Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Il-Soo Park, Seongchan Kim, Yeajee Yim, Ginam Park, Jinahn Choi, Cheolhee Won, Dal-Hee Min
Summary: This study reports the creation of a synthetic chaperone to control the folding of therapeutic peptides and demonstrates its enhanced therapeutic potential in a tumor model. The synthetic chaperone, based on porous nanoparticles, provides an internal hydrophobic environment which stabilizes the secondary structure of the encapsulated peptides. Additionally, the modified nanoparticles serve as a nanoreactor and effectively deliver the stabilized peptides into cancer cells, resulting in inhibition of cancer growth.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Correction
Clinical Neurology
Woo Shik Shin, Jing Di, Qin Cao, Binsen Li, Paul M. Seidler, Kevin A. Murray, Gal Bitan, Lin Jiang
Summary: The paper has been amended and the updated version can be accessed through the original article.
ALZHEIMERS RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hiroki Ono, Hirohide Saito
Summary: The bottom-up assembly of biological components in synthetic biology has improved our understanding of natural phenomena and led to the development of new technologies. Recent advances in RNA synthetic biology have revealed the regulatory roles of RNAs and their potential as building blocks for artificial systems. This review focuses on emerging technologies for sensing intracellular protein and RNA molecules and controlling translation.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
H. Li, G. Bruce, N. Childerhouse, G. Keegan, G. Mantovani, S. Stolnik
Summary: Pulmonary delivery is a non-invasive approach for administering biotherapeutics. This study focuses on the receptor-mediated delivery of protein cargo using non-covalent protein complexes. The complexes achieve intracellular delivery via the biotin receptor and show preferential involvement of dynamin- and caveolae-dependent vesicular internalization. The study provides evidence of intracellular presence of the complexing copolymer, indicating the potential for protective intracellular delivery of biotherapeutics.
JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Andreza Lemos Salvio, Renan Amphilophio Fernandes, Helena Franca Alcaraz Ferreira, Larissa Araujo Duarte, Elisa Gouvea Gutman, Jessica Vasques Raposo-Vedovi, Carlos Henrique Ferreira Ramos Filho, Wagner Luis da Costa Nunes Pimentel Coelho, Giselle Fazzioni Passos, Maria Emilia Cosenza Andraus, Joao Paulo da Costa Goncalves, Marta Guimaraes Cavalcanti, Marisa Pimentel Amaro, Rafael Kader, Roberto de Andrade Medronho, Claudia Pinto Figueiredo, Luciane Almeida Amado-Leon, Soniza Vieira Alves-Leon
Summary: The neurological biomarkers (NfL, TAU, GFAP, and UCH-L1) and specific biochemical parameters (Peak Serum Ferritin, D-Dimer Peak, Gamma-glutamyltransferase, and C-Reactive Protein) are associated with neurological manifestations, severity, and mortality in severe COVID-19 patients.
MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Hideyuki Nakanishi, Hirohide Saito, Keiji Itaka
Summary: Synthetic mRNA is a valuable tool for medical applications, as it allows for transgene expression without the need for nuclear import and the risk of insertional mutagenesis. In this study, a protein-responsive translational regulation system was developed using Caliciviral VPg-based translational activator, inteins, and target protein-binding nanobodies. This system enables both activation and repression of translation in a target protein-dependent manner, with the ability to easily change the target protein. This versatile design offers a safe approach to target protein-responsive translational regulation therapeutics.
ACS SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xuewei Dong, Santu Bera, Qin Qiao, Yiming Tang, Zenghui Lao, Yin Luo, Ehud Gazit, Guanghong Wei
Summary: Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) plays a role in physiological and pathological processes. Tau and its K18 construct undergo LLPS in a temperature-dependent manner, but the underlying mechanism remains largely elusive.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Abbey O. Robinson, Orion M. Venero, Katarzyna P. Adamala
Summary: Engineering synthetic minimal cells provides a controllable platform for studying the biochemical principles of natural life and increasing understanding of complex biological processes. Recent progress in synthetic cell engineering has enabled communication between natural live cells and other synthetic cells, facilitating research on cell interactions and the design of small molecule cell communication protocols for a variety of applications.
