Search

Abstract The purpose of this work is the development of a trained artificial neural network for surrogate modeling of the mechanical response of elasto-viscoplastic grain microstructures. To this end, a U-Net-based convolutional neural network (CNN) is trained using results for the von Mises stress field from the numerical solution of initial-boundary-value problems (IBVPs) for mechanical equilibrium in such microstructures subject to quasi-static uniaxial extension. The resulting trained CNN (tCNN) accurately reproduces the von Mises stress field about 500 times faster than numerical solutions of the corresponding IBVP based on spectral methods. Application of the tCNN to test cases based on microstructure morphologies and boundary conditions not contained in the training dataset is also investigated and discussed.

Introduction: patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) have a greater risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC) when compared to the general population. Epithelial dysplasia comes before this neoplasm, and thus endoscopic surveillance is recommended to these patients. This pilot study aims at establishing the incidence of dysplasia and CRC in patients with long-standing UC in our hospital. Material and methods: this is a prospective observational study performed in patients with a definite diagnosis of UC for more than 8 years. These patients were encouraged to enroll in an endoscopic surveillance program for CRC. All patients underwent colonoscopy and multiple biopsies every 18 to 24 months in order to detect epithelial dysplasia. Results: thirty-nine patients were included from January 1994 to December 2003. Half of them were males. Mean age was 52 ± 13 years. Mean duration of UC was 15 ± 8 years. Thirteen (35%) patients had left colitis, and 26 (65%) had pancolitis or extensive colitis. The presence of mild dysplasia was detected in four patients, on two occasions in one of them (13%; 95% CI: 6.1-33.5); the incidence of mild dysplasia was 1.3% patients per surveillance year. No severe dysplasia or CRCs were identified. Conclusion: the incidence of dysplasia in our area is lower than expected, and does not support surveillance programs for these patients. However, no definite conclusions may be drawn from such a small number of patients.Introducción: los pacientes con colitis ulcerosa (CU) tienen un mayor riesgo de desarrollar cáncer colorrectal (CCR) que la población general. La displasia epitelial precede a esta neoplasia por lo que se recomienda la vigilancia endoscópica de estos pacientes Este estudio piloto pretende determinar la incidencia de la displasia y del CCR en pacientes con CU de larga evolución en nuestro hospital. Material y métodos: estudio prospectivo y observacional en pacientes con el diagnóstico firme de CU de más de 8 años de evolución a los que se propuso entrar en un programa de vigilancia endoscópica del CCR. A todos los enfermos se les sometió cada 18/24 meses a una colonoscopia con múltiples biopsias para detectar displasias epiteliales. Resultados: se incluyeron 39 pacientes desde enero de 1994 hasta diciembre de 2003. La mitad de ellos eran varones. La edad media fue de 52 años (±13 años). La duración media de la CU fue de 15 ± 8 años. Trece (35%) enfermos sufrían una colitis izquierda y 26 (65%) una pancolitis o colitis extensa. Se detectó la presencia de displasia leve en 4 pacientes, en uno de ellos en dos ocasiones (13%, IC 95%: 6,1-33,5), la incidencia de displasia leve fue de 1,3% pacientes por año de vigilancia. No se detectaron displasias graves ni CCRs. Conclusión: la incidencia de displasia en nuestra área es menor que la esperada y no sustenta los programas de vigilancia en estos enfermos. Aunque por el pequeño número de pacientes no se pueden sacar conclusiones firmes.

The etiology of hemobilia has mainly iatrogenic (>50%), followed by traumatic causes. Others are biliopathy due to portal high pressure, or neoplastic or infective biliopathy. In the case of non-clear hemobilia, direct-vision-cholangioscopy can change the management in >34% of cases. Our patient had episodes of obstructive hemobilia with secondary cholangitis without objectifying underlying pathology. When she was referred to our center, SpyGlass®-cholangioscopy identified the suspicious lesion compatible with early-stage cholangiocarcinoma despite the diagnostic delay. In conclusion, it is important to keep in mind the neoformative etiology as a potential cause of hemobilia of unclear origin, in which case, cholangioscopy (SpyGlass®) can contribute to the recognition of the signs of malignancy of the lesion and, therefore, to the diagnosis.

