Daily Med Bites - 29/04/2025

Dear reader, here are the summaries of some of the latest papers from PubMed.

As you can see, I’m experimenting with different formats on how to convey information in the most effective way. Please, answer to the poll at the end of the email to confirm your preference, it will help me in providing a better service!

Osteoarthritis:

• Source: The review highlights the potential of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs), particularly through their small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) and mitochondrial transfer, to modulate macrophage function and offer new therapeutic strategies for osteoarthritis (OA).

• Source: Intraarticular injection of mesenchymal stem cells can effectively alleviate osteoarthritis in rabbits by reducing oxidative stress through SOD secretion.

• Source: The study demonstrates a gene therapy strategy using engineered mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles to deliver miRNA-874-3p, offering a safe and sustained method for treating osteoarthritis.

• Source: Inhibiting the TGFβ pathway can reduce fibrotic formation and osteogenic induction in primary mesenchymal progenitor cells, suggesting it may be a promising therapeutic strategy for preventing heterotopic ossification after trauma.

• Source: M2 macrophage-derived extracellular vesicles (M2-EVs) help mitigate periodontitis-induced bone loss by promoting a unique Anxa1 expression pattern in periodontal tissues.

• Source: The study demonstrates that human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (hUCMSC-ex) can inhibit inflammation and fibrotic scar formation after intracerebral hemorrhage by downregulating the PTX3/TLR4/NF-κB pathway, thereby improving neurological function in rats.

• Source: The study demonstrates that three IA injections of cryopreserved hP-MSCs are safe and effective for treating knee osteoarthritis over one year.

• Source: The study shows that ZFP36 promotes osteogenic differentiation of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells by degrading KLF3 mRNA, which could be a potential therapeutic target for treating osteoporosis.

Exosomes:

• Source: exosomes show significant potential as key elements in developing effective, personalized cancer vaccines by overcoming current challenges in cancer immunotherapy.

• Source: exosomes have significant potential in immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma by modulating the tumor microenvironment, but their clinical application requires overcoming challenges such as standardization and safety assurance.

• Source: macrophage-derived exosomes in cancer are dual-natured, both hindering therapeutic efficacy and offering potential for advanced cancer treatments through modification, highlighting the need to harness their unique properties for clinical applications.

• Source: The study demonstrates that CD133-positive exosomes from MDA-MB-231 cells enhance the activation of key signaling pathways (AKT and ERK) in breast cancer cells, potentially promoting tumor progression. This highlights the importance of further research into exosome-mediated mechanisms to develop anti-metastatic strategies.

• Source: The paper introduces a deep learning-driven microfluidic chip with SERS readout that efficiently captures, enriches, and analyzes exosomes for early diagnosis and molecular subtyping of NSCLC, achieving high accuracy in distinguishing cancer cell lines from normal cells.

• Source: The key finding of this paper is that mRNA expression levels of specific transcription factors in circulating exosomes can accurately identify subtypes of small cell lung cancer (SCLC), and combining these with Delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3) measurements improves the diagnostic accuracy for both limited- and extensive-stage SCLC patients.

• Source: exosomal circular RNAs (circRNAs) play crucial roles in breast cancer progression by modulating gene expression and signaling pathways, and they have potential as diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i):

• Source: Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) show promise in improving outcomes for patients with transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), but further randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm their efficacy and optimize their use.

• Source: The study found that Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2-Is) improve one-year cardiovascular outcomes in patients who have had an acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

• Source: sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) may provide long-term cardiovascular and renal benefits in non-diabetic chronic kidney disease, as supported by recent clinical trials and mechanisms related to inflammation suppression and fibrosis reduction.

• Source: SGLT2 inhibitors may offer cardioprotective benefits for cancer patients with type 2 diabetes undergoing chemotherapy, particularly those not initially diagnosed with heart failure and those treated exclusively with anthracyclines.

• Source: the efficacy of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with T2DM and chronic coronary syndrome undergoing PCI requires further investigation to fully understand their cardiorenal benefits in this specific population.

• Source: SGLT-2 inhibitors, initially developed for Diabetes mellitus, may reduce the incidence and recurrence of urolithiasis, potentially offering a new prophylactic therapy option.

• Source: The study provides real-world evidence that combination therapy with newer generation GLP-1RAs and SGLT2is offers additional cardiovascular, metabolic, and renal benefits compared to SGLT2i alone in people with type 2 diabetes.

• Source: The study reveals that SGLT2 inhibitors protect against cardiac hypertrophy by activating AMPK, which in turn counteracts ferroptosis. This provides a sustained protective mechanism and positions SGLT2 inhibitors as potential therapeutic agents for treating cardiac hypertrophy.

Influenza:

• Source: Influenza vaccination provided limited protection against ILI for immunocompromised adults and those with high-risk chronic conditions during the 2017-2018 season, as evidenced by comparing vaccinated individuals to those with no evidence of vaccination.

• Source: The paper suggests that repeated annual influenza vaccinations may reduce future vaccine effectiveness, and explores potential immunological reasons for this decline, aiming to identify ways to improve vaccine efficacy.

