Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Ranwa A. Elrayess, Mahmoud E. Mohallal, Yomn M. Mobarak, Hala M. Ebaid, Sarah Haywood-Small, Keith Miller, Peter N. Strong, Mohamed A. Abdel-Rahman
Summary: According to recent studies, Smp24 and Smp43 peptides found in the venom of the Egyptian scorpion have shown cytotoxicity towards both tumor and non-tumor cells. These peptides activate a programmed pyroptotic mechanism to inhibit cell growth.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Pollyana Maria de Oliveira Pimentel, Diego Rodney Rodrigues de Assis, Melisa Gualdron-Lopez, Andreia Barroso, Fatima Brant, Paulo Gaio Leite, Bruno Cabral de Lima Oliveira, Lisia Esper, Shaun M. K. McKinnie, John C. Vederas, Marta do Nascimento Cordeiro, Pablo Victor Mendes dos Reis, Mauro Martins Teixeira, Adriano Monteiro de Castro Pimenta, Marcia Helena Borges, Maria Elena de Lima, Fabiana Simao Machado
Summary: The study found that components of Tityus serrulatus venom have therapeutic effects on Trypanosoma cruzi infection, increasing nitric oxide and proinflammatory cytokine production while decreasing parasite replication and release, with a positive effect on p38 activation. This research opens up new perspectives for finding new strategies for Chagas Disease treatment.
CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Xue-Fei Wu, Chun Li, Guang Yang, Ying-Zi Wang, Yan Peng, Dan-Dan Zhu, Ao-Ran Sui, Qiong Wu, Qi-Fa Li, Bin Wang, Na Li, Yue Zhang, Bi-Ying Ge, Jie Zhao, Shao Li
Summary: The study demonstrates that SVHRP can inhibit neuroinflammation and microglia activation, potentially explaining the therapeutic effects of BmK-derived materials and suggesting that BmK venom could be a potential source for CNS drug development.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Mohammed W. Al-Rabia, Nabil A. Alhakamy, Waleed Y. Rizg, Adel F. Alghaith, Osama A. A. Ahmed, Usama A. Fahmy
Summary: This study fabricated SV-conjugated CUR phytosomes and demonstrated their effective anti-cancer properties against human prostatic cancer PC3 cells. CUR-PL-SV induced cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and necrosis, while also regulating gene expression and reducing mitochondrial permeability, highlighting its potential as a novel treatment approach for prostate cancer.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Y. Mazhdi, S. M. Hamidi
Summary: This study investigated the reliability of a two-dimensional plasmonic structure and circular dichroism (CD) in detecting venom concentrations and neurotoxic effects on human neurotransmitters. The results confirmed the dependency of CD signal on venom concentrations' neurotoxic effects and the sensor's sensitivity with achiral plasmonic structure.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Jules-Antoine Vaucel, Sebastien Larreche, Camille Paradis, Arnaud Courtois, Jean-Marc Pujo, Narcisse Elenga, Dabor Resiere, Weniko Care, Luc de Haro, Jean-Christophe Gallart, Romain Torrents, Corinne Schmitt, Johan Chevalier, Magali Labadie, Hatem Kallel
Summary: There are 67 scorpion species in France and its territories, with varying distribution. Reunion Island has only one species, while French Guiana has 38 species. The number of scorpion stings varies, with up to 90 stings per 100,000 inhabitants annually. Scorpion venom is composed of enzymes and peptides, and different species have different medical importance. France does not have scorpion antivenom as scorpion stings are generally not fatal.
Review
Immunology
Chaoze Jiao, Haidan Zhang, Hongyao Li, Xu Fu, Yujie Lin, Chenglong Cao, Shixian Liu, Yijing Liu, Peiwu Li
Summary: The inflammatory response helps combat pathogens, but excessive inflammation in sepsis can cause tissue and organ damage. Pyroptosis, a form of programmed cell death executed by the GSDMs family, has been identified as a crucial component of the sepsis mechanism. While previous research has focused on one pathway, there is a lack of study on other GSDMs family members in sepsis.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anhui Yang, Ping Zhang, Zhen Sun, Xin Liu, Xinrui Zhang, Xingkai Liu, Di Wang, Zhaoli Meng
Summary: The study demonstrated that lysionotin exhibited significant anti-liver cancer effects by potentially involving the caspase-3 mediated mitochondrial apoptosis pathway.
