Fatemeh Momen-Heravi

• DDS, PhD, MPH, MS
• Professor (Associate) at Columbia University

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membranous vesicles originating from different cells in the liver. The pathophysiological role of EVs is increasingly recognized in liver diseases, including alcoholic liver disease, NAFLD, viral hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma. EVs, via their cargo, can provide communication between different cell types in t...

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are carriers of different biomacromolecules that participate in cellular signaling and disease pathogenesis. Although it has been shown that EVs can play an active role in cellular communication and different stages of cancer progression, the role of EVs in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cancer pathogenesis, especi...

Background: For early-stage oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), there is no existing risk-stratification modality beyond conventional TNM staging system to identify patients at high risk for cancer-specific mortality. Methods: A total of 568 early-stage OSCC patients who had surgery only and also with available 5-year clinical outcomes data wer...

Monocytes and macrophages are major cellular components of the innate immunity that play essential roles in tissue homeostasis. The contribution of different subsets of monocytes/macrophages to periodontal health and disease has not been fully elucidated. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a risk factor for periodontitis. We hypothesized that the m...

Background The aim of this comparative study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of nonrepair of the perforated maxillary sinus membrane compared to the nonperforated cases. Materials and Methods A retrospective comparative study was performed by identifying all lateral window sinus augmentation procedures, which were done during a defined period...

The nuclear lamina is a vital structural component of eukaryotic cells, playing a pivotal role in both physiological processes, such as cell differentiation, and pathological conditions, including laminopathies and cancer metastasis. Lamina associated proteins, particularly lamins and nesprins, are integral to mechanosensing, chromatin organization...

PURPOSE In lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC), Black patients show significantly higher incidence and lower overall survival than White patients. Although socioeconomic factors likely contribute to this survival disparity, genomic factors have yet to be elucidated in LUSC. METHODS Using 416 LUSC tumor samples in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we...

Background: Esophageal organoids from a variety of pathologies including cancer are grown in Advanced Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium-Nutrient Mixture F12 (hereafter ADF). However, the currently available ADF-based formulations are suboptimal for normal human esophageal organoids, limiting the ability to compare normal esophageal organoids with th...

Most of the genome is transcribed into RNA but only 2% of the sequence codes for proteins. Non-coding RNA transcripts include a very large number of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). A growing number of identified lncRNAs operate in cellular stress responses, for example in response to hypoxia, genotoxic stress, and oxidative stress. Additionally, lnc...

Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) are naturally occurring vesicles that have the potential to be manipulated to become promising drug delivery vehicles for on-demand in vitro and in vivo gene editing. Here, we developed the modular safeEXO platform, a prototype sEV delivery vehicle that is mostly devoid of endogenous RNA and can efficaciously del...

Purpose: Alveolar ridge split (ARS) is ridge augmentation to mitigate ridge width loss that typically follows tooth extraction. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of ARS on alveolar ridge horizontal dimensional changes and the survival rates of implants placed into the same sites. Materials and methods: An electronic and manual search wa...

Approximately half of all head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients die within the five years of diagnosis despite treatment. Some studies have found that women with HNSCC have worse overall prognosis. To investigate the characteristics of HNSCC stratified by biological sex, we analyzed HNSCC samples within the Cancer Genome Atlas data...

Exosomes are naturally occurring vesicles that have the potential to be manipulated to become promising drug delivery vehicles for on-demand in vitro and in vivo gene editing. Here, we developed the modular safeEXO platform, a prototype exosome delivery vehicle that is mostly devoid of endogenous RNA and can efficaciously deliver RNA and ribonucleo...

Many translational studies suggest racial and ethnic survival disparities in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), with self-identified African-Americans showing significantly lower overall survival and progression-free survival than self-identified Caucasians. However, potential clinical and genomic factors contributing to this disparity have yet t...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the combined effects of KRAS targeted therapy and FAP targeted radiotherapy compared to either therapy alone in an animal model of lung cancer. KRAS is a protein that acts as a molecular switch regulating cell proliferation mediated through binding of GTP versus GDP. When mutated, the switch remains “on” an...

Flow cytometry (FC) is a highly informative technology that can provide valuable information about immune phenotype monitoring and immune cell states. However, there is a paucity of comprehensive panels developed and validated for use on frozen samples. Here, we developed a 17-plex flow cytometry panel to detect subtypes, frequencies, and functions...

