Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Clin Immunol 2021 Apr 16:108729. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Immunology Department, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Ctra. Colmenar Viejo, Km 9,100, 28034 Madrid, Spain. Electronic address:

Membranous nephropathy (MN) is one of the most frequent causes of nephrotic syndrome. Renal biopsy is nowadays the gold standard for the diagnosis of MN. The presence of circulating PLA2R antibody is a very specific tool for the diagnosis of this disease, especially associated with primary or idiopathic MN (IMN), even though it can be also found in a small proportion of patients with secondary MN (SMN). Read More

Front Immunol 2021 2;12:629480. Epub 2021 Apr 2.

Department of Animal Science, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States.

Passive immunization with specific egg yolk antibodies (immunoglobulin Y, IgY) is emerging as a promising alternative to antibiotics to control bacterial infections. Recently, we developed a novel conjugate vaccine that could trigger a strong immune response in rabbits directed against enterobactin (Ent), a highly conserved siderophore molecule utilized by different Gram-negative pathogens. However, induction of Ent-specific antibodies appeared to be affected by the choice of animal host and vaccination regimen. Read More

Clin Lab 2021 Apr;67(4)

Background: Since December 2019, an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) began in Wuhan and rapidly spread globally. The speed and scope of the spread of COVID-19 makes it urgent to define clinical characteristics, serological and radiological changes of the affected patients.

Methods: Seven patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 who were admitted to the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University Yuedong Hospital from January 2020 to March 2020 were retrospectively enrolled and their clinical features, serological and radiological longitudinal changes were analyzed. Read More

Med Mol Morphol 2021 Apr 17. Epub 2021 Apr 17.

Department of Applied Life Science, Faculty of Biotechnology and Life Science, Sojo University, 4-22-1 Ikeda, Nishi-ku, Kumamoto, 860-0082, Japan.

We prepared a polyclonal antibody against a teicoplanin (TEIC)-bovine serum albumin conjugate that was specific to both conjugated and free forms of TEIC. We demonstrated that this antibody could be used to detect the time-dependent localization of TEIC in rat kidneys. Immunohistochemistry revealed immunoreactivity specifically in the microvilli and apical cytoplasm of epithelial cells in proximal tubule segments S1 and S2, 1 h after intravenous TEIC injection, with higher staining intensity in the S2 segments. Read More

Theranostics 2021 13;11(11):5525-5538. Epub 2021 Mar 13.

Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

The non-homogenous distribution of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) within solid tumors is a major limiting factor for their wide clinical application. Nanobodies have been shown to rapidly penetrate into xenografts, achieving more homogeneous tumor targeting. However, their rapid renal clearance can hamper their application as nanobody drug conjugates (NDCs). Read More

Chemistry 2021 Apr 15. Epub 2021 Apr 15.

University of Waterloo, Department of Chemistry, 200 University Avenue West, N2L 3G1, Waterloo, CANADA.

Oxidase-mimicking nanozymes are more desirable than peroxidase-mimicking ones since H 2 O 2 can be omitted. However, only a few nanomaterials are known for oxidase-like activities. In this work, we compared the activity of Mn 2 O 3 , Mn 3 O 4 and MnO 2 and found that Mn 2 O 3 had the highest oxidase activity. Read More

PLoS One 2021 15;16(4):e0249466. Epub 2021 Apr 15.

Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, United States of America.

Patients on dialysis are at high risk for death due to COVID-19, yet a significant proportion do survive as evidenced by presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in 8% of patients in the U.S. in July 2020. Read More

Vet Clin Pathol 2021 Apr 14. Epub 2021 Apr 14.

Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.

Background: The diagnostic performance of routine electrophoresis (agarose gel electrophoresis [AGE] and capillary zone electrophoresis [CZE]) and species-specific immunofixation (IF) for the detection of immunoglobulin paraproteins (M-proteins) and diagnosis of secretory myeloma-related disorders (sMRD) can be improved. Available canine IF targets were IgG-FC, IgA, IgM, light chain (LC), IgG4, and free LC (fLC) antibodies.

