Publications by authors named "Wen-Lu Zhang"

Periodontitis is associated with multiple systemic diseases and can cause bone loss. Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) is one of the most virulent periodontal pathogens.

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Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common lymphoma subtype, accounting for 30%-40% of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in adults. The mechanisms underlying DLBCL occurrence are extremely complex, and involve the B-cell receptor (BCR) and Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathways, as well as genetic abnormalities and other factors. With the development of high-throughput sequencing, an increasing number of abnormal genes have been identified in DLBCL.

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Bone regeneration plays a pivotal role in periodontal tissue repair. With advancements in biotechnology materials, the utilization of nanotechnology offers a reliable platform for bone restoration in periodontitis. In this study, we successfully established a long-term bacterial infection model using () with MOI = 50.

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One of the most desirable targets for HBV medications is the sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP), an entry receptor for the hepatitis B virus (HBV). N-myristoylated preS1 2-48 (Myrcludex B or Hepcludex), an NTCP-binding peptide from the large surface protein of HBV, has been developed as the first-in-class entry inhibitor. However, its relatively large molecular weight contributes to increased immunogenicity and antibody production.

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The core promoter (CP) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is critical for HBV replication by controlling the transcription of pregenomic RNA (pgRNA). Host factors regulating the activity of the CP can be identified by different methods. Biotin-based proximity labeling, a powerful method with the capability to capture weak or dynamic interactions, has not yet been used to map proteins interacting with the CP.

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Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection can lead to fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, and primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Investigating host factors that regulate HBV replication helps to identify antiviral targets. In the current study, we identified Nicotinamide N-Methyltransferase gene (NNMT) as a novel factor that regulates HBV transcription.

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Article Synopsis
  • Researchers have developed a new protein sensor called NanoSwitch, based on the modularized luciferase NanoLuc, that can detect antibodies in serum without washing steps, achieving results in just 45 minutes.
  • NanoSwitches exhibit high signal-to-noise ratios (S/N), reaching up to 42-fold for specific antibodies and over 200-fold for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, allowing for effective differentiation between signals and background noise in a variety of serum samples.
  • The innovative design combines a turn-off mechanism with human serum albumin and a turn-on response triggered by specific antibodies, indicating potential for better sensor performance in detecting various pathogens like HIV and HCV.
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Recombinant DNA technology is a vital method in human hepatitis B virus (HBV), producing reporter viruses or vectors for gene transferring. Researchers have engineered several genes into the HBV genome for different purposes; however, a systematic analysis of recombinant strategy is lacking. Here, using a 500-bp deletion strategy, we scanned the HBV genome and identified two regions, region I (from nt 2,118 to 2,814) and region II (from nt 99 to 1,198), suitable for engineering.

