The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2), a newly emerging of coronavirus, continues to infect humans in the absence of a viable treatment. Neutralizing antibodies that disrupt the interaction of RBD and ACE2 has been under the spotlight as a way of developing the COVID-19 treatment. Some animals, such as llamas, manufacture heavy-chain antibodies that have a single variable domain (VHH) instead of two variable domains (VH/VL) as opposed to typical antibodies. Nanobodies are antigen-specific, single-domain, changeable segments of camelid heavy chain-only antibodies that are recombinantly produced. These types of antibodies exhibit a wide range of strong physical and chemical properties, like high solubility, and stability. The VHH's high-affinity attachment to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) allowed the neutralization of SARS-CoV-2. To tackle COVID-19, some nanobodies are being developed against SARS-CoV-2, some of which have been recently included in clinical trials. Nanobody therapy may be useful in managing the COVID-19 pandemic as a potent and low-cost treatment. This paper describes the application of nanobodies as a new class of recombinant antibodies in COVID-19 treatment.
BackgroundAtherosclerotic disorders, hypertension and lipid profile alterations are of a lower prevalence in patients with minor beta thalassemia. On the other hand, nowadays, metabolic syndrome is considered as one of the major risk factors of developing cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, the present study was performed to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with minor beta thalassemia.MethodsIn this case-control study, body length, weight and waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting blood sugar [FBS], triglyceride, cholesterol, HDL, and LDL levels were determined in 150 patients with minor beta thalassemia and 300 healthy individuals as control group [matched based on age and sex]. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was calculated based on ATPIII criteria. Data were analyzed through SPSS16 software package.ResultsThe prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 12.7% in the thalassemia group and 36.7% in the control group [p < 0.0001]. In the patient group, 3 ones [8.3%] of those with metabolic syndrome were male and 16 ones [14%] were female [p = 0.5]. Mean age of patients with metabolic syndrome was 39.4 ± 8.5 years and mean age of those without metabolic syndrome was 36.4 ± 7.8 years [p = 0.1]. Mean BMI of those with metabolic syndrome was 31.3 ± 4.1 kg/m2 and that of those without metabolic syndrome was 24.2 ± 4.4 kg/m2 [p < 0.0001].ConclusionsThe obtained results show lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with minor thalassemia. Moreover, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with minor thalassemia showed no relationship with sex and age and these patients had just higher BMI.
The SARS‐coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), has spread worldwide and caused a global health emergency. SARS‐CoV‐2 is a coronaviridae virus that infects target cells by interacting with the plasma membrane‐expressed angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) via the S1 component of the S protein. Effective host immune response to SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, which includes both innate and adaptive immunity, is critical for virus management and elimination. The intensity and outcome of COVID‐19 may be related to an overabundance of pro‐inflammatory cytokines, which results in a “cytokine storm” and acute respiratory distress syndrome. After SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, the immune system's hyperactivity and production of autoantibodies may result in autoimmune diseases such as autoimmune hemolytic anemia, autoimmune thrombocytopenia, Guillain‐Barré syndrome, vasculitis, multiple sclerosis, pro‐thrombotic state, and diffuse coagulopathy, as well as certain autoinflammatory conditions such as Kawasaki disease in children. We have reviewed the association between COVID‐19 and autoimmune disorders in this article.
Objectives. To avoid worsening from mild, moderate, and severe diseases and to reduce mortality, it is necessary to identify the subpopulation that is more vulnerable to the development of COVID-19 unfavorable consequences. This study aims to investigate the demographic information, prevalence rates of common comorbidities among negative and positive real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) patients, and the association between SARS-CoV-2 cycle threshold (Ct) at hospital admission, demographic data, and outcomes of the patients in a large population in Northern Iran. Methods. This large retrospective cross-sectional study was performed from 7 March to 20 December 2020. Demographic data, including gender, age, underlying diseases, clinical outcomes, and Ct values, were obtained from 8,318 cases suspected of COVID-19, who were admitted to four teaching hospitals affiliated to Babol University of Medical Sciences (MUBABOL), in the north of Iran. Results. Since 7 March 2020, the data were collected from 8,318 cases suspected of COVID-19 (48.5% female and 51.5% male) with a mean age of 53 ± 25.3 years. Among 8,318 suspected COVID-19 patients, 3,250 (39.1%) had a positive rRT-PCR result; 1,632 (50.2%) patients were male and 335 (10.3%) patients died during their hospital stay. The distribution of positive rRT-PCR revealed that most patients (464 (75.7%)) had a Ct between 21 and 30 (Group B). Conclusion. Elderly patients, lower Ct, patients having at least one comorbidity, and male cases were significantly associated with increased risk for COVID-19-related mortality. Moreover, mortality was significantly higher in patients with diabetes, kidney disease, and respiratory disease.
