Articles

Atrial ERK1/2 activation in the embryo leads to incomplete Septal closure: a novel mouse model of atrial Septal defect

MEK1 mutation and activated MAPK signaling has been found in patients with RASopathies and abnormal cardiac development. Previous studies have suggested that regulation of fetal MAPK signaling is essential for...

Authors: Che-Chung Yeh, Yanying Fan, Yi-Lin Yang and Michael J. Mann

In silico design of a Zika virus non-structural protein 5 aiming vaccine protection against zika and dengue in different human populations

The arboviruses Zika virus (ZIKV) and Dengue virus (DENV) have important epidemiological impact in Brazil and other tropical regions of the world. Recently, it was shown that previous humoral immunity to DENV enh...

Authors: Lorrany dos Santos Franco, Paloma Oliveira Vidal and Jaime Henrique Amorim

Zinc transporters and insulin resistance: therapeutic implications for type 2 diabetes and metabolic disease

Zinc is a metal ion that is essential for growth and development, immunity, and metabolism, and therefore vital for life. Recent studies have highlighted zinc’s dynamic role as an insulin mimetic and a cellula...

Authors: Shaghayegh Norouzi, John Adulcikas, Sukhwinder Singh Sohal and Stephen Myers

Regulatory T cells induced by B cells: a novel subpopulation of regulatory T cells

Regulatory T cells play a crucial role in the homeostasis of the immune response. In addition to CD4⁺Foxp3⁺ regulatory T cells, several subsets of Foxp3^- regulatory T cells, such as T helper 3 (Th3) cells and typ...

Authors: Chien-Hui Chien and Bor-Luen Chiang

Lipopolysaccharide pretreatment increases protease-activated receptor-2 expression and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 secretion in vascular endothelial cells

This study investigated whether lipopolysaccharide (LPS) increase protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) expression and enhance the association between PAR-2 expression and chemokine production in human vascula...

Authors: Hung-Hsing Chao, Po-Yuan Chen, Wen-Rui Hao, Wei-Ping Chiang, Tzu-Hurng Cheng, Shih-Hurng Loh, Yuk-Man Leung, Ju-Chi Liu, Jin-Jer Chen and Li-Chin Sung

Therapeutic efficacy of pentoxifylline on proteinuria and renal progression: an update

Blood pressure control with renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockade has remained the gold standard for treating patients with proteinuric chronic kidney disease (CKD) up to date. Nevertheless, RAS blockade slo...

Authors: Yung-Ming Chen, Wen-Chih Chiang, Shuei-Liong Lin and Tun-Jun Tsai

Expression of hypoxia inducible factor 1α and 2α and its association with vitamin C level in thyroid lesions

Cells adapt to hypoxia by transcriptional induction of genes that participate in regulation of angiogenesis, glucose metabolism and cell proliferation. The primary factors mediating cell response to low oxygen...

Authors: Paweł Jóźwiak, Piotr Ciesielski, Agnieszka Zaczek, Anna Lipińska, Lech Pomorski, Marek Wieczorek, Magdalena Bryś, Ewa Forma and Anna Krześlak

Male non-insulin users with type 2 diabetes mellitus are predisposed to gastric corpus-predominant inflammation after H. pylori infection

Both H. pylori infection and diabetes increase the risk of gastric cancer. This study investigated whether patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and H. pylori infection had more severe corpus gastric infl...

Authors: Yao-Jong Yang, Chung-Tai Wu, Horng-Yih Ou, Chin-Han Lin, Hsiu-Chi Cheng, Wei-Lun Chang, Wei-Ying Chen, Hsiao-Bai Yang, Cheng-Chan Lu and Bor-Shyang Sheu

Accuracy of serum luteinizing hormone and serum testosterone measurements to assess the efficacy of medical castration in prostate cancer patients

Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) agonists are the standard for androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in prostate cancer (PCa) patients. Current guidelines recommend serum testosterone measurement to ...

Authors: Juan Morote, Imma Comas, Roser Ferrer, Jacques Planas, Anna Celma and Lucas Regis

The recent development and applications of fluidic channels by 3D printing

The technology of “Lab-on-a-Chip” allows the synthesis and analysis of chemicals and biological substance within a portable or handheld device. The 3D printed structures enable precise control of various geome...

