Clofazimine is a broad-spectrum coronavirus inhibitor that antagonizes SARS-CoV-2 replication in primary human cell culture and hamsters.

COVID-19 pandemic is the third zoonotic coronavirus (CoV) outbreak of the century after severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) since 2012. Treatment options for CoVs are largely lacking. Here, we show that clofazimine, an anti-leprosy drug with a favorable safety and pharmacokinetics profile, possesses pan-coronaviral inhibitory activity, and can antagonize SARS-CoV-2 replication in multiple systems, including the human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes and lung cultures.

An activated sympathetic nervous system affects white adipocyte differentiation and lipolysis in a rat model of Parkinson's disease.

Weight loss is an important nonmotor symptom associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the cellular factors responsible for PD-induced weight loss remain unclear. Because the sympathetic nervous system plays an important role in lipid metabolism and fat cell differentiation, this study investigates whether PD-induced changes to this system are associated with weight loss in a rat model of PD.

Effect of ligand troglitazone on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma expression and cellular growth in human colon cancer cells.

Aim: To investigate the effect of troglitazone on pe-roxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) expression and cellular growth in human colon cancer HCT-116 and HCT-15 cells and to explore the related molecular mechanism.

Methods: Human colon cancer HCT-116 and HCT-15 cells cultured in vitro were treated with troglitazone. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot were employed to detect the effect of troglitazone on PPARgamma expression.

[Immunohistochemical observation of heart-type fatty acid binding-protein in early myocardial ischemia].

Objective: The sensitivity of heart-type fatty acid binding-protein (H-FABP) in the postmortem diagnosis of myocardial ischemia was explored.

Methods: The changes of H-FABP staining in normal, infarcted and suspected ischemia of myocardial cells were studied by immunohistochemistry.

Results: There was no depletion in normal control group, and obvious depletion was observed in myocardial infarcted group.

[Molecular characterization of hantavirus Shandong isolate JNL virus strain].

Objective: To understand the molecular epidemiologic characteristics of hantavirus Shandong isolate JNL virus strain.

Methods: The complete M and S gene of the JNL virus isolated from Shandong Province was amplified by RT- PCR, and the purified PCR product was cloned into T vector for sequencing.

Results: The results revealed that the JNL M segment was 3615 bp in length, encoding 1135 amino acids, and the S segment was 1698 bp encoding 429 amino acids, JNL belongs to HTN virus.