Neuroprotective effect of L-DOPA-induced interleukin-13 on striatonigral degeneration in cerebral ischemia.

Levodopa (L-DOPA) treatment is a clinically effective strategy for improving motor function in patients with ischemic stroke. However, the mechanisms by which modulating the dopamine system relieves the pathology of the ischemic brain remain unclear. Emerging evidence from an experimental mouse model of ischemic stroke, established by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), suggested that L-DOPA has the potential to modulate the inflammatory and immune response that occurs during a stroke.

Acetyl-CoA synthetase 2 contributes to a better prognosis for liver cancer by switching acetate-glucose metabolism.

Acetyl-CoA synthetase 2 (ACSS2)-dependent acetate usage has generally been associated with tumorigenesis and increased malignancy in cancers under nutrient-depleted conditions. However, the nutrient usage and metabolic characteristics of the liver differ from those of other organs; therefore, the mechanism of ACSS2-mediated acetate metabolism may also differ in liver cancer. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms of ACSS2 in liver cancer and acetate metabolism, the relationships between patient acetate uptake and metabolic characteristics and between ACSS2 and tumor malignancies were comprehensively studied in vitro, in vivo and in humans.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor controls mesenchymal stromal cell-mediated immunomodulation via ubiquitination of eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have great therapeutic advantages due to their immunosuppressive properties. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor whose signaling plays an important role in the immune system. AHR may be involved in the regulation of MSC-associated immunomodulatory functions.

Discovery of a novel NUAK1 inhibitor against pancreatic cancer.

The novel (nua) kinase family 1 (NUAK1) is an AMPK-related kinase and its expression is associated with tumor malignancy and poor prognosis in several types of cancer, suggesting its potential as a target for cancer therapy. Therefore, the development of NUAK1-targeting inhibitors could improve therapeutic outcomes in cancer. We synthesized KI-301670, a novel NUAK1 inhibitor, and assessed its anticancer effects and mechanism of action in pancreatic cancer.

ANGPTL4 exacerbates pancreatitis by augmenting acinar cell injury through upregulation of C5a.

Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas. However, little is known about the genes associated with pancreatitis severity. Our microarray analysis of pancreatic tissues from mild and severe acute pancreatitis mice models identified angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) as one of the most significantly upregulated genes.