Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
N. N. Parayath, S. Hao, S. B. Stephan, A. L. Koehne, C. E. Watson, M. T. Stephan
Summary: Study shows that targeted nanocarrier delivery of mRNA can directly program MRCs in vivo to effectively control autoimmune diseases. This new therapy could offer a novel treatment option for patients while avoiding systemic treatments that disrupt immune homeostasis.
JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Simona Ronchetti, Emira Ayroldi, Erika Ricci, Marco Gentili, Graziella Migliorati, Carlo Riccardi
Summary: Glucocorticoids have been commonly used in treating autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases, but their long-term use can result in adverse effects. Efforts have been focused on finding alternative drugs with similar efficacy but fewer side effects.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Donato Cappetta, Oxana Bereshchenko, Eleonora Cianflone, Francesco Rossi, Carlo Riccardi, Daniele Torella, Liberato Berrino, Konrad Urbanek, Antonella De Angelis, Stefano Bruscoli
Summary: Glucocorticoids play a crucial role in regulating immune and inflammatory processes, but their long-term usage is limited by severe adverse effects. Research on GC-induced leucine zipper (GILZ) has shown its potential in modulating various biological processes, particularly in the cardiovascular system. Further studies are needed to fully understand the role of GILZ in cardiovascular homeostasis and dysfunction.
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Alice G. Vassiliou, Nikolaos Athanasiou, Chrysi Keskinidou, Edison Jahaj, Stamatios Tsipilis, Alexandros Zacharis, Efthimia Botoula, Aristidis Diamantopoulos, Ioannis Ilias, Dimitra A. Vassiliadi, Stylianos Tsagarakis, Anastasia Kotanidou, Ioanna Dimopoulou
Summary: This study investigated the difference in glucocorticoid receptor alpha expression and cortisol levels between 2019 coronavirus disease patients and non-patients, revealing that coronavirus patients admitted to the ICU exhibited upregulated glucocorticoid receptor alpha and induced leucine zipper expression, along with higher cortisol levels.
CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Giuseppe Leoncini, Marco Gentili, Eleonora Lusenti, Laura Caruso, Cristina Calafa, Graziella Migliorati, Carlo Riccardi, Vincenzo Villanacci, Simona Ronchetti
Summary: GILZ protein is strongly expressed in secretory cells in healthy mucosa. Its expression is reduced in goblet cells in active disease but restored in quiescent diseases. The expression of GILZ in entero-endocrine cells is not affected by inflammation. Furthermore, GILZ is expressed in intestinal metaplasia but limited to chronic atrophic gastritis and not detected in Barrett's esophagus.
PHARMACOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Z. Tu, L. Yu, S. Wen, X. Zhai, W. Li, H. Li
Summary: This study identified 36 LcHD-Zip genes in Liriodendron chinense and found that they play key roles in leaf development. These genes exhibit different expression patterns and are involved in leaf initiation, polarity establishment, shape development, phytohormone-mediated growth, and epidermal structure formation.
Article
Cell Biology
Donato Cappetta, Antonella De Angelis, Sara Flamini, Anna Cozzolino, Oxana Bereshchenko, Simona Ronchetti, Eleonora Cianflone, Andrea Gagliardi, Erika Ricci, Concetta Rafaniello, Francesco Rossi, Carlo Riccardi, Liberato Berrino, Stefano Bruscoli, Konrad Urbanek
Summary: The lack of effective strategies to counteract hypertrophy, an independent predictor of heart failure progression and death, highlights the importance of targeting myocardial remodelling and intracellular signalling in heart failure. The role of glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ) in cardiac biology remains unknown, but studies show it may play a significant role in adverse myocardial remodelling. Findings from experiments with GILZ knockout mice suggest that this protein could be a new element mechanistically involved in cardiovascular pathology.
JOURNAL OF CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Medical Laboratory Technology
Shuangshuang Shu, Han Liu, Jianzhang Yang, Haie Tang, Hao Li, Zhuoliang Liu, Miaomiao Zhou, Fengxin Zhu, Zheng Hu, Ke Ding, Xiaoyun Lu, Jing Nie
Summary: This study systematically investigated the expression and function of ZAK in tubulointerstitial fibrosis (TIF), and found that ZAK was induced in fibrotic kidneys and correlated with the extent of renal fibrosis and decline of kidney function in CKD patients. Depleting ZAK attenuated TIF and inflammation by inhibiting related signaling pathways. Additionally, a novel ZAK inhibitor named 6p was discovered and shown to effectively inhibit TIF in vitro and in vivo.
TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Aqeel Ahmad, Kirsi Rilla, Jing Zou, Weikai Zhang, Ilmari Pyykko, Paavo Kinnunen, Sanjeev Ranjan
Summary: The study demonstrates the design and characterization of an endosomolytic peptide LZEP based on the leucine zipper sequence. LZEP showed potential for membrane disruption and improved gene delivery in mammalian cells, providing a novel approach for gene therapy.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS
(2021)
Article
Horticulture
Hui Huang, Hui Wang, Yan Tong, Yu-Hua Wang
Summary: The HD-Zip gene family in Dendrobium catenatum plays crucial roles in adaptation to environmental stresses and responses, with some genes being significantly induced under high light, low light, salt, and heat stresses. Additionally, plant hormone biosynthesis and signal transduction, especially ABA, are important for facultative CAM in D. catenatum under drought conditions. Overall, this systematic analysis provides a foundation for further functional characterization of HD-Zip genes and reveals an important regulation mechanism for facultative CAM in D. catenatum.
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Mengyang Wu, Jinsong Chen, Weilin Tang, Yijie Jiang, Zhaoyong Hu, Dongbei Xu, Kai Hou, Yinyin Chen, Wei Wu
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive genome-wide report on the SrbZIP gene family in Stevia rebaudiana, laying a foundation for further research on the evolution, function, and regulatory role of the bZIP gene family in terpenoid synthesis.
Article
Cell Biology
Angela Zhang, Alicja Piechocka-Trocha, Xiaolong Li, Bruce D. Walker
Summary: T cell-mediated adaptive immunity is crucial for immunological surveillance and host control of infectious diseases. Understanding TCR recognition of pathogen-derived epitopes or cancer-associated neoantigens is essential for the development of T cell-based vaccines and immunotherapies.
Article
Cell Biology
Tongguan Tian, Xiao Xie, Wanwan Yi, Yuefan Zhou, Yixin Xu, Zhenxiang Wang, Junjing Zhang, Mingen Lin, Ruonan Zhang, Zhongwei Lv, Xinxing Li, Lei Lv, Yanping Xu
Summary: This study reveals the interaction between FBXO38 and FGL1 and its role in regulating FGL1 stability, which has potential implications for enhancing immunotherapy. The high level of FGL1 protein in tumors is associated with tumor progression and immune evasion. The combination of anti-FGL1 and anti-IL-6 may be a promising therapeutic strategy for cancer immunotherapy.
Article
Oncology
Yuting Tang, Qian Xu, Liang Hu, Xiaomei Yan, Xiaomin Feng, Asumi Yokota, Weinan Wang, Di Zhan, Durga Krishnamurthy, David E. Ochayon, Lijun Wen, Li Huo, Huimin Zeng, Yingwan Luo, Mark Wunderlich, Jiwang Zhang, Eric Vivier, Jianfeng Zhou, Stephen N. Waggoner, Gang Huang
Summary: R-spondin 3 expression is associated with favorable prognosis and enhances infiltration and function of NK cells and T cells in tumors, leading to tumor regression, and also increases tumor sensitivity to anti-PD-1 therapy.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Fei Liu, Yayun Qin, Yuwen Huang, Pan Gao, Jingzhen Li, Shanshan Yu, Danna Jia, Xiang Chen, Yuexia Lv, Jiayi Tu, Kui Sun, Yunqiao Han, James Reilly, Xinhua Shu, Qunwei Lu, Zhaohui Tang, Chengqi Xu, Daji Luo, Mugen Liu
Summary: The neural retina leucine zipper (NRL) gene plays a crucial role in the development and maintenance of rod photoreceptors in mammals. This study aimed to determine the role of Nrl in zebrafish and found that the loss of Nrl resulted in a reduced number of rods and over-growth of green cones. The study also identified the mafba gene as a regulator of rod development independent of Nrl. The altered photoreceptor composition and abnormal gene expression in Nrl mutants caused retinal degeneration and subsequent regeneration.