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Topic Review
Histone deacetylase (HDAC)
Histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymes play crucial roles in epigenetic gene expression and are an attractive therapeutic target. Five HDAC inhibitors have been approved for cancer treatment to date, however clinical applications have been limited due to poor single agent drug efficacy and side effects associated with a lack of HDAC isoform or complex selectivity. An emerging strategy aiming to address these limitations is the development of bifunctional HDAC therapeutics – single molecules comprising a HDAC inhibitor conjugated to another specificity targeting moiety. There has been many recent advancements in novel types of dual-targeting HDAC modulators, including PROTACs, often achieving high HDAC isoform selectivity, as well as some dual inhibitor examples affording HDAC complex selectivity. Such bifunctional molecules have future potential in achieving enhanced drug efficacy and therapeutic benefits in treating disease.
  • 2.0K
  • 12 Oct 2020
Topic Review
In Vivo Methods for Measuring the Glycemic Index
The concept of Glycemic Index (GI) was suggested by Jenkins to classify carbohydrate-containing foods. GI is “an expression of the percentage of the area under the blood glucose response curve when taking the same amount of carbohydrate as glucose”. It is a physiological way to explain how dietary carbohydrate impacts blood glucose. The GI value has a range between 1 and 100. Glucose, as the reference material, has a GI value of 100. A food with a lower GI value (≤54) raises blood glucose more slowly.
  • 2.0K
  • 12 May 2022
Topic Review
Alternative Splicing
Alternative splicing (AS) is a critical post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism used by more than 95% of transcribed human genes and responsible for structural transcript variation and proteome diversity.
  • 2.0K
  • 18 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Effect of Oral l-Carnitine Supplementation on Exercise Performance
l-Carnitine (l-C) and any of its forms (glycine-propionyl l-Carnitine (GPL-C) or l-Carnitine l-tartrate (l-CLT)) has been frequently recommended as a supplement to improve sports performance due to, among others, its role in fat metabolism and in maintaining the mitochondrial acetyl-CoA/CoA ratio. 
  • 2.0K
  • 15 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Transcription Factors
Transcription factors (TFs) are regulatory proteins that are responsible for the mechanistic control of gene transcription.
  • 2.0K
  • 25 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Lipoprotein Lipase Regulation in Atherosclerosis
Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) plays a major role in the lipid homeostasis mainly by mediating the intravascular lipolysis of triglyceride rich lipoproteins. Impaired LPL activity leads to the accumulation of chylomicrons and very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) in plasma, resulting in hypertriglyceridemia. While low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is recognized as a primary risk factor for atherosclerosis, hypertriglyceridemia has been shown to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and a residual risk factor in atherosclerosis development.
  • 2.0K
  • 01 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Homologous Recombination Deficiency
The Homologous Recombination Deficiency (HRD) phenotype makes these tumors sensitive to DNA double strand break-inducing agents, including poly-(ADP-ribose)-polymerase (PARP) inhibitors.
  • 2.0K
  • 17 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Connexin 26
Connexin 26, one of the smallest connexins, is expressed in diverse epithelial tissue and mutations in this protein are associated with hearing loss, skin and eye conditions of differing severity.
  • 2.0K
  • 26 Jan 2021
Topic Review
PAX5 Expression and Regulation
PAX5, a member of the Paired Box (PAX) transcription factor family, is an essential factor for B-lineage identity during lymphoid differentiation. Mechanistically, PAX5 controls gene expression profiles, pivotal to cellular processes such as viability, proliferation, and differentiation. Given its crucial function in B-cell development, PAX5 aberrant expression also correlates with hallmark cancer processes leading to hematological and other types of cancer lesion.
  • 2.0K
  • 26 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Phytochemical Information and Pharmacology of European Orchids
The Orchidaceae family has thousands of members, and most of them are mentioned in the folk medicine of nations around the world. The use of terrestrial orchids in European and Mediterranean regions has been reported since ancient times. Plant collection for human use is still listed as one of the main threats for terrestrial orchids (i.e. harvesting for Salep), alongside other menacing factors such as wrong habitat management and disturbance to symbionts, such as pollinators and mycorrhizal fungi. Here, phytochemical data are discussed to evaluate the presence of bioactive compounds of pharmacological relevance. Furthermore, it is debated whether the presence of these compounds could support the therapeutic employment of the different orchid organs.
