Genomics-driven derivatization of the bioactive fungal sesterterpenoid variecolin: Creation of an unnatural analogue with improved anticancer properties

A biosynthetic gene cluster for the bioactive fungal sesterterpenoids variecolin ( 1) and variecolactone ( 2) was identified in Aspergillus aculeatus ATCC 16872. Heterologous production of 1 and 2 was achieved in Aspergillus oryzae by expressing the sesterterpene synthase VrcA and the cytochrome P450 VrcB. Intriguingly, the replacement of VrcB with homologous P450s from other fungal terpenoid pathways yielded three new variecolin analogues ( 5- 7). Analysis of the compounds' anticancer activity in vitro and in vivo revealed that although 5 and 1 had comparable activities, 5 was associated with significantly reduced toxic side effects in cancer-bearing mice, indicating its potentially broader therapeutic window. Our study describes the first tests of variecolin and its analogues in animals and demonstrates the utility of synthetic biology for creating molecules with improved biological activities.

Strategies on biosynthesis and production of bioactive compounds in medicinal plants / 中草药·英文版

Medicinal plants are a valuable source of essential medicines and herbal products for healthcare and disease therapy. Compared with chemical synthesis and extraction, the biosynthesis of natural products is a very promising alternative for the successful conservation of medicinal plants, and its rapid development will greatly facilitate the conservation and sustainable utilization of medicinal plants. Here, we summarize the advances in strategies and methods concerning the biosynthesis and production of natural products of medicinal plants. The strategies and methods mainly include genetic engineering, plant cell culture engineering, metabolic engineering, and synthetic biology based on multiple "OMICS" technologies, with paradigms for the biosynthesis of terpenoids and alkaloids. We also highlight the biosynthetic approaches and discuss progress in the production of some valuable natural products, exemplifying compounds such as vindoline (alkaloid), artemisinin and paclitaxel (terpenoids), to illustrate the power of biotechnology in medicinal plants.

Synthetic MRI to Assess Neurological Injury in Recovered COVID-19 Patients / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

ObjectiveTo assess the microstructural involvement of gray matter in recovered COVID-19 patients using Synthetic MRI. MethodsThis study was conducted in 29 recovered COVID-19 patients， including severe group （SG， n=11） and ordinary group （OG， n=18）. Healthy volunteers matched by age， sex， BMI and years of education were selected as a healthy control group （HC=23 cases）. Each subject underwent synthetic MRI to generate quantitative T1 and T2 maps， and the T1 and T2 maps were segmented into 90 regions of interest （ROIs） using automatic anatomical labeling （AAL） mapping. T1 and T2 values for each ROI were obtained by averaging all voxels within the ROIs. The T1 and T2 values of the 90 brain regions between the three groups were compared. ResultsRelative to HC， the SG had significantly higher T2 values in bilateral orbital superior frontal gyrus， bilateral parahippocampal gyrus， bilateral putamen， bilateral middle temporal gyrus， bilateral Inferior temporal gyrus， left orbital superior frontal gyrus， left orbital inferior frontal gyrus， left gyrus rectus， left anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyri， right median cingulate and paracingulate gyri， left posterior cingulate gyrus， and left supramarginal gyrus （P＜0.05）； Relative to OG， SG showed significantly increased T2 values in the left rectus gyrus， left parahippocampal gyrus， bilateral middle temporal gyrus， and bilateral inferior temporal gyrus （P＜0.05）. Relative to HC， the T1 values of SG were significantly increased in bilateral orbital superior frontal gyrus， left rectus gyrus， left anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyri， right posterior cingulate gyrus， left parahippocampal gyrus， left lingual gyrus， left putamen， left thalamus（P＜0.05）； Relative to OG， the T1 values of SG were significantly higher in the right posterior cingulate gyrus， right calcarine fissure and surrounding cortex， and left putamen （P＜0.05）. ConclusionsEven after recovering from COVID-19， patients may still have persistent or delayed damage to their brain gray matter structure， which is correlated with the severity of the condition. SyMRI can serve as a sensitive tool to assess the extent of microstructural damage to the central nervous system， aiding in early diagnosis of the disease.

