Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA
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The influenza virus is a highly infectious disease, with a notably rapid transmission rate. Autophagy is triggered by viral infection and is a survival mechanism exerted to maintain cellular homeostasis. Catechin is a representative phenolic acid which exerts anti-inflammatory responses against influenza A virus infection. The aim of this study is to explore the anti-H1N1 influenza virus effects by catechin associated with the restoration of autophagy. ⋯ Collectively, the autophagy activated by the H1N1 influenza virus could be reversed after catechin treatment. This study indicates that catechin effectively inhibits H1N1 viral proliferation and thus may be applied as an adjuvant in future clinical application.
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Non-viral gene delivery, such as using biodegradable polyurethane short-branch polyethylenimine (PU-PEI), has been considered a potentially safer gene delivery system in comparison to conventional virus systems. ⋯ We developed a PU-PEI nanomedicine-based platform to efficiently deliver microRNA in promoting differentiation capacity of stem cells, especially on induced pluripotent stem cells.
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Nitric oxide (NO), which possesses both protective and toxic properties, has been observed to have a complicated biphasic character within various types of tissues, including neuronal cells. NO was also found to cause the increase of another important signaling molecular Zn (termed as NZR). The molecular mechanism of NZR has been extensively investigated, but the source of Zn is present of a major candidate that is yet to be answered. The NO-protein kinase G (PKG) pathway, mitochondria, and metallothioneins (MTs), are all proposed to be the individual source of NZR. However, this hypothesis remains inconclusive. In this study, we examined the function of PKG signaling cascades, the mitochondria storage, and MT-1 during NZR of living PC12 cells. ⋯ This new finding provides a reasonable explanation to previously existing and contradictory conclusions regarding the function of mitochondria/mKATP and PKG signaling on the molecular mechanism of NZR.
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Editorial Comment
The role of CD24+ population in non-cancer stem cells.