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Impaired chronic wound healing frequently occurs in diabetic patients. We hypothesized that menstrual blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MenSCs) in combination with bilayer scaffold consisted of human amniotic membrane (AM) and electrospun silk fibroin nanofibers could potentially promote wound healing in diabetic mice.Two bilateral full-thickness wounds were created on dorsal skin of type-1 diabetic mice model and animals were equally divided in four groups including: no-treatment group (NT), amniotic membrane treated group (AM), bilayer scaffold treated group (bSC), and MenSCs-seeded bilayer scaffold treated group (bSC + MenSCs). Wound healing evaluations were performed at 3, 7, and 14 days after their treatment. The wound healing was analyzed by macroscopic and microscopic evaluations, and immunofluorescence staining of involucrin (IVL), type III collagen, CD31/ von Willebrand factor (vWF), and PGP9.5 were performed. Furthermore, number of neutrophils and macrophages and subpopulation of macrophages were assessed. In addition, the expression of Egr2, Mmp9, CXCL12, IDO1, Ptgs2 and VEGFA transcripts involved in wound repair were also analyzed.After 14 days, the best epidermal and dermal regeneration belonged to the cases received bSC + MenSCs as wound dressing. Moreover, the wound healing was typically faster in this group compared to other groups. Immunofluorescence evaluation represented higher levels of CD31 and VWF, higher ratio of M2/M1 macrophages, greater expression of IVL, and higher levels of the PGP9.5 in the bSC + MenSCs group in comparison with other groups. Expression analysis of assessed genes also supported assumption of more regeneration and healing in the bSC + MenSCs group versus other groups.These results indicate that enhanced immunomodulatory and reparative properties of MenSCs in conjunction with bilayer scaffold specified this cellular skin substitute for modulating wound chronicity and contribution to resolution of wound healing process in diabetic ulcer.

The study was aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of cell therapy using autologous menstrual blood derived- mesenchymal stromal cells (Men-MSCs) in fertility potential of poor ovarian responders (PORs). POR women were divided into mesenchymal stroma cell (MSC) therapy (n = 15) and routine ICSI (n = 16) groups. The cultured Men-MSCs were autologously injected into left ovary of MSC group after approval by flow cytometry, karyotyping, endotoxin, sterility and mycoplasma tests. Changes in anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), antral follicles count (AFC), oocytes and embryos number, clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate were followed in both groups up to one year after treatment. 4 of 15 participants in MSC group got naturally pregnant during 3 months after cell administration, in contrast to no natural conception in control group (P = 0.04). The mean AMH level did not significantly differ with that of previous cycle or control group. Although mean AFC and oocytes number in MSC group did not indicate considerable difference with those of control group, raise of these parameters in comparison with previous cycle was significant (both P = 0.01). Nonetheless, oocyte fertilization rate and embryo number in MSC group were higher than control group (P = 0.04 and P = 0.008, respectively). Altogether, 7 of 15 women in MSC group and 2 of 16 women in routine ICSI group had clinical pregnancy that resulted in 5 live births in main group and one birth in control group. In conclusion, cell therapy using Men-MSCs could be considered as a potential treatment to restore fertility capability of POR women. The trial registration number (TRN): IRCT20180619040147N2. Date of registration: 2018-08-21.

The main purpose of this study was to find effectiveness of 3D silk fibroin scaffold in comparison with co-culturing in presence of native cardiomyocytes on cardiac differentiation propensity of menstural blood(MenSCs)-versus bone marrow-derived stem-cells (BMSCs). We showed that both 3D fibroin scaffold and co-culture system supported efficient cardiomyogenic differentiation of MenSCs and BMSCs, as judged by the expression of cardiac-specific genes and proteins, Connexin-43, Connexin-40, alpha Actinin (ACTN-2), Tropomyosin1 (TPM1) and Cardiac Troponin T (TNNT2). No significant difference (except for higher expression of ACTN-2 in co-cultured MenSCs) was found between differentiation potential of the cells cultured in 3D fibroin scaffold and co-culture system. Collectively, our results imply that inductive signals served by biological factors of native cardiomyocytes to trigger cardiogenic differentiation of stem-cells may be efficiently provided by natural and biocompatible 3D fibroin scaffold suggesting the usefulness of this construct for cardiac tissue engineering.

