Production and characterization of single-chain variable fragment antibodies targeting the breast cancer tumor marker nectin-4.

Background: Nectin-4 is a novel biomarker overexpressed in various types of cancer, including breast cancer, in which it has been associated with poor prognosis. Current literature suggests that nectin-4 has a role in cancer progression and may have prognostic and therapeutic implications. The present study aims to produce nectin-4-specific single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibodies and evaluate their applications in breast cancer cell lines and clinical specimens.

Alkaloid from diels root against gastrointestinal cancer: Acetoxytabernosine inhibits apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Liver cancer belongs to Gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies which is a common clinical disease, a thorny public health problem, and one of the major diseases that endanger human health. Molecules from natural products (NPs) or their derivatives play an increasingly important role in various chronic diseases such as GI cancers. The chemical composition of the roots was studied using silica column chromatography, gel chromatography, recrystallization, and HPLC, and the compounds were structurally identified by modern spectral analysis using mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (H-, C-, HMQC-, HMBC-, and H-HCOSY-NMR), ultraviolet and visible spectrum (UV), and electronic Circular Dichroism (ECD).

Regulation of age-associated insulin resistance by MT1-MMP-mediated cleavage of insulin receptor.

Insulin sensitivity progressively declines with age. Currently, the mechanism underlying age-associated insulin resistance remains unknown. Here, we identify membrane-bound matrix metalloproteinase 14 (MT1-MMP/MMP14) as a central regulator of insulin sensitivity during ageing.

Body weight regulation via MT1-MMP-mediated cleavage of GFRAL.

GDNF-family receptor a-like (GFRAL) has been identified as the cognate receptor of growth/differentiation factor 15 (GDF15/MIC-1), considered a key signaling axis in energy homeostasis and body weight regulation. Currently, little is known about the physiological regulation of the GDF15-GFRAL signaling pathway. Here we show that membrane-bound matrix metalloproteinase 14 (MT1-MMP/MMP14) is an endogenous negative regulator of GFRAL in the context of obesity.

Translation initiation landscape profiling reveals hidden open-reading frames required for the pathogenesis of tomato yellow leaf curl Thailand virus.

Plant viruses with densely packed genomes employ noncanonical translational strategies to increase the coding capacity for viral function. However, the diverse translational strategies used make it challenging to define the full set of viral genes. Here, using tomato yellow leaf curl Thailand virus (TYLCTHV, genus Begomovirus) as a model system, we identified genes beyond the annotated gene sets by experimentally profiling in vivo translation initiation sites (TISs).

Bradykinin-Potentiating Peptide-Paclitaxel Conjugate Directed at Ectopically Expressed Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogeneous subtype of breast cancer with poor prognosis. Here, we present a peptide-drug conjugate (PDC)─bradykinin-potentiating peptide-paclitaxel (BPP-PTX) conjugate─synthesized by conjugating BPP9a with PTX via a succinyl linker. BPP-PTX targets the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) on TNBC cells.

Initial and Continuous Effects of Essential Oil Therapy in Relieving Knee Pain Among Older Adults With Osteoarthritis.

Background: For older adults, osteoarthritis (OA) is a common chronic disease that may cause pain, stiffness, and even disability of the affected knee joints. Aromatherapy might presumed to be an alternative and supplemental therapy.

Primary Study Objective: To investigate the effects of aromatherapy on relieving knee pain and improving physical functions among older adults with OA.

Berberine Suppresses Colonic Inflammation in Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Murine Colitis Through Inhibition of Cytosolic Phospholipase A2 Activity.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) causes chronic inflammation and damage to the colonic mucosal layer. Recent studies have reported significant changes in phosphatidylcholine (PC) and lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) in UC patients and oral administration of PC has considerable therapeutic effects against UC, suggesting the metabolism of phosphatidylcholine may be involved in the UC development. Our previous work has demonstrated that berberine effectively suppresses inflammation and protects colonic mucosa injury in DSS-induced colitic mice.

