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Topic Review
Advanced Glycation End Products and Diabetes Mellitus
Persistent hyperglycemic state in type 2 diabetes mellitus leads to the initiation and progression of non-enzymatic glycation reaction with proteins and lipids and nucleic acids. Glycation reaction leads to the generation of a heterogeneous group of chemical moieties known as advanced glycated end products (AGEs), which play a central role in the pathophysiology of diabetic complications. The engagement of AGEs with its chief cellular receptor, RAGE, activates a myriad of signaling pathways such as MAPK/ERK, TGF-β, JNK, and NF-κB, leading to enhanced oxidative stress and inflammation. The downstream consequences of the AGEs/RAGE axis involve compromised insulin signaling, perturbation of metabolic homeostasis, RAGE-induced pancreatic beta cell toxicity, and epigenetic modifications. The AGEs/RAGE signaling instigated modulation of gene transcription is profoundly associated with the progression of type 2 diabetes mellitus and pathogenesis of diabetic complications.
  • 817
  • 01 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Laparoscopic Liver Resection
With the advent of minimally invasive techniques and other medical devices, laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) has been a common procedure since 1992. Once experts in liver surgery established the “Louisville Statement”, a set of guidelines for the rapidly growing area of minimally invasive liver resection, the number of reported LLRs has increased consistently. Although minor LLRs have been performed routinely in clinical practice, reports of major and anatomic LLRs have increased sharply. Some specialized centers have reported favorable and competitive outcomes of LLR compared to those of open liver resection. Recently, several reports about single-port LLR, robotic-assisted liver resection, and LLR via video-assisted transthoracic liver resection (VTLR) have been published.
  • 815
  • 23 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Effects of Isorhamnetin on Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus, especially type 2 (T2DM), is a major public health problem globally. DM is characterized by high levels of glycemia and insulinemia due to impaired insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity of the cells, known as insulin resistance. T2DM causes multiple and severe complications such as nephropathy, neuropathy, and retinopathy causing cell oxidative damages in different internal tissues, particularly the pancreas, heart, adipose tissue, liver, and kidneys. Isorhamnetin, a plant flavonoid, has long been studied for its potential anti-diabetic effects. Isorhamnetin is a monomethoxyflavone or an O-methylated flavonol from the class of flavonoids. It is quercetin in which a methoxy group replaces the hydroxy group at position 3’. Some isorhamnetin derivatives are present in nature, such as isorhamnetin 3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, isorhamnetin 3-O-neohesperidoside, and isorhamnetin 3-O-rutinoside from Calendula officinalis L.. Isorhamnetin presents significant biological properties such as antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic effects.
  • 815
  • 21 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Sericin in Bone Regeneration
The potential of sericin, a protein derived from silkworms, is explored in bone graft applications. Sericin’s biocompatibility, hydrophilic nature, and cost-effectiveness make it a promising candidate for enhancing traditional graft materials. Its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and UV-resistant properties contribute to a healthier bone-healing environment, and its incorporation into 3D-printed grafts could lead to personalized medical solutions.
  • 815
  • 31 Aug 2023
Topic Review
The Longevity Protein Klotho as a Biomarker
Discovered in 1997, the klotho gene (KL) codes for a transmembrane protein mainly expressed in the kidneys and, in smaller quantities, in the brain, parathyroid glands, peripheral blood cells, and vascular tissues. The klotho protein has great potential to be used as a biological marker since a high serum level of klotho is associated with health and longevity.
  • 814
  • 04 Dec 2023
Topic Review
The Dual Topoisomerase Inhibitor P8-D6 in Breast Cancer
Breast cancer constitutes the leading cause of cancer deaths among females. However, numerous shortcomings, including low bioavailability, resistance and significant side effects, are responsible for insufficient treatment. The ultimate goal, therefore, is to improve the success rates and, thus, the range available treatment options for breast cancer. Consequently, the identification, development and evaluation of potential novel drugs such as P8-D6 with seminal antitumor capacities have a high clinical need. P8-D6 effectively induces apoptosis by acting as a dual topoisomerase I/II inhibitor. 
