Nano-carrier DMSN for effective multi-antigen vaccination against SARS-CoV-2.

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has had a profound impact on the global health and economy. While mass vaccination for herd immunity is effective, emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants can evade spike protein-based COVID-19 vaccines. In this study, we develop a new immunization strategy by utilizing a nanocarrier, dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticle (DMSN), to deliver the receptor-binding domain (RBD) and conserved T-cell epitope peptides (DMSN-P-R), aiming to activate both humoral and cellular immune responses in the host.

A novel inhibitor of ARfl and ARv7 induces protein degradation to overcome enzalutamide resistance in advanced prostate cancer.

Enzalutamide (ENZ) is a second-generation androgen receptor (AR) antagonist used for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and reportedly prolongs survival time within a year of starting therapy. However, CRPC patients can develop ENZ resistance (ENZR), mainly driven by abnormal reactivation of AR signaling, involving increased expression of the full-length AR (ARfl) or dominantly active androgen receptor splice variant 7 (ARv7) and ARfl/ARv7 heterodimers. There is currently no efficient treatment for ENZR in CRPC.

Hepatic interferon regulatory factor 8 expression suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma progression and enhances the response to anti-programmed cell death protein-1 therapy.

Background And Aims: Therapeutic blockade of the programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint pathways has resulted in significant reactivation of T cell-mediated antitumor immunity and is a promising clinical anticancer treatment modality in several tumor types, but the durable response rate remains relatively low (15%-20%) in most patients with HCC for unknown reasons. Evidence reveals that the interferon signaling pathway plays a critical role in modulating the efficacy and sensitivity of anti-PD-1 therapy against multiple tumor types, but the mechanisms are unclear.

Approach And Results: Using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis based on HCC databases, we found that deceased expression of interferon regulatory factor (IRF) 8 in HCC, among all the nine IRF members that regulate interferon signals, was associated with poor prognosis of patients with HCC.

Hepatic interferon regulatory factor 8 expression mediates liver ischemia/reperfusion injury in mice.

Hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is an inevitable complication of hepatic surgery occasioned by liver transplantation and resection. The progression from liver ischemia to reperfusion injury is accompanied by abnormal metabolism, Kupffer cell activation, neutrophil recruitment and the release of cytokines. Activation of several interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) has been reported to either enhance or restrict I/R progression, but the role of IRF8 in the regulation of I/R injury progression is still unknown.

Loss of a Negative Feedback Loop between IRF8 and AR Promotes Prostate Cancer Growth and Enzalutamide Resistance.

In incurable castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), resistance to the novel androgen receptor (AR) antagonist enzalutamide is driven mainly by AR overexpression. Here we report that the expression of interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF8) is increased in primary prostate cancer but decreased in CRPC compared with normal prostate tissue. Decreased expression of IRF8 positively associated with CRPC progression and enzalutamide resistance.

A review on the potential of Resveratrol in prevention and therapy of diabetes and diabetic complications.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major world health problem and one of the most studied diseases, which are highly prevalent in the whole world, it is frequently associated with severe clinical complications, such as diabetic cardiomyopathy, nephropathy, retinopathy, neuropathy etc. Scientific research is continuously casting about for new monomer molecules from Chinese herbal medicine that could be invoked as candidate drugs for fighting against diabetes and its complications. Resveratrol (RES), a polyphenol phytoalexin, possesses diverse biochemical and physiological actions, including antiplatelet, estrogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Male sexual dysfunction: A review of literature on its pathological mechanisms, potential risk factors, and herbal drug intervention.

Sexual dysfunction (SD) is a disorder of sexual behavior and sexual sensation that appears as an abnormality or absence of sexual psychology and physiological reaction. It is a general term for many different symptoms includes several aspects, erectile dysfunction (ED), failure of sexual intercourse and loss of libido/desire. According to statistics, 52% of 40˜70 year old men suffer from varying degrees of SD.

In vitro and in vivo evidence that quercetin protects against diabetes and its complications: A systematic review of the literature.

Quercetin, a typical flavonoid, possesses diverse biochemical and physiological actions, including antiplatelet, estrogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties. This review mainly centers on recent ten years findings with respect to intervening diabetes and its complications with the well-known flavonoid quercetin. After a short introduction of quercetin, major in vitro and in vivo findings are summarized showing that quercetin is a promising molecule for the treatment of these diseases.

Lycium barbarum polysaccharide attenuates diabetic testicular dysfunction via inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway-mediated abnormal autophagy in male mice.

Testicular dysfunction is one of the serious secondary complications in diabetes. Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) has long been considered to possess a wide range of beneficial properties including antiaging, anticancer and reproductive-enhancing. Abnormal autophagy was reported to play a significant role in accelerating diabetic reproductive injury.

Involvement of growth factors in diabetes mellitus and its complications: A general review.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major endocrine metabolic disease and is marked by a lack of insulin. The complication of DM is one of the most difficult problems in medicine. The initial translational studies revealed that growth factors have a major role in integrating tissue physiology and in embryology as well as in growth, maturation and tissue repair.

Protective effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide on male sexual dysfunction and fertility impairments by activating hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis in streptozotocin-induced type-1 diabetic male mice.

Diabetes-associated male sexual dysfunction and fertility impairments are both common clinical complications with limited therapeutic options; hence it seriously affects the quality of life of the patients, in particular, the patients of reproductive age. Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) has long being believed to maintain and to promote reproductive functions in the traditional medical practice in China. The current study was to investigate if LBP may contribute to recovery of male sexual dysfunction and fertility impairments in diabetic individuals.

Diabetes associated with male reproductive system damages: Onset of presentation, pathophysiological mechanisms and drug intervention.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major health problem that affects patients' quality of life quality throughout the world due to its many complications. Reproductive dysfunction is one of the major secondary complications in both diabetic animals and human beings. Furthermore, DM has recently broken the age barrier and has been heavily diagnosed in children and young persons of reproductive age.

Beneficial effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide on spermatogenesis by improving antioxidant activity and inhibiting apoptosis in streptozotocin-induced diabetic male mice.

Spermatogenic dysfunction is one of the major secondary complications of diabetes. L. barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) has long been considered to possess anti-apoptotic activities and antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and fertility-enhancing properties in traditional medical practices in China.

Observing Anti-inflammatory and Anti-nociceptive Activities of Glycyrrhizin Through Regulating COX-2 and Pro-inflammatory Cytokines Expressions in Mice.

The present study aimed to investigate the potential anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activities of glycyrrhizin (GL) in mice and to explore the possible related mechanisms. Xylene-induced ear edema, carrageenan-induced paw edema and acetic acid-induced vascular permeability test were used to investigate the anti-inflammatory activities of GL in mice. Anti-nociceptive effects of GL were assessed by using acetic acid-induced writhing, hot plate test and formalin test, as well as evaluation of spontaneous locomotor activity and motor performance.