Review
Virology
Mohammad Kazem Vakil, Yaser Mansoori, Ghaidaa Raheem Lateef Al-Awsi, Ali Hosseinipour, Samaneh Ahsant, Sedigheh Ahmadi, Mohammad Ekrahi, Zahra Montaseri, Babak Pezeshki, Poopak Mohaghegh, Mojtaba Sohrabpour, Maryam Bahmanyar, Abdolreza Daraei, Tahereh Dadkhah Jouybari, Alireza Tavassoli, Abdolmajid Ghasemian
Summary: Innate and acquired immunity responses are crucial for eliminating viral infections. However, genetic variations in coding genes may exacerbate inflammation or initiate devastating cytokine storms, leading to severe respiratory conditions in COVID-19. Host genetic variations, particularly those related to immune responses, determine patients' susceptibility and the severity and pathophysiology of COVID-19.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Divanshu Shukla, Ashok Patidar, Uddipan Sarma, Prashant Chauhan, Surya Prakash Pandey, Himanshu Singh Chandel, Neelam Bodhale, Soumya Kanti Ghosh, Carlos Alberto Guzman, Thomas Ebensen, Ricardo Silvestre, Arup Sarkar, Bhaskar Saha, Surajit Bhattacharjee
Summary: TLRs on host cells recognize PAMPs on pathogens and trigger immune responses. Leishmania infection alters TLR interdependency, revealing a unique immune evasive mechanism. Targeting TLR interdependency can induce a host-protective immune response against intracellular pathogens.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Antonios Lazaridis, Eleni Gavriilaki, Stella Douma, Eugenia Gkaliagkousi
Summary: Essential hypertension is a highly heterogeneous disease with a complex etiology, where subclinical inflammation and abnormal activation of TLR signaling play crucial roles in its pathogenesis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Virology
Shaghayegh Khanmohammadi, Nima Rezaei
Summary: COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 has led to a pandemic. TLRs play a crucial role in activating the immune system in response to the virus, and could potentially be a target for controlling the infection. Understanding the mechanisms of TLR in COVID-19 may help in developing vaccines and treatments.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY
(2021)
Review
Rheumatology
Steven O'Reilly
Summary: SSc is an autoimmune disease characterized by vascular abnormalities, inflammation, and fibrosis of the skin and lungs. Inflammation and fibrosis are closely connected in this disease, and Toll-like receptors play a significant role in its pathogenesis and may be a potential target for therapeutic intervention.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
C. Fernandez-Lainez, R. Akkerman, M. M. P. Oerlemans, M. J. Logtenberg, H. A. Schols, L. A. Silva-Lagos, G. Lopez-Velazquez, P. de Vos
Summary: The study reveals that GTFs have immunomodulatory effects through their interaction with Toll-like receptors (TLRs), and can attenuate the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in dendritic cells (DCs).
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yu Jin Jang, Mijeong Kim, Bum-Kyu Lee, Jonghwan Kim
Summary: The authors developed a simple procedure to convert human primed pluripotent stem cells into trophoblast stem-like cells using bone morphogenetic protein 4, providing an important opportunity to study human placenta development and pathology.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Karsten Grote, Marina Nicolai, Uwe Schubert, Bernhard Schieffer, Christian Troidl, Klaus T. Preissner, Stefan Bauer, Silvia Fischer
Summary: The study demonstrated that self-extracellular RNA can interact with TLR2 ligands and enhance innate immune responses under pathological conditions, suggesting it as a new target for the treatment of bacterial and viral infections.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Talita Guerreiro Rodrigues Hungaro, Marcos F. Gregnani, Thais Alves-Silva, Florian Herse, Natalia Alenina, Michael Bader, Ronaldo C. Araujo
Summary: During pregnancy, changes in cortisol levels can have significant effects on trophoblastic cells and the development of the embryo. Continuous and intermittent exposure to cortisol both repressed the expression of inflammatory genes, but only continuous exposure repressed the expression of angiogenic genes, indicating that sustained increase in cortisol levels may be more harmful than short-term increases.
Article
Neurosciences
Alireza Soltani Khaboushan, Niloufar Yazdanpanah, Nima Rezaei
Summary: Neuroinflammation plays a fundamental role in the development of epilepsy, and proinflammatory cytokines (PICs) are crucial contributors. Understanding the role of PICs in epilepsy could provide promising targets for treatment.
MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Mohamed Mekhemar, Johannes Toelle, Yasmine Hassan, Christof Doerfer, Karim Fawzy El-Sayed
Summary: Thymoquinone (TQ) from Nigella sativa shows promising biomedical properties, with this study revealing that TQ can maintain the pluripotency of gingival mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (G-MSCs) and promote cellular differentiation towards an immunocompetent phenotype through increased TLR3 expression.
