Articles

Chikungunya virus infection: molecular biology, clinical characteristics, and epidemiology in Asian countries

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a re-emerging mosquito-borne human pathogen that causes chikungunya fever, which is typically accompanied by severe joint pain. In Asia, serological evidence indicated that CHIKV f...

Authors: Sarawut Khongwichit, Jira Chansaenroj, Chintana Chirathaworn and Yong Poovorawan

Dopamine, behavior, and addiction

Addictive drugs are habit-forming. Addiction is a learned behavior; repeated exposure to addictive drugs can stamp in learning. Dopamine-depleted or dopamine-deleted animals have only unlearned reflexes; they ...

Authors: Roy A. Wise and Chloe J. Jordan

A nuanced role of the small loop of hepatitis B virus small envelope protein in virion morphogenesis and secretion

The virion secretion mechanism of human hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains to be investigated. In our current study, we characterized a reverse transcriptase mutant, which changed from the YMDD motif to YMHA. We ...

Authors: Chih-Hsu Chang, Shu-Fan Chou and Chiaho Shih

Elp1 facilitates RAD51-mediated homologous recombination repair via translational regulation

RAD51-dependent homologous recombination (HR) is one of the most important pathways for repairing DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), and its regulation is crucial to maintain genome integrity. Elp1 gene encodes IKA...

Authors: Wei-Ting Chen, Huan-Yi Tseng, Chung-Lin Jiang, Chih-Ying Lee, Peter Chi, Liuh-Yow Chen, Kai-Yin Lo, I-Ching Wang and Fu-Jung Lin

Antibody cocktail effective against variants of SARS-CoV-2

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), an RNA virus with a high mutation rate. Importantly, several currently circulating SARS-CoV-2 vari...

Authors: Kang-Hao Liang, Pao-Yin Chiang, Shih-Han Ko, Yu-Chi Chou, Ruei-Min Lu, Hsiu-Ting Lin, Wan-Yu Chen, Yi-Ling Lin, Mi-Hua Tao, Jia-Tsrong Jan and Han-Chung Wu

Three decades of Cdk5

Cdk5 is a proline-directed serine/threonine protein kinase that governs a variety of cellular processes in neurons, the dysregulation of which compromises normal brain function. The mechanisms underlying the m...

Authors: Ping-Chieh Pao and Li-Huei Tsai

The role of noncoding RNAs in Parkinson’s disease: biomarkers and associations with pathogenic pathways

The discovery of various noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) and their biological implications is a growing area in cell biology. Increasing evidence has revealed canonical and noncanonical functions of long and small ncR...

Authors: Ming-Che Kuo, Sam Chi-Hao Liu, Ya-Fang Hsu and Ruey-Meei Wu

CRISPR and KRAS: a match yet to be made

CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) systems are one of the most fascinating tools of the current era in molecular biotechnology. With the ease that they provide in genome editing...

Authors: Guzide Bender, Rezan Fahrioglu Yamaci and Bahar Taneri

ROR2 has a protective role in melanoma by inhibiting Akt activity, cell-cycle progression, and proliferation

Receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 2 (ROR2) is a Wnt5a receptor aberrantly expressed in cancer that was shown to either suppress or promote carcinogenesis in different tumor types. Our goal was to s...

Authors: María Victoria Castro, Gastón Alexis Barbero, María Belén Villanueva, Luca Grumolato, Jérémie Nsengimana, Julia Newton-Bishop, Edith Illescas, María Josefina Quezada and Pablo Lopez-Bergami

Proteasome inhibitors restore the STAT1 pathway and enhance the expression of MHC class I on human colon cancer cells

A new strategy, particularly a novel combination, for immunotherapy in microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) treatment needs to be formulated. Studies on the interferon-γ (IFN-γ)/ Janus kin...

