Lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) deficiency is an autosomal recessive disorder that can reveal two different diseases: a very interesting nephrological picture of complete enzyme deficiency characterized by the association of dyslipidemia, corneal opacities, anemia, and progressive nephropathy; and a partial form (fish-eye disease) with dyslipidemia and progressive corneal opacities only. We report herein the case of a 35-year-old man who presented hypertension, renal symptomatology of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis associates: nephrotic proteinuria, severe renal failure, in combination with annular corneal opacities, anemia, and dyslipidemia. The diagnosis of familial LCAT deficiency was confirmed by clinical examination, characteristic dyslipidemia, undetectable LCAT levels in plasma, and positive family history.

SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are being administered worldwide. Most side effects are mild and self-limiting with few reported cases of severe reactions. We report a case of leukocytoclastic vasculitis with acute kidney failure following aninactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, unique for its dramatic visual presentation and its rapid response to treatment. This is the case of a 58years-old man presenting with fever, arthralgias and vascular purpura on his limbs associated with acute kidney failure requiring hemodialysis nine days after anti-COVID-19 vaccination. Skin biopsy revealed a leukocytoclastic vasculitis and a renal biopsy showed an acute tubulointerstitial nephritis. The vascular purpura resolved 7days after initiating treatment with prednisone but the patient remains in chronic renal failure. The analysis and investigation of the complications and adverse events induced by anti-COVID-19 vaccines could increase our understanding of the underlying pathogenesis.

Biologically active compounds isolated from medicinal herbs have been the center of interest for researchers to investigate their possible effects and mechanisms through which they exert their action. In the current study, we investigated the antiproliferative effect and the mechanism of action of deoxypodophyllotoxin, a semi-synthetic compound derived from the extract of a Chinese herbal medicine, Dysosma versipellis (Hance) M. Cheng ex Ying (Berberidaceae). The study was conducted on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. The antiproliferative effect of deoxypodophyllotoxin was assessed by the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. Flow cytometry, Annexin V/PI, mitochondrial membrane potential, caspase inhibition assays, and western blot analysis were performed to detect, explore, and assess the antiproliferative effect of deoxypodophyllotoxin. Our data revealed that, deoxypodophylloto…

Recently, biologically active compounds isolated from plants used in herbal medicine have been the center of interest. Deoxypodophyllotoxin (DPT), structurally closely related to the lignan podophyllotoxin, was found to be a potent antitumor and antiproliferative agent, in several tumor cells, in vitro. However, DPT has not been used clinically yet because of the lack of in vivo studies. This study is the first report demonstrating the antitumor effect of DPT on MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer xenografts in nude mice. DPT, significantly, inhibited the growth of MDA-MB-231 xenograft in BALB/c nude mice. The T/C value (the value of the relative tumor volume of treatment group compared to the control group) of groups treated with 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg of intravenous DPT-HP-β-CD was 42.87%, 34.04% and 9.63%, respectively, suggesting the positive antitumor activity of DPT. In addition, the antitumor effect of DPT-HP-β-CD (20 mg/kg) in human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 xenograft was more effective than etoposide (VP-16) (20 mg/kg) and docetaxel (20 mg/kg). These findings suggest that this drug is a promising chemotherapy candidate against human breast carcinoma.

Le dépistage de la Broncho-pneumopathie chronique obstructive (BPCO) asymptomatique reste, sur le plan scientifique, un sujet de controverse. Pas d’études contrôlées prouvant en chiffre un bénéfice notablement supérieur aux dépenses allouées pour une telle mesure préventive, du moins jusqu'à 2008. Cette réalité scientifique n’a pas empêché beaucoup de spécialistes dans le domaine de la BPCO, d’une façon individuelle ou collective à travers des sociétés savantes nationales ou internationales de préconiser son dépistage, du moins dans des populations à risques, tabagiques surtout. Une attitude de bon sens, devant une pathologie qui constitue un réel problème de santé publique dans les pays industrialisés comme dans les pays en voie de développement, de par sa prévalence, sa morbidité, sa mortalité et ses dépenses élevées et pour laquelle, sont réunis dans une large mesure les critères de dépistage d’une pathologie chronique adoptés par l’OMS. Ce dépistage se fait par la mesure du souffle (spirométrie). Idéalement par des mini spiromètres en consultation de médecine générale. Une confirmation reste nécessaire après test de bronchodilatation qui se fait habituellement au niveau des laboratoires ou des unités d’exploration fonctionnelle respiratoire. Des efforts de sensibilisation adressés à la population générale aux responsables politiques et aux professionnels de santé notamment aux médecins généralistes, sur la gravité de la BPCO et l’élargissement de l’utilisation de la spirométrie, à différents niveaux de la consultation, semblent être la plateforme d’un dépistage efficace.