Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Robert Sharkus, Richa Thakkar, Dennis L. Kolson, Cris S. Constantinescu
Summary: Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is characterized by severe cognitive impairment and functional decline. While tau hyperphosphorylation and amyloid plaque deposition are well-known factors in AD pathophysiology, neuroinflammation and oxidative stress from sustained microglial activation also play a significant role. NRF-2 has been identified as a modulator of inflammation and oxidative stress in AD, leading to increased production of antioxidant enzymes. Dimethyl fumarate and diroximel fumarate exhibit potential in modulating neuroinflammation and oxidative stress through the NRF-2 pathway, making them potential therapeutic options for AD. A proposed clinical trial design could evaluate the use of DMF as a treatment for AD.
Article
Plant Sciences
Ting-Ting Chang, Yi-An Chen, Szu-Yuan Li, Jaw-Wen Chen
Summary: The study showed that Ginkgo biloba extract (GbE) prevented diabetic nephropathy (DN) by activating heme oxygenase (HO)-1, improving renal function, decreasing glomerular hypertrophy, proteinuria, and kidney/body weight ratio, reducing inflammatory factors in the glomeruli, and protecting podocytes against the effects of high glucose.
JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Ayman E. El-Sahar, Nadine Bekhit, Noha M. Eissa, Rania M. Abdelsalam, Reham M. Essam
Summary: The study investigated the effects of Vildagliptin on testosterone-induced BPH in rats and its mechanisms. Results showed that Vildagliptin significantly reduced prostate weight, prostate index, PSA levels, 5 alpha-reductase activity, and DHT levels. It also inhibited inflammation-related signaling pathways and improved oxidative stress markers. Vildagliptin could be a potential preventive approach for BPH.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vanessa Azevedo Voltarelli, Rodrigo W. Alves W. de Souza, Kenji Miyauchi, Carl J. Hauser, Leo Edmond Otterbein
Summary: Heme is an essential iron-protoporphyrin complex that plays a vital role in various cells and can have both harmful and beneficial effects. It can cause cytotoxicity in tissues and organs through pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory responses, but it can also initiate specific cellular responses important for survival. This review focuses on heme metabolism and signaling pathways, including synthesis, degradation, scavenging, and its role in trauma and inflammatory diseases like traumatic brain injury, sepsis, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Hsin-Yi Chen, I-Shiang Tzeng, Kuo-Wang Tsai, Yao-Kuang Wu, Ching-Feng Cheng, Kuo-Cheng Lu, Hsueh-Wen Chung, You-Chen Chao, Wen-Lin Su
Summary: HO-1 levels increase with sepsis development within 48 h of admission for COVID-19 after adjusting for other risk factors, but no significant association was observed between HO-1 and COVID-19 mortality. Further clinical multicenter prospective studies are needed to clarify the potential protective effect of HO-1 in early sepsis.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Stefan W. Ryter
Summary: Heme molecule is essential for oxygen transport, cellular metabolic enzyme activities, and can promote human diseases if dysfunction occurs. It has pro-oxidant properties, inducing cytotoxicity and injury, while also modulating inflammatory and immune system functions. Therapeutic strategies targeting the heme/HO-1 pathway show potential in inflammatory conditions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Marwa M. M. Refaie, Sayed Shehata, Randa Ahmed Ibrahim, Asmaa M. A. Bayoumi, Seham A. Abdel-Gaber
Summary: The study demonstrated that hemin can reduce doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in rats by modulating specific signaling pathways, with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects in a dose-dependent manner.
CARDIOVASCULAR TOXICOLOGY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Hematology
Nipon Chattipakorn
Summary: Excess free heme and reduced hemopexin in sickle cell disease can lead to the overload of ferrous ion in cardiac cells, promoting cardiomyocyte ferroptosis and potentially impairing cardiac contractility.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Christian Streng, Jana Hartmann, Kai Leister, Norbert Krauss, Tilman Lamparter, Nicole Frankenberg-Dinkel, Franco Weth, Martin Bastmeyer, Zhenzhong Yu, Reinhard Fischer
Summary: This study reveals the involvement of mitochondria in light sensing in fungi, related to phytochrome dependence. Phytochrome photoreceptors in fungi contain a linear, heme-derived tetrapyrrole as chromophore, suggesting different approaches for chromophore biosynthesis and insertion into phytochrome in plants and fungi.
Article
Developmental Biology
Shuying Chen, Qian Yin, Haoyue Hu, Qian Chen, Qitao Huang, Mei Zhong
Summary: The study revealed that AOPPs induce trophoblast apoptosis by inhibiting the Nrf-2/ARE/HO-1 anti-oxidative pathway, while Nrf-2 exerts cytoprotective effects by increasing HO-1. This suggests that Nrf-2/ARE/HO-1 pathway activation could be a potential therapeutic target against preeclampsia.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yue Dai, Angela S. Fleischhacker, Liu Liu, Sara Fayad, Amanda L. Gunawan, Dennis J. Stuehr, Stephen W. Ragsdale
Summary: GAPDH is involved in heme delivery to HO2, maintaining cellular heme homeostasis.
BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ayleen Fernandez-Fierro, Samanta C. Funes, Mariana Rios, Camila Covian, Jorge Gonzalez, Alexis M. Kalergis
Summary: The heme oxygenase (HO) system involves three isoforms, with HO-1 being the most studied and overexpression of this enzyme promoting anti-inflammatory products. However, overexpression of HO leading to neonatal jaundice has prompted the development of inhibitors. Various types of inhibitors have been identified, including competitive and non-competitive ones, with potential medical implications in metabolic diseases and immune-mediated diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Selective inhibition of HO isoforms may contribute to the treatment of these ailments.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Nathella Pavan Kumar, Arul Nancy, Vijay Viswanathan, Shanmugam Sivakumar, Kannan Thiruvengadam, Shaik Fayaz Ahamed, Syed Hissar, Hardy Kornfeld, Subash Babu
Summary: The study found that low levels of plasma chitinase and IDO proteins are associated with increased risk of unfavorable treatment outcomes in pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), and these markers may be used as predictive tools for adverse treatment outcomes.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Quan Wen, Ngaikeung Lau, Huandi Weng, Peng Ye, Shaohui Du, Chun Li, Jianping Lv, Hui Li
Summary: This study demonstrated that chrysophanol has protective effects against lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury (ALI) by regulating the HMGB1/NF-κB signaling pathway through HDAC3.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nayeon Kim, Chaeyeong Kim, Soo Ho Ryu, Wonhwa Lee, Jong-Sup Bae
Summary: CN can suppress excessive permeability induced by HMGB1 and improve vascular instability by inhibiting the release of HMGB1, leading to an increased survival rate in a mouse model of sepsis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Paola Orlandi, Marta Banchi, Francesca Vaglini, Marco Carli, Stefano Aringhieri, Arianna Bandini, Carla Pardini, Cristina Viaggi, Michele Lai, Greta Ali, Alessandra Ottani, Eleonora Vandini, Patrizia Guidi, Margherita Bernardeschi, Veronica La Rocca, Giulio Francia, Gabriella Fontanini, Mauro Pistello, Giada Frenzilli, Daniela Giuliani, Marco Scarselli, Guido Bocci
Summary: This study investigates the role of MC4R in melanoma and the use of the selective antagonist ML in combination with vemurafenib. The results show that ML can inhibit melanoma cell proliferation and induce apoptosis through the inhibition of ERK1/2 phosphorylation and reduction of BCL-XL expression. The combination of vemurafenib and ML exhibits a synergistic effect in vitro and inhibits tumor growth in vivo without causing adverse effects.
BIOCHEMICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Conor J. Bloxham, Katina D. Hulme, Fabrizio Fierro, Christian Fercher, Cassandra L. Pegg, Shannon L. O'Brien, Simon R. Foster, Kirsty R. Short, Sebastian G. B. Furness, Melissa E. Reichelt, Masha Y. Niv, Walter G. Thomas
Summary: Bitter taste receptors (T2Rs) are a type of G protein-coupled receptors that allow humans to detect aversive and toxic substances. This study characterized the functional properties of previously identified T2Rs in human cardiac tissues and their naturally occurring polymorphisms. The results showed differences in signaling among different T2R variants, and revealed a potential association between the T2R50 Tyr203 variant and cardiovascular disease.
BIOCHEMICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Lu Chen, Huanying Shi, Wenxin Zhang, Yongjun Zhu, Haifei Chen, Zimei Wu, Huijie Qi, Jiafeng Liu, Mingkang Zhong, Xiaojin Shi, Tianxiao Wang, Qunyi Li
Summary: This study demonstrates that Carfilzomib exhibits potent anti-tumor activity against esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) by triggering mitochondrial apoptosis and reprogramming cellular metabolism. It has been identified that activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) plays a crucial role as a cellular target in ESCC cells treated with Carfilzomib. Overexpression of ATF3 effectively counteracts the effects of Carfilzomib on ESCC cell proliferation, apoptosis, and metabolic reprogramming. Furthermore, ATF3 mediates the anti-tumor activity of Carfilzomib, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic agent for ESCC.
BIOCHEMICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Xing Zhang, Xiang Li, Ran Xia, Hong-Sheng Zhang
Summary: This review summarizes recent progress on the mechanisms of ferroptosis resistance in cancer and highlights the role of redox status and metabolism. Combination therapy for ferroptosis has great potential in treating resistant malignant tumors.
BIOCHEMICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2024)