Programming conformational cooperativity to regulate allosteric protein-oligonucleotide signal transduction.

Conformational cooperativity is a universal molecular effect mechanism and plays a critical role in signaling pathways. However, it remains a challenge to develop artificial molecular networks regulated by conformational cooperativity, due to the difficulties in programming and controlling multiple structural interactions. Herein, we develop a cooperative strategy by programming multiple conformational signals, rather than chemical signals, to regulate protein-oligonucleotide signal transduction, taking advantage of the programmability of allosteric DNA constructs.

Monitoring circulating platelet activity to predict cancer-associated thrombosis.

A characteristic clinical complication in cancer patients is the frequent incidence of thrombotic events. Numerous studies have shown hyperactive/activated platelets to be a critical earlier trigger for cancer-associated thrombus formation. However, there currently is no viable approach to monitor specific changes in tumor-associated platelet activity.

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Targeting Peptide Nanoparticles Simultaneously Deliver Gemcitabine and Olaparib To Treat Pancreatic Cancer with Breast Cancer 2 ( BRCA2) Mutation.

Pancreatic cancer (PCa) is one of the most lethal malignancies, with a 5 year survival rate of less than 8%. Current treatment regiments have a low response rate in unselected patients. However, the subgroup of PCa patients with BRCA mutations may benefit from poly-ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) due to their biological properties in DNA repair.

Injectable Hexapeptide Hydrogel for Localized Chemotherapy Prevents Breast Cancer Recurrence.

Although postsurgical chemotherapy is frequently used for the treatment of breast cancer, tumor recurrence is still a frequent event. Enhancing the efficacy of chemotherapy via localized drug delivery may help to prevent breast cancer recurrence. To achieve this goal, we designed a hydrogel nanocarrier that could be injected at the tumor site by coassembly of tailor-made hexapeptide and doxorubicin.

Suppression of Tumor Energy Supply by Liposomal Nanoparticle-Mediated Inhibition of Aerobic Glycolysis.

Aerobic glycolysis enables cancer cells to rapidly take up nutrients (e.g., nucleotides, amino acids, and lipids) and incorporate them into the biomass needed to produce a new cell.

Inhibition of platelet function using liposomal nanoparticles blocks tumor metastasis.

Extensive evidence has shown that platelets support tumor metastatic progression by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition of cancer cells and by shielding circulating tumor cells from immune-mediated elimination. Therefore, blocking platelet function represents a potential new avenue for therapy focused on eliminating metastasis. Here we show that liposomal nanoparticles bearing the tumor-homing pentapeptide CREKA (Cys-Arg-Glu-Lys-Ala) can deliver a platelet inhibitor, ticagrelor, into tumor tissues to specifically inhibit tumor-associated platelets.

HFE p.C282Y homozygosity predisposes to rapid serum ferritin rise after menopause: A genotype-stratified cohort study of hemochromatosis in Australian women.

Background And Aim: Women who are homozygous for the p.C282Y mutation in the HFE gene are at much lower risk of iron overload-related disease than p.C282Y homozygous men, presumably because of the iron-depleting effects of menstruation and pregnancy.

Should HFE p.C282Y homozygotes with moderately elevated serum ferritin be treated? A randomised controlled trial comparing iron reduction with sham treatment (Mi-iron).

Introduction: HFE p.C282Y homozygosity is the most common cause of hereditary haemochromatosis. There is currently insufficient evidence to assess whether non-specific symptoms or hepatic injury in homozygotes with moderately elevated iron defined as a serum ferritin (SF) of 300-1000 µg/L are related to iron overload.

Dietary iron depletion at weaning imprints low microbiome diversity and this is not recovered with oral Nano Fe(III).

Alterations in the gut microbiota have been recently linked to oral iron. We conducted two feeding studies including an initial diet-induced iron-depletion period followed by supplementation with nanoparticulate tartrate-modified ferrihydrite (Nano Fe(III): considered bioavailable to host but not bacteria) or soluble ferrous sulfate (FeSO4: considered bioavailable to both host and bacteria). We applied denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and fluorescence in situ hybridization for study-1 and 454-pyrosequencing of fecal 16S rRNA in study-2.

Ferroportin mediates the intestinal absorption of iron from a nanoparticulate ferritin core mimetic in mice.

The ferritin core is composed of fine nanoparticulate Fe(3+) oxohydroxide, and we have developed a synthetic mimetic, nanoparticulate Fe(3+) polyoxohydroxide (nanoFe(3+)). The aim of this study was to determine how dietary iron derived in this fashion is absorbed in the duodenum. Following a 4 wk run-in on an Fe-deficient diet, mice with intestinal-specific disruption of the Fpn-1 gene (Fpn-KO), or littermate wild-type (WT) controls, were supplemented with Fe(2+) sulfate (FeSO4), nanoFe(3+), or no added Fe for a further 4 wk.

Targeting iron uptake to control Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in cystic fibrosis.

The aerobic Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for life-threatening acute and chronic infections in humans. As part of chronic infection P. aeruginosa forms biofilms, which shield the encased bacteria from host immune clearance and provide an impermeable and protective barrier against currently available antimicrobial agents.

Postnatal growth restriction and gene expression changes in a mouse model of fetal alcohol syndrome.

Growth restriction, craniofacial dysmorphology, and central nervous system defects are the main diagnostic features of fetal alcohol syndrome. Studies in humans and mice have reported that the growth restriction can be prenatal or postnatal, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown.We recently described a mouse model of moderate gestational ethanol exposure that produces measurable phenotypes in line with fetal alcohol syndrome (e.

A novel association between a SNP in CYBRD1 and serum ferritin levels in a cohort study of HFE hereditary haemochromatosis.

There is emerging evidence that there are genetic modifiers of iron indices for HFE gene mutation carriers at risk of hereditary hemochromatosis. A random sample, stratified by HFE genotype, of 863 from a cohort of 31 192 people of northern European descent provided blood samples for genotyping of 476 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 44 genes involved in iron metabolism. Single SNP association testing, using linear regression models adjusted for sex, menopause and HFE genotype, was conducted for four continuously distributed outcomes: serum ferritin (log transformed), transferrin saturation, serum transferrin, and serum iron.

Pumping iron: a potential target for novel therapeutics against schistosomes.

Parasites, as with the vast majority of organisms, are dependent on iron. Pathogens must compete directly with the host for this essential trace metal, which is sequestered within host proteins and inorganic chelates. Not surprisingly, pathogenic prokaryotes and eukaryotic parasites have diverse adaptations to exploit host iron resources.

Two isoforms of a divalent metal transporter (DMT1) in Schistosoma mansoni suggest a surface-associated pathway for iron absorption in schistosomes.

We describe two homologues of the mammalian divalent metal transporter (DMT1) for Schistosoma mansoni, a pathogenic intravascular parasite of humans. Schistosomes have a high nutritional and metabolic demand for iron. Nucleotide sequences of the parasite homologues, designated SmDMT1A and -B, are identical in all but the 5'-regions.