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Topic Review
Lysyl oxidase like 2
LOXL2 is a key enzyme that catalyzes the cross-linking of collagen fibers and forms an integral part in collagen homeostasis. It is thus needed for normal functioning of the myocardium and is pertinent to cardiac remodeling [13]. Dysregulation of its expression is a major driver of muscle stiffness through induced cardiac fibrosis [24,25,43], which reduces cardiac output. In fact, it has been proposed that decreasing excessive collagen cross-linking would reduce myocardial fibrosis and stiffness and thereby improve heart function [44].
  • 4.2K
  • 20 Aug 2020
Topic Review
C3 to CAM Photosynthesis Transition
Global climate change and population growth are persistently posing threats to natural resources (e.g., freshwater) and agricultural production. Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) evolved from C3 photosynthesis as an adaptive form of photosynthesis in hot and arid regions. It features the nocturnal opening of stomata for CO2 assimilation, diurnal closure of stomata for water conservation, and high water-use efficiency.
  • 4.2K
  • 08 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Benfotiamine
Benfotiamine (BFT) has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that seem to be mediated by a mechanism independent of the coenzyme function of ThDP. BFT has no adverse effects and improves cognitive outcome in patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD). 
  • 4.2K
  • 04 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Targeted Therapeutic Sites for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
The advent of precision medicine has brought light to the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), expanding the options for patients with advanced NSCLC by targeting therapy through genetic and epigenetic cues. Tumor driver genes in NSCLC patients have been uncovered one by one, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), mesenchymal lymphoma kinase (ALK), and receptor tyrosine kinase ROS proto-oncogene 1 (ROS1) mutants. Antibodies and inhibitors that target the critical gene-mediated signaling pathways that regulate tumor growth and development are anticipated to increase patient survival and quality of life. Targeted drugs continue to emerge, with as many as two dozen approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and chemotherapy and targeted therapy have significantly improved patient prognosis.
  • 4.2K
  • 06 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Extracellular Matrix and Its Artificial Substitutes
The existence of orderly structures such as tissues and organs is made possible by cell adhesion, i.e. the process by which cells attach to neighbouring cells and a supporting substance in the form of the extracellular matrix. The extracellular matrix is a three-dimensional structure composed of collagens, elastin and various proteoglycans and glycoproteins. It is a storehouse for multiple signalling factors. Tissue disruption often prevents the natural reconstitution of the matrix. The use of appropriate implants is then required. The possibilities of regenerating damaged tissues using an artificial matrix substitute are described, detailing the host response to the implant. An important issue is the surface properties of such an implant and the possibilities of their modification.
  • 4.1K
  • 25 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Peptide/Protein Self-Assembly and Aggregation
The self-assembly of proteins is an essential process for a variety of cellular functions including cell respiration, mobility and division. On the other hand, protein or peptide misfolding and aggregation is related to the development of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, among other aggregopathies.
  • 4.1K
  • 11 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Luminogens with Aggregation-Induced Emission
Luminogens with aggregation-induced emission (AIEgens) have been widely applied in the field of photodynamic therapy. Among them, aggregation-induced emission photosensitizers (AIE–PSs) are demonstrated with high capability in fluorescence and photoacoustic bimodal imaging, as well as in fluorescence imaging-guided photodynamic therapy. They not only improve diagnosis accuracy but also provide an efficient theranostic platform to accelerate preclinical translation as well.
  • 4.1K
  • 21 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Glucosinolate Biosynthesis
Glucosinolates are amino acid-derived plant-specialized metabolites that are largely found within the members of the family Brassicaceae, which includes vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, and mustard, as well as the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress). The aliphatic glucosinolates are derived from methionine, alanine, leucine, isoleucine, or valine; aromatic glucosinolates are built from phenylalanine or tyrosine; and the indole glucosinolates originate with tryptophan. Each of class of glucosinolate shares a core chemical structure consisting of a β-D-glucosyl residue linked to a (Z)-N-hydroximinosulfate ester through a sulfur and a variable amino acid-derived R group. To date, more than 130 glucosinolate molecules, of which Arabidopsis contains 40 mainly derived from methionine and tryptophan, have been described.