Authors: Yufeng Zhou

The TLR3/TICAM-1 signal constitutively controls spontaneous polyposis through suppression of c-Myc in Apc ^Min/+ mice

Intestinal tumorigenesis is promoted by myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88) activation in response to the components of microbiota in Apc ^Min/+

Authors: Junya Ono, Hiroaki Shime, Hiromi Takaki, Ken Takashima, Kenji Funami, Sumito Yoshida, Yohei Takeda, Misako Matsumoto, Masanori Kasahara and Tsukasa Seya

Ascorbic acid alters cell fate commitment of human neural progenitors in a WNT/β-catenin/ROS signaling dependent manner

Improving the neuronal yield from in vitro cultivated neural progenitor cells (NPCs) is an essential challenge in transplantation therapy in neurological disorders. In this regard, Ascorbic acid (AA) is widely...

Authors: Tareck Rharass, Margareta Lantow, Adam Gbankoto, Dieter G. Weiss, Daniela Panáková and Stéphanie Lucas

Tumor necrosis factor superfamily ligand mRNA expression profiles differ between humans and mice during homeostasis and between various murine kidney injuries

Several tumour necrosis factor (TNF) based therapeutics have already been approved for human use and several others are emerging. Therefore, we determined the mRNA expression levels of the TNF superfamily liga...

Authors: Satish Kumar Devarapu, Julia Felicitas Grill, Junhui Xie, Marc Weidenbusch, Mohsen Honarpisheh, Volker Vielhauer, Hans-Joachim Anders and Shrikant R. Mulay

Oxidative toxicity in diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease: mechanisms behind ROS/ RNS generation

Reactive oxidative species (ROS) toxicity remains an undisputed cause and link between Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). Patients with both AD and T2DM have damaged, oxidized DNA, R...

Authors: Waqar Ahmad, Bushra Ijaz, Khadija Shabbiri, Fayyaz Ahmed and Sidra Rehman

Rosmarinic acid induces rabbit articular chondrocyte differentiation by decreases matrix metalloproteinase-13 and inflammation by upregulating cyclooxygenase-2 expression

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are known to play an important role in the degradation of the extracellular matrix and the pathological progression of osteoarthritis (OA). The natural polyphenolic compound ro...

Authors: Seong-Hui Eo and Song Ja Kim

Roles of sigma-1 receptors on mitochondrial functions relevant to neurodegenerative diseases

The sigma-1 receptor (Sig-1R) is a chaperone that resides mainly at the mitochondrion-associated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane (called the MAMs) and acts as a dynamic pluripotent modulator in living syst...

Authors: Tzu-Yu Weng, Shang-Yi Anne Tsai and Tsung-Ping Su

Psoriasis-associated vascular disease: the role of HDL

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory systemic disease with a prevalence of 2–3%. Overwhelming evidence show an epidemiological association between psoriasis, cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis. Cardiova...

Authors: Maria Joao Paiva-Lopes and José Delgado Alves

Age-dependent redox status in the brain stem of NO-deficient hypertensive rats

The brain stem contains important nuclei that control cardiovascular function via the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which is strongly influenced by nitric oxide. Its biological activity is also largely det...

Authors: Miroslava Majzúnová, Zuzana Pakanová, Peter Kvasnička, Peter Bališ, Soňa Čačányiová and Ima Dovinová

Repositioning drugs for traumatic brain injury - N-acetyl cysteine and Phenserine

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality of both young adults of less than 45 years of age and the elderly, and contributes to about 30% of all injury deaths in ...

Authors: Barry J. Hoffer, Chaim G. Pick, Michael E. Hoffer, Robert E. Becker, Yung-Hsiao Chiang and Nigel H. Greig

Role of mitochondrial dysfunction and dysregulation of Ca²⁺ homeostasis in the pathophysiology of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes

Metabolic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D) and insulin resistance have attracted great attention from biomedical researchers and clinicians because of the astonishing increase in its prevalence....

Authors: Chih-Hao Wang and Yau-Huei Wei

Conditioned place preference training prevents hippocampal depotentiation in an orexin-dependent manner

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is well recognized as a cellular-correlated synaptic plasticity of learning and memory. However, its reversal forms of synaptic plasticity, depotentiation, is less studied and its ...

