Inhibition of type I interferon induction and signalling by mosquito-borne flaviviruses

The Flavivirus genus (Flaviviridae family) contains a number of important human pathogens, including dengue and Zika viruses, which have the potential to cause severe disease. In order to efficiently establish a productive infection in mammalian cells, flaviviruses have developed key strategies to counteract host immune defences, including the type I interferon response. They employ different mechanisms to control interferon signal transduction and effector pathways, and key research generated over the past couple of decades has uncovered new insights into their abilities to actively decrease interferon antiviral activity. Given the lack of antivirals or prophylactic treatments for many flaviviral infections, it is important to fully understand how these viruses affect cellular processes to influence pathogenesis and disease outcome. This review will discuss the strategies mosquito-borne flaviviruses have evolved to antagonise type I interferon mediated immune responses

Modeling the propagation and defense study of internet malicious information

 Dr. Wen\u27s research includes modelling the propagation dynamics of malicious information, exposing the most influential people and source identification of epidemics in social networks. His research is beneficial to both academia and industry in the field of Internet social networks

The acceleration of metastases after tumor removal and the paradoxical phenomenon of concomitant tumor resistance

Although surgical extirpation of tumors is usually clinically recommended, tumor removal may entail an undesired side effect: the risk of accelerating the growth of metastases. This effect may account for the relatively modest survival benefits observed when surgery is accomplished after tumor cells have already disseminated to distant anatomical sites even when tumor removal is combined with chemotherapy or immunotherapy. Although different mechanisms could contribute to the enhancement of residual tumor growth after tumor removal, probably a main effect is associated with the withdrawing of an inhibitory effect generated, by certain circumstances, by the primary tumor on its own metastases. This inhibitory effect is a particular case of a more general and paradoxical phenomenon known as concomitant tumor resistance (CR) in which a tumor-bearing host inhibits or retards the growth of secondary tumor implants despite the fact that the primary tumor grows progressively. In this essay we especially focus on the last investigations of our laboratory concerningthe importance of tyrosine isomers as mediators of the phenomenon of CR and on their capacity to inhibit established metastases. Taking into account that metastases are considered the main problem in cancer pathology, our investigations aimed to elucidate the molecular basis of the phenomenon of CR might stimulate the design of new and less harmful means of managing malignant diseases, especially by controlling the growth of metastases after the removal of a primary tumor, or after other injuries or stressors that have been claimed to promote the escape of metastases from dormancy.Fil: Montagna, Daniela Romina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Chiarella, Paula. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Meiss, Roberto P.. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Ruggiero, Raul Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; Argentin

Solution structure of stem-loop α of the hepatitis B virus post-transcriptional regulatory element

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections may lead to severe diseases like liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The HBV post-transcriptional regulatory element (HPRE) facilitates the nuclear export of unspliced viral mRNAs, contains a splicing regulatory element and resides in the 3′-region of all viral transcripts. The HPRE consists of three sub-elements α (nucleotides 1151–1346), β1 (nucleotides 1347–1457) and β2 (nucleotides 1458–1582), which confer together full export competence. Here, we present the NMR solution structure (pdb 2JYM) of the stem-loop α (SLα, nucleotides 1292–1321) located in the sub-element α. The SLα contains a CAGGC pentaloop highly conserved in hepatoviruses, which essentially adopts a CUNG-like tetraloop conformation. Furthermore, the SLα harbours a single bulged G residue flanked by A-helical regions. The structure is highly suggestive of serving two functions in the context of export of unspliced viral RNA: binding sterile alpha motif (SAM-) domain containing proteins and/or preventing the utilization of a 3′-splice site contained within SLα

GANODERMA LUCIDUM: A TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE USED FOR CURING TUMORS

Ganoderma lucidum is generally called “Lingzhi or Reishi”, and also be a Traditional Chinese medicine utilized in over 2000 y for their better therapeutic activity like antitumor, antiallergenic, antiviral, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, hypotensive, immunomodulator, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, antibacterial and many other health benefits. Ganoderma lucidum is one of the oldest herbal remedy found and grow in wide variety parts on deciduous trees (dead/dying tree) specifically in oak, pyrus, maple, elm, willow, sweetgum, magnolia, locust, acer, betula, castanea, coryolus, fagus, populus, plums and other plants species. It also be contains 400 major bioactive chemical constituents include polysaccharides, triterpenoids, polysaccharide-peptide complex, β-glucans, lectins, natural germanium (Ge), adenosine, phenols, steroids, amino acids, lignin, vitamins, nucleotides or nucleosides possesses specific curative properties and formed a wide variety of viable products from Ganoderma fruiting bodies, mycelia, spores i.e. coffee, powder, dietary enhancements, tea, spore items, drinks, syrups, toothpastes, cleansers or creams. Many in vitro or in vivo analyses with regards Ganoderma lucidum evidenced their antitumor activity but some conducted clinical studies are questionable and remains undefined for their antitumor effect. Though, we reviewed and summarized in this article about treatment and various pharmacological mechanism against tumor with respect to extract (polysaccharide and triterpenoid) of Ganoderma lucidum

Do photosynthetic cells communicate with each other during cell death? From cyanobacteria to vascular plants

As in metazoans, life in oxygenic photosynthetic organisms relies on the accurate regulation of cell death. During development and in response to the environment, photosynthetic cells activate and execute cell death pathways that culminate in the death of a specific group of cells, a process known as regulated cell death (RCD). RCD control is instrumental, as its misregulation can lead to growth penalties and even the death of the entire organism. Intracellular molecules released during cell demise may act as ‘survival’ or ‘death’ signals and control the propagation of cell death to surrounding cells, even in unicellular organisms. This review explores different signals involved in cell-cell communication and systemic signalling in photosynthetic organisms, in particular Ca2+, reactive oxygen species, lipid derivates, nitric oxide, and eATP. We discuss their possible mode-of-action as either ‘survival’ or ‘death’ molecules and their potential role in determining cell fate in neighbouring cells. By comparing the knowledge available across the taxonomic spectrum of this coherent phylogenetic group, from cyanobacteria to vascular plants, we aim at contributing to the identification of conserved mechanisms that control cell death propagation in oxygenic photosynthetic organisms.Fil: Aguilera, Anabella. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Distefano, Ayelen Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Jauzein, Cécile. No especifíca;Fil: Correa Aragunde, Maria Natalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Martinez, Dana Ethel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Fisiología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Fisiología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Martin, María Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Biotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Sueldo, Daniela Jorgelina. Norwegian University of Science and Technology; Norueg