scholarly journals Environmental Epigenetics: Crossroad between Public Health, Lifestyle, and Cancer Prevention

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Massimo Romani ◽  
Maria Pia Pistillo ◽  
Barbara Banelli
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Chromatin Remodeling ◽  
Genetic Information ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Disease Development ◽  
Health Lifestyle ◽  
Environmental Epigenetics ◽  
Epigenetic Modifiers ◽  
Psychological Influence ◽  
Potential Use

Epigenetics provides the key to transform the genetic information into phenotype and because of its reversibility it is considered an ideal target for therapeutic interventions. This paper reviews the basic mechanisms of epigenetic control: DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, and ncRNA expression and their role in disease development. We describe also the influence of the environment, lifestyle, nutritional habits, and the psychological influence on epigenetic marks and how these factors are related to cancer and other diseases development. Finally we discuss the potential use of natural epigenetic modifiers in the chemoprevention of cancer to link together public health, environment, and lifestyle.

scholarly journals Remodeler Catalyzed Nucleosome Repositioning: Influence of Structure and Stability

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 76
Author(s):  
Aaron Morgan ◽  
Sarah LeGresley ◽  
Christopher Fischer
Keyword(s):  
Free Energy ◽  
Dna Replication ◽  
Recent Work ◽  
Chromatin Remodeling ◽  
Chromatin Structure ◽  
Genetic Information ◽  
Molecular Machines ◽  
Mechanical Work ◽  
Eukaryotic Genome ◽  
Hydrolysis Of

The packaging of the eukaryotic genome into chromatin regulates the storage of genetic information, including the access of the cell’s DNA metabolism machinery. Indeed, since the processes of DNA replication, translation, and repair require access to the underlying DNA, several mechanisms, both active and passive, have evolved by which chromatin structure can be regulated and modified. One mechanism relies upon the function of chromatin remodeling enzymes which couple the free energy obtained from the binding and hydrolysis of ATP to the mechanical work of repositioning and rearranging nucleosomes. Here, we review recent work on the nucleosome mobilization activity of this essential family of molecular machines.

scholarly journals COVID-19 as Viewed by The Pathologist: A Rapid Literature Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Callea
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Disease Duration ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Root Cause ◽  
Critical Data ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Scientific Disciplines ◽  
Key Word ◽  
Public Health Authorities

The current coronavirus outbreak represents a severe threat to public health worldwide. Finding measures to properly manage and prevent the epidemic is ongoing, right now practitioners and public health authorities need immediate, actionable information. Basic science and medical scientific disciplines have quickly produced a quantity of publications never seen with other emergencies, with a risk of exaggerated information and non-evidence-based measures. This rapid literature review of PubMed®/MEDLINE publications from January 20 to April 20, 2020 using COVID-19 as main key-word resulted in over 6.000 articles, with around 600 reviews. The contributions were subsequently clustered in subgroups according to journal sources and preselected areas of reference. Results were aggregated into 4 categories: supported, promising controversial and critical data. This Review has revealed a major criticality: only seven pathology articles were based on post-mortem material (minimally invasive autopsies/biopsies) . Dealing with an unknown disease, autopsies are indispensable to understand pathogenetic mechanisms, in order to rationalize therapeutic interventions. Even more important is to adopt a dedicated protocol aimed at correlating pathological findings with disease duration, patient location (home, hospital ward, ICU), and, for each period, symptoms, and treatment. Autopsy reports should not be released before a multidisciplinary discussion by hospital Root Cause Analysis or Morbidity/Mortality conferences. Telepathology is not a suitable means for such studies.

scholarly journals The Disillusioned Comfort with COVID-19 and the Potential of Convalescent Plasma and Cell Therapy

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. 096368972094071
Author(s):  
Mia C. Borlongan ◽  
Maximillian C. Borlongan ◽  
Paul R. Sanberg
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Stem Cells ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Hand Washing ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Immunomodulatory Properties ◽  
Recommended Guidelines ◽  
Potential Use

Coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 is highly infectious, which can lead to acute and chronic debilitating symptoms, as well as mortality. The advent of safe and effective vaccines or antiviral drugs remains distant in the future. Practical public health measures, such as social distancing, hand washing, and wearing a face mask, are the current recommended guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for limiting the spread of the virus. Weakened immune system and aberrant inflammation represent a major pathological symptom of COVID-19 patients. Based on the unique immunomodulatory properties of both convalescent plasma and stem cells, we discuss here their potential use for treating COVID-19.

scholarly journals GBAF, a small BAF sub-complex with big implications: a systematic review

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah M. Innis ◽  
Birgit Cabot
Keyword(s):  
Chromatin Remodeling ◽  
Cellular Differentiation ◽  
Complex Function ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Mammalian Development ◽  
Aberrant Expression ◽  
Chromatin Remodelers ◽  
Baf Complex ◽  
Chromatin Remodeling Complexes ◽  
Histone Modifying Enzymes

Abstract ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling by histone-modifying enzymes and chromatin remodeling complexes is crucial for maintaining chromatin organization and facilitating gene transcription. In the SWI/SNF family of ATP-dependent chromatin remodelers, distinct complexes such as BAF, PBAF, GBAF, esBAF and npBAF/nBAF are of particular interest regarding their implications in cellular differentiation and development, as well as in various diseases. The recently identified BAF subcomplex GBAF is no exception to this, and information is emerging linking this complex and its components to crucial events in mammalian development. Furthermore, given the essential nature of many of its subunits in maintaining effective chromatin remodeling function, it comes as no surprise that aberrant expression of GBAF complex components is associated with disease development, including neurodevelopmental disorders and numerous malignancies. It becomes clear that building upon our knowledge of GBAF and BAF complex function will be essential for advancements in both mammalian reproductive applications and the development of more effective therapeutic interventions and strategies. Here, we review the roles of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling subcomplex GBAF and its subunits in mammalian development and disease.

scholarly journals miRNAs as Biomarkers in Disease: Latest Findings Regarding Their Role in Diagnosis and Prognosis

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Elena Condrat ◽  
Dana Claudia Thompson ◽  
Madalina Gabriela Barbu ◽  
Oana Larisa Bugnar ◽  
Andreea Boboc ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Specificity ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Diagnosis And Prognosis ◽  
Specificity And Sensitivity ◽  
Online Databases ◽  
Patient Profiles ◽  
Potential Use ◽  
Made In

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent a class of small, non-coding RNAs with the main roles of regulating mRNA through its degradation and adjusting protein levels. In recent years, extraordinary progress has been made in terms of identifying the origin and exact functions of miRNA, focusing on their potential use in both the research and the clinical field. This review aims at improving the current understanding of these molecules and their applicability in the medical field. A thorough analysis of the literature consulting resources available in online databases such as NCBI, PubMed, Medline, ScienceDirect, and UpToDate was performed. There is promising evidence that in spite of the lack of standardized protocols regarding the use of miRNAs in current clinical practice, they constitute a reliable tool for future use. These molecules meet most of the required criteria for being an ideal biomarker, such as accessibility, high specificity, and sensitivity. Despite present limitations, miRNAs as biomarkers for various conditions remain an impressive research field. As current techniques evolve, we anticipate that miRNAs will become a routine approach in the development of personalized patient profiles, thus permitting more specific therapeutic interventions.

Need for evidence-based early intervention programmes: a public health perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 128-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sinan Guloksuz ◽  
Jim van Os
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Early Intervention ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
Public Health Perspective ◽  
Prognostic Accuracy