Authors: Guan-Ling Lu, Hau-Jie Yau and Lih-Chu Chiou

The type VI adenylyl cyclase protects cardiomyocytes from β-adrenergic stress by a PKA/STAT3-dependent pathway

The type VI adenylyl cyclase (AC6) is a main contributor of cAMP production in the heart. The amino acid (aa) sequence of AC6 is highly homologous to that of another major cardiac adenylyl cyclase, AC5, except...

Authors: Yu-Shuo Wu, Chien-Chang Chen, Chen-Li Chien, Hsing-Lin Lai, Si-Tse Jiang, Yong-Cyuan Chen, Lin-Ping Lai, Wei-Fan Hsiao, Wen-Pin Chen and Yijuang Chern

Virulence factors, antifungal susceptibility and molecular mechanisms of azole resistance among Candida parapsilosis complex isolates recovered from clinical specimens

The aim of this study was to determine the biofilm formation, the extracellular enzymatic activities of 182 clinical isolates of the Candida parapsilosis complex.

Authors: Sourour Neji, Ines Hadrich, Houaida Trabelsi, Salma Abbes, Fatma Cheikhrouhou, Hayet Sellami, Fattouma Makni and Ali Ayadi

Beneficial effects of curcumin nano-emulsion on spermatogenesis and reproductive performance in male rats under protein deficient diet model: enhancement of sperm motility, conservancy of testicular tissue integrity, cell energy and seminal plasma amino acids content

Malnutrition resulting from protein and calorie deficiency continues to be a major concern worldwide especially in developing countries. Specific deficiencies in the protein intake can adversely influence repr...

Authors: Omar A.H. Ahmed-Farid, Maha Nasr, Rania F. Ahmed and Rofanda M. Bakeer

FTO associations with obesity and telomere length

This review examines the biology of the Fat mass- and obesity-associated gene (FTO), and the implications of genetic association of FTO SNPs with obesity and genetic aging. Notably, we focus on the role of FTO...

Authors: Yuling Zhou, Brett D. Hambly and Craig S. McLachlan

Distribution of glucose transporters in renal diseases

Kidneys play an important role in glucose homeostasis. Renal gluconeogenesis prevents hypoglycemia by releasing glucose into the blood stream. Glucose homeostasis is also due, in part, to reabsorption and excr...

Authors: Leszek Szablewski

The complexity of TRIM28 contribution to cancer

Since the first discovery in 1996, the engagement of TRIM28 in distinct aspects of cellular biology has been extensively studied resulting in identification of a complex nature of TRIM28 protein. In this revie...

Authors: Patrycja Czerwińska, Sylwia Mazurek and Maciej Wiznerowicz

Prognostic roles of pathology markers immunoexpression and clinical parameters in Hepatoblastoma

Hepatoblastoma, a leading primary hepatic malignant tumor in children, is originated from primitive hepatic stem cells. We aimed to elucidate the relationships between the histological distribution of β-cateni...

Authors: Jia-Feng Wu, Hsiu-Hao Chang, Meng-Yao Lu, Shiann-Tarng Jou, Kai-Chi Chang, Yen-Hsuan Ni and Mei-Hwei Chang

The role of Lutheran/basal cell adhesion molecule in human bladder carcinogenesis

Lutheran/basal cell adhesion molecule (Lu/BCAM) is a membrane bound glycoprotein. This study was performed to investigate the role and downstream signaling pathway of Lu/BCAM in human bladder tumorigenesis.

Authors: Hong-Yi Chang, Hsin-Mei Chang, Tsung-Jung Wu, Chang-Yao Chaing, Tzong-Shin Tzai, Hong-Lin Cheng, Giri Raghavaraju, Nan-Haw Chow and Hsiao-Sheng Liu

Comprehensive comparison of three different animal models for systemic inflammation

To mimic systemic inflammation in humans, different animal models have been developed. Since these models are still discussed controversially, we aimed to comparatively evaluate the most widely used models wit...

Authors: Semjon Seemann, Franziska Zohles and Amelie Lupp

3D brain Organoids derived from pluripotent stem cells: promising experimental models for brain development and neurodegenerative disorders

Three-dimensional (3D) brain organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), appear to recapitulate the brain’s 3D...

Authors: Chun-Ting Lee, Raphael M. Bendriem, Wells W. Wu and Rong-Fong Shen

Vibrio vulnificus MARTX cytotoxin causes inactivation of phagocytosis-related signaling molecules in macrophages

Vibrio vulnificus is a marine bacterial species that causes opportunistic infections manifested by serious skin lesions and fulminant septicemia in humans. We have previously shown tha...

