Aptamer-Modified NbC Multifunctional Nanomedicine for Targeted Photothermal/Chemotherapy Combined Therapy of Tumor.

The poor delivery efficiency of nanotherapeutic drugs and their potential off-target toxicity significantly limit their effectiveness and extensive application. An active targeting system with high efficiency and few side effects is a promising strategy for tumor therapy. Herein, a multifunctional nanomedicine NbC-PAA-DOX@Apt-M (NDA-M) was constructed for targeted photothermal/chemotherapy (PTT/CHT) combined tumor therapy.

A sandwich FRET biosensor for lysozyme detection based on peptide-functionalized gold nanoparticles and FAM-labeled aptamer.

Lysozyme (LYZ) plays a crucial role in the body's immune defense system. Monitoring LYZ levels can provide valuable insights into the diagnosis and severity assessment of various diseases. Traditionally, antibody-based sandwich assays are employed for LYZ detection, but they are often time-consuming and operationally complicated.

pH Regulator on Digital Microfluidics with Pico-Dosing Technique.

Real-time pH control on-chip is a crucial factor for cell-based experiments in microfluidics, yet difficult to realize. In this paper, we present a flexible pH regulator on a digital microfluidic (DMF) platform. The pico-dosing technology, which can generate and transfer satellite droplets, is presented to deliver alkali/acid into the sample solution to change the pH value of the sample.

A new perspective on the autophagic and non-autophagic functions of the GABARAP protein family: a potential therapeutic target for human diseases.

Mammalian autophagy-related protein Atg8, including the LC3 subfamily and GABARAP subfamily. Atg8 proteins play a vital role in autophagy initiation, autophagosome formation and transport, and autophagy-lysosome fusion. GABARAP subfamily proteins (GABARAPs) share a high degree of homology with LC3 family proteins, and their unique roles are often overlooked.

Glycogen-binding protein STBD1: Molecule and role in pathophysiology.

Starch-binding domain-containing protein 1 (STBD1) is a glycogen-binding protein discovered in skeletal muscle gene differential expression that is pivotal to cellular energy metabolism. Recent studies have indicated that STBD1 is involved in many physiological processes, such as glycophagy, glycogen accumulation, and lipid droplet formation. Moreover, dysregulation of STBD1 causes multiple diseases, including cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, and even cancer.

Elabela-apelin-12, 17, 36/APJ system promotes platelet aggregation and thrombosis via activating the PANX1-P2X7 signaling pathway.

The elabela-apelin/angiotensin domain type 1 receptor-associated protein (APJ) system is an important regulator in certain thrombosis-related diseases such as atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and cerebral infarction. Our previous reports have revealed that apelin exacerbates atherosclerotic lesions. However, the relationship between the elabela-apelin/APJ system and platelet aggregation and atherothrombosis is unclear.

Multifaceted functions of RPS27a: An unconventional ribosomal protein.

The ribosomal protein S27a (RPS27a) is cleaved from the fusion protein ubiquitin-RPS27a (Ub-RPS27a). Generally, Ub and RPS27a are coexpressed as a fusion protein but function independently after Ub is cleaved from RPS27a by a deubiquitinating enzyme. As an RP, RPS27a assembles into ribosomes, but it also functions independently of ribosomes.

The protective immunity induced by intranasally inoculated serotype 63 chimpanzee adenovirus vector expressing human respiratory syncytial virus prefusion fusion glycoprotein in BALB/c mice.

Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a ubiquitous pediatric pathogen causing serious lower respiratory tract disease worldwide. No licensed vaccine is currently available. In this work, the coding gene for mDS-Dav1, the full-length and prefusion conformation RSV fusion glycoprotein (F), was designed by introducing the stabilized prefusion F (preF) mutations from DS-Cav1 into the encoding gene of wild-type RSV (RSV) F protein.

UPLC/Q-TOF MS-Based Urine Metabonomics Study to Identify Diffuse Axonal Injury Biomarkers in Rat.

Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) represents a frequent traumatic brain injury (TBI) type, significantly contributing to the dismal neurological prognosis and high mortality in TBI patients. The increase in mortality can be associated with delayed and nonspecific initial symptoms in DAI patients. Additionally, the existing approaches for diagnosis and monitoring are either low sensitivity or high cost.

Reconfiguration of Functional Dynamics in Cortico-Thalamo-Cerebellar Circuit in Schizophrenia Following High-Frequency Repeated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.

Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness characterized by a disconnection between brain regions. Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a non-invasive brain intervention technique that can be used as a new and safe treatment option for patients with schizophrenia with drug-refractory symptoms, such as negative symptoms and cognitive impairment. However, the therapeutic effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation remain unclear and would be investigated using non-invasive tools, such as functional connectivity (FC).

Apelin/APJ signaling activates autophagy to promote human lung adenocarcinoma cell migration.

Aims: Beclin1(BECN1) is known as an autophagy-related protein and the expression is promoted by apelin in lung adenocarcinoma cells, suggesting that apelin activates autophagy in lung adenocarcinoma. However, the functions of apelin-induced autophagy in lung adenocarcinoma tumorigenesis and deterioration are still unknown. Thus, this study aims to investigate the effects of apelin-induced autophagy on lung adenocarcinoma tumorigenesis and deterioration.

SARS-CoV-2 RNA Detection with Duplex-Specific Nuclease Signal Amplification.

The emergence of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a zoonotic pathogen, has led to the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and brought serious threats to public health worldwide. The gold standard method for SARS-CoV-2 detection requires both reverse transcription (RT) of the virus RNA to cDNA and then polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the cDNA amplification, which involves multiple enzymes, multiple reactions and a complicated assay optimization process. Here, we developed a duplex-specific nuclease (DSN)-based signal amplification method for SARS-CoV-2 detection directly from the virus RNA utilizing two specific DNA probes.

Au Clusters Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis with Uniquely Reversing Cartilage/Bone Destruction.

Super-small nanoclusters may intrinsically trigger specific molecular pathway for disease treatment in vitro/vivo. To prove the hypothesis the super-small nanoclusters, e.g.

Ferritinophagy activation and sideroflexin1-dependent mitochondria iron overload is involved in apelin-13-induced cardiomyocytes hypertrophy.

Excess iron accumulation and cardiac oxidative stress have been shown as important mediators of cardiac hypertrophy, whereas it remains largely elusive about the occurrence of mitochondrial iron overload and its significance during cardiac hypertrophy. In the present study, we aim to investigate the role of NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy and SFXN1-dependent mitochondria iron overload in apelin-13-induced cardiomyocytes hypertrophy. Apelin-13 significantly promotes ferric citrate (FAC)-induced total cellular and mitochondria ion production, as well as mitochondria ROS contents.

Warburg effect is involved in apelin-13-induced human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells proliferation.

Apelin is the endogenous ligand for the G protein-coupled receptor APJ. Both apelin and APJ receptor are distributed in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and play important roles in the cardiovascular system. Our previous reports have indicated that apelin-13 promoted the proliferation of VSMCs, but its exact mechanism remains to be further explored.

Function and regulation of apelin/APJ system in digestive physiology and pathology.

Apelin is an endogenous ligand of seven-transmembrane G-protein-coupled receptor APJ. Apelin and APJ are distributed in various tissues, including the heart, lung, liver, kidney, and gastrointestinal tract and even in tumor tissues. Studies show that apelin messenger RNA is widely expressed in gastrointestinal (GI) tissues, including stomach and small intestine, which is closely correlated with GI function.

CD40L-adjuvanted DNA vaccine carrying EBV-LMP2 antigen enhances anti-tumor effect in NPC transplantation tumor animal.

