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Topic Review
Mitochondria in Oocyte Maturation
Mitochondria are the only animal cell organelles, except for the nucleus, with their own genetic information, called mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). The mtDNA is a double-stranded, circular, 16,569 bp DNA molecule in humans, which codes 13 essential subunits of the respiratory chain complexes, 22 tRNAs, and two rRNAs, constituting part of the mitochondrial translation machinery.
  • 1.2K
  • 29 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Enteric Glial Cells
 At first, enteric glial cells were considered to be just a structural support for neurons, but recent findings emphasized more on their functions, and they turned out to be equally as important as neural cells, due to their involvement in all aspects of neural functions for both the central and peripheral nervous system, including the ENS.They have been mostly underestimated, particularly regarding the modulation of their functions by nutraceuticals.
  • 1.2K
  • 09 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Mitochondrial Homeostasis
Mitochondria are essential organelles and crucial for cellular survival. Mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy are dynamic features that are essential for both maintaining the health of the mitochondrial network and cellular demands. The accumulation of damaged mitochondria has been shown to be related to a wide range of pathologies ranging from neurological to musculoskeletal.
  • 1.2K
  • 18 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Contribution of Lactate Metabolism in Cancer Progress
The Warburg effect describes a unique phenomenon that cancers incline to shift the mode of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) to glycolysis in spite of abundant oxygen. Lactate is the main production of glycolysis, which contains two isomers, L-lactate and D-lactate. The accumulation of high lactate in solid tumors and its extracellular environment is considered as the key and early evidence of malignant development, which is associated with a poor prognosis. Lactate reprograms the tumor microenvironment (TME) to have profound effects on cancer cell phenotype and is conducive to the progress of cancer that involves the eight biological capabilities acquired of cancer: sustaining cell proliferation, promoting growth, resisting cell death, enabling replicative immortality, inducing angiogenesis, activating invasion and metastasis, reprogramming energy metabolism, and evading immune destruction. Lactate’s contribution to cancer is not only the respiratory fuel but also the regulator of intracellular and extracellular molecular signaling in the TME.
  • 1.2K
  • 11 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Calcium Signaling and Mitochondrial Oxidative Capacity
The intermyofibrillar mitochondria constitute the majority of the three-mitochondrial subpopulations in the cardiac myocyte. They are also considered to be the most important in terms of their ability to participate in calcium and cellular signaling, which are critical for the regulation of mitochondrial function and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. 
  • 1.2K
  • 20 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Cholesterol Redistribution Regulates β-cell Insulin Biosynthesis and Secretion
Cholesterol, an essential component of the cellular membranes, exhibits multiple structural and functional roles, orchestrating a wide range of signalling pathways and cellular functions. The pancreatic β-cells rely on cholesterol for their survival, proliferation, and functional maturation. Intracellular cholesterol imbalance is a tremendous burden to β-cells as this condition disables the cells from adequately delivering the sterol to its final destinations, resulting in altered plasma membrane organization, impaired mitochondrial activity, reduced insulin granule maturation, and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. To maintain cholesterol homeostasis, β-cells have evolved a sophisticated machinery that not only controls the lipid biosynthesis or influx/efflux but also its redistribution among the different organelles. The mechanisms by which β-cells sense and shuttle the lipids across different membrane compartments are still largely unexplored.
  • 1.2K
  • 02 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Osteoporosis Treatments
A healthy and active lifestyle is vital for the proper maintenance of all body tissues, including bone. Several studies have highlighted the importance of physical exercise to improve the quality of life of patients with osteoporosis. Diet also plays a fundamental role in bone health. Calcium supplementation is able to decrease the rate of bone mineral density loss in women, presenting even better results in combination with vitamin D. Lately, isoflavones has gain interest as a treatment in osteoporosis but their effectiveness still remains unclear. Therefore, pharmacological therapies have been developed to counteract bone fragility based on molecular targets. Therapies for osteoporosis are focus on restoring the normal balance between bone resorption and bone formation. Bone anti-resorptive therapies focus on the inhibition or reduction of bone resorption process, these are; estrogens, selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), bisphosphonates and monoclonal antibodies. On the other hand, bone formation agents target anabolic pathways to stimulate the osteoblastic activity. This include Teriparatide, a recombinant human parathyroid hormone (PTH), and Romosozumab; an anti-sclerostin monoclonal antibody with dual effect.  It increases bone formation and, to a lesser extent, it reduces bone resorption (or bone loss) which translates into a decrease in the risk of fracture. In summary, currently used osteoporosis therapies are not fully effective in all patients and present considerable side effects that seriously compromise their long-term use. Thus, the development of new therapeutic strategies for osteoporosis is necessary in an increasingly aging world population. In this context, cell-based therapeutic strategies based on mesenchymal stem cells are positioning as encouraging possibilities to address osteoporosis.
