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Topic Review
Pyroptosis in SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Pyroptosis is a gasdermin-mediated, membrane pore forming, proinflammatory type of cell death. This necrotic form of cell death causes cell swelling and lysis and was initially found to be an infection triggered event occurring mostly in myeloid cells which leads to ion fluxes and release of proteins of the interleukin (IL) family. It was first described in 1992 by a group that saw a Caspase 1-dependent form of cell death in macrophages that were infected with Shigella flexneri and initially thought it was a form of apoptosis because of its caspase dependency. Pyroptosis is an important event in non-infectious diseases as well and therapeutic approaches have been developed in the hope of influencing several of these disease outcomes.
  • 923
  • 22 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Immunotherapy in Hematologic Malignancies
Immunotherapy is extensively investigated for almost all types of hematologic tumors, from preleukemic to relapse/refractory malignancies. Due to the emergence of technologies for target cell characterization, antibody design and manufacturing, as well as genome editing, immunotherapies including gene and cell therapies are becoming increasingly elaborate and diversified. Understanding the tumor immune microenvironment of the target disease is critical, as is reducing toxicity. Although there have been many successes and newly FDA-approved immunotherapies for hematologic malignancies, we have learned that insufficient efficacy due to disease relapse following treatment is one of the key obstacles for developing successful therapeutic regimens. Thus, combination therapies are also being explored. In this review, immunotherapies for each type of hematologic malignancy will be introduced, and novel targets that are under investigation will be described.
  • 921
  • 18 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Immunogenic Cell Death in Cancer Biology and Therapy
Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is a modality of regulated cell death that is sufficient to promote an adaptive immune response against antigens of the dying cell in an immunocompetent host. An important characteristic of ICD is the release and exposure of damage-associated molecular patterns, which are potent endogenous immune adjuvants. As the induction of ICD can be achieved with conventional cytotoxic agents, it represents a potential approach for the immunotherapy of cancer.
  • 920
  • 02 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Thioredoxin-Interacting Protein
The development of new therapeutic approaches to diseases relies on the identification of key molecular targets involved in amplifying disease processes. One such molecule is thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP), also designated thioredoxin-binding protein-2 (TBP-2), a member of the α-arrestin family of proteins and a central regulator of glucose and lipid metabolism, involved in diabetes-associated vascular endothelial dysfunction and inflammation. TXNIP sequesters reduced thioredoxin (TRX), inhibiting its function, resulting in increased oxidative stress. Many different cellular stress factors regulate TXNIP expression, including high glucose, endoplasmic reticulum stress, free radicals, hypoxia, nitric oxide, insulin, and adenosine-containing molecules. TXNIP is also directly involved in inflammatory activation through its interaction with the nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich-containing family, and pyrin domain-containing-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome complex. Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease have significant pathologies associated with increased oxidative stress, inflammation, and vascular dysfunctions.
  • 919
  • 22 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Antioxidant, and Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Trigonella foenum-graecum
Trigonella foenum-graecum (Fenugreek) is a valuable medicinal plant belonging to the Fabaceae family. Plant seeds are mostly used in Asian, African, and Mediterranean countries as major ingredients of daily diets and in domains such as cosmetics, fragrances, beverages, nutrition, medicine and industry. The major pharmacological attributes of fenugreek are hypotensive, antioxidant, antiviral, anticarcinogenic, galactagogue, laxative, febrifuge, carminative, anticholesterolemic, antimicrobial, etc. 
  • 918
  • 29 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Respiratory Epithelial Cells against Fungal Infections
The respiratory epithelium is highly complex, and its composition varies along the conducting airways and alveoli. In addition to their primary function in maintaining the respiratory barrier and lung homeostasis for gas exchange, epithelial cells interact with inhaled pathogens, which can manipulate cell signaling pathways, promoting adhesion to these cells or hosting tissue invasion. Moreover, pathogens (or their products) can induce the secretion of chemokines and cytokines by epithelial cells, and in this way, these host cells communicate with the immune system, modulating host defenses and inflammatory outcomes.
  • 916
  • 31 May 2022
Topic Review
The Molecular Mechanisms of Complement Receptor 1
Human complement receptor 1 (CR1) is a membrane-bound regulator of complement that has been the subject of attempts to generate soluble therapeutic compounds comprising different fragments of its extracellular domain. 
