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Topic Review
CaSR-Regulated microRNAs
The calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) is a unique G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) activated by extracellular Ca2+ and by other physiological cations, aminoacids, and polyamines. CaSR is the main controller of the extracellular Ca2+ homeostatic system by regulating parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion and, in turn, Ca2+ absorption and resorption. Recent advances highlight novel signaling pathways activated by CaSR signaling involving the regulation of microRNAs (miRNAs). 
  • 574
  • 16 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Omics and Male Infertility
Male infertility is a multifaceted disorder affecting approximately 50% of male partners in infertile couples. Over the years, male infertility has been diagnosed mainly through semen analysis, hormone evaluations, medical records and physical examinations, which of course are fundamental, but yet inefficient, because 30% of male infertility cases remain idiopathic. This dilemmatic status of the unknown needs to be addressed with more sophisticated and result-driven technologies and/or techniques. Genetic alterations have been linked with male infertility, thereby unveiling the practicality of investigating this disorder from the “omics” perspective. Omics aims at analyzing the structure and functions of a whole constituent of a given biological function at different levels, including the molecular gene level (genomics), transcript level (transcriptomics), protein level (proteomics) and metabolites level (metabolomics).
  • 574
  • 08 Mar 2022
Topic Review
STIM1 for Intracellular Calcium Handling
Stromal interacting molecule 1 (STIM1), a single transmembrane-spanning domain protein mainly residing in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), is the unique ER Ca2+sensor deputed to ER Ca2+refilling. STIM1 was identified in 2005 by RNA interference-based screening of proteins with known signaling motifs. Molecularly, STIM1, residing into the organelle, senses luminal Ca2+ concentration by its N-terminus with a low affinity with an apparent dissociation constant (Kd) of ~0.2–0.6 mM and interferes with several plasma membrane ionic proteins. In this way, STIM1 coordinates the  complex Ca2+ entry mechanism called store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) deputed to ER Ca2+ recharge.
  • 573
  • 03 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Vitamin A Transporters in Visual Function
Vitamins are essential compounds obtained through diet that are necessary for normal development and function in an organism. One of the most important vitamins for human physiology is vitamin A, a group of retinoid compounds and carotenoids, which generally function as a mediator for cell growth, differentiation, immunity, and embryonic development, as well as serving as a key component in the phototransduction cycle in the vertebrate retina. 
  • 571
  • 25 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Efficient Mucosal Repair Limits Morbidity from Colic
Colic is a leading cause of death in horses, with the most fatal form being strangulating obstruction which directly damages the intestinal barrier. Following surgical intervention, it is imperative that the intestinal barrier rapidly repairs to prevent translocation of gut bacteria and their products and ensure survival of the patient. Age-related disparities in survival have been noted in many species, including horses, humans, and pigs, with younger patients suffering poorer clinical outcomes. Maintenance and repair of the intestinal barrier is regulated by a complex mucosal microenvironment, of which the ENS, and particularly a developing network of subepithelial enteric glial cells, may be of particular importance in neonates with colic. Postnatal development of an immature enteric glial cell network is thought to be driven by the microbial colonization of the gut and therefore modulated by diet-influenced changes in bacterial populations early in life.
  • 569
  • 13 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Rieske Iron-Sulfur Protein in COPD and Pulmonary Hypertension
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is currently the third leading cause of death worldwide. The development of pulmonary hypertension (PH) accounts for the high mortality rate in COPD patients. Recent studies from the researchers' laboratory and others have highlighted the important role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling in the development of COPD and associated PH. ROS are primarily generated in mitochondrial complex III in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). Rieske iron-sulfur protein (RISP), a catalytic subunit of mitochondrial complex III, is the major player in the generation of ROS. RISP plays a critical role in pulmonary vasoconstriction, remodeling, and hypertension.