CHEMICO-BIOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Menilla Maria Alves de Melo, Veronica da Silva Oliveira, Moacir Fernandes de Queiroz Neto, Weslley de Souza Paiva, Manoela Torres-Rego, Sergio Ruschi Bergamachi Silva, Daniel de Lima Pontes, Hugo Alexandre Oliveira Rocha, Miguel Angelo Fonseca de Souza, Arnobio Antonio da Silva-Junior, Matheus de Freitas Fernandes-Pedrosa
Summary: TanP, an anionic peptide with chelating and immunomodulatory properties, exhibits stable complex formation and recognition abilities towards Fe2+ and Zn2+ ions. It also demonstrates antioxidant, hemostatic, and healing activities, making it a potential prototype for the development of new therapeutic and biotechnological agents.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR BIOSCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Tienthanh Nguyen, Ruiyin Guo, Jinwei Chai, Jiena Wu, Junfang Liu, Xin Chen, Mohamed A. Abdel-Rahman, Hu Xia, Xueqing Xu
Summary: Scorpion-venom-derived peptide Smp24 exhibits inhibitory effects on liver cancer cells HepG2 through endocytosis, pore formation, interaction with mitochondrial membrane, mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, and alteration of autophagy-related signaling pathways. Smp24 also shows protective activity in a liver cancer mouse model.
Article
Immunology
Xudong Luo, Xiangdong Ye, Li Ding, Wen Zhu, Zhiwen Zhao, Dan Luo, Na Liu, Luyue Sun, Zongyun Chen
Summary: The study found that the scorpion venom-derived peptide Hp1404 has the potential to be a novel antimicrobial agent against CRAB infections, with high anti-CRAB activity and low hemolytic activity.
MICROBIAL PATHOGENESIS
(2021)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Bhabana Das, Anthony J. Saviola, Ashis K. Mukherjee
Summary: The Indian red scorpion is one of the deadliest scorpions in the world, with its venom proteome composition having a strong impact on both local and systemic manifestations of its sting. Immediate administration of antivenom is the preferred treatment for Indian red scorpion stings, although scorpion-specific antivenoms have shown poor immunorecognition and neutralization of low molecular mass toxins.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ehsan Jahangirian, Jamil Zargan
Summary: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common bacterial infection that can lead to severe diseases. Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Enterococci are the main pathogens in UTI. Due to the increasing antimicrobial resistance, the research for new antimicrobial candidates is necessary. Scorpion venom is a valuable source for antimicrobial peptides. Among the synthetic peptides studied, peptide 3 showed the most potent inhibitory effect on both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains, making it a suitable candidate for the development of new antimicrobial drugs of natural origin.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PEPTIDE RESEARCH AND THERAPEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Huan Yang, Wanda van der Stel, Randy Lee, Caroline Bauch, Sam Bevan, Paul Walker, Bob van de Water, Erik H. J. Danen, Joost B. Beltman
Summary: Mitochondria are the main bioenergetic organelles of cells and exposure to chemicals targeting mitochondria generally results in toxicity. Different mitochondrial respiration inhibitors have varying effects on mitochondrial membrane potential, and mathematical modeling can help understand these dynamics. Additionally, incorporating pharmacokinetic decay into the model can improve the fit for certain compounds, showing a complex interplay between pharmacokinetics and MMP dynamics within mitochondria.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Samya Sen, Ramkamal Samat, Moumita Jash, Satyajit Ghosh, Rajsekhar Roy, Nabanita Mukherjee, Surojit Ghosh, Jayita Sarkar, Surajit Ghosh
Summary: This study designed and synthesized a novel cationic peptide library consisting of seven sequences from the snake venom cathelicidin, batroxicidin (BatxC), with the inclusion of the FLPII motif at the N-terminus. One of the peptides, SP1V3_1, demonstrated exceptional antibacterial effectiveness against Escherichia coli, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae by depolarizing, rupturing, and permeabilizing their membranes. SP1V3_1 also showed immune response modulation, antibiofilm activity, and promoted wound healing and disinfection in a murine model.
