Article
Immunology
Jules Petit, Irene de Bruijn, Mark R. G. Goldman, Erik van den Brink, Wilbert F. Pellikaan, Maria Forlenza, Geert F. Wiegertjes
Summary: Dietary supplementation of fish with beta-glucans has been found to have immunomodulatory effects, but the exact mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, the researchers identified the active naive microbiota in the intestine of common carp and found that certain bacteria are capable of fermenting dietary beta-glucans. They also observed fermentation of two different beta-glucan preparations in vitro, resulting in the production of distinct short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). Additionally, they demonstrated the potential immunomodulatory effects of SCFAs on head kidney leukocytes, suggesting a possible role in beta-glucan-induced immunomodulation.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Hyunkyu Kim, Siyeong Lee, Chang Seok Ki
Summary: Transdermal immunomodulation using HAMA/SPGMA hybrid nanogels as drug carriers has shown promising potential in topical drug delivery by controlling particle size and promoting DC activation and maturation, indicating antigen-presenting behavior.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shoib Mohmad Wani, Adil Gani, Sajad Ahmad Mir, Farooq Ahmad Masoodi, Firdous Ahmad Khanday
Summary: Beta-glucans are polysaccharides obtained from various sources, known for their immune-modulating, anticancer, and pro-apoptotic properties. Studies have shown that beta-glucan treatment can enhance the host's antitumor defense and induce apoptotic death of cancer cells, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic agent in cancer treatment.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Md Hadiuzzaman, Mohammad Moniruzzaman, Md Shahjahan, Sungchul C. Bai, Taesun Min, Zakir Hossain
Summary: Beta-glucan is an effective immunostimulant that binds to leukocyte receptors, stimulating immune responses in fish and aquatic organisms. It promotes the release of cytokines and chemokines, activates immune cells for pathogen killing, and enhances immune memory. Beta-glucan also modulates biochemical and immunological properties, improving immune profile. It has a positive impact on immunity, increasing disease resistance and reducing inflammatory reactions.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Zhaomin Zheng, Qilin Huang
Summary: This study investigated the immunomodulatory effects and signalling pathways of five water-soluble yeast beta-glucan fractions with different molecular weights and chain conformations in RAW264.7 macrophages. The results showed that all five fractions increased nitric oxide production, phagocytosis activity, and cytokine secretion. However, when cells were incubated with the fractions and lipopolysaccharide, the production of nitric oxide and cytokines, as well as the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cytokine mRNA, were inhibited. The study also found that the mitogen-activated protein kinases and nuclear factor-kappa B signalling pathways were triggered in this immunomodulation. This study provides insights into the structure-activity relationship of the fractions and their potential use in controlling inflammatory disorders.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mayuka Inukai, Naoya Kobayashi, Hirotoshi Endo, Koki Asakawa, Keisuke Amano, Yuki Yasuda, Ugo Cenci, Christophe Colleoni, Steven Ball, Shoko Fujiwara
Summary: Haptophytes synthesize unique beta-glucans with more beta-1,6-linkages than beta-1,3-linkages as storage polysaccharides. The study found that PhTGS, a homolog of yeast 1,6-beta-transglycosylase, is involved in beta-glucan synthesis in the haptophyte Pleurochrysis haptonemofera. Knockdown of PhTGS repressed beta-glucan accumulation and induced lipid production, suggesting its role in carbon metabolic flow. Furthermore, PhTGS was expressed more in light, indicating its specific function in beta-glucan synthesis during photosynthesis.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Dean Porter, Shahmir Naseer, David Peggs, Charles McGurk, Samuel Allen Moore Martin
Summary: Beta-glucans are commonly used in aquaculture to boost fish immune status, but their immunostimulatory mechanism is not fully understood. This study stimulated trout spleen macrophage-like cells with beta-1,3/1,6-glucans to analyze their immunomodulatory properties. The results showed enrichment of proinflammatory pathways and pathways related to bacterial responses, confirming the immunomodulatory effects of beta-glucan supplementation. This study validates the use of cell lines as predictive models for interpreting dietary interventions.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Byung-Chul Lee, Insung Kang, Kyung-Rok Yu
