Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yining Zhang, Tingting Meng, Jianan Chen, Ying Zhang, Jianning Kang, Xinyu Li, Guilian Yu, Lige Tian, Zhengxin Jin, Hui Dong, Xiaodi Zhang, Bin Ning
Summary: Our study found that miR-21a-5p has effects on the induction of A1 astrocytes and revealed the potential mechanism. Additionally, CNTF was shown to inhibit the transformation of naive astrocytes into A1s.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Olesja Bondarenko, Mart Saarma
Summary: Neurotrophic factors (NTFs) are essential for neuronal development and survival but face challenges in delivery to the brain due to the blood-brain barrier. Nanoparticles (NPs) show promise in stabilizing and transporting NTFs across the BBB, offering a potential solution to systemic delivery.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Min-Ho Nam, Moonsun Sa, Yeon Ha Ju, Mingu Gordon Park, C. Justin Lee
Summary: This study shows that in Parkinson's disease, MAOB is involved in the aberrant synthesis of GABA and H2O2 in reactive astrocytes, leading to gradual damage and death of dopaminergic neurons.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alberto Sanchez, Ingrid Morales, Clara Rodriguez-Sabate, Miguel Sole-Sabater, Manuel Rodriguez
Summary: Currently, there is no efficient treatment to prevent the evolution of Parkinson's disease, which is generated by the concurrent activity of multiple factors, posing a serious obstacle for the development of etio-pathogenic treatments. Astrocytes may play a key role in controlling the main causes of PD and promoting their neuroprotection activity to prevent the onset and progression of this basal ganglia disorder.
Review
Neurosciences
Vera Kovaleva, Mart Saarma
Summary: Parkinson's disease pathology involves progressive degeneration of dopamine neurons due to protein misfolding and Ca2+ dysregulation in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Recent studies have shown that the neurotrophic factor MANF exerts a prosurvival effect on dopamine neurons by regulating the unfolded protein response (UPR). Growth factors with neurorestorative activity and the ability to regulate ER stress may serve as promising drug candidates for PD treatment, especially those that can penetrate the blood-brain barrier.
JOURNAL OF PARKINSONS DISEASE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Kyoung In Kim, Jeong Yeob Baek, Young Cheul Chung, Jin Han Nam, Won-Ho Shin, Byung Kwan Jin
Summary: This study demonstrates that astrocytes produce endogenous CNTF through TRPV1-p70S6K signaling, which plays a neuroprotective role in Parkinson's disease. The findings suggest that targeting astrocytic TRPV1-p70S6K signaling may be a novel therapeutic strategy for PD.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Julia Konovalova, Dmytro Gerasymchuk, Sergio Navarette Arroyo, Sven Kluske, Francesca Mastroianni, Alba Vargas Pereyra, Andrii Domanskyi
Summary: This study demonstrated for the first time the direct regulation of MANF and CDNF expression by specific miRNAs, revealing the mechanism and specificity of miRNAs in regulating these neurotrophic factors. The findings emphasize the complexity and importance of miRNA regulation of target genes, providing a new theoretical basis for further research on neuroprotective treatment strategies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Editorial Material
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Jun Takahashi
Summary: These two papers demonstrate the induction of dopaminergic neurons from human embryonic stem cells and lay the foundation for future clinical trials.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Claudio Giuliano, Miriam Francavilla, Gerardo Ongari, Alessandro Petese, Cristina Ghezzi, Nora Rossini, Fabio Blandini, Silvia Cerri
Summary: The study found that CBD has the potential therapeutic effects on Parkinson's disease, reducing neurodegeneration, dampening neuroinflammatory responses, and improving motor performance. Specifically, CBD has a preferential action on astrocytes and activates the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1, enhancing the endogenous neuroprotective response.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Rolando Lara-Rodarte, Daniel Cortes, Karla Soriano, Francia Carmona, Luisa Rocha, Enrique Estudillo, Adolfo Lopez-Ornelas, Ivan Velasco
Summary: This study engineered mouse ESCs to produce human GDNF, showing that overexpression of GDNF contributes to enhanced midbrain differentiation and increased survival of DaNs after grafting into the striatum.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Tamara Andrea Alarcon, Sarah Martins Presti-Silva, Ana Paula Toniato Simoes, Fabiola Mara Ribeiro, Rita Gomes Wanderley Pires
Summary: Parkinson's disease is a common movement disorder affecting 1% of people over 60 years old. It is characterized by motor symptoms and the loss of dopaminergic neurons. In addition to neuronal loss, the disease is also characterized by the accumulation of alpha-synuclein protein aggregates. Environmental enrichment, including exercise and cognitive stimulus, has been studied as a potential treatment strategy for Parkinson's disease. It can promote neurogenesis and change gene expression, as well as modulate neurotransmission, providing neuroprotection in animal models.
