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The rise of big data: deep sequencing-driven computational methods are transforming the landscape of synthetic antibody design J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-03-16 Eugenio Gallo
Synthetic antibodies (Abs) represent a category of artificial proteins capable of closely emulating the functions of natural Abs. Their in vitro production eliminates the need for an immunological response, streamlining the process of Ab discovery, engineering, and development. These artificially engineered Abs offer novel approaches to antigen recognition, paratope site manipulation, and biochemical/biophysical
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Tick-borne encephalitis virus transmitted singly and in duo with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum bacteria by ticks as pathogens modifying lipid metabolism in human blood J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-03-04 Marta Dobrzyńska, Anna Moniuszko-Malinowska, Piotr Radziwon, Sławomir Pancewicz, Agnieszka Gęgotek, Elżbieta Skrzydlewska
Ticks are vectors of various pathogens, including tick-borne encephalitis virus causing TBE and bacteria such as Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum causing e.g. viral-bacterial co-infections (TBE + LB/HGA), which pose diagnostic and therapeutic problems. Since these infections are usually accompanied by inflammation and oxidative stress causing metabolic modifications, including
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Integration of transcription regulation and functional genomic data reveals lncRNA SNHG6’s role in hematopoietic differentiation and leukemia J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-02-28 Joshua M. Hazan, Raziel Amador, Tahleel Ali-Nasser, Tamar Lahav, Stav Roni Shotan, Miryam Steinberg, Ziv Cohen, Dvir Aran, David Meiri, Yehuda G. Assaraf, Roderic Guigó, Assaf C. Bester
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are pivotal players in cellular processes, and their unique cell-type specific expression patterns render them attractive biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Yet, the functional roles of most lncRNAs remain enigmatic. To address the need to identify new druggable lncRNAs, we developed a comprehensive approach integrating transcription factor binding data with other genetic
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Reduced interleukin-18 secretion by human monocytic cells in response to infections with hyper-virulent Streptococcus pyogenes J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-02-27 Lea A. Tölken, Antje D. Paulikat, Lana H. Jachmann, Alexander Reder, Manuela Gesell Salazar, Laura M. Palma Medina, Stephan Michalik, Uwe Völker, Mattias Svensson, Anna Norrby-Teglund, Katharina J. Hoff, Michael Lammers, Nikolai Siemens
Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococcus, GAS) causes a variety of diseases ranging from mild superficial infections of the throat and skin to severe invasive infections, such as necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTIs). Tissue passage of GAS often results in mutations within the genes encoding for control of virulence (Cov)R/S two component system leading to a hyper-virulent phenotype. Dendritic
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Metabolism-regulating non-coding RNAs in breast cancer: roles, mechanisms and clinical applications J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-02-26 Shiliang Xu, Lingxia Wang, Yuexin Zhao, Tong Mo, Bo Wang, Jun Lin, Huan Yang
Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies that pose a serious threat to women's health. Reprogramming of energy metabolism is a major feature of the malignant transformation of breast cancer. Compared to normal cells, tumor cells reprogram metabolic processes more efficiently, converting nutrient supplies into glucose, amino acid and lipid required for malignant proliferation and progression
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Genetic and pharmacologic p32-inhibition rescue CHCHD2-linked Parkinson’s disease phenotypes in vivo and in cell models J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-02-23 Murni Tio, Rujing Wen, Cai Ning Choo, Jian Bin Tan, Aaron Chua, Bin Xiao, Jeyapriya Rajameenakshi Sundaram, Christine Hui Shan Chan, Eng-King Tan
Mutations in CHCHD2 have been linked to Parkinson’s disease, however, their exact pathophysiologic roles are unclear. The p32 protein has been suggested to interact with CHCHD2, however, the physiological functions of such interaction in the context of PD have not been clarified. Interaction between CHCHD2 and p32 was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation experiments. We studied the effect of p32-knockdown
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The role of pregnancy associated plasma protein-A in triple negative breast cancer: a promising target for achieving clinical benefits J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-02-23 Arpita Poddar, Farah Ahmady, Sushma R. Rao, Revati Sharma, George Kannourakis, Prashanth Prithviraj, Aparna Jayachandran
Pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) plays an integral role in breast cancer (BC), especially triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). This subtype accounts for the most aggressive BC, possesses high tumor heterogeneity, is least responsive to standard treatments and has the poorest clinical outcomes. There is a critical need to address the lack of effective targeted therapeutic options available