Background: The importance of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in various biological processes has been increasingly recognized in recent years. This study investigated how gene polymorphism in HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) lncRNA affects the predisposition to chronic kidney disease (CKD)., Methods: This study comprised 150 patients with CKD and 150 healthy controls. A PCR-RFLP and ARMS-PCR techniques were used for genotyping the five target polymorphisms., Results: According to our findings, rs4759314 confers strong protection against CKD in allelic, dominant, and codominant heterozygote genetic patterns. Furthermore, rs3816153 decreased CKD risk by 78% when TT versus GG, 55% when GG+GT versus TT, and 74% when GT versus TT+GG. In contrast, the CC+CT genotype [odds ratio (OR) = 1.66, 95% confidence intervals (CIs) = 1.05-2.63] and the T allele (OR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.06-2.11) of rs12826786, as well as the TT genotype (OR = 2.52, 95% CI = 1.06-5.98) of rs3816153 markedly increased the risk of CKD in the Iranian population. Although no linkage disequilibrium was found between the studied variants, the C rs12826786 T rs920778 G rs1899663 G rs4759314 G rs3816153 haplotype was associated with a decreased risk of CKD by 86% (OR = 0.14, 95% CI = 0.03-0.66)., Conclusion: The rs920778 was not correlated with CKD risk, whereas the HOTAIR rs4759314, rs12826786, rs1899663, and rs3816153 polymorphisms affected the risk of CKD in our population. It seems essential to conduct repeated studies across various ethnic groups to explore the link between HOTAIR variants and their impact on the disease outcome., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Pseudoachalasia or secondary achalasia (5% of achalasias that are deemed primary achalasias) is an esophageal motor disorder with manometric criteria for achalasia, but it appears in the context of an underlying pathology that can be attributed to its origin. Usually appears in >60 years with rapid evolution of symptoms (<1 year). The main cause of pseudoachalasia is neoformative etiology, but there are others. Our patient started with rapid progression dysphagia and was diagnosed with type II achalasia within a Hodgkin's lymphoma. In the radiological-metabolic studies, disease involvement was ruled out as an extrinsic compression of the esophagogastric junction as well as signs of its activity at this level. Chemotherapy has not been shown to play a role in the development of this pathology. On the other hand, radiotherapy has been associated with an esophageal motor disorder, but, in our case, it was after its onset. Therefore, we propose that the mechanism of pseudoachalasia in our case is a paraneoplastic event. This hypothesis is related to other similar cases reported, and it reflects the importance of continuing to investigate this clinical condition that is indistinguishable by manometry from primary achalasia. In addition, it usually presents differential clinical characteristics whose early recognition has implications for the diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic management of the patient.

