Publications by authors named "Salah E"

The molecular mechanisms by which worm parasites evade host immunity are incompletely understood. In a mouse model of intestinal helminth infection using (), we show that helminthic glutamate dehydrogenase (heGDH) drives parasite chronicity by suppressing macrophage-mediated host defense. Combining RNA-seq, ChIP-seq, and targeted lipidomics, we identify prostaglandin E (PGE) as a major immune regulatory mechanism of heGDH.

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2-Oxoglutarate (2OG) dependent N-methyl lysine demethylases (JmjC-KDMs) regulate eukaryotic transcription. We report studies showing that isolated forms of all human KDM4 and KDM5 JmjC enzymes catalyse demethylation of N-methylated Arg-3 of histone H2a. Unexpectedly, the results reveal that KDM4E and, less efficiently, KDM4D catalyse C-4 hydroxylation of Arg-20 of H2a on peptides, recombinant H2a, and calf histone extracts, including when the Arg-20 guanidino group is N-methylated.

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Leprosy is a chronic, debilitating disease lacking a definitive diagnostic biomarker. Serum anti-phenolic glycolipid-I (PGL-I) IgM antibody level is considered an important diagnostic and prognostic marker for leprosy patients. However, there is limited evidence on the role of anti-PGL-I IgM antibody level as early predictive biomarker of subclinical infection among Egyptian household contacts of leprosy patients.

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Introduction: Enteritis and dysbiosis are the major causes of high morbidity and mortality of juvenile ostriches. Chicory (CC) has been proven to have excellent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial activities. However, it's unclear whether CC could improve the survival rate of juvenile ostriches by relieving enteritis and correcting dysbiosis.

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Prolyl hydroxylase domain-containing proteins 1-3 (PHD1-3) are 2-oxoglutarate (2OG)-dependent oxygenases catalysing C-4 hydroxylation of prolyl residues in α-subunits of the heterodimeric transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), modifications that promote HIF-α degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Pharmacological inhibition of the PHDs induces HIF-α stabilisation, so promoting HIF target gene transcription. PHD inhibitors are used to treat anaemia caused by chronic kidney disease (CKD) due to their ability to stimulate erythropoietin (EPO) production.

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Article Synopsis
  • JMJD7 is a human enzyme that specifically modifies lysine residues in certain proteins, which is important for their function.
  • Research indicates that JMJD7 has a limited range of substrates compared to other similar enzymes, but can efficiently use altered lysines for its reactions.
  • The study identifies ways to inhibit JMJD7 by using variants of its substrates, which could aid in developing targeted therapies against diseases related to JMJD7 activity.
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In animals, limiting oxygen upregulates the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) and promotes a metabolic shift towards glycolysis. Factor inhibiting HIF (FIH) is an asparaginyl hydroxylase that regulates HIF function by reducing its interaction with histone acetyl transferases. HIF levels are negatively regulated by the HIF prolyl hydroxylases (PHDs) which, like FIH, are 2-oxoglutarate (2OG) oxygenases.

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  • Cyclic β-amino acids (cβAAs) are important for creating compact and stable peptide structures, enhancing their resistance to breakdown and improving their ability to bind to target proteins.
  • An engineered tRNA allowed for the efficient incorporation of cβAAs into a macrocyclic peptide library, which was then tested against the SARS-CoV-2 main protease.
  • The peptides BM3 and BM7 demonstrated strong inhibitory effects and exceptional stability in serum, indicating that cβAAs play a crucial role in enhancing the functionality and longevity of peptides in a biological context.
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  • The SARS-CoV-2 main protease is an important target for COVID-19 drugs, with existing inhibitors like nirmatrelvir and simnotrelvir reacting with a specific cysteine residue.
  • New research indicates that γ-lactams might effectively inhibit the main protease through a similar reaction with the cysteine, suggesting a potential pathway for creating new inhibitors for this and other cysteine enzymes.
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Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a largely incurable disease, for which new treatments are urgently needed. While leukemogenesis occurs in the hypoxic bone marrow, the therapeutic tractability of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) system remains undefined. Given that inactivation of HIF-1α/HIF-2α promotes AML, a possible clinical strategy is to target the HIF-prolyl hydroxylases (PHDs), which promote HIF-1α/HIF-2α degradation.

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  • Pityriasis lichenoides chronica is a persistent skin condition that can be effectively treated using phototherapy, specifically with Excimer light 308 nm.* -
  • In a study involving 34 patients diagnosed with this condition, 31 achieved complete clearance, while two had partial success and one did not respond well.* -
  • The results suggest that Excimer light therapy is a safe and effective option for treating pityriasis lichenoides chronica in patients of various ages and genders.*
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  • - Ten-eleven translocation enzymes (TETs) are important enzymes involved in modifying DNA by converting 5-methylcytosine to various other forms, which plays a role in gene regulation and epigenetics.
  • - The research investigates how certain inhibitors of 2-oxoglutarate (2OG) oxygenases, including some already used in clinical settings, affect the activity of human TET1-3 enzymes, showing that most inhibitors have similar effects across these TETs.
  • - Notably, the oncometabolite 2-hydroxyglutarate exhibited varying levels of inhibition on TET1, TET2, and TET3, which may have implications for understanding cancer development and
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Ten-Eleven Translocation (TET) enzymes are Fe(II)/2OG-dependent oxygenases that play important roles in epigenetic regulation, but selective inhibition of the TETs is an unmet challenge. We describe the profiling of previously identified TET1-binding macrocyclic peptides. TiP1 is established as a potent TET1 inhibitor (IC = 0.

