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Biomarkers for Managing Neurodegenerative Diseases Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-26 Lara Cheslow, Adam E. Snook, Scott A. Waldman
Neurological disorders are the leading cause of cognitive and physical disability worldwide, affecting 15% of the global population. Due to the demographics of aging, the prevalence of neurological disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases, will double over the next two decades. Unfortunately, while available therapies provide symptomatic relief for cognitive and motor impairment, there is an
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Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease Outcomes: Critical Mechanisms of Liver Injury Progression Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-27 Natalia A. Osna, Irina Tikhanovich, Martí Ortega-Ribera, Sebastian Mueller, Chaowen Zheng, Johannes Mueller, Siyuan Li, Sadatsugu Sakane, Raquel Carvalho Gontijo Weber, Hyun Young Kim, Wonsoek Lee, Souradipta Ganguly, Yusuke Kimura, Xiao Liu, Debanjan Dhar, Karin Diggle, David A. Brenner, Tatiana Kisseleva, Neha Attal, Iain H. McKillop, Shilpa Chokshi, Ram Mahato, Karuna Rasineni, Gyongyi Szabo, Kusum
Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is a substantial cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and represents a spectrum of liver injury beginning with hepatic steatosis (fatty liver) progressing to inflammation and culminating in cirrhosis. Multiple factors contribute to ALD progression and disease severity. Here, we overview several crucial mechanisms related to ALD end-stage outcome development
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The Influence of Lysosomal Stress on Dental Pulp Stem Cell-Derived Schwann Cells Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-27 Karen Libberecht, Nathalie Dirkx, Tim Vangansewinkel, Wendy Vandendries, Ivo Lambrichts, Esther Wolfs
Background: Dysregulation of the endo-lysosomal–autophagy pathway has been identified as a critical factor in the pathology of various demyelinating neurodegenerative diseases, including peripheral neuropathies. This pathway plays a crucial role in transporting newly synthesized myelin proteins to the plasma membrane in myelinating Schwann cells, making these cells susceptible to lysosome-related dysfunctions
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Correction: Liu et al. Emergent Peptides of the Antifibrotic Arsenal: Taking Aim at Myofibroblast Promoting Pathways. Biomolecules 2023, 13, 1179 Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-27 Zhen Liu, Xinyan Zhang, Yanrong Wang, Yifan Tai, Xiaolin Yao, Adam C. Midgley
There was an error in the original publication [...]
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Erythropoietin: A Personal Alice in Wonderland Trip in the Shadow of the Giants Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-27 Anna Rita Migliaccio
The identification of the hormone erythropoietin (EPO), which regulates red blood cell production, and its development into a pharmaceutical-grade product to treat anemia has been not only a herculean task but it has also been the first of its kind. As with all the successes, it had “winners” and “losers”, but its history is mostly told by the winners who, over the years, have published excellent scientific
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A Review for Artificial-Intelligence-Based Protein Subcellular Localization Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-27 Hanyu Xiao, Yijin Zou, Jieqiong Wang, Shibiao Wan
Proteins need to be located in appropriate spatiotemporal contexts to carry out their diverse biological functions. Mislocalized proteins may lead to a broad range of diseases, such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Knowing where a target protein resides within a cell will give insights into tailored drug design for a disease. As the gold validation standard, the conventional wet lab uses fluorescent
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DPP Inhibition Enhances the Efficacy of PD-1 Blockade by Remodeling the Tumor Microenvironment in Lewis Lung Carcinoma Model Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-25 Mengrong Lei, Junyan Liu, Ying Gao, Wenting Dai, Hanxue Huang, Qingqing Jiang, Zhaoqian Liu
The remarkable efficacy of cancer immunotherapy has been established in several tumor types. Of the various immunotherapies, PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors are most extensively used in the treatment of many cancers in clinics. These inhibitors restore the suppressed antitumor immune response and inhibit tumor progression by blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 signaling. However, the low response rate is a major limitation
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New Paralogs of the Heliothis virescens ABCC2 Transporter as Potential Receptors for Bt Cry1A Proteins Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-26 Daniel Pinos, Anabel Millán-Leiva, Juan Ferré, Patricia Hernández-Martínez
The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are a superfamily of membrane proteins. These active transporters are involved in the export of different substances such as xenobiotics. ABC transporters from subfamily C (ABCC) have also been described as functional receptors for different insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in several lepidopteran species. Numerous studies have characterized
