life. The aging process of the body begins with the activation of effector signaling pathways of aging in cells, resulting in the loss of their normal functions and deleterious effects on the microenvironment. This, in turn, leads to chronic inflammation and similar transformations in neighboring cells. The cumulative retention of these senescent cells over a prolonged period results in the deterioration of tissues and organs, ultimately leading to a reduced quality of life and an elevated risk of mortality. Among the most promising methods for addressing aging and age-related illnesses are pharmacological, genetic, and cellular therapies. Elevating the activity of aging-suppressing genes, employing specific groups of native and genetically modified cells, and utilizing senolytic medications may offer the potential to delay aging and age-related ailments over the long term. This review explores strategies and advancements in the field of anti-aging therapies currently under investigation, with a particular emphasis on gene therapy involving adeno-associated vectors and cell-based therapeutic approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare autosomal recessive neuromuscular disease that is characterized by progressive muscle atrophy (degeneration), including skeletal muscles in charge of the ability to move. SMA is caused by defects in the SMN1 gene (Survival of Motor Neuron 1) which encodes a protein crucial for the survival and functionality of neuron cells called motor neurons. Decreased level of functioning SMN protein leads to progressive degeneration of alpha-motor neurons performing muscular motility. Over the past decade, many strategies directed for SMN-level-restoration emerged, such as gene replacement therapy (GRT), CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing, usage of antisense oligonucleotides and small-molecule modulators, and all have been showing their perspectives in SMA therapy. In this review, modern SMA therapy strategies are described, making it a valuable resource for researchers, clinicians and everyone interested in the progress of therapy of this serious disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) is a hereditary neurodegenerative disease characterized by demyelination and motor and cognitive impairments due to deficiencies of the lysosomal enzyme arylsulfatase A (ARSA) or the saposin B activator protein (SapB). Current treatments are limited; however, gene therapy using adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors for ARSA delivery has shown promising results. The main challenges for MLD gene therapy include optimizing the AAV dosage, selecting the most effective serotype, and determining the best route of administration for ARSA delivery into the central nervous system. This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of AAV serotype 9 encoding ARSA (AAV9-ARSA) gene therapy when administered intravenously or intrathecally in minipigs, a large animal model with anatomical and physiological similarities to humans. By comparing these two administration methods, this study contributes to the understanding of how to improve the effectiveness of MLD gene therapy and offers valuable insights for future clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite scientific discoveries in the field of gene and cell therapy, some diseases still have no effective treatment. Advances in genetic engineering methods have enabled the development of effective gene therapy methods for various diseases based on adeno-associated viruses (AAVs). Today, many AAV-based gene therapy medications are being investigated in preclinical and clinical trials, and new ones are appearing on the market. In this article, we present a review of AAV discovery, properties, different serotypes, and tropism, and a following detailed explanation of their uses in gene therapy for disease of different organs and systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a population of tumor cells that share similar properties to normal stem cells. CSCs are able to promote tumor progression and recurrence due to their resistance to chemotherapy and ability to stimulate angiogenesis and differentiate into non-CSCs. Cancer stem cells can also create a significant immunosuppressive environment around themselves by suppressing the activity of effector immune cells and recruiting cells that support tumor escape from immune response. The immunosuppressive effect of CSCs can be mediated by receptors located on their surface, as well as by secreted molecules, which transfer immunosuppressive signals to the cells of tumor microenvironment. In this article, the ability of CSCs to regulate the antitumor immune response and a contribution of CSC-derived EVs into the avoidance of the immune response are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the features of the morphology and cytokine profiles of neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells, bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (BM-MSCs), and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in double (BM-MSCs + SH-SY5Y cells) and triple (BM-MSCs + SH-SY5Y cells + PBMCs) co-cultures incubated on plastic and Matrigel. Cells in the co-cultures communicated by vesicular transport and by exchanging membrane and cytoplasmic components. The cytokine profile