Summary: This article discusses the properties and clinical applications of mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes, which exhibit therapeutic features similar to MSCs and hold potential for inducing cell differentiation, immunoregulation, angiogenesis, and tumor suppression.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Huicui Liu, Tao Chen, Xiaoqing Xie, Xinlei Wang, Yiwen Luo, Nan Xu, Zhen Sa, Min Zhang, Zhifei Chen, Xinzhong Hu, Juxiu Li
Summary: The study demonstrates that BG from highland barley can significantly alleviate liver steatosis induced by NAFLD, by altering lipid metabolic patterns and regulating lipid metabolism-related genes. Additionally, the research also identified 13 differentially regulated lipid species that may serve as lipid biomarkers.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Giuseppe Venturella, Valeria Ferraro, Fortunato Cirlincione, Maria Letizia Gargano
Summary: Medicinal mushrooms have a wide range of pharmacological activities and health benefits, requiring a strong commitment from the scientific community to expand clinical trials and propose supplements of safe origin and genetic purity. This review reports on bioactive compounds of selected medicinal mushrooms, as well as their effects and mechanisms in clinical studies, and analyzes the therapeutic use and pharmacological activities of mushrooms.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Surgery
Nikolaos N. Koliakos, Georgios Renieris, Dimitrios Sotiropoulos, Kalliopi Pavlou, Dionysia-Eirini Droggiti, Theologia Gkavogianni, Anestis Charalampopoulos, Evangelos J. Giamarellos-Bourboulis
Summary: The study found that in experimental pancreatitis, pretreatment or treatment with beta-D-glucan can prolong survival and reduce bacterial load. After treatment, the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha was significantly decreased, while interleukin 10 production remained unchanged.
JOURNAL OF SURGICAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Chenghai Li, Hua Zhao, Linna Cheng, Bin Wang
Summary: This article discusses the importance of exploring biological therapies for COVID-19 and highlights targeting inflammatory cytokines with antibodies or inhibitors as an urgent therapeutic strategy.
DRUG DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND THERAPY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Likhitha Kolla, Fred K. Gruber, Omar Khalid, Colin Hill, Ravi B. Parikh
Summary: The use of causal artificial intelligence in computational trials can simulate the efficacy of cancer drug protocols in diverse patient populations, inform patient recruitment and regimen titrations, and enable subgroup analyses for precision medicine.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-REVIEWS ON CANCER
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Ze-Hua Liu, Bo Li
Summary: The study identified EC and BG in highland barley grain as active compounds that modulate glucose metabolism and have anti-hyperglycemic effects. When combined, they show synergistic effects on the Akt pathway, improving glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis while inhibiting gluconeogenesis. These findings support the use of whole highland barley grain diet for diabetes prevention and potential development of EC and BG as new dietary supplements.
JOURNAL OF FUNCTIONAL FOODS
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Marta Calatayud, Lynn Verstrepen, Jonas Ghyselinck, Pieter Van den Abbeele, Massimo Marzorati, Salvatore Modica, Thibaut Ranjanoro, Veronique Maquet
Summary: The study showed that chitin-glucan (CG) and chitin-glucan plus Bifidobacterium breve (CGB) can promote the production of health-beneficial short-chain fatty acids in the human gut microbiota and have anti-inflammatory effects.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mary Garvey, Neil J. Rowan
Summary: Fungal pathogens pose a significant threat to human health, especially among vulnerable individuals. The emergence of antifungal drug resistance has further complicated the treatment of cutaneous, invasive, and bloodstream infections. To tackle this crisis, the World Health Organization has prioritized fungal pathogens, emphasizing the urgent need for solutions. This review discusses the challenges of antifungal drug resistance, highlights the effectiveness of current disease mitigation approaches, and calls for a better understanding of fungal resistance mechanisms.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Han Xu, Farnoosh Ebrahimi, Ke Gong, Zhi Cao, Evert Fuenmayor, Ian Major