  • 4.0K
  • 11 Oct 2021
Topic Review
PCR and NGS in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a clonal disorder that affects myeloid progenitor cells residing in the bone marrow (BM). This implies altered differentiation with subsequent abnormal proliferation and accumulation of inadequately matured myeloid cells. The detection of leukemic cells moved in the last two decades from immune-phenotyping to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). This technique was shown to be reproducible, accurate and highly sensitive for MRD monitoring, with a significant capacity in predicting prognosis, treatment effectiveness and relapse risk. NGS or massively parallel sequencing is a revolutionary method of DNA and RNA sequencing. It is called parallel because it sequences millions of DNA fragments simultaneously. In the early years of its appearance, Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) platforms were used primarily for cancer research purposes. Recently, they are increasingly emerging as irreplaceable diagnostic tools in clinical settings.
  • 4.0K
  • 10 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Cell Lysis
Cell lysis is the first step of sample preparation for nucleic acid (NA) detection. Its purpose is to release NAs from the cells by disrupting the structure of cell membranes, which are also known as phospholipid bilayer membranes or plasmalemma. As NA detection typically relies on amplification using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or isothermal alternatives, carry-over of inhibitory agents including the reagents used for lysis needs to be avoided or minimised. While washing steps are easily implemented in a laboratory setting, for Point of Need testing, the trend is towards substitution of strong inhibitory lytic reagents for more benign alternatives to minimise processing steps and reagent use. Additionally, sustainability of the reagents and their disposal are growing concerns. Here, an overview of lysis methods is provided from the perspective of their suitability for for point of need testing.
  • 4.0K
  • 16 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
The signals generated by the HPG axis, the main participants of which are gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), gonadotropins, and sex steroids, coordinate the development and functioning of the immune system, and immunomediators, in particular, cytokines and thymic peptides, influence the HPG axis.
  • 4.0K
  • 08 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Food–Drug Interactions with Fruit Juices
Fruit juices contain a large number of phytochemicals that, in combination with certain drugs, can cause food–drug interactions that can be clinically significant and lead to adverse events. The mechanisms behind such interactions are in most cases related to phytochemical interference with the activity of cytochrome P450 metabolizing enzymes (CYPs) or drug transporters. Moreover, alterations in their activity can have a clinical relevance if systemic exposure to the drug is decreased or increased, meaning that the pharmacological drug effects are suboptimal, or the drug will cause toxicity. In general, the common pharmacokinetic parameters found to be altered in food–drug interactions regarding fruit juices are the area under the concentration–time curve, bioavailability, and maximum plasma concentration. In most cases, the results from the drug interaction studies with fruit juices provide only limited information due to the small number of subjects, which are also healthy volunteers. Moreover, drug interactions with fruit juices are challenging to predict due to the unknown amounts of the specific phytochemicals responsible for the interaction, as well as due to the inter-individual variability of drug metabolism, among others. Therefore, this work aims to raise awareness about possible pharmacological interactions with fruit juices. 
  • 4.0K
  • 29 May 2021
Topic Review
Cutibacterium acnes
Cutibacterium acnes is a member of the skin microbiota found predominantly in regions rich in sebaceous glands. It is involved in maintaining healthy skin and has long been considered a commensal bacterium. Its involvement in various infections has led to its emergence as an opportunist pathogen. Interactions between C. acnes and the human host, including the human skin microbiota, promote the selection of C. acnes strains capable of producing several virulence factors that increase inflammatory capability. This pathogenic property may be related to many infectious mechanisms, such as an ability to form biofilms and the expression of putative virulence factors capable of triggering host immune responses or enabling C. acnes to adapt to its environment. During the past decade, many studies have identified and characterized several putative virulence factors potentially involved in the pathogenicity of this bacterium. These virulence factors are involved in bacterial attachment to target cells, polysaccharide-based biofilm synthesis, molecular structures mediating inflammation, and the enzymatic degradation of host tissues. C. acnes, like other skin-associated bacteria, can colonize various ecological niches other than skin. It produces several proteins or glycoproteins that could be considered to be active virulence factors, enabling the bacterium to adapt to the lipophilic environment of the pilosebaceous unit of the skin, but also to the various organs it colonizes. 