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Translational research on drug development and biomarker discovery for hepatocellular carcinoma J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-02-17 Valerie Chew, Chien-Huai Chuang, Chiun Hsu
Translational research plays a key role in drug development and biomarker discovery for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, unique challenges exist in this field because of the limited availability of human tumor samples from surgery, the lack of homogenous oncogenic driver mutations, and the paucity of adequate experimental models. In this review, we provide insights into these challenges and
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Germline mutations of homologous recombination genes and clinical outcomes in pancreatic cancer: a multicenter study in Taiwan J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-02-13 Siao Muk Cheng, Yung-Yeh Su, Nai-Jung Chiang, Chih-Jung Wang, Ying-Jui Chao, Chien-Jui Huang, Hui-Jen Tsai, Shang-Hung Chen, Chi-Yen Chang, Chia-Rung Tsai, Yi-Jie Li, Chia-Jui Yen, Shih-Chang Chuang, Jeffrey Shu-Ming Chang, Yan-Shen Shan, Daw-Yang Hwang, Li-Tzong Chen
Cancer susceptibility germline mutations are associated with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, the hereditary status of PDAC and its impact on survival is largely unknown in the Asian population. Exome sequencing was performed on 527 blood samples from PDAC individuals and analyzed for mutations in 80 oncogenic genes. Pathogenic and likely pathogenic (P/LP) germline variants were diagnosed
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Rab37 mediates trafficking and membrane presentation of PD-1 to sustain T cell exhaustion in lung cancer J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-02-07 Wan-Ting Kuo, I-Ying Kuo, Hung-Chia Hsieh, Ssu-Ting Wu, Wu-Chou Su, Yi-Ching Wang
Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) is an immune checkpoint receptor expressed on the surface of T cells. High expression of PD-1 leads to T-cell dysfunction in the tumor microenvironment (TME). However, the mechanism of intracellular trafficking and plasma membrane presentation of PD-1 remains unclear. Multiple databases of lung cancer patients were integratively analyzed to screen Rab proteins
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FLT3L-induced virtual memory CD8 T cells engage the immune system against tumors J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-01-29 Hsin-Fang Tu, Yu-Jui Kung, Ling Lim, Julia Tao, Ming-Hung Hu, Michelle Cheng, Deyin Xing, T. C. Wu, Chien-Fu Hung
Previous research in FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligands (FLT3L) has primarily focused on their potential to generate dendritic cells (DCs) from bone marrow progenitors, with a limited understanding of how these cells affect CD8 T cell function. In this study, we further investigated the in vivo role of FLT3L for the immunomodulatory capabilities of CD8 T cells. Albumin-conjugated FLT3L (Alb-FLT3L)
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Promising antibacterial efficacy of arenicin peptides against the emerging opportunistic pathogen Mycobacterium abscessus J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-01-29 Magali Casanova, Marc Maresca, Isabelle Poncin, Vanessa Point, Hamza Olleik, Céline Boidin-Wichlacz, Aurélie Tasiemski, Kamel Mabrouk, Jean-François Cavalier, Stéphane Canaan
Mycobacterium abscessus, a fast-growing non-tuberculous mycobacterium, is an emerging opportunistic pathogen responsible for chronic bronchopulmonary infections in people with respiratory diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF). Due to its intrinsic polyresistance to a wide range of antibiotics, most treatments for M. abscessus pulmonary infections are poorly effective. In this context, antimicrobial
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Targeting MDM2 in malignancies is a promising strategy for overcoming resistance to anticancer immunotherapy J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-01-29 Dantong Sun, Haili Qian, Junling Li, Puyuan Xing
MDM2 has been established as a biomarker indicating poor prognosis for individuals undergoing immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment for different malignancies by various pancancer studies. Specifically, patients who have MDM2 amplification are vulnerable to the development of hyperprogressive disease (HPD) following anticancer immunotherapy, resulting in marked deleterious effects on survival
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Mechanisms and functions of SUMOylation in health and disease: a review focusing on immune cells J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-01-27 Chien-Hsin Huang, Tsan-Tzu Yang, Kuo-I Lin
SUMOylation, which is a type of post-translational modification that involves covalent conjugation of small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) proteins to target substrates, regulates various important molecular and cellular processes, including transcription, the cell cycle, cell signaling, and DNA synthesis and repair. Newly synthesized SUMO is immature and cleaved by the SUMO-specific protease family
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Hesperetin activates CISD2 to attenuate senescence in human keratinocytes from an older person and rejuvenates naturally aged skin in mice J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-01-23 Zhao-Qing Shen, Cheng-Yen Chang, Chi-Hsiao Yeh, Chung-Kuang Lu, Hao-Chih Hung, Tai-Wen Wang, Kuan-Sheng Wu, Chien-Yi Tung, Ting-Fen Tsai
