Effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines and their challenges (Review).

At the end of 2019, a new disease recognized such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), was reported in Wuhan, China. This disease was caused by an unknown SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); a virus is characterized by high infectivity among humans. In some cases, this disease can be asymptomatic, while in other cases can induce flu-like symptoms or acute respiratory distress syndrome, pneumonia and death.

The roles of microRNAs in the pathogenesis and drug resistance of chronic myelogenous leukemia (Review).

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is characterized by the accumulation of Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) myeloid cells. Ph+ cells occur via a reciprocal translocation between the long arms of chromosomes 9 and 22 resulting in constitutively active BCR-ABL fusion protein. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are used against the kinase activity of BCR-ABL protein for the effective treatment of CML.

Involvement of Notch-1 in Resistance to Regorafenib in Colon Cancer Cells.

Regorafenib, an oral small-molecule multi kinase inhibitor, is able to block Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptors (VEGFR-1, 2, and 3), Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Receptors (PDGF), Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) receptor 1, Raf, TIE-2, and the kinases KIT, RET, and BRAF. Different studies have displayed its antitumor activity in several cancer models (both in vitro and in vivo), particularly in colorectal and gastrointestinal stromal cancers. The mechanism of resistance to regorafenib is largely unknown.

The effects of pyrrolo[1,2-b][1,2,5]benzothiadiazepines in MEC1 cells.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is the most common adult leukemia and is currently incurable. To expand the therapeutic armamentarium, we investigated antitumor activity of pyrrolo[1,2-b][1,2,5]benzothiadiazepine (PBTDs) in MEC1 cells. We found that PBTD (RS2778) treatment enhanced the activation of pro-apoptotic members, such as caspase-9, 3, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and bax, but suppressed the activation of anti-apoptotic molecule BCL-2 in these cells.