  • 563
  • 17 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Long-Term Potentiation Mechanisms of Excitatory and Inhibitory Synapses
Neuronal and glial cells are the main components of the brain. Approximately 50% of the brain is neuronal cells; the other half is glial cells, which all play an important role in the mammalian brain. Billions of neurons are connected and communicate via synapses inextricably linked to behavior, memory, and neurological diseases. Synaptic plasticity is a change in neural connection strength that occurs in response to activity. Reorganization of the structural and functional connections of synapses occurs in response to internal or external stimuli, leading to the strengthening or weakening of synaptic connections via synaptic plasticity. Long-term potentiation (LTP) has been widely used as an ideal model for studying synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory.
  • 560
  • 19 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Bioactive Factors in Human Breastmilk
Maternal milk, a complex fluid with several bioactive factors, is the best option for the newborn. Its dynamic composition is influenced by diverse factors such as maternal age, lactation period, and health status. 
  • 553
  • 11 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Metabolic flexibility and Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most commonly encountered arrhythmia in clinical practice, is characterized by irregular contractions of atrial cardiomyocytes. AF causes substantial disability and morbidity with a high risk of heart failure (HF) and ischemic stroke, and has exerted a tremendous burden on society, the health care system, and the economy. Metabolic flexibility is a novel concept that aptly describes switches in substrate metabolism depending on availability and requirements, thus coping with the dramatic fluctuations in energy supply and demand under physiological and pathological stimuli. Metabolic flexibility is critical for normal heart function, as it provides sufficient energy when the rapid and irregular contraction of atrial cardiomyocytes occurs during AF. 
  • 543
  • 15 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Corin in Regulation of Sodium Homeostasis
Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is a crucial element of the cardiac endocrine function that promotes natriuresis, diuresis, and vasodilation, thereby protecting normal blood pressure and cardiac function. Corin is a type II transmembrane serine protease that is highly expressed in the heart, where it converts the ANP precursor to mature ANP. Corin deficiency prevents ANP activation and causes hypertension and heart disease. In addition to the heart, corin is expressed in other tissues, including those of the kidney, skin, and uterus, where corin-mediated ANP production and signaling act locally to promote sodium excretion and vascular remodeling. These results indicate that corin and ANP function in many tissues via endocrine and autocrine mechanisms. In heart failure patients, impaired natriuretic peptide processing is a common pathological mechanism that contributes to sodium and body fluid retention.
  • 540
  • 11 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Pyrophosphate in Vascular Calcification
In vertebrates, plasma and other extracellular fluids are supersaturated with phosphate and calcium, causing a tendency for spontaneous calcium-phosphate precipitation. Therefore, the synthesis of calcium phosphate deposition inhibitors is essential for survival, including pyrophosphate and several proteins.
  • 539
  • 21 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Protein Misfolding in Pregnancy
Protein misfolding disorders are a group of diseases characterized by supra-physiologic accumulation and aggregation of pathogenic proteoforms resulting from improper protein folding and/or insufficiency in clearance mechanisms. Although these processes have been historically linked to neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, evidence linking protein misfolding to other pathologies continues to emerge. Indeed, the deposition of toxic protein aggregates in the form of oligomers or large amyloid fibrils has been linked to type 2 diabetes, various types of cancer, and, in more recent years, to preeclampsia, a life-threatening pregnancy-specific disorder. While extensive physiological mechanisms are in place to maintain proteostasis, processes, such as aging, genetic factors, or environmental stress in the form of hypoxia, nutrient deprivation or xenobiotic exposures can induce failure in these systems. As such, pregnancy, a natural physical state that already places the maternal body under significant physiological stress, creates an environment with a lower threshold for aberrant aggregation. 
  • 539
  • 02 Apr 2024
Topic Review
Neutral CB1 Receptor Antagonists
Cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) has been one of the major targets in medication development for treating substance use disorders (SUDs). Early studies indicated that rimonabant, a selective CB1R antagonist with an inverse agonist profile, was highly promising as a therapeutic for SUDs.