CDGSH iron-sulfur domain-containing protein 2 (CISD2), a pro-longevity gene, mediates healthspan in mammals. CISD2 is down-regulated during aging. Furthermore, a persistently high level of CISD2 promotes longevity and ameliorates an age-related skin phenotype in transgenic mice. Here we translate the genetic evidence into a pharmaceutical application using a potent CISD2 activator, hesperetin, which
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Plectin plays a role in the migration and volume regulation of astrocytes: a potential biomarker of glioblastoma J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-01-23 Maja Žugec, Borut Furlani, Maria J. Castañon, Boštjan Rituper, Irmgard Fischer, Giuseppe Broggi, Rosario Caltabiano, Giuseppe M. V. Barbagallo, Michelino Di Rosa, Daniele Tibullo, Rosalba Parenti, Nunzio Vicario, Saša Simčič, Victorio Martin Pozo Devoto, Gorazd B. Stokin, Gerhard Wiche, Jernej Jorgačevski, Robert Zorec, Maja Potokar
The expression of aquaporin 4 (AQP4) and intermediate filament (IF) proteins is altered in malignant glioblastoma (GBM), yet the expression of the major IF-based cytolinker, plectin (PLEC), and its contribution to GBM migration and invasiveness, are unknown. Here, we assessed the contribution of plectin in affecting the distribution of plasmalemmal AQP4 aggregates, migratory properties, and regulation
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Modelling the complex nature of the tumor microenvironment: 3D tumor spheroids as an evolving tool J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-01-23 Daniel B. Rodrigues, Rui L. Reis, Rogério P. Pirraco
Cancer remains a serious burden in society and while the pace in the development of novel and more effective therapeutics is increasing, testing platforms that faithfully mimic the tumor microenvironment are lacking. With a clear shift from animal models to more complex in vitro 3D systems, spheroids emerge as strong options in this regard. Years of development have allowed spheroid-based models to
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TEM1/endosialin/CD248 promotes pathologic scarring and TGF-β activity through its receptor stability in dermal fibroblasts J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-01-23 Yi-Kai Hong, Yu-Chen Lin, Tsung-Lin Cheng, Chao-Han Lai, Yi-Han Chang, Yu-Lun Huang, Chia-Yi Hung, Chen-Han Wu, Kuo-Shu Hung, Ya-Chu Ku, Yen-Ting Ho, Ming-Jer Tang, Shu-Wha Lin, Guey-Yueh Shi, John A. McGrath, Hua-Lin Wu, Chao-Kai Hsu
Pathologic scars, including keloids and hypertrophic scars, represent a common form of exaggerated cutaneous scarring that is difficult to prevent or treat effectively. Additionally, the pathobiology of pathologic scars remains poorly understood. We aim at investigating the impact of TEM1 (also known as endosialin or CD248), which is a glycosylated type I transmembrane protein, on development of pathologic
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Physiology and pharmacological targeting of phase separation J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-01-20 Fangfang Wang, Youwei Zhang
Liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) in biology describes a process by which proteins form membraneless condensates within a cellular compartment when conditions are met, including the concentration and posttranslational modifications of the protein components, the condition of the aqueous solution (pH, ionic strength, pressure, and temperature), and the existence of assisting factors (such as RNAs
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Inactivation of pentraxin 3 suppresses M2-like macrophage activity and immunosuppression in colon cancer J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-01-20 Feng-Wei Chen, Yung-Ling Wu, Chao-Chun Cheng, Yu-Wei Hsiao, Jhih-Ying Chi, Liang-Yi Hung, Chih-Peng Chang, Ming-Derg Lai, Ju-Ming Wang
The tumor microenvironment is characterized by inflammation-like and immunosuppression situations. Although cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are among the major stromal cell types in various solid cancers, including colon cancer, the interactions between CAFs and immune cells remains largely uncharacterized. Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is responsive to proinflammatory cytokines and modulates immunity and
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Engineered EVs with pathogen proteins: promising vaccine alternatives to LNP-mRNA vaccines J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-01-17 Bin Zhang, Wei Kian Sim, Tang-Long Shen, Sai Kiang Lim
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are tiny, lipid membrane-bound structures that are released by most cells. They play a vital role in facilitating intercellular communication by delivering bioactive cargoes to recipient cells and triggering cellular as well as biological responses. EVs have enormous potential for therapeutic applications as native or engineered exosomes. Native EVs are naturally released
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Attenuation of neurovirulence of chikungunya virus by a single amino acid mutation in viral E2 envelope protein J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-01-17 Huixin Chen, Patchara Phuektes, Li Sze Yeo, Yi Hao Wong, Regina Ching Hua Lee, Bowen Yi, Xinjun Hou, Sen Liu, Yu Cai, Justin Jang Hann Chu
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) has reemerged as a major public health concern, causing chikungunya fever with increasing cases and neurological complications. In the present study, we investigated a low-passage human isolate of the East/ Central/South African (ECSA) lineage of CHIKV strain LK(EH)CH6708, which exhibited a mix of small and large viral plaques. The small and large plaque variants were isolated
