Topic Review
Glutamine Deficiency in COVID-19
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused the death of almost 7 million people worldwide. While vaccinations and new antiviral drugs have greatly reduced the number of COVID-19 cases, there remains a need for additional therapeutic strategies to combat this deadly disease. Accumulating clinical data have discovered a deficiency of circulating glutamine in patients with COVID-19 that associates with disease severity. Glutamine is a semi-essential amino acid that is metabolized to a plethora of metabolites that serve as central modulators of immune and endothelial cell function. A majority of glutamine is metabolized to glutamate and ammonia by the mitochondrial enzyme glutaminase (GLS). Notably, GLS activity is upregulated in COVID-19, favoring the catabolism of glutamine. This disturbance in glutamine metabolism may provoke immune and endothelial dysfunction leading to vascular occlusion, multiorgan failure, and death. Strategies that restore the plasma concentration of glutamine, its metabolites, or downstream effectors represent a promising therapeutic that approach that may correct immune and endothelial cell dysfunction and prevent the development of occlusive vascular disease in patients stricken with COVID-19.
  • 681
  • 28 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Unilateral Condylar Hyperplasia
Unilateral condylar hyperplasia (UCH) is a pathology most commonly present in one side of the mandible, characterized by an abnormal condylar process of progressive overgrowth in time, causing visible changes in the anatomy, shape, and size of condylar head and neck elongation, along with visible facial asymmetry features.
  • 293
  • 28 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Neurotrophins and Brain
Neurotrophins (NTs) are a group of soluble growth factors with analogous structures and functions, identified initially as critical mediators of neuronal survival during development. The relevance of NTs has been confirmed by emerging clinical data showing that impaired NTs levels and functions are involved in the onset of neurological and pulmonary diseases.
  • 454
  • 28 Apr 2023
Topic Review
miRNA/ADAM Protein Axes in Gastrointestinal Cancers
Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are some of the most common cancers in the world and their number is increasing. Their etiology and pathogenesis are still unclear. ADAM proteins are a family of transmembrane and secreted metalloproteinases that play a role in cancerogenesis, metastasis and neoangiogenesis. MicroRNAs are small single-stranded non-coding RNAs that take part in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Some ADAM proteins can be targets for microRNAs.
  • 336
  • 28 Apr 2023
Topic Review
DNA-Based Nanomaterials as Drug Delivery Platforms in Tumors
DNA nanotechnology has significantly advanced and might be used in biomedical applications, drug delivery, and cancer treatment. DNA nanomaterials are widely used in biomedical research involving biosensing, bioimaging, and drug delivery since they are remarkably addressable and biocompatible. Gradually, modified nucleic acids have begun to be employed to construct multifunctional DNA nanostructures with a variety of architectural designs. Aptamers are single-stranded nucleic acids (both DNAs and RNAs) capable of self-pairing to acquire secondary structure and of specifically binding with the target. Diagnosis and tumor therapy are prospective fields in which aptamers can be applied. Many DNA nanomaterials with three-dimensional structures have been studied as drug delivery systems for different anticancer medications or gene therapy agents. Different chemical alterations can be employed to construct a wide range of modified DNA nanostructures. Chemically altered DNA-based nanomaterials are useful for drug delivery because of their improved stability and inclusion of functional groups.
  • 692
  • 27 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Drug Delivery Applications of Biocompatible Ionic Liquids
The development of effective drug formulations and delivery systems for newly developed or marketed drug molecules remains a significant challenge. These drugs can exhibit polymorphic conversion, poor bioavailability, and systemic toxicity, and can be difficult to formulate with traditional organic solvents due to acute toxicity. Ionic liquids (ILs) are recognized as solvents that can improve the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of drugs. ILs can address the operational/functional challenges associated with traditional organic solvents. Biocompatible ILs comprising biocompatible cations and anions mainly derived from bio-renewable sources are considered a green alternative to both conventional ILs and organic/inorganic solvents. 
  • 458
  • 27 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Therapeutic Quiver of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
The therapeutic quiver of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) consists of several levels, of which lifestyle, pharmaceutical, and surgical approaches are the main treatments. A multimodal intervention with multiple aspects, such as lifestyle modification, weight loss, specific diets, and medication, is the most appropriate and holistic approach for most people with NAFLD.
  • 387
  • 27 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Vitamin D and Diseases in KSA and UAE
Accumulating evidence supports the potential protective effects of vitamin D against chronic diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, autoimmune diseases, cancers, cardiovascular disease (ischaemic heart disease and stroke), type 2 diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, stroke, and infectious diseases such as acute respiratory tract diseases, COVID-19, influenza, and pneumonia, as well as adverse pregnancy outcomes. The respective evidence is based on ecological and observational studies, randomized controlled trials, mechanistic studies, and Mendelian randomization studies. However, randomized controlled trials on vitamin D supplementation have largely failed to show benefits, probably due to poor design and analysis.
  • 377
  • 27 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Biomarkers from Peri-Implant Crevicular Fluid
Some inflammatory biomarkers harvested from peri-implant crevicular fluid (PICF) (collagenase-2, collagenase-3, ALP, EA, gelatinase b, NTx, procalcitonin, IL-1β, and several miRNAs) seem to be correlated with peri-implant bone loss (BL) and may assist in the early diagnosis of pathological BL, that characterizes peri-implantitis. MiRNA expression demonstrated a predictive potential of peri-implant BL that could be useful for host-targeted preventive and therapeutic purposes. PICF sampling may represent a promising, noninvasive, and repeatable form of liquid biopsy in implant dentistry.
  • 303
  • 27 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Strategies Directly Targeting Mutated KRAS
KRAS gene mutation is widespread in tumors and plays an important role in various malignancies. Targeting KRAS mutations is regarded as the “holy grail” of targeted cancer therapies. Multiple strategies, including covalent binding strategy, targeted protein degradation strategy, targeting protein and protein interaction strategy, salt bridge strategy, and multivalent strategy, have been adopted to develop KRAS direct inhibitors for anti-cancer therapy. Various KRAS-directed inhibitors have been developed, including the FDA-approved drugs sotorasib and adagrasib, KRAS-G12D inhibitor MRTX1133, and KRAS-G12V inhibitor JAB-23000, etc. The different strategies greatly promote the development of KRAS inhibitors. 
  • 453
  • 27 Apr 2023
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