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Katrien Van Raemdonck, Sadiq Umar, Karol Palasiewicz, Bianca Romay, Suncica Volkov, Shiva Arami, Nadera Sweiss, Shiva Shahrara
Summary: This study reveals that miR-Let7b activates TLR7 and induces skin inflammation, exacerbating joint inflammation in a PsA-like preclinical model. TLR7 agonist R837 promotes metabolic reprogramming in macrophages and enhances the expression of IL-1 beta, IL-6, and IL-12, facilitating myeloid-to-T-cell crosstalk in mice. Inhibiting glycolysis reverses TLR7-driven inflammation in myeloid and lymphoid cells, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for PsA.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Sadiq Umar, Karol Palasiewicz, Katrien Van Raemdonck, Michael V. Volin, Bianca Romay, Imran Ahmad, Chandana Tetali, Nadera Sweiss, M. Asif Amin, Ryan K. Zomorrodi, Shiva Shahrara
Summary: CCL25 and CCR9 enhance the infiltration and inflammatory response of RA FLS and monocytes in RA through p38 and ERK phosphorylation. However, CCL25 is unable to polarize RA PBMCs into effector Th1/Th17 cells.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Ritu Pasrija, Mohammad Naime
Summary: COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus leads to cytokines release syndrome (CRS) in critically ill patients, indicating a deregulated immune response and resulting in inflammation and lung injury in severe cases.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Rheumatology
Katrien Van Raemdonck, Sadiq Umar, Karol Palasiewicz, Michael V. Volin, Hatem A. Elshabrawy, Bianca Romay, Chandana Tetali, Azam Ahmed, M. Asif Amin, Ryan K. Zomorrodi, Nadera Sweiss, Shiva Shahrara
Summary: IL-34, an endogenous factor, plays a crucial role in rheumatoid arthritis by remodeling hypermetabolic M34 macrophages and facilitating their cross-regulation with T effector cells, ultimately leading to inflammatory bone destruction.
ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Karol Palasiewicz, Sadiq Umar, Bianca Romay, Ryan K. Zomorrodi, Shiva Shahrara
Summary: The study showed that tofacitinib suppresses signaling, inflammation, and metabolic reprogramming caused by the Spike protein, suggesting it may be a promising strategy for COVID-19 patients.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Hukam Chand Rawal, Shakir Ali, Tapan Kumar Mondal
Summary: In recent years, the identification and analysis of miRNAs and tRFs have been extensively studied. Using benchmarking methodologies, researchers have developed accurate methods for predicting and identifying these molecules, which is important for studying both model and non-model organisms.
BRIEFINGS IN BIOINFORMATICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sadiq Umar, Karol Palasiewicz, Michael V. Volin, Bianca Romay, Rani Rahat, Chandana Tetali, Shiva Arami, Monica Guma, Christian Ascoli, Nadera Sweiss, Ryan K. Zomorrodi, Luke A. J. O'Neill, Shiva Shahrara
Summary: Recent studies have shown the significance of metabolic reprogramming in immune and stromal cell function, and this study highlights the distinct regulation of glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation in RA macrophages compared to fibroblasts. Blockade of glycolysis was found to be more effective than inhibition of complex 1 in CIA, particularly in mitigating the inflammatory phenotype of macrophages.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Katrien Van Raemdonck, Sadiq Umar, Karol Palasiewicz, Anja Meyer, Michael V. Volin, Huan J. Chang, Mina Al-Awqati, Ryan K. Zomorrodi, Shiva Shahrara
Summary: The study revealed the significant role of CCL21 in metabolic reprogramming of experimental arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis macrophages, and the mechanism of regulating inflammatory response through 2-DG therapy. The findings suggest that CCL21 promotes inflammation and impacts immune metabolism by modulating glucose uptake and glycolysis pathway.