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Scaffold-based 3D cell culture models in cancer research J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-01-14 Waad H. Abuwatfa, William G. Pitt, Ghaleb A. Husseini
Three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures have emerged as valuable tools in cancer research, offering significant advantages over traditional two-dimensional (2D) cell culture systems. In 3D cell cultures, cancer cells are grown in an environment that more closely mimics the 3D architecture and complexity of in vivo tumors. This approach has revolutionized cancer research by providing a more accurate representation
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Therapeutic antibodies for the prevention and treatment of cancer J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-01-12 Mukesh Kumar, Akansha Jalota, Sushil Kumar Sahu, Shabirul Haque
The developments of antibodies for cancer therapeutics have made remarkable success in recent years. There are multiple factors contributing to the success of the biological molecule including origin of the antibody, isotype, affinity, avidity and mechanism of action. With better understanding of mechanism of cancer progression and immune manipulation, recombinant formats of antibodies are used to
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Immune evasion in cell-based immunotherapy: unraveling challenges and novel strategies J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-01-12 Yan-Ruide Li, Tyler Halladay, Lili Yang
Cell-based immunotherapies (CBIs), notably exemplified by chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T (CAR-T) cell therapy, have emerged as groundbreaking approaches for cancer therapy. Nevertheless, akin to various other therapeutic modalities, tumor cells employ counterstrategies to manifest immune evasion, thereby circumventing the impact of CBIs. This phenomenon is facilitated by an intricately
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Exploring the relationship between metabolism and immune microenvironment in osteosarcoma based on metabolic pathways J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-01-12 Changwu Wu, Jun Tan, Hong Shen, Chao Deng, Christian Kleber, Georg Osterhoff, Nikolas Schopow
Metabolic remodeling and changes in tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) in osteosarcoma are important factors affecting prognosis and treatment. However, the relationship between metabolism and TIME needs to be further explored. RNA-Seq data and clinical information of 84 patients with osteosarcoma from the TARGET database and an independent cohort from the GEO database were included in this study
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The synergism of cytosolic acidosis and reduced NAD+/NADH ratio is responsible for lactic acidosis-induced vascular smooth muscle cell impairment in sepsis J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-01-09 Philipp Terpe, Stefanie Ruhs, Virginie Dubourg, Michael Bucher, Michael Gekle
During sepsis, serve vascular dysfunctions lead to life-threatening multiple organ failure, due to vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) impairments, resulting in vasoplegia, hypotension and hypoperfusion. In addition, septic patients have an altered cell metabolism that leads to lactic acidosis. Septic patients suffering from lactic acidosis have a high risk of mortality. In addition, septic survivors
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Localization, traffic and function of Rab34 in adipocyte lipid and endocrine functions J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-01-05 Jaime López-Alcalá, Ana Gordon, Andrés Trávez, Carmen Tercero-Alcázar, Alejandro Correa-Sáez, María Jesús González-Rellán, Oriol A. Rangel-Zúñiga, Amaia Rodríguez, Antonio Membrives, Gema Frühbeck, Rubén Nogueiras, Marco A. Calzado, Rocío Guzmán-Ruiz, María M. Malagón
Excessive lipid accumulation in the adipose tissue in obesity alters the endocrine and energy storage functions of adipocytes. Adipocyte lipid droplets represent key organelles coordinating lipid storage and mobilization in these cells. Recently, we identified the small GTPase, Rab34, in the lipid droplet proteome of adipocytes. Herein, we have characterized the distribution, intracellular transport
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Nano-modified viruses prime the tumor microenvironment and promote the photodynamic virotherapy in liver cancer J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2024-01-02 Da-Liang Ou, Zi-Xian Liao, Ivan M. Kempson, Lin Li, Pan-Chyr Yang, S.-Ja Tseng
As of 2020, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a form of liver cancer, stood as the third most prominent contributor to global cancer-related mortality. Combining immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) with other therapies has shown promising results for treating unresectable HCC, offering new opportunities. Recombinant adeno-associated viral type 2 (AAV2) virotherapy has been approved for clinical use but
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A novel mucosal bivalent vaccine of EV-A71/EV-D68 adjuvanted with polysaccharides from Ganoderma lucidum protects mice against EV-A71 and EV-D68 lethal challenge J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-12-18 Yu-Li Lin, Pei-Yun Cheng, Chiao-Li Chin, Kuan-Ting Chuang, Jing-Yi Lin, Ning Chang, Chun-Kei Pan, Cheng-Sheng Lin, Siao-Cian Pan, Bor-Luen Chiang
