Multicenter Study of Rotavirus Infection, Diversity of Circulating Genotypes and Clinical Outcomes in Children ≤5 Years Old in Iran

BACKGROUND

To determine the epidemiology of rotavirus group A (RVA) infection in symptomatic children, and analyze genotype diversity in association with clinical characteristics, geographical and seasonal changes.

METHODS

The stool samples of symptomatic children 5≥ years old were collected from 5 different hospitals during December 2020 and March 2022. Rotavirus stool antigen test was done and G and P genotypes of the positive samples were determined. Associations of the infection and genotype diversity with demographical and clinical data were assessed by statistical methods.

RESULTS

RVA infection was detected in 32.1% (300/934) of the patients (Ranges between 28.4% and 47.4%). An inverse association with age was detected, where the highest frequency was measured in children ≤12 months of age (175/482, 36.3%). The infection was more frequent during winter (124/284, 43.7%) and spring (64/187, 34.2%). Children who were exclusively fed with breast milk showed a lower rate of infection (72/251, 28.6%). Among the 46 characterized genotypes (17 single- and 29 mixed-genotype infections), G1P[8] and G9P[4] were more frequently detected in children <36 (67/234, 28.63%) and 36-60 (7/24, 29.16%) months of age children, respectively. A seasonal diversity in the circulating genotypes was detected in different cities. Children with G1P[8], G1P[6], and mixed-genotype infection experienced a shorter duration of hospitalization, and a higher frequency of nausea and severe diarrhea, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study high frequency of RVA infection was detected in symptomatic children in Iran. Moreover, genotype diversity according to geographic area, seasons, age groups, and clinical features of disease was detected.

Juvenile idiopathic recurrent parotitis (JIRP) treated with short course steroids, a case series study and one decade follow up for potential autoimmune disorder

BACKGROUND

Juvenile idiopathic recurrent parotitis (JIRP) in children is a condition characterized with recurrent episodes of idiopathic parotid gland inflammation. Since there are no definitive guidelines for diagnosis and management of this condition, we present a consecutive case series of patients with more than one decade follow up and their dramatic response to short course treatment by prednisolone.

METHODS

We conducted this study by retrospectively reviewed medical charts of children who were diagnosed with JIRP, from 1 January 2002 to 29 February 2023. We performed usual serological tests to exclude some possible background. We administered short course prednisolone on first day of episode as divided dosage (0.5 mg /kg).

RESULTS

In this case series of 10 patients (70%) were male, median age of onset was 5 years, duration of episodes 5 days, and the mean course of disease were 3.8 years. The average follows up of patients was near 10 years. In comparison with their natural course of disease all patients showed a dramatic response to treatment on the first day of administration of prednisolone (P Value 0.005). For ten years follow up there was not any additional accompanying autoimmune disorder.

CONCLUSION

Short course prednisolone on first day of each episode and its dramatic and meaningful response in our patients, introduce a new, effective, fast, and inexpensive regimen of therapy in patients with JIRP.

MicroRNA-4731-5p delivered by AD-mesenchymal stem cells induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in glioblastoma

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) exhibits the most malignant brain tumor with very poor prognosis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are regulatory factors that can downregulate the expression of multiple genes. Several miRNAs acting as tumor-suppressor genes have been identified so far. The delivery of miRNA by mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) due to their ability to specifically target tumors is a new, hopeful therapeutic approach for glioblastoma. The objective of our study is the investigation of the effect of lentivirus-mediated microRNA-4731 (miR-4731) genetic manipulated adipose-derived (AD)-MSC on GBM. The downregulation of miR-4731 in human GBM tumor was detected using the GEO dataset. To evaluate the function of miR-4731, we overexpressed miR-4731 using lentiviral vectors in U-87 and U-251 GBM cell lines. The effects of miR-4731 on cell proliferation and cell cycle of glioma cells were analyzed by wound test and flow-cytometry assay. miR-4731 inhibited the proliferation of GBM cancer cells. Coculturing was used to study the antiproliferative effect of miR-4731-AD-MSCs on GBM cell lines. Direct and indirect coculture of GBM cell lines with miR-4731-AD-MSCs induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Our findings suggest that AD-MSCs expressing miR-4731 have favorable antitumor characteristics and should be further explored in future glioma therapy.