Publications by authors named "C Smythe"

SUMOylation, the covalent attachment of the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) to target proteins, and its reversal, deSUMOylation by SUMO proteases like Sentrin-specific proteases (SENPs), are crucial for initiating cellular responses to hypoxia. However, their roles in subsequent adaptation processes to hypoxia such as mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy) remain unexplored. Here, we show that general SUMOylation, particularly SUMO2/3 modification, suppresses mitophagy under both normoxia and hypoxia.

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Edible grey oyster mushroom, , β (1,3), (1,6) glucan possesses a wide range of biological activities, including anti-inflammation, anti-microorganism and antioxidant. However, its biological activity is limited by low water solubility resulting from its high molecular weight. Our previous study demonstrated that enzymatic hydrolysis of grey oyster mushroom β-glucan using β-1,3-glucanase isozymes obtains a lower molecular weight and higher water solubility, glucanoligosaccharide (Ps-GOS).

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the biological effects of two water-soluble organic cations based on polypyridyl structures, finding that they have cytotoxic effects on cancer cells while being less harmful to noncancerous cells.
  • One of the cations shows enhanced effectiveness when exposed to visible light, allowing it to operate at very low concentrations, and is more easily internalized by cells compared to its less effective counterpart.
  • The active compound causes lysosomal swelling and disrupts mitochondrial function, leading to cell death through mechanisms like necrosis and apoptosis, yet shows no significant toxicity in animal models at tested levels.
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Background: Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the nail unit that affects a large patient population globally. Onychomycosis, or tinea unguium, has a benign chronic clinical course; however, it can cause complications in certain patient populations suffering from diabetes and peripheral vascular disease. As nails grow slowly, onychomycosis requires a lengthy treatment plan, and choosing appropriate treatments can be challenging.

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