Human enteroviruses A71 (EV-A71) and D68 (EV-D68) are the suspected causative agents of hand-foot-and-mouth disease, aseptic meningitis, encephalitis, acute flaccid myelitis, and acute flaccid paralysis in children. Until now, no cure nor mucosal vaccine existed for EV-A71 and EV-D68. Novel mucosal bivalent vaccines are highly important for preventing EV-A71 and EV-D68 infections. In this study, formalin-inactivated
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A secreted form of chorismate mutase (Rv1885c) in Mycobacterium bovis BCG contributes to pathogenesis by inhibiting mitochondria-mediated apoptotic cell death of macrophages J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-12-18 Mi-Hyun Lee, Hye Lin Kim, Hyejun Seo, Sangkwon Jung, Bum-Joon Kim
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), and its pathogenicity is associated with its ability to evade the host defense system. The secretory form of the chorismate mutase of M. tuberculosis (TBCM, encoded by Rv1885c) is assumed to play a key role in the pathogenesis of TB; however, the mechanism remains unknown. A tbcm deletion mutant (B∆tbcm) was generated by targeted
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ARID1A loss activates MAPK signaling via DUSP4 downregulation J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-12-09 Jayaprakash Mandal, Zheng-Cheng Yu, Ie-Ming Shih, Tian-Li Wang
ARID1A, a tumor suppressor gene encoding BAF250, a protein participating in chromatin remodeling, is frequently mutated in endometrium-related malignancies, including ovarian or uterine clear cell carcinoma (CCC) and endometrioid carcinoma (EMCA). However, how ARID1A mutations alter downstream signaling to promote tumor development is yet to be established. We used RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) to explore
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SCEL regulates switches between pro-survival and apoptosis of the TNF-α/TNFR1/NF-κB/c-FLIP axis to control lung colonization of triple negative breast cancer J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-11-30 Shih-Hsuan Chan, Wen-Hung Kuo, Lu-Hai Wang
Patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC) have a higher probability of developing visceral metastasis within 5 years after the initial diagnosis. Therefore, a deeper understanding of the progression and spread of mTNBC is urgently needed. The isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based LC–MS/MS proteomic approach was applied to identify novel membrane-associated
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Butterflies in the gut: the interplay between intestinal microbiota and stress J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-11-28 Tzu-Ting Lai, Chia-Wei Liou, Yu-Hsuan Tsai, Yuan-Yuan Lin, Wei-Li Wu
Psychological stress is a global issue that affects at least one-third of the population worldwide and increases the risk of numerous psychiatric disorders. Accumulating evidence suggests that the gut and its inhabiting microbes may regulate stress and stress-associated behavioral abnormalities. Hence, the objective of this review is to explore the causal relationships between the gut microbiota, stress
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Spatiotemporal roles of AMPK in PARP-1- and autophagy-dependent retinal pigment epithelial cell death caused by UVA J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-11-07 Anthony Yan-Tang Wu, Ponarulselvam Sekar, Duen-Yi Huang, Shu-Hao Hsu, Chi-Ming Chan, Wan-Wan Lin
Although stimulating autophagy caused by UV has been widely demonstrated in skin cells to exert cell protection, it remains unknown the cellular events in UVA-treated retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. Human ARPE-19 cells were used to measure cell viability, mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), mitochondrial mass and lysosomal mass by flow cytometry
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The ‘speck’-tacular oversight of the NLRP3-pyroptosis pathway on gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases and tumorigenesis J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-10-27 Valentina Arrè, Rosanna Scialpi, Matteo Centonze, Gianluigi Giannelli, Maria Principia Scavo, Roberto Negro
The NLRP3 inflammasome is an intracellular sensor and an essential component of the innate immune system involved in danger recognition. An important hallmark of inflammasome activation is the formation of a single supramolecular punctum, known as a speck, per cell, which is the site where the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18 are converted into their bioactive form. Speck also provides the
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Complete spectrum of adverse events associated with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-10-21 Chieh Yang, John Nguyen, Yun Yen
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies have been approved by FDA to treat relapsed or refractory hematological malignancies. However, the adverse effects of CAR-T cell therapies are complex and can be challenging to diagnose and treat. In this review, we summarize the major adverse events, including cytokine release syndrome (CRS), immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS)
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Small interfering RNA (siRNA)-based therapeutic applications against viruses: principles, potential, and challenges J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-10-16 Hara Kang, Yun Ji Ga, Soo Hyun Kim, Young Hoon Cho, Jung Won Kim, Chaeyeon Kim, Jung-Yong Yeh