Fentanyl and other New Psychoactive Synthetic Opioids. Challenges to Prevention and Treatment

ABSTRACT Synthetic opioids have played a significant role in the current opioid crisis in the United States (U.S.) and Canada and are a matter of concern worldwide. New psychoactive opioids (NPOs) are classified in the internationally recognized new psychoactive substances (NPSs) category. This group comprises compounds that may have been synthesized decades ago but appeared only recently in the illicit drug market. Such is the case of fentanyl, fentanyl analogs, and non-fentanyl opioids. Most NPOs have effects similar to morphine, including euphoria and analgesia, and can produce fatal respiratory depression. Here, we present an overview of the systemic and molecular effects of main NPOs, their classification, and their pharmacological properties. We first review the fentanyl group of NPOs, including the four compounds of clinical use (fentanyl, alfentanil, sufentanil, and remifentanil) and the veterinary drug carfentanil. We also provide essential information on non-medical fentanyl analogs and other synthetic opioids such as brorphine, etonitazene, and MT-45, used as adulterants in commonly misused drugs. This paper also summarizes the scarce literature on the use of NPOs in Mexico. It concludes with a brief review of the challenges to prevention and treatment posed by NPOs and some recommendations to face them.

Production of limonene and its derivative in Saccharomyces cerevisiae via metabolic engineering / 生物工程学报

Limonene and its derivative perillic acid are widely used in food, cosmetics, health products, medicine and other industries as important bioactive natural products. However, inefficient plant extraction and high energy-consuming chemical synthesis hamper the industrial production of limonene and perillic acid. In this study, limonene synthase from Mentha spicata was expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by peroxisome compartmentalization, and the yield of limonene was 0.038 mg/L. The genes involved in limonene synthesis, ERG10, ERG13, tHMGR, ERG12, ERG8, IDI1, MVD1, ERG20ww and tLS, were step-wise expressed via modular engineering to study their effects on limonene yield. The yield of limonene increased to 1.14 mg/L by increasing the precursor module. Using the plasmid with high copy number to express the above key genes, the yield of limonene significantly increased up to 86.74 mg/L, which was 4 337 times higher than that of the original strain. Using the limonene-producing strain as the starting strain, the production of perillic acid was successfully achieved by expressing cytochrome P450 enzyme gene from Salvia miltiorrhiza, and the yield reached 4.42 mg/L. The results may facilitate the construction of cell factory with high yield of monoterpene products by S. cerevisiae.

Engineering and application of Komagataella phaffii as a cell factory / 生物工程学报

Nowadays, engineered Komagataella phaffii plays an important role in the biosynthesis of small molecule metabolites and protein products, showing great potential and value in industrial productions. With the development and application of new editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas9, it has become possible to engineer K. phaffii into a cell factory with high polygenic efficiency. Here, the genetic manipulation techniques and objectives for engineering K. phaffii are first summarized. Secondly, the applications of engineered K. phaffii as a cell factory are introduced. Meanwhile, the advantages as well as disadvantages of using engineered K. phaffii as a cell factory are discussed and future engineering directions are prospected. This review aims to provide a reference for further engineering K. phaffii cell factory, which is supposed to facilitate its application in bioindustry.

Biomanufacturing of bioactive compounds: current situation, challenges, and future perspectives / 生物工程学报

Biomanufacturing uses biological systems, including cells, microorganisms, and enzymes, to produce natural or synthetic molecules with biological activities for use in various industries, such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and agriculture. These bioactive compounds are expected to play important roles in improving the quality of life and prolonging its length. Fortunately, recent advances in synthetic biology and automation technologies have accelerated the development of biomanufacturing, enabling us to create new products and replace conventional methods in a more sustainable manner. As of now, the role of biomanufacturing in the growth and innovation of bioeconomy is steadily increasing, and this techbology becomes a prevalent technology in global markets. To gain a comprehensive understanding of this field, this article presents a retrospective review of Bloomage Biotechnology's Research and Development and briefly reviews the developments of biomanufacturing and offers insights into the futre prospects. In conclusion, biomanufacturing will continue to be an important, environmentally friendly, and sustainable production mode in the ongoing development of bioeconomy.

