Topic Review
ALK Inhibitors in NSCLCs
The discovery of the EML4-ALK fusion gene in a limited subset of patients affected by NSCLC and the subsequent clinical development of crizotinib in 2011 has been an impressive milestone in lung cancer research. Unfortunately, acquired resistances regularly develop, hence disease progression occurs. Afterward, modern tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), such as ceritinib, alectinib, brigatinib, and lorlatinib, have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the management of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive NSCLCs. Several compounds are currently under investigation to achieve the optimal strategy of therapy. 
  • 517
  • 13 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Effects of Icaritin on Osteoporosis
Icaritin (ICT) is not only an enzyme-hydrolyzed product of icariin but also an intestinal metabolite of eight major flavonoids of the traditional Chinese medicinal plant Epimedium with extensive pharmacological activities, such as strengthening the kidney and reinforcing the bone. ICT displays several therapeutic effects, including osteoporosis prevention, neuroprotection, antitumor, cardiovascular protection, anti-inflammation, and immune-protective effect. ICT inhibits bone resorption activity of osteoclasts and stimulates osteogenic differentiation and maturation of bone marrow stromal progenitor cells and osteoblasts.
  • 516
  • 29 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Selective Cytotoxicity of Ethiopian Plants
Few studies have reported the in vitro anticancer activities of medicinal plants that are collected from different agro‐ecological zones of Ethiopia. Hence, the main aim of this study was to screen the cytotoxic activities of 80% methanol extracts of 22 plants against human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), as well as human breast (MCF‐7), lung (A427), bladder (RT‐4), and cervical (SiSo) cancer cell lines. Active extracts were further screened against human large cell lung carcinoma (LCLC‐103H), pancreatic cancer (DAN‐G), ovarian cancer (A2780), and squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus (KYSE‐70) by using the crystal violet cell proliferation assay, while the vitality of the acute myeloid leukemia (HL‐60) and histiocytic lymphoma (U‐937) cell lines was monitored in the 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyl‐2H‐tetrazolium bromide (MTT) microtiter assay. Euphorbia schimperiana, Acokanthera schimperi, Kniphofia foliosa, and Kalanchoe petitiana exhibited potent antiproliferative activity against A427, RT‐4, MCF‐7, and SiSo cell lines, with IC50 values ranging from 1.85 ± 0.44 to 17.8 ± 2.31μg/mL. Hence, further studies focusing on bio‐assay‐guided isolation and structural elucidation of active cytotoxic compounds from these plants are warranted.
  • 515
  • 25 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Causes and Risk Factors of Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a disorder that causes degeneration of the cells in the brain and it is the main cause of dementia, which is characterized by a decline in thinking and independence in personal daily activities. AD is considered a multifactorial disease: two main hypotheses were proposed as a cause for AD, cholinergic and amyloid hypotheses. Additionally, several risk factors such as increasing age, genetic factors, head injuries, vascular diseases, infections, and environmental factors play a role in the disease.
  • 515
  • 29 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Lopinavir/Ritonavir
Lopinavir-ritonavir (LPV/RTV) is a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antiviral combination that has been considered for the treatment of COVID-19 disease.
  • 514
  • 07 Dec 2020
Topic Review
α-Synuclein Phosphorylation and Its Kinases
α-Synuclein is a protein with a molecular weight of 14.5 kDa and consists of 140 amino acids encoded by the SNCA gene. Missense mutations and gene duplications in the SNCA gene cause hereditary Parkinson’s disease. Highly phosphorylated and abnormally aggregated α-synuclein is a major component of Lewy bodies found in neuronal cells of patients with sporadic Parkinson’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and glial cytoplasmic inclusion bodies in oligodendrocytes with multiple system atrophy. Aggregated α-synuclein is cytotoxic and plays a central role in the pathogenesis of the above-mentioned synucleinopathies. In a healthy brain, most α-synuclein is unphosphorylated; however, more than 90% of abnormally aggregated α-synuclein in Lewy bodies of patients with Parkinson’s disease is phosphorylated at Ser129, which is presumed to be of pathological significance. Several kinases catalyze Ser129 phosphorylation, but the role of phosphorylation enzymes in disease pathogenesis and their relationship to cellular toxicity from phosphorylation are not fully understood in α-synucleinopathy. G-protein-coupled receptor kinases, casein kinase II, and polo-like kinase possess the ability to phosphorylate α-synuclein protein. On this point, inhibition of these kinases is able to prevent α-synuclein phosphorylation, which indicates the potential therapeutic targets and availability of drug development for α-synucleinopathies. α-Synuclein phosphorylation can clinically be an accompanying event in the brains of patients with Parkinson’s disease rather than the critical factor for α-synuclein aggregation and toxicity. Nevertheless, increasing phosphorylated α-synuclein and the accumulation with disease progression is useful as a therapeutic target and biomarker.
  • 513
  • 08 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Ginkgo biloba and Phenolic Compounds in Age-Related Diseases
Ginkgo biloba, and its main constituent compounds, the ginkgolides, have become something of a celebrity as far as natural drug candidates go.
  • 512
  • 28 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Clopidogrel Resistance (CR)
Clopidogrel is a widely-used antiplatelet drug. It is important for the treatment and prevention of coronary heart disease. Clopidogrel can effectively reduce platelet activity and therefore reduce stent thrombosis. However, some patients still have ischemic events despite taking the clopidogrel due to the alteration in clopidogrel metabolism attributable to various genetic and non-genetic factors. This review aims to summarise the mechanisms and causes of clopidogrel resistance (CR) and potential strategies to overcome it. 
  • 511
  • 07 May 2021
Topic Review
Lipophilic Polyamines
Gene therapy requires an effective and safe delivery vehicle for nucleic acids. Non-viral vehicles, including cationic liposomes, are intensively developed now. The structure of compounds composing them determines the delivery efficiency a lot. This review focuses on polycationic amphiphiles as prospective compounds for liposomal formulations and includes a discussion of the mutual influence of structural components. 
  • 511
  • 11 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Botryllus schlosseri
Botryllus schlosseri, a colonial tunicate, which is the nearest invertebrate group to the vertebrates, is devoid of T- and B-cell-based adaptive immunity. It has unique characteristics that make it a valuable model system for studying innate immunity mechanisms: (i) a natural allogeneic transplantation phenomenon that results in either fusion or rejection; (ii) whole animal regeneration and noninflammatory resorption on a weekly basis; (iii) allogeneic resorption which is comparable to human chronic rejection. Recent studies in B. schlosseri have led to the recognition of a molecular and cellular framework underlying the innate immunity loss of tolerance to allogeneic tissues. Additionally, B. schlosseri was developed as a model for studying hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation, and it provides further insights into the similarities between the HSC niches of human and B. schlosseri. The entry is from Botryllus schlosseri as a Unique Colonial Chordate Model for the Study and Modulation of Innate Immune Activity. August 2021Marine Drugs 19(8):454. DOI: 10.3390/md19080454
  • 511
  • 30 Aug 2021
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