Lindqvist-type Polyoxometalates Act as Anti-breast Cancer Drugs via Mitophagy-induced Apoptosis.

Objective: Lindqvist-type polyoxometalates (POMs) exhibit potential antitumor activities. This study aimed to examine the effects of Lindqvist-type POMs against breast cancer and the underlying mechanism.

Methods: Using different cancer cell lines, the present study evaluated the antitumor activities of POM analogues that were modified at the body skeleton based on molybdenum-vanadium-centered negative oxygen ion polycondensations with different side strains.

The Disulfide Bond-Mediated Cyclization of Oral Peptides.

'Structure determines function' is a consensus in the current biological community, but the structural characteristics corresponding to a certain function have always been a hot field of scientific exploration. A peptide is a bio-active molecule that is between the size of an antibody and a small molecule. Still, the gastrointestinal barrier and the physicochemical properties of peptides have always limited the oral administration of peptides.

Investigating the Nexus of NLRP3 Inflammasomes and COVID-19 Pathogenesis: Unraveling Molecular Triggers and Therapeutic Strategies.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been marked by severe cases demonstrating a "cytokine storm", an upsurge of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the bloodstream. NLRP3 inflammasomes, integral to the innate immune system, are speculated to be activated by SARS-CoV-2 within host cells. This review investigates the potential correlation between NLRP3 inflammasomes and COVID-19, exploring the cellular and molecular mechanisms through which SARS-CoV-2 triggers their activation.

Recent Advances in Enterovirus A71 Infection and Antiviral Agents.

Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) is one of the major causative agents of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) that majorly affects children. Most of the time, HFMD is a mild disease but can progress to severe complications, such as meningitis, brain stem encephalitis, acute flaccid paralysis, and even death. HFMD caused by EV-A71 has emerged as an acutely infectious disease of highly pathogenic potential in the Asia-Pacific region.

Antiviral effects and mechanisms against EV71 of the novel 2-benzoxyl-phenylpyridine derivatives.

A series of 2-Benzoxyl-Phenylpyridine derivatives were evaluated for their potential antiviral activities against EV71. The preliminary assays indicated that some of these compounds exhibited excellent antiviral effects on EV71, they could effectively inhibit virus-induced cytopathic effects (CPEs), reduce progeny viral yields, and present similar or better antiviral activities compared to the positive control drug ribavirin. Among these derivatives, compounds WY7, WY13 and WY14 showed the most potency against EV71.

EV-A71 Mechanism of Entry: Receptors/Co-Receptors, Related Pathways and Inhibitors.

Enterovirus A71, a non-enveloped single-stranded (+) RNA virus, enters host cells through three stages: attachment, endocytosis and uncoating. In recent years, receptors/co-receptors anchored on the host cell membrane and involved in this process have been continuously identified. Among these, hSCARB-2 was the first receptor revealed to specifically bind to a definite site of the EV-A71 viral capsid and plays an indispensable role during viral entry.

Legume-Derived Bioactive Peptides in Type 2 Diabetes: Opportunities and Challenges.

Diabetes mellitus is a complex disorder characterized by insufficient insulin production or insulin resistance, which results in a lifelong dependence on glucose-lowering drugs for almost all patients. During the fight with diabetes, researchers are always thinking about what characteristics the ideal hypoglycemic drugs should have. From the point of view of the drugs, they should maintain effective control of blood sugar, have a very low risk of hypoglycemia, not increase or decrease body weight, improve β-cell function, and delay disease progression.

Extracellular Vesicles Derived from SIPA1 Breast Cancer Cells Enhance Macrophage Infiltration and Cancer Metastasis through Myosin-9.

