Structurally programmable, functionally tuneable dendrimers in biomedical applications.

The application of nanotechnology in medical biology has seen a significant rise in recent years because of the introduction of novel tools that include supramolecular systems, complexes, and composites. Dendrimers are one of the remarkable examples of such tools. These spherical, regularly branching structures with enhanced cell compatibility and bioavailability have shown to be an excellent option for gene or drug administration.

Canonical Wnt signalling from the Area Opaca induces and maintains the Marginal Zone in pre-primitive-streak stage chick embryos.

In chick embryos prior to primitive streak formation, the outermost extraembryonic region, known as the area opaca (AO), was generally thought to act only by providing nutrients and mechanical support to the embryo. Just internal to the AO is a ring of epiblast called the marginal zone (MZ), separating the former from the inner, area pellucida epiblast. The MZ does not contribute cells to any part of the embryo but is involved in determining the position of primitive streak formation from the adjacent area pellucida epiblast.

Enhancing Molecular Network-Based Cancer Driver Gene Prediction Using Machine Learning Approaches: Current Challenges and Opportunities.

Cancer is a complex disease driven by mutations in the genes that play critical roles in cellular processes. The identification of cancer driver genes is crucial for understanding tumorigenesis, developing targeted therapies and identifying rational drug targets. Experimental identification and validation of cancer driver genes are time-consuming and costly.

Identification of a circulating carbohydrate antigen as a highly specific and sensitive target for schistosomiasis serology.

Unlabelled: The World Health Organization (WHO) 2030 roadmap for schistosomiasis calls for development of highly sensitive and specific diagnostic tools to continue and sustain progress towards elimination. Serological assays are excellent for sensitive detection of primary schistosome infections and for schistosomiasis surveillance in near- and post-elimination settings. To develop accurate assay formats, it is necessary to identify defined antibody targets with low cross-reactivity and potential for standardized production.

Microcephaly protein ANKLE2 promotes Zika virus replication.

Orthoflaviviruses are positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses that hijack host proteins to promote their own replication. Zika virus (ZIKV) is infamous among orthoflaviviruses for its association with severe congenital birth defects, notably microcephaly. We previously mapped ZIKV-host protein interactions and identified the interaction between ZIKV non-structural protein 4A (NS4A) and host microcephaly protein ankyrin repeat and LEM domain-containing 2 (ANKLE2).

Association of Arachidonic Acid Metabolism Related Genes With Endometrial Immune Microenvironment and Oxidative Stress in Coupes With Recurrent Implantation Failure.

Background: Alterations in lipid metabolism were reported to impact human fertility; however, there is limited evidence on the association of lipid metabolism with embryo implantation as well as the etiology of recurrent implantation failure (RIF), especially regarding arachidonic acid metabolism.

Methods: Experimental verification research (16 RIF patients and 30 control patients) based on GEO database analysis (24 RIF patients and 24 control patients). The methods in bioinformatics included differential gene screening, functional enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction network, cluster analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis, and so forth.

Real-time detection of somatostatin release from single islets reveals hypersecretion in type 2 diabetes.

Aim: Somatostatin from pancreatic δ-cells is a paracrine regulator of insulin and glucagon secretion, but the release kinetics and whether secretion is altered in diabetes is unclear. This study aimed to improve understanding of somatostatin secretion by developing a tool for real-time detection of somatostatin release from individual pancreatic islets.

Methods: Reporter cells responding to somatostatin with cytoplasmic Ca concentration ([Ca]) changes were generated by co-expressing somatostatin receptor SSTR2, the G-protein Gα15 and a fluorescent Ca sensor in HeLa cells.

Cardamonin anticancer effects through the modulation of the tumor immune microenvironment in triple-negative breast cancer cells.

The tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) plays a critical role in cancer development and response to immunotherapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors aim to reverse the immunosuppressive effects of the TIME, but their success has been limited. Immunotherapy directed at PD-1/PD-L1 has been widely employed, yielding positive results.

Synergistic combination therapy with ONC201 or ONC206, and enzalutamide or darolutamide in preclinical studies of castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Androgen receptor (AR) signaling is a target in prostate cancer therapy and can be treated with non-steroidal anti-androgens (NSAA) including enzalutamide, and apalutamide for patients with advanced disease. Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCPRC) develop resistance becomes refractory to therapy limiting patient overall survival. Darolutamide is a novel next-generation androgen receptor-signaling inhibitor that is FDA approved for non-metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC).

Design of a Multiepitope Pan-Proteomic mRNA Vaccine Construct Against African Swine Fever Virus: A Reverse Vaccinology Approach.

African swine fever (ASF), caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV), is a highly contagious disease with devastating effects on the global pig industry. This warrants the development of effective control strategies, such as vaccines. However, previously developed inactivated vaccines have proven ineffective, while live-attenuated vaccines carry inherent safety risks.

Simple and Fail-safe Method to Transform Miniprep Strain K12 Plasmid DNA Into Viable EHA105 Cells for Plant Genetic Transformation.

Agrobacterium-mediated gene transformation method is a vital molecular biology technique employed to develop transgenic plants. Plants are genetically engineered to develop disease-free varieties, knock out unsettling traits for crop improvement, or incorporate an antigenic protein to make the plant a green factory for edible vaccines. The method's robustness was validated through successful transformations, demonstrating its effectiveness as a standard approach for researchers working in plant biotechnology.

Great Tit () Nestlings Have Longer Telomeres in Old-Growth Forests Than in Young Forests.

Modification and deterioration of old-growth forests by industrial forestry have seriously threatened species diversity worldwide. The loss of natural habitats increases the concentration of circulating glucocorticoids and incurs chronic stress in animals, influencing the immune system, growth, survival, and lifespan of animals inhabiting such areas. In this study, we tested whether great tit () nestlings grown in old-growth unmanaged coniferous forests have longer telomeres than great tit nestlings developing in young managed coniferous forests.

