Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ricardo Correia, Barbara Fernandes, Rute Castro, Hikaru Nagaoka, Eizo Takashima, Takafumi Tsuboi, Akihisa Fukushima, Nicola K. Viebig, Hilde Depraetere, Paula M. Alves, Antonio Roldao
Summary: This study improved the production of the malaria vaccine candidate PfRipr5 by using insect and human cell hosts as well as process-optimizing strategies. Maximizing protein expression and improving expression vector and culture conditions significantly increased the production yield of PfRipr5.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Beata Flachner, Krisztina Dobi, Anett Benedek, Sandor Cseh, Zsolt Lorincz, Istvan Hajdu
Summary: This paper describes the expression of RI in baculovirus-infected High Five cells and compares the differences between RI expressed in insect cells and commercially available products. The results show that RI expressed in insect cells has higher thermal stability and is endotoxin-free, making it potentially useful for future therapeutics.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Die Hu, Xueman Xie, Tong Zhang, Yue Yu, Zhenhe Xu, Yuanxing Zhang, Qin Liu
Summary: In this study, a novel baculovirus vector called Ac-Delta lef5 was established to prevent the production of baculovirus particles. The Ac-Delta lef5 system successfully expressed a secreted protein, thyroid peroxidase (TPO), and extended the harvest period after infection. Compared to the wild-type baculovirus system, the Ac-Delta lef5 system showed higher efficiency in protein secretion and significantly increased the transcription levels of protein folding-related genes.
JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Marco Silvano, Ricardo Correia, Nikolaus Virgolini, Colin Clarke, Paula M. Alves, Ines A. Isidro, Antonio Roldao
Summary: This study investigates the gene expression patterns associated with high-producer insect cells adapted to neutral pH during the production of influenza HA-VLPs. The results show differential expression of host cell genes and baculovirus genes, with enrichment of pathways related to metabolism and protein folding. These findings contribute to our understanding of the biological mechanisms of insect cells during baculovirus-mediated expression.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Yue Yu, Cancan Yang, Tong Zhang, Zhenhe Xu, Yuanxing Zhang, Qin Liu
Summary: A rapid and simple YBac system for heterologous protein expression was established in this study. The system utilizes an Ac99KO bacmid as a virus vector and co-transfects it with a donor plasmid into Sf9 cells. The YBac system successfully expressed human thyroid peroxidase (hTPO) and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus-like particles (PEDV VLPs), with the entire process shortened to 10 days and easily prepared components in the laboratory, suggesting great potential for heterologous protein production.
BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Alexandre B. Murad, Marcos Q. Sousa, Ricardo Correia, Ines A. Isidro, Manuel J. T. Carrondo, Antonio Roldao
Summary: By analyzing the metabolic features of insect cells producing different hemagglutinin vaccines, this study found that different hemagglutinin strains and vaccine complexity affect production yield. Higher metabolic rates do not necessarily mean higher vaccine expression, and specific metabolites play a crucial role in central carbon metabolism during vaccine expression.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Tessy A. H. Hick, Corinne Geertsema, Maurice G. L. Henquet, Dirk E. Martens, Stefan W. Metz, Gorben P. Pijlman
Summary: This study successfully produced trimeric, glycosylated CHIKV spikes in insect cells, providing a valuable resource for vaccine research.
Review
Biochemical Research Methods
Carissa Grose, Zoe Putman, Dominic Esposito
Summary: Despite the success of generating recombinant proteins in insect cells using the Baculovirus Expression Vector System, challenges still exist, such as cytopathic effects, unpredictable co-infection and co-expression, and baculovirus genome instability. A better understanding of viral gene regulation and different promoter options is needed to advance the platform for expressing a greater variety of proteins and complexes in insect cells.
PROTEIN EXPRESSION AND PURIFICATION
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Renata Gois de Mello, Thaissa Consoni Bernardino, Luis Giovani Oliveira Guardalini, Renato Mancini Astray, Marta Maria Antoniazzi, Simone Goncalves Silva Jared, Eutimio Gustavo Fernandez Nunez, Soraia Attie Calil Jorge
Summary: A method for producing virus-like particles containing the structural proteins of the Zika virus in insect cells was successfully established in this study. The recombinant bacmids containing the gene sequences of Zika virus structural proteins were obtained through transformation and infection assays. The virus-like particles were confirmed to exist and showed potential for the development of a Zika virus vaccine candidate.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Virology
Ayda Khorramnejad, Hugo D. Perdomo, Umberto Palatini, Mariangela Bonizzoni, Laila Gasmi
Summary: Viruses manipulate host cellular machinery by targeting the cytoskeleton, facilitating entry, replication, and spread within insect hosts. While mechanisms are well-documented in certain virus-insect interactions, further research is needed for a comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon in other insect-virus systems.