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  • Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major global health issue, with covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) in the nucleus posing a challenge for curing chronic hepatitis B (CHB).
  • Recent findings highlight the role of histone modifications, particularly an active modification called histone succinylation (H3K122succ), in regulating the transcription of cccDNA.
  • The enzyme SIRT7 interacts with HBV proteins to desuccinylate histones and works alongside other enzymes to silence HBV transcription, suggesting that targeting cccDNA histone modifications could lead to new antiviral treatments.
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  • Current antiviral treatments for hepatitis B (HBV) manage the virus but do not fully eradicate it because they cannot eliminate cccDNA, highlighting the need for new curative strategies targeting the HBx protein.
  • Researchers screened 2,000 small-molecule compounds and identified dicoumarol, which significantly decreases HBx expression and exhibits strong antiviral activity against various HBV components in infected cells and a mouse model.
  • The study reveals that dicoumarol works by disrupting the protective relationship between NQO1 and HBx, thus inhibiting cccDNA transcription and contributing to a potential cure for chronic hepatitis B.
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  • The study identifies a new drug, 6-AN, as a potential treatment for hepatitis B by effectively reducing HBsAg levels and viral markers in both cell models and mouse models.
  • 6-AN was selected from a large pool of compounds due to its low toxicity and strong antiviral effects, specifically targeting HBV genes involved in the virus's replication process.
  • The research suggests that 6-AN could lead to the development of a new class of anti-HBV therapies, addressing a significant gap in current hepatitis B treatments.
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  • NQO1 is an antioxidant enzyme linked to poor outcomes in various cancers, including liver cancer (HCC).
  • High levels of NQO1 were found in liver cancer cells, correlating with advanced tumor stages and lower patient survival rates.
  • Suppressing NQO1 led to increased cancer cell death and reduced tumor growth, indicating it could be a promising target for HCC therapies.
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  • The hepatitis B virus capsid is a key target for antiviral therapies against chronic infection.
  • Current treatments mainly focus on core protein interactions, but there has been limited research on the interactions between core monomers due to the lack of screening models.
  • A new cell-based assay using split luciferase complementation identified Arbidol and 20-deoxyingenol as compounds that can regulate core dimerization and inhibit HBV DNA replication, proving the model's potential for screening new antiviral agents.
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Article Synopsis
  • Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a significant global health issue, and the persistence of covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) in the host contributes to the challenge of eradicating chronic HBV, highlighting the need for a better understanding of its regulation.
  • Researchers identified SIRT3, a member of the sirtuin family, as a host factor that inhibits HBV transcription and replication by deacetylating specific histones associated with cccDNA.
  • This study suggests that enhancing the function of SIRT3 could be a potential strategy for improving therapies aimed at controlling HBV infection.
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  • Fusion core proteins of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) can aid in understanding core protein functions and their movement within cells.
  • A method was developed to create these fusion proteins that retains some functionality by using long Glycine-serine linkers and attaching proteins at the N terminus of HBc.
  • The study found that the GFP-GS186-HBc and RFP-G4S47-HBc fusion proteins helped rescue HBV replication but did not support the formation of relaxed circular DNA, indicating their potential use for tracking HBc and capsid activity in research.
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Article Synopsis
  • The article includes supplementary material that provides additional information related to the research presented.
  • The supplementary materials can be accessed online via a specific DOI link for those with authorized access.
  • The text suggests that the main article's findings may be enhanced or clarified by reviewing the supplementary content.
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  • SIRT3 is a class III histone deacetylase linked to enhancing sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by promoting cell apoptosis.
  • Downregulation of SIRT3 in HCC cells leads to increased tumor cell survival and drug resistance, while its overexpression helps sensitizes these cells to treatments like doxorubicin and sorafenib.
  • Mechanistically, SIRT3 reduces the levels of the detoxifying enzyme GSTP1, which is associated with drug resistance, thereby activating pathways that lead to apoptosis in HCC cells.
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  • A nucleos(t)ide analogues (NUCs) susceptibility assay is crucial for evaluating drug resistance in hepatitis B virus (HBV) by determining how sensitive different HBV variants are to these drugs.
  • The study introduced a new method to quickly create stable cell lines that replicate HBV, addressing the challenges of existing labor-intensive approaches that require establishing individual cells for each variant.
  • By using an acceptor cell line with a modified HBV genome and introducing different mutant polymerases via lentiviruses, the researchers successfully developed stable cell lines that can be used for reliable testing of NUC effectiveness.
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  • The study aimed to create a stable cell line that can replicate hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA with a specific reverse transcriptase sequence.
  • Methods included using nested PCR to amplify HBV DNA from serum, cloning the DNA into a suitable plasmid, and selecting transfected HepG2 cells with G418.
  • The resulting stable cell line, named 3-10, successfully replicated HBV DNA and was validated using real-time PCR and Southern blot analysis.
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  • Translation elongation factor 1A (eEF1A) is essential for protein synthesis and is primarily regulated by post-translational modifications like phosphorylation and dephosphorylation.
  • Recent research highlights the role of acetylation as a novel modification of eEF1A in PLC5 cells, supported by techniques like immunoprecipitation and Western blotting.
  • Findings suggest that class I and II histone deacetylases (HDACs) are responsible for eEF1A deacetylation, and the antitumor drug etoposide phosphate enhances eEF1A acetylation when combined with HDAC inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA), indicating
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Objective: To establish a detection method for HBV drug-resistant mutations related to lamivudine, adefovir and entecavir by optimization and assessment of reverse hybridization system.

Method: 26 degenerated probes covering 10 drug-resistant hotspots of 3 drugs were synthesized and immobilized on the same positively charged nylon membrane. PCR products labeled with digoxigenin were hybridized with corresponding probes.

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The effect of high salt environments on biological characteristics of Helicobacter pylori is still unclear. In the present study, we therefore investigated biological characteristics of the bacterium exposed to high salt concentrations. H.

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We investigated the correlation between BAG-1 expression and sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapeutics in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). mRNA and protein expression of BAG-1 in lung tissue of NSCLC postoperative patients (I-IIIA stage) or healthy subjects were detected using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Cox regression analysis was used to quantify the association of prognostic factors with survival in NSCLC patients.

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Article Synopsis
  • Phenotypic assays of hepatitis B virus (HBV) are crucial for studying drug resistance during long-term treatment of chronic hepatitis B.
  • A new cloning strategy using a "fragment substitution reaction" (FSR) simplifies the process of creating replication-competent HBV recombinants from clinical isolates.
  • Using this new method, researchers conducted a phenotypic assay on an HBV strain with a specific mutation, finding that it shows in vitro sensitivity to entecavir despite previously being only partially responsive.
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We compared a novel real-time genotyping and quantitative PCR (GQ-PCR) assay, direct sequence analysis, reverse hybridization, and multiplex PCR for genotyping hepatitis B virus (HBV) in 127 HBV-infected patients. We found that GQ-PCR had the highest concordance with sequence analysis and the highest detection rate for mixed genotype detecting.

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