Authors: Chun-Liang Chen, Shu-Chun Chien, Tzeng-Horng Leu, Hans I-Chen Harn, Ming-Jer Tang and Lien-I Hor

Standardized, systemic phenotypic analysis reveals kidney dysfunction as main alteration of Kctd1 ^I27N mutant mice

Increased levels of blood plasma urea were used as phenotypic parameter for establishing novel mouse models for kidney diseases on the genetic background of C3H inbred mice in the phenotype-driven Munich ENU m...

Authors: Sudhir Kumar, Birgit Rathkolb, Sibylle Sabrautzki, Stefan Krebs, Elisabeth Kemter, Lore Becker, Johannes Beckers, Raffi Bekeredjian, Robert Brommage, Julia Calzada-Wack, Lillian Garrett, Sabine M. Hölter, Marion Horsch, Martin Klingenspor, Thomas Klopstock, Kristin Moreth…

Sudden cardiac death: focus on the genetics of channelopathies and cardiomyopathies

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) describes a natural and unexpected death from cardiac causes occurring within a short period of time (generally within 1 h of symptom onset) in the absence of any other potentially l...

Authors: Simona Magi, Vincenzo Lariccia, Marta Maiolino, Salvatore Amoroso and Santo Gratteri

The cytotoxic mechanism of epigallocatechin gallate on proliferative HaCaT keratinocytes

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the major ingredient of sinecatechins ointment, approved for the treatment of external genital and perianal warts. However, the molecular mechanism for EGCG’s effect on warts...

Authors: Yu-Wen Chu, Shu-Ting Liu, Ya-Lan Yang, Shih-Ming Huang and Wei-Ming Wang

Lrp, a global regulator, regulates the virulence of Vibrio vulnificus

An attenuated mutant (designated NY303) of Vibrio vulnificus, which causes serious wound infection and septicemia in humans, was isolated fortuitously from a clinical strain YJ016. This mutant was defective in cy...

Authors: Yu-Chi Ho, Feng-Ru Hung, Chao-Hui Weng, Wei-Ting Li, Tzu-Hung Chuang, Tsung-Lin Liu, Ching-Yuan Lin, Chien-Jung Lo, Chun-Liang Chen, Jen-Wei Chen, Masayuki Hashimoto and Lien-I Hor

Long non-coding RNA and tumor hypoxia: new players ushered toward an old arena

Hypoxia is a classic feature of the tumor microenvironment with a profound impact on cancer progression and therapeutic response. Activation of complex hypoxia pathways orchestrated by the transcription factor...

Authors: Jing-Wen Shih and Hsing-Jien Kung

Baicalin attenuates chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension via adenosine A_2A receptor-induced SDF-1/CXCR4/PI3K/AKT signaling

Baicalin, an important flavonoid in Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi extracts, exerts a variety of pharmacological effects. In this study, we explored the effects of baicalin on chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary ar...

Authors: Xiaoying Huang, Peiliang Wu, Feifei Huang, Min Xu, Mayun Chen, Kate Huang, Guo-ping Li, Manhuan Xu, Dan Yao and Liangxing Wang

Leptin OB3 peptide suppresses leptin-induced signaling and progression in ovarian cancer cells

Obesity and its comorbidities constitute a serious health burden worldwide. Leptin plays an important role in diet control; however, it has a stimulatory potential on cancer cell proliferation. The OB3 peptide...

Authors: Yu-Tang Chin, Le-Ming Wang, Meng-Ti Hsieh, Ya-Jung Shih, André Wendindondé Nana, Chun A. Changou, Yu-Chen S. H. Yang, Hsien-Chung Chiu, Earl Fu, Paul J. Davis, Heng-Yuan Tang and Hung-Yun Lin

Role of free fatty acids in endothelial dysfunction

Plasma free fatty acids levels are increased in subjects with obesity and type 2 diabetes, playing detrimental roles in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Increasing evidence show...

Authors: Arijit Ghosh, Lei Gao, Abhimanyu Thakur, Parco M. Siu and Christopher W. K. Lai

New insights into Blimp-1 in T lymphocytes: a divergent regulator of cell destiny and effector function

B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein-1 (Blimp-1) serves as a master regulator of the development and function of antibody-producing B cells. Given that its function in T lymphocytes has been identified with...

