Human Plasma-Derived Exosomes: A Promising Carrier System for the Delivery of Hydroxyurea to Combat Breast Cancer.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential of human plasma derived exosomes for the delivery of hydroxyurea to enhance its therapeutic efficacy in breast cancer. Plasma derived exosomes were isolated using differential centrifugation along with ultrafiltration method. Hydroxyurea was encapsulated in exosomes using a freeze-thaw method.

Antifibrotic potential of reserpine (alkaloid) targeting Keap1/Nrf2; oxidative stress pathway in CCl-induced liver fibrosis.

The death rate due to liver cancer approaches 2 million annually, the majority is attributed to fibrosis. Currently, there is no efficient, safe, non-toxic, and anti-fibrotic drug available, suggesting room for better drug discovery. The current study aims to evaluate the anti-fibrotic role of reserpine, an alkaloid plant compound against CCl-induced liver fibrosis.

Virtual screening assisted identification of a phytocompound as potent inhibitor against Candida lusitaniae; an in-silico study.

Candida lusitaniae is one of the fungal species which causes serious health illnesses including peritonitis, vaginitis and fungemia, among others. Several antifungal drugs have been designed to tackle its infections but their efficacy is still questionable due to their associated side effects. Hence, there is a need to design those drugs which possess comparatively higher degree of therapeutic potential.

Identification of the MAP4K gene family reveals GhMAP4K13 regulates drought and salt stress tolerance in cotton.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase kinases (MAP4Ks) are a class of highly conserved serine/threonine-protein kinases in eukaryotes. They participate in the typical MAPK cascade system and various signal transduction pathways regulating biological processes in plants, during stressful conditions. To date, genome-wide identification of MAP4Ks in cotton has not been reported.

Comprehensive evaluation of EGFR and AKT targeting efficacy of resveratrol loaded PEGylated liposomes for the glioblastoma management: In silico, in vitro BBB permeation studies.

Red grapes contain resveratrol (Resv), a polyphenol with anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and anticancer properties. In this study, in silico molecular docking was used to assess the binding affinity of Resv to target proteins. Resv was encapsulated in PEGylated liposomes (LNPs) using Phospholipon 90G, cholesterol, and DSPE-mPEG.

Gaining molecular insights towards inhibition of foodborne fungi Aspergillus fumigatus by a food colourant violacein via computational approach.

Filamentous Fungal Human Pathogens (FFHPs) such as Aspergillus fumigatus, are growing resistant to currently available antifungal drugs. One possible target, the Nucleoside diphosphate kinase (Ndk) is significant for nucleotide biosynthesis and crucial for fungal metabolism. Violacein, a natural food colorant, was examined for its antifungal effects against Aspergillus fumigatus via computational approach against the Ndk protein.

Synergistic anticancer effects of interleukin-21 combined with therapeutic peptides in multiple cancer cells.

Background: Interleukin-21 (IL-21) is a cytokine produced by various cell types, including T cells, natural killer cells, myeloid cells, and B cells, and has a broad range of potential applications in cancer therapy. To improve the therapeutic index, we explored the use of fusion technologies that involved linking other anticancer peptides to the IL-21 gene using specific linkers.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the anticancer potential of IL-21 and IL-21 fusion proteins.

Over expression of modified Isomaltulose Synthase Gene II (ImSyGII) under single and double promoters drive unprecedented sugar contents in sugarcane.

Sugarcane has been grown all around the world to meet sugar demands for industrial sector. The current sugar recovery percentage in sugarcane cultivars is dismally low which demands scientific efforts for improvements. Multiple approaches were adopted to enhance sugar contents in commercial sugarcane plants in contrast to conventional plant breeding methods.

Thapsigargin and its prodrug derivatives: exploring novel approaches for targeted cancer therapy through calcium signaling disruption.

Thapsigargin, a sesquiterpene lactone derived from Thapsia garganica L., has demonstrated mixed potential as an anticancer agent due to its potent ability to disrupt calcium signaling and induce apoptosis. This review evaluates the chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic potential of thapsigargin, focusing on its molecular mechanisms and toxicity.

Exploring mesenchymal stem cells homing mechanisms and improvement strategies.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells with high self-renewal and multilineage differentiation abilities, playing an important role in tissue healing. Recent advancements in stem cell-based technologies have offered new and promising therapeutic options in regenerative medicine. Upon tissue damage, MSCs are immediately mobilized from the bone marrow and move to the injury site via blood circulation.

Molecular epidemiology and genetic characterization of hepatitis B virus in two major provinces of Pakistan.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major public health issue and is responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality globally. In Pakistan, the prevalence of chronic HBV infection varies from 2% to 4%, with an estimated exposure rate of approximately 34%. The major objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of HBV genotypes and the pattern of escape mutations in the HBV S gene in two major provinces of Pakistan: Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Serum lipid peroxidation potential as a biomarker for risk-stratification of coronary artery disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Aim: We examined the serum lipid peroxidation potential as an estimate of systemic oxidative stress levels in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) for coronary artery disease (CAD) risk stratification.

