scholarly journals Herpesviridae and microRNAs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anwesha Banerjee ◽  
Anupam Mukherjee

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), first discovered in the year 1993 in the nematode C. elegans, are small, approximately 22-nucleotide-long, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression. Cellular miRNAs have been implicated in the control of many biological processes, and their dysregulation is associated with different diseases. They can be significantly up/downregulated upon infection or disease, serving as excellent biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Several human DNA viruses, including many herpesviruses, have now been reported to encode viral miRNAs. There are a variety of possible interactions and mechanisms of viral microRNAs (vmiRNAs) which are yet to be remains obscure. Viral miRNAs can function as orthologs of cellular miRNAs and regulate their expression. Additionally, viruses have also developed vmiRNA mechanisms to avoid being targeted by the host miRNAs. Herpes Simplex Viruses (HSV-1 & HSV-2) cause genital and oral herpes, establishing lifelong latent infections in their hosts, and it is one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) worldwide. vmiRNAs play essential roles in Herpesvirus biology. In this chapter, we will discuss the current knowledge about miRNAs and their role in different stages of Herpesvirus infection. It will also elaborate the biomarkers, therapeutic potential of these molecules, and the prospective areas of future research.

Author(s):  
Rajesh Shah

INTRODUCTION The Homeopathy nosodes are the preparations sourced from organisms and diseased material such as warts and other cancerous tissues. The nosodes such as Psorinum (1826-30), Tuberculinum (1879), Medorrhinum (1880-85), Syphillinum (1880) and others have been in use in homeopathy practice since early 19th century. In the recent years, certain new nosodes such as HIV nosode, Hepatitis C nosode, Mycobacterium Tuberculosis nosode, Plasmodia Falciparum Nosode, Swine Flu and more have been systematically introduced. MATERIALS AND METHODS The scrapping and the tissues from the genital warts clusters were collected carefully and were tested for the evaluation of STD (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) panel and HPV-DNA-PCR for screening high risk type followed by genotype determination. The collected tissue sample was processed as per the procedure defined developing the Nosodes, in the Homeopathy Pharmacopoeia of India. Sterility testing and PCR tests were carried out for safety purpose. RESULT Human papillomavirus (HPV Genotype 6) Nosode sourced from the genital wart tissues; detected positive for Human papillomavirus genotype 6 was prepared and standardized for future research and clinical exploration. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION The HPV (Genotype 6) nosode contained the whole organisms in pure form. The therapeutic potential of HPV (Genotype 6) Nosode may be explored against viral warts affecting the genitals, anus, mouth, and respiratory tract.


Author(s):  
Barbara S Sixt

ABSTRACT The phylum Chlamydiae constitutes a group of obligate intracellular bacteria that infect a remarkably diverse range of host species. Some representatives are significant pathogens of clinical or veterinary importance. For instance, Chlamydia trachomatis is the leading infectious cause of blindness and the most common bacterial agent of sexually transmitted diseases. Chlamydiae are exceptionally dependent on their eukaryotic host cells as a consequence of their developmental biology. At the same time, host cell death is an integral part of the chlamydial infection cycle. It is therefore not surprising that the bacteria have evolved exquisite and versatile strategies to modulate host cell survival and death programs to their advantage. The recent introduction of tools for genetic modification of Chlamydia spp., in combination with our increasing awareness of the complexity of regulated cell death in eukaryotic cells, and in particular of its connections to cell-intrinsic immunity, has revived the interest in this virulence trait. However, recent advances also challenged long-standing assumptions and highlighted major knowledge gaps. This review summarizes current knowledge in the field and discusses possible directions for future research, which could lead us to a deeper understanding of Chlamydia’s virulence strategies and may even inspire novel therapeutic approaches.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatriz Subtil ◽  
Alessandra Cambi ◽  
Daniele V. F. Tauriello ◽  
I. Jolanda M. de Vries