CURRENT OPINION IN CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Federica Cella, Giansimone Perrino, Fabiana Tedeschi, Gabriella Viero, Carla Bosia, Guy-Bart Stan, Velia Siciliano
Summary: Competition for intracellular resources induces coupling between co-expressed genes, affecting the reliability of gene circuits. We found that miRNA-mediated target downregulation leads to upregulation of co-expressed genes, and using miRNAs-based loops can stabilize genes against burden. Our study provides insights into the hidden regulatory interaction of miRNA-based synthetic networks, and can help design genetic circuits that modulate transgene co-expression by tuning resource availability.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Liang Ji, Xinguang Zhou, Runduo Liu, Liming Wang, Yuanyuan Hu, Jinyu Gu, Zhe Li, Chenglin Li, Tonghui Huang, Yanyan Yu
Summary: Tau protein has attracted much research interest in recent years. We developed two novel Tau-selective and AIE-active fluorescent probes (JL-3 and JL-6) that exhibit excellent discrimination between Tau and beta-amyloid aggregates. The probes also demonstrated a remarkable capacity for bioimaging in living cells, brain tissues, and transgenic mice.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yajie Wang, Pu Xue, Mingfeng Cao, Tianhao Yu, Stephan T. Lane, Huimin Zhao
Summary: Directed evolution aims to accelerate the natural evolution process of biological molecules and systems through gene diversification and library screening, serving as a powerful tool for engineering improved functions in proteins, metabolic pathways, and whole genomes. Common strategies include gene diversification, screening/selection methods, and continuous evolution, with applications in nucleic acids, proteins, pathways, genetic circuits, viruses, and cells. Challenges and future perspectives in directed evolution are also discussed.
Article
Hematology
Ryan Jajosky, Seema R. Patel, Shang-Chuen Wu, Kashyap Patel, Mischa Covington, Mary Vallecillo-Zuniga, Diyoly Ayona, Ashley Bennett, C. John Luckey, Krystalyn E. Hudson, Jeanne E. Hendrickson, Stephanie C. Eisenbarth, Cassandra D. Josephson, Patricia E. Zerra, Sean R. Stowell, Connie M. Arthur
Summary: Antibodies against red blood cell (RBC) alloantigens can increase morbidity and mortality among transfusion recipients. Previous studies suggested that CD4 T-cell responses that drive alloantibody formation recognize the same alloantigen engaged by B cells. However, it is possible that CD4 T-cell responses directed against intracellular antigens may facilitate subsequent alloimmunization against a surface RBC antigen.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Dmitry M. Lesovoy, Panagiota S. Georgoulia, Tammo Diercks, Irena Matecko-Burmann, Bjorn M. Burmann, Eduard Bocharov, Wolfgang Bermel, Vladislav Y. Orekhov
Summary: This study introduces a sensitive and robust alternative method for rapid local assignment near affected signals in intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), based on FOcused SpectroscopY (FOSY) experiments using selective polarisation transfer (SPT). The efficiency of this method is demonstrated by identifying two phosphorylation sites of glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3 beta) in human Tau40, an IDP of 441 residues, and revealing unprimed phosphorylation of Ser409. This approach may benefit NMR studies of post-translational modifications (PTMs) and hotspots in IDPs involved in molecular interactions.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ana Gouveia, Daniela Pinto, Helena Veiga, Wilson Antunes, Mariana G. Pinho, Carlos Sao-Jose
Summary: Bacteriophage endolysins can degrade bacterial cell walls and are being explored as alternatives to conventional antibiotics. This study investigated the combination of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with endolysins to improve their antibacterial potential. The results showed that the presence of AMPs increased the susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus to endolysin action. The study suggests that the binding of endolysins to bacterial cells and other factors may contribute to this increased susceptibility.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daniele Trivellato, Fulvio Floriani, Carlo Giorgio Barracchia, Francesca Munari, Mariapina D'Onofrio, Michael Assfalg
Summary: In Alzheimer's disease and tauopathies, tau protein accumulates in the brain and undergoes various modifications, including ubiquitination. This study found that single and double ubiquitination at specific residues of tau protein is associated with pathological conditions and impairs the formation of amyloid-like fibril structures. Additionally, double ubiquitination inhibits the phase separation ability of tau protein. These findings provide insights into the impact of site-specific ubiquitination on the conformational transitions of intrinsically disordered proteins.
BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lu Zhang, Xian-meng Li, Xu-he Shi, Kai Ye, Xue-li Fu, Xue Wang, Shi-man Guo, Jia-qi Ma, Fei-fei Xu, Hui-min Sun, Qian-qian Li, Wei-ying Zhang, Li-hong Ye
Summary: HBXIP prevents sorafenib-induced cell death in hepatocellular carcinoma and attenuates ferroptosis.