The present study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective activity of the black peel pomegranate extract, and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) biosynthesized using the extract. We pretreated the human neuroblastoma SH-SY5 cells with the extract and AgNPs and evaluated the neuroprotective activity of these agents against methamphetamine (Meth) cytotoxicity. The NPs were spherical with 19 ± 8 nm size, - 28 mV surface charge, and 0.20 PDI. Meth killed the cells by increasing proapoptotic (Bax, PTEN, AKT, PI3K, NF-κB, P53, TNF-α, Cyt C, and Cas 3) and decreasing the antiapoptotic genes (Bcl-2) expression. Exposure to Meth caused DNA fragmentation and increased the intercellular ROS and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels while reducing the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). A 4-h pretreatment of the cells with the extract and AgNPs could retain the viability of the cells above 80% by increasing the Bcl-2 expression up to fourfold and inhibiting the cell death pathways. ROS, MDA, and MMP levels in the pretreated cells were close to the control group. The percentage of necrosis in cells pretreated with the extract and AgNPs declined to 32% and 8%, respectively. Our promising findings indicated that AgNPs could reduce Meth-induced oxidative stress and prevent necrotic and apoptotic cell death by regulating related genes' expression., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most prevalent cancer and the second significant cause of cancer-associated death worldwide. The microRNA-30 is a substantial member of the miRNA family and plays a vital role in expanding several cancers. This microRNA potentially targets interleukin 6 as an inflammatory cytokine in CRC., Materials and Methods: MSCs were isolated and identified from mice bone marrow and then transduced with lentiviruses containing miR-30C. Transfected MSCs were collected to evaluate IL-6 levels, CT-26 cells were also co-cultured with MSCs, and the effect of apoptosis and IL-6 on the supernatant was assessed., Results: Our result showed the expression of IL-6 mRNA and the level of protein were decreased in the supernatant of miR-30-transduced MSC cells compared to the control group. In addition, the rate of apoptosis was assessed, and the obtained data revealed the induction of apoptosis in CT-26 cells when they are in the vicinity of miR-30c-transduced MSCs., Discussion and Conclusion: We demonstrated that downregulation of miR-30c was significantly correlated with CRC progression and survival. So, the present study elucidated the anticancer effects of miR-30c in CRC and presented a novel target for CRC therapy., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The considerable flexibility of cancerous cells to escape from chemical and biological drugs makes it clear that much is to be done to control and eliminate such cells. Probiotic bacteria, in this regard, have shown promising performance. In this study, we isolated and characterized lactic acid bacteria from traditional cheese. Then we evaluated their activity against doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7 cells (MCF-7/DOX) through MTT assay, Annexin V/PI protocol, real-time PCR, and western blotting. Among the isolates, one strain with more than 97% similarity with Pediococcus acidilactici showed considerable probiotics properties. Low pH, high bile salts, and NaCl could not significantly affect this strain while it was susceptible to antibiotics. Also, it had a potent antibacterial activity. Besides, the cell-free supernatant of this strain (CFS) significantly reduced the viability of MCF-7 and MCF-7/DOX cancerous cells (to about 10% and 25%, respectively), while it was safe for normal cells. Also, we found that CFS could regulate the Bax/Bcl-2 at mRNA and protein levels to induce apoptosis in drug-resistant cells. We determined 75% early apoptosis, 10% late apoptosis, and 15% necrosis in the cells treated with the CFS. These findings can accelerate the development of probiotics as promising alternative treatments to overcome drug-resistant cancers., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology 2023. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome refers to a subgroup of disorders of gut-brain interaction associated with stress-related symptoms, but gastrointestinal infection can also be considered the leading risk factor. It is well reported that coronavirus disease 2019 can also result in gastroenteritis. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the incidence of post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome and stressful status among coronavirus disease 2019 patients., Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on adults with coronavirus disease 2019 referred to the Infectious Disease Clinic in Iran from November 2020 to February 2021. Patients who met all eligibility criteria were included in the study. The data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, Rome IV criteria questionnaire, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale., Results: Totally, the data obtained from 233 eligible patients (136 women, 97 men; mean age 38.41) 11.52 (years) were collected and analyzed, and 53.2% of the cases had a moderate coronavirus disease 2019. The analysis showed that 27 (11.6%) patients suffered from irritable bowel syndrome symptoms based on Rome IV criteria after the recovery from the infection. Also, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-based symptoms of depression and anxiety that occurred with coronavirus disease 2019 were reported in 27.4% and 36.9%, respectively., Conclusion: Our finding illustrated that irritable bowel syndrome symptoms based on Rome IV could occur in post-infected coronavirus disease 2019 patients. Also, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-based symptoms of depression and anxiety were more common in females and coronavirus disease 2019 infected patients with clinical symptoms including cough, shortness of breath, and sore throat.