Summary: This study explored the use of fused filament fabrication and injection molding to create patient-specific solid dosage forms. Theophylline was combined with polycaprolactone and Kollidon((R)) VA64 via hot-melt extrusion to produce the filament. Results showed that theophylline had a flow promoting effect on the polymer blend and that overprinted tablets were manufactured faster than 3D-printed tablets. Drug release studies also showed that overprinted tablets released faster than injection-molded tablets. This method demonstrates the potential of hybrid manufacturing for the pharmaceutical industry to bridge the gap between personalized dosage forms and mass production.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Neil J. Rowan
Summary: Safeguarding the seafood industry is crucial to protect human health. However, eliminating enteric viruses, especially in live shellfish, is challenging. Current disinfection methods are effective against bacteria but have limited effectiveness against enteric viruses. Therefore, alternative non-thermal technologies and novel diagnostic approaches are needed to ensure the safety of shellfish. Risk management planning and real-time ecosystem monitoring are also important for mitigating potential contaminant threats.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Neil J. Rowan
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic was declared a global public health emergency by the WHO. There was a lack of knowledge on how to respond to the pandemic and manage the disease. Methods for safe reuse of personal protective equipment have been developed, and these methods can also be applied to decontaminate large volumes of waste. Effective disease mitigation strategies are needed to address the challenges posed by COVID-19 variants.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cheila Almeida, Jara Laso, David Baptista de Sousa, Ronan Cooney, Paula Quinteiro, Neil Rowan, Ana Claudia Dias, Eoghan Clifford, Rodrigo G. Reboredo, Maria Margallo, Maria Leonor Nunes, Antonio Marques
Summary: Packaging is crucial for food protection, consumer information, and waste reduction, but it can also negatively impact the environment. Recycling waste treatment offers more environmental benefits, yet only 66% of packaging waste is recycled in the EU. To minimize environmental impact, reducing packaging production and promoting reuse are the key approaches. Assessing consumer willingness to reduce environmental impact of seafood packaging is important.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Hector Gonzalez, Sean McCarthy, Claire Masterson, Declan Byrnes, Ignacio Sallent, Emma Horan, Stephen J. Elliman, Gabriele Vella, Adriele P. Mello, Johnatas D. Silva, Anna D. Krasnodembskaya, Ronan MacLoughlin, John G. Laffey, Daniel O'Toole
Summary: In this study, the therapeutic potential of directly nebulised MSC-EVs in mitigating Escherichiacoli-induced pneumonia was investigated. The results showed that MSC-EVs retained their immunomodulatory and wound healing capacity after nebulisation. Treatment with IV or nebulised MSC-EVs reduced the severity of LPS-induced lung injury and E. coli-induced pneumonia.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2023)
Review
Polymer Science
Emma J. Murphy, Gustavo Waltzer Fehrenbach, Ismin Zainol Abidin, Ciara Buckley, Therese Montgomery, Robert Pogue, Patrick Murray, Ian Major, Emanuele Rezoagli
Summary: The prevention and treatment of diseases require effective functioning immune systems, which can be achieved by eliminating infections and abnormal cells. Immune or biological therapy can stimulate or inhibit the immune system depending on the circumstances. Polysaccharides, abundant biomacromolecules in plants, animals, and microbes, interact with and affect the immune response, playing a crucial role in treating various human illnesses. There is an urgent need to identify natural biomolecules that can prevent infection and treat chronic diseases. This article discusses the therapeutic potential of naturally occurring polysaccharides, extraction methods, and immunological modulatory capabilities.
Letter
Critical Care Medicine
Tai Pham, Leo Heunks, Giacomo Bellani, Laurent Brochard, John Laffey
LANCET RESPIRATORY MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Bruno Francois, Simon Lambden, Tom Fivez, Sebastien Gibot, Marc Derive, Jean-Marie Grouin, Margarita Salcedo-Magguilli, Jeremie Lemarie, Nicolas De Schryver, Ville Jalkanen, Tarik Hicheur, Jean-Jacques Garaud, Valerie Cuvier, Ricard Ferrer, Morten Bestle, Ville Pettila, Jean-Paul Mira, Camille Bouisse, Emmanuelle Mercier, Joris Vermassen, Vincent Huberlant, Isabelle Vinatier, Nadia Anguel, Mitchell Levy, Pierre-Francois Laterre
Summary: This study aimed to investigate whether the TREM-1 inhibitor nangibotide could improve outcomes in patients with septic shock. The findings suggest that both low and high doses of nangibotide did not significantly improve the condition of patients with septic shock compared to placebo.
