Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jun Sung Park, Kyonghwan Choe, Amjad Khan, Myeung Hoon Jo, Hyun Young Park, Min Hwa Kang, Tae Ju Park, Myeong Ok Kim
Summary: The aim of this study was to establish a functional in vitro co-cultured BBB model to investigate BBB-related physiological conditions. A co-cultured model consisting of brain-derived endothelial and astrocyte cells was successfully established on transwell membranes. The co-cultured model showed effective barrier properties and enhanced expression of tight junction proteins. Under disease conditions, the co-cultured model mimicked BBB damages. This in vitro BBB model can be a useful tool for studying BBB-related pathological and physiological processes.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Dongfang Xue, Ping Yang, Yanyu Yang, Yanan Wang, Kuntan Wu, Desheng Qi, Shuai Wang
Summary: Deoxynivalenol (DON), a commonly occurring mycotoxin in food, has raised concerns about public health. Research suggests that mitochondria are a key target for DON, and mitochondrial dysfunction plays a role in DON-induced gut epithelial barrier disruption.
FOOD AND CHEMICAL TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Karolina Kriauciunaite, Aida Kausyle, Justina Pajarskiene, Virginijus Tunaitis, Dmitry Lim, Alexei Verkhratsky, Augustas Pivoriunas
Summary: This study reveals impaired capacity of immortalized hippocampal astrocytes from 3xTG-AD mice to support BBB integrity in vitro, through paracrine mechanisms, which may represent an important factor underlying vascular abnormalities during the development of AD.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Lesha Pretorius, Carine Smith
Summary: This study investigates the effects of rooibos on gastrointestinal health, and the results suggest that rooibos extracts can improve intestinal integrity and functionality, potentially promoting gastrointestinal health.
JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Yongfu Wang, Jingjing Liu, Ziwei Huang, Yucui Li, Yuanyuan Liang, Chaodan Luo, Chen Ni, Jianhui Xie, Ziren Su, Jiannan Chen, Cailan Li
Summary: Coptisine has demonstrated therapeutic effects on ulcerative colitis by maintaining the integrity of the intestinal epithelial barrier, inhibiting apoptosis, and inflammatory response.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bo Zhao, Qiyang Yin, Yuxiang Fei, Jianping Zhu, Yanying Qiu, Weirong Fang, Yunman Li
Summary: This review summarizes the role of tight junction protein families in inflammation in the central nervous system and provides a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms by which inflammation disrupts the blood-brain barrier through the degradation of tight junction proteins.
ARCHIVES OF PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hyok-rae Cho, Bo-Young Kim, Koanhoi Kim, Dongjun Lee, Seong-Kug Eo, Yonghae Son
Summary: The expression of ZO-1 is upregulated during the differentiation of monocytes into dendritic cells in the presence of 27OHChol, and this upregulation is mediated by distinct signaling pathways. The coincidence of ZO-1 upregulation and dendritic cell differentiation suggests a potential role for ZO-1 in this process.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Simona Rossi, Mauro Cozzolino
Summary: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a neurological disease primarily affecting motor neurons, with neuroinflammatory processes playing a significant role in its pathogenesis. The dysregulation of RNA metabolism and its association with neuroinflammation in ALS remains poorly defined.
Article
Microbiology
Ruchika Bhatia, Shikha Sharma, Sanjay Kumar Bhadada, Mahendra Bishnoi, Kanthi Kiran Kondepudi
Summary: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is an endotoxin from Gram-negative bacteria that causes inflammatory diseases and gut barrier impairment. Probiotics are believed to be effective in treating inflammatory gut disorders. This study elucidated the protective role of indigenous lactic acid bacteria in ameliorating LPS-induced gut barrier impairment, as well as the dysbiosis caused by LPS treatment.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Zheyi Yan, Chunfang Wang, Zhijun Meng, Lu Gan, Rui Guo, Jing Liu, Wayne Bond Lau, Dina Xie, Jianli Zhao, Bernard L. Lopez, Theodore A. Christopher, Ulhas P. Naik, Xinliang Ma, Yajing Wang
Summary: This study reports for the first time that CTRP3 prevents diabetes-induced retinal vascular permeability by stabilizing the tight junctions of the iBRB and through the AMPK-dependent Occludin/Claudin-5 signaling pathway, critically affecting the development of NPDR.