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Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein Protein and Its Multifunctionality: From Cytosol to Nucleolus and Back Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-26 Mohamed S. Taha, Mohammad Reza Ahmadian
Silencing of the fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMR1) gene and a consequent lack of FMR protein (FMRP) synthesis are associated with fragile X syndrome, one of the most common inherited intellectual disabilities. FMRP is a multifunctional protein that is involved in many cellular functions in almost all subcellular compartments under both normal and cellular stress conditions in neuronal
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The Role of Citrullination Modification in CD4+ T Cells in the Pathogenesis of Immune-Related Diseases Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-26 Yuhang Chen, Yi Teng, Ping Xu, Shengjun Wang
The post-translational modifications (PTMs) of proteins play a crucial role in increasing the functional diversity of proteins and are associated with the pathogenesis of various diseases. This review focuses on a less explored PTM called citrullination, which involves the conversion of arginine to citrulline. This process is catalyzed by peptidyl arginine deiminases (PADs). Different members of the
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Multifactorial Causes and Consequences of TLSP Production, Function, and Release in the Asthmatic Airway Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-26 Danica L. Brister, Hafsa Omer, Christiane E. Whetstone, Maral Ranjbar, Gail M. Gauvreau
Disruption of the airway epithelium triggers a defensive immune response that begins with the production and release of alarmin cytokines. These epithelial-derived alarmin cytokines, including thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), are produced in response to aeroallergens, viruses, and toxic inhalants. An alarmin response disproportionate to the inhaled trigger can exacerbate airway diseases such as
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Mitochondrial Dysfunction as the Major Basis of Brain Aging Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-26 Stephen C. Bondy
The changes in the properties of three biological events that occur with cerebral aging are discussed. These adverse changes already begin to develop early in mid-life and gradually become more pronounced with senescence. Essentially, they are reflections of the progressive decline in effectiveness of key processes, resulting in the deviation of essential biochemical trajectories to ineffective and
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Dysbiosis of Gut Microbiome Aggravated Male Infertility in Captivity of Plateau Pika Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-26 Liangzhi Zhang, Xianjiang Tang, Chao Fan, Shi’en Ren, Qi Cheng, Huakun Zhou, Kai Liu, Shangang Jia, Yanming Zhang
Captivity is an important and efficient technique for rescuing endangered species. However, it induces infertility, and the underlying mechanism remains obscure. This study used the plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) as a model to integrate physiological, metagenomic, metabolomic, and transcriptome analyses and explore whether dysbiosis of the gut microbiota induced by artificial food exacerbates infertility
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Uncovering Novel Protein Partners of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase in Human Testis Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-24 Karthik S. Prabhakara, Kavya Ganapathy, Kazi N. Islam, Hiran M. Thyagarajan, Kirti K. Tiwari, Ramya L. Parimi, Mohammad B. Rashid
Peroxidative damage to human spermatozoa has been shown to be the primary cause of male infertility. The possible role of nitric oxide (NO) in affecting sperm motility, capacitation, and acrosome reaction has been reported, too. The overproduction of NO by the enzyme inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) could be responsible as it has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many diseases. There have
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Synthesis and Validation of TRIFAPYs as a Family of Transfection Agents for Therapeutic Oligonucleotides Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-25 Berta Isanta, Ana Delgado, Carlos J. Ciudad, Mª Antònia Busquets, Rosa Griera, Núria Llor, Véronique Noé
Transfection agents play a crucial role in facilitating the uptake of nucleic acids into eukaryotic cells offering potential therapeutic solutions for genetic disorders. However, progress in this field needs the development of improved systems that guarantee efficient transfection. Here, we describe the synthesis of a set of chemical delivery agents (TRIFAPYs) containing alkyl chains of different lengths
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Inflammation and Organic Cation Transporters Novel (OCTNs) Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-25 Lorena Pochini, Michele Galluccio, Lara Console, Mariafrancesca Scalise, Ivano Eberini, Cesare Indiveri
Inflammation is a physiological condition characterized by a complex interplay between different cells handled by metabolites and specific inflammatory-related molecules. In some pathological situations, inflammation persists underlying and worsening the pathological state. Over the years, two membrane transporters namely OCTN1 (SLC22A4) and OCTN2 (SLC22A5) have been shown to play specific roles in