Article
Immunology
Ana Pamela Gomez-Garcia, Yolanda Lopez-Vidal, Sandra Pinto-Cardoso, Maria Magdalena Aguirre-Garcia
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between innate immune response and oral microbiota. The findings suggest that the expression of Toll-like receptors and proinflammatory markers in dental pulp tissue is associated with exposure to carious dentin. Additionally, the oral microbiome in carious teeth showed significant differences compared to non-carious teeth.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lei Zhang, Guangshuai Liu, Tian Xia, Xiufeng Yang, Guolei Sun, Chao Zhao, Chunzhu Xu, Honghai Zhang
Summary: The study analyzed TLR genes from the genomes and transcriptomes of 102 amphibian species to understand their evolutionary patterns. Results showed that TLR genes can be divided into seven subfamilies, with TLR4 subfamily found only in Anura. Purification selection played a leading role in amphibian TLR evolution, and different domains had different evolution rates. Positive selection patterns and single-nucleotide polymorphisms were observed in TLR genes.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Ashley Wagner, Marcus Pehar, Zhimin Yan, Marianna Kulka
Summary: Recent interest in mushrooms and their components as potential therapies for mental health has led to the need for a better understanding of their effects on the brain's cellular microenvironment. This study investigated the effects of Amanita muscaria extract on human microglial cell line expression and inflammatory responses. The extract was found to upregulate the expression of certain surface receptors and alter the production of inflammatory cytokines.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Virology
Caroline Fernandes-Santos, Elzinandes Leal de Azeredo
Summary: Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease caused by the dengue virus, with a wide range of clinical manifestations. In the innate antiviral response, Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a critical role in pathogen recognition and the production of inflammatory cytokines and interferons essential for preventing viral replication.
Letter
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Alexandra M. Amen, Alexandra M. Amen, Kerrie W. Barry, John M. Boyle, Cara E. Brook, Seunga Choo, L. T. Cornmesser, David J. Dilworth, Jennifer A. Doudna, Alexander J. Ehrenberg, Indro Fedrigo, Skyler E. Friedline, Thomas G. W. Graham, Ralph Green, Jennifer R. Hamilton, Ariana Hirsh, Megan L. Hochstrasser, Dirk Hockemeyer, Netravathi Krishnappa, Azra Lari, Hanqin Li, Enrique Lin-Shiao, Tianlin Lu, Elijah F. Lyons, Kevin G. Mark, Lisa Argento Martell, A. Raquel O. Martins, Shana L. McDevitt, Patrick S. Mitchell, Erica A. Moehle, Christine Naca, Divya Nandakumar, Elizabeth O'Brien, Derek J. Pappas, Kathleen Pestal, Diana L. Quach, Benjamin E. Rubin, Rohan Sachdeva, Elizabeth C. Stahl, Abdullah Muhammad Syed, I-Li Tan, Amy L. Tollner, Connor A. Tsuchida, C. Kimberly Tsui, Timothy K. Turkalo, Fyodor D. Urnov, M. Bryan Warf, Oscar N. Whitney, Lea B. Witkowsky
NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2020)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Francesca Soncin, Mana M. Parast
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2020)
Review
Developmental Biology
Mariko Horii, Ojeni Touma, Tony Bui, Mana M. Parast
Editorial Material
Genetics & Heredity
Jennifer Hamilton
Article
Pediatrics
Katie M. Strobel, Tahmineh Romero, Katelin Kramer, Erika Fernandez, Catherine Rottkamp, Cherry Uy, Roberta Keller, Laurel Moyer, Francis Poulain, Jae H. Kim, Daniel A. DeUgarte, Kara L. Calkins
Summary: The study found that growth failure, particularly linear growth failure, is common in hospitalized infants with gastroschisis. These findings highlight the importance of improving nutritional management in these infants.
JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS
(2021)
Article
Acoustics
Kathy Zhang-Rutledge, Kelsey Pinson, Mishella Perez, Rebecca R. Adami, Dora Melber, Marni Jacobs, Mana Parast, Leah Lamale-Smith, Sarah Averbach, Michael Hahn, Dolores Pretorius, Jerasimos Ballas
Summary: This study introduces a novel sonographic marker, the FundAl Retroflexion (FAR) angle, which can be used in the first trimester to differentiate between Cesarean scar pregnancies (CSP) and normal pregnancies. Larger CSP cases tend to have larger FAR angles, with a cutoff value of 40 degrees being the most distinguishable. Further studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of using the FAR angle in early diagnosis of CSP.
JOURNAL OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jennifer R. Hamilton, Elizabeth C. Stahl, Connor A. Tsuchida, Enrique Lin-Shiao, C. Kimberly Tsui, Kathleen Pestal, Holly K. Gildea, Lea B. Witkowsky, Erica A. Moehle, Shana L. McDevitt, Matthew McElroy, Amanda Keller, Iman Sylvain, Ariana Hirsh, Alison Ciling, Alexander J. Ehrenberg, Bradley R. Ringeisen, Garth Huberty, Fyodor D. Urnov, Petros Giannikopoulos, Jennifer A. Doudna
Summary: This study developed a robotic nucleic acid extraction method for high-throughput detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in saliva samples. The research identified rare positive specimens containing SARS-CoV-2 RNA during a time of low infection prevalence when testing supervised self-collected saliva samples.