LANCET RESPIRATORY MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Anesthesiology
David M. Hannon, Tim Jones, Jack Conolly, Conor Judge, Talha Iqbal, Atif Shahzad, Michael Madden, Frank Kirrane, Peter Conneely, Brian H. Harte, Martin O'Halloran, John G. Laffey
Summary: Developed and assessed a system for shared ventilation using clinically available components to individualize tidal volumes. The system allowed accurate and reproducible titration of tidal volumes to each limb over a range of ventilator settings and simulated lung conditions.
BMC ANESTHESIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Leonardo G. Engler, Naiara C. Farias, Janaina S. Crespo, Noel M. Gately, Ian Major, Romina Pezzoli, Declan M. Devine
Summary: This study aimed to modify the mechanical and degradation properties of biodegradable polymers by blending different polymers. It was found that poly(lactic acid) (PLA) exhibited the highest tensile strength (67 MPa), while the addition of poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and polycaprolactone (PCL) increased the flexibility of the samples. Moreover, the degradation of the blends in seawater occurred through bulk and surface erosion mechanisms.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kevin Masterson, Ian Major, Mark Lynch, Neil Rowan
Summary: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing concern, and this study evaluates the potential synergistic effects of four antimicrobial bioactives, namely silver nitrate, nisin, chitosan, and zinc oxide, as alternative treatments for AMR bacteria. The combinations of these bioactives were tested against E. coli, S. aureus, and S. epidermidis, and interesting interactions were observed. Silver nitrate significantly enhanced the efficacy of its paired treatment, and nisin showed antimicrobial effects when combined with silver nitrate or chitosan. This study presents innovative methods and results that can be utilized for future research in identifying alternative treatments for AMR.
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Marius Troseid, Jose R. Arribas, Lambert Assoumou, Aleksander Rygh Holten, Julien Poissy, Vida Terzic, Fulvia Mazzaferri, Jesus Rodriguez Bano, Joe Eustace, Maya Hites, Michael Joannidis, Jose-Artur Paiva, Jean Reuter, Isabel Puentmann, Thale D. J. H. Patrick-Brown, Elin Westerheim, Katerina Nezvalova-Henriksen, Lydie Beniguel, Tuva Borresdatter Dahl, Maude Bouscambert, Monika Halanova, Zoltan Peterfi, Sotirios Tsiodras, Michael Rezek, Matthias Briel, Serhat Unal, Martin Schlegel, Florence Ader, Karine Lacombe, Cecilie Delphin Amdal, Serge Rodrigues, Kristian Tonby, Alexandre Gaudet, Lars Heggelund, Joy Mootien, Asgeir Johannessen, Jannicke Horjen Moller, Beatriz Diaz Pollan, Anders Aune Tveita, Anders Benjamin Kildal, Jean-Christophe Richard, Olav Dalgard, Victoria Charlotte Simensen, Aliou Balde, Lucie de Gastines, Marta del Alamo, Burc Aydin, Fridtjof Lund-Johansen, Mary-Anne Trabaud, Alpha Diallo, Bente Halvorsen, John-Arne Rottingen, Evelina Tacconelli, Yazdan Yazdanpanah, Inge C. Olsen, Dominique Costagliola
Summary: The study conducted a placebo-controlled trial of baricitinib in severe/critical COVID cases. The results showed that baricitinib did not reduce mortality within 60 days, and there may be safety risks in vaccinated participants, which require further investigation.
Meeting Abstract
Critical Care Medicine
Jie Li, Jian Luo, Ivan Pavlov, Yonatan Perez, Aileen Kharat, Elsa Tavernier, David Vines, Oriol Roca, Bairbre McNicholas, Miguel Ibarra-Estrada, John Laffey, Claude Guerin, Stephan Ehrmann
CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Bairbre A. A. McNicholas, Emanuele Rezoagli, Andrew J. J. Simpkin, Sankalp Khanna, Jacky Y. Y. Suen, Pauline Yeung, Daniel Brodie, Gianluigi Li Bassi, Tai Pham, Giacomo Bellani, John F. F. Fraser, John Laffey
Summary: AKI is a common and serious complication in COVID-19 patients, with different characteristics and outcomes compared to non-COVID-19 ARDS patients.
