Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Raquel de Castro, Gurshagan Kandhola, Jin-Woo Kim, Quincy C. Moore, Audie K. Thompson
Summary: Drug delivery systems (DDS) face challenges such as high systemic uptake and low bioavailability. This study developed a new DDS using chitosan (Cs) particles and composite films to encapsulate gentamicin (GtS). Lysozyme can degrade chitosan to release GtS, and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) can increase drug encapsulation efficiency. Cross-linking can prevent premature drug release.
MOLECULAR PHARMACEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Hwa-Young Lee, Geum-Hwa Lee, Hwa-Jin Kim, Young Jae Lim, Bo Mi Ko, Do-Sung Kim, Tae Won Kim, Hye Kyung Kim, Tae Young Kim, Dae Il Hwang, Ha Kyoung Choi, Seon Min Ju, Kyung Hyun Min, Han-Jung Chae
Summary: Activating brown adipose tissue and stimulating white adipose tissue browning is a potential method for obesity treatment. Plant-derived dietary components are the most effective approach to achieve this in rodents. This study found that a combination of Panax ginseng and Diospyros kaki leaf extract can inhibit adipogenesis and induce browning in adipocytes through the AMPK/SIRT1 axis. These findings suggest that the use of Panax ginseng and Diospyros kaki leaf extract may be an important strategy for obesity management.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Luis Felipe Galvao Valdivia, Erique Castro, Rosangela Aparecida dos Santos Eichler, Mayara Franzoi Moreno, Erica de Sousa, Giovanna Freitas Rodrigues Jardim, Albert Souza Peixoto, Maria Nathalia Moraes, Ana Maria de Lauro Castrucci, Jan Nedergaard, Natasa Petrovic, William T. Festuccia, Patricia Reckziegel
Summary: This study found that cold acclimation and PPARγ agonism combined have additive effects in increasing UCP1 content and thermogenic capacity in brown and beige adipocytes, but do not increase basal energy expenditure.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-ENDOCRINOLOGY AND METABOLISM
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Chien-Hsieh Chiang, Ching-Yuan Cheng, Yi-Ting Lien, Kuo-Chin Huang, Wan-Wan Lin
Summary: This study demonstrates that P2X7 enhances lipid accumulation during adipogenesis by suppressing the expression of sirtuin-3/5 and the browning genes.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
D. Halbgebauer, J. Roos, J. B. Funcke, H. Neubauer, B. S. Hamilton, E. Simon, E. Z. Amri, K. M. Debatin, M. Wabitsch, P. Fischer-Posovszky, D. Tews
Summary: This study provides evidence that LTBP3, through TGFI32, plays an important role in promoting brown adipogenesis by modulating UCP1 expression and mitochondrial oxygen consumption. Furthermore, the LTBP3-TGFI32 axis is also implicated in regulating the browning of white adipose tissue.
MOLECULAR METABOLISM
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Qian Zhang, Chang He, Jing Sun, Zixin Deng, Yi Yu
Summary: This study investigates the role of the N-7' methyl group in apramycin and reveals its impact on the antibiotic's antibacterial activity. The results suggest that the methyl group improves the bioactivity of apramycin, and that apramycin may have alternative target sites beyond the recognized 16S rRNA A-site.
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY FRONTIERS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Jotiram N. Malegaonkar, Mohammad Al Kobaisi, Kerba S. More, Sidhanath V. Bhosale, Sheshanath V. Bhosale
Summary: This study demonstrated the highly selective and sensitive detection of aminoglycoside antibiotic neomycin using tetraphenylethene-tetraphosphonic acids for the first time. The detection mechanism relies on electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions, with a detection limit of 2.088 x 10-10 M. The TPPE-based sensor system can be used for visual detection of neomycin as thin layer chromatography (TLC) sensor for real world applications.
