Biomedical Journal最新文献

{"title":"Sacred codes: Preservation, permutation and expression","authors":"Aila Akosua Kattner","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2025.100852","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bj.2025.100852","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This issue of the <em>Biomedical Journal</em> features a special section on epigenetics in infection, exploring epitranscriptomic modifications in the malaria parasite <em>Plasmodium</em> and the African sleeping sickness parasite <em>Trypanosoma</em>, with a focus on how these modifications influence parasite development and survival strategies. Additionally, this issue reviews regulatory mechanisms in asymmetric cell division, assessment needs for children with developmental coordination disorder along with recommendations, and advancements in 3D chondrocyte culturing for tissue engineering. Also examined are three key pathways exacerbating long COVID, the increasing impact of electromagnetic exposure in built environments on human health, and recent updates in liver transplantation criteria for hepatocellular carcinoma complicated by portal vein tumor thrombosis. Research in bladder cancer investigates the role of activating transcription factor 3, known for its anti-tumor properties, and its link to metformin. Another study demonstrates the efficacy of Sanger sequencing in streamlining mitochondrial disorder diagnostics, enabling timely identification based on clinical evidence. Additional studies present a novel intervention approach for autoimmune diseases, advancements in artificial bone grafts to enhance bone regeneration, and the benefits of public hospital participation in oncological clinical trials. Finally, a study confirms the suitability of transthoracic echocardiography for diagnosing suspected acute aortic syndrome.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":"48 2","pages":"Article 100852"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143794501","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advancements in chondrocyte 3-dimensional embedded culture: Implications for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine","authors":"Yu-Ying Chu ,&nbsp;Atsuhiko Hikita ,&nbsp;Yukiyo Asawa ,&nbsp;Kazuto Hoshi","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100786","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100786","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cartilage repair necessitates regenerative medicine because of the unreliable healing mechanism of cartilage. To yield a sufficient number of cells for transplantation, chondrocytes must be expanded in culture. However, in 2D culture, chondrocytes tend to lose their distinctive phenotypes and functionalities after serial passage, thereby limiting their efficacy for tissue engineering purposes.</div><div>The mechanism of dedifferentiation in 2D culture can be attributed to various factors, including abnormal nuclear strength, stress-induced mitochondrial impairment, chromatin remodeling, ERK-1/2 and the p38/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. These mechanisms collectively contribute to the loss of chondrocyte phenotype and reduced production of cartilage-specific extracellular matrix (ECM) components.</div><div>Chondrocyte 3D culture methods have emerged as promising solutions to prevent dedifferentiation. Techniques, such as scaffold-based culture and scaffold-free approaches, provide chondrocytes with a more physiologically relevant environment, promoting their differentiation and matrix synthesis. These methods have been used in cartilage tissue engineering to create engineered cartilage constructs for transplantation and joint repair.</div><div>However, chondrocyte 3D culture still has limitations, such as low viability and proliferation rate, and also difficulties in passage under 3D condition. These indicate challenges of obtaining a sufficient number of chondrocytes for large-scale tissue production. To address these issues, ongoing studies of many research groups have been focusing on refining culture conditions, optimizing scaffold materials, and exploring novel cell sources such as stem cells to enhance the quality and quantity of engineered cartilage tissues.</div><div>Although obstacles remain, continuous endeavors to enhance culture techniques and overcome limitations offer a promising outlook for the advancement of more efficient strategies for cartilage regeneration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":"48 2","pages":"Article 100786"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142139218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"LncRNAs and asymmetric cell division: The epigenetic mechanisms","authors":"Hsiao-Fan Chen ,&nbsp;Kou-Juey Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100774","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100774","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Asymmetric cell division (ACD) plays a pivotal role in development, tissue homeostasis, and stem cell maintenance. Emerging evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are key regulators of ACD, orchestrating the intricate molecular machinery that governs cell fate determination. This review summarizes current literature to elucidate the diverse roles of lncRNAs in modulating ACD across various biological contexts. The regulatory mechanisms of asymmetric cell division mediated by lncRNAs, including their interactions with protein effectors, epigenetic regulation, and subcellular localization are explored. Additionally, we discuss the implications of dysregulated lncRNAs in mediating ACD that lead to tumorigenesis. By integrating findings from diverse experimental models and cell types, this review provides insights into the multifaceted roles of lncRNAs in governing asymmetric cell division, shedding light on fundamental biological processes. Further research in this area may lead to the development of novel therapies targeting dysregulated lncRNAs to restore proper cell division and function. The knowledge of lncRNAs regulating ACD could potentially revolutionize the field of regenerative medicine and cancer therapy by targeting specific lncRNAs involved in ACD. By unraveling the complex interactions between lncRNAs and cellular processes, the potential novel opportunities for precision medicine approaches may be uncovered.