Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wenzhan Tu, Cheng Zheng, Yuyin Zheng, Zhenhua Feng, Haiyan Lin, Yiwei Jiang, Wangchao Chen, Yuhan Chen, Yang Lee, Jianzhong Su, Wu Zheng
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the interaction between tectorigenin and alpha-synuclein in vitro by simulating the physiological environment. The results showed that tectorigenin quenched the protein emission spectra through a mixed static-dynamic quenching mechanism. Additionally, tectorigenin binding to alpha-synuclein led to microenvironmental changes in the protein's tertiary structure, while the secondary structure remained almost unchanged. Molecular docking simulation revealed that non-covalent reactions, mainly hydrogen bonds, played a key role in the interaction and stabilization of alpha-synuclein in the presence of tectorigenin. Moreover, tectorigenin improved the chaperon-like activity of alpha-synuclein.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yao Liu, Jingshan Luo, Yujing Liu, Wen Liu, Guangtao Yu, Yuting Huang, Yu Yang, Xiaojia Chen, Tongkai Chen
Summary: This study introduces a nanodecoy consisting of red blood cell membrane encapsulating curcumin nanocrystals to protect dopaminergic neurons, thereby effectively treating Parkinson's disease and reversing its pathological processes.
ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yao Liu, Jingshan Luo, Yujing Liu, Wen Liu, Guangtao Yu, Yuting Huang, Yu Yang, Xiaojia Chen, Tongkai Chen
Summary: Nanodecoys designed using rabies virus polypeptide effectively protect dopaminergic neurons in PD mice, enhance blood-brain barrier crossing, and show promising potential in treating neurodegenerative diseases.
ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
G. Pagano, K. I. Taylor, J. Anzures-Cabrera, M. Marchesi, T. Simuni, K. Marek, R. B. Postuma, N. Pavese, F. Stocchi, J. -P. Azulay, B. Mollenhauer, L. Lopez-Manzanares, D. S. Russell, J. T. Boyd, A. P. Nicholas, M. R. Luquin, R. A. Hauser, T. Gasser, W. Poewe, B. Ricci, A. Boulay, A. Vogt, F. G. Boess, J. Dukart, G. D'Urso, R. Finch, S. Zanigni, A. Monnet, N. Pross, A. Hahn, H. Svoboda, M. Britschgi, F. Lipsmeier, E. Volkova-Volkmar, M. Lindemann, S. Dziadek, S. Holiga, D. Rukina, T. Kustermann, G. A. Kerchner, P. Fontoura, D. Umbricht, R. Doody, T. Nikolcheva, A. Bonni
Summary: The study found that prasinezumab had no meaningful effect on global or imaging measures of Parkinson's disease progression and was associated with infusion reactions.
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Pedro Carneiro, Joana A. Loureiro, Cristina Delerue-Matos, Simone Morais, Maria do Carmo Pereira
Summary: In this study, a sensitive and specific electrochemical immunosensor was developed for the detection and quantification of alpha-synuclein, a biomarker for Parkinson's disease. The immunosensor is based on voltammetric study and uses antibodies to recognize the analyte. The sensor is nanostructured using a layer-by-layer approach and has shown excellent detection capabilities within a certain concentration range.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Francesco Agostini, Luigi Bubacco, Sasanka Chakrabarti, Marco Bisaglia
Summary: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons and accumulation of alpha-synuclein. Recent evidence suggests the involvement of iron-dependent cell death pathway, ferroptosis, in the pathogenesis of PD. This study using a Drosophila melanogaster model of PD demonstrated that over-expression of alpha-synuclein leads to protein aggregate accumulation and dopaminergic neurodegeneration, which are worsened by decreased glutathione levels or increased iron concentrations.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xin Sun, Chunyan Yang, Wei Liu, Ke Lu, Hao Yin
Summary: Graphene oxide (GO) is a biocompatible nanomaterial that inhibits insulin amyloid fibrillation. Surface charge modifications, such as carboxyl group, PEI, and PEG, were found to enhance the inhibitory effect of GO. The inhibitory effect of the inhibitors increased with the increase of surface charge density.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Abbie T. Rodger, Maryam A. L. Nasser, Wayne G. Carter
Summary: Currently, there are no pharmacological treatments that can completely stop or reverse the progression of Parkinson's Disease (PD). Therefore, there is a need for neuroprotective therapies. This systematic review examines the effectiveness of anti-a-synuclein (a-syn) therapies in preventing PD progression in preclinical models and human clinical trials. The review found that novel preclinical anti-a-syn therapeutics reduced a-syn aggregations and protected against dopaminergic neuronal loss. Completed clinical trials showed significant tolerability and efficacy in reducing a-syn and minimal adverse effects. Overall, this review highlights the potential of anti-a-syn therapies in both preclinical and clinical settings to reduce a-syn accumulation and potentially slow down PD progression.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Lena F. Burbulla, Jianbin Zheng, Pingping Song, Weilan Jiang, Michaela E. Johnson, Patrik Brundin, Dimitri Krainc