of double and triple co-cultures incubated on Matrigel and plastic had differences and showed the highest concentration of a number of chemokines/cytokines, such as CXCL8/IL-8, I-TAC/CXCL11, IP10/CXCL10, MDC/CCL22, MIP-1α/CCL3, IL-1β, ENA-78/CXCL5, Gro-α/CXCL1, MCP-1/CCL2, TERC/CCL25, CXCL8/IL-8, and IL-6. High concentrations of inflammatory chemokines/cytokines in the conditioned medium of triple co-culture form a chronic inflammation, which brings the presented co-cultivation system closer to a natural tumor. Triple co-cultures were more resistant to cisplatin (CDDP) than the double- and monoculture of SH-SY5Y. The mRNA levels of BCL2, BCL2L1, RAC1, CAV1, CASP3, and BAX genes were changed in cells after co-culturing and CDDP treatment in double and triple co-cultures. The expression of the BCL2, BAX, CAV1, and CASP3 proteins in SH-SY5Y cells after the triple co-culture and CAV1 and BAX protein expression in SH-SY5Y cells after the double co-culture were determined. This study demonstrated the nature of the cellular interactions between components of tumor niche and the intercellular influence on chemoresistance observed in our tumor model, which should enable the development of novel test systems for anti-tumor agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane structures that play the role of intermediaries between tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME) because they have the ability to transport lipids, transcription factors, mRNA, and proteins. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a major component of the TME and may have different effects on tumor progression using EVs. This review includes information about various studies which have reported that EVs from MSCs can have either antitumor or pro-tumor effects, depending on both the tumor type and developmental stage. It provides an overview of the published data on EV MSCs and their effect on tumor cells. In addition, the use of EV MSCs for the development of new methods for treating oncological diseases is described. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a major component of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and play an important role in tumor progression. MSCs remodel the extracellular matrix, participate in the epithelial–mesenchymal transition, promote the spread of metastases, and inhibit antitumor immune responses in the TME; however, there are also data pertaining to the antitumor effects of MSCs. MSCs activate the cell death mechanism by modulating the expression of proteins involved in the regulation of the cell cycle, angiogenesis receptors, and proapoptotic proteins. One of the main ways in which MSCs and TME interact is through the production of extracellular vesicles (EVs) by cells. Currently, data on the effects of both MSCs and their EVs on tumor cells are rather contradictory. Various studies have reported that EVs from MSCs can have either antitumor or pro-tumor effects, depending on both the tumor type and developmental stage. In this review, we discuss published data on EV MSCs and their effect on tumor cells. The molecular composition of vesicles obtained from MSCs is also presented in the review. In addition, the use of EV MSCs for the development of new methods for treating oncological diseases is described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor-cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) are known to carry biologically active molecules of parental cells, which can actively modulate the tumor microenvironment. EVs produced by tumor cells play significant roles in the development and maintenance of tumor growth, metastasis, immune escape, and other important processes. However, the ability of EVs to induce the transformation of normal cells has hardly been investigated. This review discusses studies that describe the ability of tumor-cell-derived EVs to alter the metabolism and morphology of normal cells, causing changes associated with malignant transformation. Additionally, the horizontal transfer of oncogenes through EVs of tumor cells and the induction of epigenetic changes in normal cells, which leads to genomic instability and subsequent oncogenic transformation of normal cells, are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epilepsy is a chronic non-infectious disease of the brain, characterized primarily by recurrent unprovoked seizures, defined as an episode of disturbance of motor, sensory, autonomic, or mental functions resulting from excessive neuronal discharge. Despite the advances in the treatment achieved with the use of antiepileptic drugs and other non-pharmacological therapies, about 30% of patients suffer from uncontrolled seizures. This review summarizes the currently available methods of gene and cell therapy for epilepsy and discusses the development of these approaches. Currently, gene therapy for epilepsy is predominantly adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated delivery of genes encoding neuro-modulatory peptides, neurotrophic factors, enzymes, and potassium channels. Cell therapy for epilepsy is represented by the transplantation of several types of cells such as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), bone marrow mononuclear cells, neural stem cells, and MSC-derived exosomes. Another approach is encapsulated cell biodelivery, which