Tripartite motif-containing protein 31 confers protection against nonalcoholic steatohepatitis by deactivating mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 7.

Background Aims: As a global health threat, NASH has been confirmed to be a chronic progressive liver disease that is strongly associated with obesity. However, no approved drugs or efficient therapeutic strategies are valid, mainly because its complicated pathological processes is underestimated.

Approach Results: We identified the RING-type E3 ubiquitin transferase-tripartite motif-containing protein 31 (TRIM31), a member of the E3 ubiquitin ligases family, as an efficient endogenous inhibitor of transforming growth factor-beta-activated kinase 1 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 7; MAP3K7), and we further confirmed that TRIM31 is an MAP3K7-interacting protein and promotes MAP3K7 degradation by enhancing ubiquitination of K48 linkage in hepatocytes.

Changes in gene expression in rat placenta at gestational day 16.5 in response to hyperglycemia.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a serious pregnancy complication. Hyperglycemia induces abnormal placental development and function. However, the mechanism is unclear.

Functional properties of a novel hybrid antimicrobial peptide NS: potent antitumor activity and efficient plasmid delivery.

Antimicrobial peptides have been widely recognized as potential candidates for treating tumor, especially for defending against multidrug-resistant cells. Previously, based on the structure of substance P, we have designed a novel class of hybrid antimicrobial peptide NS, which possesses potent antimicrobial activity against a broad spectrum of bacterial pathogens. In this study, we evaluated its cytotoxicity to tumor cells and studied the possible mechanism of action.

Stearylated antimicrobial peptide melittin and its retro isomer for efficient gene transfection.

A crucial bottleneck in nonviral vector-mediated gene delivery is poor endosomal escape. Here, we constructed novel gene vectors by coupling the stearyl moiety to the N-terminus of the antimicrobial peptide melittin (stearyl-Mel) and its retro isomer (stearyl-rMel) due to their high membrane-lytic activity. As expected, stearyl-Mel showed obvious increases in endosome-lytic activity and transfection efficiency compared with the reported stearyl-TP10.

Design of an acid-activated antimicrobial peptide for tumor therapy.

Antimicrobial peptides have received increasing attention as potential antitumor drugs due to their new mode of action. However, the systemic toxicity at high concentration always hampers their successful utilization for tumor therapy. Here, we designed a new type of acid-activated antimicrobial peptide AMitP by conjugating antimicrobial peptide MitP to its anionic binding partner MitPE via a disulfide linker.

Stearylated antimicrobial peptide [D]-K6L9 with cell penetrating property for efficient gene transfer.

Stearyl-cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) have been proved to be efficient nonviral gene vectors. Due to the similarities between antimicrobial peptides and CPPs, we constructed a novel type of gene vectors by introducing stearyl moiety to the N-terminus of antimicrobial peptide [D]-K6L9. In this study, stearyl-[D]-K6L9 delivered plasmids into cells by clathrin- and caveolin-mediated endocytosis.