Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lena Goshayeshi, Sara Yousefi Taemeh, Nima Dehdilani, Mohammadreza Nasiri, Mohammad M. Ghahramani Seno, Hesam Dehghani
Summary: The study demonstrates the use of an RNA-guided piggyBac transposase and dual sgRNAs for site-directed integrations in the human ROSA26 safe harbor region. This methodology shows promise for targeting specific genomic regions, such as in cancer cells for inserting sequences into target regions or activating tumor suppressor genes.
Review
Immunology
Joanna C. Dawes, Anthony G. Uren
Summary: Cancer genome sequencing has identified numerous mutations potentially involved in lymphomagenesis and leukemogenesis. Forward and reverse genetic strategies in mice validate human driver genes and direct the identification of new drivers in human malignancies. Mouse models using forward and reverse genetic screens can identify cooperating mutations, aiding in understanding the mechanisms of oncogenesis.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Jan-Pierre du Toit, David J. Lea-Smith, Anna Git, John R. D. Hervey, Christopher J. Howe, Robert W. M. Pott
Summary: The study presents optimized tools for generating chromosomal insertions and deletions using electroporation as a transformation method, successfully applied in the overexpression of nitrogenase isozymes. Transcript quantification and increased hydrogen productivity were achieved through overexpression of nitrogenase, demonstrating the potential for energy-intensive biosyntheses in Rhodopseudomonas palustris.
ACS SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Saba Parvez, Zachary J. J. Brandt, Randall T. T. Peterson
Summary: MIC-Drop is a method for large-scale CRISPR screening in zebrafish, using microfluidics to create droplets containing Cas9, multiplexed single-guide RNAs, and corresponding DNA barcodes. This method allows genetic screens to be performed in F0 zebrafish, targeting tens to hundreds of genes simultaneously during injection. MIC-Drop is valuable for developmental biologists, zebrafish geneticists, and researchers interested in in vivo functional genetic screens in a vertebrate model system. It is also useful for chemical biologists seeking to identify targets of small molecules causing phenotype changes in zebrafish. Using MIC-Drop, a typical screen of 100 genes can be completed within 2-3 weeks by a single user.
Article
Plant Sciences
Chaemyeong Lim, Kiyoon Kang, Yejin Shim, Soo-Cheul Yoo, Nam-Chon Paek
Summary: In this study, the negative regulation of drought tolerance by the rice WRKY transcription factor OsWRKY5 was demonstrated. OsWRKY5 was mainly expressed in developing leaves at the seedling and heading stages, and its expression was reduced under drought stress and treatment with NaCl, mannitol, and ABA. Loss-of-function alleles of OsWRKY5 showed enhanced drought tolerance, while overexpression led to higher susceptibility. OsWRKY5 repression increased sensitivity to ABA and downregulated genes downstream of OsMYB2 in the ABA signaling pathways, indicating its role in negative regulation of ABA-induced drought stress tolerance.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Divya Bhansali, Shavonne L. Teng, Caleb S. Lee, Brian L. Schmidt, Nigel W. Bunnett, Kam W. Leong
Summary: Pain is a common medical condition that affects many Americans, and current treatments are not satisfactory. Nanomedicine may offer new therapeutic approaches to address the challenges of pain management, including nanoparticle-based drug delivery, gene therapy, and nanomaterials-based scavenging.
