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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease which is characterized by death of motor neurons, development of muscle weakness, paralyses and atrophy of skeletal muscles. The most common immediate cause of lethal outcome of ALS patients is respiratory insufficiency due to paralysis of respiratory muscles. Effectiveness of currently used medications for ALS treatment is very limited and can extend life of patient only for few months. One of perspective directions in development of ALS therapy is use of microvesicles prepared from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). Such microvesicles have neuroprotective properties and some advantages in comparison with parental cells (lower immune rejection, no tumor risk, etc.). Earlier we found that transplantation of MSC-derived microvesicles increases survival and reduces the severity of motor disorders in mice with ALS model. In current paper we evaluated the influence of transplantation of microvesicles obtained from mesenchymal stem cells overexpressing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiogenin (ANG) on contractile characteristics of diaphragmatic muscle of FUS transgenic mice with ALS model. Electrically induced single (0,1 Hz stimulation) and tetanic (5-50 Hz) muscle contractions were recorded with use of standard myographic technique on diaphragmatic muscles of 3,5-month old FUS mice after single or two time transplantation of microvesicles derived from MSC overexpressing VEGF and ANG. It was found that relative forces of single and tetanic muscle contractions were significantly increased in FUS mice received single time transplantation of microvesicles carrying VEGF and ANG comparing to FUS mice without treatment. No significant effects of treatment with microvesicles carrying VEGF and ANG on the threshold of diaphragmatic muscle contraction was found. Thus, transplantation of microvesicles carrying VEGF and ANG increases the contractility of diaphragmatic muscle of FUS mice, which should be beneficial in ALS-modelled pathology and can be one of mechanisms of therapeutic effects of microvesicles carrying VEGF and ANG on FUS mice with ALS model.

Rapid analysis of milk components is often necessary in clinical settings, biotechnology, the food industry, and animal husbandry. Existing data on the possibility of analyzing milk through a correlation between lactose and mineral concentrations remain contradictory and require further verification. This study examines a possible correlation between the electromotive force (EMF) readings of ion-selective electrodes and lactose in raw cow's milk. A laboratory setup with an ion meter-conductometer-thermometer equipped with a potassium-selective electrode, a heated magnetic stirrer, and ultrasonic and viscometric milk quality analyzers was used to collect measurements of various milk parameters. Milk with the following parameters was used: fat content (from 2.59% to 4.49%), protein content (from 3.01% to 3.72%), and lactose (from 4.11% to 5.11%). As a result, it was found that changing the temperature from 30 °C to 39 °C leads to a 3-5% decrease in the generated EMF of a milk sample. The EMF decrease occurs differently for milk with different combinations of quality parameters. A statistically significant strong linear relationship of r = 0.88 at p < 0.05 was established, as well as a determination coefficient of R2 = 0.77 between lactose content and EMF in milk. This result opens the possibility of rapid analysis of milk using potentiometric methods.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the accumulation of alpha-synuclein. Growing evidence implicates the gut-brain axis in PD pathogenesis, with dysbiosis potentially influencing alpha-synuclein homeostasis and serving as a disease biomarker. Methods: We established substrate-specific bacterial enrichment cultures from a pooled fecal inoculum of 15 treatment-naïve PD patients. 16S rRNA gene sequencing defined the taxonomic profiles of five consortia (PLactate, MTryptone, MPeptone/Sucrose, MFat, MStarch). The impact of bacterial lysates on a human neuronal model was assessed using SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. Gene expression of SNCA, HSPA8, SNAP25, STX1A, and APP was quantified via qRT-PCR, and cytotoxicity was measured by MTT assay. Results: The choice of carbon source selected for communities with distinct taxonomic profiles. Lysates from the MTryptone consortium, dominated by Clostridium, Coprococcus, and Eggerthella, significantly upregulated APP, SNAP25, and HSPA8 expression and increased cytotoxicity in live co-culture. Conversely, lysates from the MPeptone/Sucrose consortium, enriched in Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Peptoniphilus, Ruminococcus, and Bacteroides, downregulated SNAP25, HSPA8, and STX1A and exhibited a protective effect on viability. SNCA expression remained unchanged across all treatments. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that specific gut bacterial consortia derived from PD patients can directly and differentially modulate the expression of key neuronal genes linked to synaptic function and protein processing. This work provides direct in vitro evidence supporting the hypothesis that a shift in gut microbial ecology may contribute to neuronal dysfunction in PD, highlighting specific microbial guilds as potential targets for therapeutic intervention.

