Voltage-Dependent Gating in a “Voltage Sensor-Less” Ion Channel

An unusual mechanism of ion channel regulation generates voltage-dependent gating in the absence of a canonical voltage-sensing domain

Canagliflozin: from glycemic control to improvement of cardiovascular and renal prognosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Resolution of Advisory Board

Inhibitors of the sodium-glucose cotransporter type 2 (SGLT2i) are a modern class of antihyperglycemic drugs with an insulin-independent mechanism of action. Due to its ability to effectively lower blood glucose levels, improve a number of other cardiometabolic parameters (body weight, blood pressure, uric acid), as well as reduce cardiovascular and renal risks, SGLT2i have become drugs of choice for many of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Meanwhile, along with the generally recognized classes-effects of this group of drugs, there are intragroup features, including those associated with their different selectivity in sodium-glucose cotransporters of types 1 and 2 (SGLT1 and SGLT 2). For example, one of the most studied SGLT2i, canagliflozin, in addition to its inhibitory activity against SGLT2, can also moderately block SGLT1 in the intestine and kidneys that could give a maximum efficiency in the control glycemia and others cardiometabolic parameters. In addition, canagliflozin improves not only cardiovascular, but also renal prognosis in patients with T2DM, which is reflected in the corresponding indications in the summary of product characteristics of the drug. This document summarize the established and new data regarding the efficacy and safety of canagliflozin, as well as its place in the treatment of T2DM

Diabetes mellitus type 2 in adults

Public organization “Russian Association of Endocrinologists”. Clinical guidelines.&nbsp

Diabetes mellitus type 1 in adults

Public organization “Russian Association of Endocrinologists”. Clinical guidlines

Возможности фармакологического лечения остеоартрита: фокус на симптоматические медленно действующие препараты (SYSADOA) и индивидуальные особенности пациента. Резолюция международного совещания экспертов

The paper presents the results of the Osteoarthritis (OA) Expert Council held on September 8, 2019, which was attended by Russian and foreign specialists. The experts considered pharmacological treatment options for OA. The expert meeting resolution states that the treatment of patients with OA should be based on an individual assessment of the patient and on a modern evidence base of therapy efficacy.Treatment of patients with OA is based on the principles of evidence-based medicine that requires an integrated approach and the need of SYSADOAs prescription. Combined drugs with therapeutic dosages of chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine in the early stages of the disease are available as basic agents. The place of paracetamol in the anesthetic therapy algorithm in OA needs to be clarified. It is also noted that when choosing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for OA treatment, it is important to take into account individual patient characteristics and the presence of comorbidities.Представлены результаты Экспертного совета по остеоартриту (ОА), проходившего 8 сентября 2019 г., в котором приняли участие российские и зарубежные специалисты. Рассматривались возможности фармакологического лечения ОА. В резолюции совещания указано, что лечение больных ОА должно быть основано на индивидуальной оценке состояния пациента и современных доказательствах эффективности терапии. Лечение больных ОА на основании принципов доказательной медицины предполагает комплексный подход и назначение SYSADOA. Комбинированные препараты с терапевтическими дозами хондроитина сульфата и глюкозамина уже на ранних стадиях заболевания рассматриваются в качестве базисных средств. Место парацетамола в алгоритме обезболивающей терапии при ОА требует уточнения. Отмечено также, что при выборе нестероидных противовоспалительных препаратов для лечения ОА важно учитывать индивидуальные особенности пациента и наличие коморбидных состояний

First pentasetacid mite from Australasian Araucariaceae: morphological description and molecular phylogenetic position of Pentasetacus novozelandicus n. sp. (Eriophyoidea, Pentasetacidae) and remarks on anal lobes in eriophyoid mites

