Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Rajan Sharma Bhattarai, Virender Kumar, Svetlana Romanova, Jitender Bariwal, Hao Chen, Shanshan Deng, Vijaya R. Bhatt, Tatiana Bronich, Wei Li, Ram Mahato
Summary: CH-3-8, a novel microtubule polymerization inhibitor, showed significant anti-proliferative effects on pancreatic cancer cells and induced apoptosis. Conjugating CH-3-8 with dodecanol and encapsulating it in nanoparticles resulted in high drug loading and potential for enhanced therapeutic outcomes against pancreatic cancer.
JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daniel R. Principe, Alexandre F. Aissa, Sandeep Kumar, Thao N. D. Pham, Patrick W. Underwood, Rakesh Nair, Rong Ke, Basabi Rana, Jose G. Trevino, Hidayatullah G. Munshi, Elizaveta Benevolenskaya, Ajay Rana
Summary: There is currently no effective treatment for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In this study, researchers identified a subset of gemcitabine-resistant tumor cells enriched for calcium/calmodulin signaling. Inhibition of calcium-dependent calmodulin activation led to the loss of drug-resistant phenotypes, and calcium chelation or depletion impaired ERK activation and restored therapeutic responses to gemcitabine. Calcium channel blockers also enhanced therapeutic responses to gemcitabine.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Ali Moammeri, Masoumeh Mirzaei Chegeni, Hamidreza Sahrayi, Robabehbeygom Ghafelehbashi, Farkhondeh Memarzadeh, Afsoun Mansouri, Iman Akbarzadeh, Maryam Sadat Abtahi, Faranak Hejabi, Qun Ren
Summary: The advancement of nanotechnology has sparked interest in nanocarriers as efficient and safe drug delivery systems. Niosomes, a newer generation of nano-scale vesicles composed of non-ionic surfactants along with cholesterol or other amphiphilic molecules, offer a multilamellar carrier for bioactive substances. Compared to liposomes, niosomes are considered more chemically and physically stable, and have more economical preparation methods. They have various technological applications and are beneficial in terms of pharmacokinetics, toxicity reduction, drug solvability enhancement, and bioavailability improvement.
MATERIALS TODAY BIO
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Alica K. Beutel, Christopher J. Halbrook
Summary: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and its treatment is challenging due to a lack of durable responses to standard-of-care chemotherapies. Gemcitabine, a cornerstone in PDA treatment, faces resistance mechanisms that have not yet been overcome in patient care.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-CELL PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xiao Fu, Xiaoxuan Zhang, Danqing Huang, Liang Mao, Yudong Qiu, Yuanjin Zhao
Summary: Inspired by the structures of octopus tentacles, researchers have developed a novel adhesive microneedle patch with gemcitabine encapsulation for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. The patch, made of gelatin methacryloyl, demonstrates good biocompatibility, flexibility, and drug loading efficiency. It can adhere to the irregular surfaces of tumors and efficiently release gemcitabine to penetrate tumor tissues, showing promising anti-tumor efficacy in vitro and in a mouse model.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chen Chen, Binfeng Wu, Mingge Wang, Jinghua Chen, Zhaohui Huang, Jin-Song Shi
Summary: Our findings suggest that GABRP may serve as a downstream target of CD44s to diminish gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer, and both CD44s and GABRP molecules have the potential to become prognostic biomarkers for PDAC patients with gemcitabine resistance.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Tianli Zhang, Mengmeng Liu, Qing Liu, Gary Guishan Xiao
Summary: Wogonin can enhance the sensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine chemotherapy, possibly by promoting apoptosis through inhibiting the Akt signaling pathway.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jingjing Yao, Min Huang, Qinghong Shen, Ming Ding, Shaofang Yu, Yajuan Guo, Yuefang Lin, Yaqiu Zheng, Wenbo Chen, Wenxin Yan, Zhongqiu Liu, Dawei Wang, Ming Hu, Linlin Lu
Summary: Pancreatic cancer has a low overall survival rate and is often resistant to the first-line drug, Gemcitabine. This study found that c-Myc and PD-L1 were highly expressed in pancreatic tumors and dFdC-resistant cells. Moreover, the combination of dFdC and c-Myc inhibitors enhanced drug sensitivity, while overexpression of c-Myc reduced sensitivity. Additionally, ARTS was shown to reverse dFdC resistance in vitro and suppress pancreatic cancer in vivo.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Epiphane K. Silli, Mengfei Li, Yuting Shao, Yiran Zhang, Guilin Hou, Jiaqian Du, Jingdan Liang, Ying Wang
Summary: This review discusses the applications of liposomes in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is an incurable disease with a high death rate. By using different liposomal nanostructures, the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs can be optimized and toxicity can be reduced.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS AND BIOPHARMACEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rosalba Florio, Barbara De Filippis, Serena Veschi, Viviana di Giacomo, Paola Lanuti, Giulia Catitti, Davide Brocco, Annalisa di Rienzo, Amelia Cataldi, Ivana Cacciatore, Rosa Amoroso, Alessandro Cama, Laura De Lellis
Summary: Pancreatic cancer has limited response to current therapeutic options, so there is a need for more effective and low-toxic agents. In this study, the antiproliferative activities of newly synthetized resveratrol analogues in pancreatic cancer cell lines were explored. The most active compound exhibited marked antiproliferative effects through mechanisms involving DNA damage, apoptosis induction, and interference in cell cycle progression.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Myeong Jin Kim, Hyung Sun Kim, Hyeon Woong Kang, Da Eun Lee, Woosol Chris Hong, Ju Hyun Kim, Minsoo Kim, Jae-Ho Cheong, Hyo Jung Kim, Joon Seong Park
Summary: Pancreatic cancer patients often have poor outcomes with gemcitabine treatment due to chemoresistance. This study identified SLC38A5 as a potential therapeutic target for gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer. Inhibition of SLC38A5 decreased cell proliferation and migration, triggered ferroptosis signaling pathway, and restored gemcitabine sensitivity in animal models. These findings suggest SLC38A5 could be a novel target for overcoming gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer therapy.
