Review
Immunology
Jiahui Ding, Anthony Maxwell, Nicholas Adzibolosu, Anna Hu, Yuan You, Aihua Liao, Gil Mor
Summary: Pregnancy is a unique condition where the maternal immune system adapts in response to fetal development and environmental signals. The placenta plays a crucial role in regulating maternal immune function and protecting the fetus from dangerous signals. Type I interferon and its downstream genes are important for maintaining pregnancy and responding to infections. Disruption of this signaling pathway can lead to complications and compromise fetal development.
IMMUNOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sakshi Kamboj, Akanksha Rajput, Amber Rastogi, Anamika Thakur, Manoj Kumar
Summary: This study developed the Anti-HCV platform using machine learning and QSAR approaches to predict repurposed drugs targeting HCV non-structural proteins. Different machine learning techniques were used to develop predictive models, which were validated through molecular docking. Promising repurposed drugs were identified, which may be useful in antiviral drug development against HCV.
COMPUTATIONAL AND STRUCTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Kai Wang, Chao Yang, Haibin Li, Xiaoyan Liu, Meiling Zheng, Zixue Xuan, Zhiqiang Mei, Haiyong Wang
Summary: JMJD6 is a histone demethylase belonging to the Jumonji domain family, involved in the regulation of transcription, chromatin structure, epigenetics, and genome integrity. Abnormal expression of JMJD6 is associated with various tumors and it also regulates the immune response. Targeting the JMJD6 gene may be a promising strategy for cancer therapy.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Hye-Jin Shin, Mi-Hwa Kim, Joo-Youn Lee, Insu Hwang, Gun-Young Yoon, Hae-Soo Kim, Young-Chan Kwon, Dae-Gyun Ahn, Kyun-Do Kim, Bum-Tae Kim, Seong-Jun Kim, Chonsaeng Kim
Summary: The Zika virus and dengue virus are closely related and may exacerbate disease when circulating together. A potential drug has been discovered to effectively inhibit the infection of both viruses, showing promise for the development of more potent antiviral drugs.
Article
Biophysics
Xiaocong Cao, Kaixian Liu, Shannon Yan, Sai Li, Yajuan Li, Tengchuan Jin, Shixin Liu
Summary: The helicase activity of ZIKV NS3 is enhanced by external forces weakening the stability of RNA duplexes, while the protease domain of NS3 increases the binding affinity to RNA. These findings reveal the mechanism of activation of ZIKV NS3 helicase during viral replication.
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Xiaochun Xie, Jianxiong Zeng
Summary: Zika virus targets neural stem cells and progenitor cells, causing fetal microcephaly and other congenital malformations. The virus has developed a complex strategy of neuroimmune evasion to facilitate viral pathogenesis, especially in embryonic brain development.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Zijun Zhang, Fenghuang Zhan
Summary: Type 2 cystatins are a group of small secreted protease inhibitors that play important roles in regulating cellular processes related to immune response and tumor progression. This review provides an overview of the biological similarities and differences of type 2 cystatins, their regulatory effect on human immune responses, and their roles in tumor progression, immune evasion, and metastasis.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Manabu Taura, John A. Frank, Takehiro Takahashi, Yong Kong, Eriko Kudo, Eric Song, Maria Tokuyama, Akiko Iwasaki
Summary: APOBEC3A (A3A) can suppress gene expression by binding specific DNA sequences, affecting the expression of genes involved in antiviral responses and type I IFN signaling. Additionally, A3A impacts IFN-I induced gene expression by inhibiting a specific signaling pathway. This study reveals an unexpected role of A3A in the IFN signaling pathway.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Hafiza N. Saleem, Summara Kousar, Ammar Hassan Jiskani, Iqra Sohail, Amir Faisal, Muhammad Saeed
Summary: Dengue fever, a neglected vector-borne disease, is more prevalent in Asia and currently has no specific treatment. Drug repurposing from a library of small anticancer molecules found four potent inhibitors of the dengue virus NS2B/NS3 protease, namely ABT263, ABT737, AT101, and TW37. These inhibitors have the potential to be developed into specific anti-dengue therapeutics.
