ObjectiveTo summarize the recent research progress of circRNA in gastric cancer, and to explore the clinical value of circRNA as new therapeutic target and diagnostic or prognostic biomarker for gastric cancer.MethodThe studies on circRNA and related literatures in gastric cancer were reviewed.ResultsAs a new member of the non-coding RNA family, circRNA played a key role in regulating the proliferation, invasion, migration, apoptosis, and therapeutic resistance of gastric cancer cells. At the same time, based on the stability and tissue-specific characteristics, circRNA possessed great potential as biomarker for early diagnosis or prognosis evaluation of gastric cancer.ConclusionscircRNA plays an important role in the initiation and progression of gastric cancer. As a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and a new therapeutic target for gastric cancer, circRNA has great potential for clinical transformation.
Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common clinical emergency of the abdomen with increasing incidence and lack of effective treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine, as a treasure of the Chinese people, has been used in the treatment of AP for decades with favorable therapeutic effects. Currently, clinical trials and experimental studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicine has the effects of inhibiting pancreatic enzyme activity, anti-inflammation, promoting gastrointestinal dynamics, as well as delaying the progress of AP, improving clinical symptoms, reducing related complications, and reducing the mortality rate. Therefore, traditional Chinese medicine has considerable clinic value in treating AP. Based on the related research progress and clinical practice of our team, the authors summarized the targets and mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in treating AP.
With the surged prevalence of myopia, the pathogenic mechanism underlying myopia has attracted attention. At present, it is generally believed in the flied that the reduced blood perfusion in the choroid is crucial for myopigenesis. Then, in the process of myopigenesis, how are the blurred visual signals transmitted to the choroidal blood vessels through the retina and retinal pigment epithelium, leading to the reduced choroidal blood perfusion. The cellular and molecular mechanisms underpinning this process remain elusive. In recent years, the theory of scleral hypoxia has attracted much attention. Popular signaling molecules in current research include dopamine, epidermal growth factor, retinoic acid, cholinergic molecules and adenosine, etc. These factors are likely to participate in signal transduction in retina and RPE, thus causing changes in choroidal blood flow and affecting the occurrence and development of myopia. Therefore, these signaling factors and their downstream pathways may provide new ideas for the prevention and control of myopia targets.
Obesity is a chronic metabolic disease driven by multiple factors such as genetic susceptibility, environmental factors, and neuroendocrine system disorders. In recent years, the prevalence of obesity in China has been increasing year by year, and a series of obesity-induced diseases are a serious threat to public health. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, as a representative of the new weight loss drugs, have shown a therapeutic effect close to that of weight-loss metabolic surgery in clinical trials by targeting central appetite and metabolism and other synergistic effects, but they still face key problems such as significant differences in individual efficacy, limited evidence of the safety of long-term treatment, and regaining body weight after discontinuation of the drug. The mechanism of action and clinical evidence of several obesity drugs approved and listed in China are summarized, and the progress and challenges of obesity drug therapy in China in combination with recent advances in the development of multi-target agents internationally are discussed, with a view to providing a scientific basis for the clinical drug management of obesity and providing ideas for the research and development of obesity drugs in China as well as for the clinical transformation.
Objective To summarize the role of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) in the occurrence and progression of various sorts of liver injury. Methods Literatures on the structures, property of molecular biology and function of NF-κB, as well as its relationships with liver injury were collected and reviewed. Results NF-κB was an important nuclear factor existed in cells widely distributed in most cell types. The activation of NF-κB was induced by various sorts of liver injury. The activated NF-κB could affect the liver injury by regulating cytokines, adhesion molecules, and activating factor involving in immunologic reaction, inflammatory reaction and the apoptosis. Conclusion NF-κB plays an important role during the occurrence and progression of liver injury, and may become a new target in the treatment of liver injury.
Transcription factor p63 originates from p53 protein family and is encoded by TP63 gene. TP63 gene contains two different promoters encoding two proteins, TAp63 and ΔNp63, which can be cleaved to produce p63α, p63β, p63δ and some other subtypes. ΔNp63α is one of the promoters of TP63 gene and acts as a core regulatory factor to regulate gene expression at epigenetic and transcriptional levels. Recent research shows that ΔNp63α abnormal expression can lead to the occurrence of various malignant tumors and reduce the sensitivity of malignant tumors to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Therefore, ΔNp63α can be used as a diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for malignant tumors. This article reviews the latest research progress of ΔNp63α in the mechanism and drug resistance in malignant tumors.
Bone malignancies exhibit the characteristics of high incidence, poor prognosis, and strong chemoresistance. Exosomal microRNAs can regulate the proliferation of bone malignant cells, improve chemoresistance, influence cell communication and the microenvironment, and have significant potential in the diagnosis and treatment of bone malignancies. Due to their stability, exosomal microRNAs can serve as non-invasive biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis. However, their widespread application in clinical settings requires standardized research. This review summarizes the progress of exosomal microRNA research in various bone malignancies including osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, and fibrosarcoma, to provide new theoretical foundations and perspectives for the field.