Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Maria Talmon, Erika Massara, Martina Quaregna, Marta De Battisti, Francesca Boccafoschi, Giulia Lecchi, Federico Puppo, Michele A. Bettega Cajandab, Stefano Salamone, Enrica Bovio, Renzo Boldorini, Beatrice Riva, Federica Pollastro, Luigia G. Fresu
Summary: This study demonstrates, for the first time, the presence and functionality of a type 2 bitter receptor hTAS2R46 in human skeletal muscle cells. This finding suggests that bitter receptors may play an important role in the development, maintenance, and protection of muscle tissue functions.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Spyridon Fortis, Pedro M. Quibrera, Alejandro P. Comellas, Surya P. Bhatt, Donald P. Tashkin, Eric A. Hoffman, Gerard J. Criner, MeiLan K. Han, R. Graham Barr, Mehrdad Arjomandi, Mark B. Dransfield, Stephen P. Peters, Brett A. Dolezal, Victor Kim, Nirupama Putcha, Stephen I. Rennard, Robert Paine, Richard E. Kanner, Jeffrey L. Curtis, Russell P. Bowler, Fernando J. Martinez, Nadia N. Hansel, Jerry A. Krishnan, Prescott G. Woodruff, Igor Z. Barjaktarevic, David Couper, Wayne H. Anderson, Christopher B. Cooper
Summary: This study found that consistent bronchodilator responsiveness (BDR) is associated with specific features of obstructive lung disease, such as asthma history and small airways disease, in tobacco-exposed individuals with or without COPD. Additionally, consistent BDR is also associated with lung function decline and increased risk of COPD progression in patients with GOLD stage 0 disease.
Review
Food Science & Technology
Johan Diepeveen, Tanja C. W. Moerdijk-Poortvliet, Feike R. van der Leij
Summary: Understanding taste is crucial for improving the palatability of protein-rich non-animal-based foods like seaweeds. Different taste receptors in the mouth detect sweet, bitter, umami, sour, and salty tastes. The taste of amino acids is influenced by various factors, and umami ingredients enhance the overall flavor of food, potentially reducing salt and fat consumption.
JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Mathieu Schwartz, Helene Brignot, Gilles Feron, Thomas Hummel, Yunmeng Zhu, Dorothee von Koskull, Jean-Marie Heydel, Federic Lirussi, Francis Canon, Fabrice Neiers
Summary: The molecules that cause taste sensation interact with taste receptors in the taste buds. Enzymes involved in detoxification processes exist in saliva as well as in type II cells where taste receptors, including bitter taste receptors, are located. These enzymes are known to have interactions with various molecules. The study shows that salivary glutathione transferases (GSTA1 and GSTP1) can metabolize bitter molecules, and their levels in the saliva of people with taste disorders are significantly lower than those in the control group.
Article
Plant Sciences
Muqeet Wahid, Fatima Saqib, Muhammad Qamar, Zyta M. Ziora
Summary: In this study, the multi-target mechanisms of Citrullus lanatus seeds in treating asthma and diarrhea were elucidated. Pharmacological experiments, pharmacology network, and molecular docking predictions were used to verify the antispasmodic and bronchodilator properties of the seeds. LC ESI-MS/MS and HPLC were employed to identify and quantify the potentially active compounds in the seeds. In silico studies revealed that the bioactive compounds interfere with target genes related to calcium mediate signaling and smooth muscle contraction. The hydroethanolic extract of the seeds exhibited relaxant and spasmolytic effects on isolated tissues and showed anti peristalsis, antidiarrheal, and antisecretory response in animal models.
JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Weixiu Xu, Lijie Wu, Shenhui Liu, Xiao Liu, Xiaoling Cao, Cui Zhou, Jinyi Zhang, You Fu, Yu Guo, Yiran Wu, Qiwen Tan, Ling Wang, Junlin Liu, Longquan Jiang, Zhongbo Fan, Yuan Pei, Jingyi Yu, Jianjun Cheng, Suwen Zhao, Xiaojiang Hao, Zhi-Jie Liu, Tian Hua
Summary: This study reports the cryo-electron microscopy structures of human TAS2R46 complexed with chimeric mini-G protein gustducin, providing insights into the features and potential ligand recognition and activation processes of the receptor. These findings lay the foundation for further exploration of bitter taste receptors and their therapeutic applications.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Tatjana Lang, Antonella Di Pizio, Davide Risso, Dennis Drayna, Maik Behrens
Summary: Humans have about 25 bitter taste receptor genes (TAS2R) to avoid ingestion of harmful substances. Variations in these genes contribute to individual differences in bitter tasting abilities. TAS2R2, initially considered a pseudogene, has been found to be a functional bitter taste receptor in some populations.