Authors: Yi-Hsin Liang, Kuo-Hsing Chen, Jia-Huei Tsai, Yung-Ming Cheng, Chang-Cheng Lee, Chiu-Hwa Kao, Kuang-Yu Chan, Yeh-Ting Chen, Wen-Ling Hsu and Kun-Huei Yeh

Restoration of 5-methoxytryptophan protects against atherosclerotic chondrogenesis and calcification in ApoE^−/− mice fed high fat diet

Toll-like receptor-2 (TLR2) promotes vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) transdifferentiation to chondrocytes and calcification in a p38 MAPK-dependent manner. Vascular 5-methoxytryptophan (5-MTP) is a newly id...

Authors: Guan-Lin Lee, Tsai-Lien Liao, Jing-Yiing Wu, Kenneth K. Wu and Cheng-Chin Kuo

Transforming growth factor-β1 decreases erythropoietin production through repressing hypoxia-inducible factor 2α in erythropoietin-producing cells

Renal erythropoietin (EPO)-producing (REP) cells produce EPO through hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) 2α-activated gene transcription. Insufficient EPO production leads to anemia in patients with chronic kidney ...

Authors: Hong-Mou Shih, Szu-Yu Pan, Chih-Jen Wu, Yu-Hsiang Chou, Chun-Yuan Chen, Fan-Chi Chang, Yi-Ting Chen, Wen-Chih Chiang, Hsing-Chen Tsai, Yung-Ming Chen and Shuei-Liong Lin

Enhanced enzymatic production of cholesteryl 6ʹ-acylglucoside impairs lysosomal degradation for the intracellular survival of Helicobacter pylori

During autophagy defense against invading microbes, certain lipid types are indispensable for generating specialized membrane-bound organelles. The lipid composition of autophagosomes remains obscure, as does ...

Authors: Sasikala Muthusamy, Hau-Ming Jan, Ming-Yen Hsieh, Soumik Mondal, Wen-Chun Liu, Yi-An Ko, Wei-Yuan Yang, Kwok-Kong Tony Mong, Guang-Chao Chen and Chun-Hung Lin

Retraction Note to: Circular RNA circ_0003204 inhibits proliferation, migration and tube formation of endothelial cell in atherosclerosis via miR-370-3p/TGFβR2/phosph-SMAD3 axis

Authors: Shanchao Zhang, Guixiang Song, Jing Yuan, Shan Qiao, Shan Xu, Zhihua Si, Yang Yang, Xuxu Xu and Aihua Wang

Emerging roles of dysregulated adenosine homeostasis in brain disorders with a specific focus on neurodegenerative diseases

In modern societies, with an increase in the older population, age-related neurodegenerative diseases have progressively become greater socioeconomic burdens. To date, despite the tremendous effort devoted to ...

Authors: Ching-Pang Chang, Kuo-Chen Wu, Chien-Yu Lin and Yijuang Chern

Modular self-assembly system for development of oligomeric, highly internalizing and potent cytotoxic conjugates targeting fibroblast growth factor receptors

Overexpression of FGFR1 is observed in numerous tumors and therefore this receptor constitutes an attractive molecular target for selective cancer treatment with cytotoxic conjugates. The success of cancer the...

Authors: Marta Poźniak, Natalia Porębska, Kamil Jastrzębski, Mateusz Adam Krzyścik, Marika Kucińska, Weronika Zarzycka, Agnieszka Barbach, Małgorzata Zakrzewska, Jacek Otlewski, Marta Miączyńska and Łukasz Opaliński

Reciprocal deregulation of NKX3.1 and AURKA axis in castration-resistant prostate cancer and NEPC models

NKX3.1, a prostate-specific tumor suppressor, is either genomically lost or its protein levels are severely downregulated, which are invariably associated with poor prognosis in prostate cancer (PCa). Neverthe...