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Purpose: to assess safety and efficacy of autologous mesenchymal bone marrow stem cell injection in penile cavernosal tissue for erectile dysfunction therapy in diabetic men.

Methods: The subjects of this study were diabetic men suffering erectile dysfunction, non-responding to maximum dose of oral PDE5I. Mesenchymal bone marrow stem cells were aspirated and injected after preparation in both corpora cavernosa at 3, 9 o'clock position.

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The human 2-oxoglutarate (2OG)- and Fe(ii)-dependent oxygenases factor inhibiting hypoxia-inducible factor-α (FIH) and HIF-α prolyl residue hydroxylases 1-3 (PHD1-3) regulate the response to hypoxia in humans catalysing hydroxylation of the α-subunits of the hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs). Small-molecule PHD inhibitors are used for anaemia treatment; by contrast, few selective inhibitors of FIH have been reported, despite their potential to regulate the hypoxic response, either alone or in combination with PHD inhibition. We report molecular, biophysical, and cellular evidence that the -hydroxythiazole scaffold, reported to inhibit PHD2, is a useful broad spectrum 2OG oxygenase inhibitor scaffold, the inhibition potential of which can be tuned to achieve selective FIH inhibition.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The COVID Moonshot was a collaborative, open-science effort focused on finding a new drug to inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 main protease, which is crucial for the virus's survival.
  • - Researchers developed a novel noncovalent, nonpeptidic inhibitor that stands out from existing drugs targeting the same protease, employing advanced techniques like machine learning and high-throughput structural biology.
  • - Over 18,000 compound designs, 490 ligand-bound x-ray structures, and extensive assay data were generated and shared openly, creating a comprehensive and accessible knowledge base for future drug discovery efforts against coronaviruses.
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Atopic dermatitis (AD) aetiology is not exactly identified, but it is characterized by pruritic skin reactions with elevation in the levels of inflammatory markers. Despite the fact that Corticosteroids are the mainstay therapy in the management of AD, they have many local and systemic adverse effects. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of topical tacrolimus ointment in comparison to topical hydrocortisone cream in the management of the AD of children diagnosed with AD.

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Jumonji-C domain-containing protein 5 (JMJD5) is a 2-oxoglutarate (2OG)-dependent oxygenase that plays important roles in development, circadian rhythm, and cancer through unclear mechanisms. JMJD5 has been reported to have activity as a histone protease, as an -methyl lysine demethylase, and as an arginine residue hydroxylase. Small-molecule JMJD5-selective inhibitors will be useful for investigating its (patho)physiological roles.

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Jumonji-C (JmjC) domain-containing protein 5 (JMJD5) is a human 2-oxoglutarate (2OG) and Fe(ii)-dependent oxygenase which catalyses the post-translational C3 hydroxylation of arginyl-residues and which is linked to the circadian rhythm and to cancer biology through as yet unidentified mechanisms. We report robust solid phase extraction coupled to mass spectrometry (SPE-MS)-based JMJD5 assays which enable kinetic and high-throughput inhibition studies. The kinetic studies reveal that some synthetic 2OG derivatives, notably including a 2OG derivative with a cyclic carbon backbone ( (1)-3-(carboxycarbonyl)cyclopentane-1-carboxylic acid), are efficient alternative cosubstrates of JMJD5 and of factor inhibiting hypoxia-inducible transcription factor HIF-α (FIH), but not of the Jumonji-C (JmjC) histone -methyl lysine demethylase KDM4E, apparently reflecting the closer structural similarity of JMJD5 and FIH.

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Article Synopsis
  • γ-Amino acids can enhance the biological activity of natural products, but incorporating them into peptides using ribosomes is difficult.
  • A study successfully used a non-canonical peptide library with cyclic γ-amino acids to identify strong inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M).
  • The most effective inhibitor, GM4, showcased a very low half-maximal inhibitory concentration and improved stability compared to its alanine variant by making important interactions in the protease's active site.
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Background: Secretory IgA interacts with commensal bacteria, but its impact on human mycobiota ecology has not been widely explored. In particular, whether human IgA-deficiency is associated with gut fungal dysbiosis remains unknown.

Objectives: Our goal was to study the impact of IgA on gut mycobiota ecology.

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Non-haem Fe(ii) and 2-oxoglutarate (2OG) dependent oxygenases catalyse oxidation of multiple proteins in organisms ranging from bacteria to humans. We describe studies on the substrate selectivity and inhibition of the human ribosomal oxygenases (ROX) MINA53 and NO66, members of the JmjC 2OG oxygenase subfamily, which catalyse C-3 hydroxylation of histidine residues in Rpl27a and Rpl8, respectively. Assays with natural and unnatural histidine analogues incorporated into Rpl peptides provide evidence that MINA53 and NO66 have narrow substrate selectivities compared to some other human JmjC hydroxylases, including factor inhibiting HIF and JMJD6.

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