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Curcumin (CUR) is a polyphenol extracted from the rhizome of Curcuma longa that possesses potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential. Despite CUR's numerous beneficial effects on human health, it has limitations, such as poor absorption. Nano-based drug delivery systems have recently been applied to improve CUR's solubility and bioavailability and potentialize its health effects. This review investigated the effects of different CUR-based nanomedicines on inflammatory and immunomodulated diseases. PUBMED, EMBASE, COCHRANE, and GOOGLE SCHOLAR databases were searched, and the Scale for Assessment of Narrative Review Articles (SANRA) was used for quality assessment and PRISMA guidelines. Overall, 66 studies were included comprising atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS), Huntington's disease (HD), inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), psoriasis, liver fibrosis, epilepsy, and COVID-19. The available scientific studies show that there are many known nanoformulations with curcumin. They can be found in nanosuspensions, nanoparticles, nanoemulsions, solid lipid particles, nanocapsules, nanospheres, and liposomes. These formulations can improve CUR bioavailability and can effectively be used as adjuvants in several inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases such as atheroma plaque formation, RA, dementia, AD, PD, MS, IBD, psoriasis, epilepsy, COVID-19, and can be used as potent anti-fibrotic adjuvants in fibrotic liver disease.

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This comprehensive review focuses on the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its impact as the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic. Its objective is to provide a cohesive overview of the epidemic history and evolutionary aspects of the virus, with a particular emphasis on its emergence, global spread, and implications for public health. The review delves into the timelines and key milestones of SARS-CoV-2's epidemiological progression, shedding light on the challenges encountered during early containment efforts and subsequent waves of transmission. Understanding the evolutionary dynamics of the virus is crucial in monitoring its potential for adaptation and future outbreaks. Genetic characterization of SARS-CoV-2 is discussed, with a focus on the emergence of new variants and their implications for transmissibility, severity, and immune evasion. The review highlights the important role of genomic surveillance in tracking viral mutations linked to establishing public health interventions. By analyzing the origins, global spread, and genetic evolution of SARS-CoV-2, valuable insights can be gained for the development of effective control measures, improvement of pandemic preparedness, and addressing future emerging infectious diseases of international concern.

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The prolonged lockdown of health facilities providing non-urgent gamete cryopreservation-as currently recommended by many reproductive medicine entities and regulatory authorities due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic will be detrimental for subgroups of male infertility patients. We believe the existing recommendations should be promptly modified and propose that the same permissive approach for sperm banking granted for men with cancer is expanded to other groups of vulnerable patients. These groups include infertility patients (eg, azoospermic and cryptozoospermic) undergoing medical or surgical treatment to improve sperm quantity and quality, as well as males of reproductive age affected by inflammatory and systemic auto-immune diseases who are about to start treatment with gonadotoxic drugs or who are under remission. In both scenarios, the "fertility window" may be transitory; postponing diagnostic semen analysis and sperm banking in these men could compromise the prospects of biological parenthood. Moreover, we provide recommendations on how to continue the provision of andrological services in a considered manner and a safe environment. Our opinion is timely and relevant given the fact that fertility services are currently rated as of low priority in most countries.

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Damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) are endogenous molecules that are released into the extracellular space under conditions of activation, cellular stress, or tissue damage. These molecules are recognized by pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs) and can induce inflammation and immune responses in the absence of infection. An increasing number of DAMPs have been linked to the pathogenesis of many auto-immune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), psoriatic arthritis, and systemic sclerosis (SSc); as they promote the maturation/activation of different immune cells and pro-inflammatory cytokines production associated with these diseases. Several studies suggest that the loss of tolerance to self-antigens in these diseases could be due to continuous exposure to DAMPs. Thus, understanding the mechanisms of sterile inflammation triggered by DAMPs is important to elucidate novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of various auto-immune diseases through inhibition or modulation the expression of these molecules. To this end, this review describes different DAMPs, their molecular characteristics, their modifications, and the receptors through which they activate an immune response while considering their role in the pathogenesis of various auto-immune diseases.