RNA has emerged as a revolutionary and important tool in the battle against emerging infectious diseases, with roles extending beyond its applications in vaccines, in which it is used in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since their development in the 1990s, RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics have demonstrated potential in reducing the expression of disease-associated genes. Nucleic acid‐based
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Human ACE2 protein is a molecular switch controlling the mode of SARS-CoV-2 transmission J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-10-12 Chao-Fu Yang, Chun-Che Liao, Hung-Wei Hsu, Jian-Jong Liang, Chih-Shin Chang, Hui-Ying Ko, Rue-Hsin Chang, Wei-Chun Tang, Ming-Hao Chang, I-Hsuan Wang, Yi-Ling Lin
Human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) is the receptor mediating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. hACE2 expression is low in the lungs and is upregulated after SARS-CoV-2 infection. How such a hACE2-limited pulmonary environment supports efficient virus transmission and how dynamic hACE2 expression affects SARS-CoV-2 infection are unclear. We generated
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Crosstalk between mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy to maintain mitochondrial homeostasis J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-10-12 Lei Liu, Yanjun Li, Guo Chen, Quan Chen
Mitochondrial mass and quality are tightly regulated by two essential and opposing mechanisms, mitochondrial biogenesis (mitobiogenesis) and mitophagy, in response to cellular energy needs and other cellular and environmental cues. Great strides have been made to uncover key regulators of these complex processes. Emerging evidence has shown that there exists a tight coordination between mitophagy and
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Extracellular release in the quality control of the mammalian mitochondria J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-10-08 Kuei-Hsiang Pan, Hung Chang, Wei Yuan Yang
Mammalian cells release a wealth of materials to their surroundings. Emerging data suggest these materials can even be mitochondria with perturbed morphology and aberrant function. These dysfunctional mitochondria are removed by migrating cells through membrane shedding. Neuronal cells, cardiomyocytes, and adipocytes send dysfunctional mitochondria into the extracellular space for nearby cells to degrade
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mRNA-based vaccines and therapeutics: an in-depth survey of current and upcoming clinical applications J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-10-07 Yu-Shiuan Wang, Monika Kumari, Guan-Hong Chen, Ming-Hsiang Hong, Joyce Pei-Yi Yuan, Jui-Ling Tsai, Han-Chung Wu
mRNA-based drugs have tremendous potential as clinical treatments, however, a major challenge in realizing this drug class will promise to develop methods for safely delivering the bioactive agents with high efficiency and without activating the immune system. With regard to mRNA vaccines, researchers have modified the mRNA structure to enhance its stability and promote systemic tolerance of antigenic
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Clinical trials of new drugs for Alzheimer disease: a 2020–2023 update J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-10-02 Li-Kai Huang, Yi-Chun Kuan, Ho-Wei Lin, Chaur-Jong Hu
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia, presenting a significant unmet medical need worldwide. The pathogenesis of AD involves various pathophysiological events, including the accumulation of amyloid and tau, neuro-inflammation, and neuronal injury. Clinical trials focusing on new drugs for AD were documented in 2020, but subsequent developments have emerged since then. Notably,
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Induced pluripotent stem cells: ex vivo models for human diseases due to mitochondrial DNA mutations J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-09-22 Chao Chen, Min-Xin Guan
Mitochondria are essential organelles for cellular metabolism and physiology in eukaryotic cells. Human mitochondria have their own genome (mtDNA), which is maternally inherited with 37 genes, encoding 13 polypeptides for oxidative phosphorylation, and 22 tRNAs and 2 rRNAs for translation. mtDNA mutations are associated with a wide spectrum of degenerative and neuromuscular diseases. However, the pathophysiology
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Interaction of the AKT and β-catenin signalling pathways and the influence of photobiomodulation on cellular signalling proteins in diabetic wound healing J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-09-21 Sandy Winfield Jere, Heidi Abrahamse, Nicolette Nadene Houreld
The induction of a cells destiny is a tightly controlled process that is regulated through communication between the matrix and cell signalling proteins. Cell signalling activates distinctive subsections of target genes, and different signalling pathways may be used repeatedly in different settings. A range of different signalling pathways are activated during the wound healing process, and dysregulated
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LncRNA SLCO4A1-AS1 suppresses lung cancer progression by sequestering the TOX4-NTSR1 signaling axis J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-09-19 Yi-Ling Chen, Yi-Nan Liu, Yen-Ting Lin, Meng-Feng Tsai, Shang-Gin Wu, Tzu-Hua Chang, Chia-Lang Hsu, Huey-Dong Wu, Jin-Yuan Shih
