Editorial Material
Immunology
Tao Wu, Li Wu
Summary: In this study, Tian and colleagues successfully identified Bcor as a negative regulator for dendritic cell differentiation using innovative experimental methods.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jing Li, Jingjing Yu, Wenxian Xue, Huili Huang, Longjun Yan, Fan Sang, Shuangshuang An, Jing Zhang, Mingli Wang, Jun Zhang, Hui Li, Xiukun Cui, Jiang He, Yanzhong Hu
Summary: The recombinant sHSPB5-Fc protein exhibits chaperone activity in protecting cells against proteotoxicity, inhibiting aggregation of citrate synthase, and decreasing cytotoxicity of aggregates in cells.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Grace E. Vezeau, Lipika R. Gadila, Howard M. Salis
Summary: In this study, an automated platform was developed to convert protein-binding RNA aptamers into riboswitch sensors that operate within low-cost cell-free assays. 35 protein-sensing riboswitches were engineered for human monomeric C-reactive protein, human interleukin-32 gamma, and phage MS2 coat protein. Computational analysis was used to refine the protein-binding aptamer regions, improving design accuracy. Overall, this study expands the cell-free sensor toolbox and demonstrates the use of computational design for developing protein-sensing riboswitches with future applications as low-cost medical diagnostics.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alejandro Rojas-Garcia, Lyanne Rodriguez, Maria de la Luz Cadiz-Gurrea, Abigail Garcia-Villegas, Eduardo Fuentes, Maria del Carmen Villegas-Aguilar, Ivan Palomo, David Arraez-Roman, Antonio Segura-Carretero
Summary: This study characterized the phenolic composition of custard apple and evaluated the antioxidant properties and enzyme inhibition of its seeds and peel. The results showed that custard apple seeds have higher antioxidant capacity and anti-inflammatory effects, making them suitable for the development of functional foods and nutraceuticals.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Paula Roberta Aguiar Pastrez, Ana Margarida Barbosa, Vania Sammartino Mariano, Rhafaela Lima Causin, Antonio Gil Castro, Egidio Torrado, Adhemar Longatto-Filho
Summary: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a rapidly progressing cancer with high mortality rates. In this study, we investigated the levels of inflammatory cytokines in ESCC patients and healthy individuals. We found increased levels of IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 in ESCC patients. Among these cytokines, IL-8 was identified as an independent prognostic factor for ESCC. Additionally, patients with low IL-6, IL-8, TNM I/II, or those who underwent surgery had a higher overall survival rate. Our findings suggest IL-8 as a potential biomarker for ESCC.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Brigitta Kis, Ioana Zinuca Pavel, Daniela Haidu, Mariana Nela Stefanut, Zorita Diaconeasa, Elena-Alina Moaca, Cristina Adriana Dehelean, Simona Sipos, Alexandra Ivan, Corina Danciu
Summary: Populus nigra L. bud extract contains twelve different phenolic compounds and shows good antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic potential in A549 human lung cancer cell line, inducing significant tumor cell viability decrease in a dose-dependent manner.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Olivier A. Pierrat, Manjuan Liu, Gavin W. Collie, Kartika Shetty, Matthew J. Rodrigues, Yann-Vai Le Bihan, Emma A. Gunnell, P. Craig McAndrew, Mark Stubbs, Martin G. Rowlands, Norhakim Yahya, Erald Shehu, Rachel Talbot, Lisa Pickard, Benjamin R. Bellenie, Kwai-Ming J. Cheung, Ludovic Drouin, Paolo Innocenti, Hannah Woodward, Owen A. Davis, Matthew G. Lloyd, Ana Varela, Rosemary Huckvale, Fabio Broccatelli, Michael Carter, David Galiwango, Angela Hayes, Florence Raynaud, Christopher Bryant, Steven Whittaker, Olivia W. Rossanese, Swen Hoelder, Rosemary Burke, Rob L. M. van Montfort
Summary: By recruiting corepressor proteins, B-cell lymphoma 6 (BCL6) protein controls gene transcription required for B-cell germinal center formation. This study aims to discover small molecule inhibitors that disrupt BCL6-corepressor protein interaction, as BCL6 deregulation is implicated in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma development. The researchers used high throughput screening and various assays to identify hit series, determined X-ray structures of BCL6 bound to compounds, and developed biochemical and cellular assays to optimize compound potency.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Jia Liu, Hui He, Dan Xie, Yanrong Wen, Zhen Liu
Summary: Cellular heterogeneity is pervasive and crucial in biology, and single-cell analysis techniques are indispensable in understanding this heterogeneity. Low-copy-number proteins play vital roles in various cellular functions, and their quantitative analysis in single cells remains challenging. A new approach called single-cell plasmonic immunosandwich assay (scPISA) has been developed to accurately measure low-copy-number proteins in living cells by combining in vivo microextraction and plasmon-enhanced Raman scattering technology.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Masahiro Kaneko, Toru Iizuka, Toshiharu Nakajima
Summary: The study found that Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. leaf extract (ELE) has anti-inflammatory properties and can reduce interleukin-8 production by inhibiting signal transduction pathways, suggesting a potential therapeutic effect against asthma.