Sterol transport proteins in yeast: a review / 生物工程学报

Sterols are a class of cyclopentano-perhydrophenanthrene derivatives widely present in living organisms. Sterols are important components of cell membranes. In addition, they also have important physiological and pharmacological activities. With the development of synthetic biology and metabolic engineering technology, yeast cells are increasingly used for the heterologous synthesis of sterols in recent years. Nevertheless, since sterols are hydrophobic macromolecules, they tend to accumulate in the membrane fraction of yeast cells and consequently trigger cytotoxicity, which hampers the further improvement of sterols yield. Therefore, revealing the mechanism of sterol transport in yeast, especially understanding the working principle of sterol transporters, is vital for designing strategies to relieve the toxicity of sterol accumulation and increasing sterol yield in yeast cell factories. In yeast, sterols are mainly transported through protein-mediated non-vesicular transport mechanisms. This review summarizes five types of sterol transport-related proteins that have been reported in yeast, namely OSBP/ORPs family proteins, LAM family proteins, ABC transport family proteins, CAP superfamily proteins, and NPC-like sterol transport proteins. These transporters play important roles in intracellular sterol gradient distribution and homeostasis maintenance. In addition, we also review the current status of practical applications of sterol transport proteins in yeast cell factories.

Advances in using adaptive laboratory evolution technology for engineering of photosynthetic cyanobacteria / 生物工程学报

Cyanobacteria are the only prokaryotes capable of oxygenic photosynthesis, which have potential to serve as "autotrophic cell factories". However, the synthesis of biofuels and chemicals using cyanobacteria as chassis are suffered from poor stress tolerance and low yield, resulting in low economic feasibility for industrial production. Thus, it's urgent to construct new cyanobacterial chassis by means of synthetic biology. In recent years, adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) has made great achievements in chassis engineering, including optimizing growth rate, increasing tolerance, enhancing substrate utilization and increasing product yield. ALE has also made some progress in improving the tolerance of cyanobacteria to high light intensity, heavy metal ions, high concentrations of salt and organic solvents. However, the engineering efficiency of ALE strategy in cyanobacteria is generally low, and the molecular mechanisms underpinning the tolerance to various stresses have not been fully elucidated. To this end, this review summarizes the ALE-associated technical strategies and their applications in cyanobacteria chassis engineering, following by discussing how to construct larger ALE mutation library, increase mutation frequency of strains and shorten evolution time. Moreover, exploration of the construction principles and strategies for constructing multi-stress tolerant cyanobacteria, and efficient analysis the mutant libraries of evolved strains as well as construction of strains with high yield and strong robustness are discussed, with the aim to facilitate the engineering of cyanobacteria chassis and the application of engineered cyanobacteria in the future.

Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Five Indoles or Indazole Amide Synthetic Cannabinoids in Suspected E-Cigarette Oil by GC-MS / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To establish the GC-MS qualitative and quantitative analysis methods for the synthetic cannabinoids, its main matrix and additives in suspicious electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) oil samples.@*METHODS@#The e-cigarette oil samples were analyzed by GC-MS after diluted with methanol. Synthetic cannabinoids, its main matrix and additives in e-cigarette oil samples were qualitatively analyzed by the characteristic fragment ions and retention time. The synthetic cannabinoids were quantitatively analyzed by using the selective ion monitoring mode.@*RESULTS@#The linear range of each compound in GC-MS quantitative method was 0.025-1 mg/mL, the matrix recovery rate was 94%-103%, the intra-day precision relative standard deviations (RSD) was less than 2.5%, and inter-day precision RSD was less than 4.0%. Five indoles or indazole amide synthetic cannabinoids were detected in 25 e-cigarette samples. The main matrixes of e-cigarette samples were propylene glycol and glycerol. Additives such as N,2,3-trimethyl-2-isopropyl butanamide (WS-23), glycerol triacetate and nicotine were detected in some samples. The content range of synthetic cannabinoids in 25 e-cigarette samples was 0.05%-2.74%.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The GC-MS method for synthesizing cannabinoid, matrix and additive in e-cigarette oil samples has good selectivity, high resolution, low detection limit, and can be used for simultaneous qualitative and quantitative analysis of multiple components; The explored fragment ion fragmentation mechanism of the electron bombardment ion source of indole or indoxamide compounds helps to identify such substances or other compounds with similar structures in cases.