Objective: We aimed to review specific features associated with the presence of M-proteins in canine serum samples and the common features causing inaccurate reporting of M-proteins to improve the diagnostic performance of routine electrophoresis and IF for the detection of M-proteins. Read More

Clinics (Sao Paulo) 2021 9;76:e2501. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Objectives: Antineutrophil cyto plasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a fatal disease. Currently, predictors of mortality due to AAV are based on the distribution of organ involvement. The novel fibrosis index (NFI) is an index composed of laboratory results that reflect the degree of liver fibrosis. Read More

Histol Histopathol 2021 Apr 14:18339. Epub 2021 Apr 14.

School of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.

Aim: As a specialized intraparenchymal vascular conduit, hepatic sinusoids play a key role in liver microcirculation. This study aimed to explore the three-dimensional (3D) morphological changes of cirrhotic sinusoids by serial histological sections.

Methods: Cirrhosis was induced by tail vein injection of albumin in Wistar rats with a positive antibody. Read More

J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2021 Apr 13. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Department of Neurosciences (DNS), University of Padova, Padova, Italy

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) albumincytologic dissociation represents a supportive diagnostic criterion of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP).Few studies have investigated possible systemic or intrathecal humoral immune response activation in CIDP.Aim of our study was to investigate whether the search of oligoclonal IgG bands (OCBs) might provide additional data helpful in CIDP diagnostic work-up. Read More

Transfus Clin Biol 2021 Apr 8. Epub 2021 Apr 8.

Associate Professor, Department of Transfusion Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. Electronic address:

Introduction: Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis in an acute form generally presents with abnormal movements and psychiatric symptoms. Therapeutic plasma exchange has been considered to be one of the first line treatment options. This report highlights the role of plasma exchange in anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis in pediatric patients. Read More

J Biol Chem 2021 Apr 8:100648. Epub 2021 Apr 8.

Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan; Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, CREST, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address:

Natural antibodies, predominantly immunoglobulin M (IgM), play an important role in the defense against pathogens and in maintaining homeostasis against oxidized molecules known as oxidation-specific epitopes, such as those contained in oxidized low-density lipoproteins. However, due to the complexity of the oxidized products, very few individual epitopes have been characterized in detail. In the present study, to identify endogenous sources of oxidation-specific epitopes, we stimulated mouse spleen and peritoneal cavity (PerC) cells in vitro with bovine serum albumin (BSA) modified with a variety of lipid peroxidation-related carbonyl compounds, and identified the acrolein-modified BSA (acrBSA) as the most efficient trigger studied for the production of IgM in PerC cells. Read More

Mymensingh Med J 2021 Apr;30(2):559-561

Dr Chanchal Kumar Ghosh, Associate Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh; E-mail:

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is the most common cause of acute viral hepatitis in the world. Infection with hepatitis A virus can cause severe or even fatal illness in patients with chronic liver disease. Here we present a case which seems to be an isolated acute viral hepatitis A infection at the beginning but later found to be coexisted with Wilson's disease. Read More

J Environ Pathol Toxicol Oncol 2021 ;40(2):11-21

Department of Pediatrics, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, China.

Global industrialization not only improved the quality life of millions but also paved the way to solving many health problems. One among them is allergic asthma, which affects approximately 20% of the global population. Poor air quality is the major culprit in allergic asthma, which not only affects the individual's health, but also impairs his or her life quality and that of family members. Read More

Int J Nanomedicine 2021 26;16:2443-2459. Epub 2021 Mar 26.

Department of Pharmaceutics, State Key Laboratory of Nature Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.

Background: Specific modifications to carriers to achieve targeted delivery of chemotherapeutics into malignant tissues are a critical point for efficient diagnosis and therapy. In this case, bovine serum albumin (BSA) was conjugated with cetuximab-valine-citrulline (vc)-doxorubicin (DOX) to target epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and enable the release of drug in EGFR-overexpressed tumor cells.

