Plasma Kidney Injury Molecule-1 for Preoperative Prediction of Renal Cell Carcinoma Versus Benign Renal Masses, and Association With Clinical Outcomes.

Purpose: Both clear cell and papillary renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) overexpress kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1). We investigated whether plasma KIM-1 (pKIM-1) may be a useful risk stratification tool among patients with suspicious renal masses.

Methods: Prenephrectomy pKIM-1 was measured in two independent cohorts of patients with renal masses.

Modulating tumoral exosomes and fibroblast phenotype using nanoliposomes augments cancer immunotherapy.

Cancer cells program fibroblasts into cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in a two-step manner. First, cancer cells secrete exosomes to program quiescent fibroblasts into activated CAFs. Second, cancer cells maintain the CAF phenotype via activation of signal transduction pathways.

Mitochondrial copper in human genetic disorders.

Copper is an essential micronutrient that serves as a cofactor for enzymes involved in diverse physiological processes, including mitochondrial energy generation. Copper enters cells through a dedicated copper transporter and is distributed to intracellular cuproenzymes by copper chaperones. Mitochondria are critical copper-utilizing organelles that harbor an essential cuproenzyme cytochrome c oxidase, which powers energy production.

Distinct Exosomal miRNA Profiles from BALF and Lung Tissue of COPD and IPF Patients.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are chronic, progressive lung ailments that are characterized by distinct pathologies. Early detection biomarkers and disease mechanisms for these debilitating diseases are lacking. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), including exosomes, are small, lipid-bound vesicles attributed to carry proteins, lipids, and RNA molecules to facilitate cell-to-cell communication under normal and diseased conditions.

Role of inner mitochondrial protein OPA1 in mitochondrial dysfunction by tobacco smoking and in the pathogenesis of COPD.

Background: Chronic lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are linked to several mitochondrial alterations. Cigarette smoke (CS) alters the structure and function of mitochondria. OPA1 is the main inner mitochondrial GTPase responsible for the fusion events.

Differential plasma exosomal long non-coding RNAs expression profiles and their emerging role in E-cigarette users, cigarette, waterpipe, and dual smokers.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are the varied set of transcripts that play a critical role in biological processes like gene regulation, transcription, post-transcriptional modification, and chromatin remodeling. Recent studies have reported the presence of lncRNAs in the exosomes that are involved in regulating cell-to-cell communication in lung pathologies including lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). In this study, we compared the lncRNA profiles in the plasma-derived exosomes amongst non-smokers (NS), cigarette smokers (CS), E-cig users (E-cig), waterpipe smokers (WP) and dual smokers (CSWP) using GeneChip™ WT Pico kit for transcriptional profiling.

Age-Dependent Assessment of Genes Involved in Cellular Senescence, Telomere, and Mitochondrial Pathways in Human Lung Tissue of Smokers, COPD, and IPF: Associations With SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 ACE2-TMPRSS2-Furin-DPP4 Axis.

Background: Aging is one of the key contributing factors for chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) and other chronic inflammatory lung diseases. Here, we determined how aging contributes to the altered gene expression related to mitochondrial function, cellular senescence, and telomeric length processes that play an important role in the progression of COPD and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Methods: Total RNA from the human lung tissues of non-smokers, smokers, and patients with COPD and IPF were processed and analyzed using a Nanostring platform based on their ages (younger: <55 years and older: >55 years).

Exosomal microRNAs are novel circulating biomarkers in cigarette, waterpipe smokers, E-cigarette users and dual smokers.

Background: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) vaping, cigarette smoke, and waterpipe tobacco smoking are associated with various cardiopulmonary diseases. microRNAs are present in higher concentration in exosomes that play an important role in various physiological and pathological functions. We hypothesized that the non-coding RNAs transcript may serve as susceptibility to disease biomarkers by smoking and vaping.

Age-dependent assessment of genes involved in cellular senescence, telomere and mitochondrial pathways in human lung tissue of smokers, COPD and IPF: Associations with SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 ACE2-TMPRSS2-Furin-DPP4 axis.

Aging is one of the key contributing factors for chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) and other chronic inflammatory lung diseases. Cigarette smoke is a major etiological risk factor that has been shown to alter cellular processes involving mitochondrial function, cellular senescence and telomeric length. Here we determined how aging contribute to the alteration in the gene expression of above mentioned cellular processes that play an important role in the progression of COPD and IPF.