Evidence of a synthetic lethality interaction between SETDB1 histone methyltransferase and CHD4 chromatin remodeling protein in a triple negative breast cancer cell line

During the tumorigenic process, cancer cells may become overly dependent on the activity of backup cellular pathways for their survival, representing vulnerabilities that could be exploited as therapeutic targets. Certain molecular vulnerabilities manifest as a synthetic lethality relationship, and the identification and characterization of new synthetic lethal interactions may pave the way for the development of new therapeutic approaches for human cancer. Our goal was to investigate a possible synthetic lethal interaction between a member of the Chromodomain Helicase DNA binding proteins family (CHD4) and a member of the histone methyltransferases family (SETDB1) in the molecular context of a cell line (Hs578T) representing the triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), a subtype of breast cancer lacking validated molecular targets for treatment. Therefore, we employed the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing tool to individually or simultaneously introduce indels in the genomic loci corresponding to the catalytic domains of SETDB1 and CHD4 in the Hs578T cell line. Our main findings included: a) introduction of indels in exon 22 of SETDB1 sensitized Hs578T to the action of the genotoxic chemotherapy doxorubicin; b) by sequentially introducing indels in exon 22 of SETDB1 and exon 23 of CHD4 and tracking the percentage of the remaining wild-type sequences in the mixed cell populations generated, we obtained evidence of the existence of a synthetic lethality interaction between these genes. Considering the lack of molecular targets in TNBC, our findings provided valuable insights for development of new therapeutic approaches not only for TNBC but also for other cancer types.

Indications for the use of cannabinoids / Indicação do uso de canabinoides

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The increasingly widespread use of cannabinoids in the management of acute and chronic pain generates an urgent need to study how cannabinoids act on CB1 and CB2 receptors and what their effects are on the organism. It is important to understand the difference in action between natural cannabinoids (cannabidiol, delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabigerol, cannabinoil, terpenes) and synthetic ones, so that the appropriate choice is made in each case, and depending on the pathophysiology of pain, one or the other active is more indicated. CONTENTS: Studies collected in the Pubmed, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases were analyzed. These studies focus were on natural cannabinoids (cannabidiol, delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabigerol, cannabinoil, terpenes) and synthetic cannabinoids in the use for the treatment of chronic pain, their action on the endocannabinoid system through the activation of the CB1 and CB2 receptor and their effect after activating this receptor, aiming to compile which cannabinoid is more indicated in the treatment of pain pathology. CONCLUSION: The subject still requires much study and new articles are being published daily. The analysis of the studies must be carried out with criteria to evaluate their seriousness. The endocannabinoid system is closely linked to the treatment of chronic pain and some cannabinoids such as: cannabidiol, delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabigerol, cannabinoil, as well as some terpenes are already considered important in the treatment of chronic pain inferring sparing effect of opioids, anticonvulsants, antidepressants among others.

RESUMO JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: O uso cada vez mais disseminado dos canabinoides no controle da dor aguda e crônica gera uma necessidade urgente do estudo de como os canabinoides agem nos receptores CB1 e CB2 e quais seus efeitos no organismo. É importante entender a diferença de ação entre os canabinoides naturais (canabidiol, delta 9-tetrahidrocanabinol, canabigerol, canabinol, terpenos) e os sintéticos, para que a escolha adequada seja realizada em cada caso, sendo que dependendo da fisiopatologia da dor é mais indicado um ou outro ativo. CONTEÚDO: Foram analisados estudos coletados na Pubmed, Cochrane Library e Web of Science. Os estudos se concentram em canabinoides naturais (canabidiol, delta 9-tetrahidrocanabinol, canabigerol, canabinoil, terpenos) e canabinoides sintéticos no uso para o tratamento da dor crônica, sua ação no sistema endocanabinoide através da ativação do receptor CB1 e CB2 e seu efeito após ativar esse receptor, visando compilar qual canabinoide é mais indicado no tratamento da patologia álgica. CONCLUSÃO: O assunto ainda requer muito estudo e diariamente novos artigos vem sendo publicados. A análise dos estudos deve ser realizada com critério para avaliar sua seriedade. O sistema endocanabinoide está intimamente ligado ao tratamento da dor crônica e alguns canabinoides como: canabidiol, delta 9-tetrahidrocanabinol, canabigerol, canabinoil, assim como alguns terpenos já são considerados importantes no tratamento da dor crônica inferindo efeito poupador de opioides, anticonvulsivantes, antidepressivos entre outros.

