Whether aristolochic acid directly drives hepatocarcinogenesis: comprehensive investigations from mutational signatures to animal models.

Aristolochic Acid (AA) is a class of naturally occurring compounds characterized by potent genotoxicity and carcinogenicity, predominantly found in plants of the Aristolochia genus. The 1993 Belgian weight-loss incident and subsequent research unequivocally established the association between AA and "Aristolochic Acid Nephropathy" (AAN) as well as Balkan Endemic Nephropathy (BEN), prompting global regulatory actions. AA undergoes nitroreduction to generate highly reactive intermediates, which form persistent DNA adducts, inducing A:T to T:A transversion mutations during DNA replication.

Low-dose statins restore innate immune response in breast cancer cells via suppression of mutant p53.

Background: Breast cancer's high recurrence and treatment side effects demand safer, more effective therapies. Mutations in the critical TP53 gene, which normally prevents cancer, can instead promote it. This study explores if low-dose statins can curb mutant p53 activation in breast cancer's immune signaling, hindering tumor immune evasion.

Xanthocillin X Dimethyl Ether Exhibits Anti-Proliferative Effect on Triple-Negative Breast Cancer by Depletion of Mitochondrial Heme.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) presents a significant therapeutic challenge due to the absence of specific targeted treatments. In this study, we explored the therapeutic potential of xanthocillin X dimethyl ether (XanDME), a naturally occurring isocyanide isolated from the marine fungus , on TNBC. To elucidate the underlying mechanism, we initially demonstrated that XanDME directly binds to hemin, the oxidized form of heme, in vitro, corroborating previous reports.

Anti-nephrin antibody: a potential biomarker of minimal change disease.

Background: Minimal change disease (MCD) is a common pathological type of nephrotic syndrome in children and adults, and the mechanisms remain obscure. The diagnosis of MCD still relies on renal biopsy, lacking effective biological markers. This study explores the diagnostic value of circulating anti-nephrin antibody in MCD patients and evaluates the correlation with disease activity indicators such as proteinuria.

Discovery of Bi-magnolignan as a novel BRD4 inhibitor inducing apoptosis and DNA damage for cancer therapy.

Bi-magnolignan (BM), a novel compound isolated from Magnolia Officinalis leaves, exhibits significant anti-tumor activity in vitro. However, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. This study examines the anti-tumor properties of BM and its mechanism of action, specifically through its interaction with BRD4, a key regulator in oncogene transcription and genome stability.

Tanshinlactone triggers methuosis in breast cancer cells via NRF2 activation.

Background: Tanshinlactone is a compound derived from the herb . Breast cancer is the most prevalent malignancy among women globally. While significant strides have been made in breast cancer management, these interventions are often impeded by substantial adverse effects that undermine patients' quality of life and confront limitations due to the eventual development of multi-drug resistance.

Correction: Decision-Making, Pro-variance Biases and Mood-Related Traits.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.5334/cpsy.114.

The compensatory enrichment of sphingosine-1-phosphate on HDL in FSGS enhances the protective function of glomerular endothelial cells compared to MCD.

Glomerular endothelial cells (GECs) are pivotal in developing glomerular sclerosis disorders. The advancement of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is intimately tied to disruptions in lipid metabolism. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a molecule transported by high-density lipoproteins (HDL), exhibits protective effects on vascular endothelial cells by upregulating phosphorylated endothelial nitric oxide synthase (p-eNOS) and enhancing nitric oxide (NO) production.

Decision-Making, Pro-variance Biases and Mood-Related Traits.

In value-based decision-making there is wide behavioural variability in how individuals respond to uncertainty. Maladaptive responses to uncertainty have been linked to a vulnerability to mental illness, for example, between risk aversion and affective disorders. Here, we examine individual differences in risk sensitivity when subjects confront options drawn from different value distributions, where these embody the same or different means and variances.

Yunnan baiyao exerts anti-glioma activity by inducing autophagy-dependent necroptosis.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Yunnan Baiyao (YB), a traditional herbal formulation, has been used for over a century to manage bleeding and enhance blood circulation. Its ingredients are widely recognized for their anti-cancer properties. However, its impact on glioma, the most common primary malignant tumor of the central nervous system, remains unexplored.

Coptisine exerts anti-tumour effects in triple-negative breast cancer by targeting mitochondrial complex I.

Background And Purpose: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has a poor prognosis due to limited therapeutic options. Recent studies have shown that TNBC is highly dependent on mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of coptisine, a novel compound that inhibits the complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC), as a treatment for TNBC.

Notopterygium Incisum Extract Promotes Apoptosis by Preventing the Degradation of BIM in Colorectal Cancer.

Objective: Colorectal cancer (CRC), a prevalent malignancy worldwide, has prompted extensive research into anticancer drugs. Traditional Chinese medicinal materials offer promising avenues for cancer management due to their diverse pharmacological activities. This study investigated the effects of Notopterygium incisum, a traditional Chinese medicine named Qianghuo (QH), on CRC cells and the underlying mechanism.