Authors: Moloud Aflaki Sooreshjani, Mohini Kamra, Amina Zoubeidi and Kavita Shah

HBx facilitates ferroptosis in acute liver failure via EZH2 mediated SLC7A11 suppression

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a syndrome of severe hepatocyte injury with high rate of mortality. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the major cause of ALF worldwide, however, the underlying mechanism by whic...

Authors: Guo-Zhen Liu, Xu-Wen Xu, Shu-Hui Tao, Ming-Jian Gao and Zhou-Hua Hou

Influenza a virus NS1 resembles a TRAF3-interacting motif to target the RNA sensing-TRAF3-type I IFN axis and impair antiviral innate immunity

Influenza A virus (IAV) evolves strategies to counteract the host antiviral defense for establishing infection. The influenza A virus (IAV) non-structural protein 1 (NS1) is a key viral factor shown to counter...

Authors: Chun-Yang Lin, Meng-Cen Shih, Hung-Chun Chang, Kuan-Jung Lin, Lin-Fang Chen, Sheng-Wen Huang, Mei-Lin Yang, Sheng-Kai Ma, Ai-Li Shiau, Jen-Ren Wang, Kuan-Ru Chen and Pin Ling

Clinical and functional characterization of a novel STUB1 frameshift mutation in autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxia type 48 (SCA48)

Heterozygous pathogenic variants in STUB1 are implicated in autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxia type 48 (SCA48), which is a rare familial ataxia disorder. We investigated the clinical, genetic and functiona...

Authors: Huan-Yun Chen, Chia-Lang Hsu, Han-Yi Lin, Yung-Feng Lin, Shih-Feng Tsai, Yu-Jung Ho, Ye-Ru Li, Jin-Wu Tsai, Shu-Chun Teng and Chin-Hsien Lin

Advances in the management of haemophilia: emerging treatments and their mechanisms

Mainstay haemophilia treatment, namely intravenous factor replacement, poses several clinical challenges including frequent injections due to the short half-life of recombinant factors, intravenous administrat...

Authors: Dide Okaygoun, Danielle D. Oliveira, Sooriya Soman and Riccardo Williams

Control of Spontaneous HPV16 E6/E7 Expressing Oral Cancer in HLA-A2 (AAD) Transgenic Mice with Therapeutic HPV DNA Vaccine

Human Papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) has been associated with a subset of head and neck cancers. Two HPV encoded oncogenic proteins, E6 and E7, are important for the malignant progression of HPV-associated can...

Authors: Ssu-Hsueh Tseng, Li Liu, Shiwen Peng, Jinhwi Kim, Louise Ferrall, Chien-Fu Hung and T. -C. Wu

Design, synthesis, and preliminary evaluation of a potential synthetic opioid rescue agent

One of the most prominent opioid analgesics in the United States is the high potency agonist fentanyl. It is used in the treatment of acute and chronic pain and as an anesthetic adjuvant. When used inappropria...

Authors: Sidnee L. Hedrick, Dan Luo, Sophia Kaska, Kumar Kulldeep Niloy, Karen Jackson, Rupam Sarma, Jamie Horn, Caroline Baynard, Markos Leggas, Eduardo R. Butelman, Mary Jeanne Kreek and Thomas E. Prisinzano

The cell adhesion molecule TMIGD1 binds to moesin and regulates tubulin acetylation and cell migration

The cell adhesion molecule transmembrane and immunoglobulin (Ig) domain containing1 (TMIGD1) is a novel tumor suppressor that plays important roles in regulating cell–cell adhesion, cell proliferation and cell...

Authors: Nader Rahimi, Rachel X. Y. Ho, Kevin Brown Chandler, Kyle Oliver Corcino De La Cena, Razie Amraei, Ashley J. Mitchel, Nels Engblom and Catherine E. Costello

Bacterial factors required for Streptococcus pneumoniae coinfection with influenza A virus

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common cause of post-influenza secondary bacterial infection, which results in excessive morbidity and mortality. Although 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) vaccinatio...