Influence of bioactive particles and onium salt on the physicochemical properties of experimental infiltrants

Abstract This study evaluated physicochemical properties of experimental infiltrants after addition of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HAp) or 58S bioactive glass (BAG) and diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate (DPI). The resin matrix was composed of TEGDMA/Bis-EMA (3:1), 0.5 mol% CQ, and 1 mol% EDAB. The blends received or not 0.5 mol% DPI and 10% wt BAG or HAp. Icon was used as commercial control. The groups were characterized by XRD, FT-IR spectrometry, and SEM before and after simulated body fluid (SBF) immersion for up to 7 days. Polymerization kinetics (n =3 ), water sorption and solubility (n=10), and viscosity (n = 3) were surveyed. For polymerization kinetics, the samples were polymerized for 5 min and the data were obtained from 40 s and 5 min. Statistical analysis was made using ANOVA and Tukey's test (a = 0.05). After 7 days of SBF immersion, XRD and FT-IR showed that the HAp crystalline phase was present only in the HAp groups. A lower degree of conversion (DC) and polymerization rate were observed for the Icon and BAG groups, whereas HAp showed higher values. For the BAG group, DPI increased polymerization rate and DC in 40 s. After 5 min, all groups presented DC above 80%. In groups with particles, the HAp groups exhibited higher viscosity, whereas DPI groups showed a decrease in viscosity. Icon had the highest water sorption. To conclude, BAG neither improved the physicochemical properties studied, nor did it show bioactive properties. The addition of DPI reduced viscosity caused by particle addition and also attenuated the DC decrease caused by BAG addition. The addition of bioactive particles to infiltrants should be seen with caution because they increase viscosity and may not bring major clinical improvements that justify their use. DPI might be indicated only if any component is added to the infiltrant to act as a compensation mechanism.

Clinical value of a novel biological mesh in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair: a multicenter prospective randomized controlled study / 中华消化外科杂志

Objectives:To investigate the clinical value of a novel non-crosslinked biological mesh in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair.Methods:The prospective randomized controlled study was conducted. The clinical data of 50 adult patients with unilateral inguinal hernia who were admitted to 3 medical centers, including Ruijin Hospital of Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine et al, from September 2019 to March 2020 were selected. Based on random number table, patients were divided into two groups. Patients using the novel non-crosslinked biological mesh in repair surgery were divided into the experiment group and patients using the lightweight, micro-porous, partially absorbable synthetic mesh in repair surgery were divided into the control group. Observation indicators: (1) grouping situations of the enrolled patients; (2) endpoint of the study. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and comparison between groups was conducted using the t test. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(range), and comparison between groups was conducted using the non-parameter rank sum test. Count data were described as absolute numbers and (or) persentages, and comparison between groups was conducted using the chi-square test or Fisher exact probability. Comparison of ordinal data was conducted using the non-parameter rank sum test. Repeated measurement data were analyzed using the repeated ANOVA. Taking the recurrence rate of hernia as the basis of efficacy evaluation, according to the intention-to-treat analysis, the confidence interval method (Newcombe Wilson method) was used to conduct non-inferiority statistical analysis of the recurrence rate of hernia between the experiment group and the control group. If the upper limit of 95% confidence interval of the difference of recurrence rate of hernia between the experiment group and the control group is less than 10%, the experiment group is considered to be non-inferior to the control group. Results:(1) Grouping situations of the enrolled patients. A total of 50 adult patients with inguinal hernia were selected for eligibility. There were 44 males and 6 females, aged (60±15)years. All 50 patients were randomly divided into to the experiment group and the control group with 25 cases each. One patient in the control group was not followed up at postoperative month 2, and the rest of 49 patients completed all expected follow-up. No patient in the two groups fell off or were removed. (2) Endpoint of the study. ① The primary endpoint of study. The recurrence rate of hernia was 0 in the experiment group, versus 4%(1/25) in the control group, respectively, showing no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05). Results of non-inferiority statistical analysis showed that the 95% confidence interval of the difference of recurrence rate of hernia between the two groups was -19.54% to 9.72%, with the upper limit as 9.72%, which was less than 10%. ② The secondary endpoint of study. There were 2 patients in the control group occurred seroma at postoperative day 14, and none of the rest of patient in the two groups occurred seroma during the follow-up, showing no significant difference in the occurrence of seroma between the two groups ( P>0.05). There was 1 patient in the control group feeling discomfort or foreign body sensation in groin area at postoperative month 2, and none of the rest of patient in the two groups feeling discomfort or foreign body sensation in groin area during the follow-up, showing no significant difference in the feeling discomfort or foreign body sensation in groin area between the two groups ( P>0.05). There was no patient occurred surgical site infection in the experiment group, and there was 1 patient in the control group occurred postoperative skin infection, which had no relationship with mesh. There was no patient in both two groups occurred fever, anaphylaxis and patch related serious adverse reaction during the follow-up. The resting visual analogue scale score, active visual analogue scale score of patients at postoperative 2 days and postoperative 18 months were 0.44±1.00, 1.28±1.46 and 0, 0 in the experiment group, versus 0.40±0.76, 1.28±1.14 and 0.24±1.20, 0.44±1.29 in the control group, respectively. There was a significant difference in the time effect of postoperative active visual analogue scale score of patients between the two groups ( Ftime=10.19, P<0.05). The thickness of the novel non-crosslinked biological mesh before implantation was 0.5?0.7 mm. Two months after operation, results of B-ultrasonic examination in groin area of 10 patients from the experiment group showed a strong echo area at the patch implant area with a thickness as 2 mm. Conclusion:Application of novel non-crosslinked biological mesh in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair is safe and effective.

