Publications by authors named "Jikang Zhang"
Article Synopsis
- Researchers examined the link between gut microbiota and Autoimmune Liver Diseases (AILDs) using Mendelian Randomization, a method to infer causal relationships while minimizing bias.
- Their analysis found that a higher involvement of gut microbiota correlates with increased risk for Autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH) and Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC), with immune cells mediating part of this risk.
- The study indicates that understanding these immune mechanisms could help inform preventive strategies for managing AILDs in clinical settings.
Article Synopsis
- Neuraminidase is a key glycoprotein on the influenza virus that aids in its replication, making it a target for preventing the spread of the virus.
- Researchers identified a potent octapeptide inhibitor, errKPAQP, which binds effectively to neuraminidase with a strong docking score and nanomolar affinity, inhibiting its activity at low concentrations.
- Additionally, errKPAQP has shown low toxicity and effective results in reducing inflammation and lung damage in infected mice, suggesting it could be a promising new anti-influenza drug.
Article Synopsis
- Wound healing is vital for repairing tissue and preventing infections, but current treatments often fall short, especially against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
- Researchers developed ABgel, an injectable hydrogel containing acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) and bacteriophage, aimed at enhancing wound regeneration and fighting bacteria.
- ABgel's composition allows it to mimic skin, effectively combat antibiotic-resistant E. coli, and promote skin regeneration in mice, showcasing its potential as a versatile wound dressing.
Article Synopsis
- Lactic acidosis is a significant factor in the tumor microenvironment that leads to therapy resistance, making it a target for improving cancer treatments.
- Researchers have created ultrasound-responsive alkaline nanorobots (AN-DSP) that can neutralize lactic acidosis and enhance the effectiveness of the cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX).
- These nanorobots specifically target tumors, respond to ultrasound, and show potential to inhibit tumor growth with minimal side effects.
A stimuli-responsive combination therapy for recovering p53-inactivation associated drug resistance.
Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl
March 2020
Article Synopsis
- Drug resistance in cancer treatment, specifically to the drug doxorubicin (DOX), is primarily due to MDM2-mediated degradation of the p53 protein, which can be reversed using the MDM2 inhibitor MI-773.
- A pH-sensitive liposomal formulation combining DOX and MI-773 (LipD/M@CMCS) was created to specifically target hepatocellular carcinoma by stabilizing in normal conditions and becoming active in the acidic tumor environment.
- LipD/M@CMCS effectively induced cancer cell death in HepG2 tumor spheroids and significantly inhibited tumor growth while minimizing side effects, suggesting that targeted regulation of MDM2 could illuminate new pathways for managing drug resistance in malignant tumors.
Article Synopsis
- Prostate cancer is a major health concern for men, with high mortality linked to ineffective treatments and drug resistance.
- Current chemotherapy often targets cancer indiscriminately, causing harm to healthy tissues and limiting dosing effectiveness.
- Researchers have identified a specific ligand, B3int, that targets integrins β3, showing promise for more selective and effective cancer treatments by enhancing drug delivery specifically to prostate cancer cells.
Article Synopsis
- Glioblastoma is a lethal brain tumor with a poor prognosis due to ineffective diagnostic methods, which often result in false positives.
- Hydrocyanines are fluorescent probes that could distinguish tumor cells from normal ones based on reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, but their use has been limited.
- The study presents hydro-Cy5-RWrNR, a novel probe that targets integrin αvβ3, allowing for accurate glioblastoma detection by differentiating tumor from normal and inflammatory tissues, potentially improving diagnosis and treatment.
Article Synopsis
- A new drug called PAFA has been developed as an agonist for the free fatty acid receptor 1 (FFA1), showing strong potency with an effective concentration (EC) of 6.04 nM.
- PAFA effectively stimulates insulin secretion in a way that depends on glucose levels when tested on INS-1 cells.
- In studies with db/db mice, PAFA demonstrated significant ability to lower blood sugar levels without causing negative side effects.
Novel Gold Nanorod-Based HR1 Peptide Inhibitor for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces
June 2019
Article Synopsis
- MERS-CoV causes a severe respiratory illness with high mortality, and current treatments are limited and ineffective, highlighting an urgent need for better therapies.
- Researchers have developed heptad repeat 1 (HR1) peptide inhibitors that block the critical membrane fusion process that allows MERS-CoV to infect host cells.
- One of the peptides, known as pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), shows strong antiviral activity and its effectiveness can be significantly enhanced when combined with gold nanorods, improving stability and compatibility, positioning it as a promising new treatment option for MERS.
Article Synopsis
- Selective increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cancer cells can effectively induce apoptosis as a form of antitumor treatment.
- A new liposomal formulation combining dichloroacetic acid (DCA) and metal-organic framework iron (MOF-Fe) has been developed, showing success in causing cancer cell death both in lab studies and live models.
- This formulation not only enhances the solubility of MOF-Fe but also creates an acidic environment that boosts ROS production, ultimately leading to tumor growth inhibition with minimal side effects on the rest of the body.
Article Synopsis
- Listeria monocytogenes is a pathogenic bacterium that requires efficient detection methods for clinical significance, but current methods are often slow and lack viability information.
- Researchers developed a new fluorescent probe (NRFP) that specifically targets nitroreductases (NTRs) in Listeria, allowing for rapid and sensitive detection within just 10 minutes.
- NRFP not only distinguishes Listeria from other bacteria but also provides real-time monitoring of antibiotic effectiveness, making it a promising tool for diagnostics and treatment in healthcare.
Article Synopsis
- Nitroreductase (NTR) activities are linked to tumor hypoxia, making it a key target for tumor detection.
- A new fluorescent probe called BBP is specifically designed to detect NTRs quickly and sensitively, responding to concentrations as low as 20 ng mL-1 in just 10 minutes.
- BBP effectively monitors NTR activities in various settings, including cell cultures and live tumors in mice, and shows promise for early tumor detection and tracking treatment responses in clinical applications.