• Source: The main finding of this paper is that patients, particularly those who have undergone allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, are at a higher risk for influenza virus infections, which can lead to severe complications such as lower respiratory tract infection, especially in older patients and those with chronic graft-versus-host disease.

• Source: The study found that using PCV21 in vaccine-naive adults with underlying health conditions significantly reduces healthcare costs and improves health outcomes compared to current vaccination practices.

• Source: The paper suggests that repeated annual influenza vaccinations may reduce future vaccine effectiveness, and explores potential immunological reasons for this decline, aiming to identify ways to improve vaccine efficacy.

• Source: Influenza vaccination provided limited protection against ILI for immunocompromised adults and those with high-risk chronic conditions during the 2017-2018 season, as evidenced by comparing vaccinated individuals to those with no evidence of vaccination.

• Source: The paper identifies and characterizes monoclonal antibodies that target conserved regions on influenza H1 and H3 hemagglutinin proteins, offering potential for developing broadly neutralizing next-generation vaccines.

• Source: The study found that using PCV21 in vaccine-naive adults with underlying health conditions significantly reduces healthcare costs and improves health outcomes compared to current vaccination practices.

• Source: Low vaccination rates in close-knit communities led to a significant multistate measles outbreak in 2025, emphasizing the need for increased MMR vaccine coverage and community engagement to prevent future outbreaks.

3D Bioprinting:

• Source: The paper's main contribution is the development of a 3D bioprinting technique to create high-resolution, internally perfusable scaffolds that can be integrated with vascular and perfusion systems to form advanced tissue engineering platforms, improving cell viability and functionality.

• Source: The study demonstrates that DLP-based 3D bioprinting of GelMA/PEGDA hydrogels can create complex vascular structures that enhance tissue infiltration and vascularization, offering a promising platform for engineered organ transplantation.

• Source: 3D-printed scaffolds show promise for cranial bone regeneration due to their patient-specific design and material properties, but further research is needed to optimize mechanical performance and facilitate clinical translation.

• Source: The study reveals that the physical properties of 3D scaffolds, including size-scale dimensions and orientation at different scales, significantly influence macrophage polarization towards a tissue-regenerative phenotype, highlighting the importance of scaffold design in enhancing tissue regeneration.

• Source: 3D-printed, patient-specific implants and models improve surgical accuracy, efficiency, and outcomes in complex pelvic surgeries.

• Source: The paper's main contribution is the use of two-photon lithography to create bioactive glass scaffolds with micron-scale features, enabling precise control over scaffold design and enhancing cell behavior for tissue engineering applications.

• Source: The study demonstrates the successful fabrication of a biodegradable 3D neural scaffold with enhanced mechanical and electrical properties using PVA, Fe₃O₄ NPs, and PPy, showing potential for nerve tissue regeneration.

Atopic Dermatitis and Related Conditions:

• Source: Moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis impacts individuals across all age groups in Finland, leading to higher healthcare utilization and increased comorbidities in adults compared to the general population.

• Source: Severe atopic dermatitis is undertreated, leading to significant multidimensional burdens including comorbidities, sleep disturbance, functional impairment, and reduced quality of life.

• Source: The study found that asthma control among patients followed in the clinic is influenced by factors such as allergen sensitivity, particularly to house dust mites, and a family history of atopy, indicating these factors are important for managing asthma effectively.

• Source: dermatology has a significant environmental impact, primarily through GHG emissions from purchased goods and services, patient travel, and waste, and there's a need for greater integration of sustainability practices into policy to reduce this impact.

Psoriasis:

• Source: There is a lack of data on the use of biologics for psoriasis in older patients, who are increasingly treated with these medications, due to their underrepresentation in clinical trials.

• Source: The study shows that older psoriasis patients (≥ 65 years) have a delayed initial response but achieve long-term outcomes comparable to younger patients when treated with IL-17 and IL-23 inhibitors, indicating successful use in elderly patients.

• Source: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation shows promise as an effective treatment for psoriasis and preventing recurrence in patients, with 75.6% of reviewed cases not experiencing a relapse during follow-up. However, further well-designed studies are needed to confirm these findings due to limitations such as small sample size and lack of control groups.

• Source: BJJX ointment effectively treats psoriasis, but its specific mechanism of action is not yet fully understood.

• Source: GP2015, an etanercept biosimilar, shows equivalent efficacy and comparable safety to reference etanercept in patients with psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis, supported by patient-reported outcomes.

• Source: The key finding of this paper is that reduced lysine 49 crotonylation of S100A7 protein promotes keratinocyte proliferation and metabolic changes, contributing to psoriasis pathogenesis. Targeting abnormal S100A7 crotonylation may offer a new therapeutic approach for treating psoriasis.

• Source: Periodontal therapy improves psoriasis outcomes in a combined periodontitis and psoriasis model, suggesting a link between oral health and skin conditions. Additionally, it demonstrates the beneficial effects of TNF-α inhibitors on both periodontium and psoriatic lesions.

• Source: Topical vildagliptin effectively reduces psoriasis symptoms and inflammatory markers in mice, suggesting it has significant anti-psoriatic effects.

That’s enough for today, see you tomorrow!

As always, these extremely reduced summaries may be incomplete or inexact in some aspects. Make sure to always read the papers of interest.

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