Methods: Maleimidocaproyl-valine-citrulline-p-aminobenzylcarbonyl-p-nitrophenol (MC-Val-Cit-PAB-PNP) and DOX were used to synthesize MC-Val-Cit-PAB-DOX, which was further linked with cetuximab to prepare antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Read More

Zhongguo Shi Yan Xue Ye Xue Za Zhi 2021 Apr;29(2):547-552

Department of Hematology, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, Shanxi Province, China.

Objective: To explore the clinical features, prognosis and survival of patients with IgD multiple myeloma (MM).

Methods: The clinical data of 20 patients with IgD MM was analyzed retrospectively. The prognostic factors and survival analysis was carried out. Read More

Pharm Res 2021 Apr 2. Epub 2021 Apr 2.

Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy, Purdue University, 525 Stadium Mall Dr., RHPH Building, West Lafayette, Indiana, 47907, USA.

Purpose: Many monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are administered via subcutaneous (SC) injection. Local transport and absorption kinetics and mechanisms, however, remain poorly understood. A multiphysics computational model was developed to simulate the injection and absorption processes of a protein solution in the SC tissue. Read More

Molecules 2021 Mar 4;26(5). Epub 2021 Mar 4.

Biochemistry and Pharmacology-Toxicology Laboratory, Lyon-Sud Hospital, Hospices Civils de Lyon, F-69495 Pierre Bénite, France.

Rituximab is a chimeric immunoglobulin G1-kappa (IgG1κ) antibody targeting the CD20 antigen on B-lymphocytes. Its applications are various, such as for the treatment of chronic lymphoid leukemia or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in oncology, and it can also be used in the treatment of certain autoimmune diseases. Several studies support the interest in therapeutic drug monitoring to optimize dosing regimens of rituximab. Read More

Biosensors (Basel) 2021 Mar 13;11(3). Epub 2021 Mar 13.

Institute of Microstructure Technology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.

A microfluidic chip for electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is presented as bio-sensor for label-free detection of proteins by using the example of cardiac troponin I. Troponin I is one of the most specific diagnostic serum biomarkers for myocardial infarction. The microfluidic impedance biosensor chip presented here consists of a microscope glass slide serving as base plate, sputtered electrodes, and a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannel. Read More

Antioxidants (Basel) 2021 Mar 17;10(3). Epub 2021 Mar 17.

Department of Mathematical Sciences, Aalborg University, Skjernvej 4A, 9210 Aalborg Øst, Denmark.

This study investigates two levels of dietary selenium (Se) and vitamin E in combination on their status in sows and their progeny, and influence on antioxidant status and immunological responses of the piglets at weaning. Female pigs ( = 6) were provided LOW or HIGH antioxidant nutrition (Se and vitamin E) from mating until weaning of their off-spring. The HIGH treatment elevated the concentration of Se ( = 0. Read More

Food Chem 2021 Mar 20;356:129614. Epub 2021 Mar 20.

Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China. Electronic address:

Owing to the serious threat of aflatoxin B (AFB) to public health, development of a reliable method for accurate determination of it is extremely necessary and urgent. In this study, a simple, rapid and highly-sensitive quantum dot nanobeads (QBs) based lateral flow fluorescent strip immunosensor was developed for on-site detection of AFB in edible and medicinal lotus seeds. Carboxylated QBs were used as the fluorescent markers to prepare the fluorescent probe through coupling QBs with anti-AFB1 antibodies. Read More

Cureus 2021 Mar 29;13(3):e14169. Epub 2021 Mar 29.

Pathology, Norton Children's Hospital, Louisville, USA.

