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Protein microarrays for COVID-19 research
Published in Sanjeeva Srivastava, Multi-Pronged Omics Technologies to Understand COVID-19, 2022
Arup Acharjee, Abhilash Barpanda, Jing Ren, Xiaobo Yu
Another exciting study (Shrock et al. 2020) showed the use of a high-throughput method, VirScan, to study epitopes of antiviral antibodies generated in human sera. The idea was to check for IgG and IgA immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 and cross-reactivity between SARS-CoV-2 and other endemic coronaviruses. Also, the study provided a detailed overview of previous viral infections on immune response repertoire. Using COVID19 serum (n = 232) and pre-COVID-19 serum (190) on VirScan supplemented with coronavirus libraries, they assayed about 108 antibody repertoire–peptide interactions. The investigators could map 823 epitopes across the entire SARS-CoV-2 proteome that were immunogenic. Ten epitopes could produce neutralizing antibodies, thus good candidates for vaccine candidates or therapies such as a monoclonal antibody therapy for passive vaccination. Also, they report a cross-reactive epitope in the S2 region that is potentially neutralizing and might putatively determine severity.
Innovative Target-to-Treat Nanostrategies for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Published in Ana Rute Neves, Salette Reis, Nanoparticles in Life Sciences and Biomedicine, 2018
Virginia Moura Gouveia, Cláudia Nunes, Salette Reis
The selective downregulation of inflammatory mediators either by preventing their expression or by antagonizing their receptors using antibodies is simultaneously a promising therapeutic approach as well as a targeting approach used in the treatment of RA. Thus, mainly due to their involvement within the pathogenesis of RA, cytokines have been used as targets for monoclonal antibody therapy in RA. Formulations of monoclonal antibodies effectively inhibit inflammation and synovial tissue damage. Still after systemic administration many patients continue to experience severe off- target side effects and less symptomatic relief [21]. Furthermore, cytokines can be targeted therapeutically by gene transfer and gene-silencing approaches. Gene therapy is based on the delivery of nucleic acids within the cell either for overexpression or for silencing of a target cytokine [92]. More recently, nanotechnology has been combined with gene therapy, offering an enhanced strategy for targeting and treating RA after it can potentially lead to a safer, more selective, and more efficient delivery of therapeutic gene at the inflamed disease-tissue, hence avoiding adverse off-target systemic toxicity.
Pulmonary reactions to novel chemotherapeutic agents and biomolecules
Published in Philippe Camus, Edward C Rosenow, Drug-induced and Iatrogenic Respiratory Disease, 2010
The most unique pulmonary side-effect with bevacizumab is its potential for local complications at the site of the tumour. A randomized phase II trial of 99 patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer compared paclitaxel and carboplatin alone with paclitaxel and carboplatin plus bevacizumab.100 Two distinct patterns of bleeding were observed in the 66 patients receiving the monoclonal antibody therapy. Minor mucocutaneous bleeding, characterized primarily by epistaxis, was fairly common and did not require discontinuation of the drug. Six patients experienced life-threatening pulmonary haemorrhage, including four fatal events. Squamous histology, central tumour location close to major blood vessels, and tumour necrosis or cavitation at baseline or during therapy were all associated with an increased risk of serious bleeding.
Statistical modelling for cancer mortality
Published in Letters in Biomathematics, 2019
Cancers may be prevented by not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, not drinking too much alcohol, eating whole grains and fresh vegetables, fruits, vaccination against certain infectious diseases, not eating too much processed and red meat and avoiding too much sunlight exposure. Cancers can be treated with some combinations of radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, monoclonal antibody therapy, targeted therapy, etc. The choice of therapy is based on the location and grade of the tumour and the stage of the disease, as well as the medical state and age of the affected people. The aim of the treatment is to complete removal of the cancer cells without damaging the rest of the body. But it is unfortunate that most of the cancer treatments have a negative effect on normal body cells.