  • 813
  • 19 Jan 2022
Topic Review
A New Role of Acute Phase Proteins
The prevailing general view of acute-phase proteins (APPs) is that they are produced by the liver in response to the stress of the body as part of a systemic acute-phase response. A coordinated, local production of these proteins upon cell stress by the stressed cells has been demonstrated. The local, stress-induced APP production has been demonstrated in different tissues (kidney, breast cancer) and with different stressors (hypoxia, fibrosis and electromagnetic heat). Thus, this local acute-phase response (APR) seems to be a universal mechanism. APP production is an ancient defense mechanism observed in nematodes and fruit flies as well. Local APP production at the tissue level is also supported by sporadic literature data for single proteins.
  • 813
  • 01 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Therapeutic Use of Cancer Biomarkers
The use of biomarkers in cancer diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis has been highly effective over several decades. Studies of biomarkers in cancer patients pre- and post-treatment and during cancer progression have helped identify cancer stem cells (CSCs) and their related microenvironments. These analyses are critical for the therapeutic application of drugs and the efficient targeting and prevention of cancer progression, as well as the investigation of the mechanism of the cancer development. Biomarkers that characterize CSCs have thus been identified and correlated to diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis. However, CSCs demonstrate elevated levels of plasticity, which alters their functional phenotype and appearance by interacting with their microenvironments, in response to chemotherapy and radiotherapeutics. In turn, these changes induce different metabolic adaptations of CSCs.
  • 812
  • 20 May 2022
Topic Review
Fundamental Knowledge of the Biochemical Properties of 1O2
Energy transfer to ground state triplet molecular oxygen results in the generation of singlet molecular oxygen (1O2), which has potent oxidizing ability. Irradiation of light, notably ultraviolet A, to a photosensitizing molecule results in the generation of 1O2, which is thought to play a role in causing skin damage and aging. It should also be noted that 1O2 is a dominant tumoricidal component that is generated during the photodynamic therapy (PDT). While type II photodynamic action generates not only 1O2 but also other reactive species, endoperoxides release pure 1O2 upon mild exposure to heat and, hence, are considered to be beneficial compounds for research purposes. Concerning target molecules, 1O2 preferentially reacts with unsaturated fatty acids to produce lipid peroxidation. Enzymes that contain a reactive cysteine group at the catalytic center are vulnerable to 1O2 exposure. Guanine base in nucleic acids is also susceptible to oxidative modification, and cells carrying DNA with oxidized guanine units may experience mutations. 
  • 808
  • 17 May 2023
Topic Review
Metals as Antimicrobials
The nature of microorganisms and the efficiency of antimicrobials have witnessed a huge co-dependent change in their dynamics over the last few decades. On the other side, metals and metallic compounds have gained popularity owing to their effectiveness against various microbial strains.
  • 807
  • 23 May 2023
Topic Review
Lipids and Lipoproteins in Pregnancy
Inflammation and oxidative stress are essential components in a myriad of pathogenic entities that lead to metabolic and chronic diseases. Moreover, inflammation in its different phases is necessary for the initiation and maintenance of a healthy pregnancy. Therefore, an equilibrium between a necessary/pathologic level of inflammation and oxidative stress during pregnancy is needed to avoid disease development. High-density lipoproteins (HDL) are important for a healthy pregnancy and a good neonatal outcome. Their role in fetal development during challenging situations is vital for maintaining the equilibrium. 
  • 807
  • 08 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Type 2 Diabetes Pathogenesis
Since the discovery of insulin a century ago, insulin injection has been a primary treatment for both type 1 (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). T2D is a complicated disease that is triggered by the dysfunction of insulin-producing β cells and insulin resistance in peripheral tissues. Insulin injection partially compensates for the role of endogenous insulin which promotes glucose uptake, lipid synthesis and organ growth.
  • 803
  • 20 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Extracellular Vesicles in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Onset
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severe and incurable neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive death of motor neurons, leading to paralysis and death. It is a rare disease characterized by high patient-to-patient heterogeneity, which makes its study arduous and complex. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as important players in the development of ALS.
  • 802
  • 11 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Escherichia coli-Based Therapeutic Protein Expression
Therapeutic proteins treat many acute and chronic diseases that were, until recently, considered untreatable. However, their high development cost keeps them out of reach of most patients around the world. One possible way to make manufacturing cheaper is to use newer technologies, such as Escherichia coli to make larger molecules, like full-length antibodies, that are normally only made in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells, switch to continuous manufacturing, and change the process to cell-free synthesis. The advantages of using E. coli include a shorter production cycle, little risk of viral contamination, cell host stability, and a highly reproducible post-translational modification.