Article
Immunology
Shudi Zhao, Guanping Chen, Xiangshuo Kong, Nan Chen, Xiaofeng Wu
Summary: Antiviral immunity involves RNA interference (RNAi) pathway, and viruses can evade this defense by encoding viral suppressors of RNAi (VSRs). We found that p35 of BmNPV disrupts siRNA function and prevents their loading into Ago2, enhancing viral replication.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Virology
Jianan Huang, Huanlei Liu, Xiaodong Xu
Summary: The baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) is widely used for producing recombinant proteins. However, there is a risk of homologous recombination between viral genome and functional baculovirus-derived elements associated with foreign genes, which can lead to defective viruses and decreased recombinant protein yields. Shortening the length of homologous fragments and separating them by point mutations can effectively reduce the unfavorable recombination.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Thaissa Consoni Bernardino, Renato Mancini Astray, Carlos Augusto Pereira, Vera Lucia Boldorini, Marta Maria Antoniazzi, Simone Goncalves Silva Jared, Eutimio Gustavo Fernandez Nunez, Soraia Attie Calil Jorge
Summary: Rabies, an ancient zoonotic disease causing over 59,000 deaths annually, has been the focus of research on the rabies lyssavirus and its proteins RVGP and RVM in the production of virus-like particles. Through various experiments and procedures, researchers successfully obtained the VLPs, laying the foundation for further studies on the potential of VLPs as a veterinary rabies vaccine.
MOLECULAR BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Chenjing Ma, Xin Zhang, Xian Li, Weifeng Ding, Ying Feng
Summary: This study evaluated the characteristics of an embryonic cell line from the American cockroach and its potential for recombinant protein expression. The results showed that the RIRI-PA1 cells could be infected by the baculovirus and express recombinant proteins. However, the infection rate and protein yield were lower than that of Sf21 cells.
IN VITRO CELLULAR & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY-ANIMAL
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pushpanjali Soppina, Dipeshwari J. Shewale, Pradeep K. Naik, Virupakshi Soppina
Summary: This study presents a detailed in vitro single-molecule research method using TIRF microscopy to study the motility of kinesin-3 family motors. The results demonstrate that these motors exhibit fast and superprocessive motility characteristics.
JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Alessandra Pistacchio, Fabio Baroni, Irene Cecchini, Roberta Verani, Mariano Stornaiuolo, Angelo Palmese, Carlo Pergola
Summary: During the development of biotherapeutics, it is important to monitor the presence of elemental impurities to ensure patient safety and product quality. This study found that simply keeping impurity levels below safety threshold limits does not guarantee product quality, as iron and copper had significant impacts on the stability and efficacy of the product.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Elisabetta Rosa, Carlo Diaferia, Eliana Gianolio, Teresa Sibillano, Enrico Gallo, Giovanni Smaldone, Mariano Stornaiuolo, Cinzia Giannini, Giancarlo Morelli, Antonella Accardo
Summary: In recent years, peptide-based hydrogels have been increasingly used in biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. This study demonstrates the synthesis and gelation properties of cationic peptides combined with hydrogelator FmocFF, resulting in the formation of novel self-sorted hydrogels with different mechanical properties and water mobility. In vitro studies show that most of the tested mixed hydrogels have no significant impact on cell viability, and one of the hydrogels shows potential as a synthetic extracellular matrix.
