Cocaine-and-Amphetamine Regulated Transcript (CART) mRNA and peptides are intensely expressed in the brain regions comprising mesocorticolimbic system. Studies suggest that CART peptides may have a role in the regulation of reward circuitry. The present study aimed to examine the effect of nicotine on CART expression in the mesocorticolimbic system. Three different doses of nicotine (0.2, 0.4, 0.6 mg/kg free base) were injected subcutaneously for 5 days, and on day 6, rats were decapitated following a challenge dose. CART mRNA and peptide levels in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), nucleus accumbens (NAc), dorsal striatum (DST), amygdala (AMG), lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), and ventral tegmental area (VTA) were measured by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and Western Blot analysis, respectively. In the mPFC, 0.4 and 0.6 mg/kg nicotine, decreased CART peptide levels whereas there was no effect on CART mRNA levels. In the VTA, a down-regulation of CART peptide expression was observed with 0.2 and 0.6 mg/kg nicotine. Conversely, 0.4 and 0.6 mg/kg nicotine increased CART mRNA levels in the AMG without affecting the CART peptide expression. Nicotine did not regulate CART mRNA or CART peptide expression in the NAc, DST, and LHA. We conclude that nicotine regulates CART expression in the mesocorticolimbic system and this regulation may play an important role in nicotine reward. Synapse 70:283-292, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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Glioblastoma multiform (GBM) is one of the most severe tumor types. It is highly invasive and characterized as a grade IV neoplastic cancer. Its resistance to chemotherapy-temozolomide (TMZ treatment)-in combination with tumor treating fields (TTFields), limits the cure of GBM. Therefore researchers are searching for new treatment options to increase the length of recurrence time and improve overall survival for GBM patients. Several cell lines have been established and are in use to understand the molecular basis of GBM and to test the developed drugs. On one hand, it is highly advantageous to utilize multiple cell lines with different genetic backgrounds to gain more insight into the characterization and treatment of the disease. However, on the other hand, characteristics of these cell lines such as proliferation rate, invasion, and colony formation capacity differ greatly among these cells. Hence, a detailed comparison concerning molecular and cellular features of commonly used cell lines is essential. In this study, cell proliferation and apoptosis rate, cell migration capacity, and gene expression profile of U87, Ln229, and SvGp12 cells have been investigated and compared.

Delta and kappa opioid receptors (DOR and KOR, respectively) and their endogenous ligands, proenkephalin (PENK) and prodynorphin (PDYN)-derived opioid peptides are proposed as important mediators of nicotine reward. This study investigated the regulatory effect of chronic nicotine treatment on the gene expression of DOR, KOR, PENK and PDYN in the mesocorticolimbic system. Three groups of rats were injected subcutaneously with nicotine at doses of 0.2, 0.4, or 0.6 mg/kg/day for 6 days. Rats were decapitated 1 hr after the last dose on day six, as this timing coincides with increased dopamine release in the mesocorticolimbic system. mRNA levels in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), amygdala (AMG), dorsal striatum (DST), nucleus accumbens, and medial prefrontal cortex were measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Our results showed that nicotine upregulated DOR mRNA in the VTA at all of the doses employed, in the AMG at the 0.4 and 0.6 mg/kg doses, and in the DST at the 0.4 mg/kg dose. Conversely, PDYN mRNA was reduced in the LHA with 0.6 mg/kg nicotine and in the AMG with 0.4 mg/kg nicotine. KOR mRNA was also decreased in the DST with 0.6 mg/kg nicotine. Nicotine did not regulate PENK mRNA in any brain region studied.

To date, over 163 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 3.3 million deaths from COVID-19 have been reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, there is still no specific treatment for the disease. Some empirical and supportive medications have been used thus far, including antivirals, antipyretics, antibiotics, and corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive medications that are used to treat several diseases. These agents can produce undesirable and occasionally severe systemic adverse effects. Although the occurrence and severity of most adverse effects are related to the dose and duration of the corticosteroid therapy, avascular necrosis is not directly associated with this dose and duration, and may occur without osteoporosis. Corticosteroids are not recommended for routine use in COVID-19 patients by the WHO. However, these medications have been widely used for their treatment. Avascular necrosis is a progressive and incapacitating condition. The causes of avascular necrosis are categorized into traumatic and non-traumatic. The majority of non-traumatic cases are associated with the use of corticosteroids. Early diagnosis and treatment is crucial owing to the rapidly progressive nature of the disease. Severe COVID-19 patients are at risk of avascular necrosis due to corticosteroid therapy. The hypothesis presented herein suggests that hyperbaric oxygenation in combination with adequate calcium and vitamin D supplementation and individualized exercise may be an effective, safe, and noninvasive  treatment modality, preventing from the progression of avascular necrosis.

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a clonal stem cell disease that manifests with chronic intravascular hemolysis, thrombosis, and bone marrow failure. Various degrees of cytopenias accompany the disease. Although laboratory and clinical findings are similar, the disease may show different courses and require different treatments. Herein, we report two different courses of PNH with similar clinical and laboratory findings.

Grade IV neoplasm of the central nervous system, GBM, is associated with poor prognosis and relatively short overall survival. Due to the current limitations in treatment methods, GBM is characterized as an incurable disease, and research to advance therapeutic options is required. Conditioned medium is commonly used in in-vitro studies complementary to animal experiments to simulate tumor microenvironment and has the potential to challenge and expand our current understanding of secretome effect on tumor characteristics. This study aimed to investigate the effects of conditioned mediums of GBM cell lines on each other. Conditioned mediums' cellular and molecular effects were evaluated using commonly employed techniques such as MTT assay, colony formation assay, wound healing assay, EdU labeling-based flow cytometry, and qRT-PCR. Our study demonstrated that conditioned medium harvested from U87 or LN229 cells at 48th h exhibited an anti-growth activity on each other by changing the gene expression pattern. Furthermore, the conditioned medium of LN229 decreased the migration capacity of U87 cells, and the conditioned medium of U87 cells significantly suppressed the LN229 proliferation. We believe that this initial work provides new insights for a better understanding of GBM cell lines' secretome roles and highlights the necessity of further studies to unveil the secretome content.

Background: Grade IV neoplasm of the central nervous system, GBM, is associated with poor prognosis and short overall survival. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of conditioned mediums of GBM cell lines on each other. Methods: Conditioned mediums of GBM cell lines were harvested at the 6th, 12th, 24th, and 48th h time points. The cellular and molecular effects of conditioned mediums were evaluated using gold standard techniques such as MTT assay, colony formation assay, wound healing assay, EdU labeling-based flow cytometry, and qRT-PCR. Results: Our study demonstrated that conditioned medium harvested from U87 or LN229 cells at the 48th h time point exhibited an anti-growth activity on each other by altering the gene expression pattern. Furthermore, the conditioned medium of LN229 decreased the migration capacity of U87 cells, and the conditioned medium of U87 cells significantly suppressed the LN229 proliferation. Conclusions: Growth-limiting activity achieved by conditioned mediums collected at the 48th h time point positioned them as promising candidates to further investigate their content. It was argued that this initial work provided new insights to expand our current understanding of the roles of GBM cells' secretome.