Cell Journal (Yakhteh)
Volume:26 Issue: 10, Oct 2024

Chronic wounds, a major clinical challenge, still need to develop new methods based on efficient technologies to improvetreatment results. Stem cells, particularly mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), as an advanced approach in skin regenerativemedicine, brought new hopes. The multifaceted effects of MSCs, including paracrine signaling, trophic factor secretion, andmodulation of the wound microenvironment, orchestrate a cascade of regenerative, plays a critical role in tissue repair. Preclinicalinvestigations have revealed the regenerative capacity of MSCs in accelerating wound closure, promoting angiogenesis, andfostering a pro-healing environment in chronic wound models. Clinical trials have also confirmed these findings and show theefficacy of MSC treatment in accelerating wound healing and improving the quality of healed tissue in patients with chronicwounds. Despite the therapeutic progress, key issues, such as optimal cell sourcing, cell dosage, delivery modalities, andlong-term safety profiles, there are a number of unresolved issues which need to be dealt with. This review aims to provide acomprehensive overview of current state of stem cell research in wound healing, and offers a new new hope for effective andinnovative treatments in regenerative medicine.

This study aims to investigate the effects of sodium hydrogen sulphide (NaHS) supplementation, a hydrogensulphide (H2S) donor, on oxidant and antioxidant markers, as well as sperm function in rats with experimentally inducedvaricocele.

In this experimental study, 55 male Wistar rats were assigned to varicocele (n=25), control (n=20),and sham (n=10) groups. In the varicocele group, five rats received NaHS treatment immediately after surgery for fourmonths and ten rats were treated two to four months after surgery. The remaining ten rats in the varicocele group receivedno treatment. Similar protocols were followed for the control groups. At the end of four months, all rats were sacrificed, andassessments were made for sperm parameters that included function tests, and testicular malondialdehyde (MDA) and totalantioxidant capacity (TAC).

Varicocele induction significantly impaired sperm parameters and sperm function tests. NaHS treatment fortwo months increased sperm concentrations, while treatment for two and four months improved motility, chromatinstatus, and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) compared to untreated varicocele rats. After four months, NaHStreatment reduced testicular MDA levels. Testicular TAC significantly increased after two months but decreased afterfour months of treatment in the varicocele group (P<0.05).

NaHS treatment improved sperm parameters and reduced oxidative stress in varicocele rats. Theobserved effects depended on the treatment duration.

High glucose (HG)-induced oxidative stress is a metabolic stimulus for hepatic impairment in diabetes. Naturalphytochemicals may alleviate HG-induced complications. We aimed to examine the impact of citronellol (CT) on oxidativestress and inflammation in the human hepatocellular liver carcinoma (HepG2) cell line under HG conditions. In this experimental study, the HepG2 cells were exposed to HG concentrations of 50 mM andco-treated with or without CT at concentrations of 10, 20, and 40 μg/ml for 48 hours. The impact of treatments on the levelsof malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and the enzyme’s activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT),and superoxide dismutase (SOD) was explored. We used quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRTPCR)to evaluate the gene expression of nuclear factor-κβ (NF-κB), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6),and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4). Co-treatment with CT (20 and 40 μg/ml) significantly reduced (P<0.05) HG-induced cell death (9.73 and10.56%, respectively) and MDA production (16 and 26.78%, respectively) compared to untreated HG control group.Meanwhile, CT (10, 20, and 40 μg/ml) substantially increased (P<0.05) GSH content (35.61, 55.24, and 69.75%,respectively), GPx (48.32, 61.75, and 75.10%, respectively), and CAT activity (20.25, 25.09, 30.16%, respectively)dose-dependently comparison to untreated ones. TNF-α and IL-6 gene expression were also modulated significantly(P<0.05) by 40 μg/ml CT (47.75 and 32.44%, respectively) as compared to the HG control group. Moreover, CT at 20and 40 μg/ml attenuated (P<0.05) NF-κB gene expression (30.41 and 39.93%, respectively), and at all doses, made aconsiderable reduction (P<0.05) in DPP-4 gene expression (18.77, 18.78, and 44.61%, respectively) dose-dependentlycomparison to untreated ones. Our research suggested that CT with greater effectiveness at 40 μg/ml might shield hepatocytes exposedto HG by lowering oxidative stress and inhibiting inflammatory reactions; however, more research is needed.

Spermatogonial stem cell transplantation (SSCT) could be a helpful strategy for fertility restoration in patientswith childhood cancer. Additionally, using metformin as an antioxidant may help mitigate damage caused by chemotherapy.This study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of metformin against oxidative stress caused by busulfan and cadmiuminduceddamage while examining its role in enhancing spermatogenesis restoration following SSCT. In this experimental study, a long-term infertility mouse model was created using cadmium andbusulfan treatment (BC, n=10). Cryopreserved SSCs were transplanted either alone (cryo+SSCT, n=10) or in combinationwith metformin (cryo+MET+SSCT, n=10). These experimental groups were compared to a control group (n=10). Flowcytometry was used to assess the protective effect of metformin against reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, andimmunofluorescence evaluated proliferation and differentiation markers. The results of our study showed that ROS production decreased significantly in the cryopreservation group withmetformin (P<0.05). The expression of proliferation and differentiation markers after transplantation was significantlyincreased in the cryopreservation group with metformin compared to the cryopreservation group containing a basicfreezing medium (P<0.05). Transplantation of SSCs combined with metformin significantly enhances spermatogenesis and improvesthe homing efficiency of transplanted SSCs. This approach holds great potential for restoring fertility in clinical settings,particularly in childhood cancer survivors.

Endometriosis, a benign gynecological disorder affecting 10-15% of women during their reproductive years, is characterizedby the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus. Despite its prevalence, the exact pathophysiology of this diseaseremains poorly understood. Current treatments, including surgery and hormonal therapies, often have limited efficacy andmay be associated with significant side effects. In recent years, drug repurposing has emerged as a promising strategy formanaging endometriosis. This approach capitalizes on the molecular similarities between endometriosis and certain cancers,particularly the role of proteins such as fibronectin. By targeting these shared molecular pathways, researchers are exploringthe potential of repurposing existing drugs, especially anticancer agents, to treat endometriosis. This strategy promises toprovide more effective and less invasive treatment options for patients with endometriosis. Preliminary studies have shownthe potential of anticancer drugs in inhibiting disease progression and alleviating symptoms. However, further clinical trials arenecessary to confirm these findings and establish the precise role of anticancer drugs in the management of endometriosis.

In the article published in Cell J, Vol 15, No 4, 2015, pages 364-371, the reference for Table 1 and Figures 1B-D, 2,and 5A, B was inadvertently omitted. The missing reference (24), originally written in Persian by the authors, has nowbeen added to the relevant Table and Figures' legends with the permission of the original publisher, Journal of ArdabilUniversity of Medical Sciences.The authors would like to apologies for any inconvenience caused.