is the transplantation of genetically modified cells placed in capsules and secreting various therapeutic agents. The use of gene and cell therapy approaches can significantly improve the condition of patient with epilepsy. Therefore, preclinical, and clinical studies have been actively conducted in recent years to prove the benefits and safety of these strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) are a group of approximately 50 genetic disorders caused by mutations in genes coding enzymes that are involved in cell degradation and transferring lipids and other macromolecules. Accumulation of lipids and other macromolecules in lysosomes leads to the destruction of affected cells. Although the clinical manifestations of different LSDs vary greatly, more than half of LSDs have symptoms of central nervous system neurodegeneration, and within each disorder there is a considerable variation, ranging from severe, infantile-onset forms to attenuated adult-onset disease, sometimes with distinct clinical features. To date, treatment options for this group of diseases remain limited, which highlights the need for further development of innovative therapeutic approaches, that can not only improve the patients' quality of life, but also provide full recovery for them. In many LSDs stem cell-based therapy showed promising results in preclinical researches. This review discusses using mesenchymal stem cells for different LSDs therapy and other neurodegenerative diseases and their possible limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of immunotherapeutic methods for the treatment of oncological diseases have made it possible to improve the effectiveness of standard therapies. There was no breakthrough after first using of personalized therapeutic vaccines based on dendritic cells in clinical practice. A deeper study of the biology of dendritic cells, as well as the use of new approaches and agents for antigenic work, have made it possible to expand the field of application of dendritic cell (DC) vaccines and improve the indicators of cancer patients. In addition, the low toxicity of DC vaccines in clinical trials makes it possible to use promising predictions of their applicability in wider clinical practice. This review examines new approaches and recent advances of the DC vaccine in clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-dose recombinant interleukin 2 (IL2) therapy has been shown to be successful in renal cell carcinoma and metastatic melanoma. However, systemic administration of high doses of IL2 can be toxic, causing capillary leakage syndrome and stimulating pro-tumor immune response. One of the strategies to reduce the systemic toxicity of IL2 is the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as a vehicle for the targeted delivery of IL2. Human adipose tissue-derived MSCs were transduced with lentivirus encoding IL2 (hADSCs-IL2) or blue fluorescent protein (BFP) (hADSCs-BFP). The proliferation, immunophenotype, cytokine profile and ultrastructure of hADSCs-IL2 and hADSCs-BFP were determined. The effect of hADSCs on activation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and proliferation and viability of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells after co-culture with native hADSCs, hADSCs-BFP or hADSCs-IL2 on plastic and Matrigel was evaluated. Ultrastructure and cytokine production by hADSCs-IL2 showed modest changes in comparison with hADSCs and hADSCs-BFP. Conditioned medium from hADSC-IL2 affected tumor cell proliferation, increasing the proliferation of SH-SY5Y cells and also increasing the number of late-activated T-cells, natural killer (NK) cells, NKT-cells and activated T-killers. Conversely, hADSC-IL2 co-culture led to a decrease in SH-SY5Y proliferation on plastic and Matrigel. These data show that hADSCs-IL2 can reduce SH-SY5Y proliferation and activate PBMCs in vitro. However, IL2-mediated therapeutic effects of hADSCs could be offset by the increased expression of pro-oncogenes, as well as the natural ability of hADSCs to promote the progression of some tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tay-Sachs disease belongs to the group of autosomal-recessive lysosomal storage metabolic disorders. This disease is caused by β-hexosaminidase A (HexA) enzyme deficiency due to various mutations in α-subunit gene of this enzyme, resulting in GM2 ganglioside accumulation predominantly in lysosomes of nerve cells. Tay-Sachs disease is characterized by acute neurodegeneration preceded by activated microglia expansion, macrophage and astrocyte activation along with inflammatory mediator production. In most cases, the disease manifests itself during infancy, the "infantile form," which characterizes the most severe disorders of the nervous system. The juvenile form, the symptoms of which appear in adolescence, and the most rare form with late onset of symptoms in adulthood are also described. The typical features of Tay-Sachs disease are muscle weakness, ataxia, speech, and mental disorders. Clinical symptom severity depends on residual HexA enzymatic activity associated with some mutations. Currently, Tay-Sachs disease treatment is based on symptom relief and, in case of the late-onset form, on the delay of progression. There are also clinical reports of substrate reduction therapy using miglustat and