Ovarian tumor microenvironment contributes to tumor progression and chemoresistance.

Ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest gynecologic cancers affecting the female reproductive tract. This is largely attributed to frequent recurrence and development of resistance to the platinum-based drugs cisplatin and carboplatin. One of the major contributing factors to increased cancer progression and resistance to chemotherapy is the tumor microenvironment (TME).

Molecular Characterization and Potential Inhibitors Prediction of Protein Arginine Methyltransferase-2 in Carcinoma: An Insight from Molecular Docking, ADMET Profiling and Molecular Dynamics Simulation Studies.

Objectives: To predict and characterize the three-dimensional (3D) structure of protein arginine methyltransferase 2 (PRMT2) using homology modeling, besides, the identification of potent inhibitors for enhanced comprehension of the biological function of this protein arginine methyltransferase (PRMT) family protein in carcinogenesis.

Materials And Methods: An method was employed to predict and characterize the three-dimensional structure. The bulk of PRMTs in the PDB shares just a structurally conserved catalytic core domain.

Induction of phospholipase A2 group 4C by HCV infection regulates lipid droplet formation.

Background & Aims: Hepatic steatosis, characterized by lipid accumulation in hepatocytes, is a key diagnostic feature in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This study aimed to clarify the involvement of phospholipid metabolic pathways in the pathogenesis of HCV-induced steatosis.

Methods: The expression and distribution of lipid species in the livers of human liver chimeric mice were analyzed using imaging mass spectrometry.

Oligo-FISH barcode chromosome identification system provides novel insights into the natural chromosome aberrations propensity in the autotetraploid cultivated alfalfa.

Alfalfa is one of the most economically valuable forage crops in the world. However, molecular cytogenetic studies in alfalfa lag far behind other cash crops and have reached a bottleneck. Here, we developed a novel chromosome identification system by designing 21 oligo probes in specific regions of each chromosome, which can be used as a barcode to simultaneously distinguish all chromosomes in a cell.

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutation provides a new insight into resveratrol biosynthesis by causing a metabolic pathway shift from flavonoids to stilbenoids in cells.

Resveratrol is an important phytoalexin that adapts to and responds to stressful conditions and plays various roles in health and medical therapies. However, it is only found in a limited number of plant species in low concentrations, which hinders its development and utilization. Chalcone synthase (CHS) and stilbene synthase (STS) catalyze the same substrates to produce flavonoids and resveratrol, respectively.

Antihypertrophic effects of the seed ethanolic extract of Gagnep. (Zingiberaceae) against isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy in male Wistar rat.

The seeds of are popularly used in the management of cardiovascular conditions. This study was undertaken to evaluate the capacity of the seed ethanolic extract of (EE) to prevent the development of cardiac hypertrophy in rats. Isoproterenol (0.

Bis-3-chloropiperidines: a novel motif for anthelmintic drug design.

Parasites account for huge economic losses by infecting agriculturally important plants and animals. Furthermore, morbidity and death caused by parasites affect a large part of the world population, especially in economically weak regions. Anthelmintic drugs to tackle this challenge remain scarce and their efficiency becomes increasingly endangered by the advent of drug resistance development.

Apoptotic cell death of stomach cancer lines (AGS) induced by Co-NTB complex through cellular organelles and DNA damage.

Given that stomach cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death, there is a need to develop new drugs. Among various methods, metal-based coordination compounds are considered as an efficient strategy against this type of cancer. Similarly, the benzimidazole moiety plays a crucial role in biology; thus, various benzimidazole-based compounds have been found to be active as potential anticancer drugs and are currently used in clinical trials.

Valosin-containing protein (VCP), a component of tumor-derived extracellular vesicles, impairs the barrier integrity of brain microvascular endothelial cells.

Metastases are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and their origin is not fully elucidated. Recently, studies have shown that extracellular vesicles (EVs), particularly small extracellular vesicles (sEV), can disrupt the homeostasis of organs, promoting the development of a secondary tumor. However, the role of sEV in brain endothelium and their association with metastasis related to breast cancer is unknown.

Differential expression of in normal and tumor tissues: Implications for cancer biology and prognosis.

Objectives: , which is primarily recognized for determining blood types, shows variable expression patterns in different tissues and cancer types. This study investigated the relationship between gene expression and cancer, and assessed its potential impact on patient survival.

Methods: Utilizing the GEPIA database, we analyzed expression in normal and tumor tissues across various cancer types using online tools for comprehensive evaluation.

A novel cytoprotective organ perfusion platform for reconstructing homeostasis of DCD liver while alleviating IRI injury.

Pump is a vital component for expelling the perfusate in small animal isolated organ normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) systems whose flexible structure and rhythmic contraction play a crucial role in maintaining perfusion system homeostasis. However, the continuous extrusion forming with the rigid stationary shaft of the peristaltic pumps can damage cells, leading to metabolic disorders and eventual dysfunction of transplanted organs. Here, we developed a novel biomimetic blood-gas system (BBGs) for preventing cell damage.

Engineering Gene and Protein Switches for Regulation of Lineage-Specifying Transcription Factors.

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) can be differentiated in vitro to an increasing number of mature cell types, presenting significant promise for addressing a wide range of diseases and studying human development. One approach to further enhance stem cell differentiation methods would be to coordinate multiple inducible gene or protein switches to operate simultaneously within the same cell, with minimal cross-interference, to precisely regulate a network of lineage-specifying transcription factors (TFs) to guide cell fate decisions. Therefore, in this study, we designed and tested various mammalian gene and protein switches responsive to clinically safe small-molecule inhibitors of viral proteases.