Imperatorin ameliorates ferroptotic cell death, inflammation, and renal fibrosis in a unilateral ureteral obstruction mouse model.

Background: Imperatorin is a naturally occurring furocoumarin derivative found in traditional Chinese medicine Angelica dahurica for its anticancer, antihypertensive, and antidiabetic properties. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health issue, characterized by a high prevalence, significant morbidity and mortality, and a range of related complications.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the protective effects of imperatorin treatment and the specific underlying mechanisms in progressive CKD.

Wogonin ameliorates ER stress-associated inflammatory response, apoptotic death and renal fibrosis in a unilateral ureteral obstruction mouse model.

Wogonin, a vital bioactive compound extracted from the medicinal plant, Scutellaria baicalensis, has been wildly used for its potential in mitigating the progression of chronic diseases. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) represents a significant global health challenge due to its high prevalence, morbidity and mortality rates, and associated complications. This study aimed to assess the potential of wogonin in attenuating renal fibrosis and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms using a unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) mouse model as a CKD mimic.

A genetic basis of mitochondrial DNAJA3 in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background And Aims: NAFLD is the most common form of liver disease worldwide, but only a subset of individuals with NAFLD may progress to NASH. While NASH is an important etiology of HCC, the underlying mechanisms responsible for the conversion of NAFLD to NASH and then to HCC are poorly understood. We aimed to identify genetic risk genes that drive NASH and NASH-related HCC.

Nobiletin Alleviates Ferroptosis-Associated Renal Injury, Inflammation, and Fibrosis in a Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction Mouse Model.

Nobiletin (Nob), a critical active flavonoid of citrus fruits, has received attention for its superior physical functions, which have shown to improve the progression of diseases. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is recognized as a global health problem, and its mortality and morbidity rates are worsened with an increased risk of accompanying disorders. In this study, we aimed to elucidate whether Nob treatment ameliorates kidney fibrosis and also to identify the potential signaling networks in a unilateral ureteral obstructive (UUO) mouse model, which was used to mimic the progression of CKD.

The Impact of Direct-Acting Antiviral Therapy on the Risk of Recurrence after Curative Resection in Patients with Hepatitis-C-Virus-Related Early Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

: The impact of direct-acting antiviral (DAA)-based regimens on the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after successful curative hepatectomy is controversial. Aims: This study aimed to assess the association between DAAs treatment and recurrence risk in HCC after resection. : We retrospectively assessed 152 cases of early stage (BCLC stage 0/A) hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related HCC (HCV-HCC) that underwent resection with curative intent between 2001 and 2019 at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital; 48 cases achieved a sustained virological response (SVR) by DAA, and 104 cases were not treated with any antiviral therapy (non-treatment group).

Concurrent Cholecystectomy Is Associated with a Lower Risk of Recurrence after Curative Resection in Early-Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A 10 Year Observational Single-Center Study.

Background: Cholecystectomy has been reported to be associated with increased risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, there is little information about the impact of cholecystectomy on the outcome of HCC.

Aims: To evaluate the long-term effect of concurrent cholecystectomy on recurrence and overall survival in HCC after curative hepatectomy.

Impact of MAFLD on HBV-Related Stage 0/A Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Curative Resection.

Backgrounds And Aim: Metabolic-associated fatty liver dis-ease (MAFLD) is a novel term proposed in 2020 to avoid the exclusion of certain subpopulations, though the application of this term in the real world is very limited. Here, we aimed to evaluate the impact of MAFLD on hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after curative resection.

Methods: Patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB)-related HCC who received hepatectomy between January 2010 and December 2019 were consecutively selected.

Evaluating the antidiabetic effects of R-verapamil in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus mouse models.

The global incidence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is increasing. Types 1 and 2 DM are associated with declining β-cell function. Verapamil (50% S-verapamil and 50% R-verapamil) can treat DM by downregulating thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP), which induces islet β-cell apoptosis.

Loss of Tid1/DNAJA3 Co-Chaperone Promotes Progression and Recurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Surgical Resection: A Novel Model to Stratify Risk of Recurrence.

Tid1, a mitochondrial co-chaperone protein, acts as a tumor suppressor in various cancer types. However, the role of Tid1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. First, we found that a low endogenous Tid1 protein level was observed in poorly differentiated HCC cell lines.

Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Directs Stem Cell Polarity via Regulation of Mitofusin.

Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that have been linked to stem cell homeostasis. However, the mechanisms involved in mitochondrial regulation of stem cell fate determination remain elusive. Here we discover that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a key process in cancer progression, induces mitochondrial fusion through regulation of the miR200c-PGC1α-MFN1 pathway.

HSP40 co-chaperone protein Tid1 suppresses metastasis of head and neck cancer by inhibiting Galectin-7-TCF3-MMP9 axis signaling.