Background The objective of this pilot clinical trial study was to evaluate safety and effectiveness of the newly engineered tissue composed of autologous chondrocytes and collagen/fibroin scaffold in repair of osteochondral defects. Methods We implemented a pilot clinical study in two patients with knee osteochondral lesions using engineered tissue composed of scaffold and autologous chondrocytes. Patients were clinically evaluated using the International Repair Cartilage Society score and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for one year. Results Improved clinical outcomes and objective scores indicated a normal or nearly normal knee in both patients. International Knee Documentation Committee score was upgraded from 34.5 at baseline to 72.4 in the first patient, and 28.7 to 81.6 in the second patient. Visual analogue scale, showing the suffering pain score, was lowered from 8 to 0 in both patients, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score representing the physical ability of the patients was changed from 68.1 to 87.1 in Patient 1 and 58.3 to 87.1 in Patient 2, the knee function score, related to the functional ability of the knee, was improved from 70 to 100 in the first patient and from 45 to 91 in the second patient. MRI showed great coverage and integration of the graft in patients, with no effusion, decreased edema and cartilage formation signals. Conclusions The functional and clinical outcomes alongside MRI data showed promising results for regenerating osteochondral defects. A randomized clinical trial study is required to confirm feasibility of this novel engineered tissue in repair of osteochondral defects.

The scarcity of effective therapeutic approaches for prostate cancer (PCa) has encouraged steadily growing interest for the identification of novel antigenic targets. Placenta-specific 1 (PLAC1) is a novel cancer–testis antigen with reported ectopic expression in a variety of tumors and cancer cell lines. The purpose of the present study was to investigate for the first time the differential expression of PLAC1 in PCa tissues. We investigated the differential expression of PLAC1 in PCa, high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HPIN), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and nonneoplastic/nonhyperplastic prostate tissues using microarray-based immunohistochemistry (n = 227). The correlation of PLAC1 expression with certain clinicopathological parameters and expression of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), as a prostate epithelial cell differentiation marker, were investigated. Placenta-specific 1 (PLAC1) expression was increased in a stepwise manner from BPH to PCa, which expressed highest levels of this molecule, while in a majority of normal tissues, PLAC1 expression was not detected. Moreover, PLAC1 expression was positively associated with Gleason score (p ≤ 0.001). Interestingly, there was a negative correlation between PLAC1 and PSA expression in patients with PCa and HPIN (p ≤ 0.01). Increment of PLAC1 expression increased the odds of PCa and HPIN diagnosis (OR 49.45, 95 % CI for OR 16.17–151.25). Our findings on differential expression of PLAC1 in PCa plus its positive association with Gleason score and negative correlation with PSA expression highlight the potential usefulness of PLAC1 for targeted PC therapy especially for patients with advanced disease.

Human PLAC1 (placenta-specific 1) is a new member of cancer-testis antigens with 212 amino acids, and its expression is restricted to placenta and at much lower levels to testis. Recently, ectopic expression of the PLAC1 transcript has been demonstrated in a wide range of human tumors and cancer cell lines with a proposed function in tumor cell growth. No monoclonal anti-PLAC1 antibody applicable to immunohis-tochemical staining is available so far. To better understand the PLAC1 expression and localization, we aimed to produce monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the extracellular region of PLAC1. Mice were immunized with a synthetic peptide corresponding to the C-terminal 11 amino acids of PLAC1 conjugated with a carrier protein. Hybridomas were produced by standard protocol and screened for positive reactivity by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Reactivity of final two clones was then assessed by Western blotting (WB), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and immunocytochemistry (ICC). Both clones showed a specific immunostaining pattern in human term placenta as the positive control. Reactivity was mostly localized to the cytoplasm of syncytiotrophoblasts. One of the clones showed an excellent staining signal in breast, ovary, and prostate cancer cell lines. Importantly, no reactivity was observed with human lymph node cells or prostate. None of the mAbs were able to detect PLAC1 in Western blot. Based on the present results, these mAbs can be used for detection of PLAC1 in IHC and ICC techniques.