Author Archives: shanzhu

Targeting metabolic dysregulation for fibrosis therapy

Abstract Fibrosis is the abnormal deposition of extracellular matrix, which can lead to organ dysfunction, morbidity, and death. The disease burden caused by fibrosis is substantial, and there are currently no therapies that can prevent or reverse fibrosis. Metabolic alterations are increasingly recognized as an important pathogenic process that underlies fibrosis across many organ types. […]

Pharmacological modulation of nucleic acid sensors ¡ª therapeutic potential and persisting obstacles

Abstract Nucleic acid sensors, primarily TLR and RLR family members, as well as cGAS–STING signalling, play a critical role in the preservation of cellular and organismal homeostasis. Accordingly, deregulated nucleic acid sensing contributes to the origin of a diverse range of disorders, including infectious diseases, as well as cardiovascular, autoimmune and neoplastic conditions. Accumulating evidence […]

Targeting mRNA processing as an anticancer strategy

Abstract Discoveries in the past decade have highlighted the potential of mRNA as a therapeutic target for cancer. Specifically, RNA sequencing revealed that, in addition to gene mutations, alterations in mRNA can contribute to the initiation and progression of cancer. Indeed, precursor mRNA processing, which includes the removal of introns by splicing and the formation […]

StAMPing out antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Abstract The clinical translation of cationic α-helical antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) has been hindered by structural instability, proteolytic degradation and in vivo toxicity from nonspecific membrane lysis. Although analyses of hydrophobic content and charge distribution have informed the design of synthetic AMPs with increased potency and reduced in vitro hemolysis, nonspecific membrane toxicity in vivo continues […]

CD24 signalling through macrophage Siglec-10 is a target for cancer immunotherapy

Abstract Ovarian cancer and triple-negative breast cancer are among the most lethal diseases affecting women, with few targeted therapies and high rates of metastasis. Cancer cells are capable of evading clearance by macrophages through the overexpression of anti-phagocytic surface proteins called ‘don’t eat me’ signals—including CD471, programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1)2 and the beta-2 […]

A probe for every protein

Science Translational Medicine 11 Sep 2019:Vol. 11, Issue 509, eaaw8412DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaw8412 Drugs may not do what we think they do The majority of proposed anticancer treatments do not succeed in advancing to clinical use because of problems with efficacy or toxicity, often for unclear reasons. Lin et al. discovered that a drug candidate in clinical […]

Investigation of novel SARS-CoV-2 variant Investigation of novel SARS-CoV-2 variant Investigation of novel SARS-CoV-2 Investigation of novel SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern 202012/01 L5

Variant of Concern 202012/01Technical briefing 5 This briefing provides an update on the briefing of 14 January 2021 Summary SGTF detections indicate VOC202012/01 continues to predominate across all regions. S gene target failure remains a well correlated proxy measure of VOC 202012/01. An assessment of severity of disease has been conducted by NERVTAG. A limited […]

Investigation of novel SARS-CoV-2 variant Investigation of novel SARS-CoV-2 variant Investigation of novel SARS-CoV-2 Investigation of novel SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern 202012/01 L4

Variant of Concern 202012/01 Technical briefing 4 This briefing provides an update on the briefing of 8 January 2021 Nomenclature of variants in the UK SARS-CoV-2 variants if considered to have concerning epidemiological, immunological or pathogenic properties are raised for formal investigation. At this point they are designated Variant Under Investigation (VUI) with a year, […]

Products & Information Collection of New variant SARS-COV-2 (2019nCOV) -Brazilian variants: P.1 lineage(B.1.1.28.1)

The world is in midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.The SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.28 has been evolving in Brazil since February 2020. A new lineage, named P.1 (B.1.1.28.1), contains convergent mutations in the spike (S) protein, including several receptor binding domain (spike RBD) mutations E484K, K417T, and N501Y. Spike Mutation in SARS-COV-2 (2019nCOV) Brazilian variant P.1 lineage […]

Investigation of novel SARS-CoV-2 variant Investigation of novel SARS-CoV-2 variant Investigation of novel SARS-CoV-2 Investigation of novel SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern 202012/01

Variant of Concern 202012/01Technical briefing 3 Nomenclature of variants in the UK SARS-CoV-2 variants if considered to have concerning epidemiological, immunological or pathogenic properties are raised for formal investigation. At this point they are designated Variant Under Investigation (VUI) with a year, month, and number. Following risk assessment with the relevant expert committee, they may […]