Objective: Infection with human tumor viruses is one of the hypothesized causes of cancer. The current investigation aimed to explore the presence and quantitative analysis of a new human tumor virus, Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) in tissue samples of 114 patients with oral cavity lesions including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), oral lichen planus (OLP), Dysplasia and oral irritation fibroma (OIF) in Northern Iran. Methods: From 114 formalin fixed paraffin embedded samples; 35 with SCC, 29 with OLP, 14 with dysplasia and 36 with OIF were cut, deparaffinized and DNA was extracted. Quantitative detection of MCPyV large T antigen was performed by absolute quantitative Real-Time PCR. Result: MCPyV DNA was detected in 30.6% (n: 11/36) of IF, 24.1% (n; 7/29) of OLP, 21.4% (n:3/14) of dysplasia and 20% (n;7/35) of OSCC samples. The mean MCPyV DNA copy number was 2.32×10 −2 ± 3.97 ×10 −2 , 2.02×10 −2 (SD=3.13×10 −2 ), 2.69×10−4 (SD=2.51×10 −4 ), and 2.56×10 −4 (SD=6.73×10 −4 ) per cell in OSCC, dysplasia and both of OLP and OIF samples, respectively (P=0.76). Conclusion: This study provides the first data from Iran regarding the presence of MCPyV genome in oral cavity lesions and oral cancer. These results also emphasize that MCPyV has an active role in the occurrence of oral lesions and progression to cancer. Further studies should be carried out to clarify the role of MCPyV in oral cavity lesions.
Background: HPV-16 has a significant role in cervical cancers; co-infection with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) as an oncomodulatory pathogen may increase the risk of carcinogenesis. This study aimed to investigate the frequencies of HCMV and HPV-16 in cervical samples. Materials & methods: A total of 102 cancerous and precancerous cervical samples were examined by real-time PCR targeting the HPV-16 E6 gene, and HCMV immediate-early gene. Results: In total, 65 samples (63.7%) were positive for HPV-16. HCMV was found in seven samples (6.9%). Both HPV-16 and HCMV were present in four samples (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia-3 and squamous cell carcinoma groups with two samples each). Conclusion: HCMV can infect cervical tissues at a low frequency, suggesting that HCMV is unlikely to play a role in the cervical carcinogenesis.
Introduction. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, is associated with high mortality rates worldwide. Hypothesis/Gap Statement. Thrombotic problems, such as coagulopathy, are common in COVID-19 patients. Despite anticoagulation, thrombosis is more common in patients in the intensive care unit and patients with more severe disease. Although the exact mechanisms of coagulopathy in COVID-19 patients are still unclear, studies showed that overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), cytokine storm, endothelial damage, formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), and also extracellular vesicles (EVs) in response to COVID-19 induced inflammation can lead to systemic coagulation and thrombosis. Aim. The management of COVID-19 patients requires the use of basic and readily available laboratory markers, both on admission and during hospitalization. Because it is critical to understand the pathophysiology of COVID-19 induced coagulopathy and treatment strategies, in this review we attempt to explain the underlying mechanism of COVID-19 coagulopathy, its diagnosis, and the associated successful treatment strategies. Conclusion. The exact mechanisms behind COVID-19-related coagulopathy are still unclear, but several studies revealed some mechanisms. More research is needed to determine the best anticoagulant regimen and to study other therapeutic options.
Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is the cause of approximately 80% of Merkel cell carcinomas (MCC). The common types of Non-Melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) including squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) are histologically similar to MCC. In the present study, 58 NMSC formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPE) samples including 12 SCC, 46 BCC and 58 FFPE samples of adjacent non-tumoral margins as the control were included. Determination of large Tumor antigens (LTAg) copy number in samples was performed by qReal Time PCR as a viral copy number per cell. Out of 58 samples, 36(62%) cancerous and 22(37.9%) normal tumor margins were positive for MCPyV LTAg. Median copy numbers of MCPyV LTAg among all NMSC samples and non-tumoral margins were 0.308×10-2 and 0.269×10-3 copies per cell respectively (P=0.001). In addition, although the viral load in the majority of samples was detected to belower than one copy per cell, in 4 BCC samples, a viral load higher than one LTAg copy per cell was detected. The present study revealed that the detection of higher levels of MCPyV LTAg viral load in some BCC and SCC samples may be correlated with the role of MCPyV in some cases of BCC and SCC skin cancer.
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