Metastasis is a multistep process involving the migration and invasion of cancer cells and is a hallmark of cancer malignancy. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical roles in the regulation of metastasis. This study aims to elucidate the role of the lncRNA solute carrier organic anion transporter family member 4A1-antisense 1 (SLCO4A1-AS1) in metastasis and its underlying regulatory mechanisms
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Expanding applications of allogeneic platelets, platelet lysates, and platelet extracellular vesicles in cell therapy, regenerative medicine, and targeted drug delivery J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-09-14 Thierry Burnouf, Ming-Li Chou, David J. Lundy, Er-Yuan Chuang, Ching-Li Tseng, Hadi Goubran
Platelets are small anucleated blood cells primarily known for their vital hemostatic role. Allogeneic platelet concentrates (PCs) collected from healthy donors are an essential cellular product transfused by hospitals to control or prevent bleeding in patients affected by thrombocytopenia or platelet dysfunctions. Platelets fulfill additional essential functions in innate and adaptive immunity and
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Long noncoding RNA SNHG16 regulates TLR4-mediated autophagy and NETosis formation in alveolar hemorrhage associated with systemic lupus erythematosus J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-09-12 Yu-Tung Hsieh, Yi-Cheng Chen, Yu-Chi Chou, Pin‑Yu Kuo, Yi-Ting Yen, Hung-Wen Tsai, Chrong-Reen Wang
Dysregulated long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) expression with increased apoptosis has been demonstrated in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with alveolar hemorrhage (AH). SNHG16, a lncRNA, can enhance pulmonary inflammation by sponging microRNAs, and upregulate toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) expression via stabilizing its mRNAs. TRAF6, a TLR4 downstream signal transducer, can induce autophagy and
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Platelet-derived biomaterial with hyaluronic acid alleviates temporal-mandibular joint osteoarthritis: clinical trial from dish to human J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-09-11 Bou-Yue Peng, Abhinay Kumar Singh, Ching-Yu Tsai, Chun-Hao Chan, Yue-Hua Deng, Chi-Ming Wu, Yen-Ru Chou, Wen Tsao, Chia-Yu Wu, Win-Ping Deng
Bioactive materials have now raised considerable attention for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA), such as knee OA, rheumatoid OA, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) OA. TMJ-OA is a common disease associated with an imbalance of cartilage regeneration, tissue inflammation, and disability in mouth movement. Recently, biological materials or molecules have been developed for TMJ-OA therapy; however
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Structural changes in perineuronal nets and their perforating GABAergic synapses precede motor coordination recovery post stroke J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-09-01 Egor Dzyubenko, Katrin I. Willig, Dongpei Yin, Maryam Sardari, Erdin Tokmak, Patrick Labus, Ben Schmermund, Dirk M. Hermann
Stroke remains one of the leading causes of long-term disability worldwide, and the development of effective restorative therapies is hindered by an incomplete understanding of intrinsic brain recovery mechanisms. Growing evidence indicates that the brain extracellular matrix (ECM) has major implications for neuroplasticity. Here we explored how perineuronal nets (PNNs), the facet-like ECM layers surrounding
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A novel phage carrying capsule depolymerase effectively relieves pneumonia caused by multidrug-resistant Klebsiella aerogenes J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-08-31 Xiaohu Cui, Bing Du, Junxia Feng, Yanling Feng, Zheng Fan, Jinfeng Chen, Jinghua Cui, Lin Gan, Tongtong Fu, Ziyan Tian, Rui Zhang, Chao Yan, Hanqing Zhao, Wenjian Xu, Ziying Xu, Zihui Yu, Zanbo Ding, Zhoufei Li, Yujie Chen, Guanhua Xue, Jing Yuan
Klebsiella aerogenes can cause ventilator-associated pneumonia by forming biofilms, and it is frequently associated with multidrug resistance. Phages are good antibiotic alternatives with unique advantages. There has been a lack of phage therapeutic explorations, kinetic studies, and interaction mechanism research targeting K. aerogenes. Plaque assay, transmission electron microscopy and whole-genome
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Harnessing cell reprogramming for cardiac biological pacing J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-08-26 Chih-Min Liu, Yi-Chun Chen, Yu-Feng Hu
Electrical impulses from cardiac pacemaker cardiomyocytes initiate cardiac contraction and blood pumping and maintain life. Abnormal electrical impulses bring patients with low heart rates to cardiac arrest. The current therapy is to implant electronic devices to generate backup electricity. However, complications inherent to electronic devices remain unbearable suffering. Therefore, cardiac biological
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Various arrangements of mobile genetic elements among CC147 subpopulations of Klebsiella pneumoniae harboring blaNDM-1: a comparative genomic analysis of carbapenem resistant strains J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-08-25 Omid Pajand, Hamzeh Rahimi, Farzad Badmasti, Faeze Gholami, Tahereh Alipour, Narges Darabi, Frank M. Aarestrup, Pimlapas Leekitcharoenphon
