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Topic Review
Biography
Topic Review
Immune and Tumor Microenvironment in Gliomas
Gliomas are the most common primary brain tumors. These cancers are universally fatal with limited treatment options. Glioma cells co-opt non-cancerous cells present in normal brain tissue. This manipulation results in a complex network of cell interactions. This interplay is further complicated by variations depending on specific mutations in glioma cells.
276
01 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide and Bone Repair
Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) has 37 amino acids. Initially, CGRP had vasodilatory and nociceptive effects. As research progressed, evidence revealed that the peripheral nervous system is closely associated with bone metabolism, osteogenesis, and bone remodeling. Thus, CGRP is the bridge between the nervous system and the skeletal muscle system. CGRP can promote osteogenesis, inhibit bone resorption, promote vascular growth, and regulate the immune microenvironment. The G protein-coupled pathway is vital for its effects, while MAPK, Hippo, NF-κB, and other pathways have signal crosstalk, affecting cell proliferation and differentiation.
262
31 May 2023
Topic Review
Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING)
The stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is an adaptor protein involved in the activation of IFN-β and many other genes associated with the immune response activation in vertebrates. STING induction has gained attention from different angles such as the potential to trigger an early immune response against different signs of infection and cell damage, or to be used as an adjuvant in cancer immune treatments. Pharmacological control of aberrant STING activation can be used to mitigate the pathology of some autoimmune diseases. The STING structure has a well-defined ligand binding site that can harbor natural ligands such as specific purine cyclic di-nucleotides (CDN). In addition to a canonical stimulation by CDNs, other non-canonical stimuli have also been described, but the exact mechanism of some of them has not been well defined.
472
31 May 2023
Topic Review
Pulmonary Fibrosis
Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is the end-stage consequence of various interstitial lung diseases (ILD). It is a chronic progressive disease with an average survival of 3–5 years after diagnosis. The pathological features of PF are the abnormal activation and proliferation of myofibroblasts and the extraordinary deposition of the extracellular matrix (ECM).
292
30 May 2023
Topic Review
Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells
Human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) are adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) obtained from dental pulp and derived from the neural crest. They can differentiate into odontoblasts, osteoblasts, chondrocytes, adipocytes and nerve cells, and they play a role in tissue repair and regeneration.
460
29 May 2023
Topic Review
Mitochondria in Health and Disease
Mitochondrial alterations have been implicated in a wide range of diseases, such as neurodegenerative disorders, metabolic disorders, and cancer.
380
29 May 2023
Topic Review
CCCTC-Binding Factor for Chromatin Regulation
Chromatin, a macromolecular complex of DNA, RNA, and proteins, provides a framework for the packaging of genetic material within the cell nucleus. Its organization plays a crucial role in gene expression and is regulated by a diverse array of protein complexes in response to a dynamic code of histone posttranslational modifications and DNA modifications. Architectural proteins are essential epigenetic regulators that play a critical role in organizing chromatin and controlling gene expression. CTCF (CCCTC-binding factor) is a key architectural protein responsible for maintaining the intricate 3D structure of chromatin. Because of its multivalent properties and plasticity to bind various sequences, CTCF is similar to a Swiss knife for genome organization.
326
25 May 2023
Topic Review
Oxidative Stress and Laminopathies Caused by LMNA Mutations
Mutations in the genes that encode for lamins, predominantly lamin A/C, cause a wide spectrum of human diseases, referred to as laminopathies, including muscular dystrophy, lipodystrophy, and systemic premature aging syndrome. HGPS, one of the most severe laminopathies, is a rare genetic disorder characterized by multisystem abnormalities, including premature aging. The most frequent mutation causing HGPS is c.1842C>T (p.G608G) in exon 11 of LMNA, resulting in cryptic splicing between an abnormal donor site in the middle of exon 11 and the usual acceptor of exon 12. This change causes a 50-amino acid deletion in the carboxyl-terminal tail of prelamin A, producing a truncated protein referred to as progerin. The 50 missing amino acids include the recognition sites for the prelamin A-cleaving enzyme ZMPSTE24. Consequently, progerin is normally farnesylated but cannot be further processed because of the lack of docking sites for ZMPSTE24. The farnesylated domain of progerin is firmly anchored to the nuclear membrane, leading to nuclear deformation and deleterious effects in HGPS cells. Blocking the farnesylation of progerin with a farnesyltransferase inhibitor (FTI) successfully reduced the cytotoxic effects of progerin in vitro; however, a clinical trial of FTIs did not yield promising results. A study showed that the interaction between progerin and wild-type lamin A/C was also a critical cause of nuclear deformation in HGPS and normal aging cells, providing a new therapeutic target for HGPS. Progerin expression in various cell types induces excessive ROS production and reduces the activities of the antioxidant system. Oxidative stress is also implicated in other types of laminopathies, such as Dunnigan-type familial partial lipodystrophy (FPLD), amyotrophic quadricipital syndrome with cardiac involvement, autosomal dominant Emery–Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (AD-EDMD), and restrictive dermopathy (RD).
302
25 May 2023
Topic Review
Mammalian Acute Wound Healing
The limited ability of mammals to regenerate has garnered significant attention, particularly in regard to skin wound healing (WH), which is a critical step for regeneration. In human adults, skin WH results in the formation of scars following injury or trauma, regardless of severity. This differs significantly from the scarless WH observed in the fetal skin of mammals or anamniotes.
367
24 May 2023
Topic Review
The Endocannabinoid System and Kidney Disease
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is an important signaling pathway that involves the binding of lipid ligands, known as cannabinoids, to cannabinoid receptors, and it encompasses, as well, the metabolic enzymes of endocannabinoids. Endocannabinoid signaling plays crucial roles in human physiology in the function of multiple systems. The two cannabinoid receptors, cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) and cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2), are cell membrane proteins that interact with both exogenous and endogenous bioactive lipid ligands, or endocannabinoids. The evidence has established that endocannabinoid signaling operates within the human kidney, as well as suggests the important role it plays in multiple renal pathologies.
360
23 May 2023
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