  • 912
  • 17 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Mitochondria at Work
Mitochondria can adapt to the requirements of different organs. For instance long-life energy supply for the heart or metabolism for function of the liver. Dysregulations are observed in all major chronic diseases. The paper includes interventional strategies for cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndromes, cancer, cachexia and immune system exhaustion.
  • 911
  • 07 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Iron Absorption and Regulation Mechanisms
Iron deficiency remains one of the main nutritional disorders worldwide and low iron intake and/or bioavailability are currently the major causes of anemia. To fight this public health problem, the scientific challenge is to find an iron form with sufficient bioavailability to increase its levels in humans through food fortification. In turn, biofortification appears as a comparatively advantageous and bearable strategy for the delivery of vitamins and other micronutrients for people without access to a healthy and diverse diet. This approach relies on plant breeding, transgenic techniques, or agronomic practices to obtain a final food product with a higher iron content. It is also known that certain food constituents are able to favor or inhibit iron absorption. The management of these compounds can thus successfully improve the absorption of dietary iron and, ultimately, contribute to fight this disorder present all over the world. This review describes the main causes/manifestations of iron-deficiency anemia, forms of disease prevention and treatment, and the importance of a balanced and preventive diet. A special focus was given to innovative food fortification and biofortification procedures used to improve the iron content in staple food crops. 
  • 910
  • 13 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Chasing Uterine Cancer with NK Cell-Based Immunotherapies
Gynecological cancers, including endometrial adenocarcinoma, significantly contribute to cancer incidence and mortality worldwide. The immune system plays a significant role in endometrial cancer pathogenesis. (uterine) NK cells, a component of innate immunity, are among the critical innate immune cells in the uterus crucial in menstruation, embryonic development, and fighting infections. NK cell number and function influence endometrial cancer development and progression. Hence, it becomes crucial to understand the role of local (uterine) NK cells in uterine cancer.
  • 907
  • 20 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor 2 in Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents one of the most common causes of death among cancers worldwide. Its incidence has been increasing among the young population. Many risk factors contribute to the development and progression of CRC and about 70% of them are sporadic. The CRC microenvironment is highly heterogeneous and represents a very complex immunosuppressive platform. Many cytokines and their receptors are vital participants in this immunosuppressive microenvironment. Tumor necrosis factors (TNFs) and TNF receptor 2 (TNFR2) are critical players in the development of CRC. TNFR2 was observed to have increased the immunosuppressive activity of CRC cells via regulatory T cells (T regs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) in the CRC microenvironment.
  • 905
  • 07 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Pregnancy and Vaccination during COVID-19 Pandemic
Pregnancy, alone, being associated with a state of immune alterations, exposes the maternal immune system to many challenges. Pregnant women, being a highly vulnerable group, need to be administered vaccines as early as possible; however, there is a lot of vaccine hesitancy among the population regarding immunization of pregnant women, who are avoided in the initial phases of most clinical trials. A look at available studies on the mechanisms of immune response in pregnant women and further, the reports of vaccine efficacy and outcomes among pregnant women against COVID-19 and EVD would definitely yield many insights that could be useful in the surveillance and planning of vaccination strategies for pregnant women against impending pathogenic RNA viruses.
  • 904
  • 27 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Macrophages and Atherosclerosis
Macrophages are the key inflammatory cell type involved in all stages of atherosclerosis development and progression, as demonstrated by numerous studies. Correspondingly, macrophages are currently regarded as a promising therapeutic target for the development of new treatment approaches. The macrophage population is heterogeneous and dynamic, as these cells can switch between a number of distinct functional states with pro- and anti-atherogenic activity in response to various stimuli. An atherosclerotic plaque microenvironment defined by cytokine levels, cell-to-cell interactions, lipid accumulation, hypoxia, neoangiogenesis, and intraplaque haemorrhage may guide local macrophage polarization processes within the lesion.
  • 904
  • 04 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Immune Checkpoint Blockade for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most prevalent form of liver cancer in the world. Annually, HCC affects approximately 900,000 individuals, and over 70% of new cases are diagnosed in Asia. The etiology of HCC is complicated due to the multiple risk factors involved.