Authors: Yi-Yin Chen, Ching-Tai Huang, Shiao-Wen Li, Yi-Jiun Pan, Tzu-Lung Lin, Ya-Yu Huang, Ting-Hsuan Li, Yu-Ching Yang, Yu-Nong Gong and Yu-Chia Hsieh

The regulatory roles of microRNAs toward pathogenesis and treatments in Huntington's disease

Huntington’s disease (HD) is one of neurodegenerative diseases, and is defined as a monogenetic disease due to the mutation of Huntingtin gene. This disease affects several cellular functions in neurons, and furt...

Authors: Chih-Wei Tung, Pin-Yu Huang, Siew Chin Chan, Pei-Hsun Cheng and Shang-Hsun Yang

More than causing (epi)genomic instability: emerging physiological implications of transposable element modulation

Transposable elements (TEs) initially attracted attention because they comprise a major portion of the genomic sequences in plants and animals. TEs may jump around the genome and disrupt both coding genes as w...

Authors: Pu-Sheng Hsu, Shu-Han Yu, Yi-Tzang Tsai, Jen-Yun Chang, Li-Kuang Tsai, Chih-Hung Ye, Ning-Yu Song, Lih-Chiao Yau and Shau-Ping Lin

PSPC1 is a new contextual determinant of aberrant subcellular translocation of oncogenes in tumor progression

Dysregulation of nucleocytoplasmic shuttling is commonly observed in cancers and emerging as a cancer hallmark for the development of anticancer therapeutic strategies. Despite its severe adverse effects, seli...

Authors: Yaw-Dong Lang and Yuh-Shan Jou

MicroRNA-138-1-3p sensitizes sorafenib to hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting PAK5 mediated β-catenin/ABCB1 signaling pathway

Sorafenib is a kinase inhibitor that is used as a first-line therapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. However, the existence of sorafenib resistance has limited its therapeutic effect. Thro...

Authors: Tong-tong Li, Jie Mou, Yao-jie Pan, Fu-chun Huo, Wen-qi Du, Jia Liang, Yang Wang, Lan-sheng Zhang and Dong-sheng Pei

AUY922 induces retinal toxicity through attenuating TRPM1

Ocular adverse events are common dose-limiting toxicities in cancer patients treated with HSP90 inhibitors, such as AUY922; however, the pathology and molecular mechanisms that mediate AUY922-induced retinal t...

Authors: Che-Hung Shen, Chi-Che Hsieh, Kuan-Ying Jiang, Chih-Yu Lin, Nai-Jung Chiang, Ting-Wei Li, Chun-Ting Yen, Wan-Ju Chen, Daw-Yang Hwang and Li-Tzong Chen

Diagnosis of transition zone prostate cancer by multiparametric MRI: added value of MR spectroscopic imaging with sLASER volume selection

Current multiparametric MRI (mp-MRI) in routine clinical practice has poor-to-moderate diagnostic performance for transition zone prostate cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential diagnostic...

Authors: Neda Gholizadeh, Peter B. Greer, John Simpson, Jonathan Goodwin, Caixia Fu, Peter Lau, Saabir Siddique, Arend Heerschap and Saadallah Ramadan

Downregulating lncRNA NEAT1 induces proliferation and represses apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells in polycystic ovary syndrome via microRNA-381/IGF1 axis

Researchers have revealed the combined functions of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNA (miRNAs) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This study aimed to understand the role of nuclear-enriched abundant...

Authors: Jingran Zhen, Jiangli Li, Xia Li, Xue Wang, Yaling Xiao, Zhengyi Sun and Qi Yu

Chandipura virus dysregulates the expression of hsa-miR-21-5p to activate NF-κB in human microglial cells

Chandipura virus (CHPV) is a negative single-stranded RNA virus of the Rhabdoviridae family. CHPV infection has been reported in Central and Western India. CHPV causes acute encephalitis with a case fatality rate...

