High‐throughput droplet‐based digital PCR (ddPCR) is a refinement of the conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. In ddPCR, DNA/RNA is encapsulated stochastically inside the microdroplets as reaction chambers. A small percentage of the reaction chamber contains one or fewer copies of the DNA or RNA. After PCR amplification, concentrations are determined based on the proportion of nonfluorescent partitions through the Poisson distribution. Some of the main features of ddPCR include high sensitivity and specificity, absolute quantification without a standard curve, high reproducibility, good tolerance to PCR inhibitor, and high efficacy compared to conventional molecular methods. These advantages make ddPCR a valuable addition to the virologist's toolbox. The following review outlines the recent technological advances in ddPCR methods and their applications in viral identification.
Although tremendous advancements in cancer therapy over the last several years, cancer still is a complex illness to cure. Traditional cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery, have a poor therapeutic effect, emphasizing the significance of employing innovative treatments like activated cell therapy. Chimeric antigen receptor T cell is one of the most prevalent types of activated cell therapy have been developed to direct T lymphocytes toward cancers (CAR-T cells). CAR-T cells therapy has illustrated poor impact versus solid tumors despite the remarkable success in patients suffering from hematological malignancies. CAR-T cells must overcome various hurdles to obtain full responses to solid tumors, including growth, stability, trafficking, and destiny inside tumors. As a result, novel treatment methods will entail overcoming the challenges that CAR-T cells face in solid tumors. The use of CAR-T cells in combination with other therapeutic approaches such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immuno-checkpoint inhibitors, and oncolytic viruses can promote the effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapy for the treatment of solid tumors. However, more research is needed to determine the safety and effectiveness of these therapies. CAR-T cell treatment success rates vary by type of disease, but are predicted to reach up to 90% in patients with leukemia. However, since this kind of immunotherapy is still in its infancy, there is much to learn about its efficacy. This review provided an in-depth examination of CAR-T cell therapy and its success and failure as a cancer treatment approach. We also discuss combination therapies with CAR-T Cell.
Introduction: The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the effect of ongoing statin treatment on susceptibility to influenza virus infection and on influenza-associated mortality.Material and methods: Studies investigating the impact of statin treatment on influenza prevalence and mortality were searched in PubMed-Medline, Scopus, ISI Web of Knowledge, Embase, Proquest, OVID, EBSCO and CINAHLdatabases (up to June 30, 2020). Fixed- and random-effects model and generic inverse variance method were used for quantitative data synthesis.Results: In the meta-analysis of 15 arms of 3 eligible studies including flu-vaccinated and unvaccinated patients, treatment with statins was associated with a reduction of influenza virus prevalence [Odds Ratio (OR) 0.85, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.73-0.99; p 0.040]. No significant effect of statins on the susceptibility to influenza infection was observed in the distinct communities of either vaccinated or unvaccinated subjects. Among 9 arms of 6 eligible studies, the use of statins among patients with influenza was associated with a reduced mortality [OR (95% CI), 0.68 (0.56, 0.82); p<0.001]. This result was confirmed for both 30-day mortality since influenza infection diagnosis [OR (95% CI), 0.61 (0.47, 0.80); p<0.001] and for up to 90-day mortality [OR (95% CI), 0.74 (0.55, 1.00); p=0.042].Conclusions: A reduced influenza prevalence and anincreased survivalfrom influenza infection was observed in patients on ongoing statin treatment. Further research is needed to define the possible role of statins as adjunctive therapy in patients with influenza infection.
The global rate of cancer has increased in recent years, and cancer is still a threat to human health. Recent developments in cancer treatment have yielded the understanding that viruses have a high potential in cancer treatment. Using oncolytic viruses (OVs) is a promising approach in the treatment of malignant tumors. OVs can achieve their targeted treatment effects through selective cell death and induction of specific antitumor immunity. Targeting tumors and the mechanism for killing cancer cells are among the critical roles of OVs. Therefore, evaluating OVs and understanding their precise mechanisms of action can be beneficial in cancer therapy. This review study aimed to evaluate OVs and the mechanisms of their effects on cancer cells.
Bi- or tri-specific T cell engagers (BiTE or TriTE) are recombinant bispecific proteins designed to stimulate T-cell immunity directly, bypassing antigen presentation by antigen-presenting cells (APCs). However, these molecules suffer from limitations such as short biological half-life and poor residence time in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Fortunately, these challenges can be overcome when combined with OVs. Various strategies have been developed, such as encoding secretory BiTEs within OV vectors, resulting in improved targeting and activation of T cells, secretion of key cytokines, and bystander killing of tumor cells. Additionally, oncolytic viruses armed with BiTEs have shown promising outcomes in enhancing major histocompatibility complex I antigen (MHC-I) presentation, T-cell proliferation, activation, and cytotoxicity against tumor cells. These combined approaches address tumor heterogeneity, drug delivery, and T-cell infiltration, offering a comprehensive and effective solution. This review article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of Bi- or TriTEs and OVs as promising therapeutic approaches in the field of cancer treatment. We summarize the cutting-edge advancements in oncolytic virotherapy immune-related genetic engineering, focusing on the innovative combination of BiTE or TriTE with OVs.