Scientific Publications

To date, no specific treatments have been developed for high-salt-induced hypertensive vascular damage, emphasizing the need to elucidate its underlying molecular mechanisms for therapeutic innovation. Kaempferol (Kae), a natural flavonol belonging to the flavonoid family, has demonstrated significant vascular protective effects in previous studies. However, its impact on high-salt-induced hypertensive vascular injury remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the pharmacological effects and underlying mechanisms of Kae in mitigating hypertensive vascular damage.

• Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S175646462500026X?via%3Dihub

To explore the autoimmune component of sarcoid uveitis (SU) by analyzing serum anti-retinal antibodies (ARAs), identifying targeted retinal proteins, T- and B-cell receptor repertoires and HLA genotype.

• Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896841125000204?via%3Dihub

Target identification is crucial for drug screening and development because it can reveal the mechanism of drug action and ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results. Chemical biology, an interdisciplinary field combining chemistry and biology, can assist in this process by studying the interactions between active molecular compounds and proteins and their physiological effects. It can also help predict potential drug targets or candidates, develop new biomarker assays and diagnostic reagents, and evaluate the selectivity and range of active compounds to reduce the risk of off-target effects.

• Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/tcr.202400182

Recombination-activating gene 1 (RAG1) and RAG2 are required for V(D)J recombination, which directs mature B and T cell development and a fully functional adaptive immune system. Hypomorphic variants of the RAG genes in humans results in an array of immunodeficiencies, which all have distinct features for reasons not well understood. Bosticardo et al. performed a multiomics analysis of 157 patients with RAG deficiency who presented with a spectrum of disease phenotypes along with 135 age-matched controls. Analyzing blood, bone marrow, and other tissue biopsies, the authors found prominent signatures of immune dysregulation with both common and distinctive features in these patients. These findings may direct phenotype-specific therapeutic interventions before patients can receive definitive treatments.

• Link: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciimmunol.adq1697

The survival rate of patients with glioma has not significantly increased in recent years despite aggressive treatment and advances in immunotherapy. The limited response to treatments is partially attributed to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, in which regulatory T cells (Treg) play a pivotal role in immunologic tolerance. In this study, we investigated the impact of complement factor H (FH) on Tregs within the glioma microenvironment and found that FH is an ICOS ligand.

• Link: https://aacrjournals.org/cancerimmunolres/article/13/1/122/750794/Complement-Factor-H-Is-an-ICOS-Ligand-Modulating

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are the most prescribed anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs. However, their use is often limited by substantial side effects, such as GC-induced osteoporosis (GIO) with the underlying mechanisms still not fully understood. In this study, we identify Tau as a low-affinity binding receptor for GCs that plays a crucial role in GIO. Tau deficiency largely abolished bone loss induced by high-dose dexamethasone, a synthetic GC, in both inflammatory arthritis and GIO models.

• Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41422-024-01016-0

Retrospective characterization of cell-cell relationships in the tumor microenvironment provides significantly better predictive power than PD-L1 expression, tumor mutational burden (TMB), or gene expression profiles. In this small study assessing the safety and possible efficacy of gemcitabine and pembrolizumab in immunotherapy-naïve patients with NSCLC who have received prior treatment, we investigated both standard and novel immune parameters on 16 enrolled patients.

• Link: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.20.24317919v1

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a cancer of plasma cells caused by abnormal gene expression and interactions within the bone marrow (BM) niche. The BM environment significantly influences the progression of MM. Celastrol, a natural compound derived from traditional Chinese medicine, exhibits significant anticancer effects. This study aimed to identify specific targets of celastrol and develop more effective and less toxic treatment options for MM. Celastrol is used as a probe to determine its specific target, pyridoxine-5′-phosphate oxidase (PNPO). Increased levels of PNPO are associated with poor outcomes in MM patients, and PNPO promotes MM cell proliferation and induces osteoclast differentiation through exosomes.

• Link: https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/advs.202407681

Autoantibodies hold promise for diagnosing lung cancer. However, their effectiveness in early-stage detection needs improvement. In this study, we investigated novel IgG and IgM autoantibodies for detecting early-stage lung adenocarcinoma (Early-LUAD) by employing a multi-step approach, including Human Proteome Microarray (HuProtTM) discovery, focused microarray verification, and ELISA validation, on 1246 individuals consisting of 634 patients with Early-LUAD (stage 0–I), 280 patients with benign lung disease (BLD), and 332 normal healthy controls (NHCs). HuProtTM selected 417 IgG/IgM candidates, and focused microarray further verified 55 significantly elevated IgG/IgM autoantibodies targeting 32 tumor-associated antigens in Early-LUAD compared to BLD/NHC/BLD+NHC.

• Link: https://academic.oup.com/gpb/article/22/6/qzae085/7921422

Ulcerative colitis (UC) poses a threat to human health. The present study attempts to unravel the efficacy and potential mechanisms of paeoniflorin (PF), a naturally sourced active ingredient, for the management of UC. By establishing a DSS (dextran sulphate sodium)-induced experimental rat model of UC, this study found that PF was effective in ameliorating UC symptoms, inhibiting oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis, and repairing colonic epithelial damage. In addition, metabolomics revealed that PF may alleviate UC by primarily improving linoleic acid metabolism.

• Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1567576924015601?via%3Dihub