Article
Cell Biology
Girolamo Di Maio, Nicola Alessio, Ibrahim Halil Demirsoy, Gianfranco Peluso, Silverio Perrotta, Marcellino Monda, Giovanni Di Bernardo
Summary: The study identified rosiglitazone and sildenafil as potentially effective drugs for browning treatment in white adipocyte differentiation, but their use may lead to severe side effects.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Hye-Young Joung, Jung-Mi Oh, Min-Suk Song, Young-Bae Kwon, Sungkun Chun
Summary: Obesity is a serious health problem associated with various chronic diseases. Increased MAO activity has been found in the adipose tissue of obese individuals. In this study, the anti-obesity effect of selegiline, a selective MAO-B inhibitor, was investigated using animal models. The results showed that selegiline reduced body weight and fat accumulation, improved glucose metabolism, and increased energy expenditure by promoting browning of white adipose tissue. These findings suggest that selegiline has the potential to be an anti-obesity treatment by inhibiting MAO-B activity.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Girolamo Di Maio, Nicola Alessio, Gianfranco Peluso, Silverio Perrotta, Marcellino Monda, Giovanni Di Bernardo
Summary: There are two types of fat tissues in mammals: white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT). WAT stores excess energy, while BAT uses energy and glucose consumption to maintain body temperature. Under specific stimuli, white adipocytes can transdifferentiate into brown-like cells, called beige adipocytes, through a process known as "browning". Drugs and a muscle protein called IRISIN can induce the browning of white adipocytes. These browning agents have potential therapeutic implications for metabolic diseases and obesity.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Dmitrijs Lubriks, Klara Haldimann, Sven N. Hobbie, Andrea Vasella, Edgars Suna, David Crich
Summary: The synthesis, antiribosomal, and antibacterial activity of two anomers of a novel apralog, 5-O-(5-amino-3-C-dimethylaminopropyl-D-ribofuranosyl)apramycin, were studied. Both anomers showed strong activity against bacterial ribosomes, MRSA, and various wild-type Gram-negative pathogens. These compounds were also found to be effective against aminoglycoside modifying enzymes, enabling them to retain their activity in the presence of these enzymes. Surprisingly, the two anomers exhibited comparable activity against bacterial ribosomes and the tested bacterial strains.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Yanli Miao, Haojie Qin, Yi Zhong, Kai Huang, Caijun Rao
Summary: This study revealed that the novel adipokine asprosin negatively regulates browning and promotes lipid deposition in adipose tissue through a Nrf2-mediated mechanism. These findings suggest that asprosin may be a promising target for the prevention and treatment of obesity and other metabolic diseases.
JOURNAL OF ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Danielle L. Avila, Nubia A. M. Nunes, Paulo H. R. F. Almeida, Juliana A. S. Gomes, Carla O. B. Rosa, Jacqueline Alvarez-Leite
Summary: Capsaicin shows promise as an anti-obesity agent, potentially acting through TRPV1 activation and involvement of PPAR pathways. Studies have demonstrated various beneficial effects in obesity models, but further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms of action.
ADVANCES IN NUTRITION
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Francesca Pacifici, Gina Malatesta, Caterina Mammi, Donatella Pastore, Vincenzo Marzolla, Camillo Ricordi, Francesca Chiereghin, Marco Infante, Giulia Donadel, Francesco Curcio, Annalisa Noce, Valentina Rovella, Davide Lauro, Manfredi Tesauro, Nicola Di Daniele, Enrico Garaci, Massimiliano Caprio, David Della-Morte
Summary: This study investigated the effects of a natural mixture of polyphenols and micronutrients (A5(+)) on counteracting white adipogenesis and promoting fat browning. The results showed that A5(+) significantly reduced lipids accumulation, inhibited cellular proliferation, and decreased the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, A5(+) promoted fat browning and fatty acid oxidation by increasing the expression of genes related to brown adipose tissue.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Jiyoung Bae, Yang Yang, Xinyun Xu, Jamie Flaherty, Haley Overby, Kelsey Hildreth, Jiangang Chen, Shu Wang, Ling Zhao
Summary: Identifying functional brown adipose tissue (BAT) has provided new hope for obesity treatment and prevention. The study found that naringenin (NAR) can promote adipocyte browning and thermogenesis through the activation of PPARγ.