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is a childhood vasculitis disorder that involves the skin, joints, gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and kidneys. It is related to immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibody deposition in small blood vessels. HSP is a self-limiting disorder, but its morbidity is primarily associated with renal involvement. Read More

RMD Open 2021 03;7(1)

Department of Pulmonology, Zuyderland Medical Centre Heerlen, Heerlen, The Netherlands.

Background: The CHIC study (COVID-19 High-intensity Immunosuppression in Cytokine storm syndrome) is a quasi-experimental treatment study exploring immunosuppressive treatment versus supportive treatment only in patients with COVID-19 with life-threatening hyperinflammation. Causal inference provides a means of investigating causality in non-randomised experiments. Here we report 14-day improvement as well as 30-day and 90-day mortality. Read More

J Pharm Sci 2021 Mar 28. Epub 2021 Mar 28.

Module 3 Pharmaceutical Consulting, P.O. Box 3032, Incline Village, NV 89450, 1-206-678-5949. Electronic address:

This review identified 126 commercially available antibodies approved globally between 1986 and February 2021 including 10 antibody drug conjugates, 16 biosimilars, and 3 antibody fragments. Prior to 2014 there were ≤ 5 approved each year, but after 2014 there have been ≥ 7 approved each year with the years 2017 and 2020 having the most at 17 each. A total of 136 products were identified of which 36 are lyophilized powders and 100 are solutions. Read More

Anticancer Res 2021 Mar;41(3):1607-1614

Department of Urology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.

Background/aim: We investigated the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), comprised of lymphocytes and albumin, as a potential prognosticator of metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) patients receiving pembrolizumab.

Patients And Methods: Sixty-five patients were retrospectively enrolled and classified as low (<40) and high (≥40) based on pretreatment PNI. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and response rates were evaluated. Read More

PLoS One 2021 30;16(3):e0249325. Epub 2021 Mar 30.

Department of Epidemiological Methods and Etiological Research, Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology (BIP-S), Bremen, Germany.

Background: The association between prolong metformin usage and B12 deficiency has been documented. However, the prevalence estimates of metformin-induced vitamin B12 deficiency showed substantial disparity among studies due to varied study definitions of vitamin B12 deficiency. Metformin blocks the calcium dependent absorption of the vitamin B12-Intrinsic Factor complex at the terminal ileum. Read More

Acta Pharm Sin B 2021 Mar 18;11(3):835-847. Epub 2020 Oct 18.

Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.

Localized delivery, comparing to systemic drug administration, offers a unique alternative to enhance efficacy, lower dosage, and minimize systemic tissue toxicity by releasing therapeutics locally and specifically to the site of interests. Herein, a localized drug delivery platform ("plum‒pudding" structure) with controlled release and long-acting features is developed through an injectable hydrogel ("pudding") crosslinked self-assembled triblock polymeric micelles ("plum") to help reduce renal interstitial fibrosis. This strategy achieves controlled and prolonged release of model therapeutics in the kidney for up to three weeks in mice. Read More

Domest Anim Endocrinol 2021 Feb 23;76:106623. Epub 2021 Feb 23.

School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland.

Total thyroxine (T4) concentrations are lower in healthy greyhounds compared to most other non-sighthound breeds. In humans, variations in the structure or concentration of the major thyroid hormone binding proteins are responsible for most reported differences between total T4 concentrations in healthy individuals from different ethnic groups or other subpopulations. The aim of this study was to determine if such variations are also responsible for the lower total T4 concentrations in greyhounds. Read More

Hepatology 2021 Mar 27. Epub 2021 Mar 27.

Department of Hepatology, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, New Delhi, India.

Human serum albumin (HSA) is the most abundant plasma protein and it regulates diverse body functions. In advanced and decompensated cirrhosis patients, serum albumin levels are low due to reduction in hepatocyte mass and loss due to disease per se and multiple therapeutic interventions. Due to its oncotic and non-oncotic properties, administration of human albumin solutions (HAS) has been found to be beneficial in patients undergoing large volume paracentesis, hepatorenal syndrome and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. Read More