Certain clonal complexes (CCs) of Klebsiella pneumoniae such as CC147 (ST147 and ST392) are major drivers of blaNDM dissemination across the world. ST147 has repeatedly reported from our geographical region, but its population dynamics and evolutionary trajectories need to be further studied. Comparative genomic analysis of 51 carbapenem-nonsusceptible strains as well as three hypervirulent K. pneumoniae
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5ʹ-Ectonucleotidase CD73/NT5E supports EGFR-mediated invasion of HPV-negative head and neck carcinoma cells J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-08-24 Enxian Shi, Zhengquan Wu, Birnur Sinem Karaoglan, Sabina Schwenk-Zieger, Gisela Kranz, Nilofer Abdul Razak, Christoph A. Reichel, Martin Canis, Philipp Baumeister, Reinhard Zeidler, Olivier Gires
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of malignant cells is a driving force of disease progression in human papillomavirus-negative (HPV-negative) head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). Sustained hyper-activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) induces an invasion-promoting subtype of EMT (EGFR-EMT) characterized by a gene signature (“‘EGFR-EMT_Signature’”) comprising 5´-ectonucleotidase
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ACE2 in chronic disease and COVID-19: gene regulation and post-translational modification J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-08-22 Chia-Wen Wang, Huai-Chia Chuang, Tse-Hua Tan
Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a counter regulator of the renin-angiotensin system, provides protection against several chronic diseases. Besides chronic diseases, ACE2 is the host receptor for SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-2 virus, mediating the first step of virus infection. ACE2 levels are regulated by transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational regulation or modification. ACE2
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Mitochondrial impairment and synaptic dysfunction are associated with neurological defects in iPSCs-derived cortical neurons of MERRF patients J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-08-21 Yu-Ting Wu, Hui-Yi Tay, Jung-Tse Yang, Hsiao-Hui Liao, Yi-Shing Ma, Yau-Huei Wei
Myoclonic epilepsy with ragged-red fibers (MERRF) syndrome is a rare inherited mitochondrial disease mainly caused by the m.8344A > G mutation in mitochondrial tRNALys gene, and usually manifested as complex neurological disorders and muscle weakness. Currently, the pathogenic mechanism of this disease has not yet been resolved, and there is no effective therapy for MERRF syndrome. In this study, MERRF
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Exosomal miRNA-mediated intercellular communications and immunomodulatory effects in tumor microenvironments J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-08-21 Howida M. Nail, Chien-Chih Chiu, Chung-Hang Leung, Mahmoud M. M. Ahmed, Hui-Min David Wang
Extracellular communication, in other words, crosstalk between cells, has a pivotal role in the survival of an organism. This communication occurs by different methods, one of which is extracellular vesicles. Exosomes, which are small lipid extracellular vesicles, have recently been discovered to have a role in signal transduction between cells inside the body. These vesicles contain important bioactive
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The RNA-binding protein KSRP aggravates malignant progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma through transcriptional inhibition and post-transcriptional destabilization of the NEDD4L ubiquitin ligase J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-08-14 Yi-Chieh Yang, Yung-Wei Lin, Wei-Jiunn Lee, Feng-Ru Lai, Kuo-Hao Ho, Chih-Ying Chu, Kuo-Tai Hua, Ji-Qing Chen, Min-Che Tung, Michael Hsiao, Yu-Ching Wen, Ming-Hsien Chien
KH-type splicing regulatory protein (KHSRP, also called KSRP), a versatile RNA-binding protein, plays a critical role in various physiological and pathological conditions through modulating gene expressions at multiple levels. However, the role of KSRP in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remains poorly understood. KSRP expression was detected by a ccRCC tissue microarray and evaluated by an
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Fierce poison to others: the phenomenon of bacterial dependence on antibiotics J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-08-14 Claudia C. Paredes-Amaya, María Teresa Ulloa, Víctor Antonio García-Angulo
Beyond the development of resistance, the effects of antibiotics on bacteria and microbial communities are complex and far from exhaustively studied. In the context of the current global antimicrobial resistance crisis, understanding the adaptive and physiological responses of bacteria to antimicrobials is of paramount importance along with the development of new therapies. Bacterial dependence on
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Neuroprotective effects of osmotin in Parkinson’s disease-associated pathology via the AdipoR1/MAPK/AMPK/mTOR signaling pathways J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 11.0) Pub Date : 2023-08-11 Jun Sung Park, Kyonghwan Choe, Hyeon Jin Lee, Tae Ju Park, Myeong Ok Kim
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most frequent age-related neurodegenerative disorder and is characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons. Both environmental and genetic aspects are involved in the pathogenesis of PD. Osmotin is a structural and functional homolog of adiponectin, which regulates the phosphorylation of 5′ adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) via adiponectin