Article
Oncology
Jiachun Su, Rui Li, Ziming Chen, Shaoqiu Liu, Hongzhe Zhao, Shuang Deng, Lingxing Zeng, Zilan Xu, Sihan Zhao, Yifan Zhou, Mei Li, Xiaowei He, Ji Liu, Chunling Xue, Ruihong Bai, Lisha Zhuang, Quanbo Zhou, Shaoping Zhang, Rufu Chen, Xudong Huang, Dongxi Lin, Jian Zheng, Jialiang Zhang
Summary: The study reveals the critical role of m6A modification in regulating gemcitabine sensitivity in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), and identifies the FZR1-GEMIN5 axis as a potential target to enhance gemcitabine response.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiaowei Wang, Hongwei Lu, Fang Luo, Dan Wang, Apeng Wang, Xuelei Wang, Wenkai Feng, Xiaobo Wang, Jiayi Su, Mingliang Liu, Guimin Xia
Summary: Four novel lipid-like GEM diesters were synthesized and encapsulated into liposomes to improve the antitumor efficacy of Gemcitabine. The liposomes loaded with dimyristoyl GEM (LipodmGEM) showed enhanced cellular uptake, improved inhibition of cell migration, and a greatly extended half-life compared to free Gemcitabine. LipodmGEM successfully enriched the drug in the tumor and exhibited excellent anticancer efficacy in vivo with negligible systemic toxicity.
JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Seo Yeon Kim, Min Jeong Jo, Moon Sup Yoon, Chae Eun Jin, Yu Been Shin, Jae Min Lee, Hee Ji Shin, Joon Gyo Oh, Jae Min Cho, Hyunjun Kim, Hyunjin Park, Yong-Won Choi, Chun-Woong Park, Jin-Seok Kim, Dae Hwan Shin
Summary: This study developed a drug delivery strategy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma using a thermosensitive gel, which successfully achieved controlled release of drugs based on the researchers' tolerance settings. The gel consisted of gemcitabine (GEM) and the mammalian TOR (mTOR) inhibitor rapamycin (RAPA), demonstrating good cytotoxicity and anti-tumor effects in in vitro and in vivo experiments.
JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Zongting Gu, Yongxing Du, Xueping Zhao, Chengfeng Wang
Summary: PDAC is a solid malignant tumor with a low operative rate and poor prognosis, with gemcitabine chemotherapy being one of the main treatment options. However, the efficacy of gemcitabine therapy is limited due to gemcitabine resistance, which may be influenced by the fibrotic tumor microenvironment and metabolic remodeling in PDAC. Targeting the tumor microenvironment may be a key strategy to overcome gemcitabine resistance and improve patient outcomes.
Article
Oncology
Sangeetha Shyam, Darren Greenwood, Chun-Wai Mai, Seok Shin Tan, Barakatun Nisak Mohd Yusof, Foong Ming Moy, Janet Cade
Summary: This study investigated the association between hip circumference, skirt size, and pancreatic cancer risk among women, finding that these adiposity indicators were significant predictors of pancreatic cancer in the UK women's cohort study. Hip circumference and skirt size were identified as useful markers for assessing pancreatic cancer risk in women.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lesley Jia Wei Pua, Chun-Wai Mai, Felicia Fei-Lei Chung, Alan Soo-Beng Khoo, Chee-Onn Leong, Wei-Meng Lim, Ling-Wei Hii
Summary: JNK and p38 MAPK signaling pathways play important roles in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), promoting tumor processes such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation, metastasis, and angiogenesis. Although the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood, further research on JNK and p38 MAPK could provide important insights for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment decision-making in NPC patients.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eun-Seon Cho, Premanand Krishnan, Hwei-San Loh, Janet M. Daly, Chee-Onn Leong, Chun-Wai Mai, Yun-Yee Low, Kien-Thai Yong, Kuan-Hon Lim
Summary: Four new cucurbitacins, petiolaticins A-D, were isolated from the bark and leaves of Elaeocarpus petiolatus. Petiolaticin A exhibited potent cytotoxicity against various cancer cell lines, while petiolaticin D showed significant antiviral properties against a pseudotyped virus. These findings indicate the potential of petiolaticins A and D as anticancer and antiviral agents, respectively, warranting further investigation.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Geetha Maniam, Nur Ain Zakaria, Choe Peng Leo, Vasilena Vassilev, Karen Banahene Blay, Kourosh Behzadian, Phaik Eong Poh
Summary: This article reviews various products for rainwater harvesting and greywater treatment and reuse on laboratory, pre-commercialization scale, and commercialized products. A conceptual framework is proposed to facilitate decision making for suitable decentralized water reclamation solutions. Decentralized systems are crucial in reducing dependence on centralized water supply.
WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-WATER
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Chin-King Looi, Li-Lian Gan, Wynne Sim, Ling-Wei Hii, Felicia Fei-Lei Chung, Chee-Onn Leong, Wei-Meng Lim, Chun-Wai Mai
Summary: In this study, the researchers analyzed genomic profiling of PDAC patients and found that high cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) killing activity was correlated with better clinical outcomes. They identified potential small molecules that could restore CTL activity and demonstrated the effectiveness of histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) in reversing CTL resistance in PDAC cells. This research provides insights into new therapeutic strategies for PDAC.
Article
Urology & Nephrology
Yong Zhang, Xian-Li Song, Bin Yu, Lian-Chee Foong, Yu Shu, Chun-Wai Mai, Jing Hu, Baijun Dong, Wei Xue, Chee Wai Chua
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between TP53 mutation status and autophagy in prostate cancer and assessed the efficacy of autophagy inhibitors on TP53-deficient tumors. The results showed that TP53 loss-of-function was associated with increased levels of autophagy-related proteins in prostate cancers and genetically-engineered mouse-derived tumors. Moreover, TP53 re-expression led to resistance and growth advantage in response to autophagy inhibition. Additionally, the upregulation of PEX14 suggested its importance in TP53-deficient tumor maintenance.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Xun Hui Wu, Yun Khoon Liew, Wei Meng Lim, Chun-Wai Mai, Yoon Yee Then
Summary: Superhydrophobic surfaces have gained attention in medical settings due to their self-cleaning effect, minimized cell-to-surface interaction, and anti-biofouling effect. This study demonstrated that a superhydrophobic graphene/titanium dioxide-coated PLA film enhanced biocompatibility and showed significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Additionally, it had a low hemolysis rate and did not significantly affect the viability of human heart and kidney cells.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Himshikha Sharma, Shweta Chaudhary, Sonam Nirwan, Rita Kakkar, HuiShan Liew, May-Lee Low, Chun-Wai Mai, Ling-Wei Hii, Chee-Onn Leong, Marilyn Daisy Milton
Summary: A series of dicationic N, N'-disubstituted benzimidazolium salts with Br- and PF6- as the counter anions were synthesized, showing selective turn-off fluorescence response toward Fe3+ ions in aqueous solution and synergism with doxorubicin in combinatorial treatment of breast cancer cells. Molecular docking studies revealed the binding affinity of one of the salts with checkpoint kinase 2 protein.
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Kok-Lun Pang, Chun-Wai Mai, Kok-Yong Chin
Summary: This systematic review summarizes the anticancer properties of tocotrienol, a subcomponent of vitamin E, and explores the involvement of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and unfolded protein response (UPR) as the underlying molecular mechanisms. The results show that tocotrienol inhibits cancer cell growth by inducing ERS and UPR, leading to apoptosis and paraptosis-like cell death.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Dora Lawrencia, Geetha Maniam, Lay Hong Chuah, Phaik Eong Poh
Summary: Globally, there is a 32% disparity in access to safe drinking water between urban and rural populations. In Southeast Asia, where 50% of the population resides in rural areas, the lack of access to safe drinking water poses a significant threat. Due to the challenges and high costs of implementing centralized water treatment systems in rural areas, household water treatment (HWT) systems are considered a more suitable solution. However, there is a lack of data on the sustainability of HWT in Southeast Asia.
WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-WATER
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kit-Kay Mak, Zhang Shiming, Raghavendra Sakirolla, Madhu Katyayani Balijepalli, Albena T. Dinkova-Kostova, Ola Epemolu, Zulkefeli Mohd, Mallikarjuna Rao Pichika
Summary: This article describes the synthesis of new shogaol thiophene compounds (STCs) to enhance their stability, and demonstrates that these compounds are more effective in activating nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and reducing inflammation compared to 6-shogaol.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kit-Kay Mak, Shiming Zhang, Jestin Chellian, Zulkefeli Mohd, Ola Epemolu, Albena T. Dinkova-Kostova, Madhu Katyayani Balijepalli, Mallikarjuna Rao Pichika
Summary: The study evaluated the effect of swietenine in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in diabetic mice. Swietenine was found to reverse hepatic lipid accumulation and activate the Nrf2 antioxidant defense pathway, inhibiting lipogenesis. These findings suggest that swietenine has beneficial effects in diabetes-induced NAFLD.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Puvaneswari Meganathan, Chun-Wai Mai, Kanga Rani Selvaduray, Zaida Zainal, Ju-Yen Fu
Summary: This study demonstrates the protective effect of carotenes in managing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.
ACS FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