  • 3.9K
  • 22 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Inositol Hexaphosphate (IP6)
Multiple human health-beneficial effects have been related to highly phosphorylated inositol hexaphosphate (IP6). This naturally occurring carbohydrate and its parent compound, myo-inositol (Ins), are abundantly present in plants, particularly in certain high-fiber diets, but also in mammalian cells, where they regulate important cellular functions. However, the striking and broad-spectrum anticancer activity of IP6, consistently demonstrated in different experimental models, has been in a spotlight of the scientific community dealing with the nutrition and cancer during the last several decades. First experiments were performed in colon cancer 30 years ago. Since then, it has been shown that IP6 reduces cell proliferation, induces apoptosis and differentiation of malignant cells with reversion to normal phenotype, affecting several critical molecular targets. Enhanced immunity and antioxidant properties also contribute to the tumor cell destruction. Although Ins possesses a modest anticancer potential, the best anticancer results were obtained from the combination of IP6 + Ins.
  • 3.9K
  • 07 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (MAPKs)
Kinases are considered the largest protein family in the human proteome, and approximately 2% of eukaryotic genes encode kinase superfamily members. These enzymes catalyze the transference of the γ-phosphate from ATP to serine, threonine, or tyrosine amino acid residues of a downstream protein substrate, creating a communication cascade that is fundamental to eukaryotic cells. 
  • 3.9K
  • 26 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Superoxide Radical Anion O2•−
Classically, superoxide anion O2•− and reactive oxygen species ROS play a dual role. At the physiological balance level, they are a by-product of O2 reduction, necessary for cell signalling, and at the pathological level they are considered harmful, as they can induce disease and apoptosis, necrosis, ferroptosis, pyroptosis and autophagic cell death.
  • 3.9K
  • 31 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition
Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process that is crucial for embryogenesis, wound healing but also malignant progression. EMT leads to the changes in cell–cell and cell–ECM interactions, that allow the migration of epithelial cells and confer them to the mesenchymal phenotype
  • 3.8K
  • 06 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Antioxidant Properties of Ascorbic Acid
Ascorbic acid, commonly known as vitamin C, is one of the basic and best-known compounds necessary for the proper functioning of the human body. Ascorbic acid, as a one of the basic exogenous vitamins, occurs in the body in the form of ascorbate, known for its strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
  • 3.8K
  • 18 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Coenzyme A
Coenzyme A (CoA) is synthetized from pantothenic acid (commonly known as vitamin B5). The importance of CoA as a carrier of acyl residues in cell metabolism is well understood. Coenzyme A participates in more than 100 different catabolic and anabolic reactions, including those involved in the metabolism of lipids, carbohydrates, proteins, ethanol, bile acids, and xenobiotics.
  • 3.8K
  • 15 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Polyphenolic-Food and Longevity
Aging and, particularly, the onset of age-related diseases are associated with tissue dysfunction and macromolecular damage, some of which can be attributed to accumulation of oxidative damage. Recently, growing interest has emerged on the beneficial effects of plant-based diets for the prevention of chronic diseases including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Several studies collectively suggests that the intake of polyphenols and their major food sources may exert beneficial effects on improving insulin resistance and related diabetes risk factors, such as inflammation and oxidative stress. They are the most abundant antioxidants in the diet, and their intake has been associated with a reduced aging in humans. Polyphenolic intake has been shown to be effective at ameliorating several age-related phenotypes, including oxidative stress, inflammation, impaired proteostasis, and cellular senescence, both in vitro and in vivo.
  • 3.8K
  • 06 May 2022
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