Int J Med Sci
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Background: Fabry disease is an inherited lysosomal storage disease affecting multiple organs with complications, including cardiomyopathy such as left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) has been the main treatment for Fabry patients since 2001. However, the indications of ERT are not clearly defined. ⋯ Conclusions: Based on the currently available data, our meta-analysis showed that there are beneficial effects on LVH improvement with ERT in Fabry disease patients. It is better to start ERT as soon as we have diagnoses in female carriers and atypically affected males. Further research is needed to investigate the role of ERT in LVH improvement.
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Bone infection has always been the focus of orthopedic research. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are the natural progenitors of osteoblasts, and the process of osteogenesis is triggered in response to different signals from the extracellular matrix. ⋯ The biological behavior of MSCs in acute and chronic inflammation, especially the transformation between acute inflammation and chronic inflammation, has aroused great interest among researchers. This paper reviews the recent literature and summarizes the behavior and biological characteristics of MSCs in acute and chronic inflammation to stimulate further research on MSCs and treatment of bone diseases.
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Interleukin-17 (IL-17) is known as a Th17-cell-derived proinflammatory cytokine, which plays a pivotal role in several inflammatory and autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis. Emerging evidence has shown that IL-17 is linked to endometriosis, although the etiology of endometriosis is still unknown. ⋯ Meanwhile, the specific roles of IL-17 in endometriosis are also worthy of further exploration. Through the integration and summary of literature, we conclude that the secretion of IL-17 increases under the regulation of ectopic microenvironment and other factors, and then IL-17 is deeply involved in endometriosis in the regulation of immune microenvironment, the invasion and growth of ectopic lesions, and so on, which implies its therapeutic value in this disorder.
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Diabetic nephropathy (DKD) is the most common chronic microvascular complication of diabetes. About 20%-40% of diabetics develop DKD, which eventually leads to chronic kidney failure. Although progress has been made in diagnosis and treatment tools, diabetic nephropathy is still a major clinical problem. ⋯ This review summarizes the origin, classification, biogenesis and regulatory mechanisms of circRNAs. In addition, the pathogenesis and clinical significance of circRNAs as competing endogenous RNAs involved in diabetic nephropathy were also introduced. This will help us fully understand the pathological mechanism of diabetic nephropathy and develop new therapeutic targets or treatment options to improve the prognosis of patients with diabetic nephropathy.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
A proprietary blend of standardized Punica granatum fruit rind and Theobroma cocoa seed extracts mitigates aging males' symptoms: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
Objective: We evaluated the safety and efficacy of a novel combination of Punica granatum fruit rind and Theobroma cocoa seed extracts (LN18178 or Tesnor®) in enhancing serum testosterone level and reducing aging males' symptoms (AMS) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation (CTRI Reg. No. CTRI/2019/02/017506). ⋯ Conclusion: LN18178 supplementation reduced AMS scores and improved sexual performance. Also, LN18178 groups exhibited superior muscular strength and reduction in perceived stress. Total blood chemistry and urine analysis demonstrated the broad-spectrum safety.