Article
Immunology
Hesham D. D. Abdulla, Raed Alserihi, Christoffer Flensburg, Waruni Abeysekera, Meng-Xiao Luo, Daniel H. D. Gray, Xiaodong Liu, Gordon K. K. Smyth, Warren S. S. Alexander, Ian J. J. Majewski, Matthew P. P. McCormack
Summary: Abdulla et al. demonstrate that the LMO2 transcription factor promotes the development of T-lymphoblastic leukemia by inhibiting thymocyte competition in a transgenic mouse model.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Neurosciences
Parker Tichko, Ji Chul Kim, Edward Large, Psyche Loui
Summary: Music-based interventions have gained popularity as a non-invasive and sustainable form of care for dementia-related disorders. However, the evidence regarding their efficacy is mixed. Recent research has explored the clinical impact of non-invasive Gamma-frequency sensory stimulation on dementia, showing promising results. Combining Gamma-frequency stimulation with music-based interventions may enhance their therapeutic power.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Marcel Franco Mougenot, Vanessa Sousa Pereira, Ana Leticia Rodrigues Costa, Marcelo Lancellotti, Marimelia Aparecida Porcionatto, Juliano Coelho da Silveira, Lucimara Gaziola de la Torre
Summary: Biomimetic nanovesicles have emerged as a promising strategy for drug and gene delivery systems, combining the advantages of biological vesicles with the controllability of synthetic systems. This article focuses on tracking the research progress in biomimetic nanovesicles applied in drug and gene delivery systems, as well as vaccines applications, describing the different sources of natural vesicles, the technical perspectives on obtaining them, and the possibility of their hybridization with synthetic liposomes.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Christoph O. Franck, Luise Fanslau, Andrea Bistrovic Popov, Puneet Tyagi, Ljiljana Fruk
Summary: Genetically engineered DNA has been studied as a vaccination strategy for 30 years, but challenges remain in terms of transfection efficacy and immunogenicity. Biopolymers as carriers for genetic vaccines show promise due to their key characteristics of biocompatibility, stability, and low toxicity. This review discusses the applications, fabrication, and modification of biopolymers in genetic vaccine delivery.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Hui Li, Yao Zhang, Hong Shu, Wenhao Lv, Chunhong Su, Fang Nie
Summary: This article reviews recent developments in the application of UTMD-mediated gene and drug delivery in the diagnosis and treatment of tumors, including the concept, mechanism of action, clinical application status, and advantages of UTMD. Furthermore, future perspectives in this field are also discussed.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Pablo Navarrete-Hernandez, Arielle Vetro, Paz Concha
Summary: The study focused on exploring the impact of three common design interventions on women's perception of safety in public spaces, showing that graffiti removal has a weak significant impact, while removing solid walls leads to a significant improvement, especially for women. It suggests that evidence-based urban design and planning policies with a gendered perspective are needed to maximize investment effectiveness. The technique presented in the study could support urban design processes by evaluating the safety-enhancement impact of proposed public space interventions before implementation.
LANDSCAPE AND URBAN PLANNING
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lian-Yu Qi, Yi Wang, Li-Fan Hu, Pu-Song Zhao, Hao-Yuan Yu, Lei Xing, Xiang-Dong Gao, Qing-Ri Cao, Hu-Lin Jiang
Summary: The study introduces a gene vector named CA(3)S(2) designed to enhance gene delivery efficiency by integrating and streamlining intracellular pathways for nuclear targeting. The optimized structure of the vector enhances ER targeting strategy, improving gene delivery efficacy.
JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE
(2022)
Review
Health Care Sciences & Services
Paula Voorheis, Albert Zhao, Kerry Kuluski, Quynh Pham, Ted Scott, Peter Sztur, Nityan Khanna, Mohamed Ibrahim, Jeremy Petch
Summary: This scoping review explores how insights from Behavioral Design (BD) and Design Thinking (DT) can be integrated into the design process of mobile health (mHealth) interventions. The study finds that BD and DT can be integrated through a process called Behavioral Design Thinking, which involves steps such as empathizing with users, defining user requirements, ideating user-centered features, prototyping solutions, and testing against user needs. Key challenges in mHealth design include engaging patients and the public, incorporating behavior change techniques, and integrating interventions into clinical systems.
JMIR MHEALTH AND UHEALTH
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Vo Thuy Thien Ngan, Fasih Bintang Ilhami, Sin-Yu Huang, Ting-Hsuan Su, Hsin-Hsuan Tsai, Chih-Chia Cheng
Summary: We developed a CO2-responsive supramolecular drug carrier system using hydrophobic CO2-sensitive imidazole-containing rhodamine 6G (I-R6G) as an anticancer agent and hydrophilic ureido-cytosine (UrCy) end-capped polyethylene glycol (UrCy-PEG) as a self-assembled nanocarrier. The system showed high stability, CO2 responsiveness, and controlled release of I-R6G. In vitro cytotoxicity assays demonstrated selective cytotoxicity towards cancer cells, higher levels of cytotoxicity in CO2-treated media, and accelerated internalization and apoptosis induction in cancer cells. This system has potential for efficient cancer therapy.