Age-dependent assessment of genes involved in cellular senescence, telomere and mitochondrial pathways in human lung tissue of smokers, COPD and IPF: Associations with SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 ACE2-TMPRSS2-Furin-DPP4 axis.

Aging is one of the key contributing factors for chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) and other chronic inflammatory lung diseases. Cigarette smoke is a major etiological risk factor that has been shown to alter cellular processes involving mitochondrial function, cellular senescence and telomeric length. Here we determined how aging contribute to the alteration in the gene expression of above mentioned cellular processes that play an important role in the progression of COPD and IPF.

Zinc deficient diet exacerbates the testicular and epididymal damage in type 2 diabetic rat: Studies on oxidative stress-related mechanisms.

Zinc (Zn) is one of the most important trace elements in the body and is required for insulin secretion and release. Zn is also required for the growth and development of the reproductive system. Alteration in the Zn levels can cause moderate to severe damage to various organs, including the reproductive system.

Systemic biomarkers in electronic cigarette users: implications for noninvasive assessment of vaping-associated pulmonary injuries.

Background: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) were introduced as electronic nicotine delivery systems, and have become very popular in the USA and globally. There is a paucity of data on systemic injury biomarkers of vaping in e-cig users that can be used as a noninvasive assessment of vaping-associated lung injuries. We hypothesised that characterisation of systemic biomarkers of inflammation, anti-inflammatory, oxidative stress, vascular and lipid mediators, growth factors, and extracellular matrix breakdown may provide information regarding the toxicity of vaping in e-cig users.

Protective role of mesenchymal stem cells and mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes in cigarette smoke-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in mice.

Background: Cigarette smoke (CS)-induced lung inflammation and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease (COPD) involves mitochondrial dysfunction. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and MSC-derived exosomes (EXO) are reported to show therapeutic effects in many animal models of inflammation and injury. In the present study, we determined the role of MSC and EXO intervention in CS-induced lung inflammation with a focus on mitochondrial dysfunction.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with Miro1 reduction in lung epithelial cells by cigarette smoke.

Cigarette smoke (CS) is known to cause mitochondrial dysfunction leading to cellular senescence in lung cells. We determined the mechanism of mitochondrial dysfunction by CS in lung epithelial cells. CS extract (CSE) treatment differentially affected mitochondrial function, such as membrane potential, mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) and mitochrondrial mass as analyzed by FACS, and were associated with altered oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) protein levels (Complexes I-IV) in primary lung epithelial cells (SAEC and NHBE), and (complexes I and II) in BEAS2B cells.

Effect of diethyldithiocarbamate in cyclophosphamide-induced nephrotoxicity: Immunohistochemical study of superoxide dismutase 1 in rat.

Objectives: To investigate the role of diethyldithiocarbamate (DEDTC) in cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced nephrotoxicity in Sprague-Dawley rat. DEDTC is a known chelating agent for copper and zinc. It is also used as a thiol protecting agent, as nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B-cells inhibitor and nitric oxide synthase inhibitor.

Methotrexate-induced germ cell toxicity and the important role of zinc and SOD1: Investigation of molecular mechanisms.

Zinc (Zn) was proved to be a germ cell protectant against various disease conditions and toxic insults. Besides other mechanisms, here we have explored the important role of Zn and Zn-dependent SOD1in methotrexate (MTX)-induced germ cell damage. MTX was given 5 mg/kg i.

Role of Zinc Supplementation in Testicular and Epididymal Damages in Diabetic Rat: Involvement of Nrf2, SOD1, and GPX5.

Zinc (Zn) is one of the most important trace elements required for several biological processes. Diabetes negatively affects many organs, and diabetic patients are often hypozincemic. The present study aims to investigate the role of Zn supplementation in the testes, epididymis, and sperms of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat.

Zinc protects cyclophosphamide-induced testicular damage in rat: involvement of metallothionein, tesmin and Nrf2.

The role of zinc (Zn) in the protection of germ cells against testicular toxicants has long been elucidated, but the exact molecular mechanisms have not yet been explored. Cyclophosphamide (CP), one of the most commonly used anticancer drugs survived ages of treatment, but the unwanted toxicity limits its clinical usage. The present investigation was aimed to explore the role of Zn and its associated pathways in CP-induced testicular toxicity in S.