Acta biochimica et biophysica Sinica
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Acta Biochim. Biophys. Sin. (Shanghai) · Mar 2021
ReviewCardiovascular disease in patients with COVID-19: evidence from cardiovascular pathology to treatment.
The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) caused by the novel coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has rapidly developed into a global pneumonia pandemic. Cardiovascular disease is the major comorbidity of COVID-19 patients and is closely related to the severity of COVID-19. ⋯ Intensive research on the SARS-CoV-2-associated cardiovascular complications is urgently needed to elucidate its exact mechanism and to identify potential drug targets, which will help to formulate effective prevention and treatment strategies. Hence, this review will summarize recent progress regarding the effects of COVID-19 on the cardiovascular system and describe the underlying mechanism of cardiovascular injury caused by SARS-CoV-2.
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Acta Biochim. Biophys. Sin. (Shanghai) · Jan 2017
ReviewTumor necrosis factor-α: a key contributor to intervertebral disc degeneration.
Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IDD) is the most common cause leading to low back pain (LBP), which is a highly prevalent, costly, and crippling condition worldwide. Current treatments for IDD are limited to treat the symptoms and do not target the pathophysiology. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is one of the most potent pro-inflammatory cytokines and signals through its receptors TNFR1 and TNFR2. ⋯ Importantly, anti-TNF-α therapy has shown promise for mitigating disc degeneration and relieving LBP. In this review, following a brief description of TNF-α signal transduction, we mainly focus on the expression pattern and roles of TNF-α in IDD, and summarize the emerging progress regarding its inhibition as a promising biological therapeutic approach to disc degeneration and associated LBP. A better understanding will help to develop novel TNF-α-centered therapeutic interventions for degenerative disc disease.