The most common cancer-related cause of death worldwide is colorectal cancer. It is initiated with the formation of polyps, which further cause the development of colorectal cancer in multistep phases. Colorectal cancer mortality is high despite recent treatment breakthroughs and a greater understanding of its pathophysiology. Stress is one of the major causes of triggering different cellular signalling cascades inside the body and which might turn toward the development of cancer. Naturally occurring plant compounds or phytochemicals are being studied for medical purposes. Phytochemicals’ benefits are being analyzed for inflammatory illnesses, liver failure, metabolic disorders, neurodegenerative disorders, and nephropathies. Cancer treatment with fewer side effects and better outcomes has been achieved by combining phytochemicals with chemotherapy. Resveratrol, curcumin, and epigallocatechin-3-gallate have been studied for their chemotherapeutic and chemopreventive potentiality, but hydrophobicity, solubility, poor bioavailability, and target selectivity limit the clinical uses of these compounds. The therapeutic potential is maximized by utilizing nanocarriers such as liposomes, micelles, nanoemulsions, and nanoparticles to increase phytochemical bioavailability and target specificity. This updated literature review discusses the clinical limitations, increased sensitivity, chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic effects, and the clinical limitations of the phytochemicals.

Introduction. Primary immune deficiency disorders (PIDs) are a group of diseases with profound defects in immune cells. The traditional diagnostics have evolved from clinical evaluation, flow cytometry, western blotting, and Sanger sequencing to focusing on small groups of genes. However, this is not sufficient to confirm the suspicion of certain PIDs. Our innovative approach to diagnostics outlines the algorithm for PIDs and the clinical utility of immunophenotyping with a custom-designed multigene panel. Materials and Methods. We have designed a diagnostic algorithm based on flow cytometry studies to classify the patients; then the selected multigene panel was sequenced. In silico analysis for mutations was carried out using SIFT, Polyphen-2, and MutationTaster. Results and Discussion. The causative mutation was identified in 46% of PIDs. Based on these results, this new algorithm including immune phenotyping and NGS for PIDs was suggested for the clinical use. Conclusions. This study provides a thorough validation of diagnostic algorithm and indicates that still the traditional methods can be used to collect significant information related to design of most current diagnostics. The benefits of such testing are for diagnosis and prevention including the prenatal and preimplantation diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and research.

Natural herbs and functional foods contain bioactive molecules capable of augmenting the immune system and mediating anti-viral functions. Functional foods, such as prebiotics, probiotics, and dietary fibers, have been shown to have positive effects on gut microbiota diversity and immune function. The use of functional foods has been linked to enhanced immunity, regeneration, improved cognitive function, maintenance of gut microbiota, and significant improvement in overall health. The gut microbiota plays a critical role in maintaining overall health and immune function, and disruptions to its balance have been linked to various health problems. SARS-CoV-2 infection has been shown to affect gut microbiota diversity, and the emergence of variants poses new challenges to combat the virus. SARS-CoV-2 recognizes and infects human cells through ACE2 receptors prevalent in lung and gut epithelial cells. Humans are prone to SARS-CoV-2 infection because their respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts are rich in microbial diversity and contain high levels of ACE2 and TMPRSS2. This review article explores the potential use of functional foods in mitigating the impact of SARS-CoV-2 variants on gut microbiota diversity, and the potential use of functional foods as a strategy to combat these effects.

Objectives: Henoch Schönlein Purpura (HSP) is characterized by non-thrombocytopenic palpable purpura, abdominal pain and arthralgia/arthritis. We aimed to describe the clinical presentations of children with HSP in a single center and compare the prevalence of each manifestations between patients with MEFV variants, particularly in exon 10 and those without. Methods: This cohort retrospectively included 144 HSP (59 females, 85 males) patients without FMF symptoms and followed for at least 6 months. We utilized the MEFV gene sequencing by using next-generation sequencing platform (MiSeq System, Illumina). Results: At least one MEFV variant was detected in 73 (50.7%) of 144 HSP patients and five (3.5%) patients were homozygote for M694V mutation. Although severe gastrointestinal involvement and nephritis rates were similar, we found that serum IgA, leukocyte and platelet count at diagnosis were higher and hemoglobin was lower in HSP patients with MEFV gene variants in exon 10 than those without. Additionally, HSP patients with MEFV variants in exon 10 more often present with abdominal pain and intussusception. Conclusion: MEFV variants in exon 10 may affect clinical presentation of HSP in populations where FMF is common. While HSP may be an initial symptom of FMF, we speculate that physicians should be aware of FMF possibility in children with intussusception and lower hemoglobin, higher serum IgA, leukocyte and platelet count.

CD200 imparts an immunoregulatory signal through its receptor, CD200R1, leading to the suppression of tumor specific immunity. The mechanism of CD200:CD200R1 signaling pathway is still uncertain. Our aim was to investigate the expression and localization of CD200 and its receptor CD200R1 and their clinical significance in rectal cancer patients. We examined the immunohistochemical expressions and localizations of CD200 and CD200R1 in 140 rectal cancer patients. Among the patients, 79 underwent the preoperative radiotherapy and the others were untreated prior to the surgery. In addition, 121 matched normal rectal mucosa samples were evaluated. The results of immunohistochemical analysis showed a strikingly high level of CD200 in tumor cells (p=0.001) and CD200R1 expression in normal mucosal epithelium and stromal cells. Importantly, CD200R1 was overexpressed in stromal cells of the metastatic cancer patients compared to patients without metastases (p=0.002). More than that, 87% of metastatic patients had a phenotype of upregulated CD200 in tumor cells accompanied by overexpressed CD200R1 in stromal cells. In addition, low levels of CD200 were correlated with improved overall survival in untreated patients. We showed that tumor-stroma communication through CD200 and its receptor interaction is selected in patients with high risk of relapse. High levels of these molecules support instigation of the far and local metastatic nest that provides solid ground for metastasis. Our current data also disclose a mechanism by which CD200:CD200R1 affects tumor progression and may strengthen the feasibility of targeting CD200 or CD200R1 as anticancer strategy.