NEURAL REGENERATION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Wei Wei, Yinghua Liu, Chun-Ling Dai, Narjes Baazaoui, Yunn Chyn Tung, Fei Liu, Khalid Iqbal
Summary: Alzheimer's disease is characterized by cognitive impairment and loss of synaptic plasticity, and early treatment with P021 during development can prevent cognitive dysfunction and ameliorate synaptic protein deficit in AD mouse models.
JOURNAL OF ALZHEIMERS DISEASE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yi Zhou, Panayiotis E. Stevis, Jing Cao, Kei Saotome, Jiaxi Wu, Arielle Glatman Zaretsky, Sokol Haxhinasto, George D. Yancopoulos, Andrew J. Murphy, Mark W. Sleeman, William C. Olson, Matthew C. Franklin
Summary: This article presents the cryo-electron microscopy structures of five signaling complexes of the IL-6 family cytokines, revealing their assembly and molecular interactions. The structures provide insights for therapeutic targeting of gp130-mediated signaling.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Cameron P. J. Hunt, Vanessa Penna, Carlos W. Gantner, Niamh Moriarty, Yi Wang, Stephanie Franks, Charlotte M. Ermine, Isabelle R. de Luzy, Chiara Pavan, Benjamin M. Long, Richard J. Williams, Lachlan H. Thompson, David R. Nisbet, Clare L. Parish
Summary: This study suggests that using tissue-specific hydrogels can improve the survival and integration of hPSC-derived DA progenitors as transplants, resulting in enhanced motor function in PD patients. By incorporating specific epitopes and sustained release of the neurotrophic factor GDNF within the hydrogel, A9 neuron specification and graft plasticity were improved, leading to significant motor deficit improvements.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Piniel Alphayo Kambey, Kouminin Kanwore, Abiola Abdulrahman Ayanlaja, Iqra Nadeem, YinZhen Du, Wokuheleza Buberwa, WenYa Liu, Dianshuai Gao
Summary: Parkinson's disease is a common neurodegenerative disorder with unknown etiology, making it challenging to develop effective therapies. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) has shown promise in preclinical studies but has yielded equivocal clinical results. Recent research suggests that the failure of GDNF in clinical trials may be due to a deficiency in nuclear receptor-related factor 1 (Nurr1), which presents a potential therapeutic target for PD.
FRONTIERS IN AGING NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Pathology
Chang Gok Woo, Seung-Myoung Son, Eung-Gook Kim, Ok-Jun Lee
Summary: This study investigated the use of pSlug(S158) as a marker for detecting mitosis and counting mitoses in the histological grading of meningioma. The results showed that pSlug(S158) is a useful and practical marker that is significantly associated with recurrence-free survival in meningioma patients.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SURGICAL PATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Jude P. J. Savarraj, Devin W. W. McBride, Eunsu Park, Sarah Hinds, Atzhiry Paz, Aaron Gusdon, Xuefang Ren, Sheng Pan, Hilda Ahnstedt, Gabriela Delevati Colpo, Eunhee Kim, Zhongming Zhao, Louise McCullough, Huimahn Alex Choi
Summary: Plasma level of leucine-rich alpha-2-glycoprotein 1 (LRG1) is associated with disease severity, delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI), and functional outcomes after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). However, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) level of LRG1 is not associated with disease severity or occurrence of DCI. LRG1 may serve as a biomarker for SAH severity and prediction of DCI.