MATERIALS TODAY ADVANCES
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Georgia Colleluori, Chiara Galli, Ilenia Severi, Jessica Perugini, Antonio Giordano
Summary: Obesity disease is caused by dysfunctional energy balance regulation, with the central nervous system as the master regulator. During early postnatal periods, when the brain is highly plastic and influenced by the environment, neural circuitry involved in this regulation matures. This phenomenon is considered an evolutionary strategy, adjusting metabolic functions to environmental cues. Individuals who experience early life stress (ELS) have a higher prevalence of obesity. Oxytocin plays a vital role in regulating energy balance and is closely linked to leptin. Both oxytocin and leptin impact neurodevelopment and are affected by ELS and obesity.
Correction
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Pietro Mancuso, Rossella Tricarico, Vikram Bhattacharjee, Laura Cosentino, Yuwaraj Kadariya, Jaroslav Jelinek, Emmanuelle Nicolas, Margret Einarson, Neil Beeharry, Karthik Devarajan, Richard A. Katz, Dorjbal G. Dorjsuren, Hongmao Sun, Anton Simeonov, Antonio Giordano, Joseph R. Testa, Guillaume Davidson, Irwin Davidson, Lionel Larue, Robert W. Sobol, Timothy J. Yen, Alfonso Bellacosa
Article
Oncology
Irene Dell'Anno, Alessandra Melani, Sarah A. Martin, Marcella Barbarino, Roberto Silvestri, Monica Cipollini, Antonio Giordano, Luciano Mutti, Andrea Nicolini, Luca Luzzi, Raffaele Aiello, Federica Gemignani, Stefano Landi
Summary: The study identified cephalomannine, ouabain, thonzonium bromide, and emetine as potential new candidates for the treatment of MPM. These compounds showed significant activity in in vitro and in vivo studies, with the ability to inhibit MPM cell lines and induce apoptosis.
Review
Oncology
Reyes Benot-Dominguez, Annamaria Cimini, Daniela Barone, Antonio Giordano, Francesca Pentimalli
Summary: This review provides an overview of the potential use of plant-based foods, nutraceuticals, and derived micronutrients as anticancer agents, with a focus on their mechanism of action as cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors. It also discusses the importance of CDKs as a target in breast and ovarian cancer treatment, as well as ongoing research on the management of obesity-related cancers through nutritional strategies and phytochemicals.
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Antonella Fioravanti, Antonio Giordano, Francesco Dotta, Luigi Pirtoli
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chiara Russo, Daniela Barone, Margherita Lavorgna, Concetta Piscitelli, Marcella Macaluso, Severina Pacifico, Simona Piccolella, Antonio Giordano, Marina Isidori
Summary: This study evaluated the cytotoxic activity and chemical composition of tomato extracts from different varieties grown in contaminated soil. The extracts showed varying levels of cytotoxicity towards cancer cells, with extracts from uncontaminated soil exhibiting the highest activity.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Antonio Melillo, Andrea Chirico, Giuseppe De Pietro, Luigi Gallo, Giuseppe Caggianese, Daniela Barone, Michelino De Laurentiis, Antonio Giordano
Summary: This review article is the first to assess the impact of virtual reality on the rehabilitation care of cancer survivors. It suggests that virtual reality rehabilitation systems may improve adherence to training programs and better meet the needs of cancer patients. However, more data and randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm this hypothesis.
Review
Cell Biology
Pierluigi Scalia, Stephen J. Williams, Yoko Fujita-Yamaguchi, Antonio Giordano
Summary: The IGFs are important growth factors that play a key role in cell growth and cell cycle progression through their cellular receptors. Understanding the intracellular signaling mechanisms of IGFs is crucial for cancer research. This study provides a comprehensive summary of the current understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of IGFs in cancer and suggests new perspectives for further research.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Ilenia Severi, Silvia Abbatelli, Jessica Perugini, Eleonora Di Mercurio, Martina Senzacqua, Antonio Giordano
Summary: This study is the first comprehensive morphological investigation into the distribution and physiological role of BChE in the mouse gastrointestinal tract. BChE-positive cells were found in various digestive organs, such as the stomach, liver, and intestine, and were closely linked to ghrelin production.