Article
Cell Biology
Kyeong Ah Kim, Joo Hyun Jung, Yun Sook Choi, Seon Tae Kim
Summary: This study investigated the protective effects of wogonin on rhinovirus-induced tight junction disruption and its impact on the anti-inflammatory signaling molecules in human nasal epithelial cells. The results showed that wogonin can decrease the disruption of tight junctions caused by rhinovirus by suppressing inflammatory responses and the phosphorylation of Akt/NF-kappa B and ERK1/2. It also reduced reactive oxygen species generation and the production of inflammatory cytokines. These findings contribute to the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
INFLAMMATION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Zhi-Yuan Pan, Yu-Xiao Chang, Ni Han, Feng-Yi Hou, B. J. Yang Lee, Fa-Chao Zhi, Rui-Fu Yang, Yu-Jing Bi
Summary: Hydroxychloroquine has significant effects on the gut microbiota of mice, reducing microbial diversity and altering the relative abundance of certain bacterial phyla. However, short-term high dose HCQ challenge does not affect intestinal integrity and immune responses in mice. Special attention should be paid to the effects of HCQ on intestinal microecology in future clinical use.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Lanier Heyburn, Shataakshi Dahal, Rania Abutarboush, Eileen Reed, Rodrigo Urioste, Andrew Batuure, Donna Wilder, Stephen T. Ahlers, Joseph B. Long, Venkatasivasai Sujith Sajja
Summary: This study investigates the differential expression of various neuropathological proteins in different regions of the brain under different intensities and frequencies of blast exposure. The results suggest that there are no definitive patterns of changes in these proteins with increase in intensity and/or frequency of blast exposure in any particular region.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Lobna H. Khedr, Reem M. Eladawy, Noha N. Nassar, Muhammad A. E. Saad
Summary: Despite progress in understanding the pathogenesis of depression, current antidepressant treatments are not fully effective. This study proposes that CAN, a novel antidiabetic medication, may have anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects and could be a promising treatment for depression. The study also suggests the involvement of the TRY/KYN and AMPK/mTOR signaling pathways in the development of depressive disorder.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Jie Song, Yao Hu, Lifang Wang, Changjin Ao
Summary: The study aimed to explore the potential of Artemisia annua ethanol extract (AAE) as a preventive agent for mastitis. The results showed that AAE pretreatment could alleviate inflammatory injury and tight junction abnormalities, which was associated with the inhibition of NF-kappa B signaling and the downregulation of CD36 levels.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Rachel Waller, Yoshiki Hase, Julie E. Simpson, Paul R. Heath, Matthew Wyles, Rajesh N. Kalaria, Stephen B. Wharton
Summary: This study found that poststroke dementia (PSD) is associated with pathology in frontal brain regions, particularly in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) neurons and white matter. The neurons show defects in energy production, signaling and communication, while there are also communication and immune changes in astrocytes and endothelium. The findings suggest that PSD may be caused by dysfunction in DLPFC neurons and frontal white matter gliovascular unit (GVU), and targeting these processes could potentially ameliorate PSD.
TRANSLATIONAL STROKE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Johnathan Cooper-Knock, Thomas H. Julian, Emily Feneberg, J. Robin Highley, Maurice Sidra, Martin R. Turner, Kevin Talbot, Olaf Ansorge, Scott P. Allen, Tobias Moll, Tatyana Shelkovnikova, Lydia Castelli, Guillaume M. Hautbergue, Christopher Hewitt, Janine Kirby, Stephen B. Wharton, Richard J. Mead, Pamela J. Shaw
Summary: We describe a multi-generational pedigree of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with an autosomal dominant, fully penetrant mutation in the TDP-43 gene. The hallmark pathology of ALS is the mislocalization of TDP-43 and the formation of insoluble TDP-43-positive neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions. While the lower motor neurons showed typical TDP-43 pathology, the motor cortex did not show classical TDP-43-positive inclusions. Despite reduced overall TDP-43 protein expression, the mutated allele was transcribed and translated in patient fibroblasts and motor cortex tissue. Furthermore, the motor cortex tissue carrying the mutation showed atypical TDP-43 protein species but not typical C-terminal fragments. Our findings suggest that the p.Y374X mutation is responsible for a monogenic, fully penetrant form of ALS and expands the molecular phenotypes associated with TDP-43 mutations and ALS.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Pranetha Baskaran, Simeon R. Mihaylov, Elin Vinsland, Kriti Shah, Lucy Granat, Sila K. Ultanir, Andrew R. Tee, Jernej Murn, Joseph M. Bateman
Summary: The RNA-binding protein Unkempt is identified as a novel substrate of mTORC1, which is regulated by nutrient levels and growth factors. Unkempt is phosphorylated by mTORC1 through its interaction with the regulatory-associated protein Raptor. Phosphorylation within a serine-rich region in the C-terminal half of Unkempt affects its ability to regulate cellular morphogenesis.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Giulia Lambiase, Kerensa Klottrup-Rees, Clare Lovelady, Salma Ali, Samuel Shepherd, Maurizio Muroni, Vivian Lindo, David C. James, Mark J. Dickman
Summary: High-throughput screening methods have transformed biopharmaceutical development by reducing costs and accelerating the launch of new drug products. Scale-down cell culture systems, such as shaken 24- and 96-deep-well plates, are used for initial screening of recombinant mammalian clonal cell lines to select strains with optimal expression of product quality attributes. This study integrates high-throughput analysis of aggregation-prone therapeutic proteins with 96-deep well plate screening to rank clones based on protein aggregation levels.