bone marrow or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. At the development stage there are methods of Tay-Sachs disease gene therapy using adeno- or adeno-associated viruses as vectors for the delivery of cDNA encoding α and β HexA subunit genes. Effectiveness of this approach is evaluated in α or β HexA subunit defective model mice or Jacob sheep, in which Tay-Sachs disease arises spontaneously and is characterized by the same pathological features as in humans. This review discusses the possibilities of new therapeutic strategies in Tay-Sachs disease therapy aimed at preventing neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are released by all cells within the tumor microenvironment, such as endothelial cells, tumor-associated fibroblasts, pericytes, and immune system cells. The EVs carry the cargo of parental cells formed of proteins and nucleic acids, which can convey cell-to-cell communication influencing the maintenance and spread of the malignant neoplasm, for example, promoting angiogenesis, tumor cell invasion, and immune escape. However, EVs can also suppress tumor progression, either by the direct influence of the protein and nucleic acid cargo of the EVs or via antigen presentation to immune cells as tumor-derived EVs carry on their surface some of the same antigens as the donor cells. Moreover, dendritic cell-derived EVs carry major histocompatibility complex class I and class II/peptide complexes and are able to prime other immune system cell types and activate an antitumor immune response. Given the relative longevity of vesicles within the circulation and their ability to cross blood–brain barriers, modification of these unique organelles offers the potential to create new biological-tools for cancer therapy. This review examines how modification of the EV cargo has the potential to target specific tumor mechanisms responsible for tumor formation and progression to develop new therapeutic strategies and to increase the efficacy of antitumor therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are non-hematopoietic progenitor cells, which can be isolated from different types of tissues including bone marrow, adipose tissue, tooth pulp, and placenta/umbilical cord blood. There isolation from adult tissues circumvents the ethical concerns of working with embryonic or fetal stem cells, whilst still providing cells capable of differentiating into various cell lineages, such as adipocytes, osteocytes and chondrocytes. An important feature of MSCs is the low immunogenicity due to the lack of co-stimulatory molecules expression, meaning there is no need for immunosuppression during allogenic transplantation. The tropism of MSCs to damaged tissues and tumor sites makes them a promising vector for therapeutic agent delivery to tumors and metastatic niches. MSCs can be genetically modified by virus vectors to encode tumor suppressor genes, immunomodulating cytokines and their combinations, other therapeutic approaches include MSCs priming/loading with chemotherapeutic drugs or nanoparticles. MSCs derived membrane microvesicles (MVs), which play an important role in intercellular communication, are also considered as a new therapeutic agent and drug delivery vector. Recruited by the tumor, MSCs can exhibit both proand anti-oncogenic properties. In this regard, for the development of new methods for cancer therapy using MSCs, a deeper understanding of the molecular and cellular interactions between MSCs and the tumor microenvironment is necessary. In this review, we discuss MSC and tumor interaction mechanisms and review the new therapeutic strategies using MSCs and MSCs derived MVs for cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutations in genes such as transglutaminase-1 (TGM1), which are responsible for the formation and normal functioning of a lipid barrier, lead to the development of autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis (ARCI). ARCIs are characterized by varying degrees of hyperkeratosis and the presence of scales on the body surface since birth. The quality of life of patients is often significantly affected, and in order to alleviate the manifestations of the disease, symptomatic therapy with moisturizers, keratolytics, retinoids and other cosmetic substances is often used to improve the condition of the patients' skin. Graft transplantation is commonly used to correct defects of the eye. However, these approaches offer symptomatic treatment that does not restore the lost protein function or provide a long-term skin barrier. Gene and cell therapies are evolving as promising therapy for ARCIs that can correct the functional activity of altered proteins. However, these approaches are still at an early stage of development. This review discusses current studies of gene and cell therapy approaches for various types of ichthyosis and their further prospects for patient treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Presently, the study of cancer stem cells is important because these cells increase the cancer complexity, confer tumors the ability to grow, resist treatment, and survive in adverse conditions. One of the properties that these cells have is stemness. Cancer stemness is modulated by the tumor microenvironment, which influences cancer stem cell function and survival. This review includes information