Summary: Current treatments for Parkinson's disease only provide symptomatic relief, but repurposing FDA-approved drugs such as quetiapine as a modulator of GCase activity shows potential for improving the condition of PD patients with decreased GCase activity. This study developed an efficient screening strategy for identifying drugs to treat PD and found that quetiapine treatment could increase levels and activity of wild-type GCase and reduce the accumulation of oxidized dopamine, glucosylceramide, and alpha-synuclein in PD patients.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bei Huang, Steven W. H. Chau, Yaping Liu, Joey W. Y. Chan, Jing Wang, Suk Ling Ma, Jihui Zhang, Paul K. S. Chan, Yun Kit Yeoh, Zigui Chen, Li Zhou, Sunny Hei Wong, Vincent C. T. Mok, Ka Fai To, Hei Ming Lai, Simon Ng, Claudia Trenkwalder, Francis K. L. Chan, Yun Kwok Wing
Summary: The study reveals that the gut microbiota compositions are significantly altered in early PD and RBD compared with control and RBD-FDR. The depletion of butyrate-producing bacteria and the enrichment of pro-inflammatory Collinsella have emerged in RBD and RBD-FDR after controlling potential confounders. The study also identifies 12 microbial markers that can effectively distinguish RBD from control.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tapan Behl, Piyush Madaan, Aayush Sehgal, Sukhbir Singh, Md Khalid Anwer, Hafiz A. Makeen, Mohammed Albratty, Syam Mohan, Simona Bungau
Summary: This article discusses the etiology, oxidative stress, autophagy, programmed cell death, and other important roles in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease, emphasizing the crucial role of iron and copper in the development of Parkinson's disease. Metal chelators may have the potential to reduce oxidative stress levels by scavenging metal ions, thereby preventing or slowing down the progression of Parkinson's disease.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Jiajun Han, Yaohua Fan, Peipei Wu, Zifeng Huang, Xinrong Li, Lijun Zhao, Yichun Ji, Meiling Zhu
Summary: Parkinson's disease dementia is a common complication of Parkinson's disease that seriously affects patients' health and quality of life. The complex interplay of iron, alpha-synuclein, tau, beta-amyloid, and oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in the mechanism underlying PDD, leading to neuronal protein accumulation, neuroinflammation, and cell death. GSK3 beta is identified as a potential target for the prevention and treatment of PDD due to its central role in regulating the vicious cycle of molecular interactions.
FRONTIERS IN AGING NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Eleanor Sinclair, Drupad K. Trivedi, Depanjan Sarkar, Caitlin Walton-Doyle, Joy Milne, Tilo Kunath, Anouk M. Rijs, Rob M. A. de Bie, Royston Goodacre, Monty Silverdale, Perdita Barran
Summary: This study used metabolomics profiling to identify changes in lipids in the sebum of PD patients, with alterations related to the carnitine shuttle, sphingolipid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, and fatty acid biosynthesis. The findings suggest sebum can be a potential source for identifying biomarkers for PD.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Md Ezazul Haque, Mahbuba Akther, Shofiul Azam, In-Su Kim, Yuxi Lin, Young-Ho Lee, Dong-Kug Choi
Summary: In Parkinson's disease, the aggregated alpha-synuclein in Lewy bodies and mitochondrial dysfunction play crucial roles in neurodegeneration, with interactions between aggregated alpha-synuclein and mitochondria potentially leading to neuronal loss, making it an emerging drug target for Parkinson's disease treatment.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Tommaso Schirinzi, Daniela Maftei, Francesco M. Passali, Piergiorgio Grillo, Henri Zenuni, Davide Mascioli, Riccardo Maurizi, Laura Loccisano, Martina Vincenzi, Anna Maria Rinaldi, Massimo Ralli, Stefano Di Girolamo, Alessandro Stefani, Roberta Lattanzi, Cinzia Severini, Nicola B. Mercuri
Summary: This study outlines the dynamics of the prokineticin-2 pathway in relation to the clinical-pathological features of Parkinson's disease by examining olfactory neurons of patients. The results show that prokineticin-2 expression is increased in Parkinson's disease and is directly correlated with the severity of motor symptoms. Additionally, the accumulation of oligomeric alpha-synuclein is associated with prokineticin-2 protein levels. These findings support prokineticin-2 as a potential target for Parkinson's disease and validate the use of olfactory neurons to reflect pathological changes of the disease.
ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Mahsa Heidari-Foroozan, Sahar Saeedi Moghaddam, Mohammad Keykhaei, Parnian Shobeiri, Sina Azadnajafabad, Zahra Esfahani, Negar Rezaei, Maryam Nasserinejad, Nazila Rezaei, Elham Rayzan, Zahra Shokri Varniab, Ali Golestani, Rosa Haghshenas, Farzad Kompani, Bagher Larijani, Farshad Farzadfar
Summary: This study examines the burden of leukemia and its risk factors in 21 countries and territories in the North Africa and Middle East region. The findings show a decline in the incidence and mortality rates of leukemia, but the overall burden has increased due to population growth and aging.
JOURNAL OF CANCER RESEARCH AND CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Fateme Gorgani, Zahra Esfahani, Seyyed-Hadi Ghamari, Erfan Ghasemi, Sina Azadnajafabad, Parnian Shobeiri, Esmaeil Mohammadi, Sahar Saeedi Moghaddam, Mohsen Abbasi-Kangevari, Nima Fattahi, Yeganeh Sharifnejad Tehrani, Yosef Farzi, Negar Rezaei, Bagher Larijani, Farshad Farzadfar
Summary: This study describes the burden and quality of care for cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases. The QCI varied considerably among countries, with low QCI countries needing organized action to control the burden and improve care quality.
JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Mohammad Keykhaei, Negar Rezaei, Shahin Roshani, Fateme Montazeri, Maryam Nasserinejad, Sina Azadnajafabad, Esmaeil Mohammadi, Erfan Ghasemi, Nazila Rezaei, Hossein Farrokhpour, Roham Foroumadi, Sayna Bagheri, Mana Moghimi, Bagher Larijani, Farshad Farzadfar
Summary: This study aimed to determine the age- and sex-specific population attributable fraction (PAF) for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in order to implement efficient preventive strategies. The results showed that younger individuals had higher PAF for hypertension compared to older individuals, and the attributable fractions were lower among hypertensive patients who received treatment.
BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Babak Arjmand, Hojat Dehghanbanadaki, Moein Yoosefi, Negar Rezaei, Sahar Mohammadi Fateh, Robabeh Ghodssi-Ghassemabadi, Niloufar Najjar, Shaghayegh Hosseinkhani, Akram Tayanloo-beik, Hossein Adibi, Farshad Farzadfar, Bagher Larijani, Farideh Razi
Summary: Plasma acylcarnitines and amino acids were found to be associated with hypertension in an Iranian population. After adjusting for confounders, C0, C12, C14:1, C14:2, and glycine were identified as potential predictors of stage 2 hypertension.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Lida Perseh, Maryam Peimani, Erfan Ghasemi, Ensieh Nasli-Esfahani, Negar Rezaei, Farshad Farzadfar, Bagher Larijani
Summary: This study aims to assess geographic inequalities in the prevalence, awareness of diagnosis, treatment coverage, and effective control of diabetes in 429 districts of Iran. Based on a nationwide cross-sectional survey, the study used a modeling method to estimate the prevalence, awareness, treatment coverage, and effective control of diabetes in all districts of Iran. The results showed significant differences in these measures across different geographical and socioeconomic scales.
BMC ENDOCRINE DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Esmaeil Mohammadi, Sahar Saeedi Moghaddam, Sina Azadnajafabad, Seyed Farzad Maroufi, Mohammad-Mahdi Rashidi, Mohammadreza Naderian, Ali Jafari, Guive Sharifi, Erfan Ghasemi, Nazila Rezaei, Mohammad -Reza Malekpour, Farzad Kompani, Negar Rezaei, Bagher Larijani, Farshad Farzadfar
Summary: This study aims to provide estimates of prevalence and incidence of central nervous system (CNS) cancers and their contributors in North Africa and the Middle East from 1990 to 2019. The results show that the burden of CNS cancers is increasing in the region with significant heterogeneity among countries. Improved early detection and healthcare access are needed to address the rising burden of CNS malignancies and bridge the inequalities.