Author Correction: Cyclocarya paliurus tea leaves enhances pancreatic β cell preservation through inhibition of apoptosis.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Myasthenic crisis and late deep vein thrombosis following thymectomy in a patient with myasthenia gravis: A case report.

Introduction: Surgical stress and pain are potential provoking factors for postoperative myasthenic crisis (POMC). We report the occurrence of early POMC and late deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in a man with myasthenia gravis (MG) undergoing thymectomy, addressing possible link between reversal of opioid overdose with naloxone and the triggering of POMC.

Patient Concerns: A 71-year-old man with impaired renal function (ie, estimated glomerular filtration rate [egfr]: 49.

Tojapride Reverses Esophageal Epithelial Inflammatory Responses on Reflux Esophagitis Model Rats.

Objective: To investigate the mechanism of Tojapride, a Chinese herbal formula extract, on strengthening the barrier function of esophageal epithelium in rats with reflux esophagitis (RE).

Methods: Ten out of 85 SD rats were randomly selected as the sham group (n10), and 75 rats were developed a reflux esophagitis model (RE) by the esophageal and duodenal side-to-side anastomosis. Fifty successful modeling rats were divided into different medicated groups through a random number table including the model, low-, medium-, and high-dose of Tojapride as well as omeprazole groups (n10).

Chinese Herbal Medicine (MaZiRenWan) Improves Bowel Movement in Functional Constipation Through Down-Regulating Oleamide.

In a prospective, randomized, three-arms, controlled clinical study, Chinese Herbal Medicine MaZiRenWan (MZRW, also known as Hemp Seed Pill) demonstrates comparable efficacy with Senna for functional constipation (FC) during an 8-week treatment period. Both MZRW and Senna are better than a placebo; relative to Senna and a placebo, MZRW displayed a more sustained effect during the 8-week follow-up period. The characteristic pharmacological mechanism responsible for this observation is still unclear.

Simultaneous UPLC-TQ-MS/MS determination of six active components in rat plasma: application in the pharmacokinetic study of leaves.

Background: (Batal.) Ijinskaja (CP) is a monotypic genus plant, also called sweet tea tree that belongs to the Juglandaceae family, which is mainly distributed in the subtropical highlands in China. Our previous work has verified that CP leaves exhibit a potent hyperglycemic effect by inhibiting pancreatic β cell apoptosis through the regulation of MPAK and Akt signaling pathways.

Early life stress disrupts intestinal homeostasis via NGF-TrkA signaling.

Early childhood is a critical period for development, and early life stress may increase the risk of gastrointestinal diseases including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In rodents, neonatal maternal separation (NMS) induces bowel dysfunctions that resemble IBS. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Identification of α-glucosidase inhibitors from cyclocarya paliurus tea leaves using UF-UPLC-Q/TOF-MS/MS and molecular docking.

Leaves of Cyclocarya paliurus (CP) have a potential antihyperglycemic effect, but its active compositions responsible for the beneficial properties remain unclear. The CP extract exhibited remarkable α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 31.5 ± 1.

Leaves Tea Improves Dyslipidemia in Diabetic Mice: A Lipidomics-Based Network Pharmacology Study.

Hyperlipidemia and hepatic steatosis afflict over 75% of patients with type 2 diabetes, causing diabetic dyslipidemia. (CP) leaf is a herbal tea which has long been consumed by the Chinese population, particularly people suffering from obesity and diabetes. CP appears to exhibit a hypolipidemic effect in lipid loaded mice (Kurihara et al.

Spexin Acts as Novel Regulator for Bile Acid Synthesis.

Spexin is a novel hormone involved in obesity and diabetes while its biofunctional significance in lipid metabolism is still to be comprehended. Global metabolomic analysis in the present study revealed multiple metabolic pathways altered by spexin intraperitoneal (.) injection in rat serum, which are highlighted by the changes in several bile acid metabolites.