A standard surgical treatment of distal ureteric defects is represented by the ureteroneocystostomy-ureteric reimplantation. However, the procedure involves an anatomical alteration of the ureterovesical (neo)junction that often hinders the retrograde catheterisation of the reimplanted ureter.We describe a case of antegrade ureterolithotripsy (AULT) in a psoas-hitch reimplanted ureter. A woman with severe left hydronephrosis supported by a subcentimetric proximal ureteral stone in a psoas-hitch reimplanted ureter was referred to our unit. Retrograde ureteroscopy was unsuccessful due to impossibility in incannulating the ureteral neo-orifice. Following the placement of a percutaneous nephrostomy, percutaneous AULT through ureteral sheath was successfully performed with complete treatment of the stone.AULT may represent a viable alternative in the management of ureteral stones when the upper urinary tract is not amenable to retrograde ureteroscopy. In experienced hands, the procedure is straightforward and may avoid the adoption of transabdominal approaches., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2022. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive type of BC with the highest percentage of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Hence, TIL therapy is considered a promising approach to target TNBC. Depletion of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in TILs can improve the antitumor function of TIL therapy. Pentoxifylline (PTXF) is a xanthine derivative that can modulate the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling and probably affect the Treg proportion in TILs. We aimed to evaluate the ex vivo effect of PTXF on the proportion of Treg cells in the TILs derived from a mouse model of TNBC. The 4T1 cells were inoculated subcutaneously to BALB/c mice to induce TNBC. TILs were isolated from tumor tissue by enzymatic digestion and cultured alone or with 4T1 cells for 24, 48, and 72 h in the presence of interleukin (IL)-2 and different concentrations of PTXF. The toxicity of PTXF and its effects on Tregs proportion as well as cytokine production was evaluated using MTT assay, flow cytometry, and ELISA, respectively. PTXF had no significant impact on the viability of TILs. Both 500 and 1000 mg/mL of PTXF decreased the proportion of Tregs in a dose-dependent manner. The level of interferon-g and tumor growth factor-b in TILs supernatant was increased and decreased, respectively. Our data suggest that ex vivo treatment of TILs with pentoxifylline could decrease the proportion of Tregs in the conventional IL-2-mediated TIL expansion and change the cytokine balance of TILs in favor of antitumor immune response.

New clinical evidence suggests that dysregulation of the ubiquitin-mediated destruction of tumor suppressors or oncogene products is probably engaged in the etiology of leukemia and carcinoma. The superfamily of tripartite motif (TRIM)-containing protein family is among the biggest recognized single protein RING finger E3 ubiquitin ligases that are considered vital carcinogenesis regulators, which is not shocking since TRIM proteins are engaged in various biological processes, including cell growth, development, and differentiation; hence, TRIM proteins' alterations may influence apoptosis, cell proliferation, and transcriptional regulation. In this review article, the various mechanisms through which TRIM proteins exert their role in the most prevalent malignancies including lung, prostate, colorectal, liver, breast, brain cancer, and leukemia are summarized., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Federación de Sociedades Españolas de Oncología (FESEO).)

Background: Cervical-cancer is among the most commonly diagnosed cancers in women, and infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is associated with an increased risk of cervical cancer and altered serum concentrations of inflammatory cytokines. We have explored the association between a genetic variation in the Interleukin-10 (IL-10) gene (rs1800896) and cervical cancer risk and its relationship with tissue Interferon gamma (IFN-γ), Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) concentrations in women with cervical cancer., Methods: A total of 315 women with, or without cervical cancer, were recruited into the study. DNA was extracted from cervical cells, and genotyping was undertaken using Taq-man real-time PCR. The genotype frequency and allele distribution were analyzed together with their association with pathological data. The association of the rs1800896 gene variation with tissue levels of the inflammatory cytokines was also investigated., Results: Our data showed a significant association between the A allele of the rs1800896 gene variant and the presence of cervical cancer. In particular, patients with AG/AA genotypes had an increased risk of cervical cancer with an odds ratio of 1.929 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.879-4.23, P < 0.001) in a recessive model, compared with the GG genotype. Also, the tissue concentrations of IFN-γ, TGF-β, and TNF-α in cervical tissues were significantly higher in women with cervical cancer (P < 0.001) and were associated with the AA genotype., Conclusion: We have found an association between the polymorphism rs1800896 in the IL-10 gene and an increased risk of cervical cancer as well as a higher level of tissue inflammatory cytokines. Further investigations are necessary on the value of emerging biomarkers for the risk stratification for the management of cervical cancer patients., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the perioperative and functional results between laparoscopic and robot-assisted simple prostatectomy (LSP and RASP) and Holmium laser enucleation of prostate (HoLEP) in prostate volumes ≥120 mL. The primary endpoint was to investigate and compare minimally invasive techniques in the management of large prostate gland volume, and the secondary endpoint was to evaluate the frequency and type of postoperative complications according to Clavien Dindo Classification., Methods: This multicenter study was conducted on male patients with LUTS associated with BPO candidates for surgical treatment. The surgery approach choice in relation to the prostatic volume ≥120 mL was HoLEP or minimally-invasive simple prostatectomy (LSP or RASP). All patients were prospectively randomized into three groups, according to a simple computed randomization: HoLEP, LSP and RASP groups. During the follow-up, all patients underwent postoperative control at 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months from the surgical procedure., Results: One hundred ten male patients were randomized in three homogeneous groups: 36 in LSP, 32 in RASP and 42 in HoLEP group. During the follow-up (mean 26.15 months), despite the significant improvement compared to baseline results, no significant differences were shown, between the groups in terms of functional and perioperative outcomes. The only statistically significant data was reported for catheterization time, that resulted longer in the LSP group than RASP and HoLEP groups (P=0.002). Furthermore, MISP resulted in longer hospitalization, and lower rate of patients with new-onset irritative symptoms., Conclusions: This prospective randomized study is the first to compare extraperitoneal LSP, RASP and HoLEP in the treatment of LUTS secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia for prostate volumes ≥120 mL. Our findings confirm the safety and efficacy of MISP, demonstrating its equivalence in functional outcomes and perioperative morbidity in comparison to HoLEP.