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most diagnosed malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Locally advanced and metastatic disease exhibit resistance to therapy and are prone to recurrence. Despite significant advances in standard of care and targeted (immuno)therapies, the treatment effects in metastatic CRC patients have been modest. Untreatable cancer metastasis accounts for poor prognosis and most CRC deaths. The generation of a strong immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) by CRC constitutes a major hurdle for tumor clearance by the immune system. Dendritic cells (DCs), often impaired in the TME, play a critical role in the initiation and amplification of anti-tumor immune responses. Evidence suggests that tumor-mediated DC dysfunction is decisive for tumor growth and metastasis initiation, as well as for the success of immunotherapies. Unravelling and understanding the complex crosstalk between CRC and DCs holds promise for identifying key mechanisms involved in tumor progression and spread that can be exploited for therapy. The main goal of this review is to provide an overview of the current knowledge on the impact of CRC-driven immunosuppression on DCs phenotype and functionality, and its significance for disease progression, patient prognosis, and treatment response. Moreover, present knowledge gaps will be highlighted as promising opportunities to further understand and therapeutically target DC dysfunction in CRC. Given the complexity and heterogeneity of CRC, future research will benefit from the use of patient-derived material and the development of in vitro organoid-based co-culture systems to model and study DCs within the CRC TME.


Author(s):  
Stephen EMMANUEL ◽  
Ademidun Adeola ADESIBIKAN ◽  
Oluwole Solomon OLADEJI

The applications of medicinal plant species for diverse therapeutic effects are well documented throughout the world. In recent times, the screening of higher plants for unique biologically active compounds, particularly those with pronounced therapeutic potency, has received the interest of the science community. A wound is a loss or break in the anatomic stability of active tissue. It not only poses a physical and mental threat to zillions of people but could cause the failure of multiple organs, amputation, and even death. Therefore, thousands of plants have been screened to obtain active metabolites or compounds that can accelerate the process of restoring the damaged tissue structure and inhibit the probability of infections. Due to the severity of wounds to the human body, it is essential to explore safe, economical, and environmentally friendly therapeutics from nature. This review aims to conduct a comprehensive search of medicinal herbs to uncover their therapeutic potential, identify gaping holes, and assess future research prospects that could lead to the discovery of novel pharmacophores. Thus, the review is tailored towards the appraisals of phytotherapeutic mechanism and wound healing efficacy of medicinal plants, which will help spur future research and improve our current knowledge leading to the unearthing of novel and potent pharmacophores with pronounced wound healing potentials. Several medicinal plants with scientifically proven wound-healing activities are reported and discussed alongside phytochemicals present their various extracts and isolates. The achievable wound-healing closure rate of each plant was also reported with a focus on what is responsible for the healing rate.


2002 ◽  
Vol 69 ◽  
pp. 117-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart M. Haslam ◽  
David Gems ◽  
Howard R. Morris ◽  
Anne Dell

There is no doubt that the immense amount of information that is being generated by the initial sequencing and secondary interrogation of various genomes will change the face of glycobiological research. However, a major area of concern is that detailed structural knowledge of the ultimate products of genes that are identified as being involved in glycoconjugate biosynthesis is still limited. This is illustrated clearly by the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans, which was the first multicellular organism to have its entire genome sequenced. To date, only limited structural data on the glycosylated molecules of this organism have been reported. Our laboratory is addressing this problem by performing detailed MS structural characterization of the N-linked glycans of C. elegans; high-mannose structures dominate, with only minor amounts of complex-type structures. Novel, highly fucosylated truncated structures are also present which are difucosylated on the proximal N-acetylglucosamine of the chitobiose core as well as containing unusual Fucα1–2Gal1–2Man as peripheral structures. The implications of these results in terms of the identification of ligands for genomically predicted lectins and potential glycosyltransferases are discussed in this chapter. Current knowledge on the glycomes of other model organisms such as Dictyostelium discoideum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Drosophila melanogaster is also discussed briefly.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 376-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonali Mishra ◽  
Nupur Srivastava ◽  
Velusamy Sundaresan ◽  
Karuna Shanker

