The COVID-19 outbreak is emerging as a significant public health challenge. Excessive production of proinflammatory cytokines, also known as cytokine storm, is a severe clinical syndrome known to develop as a complication of infectious or inflammatory diseases. Clinical evidence suggests that the occurrence of cytokine storm in severe acute respiratory syndrome secondary to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is closely associated with the rapid deterioration and high mortality of severe cases. In this review, we aim to summarize the mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the subsequent immunological events related to excessive cytokine production and inflammatory responses associated with ACE2-AngII signaling. An overview of the diagnosis and an update on current therapeutic regimens and vaccinations is also provided.
BackgroundLIM and SH3 protein 1 (LASP1) is upregulated in several types of human cancer and implicated in cancer progression. However, the expression and intrinsic function of LASP1 in glioblastoma (GBM) remains unclear.MethodOncomine and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was analyzed for the expression and clinical significance of LASP1 in GBM. LASP1 mRNA and protein level were measured by qRT-PCR and western blotting. The effect of LASP1 on GBM proliferation was examined by MTT assay and colony formation assay, the effect of LASP1 on sensitivity of Temozolomide was measured by flow cytometry and subcutaneous tumor model. The association between LASP1 and PI3K/AKT signaling was assessed by western blotting.ResultsOncomine GBM dataset analysis indicated LASP1 is significantly upregulated in GBM tissues compared to normal tissues. GBM dataset from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) revealed that high LASP1 expression is related to poor overall survival. LASP1 mRNA and protein in clinical specimens and tumor cell lines are frequently overexpressed. LASP1 knockdown dramatically suppressed U87 and U251 cell proliferation. Silencing LASP1 potentiated cell chemosensitivity to temozolomide in vitro, LASP1 knockdown inhibited tumor growth and enhanced the therapeutic effect of temozolomide in vivo. TCGA dataset analysis indicated LASP1 was correlated with PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, and LASP1 deletion inhibited this pathway. Combination treatment with PI3K/AKT pathway inhibitor LY294002 dramatically accelerated the suppression effect of temozolomide.ConclusionLASP1 may function as an oncogene in GBM and regulate cell proliferation and chemosensitivity in a PI3K/AKT-dependent mechanism. Thus, the LASP1/PI3K/AKT axis is a promising target and therapeutic strategy for GBM treatment.
Approximately 3% of the world population suffers from depression, which is one of the most common form of mental disorder. Recent findings suggest that an interaction between the nervous system and immune system might be behind the pathophysiology of various neurological and psychiatric disorders, including depression. Neuropeptides have been shown to play a major role in mediating response to stress and inducing immune activation or suppression. Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) is a major regulator of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis response. CRF is a stress-related neuropeptide whose dysregulation has been associated with depression. In this review, we summarized the role of CRF in the neuroimmune mechanisms of depression, and the potential therapeutic effects of Chinese herbal medicines (CHM) as well as other agents. Studying the network of CRF and immune responses will help to enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis of depression. Additionally, targeting this important network may aid in developing novel treatments for this debilitating psychiatric disorder.
Elsevier has created a COVID-19 resource centre with free information in English and Mandarin on the novel coronavirus COVID-19. The COVID-19 resource centre is hosted on Elsevier Connect, the company's public news and information website. Elsevier hereby grants permission to make all its COVID-19-related research that is available on the COVID-19 resource centre-including this research content-immediately available in PubMed Central and other publicly funded repositories, such as the WHO COVID database with rights for unrestricted research re-use and analyses in any form or by any means with acknowledgement of the original source. These permissions are granted for free by Elsevier for as long as the COVID-19 resource centre remains active.
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