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Topic Review
CCCTC-Binding Factor for Chromatin Regulation
Chromatin, a macromolecular complex of DNA, RNA, and proteins, provides a framework for the packaging of genetic material within the cell nucleus. Its organization plays a crucial role in gene expression and is regulated by a diverse array of protein complexes in response to a dynamic code of histone posttranslational modifications and DNA modifications. Architectural proteins are essential epigenetic regulators that play a critical role in organizing chromatin and controlling gene expression. CTCF (CCCTC-binding factor) is a key architectural protein responsible for maintaining the intricate 3D structure of chromatin. Because of its multivalent properties and plasticity to bind various sequences, CTCF is similar to a Swiss knife for genome organization.
  • 832
  • 25 May 2023
Topic Review
Plasma Proteomics in Morquio-A Disease
Mucopolysaccharidosis type IVA (MPS IVA) is a lysosomal disease caused by mutations in the gene encoding the enzymeN-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfate sulfatase (GALNS), and is characterized by systemic skeletal dysplasia due to excessive storage of keratan sulfate (KS) and chondroitin-6-sulfate in chondrocytes. Although improvements in the activity of daily living and endurance tests have been achieved with enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with recombinant human GALNS, recovery of bone lesions and bone growth in MPS IVA has not been demonstrated to date. Moreover, no correlation has been described between therapeutic efficacy and urine levels of KS, which accumulates in MPS IVA patients. 
  • 831
  • 26 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Alum Pickering Emulsion to Improve Malaria Vaccine Efficacy
Malaria is a life-threatening global epidemic disease and has caused more than 400,000 deaths in 2019. To control and prevent malaria, the development of a vaccine is a potential method. An effective malaria vaccine should either combine antigens from all stages of the malaria parasite’s life cycle, or epitopes of multiple key antigens due to the complexity of the Plasmodium parasite. Malaria’s random constructed antigen-1 (M.RCAg-1) is one of the recombinant vaccines, which was selected from a DNA library containing thousands of diverse multi-epitope chimeric antigen genes. Moreover, besides selecting an antigen, using an adjuvant is another important procedure for most vaccine development procedures. Freund’s adjuvant is considered an effective vaccine adjuvant for malaria vaccine, but it cannot be used in clinical settings because of its serious side effects. Traditional adjuvants, such as alum adjuvant, are limited by their unsatisfactory immune effects in malaria vaccines, hence there is an urgent need to develop a novel, safe and efficient adjuvant. In recent years, Pickering emulsions have attracted increasing attention as novel adjuvant. In contrast to classical emulsions, Pickering emulsions are stabilized by solid particles instead of surfactant, having pliability and lateral mobility. In this study, we selected aluminum hydroxide gel (termed as “alum”) as a stabilizer to prepare alum-stabilized Pickering emulsions (ALPE) as a malaria vaccine adjuvant. In addition, monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA) as an immunostimulant was incorporated into the Pickering emulsion (ALMPE) to further enhance the immune response. In vitro tests showed that, compared with alum, ALPE and ALMPE showed higher antigen load rates and could be effectively endocytosed by J774a.1 cells. In vivo studies indicated that ALMPE could induce as high antibody titers as Freund’s adjuvant. The biocompatibility study also proved ALMPE with excellent biocompatibility. These results suggest that ALMPE is a potential adjuvant for a malaria vaccine. 
  • 831
  • 02 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Drug-Induced Liver Damage and microRNAs
The liver plays a central role in transforming macronutrients and clearance of chemicals and drugs. The serum biomarkers often used to indicate liver damage are not specifically for drug-induced liver injury (DILI) or liver injury caused by other xenobiotics, nor for viral infection. In this case, microRNAs (miRNAs) could play an exciting role as biomarkers of specific liver damage. The evidence that circulating miR-122 could be used as a human biomarker of DILI came from several studies in which a substantial increase of it was linked with liver function status.
  • 829
  • 06 Jan 2023
Topic Review
AI Applications in Plant Genomic Prediction
Artificial intelligence (AI), boosted through deep learning (DL), has achieved significant breakthroughs and is a powerful tool for managing large complex datasets such as crop genetic markers genome and their association with crop phenotypes. AI techniques can be applied to analyze large amounts of genomic data and identify patterns that are difficult for humans to detect. These patterns can then be used to develop more accurate predictive models. 