WORLD NEUROSURGERY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Seyed Aria Nejadghaderi, Naser Ahmadi, Mohammad-Mahdi Rashidi, Ali Ghanbari, Maryam Noori, Mohsen Abbasi-Kangevari, Maryam Nasserinejad, Negar Rezaei, Moein Yoosefi, Nima Fattahi, Erfan Ghasemi, Yosef Farzi, Elham Abdolhamidi, Mahbobeh Darman, Shirin Djalalinia, Farshad Farzadfar
Summary: This study aimed to describe the age and sex pattern of physical activity domains, insufficient physical activity (IPA), the intensity of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and their associates at Iran's national and provincial levels in 2021. The prevalence of IPA was considerably high in Iran, and the health system should prioritize increasing physical activity, especially in urban areas and among females.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Hossein Mohammad-Beigi, Wahyu Wijaya, Mikkel Madsen, Yuya Hayashi, Ruifen Li, Tijs Albert Maria Rovers, Tanja Christine Jaeger, Alexander K. Buell, Anni Bygvra Hougaard, Jacob J. K. Kirkensgaard, Peter Westh, Richard Ipsen, Birte Svensson
Summary: In this study, the conformational stability and aggregation propensity of 13-lactoglobulin (13-Lg) and three types of caseins (CNs) were systematically evaluated. The results showed that 13-Lg was affected by heat treatment, while a-CN and 13-CN were influenced by Ca2+. The presence of CNs resulted in smaller mixed aggregates compared to pure 13-Lg aggregates. The study provides insight into how micro-structural assembly of milk proteins can be modulated to enable different functionalities in milk-based products.
FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
(2023)
Letter
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
JingJing Z. Zhu, Jennifer Manne-Goehler, Anubha Agarwal, Silver K. Bahendeka, Albertino Damasceno, Maja E. Marcus, Sahar Saeedi Moghaddam, Sebastian Vollmer, Mark D. Huffman, David Flood
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Hossein Nemati, Kamran Kaveh, Mohammad Reza Ejtehadi
Summary: Local environmental interactions play a crucial role in the success of a new mutant in structured populations. By considering spatial variations in resource concentration, this study investigates how these variations affect selection and fixation probability of advantageous or deleterious mutants. The results show that fitness heterogeneity and resource distribution period significantly impact fixation probability and fixation times. Furthermore, the study uncovers conditions under which a previously deleterious mutant becomes beneficial and highlights the influence of a "fitness shift" on fixation probability.
JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mehran Vaezi, Hossein Nejat Pishkenari, Mohammad Reza Ejtehadi
Summary: We evaluated the motion of fullerene as a nanocar wheel on graphene nanoribbons with strain gradients using molecular dynamics and theoretical approaches. The results showed that the motion of the fullerene became more directed and the driving force and diffusion coefficient increased with the increase of strain gradient. By applying successive strain gradients in perpendicular directions, we successfully steered the motion of the fullerene to desired target locations.
Letter
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Axel Leppert, Gefei Chen, Dilraj Lama, Cagla Sahin, Vaida Railaite, Olga Shilkova, Tina Arndt, Erik G. Marklund, David P. Lane, Anna Rising, Michael Landreh
Summary: Many protein condensates can convert to fibrillar aggregates, but the mechanisms are unclear. Spider silk proteins, spidroins, undergo liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) which suggests a regulatory switch. This study investigates the influence of protein sequence, ions, and regulatory domains on spidroin LLPS using microscopy and native mass spectrometry. The findings demonstrate that salting out-effects drive LLPS via low-affinity stickers in the repeat domains, and conditions that enable LLPS also cause dissociation of the dimeric C-terminal domain (CTD), priming it for aggregation. The study expands the stickers and spacers-model of phase separation with the concept of folded domains as conditional stickers.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mohammad Hossein Asgarshamsi, Mehrdad Mohammadpour Dehkordi, Hossein Mohammad Beigi, Afshin Fassihi, Lotfollah Saghaie
Summary: Novel inhibitors based on benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-1phenylmethanimine derivatives were designed to reduce aggregation in Alzheimer’s disease. The biological evaluation showed compound 5a and 7e as the most effective inhibitors of Aβ aggregation.
CHEMISTRY & BIODIVERSITY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Maryam Atabay, Mohammad Reza Ejtehadi
Summary: Protein P53, a tumor suppressor, plays a crucial role in various biological processes. The presence of abnormal wild-type P53 and its mutations at high concentrations may indicate pathological cancer. Due to its intrinsic disorder, finding structures to interact with this protein and its mutations is a challenge for using P53 as a biomarker for early cancer diagnosis. In this study, molecular dynamics simulation was used to investigate the interaction between wild-type P53 DBD and its mutations with an aptamer, providing a potential solution to this challenge.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Mikkel Madsen, Hossein Mohammad-Beigi, Peter Westh, Finn L. Aachmann, Birte Svensson
Summary: The complex coacervation between alginate and beta-lactoglobulin can be controlled by pH and temperature, making it suitable for different purposes. Detailed characterization of the coacervation process and particles provides insights into molecular interactions and the effects of external factors. These findings have implications for microencapsulation and drug delivery.