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Topic Review
Biography
Topic Review
Chick Embryo CAM in biomedicine
The fertilised chick egg and particularly its chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) have drawn continuing interest in biomedicine and bioengineering fields, especially for research on vascular study, cancer, drug screening and development, cell factors, stem cells, etc.
975
06 Apr 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.
676
06 Apr 2021
Topic Review
T Cells in Cancer
T cells play a key role in tumour surveillance, both identifying and eliminating transformed cells.
362
06 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Insights into HP1a-Chromatin Interactions
Understanding the packaging of DNA into chromatin is essential for the study of gene expression regulatory mechanisms. Heterochromatin establishment and maintenance dynamics have emerged as key features involved in genome stability, cellular growth, and disease. The heterochromatin protein HP1a is the most extensively studied factor that has both establishment and heterochromatin maintenance activities. This protein has two primary domains, namely the chromoshadow and the chromodomain, separated by a hinge region. Several works have taken place over the years, taking the challenge of defining HP1a partners using diverse experimental approaches. We revised and assemble on explaining these interactions and the potential complexes and subcomplexes associated formed with this essential protein. Characterization of these complexes will allow us to clearly understand the consequences of HP1a interactions in heterochromatin in maintenance, heterochromatin dynamics, and the direct relationship of heterochromatin with gene regulation.
779
03 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Bisphenol A-Induced Male Infertility
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a well-known endocrine disruptor present in epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics, which negatively disturbs the male reproductive system affecting male fertility. In vivo studies showed that BPA exposure has deleterious effects on spermatogenesis by disturbing the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and inducing oxidative stress in the testis. This compound seems to disrupt hormone signalling even at low concentrations, modifying the levels of inhibin B, oestradiol, and testosterone. The adverse effects on seminal parameters are mainly supported by studies based on urinary BPA concentration, showing a negative association between BPA levels and sperm concentration, motility, normal morphology and sperm DNA damage.
1.1K
01 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Post-transcriptional RNA Modifications
Post-transcriptional RNA modifications (also called “Epitranscriptomics”) can be detected in RNA while using various methods and approaches exploiting the chemical and physico-chemical properties of these non-canonical RNA nucleotides.
547
31 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Islet β-Cell Death
The loss of β-cells is considered a key to the pathogenesis of both type 1 diabetes (T1D) and T2D.
330
31 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) are primary regulators of blood and lymphatic vessels. Hemangiogenic VEGFs (VEGF-A, PlGF, and VEGF-B) target mostly blood vessels, while the lymphangiogenic VEGFs (VEGF-C and VEGF-D) target mostly lymphatic vessels. Blocking VEGF-A is used today to treat several types of cancer (“antiangiogenic therapy”). However, in other diseases, it would be beneficial to do the opposite, namely to increase the activity of VEGFs. For example, VEGF-A could generate new blood vessels to protect from heart disease, and VEGF-C could generate new lymphatics to counteract lymphedema. Clinical trials that tried to stimulate blood vessel growth in ischemic diseases have been disappointing so far, and the first clinical trials targeting the lymphatic vasculature have progressed to phase II. Antiangiogenic drugs targeting VEGF-A such as bevacizumab or aflibercept neutralize the growth factor directly. However, since VEGF-C and VEGF-D are produced as inactive precursors, novel drugs against the lymphangiogenic VEGFs could also target the enzymatic activation of VEGF-C and VEGF-D. Because of the delicate balance between too much and too little vascular growth, a detailed understanding of the activation of the VEGF-C and VEGF-D is needed before such concepts can be converted into safe and efficacious therapies.
3.2K
30 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Intestinal Cell Plasticity
Under constant barrage from chemical, pathogenic, and mechanical stresses, the intestinal epithelium is homeostatically replenished by a pool of Lgr5⁺ intestinal stem cells (ISCs), residing at the bottom of submucosal invaginations termed crypts. Decorated with the RSPO-receptor LGR5, which potentiates canonical Wnt/β-catenin signalling, these actively cycling cells can both self-renew and give rise to short-lived transit-amplifying cells. In turn, transit-amplifying cells undergo successive rounds of cell division and differentiation to generate the full gamut of terminally differentiated intestinal cell types tasked with performing pleiotropic absorptive, secretory, immune, and barrier functions. The self-renewal capabilities and multipotency of Lgr5⁺ ISCs are tightly controlled by instructive cues emanating from epithelial and stromal components of the ISC niche in the vicinity of the lower crypt. The intestinal epithelium displays a remarkable ability to regenerate following demise of homeostatic Lgr5⁺ ISCs post injury. Plasticity—the ability of lineage-restricted cells to regain self-renewal capacity and multi-lineage differentiation potential in response to environmental cues—is pervasive among multiple intestinal cell populations. Reserve stem-like cells, lineage-committed progenitors, and/or fully differentiated cell types can all contribute to regeneration and repair through dedifferentiation and reversion to an Lgr5⁺ stem-like state. In line with the pervasive plasticity of the intestinal epithelium, accumulating evidence supports both “bottom-up” and “top-down” histogenesis of colorectal tumours whereby the cells-of-origin comprise either ISCs at the crypt base or differentiated cells at the crypt apex, respectively.
594
30 Mar 2021
Topic Review
TRIM Proteins Family
TRIM (TRIpartite Motif-containing) proteins family is one of the largest groups of E3 ubiquitin ligases. Among them, interest in TRIM8 has greatly increased in recent years. TRIM8 functions are not limited to ubiquitination, and it has a role either as an oncogene or as a tumor suppressor gene, acting as a “double-edged weapon”. This is linked to its involvement in the selective regulation of three pivotal cellular signaling pathways: the p53 tumor suppressor, NF-κB and JAK-STAT pathways.
412
29 Mar 2021
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