EXCLI JournalPub Date : 2026-03-11eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.17179/excli2026-9340
Mairim R Serafini, Lucindo J Quintans-Júnior
{"title":"Cornered professors, a fragilized model, and graduate training… who holds it together?","authors":"Mairim R Serafini, Lucindo J Quintans-Júnior","doi":"10.17179/excli2026-9340","DOIUrl":"10.17179/excli2026-9340","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12247,"journal":{"name":"EXCLI Journal","volume":"25 ","pages":"387-389"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13077161/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147689062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
EXCLI JournalPub Date : 2026-03-06eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.17179/excli2026-9338
John Antonydas Gaspar, Krishnan M Dhandapani, David C Hess
{"title":"MAGEB16 as an epigenetic timing regulator linking X-chromosome biology to neurodevelopmental vulnerability in Autism Spectrum Disorder.","authors":"John Antonydas Gaspar, Krishnan M Dhandapani, David C Hess","doi":"10.17179/excli2026-9338","DOIUrl":"10.17179/excli2026-9338","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>MAGEB16 (Melanoma-associated antigen B16) is an X-linked cancer-testis antigen belonging to the MAGE-B family, whose expression is tightly regulated by a promoter DNA-methylation switch that restricts transcription primarily to the male germ line under normal physiological conditions. In addition to its established roles in spermatogenesis and oncogenesis, emerging functional, epigenomic, and genetic evidence points to MAGEB16 as an epigenetically sensitive modifier of early developmental programs implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In this study, we performed an integrative analysis combining MAGEB16's chromosomal context, molecular interaction networks, and methylation-dependent regulatory features, alongside experimental depletion datasets from pluripotent stem cells, perinatal cord-blood methylome data from ASD cohorts, peripheral transcriptomics linked to neuropsychiatric risk and recently reported genetic variant associations. Our synthesis identifies underlying evidence indicating that MAGEB16 participates in epigenetically regulated lineage specification processes during early embryonic development. We propose a unified model in which MAGEB16 acts as a dosage- and timing-dependent regulator of early lineage commitment. Disruption of its epigenetic control, particularly during X-chromosome-enriched developmental periods, may influence neurodevelopmental pathways toward ASD-associated phenotypes. These findings position MAGEB16 as a candidate epigenetic-susceptibility factor linking germline-restricted regulatory changes, that could influence early brain development and increase the risk for neurodevelopmental conditions. See also the graphical abstract(Fig. 1).</p>","PeriodicalId":12247,"journal":{"name":"EXCLI Journal","volume":"25 ","pages":"377-386"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13077175/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147689105","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
EXCLI JournalPub Date : 2026-02-27eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.17179/excli2026-9282
Sun Sik Kong, Chang Ha Park
{"title":"Plant extracts: a potential approach to combating multidrug-resistant bacteria.","authors":"Sun Sik Kong, Chang Ha Park","doi":"10.17179/excli2026-9282","DOIUrl":"10.17179/excli2026-9282","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12247,"journal":{"name":"EXCLI Journal","volume":"25 ","pages":"372-374"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13077163/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147689116","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
EXCLI JournalPub Date : 2026-02-24eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.17179/excli2026-9229
Asghar Ghasemi, Sajad Jeddi, Khosrow Kashfi
{"title":"The compartmentalization model of nitrate homeostasis: Role of the salivary glands, skeletal muscle, and liver.","authors":"Asghar Ghasemi, Sajad Jeddi, Khosrow Kashfi","doi":"10.17179/excli2026-9229","DOIUrl":"10.17179/excli2026-9229","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nitric oxide (NO) is a small, bioactive molecule with diverse physiological functions. It is generated both enzymatically by NO synthases (NOS) and non-enzymatically through the nitrate-nitrite-NO reduction pathway. Recent studies have renewed interest in nitrate-based regulation of NO, highlighting a compartmentalization model of nitrate homeostasis. In this model, excess NO is rapidly oxidized to nitrite, which is then oxidized to nitrate, a more stable species that limits oxidative damage. Nitrate is differentially distributed across tissues, allowing both storage and rapid mobilization to maintain NO availability. Human and animal studies show that nitrate concentrations in skeletal muscle, plasma, and liver are approximately 100, 35, and 10 nmol/g, respectively, corresponding to a skeletal muscle-to-plasma-to-liver ratio of ~3:1:0.3. The large skeletal muscle reservoir and its higher muscle-to-plasma gradient support the release of nitrate into the circulation when needed. In contrast, the liver-to-plasma ratio < 1 suggests active hepatic uptake of circulating nitrate. Together, these findings support a compartmentalized system in which nitrate storage and flux contribute to whole-body NO homeostasis. Understanding this model may have implications for exercise physiology, metabolic regulation, and liver pathophysiology - all conditions in which NO biology plays a critical role. See also the graphical abstract(Fig. 1).