Flow Cytometry-based Functional Assay is a Valuable Diagnostic Approach for Confirmation of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia

In this research, Mahshaad Norouzi and colleagues assessed a flow cytometry-based functional assay aimed at confirming Heparin-induced Thrombocytopenia (HIT). The study involved patients suspected of having HIT who were referred to the Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization from 2021 to 2023. Following a clinical evaluation and the calculation of 4Ts scores, anti-PF4 screening and the HIPA test were performed. A total of 30 samples that tested positive for HIPA and 30 that tested negative were selected for further analysis. The Emo-Test HIT confirm, a flow cytometry-based functional assay, was subsequently conducted, and the sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing HIT were evaluated. The findings indicated that the flow cytometry-based functional assay demonstrated strong sensitivity and specificity for confirming HIT diagnosis, suggesting its potential as a valuable tool in clinical practice. The full-text of their article is available for download here.

Microbial Allies: How Gut Microbiota Influence the Effectiveness of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
Hamed Azhdari Tehrani and colleagues conducted a review on the impact of gut microbiota on the efficacy of cancer immunotherapies, with a particular focus on immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). They noted that gut microbiota can modify the immune response within the tumor microenvironment (TME) by interacting with both innate and adaptive immune cells. According to their findings, one of the key mechanisms through which gut microbiota influences antitumor immunity is via the production of metabolites—small molecules that can travel from the gut to various parts of the body, thereby affecting both local and systemic antitumor immune responses. This investigation into the underlying mechanisms has provided significant insights for the development of microbiota-based therapeutic approaches, including fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), probiotics, engineered microbiomes, and specific microbial metabolites. Furthermore, they examined several potential interventions that could enhance the effectiveness of ICIs, which may lead to the restoration or improvement of patient responses to these therapeutic agents. The full-text of their article is available for download here.