Background: Decalepis arayalpathra (J. Joseph and V. Chandras.) Venter is used primarily for nutrition besides its therapeutic values. Traditional preparations/formulations from its tuber are used as a vitalizer and blood purifier drink. The folklore medicinal uses cover inflammation, cough, wound healing, antipyretic, and digestive system management. A comprehensive review of the current understanding of the plant is required due to emerging concerns over its safety and efficacy. Objective: The systematic collection of the authentic information from different sources with the critical discussion is summarised in order to address various issues related to botanical identity, therapeutic medicine, nutritional usage, phytochemical, and pharmacological potentials of the D. arayalpathra. Current use of traditional systems of medicine can be used to expand future research opportunities. Materials and Methods: Available scripted information was collected manually, from peered review research papers and international databases viz. Science Direct, Google Scholar, SciFinder, Scopus, etc. The unpublished resources which were not available in database were collected through the classical books of ‘Ayurveda’ and ‘Siddha’ published in regional languages. The information from books, Ph.D. and MSc dissertations, conference papers and government reports were also collected. We thoroughly screened the scripted information of classical books, titles, abstracts, reports, and full-texts of the journals to establish the reliability of the content. Results: Tuber bearing vanilla like signature flavor is due to the presence of 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde (HMB). Among five other species, Decalepis arayalpathra (DA) has come under the ‘critically endangered’ category, due to over-exploitation for traditional, therapeutic and cool drink use. The experimental studies proved that it possesses gastro-protective, anti-tumor, and antiinflammatory activities. Some efforts were also made to develop better therapeutics by logical modifications in 2-Hydroxy-4-methoxy-benzaldehyde, which is a major secondary metabolite of D. arayalpathra. ‘Amruthapala’ offers the enormous opportunity to develop herbal drink with health benefits like gastro-protective, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory actions. Results: The plant has the potential to generate the investigational new lead (IND) based on its major secondary metabolite i.e. 2-Hydroxy-4-methoxy-benzaldehyde. The present mini-review summarizes the current knowledge on Decalepis arayalpathra, covering its phytochemical diversity, biological potentials, strategies for its conservation, and intellectual property rights (IPR) status. Chemical Compounds: 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde (Pubchem CID: 69600), α-amyrin acetate (Pubchem CID: 293754), Magnificol (Pubchem CID: 44575983), β-sitosterol (Pubchem CID: 222284), 3-hydroxy-p-anisaldehyde (Pubchem CID: 12127), Naringenin (Pubchem CID: 932), Kaempferol (Pubchem CID: 5280863), Aromadendrin (Pubchem CID: 122850), 3-methoxy-1,2-cyclopentanedione (Pubchem CID: 61209), p-anisaldehyde (Pubchem CID: 31244), Menthyl acetate (Pubchem CID: 27867), Benzaldehyde (Pubchem CID: 240), p-cymene (Pubchem CID: 7463), Salicylaldehyde (Pubchem CID: 6998), 10-epi-γ-eudesmol (Pubchem CID: 6430754), α -amyrin (Pubchem CID: 225688), 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzaldehyde (Pubchem CID: 12127).


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuyuan Li ◽  
Yue Tang ◽  
Yushun Dou

Background: Exosomes, one of the extracellular vesicles, are widely present in all biological fluids and play an important role in intercellular communication. Because of its hydrophobic lipid bilayer and aqueous hydrophilic core structure, it is considered a possible alternative to liposome drug delivery systems. Not only do they protect the cargo like liposomes during delivery, they are less toxic and better tolerated. However, due to the lack of sources and methods for obtaining enough exosomes, the therapeutic application of exosomes as drug carriers is limited. Methods: A literature search was performed using the ScienceDirect and PubMed electronic databases to obtain information from published literature on milk exosomes related to drug delivery. Results: Here, we briefly reviewed the current knowledge of exosomes, expounded the advantages of milk-derived exosomes over other delivery vectors, including a higher yield, the oral delivery characteristic and additional therapeutic benefits. The purification and drug loading methods of milk exosomes, and the current application of milk exosomes were also introduced. Conclusion: The emergence of milk-derived exosomes is expected to break through the limitations of exosomes as therapeutic carriers of drugs. We hope to raise awareness of the therapeutic potential of milk-derived exosomes as a new drug delivery system.