NEUROCRITICAL CARE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Sukmin Han, Seokyoung Bang, Hong Nam Kim, Nakwon Choi, Sung Hyun Kim
Summary: The central nervous system is composed of different neural circuits, each with its own functions and properties. Studying these circuits is crucial for understanding brain function and neuronal diseases. Microfluidic systems are commonly used for studying neural circuits but require improvement for better modulation and monitoring of circuit properties. This study presents an improved microfluidic device that allows electrical modulation and proper reassembly of neural circuits. The device was shown to be capable of electrically modulating and monitoring the physiological function of neural circuits with genetic indicators for synaptic functionality. Our findings demonstrate that this improved microfluidic platform is an invaluable tool for studying the physiological properties of specific neural circuits.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Dong-Hwa Lee, Bumhee Yang, Seonhye Gu, Eung-Gook Kim, Youlim Kim, Hyung Koo Kang, Yeong Hun Choe, Hyun Jeong Jeon, Seungyong Park, Hyun Lee
Summary: This study investigated the yearly trend of influenza vaccination and factors associated with being unvaccinated for influenza in subjects with diabetes over the past decade. The results showed that the prevalence of influenza vaccination in subjects with diabetes tended to increase every year, reaching almost 60% in 2019. Younger age, males, smoking, low-income status, high education level, and poor glycemic control were associated with being unvaccinated.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Won-Suk Choi, Sol Oh, Khristine Joy C. Antigua, Ju Hwan Jeong, Beom Kyu Kim, Yu Soo Yun, Da Hyeon Kang, Seong Cheol Min, Byung-Kwan Lim, Won Seop Kim, Ji-Hyuk Lee, Eung-Gook Kim, Young Ki Choi, Yun Hee Baek, Min-Suk Song
Summary: Due to the broad spread, incidence, and genetic divergence of enteroviruses (EVs), it has been challenging to deal with this virus that causes severe human diseases. Therefore, an efficient and universal cloning system for the reverse genetics of highly divergent EVs contributes to an understanding of the viral pathology and molecular mechanisms of evolution.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Min-Ho Nam, Hae Young Ko, Dongwoo Kim, Sangwon Lee, Yongmin Mason Park, Seung Jae Hyeon, Woojin Won, Jee-In Chung, Seon Yoo Kim, Han Hee Jo, Kyeong Taek Oh, Young-Eun Han, Gwan-Ho Lee, Yeon Ha Ju, Hyowon Lee, Hyunjin Kim, Jaejun Heo, Mridula Bhalla, Ki Jung Kim, Jea Kwon, Thor D. Stein, Mingyu Kong, Hyunbeom Lee, Seung Eun Lee, Soo-Jin Oh, Joong-Hyun Chun, Mi-Ae Park, Ki Duk Park, Hoon Ryu, Mijin Yun, C. Justin Lee
Summary: This study discovered that PET imaging with C-11-acetate and F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-18-FDG) can functionally visualize the reactive astrocyte-mediated neuronal hypometabolism in brains with neuroinflammation and AD. The alterations of acetate and glucose metabolism in diseased brains and their impact on AD pathology were investigated using various approaches. The findings suggest the potential value of PET imaging with C-11-acetate and F-18-FDG in visualizing reactive astrogliosis and associated neuronal glucose hypometabolism for AD patients.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Francesca De Lorenzo, Patrick Luningschror, Jinhan Nam, Liam Beckett, Federica Pilotto, Emilia Galli, Paivi Lindholm, Cora Rudt von Collenberg, Simon Tii Mungwa, Sibylle Jablonka, Julia Kauder, Nadine Thau-Habermann, Susanne Petri, Dan Lindholm, Smita Saxena, Michael Sendtner, Mart Saarma, Merja H. Voutilainen
Summary: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects motor neurons and has no cure or effective therapy. This study investigates the therapeutic effect of cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor in rodent models of ALS and shows that it significantly halts disease progression and improves motor behavior. Cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor rescues motor neurons from endoplasmic reticulum stress-related cell death and enhances motor neuron survival.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jun-Yeun Cho, Seung-Jung Kim, Chang-Gok Woo, Soon-Kil Kwon, Kang-Hyeon Choe, Eung-Gook Kim, Yoon-Mi Shin
Summary: Altered lung HSP-70 expression is associated with the severity of sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). In the CKD group, the severity of sepsis-induced ALI was higher and enhanced lung HSP-70 expression was not observed. This study suggests that altered lung HSP-70 expression is related to the worsening of sepsis-induced ALI in CKD patients.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ju Hwan Jeong, Woong Hee Lee, Seong Cheol Min, Beom Kyu Kim, On Bi Park, Santosh Chokkakula, Seong Ju Ahn, Sol Oh, Ji-Hyun Park, Ji Won Jung, Ji Min Jung, Eung-Gook Kim, Min-Suk Song
Summary: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic highlights the urgent need for effective antiviral agents and vaccines. Drug repositioning, which involves modifying existing drugs, offers a promising approach for expediting the development of novel therapeutics. In this study, we developed a new drug, MDB-601a-NM, by modifying the existing drug nafamostat (NM) with the incorporation of glycyrrhizic acid (GA). We evaluated the pharmacokinetic profiles, toxicity, and efficacy of MDB-601a-NM in animal models and found that it showed sustained drug concentration, potential toxicity at high doses, and improved protectivity against SARS-CoV-2 infection.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Jun Yeun Cho, Mi Yeon Kim, Ji Hyoun Kim, Eung-Gook Kim, Sun-Hyung Kim, Bumhee Yang, Hyeran Kang, Ki Man Lee, Kang Hyeon Choe, Yoon Mi Shin
Summary: Recent studies have shown that the lower airway microbiome may be important in the development and progression of interstitial lung disease (ILD). The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of the respiratory microbiome in ILD patients. The study found that species diversity and richness were lower in the most-affected lesions compared to the least-affected lesions, but taxonomic abundance patterns were similar. The prevalence of the Fusobacteria phylum was higher in fibrotic ILD than in nonfibrotic ILD.