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The most recently recognized types of immune cells, the innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), have been sub-divided according to respective distinct expression profiles of regulatory factors or/and cytokines. ILCs have also been shown to participate in a variety of beneficial immune responses, including participation in attack against pathogens and mediation of the pre-inflammatory and inflammatory responses through their production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. As such, while the ILCs exert protective effects they may also become detrimental upon dysregulation. Indeed, recent studies of the ILCs have revealed a strong association with the advent and pathogenesis of several common autoimmune diseases, including psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and multiple sclerosis (MS). Though the ILCs belong to lineage negative cells that are distinctive from the Th cells, the profiles of secreted cytokines from the ILCs overlap with those of the corresponding Th subsets. Nevertheless, considering that the ILCs belong to the innate immune system and the Th cells belong to the adaptive immune system, it is expected that the ILCs should function at the early stage of diseases and the Th cells should exert predominant effects at the late stage of diseases. Therefore, it is intriguing to consider targeting of ILCs for therapy by targeting the corresponding cytokines at the early stage of diseases, with the late stage cytokine targeting mainly influencing the Th cells' function. Here, we review the knowledge to date on the roles of ILCs in various autoimmune diseases and discuss their potential as new therapeutic targets.

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Co-morbid auto-immune disorders may affect 0.2% of the population. We present the clinical and electrodiagnostic findings of 2 patients with inflammatory bowel disease and myasthenia gravis from a Brazilian cohort of 218 inflammatory bowel disease patients. Patient 1: A 40year-old man was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at age 37 and underwent total colectomy 3years later. After prednisone was tapered, he experienced a clinical relapse and was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. He then developed quadriparesis, bilateral ptosis, dysphagia and dysarthria. Patient 2: A 41year-old woman (diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis at age 35) developed speech impairment and ptosis. On both patients, symptoms quickly progressed over few weeks. Myasthenia gravis was diagnosed and confirmed by abnormal repetitive nerve stimulation and elevated anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody titers. Pyridostigmine and prednisone successfully treated both patients. Myasthenia gravis prevalence over 9years was 0.9%. Myasthenia gravis clinical course was not significantly modified by inflammatory bowel disease relapses and should be suspected with new onset weakness.

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Pemphigus vulgaris is a systemic auto-immune medical condition that mainly manifests with changes in skinand vasculopathy. This is a case report of a 69-year-old male with confirmed histopathologic diagnosis of Pemphigus vulgaris presenting ulterior Cognitive Impairment, mostly in executive function. The patient was treated using steroids, immunomodulatory therapy, fluoxetine and galantamine. Neuropsychological testing and magnetic resonance (MRI) were performed. This is the first report of correlational cognitive impairment with Pemphigus vulgaris in the literature. Physicians should be aware of vascular causes for cognitive impairment in patients presenting auto-immune conditions.

Phemphigus vulgaris é uma condição médica sistêmica autoimune que principalmente se manifesta com alterações de pele e vasculopatia. Este é um caso de um homem de 69 anos com diagnóstico histopatológico de Phemphigus vulgaris apresentando posterior comprometimento cognitivo, predominante em funções executivas. O paciente foi tratado com esteroides, terapia imunomoduladora, fluoxetina e galantamina. Avaliação neuropsicológica e ressonância magnética foram realizados. Este é o primeiro relato correlacionando comprometimento cognitivo a pênfigo vulgar na literatura. Os clínicos devem estar cientes das causas vasculares para comprometimento cognitivo em pacientes se apresentando comcondições autoimunes.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Pemphigus vulgaris is a systemic auto-immune medical condition that mainly manifests with changes in skin and vasculopathy. This is a case report of a 69-year-old male with confirmed histopathologic diagnosis of Pemphigus vulgaris presenting ulterior Cognitive Impairment, mostly in executive function. The patient was treated using steroids, immunomodulatory therapy, fluoxetine and galantamine. Neuropsychological testing and magnetic resonance (MRI) were performed. This is the first report of correlational cognitive impairment with Pemphigus vulgaris in the literature. Physicians should be aware of vascular causes for cognitive impairment in patients presenting auto-immune conditions.