Application progress in synthetic and natural polymer materials for dural membrane repair / 国际生物医学工程杂志

The dura mater is a double-layer tough membrane tissue located between the surface of the brain and the inner surface of the skull that supports and protects the brain tissue. The phenomenon of dural defects caused by tumor resection, inflammation destruction, and craniotomies is becoming more common clinically. Therefore, the development of effective dural repair materials can not only reduce the leakage of cerebrospinal fluid and the occurrence of epilepsy complications but also promote the recovery of the dural defect to its normal physiological structure. With the continuous development of modern medicine, many biomaterials have been developed for dural defect repair. At present, the most promising and most researched biomaterials are synthetic polymer materials and natural polymer materials. Synthetic polymer materials have been extensively studied by domestic and foreign scholars due to their stable performance, low foreign body infection, and easy mass production advantages. Natural polymer materials are the most promising biomaterials because of their extensive sources, excellent biocompatibility, and biodegradability advantages. This article summarizes the research progress based on synthetic polymer materials and natural polymer materials in dural repair materials. In this review paper, the application progress of synthetic polymer materials and natural polymer materials in dural membrane repair was reviewed.

Advances in anti-invasive fungal drug delivery systems / 浙江大学学报·医学版

Currently, the first-line drugs for invasive fungal infections (IFI), such as amphotericin B, fluconazole and itraconazole, have drawbacks including poor water solubility, low bioavailability, and severe side effects. Using drug delivery systems is a promising strategy to improve the efficacy and safety of traditional antifungal therapy. Synthetic and biomimetic carriers have greatly facilitated the development of targeted delivery systems for antifungal drugs. Synthetic carrier drug delivery systems, such as liposomes, nanoparticles, polymer micelles, and microspheres, can improve the physicochemical properties of antifungal drugs, prolong their circulation time, enhance targeting capabilities, and reduce toxic side effects. Cell membrane biomimetic drug delivery systems, such as macrophage or red blood cell membrane-coated drug delivery systems, retain the membrane structure of somatic cells and confer various biological functions and specific targeting abilities to the loaded antifungal drugs, exhibiting better biocompatibility and lower toxicity. This article reviews the development of antifungal drug delivery systems and their application in the treatment of IFI, and also discusses the prospects of novel biomimetic carriers in antifungal drug delivery.