BIOLOGICAL & PHARMACEUTICAL BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zhenglin Ou, Xiaolin Dou, Neng Tang, Guodong Liu
Summary: Elevated pressure in the tumor microenvironment reduces the cytotoxicity of αROR1-CAR T cells by upregulating PD-L1 expression and decreasing cytokine release. Antibodies blocking PD-1::PD-L1 interaction enhance the cytotoxicity and cytokine production of αROR1-CAR T cells and can effectively inhibit tumorigenesis in combination therapy.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Mohamed A. Elkady, Ahmed S. Doghish, Ahmed Elshafei, Mostafa M. Elshafey
Summary: miR-567 is downregulated in A549 NSCLC cells, but its upregulation can inhibit cell proliferation, promote apoptosis, induce cell cycle arrest, and act as a tumor suppressor by regulating CDK8 gene expression.
SAUDI JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Fan Xu, Xiumei Wang, Ying Huang, Xiaoqian Zhang, Wenbo Sun, Yuanyuan Du, Zhi Xu, Hengyuan Kou, Shuyi Zhu, Caidong Liu, Xiaowei Wei, Xiao Li, Qin Jiang, Yong Xu
Summary: Prostate cancer cell-derived exosomes transport IL-8 to hinder the function of CD8(+) T cells, which is related to disrupted energy metabolism.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nivedita Chatterjee, Ernesto Alfaro-Moreno
Summary: This review examines the use of in vitro cell transformation assays (CTAs) as a screening platform for assessing the carcinogenic potential of nanomaterials (NMs). It highlights the importance of safety evaluations for NMs due to their widespread use and potential adverse effects. CTAs provide a realistic approach to studying the tumorigenic properties of NMs and the underlying mechanisms of cancer development. The review also identifies existing knowledge gaps and areas for further investigation in NM-induced cell transformation studies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Liqing Qi, Yuan Tian, Na Li, Menghan Mao, Xiaohong Fang, Da Han
Summary: The strategy of improving the binding affinity of drug molecules against targets has led to successful therapeutic applications. However, this affinity improvement can also result in on-target, off-tumor toxicity, which limits their clinical usage. In this study, a modular assembly strategy was proposed to create affinity-tunable DNA nanostructures that can immobilize multiple aptamers with different affinities to the antigen EpCAM. The theoretical model developed in this study demonstrated the variation of aptamer assembly affinity with antigen density and aptamer valency. Experimental results showed that this model can predict the minimum valency required for discriminating between EpCAMhigh and EpCAMlow cells in vitro and in vivo. The authors believe that this strategy has broad applications in nucleic acid-based delivery platforms for targeted therapy.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Ozlem Oyardi, Paul B. Savage, Cagla Bozkurt Guzel
Summary: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a significant pathogen in chronic infections, and this study investigated the impact of antimicrobial agents on its colonization. CSA-131 was identified as the antimicrobial agent with the highest activity, and AMPs were found to have lower antimicrobial effects. CSA-13 was determined to be the most effective antimicrobial against intracellular bacteria and bacterial adhesion. However, further studies on the safety, efficacy, toxicity, and pharmacology of ceragenins are needed before clinical application.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maria Vitoria Takemura Mariano, Luana Paganotto Leandro, Karen Kich Gomes, Ana Beatriz dos Santos, Vitor Oliveira de Rosso, Alcir Luiz Dafre, Marcelo Farina, Thais Posser, Jeferson Luis Franco
Summary: This study evaluated the toxicity of copper at environmentally relevant concentrations on zebrafish larvae and found adverse effects on morphology, biochemistry, and behavior. Therefore, the permissible copper concentrations in Brazil need to be reevaluated.
JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH-PART A-CURRENT ISSUES
(2024)