CD40L, a costimulatory molecule for dendritic cells (DCs) and B cells, can serve as an adjuvant for enhancing the specific immune response induced by DNA vaccine carrying tumor-associated antigens. In this study, we investigated the potential of CD40L as an adjuvant to enhance the anti-tumor effect mediated by a DNA vaccine based on the Epstein-Barr virus-latent membrane protein 2 (EBV-LMP2) antigen. The plasmids capable of expressing the fusion protein EBV-LMP2-CD40L were constructed.

Glycophagy: An emerging target in pathology.

Autophagy, a highly conserved self-digestion process, is initially regarded as non-selectively sequestering and degradation cytoplasmic contents. Nowadays, many kinds of selective autophagy have been found in response to various physiological cues such as mitophagy, reticulophagy and glycophagy. Glycophagy, as a selective autophagy, plays a crucial role in maintaining glucose homeostasis in many tissues including heart, liver and skeletal muscles.

ROS-Autophagy pathway mediates monocytes-human umbilical vein endothelial cells adhesion induced by apelin-13.

Apelin is the endogenous ligand of APJ receptor. Both monocytes (MCs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) express apelin and APJ, which play important roles in the physiological processes of atherosclerosis. Our previous research indicated that apelin-13 promoted MCs-HUVECs adhesion.

Stereocomplexation Assisted Assembly of Poly(γ-glutamic Acid)-graft-polylactide Nano-micelles and Their Efficacy as Anticancer Drug Carrier.

Background: Micelles as drug carriers are characterized by their inherent instability due to the weak physical interactions that facilitate the self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers. As one of the strong physical interactions, the stereocomplexation between the equal molar of enantiomeric polylactides, i.e.

The endoplasmic reticulum stress-autophagy pathway is involved in apelin-13-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in vitro.

Apelin is the endogenous ligand for the G protein-coupled receptor APJ, and plays important roles in the cardiovascular system. Our previous studies showed that apelin-13 promotes the hypertrophy of H9c2 rat cardiomyocytes through the PI3K-autophagy pathway. The aim of this study was to explore what roles ER stress and autophagy played in apelin-13-induced hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes in vitro.

Caveolin-1-Autophagy Pathway Mediated Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy Induced by Apelin-13.

Apelin, an endogenous ligand for apelin receptor (APJ), is reported to be involved in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. In this study, we explored the mechanism of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by apelin-13/APJ system. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) rat model was established by constricting the abdominal aorta.

Involvement of the Warburg effect in non-tumor diseases processes.

Warburg effect, as an energy shift from mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis, is extensively found in various cancers. Interestingly, increasing researchers show that Warburg effect plays a crucial role in non-tumor diseases. For instance, inhibition of Warburg effect can alleviate pulmonary vascular remodeling in the process of pulmonary hypertension (PH).

Novel pathogenesis: regulation of apoptosis by Apelin/APJ system.

Apelin is the endogenous peptide APJ receptor, while APJ is a member of the G protein-coupled receptors family. Recent evidence strongly suggests that Apelin/APJ system influences apoptosis in various diseases through different signal pathways. In this review, we discuss the possible mechanisms by which the Apelin/APJ system inhibits apoptosis, including the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, ERK1/2, caspase signaling, and autophagy pathway.

Peptide-Au Clusters Induced Tumor Cells Apoptosis via Targeting Glutathione Peroxidase-1: The Molecular Dynamics Assisted Experimental Studies.

The original motivation of the article is to give a systematic investigation on the protocol of combining computer simulation and accurate synthesis of serial peptide protected gold clusters for potent tumor targeting therapy. Glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPx-1) is a crucial antioxidant selenoenzyme that regulates cellular redox level, thus becomes a potential target in cancer treatment. We firstly utilize molecular dynamic (MD) simulation to rationally design and screen serial peptide-Au cluster compounds with special peptide sequences and precise gold atoms, which can recognize and bind specific domain of GPx-1 with high affinity.