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Giovanni Ciccarelli, Stefano Conte, Giovanni Cimmino, Patrizia Maiorano, Andrea Morrione, Antonio Giordano
Summary: Atherosclerosis is a complex disease involving metabolic processes and inflammation. Despite improved therapies, a significant residual risk remains due to unmet therapeutic targets. Endothelial dysfunction and lipid infiltration are primary causes of atherosclerotic plaque progression. Mitochondrial dysfunction can affect arterial wall cells, leading to oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and intracellular lipid deposition. Evaluating mitochondrial defects through the detection and characterization of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is crucial, and mitochondria-targeting therapies show promise in treating atherosclerosis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Federica Gagliardi, Augusto Lauro, Livia De Anna, Domenico Tripodi, Anna Esposito, Flavio Forte, Daniele Pironi, Eleonora Lori, Patrizia Alba Gentile, Ignazio R. Marino, Ernesto T. Figueroa, Vito D'Andrea
Summary: Persistent Mullerian Duct Syndrome (PMDS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder in individuals with XY genotype, characterized by the presence of female reproductive structures. The main complications of PMDS are infertility and the risk of malignant degeneration. We report a case of a 49-year-old man with PMDS who declined surgical treatment. Subsequent imaging studies showed no signs of malignancy, but regular follow-up is necessary.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Elisa Ventura, Giacomo Ducci, Reyes Benot Dominguez, Valentina Ruggiero, Antonino Belfiore, Elena Sacco, Marco Vanoni, Renato V. V. Iozzo, Antonio Giordano, Andrea Morrione
Summary: Progranulin plays an important pro-tumorigenic role in various solid tumors and has diagnostic and prognostic values in multiple tumor types. The molecular mechanisms underlying progranulin's function in cancer are not fully understood, but recent evidence suggests a strong context-dependency of progranulin signaling. This review focuses on summarizing the current evidence supporting the pro-oncogenic role of progranulin and its molecular mechanisms of action in cancer.
Review
Cell Biology
Riccardo Di Fiore, Sherif Suleiman, Rosa Drago-Ferrante, Yashwanth Subbannayya, Sarah Suleiman, Mariela Vasileva-Slaveva, Angel Yordanov, Francesca Pentimalli, Antonio Giordano, Jean Calleja-Agius
Summary: The FBXW7 protein plays a role in regulating cellular growth and acts as a tumor suppressor. It is a component of the SCF complex and aids in the degradation of oncoproteins via the UPS. FBXW7 mutations are associated with cancer and could potentially serve as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. This review aims to provide an update on the role of FBXW7 as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target, particularly in gynecologic cancers.
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Giovanna Liguori, Anna Costagliola, Renato Lombardi, Orlando Paciello, Antonio Giordano
Summary: Animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) are planned activities carried out in multidisciplinary teams with educational, therapeutic, and recreational purposes. These interventions offer many advantages to subjects but may expose them to zoonotic-pathogen transmission. Therefore, ensuring positive animal welfare and implementing preventive measures are crucial for the safety of patients.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alfredo Caturano, Margherita D'Angelo, Andrea Mormone, Vincenzo Russo, Maria Pina Mollica, Teresa Salvatore, Raffaele Galiero, Luca Rinaldi, Erica Vetrano, Raffaele Marfella, Marcellino Monda, Antonio Giordano, Ferdinando Carlo Sasso
Summary: Oxidative stress plays a critical role in the development and progression of diabetes and its associated complications. The imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the body's antioxidant defense mechanisms leads to cellular damage and dysfunction. By understanding and addressing oxidative stress, it may be possible to alleviate the burden of diabetes and improve patient outcomes.
CURRENT ISSUES IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)