White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) in migraine could be related to inflammatory and antioxidant events. The aim of this study is to verify whether migraine patients with WMHs carry a genetic pro-inflammatory/pro-oxidative status. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed lymphotoxin alpha (LTA; rs2071590T and rs2844482G) and superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1; rs2234694C) and 2 (SOD2; rs4880T) gene polymorphisms (SNPs) in 370 consecutive patients affected by episodic (EM; n = 251) and chronic (CM; n = 119) migraine and in unrelated healthy controls (n = 100). Brain magnetic resonance was available in 183/370 patients. The results obtained show that genotypes and allele frequencies for all tested SNPs did not differ between patients and controls. No association was found between single SNPs or haplotypes and sex, migraine type, cardiovascular risk factors or disorders. Conversely, the LTA rs2071590T (OR = 2.2) and the SOD1 rs2234694C (OR = 4.9) alleles were both associated with WMHs. A four-loci haplotype (TGCT haplotype: rs2071590T/rs2844482G/rs2234694C/rs4880T) was significantly more frequent in migraineurs with WMHs (7 of 38) compared to those without WMHs (4 of 134; OR = 8.7). We may, therefore, conclude by suggesting that that an imbalance between pro-inflammatory/pro-oxidative and antioxidant events in genetically predisposed individuals may influence the development of WMHs.

The ongoing demand for reliable, cost-effective, and scalable diagnostic solutions during the COVID-19 pandemic emphasized the need for innovative production platforms. In this study, we present a plant-based molecular farming (PMF) strategy for the production of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein fused with an Fc region (RBDw-Fc). The RBDw-Fc antigen was transiently expressed in the Nicotiana benthamiana plant, achieving high yields and purity. Its functionality was assessed through antigen–antibody binding assays. The purified antigen was subsequently employed in the development of a rapid diagnostic blot assay capable of screening plasma EDTA samples from pre- and post-vaccinated as well as pre- and post-infected individuals, demonstrating high sensitivity and specificity. Our results show that the RBDw-Fc-based assay is effective for SARS-CoV-2 detection and offers considerable advantages in terms of production speed, scalability, and cost efficiency compared to traditional systems, such as cell-culture-based production. The assay delivers accurate results in just a few minutes, making it particularly suitable for clinical and resource-limited settings. This study highlights the versatility of PMF as a platform for producing high-quality reagents, with promising applications beyond SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics. The RBDw-Fc antigen-based method provides a model for the rapid, economical, and flexible development of screening tools for emerging infectious diseases and future pandemics.

The availability of biobanked tissues represents an important resource for translational research; however, functional investigations are generally limited to freshly collected samples. To address this limitation, we developed an innovative strategy to restore functional properties of frozen biopsies by microtransplanting patient-derived membrane proteins into Xenopus laevis oocytes. This study aimed to recover and characterize the physiological properties of human colon cancer cell membranes and to investigate the role of neurotransmitter-related signaling and ion currents in cancer. Membrane incorporation was assessed by immunohistochemical detection of tumor-specific markers, including carcinoembryonic antigen, together with confocal microscopy and ultrastructural analyses. Functional viability was evaluated using two-electrode voltage clamp recordings to assess endogenous calcium-activated chloride currents and responses to selected neurotransmitters. The successful incorporation of colon cancer membranes was confirmed by specific immunoreactivity and ultrastructural features consistent with cancer cell architecture. Although no functional responses to the tested neurotransmitters were detected, oocytes microinjected with cancer membranes showed a marked reduction or complete suppression in endogenous calcium-activated chloride currents. These findings demonstrate that membrane microtransplantation into Xenopus oocytes is a reliable translational approach to functionally investigate cancer cell membranes from frozen biopsies, and suggest that altered chloride channel activity may represent a baseline for new studies to investigate new potential therapeutic targets for colon cancer.