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Journal of Clinical and Experimental... Oct 2022The identification of non-invasive biomarkers from biological fluids collected by liquid biopsy provides new horizons for individualized therapeutic strategies and... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The identification of non-invasive biomarkers from biological fluids collected by liquid biopsy provides new horizons for individualized therapeutic strategies and improves clinical decision-making in OSCC patients. Circulating microRNAs have emerged as biomarkers that may reflect not only the existence of cancer, but also the dynamic, malignant potential, and drug resistance of tumors. The aim of the systematic review is to evaluate and summarize the results of the published studies regarding the use of microRNAs as biomarkers for OSCC.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
A literature search was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases till November 2020. A total of 34 studies met the inclusion criteria and were therefore subjected to quality assessment. Each study was subjected to data extraction including; patient characteristics, type of fluid sample (whole blood, plasma, serum, or saliva), molecular analysis method, specific dysregulated microRNA, and microRNA expression pattern.
RESULTS
The analysis showed that 57 microRNAs of liquid biopsy samples of four different fluids (whole blood, serum, plasma, and saliva) were analyzed. The prognostic and therapeutic significance of these microRNAs were suggested by several studies; where 41 microRNAs were upregulated while 16 were downregulated.
CONCLUSIONS
Scientific evidence supports the interest in the use of microRNAs in the diagnosis and prognosis in OSCC patients; however, further studies in a larger cohort of patients are mandatory to introduce liquid biopsy in the routine clinical practice for the OSCC management. Biomarkers, liquid biopsy, microRNA, oral squamous cell carcinoma, systematic review.
PubMed: 36320672
DOI: 10.4317/jced.59736 -
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies Sep 2022Epimedii has long been used as a traditional medicine in Asia for the treatment of various common diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, cancer, erectile dysfunction,...
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
Epimedii has long been used as a traditional medicine in Asia for the treatment of various common diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, cancer, erectile dysfunction, and stroke. Studies have reported the ameliorative effects of Icariside II (ICS II), a major metabolite of Epimedii, on acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in animal models. Based on network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we conducted a systematic review to evaluate the effects and neuroprotective mechanisms of ICS II on AIS.
METHODS
First, we have searched 6 databases using studies with ICS II treatment on AIS animal models to explore the efficacy of ICS II on AIS in preclinical studies. The literature retrieval time ended on March 8, 2022 (Systematic Review Registration ID: CRD42022306291). There were no restrictions on the language of the search strategy. Systematic review follows the Patient, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome (PICO) methodology and framework. SYCLE's RoB tool was used to evaluate the the risk of bias. In network pharmacology, AIS-related genes were identified and the target-pathway network was constructed. Then, these targets were used in the enrichments of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways and gene ontology (GO). Molecular docking and MD simulation were finally employed between ICS II and the potential target genes.
RESULTS
Twelve publications were included describing outcomes of 1993 animals. The literature details, animal strains, induction models, doses administered, duration of administration, and outcome measures were extracted from the 12 included studies. ICS II has a good protective effect against AIS. Most of the studies in this systematic review had the appropriate methodological quality, but some did not clearly state the controlling for bias of potential study. Network pharmacology identified 246 targets with SRC, CTNNB1, HSP90AA1, MAPK1, and RELA as the core target proteins. Besides, 215 potential pathways of ICS II were identified, such as PI3K-Akt, MAPK, and cGMP-PKG signaling pathway. GO enrichment analysis showed that ICS II was significantly enriched in subsequent regulation such as MAPK cascade. Molecular docking and MD simulations showed that ICS II can closely bind with important targets.
CONCLUSIONS
ICS II is a promising drug in the treatment of AIS. However, this systematic review reveals key knowledge gaps (i.e., the protective role of ICS II in women) that ICS II must address before it can be used for the treatment of human AIS. Our study shows that ICS II plays a protective role in AIS through multi-target and multi-pathway characteristics, providing ideas for the development of drugs for the treatment of AIS.
Topics: Animals; Female; Flavonoids; Humans; Ischemic Stroke; Male; Molecular Docking Simulation; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
PubMed: 36180911
DOI: 10.1186/s12906-022-03732-9 -
Virology Journal May 2021In recent years, oncolytic viruses (OVs) have drawn attention as a novel therapy to various types of cancers, both in clinical and preclinical cancer studies all around... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
In recent years, oncolytic viruses (OVs) have drawn attention as a novel therapy to various types of cancers, both in clinical and preclinical cancer studies all around the world. Consequently, researchers have been actively working on enhancing cancer therapy since the early twentieth century. This study presents a systematic review of the literature on OVs, discusses underlying research clusters and, presents future directions of OVs research.