Authors: Neha Pandey, Meghana Rastogi and Sunit K. Singh

Small heterodimer partner (SHP) aggravates ER stress in Parkinson’s disease-linked LRRK2 mutant astrocyte by regulating XBP1 SUMOylation

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is a common feature of Parkinson’s disease (PD), and several PD-related genes are responsible for ER dysfunction. Recent studies suggested LRRK2-G2019S, a pathogenic mutation ...

Authors: Jee Hoon Lee, Ji-hye Han, Eun-hye Joe and Ilo Jou

Systems glycobiology for discovering drug targets, biomarkers, and rational designs for glyco-immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapy has revolutionized treatment and led to an unprecedented wave of immuno-oncology research during the past two decades. In 2018, two pioneer immunotherapy innovators, Tasuku Honjo and James...

Authors: Austin W. T. Chiang, Hratch M. Baghdassarian, Benjamin P. Kellman, Bokan Bao, James T. Sorrentino, Chenguang Liang, Chih-Chung Kuo, Helen O. Masson and Nathan E. Lewis

The promising shadow of microbubble over medical sciences: from fighting wide scope of prevalence disease to cancer eradication

Microbubbles are typically 0.5–10 μm in size. Their size tends to make it easier for medication delivery mechanisms to navigate the body by allowing them to be swallowed more easily. The gas included in the mi...

Authors: Ali Jangjou, Amir Hossein Meisami, Kazem Jamali, Mohammad Hadi Niakan, Milad Abbasi, Mostafa Shafiee, Majid Salehi, Ahmad Hosseinzadeh, Ali Mohammad Amani and Ahmad Vaez

Histone dynamics during DNA replication stress

Accurate and complete replication of the genome is essential not only for genome stability but also for cell viability. However, cells face constant threats to the replication process, such as spontaneous DNA ...

Authors: Chia-Ling Hsu, Shin Yen Chong, Chia-Yeh Lin and Cheng-Fu Kao

Crosstalk between transforming growth factor β-2 and Autotaxin in trabecular meshwork and different subtypes of glaucoma

Elevated transforming growth factor (TGF)-β2 in aqueous humor (AH) has been suggested to contribute to trabecular meshwork (TM) fibrosis and intraocular pressure (IOP) regulation in primary open-angle glaucoma...

Authors: Nozomi Igarashi, Megumi Honjo, Reiko Yamagishi, Makoto Kurano, Yutaka Yatomi, Koji Igarashi, Toshikatsu Kaburaki and Makoto Aihara

C-type lectins and extracellular vesicles in virus-induced NETosis

Dysregulated formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) is observed in acute viral infections. Moreover, NETs contribute to the pathogenesis of acute viral infections, including those caused by the den...

Authors: Pei-Shan Sung and Shie-Liang Hsieh

Inflammatory signaling mechanisms in bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is a decidedly heterogeneous and multifactorial disease, with a high individual and societal burden. While not all patients display overt markers of elevated inflammation, significant evidence...

Authors: Gregory H. Jones, Courtney M. Vecera, Omar F. Pinjari and Rodrigo Machado-Vieira

USP9X promotes apoptosis in cholangiocarcinoma by modulation expression of KIF1Bβ via deubiquitinating EGLN3

Cholangiocarcinoma represents the second most common primary liver malignancy. The incidence rate has constantly increased over the last decades. Cholangiocarcinoma silent nature limits early diagnosis and pre...

Authors: Weiqian Chen, Jingjing Song, Siyu Liu, Bufu Tang, Lin Shen, Jinyu Zhu, Shiji Fang, Fazong Wu, Liyun Zheng, Rongfang Qiu, Chunmiao Chen, Yang Gao, Jianfei Tu, Zhongwei Zhao and Jiansong Ji

Identification of COVID-19 B-cell epitopes with phage-displayed peptide library

Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) first appeared in the city of Wuhan, in the Hubei province of China. Since its emergence, the COVID-19-causing virus, SARS-CoV-2, has been rapidly transmitted around the globe...