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Stress-Activated Protein Kinases in Intervertebral Disc Degeneration: Unraveling the Impact of JNK and p38 MAPK Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-25 Lei Li, Guangzhi Zhang, Zhili Yang, Xuewen Kang
Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a major cause of lower back pain. The pathophysiological development of IDD is closely related to the stimulation of various stressors, including proinflammatory cytokines, abnormal mechanical stress, oxidative stress, metabolic abnormalities, and DNA damage, among others. These factors prevent normal intervertebral disc (IVD) development, reduce the number
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Involvement of Glucosamine 6 Phosphate Isomerase 2 (GNPDA2) Overproduction in β-Amyloid- and Tau P301L-Driven Pathomechanisms Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-25 Mercedes Lachén-Montes, Paz Cartas-Cejudo, Adriana Cortés, Elena Anaya-Cubero, Erika Peral, Karina Ausín, Ramón Díaz-Peña, Joaquín Fernández-Irigoyen, Enrique Santamaría
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative olfactory disorder affecting millions of people worldwide. Alterations in the hexosamine- or glucose-related pathways have been described through AD progression. Specifically, an alteration in glucosamine 6 phosphate isomerase 2 (GNPDA2) protein levels has been observed in olfactory areas of AD subjects. However, the biological role of GNPDA2 in neurodegeneration
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Triptolide Administration Alters Immune Responses to Mitigate Insulin Resistance in Obese States Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-25 Lyudmila Grodsky, Mickey Wilson, Thirumurugan Rathinasabapathy, Slavko Komarnytsky
Individuals who are overweight or obese are at increased risk of developing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, yet the direct molecular mechanisms that connect diabetes to obesity are not clear. Chronic, sustained inflammation is considered a strong risk factor in these interactions, directed in part by the short-lived gene expression programs encoding for cytokines and pro-inflammatory mediators. In
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Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Is Liquid Biopsy a New Tool Able to Predict the Efficacy of Immunotherapy? Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-25 Rossella Fasano, Simona Serratì, Tania Rafaschieri, Vito Longo, Roberta Di Fonte, Letizia Porcelli, Amalia Azzariti
Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) cases represent approximately 15% of all lung cancer cases, remaining a recalcitrant malignancy with poor survival and few treatment options. In the last few years, the addition of immunotherapy to chemotherapy improved clinical outcomes compared to chemotherapy alone, resulting in the current standard of care for SCLC. However, the advantage of immunotherapy only applies
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The Effect of Reduced Fibrinogen on Cerebrovascular Permeability during Traumatic Brain Injury in Fibrinogen Gene Heterozygous Knockout Mice Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-22 Nurul Sulimai, Jason Brown, David Lominadze
Vascular contribution to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) is a term referring to all types of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease-related cognitive decline, spanning many neuroinflammatory diseases including traumatic brain injury (TBI). This becomes particularly important during mild-to-moderate TBI (m-mTBI), which is characterized by short-term memory (STM) decline. Enhanced cerebrovascular
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Research Progress on Sesquiterpenoids of Curcumae Rhizoma and Their Pharmacological Effects Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-23 Ting Cui, Bo-Yu Li, Fei Liu, Liang Xiong
Curcumae Rhizoma, a traditional Chinese medicine with a wide range of pharmacological activities, is obtained from the dried rhizomes of Curcuma phaeocaulis VaL., Curcuma kwangsiensis S. G. Lee et C. F. Liang, and Curcuma wenyujin Y. H. Chen et C. Ling. Sesquiterpenoids and curcuminoids are found to be the main constituents of Curcumae Rhizoma. Sesquiterpenoids are composed of three isoprene units
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Infectious Keratitis: Characterization of Microbial Diversity through Species Richness and Shannon Diversity Index Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-24 Domenico Schiano-Lomoriello, Irene Albicca, Laura Contento, Federico Gabrielli, Cinzia Alfonsi, Fabio Di Pietro, Filomena Tiziana Papa, Antonio Ballesteros-Sánchez, José-María Sánchez-González, Carlos Rocha-De-Lossada, Cosimo Mazzotta, Giuseppe Giannaccare, Chiara Bonzano, Davide Borroni
Purpose: To characterize microbial keratitis diversity utilizing species richness and Shannon Diversity Index. Methods: Corneal impression membrane was used to collect samples. All swabs were processed and analyzed by Biolab Laboratory (level V—SSN Excellence: ISO 9001:2015), Biolab Srl (Ascoli Piceno, Italy). DNA extraction, library preparation, and sequencing were performed in all samples. After
