Release of P-TEFb from the Super Elongation Complex promotes HIV-1 latency reversal.

The persistence of HIV-1 in long-lived latent reservoirs during suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains one of the principal barriers to a functional cure. Blocks to transcriptional elongation play a central role in maintaining the latent state, and several latency reversal strategies focus on the release of positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) from sequestration by negative regulatory complexes, such as the 7SK complex and BRD4. Another major cellular reservoir of P-TEFb is in Super Elongation Complexes (SECs), which play broad regulatory roles in host gene expression.

Exploring the Immunomodulatory Potential of Pancreatic Cancer-Derived Extracellular Vesicles through Proteomic and Functional Analyses.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) has a poor prognosis and displays resistance to immunotherapy. A better understanding of tumor-derived extracellular vesicle (EV) effects on immune responses might contribute to improved immunotherapy. EVs derived from Capan-2 and BxPC-3 PC cells isolated by ultracentrifugation were characterized by atomic force microscopy, Western blot (WB), nanoparticle tracking analysis, and label-free proteomics.

Human cytomegalovirus infection enhances 5‑lipoxygenase and cycloxygenase‑2 expression in colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common and fatal types of cancer. Inflammation promotes CRC development, however, the underlying etiological factors are unknown. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a virus that induces inflammation and other cancer hallmarks, has been detected in several types of malignancy, including CRC.

Targeted metabolomics detects a putatively diagnostic signature in plasma and dried blood spots from head and neck paraganglioma patients.

Head and neck paragangliomas (HNPGLs), rare chemoresistant tumors curable only with surgery, are strongly influenced by genetic predisposition, hence patients and relatives require lifetime follow-up with MRI and/or PET-CT because of de novo disease risk. This entails exposure to electromagnetic/ionizing radiation, costs, and organizational challenges, because patients and relatives are scattered far from reference centers. Simplified first-line screening strategies are needed.

Flow Cytometry Detection of Anthracycline-Treated Breast Cancer Cells: An Optimized Protocol.

The use of anthracycline derivatives was approved for the treatment of a broad spectrum of human tumors (i.e., breast cancer).

Giving Drugs a Second Chance: Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Effects of Ciclopirox and Ribavirin against Cystic Fibrosis Strains.

Drug repurposing is an attractive strategy for developing new antibacterial molecules. Herein, we evaluated the in vitro antibacterial, antibiofilm, and antivirulence activities of eight FDA-approved "non-antibiotic" drugs, comparatively to tobramycin, against selected strains from cystic fibrosis patients. MIC and MBC values were measured by broth microdilution method.

Blood Circulating CD133+ Extracellular Vesicles Predict Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most incident and lethal malignancies worldwide. Recent treatment advances prolonged survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). However, there are still few biomarkers to guide clinical management and treatment selection in mCRC.

Different Strategies for the Identification of SARS-CoV-2 Variants in the Laboratory Practice.

A considerable effort has been devoted in all countries to react to the COVID-19 pandemic by tracing infected individuals, containing the spread of the disease, identifying therapies, and producing and distributing vaccines. Currently, a significant concern is the appearance of variants of the virus that may frustrate these efforts by showing increased transmissibility, increased disease severity, reduced response to therapy or vaccines, and ability to escape diagnosis. All countries have therefore devoted a massive attempt to the identification and tracking of these variants, which requires a vast technological effort to sequence a large number of viral genomes.