  • 829
  • 05 May 2023
Topic Review
Pentapeptide Repeat Proteins
The pentapeptide repeat protein (PRP) superfamily, identified in 1998, has grown to nearly 39,000 sequences from over 3300 species. PRPs, recognized as having at least eight contiguous pentapeptide repeats (PRs) of a consensus pentapeptide sequence, adopt a remarkable structure, namely, a right-handed quadrilateral β-helix with four consecutive PRs forming a single β-helix coil. Adjacent coils join together to form a β-helix “tower” stabilized by β-ladders on the tower faces and type I, type II, or type IV β-turns facilitating an approximately −90° redirection of the polypeptide chain joining one coil face to the next. PRPs have been found in all branches of life, but they are predominantly found in cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria have existed on earth for more than two billion years and are thought to be responsible for oxygenation of the earth’s atmosphere. Filamentous cyanobacteria such as Nostoc sp. strain PCC 7120 may also represent the oldest and simplest multicellular organisms known to undergo cell differentiation on earth.
  • 828
  • 25 May 2021
Topic Review
Roles of the miRISC's Components in Chromatin Biology
The Argonaute (AGO) and the Trinucleotide Repeat Containing 6 (TNRC6) family proteins are the core components of the mammalian microRNA-induced silencing complex (miRISC), the machinery that mediates microRNA function in the cytoplasm. The cytoplasmic miRISC-mediated post-transcriptional gene repression has been established as the canonical mechanism through which AGO and TNRC6 proteins operate. However, growing evidence points towards an additional mechanism through which AGO and TNRC6 regulate gene expression in the nucleus.
  • 828
  • 07 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Estrogen-Related Receptor α
Bone homeostasis is maintained with the balance between bone formation and bone resorption, which is involved in the functional performance of osteoblast and osteoclast. Disruption of this equilibrium usually causes bone disorders including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and osteosclerosis. In addition, aberrant activity of bone also contributes to the bone metastasis that frequently occurs in the late stage of aggressive cancers. Orphan nuclear receptor estrogen-related receptor (ERRα) has been demonstrated to control the bone cell fate and the progression of tumor cells in bone through crosstalk with various molecules and signaling pathways. 
  • 828
  • 11 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Hippo Signaling in Fibrotic Diseases
Fibrosis results from defective wound healing processes often seen after chronic injury and/or inflammation in a range of organs. Progressive fibrotic events may lead to permanent organ damage/failure. The hallmark of fibrosis is the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM), mostly produced by pathological myofibroblasts and myofibroblast-like cells. The Hippo signaling pathway is an evolutionarily conserved kinase cascade, which has been described well for its crucial role in cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell fate decisions, and stem cell self-renewal during development, homeostasis, and tissue regeneration.
  • 828
  • 14 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Lysine Crotonylation in DNA Damage Response
The DNA damage response (DDR) system plays an important role in maintaining genome stability and preventing related diseases. The DDR network comprises many proteins and posttranslational modifications (PTMs) to proteins, which work in a coordinated manner to counteract various genotoxic stresses. Lysine crotonylation (Kcr) is a newly identified PTM occurring in both core histone and non-histone proteins in various organisms. This novel PTM is classified as a reversible acylation modification, which is regulated by a variety of acylases and deacylases and the intracellular crotonyl-CoA substrate concentration. Kcr links cellular metabolism with gene regulation and is involved in numerous cellular processes.
  • 828
  • 09 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Hypothalamus and the Brainstem in Health and Obesity
The hypothalamus and brainstem are critical components of the homeostatic system that regulates appetite and energy balance. These key brain regions comprise of distinct neuronal populations and nuclei which exerts tremendous control over several facets of energy balance. Importantly, several of these neuronal populations exhibit both overlapping and also contrasting metabolic roles, thereby enabling the CNS to fine tune metabolic functions under physiological conditions.
  • 828
  • 11 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Telomerase in Leishmania spp.