MOLECULAR NUTRITION & FOOD RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Angelina De Martin, Yves Stanossek, Mechthild Lutge, Nadine Cadosch, Lucas Onder, Hung-Wei Cheng, Joshua D. Brandstadter, Ivan Maillard, Sandro J. Stoeckli, Natalia B. Pikor, Burkhard Ludewig
Summary: Human tonsillar fibroblastic reticular cells undergo dynamic reprogramming during life and exhibit strong response to inflammation. The subset of PI16-expressing reticular cells plays a specialized role in mucosal immune responses.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Limin Wang, Kai Hong, Johnpaul Agbaka, Yumei Song, Chenyan Lv, Changwei Ma
Summary: This study revealed the complexity of bitterness in dry-hopped beer; in addition to non-volatile bitter compounds, beer aroma also had an impact on perceived bitterness intensity and attributes, and dry-hopped beer exhibited relatively high antioxidant capacity.
JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
(2022)
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Andrei Malinovschi, Xingwu Zhou, Anders Andersson, Helena Backman, Bjorn Bake, Anders Blomberg, Kenneth Caidahl, Maria J. Eriksson, Jonas Eriksson Strom, Viktor Hamrefors, Ola Hjelmgren, Christer Janson, Reza Karimi, David Kylhammar, Anne Lindberg, Eva Lindberg, Per Liv, Anna-Carin Olin, Adel Shalabi, C. Magnus Skold, Johan Sundstrom, Hanan Tanash, Kjell Toren, Per Wollmer, Suneela Zaigham, Carl Johan Ostgren, Jan E. Engvall
Summary: Using postbronchodilator spirometry reference values can improve the accuracy and prevalence of diagnosing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and can identify individuals with mild disease.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Eitan Margulis, Tatjana Lang, Anne Tromelin, Evgenii Ziaikin, Maik Behrens, Masha Y. Niv
Summary: Flavor is perceived through multiple systems and receptors, with some cross-reactivity between taste and odor receptors. This study predicts the bitterness and taste receptor targets of thousands of odorants, finding that a small percentage have a bitter taste and even fewer are intensely bitter. Bitter odorants are more commonly associated with unpleasant smells, while non-bitter odorants often have pleasant smells. The main bitter receptor for odorants is predicted to be TAS2R14, and its activity may have physiological implications through the expression of taste and smell receptors.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Nicholas Strash, Sophia DeLuca, Geovanni L. Janer Carattini, Soon Chul Heo, Ryne Gorsuch, Nenad Bursac
Summary: The study identified a specific mutant form of the human Erbb2 gene as the most potent mitogen for promoting cardiomyocyte proliferation in both human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived CMs and neonatal rat ventricular myocytes in vitro. Activation of the Erbb2/Erk axis in cardiomyocytes was suggested as a potential strategy for regenerative heart repair, with the effects being attenuated by Erk signaling inhibitors.
Correction
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Bimit Mahat, Etienne Chasse, Jean-Francois Mauger, Pascal Imbeault
Summary: The amended version has been published and can be accessed through the original article.
JOURNAL OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Ting Feng, Yilin Wan, Bin Dai, Yanlei Liu
Summary: Due to its low immunogenicity, high biocompatibility, and ready availability in large quantities, plant-derived vesicles extracts have gained considerable attention as a novel nanomaterial in tumor therapy. This study found that bitter melon-derived vesicles extract (BMVE) exhibits significant inhibitory effects on breast cancer, including anti-proliferative, migration-inhibiting, and apoptosis-inducing effects. Furthermore, BMVE can effectively inhibit tumor growth in vivo with negligible adverse effects. These findings highlight the potential of BMVE as a promising therapeutic agent for breast cancer treatment.
Article
Cell Biology
Yingai Shi, Guihua Liu, Rongpei Wu, David L. Mack, Xiuzhi Susan Sun, Joshua Maxwell, Xuan Guan, Anthony Atala, Yuanyuan Zhang
Summary: This study highlights the regenerative significance of telomerase activity in human primary USCs, showing that telomerase-positive USCs have a robust regenerative potential in cell proliferation and multipotent differentiation capacity. The presence of telomerase activity is associated with maintaining cell surface marker expression, chromosomal stability, and in vivo tumorigenic transformation in USCs.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sean A. Murphy, Matthew Miyamoto, Anais Kervadec, Suraj Kannan, Emmanouil Tampakakis, Sandeep Kambhampati, Brian Leei Lin, Sam Paek, Peter Andersen, Dong-Ik Lee, Renjun Zhu, Steven S. An, David A. Kass, Hideki Uosaki, Alexandre R. Colas, Chulan Kwon
Summary: Cardiomyocyte maturation and the acquisition of phenotypes at the single cell level were analyzed in this study, revealing that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor coactivator-1 mediates the phenotypic shift. The study provides a single-cell roadmap of heterogeneous transitions coupled to cellular features.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gaoyuan Cao, Hong Lam, Joseph A. Jude, Nikhil Karmacharya, Mengyuan Kan, William Jester, Cynthia Koziol-White, Blanca E. Himes, Geoffrey L. Chupp, Steven S. An, Reynold A. Panettieri
Summary: In most cells, cAMP acts as a short-lived second messenger, confined to the intracellular space and controlled by G protein actions. However, in human airway smooth muscle cells, activation of the cell-surface receptor β(2)AR leads to the release of cAMP into the extracellular space. This release is mediated by the ABC transporter ABCC1 and may have implications for the treatment of airflow obstruction in asthma.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Francesco De Pascali, Michael Ippolito, Emily Wolfe, Konstantine E. Komolov, Nathan Hopfinger, Douglas Lemenze, Roger S. Armen, Steven S. An, Charles P. Scott, Jeffrey L. Benovic
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Donghwa Kim, Alina Tokmakova, Jung-A A. Woo, Steven S. An, William A. Goddard, Stephen B. Liggett
Summary: GPCRs are a superfamily of receptors activated by a variety of ligands, able to activate different signaling pathways with varying therapeutic effects. Biased ligands may offer new opportunities for drug development by selectively targeting specific pathways, though challenges in understanding structure-function relationships need to be addressed.