ARCHIV DER PHARMAZIE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yanchao Gu, Jingjing Tang, Fuhua Zhang, Yichen Qu, Min Zhao, Mengyuan Li, Zhen Xie, Xiao Wang, Li Song, Zhengfan Jiang, Yao Wang, Xihui Shen, Lei Xu
Summary: Divalent metal ions such as Mn2+ and Zn2+ have immunostimulatory effects and can enhance the expression of genes involved in innate immune responses induced by lipopolysaccharide. The enhancement of gene expression by Mn2+ is dose-dependent and partially relies on the cGAS-STING pathway independent of TLR4. Mn2+ has the potential to be a therapeutic target for preventing excessive immune responses.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jiawei Cheng, Shasha Feng, Yaoliang Zhang, Tong Ding, Hailun Jiang, Zhigang Zhang, Jian Wang, Xuejun Wang, Maosheng Cheng
Summary: Dengue virus (DENV) is the most widespread arbovirus in the world. Potent NS2B-NS3 covalent inhibitors with increased enzymatic activities and no cellular toxicity have been discovered. Comprehensive structure-activity relationship analysis provides informative understanding of the binding modes of covalent inhibitors targeting NS2B-NS3.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Shuo Ni, Yin Yuan, Yanbin Kuang, Xiaolin Li
Summary: This article discusses the role of iron in immune regulation, particularly in macrophage polarization, T-cell activation, and B-cell antibody response. It also explores the correlations between iron and diseases such as cancer and aging degenerative diseases, as well as therapeutic strategies targeting those diseases.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Suzanne J. F. Kaptein, Olivia Goethals, Dominik Kiemel, Arnaud Marchand, Bart Kesteleyn, Jean-Francois Bonfanti, Dorothee Bardiot, Bart Stoops, Tim H. M. Jonckers, Kai Dallmeier, Peggy Geluykens, Kim Thys, Marjolein Crabbe, Laurent Chatel-Chaix, Max Muenster, Gilles Querat, Franck Touret, Xavier de Lamballerie, Pierre Raboisson, Kenny Simmen, Patrick Chaltin, Ralf Bartenschlager, Marnix Van Loock, Johan Neyts
Summary: JNJ-A07 is a highly potent inhibitor of dengue virus, showing nanomolar to picomolar activity against a panel of 21 clinical isolates. It prevents the formation of viral replication complex by blocking the interaction between NS3 and NS4B proteins, revealing a previously undescribed mechanism of antiviral action. The molecule has a favorable pharmacokinetic profile and exhibits outstanding efficacy in mouse infection models, even when treatment is initiated at peak viraemia.
Article
Immunology
Young-In Kim, Eun-Je Yi, Young-Dae Kim, A. Reum Lee, Jiwoung Chung, Hae Chan Ha, Joong Myung Cho, Seong-Ryeol Kim, Hyun-Jeong Ko, Jae-Hee Cheon, Yong Rae Hong, Sun-Young Chang
Summary: The novel drug CG-598 showed significant anti-inflammatory effects in an experimental murine colitis model, enhancing barrier function, reducing inflammatory lesions, and decreasing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Sameer Ahmed Bhat, Zahra Vasi, Ritika Adhikari, Anish Gudur, Asceal Ali, Liping Jiang, Rachel Ferguson, David Liang, Shafi Kuchay
Summary: This article summarizes the role of the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) and E3 ligases in immune-related diseases. It discusses the involvement of deregulated E3 ligases/UPS components in lymphomas, neurodevelopmental abnormalities, and cancers. The article also highlights the potential of targeting E3 ligases for therapeutic intervention.
CURRENT OPINION IN COLLOID & INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Raymond T. Chung, Wendy C. King, Marc G. Ghany, Mauricio Lisker-Melman, Amanda S. Hinerman, Mandana Khalili, Mark Sulkowski, Mamta K. Jain, Eun-Young K. Choi, Michael A. Nalesnik, Atul K. Bhan, Gavin Cloherty, David K. Wong, Richard K. Sterling
Summary: This study evaluated the role of HBV RNA and HBcrAg in characterizing HBV-HIV coinfection and found that the use of novel HBV markers can continue to improve the suppression of HBV transcription and translation in suppressive dually active antiviral therapy. However, for HBeAg patients, the benefit of combination antiviral therapy is limited.
CLINICAL GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Letter
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Marc G. Ghany, Wendy C. King, Mauricio Lisker-Melman, Anna S. F. Lok, Norah Terrault, Harry L. A. Janssen, Mandana Khalili, Raymond T. Chung, William M. Lee, Daryl T. Y. Lau, Gavin A. Cloherty, Richard K. Sterling
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
David Yardeni, Marc G. Ghany
Summary: This review provides a concise overview of current and emerging treatment options for chronic hepatitis B. Currently approved treatments do not offer a complete cure, but recent advancements in viral lifecycle understanding and drug delivery technologies have led to the development of novel therapeutic approaches that are currently being evaluated in clinical trials.
ALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS
(2022)
Letter
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Mandana Khalili, David E. Kleiner, Wendy C. King, Richard K. Sterling, Marc G. Ghany, Raymond T. Chung, Atul K. Bhan, Philip Rosenthal, Mauricio Lisker-Melman, Rageshree Ramachandran, Anna S. Lok
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Andinet Gizaw, Wendy C. King, Amanda S. Hinerman, Raymond T. Chung, Mauricio Lisker-Melman, Marc G. Ghany, Mandana Khalili, Mamta K. Jain, Jacob Graham, Theresa Swift-Scanlan, David E. Kleiner, Mark Sulkowski, David K. Wong, Richard K. Sterling
Summary: This study suggests that TDF use in HBV-HIV co-infected adults can lead to worsening renal function and bone turnover.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Mauricio Lisker-Melman, Abdus S. Wahed, Marc G. Ghany, Raymond T. Chung, Wendy C. King, David E. Kleiner, Atul K. Bhan, Mandana Khalili, Mamta K. Jain, Mark Sulkowski, David K. Wong, Gavin Cloherty, Richard K. Sterling
Summary: In patients coinfected with HBV and HIV, HBV RNA and HBcrAg can still be detected despite viral suppression, and their levels are associated with the extent of HBsAg and HBcAg staining in liver cells. This suggests that residual transcription and translation may contribute to liver pathology even when viral replication is suppressed.
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
David Yardeni, Kyong-Mi Chang, Marc G. Ghany
Summary: Hepatitis B virus is a major cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and despite the availability of an effective vaccine, chronic infection continues to be prevalent. Current therapies are effective at suppressing the virus during treatment, but do not provide long-term viral suppression. There is a need for novel therapies that can achieve functional or complete cure by targeting key components of the virus. This review discusses current best practices for managing chronic HBV infection and new emerging therapies with the potential for a cure.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Niharika Samala, Richard Y. Wang, Sungyoung Auh, Abdalla Kara Balla, Lara Dakhoul, Harvey J. Alter, Patrizia Farci, Marwan Ghabril, Michael R. Lucey, Amol S. Rangnekar, K. Rajender Reddy, Marc G. Ghany
Summary: Hepatitis E virus infection is more prevalent in organ transplant recipients, especially among older individuals and those who have undergone kidney transplantation. The detection of HEV should be considered in transplant patients presenting with graft hepatitis, although chronic HEV infection is rare.
JOURNAL OF VIRAL HEPATITIS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Akira Nishio, Sharika Hasan, Heiyoung Park, Nana Park, Jordan H. Salas, Eduardo Salinas, Lela Kardava, Paul Juneau, Nicole Frumento, Guido Massaccesi, Susan Moir, Justin R. Bailey, Arash Grakoui, Marc G. Ghany, Barbara Rehermann
Summary: The humoral response to HCV decreases in potency and breadth after cure of chronic hepatitis C, while HCV-specific memory B cells persist. This finding has implications for the development of an effective vaccine against HCV infection.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Nehna Abdul Majeed, Ahmad Samer Alawad, Kin Seng Liem, Varun Takyar, Harvey Alter, Jordan J. Feld, Harry L. A. Janssen, Marc G. Ghany
Summary: This study evaluated the rate of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) during direct acting antiviral (DAA) therapy. The risk of HBV reactivation was found to be low, and testing for HBV DNA is recommended only in patients with ALT flares or failure of ALT normalization during DAA treatment.
DIGESTIVE DISEASES AND SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Marc G. Ghany, Wendy C. King, Amanda S. Hinerman, Anna SF. Lok, Mauricio Lisker-Melman, Raymond T. Chung, Norah Terrault, Harry L. A. Janssen, Mandana Khalili, William M. Lee, Daryl T. Y. Lau, Gavin A. Cloherty, Richard K. Sterling
Summary: This study examined the predictive ability of HBV RNA and HBcrAg for patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and found that they could predict key events such as not sustained inactive carrier phase, ALT flare, HBeAg loss, and HBsAg loss. However, their addition to readily available markers provided only small improvements in predictive ability.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Marc G. Ghany, Maria Buti, Pietro Lampertico, Hannah M. Lee
Summary: Representatives from academia, industry, regulatory agencies, and patient advocacy groups convened under the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) and the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) in June 2022 to achieve consensus on chronic HBV and HDV treatment endpoints. The conference focused on the primary goal of guiding clinical trials aiming to cure HBV and HDV, and reached agreements on key points such as preferred endpoints for trials, suitable patient candidates, and the role of novel biomarkers and existing therapies.
Meeting Abstract
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Donald Wunsch, Elizabeth C. Wright, Sungyoung Auh, Joni Trenbeath, Marc G. Ghany
Meeting Abstract
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Zahra Sarrafan-Chaharsoughi, Varun Takyar, Sungyoung Auh, Ahmad Alawad, Brent S. Abel, Devika Kapuria, Colleen Byrnes, Anna Wolska, David E. Kleiner, Robert D. Shamburek, Alan T. Remaley, Marc G. Ghany
Meeting Abstract
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Daryl Lau, Elena Kim, Chosha Bai, Wendy King, Yixiao Cui, David E. Kleiner, Marc G. Ghany, Thi Thuy Tu Nguyen, Amanda Hinerman, Zhili Wang, Raymond T. Chung, Richard K. Sterling, Gavin A. Cloherty, Ying-Hsiu Su, Haitao Guo