  • 537
  • 20 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Vitamin C against COVID-19
Vitamin C is a nutrient required as a cofactor for multiple enzymatic reactions, such us norepinephrine biosynthesis, collagen hydroxylation, or amidation of peptide hormones. Additionally, it exerts a wide range of properties that could come in handy for the prevention and treatment of infections, including antioxidant, immunomodulating, as well as antiviral and antithrombotic functions.
  • 537
  • 10 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Sugar Metabolism and Its Effect on Adipose Tissue
Glucose, fructose, and galactose are widely used in the food industry as sweeteners and food additives. The over-consumption of these carbohydrates has been identified as a possible trigger of non-communicable diseases. These include insulin resistance, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. These sugars induce an energy overload with consequent adipose tissue (AT) expansion, contributing to the development of obesity and inflammation.
  • 536
  • 09 Feb 2023
Topic Review
The Ponto-Geniculo-Occipital Waves in Dreaming
Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is the main sleep correlate of dreaming. Ponto-geniculo-occipital (PGO) waves are a signature of REM sleep. They represent the physiological mechanism of REM sleep that specifically limits the processing of external information. PGO waves look just like a message sent from the pons to the lateral geniculate nucleus of the visual thalamus, the occipital cortex, and other areas of the brain. The dedicated visual pathway of PGO waves can be interpreted by the brain as visual information, leading to the visual hallucinosis of dreams. PGO waves are considered to be both a reflection of REM sleep brain activity and causal to dreams due to their stimulation of the cortex. 
  • 536
  • 06 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Climate Change and Its Impact on Crops
Plants are a highly advanced kingdom of living organisms on the earth. They survive under all climatic and weather variabilities, including low and high temperature, rainfall, radiation, less nutrients, and high salinity. Even though they are adapted to various environmental factors, which are variable, the performance of a crop will be compensated under sub/supra optimal conditions. 
  • 535
  • 22 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Effects of Melatonin on Diabetic Neuropathy and Retinopathy
Diabetes mellitus (DM) leads to complications, including neuropathy. Redox imbalance and inflammation are important components of the pathophysiology of these complications. Many studies have investigated the therapeutic potential of melatonin (MEL), an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent, for the specific treatment of the neural complications. In the present entry, we review studies published over the past 21 years on the therapeutic efficacy of MEL in the treatment of DM-induced neural complications. Reports suggest that there is a real prospect of using MEL as an adjuvant treatment for hypoglycemic agents.
  • 534
  • 19 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Role for Plant-Derived Antioxidants in Attenuating Cancer Cachexia
Cancer cachexia describes the cancer-related muscle wasting that contributes to the progression of many cancer types. It is defined as “a multifactorial syndrome exhibiting ongoing loss of skeletal muscle mass, with or without the loss of fat mass, leading to progressive muscle functional impairment”. Typical clinical symptoms include anorexia, involuntary weight loss, weakness, anemia, systemic inflammation, insulin resistance and increased resting energy expenditure (REE). Antioxidants have therapeutic potential to attenuate cancer-related muscle loss, with polyphenols, a group of plant-derived antioxidants, being the most widely investigated.
  • 533
  • 08 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Mycotoxins Affect Animals’ Oxidative Status
Mycotoxins appear to be the “Achilles’ heel” of the agriculture sector inducing enormous economic losses and representing a severe risk to the health of humans and animals. Although novel determination protocols have been developed and legislation has been implemented within Europe, the side effects of mycotoxins on the homeostatic mechanisms of the animals have not been extensively considered. The findings support the idea that the antioxidant systems in both monogastrics and ruminants are challenged under the detrimental effect of mycotoxins by increasing the toxic lipid peroxidation by-product malondialdehyde (MDA) and inhibiting the activity of antioxidant defense mechanisms.The degree of oxidative stress is related to the duration of contamination, co-contamination, the synergetic effects, toxin levels, animal age, species, and productive stage. Since the damaging effects of MDA and other by-products derived by lipid peroxidation as well as reactive oxygen species have been extensively studied on human health, a more integrated monitoring mechanism (which will take into account the oxidative stability) is urgently required to be implemented in animal products.
  • 533
  • 16 Oct 2021
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