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Solid Phase Oligo-DNA Extraction from Complex Medium Using an Aminated Graphene/Nitrocellulose Membrane Hybrid Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-19 Georgian Alin Toader, Valentin Titus Grigorean, Mariana Ionita
A hybrid material, consisting of commercially available nitrocellulose (NC) membrane non-covalently modified with amino-polyethylene glycol functionalized reduced graphene oxide (NH2-PEG-rGO) nanoparticles, was successfully synthesized for oligonucleotide extraction. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the modification of the NC membrane, revealing characteristic peaks of both
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Molecular Profiling of Axial Spondyloarthritis Patients Reveals an Association between Innate and Adaptive Cell Populations and Therapeutic Response to Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-21 Daniel Sobral, Ana Filipa Fernandes, Miguel Bernardes, Patrícia Pinto, Helena Santos, João Lagoas-Gomes, José Tavares-Costa, José A. P. Silva, João Madruga Dias, Alexandra Bernardo, Jean-Charles Gaillard, Jean Armengaud, Vladimir Benes, Lúcia Domingues, Sara Maia, Jaime C. Branco, Ana Varela Coelho, Fernando M. Pimentel-Santos
This study aims at identifying molecular biomarkers differentiating responders and non-responders to treatment with Tumor Necrosis Factor inhibitors (TNFi) among patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). Whole blood mRNA and plasma proteins were measured in a cohort of biologic-naïve axSpA patients (n = 35), pre and post (14 weeks) TNFi treatment with adalimumab. Differential expression analysis
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Dysregulated Expression Patterns of Circular RNAs in Cancer: Uncovering Molecular Mechanisms and Biomarker Potential Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-22 Nicole R. DeSouza, Kate J. Nielsen, Tara Jarboe, Michelle Carnazza, Danielle Quaranto, Kaci Kopec, Robert Suriano, Humayun K. Islam, Raj K. Tiwari, Jan Geliebter
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are stable, enclosed, non-coding RNA molecules with dynamic regulatory propensity. Their biogenesis involves a back-splicing process, forming a highly stable and operational RNA molecule. Dysregulated circRNA expression can drive carcinogenic and tumorigenic transformation through the orchestration of epigenetic modifications via extensive RNA and protein-binding domains. These
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Mitotic Functions and Characters of KIF11 in Cancers Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-22 Wanting Gao, Junjie Lu, Zitao Yang, Enmin Li, Yufei Cao, Lei Xie
Mitosis mediates the accurate separation of daughter cells, and abnormalities are closely related to cancer progression. KIF11, a member of the kinesin family, plays a vital role in the formation and maintenance of the mitotic spindle. Recently, an increasing quantity of data have demonstrated the upregulated expression of KIF11 in various cancers, promoting the emergence and progression of cancers
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Phytochemical, Pharmacological, and Molecular Docking Study of Dry Extracts of Matricaria discoidea DC. with Analgesic and Soporific Activities Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-18 Janne Sepp, Oleh Koshovyi, Valdas Jakštas, Vaidotas Žvikas, Iryna Botsula, Igor Kireyev, Hanna Severina, Oleksandr Kukhtenko, Kaisa Põhako-Palu, Karin Kogermann, Jyrki Heinämäki, Ain Raal
Pineapple weed (Matricaria discoidea DC.) is a widespread plant in Europe and North America. In ethnomedicine, it is well-known for its anti-inflammatory and spasmolytic activities. The aim of this research was to develop novel methods of M. discoidea processing to obtain essential oil and dry extracts and to investigate their phytochemical compositions. Moreover, the molecular docking of the main
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Revolutionizing Ischemic Stroke Diagnosis and Treatment: The Promising Role of Neurovascular Unit-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-20 Xiangyu Gao, Dan Liu, Kangyi Yue, Zhuoyuan Zhang, Xiaofan Jiang, Peng Luo
Ischemic stroke is a fatal and disabling disease worldwide and imposes a significant burden on society. At present, biological markers that can be conveniently measured in body fluids are lacking for the diagnosis of ischemic stroke, and there are no effective treatment methods to improve neurological function after ischemic stroke. Therefore, new ways of diagnosing and treating ischemic stroke are
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Dissecting the Roles of the Cytokinin Signaling Network: The Case of De Novo Shoot Apical Meristem Formation Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-21 Nina Pokimica, Tatjana Ćosić, Branka Uzelac, Slavica Ninković, Martin Raspor
Numerous biotechnological applications require a fast and efficient clonal propagation of whole plants under controlled laboratory conditions. For most plant species, the de novo regeneration of shoots from the cuttings of various plant organs can be obtained on nutrient media supplemented with plant hormones, auxin and cytokinin. While auxin is needed during the early stages of the process that include
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Enzymes with Lactonase Activity against Fungal Quorum Molecules as Effective Antifungals Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-21 Elena Efremenko, Aysel Aslanli, Maksim Domnin, Nikolay Stepanov, Olga Senko
