Center of Animal Biotechnology and Gene Therapy (CBATEG), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), 28029 Madrid, Spain. Electronic address:
Published: December 2024
AI Article Synopsis
Article Abstract
The highly prevalent metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is associated with liver steatosis, inflammation, and hepatocyte injury, which can lead to fibrosis and may progress to hepatocellular carcinoma and death. New treatment modalities such as gene therapy may be transformative for MASH patients. Here, we describe that one-time intramuscular administration of adeno-associated viral vectors of serotype 1 (AAV1) encoding native fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), a key metabolic regulator, resulted in sustained increased circulating levels of the factor, which mediated long-term (>1 year) MASH and hepatic fibrosis reversion and halted development of liver tumors in obese male and female mouse models. AAV1-FGF21 treatment also counteracted obesity, adiposity, and insulin resistance, which are significant drivers of MASH. Scale-up to large animals successfully resulted in safe skeletal muscle biodistribution and biological activity in key metabolic tissues. Moreover, as a step toward the clinic, circulating FGF21 levels were characterized in obese, insulin-resistant and MASH patients. Overall, these results underscore the potential of the muscle-directed AAV1-FGF21 gene therapy to treat MASH and support its clinical translation.
Curzerenone is a major component of the traditional herbal medicine Curcumae Rhizoma with potential cancer-suppressing effects. This study aims to investigate the treatment effect of Curzerenone on cervical cancer cells and the underpinning mechanism. HeLa and SiHa cells were treated with Curzerenone.
Background: Glioblastoma (GB) is the stage IV of glioma and mesenchymal GB represents the most common and malignant subtype characterized with elevated expression of a mesenchymal marker YKL-40 and resistance to immune drug therapy. Here, we determined if YKL-40 regulates kynurenine (Kyn) pathway (KP) metabolism that contributes to establishing an immune suppressive microenvironment in GB.
Methods: Tumor cells expressing YKL-40 from GB patients were isolated and activated cellular metabolisms were identified via gene microarray analysis.
Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have emerged as promising candidates for cancer therapy due to their unique physicochemical properties and biocompatibility. In this study, we investigate the synthesis, characterization, and therapeutic potential of AuNPs in breast cancer treatment. Further, it establishes a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms by which AuNPs suppress angiogenesis and breast cancer growth, identifying novel targets and signaling nodes contributing to the anti-tumor effects of AuNPs.
Background: Infection with Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) can have distinct clinical presentations, such as trachoma, or lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV). Certain populations are at greater risk for LGV acquisition and transmission, which requires a longer duration of therapy than other urogenital CT sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Commercial assays are not available in the United States to distinguish LGV from non-LGV serovars.
