The new models reflected the wide range of patho-biological features and genetic alterations that characterize human pancreatic cancer and may be used collectively or selectively as a markedly improved in vivo tool for preclinical and molecular studies of pancreatic cancer.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common tumors worldwide, and is currently the third-leading cause of cancer death among males in Japan. 1 The high incidence of recurrence is the most crucial prognostic factor for patients with HCC. 2 Through a combination of pathologic and genetic approaches, recurrence of HCC has been divided into 2 types: multicentric occurrence of new tumors 3-5 and intrahepatic metastasis of the original HCC. Several clinicopathologic studies have shown that the incidence of intrahepatic metastasis is higher in HCC with an infiltrative growth pattern than in HCC with an expansive growth pattern. 6 In a previous study, a high incidence of loss of heterozygosity of chromosome 16 was reported in HCC with intrahepatic metastasis. 7
The novel coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the ensuing worldwide pandemic. The spread of the virus has had global effects such as activity restriction, economic stagnation, and collapse of healthcare infrastructure. Severe SARS-CoV-2 infection induces a cytokine storm, leading to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and multiple organ failure, which are very serious health conditions and must be mitigated or resolved as soon as possible. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their exosomes can affect immune cells by inducing anti-inflammatory macrophages, regulatory T and B cells, and regulatory dendritic cells, and can inactivate T cells. Hence, they are potential candidate agents for treatment of severe cases of COVID-19. In this review, we report the background of severe cases of COVID-19, basic aspects and mechanisms of action of MSCs and their exosomes, and discuss basic and clinical studies based on MSCs and exosomes for influenza-induced ARDS. Finally, we report the potential of MSC and exosome therapy in severe cases of COVID-19 in recently initiated or planned clinical trials of MSCs (33 trials) and exosomes (1 trial) registered in 13 countries on ClinicalTrials.gov.
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