Since the growing number of fungi resistant to the fungicides used is becoming a serious threat to human health, animals, and crops, there is a need to find other effective approaches in the eco-friendly suppression of fungal growth. One of the main mechanisms of the development of resistance in fungi, as well as in bacteria, to antimicrobial agents is quorum sensing (QS), in which various lactone-containing
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The Effects of the Steroids 5-Androstenediol and Dehydroepiandrosterone and Their Synthetic Derivatives on the Viability of K562, HeLa, and Wi-38 Cells and the Luminol-Stimulated Chemiluminescence of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells from Healthy Volunteers Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-19 Mikhail N. Sokolov, Vladimir V. Rozhkov, Maria E. Uspenskaya, Darya N. Ulchenko, Vladimir I. Shmygarev, Vladimir M. Trukhan, Andrei V. Churakov, Nikolay L. Shimanovsky, Tatiana A. Fedotcheva
In order to evaluate the role of substituents at 3-C and 17-C in the cytotoxic and cytoprotective actions of DHEA and 5-AED molecules, their derivatives were synthesized by esterification using the corresponding acid anhydrides or acid chlorides. As a result, seven compounds were obtained: four DHEA derivatives (DHEA 3-propionate, DHEA 3-butanoate, DHEA 3-acetate, DHEA 3-methylsulfonate) and three
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Epitope Mapping of Japanese Encephalitis Virus Neutralizing Antibodies by Native Mass Spectrometry and Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-20 Jagat Adhikari, James Heffernan, Melissa Edeling, Estefania Fernandez, Prashant N. Jethva, Michael S. Diamond, Daved H. Fremont, Michael L. Gross
Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) remains a global public health concern due to its epidemiological distribution and the existence of multiple strains. Neutralizing antibodies against this infection have shown efficacy in in vivo studies. Thus, elucidation of the epitopes of neutralizing antibodies can aid in the design and development of effective vaccines against different strains of JEV. Here, we
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Crystallization of Ethylene Plant Hormone Receptor—Screening for Structure Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-20 Buket Rüffer, Yvonne Thielmann, Moritz Lemke, Alexander Minges, Georg Groth
The plant hormone ethylene is a key regulator of plant growth, development, and stress adaptation. Many ethylene-related responses, such as abscission, seed germination, or ripening, are of great importance to global agriculture. Ethylene perception and response are mediated by a family of integral membrane receptors (ETRs), which form dimers and higher-order oligomers in their functional state as
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Role of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) and Eicosanoids on Dry Eye Symptoms and Signs Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-20 Simran Mangwani-Mordani, Amanda Prislovsky, Daniel Stephenson, Charles E. Chalfant, Anat Galor, Nawajes Mandal
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) generate pro- and anti-inflammatory eicosanoids via three different metabolic pathways. This study profiled tear PUFAs and their metabolites and examined the relationships with dry eye (DE) and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) symptoms and signs. A total of 40 individuals with normal eyelids and corneal anatomies were prospectively recruited. The symptoms and signs
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Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Skeletal Muscle Transcriptome Analysis: A Comprehensive Examination of Differentially Expressed Genes Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-20 Elisa Gascón, Pilar Zaragoza, Ana Cristina Calvo, Rosario Osta
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) that comprises sporadic (sALS) and familial (fALS) cases, is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive degeneration of motor neurons, leading to muscle atrophy and various clinical manifestations. However, the complex underlying mechanisms affecting this disease are not yet known. On the other hand, there is also no good prognosis of the
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Postweaning Development Influences Endogenous VPAC1 Modulation of LTP Induced by Theta-Burst Stimulation: A Link to Maturation of the Hippocampal GABAergic System Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-20 Marta Gil, Ana Caulino-Rocha, Marta Bento, Nádia C. Rodrigues, Armando Silva-Cruz, Joaquim A. Ribeiro, Diana Cunha-Reis
Long-term potentiation (LTP) induced by theta-burst stimulation (TBS) undergoes postweaning developmental changes partially linked to GABAergic circuit maturation. Endogenous vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) acting on its VPAC1 receptor strongly influences LTP induced by theta-burst stimulation (TBS), an effect dependent on GABAergic transmission. Although VPAC1 receptor levels are developmentally
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Inhibition of Granule Cell Dispersion and Seizure Development by Astrocyte Elevated Gene-1 in a Mouse Model of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-20 Eunju Leem, Sehwan Kim, Chanchal Sharma, Youngpyo Nam, Tae Yeon Kim, Minsang Shin, Seok-Geun Lee, Jaekwang Kim, Sang Ryong Kim
