Project description:Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is an enveloped, coated, non-cytopathic and hepatotropic partially double-stranded DNA virus in the family Hepadnaviridae genus Orthohepadnavirus. Despite significant progress in the availability of safe vaccines and antiviral therapies against HBV, it still affects approximately 257 million people worldwide and is responsible for about 887,000 deaths per year around the world [4]. HBV infection, which are associated with acute and chronic liver failure responses to viruses attacked the liver, can result in inactive carrier state, chronic hepatitis, or fulminant hepatitis and put them at high risk to develop advanced liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, and even hepatocellular cancer. Many viral factors, which could affect the disparity of clinical outcomes or disease prognosis during chronic HBV infection, have been reported in previous studies; among them, the viral genotype, as well as HBV mutations ascribing the virus to a certain phenotype, was reported to be the most important factor influencing viral pathogenesis, including the change of host immune recognition, the enhanced virulence with increased HBV replication and the facilitation of cell attachment or penetration.
Project description:Background: Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum) is a parasitic flatworm that is the aetiological agent of human schistosomiasis, an important cause of hepatic fibrosis. Schistosomiasis-induced hepatic fibrosis is a consequence of the highly fibrogenic nature of egg-induced granulomatuous lesions, the main pathogenic factor of schistosomiasis. Although global awareness of the association between schistosomiasis-indued hepatic fibrosis and s. japonicum infection is increasing, little is known about the molecular differences associated with rapid progression to schistosomiasis in cirrhotic patients. Methods: We systematically used data-independent acquisition (DIA)-based liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to identify differentially expressed proteins in serum samples from patients with advanced S. japonicum-induced hepatic fibrosis. Results: On the basis of our analysis, we identified 1,144 proteins, among which 66 were differentially expressed between the healthy control and SHF-F2 groups and 214 were differentially expressed between the SHF-F2 and SHF-F4 groups (up- or downregulation of at least 1.5-fold in serum samples). Furthermore, our results indicated that two selected proteins (C1QA and CFD) are potential biomarkers for distinguishing patients with SHF-F2 and SHF-F4 resulting from S. japonicum infection. Conclusions: This report is the first to provide a global proteomic profile of serum samples from patients with advanced S. japonicum-induced hepatic fibrosis. C1QA and CFD are potentially diagnostic markers for patients with SHF-F2 and SHF-F4 resulting from S. japonicum infection, although further large-scale studies are needed. Our DIA-based quantitative proteomic analysis revealed molecular differences among individuals with different stages of advanced S. japonicum-induced hepatic fibrosis and might provide fundamental information for further detailed investigations.
Project description:Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a serious inflammatory skin disorder characterized by increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines that contribute to a vicious cycle of inflammation. While the in-flammatory recombinant human epidermal (RHE) models related to AD have been established, there is currently lack of comprehensive understanding. To reveal the alterations and identify potential hub genes in AD-related inflammation, related RHE models induced by inflammatory cocktail (polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid, TNF-α, IL-4 and IL-13) are constructed and analyzed through TMT-proteomic in combination with RNA-seq transcriptomic.
Project description:Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive type with poor prognosis among the breast cancers and has a high population of cancer stem cells (CSCs) which are main target to cure and inhibit TNBC. In this study, we analyzed the CSC-related proteome alteration by NEDD4 knockdown in CSC-abundant MDA-MB-231 cells by LC-MS/MS analysis.
Project description:Increasing studies suggested the treatment potential of mesenchymal stem cells in variety diseases. Evidence showed that MSCs could promote injured tissue repair and improve disease mortality. These indicated that MSC transplantation may be an ideal candidate for cholestasis treatment.We found that MenSC transplantation could significantly improve the symptoms and pathological changes of DDC-induced cholestasis liver injury in mice.
Project description:In previous work, cephalotaxine, harringtonine, homoharringtonine were shown to be accumulated differentially after various stimuli. Especially, after MeJA treatment, the concentration of 3 cephalotaxus alkaloids all showed decreasing. We speculated that the genes expressed lower after MeJA treatment might encode some enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of cephalotaxus alkaloids. Therefore, choosing the sample treated with MeJA and the control sample for comparative iTRAQ analysis will greatly facilitate dissection of the genes involved in the biosynthesis of cephalotaxus alkaloids and even the acyl portions of cephalotaxus ester alkaloids. This approach is widely used for mining and identifying novel genes in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites without genome data in plants.