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) outcomes remain stagnant, in part due to a poor understanding of HNSCC biology. The importance of tumor heterogeneity as an independent predictor of outcomes and treatment failure in HNSCC has recently come to light. With this understanding, 3D culture systems, including patient derived organoids (PDO)...

Many studies show racial and ethnic survival disparities in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), and self-identified African-Americans have significantly lower overall survival and progression-free survival than self-identified Caucasians. However, survival models based on genetic ancestry, rather than self-identified race, are needed to assess whe...

This investigation was designed to evaluate the efficacy of an erbium, chromium-doped yttrium, scandium, gallium and garnet (Er,Cr:YSGG) laser (laser group) compared to conventional mechanical debridement (control group) in the treatment of peri-implantitis. In a double-blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial, 32 patients with 88 implants wi...

Background Understanding the role and potential therapeutic targeting of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) is crucial to developing new biomarkers and therapeutic strategies for cancer immunotherapies. The epigenetic reader SP140 has emerged as a master regulator of macrophage transcriptional programs; however, its role in the signaling of TAMs a...

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to better understand the complex molecular biomarkers and signatures of HNC among Black patients and identify possible molecular changes associated with HNC disparities. Experimental design: Molecular subtypes and genomic changes in HNC samples from patients of African and European ancestry in The Cancer Ge...

Oral and craniofacial tissues are uniquely adapted for continuous and intricate functioning, including breathing, feeding, and communication. To achieve these vital processes, this complex is supported by incredible tissue diversity, variously composed of epithelia, vessels, cartilage, bone, teeth, ligaments, and muscles, as well as mesenchymal, ad...

Immunotherapy has dramatically improved outcomes for some cancer patients; however, novel treatments are needed for more patients to achieve a long-lasting response. FAP-targeted molecular radiotherapy has shown efficacy in both preclinical and clinical models and has immunomodulatory effects. Here, we studied if combined immunotherapy and radiothe...

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a devastating and common disease worldwide. Despite recent advances annotating the genetic and epigenetic changes underlying the initiation and development of ESCC and its precursor lesion, esophageal squamous dysplasia, more work is needed to translate these findings into novel therapeutic strategies. T...

Immunotherapy has drastically improved outcomes in many patients with melanoma, however the majority do not attain a durable response to treatment and therefore additional agents are desperately needed. Here, we tested the efficacy of 177Lu-FAPI-04, a novel FAP-targeted radiotherapy, alone and in combination with anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 immunothe...

Introduction Acidic leucine-rich nuclear phosphoprotein 32 family member B (ANP32B) is involved in gene expression, apoptosis, cell proliferation, and cell cycle progression. The role of this protein in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) pathogenesis is not yet known. Materials and methods Biopsy specimens were analyzed from patients wi...

Background Epidemiological data identifies race-based disparities in Black patients for head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSCC) screening, detection, treatment, and survival. Although socioeconomic and environmental factors play a role in the existing racial disparities, HNSCC incidence and survival rates in the Black population cannot be attribut...

Objectives: Methyltransferase-like 14 (METTL14) plays an epigenetic role in various cancer through N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification. This study sought to analyze the mechanism of METTL14 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell proliferation. Methods: Expression levels of METTL14, lncRNA metastasis associated in lung adenocarcinoma trans...

Macrophages are resident myeloid cells in the gingival tissue which control homeostasis and play a pivotal role in orchestrating the immune response in periodontitis. Cell heterogeneity and functional phenotypes of macrophage subpopulations in periodontitis remain elusive. Here, we isolated gingival tissue from periodontitis‐affected and healthy si...

Background: Alcohol (ethanol) consumption is a major risk factor for head and neck and esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). However, how ethanol (EtOH) affects SCC homeostasis is incompletely understood. Methods: We utilized three-dimensional (3D) organoids and xenograft tumor transplantation models to investigate how EtOH exposure influence...

p>Approximately half of all head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients die within five years of diagnosis despite treatment. Recent studies revealed that females have a worse overall prognosis; however, the genetic and molecular underpinnings have not yet been identified. We investigated the genetic characteristics of head and neck squamous cel...

p>Epidemiological data identifies disparities in black patients for head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSCC) screening, detection, treatment, and survival. Although socioeconomic and environmental factors play a role in the existing racial disparities, HNSCC incidence and survival rates in the black population cannot be attributed to these factors...