A new vagrant eriophyoid mite species of the archaic genus Pentasetacus (Schliesske 1985), P. novozelandicus n. sp., is described with the aid of conventional microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. It was found on Araucaria heterophylla, which is an araucarian that is endemic to Norfolk Island and introduced to New Zealand. Partial sequences of mitochondrial barcode COI gene and D1–D2 domains of nuclear rDNA of two pentasetacid mites, P. araucariae (MK903025 and MK898944) and P. novozelandicus n. sp. (MK903024 and MK898943) are provided. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of full-length D1–D2 eriophyoid sequences, including GenBank sequences and newly generated sequences of pentasetacids, confirmed the monophyly of Pentasetacidae but failed to resolve the basal phylogeny of Eriophyoidea. This may be because the D1–D2 domains of 28S are hypervariable in Eriophyoidea. Moreover, in pentasetacids D1–D2 sequences are about 20% shorter than in other eriophyoids, and thus harder to align. Two types of anal lobes are described in Eriophyoidea: (1) Eriophyidae s.l. and Phytoptidae s.l. have bilaterally symmetric lobes; (2) pentasetacids have non-divided lobes. The presence of an anal secretory apparatus, comprising internal structures that have previously been described in Eriophyidae s.l. and Phytoptidae s.l., is confirmed in pentasetacid genera. The phylogeny of pentasetacids is also discussed in the context of the paleobiography of Araucariaceae

Editing of the MYB genes in

Anthocyanin hyperaccumulation is an important agricultural trait, associated with resistance to abiotic stress, pests, phytopathogenic fungi and bacterial diseases. B. napus with increased anthocyanin pigmentation can be generated by genome editing. Many transcription factors of the MYB family are involved in stress response and anthocyanin biosynthesis. Genes AtMYB60, AtCPC and AtMYBL2 are negative regulators of anthocyanin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis, therefore the knockout of these genes can result in increased anthocyanin pigmentation. gRNA spacers were synthesized to target the orthologs of these genes, identified in Brassica napus. Resulting genetic constructs were introduced to the plant tissues by agroinfiltration. Transient expression of gRNAs targeting DNA-binding domains of MYB transcription factors along with Cas9 nuclease successfully promoted anthocyanin hyperaccumulation. These genetic constructs can be used for genome editing and production of new colored and stress tolerant varieties of oilseed rape

Caprine Bactenecins as Promising Tools for Developing New Antimicrobial and Antitumor Drugs

Proline-rich antimicrobial peptides (PR-AMPs) having a potent antimicrobial activity predominantly toward Gram-negative bacteria and negligible toxicity toward host cells, are attracting attention as new templates for developing antibiotic drugs. We have previously isolated and characterized several bactenecins that are promising in this respect, from the leukocytes of the domestic goat Capra hircus: ChBac5, miniChBac7.5N-\u3b1, and -\u3b2, as well as ChBac3.4. Unlike the others, ChBac3.4 shows a somewhat unusual pattern of activities for a mammalian PR-AMP: it is more active against bacterial membranes as well as tumor and, to the lesser extent, normal cells. Here we describe a SAR study of ChBac3.4 (RFRLPFRRPPIRIHPPPFYPPFRRFL-NH2) which elucidates its peculiarities and evaluates its potential as a lead for antimicrobial or anticancer drugs based on this peptide. A set of designed structural analogues of ChBac3.4 was explored for antibacterial activity toward drug-resistant clinical isolates and antitumor properties. The N-terminal region was found to be important for the antimicrobial action, but not responsible for the toxicity toward mammalian cells. A shortened variant with the best selectivity index toward bacteria demonstrated a pronounced synergy in combination with antibiotics against Gram-negative strains, albeit with a somewhat reduced ability to inhibit biofilm formation compared to native peptide. C-terminal amidation was examined for some analogues, which did not affect antimicrobial activity, but somewhat altered the cytotoxicity toward host cells. Interestingly, non-amidated peptides showed a slight delay in their impact on bacterial membrane integrity. Peptides with enhanced hydrophobicity showed increased toxicity, but in most cases their selectivity toward tumor cells also improved. While most analogues lacked hemolytic properties, a ChBac3.4 variant with two additional tryptophan residues demonstrated an appreciable activity toward human erythrocytes. The variant demonstrating the best tumor/nontumor cell selectivity was found to more actively initiate apoptosis in target cells, though its action was slower than that of the native ChBac3.4. Its antitumor effectiveness was successfully verified in vivo in a murine Ehrlich ascites carcinoma model. The obtained results demonstrate the potential of structural modification to manage caprine bactenecins\u2019 selectivity and activity spectrum and confirm that they are promising prototypes for antimicrobial and anticancer drugs design