Faeze Ahmadi Beni

Retinoblastoma (RB) is a primary cancer of the eye that predominantly affects children, although rare adult cases have been reported. This malignancy arises from immature retinal cells and is a major cause of vision loss in the pediatric population. In advanced stages, RB can spread to the brain and other organs. The primary driver of this disease is mutations in the RB1 tumor suppressor gene; however, the full development and advancement of RB necessitate further genetic and epigenetic changes beyond RB1 inactivation. Epigenetic alterations in RB involve various mechanisms, with non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) playing a crucial role in tumor progression. Dysregulation of various ncRNA classes, including microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), has been extensively documented, highlighting their contribution to the complexity and progression of the disease. The present study aims to collect a series of previously published studies exploring the contribution of ncRNAs in RB and their potential application as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, as well as considering them as valuable targets in the treatment of RB. It will also address the challenges encountered during this pathway.

Prostate cancer (PCa) remains one of the most common cancers and the second leading cause of cancer-related morbidity in men worldwide. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) have emerged as crucial regulators of gene expression via binding to RNAs and influencing their stability, localization, alternative splicing, and translation. Aberrant expression of RBPs causes various diseases, including cancer. Growing evidence has indicated that RBPs participate in PCa tumorigenesis, progression, and therapeutic resistance. Specifically, RBPs can regulate cancerous behaviors of the cells, including proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and metastasis. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the biological functions of RBPs, as well as the mechanisms by which they contribute to PCa, highlighting their crucial role in regulating signaling pathways and AR signaling. Furthermore, we discuss the clinical applications of RBPs in PCa as both prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers, as well as their potential as therapeutic targets.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most frequent cancer and one of the deadliest cancers, with a significant global disease burden. Despite progress in the diagnosis and treatment of CRC, the rate of mortality is still high. Identifying the molecular mechanisms contributing to CRC development and progression creates opportunities to provide better management for CRC. 14‐3‐3 proteins are extremely conserved phosphoserine/phosphothreonine‐binding proteins found in all eukaryotic cells. These proteins regulate a number of biological processes in the cells by binding to their client proteins. Thereby, they can contribute to the regulation of cell cycle progression, proliferation, invasion, and metastasis, highlighting their role in cancer development, progression, and treatment. The present article is aimed at reviewing the 14‐3‐3 proteins and their biological function, as well as their contribution to cancer regulation. In addition, it will collect previously performed studies investigating the role of 14‐3‐3 proteins in CRC pathogenesis, emphasizing their potential for diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic purposes, offering insights into novel intervention strategies and personalized medicine approaches for CRC.

Background: Uveal melanoma (UM) is the prevailing malignant tumor that develops within the eye in adults, and it has a bleak outlook because of the few treatment choices available and the high likelihood of returning after treatment. Currently, surgical intervention, radiation therapy, and a combination of both modalities are available therapeutic modalities for controlling UM. However, these techniques are associated with notable adverse effects and have limited efficacy. Therefore, there is a lack of sufficient and reliable therapies for UM, especially for advanced and metastatic UM forms. This review aims to summarize the clinical features and current therapies of UM and highlight recent progress in gene therapy approaches. Recent Findings: Significant developments in gene therapy have introduced multiple strategies for targeting UM. Gene silencing using siRNA and shRNA has shown efficacy in downregulating oncogenic pathways. CRISPR/Cas9‐based editing has enabled selective disruption of tumor‐promoting genes, sensitizing tumor cells to targeted inhibitors. Restoration of tumor‐suppressive miRNAs has reduced proliferation, migration, and invasion of UM cells in preclinical models. Suicide gene therapy has demonstrated potent cytotoxicity in xenografts. Moreover, oncolytic viruses and stem‐cell–associated delivery systems provide novel mechanisms for tumor‐selective gene expression and immune activation. Although challenges persist—such as delivery efficiency, immune responses, and genetic heterogeneity—ongoing innovations in vector design, non‐viral nanoformulations, and mutation‐guided therapies continue to enhance clinical feasibility. Conclusion: Gene therapy provides improved safety profiles and the possibility of tailored treatment strategies by integrating information on gene expression patterns and DNA alterations. In the future, gene therapy has the potential to improve the treatment of UM by targeting specific genetic mutations driving tumor growth and may offer new hope for patients with advanced stages of UM.

Purpose: To investigates the gut microbiota in patients with vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) compared with normal subjects. Method: A case–control study was conducted involving 32 patients with VKC and 16 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Fecal samples were collected and analyzed using quantitative PCR to measure the abundance of 5 bacterial groups: Prevotella , Firmicutes , Faecalibacterium , Bifidobacterium , and Bacteroides . In addition, clinical severity scores for VKC symptoms and signs were recorded and analyzed. Results: Patients with VKC exhibited significant microbial dysbiosis compared with controls, including an upregulation of Prevotella (mean fold change 21.579; P Firmicutes , Faecalibacterium , and Bifidobacterium ( P < 0.01 for all). No significant correlations were observed between microbial levels and clinical severity scores. Conclusions: The study identifies significant gut microbial imbalances in patients with VKC, suggesting that dysbiosis may play a role in the disease. Microbiota-targeted interventions, such as probiotics and dietary modifications, may offer novel strategies for managing VKC.

Infertility is a condition where a male or female is unable to achieve pregnancy through at least 1 year of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse. There are several known causes and risk factors associated with infertility. The gut microbiota is a complex community of trillions of microorganisms living in the gut. Due to modern lifestyle changes, such as dietary habits, physical inactivity, and increasing antibiotic use, the diversity and composition of these microbes may change in a detrimental manner. Dysbiosis or an imbalance of the gut microbiota compared to a normal composition can lead to various abnormalities, such as obesity, Alzheimer’s, metabolic disorders, and infertility. This review will cover the factors influencing gut microbiota composition, the mechanisms by which gut microbiota contributes to infertility in men and women, the effects of gut microbiota on problems that may arise during pregnancy, and therapeutic methods for diseases caused by dysbiosis of the gut microbiota.