about cancer stem cells and their regulation by extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Pluripotency factors and signaling pathways, which regulate and modulate cancer stemness are summarized in this review. In addition, it provides an overview of the models that allow the study of cancer stem cells for the development of new targeted therapies. Tumor heterogeneity represents an important limitation to the development of effective cancer therapies. The presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) and their differentiation hierarchies contribute to cancer complexity and confer tumors the ability to grow, resist treatment, survive unfavorable conditions, and invade neighboring and distant tissues. A large body of research is currently focusing on understanding the properties of CSCs, including their cellular and molecular origin, as well as their biological behavior in different tumor types. In turn, this knowledge informs strategies for targeting these tumor initiating cells and related cancer stemness. Cancer stemness is modulated by the tumor microenvironment, which influences CSC function and survival. Several advanced in vitro models are currently being developed to study cancer stemness in order to advance new knowledge of the key molecular pathways involved in CSC self-renewal and dormancy, as well as to mimic the complexity of patients' tumors in pre-clinical drug testing. In this review, we discuss CSCs and the modulation of cancer stemness by the tumor microenvironment, stemness factors and signaling pathways. In addition, we introduce current models that allow the study of CSCs for the development of new targeted therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tay-Sachs disease (TSD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that occurs due to a deficiency of a β hexosaminidase A (HexA) enzyme, resulting in the accumulation of GM2 gangliosides. In this work, we analyzed the effect of umbilical cord blood cell transplantation (UCBCT) and curcumin administration on the course of the disease in a patient with adult TSD. The patient's serum cytokine profile was determined using multiplex analysis. The level of GM2 gangliosides in plasma was determined using mass spectrometry. The enzymatic activity of HexA in the plasma of the patient was assessed using a fluorescent substrate assay. The HexA α-subunit (HexA) concentration was determined using ELISA. It was shown that both UCBCT and curcumin administration led to a change in the patient's cytokine profile. The UCBCT resulted in an increase in the concentration of HexA in the patient's serum and in an improvement in the patient's neurological status. However, neither UCBCT nor curcumin were able to alter HexA activity and the level of GM2 in patient's plasma. The data obtained indicate that UCBCT and curcumin administration can alter the immunity of a patient with TSD, reduce the level of inflammatory cytokines and thereby improve the patient's condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronary artery disease remains one of the primary healthcare problems due to the high cost of treatment, increased number of patients, poor clinical outcomes, and lack of effective therapy. Though pharmacological and surgical treatments positively affect symptoms and arrest the disease progression, they generally exhibit a limited effect on the disease outcome. The development of alternative therapeutic approaches towards ischemic disease treatment, especially of decompensated forms, is therefore relevant. Therapeutic angiogenesis, stimulated by various cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors, provides the possibility of restoring functional blood flow in ischemic tissues, thereby ensuring the regeneration of the damaged area. In the current study, based on the clinically approved plasmid vector pVax1, multigenic constructs were developed encoding vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factors (FGF2), and the DsRed fluorescent protein, integrated via picornaviruses' furin-2A peptide sequences. In vitro experiments demonstrated that genetically modified cells with engineered plasmid constructs expressed the target proteins. Overexpression of VEGF and FGF2 resulted in increased levels of the recombinant proteins. Concomitantly, these did not lead to a significant shift in the general secretory profile of modified HEK293T cells. Simultaneously, the secretome of genetically modified cells showed significant stimulating effects on the formation of capillary-like structures by HUVEC (endothelial cells) in vitro. Our results revealed that when the multicistronic multigene vectors encoding 2A peptide sequences are created, transient transgene co-expression is ensured. The results obtained indicated the mutual synergistic effects of the growth factors VEGF and FGF2 on the proliferation of endothelial cells in vitro. Thus, recombinant multicistronic multigenic constructs might serve as a promising approach for establishing safe and effective systems to treat ischemic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Almost all human cells release extracellular vesicles participating in intercellular communication. Extracellular vesicles are rounded structures surrounded by the cytoplasmic membrane, which embody cytoplasmic contents of the parental