Translocator Protein 18 kDa (TSPO): A Promising Molecular Target for Image-Guided Surgery of Solid Cancers

The translocator protein 18-kDa (TSPO) is a mitochondrial membrane protein that is previously identified as the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR). Furthermore, it plays a significant role in a diverse range of biochemical processes, including steroidogenesis, mitochondrial cholesterol transport, cell survival and death, cell proliferation, and carcinogenesis. Several investigations also reported its roles in various types of cancers, including colorectal, brain, breast, prostate, and lung cancers, as well as melanoma. According to a previous study, the expression of TSPO was upregulated in cancer cells, which corresponds to an aggressive phenotype and/or poor prognosis. Consequently, the potential for crafting diagnostic and prognostic tools with a focus on TSPO holds great potential. In this context, several radioligands designed to target this protein have been identified, and some of the candidates have advanced to clinical trials. In recent years, the use of hybrid probes with radioactive and fluorescence molecules for image-guided surgery has exhibited promising results in animal and human studies. This indicates that the approach can serve as a valuable surgical navigator during cancer surgery. The current hybrid probes are built from various molecular platforms, including small molecules, nanoparticles, and antibodies. Although several TSPO-targeted imaging probes have been developed, their development for image-guided surgery of cancers is still limited. Therefore, this review aims to highlight recent findings on the involvement of TSPO in carcinogenesis, as well as provide a new perspective on the potential application of TSPO-targeted hybrid probes for image-guided surgery.

Outcome findings of COVID-19 vaccine among 31 977 pregnant women in Indonesia

OBJECTIVE

We provide an overview of the safety of messenger RNA and inactivated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine and monitoring of pregnant women after COVID-19 vaccination. The vaccine safety outcome profile is beneficial for further recommendations of COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy.

METHODS

This research was conducted as descriptive research. Sampling was performed using an online questionnaire to be filled out voluntarily and distributed to all pregnant women in Indonesia who received the COVID-19 vaccination. Data collection was performed and descriptive statistics were obtained.

RESULTS

Among 31 977 pregnant women, 24 212 (75.7%) received the first dose, 7619 (23.8%) received the second dose, and 146 (4.5%) received the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Sinovac vaccine is the most administered vaccine to pregnant women (27 122 [84%]). Most pregnant women (78.7%) who were vaccinated had no adverse effects after immunization, while the most reported adverse effects were mild symptoms.

CONCLUSION

The current study contributed evidence that COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy has minimal adverse effects. These findings may help pregnant women and healthcare providers to make informed decisions regarding vaccination.

Impact of repeated nicotine and alcohol coexposure on in vitro and in vivo chlorpyrifos dosimetry and cholinesterase inhibition

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is an organophosphorus insecticide, and neurotoxicity results from inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) by its metabolite, chlorpyrifos-oxon. Routine consumption of alcohol and tobacco modifies metabolic and physiological processes impacting the metabolism and pharmacokinetics of other xenobiotics, including pesticides. This study evaluated the influence of repeated ethanol and nicotine coexposure on in vivo CPF dosimetry and cholinesterase (ChE) response (ChE- includes AChE and/or butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE)). Hepatic microsomes were prepared from groups of naive, ethanol-only (1 g/kg/d, 7 d, po), and ethanol + nicotine (1 mg/kg/d 7 d, sc)-treated rats, and the in vitro metabolism of CPF was evaluated. For in vivo studies, rats were treated with saline or ethanol (1 g/kg/d, po) + nicotine (1 mg/kg/d, sc) in addition to CPF (1 or 5 mg/kg/d, po) for 7 d. The major CPF metabolite, 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPy), in blood and urine and the plasma ChE and brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities were measured in rats. There were differences in pharmacokinetics, with higher TCPy peak concentrations and increased blood TCPy AUC in ethanol + nicotine groups compared to CPF only (approximately 1.8- and 3.8-fold at 1 and 5 mg CPF doses, respectively). Brain AChE activities after ethanol + nicotine treatments showed significantly less inhibition following repeated 5 mg CPF/kg dosing compared to CPF only (96 ± 13 and 66 ± 7% of naive at 4 h post last CPF dosing, respectively). Although brain AChE activity was minimal inhibited for the 1-mg CPF/kg/d groups, the ethanol + nicotine pretreatment resulted in a similar trend (i.e., slightly less inhibition). No marked differences were observed in plasma ChE activities due to the alcohol + nicotine treatments. In vitro, CPF metabolism was not markedly affected by repeated ethanol or both ethanol + nicotine exposures. Compared with a previous study of nicotine and CPF exposure, there were no apparent additional exacerbating effects due to ethanol coexposure.

Chain-length dependence of the protein and cell resistance of oligo(ethylene glycol)-terminated self-assembled monolayers on gold

Oligo(ethylene glycol) (O-EG(n))-terminated alkanethiol surface-assembled monolayers (SAMs) have been reported to demonstrate protein-resistant properties similar to those of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). In this study, we compared the relative protein resistance of short and long ethylene oxide chains, SAMs of PEG 5000, PEG 2000, O-EG(3) (molecular weight = 120), and O-EG(6) (molecular weight = 240), on gold surfaces. Surface plasmon resonance showed that these monolayers were all protein-resistant within the uncertainty of the measurement. However, they exhibited different adhesive properties toward 3T3 mouse fibroblast adhesion in supplemented Dulbecco's modified Eagles medium. The results show that the cell adhesion was sensitive to the concentration of proteins supplemented in the culture medium and to the length of PEG chains.

Treatment of acute urinary tract infection in children with pipemidic acid

Urinary tract infection in children is still an important problem in uronephrology. The disease tends to develop recurrently and results in chronic progressive renal disease in the future. Pipemidic acid is a bactericidal quinolone derivate, with a wide spectrum against gram positive and negative bacteria. Compared with nalidixic acid, pipemidic acid proves to be more effective against Pseudomonas, E. coli, Alkaligenes and Salmonella. Thirty one cases with acute urinary tract infection had been studied descriptively. The etiology revealed as follows: E. coli (45.2%), Alkaligenes (16.2%), Enterobacter (9.6%), Staphylococcus (9.6%), Pseudomonas (9.6%), Paracolon (6.5%), and Proteus (3.3%). Pipemidic acid was administered orally to these patients, 15-20 mg/kg/day divided in 2 equal doses for 10 days. Bacteriological examinations was repeated on the 6th day and 11th day treatment. The result revealed that on the 6th day of treatment, in 27 patients (87.09%) there was no bacteriuria while on the 11th day the urine of 29 patients (93.54%) were sterile. In conclusion, a 5 day treatment of acute urinary tract infection in children with pipemidic acid is quite effective.