Glioblastoma (GBM) is known as a tumor type, which arises from astrocytes. Several studies indicated that GBM tumor cells are malignant. This is because of the fact that they consist of different cell types, which are reproducing very quickly and are also supported by a large network of blood vessels. The correct identification of various stages of GBM could help to better treat the patients with this disease. Therefore, new biomarkers such as exosomes and microRNAs (miRNAs) may help us to learn more about GBM and they may also lead to a more effective treatment for patients with GBM. Exosomes have emerged as biological vehicles, which can perform various tasks in carcinogenesis pathways such as PI3K/AKT, SOX2, PTEN, ERK, and STAT3. The miRNAs are known as small noncoding RNAs that are involved in several GBM pathogenic events. These molecules have key roles in various biological processes such as angiogenesis, metastasis and tumor growth. In this study, we highlighted various exosomes and miRNAs that could be used for diagnosis and/or prognosis biomarkers in patients with GBM.

Studies on patient-specific human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) as well as a series of autologous growth factors presumably will reveal their many benefits for cell base replacement therapy in type 1 diabetes mellitus (TIDM) patients in the future. For this purpose, we established a multistep protocol by adding platelet-rich plasma (PRP) that induce the hiPSCs into insulin-producing cells (IPCs). We present here a differentiation protocol consisting of five stages in two groups including protocol with PRP and without PRP. Charac-teristics of derived IPCs in both groups were evaluated at the mRNA and protein levels, cell cycle and viability in the end stage of cell differentiation. The in vitro studies indicated the treatment of hiPSCs in the protocol with PRP resulting in differentiated cells with strong characteristics of IPCs including islet-like cells, the expression of mature and functional pancreatic beta cell specific marker genes. In addition to these pancreatic specific markers were detected by immunochemistry and Western blot. Our differentiated cells in two groups secreted insulin and C-peptide in a glucose stimulation test by ELISA showing in vitro functional. The results of the cell cycle assay confirmed that differentiation has been done. We reported for the first time that PRP might be ideal additive in the culture medium to induce pancreatic differentiation in the hiPSCs. This study provides a new approach to investigate the role of PRP in pancreatic differentiation protocols and enhance the feasibility of using patient-specific iPSCs and autologous PRP for future beta cells replacement therapies for T1DM. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 2878-2886, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Transplantation of islet is a promising method in treatment of patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), however, is limited by islet shortage. The aim of this study was to prepare a polyethersulfone (PES) nanofibrous scaffolds to evaluate the pancreatic differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). The differentiation process in tissue culture dishes and PES scaffolds was evaluated at mRNA and protein level by RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence assay, respectively. The functionality of differentiated cells was determined by insulin and C-peptide release in response to glucose challenges. The results of this study showed that cells cultured on PES nanofibrous scaffolds exhibit more pancreatic b-cell characteristics as they express more pancreatic tissue-specific genes and proteins. Furthermore, the immunoassay showed that differentiated cells in both culture plates and PES scaffolds groups are functional and secrete C-peptide and insulin in response to glucose challenges. Altogether, the results of this study demonstrated that PES nanofibrous scaffold could provide the microenvironment that promotes the differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into insulin producing cells.

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