Although granule cell dispersion (GCD) in the hippocampus is known to be an important feature associated with epileptic seizures in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), the endogenous molecules that regulate GCD are largely unknown. In the present study, we have examined whether there is any change in AEG-1 expression in the hippocampus of a kainic acid (KA)-induced mouse model of TLE. In addition, we have
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Characterization of Skeletal Muscle Regeneration Revealed a Novel Growth Network Induced by Molecular Acupuncture-like Transfection Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-19 Ernő Zádor
The low efficiency of in vivo transfection of a few fibres revealed a novel tissue network that temporally amplified growth stimulation in the entire regenerating rat soleus muscle. This acupuncture-like effect was demonstrated when the fibres began to grow after complete fibre degradation, synchronous inflammation, myoblast and myotube formation. Neonatal sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum ATPase
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A Quest for Survival: A Review of the Early Biomarkers of Pancreatic Cancer and the Most Effective Approaches at Present Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-19 Muhammad Begawan Bestari, Ignatius Ronaldi Joewono, Ari Fahrial Syam
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is the most lethal type of cancer; it has the lowest 5-year survival rate among all other types of cancers. More than half of PC cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage due to PC’s insidious and non-specific symptoms. Surgery remains the most efficacious treatment option currently available, but only 10–20% of PC cases are resectable upon diagnosis. As of now, the sole biomarker
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In Silico Investigation of Parkin-Activating Mutations Using Simulations and Network Modeling Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-19 Naeyma N. Islam, Caleb A. Weber, Matt Coban, Liam T. Cocker, Fabienne C. Fiesel, Wolfdieter Springer, Thomas R. Caulfield
Complete loss-of-function mutations in the PRKN gene are a major cause of early-onset Parkinson’s disease (PD). PRKN encodes the Parkin protein, an E3 ubiquitin ligase that works in conjunction with the ubiquitin kinase PINK1 in a distinct quality control pathway to tag damaged mitochondria for autophagic clearance, i.e., mitophagy. According to previous structural investigations, Parkin protein is
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Towards Uncovering the Role of Incomplete Penetrance in Maculopathies through Sequencing of 105 Disease-Associated Genes Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-19 Rebekkah J. Hitti-Malin, Daan M. Panneman, Zelia Corradi, Erica G. M. Boonen, Galuh Astuti, Claire-Marie Dhaenens, Heidi Stöhr, Bernhard H. F. Weber, Dror Sharon, Eyal Banin, Marianthi Karali, Sandro Banfi, Tamar Ben-Yosef, Damjan Glavač, G. Jane Farrar, Carmen Ayuso, Petra Liskova, Lubica Dudakova, Marie Vajter, Monika Ołdak, Jacek P. Szaflik, Anna Matynia, Michael B. Gorin, Kati Kämpjärvi, Miriam
Inherited macular dystrophies (iMDs) are a group of genetic disorders, which affect the central region of the retina. To investigate the genetic basis of iMDs, we used single-molecule Molecular Inversion Probes to sequence 105 maculopathy-associated genes in 1352 patients diagnosed with iMDs. Within this cohort, 39.8% of patients were considered genetically explained by 460 different variants in 49
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TSG-6 Inhibits the NF-κB Signaling Pathway and Promotes the Odontogenic Differentiation of Dental Pulp Stem Cells via CD44 in an Inflammatory Environment Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-19 Ying Wang, Yulang Xie, Ningning Xue, Hao Xu, Dunfang Zhang, Ning Ji, Qianming Chen
In pulpitis, dentinal restorative processes are considerably associated with undifferentiated mesenchymal cells in the pulp. This study aimed to investigate strategies to improve the odonto/osteogenic differentiation of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) in an inflammatory environment. After pretreatment of DPSCs with 20 ng/mL tumor necrosis factor-induced protein-6 (TSG-6), DPSCs were cultured in an
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Evaluation of Antibiotic Biodegradation by a Versatile and Highly Active Recombinant Laccase from the Thermoalkaliphilic Bacterium Bacillus sp. FNT Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-19 Jorge Sánchez-SanMartín, Sebastián L. Márquez, Giannina Espina, Rodrigo Cortés-Antiquera, Junsong Sun, Jenny M. Blamey
Laccases are industrially relevant enzymes that have gained great biotechnological importance. To date, most are of fungal and mesophilic origin; however, enzymes from extremophiles possess an even greater potential to withstand industrial conditions. In this study, we evaluate the potential of a recombinant spore-coat laccase from the thermoalkaliphilic bacterium Bacillus sp. FNT (FNTL) to biodegrade
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Ammoniagenic Action of Valproate without Signs of Hepatic Dysfunction in Rats: Possible Causes and Supporting Evidence Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-19 Gubidat Alilova, Lyudmila Tikhonova, Carmina Montoliu, Elena Kosenko