METHODS
A total of 1626 published articles related to OVs as cancer therapy were obtained from the Web of Science (WoS) database published between January 2000 and March 2020. Various aspects of OVs research, including the countries/territories, institutions, journals, authors, citations, research areas, and content analysis to find trending and emerging topics, were analysed using the bibliometrix package in the R-software.
RESULTS
In terms of the number of publications, the USA based researchers were the most productive (n = 611) followed by Chinese (n = 197), and Canadian (n = 153) researchers. The Molecular Therapy journal ranked first both in terms of the number of publications (n = 133) and local citations (n = 1384). The most prominent institution was Mayo Clinic from the USA (n = 117) followed by the University of Ottawa from Canada (n = 72), and the University of Helsinki from Finland (n = 63). The most impactful author was Bell J.C with the highest number of articles (n = 67) and total local citations (n = 885). The most impactful article was published in the Cell journal. In addition, the latest OVs research mainly builds on four research clusters.
CONCLUSION
The domain of OVs research has increased at a rapid rate from 2000 to 2020. Based on the synthesis of reviewed studies, adenovirus, herpes simplex virus, reovirus, and Newcastle disease virus have shown potent anti-cancer activity. Developed countries such as the USA, Canada, the UK, and Finland were the most productive, hence, contributed most to this field. Further collaboration will help improve the clinical research translation of this therapy and bring benefits to cancer patients worldwide.
Topics: Bibliometrics; Databases, Factual; Humans; Neoplasms; Oncolytic Virotherapy; Oncolytic Viruses
PubMed: 33980264
DOI: 10.1186/s12985-021-01571-7 -
Frontiers in Pharmacology 2024Matrine, an alkaloid derived from the dried roots of Aiton, has been utilized for the treatment of liver diseases, but its potential hepatotoxicity raises concerns....
Matrine, an alkaloid derived from the dried roots of Aiton, has been utilized for the treatment of liver diseases, but its potential hepatotoxicity raises concerns. However, the precise condition and mechanism of action of matrine on the liver remain inconclusive. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to comprehensively evaluate both the hepatoprotective and hepatotoxic effects of matrine and provide therapeutic guidance based on the findings. The meta-analysis systematically searched relevant preclinical literature up to May 2023 from eight databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang Med Online, China Science and Technology Journal Database, and China Biomedical Literature Service System. The CAMARADES system assessed the quality and bias of the evidence. Statistical analysis was conducted using STATA, which included the use of 3D maps and radar charts to display the effects of matrine dosage and frequency on hepatoprotection and hepatotoxicity. After a thorough screening, 24 studies involving 657 rodents were selected for inclusion. The results demonstrate that matrine has bidirectional effects on ALT and AST levels, and it also regulates SOD, MDA, serum TG, serum TC, IL-6, TNF-α, and CAT levels. Based on our comprehensive three-dimensional analysis, the optimal bidirectional effective dosage of matrine ranges from 10 to 69.1 mg/kg. However, at a dose of 20-30 mg/kg/d for 0.02-0.86 weeks, it demonstrated high liver protection and low toxicity. The molecular docking analysis revealed the interaction between MT and SERCA as well as SREBP-SCAP complexes. Matrine could alter Ca homeostasis in liver injury via multiple pathways, including the SREBP1c/SCAP, Notch/RBP-J/HES1, IκK/NF-κB, and Cul3/Rbx1/Keap1/Nrf2. Matrine has bidirectional effects on the liver at doses ranging from 10 to 69.1 mg/kg by influencing Ca homeostasis in the cytoplasm, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, and mitochondria. https://inplasy.com/, identifier INPLASY202340114.
PubMed: 38348397
DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1315584 -
Frontiers in Plant Science 2023Drought stress is one of the most limiting factors for agriculture and ecosystem productivity. Climate change exacerbates this threat by inducing increasingly intense...
AIMS
Drought stress is one of the most limiting factors for agriculture and ecosystem productivity. Climate change exacerbates this threat by inducing increasingly intense and frequent drought events. Root plasticity during both drought and post-drought recovery is regarded as fundamental to understanding plant climate resilience and maximizing production. We mapped the different research areas and trends that focus on the role of roots in plant response to drought and rewatering and asked if important topics were overlooked.
METHODS
We performed a comprehensive bibliometric analysis based on journal articles indexed in the Web of Science platform from 1900-2022. We evaluated a) research areas and temporal evolution of keyword frequencies, b) temporal evolution and scientific mapping of the outputs over time, c) trends in the research topics analysis, d) marked journals and citation analysis, and e) competitive countries and dominant institutions to understand the temporal trends of root plasticity during both drought and recovery in the past 120 years.
