Publications by authors named "Boxi Zhang"

The ubiquitin-specific peptidase 39 (USP39) belongs to the USP family of cysteine proteases representing the largest group of human deubiquitinases (DUBs). While the oncogenic function of USP39 has been investigated in various cancer types, its roles in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain largely unknown. Here, by applying a gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) on lung adenocarcinoma tissues and metabolite set enrichment analysis (MSEA) on NSCLC cells depleted of USP39, we identified a previously unknown link between USP39 and the metabolism in NSCLC cells.

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Metabolic rewiring has been recognized as a hallmark of malignant transformation, supplying the biosynthetic and energetic demands for rapid cancer cell proliferation and tumor progression. A comprehensive understanding of the regulatory mechanisms governing these metabolic processes is still limited. Here, we identify the deubiquitinase ubiquitin-specific peptidase 9 X-linked (USP9x) as a positive regulator of the proline biosynthesis pathway in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

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Background: Cold as a common environmental stress, causes increased heat production, accelerated metabolism and even affects its production performance. How to improve the adaptability of the animal organism to cold has been an urgent problem. As a key hub of lipid metabolism, the liver can regulate lipid metabolism to maintain energy balance, and O-GlcNAcylation is a kind of important PTMs, which participates in a variety of signaling and mechanism regulation, and at the same time, is very sensitive to changes in stress and nutritional levels, and is the body's "stress receptors" and "nutrient receptors".

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The body needs to generate heat to ensure basic life activities when exposed to cold temperatures. The liver, as the largest glycogen storage organ in the body and main heat-producing organ at rest, may play a role in chronic cold exposure. Recent studies suggested that pyroptosis plays a crucial role in liver diseases.

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Thioredoxin-1 (Trx-1) is a small redox-active protein normally found in mammalian cells that responds to the changing redox environment by contributing electrons or regulating related proteins. There is growing evidence that Trx-1 has multiple functions, including cytoprotective, anti-apoptotic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. To date, researchers have found that Trx-1 deficiency leads to severe damage in various disease models, such as atherosclerosis, cerebral ischemia, diabetes and tumors.

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Gene coexpression network analysis is a commonly used approach in bioinformatics and biomedical research to construct coexpression networks and detect coexpressed genes. This type of analysis has proven valuable for gene function prediction and for disease biomarker discovery.Here, we introduce and guide researchers through a method of differential coexpression analysis focusing on key autophagy and metabolic genes.

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The identification of novel biomarkers in cancer patients often requires both survival and gene expression analyses. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis is one of the most common methods to assess the fraction of subjects living for a certain amount of time.Here, we describe a method for researchers to identify potential prognostic markers across distinct tumor types.

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Cervical carcinoma is a global public health burden. Given that it is usually asymptomatic at potentially curative stages, the development of clinically accurate tests is critical for early detection and individual risk stratification. The present study performed an integrative meta-analysis of the transcriptomes from 10 cervical carcinoma cohorts, with the aim of identifying biomarkers that are associated with malignant transformation of cervical epithelium, and establish their clinical applicability.

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As innate immune effector cells in the central nervous system (CNS), microglia not only are essential for the normal development of nervous system but also act on different neurological diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Huntington's disease (HD), and other neuroinflammatory diseases. Mogroside V (Mog), a natural plant active ingredient and isolated form of , has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory action, but few studies were carried out to investigate the effects of Mog on neuroinflammation. This study aimed to investigate the role of Mog in lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced neuroinflammation and neuronal damage, revealing the underlying mechanisms.

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Autophagic pathways are regulated mechanisms that play important roles in lysosome-mediated cellular degradation. Yet, the contribution of different autophagic pathways in lysosomal targeting, and characterization of the extent and specificity in their degradome remains largely uncharacterized. By undertaking a multiplex quantitative mass spectrometry approach, we have previously analyzed the lysosomal proteome during chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA)-stimulated conditions in cancer cells.

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Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is closely associated with oxidative stress. Nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a key transcription factor that regulates oxidative stress. Isoorientin (IOT), as a dietary C-glucosyl flavone derived from rooibos tea, cereals and legumes, is thought to possess multiple pharmacological activities; however, the protective effect of IOT against 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced neurotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells is still poorly understood.

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Cancer cells undergo complex metabolic alterations. The mechanisms underlying the tuning of cancer metabolism are under active investigation. Here, we identify the uncharacterized deubiquitinase JOSD2 as a positive regulator of cancer cell proliferation by displaying comprehensive effects on glucose catabolism.