Project description:TMT proteomics was used to detect the difference in protein expression of bevacizumab-resistant xenograft tumor tissue in nude mice.
Project description:Iron induces hepcidin by activating bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)6-SMAD signaling. Liver endothelial cells (LECs) produce BMP6, but the molecular mechanisms are incompletely understood. To address this, we performed proteomics and RNA-sequencing on LECs from iron-adequate and iron-loaded mice. Gene set enrichment analysis identified transcription factors activated by high iron, including Nrf-2, which was previously reported to contribute to BMP6 regulation, and proto-oncogene c-Jun (encoded by Jun). Jun knockdown blocked Bmp6, but not Nrf-2 pathway, induction by iron in LEC cultures. Moreover, chromatin immunoprecipitation of mouse livers showed iron-dependent c-Jun binding to predicted sites in Bmp6 regulatory regions. Finally, c-Jun inhibitor blunted induction of Bmp6 and hepcidin, but not Nrf-2 activity, in iron-loaded mice. However, Bmp6 expression and iron parameters were unchanged in endothelial Jun knockout mice. Our data suggest that c-Jun participates in iron-mediated BMP6 regulation independent of Nrf-2, though the mechanisms may be redundant and/or multifactorial.
Project description:Fungal infections, especially for candidiasis and aspergillosis, claim an unacceptably high fatality. However, the determining mechanism that promote fungal lethal infections are still elusive. The energy ATP necessary for fungal cell growth and function is synthesized mainly through oxidative phosphorylation, whose key enzyme is F1Fo-ATP synthase. Nonetheless, it remians unknown how this enzyme affects fungal pathogenicity. Here we show that F1Fo-ATP synthase subunit deletion completely abrogates C. albicans lethal infection rather than leading to remarkable intracellular ATP concentration and growth defect. Mechanically, subunit deletion reduces PFK1 activity via interrupting PFK1 phosphorylation to trigger its conformational change, decreases downstream FBP level, blocks Ras1-dependent and -independent cAMP-PKA pathway, and curtails virulence factors. Based on these findings, we engineer a small molecule compound aimed at subunit that effectively protects mice from succumbing to invasive candidiasis. In summary, our findings reveal that F1Fo-ATP synthase δ subunit determines the lethal infection of pathogenic fungi and represents a potential new therapeutic target.
Project description:Mycobacterium abscessus is nowadays under the spotlight of the scientific community. This pathogenic mycobacteria is indeed responsible for a wide spectrum of infections involving mostly pulmonary infections in patients with cystic fibrosis. M. abscessus is intrinsically resistant to a broad range of antibiotics, including most antitubercular drugs, and is considered the most pathogenic and chemotherapy-resistant rapidly growing mycobacterium. Consequently, with very limited treatment options, the development of new therapeutic approaches to fight this pathogen are urgently needed. 38 new analogs of Cyclipostins & Cyclophostin (CyC), compounds naturally produced by Streptomyces species, have been synthesized. Their antibacterial activities against clinical isolates belonging to the M. chelonae-abscessus clade, as well as Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria have been evaluated by the REMA method. The intracellular activities of the CyC against intramacrophagic M. abscessus have also been investigated and compared to those of imipenem. The CyCs displayed very low toxicity towards host cells and their inhibitory activity was exclusively restricted to mycobacteria. The best candidate, CyC17, showed a high selectivity for mycobacteria with MIC values (<2 up to 40 µg/mL) comparable to those of most classical antibiotics used to treat M. abscessus infections. Of importance, several CyCs were active against extracellular M. abscessus growth (i.e., CyC17 / CyC18β / CyC25 / CyC26) or against intracellular mycobacteria inside macrophages (i.e., CyC7α,β / CyC8α,β) with MIC values similar to or better than those of standard antibiotics. Based on these results, we intended to identify the potential target enzymes of CyC17/CyC26 in M. abscessus by activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) approach coupled with mass spectrometry differential analysis.