Introduction: scientific societies recommend screening for SARS-CoV-2 in patients prior to endoscopy. There is no solid evidence regarding the efficiency of universal screening by PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2. The present study aimed to assess the usefulness of clinical screening and universal pre-procedure PCR testing for the identification of patients capable of transmitting the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Concordance between both strategies was also evaluated., Method: a retrospective review was performed in a consecutive cohort of patients undergoing endoscopy at a tertiary teaching hospital between April 22 and June 22, 2020, following a screening protocol., Results: three hundred and sixty-one patients were included. Clinical screening detected 13 patients with a high risk of infection (3.6 %, 95 % CI: 2.62-4.58) while the pre-procedure PCR test was positive in five patients (1.40 %, 95 % CI: 0.20-2.60). Three patients developed COVID-19 and one died from the disease. Agreement between both strategies was poor, with a kappa value of 0.093 (95 % CI: 0.001-0.185). Clinical screening only identified one of the five patients with a positive PCR test., Conclusion: clinical screening prior to endoscopy has a poor agreement with pre-procedure PCR testing.

Background: Glioblastoma multiform (GBM) is the most belligerent and prevalent brain malignancy among adults. Due to the blood-brain barrier (BBB), drug administration is confronted by massive challenges, making resectional surgery the only treatment pipeline. MicroRNAs have recently absorbed the attention of studies for correlating with the progression of various malignancies. miR-30c has been reported to play a role in cell proliferation, metabolism, and apoptosis process. For instance, miR-30c has been reported to regulate apoptosis through the TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). miR-30c also targets IL-6, which further induces apoptosis. Besides, miR-30c inhibits glioma proliferation and its migratory ability. Besides, the overexpression of miR-30c arrested cells at G0 as well as dampening their migration and invasion. However, it has been shown that the expression level of miR-30c was low in glioma. MSCs can migrate toward tumor cells which is called tumor-tropism, in which they are capable of delivering engineered miR-30c based on gap junction and non-intimacy mechanisms., Material and Methods: MiR-30c was cloned into pCDH-CMV-MCS-EF1-copGFP vector utilizing XbaI and EcoRI in order to construct pCDH-miR-30c. Then psPAX2, pMD2.G, and pCDH-miR-30c were co-transfected into Hek-293T to yield lenti-miR-30c virus particles. Next, bone marrow-mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) were Transduced with lenti-miR-30c. Thereafter, we co-cultured U-251 cell line with BM-MCSs-miR-30c and evaluated the apoptosis rate and the relative expression level of IL-6, Klf4, Sox2, c-Myc, and Oct4 using Real-Time PCR and flow cytometry., Results: Wound healing assays represented low migratory ability in U-251 cells treated with BM-MSCs-miR-30c. Plus, apoptosis assay using Annexin V/7AAD showed an increased number of apoptotic U-251 cells following the treatment. miR-30 targeted IL-6 and induced apoptosis. It also impacted on the self-renewal and the anti-apoptotic cluster of genes, namely Klf4, Sox2, c-Myc, and Oct4, to induce apoptosis and dwindle the migration and invasion., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Considering the prevalence of resistance to antibiotics, the discovery of effective agents against resistant pathogens is of extreme urgency. Herein, 26 mecA-positive methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolated from clinical samples were identified, and their resistance to 11 antibiotics was investigated. Next, the antibacterial and anti-biofilm activity of the ethanolic extract of M. communis on these strains was evaluated. Furthermore, the effect of this extract on the expression of biofilm-associated genes, icaA, icaD, bap, sarA, and agr, was studied. According to the results, all isolated strains were multidrug-resistant and showed resistance to oxacillin and tetracycline. Also, 96.15 and 88.46 % of them were resistant to gentamicin and erythromycin. However, the extract could effectively combat the strains. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against different strains ranged from 1.56 to 25 mg/ml and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was between 3.125 and 50 mg/ml. Even though most MRSA (67 %) strongly produced biofilm, the sub-MIC concentration of the extract destroyed the pre-formed biofilm and affected the bacterial cells inside the biofilm. It could also inhibit biofilm development by significantly decreasing the expression of icaA, icaD, sarA and bap genes involved in biofilm formation and development. In conclusion, the extract inhibits biofilm formation, ruins pre-formed biofilm, and kills cells living inside the biofilm. Furthermore, it down-regulates the expression of necessary genes and nips the biofilm formation in the bud.

