Liquid Liver Biopsy for Disease Diagnosis and Prognosis.

Liver diseases are a major burden worldwide, the scope of which is expected to further grow in the upcoming years. Clinically relevant liver dysfunction-related blood markers such as alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase have limited accuracy. Nowadays, liver biopsy remains the gold standard for several liver-related pathologies, posing a risk of complication due to its invasive nature.

Transcription Factor Zbtb20 as a Regulator of Malignancy and Its Practical Applications.

Zbtb20 (zinc finger and BTB domain-containing protein 20) is a transcription factor with a zinc finger DNA binding domain and a BTB domain responsible for protein-protein interaction. Recently, this TF has received attention because new data showed its pivotal involvement in normal neural development and its regulatory effects on proliferation and differentiation in different tissues. Zbtb20 was shown to increase proliferation and migration and confer resistance to apoptosis in the contexts of many malignant tumors like hepatocellular carcinoma, non-small-cell lung carcinoma, gastric adenocarcinoma, glioblastoma multiforme, breast cancer, and acute myeloid leukemia.

Circulating Histones to Detect and Monitor the Progression of Cancer.

Liquid biopsies have emerged as a minimally invasive cancer detection and monitoring method, which could identify cancer-related alterations in nucleosome or histone levels and modifications in blood, saliva, and urine. Histones, the core component of the nucleosome, are essential for chromatin compaction and gene expression modulation. Increasing evidence suggests that circulating histones and histone complexes, originating from cell death or immune cell activation, could act as promising biomarkers for cancer detection and management.

Distribution, Function, and Expression of the Apelinergic System in the Healthy and Diseased Mammalian Brain.

Apelin, a peptide initially isolated from bovine stomach extract, is an endogenous ligand for the Apelin Receptor (APLNR). Subsequently, a second peptide, ELABELA, that can bind to the receptor has been identified. The Apelin receptor and its endogenous ligands are widely distributed in mammalian organs.

Expression of Transcription Factor ZBTB20 in the Adult Primate Neurogenic Niche under Physiological Conditions or after Ischemia.

The gene encodes for a transcription factor that plays an important role in mammalian cortical development. Recently, its expression was reported in the adult mouse subventricular zone (SVZ), a major neurogenic niche containing neural stem cells throughout life. Here, we analyzed its expression in the adult primate anterior SVZ (SVZa) and rostral migratory stream (RMS) using macaque monkeys ().