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":"48 2","pages":"Article 100774"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141765196","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Charting new territory: The Plasmodium falciparum tRNA modification landscape","authors":"Benjamin Sian Teck Lee ,&nbsp;Ameya Sinha ,&nbsp;Peter Dedon ,&nbsp;Peter Preiser","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100745","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100745","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ribonucleoside modifications comprising the epitranscriptome are present in all organisms and all forms of RNA, including mRNA, rRNA and tRNA, the three major RNA components of the translational machinery. Of these, tRNA is the most heavily modified and the tRNA epitranscriptome has the greatest diversity of modifications. In addition to their roles in tRNA biogenesis, quality control, structure, cleavage, and codon recognition, tRNA modifications have been shown to regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, including humans. However, studies investigating the impact of tRNA modifications on gene expression in the malaria parasite <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> are currently scarce. Current evidence shows that the parasite has a limited capacity for transcriptional control, which points to a heavier reliance on strategies for posttranscriptional regulation, such as tRNA epitranscriptome reprogramming. This review addresses the known functions of tRNA modifications in the biology of <em>P. falciparum</em> while highlighting the potential therapeutic opportunities and the value of using <em>P. falciparum</em> as a model organism for addressing several open questions related to the tRNA epitranscriptome.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":"48 2","pages":"Article 100745"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140908125","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reading the epitranscriptome of the human malaria parasite","authors":"Gayathri Govindaraju ,&nbsp;Arumugam Rajavelu","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100703","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100703","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Epigenetic machinery has emerged as a central player in gene regulation and chromatin organization in Plasmodium spp. Epigenetic modifications on histones and their role in antigenic variation in P. falciparum are widely studied. Recent discoveries on nucleic acid methylome are exciting and provide a new dimension to the apicomplexan protozoan parasite's gene regulatory process. Reports have confirmed that N6-methyl adenosine (m6A) methylation plays a crucial role in the translational plasticity of the human malaria parasite during its development in RBC. The YTH domain (YT521-B Homology) protein in P. falciparum binds to m6A epitranscriptome modifications on the mRNA and regulates protein translation. The binding of the PfYTH domain protein to the m6A-modified mRNA is mediated through a binding pocket formed by aromatic amino acids. The P. falciparum genome encodes two members of YTH domain proteins, i.e., YTH1 and YTH2, and both have distinct roles in dictating the epitranscriptome in human malaria parasites. This review highlights recent advancements in the functions and mechanisms of YTH domain protein's role in translational plasticity in the various developmental stages of the parasite.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":"48 2","pages":"Article 100703"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139678914","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Novel artificial tricalcium phosphate and magnesium composite graft facilitates angiogenesis in bone healing","authors":"Yuan-Hsin Tsai ,&nbsp;Chun-Chieh Tseng ,&nbsp;Yun-Chan Lin ,&nbsp;Howida M. Nail ,&nbsp;Kuan-Yu Chiu ,&nbsp;Yen-Hao Chang ,&nbsp;Ming-Wei Chang ,&nbsp;Feng-Huei Lin ,&nbsp;Hui-Min David Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100750","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bj.2024.100750","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Critical bone defects pose a significant challenge for orthopedic surgeons. Autologous bone grafting is the golden standard. However, it is hindered by issues such as donor site morbidity and limited availability. Commercially available artificial bone grafts may encounter challenges in properly integrating the surrounding bone tissue, potentially leading to delayed or incomplete healing. Furthermore, magnesium deficiency has been shown to negatively affect localized angiogenesis and bone repair. As a result, creating a synthetic biomaterial that includes magnesium could serve as an excellent bone substitute. The study aims to evaluate and test the morphological, mechanical, and biological properties of a calcium phosphate cement (CPC) sponge composed of tetracalcium phosphate (TTCP) and monocalcium phosphate monohydrate (MCPM).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study aims to develop biomedical materials composed mainly of TTCP and MCPM powder, magnesium powder, and collagen. The materials were prepared using a wet-stirred mill and freeze-dryer methods. The particle size, composition, and microstructure of the materials were investigated. Finally, the biological properties of these materials, including 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay for biocompatibility, effects on bone cell differentiation by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity assay, and endothelial cell tube formation assay for angiogenesis, were evaluated as well.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The data showed that the sub-micron CPC powder, composed of TTCP/MCPM in a 3.5:1 ratio, had a setting time shorter than 15 min and a compressive strength of 4.39 ± 0.96 MPa. This reveals that the sub-micron CPC powder had an adequate setting time and mechanical strength. We found that the sub-micron CPC sponge containing magnesium had better biocompatibility, including increased proliferation and osteogenic induction effects without cytotoxicity. The CPC sponge containing magnesium also promoted angiogenesis.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>In summary, we introduced a novel CPC sponge, which had a similar property to human bone promoted the biological functions of bone cells, and could serve as a promising material used in bone regeneration for critical bone defects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":"48 2","pages":"Article 100750"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141260452","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Significance of PAI-1 on the development of skin cancer: optimal targets for cancer therapies.","authors":"Taku Fujimura","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2025.100850","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2025.100850","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is a serine protease inhibitor that plays a critical role in cancer progression, particularly in skin cancers. PAI-1 is widely recognized for its role in inhibiting fibrinolysis; however, emerging evidence suggests that it also contributes to tumor progression through multiple mechanisms, including tumor angiogenesis, immunomodulation, and stromal cell regulation. In the tumor microenvironment (TME), PAI-1 influences tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), promoting an immunosuppressive environment that supports cancer growth and therapy resistance. Furthermore, PAI-1 has been implicated in the regulation of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression via the JAK/STAT signaling pathway, thereby influencing immune evasion in various skin cancers. The significance of PAI-1 as a therapeutic target has been demonstrated in melanoma and other cutaneous malignancies, where inhibition of PAI-1 has shown promise in overcoming resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Additionally, clinical trials evaluating PAI-1 inhibitors, such as TM5614, highlight its potential as an adjunctive therapy for melanoma and cutaneous angiosarcoma. This review comprehensively explores PAI-1's role in skin cancer progression, its influence on tumor-stromal interactions, and its potential as a therapeutic target.