Nanomaterial-based drugs are currently being actively developed for tumor diagnostics and therapy, and some are already in clinical use. However, systemic administration of nanomedicines often results in their rapid removal from the bloodstream by cells of the mononuclear phagocytic system and accumulation in the liver and spleen. For abdominal and pelvic tumors, intraperitoneal administration may be an option, overcoming the inefficiency of passive delivery. Peritoneal immune cells, which are tropic to tumor nodes, can be used to transport nanoagents to tumor sites. In this study, biocompatible complexes based on upconversion nanoparticles (UCNP) were synthesized and their interaction with mouse peritoneal macrophages was studied. UCNP-based particles were shown to be capable of being taken up by macrophages and maintain their integrity for an extended period. The obtained results allow us to further consider the use of peritoneal macrophages as a system for delivering nanopreparations to tumor foci.

Various polysaccharide-based compositions containing xanthan and alginate were developed to produce spherical gel particles with immobilized probiotic microorganisms, Lactobacillus plantarum, and the bacteriocins produced by this strain. The conditions for the formation of spherical gel particles were optimized, and their stability was evaluated under different pH values and temperature conditions. It was demonstrated that at pH 2.4 the gel particles did not undergo degradation; thus, under conditions simulating gastric juice, lactic acid bacteria retained their viability. At pH values close to 7.5–8.0, visual observation showed dissolution of the gel particles, indicating that under conditions mimicking the colon environment, immobilized microorganisms were released from the matrix. In addition, L. plantarum actively synthesized bacteriocins exhibiting inhibitory activity against test pathogenic microorganisms. Thus, the developed gel particles containing probiotic cultures can effectively deliver viable probiotics to the colon without degradation in the stomach.

This study compared the effects of citric acid (CA) derived from microbial fermentation using Aspergillus niger (400 mg kg-1) and natural extraction from Citrus limon (400 mg kg1) in albino mice. Parameters assessed included cytogenetic damage via the micronucleus (MN) assay, immunological response through immunoglobulin (IgA, IgG, IgM) titers, and hepatoprotective activity based on liver enzyme levels (AST, ALT, ALP) and histopathological investigation. Mice were divided into six groups (n = 10/group) as follows: (1) negative control, (2) carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄ 0.02%), (3) lemon CA, (4) A. niger, (5) CCl₄ + lemon CA, and (6) CCl₄ + A. niger CA. The CCl4 group exhibited a significantly higher MN frequency (0.06 ± 0.008) compared to the control (0.01 ± 0.001). Co-treatment with lemon CA and A. niger CA significantly reduced MN frequencies to 0.02 ± 0.005 and 0.03 ± 0.001, respectively. Immunologically, lemon CA significantly increased IgG and IgM titers but decreased IgA compared to the control. Both CA sources demonstrated hepatoprotective effects, significantly attenuating the CCl4-induced elevation of AST, ALT, and ALP and reducing histopathological damage. The results indicate that while both CAs offer protective benefits, lemon-derived CA was more effective at the tested doses, particularly in mitigating genotoxicity and modulating the immune response. 

Phenols are used to make detergents, some prescription drugs, pesticides, and other industrially manufactured products. Consuming a range of phenolic compounds found in food reduces the risk of health issues because they act as antioxidants. Paclitaxel is a commonly used treatment for a variety of malignancies. It has been shown that higher doses of paclitaxel are more successful in treating a variety of cancer types. Nevertheless, in addition to inhibiting the growth of cancerous cells, chemotherapy medications have some unfavorable side effects. Twenty-four albino male rats were divided into three groups, and each group consisted of eight rats. Group I: negative control, injected with normal saline. Group II: positive control, received paclitaxel for 4 doses at 7 mg/kg over 30 days without phenol treatment. Group III: rats were treated with crude phenol extract at 10 mg/kg administered orally, along with paclitaxel, and samples were collected after 30 days. The results showed that the crude phenol extract reduced creatinine, urea, uric acid, AST, ALT, and ALP activity, while it increased SOD levels. The rats treated with crude phenol extract showed improvement in liver and kidney histopathological alterations. In conclusion, we investigated the possible advantages of crude phenol extract from Cinnamomum cassia L. in reducing the side effects of paclitaxel, a chemotherapy drug.