Jordan’s experience with COVID-19 has gone through several phases varying from limited transmission to a cluster of cases to widespread dissemination starting from March 2020 until now [1,2]. Here, we aimed at narrating the story of COVID-19 spread in Jordan from the beginning. We gathered data from published articles, Ministry of Health (MOH) and WHO […]

Comparative studies of SARS-CoV-2 antinucleocapsid (anti-N) antibody response in the context of inactivated virus vaccines versus natural infection are limited. This study aims to determine and compare the anti-N antibody levels in people vaccinated with Sinopharm’s (Wuhan, China) inactivated virus vaccine in comparison with naturally infected unvaccinated and Pfizer’s spike (S) mRNA-based vaccinated subjects. Two hundred ninety-nine Jordanian adults participated in the study including unvaccinated COVID-19-infected patients (n = 99), Pfizer-vaccinated (n = 100), and Sinopharm-vaccinated recipients (n = 100). Serum samples were assayed for anti-N IgG, anti-N IgM, and anti-S IgG. Sera of 64.6% of naturally infected unvaccinated participants had positive anti-S IgG (median = 36.35 U/mL; range: 0.04–532.5 U/mL) compared to 88% of Pfizer-vaccinated (Manhattan, NY, USA) (median = 26.52 U/mL; range: 0.39–1265 U/mL) and 58% of Sinopharm-vaccinated subjects (median = 14.35 U/mL; range: 0.39–870.17 U/mL). Samples of 60.6% of naturally infected unvaccinated people had positive anti-N IgG (median = 15.03 U/mL; range: 0–265.1 U/mL) compared to 25% of Pfizer-vaccinated (median = 0.02 U/mL; range: 0–68 U/mL) and 48% of Sinopharm-vaccinated subjects (median = 0.8 U/mL; range: 0–146.3 U/mL). Anti-N titers among the three groups were significantly different (p < 0.05). Anti-N IgM antibodies appeared in 23.2% of the naturally infected unvaccinated group (median = 0.29 U/mL; range: 0–15 U/mL) compared to only 9.0% of Pfizer-vaccinated (median = 018 U/mL; range: 0–33 U/mL) and 7.0% of Sinopharm-vaccinated subjects (median = 0.2 U/mL; range: 0–12.02 U/mL). A significant negative correlation was found between anti-S and age for both vaccines and between anti-S and the presence of chronic disease in Sinopharm-vaccinated subjects. A significant positive correlation between anti-N and anti-S titers was found among the three groups. This study shows that the inactivated virus vaccine, Sinopharm, induces an anti-N response that can boost that of natural infection or vice versa. On the other hand, the Pfizer mRNA-based vaccine induces a significantly stronger anti-S Ab response.

COVID-19 pandemic control measures rely on accurate and timely detection of infected individuals. Any defects and delays in diagnosis would negatively impact successful tracing and quarantining of positive cases and can significantly hinder public health control measures [1]. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advocated the importance […]

Background: It is widely accepted that chronic inflammatory bowel diseases significantly higher a risk for colorectal cancer development. Among different types of treatments for patients with colon cancer, novel protein-based therapeutic strategies are considered. AIM: To explore the effect of human plasma alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) protein in the chemically induced mouse model of colorectal cancer. Methods: BALB/c mice with azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate (AOM/DSS)-induced colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC), we intraperitoneally treated with commercial preparation of human plasma AAT (4 mg per mouse). Effects of this therapy were evaluated histologically, and by immunohistochemical and gene expression assays. Results: When compared with non-treated controls, AOM/DSS mice receiving AAT therapy exhibited significantly longer colons, and less anal bleeding. Concurrently, AAT-treated mice had significantly fewer polyps, and lower numbers of large colon tumors. Immunohistochemical examinations of colon tissues showed significantly lower neutrophil counts, more granzyme B-positive but fewer MMP9 (gelatinase B)-positive cancer cells and lower numbers of apoptotic cells in mice receiving AAT therapy. The expression levels of IL4 were significantly higher while TNFA was slightly reduced in tumor tissues of AOM/DSS mice treated with AAT than in AOM/DSS mice. Conclusion: Human AAT is an acute phase protein with a broad-protease inhibitory and immunomodulatory activities used as a therapeutic for emphysema patients with inherited AAT deficiency. Our results are consistent with previous findings and support an idea that AAT alone and/or in combination with available anti-cancer therapies may represent a new personalized approach for patients with colitis-induced colon cancer.

BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH ON COVID-19, A BURST OF INVESTIGATIONS AND A LOT OF WASTE Since the spread of COVID-19, dedicated researchers from all over the world worked round the clock to unveil the identity of the new virus and find ways to bring the deadly pandemic to an end. Basic science virologists revealed facts about the […]

Introduction: Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a spectrum of cytokine storm syndrome (CSS) associated with autoimmune conditions. Due to the high number of cytokine storm patient deaths, mainly those that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic and the lack of effective treatments against CSS spectrums, many people returned to nature and used plant-based remedies at the household level. Methods: This study investigated the anti-inflammatory activity of commonly used medicinal plant decoctions; Turmeric (Tur) and Eucalyptus (Euc) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and cytosine guanine dinucleotide (CpG)-induced MAS-BALB/c mouse model, Dexamethasone (Dex) was used as anti-inflammatory control. Results: A restoration in weight gain was noticed on day 8 by 2.8 ± 1.722 and 1.7 ± 1.976 g, for MAS Tur and MAS Euc, respectively. Levels of TNF-α and CCL2 in mice sera showed a peak after 2 hrs of LPS and CPG treatment in the MAS group. However, a significant reduction of 85.9% and 84.3% in TNF-α, and 77.1% and 54.6% in CCL2 were observed for MAS Tur and MAS Euc, respectively. In contrast, the reduction in IL-6 was less in MAS-Tur and MAS-Euc when compared to MAS-Dex (6.0%, 5.2%, and 17.4%, respectively). Cytokine gene expression in lung tissue at day 10 revealed a significant reduction in the expression of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, and TGF-β in the MAS Tur and MAS Euc groups compared to the MAS group. Histopathological investigation revealed that lung tissue in MAS Tur and MAS Euc groups showed mild to moderate inflammatory areas with no signs of necrosis compared to the MAS group. High MMP-9 expression was noticed in the MAS group with a score of positively stained neutrophils of 3.8 ± 1.6 that has been reduced to 1.9 ± 0.9 and 2.3 ± 0.7 in MAS Tur and MAS Euc groups, respectively. Conclusion, natural plant extracts may help ameliorating MAS in a better way than dexamethasone.