RESULTS
Plant physiological factors, especially in the aboveground part (such as "photosynthesis", "gas-exchange", "abscisic-acid") in model plants Arabidopsis, crops such as wheat and maize, and trees were found to be the most popular study areas; they were also combined with other abiotic factors such as salinity, nitrogen, and climate change, while dynamic root growth and root system architecture responses received less attention. Co-occurrence network analysis showed that three clusters were classified for the keywords including 1) photosynthesis response; 2) physiological traits tolerance (e.g. abscisic acid); 3) root hydraulic transport. Thematically, themes evolved from classical agricultural and ecological research molecular physiology to root plasticity during drought and recovery. The most productive (number of publications) and cited countries and institutions were situated on drylands in the USA, China, and Australia. In the past decades, scientists approached the topic mostly from a soil-plant hydraulic perspective and strongly focused on aboveground physiological regulation, whereas the actual belowground processes seemed to have been the elephant in the room. There is a strong need for better investigation into root and rhizosphere traits during drought and recovery using novel root phenotyping methods and mathematical modeling.
PubMed: 37008469
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1084355 -
International Journal of Surgery... Jun 2024Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has emerged as a noninvasive technique that provides valuable insights into molecular profiles and tumor disease management. This study... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has emerged as a noninvasive technique that provides valuable insights into molecular profiles and tumor disease management. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in urothelial carcinoma (UC) through a systematic review and meta-analysis.
METHODS
A comprehensive search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library from the inception to December 2023. Studies investigating the prognostic value of ctDNA in UC were included. Hazard ratios (HRs) of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were extracted. Overall meta-analysis and subgroup exploration stratified by metastatic status, ctDNA sampling time, treatment type, and detection method was performed using the R software (version 4.2.2).
RESULTS
A total of 16 studies with 1725 patients were included. Fourteen studies assessed the association between baseline ctDNA status and patient outcomes. Patients with elevated ctDNA levels exhibited significantly worse DFS (HR=6.26; 95% CI: 3.71-10.58, P <0.001) and OS (HR=4.23; 95% CI: 2.72-6.57, P <0.001) regardless of metastatic status, ctDNA sampling time, treatment type, and detection methods. Six studies evaluated the prognostic value of ctDNA dynamics in UC. Patients who showed a decrease or clearance in ctDNA levels during treatment or observation demonstrated more favorable DFS (HR=0.26, 95% CI: 0.17-0.41, P <0.001) and OS (HR=0.21, 95% CI: 0.11-0.38, P <0.001) compared to those who did not. The association remained consistent across the subgroup analysis based on metastatic status and detection methods. In the immune checkpoint inhibitor-treated setting, both lower baseline ctDNA level and ctDNA decrease during the treatment were significantly associated with more favorable oncologic outcomes. Furthermore, specific gene mutations such as FGFR3 identified in ctDNA also demonstrated predictive value in UC patients.
CONCLUSION
This meta-analysis demonstrates a strong association of ctDNA status and its dynamic change with survival outcomes in UC, suggesting substantial clinical utility of ctDNA testing in prognosis prediction and decision making in this setting.
Topics: Humans; Circulating Tumor DNA; Prognosis; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell; Biomarkers, Tumor; Urologic Neoplasms; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms; Disease-Free Survival
PubMed: 38573063
DOI: 10.1097/JS9.0000000000001372 -
Bioorganic Chemistry Jan 2021Since the beginning of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) disease outbreak, there has been an increasing interest in finding a potential therapeutic agent for the...
BACKGROUND
Since the beginning of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) disease outbreak, there has been an increasing interest in finding a potential therapeutic agent for the disease. Considering the matter of time, the computational methods of drug repurposing offer the best chance of selecting one drug from a list of approved drugs for the life-threatening condition of COVID-19. The present systematic review aims to provide an overview of studies that have used computational methods for drug repurposing in COVID-19.
METHODS
We undertook a systematic search in five databases and included original articles in English that applied computational methods for drug repurposing in COVID-19.
RESULTS
Twenty-one original articles utilizing computational drug methods for COVID-19 drug repurposing were included in the systematic review. Regarding the quality of eligible studies, high-quality items including the use of two or more approved drug databases, analysis of molecular dynamic simulation, multi-target assessment, the use of crystal structure for the generation of the target sequence, and the use of AutoDock Vina combined with other docking tools occurred in about 52%, 38%, 24%, 48%, and 19% of included studies. Studies included repurposed drugs mainly against non-structural proteins of SARS-CoV2: the main 3C-like protease (Lopinavir, Ritonavir, Indinavir, Atazanavir, Nelfinavir, and Clocortolone), RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (Remdesivir and Ribavirin), and the papain-like protease (Mycophenolic acid, Telaprevir, Boceprevir, Grazoprevir, Darunavir, Chloroquine, and Formoterol). The review revealed the best-documented multi-target drugs repurposed by computational methods for COVID-19 therapy as follows: antiviral drugs commonly used to treat AIDS/HIV (Atazanavir, Efavirenz, and Dolutegravir Ritonavir, Raltegravir, and Darunavir, Lopinavir, Saquinavir, Nelfinavir, and Indinavir), HCV (Grazoprevir, Lomibuvir, Asunaprevir, Ribavirin, and Simeprevir), HBV (Entecavir), HSV (Penciclovir), CMV (Ganciclovir), and Ebola (Remdesivir), anticoagulant drug (Dabigatran), and an antifungal drug (Itraconazole).
