Intravenous transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells promotes neural regeneration after traumatic brain injury

To investigate the supplement of lost nerve cells in rats with traumatic brain injury by intravenous administration of allogenic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, this study established a Wistar rat model of traumatic brain injury by weight drop impact acceleration method and administered 3 × 106 rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells via the lateral tail vein. At 14 days after cell transplantation, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells differentiated into neurons and astrocytes in injured rat cerebral cortex and rat neurological function was improved significantly. These findings suggest that intravenously administered bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can promote nerve cell regeneration in injured cerebral cortex, which supplement the lost nerve cells.

Isolation and molecular identification of cellulolytic bacteria from Dig Rostam hot spring and study of their cellulase activity

Cellulose is the main structural component of lignocellulosic wastes that can be converted to sugars and biofuels by cellulase.Due to wide applications of this enzyme in various industries around the world,cellulase is considered as the third industrial enzyme.The ability of thermophilic bacteria in the production of heat-stable cellulases has made them valuable tools in biotechnology.The aim of this study was isolation and molecular identification of cellulolytic thermophile bacteria from Dig Rostam hot spring and investigating their cellulase activity.Samples were taken from water and sediments of this hot spring,and cellulolytic bacteria were enriched in media containing cellulose as the only carbon source.The bacteria were incubated at 60℃,and single colonies were then isolated on solid media.Congo red assay was used as a quick test for the qualitative screening of cellulase activity.According to these qualitative results,four colonies named CDB1,CDB2,CDB3,and CDB4 were isolated,and their growth curve and some other characteristics were determined by biochemical assays.Moreover,endoglucanase,exoglucanase,and FPase activities of the isolates were investigated quantitatively.Results indicated that CDB1 exhibited the highest endoglucanase(0.096 U/mL)and exoglucanase(0.156 U/mL)activities among other isolates.16S rDNA partial sequencing indicated that CDB1 had 99%similarity to the genus Anoxybacillus,and the other isolates showed the highest similarity to the genus Geobacillus.The cellulase gene of CDB1 isolate with the highest cellulase activity was also cloned,and its sequence is reported for the first time.Further studies on this thermophilic enzyme might be useful for industrial applications.

Cancer cell cycle heterogeneity as a critical determinant of therapeutic resistance

Intra-tumor heterogeneity is now arguably one of the most-studied topics in tumor biology,as it represents a major obstacle to effective cancer treatment.Since tumor cells are highly diverse at genetic,epigenetic,and phenotypic levels,intra-tumor heterogeneity can be assumed as an important contributing factor to the nullification of chemotherapeutic effects,and recurrence of the tumor.Based on the role of heterogeneous subpopulations of cancer cells with varying cell-cycle dynamics and behavior during cancer progression and treatment;herein,we aim to establish a comprehensive definition for adaptation of neoplastic cells against therapy.We discuss two parallel and yet distinct subpopulations of tumor cells that play pivotal roles in reducing the effects of chemotherapy:"resistant"and"tolerant"popula-tions.Furthermore,this review also highlights the impact of the quiescent phase of the cell cycle as a survival mechanism for cancer cells.Beyond understanding the mechanisms under-lying the quiescence,it provides an insightful perspective on cancer stem cells(CsCs)and their dual and intertwined functions based on their cell cycle state in response to treatment.More-over,CSCs,epithelial-mesenchymal transformed cells,circulating tumor cells(CTCs),and disseminated tumor cells(DTCs),which are mostly in a quiescent state of the cell cycle are proved to have multiple biological links and can be implicated in our viewpoint of cell cycle heterogeneity in tumors.Overall,increasing our knowledge of cell cycle heterogeneity is a key to identifying new therapeutic solutions,and this emerging concept may provide us with new opportunities to prevent the dreadful cancer recurrence.