Phemphigus vulgaris é uma condição médica sistêmica autoimune que principalmente se manifesta com alterações de pele e vasculopatia. Este é um caso de um homem de 69 anos com diagnóstico histopatológico de Phemphigus vulgaris apresentando posterior comprometimento cognitivo, predominante em funções executivas. O paciente foi tratado com esteroides, terapia imunomoduladora, fluoxetina e galantamina. Avaliação neuropsicológica e ressonância magnética foram realizados. Este é o primeiro relato correlacionando comprometimento cognitivo a pênfigo vulgar na literatura. Os clínicos devem estar cientes das causas vasculares para comprometimento cognitivo em pacientes se apresentando com condições autoimunes.

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A correlação entre doença auto-imune tireoidiana e artrite reumatóide tem sido demonstrada de longa data. A incidência de prolapso de valva mitral é maior em populações com doença tireoidiana. Acredita-se haver algum componente auto-imune relacionado ao prolapso de valva mitral. Nesse estudo foram avaliados 203 prontuários de pacientes com Artrite reumatóide com ecocardiograma com o objetivo de estabelecer a prevalência de prolapso de valva mitral e doença tireoidiana nessa população. Desses 19 (9,3%) eram homens e 184 (90,6%) eram mulheres. A idade média foi de 53,50±13.67 anos) e o tempo médio de doença de 102±105.8 meses. O prolapso de valva mitral foi visto em 18 (8,86%) pacientes. A avaliação da função tireoidiana foi realizada em 186 indivíduos e desses 3 (1,6%) tinham hipertireoidismo, 28 (15,05%) hipotireoidismo e 155 (83,33%) eram eutireoideos. Pacientes com prolapso de válvula mitral não diferenciaram dos sem prolapso quanto à presença do látex (p=0,5), titulo do látex (p=0,51), presença de FAN (p=0,76), presença de hipotireoidismo (p=0,47), sexo (p=1,0) e idade de aparecimento da doença (p=0,1). Pacientes com prolapso de válvula mitral tinham artrite reumatóide de maior duração (p=0,0021). Conclusão: Os pacientes de artrite reumatóide com prolapso de valva mitral não se diferenciam da população sem prolapso quanto a sexo, idade de início da artrite reumatóide, presença e titulo do fator reumatóide, presença de FAN e de hipotireoidismo.

There is a well established correlation between auto-immune thyroid diseases and rheuma-toid arthritis. The mitral valve prolapse incidence is higher among the patients with thyroid diseases and it´s believed that there is an auto-immune component in its origins. The objective of this study was to explore the prevalence of mitral valve prolapse and thyroid disease in 203 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The results showed that 19 (9, 3%) were men and 184 (90,6%) were women. The average age was 53, 50±13.67 years and the average time of disease was 102±105.8 months. The mitral valve prolapse prevalence was 8, 86% (18 pa-tients). The thyroid function was studied in 186 patients. Among these, 3 (1, 6%) had hyperthyroidism, 28 (15, 05%) hypothyroidism and in 155 (83, 33%) the thyroid function were normal. There was no difference between individuals with mitral valve prolapse and without on rheumatoid factor presence (p=0,5), latex title (p=0,51), antinuclear antibody presence (p=0,76), hipothyroidism (p=0,47), gender (p=1,0) and age of rheumatoid arthritis onset (p=0,1). Patients with mitral valve prolapse had longer disease duration (p=0,0021). Conclusion: The rheumatoid arthritis patients with mitral valve prolapse from this study have no significant differences from the population without mitral valve prolapse in gender, age of disease onset, presence and levels of rheumatoid factor, presence of antinuclear anti-bodies and hypothyroidism.