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All Topic Review Biography
Topic Review
Proteomics, Personalized Medicine and Cancer
Cancer, a major public health issue worldwide, is the second most common cause of death. Initiatives such as the Human Genome Project (HGP) and Human Proteome Project (HPP) have greatly advanced the understanding of human health and disease, including cancer, and are supporting the current trend towards personalized/precision medicine.
  • 624
  • 01 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Pathogenesis and Oxidative Stress
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a challenging disease caused by multiple factors, which may partly explain why it still remains an orphan of adequate therapies. It highlights the interaction between oxidative stress (OS) and disturbed lipid metabolism. Several reactive oxygen species generators, including those produced in the gastrointestinal tract, contribute to the lipotoxic hepatic (and extrahepatic) damage by fatty acids and a great variety of their biologically active metabolites in a “multiple parallel-hit model”. This leads to inflammation and fibrogenesis and contributes to NAFLD progression. The alterations of the oxidant/antioxidant balance affect also metabolism-related organelles, leading to lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. This OS-induced damage is at least partially counteracted by the physiological antioxidant response. Therefore, modulation of this defense system emerges as an interesting target to prevent NAFLD development and progression. For instance, probiotics, prebiotics, diet, and fecal microbiota transplantation represent new therapeutic approaches targeting the gut microbiota dysbiosis. The OS and its counter-regulation are under the influence of individual genetic and epigenetic factors as well.
  • 623
  • 14 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Telomerase in Brain
Telomerase is an enzyme that in its canonical function extends and maintains telomeres, the ends of chromosomes. However, telomere-independent functions are known for the telomerase protein TERT like shuttling from the nucleus to mitochondria where it decreases oxidative stress, apoptosis sensitivity and DNA damage. Recently, a protective role of TERT was found in brain where it protects neurons from stress and toxic proteins connected to neurodegenerative diseases. Telomerase activators are able to boost this protection in brain. The entry summarises our current knowledge about telomerase in the brain and highlights possible therapeutic approaches.
  • 623
  • 31 May 2021
Topic Review
Cyclotide Scaffold for Drug Development
Cyclotides are a novel class of micro-proteins (≈30–40 residues long) with a unique topology containing a head-to-tail cyclized backbone structure further stabilized by three disulfide bonds that form a cystine knot. This unique molecular framework makes them exceptionally stable to physical, chemical, and biological degradation compared to linear peptides of similar size. The cyclotides are also highly tolerant to sequence variability, aside from the conserved residues forming the cystine knot, and are orally bioavailable and able to cross cellular membranes to modulate intracellular protein–protein interactions (PPIs), both in vitro and in vivo. These unique properties make them ideal scaffolds for many biotechnological applications, including drug discovery. 
  • 620
  • 13 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition for Breast Carcinogenesis
The transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway plays multiple regulatory roles in the tumorigenesis and development of cancer. TGF-β can inhibit the growth and proliferation of epithelial cells and induce apoptosis, thereby playing a role in inhibiting breast cancer. Therefore, the loss of response in epithelial cells that leads to the inhibition of cell proliferation due to TGF-β is a landmark event in tumorigenesis. As tumors progress, TGF-β can promote tumor cell invasion, metastasis, and drug resistance. At present, the above-mentioned role of TGF-β is related to the interaction of multiple signaling pathways in the cell, which can attenuate or abolish the inhibition of proliferation and apoptosis-promoting effects of TGF-β and enhance its promotion of tumor progression. 
  • 620
  • 31 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Placental Abruption
Placental abruption is the separation of the placenta from the lining of the uterus before childbirth. It is an infrequent perinatal complication with serious after-effects and a marked risk of maternal and fetal mortality. Despite the fact that numerous placental abruption risk factors are known, the pathophysiology of this issue is multifactorial and not entirely clear.
  • 612
  • 02 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Metformin for Preeclampsia Prophylaxis
The possibility of prophylaxis of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDPs) such as preeclampsia (PE) and pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) is of interest due to the unpredictable course of these diseases and the risks they carry for both mother and fetus. It has been proven that their development is associated with the presence of the placenta, and the processes that initiate it begin at the time of the abnormal invasion of the trophoblast in early pregnancy. The ideal HDPs prophylaxis should alleviate the influence of risk factors and, at the same time, promote physiological trophoblast invasion and maintain the physiologic endothelium function without any harm to both mother and fetus. So far, aspirin is the only effective and recommended pharmacological agent for the prevention of HDPs in high-risk groups. Metformin is a hypoglycemic drug with a proven protective effect on the cardiovascular system. Respecting the anti-inflammatory properties of metformin and its favorable impact on the endothelium, it seems to be an interesting option for HDPs prophylaxis. 
  • 610
  • 16 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Endometriosis in Menopause
Endometriosis, an estrogen-dependent inflammatory disease characterized by the ectopic presence of endometrial tissue, has been the topic of renewed research and debate in recent years. The paradigm shift from the belief that endometriosis only affects women of reproductive age has drawn attention to endometriosis in both premenarchal and postmenopausal patients. There is still scarce information in literature regarding postmenopausal endometriosis, the mostly studied and reported being the prevalence in postmenopausal women. Yet, other important issues also need to be addressed concerning diagnosis, pathophysiology, and management.
  • 609
  • 13 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Skeletal Muscle Damage in COVID-19
Muscle dystrophy in COVID-19 entails loss of muscle mass and muscle strength, as well as suboptimal physical performance same as in cachexia and sarcopenia, albeit the loss in COVID is exaggerated. It is most evident in hospitalized patients during the acute phase by myalgia/muscle pain and fatigue, and it is associated with poor prognosis. It manifests in remitting COVID-19 patients by poor physical performance, slowness, fatigue and dyspnea while performing activities of daily living.
  • 609
  • 02 Jul 2021
Topic Review
SLC6A14 and SLC38A5
SLC6A14 and SLC38A5 are the two transporters that are upregulated in a variety of cancers to mediate the influx of glutamine, serine, glycine, and methionine into cancer cells. SLC6A14 is a Na+/Cl− -coupled transporter for multiple amino acids, including these four amino acids. In contrast, SLC38A5 is a Na+-coupled transporter with rather restricted specificity towards glutamine, serine, glycine, and methionine. Both transporters exhibit unique functional features that are ideal for the rapid proliferation of cancer cells.
  • 608
  • 14 Apr 2021
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