</p>","PeriodicalId":12247,"journal":{"name":"EXCLI Journal","volume":"25 ","pages":"345-371"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13077174/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147689134","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
EXCLI JournalPub Date : 2026-02-12eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.17179/excli2026-9251
Ian Jhemes Oliveira Sousa, Kerolayne de Melo Nogueira
{"title":"Acetylsalicylic acid versus clopidogrel in cardiovascular prevention: Does the classic still outperform the contemporary?","authors":"Ian Jhemes Oliveira Sousa, Kerolayne de Melo Nogueira","doi":"10.17179/excli2026-9251","DOIUrl":"10.17179/excli2026-9251","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12247,"journal":{"name":"EXCLI Journal","volume":"25 ","pages":"342-344"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13077162/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147689107","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
EXCLI JournalPub Date : 2026-02-10eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.17179/excli2025-9263
Rizia Rocha-Silva, Geovana José, Marília Santos Andrade, Claudio Andre Barbosa de Lira
{"title":"Beyond the pitch: The unaddressed challenges of inadequate uniforms in women's football.","authors":"Rizia Rocha-Silva, Geovana José, Marília Santos Andrade, Claudio Andre Barbosa de Lira","doi":"10.17179/excli2025-9263","DOIUrl":"10.17179/excli2025-9263","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12247,"journal":{"name":"EXCLI Journal","volume":"25 ","pages":"339-341"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12982871/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147462914","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
EXCLI JournalPub Date : 2026-02-04eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.17179/excli2025-9174
Debasree Bhadra, Jody A Rule, William M Lee, Mitchell R McGill
{"title":"Comparison of LDH activity and LDH-M to predict death in patients with acetaminophen-induced acute liver failure.","authors":"Debasree Bhadra, Jody A Rule, William M Lee, Mitchell R McGill","doi":"10.17179/excli2025-9174","DOIUrl":"10.17179/excli2025-9174","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Liver transplantation is often the only life-saving intervention in acute liver failure (ALF), so it is critical to identify all ALF patients who need a transplant to survive. However, transplantable organs are scarce and recipients face significant life-threatening risks, so it is also important to avoid transplantation when possible. Thus, prognostics that can predict death in ALF with both high sensitivity and specificity are needed. We previously demonstrated total lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity may be useful for this purpose. However, LDH is a tetramer of LDH-M and LDH-H, and proteomics indicated only the liver enzyme - LDH-M - increases in non-survivors. LDH-H decreased. Because total LDH comprises both, it is possible that LDH-M could have even better prognostic performance. To test that, we compared total LDH and LDH-M in a subset of samples from our prior study of survivors and non-survivors of acetaminophen (APAP)-induced ALF. The model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score and the MELD-LDH score were also calculated. Both total LDH and LDH-M values were greater in non-survivors than survivors, but there was no significant difference in prognostic metrics between them. Overall, total LDH performed similarly to or modestly better than both LDH-M and the MELD. The MELD-LDH score also performed somewhat better than the MELD. See also the graphical abstract(Fig. 1).</p>","PeriodicalId":12247,"journal":{"name":"EXCLI Journal","volume":"25 ","pages":"330-338"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12982867/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147462971","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
EXCLI JournalPub Date : 2026-01-30eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.17179/excli2025-9096
Osama Omar Khan