JOURNAL OF CHROMATOGRAPHY A
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
David M. Williams, Sally B. Morton, L. David Finger, Roxanne van der Sluijs, William D. Mulcrone, Michael Hodskinson, Christopher L. Millington, Christina Vanhinsbergh, Ketan J. Patel, Mark J. Dickman, Puck Knipscheer, Jane A. Grasby
Summary: DNA cross-link (ICLs) can cause lethal events such as cancer or bone marrow failure during replication and transcription. The Fanconi Anemia (FA) pathway proteins are responsible for repairing ICLs, but the details of the pathway are not fully known. Methods to create DNA containing ICLs are crucial for further understanding cross-link repair. A major method to form ICLs in vivo is through DNA reaction with acetaldehyde from ethanol metabolism. This research presents an efficient approach using a novel N2-((R)-4-trifluoroacetamidobutan-2-yl)-2'-deoxyguanosine phosphoramidite for preparing reduced acetaldehyde ICLs. The simplicity, efficiency, and stability of this method will contribute to future studies on cross-link repair.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Philip J. Jackson, Andrew Hitchcock, Amanda A. Brindley, Mark J. Dickman, C. Neil Hunter
Summary: Quantifying cellular components is crucial for understanding cellular processes and re-engineering cells. In this study, proteins in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 were quantified using mass spectrometry, revealing important insights into chlorophyll biosynthesis, photosynthesis, and other metabolic processes. The abundance and disparities of different components suggest potential control points for biosynthetic processes and complex assembly.
PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH
(2023)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Julie E. Simpson
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Sarah E. Flannery, Federica Pastorelli, Thomas Z. Emrich-Mills, Stuart A. Casson, C. Neil Hunter, Mark J. Dickman, Philip J. Jackson, Matthew P. Johnson
Summary: Plants adjust photosynthetic protein abundance to changing light intensity, but plants lacking STN7 gene still experience high PSII redox pressure in low light conditions.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Mohammed D. Rajab, Emmanuel Jammeh, Teruka Taketa, Carol Brayne, Fiona E. Matthews, Li Su, Paul G. Ince, Stephen B. Wharton, Dennis Wang
Summary: This study applies machine learning approaches to identify critical features of Alzheimer-related pathologies associated with dementia. Results show that Braak neurofibrillary tangle stage, beta-amyloid, and cerebral amyloid angiopathy are the most important features for dementia classification. The best-performing dementia classifier achieved 79% sensitivity, 69% specificity, and 75% precision using the top eight neuropathological features.
ALZHEIMERS RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Christina Vanhinsbergh, Elliot C. Hook, Nicola Oxby, Mark J. Dickman
Summary: In this study, a method for analyzing closely related oligonucleotides and oligonucleotide manufacturing impurities was developed by optimizing different 1D-LC methods and coupling two orthogonal chromatographic modes in a 2D-LC workflow. The method resulted in an increased orthogonality and a reduction in co-elution, and the application of a UV based reference mapping strategy reduced the analytical complexity and reliance on mass-based detection methods.
JOURNAL OF CHROMATOGRAPHY B-ANALYTICAL TECHNOLOGIES IN THE BIOMEDICAL AND LIFE SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Stephen B. E. Wharton, Julie E. G. Simpson, Paul G. D. Ince, Connor D. Richardson, Richard E. Merrick, Fiona E. Matthews, Carol Brayne, CFAS
Summary: The epidemiological neuropathology perspective of population studies provides insights on the prevalence of different pathologies related to late-life dementia. Major findings from the Cognitive Function and Ageing Study (CFAS) and other studies indicate a high prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and vascular pathology in the ageing brain. Pathologies such as TDP-43 encephalopathy, ageing-related tau astrogliopathy, and primary age-related tauopathies also contribute to late-life dementia.
NEUROPATHOLOGY AND APPLIED NEUROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Simeon R. Mihaylov, Lydia M. Castelli, Ya-Hui Lin, Aytac Gul, Nikita Soni, Christopher Hastings, Helen R. Flynn, Oana Paun, Mark J. Dickman, Ambrosius P. Snijders, Robert Goldstone, Oliver Bandmann, Tatyana A. Shelkovnikova, Heather Mortiboys, Sila K. Ultanir, Guillaume M. Hautbergue
Summary: The RS domain of PGC-1α directly interacts with RNA and the nuclear RNA export receptor NXF1, and this RNA-binding activity is required for the nuclear export of mitochondrial-related mRNAs and mitochondrial homeostasis.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