MicroRNAs (miR) are evolutionarily highly conserved non-coding RNAs that play roles in fundamental cellular functions by post-translational gene regulation. In cancer pathogenesis, miRs exert both anti-tumorigenic and pro-tumorigenic effects by virtue of miR-specific and context-dependent mechanisms. The role of chromosomal changes and mutation sta...

Aims We investigated differential DNA methylation in gingival tissues in periodontal health, gingivitis and periodontitis, and its association with differential mRNA expression. Materials & Methods Gingival tissues were harvested from individuals and sites with clinically healthy and intact periodontium; gingivitis; and periodontitis. Samples were...

microRNAs (miRs) are small regulatory RNAs that are frequently deregulated in liver disease.. Liver fibrosis is characterized by excessive scarring caused by chronic inflammatory processes. In this study, we determined the functional role of miR-132 using a lock nucleic acid (LNA)-anti-miR approach in liver fibrosis. A significant induction in miR-...

Background MicroRNAs (miRs) have been shown to play an important role in tumorigenesis, including in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The miR-34 family is thought to play a role in tumor suppression, but the exact mechanism of their action in HNSCC is not well understood. Moreover, the impact of chromosomal changes and mutation status...

We have previously constructed a novel microRNA (miRNA)-based prognostic model and cancer-specific mortality risk score formula to predict survival outcome in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients who are already categorized into “early-stage” by the TNM staging system. A total of 836 early-stage OSCC patients were assigned the mortality ris...

Genome-wide transcriptomic analyses in whole tissues reflect the aggregate gene expression in heterogeneous cell populations comprising resident and migratory cells, and they are unable to identify cell type–specific information. We used a computational method (population-specific expression analysis [PSEA]) to decompose gene expression in gingival...

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), including exosomes and microvesicles, are membrane-bound vesicles secreted by most cell types during both physiologic conditions as well in response to cellular stress. EVs play an important role in intercellular communication and are emerging as key players in tumor immunology. Tumor-derived EVs (TDEs) harbor a divers...

Background: MicroRNAs (miRs) have been shown to play an important role in tumorigenesis, including in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The miR-34a family is thought to play a role in tumor suppression, but the exact mechanism of action in HNSCC is not well understood. In addition, miR-34a is generally down-regulated HNSCC, but the rol...

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) express cytokines and mediators that can suppress T cell recruitment and activation in the tumor microenvironment, support tumor growth, and promote resistance to therapy. We found that Arginase-1 is produced in high quantities by TAMs and tumor cells in head and neck cancer tumors with different background mutat...

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a heterogenous population of vesicles shed by almost all cell types that can be detected in circulation and cellular microenvironment. EVs can be classified based on the mode of biogenesis and size to exosomes, microvesicles, and apoptotic bodies. EVs can act as biological carriers and function as important mediator...

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a diverse category of cellular export products that are present in a variety of biofluids and cell culture media. EVs contain a wide variety of macromolecules that represent a sampling of the cytoplasmic or endosomal compartments and function in cell-to-cell paracrine and endocrine signaling; it has been demonstrate...

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a heterogenous population of vesicles originate from cells. EVs are found in different biofluids and carry different macromolecules, including proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, providing a snap shot of the parental cells at the time of release. EVs have the ability to transfer molecular cargoes to other cells and...

The presence of hard tissue dehiscence and thin periodontal biotype in the esthetic area is a challenge that can jeopardize function and aesthetic outcome of implants. Here, we present a successful simultaneous soft tissue and bone regeneration of dehiscence defects in the maxillary incisor region. The novelty of this case lies in the simultaneous...

Conclusion: Our study indicates a specific protein signature of ALD-EVs and demonstrates a functional role of circulating EVs containing Hsp90 in mediating KC/MØ activation in the liver. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNA and are pivotal posttranscriptional regulators of both innate and adaptive immunity. They act by regulating the expression of multiple immune genes, thus, are the important elements to the complex immune regulatory network. Deregulated expression of specific miRNAs can lead to potential autoimmunity, immun...

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is characterized by genomic and epigenomic alterations. However, the mechanisms underlying oral squamous cell carcinoma tumorigenesis and progression remain to be elucidated. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), and extracellular RNAs (exRNAs) are emerging groups of regulatory RNAs, which pos...

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) represent a group of heterogeneous vesicles that can be obtained from almost all biofluids. EVs, including microvesicles, exosomes, and apoptotic bodies, can deliver bioactive cargos and signaling molecules. Various physiological roles and pathophysiological roles for EVs in diseases such as cancer, infectious diseases,...

