A mini review on the short-type peptidoglycan recognition protein in Chinese soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis)

Peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) function as the pattern recognition receptor involved in antibacterial innate immunity. Evidence have showed that the molecular structure and function of PGRPs was conserved in vertebrate. However, as the pivotal species in the evolution of vertebrates, reptiles are believed to be the first vertebrates that have escaped from the aquatic environment and are able to adapt to a variety of different terrestrial lives, few studies about the PGRPs in reptiles has been reported. The Chinese soft-shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis, is an ancient, secondary aquatic reptile with high economic value and nutritional value in Asia, which occupies a unique position in the animal kingdom and has important research value. In the latest research, a PGRP gene which was classified into the member of short-type PGRP family was characterized in Pelodiscus sinensis. This paper presented the latest findings on the molecular structure, expression pattern and function feature of PGRP-S from Pelodiscus sinensis, aiming at revealing that PGRP in vertebrates is evolutionarily conserved.

Biological Products: Molecular Structure and Function

This chapter analyses biological products that are defined by the method of manufacture and distinguished by a production process that separates biological drug products from orthodox, ‘small molecule’ drugs. It explains how biological products are synthesised by a variety of living cells, such as bacteria, fungi, or mammalian cells. It also refers to the types of modern biological therapies that range among proteins, nucleic acids, and whole cells. The chapter discusses monoclonal antibodies, which is considered the largest class of biological products in clinical use and are designed to attach to diseased cells, like cancer cells, that are expressing abnormal proteins on their surface. It describes proteins as chains of amino acids linked to each other chemically by peptide bonds, hence the alternative term ‘polypeptides’.

Advances in Understanding the Roles of CD244 (SLAMF4) in Immune Regulation and Associated Diseases

Proteins in the signaling lymphocytic activating molecule (SLAM) family play crucial roles in regulating the immune system. CD244 (SLAMF4) is a protein in this family, and is also a member of the CD2 subset of the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily. CD244 is a cell surface protein expressed by NK cells, T cells, monocytes, eosinophils, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and dendritic cells. CD244 binds to the ligand CD48 on adjacent cells and transmits stimulatory or inhibitory signals that regulate immune function. In-depth studies reported that CD244 functions in many immune-related diseases, such as autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and cancers, and its action is essential for the onset and progression of these diseases. The discovery of these essential roles of CD244 suggests it has potential as a prognostic indicator or therapeutic target. This review describes the molecular structure and function of CD244 and its roles in various immune cells and immune-related diseases.

Molecular Structure and Function of Janus Kinases: Implications for the Development of Inhibitors

Cytokines can trigger multiple signalling pathways, including Janus tyrosine kinases [JAK] and signal transducers and activators of transcription [STATS] pathways. JAKs are cytoplasmic proteins that, following the binding of cytokines to their receptors, transduce the signal by phosphorylating STAT proteins which enter the nuclei and rapidly target gene promoters to regulate gene transcription. Due to the critical involvement of JAK proteins in mediating innate and adaptive immune responses, these family of kinases have become desirable pharmacological targets in inflammatory diseases, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. In this review we provide an overview of the main cytokines that signal through the JAK/STAT pathway and the available in vivo evidence on mutant or deleted JAK proteins, and discuss the implications of pharmacologically targeting this kinase family in the context of inflammatory diseases.