Int J Med Sci
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Randomized Controlled Trial
A proprietary blend of standardized Punica granatum fruit rind and Theobroma cocoa seed extracts mitigates aging males' symptoms: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
Objective: We evaluated the safety and efficacy of a novel combination of Punica granatum fruit rind and Theobroma cocoa seed extracts (LN18178 or Tesnor®) in enhancing serum testosterone level and reducing aging males' symptoms (AMS) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation (CTRI Reg. No. CTRI/2019/02/017506). ⋯ Conclusion: LN18178 supplementation reduced AMS scores and improved sexual performance. Also, LN18178 groups exhibited superior muscular strength and reduction in perceived stress. Total blood chemistry and urine analysis demonstrated the broad-spectrum safety.
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Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone tumor characterized by the direct production of osteoid tissue from tumor cells. Extracellular vesicles are membranous vesicles released by cells into the extracellular matrix, which exist widely in various body fluids and cell supernatants, and stably carry some important signaling molecules. ⋯ Increasing evidence has shown that extracellular vesicles play a significant role in osteosarcoma development, progression, and metastatic process, indicating that extracellular vesicles can be use as biomarker vehicles in the diagnosis and prognosis of osteosarcoma. This review discusses the basic biological characteristics of extracellular vesicles and focuses on their application in osteosarcoma.
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Glioma, a kind of central nervous system (CNS) tumor, is hard to cure and accounts for 32% of all CNS tumors. Establishing a stable glioma model is critically important to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Various core signaling pathways have been identified in gliomagenesis, such as RTK/RAS/PI3K, TP53, and RB1. ⋯ Moreover, methods of establishing glioma models using gene editing techniques and therapeutic aspects will be discussed. Finally, the prospect of applying gene editing in glioma by using CRISPR/Cas9 strategy and future research directions to establish a stable glioma model are also included in this review. In-depth knowledge of glioma signaling pathways and use of CRISPR/Cas9 can greatly assist in the development of a stable, efficient, and spontaneous glioma model, which can ultimately improve the effectiveness of therapeutic responses and cure glioma patients.
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Circular RNA (circRNA) is a novel endogenous non-coding RNA (ncRNA) that, like microRNA (miRNA), is a rapidly emerging RNA research topic. CircRNA, unlike traditional linear RNAs (which have 5' and 3' ends), has a closed-loop structure that is unaffected by RNA exonucleases. Thus, circRNA has sustained expression and is less sensitive to degradation. ⋯ We summarized the current progress in elucidating mechanisms and biogenesis of circRNAs in this review. In particular, circRNAs can function mainly as miRNA sponges, regulating host gene expression and protein transportation. Finally, we discussed the application prospects and significant challenges for the development of circRNA-based therapeutics.
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Meta Analysis
Identification and validation of MicroRNA-mRNA Networks in Dorsal Root Ganglia after Peripheral Nerve Injury.
Changes in DRG after nerve injury involve neuronal damage, apoptosis, pain transmission, and activation of regenerative programs. It is unclear which genes and microRNAs may play a major role in this process. Therefore, this study performed a meta-analysis of previously published gene expression data to reveal the potential microRNA-mRNA network in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) after peripheral nerve injury. ⋯ And we predicted transcription factors associated with these genes (gTFs) and TFs associated with these microRNAs (mTFs) and constructed the mTF-miRNA-gene-gTF regulatory network to further explore the molecular mechanism in DRG. Finally, we compared the DRG transcriptome after PNI to that of chronic constriction injury (CCI), and found that PNI caused greater damage to DRG compared to CCI. At the same time, the related mechanisms of pain caused by the two pathophysiological process may be different.