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Background: Deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) are linked to cancer progression and dissemination, yet less is known about their regulation and impact on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).

Methods: An integrative translational approach combining systematic computational analyses of The Cancer Genome Atlas cancer cohorts with CRISPR genetics, biochemistry and immunohistochemistry methodologies to identify and assess the role of human DUBs in EMT.

Results: We identify a previously undiscovered biological function of STAM-binding protein like 1 (STAMBPL1) deubiquitinase in the EMT process in lung and breast carcinomas.

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Fulminant hepatitis (FH), characterized by overwhelmed inflammation and massive hepatocyte apoptosis, is a life-threatening and high mortality rate. Gastrodin (GTD), a phenolic glucoside extracted from Gastrodiaelata Blume, exerts anti-apoptosis, and anti-inflammatory activities. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate whether GTD treatment could alleviate lipopolysaccharide and d-galactosamine (LPS/GalN)-induced FH in mice and its potential mechanisms.

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Background: Diabetes mellitus is a serious chronic disease, characterized by hyperglycemia. This study administered either β-mannanase-treated yeast cell autolysis supernatant (YCS) or yeast cell-wall residues after autolysis (YCR) to investigate their influence on the alleviation of diabetes in a diabetic mouse model.

Results: Application of either YCS or YCR led to body weight gain, blood glucose reduction, and an improvement in lipid composition in the diabetic mice.

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Chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) is a lysosomal degradation pathway of select soluble proteins. Nearly one-third of the soluble proteins are predicted to be recognized by this pathway, yet only a minor fraction of this proteome has been identified as CMA substrates in cancer cells. Here, we undertook a quantitative multiplex mass spectrometry approach to study the proteome of isolated lysosomes in cancer cells during CMA-activated conditions.

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To prevent the onset of urosepsis and reduce mortality, a better understanding of how uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) manages to infiltrate the bloodstream through the kidneys is needed. The present study elucidates if human renal interstitial fibroblasts are part of the immune response limiting a UPEC infection, or if UPEC has the ability to modulate the fibroblasts for their own gain. Microarray results showed that upregulated genes were associated with an activated immune response.

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Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a fundamental mechanism governing the switch of cells from an epithelial to a motile mesenchymal-like state. This transdifferentiation is regulated by key transcription factors, including Slug. The stability and function of Slug can be regulated by multiple mechanisms, including ubiquitin-mediated post-translational modifications.

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Malate Dehydrogenase (MDH) 1 has recently been shown to be highly expressed and display prognostic value in non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLCs). However, it is not known how MDH1 expression is regulated and there is no current molecular or chemical strategy that specifically targets MDH1. This may be due to structural and enzymatic similarities with its isoenzyme, malate dehydrogenase 2 (MDH2).

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Cellular compartmentalization of biochemical processes in eukaryotic cells is critical for many functions including shuttling of reducing equivalents across membranes. Although coordination of metabolic flux between different organelles is vital for cell physiology, its impact on tumor cell survival is not well understood. By using an integrative approach, we have dissected the role of the key metabolic enzymes Malate dehydrogenases (MDH1 and MDH2) to the survival of Non-small Cell Lung Carcinomas.

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Molecular signatures are emerging determinants of choice of therapy for lung adenocarcinomas. An evolving therapeutic approach includes targeting metabolic dependencies in cancers. Here, using an integrative approach, we have dissected the metabolic fingerprints of lung adenocarcinomas, and we show that Phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH), the rate-limiting enzyme in serine biosynthesis, is highly expressed in a adenocarcinoma subset with poor prognosis.

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Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that is characterised by accumulation of pathogenic bacteria, including Porphyromonas gingivalis, in periodontal pockets. The lack of effective treatments has emphasised in an intense search for alternative methods to prevent bacterial colonisation and disease progression. Bacteriocins are bacterially produced antimicrobial peptides gaining increased consideration as alternatives to traditional antibiotics.

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Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) is considered to be involved in the development of atherosclerosis. However, the role of different virulence factors produced by P.

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Angiopoietin 1 (Angpt1) and angiopoietin 2 (Angpt2) are the ligands of tyrosine kinase (Tie) receptors, and they play important roles in vessel formation and the development of inflammatory diseases, such as atherosclerosis. Porphyromonas gingivalis is a Gram-negative periodontal bacterium that is thought to contribute to the progression of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of P.

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Background: Porphyromonas gingivalis is a gram-negative bacterium that causes destructive chronic periodontitis. In addition, this bacterium is also involved in the development of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of P.

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