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Astrocytes in depression and Alzheimer’s disease

《医学前沿（英文）》 2021年第15卷第6期页码 829-841 doi: 10.1007/s11684-021-0875-0

摘要： Astrocytes are an abundant subgroup of cells in the central nervous system (CNS) that play a critical role in controlling neuronal circuits involved in emotion, learning, and memory. In clinical cases, multiple chronic brain diseases may cause psychosocial and cognitive impairment, such as depression and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). For years, complex pathological conditions driven by depression and AD have been widely perceived to contribute to a high risk of disability, resulting in gradual loss of self-care ability, lower life qualities, and vast burden on human society. Interestingly, correlational research on depression and AD has shown that depression might be a prodrome of progressive degenerative neurological disease. As a kind of multifunctional glial cell in the CNS, astrocytes maintain physiological function via supporting neuronal cells, modulating pathologic niche, and regulating energy metabolism. Mounting evidence has shown that astrocytic dysfunction is involved in the progression of depression and AD. We herein review the current findings on the roles and mechanisms of astrocytes in the development of depression and AD, with an implication of potential therapeutic avenue for these diseases by targeting astrocytes.

关键词： astrocytes depression Alzheimer’s disease roles mechanisms

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Protein phosphatase 2A, a key player in Alzheimer’s disease

Rong LIU, Qing TIAN

《医学前沿（英文）》 2009年第3卷第1期页码 8-12 doi: 10.1007/s11684-009-0017-6

摘要： Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is the predominant serine/threonine phosphatase in eukaryotic cells. In the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), decreased PP2A activities were observed, which is suggested to be involved in neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) formation, disturbed amyloid precursor protein (APP) secretion and neurodegeneration in AD brain. Based on our research and other previous findings, decreased PP2Ac level, decreased PP2A holoenzyme composition, increased level of PP2A inhibitors, increased PP2Ac Leu309 demethylation and Tyr307 phosphorylation underlie PP2A inactivation in AD. β-amyloid (Aβ) over-production, estrogen deficiency and impaired homocysteine metabolism are the possible up-stream factors that inactivate PP2A in AD neurons. Further studies are required to disclose the role of PP2A in Alzheimer’s disease.

关键词： protein phosphatase 2A Alzheimer’s disease holoenzyme composition protein phosphatase 2A inhibitors Leu309 demethylation Tyr307 phosphorylation

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Medical applications of phytoestrogens from the Thai herb

null

《医学前沿（英文）》 2012年第6卷第1期页码 8-21 doi: 10.1007/s11684-012-0184-8

摘要：

Pueraria mirifica Airy Shaw et Suvatabandhu is a medicinal plant endemic to Thailand. It has been used in Thai folklore medicine for its rejuvenating qualities in aged women and men for nearly one hundred years. Indeed, it has been claimed that P. mirifica contains active phytoestrogens (plant substances with estrogen-like activity). Using high performance liquid chromatography, at least 17 phytoestrogens, mainly isoflavones, have been isolated. Thus, fairly considerable scientific researches, both in vitro in cell lines and in vivo in various species of animals including humans, have been conducted to date to address its estrogenic activity on the reproductive organs, bones, cardiovascular diseases and other climacteric related symptoms. The antioxidative capacity and antiproliferative effect on tumor cell lines have also been assessed. In general, P. mirifica could be applicable for preventing, or as a therapeutic for, the symptoms related to estrogen deficiency in menopausal women as well as in andropausal men. However, the optimal doses for each desirable effect and the balance to avoid undesired side effects need to be calculated before use.

关键词： white Kwao Krua miroestrol estrogenic activity reproduction osteoporosis breast cancer Alzheimer

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Effect of ambient polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nicotine on the structure of Aβ protein

《环境科学与工程前沿（英文）》 2023年第17卷第2期 doi: 10.1007/s11783-023-1615-2

摘要：

● B[a]P, nicotine and phenanthrene molecules altered the secondary structure of Aβ₄₂.

关键词： Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons Nicotine toxicology Aβ₄₂ peptide Alzheimer’s disease Molecular dynamics simulations Environmental pollution

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Atomistic characterization of binding modes and affinity of peptide inhibitors to amyloid-

Fufeng LIU,Wenjie DU,Yan SUN,Jie ZHENG,Xiaoyan DONG

《化学科学与工程前沿（英文）》 2014年第8卷第4期页码 433-444 doi: 10.1007/s11705-014-1454-6

摘要： The aggregation of amyloid -protein (A ) is tightly linked to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. Previous studies have found that three peptide inhibitors (i.e., KLVFF, VVIA, and LPFFD) can inhibit A aggregation and alleviate A -induced neurotoxicity. However, atomic details of binding modes and binding affinities between these peptide inhibitors and A have not been revealed. Here, using molecular dynamics simulations and molecular mechanics Poisson Boltzmann surface area (MM/PBSA) analysis, we examined the effect of three peptide inhibitors (KLVFF, VVIA, and LPFFD) on their sequence-specific interactions with A and the molecular basis of their inhibition. All inhibitors exhibit varied binding affinity to A , in which KLVFF has the highest binding affinity, whereas LPFFD has the least. MM/PBSA analysis further revealed that different peptide inhibitors have different modes of interaction with A , consequently hotspot binding residues, and underlying driving forces. Specific residue-based interactions between inhibitors and A were determined and compared for illustrating different binding and inhibition mechanisms. This work provides structure-based binding information for further modification and optimization of these three peptide inhibitors to enhance their binding and inhibitory abilities against A aggregation.

关键词： Alzheimer’s disease amyloid β-protein peptide inhibitors protein-protein interaction molecular dynamics simulation

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Head-to-tail cyclization of a heptapeptide eliminates its cytotoxicity and significantly increases its inhibition effect on amyloid

Shuai Ma, Huan Zhang, Xiaoyan Dong, Linling Yu, Jie Zheng, Yan Sun

《化学科学与工程前沿（英文）》 2018年第12卷第2期页码 283-295 doi: 10.1007/s11705-017-1687-2

摘要： Amyloid- (A ) protein aggregation is the main hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Inhibition of A fibrillation is thus a promising therapeutic approach to the prevention and treatment of AD. Recently, we designed a heptapeptide inhibitor, LVFFARK (LK7). LK7 shows a promising inhibitory capability on A fibrillation, but is prone to self-assembling and displays high cytotoxicity, which would hinder its practical application. Herein, we modified LK7 by a head-to-tail cyclization and obtained a cyclic LK7 (cLK7). cLK7 exhibits a different self-assembly behavior from LK7, and has higher stability against proteolysis than LK7 and little cytotoxicity to SH-SY5Y cells. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that both LK7 and cLK7 could bind to A by electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions, but the binding affinity of cLK7 for A ( = 4.96 µmol/L) is six times higher than that of LK7 ( = 32.2 µmol/L). The strong binding enables cLK7 to stabilize the secondary structure of A and potently inhibit its nucleation, fibrillation and cytotoxicity at extensive concentration range, whereas LK7 could only moderately inhibit A fibrillation and cytotoxicity at low concentrations. The findings indicate that the peptide cyclization is a promising approach to enhance the performance of peptide-based amyloid inhibitors.

关键词： Alzheimer’s disease amyloid β-protein cyclic peptide inhibition protein aggregation