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with immunoregulatory properties affect immune systems. Many studies showed that antioxidants such as vitamin E (Vit E) and selenium (Se) could improve stem cells survival. This study aims to investigate the effects of MSC conditioned media (CM) treated with Vit E and Se on immune cells., Methods: MSCs were isolated and cultured with Vit E and Se. Immature dendritic cells (DCs) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were cultured with MSC CM treated with Vit E and Se. The expression of HLA-DR, CD86, CD40, and CD83 on mature DC were evaluated. DC supernatant and PBMCs supernatant was collected for the study of TGF-β, IL-10, and IL-12. PBMCs evaluated for the expression of T-bet, GATA3, RORγt, and FOXP3., Results: MSC CM increased CD40 on myeloid DC (mDC). CD40 has been decreased in DC treated with MSC (Vit E) and MSC (Se) CM. HLA-DR expression on DCs and IL-12 level were significantly reduced in MSC (Vit E) CM. IL-10 concentration increased in DCs treated with MSC (Vit E) and MSC (Se) CM. Treatment of PBMCs with MSC CM decreased IL-10 level, FOXP3, and RORγt expression. On the other hand, the MSC (Vit E) CM and MSC (Se) CM decreased the IL-10 level and increased IL-12, T-bet, and RORγt., Conclusions: According to the results, the treatment of MSC with Vit E and Se enhanced the ability of MSCs to inhibit DCs and improved immunomodulatory effects. Concerning the effect of MSC on PBMC, it seems that it increased RORγt expression through monocytes., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at http://dx.doi.org/10.21037/sci-2020-008). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2021 Stem Cell Investigation. All rights reserved.)

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine involved in the regulation of the immune system and potentially the progression of cervical neoplastic lesions. In this study, we aimed to explore the possible relationship between polymorphisms of the TNF-α gene and susceptibility to cervical cancer. The relationship between a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the TNF-α gene (rs1800629) and the risk of cervical cancer was evaluated in a total of 445 subjects with (n = 153), or without (n = 292) cancer. Genotyping was performed using a Taq-Man based real time PCR method. Logistic regression analysis showed that individuals with AG/AA genotypes had an increased risk of cervical cancer compared to those with a GG genotype (OR 3.79, 95% CI 2.4-5.7, < 0.001). Our findings demonstrated that a genetic variant in the TNF-α gene (rs1800629) was associated with increased level and risk of developing cervical cancer, suggesting its potential use as a genetic risk factor for cervical neoplasia.