ACTA PHARMACOLOGICA SINICA
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Jun Li, Suli Wang, Jiayi Zheng, Qianqian Li, Jia Li, Liangjing Lu
Summary: This study investigated the risk of PJP in newly diagnosed MDA5 + DM patients within 6 months and found a high incidence and mortality rate in these patients, with certain treatment methods being associated with a higher risk.
CLINICAL RHEUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yinghao Ding, Debin Zheng, Limin Xie, Xiangyang Zhang, Zhenghao Zhang, Ling Wang, Zhi-Wen Hu, Zhimou Yang
Summary: An enzyme-instructed peptide self-assembly (EISA) strategy is used to selectively modify cancer cell membranes, and different phosphorylation patterns in phosphopeptides targeting EGFR can impact their self-assembly abilities and binding affinity for EGFR. The phosphorylated peptide pY1 shows the highest capability for preorganization and the fastest dephosphorylation in the presence of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), making it the most effective at constructing stable peptide assemblies on cancer cell membranes. Additionally, peptide-protein and peptide-peptide co-assembly strategies are employed to apply antigens to cancer cell membranes, offering a potential technique for cancer immunotherapy.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yang Zhou, Qianqian Li, Ye Wu, Xinyu Li, Ya Zhou, Zhu Wang, Hui Liang, Feiqing Ding, Sheng Hong, Nicole F. Steinmetz, Hui Cai
Summary: Self-assembly is a widely used method for constructing biomaterials, and peptides have been extensively investigated due to their desirable properties. Stimuli-responsive peptide nanoparticles, capable of conformational and chemical changes in response to stimuli, have emerged as a promising class of materials with diverse biomedical applications.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Yu-Ting Xiong, Jian-Fei Wang, Xiao-Xia Niu, Yi-Ming Fu, Ke-Xin Wang, Chun-Yan Wang, Qian-Qian Li, Jian-Jun Wang, Jun Zhao, Dong Ji
Summary: Clinical characteristics and risk factors associated with the severity of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) in elderly patients were identified. The presence of autoimmunity was found to be associated with a more serious state of DILI.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qianqian Li, Wenyi He, Weiran Li, Shulu Luo, Minghong Zhou, Dingcai Wu, Yan Li, Shuyi Wu
Summary: In guided bone regeneration surgery, a new class of local double-layered adhesive barrier membranes (ABMs) has been developed to immobilize bone graft materials. These ABMs have suction-adhesion properties and can firmly adhere to wet bone surfaces, effectively preventing displacement and leakage. This versatile strategy may open up new avenues for designing next-generation barrier membranes.
Article
Immunology
Ruixin Song, Chao Yang, Qianqian Li, Jiayin Wang, Jing Chen, Kai Sun, Hongmin Lv, Yankai Yang, Jing Liang, Qing Ye, YanYing Gao, Jun Li, Ying Li, Junqing Yan, Ying Liu, Tao Wang, Changen Liu, Ping Zhu, Fei Wang, Weili Yin, Huiling Xiang
Summary: The aim of this study was to evaluate the durability of immune response after basic and booster immunization with SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD). The results showed that the positive rates of antibodies decreased rapidly with the extension of vaccination time after basic immunization, while the positive rates increased rapidly and remained high after booster immunization. Thus, booster immunization improved the immune response and significantly prolonged the durability of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in patients with CLD.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Qingran Yan, Mei Zhang, Fang Du, Yuening Kang, Ping Ye, Qianqian Li, Bei Liu, Min Dai, Chunde Bao
Summary: This prospective study evaluated the efficacy and safety of IGU as an add-on therapy for patients with refractory lupus nephritis. The results showed that IGU, as a component of combination therapy, can effectively reduce urine protein and is well tolerated.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Limin Xie, Yinghao Ding, Xiangyang Zhang, Zhenghao Zhang, Sheng Zeng, Ling Wang, Zhimou Yang, Qian Liu, Zhi-Wen Hu
Summary: The researchers constructed a multifunctional drug-loaded peptide nanomedicine (Comp. 4) for ICD-based cancer therapy. Comp. 4 interferes with mitochondrial functions, targets the cell membrane and mitochondria, and forms peptide assemblies in the presence of ALP. Comp. 4 induces mitochondrial oxidative stress, provokes robust ICD responses, and successfully inhibits colon cancer growth by eliciting a systemic ICD-based antitumor immunity.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yumiao Chen, Wei Li, Zhongqiu Wang, Yingying Yu, Jie Li, Yinghao Ding, Zhiwen Hu, Qian Liu, Zhimou Yang, Jie Gao