Leishmaniases are a  group of neglected tropical diseases caused by more than twenty different species of parasites of the genus Leishmania, presenting a variety of symptoms and degrees of severeness. These protozoans parasites are at the mainstream of biology/medical studies since understanding their biological particularities is crucial for the future development of antiparasitic therapies. Moreover, the comprehension of their cell cycle and its molecular mechanisms is of great value for the search of new possible treatments. In that sense,  telomeres emerge as a relevant subject in Leishmania spp. molecular biology research. They are the physical ends of eukaryotic chromosomes, granting stability to the genome and continued cell proliferation. Telomere elongation/maintenance is accomplished by a ribonucleoproteic complex called telomerase. The enzyme synthesis and adds repetitive telomeric sequences to the chromosome end termini using the 3’overhangs as substrates. In mammals, their gradual loss after many cell duplications can determine the cell fate by inducing replicative senescence or apoptosis. Here, we cover the main aspects of telomerase activity in Leishmania spp.
  • 828
  • 02 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Epigenetic Alterations in Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) has long been thought of as a disease arising and progressing from genetic mutations. More recently, it has become clear that epigenetic alterations are also important contributors to PDA progression and metastasis. While no single epigenetic regulator is commonly mutated in PDA, a growing body of evidence indicated that metastatic tissues exhibit distinct epigenetic status compared to primary tumor tissues, which might be exploited for cancer therapeutics and diagnostics.
  • 828
  • 10 Aug 2021
Topic Review
AMD and the Complement System
Wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD) is characterized by choroidal neovascularization (CNV), and it is the leading cause of blindness affecting elderly in the Western world. AMD is a complex disease that has strong associations with the complement system. All three initiating complement pathways may be relevant in CNV formation, but most evidence indicates a major role for the alternative pathway (AP) and for the terminal complement complex, as well as certain complement peptides generated upon complement activation. Since the complement system is associated with AMD and CNV, a complement inhibitor may be a therapeutic option for patients with wAMD. The aim of the review is to (i) reflect on the possible complement targets in the context of wAMD pathology, (ii) investigate the results of prior clinical trials with complement inhibitors for wAMD patients, and (iii) outline important considerations when developing a future strategy for the treatment of wAMD.
  • 825
  • 22 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Dynamic Changes in DNA Methylation in Brain Development
DNA cytosine methylation is a principal epigenetic mechanism underlying transcription during development and aging. Growing evidence suggests that DNA methylation plays a critical role in brain function, including neurogenesis, neuronal differentiation, synaptogenesis, learning, and memory.
  • 825
  • 22 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Fibroblast Growth Factors in the Axon Guidance
Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), a broad family of polypeptide growth factors, were originally isolated and purified from the pituitary gland of bovines. FGF and FGF receptor (FGFR) signaling pathways play important roles in axon guidance as axons navigate toward their synaptic targets.
  • 825
  • 25 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Protein- and Peptide-Based Chemical Conjugates
The complexity of molecular entities being advanced for therapeutic purposes has continued to evolve. A main propellent fueling innovation is the perpetual mandate within the pharmaceutical industry to meet the needs of novel disease areas and/or delivery challenges. As new mechanisms of action are uncovered, and as our understanding of existing mechanisms grows, the properties that are required and/or leveraged to enable therapeutic development continue to expand.
  • 825
  • 12 May 2023
Topic Review
Biosynthesized Silver Nanoparticles for Cancer Therapy
Biosynthesized silver nanoparticles using Olax scandens shows the potential application as drug delivery system along with fluorescence properties and anticancer, as well as antibacterial, activity.
  • 824
  • 13 Dec 2021
Topic Review
The Receptor Tyrosine Kinase AXL
AXL is a member of the TAM family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) that also includes TYRO3 and MER. This was the last family of RTKs to be identified and because their inactivation in mice resulted in rather mild phenotypes, their biological roles were slow to be characterized. 
  • 824
  • 18 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Ocular and Oral Microbiome
The immune-privileged healthy eye has a small unique population of microbiota. Typically, ocular microflorae are commensals of low diversity that colonize the external and internal sites of the eye, without instigating any disorders. Any alteration in the symbiotic relationship culminates in the perturbation of ocular homeostasis and shifts the equilibrium toward local or systemic inflammation and, in turn, impaired visual function. A compositional variation in the ocular microbiota is associated with surface disorders such as keratitis, blepharitis, and conjunctivitis, however, studies now implicate non-ocular microbial dysbiosis in glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), uveitis, and diabetic retinopathy. A methodical understanding of the mechanisms of invasion and host-microbial interaction is of paramount importance for preventative and therapeutic interventions for vision-threatening conditions.
  • 824
  • 21 Jun 2022
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