(1) Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the gastroprotective potential of ferulic acid (FA) on indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers in rats with macroscopic and microscopic examinations along with biochemical assays. (2) Methods: After 24 h starvation, the ulcer was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by subcutaneous indomethacin (25 mg/kg) injection. Fifteen minutes after ulcer induction, rats were treated with either tween 80 or FA. FA was given by oral gavage at 100 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg, and 500 mg/kg. In the fourth hour, rats were euthanized and collected gastric samples were evaluated macroscopically and microscopically. Antioxidant parameters including malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and inflammatory parameters comprising of myeloperoxidase (MPO), Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α, Interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and Nuclear Factor Kappa-B (NF-κB) p65 levels were also determined. (3) Results: Indomethacin injection significantly increased the macroscopic and microscopic scores. In addition, it increased the gastric MDA, MPO, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and NF-κB p65 levels but reduced SOD and GSH content. Treatment with FA significantly improved the gastric injury macroscopically and microscopically. Moreover, FA displayed a marked decrease in the gastric levels of MDA, MPO, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and NF-κB p65 and a significant increase in SOD and GSH compared to the INDO group. Ultimately, 250 mg/kg FA was determined as the most effective dose. (4) Conclusion: Our results revealed that FA has a gastroprotective effect against indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers in rats due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. As a result, FA may be a potential treatment choice for gastric ulcers.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is found in refined foods. Apocynin (APO) is a selective NADPH oxidase (NOX) inhibitor. The aim of this experimental study was to investigate possible effects of MSG and the curative effects of APO in rats. Twenty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups (Normal control, APO, MSG and MSG + APO, n:7 for each group). The MSG and MSG + APO groups received 120 mg/kg MSG solution orally for 28 consecutive days. The APO and MSG + APO groups received 25 mg/kg APO solution orally for 5 days until the end of the experiment. At the end of the experiment, all rats were sacrificed and liver tissue and blood samples were taken for histological, ultrastructural, and biochemical analyses. In the MSG group, vacuolization and loss in glycogen content in the hepatocytes, leukocyte infiltration and fibrosis in the liver parenchyme and portal triads, were observed. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP (TUNEL)-positivity and NADPH oxidase (NOX)-2-positivity were higher in the MSG group compared with the other experimental groups. The concentrations of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin, malondialdehyde (MDA), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were higher, whereas albumin, glutathione (GSH), and superoxide (SOD) levels were lower in the MSG group. All these data has been reversed in MSG + APO group. The histological and biochemical criteria indicated the prominent ameliorating effect of APO on MSG -induced liver injury.

The novel coronavirus pneumonia, which was named later as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, namely SARS-CoV-2. It is a positive-strand RNA virus that is the seventh coronavirus known to infect humans. The COVID-19 outbreak presents enormous challenges for global health behind the pandemic outbreak. The first diagnosed patient in Turkey has been reported by the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Health on March 11, 2020. In May, over 150,000 cases in Turkey, and 5.5 million cases around the world have been declared. Due to the urgent need for a vaccine and antiviral drug, isolation of the virus is crucial. Here, we report 1 of the first isolation and characterization studies of SARS-CoV-2 from nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal specimens of diagnosed patients in Turkey. This study provides an isolation and replication methodology,and cell culture tropism of the virus that will be available to the research communities.

Background: the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of apocynin (APO) on hormone levels, the blood-testis barrier, and oxidative biomarkers in monosodium glutamate (MSG) induced testicular degeneration. Methods: Sprague Dawley male rats (150–200 g; n = 32) were randomly distributed into four groups: control, APO, MSG, and MSG + APO. MSG and MSG + APO groups were administered MSG (120 mg/kg) for 28 days. Moreover, the APO and MSG + APO groups received APO (25 mg/kg) during the last five days of the experiment. All administrations were via oral gavage. Finally, biochemical analyses were performed based on the determination of testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), as well as light and transmission electron microscopic examinations, assessment of sperm parameters, ZO-1, occludin, NOX-2, and TUNEL immunohistochemistry were evaluated. Results: MSG increased both the oxidative stress level and apoptosis, decreased cell proliferation, and caused degeneration in testis morphology including in the blood-testis barrier. Administration of apocynin reversed all the deteriorated morphological and biochemical parameters in the MSG + APO group. Conclusions: apocynin is considered to prevent testicular degeneration by maintaining the integrity of the blood-testis barrier with balanced hormone and oxidant/antioxidant levels.

Objective: Relapsed and refractory CD19-positive B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) are the focus of studies on hematological cancers. Treatment of these malignancies has undergone recent transformation with the development of new gene therapy and molecular biology techniques, which are safer and well-tolerated therapeutic approaches. The CD19 antigen is the most studied therapeutic target in these hematological cancers. This study reports the results of clinical-grade production, quality control, and in vivo efficacy processes of ISIKOK-19 cells as the first academic clinical trial of CAR-T cells targeting CD19-expressing B cells in relapsed/refractory ALL and NHL patients in Turkey. Materials and Methods: We used a lentiviral vector encoding the CD19 antigen-specific antibody head (FMC63) conjugated with the CD8-CD28-CD3 zeta; sequence as a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) along with a truncated form of EGFR (EGFRt) on human T-lymphocytes (CAR-T). We preclinically assessed the efficacy and safety of the manufactured CAR-T cells, namely ISIKOK-19, from both healthy donors' and ALL/NHL patients' peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Results: We showed significant enhancement of CAR lentivirus transduction efficacy in T-cells using BX-795, an inhibitor of the signaling molecule TBK1/IKK epsilon, in order to cut the cost of CAR-T cell production. In addition, ISIKOK-19 cells demonstrated a significantly high level of cytotoxicity specifically against a CD19+ B-lymphocyte cancer model, RAJI cells, in NOD/SCID mice. Conclusion: This is the first report of preclinical assessment of efficacy and safety analysis of CAR-T cells (ISIKOK-19) targeting CD19-expressing B cells in relapsed/refractory ALL and NHL patients in Turkey.