(1) Background: Valproic acid (VPA) is one of the frequently prescribed antiepileptic drugs and is generally considered well tolerated. However, VPA neurologic adverse effects in the absence of liver failure are fairly common, suggesting that in the mechanism for the development of VPA-induced encephalopathy, much more is involved than merely the exposure to hyperammonemia (HA) caused by liver insufficiency
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Dissecting the Long-Term Effect of Stress Early in Life on FKBP5: The Role of miR-20b-5p and miR-29c-3p Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-19 Nadia Cattane, Maria Grazia Di Benedetto, Ilari D’Aprile, Marco Andrea Riva, Annamaria Cattaneo
Exposure to early-life stress (ELS) has been related to an increased susceptibility to psychiatric disorders later in life. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying this association are still under investigation, glucocorticoid signaling has been proposed to be a key mediator. Here, we used two preclinical models, the prenatal stress (PNS) animal model and an in vitro model of hippocampal progenitor
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Enhancing the Spermidine Synthase-Based Polyamine Biosynthetic Pathway to Boost Rapid Growth in Marine Diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-19 Hung-Yun Lin, Chung-Hsiao Liu, Yong-Ting Kang, Sin-Wei Lin, Hsin-Yun Liu, Chun-Ting Lee, Yu-Chen Liu, Man-Chun Hsu, Ya-Yun Chien, Shao-Ming Hong, Yun-Hsuan Cheng, Bing-You Hsieh, Han-Jia Lin
Diatoms, efficient carbon capture organisms, contribute to 20% of global carbon fixation and 40% of ocean primary productivity, garnering significant attention to their growth. Despite their significance, the synthesis mechanism of polyamines (PAs), especially spermidine (Spd), which are crucial for growth in various organisms, remains unexplored in diatoms. This study reveals the vital role of Spd
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Exploring SVA Insertion Polymorphisms in Shaping Differential Gene Expressions in the Central Nervous System Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-17 Lauren S. Hughes, Alexander Fröhlich, Abigail L. Pfaff, Vivien J. Bubb, John P. Quinn, Sulev Kõks
Transposable elements (TEs) are repetitive elements which make up around 45% of the human genome. A class of TEs, known as SINE-VNTR-Alu (SVA), demonstrate the capacity to mobilise throughout the genome, resulting in SVA polymorphisms for their presence or absence within the population. Although studies have previously highlighted the involvement of TEs within neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s
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CD69 Signaling in Eosinophils Induces IL-10 Production and Apoptosis via the Erk1/2 and JNK Pathways, Respectively Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-18 Dan Van Bui, Linh Manh Nguyen, Akira Kanda, Hanh Hong Chu, Nhi Kieu Thi Le, Yasutaka Yun, Yoshiki Kobayashi, Kensuke Suzuki, Akitoshi Mitani, Akihiro Shimamura, Kenta Fukui, Shunsuke Sawada, David Dombrowicz, Hiroshi Iwai
Introduction: Eosinophils contribute to the pathogenesis of allergic diseases, including asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. We previously reported that human tissue eosinophils have high CD69 expression compared to blood eosinophils, and its expression is correlated with disease severity and the number of infiltrated eosinophils. However, biological CD69 signaling activity in eosinophils
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Lipid Rafts: The Maestros of Normal Brain Development Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-18 Barbara Viljetić, Senka Blažetić, Irena Labak, Vedrana Ivić, Milorad Zjalić, Marija Heffer, Marta Balog
Lipid rafts, specialised microdomains within cell membranes, play a central role in orchestrating various aspects of neurodevelopment, ranging from neural differentiation to the formation of functional neuronal networks. This review focuses on the multifaceted involvement of lipid rafts in key neurodevelopmental processes, including neural differentiation, synaptogenesis and myelination. Through the
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Molecular Mechanism of Oocyte Activation in Mammals: Past, Present, and Future Directions Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-17 Hibiki Sugita, Shunsuke Takarabe, Atsuko Kageyama, Yui Kawata, Junya Ito
During mammalian fertilization, repetitive intracellular Ca2+ increases known as Ca2+ oscillations occur. These oscillations are considered crucial for successful fertilization and subsequent embryonic development. Numerous researchers have endeavored to elucidate the factors responsible for inducing Ca2+ oscillations across various mammalian species. Notably, sperm-specific phospholipase C zeta (PLCζ)
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Hedgehog Signaling Controls Chondrogenesis and Ectopic Bone Formation via the Yap-Ihh Axis Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-14 Qian Cong, Yingzi Yang
Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is a rare congenital disorder characterized by abnormal bone formation due to ACVR1 gene mutations. The identification of the molecular mechanisms underlying the ectopic bone formation and expansion in FOP is critical for the effective treatment or prevention of HO. Here we find that Hh signaling activation is required for the aberrant ectopic bone formation