  • 1.2K
  • 27 Oct 2020
Topic Review
3D Modeling of Epithelial Tumors
The current statistics on cancer show that 90% of all human cancers originate from epithelial cells. Breast and prostate cancer are examples of common tumors of epithelial origin that would benefit from improved drug treatment strategies. About 90% of preclinically approved drugs fail in clinical trials, partially due to the use of too simplified in vitro models and a lack of mimicking the tumor microenvironment in drug efficacy testing. This entry focuses on the epithelial cancers, followed by experimental models designed to recapitulate the epithelial tumor structure and microenvironment. A specific focus is to put on novel technologies for cell culture of spheroids, organoids, and 3D-printed tissue-like models, utilizing biomaterials of natural or synthetic origins, and how the models could be utilized for nanotechnology-based drug delivery in the future.
  • 1.2K
  • 24 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Role of MSCs-Sourced Secretome in Liver Regeneration
Liver fibrosis is a wound healing response that degenerates, and is characterized by excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components that form scar tissue. Liver transplantation is often needed as a course of treatment for patients in critical conditions, but limitations associated with transplantation prompted the continuous search for alternative therapeutic strategies. Cell therapy with stem cells has emerged as an attractive option in order to stimulate tissue regeneration and liver repair. Transplanted mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) could trans-differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells and, moreover, show anti-fibrotic and immunomodulatory effects.
  • 1.2K
  • 14 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Trichomonas vaginalis
In Trichomonas, the hydrogenosome, a double membrane-bounded organelle that produces ATP, also can be a good target. Other structures include mitosomes, ribosomes, and proteasomes. Metronidazole is the most frequent compound used to kill many anaerobic organisms, including Giardia and Trichomonas. It enters the cell by passive diffusion and needs to find a highly reductive environment to be reduced to the nitro radicals to be active. However, it provokes several side effects, and some strains present metronidazole resistance. Therefore, to improve the quality of the chemotherapy against parasitic protozoa is important to invest in the development of highly specific compounds that interfere with key steps of essential metabolic pathways or in the functional macromolecular complexes which are most often associated with cell structures and organelles. 
  • 1.2K
  • 15 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Cell Wall Associated Kinase
Cell wall associated kinases (WAKs) are receptor-like protein kinases, found in plant cell walls, that have the capability to transmit signals directly by their cytoplasmic kinase domains. They usually link the plasma membrane to the protein and carbohydrate that composed the cell wall. The receptor-like proteins contain a cytoplasmic serine threonine kinase and a less conserved region; bound to the cell wall and contains a series of epidermal growth factor repeats. WAKs are found in various plants and crops like rice, and maize. In plants genome like Arabidopsis, WAKs, are encoded by five highly similar genes clustered in a 30-kb locus, among them WAK1 & WAK2 are highly distributed. They are primarily involved in regulating plant cell wall functions including cell expansion, bind as well as response to pectins, pathogen response and also protects plants from detrimental effects.
  • 1.2K
  • 03 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Inflammatory Markers in Cancer Immunotherapy
Chronic inflammation is considered a major risk factor for cancer formation. Inflammation within the tumor environment plays a role in its response to therapy, growth, and prognosis. Cancer associated inflammation is known to occur in the tumor microenvironment and in the systemic circulation, and is correlated with disease progression and prognosis in many cancers. Blood cells such as neutrophils, lymphocytes, platelets, and circulating proteins such as C-reactive protein, and interleukins, such as IL-6, have been associated with inflammatory responses, which contribute to tumorigenesis. Cancer has found ways to evade the immune response; a pathway that can attenuate the innate immune response is via blocking immune checkpoints. Development of monoclonal antibodies against inhibitory immune checkpoints such as cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) have given rise to immunotherapy, which has shown remarkable responses in anti-tumor activity resulting in several U.S. Federal and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved checkpoint inhibitors. 
  • 1.2K
  • 27 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Monoubiquitin Signaling in Genetic Diseases
Ubiquitination is a reversible post-translational modification that controls protein function and stability. Different types of ubiquitination were described including polyubiquitination, the attachment of multiple ubiquitin residues, or monoubiquitination, the attachment of a single ubiquitin molecule. While most of the studies have described the role of polyubiquitination, recent evidences show that monoubiquitination is a key regulator of different cellular processes, including vesicular trafficking and protein complex formation and degradation. Enzymes regulating monoubiquitination such as E2 conjugating enzymes, E3 ligases or ubiquitin hydrolases, are found altered in several genetic diseases, including Parkinson's disease or Noonan syndrome.