This paper attempts to discuss why the early intervention agenda based on the current convention of ‘ultra-high risk’ (UHR) or ‘clinical high risk’ (CHR) for ‘transition’ to psychosis framework has been destined to fall short of generating a measurable and economically feasible public health impact. To summarise: (1) the primary determinant of the ‘transition’ rate is not the predictive value of the UHR/CHR but the degree of the risk-enrichment; (2) even with a significant pre-test risk enrichment, the prognostic accuracy of the assessment tools in help-seeking population is mediocre, failing to meet the bare minimum thresholds; (3) therapeutic interventions arguably prolong the time-to-onset of psychotic symptoms instead of preventing ‘transition’, given that the UHR/CHR and ‘transition’ lie on the same unidimensional scale of positive psychotic symptoms; (4) meta-analytical evidence confirms that specific effective treatment for preventing ‘transition’ (the goal—primary outcome—of the UHR/CHR framework) is not available; (5) the UHR/CHR-‘transition’ is a precarious target for research given the unpredictability driven by the sampling strategies and the natural ebb and flow of psychotic symptoms within and between individuals, leading to false positives; (6) only a negligible portion of those who develop psychosis benefits from UHR/CHR services (see prevention paradox); (7) limited data on the cost-effectiveness of these services exist. Given the pitfalls of the narrow focus of the UHR/CHR framework, a broader prevention strategy embracing pluripotency of early psychopathology seems to serve as a better alternative. Nevertheless, there is a need for economic evaluation of these extended transdiagnostic early intervention programmes.

Ace Inhibitors and AT1R Blockers for COVID-2019: Friends or Foes ?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniele Focosi ◽  
Marco Tuccori ◽  
Fabrizio Maggi
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Acute Lung Injury ◽  
Lung Injury ◽  
Critically Ill ◽  
Ace Inhibitors ◽  
Cardiovascular Morbidity ◽  
S Protein ◽  
Public Health Emergencies ◽  
Cardiovascular Morbidity And Mortality ◽  
Potential Use

Human respiratory beta coronavirus are emerging causes for Public Health Emergencies of International Concern (PHEIC). SARS-CoV2 is circulating worldwide since November 2019. We review here the cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in COVID-19, and data supporting the role for dysregulation of the RAS counterregulatory axis due to binding of SARS-CoV2 S protein to ACE2 receptor. Since this counterregulatory axis provides benefits not only on the cardiovascular front but also in acute lung injury, we speculate on potential use of ACE inhibitors and AT1R blockers in critically ill COVID-19 patients, and report current evidences.

scholarly journals The Association Between Intestinal Bacteria and Allergic Diseases—Cause or Consequence?

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pei Han ◽  
Jian-Qing Gu ◽  
Li-Sha Li ◽  
Xue-Yan Wang ◽  
Hong-Tian Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Intestinal Bacteria ◽  
Allergic Diseases ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Disease Development ◽  
Industrialized Countries ◽  
The Past ◽  
Microbial Analysis ◽  
Preclinical And Clinical Studies ◽  
Allergic Disorders

The incidence of allergic disorders has been increasing over the past few decades, especially in industrialized countries. Allergies can affect people of any age. The pathogenesis of allergic diseases is complex and involves genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors, and the response to medication is very variable. For some patients, avoidance is the sole effective therapy, and only when the triggers are identifiable. In recent years, the intestinal microbiota has emerged as a significant contributor to the development of allergic diseases. However, the precise mechanisms related to the effects of the microbiome on the pathogenesis of allergic diseases are unknown. This review summarizes the recent association between allergic disorders and intestinal bacterial dysbiosis, describes the function of gut microbes in allergic disease development from both preclinical and clinical studies, discusses the factors that influence gut microbial diversity and advanced techniques used in microbial analysis. Ultimately, more studies are required to define the host-microbial relationship relevant to allergic disorders and amenable to new therapeutic interventions.

scholarly journals Clinical Potential of miRNAs in Human and Infectious Diseases

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malak Haidar ◽  
Gordon Langlsey
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Human Disease ◽  
Host Response ◽  
Disease Development ◽  
General Outline ◽  
Rna Molecules ◽  
Non Coding Rna ◽  
Therapeutic Tools ◽  
Clinical Potential ◽  
Potential Use

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that play critical roles in human disease. Several miRnome profiling studies have identified miRNAs deregulated in cancer and infectious diseases and miRNAs are also involved in regulation of the host response to infection. Thereby, the usage of miRNAs as biomarkers and potential treatments for both human and infectious diseases is under development. This review will provide insights into the contribution of miRNAs to pathogenesis and disease development and will present a general outline of the potential use of miRNAs as therapeutic tools.

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