cells, which makes extracellular vesicles a promising therapeutic tool for cell-free cancer therapy. In this study, human mesenchymal stem cells were genetically modified to overexpress human interleukin-2 (IL2), a cytokine which regulates the proliferation and activation of immune cells. Membrane vesicle release from native and genetically modified stem cells was induced by cytochalasin B treatment to increase the yield of membrane vesicles. To evaluate the immunomodulating properties of isolated membrane vesicles, immune cells were isolated from human peripheral blood and co-cultured with membrane vesicles from native or IL2 overexpressing stem cells. To analyze the anti-tumor activity of immune cells after interaction with IL2-enriched membrane vesicles, immune cells were co-cultured with triple negative breast cancer cells. As a result, IL2-enriched membrane vesicles were able to activate and stimulate the proliferation of immune cells, which in turn were able to induce apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Therefore, the production of IL2-enriched membrane vesicles represents a unique opportunity to meet the potential of extracellular vesicles to be used in clinical applications for cancer therapy. Interleukin 2 (IL2) was one of the first cytokines used for cancer treatment due to its ability to stimulate anti-cancer immunity. However, recombinant IL2-based therapy is associated with high systemic toxicity and activation of regulatory T-cells, which are associated with the pro-tumor immune response. One of the current trends for the delivery of anticancer agents is the use of extracellular vesicles (EVs), which can carry and transfer biologically active cargos into cells. The use of EVs can increase the efficacy of IL2-based anti-tumor therapy whilst reducing systemic toxicity. In this study, human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADSCs) were transduced with lentivirus encoding IL2 (hADSCs-IL2). Membrane vesicles were isolated from hADSCs-IL2 using cytochalasin B (CIMVs-IL2). The effect of hADSCs-IL2 and CIMVs-IL2 on the activation and proliferation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) as well as the cytotoxicity of activated PBMCs against human triple negative cancer MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-436 cells were evaluated. The effect of CIMVs-IL2 on murine PBMCs was also evaluated in vivo. CIMVs-IL2 failed to suppress the proliferation of human PBMCs as opposed to hADSCs-IL2. However, CIMVs-IL2 were able to activate human CD8+ T-killers, which in turn, killed MDA-MB-231 cells more effectively than hADSCs-IL2-activated CD8+ T-killers. This immunomodulating effect of CIMVs-IL2 appears specific to human CD8+ T-killer cells, as the same effect was not observed on murine CD8+ T-cells. In conclusion, the use of CIMVs-IL2 has the potential to provide a more effective anti-cancer therapy. This compelling evidence supports further studies to evaluate CIMVs-IL2 effectiveness, using cancer mouse models with a reconstituted human immune system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The search for an effective drug to treat oncological diseases, which have become the main scourge of mankind, has generated a lot of methods for studying this affliction. It has also become a serious challenge for scientists and clinicians who have needed to invent new ways of overcoming the problems encountered during treatments, and have also made important discoveries pertaining to fundamental issues relating to the emergence and development of malignant neoplasms. Understanding the basics of the human immune system interactions with tumor cells has enabled new cancer immunotherapy strategies. The initial successes observed in immunotherapy led to new methods of treating cancer and attracted the attention of the scientific and clinical communities due to the prospects of these methods. Nevertheless, there are still many problems that prevent immunotherapy from calling itself an effective drug in the fight against malignant neoplasms. This review examines the current state of affairs for each immunotherapy method, the effectiveness of the strategies under study, as well as possible ways to overcome the problems that have arisen and increase their therapeutic potentials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Presently, the investigation of the tumor is carried out using different models. One of the promising areas is the creation of 3D tumor models, such as spheroids and organoids. These models are close in properties and organization to a native tumor. This review includes information about 3D tumor models, their differences, and methods for creating spheroids and organoids. The technical aspects of these models are summarized in this review. It provides an overview of the main uses of these models in personalized medicine to create a promising screening model for therapeutic agents and describes the latest research in this area. The combination of 3D tumor models and high-throughput approaches of personalized medicine (transcriptome, genomic, metabolomic, etc.) will open up new possibilities for the creation of improved therapy for oncological diseases. One of the promising directions in personalized medicine is the use of three-dimensional (3D) tumor models such as spheroids and organoids. Spheroids