  • 903
  • 29 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Pathogens Associated with Pre-Eclampsia
Pre-eclampsia, the second most frequent direct source of maternal mortality, is a multisystem gestational disorder characterized by proteinuria and maternal hypertension after the 20th gestational week. Metabolic conditions, immunological changes, and fluctuating hormone levels of the pregnant woman induce a dysbiosis of the oral microbiota and contribute to increase inflammation of periodontal tissues. Periodontal pathogens, as well as inflammatory molecules produced in response to periodontopathogens, could diffuse through the bloodstream inducing a placenta inflammatory response. In addition, periodontopathogens can colonize the vaginal microbiota through the gastrointestinal tract or during oro-genital contact. A cumulative bi-directional relationship between periodontal conditions, pathogens and pre-eclampsia exists.
  • 903
  • 24 Nov 2021
Topic Review
STAT6
Inflammation is the main driver of tumor initiation and progression in colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC). Recent findings have indicated that the signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) plays a fundamental role in the early stages of CAC, and STAT6 knockout (STAT6−/−) mice are highly resistant to CAC development. Regulatory T (Treg) cells play a major role in coordinating immunomodulation in cancer; however, the role of STAT6 in the induction and function of Treg cells is poorly understood. To clarify the contribution of STAT6 to CAC, STAT6−/− and wild type (WT) mice were subjected to an AOM/DSS regimen, and the frequency of peripheral and local Treg cells was determined during the progression of CAC. When STAT6 was lacking, a remarkable reduction in tumor growth was observed, which was associated with decreased inflammation and an increased number of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ cells. STAT6 has a direct role in the induction and function of Treg cells during CAC development.  
  • 901
  • 22 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Th1 Polarization Induced by Dendritic-Cell-Priming Adjuvant in Vaccination
Virus-derived nucleic acids are potential immune-enhancers and particularly good candidates as adjuvants in vaccines in mouse models. The most important nucleic-acid-sensing process involves the dendritic cell (DC) Toll-like receptor (TLR), which participates in the pattern recognition of foreign DNA/RNA structures. Human CD141+ DCs preferentially express TLR3 in endosomes and recognize double-stranded RNA. Antigen cross-presentation occurs preferentially in this subset of DCs (cDCs) via the TLR3–TICAM-1–IRF3 axis. Another subset, plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs), specifically expresses TLR7/9 in endosomes.
  • 901
  • 19 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Gut Microbiota and Immunotherapy
Gut microbiota can have opposing functions from pro-tumorigenic to anti-tumorigenic effects. Increasing preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that the intestinal microbiota affects cancer patients’ response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) immunotherapy, such as anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1) and anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4). Microbiota-induced inflammation possibly contributes to tumor growth and cancer development. Microbiota-derived metabolites can also be converted to carcinogenic agents related to genetic mutations and DNA damage in organs such as the colon. However, other attributes of microbiota, such as greater diversity and specific bacterial species and their metabolites, are linked to better clinical outcomes and potentially improved anti-tumor immunity. In addition, the intratumoral microbial composition strongly affects T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity and anti-tumor immune surveillance, adding more complexity to the cancer-microbiome-immune axis.
  • 899
  • 26 Aug 2022
Topic Review
SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in Our Time
Coronavirus disease-19 (a.k.a. COVID-19) is a new disease caused by a coronavirus that is still under investigation concerning how it spreads. Development and deployment of biosensors for the rapid detection of the 2019 novel severe acute respiratory syndrome—coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are of utmost importance and urgency during this recent outbreak of coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, which spread rapidly around the world. 
  • 898
  • 08 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Chitin in Controlling the NLRP3 Inflammasome
The role of NLRP3 in the tumour microenvironment is elusive. In some cancers, the activation of NLRP3 causes a worse prognosis and in some cancers, NLRP3 increases chances of survivability. However, in many cases where NLRP3 has a protumorigenic role, inhibition of NLRP3 would be a crucial step in therapy. Consequently, activation of NLRP3 would be of essence when inflammation is required. Chitin and its derivatives are able to upregulate and downregulate the effect of the NLRP3 inflammasome based on its preparation, and these different reactions can be utilised to successfully target a broad range of cancers. Out of chitin, chitosan and chitooligosaccharide (COS), COS seems to be the best approach to actual products due its solubility being the highest, enabling it to be delivered more efficiently when compared to the other two. These specific preparations can be used on a case-by-case basis to help mitigate the negative effects of cancer and can potentially be used as a treatment or an adjuvant to cancer treatment.
  • 896
  • 22 Aug 2022
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