MACROMOLECULAR BIOSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Susanne R. Bruekner, Wietske Pieters, Alexander Fish, A. Manuel Liaci, Serge Scheffers, Emily Rayner, Daphne Kaldenbach, Lisa Drost, Marleen Dekker, Sandrine van Hees-Stuivenberg, Elly Delzenne-Goette, Charlotte de Konink, Hellen Houlleberghs, Hendrikus Jan Dubbink, Abeer AlSaegh, Niels de Wind, Friedrich Forster, Hein te Riele, Titia K. Sixma
Summary: The homozygous V63E mutation in MSH2 disrupts a previously unappreciated interface between mismatch binding domains and leads to reduced DNA binding, which explains the pathogenic phenotype of this mutation and its association with increased cancer risk. Our research provides new insights into the mechanism of the V63E mutation and helps to understand the role of the MBD interface in replication fidelity.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Karishma Kundu, Roberta Teta, Germana Esposito, Mariano Stornaiuolo, Valeria Costantino
Summary: This study proposes a four-step experimental pipeline for the rapid and inexpensive identification and optimization of growth parameters influencing siderophore production in Anabaena flos aquae. The pipeline is multidisciplinary, sustainable, and applicable to any cyanobacteria or microorganism.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Giuseppina Chianese, Annalisa Lopatriello, Carmina Sirignano, Alessandro Andreani, Andrea Gambini, Eric De Combarieu, Mariano Stornaiuolo, Orazio Taglialatela-Scafati
Summary: Two unprecedented cyclopamine analogues, 18-hydroxycyclopamine and 24R-hydroxycyclopamine, with modifications on rings D-F, were isolated from the mother liquors obtained from crystallization of cyclopamine extracted from corn lily. The stereostructures of these new natural compounds were determined through detailed MS and 1D/2D NMR investigation. Their inhibition of the hedgehog pathway was evaluated using the dual-luciferase bioassay, providing new insights into the structure-activity relationships for this class of compounds.
BIOORGANIC & MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Serena Sagliocchi, Melania Murolo, Annunziata Gaetana Cicatiello, Caterina Miro, Annarita Nappi, Emery Di Cicco, Sepehr Torabinejad, Evelina La Civita, Veronica Romano, Daniela Terracciano, Mariano Stornaiuolo, Monica Dentice
Summary: The iodothyronine deiodinases are a group of enzymes that regulate thyroid hormone metabolism and affect various physiological processes. Deregulation of these enzymes is associated with several human pathologies. This study identifies Cefuroxime as a novel inhibitor of D2 activity, potentially offering a new treatment option for hyperthyroid pathologies.
PHARMACOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Francesco Errichiello, Maria 'Amato, Angelita Gambuti, Luigi Moio, Arianna Pastore, Hekmat AL-Hmadi, Mariano Stornaiuolo, Elena Serino, Orazio Taglialatela-Scafati, Martino Forino
Summary: Grape pomace, a component of winery waste, contains various healthy compounds with bioactivities. In addition to polyphenols, an in-depth chemical analysis of Aglianico grape pomace revealed a remarkable concentration of oleanolic acid, a natural triterpenoid with multiple bioactivities. The study also assessed the influence of oleanolic acid on mitochondrial and glucose uptake activities, supporting its potential as an antidiabetic metabolite.
JOURNAL OF FUNCTIONAL FOODS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Annarita Nappi, Caterina Miro, Antonio Pezone, Alfonso Tramontano, Emery Di Cicco, Serena Sagliocchi, Annunziata Gaetana Cicatiello, Melania Murolo, Sepehr Torabinejad, Elena Abbotto, Giuseppina Caiazzo, Maddalena Raia, Mariano Stornaiuolo, Dario Antonini, Gabriella Fabbrocini, Domenico Salvatore, Vittorio Enrico Avvedimento, Monica Dentice
Summary: In this study, the authors investigate the role of thyroid hormones in tumor progression and identify the thyroid hormone activating enzyme D2 as a p53 target gene. They find that p53, as a cell stress sensor and tumor suppressor, suppresses D2 expression, leading to decreased availability of intracellular thyroid hormones. Conversely, loss of p53 enhances D2/TH signaling, promoting the fitness of tumor cells through modulation of genes involved in DNA damage and repair and redox signaling. In vivo deletion of D2 significantly reduces cancer progression, suggesting that targeting thyroid hormones could be a general approach to reduce invasiveness in p53-mutated neoplasms.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Giovanni Smaldone, Elisabetta Rosa, Enrico Gallo, Carlo Diaferia, Giancarlo Morelli, Mariano Stornaiuolo, Antonella Accardo
Summary: Hydrogel nanoparticles, also called nanogels, can be used as supramolecular vehicles for delivering biologically relevant molecules. Understanding the intracellular mechanism of nanogel uptake by cancer cells can contribute to their potential diagnostic and clinical applications.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Elisabetta Schiano, Enrico Cappello, Domenico Cecere, Francesco Pompeo, Ettore Novellino, Mariano Stornaiuolo, Marcello Izzo
Summary: Under pathological conditions, the level of Non-Transferrin Bound Iron (NTBI) in the blood increases, leading to oxidative stress and damage to organs and tissues. This study focuses on measuring and analyzing the NTBI pool in the serum of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) patients. The researchers found that NTBI in PAD patients is predominantly bound to the serum protein Albumin, and developed a simple immunoisolation procedure to quantify NTBI-Albumin complexes for clinical screening purposes.