{"title":"Efficacy and safety of CTLA-4, PD-1 and LAG-3 immune checkpoint inhibitors as monotherapy and combination therapy in advanced melanoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Osama Omar Khan","doi":"10.17179/excli2025-9096","DOIUrl":"10.17179/excli2025-9096","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Advanced unresectable melanoma carries a poor prognosis, with minimal benefit from chemotherapy and limited responsiveness to radiotherapy. The emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting PD-1, CTLA-4, and LAG-3 has transformed treatment outcomes; however, their comparative efficacy and safety remain unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated and compared the efficacy and safety of PD-1 and CTLA-4 monotherapies against traditional systemic therapies, as well as the dual regimens PD-1 + CTLA-4 and PD-1 + LAG-3 against their respective monotherapies, in patients with advanced unresectable melanoma. A comprehensive search of PubMed and the Cochrane CENTRAL database was conducted on March 18, 2025, for randomized controlled trials comparing ICIs against conventional therapies or other ICI regimens. Primary endpoints included overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and grade ≥ 3 adverse events (AEs). A random-effects meta-analysis was performed, and risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2.0 tool. Eleven randomized controlled trials (n = 4,111) met the inclusion criteria. The PD-1 + CTLA-4 combination demonstrated the greatest clinical benefit, significantly improving OS (HR = 0.59), PFS (HR = 0.45), and ORR (RR = 3.11) compared with monotherapy, but was associated with a higher incidence of grade ≥ 3 AEs (RR = 2.14). The PD-1 + LAG-3 regimen showed a moderate yet statistically significant advantage in efficacy over PD-1 monotherapy (OS HR = 0.80) while maintaining better tolerability. PD-1 monotherapy demonstrated greater efficacy and a more favorable safety profile than CTLA-4 monotherapy when each was compared with traditional therapy. In conclusion, PD-1 + CTLA-4 offers the most substantial therapeutic improvement but with considerable toxicity, whereas PD-1 + LAG-3 provides a more balanced efficacy-safety profile. PD-1 monotherapy remains the safest option, though less effective than combination strategies. These findings highlight the evolving role of combination immunotherapies and the potential clinical value of LAG-3 as a novel checkpoint target in melanoma management. See also the graphical abstract(Fig. 1).</p>","PeriodicalId":12247,"journal":{"name":"EXCLI Journal","volume":"25 ","pages":"310-329"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12982869/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147462956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
EXCLI JournalPub Date : 2026-01-23eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.17179/excli2025-9085
Pengcheng Zhou, Mohammad Majd Hammour, Romina H Aspera-Werz, Sabrina Ehnert, Maiju Myllys, Zaynab Hobloss, Reham Hassan, Daniela Gonzalez, Rama Hendawi, Karolina Edlund, Sandra Hans, Matthias W Laschke, Ahmed Ghallab, Jan G Hengstler, Andreas K Nüssler, Tanja C Maisenbacher
{"title":"Long-term Western diet feeding impairs hepatic vitamin D metabolism and promotes bone loss in mice.","authors":"Pengcheng Zhou, Mohammad Majd Hammour, Romina H Aspera-Werz, Sabrina Ehnert, Maiju Myllys, Zaynab Hobloss, Reham Hassan, Daniela Gonzalez, Rama Hendawi, Karolina Edlund, Sandra Hans, Matthias W Laschke, Ahmed Ghallab, Jan G Hengstler, Andreas K Nüssler, Tanja C Maisenbacher","doi":"10.17179/excli2025-9085","DOIUrl":"10.17179/excli2025-9085","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Obesity and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) are increasingly recognized as risk factors for skeletal fragility, yet the mechanisms linking these conditions to impaired bone health remain poorly defined. The liver is central to vitamin D homeostasis through 25-hydroxylation, while skeletal responsiveness relies on vitamin D receptor (VDR) signaling. Disruption of either process may compromise bone remodeling. In this study, we investigated the long-term effects of Western diet (WD) feeding on hepatic vitamin D metabolism and bone integrity in a mouse model. Male C57BL/6N mice were fed a standard diet (SD) or WD for 48 weeks. WD-fed mice developed obesity, hepatic injury, and trabecular bone deterioration characterized by reduced bone mineral density and increased trabecular separation. Although trabecular architecture was compromised, three-point bending revealed no significant impairment in cortical bone mechanical properties. Histological analyses showed increased bone marrow adiposity and macrophage/monocyte lineage cells. Bone gene expression profiling indicated enhanced osteoclastogenic signaling. Hepatic transcriptomics demonstrated marked downregulation of key 25-hydroxylases (<i>Cyp2r1</i>, <i>Cyp27a1</i>) and vitamin D-binding protein, accompanied by reduced circulating 25‑hydroxyvitamin D. Bone tissue also exhibited decreased VDR protein abundance. Together, these findings suggest that long-term WD-induced obesity and hepatic dysfunction impair hepatic vitamin D metabolism and diminish skeletal vitamin D responsiveness, contributing to bone fragility. Targeting the liver-bone axis and restoring vitamin D homeostasis may provide therapeutic potential for obesity-related bone loss. See also the graphical abstract(Fig. 1).</p>","PeriodicalId":12247,"journal":{"name":"EXCLI Journal","volume":"25 ","pages":"290-309"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12982870/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147463011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}