Marcelo D T Torres, Angela Cesaro, Cesar de la Fuente-Nunez
{"title":"Peptides from non-immune proteins target infections through antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties.","authors":"Marcelo D T Torres, Angela Cesaro, Cesar de la Fuente-Nunez","doi":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.09.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.09.008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Encrypted peptides (EPs) have been recently described as a new class of antimicrobial molecules. They have been found in numerous organisms and have been proposed to have a role in host immunity and as alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Intriguingly, many of these EPs are found embedded in proteins unrelated to the immune system, suggesting that immunological responses extend beyond traditional host immunity proteins. To test this idea, we synthesized and analyzed representative peptides derived from non-immune human proteins for their ability to exert antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties. Most of the tested peptides from non-immune proteins, derived from structural proteins as well as proteins from the nervous and visual systems, displayed potent in vitro antimicrobial activity. These molecules killed bacterial pathogens by targeting their membrane, and those originating from the same region of the body exhibited synergistic effects when combined. Beyond their antimicrobial properties, nearly 90% of the peptides tested exhibited immunomodulatory effects, modulating inflammatory mediators, such as interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). Moreover, eight of the peptides identified, collagenin-3 and 4, zipperin-1 and 2, and immunosin-2, 3, 12, and 13, displayed anti-infective efficacy in two different preclinical mouse models, reducing bacterial infections by up to four orders of magnitude. Altogether, our results support the hypothesis that peptides from non-immune proteins may have a role in host immunity. These results potentially expand our notion of the immune system to include previously unrecognized proteins and peptides that may be activated upon infection to confer protection to the host.</p>","PeriodicalId":23324,"journal":{"name":"Trends in biotechnology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142547689","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nicola Contessi Negrini, Vanessa Pellegrinelli, Victoria Salem, Adam Celiz, Antonio Vidal-Puig
{"title":"Breaking barriers in obesity research: 3D models of dysfunctional adipose tissue.","authors":"Nicola Contessi Negrini, Vanessa Pellegrinelli, Victoria Salem, Adam Celiz, Antonio Vidal-Puig","doi":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.09.017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.09.017","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Obesity is a global health crisis characterised by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue (AT). Under obesogenic conditions, this metabolically active tissue undergoes fibrosis and inflammation, leading to obesity-linked comorbidities. Modelling AT is essential for understanding its pathophysiology and developing treatments to protect against metabolic complications. 3D in vitro AT models are promising tools that address the limitations of traditional 2D in vitro models and in vivo animal models, providing enhanced biomimetic and human-relevant platforms. 3D models facilitate the study of AT pathophysiology and therapeutic screening. This review discusses the crucial role of AT in obesity-linked comorbidities, its dynamicity and complexity, and recent advances in engineering 3D scaffold-based in vitro dysfunctional AT models, highlighting potential breakthroughs in metabolic research and beyond.</p>","PeriodicalId":23324,"journal":{"name":"Trends in biotechnology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142508795","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jacob T Liberty, Bikram Poudel, Olivia Ihedioha, Haijiao Lin, Ernest Habanabakize, Zihan Gao, Ayodele T Adesoji, Shilni J Liberty
{"title":"Gene editing technology: shaping international standards for health and food safety assurance.","authors":"Jacob T Liberty, Bikram Poudel, Olivia Ihedioha, Haijiao Lin, Ernest Habanabakize, Zihan Gao, Ayodele T Adesoji, Shilni J Liberty","doi":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.09.019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.09.019","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The emergence of gene editing technologies like CRISPR-Cas9 has revolutionized health and food safety, necessitating robust international standards. This Science & Society examines how these advances have shaped global regulatory frameworks, ethical standards, and international collaborations, emphasizing the need for cohesive and ethical applications across various sectors.</p>","PeriodicalId":23324,"journal":{"name":"Trends in biotechnology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142475789","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Introducing original research at Trends in Biotechnology.","authors":"Matthew J Pavlovich","doi":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.10.006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.10.006","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":23324,"journal":{"name":"Trends in biotechnology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142475790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Molecular farming for the food sector.","authors":"Francesca Turetta, Matteo Leonardi, Roberto Reniero, Amedeo Alpi, Enrico Costanzo","doi":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.09.015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.09.015","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Molecular farming, initially developed to produce therapeutic proteins using genetically modified plants, gained renewed interest during the Ebola and COVID-19 outbreaks and has expanded into functional food ingredients. This article evaluates molecular farming technologies, market potential, and startups, and identifies opportunities in dairy proteins, food enzymes, collagen, and cellular agriculture.</p>","PeriodicalId":23324,"journal":{"name":"Trends in biotechnology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142475791","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Daniel Chikere Ali, Tao Pan, Qingping Wu, Zhilong Wang