FRONTIERS IN NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Cenk Celik, Alfredo Franco-Obregon, Eng Hin Lee, James H. P. Hui, Zheng Yang
Summary: The chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs is significantly influenced by the directionality of PEMF exposure, especially on random scaffolds. Results correlating with pFAK activation and YAP localization indicate different cellular responses of MSCs exposed to PEMF in different directions.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Yee Kit Tai, Karen Ka Wing Chan, Charlene Hui Hua Fong, Sharanya Ramanan, Jasmine Lye Yee Yap, Jocelyn Naixin Yin, Yun Sheng Yip, Wei Ren Tan, Angele Pei Fern Koh, Nguan Soon Tan, Ching Wan Chan, Ruby Yun Ju Huang, Jing Ze Li, Juerg Frohlich, Alfredo Franco-Obregon
Summary: Chemotherapy is the main treatment for invasive breast cancer, but it can cause adverse effects and drug resistance. This study investigated the potential synergistic effects of doxorubicin and pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy in breast cancer. The results showed that PEMF and doxorubicin individually reduced tumor size and increased apoptosis, and the combination of both treatments enhanced these effects. The study also found that breast cancer cells were more vulnerable to PEMF exposure due to the overexpression of TRPC1 channel. The expression levels of TRPC1 consistently predicted breast cancer sensitivity to treatments.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Andrea Rampin, Ioannis Skoufos, Michael Raghunath, Athina Tzora, Nikolaos Diakakis, Nikitas Prassinos, Dimitrios I. Zeugolis
Summary: The use of xenogeneic sera in in vitro culture can lead to rapid loss of tenocyte function. Our study demonstrates that using allogeneic sera and tissue-specific extracellular matrix can effectively expand equine tenocytes.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Craig Jun Kit Wong, Yee Kit Tai, Jasmine Lye Yee Yap, Charlene Hui Hua Fong, Larry Sai Weng Loo, Marek Kukumberg, Jurg Frohlich, Sitong Zhang, Jing Ze Li, Jiong-Wei Wang, Abdul Jalil Rufaihah, Alfredo Franco-Obregon
Summary: Pulsing electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) have been shown to promote myogenesis both in vitro and in vivo, with secretome activation playing a key role. Downwardly-directed magnetic fields elicit stronger secretome responses, particularly in extracellular vesicle secretion. Conditioned media from magnetically-stimulated myoblasts provide a survival advantage over fetal bovine serum.
Article
Cell Biology
Andy N. Vo, Srikanya Kundu, Caroline Strong, Olive Jung, Emily Lee, Min Jae Song, Molly E. Boutin, Michael Raghunath, Marc Ferrer
Summary: The neuroglial extracellular matrix (ECM) provides crucial physiological cues for neuronal cells in the brain. However, most in vitro studies lack these cues as cells are grown on stiff surfaces. Macromolecular crowding (MMC) can induce the deposition of native ECM by cells in culture. Using MMC, it was found that human astrocytes cultured with Ficoll and vitamin C showed enhanced deposition of brain ECM. Neural cultures grown on this astrocyte-ECM bed exhibited improved growth and functionality.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Filippo Pinelli, Fabio Pizzetti, Valeria Veneruso, Emilia Petillo, Michael Raghunath, Giuseppe Perale, Pietro Veglianese, Filippo Rossi
Summary: Spinal cord injury is a damaging process that occurs during an acute traumatic event, and requires a multi-target approach for treatment. Recent advances in biomaterials and drug/biomolecule combinations have shown promise in the treatment of spinal cord injuries.
Article
Orthopedics
Michael Tim-Yun Ong, Sai-Chuen Fu, Sze-Wing Mok, Alfredo Franco-Obregon, Stacy Lok-Sze Yam, Patrick Shu-Hang Yung
Summary: The study aimed to investigate the effect of resistance exercise on myokine levels and muscle atrophy status in ACLR patients with persistent quadriceps muscle atrophy. The results showed that quadriceps muscle atrophy was correlated with muscle weakness and quadriceps strength deficits. Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was up-regulated in response to resistance exercise in the non-atrophy group, but a negative fold change was detected in the atrophy group.
ASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF SPORT MEDICINE ARTHROSCOPY REHABILITATION AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Alfredo Franco-Obregon, Yee Kit Tai, Kwan Yu Wu, Jan Nikolas Iversen, Craig Jun Kit Wong
Summary: Muscle function is influenced by muscular mitochondrial status, which is a response to physical activity and improves energy production. Different muscle performance is due to variation in contractile-protein isoforms and mitochondrial-energy substrate utilization. Glycolytic muscles generate immediate energy from carbohydrates outside the mitochondria, while oxidative muscles produce energy aerobically from fatty acids. The oxidative muscle phenotype is correlated with metabolic balance and longevity. The activation of the muscle mitochondrial pool through magnetic fields can mimic the oxidative muscle phenotype. Further research on the physiological consequences of magnetic-field therapy is necessary.
BIOENGINEERING-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jurg Traber, Thomas Wild, Joerg Marotz, Martin C. Berli, Alfredo Franco-Obregon
Summary: This study analyzed the effects of concurrent optical and magnetic stimulation (COMS) therapy on wound healing-related parameters using hyperspectral imaging. The results showed that COMS therapy can improve edema and perfusion, increase tissue oxygenation, and decrease water content, thus providing a positive short-term effect on chronic wounds.
BIOENGINEERING-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Sharanya Venugobal, Yee Kit Tai, Jorming Goh, Sean Teh, Craig Wong, Ivan Goh, Andrea B. Maier, Brian K. Kennedy, Alfredo Franco-Obregon
Summary: Brief weekly exposure to low energy pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) has been shown to improve human muscle mitochondrial bioenergetics and attenuate systemic lipotoxicity following anterior cruciate ligament surgical reconstruction. In a study of 101 participants, significant improvements in mobility and body composition were observed after 12 weeks of PEMF intervention, particularly in older participants. Perception of pain was also significantly reduced. These findings suggest that PEMF therapy may have potential clinical benefits for age-associated mobility and metabolic disruptions.
Meeting Abstract
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Zheng Yang, Doreen Goh, Dinah Kadir, Alfredo Franco-Obregon, James Hui, Eng Hin Lee
TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A
(2022)
Article
Biology
Alfredo Franco-Obreg
Summary: Mitochondria play a crucial role in the adaptation of organisms to stress by producing energy and reacting to reactive oxygen species (ROS). Recent studies have shown that low-energy and frequency pulsing electromagnetic fields can stimulate mitochondrial adaptability, offering potential for improving human health.
Meeting Abstract
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Zheng Yang, Cenk Celik, Dinesh Parate, Alfredo Franco-Obregon, Eng Hin Lee
TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A
(2022)
Article
Orthopedics
Mary C. Stephenson, Lingaraj Krishna, Rina Malathi Pannir Selvan, Yee Kit Tai, Craig Jun Kit Wong, Jocelyn Naixin Yin, Shi-Jie Toh, Federico Torta, Alexander Triebl, Jurg Frohlich, Christian Beyer, Jing Ze Li, Sara S. Tan, Chun-Kit Wong, Duraimurugan Chinnasamy, Leroy Sivappiragasam Pakkiri, Chester Lee Drum, Markus R. Wenk, John J. Totman, Alfredo Franco-Obregon
Summary: This study aimed to compare the muscle structure and metabolic changes in patients undergoing ACL reconstruction surgery with or without PEMF therapy, and the results showed improvements in high-energy phosphate metabolism and membrane kinetics in the PEMF-treated group.
JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC TRANSLATION
(2022)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
T. T. Madanagopal, Y. K. Tai, S. H. Lim, C. H. H. Fong, T. Cao, V. Rosa, A. Franco-Obregon
Summary: The study found that graphene promoted the neurogenic induction of human dental pulp stem cells by upregulating mature neuronal markers. Additionally, pulsed electromagnetic field exposure was able to enhance neurogenesis, especially when used in combination with graphene.
EUROPEAN CELLS & MATERIALS
(2021)