Oral cavity infection by the SARS-CoV-2: emphasizing the essence of masking and peptide therapeutics

The SARS-CoV-2 has infected many people globally with the ravaging COVID-19; a disease, which has become challenging for every aspect of modern healthcare. The saliva and oral mucosa are sites of high risk for increased viral loads, and aside from the usual epithelial functions like lining and protection, the oral mucosa is also specialized for crucial functions, such as secretion, mastication, sensory perception, and taste perception. The human ACE2 receptor has been extensively studied for its essential role in the regulation of blood pressure homeostasis. However, scRNA-Seq studies have revealed high expression levels of the protein in keratinized epithelial surfaces of the oral cavity. The SARS-CoV-2 have access to the host’s body by binding to the ACE2 receptor, leading to the cleavage and major conformational changes in the viral spike glycoprotein for the release of its nucleocapsid into the cellular cytoplasm. This proteolytic cleavage is carried out by the TMPRSS2 and cathepsin L. In this study, we harnessed the information from the binding interface of TMPRSS2 and PAI-1 (a protease inhibitor known to inhibit the TMPRSS2 and several other proteases) to design a potential therapeutic peptide for the inhibition of the TMPRSS2, while also emphasizing the need for preventive masking.

Leptin and Its Role in Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis: An Overview

Adipose tissue (AT) in the body plays a very important role in the regulation of energy metabolism. AT regulates energy metabolism by secreting adipokines. Some of the adipokines released are vaspin, resistin, adiponectin, visfatin and omentin, and leptin. In addition to regulating energy metabolism, leptin plays a role in the regulation of many physiological functions of the body such as regulation of blood pressure, inflammation, nutrition, appetite, insulin and glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, coagulation, and apoptosis. Among all these physiological functions, the relationship between leptin, oxidative stress, and apoptosis has gained great importance recently due to its therapeutic effect in various types of cancer. For this reason, in this study, the release of leptin, its cellular effects and its effect on oxidative stress, and apoptosis are discussed in line with current information.

Therapeutics Effects and Health Benefits of the Caucasus Koumiss: A Review

Koumiss (koumyss, kumiss, kumys, kumyz, kimiz or coomy) has been popular in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and the Turkic, Mongolian, and Caucasian peoples of Russia: Altay, Bashkortostan, Buryatia, Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, Kalmykia, Karachaevo-Cherkessia, Tatarstan, Tyva, Chuvashia, and Saha (Yakutia). Many countries in numerous Central Asian countries provide Koumiss therapeutic services, which are primarily provided by small and medium-sized accommodation firms that are particularly active in rural areas of those countries. Koumiss is classified as a functional food due to its nutritional and medicinal properties. Many health benefits of koumiss include high probiotic content; antibacterial and antifungal characteristics; regulation of immunity; maintenance of a healthy gastric-intestinal system; regulation of cholesterol and sugar levels; regulation of blood pressure; and induction of some important vitamins. The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of the health benefits of koumiss.

New Functions of Vav Family Proteins in Cardiovascular Biology, Skeletal Muscle, and the Nervous System

Vav proteins act as tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated guanosine nucleotide exchange factors for Rho GTPases and as molecular scaffolds. In mammals, this family of signaling proteins is composed of three members (Vav1, Vav2, Vav3) that work downstream of protein tyrosine kinases in a wide variety of cellular processes. Recent work with genetically modified mouse models has revealed that these proteins play key signaling roles in vascular smooth and skeletal muscle cells, specific neuronal subtypes, and glia cells. These functions, in turn, ensure the proper regulation of blood pressure levels, skeletal muscle mass, axonal wiring, and fiber myelination events as well as systemic metabolic balance. The study of these mice has also led to the discovery of new physiological interconnection among tissues that contribute to the ontogeny and progression of different pathologies such as, for example, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome. Here, we provide an integrated view of all these new Vav family-dependent signaling and physiological functions.

Endogenous Mammalian Cardiotonic Steroids—A New Cardiovascular Risk Factor?—A Mini-Review

The role of endogenous mammalian cardiotonic steroids (CTS) in the physiology and pathophysiology of the cardiovascular system and the kidneys has interested researchers for more than 20 years. Cardiotonic steroids extracted from toads or plants, such as digitalis, have been used to treat heart disease since ancient times. CTS, also called endogenous digitalis-like factors, take part in the regulation of blood pressure and sodium homeostasis through their effects on the transport enzyme called sodium–potassium adenosine triphosphatase (Na/K-ATPase) in renal and cardiovascular tissue. In recent years, there has been increasing evidence showing deleterious effects of CTS on the structure and function of the heart, vasculature and kidneys. Understanding the role of CTS may be useful in the development of potential new therapeutic strategies.

Gut-Brain-Microbiota Axis and Hypertension: a literature review

: The gut and brain are linked via various bidirectional pathways, communicate with and affect each other. The interaction be-tween the gut-brain axis and the gut microbiota has attracted much attention in the development of hypertension. In this review, we have discussed the gut-brain-microbiota axis and its association with gut dysbiosis in terms of regulation of blood pressure using the autonomic nervous system, immune system, metabolites, hormones, and neurotransmitters. In addition, the treat-ments using microbiota that have been tried to date are briefly summarized. By understanding the mechanism by which gut-brain-microbiota regulates blood pressure, the novel targets for hypertension treatment or a new therapeutic approach us-ing the gut-brain-microbiota could be investigated.

Role of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System in Various Disease Processes: An Overview

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is a physiological system that plays an important role in the regulation of blood pressure and body water-electrolyte balance, in which the kidney, liver and lungs play a role in its activation. This system comes into play in various diseases such as the cardiovascular, renal, pulmonary and nervous system where blood pressure and fluid-electrolyte balance may change. The purpose of this study, which is presented in line with this information, is to explain the working principle of this system, how this system is activated, how it comes into play in the mentioned diseases, and what kind of results occur.