Author(s):  
Vijay Kumar

: Mimosa pudica Linn is an integrated part of Traditional Medicines Systems of India, China, Africa, Korea and America. It has been used from centuries in traditional medicines to cure different diseases like fever, diabetes, constipation, jaundice, ulcers, biliousness, and dyspepsia. It is an important ingredient of wide class of herbal formulations. To assess the scientific evidence for therapeutic potential of Mimosa pudica Linn and to identify the gaps for future research. The available information on the ethno-medicinal uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of Mimosa pudica Linn was collected via a library and electronic searches in Sci-Finder, Pub-Med, Science Direct, Google Scholar for the period, 1990 to 2020. In traditional medicinal systems, variety of ethno-medicinal applications of Mimosa pudica Linn has been noticed. Phytochemical investigation has resulted in identification of 40 well known chemical constituents, among which alkaloids, phenols and flavionoids are the predominant groups. The crude extracts and isolates have exhibited a wide spectrum of in vitro and in vivo pharmacological activities including anti-cancer, anti-inflammation, osteoporosis, neurological disorders, hypertension etc.. To quantify the Mimosa pudica Linn and its formulations, analytical techniques like HPLC and HPTLC has shown dominancy with good range of recovery and detection limit. Mimosa pudica Linn is the well-known herb since an ancient time. The pharmacological results supported some of the applications of Mimosa pudica Linn in traditional medicine systems. Perhaps, the predominance of alkaloids, phenols and flavionoids are responsible for the pharmacological activities the crude extracts and isolates of Mimosa pudica Linn. Further, there is need to isolate and evaluate the active chemical constituents of Mimosa pudica Linn having significant medicinal values. In future, it is important to study the exact mechanism associated with the phytochemicals of Mimosa pudica Linn especially on anti-cancer activities. Notably, toxicity studies on Mimosa pudica Linn are limited which are to be explored in future for the safe application of Mimosa pudica Linn and its formulations.


Author(s):  
Thomas E. Fuller-Rowell ◽  
David S. Curtis ◽  
Adrienne M. Duke

Conceptual frameworks for racial/ethnic health disparities are abundant, but many have received insufficient empirical attention. As a result, there are substantial gaps in scientific knowledge and a range of untested hypotheses. Particularly lacking is specificity in behavioral and biological mechanisms for such disparities and their underlying social determinants. Alongside lack of political will and public investment, insufficient clarity in mechanisms has stymied efforts to address racial health disparities. Capitalizing on emergent findings from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study and other longitudinal studies of aging, this chapter evaluates research on health disparities between black and white US adults. Attention is given to candidate behavioral and biological mechanisms as precursors to group differences in morbidity and mortality and to environmental and sociocultural factors that may underlie these mechanisms. Future research topics are discussed, emphasizing those that offer promise with respect to illuminating practical solutions to racial/ethnic health disparities.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles James ◽  
Catherine Walshe ◽  
Katherine Froggatt

Abstract Background The knowledge about the experience of informal caregivers who provide care to people with moderate to advanced dementia in a domestic home setting is limited. A consequence of long hours of caregiving in addition to dealing with normal challenges of daily living is their experience of a poor quality of life. Some of their experiences may be described in terms of a feeling of powerlessness to make changes during care provision. This feeling may also suggest an experience of moral distress. The aim of this systematic review is to synthesise qualitative evidence relating to these experiences. Methods This review adopts a narrative synthesis approach. A search will be conducted for studies written in the English language in the bibliographic databases MEDLINE Complete, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Academic Search Complete covering periods from 1984 to present. Included studies will be qualitative or mixed-methods designs. The search terms will be related to dementia and caregivers, and the process will be focused on dementia at the moderate to the advanced stages within the domestic home setting. Reference lists of included papers will also be searched for additional relevant citations. Search terms and strategies will be checked by two independent reviewers. The identification of abstracts and full texts of studies will be done by the author, while the quality and the risk of bias will also be checked by the two independent reviewers. Discussion Psychological distress is cited as an experience reported within informal caregiving. For the caregiver, it is associated with a negative impact on general health. To date, no synthesis exists on the specific experience of informal caregiving for people with moderate to advanced dementia within the domestic home setting. This review considers that variation of accounts contributes to how the informal caregivers’ general experience is explored in future research. This may enable gaps in current knowledge to be highlighted within the wider context of caregiving in the domestic home setting. Systematic review registration This review is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020183649).


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