Although experimental evidence suggests calcium-sensing receptor (CASR) as a tumor-suppressor, the prognostic role of tumor CASR expression in colorectal carcinoma remains unclear. We hypothesized that higher tumor CASR expression might be associated with improved survival among colorectal cancer patients. We evaluated tumor expression levels of CA...

Objective Although evidence suggests an inverse association between calcium intake and the risk of colorectal cancer, the mechanisms remain unclear. The calcium-sensing receptor (CASR) is expressed abundantly in normal colonic epithelium and may influence carcinogenesis. We hypothesized that calcium intake might be associated with lower risk of CAS...

Introduction: Aggressive periodontitis is a form of periodontitis characterized by rapid attachment loss in otherwise healthy individuals. Although different treatment options have been explored for management of the disease, control of disease progression and subsequent regeneration of the attachment apparatus are considered the ideal treatment ob...

Aim: We investigated the cross-sectional relationship between periodontal status and arterial stiffness, assessed through a novel Pulse Wave Imaging methodology. Methods: Eighty volunteers were enrolled (39% male, age range 24-78 years) and 33 pairs were formed of periodontitis patients/periodontally healthy controls, matched by age and gender....

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNA molecules that are involved in various cellular and physiological processes. In this chapter, we describe some of the recent advances on the role of miRNAs in alcoholic liver disease (ALD). We also discuss the utility of extracellular miRNAs as emerging biomarkers in ALD, and potential use of miRNAs as new...

Background and overview: There is a lack of clinical research on the potential effect of cannabis use on the periodontium as well as its effect on treatment outcomes. The aim of this case report is to illustrate the clinical presentation of periodontal disease in a young woman who was a chronic cannabis user, as well as successful treatment involv...

Periodontal diseases including tooth loss might increase systemic inflammation, lead to immune dysregulation, and alter gut microbiota, thereby possibly influencing colorectal carcinogenesis. Few epidemiological studies have examined the association between periodontal diseases and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk. We collected information on the perio...

Introduction Facial anthropometric measurement is considered an essential concern of surgeons, orthodontists, artists and forensic scientists. The aim of this study is to investigate facial anthropometric norms of the young Iranian population. Methods The study participants consisted of 200 healthy Iranian students (100 males, 100 females) aged 18–...

Background: Conventional dentoalveolar osseous reconstruction often involves the use of graft materials with or without barrier membranes. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of bone induction by bone matrix gelatin (BMG), delivered on an absorbable collagen sponge (ACS), compared to a placebo (ACS alone) in human alveolar socket defects. Methods...

Membrane-coated extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by cells can serve as vehicles for delivery of biological materials and signals. Recently, we demonstrated that alcohol-treated hepatocytes crosstalk with immune cells via exosomes containing miRNAs. Here we hypothesized that alcohol-exposed monocytes can communicate with naive monocytes via EVs...

It has been well documented that alcohol and its metabolites induce injury and inflammation in the liver. However, there is no potential biomarker to monitor the extent of liver injury in alcoholic hepatitis patients. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNAs that are involved in various physiologic and pathologic processes. In the circulat...

Circulating miRNAs can be found in extracellular vesicles (EV) and could be involved in intercellular communication. Here, we report the biodistribution of EV associated miR-155 using miR-155 KO mouse model. Administration of exosomes loaded with synthetic miR-155 mimic into miR-155 KO mice resulted in a rapid accumulation and clearance of miR-155...

Hepatocyte damage and inflammation in monocytes/macrophages are central to the pathogenesis of alcoholic hepatitis (AH). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate all of these processes. MiRNA-122 is abundantly expressed in hepatocytes while monocytes/macrophages have low levels. The role of exosomes in AH and possible cross talk between hepatocyte-derived exoso...

Author Summary Since its first isolation and identification in 1989, Hepatitis C virus (HCV), has caused significant disease burden to humans worldwide. So far, there is no vaccine against HCV, and neutralizing antibody therapies to block receptor–mediated transmission of HCV to liver cells have so far achieved limited therapeutic benefits. This in...

Fluoride is the reduced form of fluorine when it presents as an anion and when bonded to another inorganic element. Fluorides may enter the body by inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. Water-soluble fluorides such as sodium fluoride, hydrogen fluoride, and fluorosilicic acid are rapidly and almost completely absorbed in the gastrointestinal trac...