  • 1.2K
  • 29 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Delta133p53 Isoforms of Human TP53
The TP53 gene is a critical tumor suppressor and key determinant of cell fate which regulates numerous cellular functions including DNA repair, cell cycle arrest, cellular senescence, apoptosis, autophagy and metabolism. The delta133p53 isoforms are critical regulators of these biological processes in human physiology and diseases such as cancer.  
  • 1.2K
  • 28 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Iron and Anti-Cancer Immune Response
New insights into the field of iron metabolism within the tumor microenvironment have been uncovered in recent years. Iron promotes the production of reactive oxygen species, which may either trigger ferroptosis cell death or contribute to malignant transformation. Once transformed, cancer cells divert tumor-infiltrating immune cells to satisfy their iron demand, thus affecting the tumor immunosurveillance. In this review, we highlight how the bioavailability of this metal shapes complex metabolic pathways within the tumor microenvironment and how this affects both tumor-associated macrophages and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes functions. Furthermore, we discuss the potentials as well as the current clinical controversies surrounding the use of iron metabolism as a target for new anticancer treatments in two opposed conditions: (i) the “hot” tumors, which are usually enriched in immune cells infiltration and are extremely rich in iron availability within the microenvironment, and (ii) the “cold” tumors, which are often very poor in immune cells, mainly due to immune exclusion.
  • 1.2K
  • 06 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Signaling and Transcriptional Regulation of Muscle Catabolic Genes
Cancer cachexia (CC) is a multifactorial syndrome characterized by a significant reduction in body weight that is predominantly caused by the loss of skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. Although the ill effects of cachexia are well known, the condition has been largely overlooked, in part due to its complex etiology, heterogeneity in mediators, and the involvement of diverse signaling pathways. For a long time, inflammatory factors have been the focus when developing therapeutics for the treatment of CC. Despite promising pre-clinical results, they have not yet advanced to the clinic. Developing new therapies requires a comprehensive understanding of how deregulated signaling leads to catabolic gene expression that underlies muscle wasting.
  • 1.2K
  • 19 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Lipid Metabolism
  Bone is a dynamic tissue and is constantly being remodeled by bone cells. Metabolic reprogramming plays a critical role in the activation of these bone cells and skeletal metabolism, which fulfills the energy demand for bone remodeling. Among various metabolic pathways, the importance of lipid metabolism in bone cells has long been appreciated. More recent studies also establish the link between bone loss and lipid-altering conditions—such as atherosclerotic vascular disease, hyperlipidemia, and obesity—and uncover the detrimental effect of fat accumulation on skeletal homeostasis and increased risk of fracture. Targeting lipid metabolism with statin, a lipid-lowering drug, has been shown to improve bone density and quality in metabolic bone diseases. However, the molecular mechanisms of lipid-mediated regulation in osteoclasts are not completely understood. Thus, a better understanding of lipid metabolism in osteoclasts can be used to harness bone cell activity to treat pathological bone disorders.
  • 1.2K
  • 14 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Ultraviolet Protection in the Cornea
Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation induces DNA lesions in all directly exposed tissues. In the human body, two tissues are chronically exposed to UV: the skin and the cornea. The most frequent UV-induced DNA lesions are cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) that can lead to apoptosis or induce tumorigenesis. Lacking the protective pigmentation of the skin, the transparent cornea is particularly dependent on nucleotide excision repair (NER) to remove UV-induced DNA lesions. The DNA damage response also triggers intracellular autophagy mechanisms to remove damaged material in the cornea. Therapeutic solutions involving xenogenic DNA-repair enzymes such as T4 endonuclease V or photolyases exist and are widely distributed for dermatological use. 
  • 1.2K
  • 23 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Alternatively Spliced Isoforms in MAPK Signaling
The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are key signaling components  that transmit signals to many cellular processes. Each of the cascades operates by a sequential activation of protein kinases organized in three or more tiers that provide a seemingly linear signal transmission. However, the cellular effects regulated by each cascade may vary significantly. To achieve these diverse effects, the specificity of each cascade is extended by distinct regulators.  Here we describe the importance of having distinct components in each tier of the cascades, particularly alternatively spliced isoforms of the MAPK components. This mode of regulation extends the cascade’s specificity and allows accurate, fine-tuned signaling outcomes that lead to proper cell fates. 
  • 1.2K
  • 28 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Atypically Shaped Cardiomyocytes
Atypically shaped cardiomyocytes (ACMs) are found in cultures of the cardiomyocyte-removed fraction obtained from cardiac ventricles from neonatal to aged mice. ACMs are thought to be a subpopulation of cardiomyocytes or immature cardiomyocytes, most closely resembling cardiomyocytes due to their spontaneous beating, well-organized sarcomere and the expression of cardiac-specific proteins, including some fetal cardiac gene proteins.
  • 1.2K
  • 11 Jul 2022
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