Beneficial effects of bioactive peptides extracted from Spirulina platensis and Gracilaria gracilis algae on bone regeneration/osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.

Mesenchymal stem cells are used in the treatment of many diseases, particularly in the repair of bone injuries. Algae with various medicinal applications are considered important natural resources. There is limited research on the effects of bioactive peptides from algae extraction on mesenchymal stem cells.

PEGylated nanohydrogels delivering anti-MicroRNA-21 suppress ovarian tumor-associated angiogenesis in matrigel and chicken chorioallantoic membrane models.

Recently, MicroRNAs have gained increasing popularity as a novel nucleic acid-mediated medicine to regulate cancer-related protein expression. MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) is known as an oncogenic microRNA which is overexpressed in almost all cancers, including ovarian carcinoma that causes cisplatin (cis-Pt) resistance and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) upregulation. So, miRNA-based therapy can be regarded as knocking down miR-21 expression, inducing tumor cell apoptosis, and suppressing tumor-associated angiogenesis.

Evaluating the Immunogenicity of recombinant VP1 protein from the foot-and-mouth disease virus encapsulated in nanoliposome in guinea pig animal model.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is considered as contagious in livestock, which is caused by the Picornavridae virus family known as FMD virus (FMDV). In the present study, the VP1 gene from FMDV (O strain) was expressed and purified. In addition, nanoliposomes were utilized as an adjuvant.

CRISPRi-mediated knock-down of PRDM1/BLIMP1 programs central memory differentiation in -expanded human T cells.

B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein 1 (BLIMP1) encoded by the positive regulatory domain 1 gene (), is a key regulator in T cell differentiation in mouse models. BLIMP1-deficiency results in a lower effector phenotype and a higher memory phenotype. In this study, we aimed to determine the role of transcription factor BLIMP1 in human T cell differentiation.

Coenzyme Q immobilized on Magnetic Nanoparticle: Synthesis and Antitumoral Effect on Saos, MCF7 and Hela Cell Lines.

Many attempts in medical community focused on the preparation of anticancer agents. Various Coenzyme Q such as CoQ analogs have been reported as anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant substances. In this study a novel derivatives of Coenzyme Q as an anticancer agent have been introduced.

Circulating status of microRNAs 660-5p and 210-3p in breast cancer patients.

Background: MicroRNAs (miRs), which are stable in the blood, comprise small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression. They have important roles in almost all biological pathways, especially in cancer-relevant processes, and have an abnormal expression in breast cancer. In recent studies, the aberrant expression level of various microRNAs has been demonstrated in human cancer.

Redox-sensitive, PEG-shielded carboxymethyl PEI nanogels silencing MicroRNA-21, sensitizes resistant ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin.

A series of branched polyethylenimine (PEI) modifications including PEGylation (PEG2k-PEI) for steric shielding, redox-sensitive crosslinking for synthesis PEG2k-PEI-ss nanogels and subsequent carboxymethylation (PEG2k-CMPEI-ss) for modulation of the polymer pk have been introduced for cellular delivery of Anti-miR-21. The synthesis was characterized using H NMR, FTIR, TNBS, potentiometric titration, particle size and ζ potential. Loading of Anti-miR-21 at various N/P ratios was investigated by gel retardation, ethidium bromide dye exclusion, heparin sulfate competition and DNase I digestion experiments.

Progresses in microRNA Delivery Using Synthetic Nanovectors in Cancer Therapy.

MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNAs with key roles in gene expression. It has been revealed that aberrant expression of microRNAs is related to gene expression abnormality, and they have the potential to be used as anti-cancer drugs. However, the delivery of microRNAs is limited due to barriers, such as low uptake and insufficient endosomal release, intracellular nucleases degradation, phagocytic elimination, and renal filtration.

Cytotoxic effect of methanolic extract, alkaloid and terpenoid fractions of against HT-29 cell line.

Benth (Lamiaceae) is used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of diseases. Despite some reports on the antitumor effects of some species of this genus, anticancer activity of has not been yet reported. Here, we examined the cytotoxic effect and cell death mechanisms of methanolic extract of and its alkaloid and terpenoid fractions on the HT-29 colorectal cell line.

Structural and functional consequences of EF-hand I recovery in mnemiopsin 2.

Mnemiopsin 2 from Mnemiopsis leidyi is a calcium-regulated photoprotein which has luminescence properties in the presence of calcium and coelenterazine. All calcium-regulated photoproteins contain EF-hand loops consisting of 12 individual residues in which the 6th position is occupied by Gly. However, the 6th residue in mneniopsin 2 is Glu rather than Gly.

Hepatoprotective effect of Stachys pilifera ethanol extract in carbon tetrachloride-induce hepatotoxicity in rats.

Context: Stachys pilifera Benth (Lamiaceae) has long been used to treat infectious diseases, respiratory and rheumatoid disorders in Iranian folk medicine. Antitumor and antioxidant activity of the plant have been reported.

Objective: The study was designed to assess the hepatoprotective activity of ethanol extract of Stachys pilifera in carbon tetrachloride (CCl)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

Purification and characterization of a milk-clotting aspartic protease from Withania coagulans fruit.

Withania coagulans fruit has traditionally been used as milk coagulant. The present study reports the purification and characterization of an aspartic protease from W. coagulans fruit.

miR-21, An Oncogenic Target miRNA for Cancer Therapy: Molecular Mechanisms and Recent Advancements in Chemo and Radio-resistance.

In the past decade, miRNAs have been extensively attracted the scientist's attentions as tumor suppressors or oncogenes that have been implicated in tumor progression, metastasis and intrinsic resistance to various cancer therapies. microRNA-21 (miR-21) demonstrates a potential oncogenic function and targets tumor inhibitor proteins in almost all types of cancer. miR-21 overexpression has been studied in terms of cell proliferation, migration, invasion, metastasis, and apoptosis regulation.

Development of a highly-potent anti-angiogenic VEGF8-109 heterodimer by directed blocking of its VEGFR-2 binding site.

Angiogenesis is a hallmark of various pathological conditions and is controlled by a variety of angiogenic factors. Blockade of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as the most pivotal stimulator of angiogenesis offers a promising therapeutic approach for some diseases, typically cancer. In the present study, a heterodimeric antagonistic VEGF was precisely designed based on structural information of recently-crystallized VEGF/VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2/fetal liver kinase 1/kinase domain region) complex.

Cloning, sequencing, expression and structural investigation of mnemiopsin from Mnemiopsis leidyi: an attempt toward understanding Ca2+-regulated photoproteins.

A comparison of the two most famous groups of calcium-regulated photoproteins, cnidarians and ctenophores, showed unexpectedly high degree of structural similarity regardless of their low sequence identity. It was suggested these photoproteins can play an important role in understanding the structural basis of bioluminescence activity. Based on this postulate, in this study the cDNA of mnemiopsin from luminous ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi was cloned, expressed, purified and sequenced.

A unique EF-hand motif in mnemiopsin photoprotein from Mnemiopsis leidyi: implication for its low calcium sensitivity.

Up to now, all reported Ca(2+)-regulated photoproteins, except for mnemiopsin, have been cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. In this study, the cDNA for an isotype of mnemiopsin, from the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi, has been cloned, sequenced, and functionally expressed. The full length cDNA encoding mnemiopsin of M.