Reply to Mehmood: Adrenomedullin: A Double-edged Sword in Septic Shock and Heart Failure Therapeutics?
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Lee WL
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7193863 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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| S-EPMC7193841 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is a global health priority. Given that cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of morbidity around the world and that several trials have reported severe cardiovascular damage in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, a substantial number of COVID-19 patients with underlying cardiovascular diseases need to continue their medications in order to improve myocardial contractility and to prevent the onset of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), including heart failure. Some of the current life-saving medications may actually simultaneously expose patients to a higher risk of severe COVID-19. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a key counter regulator of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), is the main entry gate of SARS-CoV-2 into human host cells and an established drug target to prevent heart failure. In fact, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, and mineralocorticoid antagonists may augment ACE2 levels to protect organs from angiotensin II overload. Elevated ACE2 expression on the host cell surface might facilitate viral entrance, at the same time sudden nonadherence to these medications triggers MACEs. Hence, safety issues in the use of RAS inhibitors in COVID-19 patients with cardiac dysfunction remain an unsolved dilemma and need paramount attention. Although ACE2 generally plays an adaptive role in both healthy subjects and patients with systolic and/or diastolic dysfunction, we conducted a literature appraisal on its maladaptive role. Understanding the exact role of ACE2 in COVID-19 patients at risk of heart failure is needed to safely manage RAS inhibitors in frail and non-frail critically ill patients.
| S-EPMC7447089 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Lymphomas are a highly heterogeneous group of hematological neoplasms. Given their ethiopathogenic complexity, their classification and management can become difficult tasks; therefore, new approaches are continuously being sought. Metabolic reprogramming at the lipid level is a hot topic in cancer research, and sphingolipidomics has gained particular focus in this area due to the bioactive nature of molecules such as sphingoid bases, sphingosine-1-phosphate, ceramides, sphingomyelin, cerebrosides, globosides, and gangliosides. Sphingolipid metabolism has become especially exciting because they are involved in virtually every cellular process through an extremely intricate metabolic web; in fact, no two sphingolipids share the same fate. Unsurprisingly, a disruption at this level is a recurrent mechanism in lymphomagenesis, dissemination, and chemoresistance, which means potential biomarkers and therapeutical targets might be hiding within these pathways. Many comprehensive reviews describing their role in cancer exist, but because most research has been conducted in solid malignancies, evidence in lymphomagenesis is somewhat limited. In this review, we summarize key aspects of sphingolipid biochemistry and discuss their known impact in cancer biology, with a particular focus on lymphomas and possible therapeutical strategies against them.
| S-EPMC9104519 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Interferon-Stimulated Gene 15 (ISG15) transcript is aberrantly expressed in most human malignancies, suggesting that it has a protumor function. However, at the protein level ISG15 has both protumor and immunomodulatory antitumor functions. Therapeutic strategies to maximize the latter may benefit cancer patients overexpressing the ISG15 pathway.
| S-EPMC4635879 | biostudies-other
Project description:Platelets control hemostasis and play a key role in inflammation and immunity. However, platelet function may change during aging, and a role for these versatile cells in many age-related pathological processes is emerging. In addition to a well-known role in cardiovascular disease, platelet activity is now thought to contribute to cancer cell metastasis and tumor-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE) development. Worldwide, the great majority of all patients with cardiovascular disease and some with cancer receive anti-platelet therapy to reduce the risk of thrombosis. However, not only do thrombotic diseases remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, cancer, especially metastasis, is still the second cause of death worldwide. Understanding how platelets change during aging and how they may contribute to aging-related diseases such as cancer may contribute to steps taken along the road towards a "healthy aging" strategy. Here, we review the changes that occur in platelets during aging, and investigate how these versatile blood components contribute to cancer progression.
| S-EPMC7458881 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Opioids and their receptors have received remarkable attention because they have the ability to alter immune function, which affects disease progression. In vitro and in vivo findings as well as observations in humans indicate that opioids and their receptors positively or negatively affect viral replication and virus-mediated pathology. The present study reviews recent insights in the role of opioids and their receptors in viral infections and discusses possible therapeutic opportunities. This review supports the emerging concept that opioids and their receptors have both favorable and unfavorable effects on viral disease, depending on the type of virus. Targeting of the opioid system is a potential option for developing effective therapies; however caution is required in relation to the beneficial functions of opioid systems.