Article
Cell Biology
Robert Morey, Omar Farah, Sampada Kallol, Daniela F. Requena, Morgan Meads, Matteo Moretto-Zita, Francesca Soncin, Louise C. Laurent, Mana M. Parast
Summary: During pregnancy, the EVT invades and remodels maternal blood vessels to ensure blood supply to the placenta, exhibiting polyploidy and senescence in early gestation. Comprehensive profiling of genomic organization and transcriptome shows that both first trimester and term EVT undergo senescence, are primarily tetraploid, and lack high rates of copy number variations. Genes and pathways related to senescence and polyploidy are important for normal EVT differentiation and maturation, with a key role identified for the unfolded protein response.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Developmental Biology
Ana E. Rodriguez-Soto, Donna Pham, Tracy Tran, Morgan Meads, Valentina Stanley, Dora Melber, Leah Lamale-Smith, Kathy Zhang-Rutledge, Rebecca Rakow-Penner, Laith Alshawabkeh, Mana M. Parast, Francisco Contijoch
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Tao Bai, Chian-Yu Peng, Ivy Aneas, Noboru Sakabe, Daniela F. Requena, Christine Billstrand, Marcelo Nobrega, Carole Ober, Mana Parast, John A. Kessler
Summary: The study demonstrates that villous cytotrophoblasts from term placenta can be reprogrammed into induced trophoblastic stem-like cells, which express TSC markers and have the ability to differentiate into EVT and STB. The transcriptome profile of these iTSC closely resembles that of hTSC isolated from first trimester placentae.
STEM CELL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
George T. Mukosera, Patricia Principe, Eugenia Mata-Greenwood, Taiming Liu, Hobe Schroeder, Mana Parast, Arlin B. Blood
Summary: Placental nitric oxide (NO) and its metabolites are increased in normal pregnancy as well as in pregnancy complications. This study found that NO metabolites are increased in placentas from patients with preeclampsia. The study also discovered the presence of iron nitrosyl complexes (FeNOs) in human, sheep, and rat placentas. These findings suggest the importance of nitrite and FeNOs in placental physiology and pathology.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Francesca Soncin, Robert Morey, Tony Bui, Daniela F. Requena, Virginia Chu Cheung, Sampada Kallol, Ryan Kittle, Madeline G. Jackson, Omar Farah, Jennifer Chousal, Morgan Meads, Donald Pizzo, Mariko Horii, Kathleen M. Fisch, Mana M. Parast
Summary: Functional trophoblast stem cells (TSCs) can be derived from primed human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) through a simple protocol, which can be applied to a widely available set of existing hPSCs, including induced pluripotent stem cells.
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Raymond W. Redline, Drucilla J. Roberts, Mana M. Parast, Linda M. Ernst, Terry K. Morgan, Michael F. Greene, Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman, Judette M. Louis, Emin Maltepe, Karen K. Mestan, Roberto Romero, Joanne Stone
Summary: The importance of a fully functioning placenta for a good pregnancy outcome is unquestioned. Placental pathology has advanced the science and practice of obstetrics and neonatal-perinatal medicine. However, obstacles in incorporating placental findings into clinical studies and practice have existed. Nonetheless, the potential use of placental pathology for phenotypic classification, understanding adverse pregnancy outcomes, and developing treatment and prevention has never been greater. This review reexamines the role of placental pathology, explains current concepts and terminology, emphasizes the usefulness of specific diagnoses, and suggests future improvements.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
R. Michael Roberts, Toshihiko Ezashi, Jasmine Temple, Joseph R. Owen, Francesca Soncin, Mana M. Parast
Summary: The roles of the Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) signaling pathway in early embryonic morphogenesis and development of extraembryonic lineages, including the trophectoderm, have been studied in both mouse and human. This review focuses on the role of BMP4 in trophectoderm development and discusses the potential of using BMP4-based protocols to convert pluripotent stem cells into trophoblast cells for modeling placental development.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Pathology
Mariko Horii, Cuong To, Robert Morey, Marni B. Jacobs, Yingchun Li, Katharine K. Nelson, Morgan Meads, Brent A. Siegel, Donald Pizzo, Rebecca Adami, Kathy Zhang-Rutledge, Leah Lamale-Smith, Louise C. Laurent, Mana M. Parast
Summary: This study classified preeclampsia into multiple subclasses based on integrated analysis of clinical, pathological, immunohistochemical, and transcriptomic profiling of placentas. Maternal vascular malperfusion was associated with severe preterm preeclampsia and small-for-gestational-age neonates. The findings suggest that preeclampsia can be subclassified based on specific cellular and molecular defects within specific histopathologic patterns of placental injury.