CONCLUSIONS
The present systematic review provides a list of existing drugs that have the potential to influence SARS-CoV2 through different mechanisms of action. For the majority of these drugs, direct clinical evidence on their efficacy for the treatment of COVID-19 is lacking. Future clinical studies examining these drugs might come to conclude, which can be more useful to inhibit COVID-19 progression.
Topics: Animals; Antiviral Agents; Cell Line, Tumor; Computational Chemistry; Drug Discovery; Drug Repositioning; Humans; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19 Drug Treatment
PubMed: 33261845
DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2020.104490 -
Journal of Neuroengineering and... Aug 2023Understanding of the human body's internal processes to maintain balance is fundamental to simulate postural control behaviour. The body uses multiple sensory systems'... (Review)
Review
Understanding of the human body's internal processes to maintain balance is fundamental to simulate postural control behaviour. The body uses multiple sensory systems' information to obtain a reliable estimate about the current body state. This information is used to control the reactive behaviour to maintain balance. To predict a certain motion behaviour with knowledge of the muscle forces, forward dynamic simulations of biomechanical human models can be utilized. We aim to use predictive postural control simulations to give therapy recommendations to patients suffering from postural disorders in the future. It is important to know which types of modelling approaches already exist to apply such predictive forward dynamic simulations. Current literature provides different models that aim to simulate human postural control. We conducted a systematic literature research to identify the different approaches of postural control models. The different approaches are discussed regarding their applied biomechanical models, sensory representation, sensory integration, and control methods in standing and gait simulations. We searched on Scopus, Web of Science and PubMed using a search string, scanned 1253 records, and found 102 studies to be eligible for inclusion. The included studies use different ways for sensory representation and integration, although underlying neural processes still remain unclear. We found that for postural control optimal control methods like linear quadratic regulators and model predictive control methods are used less, when models' level of details is increasing, and nonlinearities become more important. Considering musculoskeletal models, reflex-based and PD controllers are mainly applied and show promising results, as they aim to create human-like motion behaviour considering physiological processes.
Topics: Humans; Postural Balance; Gait; Motion; Muscles; Reflex
PubMed: 37605197
DOI: 10.1186/s12984-023-01235-3 -
Journal of Cardiovascular Development... Apr 2022Myocardial damage in acute myocardial infarctions (AMI) is primarily the result of ischemia−reperfusion injury (IRI). Recognizing the timing of transcriptional events... (Review)
Review
Myocardial damage in acute myocardial infarctions (AMI) is primarily the result of ischemia−reperfusion injury (IRI). Recognizing the timing of transcriptional events and their modulation by cardioprotective strategies is critical to address the pathophysiology of myocardial IRI. Despite the relevance of pigs for translational studies of AMI, only a few have identified how transcriptomic changes shape cellular signaling pathways in response to injury. We systematically reviewed transcriptomic studies of myocardial IRI and cardioprotection in Sus scrofa. Gene expression datasets were analyzed for significantly enriched terms using the Enrichr analysis tool, and statistically significant results (adjusted p-values of <0.05) for Signaling Pathways, Transcription Factors, Molecular Functions, and Biological Processes were compared between eligible studies to describe how these dynamic changes transform the myocardium from an injured and inflamed tissue into a scar. Then, we address how cardioprotective interventions distinctly modulate the myocardial transcriptome and discuss the implications of uncovering gene regulatory networks for cardiovascular pathologies and translational applications.
PubMed: 35621843
DOI: 10.3390/jcdd9050132 -
Journal of Integrative Neuroscience Sep 2020Advances in the understanding of genetic and molecular mechanisms and imaging technologies have opened a new window of research possibilities to address dynamic...
Advances in the understanding of genetic and molecular mechanisms and imaging technologies have opened a new window of research possibilities to address dynamic processes associated with neuroplasticity in physiologically intact models of neurodegenerative diseases. This review aims to: (i) establish the most relevant molecular mechanisms, as well as cellular and structural biomarkers in the study of neuroplasticity; (ii) introduce different neurodegenerative diseases in animal models that contribute to our knowledge of neuroplasticity; and (iii) illustrate the capabilities and limitations of current diffusion magnetic resonance imaging techniques to study cortical plasticity, as well as the use of alternative diffusion models.
Topics: Animals; Biomarkers; Brain; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Disease Models, Animal; Humans; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Neuronal Plasticity; Neurons
PubMed: 33070535
DOI: 10.31083/j.jin.2020.03.165