and organoids are three-dimensional cultures of tumor cells that can be obtained from patient tissue and, using high-throughput personalized medicine methods, provide a suitable therapy for that patient. These 3D models can be obtained from most types of tumors, which provides opportunities for the creation of biobanks with appropriate patient materials that can be used to screen drugs and facilitate the development of therapeutic agents. It should be noted that the use of spheroids and organoids would expand the understanding of tumor biology and its microenvironment, help develop new in vitro platforms for drug testing and create new therapeutic strategies. In this review, we discuss 3D tumor spheroid and organoid models, their advantages and disadvantages, and evaluate their promising use in personalized medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in the development of new methods of cancer immunotherapy require the production of complex cancer animal models that reliably reflect the complexity of the tumor and its microenvironment. Mice are good animals to create tumor models because they are low cost, have a short reproductive cycle, exhibit high tumor growth rates, and can be easily genetically modified. However, the obvious problem of these models is the high failure rate observed in human clinical trials after promising results obtained in mouse models. In order to increase the reliability of the results obtained in mice, the tumor model should reflect the heterogeneity of the tumor, contain components of the tumor microenvironment, in particular immune cells, to which the action of immunotherapeutic drugs are directed. This review discusses the current immunocompetent and immunocompromised mouse models of human tumors that are used to evaluate the effectiveness of immunotherapeutic agents, in particular chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells and immune checkpoint inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of multicistronic vectors has opened up new opportunities to address the fundamental issues of molecular and cellular biology related to the need for the simultaneous delivery and joint expression of several genes. To date, the examples of the successful use of multicistronic vectors have been described for the development of new methods of treatment of various human diseases, including cardiovascular, oncological, metabolic, autoimmune, and neurodegenerative disorders. The safety and effectiveness of the joint delivery of therapeutic genes in multicistronic vectors based on the internal ribosome entry site (IRES) and self-cleaving 2A peptides have been shown in both in vitro and in vivo experiments as well as in clinical trials. Co-expression of several genes in one vector has also been used to create animal models of various inherited diseases which are caused by mutations in several genes. Multicistronic vectors provide expression of all mutant genes, which allows the most complete mimicking disease pathogenesis. This review comprehensively discusses multicistronic vectors based on IRES nucleotide sequence and self-cleaving 2A peptides, including its features and possible application for the treatment and modeling of various human diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recombinant viruses are novel therapeutic agents that can be utilized for treatment of various diseases, including cancers. Recombinant viruses can be engineered to express foreign transgenes and have a broad tropism allowing gene expression in a wide range of host cells. They can be selected or designed for specific therapeutic goals; for example, recombinant viruses could be used to stimulate host immune response against tumor-specific antigens and therefore overcome the ability of the tumor to evade the host's immune surveillance. Alternatively, recombinant viruses could express immunomodulatory genes which stimulate an anti-cancer immune response. Oncolytic viruses can replicate specifically in tumor cells and induce toxic effects leading to cell lysis and apoptosis. However, each of these approaches face certain difficulties that must be resolved to achieve maximum therapeutic efficacy. In this review we discuss actively developing approaches for cancer therapy based on recombinant viruses, problems that need to be overcome, and possible prospects for further development of recombinant virus based therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroblastoma, the most prevalent extracranial solid tumor in children, poses therapeutic challenges due to its variable clinical course and propensity for metastasis. Despite advances in treatment strategies like chemotherapy, drug resistance remains a significant concern, highlighting the need for improved models to study tumor behavior and drug responses. This chapter proposes the development of a three-dimensional multicellular model of human neuroblastoma using Matrigel as an ECM analogue. Such models aim to replicate the complexity of the tumor microenvironment, providing valuable insights into tumor progression and drug resistance mechanisms. By recapitulating key features of neuroblastoma within a physiologically relevant context, these models offer a platform for preclinical drug screening and therapeutic development., (© 2024. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.)