Authors: Shin-Huei Fu, Li-Tzu Yeh, Chin-Chen Chu, B. Lin-Ju Yen and Huey-Kang Sytwu

Erratum to: Significance of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator and its receptor in the progression of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in clinical and mouse models

Authors: Jin-Shuen Chen, Li-Chien Chang, Chung-Ze Wu, Tzu-Ling Tseng, Jui-An Lin, Yuh-Feng Lin and Chao-Wen Cheng

Drug candidates in clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a major form of senile dementia, characterized by progressive memory and neuronal loss combined with cognitive impairment. AD is the most common neurodegenerative disease worldwide,...

Authors: Shih-Ya Hung and Wen-Mei Fu

LncRNA SNHG15 contributes to proliferation, invasion and autophagy in osteosarcoma cells by sponging miR-141

LncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 15 (SNHG15) was reported to play an oncogenic role in tumors. However, the role of SNHG15 and its molecular mechanism in osteosarcoma (OS) cells are largely unknown.

Authors: Ke Liu, Yi Hou, Yunke Liu and Jia Zheng

Klf8 regulates left-right asymmetric patterning through modulation of Kupffer’s vesicle morphogenesis and spaw expression

Although vertebrates are bilaterally symmetric organisms, their internal organs are distributed asymmetrically along a left-right axis. Disruption of left-right axis asymmetric patterning often occurs in human...

Authors: Che-Yi Lin, Ming-Yuan Tsai, Yu-Hsiu Liu, Yu-Fen Lu, Yi-Chung Chen, Yun-Ren Lai, Hsin-Chi Liao, Huang-Wei Lien, Chung-Hsiang Yang, Chang-Jen Huang and Sheng-Ping L. Hwang

PA-6 inhibits inward rectifier currents carried by V93I and D172N gain-of-function K_IR2.1 channels, but increases channel protein expression

The inward rectifier potassium current I_K1 contributes to a stable resting membrane potential and phase 3 repolarization of the cardiac action potential. KCNJ2 gain-of-function mutations V93I and D172N associate ...

Authors: Yuan Ji, Marlieke G. Veldhuis, Jantien Zandvoort, Fee L. Romunde, Marien J. C. Houtman, Karen Duran, Gijs van Haaften, Eva-Maria Zangerl-Plessl, Hiroki Takanari, Anna Stary-Weinzinger and Marcel A. G. van der Heyden

V-J combinations of T-cell receptor predict responses to erythropoietin in end-stage renal disease patients

Anemia is common among end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients who undergone hemodialysis. The total reduction of red blood cell (RBC) count is associated with poor prognosis in these patients. Although erythr...

Authors: Henry Sung-Ching Wong, Che-Mai Chang, Chih-Chin Kao, Yu-Wen Hsu, Xiao Liu, Wen-Chang Chang, Mai-Szu Wu and Wei-Chiao Chang

Crossroads between peripheral atherosclerosis, western-type diet and skeletal muscle pathophysiology: emphasis on apolipoprotein E deficiency and peripheral arterial disease

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory process that, in the presence of hyperlipidaemia, promotes the formation of atheromatous plaques in large vessels of the cardiovascular system. It also affects periphe...

Authors: Peggy Sfyri and Antonios Matsakas

Nuclear factor-kappa B influences early phase of compensatory lung growth after pneumonectomy in mice

Compensatory lung growth (CLG) is a well-established lung regeneration model. However, the sequential mechanisms, including unknown molecular triggers or regulators, remain unclear. Nuclear factor- kappa B (NF...

Authors: Yusuke Takahashi, Noriyuki Matsutani, Hitoshi Dejima, Takashi Nakayama, Hirofumi Uehara and Masafumi Kawamura

Clinical predictors of dengue fever co-infected with leptospirosis among patients admitted for dengue fever – a pilot study

Dengue and leptospirosis infections are currently two major endemics in Malaysia. Owing to the overlapping clinical symptoms between both the diseases, frequent misdiagnosis and confusion of treatment occurs. ...

Authors: Jeyanthi Suppiah, Shie-Yien Chan, Min-Wern Ng, Yam-Sim Khaw, Siew-Mooi Ching, Lailatul Akmar Mat-Nor, Naematul Ain Ahmad-Najimudin and Hui-Yee Chee