Objectives: The use of metal oxide nanoparticles has attracted lots of attention, mostly because of their promising antimicrobial activity along with their biocompatibility with mammalian cells. This study aims to investigate the in vitro and ex vivo antimicrobial efficiency of nano-magnesium oxide (MgO) aqueous solution against endodontic pathoge...

Exosomes, membranous nanovesicles, naturally carry bio-macromolecules and play pivotal roles in both physiological intercellular crosstalk and disease pathogenesis. Here, we showed that B cell-derived exosomes can function as vehicles to deliver exogenous miRNA-155 mimic or inhibitor into hepatocytes or macrophages, respectively. Stimulation of B c...

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) in human saliva have recently demonstrated to be potential biomarkers for diagnosis purposes. However, lack of well-characterized/matched clinical groups and lack of suitable endogenous control (EC) for salivary extracellular miRNA detection and normalization are among the restrictions of applying salivary-based miRNA biomarker d...

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), including exosomes and microvesicles, have been shown to carry a variety of biomacromolecules including mRNA, microRNA and other non-coding RNAs. Within the past 5 years, EVs have emerged as a promising minimally invasive novel source of material for molecular diagnostics. Although EVs can be easily identified and coll...

Preview Print Divergent and convergent quantitative dysmorphic phenotypes among neuropsychiatric patients with rare de novo Copy Number Variants C. Over the last 25 years, quantitative dysmorphology methods have found increasing application in clinical and medical genetics. This has been facilitated by the publication of Farkas' atlas Anthropometry...

Abstract Extracellular vesicles (EVs), including microvesicles and exosomes, are nano- to micron-sized vesicles that may deliver bioactive cargos that include lipids, growth factors and their receptors, proteases, signaling molecules, as well as mRNA and non-coding RNA, released from the cell of origin, to target cells. EVs are released by all cell...

Handling of endodontic sealers is greatly dependent on their elasticity and flow ability. We compared the viscoelastic properties of three root canal sealers. AH Plus (Dentsply, De Trey, Konstanz, Germany), Endofill (Dentsply Hero, Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and AH26 (Dentsply, De Trey, Konstanz, Germany) were mixed according to the manufa...

Exosomes are membrane vesicles with a diameter of 40-100 nm that are secreted by many cell types into the extracel‐ lular milieu. Exosomes are found in cell culture superna‐ tants and in different biological fluids and are known to be secreted by most cell types under normal and pathological conditions. Considerable research is focusing on the expl...

Exosomes are membrane vesicles with a diameter of 40–100 nm that are secreted by many cell types into the extracellular milieu. Exosomes are found in cell culture supernatants and in different biological fluids and are known to be secreted by most cell types under normal and pathological conditions. Considerable research is focusing on the exploita...

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the annualized growth rate of Iranian originated scientific dental literature accompanied by each discipline, and female contributions. Moreover, the extent of international collaborations, publishing in open access journals, and effect of per capita on the research productivity were also assessed...

Stem cell transplantation is a promising new therapeutic option in different neurological diseases. However, it was not yet possible to translate its potential from animal models to clinical application. One of the main problems of applying stem cell transplantation in clinical medium is the difficulty of detection, localization, and examination of...

Extracellular vesicles (ECVs) are nano-sized vesicles released by all cells in vitro as well as in vivo. Their role has been implicated mainly in cell–cell communication, but also in disease biomarkers and more recently in gene delivery. They represent a snapshot of the cell status at the moment of release and carry bioreactive macromolecules such...

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of different parameters such as shear rate, temperature, and time on the viscosity of four endodontic sealers. Furthermore, the effect of variations in powder to liquid ratio of two powder/liquid sealers upon their viscosity was evaluated. The tested sealers were AH Plus, Endofill, AH 26, and Epiphany...

Microvesicles are nano-sized lipid vesicles released by all cells in vivo and in vitro. They are released physiologically under normal conditions but their rate of release is higher under pathological conditions such as tumors. Once released they end up in the systemic circulation and have been found and characterized in all biofluids such as plasm...

The establishment of drainage and the elimination of the origin of infection are essential procedures for successful management of odontogenic infections. Irrigation and aspiration are considered as the 2 main procedures for the treatment of facial space infections; we invented a new method named simultaneous irrigation and aspiration. The simultan...

Impression techniques should precisely represent the 3-dimensional status of implants to allow for the fabrication of passively fitting prostheses and subsequently the elimination of strain on supporting implant components and surrounding bone. The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of an abutment level impression method with that of an...