Article
Microbiology
Carla Zannella, Annalisa Chianese, Giuseppe Annunziata, Annalisa Ambrosino, Anna De Filippis, Gian Carlo Tenore, Ettore Novellino, Mariano Stornaiuolo, Massimiliano Galdiero
Summary: Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a common virus that causes oral or genital ulcers and can lead to severe complications. Current anti-HSV drugs have limitations, so there is a need for new antiviral compounds. This study tested a polyphenol-based nutraceutical formulation called Taurisolo(R), which showed potential in inhibiting the early stages of HSV-1 and HSV-2 infection. These findings suggest that Taurisolo(R) could be used as a topical treatment for preventing and healing herpes lesions.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Giorgia Musto, Elisabetta Schiano, Fortuna Iannuzzo, Gian Carlo Tenore, Ettore Novellino, Mariano Stornaiuolo
Summary: Agri-food by-products contribute to pollution when disposed incorrectly, but can be recycled as alternative raw material for bioactive compound extraction. Safety assessment is crucial due to chemical complexity. In this study, two nutraceutical products obtained from food waste were evaluated for mutagenicity using the Ames and micronucleus test. Results show that the products are genotoxically safe up to specific doses, complying with safety regulations.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Aurore Fraix, Cristina Parisi, Giuseppe Longobardi, Claudia Conte, Arianna Pastore, Mariano Stornaiuolo, Adriana C. E. Graziano, Marta E. E. Alberto, Antonio Frances-Monerris, Fabiana Quaglia, Salvatore Sortino
Summary: Activation of nitric oxide (NO) release in the red-light range using a green-light excitation method has been demonstrated. This method allows for precise control of NO release without the need for chemical modification or sophisticated irradiation sources. The effectiveness of this strategy has been confirmed in a biological environment, making it a potential candidate for nanotherapeutics.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Caterina Miro, Annarita Nappi, Serena Sagliocchi, Emery Di Cicco, Melania Murolo, Sepehr Torabinejad, Lucia Acampora, Arianna Pastore, Paolo Luciano, Evelina La Civita, Daniela Terracciano, Mariano Stornaiuolo, Monica Dentice, Annunziata Gaetana Cicatiello
Summary: Thyroid hormones play a role in regulating muscle formation and energy utilization by modulating carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. They can change the lipid composition and fatty acid ratio in skeletal muscle, with increased proportion of unsaturated fatty acids improving insulin sensitivity and endurance exercise.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Marianna Nalli, Laura Di Magno, Yichao Wen, Xin Liu, Michele D'Ambrosio, Michela Puxeddu, Anastasia Parisi, Jessica Sebastiani, Andrea Urbani, Antonio Coluccia, Silvia Ripa, Fiorella Di Pastena, Davide Capelli, Roberta Montanari, Domiziana Masci, Andrea Urbani, Chiara Bigogno, Claudio Sette, Viviana Orlando, Sara D'Angelo, Stefano Biagioni, Chiara Bigogno, Giulio Dondio, Arianna Pastore, Mariano Stornaiuolo, Gianluca Canettieri, Te Liu, Romano Silvestri, Giuseppe La Regina
Summary: Novel N-(heterocyclylphenyl)benzenesulfonamides were synthesized and showed strong inhibition of luciferase activity. Compound 9 inhibited the growth of TNBC cells and induced cell death in colorectal cancer cells. Compound 9 disrupted the association between beta-catenin and Tcf-4, and shared a common binding site with Tcf-4 in the hotspot binding region. These findings highlight the potential of this novel class of beta-catenin inhibitors as anticancer agents.
ACS PHARMACOLOGY & TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE
(2023)