Authors: Jing-You Guo, I-Ju Liu, Hsiu-Ting Lin, Mei-Jung Wang, Yu-Ling Chang, Shin-Chang Lin, Mei-Ying Liao, Wei-Chia Hsu, Yi-Ling Lin, James C. Liao and Han-Chung Wu

Multiscale X-ray phase contrast imaging of human cartilage for investigating osteoarthritis formation

The evolution of cartilage degeneration is still not fully understood, partly due to its thinness, low radio-opacity and therefore lack of adequately resolving imaging techniques. X-ray phase-contrast imaging ...

Authors: Annie Horng, Johannes Stroebel, Tobias Geith, Stefan Milz, Alexandra Pacureanu, Yang Yang, Peter Cloetens, Goran Lovric, Alberto Mittone, Alberto Bravin and Paola Coan

Roles of lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) in homeostasis and diseases

Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) targets mono- or di-methylated histone H3K4 and H3K9 as well as non-histone substrates and functions in the regulation of gene expression as a transcriptional repressor or ...

Authors: Dongha Kim, Keun Il Kim and Sung Hee Baek

The m⁶A epitranscriptome on neural development and degeneration

N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) is the most prevalent, conserved, and abundant RNA modification of the mRNAs of most eukaryotes, including mammals. Similar to epigenetic DNA modifications, m⁶A has been proposed to funct...

Authors: Ya-Ping Yen and Jun-An Chen

New therapeutic approaches of mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been demonstrated to have a great potential in the treatment of several diseases due to their differentiation and immunomodulatory capabilities and their ability to be easily...

Authors: Jana Janockova, Lucia Slovinska, Denisa Harvanova, Timea Spakova and Jan Rosocha

Histone deacetylase 7 mediates endothelin-1-induced connective tissue growth factor expression in human lung fibroblasts through p300 and activator protein-1 activation

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition was reported to ameliorate lung fibrosis in animal models. However, little is known about the underlying mechanism of HDAC7 in the regulation of CTGF production in lung fi...

Authors: Hung-Sheng Hua, Heng-Ching Wen, Chih-Ming Weng, Hong-Sheng Lee, Bing-Chang Chen and Chien-Huang Lin

Genome wide association study of response to interval and continuous exercise training: the Predict-HIIT study

Low cardiorespiratory fitness (V̇O_2peak) is highly associated with chronic disease and mortality from all causes. Whilst exercise training is recommended in health guidelines to improve V̇O_2peak, there is conside...

Authors: Camilla J. Williams, Zhixiu Li, Nicholas Harvey, Rodney A. Lea, Brendon J. Gurd, Jacob T. Bonafiglia, Ioannis Papadimitriou, Macsue Jacques, Ilaria Croci, Dorthe Stensvold, Ulrik Wisloff, Jenna L. Taylor, Trishan Gajanand, Emily R. Cox, Joyce S. Ramos, Robert G. Fassett…

Notch-ing up knowledge on molecular mechanisms of skin fibrosis: focus on the multifaceted Notch signalling pathway

Fibrosis can be defined as an excessive and deregulated deposition of extracellular matrix proteins, causing loss of physiological architecture and dysfunction of different tissues and organs. In the skin, fib...

Authors: Angelo Giuseppe Condorelli, May El Hachem, Giovanna Zambruno, Alexander Nystrom, Eleonora Candi and Daniele Castiglia

NEDD4 regulates ubiquitination and stability of the cell adhesion molecule IGPR-1 via lysosomal pathway

The cell adhesion molecule IGPR-1 regulates various critical cellular processes including, cell–cell adhesion, mechanosensing and autophagy and plays important roles in angiogenesis and tumor growth; however, ...

Authors: Linzi Sun, Razie Amraei and Nader Rahimi