Human tumorous imaginal disc (Tid1), a DnaJ co-chaperone protein, is classified as a tumor suppressor. Previously, we demonstrated that Tid1 reduces head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) malignancy. However, the molecular details of Tid1-mediated anti-metastasis remain elusive.

ROS-independent ER stress-mediated NRF2 activation promotes warburg effect to maintain stemness-associated properties of cancer-initiating cells.

Cancer-initiating cells (CICs) are responsible for tumor initiation, progression, and therapeutic resistance; moreover, redox homeostasis is important in regulating cancer stemness. Previously, we have identified that cancer cells containing low intracellular reactive oxygen species levels (ROS cells) display enhanced features of CICs. However, the specific metabolic signatures of CICs remain unclear and are required for further characterization by systemic screenings.

Targeting cancer initiating cells by promoting cell differentiation and restoring chemosensitivity via dual inactivation of STAT3 and src activity using an active component of antrodia cinnamomea mycelia.

Cancer initiating cells (CICs) represent a subpopulation of cancer cells, which are responsible for tumor growth and resistance to chemotherapy. Herein, we first used a cell-based aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity assay to identify that YMGKI-2 (also named as Ergone), an active component purified from Antrodia cinnamomea Mycelia extract (ACME), effectively abrogated the ALDH activity and abolished the CICs in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells (HNSCCs). Consequently, YMGKI-2 treatment suppressed self-renewal ability and expression of stemness signature genes (Oct-4 and Nanog) of sphere cells with enriched CICs.

One-Pot Synthesis of Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic N-Doped Graphene Quantum Dots via Exfoliating and Disintegrating Graphite Flakes.

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have drawn tremendous attention on account of their numerous alluring properties and a wide range of application potentials. Here, we report that hydrophilic and hydrophobic N-doped GQDs can be prepared via exfoliating and disintegrating graphite flakes. Various spectroscopic characterizations including TEM, AFM, FTIR, PL, XPS, and Raman spectroscopy demonstrated that the hydrophilic N-doped GQDs (IN-GQDs) and the hydrophobic N-doped GQDs (ON-GQDs) are mono-layered and multi-layered, respectively.

Lyophilized particles and ethanolic extracts of Antrodia cinnamomea mycelia suppress the tumorigenicity of head and neck cancer cells in vivo.

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is one of the most common forms of cancer in Taiwan. In addition, head and neck cancer cells (HNCs) are highly tumorigenic and resistant to conventional therapy. Therefore, development of new therapeutic regimens that are adjuvant to conventional treatments would benefit future head and neck cancer therapy.

Distinct subpopulations of head and neck cancer cells with different levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species exhibit diverse stemness, proliferation, and chemosensitivity.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is driven by cancer-initiating cells (CIC), but their maintenance mechanisms are obscure. For hematopoietic stem cells, low levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS(Low)) is known to help sustain stemness properties. In this report, we evaluated the hypothesis that ROS(Low) character conferred CIC properties in HNSCC.

Enhanced filopodium formation and stem-like phenotypes in a novel metastatic head and neck cancer cell model.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer in the world, and metastasis is the major cause of cancer-related mortality. Prevention or elimination of metastasis may improve the survival of cancer patients; however, the availability of systemic HNSCC cell model with which to investigate the mechanisms of metastasis is limited. In the present study, we established a set of metastatic cell lines from HNSCC cells.

Active Component of Antrodia cinnamomea Mycelia Targeting Head and Neck Cancer Initiating Cells through Exaggerated Autophagic Cell Death.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a highly lethal cancer. Previously, we identify head and neck cancer initiating cells (HN-CICs), which are highly tumorigenic and resistant to conventional therapy. Therefore, development of drug candidates that effectively target HN-CICs would benefit future head and neck cancer therapy.

Differentiation of virulence of Helicobacter pylori by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry and multivariate analyses.

Background: The ability to determine the virulence of a Helicobacter pylori strain would be helpful for predicting the development of gastrointestinal disease and suggesting medical treatment.

Methods: A protocol based on matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was established for the efficient detection of peptides and proteins in extracts of H. pylori cells.

The study of interferences for diagnosing albuminuria by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Background: Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometric analysis of albumin (ALB) biomarkers is an alternative approach toward the rapid diagnosis of proteinuria for screening a large number of samples. The aim of this study is to reveal if interfering factors in urinary dipstick approach would affect the results of diagnosing albuminuria by MALDI-TOF MS.

Methods: The effects of various interfering chemicals on the diagnosis of albumin in urine were examined using both MALDI-TOF mass spectrometric and dipstick approaches.

CD133/Src axis mediates tumor initiating property and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of head and neck cancer.

Background: Head and Neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a human lethal cancer with clinical, pathological, phenotypical and biological heterogeneity. Caner initiating cells (CICs), which are responsible for tumor growth and coupled with gain of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), have been identified. Previously, we enriched a subpopulation of head and neck cancer initiating cells (HN-CICs) with up-regulation of CD133 and enhancement of EMT.