Neutrophil-mediated oxidative stress and albumin structural damage predict COVID-19-associated mortality.

Human serum albumin (HSA) is the frontline antioxidant protein in blood with established anti-inflammatory and anticoagulation functions. Here, we report that COVID-19-induced oxidative stress inflicts structural damages to HSA and is linked with mortality outcome in critically ill patients. We recruited 39 patients who were followed up for a median of 12.

Role of mitochondria in rescuing glycolytically inhibited subpopulation of triple negative but not hormone-responsive breast cancer cells.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtype is among the most aggressive cancers with the worst prognosis and least therapeutic targetability while being more likely to spread and recur. Cancer transformations profoundly alter cellular metabolism by increasing glucose consumption via glycolysis to support tumorigenesis. Here we confirm that relative to ER-positive cells (MCF7), TNBC cells (MBA-MD-231) rely more on glycolysis thus providing a rationale to target these cells with glycolytic inhibitors.

A kinase interacting protein (AKIP1) is a key regulator of cardiac stress.

cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) regulates a myriad of functions in the heart, including cardiac contractility, myocardial metabolism,and gene expression. However, a molecular integrator of the PKA response in the heart is unknown. Here, we show that the PKA adaptor A-kinase interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) is up-regulated in cardiac myocytes in response to oxidant stress.

SOD activity of carboxyfullerenes predicts their neuroprotective efficacy: a structure-activity study.

Superoxide radical anion is a biologically important oxidant that has been linked to tissue injury and inflammation in several diseases. Here we carried out a structure-activity study on six different carboxyfullerene superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetics with distinct electronic and biophysical characteristics. Neurotoxicity via N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors, which involves intracellular superoxide, was used as a model to evaluate structure-activity relationships between reactivity toward superoxide and neuronal rescue by these drugs.