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The Osteocyte with SB216763-Activated Canonical Wnt Signaling Constructs a Multifunctional 4D Intelligent Osteogenic Module Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-15 Jinling Zhang, Ying Zhang, Jiafeng Chen, Weimin Gong, Xiaolin Tu
The enhancement of bioactivity in materials has become an important focus within the field of bone tissue engineering. Four-dimensional intelligent osteogenic module, an innovative fusion of 3D printing with the time axis, shows immense potential in augmenting the bioactivity of these materials, thereby facilitating autologous bone regeneration efficiently. This study focuses on novel bone repair materials
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Proteome-Wide Mendelian Randomization and Colocalization Analysis Identify Therapeutic Targets for Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-15 Mingrui Zou, Zhenxing Shao
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative disease. Although some biomarkers and drug targets of OA have been discovered and employed, limitations and challenges still exist in the targeted therapy of OA. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis has been regarded as a reliable analytic method to identify effective therapeutic targets. Thus, we aimed to identify novel therapeutic targets for OA and investigate
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Role of Melatonin in Viral, Bacterial and Parasitic Infections Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-16 Georges J.M. Maestroni
In all mammals, the circulating pool of MLTs is synthesized in the pineal gland during the night’s darkness hours. Its main function is synchronizing the organism in the photoperiod. In contrast, extra-pineal MLT is synthesized in peripheral organs, does not follow any circadian rhythm or circulate, and plays a detoxifying and cytoprotective role. Circulating MLT may stimulate both innate and acquired
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Immunologic Aspects in Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-16 Anastasia Diolintzi, Mst Shaela Pervin, Edward C. Hsiao
Background: Inflammation is a major driver of heterotopic ossification (HO), a condition of abnormal bone growth in a site that is not normally mineralized. Purpose of review: This review will examine recent findings on the roles of inflammation and the immune system in fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP). FOP is a genetic condition of aggressive and progressive HO formation. We also examine
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Intersections of Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva and Traumatic Heterotopic Ossification Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-14 Conan Juan, Alec C. Bancroft, Ji Hae Choi, Johanna H. Nunez, Chase A. Pagani, Yen-Sheng Lin, Edward C. Hsiao, Benjamin Levi
Heterotopic ossification (HO) is a debilitating pathology where ectopic bone develops in areas of soft tissue. HO can develop as a consequence of traumatic insult or as a result of dysregulated osteogenic signaling, as in the case of the orphan disease fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP). Traumatic HO (tHO) formation is mediated by the complex interplay of signaling between progenitor, inflammatory
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RETRACTED: Alhakamy et al. Optimized Ellagic Acid–Ca Pectinate Floating Beads for Gastroprotection against Indomethacin-Induced Gastric Injury in Rats. Biomolecules 2020, 10, 1006 Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-14 Nabil A. Alhakamy, Shaimaa M. Badr-Eldin, Osama A. A. Ahmed, Abdulrahman A. Halwani, Hibah M. Aldawsari, Mohamed A. El-Moselhy, Aliaa Anter, Sara S. Sharkawi, Muhammad H. Sultan, Osama A. A. Madkhali, Muhammed A. Bakhrebah, Mohammad N. Alomary, Wesam H. Abdulaal, Usama A. Fahmy
The journal retracts the article, “Optimized Ellagic Acid–Ca Pectinate Floating Beads for Gastroprotection against Indomethacin-Induced Gastric Injury in Rats” [...]
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Limonene Exerts Anti-Inflammatory Effect on LPS-Induced Jejunal Injury in Mice by Inhibiting NF-κB/AP-1 Pathway Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-12 Sarmed H. Kathem, Yasameen Sh. Nasrawi, Shihab H. Mutlag, Surya M. Nauli
The human gastrointestinal system is a complex ecosystem crucial for well-being. During sepsis-induced gut injury, the integrity of the intestinal barrier can be compromised. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an endotoxin from Gram-negative bacteria, disrupts the intestinal barrier, contributing to inflammation and various dysfunctions. The current study explores the protective effects of limonene, a natural
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Cell-Free Mitochondrial DNA: An Upcoming Non-Invasive Tool for Diagnosis of BK Polyomavirus-Associated Nephropathy Biomolecules (IF 5.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-14 Luying Guo, Sulin Luo, Xingxia Wang, Nengbo Zhang, Yamei Cheng, Jia Shen, Jianghua Chen, Rending Wang
Mitochondria are essential organelles that possess their own DNA. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been revealed in many kidney diseases, including BK polyomavirus-associated nephropathy (BKPyVAN). In this study, we introduce an innovative approach for non-invasive monitoring of mitochondrial impairment through urinary donor-derived cell-free mitochondrial DNA (ddcfmtDNA), addressing the crucial challenge