MOLECULAR DIAGNOSIS & THERAPY
(2022)
Article
Physiology
Brian T. Deeney, Gaoyuan Cao, Sarah Orfanos, Jordan Lee, Mengyuan Kan, Blanca E. Himes, Vishal Parikh, Cynthia J. Koziol-White, Steven S. An, Reynold A. Panettieri Jr
Summary: Epinephrine plays a role in physiological functions by activating adrenergic receptors in various organs, but its functional role on adrenergic receptors in human bronchial smooth muscle is still not clear. New research has found that human bronchial smooth muscle cells express a high abundance of α1 adrenergic receptor subtype B, and activation of these receptors can induce bronchial smooth muscle cell constriction, potentially leading to asthma attacks. This discovery provides a new basis for reevaluating the role of α1 adrenergic receptor inhibition in asthma treatment.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LUNG CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ajay P. Nayak, Steven S. An
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Francesco De Pascali, Michael Ippolito, Emily Wolfe, Konstantin E. Komolov, Nathan Hopfinger, Douglas Lemenze, Nicholas Kim, Roger S. Armen, Steven S. An, Charles P. Scott, Jeffrey L. Benovic
Summary: This study identified several G(s)-biased agonists that relieve airflow obstruction by activating G(s) signaling pathway through β(2)-adrenoceptor. These biased compounds showed minimal β-arrestin-mediated effects and induced minimal desensitization of the receptor in primary HASM cells. These findings may have implications for the treatment of asthma and the development of safer drugs.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Kwangmi Ahn, Raymond B. Penn, Satish Rattan, Reynold A. Panettieri, Benjamin F. Voight, Steven S. An
Summary: Using Mendelian randomization analysis, this study demonstrates causal relationships between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and atopic disorders (asthma and atopic dermatitis [AD]). Specifically, asthma is shown to be a causal risk factor for AD, and GERD could be a shared pathogenic mechanism for both asthma and AD.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jung-A A. Woo, Maria Castano, Teresa R. Kee, Jordan Lee, Cynthia J. Koziol-White, Steven S. An, Donghwa Kim, David E. Kang, Stephen B. Liggett
Summary: TAS2Rs are bitter taste receptors expressed on human airway smooth muscle (HASM) cells. Activation of TAS2Rs promotes airway relaxation through severing of F-actin. This destabilization of actin is due to cofilin dephosphorylation, which is mediated by TAS2R-induced deactivation of LIM domain kinase. The understanding of this mechanism provides new insights into potential targets for bronchodilators.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Letter
Allergy
En Xu, Gaoyuan Cao, Zhi Yang, Yuanyue Zhang, Youwen Si, Kunal Singh, Joseph Jude, Steven S. An, Cynthia J. Koziol-White, Reynold A. Panettieri, Qi Yang
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eric B. Gebski, Vishal Parikh, Hong Lam, Nicholas Kim, Yury A. Bochkov, Gaoyuan Cao, Reynold A. Panettieri, Richard Kurten, James Gern, Steven S. An, Cynthia J. Koziol-White
Summary: Rhinovirus C15 attenuates agonist-induced bronchodilation, decreases efficacy of current therapeutics, and modulates components of relaxation pathways in airway smooth muscle.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ajay P. Nayak, Elham Javed, Dominic R. Villalba, Yinna Wang, Henry P. Morelli, Sushrut D. Shah, Nicholas Kim, Rennolds S. Ostrom, Reynold A. Panettieri, Steven S. An, Dale D. Tang, Raymond B. Penn
Summary: Prostaglandin E2 has various physiological effects on multiple airway cells through its actions on different E-type prostanoid receptor subtypes. The EP2 and EP4 receptors, in particular, play a role in regulating the contraction and signaling of airway smooth muscle. However, the effectiveness of subtype-specific agonists in relaxing the muscle under different stimulation conditions varies, suggesting the involvement of compartmentalized signaling mechanisms.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Oncology
Mikaela M. Mallin, Nicholas Kim, Mohammad Ikbal Choudhury, SeJong Lee, Steven S. An, Sean X. Sun, Konstantinos Konstantopoulos, Sarah R. Amend, Kenneth J. Pienta