Methods: We prospectively recruited patients and categorized them into four subgroups based on diabetes and severity of CAD [Gensini score <20, non-significant CAD; Gensini score >20, significant CAD]: non-diabetics with non-significant CAD, diabetics with non-significant CAD, non-diabetics with significant CAD and diabetics with significant CAD. Lipid profile, HbA1c, fasting blood glucose, and oxidized LDL were assessed.

The Factors Associated With Mutant Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Positivity in Patients With Lung Cancer: A Study From a Tertiary Care Center in Pakistan.

Objective In this study, we sought to elucidate the relationship between demographic and clinical factors and epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase (EGFR-TK) positivity in patients with advanced-stage lung cancer at a tertiary care center in Pakistan. Methods This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2020 to July 2023 at Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, in collaboration with the Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), University of the Punjab. The study included 70 consecutive patients with advanced-stage lung cancer, and aimed to identify common EGFR mutations (Exon 19 deletion and Exon 21 L858R mutation), determine their frequency, and correlate EGFR-TK mutation positivity with clinical and non-clinical factors.

Recombinant expression, downstream optimization, and therapeutic evaluation of recombinant human interleukin-37 for cancer therapy.

Interleukin-37 is a cytokine with potent immunosuppressive properties that has been shown to have potential to treat autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases, as well as certain types of cancer. IL-37 is a 19 kDa protein which interacts with proteins in receptor-dependent and receptor-independent pathways. The expression of the IL-37 protein cloned into the pET-28a vector was optimized in Rosetta 2(DE3) after comparing its expression with Rosetta-gami 2(DE3) and Rosetta 2(DE3) pLysS, which was then used for the large-scale production of IL-37.

Biallelic variants in cause variable clinical presentations, including sensorineural hearing loss, leukodystrophy, and ovarian insufficiency.

Combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency (COXPD) is a rare multisystem disorder which is clinically and genetically heterogeneous. Genome sequencing identified biallelic variants in individuals from five unrelated families with presentations ranging from Perrault syndrome (primary ovarian insufficiency and sensorineural hearing loss) to severe childhood onset of leukodystrophy, learning disability, microcephaly and retinal dystrophy. Complexome profiling of fibroblasts from affected individuals revealed reduced levels of the small and, a more pronounced reduction of, the large mitochondrial ribosomal subunits.

Development of non-viral targeted RNA delivery vehicles - a key factor in success of therapeutic RNA.

Decade-long efforts in medicinal biotechnology have enabled large-scale in-vitro production of optimised therapeutic RNA constructs for stable in-vivo delivery and modify the expression of disease-related genes. The success of lipid nanoparticle-formulated mRNA vaccines against Severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-Cov2) has opened a new era of RNA therapeutics and non-viral drug delivery systems. The major limiting factor in the clinical translation of RNA-based drugs is the availability of suitable delivery vehicles that can protect RNA payloads from degradation, offer controlled release, and pose minimal inherent toxicity.

Case Study: Analyzing CFTR Mutations and SNPs in Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients with Unclear Symptoms.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic monogenic disorder inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, marked by persistent airway infections in the endobronchial region. This condition leads to the gradual development of bronchiectasis and, ultimately, respiratory failure, emerging as the primary cause of mortality in individuals diagnosed with CF. Diagnosis is done depending on the patient's symptoms and lung radiological findings like chest X-rays and CTs.

Dysfunctional HDL Diagnostic Metrics for Cardiovascular Disease Risk Stratification: Are we Ready to Implement in Clinics?

Epidemiological studies have revealed that patients with higher levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were more resistant to cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and yet targeting HDL for CVD prevention, risk assessment, and pharmacological management has not proven to be very effective. The mechanistic investigations have demonstrated that HDL exerts anti-atherogenic functions via mediating reverse cholesterol transport, antioxidant action, anti-inflammatory activity, and anti-thrombotic activity. Contrary to expectations, however, adverse cardiovascular events were reported in clinical trials of drugs that raised HDL levels.

Investigation of the toxicity and safety concerns of transgenic maize seeds expressing immunogenic F and HN protein genes against Newcastle disease virus.

Introduction: The presented study investigated the potential toxicity and safety concerns associated with transgenic maize seeds expressing immunogenic F and HN protein genes against Newcastle disease virus (NDV).

Methodology: The experiment involved feeding Sprague-Dawley rats with transgenic maize seeds formulated into standard diets at levels of 30% (w/w) for a duration of 90 days. The rats were divided into three groups, with 10 rats per group.

Substitution of a single non-coding nucleotide upstream of TMEM216 causes non-syndromic retinitis pigmentosa and is associated with reduced TMEM216 expression.

Genome analysis of individuals affected by retinitis pigmentosa (RP) identified two rare nucleotide substitutions at the same genomic location on chromosome 11 (g.61392563 [GRCh38]), 69 base pairs upstream of the start codon of the ciliopathy gene TMEM216 (c.-69G>A, c.