</p>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"100850"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143669051","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Toward a personalized chronotherapy of blood pressure.","authors":"Germaine Cornelissen, Yoshihiko Watanabe, Larry A Beaty, Kuniaki Otsuka","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2025.100849","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2025.100849","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>A consensus regarding the optimal time to administer anti-hypertensive medications has not been reached. Possible differential effects of different anti-hypertensive drugs on the circadian pattern of blood pressure (BP) and differential responses of individual patients receiving the same treatment at different times of the day may partly account for the controversy.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) data available at 30-minute intervals for 7 days from previous studies are reanalyzed to compare the effect of five drugs (amlodipine, atenolol, captopril retard, long-acting carteolol, and nilvadipine) taken 1.5 hours after awakening or twice a day on the 24-hour profile of BP from 7 to 13 conventionally diagnosed patients per treatment group. Similar data from 30 patients receiving losartan/hydrochlorothiazide for at least one month at each of six different times in relation to their time of awakening serve to compare the effect of treatment time in different patients.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Some but not all drugs affected the 24-hour amplitude and/or phase of BP or the contribution of the 12-hour harmonic term to modify the circadian waveform of BP. While evening dosing increased the 24-hour amplitude of BP in some patients, other patients achieved such a desired effect with morning dosing.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Personalized optimization of treatment timing to best match a healthy circadian BP pattern is recommended, guided by chronobiological analyses of ABPM data collected over several days in view of the large day-to-day variability in all features of the 24-hour BP rhythm.</p>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"100849"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143596123","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Elastase Reduces Background Autofluorescence in ALK Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Assays for Lung Cancers.","authors":"Sheng-Chi Hsu, Tsai-Hsien Hung, Hsiao-Chun Wu, Kwai-Fong Ng, Tse-Ching Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2025.100840","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2025.100840","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitors have been effective in treating non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) with ALK translocation. However, high background autofluorescence in lung tissues interferes with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assays, masking molecular probe signals and hindering data interpretation.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>To reduce autofluorescence, NSCLC tissue sections were treated with various proteases, including collagenase types I, II, IV, and elastase, to determine the most effective enzyme. We then conducted ALK break-apart FISH assays on 120 NSCLC samples comparing standard and novel pretreatment protocols.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Elastase was identified as the most effective enzyme for reducing autofluorescence while preserving nuclear integrity. The elastase-based pretreatment enabled clear FISH signal detection in all cases, reducing the retest rate from 86.7% to 0%. Furthermore, two additional ALK translocated cases were detected with elastase pretreatment, which were indeterminable with pepsin treatment alone.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This novel elastase pretreatment protocol addresses autofluorescence interference in lung tissues and can significantly improve the reliability of FISH assays for targeted therapy decisions.</p>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"100840"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143584487","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A panel of miRNAs in the serum extracellular vesicles serve as novel diagnostic biomarkers for MASLD.","authors":"Moran Hu, Hai Huang, Meng Jia, Min Xu, Malin Chen, Junxiang Wu, Shouyong Gu, Hongwei Liang, Hongwen Zhou, Yingyun Gong","doi":"10.1016/j.bj.2025.100838","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2025.100838","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The increased prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and its profound implications for global health have sparked extensive research endeavors aimed at developing potential diagnostic methods for this condition. Despite the achievements in defining various environmental factors and genetic predispositions linked to MASLD, diagnosis and clinical staging of the disease remain challenging. Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have garnered considerable attention owing to their roles in metabolic dysfunctions and their potential as biomarkers for various conditions. This study aimed to investigate whether microRNAs (miRNAs) in serum EVs could be utilized for diagnosing and staging MASLD. We applied an innovative and efficient approach that involves capturing and analyzing extracellular vesicles using wheat germ agglutinin (WGA)-coupled magnetic beads, subsequently employing reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) for analysis. MiR-574-3p, miR-542-3p, and miR-200a-3p in serum extracellular vesicles were significantly elevated in patients with MASLD, indicating their potential as diagnostic markers. This study has established a straightforward assay platform for isolating extracellular vesicles without the need for purification and for quantitatively detecting miR-574-3p, miR-542-3p, and miR-200a-3p in serum extracellular vesicles.</p>","PeriodicalId":8934,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"100838"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143536390","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}