Diagnosis and treatment of MN1 C-terminal truncation syndrome.

Background: MN1 C-terminal truncation (MCTT) is a rare syndrome; only 27 cases have been reported. We report the first case of an 8-year-old girl with MCTT syndrome complicated with moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Methods: MCTT syndrome was diagnosed by whole-exome sequencing (WES) and validated by Sanger sequencing.

Human monoclonal anti‑TLR4 antibody negatively regulates lipopolysaccharide‑induced inflammatory responses in mouse macrophages.

Previous studies have revealed that activation of the Toll‑like receptor 4 (TLR4)‑mediated proinflammatory signaling pathway plays an important role in acute inflammation, sepsis and chronic inflammatory disorders. Moreover, TLR4 significantly contributes to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‑induced immune response. Thus, modulation of the TLR4 pathway is an important strategy to specifically target these pathologies.

Inhibition of RAGE by FPS-ZM1 alleviates renal injury in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

The current study was designed to examine the protection of RAGE-specific inhibitor FPS-ZM1 against renal injury in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and investigate the underlying mechanism. The adult male SHR were treated with FPS-ZM1 via oral gavages for 12 weeks, and age-matched male Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) were used as control. Treatment of SHR with FPS-ZM1 slightly reduced blood pressure, and significantly improved baroreflex sensitivity in SHR.

Monoclonal antibody against l-lectin module of SraP blocks adhesion and protects mice against Staphylococcus aureus challenge.

Background/purpose: SraP is a serine-rich repeat protein (SRRP) from Staphylococcus aureus that binds to sialylated receptors to promote bacterial adhesion to and invasion into host epithelial cells, mediated by the l-lectin module of its ligand-binding region.

Methods: The sequence encoding the L-lectin module of SraP was inserted into pET28a plasmid, and the recombinant protein was purified by His label affinity chromatography. A monoclonal antibody (mAb) against the l-lectin module was obtained and confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and western blotting.

RNA-Seq analysis and functional characterization revealed lncRNA NONRATT007560.2 regulated cardiomyocytes oxidative stress and apoptosis induced by high glucose.

Hyperglycemia in diabetic patients would cause cardiomyocytes oxidative stress and apoptosis due to the excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, leading to progressive deterioration of cardiac structure and function. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play essential roles on controlling oxidative stress and apoptotic activity. In the present study, RNA sequencing was used to detect the differentially expressed lncRNAs during high glucose-induced cardiomyocytes oxidative stress and apoptosis.

Analgesic-antitumor peptide inhibits angiogenesis by suppressing AKT activation in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of leading causes of cancer-related death, and its increasing incidence worldwide is a cause for concern. The recombinant analgesic-antitumor peptide (rAGAP), a protein consisting of small ubiquitin-related modifier linked with a hexa-histidine tag, exhibited the antitumor activity in HepG2 tumors in our previous study. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of its antitumor activity was still elusive.

Bufalin Suppresses Migration and Invasion of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells Elicited by Poly (I:C) Therapy.

The Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) agonists as polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic acid (poly (I:C)) have been implicated as potential immunotherapy adjuvant for cancer whereas the exact roles of TLR3 agonists in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment have not been clearly evaluated. In consistent with previous reports, we found that poly (I:C) triggering of TLR3 inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in HCC cells. However, poly (I:C), when used at lower concentration that cannot remarkably inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in HCC cells, enhanced the migration and invasion in vitro and the metastasis in vivo.

Emodin inhibits migration and invasion of MHCC-97H human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Emodin, an anthraquinone derivative from the root and rhizome of L., was found to have antitumor effects in different types of cancer by regulating multi-molecular targets. The aim of the present study was to explore the effect of emodin on the migration and invasion of MHCC-97H human hepatocellular carcinoma cells and the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products mitigates vascular dysfunction in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Vascular dysfunction including vascular remodeling and endothelial dysfunction in hypertension often results in poor clinical outcomes and increased risk of vascular accidents. We investigate the effect of treatment with soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE) on vascular dysfunction in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Firstly, the aortic AGE/RAGE pathway was investigated in SHR.

Emodin induces hepatocellular carcinoma cell apoptosis through MAPK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways in vitro and in vivo.

Emodin is an active ingredient derived from root and rhizome of Rheum palmatum L and many studies have reported that it exhibits anticancer effects in a number of human tumors. However, there is little information demonstrating the possible effects of emodin on the proliferation and apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the present study, we show that emodin may inhibit the proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner and induced apoptosis of cells in a concentration-dependent manner after treatment for 24 h.

In vitro refolding and functional analysis of polyhistidine-tagged Buthus martensii Karsch antitumor-analgesic peptide produced in Escherichia coli.

Objectives: To identify an efficient in vitro refolding method to generate highly active His6-tagged scorpion toxin antitumor-analgesic peptide (AGAP) isolated from Escherichia coli inclusion bodies.

Results: N- and C-Terminal His6-tagged recombinant (r) AGAP (NHis6-rAGAP and CHis6-rAGAP, respectively) were expressed in E. coli; the purification and refolding conditions were optimized.