Emerging roles of Aurora-A kinase in cancer therapy resistance

Aurora kinase A (Aurora-A), a serine/threonine kinase, plays a pivotal role in various cellular processes, including mitotic entry, centrosome maturation and spindle formation. Overexpression or gene-amplification/mutation of Aurora-A kinase occurs in different types of cancer, including lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer. Alteration of Aurora-A impacts multiple cancer hallmarks, especially, immortalization, energy metabolism, immune escape and cell death resistance which are involved in cancer progression and resistance. This review highlights the most recent advances in the oncogenic roles and related multiple cancer hallmarks of Aurora-A kinase-driving cancer therapy resistance, including chemoresistance (taxanes, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide), targeted therapy resistance (osimertinib, imatinib, sorafenib, etc.), endocrine therapy resistance (tamoxifen, fulvestrant) and radioresistance. Specifically, the mechanisms of Aurora-A kinase promote acquired resistance through modulating DNA damage repair, feedback activation bypass pathways, resistance to apoptosis, necroptosis and autophagy, metastasis, and stemness. Noticeably, our review also summarizes the promising synthetic lethality strategy for Aurora-A inhibitors in RB1, ARID1A and MYC gene mutation tumors, and potential synergistic strategy for mTOR, PAK1, MDM2, MEK inhibitors or PD-L1 antibodies combined with targeting Aurora-A kinase. In addition, we discuss the design and development of the novel class of Aurora-A inhibitors in precision medicine for cancer treatment.

Methcathinone Increases Visually-evoked Neuronal Activity and Enhances Sensory Processing Efficiency in Mice / 神经科学通报·英文版

Methcathinone (MCAT) belongs to the designer drugs called synthetic cathinones, which are abused worldwide for recreational purposes. It has strong stimulant effects, including enhanced euphoria, sensation, alertness, and empathy. However, little is known about how MCAT modulates neuronal activity in vivo. Here, we evaluated the effect of MCAT on neuronal activity with a series of functional approaches. C-Fos immunostaining showed that MCAT increased the number of activated neurons by 6-fold, especially in sensory and motor cortices, striatum, and midbrain motor nuclei. In vivo single-unit recording and two-photon Ca2+ imaging revealed that a large proportion of neurons increased spiking activity upon MCAT administration. Notably, MCAT induced a strong de-correlation of population activity and increased trial-to-trial reliability, specifically during a natural movie stimulus. It improved the information-processing efficiency by enhancing the single-neuron coding capacity, suggesting a cortical network mechanism of the enhanced perception produced by psychoactive stimulants.

Research progress of cyclic peptide synthesis strategy and its application in new drug development / 药学学报

Protein-protein interaction (PPI) plays an important role in the regulation of life. Most of the PPI interfaces are large and discontinuous, and it is difficult for small molecules to specifically bind to them. Peptides are critical in PPI surface interactions due to their higher affinity and specificity. However, peptides have some defects such as easy hydrolysis by protease and poor membrane permeability. Due to good biocompatibility and chemical diversity, cyclic peptides play an important role in drug discovery. Therefore, the development of efficient cyclic peptide construction methods has become a frontier issue in peptide drug research. In recent years, a series of new progresses have been made in the synthesis strategy and the application of cyclic peptides, providing powerful technical tools for the research and development of cyclic peptide drugs. In this review, the synthesis strategies of cyclic peptides and their application will be reviewed from four aspects: synthesis strategies, property improvement, biological activity and prospect.

Research progress in strigolactones and application prospect in medicinal plants / 中国中药杂志

Strigolactones(SLs) are a class of sesquiterpenoids derived from the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway with the core carbon skeleton consisting of tricyclic lactone(ABC tricyclic ring) and α,β-unsaturated furan ring(D ring). SLs are widely distributed in higher plants and are symbiotic signals between plants and Arbuscular mycorrhiza(AM), which play key roles in the evolution of plant colonizing terrestrial habitats. As a new type of plant hormone, SLs possess such important biological functions as inhibiting shoot branching(tillers), regulating root architecture, promoting secondary growth, and improving plant stress resistance. Therefore, SLs have attracted wide attention. The biological functions of SLs are not only closely related to the formation of "excellent shape and quality" of Chinese medicinal materials but also have important practical significance for the production of high-quality medicinal materials. However, SLs have been currently widely studied in model plants and crops such as Oryza sativa and Arabidopsis thaliana, and few related studies have been reported on SLs in medicinal plants, which need to be strengthened. This review focused on the latest research progress in the isolation and identification, biological and artificial synthesis pathways, biosynthesis sites and transport modes, signal transduction pathways and mechanisms, and biological functions of SLs, and prospected the research on the regulation mechanism of SLs in the growth and development of medicinal plants and their related application on targeted regulation of Chinese herbal medicine production, which is expected to provide some references for the in-depth research on SLs in the field of Chinese medicinal resources.