  • 801
  • 08 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Gas6/TAM Axis Involvement in COVID-19 Patients
Gas6 (growth arrest-specific gene 6) is a widely expressed vitamin K-dependent protein that is involved in many biological processes such as homeostatic regulation, inflammation and repair/fibrotic processes. It is known that it is the main ligand of TAMs, a tyrosine kinase receptor family of three members, namely MerTK, Tyro-3 and Axl, for which it displays the highest affinity. Gas6/TAM axis activation is known to be involved in modulating inflammatory responses as well as fibrotic evolution in many different pathological conditions. The Axl is a SARS-CoV-2 infection driver, the use of existing Axl inhibitors is beneficial for COVID-19 management. 
  • 800
  • 12 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Role of Genetic Polymorphisms in Differentiated Thyroid Cancer
Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy, with an increasing trend in the past decades. It has a variety of different histological subtypes, the most frequent one being differentiated thyroid cancer, which refers to papillary carcinoma, the most common histological type, followed by follicular carcinoma. Associations between genetic polymorphisms and thyroid cancer have been investigated over the years and are an intriguing topic for the scientific world.
  • 800
  • 20 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Inflammation Enhances the Efficacy of CFTR Modulator Therapy
The cystic fibrosis lung is inflamed and therefore the impact of inflammation on CFTR rescue should be considered. There is now evidence that airway inflammation enhances CFTR rescue. The development of CFTR modulators, such as correctors that augment F508del CFTR transfer to the apical membrane, and potentiators that increase CFTR channel activity, permitted successful treatment of the basic defect in cystic fibrosis. The first FDA-approved CFTR modulator was the potentiator ivacaftor (VX-770), which improves the function of the gating mutant G551D CFTR. While the potentiator VX-770 or the CFTR corrector lumacaftor (VX-809) alone did not significantly improve lung function in F508del CF patients, combining VX-809 with VX-770 (in the drug Orkambi) or combining the newer corrector tezacaftor (VX-661) with VX-770 (in the drug Symdeko) resulted in modest lung function improvements in clinical trials in patients homozygous for F508del CFTR. Notably, F508del rescue resulting from these combination therapies or the clinically effective novel triple therapy (in the drug Trikafta) were enhanced by airway epithelial inflammation in vitro. Thus, the airway inflammatory milieu improves the efficacy of CFTR modulators.
  • 799
  • 01 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Extracellular Vesicles as Novel Treatments
Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) represent a promising therapy for musculoskeletal diseases. There is compelling evidence indicating that MSC effects are mainly mediated by paracrine mechanisms and in particular by the secretion of extracellular vesicles (EVs). Many studies have thus suggested that EVs may be an alternative to cell therapy with MSCs in tissue repair.
  • 798
  • 14 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Therapeutic Targeting of Tumor Collagen
The tumor stroma, which comprises stromal cells and non-cellular elements, is a critical component of the tumor microenvironment (TME). The dynamic interactions between the tumor cells and the stroma may promote tumor progression and metastasis and dictate resistance to established cancer therapies. Therefore, novel antitumor approaches should combine anticancer and anti-stroma strategies targeting dysregulated tumor extracellular matrix (ECM). ECM remodeling is a hallmark of solid tumors, leading to extensive biochemical and biomechanical changes, affecting cell signaling and tumor tissue three-dimensional architecture. Increased deposition of fibrillar collagen is the most distinctive alteration of the tumor ECM. Consequently, several anticancer therapeutic strategies have been developed to reduce excessive tumor collagen deposition.
  • 798
  • 17 Oct 2022
Topic Review
RNA Therapeutics
Synthetic RNA products are a low-cost solution based on a novel method of using nucleosides to act as an innate medicine factory with unlimited therapeutic possibilities. In addition to the common perception of vaccines preventing infections, the newer applications of RNA therapies include preventing autoimmune disorders, such as diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and Down syndrome; now, we can deliver monoclonal antibodies, hormones, cytokines, and other complex proteins, reducing the manufacturing hurdles associated with these products. The approved nucleic acid (DNA/RNA) therapeutics treat diseases by targeting their genetic blueprints in vivo, unlike targeting proteins, which is a conventional transient approach.
  • 798
  • 17 May 2023
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