{"title":"Oil-water interfaces of Pickering emulsions: microhabitats for living cell biocatalysis.","authors":"Daniel Chikere Ali, Tao Pan, Qingping Wu, Zhilong Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.09.014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.09.014","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Based on the size of bacterial cells and bacterial surface hydrophobicity, some bacteria meet the requirements of Pickering particles to stabilize Pickering emulsions. Here, we discuss the oil-water interfaces of bacteria-stabilized Pickering emulsions as microhabitats for microbial metabolism of oil-soluble chemicals. The correlation between living bacteria-stabilized Pickering emulsions and microhabitats of living bacteria at oil-water interfaces offers a new perspective to study bioprocess engineering at the mesoscale between the cell and reactor scales, which not only provides novel parameters to optimize the bioprocess engineering, but also unravels the paradox of some natural phenomena related to living cell biocatalysis.</p>","PeriodicalId":23324,"journal":{"name":"Trends in biotechnology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142475792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jia Qian Tor, Quang Bach Le, Hariharan Ezhilarasu, Weng Wan Chan, Deepak Choudhury
{"title":"Advancements and regulations of biomanufacturing cell-based cartilage repair therapies.","authors":"Jia Qian Tor, Quang Bach Le, Hariharan Ezhilarasu, Weng Wan Chan, Deepak Choudhury","doi":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.09.016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.09.016","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cell-based therapies for cartilage repair, including autologous chondrocyte implantation and allogeneic stem cell treatments, show great promise but face challenges due to high costs and regulatory hurdles. This review summarizes available and investigational products, focusing on allogeneic therapies and the impact of diverse regulatory landscapes on their clinical translation.</p>","PeriodicalId":23324,"journal":{"name":"Trends in biotechnology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142406937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Rapid manufacturing of CAR-T therapy: strategies and impact.","authors":"Sixun Chen, Dan Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.09.013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.09.013","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The accessibility of autologous chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapies is challenged by the complex processes and capacity constraints of manufacturing. Rapid manufacturing capable of shortening manufacturing timelines could transform the CAR-T field. Here, we outline approaches to rapid CAR-T manufacturing, highlighting its impact on various stakeholders in the landscape.</p>","PeriodicalId":23324,"journal":{"name":"Trends in biotechnology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142401436","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tushuai Li, Wenxue Sun, Da Qian, Peng Wang, Xingyu Liu, Chengsheng He, Tong Chang, Guangfu Liao, Jie Zhang
{"title":"Plant-derived biomass-based hydrogels for biomedical applications.","authors":"Tushuai Li, Wenxue Sun, Da Qian, Peng Wang, Xingyu Liu, Chengsheng He, Tong Chang, Guangfu Liao, Jie Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.09.010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.09.010","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hydrogels made of plant-derived biomass have gained popularity in biomedical applications because they are frequently affordable, readily available, and biocompatible. Finding the perfect plant-derived biomass-based hydrogels for biomedicine that can replicate essential characteristics of human tissues in regard to structure, function, and performance has proved to be difficult. In this review, we summarize some of the major contributions made to this topic, covering basic ideas and different biomass-based hydrogels made of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Also included is an in-depth discussion regarding the biosafety and toxicity assessments of biomass-based hydrogels. Finally, this review also highlights important scientific debates and major obstacles regarding biomass-based hydrogels for biomedical applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":23324,"journal":{"name":"Trends in biotechnology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142393655","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Capturing carbon to mitigate climate change: storage or use?","authors":"Monica Hoyos Flight, Joyce Tait","doi":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.09.003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.09.003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Reducing atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> is vital to combat climate change. Alongside reducing emissions, it is essential to capture atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> and either use it or store it, depending on which option yields the best outcomes. Government policies should coordinate actions in areas such as the bioeconomy and avoid creating perverse incentives.</p>","PeriodicalId":23324,"journal":{"name":"Trends in biotechnology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142378255","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}