Summary: This study introduces a novel cancer immunotherapy tool, Supra-BiCE, that enhances the binding of immune cells to tumor cells by transforming nanoribbons into nanofibrils, leading to the accumulation and activation of immune cells within tumor regions.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiangyang Zhang, Yinghao Ding, Zhenghao Zhang, Yiping Ma, Xuan Sun, Ling Wang, Zhimou Yang, Zhi-Wen Hu
Summary: Manipulating cancer cell death through precise control of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a promising strategy for treating malignant tumors. However, generating active ROS with spatial precision and regulating their biological outcomes is challenging. In this study, we successfully generated short-lived and lipid-reactive hydroxyl radicals ((OH)-O-·) adjacent to cancer cell membranes, leading to lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis. By using a phosphorylated self-assembling precursor, we selectively produced membrane-bound nanofibers and enriched ferrocene moieties on cancer cell membranes, resulting in the conversion of tumoral H2O2 to active (OH)-O-· through Fenton-like reactions. Our strategy effectively prevented tumor progression with good cellular selectivity and acceptable biocompatibility through intratumoral administration.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhenghao Zhang, Xuan Sun, Yinghao Ding, Xiangyang Zhang, Yiming Zhang, Tianxiao Zhang, Jie Li, Ling Wang, Zhimou Yang, Zhi-Wen Hu
Summary: A self-assembling peptide N-pGE11 can mobilize extracellular Ca2+ reservoir for Ca2+ overload therapy by promoting the formation of EGFR-specific nanofibers and indirectly stimulating TRP channels, effectively inhibiting tumor growth and enhancing therapeutic efficacy through extracellular Ca2+ calcification.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shuoshuo Li, Wenyu Hu, Shenghui Gong, Ping Zhang, Jinbo Cheng, Shukun Wang, Yingyi Wang, Wenjun Shi, Qianqian Li, Fengchao Wang, Zengqiang Yuan
Summary: High altitude exposure leads to cognitive impairments by affecting the cerebral vasculature system and reducing oxygen and nutrition supply to the brain. The study investigates the molecular mechanism of vascular system remodeling under acute hypoxia and identifies a novel m6A reader protein, PRRC2B, in endothelial cells. Knockdown of PRRC2B promotes hypoxia-induced endothelial cell migration and vascular remodeling, alleviating hypoxia-induced cognitive decline. These findings provide a new potential therapeutic target for hypoxia-induced cognitive impairments.
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Qianqian Li, Jingqi Zeng, Lijuan Ma, Jinyuan Zhu, Fangyu Zhang, Yunan Wei, Mingshuang Li, Lu Yao, Jing Du, Zhisheng Wu
Summary: In this study, an industrial information integrated strategy was proposed to address the OQC evaluation issue of Chinese meteria medica (CMM) from multi-batch in the complex system of big honeyed pill. The strategy consisted of a two-step digital process control and an OQC diagnosis strategy. The two-step digital control utilized online near infrared (NIR) monitoring to acquire critical quality attributes (CQAs) and control consistency from honey refining to He-Tuo procedure. The OQC diagnosis strategy utilized data fusion approach to determine multi-batch OQC from different perspectives. The information integrated strategy successfully identified three abnormal samples out of 30 batches with weights of 27.82%, 44.60%, and 27.58% for NIR, mid-infrared (MIR), and texture technologies, respectively. The diagnosed samples were also tested using zebrafish efficacy as an in vivo test, which demonstrated the effectiveness of the OQC diagnosis strategy. Overall, the proposed information integrated strategy provides important theoretical and practical foundations for ensuring the overall quality of multi-batch CMM, especially for digital and intelligent industrialization.
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL INFORMATION INTEGRATION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hailin Shen, Yueling Cai, Zhongtao Ma, Peng Wang, Bingkun Guo, Jipeng Cheng, Qianqian Li, Hongtao Wang, Zhongyuan Liu, Anmin Nie, Jinsong Wu
Summary: The researchers report a metal phosphorous trichalcogenide of MnPS3 as a reliable and high-capacity anode material for lithium-ion batteries. It has a unique layered van der Waals structure and can enable fast insertion/extraction of ions.