Lovastatin-Induced Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress Leads to the Release of mtDNA to Promote Apoptosis by Activating cGAS-STING Pathway in Human Colorectal Cancer Cells.

Statins are 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme-A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors widely used in the treatment of hyperlipidemia. The inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase in the mevalonate pathway leads to the suppression of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis. The cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) stimulator of the interferon genes (STING) signaling pathway has been suggested to not only facilitate inflammatory responses and the production of type I interferons (IFN), but also activate other cellular processes, such as apoptosis.

Proteomic Analysis of Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome Triggered by Primary Podocytopathies in Adults: Regulatory Mechanisms and Diagnostic Implications.

Idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (NS) is a heterogeneous group of glomerular disorders which includes two major phenotypes: minimal change disease (MCD) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). MCD and FSGS are classic types of primary podocytopathies. We aimed to explore the molecular mechanisms in NS triggered by primary podocytopathies and evaluate diagnostic value of the selected proteomic signatures by analyzing blood proteome profiling.

Epiberberine inhibits bone metastatic breast cancer-induced osteolysis.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The anti-tumor related diseases of Coptidis Rhizoma (Huanglian) were correlated with its traditional use of removing damp-heat, clearing internal fire, and counteracting toxicity. In the recent years, Coptidis Rhizoma and its components have drawn extensive attention toward their anti-tumor related diseases. Besides, Coptidis Rhizoma is traditionally used as an anti-inflammatory herb.

Involucrasin B Inhibits the Proliferation of Caco-2 Cells by Regulating the TGFβ/SMAD2-3-4 Pathway.

(1) Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common malignant tumor worldwide and the second most common cause of cancer death. However, effective anti-CRC drugs are still lacking in clinical settings. This article investigated the anti-proliferative effect of involucrasin B on CRC Caco-2 cells.

Depression is associated with reduced outcome sensitivity in a dual valence, magnitude learning task.

Background: Learning from rewarded and punished choices is perturbed in depressed patients, suggesting that abnormal reinforcement learning may be a cognitive mechanism of the illness. However, previous studies have disagreed about whether this behavior is produced by alterations in the rate of learning or sensitivity to experienced outcomes. This previous work has generally assessed learning in response to binary outcomes of one valence, rather than to both rewarding and punishing continuous outcomes.

Cascade Radical Trifluoromethylthiolation/Cyclization of Dienes To Access SCF-Containing Medium-Sized Heterocycles.

A novel radical cascade trifluoromethylthiolation/cyclization of dienes (-alkyl-2-(1-phenylvinyl)aniline derivatives) with AgSCF has been developed. This approach provides simple and efficient access to a wide range of SCF-containing medium-sized rings (7/8/9-membered heterocycles). Preliminary mechanistic studies suggest that the reaction is realized through a silver-assisted radical cascade cyclization process.

Anticancer effect of involucrasin A on colorectal cancer cells by modulating the Akt/MDM2/p53 pathway.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide; however, there is still a lack of effective clinical anti-CRC agents. Naturally-occurring compounds have been considered a potentially valuable source of new antitumorigenic agents. Involucrasin A, a novel natural molecule, was isolated from (Wall.

Mitochondrial toxicity evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine injections with a dual approach.

There are technical obstacles in the safety evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) injections due to their complex chemical nature and the lack of rapid and accurate methods. Here, we established a dual mitochondrial toxicity approach combing the conventional "glucose/galactose" assay in HepG2 cells with the cytotoxic assay in mitochondrial respiration deficient cells. Using this dual approach, for the first time, we systematically assessed the mitochondrial toxicity of TCM injections.

Construction of a circRNA-Mediated ceRNA Network Reveals Novel Biomarkers for Aortic Dissection.

Background: Aortic dissection (AD) is a rare and lethal disorder with its genetic basis remains largely unknown. Many studies have confirmed that circRNAs play important roles in various physiological and pathological processes. However, the roles of circRNAs in AD are still unclear and need further investigation.

dsmCRISPR: Dual synthetic mismatches CRISPR/Cas12a-based detection of SARS-CoV-2 D614G mutation.

Fast evolving of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus has caused the spreading of COVID-19 disease rapidly around the globe. The mutation, especially in the gene encoding spike protein has helped the virus adapt and evade human immune system, as well as affect the efficacy of the immunizations and treatments. SARS-CoV-2 variant carrying D614G amino acid change at the spike protein is the most dominant strain in the pandemic.

Shuganning injection, a traditional Chinese patent medicine, induces ferroptosis and suppresses tumor growth in triple-negative breast cancer cells.

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), lacking targeted therapies currently, is susceptible to ferroptosis, a recently defined form of cell death.

Purpose: To evaluate the anticancer activity of Shuganning injection (SGNI), a traditional Chinese patent medicine, on TNBC cells; To elucidate the mechanism of SGNI induced ferroptosis.

Methods: The anticancer activity of SGNI was examined via in vitro cell proliferation assays and in vivo xenograft growth assay.