IMMUNOLOGY AND CELL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Sadiq Umar, Karol Palasiewicz, Michael V. Volin, Brian Zanotti, Mina Al-Awqati, Nadera Sweiss, Shiva Shahrara
Summary: "Recent studies have shown a connection between glycolysis and inflammatory response in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) macrophages (M phi s) and fibroblasts (FLS). Targeting specific pathways, such as IRAK4i, can potentially rebalance the metabolic dysfunction in RA cells while modulating TLR7-mediated immunometabolism."
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sadiq Umar, Karol Palasiewicz, Anja Meyer, Prabhakaran Kumar, Bellur S. Prabhakar, Michael V. Volin, Rani Rahat, Mina Al-Awqati, Huan J. Chang, Ryan K. Zomorrodi, Jalees Rehman, Shiva Shahrara
Summary: Inflammatory and glycolytic responses in severe COVID-19 patients may be counter-regulated by targeting IRAK4, which plays a critical role in the molecular mechanism driven by SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein. Inhibition of IRAK4 rescues SARS-CoV-2-induced cytotoxic effects and reduces inflammatory markers and metabolic imprints, offering a promising therapeutic strategy.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Sheetal Kaul, Vivek Nair, Shweta Birla, Shikha Dhawan, Sumit Rathore, Vishal Khanna, Sheelu Lohiya, Shakir Ali, Shamim Mannan, Kirankumar Rade, Pawan Malhotra, Dinesh Gupta, Ashwani Khanna, Asif Mohmmed
Summary: This study compares the potential of transcript signatures and IGRA in diagnosing LTBI. A transcript signature (FCGR1B, GBP1, & GBP5) is identified as a potential biomarker for LTBI. These results can lead to the development of a point-of-care (POC)-like device for screening LTBI in high TB burden areas.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Anubhuti Gupta, Kunal Singh, Sameen Fatima, Saira Ambreen, Silke Zimmermann, Ruaa Younis, Shruthi Krishnan, Rajiv Rana, Ihsan Gadi, Constantin Schwab, Ronald Biemann, Khurrum Shahzad, Vibha Rani, Shakir Ali, Peter Rene Mertens, Shrey Kohli, Berend Isermann
Summary: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a major metabolic disease with limited treatment options. This study discovers that sterile inflammation caused by neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) may play a significant role in DKD. Inhibiting NETs may provide a promising therapeutic strategy for DKD.
Article
Anthropology
Kiran Meena, Anoop Misra, Naval Vikram, Shakir Ali, Ashish Datt Upadhyay, Kalpana Luthra
Summary: This study evaluated the distribution of FABP-2 Ala54Thr polymorphism and its association with lipid levels in hyperlipidemic Asian Indians. The results showed that the heterozygous genotype FABP-2 Ala/Thr was significantly associated with higher triglycerides and very low-density lipoproteins.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Shweta Sharma, Mohd. Hafizur Rehman Ansari, Kalicharan Sharma, Rajesh K. Singh, Shakir Ali, Mohd. Mumtaz Alam, Mohd. Shaqiquzamman Zaman, Prawez Alam, Mymoona Akhter
Summary: In this study, a series of analogues were synthesized and evaluated, and KB-23, KB-22, and KB-06 showed promising antihyperglycemic potential in both in vitro and in vivo studies, making them potential starting points for the development of antidiabetic agents.
FUTURE MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Retraction
Chemistry, Applied
Niyaz Ahmad, Md Aftab Alam, Rizwan Ahmad, Sadiq Umar, Farhan Jalees Ahmad
JOURNAL OF MICROENCAPSULATION
(2021)