| S-EPMC4916179 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Colorectal carcinogenesis is a complex process in which many immune and non-immune cells and a huge number of mediators are involved. Among these latter factors, Smad7, an inhibitor of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 signaling that has been involved in the amplification of the inflammatory process sustaining chronic intestinal inflammation, is supposed to make a valid contribution to the growth and survival of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. Smad7 is over-expressed by tumoral cells in both sporadic CRC and colitis-associated CRC, where it sustains neoplastic processes through activation of either TGFβ-dependent or non-dependent pathways. Consistently, genome-wide association studies have identified single nucleotide polymorphisms of the Smad7 gene associated with CRC and shown that either amplification or deletion of the Smad7 gene associates with a poor prognosis or better outcome, respectively. On the other hand, there is evidence that over-expression of Smad7 in immune cells infiltrating the inflamed gut of patients with inflammatory bowel disease can elicit anti-tumor responses, with the down-stream effect of attenuating CRC cell growth. Taken together, these observations suggest a double role of Smad7 in colorectal carcinogenesis, which probably depends on the cell subset and the biological context analyzed. In this review, we summarize the available evidences about the role of Smad7 in both sporadic and colitis-associated CRC.
| S-EPMC6563107 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate adenosine synthetase (cGAS) is a DNA sensor that detects and binds to cytosolic DNA to generate cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP). As a second messenger, cGAMP mainly activates the adapter protein STING, which induces the production of type I interferons (IFNs) and inflammatory cytokines. Mounting evidence shows that cGAS is extensively involved in the innate immune response, senescence, and tumor immunity, thereby exhibiting a tumor-suppressive function, most of which is mediated by the STING pathway. In contrast, cGAS can also act as an oncogenic factor, mostly by increasing genomic instability through inhibitory effects on DNA repair, suggesting its utility as an antitumor target. This article reviews the roles and the underlying mechanisms of cGAS in cancer, particularly focusing on its dual roles in carcinogenesis and tumor progression, which are probably attributable to its classical and nonclassical functions, as well as approaches targeting cGAS for cancer therapy.
| S-EPMC9433456 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Astrocytes play multifaceted and vital roles in maintaining neurophysiological function of the central nervous system by regulating homeostasis, increasing synaptic plasticity, and sustaining neuroprotective effects. Astrocytes become activated as a result of inflammatory responses during the progression of pathological changes associated with neurodegenerative disorders. Reactive astrocytes (neurotoxic A1 and neuroprotective A2) are triggered during disease progression and pathogenesis due to neuroinflammation and ischemia. However, only a limited body of literature describes morphological and functional changes of astrocytes during the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. The present review investigated the detrimental and beneficial roles of astrocytes in neurodegenerative diseases reported in recent studies, as these cells have promising therapeutic potential and offer new approaches for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
| S-EPMC8328766 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) plays a paramount role in the degradation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptors (LDLR) on the hepatic cells surface and subsequently affects LDL particles catabolism and LDL cholesterol (LDL-c) levels. The anti-PCSK9 monoclonal antibodies lead to substantial decrease of LDL-c concentration. PCSK9 (which is also expressed in pancreatic delta-cells) can decrease LDLR and subsequently decrease cholesterol accumulation in pancreatic beta-cells, which impairs glucose metabolism and reduces insulin secretion. Thus, a possible adverse effect of PCSK9 inhibitors on carbohydrate metabolism may be expected by this mechanism, which has been supported by the mendelian studies results. On the other hand, clinical data have suggested a detrimental association of PCSK9 with glucose metabolism. So, the inhibition of PCSK9 may be seen as a double-edged sword regarding carbohydrate metabolism. Completed clinical trials have not shown a detrimental effect of PCSK9 inhibitors on diabetes risk, but their short-term duration does not allow definite conclusions.
| S-EPMC5507827 | biostudies-literature