Tumour cell metastasis can be genetically regulated by proteins contained in cancer cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) released to the tumour microenvironment. Here, we found that the number of infiltrated macrophages was positively correlated with the expression of signal-induced proliferation-associated 1 (SIPA1) in invasive breast ductal carcinoma tissues and MDA-MB-231 xenograft tumours. EVs derived from MDA-MB-231 cells (231-EVs) significantly enhanced macrophage migration, compared with that from -knockdown MDA-MB-231 cells (231/si-EVs) both in vitro and in vivo.

SIPA1 Enhances Aerobic Glycolysis Through HIF-2α Pathway to Promote Breast Cancer Metastasis.

Increased dependence on aerobic glycolysis is characteristic of most cancer cells, whereas the mechanism underlying the promotion of aerobic glycolysis in metastatic breast cancer cells under ambient oxygen has not been well understood. Here, we demonstrated that aberrant expression of signal-induced proliferation-associated 1 (SIPA1) enhanced aerobic glycolysis and altered the main source of ATP production from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis in breast cancer cells. We revealed that SIPA1 promoted the transcription of , which is known as the gene encoding hypoxia-inducible factor-2α (HIF-2α) and up-regulated the expression of multiple glycolysis-related genes to increase aerobic glycolysis.

Antiviral Effects of Novel 2-Benzoxyl-Phenylpyridine Derivatives.

Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) is the most common cause of acute and chronic viral myocarditis, primarily in children, while human adenovirus infections represent a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, in people of all ages. A series of novel 2-benzoxyl-phenylpyridine derivatives were evaluated for their potential antiviral activities against CVB3 and adenovirus type 7 (ADV7). Preliminary assays indicated that some of these compounds exhibited excellent antiviral effects on both CVB3 and ADV7 viruses; they could effectively inhibit virus-induced cytopathic effects, reduce viral progeny yields, and had similar or superior antiviral activities compared with the control drug, ribavirin.

Transcriptomic analysis of cells in response to EV71 infection and 2A as a trigger for apoptosis via TXNIP gene.

Background: Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is the main pathogen of hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) and sometimes causes several neurological complications. However, the underlying mechanism of the host response to the virus infection remains unclear.

Objective: To reveal the cell-specific transcriptional response of cultured RD cells following infection with EV71, and better understand the molecular mechanisms of virus-host interactions.

Preparation of nickel/PA12 composite particles by defect-induced electroless plating for use in SLS processing.

In this work, Ni particles/PA12 powders (Ni/PA12) and graphite oxide (GO)-encapsulated Ni particles/PA12 powders (GO-Ni/PA12) composite powders were prepared by defect-included electroless plating technique, and its laser sintered behaviour was investigated. Results showed that a lot of defects could formed on the surface of CHCOOH etched PA12 powders. The defects would induce Ni and GO-Ni particles independently plated on the PA12 surface.

Inhibition of enterovirus 71 replication and viral 3C protease by quercetin.

Background: Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is one of the major causative agents of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), which is sometimes associated with severe central nervous system disease in children. There is currently no specific medication for EV71 infection. Quercetin, one of the most widely distributed flavonoids in plants, has been demonstrated to inhibit various viral infections.

[Recent Advances in Hepatitis B Virus Antivirals].

The ultimate goal of chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV)therapy is full eradication of the virus from the liver. However, this is rarely achieved with the clinically available first-line agents (entecavir and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) due to the inability to eliminate covalently closed circular DNA(cccDNA), which persists in the nucleus of infected hepatocyte cells,and failure of the host to induce an adequate specific immune response to control the infection. Currently, the clinical treatment for chronic HBV infection mainly includes nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs), non-NAs and immune modulatory agents; however, each agent has individual advantages and drawbacks.

[Recent Advances in Vaccines and Drugs Against the Ebola Virus].

The Ebola virus belongs to the Filovirus family, which causes Ebola hemorrhagic fever (mortality, 25%-90%). An outbreak of infection by the Ebola virus is sweeping across West Africa, leading to high mortality and worldwide panic. The Ebola virus has caused a serious threat to public health, so intensive scientific studies have been carried out.