Circulating Spexin Levels Negatively Correlate With Age, BMI, Fasting Glucose, and Triglycerides in Healthy Adult Women.

Context: Spexin is a newly identified neuropeptide that is involved in satiety control, glucose, and lipids metabolism. It has also been related to human diseases, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. However, whether spexin changes with age or not is still unclear.

Efficacy of MaZiRenWan, a Chinese Herbal Medicine, in Patients With Functional Constipation in a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background & Aims: The Chinese herbal medicine, MaZiRenWan (MZRW), has been used for more than 2000 years to treat constipation, but it has not been tested in a randomized controlled trial. We performed a trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of MZRW, compared with the stimulant laxative senna or placebo, for patients with functional constipation (FC).

Methods: We performed a double-blind, double-dummy, trial of 291 patients with FC based on Rome III criteria, seen at 8 clinics in Hong Kong from June 2013 through August 2015.

Exploiting cancer's phenotypic guise against itself: targeting ectopically expressed peptide G-protein coupled receptors for lung cancer therapy.

Lung cancer, claiming millions of lives annually, has the highest mortality rate worldwide. This advocates the development of novel cancer therapies that are highly toxic for cancer cells but negligibly toxic for healthy cells. One of the effective treatments is targeting overexpressed surface receptors of cancer cells with receptor-specific drugs.

Cyclocarya paliurus tea leaves enhances pancreatic β cell preservation through inhibition of apoptosis.

Leaves of Cyclocarya paliurus are a sweet tea traditionally used to treat obesity and diabetes in China. However, its protective mechanisms against hyperglycemia remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the extract of C.

Magnolol, a Natural Polyphenol, Attenuates Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis in Mice.

Magnolol is a lignan with anti-inflammatory activity identified in . Ulcerative colitis (UC), one of the types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), is a disease that causes inflammation and ulcers in the colon. To investigate the effect of magnolol in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced experimental UC model, male C57 mice were treated with 2% DSS drinking water for 5 consecutive days followed by intragastric administration with magnolol (5, 10 and 15 mg/kg) daily for 7 days.

Azoxystrobin Induces Apoptosis of Human Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma KYSE-150 Cells through Triggering of the Mitochondrial Pathway.

Recent studies indicate that mitochondrial pathways of apoptosis are potential chemotherapeutic target for the treatment of esophageal cancer. Azoxystrobin (AZOX), a methoxyacrylate derived from the naturally occurring strobilurins, is a known fungicide acting as a ubiquinol oxidation (Qo) inhibitor of mitochondrial respiratory complex III. In this study, the effects of AZOX on human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma KYSE-150 cells were examined and the underlying mechanisms were investigated.

MOST: most-similar ligand based approach to target prediction.

Background: Many computational approaches have been used for target prediction, including machine learning, reverse docking, bioactivity spectra analysis, and chemical similarity searching. Recent studies have suggested that chemical similarity searching may be driven by the most-similar ligand. However, the extent of bioactivity of most-similar ligands has been oversimplified or even neglected in these studies, and this has impaired the prediction power.

Chinese herbal medicine for constipation: zheng-based associations among herbs, formulae, proprietary medicines, and herb-drug interactions.

Background: As current symptomatic treatments of constipation are still unsatisfactory, an increasing number of patients seek help from Chinese medicine (CM), particularly Chinese herbal medicine (CHM). This study aimed to review the most frequently used CHM herbs and formulae, proprietary CHMs, and herb-drug interactions for functional constipation using zheng (syndrome)-based differentiation, and to determine the current practice of zheng-based CHM treatments for functional constipation.

Methods: We developed a search strategy to include all the related clinical studies of CHM for constipation and set inclusion and exclusion criteria as studies on subjects with constipation of all ages and both sexes, using objective measures from laboratory or imaging techniques.