Article
Microbiology
Beom Kyu Kim, Won-Suk Choi, Ju Hwan Jeong, Sol Oh, Ji-Hyun Park, Yu Soo Yun, Seong Cheol Min, Da Hyeon Kang, Eung-Gook Kim, Hojin Ryu, Hye Kwon Kim, Yun Hee Baek, Young Ki Choi, Min-Suk Song
Summary: The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants in late 2020 has raised global public health concerns. In this study, a method using circular polymerase extension cloning (CPEC) is demonstrated to efficiently generate full-length clones of SARS-CoV-2 variants. This method is valuable for studying the molecular characteristics of emerging variants and for the development and testing of vaccines and antivirals.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Ju Hwan Jeong, Jang-Hoon Choi, Beom Kyu Kim, Seong Cheol Min, Santosh Chokkakula, Sol Oh, Ji-Hyun Park, Sang-Mu Shim, Eung-Gook Kim, Young Ki Choi, Joo-Yeon Lee, Yun Hee Baek, Min-Suk Song
Summary: Although the COVID-19 pandemic has been declared a global public health emergency by the World Health Organization on May 5, 2023, SARS-CoV-2 remains a significant health threat worldwide, causing numerous infections and deaths. This study investigated the antiviral potential of a novel protease inhibitor called Z-FA-FMK (FMK) against SARS-CoV-2 infection using both in vitro and in vivo models. The results showed that FMK demonstrated potent inhibition against various SARS-CoV-2 strains with similar or superior efficacy compared to FDA-approved antivirals. In vivo experiments in mice also revealed improved survival rates and accelerated recovery with FMK treatment.
ANTIVIRAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Sun-Hyung Kim, Seonhye Gu, Jung-Ae Kim, YoHan Im, Jun Yeun Cho, Youlim Kim, Yoon Mi Shin, Eung-Gook Kim, Ki Man Lee, Kang Hyeon Choe, Hyun Lee, Bumhee Yang
Summary: A study based on a nationwide survey found a correlation between oral health status and airflow limitation (AFL). Furthermore, the study revealed that oral health is associated with the severity of AFL. The research showed that denture wearing, high DMFT index, and fewer permanent teeth (0-19) are significantly associated with AFL.
JOURNAL OF KOREAN MEDICAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kwang Wook Min, Namsuk Kim, Jae Hoon Lee, Younghoon Sung, Museong Kim, Eun Jung Lee, Jong-Myeong Kim, Jae-Hyun Kim, Jaeyoung Lee, Wonjin Cho, Jee Myung Yang, Nury Kim, Jaehoon Kim, C. Justin Lee, Young-Gyun Park, Seung-Hee Lee, Han-Woong Lee, Jin Woo Kim
Summary: The protein Vax1 is crucial for the development of binocular vision, as it regulates the growth of optic nerves and the formation of the optic chiasm. A mutant Vax1 was found to impair the optic nerve growth and connectivity, leading to impaired depth perception and low vision. This study highlights the importance of Vax1 in visual development.
EXPERIMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Bumhee Yang, Bo-Guen Kim, Kyungdo Han, Jin-Hyung Jung, Ji Hyoun Kim, Dong Won Park, Sang-Heon Kim, Eung-Gook Kim, Jang Won Sohn, Ho Joo Yoon, Hayoung Choi, Hyun Lee
Summary: The risk of incident bronchiectasis is significantly higher in individuals with systemic sclerosis compared to those without the disease, indicating bronchiectasis as a pulmonary manifestation related to systemic sclerosis.
ARTHRITIS RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2023)