  • 2.0K
  • 09 Feb 2023
Topic Review
CRISPR FokI Dead Cas9 System
FokI–dCas9 (fdCas9) or RNA-guided FokI nuclease (RFN) is a genome editing tool engineered by fusing  the catalytic domain of the FokI endonuclease to the N-terminal catalytic inactive Cas9 protein. The fdCas9 system is active only as a heterodimer, requiring the simultaneous binding of two fdCas9/sgRNAs monomers at adjacent target sites in a PAM-out orientation, and a specific spacer distance separating the two binding sites of the two sgRNAs. The five engineered and published constructs induce significant gene editing activities and specificities, as tested on various gene targets and overcome the off-target effects associated with other genome editing tools, including ZFNs, TALENs, and CRISPR/Cas systems.
  • 2.0K
  • 30 Nov 2020
Topic Review
New AMPs' Prediction and Development
Theoretical methods for finding and predicting new antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), based on the use of specially designed programs for these purposes, are making an increasing contribution to the development of new AMPs. Machine learning methods are also used for the prediction. Artificial neural networks perform highly accurate predictions based on rules from databases of antimicrobial peptides. Recently published data on the development of new AMP drugs based on a combination of molecular design and genetic engineering approaches are presented. This review examines AMP development strategies from the perspective of the current high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and the potential prospects and challenges of using AMPs against infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In turn, we proposed another strategy for the development of new AMPs based on predicting amyloidogenic regions in a protein molecule sequence.
  • 2.0K
  • 30 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Irisin and Incretin Hormones
Incretins are gut hormones that potentiate glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) after meals. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is the most investigated incretin hormone, synthesized mainly by L cells in the lower gut tract. GLP-1 promotes β-cell function and survival and exerts beneficial effects in different organs and tissues. Irisin, a myokine released in response to a high-fat diet and exercise, enhances GSIS. Similar to GLP-1, irisin augments insulin biosynthesis and promotes accrual of β-cell functional mass. In addition, irisin and GLP-1 share comparable pleiotropic effects and activate similar intracellular pathways. The insulinotropic and extra-pancreatic effects of GLP-1 are reduced in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients but preserved at pharmacological doses. GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are therefore among the most widely used antidiabetes drugs, also considered for their cardiovascular benefits and ability to promote weight loss. Irisin levels are lower in T2D patients, and in diabetic and/or obese animal models irisin administration improves glycemic control and promotes weight loss. This review aims to describe the similarities between GLP-1 and irisin and to propose a new potential axis involving the gut, muscle, and endocrine pancreas that controls energy homeostasis.
  • 2.0K
  • 10 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Mitochondrial Genetic and Epigenetic Regulations in Cancer
Mitochondria are dynamic organelles managing crucial processes of cellular metabolism and bioenergetics. Enabling rapid cellular adaptation to altered endogenous and exogenous environments, mitochondria play an important role in many pathophysiological states, including cancer. Being under the control of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA (mtDNA and nDNA), mitochondria adjust their activity and biogenesis to cell demands. In cancer, numerous mutations in mtDNA have been detected, which do not inactivate mitochondrial functions but rather alter energy metabolism to support cancer cell growth. Increasing evidence suggests that mtDNA mutations, mtDNA epigenetics and miRNA regulations dynamically modify signalling pathways in an altered microenvironment, resulting in cancer initiation and progression and aberrant therapy response. 
  • 2.0K
  • 10 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Methods for Characterizing Protein S-Glutathionylation
Protein S-glutathionylation (SSG) is a reversible post-translational modification (PTM) featuring the conjugation of glutathione to a protein cysteine thiol. SSG can alter protein structure, activity, subcellular localization, and interaction with small molecules and other proteins. Thus, it plays a critical role in redox signaling and regulation in various physiological activities and pathological events. Many approaches have been developed for the detection of SSG, including direct detection, selective reduction and tagging approaches, and chemoselective probe-based approaches. Utilization of these methods in profiling the SSG proteome had been reported in various biological systems. 
  • 2.0K
  • 07 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Development of Rudimentary Structure of Mammary Gland
The mammary gland is a compound, branched tubuloalveolar structure and a major characteristic of mammals. The mammary gland has evolved from epidermal apocrine glands, the skin glands as an accessory reproductive organ to support postnatal survival of offspring by producing milk as a source of nutrition. The mammary gland development begins during embryogenesis as a rudimentary structure that grows into an elementary branched ductal tree and is embedded in one end of a larger mammary fat pad at birth. At the onset of ovarian function at puberty, the rudimentary ductal system undergoes dramatic morphogenetic change with ductal elongation and branching. During pregnancy, the alveolar differentiation and tertiary branching are completed, and during lactation, the mature milk-producing glands eventually develop. The early stages of mammary development are hormonal independent, whereas during puberty and pregnancy, mammary gland development is hormonal dependent. The mammary gland develops as a rudimentary structure from a thickening under the ventral skin during embryogenesis. This rudimentary structure grows into a rudimentary branched ductal tree embedded in one end of a larger mammary fat pad at birth. The embryonic development of the mammary gland is a series of several hormone-independent specialized events.
  • 2.0K
  • 18 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Biological Detoxification of Mycotoxins
The continuous occurrence of food contaminants worldwide poses a critical threat to the health of human and livestock. One of the major contaminants in food and feed products are mycotoxins, the secondary metabolites synthesized by toxigenic fungi strains, mainly those belonging to Penicillium, Aspergillus, Alternaria and Fusarium genera. Both acute and chronic exposure to mycotoxin-contaminated food may cause deleterious health effects including retarded growth, suppression of the immune response, vomiting, infertility and gastrointestinal and carcinogenic diseases. These mycotoxins occur in various products, from raw agricultural products such as corn, barley, oats, fruits and herbs, to commercial commodities including aquafeeds, beverages, fruit and vegetable-derived products. The contamination of mycotoxins can occur during any part of the complex food chain, including harvest, industry processing, transportation and/or storage, imposing social burdens on the food industry due to the waste created by contaminated products. This creates an urgent demand for mycotoxin removal methods to minimize economic loss and hazards to consumers.
  • 2.0K
  • 22 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Updated Understanding of Cancer
       Cancer is a tumorigenesis process that forms a mass of cells that we call a tumor. During tumorigenesis, the cells that compose the tumor can be benign or malignant. When the cells in the tumor are normal but old, the tumor is termed benign. When the cells in the tumor are abnormal and can grow uncontrollably, the tumor is malignant. Sometimes a benign tumor can transform into a malign one if the normal old cells begin to develop abnormalities, such as DNA mutations, and grow rapidly. - by Cristian Muresanu
  • 2.0K
  • 30 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Anti-inflammatory potential of Sesquiterpene Lactones
Inflammation is a crucial and complex process that reestablishes the physiological state after a noxious stimulus. In pathological conditions the inflammatory state may persist, leading to chronic inflammation and causing tissue damage. Sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) are composed of a large and diverse group of highly bioactive plant secondary metabolites, characterized by a 15-carbon backbone structure. In recent years, the interest in SLs has risen due to their vast array of biological activities beneficial for human health. The anti-inflammatory potential of these compounds results from their ability to target and inhibit various key pro-inflammatory molecules enrolled in diverse inflammatory pathways, and prevent or reduce the inflammatory damage on tissues. Research on the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of SLs has thrived over the last years, and numerous compounds from diverse plants have been studied, using in silico, in vitro, and in vivo assays. Besides their anti-inflammatory potential, their cytotoxicity, structure–activity relationships, and pharmacokinetics have been investigated.
  • 2.0K
  • 14 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Autothermal Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion
Pembroke JT and MP Ryan.  Autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion (ATAD) is a microbial fermentation process characterized as a tertiary treatment of waste material carried out in jacketed reactors. Heat is generated which selects a thermoduric microbial population. The process results in a stabilised, pasteurised sludge suitable for land application as a fertiliser. The microbial population biodegrades sludge contents, are unique in terms of diversity and have biotechnological potential as enzymes and proteins associated with the microbial population are thermostable. 
  • 2.0K
  • 24 Dec 2021
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